This is a very casual, welcoming environment. My sons had the Zoeli Steak and were raving about how delicious it was. Prices are very reasonable. Well worth a visit when you come to Petoskey! read more

This little place was a treat! We stopped in on an evening during Fall Break. I noticed on the was in they were offering a lobster corn chowder when we were in the way in so my husband and I decided to share one as an appetizer... absolutely yum! Our son got the pork bbq sandwich and it was gone before I could look twice.. said it was great. My husband got one of the October specials and couldn't complement the German inspired meal enough. He loved everything on his plate! Being our first time in the area and seeing olive burgers on everyone's menu I decided to take the splurge. I love green olives but this was a little strange of a combo for me having an olive spread on a burger. I enjoyed it but don't think it would be a regular choice for me. I got their chip dip on the side to try & it brought back memories because is the same dip my mom always made. We would definitely stop in again if we are ever in the area! read more

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Drove over to Petoskey from our northern Michigan home. We were headed to a different spot for lunch before shopping until I received a call from my cousin who owns a home locally. He told me forget the other place and go to the side door saloon. Boy I'm glad we did. We would never have stopped. Taylor was our waitress and did a great job. I ordered cream of mushroom soup and it was very good. Tasted homemade. I also ordered the olive mushroom bacon burger cooked medium. I added pepper jack cheese. The burger was delicious. Not greasy but very juicy. My wife ordered a pretzel burger with special sauce (chipotle tasting) done medium well. She added cheddar. She said it is one of the better burgers she had in a while. The pretzel bun was soft on the inside with a snap to the outer layer as it should. We will definitely be back when in the area. I would recommend the place to anyone. Couples and families. Friendly and inviting atmosphere. read more

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The staff is a great team, they work very hard to make the customers experience the best possible. The food it top notch. And as far as the ambiance is suitable for all ages. read more

One of our favorite stops when in Petoskey. Absolutely love the Pepper Jack Crab soup!

The food was very good. The staff were professional. My friend and I really enjoyed sitting outside in the patio.

Food was really tasty! Service was really good! Amount we spent was reasonable! Keep up the good work!

I've been visiting The Side Door since the late 60s usually bringing guests. I took my son and his GF for prime rib on 9/8/22. we arrived around 5:30 and seating and ordering went to plan then the food arrived. My 10 oz slice was 80% fat, the vegetables were raw (not el dente), the mashed potatoes were starched stiff and the extra cost gravy was a dollop of thick sauce sans the onion or mushroom promised. My guests slices were leaner but were literally salt infused like biting into a salt block. My son's GF ordered a Margarita and it was weird. Tasteless, flat, and served in a plastic cup. Her baked potato was mushy which is strange that early in evening. At least the bread and service were good! Out of $108 I figure $80 was wasted. Real disappointment and I guess it proved you can never go home. read more

A random road trip brought me up to this beautiful area. Unbeknownst to me, it's a very popular time to visit. I tried a few places and they were all full so I ended up here. Next time I'm in the area, this will be a FIRST choice. It was very busy and with all the spacing requirements, I barely found a spot. Once I did, the bartender immediately asked me if I wanted a beer and handed me a menu. He was busy but very attentive and helpful and my beer came promptly. What really impressed me though was the speed with which the kitchen was churning out food. I was sitting close to where the food came out and the staff was constantly bringing out delicious looking and well plated food. Needless to say, it did not take long to get my food even though the place was very busy. I ordered a bowl of chili and a pulled pork sandwich. Both were hot, delicious, and definitely worth the price. I HIGHLY recommend stopping into this place if you are anywhere near it. read more

Great burgers. Stopped for the first time through Petoskey. Our party of four all agreed the hamburgers were top notch. Will definitely return. A must stop location if you are in the area. read more

GREAT service and atmosphere! Husband had the prime rib, excellent! And I had the Thai Curry chicken wrap, again excellent! Chips and dip - no so good, store bought chips, along with the salsa and Queso dip, guacamole was fresh. But not worth 8.00. read more

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So much more than a saloon! The food here is really good. The Oktoberfest dishes they are offering this month are stellar - we cftried both the bratwurst and the pork chop and both were excellent served with sauerkraut, blaukraut, and mashed potatoes. And, we washed it all down with a Spaten Oktoberfest, which has to be one of best of this style beer, imported from the Old Country - delicious! The two ladies behind the bar on the night we stopped in were a hoot and having fun which made our night even better. Thanks for a great time, Side Door Saloon! read more

Our family of 6 stopped by after a local recommendation on our way home from a skiing trip. The food across the board was delicious. My turkey sandwich on pretzel bun was literally the best turkey sandwich I've ever had. The service was quick and efficient, she kept our glasses full of water which i appreciate. We will come back on our next trip! read more

Great customer service food came super fast. Forgot tablet and they ran to give us it back in the parking lot.

