Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant In the Vineyard
185 Mount Tabor Rd, Buchanan, MI, 49107
Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant In the Vineyard Menu
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Diabetics at Whataburger
Diabetics need to be a bit cautious while dining at Whataburger. Almost every burger is rich in sodium content and it is highly recommended to keep your burger cravings in control while dining at Whataburger. However, you can always satisfy your cravings for a burger by choosing Whataburger Jr. or other non-burger items from the menu.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for Diabetics:
A diabetic should resist from ordering any extra meat-based burger such as Double Meat Whataburger or Triple Meat Whataburger to limit the sodium intake and calories. Most burgers except the Whataburger Jr. are high in sodium and hence should be avoided.
If you are a diabetic, you should also avoid Honey BBQ Chicken Strip Sandwich and Whataburger Patty Melt at Whataburger. Chicken Fajita Taco is also off-limits for diabetics. You must also avoid Breakfast Platter and Pancake Platter from the menu. Pancakes and Cinnamon Roll from the breakfast menu are also off-limits for diabetics.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Whataburger
Double Meat Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 1g & Sat. Fat 6g), 700mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 23g Protein
Jalapeno Cheddar Biscuit
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 12g), 730mg sodium, 31g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 8g Protein
Biscuit with Bacon
Nutritional Facts: 360 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 790mg sodium, 32g carbs, 2g sugar, 1g fiber, 8g Protein
Hash Brown Sticks
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 500mg sodium, 21g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 2g Protein
Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken
Nutritional Facts: 290 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 7g), 770mg sodium, 12g carbs, 4g sugar, 6g fiber, 34g Protein
Taquito with Sausage, No Cheese
Nutritional Facts: 380 calories, 23g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 8g), 480mg sodium, 28g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 16g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Buchanan for healthy meals suggestion.
High Blood Pressure at Whataburger
High sodium intake can be lethal for people suffering from high blood pressure. If you're someone with high blood pressure and dining at Whataburger, then you got to be careful. Most burgers and sandwiches at Whataburger contain high sodium which can spike your blood pressure levels.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for High Blood Pressure
Skip the Double Meat Whataburger and Triple Meat Whataburger at the restaurant if you don't intend to shoot your blood pressure levels. Avoid all types of Bacon and Cheeseburgers at Whataburger as these items are high in sodium. You must avoid Chicken Fajita Taco at Whataburger as it is too high in sodium as well. Skip the Pancakes Platter and Pancakes from the breakfast menu to control your sodium intake. Cinnamon Roll and Grilled Cheese are also the best to avoid at Whataburger for its high sodium content.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Whataburger
Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 310 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 580mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 14g Protein
Biscuit Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 400 calories, 24g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 680mg sodium, 32g carbs, 2g sugar, 1g fiber, 12g Protein
Hash Brown Sticks
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 500mg sodium, 21g carbs, 0g sugar, 2g fiber, 2g Protein
French Fries
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 21g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3g), 260mg sodium, 52g carbs, 1g sugar, 4g fiber, 5g Protein
Hot Lemon Pie
Nutritional Facts: 320 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 230mg sodium, 41g carbs, 12g sugar, 3g fiber, 4g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Buchanan for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at Whataburger
Calorie intake is the main concern for people with high cholesterol while dining at a fast-food restaurant like Whataburger. Well, you can always try the Lighter & Smaller options from the menu to cut down your fat intake. Opting for grilled sandwich or burgers are preferred compared to double meat or triple meat cheesy burgers which contain high cholesterol.
Foods to Avoid at Whataburger for High Cholesterol
Cut down on your meat intake to control your high cholesterol. You must skip Double Meat Whataburger and Triple Meat Whataburger at all costs. You should also avoid Avocado Bacon Burger and Monterey Melt as both these burgers contain a high amount of fat. Sweat & Spicy Bacon Burger will add extra 1080 calories in your diet so skip that as well. Whatacatch Dinner may sound tempting but the famous fish sandwich is also full of calories and unhealthy fat. Lastly, avoid French Fries and Onion Rings at Whataburger if you are already ordering a burger or any other heavy meal.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Whataburger
Whatachick'n® Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 600 calories, 26g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 890mg sodium, 57g carbs, 11g sugar, 4g fiber, 33g Protein
Breakfast On A Bun®
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 15g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 910mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 18g Protein
Egg Sandwich
Nutritional Facts: 310 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 740mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 15g Protein
Justaburger®
Nutritional Facts: 300 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3g), 570mg sodium, 34g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 14g Protein
Hot Apple Pie
Nutritional Facts: 270 calories, 14g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 260mg sodium, 34g carbs, 7g sugar, 2g fiber, 33g Protein
Chocolate Chunk Cookie
Nutritional Facts: 230 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 180mg sodium, 31g carbs, 18g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g Protein
Double Meat Whataburger Jr.®
Nutritional Facts: 420 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 1g & Sat. Fat 6g), 700mg sodium, 37g carbs, 6g sugar, 2g fiber, 23g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 30 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 0mg sodium, 7g carbs, 5g sugar, 1g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Buchanan for healthy meals suggestion.
Q & A on
Which states have a Whataburger?
There are more than 800 Whataburger restaurants across the USA which are open 24 * 7 serving the tastiest meal. If you want to know the nearest Whataburger, then search the restaurant in our Restaurant Listings Directory.
Is Whataburger closed on Easter and Christmas?
Though Whataburger remains open 24 hours and seven days a week, most of the branches are closed during Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
What are Whataburger opening and closing time?
This is the only restaurant which proudly serves the customer 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Anyone can enjoy good food in the early morning or a late-night meal at Whataburger restaurant branch.
Does Whataburger have a vegan burger?
Yes, Whataburger have Vegan as well as Vegetarian burger option. Whataburger veggie burger and Whataburger sandwiches are popular among vegan crowds.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Whataburger
Whataburger, as the name suggests, is an American fast-food restaurant specializing in hamburgers. Unlike other famous US restaurants chains, Whataburger is a regional fast-food chain serving customers at 824 locations in the country. Most of these locations are based in Texas while a few others are spread across Florida, Oklahoma, Arizona, Alabama, New Mexico, Louisiana, etc.
Whataburger was founded by Harmon Dobson and Paul Barton in 1950. The basic idea was to offer a better burger that tastes so good that every bite makes you say, “What A Burger!” In the same year, the Whataburger trademark was granted to Harmon Dobson, one of the co-founders. The restaurant specializes in different varieties and sizes of burgers including fish sandwich.
Healthy Food Options at Whataburger
Being a fast-food restaurant, you won't find many healthy food options at Whataburger. However, citing to the fitness trends and health preferences across the United States, Whataburger has revised its menu and introduced a selection of 550 calories or less menu in 2012. You can also try other items on the menu besides the burger to grab healthy food choices at Whataburger.
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Address :
185 Mount Tabor Rd
Buchanan, MI, 49107 - Phone (800) 283-3363
- Website https://www.taborhill.com/htdocs/html/tabor_hill_restaurant___winery26.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 5:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
By Appointment Only : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Michael O.
Wife and I have been here twice and have not been disappointed yet. This is one of a limited number winery's that have a restaurant on site. The menu is great and leverages both the local flavor and ingredients. I would recommend ordering wine by the glass, as they are a heavy pour. We are very much looking forward to enjoying many more great dinning experiences here. This is a great place for Michiana!
(5)Kristy W.
The food is inventive and cooked by chefs that truly know how to cook. It's not overly salted like at many restaurants, but it takes advantage of the full flavors of the foods and seasonings. And as for service, it's hard to beat Madge!
(4)Sandra M.
Love coming here and bringing friends here when they visit us in MI. The staff is very nice and knowledgeable. You can have about 6 free tastings from the different categories. Some of the wines are very tasty and ok on the price...what can be expected from a local winery. The restaurant is nice for a romantic dinner. The views of the winery are very pretty. I suggest getting there about an hour early for the tastings, then on to your romantic dinner.
(5)Kristy W.
The food is inventive and cooked by chefs that truly know how to cook. It's not overly salted like at many restaurants, but it takes advantage of the full flavors of the foods and seasonings. And as for service, it's hard to beat Madge!
(4)Jacques M.
I've been to Tabor Hill a few times now and have always had a pleasant experience . In my Opinion they have the best wine in the area (Love the Syrah). I've heard people (and read some reviews), saying it's a little pretentious. I don't think that's the case. Just keep in mind they have an upscale restaurant here, so they are trying to create an atmosphere that supports it, so they might be a little less tolerant of obnoxious drunks then some of the other places. It wouldn't be my first choice if I was going on a winery tour with my wild and crazy friends, but if I was going out on date or perhaps celebrating a special occasion Tabor is the spot.
(4)Gerry A.
Very well done upscale, vineyard AND restaurant. Got to Tabor Hill at 2:30pm on a Sunday and after standing in line just to buy a tasting we decided we weren't going to do the lines and crowds at the tasting, so we made a dinner reservation (we had wanted lunch) an hour and 15 minutes later at 4. We DID have a white and red flight sample at dinner. The wines were above average for the area, but pricey compared to West Coast or anything from Europe or Chile. So you have to slow down a little here if you want to relax and have a decent tasting and real glass of wine, and put up with a little attitude and put up some cash. But the dinner, view, and table flight tasting was very good. Service isn't fast but WAS helpful when ordering. A little hard to figure WHAT? the hour and a half wait was for when there were 30% empty tables. I'm interpreting it as they don't really work very hard, good for them if that works. Many creative appetizer, including oysters of the day, best meaty frog legs I have had in a long time Thai yet, calamari fried and broiled. We decided to just keep ordering appetizers if we stayed hungry and added what was essentially a large spinach salad with a caprice mozarella, tomato and artichoke slices on top of it, balsalmic and pine nuts of course. Tasty. Appetizers and large salads were in the $10-15 range, entrees, which looked very good were in the $20 to $35 range. White flights of 3 chosen wines were $10, and red was $12. Nice view of GRAPES in the vineyard, soft lighting and a fireplace we were right in front of which WAS cozy. Get there EARLY if you want lunch, or you may wind up with having a much better dinner than you had planned. Calling ahead and making a reservation a good idea, so you wind up on their reservation list instead of the mysterious waitlist (if you call later after going somewhere else to taste to confirm and check your reservation, NO one will be able to find it, EVEN if you have Cathy's name that took it, because it is at the front desk - the Basic Bottle neck everyone runs into when entering AND bathroom location- The Devil IS real, he designs entrances like that;)
(3)Van L.
i really enjoyed this place! great wines, great staff, great vibes. the place is very clean and cozy. there's a little chocolate counter and gift spot too, as well as a bar and patio near the dining area. luke helped us out with our tastings, he was so knowledgeable and a fun guy to chat with - he also gave us a tip for our drive home, to check out greenbush brewing! the wines were tasty, we bought a few bottles to bring home. very impressive menu, they've won a lot of awards, even internationally. we tried to eat here as well, but they were closed for an event :(
(4)Vanessa P.
Oh Tabor Hill. I'm a bit disappointed. I have such fond memories of the first time I went to Tabor Hill with my boyfriend (now fiancé). But this tasting just stunk. Tabor Hill has the reputation of being the "classiest" and historical of all the wineries in Southwest MI, but what a letdown on Saturday. This was the third stop on our wine tour. We got out of our coach bus and waited until our driver parked so he could tell us where to go. A girl approached us and went right into her speech about the winery and tried to take us on a tour of the facility. When we told her that we were just here for the tasting, I don't think she seemed to hear it because she kept plowing through her spiel. By the time Bill (our driver person) came to meet us, we were all ready to jump ship. He explained that we were just tasting. Here is where it was supposed to get better. We were shepherded into an area in the back room along a long counter. We were given a sheet of paper with 6 wines that were pre-picked for us (aka probably everyone in the back room) and then within 10 minutes were given all of them. No time to pick out our own wines like we did at every other place, no time to sip, nothing. It was like we were to get in, taste, get out. How is that a proper tasting? If I do come back, I hope it will be much more like my first visit rather than the second.
(2)Mike U.
Beautiful and tasty winery. Food is very good but be prepared to pay a lot for it. The view is gorgeous and the tasting room is very spacious and welcoming. Our server was very friendly. Good wine to top.
(5)Amanda F.
I had an excellent experience the first time I was at Tabor Hill for lunch with my best friend, as I stated in my first review. I finally made it back with my boyfriend for an even more amazing date night experience. We started with the tasting because we arrived an hour early for our reservation. They have the new tasting room addition finished and it is beautiful back there! The wines were tasty and the boys working last night (11-5-11) were professional, knowledgeable, and very nice to my boyfriend and I. We finished our tasting and had a glass of their wine at the bar then off to our reservation. We were sat 20 mins early or so which was nice! Let me just start with the service. We had Ellen, and she definitely made our evening the perfect evening it was. She explained the menu well, was VERY personable, and let us set the pace of our dinner. In a lot of places I feel rushed, not here! Ellen made sure we had a great experience. The food was amazing! We ordered and shared the special which was a rack of lamb and the braised beef rib. The lamb was perfectly prepared and the rib just fell off of the bone (which Ellen was gracious to wrap for us to take home to our pooches). We ordered a bottle of Red Arrow Red which complimented our food nicely and is now one of my favorite wines. We will be back soon and will be sure to ask for Ellen for another fantastic experience!
(5)Ryan S.
Food is exceptional and the staff are friendly and professional. Kasey was our server and was great
(5)Krista M.
Checking out the wineries with a small group in the area, we setup a reservation for dinner at Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant. The menu is unbelievable (really check out the menu). I've been to lots of restaurants in Manhattan and this menu caused such indecision, because everything sounded so delicious. It took us awhile to order, because it was so hard to decide. There were 10 of us dining, but 3 of us ordered together. Presentation: The food presentation is just beautiful, I am so mad that I didn't get pictures of the appetizers! Appetizers: We shared the Calamari Two Ways | Grilled & Fried Wasabi Aioli Cilantro Sabayon and the Polenta Fries | White Truffle Aioli Roasted Red Pepper Catsup. They came out and just looked amazing. The calamari...I was speechless, this was just so unbelievably tender and flavorful and paired with the dipping sauces O-M-G! Moving on to the polenta fries...they couldn't be as good...could they? Oh yes they were! Just awesome! Soup/Salad: One of us got the Creamy Asparagus Soup, which was wonderful, loaded with slices of crisp asparagus. Two of us shared the BLT Salad | Arugula Fried Green Tomatoes Pancetta Quail Egg. Wow, what a surprise...seriously, how can a salad be this good. It was so delicious it was hard to share. Entrees: Stuffed Duck Breast | Cashews Ramps Wrapped in Serrano Ham Sautéed Morels Carrot Puree Asparagus; tender duck wrapped in crispy ham just awesome. Lemongrass Marinated Lamb Rack | Baby Bok Choy Glass Noodles Soy Peanut Sauce; it looked like a whole rack of lamb! Lamb was cooked perfectly with a wonderful flavor. Hickory Grilled Mojo Marinated Pork Shank | Roasted Red Pepper White Cheddar Grits Asparagus; wonderful smokey flavor with the best grits I have ever tasted! Every plate was delicious. Dessert: We were stuffed, so we just opted for coffee and some chocolates. The winery sold Norman Love Confections and you were able to order them for dessert. I've actually had these before. If you haven't check them out, they are the prettiest confections and absolutely delicious. We had flavors like, pistachio cherry, pb&j and praline. Service: Our waitress was very friendly, attentive and helpful. The overall service, could use a little help. For example, not everyone's food came at the same time and plates were removed as people were finished. However everything else made up for that. Wines: Overall we weren't impressed with the wines while we were in the tasting room, however the wine pairings recommended on the menu worked so incredibly well, that it put the wines in a new light. The rest of our table had the same experience we did. The chef definitely knows what he is doing. If you are anywhere near Buchanan, MI you MUST give Tabor Hill Winery Restaurant a try and you will not regret it!
(5)Bridgette H.
I had the best bison flank steak it was tender and had a nice spice to it. It was like eatting heaven on earth. We had a glass of syarh and cab out of this world will Be back.
(5)Agnes L.
Ambiance, service and high standard of food/drink are the holy trinity in my eyes of a quality establishment. Setting the mood - Sitting in this restaurant feels like an immersion into the French or Italian countryside. The floor to ceiling windows surround patrons with a breathtaking view of the vineyards. On a chilly autumn night just at dusk during dinner, the perfect table is one near the warm fireplace overlooking the scenery. A tasting room and shop adjoin a more private dining area, the bar and the larger dining room. If the weather was warmer, the outdoor deck would be even better to watch the sunset. The white tablecloths, fresh flowers and modern yet eclectic light fixtures portray a bit of formality. Although, the kitschy fall holiday decor kind of ruins the chic mood. Service with a smile- Our server was very prompt and amiable throughout the night. When she noticed that there was a lag between our apps and the entree, she snagged us two bowls of soup - complimentary because of the wait. And when we asked for our bill and for our food to be boxed, she gave a us a little extra soup in our takeout containers. Wined and dined- My husband and I have grown an affinity more toward reds since we've reached our late 20s. Gone are the days I savored sweet whites like Muscato and Rieslings. We prefer mild (not TOO dry) reds like the Cab, Syrah and Pinot Noir so we shared the three-wine flight of these. Of the three, I enjoyed the Pinot Noir, with its bright bouquet and rich flavor, the most especially paired with our food. The menu has wine pairings to go with everything from the soups and salads to the apps and entrees. Plus, all items rotate on daily/weekly/seasonal basis to offer what is most fresh. The cuisine is a fusion of French/Italian, Asian and American. Here are the highlights of our feast: *An array of warm, soft multi-grain bread and butter *Two apps: The escargot with salad and the foie gras dumplings. We LOVED the rich foie gras with the sliced tart fall fruits of apples and pears and crunchy walnuts. The snails weren't bad but did taste a bit tough, and we actually thought the star of that dish was more so the salad of roasted tomato and eggplant. *Two soups: The clam chowder was silky and creamy with complexity in flavor from the bay leaves and other fresh herbs. On the other hand, the ham and bean soup was lackluster. This was probably my least fav dish we had all night mostly because it was too salty and had a very muted brownish tone, an off-putting color. *Shared one entree: Although it took longer than expected, the lamb was done just right - medium rare - so the meat was juicy and tender. The melange of mushrooms, onions and red cabbage in the wine sauce smothered on top of the lamb and feta mashed potatoes made the entire dish incredibly hearty, so we ended up with plenty of leftovers. But the potatoes were another throwaway dish for us only because they seemed under seasoned and not very creamy. The takeaway- Can't beat this place as a stopover between the Detroit-Chicago commute along I-94. My husband and I are always looking for gems on the side of the road, and this one certainly caught our attention. We would definitely come back and bring friends next time if on another road trip.
(4)Christina G.
Of all the wineries I visited while following the lake shore winery trail, Tabor Hill was my least favorite. First of all, I thought the wine prices were quite a bit more expensive than the wine at other nearby wineries. I did appreciate the free tasting though, and my favorites were the muscat and the cherry wine. We were told that their cherry wine was named the best in the state at a recent wine competition, and given that cherry wine is one of the wines Michigan is most known for, we decided to buy a bottle (more reasonably priced at $11) to take home. The tasting room itself was pretty big. We must have gotten there during a rush period though because the wine bar was full. I didn't mind, and we only had to wait about five minutes for a spot to open up. Perhaps this winery was my least favorite because of our pourer. Other pourers joked with us, made recommendations, asked us questions, but this guy was all business. He handed us the wine list and told us to pick six. He then poured us our selected wines from most dry to least dry. He did seem very knowledgeable about all of the wines, how they were made, and what tones we would taste in the wine, but he just wasn't very personable. When wine tasting, your pourer often is the only person at the winery you have direct contact with, so that's most often the person you based your winery experience upon. We did speak with another employee, who was a sort of receptionist, and she was nice enough to take a photo of us, which we appreciated. We did not go to the restaurant or on the winery tour, so I cannot comment on those. Overall, I would have skipped this winery.
(3)Brandy W.
We had a free tour of the winery and a free 6 tastings! It was a nice time and we thought about having lunch there. The menu looked incredible and pretty fancy. The lady recommended reservations for lunch, but we decided to head to another winery (round barn down the road) for more, alcohol. Hah. We bought a bottle of Grand Mark and headed off... We'd come back for sure and maybe for a fancy lunch, too.
(4)Eric S.
Tabor Hill Winery has a great setting for a restaurant. The meals are creative and very flavorful. I had the trout, which came with swiss chard (not bad) and potato soufle (very good, great presentation). I give the winery 5 stars for presentation, 4 stars for food and creativity. The prices are 5 star prices. They have a wine tasting room, but it can be packed on a weekend, and you'll only get a small sip of the wine. There are other wineries in the area that have better settings for dinner and more fun wine tasting. Tabor Hill Winery is great for a special occation, but is pricey for a regular lunch.
(3)Josh S.
I HATE wine but the Cranberry wine was amazing! The atmosphere and the food was amazing as well!!
(5)Erick N.
