East Lansing Date Night
8 stops · about 4 hours · Updated October 6, 2026
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Build a date night in East Lansing, MI around bento or Korean barbecue, cocktails, and honey toast or homemade ice cream. These stops offer distinct choices for each part of the evening, from quiet dining rooms to weekend karaoke.
For dinner, YumYum Bento serves Japanese, Korean and Thai bento in a casual, cozy, quiet setting, with vegan and vegetarian options. Udon Sushi Restaurant takes a counter-service approach to homestyle Japanese dishes and soups, with bubble teas and late-night food. BAPS adds Korean barbecue, small plates and table service; its Saturday hours extend to 9 p.m. and Sunday hours to 8 p.m.
For cocktails, Red Cedar Spirits uses in-house spirits, fresh fruits, herbs and homemade ingredients. Crunchy's pairs cocktails with an old-school setting and long-running weekend karaoke, while The Peanut Barrel offers an outdoor patio and river views.
Plan the sweet stop around closing time. TOASTE serves honey-and-butter-glazed milk bread and scratch-made sweets, closing at 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 5 p.m. Tuesday. MSU Dairy Store offers homemade ice cream in creative flavors in a cozy, upbeat setting and stays open until 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Dinner
evening
Stop 1
YumYum Bento
4.7(231)East Lansing
YumYum Bento offers Japanese, Korean and Thai bento, vegan and vegetarian choices, and table service in a casual, cozy, quiet setting.
Stop 2
Udon Sushi Restaurant
4.6(378)East Lansing
Udon Sushi Restaurant brings homestyle Japanese dishes, soups and bubble teas to a quirky counter-service setting, with late-night food available.
Stop 3
BAPS
4.6(370)East Lansing
BAPS earns its dinner spot with Korean barbecue, small plates and table service in a casual, cozy, quiet atmosphere.
Cocktails
evening
Stop 4
Red Cedar Spirits
4.6(319)East Lansing
Red Cedar Spirits makes cocktails with in-house spirits, fresh fruits, herbs and homemade ingredients, with outdoor seating and table service.
Stop 5
Crunchy's
4.5(1714)East Lansing
Crunchy's offers cocktails in an old-school, casual setting, with long-running weekend karaoke, sports viewing and late-night food among its features.
Stop 6
The Peanut Barrel
4.4(1362)East Lansing
The Peanut Barrel combines cocktails with an outdoor patio and river views, plus a casual, cozy indoor setting and late-night food.
Something sweet
night
Stop 7
TOASTE
4.9(218)East Lansing
TOASTE supplies the sweet stop with honey-and-butter-glazed milk bread, scratch-made sweets, and specialty coffee and matcha drinks in a family-owned cafe.
Stop 8
MSU Dairy Store
4.8(2283)East Lansing
MSU Dairy Store offers homemade ice cream in creative flavors and a cozy, upbeat setting, with hours extending to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
