Idler Riverboat
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IDLER RIVERBOAT ATMOSPHERE
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Great drinks wonderful ambience on the water, fun experience watching the boats zooming by. Had some good wings and the painkiller drink tasted good washing them down. My wife's Rum Runner was fantastic. Truth be told the wings were only good super salty. Our service was excellent fast and friendly. Morale of the story, we're going back!
This restaurant is so fun! The food was fantastic. We ate upstairs but the lower level of the boat was super nice and private. Service was friendly but on the slower side but we can't wait to go back!
Great location! Food was just OK. Crab soup was more like pimento cheese with crab. I had ordered a bowl but was glad they brought me a cup instead. Waitstaff all seemed stoned. But some of them were friendly! So I guess go for the location!
This place deserves far better than 3 stars. Sink your teeth into the PRIME ANGUS BURGER that consist of of 1/2 lb angus beef pattie with your choice of cheese (american. swiss, cheddar, or blue cheese); served on a kaiser bun. I went with the cheddar. Tomato and lettuce. The lettuce was a little sparse but this burger deserves a 5 out of 5. Also served with descent kettle chips. Wife had the COCO SHRIMP that was hand battered and rolled in coconut; served with a tangy ( nice hot bite to it) of orange marmalade. We had to try more ! Great service by Austin, the Owner ? BOB made everyone fill very welcome! The water view was phenomenal and they are "service dog " friendly! Wash this all down with their SAUGATUCK OVAL BEACH BLONDE and you may have died and went to heaven. AFTER YOU PAY YOUR BILL!! Enjoy !!
Very fun, casual spot for a sunset drink. The staff is always friendly and helpful. It is so nice to go and sit on the docked riverboat and watch the sunset with a drink. The spinach artichoke dip was huge! And the pomegranate pineapple mojito was very tasty. Be careful--the hurricanes and rum punches are huge and strong!
Went to the Idler Riverboat for a quick dinner while staying nearby. It was their first weekend open, and it was pretty hectic. Good was pretty decent, though I'd take Captain Lou's or other choices over Idler if you're early in the season, as the menu was pretty paired down. One major downside was that I was charged full price drinks while drinking NA/mocktail versions. Quite honestly, when back in South Haven, Idler won't be my first choice but the views are great.
We all had a good time on the Idler! The pita and dip were tasty and so was the brisket sandwich. Someone in my group ordered at a margarita and they thought it tasted too sweet, but I thought it tasted fine. Great Jimmy Buffet type music on the speakers too, which was nice! I first came here when I was 7 or 8 years old and it looks like they spent barely any money on upgrading the restaurant as everything looked well used. The red skin potatoes were literally plain. No salt or seasoning lol luckily I had dip for them
The great part about the Idler is this is a large place with great views of the water. The team really hustles to move customers along. On busy days this works nicely as it can be hard to find a place to eat in South Haven at peak times. On this occasion...the owner was really digging in and helping his team. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. Getting a spot in queue was a little confusing as there wasn't a hostess at the time. The drinks were very good. The margarita was very tasty on a warm evening! Bar service was rather quick. In general the food was pretty good. But not overly spectacular or distinguishing. My wife really enjoyed the chicken salad wrap. It had a nice combination of Mayo base with tender chicken chunks and fresh fruit tastes. My shrimp tacos were light and fresh. Not overly loaded with small shrimp but enough to give you a good filling and value.
Nice place to enjoy the food with lake view. The service was ok except for the waiting time and the attitude. I ordered lemonade, i was disappointing becausethey don't have any flavors to add. Only plain lemonade. We ordered BBQ wings. It came hot and crispy. Very good. Prices were a little higher compared to the experience quality.
