Boone Dock’s
5858 S Manitou Blvd, Glen Arbor, MI, 49636
Boone Dock’s Menu
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Address :
5858 S Manitou Blvd
Glen Arbor, MI, 49636 - Phone (231) 334-6444
- Website https://www.boonedocksglenarbor.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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David M.
Wood Cutter's Burrito The giant flour tortilla wet burrito is filled with seasoned ground sirloin, refried beans and onion. Topped with shredded lettuce, sweet pepper, black olive, melted co-jack cheese and their zesty wood cutters sauce. $15.95 Not quite as big $10.95 Yes, this was as good as it looks. And yes, it will fill you up. Now many might feel you can't get get Mexican in the North woods. And, those many are correct; however, the guys at the Boonedocks have been able to answer the need for Mexican food, or at least with their one offering of the Wood Cutter's Burrito! This is definitely a cool joint to be, especially during the warmer summer months. Their restaurant/bar a full corner of a block and their beer garden is just as big. If you're looking for a place to let loose, watch the game, hear a live band or just be seen, this is the joint!
(4)C T.
Kid friendly and live entertainment. My up north burger was good but the Michigan salad was made pre order, served in a plastic dish and the dressing was served in packets. Wow.
(3)Zach P.
Boone docks has pretty good food, not sure why so many bad reviews. We got there at peak lunch time and got a seat on the deck, which was already pretty packed. My wife and I both ordered burgers and they were both good. Cooked just right to what we ordered and we also got the fries instead of chips, which were really good!! We will certainly go back next time we are in Gleb Arbor!
(4)Todd N.
Lacking on the service side. Went there and got seated by the hostess outside as we sat there for 20 mins watching a storm roll in, I went back to the hostess stand to ask about a indoor table. She said no you have already been seated. I said we haven't been served or seen our waitress in 20 mins so why would that make a difference. She said NO moving. So we moved across the street to a different restaurant. Later that night on the news we saw that the tree we were sitting under blew away in the storm. Glad we left.
(1)Amy M.
So this is definitely a place I should have looked up on Yelp before stopping. Unfortunately with a carload of 8 hungry people and not knowing of any other places we just went in & hoped for the best. The best is not what we got. 1st off they said it would be like 45 min to sit us all together so we split up into 2 tables of 4 each. They put us with 1 table between us and those people left about 10 min later. To me that made it seem like they weren't interested in even attempting to seat us together. The prices didn't jive with the basic menu - I can get a better, cheaper burger at Five Guys all day long. The waffle fry app was just ok - smaller than any other I have had for the same price. My sister and the 3 kids with her finished their food before my table of 4 even received our food - she ended up finishing & paying for our food when she paid for hers. Apparently that meant out server was done with us. I didn't know she had paid and was waiting & waiting for the server. Nobody asked if we needed refills or to go containers after the bill was paid. Sub par food, Sub par service. If back in the area they won't get my business again,
(1)Cody S.
Horrible. Service takes for ever. The burgers were frozen patties that were way over cooked and the michigan salad was absolutely disgusting... Big chunks of flavorless Iceberg lettuce in a salad that is ALWAYS mixed greens or spinach. I couldn't even finish it, it was so boring. My husband had the Ruben and that was the only thing edible. You definitely go here for the cool outside seating and entertainment. Go to drink their overpriced beers, not to eat.
(1)Brenna D.
Really confused as to why this place only has 2.5 stars. We came in at opening (11a) and there were already a few people waiting for the doors to open. The food is really, really good and the service isn't bad either. Portion sizes are very large and the prices are maybe a dollar more than something similar at Applebee's or Chili's, but it's a tourist location so... You should probably expect that. I'm a college student and if I can afford Boon Dock's, I promise YOU can afford it. Good experience- would definitely return. :)
(5)Rachel C.
Awesome atmosphere. Cute little cabin inside and perfect picnic area outside! Overlooks the Glen Arbor area which is also absolutely adorable. Great service and killer pulled pork sandwich!!
(5)Brian K.
Has an great backwoods feel and decor. I had Jerk Chicken and wife the perch sandwich. Both really enjoyed and the kids liked their kids meals.
(5)S H.
The best thing about Boone Docks - is the outside entertainment, and the outside bar area Love the bands, love the atmosphere. Its always packed. For me - the service has always been good - never had an issue there. The food is mediocre. Most of it's pre packaged, frozen. BUT - we always end up going when we are in Glen Arbor - most of the time, we get an appetizer and sit at the bar and have no complaints. As for the prices? I don't think they are any different than anywhere else in Glen Arbor. If you are looking for "cheap" in Glen Arbor, (well any where Up North for that matter), good luck. Overall - we haven't experienced anything that would keep us from coming back.
(3)Jim E.
I would only suggest going here for Beers on the patio. Wait when we did that we didn't get served and then after 20 minutes realized you had to go up to the busy bar and order your own drinks. Boone Docks is a happening place with Music and in a great location in Glen Arbor but I would avoid the food as well. I still cringe when thinking of the Chicken Pesto meal with Rice that I had, my friends Burger and Fries were under par as well. We were not going to go to Boone Docks originally because of the bad reviews but wanted to try it just in case!
(2)Neal J.
This place has taken a nose dive in recent years---its to the point where you almost think they are trying to alienate people. The service was very good though---super nice waiter and pretty prompt attention. We have been going here for years and vowed to never go back---food is pricey and poor quality.
(1)Harley B.
