We found this Gem. From a friend's invitation! We drove down from Holland for an early Dinner. The drive through the Apple blossoms and Vineyards enhanced our experience! We were warmly greeted and Seated immediately ! The crisp white linen on the tables was such a surprise! Our lovely waitresses Gloria. Did a lovely job. The food was amazing and The employees attentive. This little hidden Restaurant is absolutely worth the trip. Not very many of these left in The Midwest. Congratulations to the new owners for making an amazing effort to preserve an American Tradition and doing it well! Super Club atmosphere was a great experience for an evening with friends! We look forward to our next visit! Highly recommend the onion soup, and specials. The steaks are butchered in house and it is obvious! read more

See all

A timeless ambience is what you will find at this restaurant. The setting is reminiscent of a lakeside restaurant of yesteryear, with great people helping you to make your experience wonderful and pleasing. The menu is elegant and the food is above par! I would recommend this place to anyone interested in a memorable dinning experience. read more

An old school supper club with great, unique fare. The staff were all on top of their game from the host to the servers. Know up front that this isn't bar food or a cheap night out, but it is a dining experience rarely found these days. read more

Timberline Inn never disappoints! The food is always excellent and the service is always top notch. On this occasion I had the Fried Chicken which was delicious. My dining partner had the filet and he stated that it was cooked perfectly, both tender and flavorful. We shared an appetizer of the Shrimp De jonghe which is also offered as an entree. It was also very good. If you're looking for good traditional food and a supper club vibe, Timberline Inn is a great choice with consistently good food. read more

They do not answer the phone during peak dinner hours. I entered the bar area at 6 pm and was ignored by the bartender for 25 minutes--the bar only seats about 10 people--was difficult to ignore me. She never acknowledged me. The new management (who I talked to afterwards) does not seem to care. read more

Lack of communication! Hostess asked us how many, we said two. We waited for someone to bring us to a table. They never addressed us again. We stood there waiting and almost was going to leave but my husband asked if there was a table available, which there were many. The hostess said we were on our phone.. yes we were because we were waiting to be seated. We asked for medium rare/ got medium for prime rib. No aus jus. Baked potato was burnt. read more

For the most part a great place. They have a customer, Sean, comes in after work and sits at the bar.... He then takes off his work boots at the bar and walks around in his bare feet which is disgusting. He normally sits at the bar and apparently is friends with the owner. This sends a very bad image for the restaurant. Need to step up the class and enforce some health requirements. Come on Timberline, you are better than this. Long term history here, don't ruin it. read more

Great Great old time Supper Club. I had a bone in ribeye that was cooked and seasoned perfectly. My wife had walleye pike that was a large portion. She loved it. Even the French Onion soup was delicious. It was our first time and we will go back. 5 Stars!!! read more

The food here is always delicious, fresh and hot! The staff are always warm and welcoming. I've been coming here for many years. I've never complained about anything because there has never been anything to complain about! I love the inside porch and bar area. The customers are so friendly too. I love the salad with any of the dressings they make, but lately I'm into the poppyseed dressing. They have a wonderful French onion soup. The surf and turf is very reasonably priced and is done to perfection. The coconut shrimp appetizer is amazing. I like their walleye a lot. They have wonderful chicken dishes. And that dessert tray, whoa! read more

See all

We had the French onion soup And steaks Best French onion I have had In a while. I got the filet, it was very tender and super juicy and flavorful. We will definitely be back when we're in the area. Thanks for a great dinner. The waitress was super sweet too. read more

We recently had a great meal at Timberline. Much better feel with new ownership, plus they still kept the best employees. White tablecloths are back, and the cutlery and other things have been upgraded. It's starting to feel like the classic Timberline again. Service was excellent, provided by Gloria. We began with the Escargot, which was very buttery, garlicky and good. My entree was the lightly breaded and broiled Lake Perch, which is a great alternative to fried perch (which they also serve.) My wife really enjoyed the blackened Norwegian Salmon. I just want them to bring back the spinning table with all the pre-dinner goodies! read more

Three of us tried the Timberline Inn dining room and enjoyed the entire experience. The woman who sat us was welcoming and encouraged us to check out the bar and porch dining when I noted it was our first visit. Dana our waitress was on point ,friendly, and helpful as we navigated the drink specials and food menu. The walleye, fried chicken and fettuccine Alfredo were all top notch. Absolutely loved the supper club vibe . It was well worth our 30 minute drive. read more

Great food, great service, great ambiance! We will definitely be back. The French onion soup add a starter was very good as well.

Went last Friday Night to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Did not mention it to Kristy our server right away. The end of our dinner which was excellent and service was good. The shrimp cocktail is phenomenal! The dinner was wonderful also. But when we were ready to have our dessert which was wonderful, I mentioned to Kristy we were celebrating our 50th Anniversary. To our surprise Kristy brought a box of these chocolate brownies on the house! It was such a wonderful surprise and made our evening so special! Thank you Timberline for making our 50 th Anniversary amazing! Will definitely be back!! Bob and Maryanne Lullo read more

Food was excellent! Especially the Escargot. The service was top notch as well. The dining room was quaint and reminded me of an old time resort. read more

Some of the best meals I have every had was at Timberline--great food and very friendly staff--owners Patti and Ed are great--thank both of you for being there. Ron Harner read more

We were seated quickly and had a very nice waitress who was knowledgeable about the menu. Dinner was fantastic!

Friendly and dependably good food. Local favorite where they will soon know your name

1964 all over again, but not at all in a good way. Stale old menu items, rundown and ragged place.

Timberline Inn is fantastic! We recently bought a lake house nearby and are learning the area. We ate here for the 2nd time and once again had a fabulous meal. The blackened salmon was so tasty and my wife loved her chicken marsala. The cheesy spread served with the bread is another winner as was the asparagus. Understated old school ambiance and great food. We'll be back. read more

They should sell the place to someone who cares about customers. We called for reservations and were told they didn't take reservations. We arrived and noticed many open tables. We were sent to the bar were we ordered a bottle of nice wine. After an hour the place was full and we were still at the bar. We asked how we were overlooked and why the open tables were full. They said they DID take reservations; 20 mins call ahead. What BS! We left never to return after years of going to the place. Mike M read more

While Timberline has been good in the past, we had the worst experience trying to eat here. We called a few hours ahead to find out about reservations. We were told they take absolutely NO reservations and couldn't guarantee a table. While not ideal, we decided to risk it. When we arrived, we were told they only had two tables that can seat a party of six and they were both already reserved. And it would be a long wait since neither of those parties had even arrived yet. WHAT?!? That's what I call a load of crap. read more

Wonderful Cajun seasoned salmon broiled to perfection. Great with a side of Béarnaise sauce. Their twice-baked potatoes & coconut shrimp served with a side of marmalade are also delicious. Lots of fabulous dishes on the salad bar turntable. The broccoli salad, kidney bean salad, seashell pasta salad & house made cheese & crackers are all delightful. read more

This restaurant has been around forever and is located by Indian Lake. I It has an up north like feel with a weathered wood exterior and somewhat rustic interior. It is very much from another era and could use some updating, but has pretty good food. In addition to soup / salad, they have a spinning gourmet table that includes cheese spread, herring, potato salad, bean salad, etc. Wine list is basic, but has a few surprises including some Silverado wines. I was last there in May 2011. I had the Perch and my dad had the Walleye, which were both delicious. Service was a bit slow. I would definitely go back. read more

We love the Timberline but admit the service is often really slow, which doesn't usually bother us because we are at the lakes to relax and go slow anyway. The food has always been great, especially the ribs and steaks. read more

Okay, for a fine dining restaurant in the middle of nowhere, Timberline Inn is pretty good. Unfortunately, the last time I ate there was about 17 years ago (and I actually worked there for a very, very, very short time washing dishes). So, if you are near Indian Lake in Dowagiac, Michigan, and you have a few bucks to blow, it's a pretty decent restaurant. read more

I have heard many good things about Timberline on several occasions, and decided to try it. First of all, walking in, we felt extremely uncomfortable, as we were probably the only 30-something couple there. The decor was extremely outdated. Our server lurked over our table the entire time we were there. I wouldn't rush back any time soon. The food was good, but the atmosphere, for me, is a big part of the experience in trying somewhere new. read more

Wife and I used to go here 45 years ago when our families visited Sisters Lakes. We went here on a recent visit and could not believe that this place is frozen in time, except for the smoking in the dining area that was common back in the day. While wife thinks decor needs an upgrade, I love the way it is. The large Gormet Lazy Susan has the same items on it, and all items were fresh and good. The food was high quality and prepared perfectly. The waitstaff is attentive and informative without getting in the way. Split a pumpkin cheese cake that was awesome. Love the tablecloths and cloth napkins. read more

I enjoyed my time there! Seen a few of my friends and I really enjoyed myself and the food was hot and service was excellent. I couldn't ask for a better steak! I read some bad reviews but that didn't stop me. I am glad I didn't listen! read more

Had a cottage at Indian Lake 45 years ago and ate at the Timberline frequently. Had a chance to go there yesterday and the food was truly outstanding. Perch and Walleye was some of the finest.. I am a food snob from Chicago and very discriminating about fish, especially lake perch. Wines very reasonable as well as menu prices.. Service was just fine. Supper club decor which I found to my liking. If you want a trendy restaurant, go to Chicago. If your looking for something solid, head to the Timberline if you're in the area. read more

EAT HERE if you are in this area. It is the best quality food in an unpretentious comfortable friendly place. (no cold hard edge urban feel !) We have dined here with kids, friends, and family. Walk in on weekdays, call for reservations on weekends. Their specials too are always excellent. We visit here from "the big city" and enjoy the relaxed comfortable warm surroundings and good food. Where else can you get a "good table" of appetizers with a quality dinner ? read more

We live about an hour away, and love this quaint place..The Walleye is by far the best around, my husband had chicken Marsala, that he has had many times and said this was the best ever.. Our service was wonderful, and drinks perfect.. Patty the hostess owner always comes by to chat... I worked at this place when I was built about 52 or so years ago, as a second job.the at time owners Bea and Chub were friends of my parents, I drove about 60 miles to work weekends here, and so glad it has not changed a lot..Love the older interior, as it used to be, and a lot of the same menu , as salad bar items read more

With limited options in the area, I love Timberline. The ambiance is definitely from another era, but I think it's really cool. I love the spinning gourmet table and the food is great. Their servers are always so sweet too. They are a little overpriced and usually packed though. read more

Went there for the first time with friends from out of town. We absolutely loved it. The food and service were excellent. One post states she is her 30s and felt uncomfortable. I am also in my 30s and disagree. We found it very comfortable. read more

I eat here once a year as part of an annual golf trip. Every time, the food has been outstanding. You will pay for the quality of the food, so bring your VISA/MC. Service is typical SW MI lake community slow. Prime Rib and BBQ ribs are awesome. Same for the walleye and salad bar that comes with your dinner. Decor is dated, you can hear arteries harden when you're there, as it will feel like you entered a bingo parlor at first glance. Don't let that scare you, the food is what you come for, and they deliver. read more

My husband, myself and our daughter decided to have a nice dinner at Timberline Inn for my husband's birthday. The restaurant interior is a little dated, but we really didn't care so much for the interior as we were looking for a nice dining experience for his birthday. We were seated immediately, and the place was crowded as it was a Saturday night. The waitress took our drink orders in about 5 minutes and 10 minutes later took our dinner order and said we could eat from the round snack bar. I ordered a prime rib, my husband ordered the shrimp and sirloin (rare), and ribs for our daughter The selection from the little snack bar was decent and took the edge off our hunger- it offers cottage cheese, peaches, potato salad, noodle salad and a nice apple/caramel salad. We waited an additional 25 -30 minutes for our side salad. It was small but fresh. Then we waited another 20 minutes for our meal, watching customers who were seated after us being served. Finally our meal arrived. My husband ordered sirloin steak, rare, as he always does. Sadly, the meat he received was a blackened, unrecognizable piece of something, extremely well done and did not resemble a steak. We all stared at this sorry piece of char, and my husband told the server that he wasn't even sure what that was, and that he ordered the sirloin rare. He asked to send it back as it was not what he ordered. Our server became defensive and started saying that he ordered it butterflied and it is only served well done when prepared that way. She seemed flustered and again, very defensive and almost argumentative. Earlier, my husband said he wanted his steak rare, and the server mentioned something about butterflied and he said sure since he had no clue what that meant and he definitely did not say he wanted it well done. This would not have been a big deal, and we were trying to be nice, but again the server said he ordered it well done and didn't order rare and was defensive about it throughout the entire conversation. This was horrible customer service- we have never had a server in an upscale restaurant basically tell us that we must have ordered wrong- usually they politely say I am sorry and try to remedy the situation in some way or get a manager. This server just told us to put the meat aside and appeared annoyed at us. When we asked what other types of meat were available that could be done in 20 minutes (as he was extremely hungry at this point), she left for another 10 minutes, and then came back and said that after checking with the chef, nothing was available. We asked her if they had any fish or something that could be substituted, and she said that there was nothing left because of the dinner rush. She then came back and said she could get him some fried shrimp. At this point my husband had been waiting for a meal for over an hour, so I shared my prime rib with him. He also was not having a nice experience for his birthday, which was frustrating to me since I wanted him to have an nice birthday dinner with his family. While I wanted to get a manager or supervisor to talk to, my husband said it was okay, we just wouldn't leave a tip to get a message across, and he didn't want any direct conflict since it was his birthday. He did accept the offer of the shrimp since he was still hungry. After our meal, which we just half finished since we were very disappointed with the service (the food was good, I'll give it that much), we looked for our waitress and my husband waived his hand toward her to indicate we wanted the check. He sat there with his hand in the air and our waitress in clear view about 15 feet from us at the desk. As he sat there with his hand in the air, we actually had to ask one of the other waitresses to get our waitress's attention. Once that was done, we asked for containers for our leftovers. This took another 15 minutes. When we received our check, we saw that she just crossed out the steak/shrimp dinner and charged us for a shrimp dinner instead. Although we didn't expect a free meal, we would have appreciated more of a token of acknowledgment that she screwed up our order, and we were offered nothing but a shrimp dinner, not even an apology. The waitress at least packaged a piece of pie to go for us for free b/c it was a birthday, which was nice, but that still didn't make up for the experience. Since we now live on Indian Lake, we wanted this to be a great place to go- but sadly, we may not come back. We enjoy going to places like Lawry's in Chicago and Ruth's-Chris Steakhouse, so maybe our expectations of servers are higher than most, but again, we have never been told that we must have ordered wrong and had a server act so defensively towards us. Maybe she was having an off day or the fact that it was busy made her sensitive, but when you are paying premium prices for a nice dinner, you expect a certain amount of professionalism and courtesy, which we feel we didn't receive. read more