City Park Grill
432 E Lake St, Petoskey, MI, 49770
City Park Grill Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Petoskey for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
432 E Lake St
Petoskey, MI, 49770 - Phone (231) 347-0101
- Website https://www.cityparkgrill.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
- Mon : 11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Kevin L.
In town for a wedding, and needed a good "right at lunch" spot to carry me over until dinner at 8pm. City Park Grill exceeded expectations. I had the French Onion soup and the Erik's Burger -- both of which were delicious. If I'm ever back up here -- this will be #1 on my list.
(5)Diana B.
I was very disappointed after eating here. While the biscuit is indeed yummy as were the white truffle mashed potatoes, I've had better tasting chicken Marsala at the local coney. My boyfriend had the Lake Perch and fries which had a very good flavor. In fact, I ended up eating more of his dinner than mine. As for drinks, the Grey Goose Dirty Martini was decent. So why the disappointment? For the price of the entrees I expected either salad before the meal OR a vegetable with the meal. NOPE. Even my boyfriend got coleslaw (that tasted awful) with his fish. Oh well.
(2)Tiffanny B.
I used to love eating at City Park when we were visiting Petoskey. Not so much anymore. The service was great, but that is where the greatness ended. There were six adults eating, and all but one was disappointed with our meals. I got the Erik burger. This burger has no toppings on it. I thought it was suppose to have mushrooms along with the Gorgonzola balsamic aioli, but the mushrooms were actually mixed into the burger. Another ordered the fish and chips and said it was really greasy and way under seasoned. Another ordered the other "featured" burger, though some toppings were missing including mushrooms and bacon. The penne dish was the only meal that was complimented at our table. The positives were the service, beer selection and the fact that they take reservation (as most restaurants in the area don't).
(2)Craig J.
Fancy? NO. Classy? Kinda. Cool? Yes. First of all Hemingway used to hang in this place when it was called something else, that alone makes it cool. But the Biscuits and the Jambalaya, yes Jambalaya in Petoskey, were great. Apparently the owner used to have a place in the French Quarter so it is real, it's authentic. The atmosphere was laid back, but a little upscale and the prices were too. Nice menu with in house cut steaks Legendary White Fish Reminded me of a U.P. Bar with some class
(4)Sarah M.
Had lunch there today. Service was good. Caprese burger (which I asked to change up a bit and they did so very nicely) and bbq chips for me. Hubby had French onion soup and bbq pork sandwich with cole slaw. My sandwich was good. Chips were overcooked a bit. Hubby said soup was excellent and cole slaw and sandwich were good. We would go back.
(4)Esther C.
I like this place a lot, especially with a group of friends late at night. I miss the black bean hummus on the menu, but I'll let that slide. They do burgers and sandwiches best, and their whitefish chowder is also very good. I recommend the grilled whitefish sandwich.
(3)Heather C.
Cool historical place to catch a bite . Live entertainment on the weekends after 9pm . The whitefish and salads are great some other things on menu are just ok . Burgers are done well . Drinks are little pricey for the venue . Overall I would recommend this place
(4)Fred K.
Over priced, tourist trap. Portions were small and low quality for the price. Gumbo soup was tiny and salty. My entre was so un memorable I can't remember what I had 24 hrs later. Flank steak was something I would have expected from convenience store jerky. My experience from traveling around the US at many great restaurants. This is not one of them.
(2)Diane S.
Aweful food. Poor drinks and poor server. 1/2 full martini, soup that was brought out cold before it was put in the microwave and the 4 cheese penna pasta was like microwave Mac and cheese. I will never ever come back. Hemingway only came here during prohibition to get a slug of alcohol. Terrible.
(1)Michelle C.
Fun and popular place to eat! Loved the wood work in the bar area. The perch and fries, grilled chicken salad and jambalaya was good but the biscuits were great! Wished they had come around with the biscuits more often.
(4)Bloss C.
Located only a few blocks off of the bay, this is a great spot to stop in after communing with nature. I was here for lunch recently and enjoyed the food, service, and the experience overall. Beautiful dark wood runs throughout the restaurant creating a welcoming and rich atmosphere. It definitely seemed as though the City Park Grill could be the kind of place where everybody knows you name. Our waitress was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the menu. She sold us on ordering the specials of the day, in fact I'm pretty sure she sold the entire restaurant on ordering the specials of the day! We started with the Coconut-curry Grilled Shrimp (Coconut noodle salad and sweet chili sauce) which was really tasty and surprised me. I tend to shy away from ordering coconut shrimp at restaurants because I usually find it to be over processed and way too fried for my taste. This dish was the complete opposite, Fresh shrimp of a good size, not fried at all, in a lovely sauce and complimented by coconut rice noodles. For our mains we both went with the local white fish special, freshly caught off of the lake and served with a blacked rub, remoulade, fresh coleslaw, and mashed potatoes. The fish portion was pretty large and well prepared. Overall this was a great dish and I would come back here anytime.
(4)Bryan G.
In years past City Park used to be the place to go for above average food and good service. While the drinks are still pretty good, and the food isn't bad, the customer service has become abysmal and nearly Parisian in the level of rudeness. Recently I was there for a business lunch, and the waitress spilled fish chowder on my coat and a little of my sleeve. While I was in the restroom rinsing off my sleeve the waitress saw what had happened and brought me two extra paper napkins. Two. Paper. Napkins. I mentioned this to the manager, who promptly brought me a cloth napkin. While they both did apologize, this isn't a Bob Evans, I feel like I shouldn't have had to clean up the fish chowder from my coat, myself, with no comment or assistance from any restaurant staff. At a business lunch no less.
