Reviewed this back in '24 when they opened and it's gotten better and better. Let me just say this:…read more The Backyard burger is the best burger I've ever had. Period. And I grew up in the 80's eating at 'up north' bars, which previously had the best burgers of my life. This tops it. In addition to great pinball, a nice space, and great vibes, The Outsider is currently winning Manistee.

The food (smash burger and fries, YUM), the drinks, and the atmosphere were great! Truly. The staff…read morewere all very kind. However, we had to wait well over an hour for our food after we'd been told it would be 40 minutes. It did seem like the staff was doing the best they could, and they were apologetic, but it was a bit frustrating especially having our 3 kids with us who were very hungry We might come back next summer when we're in town but the wait time would be the one thing I'd be concerned about. 3.5

We visited The Salty Heifer on 7/11/2026 at about 11am. My husband ordered the all you can eat…read morebreakfast, our youngest son got a kids breakfast and my oldest son and I got the Whole Farm omlette. My husband liked his food (besides his hashbrowns not being crispy as ordered), our youngest is 2 and a picker so he doesn't care, our oldest son said his food tasted weird but he ate it and I DID NOT like my omelette. I had 3 bites and a piece of toast and left the rest (2 year old was being whiny and I hate annoying other diners with loud children so we went to the car.) My omelette had no flavor at all. After adding salt, pepper and hot sauce (and not a lot at all mind you) all I could take was what I added. There were SO MANY barely cooked thoroughly hash browns that it might as well have just been an order of hash browns. The omelette was pitifully thin. It just wasn't good but whatever. My husband and oldest son stayed to finish their breakfast as I sat in the car with the youngest. The waitress (who was fantastic throughout the service) went to the back and apparently talked to the owner. My husband said she looked a bit like she was upset when she came back 5-8 mins later. Apparently she couldn't take it off the bill because the owner wasn't having it. Very strange, but whatever, my husband paid it. My husband went to tip the server a bit more than he had initially taken out and she said "no, you don't have to do that." But she was great and deserved a tip. As a business owner myself, the owner sounds like a jerk who has zero concept of good service. If a customer doesn't like something, you fix it and you don't treat your employees rudely either. I couldn't imagine treating my customers that way. Also, invest in some seasonings and lay off the hash browns. Fix your food and your attitude. And play some music in there or something.

We came in our first night in the area and were delighted to find this amazing place. The workers…read morewere so kind and honest I loved everything about this place, down to their "moo it forward" program to feed those in need. My husband got the motherclucker sandwich (chips on the side), I got the Utter melt (also chips on the side), my dad got an omelette and my mom a chicken dish (i can't remember which) that came with a biscuit, potato wedges, and cottage cheese. The food was delicious and my parents were eyeing the giant cinnamon roll in the case while mentioning we may stop back tomorrow.

Not reopen yet. Best place in manistee to have a nice dinner…read morewith spouse or others. They have a wonderful food and drink menu

What a great experience at this restaurant! My burger was cooked perfectly to a true medium, just…read morelike I asked something that's surprisingly hard to find. The hand-cut French fries were absolutely amazing, and the nacho appetizer was out of this world. Everyone at our table loved their meal. We'll definitely be back! If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and check this place out. If you don't, you're really missing out!

The Wheelhouse Burger(x2) Peel & Eat Shrimp!…read more1/2 Rack Ribs! Perfect meal for my son and I, before poker!!!

Better than most local pubs! Come weekly to chill out and maybe even win enough to…read morePay for our dinner.

We have come here every time we visit relatives and the food is always delicious. This place has…read morebeen around since long before I was born. I'm glad it has stayed in business. You don't come here to be fancy, you come here for eclectic decor and delicious food. The service has always been great as well.

Walking into this place, you understand that is completely a local's bar. It's the kind of place…read morefor people bring a deck of cards, or talk union business at the bar. I had barely set foot in the door when the two bartenders at the bar greeted me warmly and welcomed me in and told me I could sit anywhere I wanted. I sat at the bar and as recommended by a local, I ordered the pepper jack crab soup, which was delicious. One thing to be aware of: don't expect real crab in the soup. Imitation only. But it's plentiful and delicious on a frigid winter day. The bartender recommended the roasted chicken or the perch, and living near another great lake and always having ready access to perch, I decided on the broasted chicken. I was not disappointed. It came with four pieces, choice, potato, and a choice of another side. It was way too its food, but I ate more than I thought they would because it was that good. I will definitely return to the painted lady!

