One of our favorite places near Saugatuck. Well worth the wait and decent prices. Have been here multiple times and we will always stop in when we visit nearby. Hard to pick a favorite since all are delicious. They are cash/check only. read more

Yep, this utterly charming vintage barrel rocks great 'Dog N Suds' in a park-like street corner setting. There's plenty of shaded eating areas and the off-street parking is adequate. The prices are, well, a bit rich but then again, practically everything is in the Saugatuck area. (That said, bring cash or your checkbook as credit/debit cards are not accepted.) All in all, a wonderful little local treasure! read more

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This is a must visit landmark while visiting the Douglas/Saugatuck area. My mom used to visit The Root Barrel when she was little and we were so excited when they reopened it a couple of years ago. The line can take awhile to get through but, once you order the food is prepared quickly. The wait is well worth it! My husband and I had large root beers and my son had a large root beer float for drinks. I had the BLT hot dog, my son the Barrel Dog and my husband the Dune dog. The hot dogs are are plump and flavorful and the toppings are fresh and generously put on! My husband had a side of fully loaded chili and my son Mac and cheese. We would highly recommend everything we ordered. They accept only cash or checks. read more

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Found this by total accident and had to stop for root beer floats! Outstanding and super fun! My husband just got the regular draft root beer and it was out of this world! So tasty, not sickening sweet and so fun! I highly recommend! read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Giant barrel in back! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

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The nostalgic barrel is worth the stop. It's the turn before you get to some of the best beaches in Michigan and they are known for their quality root beer floats. My girl friend ordered it and she said it was very good. I ordered the Donna Dog which was decent. It was your standard dog with your simple bun and some Mac n cheese on it. The Mac n cheese wasn't spectacular but overall the dog was pretty good. They have corn hole, and a badminton court set up for families or competitive people to fill a little time while they wait for their food. Great spot to stop after the beach to wind down before driving home. CASH ONLY! I went to pay with card and was informed that accept cash only. If you plan on going make sure you have cash on you. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

This place was so delicious. They were set up with two lines: one for food & one for if you just wanted drinks. We were two people so while one waited on the food line the other ordered root beer floats for us to drink while waiting in line. Those floats are amazing - I think they have the root beer on tap and it not syrupy sweet. The food was worth the wait! But be warned they are short staffed and the wait is long. We no joke waited over an hour in line - so be prepared for a long wait if there is a line. Also they are Cash Only! read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - I don't remember the names! But one is the dog with Mac & cheese w/bacon & the other baked beans - both delicious! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

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Super cute building, good hot dog and lukewarm root beer. If I lived nearby, it might be a regular stop, but otherwise probably not.

I had hot dog with Mac n cheese and chili. Mac n cheese is delicious! My husband had the Chicago dog and New York dog with tomotoes added. If you like sauerkraut get the NY dog! The Chicago dog was good too. My hubby said the potato salad was one of the best he has ever had! Atmosphere was great. They even provide nets over the picnic tables to keep the bees away. Root beer is Sprechers, always good. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - 1:30pm on Sunday. No line when we arrived around 1pm. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

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Really happy we stopped here for lunch! Food was really good! Our waitress was very friendly! (Young girl, wish I knew her name) A relaxing, cute neighborhood! Will definitely stop again if we find ourselves in the area. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - BLT dog, mac n cheese with bacon and the baked bean dog. So good! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

this unique place caught our eye on the way to the location where we stayed at, so we made it a point to visit during our trip! Parking wasn't too difficult, however It was quite busy and the line was long & slow. One suggestion I have is to have someone taking orders in the line to move it along faster. There were many menu items to chose from & although I did not order, I really appreciate how vegan options were offered. It takes a bit more time since it is cooked to order, but this is definitely an item I want to try next time. I ended up ordering a classic hot dog & a chicken salad sandwich. Both tasted great. Root beer was delicious as well. read more

