Scenic restaurant overlooking the dam in Leland. Exactly what I wanted: local, fresh fish, friendly service, Michigan kitsch, and beautiful view. Also appreciate that they were open into the fall when most other restaurants closed for the season. read more

Great service! Awesome view over Fishtown. The smoked whitefish dip was delicious. Just wish their lunch menu had a few more selection on it. Had the black angus burger! So juicy and amazing. read more

Wow! Just wow! On our recent tour around Michigan we stumbled upon The Cove in Fishtown. What a delightful little town and restaurant. Best food we had on our trip! Starting with the Chubby Bloody Mary was the beginning of an amazing dining experience. The "chub" was smoked to perfection and very tasty. We ordered the perch fish dinner, the walleye fish dinner and the perch fish tacos, all of which were fantastic! I don't remember our servers name but she was efficient, friendly and patient (never had chub before) explaining how to properly eat it. We were seated by the window which afforded us an awesome view of the canal/boats/homes and shops. We definitely recommend The Cove, as it was a highlight of our vacation. read more

See all

Second time coming to The Cove and loved it yet again. Perfect lunch spot for a quick bite to eat and drink with lots of walking and shopping to do afterwards. Our server Rachel was great and we got to sit outdoors which was an incredible experience. read more

The Cove - Whitefish Tacos and Seafood Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

You have to order the Chubby Mary Bloody Mary, as it comes with. Smoked chub... they give you crackers to eat the chub after it steeps in the Bloody Mary giving it a smoked flavor , best Bloody Mary around ! The whitefish is excellent with several choices of preparation. I chose the campfire in foil with veggies , very tasty . Also fried perch and walleye. Excellent appetizers as well , including the warm fish dip . The view is fantastic as it sits over the dam in Leland . Expect a wait as people love the Cove p read more

We were in Leland for the celebration of a wedding that occurred a year ago during the pandemic shutdown. The Cove is at the entry to historic Fishtown, the waterfront shopping area in Leland where tourists buy smoked fish, cheeses and Michigan souvenirs. It was the day before the event, and we stopped at The Cove for lunch. We both ordered the seafood chowder, which was fantastic! Generous amounts of shrimp and clams (if I remember correctly- we had a lot to eat over the weekend) in a New England style recipe. One of the best chowders EVER. Our waitress was attentive and humorous and we will be sure to return if we're in beautiful Leland again. The next day after a beach ceremony, we returned to The Cove for drinks on the deck below where water from Lake Lelanau flows to Lake Michigan. One of our group was interested in car that doubles as a boat near the entrance to the restaurant. "Want a ride?" the restaurant owner asked. We were amazed to see them motor past our waterside tables, a little red car navigating the current. Delightful. read more

The good: -Fantastic seafood chowder -Spectacular view and atmosphere -Great service The not-so-good: -Unexceptional fish chips -Better value elsewhere read more

Food was good, but the service was less then Friendly Our server Shepard was not very accommodating . Don't think we will eat there again read more

This restaurant is fantastic! You HAVE to try it when visiting fish town. We started with the whitefish pate & the clam Chowder. Both were phenomenal! The pate was creamy & cheesy, super smoky. Chowder was to die for, very hearty. We also had the fish & chips and the garlic Parmesan whitefish. Once again, this place knows what they're doing. Our meals were hot, fresh and delicious. The service was also great and you get this phenomenal view of the dam and water. You definitely get what you pay for here! We will be back! read more

My Husband and I stayed over night at The Homestead which is about 20 minutes from Leelanau. I wanted to see the cute little fishing town everyone has been telling me they love. We arrived and were seated promptly at a table by the window to overlook the dam and the men fishing. Had a great view of the dam and Lake Michigan. We sat in the bar area, which was decently busy with football on the TVs. Our server was excellent; we mentioned we were only having drinks and appetizers which he suggested wines and beer for us to try, and the Whitefish Appetizer. You must try the app. It was served hot with homemade pita chips that were warm too. It was to die for! Normally I'm always weirded out about fish/seafood and it being overly fishy or not cooked properly. But boy- this was a huge hit. My husband absolutely loved it too. We bought a wine glass and beer glass to take home and we moved on to a different spot. We'd love to come back during the summer and sit on the patio and try their Whitefish Entree. read more

See all

View from the best seats at The Cove Restaurant in Leland Michigan (Fishtown) on Sept 8, 2021. Best clam chowder anywhere! read more

