The best place ever! The food is outstanding and Jen makes you feel right at home every single time. Friendly service, great atmosphere, and a menu worth coming back for. Highly recommend Archie's West Bay Diner to anyone in the area! read more

This place is amazing! The owner is fabulous and very knowledgeable. The food was incredible! read more

Archie's West Bay Diner - Delis Near Me - Grand Marais, Michigan

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Great place to eat with wonderful service. Ice cream treats are the best at this place. A time machine back to the 1950's!

One of the few places open in Grand Marais on a Saturday morning, so it was busy - and it's a small space. But, we were seated promptly, and everyone there was super friendly and welcoming. However, because of the busy morning and short-staffing (which is a problem even in big cities), we waited almost an hour for our food. No problem, it was a rainy morning and we enjoyed chatting with the other customers while we sipped our coffee. And the food was worth the wait! The biscuits were perfect, and were smothered in a delicious sausage gravy. Everything was good! I even took some apple fritters to go. Cute diner with delicious homestyle cooking. Just take your patience with you if you go at a busy time :) read more

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Great little place, but it is little. There were 6 of us and luckily there was a table. Only one cook in the kitchen and one in the bakery, so not much option in substitutions. Food was delicious even though it was pretty busy and took a while. Service was great and she worked her behind off! Would come again! read more

Love this diner! It is so cute and fun. They have insane homemade pies (a la mode) and milkshakes the size of your head. There is a nice gift shop in the back and upstairs. The diner itself was transported from lower Michigan all the way to Grand Marais! read more

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Great diner, with sweet, friendly service! Homemade food and groovy vibe. Don't miss it. They closed for winter 2023 but I think they are reopening summer 2023. Many of their dishes are great, but if they have shepherds pie, don't miss it. Good home cookin!! read more

I've been coming here for about 22 years and it just occurred to me to give it a Yelp review. Without a doubt the best place to eat in GM. Rick and Ellen are incredible humans (and cooks/bakers of course). The diner is cute, and the rest of the restaurant is so cozy. You can't go wrong ordering anything here. I could go on and on about this place, but I recommend checking it out for yourself. And be sure to leave with some baked goods! read more

Archie's West Bay Diner - Pizza with banana peppers, tomato, and bell peppers - Delis Near Me - Grand Marais, Michigan

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My husband and I stopped in here for dessert on a Saturday night. It was busy and we sat at the bar. Jenny, the waitress was funny and personable. My husband got a piece of cherry pie with ice cream, he was bummed that the berry pies were all gone. The pie was good. I had a blueberry raspberry muffin and a cup of tea. The muffin was huge, I ate half of it and my hubby ate the rest. After the good dessert experience, my mom and I decided to go to the diner one day for lunch. We weren't super hungry, so we both ordered the salad bar. It's a small bar, but had good greens and veggies and array of items on it. Shrimp, bacon, baked beans, pasta salad etc. It was fresh and good. Jenny was the waitress again and she did a great job. They also have a cute little gift shop upstairs and there are lots of books for sale. It's a very eclectic and neat place to stop. The service and food are excellent, I highly recommend! read more

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We stopped in over memorial day weekend on a sort of "soft open" as new owners, who worked for the previous owners, were setting up. They were lovely people and understood the history and spirit of the diner in and out, prepared to carry on what is clearly quite the legacy! We enjoyed talking with different members of the family as we had some ice cream. There's a sweet little bookstore in the back, fun and unusual sodas, and a giftshop upstairs. Then we came back the next day to take away breakfast. The breakfast sandwich was great, a nice scramble, soft but not too soft, and a balanced amount of cheese and meat. I am so glad we went back for more! read more

Rick and Ellen are wonderful people who serve up delicious food. We patronize the West Bay Diner more than any of the other locations combined! read more

Love the ambiance of the place and that the waitress pretty much knows all the locals. The little gift shop upstairs is super cute as well. All the books sitting around are a fun distraction while waiting for your food. The wait was the only downside of this experience. They only have one cook who cooks everything to order so it can take a loooonnng time. Don't come if you are in a rush. That being said, the food itself is worth the wait. They have a tiny menu on the chalkboard with relatively little description so it was a little bit of a surprise but in a good way! One of the best omelets I've had in a while. Their homemade jam and pies were also very very good. read more