We had fun visiting this old time Douglas classic on a hot June afternoon. The entirely outdoor setup of the business make it ideal for social distancing with a handful of covered picnic benches found throughout the space. There's a large marker that shares the history of Douglas Root Beer Barrel and how the community came together to save the local treasure. Each of the wooden slats of the barrel were sponsored by locals in the community. The menu is simple with root beer and root beer floats standing out as the stars. They also offer a handful of snacks like loaded coney dogs. We opted for a small root beer float which was quite delicious. The prices are on the higher side with floats kicking off at $5.99 for a small. It was quite busy during our visit but we were able to easily find a table. Note that this is also a dog friendly business with water available for your pups. read more

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Cool place, once you figure it out! People standing everywhere so look for the signs. One line to order, they give you a ticket. Then a second for food, you wait in line to give them said ticket. I think maybe a third line for ice cream and floats? Long line 2pm on Saturday to which I say, good for them! They serve hot dogs. Don't expect anything else. We ordered two chili dogs, received only one - check your food before walking away. We decided to skip waiting in line again to fix it. Special was a brat with onions, peppers, Dijon mustard. Pretty much okay, nothing special but it filled me up. They add mustard/ketchup to order so pay attention when they fulfill your order. Potato salad was unique, very creamy. The root beer? Outstanding!! Wish I would have ordered a float...this place was busy despite current life. Way to go! read more

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Great place to stop on the way to or from oval beach! After spending the day at oval beach we stoped at the root beer barrel. Place had a decent crowd of people with very fast service. My wife and I split a chili dog with a draft root beer which was phenomenal. Service was fast and friendly and place had picnic tables to enjoy your meal. Place is great for a quick bite and great root beer. Everything was fairly priced and building was neat and unique. Everything was outdoors. Will definitely visit again during future trips to the area. read more

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Took a drive to Saugatuck, Mi. And Showing some local love at the barrel. This place has some goodies and Souvenirs with great service. Happily, The barrel is enforcing 6ft distance and the service is wearing gloves, mask, as well as a plastic covering on the window. We ordered 2 chocolate cookies-- warmed up and a medium foot beer float. Such a great Experience and taught the kids a little about Saugatuck's history. Fun fa If your looking for a fun way to incorporate a history lesson-- look no farther! Next time we will come on an empty stomach to enjoy Chicago Style Hotdogs! Update-- the dogs were so good! Enjoy the sunshine, Jennah read more

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The cutest Rootbeer spot ever! We went on a Thursday afternoon and there was no wait! Their menu sticks to rootbeer, hotdogs, sandwiches, sides and ice cream. It was my first time and I was not expecting to have the best hot dog ever! I love that they use all beef and you can tell they use high quality buns. I ordered the "Donna" - it has their mac n cheese on top and oh my gosh - it's amazing! Craveable. I can't wait to go back for another. My mom ordered the "New Yorker" and it came with sauerkraut and thousand island, she loved it. We also got a couple plain hot dogs for the kids! Their rootbeer is on tap and is smooth and creamy. We decided to get rootbeer floats and although messy, they're the best! They have a cute set up and even have picnic tables with nets around them to keep the bees and fly's away! Corn hole is set up as well and the kids enjoyed it. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Corn hole - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

Best root beer, root beer floats and varieties of special hot dogs! Chili cheese dog and baked beans are our FAVE!!! Love this place. Can't wait for them to open up already next season. Bummed that we discovered this hidden gem very late in the season. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Best root beer float and chili cheese dog around - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

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I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the food was here and as others have mentioned, the root beer floats are terrific (and not overly sweet). The one downside is how long you have to wait for something that should be very quick to prepare. I don't understand how, when there is no wait, it still takes 20 minutes or more to put together a hot dog. So, be prepared to wait. read more

Unique appearance. How often do you get to enjoy root beer out of a root beer barrel? Unfortunately the experience is also unique, but not in a positive way. The wait was excessive: Nearly an hour to stand in line in the summer heat. The floats and treats are good, but not really enough to warrant an insanely long, uncomfortable wait, in some cases just to find out that they do not accept credit cards, but accept personal checks. You pay for the experience, albeit not a great one. read more

Best Potato salad I've ever had!!! Kid loved the Mac and cheese. My chicago dog was amazing too!!

