What a unique design and food service design! The Back Lot is the perfect summer spot, lots of outdoor seating and indoor seating, great menu and great drinks! The vibe is chill, the breeze coming in from the open door layout is so nice to be able to enjoy the weather without direct sunlight. The food truck style setup is a nice change from a normal restaurant. The food is packed with deliciousness - plentiful portions and the flavor is just outstanding! read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

The lamb tacos are to die for... I could eat them every single day... Jalapeño margaritas are delicious too. read more

This place is awesome! Came here one evening while in town on our babymoon to catch the second half of the MSU-NEB game (which unfortuantely didn't go well for the Spartans). We absolutely loved the outdoor area with all of the food trucks. Every single food truck looked like it had amazing food. Plenty of outdoor seating, with a decent amount of indoor seating also. Two bars to get beers from. Tons of TVs. I wish there were more places like this. I could see it being extremely successful pretty much anywhere. read more

This was such an awesome spot to stop at! Basically it is like a nice little indoor barn type area. It has a big bar and a bunch of open seating. They have a food spot inside, and outside they have tons of seating and food truck. I included photos of some of the food from the food trucks. You can not bring outside food, only food from the food trucks or indoors. They do have high chairs for kids inside which was nice. We decided to get a few things from different trucks. They do ask you to kindly clean up after yourself when you are done. I believe they all open 11:30am which is when we arrived. It does get pretty busy pretty quick and I can see why! We will definitely be back. read more

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What a fun concept! This is pretty much an open air concept. There is a covered area with a bar and restaurant style seating. You have to go inside to order. There is a Taco station inside and outside is all picnic tables and surrounded by food trucks. They have fire pits as well. It was a very chilly evening so we chose to sit at the bar inside. They have a variety of beers on tap but you can also order a drink. It is a great concept. Oh and dogs are allowed in the outdoor area. I was pretty surprised to see the number of children there. As I mentioned it was very chilly. read more

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Was looking for a chill, vibey spot with good food & Yelp led us here. Per usual, Yelp doesn't lead us astray. Ann Arbor totally needs a joint like this!! The closest we have is maybeee York but this has way more seating and food truck options! The food was awesome - from the Fish & Chips from the Reel Deel to the Waffle Nachos at Snickerdoodlz. The Fish & Chips were seriously so good that we went and ordered SECONDS. The portions were pretty generous IMO. Also, the Back Lot has 2 bars (a mobile one outside and then one inside) -- which has awesome beers on tap. They have a good blend of local favorites to some national favorites to some great craft options. If you're in town, definitely recommend a visit to The Back Lot! read more

Cool outdoor beer garden with lots of seating and food trucks. Food looked great but we just drank on this trip. Two bars with fast service. read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Outside - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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Love the Back Lot, great microbrews and food trucks! The bar area opens its huge doors to the outside patio area during nice weather. It's one of the few places in northern MI that welcomes dogs, a perk for us. This time each of us ordered from a different food truck. We had fish and chips, gyros sandwich, cheesesteak sandwich, and a jalapeño grilled cheese. All so tasty! It's self serve and all the food trucks give buzzers so you can drink while waiting. read more

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Fun spot with a great beer selection, and they even have wine which is nice. There is an outside bar with a different beer selection if you don't feel like sitting inside. Another nice touch! Unfortunately we had an issue with a weird guy sitting next to us at the bar who would not shut up, and who had breath like a sewer, which made his talking at us even worse. My partner and I were told he is there all the time, so beware of that if you visit Backlot. We changed seats to the other end of the bar after some opened up, and from that point until we left, the strange guy just glared at us. As we were leaving he shouted something at us that we could not understand, but I am pretty sure he called us the B word. I don't know if he is mentally disturbed, or what his problem is, but he hurt an otherwise pleasant experience. I noticed another review mentioned an issue with a local, and I am certain this was the same person based on the description in that other review. The food truck selection is very good. I had a bowl from the grilled cheese truck that was outstanding. However, my partner had a pizza from the place there and it was underwhelming. We were told by the bartender working that the food trucks are not operated by Backlot so they have no control over food quality. On our next trip we intend to try the pita truck, and possibly the taco truck. We do recommend Backlot in spite of the weird local guy and the disappointing pizza. read more

This place was awesome. We were looking for somewhere fast to eat for lunch before going to the beach today, and also a place with gluten-free options. Google recommended Cheese & Co. as a food truck with sandwiches, so imagine our surprise when we showed up and there was like 4-6 food trucks! I got the chicken waffle cone with Asian sweet chili sauce from the Philly truck ($11-ish), and some pretzel nuggets ($10-ish) from the cheese truck. Both were good although the waffle cone was super messy; the sweet chili sauce was a little spicy for me but I can't do spice well. The cheese truck also had cheese curds, which looked great, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The other trucks had tacos, gyros, fish and chips, and more. There's also a full bar with beer and cocktails, and free water to the right of the bar, plus bathrooms. The seating is all outdoors except inside the bar though. Overall, super happy with this place and would definitely come back here again. read more

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This is the best addition to downtown Petoskey! There are several food trucks in a loop around picnic tables, which are all connected to an open-air brewery that's in a permanent structure. There's a fence around it all and twinkle lights strung across the area. The vibes are amazing and it's the perfect place to come with a group. We grabbed a local beer from the bar, browsed all the food trucks, and settled on Cheese & Co. The other food trucks included Happy's Taco Shop (beloved in the community), The Reel Deal Fish & Chips, Phoxy's Phillies & Grindage, Mim's Mobile Grill, and Full Moon Pizza. Cheese & Co. has everything from Korean bbq grilled cheese to fried mac & cheese balls, and rice bowls. My husband went for all-things cheese and I opted for the Super Food Salad. It was incredible! It has cubed chicken thighs, mixed greens, baby kale, avocado, pickled carrot & cucumber, lemon lentil quinoa, red cabbage, sweet potato chips, and a side of cheba sauce. You could also make it vegan with simmered chickpeas instead of chicken. It's one of those dishes that was so incredibly healthy but also delicious at the same time. I wish I could have it for lunch every day but unfortunately don't live in the area. We can't wait to come back next year! read more

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The Back Lot Beer Garden is a super cute spot right in the middle of the downtown area. The space has tons of tables (inside, outside, and under a tent) of varying sizes so everyone can eat together. Our group was quite large, but there was plenty of space for everyone to get to sit together. There were also tons of dogs, which makes the experience even better. The bar has plenty of beers, ciders, and even seltzer on tap. We tried a plethora but were happily surprised with the Michigan Cherry seltzer; it had a great cherry, but not medicine-like, flavor. The local beers were also plentiful and tasty. We all had food from different spots, but the overall consensus was that the Cheese truck was excellent. It was the most liked of all of the people in our party. read more

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Food- No issues with food, so may choices overwhelming. Lol. I loved my falafel gyro from the Mim's Mediterranean truck. My friend ordered Fish & Chips from the Seafood/Fish truck. She ordered the half portion, and after they ate it they wished they had ordered the full one. Whitefish, *chef's kiss.* I had some of the fries, they were good. I had a small order of stuffed grape leaves, too but probably would not order them again. They were a bit hard, I like them sorta softer and with more lemon but, ok. There was a truck with Slushes and pizza. Slushie was tempting but I didn't indulge. There was an ice cream truck, a cheese-themed truck (grilled cheese, cheese curds etc), and Happy's taco truck, too. And, two bars. Service - basic. Ambiance - loud, hot, gtf off my lawn. But, ok, it was just so hot outside and I was crabby, lol. I should visit on a shoulder season or not Friday/Sat/Sun. Great place, overall. read more

Food truck park with so many options. Lots of seating. Definitely worth checking out.

Such a great place to hang out and lots of different options with the food trucks. Loved all the options for drinks at the bar

Boy, what is going on here? I guess no one really cares in the off-season. The cleanliness is less than stellar and service is way off. Thank goodness Happy's is still here. After this many fruitful seasons it's time to invest in some upkeep! read more

We stopped by for lunch and were pleasantly surprised. I had a beer, they had many selections on tap! The wait at the bar wasn't bad and everyone working was very friendly! They could do a little more to improve the atmosphere, but it was nice overall! I had a blackened whitefish sandwich from The Reel Deal. It was pretty good, but could've had a little more flavor! read more

Love The Back Lot! Any time we're in Petoskey we make a point to have a meal here. We brought our friends this time and I ended up going to the same truck, Cheese & Co and I got the same bowl but this time they added some chickpeas. So good and fairly priced. read more

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Wanted something quick for dinner while in town on a trip. Discovered the back lot had a few options and we were sold. Cool looking place that seems to have something for everyone. We opted for Phoxy's Phillies and Grindage and were so glad we did. Hands down one of the best Philly cheesesteaks I've had. Amazing fries to boot, this truck ticked off all the boxes. Staff was beyond friendly and the food came out quick and hot. Can't wait to go back next time we are up north. read more

SUCH A CUTE PLACE! Love that Petoskey has something like this in downtown, such a wonderful location and lil place to grab food and drinks. In my 4 days I was in town, I came here twice! Grabbed a gyro for lunch one day that was fantastic, and then tacos and drinks on a Friday evening. Great ambiance with a ton of options and plenty of seating. Dogs were allowed - I can confidently say I was able to pet 3 dogs during my times there. Anyone passing through should stop by! read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Sitting area near the entrance! - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

