The Dam Shop

The best spicy chicken sandwich I've ever had not even spicy, but still it's good it has PRETZEL…read morebun 10 out of 10 if I could

First time in Elk Rapids and I couldn't be more impressed, not only a quaint town but friendly with…read moregreat food! I had the Reuben, there was a perfect amount of meat and sauerkraut the onion rings were a small up charge but well worth it. Service was good and the dining room spacious and clean. There is no designated parking lot but there is parking on the street as well as lots around town that are easily accessible.

Empty bar, long wait

Fried Pita Wedges

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Cellar 152

3.8(100 reviews)

0.1 mi

To start off my review, I will take us to the service. It was pretty quick actually. We did have to…read morewait a moment for the bill though. Next, I got the pretzel and brussel sprouts. The pretzel was very yummy and soft. The sprouts were the best I'd ever had! they tasted like orange chicken. The scenery was fairly decent. The only reason I would not rate this 5 starts, is simply because it did not wow me.

Absolutely blown away. The food was incredible (whitefish truly superb), but what really got me was…read moretheir customer service. We ordered takeout and were initially told they didn't have a few of the menu items we wanted. Totally fine, we are flexible, so we ordered other items instead. When we picked up the food and opened the bag, they had not only given us the food we ordered but also gave us the dishes they'd initially said they didn't have that night - free of charge and without telling us! Remarkable, that kind of customer service doesn't happen anymore. Will definitely be back!

House burger

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Old Fashioned & Paloma

Foundry Craft Grillery

3.0(51 reviews)

0.2 mi

DRINKING ONLY REVIEW:…read more Yes . Idk if we just got really lucky today but I will come back here time and time again and sit at the bar. Happy hour had great prices and we made it just in time for them to ring it up. We got a wine, beer and rum and coke. Cool atmosphere with TVs , cool bartenders and spacious seating. The bartender comes up to us after a bit and says "hey I made this espresso martini by mistake , do you guys want it ?" UHHH YEAHHHHHH. Haha we loved this . AND THEN! The other bartender went ahead and topped off the martini with some extra mix once we were off way done. So instead of throwing away the drink, they gave it to us and we tipped extra and they get a great review !!! The only reason I docked a star was that my dad said the men's bathroom was really really gross. So I would just say if they could clean that that would be great ! But that doesn't have anything to do with the bartenders who were AWESOME!

Very nice brewery set up with tons of indoor and outdoor seating! Decent selection of local beers…read moreon tap. The servers were very nice and let us know the specials. The server let us know that multiple menu items were unavailable, Im not sure if this is common or not but just mentioning as it could possibly happen to others. Thankfully the simple items that we wanted the burgers, chicken sandwiches, and mac n cheese were all available. The food and beer were both good, nothing crazy to blow your mind but pretty tasty! Definitely a good option if youre looking for a spot for a large group to grab some quick food and a few beers!

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Riverwalk Grill

2.8(260 reviews)

0.2 mi

We decided to drive a little way out of town to avoid the Traverse City busy traffic so we went up…read moreto elk Rapids and found this river walk Grill, which looked really nice from the outside. The food was actually fine, but I thought the prices were a little high for what you actually got. I got salmon tacos and they were fine. They had sufficient amount of food inside and the ingredients were good. My friend got the fish sandwich and he said it was fine. My friend got an Arnold Palmer to drink and the total bill with tipping all ended up being $60 which I thought was a little steep for two sandwiches and an Arnold Palmer so I wouldn't come here again because of the price.

Food was horrible for what you pay. Seasonal staff but they were excellent - friendly and…read moreattentive. Had three glasses that had chips in the rims. Let's start with safe then health. Had Kale salad w/ chicken...... would have been 10 times better if it was Costco bag salad and the rotisserie chicken. Great location spoiled by poor food.

Great for groups

Burnt chips with the lobster dip

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9/26/22 menu

Short's Brewing Company Pull Barn

4.6(43 reviews)

0.4 mi

Impressive tap selection, great outdoor seating, food trucks, live music, and a genuinely relaxed…read morenorthern Michigan vibe. The beer quality is consistently outstanding, Staff is friendly.

Truly disappointing experience. The bbq food truck's burnt ends and brats were dismal. Not the…read morefault of the brewery. I got the lager and the nitro stout. Both tasted watered down. It was pretty undrinkable and the bartender wasn't the nicest. Not sure if it's an off night, but I would be hesitant to try it again.

The sitting area

Canpagne Wine Co.

