This restaurant has been around for years. When I was a kid, it was a big deal to go the "MERTENS" for any meal. The restaurant was in need of repair and updates which the current owner is doing and doing well. The service is excellent, and the food is fairly priced especially considering the huge helpings. The waitresses are always helpful in answering questions or making suggestions. Our annual trek from northern Mississippi to Iron River will be in June and we're looking forward to it. read more

Hash browns the best. Consistency on food quality is excellent. Great chili. Breakfast always served up plenty you don't leave hungry. Kim and Chris rock. read more

A great hometown diner! Nice menu choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner while serving breakfast all day. Convenient location and easy parking. Definitely recommended for breakfast. read more

I have been coming to this restaurant since I was a kid. And it is exactly the same! I have not eaten here in years. You can say it has charm or you can say it needs to be updated big time. Very friendly staff and reasonable prices. The homemade Rueben soup was tasty. Some of our breakfast was good, the American potatoes and bacon. Some just ok like the scrambled eggs. A basic breakfast. It was 1:00 pm, so maybe the kitchen was wrapping up? read more

See all

Food and service was excellent, never disappointed. The gluten free bread is great as well. Thanks for all you do! We'll be back!

I was traveling in this area and I found the main street café. I had breakfast there a few times the food was excellent as was the service. Jamie is a great server and I find their breakfast to be reasonably priced and ample portions. I love the hashbrowns thank you. read more

The food is hot! Fresh! Appealing to the eye! Servers are friendly. Nice quaint little place, looks like where the locals go to visit and eat. Highly recommend. (Didn't go in restrooms) place is clean. read more

Great omelette and service. Waitress was friendly and answered all of my questions. Food was served hot and fast.

During our visit to Iron River, we got recommended Main Street Cafe for breakfast. Boy, it did not disappoint. The food was delicious and the waitress was great. We both got omelets. Their portions are huge, definitely more than one helping of breakfast which was good because we didn't have actual breakfast at the place we were staying. Our waitress even recommended us going to Bond Falls...which was a great experience as well!! If ever in the area, we will return! read more

Stopped in for breakfast a while back and won't be going back. The wait for food was unacceptable (even understanding the current lack of good employees). Additionally, my bacon was inedible. I asked for crisp bacon and got burned beyond recognition bacon. read more

This is a traditional American diner with good quality and quantity. The menu is extensive and diverse. read more

Great place to relax whilst you sup. I love their stuffed French toast! Great burgers! The raspberry tea is also one of the items that draws me in. Friggin' YUM! read more

Excellent breakfast, and the Back Alley BBQ serves up great specials - like the NYE special baby back ribs and country style ribs dinner that I just enjoyed! The Yooper Omelet is my fave. Also gotta get the ham. Support local businesses like Brenda's! read more

The food is decent but the restaurant is a disgusting mess. The carpeting is old and disgusting and has an odor. The stools have most of the covering worn off. It just looks dirty. Some of the help is rude. read more

Service is horrible. I walked in sat 20 minutes and left. Can't criticize the food. I never got any. And after sitting in their booth for the 20 minutes when I was done waiting , I needed a chiropractor. read more

While I like the food, I don't like the way they are conducting business during this pandemic. We were there 11-11-2020, and this fuzzy face young man was sitting at the counter with no mask on. He then proceeds to walk into the kitchen, I asked him where his mask was, and he mumbled something about, " he didn't need one, he was exempt" etc. Come to find out, he was one of the cooks! Other times we have been there, and staff are handling silverware, wrapping it in napkins, with no mask on. Wearing their masks below their noses, etc... we will not be going back. read more

Finally decided to try this place after driving my several months. The inside itself is pretty cool. They have a little 'bar' look with a wide range of tables and booths. The building could use a little touch up but I think it is cool looking. The wait staff wasn't the friendliest but they did get the job done. But the food made up for it. I thought that the food was reasonably priced and you got a lot for the price. I got the Yooper Omelette and couldn't even finish it. It was very filling and very good. I am interested in trying this place for lunch because the options on the menu sounded delicious. I will be back! I would check this place out if you are near the area! read more

We haven't been here since before COVID and were pleased with the renovations to the exterior especially the rear entrance area. Interior was clean and bright but could use some TLC with the booth seats. Breakfast was off the hook! Large portions, crisp hashbrowns and perfectly cooked eggs. Coffee was hot and delicious though it was difficult getting a refill. Service was another topic...our server was rude taking or order, never returned to ask how our meal was and when my husband asked for a condiment after she asked if we needed anything else she rolled her eyes. We will return despite our rude server and hope she has a better attitude. read more

