It is rare when I write a review that I wish there were more than five stars to award. We spent a long weekend in the Manistee area and got a recommendation to eat at The Glenwood which was just a short drive north from where we were. I called for reservations the day before and found that only very early or very late was available. We also were given an option of seating in the restaurant or on the porch. We chose the porch and early reservation. We were seated at a nice table with a view of Portage Lake. We started with wine, (even though we bought copious amounts of wine on our trip, the wine list couldn't be ignored) my wife enjoying a glass of Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc and me a glass of cab. It was recommended we try their Almond Battered Shrimp. This appetizer was served with a cherry mustard sauce that was wonderful. The menu said jumbo shrimp and yes, they were jumbo with that nice "steak like" texture and flavor. For dinner my wife ordered the Whitefish special (Whitefish is on the regular menu but the special preparation was a bit different). This presentation had wilted spinach, onions with a light Parmesan crust. She let me try some and we both agreed this was the best whitefish either of have ever had. I ordered the "Everything Tuna". This was yellowfin tuna with light and dark sesame seeds, poppy seeds. onion, garlic and salt. I ordered it extremely rare (so rare a good vet could resuscitate it) with wasabi. This was a taste sensation. Dinners included broccoli and an excellent salad. The dressing was so good we bought a bottle on the way out. A "loaf" containing four rolls was also included. Our server was Cyrillia and her service was as outstanding as it gets. Often when I'm enjoying service of this calibre, I look around and see if we just got lucky or is everyone getting great service. It seemed that the service standard at The Glenwood is high. On the drive back to our hotel, we tried to come up with restaurants we've enjoyed as much. The list is slim with The Glenwood at or near the top. read more

See all

The food was very good. Our server was friendly and there was a nice cocktail menu and extensive wine menu. The restaurant was very busy they recommend on their website to make a reservation and we were glad we did. We will definitely be back! read more

See all

We had our wedding day dinner at The Glenwood and I can't say enough about how special they made the evening. It was a very intimate celebration, just five of us, and they set us up in a cozy private room that felt warm, welcoming, and perfect for the occasion. The hospitality was truly 200 out of 100. Every detail was handled with care, and the staff made us feel like we were the only people in the world that night. I honestly wish we had a place like this down South....nothing compares. The ambiance was elegant but comfortable, and the attention to the little things really hit home. From the lighting to the table settings to the way the service flowed, everything just felt thoughtful and intentional. Shout out to our server, Arden (or Aden, I'm terrible with names!), who was absolutely wonderful the entire evening. And a heartfelt thank you to the hostess who saw our note about it being a wedding dinner and treated us with such warmth and care. it felt like she genuinely celebrated with us. The food was incredible. Every course was delicious, but my favorite part? The dessert tray! They bring out a full tray of beautiful (fake) desserts so you can see and choose exactly what you're in the mood for. Such a fun and charming touch. The Glenwood made our first dinner as a married couple feel intimate, joyful, and unforgettable. We'll never forget it. read more

See all

Good & unique food, great place to take friends & relatives. Good service from friendly staff, ambiance is old home style. Lakeview, good desserts. Special place; wish they were open year round but understand the seasonal clientele makes that near impossible. read more

Enjoyed another excellent meal at The Glenwood. Tonight I had salmon with pesto and spaghetti which was fantastic!! Kids meals come with a free ice cream sundae. Service was excellent! Family-owned restaurant, calm ambiance. read more

The Glenwood never disappoints. We have had the good fortune to come up to Onekama for the last 23 years and have eaten at The Glenwood at least once every trip! Every meal has been a treat. They deliver consistently high quality service and excellent meals. Tonight was no exception, our waitress Sarah was friendly and the consummate professional. Every bit of our meal was as good as we could expect, from the salad to the dessert, and an exceptional cup of coffee. We cannot recommend it highly enough! read more

Everything!!! Good food and good service. Atmosphere is nice. Beat the summer crowds. read more

Everything was amazing. You need to book this place far in advance since it is so popular and rightfully so. We were lucky enough to get a private room for our party of 6. The Halibut was delicious as well as the lobster that I sampled from someone. A few bottles of wine and cocktails really added to the experience. Our sever was friendly and on point. On the off chance you have room for one of their many desserts, I would recommend sharing it. They are huge. read more

The Glenwood - Halibut Special - New American Near Me - Onekama, Michigan

Food is always well prepared and served. Service depends upon server assigned and degree of rush. Not much ambiance because of age of building. People go to the Glenwood because their food is always well prepared and there is a lack of options locally. read more

Our group of 4 adults had a fabulous meal at the Glenwood restaurant in Onekama. I had the almond battered shrimp which was divine! There was asparagus on the side and I had the woodland salad which was delicious! My husband had the fresh halibut with smashed redskin potatoes, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We shared the peanut butter fudge ice creamfor dessert! The entire meal was superb. Great service also!! Thank you Donna read more

Beautiful Porch for Dining! This place is a definite "Have To Do" It's always fresh and delectable! A favorite of ours for our Anniversary Dinner every year. Excellent Staff very charming and professional service!! Thank you for the Memories ! read more

The Glenwood - Almond Encrusted Shrimp! - New American Near Me - Onekama, Michigan

Food and service is great. They will work to accommodate food allergies to the best of their abilities. Definitely a classy restaurant, with a cool atmosphere overlooking the lake! Definitely will want reservations. read more

Oh my gosh! The food, the service, the ambiance all fantastic! We were so lucky to get a reservation and to be in the porch. What an absolutely perfect evening. Thank you! read more

Appetizers and entrees are wonderful and the ambience couldn't get much better. Always a special experience

Here is the paper my 5th grade daughter wrote about her favorite restaurant of all time: Imagine sitting on the shores of Portage Lake at a quaint restaurant where happiness lingers in the air. Everyone around you is enjoying delicious meals and talking about how this is the best food they've ever eaten while watching the boats bob up and down on the lake. This experience can be yours if you eat at the best restaurant this planet has to offer. Tucked away in Onekama, Michigan is where you can find The Glennwood. Plan your trip now to see for yourself the magic that happens when excellent food, a comfortable atmosphere, and stellar service collid! One reason I believe that The Glenwood is the best restaurant is because of their food. For instance, the Glenwood uses local whitefish to make their unique whitefish dip appetizer. My grandma, a diner who has eaten at the restaurant at least 20 times over the last 20 years said, "The cucumber salmon is to die for! It is cooked perfectly. The yogurt sauce is the perfect addition to the meal. I dream about eating it all year long." Additionally, The Glenwood visits each table at the end of the meal with an elaborate, drool worthy dessert tray. As you can see, not matter what the course is a diner will always find something delicious to enjoy. Another reason I believe that The Glenwood is the best restaurant is because of the atmosphere. As soon as you walk into the restaurant, the visitor is greeted with a homey feeling. Everyone from guests to staff members are always smiling from ear to ear. In addition, the restaurant sits on Portage Lake which provides gorgeous lake views for all the diners. You can't help but feel comfortable and at peace within the walls of The Glenwood. Additionally, I believe that The Glenwood is the best restaurant is because of the service. Since 1994, the owners have been Donna Ervin and Chris Short. They have taught their staff members the how to be friendly to all the customers. As mentioned earlier, everyone is always smiling! Specifically my grandma said, "The service is amazing! We keep going back because the food is consistently amazing year and year but so is the experience." To summarize, there is no better restaurant in the world than The Glenwood in Onekama, Michigan. Their food, atmosphere, and service cannot be beat! If you are ever in the area, it is in your best interest to stop by and experience the magic a meal at The Glenwood will provide! read more

Our meal was awesome as usual. We make it a point to travel up north to eat at the Glenwood for our anniversary. Reserve a table on the porch. I had Pesto salmon & hubby had Parmesan white fish. We shared the almond shrimp with cherry sauce. Took desert home Raspberry Bomb & Salted Carmel Cheesecake. Yum! Chloe was a great server. They are only open seasonal til Labor Day so don't wait. read more

See all

5 stars, really!? Yup and I'm standing behind that decision I would classify this place as casual/elegance. The atmosphere is very nice with pretty decorations and nice seating areas. We opted for indoor dining vs outdoor (basically a picnic table out front, maybe this isn't a staple but it didn't look inviting next to the parking area) or the screened in porch. If I had seen the porch beforehand I would have chosen that but our table inside was just as nice. Remember there is no air conditioning so keep that in mind. Parking is small in front but we noticed another parking area at the side. Not sure how to get to it but it's there. We made reservations and it would be a good idea to make them. As we were seated, at 6pm on Monday evening, the place really began to fill up quickly. Emma, our server, was fantastic the entire evening. She kept the timing of food perfectly with plenty of time for eating, chatting and simply enjoying our evening. We started with the nights special of warm whitefish dip with tortilla chips. Delicious! Warm whitefish dip under a crusty round of parmesan cheese. After the perfect amount of time we ordered a glass of reisling from Grand Traverse Bay (can't remember the name) and our dinner. Hubby ordered the night's special of short ribs...this came with portobello stuffed ravioli (price point about $35). I would have preferred this dish it was sooo yummy. Too big to finish because we knew were were supposed to wait for the dessert tray! I ordered the night's special of tenderloin tips with pasta (price point about $30). Still yummy but I would have enjoyed the short ribs more Again, Emma kept the timing perfectly. We didn't finish our dinner because again we were warned about the dessert tray and we were not disappointed! We had half our dinners boxed and ordered the vanilla ice cream with berries...light choice after the filling appetizer and entre. It happened to be my birthday so we got the dessert free, thank you Glenwood I would definitely recommend this place of you are in the area and want a meal that is tasty with service that is exceptional. Pricing is higher but for the food it's worth the extra and the service puts it over the top for me. read more

See all

Our group of four enjoyed a return visit to this gem of a restaurant in the resort community of Onekema, Michigan. First off, make sure you have reservations, even midweek. This place is popular. Second, there does not appear to be a bad item on the menu or among the many daily specials. While seafood is their specialty, all their dishes are top notch. And the desert tray? A true work of art so save some room! I enjoyed the Halibut which was cooked and prepared to perfection. The Tuna, Whitefish and Filet dishes were all equally wonderful. Will we be back? You bet! read more

Got a pomegranate mule cocktail, delicious. Woodland salad was delicious. Desserts (tried the caramel custard, Neapolitan, and canoli) were all a little too sweet, so I would recommend getting them to share or trying one of the pies (which I'm planning to get next time). My only real issue was that I ordered the marinara pasta, which is one of three vegetarian options on their menu (other two being cheese ravioli and a salad). BIG mistake. It was probably the most boring and underseasoned dish I've ever had. I expected something more because it's a nice restaurant, but the sauce tastes like it's straight out of a can. I guess I know not to order it again. Everyone else loved their entrees so don't let the bad marinara put you off eating here read more

See all

High excellence service and food. Would come back a million times over if I could. A diamond in the rough as one must say.

Quaint, friendly service. Quality meal. Full bar, nightly features, and a dessert display worth saving room! We started with the artichoke spinach dip and whitefish dips. Excellent! Meal comes with choice of 3 different salads - Woodbridge included cherries, pecans, blue cheese and a cherry dressing. Yum! Coconut shrimp were large, batter was a little undercooked but still tasty! Husband enjoyed the lobster. Multiple in our table had the Carbonara and enjoyed. Order the Glenwood Coffee! And finished off with a pie made of multiple liquor flavored mousse. Well worth the wait! read more

The Glenwood - Lobster and coconut shrimp feature - New American Near Me - Onekama, Michigan

See all

The Glenwood is superb! I have been coming here for as long as I've been alive (in my 20s now), and I've always had an amazing experience. The oatmeal brownie is a MUST! Service is excellent, ambience is homey...just an overall great experience! read more

Super nice place. Food is gourmet and fresh. Would be nice to have more vegetarian options. Great seating on porch or dining room. Excellent service. read more

Such a great find...solid food, service, View. Majority of us order the fried cod Sammy. Great lunch!!!!! read more

The Glenwood - Almonds on shrimp? Gtfo lmao Lfg so good - New American Near Me - Onekama, Michigan

Very cute restaurant. View was amazing. Service was great. Food was delicious. Enjoyed the pictures and reading about the history pd the restaurant. read more

The Glenwood never disappoints! Always amazing service, food, and drinks! Our latest visit was no different. Our server Brittany was the best! Make sure to start with the almond shrimp appetizer! You can't go wrong with any of the menu items. Be sure to leave room for dessert!! read more

We had the white fish dip and it was delicious. I have to say they have the best perch I have ever eaten. Polite professional staff and great view of the lake. read more

See all

This restaurant is located in the town of Onekama, overlooking Portage Lake in beautiful Northwest Michigan. The Glenwood has been a big part of Northern Michigan life since 1994. The owners of the Glenwood have developed their own unique array of appetizers and main courses, they cook the meals themselves, and prepare the mouth-watering homemade desserts fresh every day. In addition The Glenwood is famous for their Lime Ginger house dressing, which upon demand began selling at the restaurant and in various stores throughout the state. Even though the restaurant in its present state has only been around for about ten years, the building has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s. History is important to the residents, and the management have tried to keep the building as it was back in the early days. The historic charm of the restaurant coupled with the great food and friendly service is all for you to savor at The Glenwood. read more

Exquisite menu, service, experience, and company. Visiting from AZ for a girls trip; I selected the Parmesan crusted whitefish with broccoli and mashed potato. A little horseradish in the mash made them delicious. Amazing wine list , but we selected beer or cocktails. Could not resist dessert but we took it to go. Delicious. Enjoyed sitting in the screened in porch with a lake view! read more

Top quality fine dining experience overlooking beautiful portage lake. There is not a comparable alternative in the area. Best food around but you are going to pay up for it! read more

It doesn't get any better than this, in northern Michigan! Old cottage resort style dining. White cloth tablecloth's, wait staff in black and white attire. Food was excellent quality, preparation and presentation, top notch! Staff (Sarah) was very friendly and professional. Customer dress code was resort casual, no beach wear! View of Portage Lake from the porch. A bit tight around the tables and marginally wheelchair accessible. Located on M-22 so schedule this stop along one of the most lovely drives in America! read more

Very nice high end restaurant next to Portage Lake in Onekema. Restaurant is in a converted turn of the century bed and breakfast that has an classy warmth to it and definitely adds to the enjoyment of the overall dining experience with nice views of the lake. They have a fairly large and diverse menu that definitely has a gourmet flair to it with dining options for almost any palate. On this particular nite I ordered the Beef tenderloin tips with mushrooms in a heavenly cheese cream sauce that was served over pasta. Absolutely Yummy. My main course was accompanied by a wonderful woodlands salad along with a nice cabernet from their expansive wine list which complemented my entree very nicely. All food was well prepared and with great taste. The other folks in our party had the cherry barbecue salmon, Almond shrimp and petit filet where everyone was very happy with both the quality and taste of their food. Service at this establishment is top notch with friendly knowledgeable waitstaff with great follow up during the meal. The piece de resistance is a dessert tray that is absolutely to die for where you definitely need to save room this (No I'm too full lame excuses here). Overall a great dining establishment with great ambiance and very nice views to boot. Highly recommend. 5 stars...... read more

See all

One of the better restaurant finds along M-22, if not the best. I've been going to the Glenwood over the past couple of years and I've not been disappointed. Great variety of both seafood and beef or pasta and all item's are fresh. The mainstays in their seafood category are the perch and whitefish. You cannot go wrong with either dish. The salads are also incredible and if they offer the key lime vinaigrette salad dressing I highly recommend it. The service is also spot on and not overly attentive to the point of being pushy. You definitely will want to make reservations in the prime summer months. Bon Appe'tit. read more

Please make sure to make a reservation so you do not miss this dining experience! Greeted and seated on time. The wait-staff are amazing, smiles all around, quick, efficient, not a wasted step. If it's your first visit, you may mistake the owner for one of her waitstaff. She teaches her team by demonstrating excellent customer service, make no mistake, she is in charge and knows most of her guests by name, and will meet you at the front door as if she has been expecting you! As for the food... most everything is wonderful from the appetizers, to the salads (get the lime-ginger dressing), to the entree's and dessert! Personal favorite is the Teriyaki Filet... cuts like butter. For an added treat, make your reservation for the front porch to catch the breeze coming in off Portage Lake! read more

the food was so great we had really nice customer service we knew the owner and she is so nice 10/10 recommendations for this restaurant come here it is so good read more

Delicious, high quality food in this quaint restaurant. Highly recommend the filet mignon with the woodland salad. The berry dessert is also delicious! Definitely a great place for special occasions and such. read more

After hearing glowing reviews of the Glenwood, I found it to be a solid three star meal. Our group was seated immediately, despite them being quite busy. Our server was friendly and well versed in the menu. Our meals were...ok. Salads did not taste or look fresh. My steak was cooked just right, but for the price, was as much gristle as meat. I would be ok with never returning as there are equal or better meals to be had. read more

One simple word ! FANTASTIC !! Always one of our northern favorites, probably number 1 on the list !!

Glen would . And Nancy would. Oh wait...Nancy did. And she's glad she did. Fabulous place, great ambiance, service great. Let's be honest...they wanted to push us through-table turnover and all--but once we told them we weren't rushing they settled down. Food fantastic...steaks, whitefish, but skip the perch. I know you'll want to order it. Because it makes sense. But don't. It was frozen, heavily breaded and not crispy. One of the owners is the pastry chef but that's an understatement---pastry wizard. Yes to that. Yes yes yes. Do it. Fabulous place. read more

Staff is top notch. Food is delicious. View from the porch...who doesn't love looking at water? Check them during the summer season while they are open. read more