We visited this restaurant on 8/30/22. It was our 20 year anniversary and much thought was put into where to eat that night. We arrived and the hostess informed us of a 20-30 min wait. That was fine, we headed to the outdoor bar for a drink as we wait. The bartender has bright blue eyes and was super sweet. We were sat only 10 minutes later. Once sat, the waitress (Paige B) seemed on her game and friendly, so I was happy about that. When asked about what to get she suggested the Mediterranean pasta with grilled shrimp and the whitefish also was one dish that they're known for. With her suggestions, that is what we ordered. She brought out some rolls and we also told her that we were celebrating our 20 year anniversary. Our food took maybe 20 minutes (not brought out by the server). Mine was missing the shrimp and my husband needed salt. It was 5 minutes or so when Paige came to check in on us. I told her about the missing shrimp, the salt needed, and my husband asked for another grapefruit white claw. About 10 minutes later she came back and said my shrimp will be coming and that she will grab the white claw(I think she forgot)... and I reminded her of the salt. Again, I felt bad, maybe an off day. Also, the manager had come out with champagne for us to celebrate our anniversary, that was a nice touch. Paige came back with a lemon lime white claw (not the flavor he ordered) and salt. My husband said his meal was ok with the added salt, but the piped potatoes came out cold and with a very hard outer crust and the asparagus was over cooked. After another 10 minutes (25 minutes since I got my food (which is super good, but just lacking the shrimp)) she came back and asked if I wanted a box to go.... Umm, nope, just waiting on the shrimp... which she obviously forgot and quickly grabbed. The shrimp skewer was piping hot, which helped as now my pasta dish was cold... so that is how our meal was. Maybe I put too much hope in a nice night out to celebrate, But, unfortunately it was subpar. read more

I had to walleye dinner and others had the white fish on board. Dinners were ok. Waitress is why I'm giving 4 stars. Oh, did I tell u that this was my first visit. Well 1st impressions are important. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking for a sizzler helping of food but I think walleye from the Great Lakes are little bigger right? read more

Yelp said they have pizza, so I came expecting pizza. They don't have pizza, so I was disappointed. I settled, and got a burger instead. The burger was amazing. It was just a regular burger, but the meat was fresh and juicy- literally dripping down my arms. So good!! Also, great view of Lake Michigan! read more

How to begin? I was raised in Harbor Springs, lived in Chicago, and in 2002, moved back to Little Traverse Bay area. Stafford's has been a mainstay in this area since the 60's and there is a reason for that - Consistently great hospitality and a culinary reputation to back it up. So let's begin: 1. Chart Room - known for it's informality - it has been recently renovated and updated. great service, great food (burgers, perch, whitefish, salad bar - You can't go wrong! 2. Wheelhouse Lounge - Boasting by far the BEST bartender in the North, it is a great casual atmosphere to watch the latest sports games, hear great entertainment or to just have fun with your friends! Awesome frozen drinks (The Hummer) and a specialty offering to rival the best. I discovered Effen Black Cherry on the rocks here. Never looked back. 3. The Pointer Room - Flat Out: The best views of the harbor and water, the best food and service around (the Morel Bisque is excellent as is the Seafood Chowder (best anywhere), the steak and freshwater offerings are top notch, the Kobe Beef burger unparalleled. This staff is cracker jack and the management knows their sh**. They get this and they get it right! and last but not least; 4. Dudley's Deck! - If it sunny, then this is where you need to be!! All around the best way to experience Little Traverse Bay and Harbor Springs! The food all comes from the same kitchen and the menus from the one executive chef collaborating with the entire team. Every single salad, soup, side and main course are terrific. I'd love to tell you that I've tried everything, but I have tried most things. We all have different tastes. If you don't see something you like, talk to your server and they will work with you to come up with something you'll love! IF FOR ANY REASON YOU EXPERIENCE A LESS THAN AWESOME EXPERIENCE - TELL THEM. Stafford's strives for nothing but the best. read more

Over rated and terrible service. Don't waste your time or money at this place. Great view and I have lots of great memories from here as a young lady but it's overrated. read more

