We really enjoyed dinner at Harbor Lights Grille. It's got a relaxed, easygoing vibe, overlooking the lake, the kind of place where you can just settle in and enjoy the view. It's decorated so cute, and the service was great too. Our server was attentive, clearly knew the menu well, and recommended the Lighthouse Burger. It was solid, topped with a bacon jam that was honestly delicious, and it really took the burger to another level. 10/10 recommend. On our way out of town a few days later, we stopped and grabbed some cinnamon rolls, and they were excellent! Really solid meal choices all around, and we'll definitely be back. read more

Stopped by Harbor Lights Grille for breakfast this morning on the way back from an overnight stay on Mackinaw Island. What a great spot for breakfast. Betsy took great care of us. We both had the full throttle & it was yummy!!! Saw the amazing looking homemade cinnamon rolls but had to pass...too full!!!!! Great spot right on the lake & we say right by the water. How fun. read more

Stopped in recently and had breakfast. This was our first time stopping since last Aug due to us traveling. Needless to say our experience wasn't great. We waited nearly an hour for our food when it wasn't that busy. Coffee was so dark and tasted burnt. When we received our food the skillet was the size of a one egg pan (one skillet was $16.00) and the omelette size was the same with meat. Our waitress looked like she was hungover or on drugs on top of the prices definitely have increased which is expected from inflation but to add one egg to your plate was $2.50. That's outrageous read more

Everything was delicious and even though there was one person waiting tables and it was fairly busy, the food came out quick. The view of the lake was also nice! Would definitely come back. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

Food was phenomenal when Ben was the chef under previous owners, and even after Ben. Now the corned beef breakfast is if it's from a can. Toast and potatoes are nowhere near the quality now. What a shame......... I was a regular read more

Food was awesome. Corned beef hash was amazing and homemade. Toast was good, eggs were cooked perfect, and the bacon was amazing. The service was very good, attentive and friendly. Prices are really good for being located in a tourist area. Ask to be seated in the back which boasts an amazing view of the lake. This is a great spot for breakfast! read more

Fantabulous! We've been here for breakfast as well as lunch & are always pleased no matter what we order. Seems like everything is homemade and the ambience is sort of yesteryear charming, right on the lake. Do NOT pass up the cinnamon rolls! Amaze balls! read more

The restaurant itself was so cute! The food was great. I also got 2 of their speciality cheesecakes. I highly recommend the desserts. Service was fast and we were in and out in around an hour. The view of the lake was also extremely beautiful. I would have taken a photo if I didn't miss it with the Sun already setting. It is homey and cozy. It would be a cute road trip/ date spot. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Strip Steak, Corn, Wild Rice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

See all

We stopped on our way to Mackinac City for lunch at Carp Lake, we were inside overlooking the lake with a beautiful view. I had the whitefish and fries special and my wife had the Reuben sandwich. The Reuben had sliced corned beef on it and was excellent, the fish was cooked just right and was delicious. Our server was very good and was there if we needed anything. She was very good. A nice place serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. read more

Fantastic! On a road trip and stayed just down the road two nights and my only regret is I didn't go here the first night, the first morning ... This is homemade, fresh food that satisfies your taste buds and tummy. Service was great. My waitress was Tasha and she couldn't have been more helpful, personable and my favorite- kept my coffee cup filled. If I didn't live in California, I'd be back regularly; however, if I visit my friends in Wisconsin again, I'll add time to hang out Up North and make Harbor Lights a must re-visit. read more

See all

I would give Harbor Lights Grille 3.5 stars. The location right off the water is an excellent view. Harbor Lights decor is a nautical theme with lighthouses and various old fashion signs. Their Wifi password is on the table. Also the menus are on the table protected by some clear cover. We had breakfast here. I ordered the french toast and sausage links. My husband had the Alex's Breakfast Skillet which is 2 eggs, cheese, onions, bell peppers, choice of meat, served on hash browns. This entree also Includes choice of toast. Overall, the food was good. The service was okay, just in my perceptive there was shortage of staff. I think the staff did their best to keep up with all the customers especially during a busy breakfast rush. The parking lot is different because when you back out it is directly into the street so just watch for oncoming traffic. Overall, Harbor Lights Grille is a nice spot for great views and yummy food. read more

See all

Breakfast may be 4.4 stars but dinner was 1 star. Don't order the meatloaf. Fish was ok but certainly not worthy of a 4 star rating. Several other tables had to send their food back. Too bad because it as such a great view of the lake. read more

I didn't go to the brick and mortar location but I hit the food trailer in Florida. The owners are really nice people. The food was tasty and very fresh. I hit the place almost every morning for a nice breakfast at the rv park. The trailer is an old school fifties model which is really cool. I would give it a try if you see the trailer out and about. read more

Great homemade food options for breakfast! They even have breakfast pasties on Sundays and sell the leftovers on Monday. We loved the cinnamon roll, omelettes and pancakes. Sour dough bread was great too! The views of the lake are incredible too! read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