Great outdoor atmosphere. Oberon w orange, split the perch dinner and parmesan asparagus, and some awesome silver tequila. Realy good service. Bit pricy but good experience.
(4)Shelby L.
This is the #1 primo piece of realty in all of Glen Arbor. The patio is huge and wonderful with a really nice girl's clothes store, ice cream and candy shops, etc. It's darn cute and it's great for live music. The only downside to this piece of property is that there happens to be a TERRIBLE restaurant sitting on it. The place is always packed, so expect to wait. The servers are always super busy, so don't expect friendly service. I don't know what goes on in the kitchen, but don't expect anything good to come out of there either. Basically, it's bar food and they don't care to make it anything better than that. It doesn't really bother me, but my dad always complains about how when they serve you outside, everything is in crappy little baskets with plastic silverware that comes wrapped in plastic and even the dressing comes in plastic packets. This is fine, expected even, given the quality of the food. However, the prices don't reflect the quality at all. Frozen food, prepackaged everything, they just don't care. This place gets so much business because the deck is so great. The owners must be rollin' in dough because they turn customers all day and all night without spending an extra dime on making the food decent. At least Art's is cheap and you know what you're getting. Overall, this place is a huge bummer. I wish somebody who actually cares would buy out the current owners and actually do something special with this place.
(2)Keenan M.
Very busy in the summers --as it should be with the BEST outdoor seating environment in town. I'd stick with drinks unless you're looking for an affordable bar food menu!
(4)Heather A.
So disappointed have been to their Boones restaurants and been pleased....terrible service...got appetizer and salad before even getting water or any drink! Food was average at best.
(1)Myles G.
The live music was country music and drove me crazy, and the water served tasted like it was sitting in a rusty steel pipe for years, can't stand well water. Prices were on the higher side for a simplistic menu. Not a place I'd hit up again unless there was no other choice.
(2)Jeff B.
Stopped at Boone Dock's for lunch with the family. The food was above average, service was a little slow, needed to ask for extra items such as napkins and ketchup. Food was hot when it came out, and portion size was good. I wasn't able to finish all of my meal.
(4)Lyndsey A.
This place is tons of fun and the live music is always good. The food is great and the beer selection is decent. Recommended for a night out in glen arbor!
(5)William W.
Definitely a tourist spot. Was very disappointed how there was plastic silverware on each table but then with my meal came metal silverware. My ribs were on a plastic plate but then came with metal silverware. Please just give me real plates and silverware and bowls all the time. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the chili did not come in a styrofoam cup. The prices were too high for the food and service that I received. I would not go back anytime soon.
(2)Brittany D.
We were from out of town and we wanted to try nice local places. They had an awesome outdoor deck so it looked like an awesome place to eat. Got there and it was a 25 minute wait. Not really an issue but lots of open tables so I think they were short staffed. Finally sat and they put us at a booth with two high chairs at the end. The one high hair wasn't even able to eat on the table. Poor service. Had to ask for all refills, server put the hot food right in front of the little kids. No extra napkins. Had to ask for everything multiple times! Finally got food and it was nothing great. $7 kids meal for 2 chicken tenders and fries. Overpriced burgers etc. not worth it. Won't be back next time we are in.
(2)Chris C.
We should have trusted the reviews we read but they were a little dated and the ace was packed so we thought..eh we'll give it a try. My wife got the Caribbean jerk chicken, my daughter the chili my son the burger and I had Grandma's chicken salad. I am a chicken salad snob..I love chicken salad- and this was NOT grandmas chicken salad. It was Sysco food services chicken salad..I have it every week at my golf club. It wasn't anything special. The jerk chicken was warm in temp at best and not very good. My daughters chili was out of a can and not great..the burger was fine..it was just a burger...overall-not a great dining experience.
(2)Lara L.
Horrible food and service. Burrito tasted horrible. Cheap seasoning. Waitress didn't check on us after serving so by the time she finally came back my husband was done eating. Asparagus appetizer was pretty good. Service seriously lacking.
(1)T M.
Let me make this really, really easy on you. Only go here for: - Drinks - Live music Do not go here to: - Eat - Watch sporting events, mainly the World Cup - Get good service This will save you a lot of time and money. Grab a sandwich or fried chicken from the grocery store across the street and enjoy your evening.
(2)Steve C.
Boone Docks? Should be renamed Booh! dicks! I was there watching the World Cup final, a worldwide event that occurs only every 4 years. They would only put the game on in the bar which was fine. Everyone in the bar area was there to watch the game but the owner refused to have the sound on. Everyone finally persuaded them to put the sound on one TV (after the owner left). As soon as the final whistle blew the barman raced around and changed the channel to sports center. The few Germans watching the game were astounded -they weren't even allowed to watch their countrymen celebrate, let alone see the trophy presentation. Great job USA! (Ok I know not everyone is that backward about world football in this country) The good news in all this? The food sucked so we'll never go back!
(1)Pat V.
We stopped here on the recommendation of some local residents while vacationing near Glen Arbor. We were going to skip it because of the Yelp average but we always trust the locals! It was a good choice! First of all, while we were here is was not busy so we had our waitresses full attention. I would agree that the menu consists of greasy bar food but that's what I would expect from a bar! If you want to eat healthy, there is another place down the street that would give you healthy options. We all ordered burgers. The Carnivora burger, BBQ Western Burger and the Italian Burger. The first two were excellent, highly recommended! The Italian burger was good but I would choose either of the other two if I were going to stop there again! It was a on the pricy side. $13.00 and up for a cheeseburger and fries, but we expected that as well. Glen Arbor is a bit off the beaten path, prices are usually higher in that type of location... it's all part of the experience. So, we did have a complaint and that is the cleanliness of the restrooms. They definitely needed to have some attention. We did not eat on the patio/deck so I cannot comment on that. The interior decor is fun, rustic and lodge-like!
