We enjoyed tasty drinks and some delicious bites here after getting turned away hour plus wait at other restaurants. Our drinks were the fig bees knees and lemon drop martinis with some fresh cornbread muffins to start. For mains we had chicken sandwich, pork loin and shrimp and grits with some shared orders of macaroni and cheese. This felt like a hidden gem and was a pleasant surprise. read more

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Torn on this review- want to love it, but quite can't. The food was good- no doubt. The truffle fries, amazing. The blue cheese martini- impeccable. The pork loin? I mean look at it! The food- off the charts. Highly suggest the cornbread! But the service- a bit slow as there were only two servers covering the entire floor, and it started to get quite busy after we arrived. Staff- friendly and as attentive as they could be, but found ourselves waiting quite a bit. All in all, pretty good experience, but room for improvement. read more

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So good! We had the corn bread (worth the visit alone), the snapper (super good), the popcorn chicken (ask for ranch, made in house and really unique. However I wish the hot honey was spicier), the fries (great), and the brisket (not our favorite, the sauce was sort of bland and undersalted). The best drink by far was the Backporch read more

Bushell’s Kitchen & Cocktails - Key lime pie - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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We went out for a drink, decided to first stop at Bushells, took a long time before any service, then took a long time before drink arrived, then had to find waiter to order again, eventually cancelled 2nd drink as it was taking forever, all when it was not super busy and at one time I counted 6 workers read more

I visited Bushell's during restaurant week and was super impressed! It was a very modern atmosphere, the food was great, and the staff was friendly and attentive. I am dairy-free and my friend is gluten-free, and they were able to accommodate our dietary restrictions easily! read more

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Stopped in for a bite to eat & Drinks. We just ordered apps. Popcorn Chicken, Cornbread & Deviled Eggs. We did the chicken with the sauce on the side. Never know how hot it will be. Well the sauce was great. Loved the Cornbread & the eggs. Service was great as we got there just as they opened, so nobody else to deal with. They had nice music playing in the background and the place looked good. read more

Absolutely fantastic! My friend and I were attending an event in downtown Traverse City and just popped into the bar for a quick bite and a cocktail. Well, clearly we could have spent our entire evening here just tasting and sipping. The owner was behind the bar and was absolutely delightful- going through the menu and giving us the concept behind his gorgeous restaurant. With the awesome conversation, cool atmosphere, and comfy bar chairs, this is a place you could really spend a lot of time. We started with cocktails - I had a perfect Old-Fashioned and my friend had a stunning mocktail. She had a salad that had so much fresh local produce, and the most savory vinaigrette dressing. It was truly a perfect salad. I told the owner that I didn't eat meat, and he asked if he could have his chef just make something for me. I loved that! My answer was an absolute yes. I was not at all disappointed. The chef created this bowl of love with grits, mushrooms, nasturtiums, and garlic scapes. I would order this dish over and over again if it were on the menu. It was absolutely perfect. But with all this deliciousness, believe it or not, our favorite thing was the cornbread. It was the perfect balance between sweet and savory. You could really taste the corn flour, but the texture was perfect. Don't miss this one when you go! read more

Bushell’s Kitchen & Cocktails - Grits, mushrooms, garlic scapes, and nasturtiums. Cocktail was a perfect old-fashioned. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Welcome to TVC Bushell Kitchen and Cocktails!!! The food was decent, but I think their use of the term "soul food" is a bit of a stretch. I'd describe the menu as more soul food-inspired than authentic. The service and ambiance, however, were both great. I had the chicken sandwich, which was alright but lacked seasoning. It was still edible, but could have used a side--fries would've been nice. The deviled eggs were pretty standard. My brother tried the Southside Pork and wasn't impressed. On a brighter note, the Southern-style cornbread and greens were a hit, and probably the closest thing to real soul food on the menu. Despite these critiques, I would still come back for another visit. read more

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Great vibe, maybe skip the shrimp cocktail. Everything else was knock your socks off. The Mules were beautiful and delicious. The cornbread was "yummy" as described by the chef who brought it out. (We agree!) But the star of the show was the whitefish. Everything about it, like as such (Matt Bellassai), was fantastic! It was beautiful, fresh, crispy in all the right places and delicious. If you haven't had this you should come- RIGHT. NOW. RIGHT. NOW. I said it. It's that good. You're welcome. ;) read more

