616 Batter Shuts Down in Grand Rapids After One Year

A Northeast Grand Rapids fried chicken and seafood spot has officially closed its doors after just over a year in business. The silver lining though, is that another restaurant is already lined up to take its place.

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616 Batter Mix, located at 2468 Plainfield Ave NE in Grand Rapids' Creston neighborhood, opened back in May 2025.

Owner Thaer Abel Al-Abboudi, who also owns 616 Kabob Stop just down the street, launched the takeout joint as a venture into American comfort food like crispy fried chicken, fish fillets, wings, fried okra, and mac and cheese.

His former Allendale spot, 616 Kabob Stop Express, closed its doors in April 2025.

What Happened?

Things looked uncertain earlier this month when the restaurant posted a temporary closure notice on July 12, saying they were working on behind-the-scenes improvements. But on July 27, they made it official with a follow-up announcement confirming the permanent shutdown.

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The owners shared that balancing everything simply became too much:

"While this wasn't an easy decision, life has brought us to a point where we simply have too many commitments to continue operating the restaurant the way we'd like. As difficult as it is to step away, we know it's the right decision for our family at this time."

What’s Moving In?

Before you start worrying about where to get your fried food fix, another restaurant is already plotted for the spot. The owners confirmed that Fish and Chicken Express out of Lowell will be taking over the Plainfield location soon.

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At the new spot, expect crispy fried seafood, sandwiches, and seasoned fries. They serve up a variety of catches like lake or ocean perch, cod, walleye, and shrimp, right alongside fried chicken, wings, and tenders.

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Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill