Backwater Cafe

A true dripping greasy spoon type establishment, serving large portions of great tasting diner food. Kind of a back alley gem, located not on the main stretch (or Main Street as it is) and no apparent signs leading to it. This is one of those ‘you will not leave hungry’ type places. They serve your typical American diner menu, focusing on their excellent breakfast items, brunch, burgers, sandwiches and more. Recently, I discovered that they offer catering services.
Everything is reasonably priced and well portioned. All the omelets are big and really good. Each time it is hard to choose which one to get since they all look good. The ingredients always seem fresh and generous. Their breakfast potatoes are crazy good and the wait staff keeps your coffee filled. Everything here seems homemade and from scratch. The kitchen kicks out the dishes fast and the wait staff has always been very friendly.
Yes, it does come across as a seedy dirty dive and it is a bit intimidating to enter from outside. Upon entering, it seems clustered and cramped but you are quick to get a greeting with a smile. Soon the charm and comfort of this place seeps in. You realize it is safe, warm and friendly. The place is almost always busy, so you know there doing something right. If you’re lucky, you can sit near the back windows and gaze upon the flat river and its water fowl along with the historic showboat ‘Robert E Lee ‘.

I had the french toast & two eggs my friend had the french toast and a side of sausage we each got a cup of coffee, our bill came to nearly $ 18…waay too much for what we got. It was just average in taste. The syrup tasted like the cheapest you could buy. The entryway is disgusting, dirty beat up and a big freezer in there, how tacky. Not impressed at all, could be soo much nicer especially being on the water. I don’t think I“ll be back at least not until I hear major changes have been made.

My husband and I stopped by here on a rainy Saturday after being in Grattan. I’m always a fan of breakfast and this seemed like a decent place to stop on our way back home. The outside is very unassuming and even a little off-​putting. It’s definitely a place you could pass up or miss and not even notice since it’s off the «main drag» of Lowell.
When you enter, you’re taken back to about the 70s or 80s. I’m not sure if it’s been updated since then. It’s definitely nothing fancy and it’s very «homey» I guess in that it’s unassuming and definitely looks well-​used for it’s years. Look past all that age and take a seat.
The servers are friendly and managed to make us feel welcomed, despite calling out to regulars (and we’re not regulars). The staff is happy to have anyone there.
They were packed and our coffee did dip a bit low a few times, but was always quickly filled when we grabbed someone. The food was a bit slow, but they were packed at the time, so we were understanding.
The food is the best part of the entire place. It’s homemade and from scratch, and you can tell. The potatoes (the best sidekick to eggs, IMO), are russets and cut into giant cubes which were crisped on the flattop. Mixed with onions and some peppers, they were fantastic (just be generous with your salt and pepper-​ing). I got the backwater hash which were the potatoes, onions, peppers, and some thin-​sliced (sorta deli-​like) ham all covered in cheese. It doesn’t normally come with eggs, but I got two on the side because all breakfasts need eggs.
My husband got the breakfast burrito. It wasn’t anything fancy, but it was a solid performer and generous with the portions. We didn’t leave hungry and were all really happy with the food we got.
Just be sure to overlook the interior being a little aged…

My fiancé and I stayed at the Inn around the corner and decided to have breakfast here before we left town. We were beckoned in by the wafting aroma of onion and hash browns. Now, we’ve walked past this place before because, let’s face it, it does not appear to be all that clean or in the best shape. Inside is the same story, with dated décor and sagging ceiling tiles. However, this shouldn’t scare you away from the food. We had two wonderful omelettes that were HUGE! Absolutely stuffed with fresh veggies, meats and cheeses. The ‘taters’, diced potatoes with peppers and onions, were also fantastic. Our waitress was a little short with us, but she was busy running around and was generally attentive. All in all, a small town feel of Americana in the glory days with a breakfast that will negate any hankering for lunch.

My husband and I ate here both mornings we were in Lowell. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and the food was really good. Home cooked and just what you would expect from this hidden gem. Highly recommend the grilled cinnamon raised bread. So worth the amount of calories that may be in it. Delicious!

One of our two favorite diners in town when the Chief of Staff returns to the land of her ancestors. This friendly, cozy little family diner has seen better days in terms of the décor, but it would have a wonderful view if they cleaned the windows facing the river. It opens before the crack of dawn at 5 am so it’s the father-in-law’s favorite breakfast spot. To me, 5 am is an insane time to eat, so late at night, but maybe that will change when I hit 80 years old. They know their regulars well, and if they don’t know you, they want to know you, it’s that kind of place. They are open in the afternoon, but breakfast is what they do best. If you’re passing through the Grand Rapids area, you could do a lot worse than the short detour to have breakfast here.

This place is great. They could use a fresh coat of paint and some fresh air but over all i love it. Their food is so delicious. My husband and I actually went there 2 days in a row for their YUMMY Wet breakfast burrito, its to die for. Just accept that its not a new «modern» looking place and enjoy the food!

Visited for breakfast and loved it! The Dam Omlette is one of the best I have had in a long time. The bread was homemade, the service was friendly and the décor was wonderfully down home.

They have cancelled dinner service unfortunately. They still have a great breakfast and lunch, unless Jeff is cooking. He is one of the owners but every time I’ve been there when he is the cook, everything is poorly prepared, half-​ass, and wrong. Every other cook there is competent except him. He might mean well but his employees far outshine him. I don’t mean this as a hit piece because he is a very friendly guy but he should not be in the kitchen.

Visited this greasy spoon breakfast diner at the recommendation of some friends and I was not disappointed.
This is because I like greasy spoon diners almost as much as I enjoy breakfast or brunch.
With that in mind, I can’t say that the food or the service are anything to brag about, but what I liked about this place, like most greasy spoons, is that the people and environment are REAL and a reflection of real people in a community working hard for their living.
The waitress was friendly, fun, and although a little forgetful, always willing to make sure we enjoyed our meal in any way she could — and that type of service counts for more than you get in a chain restaurant with scripted interactions between the waitstaff and guests.
Also amazing here was the view from my booth out the back-​window which is actually just a sliding glass door like you would find on a house. You see, out this window, 10 steps away, is the river in all of its rich blues and bright texture, that reflected the clouds and sky above.
If you are passing through this part of mid-​Michigan and need a low key, friendly place to eat. Consider visiting this establishment.