One of our most favorite places in Petoskey! Mim's, Lucky's Taco and Cheese & Co are our favs, but all the food trucks are so good! Great place to go with friends. Love that it is dog friendly! Highly recommend! read more

Brought my friend to the back lot for lunch. It was her first time. We both ordered the same thing. These Philly cheesesteak nacho fries were FIRE absolutely amazing. And the drink was also delicious . It was clean and not crowded. (Went around 1pm on a Friday) A little pricey but worth the money. It's a great place that gives you variety of great food. And everyone that works there are super friendly. Food truck spot. Family oriented and pet friendly. The Back Lot Petoskey and Phoxy's Phillies read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Philly cheesesteak nacho fries - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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Super fun, outdoor and casual ! It's like having six restaurants available at once. Food is quality and everyone friendly.

Love this place! Tried two different food trucks in a 2-day visit to Petoskey and I still didn't get to try all the options that looked appealing. Great vibe and nice beer garden. We'll be back... read more

This place is awesome and we had a great date night here. It was very crowded even on a weeknight but we were able to get chairs after walking around for a little bit. We tried a few different food options from Cheese and Co as well as Happy's Tacos and had some beer from their main bar. The staff was friendly at all of the spots and the food was great. Their beer list was fantastic and we were both able to find something we enjoyed. The line for the bar did get pretty long so we didn't get to try other options. From the Cheese and Co, we had their Mac and cheese bites and the Chicken Korean BBQ Bowl. Both were delicious and the perfect size to share. From Happy's Tacos, we tried 4 tacos that included 2 street tacos (sweet potato and pinto beans), then the Lamb Cheeseburger Taco and Crispy Shrimp Taco. We enjoyed all of them! We will definitely come back when we are in Petoskey. read more

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My family were in Petoskey for a soccer tournament recently and were looking for somewhere to spend some time after games. We stopped in Backlot on Saturday evening based on someone's recommendation and were very pleased we did. We enjoyed the beer selection, and the staff were quite friendly, especially the young woman working who was very nice and attentive to our needs, and was especially nice to our children. We mostly enjoyed the taco place inside as well, although it is my understanding that is a separate business from Backlot itself, so I won't review that establishment here. As a result of our first experience, we decided to go back on Sunday afternoon while our children spent some time with their friends and teammates. For most of the time we were there on Sunday things were very much like they were on Saturday. The same nice woman was working behind the bar, and even remembered us from Saturday. However, not long after we arrived a young man dressed all in black and wearing what appeared to be a cape, came into the bar and sat opposite of us and stared at my wife and I nearly constantly. Eventually this person came and took a seat close to us, and tried to start a conversation, saying something about being a native demon in human form. He was obviously drunk or on some kind of substance. We politely let him know we were not interested in talking with him, so he raised his voice and started calling us "f-ing tourists" and telling us we needed to "respect the natives." He then hissed like a cat at us before returning to his spot opposite the bar from us, where he continued to stare at us. At one point shortly later he walked by on his way to the restroom and growled as he passed us. This was making me wife uncomfortable, so we quickly finished our drinks and left. Again, the establishment itself and the staff working there are great and we enjoyed it immensely. However the young man we encountered there is quite off putting to say the least, so I deducted some stars from my rating since he appears to be a fixture there according to what another person at the bar told us. My wife and I discussed this on the way home, and after some consideration I decided to create an account and review our experience. We intend to visit Backlot again the next time we are in Petoskey, but have both stated that if we see that young man there again we will leave immediately. read more

Always a favorite! This spot is an inspiration, and has been a stopping point for as long as we have been coming to the area. It is an outdoor permanent food truck spot with multiple food trucks and a bar it's plenty of outdoor seating and amenities. There is a long street in front for street parking or you can park along a side street and walk down (if not wanting to pay a meter). There is one entrance and once you walk in you see Adirondack chairs in a few spots as well as picnic tables both in the open and covered. Our favorite food truck is Happy's Taco Truck but we have since tried most of the others as well which are all amazing. There is a bar under a permanent structure to the left with a ton of beers and even a few coders on tap. Yay! We tried a fruity cider which was refreshing on a hot day and perfectly hit the spot. They have a fountain for water and even a spigot for sparkling water! The bar area has tables under their structure as well and a restroom for all patrons. Once you get your order placed each location gives you a remote which will vibrate once your food is ready. You can then pick your spot and enjoy some chatting and people watching. It is a fun spot for families and dogs too, so you can get to pet a few dogs while waiting for food which is one of my favorite pastimes. Our food is always delicious and it is such a fun atmosphere with good music, meeting people and food. We would love for them to have this type of spot in Indy, so who knows but that we can import it! Highly recommend trying this spot out for a drink and/or some food. Very fun and delicious!! read more

Great outdoor area with plenty of seating to enjoy a great brew! They have a whole array of food choices including vegan options! Highly recommend this local spot for its relaxed, chill vibe! read more

GET THE CRUNCHWRAP! You won't regret it. We visited the Backlot in Dec '23. While the actual outdoor "backlot" was closed (unsure if it closes for the winter, just during weekdays, or something else), we still enjoyed stopping in to get food from the taco truck that's inside the building. We got our food to go, but while we waited, the beer list looked great. Good variety of local v. national beers to enjoy. The food was to DIE for - and they made it quickly for us. read more

Rude and unfriendly bartenders that don't seem interested to serve the customer needs say, line a glass for a beer???

Incredible beer and cider collection! Great environment, very family friendly. Staff is friendly and helpful. A must-visit spot in Petoskey!

Genius concept. More downtown's need food truck parks/beer gardens in their downtown cores. Definitely get a beer from the bar, and try the whitefish sandwich with American cheese from The Reel Deal Fish food truck. read more

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Happy's Taco Shop is one of 5 Food Trucks in The Bar Lot. Great atmosphere. Friendly peeps and we even see little tikes around so bring the Fam. read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - The Tap Wall. - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

Manger was incredibly rude. We walked in with outside cups and were commanded by the owner to throw them away. We understood and totally complied, however he was still very rude and spent the rest of our time there glaring at us. Food trucks are great but we will not be returning due to the unacceptable behavior of the manage . read more

Great beer selection, several different choices for food, great outdoor seating. Friendly staff, timely service

I am still shocked thinking about it. My friend and I both ordered margaritas. The bartender (female, Asian ?, white hair) turned away so fast we didn't have time to confirm "salted", so one would assume it would be, since it's a margarita. She set them in front of us, no salt. So we apologized and said we wanted them salted. So rather than just salting two glasses and then dumping our drinks into them she scoffs and hands us a cup of salt. So we then asked another bartender for two salted glasses. That took all of 6 seconds. We tipped him (additional) and asked him to keep it for himself (but I doubt he could) . An hour later we sit at the bar and it's all wet from the previous customers, no problem, we know the bartender will get to it. Wrong! (Same bartender) takes our order, then sets our drinks down in this very obvious pile of wet crap. Not just a little condensation ring (from the previous drink) but literally WET. So we then ask for a "bar nap" or coaster or something and she plops down a big dirty dripping wet bar towel and walks away. Neither of us are demanding, impatient snarky, needy customers. She was just a terrible miserable incredibly rude bartender wanna be. I'm in a group of (15k) females from all over Michigan that meet up frequently all over Michigan. The following week we had a group of 18. Needless to say, we did not go to the Back Lot. read more

This is an excellent idea for people who want a fun atmosphere with plenty of food options! I tried the taco and grilled cheese trucks (description with picture) The only thing I would say is..probably not a family friendly atmosphere..they play loud music and people are drinking and get kinda loud (we don't mind but people with little kids might) other than that....AMAZING! read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Jalapeño Poppa Jalapeno Cream Cheese, Bacon, Pepper-jack, Apricot Jam - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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Wish we had a place like this in my town! Atmosphere was casual and relaxing. Went for lunch on a Thursday and it wasn't too busy. Love the idea of multiple food options in one place, great for groups. Mim's Mobile Grill was DELICIOUS (gyro pita), and the hubs got a beer. Happy times! read more

The Back Lot - Petoskey - Food Trucks Near Me - Petoskey, Michigan

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Such a fun idea. Reminds me of a beer garden. There is one main large bar which has covering and then another smaller bar in the parking lot in open air. There are a ton of draft beers to choose from. Then they have up to four different food trucks. I was there on a Monday night and only one good truck was open and unfortunately out of a lot of their options. It was the grilled cheese truck so my boyfriend and I split the Mac and cheese bites and then a Thai grilled cheese sandwich. The sandwich was incredible that I wish we would have gotten two. This would be such a fun place to go with a group of friends. I imagine there is typically live music, but with covid19 who knows if that will happen this year . read more

Really bummed. My boys got cheesesteaks and they were happy. I got chicken in a waffle cone. Wow was this bad. There is no way that chicken is homemade. It's actually false advertising. There is 99% probability it is frozen nuggets. The taste was not good. I wasted $12 that is for certain. Cheese and co curds were good. Definitely didn't need two orders though. The ranch was awful. Wish there was a better dipping sauce. All in all kind of disappointing. I had high hopes. It fell very short for me and our family read more