Good food, good service and your right on the river. Highly recommend casual attire and good beer. Watch the bridge open and let the boats go through. Bring the kids or just a girls night out. read more

15 years of wonderful food and service, year round, as a vacation home owner in Charlevoix. Happy Hour in Winter extra fun.

We had lunch 2 days ago at Weathervane. The food was good but we were treated unfairly. We waited 45 mn and asked for a table outside. After 45 mn were given the worse table in the back of the terrace and when asked we were told that the best tables were reserved. This was false as no one showed up and we stayed at our table. We realized then that we were discriminated. Being from France and with an accent. They should be ashamed read more

Much of what makes for a good restaurant is the staff. Last week my wife and I decided to visit the Weathervane again as we do from time to time and on this occasion we took a table in the bar area. During the meal my wife noticed that one of the woman bartenders was talking rather loudly and was not saying nice things about the other workers at the restaurant. And I mean the crap she was saying was toxic. She didn't have a good thing to say about any of her fellow workers and seemed to have it out for her boss, too. I've always enjoyed the Weathervane, but if this is the type of female help they have to hire then they have a problem. This woman had brown hair (hint to management) and needs to find a job somewhere else or we will find a restaurant somewhere else. Oh, the food was OK. Oh, and I just got a private message from a Heather T in Charlevoix....if you're the chick behind the bar badmouthing your fellow employees, I hope you find gainful employment elsewhere....you're not doing the Weathervane any service. read more

A "shout-out" to Paul (one of the people at the Reception Desk) tonight. (8/4/19). When my fiancé stumbled in getting out of the car preparatory to coming in for our dinner---very good, served hot, and service excellent--he came out to assist and afterwards brought out an ice pack. Sometimes it's the "small things" that make a difference. The Weathervane is an excellent place to dine and enjoy the harbor/boats and Paul helps to make the whole experience a great one! read more

Very disappointing meal at an interesting building with a fabulous view. We sat on the porch of the Earl Young-designed masterpiece, which is lovely. We watched the drawbridge raising and lowering as Cris Crafts, cruising yachts, cigarette boats and ocean-worthy sailboats past from Round Lake out to Lake Michigan. The high praise ends here. Our server kindly greeted us and said she'd be back in a few minutes to take our order which we appreciated but after that it seemed her visits were few and far between. The food was very disappointing beginning with the bread which is supposed to maybe be pretzel rolls but were flavorless and tasted like they were from a discount grocery store. Come to think of it, maybe they were supposed to be brioche rolls which I noticed elsewhere on the menu but other than their color, they were a far cry. We were a party of 6 and ordered 4 out of 5 salads on the menu. Most notable were the Caprese and Round Lake. The latter had bibb lettuce, walnuts, dried cranberry, red pear and white cheddar with a cranberry vinaigrette. It had absolutely no flavor. I tasted no citrus or vinegar to brighten up the vinaigrette and couldn't detect any salt or pepper, very watery. We are in the height of summer where produce in Michigan is peak and yet the fruit and vegetables had no flavor. My daughter had their version of a Caprese salad which was straight from the bag Sysco spring mix with one giant tomato slice, gloppy balsamic dressing and Asiago cheese shavings sprinkled on top for some weird reason. All you needed was a tomato from the farmers market and some fresh mozzarella with even mediocre balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper but they couldn't get it right. The entree's were a further disappointment. My mother had the veggie burger. For some reason on the menu it says "a vegetarian gluten free black bean burger is available upon request". Do they think vegetarians are also gluten free? Shouldn't they just say gluten free buns available? It looked like another freezer special. My daughter did like the John Cross planked white fish which makes sense because if it's truly from John Cross it was caught and prepared right here in town. I had the chili lime shrimp and baguette from the starters menu as my appetizer. While the shrimp was tender it was drowning in a tepid cream sauce with no hint of chili heat OR lime with clumps of melted Parmesan shavings in it. And the toasted baguettes were nicely crunchy and golden on top but completely white bread and pasty just underneath the surface. The biggest fail was my vegetarian daughter who ordered the $24 chicken fettuccine forrestiere sans chicken. It's supposed to be a Marsala wild mushroom cream sauce but it tasted like flour and water, no hint of the Marsala and no wild mushrooms, they looked like maybe baby cultivated portabello-nothing wild about that shroom! Worst of all was that the tri-colored fettuccine was actually cold! They had probably placed some cold pre-cooked pasta into a very hot bowl and poured their gross luke warm sauce over the top. The colorful carrot and asparagus spears served in the same bowl were also room temperature and completely bland. I understand that it's hard to get fresh produce up north in the winter but there is no excuse for the flavorless, poor quality food they served in peak season at top prices. Unfortunately we will never return to enjoy this special view because the food was so horrible. Maybe it would be nice to have a drink on the deck but do not eat here! read more

Had order their fish and chips beware they Don't remove the bottom of fish the grey part. Yucky never had fish and chips this way. Very disappointing especially for a upscale restaurant. read more

The only redeeming quality of this restaurant is it's location, which is inarguably perfect. Right on the river inlet into round lake with a view of boats being let through under the drawbridge. That said, I imagine it's the only reason they still draw business. The food is terrible, the kind you'd expect at a banquet in 1978. I couldn't even finish my filet mignon, which was a first. Don't be drawn in by the drawbridge. read more

I love me some chowder, and this was great. We stopped in for a light snack and a couple cocktails on the deck. Great atmosphere, wonderful service, and the snacks were excellent. Had a cup of the chowder and we had the caprice salad. Both excellent. Great selection of local Michigan beers as well. read more

We really enjoyed our meal here... get the whitefish and appetizer of lamb. Avoid the steaks; meh. Great wine prices - barely marked up at all. Our server was very sweet too! read more

We've eaten here several times, and always recommend it to our out-of-town guests. Is it perfect? No, but compared to many Charlevoix restaurants you actually feel like you get your money's worth. I've never had a bad meal here. The food is always fresh and cooked by a hand that knows how. The bar service has always left me annoyed with their lack of attention to the guests, so we just don't stop in for a drink before dinner. Hopefully someday Charlevoix will be a foodie-town, but until then this is your best bet. read more

The view is spectacular especially on a beautiful day when there is no clouds in the sky. I went for lunch and was pleasantly surprised at how well me and BF were treated by the waitstaff. I had the planked whitefish and BF had a fish sandwich. The food was tasty, no problems. I read previous reviews on Yelp where people did not have great service and sometimes the food was mediocre. I am very happy to state that this was not the case last week. Will try this restaurant again and hopefully will receive the same service and food as previously. Being in Northern Michigan and right on Lake Michigan, of course, it is a tourist trap, but this Yelper finds The Weathervane Restaurant worthy of the price range. read more

I'll give credit that the restaurant was serving not only their regular service but also the wedding party I was with, however it still wasn't that great. The view is nice and the decor is ok, but the food was lacking. The salad was mediocre, the fish I ordered was dry and I spent more time enjoying the side of vegetables, and the mousse dessert was too thick. read more

The food here is phenomenal. Best French onion soup I've ever had, cherry salad and crab crusted tilapia.

The best baked whitefish I've eaten in CHarlevoix, EVER! Tender, moist, served piping hot and w/ fresh asparagus. Server Gail is truly a Pro! read more

Stoped in for lunch while waiting for our hotel room.we were was pleasantly surprised the view was perfect the windows were so clean!!! I hate when you go somewhere with a view and the windows are dirty!!! The whitefish was delicious my husband had a hamburger special that he liked. We came back after our sunset cruise and had coffee and dessert, yummy read more

the weathervane is my favorite restaurant. the salmon dinner is delicious. we ate the on the way to the charlevoix inn. read more

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We were driving through Charlevoix on our way up north. We called to find out if they were on a wait. It was a Tuesday (July 26, 2016) evening at 6:45. We asked the gal on the phone "hello I was wondering if you are on a wait?" Her reply was "of course." in a demeaning way. I then asked her "ok how long of a wait is it?" Her reply....."that depends". Period. Ten seconds of silence and I said "ok thank you" and hung up the phone. No way I'm patronizing that restaurant. I've never been spoken to so rudely by someone who "wants" my business. read more

Just stopped here for lunch after bicycling in from Petoskey. It's conveniently near the bike trail. Food and service were acceptable. View is magnificent. Three star rating only because music was blaring to the point where we couldn't have a conversation at our table. Had to ask waiter to turn it down a bit. Plus music selection was pretty bad. Do we really need Blink 182 blasting as we try to enjoy the view and our lunch companions? Couldn't the music be more universally appealing, like jazz or something? read more

Great restaurant, amazing food! I've been coming here since I was a kid, and the food has always been great. Rotating menu every so often keeps options fresh, but the mainstay items are always there. Oak planked whitefish on the deck in the summer is the best. read more

Great patio, The bacon jam burger was very good. View from patio is pretty, Your next to canal for boats going out on Lake Michigan

Having been on the water all day we came in for a friendly experience and light food at the bar and specifically to watch the Olympics. Food was just what I was looking for; tasty chowder and a small wedge salad. My husband was pleased w the bacon burger he had. It's the service that was lagging, felt like we were an inconvenience to our waitress. Several employees around but no hospitality after 8pm..They'r all had a foot out the door! Except young Johnny who should have taken our order as he had the personality behind the bar. Charlevoix deserves hospitality and maybe it's the chamber that should address it w businesses. read more

We thought The Weathervane was wonderful. We were there on a cold, blustery night so couldn't enjoy the beauty of the outdoors, but the whitefish (special on Wednesday nights) was excellent. Service was very diligent and the creme brulee was wonderful! Wouldn't hesitate to go again, hopefully in the summer! read more

Service was great but the meal quality was not good. I asked the waitress about the fish but she suggested the tenderloin and shrimp special, so I took her advice. The steak was approximately 3 oz (but tasted good) and the shrimp was ok but there was a heavy sauce all over both. The asparagus was over cooked and the mashed potatoes had a strange (not real) taste. We will not be back. Sad because the view over the river was awesome. read more

Tourists come here...very average food and pricy for the quality of it. View is great and that is why people come here cause it certainly isn't for the food which is too bad because a very long time ago it used to be awesome. read more

Great place on the river. Watching the boats come and go in the channel. Food was terrific and the service was stellar. Great weather and people watching didn't hurt the experience. I will return again. Nice job. read more

We made reservations early in the week for a Saturday evening. We were seated at a table in the back room where the sun comes in and no air was turned on. When we asked for another table we were told it wasn't possible, even though there were many open. They did say they would make sure the air was turned on. It never did come on. We ordered a bottle of the Jordan Cabernet that the menu listed as a 2008. When the bottle came it was a 2010. When we inquired about the difference of the dates we were told that the menu states that the year could not be guaranteed. We were ok with that but asked if they then adjusted the price to reflect the different year. The waiter said he would talk to the manager. The manager never came to the table and when we asked before ordering a second bottle we were told he was too busy. The second bottle of another variety was also a different year than what was on the menu, even though we asked them to only bring it if it was the correct year.. The food was mediocre, great whitefish but poor ribs and steak. The view is the main reason to visit. read more

The food was amazing, drinks were great, location epic...bartender/server was miserable. Looked like she hates her life but despite her brutality, would return for the atmosphere and food read more

Great view on the patio. The wine list is great and the service is amazing. I got the cedar plank salmon it was great super tasty with a lot of cedar flavor. The potatoes were also very good that came with it. It was super fun to watch the bridge go up and down while eating. My husband got a burger that was super tasty cooked to perfection. read more

ASHLEY A's a great server and my wife had some of the best whitefish we've ever eaten. I also had some great chilled cherry soup. We would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

The first I loved about this place is the view on their deck. It is right besides the bridge. I ordered vegetarian croissant sandwich. It was fresh with crunchy vegetables. I really liked the chips given with my sandwich. My sister ordered crepes salad and I liked that too. Fresh and full of flavor! The drinks were not that amazing. read more

Definitely need reservations, and you need to make them at least a day in advance for dinner. Nice patio and it's great to sit and watch people, boats, and the drawbridge. The lobster mac n cheese and french onion soup was great. I ordered the special, which was a chicken pasty. It was a little dry and not that much flavor, but the crust was good. read more

Food was excellent! There was a pretty long wait, so I'd go early if you have to go places afterwards. But definitely recommend for family dinners. read more

Good atmosphere and view of the channel and drawbridge. A bit touristy but the locals seem to enjoy too. Thought it would be more pricey but was not too bad. Had the Lobster & Shrimp Fucelli with Asparagus "tips". Was very good but was short on Lobster, and the Asparagus was more than tips. Still very good. Morel Mushroom soup was pretty good as well. Got chilly on the patio when the breeze picked up and clouds came in. Take a sweater or sweatshirt if temps are mild. read more

Amazing food and service. As well as having a beautiful view of the river, Lake Michigan, and the bridge, which is very entertaining for kids. And super kid friendly! read more

Very exciting menu. I had a salad which was delicious. Nice view of the water on Lake Charlevoix. Several in my party had the white fish wrap which looked good. read more

Great service and excellent food. Go for dinner! It has only 3.5 stars because the lunch is mediocre but it's easily the best dinner in town! Cherry soup and steaks are delicious. Ooh and they have a great cocktail list ;) read more

Ate here last June with my mom. I had the planked whitefish, which was delicious. I think you are mainly paying for the ambience, we ate out on the terrace. Edgewater Bistro across the street has better/more interesting food. read more

Had lunch here with my husband and baby. Husband got the french dip sandwich and thought it was amazing. I got the fish and chips and thought it was great. We sat on the patio, which had a very nice view. The service was great; everyone was very helpful and friendly. I would recommend eating here. read more

I had a nice meal. My wife enjoyed hers as well. The service was good, not great. Really nice views of the inlet. Boats coming and going. read more