I want to commend you and your staff for your service and hospitality on the evening of October 4th. I was in town for my brothers wedding, and the rehearsal dinner was supposed to be across the street at Pierson's. The reservation for 20 people had been made for their back room months in advance, but when we showed up had been bumped for a bigger group and our group was to be split up into multiple tables with the hostess saying she was "trying to accommodate us". Not acceptable. She didn't even try and made nothing but excuses. Your staff took us on very short notice and went above and beyond I. Service and hospitality. In not much longer than it took to walk across the street, they had us seated all together in our own area. Your staff was very professional and very inviting. The food was good, and everyone had a good time. A huge thank you to all involved. You saved our evening. read more

We stopped in Sunday around 1:30. The restaurant was not crowded but it took at least 1/2 hour to get our food, which consisted of a really delicious morel bisque and a wedge salad (just ok). This restaurant is pretty pricey for what you get. With so many other good choices in town and in Petoskey, not sure this is worth it anymore. read more

Waited about an hour, exactly the time estimate they quoted. Got a few drinks from the bar and sat outside until our table was ready. Spinaxh and Artichoke dip was fantastic. Prime Rib was a special on Thursday night - amazing. Ribs were very good - sauce was a bit spicy, but tasty. Service was outstanding. read more

We spend a lot of time in Harbor and the Pier is our go to for a nice night out. Over the years thru several redecorations they still are just great. My daughter and wife always order the planked white fish which is flat out awesome. My son and I try other items like the morel mushroom bisque... very good especially when you have spent time looking for those gold pieces in the woods. The perch rocks and you really can't go UpNorth without having the whitefish or Perch. The dress code is casual. But be smart. There will be some old big yacht money coming in. That's a positive because they wouldn't spend time there unless it was worth it. You can go to the bar, the main dining room, or Dudley's deck. Summer is great but we snowboard and ski in the winter and it is just as good in the winter when the rest of Summer crowd has gone home. They are owned by Stafford's which is always a good bet in northern michigan. If you see the Stafford' sign be confident you should get a good meal and good service... read more

Four of us had a fabulous waterside table for lunch on a glorious summer day. Everything was superb--drinks, food (whitefish, calamari, salads) and a great server. read more

Great ambience by the water & marina. We all enjoyed our dinners of cod, salmon, white fish & perch. A nice nautical atmosphere would definitely recommend! read more

We had a great lunch on the deck. Food was perfection. The salad with berries and candied walnuts was delicious. My husband enjoyed his beer and sandwich. View was just lovely! read more

The bar is fine for dinner and for meeting people. Drinks are sized nicely and there is a good mix of local and exotic beverages. The food was fine and the service good. We enjoyed running into some friends from home. read more

This is the best place by far to go and eat dinner!! Everytime I go there I always the frog legs, or escargot, withfish, calamari, and everything else that is great on the menu. this picture for the restaurant is innaccurate so the next time I go there I will make sure to take a picture of the outside and inside read more

A quality dining experience all around. We dined here on a weekday evening after a day of driving; it was so nice to truly relax in a quiet, well-appointed atmosphere with well trained staff who were friendly and helpful. We had morel mushroom bisque to start; I followed that with lamb shank while my partner chose local whitefish. Wonderful meals; we'd certainly visit again. And even though it was dusk on a cold off-season day we enjoyed the waterfront view and the last blooms in the perennial bed outside our window. read more

Favorite place in Harbor Springs. Kathy is an amazing waitress. Ask for seat next to the window if you want best water view.

The food is excellent but the portions are good for one person. We sat on the porch outside next to the water; a great venue.

Good food at 1/2 the price! LoL Honestly, it's a staffords establishment so the food IS good, BUT also extremely $$$. For the cost, it SHOULD be lots better, but still good! read more

My husband and I absolutely LOVE their morel mushroom bisque... Worth every single calorie. We were very pleasantly surprised at our most recent visit last weekend to find out they have a new chef. In the past we never were really a fun of anything on the menu but the morel soup, however this new chef has changed that!! I got the lobster ravioli and it was UNBELIEVABLE. I can't even explain the rich flavor of this dish. My husband got the whitefish and was very pleased. At the end of our meal I had asked the server if there was a new chef because our food was so much more flavorful than in the past ~ I was not surprised when she said yes! Excited to go back now!! read more

We love to go to the Pier as often as possible. The bar area by the fireplace is such a great place to eat on a cold winter night, and nothing beats the main dining room or deck in the summer. The food is great, and we really like the wide range of options. My personal favorite when I'm trying to be healthy is their beet salad with warm goat cheese - they really understand that when you order a salad as a meal, it has to be big and filling. That said, the meat and seafood options are great too. This is a well run restaurant with a great staff and a beautiful atmosphere! Keep up the good work! read more

The dining room is very nice and you can't beat the view of the yachts in the marina. The caeser salad was excellent and the planked whitefish is the way to go here. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned very nicely. The parmesan encrusted potatoes were delicious. They have a very good Michigan beer selection and a good kids menu. read more

Service was really great. We sat outside on their "dock" area. The hostess was all smiles and so was the server. Plus, she would bs with us but was speedy. We ordered mussels which were good. There was some seaweed in a couple - but kelp is good for you, right? The drinks were cold and the view was nice. Now the flying ant-looking things were OUT OF CONTROL but I guess they flair up like that from time to time and that's out of their control. Overall a nice place. read more

We sat on the patio. Looking over at the pier with all the expensive and humungous boats, yachts, or shall I say ships is spectacular! I ordered the chicken salad and was very impressed with it. The dish came out beautiful and was extremely delicious - every morsel of it. I also ordered a Bloody Mary - just enough spice and tomato juice that satisfied me perfectly, the only thing missing was my celery stick. I was with someone who cannot walk all that well so they sat us relatively close. The staff was wonderful and were very attentive. Went inside and the decor is very nautical!!! Will do again. read more

Loved it! Great food, friendly staff. I would recommend this place. We both had a pasta dish and it was great. The food came out faster than anticipated. read more

This is the 2nd year in a row that I went to this place. It is good. I had the whitefish and they were familiar on how to prepare gluten free which was appreciated. The food was all good. read more

Okay- we are locals and I am fed up with the choices Stafford and his staff are making in Harbor Springs. They have closed the Chart Room and have no more salad bar. If you are a vegetarian, there are very few choices. We can't afford the fancy dining room, and we won't go back to get crammed into the bar. Salty soup to boot! read more

Food was delicious, service was excellent, and the view was spectacular! If we're ever in the area again we'll be back.

Clam chowder and morel bisque was excellent. Enjoyed water view table. Would return to enjoy other menu items.

N.B. I'm pleased to note that the Pier management actually monitors what is being written about them here. Only a couple days after I wrote the review (below), the manager emailed me. She had investigated all of my concerns and encouraged me to come back soon for a meal more like I've experienced in the past. Thanks! I have had many wonderful meals in the past at the Pier, which is the only reason I'm giving it 2 stars at this particular moment. My husband and I had dinner there on Thursday and I can't recommend a single thing we had. The bartender either had a cocktail shaker that hasn't been washed in a month or she thought it would be ok to substitute some awful gin for the Beefeater we asked for. The Caesar salad was gloppy and the dressing was flavorless (a terrible sin in my book); the seafood chowder was waa-aayy too salty; the planked whitefish was greasy (how is that possible?); the perch was so-so; the mashed potatoes were whipped then baked until they were as dry as sawdust. The management was clearly not expecting any one to show up that evening, because the one waitress in the dining room was running from table to table (while 2 hostess-type employees sat across the dining room having soup and reading a newspaper!). We'll likely try it again in the future... with the hope that it won't be another awful meal like this one. read more

Wow! I had the whitefish sandwich......but the 5 star winner were the homemade potato chips!!!!! I know, I know...... What could possibly be the big deal you ask? They look like they would be super hard and crispy but after the initial crunch they are light and airy. WONDERFULLY dusted with a seasoned salt with fresh herbs. My God....who knew I could be so impressed by chips! Everything else coming to others tables looked ample and excellent. Giant, beautiful salads. The view of the marina and bay are so nice. It's good to be able to experience such lovely areas of Michigan. read more

(see my update at the end).Reasonably good food, and incredibly unfriendly and uncompromising waitstaff. Every question about substitutions or clarifications was met with a contrite "NO!" ... (exaggeration not added for emphasis). We have been there previously and had a great time with great service and excellent food, but after this trip, it's very low on my list. UPDATE: After a very pleasant conversation with the general manager at Stafford's Pier, I was reassured that the experience we had last week was not typical (this agrees with our previous great experiences at Stafford's), and I would definitely return again. Back on my list. BTW, our experience at one of the 'sister' establishments, Stafford's Bay was outstanding... read more

I love this place. The view is the best, food is outstanding "the whitefish sandwich ",and the service top notch.

When we finally have summer up here it comes with a vengeance....hot, humid and everybody who hasn't been here in forever is lined up to eat lunch at exactly noon. I tip my hat to the professional and unrelenting cheerful (if somewhat wilted) servers who managed unending lines of hungry diners and did so with a smile. My sandwich was fresh and crisp, my fries were hot and tasty, and my ice tea glass was never empty. Kudos to the kitchen, the waitstaff and the hosts for a wonderful experience. read more

1st of all I walked in and was like "holy shit, this place is awesome! !" The old school round comfy swirly chairs & dark light...over the water. 2nd they have vegan ravioli! !! And the tomato sauce was melting in my mouth. Coming back tomorrow for the portabella sandwich :) P.s. the cocktails are as good as the food :) read more

Cool looking place right by the water (outdoor seating available). Weather was nice and restaurant opened to the outside. Fish tacos was tasty and others in my party also enjoyed their food (burgers, escargot). I would certainly go back. Service was decent relative to other places I visited this long weekend. read more

A totally redesigned restaurant with a contemporary, nautical theme befitting this spectacular harborside setting. The seating is now comfortable. Generous sized banquettes have been added back. Folding doors now open to the deck to make it enjoyable inside and out. Gone are all traces faux-cottage blue and white replaced with warm toned woods and drum shaped chandeliers wrapped in cloth from sails. The food was also dramatically better than prior years. Fresh oysters are now a Bart of the starter items. The flash fried perch with caper beurre blanc and grilled asparagus were perfectly prepared. Others in our group had the local favorite whitefish plank--some as a duo with the perch. Beyond that you'll find the expected choices for fish steaks and chops. Everything was attractively presented and well prepared. Our server was very new to her job. She understood the fundamental courtesies, but was tentative about some small points. She was, however, polite and attentive. She was wonderful. We had quit going to The Pier for a few years, but wanted to checkout the new changes. We won't stay away now. read more

This review is a little delayed since we went on July 4th, but I just "joined" Yelp. You would expect harried, mid-range service on the busiest day of the year in Harbor Springs, but it was very well-managed chaos. I was surprised that we were seated at the window, got quick courteous service, and the burger was superb. (I don't eat meat much, so this was a treat, and was it a treat!). Quick refills of iced tea, no problem substituting bun for salad greens. And the price was extremely reasonable for lunch; dinner is usually much more. The view can't be beat on a sunny day. If I wasn't so darn busy in summer, I'd go more often. read more

My mom and I only get to go up north once every one or two years, so my grandfather and his wife usually take us out for a nice dinner while we're there. I'm thrilled to say that coming here was a wonderful experience. Our waitress (who I remember saying that she was also a chef) was very professional and knew what was good. We all had the filet mignon and both my grandpa and I got the whitefish with it. I have to be honest, that steak was probably the best I've ever eaten. Insanely tender and melt-in-your-mouth, it pretty much burned itself into my memory. As for the whitefish, it was also extremely delicious and had a delicious rich sauce on it. You also can't beat good old mashed potatoes and green beans. Finally, a vegetable that doesn't taste like it was nuked in a microwave! Obviously, I ate judiciously to save room for dessert. I got a peanut butter ice cream pie and my mom got a cream puff sundae with ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate, and caramel. Sure, it was raining, but I'm always in the mood for a mess of ice cream goodies during the summer months! Five stars all the way! read more

It was a great meal but for the price the portions were a bit small. Overall, the staff was alright, at times they were a little rude. The environment and decor were really nice but in general the place was pretty loud. I would recommend the restaurant if you are in town or nearby but i wouldn't tell anyone they should go out of their way to stop in. read more

First time eating at The Pier since the renovations were completed. Love the new look and feel - everything feels very relaxed and inviting now. Very impressed with the new Chef and what he has done with the menu. I used to go to there for one thing only. There were quite a few items on the menu that caught my eye. The Pier has definitely stepped it up. read more