Best Restaurants in Mackinac Island
This is a continuation of my Mackinac Island Travel article found here. On this post, I will talk about the restaurants Rolando (my boyfriend) and I dined in on the island some that we weren’t able to visit but have great reviews online.
1852 Grill Room
6966 Main St.
Website
Reservation: OpenTable
Ambiance: 10/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
This is the best restaurant we’ve dined in on the island. It’s fine dining (though we forgot so we felt a bit underdressed) with a pianist playing in the background. The ambience is bright yet cozy with tropical but elegant decorations. There’s is patio seating that’s overlooking the lake. The food was fantastic and flavorful. The best part was the service. Our waiter Fred was very attentive to our needs. He was cheerful and professional.
What we ordered
Appetizer: Grilled Shrimp with Watermelon, Corn, Burratta, and Herbs
The shrimp is grilled perfectly with a good char and umami flavors. Coupled with watermelon, corn, burratta, and herbs, it delivers an explosion of flavors.
Entrée 1: Pacific Halibut (Macadamia Crusted with Saffron Risotto and Parmesan Green Beans)
The fish is fresh and flavorful. The macadamia crust gives it a nice crunch and the fish is soft. Risotto is one of the dishes that’s always a hit or a miss and this is definitely a hit. It’s creamy and the flavor is not overpowering. The green beans are also surprisingly crisp and tasty.
Entrée 2: 1852 Prime Rib
The steak is medium rare and it melts in your mouth. The baked potato is soft and works well with the melted butter. Full of flavors, Rolando declares it’s the best prime rib he’s ever had.
Geranium Bar (Grand Hotel Front Porch)
286 Grand Ave
Website
Reservation: Walk-ins only
Ambiance: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
One of the top things to do on the island is to relax at Grand Hotel’s famous Front Porch in a rocking chair. If you need a quick bite, Geranium Bar also serves guests at the porch with bar food and drinks. Since it’s a fully functioning bar, it can serve basically any drink or cocktail that you’d like. The view’s definitely beautiful overlooking their gardens and the Straits of Mackinac. The waitress was very attentive and helped us with the menu.
What we ordered:
Drink: Piña colada
So, soooo good! I’m not kidding when I say that it’s the best one I’ve had in my 28 years of existence. It was smooth, no random ice chips, and the alcohol content is just right to enjoy the views from the porch.
Bar Bites: Wagyu Burgers and Shrimp Cocktail
The two-bite Wagyu burgers are divine. The buns and the patties are grilled to perfection that the outside is crispy and charred while the inside is soft. We really wished we ordered another serving because they were just that good. The shrimp cocktail has jumbo shrimp and they are fresh.
The Carriage House
7485 Main St
Website
Reservation: OpenTable
Ambiance: 10/10
Food: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Right at the end of the Main St towards a small beach is the Carriage House located inside Hotel Iroquois. The path to the door is filled with flowers and great landscaping. The interior gives me a very beachy feel. We dined in the patio despite it being chilly since we want to be by the water. The service is great and the food was good as well.
What we ordered:
Drink: Aperol Spritz
I always love a good aperol spritz. It was a bit expensive ($14) but it was so good and refreshing!
Appetizer: Artisanal Farmer’s Board
This charcuterie board is so pretty and can serve 2-3 people. I love the variety in spreads, cheese, and meats. I didn’t like the smoked fish (I think it was just too early for smoked fish that time) but the rest is really good. I’m definitely copying this style for our parties.
Entrée 1: Wagyu Hamburger with Morrel Cheddar Cheese
Rolando said it is so good and it is the perfect meal before leaving the island.
Entrée 2: Ruben Sandwich
It is good but I’m not the biggest fan. I think there is too much giardiniera and radish sauce in it so I advise to ask them to lessen both.
Pink Pony
7221 Main St
Website
Reservation: When you get to the island, go to the host and ask how long the wait is for the day and put your name down on the list. They will text you once your table is ready.
Ambiance: 8/10
Food: 9/10
Service: 10/10
When you get off of the ferry and walk to the Main St, all the way to the end to your right is where it’s located. Indoor dining gives a very pub-like atmosphere while the patio dining has really nice views of the water. Note that it’s inside a hotel and there’s a pool on one end of the patio area so some guests would occasionally walk back and forth. It’s definitely a good lunch spot but it can get loud and busy. The waiter that we had was very nice and he attended to all of our requests.
What we ordered:
Drink: Famous Island Rum Runner
Oh my! This was definitely strong. I’m not a big drinker so it took me a while to finish it. I did get the souvenir tumbler with it.
Appetizer: Whitefish Fingers
Rolando’s not big on fish but he definitely loved this! The fish is fresh and the batter is not too heavy.
Entrée 1: Chippewa Broiled Whitefish
I obviously ate a lot of fish on this trip. This one is broiled to perfection and very flavorful. The rice is mediocre but the fish is great.
Entrée 2: Prime RIb Au Jus
This is so good dipped in the prime rib’s natural juices. The mashed potatoes taste like how I make it at home which we definitely love.
Tea Room (inside Fort Mackinac)
7127 Huron Rd
Website
Reservation: Walk-ins only unless it’s a large group (call)
Ambiance: 9/10
Food: 10/10
Service: 9/10
This is a nice casual lunch restaurant inside Fort Mackinac. I would say this has the best view among all the other restaurants we’ve been to on the island. You can see the streets, the houses, the lake, the docks, and even Main St! The food was amazing and the service was great. Our waiter took a while to get back to us for our check because it got busy but he gave us all we needed.
What we ordered:
Drink: Hot Tea
Considering the name of the restaurant, I would assume some great and extensive tea options. However, they only gave me a few tea bag options that I can easily buy from the local grocery store back home. The temperature of the water is perfect and the Bigelow Lemon Lift Tea is soothing.
Entrée 1: Hummus Pita
The hummus wrap is delicious and comes in a generous serving. I definitely enjoyed the olives in it and the side of fresh fruits.
Entrée 2: Half Sandwich and Soup of the Day
The tomato jelly in the sandwich is out of this world and the chicken noodle soup’s flavors are just right. Rolando notes that the soup doesn’t have any overpowering and heavy flavor in it that’s why he enjoyed it.
Other restaurants we didn’t go to but have good online reviews:
Mary’s Bistro
Wood-grilled meats
7463 Main St
Website
Reservation: OpenTable
Seabiscuit Cafe
Horse-themed serving light food and spirits
7337 Main St
Website
Reservation: OpenTable
Millie’s on Main
Homestyle pub
7294 Main St
Website
Reservation: OpenTable
Woods Restaurant
Bavarian style home serving European and American food
8655 Cudahy Cir
Website
Reservation: By phone, 906-847-3699
