State Room Restaurant

Expensive but wonderful. The salmon is delicious and the marinated mushrooms wrte great also. Took family there for my husband’s birthday and the bill was almost $500.00.

Came here because of a Groupon deal. Otherwise, I think the food is a bit overpriced. Service is not the best because college-kids-don't-care theory in action again--probably why they're not doing so great and promoting on Groupon. 1. Asked for a secluded area, and was seated in the most visible table. 2. The waitress never came to tell us she was leaving and the new waiter had to introduce himself to us, awkward...

Service is always excellent, staff members are kind and attentive to dining needs. Joe is amazing and one of the best servers on staff. I tried the strawberry shortcake which was made by Peter. Amazing dish. The strawberry compote was fresh and the raspberry chocolate ganache was a perfect balance between sweet and tart and the entire dessert incorporated different textures of crunch and gooey. I would recommend to anyone and thank the staff for placing it on the menu!

First time back since COVID. The dinner menu is smaller than before, but still have plenty of local beer and wine options. Ordered Mini Lump Crab Cakes (3 for $15), Charcuterie Board ($17), Venison ($37), 6 oz. Char-Grilled Filet ($39), Lake Perch ($26), Homemade Passionfruit Sorbet ($7).

My date and I experienced the State Rooms sunday brunch buffet this weekend, it was fantastic, the salmon with chardonnay sauce was my favourite. Our waiter was excellent along with our host. I would recommend making a reservation and to note that one can reserve a more private dinning room similar to a conference room. They served Paramount brand coffee, we purchased a pound of from the restaurant before we left. I recommend the State room for a more upscale brunch option.

This review covers four meals over the course of a three day stay at the Kellogg Center. Meal One was the best of the bunch. Kristen W was our server. She couldn't have been better. She was friendly and attentive to all of our needs. I had the small Bistro salad. It was fresh and tasty. Among the best I have had. I followed that with the Smoked Turkey and Lentil Soup. Though just the slightest bit salty it was very tasty soup. My entree was the special of the day; Adobo rubbed pork loin. It did not disappoint. Followed that with some MSU Dairy Chocolate Ice Cream to end a satisfying meal. Day 2 lunch was a bit underwhelming. Due to a conference at the hotel the restaurant was busy. Ordered crispy chicken sandwich and fries. Everything took way longer than it should and the food was on the overcooked side. Somewhat dry. Took a long time to get check and even longer to get change. Day 2 dinner. Darrel M was our server. Again I had the small Bistro salad. Again it was excellent. Followed that up with a bowl of Smoked Turkey and Lentil soup. The portion was very small for a Bowl. It was not filled sufficiently but was still tasty. Had the New York Strip for entree and it was cooked as ordered and well seasoned. Day 3 Lunch. Conference still going on. Staff still overwhelmed by the number of diners. Ordered something simple, a burger and fries. Burger was ordered Medium. It was dry and somewhat tasteless. Learned a lesson from previous lunch and requested check at time of food delivery. Still took just over an hour from start to finish. Restaurant knows when conference is at hotel. I think they could do a little better job staffing appropriately so the dining experience at lunch time was better. If I could give two separate reviews it would be four stars for dinners and Two stars for lunch. Thus the three star review.

Their Valentines dinner was amazing and the optional wine pairings were perfect. The staff were attentive and friendly. It was a beautiful and thoroughly enjoyable date night for my me and my husband.

The rib eye steak was sensational, our server Erwin and hostess Beryln were both bright happy and engaging.

Really glad I didn't look up the reviews before coming because when you get to this page it shows 3/5 stars which it doesn't deserve. Atmosphere was very nice. They put a lot of work into the presentation of the dishes which is nice. I learned I don't like molasses but that doesn't mean the dish was great! Must get the sushi - wow amazing. Very limited menu, inside the hotel but they validate parking if you eat here.

This upscale restaurant offers a clean ambiance and an impressive menu featuring seasonal American cuisine. We savored every dish, particularly the softshell crab sushi and lamb loin.

