Nate and I sat at the bar here and tried some of their beers since it was on our walk back up to the Grand Hotel. The bartender was super friendly and we enjoyed chatting with her. We got a flight and I also tried a cider, which was sweet and crisp. We didn't love all the beers but our favorite was the Shell Yeah porter, which was vanilla-y and peanut buttery. They even have a flight of every one of their beers (which sounds like a lot but is about three total pints), and a cocktail flight as well. We didn't get any food but the menu sounded tasty. I would come back to try the food and maybe order a cocktail. There was plenty of space and there's a smaller sports bar-type area in the back. read more

See all

Loved this spot on the main street! We had excellent service, food and beer. It had a good kids menu and I would happily recommend it to anyone. I thought the turtle/island theme with the beer names was adorable. read more

See all

5 - I'd try to convince my wife to drive an hour just to come here. Skip to the end to see my rating scale. To be fair, since it's on Mackinac Island, you're going to travel an hour just to get here anyway. But yeah, if I lived anywhere in the area I'd plan a night around coming here. The three things I look for in a brewery are an inviting outdoor space, accessibility to some good grub, and (of course) some quality beers. Big bonus if a place is dog friendly. Great Turtle easily accomplishes all three. Our waitress was great - they were fairly busy but she was super friendly and made sure we were taken care of without being up-in-your-face. The lunches we enjoyed were tasty and filling. We actually came here twice on the same day. The first time we got the 12-sample flight of all their beers. We then left for a walk around the town. After an hour of talking about Great Turtle we decided to go back for lunch and a pint of our favorite beer from the flight. Very rare for us to repeat a place, especially on the same day! Next time we venture into Northern Michigan I'll try to convince Mama to go back again, get a room nearby, and spend more time without the concern of driving later on. My rating scale: 1 - Just don't 2 - You'll survive, but there are better choices close by 3 - Good choice if you're in the area 4 - I'd drive 30 minutes out of my way just to come here 5 - I'd try to convince my wife to drive an hour just to come here read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - The Tortoise Flight of 12! - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

Lovely experience, good house-made alcohols, until we got robbed in plain sight. We were having a lovely visit to the island, when we stopped for beers and drinks, even tried the cocktail flight. Then the bartender offered to shake for a shot, and charged us $20?!? $10 PER SHOT?!? Then we got a souvenir shot glass to commemorate the visit, and it had a chip in it. Got us again. Lovely place but feels like i got pickpocketed. read more

At Main and Hoban streets you will find an excellent and solid menu of food and drinks. The Hoban side patio is especially quiet and free from the vacation carnival that summer tourism brings to the Great Lakes. The smoked whitefish dip is awesome and the pita chips have a little magic to them. And of course the whitefish cakes won't disappoint:) You're on the Great Lakes so go whitefish! Our service was great! Adi, our server was great. Enjoy read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Hoban Street Side. Nice horse watching;) - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

We were visiting the super touristy Mackinaw island. We needed somewhere dog, friendly, some good food this place is huge right in the middle of the drive. But we decided to try we were pleasantly surprised They had a huge beer selection. We got a flight of their beers. You are all really good! Food really hit the spot. Everyone in our large group of 12 of very happy. Great service and great food here. And a nice patio if you're with dogs. I recommend this place if you're on the island! read more

See all

Nice brewery with a good selection. We had the tacos, a sandwich, and chicken tenders all was good. Our server Sharae was very nice. And the food came out quickly. read more

See all

We were in Michigan for a wonderful week. We enjoyed a great lunch. What made it special was Gabriele J from the service to restaurant itself. We are back in Houston, TX we will be back again read more

We went just for drinks and quickly got a table for our party of 8. A few of us tried the turtle cocktail flight and wouldn't get it again. Strange combinations that just didn't work well. Staff was fantastic. read more

Came for a cold drink & bite. The local drafts were appealing on their big porch. Riley was a waitress, she was efficient, personable, and on point. I ordered a two block draft Amber with a toffee vanilla oak flavor. My husband did a no cars allowed a cream ale, light and smooth. We started by sharing the Great Lakes, smoked whitefish dip topped with mozzarella capers, and red onions. The dip was very rich & filling! The only negative was it was very very loud. There was a woman at the table next to us screaming at everybody that walked by and interjecting her opinions in neighboring conversations. She even got all the dogs on the porch barking. read more

