Came here with Nate and got the pizza Rolls and pockets with the cheese inside and ate off a plate not a pallet but yummy even tho I wanted to eat off a pallet the whine was on the shelf and looked fancy usually it is fancy when on a shelf nice ambivalence lighting in the rooms pls social distance thank you read more

Service was subpar, and our entree's were not what we anticipated. Unfortunate as we have had a number of great experiences in town this weekend. read more

Amazing on all accounts! Beautiful views, delicious food, wonderful service, and takes reservations! We celebrated our anniversary and our server was delightful and went the extra mile (thanks MaryEllen!). Putting this place on our favorites in Petoskey. read more

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This is my first review I've ever given and it's because I'm so mad at how bad this place is. Two words: RIP OFF. I came here a month ago and had the chefs special rainbow trout on a lobster risotto and it was to die for. Sadly, they stopped offering what was the only delicious and well priced thing on the menu. When I went back today, I ordered the lamb bolognese which I had to search with a microscope to find any lamb in. Oh, and that was in the 5 noodles that were on my plate! Over $25 for a dish a toddler could have cooked up (and probably cooked up better!!!). I also ordered the margherita pizza and paid $4 extra dollars for the 2 pepperonis (~salami~ they called it) that they put on! The pizza was cold and disgusting. It also looked like it had been thrown in the trash and pieced back together on my plate. So disappointing. The only good thing about this place is the forest floor soup, and that's if you want to pay $13 FOR A BOWL. And a heads up- the "small plates" section of the menu doesn't lie! You will literally get 1 sliver of a piece of short rib and pay $16 for it. My advice: stay away from Palette Bistro and walk up the street to Chandlers instead!! Chandlers is still crazy overpriced but at least they give you high quality food and ingredients that don't taste like the crap that's been sitting in the back of your fridge for a while. Terrible restaurant. Terrible quality and portions of food. Terrible prices. So utterly disappointing for a place that has such a great location! read more

WONDERFUL MEAL! Great service and fantastic food. I had the Taste of Palette - a three course build it yourself tasting menu. I started with FOREST FLOOR SOUP roasted mushrooms stewed leeks, cream fustini's white truflle oil Had BEEF TENDERLOIN for my main course (perfectly cooked medium rare!!!) white cheddar, mushroom parmesan, potato, asparagus cherry bbq sauce And finished with BAKED CHOCOLATE PUDDING vanilla ice cream, butterscotch sauce for dessert. It was like a warm brownie with high quality vanilla ice cream on top, and I wouldn't be surprise if the butterscotch sauce was housemade. And their bread service was amazing bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar from a local business that sells oils and vinegars. OMG so good. read more

On this beautiful Sunday afternoon we enjoyed brunch with several friends. One had delicious French toast several had eggs Benedict and one had quiche. Everything was warm and delicious. Almost forgot we started with a flavorful Bloody Mary read more

Sat at the bar and considered having appetizers and drinks...maybe dinner. It ended about halfway through the first drink. If you're gonna have an open kitchen you have to be aware of image and actions. Within minutes I saw the cooks strike three times. 1. pizza guy removed his cap and scratched his head, not just a little itch, but full-on-multiple-deep-digs....right in front of us. Unbelievable. 2. moments later the other guy on the line is biting his nails....really. 3. a little later the pizza guy is wiping his hands between ingredients (while making a pizza) on his dirty pants. No apron? Check please. Never again. read more

We went for my wife's birthday, and from the very beginning our experience was pretty awful. We were seated over an hour after the time I had made a "reservation" for with absolutely no apology or explanation. Once seated, it was another good 15 minutes before our server stopped by for a drink order. Awesome! By the time we finally ordered dinner, I was so frustrated with the bad service I just ordered the Margherita pizza. I figured there was now way they could mess that up. I was wrong. The crust was paper white and had the consistency of cardboard. Another server finally noticed that we were being ignored and tried to make amends. Unfortunately it was too little too late. The manager also came over to apologize and give us a gift certificate, but I don't really feel like going back to redeem it and spend more money at this restaurant. read more

Palette is my favorite restaurant in Petoskey - great setting, wine, food & staff. My father is a vegan and John, the chef, makes sure that there is always something on the menu for him. I prefer sitting at the bar or one of the tables in the bar and having a couple of glasses of wine, a small plate or two and one of the pizzas. The main dining rooms have great views of Little Traverse Bay and there will be patio dining during good weather. Eric, the bartender will take good care of you. Be sure to join their frequent diner club which also includes City Park Grill. read more

In town for a wedding and staying just a few short steps away at the Perry Hotel, my family and I popped into Palette for a nice dinner and a much needed glass of wine. The restaurant has a small town charm about it; an entry that's flanked by a little eating patio and windows framing the wine bar. It's like walking up to someone's cottage and to be honest, I wasn't expecting as upscale of a restaurant. Once inside, we were seated in the main dining room overlooking the Bay. With a Fall sun setting and glasses of wine all around, this was quite a spot to relax in. While the menu seemed a bit limited and offered typical fancied-up American fair, I thought every dish was pretty good. Service seemed a little all over the place but in the end, I was happy with the experience since a.) this was Petosky, MI and b.) it wasn't a Big Boy. Ironically, I checked out the Big Boy the following day. Who say's foodies can't enjoy all facets of the culinary world? read more

Great food, great view. Come here ready to spend, but know you get what you pay for. The Paella was delicious as was the chocolate pecan pie. read more

Palette Bistro - Lovely view from upstairs - Mediterranean Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

Enjoyed a fantastic dinner with my wife on a Friday night "date night". The place was packed but was operating well with no apparent issues taking care of a full house as the previous reviewer described. We really like the atmosphere, the wait staff was friendly and attentive, the wine and cocktails list long, and the food fantastic. I had the filet and my wife the Margarita pizza and both were excellent. We can't wait to come back in the summer for the views of the bay in the main dining room and the deck overlooking downtown on the other side. Petoskey is plagued by a number of low-quality budget and chain restaurants. I would classify the Palette Bistro at the upper end of median affordability which is what we look for on our occasional nights out. They should do well with this formula and we look forward to coming back again. read more

The food was good. Portion sizes decent but a bit over priced. The view makes up for it. We asked for more bread and the server merely placed the bread basket with one piece left back in front of our friend and patron. Rude especially for some cheap bread. The waitress was not pleasant and screwed up the check. All of this while the owner Mr. Keedy and General Manager dined at the table beside us. I found it strange she would act inappropriately while the two top dogs sat in plain view. Will only go back if someone invite us. Will not recommend to friends and family. read more

We made the stop here on our road trip up north and I'm glad we did. The ambiance of this place is super cool and unique. You feel at home but there is definitely a lot of luxury to this place. The food was delicious we ordered the smoked turkey sandwich and the chicken panzanella salad and the server Kelly was really nice and attentive. They have a lot of drink choices I noticed, I didn't try any at the time but definitely would in the future and if you looking for a place to have drinks and affordable delicious food with some friends, I would definitely recommended the palette bistro! I do however wish they had something they were known for food wise, just something that I would go out of my way to get from them. Otherwise everything was great! read more

Amazing food with an amazing view of the water. I highly recommend making reservations around sunset! The food was also fantastic--I'd highly recommend checking out the specials in addition to their delicious menu. read more

Only 4 of 9 in our group liked their entree. One returned his surf and turf, my paella was no good. None of us are coming back.

Full disclosure: small plates are my favorite way to dine. I wish every restaurant was a "small plates" joint, so this place had me at hello. We sat in the bar and had a great time ordering almost every dish on the small plates menu, we had several people waiting on us and they were all so nice and friendly and knowledgeable about the food. We got there before 6:30p so all smalls were 40% off, wow!! Portions are enormous. The liver and onions "small" plate was entree size and cost $5 or 6. I don't think you can eat at McDees for $6 anymore. Nice people, fun food, more than reasonable prices and a great view. Thanks, Palette! We are locals and we will be back! read more

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After Twisted Olive lost our reservation and the owners daughter/hostess put a big damper on our evening (complete lack of customer service/communication skills) we ended up here. Hannah was delightful, our food was AMAZING and I had a wonderful birthday dinner. Beautiful view from second floor, can't say enough. Delicious, wonderful staff! read more

Wonderful food - got the Palette special(I think that's what it was - you pick a small, a large plate and desert for $32). Smaller portions but more than enough food. We got the crab cakes and cucumber carpaccio. Then the salmon and duck. Desert was pumpkin cheesecake and chocolate pudding. Omg. So good. Service was attentive but not fawning. Extensive wine list with some really reasonable alternatives. Our bill for 2 with a really decent bottle of red came to $124 before tip. Nice nice dinner, great view and ambience. read more

What a disaster!!! Stopped in for lunch. The service was slow, so the manager took our order. Big mistake. 40 plus minutes (after we inquired) later the manager came to the table and explained that our order had been lost and was in the process of being prepared and asked us to please accept lunch on him. A nice gesture, but too little, too late. Others came in later, were served and had left the restaurant. Give this place a pass. read more

Loud space (my partner and I had a very difficult tome having a conversation each other over a 2-top), and overcomplicated food. Be sure you like North African food, because almost everything has harissa or other very spice-forward flavors. Not necessarily what we were expecting from the "Mediterranean" descriptor. A simple fish, chicken, or pasta preparation would be a welcome addition to the menu. read more

Another Saturday evening dinner in Petoskey during the ski season. Had to split our group between two tables due to COVID, but it worked out well. The pork dinners were a bit well done, but the fish very good. read more