(3)Liz G.
Walking my dog in Harbor Springs where I asked a fellow dog walker (a local) for a lunch recommendation and she sent me here! I need to go find this lady and give her a big hug. This place was fabulous - they were VERY busy and apparently didn't 'expect a big crowd on an off-season Saturday late afternoon. Even so my waiter (Jason) did great - recommended the Chicago Burger (wow- a great burger with a lovely bleu cheese sauce, swiss cheese, mushrooms), kept our drinks full and brought use some hot cheddar biscuits while we waited. My partner, who is a real burger snob, loved it too. Great fries, coleslaw ( crispy, not too much sauce) and french onion soup too. Highly recommended.
(5)Brian G.
This place is perfect and the steak is just outstanding! Girlfriend and I went here for dinner on our trip, she had a 6oz filet mignon & I had the 12oz NY strip. Both came with truffle potatoes & seasonal veggies (squash, zucchini, mushrooms). For desert we had a sticky pudding with toffee AND LET ME TELL YOU IT WAS TO DIE FOR! Also there rolls are A++++ awesome place.
(5)Thomas E.
Love this place! Must visit every time I go to Petoskey. The French onion soup and white fish plates are always good! Had the whitefish sandwich today and it excellent. The fish was prepared perfectly, the tarter sauce was delicious and completed the fish. Even the mustard based cole slaw was a perfect companion and it was topped off with a Detroit classic McClure dill pickle. The bartender is a great guy who is studying to be an advanced sommelier. Very knowledgable on his wines! Enjoy this place whenever you get up there!
(5)Mark D.
just tried the roasted vegetable bruschetta. Amazing! best dish i have ever had. highly recommend this place!
(5)Jason B.
Always cool to have a drink where Hemingway did! Was greeted by very warm and friendly staff. They provided warm biscuits. Ordered a cup of fish chowder, fish and chips, and salmon BLT. Was very good and well prepared.
(4)Brendan N.
Unprofessional. Waste of money. Waitress sat next to us eating on the job, talking to drunk locals. Restaurant is empty, however we were seated in the dark back room. Specials were on tap but only applied to people in the bar. There was nobody in there. Said if we've in there we could get special, 10 feet away. They are cleaning all around us. Horrible. Food is eh. But get it carry out. Kitchen staff is starting to jam out on the stage so we are outta here.
(1)Paul R.
A large place with seating for families, couples, and singles. The food has always been good and they have a large bar with lots of options. They regularly have live music and events too. We love the "human biscuits" that they hand out. Bartenders are knowledgeable and nice. Highly recommend.
(5)Stephanie P.
If I were to write this review based off of my first visit, the rating would be much better. I've been twice, each visit a month apart. The first time, the Parmesan encrusted whitefish was recommended by the waiter. It was amazing! It came with sautéed veggies and truffle oil mashed potatoes. Everything was so good, and the portion was big enough that I had enough for lunch the next day. The second time was a completely different experience. The first dinner was so good, that I decided to repeat it. I got a cup of chowder to start. It was not the slightest bit warm. Not a great start, but I shook it off. My entree arrived and it was cold too! The sauce on the fish was starting to solidify because it was practically room temperature! Beyond that, the potatoes were dry and didn't taste like they had any truffle oil. The veggie was mostly red onion, cabbage, and two pieces of zucchini. Everything considered, I went home hungry. The waitress was very nice and took care of it immediately, and brought me something warm. The service overall was great and attentive. Perhaps it was a backup in the kitchen? Either way it was super disappointing. As a side note, everyone else in my party had a great meal so maybe there's still hope for this place?
(2)Janet B.
Stopped by for a quick bite and a few drinks. I ordered the speciality lake street lemonade, which was quite good...however, the waitress never brought the second one and I could not get her attention till we were done eating. I ordered the General Tso's Meatballs...dried out. My husband ordered the chicken marsala. He said it was "ok". The "1" rating is because my husband ordered a glass of the house red. Waitress brought him a white wine. He didn't want to make a fuss so he drank it...he was charged $18 for this one glass of wine! When we questioned the waitress about the price of a glass of house wine, she said it was a "speciality house" wine. Good Bye Tip and we will never go there again!
(1)Bridget F.
So glad we found this place. It was the best meal we had in Petoskey. The server was friendly and helpful. The fresh biscuits that were brought to our table were hot and sweet enough they didn't need butter. Our salad and soup came out right before our entrees, but the server vehemently apologized for it. I had the flank steak and it was amazing. I knocked a star off because the mashed potatoes were dry and sat mostly uneaten on my plate. My husband enjoyed the beer flight, and next time I would like to be able to do the same! Great selection of MI beers. The atmosphere was just quiet enough even though they had a good stream of people coming in on a Friday night.
(4)Mariah G.
Went there earlier this spring with a friend who was in town for the day. We sat at the bar and just had a drink and apps, horrible service from one of the bartenders who looked at us like we were something the cat dragged in. The other bartender was friendly enough, but unfortunately seemed preoccupied and didn't ask us about our apps or if we wanted another drink. I will still go back there, but I just wish my friend could have had a better experience. Don't bother the bartender Dustin, I've been there three times with him behind the bar and his attitude still remains the same arrogant selfishness every time.