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Walked in 8:30. Refused us service. Even though they close at 9. I guess they didn't want to be "inconvenienced"... they probably should go into another business maybe a 9-5 would be better for them. read more

Nice atmosphere, casual but smart, not a dive by any means. Intimate for two but can accommodate a group. Restaurant week 2026 menu was a good intro to the food and amazing value and our selections were prepared nicely and were delicious. Drinks didn't take long to arrive and were very tasty. Two unisex single occupancy restrooms. Street parking but there's plenty of it. Will return! read more

My best friend and I ate here as it was so close to our Airbnb. What a great find! It was restaurant week and had an amazing three course meal at an amazing price! Delicious cocktails, wonderful service. I will definitely go back on my next visit. read more

Outstanding ambiance and the food was amazing! We live in TC and are very spoiled with great restaurants, but we had a really great meal here tonight . Hope you'll get a chance too. read more

Food: I had a mocktail and the whitefish entree. Friend had a full power cocktail and the pork belly entree. Friend appreciated a mostly gluten free option, but said their nose twitched, which is their tell for if gluten was present somewhere. Food was very good, portions, while modest, were adequately filling to satisfy. Service - good. Ambiance - in spades, I assure you. Low light, pops of pink and classy/spunky neon. Support your local businesses. read more

Truly was the most amazing food and drinks we have experienced in a very long time! We were pleasantly surprised just how tasty our dinner was! I would highly recommend this establishment! read more

Bushell’s Kitchen & Cocktails - Key Lime Pie Martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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The food was delicious! I will definitely be back and order the pork belly entree again. Menu and space is modern and upscale. Easy to make reservation online. I would recommend some additional options for the wine list, maybe some recommendations on what cocktails or wine pairing is best with their entrees. Another small thing could be packing up meals that aren't finished and being taken home for the customer. Just little things that go a long way. Overall would recommend! read more

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Seeking a comforting bowl of soup on a chilly fall day lead us to Bushell's for lunch. This upscale feeling restaurant is cozy (loved the individual table lamps), service is friendly and speedy and the southern-inspired menu was infused with flavor. The sweet potato soup with goat cheese and bacon really hit the spot (minus the dab of sprouts, those ended up in the soup and took away from the texture), as did the fried chicken sandwich. The server was crafting a new drink for the holiday menu, so it was fun watching her make something with cranberries, rosemary and rose wine. Would love to go back for dinner the next time we're in town. read more

Bushell’s Kitchen & Cocktails - Sweet potato soup - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Greeted pleasantly by the hostess. Asked if we wanted to sit inside or outside. Opted for inside. It wasn't slammed but busy ... white noise is pretty significant. Server was attentive and kept our beverages filled. Johnny Cakes were deliciously crispy on the outside with a mild flavor. The tangy goat cheese was well balanced with the syrup ... it made a nice accompaniment. Both the Mac and Cheese and Green beans were called Small Plates. I opted for them for dinner. I feel the beans would be a more appropriate side dish or at least as a side dish well. Wasn't expecting the tart flavor but really enjoyed them. The Mac was nice and garlicky. I appreciated the gemelli rather than the common cavatappi. We chose the banana pudding for dessert. My sister in law makes hers homemade as well so that is to which I compare it. It had great flavor but I would have appreciated a thicker pudding and simply garnished with Vanilla Wafers. The candied garnish took away from the delicacy of the pudding. I look forward to seeing a rotating menu with additional or seasonal item. read more

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Absolute disappointment. Went here on a date and waited for an hour PAST OUR RESERVATION TIME. Management tells us the only table they have is a four top that we had to share with another party. Once seated it was another 20 before drinks arrive, meanwhile the other party has their full meal. Restaurant is out of both appetizers we asked for. Ordered entrees and small plates, all cold and bland. Hers arrived 10 minutes before mine did, which also happened with the drinks. Pork belly was rubbery, and only tasted of the sweet bbq sauce that was lightly rubbed on top. Beef chuck had less flavor than that somehow, and the veggies were rock solid. Clearly the staff and management were ill equipped for a proper dining experience, let alone one with prices that rival some of the nicest restaurants in Traverse. Best avoid this miss until another takes in place in a years time. read more

