Nonla Burger (Grand Rapids)
449 Bridge Street NW, Suite 102I didn’t expect to work in Grand Rapids last week, but I did.
My Kalamazoo colleague called in sick. There was more of a need for me in Grand Rapids than there was to send someone to Kalamazoo. I had a fairly spread out day that afforded me a lunch break where I could actually lead the office.
I used to work in Grand Rapids every night but that’s not the case anymore. I still see a lot of new places opening and I have a hard time filing away all the restaurants I want to get to.
I was hanging out on the Southeast Side of Grand Rapids racking my brain trying to think of something. Then I remembered one of my favorite Kalamazoo restaurants opened a Grand Rapids location a while back.
Nonla Burger’s Grand Rapids location is on Bridge Street on the Northwest side of the City. The restaurant is part of a mixed use commercial building near the corner of Bridge and Broadway. The restaurant is on the main floor next to a Condado Taco. There is some street parking in the area which is going to be your best bet if you’re just popping in for a sandwich.
It’s crazy to me how far Nonla Burger has come from the first location on Burdick Street in Kalamazoo. That location is so tiny and has such a unique atmosphere. I still love going there from time to time for a burger.
The newer locations are all so much bigger and brighter.
This location in Grand Rapids is probably the biggest of the four. There are two dining room areas, a bar, and a large order counter in the middle of the two that acts as a separation.
One of the cool things that’s brought here from the original is the plastic channel sign board. Here, it hangs over the order counter high above the cash registers. It’s not really useful but it’s a cool decor feature. There are menus that are easily readable next to each cash register.
I put in my order for the NB Double meal. The sandwich comes with fries and a drink and costs right around $12.
It takes a few minutes for the order to be made so I took a seat in the dining room closest to the order area. There is a combination of booths and tables here and a very high ceiling which makes the restaurant a little loud. It only took around five minutes for someone to come out of the kitchen with a bag and call my name. I needed to get back to work so I grabbed it to go.
I started with the fries as I was driving back to the office. The fries have always been some of my favorite in Kalamazoo. They’re simple hand cut skin on fries and they’re done perfectly. A little crispy on the outside and a little soft and pillowy in the middle. These fries don’t need anything to dip them in. They’re fantastic on their own.
The NB Double is my usual order when I go to Nonla. The sandwich is a double patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, and Nonla Spread. Unfortunately, my double was a single and there was so much Nonla Spread that it was a little difficult to eat. The burgers and the bun are so good on their own I don’t know why they feel the need to drown it in sauce. I usually leave it off the burgers but I didn’t today. It’s not bad, there was just way too much of it. I used a couple of napkins to wipe off as much as I could and just left the bun with a little bit of tanginess from the mayo.
That was not the best burger I’ve had from Nonla Burger but things happen. I know how much I like Nonla Burger because I keep going back again, and again, and again and again and again.
I like the space in the Grand Rapids location. They’re in a great area of town and they have a great set up. When they opened I had several co-workers ask me about the place and I told anyone who would listen they need to check it out. I just really love the simplicity of the restaurant and of the burgers.
SW Michigan Dining 