Neat setting and the service was great BUT the prices for mediocre food is not worth the view! read more

The food was ok... did not come to our table hot. no salad no bread no extras. my husband ordered prime rib, it was cold..and extra charge for fries that were also cold. The wait for food was extra long as well. Manager did apologize but no other action. would no recommend. read more

After an awful experience, awful food and awful service at The Weathervane Restaurant in Charlevoix, MI, I stumbled upon it in Yelp reviews today for some reason. I got such a laugh at the 5 star reviews! Does the restaurant think people are stupid? All the 5 stars even contain professional photos taken directly from their menu! HEY WEATHERVANE! STOP TAKING TIME PUTTING FAKE 5 STAR REVIEWS TO HELP YOUR OVERALL SCORE AND TAKE THAT TIME IMPROVING! Anyone reading this review check out what I am saying, if not a laugh you will be aware of fake positive Yelp reviews! read more

Food was sub par. Had two prime ribs- no flavor, brussel sprouts were burnt and dry. ( I got sick after- vomiting up sprouts and I never vomit). Waitress was uninterested in serving us. Kids running around back and forth between both ends of restaurant. Not one server or manager including parents told them to stop. AVOID this place. It was a waste $93.00 + for us, plus the inconvenience of getting sick from the food. Cold atmosphere. We were here on 6/13/2024. read more

I got the French toast with an Arnold Palmer (great), The service was quick i got about 5 arnold palmers all delivered super fast. 10/10 would recommend! read more

Disappointed. Have been coming here for 30 years... They have a great view and it's gone so far away from the things that made it great before that this will be the last time we come here. The morel "bisque" soup is a frozen mushroom base reheated with some morel pieces thrown in. Canned soup from a super market is easily better. It was the consistency of condensed soup with just a touch of milk. Served barely warm. The bread... why bother serving this? It was like they bought it packaged from a supermarket and somehow added what may have been a touch of rosemary to the bottom and spread some butter on top to make it look homemade. The Bibb salad was whatever...not bad, just not good either. Nothing noteworthy there. The service was well, slow. Yes, there's a labor shortage. At the prices they charge, they should be able to attract an adequate staff. Their competitors have and there's no issue with staffing there. Confusing to us all, was that they stopped serving all the things that used to be wonderful and what made us want to return. No perch on the menu. This restaurant sits on the channel that links Lake Michigan to Lake Charlevoix and there's no perch. No smoked whitefish pate (what we came here). They used to have a fantastic bread assortment - it USED TO BE incredible. Not today. No more. The waiter told us that they hired a new chef who made changes to the menu. I guess he was fed up with having happy customers. Will not return. Not recommended. I'm not here to push their competitors, who do offer a better experience. Message me if you're interested in my opinion of better alternatives. I added a photo of this awful soup. read more

Wonderful service food. Great views watching boaters in the canal and watching the drawbridge sitting on their patio.

Quite possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had - tempura whitefish that had real flavor, plus nice fries and slaw. Ask to be seated near the fireplace if you can - or check it out on the way in or out. There is a nine-ton boulder at the top, and a massive meteorite at the bottom right as you look at the fireplace. The creation of Earl Young, the fanciful architect of Charlevoix' "Mushroom Houses" and more. My only complaint: a very small waiting area so if you have to wait for a table, dress for the weather! (The Yelp-enabled texting service is great at telling you when your table is ready so you can stroll around or even watch the drawbridge go up and down if you're lucky) read more

Great experience!!!!! Went to the Weathervane Restaurant on Aug 8 for dinner. Wanted an outside seat to look at the water, boats and draw bridge with my wife. None were available so the host put us on a wait list. Less than 10 minutes later he called us to say our table was ready:))). Great job Host!!! Our waiter, Mitchell, was outstanding! Very polite accommodating and great conversationalist!!! The food was excellent!!!! Spare ribs and whitefish on a plank! My wife is Gluten free and they did a great job accommodating us. Prices are reasonable!! Highly recommend the Weathervane for an elegant, comfortable dinner on the channel watching the boats go by and the draw bridge going up and down on the half hour. A delightful experience! Thank you Weathervane!!! read more

We visited this place with my husband maybe a month ago and I still remember how good the whitefish was. It was super flavorful and cooked to perfection. I appreciated how nicely the mashed potatoes were decorated on the plate. My husband ordered steak bites I believe and he wasn't impressed at all, he said they were really dry and he didn't finish his plate. That's the only reason why I took off a star. It was a cold day and we were seated by a fireplace which was really nice. Our server was very attentive as well. Ordered some clam chowder to share and it was delicious as well. I would definitely come back for the fish and ask to be seated either by the fireplace or by the window, also a very nice view. read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Whitefish on a plank - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Food was good, not great. Service was poor. I understand it's a strange time with labor shortages, but please, try to behave as if you like your work..... bartender wasn't having a good day. read more

We enjoyed the whitefish here so much, we came back for a second visit. I had both the fried and planked versions. Both were fresh and flaky. I slightly preferred the planked with mashed potatoes. Service was fast and friendly, considering it was early stages of re-opening the dining room during COVID. I felt assured that precautions were taken to keep both staff and customers safe and I appreciated that. read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Fried whitefish n chips - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

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We didn't even get a chance to sample the food . The host was the most obnoxious young man I have ever seen in my life getting information from him was like pulling teeth. He statedthat they were full and couldn't take us. probably 2/3 of restaurant was empty. When I asked him about it, instead of saying something like sorry we're really understaffed it was very rudely stated like Ithe staffing issue was caused by people wanting to dine at 8pm. He was just rude. If he is any indication whatsoever what the restaurant is like I don't want to go. read more

Too expensive for the quality of the food. It tried hard to be a nice place, but the whitefish egg roll was very bland and the vegetables were cold. I did like my chicken Wellington and turtle dessert, so that's why it is a 3 star, not lower. read more

We used to eat at the Weathervane several times a summer but the prices keep increasing while service and food quality goes down. Decided to give it another try a few days ago and realized there's no need to go back. The bill for the three of us was a ridiculous $164 pretax. $21 of that was for the margarita I ordered with their well tequila. When I questioned the price the server told me it was due to the way it was prepared - as in they pour more than one shot in a margarita which makes the price go up. Huh? It was a decent drink but definitely not worth $21. The food was good but not worth the high prices. My steak frites was just that - a small bistro steak and fries. No veg and the side salad was $13 for lettuce, some pickled onions and goat cheese. I'd guess food cost for that salad was a buck fifty. My husband's pork chop was good with a morel mushroom sauce but was a whopping $43. Served with mashed potatoes and nothing else. The portions were anything but hearty and they no longer serve bread. Our server was cheerful and efficient but clueless when I questioned my pricey drink. Dessert was good - the cream puff and crème brûlée - and we definitely had room. We thought we got lucky getting a table at 5:30 on a Friday but the place was half empty. I suspect people are over the small plates and stupidly high prices. Cool building, awesome view and lots of potential but the Weathervane isn't the excellent restaurant it used to be, it's mediocre at best. Argonne House and Grey Gables are much better options for a nice meal in Charlevoix. read more

Service was excellent which matched the amazing food. Great views of sailboats entering and leaving Lake Charlevoix.

Food is good. The drinks are little pricey though. Nice experience with the happenings of the "dine & drawbridge ". I had lamb. Jim had burger. read more

I just want to say this before posting this, I've worked in the restaurant world for about 12 years now, and I get tough times happen. No business will run smoothly 24/7. But after countless visits from the beginning of summer to now, I've been disappointed time after time. To the point, i decided to create an account for the first time to post an honest review. There's a clear issue with the kitchen and a clear issue with the quality of training. Just doesn't seem to be as friendly as a place as it used to be. Hell, you can even see the responses the GM gives to criticism, just not what it used to be. Advice Communication, friendliness, and a smile goes far. Sure, that's not gonna make everyone happy, but it'll be better than nothing. Other places in the area I recommend The villager, Happy Troll, and the tap room. Sure, these places are by no means fancy, but if you are looking for good service and good quality of food, these are great places. But in all honesty, you aren't paying for a high-class environment as you once had around 2018. You're paying for the view souly. I hope the best for this establishment. I've seen very good faces in this building, and it saddens me it has been tanted lately with certain people associated with the restaurant. But in all honesty, it starts from the top and goes down. Until these issues are addressed, I feel like the small town of charlevoix will continue avoiding the once crown'd king of charlevoix. read more

This use to be our favorite spot in Charlevoix but it is no longer. I was really looking forward to celebrating my birthday here but it was very disappointing. They got rid of our favorite lobster Mac and cheese and lots of the menu seems fried with heavy breading. The breaded chicken dish I ordered had boiled veggies on top yet it was very expensive ($26 if I remember correctly). On top of this the waiter was rude...who doesn't know what a pain killer drink is? I told him we were celebrating my birthday and I think he thought I was lying to try to get free food or something...he didn't even say "happy birthday". I don't think we will be back although we will miss the views. read more

Weathervane Restaurant - View from our table - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Can't tell you anything about the food because we never got any. We were visiting friends who have been to this place many times over the years. Seated outside quickly, order taken and that is all. We were never even given water let alone the food or drinks we ordered. Our friend went in and asked what was up and still, nothing. After 40 minutes we walked out. Too bad couldn't give 0 stars. read more

They mean well and do have the best location but good gravy do they waste all that potential with very poor food and poor service. These are easy fixes and they really ought to spend some time improving their game. Had the lobster roll-yuck!!! Also they were out of numerous items from the food and bar menu on 4th of July weekend!!! read more

Terrible. Rude service. We had the afternoon menu. Way overpriced and food - meh. Additional credit card charge. Lame.

I have been eating at the Weathervane for decades. I think I had my last meal there as it was terrible. Our waitress gets bonus points but the bussing staff? Three walked past our table and first no silverware or napkins (I sat for long enough that my soup was Luke warm), no water refill and no dish clearing. Post Covid, expecting bad service is norm for most places, but a Stafford's restaurant??? Then the food. Terrible. Brown lettuce salad, too much raw liquor in the soup and no taste Cesar and ranch dressing. The view is still good. But you can picnic at the park and open a bagged salad for a better experience. read more

Food is ok but pricey. Went with my son and daughter, spouses and my toddler granddaughter. Service was fine. Total bill including only two cocktails was $320 plus tip. Two things annoyed me: they charged me $10 for bread(small pieces of focaccia and French bread with oil and vinegar that probably cost restaurant $1). And they charged a 3% credit card fee. Why nickel and dime me? Just increase your prices for the food. I expected to pay top dollar for a restaurant in the middle of scenic Charlevoix. So instead of leaving with the impression of a restaurant with decent but somewhat pricey food, my impression is a restaurant where management is trying to squeeze every last cent out of you. Not a good look from my perspective. read more

Wouldn't go back. The best part was the view of the lake on the deck. Our server was nice but our drinks didn't come until our food came and half of our food didn't even come until we were done with the other half. Food was not impressive for the price either. read more

The food was pretty good I got mac n' cheese because I hoped it would be good and it was ok I got sat outside and the view was amazing The food took a long time to get and for waiting that long it was not worth the wait But the staff was pretty friendly and nice. Overall 3.6/4 stars read more

We sat on patio, ordered whitefish and walleye dishes in which both were good, but nothing memorable. We observed that the focus of server and front of house hostess is to turn tables as quickly as possible, this truly ruins the dining experience. We did find the high quality paper napkins somewhat unique, while everything else average. We decided to have our port, after dinner drinks, and chocolate at Vue on other side of canal... which was a great decision! In addition, we learned Petoskey restaurants take reservations and offer higher quality of service. read more

Service was good. But food was dry, and not what we ordered. The waitress helped make it better as it was our anniversary.

We have come to this restaurant for more than 20 years. Typically very reliable good meals. Clearly there's been a significant change in recent weeks. The usual menu items are no longer available but more importantly, the kitchen and wait staff clearly don't communicate. After waiting for our ordered entrees over 40 minutes, waiter returned to inform us they were out of Caesar salad and could not make the whitefish dairy free! Worse than that, the so called "manager " (Philip) finally comes after requesting him, and he doesn't apologize, offers no solution's to address the situation. Could barely apologize until someone in our party of 5 said "what can you do to help make the situation better " to which he answers- I'll give you a $25 certificate for your next visit. Are you kidding me?? We just wanted solutions so everyone at our table could eat. Multiple items (not just one) wasn't available. Saturday of a holiday weekend and they had no Caesar salads (after ordering them and waiting 30 minutes for them). Then they told us they had no broccolini (again, after ordering it only to be told 30+ minutes later- "oops, we're out of that also". Clearly management has no oversight and they alleged manager on duty, is poorly trained with no skill set to even try and do a service recovery. I rarely complain about food service given all the staffing struggles most places have these days, but this wasn't a staffing issue- it was a complete failure of management. read more

Do not go when crowded. We waited almost an hour for our food. My fish was barely warm. My friend's prime rib was cold. How he ate it, I don't know. I had one bite and could hardly swallow the cold meat. The manager (Julie) came up to our table and actually asked if the food was served "At least warm?" We told her no. She apologized and quickly walked away. That's it. They made no attempt to fix it. They charged him full price - for a cold steak. read more

Great views. Food okay paying for the view. Asked to sample a wine. They don't "sample" anymore. Never been turned down a sample of wine at a restaurant before. Restaurant 1/4 full so it wasn't because they were busy. Waitress then copped an attitude. Found out after dining waitress should have brought our table bread. read more

Zero stars are not available, unfortunately ! We have given this place 3 chances and the service is so bad, we have never had the opportunity to eat there. First time, server argued with us that when you order a Budweiser, you get a bud light and refused to bring the correct one. 2nd time, bartender gave everyone a free shot because she made too much. Then never returned and hung out with guys at the end of the bar. 3rd time, last night sat at the bar ordered a drink and menu. Watched the bartender wait on other people, clean tables etc. never brought us anything. I asked if we were invisible. He laughed. Nice service! read more

Another visit here. Food & service was great. Molly our waitress was awesome! Ate in the bar - No Wait & fast service on a packed Sunday evening prime time. We'll try her again read more

Weathervane Restaurant - Swordfish - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

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RAW CHICKEN on my salad. New owners took over and are ruining this place. All the long time staff is gone, we were told they were fired. No idea if that is true. But given the new terrible service and raw chicken, we will not be back. So disappointed. It was a favorite to take our guests. read more

Really bad service, long wait which was fine but the food turned up ice cold. Manager said that the food was cold bc the kitchen was busy?? If anything it should've been burning hot when it turned up an hour after ordering. Manager was very rude and not willing to come to any resolution and said that there was nothing she could do. Not impressed, wouldn't recommend lol. Wish I could give -3 stars... read more

Great food and good location! It was good place for dinner with my family. The food was just okay though. Some of our dishes came out lukewarm. read more

Not worth the cost anymore. Used to love coming here even in the winter. Service people were not friendly...no salad... no bread! New owners have ruined it! read more

The Weathervane has always been one of my favorite restaurants in the 20 years I've been coming to Harbor Springs. I live here full time now and was anxious to take my houseguests for her birthday. I couldn't have been more disappointed. Apparently the new management has changed the menu and I couldn't find anything that was appealing. None of the old favorites. Not even an appetizer. So not impressed. Maybe lunch menu is better. While I was disappointed with the menu I have to say that our waitress Lily was delightful. Also still love the Earl Young building so I hope they put back some of the favorites. read more

*FOOD POISONING UPATE* 8/13/18 After we left, my family got food poisoning from the fish! Salmon and the fish and chips! Do not eat the fish! We are very disappointed; this is an upscale, expensive restaurant and the food should be fresh and healthy! We will not be back! 8/12/18 Delicious and inventive food and great drinks with an amazing waterfront river view. We had a blast watching the boats float down the river and the food was very delicious and high quality. The only reason it's not 5 Stars is because the service was lackluster and a bit slow, but it's still a great place. read more

We had a party of 10 and they refused to seat us. They wouldn't do more than a party of 7. We asked for just two tables together and they refused, they said they would only do it by seating us separately with separate servers. Kicker is that they weren't even busy. read more