My wife and I enjoy weekend get-a-ways from Chicago to Southwestern Michigan and when we come up to these parts Tabor Hill is the crown jewel of restaurants. Tabor Hill is the nicest winery around and the restaurant features large windows with beautiful views of the vineyard. The restaurant has an upscale vibe, but is fairly laid back and smart casual attire is perfectly acceptable; be sure to request a table by the windows as the scenic view enhances the ambiance. Reservations are definitely wise; tonight is was packed despite being inclement weather. The menu features American cuisine with some Asian influences. Our party of four shared a cheese plate to kick things off and it was attractively displayed with seven or eight different cheeses, several fruit slices, a couple of olives and a basket of crackers. The cheeses were quite good with the goat cheese being the best. One of our party ordered the BLT salad with fried green tomatoes, topped with a nice quail egg which looked outstanding. I ordered the rack of lamb main course that was infused with lemongrass and accompanied by bok choy and a mound of Asian noodles in a peanut sauce sitting atop a fried wonton. The dish had a very pleasant appearance and the lamb was oh so tender and cooked perfectly. The lemongrass flavoring of the lamb and the spiciness of the noodles played well off of one another and this dish not only tasting amazing but was fun as well. My wife loved her duo of filet mignon sitting atop a giant onion ring filled with a parsnip and potato puree (like mashed potatoes) as much as I loved my lamb. The others in our party raved about their dishes as well (the grilled Ruby Red trout and a pecan crusted raspberry chicken dish). For an upscale restaurant portions were surprisingly generous; even though the desserts looked good, we were plenty stuffed from sharing the cheese platter and each having an entree. The only miss on the night was the order of polenta fries we had for the table; the fries were overly thick and the white truffle aioli tasted far too much like mayonnaise and I did not pick up on the truffle at all. Tabor Hill, being a winery, features several of their own wines and many are quite good. For $4 per/person you can do a tasting before dinner in the adjacent tasting room and wines by the glass are extremely reasonable (starting as low as $4 with several for under $6). They offer people 10% off purchases of bottles of wine in the adjacent store if you want to take some bottles home after dinner. Our server Amanda was very down to earth and personable. She was attentive to special requests that we made. Overall the service team is rather young on average for a restaurant of this caliber and at times small mistakes were made (i.e. one of us ran out of water and for about ten minutes had to drink out of another person in our party's glass). But overall the pros greatly outweighed the cons and we have had consistently great dinners here (this was our third trip); compared to similar quality venues in Chicago Tabor Hill is a great value, especially factoring in the portion sizes (most appetizers are about $13 and entrees range from $15 to $35). I would say that Tabor Hill matches up favorably to some Four Diamond venues I have frequented and definitely plan to come here each time I am in town and definitely recommend dining here.
(5)Melissa S.
We came for a wine tasting and dinner and everything was great! The man doing the tasting was friendly, informative, but not over-bearing. Which is what you want when tasting wine. The wines themselves were generally good, we ended up buying a few. On to dinner! It was really good, and this is coming from two people with very high standards for service and food. Our server was really friendly and helpful. It wasn't the kind of high-brown service one gets in the city, but heck, we weren't in the city, so I'm not complaining. She gave me soy milk for my coffee out of her "personal stash," which was really nice. No complaints about the food, it was all tasty and looked great. Crab cake appetizer was really good. My whitefish entree was nice, except I didn't care for the way the spinach on the side was cooked. My friend's filet was ordered rare and arrived very nicely cooked (and trust me, he would not have hesitated to send it back if not). It tasted great! We had some wine with dinner and I was very pleased with the heavier-than-usual pour. I told the server I wouldn't get dessert because I'm staying away from gluten and dairy, and without hesitation she said no problem, they have a flour-less chocolate cake. Nice! It didn't exactly hit the spot (maybe it could have been served warm or something?), but it was still nice to have the option. The cost was definitely up there, but coming from Chicago, we were far from shocked when the bill came. This is what good food and good service costs! Oh, and the view! The sun was setting over the vineyard as we ate, it was really beautiful. I'll won't miss this place next time I'm in Michigan!
(5)Lucy N.
After touring 4 wineries in the area this was my least favorite. Nothing special about it other than they say the White House orders wine from them frequently.- no surprise there because Obama is from Chicago and this is only 1.5hrs outside the city.
(2)Patti J.
The wines were adequate. What made the experience negative for me was 1) no sharing of the tasting. A single pour is a single pour - we don't get more out of you. Perhaps you sell too little wine to support that practice? and 2) rude servers at the tasting bar. You are the paid help - do NOT reprimand guests when they ask questions that consider uneducated. That is why we taste - to learn. Will not go back.
(2)Jukes N.
Yes, Michigan has wineries! The food was good but a little overpriced. The polenta fries were my favorite. We did not get any wine. We had no problem with the service. Great scenery with large windows.
(3)Brian G.
What a great find! In the middle of nowhere. We were driving from Ann Arbor to Chicago and didn't relish the idea of turnpike gruel, when we saw a sign for Tabor Hill. Took the exit and started driving - took longer than I had expected, maybe 20 minutes or so from the turnpike - but boy was it worth. Great food, well prepared, nice setting - watching the sun go down over the vineyards. They have a very tempting selection of chocolates too! 5 stars, great service.
(5)John C.
The good and the bad. I just visited Tabor Hill this past Friday. Sadly a memory that was positive and since turned sour. The good: We arrived early so that we could have a tasting. The wine was decent and we had a decent host that made the experience fun. We walked around a bit and enjoyed the grounds before being seated for dinner. Dinner was phenomenal. We really enjoyed our night. We left with smiles on our face. The bad: the next day we decided to go to a local liquor store to pick up some more "supplies". As we are in there, I see they have Tabor Hill wine. What do I find, the prices in the store are about a third of what we paid at the Winery. If that is not bad enough, we ended up in 2 more stores that sold Tabor HIll wines and they were selling for even less than the first store. Also, the other stores had the wine on sale. So the regular price was about a third of what we paid and then discounted more because of the sale. So it appears to be that at the winery, they mark up the price of the wine the way a restaurant does. Ridiculous. I'm at your winery. It shouldn't cost me more there than at any local store. I'm terribly disappointed. So my advice, if you go, sample the wine but buy it elsewhere.
(2)Ed R.
We went on a weekday, and there was plenty of room for more diners. The restaurant is located in a beautiful vineyard away from town. The service was excellent. Even though our waitress was very young, she seemed to be very knowledgeable about the wine business. Everyone at the restaurant was very nice to our whole group. The interior of the establishment is very well done. For the food, the tomato soup entree was excellent, but all of our entrees, chicken, salmon, and pastas where of mediocre quality, especially considering the prices. However, the desserts looked and tasted amazing. We had a Cabernet and a pinot noir. The cab was satisfactory, but the pinot tasted like imitation brand Kool-Aid. We are from the California wine country, so take our review in context.
(3)Meredith O.
Very disappointed with Tabor Hill. A large group of girlfriends and I headed up to Michigan to check out the local wineries. We called ahead of time and were told we could be accommodated yet when we arrived that was not the case. They were quite crowded and we would have been willing to wait if it wasn't for the rudeness of Ana who worked there. Definitely not planning on going here ever.
(1)William G.
The wife and I took some friends from Michigan to Michigan's Wine Country for a tour of the local vineyards. The first on our list was easily the most recognizable, Tabor Hill. The winery is located amongst a back drop of grape orchards and grey skies (which only added to the atmosphere). The tasting room at Tabor Hill is to your right as soon as you the enter. We were greeted by friendly staff who seemed pretty knowledgable about their wines. The wines that stood out for me was the semi dry Traminette and the dry, 2010 LMS Gewürztraminer . I really wanted to try the ice wine but it wasn't available. I found Tabor Hill's wine a little on the sweet side which I enjoy more than the drys. The samples of wine were free and so were the tours every half hour. All in all a cheap and fun way to spend an afternoon.
(4)Mike D.
I've dined at Tabor Hill at least a half dozen times over the past few years. It was great the first few times, but has fallen out of my list of favorites. The staff is wonderful, and the servers are prompt and attentive. The menu is full of creative dishes, but they are not executed well. Wine quality is what you would expect for the region...nothing earth shattering. Cab Franc is actually decent. Definitely a place to go if it's your first time in the area, but I think 3 visits is the max.
(3)Melissa M.
I went today as part of a group tour from Chicago. This was a very nice place. The drive was beautiful and the vineyards are huge. We had an early dinner at the restaurant which was pretty good and got the chance to taste several varieties of their wines. It was a beautiful place to relax. I will definitely go back on my own and visit at a more leisurely pace.
(4)Sarah B.
Just okay. Got diverted here due to road construction detour signs returning to South Bend from Warren Dunes. My husband and I happen to love happy coincidences and wine tastings, so we thought "what the hell, let's stop by." The good: beautiful building, grounds, setting, view and atmosphere. The bad: TOO MUCH ATTITUDE. Pretty laughable service. Everyone we dealt with here clearly had overly healthy opinions of themselves and very low opinions of their visitors. Kudos to them that they can get away with this behavior in Buchanan, but I can guarantee they'd get eaten alive trying to survive in Hipster-Hell Austin. The mediocre: The wine. The samples we chose were nice, but certainly not outstanding. Glad they were free. But free does come with a price, after all. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit to Tabor Hill just for the scenery, especially at this time of year with the colors changing. But I can't give them credit for that, now, can I?
(3)Dan N.
Went here with a rather large group for some wine tasting and lunch. I'm not a big wine drinker, but, I gotta admit, I really enjoyed the wine they served up at Tabor Hill. Almost every wine we had in the tasting was pretty sweet, which was definitely a big plus for me. The only lame thing was that they made us watch a stupid video about the history of Tabor Hill before we started our tasting. Overall, the wine was good and the person leading our tasting was pretty knowledgable if you had any questions. We also grabbed lunch at their restaurant here. Really cool places, a ton of windows and even a fairly large outdoor patio, all overlooking the vineyard. The food was pretty pricey, and they didn't have much of a lunch selection, but the crab cake I ordered was amazing. One of the best crab cakes I've had, a ton of crab meat and topped with capers and some sauce that was incredible. If the crab cakes are any indication of the food at Tabor Hill, I'd say it's all pretty darn good. Coming from Chicago with a group of friends to go wine tasting for the day, I'd say Tabor Hill was a solid place to get the day rolling.
(4)Amanda E.
The only thing that I can complain about is that they only allow you to do 5-6 tastings. The tastings are free but, I bought 5 bottles, ate dinner, bought $30 in chocolate and did the tour! You should be able to try as many as you like. Also they keep pouring into the same cup and nothing to cleanse the palate. Jonathon was our guy for the tastings and he seemed kind of cold, and stuck up. Just because we are a young couple doesn't mean we aren't going to spend money. This place was beautiful! We went on a beautiful October day, and it is very pretty with a nice view. The food in the restaurant is DELISH! The ham and potato soup, and the shrimp and scallops are AMAZING!
(4)Heather L.
This wine tasting experience rates as my favorite by virtue of it being six tastes for free. The others all charged except for Domaine Berrien which was 5 tastes. So woo hoo! The sommelier had us choose our six right off the bat and then we drank them in order of dry to sweet. I don't usually drink white wine but I really liked the Lake Michigan Shore Tramiette for $18.95. My husband liked the Lake Michigan Shore Syrah "09 for $38.95. "High maintenance with low yield" That's what she said. I also liked the Cream Sherry at $17.50 and bought some for my mom. The only other time I have tried and liked cream sherry was a type out of Door County. That had a berry flavor this was more nutty. Very nice dessert wine. The chocolates of course caught my eye right away. A gorgeous, gorgeous display of truffles that they import from some far flung state. Which, when I discovered their origin, lost a little appeal to me because I would have preferred to hear that they came from a local chocolate shop. But they were beautiful. The restaurant also looked very nice and I will definitely be back to try it. It's a beautiful building inside and out. But the room was a little too crowded with lots of bottles everywhere to accidentaly knock your purse into. And we were rushed a bit but it was still a very nice experience. Also, the labels were a little chintzy. When doing an afternoon of wine tasting in Harbor County I recomend starting at Lemon Creek, cross the street to Domaine Berrien, then around the corner to Free Run, down the road to Tabor Hill and back toward the lake at Round Barn. But make sure you eat something along the way. And this may be the place to do just that. If you still have the stamina afterward, just before getting back on 94, try Hickory Creek which I always tucker out before I get to, but some day I will make it there. I'll have to start there first next time and do it backwards.
(4)Michael O.
Wife and I have been here twice and have not been disappointed yet. This is one of a limited number winery's that have a restaurant on site. The menu is great and leverages both the local flavor and ingredients. I would recommend ordering wine by the glass, as they are a heavy pour. We are very much looking forward to enjoying many more great dinning experiences here. This is a great place for Michiana!
(5)Erika S.
As a fan of the movie Sideways, pulling into this place felt like pulling into Fess Canyon. Tons of cars in the parking lot. An hour wait for lunch after 1pm. Decked out tasting area and shop. We weren't sure what we were getting into, but we were hungry, so we decided to continue. The Restaurant -- Although the wait was quoted at one hour, the host nicely suggested we take the last two stools at the bar, giving us a faster track to filling our empty stomachs. The menu really surprised me, and in a pleasant way. There was not a burger or club sandwich in sight. I had an eggplant panini, my husband had pecan-crusted raspberry chicken, and we both devoured every morsel. Patrons next to us sampled some of the appetizers and were praising those as well. The restaurant itself seemed new and well-kept. All the staff seemed friendly. A peek out the windows behind us revealed another reason why this place is seemingly so popular. The tables look directly out over the vineyard. It is VERY pretty. This entire area is quite pretty, and the restaurant with it's views seemed rather special. I would come back for the food and the views, except I would know to make a reservation next time. The Wine -- My palette is accustomed to California dry wines, so I was skeptical about wines grown in the Midwest, fearing they would all be too sweet, but definitely game to try them. I had a glass of the highest end chardonnay with lunch. It was fine. My husband had a red, and he did not like it. Since we were interested in checking out some other wineries in the area (which I have also reviewed) we decided not to try any other wines here. We seemed to be in the minority in this regard. The tasting room was packed. The Region -- I had no idea visiting wineries was such a popular activity in southwestern Michigan!! Be prepared to fight crowds if you go on a fall weekend. But the area is very pretty and worth exploring.
(3)Greg L.
This place changed my entire attitude towards Michigan wines, and it did it in roughly two minutes time. My previous memory of Michigan wines was not good from many years ago. Since then I have avoided them like the plaque. Boy what a mistake and loss for me. If you are doing the wine trail, make this a near lunch or end of day stop and have lunch or dinner. I think it is the only place on the trail with a full service restaurant and the food is absolutely terrific. You will not be disappointed. Or, check out the sausage and cheeses, and chocolates, and make a picnic nearby. The vineyards are a beautiful view and there is indoor and outdoor seating that makes for a wonderful afternoon or evening. We had a great experience with the wine tasting, although it can be very crowded (the tasting is free unlike at others such as Roundbar or Lemon Creek) . We highly enjoyed the Red Arrow Red, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. They were all outstanding and the two whites, the best of the trail perhaps. Enjoy a day, or weekend out of the trail, and make this a meal stop. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Kelsey P.
This place is hidden. Like...really. My companion and I were driving for some time, taking random turns and hoping we'd get there. Well, we did. The dining room has a beautiful view of the vineyard below, and the service was good as well. I was impressed by the food, but declined to have any wine, since it was like...11 am when we went, which I figured would be a bad idea. I'd recommend it, albeit it is on the pricey side.
(4)Taste-LIFE D.
After stopping by the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival, we decided to fill our bellies with some local cuisine. The tasting room at the entrance was packed. The restaurant decor was outdated, in particular the chairs. The decor was no reflection on the food. We had the crab cake (all meat, faint sign of filler), skewers (chicken and shrimp), asparagus (crisp and very fresh), and sweet potato succotash (different in a good way with fresh veggies). The chicken skewer was the winner for me. The tortilla crust gave the chicken the right amount of crunch and the chipotle dipping sauce provided a spicy note. Next time, I'll take the server's advice and order more chicken. The shrimp was very plain and the mustard sauce did nothing for the dish. We also grabbed a few sweet treats for the road. Can't remember what they were called, but one had a cheesecake flavor (ok), raspberry (great), and a peach (good). We will definitely make a stop and visit the vineyard, in addition to the restaurant, on our next trip through the area.
(4)Carrie W.
What a great little place! We were driving back to Chicago and were starving... but we didn't want to dine on the greasy norm of Mickey D's! Cruising down the highway we noticed a great billboard that advertised Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant.. and they were open for lunch and dinner... on a Sunday! Even though it was about 7 miles off our scheduled route it was SO worth it! We pulled up and were a little unsure, just because we were dressed in sweatshirts and jeans... the place looked really nice! But as soon as we opened the door everyone was just as nice as could be. We have to give A's across the board, from service to the busser service, to just awesome food and wine. We had a really nice pinot noir and some awesome apps... my husband had the soup of the day... Reuben Soup (It was heaven in a cup!), I had the BLT Salad (All of the salads come in full or half sizes, go for the half... it's more than enough).. then we went on to Foie Gras Pot Stickers (they were beautiful) and we also had split the Burgundy Escargot (with fingerling potatoes, gueyre cheese and a dijon vinaigrette)... YUM! Instead of a sweet dessert we decided to go with their "local cheese plate"... with a side of port. It was just wonderful. We ended up walking out pleasantly full with a bottle of port, for home.
(5)Jen T.
My boyfriend and I visited Tabor Hill Restaurant and Winery this past weekend. It was my birthday weekend so we were looking for something fun to do with a little romantic twist. Luckily he stumbled upon Tabor Hill. I had made reservations for 4:30pm. It was suggested in a yelp review that the view of the vineyard from the restaurant during sunset was not to be missed. Unfortunately, we missed our reservation time, not once, but twice! When we called to change the reservation for the second time, the lovely person on the phone couldn't have been nicer about it. I was a little bit apprehensive about opening the door of the restaurant as I felt like we were a little bit of a pain in our reservation changing issue. The ladies at the front desk were very nice about it and even made a little joke to ease our minds. We asked if it would be ok to do a wine tasting before dinner and she was happy to show us the way. As I looked around, I decided that this was my favorite winery that we had visited. (We went to about 5-6 over the weekend.) I loved the way the winery/restaurant was decorated for Christmas. It felt very nice and cozy and very romantic. The person who was helping us with our wine tasting was also genuine and knowledgeable. He made suggestions and answered questions politely for our novice ears. We sat down to dinner next to the fireplace which I loved! Our waitress Amanda was very nice. We had the Escargot for an appetizer and it was delicious. She also recommended the duck. I was a little weary of it because I've never had duck before but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. It came with a pumpkin gnocchi which was amazing. My boyfriend had the filet and it was cooked perfectly. Amanda let us sit and chat over a glass of wine and we didn't feel the least bit hurried. The prices are very reasonable for the meal that you get. Three cheers to the chef! On our way out, the front desk ladies were even more than happy to snap a few photos of us. All in all, this place is great! I'd go back in a second if I'm ever in the area again.
(5)Jessie C.
My review is strictly on the winery portion as I haven't eaten in the restaurant. Our first experience at Tabor Hill was disappointing. After having great experiences at Free Run Cellars and Round Barn, we went to Tabor Hill to try some of their wine. It was our first time to Michigan's wine country after we moved to the area and we were buying a variety of bottles so we could introduce our families to Michigan wine. My husband and I walked in and were not greeted by the several employees standing around. The tasting room was not busy, yet no one asked if we had any questions, needed any help or wanted to taste their wine. We walked around the entire room, looked at their wines and left without anyone saying anything to us. A complete 180 degree difference from the service we'd received at Free Run and Round Barn. I've been back once to Tabor Hill with a group and tasted their wine. It wasn't anything spectacular and instead of having a delicious wine flavor in my mouth, I still have the taste of bad service.
(1)Betsy N.
Call first for reservations, it will be worth it! I had the walleye which was sauteed and have a salsa over it that was DELICIOUS!!!! It came with the best spinach I ever had in my like and some squash which was also good. My friend had the Jerk Pork and he ate ever morsel on his plate. He also said the salsa on the side was yummy!!! I would definitely eat here again.
(5)L.M. H.
Nice place, food is ok, but expensive. I eat at expensive restaurants all the time in Chicago, Detroit, etc. and the prices are comparable to those restaurants, but the food quality is not. It's good, but nothing to really make the cost as high as it is. There are better choices in the area for good cuisine, but the setting of the restaurant is 4-5 star. Really cool for like a Easter brunch type family gathering, or maybe an intimate date night. I'd go just for the area and scenery. Their wines are good, but I would make the tasting area a little more fun, it's too store like. Cheers!!!
(3)Patti T.
Everytime I come home to Michigan, Tabor Hill is a must visit site for me. Love the wine and the food is outstanding. Love the overlook of the vinyards while I dine. Can't wait to come and visit again on March 31st. Love this place!!
(5)Larry F.