The State Room Restaurant lies inside the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. Just a few steps from the lobby, you don't expect to experience what you do. It is an upscale restaurant. Service from host to server is excellent. I shouldn't be surprised since the School of Hospitality Business has its home at Michigan State University. As you walk in, a nicely sized bar area lies to the right with the dining area straight ahead. The Chardonnay had a bang that I'm not used but it went so well with my Bistro salad of greens, cranberries, walnuts, blue cheese, and its smooth vinaigrette dressing. Then came the halibut. It had a very light crust and a very moist meaty flavor swaddled with a butter sauce. It came in hot but the taste was phenomenal with the combination of green beans cooked just right, steamed artichoke, red pepper, and salted boiled potatoes. The taste reminded me of comfort food because it made me feel so good, but the consistency of the food and the exacting preparation of the fish commanded fine dining status. I'm glad to be in East Lansing for a conference the rest of the week....I look forward to more fine meals from the State Room Restaurant.

This restaurant is on the same level for Lobby. Atmosphere is pretty elegant and one would suspect the breakfast prices would be real high like at resorts. Maybe due to it being at Michigan State University, they are reasonable. Most of the dishes on breakfast menu are $10-12. There are also menu items marked GF for gluten free. Food was delicious, service quite good though if they take your coat from you at the front, they don't bring it back so just grab it from the closet on way out. See the photos - yum! Three of us ate here.

What a hidden gem!! I have been going to MSU for 30 years. I started as a student, onward to a grad student and then years of teaching at MSU. I have some local East Lansing favorite restaurants, but, it never occurred to me to try this restaurant, located within the Kellogg Center Hotel and Conference Center. I happen to be attending a conference and I wanted to give this place a try. It did not disappoint! The ambience is fantastic! Upscale, but comfortable. Each table is set up, so one would feel like they are in their own private dining area. The bar is plentiful. So many varieties of Scotch and IPA's, as well as your regular libations. They have unique drink specials throughout the week. The service is excellent! Attentive, knowledgeable and friendly. They offer advice and they also give you the time to enjoy the drinks and the food. The food!! Love the tapas, or small plates menu. All the ingredients are local. The scallops were so sweet, succulent and full of flavor. I had the scallops two ways. One with a Michigan cherry glaze and the other with a blood orange sauce! So good! I also had the truffle fries, crispy and they were better than regular fries. This is a great date spot and I also saw a lot of people in groups as well. I will definitely return and I look forward to it. Oh, huge wine collection as well.

I'm not sure I can adequately describe how positive my experience was at The State Room over several visits spanning three days. I was in town for a conference at the Kellogg and while I didn't stay on site, this space naturally became a gathering location for attendees. I met a group of six others here for drinks around dinner time on a Monday evening. When there weren't seats readily available in the bar area, a hostess pulled together tables for us in the dining area. We were transparent that we only intended to order drinks - we didn't want to encroach on their dinner business - and she assured it wasn't an issue. Our server was friendly and attentive. She either didn't mind that we were only ordering drinks or, if she did, she was excellent at masking her frustration. She checked in with us several times and was quick to note an addition to the group, coming over to take his order without needing to be flagged down. On the last night of our conference, I came here for a drink before the banquet with a few friends. When I came back after our dinner, the bartender remembered which bourbon I ordered earlier and how I took it (one ice cube). As the night progressed, we ordered more drinks and appetizers. Any conference group is going to be a bit of pandemonium with split checks and open tabs; she handled it all with aplomb and kindness. Drink prices are incredibly reasonable, at least compared with Chicago the its suburbs where I normally drink. The draught and spirit lists both had local options, which I always appreciate when traveling.

I have been impressed here in the past, typically service and food are impeccable. Unfortunately we dined here on Feb 13th and I was extremely disappointed. We came the day before Valentine's Day to beat the rush and genuinely enjoy our dinner. However our server didn't check in on us once, never asked if we wanted refills on our drinks, and forgot to bring out the bread. After bring out our meals he noticed the lack of bread and asked if we wanted it which we replied yes, and he still never brought it out. Very disappointed.

Nice little spot in the Kellogg Conference Hotel and Conference center. I stopped in for breakfast, and it was much better than I had expected! I ordered the Go Green and the half grapefruit. The Go Green is avocado toast with poached eggs and a pumpkin sunflower crisp and it was super tasty. The crisp added a nice crunch and the eggs were poached perfectly. The choice of toasted bread though was the best part- super yummy. It was decently priced, probably expensive for a college campus though. I'll definitely be back because it was good and conveniently in my hotel.

Returned for breakfast and had the biscuits and gravy. Yum! The gravy was savory and full of their house-made sausage, and the biscuits were buttery and light. The potatoes are a great crunchy consistency, but weren't hot enough. The view and service was great as usual.