This place is more of a dive than what it appears from the street. Had it been in Chicago, I'd give it 2 stars, but I lower the standard because it's in Upper Michigan and typifies the kinds of places that exist out there. With the steady business they have, you'd think they could afford to upgrade the interior though. When you walk in, the place appears dark and dreary. There's a portion of the ceiling which appears water damaged and the paint is peeling. The walls are a dingy color and the tables are old and well-worn. Even the single baby high chair is an old metal chair with a plastic snap-on tray. Fake evergreen bunting hangs from the wall sconce lights and around the booths, making it seem like Christmas all year round. That said, the food is really good. They have great onion rings made with real onions, not minced-up frozen onion mush like other places. The other specialty: 101 burgers. Their menu has an insert page with a list of the 101 different specialty burgers offered, like the Cowboy Burger (bacon and cheese), or the Smoky burger (smoked cheddar with BBQ sauce & bacon), or even a veggie burger for vegetarians. Notably, the Main Street Monster is an artery-jamming 1-1/3 pound slab of meat. There's also a super-hot habanero pepper burger, Tex-Mex burger, chili burger, Packer Burger (bratwurst patty) and so many more, you'll spend a lot of time narrowing down your choices. Their mac and cheese is good and my 4 year old chowed it down happily. The kids menu offers the usual items like the chicken strips and hot dogs you'd expect. Their other non-burger sandwiches are good too. Since they are only open from 6 AM-2 PM most days, they offer breakfast items all day long. We ate here twice while on our trip and will likely come back next year as well. read more

Main Street Cafe - View from the street corner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Iron River, Michigan

We stopped in for lunch and were very happy with the menu selections and the service. My husband did notice the portions of food coming out of the kitchen were very generous (which he loves!). I had a chicken bacon salad and my husband had the hot roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy. I took half of my salad with me - and just had it today for lunch. The hot beef was a huge hit - said the beef was so good! Highly recommend. read more

I don't know about the last writer but I find Main Street to be fast and delicious. Not many places to eat in the U.P and its open early so you can get to Ski Brule early. Breakfast is great. You get a TON of food for a great price. Highly Recommend read more

GREAT Food! EXCELLENT Service! Was up in the yoop for fishing, and stopped here for lunch. Had a burger and my friend had a Melt. We both loved our meals. They tasted great! The service was also excellent! Will definitely stop here again when in the area!! read more

Went here for breakfast today my wife and I both had the American breakfast. The bacon eggs potatoes and toast were all cooked perfectly. It is not a fancy place by any means. But we kind of like those kind of places once in awhile. The service was really good and they got a finding the house quickly. We would go back if ever in the area. read more

Main Street Cafe - Specials - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Iron River, Michigan

See all

Good food, decent prices, hot women to wait on you ;) Honestly, probably my favorite restaurant staff ever, and I've eaten out A LOT over the last 25 years. read more

So Main Street cafe... Where to begin? If your a fan of a GOOD hearty breakfast, this is the place for you! The omelets are big enough for two meals, quantity is not a cover up for quality which will leave you craving more, despite your inability to eat all that they set before you! If omelets are not your style, try their breakfast quesadilla, again large but oh so tasty! The western hash browns are a must. I am only listing a few of their menus selections. Main Street cafe has what the most ardent breakfaster desires, good food, massive portions, friendly staff, and decent prices. One only wishes they were open for dinner. You may walk in thinking small town diner but you'll walk out planning your next visit. Please do yourself a favor and try this place, but make sure your hungry! read more

Stopped at the Main Street Cafe for breakfast (they close at 2:00 so it's breakfast or lunch). My breakfast was outstanding. It was a scramble with sausage gravy. Yummy!!!! The waitress was attentive and kept my coffee cup filled. read more

The value is excellent clean friendly environment but very courteous staff great portions highly recommended great food

Passing through we stopped in for lunch. Family friendly based on the menu ( usual kids menu suspects- grilled cheese, tenders, mac 'n cheese, etc...). They also greeted my kids with a stack of coloring books and crayons- bonus! I ordered the cowboy burger and was very satisfied. You know you have a good burger when they use a good bun AND they grill the bun. My husband ordered the Reuben and he was very pleased. Overall ambience is ok. It's an old place and it shows. Steady flow of customers coming in while we were there which is always a good sign. I believe they serve breakfast all day too. read more

Loads of great food at great prices. VERY friendly and helpful staff. The yooper omelet is awesome and will fill you up to the brim. Highly recommended. read more

We were on our way to Crystal Falls but we had a lot of time to kill. We ended up at McDonalds and that was packed. That wasn't what we wanted. We drove back into town and pulled in an almost empty parking lot of this restaurant. We saw that it was open and I had the wife check its reviews. No red flags so we went inside. Too my surprise there were almost 5 full tables. I noticed that the floor was soiled and the waitress said that they just got caught up after the after church group. We sat down and I noticed people flowing in from the front and back door. I asked her why there was not cars in front and she said the locals usually park in back in the big parking lot. Our order was taken right away and drinks were served. I ordered the local made italian sausage with eggs and american fries. Homemade is a flag for my curiosity. The sausage was well spiced. Not to hot or fennel enriched. A great accessory sausage. My wife loved her chicken fried steak and my son devoured his gravy covered mashed potatoes and meatloaf sandwich. He kept asking me for my spoon so I could taste the gravy. But I told him I was stuffed. The staff was warm, hospitable and served us well. The comfort food was just that. My coffee cup was kept full throughout the meal. Take it from a retired cop. This is the kind of place that squads frequent and park in the back. Home cooked meals and friendly service are a magnet to law enforcement. You just can't beat good people who serve good food. Take care and God bless. read more