Its 20 mins outside of Charlevoix, but worth the short drive. We had a party of 8 and the consensus across all ordered was positive. Pasta was freshly made, the fries good, the desserts were the ultimate win. We ordered nearly every dessert on the menu and all were good. Apple crisp was called out in particular as being excellent. They had many gluten free options, which we appreciated. Ambiance with music was nice, our waitress was a bit too relaxed, but the bus boy worked it. read more

So after 3 yrs we tried to go back to see if any thing got better. Nope Place was loaded with flies. People all around us were complaining. Service has gotten worse. Place is hopeless. Very disappointing read more

Good food good service clean restrooms right by torch lake. Would return if in area. Beautiful drive along torch lake to get there

We live close by, so when we are hard up, we go here. We keep hoping that it will improve, but in the five years we've beenup here, it has not. Service is slow, it is rare to get your drinks refilled, the menu has been the same for the past five years. The food is not that great, it's average at best and the prices are way too much for what you get. The atmosphere is great... That's about the only thing that's great. You would think with all these poor reviews, that they would want to work on improving their service and their food items. But they don't seem to care because they are one of the only restaurants in the area. read more

The service at this restaurant was abismal. We arrived pretty hungry and waited 45 minutes to be served. Many of our orders were wrong, wrong meaning completely inaccurate to the menu. I ordered a pecan roll and it was hard, almost like it had been put into the microwave. There was also no baby changing station in the bathroom, leaving a mom to change her babies diaper on the floor. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. read more

Expensive and slow! We waited 45 minutes to be served and the food wasn't even good. The wait staff did not act with any haste or manners. Would avoid if you could. read more

This place took forever to build. That being said it was worth. It is beautiful inside. Nice shiny wood everywhere. I ended up going here 3 times during my trip. The first time I got their hamburger. It was very good. Not one of my top 5, but 1 I would be happy to eat again multiple times. The 2nd time I came I came for their breakfast. It was a Sunday so you have to get their buffet instead of ordering. This I did not like. I paid $13 to get the food I cane get during the week for $8.50. That being said it was good. Not Fantastic, but worth a visit. The Last time I came I got their Ribs. Again very good. Not in my top 5, but well worth trying. That seems to be my motto for here. Everything is very good, just not a favorite. The service was friendly and adequate. I was occasionally left waiting for drink refills. Overall a 4 star review. Would I go back? Yes. read more

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We enjoyed everything; Parmesan meatball app, Great Lakes chowder, wild mushroom flatbread and Cobb salad. Beautiful porch if you enjoy dining outside! read more

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The staff is nice Not lots of choices for food but thats ok because they got all the main breakfast foods I love all the cool painting and decorations When you go inside it smells amazing Our waitress was the nicest person ever The food was outstanding I order the tlc breakfast and it was the best I also tried the blue moon pancakes and they were delicious Our food came pretty fast too Overall 5/5 stars read more

Matthew was the most wonderful server! I have dietary restrictions and he double checked options with the head chef to make sure my meal was okay. He was very attentive to the table - what a wonderful atmosphere! Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

The service is slow slow slow. But the food is good good good. Reasonably priced menu. But the service is slow. read more

Torch Lake Cafe truly deserves five stars! My wife and I visited in early May, 2021 for dinner during a weeknight and were pleasantly surprised by the selection. We expected bar-type food but they have really excellent options, including seafood. We both enjoyed our meals so much that we went back the next day for lunch! The only staff we interacted with was the waitress who served us dinner and lunch the next day, coincidentally. Lurana was pleasant and seemed genuinely friendly both times. Visually the restaurant is interesting and welcoming. There are for-sale art pieces on the walls, but the decor is not overwhelming. I really like the look and feel of the place, and felt relaxed and comfortable there. The building has a built-in permanent stage for music performances, which shows the commitment to music; it's not just one of those move-tables-out-of-the-way-on-Fridays sort of places. There were no performances the two times we visited but I can easily imagine it being a good venue for a small performance. All in all this place is excellent! In a way I'm glad it's 4 hours' drive from my house, because if it were in my hometown I would be there several times a week and would probably blow my restaurant budget! read more

A wonderful, good-sized cafe with music and delicious food and outdoor seating. Practically in the middle of nowhere. A great stop on the way to Barnes county park. read more

Got the white fish sandwich- great. You get a ton of fries- truffle fries at that! It looks like a great hang out bar. But we got our food to go. The online ordering works great will definitely come back. read more

I've always enjoyed this place and, since we live nearby, eat there fairly often. Over the past year, I feel the quality of the food has gone down. I had a Cobb salad last night that looked like a mess. Ingredients thrown together, mushy tomatoes and black on the avocados. No presentation whatsoever; just looked like a bag of iceberg lettuce with not-to-fresh ingredients thrown in. (I mean that literally). And, this is the way my food has been lately. Salmon that isn't fresh, etc. I'm disappointed because this is a cool place. The higher prices mean food should be fresh, and something as simple as a Cobb salad should have a certain presentation to it.. Please get back to that. You have a nice place there. read more

I try and give this place a chance every year, and every year it disappoints. The service was incredibly slow, they couldn't even get a scotch on the rocks right, the server had no clue what gin was, the food was subpar, and the music was way too loud to talk. The owner, for years, seems to only care about being able to sing music here as her personal concert venue and doesn't seem to even bother with the actual restaurant portion. If you want it to be a nightclub for your music, just make it that. Because the restaurant portion is just not working. read more

Excellent. Do it. New chef knows what he's doing. Salmon was best I've ever had. Soy butter sauce, was tender and delicious like sea bass. Sweet chili Brussel sprouts were sweet and interesting, shredded into a salad with onions and carrots. Yummy dressing.. Not at all spicy. And I don't even like Brussel sprouts! Ate every bite. We stumbled into there on the way to a place that was closed. A happy accident. read more

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Didn't have lunch, so I can't rate the food, but the coffee is out of this world! Seriously, a rare find in such a remote area. Whatever coffee roast they use, I want more of it. Thanks John for your customer service. Multumim mult. read more

Torch Lake Cafe - Pizza Near Me - Central Lake, Michigan

Went in for lunch today around 1pm , a young man sat us down and gave a us a glass of water, after a 35 minute wait and not one person came to meet or greet us we left, very disappointed and guaranteed not to go back, very sad and not many people were there. read more

This place is beyond amazing. Can't wait for it to open back up. Miss the delicious, unique drinks and the live music. The food is the best you'll find within a 20 mile radius...so lucky to have the TLC in our backyard. read more

Service was very good. We had 19 in our group and they accommodated us perfectly. The food was really good.

Our waitress on Sunday said the new management wanted a change. They went from a family friendly restaurant to a hipster "farm to table" place. It's a casual building with causal decor and now entrees priced at a $30 average. I've been coming here since it opened (about 20 times) and unfortunately won't be back if this is the business model they keep. read more

Everything was great. Avocado cucumber gazpacho soup was refreshing and rich. I love a good chilled soup and this one hit the spot. The smoked fish trio appetizer is a must. The perfect blend of rich and salty creamy ness. I had the locally sourced trout. A whole trout filet cooked to perfection with wild rice and fresh green beans. So delicious. Ask for Ion for a waiter. He attended to our table with profession. Hubby had the fried perch platter and it was fried similar to fish and chips with a Michigan wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc Daughter had the elk and my steak eating girl loved it! Usually order our steaks medium rare but medium was recommended on the elk tenderloin as after having a taster I agree it was perfect. read more

Right from the beginning the experience was strange. Placed us at a table in a high traffic lane where there should not be a table, the service staff walking past every 30 seconds. The wine list was very nice, the food menu seemed divine, however, the beer list lacked creativity and the service was sub par, so although we wanted to eat dinner here we decided against it based on first impressions and service culture. The tapwater smelled of fish. Our server was smug, and when we asked for a few tastes of wine the manager came over to "steer us in the right direction" with wine, which felt strange. This place is not for us, but seemed to fit a certain crowd as it looked like many regulars enjoyed the place. We may be back for breakfast but not for dinner. read more

While the food is good, there isn't much for the prices they charge.

Absolutely pitiful service, I live only 10 miles away but after my last trip here I will never be returning again. I placed a takeout order nearly an hour and a half before actually getting my food, they offered a 50% discount after I waited over a half hour at the bar, which I found reasonable. After finally getting my food, they told me that because they already ran my card, I couldn't get a discount. My order was over $120, absolutely despicable. read more

Drove past and was intrigued. Did a 180. Glad I did. Had a good Cobb Salad. The avocado vinaigrette was tasted. My spouse loved the beet salad with chicken. Our waiter, Fabian, was soft spoken and considerate to customers. We are not from the area but when back will definitely come back. read more

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I think this place is great!! Especially when your up in the woods and not a lot near by! Easy parking, often live music, great cocktails and the food doesn't disappoint!! Give it a try! read more

No longer the place to bring family and guests for dinner. Menu entrees and desserts are far from children friendly. The "Up North, relaxing atmosphere and knowing there will something for everyone" is no longer available. Food was very good. The service was excellent. We just won't be bringing our usual table of 6-10 people in anymore. read more

Make sure you look around before you come in. If people look like theyve been sitting (which seems typical of this place) then leave. Service was absolutely putrid. The staff was nice but we waited 20 minutes to place a drink order (coffee and chocolate milk). Coffee came out 20 minutes later, chocolate milk 20 minutes later. Food 40 minutes later, bill 20 minutes after we asked twice. Wife's eggs Benedict was hard boiled, my food was cold... dry toast. FAR OVERPRICED, service was among the worst I've experienced. Even when we took a moment to bring the poor food and service quality to the managements attention, the response was "what do you want me to do about that?" We're good not coming here ever again. Beautiful place, below average food and horrid service, you're better off going to central lake. read more

I like the new change the restaurant made with the new menu. We have a 3rd generation family cottage close by. My 1st dish with the new dinner menu was good tasty and little different which I like. I felt it was at a fare price. From reading some of the reviews, it's never easy to have change. Most reviewer's complained mostly about the dinner menu and not the other menus for breakfast and lunch. Adding a new real chef in back in new kitchen with proper equipment is a good change. From reading some of the past reviews; I feel that the locals need to support this place better and not be disgruntled about not having the old standards, pizza, burgers, fries, sandwiches and ribs all the time that was fried or microwaved. Undoubtably, the past menu didn't work to make the restaurant financially successful therefore the need for change. Maybe the entertainment is too costly. If you want good food adding entertainment I'm happy to see the owners step up to the plate and make a better place and change the menu to attract more people to their venue. I heard from the employees they may add back some of the old standards items to a bar menu to help appease locals who appreciated that stuff. Please understand this is a business and support their change to make Torch Lake Cafe more of a destination restaurant is good for the area. Torch Lake needs a Grey Gables, Chandler's, Stafford's and others in Traverse City, adding they have entertainment. Please keep the change going in the long run it should pay off. You should hopefully be able to bring back better old standards that will appeal to the locals. Good luck. read more

Torch Lake Cafe - Portobella Ravioli $26 WILD BOAR RAGOUT, SPRING ONION, BALSAMIC REDUCTION. - Pizza Near Me - Central Lake, Michigan

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Big changes from last year to this year but decided to give it a chance. Went for both breakfast and dinner. Breakfast was ok but my toast was two pieces of bread tucked in a napkin on a plate. When I took it out to eat it the bread hadn't been toasted. Went for dinner and was very disappointed. We ordered one item from the original menu (The Meatballs) and they were good. But I had the pasta and it was like mass produced spaghetti and super oily with no flavor. My friend had the salmon which was ok but the peas it came with came out uncooked and inedible. For the price it was very disappointing. I wanted to like it because I've gone there for years even when they were in the old location. Just not worth it. read more

We happened to come across the restaurant driving back to Traverse City. We still had 45 minutes to go and it was 8:00pm so we figured we had better stop and not risk missing out on dinner. The service was a wee bit slow however the food was delicious. I had the flat iron steak which was absolutely delicious and my husband had the ribs. He enjoyed his meal as well. THEN. . . We ordered the apple pecan pie and OMG had we not taken it to go, I would have ordered a second piece. Honestly one of the best pieces of pie I have had in years!! I would go back just for it. The music was also very good and it did not interfere with our meal; just nice acoustics and. Oi é accompaniment. great way to end our day. We will definitely return if in the area. read more

Eating with flies aren't my thing. 65 degrees out with doors open. Manager laughed when I complained then aked if the bill was paid,it was. She said she'd have discounted the food. Won't be back. Service not good Food was Average. read more

This place was highly recommend but we received very poor service. The bus boy was very helpful but our waiter sucked. Never saw him again after he took our order and then had to find him for the bill. Food was sub par but edible. read more

Food is decent but the service was horrible. I had to tell them how to do their job. They forgot my fathers food. Took an hour to order in a non busy Monday. If you have little patience and just what to eat like me, I do not recommend this place for you. read more

Torch Lake Cafe - Mooncakes - Pizza Near Me - Central Lake, Michigan

I have never written a review before but this is worth the warning. Every year we try again with the hopes that things will improve with this restaurant. Yet again this year, we left feeling disappointed, hungry, and like we wasted $80. Before ordering an appetizer, we asked our waitress how many wings were in the half order, to which she replied 8. When the dish came there were 6 wings on it. We let it go thinking that she had just made a mistake. Flash forward to receiving the bill and in parentheses behind the half order of wings it shows (8). So we asked the waitress about it and she tells us to speak to the manager about it. The manager informed us that during the winter season the half order of wings does include 8, but in the summer they drop it down to 6. This doesn't change on the menu and the price does not change either. Essentially they are ripping you off without telling you and hoping you don't notice. Our entrées came out within 30 seconds of our appetizer being delivered. My husband's fish & chips left much to be desired. The beer batter was soft, certainly not crispy as it is meant to be, so much so that he couldn't stomach eating it and picked it off the fish. The shoestring fries are completely unseasoned and had no flavor whatsoever. I ordered the truffle stuffed ravioli. It had 6 pieces of ravioli in a bowl heaped with fresh spinach with very little sauce to go around. Ultimately neither of us felt that our dishes were worth $26 & $22, respectively. Nor were the (6) wings worth $16. The manager apologized for the misleading wing order and gave us a gift card. Honestly, we don't even want to go back to use it, it was that bad. As a local family, it continues to be disappointing that this restaurant serves flavorless food for absurd prices in the summer. read more

We came to torch lake to spend a week long vacation. We stumbled upon the Torch Lake Cafe by accident. My family and I stopped in for dinner. I had the Rib-Eye steak, mushroom flatbread and my wife had the chicken Parmesan. My father in law had the elk tenderloin bolognese and I had the steak. The food and service was excellent. Thanks for making our visit to Torch Lake a little more memorable, especially during these trying times. read more

After years (maybe over a decade?) of a vacant spot at the corner of M-88 and US-31, Torch Lake Cafe has really made this an attractive spot to stop. My wife, a native Michigander, and I have been coming to this area for ever. This place is close enough to walk, or a short bike ride, from the cottage we rent. A good tap list, I usually get the Bell's Two Hearted IPa, but there are others to choose from. The menu is diverse, with several good sandwiches and also salads. Portions are ample, so come hungry or share if you're not. Service is good. We do try to avoid the busy times, like weekend lunch for example, as it can take a while to get your food at those times. Another benefit is the live music, during the summer. read more

Second time visiting in less than a year. First time for breakfast was OK. Food was good but pricey for the area. Second time visiting for lunch we waited 15 min for drinks. Ordered our food and waited almost 50 min for our food to be served and ewe never saw our waitress again. We just left. Very disappointed in the customer service read more