(4)Stacy M.
This place is in a central location and has wonderful outdoor seating with live music most nights during the summer. Good place to watch sports games, with a couple outdoor tvs and large projector. And they serve some local beers on tap. However that is where the goodness ends. The food here is not good and very few (if any) decent healthy food options. It is sad to me that places like this still are around, when there are much better ways to make and serve food taking advantage of local growers, farmers, and chefs. Every single appetizer is fried. Most items on the menu are processed, frozen and then fried and served with individual serving size packaged sauces. And prepare to pay the standard tourist town up charge. I'm also incredibly disappointed about the short sidedness of the management team. Plastic plates, plastic silver wear, plastic cups...all going into our landfills. How much garbage does this one establishment add to local landfills annually? Lastly, smelly, dirty bathrooms. Our visit was on a nice summer afternoon, but c'mon...you might consider directing one of the 10 hs waitstaff standing around flirting with one another to disinfect the bathrooms and refill the soap and tp every once in awhile.
(2)Sam F.
I rarely, if ever write reviews on yelp, but I couldn't help myself on this one. I ordered the cobb salad, which was $14. I understand what food costs are and the fact that this isn't the easiest to get to locations for wholesalers, etc...but this area is also known for some of the best restaurants in the country in addition to being close to so many farms... So sourcing "decent" ingredients should not be that difficult.. my salad came in a plastic tray which immediately gave me the impression it was pre-assembled at some other location, or possibly on site, but at a different time and the plastic lid taken off of it just prior to serving. the lunch meat, which had been stacked then cubed was iced together in layers and the avocado half had wrinkles on it from being taken out of its stay fresh air tight bag. the dressing was a horrible, out of the bottle, high fructose gelatinous syrup. after eating this food i could not believe how big the place was and how many people were there, i guess most people are just used to be taken for a ride when they are traveling up north and will accept anything as a viable option for a meal. im sorry, but there are many other restaurants up there doing much better food for the same price point. and the summer season staff are not very polite or helpful. this was very dissapointing.
(1)Zach S.
Their food is average at best. I had their "spring rolls" - they came out of a bag and were fried. Terrible, terrible stuff. We ate here several times only because there aren't a lot of places to grab a quick bite and they have a great outdoor seating area and neat pavilion bar. Their staff was rude to us on more than one occasion. When we asked if they have vegetables for our kids, our waitress responded (without a smile), "We don't do those here." Their drinks are overpriced and the bartender took forever to get us our drinks when we sat at the pavilion. The only positives are the outdoor seating area, the awesome pavilion bar with TVs, and their live music at night.
(2)Carrie C.
Don't order salad from here. They even give you a bag a salad dressing (nuemans) was so blah & had water in the tray. We ate outside, so salad came in plastic tray, which is fine, but was obviously pre-made salad, watery, no love to it, bad Caesar salad. Fried zucchini was good. But obviously a place you go to drink and hear music, not to eat good food.
(2)Christy H.
Service was ridiculous...we waited an hour for our food after we waited 30 minutes for a table. Then once we were eating it took 26 minutes to get a pop refill. Sad to say the food was NOT worth the wait. Seems like drinks and entertainment are their strong suit. It's certainly not the food or service. Don't waste your money on the steak. It's awful. Neither my son nor husband could chew it.
(1)Ashley H.
This place seems like a ton a fun for drinking. For eating...well that's a different story. We just didn't love our food--a selection of appetizers and a side salad for lunch. The mango habanero sauce on the boneless wings tasted like they forgot the habanero part. The Michigan side salad seemed to come straight from a bag without much excitement. The parmesan zucchini chips had a sprinkle of parmesan on a couple of them in the basket, that's the only parmesan part about it. Otherwise they seemed like zucchini chips that they bought frozen from some food service. Food was meh, but this place looks like it'd be a real party at night. I'd eat somewhere else and come get your drinks over here afterward.
(3)Aaron M.
The service and ambience was great but the food was rather disappointing. Paying $11 for a GFS frozen hamburger paddy, not again. If the kitchen is too lazy to make a hamburger what else are they cutting corners on?
(2)Yvette T.
Just had a really bad World Cup experience at Boone Docks. Owner would only put the game on inside and refused to put the sound on. Really? The bar had 20 World Cup viewers there eating and drinking. Terribly rude! Poor customer service. Oh, and the kicker......as soon as it ended they changed the channel so no one could watch the celebrations, not even the Germans. Apologies, we are not all a-holes, just the owner and a particular chubby staff member. WONT BE BACK! Should have went to Arts. Food blah too
(1)Emily R.
We went here both days on our trip! The food was good and fresh! Kind of wish they had more to pick from but no complaints really! We will be back- hopefully inthe summer to sit outside!
(4)Mike M.
It's OK. We don't mind going there for drinks if one of the better live bands is playing, but I don't like it for food. We had to give them the recipe for Keoke Coffee: 1/2 oz. Coffee Liqueur 1/2 oz. Cognac or Brandy 1/2 oz. Crème de Cacao (Dark) & Hot Coffee w/ Whipped Cream on top... Not too odd, but as I'm looking it up, handing my phone to the waiter to take it to the bartender, I'm thinking, "Don't the bartenders here have a way to look this up themselves?"