The owner is a swindler. His other business, Dreloco Tacos, went out of business and the final pay check that was due to my hardworking college kid, bounced. He refuses to settle up or respond to my son's communications. The same thing happened with his other employees at his other failed business, The Foundry, in Elk Rapids. If you're fine with employers taking advantage of college kids, stop reading here. If you have a soul, don't give Bushell's your money. read more

Food was impeccable, true grandmother wholesome food with a flair of presentation and warmth of friendly staff/owner that add to the wonderful ambiance of the restaurant. In a town of competitive restaurants, Bushell's showcases a top tier rotating menu and stands out with high quality meals. As a local, this place was a wonderful additional to our foodie city. read more

It's hard to say which was better ... the food or cocktails. Both were creative and delicious.

I love that Bushell's is open on Sunday night, because it's so rare downtown. We made reservations for 6 p.m. on the first night of TC Restaurant Week. Bushell's is fairly new to the Traverse City dining scene, so we expected a couple of hiccups. We arrived a few minutes early and there was another group by the door who had been waiting for their table also, so when four seats at the bar opened up, we sat down and ordered a round of drinks. And then we ordered a second round. (Note: I was here the previous week before a show at City Opera House and we were seated and served very quickly; Sunday night they were slammed because of Restaurant Week.) Once seated at our table, our waitress had a great attitude, the three courses took a while to arrive at our table, but everyone agreed that it was delicious. Some of the Restaurant Week dishes are not offered on their regular menu, but we did add on an order of deviled eggs that were classic with a twist. My biggest complaint is that, like many restaurants these days, the menu lists ingredients but doesn't describe how those ingredients will arrive on the plate. The deviled eggs are listed with fennel and chive and, as it turns out, those ingredients are blended together into a green sauce and the eggs are placed on top. It was very tasty! I would have been really torn deciding between the beet salad and the mushroom soup, but luckily I had ordered the beet salad the last time I was here (Yum!) and the mushroom soup isn't part of the regular menu, so that was the natural choice. It was not heavily creamed like a bisque, but blended into a homogeneous mixture and perfectly seasoned, and I hope they put it on the regular menu in the future! Two of our party had the carrots, which were a mixture of different colored carrots, some sliced, some cut lengthwise, a little tangy and a little sweet. Everyone enjoyed their main dishes. The pork shoulder and the beef ragu are not regular menu items, but the whitefish and the fried chicken are. The servings look small, especially at regular menu prices, but isn't that the way everything is these days? The biggest complaints were about the desserts (although everyone ate theirs). The sweet potato pie was perfect - not as heavy or sweet as pumpkin pie and served with a dollop of sour cream, or crème fraiche, not whipped cream for sure. The two who ordered panna cotta were disappointed that it hadn't set up to the consistency they were expecting. It was served with an oat crumble similar to what's on the beet salad, so it looked like yogurt with granola. Regardless of looks and consistency , it was tasty. The fourth in our party had the corn cake, which he said was almost too sweet. But hey, it's dessert, right? Overall we had a pleasant evening and we will definitely return to Bushell's. I've been there twice and haven't had the whitefish yet, and I need to get that beet salad again! read more

My girl and I came to Bushells after hearing about it during Cherry Fest. Another new restaurant popping up in TC is whatever, but this one claimed to be a soul food spot, so being from Chicago, I was intrigued. The spot they're in has been a new place almost every year since like 2019 it feels like. The decor is alright, they got new seating which is a step up from the old spot. The rest of the ambiance is a little lacking but in an understandable way, I'm assuming they wanted to catch some of the tourists before end of season, fine. Unsure about the liquor license thing, drinks or a drink is free when you order entrees which is nice, but there's no drink list, something I'd expect when your name is Bushells Kitchen & Cocktails. I got an old fashioned and it wasn't the play. It was an ounce or less and a bit over diluted with the simple syrup. They were out of a couple things, the fish and cornbread, which was what I was originally after. The menu is small, not a bad thing, you can expect to have quality dishes when the menu is narrowed down to staples. We both got the chicken sandwich, we got greens and yams as a side. The greens were seasoned awesome, it's been a minute since I had some greens, we all know you're not getting em done right here in TC lol. Greens were good so that was great, yams were pretty on point too. My sandwich was cooked well, stayed juicy and had a nice texture to the breading. The brine is very apparent in the chicken, pickles seem fresh, and bun was soft, I'm not gonna lie, it just needed some more flavor for me, or a sauce, the quality was there but something was missing. Not a deal breaker tho. Overall, I think this spot is a place we need here and I'm gonna come back 2-3 more times and update this review at some point. Happy you guys are here and see ya again soon! read more

Love this spot! Dim lighting & cozy vibe. Food was amazing. Tried something from all menu categories & was impressed by all. owner was mingling with guests & even offered to take our picture by their cute backdrop. this is a really great addition to TC. read more

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We just had dinner here and thoroughly enjoyed their Southern Cornbread with its sweet sauce on top, the three muffin shaped corn breads vanished quickly as they are quite tasty. For dinner we had the Fried Chicken sandwich with its sweet Miguel and tasty sauce. The wife had the fried Whitefish that came with mashed potatoes and Cole slaw, also tasty and not spicy. read more

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My husband and myself had reservations on 2-15-25. We were seated promptly, and served a glass of water and the server took our drink order. Twenty minutes went by and we could see our drinks sitting on the bar counter, not great for a tap beer. I ordered the Chicken Sandwich, my husband ordered the pork belly and we ordered a side of the "fingerling" potatoes. When the food came out, it was Luke warm at best. The plates were not garnished and my fried chicken sandwich had slid apart on the plate. The sandwich had no flavor at all, and the chicken breading was falling off, it seemed to be a mix of white and dark meat. The pork belly was chewy and cold, again with little flavor. The "Fingerling Potatoes" were a russet potato sliced in 4 pieces with a small drizzle of some kind of sauce, no garlic, barely any salt and peppered, for $8. And cold. We weren't offered a second round of drinks and ran out of water as well. At the end I told the server we were disappointed, and she responded with, "oh sorry". She did relay our concern to the owner, who never addressed the issue, only looked over at us. I wouldnt call this "soul food" at all. read more

Bushell’s Kitchen & Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

This is a new soul food restaurant in downtown Traverse City. It's great to have something a little different from the usual. Staff is friendly, nice atmosphere, not too loud, great cocktails and the food... is absolutely fantastic! My wife and I enjoyed the corn bread and deviled eggs as appetizers with drinks. Then we had the fried chicken sandwich and fried whitefish dinner. Both were excellent. The whitefish was very nicely cooked with a nice tangy sauce and very robust and tasty mashed potatoes. We didn't really need the sides, but we ordered grits and collared greens to try them out. They were fantastic! The good news is, we had more food than we needed, so we took some to go. The staff are very attentive and it's a fun new place. We would have liked to have tried the desert, but it seemed to be closing time and we didn't want to hold things up. We will definitely be back for lunch or dinner. Highly recommended! Thank you Andre for bringing some southern soul food to TC! read more

Everything was awesome. Cool space, but food and service were outstanding. Will definitely be back and highly recommend.

went here and had drinks and the cornbread! your probably saying what's there big deal about some cornbread! just get it! your welcome! great atmosphere, great service, music was fantastic! a total vibe read more

Went here on a whim for our anniversary weekend. Was not disappointed, best cornbread and chicken we've ever had by MILES. Blown away at the food, the staff was amazing, the atmosphere is great as well. read more

This place was amazing! Some of the best food I've ever eaten, the chicken sandwich is to die for! Definitely the best one I've ever had. The yams were also amazing. Service was friendly and fast, great atmosphere. read more

Bushell's is exactly what the town needed! The food is absolutely amazing and you will not find food like this anywhere. It has such a relaxing atmosphere and the staff are fantastic! They also offer such unique drinks and they are all fabulous! If you haven't tried Bushell's I suggest you do. We will definitely be back very soon. Keep up the great work Bushell's!! read more