Not very good. Ambiance is blah. Food is mediocre. Service is not friendly. Do not recommend.

This cute family run restaurant is doing breakfast right! It's impossible to leave Shirley's still hungry! Craving Pancakes, French toast, omelettes, homemade bread? Shirley's has it! If by some chance, you aren't satisfied with your experience or meal, you'll have the chance to tell Ms. Shirley yourself, when comes out to the dining room to greet and thank her guest for coming. read more

Hands down the best breakfast up north. We have been stopping by here for over 10 years and have never had anything but a great experience. The food is fantastic and staff is excellent. read more

I've driven past here so many times on my way to my family's farm in Bellaire, and I've always wanted to stop because it just seems like it's a really good diner from looking at it. We finally stopped on our way out of town on a Sunday afternoon, and though it's no longer a mysterious, aspirational, stop I don't regret it. I'm all about veggie/potato/meat/cheese/egg skillets and I was not disappointed because this menu came complete with one. The homemade bread was pretty great - I had sour dough because of course I did because it's the best bread. There's a lot of cutesy thrift storey stuff on the walls, and checkerboards built into the tables and there should be rocking chairs also built into the tables but it's okay because it's already made it's point. read more

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This place is permanently closed. Ignore the comments and signage that it is open 7 days a week from 7 -2. We didn't see the message on FB saying its closed and we drove a long way. read more

Excellent homemade food. Great staff. Delicious bread. Blts are excellent!!!! A must stop place on M72 between Grayling and TC!!!

This place has horrible customer service. Everyone here acts like they don't want to be here and are then rude to the customers. I just personally think that you should be happy to host customers and not upset that they walked in. I did not feel welcomed or comfortable at all while being here. read more

This place was such an amazing diner to eat at while on a bachelor trip with friends. The service here was better than I've experienced at 4 star restaurants, attentive and polite throughout the whole dining experience. The food was also way better than what our expectations were and the portions were large and the price was more than fair. They were able to accommodate our 13+ group with no issues. read more

Service was fabulous despite being short staffed. Food was awesome!! We will be back to try different items. Hubs had the pot roast sandwich, I had the corned beef hash with the pancake choice, yes that came WITH the corned beef hash, not an order of pancakes!! Really enjoyed our visit! read more

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High prices and then they charge you for using your debit card. Homemade bread never buttered enough and falls apart. And a tip to waitstaff, wait for the customer to finish before taking their plate. read more

Nice little place with yummy food. We stopped at Shirley's cafe for internet then found out they serve really good wraps and breakfast. read more

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The best kept secret in the UP. I realize I drove all this way for this bliss experience. Amazing service, homemade bread, wonderful brunch, and you must get the corn beef!! The owner and chef won the best of best in Michigan. it's very clear that this is a place for locals, but tourist too. If you get a chance, don't pass up on grabbing a loaf of their homemade carrot/zucchini bread to go!! This is a must stop to the UP!! read more

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Small diner but massive menu. All kinds of traditional breakfast items and fresh baked bread made in house. Service was friendly and fast.

What a great surprise! The best chicken and dumpling soup I've ever had in my life (and I've had and made a lot) Everything was amazing down to the coleslaw. I never thought I would mention coleslaw in a review nor would I gush....but seriously it was that good. Home cooking at it's best. Kindness and hospitality in abundance. Definitely make this a stop if you're nearby. HOMEMADE BREADS! All made with organic non-gmo flour with no pesticides. I wanted to buy a loaf of the carrot wheat, but we came too late so next time we will come earlier! There certainly will be more visits in our future! read more

Shirley's Cafe - This place is gem! - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

This place is like a little diner with a gourmet menu. I've ordered almost everything on the menu over the years and nothing disappoints. The homemade breads are fantastic, and dishes like the pot roast sandwich and the Pink Lady are ridiculously fantastic. I'm glad to have such a great restaurant so close to us. read more

This is not your average greasy spoon, mainly because the food itself isn't overly greasy at all. Homemade breads, pies, pasties, daily specials, and they use real butter. This foodie was happy as a pig in it read more

The cooks were very slow and it was very crowded no one said hello or told us we had to check in so we sat there for 30 minutes before We sat down are self to then get told we needed to sign in first and wait a extra hour. read more

Amazing food and even better waitstaff. Totally worth the drive. We were picking up our car in Kalkaska after Iceman and weren't sure if we should drive out this much further but it was well worth it. Huge portions and great quality. read more

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We were so excited to catch Shirley's open only to be treated like we were bothering the grumpy server. She had 2 other tables there, and apparently, it was just to much. We were given menus and said we don't need them were already to order. Well she said, "There's others ahead of you." OK, not a problem, so we waited, and then another server came in and over to offer us coffee. We again said yes to coffee and were ready to order...so the older lady with pony tail told server at our table, (across the entire room) " YOU CANT TAKE THEIR ORDER, OTHER PEOPLE ARE FIRST" LOL there were 8 people TOTAL in the dining room when we got there. So many better ways to handle work stress than making the customer feel like a problem. We've been there at least 30x over the yrs and have never had any issues. The servers are usually busy, friendly, efficient. Just don't go there if your concerned about time. We had 40 min. to spend total but didn't know we'd spend 10 of those being told why we couldn't order. read more

Huge portions at extremely reasonable (if not low) prices! They even warm the syrup! Our server was a joy, and other staff stopped by to refill coffee and clear dishes. Overall a great experience with good food in this remote area. read more

Shirley's Cafe - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

good solid food served by friendly, service oriented team. A favorite when I am in the area. read more

Shirley's Cafe - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

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Great place for breakfast and lunch. Pancakes are awesome and enormous. You have to try the homemade Bread also. Open for fish fry on Friday nights. read more

Best best breakfast ever! And awesome homemade baked good! Love Shirley and all her ladies who work there!

Huge portions. Great service. I tried biscuits and gravy. Not the best i have ever had but definitely worth the price. I could only eat half. My wife ordered an omelette. Again massive! Toast was burnt but too much food to eat anyhow. read more

Shirley's Cafe - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

If your up north and craving breakfast find a way to get here. We went on a Saturday morning as we headed to Torch Lake. The 8 of us were seated right away and coffee was ready. I ordered the cb hash and wow was it good. Crispy like i ordered and plenty of it. Others had the cajun scramble and said it was equally good. Service was spot on and the coffee cups never got to empty. Now a must stop everytime i head north. read more

In the past I have posted a 4-star rating fir Shirley's. Today my experience was quite different. The Cafe was about 1/2 full when my companion and I arrived at 9:00 am. Our order was taken about 9:10. At 9:40, the waitress came to our table to tell us they were out of biscuits and my friend would need to order something else. He changed his order to blueberry pancakes, but still wanted his 2 eggs. About 9:50 the waitress brought him his pancakes. Nothing else, and nothing that I ordered. I asked to speak to someone in charge. A woman came out with a free loaf of cinnamon swirl bread, apologized, and explained the entire cook crew was new due to some large turnover last week. About 10:05, the rest of his order and my breakfast finally arrived. I understand staffing issues and know how real this struggle is, but almost 1 hour for a complete breakfast to arrive in shifts is just unacceptable. By the time we left the restaurant was full, and I just wonder how long those patrons had to wait. read more

We stopped here not on a whim, but solely in desperation. We took a different way to get up to Traverse City, and this new way to get home was taking us in completely uncharted territories. So here we are, traveling down this oddly busy yet wholly rural highway, when suddenly I realize I need to eat. And as those of you who are diabetic/borderline diabetic/hypoglycemic know, when we need to eat now, we need to eat NOW. And snacky foods just weren't going to cut it. Like an oasis in the desert, we see this little sign for Shirley's. Being lovers of tiny dive diners, we decided it was a good choice (made all the better by realizing we had no clue if this was going to be our last chance to eat for awhile since we had no clue what lay on the road ahead of us). Pulling in, we noticed there was exactly ONE parking space left. "That's a good sign, right?" I inquired to my companion. "People must really like to eat here." "Or maybe it's the only place to eat for miles, so they have to." :( We walked in with some trepidation, only to be overwhelmed by a completely full house (on an early Sunday afternoon; no surprise in retrospect). There was no seating whatsoever available (they have only about a dozen booths, one large round table for bigger parties, and a bar counter with maybe 8 seats, tops), with another gentleman & a separate family waiting ahead of us for a table. We were worried (especially since with the above-mentioned blood sugar issues, time is a critical concept), but we chose to sit down and wait while perusing a menu in hopes of ordering faster. It was louder than some concerts I've gone to, it took us a good 20 minutes to obtain a table, and the food took a while to come out (solely because they were so busy; I've never seen such a hardworking, fast-moving group of people), but it was worth every second of it. The wait staff, while clearly exhausted from the crowd, was still friendly & obviously caring. All the tables even have a checkers board painted in the middle with a little glass cup of corresponding pieces, so you can play checkers while you wait. Utterly charming. My companion got something called the Laura Wrap that boasted chicken, peppers & sriracha mayonnaise; the bite I stole was pretty delectable. Also, they had a brand of soda I've never heard before (Northwoods), a localish outfit who apparently only sells their soda to a few restaurants, this being one of them. My companion's diet soda was surprisingly good, and I haven't had nor wanted any soda in five years! I got a standard (but tasty) burger that boasted a toasted bun that they make themselves in-house, & seasoned kettle chips that are also evidently homemade (and delicious). They also offer loaves of bread for sale; sadly, what I really wanted was to take some of the buns home with me, and they offered none of those for sale, so I didn't get a loaf to make up for it (a decision I regret now). If I should ever find myself back in this area, I'll make sure to come back. The food was really solid, and you can tell the staff cares. I'll just try to time it a little better in hopes of not having to fight for a table! read more

This little place is such a surprise. Friendly staff and the breakfast was well cooked and tasty. Try the salmon/eggs/hashbrowns plate and make sure to ask for the rosemary potato bread. read more

Shirley's Cafe - The salmon with eggs, hash browns and homemade Rosemary potato bread is delicious. Friendly staff too x - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

Awesome food and service. Good prices and local atmosphere. Definitely a must go to spot. Don

Love this place. Friendly service. Delicious food. Both locations are great. The walnut cranberry bread is so good! It has become a necessary stop every time we go up north. Still has a local feel too. read more

Shirley's Cafe - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

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Love, love, love this place. We were here for both breakfast & lunch this past weekend. It is a very small place with limited seating so you may have to wait during the breakfast rush but there were 7 of us and they quickly got us seated and even moved us to a bigger table when it became available. Breakfast was delish!!! I had the corned beef hash with eggs over medium & the rosemary bread. My eggs were cooked perfectly & the bread was to die for! Everyone ordered a different bread and we sampled all of them and there was not a bad one! Lunch was just as good. I had the chicken salad stuffed tomatoe. The chicken salad was some of the best i have ever had. My son had the hamburger with bacon & mushroom and said it was great. Again there were 7 of us for lunch and the service was excellent and we all enjoyed each of or meals but the bread was the star of the meal! I will say they are a bit pricey for an up north restaurant but well with it! I was also told to mention the pop was the bomb! I don't drink colas but again my son said it was the best! read more

I came here out of a recommendation from friends who stumbled upon it. Shirley's Cafe is NOT to be missed. Try the homemade bread....all of it. The sandwiches are amazing and the service exceptionally terrific. On the way out thet gave us a taste of the chicken dumpling soup....OMG, I only wish I was hungry enough for a bowl. You can not go wrong and, yes, drive out of your way to go here!! read more

Location a bit confusing as there are 2 pretty close together so double check youre headed to the right one! 5 stars for a great place to stop on your way up north/back home. Only open til 2 or 3pm. Had a delicious breakfast! All homemade breads. Cinnamon french toast and cranberry walnut french toast were wonderful. Carrot wheat bread also fantastic. Great kids breakfast of choc chip pancakes. Fast, friendly service. Will hopefully be back! The lunch menu looked great! read more

Loved it . Will definitely be back . Stopped in from snowmobiling , hometown feel , the girls and the owner were incredibly nice . The food was very very good . Why go to a chain when you can come here !?!? The owner had us try all or her soups , very tasty . I had the apple chicken sandwich , zero regrets . Will be back for sure . read more

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Classic homemade cooking. Fresh, delicious and quick. You will keep coming back. From homemade corned beef had to wet burritos the taste will amaze and the portions will send you on your way full and happy. read more

Shirley's Cafe - Best Homemade Corned Beef Hash I've had. Mom & Pop food at its best! Pot Roast Hash is amazing as well - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

After spending the day/night in Traverse City we decided to stop in to Shirley's. We have passed this place multiple times heading home but never stopped. After a quick search of the area, Shirley's came up as a must eat. Luckily for us, we listened and the food did not disappoint. I am not sure what the thing was called that I ordered but it had fried jalapeños, home fries, polish sausage, cheese and eggs. Wow! Our waitress also gave us a taster plate of fresh hot breads and they were all really good. The plate was so full of food, I could not finish it all. This will be a stop every time we leave TC moving forward. read more

Shirley's Cafe - Heaven on a Plate - American Near Me - Grayling Township, Michigan

What a perfect place for brunch on the way home from a great weekend up north. The tables all have built-in checker boards, with pieces on the table (although naturally we were missing some). The food was all good, although nothing spectacular, and the bread was excellent. I ended up buying a loaf of the cinnamon swirl bread- it made a great French toast! read more

This is my favorite breakfast spot up north. They have the most amazing fresh bread and I take some home every time I come here. Their food is delicious and everyone has always been so friendly! They hustle and work together and it's truly one of my favorite northern spots. Get your bread grilled instead of toasted the next time you're there. You won't be disappointed! read more

This is a small cafe with a friendly staff, great cooks and a special owner, Shirley. The food is great!

As a summer local, my family and I have eaten here many times. The food and service had always been good. However I can not say that for our visit on 07/22/2018, mostly due to the waitress. To begin, there were at least four women in Shirley's t-shirts (presumably waitresses) just standing around, yet we had to wait for a someone to wipe and clear off a table for at least three minutes. When we finally ordered and were well into a game of checkers on their new tacky tables three other people arrived and were sat next to us. When they tried to order, they discovered the food they drove 150 miles for was "all gone." They settled for something else, and though we arrived and ordered at least 10 minutes before them, they still got their food before us. Then I noticed everyone in the place had food except us, and watched our food sit in the window for more than 5 minutes and sure enough it was cold when it was finally brought out by our self-centered, air headed waitress who had legitimately gone outside while not on break. The best part of the visit was when the woman busting tables berated her for this. When I asked for the lettuce that was supposed to come with my wet burrito I was told they were out, yet they didn't bother to tell me when I ordered. My father, who can usually eat anything, couldn't even finish his coleslaw. Then after finishing cold sub-par food, (honestly, stick to breakfast!) we waited for the check for over 10 minutes after we were done, and by this time the place had almost entirely cleared out, so they were not busy. I came out of here feeling like I wasted my money and my time, which was very disappointing because it's the closest restaurant to our cottage. Well, I guess I know for sure now the drive to Dawson and Stevens in Grayling is worth it. read more