(3)Travis M.
Live music on the deck. Good ice cream shop. Decent beer and bar selection. Average food though. Just burgers and such, and none of it is all that good. I don't eat here much, just come for the music and ice cream.
(3)Jeff J.
Pre-pressed frozen beef on a burger for 12 bucks. Ehh, you could do better. Limited beer selection in Michigan! Ehh you could do better.... Nice deck though.
(2)Larry K.
Had lunch there with friends recently, average bar food, average prices, attentive server, sat outside, neat place to visit if in Glen Lake.
(3)Michael C.
After spending a morning hiking the dunes we stopped in. It was a welcome spot to grab a beer. The burgers and sandwiches were average for the table. For a meal after a day of enjoying the sun and fun stop on in.
(2)Betsy W.
The service is horrible. This is my second attempt at this restaurant and I've been waiting 20 minutes at the table with no drinks. This happened the first time as well. The food and atmosphere are decent, but severely understaffed. I see no management anywhere.
(1)Morgan F.
Had lunch here and the service was terribly slow. We believe the waitress forgot to put in an order and we ended up not getting our food for a little over an hour. She made up a silly reason why it wasn't taking so long. Most tables were in and out before we even got our food. Food was average.
(1)Richard H.
It's not like Glen Arbor is teeming with excellent restaurant choices -- lots of pizza -- but Boone Dock's seems to be what people tend to expect from beach-y bars: the shiny nautical decor, the bland and uninspired food selections. The salads come from a bag. Unlike others have said, the service was really friendly and attentive, but I would probably try Art's next time.
(2)Mike I.
Good atmosphere thanks to live music damaged by subpar food & service. I had never heard before a restaurant flat out refusing to serve broccoli to a kid just because we were sitting outside; that was quite confusing for our 11 year old boy as he had just ordered some a few days prior [inside seating as we could not wait 45 min]. Also, $13 for a really over-cooked [medium rare] burger with just a small bag of chips was also disappointing. Art's Tavern and other places around should add a big deck and some live music too to create some needed competition.
(2)Danielle C.
We stopped to eat a late lunch and the place was hopping. We ate outside and got a couple of average sandwiches. The staff was busy, so a little slow but not hateful. We did learn that the menu outside is different from the one if you were to eat inside. Outside was bar food for the most part. We have passed it several times today and the outside bar has always been full. They do have live music in the evening.
(3)Brian J.
So there I am in Glen Arbor checking out the town. I think to myself, "Hey, this place looks fun! How about we try this out for lunch?" I sit down, check into Yelp, and then start checking out the reviews. Right away I'm greeted with reviews saying it's a tourist trap, and to run away! But hey, I'm a tourist, so I guess the trap worked. And I left with my belly full, my family happy, and received good service. So I think the visit was a success. I only had appetizers, but everything tasted great to me. It was a tad pricey with our bill being about $80 after tip for a family of 4, but I enjoyed it. I would return when visiting the area again.
(4)Dennis V.
While it doesn't deserve 5 stars, that's what I'm giving it to offset some of the not so great reviews given by others. If you are looking for fine dining then this definitely is not your place! It's a nice burger joint with plastic utensils and napkins on the table. While the food has always been reasonably good, it's listening to live music on an extensive outdoor patio with friends and family after a day at the beach that is the real attraction. The always busy dinner crowd speaks for itself. I've probably been there 10 times over the last decade and always have a good time. Great place to relax with an Oberon and enjoy a Northern Michigan evening!
(5)Adam B.
I visited this restaurant twice in two nights with my friends from Chicago. The first night we had six in our group and the second night, we had 11. The outside patio looked like a really cool place to chill out, but that would have required waiting 45 minutes. So we took a table inside. I liked the wooden, rustic setup of the bar and how there were a good amount of TV's, but not enough where it felt like a sports bar. It just felt like a cool place to come and have a drink. What I remember most from the first night was the slow service. The waitress really never checked back with us, except to serve the food after we hard ordered. So it took a long time to get drink refills. The seeded bread tasted decent, though it could have been warmer. I did enjoy their Boone Docks side salad with the dried cherries and walnuts. Nice contrast of flavors that livened up what already was a decent salad. Although I wanted an order of whitefish, I was told they were out, pretty disappointing. I ordered the brown sugar walnut salmon and it came out very moist. It tasted really sweet with the brown sugar though. My side of rice pilaf tasted very plain and boring. I actually added tartar sauce just to give it some life. I tried a French fry off another plate and it had no seasoning and tasted like it just came out of the freezer. Pass on the fries! Later that night, I found out, one of the girls in our group who wasn't there yet, tried to order food for takeout. She asked what kind of food was served and the price ranges. The person who took the call repeatedly snapped at her and said there was no take out and that they were busy. The next night, we did go back. And we were able to sit on the patio and enjoy the warm sunset. A bluegrass band was playing, which was pretty cool. After a long day of climbing sand dunes and hiking, my 24 oz Bell's Oberon hit the spot. I ordered the large Boone Dock's salad this time and it was served in a paper tray and I used standard S&P shakers. The previous night, I was able to use grinders for both the S&P. Also, I got oil and vinegar instead of the Italian vinaigrette, which I had asked for. The chicken fingers were okay, I got five decent sized pieces. The BBQ sauce was pretty mild, I was hoping for a little more tang or a little more heat. The honey mustard is the better way to go. The service this time was so-so, nothing great, nothing terrible. It cost 30 bucks for each dinner, including tip. Not too bad all in all, but I'm not exactly yearning to return here for a full meal. Maybe just to have a drink and an app. The service just didn't sit well with me.
(2)Al C.
Perch plate is excellent ! Generous portion , very light dry batter and fresh taste. Would definitely order this one again!
(4)Lauren V.
Patio for drinks and atmosphere (live bands frequently), perfect. For food? pass. Everything here is pre-made, everything! From Gordon Food Service or the like. The food is most definitely not worth the price... I don't even want to get into the specifics of it but honestly, do yourself a favor and either eat before or after coming here and just enjoy the patio and atmosphere with some beverages. I
(2)Dennis L.
Two visits - Two Different Experiences... While on vacation with my family and friends, we visited Boone Dock twice. There is a huge outdoor seating area, but we chose to go indoors on both occasions. First Visit: The Toasted Black Bean Twigs were quite good and resembled a spring roll in the shape of a taquito. The Barkeater Sandwich was OK, but nothing special. Service was friendly and efficient. Overall, a good experience. Second Visit: The Michigan Side Salad was mediocre at best. The Barkeater still just OK (yes, got it again as eating vegetarian diet). Our service was pretty poor, especially as the server rolled her eyes at us when requesting separate checks. She did the bare minimum to "earn" the 18% gratuity she tagged on the bill. We spent much of the meal eating around dirty salad dishes, and getting a refill on soda was quite a feat. No one in our group thought the food was good either. Overall 2 stars...
(2)Matthew K.
This isn't as bad a place as these reviews make it sound. Yes, there's music, but you can ask to sit away from it (we came with our baby and parents, and it was fine). Food prices were of course on the high side. I would strongly suggest not overpaying with their appetizers..especially their cheese bread sticks - 3 for $8?! But the habanero tilapia sandwich was surprisingly good! Not spicy at all, more sweet...ask for sauce on the side if you're unsure. My wife got the pulled pork sandwich and thought it was OK, but she loves the ones I make at home. Parents got the battered perch sandwich and the chili. Both said they enjoyed it. Bill was $71 after tip, with only one non-water drink. Expensive, but at least the food was acceptable and makes me question other reviews. Not my first pick, but not a place to be afraid of, either. This place was always packed, along with Art's. The other 3 restaurants were always empty, even during the weekends. That should tell you something, at least.
(3)Daniel T.
Great atmosphere. Love hanging outside and watching the game. Had the turkey Avacado burger. It was delicious. The bun was super tasty. Definitely worth a stop if you are in the area for a few days.
(4)Monique M.
We stopped at Boone Docks during vacation because my husband was drawn in by the live music and beautiful patio. The music was indeed great and the weather was wonderful for patio seating but unfortunately that's were the greatness stopped. Our service was incredibly slow. We waited almost 10 minutes for a server to come to our table. I was ready to leave at that point but we decided to stick it out. Bad idea. Our green bean fries were cold. I bit into one and end was frozen. We sent them back and our server wasn't at all apologetic. My husband ordered a pulled pork sandwich that reminded me of elementary school lunches. Dry and flavorless. I attempted to play it safe with a small cup of chili, which was served lukewarm although the flavor wasn't bad at all. The other thing-the amount of plastic this place uses is insane. Overpriced. Slow service. Bad food. Save your time and skip this place. The only upside was my beer was tasty but better off purchased at the store across the street.
(1)Willy J.
Second time eating here, i normally say dinning here but i wouldn't call it that. Very inflexible. Eight or more your going pay 18% tip and they won't split the check, they never refilled my drink. Treat you like outsiders and the food is simply less than ok. Very overpriced, $25 for fried chicken and a pepsi, one glass full that is. Building looks nice but don't be fooled. No third try for this one. Trust me on this.
(1)Ron F.
"Some" of our food (seven customers) was okay but the rest was questionable. The special of the day was PrimeRib. Our first group member order the 16oz which had to be sent back because it was cold when served. The second friend ordered a 12 oz, which appeared to be about 6 oz. and did not even look to be prime-rib. ???? I ordered a 16oz sirloin but was served a 16oz primerib (it looked great so I kept it and was very satisfied). My wife ordered Lake Perch ("yes, those are lake perch" was the response when questioned) and her veggie combo was completely under-cooked. Customer 5 returned her walleye to be warmed properly. Friends 6 and 7 had no complaints except the speed of the service. There should be no excuse for serving the food as it was. There will be no returns from us. Sorry Boon Docks but you have to do better if you expect your customers to endorse you. Glen Arbor has too many excellent options to ever go to BoonDocks. One Star will probably be more appropriate but two will do.
(2)Kelly M.
Had lunch here with family on a chilly summer day so we sat inside. The outside area and bar look amazing for an evening of entertainment on a warmer night. Our waitress was not very friendly and seemed annoyed and the food was alright. I ordered the specialty salad, my father the pork sandwich which was rather dry, my sister ordered the chicken club, which consisted of a grilled piece of chicken on a ciabatta bun. Good place for atmosphere. Food only adequate.
(3)S C.
Had lunch with a party of 9. We were seated outside quickly. Food and drinks were fast and delicious! Waitress was attentive and fast. We'll go again the next time we are in town.
(5)Erin H.
Have to echo several points other made. The atmosphere inside is cute, but the service was definitely sub-par and the food was just ok. My friend had perhaps the smallest serving of nachos any of us has ever seen in a restaurant. Can't remember what else we had but that's kind of the point.
(2)Maria P.