We were here for lunch and it exceeded our expectations. The room is quiet attractive, with a view of the vineyard and feeders attracting colorful finches to the windows. We had tasted a fair amount of wine already, so the focus was on lunch. The hostess was friendly and seated us right away. I started with the house wedge salad which was quite good. The lettuce was cold and covered in a nice amount of ranch dressing. The plate also included sliced roma tomatoes and cucumbers, which loomed a bit like they had been around too long but tasted fine. For my main, I ordered the smoked salmon flat bread. I was expecting more of a pizza but received four points of a dense flat white bread. Each had a generous amount of salmon with chopped onions, capers, and salmon roe. It was a light but satisfying lunch. My wife ordered the Caesar salad to start. It had big chuncks of romaine in a great, very cheesy dressing along with some toasted points of olive bread and a cup made of parmesan holding artichokes and tomatoes. It looked and tasted great. For her main, she ordered the grilled avocado. This dish frankly did not look too good. It consisted of avocado wedges stuffed with a cheese mixture and then baked. She said it tasted good. The service was very friendly and efficient. Water and drink glasses were kept filled and the bread basket contained three really nice warm breads. We spent $36 on lunch, and it was worth it.
(4)Jim T.
This place was great. Out in the middle of nowhere is a great little restaurant, with a fantastic staff. I just wanted to take the waitress with me so she could be my waitress wherever I went. She was so good that she earned extra tip on-top of the 18% they charged cause we had a group. She makes the place. The food was great, from appetizers to the deserts. I would be back here in a heartbeat. Next time through I will make the effort to go out of my way.
(5)carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. This place is AWESOME! Wine making is always close to my heart. My Italian father made Wine every year in our basement in old East Chicago. Our basement was a mini winery every September and October. It was a great sunny day to take a drive to Michigan. And not too far. We first started with the free wine tasting. We were able to taste 7 different wines. They were good but I still prefer California Napa wines and Italian wines because they are more Robust. Micigan wines are more like German and French wines. And now for the best part, the Restaurant. WOW what a meal. The Escargo appetizer was fabulous. The Guacomole, Pico di Gallo, and chips were even better than any Mexican restaurant. The Crab Chowder was fresh and tastey. My Wood Grilled Trout was served on the wood it was grilled on, with a side of Spinach and Sweet Potatoe Au Gratin. My wife had the Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash Pierogi. This is a top notch restaurant and a must try for everyone. One of your better top quality restaurants. They also have tours you might want to take. The dinning area had a great view of the vineyards. We left with 4 bottles that we knew we liked.
(5)Dan G.
Went back to Tabor Hill with the family for dinner this past weekend. It was very good as it was before. The dining room is a great setting, overlooking their vineyard as the sun sets. After being hurried away from our wine tasting by an overeager hostess, we were seated at a nice table in the main dining room. Appetizers shared at the table were the Chermoula Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, and Jerk Vegetable skewers and a few of the Crab Cakes with Blood Orange Cherry Sauce. The skewers were tasty and each was served with its own dipping sauce. The Crab Cakes were awesome and all crabmeat with no filler, definitely a must have. The entrees were very good with the highlights being the Day Boat Atlantic Scallops with Tamarind Butter, Wasabi Slaw, and Jicama Boc Choy and the Duck Cherry Chinese BBQ (Char Siu) and Grilled Eggplant Couscous, Cucumber Salad and Mild Thai Chili Sauce. These were all big portions and not pricey at all. The menu has been tweaked since my last visit and they have a large (almost overwhelming) selection and I believe the entrees included a salad last time. The key lime tart for dessert was really good too. It was a fantastic meal again and quite a deal when you get their wine for just a few bucks. Dinner for five(4 apps, 5 mains, 2 desserts and a bottle and glass of wine) for less than $200, what a deal! This is right up there with Timothy's as the best in the area. I could have done without the push to seat us, as we bought half a case of wine. Aren't you in business here?
(4)Mike K.
appetizer of grilled calamari was very tiny and at $12 not a good value. The lettuce wedge, without bacon bits-you have to be kidding and then served with a buttermilk dressing---where's the thousand island? My wife ordered the caesar salad lightly tossed and got the dressing on the side instead! My rack of lamb/8 frenched chops were great and my wife's salmon in grape leaves were good also. The wine was good along with the entrees but the starters left a lot to be desired.
(2)Mackenna M.
This is based on my wine-tasting experience only. I have not eaten at the restaurant - yet! Obviously a well established winery, in a beautiful building, with a restaurant attached. We sampled wine at a couple other places, but the gentleman who was pouring our wine here was the most knowledgeable wine pro we had met all day. The wine samples are free here, but you don't get a glass to bring home. We got to choose 6 wines, and all of them were so fantastic that I can't choose a favorite to list below. I even enjoyed the sweeter whites because they were so clean and fresh tasting, not sugary like at the earlier wineries. The reds were impeccable. I came home with Cream Sherry: "This gold medal winning sherry is sure to delight the senses! It has a nutty aroma and flavors of sweet almond and raisin." I had to bring a bottle of this home. Our wine pourer described it as "fireplace wine," and he couldn't be more dead-on. This syrupy, rich, liquor warms all the way down when you swallow it. The raisins and brandy remind me of delicious autumn aromas, and the almond added a rich and nutty element, like Frangelico. I had to bring a bottle of this home because it was so unique compared to everything I had tasted that day. How appropriate that it was also the last. See my full review on my blog: eatinggrandrapids.com/20…
(5)Joshua H.
This place looks as beautiful as what they have to taste. We took the tour of the winery and it was actually fairly informative for those new to wine culture. We then enjoyed their free tasting of up to 10 wines, which I thought was very generous. After the tasting we browsed the wine shop, bought 2 bottles and moved our party to the outside patio of the restaurant and enjoyed the live music they had which made for a wonderful afternoon. The Gewurztraminer, Classic Demi Red, and Port Cabernet Franc are not to be missed. They only have tours in May on the weekends from 12pm-4:30pm so make sure not to go in the morning. Also Monday and Tuesday they are only open until 5pm but Weds-Sat they stay open till 9pm.
(5)Maria R.
U{DATE: I like driving over the hill and through the dale to Tabor Hill. Although it can be tricky to find (and even trickier to find your way home), we enjoy the whole experience. Pricey, yes. Dinner for 3 was $170 but worth it. Am I going every week, NO. Am I going once a month in the summer. NO. But once or twice a season would be ok and save me a table by the window for a wonderful sunset over the vineyard.
(4)Steve J.
Restaurant is wonderful, even if a bit expensive. Appetizer portions are quite large so be warned. Although this place is listed as not child friendly, we brought our four year old for lunch and it was fine (they even have a child menu). We saw other children there. Wine are improving (we have been here in the past) and some of the white are pretty good but still not great. We liked the Traminette. We would have been interested in buying a case of their "hallmark" sparking wine, Grand Mark, but they don't let you taste it. Would have been nice to dine outside, but they no longer do this. Only slight complaint was that tuna (tuna sliders) was overcooked.
(5)William H.
I didnt eat here, so I cant speak to their menu, but I would argue that these are some of the most pretentious people in all of Michigan. I thought it strange to find wine snobs outside of Napa... but trust me, they exist at Tabor. They love to tell you over and over about how much Bob Hope loved their wine as well... i suppose its their one claim to fame. Upon arrival our tour bus operator was yelled for being late... despite the fact that she phoned ahead. Very professional. Anyway, for the tasting you are limited to the menu that they provide you. We asked to sample another variety that we were interested in purchasing, and were promptly and impolitely told no... needless to say we bought nothing. I think each member of our wine tour purchased at least one bottle at every other stop, but were so turned off by the experience, we left without even finishing the tour we were scheduled to take. Truth be told... going on a wine tour outside of California is simply for entertainment value... and to have a few drinks. Its more of a gimmick... and the wine really just isn't that good. Its supposed to be a fun afternoon with friends... but going to Tabor really ruins even that.
(1)C Y.
Many acres of grapes, the most I've ever seen. I can't have wine, however I did get a nice dinning experience. This may not be the best place for kids. The place has a menu with some complicated dishes. They did have a kids menu, but for kids like me who order adult meals, I would prefer simpler dishes. I got the ravioli. It was good and the simplest, most familiar and only pasta dish on the menu. The dish that dazzled me the most was the Sauted Feta appetizer. The Feta was served with oilves, capers, raisins and pine nuts. At Tabor Hill the kichen took time to plate the meals. My uncle took pictures of everyone's plates. Thats how stuning it was. Lots of wine and complex meals, I'd say this is a better adult place.
(4)Amanda D.
Close to Chicago- not quite Napa but good for a day trip! The vineyard is beautiful and resaturant very nice. By the time we got there, I was a bit tipsy from all the tastings (So I probably drank more than a taste?) but still it was great. I had a wonderful butternut squash ravioli and a great Cabernet. The combination was wonderful! We had a table in the corner by 2 windows overlooking the entire vineyard- at sunset! Can't beat that!
(5)Zae S.
This is NOT my favorite place to go wine tasting. It is so busy that the bartenders don't have much time for conversation. I do LOVE their Classic Demi-Sec, though. If you eat here and want fabulous service, sit at the bar. Our bartender was AWESOME!!! The bison taco is to die for and the polenta fries were tasty. We even got passed a few tidbits that were wrong orders since we were sitting right there, like a Corona, which made my boyfriend very happy, and a chocolate lava cake, which made my day!!! This place is amazing with amazing employees!
(4)Jackie H.
This was stop #1 on our Southwest Michigan mini-honeymoon in early November. We had been to Tabor Hill once before, about 3 years ago before we developed a better taste for wine. I am so glad we came back. We started the evening with a stop at the tasting bar. There a delightful young gentleman walked us through the process of picking out wines we wanted to taste. The hubby and I have developed a taste for wine over the years, but not a knowledge of it, so the young man was very helpful in explaining the differences in styles, how you should go about tasting wine, and so on. We tried 6 wines apiece and liked them all, but in varying degrees. We ended up buying 3 different bottles of wine--got a 10% discount too since we were eating at the restaurant. Dinner was lovely, perfect for the first night of our honeymoon. The dining room is all white table cloth, dim lights and candles, very romantic. I'm sure the view from all the large picture windows was spectacular, but we didn't notice with it being already after dark and we were seated away from the windows. Our server was very helpful in choosing a bottle of wine for us that would pair well with both of our dishes...We went with a red one, the Lemberger, which was delightful. Paired very well with my pork and my husband's quail dish. Of course we sampled each others dishes! I preferred my pork, but the quail was tasty as well, both cooked to perfection. The real highlight of both dishes were the sides that came with them! My pork came with a slaw that included apples...I am not a slaw person but this may have converted me! And the other side of mine, the butternut squash pieroghis, were spectacular. They do sell them as a seperate side, so next time I dine here I will certainly order those again, no matter what my entree is. My husband's dish came with some stuffed avocadoes, which also would be order-worthy by themselves. We also ordered a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Everything was so good, and we went back to our hotel very full and content! Everything about Tabor Hill pleased me, from the service, to the wines, to the food, and the atmosphere. Yes, it is a little more pricey than your standard dinner, but sometimes you pay for quality, right? Perfect for special occasions, but great for a random night out as well!
(5)Virginia T.
The staff was awesome. This was the first winery we stopped at on our weekend vacation to SW Michigan. They were patient, and explained everything. They helped us reach a common decision in which wine to buy since I tend to prefer dry wines and my husband tends to prefer sweet wine. The wines were decent, but not my favorite in SW Michigan. They actually had a few wines that I would buy again would be the Lake Michigan Shore Kerner (Reisling varietal), Classic Demi-Sec, or the Classic Demi-Red. I especially loved how the staff pointed out the differences in flavor between the demi-red cold vs. the demi-red warm.
(4)Dane K.
Not my favorite of the SW MI wineries...but it's OK. They do have a semi-decent free tour that shows Methode Champenoise (i.e., how to make Champagne). Which means of course they make a traditional style sparkling wine called the Grand Mark, which is actually pretty good. (Though $30 and they don't let you taste it). Their other wines all fit into the typical SW MI just Ok category... Nothing is really mind blowing, but a few are decent. Some are gross. If you're from Chicago, they carry Tabor Hill wines at Sam's Wine and Macy's. And much like all of the other wineries in the SW MI area that Sam's stocks, it's cheaper to buy it at Sam's than it is at the winery itself. the people are a tad snooty for no good reason. We asked if they had any available seating in the restaurant and they kinda looked at us funny and responded in some snotty tone about how they book up far in advance. I'm sure the restaurant isn't that great.
(3)T S.
The view is beautiful and (almost) worth coming to see. We have dined here a few times. The service is inconsistent. The food lacks flavor, is over cooked across the board and is not commensurate with their pricing. 7.95 for kraft mac and cheese rather than chef coming up with his own recipe. That's embarrassing. All in all the restaurant from staff to food to overall experience is lacking.
(2)Larry B.
A pleasant stop if you are in the Harbor Country area of Michgan. A nice setting overlooking the vineyard. The day we were there in summer they had birdfeeders all around the windows with dozens of goldfinch darting all around....magical. the food is quite good with some interesting offering which change often. They seem to be locovores and Im all about that. Use what you grow locally. The wine is surprisingly good and pretty cheap. Recommended.
(4)Dan E.
This place claims to have pioneered wine growing on the area. I think its due to the snow they get on that side of the lake -- the snow cover keeps the vines form freezing in winter. Sure you may be able to get better wine in Michigan and you can get this winery's products in Chicago, but still this is one of my sentimental favorites. Its about 90 miles from Chicago. Gas prices have moderated plus the drive through the area is therapeutic. During the summer and fall months you can combine it with trips to the various "u-pick" places in the area to get fresh berries, peaches, cherries, asparagus, apples. There's always something in season and some goodies such as asparagus are available early in the summer. And on the way back don't forget to stop at the Lighthouse Place mall.
(4)tessa c.
we never even set foot in the place. when we call and ask for directions, it would be a good idea to give specific directions and not laugh at us over the phone. thanks a lot!
(1)Kelli B.
I wish we would've had lunch or dinner here. If I go back to St. Joseph I'm going to make it a point to do so. If you eat there you get 10% off your wine purchase. Tabor Hill was gorgeous. The restaurant part of it had floor to ceiling windows which looked out to the acres of of grapes - extremely cool. There was an outdoor seating area with the same view. The food looked delicious. The kid (he looked like he was in high school but said he was 20-something) behind the tasting bar knew his stuff. He was quick and knowledgeable despite the crowd. We were in and out of there quickly with a bottle of Pino in hand. They have a little gift shop area with a bunch of wine accessories and clothing. Make Tabor Hill a stop if you're doing the Michigan wine trail. Check out the view, and if you like sweet wine, try the Demi-Sec.
(5)Sarah E.
Tasty food, lovely view of the vineyard and more than decent local wine. A little on the pricey side, but worth it. We've been coming for celebratory and special meals with my family for awhile. The squash blossom poppers, filled with ricotta, parm & corn, deep fried with an air-light peanut sauce were a definite stand-out recently.
(4)Daniel T.
An excellent restaurant with a wonderful menu and beautiful ambience. Plan to go 30-45 minutes before your reservation to taste wines. You get a great discount with the purchase of your meal. Most of the dining room is surrounded by glass windows overlooking a vineyard. It was dark when we there, but I imagine the view is beautiful during daylight. The menu is very professional and wine pairings are listed. Every dish is a mixture of great flavors, some unexpected. We tried the foie gras pot stickers for appetizers. Small but tasty with green apple. Dinner was ravioli with sausage for me and kobe beef pizziaola for her. Both were good though I was less adventurous and wish I had gone to something more daring. Dessert was a key lime tart with peaches and plums. Perfectly tart without being too much. A great place for a date for sure.
(5)Bee J.
My husband is Dutch and we have had the pleasure of eating around the globe as part of his business travels. That being said, Tabor Hill's restaurant is and has been our FAVOURITE dining experience for the past 3 years, when we discovered it. We go for birthday's, anniversaries, and because of no other reason than enjoying amazing food, a fantastic view, and great wine. Per year, we dine there at least 10 times; in all that time we have never had less than a 5 star experience. However, we book early, so we beat the crowds and also leave before it gets too busy. Their elk with blackberries is in another realm altogether and the appetizer platter is a Must! Sipping wine, watching the goldfinches do battle over the thistle feeders, spending time on the deck listening to a Spanish guitar and then enjoying your meal all add to the pleasant and enticing allure of Tabor Hill. If I could only ever go to one restaurant the rest of my life, it would be this place!
(5)Lori G.
This restaurant is associated with the Tabor Hill Winery. The setting is great as you dine you view the vineyards. The ambiance inside is modern yet cozy with a warm fireplace going during the cold months. The service is great. The food is awesome. Their speciality rosemary crusted chicken in raspberry sauce is a real winner. The portions are large but the take home box even came with an extra container of the raspberry sauce. Of course they have a great wine list. The dessert tray offered a small but unique variety of homemade temptations. Call ahead for reservations. Arrive in the area early and wine taste in the many other local wineries. The drive is beautiful through winding roads filled with many vineyards and fruit orchards.
(5)Steve A.
Tabor Hill wines share the characteristic struggle of other Michigan wineries, where you can sense the winemaker struggling to overcome difficult growing conditions for vinifera. However the real highlight at Tabor Hill is the restaurant and the ambience of the property. A leisurely lunch on the patio overlooking the vineyard can't be beat. We enjoyed the charcuterie plate, the fish tacos and the orange shrimp salad. Service was friendly, and the view can't be beat.
(4)Courtney H.
We had eaten a late-ish breakfast so we came in for a tasting and sat down for some appetizer type food. 4 of us started with the Bloody Mary bar, which was awesome. They bring you the glass with the vodka ($8) and then you get to choose from a ton of stuff. I went with the spicy mix and added celery salt, carrots, lime, zucchini, celery, etc. They had everything all laid out and the vegetables were all cut into amazing shapes like flowers. Make sure to grab a cheese stuffed pepper to add, that was delicious! You can also go up for the juice and topping as many times as you want but each serving of vodka will incur the $8 price. A bunch of us started with the Cream of Asparagus soup-wow, was it amazing! The bowl was HUGE. Way bigger than we expected. It was creamy, cheesy and had a ton of fresh asparagus in it. I loved it. I also got the side Cesar salad, which was presented very well and tasted fine but nothing special. The table ordered the cheese plate as well. I tried the brie with the caramelized onions which was good, but I wouldn't have ordered it myself. They also serve a good bread basket with 2 types of bread-the white bread was an asiago bread and very delicious! I will say the menu here is limited and can get pretty pricey, so just be aware of that. I also purchased 2 bottles of their Tabor Hill Chardonnay for $18 a piece. If you get more than 6 bottles you can get a 10% discount so our group all got 1 and it worked out nicely. The weather was crappy so we were inside but they do have a nice patio overlooking the vineyard.
(4)Kristin M.
This was my least favorite winery during our visit and unfortunately the one we decided to eat lunch at. We were seated right away and there was a beautiful view of the vineyards but the food was lackluster at best and very overpriced. I had the fish tacos and thought they were good but I could not believe my sister's food when they brought out her plate. She ordered the crab cake which was technically an appetizer but she ordered for her meal. When her meal came out it was ONE crab cake that was smaller then a cheeseburger from white castle. This was supposed to be an appetizer and last time I checked appetizers fed more then one person. Plus, don't you think the waitress could mention that her $14 lunch would not even feed a small child? With so many wineries in the area I could skip this one and try one that's a better value.
(2)Laurence K.
Quite large winery and tasting room near new buffalo mi stopped on for the tasting little pricy at $9 but we did sample some pretty decent wine the Viognier was excellent Along with the rose They have a restaurant that looked promising and will probably be back for dinner
(4)Melissa B.
No. Just no on this one. I don't get it. The wine is terrible! The service ranges from rude and arrogant to young with zero clue about the wine. This place is over priced! I guess the views are ok? Not much of a view though. I wasn't even attempting the expensive restaurant after tasting how awful the wine was. With so many awesome wineries in the area. Skip this one! It's over rated. I don't get it.
(2)Doug B.
Very good dining experience. We enjoyed some wine tasting prior to dining so we knew which wine we'd like with our dinner. Service was very attentive. The wine we ordered with dinner was more expensive than during tasting so I thought that was a little "tacky" ($12 upcharge). It's a nice place to try to say you've been there but I think it's more of a special event or tourist venue than someone I'd eat on a regular schedule.
(3)Ania A.
Delicious appetizers and seafood...plus great drinks! Amazing!
(5)Lizette Y.
Outstanding. Everyone who works here is wonderful, from the folks at the tasting bar to the chocolate counter, and waitstaff in the restaurant. The guy at the tasting bar knows his stuff. He's able to give you great information about the wines, origins of the grapes, flavor profiles, and so much more. Do yourself a favor and pick up a few gourmet chocolates to go with that tasting, you'll be glad you did. We also checked out the restaurant for a few small bites. The polenta fries with truffle aioli are amazing, as are the house-made potato chips with bleu cheese dip. This place is a great one-stop-shop for an evening of fun!
(5)Louise G.
Love this winery - the service is great, there is a wonderful selection of wines and what's more-there are the most incredible chocolates there which are so beautifully made and taste even better than they look which is hard to believe because they are gorgeous!
