As per usual, I forgot to snap a quick picture of lunch at TJ's today, so I'm hoping a good…read moredescriptive review will suffice! While looking for TJs in the downtown Manistee area, I commented how cool the historic exterior of the corner building was. Much to my pleasure, it turned out to be where we were heading. Walking up, several stories of crisp bricks greet you from the clean, quaint street. Walking in, you're hit with the casual, historic feel of an old building, with good smells wafting out of the back. The service was fast and friendly - we were seated within a minute, despite a pretty busy late lunch crowd. Our waitress checked on us multiple times through the meal, without being intrusive. A+ for this! We ordered chicken alfredo and the smoked Mac and cheese. Both came out of the over piping hot and fresh, loaded with cheese and sauce,and garnished with some fresh toasted baguette slices. The mac was topped with real bacon bits - none of the fake grocery store stuff. Portions were just right - I definitely could have eaten more, but I'm glad it wasn't there for me to gorge. TJ's is a great spot for lunch!

Cozy little place, menu pretty typical of quality bar and grill operations. That included a…read moresouthwest-style chicken salad, which is a favorite of mine, and TJ's is a bit unique. It had the standard toppings--avocado, corn, black bean, tomato, tortilla chips. But the cheese was melted on top, like a kind of crunchy/chewey plate--it really looked like it was topped with a mini pizza. Not sure that enhanced the salad, but overall it was fine. Instead of dressing, it came with tubs of sour cream and salsa to mix in. I do that at home sometimes, so can't complain. The lettuce was fresh and crispy. Decent beer selection, including a quite a few bottled ones, which I hadn't noticed until after I ordered my pint of Two Hearted. Be sure to ask for a bottle menu. I sat at the bar and the server regularly looked in on me. Wasn't too noisy, in spite of the tight space that was full when I stopped in on a Sunday night. Nice little spot to check out in Manistee.

Typed in Dive Bar with good food and was not disappointed. Cheeseburger Basket was very good. Came…read morewith coleslaw and plenty of steak fries. The server and bartender were very friendly. Very eclectic clientele!

I call it fate that my 1st choice for dinner was too crowded and noisy for a day of traveling/…read morebiking. But The Alley Bar & Grill was Perfect for what we look for in small town places that don't have bells and whistles but everything else that matters. Great staff interacting with the customers, serving great food and drinks with a welcoming atmosphere. Our server, Sondra, and her fellow "chef" were working hard in the kitchen making the tastiest looking pizzas. It was a challenge to choose our food because we were really hungry. The menu is smaller but everything on it is high quality eats. I had cheese curds and tried the Pollock filet, crinkle cut fries and slaw; my friend had wings with buffalo sauce and the French dip, steak fries and slaw. I asked for another option for dipping and their cocktail sauce with the curds was a great combo. Although the ranch dressing tasted homemade. I'd never had Pollock before and I enjoyed it with malt Vinegar, generous portion lightly breaded and I almost finished before finding a few bones in the meatier part. I know it's expected but I have a quirk when I find a fish bone, I'm done. My friend's French Dip had a generous amount of meat, on a soft hoagie type roll and was "so delicious". This place had just about everything fun to do inside: beer pong, pool, darts, fooseball s as nd even a room/ stage in the back for live entertainment! We had the jukebox this evening, playing good classic rock and when it stopped my friend was going to fill it up with coins and keep it going. But we overheard Sondra encouraging a guy to, "Pick as many as you want to because it's free." Prices were $$ for the quality and portions of food, clean inside and atmosphere. We parked in the street and walked about 300 ft to the door, which has 2 steps to enter. I highly recommend that you go find out what's happening in The Alley, I bet you'll have a great time!

Stopped in last night, kind of late, guy working didn't bat an eye. No attitude, very helpful. Food…read morecame quickly, tasted great. We'd go again for sure!

A cute divey spot in downtown Ludington. I had mixed feelings about my experience. I stopped here…read moreafter a long day of driving. Met up with a group of 5 to get drinks and food before checking into our Airbnb. The first thing we noticed was that there were no tables for groups larger than 4, so we grabbed a chair from another table and all crammed around a high top. There appeared to only be 1 waitress working and while she was friendly she was not attentive. Food took 50minutes to come out and drinks ran empty without refills. I had ordered 2 appetizers and skipped the mains. First up were the fried Pickle Chips that came with a ranch dip. The batter was flavorful, and the pickle fried to perfection. The second app I had gotten were the Bavarian Pretzel Sticks which came with a house made beer cheese. The pretzels were warm and doughy without being dry and the beer cheese was incredible. The rest of the table ordered wings and a burger, and everyone had great things to say about their food. The food was great but the wait time, lack of seating, and lack of staff really put a damper on the experience. This pub is currently sitting at a 5.3 on my Beli and it feels like a fair rating. Food is on point, customer service needs work.

This was my first time here online way to our seasonal campsite, and it certainly won't be the…read morelast. Frosty mugs of cold draft beers, friendly owner that is truly invested in his customers, and great locals to talk to. It's a great spot for a cold beverage with new friends. Thanks Charlie, for the welcoming friendly environment! Steve and Jen your new friends

Great place to stop and enjoy the local culture. Yes it is a dive bar with the friendliest owner…read morewho welcomed us in. Closing in on it's 50 anniversary and still going strong. Enjoy

The Bottle and Can is definitely the best spot to stop in the area. They have an excellent…read moreselection of beer, wine and spirits. The store is very organized and clean. The staff is friendly and helpful and they are willing to place an order for you if there is something specific you are wanting that they don't already carry. They have fun tasting events (advertised on their social media pages) that are a great way to allow their customers to sample something new! They also carry a good selection of fishing tackle if you're on your way out to slay them fish, making this a great one stop shop! This store is an excellent addition to the Scottville downtown, and should be on everyone's route when traveling to destinations in the area.

Checked out the newest business in downtown Scottville. They carry a nice snack selection for…read morecamping food and for the common items you may need. They also have a nice selection of fishing gear and bait, even flies for the serious fisherman. The best part is they have a very nice selection of craft beers and micro brew beers. They have your standard commercial beer and a very nice selection of liqueur. This is the only place in town to get liqueur at and if they don't carry it, they take requests and will order it.

We have come here every time we visit relatives and the food is always delicious. This place has…read morebeen around since long before I was born. I'm glad it has stayed in business. You don't come here to be fancy, you come here for eclectic decor and delicious food. The service has always been great as well.

Walking into this place, you understand that is completely a local's bar. It's the kind of place…read morefor people bring a deck of cards, or talk union business at the bar. I had barely set foot in the door when the two bartenders at the bar greeted me warmly and welcomed me in and told me I could sit anywhere I wanted. I sat at the bar and as recommended by a local, I ordered the pepper jack crab soup, which was delicious. One thing to be aware of: don't expect real crab in the soup. Imitation only. But it's plentiful and delicious on a frigid winter day. The bartender recommended the roasted chicken or the perch, and living near another great lake and always having ready access to perch, I decided on the broasted chicken. I was not disappointed. It came with four pieces, choice, potato, and a choice of another side. It was way too its food, but I ate more than I thought they would because it was that good. I will definitely return to the painted lady!

Pizza was way overpriced for a "Large" which is only a 12" and it was average at that. 1st and…read morelast visit

The food it's amazing. Very charming. You can seat inside or outside. Outside you can enjoy the…read morebeautiful view of Portage Lake. Open from around Memorial Day until Labor Day. There is a playground you can see while you seat at the porch.

Great food. Good vibes. Great options for beer on tap. We tried the buffalo chicken wrap with sweet…read morepotato fries. Big steak size fries were great. Service was fast and friendly. Definitely coming back next time we are in town

We've been coming here for over twenty summers. This may have been the worst…read moreService we ever received. Perhaps the kitchen was to blame but our server did not acknowledge it at all.