Amazing creative food. We were lucky enough to get a reservation for a private room on graduation weekend! Sarah was our server, and the service was exceptional! She did a wonderful job! We had 7 in our group, and we all tried something different. All appetizers and entrees were delicious and well- prepared. Drinks from the bar were tasty and perfectly made. We are very satisfied and look forward to returning!

Thursday night is half-off bottles of wine. That's great! And so was our meal. Salad was fresh and crisp, salmon was delicious as was the halibut. Service was friendly, helpful and prompt. Atmosphere was upscale (for East Lansing) and quiet enough for conversation. Menu looks better than it has for some time. We will be back.

Solid 3. Separate vegan menu, but good thing I was paying attention because my salad cane out with cheese on it. My partner's burger didn't come prepared as he ordered, either. Chilled asparagus starter was wonderful, as was the bread. Service was good, though occasionally slow. Driftwood and lighting decor i dug, ceramic circly things were overwhelming and cluttered looking.

Hotel food? Like it? Stay away from it? The State Room usually has decent food, nothing spectacular, just what you would expect for a restaurant at a convention center. I use to have alumni association meetings here and we found it convenient to do it. One of the problems we ran into is the servers are young college students, so they are very professional. It's been a few years since I've been there, but each time, they didn't have a real good protocol for interrupting our meeting for taking our orders or serving while our meeting was underway. In this case, I had Brazilian Style Beef Kabob, which I thought was seasoned well. The black beans and rice were not prepared in a real Brazilian or Latin influence. It was fairly bland, but the main piece to the dish, the meat was prepared as I requested and the seasonings were good, just not a Brazilian flavor If you're not familiar with East Lansing and you're staying at the Kellogg Center, you don't have a place to eat, and it's your only option, well, it won't be bad, not terrific, but not bad.

Food: I had "firecracker shrimp." Several big undercooked shrimp, covered in pesto, bed of polenta. Not a trace of anything that could be called "firecracker." Service: glutinously obsequious. Every dish we ordered,it seemed, was the waiter's favorite.

How hard is it to cook a hamburger? The food was pretty bland and boring. Service was good, but not worth going for the price. This place needs to be overhauled with Better cooks. Come in guys...

I have finally found some finer dining in East Lansing! Being a small town, it is hard to find a good restaurant to celebrate occasions, etc. I have now visited this hidden gem for both dinner and Sunday brunch- both being delicious! The first impression I had of this restaurant is how friendly the employees are. There seems to be a real sense of teamwork within this restaurant. Everyone had a smile on their face and they all seemed to enjoy their job. When spending this kind of money for a meal, it is nice to be surrounded by cheerful people to make the dining experience more memorable. For dinner, I had the filet mignon. I have learned since then that the menu changes semi-frequently, so it may no longer be offered in the same way, however it was delicious. I order my steaks medium rare, which commonly is done wrong even in nice restaurants. I was thrilled to see it just the way I like it when I cut into it. We came to celebrate a friend's birthday that evening, who was able to dine for free for the occasion! This is such a fantastic offer that will have me coming back for other birthdays. For brunch, the selection of lunch, breakfast and pastry items was large, however, the lunch items were not that great. After sampling multiple things, I found that my favorite items were the chicken tenders and mac n' cheese from the kid's lunch side. Unfortunately this is where I lower this restaurant's rating to four stars. The presentation of a couple dishes on the lunch side was disappointing for the price of the brunch. One item in particular that turned me off, was the fish they offered that was in this giant pile which was nearly drowning in sauce. I have gone twice now to brunch and the first time they had top round beef while the second time they had pork loin. The pork loin was super dry and I was really disappointed they didn't have the beef again. I really wish they would strictly offer that!!

Wow the food is so bad. I feel as if they try to be new aged with the dishware but forgot to actually cook the food. The "ribcap" was just flank steak sitting in soy sauce. The brussle sprouts were hard, and the the fingerling potatoes were just whole potatos. Sitting in ranch. If you are a traveler bring down your expectations of good food in this town.

I echo some of the other reviews: meh. If you don't expect too much, you will be okay. I ordered the short rib hash, and had to put so much salt on it to bring out the flavor...I'm talking like shaking the salt shaker 20 times, and I'm a person who never salts food. Once enough salt was added, the dish was decent. Eggs poached perfectly, not too runny. Short rib nice and tender. Potatoes tender. Service was prompt and fast.

