Longtime tavern reopens under new owners, promises great food, live music
GENOA TWP. - New owners have reopened a longtime tavern with a completely different menu, a renovated dining room and plans for live music.
Log Cabin is the next chapter of Nick's Log Cabin Inn, located at 5393 E. Grand River Ave. between Brighton and Howell, about 5 miles outside of both cities.
A group of restaurateurs purchased the closed tavern, which has a more than 100-year history, and remodeled the interior with a small stage, a larger dining room, and featuring log cabin elements and reclaimed barn wood from a South Lyon family's old mill.
The tavern was closed during renovations, which built anticipation of a fresh start for the tavern. It had previously been operated by a pair of brothers in their 90s who both have since died.
Managers said the tavern previously reached capacity at times, sometimes with as long as an hour wait on the weekends, and customers have generally been excited and patient as they relaunch the business.
"We have a good lunch crowd, and we're usually full for dinner," restaurant general manager Kirstin Proctor said.
The tavern is also attracting live rock, country and dueling piano acts to a section of Livingston County along Grand River Avenue that had not had a music venue.
Proctor said some regulars of Nick's Log Cabin Inn have been in, including one man who has reclaimed his favorite barstool spot.
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She said the revived tavern has also drawn in people who walk from their neighborhoods, including people who live near Lake Chemung, which is nearby.
She said people have been turning out to see live bands, and some watched the Michigan versus Michigan State football game there.
A different Log Cabin
The tavern was purchased by a group who co-own several restaurants in Livingston and Oakland counties.
Co-owners Winfred Dahm and Chris Stone also operate the New Hudson Inn, which also hosts live music, and they took over ownership of downtown Howell tavern 2FOG's Pub along with partner Holly Fletcher in 2020. They opened 2FOG's Golf in a space above the pub earlier this year. The group also has plans to construct a two-story honky tonk on the former Wrangler's Saloon property in Howell Township.
Brothers and longtime owners Nick and Harry Kovanis put Nick's Log Cabin Inn up for sale in 2017, before it closed in 2018. The brothers, who operated the business for about 50 years, have both since passed away. The new owners purchased it from the Kovanis' family members.
The Kovanis brothers immigrated to Michigan from Greece in the 1950s and landed in Howell in 1968, the year they bought the Log Cabin Inn.
The original log building, which was more than 100 years old, burned down in the late 1990s. The Kovanis brothers rebuilt it several years later.
“It could be a gold mine, but you need young people to do it,” Harry Kovanis said in 2017 after putting it on the market.
Early reaction is favorable
Scott Stanley and Brandon Astley were among the tavern's diners during lunch Monday.
Stanley, who lives in South Lyon, said he has already been the reopened business four times, and the potato bites are his favorite, so far. He said he frequents New Hudson Inn and wanted to check out the owners' new place.
"I was curious about this place before," he said. "I think what they've done with this place is amazing. It's fun. It's comfortable. It's a lot like my kind of people."
Astley, also from South Lyon, said he really enjoyed the beer-brined chicken during his first lunch.
"I would say it has a great atmosphere and great food," he said. "I came here years ago, and it's night and day from what it was."
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Randy Houston and Tracie Bidwell both ordered bourbon burgers with swiss and onion Monday.
"It's got a lot of character, and it's very modern," Bidwell said.
Houston said they are both fans of the New Hudson Inn.
"We've been regulars there for a number of years, so we knew the reputation," he said, also saying he expects to become a regular at Log Cabin.
In-house creations
Operating partner Dave Viola said the kitchen makes everything from scratch and nearly avoids using any frozen products.
The menu is generally built around burgers, barbecue, pizza and rotating vegetables and fish based on the season.
"We buy pig bellies and cure them in-house for nine days, let them rest for a day and then smoke them," Viola said. "The pork bellies get turned into bacon and the pork is hams."
He said the tavern brines its own pickles and makes its own sauces.
"The only things that are frozen are fries and chicken nuggets for the kids," he said.
Managers also said they offer seasonal vegetables and fish caught in northern Michigan, on a rotating basis, and they recently secured a local honey farmer to supply them.
Proctor said one of the best dishes is the beer-battered half-chicken soaked in Pabst Blue Ribbon beer for 24 hours.
"It's super juicy and flavorful," she said.
The restaurant's build-your-own burger and pizza options have also been popular, managers say.
Bar manager Mike Rajca said they try to source local and Michigan products, including 12 beers on-tap, along with signature cocktails and wines.
Rajca said their bloody mary with fixings, including cheese, house-brined pickles and japalenos with a house rum, have been popular.
He also said the tavern hired more than 30 employees, who are mostly from the local area.
"One reason is the entertainment value with live music playing. People enjoy coming to work at a place like that," he said.
Contact Livingston Daily reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Tavern between Brighton and Howell reopens with live music