The Manitou is another small and out of the way primarily seafood restaurant nestled in the trees on Scenic Highway 31 near the entrance to Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. The seafood offerings rival the finest places in far larger cities and also include northern Michigan favorites such as walleye and whitefish. Their specials are truly special; so listen closely when the server reads them to you. The au gratin potato side dish is a personal favorite of mine, but they usually have at least two vegetable sides to choose from. There is an exceptional wine and beer selection featuring local wineries and breweries. It's a small place and the word is getting around, so be sure to call ahead at least a day beforehand for a table. Even with reservations it's likely that you will have to wait for a table, so why not have a seat on their patio and order an appetizer and a drink? read more

We drove an hour and a half to get to the Manitou. Nestled well up M-22 (aka Scenic Highway) it is well removed from the bustle of regular life...as it should be. There was a fire burning slowly in the ring outside as we arrived. Walking past it takes just a hint of the chill off. We were greeted immediately on entry, and not with the hurried, "How many?" you get in so many places. The staff here are warm and friendly, and don't make it seem like they're working but rather like they're doing something they enjoy and take pride in. The decor is very representative of the bygone days of the North Country. It has the feel of being invited into someone's home rather than the cold sterility of chain-food America. Coupled with the staff's demeanor, it quietly says, "Welcome home," to you. Our appetizers were generously portioned and extremely tasty (onion rings and frog legs). You're also offered a small cracker and cheese nibbler, and a veggie tray. Coffee was good, hot, and frequently refilled. We both got the Nutty Trout, a rainbow trout filet rolled in pecans. For sides we chose (wisely as it turned out) the king crab chowder and differing potatoes. The chowder, which truly has real crab in it, is a peppery gift delivered from Heaven. The richness of the pepper flavor doesn't ever reach the point where it overpowers...it just fills you gently. The trout was terrific, and again the portion was ample. It was truly all I could do to finish. Dessert went home with us, a multi-berry pie. Not overly sugary, and made on site from the owner's own recipe, it is a delight for the mouth. Our waitress was a gem. While she talked with us often, she never once was intrusive. We saw her speaking with some of the other customers, and you could tell in a moment that they knew each other well and over the years. That's priceless--the feeling that you're part of something. Service: A+ Food: A+ Atmosphere: A+ They close during the dead of winter, in just a couple of weeks, reopening in mid-April. That's the negative here--there are 3 months when you can't eat there. The Manitou is a hidden treasure of the North. If you have plans to visit the northwest of the state, take the time to venture deep into the woods near the mouth of the Platte River and seek out the Manitou. Your mouth will thank you!!! Thanks, you guys, for making my birthday dinner a special one!!! read more

Doug and the Family are incredible. Great food, try the walleye. Great to have them open again.

I'm more of a voyeur on Yelp; love using the reviews but rarely contribute myself. That being said, sometimes you have to suck it up and take the time to share an experience. I've been to The Manitou about a dozen times over the last few years. Every time it's been great food and great service. Full disclosure, the last half dozens times my partner and I have requested Carrie since we've become friends with her through a family member. With spring upon us (finally), we're yet again about to make our way north for a few days. This has sparked some serious reminiscing about my last meal at Manitou, possibly the best meal I've ever had. We usually just peruse the menu and put in a quick order to keep things simple for Carrie, since we always show up at peak hours, and she inevitably has multiple large-party tables. This last time though we were starving and basically left it to her to just feed us. Veggie tray (celery, carrots, sliced radish, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber) with homemade dip (NOT ranch). Fresh, warm sourdough bread with whipped butter. Appetizer of hand peeled fried potato skins with garlic salt. Ceaser salad. Fresh Great Lakes Whitefish Cakes (crabcake-esque but better than any crabcake I've eaten) Fresh (and amazing) coleslaw. Slice of blueberry and raspberry pie a-la-mode. (The veggie tray and bread come with any meal at Manitou, the rest was all Carrie). In retrospect, it seems like a pretty simple multi-course meal. That is what's so impressive. It really speaks to the quality of ingredients, to the chef for caring about what comes out the kitchen. And of course to the staff, for making it a wonderful experience, that clearly makes a lasting memory. See you soon! read more

