REO Town Clubhouse reopens with Italian favorites and an Art Deco vibe

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Fifteen days after issues with its point-of-sale system forced a temporary closure, the new REO Town Clubhouse Ristorante reopened Tuesday (Jan. 28) with gusto — and a large and appreciative lunchtime crowd.

Owned by couple Bruce and Desirea Kring, REO Town Clubhouse opened its doors on Jan. 8 in the 12,000-square-foot building at 1314 S. Washington Ave. that previously housed Ellison Brewery and Event Space. Then, on Jan. 13, the management team posted a message on Facebook announcing the restaurant’s closure, not only citing the point-of-sale issues but also that they would be “dedicating our efforts to staff training and menu evaluation to ensure we continue to provide you with the best guest experience possible.”

“We’ve been homing in on how we want to approach the customer,” general manager Sean McCarthy said. “We might not have gotten quite the training we wanted for our staff before our earlier opening, but we were able to cover that in the two weeks we were waiting for the POS system to be installed.

He added that “the concept didn’t change at all — it was just a matter of fine-tuning from the feedback we got from the public.”

Raymond Holt for City Pulse
REO Town Clubhouse Ristorante offers “homey Italian food” like Neapolitan-style pizzas and “and stick-to-your-ribs-good pasta dishes,” McCarthy said.
Raymond Holt for City Pulse REO Town Clubhouse Ristorante offers “homey Italian food” like Neapolitan-style pizzas and “and …

McCarthy said REO Town Clubhouse’s concept, described on its website as a “unique blend of authentic Italian cuisine, vibrant entertainment and stylish event space,” came from the building’s “Art Deco feel.”

He added that the Krings wanted to create a supper club type of environment.

“We’re kind of bringing back the 1930s prohibition time. They like that era. We named a lot of our drinks after gangsters,” he said.

When customers walk in the door, they’ll immediately notice the 72-seat, eight-table billiards hall to the right and the 90-seat dining room and full-service bar to the left. Bruce Kring is an avid pool player, McCarthy said, and wanted to fill a void for a high-end parlor. The pool hall remained open during the two-week closure of the restaurant.

Meanwhile, the second floor houses a versatile, 150-person-capacity event space that will soon be home to entertainment such as dueling (or solo) piano players, live jazz and other performances. The space is also available to rent for weddings and other large gatherings.

McCarthy said the restaurant’s old-school Italian menu was inspired by “trying to fill a void where we lost Emil’s and DeLuca’s with homey Italian food — Neapolitan-style pizzas and stick-to-your-ribs-good pasta dishes.”

What have been the restaurant’s most popular menu items so far? McCarthy said the pizzas lead the way, but dinner entrées like the baked mahi-mahi with Mediterranean citrus sauce aren’t far behind. The five-layer “stacked” lasagna, meatballs and pasta have also been a hit. The fried shrimp served in garlic Calabrian butter has become a well-loved appetizer.

Raymond Holt for City Pulse
John “Slim” Whaley of Lansing takes advantage of REO Town Clubhouse’s eight-table billiards hall.
Raymond Holt for City Pulse John “Slim” Whaley of Lansing takes advantage of REO Town Clubhouse’s eight-table billiards hall.

McCarthy said the Krings, who also own Gravy Smokehouse & BBQ in Holt, had a balance in mind when they decided to launch REO Town Clubhouse.

“Gravity is a little more relaxed, and this is more upscale,” he said. “Everybody likes to go out for a nice dinner once in a while.”

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