My husband and I have eaten there for breakfast and then again for dinner. Their food is absolutely delicious (husband had the steak bites off of the appetizer menu with a loaded baked potato and I had the fried shrimp dinner). The service was awesome with the kindest workers. Looking out over the lake was a much added bonus! read more

Harbor Lights Grille - View from our seat! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

This place is great! We stopped here for breakfast and a giant cinnamon roll (fair warning it is a cream cheese frosting). The breakfast burrito (a Friday only special) was good, cinnamon roll French toast was tasty if you like cream cheese icing, and the pancakes were legit. Even the toast was good. I suggest you sit lakeside it's beautiful! The waitress was friendly and attentive. read more

See all

Stopped in for lunch with our group on vacation and had an amazing meal!! We all ordered something different and everything was hot, fresh, and fantastic! We sat by the windows and had a beautiful view of the lake. The homemade cheesecake was awesome as well! Will definitely be back and tell people to stop here! read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Lilac Cheesecake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

See all

Visited Macinaw City and found this little place right on Carp Lake. One breakfast and two dinners later I can say this place is definitely worth it. Wonderful view of said lake, good portions and eveything we ordered was really good. Service was excellent and friendly. The broiled whitefish is worth the trip as is the fried chicken. If your around Carp Lake it's definitely worth your time to stop in. read more

I stopped in for breakfast and got completely ignored and disregarded. It was just me and I asked for a table and the workers just ignored my request and went about their day talking about whatever, not sure that I will be coming back or recommending this place to anyone (they were not busy and I could see open tables) truly disappointed because I had high hopes for this restaurant. read more

Before reading this review, take a look at the photo. This collage is from our first visit to Harbor Lights Grille while camping a week at Wilderness State Park. I'm writing this review at our fourth visit. Needless to say, we are huge fans. As the photo reveals, this restaurant has beautifully presented food, served by friendly and down to earth staff, in an immaculately clean and COVID-secure environment, with the most gorgeous view of Carp Lake. What the photo does not reveal is the excellent quality of each of their homemade entrees. My husband and I had different whitefish entrees for our first dinner. He ordered a crispy, fresh side salad. I ordered homemade clam chowder. We both rated the prep and flavor of our fish as 3.5/5 as it was a tad dry. Mind you, seafood is our thing. We live it, have learned to cook it well at home, and have visited places where we eat it within hours of being caught. The freshness was perfect. Spices flavorful. Our potatoes were both excellent. The veggies were fresh, not seasoned and luke warm. OK, but not amazing. The clam chowder is a must-order on Fridays. Some of the best I've ever had. So disappointed it is t served daily. I would definitely order it. After our first meal, I would have rated this restaurant 4/5 overall, comparing it to high-quality grilles around the country. I know, high standards. Now that we've traveled from Mackinac to Cheboygan and down to Harbor Springs, sampling along the way, this restaurant deserves 5+ stars relative to the other eating establishments. We have also had breakfast once, the pot roast stuffed hash browns were in special. We added an egg to the top and left completely satisfied and full for the day. Delicious. Today, I'm repeating the dish with homemade corn beef. To die for ..... And their fresh made cinnamon rolls.... oh my. Worth the splurge. We also had lunch. The corn beef sandwich with hand made chips were amazing. My husband had mushroom Swiss burger and onion rings. He rated his dish 4/5. We needed the meal with a slice of coconut cream pie. So delicious! When in this area, definitely stop by. Oh yes. The wifi is great and scarce in this area. Updating this review: We ate at Light House Restaurant a total of 7-times in a week, while camping at Wilderness State Park. Tried two other restaurants and both agreed that Light House is so delicious, beautiful, well-priced, clean and friendly, why go anywhere else? Shout out to the servers Amber, Betsy and Jessie. Really fun, efficient and friendly people. We ended up trying the shrimp dinner with baked potatoes, a bowl of clam chowder and dinner salad on Fridays only, a Ruben sandwich and mushroom Swiss burger. All amazing and perfectly prepared. We also enjoyed the artichoke cheese dip appetizer and the amazing dessert selections. The portions of cake were huge, but so good we finished both the chocolate cake and espresso cheesecake. Thank you Harbor Lights for being such a big a wonderful vacation. Update 11/08/20. Another stop at our favorite up-north gem to enjoy a post-election week celebration. Thrilled to see homemade pasties on the menu for breakfast. We have wanted to try this Michigan specialty. It did not disappoint. Worth the challenge to the waistline and willing to have green smoothies for a week to balance out the calories. As always, the staff made the experience special and the views are always the best for miles around. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