(5)Terry A.
Three friends and I drove over from Chicago to get away from rude and arrogant city folks only to fine out they are working at Tabor Hill Winery too! We walked in for a glass of wine around 5:00 pm yesterday, and was greeted by a couple of the rudest and unfriendly ladies ever. We ended up walking out and going to the Round Barn and spending over $120 there in wine. The bar tender at RB was fabulous and welcomed us with pleasure. Tabor Hill, get your act together.
(1)Rita L.
There are a few times in life that you have dinner at a restaurant that the meal is expertly prepared, the wait staff is very professional, courteous, extremely helpful, and pleasant. The overall appearance of the facility including the restroom very clean, the ambience and the view takes you away from life's everyday woes. This is the experience my husband & I had at the Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant on 8/30/14. At first I thought I'd be disappointed because the Halibut topped with Lobster was changed to Whitefish. To my amazement I wasn't disappointed at all, entree was delicious! My husband ordered the Filet Mignon well done & he said it was so tender and moist it could be cut with a fork. It was the best cooked steak he has ever eaten(we've eaten at several 5 star restaurants some that specialize in steaks). We made a reservation for our dinner to celebrate my birthday and the desert picture is included in this review. Our waitress deserves a 5 star rating for going all out to make our dining experience ONE we won't forget. We will definitely return and also tell our friends/family(we've already told several people). I hope those reading this review enjoy Tabor Hill as much as we did!
(5)Ben B.
We went to three wineries during our visit - Round Barn (best wine), Gravity (most fun/interesting atmosphere) and Tabor Hill. Tabor Hill seemed stuffy and old-fashioned. It's a stereotype. The tasting area is really claustrophobic. You're bellied up to the bar and racks of wine are sitting precariously just a couple feet behind you. Of the wines we tasted, none was especially good. The guy serving us looked like he was 17. He seemed generally uninformed about wine. Nice kid, but awkward. The servers at Round Barn and Gravity were far more interactive and fun. Tabor Hill did have two things going in its favor. 1) The grounds were very pretty. There's a place where you can eat, drink and look over the vines. I'm sure that's nice. (We didn't eat.) 2) Their gourmet chocolates. At $2.50 each, these are a serious investment. They're only slightly larger than a Hershey's kiss. But the cinnamon roll chocolate was one of the top five things I've ever put in my mouth. Mint was also very good. I don't think I'd ever return to Tabor Hill. Sorry, guys.
(2)Robert B.
This Very nice restaurant. And a wonderful place to dine. However; the wine does need some improvement but a most enjoyable meal can't wait to go back.
(4)Brian B.
Our group of four had finished a long day of wine tasting at many of the local wineries and ended our day with dinner at Tabor Hill. We thought the service and ambiance were very nice with a beautifully decorated dining area with nice views of the vineyard out the windows which they lit up with some lights in with some of the vines. We started with the Fromage and Charcuterie plate of cheeses, olives and fruit which was very good. Then our table had the grape leaf wrapped salmon, raspberry chicken, the filet mignon and I personally had the seared duck breast that came with a little salad and super good fried green tomatoes. It was about the best duck I had ever had in my life. Yes it's a little pricey here and you need to make a reservation. But for a once in a while fancy dinner, it's easily the nicest place in the area to go to. I'd go again if I had the chance.
(5)Rachael Z.
This is a little hard to get, but it's worth it! ADVICE: I was given this, and it was the best advice I received: eat lunch here, not dinner! The view, overlooking the vineyards, is beautiful! You can't see it in the dark, so it's just gorgeous during the day. Take a quick wine tour while you're at it. FOOD: The menu is great and everything tasted very fresh. My husband had duck, which he absolutely loved, and I had soup and salad which was equally delicious! DESSERT: Don't buy something off the menu - hop over to the entrance and buy some truffles to go! Or, grab a box and a glass of wine and sit outside, that's what we did and it was a fun way to extend the stop. WINE: This is the only downfall...compared to the other wines in the area, I don't rank Tabor Hill up there quite as high. The tasting is a bit more structured than the smaller places. But it is still good!
(4)Charlie B.
What a great visit we had there. Is the decor a bit outdated? Yes! Is the food going to blow you away? Not really. But, we stopped here for a late brunch on a Sunday after hitting a few wineries. It was supposed to be so we could take a break from booze, but we couldn't resist the bloody mary bar...which was more like a bloody mary buffet...so many goodies to throw in your sandwich. Our server encouraged us to bring our bread plate and fill up on fixin's. We did! We shared two sandwiches and both were really really good and very unique. We had a table overlooking the vineyard and it was so nice. the wines we tasted there were more like three starts (maybe two...) but it's OK.
(4)Robert N.
Came for a wine tasting and the tour. Wines were delicious! Luke, who helped us during the tasting, was very knowledgeable, and also very funny. The tour, on the other hand, was a disappointment. Not very in-depth, really only walked around the facility. The tour guide, when asked, didn't know yeast was a living organism. 5-stars for the wine, 2-stars for the tour...
(4)Rebecca R.
This place has a big tasting room where you stand in a huge rectangle. There were a lot of options off the tasting menu, so it was nice to be able to customize the wines to the type I normally drink while picking a few new ones to try. The guy helping us clearly knew a lot about all the wines, but he wasn't really that interested in looking us in the eye or spending more that 2 seconds per taste with us. He actually was walking away while telling us what foods we could pair it with. The pours were small, but that will sometimes happen. The view, however, was pretty cool and it was set in a great location. If I went back again, I would try the restaurant and try to sit overlooking the vineyard. It looks like a great romantic dining spot.
(3)George H.
My wife and I have been visiting SW Michigan for wineries for over a dozen years and we always make sure to stop at Tabor Hill. This year the white wines were truly amazing. We ended up buying three cases here (five different wines). Delicious! The tasting server Elizabeth was very nice and knowledgeable.
(5)George G.
The little lady and I wanted to get away from Four Winds for somethiing different. Having heard there were nearby wineries we decided to explore. We stopped at a very nice "general store" and he recommended we drive out to Tabor Hill. It turned out to be an awesome recommendation. We were thrilled to visit at a time when we literally had the place to ourselves. Driving through all of the fields full of vines was enjoyable - but ending up at Tabor Hill was worth the trip. Dawn greated us and set up our tasting. She recommended (wisely) that each of us should pay our tasting fee, but chooses different wines and share our glasses. That gave us the opportunity to taste 12 different wines (plus some extras she poured), and she did a fantastic job of explaining all that went into producing each wine we tasted. She was VERY knowledgable on not only Tabor Wines, but also on what goes into making an excellent wine. We got a very good sompling of the entire line of their wines. I can't imagine there is not a wine in that colection that would not appeal to everyone. We finished with a small lunch, overlooking the vineyard. Our server was fantastic and the food was great. Nothing like having a great meal with a good glass of wine! I would not cal this visit a meal - I would call it an experience. And we had a GREAT experience. We're so much looking to go back!
(5)Beth P.
This place is pretentious. We've been here several times and we always expect more out of it. The dining area is nice, but the hostess has been consistently snooty. The food is okay, but my husband and I both felt like it wasn't worth the money. We learned our lesson and this year when we went on our annual wine trip, we only ran in to buy the Grand Marc champagne and ran out. There are so many more wineries in SW MI that are worth your time (and are a lot friendlier!)
(2)Anna S.
I have only been twice there, and these were a year apart visits. With the last one just a couple of weeks ago. It seems they read the reviews- or we were just lucky. The last year we got the impression- like so many others- the staff was very stck up. It was not the case last time. The size of servings seems different. Waaay larger this year- and it is a good thing. For these prices, a guy has a right to expect to walk out of there full. A little advice: don't be afraid to order the most expensive meal on the menu. Look at he prices, they do not differ so much in between the "cheap" food and the fancy stuff. Get it? You may find a wine you like. You will find a good tasting server, for sure. even though, the last year we were helped by an elderly gentleman, which was better than this year in my opinion. No complaints though! The only (little!) thing: they did change the menu. Ant the heavenly croquet is gone! Bring it back, please!
(4)Sue S.
We had not eaten here for years, went back yesterday with 5 friends. Tour was short and sweet, but very informative. They really only have one wine we like, the demi-sec. Lunch was very pleasant, in general. My roasted vegetable soup was very good, but why do they not serve it HOT?? The blue crab cake was excellent, and the accompanying chutney was also good, but not a good pair with the crab - too overwhelming a flavor. I ate them separately. Raspberry chicken was very good, the tuna nicoise was NOT ahi tuna as described on the menu, but tasted like canned. Our friend who ordered the shrimp po'boy ate the shrimp, but not the bread, which was burned. Lovely place, beautiful setting. Chocolates at $2.50 apiece absurd. I would go for lunch again.
(3)Sarah S.
ZERO STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE!!!! I cannot believe that I even brought a group of 14 people here. We were here for my sister's Bachelorette party. We made these reservations 2 months in advance. This was the first winery we went to so therefore no one was even close to being drunk yet. One of the FRAT BOY wine staff was overhead saying to a bunch of people that he "hates large group of women like ours because we are all pretty but have nothing intelligent to say." That pretty much sums up our experience here. The rest of the staff was beyond rude, not helpful and seemed like they hated working there. With 60+ wineries along the Michigan coast, why even attempt this one?
(1)Amy B.
Tabor Hill my favorite winery on the wine trail. Tasting in general can be a little awkward if you're the only ones there and the person behind the counter tells you next to nothing about the wines. This doesn't happen at Tabor Hill. You will always be informed about the wine you're sampling and given recommendations and tips. Their most famous wine is the demi-sec white, which has become a favorite of mine. I have to get a couple bottles every time. Want to know a secret? They stock it at Binny's too! The last time I visited with some friends, we brought a picnic along. We parked it right in the middle of one of the rows of grapes and ate lunch among the vines!
(5)Dia D.
We had a very good lunch here which started with a basket of delicious breads. My husband had the salmon wrapped in grape leaves and I had the shrimp and scallops with bacon over jalapeño cheddar grits (plus 2 glasses of wines cost $61 plus tip). The food was very tasty and the service was friendly and fast. My only complaint was that my shrimp and scallops were slightly overcooked. Most entrees are in the $20-30 range but they do have some cheaper lunch items. The tasting room also has some beautiful chocolates for sale.
(4)Amanda B.
Over the ice-coated highway and through the winter wonderland, to Tabor Hill we go! Now, I'll give ya some background info. My boyfriend and I spontaneously decided to go to a jewelry store in Indiana (I know right). At said jewelry store, two complimentary glasses of wine or beer are given to you (I know, right!). So after that, the bf suggests we go to Michigan. Sure, why not? This was my second time in Michigan. At the time, there was no snow in Chicagoland but when we got into Michigan, the roads were freshly snow-capped and slick. As we were driving, I checked Yelp and decided we were going to go to a chocolate shop and then loop back to Tabor Hill. After nearly sliding into a semi, we decided to just go to Tabor Hill. What an adventure! Hard to find, but worth it. Due to new law, tastings are no longer free. My favorite was the demi-sec. After our tasting, we decided to dine at the restaurant. It was perfect! Very romantic, and the food was delicious. I had the pecan-baked chicken and washed it down with two glasses of the demi-sec...and left the winery with two bottles of wine, somehow. If you can, definitely make the journey here! We're definitely going to return.
(5)Amy K.
Four stars for great wine, great view at lunch, and a good tour of the grounds. Minus one star for bad food. I would have subtracted a star for poor service, but the waitress excused herself so that made up for it. The wine is really great and they have a wide selection from dry to sweet and simple to complex. Each of the wines have their strengths and I think that most people could find a wine there that they would like here. My boyfriend and I have varying tastes, I'm in to spicy, oaky and dry and he is more into well-rounded and sweet and we both found a couple bottles to take home. It does seem a little stuffy and old person, but that's because it is an old winery, like 50 years or something. That said if you think its stuffy and you don't like the wine, tell the person pouring and they should be able to find a wine for you here that you would like. The grounds are gorgeous and it was really nice to sit outside and each lunch with a great glass of wine in front of the vineyards. We also enjoyed a lovely tour of the winery and production facility. Take the tour if you don't know much about wines, because drinking wine is all about learning to appreciate the process of making it and enjoying the results. I learn something new at every tour I take. Now for the not-so-good parts about this place. The food was not good. I was famished and it took someone a long time to come over and even say hello to us. I was disappointed by the menu, it was all-american and nothing sounded good. The food was not good. My boyfriend ordered a salad, which the menu said was 'mixed greens' and the salad came out with ice berg lettuce. It did not appear that they were using fresh ingredients, which is disappointing considering it was the middle of summer and the place is surrounded by farms. I ordered the mushroom burger, because it sounded like a creative and tasty burger, but it was bland and the waitress didn't even ask me how I wanted it cooked. The only saving grace of that meal was the polenta fries and the great wine that was reasonably priced by the glass with a great view on a beautiful summer day. One last little tid bit. Do your wine tasting down the road at the champagne room because its free. The wine tasting here was a bit pricey to me ($9). I am used to tasting in the Traverse region were it is free or very cheap.
(4)Susan G.
5 stars for food - 2 1/2 stars for service Dined here last night and even though we had a reservation we weren't seated until almost a half hour after our reservation time. Once seated it took what seemed like forever to get our drinks and then the appetizers came out one at a time over the span of about 15 minutes. The appetizers were delicious -- crab cake, squash blossom poppers, and Pho soup. Our entrees included salmon wrapped in grape leaves, halibut topped with lobster, parmesan and mushroom risotto, and pork loin. All were fabulous and almost made up for the really uneven and inattentive service. I'm hoping they were just having an off night because we really enjoy coming here for special occasions. Cost per person, including tax and tip was about $65.
(4)Danielle C.
I was on a wine tour this weekend and Tabor Hill was touted as the Grand Dame of wineries in Michigan; maybe so but she needs an etiquette class in my humble opinion. We were not a drunken tour. We had no sashes, crowns, stupid shirts, etc. We could have been described as a group of people who know wines, restaurants, and service wanting to enjoy. Here is a summary of our problems- from my point of view. First off, if your guests inform you that they are not signed up for a tour and do not want one, instead of insisting that they join you, take a moment and speak with them. Ordering them to join you is not a great choice- especially when one of them is obviously not able to walk well due to physical issues (not overindulgence). This was NOT the welcome that was expected. I had consumed about a glass of wine over the course of the day (as wine is not currently on my chosen list) so my perception is not influenced by alcohol. Second, when you have a larger group for a SCHEDULED tasting, give them enough room!! Being slammed up against a hot, sunny window did not give Tabor Hill a better hue. Half of the group had to stand behind friends and there were empty long counters galore in the center of the room. Third- talk to your tasting parties. Slapping down a menu and pouring does not constitute a introduction to the group. Yes, part of us heard something. However, you must take into account how you crammed us in, the rest did not have a clue you had spoken and had no idea what we were being told to taste. It felt incredibly rude. Frankly, I did not try the wines. I was so irritated I just walked away. Crammed in, hot, being sun baked, ordered around by kids (the tour guide could NOT have been 21, the pouring guy only 21) did not seem to fit the image I was expecting. It was neither fancy nor fun. I know fancy, well done, good taste, and well mannered. In my opinion, Tabor Hill exhibited none of these traits. Disappointing.
(1)Janice M.
My two sisters and I visited this winery for lunch on a weekday at the end of July. I had the pork souvlaki which was absolutely delicious. My sisters had the mushroom burger and the raspberry chicken which they enjoyed also. The service was excellent. Our server for the wine tasting was helpful and knowledgeable. He also poured enough that we were able to share our tastings. Their white demi-sec is clearly the star. We also enjoyed the wine tour although it felt just a little rushed. We definitely enjoyed ourselves, especially the food. I would recommend this winery to friends.
(4)B M.
Highlights: The scenery was beautiful. I enjoyed the homemade chip appetizer and it was nice that a winery had a nice non-alcoholic option for designated drivers. Lows: I ordered the Sriracha shrimp. It was so sweet and gooey. It reminded me of something you would order in a food court at the mall. When I asked for more Sriracha, I was brought more of the bright orange muck that actually made this dish inedible. I was also surprised that we were never asked if we wanted more to drink or even given more water. We weren't even shown a dessert tray. I've heard a lot of good things and was pretty disappointed in my experience. I am grateful for the great people I was with because their company was the only thing that made my lunch palatable.
(2)D G.
I think they have 2 choices to make their establishment less pretentious ergo ridiculous: 1) Make it much much more prominent on their website that reservations are required 2) Hire a pleasant host staff and be nice to people they turn away We arrived around 2 for lunch over the weekend, the hostess was unbelievably snooty. I also work with the public and clients and unexpected walk-ins and I understand that there are busy moments/days, but I would never treat anyone in that condescending manner, her attitude alone makes me reluctant to give them another shot. What really clinched my decision to never return - after being told that 'there was no way they had room for us to lunch' I asked to be put on the list for dinner and was told that it was also impossible to get us in for dinner. Really? Impossible to put us in for a table for 4 in 6-7 hours? We went to nearby Sawyer, MI and had a wonderful lunch at a local brewery with a friendly staff and then visited 3 other wineries where we were treated with the courtesy we should be able to expect as paying guests.
(1)Carl G.
We stopped by here to do a tasting, so no dinner or anything like that. Pretty good deal for a tasting, 6 wines for $6 - and probably 30 wines to choose from, if not more. Pretty gorgeous location, the tasting room looks out over a portion of the vineyard, and we were there while the sunset - just a great view. Inside view was less great, the tasting room was pretty bland, and set up to get people through pretty quickly. It was fairly busy when we got there, but by the time we left it had slowed down. The service was fine, the wine pourer spent an appropriate time with each person there, but there were just too many people to keep things going relatively quickly. It's a good thing we weren't in a hurry, because it definitely took a while to get through our tasting. Most wineries are kind of set up to be fun places, somewhere to relax, and usually the employees really love working there. Tabor Hill seems to be a little more corporate, it's not as comfortable being there, and the employees don't have the enthusiasm that I've come to expect from wineries. Everyone was super nice, just not all that enthusiastic. I enjoyed myself, but the overall experience was just average.
(3)Lauren G.
We were on a 5 day vacation to St. Joseph, Michigan last month and the lunch we had at Tabor Hill was by far the highlight of our trip! The Jalapeno Cheddar Soup is amazing. We also had the peach tart for dessert, which was delicious as well. We sat on the patio overlooking the vineyard, and it was picture perfect. Our server was delightful - I believe her name was Kacie or Kelsey? I'm so sorry I don't remember! We toured the winery first, followed by our memorable lunch. We also tasted 5 wines after, and brought home 2 bottles of wine. We are already planning a weekend trip to the area (we live in Chicago) and are anxiously awaiting our next trip to Tabor Hill.
(5)Paul D.
If someone would of said to me: "Paul, there is a stolen owl in your future", I wouldn't of believed them. That is, until I found myself running across a field, in-between dormant grape vines that hung loosely from trellises and would of looked more at home as barbed wire fences of the type you might find holding prisoners back at some camp with a funny sounding German name, then, grabbing said owl --of the plastic variety-- that laid face down upon the ground, only to then, charge back to the car like fullback running for a touchdown. All in full view, mind you, of the winery's tasting room window that happened to look down at that exact area in question, feeling the stares of the guests as they peered down, wondering just what the hell I was doing? then why the hell I was doing it. A normal person would have found themselves asking: well, how did I get here? This is not my beautiful house; this is not my beautiful wife. But this is what you get when I am aloud to drink most of the day on an empty stomach. However, this is also what you get when you keep raising your prices for tastings ($9.00 now, although, you get a refund on the tasting if and when you buy a full case of wine. For those who don't know, a full case of wine consists of 6 bottles.), then expect people to buy as many bottles as possible as well. Back when I first started coming out to Southwest Michigan, following the wine trail (well before the "Sideways" devotees found out there were other places than California in this country for wine), tastings were mostly free. And the ones that were charging were only charging a couple of bucks. You'd be hard pressed now find places charging less than $9 bucks much less doing it for free anymore. The winery itself is nice in a classic sense, perched in the center of the South part of the Michigan Wine Trail, with a spacious tasting room/bar that overlooks the vineyard, as well offering a large menu to taste that boasts many award winners. And for you non-drinkers Tabor Hill also has a variety of non-alcoholic wines as well. For your $9 you get to sample up to 5 different wines starting from white to red. I am a fan of (for whites) Tabor Hill's Kerner & Traminette and (for reds) their Pinot Noir & the Cab Franc. During your tasting do not forget taste their Sparkling Wines but more importantly do not skip the dessert wines as in the Ice Wine Vidal Blanc & the tasty Cranberry wine that is always a staple in my own wine stock. Along with the winery and tastings, Tabor Hill also boasts a fine dining experience brought to you by Chef John Paul who offers an ever changing menu, also Tabor Hill is now offering Norman Love Confection's premier line of artisan chocolates. Come for the wine, stay for lunch, take home some chocolate (or in my case steal a plastic owl). Just remember to bring your credit card. Until next time...
(3)Sallie G.
While on our annual girl trip, my 2 friends and I stopped at Tabor Hill Winery on a Monday en route to Holland, MI for a few days. The restaurant was closed but we had a great experience anyway. We spent considerable time deciding which of the wonderful Norman candies we should purchase; then spent some time on a very interesting tour with a great guide; and ended the visit with an extended period of wine tasting. Wonderful time! So upon our return from Holland on Thursday of that week, we made reservations (the tour guide had suggested that since it was harvest time) at the restaurant and we were NOT disappointed. The restaurant itself is quite charming and overlooks the beautiful vineyards. It was quite full so we were glad we had called ahead. Our server, Madge, was great! We started off with crab cakes and potato chips with Maytag blue cheese - both of which were excellent. We also opted for a bottle of wine to share. One friend ordered Raspberry Chicken which was delicious. The other friend and I ordered Pork Souvlaki which was absolutely wonderful. I ordered the polenta fries as well and must admit they were dry and disappointing. All in all both visits were great and we left both times with lots of wine!
(5)Lori W.
Went to a wine tasting on a bus trip...50 of us...had a reservation...but they were not prepared...only one person to help half of us sample while the other half did a tour of the property....very limited tasting compared to the number of wines they carry...every one had to sample the same wines....then at the end when you wanted to buy wine only 1 person to check out the whole group...which made us late for the next 2 wineries...with so many other wineries around I would not go back here.
(1)L. R.
Went here today with my dining club. On previous visits, the food and service were outstanding. Sadly, not so today. We had a round of appetizers some better than others. The potato chip appetizer was delicious. However, the polenta fries were hard and almost inedible because they were fried until there was no taste of polenta left. I will say the spicy ketchup and truffle aioli were good. I liked the squash blossoms but the sauce looked offputting, an odd color of green. My order was the roasted tomato soup with zucchini and parmesan crouton. I had asked for this to be left off of my order. I don't believe it was a crouton as in bread, I think it was the actual piece of zucchini with parmesan on it and this was put in my soup (I don't eat cheese). My soup was thick and tasted like tomato sauce. My dining partners who had salad liked their salads. Another dining partner had the pho and liked it but said it was very spicy. Another dining partner had what was described on the menu as sriracha shrimp; however it was cloyingly sweet to her and the waitress did not seem to know what sriracha was and gave her a hard time when she asked for spicy sauce. I ordered ice tea which was never refilled and I was never asked if I wanted one. Others had to ask for water refills. We were never asked if we wanted more wine and were never told there was a dessert menu. Tabor Hill is a beautiful setting. This restaurant could be so much more than what we experienced today. The dining room overlooks the vineyard and it's a very peaceful setting.
(2)Nichole C.
I only came here for the tasting so I'm going to break it down in categories for you. Not that I think you are a simpleton, I just like to make things easy. Isn't that nice of me? Tasting- $4 for 5 choices. They do not give you a free glass and the pours are barely a swallow. Wine- I'm no sommelier, but this shit was good. There is a nice range of flavors and prices on the menu and I ended up leaving with their award winning Classic Demi-Sec and the Sweet Riesling. There were a lot of awards given to their wines which I think is pretty rad for a small winery in Michigan. (It was a little pricey for some of the wine though if you're cheap. Watch out!) Service- It was ok. The place was pretty dead when we went but then as we got to the tasting room, another few couples rolled in as well as a bachelorette party (gag) and things slowed down. It was fine though as I just spent time giving the bachelorette party the side eye and looking at the restaurant through the glass doors. Ambiance- Part classy log cabin retreat (think lots of wood and fire and glass) and part homey barn (more wood, I guess?). There was also decorations up for Christmas which my friends were big fans of. Other stuff- There were some gifts for people to check out, a beautiful chocolate counter (Seriously...I wouldn't buy it because it was too pretty to mangia. Hand painted with buttercream. What?), and a restaurant which sat lots of happy looking people (was it the food or the wine?). There is also a separate counter to buy wine at as well.
(4)Van L.
i really enjoyed this place! great wines, great staff, great vibes. the place is very clean and cozy. there's a little chocolate counter and gift spot too, as well as a bar and patio near the dining area. luke helped us out with our tastings, he was so knowledgeable and a fun guy to chat with - he also gave us a tip for our drive home, to check out greenbush brewing! the wines were tasty, we bought a few bottles to bring home. very impressive menu, they've won a lot of awards, even internationally. we tried to eat here as well, but they were closed for an event :(
(4)Bridgette H.
I had the best bison flank steak it was tender and had a nice spice to it. It was like eatting heaven on earth. We had a glass of syarh and cab out of this world will Be back.
(5)L.M. H.
Nice place, food is ok, but expensive. I eat at expensive restaurants all the time in Chicago, Detroit, etc. and the prices are comparable to those restaurants, but the food quality is not. It's good, but nothing to really make the cost as high as it is. There are better choices in the area for good cuisine, but the setting of the restaurant is 4-5 star. Really cool for like a Easter brunch type family gathering, or maybe an intimate date night. I'd go just for the area and scenery. Their wines are good, but I would make the tasting area a little more fun, it's too store like. Cheers!!!
(3)Patti T.
Everytime I come home to Michigan, Tabor Hill is a must visit site for me. Love the wine and the food is outstanding. Love the overlook of the vinyards while I dine. Can't wait to come and visit again on March 31st. Love this place!!
(5)Steve A.
Tabor Hill wines share the characteristic struggle of other Michigan wineries, where you can sense the winemaker struggling to overcome difficult growing conditions for vinifera. However the real highlight at Tabor Hill is the restaurant and the ambience of the property. A leisurely lunch on the patio overlooking the vineyard can't be beat. We enjoyed the charcuterie plate, the fish tacos and the orange shrimp salad. Service was friendly, and the view can't be beat.
(4)Courtney H.
We had eaten a late-ish breakfast so we came in for a tasting and sat down for some appetizer type food. 4 of us started with the Bloody Mary bar, which was awesome. They bring you the glass with the vodka ($8) and then you get to choose from a ton of stuff. I went with the spicy mix and added celery salt, carrots, lime, zucchini, celery, etc. They had everything all laid out and the vegetables were all cut into amazing shapes like flowers. Make sure to grab a cheese stuffed pepper to add, that was delicious! You can also go up for the juice and topping as many times as you want but each serving of vodka will incur the $8 price. A bunch of us started with the Cream of Asparagus soup-wow, was it amazing! The bowl was HUGE. Way bigger than we expected. It was creamy, cheesy and had a ton of fresh asparagus in it. I loved it. I also got the side Cesar salad, which was presented very well and tasted fine but nothing special. The table ordered the cheese plate as well. I tried the brie with the caramelized onions which was good, but I wouldn't have ordered it myself. They also serve a good bread basket with 2 types of bread-the white bread was an asiago bread and very delicious! I will say the menu here is limited and can get pretty pricey, so just be aware of that. I also purchased 2 bottles of their Tabor Hill Chardonnay for $18 a piece. If you get more than 6 bottles you can get a 10% discount so our group all got 1 and it worked out nicely. The weather was crappy so we were inside but they do have a nice patio overlooking the vineyard.
(4)Kristin M.
This was my least favorite winery during our visit and unfortunately the one we decided to eat lunch at. We were seated right away and there was a beautiful view of the vineyards but the food was lackluster at best and very overpriced. I had the fish tacos and thought they were good but I could not believe my sister's food when they brought out her plate. She ordered the crab cake which was technically an appetizer but she ordered for her meal. When her meal came out it was ONE crab cake that was smaller then a cheeseburger from white castle. This was supposed to be an appetizer and last time I checked appetizers fed more then one person. Plus, don't you think the waitress could mention that her $14 lunch would not even feed a small child? With so many wineries in the area I could skip this one and try one that's a better value.
(2)Laurence K.
Quite large winery and tasting room near new buffalo mi stopped on for the tasting little pricy at $9 but we did sample some pretty decent wine the Viognier was excellent Along with the rose They have a restaurant that looked promising and will probably be back for dinner
(4)Melissa B.
No. Just no on this one. I don't get it. The wine is terrible! The service ranges from rude and arrogant to young with zero clue about the wine. This place is over priced! I guess the views are ok? Not much of a view though. I wasn't even attempting the expensive restaurant after tasting how awful the wine was. With so many awesome wineries in the area. Skip this one! It's over rated. I don't get it.
(2)Doug B.
Very good dining experience. We enjoyed some wine tasting prior to dining so we knew which wine we'd like with our dinner. Service was very attentive. The wine we ordered with dinner was more expensive than during tasting so I thought that was a little "tacky" ($12 upcharge). It's a nice place to try to say you've been there but I think it's more of a special event or tourist venue than someone I'd eat on a regular schedule.
(3)Ania A.
Delicious appetizers and seafood...plus great drinks! Amazing!
(5)Lizette Y.
Outstanding. Everyone who works here is wonderful, from the folks at the tasting bar to the chocolate counter, and waitstaff in the restaurant. The guy at the tasting bar knows his stuff. He's able to give you great information about the wines, origins of the grapes, flavor profiles, and so much more. Do yourself a favor and pick up a few gourmet chocolates to go with that tasting, you'll be glad you did. We also checked out the restaurant for a few small bites. The polenta fries with truffle aioli are amazing, as are the house-made potato chips with bleu cheese dip. This place is a great one-stop-shop for an evening of fun!
(5)Rita L.
There are a few times in life that you have dinner at a restaurant that the meal is expertly prepared, the wait staff is very professional, courteous, extremely helpful, and pleasant. The overall appearance of the facility including the restroom very clean, the ambience and the view takes you away from life's everyday woes. This is the experience my husband & I had at the Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant on 8/30/14. At first I thought I'd be disappointed because the Halibut topped with Lobster was changed to Whitefish. To my amazement I wasn't disappointed at all, entree was delicious! My husband ordered the Filet Mignon well done & he said it was so tender and moist it could be cut with a fork. It was the best cooked steak he has ever eaten(we've eaten at several 5 star restaurants some that specialize in steaks). We made a reservation for our dinner to celebrate my birthday and the desert picture is included in this review. Our waitress deserves a 5 star rating for going all out to make our dining experience ONE we won't forget. We will definitely return and also tell our friends/family(we've already told several people). I hope those reading this review enjoy Tabor Hill as much as we did!
(5)Terry A.
Three friends and I drove over from Chicago to get away from rude and arrogant city folks only to fine out they are working at Tabor Hill Winery too! We walked in for a glass of wine around 5:00 pm yesterday, and was greeted by a couple of the rudest and unfriendly ladies ever. We ended up walking out and going to the Round Barn and spending over $120 there in wine. The bar tender at RB was fabulous and welcomed us with pleasure. Tabor Hill, get your act together.
(1)Louise G.
Love this winery - the service is great, there is a wonderful selection of wines and what's more-there are the most incredible chocolates there which are so beautifully made and taste even better than they look which is hard to believe because they are gorgeous!
(5)Ben B.
We went to three wineries during our visit - Round Barn (best wine), Gravity (most fun/interesting atmosphere) and Tabor Hill. Tabor Hill seemed stuffy and old-fashioned. It's a stereotype. The tasting area is really claustrophobic. You're bellied up to the bar and racks of wine are sitting precariously just a couple feet behind you. Of the wines we tasted, none was especially good. The guy serving us looked like he was 17. He seemed generally uninformed about wine. Nice kid, but awkward. The servers at Round Barn and Gravity were far more interactive and fun. Tabor Hill did have two things going in its favor. 1) The grounds were very pretty. There's a place where you can eat, drink and look over the vines. I'm sure that's nice. (We didn't eat.) 2) Their gourmet chocolates. At $2.50 each, these are a serious investment. They're only slightly larger than a Hershey's kiss. But the cinnamon roll chocolate was one of the top five things I've ever put in my mouth. Mint was also very good. I don't think I'd ever return to Tabor Hill. Sorry, guys.
(2)Robert B.
This Very nice restaurant. And a wonderful place to dine. However; the wine does need some improvement but a most enjoyable meal can't wait to go back.
(4)Brian B.
Our group of four had finished a long day of wine tasting at many of the local wineries and ended our day with dinner at Tabor Hill. We thought the service and ambiance were very nice with a beautifully decorated dining area with nice views of the vineyard out the windows which they lit up with some lights in with some of the vines. We started with the Fromage and Charcuterie plate of cheeses, olives and fruit which was very good. Then our table had the grape leaf wrapped salmon, raspberry chicken, the filet mignon and I personally had the seared duck breast that came with a little salad and super good fried green tomatoes. It was about the best duck I had ever had in my life. Yes it's a little pricey here and you need to make a reservation. But for a once in a while fancy dinner, it's easily the nicest place in the area to go to. I'd go again if I had the chance.
(5)Rachael Z.
This is a little hard to get, but it's worth it! ADVICE: I was given this, and it was the best advice I received: eat lunch here, not dinner! The view, overlooking the vineyards, is beautiful! You can't see it in the dark, so it's just gorgeous during the day. Take a quick wine tour while you're at it. FOOD: The menu is great and everything tasted very fresh. My husband had duck, which he absolutely loved, and I had soup and salad which was equally delicious! DESSERT: Don't buy something off the menu - hop over to the entrance and buy some truffles to go! Or, grab a box and a glass of wine and sit outside, that's what we did and it was a fun way to extend the stop. WINE: This is the only downfall...compared to the other wines in the area, I don't rank Tabor Hill up there quite as high. The tasting is a bit more structured than the smaller places. But it is still good!
(4)Charlie B.
What a great visit we had there. Is the decor a bit outdated? Yes! Is the food going to blow you away? Not really. But, we stopped here for a late brunch on a Sunday after hitting a few wineries. It was supposed to be so we could take a break from booze, but we couldn't resist the bloody mary bar...which was more like a bloody mary buffet...so many goodies to throw in your sandwich. Our server encouraged us to bring our bread plate and fill up on fixin's. We did! We shared two sandwiches and both were really really good and very unique. We had a table overlooking the vineyard and it was so nice. the wines we tasted there were more like three starts (maybe two...) but it's OK.
(4)Robert N.
Came for a wine tasting and the tour. Wines were delicious! Luke, who helped us during the tasting, was very knowledgeable, and also very funny. The tour, on the other hand, was a disappointment. Not very in-depth, really only walked around the facility. The tour guide, when asked, didn't know yeast was a living organism. 5-stars for the wine, 2-stars for the tour...
(4)Rebecca R.
This place has a big tasting room where you stand in a huge rectangle. There were a lot of options off the tasting menu, so it was nice to be able to customize the wines to the type I normally drink while picking a few new ones to try. The guy helping us clearly knew a lot about all the wines, but he wasn't really that interested in looking us in the eye or spending more that 2 seconds per taste with us. He actually was walking away while telling us what foods we could pair it with. The pours were small, but that will sometimes happen. The view, however, was pretty cool and it was set in a great location. If I went back again, I would try the restaurant and try to sit overlooking the vineyard. It looks like a great romantic dining spot.
(3)George H.
My wife and I have been visiting SW Michigan for wineries for over a dozen years and we always make sure to stop at Tabor Hill. This year the white wines were truly amazing. We ended up buying three cases here (five different wines). Delicious! The tasting server Elizabeth was very nice and knowledgeable.
(5)George G.
The little lady and I wanted to get away from Four Winds for somethiing different. Having heard there were nearby wineries we decided to explore. We stopped at a very nice "general store" and he recommended we drive out to Tabor Hill. It turned out to be an awesome recommendation. We were thrilled to visit at a time when we literally had the place to ourselves. Driving through all of the fields full of vines was enjoyable - but ending up at Tabor Hill was worth the trip. Dawn greated us and set up our tasting. She recommended (wisely) that each of us should pay our tasting fee, but chooses different wines and share our glasses. That gave us the opportunity to taste 12 different wines (plus some extras she poured), and she did a fantastic job of explaining all that went into producing each wine we tasted. She was VERY knowledgable on not only Tabor Wines, but also on what goes into making an excellent wine. We got a very good sompling of the entire line of their wines. I can't imagine there is not a wine in that colection that would not appeal to everyone. We finished with a small lunch, overlooking the vineyard. Our server was fantastic and the food was great. Nothing like having a great meal with a good glass of wine! I would not cal this visit a meal - I would call it an experience. And we had a GREAT experience. We're so much looking to go back!
(5)Beth P.
This place is pretentious. We've been here several times and we always expect more out of it. The dining area is nice, but the hostess has been consistently snooty. The food is okay, but my husband and I both felt like it wasn't worth the money. We learned our lesson and this year when we went on our annual wine trip, we only ran in to buy the Grand Marc champagne and ran out. There are so many more wineries in SW MI that are worth your time (and are a lot friendlier!)
(2)Anna S.
I have only been twice there, and these were a year apart visits. With the last one just a couple of weeks ago. It seems they read the reviews- or we were just lucky. The last year we got the impression- like so many others- the staff was very stck up. It was not the case last time. The size of servings seems different. Waaay larger this year- and it is a good thing. For these prices, a guy has a right to expect to walk out of there full. A little advice: don't be afraid to order the most expensive meal on the menu. Look at he prices, they do not differ so much in between the "cheap" food and the fancy stuff. Get it? You may find a wine you like. You will find a good tasting server, for sure. even though, the last year we were helped by an elderly gentleman, which was better than this year in my opinion. No complaints though! The only (little!) thing: they did change the menu. Ant the heavenly croquet is gone! Bring it back, please!
(4)Carl G.
We stopped by here to do a tasting, so no dinner or anything like that. Pretty good deal for a tasting, 6 wines for $6 - and probably 30 wines to choose from, if not more. Pretty gorgeous location, the tasting room looks out over a portion of the vineyard, and we were there while the sunset - just a great view. Inside view was less great, the tasting room was pretty bland, and set up to get people through pretty quickly. It was fairly busy when we got there, but by the time we left it had slowed down. The service was fine, the wine pourer spent an appropriate time with each person there, but there were just too many people to keep things going relatively quickly. It's a good thing we weren't in a hurry, because it definitely took a while to get through our tasting. Most wineries are kind of set up to be fun places, somewhere to relax, and usually the employees really love working there. Tabor Hill seems to be a little more corporate, it's not as comfortable being there, and the employees don't have the enthusiasm that I've come to expect from wineries. Everyone was super nice, just not all that enthusiastic. I enjoyed myself, but the overall experience was just average.
(3)Sarah S.
ZERO STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE RUDE!!!! I cannot believe that I even brought a group of 14 people here. We were here for my sister's Bachelorette party. We made these reservations 2 months in advance. This was the first winery we went to so therefore no one was even close to being drunk yet. One of the FRAT BOY wine staff was overhead saying to a bunch of people that he "hates large group of women like ours because we are all pretty but have nothing intelligent to say." That pretty much sums up our experience here. The rest of the staff was beyond rude, not helpful and seemed like they hated working there. With 60+ wineries along the Michigan coast, why even attempt this one?
(1)Sue S.
We had not eaten here for years, went back yesterday with 5 friends. Tour was short and sweet, but very informative. They really only have one wine we like, the demi-sec. Lunch was very pleasant, in general. My roasted vegetable soup was very good, but why do they not serve it HOT?? The blue crab cake was excellent, and the accompanying chutney was also good, but not a good pair with the crab - too overwhelming a flavor. I ate them separately. Raspberry chicken was very good, the tuna nicoise was NOT ahi tuna as described on the menu, but tasted like canned. Our friend who ordered the shrimp po'boy ate the shrimp, but not the bread, which was burned. Lovely place, beautiful setting. Chocolates at $2.50 apiece absurd. I would go for lunch again.
(3)Amy B.
Tabor Hill my favorite winery on the wine trail. Tasting in general can be a little awkward if you're the only ones there and the person behind the counter tells you next to nothing about the wines. This doesn't happen at Tabor Hill. You will always be informed about the wine you're sampling and given recommendations and tips. Their most famous wine is the demi-sec white, which has become a favorite of mine. I have to get a couple bottles every time. Want to know a secret? They stock it at Binny's too! The last time I visited with some friends, we brought a picnic along. We parked it right in the middle of one of the rows of grapes and ate lunch among the vines!
(5)Dia D.
We had a very good lunch here which started with a basket of delicious breads. My husband had the salmon wrapped in grape leaves and I had the shrimp and scallops with bacon over jalapeño cheddar grits (plus 2 glasses of wines cost $61 plus tip). The food was very tasty and the service was friendly and fast. My only complaint was that my shrimp and scallops were slightly overcooked. Most entrees are in the $20-30 range but they do have some cheaper lunch items. The tasting room also has some beautiful chocolates for sale.
(4)Amanda B.
Over the ice-coated highway and through the winter wonderland, to Tabor Hill we go! Now, I'll give ya some background info. My boyfriend and I spontaneously decided to go to a jewelry store in Indiana (I know right). At said jewelry store, two complimentary glasses of wine or beer are given to you (I know, right!). So after that, the bf suggests we go to Michigan. Sure, why not? This was my second time in Michigan. At the time, there was no snow in Chicagoland but when we got into Michigan, the roads were freshly snow-capped and slick. As we were driving, I checked Yelp and decided we were going to go to a chocolate shop and then loop back to Tabor Hill. After nearly sliding into a semi, we decided to just go to Tabor Hill. What an adventure! Hard to find, but worth it. Due to new law, tastings are no longer free. My favorite was the demi-sec. After our tasting, we decided to dine at the restaurant. It was perfect! Very romantic, and the food was delicious. I had the pecan-baked chicken and washed it down with two glasses of the demi-sec...and left the winery with two bottles of wine, somehow. If you can, definitely make the journey here! We're definitely going to return.
(5)Amy K.
Four stars for great wine, great view at lunch, and a good tour of the grounds. Minus one star for bad food. I would have subtracted a star for poor service, but the waitress excused herself so that made up for it. The wine is really great and they have a wide selection from dry to sweet and simple to complex. Each of the wines have their strengths and I think that most people could find a wine there that they would like here. My boyfriend and I have varying tastes, I'm in to spicy, oaky and dry and he is more into well-rounded and sweet and we both found a couple bottles to take home. It does seem a little stuffy and old person, but that's because it is an old winery, like 50 years or something. That said if you think its stuffy and you don't like the wine, tell the person pouring and they should be able to find a wine for you here that you would like. The grounds are gorgeous and it was really nice to sit outside and each lunch with a great glass of wine in front of the vineyards. We also enjoyed a lovely tour of the winery and production facility. Take the tour if you don't know much about wines, because drinking wine is all about learning to appreciate the process of making it and enjoying the results. I learn something new at every tour I take. Now for the not-so-good parts about this place. The food was not good. I was famished and it took someone a long time to come over and even say hello to us. I was disappointed by the menu, it was all-american and nothing sounded good. The food was not good. My boyfriend ordered a salad, which the menu said was 'mixed greens' and the salad came out with ice berg lettuce. It did not appear that they were using fresh ingredients, which is disappointing considering it was the middle of summer and the place is surrounded by farms. I ordered the mushroom burger, because it sounded like a creative and tasty burger, but it was bland and the waitress didn't even ask me how I wanted it cooked. The only saving grace of that meal was the polenta fries and the great wine that was reasonably priced by the glass with a great view on a beautiful summer day. One last little tid bit. Do your wine tasting down the road at the champagne room because its free. The wine tasting here was a bit pricey to me ($9). I am used to tasting in the Traverse region were it is free or very cheap.
(4)Danielle C.
I was on a wine tour this weekend and Tabor Hill was touted as the Grand Dame of wineries in Michigan; maybe so but she needs an etiquette class in my humble opinion. We were not a drunken tour. We had no sashes, crowns, stupid shirts, etc. We could have been described as a group of people who know wines, restaurants, and service wanting to enjoy. Here is a summary of our problems- from my point of view. First off, if your guests inform you that they are not signed up for a tour and do not want one, instead of insisting that they join you, take a moment and speak with them. Ordering them to join you is not a great choice- especially when one of them is obviously not able to walk well due to physical issues (not overindulgence). This was NOT the welcome that was expected. I had consumed about a glass of wine over the course of the day (as wine is not currently on my chosen list) so my perception is not influenced by alcohol. Second, when you have a larger group for a SCHEDULED tasting, give them enough room!! Being slammed up against a hot, sunny window did not give Tabor Hill a better hue. Half of the group had to stand behind friends and there were empty long counters galore in the center of the room. Third- talk to your tasting parties. Slapping down a menu and pouring does not constitute a introduction to the group. Yes, part of us heard something. However, you must take into account how you crammed us in, the rest did not have a clue you had spoken and had no idea what we were being told to taste. It felt incredibly rude. Frankly, I did not try the wines. I was so irritated I just walked away. Crammed in, hot, being sun baked, ordered around by kids (the tour guide could NOT have been 21, the pouring guy only 21) did not seem to fit the image I was expecting. It was neither fancy nor fun. I know fancy, well done, good taste, and well mannered. In my opinion, Tabor Hill exhibited none of these traits. Disappointing.
(1)Susan G.
5 stars for food - 2 1/2 stars for service Dined here last night and even though we had a reservation we weren't seated until almost a half hour after our reservation time. Once seated it took what seemed like forever to get our drinks and then the appetizers came out one at a time over the span of about 15 minutes. The appetizers were delicious -- crab cake, squash blossom poppers, and Pho soup. Our entrees included salmon wrapped in grape leaves, halibut topped with lobster, parmesan and mushroom risotto, and pork loin. All were fabulous and almost made up for the really uneven and inattentive service. I'm hoping they were just having an off night because we really enjoy coming here for special occasions. Cost per person, including tax and tip was about $65.
(4)Janice M.
My two sisters and I visited this winery for lunch on a weekday at the end of July. I had the pork souvlaki which was absolutely delicious. My sisters had the mushroom burger and the raspberry chicken which they enjoyed also. The service was excellent. Our server for the wine tasting was helpful and knowledgeable. He also poured enough that we were able to share our tastings. Their white demi-sec is clearly the star. We also enjoyed the wine tour although it felt just a little rushed. We definitely enjoyed ourselves, especially the food. I would recommend this winery to friends.
(4)B M.
Highlights: The scenery was beautiful. I enjoyed the homemade chip appetizer and it was nice that a winery had a nice non-alcoholic option for designated drivers. Lows: I ordered the Sriracha shrimp. It was so sweet and gooey. It reminded me of something you would order in a food court at the mall. When I asked for more Sriracha, I was brought more of the bright orange muck that actually made this dish inedible. I was also surprised that we were never asked if we wanted more to drink or even given more water. We weren't even shown a dessert tray. I've heard a lot of good things and was pretty disappointed in my experience. I am grateful for the great people I was with because their company was the only thing that made my lunch palatable.
(2)D G.
I think they have 2 choices to make their establishment less pretentious ergo ridiculous: 1) Make it much much more prominent on their website that reservations are required 2) Hire a pleasant host staff and be nice to people they turn away We arrived around 2 for lunch over the weekend, the hostess was unbelievably snooty. I also work with the public and clients and unexpected walk-ins and I understand that there are busy moments/days, but I would never treat anyone in that condescending manner, her attitude alone makes me reluctant to give them another shot. What really clinched my decision to never return - after being told that 'there was no way they had room for us to lunch' I asked to be put on the list for dinner and was told that it was also impossible to get us in for dinner. Really? Impossible to put us in for a table for 4 in 6-7 hours? We went to nearby Sawyer, MI and had a wonderful lunch at a local brewery with a friendly staff and then visited 3 other wineries where we were treated with the courtesy we should be able to expect as paying guests.
(1)Lauren G.
We were on a 5 day vacation to St. Joseph, Michigan last month and the lunch we had at Tabor Hill was by far the highlight of our trip! The Jalapeno Cheddar Soup is amazing. We also had the peach tart for dessert, which was delicious as well. We sat on the patio overlooking the vineyard, and it was picture perfect. Our server was delightful - I believe her name was Kacie or Kelsey? I'm so sorry I don't remember! We toured the winery first, followed by our memorable lunch. We also tasted 5 wines after, and brought home 2 bottles of wine. We are already planning a weekend trip to the area (we live in Chicago) and are anxiously awaiting our next trip to Tabor Hill.
(5)Paul D.
If someone would of said to me: "Paul, there is a stolen owl in your future", I wouldn't of believed them. That is, until I found myself running across a field, in-between dormant grape vines that hung loosely from trellises and would of looked more at home as barbed wire fences of the type you might find holding prisoners back at some camp with a funny sounding German name, then, grabbing said owl --of the plastic variety-- that laid face down upon the ground, only to then, charge back to the car like fullback running for a touchdown. All in full view, mind you, of the winery's tasting room window that happened to look down at that exact area in question, feeling the stares of the guests as they peered down, wondering just what the hell I was doing? then why the hell I was doing it. A normal person would have found themselves asking: well, how did I get here? This is not my beautiful house; this is not my beautiful wife. But this is what you get when I am aloud to drink most of the day on an empty stomach. However, this is also what you get when you keep raising your prices for tastings ($9.00 now, although, you get a refund on the tasting if and when you buy a full case of wine. For those who don't know, a full case of wine consists of 6 bottles.), then expect people to buy as many bottles as possible as well. Back when I first started coming out to Southwest Michigan, following the wine trail (well before the "Sideways" devotees found out there were other places than California in this country for wine), tastings were mostly free. And the ones that were charging were only charging a couple of bucks. You'd be hard pressed now find places charging less than $9 bucks much less doing it for free anymore. The winery itself is nice in a classic sense, perched in the center of the South part of the Michigan Wine Trail, with a spacious tasting room/bar that overlooks the vineyard, as well offering a large menu to taste that boasts many award winners. And for you non-drinkers Tabor Hill also has a variety of non-alcoholic wines as well. For your $9 you get to sample up to 5 different wines starting from white to red. I am a fan of (for whites) Tabor Hill's Kerner & Traminette and (for reds) their Pinot Noir & the Cab Franc. During your tasting do not forget taste their Sparkling Wines but more importantly do not skip the dessert wines as in the Ice Wine Vidal Blanc & the tasty Cranberry wine that is always a staple in my own wine stock. Along with the winery and tastings, Tabor Hill also boasts a fine dining experience brought to you by Chef John Paul who offers an ever changing menu, also Tabor Hill is now offering Norman Love Confection's premier line of artisan chocolates. Come for the wine, stay for lunch, take home some chocolate (or in my case steal a plastic owl). Just remember to bring your credit card. Until next time...
(3)Sallie G.
While on our annual girl trip, my 2 friends and I stopped at Tabor Hill Winery on a Monday en route to Holland, MI for a few days. The restaurant was closed but we had a great experience anyway. We spent considerable time deciding which of the wonderful Norman candies we should purchase; then spent some time on a very interesting tour with a great guide; and ended the visit with an extended period of wine tasting. Wonderful time! So upon our return from Holland on Thursday of that week, we made reservations (the tour guide had suggested that since it was harvest time) at the restaurant and we were NOT disappointed. The restaurant itself is quite charming and overlooks the beautiful vineyards. It was quite full so we were glad we had called ahead. Our server, Madge, was great! We started off with crab cakes and potato chips with Maytag blue cheese - both of which were excellent. We also opted for a bottle of wine to share. One friend ordered Raspberry Chicken which was delicious. The other friend and I ordered Pork Souvlaki which was absolutely wonderful. I ordered the polenta fries as well and must admit they were dry and disappointing. All in all both visits were great and we left both times with lots of wine!
(5)Lori W.
Went to a wine tasting on a bus trip...50 of us...had a reservation...but they were not prepared...only one person to help half of us sample while the other half did a tour of the property....very limited tasting compared to the number of wines they carry...every one had to sample the same wines....then at the end when you wanted to buy wine only 1 person to check out the whole group...which made us late for the next 2 wineries...with so many other wineries around I would not go back here.
(1)L. R.
Went here today with my dining club. On previous visits, the food and service were outstanding. Sadly, not so today. We had a round of appetizers some better than others. The potato chip appetizer was delicious. However, the polenta fries were hard and almost inedible because they were fried until there was no taste of polenta left. I will say the spicy ketchup and truffle aioli were good. I liked the squash blossoms but the sauce looked offputting, an odd color of green. My order was the roasted tomato soup with zucchini and parmesan crouton. I had asked for this to be left off of my order. I don't believe it was a crouton as in bread, I think it was the actual piece of zucchini with parmesan on it and this was put in my soup (I don't eat cheese). My soup was thick and tasted like tomato sauce. My dining partners who had salad liked their salads. Another dining partner had the pho and liked it but said it was very spicy. Another dining partner had what was described on the menu as sriracha shrimp; however it was cloyingly sweet to her and the waitress did not seem to know what sriracha was and gave her a hard time when she asked for spicy sauce. I ordered ice tea which was never refilled and I was never asked if I wanted one. Others had to ask for water refills. We were never asked if we wanted more wine and were never told there was a dessert menu. Tabor Hill is a beautiful setting. This restaurant could be so much more than what we experienced today. The dining room overlooks the vineyard and it's a very peaceful setting.
(2)Nichole C.
I only came here for the tasting so I'm going to break it down in categories for you. Not that I think you are a simpleton, I just like to make things easy. Isn't that nice of me? Tasting- $4 for 5 choices. They do not give you a free glass and the pours are barely a swallow. Wine- I'm no sommelier, but this shit was good. There is a nice range of flavors and prices on the menu and I ended up leaving with their award winning Classic Demi-Sec and the Sweet Riesling. There were a lot of awards given to their wines which I think is pretty rad for a small winery in Michigan. (It was a little pricey for some of the wine though if you're cheap. Watch out!) Service- It was ok. The place was pretty dead when we went but then as we got to the tasting room, another few couples rolled in as well as a bachelorette party (gag) and things slowed down. It was fine though as I just spent time giving the bachelorette party the side eye and looking at the restaurant through the glass doors. Ambiance- Part classy log cabin retreat (think lots of wood and fire and glass) and part homey barn (more wood, I guess?). There was also decorations up for Christmas which my friends were big fans of. Other stuff- There were some gifts for people to check out, a beautiful chocolate counter (Seriously...I wouldn't buy it because it was too pretty to mangia. Hand painted with buttercream. What?), and a restaurant which sat lots of happy looking people (was it the food or the wine?). There is also a separate counter to buy wine at as well.
(4)Mike U.
Beautiful and tasty winery. Food is very good but be prepared to pay a lot for it. The view is gorgeous and the tasting room is very spacious and welcoming. Our server was very friendly. Good wine to top.
(5)Sandra M.
Love coming here and bringing friends here when they visit us in MI. The staff is very nice and knowledgeable. You can have about 6 free tastings from the different categories. Some of the wines are very tasty and ok on the price...what can be expected from a local winery. The restaurant is nice for a romantic dinner. The views of the winery are very pretty. I suggest getting there about an hour early for the tastings, then on to your romantic dinner.
(5)Jacques M.
I've been to Tabor Hill a few times now and have always had a pleasant experience . In my Opinion they have the best wine in the area (Love the Syrah). I've heard people (and read some reviews), saying it's a little pretentious. I don't think that's the case. Just keep in mind they have an upscale restaurant here, so they are trying to create an atmosphere that supports it, so they might be a little less tolerant of obnoxious drunks then some of the other places. It wouldn't be my first choice if I was going on a winery tour with my wild and crazy friends, but if I was going out on date or perhaps celebrating a special occasion Tabor is the spot.
(4)Melissa M.
I went today as part of a group tour from Chicago. This was a very nice place. The drive was beautiful and the vineyards are huge. We had an early dinner at the restaurant which was pretty good and got the chance to taste several varieties of their wines. It was a beautiful place to relax. I will definitely go back on my own and visit at a more leisurely pace.
(4)Gerry A.
Very well done upscale, vineyard AND restaurant. Got to Tabor Hill at 2:30pm on a Sunday and after standing in line just to buy a tasting we decided we weren't going to do the lines and crowds at the tasting, so we made a dinner reservation (we had wanted lunch) an hour and 15 minutes later at 4. We DID have a white and red flight sample at dinner. The wines were above average for the area, but pricey compared to West Coast or anything from Europe or Chile. So you have to slow down a little here if you want to relax and have a decent tasting and real glass of wine, and put up with a little attitude and put up some cash. But the dinner, view, and table flight tasting was very good. Service isn't fast but WAS helpful when ordering. A little hard to figure WHAT? the hour and a half wait was for when there were 30% empty tables. I'm interpreting it as they don't really work very hard, good for them if that works. Many creative appetizer, including oysters of the day, best meaty frog legs I have had in a long time Thai yet, calamari fried and broiled. We decided to just keep ordering appetizers if we stayed hungry and added what was essentially a large spinach salad with a caprice mozarella, tomato and artichoke slices on top of it, balsalmic and pine nuts of course. Tasty. Appetizers and large salads were in the $10-15 range, entrees, which looked very good were in the $20 to $35 range. White flights of 3 chosen wines were $10, and red was $12. Nice view of GRAPES in the vineyard, soft lighting and a fireplace we were right in front of which WAS cozy. Get there EARLY if you want lunch, or you may wind up with having a much better dinner than you had planned. Calling ahead and making a reservation a good idea, so you wind up on their reservation list instead of the mysterious waitlist (if you call later after going somewhere else to taste to confirm and check your reservation, NO one will be able to find it, EVEN if you have Cathy's name that took it, because it is at the front desk - the Basic Bottle neck everyone runs into when entering AND bathroom location- The Devil IS real, he designs entrances like that;)
(3)Vanessa P.
Oh Tabor Hill. I'm a bit disappointed. I have such fond memories of the first time I went to Tabor Hill with my boyfriend (now fiancé). But this tasting just stunk. Tabor Hill has the reputation of being the "classiest" and historical of all the wineries in Southwest MI, but what a letdown on Saturday. This was the third stop on our wine tour. We got out of our coach bus and waited until our driver parked so he could tell us where to go. A girl approached us and went right into her speech about the winery and tried to take us on a tour of the facility. When we told her that we were just here for the tasting, I don't think she seemed to hear it because she kept plowing through her spiel. By the time Bill (our driver person) came to meet us, we were all ready to jump ship. He explained that we were just tasting. Here is where it was supposed to get better. We were shepherded into an area in the back room along a long counter. We were given a sheet of paper with 6 wines that were pre-picked for us (aka probably everyone in the back room) and then within 10 minutes were given all of them. No time to pick out our own wines like we did at every other place, no time to sip, nothing. It was like we were to get in, taste, get out. How is that a proper tasting? If I do come back, I hope it will be much more like my first visit rather than the second.
(2)Krista M.
Checking out the wineries with a small group in the area, we setup a reservation for dinner at Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant. The menu is unbelievable (really check out the menu). I've been to lots of restaurants in Manhattan and this menu caused such indecision, because everything sounded so delicious. It took us awhile to order, because it was so hard to decide. There were 10 of us dining, but 3 of us ordered together. Presentation: The food presentation is just beautiful, I am so mad that I didn't get pictures of the appetizers! Appetizers: We shared the Calamari Two Ways | Grilled & Fried Wasabi Aioli Cilantro Sabayon and the Polenta Fries | White Truffle Aioli Roasted Red Pepper Catsup. They came out and just looked amazing. The calamari...I was speechless, this was just so unbelievably tender and flavorful and paired with the dipping sauces O-M-G! Moving on to the polenta fries...they couldn't be as good...could they? Oh yes they were! Just awesome! Soup/Salad: One of us got the Creamy Asparagus Soup, which was wonderful, loaded with slices of crisp asparagus. Two of us shared the BLT Salad | Arugula Fried Green Tomatoes Pancetta Quail Egg. Wow, what a surprise...seriously, how can a salad be this good. It was so delicious it was hard to share. Entrees: Stuffed Duck Breast | Cashews Ramps Wrapped in Serrano Ham Sautéed Morels Carrot Puree Asparagus; tender duck wrapped in crispy ham just awesome. Lemongrass Marinated Lamb Rack | Baby Bok Choy Glass Noodles Soy Peanut Sauce; it looked like a whole rack of lamb! Lamb was cooked perfectly with a wonderful flavor. Hickory Grilled Mojo Marinated Pork Shank | Roasted Red Pepper White Cheddar Grits Asparagus; wonderful smokey flavor with the best grits I have ever tasted! Every plate was delicious. Dessert: We were stuffed, so we just opted for coffee and some chocolates. The winery sold Norman Love Confections and you were able to order them for dessert. I've actually had these before. If you haven't check them out, they are the prettiest confections and absolutely delicious. We had flavors like, pistachio cherry, pb&j and praline. Service: Our waitress was very friendly, attentive and helpful. The overall service, could use a little help. For example, not everyone's food came at the same time and plates were removed as people were finished. However everything else made up for that. Wines: Overall we weren't impressed with the wines while we were in the tasting room, however the wine pairings recommended on the menu worked so incredibly well, that it put the wines in a new light. The rest of our table had the same experience we did. The chef definitely knows what he is doing. If you are anywhere near Buchanan, MI you MUST give Tabor Hill Winery Restaurant a try and you will not regret it!
(5)Josh S.
I HATE wine but the Cranberry wine was amazing! The atmosphere and the food was amazing as well!!
(5)Mike D.
I've dined at Tabor Hill at least a half dozen times over the past few years. It was great the first few times, but has fallen out of my list of favorites. The staff is wonderful, and the servers are prompt and attentive. The menu is full of creative dishes, but they are not executed well. Wine quality is what you would expect for the region...nothing earth shattering. Cab Franc is actually decent. Definitely a place to go if it's your first time in the area, but I think 3 visits is the max.
(3)Amanda F.
I had an excellent experience the first time I was at Tabor Hill for lunch with my best friend, as I stated in my first review. I finally made it back with my boyfriend for an even more amazing date night experience. We started with the tasting because we arrived an hour early for our reservation. They have the new tasting room addition finished and it is beautiful back there! The wines were tasty and the boys working last night (11-5-11) were professional, knowledgeable, and very nice to my boyfriend and I. We finished our tasting and had a glass of their wine at the bar then off to our reservation. We were sat 20 mins early or so which was nice! Let me just start with the service. We had Ellen, and she definitely made our evening the perfect evening it was. She explained the menu well, was VERY personable, and let us set the pace of our dinner. In a lot of places I feel rushed, not here! Ellen made sure we had a great experience. The food was amazing! We ordered and shared the special which was a rack of lamb and the braised beef rib. The lamb was perfectly prepared and the rib just fell off of the bone (which Ellen was gracious to wrap for us to take home to our pooches). We ordered a bottle of Red Arrow Red which complimented our food nicely and is now one of my favorite wines. We will be back soon and will be sure to ask for Ellen for another fantastic experience!
(5)Ryan S.
Food is exceptional and the staff are friendly and professional. Kasey was our server and was great
(5)Agnes L.
Ambiance, service and high standard of food/drink are the holy trinity in my eyes of a quality establishment. Setting the mood - Sitting in this restaurant feels like an immersion into the French or Italian countryside. The floor to ceiling windows surround patrons with a breathtaking view of the vineyards. On a chilly autumn night just at dusk during dinner, the perfect table is one near the warm fireplace overlooking the scenery. A tasting room and shop adjoin a more private dining area, the bar and the larger dining room. If the weather was warmer, the outdoor deck would be even better to watch the sunset. The white tablecloths, fresh flowers and modern yet eclectic light fixtures portray a bit of formality. Although, the kitschy fall holiday decor kind of ruins the chic mood. Service with a smile- Our server was very prompt and amiable throughout the night. When she noticed that there was a lag between our apps and the entree, she snagged us two bowls of soup - complimentary because of the wait. And when we asked for our bill and for our food to be boxed, she gave a us a little extra soup in our takeout containers. Wined and dined- My husband and I have grown an affinity more toward reds since we've reached our late 20s. Gone are the days I savored sweet whites like Muscato and Rieslings. We prefer mild (not TOO dry) reds like the Cab, Syrah and Pinot Noir so we shared the three-wine flight of these. Of the three, I enjoyed the Pinot Noir, with its bright bouquet and rich flavor, the most especially paired with our food. The menu has wine pairings to go with everything from the soups and salads to the apps and entrees. Plus, all items rotate on daily/weekly/seasonal basis to offer what is most fresh. The cuisine is a fusion of French/Italian, Asian and American. Here are the highlights of our feast: *An array of warm, soft multi-grain bread and butter *Two apps: The escargot with salad and the foie gras dumplings. We LOVED the rich foie gras with the sliced tart fall fruits of apples and pears and crunchy walnuts. The snails weren't bad but did taste a bit tough, and we actually thought the star of that dish was more so the salad of roasted tomato and eggplant. *Two soups: The clam chowder was silky and creamy with complexity in flavor from the bay leaves and other fresh herbs. On the other hand, the ham and bean soup was lackluster. This was probably my least fav dish we had all night mostly because it was too salty and had a very muted brownish tone, an off-putting color. *Shared one entree: Although it took longer than expected, the lamb was done just right - medium rare - so the meat was juicy and tender. The melange of mushrooms, onions and red cabbage in the wine sauce smothered on top of the lamb and feta mashed potatoes made the entire dish incredibly hearty, so we ended up with plenty of leftovers. But the potatoes were another throwaway dish for us only because they seemed under seasoned and not very creamy. The takeaway- Can't beat this place as a stopover between the Detroit-Chicago commute along I-94. My husband and I are always looking for gems on the side of the road, and this one certainly caught our attention. We would definitely come back and bring friends next time if on another road trip.
(4)Christina G.
Of all the wineries I visited while following the lake shore winery trail, Tabor Hill was my least favorite. First of all, I thought the wine prices were quite a bit more expensive than the wine at other nearby wineries. I did appreciate the free tasting though, and my favorites were the muscat and the cherry wine. We were told that their cherry wine was named the best in the state at a recent wine competition, and given that cherry wine is one of the wines Michigan is most known for, we decided to buy a bottle (more reasonably priced at $11) to take home. The tasting room itself was pretty big. We must have gotten there during a rush period though because the wine bar was full. I didn't mind, and we only had to wait about five minutes for a spot to open up. Perhaps this winery was my least favorite because of our pourer. Other pourers joked with us, made recommendations, asked us questions, but this guy was all business. He handed us the wine list and told us to pick six. He then poured us our selected wines from most dry to least dry. He did seem very knowledgeable about all of the wines, how they were made, and what tones we would taste in the wine, but he just wasn't very personable. When wine tasting, your pourer often is the only person at the winery you have direct contact with, so that's most often the person you based your winery experience upon. We did speak with another employee, who was a sort of receptionist, and she was nice enough to take a photo of us, which we appreciated. We did not go to the restaurant or on the winery tour, so I cannot comment on those. Overall, I would have skipped this winery.
(3)Brandy W.
We had a free tour of the winery and a free 6 tastings! It was a nice time and we thought about having lunch there. The menu looked incredible and pretty fancy. The lady recommended reservations for lunch, but we decided to head to another winery (round barn down the road) for more, alcohol. Hah. We bought a bottle of Grand Mark and headed off... We'd come back for sure and maybe for a fancy lunch, too.
(4)Eric S.
Tabor Hill Winery has a great setting for a restaurant. The meals are creative and very flavorful. I had the trout, which came with swiss chard (not bad) and potato soufle (very good, great presentation). I give the winery 5 stars for presentation, 4 stars for food and creativity. The prices are 5 star prices. They have a wine tasting room, but it can be packed on a weekend, and you'll only get a small sip of the wine. There are other wineries in the area that have better settings for dinner and more fun wine tasting. Tabor Hill Winery is great for a special occation, but is pricey for a regular lunch.
(3)Erick N.
My wife and I enjoy weekend get-a-ways from Chicago to Southwestern Michigan and when we come up to these parts Tabor Hill is the crown jewel of restaurants. Tabor Hill is the nicest winery around and the restaurant features large windows with beautiful views of the vineyard. The restaurant has an upscale vibe, but is fairly laid back and smart casual attire is perfectly acceptable; be sure to request a table by the windows as the scenic view enhances the ambiance. Reservations are definitely wise; tonight is was packed despite being inclement weather. The menu features American cuisine with some Asian influences. Our party of four shared a cheese plate to kick things off and it was attractively displayed with seven or eight different cheeses, several fruit slices, a couple of olives and a basket of crackers. The cheeses were quite good with the goat cheese being the best. One of our party ordered the BLT salad with fried green tomatoes, topped with a nice quail egg which looked outstanding. I ordered the rack of lamb main course that was infused with lemongrass and accompanied by bok choy and a mound of Asian noodles in a peanut sauce sitting atop a fried wonton. The dish had a very pleasant appearance and the lamb was oh so tender and cooked perfectly. The lemongrass flavoring of the lamb and the spiciness of the noodles played well off of one another and this dish not only tasting amazing but was fun as well. My wife loved her duo of filet mignon sitting atop a giant onion ring filled with a parsnip and potato puree (like mashed potatoes) as much as I loved my lamb. The others in our party raved about their dishes as well (the grilled Ruby Red trout and a pecan crusted raspberry chicken dish). For an upscale restaurant portions were surprisingly generous; even though the desserts looked good, we were plenty stuffed from sharing the cheese platter and each having an entree. The only miss on the night was the order of polenta fries we had for the table; the fries were overly thick and the white truffle aioli tasted far too much like mayonnaise and I did not pick up on the truffle at all. Tabor Hill, being a winery, features several of their own wines and many are quite good. For $4 per/person you can do a tasting before dinner in the adjacent tasting room and wines by the glass are extremely reasonable (starting as low as $4 with several for under $6). They offer people 10% off purchases of bottles of wine in the adjacent store if you want to take some bottles home after dinner. Our server Amanda was very down to earth and personable. She was attentive to special requests that we made. Overall the service team is rather young on average for a restaurant of this caliber and at times small mistakes were made (i.e. one of us ran out of water and for about ten minutes had to drink out of another person in our party's glass). But overall the pros greatly outweighed the cons and we have had consistently great dinners here (this was our third trip); compared to similar quality venues in Chicago Tabor Hill is a great value, especially factoring in the portion sizes (most appetizers are about $13 and entrees range from $15 to $35). I would say that Tabor Hill matches up favorably to some Four Diamond venues I have frequented and definitely plan to come here each time I am in town and definitely recommend dining here.
(5)Melissa S.
We came for a wine tasting and dinner and everything was great! The man doing the tasting was friendly, informative, but not over-bearing. Which is what you want when tasting wine. The wines themselves were generally good, we ended up buying a few. On to dinner! It was really good, and this is coming from two people with very high standards for service and food. Our server was really friendly and helpful. It wasn't the kind of high-brown service one gets in the city, but heck, we weren't in the city, so I'm not complaining. She gave me soy milk for my coffee out of her "personal stash," which was really nice. No complaints about the food, it was all tasty and looked great. Crab cake appetizer was really good. My whitefish entree was nice, except I didn't care for the way the spinach on the side was cooked. My friend's filet was ordered rare and arrived very nicely cooked (and trust me, he would not have hesitated to send it back if not). It tasted great! We had some wine with dinner and I was very pleased with the heavier-than-usual pour. I told the server I wouldn't get dessert because I'm staying away from gluten and dairy, and without hesitation she said no problem, they have a flour-less chocolate cake. Nice! It didn't exactly hit the spot (maybe it could have been served warm or something?), but it was still nice to have the option. The cost was definitely up there, but coming from Chicago, we were far from shocked when the bill came. This is what good food and good service costs! Oh, and the view! The sun was setting over the vineyard as we ate, it was really beautiful. I'll won't miss this place next time I'm in Michigan!
(5)Lucy N.
After touring 4 wineries in the area this was my least favorite. Nothing special about it other than they say the White House orders wine from them frequently.- no surprise there because Obama is from Chicago and this is only 1.5hrs outside the city.
(2)Patti J.
The wines were adequate. What made the experience negative for me was 1) no sharing of the tasting. A single pour is a single pour - we don't get more out of you. Perhaps you sell too little wine to support that practice? and 2) rude servers at the tasting bar. You are the paid help - do NOT reprimand guests when they ask questions that consider uneducated. That is why we taste - to learn. Will not go back.
(2)Jukes N.
Yes, Michigan has wineries! The food was good but a little overpriced. The polenta fries were my favorite. We did not get any wine. We had no problem with the service. Great scenery with large windows.
(3)Brian G.
What a great find! In the middle of nowhere. We were driving from Ann Arbor to Chicago and didn't relish the idea of turnpike gruel, when we saw a sign for Tabor Hill. Took the exit and started driving - took longer than I had expected, maybe 20 minutes or so from the turnpike - but boy was it worth. Great food, well prepared, nice setting - watching the sun go down over the vineyards. They have a very tempting selection of chocolates too! 5 stars, great service.
(5)John C.
The good and the bad. I just visited Tabor Hill this past Friday. Sadly a memory that was positive and since turned sour. The good: We arrived early so that we could have a tasting. The wine was decent and we had a decent host that made the experience fun. We walked around a bit and enjoyed the grounds before being seated for dinner. Dinner was phenomenal. We really enjoyed our night. We left with smiles on our face. The bad: the next day we decided to go to a local liquor store to pick up some more "supplies". As we are in there, I see they have Tabor Hill wine. What do I find, the prices in the store are about a third of what we paid at the Winery. If that is not bad enough, we ended up in 2 more stores that sold Tabor HIll wines and they were selling for even less than the first store. Also, the other stores had the wine on sale. So the regular price was about a third of what we paid and then discounted more because of the sale. So it appears to be that at the winery, they mark up the price of the wine the way a restaurant does. Ridiculous. I'm at your winery. It shouldn't cost me more there than at any local store. I'm terribly disappointed. So my advice, if you go, sample the wine but buy it elsewhere.
(2)Ed R.
We went on a weekday, and there was plenty of room for more diners. The restaurant is located in a beautiful vineyard away from town. The service was excellent. Even though our waitress was very young, she seemed to be very knowledgeable about the wine business. Everyone at the restaurant was very nice to our whole group. The interior of the establishment is very well done. For the food, the tomato soup entree was excellent, but all of our entrees, chicken, salmon, and pastas where of mediocre quality, especially considering the prices. However, the desserts looked and tasted amazing. We had a Cabernet and a pinot noir. The cab was satisfactory, but the pinot tasted like imitation brand Kool-Aid. We are from the California wine country, so take our review in context.
(3)Meredith O.
Very disappointed with Tabor Hill. A large group of girlfriends and I headed up to Michigan to check out the local wineries. We called ahead of time and were told we could be accommodated yet when we arrived that was not the case. They were quite crowded and we would have been willing to wait if it wasn't for the rudeness of Ana who worked there. Definitely not planning on going here ever.
(1)William G.
The wife and I took some friends from Michigan to Michigan's Wine Country for a tour of the local vineyards. The first on our list was easily the most recognizable, Tabor Hill. The winery is located amongst a back drop of grape orchards and grey skies (which only added to the atmosphere). The tasting room at Tabor Hill is to your right as soon as you the enter. We were greeted by friendly staff who seemed pretty knowledgable about their wines. The wines that stood out for me was the semi dry Traminette and the dry, 2010 LMS Gewürztraminer . I really wanted to try the ice wine but it wasn't available. I found Tabor Hill's wine a little on the sweet side which I enjoy more than the drys. The samples of wine were free and so were the tours every half hour. All in all a cheap and fun way to spend an afternoon.
(4)Sarah B.
Just okay. Got diverted here due to road construction detour signs returning to South Bend from Warren Dunes. My husband and I happen to love happy coincidences and wine tastings, so we thought "what the hell, let's stop by." The good: beautiful building, grounds, setting, view and atmosphere. The bad: TOO MUCH ATTITUDE. Pretty laughable service. Everyone we dealt with here clearly had overly healthy opinions of themselves and very low opinions of their visitors. Kudos to them that they can get away with this behavior in Buchanan, but I can guarantee they'd get eaten alive trying to survive in Hipster-Hell Austin. The mediocre: The wine. The samples we chose were nice, but certainly not outstanding. Glad they were free. But free does come with a price, after all. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit to Tabor Hill just for the scenery, especially at this time of year with the colors changing. But I can't give them credit for that, now, can I?
(3)Dan N.
Went here with a rather large group for some wine tasting and lunch. I'm not a big wine drinker, but, I gotta admit, I really enjoyed the wine they served up at Tabor Hill. Almost every wine we had in the tasting was pretty sweet, which was definitely a big plus for me. The only lame thing was that they made us watch a stupid video about the history of Tabor Hill before we started our tasting. Overall, the wine was good and the person leading our tasting was pretty knowledgable if you had any questions. We also grabbed lunch at their restaurant here. Really cool places, a ton of windows and even a fairly large outdoor patio, all overlooking the vineyard. The food was pretty pricey, and they didn't have much of a lunch selection, but the crab cake I ordered was amazing. One of the best crab cakes I've had, a ton of crab meat and topped with capers and some sauce that was incredible. If the crab cakes are any indication of the food at Tabor Hill, I'd say it's all pretty darn good. Coming from Chicago with a group of friends to go wine tasting for the day, I'd say Tabor Hill was a solid place to get the day rolling.
(4)Amanda E.
The only thing that I can complain about is that they only allow you to do 5-6 tastings. The tastings are free but, I bought 5 bottles, ate dinner, bought $30 in chocolate and did the tour! You should be able to try as many as you like. Also they keep pouring into the same cup and nothing to cleanse the palate. Jonathon was our guy for the tastings and he seemed kind of cold, and stuck up. Just because we are a young couple doesn't mean we aren't going to spend money. This place was beautiful! We went on a beautiful October day, and it is very pretty with a nice view. The food in the restaurant is DELISH! The ham and potato soup, and the shrimp and scallops are AMAZING!
(4)Heather L.
This wine tasting experience rates as my favorite by virtue of it being six tastes for free. The others all charged except for Domaine Berrien which was 5 tastes. So woo hoo! The sommelier had us choose our six right off the bat and then we drank them in order of dry to sweet. I don't usually drink white wine but I really liked the Lake Michigan Shore Tramiette for $18.95. My husband liked the Lake Michigan Shore Syrah "09 for $38.95. "High maintenance with low yield" That's what she said. I also liked the Cream Sherry at $17.50 and bought some for my mom. The only other time I have tried and liked cream sherry was a type out of Door County. That had a berry flavor this was more nutty. Very nice dessert wine. The chocolates of course caught my eye right away. A gorgeous, gorgeous display of truffles that they import from some far flung state. Which, when I discovered their origin, lost a little appeal to me because I would have preferred to hear that they came from a local chocolate shop. But they were beautiful. The restaurant also looked very nice and I will definitely be back to try it. It's a beautiful building inside and out. But the room was a little too crowded with lots of bottles everywhere to accidentaly knock your purse into. And we were rushed a bit but it was still a very nice experience. Also, the labels were a little chintzy. When doing an afternoon of wine tasting in Harbor County I recomend starting at Lemon Creek, cross the street to Domaine Berrien, then around the corner to Free Run, down the road to Tabor Hill and back toward the lake at Round Barn. But make sure you eat something along the way. And this may be the place to do just that. If you still have the stamina afterward, just before getting back on 94, try Hickory Creek which I always tucker out before I get to, but some day I will make it there. I'll have to start there first next time and do it backwards.
(4)Erika S.
As a fan of the movie Sideways, pulling into this place felt like pulling into Fess Canyon. Tons of cars in the parking lot. An hour wait for lunch after 1pm. Decked out tasting area and shop. We weren't sure what we were getting into, but we were hungry, so we decided to continue. The Restaurant -- Although the wait was quoted at one hour, the host nicely suggested we take the last two stools at the bar, giving us a faster track to filling our empty stomachs. The menu really surprised me, and in a pleasant way. There was not a burger or club sandwich in sight. I had an eggplant panini, my husband had pecan-crusted raspberry chicken, and we both devoured every morsel. Patrons next to us sampled some of the appetizers and were praising those as well. The restaurant itself seemed new and well-kept. All the staff seemed friendly. A peek out the windows behind us revealed another reason why this place is seemingly so popular. The tables look directly out over the vineyard. It is VERY pretty. This entire area is quite pretty, and the restaurant with it's views seemed rather special. I would come back for the food and the views, except I would know to make a reservation next time. The Wine -- My palette is accustomed to California dry wines, so I was skeptical about wines grown in the Midwest, fearing they would all be too sweet, but definitely game to try them. I had a glass of the highest end chardonnay with lunch. It was fine. My husband had a red, and he did not like it. Since we were interested in checking out some other wineries in the area (which I have also reviewed) we decided not to try any other wines here. We seemed to be in the minority in this regard. The tasting room was packed. The Region -- I had no idea visiting wineries was such a popular activity in southwestern Michigan!! Be prepared to fight crowds if you go on a fall weekend. But the area is very pretty and worth exploring.
(3)Greg L.
This place changed my entire attitude towards Michigan wines, and it did it in roughly two minutes time. My previous memory of Michigan wines was not good from many years ago. Since then I have avoided them like the plaque. Boy what a mistake and loss for me. If you are doing the wine trail, make this a near lunch or end of day stop and have lunch or dinner. I think it is the only place on the trail with a full service restaurant and the food is absolutely terrific. You will not be disappointed. Or, check out the sausage and cheeses, and chocolates, and make a picnic nearby. The vineyards are a beautiful view and there is indoor and outdoor seating that makes for a wonderful afternoon or evening. We had a great experience with the wine tasting, although it can be very crowded (the tasting is free unlike at others such as Roundbar or Lemon Creek) . We highly enjoyed the Red Arrow Red, Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. They were all outstanding and the two whites, the best of the trail perhaps. Enjoy a day, or weekend out of the trail, and make this a meal stop. You will not be disappointed!
(5)Kelsey P.
This place is hidden. Like...really. My companion and I were driving for some time, taking random turns and hoping we'd get there. Well, we did. The dining room has a beautiful view of the vineyard below, and the service was good as well. I was impressed by the food, but declined to have any wine, since it was like...11 am when we went, which I figured would be a bad idea. I'd recommend it, albeit it is on the pricey side.
(4)Taste-LIFE D.
After stopping by the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Festival, we decided to fill our bellies with some local cuisine. The tasting room at the entrance was packed. The restaurant decor was outdated, in particular the chairs. The decor was no reflection on the food. We had the crab cake (all meat, faint sign of filler), skewers (chicken and shrimp), asparagus (crisp and very fresh), and sweet potato succotash (different in a good way with fresh veggies). The chicken skewer was the winner for me. The tortilla crust gave the chicken the right amount of crunch and the chipotle dipping sauce provided a spicy note. Next time, I'll take the server's advice and order more chicken. The shrimp was very plain and the mustard sauce did nothing for the dish. We also grabbed a few sweet treats for the road. Can't remember what they were called, but one had a cheesecake flavor (ok), raspberry (great), and a peach (good). We will definitely make a stop and visit the vineyard, in addition to the restaurant, on our next trip through the area.
(4)Carrie W.
What a great little place! We were driving back to Chicago and were starving... but we didn't want to dine on the greasy norm of Mickey D's! Cruising down the highway we noticed a great billboard that advertised Tabor Hill Winery & Restaurant.. and they were open for lunch and dinner... on a Sunday! Even though it was about 7 miles off our scheduled route it was SO worth it! We pulled up and were a little unsure, just because we were dressed in sweatshirts and jeans... the place looked really nice! But as soon as we opened the door everyone was just as nice as could be. We have to give A's across the board, from service to the busser service, to just awesome food and wine. We had a really nice pinot noir and some awesome apps... my husband had the soup of the day... Reuben Soup (It was heaven in a cup!), I had the BLT Salad (All of the salads come in full or half sizes, go for the half... it's more than enough).. then we went on to Foie Gras Pot Stickers (they were beautiful) and we also had split the Burgundy Escargot (with fingerling potatoes, gueyre cheese and a dijon vinaigrette)... YUM! Instead of a sweet dessert we decided to go with their "local cheese plate"... with a side of port. It was just wonderful. We ended up walking out pleasantly full with a bottle of port, for home.
(5)Jessie C.
My review is strictly on the winery portion as I haven't eaten in the restaurant. Our first experience at Tabor Hill was disappointing. After having great experiences at Free Run Cellars and Round Barn, we went to Tabor Hill to try some of their wine. It was our first time to Michigan's wine country after we moved to the area and we were buying a variety of bottles so we could introduce our families to Michigan wine. My husband and I walked in and were not greeted by the several employees standing around. The tasting room was not busy, yet no one asked if we had any questions, needed any help or wanted to taste their wine. We walked around the entire room, looked at their wines and left without anyone saying anything to us. A complete 180 degree difference from the service we'd received at Free Run and Round Barn. I've been back once to Tabor Hill with a group and tasted their wine. It wasn't anything spectacular and instead of having a delicious wine flavor in my mouth, I still have the taste of bad service.
(1)Jen T.
My boyfriend and I visited Tabor Hill Restaurant and Winery this past weekend. It was my birthday weekend so we were looking for something fun to do with a little romantic twist. Luckily he stumbled upon Tabor Hill. I had made reservations for 4:30pm. It was suggested in a yelp review that the view of the vineyard from the restaurant during sunset was not to be missed. Unfortunately, we missed our reservation time, not once, but twice! When we called to change the reservation for the second time, the lovely person on the phone couldn't have been nicer about it. I was a little bit apprehensive about opening the door of the restaurant as I felt like we were a little bit of a pain in our reservation changing issue. The ladies at the front desk were very nice about it and even made a little joke to ease our minds. We asked if it would be ok to do a wine tasting before dinner and she was happy to show us the way. As I looked around, I decided that this was my favorite winery that we had visited. (We went to about 5-6 over the weekend.) I loved the way the winery/restaurant was decorated for Christmas. It felt very nice and cozy and very romantic. The person who was helping us with our wine tasting was also genuine and knowledgeable. He made suggestions and answered questions politely for our novice ears. We sat down to dinner next to the fireplace which I loved! Our waitress Amanda was very nice. We had the Escargot for an appetizer and it was delicious. She also recommended the duck. I was a little weary of it because I've never had duck before but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. It came with a pumpkin gnocchi which was amazing. My boyfriend had the filet and it was cooked perfectly. Amanda let us sit and chat over a glass of wine and we didn't feel the least bit hurried. The prices are very reasonable for the meal that you get. Three cheers to the chef! On our way out, the front desk ladies were even more than happy to snap a few photos of us. All in all, this place is great! I'd go back in a second if I'm ever in the area again.
(5)Betsy N.
Call first for reservations, it will be worth it! I had the walleye which was sauteed and have a salsa over it that was DELICIOUS!!!! It came with the best spinach I ever had in my like and some squash which was also good. My friend had the Jerk Pork and he ate ever morsel on his plate. He also said the salsa on the side was yummy!!! I would definitely eat here again.
(5)Larry F.
We were here for lunch and it exceeded our expectations. The room is quiet attractive, with a view of the vineyard and feeders attracting colorful finches to the windows. We had tasted a fair amount of wine already, so the focus was on lunch. The hostess was friendly and seated us right away. I started with the house wedge salad which was quite good. The lettuce was cold and covered in a nice amount of ranch dressing. The plate also included sliced roma tomatoes and cucumbers, which loomed a bit like they had been around too long but tasted fine. For my main, I ordered the smoked salmon flat bread. I was expecting more of a pizza but received four points of a dense flat white bread. Each had a generous amount of salmon with chopped onions, capers, and salmon roe. It was a light but satisfying lunch. My wife ordered the Caesar salad to start. It had big chuncks of romaine in a great, very cheesy dressing along with some toasted points of olive bread and a cup made of parmesan holding artichokes and tomatoes. It looked and tasted great. For her main, she ordered the grilled avocado. This dish frankly did not look too good. It consisted of avocado wedges stuffed with a cheese mixture and then baked. She said it tasted good. The service was very friendly and efficient. Water and drink glasses were kept filled and the bread basket contained three really nice warm breads. We spent $36 on lunch, and it was worth it.
(4)carmen b.
Hello, FOOD SNOB here. This place is AWESOME! Wine making is always close to my heart. My Italian father made Wine every year in our basement in old East Chicago. Our basement was a mini winery every September and October. It was a great sunny day to take a drive to Michigan. And not too far. We first started with the free wine tasting. We were able to taste 7 different wines. They were good but I still prefer California Napa wines and Italian wines because they are more Robust. Micigan wines are more like German and French wines. And now for the best part, the Restaurant. WOW what a meal. The Escargo appetizer was fabulous. The Guacomole, Pico di Gallo, and chips were even better than any Mexican restaurant. The Crab Chowder was fresh and tastey. My Wood Grilled Trout was served on the wood it was grilled on, with a side of Spinach and Sweet Potatoe Au Gratin. My wife had the Pork Tenderloin with Butternut Squash Pierogi. This is a top notch restaurant and a must try for everyone. One of your better top quality restaurants. They also have tours you might want to take. The dinning area had a great view of the vineyards. We left with 4 bottles that we knew we liked.
(5)Amanda D.
Close to Chicago- not quite Napa but good for a day trip! The vineyard is beautiful and resaturant very nice. By the time we got there, I was a bit tipsy from all the tastings (So I probably drank more than a taste?) but still it was great. I had a wonderful butternut squash ravioli and a great Cabernet. The combination was wonderful! We had a table in the corner by 2 windows overlooking the entire vineyard- at sunset! Can't beat that!
(5)Dan G.
Went back to Tabor Hill with the family for dinner this past weekend. It was very good as it was before. The dining room is a great setting, overlooking their vineyard as the sun sets. After being hurried away from our wine tasting by an overeager hostess, we were seated at a nice table in the main dining room. Appetizers shared at the table were the Chermoula Chicken, Teriyaki Beef, and Jerk Vegetable skewers and a few of the Crab Cakes with Blood Orange Cherry Sauce. The skewers were tasty and each was served with its own dipping sauce. The Crab Cakes were awesome and all crabmeat with no filler, definitely a must have. The entrees were very good with the highlights being the Day Boat Atlantic Scallops with Tamarind Butter, Wasabi Slaw, and Jicama Boc Choy and the Duck Cherry Chinese BBQ (Char Siu) and Grilled Eggplant Couscous, Cucumber Salad and Mild Thai Chili Sauce. These were all big portions and not pricey at all. The menu has been tweaked since my last visit and they have a large (almost overwhelming) selection and I believe the entrees included a salad last time. The key lime tart for dessert was really good too. It was a fantastic meal again and quite a deal when you get their wine for just a few bucks. Dinner for five(4 apps, 5 mains, 2 desserts and a bottle and glass of wine) for less than $200, what a deal! This is right up there with Timothy's as the best in the area. I could have done without the push to seat us, as we bought half a case of wine. Aren't you in business here?
(4)Mike K.
appetizer of grilled calamari was very tiny and at $12 not a good value. The lettuce wedge, without bacon bits-you have to be kidding and then served with a buttermilk dressing---where's the thousand island? My wife ordered the caesar salad lightly tossed and got the dressing on the side instead! My rack of lamb/8 frenched chops were great and my wife's salmon in grape leaves were good also. The wine was good along with the entrees but the starters left a lot to be desired.
(2)Jim T.
This place was great. Out in the middle of nowhere is a great little restaurant, with a fantastic staff. I just wanted to take the waitress with me so she could be my waitress wherever I went. She was so good that she earned extra tip on-top of the 18% they charged cause we had a group. She makes the place. The food was great, from appetizers to the deserts. I would be back here in a heartbeat. Next time through I will make the effort to go out of my way.
(5)Zae S.
This is NOT my favorite place to go wine tasting. It is so busy that the bartenders don't have much time for conversation. I do LOVE their Classic Demi-Sec, though. If you eat here and want fabulous service, sit at the bar. Our bartender was AWESOME!!! The bison taco is to die for and the polenta fries were tasty. We even got passed a few tidbits that were wrong orders since we were sitting right there, like a Corona, which made my boyfriend very happy, and a chocolate lava cake, which made my day!!! This place is amazing with amazing employees!
(4)Mackenna M.
This is based on my wine-tasting experience only. I have not eaten at the restaurant - yet! Obviously a well established winery, in a beautiful building, with a restaurant attached. We sampled wine at a couple other places, but the gentleman who was pouring our wine here was the most knowledgeable wine pro we had met all day. The wine samples are free here, but you don't get a glass to bring home. We got to choose 6 wines, and all of them were so fantastic that I can't choose a favorite to list below. I even enjoyed the sweeter whites because they were so clean and fresh tasting, not sugary like at the earlier wineries. The reds were impeccable. I came home with Cream Sherry: "This gold medal winning sherry is sure to delight the senses! It has a nutty aroma and flavors of sweet almond and raisin." I had to bring a bottle of this home. Our wine pourer described it as "fireplace wine," and he couldn't be more dead-on. This syrupy, rich, liquor warms all the way down when you swallow it. The raisins and brandy remind me of delicious autumn aromas, and the almond added a rich and nutty element, like Frangelico. I had to bring a bottle of this home because it was so unique compared to everything I had tasted that day. How appropriate that it was also the last. See my full review on my blog: eatinggrandrapids.com/20…
(5)Joshua H.
This place looks as beautiful as what they have to taste. We took the tour of the winery and it was actually fairly informative for those new to wine culture. We then enjoyed their free tasting of up to 10 wines, which I thought was very generous. After the tasting we browsed the wine shop, bought 2 bottles and moved our party to the outside patio of the restaurant and enjoyed the live music they had which made for a wonderful afternoon. The Gewurztraminer, Classic Demi Red, and Port Cabernet Franc are not to be missed. They only have tours in May on the weekends from 12pm-4:30pm so make sure not to go in the morning. Also Monday and Tuesday they are only open until 5pm but Weds-Sat they stay open till 9pm.
(5)Maria R.
U{DATE: I like driving over the hill and through the dale to Tabor Hill. Although it can be tricky to find (and even trickier to find your way home), we enjoy the whole experience. Pricey, yes. Dinner for 3 was $170 but worth it. Am I going every week, NO. Am I going once a month in the summer. NO. But once or twice a season would be ok and save me a table by the window for a wonderful sunset over the vineyard.
(4)Steve J.
Restaurant is wonderful, even if a bit expensive. Appetizer portions are quite large so be warned. Although this place is listed as not child friendly, we brought our four year old for lunch and it was fine (they even have a child menu). We saw other children there. Wine are improving (we have been here in the past) and some of the white are pretty good but still not great. We liked the Traminette. We would have been interested in buying a case of their "hallmark" sparking wine, Grand Mark, but they don't let you taste it. Would have been nice to dine outside, but they no longer do this. Only slight complaint was that tuna (tuna sliders) was overcooked.
(5)William H.
I didnt eat here, so I cant speak to their menu, but I would argue that these are some of the most pretentious people in all of Michigan. I thought it strange to find wine snobs outside of Napa... but trust me, they exist at Tabor. They love to tell you over and over about how much Bob Hope loved their wine as well... i suppose its their one claim to fame. Upon arrival our tour bus operator was yelled for being late... despite the fact that she phoned ahead. Very professional. Anyway, for the tasting you are limited to the menu that they provide you. We asked to sample another variety that we were interested in purchasing, and were promptly and impolitely told no... needless to say we bought nothing. I think each member of our wine tour purchased at least one bottle at every other stop, but were so turned off by the experience, we left without even finishing the tour we were scheduled to take. Truth be told... going on a wine tour outside of California is simply for entertainment value... and to have a few drinks. Its more of a gimmick... and the wine really just isn't that good. Its supposed to be a fun afternoon with friends... but going to Tabor really ruins even that.
(1)C Y.
Many acres of grapes, the most I've ever seen. I can't have wine, however I did get a nice dinning experience. This may not be the best place for kids. The place has a menu with some complicated dishes. They did have a kids menu, but for kids like me who order adult meals, I would prefer simpler dishes. I got the ravioli. It was good and the simplest, most familiar and only pasta dish on the menu. The dish that dazzled me the most was the Sauted Feta appetizer. The Feta was served with oilves, capers, raisins and pine nuts. At Tabor Hill the kichen took time to plate the meals. My uncle took pictures of everyone's plates. Thats how stuning it was. Lots of wine and complex meals, I'd say this is a better adult place.
(4)Jackie H.
This was stop #1 on our Southwest Michigan mini-honeymoon in early November. We had been to Tabor Hill once before, about 3 years ago before we developed a better taste for wine. I am so glad we came back. We started the evening with a stop at the tasting bar. There a delightful young gentleman walked us through the process of picking out wines we wanted to taste. The hubby and I have developed a taste for wine over the years, but not a knowledge of it, so the young man was very helpful in explaining the differences in styles, how you should go about tasting wine, and so on. We tried 6 wines apiece and liked them all, but in varying degrees. We ended up buying 3 different bottles of wine--got a 10% discount too since we were eating at the restaurant. Dinner was lovely, perfect for the first night of our honeymoon. The dining room is all white table cloth, dim lights and candles, very romantic. I'm sure the view from all the large picture windows was spectacular, but we didn't notice with it being already after dark and we were seated away from the windows. Our server was very helpful in choosing a bottle of wine for us that would pair well with both of our dishes...We went with a red one, the Lemberger, which was delightful. Paired very well with my pork and my husband's quail dish. Of course we sampled each others dishes! I preferred my pork, but the quail was tasty as well, both cooked to perfection. The real highlight of both dishes were the sides that came with them! My pork came with a slaw that included apples...I am not a slaw person but this may have converted me! And the other side of mine, the butternut squash pieroghis, were spectacular. They do sell them as a seperate side, so next time I dine here I will certainly order those again, no matter what my entree is. My husband's dish came with some stuffed avocadoes, which also would be order-worthy by themselves. We also ordered a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Everything was so good, and we went back to our hotel very full and content! Everything about Tabor Hill pleased me, from the service, to the wines, to the food, and the atmosphere. Yes, it is a little more pricey than your standard dinner, but sometimes you pay for quality, right? Perfect for special occasions, but great for a random night out as well!
(5)Virginia T.
The staff was awesome. This was the first winery we stopped at on our weekend vacation to SW Michigan. They were patient, and explained everything. They helped us reach a common decision in which wine to buy since I tend to prefer dry wines and my husband tends to prefer sweet wine. The wines were decent, but not my favorite in SW Michigan. They actually had a few wines that I would buy again would be the Lake Michigan Shore Kerner (Reisling varietal), Classic Demi-Sec, or the Classic Demi-Red. I especially loved how the staff pointed out the differences in flavor between the demi-red cold vs. the demi-red warm.
(4)Dane K.
Not my favorite of the SW MI wineries...but it's OK. They do have a semi-decent free tour that shows Methode Champenoise (i.e., how to make Champagne). Which means of course they make a traditional style sparkling wine called the Grand Mark, which is actually pretty good. (Though $30 and they don't let you taste it). Their other wines all fit into the typical SW MI just Ok category... Nothing is really mind blowing, but a few are decent. Some are gross. If you're from Chicago, they carry Tabor Hill wines at Sam's Wine and Macy's. And much like all of the other wineries in the SW MI area that Sam's stocks, it's cheaper to buy it at Sam's than it is at the winery itself. the people are a tad snooty for no good reason. We asked if they had any available seating in the restaurant and they kinda looked at us funny and responded in some snotty tone about how they book up far in advance. I'm sure the restaurant isn't that great.
(3)T S.
The view is beautiful and (almost) worth coming to see. We have dined here a few times. The service is inconsistent. The food lacks flavor, is over cooked across the board and is not commensurate with their pricing. 7.95 for kraft mac and cheese rather than chef coming up with his own recipe. That's embarrassing. All in all the restaurant from staff to food to overall experience is lacking.
(2)Larry B.
A pleasant stop if you are in the Harbor Country area of Michgan. A nice setting overlooking the vineyard. The day we were there in summer they had birdfeeders all around the windows with dozens of goldfinch darting all around....magical. the food is quite good with some interesting offering which change often. They seem to be locovores and Im all about that. Use what you grow locally. The wine is surprisingly good and pretty cheap. Recommended.
(4)Dan E.
This place claims to have pioneered wine growing on the area. I think its due to the snow they get on that side of the lake -- the snow cover keeps the vines form freezing in winter. Sure you may be able to get better wine in Michigan and you can get this winery's products in Chicago, but still this is one of my sentimental favorites. Its about 90 miles from Chicago. Gas prices have moderated plus the drive through the area is therapeutic. During the summer and fall months you can combine it with trips to the various "u-pick" places in the area to get fresh berries, peaches, cherries, asparagus, apples. There's always something in season and some goodies such as asparagus are available early in the summer. And on the way back don't forget to stop at the Lighthouse Place mall.
(4)tessa c.
we never even set foot in the place. when we call and ask for directions, it would be a good idea to give specific directions and not laugh at us over the phone. thanks a lot!
(1)Kelli B.
I wish we would've had lunch or dinner here. If I go back to St. Joseph I'm going to make it a point to do so. If you eat there you get 10% off your wine purchase. Tabor Hill was gorgeous. The restaurant part of it had floor to ceiling windows which looked out to the acres of of grapes - extremely cool. There was an outdoor seating area with the same view. The food looked delicious. The kid (he looked like he was in high school but said he was 20-something) behind the tasting bar knew his stuff. He was quick and knowledgeable despite the crowd. We were in and out of there quickly with a bottle of Pino in hand. They have a little gift shop area with a bunch of wine accessories and clothing. Make Tabor Hill a stop if you're doing the Michigan wine trail. Check out the view, and if you like sweet wine, try the Demi-Sec.
(5)Sarah E.
Tasty food, lovely view of the vineyard and more than decent local wine. A little on the pricey side, but worth it. We've been coming for celebratory and special meals with my family for awhile. The squash blossom poppers, filled with ricotta, parm & corn, deep fried with an air-light peanut sauce were a definite stand-out recently.
(4)Daniel T.
An excellent restaurant with a wonderful menu and beautiful ambience. Plan to go 30-45 minutes before your reservation to taste wines. You get a great discount with the purchase of your meal. Most of the dining room is surrounded by glass windows overlooking a vineyard. It was dark when we there, but I imagine the view is beautiful during daylight. The menu is very professional and wine pairings are listed. Every dish is a mixture of great flavors, some unexpected. We tried the foie gras pot stickers for appetizers. Small but tasty with green apple. Dinner was ravioli with sausage for me and kobe beef pizziaola for her. Both were good though I was less adventurous and wish I had gone to something more daring. Dessert was a key lime tart with peaches and plums. Perfectly tart without being too much. A great place for a date for sure.
(5)Bee J.
My husband is Dutch and we have had the pleasure of eating around the globe as part of his business travels. That being said, Tabor Hill's restaurant is and has been our FAVOURITE dining experience for the past 3 years, when we discovered it. We go for birthday's, anniversaries, and because of no other reason than enjoying amazing food, a fantastic view, and great wine. Per year, we dine there at least 10 times; in all that time we have never had less than a 5 star experience. However, we book early, so we beat the crowds and also leave before it gets too busy. Their elk with blackberries is in another realm altogether and the appetizer platter is a Must! Sipping wine, watching the goldfinches do battle over the thistle feeders, spending time on the deck listening to a Spanish guitar and then enjoying your meal all add to the pleasant and enticing allure of Tabor Hill. If I could only ever go to one restaurant the rest of my life, it would be this place!
(5)Lori G.
This restaurant is associated with the Tabor Hill Winery. The setting is great as you dine you view the vineyards. The ambiance inside is modern yet cozy with a warm fireplace going during the cold months. The service is great. The food is awesome. Their speciality rosemary crusted chicken in raspberry sauce is a real winner. The portions are large but the take home box even came with an extra container of the raspberry sauce. Of course they have a great wine list. The dessert tray offered a small but unique variety of homemade temptations. Call ahead for reservations. Arrive in the area early and wine taste in the many other local wineries. The drive is beautiful through winding roads filled with many vineyards and fruit orchards.
(5)