First time visiting Michigan City, we were driving towards the water and saw this unique fun looking multi-level building. Chelsey was our server and answered the tons of questions we had in regards the food, local beer, the area, and a train to Chicago. Chelsey is an excellent server and a saint! We had the Breaded Shrimp Basket, BEST Breaded Shrimp basket in my 50 plus years. The Bacon, Mac & Cheese bites were AMAZING! Our granddaughter had the kids menu, Mac & Cheese, she ate the entire dish. Hubs had a local IPA and I had the Mermaid Bucket which was a one and done for me, I needed a nap. It's not a pint glass it's literally a bucket. If you're in the area, it's my opinion it's a must try! Yes, we received a service charge which is was it cost the business to accept credit cards, which is a convenience for the consumer/customer instead of paying cash. Anyone upset about paying for a convenience should probably just eat at home. And, instead of giving the server a lower tip, just tip on the sales total excluding the tax and service/cc charge. read more

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This place is great. We went at 7PM on a summer Saturday. There was a choice of tables inside or outside, but they let us know it would be an hour for food (it was less for our chips & salsa and drinks were quick). They were above welcoming to our dog and gave him a bucket of water. The food was great and so was our server. I wish I remembered her name but she really hustled and checked on us many times to refill drinks and see how everyone was doing. I'm sure it was stressful for her with the kitchen delay, but you wouldn't have known. The food was great, correct, and hot. They had live music and it's a really cool location- you can see the river, the light house, the place where they launch boat tours, and the factory. Just maybe bring a pack of cards if it's busy! We would go back in a heartbeat. read more

John Taffert needs to visit this establishment. Complete chaos. Not enough staff, clearly no love gets put into this place. As we walked in bartenders are yelling that it's a 2 hour wait for food. Okay, we're just here for drinks....and we waited....and watched as another couple walked up and got their drinks while we'd waited for 10 minutes. But don't you date mention that to the burly bearded bartender because he will go on and on about how busy they are. To add insult to injury he proceeds to slam his hand on the drink menu and state that they no longer make those drinks we selected. Seriously? Then get new menus! Not my problem! Horrible customer service. Don't waste your money or your time. Go to Shoreline brewery down the road. When they're slammed, they get it done with grace and excellent customer service. Bye matey, we won't be coming back. read more

The bartenders are making up prices and not giving correct change. Fuck this place and their shitty staff.

Ahoy... where be the wait staff? Where be the food? I be still waitin' and getting old. If you have all day, this might be your place. If you don't, and don't want old splinters from the dirty outdoor tables, stay clear. Food is actually ok once it finally gets served, but the wait isn't worth it. read more

Matey's Restaurant - be waiting forever. - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

This was my first time here. I moved to the area in the fall. The environment is chill. A mix of locals and tourists. They do have a cocktail menu. We had the Shark and Pain Killer, both good. We sat at the bar, the bartender was friendly, but too busy with tables to be really engaging. Food was good. read more

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Hannah was the best server/bartender ever...quick, fun and entertaining! great server for our bachelorette party weekend!

We went for a birthday lunch. People in our group weren't terribly impressed with their orders. Fries and tater tots tasted like oil. But the chicken in the grilled chicken Caesar wrap was good. read more

I may not be going as much like I used to. This place used to be a great place to chill and sit on the deck and enjoy the nice weather and have food now they want to charge people a 3% surcharge. Most people use plastic these days it easy. If I do go tips may be lower due to more that I have to pay out for the inconvenience surcharge. read more

Matey's Restaurant - Bottom the 3% extra - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

Didn't have cream or milk for a cocktail. Ended up with the WORST margarita I have ever had. Service was good but food took forever to come out of the kitchen. No it was not that crowded to warrant for a 45 minute wait. First time there in ages and now remember why we stopped going. Food was actually pretty good. read more

We had the oyster Rockefeller, ban-bam shrimp and fries. The fries were great! The shrimp was okay, the oyster Rockefeller was the worst I've ever had. It was in a thick orange sauce that over powered the oyster. I ate 1. My husband tried another and agreed. I left the rest. The waitress was very nice, but service was slow for a empty restaurant. They also had family conversations on speaker phone in the dining area. I'd order the fries again. read more

Average Food. Pathetic Service. Great Location. Been there four times.....hoping it got better after 10 months....nope. Love to go to Live at the Lakefront for concerts, which is walking distance....but it's not worth the closeness. I'll drive to a different place next concert. This place could be a GOLD MINE if someone managed it. But that ain't gonna happen! Find another place to take your friends read more

We had a group of 11 on a Saturday afternoon. They didn't look real busy yet after being seated - ordering and getting our food was over an hour. On top of that more people in group didn't like their food or weren't impressed. My daughter had the mac-n-cheese and it wasn't very good (no where near the $16 cost) it was just odd. The coconut shrimp looked over cooked and the quality didn't justify the price. Review on someone's burger was it was dry. I rarely leave negative reviews but this place fell way short of what they charge. Very disappointed overall. Won't be back. read more

Had a great time at Matey's great to see Tyler working there now. Here's a picture of our fun with the servers. read more

Matey's Restaurant - Tyler and Caleb,enjoying,time at Matey's we really enjoyed our chicken tenders and french fries. Huge serving! - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

service was horrible. Waited over an hour & a half for our food and server cayla g said "sorry" one time & didn't offer us a discount. We had to go ask a manager for one. after being there for 2+ hours we finally got our food and 2 of the orders wrong. cayla didn't even bring us boxes after asking, so we had to go grab some ourselves. read more

Absolutely the slowest service ever. It has been I:45 minutes since we ordered and still no food. Three tables have gotten up and walked out. Very very sad what this place has turned into. No manager on duty is what we were told. Every Labor Day for tens years we have come here but never again read more

After seating us at 6:30pm and sitting at the table for about 10 minutes, the waitress comes over and said theyre not going to take our order for an hour and forty five minutes!! The restaurant wasnt even near full, ive never seen anything like it. Worse staff ever read more

I was at your establishment on a weekend and had a very attentive and pleasant server named Alex. I will be a repeat customer

We came here after a hot day at the zoo with three kids. No one greeted us as we came in and we struggled to find seating together. We split up over two tables when a helpful young lady directed us to the back. I was a bit peeved that the bar tender didn't do this when he told us to sit anywhere. Our server was not able to give us recommendations on drinks or food. She seemed very unfamiliar with the menu. I let our server know that I have a very bad shellfish allergy and asked if there was a possibility of cross contamination. She said they would try with a worried look. I chose not to eat anything and find this defeating. Most of our party were unsatisfied with the food. The ingredients for the salads were not very fresh and the calamari was mostly fried peppers. The cocktails were the only amazing part of our experience. read more

We were so excited to eat dinner here after a Long Beach day, the place looked fun and had a nice view from the outside. You can seat wherever you want which is a plus we found a spot and waited on menus. When someone finally brought us menus and greeted us we were intrigued by the variety of the menu. When we ordered everything we tired to order we were told I'll check to see if we have that... no joke there is five of us and she told every single one of us that. We were like well what do you have?? It was extremely frustrating. We got the fried pickles as an app and liked those, small portion size, but I did like the jalapeño ranch it came with. Food finally came and grouper was extremely small and burnt, burger was very burnt, carbonara looked disgusting and almost like it was microwaved and curdled, and wings came with the wrong sauce. Onion rings were good though. We were beyond over it. Ate and quickly left. I'll never be back and wouldn't recommend. I think they need a new chef and better management.... read more

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We once loved this place because of the seafood. They had a sandwich called "walk the plank" that was my absolute favorite. This was also a nice place to relax on the upper deck and enjoy a drink and the view. This last visit changed my mind. We were with a group of 10 and not a good meal in the bunch. The food is reminiscent to a smokers roadside bar. One of the fried shrimp baskets was something you get from LJS, except $20. The cocktail sauce was in a small container and had the consistency of jello. I tried to stir it but it just broke up like play dough. The server said it was because they keep it on the top shelf of the refrigerator and it freezes. Honestly, is it too much to ask a fresh sauce at a seafood restaurant? Another $21 fish sandwich could not fill the bread. Also, I am sure they had to search and find the butt end of a tomato. We will not be back for food but if we are in the mood to be blasted by motorcycles we will stop in for a beer. Michael, you are a good server and you would do so much better if you run and find a better establishment for your efforts. read more

Matey's Restaurant - Fish sandwich with upgraded 6 onion rings - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

We hosted a funeral luncheon at the newly updated Chart Room Saturday afternoon for about 40 people. Comfortable fit. Plenty of room for guests to sit as well as mingle. The room has a more lounge atmosphere than a bar. The tables and high tops were decorated with navy tablecloths. We brought our own flower arrangements for each table to add some color. The food was served buffet style at one end of the room with a dessert station at the end of the bar. We served prime rib, mashed potatoes, green beans, mostacciolli and a fresh salad with 3 choices of dressing. All VERY good. The meat was tender and flavorful and perfectly cooked. LOTS of positive comments from our guests. Would HIGHLY recommend Matey's Chart Room for your next family event or to stop by for a drink with friends. Very cozy room, love the vibe. Will definitely be back. read more

We got to visit with the bartender Tina. She was amazing! She suggested the fried pickles which were spears and overall, bomb . She also was super kind. Suggested other things on the menu and even other local attractions. Was very happy with my experience this Sunday afternoon. read more

Service was good, atmosphere was nice. They played live music which was really nice to sit and enjoy. Everything we ate was very good. We wanted some other things, but she had to keep checking if they had it and then she would come back and say they didn't. I really wanted the mushroom risotto, but I settled with the shrimp carbonara. They grilled the shrimp a little too long, but it tasted fresh. Pasta was cooked good, and the sauce was creamy and rich. The crab cakes were fantastic, pricey for two of them but they were good. My wife ordered the tater tots to eat and they were good also. Food was priced pretty high, but it wasn't bad food. I've heard this place was hit or miss from the local people, and that night was a hit I guess. Would recommend. read more

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Where do I begin, honestly? We had a party of 11 come into this restaurant at 630 and we didn't receive our food until 815 (where only half of the people at our table got what they ordered). The other half received their food 20 minutes later. The food I received was made and left to sit until our half of the tables food was ready. There were probably 15 people on the same floor as us, not busy at all. We were never given updates on the time frame of where our food was (we had to ask another waitress for an update) or apologized to for the wait. Multiple people who came in 45+ minutes after our arrival ordered, received their food, and left before our food came. It was an overall bad experience and would not recommend this place to others. As a tourist do not put this place on your spots to eat list. Unless you are just trying to do drinks, this place is alright. read more

The food was wonderful, but it was the exceptional service that made our visit truly memorable. Thank you Alex for turning an ordinary meal into such a positive experience. Grouper sandwich was a good suggestion! We watched the sunset at Washington beach lighthouse and came back so my wife could drink, Anne was very attentive. Crowd was very different than earlier but everything was enjoyable. My wife had more than enough fun, see u guys before we leave town! read more

I always read reviews first, but I figured I would still give Mateys a try despite the 2.8 starts on yelp. We visited right when they opened. We were told we could sit wherever, so we went to the tiki level overlooking the bridge close to the marina. We ordered drinks, and the service was fast and friendly. When it was time for apps, we were told they were all out of the one we wanted, so we skipped and went to entrees. One of the five members in our group wanted a flatbread, and they noted they were out of those as well. Everyone in the group got some time of seafood, and overall everyone was fine with their choice. Our one major issue was 2 of the 5 meals were brought out, and about 15 minutes later the next 3 arrived. I would recommend stopping here for drinks if you are in town, but I would skip on the food! read more

Stopped by Mateys Bar and Restaurant for lunch. I had the sweet chili pineapple - grilled pineapple in a sweet chili sauce with bacon, it hits all the flavors, sweet, spicy, savory, smokey. Very tasty appetizer. Mateys has also introduced some new menu items; so I ordered the scallop entree- 5 scallops on a bed of white cheddar and parmesan risoto. The scallops were cooked to perfection and the risoto was so flavorful. Both dishes were so pretty I had to take pictures Steven waited on me and was so friendly and funny. Great service. I'd absolutely go back and order both dishes again, maybe even tomorrow. read more

Matey's Restaurant - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

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food was great. Service was good. Great view. right on the beach. Definitely recommended will be going back. read more

Matey's Restaurant - view from bar - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

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Always great to discover new restaurant while traveling. I went to the Lighthouse Place Outlets in Michigan City a couples time and don't usually get a meal around the area. But when searching for some restaurant around the place, there is quite a few options. Matey's have the sport bar at the first level, and a tiki deck on the second and third level. Highly recommend on the upper level as it have a view toward the Michigan City Harbor. I got the Lobster Roll and can't express enough how much I love it. Stack of lobster meat loaded in between slighted toasted brioche roll, with a little bit of lettuce at the bottom that add some crunchiness. read more

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Came here Saturday afternoon and preferred a burger, fries, and some chicken tenders. It's now Sunday, I'm hoping the order comes soon. Please send help. To the kitchen at least... read more

Understaffed, poorly kept, overpriced. Overall, just a horribly managed restaurant. We didn't need or expect fine dining. Just wanted a sunset, a burger and a cocktail on a Monday night. The location has so much potential - but for the power plant that frames an otherwise gorgeous sunset. Understaffed in both the kitchen and on the floor. We spent 20 minutes waiting to order a drink. Another 20 minutes waiting for the drink. And then another hour waiting for my unremarkable $22 hamburger (lettuce, tomato,onion) and fries. Pretty extensive menu - unfortunately they were out of everything. You know you've got a problem when 3 of the 4 staff offer repeated and unsolicited criticism of "the cheap owner", read more

First time here and the food was just awful. White wine pasta tastes like lemon cleaner. Ribeye steak was doused in pepper and super rough. Carbonara had canned peas and sauce with frozen shrimp tossed in. Kid cheeseburger was burnt. We tried to have the chips and salsa, but the chips were stale. Normally don't do reviews, but this was an overall bad experience. Overpriced as well. Staff need more help. read more

Looks like a great place to get drinks. The food was pretty good but almost 2 hour wait. No warning. We kept being told someone was checking on our food but no one would report back to us. It's ok to be slow and overwhelmed but as a restaurant you need to inform those dining that there is a long wait. I didn't really want to be eating dinner at 10pm. read more

Nice rooftop with good food and service. Michael was a great waiter. We could enjoy looking at part of the nearby marina and Lake Michigan. read more

Server was good attentive serviced us as soon as they saw us. We got the alcoholic shark drink which was pretty good. The food was cooked very well it just could've used more seasoning. read more

Nice environment.. Close to the beach which is beautiful. They have 3 levels. We went to the roof. I order soft shell crap, coconut shrimp and virgin Pina colada. Crap shell sandwich was a surprise. I didn't like how it looks, it was very small compared to the buns, and the taste was ok. The coconut shrimp was crunchy and flavored in a good balance. The virgin pina colad was the best ! I loved every sip of it. The bartender was very nice and friendly, but i suggest the rest of the staff to work on their smiles and attitude to make customers feels a little welcomed . read more

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Love the all you can eat crab legs! We also had fun playing darts. The specialty drinks are a bit pricey but the food prices more than makes up for it. read more

An unexpected surprise. We did not plan to go to Matey's. Another nearby restaurant told us on the phone that they had immediate seating. When we arrived they apologized and said the wait was 45 min. That's not great when you have a six month old child in your party. So, we checked out Matey's. At first, I was unsure. The seating was simple and not luxurious. I expected bar food. My hurricane was tasty The lobster nachos (actually queso dip) were delicious. The crab cakes were delicious and the prime rib sandwich was excellent. Nothing disappointed. The ambiance was waterfront bar. Nothing special until sunset. Then we were treated to a spectacular display of lights. Our table gave us a perfect unobstructed view. Matey's may be one of the best locations around to watch the sun set. read more

Matey's Restaurant - Sunset at Matey's - American Near Me - Michigan City, Indiana

If you wanna kill time, this is the place, however... Food is about nothing, beer is average, prices are over expected. Two stars for the upper level view only! Not a place of choice for the future Michigan City visits, sorry. read more