Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Beacon

    3.7 (84 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Order The Beacon Takeout or Delivery

    The Beacon Photos

    Business Info

    THE BEACON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Upscale
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

    You might also consider

    More like The Beacon

    Recommended Reviews - The Beacon

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Lemon Cello Cake
    Charlie E.

    Well we decided to take our new boat from Charlevoix to an early dinner in Petoskey. The choice was easy, as we wanted to return to Beacon after our past two dinners this summer, but by water this time. First we sat in the bar, & enjoyed the Shrimp Cocktail, Whitefish dip, with sliced cucumber & cherry tomatoes as we were a little early for dinner seating. By the time we finished it was time to sit for dinner. We ordered the Crab Cake as another app because we know it's so good, & Tuna Poke & The Airline chicken breast as our main course. For dessert we shared the lemon cello cake. All were memorable & will return soon to try more items... Brendan was our server & actually for his first night did an excellent job & made our early dinner a memorable one. As far as the ambiance, well I have been going here even before Beacon, & the location is romantic as it gets. You be the judge...

    Chicken cacciatore.

    Sadly, the chicken cacciatore missed the mark. There is chicken in all that sauce. However, it was burnt and the sauce was overwhelming rather than rich and comforting.

    Cocktails!
    Sheree C.

    Wonderful happy hour from 4-6, sat on the outside porch while enjoying our cocktails. Waiter was terrific. We ordered the whitefish dip - incredible!!

    French Onion Soup, paired with Roasted Beet Salad.
    Michael R.

    This was our second or third time dining here. The Food each time has been very fresh, tasty and well prepared. My wife had the Maurice Salad which has shredded lettuce, julienne ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, pickles, hard boiled egg, olives and the Beacon homemade dressing. She really enjoyed it. All ingredients fresh, well portioned and the salad was flavorful. I had a few bites of it and would have to agree. She paired the salad with the Soup of the Day which was Butter Nut Squash Bisque. The soup had amazing flavor, rich, creamy and perfectly seasoned. I ordered the Roasted Beet Salad, mixed greens, pecans, pickled onions, goat cheese, red and gold beets with a mixed berry vinaigrette. This too was an excellent salad and one I would order again. I paired this with French Onion Soup, which I also felt was very good, lots of cheese, croutons and onions were really flavorful. We like to sit at the bar, which is small about 8 seats. The servers were very attentive, friendly. They offer a great selection of craft cocktails. If in Petoskey, would definitely recommend giving them a try. The dining room has amazing views looking out over the Bay.

    Poke Bowl
    Grant S.

    Wow wow wow we were blown away by our experience at the Beacon Bistro! We were looking for a place to stop with reservations between Mackinac Island and Traverse City and Beacon Bistro came up. We are so thankful that it did because it was the best restaurant we've eaten at all weekend! From the moment we entered, the experience was wonderful. The bartenders and hostess greeted us kindly. The hostess gave us options for seating, but you really can't go wrongly. The view from the large dining room windows of the water is breathtaking. We were able to sit right next to the windows...perfect! Our waitress was super kind, informative, and welcoming. She truly made our dinning experience even better, when it already was phenomenal! The drink menu was excellent! I got the Pure Michigan cocktail and it was scrumptious! A perfect blend of sweet and butter. Plus with the Michigan-forward Cherry! My husband got two local Michigan IPAs and he loved them. As an IPA guy, he loved the wide variety of local selections! We started with the smoked white fish spread and it was sooo scrumptious. Bursting with flavor and freshness, we were both immensely satisfied and craving more! For dinner, I got the tuna poke bowl. It was fresh, delicious, and hearty! Sometimes poke bowls can be a bit bland, but not at Beacon Bistro. With pickled jalapeños and other delicious ingredients, it was bursting with flavor. I loved every bite! My husband got the Shrimp Bucatini and really enjoyed it. He commented that the amount of shrimp was very generous with the pasta, and he really appreciated that! The pasta sauce was the perfect level of spicy without being overpowering, so he was a big fan! The food is a bit pricey, but it totally worth it due to the high quality ingredients and excellent chef-work! The space is clean, chic, and gorgeous. We felt fancy and welcomed at the same time. We couldn't stop staring at the great views from the full wall windows looking at the water. Stunning! If we are ever up this way again, we will definitely stop by Beacon Bistro again. If you're ever in the area, you must stop by! We promise you'll walk away happy, full, and grateful for an amazing dinning experience!

    crab cake

    See all

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K L.
    14
    5
    0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Bob M.
    130
    1
    0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mike N.

    Mike N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mike N.

    Mike N.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Be prepared to wait a lifetime for food. Maybe an hour. Very loud room. Beautiful view. Nice staff.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    The few times i have been here everything was salted to an inch of its life. After last visit its just a nice place for a cocktail

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Beautiful view not so good food. Service was great but quality of food was not so good

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mike N.

    Mike N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    The food was delicious, The view from dining room is great. The service was excellent. Highly recommend!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mike N.

    Mike N.

    Thank you for the sweet words!!! Cheers!!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Great happy hour specials, and fantastic staff. Server's were pleasant and always had a smile

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Abby D.
    0
    11
    10

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Phil S.
    32
    52
    104

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Howard N.
    29
    217
    10

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Mike N.

    Mike N.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kathy T.
    1565
    193
    192

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    The lunch menu was a little small, but the roasted beat salad was delicious!! Very nice view on the inside as well.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mo S.
    0
    13
    0

    3 years ago

    Excellent service! Food is amazing! Great view of the Little Traverse Bay! Check it out-never disappoints!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 3

    The Beacon Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - The Beacon

    Tap 30 - 10 of the 30 beers on tap

    Tap 30

    (326 reviews)

    $$

    Oh how I wish this place would have been better. It's a…read morecute place and our server did a great job overall. Those are the highlights. My friend ordered the kabob dinner and said it was good...but over $20 for some veggies is crazy. My gyro and truffle fries....honestly I should have just sent them back. This is one of the most disappointing meals I've had recently. They put a tomato paste on it that I almost requested without, but trusted it would be interesting. It literally tasted like cheap canned tomato paste. Gross and certainly doesn't blend well on a gyro. The lamb meat itself had a decent taste, but the way it is served makes it difficult to eat in a pita. Gyros are typically chopped or shaved lamb which makes it easier to eat and helps ensure you're getting more lamb per bite. Served in these strips, it was just falling apart and not blending with the feta. The fries...terrible. Just terrible. $6 to sub truffle fries which seems like too much but I hadn't had them in a long time so had to go for it. Listed in subs it simply says truffle fries, so I didn't know they were going to be covered in liquid cheese. They ARE listed in appetizers with the full description but I didn't look there until after bc I didn't order an appetizer. The cheese was awful, completely overwhelmed the TINY bit of truffle taste, and SO salty! Take a look at the picture and decide for yourself if the gyro and fries is worth $23. I eat a lot of gyros, and this being the most expensive one I've had is the worst. Heads up that they charge a service fee. Doesn't bother me as I always tip at least 20% but no one pointed that out and I'm not really sure what it's for. Does that go into the servers pocket or? Won't be going back to find out.

    I got a chance to grab a drink here on a rainy Sunday afternoon with friends at the bar and it was…read moreabsolutely packed! Their bar area is huge and they have quite the extensive food menu as well, while everything smelled delicious, we opted not to eat there and just grab drinks. The service was a bit slow but they warned us of that due to the amount of people they had, which we were totally fine with. It's a great location and they were really chill. I'd love to come back and grab food here another time!

    Walloon Lake Inn - John Cross Whitefish with Parmesan crust

    Walloon Lake Inn

    (105 reviews)

    $$$

    After numerous friends telling me " You have to eat at Walloon Inn you would love it, the food is…read moregreat and of course the view across the lake is spectacular ". Well I couldn't get a reservation in the fall so my girlfriend and I tried again while taking a ski trip to Boyne Mountain . Yes, The location and ambiance is fabulous . We were graciously greeted and sat at table # 1 right by the windows looking out to the frozen lake truly a great table. Our waitress Janice a local greeted us and was very nice. Janice did a great job going through the menu which I will added the prices were very fare . The wine and cocktail list were also impressive with a wide offering in price and choice. We decided on a Malbec to start. Then they brought out a the welcoming taste of salmon pate on a cucumber which we both found to be very tasty . After reviewing the menu we chose to bypass an appetizer for fear of just getting too much food and not finishing our dinner . After I told my girlfriend how good whitefish is in Michigan we both ordered that instead of the salmon or short ribs that also looked enticing. . Before our entree was served we had the warm bread and garlic butter that was terrific and tempting to eat the whole basket . Our dinners were served very quickly even though the restaurant was sold out . As we took the first bites of the white fish I was extremely disappointed . The breading had absolutely zero seasoning or flavor . The fish was flaky and cooked perfectly but the breading was completely flavorless taking away from the fish. Neither of us finished the dish and my girlfriend tried adding salt just to get some flavor but it didn't make it any better . I was going to order dessert but we were so disappointed after our dinner we chose to bypass dessert . . I did order a coffee since they didn't have cappuccino. I will say the coffee was very good , but what good restaurant doesn't have a cappuccino machine . As a side note the bathroom very nicely decorated in old wine box shingles on the wall and was very clean . I gave 3 stars simply because the Walloon Inn has been around so long and highly acclaimed as one of the better restaurants in the area. This was very disappointing . I may come back with my business partner and hope my experience will be better . Until next time .

    Walloon Lake Inn is always a must when we Visit The Walloon area. When arriving The Charm of the…read moreglow of the Christmas lights are just the beginning! The Live piano Music greetings and Delightful Hostess seats the guests with a warm welcome and Promptness. The chef always surprises Amuse-Busche! Amazing Drinks, Beautiful wines to pair and so many Options to make your dining experience memorable! My husband went with the prime rib special, he said one of the best he had ever had. I had the seafood Risotto. It was rich and delicious with hidden vegetables and micro greens! So good. The grand finale was the peach Hot Honey drizzle Cheesecake! What an amazing idea. Thanks once again for a lovely evening! We always enjoy seeing families celebrating together and Others off the Ski slopes ready for a warm up! Cheers.

    Palette Bistro - Crabcakes on fresh micro greens

    Palette Bistro

    (425 reviews)

    $$

    We came here on a recommendation. Glad we did! Amazing views of the bay! We opted for first floor…read moreseating inside with a view. There is rooftop, bar, and patio seating too. We got there at 4pm just when happy hour started. Score!! $5 cocktails (select drinks) and 40% off small plates. Pretty amazing happy hour! We orders non-happy hour drinks - the hibiscus spritz was the perfect summer drink! We order a few small plates - the Mezzi, short ribs, and crab cakes. Delicious!! Service was great! I saw a few pups when we left. The patio is dog friendly! Always good to know!

    After a long day of exploring northern Michigan, we were happy to be able to snag a reservation at…read morePalette Bistro to feed our hungry bellies. Located close to downtown Petoskey, Palette Bistro offers views of the lake from their back porch, indoor seating, and a nice front patio. We were seated out front and greeted promptly by our friendly server. We started the meal with the crab cakes, and I decided on a farmer's pasta with salmon as my entree. In between we had fresh bread with a sweet balsamic and olive oil for dipping. Our server was fantastic. Appropriately attentive, and going the extra mile to help grab things for kiddo (like a coloring sheet and mug full of crayons), to make sure that everyone enjoyed the meal. The ambiance is relaxed and definitely a vacation vibe, and we enjoyed winding down our day that way. If you're in the area and need a place to grab dinner, Palette Bistro deserves a spot on your list!

    Noggin Room Pub - Fish & chips

    Noggin Room Pub

    (126 reviews)

    $$

    We enjoyed closing the night at the Noggin and then stumbling back to our rooms. This is a super…read morecool spot. The pics don't do it justice. The bartender was always upbeat and happy to help. They didn't have a huge variety of beer on tap but they did have beers and assorted drinks in the cooler. They also had a variety of liquor options. We didn't eat but the food coming out looked really good! Definitely a place to check out when you are in the area!

    Sooooo disappointing! If you read my two previous reviews, you will see that we USED to love this…read moreplace. All gone! First the good: Nice servers who are really trying. Second, the popcorn. The end. Now the bad news. Everything else. We are veterans restaurant/bar/cocktail lounge/ brewery patrons, so should've tuned into the fact that the place was empty at 7:30 even on a Tuesday night. My wife wanted a Chardonnay but was unfamiliar with one of them and asked for a taste. Seriously? What bartender sends a taste of wine in a shot glass with literally a quarter of that shot glass holding a "taste?" My wife had no idea what this wine was supposed to taste like so ordered a glass of Decoy, which was decent but quite overpriced. I ordered a Bellaire Brown out of the can which was cold & non-ruinable, thank God! We ordered a pizza with pepperoni, which used to be quite good here. Not anymore. As hard as it was to believe, in 8 slices there were NINE pieces of pepperoni. Total. We wondered if the kitchen was instructed to only use one piece per slice & maybe an extra one got slipped in by mistake. The pizza was undercooked, crust was tasteless, cheese bland, and sauce was not close to Italian. Maybe Contadina with a little oregano thrown into it. If you're a fan of Red Baron or other frozen pizza, stick to that because it's better. The best part of the pizza was the red pepper flakes we buried it with. I don't know if the new owners are cheap, unaware of why this place was once popular and populated, but we shan't be back soon. And from other recent reviews and the lack of crowd were not the only ones. Sad.

    The Beacon - newamerican - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...