See all

Not sure where the negatives come from. The service was very good. The cocktails were tasty and the food was delicious. Brisket starter was awesome. Get the cocktail sampler too! read more

Best food we had on our vacation! My family ordered the Mac and Cheese with burn ends, a berry and nut salad, and pub burger. All of us loved the food and was so pleased with the food. Service was friendly and it was a great experience. Thank you!! read more

My family and I stopped in for dinner and were greeted with smiles and kindness. Our server Megan was awesome. She filled us in on history and life on the island. It was a pleasure talking with her and she took great care of us. Would definitely recommend this restaurant!! read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Our family stopped in for dinner and were greeted with smiles and kindness. Our server Megan was awesome. Fish and chips are a must to try. - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

We checked in at the adjoining Lakeview Hotel and HAD to have a late lunch. Yelp had some great photos of the food at Great Turtle, so we gave it a shot. Glad we did. We were seated promptly on the pleasant outdoor porch as requested, and the ordering and food delivery were equally prompt. My husband had the burnt ends with accompanying nan breads. He loved it. It was a huge portion. (We should have split it.) I had the brisket tacos - three with an unusual slaw. Yummy. Mine came with house made tortilla chips and salsa. Would like to try some of the other menu items, but this island has so many dining choices. read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Brisket tacos with house made tortilla chips and salsa. - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

See all

This place was so expensive for mid food I couldn't believe it. But that's probably most places on the island. I'm glad it had options for my allergy kid though. They were able to cook a plain fish without any butter / dairy. Ambiance is nice as it's Mackinac Island... nice patio. Service was pretty good. read more

Brewery #273 We stopped in here for a few beers and some apps while we waited out some rainy weather. We sat at the bar and I ordered their 12 beer mega flight so I can try them all. They have a large selection of styles from cream ales, IPA's porters, red ales, sour, cider, etc. None of them wow'd me but they are were for the most part all pretty good. For apps we got a big pretzel and an order of onion rings. The onion rings were crap but the "zoom sauce" they serve it with made them edible. The pretzel was served with a Cream Ale beer cheese and jalapeno honey mustard. This was much better. It's an overpriced tourist trap but the bartenders were nice and it was dry inside. read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - 12 beer flight! - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

Beer was not my favorite - they have quite a few unique options (fudge beer??), but was a little disappointed they didn't have the peach cider. We didnt get food, but that seems to have been a big part of the draw!Apparently the wings were quite good, and the table next to us said their pizza was delicious. No reservations when we went, but that could just be due to how busy it got. Pearl was very sweet and helpful! read more

"The Dream of the Blue Turtles" (Sting) When you get hungry, there are a ton of choices to grab a meal on Mackinac Island. Great Turtle was an excellent stop for us. It's a big place with a bar, tables in front of the bar, and a big back room. Everything was pretty much packed when we walked in (without reservations) for lunch on a Saturday. They gave us a buzzer, and we were seated in 20 minutes or so. We started off with a Peeling Happy Orange Wheat Ale (with fresh hand-zested and squeezed oranges) and 4.9% ABV, and a Mackinac Peaches Cider and 5.5% ABV. Both were delicious and both were $8.50. Our lunch decisions (and they were TOUGH decisions because their menu is amazing) were a Southwest Chicken Salad ($24) and Brewery Tacos ($22). The salad was a thing of beauty with grilled Nashville hot chicken, mixed greens with roasted corn, red and green peppers, roasted onions, black beans and a Mexican cheese blend. I usually get salsa for my salad dressing, abd that was no problem here. The tacos were three gorgeous specimens. We had a choice of Beef Brisket, spicy shrimp, chicken Tinga, Al Pastor Pork, and Vegan Chorizo. They were dressed out with house made slaw, fresh salsa, Mexican blend cheese, and were served with house made tortilla chips. My salad was amazing. First of all, it included a ton of chicken that was tender juicy and just plain perfect. The veggies were all fresh, and yes... the salsa was great. The tacos were excellent too - just check out the photos. Our server Amanda was polite, professional, and helpful. She did a great job in spite of the crowded restaurant. We were very happy with choosing the Green Turtle for lunch. read more

See all

We stopped by the Turtle for lunch once we arrived on the island. We were seated promptly by a less than enthusiastic hostess, a smile would have been nice. Our server was much better. House beer was OK, the chicken sandwich was reheated in a microwave - tasted "old". Fries we pretty good. For the outrageous price, we were sorely disappointed. Looking for better options for tomorrow. read more

Service was excellent. Brooke D was fantastic! She recommended a great IPA (Big Aft) that paired well with burnt ends and house-made fish cakes. The Peeling Happy was a nice wheat beer with a squeezed orange essence. Highly recommend stopping by after visiting and hiking around Mackinac Island. Very laid back and relaxing vibe. read more

Great little spot. The service was so nice, beer was very good and the Somewhere in Time purple gin drink was yummy. Speaking of yummy - the brussel sprouts were absolutely fantastic and oh so yummy. Oh and did I mention they make their own gin. Absolutely recommended. We loved it and will be back. read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

See all

Okay bar food. Came in for lunch. Service was quick. Here's what we had: 1. Calamari for appetizer - this was decent. 2. Whitefish dip with Naan bread - this was interesting, creamy, smoked fish flavor, not a fan. There's a fishy aftertaste even after washing down with drink. 3. Roasted Chickpea Burger - blah, not good. 4. Margherita Flat bread - so so we barely touched this. 5. The Shell Yeah burger - patty was dry and overcooked so it was gummy. Mediocre experience for us. read more

See all

I love turtles so eating here was a no brainer! The food was amazing! The pretzel we got was probably the best I've ever had. The service was quick and friendly. We sat outsideish (on the porch at a high top) and the weather was perfect so it was a nice dining experience. read more

See all

Wow!! Not only was the food amazing but the service was the best I've had in awhile. Food came out super fast and got great recommendations. The whitefish dip was phenomenal as well as the white fish and fries. The summer salad was fresh. Would give 10 stars!! Staff was amazing. read more

I was bummed that this trip GTBD was out of the vegan chorizo (it was the last couple of days of the season), but I was able to get a flatbread without cheese, add mushrooms (they were also out of arugula). It was tasty and filling and the staff were great. Good selection of drinks, as well. read more

Wanted to eat outside, but only a high top and my husband didn't want that so we ate way back in the restaurant near the bar. It was OK. I got the Fish and chips which, really was ho hum. The fish was ok and the tartar sauce was good, but just some FF. Nothing special. My husband had the burnt ends. It is a large enough portion for sharing. It came with Naan bread and he seemed happy enough. I don't know why this place just left me at only OK read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Fish and chips - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

See all

Here on a a stormy day with kids on Mackinac island Drinks good Service excellent All our food was excellent read more

See all

The amount of stars here are pretty accurate overall. Anything on the island, you pay for atmosphere for sure. I got a chicken sandwich on a pretzel bun and it was pretty good. A frozen patty but still good. Fries were tasty. Husband got some tacos and said they were very good! Beer was tasty too! We had the pleasure of eating outside and I highly recommend that! We got to watch the horses walk down Main Street and weather was wonderful in July. Service was also very great here. Our server was nice and very attentive. read more

See all

My girlfriend and I tried the Peeling Happy Orange Wheat Ale and the Pedal Fast IPA, and they were both delicious! So fresh and perfect for a summer day on the island. read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

Great Turtle was our choice because the have an outdoor but sheltered patio area where dogs are allowed. We enjoyed very good fried white fish and hamburgers and our server Riley was very efficient and friendly. It was a great experience all around. read more

Visited Great Turtle with a large group, and service was great. Our server was nice and attentive. I ordered a salad which had blueberries, strawberries, cherries, and candied pecans on top. It was super refreshing. I also highly recommend their spicy corn dip- super tasty and unique! read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

We decided to try this place as they had a vegetarian burger option. It was OK, dry and needed all the condiments for flavor. Onion rings were standard and the beer was good. The wait staff was not very friendly and didn't make us feel welcomed. They were extremely busy but the food was pretty quick. It was a bit loud inside as well but their bar TVs were not closed captioned so not great to know what's going on. Also, not Deaf friendly. Might not return here again for food but beer was good. read more

