We went on a Thursday night around 7ish and it was very busy. It was a bit too loud for my personal preference inside, so I can't imagine what it's like on the weekends. We got the strawberry jive, tomato basil pasta, rigatoni, and west arm salad w/ chicken. The food was all ready good, and good portion sizes too. The prices were slightly elevated though, the pastas were both $18 with no meat and to add the cheapest meat (chicken) it was an additional $8. To add shrimp, it was an additional $14. They're right on a little marina which we got some awesome sunset views from while we were there afterwards. read more

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The service at the bar was good. But as usual the food lacked good taste. Had the brisket sandwich. Bland and wet. That night I had a gastric problem. The food wasn't good. read more

We found this restaurant totally by chance looking for a place away from downtown Petoskey. This is about 9 miles away and it is on Walloon Lake with a beautiful scenic view. I ordered the black bean quesadillas and it was delicious. It came with tortillas chips and salsa verde. My friend got the crusted whitefish sandwich and it came with chips and a pickle. He loved his meal also. The prices were great, the waiter was wonderful and we didn't have to wait very long. My one complaint would probably be that a group of people was a bit too close for what I felt was comfortable with social distancing. Luckily they were finishing up as we just seated. read more

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Great service. Really great. Gorgeous view of the lake. I had the West Arm salad with smoked chicken breast added and it was one of the best salads I've had in a long time. My husband had the Caesar and he liked his just as much. The chicken wings were also delicious. We weren't fans of the bruschetta. It was more like a flatbread pizza than traditional bruschetta but some people might like that better. Overall, great experience and we would certainly go back. read more

I am sorry to report, the Brisket was way disappointing, tough, dried out and cut improperly. They really need to take it off the menu in my humble opinion. Once you have something this bad, you don't really wanna go back. ‍ Our server was definitely on it and deserves a star for her attentiveness and sweet perky attitude... but I'm a guy who has had real brisket from a roadside stand in Houston, Texas and that flavor and experience still lingers in my mind... everyone who pretends to know how to cook brisket needs to go there and learn from the masters... then come back to your town and be proud of folks raving about your tender, juicy smoked meat! read more

Love the view, love the ambience, love the service. But most of all, love the food! Have never had anything here that we didn't love. By far my favorite is their ribs. I think they might be baby back, but they are smoked to perfection. Usually spare ribs seems to stand up better to smoking and these are REALLY smokey who h is great! My wife is equally fond of their pulled pork on pretzel sliders. We've also had great burgers & other deliciousness here. Worth the short drive to Walloon! read more

Brisket sandwich was over 50% pure fat. Absolutely disgusting. Another person got the brisket sandwich same gross fat. 2 out of 8 meals came 15 minutes before the rest. Seated us next to beverage station when whole room was empty. Waiter was rude and never asked if we wanted more drinks or needed anything. read more

This restaurant is located inside on the second floor of a outdoor water sports shop. It is a very modern atmosphere with a great view of Wallon Lake. I ordered the Jambalaya as an appetizer. Then ordered a half rack of ribs. The Jambalaya could have used a sauce, however it was good, just needed more moisture. The ribs were excellent. The dry rub had something spicy in it which in addition to the Chipotle Bbq sauce be really set my moth on fire. Not enough to cover the delicious taste of the ribs, but more than enough to feel it. The meat came cleanly off the ribs, so it was cooked perfectly. They came with Loaded baked beans, that were a little dry. They were ok with some of bbq sauce. It also had some good cole slaw. I topped the meal off with a nice glass of hard cider. The person I was with had a hamburger and stated they cooked it to a perfect medium rare and the burger itself was excellent. The service was good, however they have people circling the tables like sharks. Back off it's hard to relax with so much movement. Everything was really clean. Overall a 5 star review. Would I return? Absolutely. Great Meal and a beautiful setting. read more

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The view is nice, but the food is way overpriced. $19 for 6 wings... tasted ok. Mediocre service & food. read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

Absolutely gorgeous location and good service - only giving 4 stars bc prices are a little outrageous for what you get. But for the view, you always pay a premium- it's worth it! read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

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New owners this year and a new menu. Meh. Food prices went way up, while the quality went way down. Waitstaff is still great as are the views. read more

Loved everything! Brisket nachos were so good. Christopher our server was awesome and made our girls day out so enjoyable!

The restaurant is really gone downhill in the last seven years. They're using cheap products like queso instead of the good cheese they used on their nachos. Skimping on the quality. And the quantity because now you get a half a slab of ribs in their minds, they say it's a full slab for $29 and it's fatty and tough soggy nachos dried out pizza and I talk to the manager, she could've given a crap. read more

Some good and some less than good. The cuban was a mess but it was good. The chips were semi soaked with whatever juice came from the sandwich. You have to pay extra for the chips and fries. Pricepoint for this place seems a bit high for what you get. The chicken wings (6) were ok but far shy of exceptional. For $16 we thought the order would include more wings and we'd notice something outstanding. Nope. $16 for 6 regular wings. The burger was underwhelming. The extra $4 for the small serving of average fries is ridiculous. The salad was good. Just overall average. We wouldn't recommend this place based on what you get for the price. read more

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First timers at Barrel Back and we had a great time. The restaurant is nestled in such a cute little town, right next to the water. It has great views and would be awesome in the summer! We loved they had live music and a good variety of food for our larger group. The appetizers were good and the dinner was even better. I really enjoyed the Grilled Romaine Salad and Stroganoff! Other fan favorites in our group were the BBQ Pork Sliders, Brisket Melt, and Greek Pasta. We also had good service by our waiter who was extremely friendly. read more

We are two for two with five star visits to Barrel Back! There's something about taking a boat to dinner that makes it an even more special experience and Walloon Lake is the perfect place to do that. Luckily, the ride from Camp Michigania to Walloon Village where Barrel Back resides is a manageable distance, and BBR is the perfect destination. They don't take reservations, but we've been lucky with not having to wait too long for a table. Even with a short wait, the green grass outside, the view, the cornhole, the store below, etc... is plenty to keep everyone entertained. Once seated, service has always been spot on. The kids love the chicken tenders and mac and cheese, and the adults love pretty much everything we've tasted. Most recently, we shared ribs, wings, the signature whitefish sandwich, and caesar salad -- as well as the french fries and sweet potato fries that come with. Drinks go down easy at BBR as well. Looking forward to returning for years to come! read more

Food and service was great! Sat at the bar and enjoyed shrimp and homemade grits and pasta dish. Views were a nice touch!

Over priced . Many other options. Bbq is ok nothing especial. Go to traverse city for real bbq

Solid dinner for the price! Food, drinks, and service are always quality. There will typically be a wait around the holidays, but it's never as long as they say it is. e.g. They told us 35-40 minutes and it was only about 15-20. My staple here is the BBQ Pork Sliders. So tasty. This time we changed it up and got the chopped salad and half rack of ribs. Can't recommend the salad, but the ribs were solid! Spinach artichoke dip was also a good appetizer. Will always come back here when we're Up North. read more

Tucked away above a really fun little water sport and clothing store is this amazing restaurant. If you are in or around the area. Weather skiing, snowmobiling or for summer fun. This is a great spot to stop. Enjoy the beautiful town and lake. The food is thoughtful and the staff is great. A must try. For breakfast. Lunch or Dinner! read more

Waited over 1 1/2 2hours for food to arrive after we put in the order Always told it would be up soon Food very mediocre Best part of the experience was the view Will not be going back soon read more

First time here since lockdowns last January. Much better experience today. About to order. Stay tuned. read more

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So great that we ate here twice in one day. The view is stellar. The restaurant has recently been redone and is a second-floor dining room that's completely open to the outside. It's breezy and comfortable up there, with a view of the bright blue Walloon Lake surrounding it. Service is always friendly and efficient and the menu is HUGE. I ordered the chopped salad and mini pulled pork sliders. I really enjoyed both and then ordered the Caesar salad with steak when we came back later that day. It's all good. They offer everything from pizzas to tacos, sliders to salads. read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

Amazing service. Our server went above and beyond beyond for our table. I really enjoyed the flatbread and bruschetta. Amazing views as well. read more

Excellent service, our server Angel lived up to her name and she had the cutest baby Yoda mask. Can't resist Baby Yoda, also don't miss the Wings. House smoke, big and coated in a sweet spicy Asian sauce. They smoke all their meats in house so my Fresh pasta fettuccine papperdelle with smoked chicken was DIVINE. My husband tried the Harvest Salad and it wash perfectly. Lots of arugula and thin sliced veggies. Housemade ranch, an American classic. Views views views for days. Ambience plus. Check them out and stay for the sunset. read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - Moscato by the waters edge - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

Food, service and ambiance all outstanding! Definitely recommend. Breakfast/Lunch or dinner.

We walked in on a Thurday evening around 8pm, the place was packed and still got a table for 2 within 15 minutes. We ordered the Brie flatbread and their Mediterranean pizza (flatbread) both were very tasty. This restaurant is located above Tommy's Wallon water ski shop. Huge bar area, lots of heaters to warm up cool summer nights. This over looks Wallon lake, which patrons can admire during the summer months. We came here for a light dinner snack during winter and had a nice quick dinner. read more

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Salad amazing service meh at best. Sat in the bar 2 x I've been there. It was like a Saturday Night Live skit trying to get someone's attention to order. I think our laughing finally got their attention! read more

Atmosphere Love, Entrees UnLove, Desert Love What an amazing spot and establishment. They really put a lot of time and effort into making this a location you will enjoy and it's easy to enjoy when your staring at the beautiful Walloon Lake with a fire pit in the middle of the restaurant (and when those windows completely open in the summer, WOW, it must be incredible). The way they designed Barrel Back is terrific and one of a kind. But out of our week long visit to the Northern Michigan area, this restaurant did not live up to the others. The service was hit and miss, felt like we were being rushed to make a decision and because we had two younger boys with us, it seemed like we were a bunch of outsiders. However there were other families there, and they have crayons and a good kids menu, so that seemed odd to us. But they did adjust my order for what I wanted and brought extra spoons for dessert without asking, so again, service was hit or miss. But both of our entrees just didn't really cut it. They were nothing to brag about although the presentation looked great. Maybe it's because we took a risk and got seafood (Fish & Chips, and Michigan Beer Battered Whitefish), which both entrees lacked taste or any sense of satisfaction. Their deserts were incredible and the view was breathtaking. I'd like to come here again and get something different as an entree, I think there are some potential winners for sure, just think we didn't hit the sweet spot of what Barrel Back offers. It for sure is a winner of a location (Excellent), for a drink and desert spot. So the potential is there, it has to be there, with the brilliance of the location and design, its a gem waiting to happen, just stay away from the seafood. read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - Sunset - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

The food was excellent! Our party of four couldn't decide what to order since everything sounded delicious so we shared and can attest that everything we ordered was wonderful! Our server was friendly and helpful. Watching the sunset over the lake and enjoying our dinner outside was the perfect ending to our weekend. Highly recommend and will return when in the area. read more

The food was very good the service was also excellent but there was a snag What snag ?? You ask well I will tell you : It is Sunday beautiful weather for September in upper Michigan We had just arrived at the Hotel Walloon which I find to be FABULOUS sooo we got there ~ 1pm Decided to hit the Barrel Back for a quick bite The hostess showed us in as usual my better half wanted a seat by the window the only one was a 6 top so she said NO cuz it could get busy Well over the next 45 min plus the place NEVER got crowded actually cleared out for the most part So I am calling BS that Poor hostess is given orders from above & must comply In the final analysis the MANAGEMENT FAILED to satisfy my dear wife which I can tell you from experience is a VERY BAD thing to do In the final analysis will we return ?? Certainly in general it's pretty darn good but maybe some of the management could take a course in costumer satisfaction JMHO ‍ Sincerely Kenneth S Merriman MD read more

We stopped here for breakfast on our way up for a little wine tasting. We had great service great food and a lovely view. Definitely would recommend and go back. read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - a view of the harbor - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

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Wonderful service!! Great food!! Live music...beautiful voice and not too loud! Winner!! read more

Barrel Back Restaurant - New American Near Me - Walloon Lake, Michigan

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The smoked brisket is my favorite. It's serving size is enough for 2 people. It is actually smoked for 21 hours with a Maple bourbon glaze

Stopped in around 9pm, got seated w a great view, food came quick, service was great. Gluten free and vegetarian options. read more

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Great service and nice people. Menu is solid and easily shareable. Great marina views too!

I suggested to my family we have an early birthday dinner for my husband at this restaurant. The restaurant was not busy at all. We ordered our drinks, then our food. Three of us ordered soup and entrees. After waiting quite awhile for the soup, we finally saw the waitress who had disappeared and asked about the soup. She said she'd check. After another wait, she came out with our entrees. We asked about the soup again. She finally came out with the soup! Now this is not entirely her fault, but she also never came back to ask if everything was okay. On the drive home, I realized the cornbread was missing from my meal. Beautiful view from the restaurant, but kitchen and wait staff can do better. read more

Worst experience I've had in the area. Ordered fettuccine Alfredo w/steak with out scallions. Dish arrived to the table with scallions, sent back the order to have it remade politely and instead of remaking the order, kitchen attempted to scrape scallions off and send back to the table. Once brought back to the table found scallions still in the dish. Really can't believe a chef of kitchen manager would allow this to happen. Sent the order back and didn't eat. Absolutely revolting that a kitchen would do this to a $30 dollar plate of Alfredo. Won't be back and will go out of my way to make sure to tell everyone I know to stay away! Singer was very good! About the only good thing to happen at this dinner. read more

Always a treat! In the many years that we have visited the barrel back, we've always had a very good meal. Staff is attentive. Drinks are good and you can't beat the views. The brisket can feed more than just myself and I am a healthy eater. The wings aren't my favorite, but they're good if that makes any sense. read more

Delicious food and great views. The bruschetta is delicious and I really enjoyed my pasta. The kids pizza is huge and also really good. Must stop if you are in the area. read more