Yum, lemon curd pancakes were great and my husband loved the biscuits and gravy. We had a bit of a wait but it was well worth it.

Smoke on the Water has really good food, and one thing I especially appreciate is that they have genuinely good gluten-free options. It's always nice when dietary options feel like an actual part of the menu rather than an afterthought. The food we've had has consistently been delicious, and there's definitely a lot to recommend here. My biggest drawbacks are the hours and the prices. Their hours can make it difficult to actually get there when we want to, and it's pretty pricey for breakfast/brunch. Especially when feeding more than one person, it adds up quickly. That said, when we do make it in, the food itself is absolutely worth complimenting, and having solid gluten-free choices is a huge plus. Great food and great options I just wish they were open more often and a little easier on the wallet! read more

It would have been helpful to know before we'd waited 45 mins for a table that we couldn't get lunch (Sundays breakfast only but the other place we were headed, The Happy Troll, was the same. At least this place seated us). Very good food. Took quite awhile to come out and we were literally the last table seated. But, our server was terrific, and accommodating. The fancy French toast -- totally worth the calories. Best I've ever had. VERY noisy inside but the table of 6 college girls next to us was largely responsible for that. The interior was small and the sound bounces off the walls. Next time I'd wait for an outside table, but I would absolutely come back read more

The food was very good. It was a bit of a wait but we were expecting that. We had a party of 10 and were able to sit at two separate tables. It is small and cozy but was worth the wait and was happy with everything we were served. The hash-browns were nice and crispy. The bacon jam omelette was a bit sweet..would probably try the other one next time. Everything about the place was great and we would definitely return. The lemon curd pancakes were delicious. read more

Smoke On The Water - Bacon jam omlette - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

This was is absolutely delicious! It's worth the wait! The staff were incredibly friendly. It gets crowded so go early! Yum!

The food was a refreshing and unexpected delight. Homemade sausage, lemon curd pancakes, French toast, and hash brown. Even the ketchup is as homemade. Phenomenal job on each. Service was great- intuitive to our needs, didn't hover, delivered in every way. read more

Omgosh! You CANNOT GO WRONG with the Lemon Curd Pancakes, Goat Cheese Garlic Spinach and tomato omelet (I added sausage) and the local homemade chocolate milk! They source their ingredients from local farmers and vendors! You will NOT be disappointed! We left full, super happy, and content! The staff is always friendly and accommodating also! Thank you! read more

Cash-only, expensive, and slow. Our 2024 visit was great. Went on a Sunday in July, 2025 and were initially disappointed that only breakfast menu items are available on Sundays. The wait was long, and peeking in the window there were a lot of tables were ready to go and waiting to pay. Once inside, there is an ATM (!) and a small sign saying it is cash only. That is new this year and in fact the waitress used a Clover credit card reader to enter our order at the table. Total BS to only take cash and force your customers to pay ATM fees. It's worse than places that charge a 3% credit card fee or cash discount. A place that charges $20 for breakfast should not be cash only. Our meal was $90 for 4 people. The smoke brisket hash ($20.25) was good, but there was a $4.75 upcharge for 2 eggs (!) which I declined because I found it insulting. Service was slow, and food was slow coming out of the kitchen. Slow on the coffee refills. Might try it again, if I happen to have a pocket full of cash and there is no wait, because the food is good. read more

Such a cute little place and they have a great breakfast menu. I had the Lemon Curd pancakes and they were so delicious. My husband had the breakfast platter and it was yummy and such a generous portion. The service was top-notch and we highly recommend Smoke on the Water. read more

What a cute little gem in Charlevoix! Your experience begins as you walk toward the front door and smell the aroma from the smoker! The staff are very friendly and the food is exceptional. read more

Smoke On The Water - Restaurant outside - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Best Smoked meats in Charlevoix and this is review is from a Texan and we are picky on smoked meats.

We love this place. Begging you please please please bring back the burger. Love the dedication to local farmers, slow food that is worth the wait, and the staff is accommodating, respectful and helpful. My daughter wanted something before going to Castle Farms and they did everything to ensure this five year old had some pancakes and bacon :) ...but that burger I had ten years ago still haunts my memory and was sad to see it's no longer on the menu. It was homemade brioche, local made jam, brie and beef from known farm and your bacon (if memory serves me right). If you bring it back I will drive up to Charlevoix that day!!! Cholesterol be damned! read more

Smoke On The Water - Happy they will make her pancakes - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

My boyfriend and I came here for a brunch date and we had Cesare as our server. He was phenomenal! Very kind and really took his time with us. The food was incredible! I would recommend the goat cheese omelet & challah bread. We were very impressed with this small, local restaurant. read more

Very slow service. Just expensive breakfast here. Ice tea taste disgusting don't get it. We waited over an hour for pancakes. The dining room only has about 6 or 8 tables and was half full but they were very overwhelmed by it. I'm not sure how they handle the summer crowds. read more

Ate here the morning after the Marathon was held. It is a quaint little restaurant and we chose to sit outside. When they say they are a scratch kitchen, they mean it. The Eggs Benedict were first rate with perfectly poached eggs and tasty hollandaise sauce. Others in our group had the breakfast sandwich that they all raved about. Service was great. Key thing to note is that they do not accept credit cards. This is a cash only establishment, but they do have an ATM in the restaurant. Would definitely eat here again. read more

Hands down the best dining experience we have had in Charlevoix. This is our second visit, our first for breakfast. We arrived at 9:00 on a rainy Saturday morning and were seated immediately. The staff is attentive and well-skilled in the art of customer service. They cover for each other to ensure a seamless dining experience. I am a baker and appreciate quality food. This cafe did not disappoint. The bread, including biscuits and jam, are made at the cafe. The meat is fresh-smoked and the sauce was outstanding. Potatoes for the hash are hand grated. Our server warned us that portions were large when we asked about toast. He was absolutely right. We were full and ready for a day outdoors. The price point was close to $50, which is about the same price we have been paying for quality "fast food." This cafe beats our other meals hands down. I wish I had the option of adding bonus stars. For a well-made, delicious meal in a quaint environment where you won't feel rushed, attended to by great people, you can't pass up on Smoke on the Water. read more

Smoke On The Water - Corn beef has with 2 eggs and decaf - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

I was over to Smoke on the Water just the other day... (Monday I think) it was nore like lunch time but I had my mouth set on breakfast... they servr a beef brisket bendict that's reeeel good but I didn't want the english muffin... so I asked Nicole if they would do me up a brisket benedict without the muffin and MAN did they ever do it! It was bery delicious with two eggs that came poached in a little ceramic cup.. I had their fancy bread toasted on the side along with their outstanding BBQ sauce on the side as well! It was a good amount of meat and I fed the fat scraps to our barn kittys... they really love me a LOT! You should give it a try y'all! read more

Good food overall. Had the Bacon Jam Omelette. It was good but too sweet for me. Had a side of Sausage Gravy, was good but had a spice/heat component which I found detracts from the taste. I would definitely recommend and visit again to try other items on the menu. read more

Smoke On The Water - Bacon Jam Omelette with side of Sausage Gravy. - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Lemon pancake was good, server was nice. They were out of applesauce as a side dish, so I asked for any other kind of fruit. They said they didn't have fruit, which I thought was odd for a brunch place. Anyway, I found out they only took cash, which apparently was written on a chalkboard sign placed on the ground out front. Apparently they have an ATM machine inside, which I thought was odd. read more

Great food, service and ambiance make Smoke on the Water a must eat triple threat. My wife ordered the Drunken French Toast which had layers of flavor without being overwhelming. My Brisket Hash and Egg was a masterpiece of savory goodness. The quaint patio seating offered glimpses of the lake. Emma's service was the perfect blend of service presence balanced with time to ourselves. Anyone visiting Charlevoix should have this fine dining establishment at the top of their list. read more