They've got a drink that tastes like S.H.I.T.! Read on and I'll explain. ;-) Hit up the Idler this afternoon for my first time. We were a party of seven, which included three kids. Yes, it was a Thursday afternoon, but we were seated right away. Staffers all wore masks, and the riverboat seating qualified as being outdoors, so I never really felt at increased risk. Our server was even great about helping us seat the three year old. Ordered the South Haven Iced Tea, which condenses into a colorful acronym that staffers bare on their t-shirts, er, work uniforms. It's Idler's take on a Long Island, and I liked it. Tasted good on a sunny summer day in Southwest Michigan with a nice breeze coming off Lake Michigan and Yacht Rock oozing from the speakers. The sweet and sour flavors cut through a steamy hot day to quench the thirst. It's summer touristy, yes, but that's why you're there. Relax and enjoy. Ate the lobster and shrimp roll as well as their app nachos. The nachos were fairly forgettable--they'll stave off hunger but nothing fancy. I boxed them up to bring home. I enjoyed the lobster roll more, but I think the filling needs more zing or spice or tang or something. It's got a nice ratio of lobster/shrimp to mayo, but it could stand more flavor. Sandwiches default to kettle chips as a side, and these were pretty tasty. Still, fries would convey more value. That said, I planned to have a nice afternoon, enjoy my meal, and enjoy my company, and I'm happy that all three happened. I'm from Holland, so I'm all about the summer tourism establishments. It's hard for me not to have a good time in them. If you're picky or higher maintenance the Idler may not be your scene (remember, their signature drink is the S.H.I.T.). But I'd go back from time to time. Support local! --Jayson
3 months ago
18 days ago
I'd give this place zero stars if it wasn't for the staff. Remember when this place was good? It used to be the aspirational place to go. Now it's a dump. It's sad that the owners don't care. The waitstaff IS AMAZING. We ordered tuna nacho. The tuna was room temperature and it had so much sauce the wontons were mush. When we asked to just take it back, the waitresses reaction was like she anticipated it. She was wonderful. Oh. And let's not talk about the dirty bathrooms. If the bathrooms are this gross, I can't imagine what the kitchen looks like read more
The Idler riverboat is a South Haven staple! I've been going there on vacation since I was a kid and now I take my kids there when visiting South Haven on vacation. I get their chum bucket, basically a Bloody Mary with shrimp salsa on top. It's made with pepper vodka so it's the perfect amount of spice. Nothing beats sitting on the Idler deck in the sun on the water with a chum bucket, yum! My husband gets a S.H.I.T. South Haven Iced Tea. I think just because of the name, ha! We also like their Smoked Whitefish Dip. We don't have white fish where we live so we always order it when we're in Michigan. My husband likes their wings too! A trip to South Haven isn't complete without a trip to the Idler. read more
2 months ago
Great drinks wonderful ambience on the water, fun experience watching the boats zooming by. Had some good wings and the painkiller drink tasted good washing them down. My wife's Rum Runner was fantastic. Truth be told the wings were only good super salty. Our service was excellent fast and friendly. Morale of the story, we're going back! read more
2 months ago
2 months ago
5 months ago
1 year ago
This restaurant is so fun! The food was fantastic. We ate upstairs but the lower level of the boat was super nice and private. Service was friendly but on the slower side but we can't wait to go back! read more
1 year ago
Great location! Food was just OK. Crab soup was more like pimento cheese with crab. I had ordered a bowl but was glad they brought me a cup instead. Waitstaff all seemed stoned. But some of them were friendly! So I guess go for the location! read more
This place deserves far better than 3 stars. Sink your teeth into the PRIME ANGUS BURGER that consist of of 1/2 lb angus beef pattie with your choice of cheese (american. swiss, cheddar, or blue cheese); served on a kaiser bun. I went with the cheddar. Tomato and lettuce. The lettuce was a little sparse but this burger deserves a 5 out of 5. Also served with descent kettle chips. Wife had the COCO SHRIMP that was hand battered and rolled in coconut; served with a tangy ( nice hot bite to it) of orange marmalade. We had to try more ! Great service by Austin, the Owner ? BOB made everyone fill very welcome! The water view was phenomenal and they are "service dog " friendly! Wash this all down with their SAUGATUCK OVAL BEACH BLONDE and you may have died and went to heaven. AFTER YOU PAY YOUR BILL!! Enjoy !! read more