We have been customers of Side Door for over 15 years. The wait staff has always been great and the food pretty darn good. However, this summer we have noticed the food isn't quite as good or as carefully prepared/presented. This week when my salad with whitefish came on wilted lettuce with the whitefish so cold and tough I had to cut it with a knife, I asked our helpful and very busy waitress to please bring me another salad. We were surprised when she said the fish had all been prepared in a batch and that another order would be the same. While I encouraged our friends to eat their dinners, I asked for a menu to find something else. When my new order arrived, everyone else was finishing their meal. They waited graciously while I ate my meal. Know one from management came to inquire about why my meal was returned. When our bill came, I asked our waiter if there would be any consideration for the inconvenience and poor quality of food. She checked with the manager and said "no" that is not our policy. Mind you, I am not angry at this point, just very disappointed so I stopped to talk to the manager on my way out. As I approached the manager he said, "Is this about the salad?" and started talking at me in a rude, condescending manner. in short, this man knows nothing about customer service and has lost 4 long time customers. I have learned since that the man who spoke "at" me is the new owner. I'm writing this review in hopes he will read this and realize this kind of approach will eventually hurt what has been a very successful business. Bad experience = New owner read more

Always great food and excellent service. Never an issue with recommending to friends.

Outstanding food and quick, friendly service. Not much more need be said. Both times I've been there the experience has been very enjoyable.

Did not enjoy this place. Food and service was just ok. There are better opting in town

I hate to say it- olive burger NOT good. Okay, not good to me. Normally, from my experience when your get a burger it should be hot. The large cold olive patty and the cold mushrooms (and not hot bacon) was not an experience I would wish to have again.... In the long run it just made the perfectly cooked burger cold. The chips that came with the burger were probably from the bottom of the bag. The Tortilla chips we ordered as an app with "guacamole", salsa and Queso were very stale and the guacamole was the pre packaged stuff that comes out of a bag (it was also 9 dollars for 1.50 worth of product tops). Very disappointed!!! read more

Consistently great burgers. Service was good, food was great! Ambiance was what you'd expect for a bar, casual atmosphere.

Great service with a smile. Crab soup was amazing. Chips and 3 dips fresh. Chicken Caesar fresh and great flavor. Patio is adorable

I've honestly never been super impressed here. The service is slow and the food is always mediocre. The location is convenient so that's why I've gone here a couple times, but it's definitely not my first choice. read more

Very low quality food and poor service across the board. I had to get up and get things myself because the waitress kept forgetting us. Finally paid and left with the beer we ordered still sitting on the bar counter getting warm. read more

'Ello chaps! THIS my friends is the hidden little gem that only most locals know about. Side Door Saloon has a variety of menu items, steaks, salads, etc. BUT THEIR BEST SERVICE? Yup, the olive burger. It's basically a thick, unseasoned beef patty (not much taste to the patty itself) topped with various toppings of your choosing. But what makes it an olive burger is the mayo/green olive sauce. It is delicious. No fries here, but you can get your chips. This is a great kitchy "up north" kind of restaurant, but lots of open space, very clean and comfortable inside. Great, friendly service, and really good food. They are CLOSED on Sundays. read more

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Great food and quick service! Quesadillas, burgers and appetizers solid. More than fairly priced and four of us in and out in an hour. Perect spot after golf . read more

I hated this place! I'll never be back. No fried French fries or onion rings allowed but we will give you FRIED potato chips instead. Really!? A policy of theirs against fried food. ??? read more

Man! An excellent experience all around. My girlfriend and I were heading up to St. Ignace and we stopped here for one reason and one reason only: olive burgers. Her dad recommend them to us, saying it was one of the best burgers he'd ever had, and he certainly hit the nail on the head. The burger was completely out of this world. We both got olive burgers, which came with potato chips. The burgers were seriously incredible. A deliciously cooked burger, topped with chopped olive mayo, tomato, lettuce, and bacon. Messy, but that was the least of my concern at the time. We also both ordered a side of their jalapeno slaw, which was also awesome. I'd never heard of jalapeno slaw before, so why not give it a try! We were both really impressed with this place and the service and we'll definitely be stopping in again when in Petoskey. I hope you like frogs! read more

The Side Door Saloon - Olive burger with a side of jalapeño slaw! A must try. - Sports Bars Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

Awesome place to eat. The place was packed on. Friday. The tacos and the whitefish were delicious. Stop here to eat and you won't be disappointed. read more

The Side Door Saloon - Blacken White fish - Sports Bars Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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The whitefish sandwich and burger tasted good. Altho I'm not a big fan of the buffalo chicken dip (cannot taste the flavor it's all cheese) I still think this place worths a try. read more

The burgers were very good. Would prefer fries, but they didn't offer those. They offer chips, which seemed store bought. Not a huge deal but worth mentioning. read more

What's not to like about this place. The Side Door Saloon has been a staple of Northern Michigan for decades. While you may say that's this place isn't fancy it makes up in its great food, it's friendly waitstaff. The Olive Burger here is Northern Michigan's best kept no secret. Everything is cooked to order and never fried. The Side Door Saloon of Petoskey is like the Cheers Bar of Boston. Check it out. You will love it and want to come back! read more

The Side Door Saloon - The Chicken Ruski Samwhich - Sports Bars Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

When I see a sign that says "World's Best Olive Burger", I tend to giggle and think of Buddy the Elf! Tee hee heeee! But we were hungry and decided to pull off. The parking lot was full, but they still had a table for us. Super friendly staff who made us feel very welcome. So delicious! We started with a whitefish quesadilla that was fantastic and really large. No small food here. And then we tried that World's Best Olive Burger, with olives, mushrooms, bacon and Swiss. They are correct! It is the World's Best OB. The meat is from a local butcher, Plath's Meats. Such great quality! We ordered our burgers medium, but they came rare. It was so good, we didn't care! The burger comes with chips, but you won't miss the fries. The burger is huge! And it is so delicious, you're going to want to make sure you finish it all. So just skip the chips! Adorable atmosphere, quick service, friendly staff and delicious food. Can't wait to come again! read more

I was looking forward to eating here and we arrived for a Friday lunch Note on the door said they were closed We dined next door at the BBQ place instead - it was delicious KW read more

Traveling up to Petoskey for fun brought me to this restaurant. The appetizer had great flavor, it was the perfect amount of spice, and was just what you'd expect, creamy, cheesy and so good I thought for a moment about adding it to my burger. The burger I had cooked to medium, leaving it pink and juicy. It was smothered in Swiss cheese(which I had added to it), sauted mushroom, and two slices of bacon; the restaurant makes its own olive mayo with chunks of olive in it which gave a nice buttery taste to the burger, hence the olive mushrooms bacon burger name. I'd definitely recommend this burger to others, especially those with a more adventurous palate. And of course, I needed to try being healthy... I ordered a spinach salad which was actually better than I expected. Usually there's an underlying earthy/dirt taste to me with lettuces (I don't understand why, but I can only assume it's where it is supplied from) BUT, their salad was good, crunchy, sweet, no bitter dirt taste or odd wetness. The plate was also cold so the spinach didn't wilt. Over all great experience with our waitress who was kind and patient when I was unable to decide right away. I think anyone could find something amazing here to eat so if you get the chance come here. Thank you for a great dining experience. read more

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Very very good! We started off with the appetizer pretzel and it was huge! Very tasty and not over salted. Nick got the buffalo chicken quesadilla and ate every bite. I got the prime rib wrap and it was perfectly wrapped, every bite had each ingredient which doesn't happen too frequently. We ended the meal with caramel apple cheesecake and omg it was delicious! We will be going back again for sure! read more

Everything was GREAT, the food, the service and the bread pudding was out of this world GOOD!!!!! We will definitely go back, excellent!!!

First visit. Service was splendid. Food was great. Cozy decor. Will be back again soon.

My wife and I just ate lunch here for the first time since the Covid pandemic started. I got the pulled pork burger. I grew up in Kentucky and have barbecue pork and pulled pork in my bloodstream, and the pulled pork was as good as any I remember having ever. I got my burger extra rare which often results in a wet sloppy burger, but this was fantastic. But, as good as the food was, the service that we received from Aleecia was even better. She made the meal a relaxing, enjoyable experience to be remembered and savored. If possible, ask for her on your next visit. I just got home and decided that I had to extend my review of Aleecia. She is extremely friendly and outgoing, very knowledgeable about the menu, and stays on top of the customer's needs without being in any way intrusive. She is a model for what constitutes a great server. Be sure to check out the Side Door, and, when you do so, be sure to ask if one of Aleecia's tables is open. You will not regret your decision - either as to the food or the service. Enjoy your meal! read more

Due to many recommendations and the sight of a consistently bustling parking lot we decided to try the side door saloon for dinner at around 5:30 on a Friday night. The place was very busy however we were seated immediately, our server greeted us and took our drink order and it wasn't more than 5 minutes before she returned with drinks and ready to take our dinner order as well. We started off with the buffalo chicken dip and ordered the olive bacon burger and Italian meatloaf sandwich, both meals came with potato chips and the option to add a side of French onion dip. The appetizer came up quick and was super cheesy and delicious, the buffalo sauce wasn't overly spicy which we didn't mind. Our meals came out just as we finished the appetizer. Portions blew us out of the water! Both sandwiches were huge and very filling. Flavor was great too! Our server made sure to check on us throughout the meal as well. We will 100% be coming back to explore more of the menu soon! Yummm!!! read more

The Side Door Saloon - Italian meatloaf sandwich and the olive bacon burger - Sports Bars Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

This is good food. Staff care which is important for any establishment. I don't particularly care for burgers especially as a dinner entree. These 'days' burgers are out of control with style varying wildly from restaurant to restaurant. In a world of cliche, side door does it right. A solid patty, hand toasted buns and curated toppings. Temperature is not an issue. Medium rare is delivered with ease. When expertly crafted I don't mind indulging in a burger for dinner. It makes sense. I can't speak to the other offerings but as an outsider looking in, I imagine everything else on the menu has purpose. I have seen other entrees leave the kitchen and they appear to have the same hand crafted care that you would expect from any restaurant that puts food first. Highly recommended. read more