Holly’s Restaurant & Pub

I see getting here at 2:30 on a Monday, does NOT get you very good service.
Had to get up and ask a different server for more popcorn after our server said she would bring some.
Had to get up and ask a different server for more iced tea.
Had to ask a different server for more water.
Had to ask a different server for cheese for our sons spaghetti.
Needless to say, our server did not receive much of a tip.

Went once, ordered a BLT and it came out with not Tomato because they «ran out.» LoL Haven’t been back.

Tried this based on Unilocal reviews but regretted it. Sandwiches were OK but the side fries (both regular and sweet potato) were barely warm, wait staff rarely smiled (polite but were not friendly… no greeting, only asked basic questions), interior décor dark, music from 1970’s and 80’s, posters of long dead movie stars on walls — I think you get the picture. Bill came to (with tip) to almost $ 80 for five sandwichs and one ice tea (no appetizers or deserts). Seems like one of those places with a strong local following that drives up Unilocal reviews but which in fact not very good — have experienced this before with Unilocal.Just about any fast casual dinning place is much better.

I was visiting Michigan city and stopped at Holly’s for lunch. I got fish and chips, and my boyfriend got burgers. I liked the fried fish, it was not crispy but tender. Those came with seasoned fries, but they were a bit soggy sadly! Coleslaw was warm. I liked the atmosphere and my waitress. Also free popcorns!

After a day at the Washington Park Zoo, my wife, son, and I decided to use Unilocal to find a nearby restaurant. My wife was hoping to go to Ryan’s a little further down Franklin Street, but due to it being smack dab in the middle of a stretch of horrendous road construction, we decided to try the little pub we’ve driven past a million times on our way to Lighthouse Mall.
Upon entering the parking area, I was surprised at the number of cars since we arrived at 2:45 — usually a dead period for eateries. Good sign. The door boasted a «Yelp reviewers love us» sticker, which was an awesome touch.
As soon as you walk in, you are punched in the nose by the intoxicating aroma of movie theater popcorn, luring you directly inside as you follow the bowl-​toting hostess zombie-​style to your table. Still warm, unlike the week old corn you get at the theaters. What an interesting and original theme — everyone loves popcorn.
In my dealings with restaurants, often I notice several staffers lolling around, talking to one another, tinkering on their phones, etc. Holly’s staff is professional, courteous, and bouncing around helping each other constantly. A happy, productive staff is a good indicator that the owners and managers are genuinely good employers. Another plus.
We are handed a rather large and diverse menu with several interesting takes on dishes. On the back is a list of Holly’s Laws, which entail basically how valued you are as a customer and how much care they put into your dining experience. I thought it was just a cute gimmick since it was worded with a great deal of wit and humor — they mean every word.
One of the laws touched on the portion size and guaranteed you will not leave hungry. Man, they could not have been more right.
We started out with a pulled pork nachos appetizer, thinking it was going to be the standard issue round plate with a handful of chips and a few spoons of toppings. What we got was a huge oval shaped platter with easily two pounds of nachos and toppings. Despite the amazing taste, we were forcing the last few bites down and wondering how we were going to tackle our entrees.
Our aptly titled Monster Burgers came next, along with our son’s chicken finger and fried shrimp combo. You have to believe me when I say these burgers smelled so wonderfully grilled, it was as if the grill was inches from the table. Smothered in cheese was a full pound of flavorful and juicy beef, complete with perfect grill marks. The bun was toasted to perfection, the toppings on the side to stay cool. The shrimp and chicken my son was devouring were large, plentiful, and fried to a golden bliss. We all opted for seasoned fries, which were nice and hot and tasty as well.
I’m a big guy with a big appetite, and until I met the Monster Burger I had never had to wrap burger leftovers in my life. We were all carrying boxes as we waddled out, stuffed to the gills.
With the great food, great staff, and very reasonable prices, Holly’s is well deserving of the five stars I rated them. I urge you to give them a try, and may even see you there as I plan on becoming a regular.

The food was blah… like seriously bland. My husband and I went to this place with our two boys and I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap while my husband ordered the beach burger with seasoned fries. The waitress was nice, it wasn’t great service but it wasn’t terrible either. I swear I feel like the food is for senior citizens because nothing had any flavor at all.

The food was very good. The fries are perfect. The Reuben was excellent. My wife and daughter enjoyed their meals as well. The clam chowder had good taste but wasn’t hot… luke warm. The waitress was not super friendly. There was a sewage smell in the front entrance area that went away the farther back we got in the building. The atmosphere is good inside with plenty of TVs on the walls. We would still go back in spite of some of the negatives.

Sorry not Mexican food at all. It is pretty much sandwiches that have some sloppy sauces on top. Free popcorn as an appitizer is good, the salt makes you order more drinks, smart idea on the owners side. Overall if you like sandwiches it’s average.

I came in late for some homemade soup to bring home. Angel was a total sweetheart to hook me up. Marcus was very helpful as well! Holly’s is a family oriented restaurant to enjoy any time you’re in Michigan City.

I frequent this restuarant with friends at least twice a month. It is a great family oriented place with a management and wait staff that make you feel like family. You get hefty portions and you have a huge variety of things to choose from. Great deals on daily specials including drinks from the cozy neighborhood sports bar located inside with plenty of TVs to view your fav events. Overall one of my favorite places I’m town to gather with friends for a drink or a drink and dinner.

Three words: FRENCH DIP SANDWICH!
This is THE BEST French Dip sandwich I ever had so far. The sliced meat was so tender and a great amount of mozzarella cheese oozing on it. The au jus was flavorful and not salty like other au jus I tasted from other places. The amount of meat to the bread is plenty. Other places would put less meat in the bread, but Holly’s fills the bread with a lot of meat.
I highly recommend to fully load the french dip with mushrooms, green and sweet peppers. Gives the French Dip an extra KA-​POW of deliciousness in your mouth!

Free popcorn. A lot of variety to choose from. Accommodating for our group of 12 everyone was able to get something they liked from wings, pretzels, tilapia, and burgers! Down fall wish games worked for the kids but no points off cuz staff was nice and food was great!

I like the pretzel burger here. It was full of flavor and every time I get it it has been really good. The only thing is it is a dollar more then at hammers down the road and it is just as good there. All in all a really good place to eat

Promptly greeted, seated, and given popcorn, which was a nice treat as we were already hungry. I asked about the seasonal beers as nothing on the list caught my eye… Much to my surprise and delight she mentioned Gumballhead! Do not pass up the chance to have this on draft! (Use caution when ordering the 34oz, though. it’s HUGE.)
So many things looked/​sounded so good on the menu that we decided to order the nachos while we continued to decide on our main courses. I’m glad we didn’t pass those up! The very generous portion of tortilla chips with barbecue pulled pork, refried beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, jalapenos was easily enough for four of us to share.
Finally, our main courses were amazing. Quesadillas that were more than enough for one person. A sandwich on a pretty awesome pretzel bun. Some of the tastiest chicken tacos I’ve had in a long time. A French dip full of meat.
Prices were fair. Nothing here disappointed. We’ll be sure to come back on our next trip.

Went here with a friend to give it a try. We liked the bowls of all you can eat free popcorn. The meals were so-​so. I had a steak and fries. More fat than meat. Our server was very nice and attentive. Unfortunately a large group came in and was seated at a round table right next to us. They were so loud we couldn’t hear each other talking. The cost was reasonable.

Well…
My husband and I stopped here after a trip to the beach and outlet malls. We walked in and I immediately noticed that the floors were really dirty. Maybe that is because they had a busy lunch and didn’t get around to cleaning it yet? Kind of gross, but we sat down anyway.
We were immediately greeted with a bowl of fresh popcorn that they pop in house. I later found out how ironic that was that they made the popcorn in house.
We ordered the steak sandwich and the pot roast sandwich, both with seasoned fries. The pot roast sandwich was delicious. I had half of it and my husband had half. The steak sandwich was basically inedible. The meat was very tough and had lots of visible fat. Worst of all, it had no flavor. They should substitute the sour cream with a garlic mayo or something similar. The fries tasted like the freezer.
The funniest thing was when I told the waitress how delicious the pot roast sandwich was. She said, «oh yeah, we actually make that one here!» My thoughts: What? You don’t make everything in house? Or you don’t make most things in house? And you’re admitting to it?
The service overall was excellent. I thought that they were very attentive and very nice. That being said, my advice to Holly’s would be to make everything in-​house because if they can make a pot roast sandwich that is that good, they can make everything that good.

Decent place for lunch. Relatively busy — but not overwhelming for the staff. Love the free popcorn.

I wished I live in Michigan Coty, IN so I could come here every Friday for the clam chowder! Stopped by here with hubby and my mom while en route to the lighthouse mall then to blue chip casino. THE BEST clam chowder. WHOA… Hubby made fun of me and asked if I wanted to lick the bowl clean. Freshly popped popcorn while you wait for your food! Good portions. Prompt and SUPER friendly service. Nice and clean bathroom (I am a bathroom observant. I dont care how nice and clean the rest of the restaurant is, if your bathroom is dirty, forget about it!)
Wished I live closer.

Great popcorn instantly at your table when you sit, tons of menu options, cold beer, and fantastic service. I love the quesadillas!

The restaurant is easy to locate, and from the outdoors appears rather ordinary. Indoors, it’s very pleasant with bold interior colors, good-​sized booths and tables, and a bar area (which I didn’t enter). There’s a general feeling of order and cleanliness to the surroundings.
I enjoyed a chef salad with salmon, which was a lunch special. My son had a sirloin steak, which was cooked «medium» as ordered. Kudos to the waitress for checking with the kitchen about the BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos Grande, and letting us know the corn chips were NOT gluten-​free. But point deducted for bringing out the salad with a big fat bread stick on top of it (gluten-​free = no wheat, barley, or rye = no breadstick, please).
All things considered, Holly’s is the sort of place that I would give a solid three-​star rating when compared to St. Louis metro competitors. If I lived in Michigan City, and depending upon the competition, it might even become a regular casual or business lunch spot. If given enough time for Unilocal to really take hold in the area, then Holly’s might eventually score pretty well.