Great food and excellent service. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting East Lansing Michigan.

When we arrived, we received a warm welcome, and we were seated quickly. Our server was professional, efficient and friendly. Out dinners were of the highest quality, and the presentation was flawless. Overall, an exemplary dining experience. We have never been disappointed when visiting the State Room.

Food was ok I didn't have much expectations I was just hungry and the weather was lousy to go off campus. Service on the other hand was unique in a negative way, my server/bartender was more preoccupied with the basket ball game than service, I'm pretty sure he waited for a comercial break to come greet me for the first time. I can appreciate the fact that I'm at a college campus but I'm attending a week long conference about hospitality and I get the worst hospitality experience, nothing against the bartender he was a nice kid but I find it ironic

Impeccable service, decent menu, decent value. Can't beat the location when you stay at the campus hotel.

My parents and I came here for my dad's birthday a few weeks ago. The evening begin with a big mistake on The State Room's part, but they made up for it in such an above-and-beyond way that I find myself unable to fault them for it - I almost want to give them extra credit for being so great. Just a head's up. So we had reservations on a Friday night, the room was attractive and classier than I remember from previous years, but it was nearly empty. Not a hot spot. My mom had spoken with a manager and arranged for a cake to be purchased for my dad's birthday (Mom planned to do it herself, but the manager insisted she would handle it)....and the manager got the day wrong, wasn't even in the restaurant, and nobody there knew anything about it. This has actually happened to my mom before at another restaurant - some luck - and we were all pretty irritated. The manager there that night was incredibly apologetic, and frankly ashamed, and assured us they'd "do something" for us. AND HOW! First, they upgraded the asti we ordered to a slightly more expensive variety, the La Spinetta, and it was delicious! So wonderful and sweet, and such a pleasant birthday treat for Dad. We ordered the goat cheese mousse and olive tapenade served on endive, which was nice but nothing too special - cheese was creamy but the tapenade wasn't my favorite flavor. We then were surprised with a lobster strudel each, and two wild mushroom pates! The lobster strudels were really nice, the meat inside was fresh, the crust was flaky, the sauce was creamy. I'm not a mushroom fan, but that's more for the texture, so I gave the pate a try and thought it was all right. Earthy and rich, it was nice on the brioche toasts. I got the bistro salad before my entree, and it was pretty large for the price, and had yummy cranberries, walnuts, and stilton cheese. I barely had room for my entree, the chili lime seabass. But it was really great! Better than i expected! The fish was perfectly cooked and flaky, and I loved the herbaceous red lentils served underneath. They also brought us out a little birthday dessert, and even offered us more, but we were too stuffed! They apologized profusely and genuinely throughout. The next day, I kid you not, the manager who got the day wrong left the cake she'd ordered for us on our doorstep with an apology note. I do not know how they got our address, but aside from that, it was AMAZING that she did this. I mean who does that?! Wow! The State Room is not my favorite place to go, it feels like a hotel restaurant, is often empty, and much of the food is pretty standard (though some certainly was surprisingly good), but I have to hand it to the management - they know how to treat their guests. If you care about service, they will treat you right here.

This is the kind of place where the old folks hang out. The menu is totally old school and uninspired. Heavy on the wine and alcohol offerings and pricey for priciness' sake. Lamb app was over cooked (should be medium rare, these were well done). Scallops were good - oddly served over chick peas and lentils with an Indian flavour. Service friendly but not very attentive at times.

Very nice place, been here a few times for lunch, breakfast and dinner. They have an excellent choices in wines and although limited menu choices but they are are all good and you can always find something that works for you. Service is good. I tried a cup of the cream of summer asparagus soup, followed by the tuna sandwich, with crispy fries for lunch. Elegant interior decor, quiet atmosphere.

We went this past weekend. We were passing through & took our son out to eat. It was a nice place, waitress needed a little prompting. NBD. The $price was very high. $30+ entrees. Probably the dinner menu. I'll have to pass next time.

My husband and I made a reservation for dinner before a basketball game and were sorely disappointed. The salads were good, but the two starters that we ordered were not good -- tasteless. The food there was previously much better than it is now. Too bad.

