About Olivia's
Olivia’s Chop House, located at 205 E. Chicago St. in Jonesville, Michigan, is located where the Chicago Water Grill stood before it was destroyed by fire in November 2009.
Our 7,800 square foot restaurant is decorated in shades of blue, brown and cream and has an upbeat, modern feel. We serve steak, seafood, pasta and other higher-end dishes. We also have nightly fish and pasta specials with fresh Michigan perch on Wednesdays.
Have a special occasion? Our banquet room comfortably seats 60 people.
We open at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday (sorry, we only take reservations for holidays and special events).
Please call 517-849-3663 to purchase a gift certificate.
Our History
As a Hillsdale County native, Wayne Babcock decided to open a restaurant near his hometown of Hillsdale. In 2001 he opened the Chicago Water Grill, named after the two streets that it stood upon; which was a prime location on the legendary Sauk Trail (US-12).
For eight years, people came from miles around to enjoy a night of fine dining and great atmosphere at the Chicago Water Grill. Sadly, the restaurant was destroyed by a fire in November 2009. The entire community was devastated by the fire and rallied behind Wayne to rebuild another fine dining establishment.
During the rebuilding process, Wayne worked with many different designers and architects to help create a modern atmosphere with the same fine dining experience. In 2011, a year and a half after the devastating fire, Olivia’s Chop House opened in the same location. Olivia’s is named after Wayne’s daughter who was born during the construction of the restaurant.
In June 2018, Jason Bugbee, a long time employee of Wayne’s, purchased Olivia’s Chop House. Having worked for Wayne since he was 16, Jason was excited to continue Wayne’s vision of being the premier dining destination in Hillsdale County. As Jason carries Olivia’s into the future, he looks forward to expanding on the foundation that Wayne has built.