3 years ago
Very fun, casual spot for a sunset drink. The staff is always friendly and helpful. It is so nice to go and sit on the docked riverboat and watch the sunset with a drink. The spinach artichoke dip was huge! And the pomegranate pineapple mojito was very tasty. Be careful--the hurricanes and rum punches are huge and strong! read more
Went to the Idler Riverboat for a quick dinner while staying nearby. It was their first weekend open, and it was pretty hectic. Good was pretty decent, though I'd take Captain Lou's or other choices over Idler if you're early in the season, as the menu was pretty paired down. One major downside was that I was charged full price drinks while drinking NA/mocktail versions. Quite honestly, when back in South Haven, Idler won't be my first choice but the views are great. read more
We all had a good time on the Idler! The pita and dip were tasty and so was the brisket sandwich. Someone in my group ordered at a margarita and they thought it tasted too sweet, but I thought it tasted fine. Great Jimmy Buffet type music on the speakers too, which was nice! I first came here when I was 7 or 8 years old and it looks like they spent barely any money on upgrading the restaurant as everything looked well used. The red skin potatoes were literally plain. No salt or seasoning lol luckily I had dip for them read more
The great part about the Idler is this is a large place with great views of the water. The team really hustles to move customers along. On busy days this works nicely as it can be hard to find a place to eat in South Haven at peak times. On this occasion...the owner was really digging in and helping his team. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. Getting a spot in queue was a little confusing as there wasn't a hostess at the time. The drinks were very good. The margarita was very tasty on a warm evening! Bar service was rather quick. In general the food was pretty good. But not overly spectacular or distinguishing. My wife really enjoyed the chicken salad wrap. It had a nice combination of Mayo base with tender chicken chunks and fresh fruit tastes. My shrimp tacos were light and fresh. Not overly loaded with small shrimp but enough to give you a good filling and value. read more
Nice place to enjoy the food with lake view. The service was ok except for the waiting time and the attitude. I ordered lemonade, i was disappointing becausethey don't have any flavors to add. Only plain lemonade. We ordered BBQ wings. It came hot and crispy. Very good. Prices were a little higher compared to the experience quality. read more
They've got a drink that tastes like S.H.I.T.! Read on and I'll explain. ;-) Hit up the Idler this afternoon for my first time. We were a party of seven, which included three kids. Yes, it was a Thursday afternoon, but we were seated right away. Staffers all wore masks, and the riverboat seating qualified as being outdoors, so I never really felt at increased risk. Our server was even great about helping us seat the three year old. Ordered the South Haven Iced Tea, which condenses into a colorful acronym that staffers bare on their t-shirts, er, work uniforms. It's Idler's take on a Long Island, and I liked it. Tasted good on a sunny summer day in Southwest Michigan with a nice breeze coming off Lake Michigan and Yacht Rock oozing from the speakers. The sweet and sour flavors cut through a steamy hot day to quench the thirst. It's summer touristy, yes, but that's why you're there. Relax and enjoy. Ate the lobster and shrimp roll as well as their app nachos. The nachos were fairly forgettable--they'll stave off hunger but nothing fancy. I boxed them up to bring home. I enjoyed the lobster roll more, but I think the filling needs more zing or spice or tang or something. It's got a nice ratio of lobster/shrimp to mayo, but it could stand more flavor. Sandwiches default to kettle chips as a side, and these were pretty tasty. Still, fries would convey more value. That said, I planned to have a nice afternoon, enjoy my meal, and enjoy my company, and I'm happy that all three happened. I'm from Holland, so I'm all about the summer tourism establishments. It's hard for me not to have a good time in them. If you're picky or higher maintenance the Idler may not be your scene (remember, their signature drink is the S.H.I.T.). But I'd go back from time to time. Support local! --Jayson read more