Meh. We're local, haven't been year in a few years, went on Saturday Night, with reservations. Seated promptly, were given water by the water boy, waitress didn't show for 10-15 minutes, had to ask manager to fetch her. Not a good start. Both of us ordered leek parmesean (their spelling) soup. This, to me, as more a sauce than a soup. Very little leak flavor, slightly bland, consistency of nacho cheese sauce. It ended up being free though. I got the hungarian beef tenderloin tips with spaetzle . This also ended up being a soup. IT wasn't described as a soup on the menu, but I got essentially a big bowl of beef noodle soup. It was flavorful, but it should have been called tenderloin "tip" not tenderloin "tips" for the 1 piece of beef that was in it. After I complained to the waitress she admitted they make a big vat of it in the back and ladle it out and it is the luck of the draw how much meat you get, and she went back and got me another bowl with more meat this time. First of all, good restaurants are consistent, no $20 dish should be ladled out of a vat. If you put the effort of soup into it, charge $5 for it like you would a soup. Second of all, why bother with tenderloin if you're going to slow cook it like this? The beef was moist, tender, and flavorful, but had been cooked so long you could have used bottom round. Someone ordering a tenderloin dish should probably always get the exact same amount of meat every time, anything else is unacceptable. If this were my restaurant I might very well make the sauce ahead of time in a large pot, but the beef would be cooked to order. I would then plate the spaetzle, put the beef tips on top of the spaetzle, and pour the sauce around it, forming a pretty little island. This way, the guest sees the beef they just paid $20 for front and center, and there can be no confusion about how much they got. The wife got manicotti, it did not look appetizing to me, it ended up being rather bland to her, she didn't finish it. If you would like to be a nicer place, but can't outdo Olive Garden on a pasta dish, take it off the menu. We both got dessert, I had the signature chocolate cake with hazelnut creme anglaise. The sauce was fine, but the nuts inside it had no flavor, they needed to be roasted I imagine. The cake was chocolate cake, nothing special. Wife had some mocha torte thing, just okay. Total with bottle of wine but with free soups (their way of apology for the other mistakes, which I did appreciate) was $84. I don't think the meal was worth even close to that. (originally wrote this review in 2013, copying it from another site that is dying, decided to review on yelp now).

While the service was speedy, I'm not sure anything else about this restaurant merits even a single star. I ordered an omelet for breakfast with a side of fresh fruit. The strawberries on the skewers were rotten. The potatoes that came with the omelet were not palatable because of the salt that was clearly doused on during plating. The omelet itself was not good, and was waaaay too bulky. I cannot say that I'd return, even if I had another breakfast voucher.

Well, they do serve food. I was a little giddy because I had a complimentary breakfast included with my hotel room, and this giddy feeling quickly transformed into nausea. I had a smoothie, which tasted like dust (strange...), and a frittata which was suuuuuuuuuuuper greasy. I ate around the grease, and even appreciated the zucchini. But it was not tasty. And they forgot my toast. Service was pleasant in demeanor, but very very slow. All of the tables around me were complaining about something that went awry. Breakfast is the ONE meal that is supposed to be good at a hotel restaurant. I would recommend looking elsewhere.

I don't know why people are giving The State Room such low marks. For a hotel, I think it has an amazing breakfast. You can choose between pancakes, eggs, waffle etc. The only thing is that use to make really good peanut butter pancakes which I miss dearly, but they still have good food! In addition, they make great Chai Tea Lattes. I like how they make it in a giant size cup and break it to your table. Besides the food, the wait staff is extremely friendly and the service is generally prompt. Great place to go if you need to grab breakfast early, because they open at 6:30 am.

Breakfast was excellent and a really good value. A big bowl of granola with fruit (I substituted banana for berries), choice of muffin and beverage for $9. Was able to request almond milk, too. Service was a little slow to start -- there was some confusion as to whose station was whose. In the end, our server Carol was great!

While in town for our Son's graduation we had dinner at the State. First off since it was my Birthday my Prime rib and Lobster dinner was on the house. I gave an extra star for that! Free dinner aside the ambiance was beautiful and our lovely server was terrific. We started with a couple of small plates that included a huge bowl of roasted Brussels sprouts with pork belly,yum. My Son and I celebrated the occasion with Woodford Reserve Manhattans that were awesome and Wifey had a glass of wine. My wife got the Filet and Son ordered the Filet with a Lobster tail. They could literally cut their steak with a fork. Entire bill came to $139.00 and was a screaming deal. No need to order desert due to them giving all of two boxes of gourmet chocolate to take with us. Thanks State for a wonderful experience.