Best fish fry in town, delicious burgers and friendly staff - always our go-to on a Friday night!read more

My husband and I came in for a beer then decided on getting just a small bite to eat. The only…read morething going for this place was the very cold beer and it was in a can at that. My husband ordered chili and we saw the cook walk behind the bar to the cooler and walk back to the kitchen with it, that should've been a sign right there. I ordered mac & cheese bites. The mac & cheese bites were the size of a large kidney bean and there were 5 of them for $8 dollars!!! The chili was too salty and more like a soup so my husband sent it back. We got our bill and she charged us for the chili and we asked about that and she said she could comp us a drink and was unpleasant about it. We left without finishing our drinks and won't go back.

The bar is small inside. Saw max occupancy sign for approx 78 people. There is a pool table. It's a…read moreneat little bar. The service was good. The food was your standard bar food. It was hot and good. I enjoyed the pictures in the bathroom. Price was reasonable as well.

I was in town and needed some dinner, and the Friday Fish Fry sounded like a winner. They have…read morespecials most days, and they all sounded great. It's a cozy space, with a very lively crowd at the bar. Service was on point, which was impressive since there appeared to be only two servers. The fish was plentiful, with a nice crispy breading. The slaw was also really good and seemed like it was made in house. I do wish I got the perch, it's several dollars more, but the piled high plates that went past us looked delicious.

Great meal in this little spot in Manistee. Feel like you are walking down into the basement of the…read morehotel at the corner of River St and Maple St but welcomed by warm atmosphere and dark wood bar. Food was very good with a good selection. At our table everything from meatballs with marinara to Caesar's salad to Cubano sandwich. Prime rib soup was good and hearty. And our server was spot on, between helpful, welcoming, and checking in on us just enough. 12 beers on tap (sorry, I wasn't paying attention to a wine list or anything like that) with a good selection of beers, including a number of local brew. Nice place for a late Sunday afternoon lunch in the summer, will be back in the colder months as well. Definitely a place worth checking out.

Cozy little place, menu pretty typical of quality bar and grill operations. That included a…read moresouthwest-style chicken salad, which is a favorite of mine, and TJ's is a bit unique. It had the standard toppings--avocado, corn, black bean, tomato, tortilla chips. But the cheese was melted on top, like a kind of crunchy/chewey plate--it really looked like it was topped with a mini pizza. Not sure that enhanced the salad, but overall it was fine. Instead of dressing, it came with tubs of sour cream and salsa to mix in. I do that at home sometimes, so can't complain. The lettuce was fresh and crispy. Decent beer selection, including a quite a few bottled ones, which I hadn't noticed until after I ordered my pint of Two Hearted. Be sure to ask for a bottle menu. I sat at the bar and the server regularly looked in on me. Wasn't too noisy, in spite of the tight space that was full when I stopped in on a Sunday night. Nice little spot to check out in Manistee.

Bluefish was definitely one of the highlights of our trip to the area and the perfect capstone date…read moreto our vacation. We went about midday during off hours and were advised that there was only one server on shift and there might be a wait. However, Lauren absolutely KILLED it and the service was great! On to the food... it was OUTSTANDING. The dishes my girlfriend and I had were unique and tasty. I had the blackened whitefish with the corn chipotle sauce and the flavors blended wonderfully. The seasoning was great, and it was cooked to perfection. You could also tell it was very fresh. Definitely check this place out!!

I gave a five-star rating only because a six-star wasn't an option. While touring the western side…read moreof Michigan, we stopped in at the Blue Fish Kitchen & Bar for a late lunch. It was a mid-week day and there was hardly a soul in the place so I was a bit concerned. Completely unnecessary! The pulled pork sandwich was great and the gyro was also great. Served with some of the best chips I have ever had, the food was delivered hot and quickly from our server, Marie. The upscale atmosphere was perfect for a memorable lunch. Our table overlooked the river and on a sunny day, it was perfect. Marie did not lead us astray with the dessert menu - cheesecake made in-house with raspberry topping. Absolutely delicious!

I've vacationed to the Manistee area for the last couple of years now, and Alpine has been a MUST…read moreSTOP. Beware, this place will make your wallet mysteriously drain. Everything here is phenomenal, from their local chocolates to the popcorn. I've never had anything bad here. This time around we got the giant truffle box, the smaller assorted box, s'mores popcorn, garlic parm popcorn, taffy and some fudge. We haven't broken into most of it but the smores popcorn is absolutely absurd, and the boxed chocolates are exactly how I remember them. The first time I was here, I left wanting more so I bought some chocolates from the store. Not even a comparison. There's only one Alpine. Can't say enough good things about this place. Come check it out!

Call chocolate place in downtown Manistee. They have so many different things decorated caramel…read moreapples, different types of chocolates, ice cream, bag, candy, popcorn, toffee , fruit, fruit, fruit I don't want that varieties, open jar candies. As well as package goods. You can also get an ice cream cake in case you're looking for a cake somewhere. So many different choices. Servers are really friendly and very helpful. Took care of us really quickly and the chocolate is incredible. Cool old school chocolate store.