I'm a big chicken tender fan, and I read that Lil Bo had some good ones, so Nate and I stopped in for lunch before checking in to our hotel recently. We sat at the bar and had the BEST service from Fred. He introduced himself, asked our names, and shook our hands. He gave us a rundown of the daily specials and let us settle in. He continued to give exceptional service the whole time we were there, even when it got busy. He greeted everyone by name and was just a gem. I'd come back just to chat with Fred again! On to our meal - I had a spicy margarita that was very tasty and refreshing. We ordered the EOD, the (deviled) egg of the day that changes regularly - the version on this day had andouille, coleslaw, and remoulade. We also got an order of the chicken tenders to share. I loved that they have so many sauce options. Then came the next best thing about Lil Bo's - the bar trays! They sit on the slope of the bar so you can have a level surface for your food. I'd never seen this before and thought it was genius. The food was tasty - Nate liked the deviled eggs, and the chicken tenders were hot and fresh. They were not the best I've ever had, but certainly not the worst. They were super crispy but just a tad dry. I was hoping to go back later in the evening for Sunday karaoke, but that didn't happen. I will be back! read more

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So, late night, we happen to be in town at the tail end of the cherry festival. We attempt to hit a rooftop bar - but their menu doesn't match what they had online, so we left in search of food and walked to Lil Bo. I was expecting a dive spot, but it's large, outdoor seating, and a staff that doesn't stop moving. Caught the tail end of the FIFA game, and the gentleman next to me spoke at length about "America has the skill but not the teamwork." You never know who you'll end up talking to. Our bartender brought us extended tables, the bar staff was friendly, and the food was good - all in all a nice win for our brief stay in town. read more

First time in here! Bartender was rude to us right off the bat. It wasn't busy and I tried to make small talk with the bartender to lighten the mood. Again, just responded rudely and left. We finished our drinks and left. Did not feel welcomed in there at all. Not the vibe read more

Mare or Marilyn was hilarious funny and extremely knowledgeable we are from Houston,TX Mare made us feel so comfortable when we come back we will ask for mare. read more

Absolutely loved this spot! Don't pay attention to the overall score they deserve much higher than what it shows. We landed here late night when looking for food and so happy we did. The vibes are great, food is delicious and the service was amazing! We got the jabba bowl and the buff chick wrap. The chicken in the wrap was so tender and delicious. And the beef in the bowl was super delicious. Cannot recommend this place enough! read more

Service was great. The Award Winning Chili was really good, although it had a few green beans in it which is not normal where I call home. The cheeseburger was likely in my top 5, EVER, and I'm in my mid-50's. Check them out! read more

Overall I wasn't too impressed. I was so excited to order onion rings, just for them to tell me they no longer have them for the summer (yet they remain on the online menu). Yes the food was good, however it did not blow me away. The bartender was very kind when I went to pick up my order though! I personally think the menu is a copycat of Sleders with subtle changes. It smells inside but seems like a super fun atmosphere! Overall I think I would have to try out other menu items to give it a second chance. read more

Lil Bo - Front Porch Chicken Fingers Basket and Kind of a Big Dill App - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

I love going to lil Bo's. Their food is really good and the staff is very friendly. However, it ended up being really busy when we went and it took almost an hour after we ordered to get our food. Although in the moment it was frustrating, I understand why it did take long. I will still be coming back read more

It wasn't the best food, but the atmosphere is fun and lively! Their Spicy cheese curds definitely have a kick!

Fun local bar for lunch with interesting and well made food choices. Service is quick and responsive. read more

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I go for karaoke on Sunday nights. Best place in town for it. Local institution. Good prices.

If you're looking for great food and a fun time, Lil Bo's is the place to be. Trust me, you'll leave with a full belly and a happy heart. One of my favorites places when I visit Up North! read more

Lil Bo - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Kelly was right the chicken was great. Great vibes prices and portions. Would visit again.

