Clean. Great service. The food was fine (I ordered a Burger, tater tots, salad, and pie). It was on par with places like Bub's Burgers, or The Tilted Kilt. Tourist pricing, true, but quality none-the-less. I will likely return the next time I'm in the area. read more

This is our must stop every summer while we explore this most beautiful area of Michigan. Joes has the best burgers in the area. Freshly ground every morning. Perfectly seasoned and grilled. Add some gooey cheese and sautéed onions and you have one awesome messy burger! Mmm mmm good! Order one of the local beers made with local Hops and you have a lunch or dinner that will top off a day of biking, kayaking or hiking or whatever! read more

Burgers were good, but maybe not quite worth the price. Root beer was flat. And my wife was excited about some nachos she saw in a posted photo ... but they aren't on the menu anymore. Good service and reasonable wait time. Good atmosphere. Menu is mainly burgers and sandwiches. I was hoping for fish and chips, but the only fish available was the daily special. And it was specially priced--about double the other menu items! Might be the Best option in Empire, just don't have inflated expectations, but do expect a somewhat inflated check when it's time to leave. read more

If you are in the mood for a burger, this is the place to go. We had the sweet potato chips with homemade salsa and they were great. Next was the blue cheese burger which rocked. We get up to Sleeping Bear once a year and always stop here for a meal. read more

This is a great place. We went there a few times, once for dinner and a few times for breakfast while we stayed in Empire for a few days. We really couldn't have asked for any better all-around casual dining. Burgers and fries - really good. Same for breakfasts (pancakes, omelets, eggs over easy, coffee) - all solid. The food was a step above the usual you find in northern Michigan, plus it's filled with locals hanging out and chatting. Nice, and great service -- and only a block from the lake. read more

Love this place! Great food, great service. Looks like nothing special, but wait 'til you try the food. One of the best burgers I've had, ever. Daily specials are always a winner. I bought my family here on their vacation (over from England) and they loved it, went back a few times during our stay. Stop and get a burger, you won't regret it! read more

Honestly a middling eating experience if I've ever had one. Small portions of unremarkable food that's written up well but unimpressive on the plate. They do have a pretty extensive beer collection, so if you're coming in to get buzzed you might like it more but not for a family watching its precious vacation pennies. I notched down due to the fact that they benefit from being the only sit-down in town so they're way overpriced and the waiters do the bare minimum. A sandwich, a salad and kid's meal cost 49 bucks. Great little town... but don't eat there. read more

I love places like this. Not trying to be anything they aren't. This is burger, beers, old fashioned bar food in a joint type atmosphere. The beef is fresh, the fries are good. They're turning out food for an entire place from about 100 sq feet of kitchen. The service is unpretentious and friendly, and if you go with that attitude you're going to enjoy your meal. It's a throw back to simpler times. read more

Stopped here with my family after Sleeping Bear Dunes before hitting the beach. The food was good, and service was ok, but the prices were a bit high for basically pub burgers. The kids menu seemed especially overpriced for fries and popcorn chicken. I guess being the only show in town gives you the ability to raise your price. Overall it was decent food and we left full. read more

Great spot!! We only found this joint this year after coming up many times. Great burgers. Definitely opt for the pretzel bun. Sweet potato fries and tater tots also great. Ordered dinner salad and had them add fried perch-also great. Homemade salad dressings, grind their beef in house for burgers, super fast service. Brew their own root beer which was unavailable. Will definitely return read more

Decent burgers. I went with a cheeseburger with grilled onions. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great, either. The patty was slightly mushier than I would've liked. Their grilled onions are cooked almost all the way, after which they melt the cheese on top; I'm normally a fan of slightly rawer grilled onions, but I suppose that's just personal preference. And the bun was of the mediocre pillowy type that gets smushed down to nothing when you try to pick it up. I also ordered a root beer, which they heavily advertise as being on tap. But, in the end, $2.75 for a soft drink is a little excessive. Having already been charged extra for the grilled onions and cheese on my burger, I suffered from a bit of sticker shock when I got my bill. Should've read the menu a little more closely. read more

Good not great. Dive bar feel was a plus. Nice staff with ok food and ok craft beer selection. I would come again but better options nearby read more

The friendliest place we have ever eaten. We sat at the bar Shannon is bartender extraordinaire. Everything she suggested was excellent Lemonaid cocktail, bacon burger I love burgers may be a burger expert and this was one of the best melted cheddar crispy bacon sooo good. The sweet potato fries were perfect crispy outside hot and cooked inside. We went back the next morning for breakfast which was just as good as dinner the night before. So go to Joes pull up a bar stool and meet Shannon. read more

Good atmosphere, friendly waitress. Food was ok but overpriced. Good beer selection. Good sweet potato fries. We stopped in after a day at the dunes. We didn't have a meal or burgers; just drinks and appetizers (tator tots, nachos, sweet potato chips and cherry salsa). Maybe our review would be better if we had the burgers. read more

We came here for breakfast before hiking some trails @ the Dunes. I ordered eggs, toast, bacon and potatoes. It was a solid breakfast; nothing special. My wife got the oatmeal and added dried cherries; that was a nice touch. Very inexpensive. Coffee was damn good and the staff were nice. read more

Overpriced. Quality of food is just mediocre. $12 for fried cauliflower, $30 for 4 beers! And they don't treat the locals like they should...no discount, even in the winter! Ridiculous. read more

Friendly little shop, just a few minutes walk from the beach. The burgers were as good as we had heard from friends. Could use some outside seating, but otherwise great. read more

Great place near Sleeping Bear Dunes for a burger and great sweet potato fries. Had a few nice beers on tap and friendly service. Thanks to Yelp for suggesting this place. read more