The Cove - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

The Cove was a recommendation from our bus driver on a wine tasting tour. We are so happy we listened and had lunch here. When we arrived there was an hour wait. Luckily for us they had someone outside taking drink orders and you were able to go sit on the back patio until your number was called. As we made our way to the back, I was stopped in my tracks! The view is absolutely stunning! I instantly felt like I was in a fishing town on the east coast (take a look at the photos)! As far as drinks, my husband got double Jack Daniels and I went for the Baileys and Hot chocolate. 2 simple things couldn't have been more perfect! When our table finally got called we headed inside and I think we got the best seat in the house! The upstairs window overlooking the water. As far as the menu, this place is heavy on the seafood side, as it should be! The problem is, I don't eat seafood. We got a basket of fries for an appetizer and then I ordered a chicken sandwich for lunch. My husband got some kind of fish sandwich. Everything was spectacular! I wish I could tell you the price of things but I think when you visit this area, you know that you're going to be spending a little bit of money no matter what. Especially if you like having cocktails like we do! If you're in the area, put The Cove on your list of "must things" to do! read more

The Cove - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

A must go when in Leland. The atmosphere and service match the delicious food . The chowder is amazing. read more

The Cove - Entrance - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

See all

I ate at the Cove in July and sat on the balcony. There were great views of the lake and river and the atmosphere was excellent. Service was good and food was served in healthy portions. My only reservation would be if you can get a reservation! 5 stars. read more

Love visiting The Cove when we visit Leland. I always enjoy the food and the view. :)

I got the Whitefish tacos and they were delish! Great spot right on the water and several local wines and beer on the menu. We had a really nice time and the handcut fries were delish with sea salt! read more

The white fish dishes were all good. Nice view around the fish town area. Hard to find parking. Our server named Jenny is very friendly. You can enjoy the dock or the nearby gift shop while waiting. May be up there early. read more

Had lunch in Fishtown last week. It's and interesting place to visit for sure. July 4th week was very busy and overcrowded. Pretty sure the next time I visit it will be during an off week. When I checked in at the restaurant we went on the 2nd page of names waiting for a table. I was told it would be over an hour. Stop back in 45 minutes to check the status. So we went in and out of the shops along the river. Went back in 40 minutes and our table was ready! So it wasn't too bad of a wait. Our server was super nice and smiled all the time. She did a fantastic job. We say along the windows so we had a nice view. I tried to take a picture. It didn't come out because they have screens on the windows. Take my word for it. It was nice. I ordered the special. Asiago basil whitefish for lunch. It came with fries. The fries were piping hot when served and tasted very fresh. The whitefish was baked on a piece of aluminum foil and had a mixture of basil and Asiago cheese melted on top. It was very moist, flaky, and the basil and cheese were delicious. I'd go back. read more

The Cove - Asiago Basil Whitefish - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

We were passing through Leland, cute little town. We stopped at The Cove. Was told there would be a 20 min wait. I thought it was odd because there was a ton of open tables. Apparently they were only sitting in the bar and outside. 30 min later we got our table. The best in the place, it was outside in the shade by the water. Pros: view, great view of the water and boats. Food; I had the chicken sandwich and fries. Huge sandwich, very good! Fries were good as well. Wife had a burger, also very good. Cons: seems to be very busy. The hostess, a 20 something girl with an accent, was less than thrilled to be there. She was very annoyed with everyone, not a good representative for the restaurant. While you wait for your table, there are a ton of cool little shops right next to this restaurant. I would suggest this place and would come back. There didn't appear to be many places to eat in the area. read more

The Cove - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

See all

We love this place. Awesome Seafood Chowder. Great fish dishes, both baked and fried. Wonderful fish shack decor. In the summer we love eating at Rick's (their lower level deck). Coming here is a highlight of our summer vacations. So happy to make a special short trip up here this weekend when they opened up for the new season. read more

We really enjoyed our visit to The Cove. Service was actually great and more than 5 stars. Food was good but not outstanding or anything crazy special. We got the whitefish dip, fried walleye, and Parmesan whitefish. I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again but if you're in the area it's definitely worth a visit. read more

The star rating is low only due to the cost. The chowder was absolutely amazing and delicious. We then partook in cherry pie ala mode which in itself was incredible. We enjoyed the time we spent here even though we didn't order very much but I do have to say that it is in line with a tourist type of pricing that is pretty high. read more

Oh. My. Gosh. 100% worth the hype. The food was so amazing. Bloody Mary's were tasty. Can't wait to come back! The seafood chowder and whitefish pate are both must haves. Probably the best we have ever had. read more

Food was great, service was better! Jennifer's safari outfit really needs to be the staff uniform!!! read more

The Cove - Perch dinner on top, walleye fish and chips on bottom - Seafood Near Me - Leland, Michigan

Food was good according to our party. However, there was a bug in my husband's beer and a what I'm assuming and hoping for an eyelash in my daughter's food. When we asked for a glass of water they made it feel like we were asking for the shirt off their back. Food great service/cleanliness negative negative stars. Then the server argued with us if we selected printed receipt or not and said no you must not have because it didn't print. RUDE SERVERS AND STAFF AND DISGUSTING ATMOSPHERE. Highly recommend NOT coming here. I'd rather go to a gas station. read more

