Information on Traverse City, Michigan and the surrounding Northwest Michigan area

Summer Guide, June 2006

Let's do lunch

Hard Luck is smokin'

by doug davenport
For more restaurant profiles, see our Let's Do Lunch page

The Hard Luck Café, located on East Front Street in Traverse City across from the bay, specializes in smoked or pit beef, pork, ham, and chicken dishes.

Restaurant: Hard Luck Café

Address: 810 E. Front Street, Traverse City (GET MAP)

Cuisine: Specializing in smoked or pit beef, pork, ham, and chicken dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Casual dine in or carry-out. It's called the Hard Luck Café because this is thought to be a tough location for a restaurant. Three years after opening, Joe Pellar (JP) is beating the odds with some of the best smoked meat plates north of Dixie.

The breakfast menu features Omelets and Eggs and Stuff. Pancakes and French toast are offered as well. Most of the plates include your choice of various smoked meats, and the portions are filling. The Atkins Omelet, made with pit ham, beef, bacon, sausage, and a cheddar blend, comes for $5.75. Two eggs with potatoes and toast is just $3.45. HLC waitress, Jayne, recommends the corned beef hash as the best she's eaten. An 8 oz. steak with eggs rings up at $7.25.

Looking for lunch? The Hard Luck Angus Burger rocks for $5.50, and generous sandwiches filled with pit smoked chicken, beef, pork, or ham are available under $7. Try a South of the Border Wet Burrito for $7.25. Fresh salads and chili are available also.

Sit in a comfortable booth or grab a stool at the counter. The place is casual and bright; windows on three walls allow pleasant views across Front Street to Traverse Bay.

My Selection: Smiling Jayne serves up fresh, hot coffee and recommends "JP's Mess" from the breakfast menu. This is the all meats version which includes ham, beef, bacon and sausage mixed with potatoes, onion and green pepper, then topped with your choice of eggs. I sampled the sweet and spicy sauces. Both are tasty; the spicy has a bit of kick in it.

Sample the Pit Pork because JP does it right. I haven't tasted pulled pork this good since I lived in North Carolina. Jayne points out the blackboard on the wall behind the counter. These specials aren't on the menu because they change daily, depending on what Joe feels like cookin'. Be sure to check out the board when you visit.

If you live over on the south side, watch for Hard Luck II, opening soon on South Airport Road, between Barlow and Garfield.