I was visiting town for business. I sat at the bar for over 10 minutes. They did not serve me. They didn't acknowledge me. I was excited to visit because the pictures of the food looked great. When I arrived, over 10 plates of food were under warmers and within my time waiting, none of this food was delivered to the customers. I decided to walk out and go to another establishment. Either, the serves don't care, or the management is awful. read more

In a town where everyone is trying to be completely upscale and market to travelers, this little gem gets it right for locals. Good food, decent prices and a fun atmosphere. read more

We stopped last night during happy hour, sat at the bar, awesome friendly bartender I am a huge salad eater and there Southwest's salad was beyond delicious I would said rated right up there as one of the best. There salad dressing are home made, the salad was so good really didn't use the much of the dressing but did test it and also was great! My husband had pulled pork and said same thing outstanding. The place is nothing fancy, pool tables, but that is ok with us. Next time in TC will for sure be back read more

5 stars for for the food. The chicken tenders are to die for. Reasonable prices for portions and again, can't say enough about the chicken. If you love blue cheese, order it here. Wow!! Delicious ! Will be back. read more

A super fun spot for Sunday karaoke! This place has the most incredibly kind and attentive staff- not like your run-of-the-mill dive bar. I have so much fun drinking with friends and singing karaoke here. The drinks are strong, cheap and quick. What more could you ask for from a karaoke bar? Plenty of seating. Clean tables. Outdoor space. Lil Bo's is a fun spot for late night festivities. I haven't eaten here but can certainly recommend enjoying this local dive with friends. read more

Perfect bar, with expected bar food. The previous locals we were meeting forgot to tell us the burgers were supposed to be best before we ordered, so I got typical fried bar fare - generally my favorite anyway ;) The didn't have Southern Comfort, so I went with bourbon and coke. The waitress knew the full run-down of the bourbons available, and promised the well stuff was acceptable. It was. One of our party was drinking whiskey and soda, I think, and had a beautiful rocks glass. I kept looking back at that pretty glass! Oddly enough, the wallpaper in the ladies' room is SO fabulous. Seriously, be sure and visit the powder room to check out the great wallpaper. Would definitely stop back if we were in the neighborhood again. read more

Absolute gem of an experience. Love the atmosphere. The tables were also super cool with all of the Louisiana memorabilia! My husband had the cowboy burger and it was absolutely delicious. I had the Will's po boy and it was also great. Already planning on coming back to try more before we leave! The staff was super busy but so attentive. 10 out of 10 experience for sure. read more

Lil Bo - Bloody Mary's - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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This has to be one of the best hidden gems in TC. Food is good, the crowd is nice, but the service is above and beyond. If you go, sit at the bar! read more

Very hole in the wall, but for the most part in the most wonderful way. The buttermilk chicken tenders were great (mind you it does not reheat well so eat up!). The burgers and waffle fries were tasty the server was great, the side of cheese was my only real complaint. Just don't get that and you'll be fine. With all the places with long waits and high prices, this was a nice refuge. read more

Lil Bo - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Amazing homemade chicken ..this was the best fried chicken I've had in YEARS! Stop here get the fried chicken strips they are fresh from the market and they brine them for 24 hrs .. The atmosphere was great as well Just a side note read more

Lil Bo - The best fried chicken strips I've had in years! T - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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This is, I believe, the oldest restaurant in Traverse City, although it was closed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and has changed hands. We came here on the recommendation of friends who said they have the best burgers. It was noisy inside so we sat outside. I started with a gin martini which was lovely and Mark had a gin and tonic that wasn't great. Next I had a Caesar salad that was fine and he had their Nantucket Chowder which was great. Then we split a black and blue burger, medium rare. Truthfully, I was disappointed. It was at least medium - nothing rare about it - and the blue cheese dressing seemed to be missing the blue cheese. The waffle fries were great! I'm not sure we will be back. Maybe with friends who want to come. read more

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The food and our server Elizabeth were great, we will be back for more very soon! Friendly, fun atmosphere, great food and drink menu. Kudos to Lil Bo's and their team. read more