By far the best dining around. Hate to even say because I don't want to compete with anyone for a table but they're simply the best. Great food, atmosphere, and service! read more

Manitou - Bars Near Me - Honor, Michigan

We went up north as a memorial for our mother, and we decided to visit a lot of the places we went to when we were kids when we went up north. We often went to the Manitou, as a special night out, so we made sure to go there again. We were not disappointed. An appetizer of vegetable and dip arrived quickly. It was very good, although it would've been nice if there were more vegetables for the 4 people in our party. They also had a nice beer and wine list. I had the pecan crusted trout. There were 2 large pieces which were very good -- nutty and buttery. As I think about it, though, a light mustard sauce would complement it nicely. The baked potato that accompanied it tasted more microwaved than baked, but it was still ok. The others in our party who had the baked/broiled fish also enjoyed it. One person got the fried fish special, and he said it was too greasy. (I brought his leftovers home, reheated it & patted out some of the oil, and after that, I found it was fine. Not spectacular, but good.) Someone else's review mentioned a server named Carrie. Given the banter we had with our server, we asked if her name was Carrie (she didn't have a name tag), and it was, indeed, her. She made the meal a lot of fun, joking back and forth with us and making the meal even more memorable and enjoyable. She has a quick wit and obviously enjoys her job and the customers she serves, insuring a pleasant evening for all who dine there. read more

We grew up driving by this place in the summers. We never stopped until now. My sister had her wedding dinner here. The food was stellar. I think we have oysters, fish, steak, lamb, all the fixings. Also, the pies are the highlight. It is hearty filling and flavorful food for a good price. Go if you are in the area! read more

My favorite restaurant! The food is always delicious and the staff is extremely professional and kind. Tonight, I had the walleye special, and my husband had the whitefish. He said it was the best whitefish he has ever had. read more

This restaurant gives the "Hunting Cabin" vibe. If you don't like a deer peering over your shoulder, you might pass. But this is Michigan, not California! The food here is very good. The fish and steaks are the best. They start the meal with veggies and dip which satisfies the hungry while the meal is prepared. Plenty of food without ordering appetizers. read more

We were so glad to find this place! There was limited seating and precautions for COVID in place. The service was wonderful and the food was tasty! We had the Whitefish and Nutty Trout. The au gratin potatoes and side salad that came with dinner were perfect. Can't wait to come back! read more

4 stars, not because of the food but the price. A family of four with a kids meal was $115. Although, price set aside the food was phenomenal. I had the steak and shrimp special and my dad and mom had fish. The shrimp was fried to perfection and the steak was fantastic. I tried some of the fish and it tasted fresh off the water. I wouldn't go on a regular basis but for a celebration of some sort it's perfect. The veggie tray was a fantastic touch, and the creamy fish soup was very delicious. The menu had a handful of Michigan wine options. read more

The food was absolutely amazing the selection was amazing the service was amazing the atmosphere was amazing. I would highly recommend this restaurant for anyone that's going up towards sleeping bear dunes. It's a quaint little restaurant that looks like a cabin with a view of the woods. Inside of the restaurant is very rustic and very charming.The only thing that I suggest is to get there early and definitely make a reservation because it is a small place tucked in the woods with very limited parking so usually you have to park off the road but it's worth it. Amazing amazing amazing can't wait to go back there. read more

Cozy, upscale cabin decor. Type of atmosphere that had me reaching for a white linen napkin... but it is actually a paper napkin place. Hard to explain but if felt very high end, yet casual. The food matched the feel. We had the white fish pate and coconut shrimp for apps and white fish as a shared entree (we had a very late, large lunch earlier). We arrived late on a Sunday evening but service was still excellent. Food -- both apps were tasty and fresh tasting. The whitefish pate was a standout. The whitefish entree was exceptional. It was cooked and seasoned to perfection -- I would compare it with the best fish I have eaten at any NYC restaurant (Le Bernardin included). Simply outstanding. Next time we are in the area and with a bigger appetite we will sample a wider selection of dishes. If there was one flaw in the meal it was the onion soup. It was fresh but balanced a bit too sweet for both our palettes. All round, 5 stars. read more

The is probably one of my all time favorite restaurants in the entire state and every time I'm up north I come here for dinner. I always get the pecan crusted trout but my dad swears they have the best perch too. The Great Lakes white fish is also excellent. You really can't go wrong with any of the fish entrees. read more

Manitou - Nutty trout - Bars Near Me - Honor, Michigan

The food was just average our waitress was forgetting lots of our orders and besides that it wasn't a very good experience

Amazing, quite, cozy upscale restaurant....The ambiance was so cute! Service was outstanding and our dinner was awesome! read more

Manitou - Cowboy ribye - Bars Near Me - Honor, Michigan

See all

The Server here had a few mistakes, but was very pleasant and seemed busy the entire time. Given the very steep prices I expect a little better service but no big deal. The food is tue real reason behind the poor review. Paid the money for the dry aged steak and I've never felt so taken advantage of by a restaurant. The touted dry-aged steak turned out to be a very thin, and incredibly low grade of meat. Was cooked fine and had a little dry aged flavor but the quality of the meat was terrible especially considering the price. Girlfriend ordered her steak medium well and it came out well done and flavorless, not to mention very small. Would never go back. Wish I had taken pictures to prove how awful the quality of food really was. I've never reviewed a restaurant ever but was motivated enough by my poor experience here to make an account and do so. read more

Me and my fiancé where visiting the area and the place looked good! The vibe is cute and it smelled amazing when we walked in. However, we where disappointed by the Perth fish that we ordered. It did not taste fresh, and was gummy and bland. We where so excited to try this fish after it being recommended by many people. Everything else was yummy, such as the sides, soups, and salad. But absolutely not worth paying $77 for. read more

Saw a lot of bad reviews on this place post-COVID and almost chose a different place. I am SO GLAD my boyfriend and I went with our gut and tried this place out. The service was excellent, Kat was attentive but not annoying and very, very sweet. Food was absolutely amazing, my boyfriend got the fried whitefish and I got the shrimp scampi, we both finished all our meal and wanted more. We then ordered dessert, the chocolate mousse, it was so rich and the perfect size to share for such a rich dessert. We plan on going back to eat here next year when we are in the area again. read more

Heard this place was good so I was excited to try it. Service was good. Unfortunately the food was ok, but definitely not worth the money. On top of that they added a 3% convenience fee to pay with a credit card to my surprise (I did not read the fine print), which is very unusual in my experience. However, when I did the math my "convenience" fee was 4% not 3%. I'm curious how often they slip in that extra 1% on a large bill and people don't notice. read more

We went camping up in sleeping bear dunes, and after we got our campsite all set up, we decided to hike out and go grab a drink. (what we call glamping). We drove down the road a bit, and ran into this place. This place was awesome. We grabbed a few drinks and some pie, and the owner was sitting at the bar so we were chatting him up. The bartender was awesome, the other servers were super nice, the owner was very funny, and it was a very hospitable environment. I would highly recommend this place to everyone, and if I'm ever in the area again, I'm definitely coming back! read more

We visited during restaurant week and had amazing food at a bit of a discount. Walleye amazing, service excellent, desserts awesome, and surroundings perfect for our trip away from Detroit suburbia. Perfect for us. inside may be a little close quarters for some but we would go back in a heartbeat! read more

Extremely disappointing. We had dinner at their patio. I understand it is hard to have a fine dining at such remote area. However, train your staff! Had a Dry, bland and overpriced pork chop. Server was very nice and polite but forgot to ring our appetizer and did not showed menu knowledge. Water was served in plastic cups (not fine dining. not eco friendly.) on the sign it says: imported beer (Heineken? Stella Artois?) that is not nice..... the drinks were good. Had an old fashioned and it was really well done! Just the little yellow sword with the cherry bogged me.. please don't sell your restaurant as fine dining. read more

Great menu , but the food was nothing special. Busy restaurant... so call ahead! Staff is GREAT!

Best walleye ever! Great atmosphere but make reservations in advance during high seasons. Parking is at a premium. This was a great dining experience for a special occasion.we were not in a rush and that was perfect. read more

Wow, I was just blown away by everything here. Literally everything on our table was amazing. I had the lemon herb broiled whitefish, which was perfectly cooked and just swimming in deliciousness. The au gratin potatoes are also clean-your-plate fantastic. My table was similarly enamored with the rainbow trout and the tenderloin filet. Also, the caesar salad was one of the best I've ever had, with a great dressing that wasn't too heavy and awesome croutons. We polished off the baked artichoke dip too, an item I would absolutely get again. I cannot wait to come back here for more! read more

Worth a trip from Arizona just to have the lake perch (sauteed) and the blueberry/raspberry pie. Casual atmosphere--always feels like a good place to go with friends. read more

Manitou - Complete with deer and fish on the wall. - Bars Near Me - Honor, Michigan

See all

I the Manitou! I have been going there for years, but never wrote a review. What is wrong with the guy who wrote the bad review? (I suspect it is a relative of a competitor...) Anyway, the food is consistently awesome! I always get: broiled whitefish, salad with cherry vinaigrette, baked potato with butter, decafe coffee, and blueberry-raspberry pie. I like the owner. I like the waiters (They were so nice to my 96 year old mother...). I the scenery and ambiance...It makes me so happy to sit on the deck in the summer...Anyway, whoever wrote the bad review must have been having a bad day... read more

Worth the drive out into the woods. Really well prepared food with very friendly atmosphere. This place gets really busy on weekends and holidays so be sure to call first, or make reservations. The servers are very cheerful, and even when it's crowded the service is pretty swift. I've been eating at the Manitou for years, and it is consistently high quality, and always makes me eager to return. read more

We were really looking forward to eating at this restaurant that had pretty good reviews. After eating there with my boyfriend's family we were highly disappointed. Not only were our steaks undercooked but upon requesting them to be cooked to order we were treated with extreme disrespect. After expressing our concerns to the chef she did nothing to accommodate us but rather accused us of "coming in with a bad attitude". We had not seen our waitress for at least 30 mins so I took it upon myself to request our food to be made as we had originally ordered. Not only were we mocked but the "owner" came out to plead her case giving zero compensation for our hungry bellies and upset tastebuds. 300$ bill extremely not worth it. read more

The food was very good. The restaurant is NOT Covid-19 friendly! Most of the staff including Owner wore their masks on their chins. We didn't feel safe. I recommend going after the pandemic is over! read more

This is one of our favorite places to go when we visit the area, and we've been going here for years. The "northwoods" ambiance and decor particularly appeals to us. It's a nice spot for casual dining, yet the meals can be casually elegant. I usually have the quintessential "up north" whitefish, although I've never been disappointed with any meal here. It's a bit out of the way, and away from the big tourist towns of Traverse City and Frankfort, but it's a pretty drive on out M-22 to get there and well worth the trip. As Mick noted, they have a great beer and wine selection, with many selections from local vineyards and breweries. The staff is always extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. The place is extremely popular in summer and during prime fall color season weekends, so it's best to reserve. The Manitou has a lot of summertime regulars who have cottages in the area, so it does close for the early part of the year. I was thrilled when they decided to stay open through the end of the year (they opened just for the summer and through the early fall for years), and the vibe is especially relaxing during a meal there in the colder months. read more

Manitou is one of the nicer places to get a meal in the neighborhood. We sat on the patio, which was pretty empty. Inside, it was packed, and there was a wait. Reservations are a must for a summer weekend night. As for the food, I had the cheddar+asparagus soup, which was good. The black bean burrito was also pretty tasty, with a much appreciated spiciness. It probably would have benefited from some sour cream or avocado. At any other restaurant, it also would have cost about half of what it does here. The trout got very good reviews, as did the wedge salad. The provided breadbasket was quite good, and at the beginning of the meal they give you some carrots, cucumber, celery, and radish to nosh on. The wine list was ok, with a handful of Michigan whites, and a few malbecs (pretty good). Service was great. I'd come back. read more

My memories of this place were from a decade ago, so when my elderly Aunt wanted to go there I was not looking forward to it. How wrong I was. Wonderful food, pleasant setting, efficient staff. It was so good I went two days later with some local friends! The "early bird" prices from 4:30PM - 6:00PM are about 1/2 the regular prices, with smaller portions, but PLENTY of food for a normal appetite. The white fish - the trout - even the Delmonico Steak were all excellent. read more

We stumbled upon this restaurant while staying at crystal mountain resort. While at first we were disappointed it did not have a water view, the food and service well made up for it. We had the pan seared walleye special and beer battered fish fry special -- walleye, perch and cod. They were each delicious and very large portions. I also highly recommend the potatoes au gratin and the house salad with toasted walnuts and cherry balsamic. Camry, our server, was very attentive and knowledgeable, and we loved her bubbly personality ! read more

Nice restaurant with an old school supper club vibe. Reservations are a must during prime dining hours, and expect a ten percent up charge for taxes and credit card fees. read more

Rustic cabin exterior, homey interior - like a cross between your grandmother's house and Gaston's beer hall (?) from Beauty and he Beast -- there's seriously a mounted bear coming out of the wall, ready to pounce. Really adds to the ambiance. All our drinks were good -- Mojitos, Manhattans, beer, and a basic gin and seltzer. Not only did the bartenders make great (and strong) drinks, but they had excellent beer on tap. We were very happy. And saucy, I'm sure. The four of us ordered two walleye specials, the duck, and the trout. The duck was huge, and came with both rice and potatoes, which was unconventional but not disappointing. The potatoes au gratin were delicious - not greasy or overly cheesy. The perfect au gratin potatoes. The pecan-encrusted trout was perfect. Huge piece of fish with a fantastic texture - loved the crunchiness of the outside, and the inside was moist and really flavorful. My only complaint with my dinner was that the amount of walleye served for the special was pitiful. Really tiny piece of fish, and it definitely looked alone and sad on the plate next to the potatoes. Of course, it tasted wonderful, but for the price ($26 or $27), it definitely was not worth it. My appetite as not sated. I wish I would have ordered the trout for sure. We all got dessert - two of their famous blueberry/raspberry pies, the frozen peanut butter pie, and the key lime pie. Everyone else loved their pies, but I hated mine. It was lukewarm and oozing all over the place, like it hadn't been properly cooled. It was unappetizing to look at, and I only had a couple bites because I really didn't like it at all. Despite a few negatives, we really had a great time at Manitou. I'll definitely visit again the next time we are in Michigan - but during the summer only, because it's a seasonal restaurant. read more

We've been coming to the Crystal Lake area for two years and were trying to find a restaurant that was off the beaten path, but with good food. The Manitou was just the spot! The shrimp were delicious, as well as the whitefish. Great staff, especially Alex. They were all so welcoming! I left my purse in the booth, and we called the next day hoping they would still have it. Luckily they did, with all the items still in it, and let us come and get it off-hours. Great food, and great service! We'll definitely be coming back! read more

so grateful to have found this place the service and food was amazing! felt really cared for by the staff and the food was amazing! we had a great time read more

My husband and I went here for the first time. I had the broiled whitefish which was delicious, a very large portion too. My husband had a steak that was perfectly cooked. We both tried the mozzarella, cheddar and spinach soup which sounded a bit odd but tasted great. The wait staff was friendly and helpful answering our questions. read more