Review: Travis Restaurant - Clinton Township, Michigan

Review by Don Taylor


My sister and I were about during Memorial Day. After an early start and a long day of paying our respects at various cemeteries in the Detroit area, we decided we were finally done and it was time to eat. We were both famished and stopped at a place for a late lunch, early dinner. We stopped someplace, (I forget where) and learned that the place closed at 3:00 PM because of the holiday. She then suggested we go to Travis Restaurant in Clinton Township. She said they have good food at a great price. She couldn't have been more right on.


Travis Restaurant, Clinton Twp, MI
Photo from Google Maps. 
Travis Restaurant is what I call, a "hole in the mall" restaurant -- a small strip mall with several different businesses in it. We arrived about 3:45 in the afternoon and they still would serve breakfast, my favorite meal of the day. It has been my experience that if you want to judge a place on their breakfast there are two things to order. First, if they make their own hash, I like to try their hash and eggs.  If they use Mary Kitchen out of the can, that is a definite mark against them.  I'd rather they not serve hash than hash out of the can. The second best thing to try their country fried steak. Not only can you tell the quality of the meat they use, you can also tell about their gravy.

So, I ordered the Country Fried Steak "smothered in homemade sausage gravy" along with two eggs and hashbrowns. 'Cause everything is better with bacon, I ordered a side of bacon to go with it. My sister ordered a club sandwich without tomato. If I was still hungry shame on me, 'cause I definitely ordered enough food.

Country Fried Steak, Hash Browns, two eggs, & toast
with an extra side of bacon and extra butter.
Travis Restaurant, Clinton Township, Michigan
Photo by Don Taylor
When the food arrived, I looked with awe upon my breakfast. I then began tasting it - Delicious. The country fried steak was most excellent. I found no gristle or tough places. It really was smothered in a thick, homemade sausage gravy that tasted superb - not bland nor over spiced either.  I don't know that I've ever had any better. The bacon was crispy and, to me, perfect.  The hash browns were cooked nicely. The sourdough toast didn't have enough butter for my liking so I asked for additional butter, which came quickly. The only detraction was that the eggs came over well instead of over hard, as I had ordered. (Over hard means the yoke is broken, over well means the yokes are cooked to have no runniness.) All in all, it was one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time.


The atmosphere was such that my sister could have a nice conversation about our day.  It was an excellent experience.

Rating: 4.6

Ambiance: 3 (A typical neighborhood diner environment.)
Food: 5 (I probably couldn't have cooked it better.)
Service: 5 (Staff was friendly and extremely attentive.)
Price: 5 (Meals were under $10 each, not including drinks)
Value: 5 (For lunch I don’t know of many places better.)

Travis Restaurant is located at 34400 Harper Avenue in Clinton Twp, Michigan. I will happily stop again.


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