Really nice restaurant located on a hill adjacent to US 23. The restaurant was recommended by some…read morelocal friends and it did not disappoint! As we entered the restaurant you could see their commercial grade smoker going with inviting aroma's of smoked meats wafting through the air creating both a nice visual and a mouth watering invitation to enter the restaurant. I get a kick out of these these bad boy smokers as too often they are hidden behind the restaurant. Relative to our meal, we got the Cod Fish and chips and the full rack of baby backed smoked ribs. Both entree's were well made and very tasty, especially the ribs, where the the portion size were so large we could easily have split both of these meals into two which is something I would suggest if you are coming here and usually eat a small to moderate portion size. For drinks we got their Old Fashioned which was well made and quite tasty in its own right but a tad small volume wise in my opinion. I normally expect 2 full oz's of Bourbon in my drink and not sure this drink hit that mark. Just a minor gripe here and did not detract from my meal by any means as evidenced by the 5 stars. Relative to staff and facility, the staff was super friendly with great follow up where the facility I would describe as clean, a bit rustic (in a good way) and most importantly a comfy environment to enjoy your meal in. Also, as it was a Friday nite and a band started playing later in the evening that just added another layer of goodness about this business and overall dining experience. Overall, I am a big fan as this business as hits on all cylinders when it comes to a nice dining experience and one not to be missed if you are in the area. As a cautionary note, they get real busy right around 5 pm on a Friday with a waiting list that moves fairly quickly. I am assuming the same thing probably happens on Saturday. if you want to get seated immediately on those evenings you should probably arrive a tad bit in front of 5pm to avoid the wait.

The Mountain is a lovely little community gathering place as well as a stop from here to there…read more While I reside in the Metro Detroit area, I have family in the idyllic environs of Michigan's northeast. I've split my time between "down below" and "up north" for the better part of 30 years and counting. While we don't frequently eat out when in our second home, we do tend to gravitate toward the ones that have been appealing. The Mountain is one of them. On the surface, The Mountain may seem like a run-of-the-mill rural bar-n-grill. Hardwood structure with the classic rural decor, a hunting/camping motif evoking a sense of a lodge or luxurious cabin. The menu may also seem, on the surface, to be all over the place, ranging from the classic burgers-n-fries to steaks and pasta to pizza. It would be a mistake to dismiss The Mountain's menu in a condescending "oh look, they're trying so hard." No, they not only try, but excel. I've been to The Mountain a few times, enough to where I know -- as a down-stater -- that The Mountain's pizzas could easily compete with and oftentimes surpass some of the more celebrated pizza outlets situated in the suburban and urban areas of Michigan. Detroit-style pizza is no longer the exclusive domain of Detroit. What I sampled of what The Mountain calls "deep dish" was easily in the upper echelons of Detroit-style, competing in a field filled with the likes of Buddy's, Green Lantern, Jet's, or any number of independent or franchise chain locations. (I say "what is called" because when I read "deep dish," my instinct was to expect to Chicago-style) I've had their traditional round pizza. I've had burgers and sandwiches. I've yet to be disappointed at the quality of food and prep but also the service, which, for us, has always thus far been kind and accommodating. I've taken my whole family to The Mountain, I've taken just my daughter and mother-in-law for lunch, and I've gone solo later at night. Each time, I've left satisfied with the meal and the experience. Even if there are some improvements to be made with some dishes, they've been open to feedback and constructive criticism (like with any establishment, just don't be a jerk about it). The Mountain is one of this metro-Detroit guy's go-to places. May they always be that gem on US-23.

Best Italian restaurant in the area hands down and one of the better restaurants in general. They…read moremake all the traditional Italian dishes one would expect to see at a fine upscale restaurant that you would find in any big cosmopolitan city along with other entree's to include fish, steak and chicken options. Food is well prepared with great visuals and most importantly tastes great. Setting has a nice darker rustic comfy vibe to it with a large gas fired pizza oven going on one side with fresh and oh so tasty bread cooking away which adds a nice Italian accent to the setting. Restaurant also has a full service bar where my Old Fashioned was very well made and oh so tasty in its own right. Also just as important, especially for an Italian restaurant, they have a very nice wine list to choose from. Overall, if you are in the north eastern side of the state and your pallet leans towards fine cuisine than this is a must visit restaurant as you will not be disappointed.

So excited to try this place based on the reviews! Our cocktails (spruce smash) were great! Soups,…read moresalad and bread were delicious! Giving us such high hopes for our entrees. I had the shrimp scampi. It came with 5 small shrimp. A ton of pasta, which the pasta and sauce were really good. But for $30+ I expect more than 5 measley shrimp! When I asked the waiter he said he would ask the chef. Came back and said 4-5 based on the size of the shrimp. The other entrees at our table were over cooked and dry. Like they had been sitting under a heat light for a while. Big bummer. No management to be seen. Which is sad for the wait staff to not have back up or support. Mediocre at best. For the money, not worth it.

It started many years ago when I was in single digit years of age. At my current age of 37, I…read morerecollect memories that transcend many ideas of service including the aspect of intelligence from the staff in the form of understanding, as well as their attention to the patrons of the establishment. Every time I've stepped foot into this place, I was met with a hearty hello, or a few hey expressions or a hi there! The patrons of this establishment today were extremely pleasant. I love the atmosphere nowadays as well as how it was in the old days and the fact that it is just a wonderful place to unwind from a few months of stress, or go have a good time on the weekends during the seasons that welcome patrons from around not just Alpena, but Michigan itself as well as some random appearances from people out of state. Overall if I wanted to rate this business I would have to give it a 5 and a half stars out of 5. Truly phenomenal to be a person who enjoys the ambience of a space that resembles awesomeness! Thank you. For reference, no I was not drinking at this establishment before legal age, I actually had enjoyed some food and occasional work as a child such as wiping the bar down or sweeping the floor etc.

Very friendly tavern, beer was nice and cold. It's pretty dark in there but it is a tavern. Service…read morecould be just a little better as we waited for about 10 minutes before getting served. In their defense they were in the middle of stocking their coolers.

Ate here for a sunset dinner at the end of August while in town visiting Alpena, MI. The betters…read moreare served with a warm, fresh loaf of bread which I recommend you pair with the French onion soup. We had the wallet and Tuscan chicken which were both done nicely. The cocktails were below average, espresso martini was mostly just a cream. Almost a milkshake. Our service was smooth and fine. Overall a pretty pricey place, but worth it if you're looking to shake things up with a nice dinner out of town on the water. Get a table outside on a warm sunny afternoon in the summer if you can.

So embarrassed …read more.... I had hyped up C.P.I. for days to my family to only be humiliated by being served C- level food! Their faces told the real tale :( of sheer disappointment! This is NOT the artisanal bread we loved - this was mushy & underwhelming not crunchy with a beautiful textured dough that one could not stop eating. WOW, what a let down! The oysters were below average as they tasted like a clump of bread crumbs. The salad was void of dressing :( I am a huge fan of short ribs - these were sooooo rich that one quickly reached their limit after the 1st short rib! The sauce was toooo strong!! Three plates of short ribs & nobody enjoyed it!! Speaks volumes!! The pasta looked like leftover mush as it was overcooked to the point it was pasty as it lost it's texture. So SAD!!! :( Hungry Man t.v. dinner mash potatoes overexceed the flavor profile of their version of mash potatoes. They were completely void of seasoning - everything was just medicore at best! WTH happened!!! To add insult to injury the dessert bombed! A boxed dessert would have sufficed - for this level of restaurant & price points our $350 dollars would have been better spent at our local supermarket! The ONE star was for our server! I wish Yelp had a separate category for service as our server truly earned all 5 stars. She didn't miss a beat- we appreciated it. The cook needs to go back to the drawing board :( Will not return - will not recommend until a legitimate cook takes over! One of the worst dinning experience in years!!!!!

Boyfriend and I are out of town for a little vacation before our baby girl makes her appearance in…read morethe world. He asked a local what's good around for dinner and they recommended this place. Although it was a bar and neither of us are drinkers, it was really nice! The layout was open enough that it didn't feel quite like a bar, the server was super sweet and accommodating, and the food was EXCELLENT. If we were ever around this way again we would definitely come back here!

Great pizza and nice folks! Good place to grab a beer after…read morebeing on the lake. Heard good things about the wet burrito, but we stuck to the pizza. Will try it next time.

Quick stop after golf. Perfectly cooked burger, no upcharge for waffle fries, Spicy Italian pizza…read morewas DELICIOUS! Sam the server was very attentive. Great place to watch your favorite teams too.

The service was pretty solid, servers were very nice but since we were the only table in a certain…read moresection it was out of their way a bit, but no biggie. The bread was soaked in what I assume was maybe garlic butter but it tasted like it was from a popcorn machine. Everyone ordered something different and the consensus was everything was sub par except for the lasagna. Perch was filled with bones, pizza was super oily and saturated from the pan it was on, shrimp was just okay. We were really excited to try this place but probably won't be back. Give it a chance if you're in the mood for pasta, I suppose.

Went here with my brother and SIL. Always had good food here but for some reason the food was…read moresubpar. The primerib was excellent. The appetizer, calamari , was horrible. more breading than squid. Tasteless. My walleye was the same, more breading and oily. And tasteless. Not worth the price. I used to praise this restaurant for its good food. But sorry not this time. For a Friday night you could do better. Be better.

Amazing transformation with the new owner, great food and service. Awesome TV's for watching…read moresports. Love this place, highly recommended.

Amazing food and atmosphere! Great place for a family dinner, listen to live music, or watch the…read moregame with friends! Love this place!

We came here on a whim, looking for some lunch, as there is nothing else around in the area. We…read morewere exhausted and exceptionally under the weather. A staff member met us at the door and took our temps before going in, she was very friendly. The place was very clean and inviting. The waitress that helped us was wonderful. She was extra nice, understanding, and accommodating. My husband and I split the salmon dinner. All the food was super fresh, my salad was the most fresh I had in a long time. If we are in the area, we will definitely stop here again.

Best wings around. Like the "Sticky Icky". They are cooked well and tastey. Wish they were just a…read morebit bigger.