Ruk Thai Kitchen

Have traveled up north Michigan many times and always seen the billboard advertising Cops &…read moreDoughnuts in Clare. Made it a point to make this a stop on our travel route to Traverse City. So glad we did! It's in a small quaint downtown Clare. Street parking. Many different goodies to choose from, including donuts, cookies, mini cakes, and much more. They offer day "old" items as self serve in a separate area, so be sure to check it out for a great deal. They also have a storefront with jelly, salsa, cherries, honey and more. Also, tshirts and some other logo apparel and souvenirs. Staff is very friendly and helpful. They were very patient when we told them it was our first time and spent time looking at all the options. Very reasonable prices. Probably the freshest baked goods I have ever had. The apple fritter is hands down the best! Pieces of cut apples baked into the donut. Delicious! The blueberry donut has fresh and moist literally melted in my mouth. The chocolate cookie with chocolate frosting is a real treat, very sweet and can be shared. The list goes on and on... every single thing we had was delicious - you can't go wrong with anything! It was so good we made a stop in route going home. This is a definite must try! You may even find yourself making a special trip just to get more of their delicious goodies. Stop in - you won't be disappointed!

I had been hearing about Cops & Doughnuts for years now. Our usual route up to Traverse City…read moredoesn't typically go through Clare but this year we did find ourselves going through on a detour and I thought that would a good time to try the place. I have to say, after the years of hype, I was disappointed. First off, the storefront isn't anything fancy. And it doesn't have to be! Most of my favorite donut shops are no frills with florescent lighting and the same cabinets and pans they've used for decades. But it's a weird vibe because it's also kind of touristy? Like they know they get a lot of tourists so they sell merch and stuff, and the two just don't really mesh? IDK. We got a dozen donuts to munch on during the drive and take with us up north and they were just ok. A little too dense for my liking (I like a melt in your mouth, pillowy yeasted donut) and very, very sweet. One of the donuts we got was the maple bacon "squealer" and the bacon was limp and chewy. I also got an apple turnover and had an odd aftertaste and left a bit of a film on my tongue. IDK, it all just didn't' seem fresh? Like the options had been sitting on the shelf for more than 24 hours. Maybe we got them on a bad day? IDK. The staff was really nice though, and I know they do a lot for the community so I don't begrudge them of any success, and they do seem to have a playful sense of humor which is fun for the brand but I just wasn't wowed. I can't see myself going out of my way to get here again. If we're detoured, maybe, but I think we'd be better off coming earlier in the day for the freshest offerings possible.

Chocolate nuts

Decor props for picture taking

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Exterior with photo opportunity

505 Cafe

4.1(74 reviews)

0.6 mi

Great food and cute waitresses. We always have breakfast here when visiting our Clare family. Try…read morethe loaded avocado toast. Can't go wrong!

We have been coming to 505 cafe for a very long time. We even stayed in a suite on the upper floor…read moreone wkend. Last month we came in on a Saturday morning and the service was poor. We were ignored when we sat down. I had to ask someone to come take our drink order. I chalked it up to new helper. We came back this past Saturday and experienced the same thing. This time, the staff blatantly ignored us, even looked directly at us and still did not come over to bring silverware or take our drink order. We finally got up and left after watching the staff help people that came in after us. We will not return. The staff working there have no clue regarding customer service. We would spend on average $70 each visit on food and drinks. We found another place in town.

Veggie onelet

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Dairy Phil Ice Cream Parlor

3.7(22 reviews)

0.1 mi

We stopped by about 630 - 7 pm on 7/11/26. We ordered a banana split. It was the worse banana split…read moreI have ever had. It was all soft serve ice cream(and very little of that) Just a smidgen of pineapple, very little strawberry. and lots of whipped cream to cover the lack of ice cream. Very Very disapointed.

Ordered the 22 BBQ brisket plate and received 2 pieces of tough dry brisket and a tiny bit of…read morepulled turkey and sides that looked like they were for a child. Sadly even the Texas toast tasted of burnt grill. This was my first experience here and I will only ever get ice cream.

Vanilla malt

Menu as of 7/2024

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The Sweet Shop

4.5(12 reviews)

42.8 mi

The Sweet Shop is closed; it has been rebranded with a new name, and presumably new owners…read more I can't speak to the quality of the new shop, as I went in looking for some Moomer's ice cream, only to be told that they no longer serve it. Lots of candy and other delicious looking stuff on hand, though.

Crazy expensive, but more importantly, taste was just ok. I would have rather had a Reece Peanut…read moreButter Cup.

Three different Sweet Shop owners, each of a different time, standing for a picture.

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Gift Baskets

Doozies Ice Cream Place

4.3(36 reviews)

14.9 mi

Excellent service and great Hot Fudge Sundaes. I can't recommend this place enough. Have a sudden…read moreIce Cream craving? Here is the place to be.

We stopped by Doozie Ice Cream for dessert, and it was a great way to end the day. The atmosphere…read morehad a fun, old-fashioned ice cream stand vibe, with plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy your treats. It's cash or check only. I ordered the chocolate-dipped vanilla soft serve cone, and it was delicious. The soft serve was creamy and smooth, and the chocolate shell had the perfect crunch. The portion size was generous and definitely worth the price. The only reason I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the wait was a little longer than expected, but the staff remained friendly and worked hard to keep the line moving. Overall, Doozie Ice Cream is a great local spot for quality ice cream, generous portions, and a relaxing atmosphere. I'd definitely stop by again the next time I'm in the area and would recommend it to anyone looking for a tasty frozen treat.

Soft serve or Arctic Swirl, you can't go wrong.

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Strawberry cheesecake swirl

Tranquili Tea

5.0(1 review)

36.7 mi

If karma put me in the right place, at the right time, it was today when I happened to wonder into…read moreTranquili Tea during the grand opening! I was treated to a mouth watering assortment of different sweets and pastries; the strawberry creme filled puffs are DELICIOUS! SERIOUSLY - GREAT TEA AND PASTRIES.

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Velvet Red Cupcakes

Annie Cakes

4.8(4 reviews)

40.6 mi

We love this place! Cute downtown bakery. Excellent customer service. Delicious cupcakes…read more Hometown pride and love for community. The cocoa bombs are to die for! Highly recommend driving to their cute shop and giving them a try.

To die for Cupcakes!! Usually I do not like cupcakes cause…read morethey tend to be dry and the topping is usually just very sweet but tasteless. I discovered this little gemstone when looking for a parking and decided to explore. What a great decision! Welcomed and greeted with a smile I got a little intro about the shop, the woman behind these amazing sweet little things and the ingredients used (natural flavors, freshly made daily, etc.). I was excited and took different cupcakes and a mini cheesecake home. And Boy, were they good. Flavorful, great taste, moist cake, not too sweet, fluffy consistency and a filling like from heaven!! I'm impressed with the attention to detail, beautifully decorated and no frosting or cake tasted the same, the all have different ones. So glad I found this place. We will be back for more. Thank you for having such an incredible selection and such wonderful sweet things.

Custom Wedding cakes

Tiramisu

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Blueberry pie cupcake

Blue Heron Cafe & Bakery

4.5(168 reviews)

43.0 mi

Wow. My husband and I were blown away by the service and food. We were just passing through as…read moretourists. I had a hard time deciding between two options and ordered one. The waitress brought me a complimentary sample of the soup I didn't order. I mean, who does that!? Also, both items were fantastic so that was a win-win. REAL food. Nothing was frozen, overpriced fried food. You can taste the difference. Both my dish and my husbands dish tasted incredible. I'd make the hour+ drive from my in-laws to eat here again our next visit.

Nice little diner right in town. Nothing fancy but also not run down. The service was friendly and…read morethe food came out relatively quickly. Grilled sourdough was perfectly crispy on the breakfast sandwich. The sweet and savory combo of bacon and apricot spread was delicious and the two cheeses and apple slices added just a little something extra.

Booth seating

Bakery items

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Soup

Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge

3.9(19 reviews)

36.7 mi

Love their Creamy Ice Cream Delights Homemade tastes…read moreGreatttt Good Customer Service Nice Ambience

This is a disappointing ice cream store. You walk in and are greeted by lots of festivity and a…read morewarm environment. You are then greeted with the absolute horror of prices. 20 bucks for half a pound of marshmallows, 30 for shredded chocolate! 8 bucks for a hot fudge sundae the size of your fist and what tasted like unbranded ice cream. Service was not helpful- was not even greeted or helped upon entering. Asked some questions and they all shrugged at us. If not for the theme of the place, i would give 1 star. Food: 2/5 Prices: 1/5 Service: 1.5/5

Mint chocolate chip hot fudge sundae - the best! Friendly service, fun old fashioned soda fountain counter

Soda fountain!

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3 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jennifer D.

0

1

0

3 years ago

Outstanding restaurant with wonderful owners who know how to treat customers well. Love the food here!! I have been to many Thai restaurants and this hidden gem rivals any I have been to in Grand Rapids, Chicago, Philly, and New York City. We are so lucky to have authentic Thai food in this area. Thank you for providing a great place to eat in the area. Finally, we have a Thai restaurant!! I have been waiting for decades. read more

Margaret V.

0

1

0

3 years ago

It was very easy to order my meal with vegan options and it was yummy!! I ordered take out and my order was ready on time. I'm planning to return to enjoy the ambiance of this charming restaurant. read more

Summer L.

0

3

0

2 years ago

BEST of the BEST. Awesome food, excellent service, and a true small family-owned business. Must visit!

Ruk Thai Kitchen - thai - Updated August 2026

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