My planked whitefish was not "planked," it was "fishy" tasting and the sour cream that came with my baked potato was curdled. The server told me that it had been out for a while, as if that made it acceptable or understandable. Really, really disappointing and unsettling experience.
(1)Bob S.
I suppose I can understand the comments of those who grew up here or are local; they aren't a lot of choices in Glen Arbor for the quiet, up North feel, it is all pretty well geared for the tourist ad Summer renter, and perhaps no place more so than Boone Docks with its late patio, outdoor bar, live music and surrounding shops. That being said, as a tourist and a Summer renter, this place was fun. Folks in a great mood, families dancing to the music, kids running around on the grass out front and checking out the candy store and the food was pretty decent as well. The chicken cheese jalapeño soup rocked and everyone liked what they had, whether it was the Boone Docks salad, the fresh perch, the fried fish, the steak, or the Italian sub that I had. Overpriced? Sure, but no more so than any of the other establishments here or what you would find in a typical Midwest resort town. Tahoe it ain't, so perhaps some of these reviews are driven by misguided expectations, but for fun, variety, and decent fare, this is the place for dinner, drinks (and the occasional dance on the deck) in Glen Arbor!
(3)Erin D.
Not sure about the very negative reviews. Great patio, good service. Food didn't blow me away, but not indelible as others might have you believe. Burgers are in $10 range and include higher end bagged chips. Onion rings very good. Maybe a little higher than some places, but Glen Lake area isn't the cheapest. After a long day kayaking at the platte we were happy and left satiated and w/ some leftovers.
(3)Jordan C.
Have been to this place dozens of times and been coming here since I was a kid. It used to be pretty good, I think because of the old crew and the food was just better. Now, it seemed to be staffed by a lot of young kids who are somewhat rude. It seems too expensive for the food quality. The atmosphere is cool, I will agree with that, but not really worth it. If you really want to try this place, I would recommend it in the summer, when you can sit outside but don't build yourself up too much for the food you may get. Atmosphere = 4/5 Staff friendliness/knowledge of the menu = 2.5/5 Food = 2/5 Price = 1/5
(2)Myrna J.
Got there about 8:30 tonight. It looked a bit like the place was closing though it was pretty busy. I kind of liked the way it felt cozy, hunting lodge type style. The cup of chili I ordered was tepid and tasted like tomato soup. There was exactly one piece of tasteless meat in the whole cup. The waiter who served it was ready to go home I think. Oh, I ordered a side salad that looked pretty tired and tasted equally dull and tired. The lettuce was actually brown in places and wilted... the cucumber slice had been frozen at some point and was all slimy. My husband had a reuben which was ok but nothing special. I've had better food at Chili's at the airport. It seemed family friendly though and had a kind of party atmosphere... so might be okay if you know what to order and get there before the wait staff wants to go home. I wouldn't go there again.. but then I'm like that. Too many other places available to waste money on that mediocre (or worse) food.
(2)Doug B.
Busy, service was adequate/good on the two nights we went. Sat inside once, outside on the patio once. Live music was decent, not loud. Prices are normal for the area, i.e. inflated. Oberon on tap.
(4)Kerry Z.
Wonderful location and best place in town to take a group and party. TVs for the big game are outside under a large bar with rustic theme. Only problem is this place takes advantage of their location with resort pricing. Food is just fair. Saturday at 6pm and it wasn't wall to wall people even with the Tigers on.
(3)John S.
Service was slow, despite not being very busy. Food was less than average, and was priced high for the kind of food it was. Only good thing about the place is the live band/outside seating for drinks, if in the right season.
(2)Erika M.
It's a tradition to go to Boone Docks when you are in Glen Arbor. The atmosphere is very lively and upbeat. Their food isn't the most amazing food I've ever had, but it's pretty good. I usually order one of their sandwiches and everyone else gets a burger. The service isn't outstanding but it's good considering how busy they typically are. It's a fun place to eat and hang out!
(4)Chase O.
YES, this is a tourist-ridden place. YES, it's a louder atmosphere. YES, everyone is stark white. But NO, you most likely won't have a bad meal. Since the family is up on the lake every summer, I've eaten here about four times, and the food has never disappointed me, though a family member said they once had a bad night. But tonight, however, our dinner was delicious and the manager was happy that it was rectified. Had a cheddar jalapeño burger (note: $11.25... bit pricey) and it was great. I also split some perch which was REALLY good as well --if you want some perch, it's a super safe bet that it'll be wonderful. Some of the best I've had. The service was friendly. Not much more to say about that. Atmosphere is safe. Good for families. We always sit on the patio. Like I said before, it's loud, but not obnoxiously loud. It's a fun loud. Live music and dancing. If you want a good family vacation place, this is it. Though there are other places that may be more of a local favorite. P.S. Oberon on tap!
(4)Amy D.
Overall, we had a great experience. We were not familiar with the area, as this was our first time there. We stopped becaused it looked good. The breaded asparagus appetizer was excellent! I had the black bean rolls as a meal; they were great. Hubby had the California chicken sandwich, which was also good. Our girls had pb&j sandwiches. Each order came with 2 sandwiches. They probably could have split the meal. It was kind of pricey, but I am sure that is to be expected with the cost of getting food to the area. Would go again.
(5)Matt W.
The deck and atmosphere are great. The food, however, is terrible, and I felt like I was served cafeteria style. My wife and I ordered onion rings for an appetizer, and instead of bringing ketchup, they brought us packets of ranch dressing and a dixie cup. We both order salads that were suppose to have dried cherries, nuts, etc. The were very few cherries and a few nut crumbs when I got to the bottom. Our fat free raspberry dressing was also brought to us in packets. Service was...meh. I asked for a margarita, no salt. I got salt. This place was the most disappointing part of our vacation. We are regulars to the Leelanau peninsula, and there are lots of great places to grab a bite in the area, but this is not one of them. Unless you are just going for drinks on the deck...Avoid!!!
(2)James S.
Overall, this place was a let down. We visited off-season and they were relatively slow. The service was sub-par with multiple items never being delivered. The food was edible, but not enjoyable. I had a burger that was made of your typical frozen patty and was way too expensive for what it was. I would try a different restaurant if I do d myself in Glen Arbor again.
(2)Lynette L.
Service extremely slow. Came here when restaurant was half empty and had to wait 40 minutes for mediocre food. Not worth it!
(1)Allison F.
I get that a lot of people are complaining about their menu never changing BUT you have to remember that summer is the only time that this place gets any large business. The food is good! It is a seasonal place, as is the entire town of Glen Arbor. I could never hate on ANYTHING in Glen Arbor. I have been vacationing in this town for years with my family at the same cottage on Little Glen and it is THE MOST AMAZING place I've been to. Boone's is one of the typical dinner places we hit and I LOVE IT.
(4)Gail B.
Boone's has great outdoor seating. The huge covered bar area offered a place out of the hot sun yesterday where we had lunch. The perch sandwich for $11 was worth it - it had 3 large pieces of fresh perch cooked just right. The burger was prepared correctly and very good. Baskets come with a pickle and kettle chips. The service was good although the food took a little longer than expected, but it was a nice day to sit and people watch. We've been here before, and this visit had improved food over the last time.
(3)Jennifer T.
So good! Great patio service, the food was great the service was OUTSTANDING! We came back twice. Great outdoor dining and live music. I really loved it. Not sure about the old reviews, but it's definitely not bad now!!
(5)Emily K.
I am giving Boone Dock's four stars because I have emotional ties to this place. I began coming here with my now-husband, eight years ago when we began dating. He took me here for our first official date, and then again the night we got engaged. We shared the nachos which were FANTASTIC! Truly enough for two. I've never had a bad meal here. It's a lot of fun to go in the summer and sit outside to hear the live music and catch the "vibe" of Glen Arbor. Yes, it's touristy and more expensive than other places. But, Glen Arbor is expensive in itself. You come here for the local flavor and the experience. I will always return to Boone Dock's every summer.
(4)Dietrich W.
I used to come to this place all the time as a kid. I'd spend my summers up north with my grandparents, and as a treat, they'd bring me down to that cool restaurant with the outdoor seating in Glen Arbor. I remember the food being amazing, the waitresses being incredibly friendly, and my grandparents enjoying themselves. That all changed this summer. I returned with my sister and some friends, trying to re-live the experience. This place has gone so far downhill it's pathetic. The food was awful, our waitress was rude, and my dreams and memories were destroyed. Thanks Boone Dock's!
(1)M T.
We have been to Boone Dock's every year since it opened - and every year the menu is the same, the atmosphere the same (most of the time), the food so-so. The whole point is the music, the casual atmosphere, having fun. The point is Not high quality food, great service (or even nice servers), or intimate dining. That said, the past few years the food was SO bad and the good bands left and we had to quit. We spent the entire summer this year avoiding the place - but I read some recent reviews and had to try it at least once (this is our 50th summer in the county). We went 2 nights ago (July 2012) and here is my review: 1. a NEW MENU !!! It is definitely an improvement from the 2 decade old menu and it offers a decent variety of meals that can be sourced locally. (Cherries this year were a problem due to very poor weather conditions). 2. the GOOD MUSIC is back. We were there on a Saturday - those guys know how to play family music and are friendly and have talent. We stayed long after the meal was over to enjoy the music - and it has been a few years since we could say that. 3. The food is BETTER. It's not great, but the burgers were good, the chef salad was fresh and tasty, the whitefish was also very good. 4. the Wait Staff are much nicer Outside. The young college students work out there and so there is more of a carnival atmosphere. The local (longer term) staff is inside (was in our case since there was someone my husband recognized when he was there in March) and they are probably burned out by mid-summer. Our waitress was stoic or surly - it rotated. I don't think she said 3 words - but my husband said she was much nicer in March. 5. It is SAFE to RETURN to Boone Docks. Of course, we don't recommend it on a regular basis (like, for example, Good Harbor Grill where we could eat 3 meals a day for a month and not complain!!) but when you are in need of an American Casual Dining and Outdoor Entertainment experience including a half decent meal - then we believe you are good to go (to Boone Docks).
(3)Ben H.
AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!! RUN WHILE YOU CAN!!! This place is the epitome of a tourist trap!!! The menu 'looks' so very appetizing, and the entrees are worded so they seem very elegant- elegant to match the pricing. Lies. Simply awful, I ordered a SIX dollar Oberon and it came in PLASTIC!!! Are you serious? Mind you, I'm outside in the patio area.....I assume that's why, no big deal. Then my FIFTEEN dollar Caesar comes out and it's in what looks to be some microwave TV plastic dish as well and I knew that I'd been had. What salad there was, was soggy and the ingredients were old and nasty. Even the dressing came in plastic packets. To top it off, we had a not so delightful server which didn't care about anything besides talking to her friends. Our order was messed up and she proceeded to blame the cook then she threw, yes THREW the tab at us. I bet she even wondered why the tip we all gave her amounted to a Dollar. To end the story, my party of four walked away VERY disappointed as no one's meal was even worth the single star I rated this place. We wished we had gone to McDonalds.
(1)Michael W.
Went here with the family. Our kids liked sitting outdoors and listening to the live music. We all ordered burgers which took awhile to arrive and were decent. Wine came in plastic cups and chocolate milk was straight from a carton - like old elementary school days. Tourist place which was fine for us since we were tourists. Read the reviews before going and place was as expected.
(2)B R.
Read the reviews. It was a good place for an afternoon late lunch and a beer. Remember - there are limited choices out here!
(3)Lisa L.
Rudest waitress incident ever. I was there with a group of 17 and I was the only one to order the Michigan salad, which has the main ingredient of dried cherries. After a long wait for our food, the waitress brought out a spinach salad with two rings of onions, a spinkling of crushed walnuts, and five croutons. I told her that the salad was supposed to have cherries and she said they just ran out. I told her, "Then I don't want the Michigan salad." She put it down in front of me, told me to wait, and then came out with a large cup of dried cherries. She never apologized or offered and explanation as to why they were out one minute and not the next. I would never pay $8.99 for the salad without the cherries since everything else in the salad cost about $1.00. Sadly, since we had a large group, gratuity was added at 18%!
(1)Sue T.
Husband had Italian burger and said it was excellent. I had Turkey Avocado burger and it was bland. Avocado wasn't ripe and wouldn't stay on. Tomato focaccia bun wasn't very flavorful either. Pricey too. Good atmosphere and the waitstaff was superb. Helpful, attentive and friendly.
(4)Matthew G.
I went on a trip to Michigan this week and Boone Dock's was so crappy that I've sworn an oath never to return to the entire state. Okay, not really. But it was truly horrible. The prices and the creatively-worded menu lead you to believe that you're going to be getting something at least decent. Not true! They are part of an elaborate ploy to lull tourists like me into a false sense of security. The appetizers were cold. The burgers are crummy ass pre-made frozen things on buns that are still nearly frozen. And the fish sticks on the kid's menu were obviously made of some sophisticated polymer or plastic; they sure as hell weren't food of any sort. The ENTIRE staff is high school kids. And that's fine, if you teach them to serve properly. At the end of the meal I had to walk up to where the "servers" were mingling to get my credit card slip. Do not bother. There are a few other places in this small town that do a bang-up job.
(1)G M.
A yearly tradition for me and my friends, the food is always great, location awesome, service is always friendly and good!
(5)Marc B.
This place is okay - some of the reviewers here hate this place. I don't think it really merits any hate (its too bland for that). They had a band outside, good food. Bring your kids without worry of bothering anyone.
(3)Ms G.
Boone Dock's is a place you go to for the atmosphere. In the summer, you can sit out the wooden deck and listen to live music, watch the tourists and locals stroll by on the street, and visit the few small shops located on the patio. In the winter, the inside is cozy with a large stone fireplace and lots of booths with views of the snowy streets. It's kinda pricey for the food, which is good, but not great. I like the barbeque pork sandwich- lots of meat and a good flavor. I would recommend this to visitors who are looking for good food in a great atmosphere.
(3)Kathy T.
Went for lunch 12/30/12 had a GREAT Lunch! We sat by the fireplace, ohhh it was so cozy! Our waiter was awesome! We had a hungry 2yr old, the server got her order to us fast. She said "Oooooo, Yum" and clapped for him as he servered her food. it was so cute! We were almost as impressed when our food came just as quick. Great atmosphere and fun place to be!
(5)BJ M.
Well...the deck and bluegrass band were nice. The food? Like I said, the deck and bluegrass band were nice.
(3)Wendy H.
Great place for perch dinners, burgers or Nacho's ... Can be a very busy place, especially in the summer. We are locals and we venture out many times a year, mostly inn the off season ... but love to see the summer crowdes. You can not beat Glen Arbor anytime of the year for food, adventure and a sense of belonging ... Boone Dock's has the best Perch in the area ... 'my opinion' ... only a few other places that I travel to get perch ... this would be my first choice!
(4)alice m.
So disappointed about the old reviews for Boone Docks. We are locals, and it HAS been sketchy for the past few years. Last summer things changed, and we have been delighted to recommend it for the past year. Everything we and our guests have ordered has been delicious- try the perch sandwich. Wait staff well trained and courteous, even when obviously busy. This is going to be a busy place with all the recent publicity, but rest assured, Art's is not the only show in town! Outdoors you will be served in plastic, get over it.
(4)Jessica M.
The food was better than expected after reading some of these reviews, I had a BBQ chicken sandwich and it was very tasty. The rest of my party ordered burgers and mini taco appetizers which were all good. The kids meals were very overpriced so we just gave our 2-year old parts of everyone elses meals. The large deck was nice on a sunny day in northern Michigan, really felt like "vacation"
(3)Jenny z.
It's loud, obnoxious, overpriced, and is lit up like a riverboat casino/whore house - tacky, tacky, tacky. Ugh. Pricey seafood, steaks, etc. LOUD live music on the patio many summer nights. If you enjoy dining amongst hordes of tourists, paying way too much for mediocre food, and having to shout to carry on a conversation with your dinner companions, you would probably love this place. Me? I'll be down the road at Art's enjoying a freaking fantastic burger & tater tots in more civilized surroundings.
(1)Zac L.
The first review is spot on - avoid this place like the plague. One thing not mentioned was that all of their overpriced food is served on plastic plates with plastic knives and forks just to make it a little more classy - not. The food is sucks too.
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