Very unique place in town with a very unique architecture structure. They are located in the crossing of 2 main streets, away from most places in town. You will most likely end up driving to this shack if you are interested in their products. The good: It was a special experience. We sat on the benches by the shack. They are only providing outdoor seating. The service was phenomenal. Despite the enormous line, they still took the time to ask us about our experience and to make sure we were doing good (no table service offered). The bad: They were only accepting cash when we visited. We were lucky to get offered cash by the group in front of us in line. So THANK YOU Chris! They didnt have the 12oz root beers we wanted, and we had to order and pay for the larger size. They also forgot a few minor additional items in our order. The food: They specialize in root-beer, but to be completely honest, do not expect to be impressed. Tasted like regular root-beer off the tap. We enjoyed their hotdog more than the regular rootbeer. The root-beer float however was good. All in all it was a good experience. Overall 4.5 Food 4 Atmosphere 5 Service 5 read more

Stopped because we are tourists and..fun! I had some mac &cheese, which was REALLY good! Surprised me actually, hence the 5 stars. Root beer floats were also enjoyable! read more

What a cute gem! This is a great family spot with such a fun story. The menu is limited to mostly just hot dogs and it's cash only, so come prepared. The root beer is SO GOOD! read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

Stopped and ordered a Chicago Dog and a Kraut Dog and 2 sides. Hot dogs were spot on and very good. Plus the potato salad and Coleslaw were tasty and good sized portions. We will stop back read more

This is a sweet little place (literally). Our visit was on a beautiful late March weekend. The floats are very generous. Great root beer and great icecream come together for a fantastic rich and refreshing treat. There is a interesting story that is illustrated on story boards on the perimeter of the lot. I would definitely stop here everytime we visit the area. Enjoy #AlfieEats read more

Food wasn't great but root beer floats were wonderful. The lady who took my order was awesome. I'll be back only for a float.

Best root beer float I've had hands down. Loved the service and the fact that they are handing you your food out of an enormous root beer barrel was so fun! This is a cash only business! read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

The rootbeer was flavorless. The hot dogs were terrible. They were undercooked and poor quality. I will never go back here again!

The best hot dog I have ever had. Tasty, hot, great presentation!! Loved it. Highly recommend. Amazing!!

Worth a visit and enjoy their rootbeer float. Though they didnt make the rootbeer, but they got great customer service and a root beer that cools you down in the summertime read more

How can you not give 5 stars to a rescued root beer barrel. I mean picture cruising along in your car and setting your eyes on this. Of course, a group full of women had to pull over and check things out. This is an interesting spot to stop and learn about the history of the barrel. We were already stuffed but I heard from people there that the root beer floats were amazing. They also sell hot dogs, drink, t-shirts, and chips. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

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6/2/19 Root beer! Root beer! Everyone screams Root Beer. I love this place! We were driving around and saw this giant barrel out of the corner of our eyes. We had to stop and see what it was. Come to find out it was a Douglas Root beer. This place is CASH ONLY just so everyone is aware ahead of time. The nearest ATM is at the Bank about 1 mile down the road. The store across the street does not have an ATM. I ordered the mac and cheese chili hot dog. I wasn't expecting so much food, but it was big and so good. The root beer, of course, was to die for. Atmosphere: I loved that the seating was outside. It was a beautiful day. It was nice to have some fresh air. There were some yard games to enjoy while we waited for food. Cost: The cost of the food was not that expensive. Attached is a pic of the outside menu. Classic Hot dog was $2.99. I ordered the Rhino Dog which had Mac and Cheese and Chili and it was $4.95. REMINDER: Cash only. Overall: I give this place 5 stars. It is a fun experience, good food, and not bad prices. read more