This place has the best views while you get to enjoy the best clam chowder! The patio seating is right on the water, and makes your meal that much better. For my entree I had the whitefish tacos with the seasoned fries, and they were so good!! The flavors hit the right notes, and I would recommend it for anyone looking to have a delicious experience. read more

See all

It was recommended but is a complete failure. We wanted to like the place. First the food. Ordered the walleye fish and chips. I was given two thin strips of fish and maybe 20 fries along with coleslaw. This meager portion is priced at $23. The walleye wasn't very flavorful, however, it wasn't greasy. The fries were nothing special. A better meal could be had at a Long John Silvers. Very disappointing. We left the place still hungry. At least throw a third strip of fish and double the fries. It must have been a bad day with catching Walleye. Now for the service. The waitress was 'nice' enough, but we appeared to be forgotten at times. Honestly, it seemed she didn't want a tip as she took a while to come back. Thankfully, we had a kid fishing that could entertain us. We drove from Empire to this place and wasted time when we could have stopped in Glen Arbor for a better meal. What a wasted opportunity. read more

Let's start with the awesome view! Right by the damn, overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan. It was a very cold Friday that we visited for lunch. We had hiked near by in sleeping bear dunes and we were hungry for lunch! We started off with a local glass of wine and a local beer. The special was a cherry chicken salad club wrap with bacon and Avocado . The wrap itself was delicious but the contents were lacking. The chicken salad was under seasoned and the avocado was rock hard. The fries were cold when they reached the table. Our server never came back to ask how our food was. The restaurant itself was rather empty and staff seemed to be gathered around the stove/furnace. They were a bit loud during our lunch, putting a damper on our conversation. Overall come for the view, the food is just ok. Service could use some work. read more

Great Whitefish dishes including the Whitefish New Orleans pasta which is what I had, delicious!

Very good food and great view of the water. Everyone loved the seafood chowder soup. 5, 3 and 1 year old ate it up. Pasta was good and so is the chicken salad wrap. Kids loved checking out the restaurant. Staff was friendly and attentive. Even brought fish necklaces for the kids to keep. read more

My favorite place to eat up north. Live the whitefish, and the ambience both inside and out. Also- the cherry pie was the best I've had!

Filthy. The place was dirty, sticky, grimy. Flies inside dining room. Expensive. A chicken sandwich, fish taco, (one upgraded with tiny portion of fries), and 2 beers - with tip $65. Service was ok. But the place was filthy so it really doesn't matter how good food is. We tried both up and downstairs - same. Plus - either the owner or a cronie parks their vintage car (a different one each day over 3-day stay) in front of the main door. Pretty douchey. Unfortunately there is a lack of restaurants in Leland so they have a captive audience. Drive the 12 miles to Northport. read more

We stopped in parched and starving. We ordered the whitefish pate and whitefish fish & chips. OUTSTANDING! Let me preface this with I have had fish & chips in multiple counties like England, Scotland, Belgium, France, Greece, as well as in the US and this was hands down the best fish and chips we have ever had! The waitress was awesome and the view where we sat outside was beautiful! For dessert we split cherry pie, key lime pie and burnt salted caramel gelato. They were all delicious!! Best cherry pie we have ever had! And the gelato was too die for! Key Lime pie was sublime! Highly recommend! read more

Great drinks and chowder. Try the watermelon margarita!!! Always have great food, excellent staff and you can't beat the view!

Very nice dinner. The menu isn't very large but they are all about their fish. Service was good. The waitress and staff took great pains to make sure there was no dairy in Cathy's food. Mark had a bowl of chowder. It was huge. Rich, seafood-y and delish. I had the whitefish with garlic parmesan crumbs. It was sweet and tender and not over cooked. Cathy had the walleye fish and chips. The bar was changed to remove the dairy and she was sad to miss out on the Cole slaw but they use milk in their dressing. The fish was good and the fries were big and crisp and lovely. We ended the meal with cherry pie to go. By the time we were home we had room to enjoy the treat. Lots of cherries and just the right tartness in the filling. Great crust too. read more

See all

Had the perch dinner. Perch was hard, over cooked. Very average food for an above average price. Service was good.

Nice location with "seaside" ambiance. Very good food and equally good service. What else could you want.

This place is incredible. Great food. Fun atmosphere.

Excellent food! Excellent service!!! Small menu but everything everyone ordered was great. Gluten free options available.

The best fish tacos I've literally ever had. ClamWin chowder was also great. Our server was awesome and our food came out pretty fast. He also let us know the food is all handmade which we definitely could appreciate. read more