My husband and I ate here last week while vacationing in Charlevoix and it was wonderful! We were right by the window and loved watching the boats go by. I had prime rib which was the best I have had in years! My husband had the plank and perch which he really loved. Service was friendly and the experience was great. read more

You must have a reservation and it will be busy but the service and the food are amazing. This is the place to order fresh fish and an amazing bottle of wine. Come prepared to linger and be pampered. read more

Great food, wonderful service, excellent views. We have dined at most of the Stafford restaurants, and this one is well above the quality and ambiance of the rest. This is a top restaurant for local businesses to host luncheons, employee appreciation meals, and Christmas parties. The entire experience is reliable and quite high quality; I've had some of the best mashed potatoes I've ever had here! I shake my head at the reviews written by some of the hipsters, who are perhaps more used to Dennys than a nice restaurant. The staff here come around numerous times to ensure everything is 'just right' with your experience; if you don't like something they will take care of it. read more

Place is great and you can't beat the view of the bridge. We had the whitefish tenders and they are amazing, a must get. The whitefish plank was also great! read more

Good service and food. Nice view of the channel from the deck (we ate outside). The menu has a lot to choose from. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meal. The only down side is the outdoor table and chairs are not fancy, and moderately comfortable...steel wicker. We will return for another meal when in the area again. read more

Husband and I went for lunch while passing through Charlevoix. The setting was great, right by the water where you can watch all the boats and draw bridge go up for the larger boats. PROS Great outdoor seating Whitefish sandwich and chicken Torta was good House made chips were our FAVORITE Fast Service CONS A little pricey for what you receive $2.50 for iced tea is a bit too much Overall I would go again next time we're in charlevoix read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Special of the day: whitefish sandwich - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

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Best dining view in Charlevoix. We love the outside seating...watching the drawbridge on the half hour. Plus slight glimpses of the sunset ;) My kids and I love the white fish dip. The Caesar salad was soggy and not so fresh. My husband had the walleye and the morel bisque and loved both. So, in all, good food, great views. read more

Not only a family tradition here, but a staff that truly take their trade serious! Love every experience here for 49+ years! Jennifer I believe is the manager and lives her job. read more

Hands down the best fish sandwich I have ever had. Restaurant is perfectly located on the water, drawbridge is amazing to watch as it is raised to allow boats through. Sara our waitress was amazing!! I will definitely come back before we leave. read more

Food here is excellent and the patio overlooking the water is by far the best seat in town, so be sure to get there early to request a patio seat! The whitefish plank is excellent and the round lake salad is our family favorite. The kids also love watching the bridge go up from the patio and the boats go by! read more

Sitting on the patio was excellent great weather and you can watch the boats go through to the lake. The service was wonderful. Everyone was super friendly and helpful. I order the cherry chicken salad. Which was super tasty with the fruit and dip that came with it. But I thought it would have been a bit larger of a portion for the price. read more

Weathervane Restaurant - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Very disappointed with dinner over the weekend. Limited menu and the prices are outrageous! Dinner salad for $8 ?? There are so many restaurants to go to first. Also had a disappointing fish and chips . read more

Excellent restaurant on canal leading to beautiful Lake Michigan in Charlevoix. Watch the boats as you dine! The Chilled Cherry soup and chicken salad with fresh fruit were the best, and fresh. Our server was a delight and everyone there was very nice. Great dining experience. read more

They may have a nice view and great food but the manager and hostess crew were rude and beyond unwelcoming. There are plenty of other local restaurants with inviting staff and yummy food to go to. This one is arrogant and undeserving. read more

My boyfriend called the restaurant to book a table for 10 people and the gentleman that answered the phone took down my boyfriend's name and number to let him know when it would be ready (estimated time was 1 hour which we completely expected). He called back again about 20-30 minutes later asking if the wait time would be any different if we split into two groups and the woman who answered the phone said 45 minute to an hour (again, not surprising and expected). We decided to pop by the restaurant and see what the wait would be like for 5 people and they said an hour but we had already given our name from the first phone call. However, the woman said they don't do call ahead and asked if we called the restaurant in North Carolina. When my boyfriend asked what the phone number was, she didn't even know. She seemed very inexperienced and confused. It was such a mess of an experience. I was told from another family member that this restaurant is also very stuck up and the food is mediocre (but great views). We don't ever plan on trying to come back - there are other options in town! read more

My family who has traditionally enjoyed the Weathervane annually was shocked at the quality of food they were served! All the food was cold, French fries old, and the Chicken Tenders were so hard they couldn't be consumed! Staffords needs to up their oversight on the quality of its food! I would recommend McDonalds over this meal! Plus it would have saved a ton of money too! read more

Location was nice, but food was mediocre at best. The two young hostesses both had rude attitudes towards our group. Spent $40 on prime rib and when it came out there was a small curly black hair (YUCK) on my mashed potatoes. They took it back and 10 minutes later brought me a new plate with just the mashed potatoes replaced, so the steak itself had gotten cold along with the side of veggies. My waitress said "sorry about that" and that was it, nothing else to comp for it. Most likely won't be coming back. read more

Maybe - possibly - if you live in Charlevoix and this is the only restaurant you've been going to for the last 20 years, you could be under the impression that it's good. However, if you've eaten at a handful of other places, it'll be quite clear to you - the food at Weathervane is terrible. When the meal came out I was unimpressed at the sight of it, and my taste buds took me lower still with the first few bites. It seems like a place without a chef, relying on recipes that have never changed and line cooks who can "execute" them. Then you consider that the planked whitefish is nearly $35 and the frustration sets in. Please - treat yourself to somewhere else - anywhere else. read more

Wow! This is like one of the few restaurants open in Charlevoix this week so we tried it hoping for a nice fish dinner. What a huge disappointment! Extremely rude service... we left the bar before ordering a meal. Just plain awful! read more

We are staying in the condos across the street. My wife is having a lupus flare up and cannot move so going out this evening was not an option. We love this place so much so we thought to go would be great. They told us they would not take a to go order until 830 or nine which was incredibly frustrating considering the reason was that it was a holiday and they were too busy. Based upon their empty patio and the fact that it is 75° outside makes their response confusing. read more

Sitting on their patio in the summer, drinking one of their swoon-worthy cocktails feels magical. Yes, this place is expensive, but you are literally eating over the Channel watching boats pass in Charlevoix if you get there at the right time. This place is a classy restaurant in the heart of town. It's always a highly satisfying meal. The food ranges from good to delicious. Their deserts are yummy as well. They have a well stocked bar, and the service ranges from okay to good. This place has the best range of options for a vegetarian in town. NOTE: They took reasonable COVID precautions, and distanced tables over six feet which makes me think they're also being careful with food safety and respect the health and safety of their servers and customers. read more

Today the girls stopped in for late lunch. Ordered champagne and small plates. Wedge slice was excellent. Whitefish chowder drew raves. Crab cakes and lamb chop pops were both memorable, especially the accompaniments. Then... Peanut butter pie. OMG I've been here hundreds of times. Today, they blew me away. Thank you ! read more

Where else can you get a cup of Morel Soup and watch boats cruise the channel in Charlevoix? The Perch is great, too. So is the service.

I love this place! Perfect location, very friendly staff, wonderful food. My whitefish sandwich and an artichoke and spinach dip was mouthwatering! On top, 6-feet distance is preserved, all the tables are spread! Very nice place! read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Artichoke and spinach dish - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Ate outside on the patio which was nice. Menu is very pricey and IMO not worth the money. I had the walleye which was fried with some sauce topped with a morel mushroom medley. The fish was bland as can be with absolutely zero seasoning. Very dry too. Asparagus and mushrooms were good, but for $34 it should be an outstanding dish. Wife had the chicken dijon which she said was good but not great. $24 for her dish. Artichoke dip was really good and came with a very large portion and crostini's. read more

Service was good, atmosphere and view of the canal are good. Food was average, we both got burgers and they were just ok.

Amazing meal. Starting with the cold cherry soup. I know it doesn't sound good , but it's delish. We also had a great salad with cherries and pears on Bibb lettuce. The meal continued with the white fish and crisp veggies. Although the fish was delicious, it came out cold. I have a hard time sending anything back , so I ate it anyway. It was good all the same. The meal ended with homemade cherry ice cream. If you plan to go there , make reservations with the View. read more

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Great food and great atmosphere. Get there early so you can get a seat on the patio. You will have a great view of the boats coming and going and the draw bridge raising and lowering. read more

Enjoyed great food with amazing ambiance! Would recommend for dinner 100%. Fun to watch the bridge

This place is so organized it's amazing. I also don't know how much they are paying these servers and hosts to be happy because they seem so genuinely nice and happy to work there. We walked in and there was a wait for the patio we put our names in and they texted us when our table was ready which was awesome and convenient. Before our table was ready we waited at the high top tables on the patio near the bar where Maggie served us. She was so sweet and genuine and communicated very well when she would be with us! We asked her many questions about the menu and she did a great job recommending us the mushroom cream soup it had some fancy name that unfortunately I cannot remember it. Then we were ready and the host guided us to the patio seating (which we requested) once we got there someone automatically gave us water and our server, Faith joined not to long after. We gave her our order and then it started to get really cold, once we told the host we wanted the same server just to move us inside, she accommodated right away and was really kind. Faith continued her amazing service with us in the dining room & we had some of the best food. The food was so worth the price! I ordered a NY strip with veggies and mashed potatoes which was amazing and cooked exactly to what my request was Medium rare. My mom ordered the planked white fish which I tried and it was so flavourful and not "fishy" if you know what I mean. Her mashed potatoes where in a different style than mine and slight salty but everything else was cooked to perfection we then ordered the turtle cream puff which was fluffy and delicious! I would absolutely recommend making the stop here if you can, you also get to see the bridge open a few times and have such a lovely view of the water and the smell of the fresh flowers if you sit outside, when you sit inside you can still have a lovely view of the water and the bridge but also a luxurious lit dinner. This was the perfect end to our road trip! :) read more

