I gotta give it 5 stars for what it is...it's a cafe by the falls in this historic fishing town by the docks...Period!! People complain that it has a limited menu...IT'S A CAFE! We thought it was a great venu! This was our first time to Leland and wanted to check out the fishing bay area for what it's famous for. It was about 4:30, we walked up to the Cove restaurant and noticed a small line waiting and then I noticed a small staircase along the wall and walked down and there was Ricks Cafe'. It said seat yourself, so we did. Didn't think we were going to get any service anytime soon, within a couple of minutes a young lady appeared taking our order. Yes, it was a short menu but, the chicken sandwich with chips sounded pretty good. The sandwich was really good and the falls atmosphere were a pretty cool setting in this beat little fish harbor. We enjoyed watching people fish off the dock and some dude in a kayak trying his chances angling. We enjoyed it immensely and will be back next time in the area. As for the person who complained that there was limited tables for dogs...ITS A RESTAURANT for PEOPLE. I don't want to be near your mutt schlepping scraps off the floor. I really wish more restaurants would follow the Section 6-501.115 of the Michigan Food Code. No Pets allowed, only Service animals with credentials! read more

Since there was a long wait to eat at The Cove we decided to grab a table at Rick's since the hostess told us there won't be a wait and menu basically the same. We were able to grab a table right by the water which was great! Unfortunately, the menu was way smaller than The Cove but they did serve their trade mark Chubby Mary drink. The day was beautiful so sitting right by the water made for a great ambiance. The waitress was friendly. Unfortunately, the portion size vastly different- we all ordered a bowl of the seafood chowder and 3 out of 4 of us got a bowl filled barely half way, while the fourth was filled to the top. When we mentioned to the waitress she just kind of dismissed it. White fish Caesar salad was outstanding- smoked fish delicious and dressing tasted just right. Portion was not big, just right for one person. read more

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A quintessential, must do while in Leland's Fishtown. Grab a table with a view of the dam and stuff yourself with a Burger in Paradise or the cherry chicken salad wrap- both very yummy! read more

The patio views are beautiful and were definitely the highlight of our visit. We appreciated that they offer dog-friendly seating, but there are only two tables that allow dogs and they aren't labeled. It would be much more convenient if those tables were clearly marked so guests without dogs could choose other available seating, making the process easier for everyone. The food was decent, but the menu was very limited. Unfortunately, the service was quite poor, which took away from the overall experience. Between the limited menu and the service, it's unlikely we'll be returning. read more

The food is good but you need to get rid of the awful so called pickles that you serve. It's like eating a cucumber with no flavor. Absolutely the worst pickles served anywhere. Everyone I know complains about them so I'm giving you the straight up truth! read more

Amazing experience eating outside watching the fish area -- 5 star for the outdoor vibes. Service 3-4 star. Food taste and portions for the price 3 star. It's a great place to stop while in Leland as the ambience is worth it and every place is pricy anyway. So I'd recommend. read more

Rick's Cafe - American Near Me - Leland, Michigan

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I was very disappointed with my experience. The service was poor, and our server seemed uninterested and inattentive throughout the meal; snagging chips from the bag that the cook was using for guests. What concerned me the most was the food safety in the outdoor kitchen. I observed the cook handling raw fish, raw ground burger, and chicken without properly preventing cross-contamination. I also noticed dirty rags lying on the floor next to the sanitize bucket, no hand washing between handling different foods, raw meat, and no gloves being worn while preparing food which with proper hand washing would be okay. Even saw him pick his nose when I was talking to the manger. Food safety should be a top priority at any restaurant, and what I witnessed made me uncomfortable about eating there so we talked to the manger and left. I hope management takes these concerns seriously, improves employee training, and enforces proper food handling and sanitation practices before someone gets seriously sick. After talking to the manger he seemed concerned but got the vibe he was going to brush it off. TBD! read more

Clam chowder is a must. Burgers are good, but beef lacks seasoning. It's all about the atmosphere - over priced but a must stop. Wish the bar tenders were more welcoming. We've been coming up for 28 years- had a few visits in our time. Best views read more

Nice place to sit outside next to the falls. The food is not very good. The drinks are meh. The service is provided by a Busch of 20 something's that are more interested in their cell phones and personal drama read more

Going to school in Ann Arbor, it tickled me to no end seeing a Rick's Cafe in Fishtown of all places haha! Sadly, there are no sharkbowls at this Rick's - I already asked :P But if you're looking for a sit down restaurant with a view in Leland, this is your spot! Located in the heart of Fishtown, you get a view of the water dining outdoors here & it's such a vibe. I was a bit confused because I believe Rick's Cafe and The Cove are connected/the same business. I think Rick's just refers to the downstairs, outdoor dining level of The Cove. The menu is small - like SUPER small. It's about 7 items, so the food options are definitely limited, which is fine. I opted for the smoked whitefish caesar salad, which was solid, nothing remarkable, but solid. They also had a very interested drink option - a chubby mary. It was a bloody mary with a whole smoked fish inside of it haha. My friend who got it said it was good, food and drink all in one glass - how innovative XD! read more

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So not sure what to say.. but we went here for lunch. There was no hostess so it appeared that it is find your own table. The tables were not being cleaned between guests so I wasn't sure how sanitary this establishment would be. So we reluctantly found a spot and looked at the menu which had a very limited selection and was pricey. Well we waited AND waited. We noticed other guests that had arrived after us getting service. We did NOT get acknowledged by any staff members and decided to leave. Overall, horrible experience, bad or lack service and would not recommend. read more

This place is all about the location. We snagged a table waterside for lunch on a Wednesday. We did have great service but the food was very meh. Tried the cherry chicken salad. Filling was okay but wrap was tough and chewy. Burger extremely mediocre. No fries because there's no fryer downstairs. Kettle chips only. Cocktails are super pricey, as expected in a touristy spot. In all one expensive lunch with a nice view. read more

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First dining in experience since the Covid pandemic. Nice outdoor area. Required to wear masks to table but then take them off. Tables are spaced out. Nice view of the water with the buildings in the back. Had the perfect basket. It was very good. Loved the batter on the fish. Their have cut fries are really good too. Would love to come back here with a full menu. read more

Rick's Cafe - Perch basket - American Near Me - Leland, Michigan

the charged $8 for a cap full of ice cream, no kidding, the size of a large cap. they advertised as $5 then charged $8 on the bill. told me whoops that's an outdated menu... they had it on the table read more

Location is very ideal, by the water, with beautiful view. However, food was very pricy and portion was very small. Entrees were $20-$30. read more

Food was decent but seemed super slow. We brought our dog and were told we could only sit at ONE table?!?!? It's an outdoor restaurant! Then we wait for "that table" which is tucked away in a corner. As we are sitting at "that table" others come in with dogs at sit at other tables! We felt ostracized and unwelcome. The menu is very limited but good. We had burgers and chicken. One of our burgers was grossly over cooked... ordered medium came out very well done. We each ordered a drink, Moscow mules (they make homemade ginger beer) and beer. Overall we had a sweet server, who was a bit slow but took care of us. read more

Went here just to relax and have a drink and cool down. Didnt see a hostess when we arrived and after waiting we assumed we were to seat ourselves. After sitting for awhile waiting for a waitress we were approaced by one asking if we had seen the hostess for a seat. when we said no there wasnt one and that we had waited for one to show for a bit and never saw one. She then made us vacate our table as there could be a waiting list even though there was no one at the entrance waiting and numerous tables open throughout the establishment. we left taking our business elsewhere and will not be recommending this place to any of our friends who visit the area read more

Awesome burgers cooked out on the patio. Very nice patio, grass umbrellas , great service, right on waterfall, also old fishing boats! Check it out! Great place!!! read more

Went there for lunch with the family. No one bothered to wait on us or acknowledge us. Staff was busy dancing and talking to each other. I understand being short staffed because of the pandemic, but the place wasn't busy when we arrived. The food is overpriced as well. We left and found another place to eat with better service. read more

This is a staple for us when we vacation every year. The seafood chowder gets all the stars. I'm a big fan of the white fish pate and chubby mary too. It is a little on the pricey side but it comes with a great atmosphere and view being right on the channel. read more

This is actually two restaurants in one. The bottom is the fairly inexpensive option, with a small menu with some freshly grilled items. Here is my usual Pros/Cons/Comments: Pros: -Right by the water, great ambiance. -Freshly grilled chicken. -Cherry/Chicken wrap is very delicious. A good option for a clean, light lunch. -Outside seating is awesome, with great views and a nice breeze. A perfect place for lunch. -As clean as you can expect a riverside restaurant to be. Cons: -Seafood chowder is just OK. I mean, it's not bad, but not as great as most reviews rave it to be. The shrimp is on the small side, and they use artificial crab, which doesn't really justify the price they charge for it. At 8 bucks a bowl, cant you at least open half a can of jumbo lump crabmeat from Meijer? All in all, it's ok for a lunch place. I'd come back here, but I wouldn't recommend it to people. It's a tad pricey, but it is a tourist spot, so it's understandable. read more

Rick's is a must stop in Leland for a chubby mary (bloody mary with a smoked chub). The fish adds no "fishy" taste to the bloody mary but the bloody mary definitely infuses the smoked chub. It's a great combination of flavors. read more

Rick's Cafe - Chubby Mary - American Near Me - Leland, Michigan

Why not... They have good food, nice beer selection, and great vibe... Get yourself a cheeseburger in paradise! The Founders and Bells selection is awesome:) they have a small menu but come here you won't regret it! read more

Rick's Cafe - IPA in the deck watching the water fall... Life is good - American Near Me - Leland, Michigan

the cutest little casual spot right next to the dam.... had a glass of french rose, the fish dip pate and a whitefish caesar - all incredibly yummy! our server Chris was 5 star. super friendly and the perfect amount of attentive. highly recommend a quick little stop for a snack in fish town! read more

Rick's Cafe - smoked whitefish pate - American Near Me - Leland, Michigan

Ricks Cafe is a fairly inexpensive dinner option. You can eat right outside by the water, which is beautiful. The menu is very limited, but the seafood chowder is delicious. My experience, which may or may not be par for the course, is that the service was absolutely horrible. The server was disinterested and unhelpful. read more

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This is a great little place on the channel in Leland. The menu is pretty small but the chicken sandwich I had was delicious while my husband and daughter enjoyed their burgers. Our service was just okay but the ambience is everything you would expect from a small, charming lake town read more

It's not closed.. Just went there last week. It might be seasonal though, not sure. Nice surrounding and nice food. Right next to the falling Waters in fish town. read more

Very short menu..not many options to eat.and not worth the price....would rather come here for just a beer...nothing great about the view too..agreed there is some small dam kinda flow...but really shady structures on the opposite end... read more