Growing up in Kalamazoo, summers you were in South Haven a lot and this place really didn't come into play for me until I was of legal drinking age, sorry, but true. You just do not go to South Haven for some fun in the sun without going to the Idler and definitely do not go without ordering a S.H.I.T!! South Haven Ice Tea. When taking Ben to visit my home state for the first time I wanted to surprise him to take him over to Lake Michigan as that would be his first Great Lake experience. At that point, I had been gone from Michigan for 11 years and damnit, if I didn't even think about taking him to some of my old stomping grounds in South Haven, luckily my girlfriend quickly reminded me we had to stop and get a S.H.I.T. The name immediately intrigued him, of course. Though we were there in September, it was freezing out so he didn't get the full on experience but just being there brought me joy and a lot of laughs with my girlfriend remembering when we were younger. That is the kind of place the Idler is... it's been there for years, its a floating restaurant/bar so it just brings back so many great memories to those who have been there with friends or family. read more
1 year ago
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4 years ago
This is a wonderful, on the water location. Tons to see passing by you as you dine on this wonderful old boat. We ordered the smoked fish appetizer and the fresh catch sandwich and a Bloody Mary. The service was quick and friendly. The other meals was saw being delivered all looked great. Our meal was very good and so was the drink. Very good food and nice atmosphere for all. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
The good: the atmosphere was above and beyond! We sat on the boat in the covered deck. The weather was gorgeous and we had a great dining experience. They serve your ordinary American food with a few add-ons and tweaks (bar food). Food quality was decent but we didnt care for their gator wings so much (thought it was real gator meat). The service was good and she took care of us well. Overall 4.5 Atmosphere 5 Food 4 Service 5 read more
4 years ago
Crowded. Expensive. Nothing great. In our new COVID-19 world I wasn't expecting much and it's a good thing because that's exactly what I got - not much. Service was slow and rude. I understand slow (it was a busy Saturday night in the summer at prime dinner time) but WTH is with rude workers? You know when the server never comes by and then is annoyed when you ask for another drink. Then comes back with drinks and drops them off and runs away before allowing to order an appetizer We started out with the nachos and they were dry and flavorless and why so stingy with salsa? At least I could have covered up the flavor with that - lol. The fried green BLT was very good though and the chips were tasty. If I go back that's the only thing I'm ordering. Well, drinks too. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
Another stop we made during our trip to South Haven was to the Idler Riverboat Bar & Grill for lunch. There was a decent crow there upon our arrival shortly after noon, but we were immediately shown to a table on the open air top deck. The view from the top deck is pretty awesome. My kids loved watched the boats pass by on their way to and from Lake Michigan. My wife and I also enjoyed the view while sampling the S.H.I.T. or South Haven Iced Tea (similar to a Long Island, $8) and a Bell's Two Hearted Ale. If there are fried green tomatoes on the menu, chances are I am going to give them a try. The Idler offers a fried green tomato BLT that adds hickory smoked bacon, romaine, and a roasted garlic Parmesan mayonnaise ($9.25 with chips). The tomatoes themselves were really good, thick cut and golden fried. I would have liked to see a thicker cut bacon as well, but the flavor there was good. Overall it was a good sandwich. My daughter had the kids peanut butter and jelly ($3.95) which was actually the same size as my own sandwich. No complaints from the little one though, and she did her best to eat it all. My wife went with their award wining Jamaican Me Crazy sandwich that combines a jerk chicken salad with cranberries, something called holy trinity (Cajun spice), mixed greens, mango chutney, and Parmesan on a roll ($10.95). There was a lot going on with the sweet flavors of this sandwich but we both thought it was very good! My son had the grilled cheese again served with chips ($4.95). This was another large serving for our elementary aged kids, but he did his best to polish it off. The chips were not to his picky palate as they were a salt and pepper mix. Keep that in mind for the little ones. Overall we had a solid dining experience while aboard the Idler Riverboat and would happily return for another lunch on the deck. And if inside dining is more of your thing, they also offer seats inside, though during our visit the dockside room was completely empty. The weather was just too nice to be inside! read more
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