Michigan ‘s Last, Lonely, Bennigan’s Restaurant Has Closed For Good

A few days ago, a friend sent me a meme that instantly filled me with an intense sense of nostalgia that I didn't even know that I had.

Has a meme ever made you miss one of your favorite restaurants from Michigan's past?

👇Best Bites: The Ultimate Guide to Michigan's Top Restaurants👇

The meme, shared by that80sand90spage on Instagram, simply stated, "I act like I'm alright, but deep down I miss..." and then included a photo of a restaurant sign - that restaurant? Bennigan's. I immediately responded with "I really DO miss Bennigan's" and she quipped that their "broccoli bites were fire."

READ MORE: Have You Eaten at These 16 West Michigan Restaurants Featured on National TV? 

A friend and I used to meet at the Bennigan's which was once located on Alpine Ave. in Grand Rapids at least once per month. (That location is now home to a vitamin store and a place that sells mattresses.) Sadly, back in 2008, the majority of the Bennigan's locations across the country closed when their parent company filed for bankruptcy.

The chain, which was Irish-themed and had a menu that included their "world famous" Monte Cristo, all but disappeared. The only locations that remained open were those that were independently owned.

Are There Any Bennigan's Restaurants Left in the World?

The short answer is "yes". There are still six Bennigan's locations scattered across the United States and fifteen more scattered in other places around the globe. (Their official website also shows that there are another six locations "coming soon".)

The Last, Lonely, Bennigan's in Michigan Has Closed

The majority of the locations that still remain in the US are in Iowa and Texas - and up until some time in 2024, there was still one in Michigan.

The restaurant was located in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, right by Central Michigan University.

Sadly, when I looked today to see if that particular Bennigan's was still in operation, I learned that the location was permanently closed.

The good news is that the restaurant that replaced it, B404 Restaurant and Bar, has a Monte Cristo on its menu.

So, if just reading the name "Bennigan's" filled you with a sense of nostalgia, know that you can no longer visit them in Mt. Pleasant.

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Good News! We DO Have a Bennigan's On-The-Fly

HOWEVER - plot twist (that I just learned about)- there is a Bennigan's On-The-Fly location in Flint!

And, looking up their menu on DoorDash, it appears that they have all of your old favorites - the Monte Cristo, the Turkey O'Toole, and more!