The Lansing poll winner of Michigans Best Outdoor Dining is a deck over the Looking Glass River – MLive.com

PORTLAND, MI - Oh, that deck.

In the summer time, when theres no pandemic, the deck over the Looking Glass River at Fabianos River House Bar & Grill in Portland is rocking. Live music on the weekends, a huge fireplace, big big crowds and good times.

You know what that decks like, said Bill Fabiano, who opened the restaurant in December of 2014 with his wife Rachelle. The patio is the big draw.

Hes referring to the day Michigans Best visited in 2017 when we were the search for Michigans Best Chicken Wings. On that day we sampled their wings sauced by Michigan-made Sauce Gone Wild, right on that deck.

But we did that without Bill and Rachelle. They were at the hospital for the birth of their first child, Vivienne.

We went into the hospital the morning you guys came in, Fabiano remembered. Shes not so little any more. Shes 3 1/2 years old.

READ: Your Guide to Michigans Best chicken wings: Where we were, wings we ate, who we met

Well, we remember the day well, and that beautiful, spacious deck right on the water.

Its the reason Fabianos was voted as the top spot for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining in the Lansing area with 58 percent of the vote, winning in a landslide over Lansing Brewing Company, which has 12 percent of the vote, and Acapulco Mexican Grill in Charlotte with 3.8 percent.

Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill is known for its deck over the Looking Glass River in Portland, Michigan. "The patio is the big draw," says Bill Fabiano, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Rachelle.Courtesy of Fabiano's Riverhouse Bar & Grill

Fabiano said the deck, which is actually located where the Looking Glass River meets the Grand River, is typically shut down each winter.

In fact, they had just winterized it when the second shutdown closed Michigan restaurants and bars from Nov. 18-Feb. 1 to limit the spread of Covid-19.

We had to move everything outdoors, he said. That meant adding heaters, fire tables and even carpeting to the deck, which typically has a capacity of 80 people.

It also meant no running water, sinks, pop guns or draft beer on tap. That was all indoors.

The girls had to go in out for everything, Fabiano said.

Were they happy about that?

They were happy to be working, said Fabiano, who laughed, but in all seriousness praised his staff of about 25 employees who have worked so hard through the roller coaster ride of the pandemic.

But theyre wearing snowsuits and mittens and doing their best to stay warm.

With indoor dining back at 25 percent capacity, he has put the sides down to use the space as additional indoor dining.

But as soon as the sub-zero weather breaks, were going to push the sides back up and call it outdoor dining again. The wood-burning fireplace makes a difference out there. Forty degrees in the spring is whole lot warmer than 40 degrees in the fall.

A booming delivery service within a 5-mile radius of Portland also helped them get through both shutdowns.

Fabiano said he invested in insulated carriers and car tops just before an historic flood in February of 2019 on the Grand River. The community was declared a local state of emergency. Fabianos had to close for two weeks.

READ: Local state of emergency declared for Portland after ice jam and flooding

Delivery was put on hold.

Then, when the first shutdown happened in March, he was ready to hit the ground running. Literally.

That first day, we had everything ready to go, Fabiano said. It was a saving grace... I didnt realize the demand for deliver in Portland in such a small town.

Food

Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill in Portland, Michigan, is known for their wings, both bone in and boneless. They were a finalist for Michigan's Best Wings in 2017. They use Michigan-based Sauce Gone Wild for all of their flavors.John Gonzalez

As for food, customers love the wings, of course. The garlic parmesan is the top-selling flavor. And the popular Friday Fish Fry is back with $12.99 all you can eat cod.

But Fabiano said pizza also gets rave reviews from customers, especially the chicken bacon ranch specialty pizza.

The Fabiano name is synonymous with pizza, and goes back to the 1970s with his aunt and uncles party store in nearby Wacousta, he said. His uncle, Steve Fabiano, owns the Eagle Inn (which was also on our search for Best Wings). Theres Fabianos Pizzeria in Westphalia. And his dad had Fabianos on the River on Torch Lake for many years until selling in August.

All the same family, all independently owned and operated, Fabiano said.

As for the patio, people are still using it, despite the cold weather.

Were actually going to leave the patio open year round now, he said.

It opens at 4 p.m. on most days, and at noon on Saturdays.

Bill and Rachelle Fabiano are co-owners of Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill in Portland, Michigan, winners of Michigan's Best Outdoor Dining in Lansing. Also pictured: Their daughter Vivienne, who is 3, and dog Liberty.Courtesy of Bill and Rachelle Fabiano

A Portland High School graduate of 2001, Bill and his wife Rachelle live in Eagle. Both have full time jobs, too. Bill is a firefighter for the city of Grand Rapids, and Rachelle works for a credit union in Lansing. Plus, they have the little one.

They love the Portland community.

Weve had great support....people are coming out, he said. They dont mind it being a little chilly.

The search for Michigans Best Outdoor Dining is sponsored in part by Warm Fitness.

This is what the deck looked like in 2017 when Michigan's Best stopped by for wings at Fabiano's River House Bar & Grill.John Gonzalez

IF YOU GO

Fabianos River House Grill

104 W. Grand River Ave., Portland, MI 48875

517-647-4400

Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturdays; closed Mondays. The outdoor patio opens at 4 p.m. most days; on Saturdays it opens at noon.

More info: riverhousebarandgrill.com or facebook.com/FabianosRiverHouseBarAndGrill/

The garlic parmesan wings are the top seller at Fabiano's River House Grill in Portland, Michigan. They were a finalist for Michigan's Best Wings in 2017. They use Michigan-based Sauce Gone Wild for all of their flavors.John Gonzalez

If you have questions about this search or suggestions for future searches, feel free to email us:

John Gonzalez: gonzo@mlive.com

Amy Sherman: asherma2@mlive.com

Follow our Michigans Best adventures on social media:

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Join in by using the hashtags #mibest and #outdoordining.

In addition:

John Gonzalez is on Twitter @michigangonzo, as well as Facebook and Instagram @MichiganGonzo.

Amy Sherman is on Twitter @amyonthetrail, as well as Facebook and Instagram @amyonthetrail.

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The Lansing poll winner of Michigans Best Outdoor Dining is a deck over the Looking Glass River - MLive.com