Came here for a late lunch and it was a mixed bag. Slow service, finally got the wood fired margarita pizza. Worst pizza I have ever had. Thin, hard and salty as all heck. Honestly worse than any airport pizza I've had. Had two small slices and decided it was not edible. They offered to get me something else, which was nice, but I'd lost my appetite. Maybe this was an off day or maybe some people like it this way. To their credit they removed this charge from the bill. My wife had the panzanella salad which was ok, but the chicken was very tough. Others had salad and quinoa burger which was good but a bit dry. Highlight was the Arbor Brewing Co Nitro Stout. Otherwise, cannot recommend. read more

Tasty, not fabulous. Had open tables in prime locations that they couldn't seat because of too few servers. Went here for brunch. Farmer's Benedict was good but could have used more veggies. Omelette was divine, how do they make them so fluffy? All in all a solid 4 out of 5. read more

Had a great meat. Split a salad and entree. Perfect! Doubt we'll go again. Staff shortages are brutal. Get prepared; took us 3hrs and 35 min from seating until departing - no dessert, coffee/tea, or chitchat. A friend noted, we've been here so long, I think my clothes have gone out of style! read more

Worse customer service by the hostess and the manager. We had a reservation for the roof top and when we got there we kind out that they gave our table to some other larger group. They would not even apologize for their act. read more

Very disappointing visit to Palette Bistro this year. This has been our go to place since it first opened in Petoskey but will not be going back. The special was sold out, so instead opted for the pork tenderloin which was over cooked and underwhelming! Even our go to paella was awful with too much rice and frozen shrimp, scallops & mussels. Again I'm sad that this has happened to this wonderful restaurant and hope they can pull it together!! read more

I think I have found my new favorite restaurant! The menu offered lots of choices for a gluten-free person. The squash soup was the best that I have ever had. The beef tenderloin was mouthwatering good. Then the chocolate baked pudding (more like a brownie) was AMAZING. Too bad the Palette Bistro is an hour and a half from my home. read more

Cozy interior and vibes. Really great happy hour (margaritas !) . Delicious baked feta and seafood paella. Highly recommend

Mixed review. The food was exceptional and the staff was attentive. However, The acoustics are atrocious, so the noise levels were the worst I've ever experienced. Our 4-top had to yell at each other while leaning inward to communicate...lip reading was a must. They need to upholster the walls to absorb the sound. Until then, we won't be back. read more

Beautiful View of Little Traverse Bay with a tasty interesting menu. We enjoyed four small plates and an assortment of cocktails. Great salads and vegetarian dishes as well as the standard fare. Our server, Chelsey, was attentive and quick without hovering. Seemed like the place to be from the early evening crowd. We will return. read more

Awesome! Food was fabulous, great service, beautiful lake view. We had the scallops, crab cakes. seafood paella and pork tenderloin special. Best meal we have had in months! read more

Would definitely recommend this place! When you get inside, it has a little bit of an old boring Italian restaurant vibe, but the patio balcony is modern and nice (although it doesn't face the water). The service was great - our waiter was very friendly and helpful. Our food was SO fresh and delish. We shared the cucumber salad and I got the pecan pizza. Not a huge selection of vegetarian food though. Great wine and beer selection. Cocktails were fancy and refreshing. read more

we got the two top inside with a perfect sunset view. made reservations beforehand for 'table with a view' and it was the best in the place. Seafood paella way too spicy!! Beef tips dish amazing. Great wines-they let you make your own flight. read more

We went for lunch to Palette Bistro and we were extremely happy with the food, both kids and adults. Glad we tried it, we will be back again! read more

The views of Little Traverse Bay and the ambiance is great, but the food is pretty boring. When people come to a nice place like Petoskey they are willing to pay a little more, but the food has to be at least fresh and tasty. With a little more effort this could be 5 stars. read more

My husband and I both had the Paella. I had the Seafood and he the chicken. Both were great! Also the Sangria was delicious, as well.

Impeccable service and solid food. We told our waiter that we had a time constraint, and he was really attentive, met all our needs, and made sure we were able to leave on time. They have a great happy hour and a really good deal for the "taste of palette." We ordered a mushroom soup, crab cakes, scallops, and paella. Everything was great, and their beer is good too. Definitely hope to be back again! read more

The venue is very nice. HOWEVER, I ordered the "small plate" scallops for $25.00. There were only TWO very small scallops on the plate and they did NOT taste fresh. I learned that in the future, I will ask how many scallops you get but $12.50 per scallop was ridiculously pricey. I ordered a cocktail that probably had 1/4 C. of liquid (mostly orange juice). So the food and drink was a huge disappointment. read more

It was OK, I don't think I would be in a rush to go back given the opportunity. Both food and service left something to be desired. We did really enjoy their crab cakes. However the lamb meatball special was not good and the portion size was tiny. We shared a couple other dishes which are fine. Our server was fine and not overly friendly, but efficient. He was mainly occupied with a high maintenance table next to us. The host was rude and rather dismissive to my wife when she asked a simple question when we checked in. We decided to skip dessert and go elsewhere. read more