Two stars only because the service was impeccable. I can't say enough about our server, as he was excellent. All of the staff at the Kellogg Center has consistently impressed me. But the food! I was looking forward to a nice meal, but I found food that was over priced. There are so many other places in East Lansing that provide better meals. The State Room had cheap cuts of steak, frozen ravioli product that came out cold, unappetizing sauces. The food was all prettily plated and prepared, but left me extremely disappointed.

Came here for a celebratory meal at lunch time. I've been told by many people that this spot is a must because it's great, but it was pretty mediocre. The food was overpriced and oddly served; the crab cake entree didn't come with any sides, just two crab cakes sitting on some garnish. The crab cakes were tasty but nothing to write home about, and the service was pretty underwhelming. When the bottle of champagne we ordered wasn't available, a different server brought out a couple of alternative options but didn't know the prices of each and had to check before we could ultimately choose. I'm glad I had my one visit, and lunch was wonderful because of the company and conversation, but I don't need to go back.

Good food. Better Moscato. Non existent service. And horrendously over priced!! But I wanted to love it. Oh and it's super warm. And dark inside.

This restaurant is located inside of the Kellogg Center on MSU's campus. They have a great atmosphere and delicious food. A little pricey, but definitely enjoyable. I like to come here before events at the Wharton Center for a pre-show meal but you definitely need to budget a little time. They also serve breakfast and occasionally have a brunch buffet. The only down side is that you sometimes have to pay to park in the attached parking structure. Also, I would recommend making a reservation!

We've been to The State Room several times and always received excellent service and mostly good food too. Yesterday however, all of our ordered items were off. The burger, the salmon and the halibut were overcooked, the mozarella was distinctly past the "good to eat" date. If it had not been for our excellent server, the experience would have been worse. If this had been my first time here, I would most certainly not return. This area offers other choices that are more consistent in the quality of their food.

We were here for a medical school event and when we came to the bar to get drinks they denied is entrance because "they could deny service to anyone they choose". I was completely taken aback and insulted. I have absolutely no idea why we were denied but it was very rude for no reason. When I asked why the manager said "we will call the cops" and I left quickly to avoid confrontation. I will never return here and never host any other events at the Kellogg center. I hosted many events here for volunteer groups and will never return.

My wife and I went to the State Room on March 4th to have a fancy dinner before we saw our Boilermakers play at Breslin. Our meal was wonderful from beginning to end. We started with the pistachio encrusted goat cheese with jam and crutini's, which was amazing. The butter and rolls were next and we could not have enjoyed them more. We both got cocktails and they were awesome. I got the burger and my wife got the Prime Rib/New York strip. Our meals and the sides with them were great. My fries and my wifes potatoes were amazing. Even though we had no complaints about our food. The decor and ambiance was amazing. We had great service from our girl and she was very accomadating to us wanting to take our time and everything. Overall, this was a wonderful dinner and evening!

This is a very mixed review: My husband returned to the State room for dinner before a show at Wharton center. We had not been there for many years. The atmosphere was very nice, the restaurant was full and the service was wonderful. We had crab cakes for an appetizer. They had absolutely no flavor and were covered in a pasty corn sauce. I would not recommend them. I had a salad with root vegetables and duck bacon. It sounded interesting but I sent it back. The "bacon" was chunks of gamey flavored meat. Nothing bacon about it. Otherwise lacking in flavor, the salad should be taken off the menu. My husband had a very tasty lentil soup that he enjoyed. I had the filet which I ordered med/rare, more toward rare. When it came, it was medium. No problem, they got me a new one and it was perfect. Unfortunately, my husband was done with his scallops, which were nicely seared and good.he liked them. Our waiter did give us a free dessert. The flourless cake was delicious. I really want this restaurant to be good! It's s nice place with a great location, especially before a show and MSU events. Please work on getting more flavor and consistency in the food!

