This is one of the times when you need more than five stars. Cook's House is simply outstanding…read more Every aspect of the experience was wonderful. The restaurant is a house in downtown Traverse City. They only have space for 22 seats, and it was never full during our visit. It is intimate and welcoming. I made a reservation three months ahead, and obtained a seating for 8pm. We were welcomed warmly, and immediately seated. A complimentary mushroom broth "tea" was brought out. My friend who does not like mushrooms even enjoyed it. The service was perfect. Our server understood how to facilitate tasting courses, and the one very small misstep (under down steak for the member of our party that is pregnant, so it was not a being picky situation) was immediately handled without needing to be asked. The wine sommelier did a beautiful pairing. She offered the right level of presentation. Our group of four did the tasting menu. As they are farm to table, and the menu is constantly changing, it is not beneficial to discuss specific menu items. I do want to say the celery soup was representative of the experience, something I would not think to try or sounded amazing but was. My non dessert eating friend loved her dessert, she actually ate the entire cake. Interesting, creative, but not pretentious. A meal to be remembered.

We have been trying to get into The Cook's House for almost a year! Reservations are very hard to…read morecome by and you can only go with reservations. We made the reservation a month in advance and still had to settle for 8:30 time slot. But it was absolutely worth it! Incredible doesn't begin to explain this restaurant! First, it's in the middle of a neighborhood. The name is perfect because it's literally a house. Very small which explains the need for reservations. The biggest stand out for me was the impeccable service! Your glass is never empty. If you get up, your napkin is promptly refolded. This was absolutely 5 star treatment. You also receive several courses with your meal. The food was OUTSTANDING. The menu changes frequently which is awesome because you'll never get bored. There is an Ala carte menu and a tasting menu. I was told to expect two hours for the 5 course tasting at 3 for the 7 course. Being that it was so late we stuck with ala carte. I honestly can't wait to plan a full tasting but it will have to be well planned out so I can get earlier reservations.

My favorite Traverse City restaurant hands- down. We make it a point to come here every trip up…read morenorth and they are always incredibly kind. Last night, my son's flight was delayed and despite being packed, they were gracious enough to shift our reservations am hour later. And the food!!!! Always spectacular, and I get excited, to try their daily specials. We go nuts over their sweet breads or veal brains. None of these was on the menu last night. Instead, we had foie gras,, tuna carpacio, that was somehow unique, and the best we'd ever had, wagyu bavarette, octopus, and tiramisu. All set in the former TC asylum, with burrows and stone walls-- lots of nooks that make the busy place still feel intimate. Can't wait for the next visit!

I had a chance to try some food from here. Fried asparagus is amazing. I had never tried burrata, I…read moreget the hype now. Bruschetta - not to be missed, it's tasty. Main course- poultry was delicious, and risotto was 10,000x better than any I have attempted at home. Cannoli- super! Service - no complaints. Ambiance - have you seen the Commons? There's atmosphere galore.

Wow, just wow. My husband and I went to Traverse City for…read moreour 5 year anniversary and the Boathouse was the highlight!!! We had the Moral Bisque soup, lobster ravioli and both had the Wagyu hanger Oscar- every dish was incredible. We have eaten at upscale restaurants all over the world and this was hands down the BEST steak we've ever had. Great views, great service and incredible food. They even had a card and chocolates waiting on our table for our anniversary. Incredible experience, highly recommend!

The Boathouse in Traverse City... let's start with the obvious the views are unreal. Like, sit…read morethere for a minute and question all your life choices for not living there kind of views. Absolutely breathtaking. The atmosphere was perfect cozy, romantic, and just the kind of place you want to slow down and enjoy. Appetizers? Amazing. Dessert? Also amazing. Zero complaints there. Now... my steak and I had a bit of a situationship. First round it was very overcooked. Second round it came back still thinking about the pasture. At that point I tapped out, but thankfully my husband (who prefers his steak with a pulse) stepped in and handled it like a champ. All that said, I would 100% go back. The views, the vibe, and everything else on the menu made it totally worth it.

From the outside this place doesn't look like much. Once inside it becomes an upscale delight. I…read morewouldn't say it distinctly asianbin any way. It just feels pricey, but comfortable. Of course there's mood lighting. I ordered their Crab Rangoon Stick ($19). Instead of their normal shape they come out in stick form. It works and they were excellent. However you only get 4, so they are almost $5 per rangoon stick, but their was real crab in them. For Dinner I ordered their Vietnamese Shaking Beef ($41). This is Wok-seared beef tenderloin, baby bok choy, red onion, basil, and mint, on a Shanghai noodle pillow. This was very good. The beef was outstanding and the noodle bed was fun. My only issue was I didn't love the sauce. The service was excellent. Very efficient and super friendly. Overall I give them 4 stars. The price to what you get is definitely a negative. I know that normal for hoity toity places. The beef was definitely better than a regular place. Would I return? Yes, as a special event type place. Though I'd probably get something else.

Eleven chefs/cooks in the kitchen! Never saw that many people preparing food and the quality and…read morepresentation is awesome. Had the miso soup and lobster dynamite. Both were excellent with plenty of seafood. See photos.

Everything was lovely. The communal seating style, to the flawless team service, and B&B bathrooms…read moreare all nice touches that made for a flawless experience. We split a braised beef and a mushroom gnocchi and found them to be a wonderful balance. The braised beef was recommended from our table neighbors and did not disappoint. The sprouts add a pop of freshness to pasta dishes that, somehow, do not make you leave feeling heavy. Topped off a lovely dinner with an espresso-tini for dessert. Yum.

Food was so good! it was really cool watching the cooks do their thing and it came out super fast…read moreas well! I would absolutely go again soon! Service was amazing, we sat at the bar because they were full with reservations (we forgot to make one) The bartender was so sweet and amazing. Fast service as well! Everything was so aesthetically pleasing and very well designed. I loved my experience here! We went on 2/28!

Food was amazing! Wasn't sure about the pumpkin cheesecake but that was purely to personal taste…read moreand not the food itself. Everything was delicious. Service was good but it was busy and it did take a second for us to get our bill, totally understandable. We just had a limit on our meter for parking so we had to leave pretty quick. Hosts were okay, we were told about 45mins so we left and walked downtown, we came back to check on our spot and we were told they thought they sat us and we weren't on the waitlist anymore, no biggie though, it happens; they immediately sat us and it was great from there! it was gorgeous inside though, the bar looked fun; will be back to sit there next time! 10/10 recommend this place to anyone who wants a nice dinner!

Great restaurant for date. Took my fiancé here a couple of times when we are up in Traverse City…read more Love the atmosphere and the food is excellent.

Everything about this restaurant is excellent - the food is always interesting and yummy, live the…read moresoftly lit dining room, the servers are very knowledgeable about menu and wines and very attentive. We had dinner there during restaurant week and appreciated the $45/person three course dinner. Normally more expensive but always worth every penny. My favorite Traverse City restaurant.

Had the pleasure of trying this restaurant recently with a group of friends and it was such a…read morefantastic dinning experience. The restaurant is beautiful inside we were seated in a very private area in the back of the restaurant making for a fantastic space for conversation. The service was impeccable,our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and did a fantastic job managing our party of 8. The food was excellent I can't stop thinking about the steak tartar and the amazing plating and presentation. The pasta dishes were perfectly al dente and so rich in flavor. I would highly recommend making this a go to location for any special occasion you will not be disappointed.

The food was absolutely amazing! 10/10! The short ribs were so tender and the french onion soup was…read moreto die for! Loved the drinks and desserts!

This is the best steak I've ever had in my entire life on earth. Best service best environment best…read morebest best. Nothing else needs to be said.

We stopped here on a recent outing with my parents to the TC area. Service here was truly amazing,…read moreso so accomodating of our group. Went out of their way to help our group. Cocktails were very tasty and the food was delicious - and plentiful. I went for a salad and felt like I ended up eating less than half of it. Would definitely come back - this spot had really nice food options and a great drink selection. Combined with the staff, this spot is a definite winner!

Great place to visit and delicious food! Our server was also great, knowledgeable, and friendly…read more It took quite a bit to get our drinks but it also took quite a bit to get our table and we had a reservation... so that was a bit frustrating. Also weird they don't do anything for a birthday person. Still the food was delicious. Only giving it 4 stars because of the wait with our table and drinks!

Truffle fries are amazing here as well as their Brussels sprouts! I 100% recommend coming hereread more

Wow, wow! The food was so good! I got the Grilled Cheese, my friend got the Fried Chicken sandwich…read morewhen we split in half and shared so we had both and I couldn't tell you which I liked more! The truffle fries are a must, they were so so good! We started with the Brussels sprouts app and those were so yummy! Service was great, everything was fast and friendly and cooked to perfection. Nice lighting, outside area if you choose and just small bistro you should not skip!