A la Ferme Open with New Hours - Portage, Michigan

Natalie P.

We made reservations online which was a very easy process. We were seated immediately, they had a very nice open firepit with Adirondack chairs outside with lights. They have done a nice job of keeping the supper club atmosphere. The onion rings were delicious, everything is obviously homemade, including the dressings. The menu is varied, with gluten free and vegan options. The portions were huge for the entrees, our group really enjoyed the Fried Chicken, the Strip steak, the Shrimp Gumbo, and the Barbeque chicken. The cost is very reasonable, cocktails were made well, there was live music, overall it was a great experience.

anthony S.

Have a bunch of older friends who were members of the club years and years ago. The food was good, and the ambiance was not bad at all.

Came in from out of town and was informed it was opened under a new owner and decided to try it. A pleasant surprise....

Was greeted by the manager's daughter and led to a table (mom and husband also). Our server, JaQuan, was pulling double duty as both the bartender and waiter and was attentive to our needs. Went over each item on the menu and several drinks. We all ordered the 4 course meal.

Chicken noodle soup was great. Wide egg noodles, chunks of chicken with vegetables. I actually had to use both a fork and spoon to eat it.

The salad took up the entire plate. A medley of garden vegetables with a lemon vinegar dressing. The bread served with it was quite good.

The meal of chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, and fries (mom got the corn on the cob) was pretty damn good. The actual white meat chicken (2 pieces) were almost as big as the plate...

Dessert was pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Good pie.

The chef, Selina, came out and introduced herself to the table and asked about our enjoyment of the meal. Made a few recommendations on the menu when we come back to visit again. Takes pride in her work.

The only thing that was not enjoyable was the interactions that the JaQuan and the manager had with, I believe, a former member when it was the Beacon Club. The member was rude, foul mouth, and abrasive at best. The manager dealt with his issues and paid for what he had ordered, then calmly asked him to leave due to him being rude to her employees. Nice to see management take care of her people.

Chef came out and walked us around the place, pointing out different items and things about the historic spot. Met the owner and spoke to him for a bit.

Folks, this is not the Beacon club. It is A LA Ferme. It's better.

Anna G.

I was able to walk in without a reservation.

I ordered the NY Strip Steak (medium well), mashed potatoes, and root vegetables. Food was fantastic. Food takes about 20 minutes to be cooked, just a heads up incase you are on a time constraint.

Austin was our waiter and he provided excellent service.

Would eat here again!

Carter K.

Try it while you can because I guarantee this restaurant won't be open in a year. The food was so bad. I ordered the roasted chicken and it came out dry, tough, and cold in the center. It was clear that it had been reheated (microwaved), but not very well. I've never had chicken this bad at any restaurant. It should've come with some kind of sauce if it was going to be that dry. The root vegetables were overcooked and also so dry that they were misshapen/shrunken. The mashed potatoes had a good consistency and were warm (they achieved the bare minimum for potatoes), but they were very bland. This might've been the first time in my life I didn't finish potatoes. The best part of the meal was the store-bought bread and butter.
I went on a slow night- there were only a couple of other tables in the place. Maybe it would be better to go on a busy night? Maybe they make the food fresh when it's busy? I'll never find out, because I'm not going back unless it changes ownership or cooks. The front of house staff were great- I don't fault them at all for the kitchen's extremely poor performance. I don't expect this place to stay open for very long.

ed F.

Had a wonderful time. Great food and great service. I’d read some of the reviews before our visit and was just a tad apprehensive. This is/was the historic Beacon Club and closed many years ago when membership could no longer support it. Very happy that this historic building is open again to the public and serving great food and experiences.

Cherie D.

So disappointed. We had CONFIRMED email for reservations on Sunday. Arrived on time. Doors locked and saw person walking inside. When we knocked he hid, couldn't even bother to come to door. We were a party of six, some who had been there and raved about the meal. Those of us from out of town were so excited only to be disappointed and ended up somewhere else with a subpar meal. Get it together, fix your reservation site if that is the issue. Hopefully you make it in this business.

Barbie S.

The chicken Alfredo was excellent, so creamy and the tomatoes on top were so good! Plus it's the old "beacon" club with some new updates inside

Francine M.

Considering the negative reviews that I am seeing here, I’m glad I didn’t read them before my Valentine and I went for a pre Valentines day date. Because I went in with an open mind and enjoyed a lovely dinner. I had the roasted chicken and the root vegetables and the garlic potatoes and everything tasted lovely. And it was more than I could eat. So I took half of it home. I would beg to differ with the assessment that this was store-bought bread. It came out warm, and crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The server, ISAAC was delightful, and returned frequently to check to see if we had any additional needs. We will definitely go back to see their live music on a Friday or Saturday night, or try their newly planned half off night, Thursdays. I also had the corn chowder which was very good. The wine was good and reasonably priced compared to similar restaurants, and they carry non alcoholic beer as well. All in all, we will plan a return visit. Encourage others to try it for themselves