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Short's Pull Barn

The Peninsula Grill

3.3(185 reviews)

4.8 mi

Stopped in after visiting the lighthouse, amazing hidden gem. Our server, Eileen, was awesome,…read moredrinks and food were so good and the atmosphere was decorated perfectly! Would 100% recommend.

We passed this place a couple of times while visiting wineries in the peninsula, just about dinner…read moretime se we decided to check it out. Interesting place with a tavern style vibe. We opted for outdoor seating. The menu had some interesting selections, my wife ordered the Fish and Chips (Perch and Fries) and I ordered the Pan Seared Walleye. The food came in a decent amount of time. The Walleye had an amazing sauce which was a nice compliment to the walleye, and I actually dipped some of my wife's fries in it. I gave it 5 star because of the grill atmosphere, the food was delicious and the new server (her first day solo, forgot her name) did an excellent job. Next wine tour in the peninsula we may stop back.

The bar

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Pearl’s

4.1(453 reviews)

0.8 mi

We took advantage of a beautiful sunny day to take a day trip around parts of Northern Michigan…read more After walking through Art in the Park, we decided to try Pearls for Lunch. The ambiance reminds you of a Louisiana Cajun bistro with all the eclectic decor to match. It was busy, with a wait for tables, so we elected to sit at the bar. Our server recognized us, and said he would be with us in a minute, as he was taking care of other patrons and bringing out their meals as well. We appreciate at least being recognized, and understand when an establishment is busy. We chose the Fried Green Tomatoes, which were really tasty. Corn meal fried and served over creole sauce, topped with shaved Parmesan. For our entree we had the Bronzed Cajun Alfredo. You can choose either Chicken Breast or Jumbo Shrimp, we chose the Shrimp. The portions are generous so we split this dish. The Cajun Alfredo sauce was really good, "kind of want to lick the plate tasty" :) The pasta and shrimp were both cooked perfectly. Our server was attentive and friendly. Good experience. Would recommend checking it out if in Elk Rapids.

We visited Pearl's Wednesday evening & immediately got seated with our party of 11. Our server Jay…read moredid a fantastic job, checking on us several times, refilling drinks, & getting anything we needed throughout the meal. He did a great job. The restaurant itself was decorated with a New Orleans vibe. Made me feel like I was eating in the Big Easy. As for the food, I can't speak for everyone, but I can speak for my family. I got the étouffée. It was almost all rice. And it tasted a little burnt. I also got a cup of the crawfish chowder. It was very good. The biggest disappointment was what my son ordered, the frog legs. He's 13 & loves frog legs. What he got was something more the size of front frog legs. They were TINY & there were only 3 single legs. Typically, restaurants serve frog legs in pairs. This was particularly disappointing because these cost $15!

Decanter display

Fried Chicken dinner

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Johnny’s Torch Riviera

3.6(90 reviews)

5.2 mi

DAWN & ANGIE MADE OUR NITE!! Food was awesome, quick and soo good!! But our nite was made with the…read moreamazing service and super strong drinks at the bar with the amazing girls they have much love to Dawn & Angie!!! we WILL be back!!!

Amazing food and treated like family here! Kelly was an excellent server, so kind and efficient. My…read morefirst time here with aunt and uncle who are summer locals every year. I had the lasagna! You need to get the lasagna! Hearty, gorgeous, melts in your mouth layers of homemade meat sauce, cheese and pasta! I almost ate every bite because I could not stop. Very large portion too. Delicious!! Then I had cannoli!! The traditional and the pistachio. Delicate, crispy, sweet, balanced. Amazing!

Lasagna up close

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Lasagna

Old Mission General Store

3.8(77 reviews)

5.4 mi

very sweet people and the ice cream is so good i bike there everyday with my cousins I don't…read moreunderstand why people hate it

An amazing historical local gem. This place is probably one of the coolest places I've been as…read moresomeone who loves history and roadside oddities/attractions. It has been open for 187 years! The inside feels like stepping back in time to the 1800s. I loved looking at all the old things throughout and admiring everything. The woman working was one of the friendliest people I've ever encountered too. They mostly sell little snacks, drinks, and candies, but they also sell actual food and whole pickles. I got a bag of chips and a soda. There's some seating inside to sit and eat your food and there's also outdoor tables. It was a nice stop to grab a quick snack before we made our way to a vineyard.

Inside

On the road to Old Mission General Store

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In the neighborhood of Old Mission General Store

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Eric R.

4 years ago

Only place for miles to get great tacos!!

The Dam Shop - foodtrucks - Updated September 2026

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