Smoke On The Water - Patio seating - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

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Food was very good, but it was a little expensive for breakfast. Love the atmosphere and the service was excellent! We will be back again for sure! read more

This is a small venue that keeps locals and visitors returning time and time again. Their specialties are all of the smoked items, and breakfast will not disappoint. Locally gathered produce, cider, maple syrup, etc. round out the menu nicely. I appreciate the fact that they do not pass on the uptick in credit card fees to their customers, as has become a necessary trend, and I therefore wish that I had had cash to pay my bill. read more

Very small breakfast/lunch spot, but was seated right away. Service was great! The food took a little longer than expected, but we were advised when the food would be out. Nice options for a traditional breakfast and the homemade bread and raspberry jam was delicious as well as the sausage. The hash browns lacked some seasoning. Cash is preferred here, but they do accept cards. read more

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The prompt suggested including food, service, and ambiance in my review. So, on Monday, April 21, my wife took me to this restaurant to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the last time that I shaved - while teaching high school in San Jose, Costa Rica. I have had it Z Z Top long, and just a half inch or so, but have not shaved since. As to the review, the ambiance was good, the food was great, and the service was FANTASTIC! We were served by Nicole. She was very friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu. And, she was very attentive even while serving others, always filling our water glasses as they were emptied; yet at the same time she was never intrusive. Nicole is, in my opinion, the epitome of a great server. And, if you decide to breakfast or lunch at Smoke on the Water, try to make sure that Nicole is your server/waiter. She is easily identifiable by a beautifully detailed tattoo extending down most of one arm. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed! In conclusion then: ambiance is good, food is great, and service by Nicole is phenomenal! Enjoy! read more

Great service from walking in the door to saying goodbye! Food and coffee were excellent! We ordered the smoked brisket hash and the lemon curd pancake with sausage links. The home setting was charming and we really enjoyed our experience. read more

Smoke On The Water - Lemon curd pancake with sausage links - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Great place to grab breakfast or lunch! A lot of street parking around and very walkable to get to. Our server was very sweet and attentive, she made sure we were familiar with the menu. Ordered the brie sandwich and it was flavorful with a large portion! I would definitely eat here again. read more

Smoke On The Water - Grilled Brie , Provolone , Bacon and Apple Sandwich - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Cute little breakfast/lunch spit in downtown Charlevoix. Good breakfast selections, great homemade breakfast breads and smoked pork. We had the homemade bacon with hash browns and eggs, scrambled eggs with homemade biscuit. Everything was served hot and fresh, with service with a smile! This was a very chill spot, with a hipster vibe. Easy to get a table inside or out, although tiny. The homemade jam was a nice touch and although the bees tried to drive everyone away, we all stayed and enjoyed this quaint downtown gem. Would definitely recommend if in Charlevoix, Mi! read more

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I ate here on vacation. It was a wonderful breakfast place. Food was excellent, service was great. A really nice experience. Love a restaurant that used to be a home, makes for a lovely feeling read more

Eat here! My beautiful wife and I had lunch here. She got the grilled Brie sandwich and I got the corned beef slider and wild mushroom slider. We both loved our meals. There was a lot on the menu that appealed to us. We will be back when we are in town again. The service was very friendly and quick. read more

They were amazing and they slayed so hard Best pancake I've ever had highly recommend coming great customer service and it's a preppy in here read more

Decent food, small portion sizes for a very high dollar. We got the goat cheese omelette, made our own omelette and 2 sour cream pancakes.

We were looking for a place to eat, and we stumble upon this little, cute restaurant next to grandmother's café. The server was so friendly, we decided to sit outside. The weather was so nice, though it was quite breezy. I ordered All American breakfast and my husband had a pulled pork omelet. The Challah bread we had was delicious! It was freshly baked. Their homemade jam was also excellent, not too sweet, but just right. We enjoyed it! We will definitely return. read more

Submitting this review for my parents: Best kept secret in the area! Excellent service and food, shout out to Mary Jo our server and even the owner Julie came by to check in on us. Ordered the pulled pork hash, pulled brisket hash and lemon curd pancake. Enjoyed each one! Highly recommend! read more

Smoke On The Water - A little bit of the pulled pork hash, pulled brisket hash, and lemon curd pancake - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Recommended by my nephew and encouraged by reviews Smoke on the Water made the cut for breakfast. Like many of the reviews stated service was not top notch, a very busy little restaurant the couple of servers seemed to be a bit overwhelmed, I ordered fresh fruit as a side and had to remind server about it, at the same time another customer was overheard asking for fruit to be taken off bill as it never arrived! My order consisted of hot apple cider, Drunken French toast with bacon and fresh fruit. Just like all of the reviews said this dish was amazing. The hot apple cider was more lukewarm than hot. My husband had the biscuit and gravy with a side of eggs. He said the gravy was the best he ever had and my tiny taste confirmed that!! There is a single gender neutral bathroom that is a good size with a nice beach theme. Inside dining rooms are small and cramped probably not good for person with wheelchair or scooter but there is seating outside. read more

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I asked for medium rare burger. It came out burnt. Not well done. But dark gray in the inside and black on the outside. I told my server about it and she said "oops, sorry about that." She came back 2 minutes later with the check and said I could just take it up front (I only ordered the burger). I took just one bit (and a small nibble to be sure) and went to the front. She said to insert my card so I did, yes. But I also said that I'm paying for a burger that I didn't eat because it wasn't edible. You realize this, right? She said "yeah. Again, sorry." People overcook stuff all the time. No big deal. Hit making people pay for food that isn't edible is robbery. Wouldn't come back. I came here because it's top rated today in Yelp. Wow. Not again. If you're reading this, I'd go elsewhere. read more

Smoke On The Water - Burnt burger. Wish I opened it up and took a better pic. - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Meh. I've had better. We had great service, but it's a long wait for food that is just okay. We arrived at 11:20 am and put our name on the list. Got a phone call 40 minutes later that our table was ready. It was strange that there were lots of empty tables when we put our name in, but we had to wait so long. From the time we got the phone call to the time food hit the table was 53 minutes. We ordered a full plate of pulled pork hash from the breakfast menu, and a French toast from the kids' menu for our daughter. The French toast was very good with real maple syrup and a side of fresh fruit. The hash was not what I expected. The smoked pork was hidden in the middle of a giant pile of shredded hash brown potatoes. The outside of the hash browns was nice and crispy, but the middle was soft and almost soggy. The medium bbq sauce was unique. It had a smoky and slightly spicy flavor. We noticed quite a few places to eat in Charlevoix, so we would most likely try a different place next time we visit. read more

Smoke On The Water - Pulled pork breakfast hash - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

Good food, bad service! Under staffed and over charged. We had omelets and were charged $2.25 more than what was on the menu. Waitress said it was due to the high egg prices. There was no disclosure on the menu! We'ed been had! read more

It's my TOP rated restaurant! High quality, superb briskets, fresh cooked hash potatoes. Will return any day. read more

Smoke On The Water - Brisket Hash breakfast and another breakfast (forgot the name) - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

A great place for breakfast or lunch. Highest quality, great flavor, consistent service. Everything is great. Sometimes a line but definitely worth the wait. Everything is house made, breads are the best and their meats - unrivaled. read more

Smoke On The Water - A couple at Smoke on the Water - we love this place too. Such great food, cozy atmosphere, interesting food and great service. - American Near Me - Charlevoix, Michigan

The drunken French toast and lemon curd pancakes are the best! SOW has a cute atmosphere and the service is pleasant and helpful.