(2)David O.
Terrible... I repeat, Terrible Meal. We took my parents out to dinner for their 60th anniversary and the food was cold. My wife's chicken was cold. I am allergic to onions. It's not that I don't like onions, I am allergic to onions. I specifically told the waitress how about my allergy and ordered the Chicago Burger medium rare which comes with their famous blue cheese sauce. The burger came out well done and I noticed, after I started eating, that the blue cheese sauce has onions in it. Ugh! The waitress apologized ("oh, that's right it does have onions in it") and asked if I wanted anything else. I ordered the seafood chowder as something light on my stomach. I was half way through the soup when the manager came to the table and told me that the chowder has onions in it also. To be fair to the manager and server, tried to make things right and ultimately took care of the bill, but our meal was a circus with food going back and forth to and from the kitchen, two of the four meals were cold and now I am not feeling well. My wife and I are running a race in Charlevoix tomorrow and this just sucks... and so does the City Park Grill. There are much better places to eat in Petoskey.
(1)Michelle C.
A great restaurant with a lot of character and history. Hemingway used to dine here- he has a favorite spot at the bar that he frequented. As we were placing our drink orders, someone came by with fresh rolls and butter. These rolls were AMAZING! Crisp on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside, warm, and perfect! I shared a carafe of sangria, which was a bit disappointing. It was light pink in color and really tasted like watered-down white zinfandel, filled 3/4 with ice. We ordered the calamari as an appetizer. The slaw that the calamari rings were on was light, refreshing, and delightful. Calamari rings, however, were a bit soggy- I'm not sure if it wasn't fried enough or if it had been sitting out for a little too long before being brought over, but I wasn't a big fan of the soft texture. Sweet thai plum sauce drizzled on calamari was delightful. Our table ordered the following- 1. pork chops (served with mashed potatoes and melted cheese on top). This was a very heavy meal 2. White fish- this is what the server recommended and it was delightful! 3. Chicken & sausage Cajun pasta- fettuccine with red pepper strips, chicken, and sausage in a Cajun cream sauce. This was also very heavy and all of the sausages had one side that was burnt. 4. Chicken marsala- we didn't want another pasta dish on the table, so we got this with seasonal veggies & mashed potatoes (it's supposed to be served on a bed of linguine). This was a great dish with a delicious mushroom sauce. Server was very attentive and the experience was great. The food isn't anything special but the ambiance makes up for it.
(3)Shannon S.
Another great FOY restaurant for another filling lunch before the 4 hour drive home. We enjoyed the artichoke dip for starters, I then had the parmesan encrusted white fish, while my friend enjoyed the Flank steak. Our server Seth was attentive and pleasant. As a matter of fact, we were really pleasantly surprised with all of the friendly staff we encountered on our little trip this weekend. It made me proud to be a Michigander. :)
(4)Tom B.
Location is good but food was nothing special. I ordered the fish and chips, but it was only ok. There are too many restaurants in Petoskey to try before this one.
(2)Margaret V.
Awesome place! I came here for three things: It was a reason to come to Petoskey (one of the most beautiful places, ever). It got good reviews. Ernest Hemingway at here! I came on a Friday afternoon and it was quite busy. I asked to seat in the bar area (that's where Ernest sat). Their wine/drink selection is MASSIVE! I ended up with an unoaked chardonnay from MI, which was outstanding. They have several lunch specials that are offered everyday. This included a sandiwch/soup special and a lunch entree special. They also had very interesting burgers, sandwiches, and salads. The lunch entree special was whitefish with a mustard sauce and loaded mashed potatoes. Given I had heard their whitefish was fantastic, I tried it. I am so glad I did! Get the Whitefish!!! The server told me it's caught within 36 hours from Charlevoix. It tasted fresh and the mustard sauce was a very nice compliment, but not too over powering. Service was fantastic. The only thing the prevented me from giving the restaurant five stars was that when I was first seated they gave me a roll with butter. It was very good and I could have had another. A couple of people passed by with rolls, but saw that I had had one and didn't offer. So worth the visit! I highly suggest!
(4)Nancy K.
Just Okay service a little slow food wad cooked well and good quality had the filet medium which was done right small portion for the sides desert was cheese cake seemed a little stale and lacked flavor Nice atmosphere
(3)Marko J.
Variety of dishes, from burgers and steaks to Italian and oriental. Good quality, portions are reasonably large. Bar area can get loud, but within reason. Kid friendly.
(4)Tandi S.
Great place! Awesome selection of beer imports included. Food was awesome as well, try the chips and pico/guac for an appetizer! I had the southwest filet, hubby had the salmon, the kids had the spaghetti...it was a hit all the way around. The tables were covered with paper for coloring... I'm not sure who had more fun with that... :)
(5)Mrs. And Mr. G.
Very good service. We tried the grilled chicken and the burger, and were good. I'll come back for sure!
(5)Richard B.
Nice ambiance and service. Hot biscuits were a nice treat. Tasty spinach salad. The "fresh whitefish " was not fresh and tasteless.
(3)Joe B.
We stopped in here for a quick cocktail while walking Petoskey. I found the staff charming and the bar itself has a classy saloon like feel to it. Definitely try the biscuits!! Bisquik or not they tasted pretty good with a little butter for a pre-cocktail snack.
(3)Emily D.
Great interior. Moderately priced but delicious dishes. We sat in the rear dining area. The chicken skewers, city park salad, wedge salad, and biscuits were delicious! The bar has been there since 1880 and Ernest Hemingway mentions it by its previous name (the annex) in Man of the World.
(5)Mark H.
Great classic atmosphere. Beautiful wood carvings. Guinness on draft. I had the chicken caprese sandwich. So good, I'd order again.
(5)Sue K.
Loved the atmosphere, but all 6 of us were less than impressed with our meals. In most restaurants when a meal is served cold there is some sort of compensation or at least a visit from the manager with an apology. Yet, as we walked out we reviewed the menu to notice that we were overcharged for the cold meal. Very disappointed. The food was overpriced & not very flavorful. I'd suggest trying another local restaurant before this one.
(1)Rachel C.
The food was good, the building was very cool. Probably really a four star place. I'm giving it five stars for the way management handled a waitress spilling hot coffee on my daughter. It obviously was a first time for them because they weren't sure what to do but at the end, we will come back for sure. Nice work! :)
(5)Robyn S.
$100 spent on awful service and crappy food! When I told the waitress my steak looked like ahi tuna she ran away and got the manager? (At least I think that's who he was) offered me a piece of cheese cake for compensation...I think not...too bad Chandlers couldn't get us a table! Do not go here!
(1)Casey N.
This place is nothing special, if you're a foodie, don't waste your time. I've been to this place many times simply because it has such potential to be a great dining experience in its unique, historic location. However the service is never up to par, and the main dining room really needs an update. The biscuits they walk around with are nothing great, they're made with bisquick and sugar. How do I know this? Check the bisquick box and make them yourself...exactly the same. It's also odd that you have to wait to be given only one biscuit by a random man who never seems to be personable or in a hurry to give you more. They're hot....but again, nothing worth raving about. The whole dining experience is really lack-luster and I'm not kidding when I say the past few times I've been there they've either sent out the wrong dish or given me not what I specified. Never impressed with their service or the temperature of my food. If you HAVE to eat here, the chicken noodle soup is homemade and one redeeming part of their menu. Everything else is over-priced for the quality of ingredients and portion size. Avoid if possible and spend your money elsewhere. Sure the bar area is charming-maybe go for happy hour only, but it's a restaurant that needs to start upping their standards.
(2)Kevin D.
First impression as we walk in, host was def in a bad mood. Threw our menus on the table and mumbled something about our waitress. Waitress was friendly, other staff seem really off (like they hate their job). But they do play good music! Now on to the food, fish and chips def hit the spot. Incredible tater sauce, fish was cook perfect, if def order it again!
(2)Bill C.
The food was so good, I'm giving them a perfect score even though 3 minor negatives occured: Seated to near the restrooms (no one else minded in our group of 6 so I didn't fuss), vacuum cleaner was leaning up against a wall a few feet away, and the server forgot an appetizer that I ordered. But it turned out that was a good thing as we had PLENTY of food! Yes, it is historic but the service and food was very good. Server was knowledgeable and perky. I had a very nice spicy macaroni and cheese. others had various dishes and everyone raved. Bread was nice, too. They brought a cake for my cousins who were celebrating an anniversary - at no charge. A winner!
(5)Dan L.
If you bring around fresh warm biscuits hot from the oven still on the tray you will get at least three stars from me. Bring em around twice and I'll bump you up to 4 :) Our server was very friendly... we ordered mimosa's, but changed our mind a few minutes later after seeing a few bloody mary's come out. Pro-tip: Go for the ultimate, its definitely worth it. We ordered a bunch of food, all of which was very good. I was a little bummed that they didn't have outside seating because it was very nice out, but that's due to the location I suppose.
(4)Vince S.
We have visited before but not for dinner. Very disappointing! We were a party of four and had a short wait for a table. We ordered our selections then went into a wait and see mode. We had many dinners brought to our table but they did not belong to us. We watched the wait staff wander around from table to table attempting to find the customers who ordered those selections. Our waiter would wander by and give us the "your order will be out in a few minutes". message. We waited an hour for our meal selections to be brought to our table. The meals were cold. Who knows maybe our meals made the trip around visiting tables also. So it's a poor dining experience for us. It appears this location is better suited for lunches in the bar area.
(2)Bernie E.
Great stop for lunch. The freshly baked, warm biscuits that are free with your meal are incredible. Everything here is made from scratch. All the food we ordered was extremely good.
(4)Rebecca H.
This place is a Petoskey institution and is totally decent, but there are definitely better choices in Petoskey now. Our most recent visit was a group of 10 including one baby (they do large groups well). We had the pork chop special (2), salmon (2), a blueberry salad with shrimp, a pesto pasta dish (2) and a asian chicken salad. The pork was good and was served with risotto, but there wasn't a vegetable on the plate, the same wth the very good salmon, served with rice but no veggies. In fact, looking around to other diner's plate, there didn't seem to be a veggie in the place beyond salads, something I find pretty surprising given the bounty of Michigan summers. As another review pointed out, there choices for vegetarians are minimal, and for vegans non existent. The food overall was very heavy, and the pasta overcooked. The service was ok, though they forgot about the order for the baby. In sum, ok, they do big groups well, but there are much better choices for more intimate meals.
(3)Steven M.
Sad.... can a waitress destroy a good meal ? Sorry to say yes she can. By not doing simple things like refilling ice tea not offering to box leftovers &bring the check before the meal and 8$ beer was done!!!!!
(3)Karen S.
Charming restaurant that boasts a rich history. And that is its best asset. The vintage structure itself is lovely and interesting. Ernest Hemingway ate there, and City Park promotes that. But it has average food and less-than average service. My husband and I ate there recently. When his bowl of gumbo arrived, it was 99% broth. When we mentioned it to our waiter, he replied that it was the end of the batch. Not the answer I expected. He didn't even offer to remove it from our check. The staff isn't incredibly friendly. I suspect this restaurant takes the bustling tourist influx for granted.
(2)Kevin S.
What else can I say except amazing. The bread is very good but always ask for 2 because sometimes they are a little slow in passing it out. Trust me you will want 2. Steak of the day and regular menu steaks are always amazing. I usually go with the NY Strip. Overall diverse menu so there is always something to chose from. Service at the bar or table is good. They have an area with a little privacy for a nice date but also a lively bar area where they host events on certain nights. Overall just a GREAT place to go. My one and only choice for Petoskey.
(5)Jasmine T.
When we walked in on a Tuesday night in October and the hostess said 20 minute wait, we were shocked. However, after eating the Tuesday special of $2 sliders, we understood the fuss! We sat at the bar, which we like better than the main dining room. More character and a beautifully built bar. The main dining room seems bright, like a banquet dining hall. We ordered $2 pints of draft (it was after happy hour, but a special that night) while noshing on a freshly baked biscuit. I would've been content with beer and biscuit. These biscuits are not too sweet or heavy, delish! The bartender was efficient, upbeat and attentive. We had the city park salad, which was fresh and included toasted walnuts, dried cherries and a delicious dressing. The chicken slider had such a flavorful mushroom asparagus salsa, and the beef slider was a mini burger with fresh tomato salsa. Again, impressive flavors, making it different than your average slider. We'll definitely be back for those $2 pints and sliders!
(4)Hombre S.
As vegetarians we were drawn in by the hummus. Once in, there were few vegetarian options. We all got pasta. The meal consisted of LOTS of white bread and white pasta-definitely not healthy food. Would not go back (except for the hummus).
(2)Jennifer T.
My husband, 2 small children and I visited this restaurant on the recommendation of the desk person at our hotel. We arrived around 6:30 on a Friday and were seated right away. Our server, Bethany and the rest of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. We enjoyed cocktails before dinner, and a bottle of syrah with our prime rib dinners (the steak of the day), which were absolutely delicious. Everything was was exceptional, less the over-cooked soggy veggies that came with the meal. No big deal...I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Petoskey.
(4)Jason S.
I ventured into City Park Grill when the waitress at Jose's Mexican Restaurant suggested I give the place a try. I ordered the new york strip steak with blue cheese and mashed potatoes. The steak was overcooked and the blue cheese was not a crumble, but was a sauce (think wing sauce or salad dressing). On the bright side, the bread served before the meal was a warm biscuit and the mashed potatoes were decent. All in all, I can't recommend the City Park Grill. The atmosphere is nice (it's located in a very old building that Ernest Hemingway used to frequent), but the quality of the food does not match the price. Proceed with caution.
(3)Mary M.
Its ok. That is really the only way to describe it. They try and appears they are trying to update their menu a bit. No matter how many times I go there, it's just ok. I used to go because my cousins were little and couldn't handle "weird" food or places that didn't have chicken tenders on the menu. This time I was with my bf and every other decent restaurant around required a reservation. I'm on vacation people! I don't make reservations on vacations! I'm not sure what else to say. It was ok.
(3)Todd H.
Service was very good. Food was decent and beer selection was good. This place is big. I had a good, and really big, steak.
(4)Tom K.
I had high hopes for this place - it was recommended by hotel staff. I walked into the place and thought it was only a loud bar but then I could see the restaurant seating on other side. No one was there to greet me and that annoys me - then I was told I would have to wait 15 minutes so no big deal. I was seated and it took forever for the server to come by so I ordered my drink and then this man was running around giving customers a biscuit with butter. When I took my first bite I was in heaven - it was so incredibly good! Since I was hungry I devoured it in seconds and was hoping for another but the server and the bread were gone! Fifteen minutes later she comes back to table and so I asked for more and she said that I had to wait for the bread guy. I gave up then and just waited for my main course a special steak that was supposed to be so tender with blue cheese on top but when it came to the table it looked like it was drowned in dressing - see attached pictures.
(2)Jenee M.
City Park Grill was a nice surprise in Petoskey. I only had an appetizer and 2-3 cocktails so I can't give a full review of the food. However, the appetizer that I had as well as the drinks, were delicious. The app was the chicken/cheese quesadilla made with goat cheese & cheddar. It was served with sour cream and perfectly made. YUM! The drinks were top shelf and also fantastic. The prices were extremely reasonable too but it was mid-day. There may have been a promo running like Happy Hour or something. I am unsure. Anyhoo, the prices were budget-friendly, the food fantastic, and our bartender was super friendly. In fact, the bartender chatted us up and told us all types of fun stuff to do in the area. He even offered to draw us a map to the tunnel of trees in a nearby city. He also told us some history of the building we were in. Which was gorgeous. Classy and historic. Bartender def gets extra points for his efforts. As for the biscuits everyone has mentioned. Yes, they have biscuits. Yes, they are free. Yes, I had one. And yes, it was super, super tasty. One of the best biscuits ever. All around thumbs up from me.
(4)Gregg S.
I know the place has the Hemingway mystic and the bar is great, but I find the food uneven. The biscuits were great as usual. I had the French Onion soup which was very good, but my old standby, the City Park salad was very disappointing. Had a similar experience last year with different dishes. Time to develop some consistency
(3)Mark C.
What a surprise this place was. This is a city grill where the bar is featured because of it's link to Hemingway so our expectations were adjusted accordingly. From appetizer to entree to dessert, this meal was a home run in every way. The food was outstanding! We both had fish (sometimes risky at local eateries) and ended up sampling each other's dishes because they were so good. Our server was personable, knowledgeable and honest when we asked for recommendations. City Park Grill will be on our "must do" list the next time we visit.
(5)Megan K.
Great food. You even get free fluffy biscuits. That keep coming and coming until you cut yourself off. I had three cheese penne, very good. My fiancee ate the whitefish, which came with like four different options of how you wanted to drown it with sauce or crust it. Waitress was really friendly and right on top of things. We were just leaving as the band was setting up...
(4)Andrea Y.
Five stars for the best strawberry milkshake I've ever had! Real strawberries, great whipped cream. Mmmm. Super super super yummy! It way overshadowed the fish and chips that I got. Hemingway apparently used to frequent this bar/restaurant.
(4)Heather B.
My review is only for the drinks and live music on a Friday. The service was fine and the atmosphere was fun and laid back. BUT, the music was painfully loud and would have been much more enjoyable if it had been turned down slightly. I also felt a little surprised that the bartender messed up the drink I ordered. Oh well. Don't know that I'd go back for drinks, but maybe for a meal. People seem to like it!
(3)Erin B.
Very reasonable prices on the lunch menu, good service, decent food. My husband enjoyed the burger and I had the lunch combo with seafood chowder. Nothing overly wonderful but a good lunch.
(3)Vicki E.
We looked on Yelp for a place to eat It was our first time to the town. Every place we found was closed so we ended up at the City Park Grill. It was by far not what we expected. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was much nicer than we thought it would be. The bar area was very nice and very "old school" look. I tried the pork as was recommended as it was so moist and delicious. We even got the cheesecake and it was completely gone. (And I never finish a dessert) Next time I come here I want to come and hang in the bar area, they have a couch seating section that was very nice.
(5)Ben B.
For our 5th year anniversary, we decided to spend the night in Petoskey. We asked the desk clerk at the hotel where a good steak place was in town, she suggested that we eat at the City Park Grill, she made a FANTASTIC recommendation, we really enjoyed the meal. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere of the restaurant was nice and laid back, very reminiscent of the hipster restaurants in Austin, TX (where we spend the rest of the year). The waitress took our cocktail order and we were soon presented with fluffy biscuits, which both my wife and I loved. I ordered a vodka martini and was pleasantly surprised to be offered bleu cheese stuffed olives, which I had been meaning to try. My wife ordered a pear-tini. Our drinks came out fairly quickly and we had many tasty selections to choose from on the menu. While we had wanted to get steak, the Parmesan Crusted Whitefish called to my wife and I decided that I would give the Cumin Crusted Whitefish with Mushroom Salsa a go. We both started with salads, she had the small Greek and I started with the small Bloody Mary Romaine (vodka soaked cucumbers and tomatoes with a horseradish-lime dressing). I enjoyed mine, though the last few bites of cucumber had a very, very noticeable vodka flavor, I think it was just that I was out of horseradish-lime dressing at that point, not complaining just commenting. My wife said her Greek salad was very good. Then came out the fish, my wife had opted for the mashed potatoes while I had chosen the rice. While I want to say I chose poorly, I will instead state that I enjoyed the rice and coveted my wife's mashed potatoes. I don't know what they did to get them to have that slightly like fried/grilled flavor in there (I think that is the flavor I noticed, but I didn't bother to inquire), the potatoes were AMAZING. The whitefish was fantastic, both my wife and I finished our fish very quickly and I was very happy that my piece was bone free, I tend to shy away from all forms of fish due to the hassle of the small bones I have found over the years while eating fish for dinner. The fish was also accompanied with a vegetable medley, of cauliflower, squash, zucchini, and green beans. I immediately handed off the squash and zucchini to my wife in exchange for some of her cauliflower. (I just do not care for squash and zucchini, bleh.) The vegetables were prepared well and were noticeably fresh and flavorful. Both my wife and I would have liked a few more green beans in the mix or potentially some asparagus mixed in there as well, but all in all it was GOOD. And finally for desert, we had the Apple Spice Cake, the spiced whipped cream was fantastic and the cake itself was moist and tasty. For me the only thing that would have made the meal better would be if they had a creme brulee for desert (my favorite). I definitely would not mind putting City Park Grill on our rotation of restaurants to visit when we come up for summer vacation, or possibly even becoming regulars when we eventually move to Petoskey.