West Bay Diner has all the charm and quirks that you expect from a small-town locals joint. And towns don't get much smaller than Grand Marais! Went here on a Monday morning in late July after two of our party did a huge 45-mile ultra-marathon the day before. We were looking for hefty, hearty breakfasts, and boy, did we find it! Great portions and prices, cooked-to-order, delicious food, and you couldn't ask for friendlier service. (NOTE: There's a $15 minimum for credit/debit cards.) This is a mom-and-pop place so this is a great place to come when you want a leisurely breakfast, not if you're in a hurry, like others have said. The owner was one of the two servers, and her husband seems to be the only cook, so they are working hard but it does take some time. At 9am there was a line but we just waited a few minutes to be seated in the aqua booths up in the renovated diner car in the front of the restaurant. After, however, we waited close to 10 minutes and eventually had to just ask for coffee, which came right away after that. They also brought us a little dish of unshelled peanuts - never seen it before at breakfast but our toddler loved it. The water came in a big pitcher without ice, and a stack of paper cups. The restaurant is homey and a little cluttery, with lots of odds-and-ends for sale, bookshelves scattered about, and an awkward layout that has the servers walking all the way around the restaurant just to take orders and get them to the kitchen. Even so, we loved the personality of the place, but the obviously dirty spoon I got with my coffee creamer was an oversight that had me wishing for a little more attention to detail. There seems to be a lack of space in the restaurant so there are boxes of onions and potatoes stacked on the floor in the waiting area by the back door - seemed a little unsanitary, BUT the food is so good you can overlook it. The food is the highlight. All their breakfasts specify that they are meals, and the portions really are very huge and filling. We were told they were out of pancakes and French toast when we were there, and I also asked about the steak and eggs (subject to availability) but didn't get a reply about whether it was available or not. I went for the Chicago Breakfast, which included a double-stack of delicious homemade hash browns, a perfectly cooked (not dry at all!) simple jalapeno-cheese omelet absolutely stuffed with gooey cheese and just-right amount of spiciness, two giant meatball-shaped spicy sausage balls (seemed homemade), and a toasted English muffin (choice of toast) with homemade berry jam served in a little paper cup. Fantastic. Another person ordered the corned beef hash, which he said was the best he'd ever had. Our friend had the biscuit and gravy, which was a huge portion and very good, but he wished they served a smaller portion as a side order. Another ordered the 2+2+2, which was 2 eggs, 2 slices of bacon (or sausage or ham) and "2" toasts, which really was just one English muffin sliced in half, but that ended up being plenty of food so we aren't complaining. There is a big row of barstools in front, plus the two booths at either end that could seat about 4-6, but only about 5 small tables in the back room (which is pretty dark and dreary). Supposedly free wifi but wasn't able to connect on my phone. Expect to wait if you're a large party, and the waiting area is pretty tight and cramped in the back entrance too - though there is a nice selection of books for sale you can check out while waiting. The owner is a published author and has an obvious love for books! They also have ice cream in a case in the front. If you're in Grand Marais, this will be the best breakfast in town and a great memory. Would happily return. read more

I didn't read any of the reviews before I went - if I had I might have expected the somewhat quirky chef. Both nights I went in over an hour before closing time and the kitchen was already shutting down, so they told me what I could and couldn't order. It was fine though. Everything we ate was amazing - burgers, grilled cheese, meat pie, homemade bread - yum! As mentioned in other reviews, one of the owners is an author and I picked up all three of her books which she happily inscribed for me and my daughter. I had a lovely chat with her. Definitely recommend checking the Diner out! read more

We ordered 3 sandwiches for 4 people, 2 adults and 2 kids. Still had too much. Very tasty and filling. Prices are higher and takes time (20-30 mins) to make since they are huge sandwiches. Recommend 2 sandwiches for 4 people (even 4 adults). Very little seating outside. Take the sandwich and find a table near water or have a picnic on a blanket. Great place for lunch. read more

We were pleasantly surprised by an unplanned stop in the lovely town of Grand Marais overall and a happenstance stop-in to the West Bay Diner made even more worthwhile. The place is adorable, quaint and eccentric in the same breath, both modern and nostalgic at once. The owners were charming and a seat at the historic counter was all charm, surrounding by glinting aluminum, glimmering glass block, and tranquil turquoise. But it was the food that really stood out. We arrived at breakfast time so unfortunately didn't get to dig into the lovely looking deli and burger options (I can't wait to go back for lunch!) but we're more than delighted with our made to order morning meal. My ham, cheddar, broccoli, and onion omelette was HUGE. Enough for two meals (I gladly reheated it the next day). The veggies were fresh, the ham was thick hand cut and salty but perfectly grilled, all wrapped in a very thin but fluffy egg. Yum. My lady opted for the much more sensible breakfast sandwich, with a butter biscuit, fried egg, super tasty Canadian bacon, and some potato fritters on the side. It wasn't a cheap breakfast, but it was probably the most delicious breakfast we enjoyed on our tour of the UP. And it wasn't just the food but the aesthetics, the staff, the owners, and the vibe that were all scrumptious! Oh, and they had a damn fine cup of coffee to boot. The best part was the very personable owners - he the cook, she the waitress - who openly shared their journey of meeting, of rescuing, restoring, and relocating this gem of a lost-era diner back into existence. How else would I have known I shared a diner counter with JFK?! If you're in the area, pop over for a lovely look out over the bay and some tasty home cooked food in a place that clearly prides itself on fresh wholesome ingredients and quality preparation and presentation. And do take a look through their book on the counter that shares the live and elbow grease that's gone into it all. Food is travel and I was grateful for this journey. read more

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We had a mid-afternoon meal there on a Sunday in 10/07. The diner had been recommended to us by someone in Detroit and we'd been surprised to hear there was an authentic diner way up there by Lake Superior, but the West Bay has a great history. It's a real "classic", as it's a Paramount and it was built in 1949. After being in use in a small PA town for many years, it sat vacant in fields - in PA & NJ - for many years. Later it sat vacant in a field in a small town in NY and it deteriorated until it was about to be demolished. At that point it was bought by someone in MI and it sat in another field for awhile. Finally, a couple in Grand Marais bought it (by then it was mostly rotted out and a home to skunks & raccoons). The diner was trucked to the UP (Upper Peninsula) via the Mackinac (pronounced "Mackinaw") Bridge, back in late 1997. The new owners spent seven months restoring it, including making many out-of-town trips for parts and materials. They added a larger section onto the diner, but the transition between the original and the new is seamless. The new section has several tables plus the kitchen and the deli section (people call ahead to make sure their favorite items are available). They also sell some colorful t-shirts & sweatshirts (we each bought one of the latter) which exhibit the owners' humor. On the front there's a small logo with "West Bay Diner & Delicatessen est. 1949, Grand Marais MI, World Headquarters" - and on the back in small letters, it says "Hours: Open to Close". They were pricey, but the quality of the material is exceptionally good. We'd been told that their pizza and (freshly homemade) cookies are delicious, and it was absolutely true. We ordered a veggie pizza with stuffed crust (pure "heaven"), and the cookies were also wonderful. The (one) server was delightful and we had a great conversation with her. She'd worked there for six years, starting out washing dishes during summers when she would stay with her grandparents. She moved up to Grand Marais from Flint after HS graduation and became the permanent server. All of the other patrons were "regulars" and she greeted everyone by name, also joking with them. Later I had an enjoyable/sometimes humorous conversation with the owners. The hours vary according to the season, but they're always closed on Wednesdays. read more

This is a MUST on any visit to Grand Marais. We had a turkey rueben & a gyro. The rueben was the best turkey sandwich I have had anywhere...ever. The gyro was made with real chunks of grilled lamb (not the pressed/shaved meat normally served). I got the impression there was only one (maybe two) people working the kitchen, but any wait was WELL worth it! Fresh & skillfully prepared. read more

Archie's West Bay Diner - Delis Near Me - Grand Marais, Michigan

This was probably our most enjoyable meal on a 9-day car trip through Michigan. Mom, Dad, and 2 grade school girls ate brunch for $28. We were stuffed, comfortable, & charmed by the setting. I've never seen such a neat building. The front portion is an old east-coast diner that reminds me of a rail car, an airplane, or maybe an Airstream RV. The rear of the building is nifty, too. The food came out a little slowly, but faster than the 45-minute estimate provided by our server. I had a huge waffle with a medium size omelet. Mom had a delicious blueberry muffin and a quiche. The muffin was something special. The diner is just minutes from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. If you're in the U.P., don't miss the diner or the park. read more

Archie's West Bay Diner - Note the historic Airstream-style front portion of the restaurant - Delis Near Me - Grand Marais, Michigan

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The food has always been wonderful here! And this time, the malt that my significant other and I shared (blueberry wafflecone) was simply amazing. Best malt I've ever had!! I definitely enjoyed nearly everything in my meal, though I will say that the coleslaw was far too watery. Staff was attentative and friendly, atmosphere is great. read more

Best restaurant visit of our weeklong trip thru MI. Adorable vintage train car diner with small cozy attached dining room. Kind and friendly staff, helpful and efficient. They were busy on a Weds before 10 am and we were kindly warned it might take a while for our food, but the food arrived surprisingly quickly. Caramel french toast and ham and 3 omelette were piping hot and absolutely scrumptious. When we commented on the friendly and read more

Stopped for lunch and had the best corned beef hash in the world! Lots of charm, friendly staffs, and cute gift shop upstairs. Portions are large, food is incredible. Highly recommend! read more

This place is unique and head good dinner food. I don't see any reason for negative reviews. Food was great and huge portions. Pie was really good too. Service was good. No issues, glad we stopped! read more

I'd live there if I could. Why not? Everything you need is right there. Around Minneapolis, we have Keys Restaurants (*****) and this place was a lot like Keys. Some reviews were critical of slowness and atmosphere, but the coolness factor (and food) trumps any negatives. I popped in for coffee, a cookie (couldn't resist but wasn't planning this). They were busy so I strolled around waiting for my coffee, and found: -cool, funky tables scattered here and there in little nooks -a diner bar that I wouldn't mind sitting at to eat and watch the goings on -lots of good looking food going by -an upstairs with a couple of antique things and other stuff to look at -a bunch of produce and lots of peanuts -trays of great looking just out if the kitchen cookies (see above) -nifty, friendly waitresses -a cook that looked grumpy but made great looking food (he was probably super friendly but didn't like me wandering all over the place) -!!!!! Check this! An espresso maker and they could even make decaf for my wife -just about everyone I saw there looked like they were having a good time I like good times, so I'll be going back. read more

I honestly don't understand the positive reviews on here. My husband and I waited 20 minutes to get seated which isn't a big deal, but it wasn't busy. However, once we got seated we were told that we could only order waffles unless we wanted to wait 1-1.5 hours for food. Since we were already there and heard good reviews we decided to split an order of waffles. We were served a single waffle on a paper plate with syrup packets. To make it worse we paid $12 for that SINGLE waffle. This is a joke right??? The excuse for the long wait time is they only have one cook. I asked if that was normal and the waitress (also, only one waitress!!) said that's how it always is and the wait is even worse in the summer. Well, get another cook! Seems like you should be able to afford it for a $12 waffle. read more

French dip sandwich was very yummy! The staff was very friendly and helpful, and also very knowledgeable about the local area.

Tried to visit this place in mid June around lunch time. There were less than 10 people seated in the restaurant They have a very obvious sign saying to wait to be seated. We waited for close to 15 minutes to even be acknowledged even though an employee walked by us multiple times. Once she (I believe she is the owner) finally spoke to us, it was just flat out we could only be served if we would order pizza. We had a group of 9. We did not want pizza, so we left. 2 days later, my husband went back alone, and once again he was not acknowledged or seated for 10+ minutes. I'm not sure if the food is good - the menu sounded good. Service was non-existent. I'm not sure why they would have a restaurant if they don't want customers. read more

Our 4 some was denied service today. 8/22/2012. We had 3 dogs in the car . Waited 20 minutes to even get approached by staff. Then asked for 4 orders of fish and Chips to be packaged so we could eat outside. The staff member said The chef does not allow any to go other than pizza and bakery. Even though they were serving kids on paper plates. This place is beyond arrogant UP at its worst. Could not rate the food as we were denied service. I understand the high marks but when service is denied the restaurant needs to re evaluate their beliefs and practices. read more

Darling diner and most everything was hot, fresh and tasty. The triple decker sandwiches are humongous so consider sharing. Timing isn't their strong suit as our three entrees were delivered roughly 20 min apart and the coffee was at least 15 min after I ordered it. But the waitress was sweet, the location ideal and the decor kitchy. Bottom line? Fabulous for a leisurely meal but trying if you are in a hurry or expecting to dine as a group. read more

This place was a hidden gem! Great home cooked food and pastries. There is a gift shop upstairs to browse while waiting for your meal. The wait staff was extremely friendly. I've never heard of Veggie Dill bread before but it was fantastic! read more

A diner with a great personality, the building as well as the staff. It is the one place in Grand Marais with wifi and good espresso drinks. The servers are friendly and happy to chat and engage with the customers. The food selection can be limited, for example they didn't have hot dogs all week, ran out of vanilla ice cream, and no bananas. But the baked desserts are fantastic and all homemade. The main courses are good. In addition to a full deli, they also sell meat and sausage to cook yourself. The homemade Italian and Polish sausages were excellent. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the diner and getting to know the staff. read more

Very cool story about how the diner arrived there and all of the work they put into it. They are the only show in town and do a decent job of it. I little pricey for what to get compared to the big city but they have to rely on a short tourist season. Would definately go back :) read more

Well..., the food is good if you don't grow old and die waiting for it. And from what we observed last fall and this spring, they are only open when they feel like it. read more

Apparently they either don't like kids or larger groups (we had a group of 11 - 4 adults, 7 kids). We explained that we didn't need to sit together, but apparently that didn't matter. We were told, after the waitress explained the menu, that we could only get pizzas. That's not professional or good service. We didn't stay and would not recommend! read more

When we arrived there was a pile of deli meat sitting out the counter at room temperature. It was still there when we left thirty minutes later. Food was substandard. Service was good and the waitress was very nice. Was definitely turned off by the food sitting out. read more

Good food, and a very interesting and fun building. Excellent service and a warm place to hide from a rainy night.

I haven't been back to town since my 2001 graduation but brought my children up to town since we were already in St Ignace. There was no way I was coming to Grand Marais with out stopping! Food was as amazing as always, menu was clear and to the point and there were tons of dessert options (I took an amazing cookie to go). Nearly 15 years later....and this diner is as good, if not even better, than ever!! read more

Best meal in the U.P. We spend summers in Grand Marais and the meals at the diner are always a highlight of our vacation. They also serve the freshest coffee around. read more

what a disappointment this time. I guess the other reviews are right, I waited 2 hours to be told my omelette was almost ready. my wife and son ate already because THEY got served an hour earlier. just before we left, my daughter got a pizza she didn't even order, but not the grilled cheese she ordered. BONUS???!!! bottom line.. the cook is flakier than pie crust, and the staff plays along. none of us care to go back to this disaster in waiting. BTW, if I had hours to cook a couple sandwiches and an omelette, I think I could manage. the view is good. read more

We were a bit confused when we arrived. Signs told us to go in the back, and it looked more like a general store than a restaurant when we walked in. We were not greeted and had to wait a few minutes before being seated, and then waited for menus. and then waited for our orders to be taken. While waiting, I wandered around looking at the candies, jams, deli items and tons of UP centric books strewn around that were for sale. The server was very friendly and apologized for the waits. She was very helpful with the menu and when I asked about their sodas, we found out that they had a great selection of small label, real sugar sodas. The ginger ale was fantastic - it had a refreshing, real ginger bite. I learned about Cheerwine soda, and bought a bottle of that to take home and try (kind of like cherry based Dr. Pepper - very good!) The whitefish chowder is out of this world, and the burgers were great too - home made buns piled high with hand shaped burgers, cheese and fixings. They're not afraid to do what they have to do to get the fries crisp - I fear saturated oil, but didn't ask - the crispy fries were too good to ruin with health facts. I wanted to try their giant cookies which looked scrumptious, but by the end of the meal, even thinking about food just to take home was no longer possible. From now on, no trip to the area will be complete without a stop at the West Bay Diner. Very fun, unique experience. I love eating at places where the cook really cares about the food and loves to cook. read more