When I arrived at the Kellog Conference center and hotel I was relieved to see what looked like a decent place to eat, the State Room. My son and I went there to inquire about reservations (It was a Monday nite) and were told we did not need one. We were seated promptly, and were wearing jeans and casual shirts. No problem. Service was prompt and very professional. The young man who waited on us delivered excellent service. I ordered the Caesar salad which I found to be tasty and above average. My son ordered the Seared Salmon and he raved about it. It had rosemary gnocchi and baby carrots. It was a generous portion (Priced at $23) I ordered the Petite Filet. (25) It was served with Mashed potatoes, and grilled veggies. Everything was cooked exactly as I ordered it and it was good. I do think the potatoes may have been a mix, not sure, just didn't have that home mashed flavor. The beef was so tender you could (and I did) cut it with your fork. We did not opt for dessert but they had generous offerings. Maybe next time! I will for sure come back here next time I am near the MSU campus. It is a lovely property, easy to find, and really comfy! I would have given it five stars if it were a little bit cheaper and the potatoes were better.

Unfortunately, this restaurant has been steadily declining. My most recent experience was poor enough to dissuade me from going back. The service was poor, very slow, and we were ignored for long periods of time. The filet mignon was so overcooked that it was dry and chewy. Definitely not worth $32. The server named the wrong soup of the day, forgot my dislike of raw onions, brought one to-go box at a time to the table, and filled only some water glasses, but not all that needed a refill. We purposely choose this restaurant because it is quieter than most, but on the evening we went, there was loud bar music that made conversation difficult. If you go, allow 3 hours for service. We had to miss our performance because we did not anticipate such slow service.

I should preface this review by noting that I have only ever had dinner at the State Room. As noted by another reviewer, the State Room is first and foremost a training facility for students. This in mind, I am always amazed at the quality of the food. What is lacking in presentation is made up for with flavor. Thanks to the fact that this is a training ground, prices are amazingly reasonable given portion sizes and quality of ingredients. The wine list here is simply amazing. Others may have lists of comparable size (The Earle Downtown, Ann Arbor) but what is most notable about the State Room is the offering of wine flights, and the vast selection of Michigan Wines (75 to be exact). I love Michigan wines and make a concerted effort to support them, but the awesome selections that make up the rest of this list make it difficult to order that Michigan bottle that you have at home. Aside from the sheer size this list is also great for values. Prices on all bottles are some of the most reasonable in the state. Case in point, $90 for a bottle of Kosta Browne, compared with $150-200 most anywhere else in the state and higher still if you happen to be in Chicago. My guess would be that those that have posted poor reviews have dined here during the school year, which I have not done. During the summer months things are very calm here, and while service here is never great, it's passable. You're not really here for the service though. Honestly, service isn't really the point, it's the food, the drink and the company. Finally, to the fine dining point, this is certainly not fine dining, and you wouldn't expect it to be at these prices. I can't imagine where a person must eat if this seems expensive. It is somewhat upscale, but we're not talking suit and tie, think more business casual (for dinner at least). The decor does kinda feel like something straight out of a retirement community in Miami but if you get a seat near the window you'll hardly even notice. Final thoughts, the State Room really is a nice place to have a nice dinner. It's not an amazing place to have an amazing dinner, but amazing also comes with a price tag. Go enjoy the food (really you will), have a flight of wine so that you can claim that you learned something (you are after all on the doorstep of an institution of higher learning), and if you find that you just really don't want to have to get back in the car to go home, get yourself a room (this is the Kellogg Hotel & Conf. Center after all - and room rates are pretty reasonable and the rooms are very comfortable).

Sparty Sez - If you're an alum coming home to MSU, we recommend staying at the Kellogg Conference Center and Hotel and eating at least one meal at The State Room. The cuisine has a distinctly Michigan flavor. From Walleye to MSU Dairy Store Ice Cream and Michigan Apple Pie, you'll find a Great Lake State in every menu item. Visit on a weekday and you're likely to run into MSU professors and administrators, and the serving staff is a nice mix of long term pros and students learning the biz. We're there at least once a week!

Slow slow slow service ever... friday night.. dont come.. been sitting for 30 mins and still waiting...

Atmosphere is very nice as well as service. Bagel chips were fantastic. Our pasta asparagus meal was watery and tasteless.

Good food- although not super creative. Service was ok. After we ordered, our server seemed to go missing during our meal, which is not necessarily a bad thing until you want to pay. Overall, it was an enjoyable evening.

We had dinner on 1/27. We started with warm Brie and figs, I had gnocchi and my husband had prime rib, and we shared cinnamon roll bread pudding and a coffee cocktail for dessert. Our food was very good. The service was a bit awkward-- I wanted a second glass of wine and had to ask instead of being asked and we asked to keep the wine list and it was taken away twice without us noticing.