See all

Quality to cost ratio just isnt there number one. We are a party of 7 who are used to spending $200-300 a go when eating out so the pricing wasn't too far off but the quality just isn't there. Number two, beverages are sold all over the island and one of us was finishing one as we were seated. We were getting stares from the staff and were informed that outside drinks were prohibited. She just went ahead and finished it as it was pretty much gone anyway but the big deal that was made about it and the cold shoulder we got from staff over it made us not order any more from this establishment so they lost out on about $50-100 in drinks. Brussel sprouts medicore and cold. Calamari was ok, sauce was not. Burnt ends weren't burnt ends but just ok anyway. Whitefish dip was good. We ordered beer cheese soup, an up charge on French fries and the whitefish cakes that never came so we had them removed from the bill. The braised short rib grilled cheese was dry and small. Two of us had burgers which were good. Overall a disappointment for the money. Also, a 7 top with one little outside drink? Annoying. There are much better options on the island, go elsewhere. read more

Wonderful fish and chips! Plenty to share between friends. Seating on the patio is very nice too! read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Fish & chips - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

Ok good, very slow service. On par with most island places. Our Brussels appetizer was under cooked. The rest of the food was fine but nothing special. Nice dining room and the specialty cocktails were good. read more

See all

Excellent beers!! My fiancé and I love opposite style of beers and there was a lot for both of us to enjoy! He enjoyed the double IPA(tasted like Two Hearted) and he liked the Shell Yeah, which was a peanut butter stout. I liked the orange wheat beer, their cherry and lime sour and their lime light lager also was delicious. The bartender was super personable and funny, made our experience that much better. 10/10 recommend. read more

Great Turtle Brewery and Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Mackinac Island, Michigan

I liked everything about the Great Turtle. We entered through the gift shop, wound our way around to the bar. It was very busy so we opted to sit at the bar. I loved the decor, it was cool and subdued and a nice calm break from the busy-ness of the main drag. I got a flight of beers and was happy with the variety and quality. We also got the Brussels Sprouts shareable. I was a bit iffy on the choice and very pleasantly surprised. The plate was huge and these sprouts were delicious. After a bit, they had live music, a man sang solo. It was not too loud, and he has an excellent voice. The staff were all competent and helpful. We stopped and bought some things at the shop on the way out. They did have Tag-A-Brew charms. Shell Yeah! read more

See all

Food 10/10, beer 8/10, service 5/10. Decided to try this place out for dinner. Everything came quick! A little too quick which I never thought I'd put into a review. We had just started digging into our appetizer when our dinner entrees arrived. Which isn't too big of a deal. The problem I had was we all ordered a single beer. We were exchanging stories with our friends and laughing. Kinda loud, sure. But didn't think it was that big of a deal since we were on the outdoor patio. We were laughing at a joke when our waitress came to grab our plates and looked at us and said "drunk already?". Just a rude blunt comment I've never heard from a waitress. And no we were not drunk off one beer. Just trying to enjoy some good food with good company. Most likely would not go back or recommend to our friends/family. read more

Our first lunch in the island. After a morning spent hiking around, we hit the main strip, saw a brewery and figured we should stop in to check it out. If half stars were allowed, I'd give this place a 3.5 stars. Rounded up because of the chickpea beet veggie burger we ordered. We loved having a veggie option that was different from the usual bean burger. And it tasted good. The berry salad was very simple and the dressing seemed like it probably came from a bottle. Heavy & very sweet. The salad was fine, just nothing to knock your socks off. Servers were friendly. We had two guys checking in with us. They must be used to moving people through quickly because everything we ordered (food included) came out almost immediately. The fact that our food came so fast does give me pause. Like, no way was it made just for us; it was too fast. The beer flight was okay. For a small brewery it felt average, according to my more beer-savvy husband. Not terrible, not wow! Of the five we tasted (4 as part of a flight, one pint) my favorite was the Mackinac Summer Sour from brewery. My husband's favorite was a guest beer from Tri-City Brewing called Cherry Torchon. They don't offer small pours of any of their draft beers, which is a bummer in my opinion. You have to get the full flight. Prices were high like everywhere, but the food/experience wasn't so awesome I'd go back. Still, the service was friendly, and we didn't leave full of regret, so that combined with the veggie burger gives it the 4-star. read more

See all

Food service was extremely fast and food quality/flavor was excellent. No complaints from our entire party. Got a beer flight as well and it did not disappoint. All 4 were good. read more