Honestly, Harbor Lights Grille was such a warm place and we loved our meal. I cannot say enough good things. We stopped by after driving almost 2 hours in the pouring rain and it was close to closing. Immediately upon walking in, the staff welcomed us and were so warm and friendly. We were even gifted another salad when originally we were going to share one. The 3-piece cod special was well-portioned for me and such a great deal, as I almost couldn't finish. They are larger in person than they may look in the photo! They were light and perfectly fried, though I wish there was a bit more spices. The sidewinders were perfection. The extensive house-made desserts were delicious and light and the decorations all around truly embodied the lake-living spirit. Being from out of town, we felt so welcomed! Perfect for dates or family dining, I would recommend dining here for a well-priced and delicious meal where you feel like family. read more

See all

Very nice breakfast with a great view of lake, it's right on the water. Cool coffee house feel. Waitress was friendly. Food was excellent, farm fresh eggs and meaty bacon. read more

The scenery is great, looking out over the lake and it's clean and quaint. The food was not good at all. I ordered the " homemade lasagna" that was the daily special. Salad was your typical iceberg lettuce with two tomatoes and two cucumbers slices. The garlic bread was soggy and I'm sure came pre-made, the lasagna was cold in the middle. Pretty sure they just microwave it. Flavor was OK. Waitress was nice too but way too spendy for Gordon food service cafeteria quality food. read more

Worth the visit! Cute neighborhood spot... good food, service and view. Cute decor. Family friendly.

Wonderful setting. Terrible service and the food was not at all like previous reviews. Lobster roll was litterally that, lobster on a roll. Boring! Burger was cheap cover cooked meat. read more

Great food and beautiful view! Sitting on the patio is my favorite part. Service was good too.

Nice atmosphere. Good food. Amazing desserts. Good service. Check them out from land or boat.

Great place good service we went there on Mother's Day and it was very nice. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting the area.

With only one server working on Sunday, Labor Day weekend, the food came to us steaming hot and in only 20 minutes. Amazingingly delicious and affordable too. No chain restaurant food here. The vegetables were freshly cooked and whole, not minced. I regret I had no room for their homemade three-layer chocolate cakes or highly recommended cheesecakes. Next time for sure. Certainly a must-stop anytime one drives north read more

Excellent meal, had the corned beef hash. Definitely recommend. The staff were very kind, and the mocha was great. Loved sitting by the big windows and looking out at the lake as we had breakfast. Will definitely be coming back again when I'm in the area. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Corned beef hash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

I was looking forward to breakfast after seeing the reviews and pics. Unfortunately I feel like I got the customer's order who asked for extra crispy bacon and extra crispy hashbrowns. The over medium eggs were okay but the white toast and coffee were good. The waitress was very attentive and kept the coffee coming. read more

Met some friends from Ohio there a couple days ago for breakfast. Great food, nice conversation while enjoying the sun dancing on Carp Lake. I will definitely be back to try the White Fish and deserts. The waitress was working alone that morning, but she took very good care of us. read more

Best breakfast, lunch, and dinner option within 10 miles of Mackinaw City. Phenomenal baked goods and full coffee bar offerings

We stayed in the area and ate here SEVERAL times because it was not only delicious but had an amazing view of the lake. Got breakfast I Highly recommend the breakfast pastie, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and breakfast sandwich. For dinner, the cedar plank whitefish was the best fish I've ever tasted. Their mashed potatoes and corn were also tasty sides. My only regret is not ordering any of the delicious looking homemade pies they had. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - View of the lake from our table. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

Delicious food, fantastic service and a stunning view. Very warm and cozy atmosphere. Their cheesecake was sublime! They have many flavor of cheesecake and it's so fresh. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Raspberry Cheesecake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

See all

Exploring the autumnal colors all day and worked up an appetite. Discovered this little gem of home cooking an hospitality! I ordered the special-pork schnitzel which was delicious. My husband ordered the small meatloaf and was disappointed but the soup and mashed potatoes made up for it! So stuffed had to get our cheesecake to go -- honey lavender & snicker bar I'll let you know how they are!! read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Beautiful view of Paradise Lake from our table. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

Worst service ! We checked in at 10:28 and we were told about 20min wait. We left the restaurant at 12pm with still no food on our tables, but a glass of water. two adults and two kids. The lady I believe maybe the owner was all over the place confused out of her mind. We were told that they were so busy and behind , they weren't expecting so many people . I understand this happens but be honest and say, we are behind and short staff from the beginning or STOP taking tables if you can't handle the ones you already have!!! We were also told that we couldn't order omelets due to Only one cook so we order the easier things in the menu, egg English muffins and we still didn't get to eat ! read more

Great Food and service . Looking out the window at carp Lake Michigan . Food was great. My wife and I went back for breakfast the next morning and had the special. 2 eggs pork chops with gravy over them and hash browns . read more

See all

Great service. Very friendly. nice people who work there. The porch seating was not open because it was too cold. I bet it is very nice to sit there watch the boats. Hometown diner feel. Food was very good. They do take Apple Pay too! read more

See all

Very accommodating for large groups. Great atmosphere and beautiful site. Homemade hash is wonderful. read more

Harbor Lights Grille - Breakfast pasties was filling. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Carp Lake, Michigan

See all