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Wren

4.5 (88 reviews)
ModerateNew American
Closed • Closed
Updated 3 months ago

Wren New American Restaurant Photos

WREN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Dogs allowed
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Wren

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Amazing cocktail menu

Wren is a MUST stop when you're in Sutton's bay! It's a 5 star quality restaurant hidden in this cute little town! You won't be disappointed!

The BEST tomato soup I've ever had...roasted tomatoes blended w/a bit of fennel and coriander drizzled with a basil oil.
Linda S.

While we try to get up here several times per year, haven't officially reviewed in a few years, so here's the latest experience: Chef Adam is a gifted and innovative chef, utilizing the freshest ingredients, most locally sourced, exquisitely! His staff (love you, Hannah!) and bartender are top notch and knowledgeable/welcoming. Ambiance warm and intimate. Our favorite dining spot...and we travel 6 hours to get here. Our starters and meal pictured below (pictures posted out of order but are labeled): 1) heirloom tomato soup w/chèvre, basil oil and toasted breadcrumb 2) beet fritters w/cabbage salad, kimchi, and black garlic aioli, 3) melon salad w/arugula, prosciutto, basil, honey, shaved melon, and bee pollen, 4) scallops w/oyster mushrooms, spinach, lobster cream, and apricot aigre-doux, and 5) kurobuta pork tenderloin, pumpkin puree, roasted tomato, gremolata, and leek powder. OUTSTANDING DINING ONCE AGAIN! Highly Recommend!

Butterscotch dessert with shortbread
TLynne S.

We managed to score a last minute reservation on a Saturday evening and we are so happy that we did! This is a cute, cozy place! The food and serve are phenomenal; It was nice because they did not make all 3 of us do the tasting menu, so my husband and I opted for that and my daughter ordered the Rolls and the Waygu Steak. (she loved both). The tasting menu included celery root soup, Kimchi fritters with beet sauce and carrot salad, Tile fish or Waygu Steak (we ordered one of each) a Romaine Salad with fresh peas and a Butterscotch Pudding Cup. The kimchi fritters were the only thing we didn't love, just felt they were a little mushy on the inside and not a strong kimchi flavor. The steak came with this amazing homemade ranch dressing, shallots, bok chow and mustard. At first I was not sure about that ranch dressing but everything together was just a lovely umami bomb! The butterscotch dessert was so good, butterscotch just reminds me of being a kid but this was super elevated with a level of chocolate mouse in it and topped with whipped cream and some crunchy toffee like pieces. Before the meal, we were given an amuse bouche - sweet potato chip with mushroom foam. Even my daughter who isn't the most adventurous popped that into her mouth and loved it. Service was fabulous. We also felt that the pricing was great for such an amazing meal - to be honest they could cut the portions in half and I don't think anyone would complain! Would highly recommend.

Our table setting
Cassy J.

On a recent trip to the Leelanau Peninsula, my husband and I dined at Wren for the first time and were very impressed. This small, cozy restaurant has so much charm, from the historic building to the warm and friendly staff, we were made to feel right at home. Everything on the menu appealed to us, which made it very difficult to decide what to order. When we return, we will definitely try the tasting menu. We were very pleased with each course, but felt dessert came up a bit short. Our favorites included the octopus, beets and whitefish. Service at Wren was top-notch. Our server was helpful, prompt and friendly. Overall, we were so pleased to find a special restaurant to fill the hole that formed when Alliance closed several years ago. If you are in the Traverse City vicinity, the short drive up to Sutton's Bay will take you to one of the best dining experiences in the area!

Menu as of 8/2/24
Emily C.

I can't say enough good things about Wren. The moment we walked in the hostess had us sat (we made reservations for inside) at a two top next to the bar. Our server was prompt asking if we wanted any drinks. We ordered a cocktail and a soda and she gave us time to peruse the menu. They offered a tasting menu with several courses, but we ultimately went for the Ala cart options. Started with the rolls that are fresh baked in a cast iron skillet to order. They were so yummy! The dill butter was very flavorful as well. My husband got the bone in pork chop and you could tell everything was highest quality. It was marbled with fat making the flavor out of this world. It sat on top of a zucchini puree and had roasted tomatoes on top. He said all of it together was a great bite. I went for the beef tenderloin cooked medium. It was melt in your mouth. It came with roast potatoes and milk weed pods. The milk weed had a shallot/mustard sauce on them that was so good, and the house made ranch it came with was divine. We were too full for dessert, but before leaving the server brought a few sweet treats. A chocolate almond, spicy pepita brittle, and lemon hard candy. It was the perfect end to the dinner. We loved sitting in the dining room, getting to hear the bartender describe drinks and food was fun, as well as the art gallery hanging on the wall behind the table. An enjoyable meal all around.

Butterscotch Pot de Crème
Abby F.

My friend really wanted to go here during her bachelorette party, and I was nervous about going here as a vegetarian because there wasn't a vegetarian entree on the menu. The chef made a vegetarian entree for me from the veggies they had and it was really well seasoned and had a delicious sauce. The drinks and desert were also really delicious! I wanted to make sure to post a review for any other vegetarians who were nervous about going to this restaurant!

Mj J.

The Wren has been on our list of farm to table restaurants in the TC area. The Wren is what I consider a dining experience! The restaurant is small with a warm, cozy atmosphere welcoming patrons. They offer a unique list of Cocktails, but when you're in wine country...go for the wine! A deep, red wine is always my favorite. After spending some time with the menu, the potato leek soup sounded divine, especially during the chilly Fall season. To be honest, there's nothing better than a warm bowl of soup to sooth the soul, I like to say. The Lamb Bolognese was a must try for me and Oh my...the flavor still lingers! Everything was fantastic! The service was great and I can't wait to come back during another season!

Eowyn K.

Lovely farm to table restaurant in Northern Michigan, a short drive from Traverse City. Housed in a refurnished fire house, the decor is simple and clean. It suits the area as well as the food. There are not many interior tables, but they have a patio area as well. The menu is short, and as it is seasonally and product based, constantly changing. We came as a group of four for a Birthday dinner, so were able to try each other's orders. I'm not generally a huge fan of cauliflower, but I tried my friend's cauliflower soup and it was phenomenal, a standout. Perfectly creamy and full of complex flavor. I had the raw artichoke salad, which was fine, though a bit boring, too simple. I like that they wanted the product to be forward, but this dish was a bit too dull. I ordered the scallops, also wonderful. The scallops were just caramelized, and the sauce was flavorful with good accompany textures. My friend's steak was also excellent. A nice cut of beef, cooked perfectly. This was a lighter meal, if you are wanting to really leave full, it is going to come with a higher bill. At the end of the meal, we were brought complementary sweet bites (pictured). Since we came for a Birthday, we did order a couple of desserts. The key lime pie dessert was perfect, every note right. I'm glad it's far enough away as to not be temping. Wren is an example of upscale fare, not overly pretentious, but interesting and delicious.

Beets!
Susan M.

One of our favorite meals in the Suttons Bay / Traverse City area. This feels like a high quality tasting menu you would find in a much bigger city, but this restaurant is nestled into downtown Sutton's Bay. Loved every dish but especially the dessert and the wine pairing. Chef's kiss!

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Excellent food. We did the tasting menu and everything was top notch. Good service too.

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4 years ago

My wife and I tried their tasting menu and wine pairings. One of the best meals we ever had. The service and presentation were outstanding.

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6 years ago

Love this place. You should definitely drop-in for an amazing meal. Great drinks, tasty food and wonderful service!

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8 years ago

The French toast is off the chain delicious!! So creamy but still solid! Great place to hang out!

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Modern Bird - Panna cotta

Modern Bird

4.6(89 reviews)
14.8 mi

Hands down best meal and service I've experienced in Traverse City! Fresh, thoughtful, and…read moredelicious. Yummy cocktails. Ordered 5 dishes between the two of us it was the perfect amount of food. Can't wait to go back!

Modern Bird is a very difficult restaurant to review due to a very inconsistent experience. There…read morewas one aspect that entire group felt clear on: the high noise level made the experience uncomfortable. There were six of us in our group at a table, and you could only hear the person directly next to you. Our group had a reservation and were seated immediately. The restaurant is small, and the tables are very close together and felt packed in. They do have a small roped off 'patio' area on the side walk with a couple of tables. I thought the service was fine, others in the group felt it was poor (probably because no one could hear her and we had to repeat ourselves). The server did recommend that we share several dishes as a table as they are small plates. We ordered the bread and the three vegetable appetizers to start. Here is where it is hard to review: all of the appetizers were fantastic, interesting and fresh preparations. From the light courses section, we had the bougie corn dog and the duck pasta. I'm not a fan of corn dogs, I thought it was fine, but pretentious and not worth ordering, others liked it. I did like the duck pasta. The mushroom tart was boring, dry, and forgettable (side note that if you are in Detroit, Le Supreme's is absolutely fantastic, so this can be memorable). The other stand out was the walleye main, their use of curry made it an interesting, as well as delicious, dish. We all thought the halibut was awful, it arrived with a fishy smell, but was then somehow flavorless. If we were not all splitting it, it would be a send back dish. Overall, the dishes ranged from flavorful and interesting, to terrible. No member of our group felt they would return, and I would recommend against it due to the noise level, it really was that bad. Every sound echoed off of every hard surface. As a result, it just was not an enjoyable experience.

Photos
Modern Bird - Inside

Inside

Modern Bird - Cauliflower

Cauliflower

Modern Bird

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Wren - newamerican - Updated June 2026

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