Weathervane Restaurant - The truffle cream puff - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

i went the the weathervane today and ordered a quinoa bowl. i was expecting a full bowl with enough rice and veggies to suffice my hunger. for $21 i got 1/4 rice and some peppers and cucumbers on the side. granted it tasted yummy however i don't recommend getting this meal if you are actually hungry. read more

The weathervane is such a fun place. They have awesome food and a great location. Always come here when I'm In Charlevoix! read more

Wonderful to sit outside on the terrace in the summertime and watch the boaters. Just a very relaxing place with great food and service.

In a word, The Weathervane food "sucks". Had lunch there while on our annual Northern Michigan family vacation (Walloon Lake) on Thursday, August 4th. We were seated on the patio (my wife and I, with our 19-month old in a high chair) and enjoyed the view of the canal for about fifteen minutes before our waiter even bothered to give us a "hey, w'sup?" (his quotes, not mine). In short, my Cuban sandwich was brutally small (panini bread for a Cuban? Really?) and bland, while the burger my wife ordered could have easily been used as a hockey puck during a Charlevoix winter. Finally, our water glasses were never filled (25 minutes) so I proceeded to get up and grab a water pitcher from the bus station and fill our own waters, as well as clear our own table. It's been 20-years since I've waited tables, and I'm happy to report I still have my chops. Summary; smart-ass, slow and lazy waitstaff food sucks over-priced to help pay their rent... ...which is why you're paying for a view. ONLY go there for a cocktail to watch the sunset. Don't order the food. Awful. cnstratton@gmail.com read more

We had such a fun time here last summer with a table right on the river, food and service were both delicious. They have classic and adventurous dishes, soup was by far my favorite. Great bread too! read more

My family and I went here on a nice summer day for lunch and we were able to sit on the balcony. It was the same day as the Charlevoix marathon, but even though they were busy (we had to leave our name and get a text that our table was ready), the food and service was great once we sat down! My husband and I shared both the ultimate grilled cheese, tomato soup, and the chicken salad plate with fruit and were very happy with our choices! I tasted my mom's morsel soup and that was delicious too! Watching the boats and the drawbridge is always very entertaining too! I have been coming here since I was a child, and we plan to come back next summer! :) read more

I have eaten at the Weathervane many times over the years. They currently have a new menu, but my greatest interest in going there is still to have the oldest thing on their menu: planked whitefish. If the food tonight hadn't been puzzlingly consistent, I would give the Weathervane four stars. However, with eight people in our party, the inconsistencies were easy to spot. Example One: Four of us had the whitefish. Three received delicious, perfectly-cooked fresh fish. The fourth received dry and -- believe it or not -- fishy-smelling and -tasting fish. If I had received it, I would have returned it, but that diner was a teen and chose to cover hers with catsup, Example Two: Fresh fish is more expensive than fresh vegetables. It wouldn't be surprising if a restaurant served small portions of protein. The Weathervane serve large portions of fish, BUT they serve ridiculously small portions of vegetables. We received a golf-ball-sized portion of spaghetti squash and two (!) asparagus HEADS. I am so not kidding. Two of our diners noted that they used to pipe their mashed potatoes all the way around the plate; now they are a quarter of the way around. I would be interested to learn if other people have inconsistent experiences at the Weathervane. And they definitely need to serve larger portions of vegetables! read more

Always love the Weathervane. Consistent quality and professional service. Planked whitefish and then cherry praline ice cream. Great place to bring customers. read more

I don't get the hype. I've had better whitefish at other restaurants, like The Cove in Leland/Fishtown or The Brown Trout in Indian River. The planked whitefish specialty was a complete disappointment for me; it was bland, a tad dry, and, like Angelique a. found, its pathetic accompaniments of two asparagus spears and a few scoops of spaghetti squash almost made me mad. Hubby had the crab-topped whitefish which had far more flavor - crab flavor, since the whitefish was pathetic, but an improvement still. Our server was great and the location is an obvious plus. The outdoor patio's a draw, but avoid the tables right next to the bridge. The traffic noise is intrusive and the smell is off-putting. read more

Excellent food. All fish dishes (white, amberjack, salmon, walleye) were well prepared. Escargot had a cottage cheese-like topping .....interesting preparation and worth trying.....too much cheese for me. Morel soup was superb. Meal for 4 with drinks and tip was $260. read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Atlantic Salmon caught in Torch Lake in 2015. - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan