The views are stellar. Nestled right on the water, it's a tourist hot spot without a doubt. We came in the winter so the town was quiet with not a lot of commotion. And subsequently there was no wait to grab a table at the Butler. I've only ever been outside on their massive patio in the summer that they recently built, so this was the first time dining inside. It was definitely dated inside. Carpets throughout with an old school supper club vibe. The food was good, not great. Nothing noteworthy. Our family ordered got the Butler burger, mac and cheese with brisket, pickle fries, caesar salad, and the stuffed mushrooms. The service was probably the highlight. Our server was incredibly nice and even spoke Spanish to our uncles who were visiting us from Ecuador. He was super attentive and on top of everything. You should check them out in the summer and enjoy the patio views. Hold off on going during the winter if you're able to. read more

The Butler - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

We went during a blizzard, so expectations were already low. There was maybe one other couple in the restaurant and at least five people working, yet everything felt oddly chaotic. Our bartender kept saying they were so slow that everyone kept making mistakes--which was strange, given how empty the place was. Our order was wrong multiple times. The cheeseburger was greasy, and fries we didn't order showed up tasting like rancid oil. The onion rings we did order came out after we were basically done eating and were completely burnt and inedible. The chicken salad arrived with no chicken and kind of a sloppy mess. When we mentioned it, a plate of dried, overcooked chicken breast was brought out separately. The food overall felt like cheap diner food, but the prices are not cheap ($17-$24 for burgers and salads).The draft beers are good . We normally avoid eating here because the food is pretty abysmal. In the summer, the only real benefit is the patio. This visit just confirmed why we don't eat here--gave it another chance and now we are done read more

Stopped in for an early Tuesday dinner and were seated quickly. The Ambiance, views and music was also very good! Service was fast and we started off with a bowl of Clam Chowder soup. Very hearty and good soup! The wife had the Butler Burger and I had the meat lovers pizza. The burger was good with a side of kettle chips. The thin crust pizza was good also and plenty of meat on top. Nice Job Butler. We will be back. read more

The Butler - Butler Burger - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

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There were nine girls that dined here for lunch. People arrived in spurts, so there were appetizers that were started that included the deviled eggs, the hummus, and the pickle fries. These are really tasty choices and I really enjoyed how they did the pickle fries and dressed up the deviled eggs. They had fantastic sauce. I got the shrimp oh boy I wasn't a huge fan of the bun for some reason. It just tasted to firm and I could've gone for a less debt run texture so everything in the inside, but those sweet potato fries were so good. Our waitress was fantastic keeping up with us and getting us all the things that we needed to start chowing down on our food. I would say that the restaurant was a bit dim in the area that isn't close to the windows. One of the girls dropped the cap to her lotion and could not find it so we all had to try to use it all. In all the times that I visited Saugatuck, I have not yet been here to dine so I'm glad that I finally got the chance and I would totally come back again. read more

My partner and I came to this place over the weekend, while visiting the area and after reading many raving reviews. If the party is not large, you cannot make reservations on Open Table. Since we were a small party of two, we walked in and gave them our name. They put us in the system, said the wait would be an hour to an hour and thirty minutes. I was mind blown by the hostess time estimate because they called us within an hour and seven minutes. The place reminds me of Krusty Krab in SpongeBob, it's wooden paneling and dark décor. The service was okay, I wish our waiter would have been a tiny bit more attentive. You cannot tell me you're that busy to have runners deliver the food and to check up on the table every so often (before @ me, he was not that busy and the place was not that busy). As for Appetizer, we had crab stuffed mushrooms, they were watery with a great amount of cheese on top. I would have opted-in for a breadcrumb top rather than cheese. My partner has to finish the App. For Entrée, I had the Horseradish Peppercorn Burger, it was very flavorful and cooked as recommended - medium. The side, sweet potatoes, were so stale and overcooked, it seemed like they were out all day and the cooks refried them. (again, do not @ me, I worked at Arby's back in my prime, so I know a stale, overcooked, recooked fry). My partner had the Southwestern Salad with grilled "over seasoned" chicken and missing black beans with a grand amount of red onion. Overall, no, I did not like this place and would not recommend this place to anyone visiting the area. I wish the company all the best in their success. read more

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We took our 2 kids to the Butler and it was an amazing experience! The staff is wonderful with the kids. They have kids menus and they even offered an etch-a-sketch for each of the kids to use. We ordered the new angry Caesar salad salad and added grilled chicken and also got the bacon jam burgers! All of the food was absolutely delicious. Our waitress Michelle was fantastic and the manager Morgan was beyond kind to the kids and made our visit a 10/10! We will definetly be back! read more

starting last night for dinner with two of my girlfriends. There was about a 15 minute wait before we sat on a patio closest to the boats. We quickly got greeted by our server and ask for a drink menu. Once you brought that back to us, we ordered two Michigan Mojito and a beer. We then decided to order three different pizzas to split - the raspberry goat cheese, pickle prosciutto, and pulled pork barbecue jalapeño. All of them were very delicious. We did have to ask her raspberry sauce as they forgot that. It was a bit chillier, but overall everything was super clean. The view of the water was beautiful. Definitely recommend if you're in the area. read more

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The Patio is always busy, needed patience waiting for a table for a nice view! It's worth it though. Service a bit slow, even at the bar. There were few open tables yet we had to wait almost an hour for our turn. Well, short staffed as always. The delicious cocktails compensated the wait. Food were good. We had the white fish dip, fish and chips and bruschetta. We like them all. Will I ever go back and experience the same thing? Absolutely! This is the best spot in Saugatuck. read more

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Came in an hour before closing. The staff was very very sweet and attentive. The drinks were good and appetizer we got hit the spot. Only complaint we had was when we asked if bacon was on top or mixed in the spinach artichoke dip, we were told it was only on top but there was definitely bits sparkled on top and a little in the dip. The salad and burger were yum. The amount of food you get is worth the price. Your belly will be full when you leave. Definitely want to come back in the summer to try more drinks and the whitefish dip. read more

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We really appreciated the lunch manager on duty at The Butler being flexible, and letting us have lunch on the patio with our pups. Everything we ordered was super tasty and fresh. It was a cool day so the patio deck was not open, but the wind was blocked well from the front area so it was pleasant outside. The crab stuffed mushrooms had a lot of flavor and cheese on top. They were cooked just right and easy to get out of the mini cast iron skillet. The Cobb salad I ordered with chicken was very fresh, with crisp green lettuce leaf and the dressing was delicious, with big chunks of Bleu Cheese in it. You can choose your dressing. My husband's fried walleye dish was also very good, not greasy and the plate was filled with crispy French fries. It was a pleasant lunch and we would dine here again, for sure! read more

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This has a lower rating on Yelp and sadly after dining there I can see why. It has a prime location on the marina downtown which is what probably draws most diners in. The server was amazingly friendly and in good spirits. However the meal was just ok. We had a party of 4 that ordered 3 salads and one sandwich. This took almost 40 minutes which did not make sense, considering three were salads. I personally got a bowl of clam chowder and a Caesar salad with shrimp. The soup was good and hot. The salad was lackluster. Specifically the shrimp were the most rubberized plastic pieces of shrimp I have ever eaten and made me wonder if they were cooked well ahead of time. The rest of my party just all shared the same "meh" reaction to their food. So aside from the service we left wishing we had chosen another restaurant. read more

The Butler - Clam Chowder. Caesar salad with practically rubber shrimp. - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

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The Butler is a fun spot that overlooks the Kalamazoo Lake. We came during the off season, but there was a buzz here as it was the evening of St. Patty's Day. Hubby got the Butler Burger (which instead of bacon had a slice of deli ham as its signature.) He said the burger itself was good, but didn't really get much from the slice of ham, wondering out loud if it should've been more thick and grilled rather than a Sarah Lee shaving you'd find on a school sandwich. I liked my St. Patty day themed drinks and my clam chowder and salad. No complaints with my meal! Service was spotty at best, but we made it through and everyone was kind. It was a kid free evening. So we ate and left happy to explore Oval Beach as it was an unusually warm and beautiful evening. read more

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unusually busy for a Monday evening. we had to wait 30 minutes for a table. Server seemed new. she was unable to answer questions about the menu or the wine. she didn't offer to find out the answers to our questions. service was slow- menu item included items not mentioned in description, some I was allergic to . we felt the servers were poorly trained - the vibe chaotic. Please work on training your people before you throw them out on the floor. read more

Considering the location and atmosphere, we had a somewhat disappointing experience. We came to Saugatuck to see the sunset and grab a quick bite to eat. We decided to come to the Butler given the location and beautiful balcony with view. We sat at the bar upstairs and didn't receive our menus for several minutes. The bar itself wasn't exactly busy so I was surprised it took so long to get the bartenders attention. The menu is very limited offering typical bar food. We ordered four drinks, two beers and two mixed drinks. The margarita was well-made. However, the Mojito was subpar. We were initially intending on ordering food, but our bartender did not return to us for several minutes again so we just chose to have our drinks and leave. The chairs were rather uncomfortable, it was very noisy, the bartenders walked by us several times without acknowledging us, the drinks were disappointing... Overall, we just didn't enjoy our experience. The location has beautiful views, but the ambience/vibe of the establishment just isn't there. We come to Michigan often to see family but will not return here. read more

Amazing food, cocktails, mocktails and service! Highly recommend their lobster roll, and coleslaw. The scenery is perfect, right on the water. Their sangria drink was delish as well. Our server and host were both really nice. Can't wait to come back!! read more

The Butler - Lobster roll, coleslaw, whitefish dip, burger with fries. - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

Went to this restaurant in a group of 14 people of friends and relatives. I had never been to this location before, and do not live in the state of Michigan. After waiting about 20 to 25 minutes to be seated, at three separate tables, the waitress yelled from the end of the table requesting our orders. My wife and I ordered beer, cider, and two entrees. Interestingly, the drink menu did not have any prices for the beer or cider, although the other items did have prices. Spent very little time with us, and never mentioned about who should be on which check. Apparently, this restaurant took all 14 orders, at three separate tables, placed them all on one check, and gave it to somebody in our party, demanding payment for not only all of the meals, but also a chip. Nobody else saw the bill, and I have absolutely no idea how much my wife and I were actually charged for the drinks or the items. I went to the manager and requested a separate bill for my wife and myself so I could review the cost, tax, and tip. The manager told me that their policy was not to split checks, although this is posted nowhere in the restaurant or on the menu, nor was it verbally mentioned by the waitress. Had it been that way, I would have requested a table for my wife and myself, and been able to review the check before paying. Apparently this restaurant adds and automatic tip for the server (the manager said it was 20%, although I have no idea whether this is true). The server was there at the time of the conversation and told me that she had told me that they do not split checks. This is absolutely not true, I was only asked for my order, and the billing and tipping policy was never mentioned. Mentioned. When I asked the manager for the separate check, he replied that the bill had already been paid by somebody else, and if I wanted to find out how much I was charged for what I had ordered, I was to discuss it with them, as he had already received payment. I asked to review the bill, and he said that he could not print out a copy of the bill for me to look at. I told him that I did not feel that a 20% tip was warranted by the server, especially as she was discourteous and dishonest. When she said that she had told me about the billing and tipping policy, which she had not. He said there was nothing further that I could do, and that I could simply call up the management. He also told me that there was no time to do anything, as they were closing the kitchen and we're going to be closing the restaurant soon. Unfortunately, there did not seem to be any legal recourse, even though I had contacted the sheriff's department, who advised me that as the bill had been paid and he had not committed any potential crimes, the only thing that I could do would be to post a bad review on the internet and possibly contact other management. The food was mediocre at best, the service was terrible, and the attitude of the staff was inhospitable. It was one that you would expect from a seasonal type restaurant who would see tourists who would never be back anyway, and so long as they got their money, they really did not care about their reputation, apparently there are always more tourists. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

Wow. $60 for two skinny margaritas. Very shady bar tender with red hair and a man bun upstairs. He charged the bill up with manipulation to get a higher tip close to closing time. Charged us extra. Unknowingly used more expensive tequila ($8) extra than another $12.50 each for doubles. Make sure you know what alcohol they're using! They intentionally run the bill up without you knowing. $30 drinks, the most watered down tequila I've ever had. The double was less than a single. read more

The Butler - $30 watered down skinny margarita. - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

We liked our lunch here! Food was good and bathrooms were clean. They had a very large outdoor seating area, we chose to sit inside for the AC. It was calmer in there than the busy patio structure. It's clear this is a top choice for tourists! read more

Went to The Butler while vacationing in Sawgutuck and had an amazing time. The stuffed mushrooms were an amazing appetizer and they definitely are one of the best for burgers. The hostess was vey accommodating to our request to sit by the water. The view was amazing watching the ships sail by throughout the meal. read more

The Butler - View of the water from The Butlers' patio - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

Great menu and great water views! Everything we ordered was delicious! Excellent service as well.

I've been to The Butler many times years ago but not since they were purchased by the Redwater Group. They have always had a nice outdoor eating area but a very nice addition/remodel was made to this area. Unfortunately, it was too cold to eat outdoors so we went inside. We were seated at a nice table with a nice water and boat view. Our drinks came quickly as we studied the menu which I'm pretty sure is more extensive than the last time I was here. Our friends ordered Grilled Flatbread Turkey Club and a Burger. My wife had the Southwest Chicken Salad and I of course had a burger. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their flatbread and burger. My wife thought her salad was one of the best she's had in a long time. She is never happy with chicken added to salads in most restaurants but thought the chicken and salad here were excellent. In my mind, the Butler has always been known for it's burgers and todays burger totally justifies that reputation. Perfectly cooked (rare-medium rare) and wonderfully seasoned. Not just a perfectly cooked pice of meat but wonderfully flavored sandwich. Service was spot on-drink refills came just before you needed them. Our server was super friendly as well. Glad we came back here. A perfect lunch with good friends. read more

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A friend and I decided to visit downtown Saugatuk during offseason. We knew the town would Not be a bustle of activity but didn't expect a virtual ghost town. With few lunch options, we decided to give The Butler a try and Wow! Best decision we made all day. The service was great - friendly and attentive. And the food was outstanding. My friend loved hers - a patty melt burger, which she had served on a brioche bun instead of the standard rye bread. She shared a sample of her burger with me and it was very good. I can imagine if the burger were cooked to medium or medium rare instead of the well done my friend ordered, I too would have called it delicious! I ordered the Mac and Cheese with brisket and candied jalapeños and - what can I say? It was really one of the best things I have ever eaten. The combination of flavors was wonderful and the added crisp of the not-very-hot jalapeños added a tasty texture. Do yourself a favor and go to The Butler and order this. Trust me. I will be back to the restaurant and will probably order Exactly the same dish! Wonderful. read more

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An amazing restaurant. Run by red wave. Who run Boatwerks. The bar menu seems identical as are the desserts. I had a wonderful bowl of chowder. Lots of good size clams. Creamy. I loved it and was enough for a meal. Had the half Caesar. A generous portion but the dressing was all in one spot didn't really dress the salad. Wife had the lake perch. Six large pieces along with good fries and onion rings. Really good. Drinks were good and nice pour. read more

The Butler - Perch platter - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

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Bachelorette, party of 7. We were sat at the bar, immediately (we were only getting drinks). Jacob (bartender) & Nick (manager) were awesome! Honestly, they made our evening. Drinks were great! Vibes were vibing. We didn't order food but food being brought out look good. Stop by & see them!!!!! read more

The Butler - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

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First timers! We went on a busy weekend (we get it!) but the restaurant said they didn't take any reservations so we decided to try our luck and see if they had any tables. Upon arriving the line was LONG like all the way to the entrance of their inn. However we didn't realize that all of the people in that line had already checked in with the hostess and were just waiting for a table! We literally had to push our way through to get to the hostess to ask for a table. Maybe they need to ask people to wait behind the entrance path where there's a huge open area? We were quoted 30 minutes and they said they would text us when the table was ready so we decided to wait in the big open area. We got the text within 15 minutes. We made our way back. We were seated upstairs and although we didn't get the pretty views it was still nice. The server came over and took our drink order she was very nice! They have a really good selection of food too. When she came back with drinks we placed our food order quickly! We ordered the perch platter, the signature burger and a kids steak with a fruit side. The food did take about 30 mins to arrive and it was not very hot but still okay. After getting our food we saw our server once after we flagged her down for ketchup and then she checked in on us at the end when we were ready for our check. Overall the food is decent. They had live music too which I'm assuming is why it was so busy. In general maybe just a little more organization upfront. read more

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They have a great bar on the second floor with nice views of the river. Fun vibe, good drinks, always busy on a nice summer day. I didn't have the food, just drinks. read more

View is great- food & service with my visit were not to be desired. The pizza tasted like what I would imagine chuck e cheese pizza would taste like.. very oily. 3 stars solely because of the views. Maybe their appetizers aren't bad. read more

Very nostalgia setting on the bay. Service was quick. Burger was very good, fries a tad greasy. They need to change the oil in the fryer. Draft beer was great. Prices are fair. Nice step back in time to the 60's/70's!! read more

You can't beat this place for the view. Service is friendly, though food is a bit slow coming out. We stopped here twice on our trip to Saugatuck. We got the crab stuffed mushrooms which came topped with cheese. The cheese was so thick we couldn't taste the crab. I got a burger which was decent, though pretty dry. The side salad was fresh and had a good balsamic. The second time we went, I got a pizza with roasted vegetables on it, which was really good. The kid's meal are good sized portions. read more

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I dont know what this Redwater company is doing but The Butler has gone downhill. They got rid of the Olive burger, they got rid of the butler fries. The burgers now come pre-formed and frozen, they look like hockey pucks. They are dried out and come medium, no matter what you order. The server was not very knowledgeable on the menu. I literally counted the number of fries that came on my "plate" the last time I visited. I haven't had many good experiences ever since they put those "Redwater LLC" salt and pepper shakers on the tables. Also looking thru recent reviews it seems the management has a simple copy and paste reply they use for every review, Almost AI generated. read more

The Butler - Signature Burger - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

The Butler is a Saugatuck institution. Yes, there have been many iterations/looks over the years, but the inside bar areas still has a great river view and feels like Yesteryear's country club. We're from Saugatuck, have moved, and now return a few times a year. We have eaten outside on the double decker patio and a few Saturdays ago, dined inside when it rained. Chef Webbert is a talented young man who always runs an efficient kitchen. We sat at the bar, ordered a few drinks, salads, perch, and burgers. Yes, we remember when the Butler Burger had ham (and everything else) on it. Today's Butler Burger is more modern, FRESH, and tasty. We enjoyed the whole meal, atmosphere, and upscale patrons. Price point, portions, and flavor are all what you'd expect from the Butler. We look forward to our next trip up, friendly greetings, and fresh burgers. read more

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My wife and I recently stopped here while on a little get-a-way. My wife remembers enjoying the fish here so we made the stop. Fortunately we were able to get a table indoors....(the heat and humidity were tremendous). Our server was quick to the table and our drinks were on order. Cruising the menu, we finally made our selection. My wife ordered the Lake Perch and I opted for the Lobster & Shrimp Roll. The food came out in a decent amount of time (considering they were pretty busy). I was a little disappointed that the food was served in baskets. My wife's was like a round cake pan and mine was a metal sort of basket with that fake newspaper. A lot of restaurants are doing and I think it's cheap low brow. The Lobster were bits of what might have been claw meat but looked and tasted like imitation crab meat, the shrimp portion was ok but sparse, just like the so called lobster, served on a hot dog bun. The The lake perch was very good, my wife shared some of hers. The Truffle fries that we ordered were pretty good too. I do like this place but if we come back I will try something else and ask for a plate! read more

Loved this location, great view of the water, great service and loved the queso and pizza we shared, would def visit again. read more

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This place is nice on a warm sunny day and if you don't mind waiting for a table. In our case it took about an hour. Upstairs space overlooking water is nice and relaxing. Service was good and reasonably fast. Menu is not very diverse but has all the "usuals". We all had different salads. They were ok. Salmon on top had good flavor but a bit dry despite asking for it to be cooked to a medium. Overall a decent experience, read more

The Butler is set in such a beautiful location right by the water in Saugatuck. The parking was difficult, and we spent some time driving around to find an open metered spot. The service was very quick and we got lucky to be seated so quickly for a group of 6 without having to call ahead. Our waiter was very kind and attentive. A majority of us ordered the Lake Perch platter, I didn't realize it would be like a fish and chips plate. This was probably a mistake on my part. It's a bit too greasy to eat as a meal in itself but was quite large and I think makes an excellent shareable. I'd order a salad next time to balance this out read more

The Butler - Lake perch platter - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

We were seated right away, which was nice. Our waitress came to get a drink order shortly afterwards. It took her a bit to come back after getting our drinks to take our food order. The restaurant was busy but not excessively so. We ordered the crab stuffed mushrooms and they came very hot and they were really good! I ordered a watermelon margarita and was disappointed. It didn't taste anything like watermelon and was pretty weak. For dinner my husband ordered the fried walleye which came with fries. He said was alright but not worth the price charged. My daughter had the chicken tenders and fries and she seemed to enjoy them. I had the lobster roll and didn't really like it. For one, it was small and had no flavor. The roll it was served on was good and the chips that came with it were also good, but the lobster itself was blah. Disappointing for $21. My husband ordered a jalapeno margarita and said it was pretty good. This was the most expensive meal we had the whole time we were here and, unfortunately, it wasn't worth it. read more

The Butler - Tiny lobster roll - American Near Me - Saugatuck, Michigan

Stop Here in Saugatuck, Mi because it was located beautifully by the water. The staff were friendly and food came out fast . The ambiance is Fantastic here. Beautifully sits right on the water where the boats dock. My con is the food was bland no taste no flavor at all and the margaritas taste like virgin margaritas. When ask was there any alcohol in the drink they said one shot but it taste like nothing at all was in the drink and I rarely ever drink. The drink was sent back did not drink. But was on my bill still. Which was disappointing because the staff were so professional and friendly and the food was quick to come out . Not much of a wait at all. But will try somewhere else to eat next time in Saugatuck, Mi. The ambiance is the only winner in this restaurant. Bathrooms could have been cleaner as well. We ordered chicken wings beer one margarita Caesar salad with salmon and a kids cheeseburger with fries pickle fries and a lobster roll. read more

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Good menu selections (especially burgers). Food was good, but service was slow. Salad was served at the end of the meal.

Perfect patio seating with a view of the water and yacht club. The food was good. We tried three different pizzas and they were all tasty. The raspberry goat cheese pizza was delicious but could have used more toppings. My favorite was the brisket jalapeño pizza. We also tried the meat lovers. The service was good and fast. The setting is waterside dining at its best. Highly recommend. read more

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The amount of people who give one star instead of two or three for dumb reasons is just a fault of Yelp in itself. People love to be mean online, though. I've never eaten inside at the Butler, and if I'm being honest, probably never well. When I go to the Butler, I want to eat outside and enjoy it. I want to enjoy the views. The fresh air. That's why I go to the Butler. The menu is pretty classic, but that's what I want. I can take anyone I know here and they'll be satisfied. They have your classic fish options and plenty of other things if you're not into seafood. I sometimes question places when cocktails hit $15 or more, but I guess you're also paying for eating near the waterfront in Saugatuck. Then again, one cocktail being the same price as a burger feels extreme. Nevertheless, come to the Butler. Eat outside. Have a cold drink. Maybe get an appetizer. Eat some fish. Or not. It's your choice. read more