Lil Bo - The burger was fantastic! Fresh meat, loved the diced pickle, I'll be back! - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Best food! Amazing drinks! Even better staff! Always a 5 start experience at Bo's!! As a TC local, It is our go-to stop for lunch and dinner! read more

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Our friends who live in the area brought us here for dinner and said it's more of a local spot and doesn't see as many tourists as other restaurants nearby. The hot chick chicken tenders were juicy and super flavorful. I could've handled more heat but I would order them again. Their ranch dressing is great and it tasted homemade. Service was friendly and fairly quick for how crowded they were. They were setting up karaoke when we were leaving so I imagine it gets pretty loud and fun as the night goes on. A great option if you're wanting some pub food. read more

This place is an absolute blast! Great food, drinks and service! Trivia on Tuesday is also an absolute blast! Also, it's got a nice, good bar vibe. Vibes: INCREDIBLE. Chicken strips: BANGING. Trivia: AWESOME. Service: POPS OFF. read more

We ordered takeout when we were staying at the Great Wolf Lodge. We had the cayenne honey chicken sandwich, and one of the Poboys with ground hamburger. Even for takeout it was absolutely delicious. I would definitely order again. We might get it for a second time while we are here. Prices are normal for the area and with inflation. read more

Very good food and prompt, friendly service open to special requests. Like the atmosphere.

Would leave a negative score if possI le. Came into have a drink and appetizer With a group of friends. Ordered drinks. i had put my head on husbands shoulder as I was going through treatment for cancer and had put my head on husbands shoulder... manager came over and said "needed to keep eyes open" waitress then bright water and said manager said couldn't serve a drink to customer. Group left. CRAZY and horrible customer service . read more

Headed to Traverse for the day and this place is off the beaten path, aka more of a local place. The server was friendly and helpful. We had the deviled eggs special that was delicious with pastrami, waffle fries that were definitely a great choice on the fry front, some chicken tenders and the olive burger. The olive burger had so much flavor and if you like green olives you will like this burger! The chicken tenders were well flavored too. Overall great local spot with affordable prices, good flavor and generous pours! read more

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Very good bar food. Nice old style bar atmosphere. Service was excellent and fast. Had the chicken tenders and fries which were average, but good. The best was the wedge salad which was fresh with a good amount of blue cheese and a delicious balsa vinegar dressing. read more

Great fried chicken and Po boys! Service was great, and they were very accommodating of my one year-old daughter. We loved everything about our visit! read more

This business has totally changed in the last 2 years. We finally went back and couldn't believe the delicious food and super fun staff. I'm sorry we waited so long to return. This is not the same as it used to be!!! read more

First time back after new ownership. A very pleasant surprise. Great burger and chicken tenders. Super service and a friendly neighborhood place. We'll be back to try other dishes. read more

Lil Bo - Bar area. - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

Great place for an early dinner. Onion rings were great! Service was great. I'll be going back.

Food was okay. The worst about that place was when we first walked in, the entire place smelled like piss. Especially at our table the smell didn't go away and ruined our vibe. read more

I really like this place. It's a very authentic, unassuming TVC bar, restaurant. What you see, is what you get. Service is fast & the perch dinner was fab. They have Pilsner urquell on draft which is MAJOR BONUS since it's my FAV Pilsner! YUMMO! It's also quite clean & spacious. There's plenty of seating, both at the bar & table. It's not fancy but it offers a nice selection of good solid food. Would recommend this place anyone! And I will be frequenting it when in TVC! : ) read more

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It's a small little restaurant but cozy. On this particular night they had live music which added to the atmosphere. I'm not sure how often they do this. I really wanted to try the perch and went with their lake perch. It was good but as others have commented, not a big portion. Six small pieces for $16 and some coleslaw and sweet potatoe fries. It was cooked pretty good but I had preferred to not have it deep fried quite as much. The service was decent but we had to ask about a kids menu at which time the server pointed out that it's in a small section in the menu. At times it took a while to get the server to come by and check on us even though they weren't very busy on this night. read more

Lil Bo - Fried perch with sweet potato fries and coleslaw - American Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan