Randall Scot’s career in Grand Rapids’ restaurant business started at age 10, working in his parents’ restaurant. To launch OSKAR SCOTS diner in Caledonia, Randall needed all those years of experience to navigate a series of unfortunate events and come through with frying colors.
The journey started when he purchased Fortune Chef, a Chinese restaurant in Caledonia, just months before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted his cooks to retire. Randall decided to rethink his restaurant. “My wife said, ‘Well, you’re a barbecue guy — why don’t you do something and build your own legacy?’ So OSKAR SCOTS was born.”
The name of the restaurant reflects that family vibe. OSKAR is an anagram that includes Randall’s son, Owen; his wife, Sonya; his daughters Kyla and Alexa; and Randall himself,
When the owners of OSKAR SCOTS original building sold to new corporate owners, Randall moved in June 2023 to the diner’s current location at 3555 68th St, SE #9 in Caledonia. He remodeled it and adorned it with colorful murals, many of which honor his family’s Indigenous connections. (“My wife and kids are Whitefish River First Nation, so they’re Ojibwe from the Manitoulin islands in Ontario.”)
“I was thriving!” Randall exclaimed. “I was doing so good my first year here.” Then in June 2024, the diner experienced a string of misadventures — a collapsed roof, broken water pipes and the theft of expensive kitchen equipment — that shut it down for more than eight months.
Randall credits OSKAR SCOTS’ survival to the loyalty of his customers, and to the quality of his recipes and ingredients, many of them from local, secret sources. “All of my eggs are local,” he said. “All of my beef and pork is local. There’s no fillers, no additives, no junk in my beef. My burgers are fantastic! My Italian sausage is made for me from scratch using my recipe.”
Out back is the smoker for Randall’s barbecue items, including pulled pork, meatloaf and wings. And in the adjoining space, his pizza oven turns out home-made pies.
Another OSKAR SCOTS secret: the identity of the Chicago bakery that makes the buns for his Philly cheesesteaks and burgers. “I don’t tell anybody where I get my buns!” Randall declared.
What’s on the menu?
OSKAR SCOTS’ array of hearty American fare includes all-day breakfast and lunch. (The diner is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
Randall’s own top picks: “My breakfast pizza is a staple, my hillbilly hash, my liver and onions, my Philly cheesesteak, and then anything burger wise,”
Let’s dig in! The aforementioned Philly cheesesteak sits pretty on a long bun from Randall’s Chicago hookup, piled with shaved beef, onions and OSKAR SCOT’s homemade cheese whiz. (Like the other sandwiches, it comes with tasty, breaded fries, or onion rings for $2 extra.)
Other sandwich meats include pulled pork and prime rib, each with a grilled-cheese option; grilled ham and cheese; a grilled or fried chicken wrap or sandwich; and a cod sandwich. Burger options include a patty melt; a bacon Swiss burger; and the mighty Bobbie Burger, which puts a patty, ham steak, bacon, an egg, three cheeses; and some incidental greenery onto a brioche bun. Clearly, OSKAR SCOTS doesn’t hold back.
KISS with CSS
When it comes to pizza, Randall waxes philosophical. “The only three things that make a pizza different from everybody else’s is the crust, the sauce and the sausage. I call it the CSS — those are the three differentiations.”
OSKAR SCOTS has the CSS covered: Randall’s pizza dough and sauce are made from scratch, and we’ve already discussed his proprietary pork sausage. If you’re having a hard time deciding between breakfast and a pizza, OSKAR’s Breakfast Pizza has you covered; the pie boasts egg, hashbrowns, ham, bacon, onion, mushroom, green pepper, cheese, and sausage gravy. Other special toppings include pickle chips, hot honey, and homemade cheese whiz, in addition to all your classic favorites. Pizzas come in 10-, 12-, 14, and 16-inch models.
The menu also boasts subs, omelets, breakfast sandwiches, French toast, pancakes, country fried steak, quesadillas and burritos, and much more.
And the not-so-secret ingredient behind it all? Randall Scott himself. “I’ve been here my whole life. Yep, I’ve lived in this Gaines township for over 20 years. I’m a good steward for my community, and I love all my people that come in through my door.”
For more information check out OSKAR SCOTS online at oskarscotsmi.com, or call them at (616) 512-6123.
Four more must-try diners
Still hungry? Here are five-more diner-style eateries to check out:
76th Street Truck Stop Diner (460 76th St. SW, Byron Center). For a quality, authentic road-tripping experience, check out Patricia Dunneback’s diner, which she founded in 2014. The 76 Diner (and its brand extension in Coopersville) serves breakfast lunch and dinner 24/7. It’s hard to choose, but we’re partial to the country-fried steak!
Leo’s Coney Island/Leo’s Coney on Tap (6080 28th St. SE/122 Oakes St. SW, Grand Rapids). Diners in the New York area owe a debt to Greek immigrant owners who opened them — so it’s appropriate that two Greek-American brothers brought the “coney dog” from Coney Island to Detroit in the early 20th century. Founded in 1972 by Peter and Leo Stassinopoulos, the Leo’s restaurant chain serves coneys, of course, as well as breakfast staples, grilled sandwiches and burgers, and a selection of Greek specialties. (Try the pastitio, Greece’s answer to lasagna.)
Matchbox Diner & Drinks (1345 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids). This Eastown institution features some Jewish deli dishes that are hard to find in Grand Rapids, including latkes (potato pancakes served with sides of sour cream, apple sauce, and lox for your sweet-and-savory cravings.
Bill’s Family Restaurant (1235 Michigan St NE, Grand Rapids). Like the name implies, Bill’s serves an array of breakfast and lunch classics at down-home prices. (Burgers and grilled sandwiches will cost you less than $7 each!)