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We were driving through on our way up the Lake Michigan coast and got hungry for dinner. Jumped on google maps at just the right time, and rolled up to this gem three minutes later. We were very happy with our meal and experience. And happy our pooch didn't have to wait in the car. It was a cool low-70s early June day so there wasn't much of a wait at all, but even if it was it would've been worth it. We got our food very quickly, and the workers checked on us asking if everything tasted good. Which was very nice considering it's just a walk up counter kind of joint. We each got a hot dog and split a mac and cheese and it was perfect. Root bear was 5/5 coming from the husband. And the overall vibe was great fun, lots of families with little kids playing bags, dogs pooching around, and you are tucked away off the main roads. Will stop here again!! read more

This is summer in a barrel, literally. The root beer was very refreshing and the hotdogs bring back childhood nostalgia. Thanks to our random stop for food we found a hidden gem. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Donkey Kongs place - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

Good. Not worth an hour wait though. We waited for 40 minutes just to order and then 15-20 minutes to receive our food. All we ordered was a rootbeer float, a plain hot dog, and a side of Mac and cheese. Also, if you're coming here, PLEASE control your kids. Omg so many bare feet kids knocking strangers with shovels, tipping over chairs just running a muck. Also asked for a pickle spear. Didn't get it. Amazing considering it's on the menu on one of the hot dogs, pickle spear. I also saw mini baby pickles in the photos on the Google reviews. So why couldn't he give me a pickle? They refused and only gave us relish. The guy said, "We chop up our pickles." Um ok give me a regular pickle. It was rude and annoying. But I did feel like they run a pretty good operation overall. There was a woman cleaning tables really promptly and braving the bees. She also was considerate of umbrellas blowing around and closed them. She was great. They also have nets around some of the picnic tables which is a nice addition because the bees are a pain. 1. Hot dog is good. Good bun, it's all fine. Thick, it's good. 2. Mac and cheese wasn't anything like the pictures. I was expecting that yellow, gooey Mac. This was more like... waaaaay too much thick white sauce. Then oddly unmixed cheese melted around and on top. It was kind of grossly too much cheese. 3. Root beer float is soooo tasty. Just not 1 hour waiting tasty. Nothing is as worth waiting so long. read more

What an icon of this little town and what better way to spend a Midwest vacation than fill up on hot dogs and root beer floats out of a barrel!!! They are so busy but they move super quick. The seating is charming and there is always great music playing. read more

Douglas Root Beer Barrel - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Douglas, Michigan

I love the idea of a rescued root beer barrel. Rescued from a drive in restaurant and condemned to destruction, the town rallied and saved it. It has a feel good story and the workers are the best, they go out of the way to make sure you order is perfect. My son had a classic dog which he had the choice of several condiments and I had the Chicago dog minus the sports peppers which was delicious and tasty. He had a cookie and I had the classic root beer float with a generous portion of ice cream. It was delicious and perfect for after time at Oval Beach.Traveling with friends earlier in the month, I was full but this time I was hungry and left stuffed. Don't forget cash to use at this great little place. And grab a root beer barrel candy to add to the experience on your way out. read more

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Root beer floats and chili dogs( with cheese) both delicious. A must stop if you're in Douglas. read more

Delicious, charming, and affordable! Try to get there a bit before the dinner rush to avoid a long line. Don't forget your cash either as this place only takes cash and checks. read more

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I stopped here for lunch while visiting Saugatuck. I ordered a large root beer float, a Rhino dog ( has chili and Mac and cheese on it) and an order of baked beans. Everything was so-so. The root beer floated was handed to me and it was pouring everywhere. It went all over my hand and the table. That's a great way to start my meal, all sticky. Apparently that's how they serve them here as I watched another customer get it the same way. The Mac and cheese on the dog wasn't very hot and nor were the beans. The beans were nothing special. Canned beans with some bacon thrown in. The place on the outside is cool looking. Otherwise I'm not sure what the hype is? read more

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If you have 5 hours to wait for a hot dog this is your place. The owner keeps adding more crap to the menu. Stick to root beer and hot dogs and you'll have more returning customers. read more