(4)Jen L.
A very enjoyable restaurant with nice atmosphere in Petoskey. The quality of the food is very high and the service sets this place apart. We had an issue with one of our dinners, and both our server and the manager went well above and beyond to replace the food and ensure we left the restaurant satisfied and happy.
(4)John H.
I eat at the City Park Grill at least once a week, usually for dinner and often with my dad. The City Park Grill is a great place to drop into for a drink, conversation or meal. The staff is friendly and food is obviously good enough to keep dad and me returning. Mondays are 10 for 10 - ten bottles of wine, each priced at 10$ and Tuesdays are draft day. It goes on and on. Get in here and give it a try. Oh, their monthly dinner and wine tastings are superb.
(4)Rich D.
Always a nice place to eat while in Petoskey. Great service and atmosphere and really good food.
(4)Kimberly J.
I have already written a good review. I mentioned that a rose wine would be a nice addition to the summer wine list. I've been having the Rioja rose by El Coto. It's light, has a great flavor, beautiful rosy nose, priced well, and readily available. So Wine Guys, please give it a try! (No, I'm not a wine rep, just desire to have a chilled rose when I'm eating out.)
(4)Jim J.
The parmesan crusted white fish was totally awesome, the service was tip notch and the prices very reasonable. They also have a pretty good selection of wine.
(4)George B.
Fantastic fish, French dip, biscuits. Service was very good. Nice environment. Stumbled across this place while getting directions to another resaurant from a local folk! My kids loved eating there too. Wife enjoyed watching football on the various TV's.
(5)Willow M.
I used to visit this place as a child and have very high expectations for the food. It's always good when I go back but for some reason my memory of this place is better. Definitely fun for drinks and dancing though when in the area!
(3)sara k.
My first visit would have been five stars and my second visit, three. So City Park gets a four. Let me tell you why... That's why you're here, right? First visit: Wedding Anniversary. Ambiance was almost perfect. Not too stuffy, not too cas. Service was spot on. Dinner was delightful. A wonderful meal. A wonderful dining experience. Second visit: Wedding Anniversary. Ambiance was not perfect due to prom night with Boyne City High. Busy, busy! Kids switching tables, standing and talking and watching friends eat, commenting on dresses, ("Oh, my gaaa-aaaawd, so cute!", "I luu-uuuv your dress!")...not exactly encouraging romance. Service was not good. Ran out of water with dinner and it was never filled. Service was spot-TY. Even the quality of our meal dropped down to three stars. Was disappointed. A ho-hum dining experience. I had a more enjoyable experience at Knot Just a Bar. I will give City Park another chance. Blame it on the teens, I guess. They always feel put upon, anyway. I should know. I was a teen myself. (But I swear I never said, "Oh, my gaaa-aaaawd!")
(4)Billy A.
Many people love this place yet I am not a fan. It just seems that everything is just average. The service is usually pretty good but the food quality is just not on par with the owner's other restaurants. Many of the dishes are just constructed Gordon/Cysco Foods frozen bases. Each of the past 2 lunch visits have found the deep fried fish to be greasy as if the fryer wasn't hot enough. I will go to Roast and Toast or Pallete Bistro any day before returning.
(2)Jenny Y.
I was staying in Petoskey for a business trip and felt it necessary to get whitefish somewhere before going back home. Being out on the road a lot, I really appreciate restaurants that are solo-diner-friendly. When I walked in, the host gave me a choice between a table and a seat at the bar, and I chose the latter. The restaurant was dimmed down, with tea candles, dark forest green walls, and wooden paneling making the whole thing romantic without being pretentious. Being late October, there were cobwebs strewn over the lights for Halloween. There is an impressive wine list, though there were no local reds. The bartender pointed me to a tasting menu that gave the diner an opportunity to sample smaller portions of one appetizer, salad and main entree. My choices were a fried risotto cake with balsamic reduction, City Park salad (mixed greens with onions, feta, dried fruit and walnuts), and a crushed tortilla encrusted whitefish. For something that was meant to be a smaller portioned menu, I was bloody full when I got through the fish (served with garlic mashed potatoes and steamed veggies). It was a pretty good deal for $18, not including drinks. The dining room and bar got full by the end of the meal, but the bartender never ceased to be attentive. It seems the restaurant is liked by Petoskey tourists and natives alike, and is manned by a welcoming staff. I'd be happy to stop by again when in town. If you go yourself, definitely check out any specials going on. When I went, there was a $2 slider special on Tuesdays.
(5)Teri S.
A very good choice for a cold, January day. Greek salad was great. Mediterranean pasta was delicious. Service was fine. A busy place for this time of year, but was handled with efficiency. Others in my party enjoyed the Flank steak, salmon and whitefish.
(5)Amy G.
My husband and two kids ate here for dinner at around 6 pm on a Wednesday night. Wed decided to sit in the bar area since the dining room was a little too quiet for my two boys. The waitress was friendly and very patient. I ordered perch, which was fried and substituted a baked potato for fries. The fish seemed almost burnt by looking at it, but it did not taste like it was. My husband ordered the pecan crusted whitefish. I tried it and thought it was cooked properly, but I did not care for the sauce. They had a kids menu that contained lots of choices. Overall the experience was o.k.
(3)Susan B.
Had a light lunch: soup and salad combo. Fantastic classic French Onion soup, great MI cherry-influenced salad. Husband had the Ceasar. Portions were perfect. They also serve homemade biscuits - yum! Good beer on tap, very good service, interesting atmosphere. Front of restaurant more interesting than rear dining room, but when you've benn around since c. 1920, who can quibble? Worth it and we'd go back next time we're through.
(4)Fred V.
Great bar, great staff, awesome food and good live music make this the ONLY place I go when I'm in Petoskey. Never had a bad experience here relating to food, drink, or service...
(4)Emily V.
Good food including local whitefish, but we felt snubbed by the gentleman that came around with the bread or offered to take plates away. Wondering if it was our age or our dress... Regardless, might not return because of this.
(3)Pat B.
This restaurant really needs to work on the menu. The pasta dish I ordered was awful. I took two bites and left it. Way overcooked and the veggies thrown in were probably from a can as well as the tomato sauce. We ordered calamari as an appetizer. While I love the Asian presentation, the calamari was not cooked. To sum up the experience, I ordered an expresso and was informed they don't have a machine.
(2)Jendy B.
One star, horrible rating, horrible experience. I went with my parents (who have dined here previously). Things started off well enough-- we were greeted and seated quickly and the "biscuit guy" delivered hot, fresh biscuits from the pan. The waitress came by and explained the day's specials and offered answers to any questions. We placed our orders and settled into lunchtime conversation. ($3 pints of Oberon are great!) Soon, the people next to us, who were seated shortly before us, were served. More people were seated in the restaurant. Soon, their orders came out. Then the couple next to us paid and left. Where were our lunches of a chicken sandwich? Salad & soup? Fish 'n chips? We asked our waitress if our food was on its way. She said she'd check. She quickly came back with a cup of seafood chowder and placed it in front of my mom (half of what she ordered) and announced that the rest of our order is coming up shortly. My mom apologized to my father and me and said she was hungry and was going to start without us. We didn't blame her. By this point, other patrons who were seated well after we ordered are paying their tabs and leaving. Still no lunch. We have now waited 50 minutes since the waitress took our order. By this time, my father meandered up to the (well-built, inviting) bar in hopes of politely asking a manager what's up with the lousy service. As he's up there, our waitress comes by and collects my mom's empty soup dish and my and my dad's empty pint glasses. I ask her if she knows where our food is. She says it should be here shortly. My mom remarks, "Good! We're hungry." The waitress asks if we'd like more biscuits. (Really? We want our food.) I see that my dad is talking with the bartender/manager who seems apologetic. I leave the table and tell my dad that we're leaving, this is absurd, obviously the ball was dropped. My dad tells the bartender that we had a couple pints of beer and an iced tea. Dad pays for our beverages and out we go. I'll never experience for myself if this place is any good. Sadly, if our waitress had failed to give the kitchen our order, she should've explained the reason for the wait and made it right. Instead, we left and won't be back.
(1)Bex M.
Always a good time! Whether you come in for dinner or stop by late for drinks and live music, City Park is a great place to go in Petoskey. They have insanely tasty biscuits. Ask for two; don't let your biscuit distributor be stingy! Great salads, too! Very good spot for dinner in Petoskey. I go there nearly every time I'm in the area. I enjoy the ambiance as well as the food. The wood bar is gorgeous.
(4)Andrew C.
While my family and I were sitting at Whitecaps on Lake st enjoying a few appetizers and excellent sangria, we were searching for a dinner spot nearby. . I found historic City Park Grill up the street with lots of good reviews, I convinced the family to leave Whitecaps where we were enjoying ourselves to try a new place. . We walked in to see a restaurant that was in need of a makeover and some updating, that aside I have eaten great meals in many places that were run down. . The warm biscuits and butter to start were good with a bit of sweetness. We ordered jumbo fried shrimp, chicken marsala, fish and chips and a salmon blt. The chicken marsala was bland and for $14 you would expect fresh mushrooms instead of canned. Coconut shrimp had no coconut, the vodoo shrimp cocktail sauce was trying too hard, my fries were old and soggy. The pollock fish basket had 3 excellent pieces and 2 that were undercooked, fries were fresh and hot......timing must have been off? Salmon BLT was really undersized compared to the bun, then was ruined with way too much mayo. No salads with dinner entree?.....only $5 extra. . I was really let down considering all the excellent reviews on-line. Maybe the owner was off for the night or the chef was brand new, either way we wouldn't give City Park Grill another try.
(2)Marie-Anne S.
i usually come here when i'm visiting family, sometimes for a lack of another place to go. the food is decent, the bar area can be fun with the right company (though the band can be kind of.....yikes).
(3)Albert B.
Ernest Hemingway frequented this place and was inspired to write his story "the Killers" while here. It's a classic place that has since taken on different vibes, depending on the night of the week. One night I went for a sit-down dinner and some great food, another night they had a heavy metal band playing. You never know what you'll get, but if all else fails, you'll be guaranteed a great scene just posting up at the bar. The floors creek and the old mahogany bar is a relic of old. Good drinks on tap and you're well positioned for a quality pub crawl to other historic and colorful Petoskey restaurants and bars. This place is all about ambiance and the feeling of an old bar embracing its storied past and unbelievable setting (in N. Michigan) but welcoming the future. Shy of 5 stars because its competitors in the area often provide a better night scene.
(4)