Good bar food, great for families. We came after hanging at the beach in Empire. Service was attentive and friendly. They make everything in house, good ingredients and fresh. Come with the kiddos and bring some money for the jukebox! read more

Stopped in looking for a burger after spending time at the nearby Sleeping Bear Lakeshore, and was pleasantly surprised by the great food and great service! I would highly recommend this place if you are in the area. read more

Delicious burgers and the au jus for the prime rib dip was incredible. Sweet little find, prices were a little steep but it was worth it. The burger buns were light and melt in your mouth. Yummy! read more

The food isn't that great and it's overpriced. I ordered a side of scrambled eggs, they came out cold and where over priced

well worth the short drive from glen arbor, excellent food worthy of the hype. especially since every (and i mean every) restaurant in glen arbor is a study in mediocrity and tourist gouging prices. this really is the hidden (to some) gem that needs to be explored, instead of patronizing the awful restaurants of downtown glen arbor that are quick to take your money but not deliver in the taste or service department. will come back here every time we're in town or passing through. read more

Looking forward to getting my growlers filled with root beer and sinking my teeth into some amazing burgers!!! Great hidden gem!

Great burger! I had the cherry blue cheese onion ring burger and it was fantastic! My husband had the jalapeño burger and rings and he was totally happy. Good music, nice spot. read more

It's a cozy place in a cute little town. The waitresses was very sweet and forthcoming. The food was good, too. My friend enjoyed an amazing veggie burger, which we can highly recommend. The burgers, which they are known for, are great, too. The charme of the place is one of a kind with all the little pieces of decoration on the wall and the music playing. It was at the same time quiet and relaxing, as well as busy with people. It was a great place for us to conclude a day of hiking at the sleeping bear dunes. read more

Wow, the other reviews weren't lying! The cherry buffalo wings were amazing, and so was the onion wing burger. Love their homemade root beer too. And the peanut butter pie was delicious! We'll definitely be back next time we're in the area! read more

Any place that offers up crispy tator tots gets an automatic 4 stars, but add exceptional vegetarian options and a thumbs up from all 5 of our diners this evening and Joe's is a new family favorite. We had terrific service and great food. Loved it! read more

In my opinion the fundamental component of a BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato) sandwich is, well, bacon. The first three bites of my sandwich did not contain bacon, just some lettuce and tomato. I decided to open the sandwich and spread the bacon out, annoying but not a big deal. There was just enough bacon to cover the remaining sandwich, with one thin layer of bacon if I spread out the pieces slightly. Honestly, I would prefer a BLT that has a good portion of bacon. At least enough to cover edge to edge of the sandwich with one layer, two would be more appropriate considering it is a BLT. The bacon on the sandwich was delicious, the tomato and lettuce fresh. The food served to others also looked well made and possibly worth the higher prices. I'm probably not going to purchase a BLT again from this establishment since it was more of a bLT. read more

Had great service, our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The food however, was overpriced...it was good, but overpriced. Kids meals were $9 for a corndog and a handful of fries. The beer was also overpriced at $7 for a 12 oz craft beer....which wasn't even poured to the top of the glass! The regular meal options were also very overpriced....even for a tourist town (and we know very well because we live in a tourist town which is much busier than Empire). read more

We stopped in for dinner, drinks and breakfast on separate occasions while in town. The BLT I had for dinner with a side of sweet potato waffles fries was simple and delicious with crispy bacon and hearty fresh tomatoes on surprisingly satisfying wheat toast. The sweet potato fries were cooked perfectly with a golden crunch. The cocktail experience was slightly disappointing, as they were out of my top two selections from the menu. Breakfast was fresh and done well. I had the Denver skillet, and would have preferred crispier potatoes to the soft chunks that accompanied the dish. Overall a very solid establishment with a wide variety of options for everyone. A little on the pricey side but not outrageous and very good food. I will be back. read more

I love a good burger and this really is as good as it gets! They grind the meat every morning and cook it up right every time! You also choose your side which includes, steak fries, french fries, or sweet potato fries. YES! read more

Best burger in northern MI! Been to the others around area - these are the freshest and tastiest by a landslide!

We stopped here for breakfast. Good solid breakfast. Quick service. Most of the staff was friendly. Everyone was efficient.

This is a great little spot. The menu and food is interesting. I had the grilled cheese, apple, honey sandwich with sweet potato fries. Excellent! Root beer is on tap in the bar and is delicious. Full bar too, of course. read more

Stopped in after our trip to the dunes. Awesome and quick service- they have gluten free buns (and bread) and I was able to get their burger and my fiancé had the turkey avocado sandwich. Both were delicious!! read more

Joe's Friendly Tavern - American Near Me - Empire, Michigan

Totally unexpected gourmet salad delivered in a friendly atmosphere. Quinoa, kale, shaved Brussels sprouts and asparagus accompanied by heirloom tomatoes, served with a balsamic vinaigrette. I haven't seen anything like this in this area. A welcome change to the burgers and fries, but if you're into that, my fellow diners gave me a thumbs up to that too. Only complaint was bleu cheese dressing in place of bleu cheese crumbles. Family friendly and casual. read more

This is a hidden gem!! Quality food with great service. Their burgers are amazing! They ground their meat every morning so there are no frozen patties. They are also antibiotic and junk free meat. You won't be disappointed! read more

Advertised best burger and you have my vote! Had the MC olive burger, it was heaven. Food came out quickly, staff was very friendly and ready to take good care of us. read more

Great food and service after long bike ride. Burgers, salads, sandwiches and beer are all great!