Ate Father's Day breakfast with my dad, son and mom. I ate the "Big Daddy," my boy ate the "Breakfast Burger," my mom ate the Oat Meal, and my dad ate the "Rise-N-Shine." All of us were very pleased with our meals. The Big Daddy was almost too much food, but I managed. My boy said the Breakfast Burger was delicious but messy. My mom said the oatmeal was even delicious, had some maple mixed in with it. My dad enjoyed the Rise-N-Shine, too. The portions were great and the cost was decent. The service was a little slow but they were quite busy. The restaurant was clean but the tables are too large for the room. In my opinion, they could change to square 4-seater have more tables for more customers. The current tables seat 6-7 people but 1/3 of the tables had 2-4 people sitting at them. Definitely worthy of eating at again. read more

Shirley's Cafe - Menu1 - American Near Me - Mancelona, Michigan

Great little spot! The food was soooo good and comforting!! The service was great also! Seems like a locals favorite breakfast spot! I was traveling through and had passed by Shirley's a few times and finally stopped! I'm glad I did! I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town! Great food, service & prices! read more

See all

Great place. Love the service had a made to order omelette and cinnamon swirl French toast. Very good. Warm syrup bought a loaf to go!

DO NOT PASS THEM BY! My breakfast was fantastic, service was perfect, attitudes are nice and welcoming. We went to Iron Skillet by accident, walked in and weren't greeted and when we finally were it was with bad attitude. We left, went to Shirley's...ahhh, that's where we belonged. Looking for great food and service? Shirley's is for you. read more

We have been wanting to stop in to Eat at Shirley's Cafe while passing through on our way to Walloon. We finados and Wow we had a wonderful experience! The food was just what we hoped for Freshly made and so. Comforting. Just delicious! The staff made us feel welcome! We puros loaf of raisin Bread to take home with us. Oh my word. This bread is some of the best we have ever had! Can't wait to return! read more

You know when you watch a movie or tv show and characters are all sitting in the neighborhood diner and the waitress is friendly and sweet and smart and fast and the food looks amazingingly delicious and everyone just seems like they are right at home...yea that scene...well I swear they modeled those diners after Shirley's Cafe. This little spot in northern Michigan is the epitome of midwestern good cookin' and hospitality. They are known for their wide variety of fresh baked bread, but idolized by their huge, yet tasty breakfast dishes. The decor is simple and home. Lots of tables for large groups and intimate couples and everything in between. The waitress was so amazing. She worked this room with 4 large full tables like a genie. She was fast, on point and downright friendly. She made sure she got our orders, took our time and kept our coffee cup full. If the kitchen messed up, she made it right the best she could. The food was delicious. The pancakes were the size of a mighty plate and fluffy. The omelets were filled with plenty of meat and vegetables and the bacon was thick and meaty. Shirley's Cafe lived up to all its stars and ratings in both food and service. read more

See all

Shirley's is a diamond in the rough. Wife and I were staying at Schuss Mt. and saw this on Yelp. Gave it a try and loved it all. Enjoyed m÷ting Dee and Maria. Great vibe and great food!! read more

Shirley's Cafe - Eggs over easy crispy bacon and homemade cherry walnut bread. Also a great chef salad so fresh. - American Near Me - Mancelona, Michigan

Went here for breakfast on 7/15 and let me tell ya....I was blown away....first the place was very clean and tables where immaculate...I really rarely eat out now due to covid....but I will be back...food was delicious and greek yogurt was yummo. Loved the coffee and the service. Can't wait to come back. Sandee Hendricks read more

Me and my family usually go here for breakfast when family from other states visit but lately the employees have been not the nicest people. One of the workers had gotten in my mom's face and said they didn't give a damn. A few other customers had walked out. I think if they want to be able to keep good business and have people coming back they need to be more respectful to their customers. The food is normally really good and there is a good group of workers but lately those workers haven't been around and the ruder workers have been there. Really disappointed to see an amazing restaurant lose so many customers due to extremely rude workers and an even worse manager read more

Wow! French toast was amazing, probably the best we've had. Three slices are huge, with I had taken a photo. Great service and there was no wait on a Thursday around 11:30. Nice locals in and out also. Had the waffles, pancakes, eggs and bacon. All delicious but the French toast really was the best! Took some bread home read more

Breakfast is awesome and everyone makes you feel so welcomed!! Shirley's Super omelet my favorite!!

I stayed in Mancelona for 5 months and eating breakfast here was one of the best parts! The homemade rye bread is the best I have ever had! Food always comes out fresh and delicious! They only thing I did not like here was the coffee. Servers were awesome and I believe the owner comes out and checks the tables. Very country feel, like grandmas house. Missing it already! read more

We visited the area for some snowboarding and heard of this little gem. By far, I don't think I've ever felt this much hospitality from any restaurant before. They were incredibly nice and conversational, and they worked with my medical diet. I really wanna highlight that last part... my diet is more restrictive than vegan, gluten-free, and nut allergies combined. They not only worked with my diet but the wait staff even got me some steamed veggies on the house to help supplement the meal. We returned the next day, which is very rare for us. And they were still so hospitable. The owner (I think) even came out and seriously thanked us for coming. And they worked with my diet again. read more

Wife and I Came in from out of town, loved everything. Service (Amy) was amazing and food was great for a good price. would definitely come back! read more

Great food and plenty of it. Omelette was very nicely prepared with potatoes and homemade toast. Bacon was so lean. Really good coffee. Service was wonderful. 3 servers were slammed every table full but they were so efficient. Long wait to get on but worthwhile. read more

Hope you enjoy waiting an hour for your breakfast... by the time I got mine I should have ordered lunch! Worst slow service ever! Never again will I go here. read more

A little bit of a wait due to short staff. I can't fault that due to the challenge of find work during the pandemic. The food was fantastic. We will stop again. read more

Such a nice place :) if you're in the area looking for breakfast, I definitely recommend it. We headed to Shirley's after a night roughing it at the cabin. I had the cranberry walnut french toast, which was amazing. Boyfriend had pancakes, eggs, bacon and home fries. Everything was good, fresh, and served with a smile. The staff is so friendly, great customer service. Shirley herself came over to make sure everything was tasting good. This place is a real gem. read more

Shirley's Cafe - Cranberry walnut french toast - American Near Me - Mancelona, Michigan

First off Amy our server is amazing!!!!! She's just perfect: she provided us with wonderful, prompt service and had a great bubbly personality!! and Passing through the area we came across this gem of a place compliments of yelp!! Not having breakfast in a week we were craving something Fulfilling... I was deciding between the cranberry walnut French toast (it's all homemade bread) or the cinnamon french toast *encrusted with almonds and corn flakes- additional charge of $1.29 and I asked Amy with curios eyes and wonderment and Amy gleefully said they could do the cranberry walnut encrusted!! That made my decision!! It was rich and hearty and oh so good!! Hubby had the hash which he liked as well!! Complements to the chef, Amy one outstanding person and if you find yourself near this area please chose here as your breakfast choice!! read more

Shirley's Cafe - Cranberry walnut French toast - American Near Me - Mancelona, Michigan

Best and only diner in Mancelona! Great service, the gals are very attentive and always make you laugh.

The restaurant was a very pleasant restaurant. It give me the old country feel of it. It was quite a busy place this morning, including our group. The waitress was very nice as she met us with a warm welcome. Our order of food wasn't correct, possibly due to the large group. The food was delicious and cooked as ordered. Tasty home cooking, which includes warm homemade breads.. Yummmy!! read more

See all

On our way home and took a breakfast turn into this little gem. We were seated quick but the wait was long but worth it. The food was fabulous! They bake their own bread so I ordered a loaf of cinnamon swirl for home. Everything was delicious! read more

Delicious home cooked breakfast! Great service. Would highly recommend the blueberry pancakes or the cinnamon swirl French toast made with their homemade breads. read more

Shirley's Cafe - American Near Me - Mancelona, Michigan

This was our first time at Shirley's Cafe. We were greeted with a big smile from Gail and were seated and with a cup of coffee in hand in moments. We told Gail that it was our first time and she was very helpful explaining the different homemade breads and that the Pancakes were a secret family recipe and the size of a dinner plate. I ordered the cranberry walnut French toast and a side of crispy hash browns. And my husband got the eggs hash browns and bacon. 1 sour dough toast and one slice of rye. How nice that you can choose a different type of bread per slice. I added the cornflake pecan crusted however the kitchen did not add. The French toast was good and hash browns were abundant. Good breakfast and filled us up. A steady stream of customers coming in for breakfast. We will stop here again on our way through. Gail was delightful and so friendly. read more

See all

Favorite place for breakfast! I'm very picky and this is the only place I will eat eggs! Best service- always the same kindest sweetest ladies that work there. Winter or summer it's my family's favorite place, we will bike there or snowmobiling. read more

This was a very cute little diner on our way home from up north. Stopped in to fill our bellies for the long ride home. We were greeted by the very friendly staff as we walked in and were told to sit anywhere. They were very busy but we found a table in the back. Our waitress quickly came to get our drink orders and give us menus. I ordered a Creole Shrimp Omelette and my husband ordered a Corn Beef Hash Omelette. Our food arrived fast and hot. The portions were very large! I have to say this was the best breakfast I have had in a very long time. I was super impressed with everything about Shirley's but they could use some updates on their furniture and decor. I would highly recommend this place if you find yourself in the area! You won't be dissapointed! I left my phone in the car so no pic...sorry. read more

Walked in and not one person acknowledged us for 2 minutes! Waited 45 minutes for our food. Found hair right away in the toast. Biscuits and gravy came out cold. Our waitress just seemed lost. Asked for extra napkins and it didn't seem to register with our waitress. read more

Food was excellent and staff was very friendly! My only minor complaint is that they were understaffed so the service was a little slow. The manager kicked out a table for being rude to their staff, which I greatly appreciate. Gotta love a place that takes care of the staff. read more

Shirley's is fabulous! My family and friends are here on the way back to Memphis, TN after a vacation and it was great! Super friendly staff who worked their tails off to make sure we were happy and cared for. The homemade breads were delicious, we loved the sourdough. Pancakes are a must. I left with syrup on my thigh and not a care in the world. read more

Ham was very good since it wasn't dried out. Hash browns were good. Overall good breakfast place if you're stopping through town

Vegetarian and vegan friendly! Delightful service, delicious food. Someone at a neighboring table said that their Reuben sandwich is the best he ever had. Beyond burger on menu. read more

When I eat locally, this is my go to spot. The owner is an absolutely amazing individual. If given the chance, you cant go wrong eating here. Food is always fresh and delicious, staff is always smiling, and as always, it feels like home. read more

Terrific place for lunch! We feasted on open face turkey and roast beef (home made bread and real mashed potatoes). Daughter got biscuits & gravy with pancakes. Portions huge, service friendly, obviously most of the guests were locals and regulars. If you're up this way, don't miss it! read more

Great place! Quaint homey roadside cafe. Wonderful homemade bread. Friendly servers, good menu, good food.

We recently had a group order take-out during a work event. I can only speak to my turkey reuben sandwich. Eh... I love smoked turkey reuben sandwiches. I try them all the time at restaurants across Michigan. This offering came up short. Ways to improve: 1 The bread needs to be toasted, and preferably marble rye. I felt that I was eating a bread sandwich. Too much bread! 2) there wasn't enough turkey on the sandwich. Throw some meat on this dish! MOR Turkey! 3) WAY TOO MUCH sauerkraut. Especially when I ordered it with "light" sauerkraut. Not sure how the others enjoyed their lunches. Others ordered burgers, salads, patty melt and a wrap. The staff was very pleasant, yet we could see how busy they were. Probably could've used another staff member to handle the lunchtime crowd. While we called ahead (45 minutes) our order wasn't ready. And we didn't get the cookies that we ordered, either. Glad to see that this northern Michigan establishment was busy on a weekday. A little room for improvement. Again, staff was great to deal with. Though they were overloaded when we were there. read more

Came here twice in the same weekend because the first experience was so great. Really good breakfast, especially the toast. Also got a loaf of bread to take with us. Good service, feels like a spot where regulars come several times a week. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Love this little place! Inadvertently stumbled upon AGAIN while exploring northern MI. Winner winner chicken dinner! Food: what's not to like? 3 different times, approx 5 diff meals, all super yum. (No, not a sow, 2 of us with likely repeat meals.). Speaking of sow...bacon came out perhaps too crispy for some, was given option to trade if I wanted. Nope, just like I like. *Deidre: can we kidnap and take you with us to ensure fabulous service in our future dining excursions? Carrot wheat bread. Are you kidding? If not beginning to slip into food coma (context clues: tons-o-food) I could likely find some fabulous explanations as to just how nom are the super thick toasted buttery rectangular heaven replicates. Omg... Go. None of it will disappoint. Well, unless you go after hours - think they're open till 2. ? Go before 2, get your own carrot wheat on. read more

Don't be in a hurry. We sat immediately but ordered after 20 minutes. It took another 55 minutes to get our food. At least two other tables who arrived after us have been served. We considered walking out but since I work in a restaurant, I'm trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. On the good side, this place is charming. Half the food was cold and there was jelly in the biscuits and gravy. read more

this is the worst environment to dine at. the staff is truly amazing but the owner totally humiliated my son whom got sick at the diner while awaiting a second order of the all you can eat fish. he offered to pay for the second order and she shouted across the entire restaurant ( if you can't eat it here I'll throw it out before you can take it home. ) the offer was made to pay for it and she announced to everyone she'd rather throw it out. good I'm glad she threw it out after all it would have been paid for but her attitude cost her and we have revoked any and all recommendations to either of her establishments due to the childish tantrum she chose to display toward our offer to make amends for the dinner she chose to waste. please remember the staff is amazing and kind but the owner is humiliating and rude. if you would like to attend a meal when the owner is not there you can count on a pleasant and enjoyable dinning experience. the owner does visit tables and pass out samples smile and tell stories and seems very pleasant but we found out quickly she jumps at the chance to humiliate those whom trust and love her. I pray you never experience the trashing my family got from this beloved establishment in which we cannot in good conscience enter again. dine well my friends. Bob Sellers and Family read more

Shirley's rocks!! Everything is homemade. Shirley's family has owned the place for decades, she has been working every time I've dined there. Shirley is very animated and has a story for every picture and stick of furniture in the restaurant. Very entertaining, her antics are reminiscent of watching an old episode of 'I love Lucy' play out in front of you... then again I employ herbal appetite stimulants, which can have strange side effects. My favorite is the pot roast hash. Mmmmmm. read more