Plank’s on the Water
800 Whitwam Dr, St. Joseph, MI, 49085
Plank’s on the Water Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in St. Joseph for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in St. Joseph for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in St. Joseph for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
800 Whitwam Dr
St. Joseph, MI, 49085 - Phone (269) 983-1111
- Website https://www.innatharborshores.com/planks-tavern.html
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :7:00 am - 10:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Brunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Brad G.
Jean is a great server very friendly and knowledgable about the menu. They don't have a ton of vegetarian options but the ratatouille is very good as well as the blueberry balsamic salad dressing and sometimes they have good vegetarian soups.
(5)A K.
Seems like another good addition to the local restaurant scene. Their fish and chips was great I would get it again in a heart beat. Location is awesome and overall nice place to visit. Their menu could be expended a bit but since this place just opened I suspect they may step up their game.
(5)Kyle M.
Friendly staff and good food make up for the atmosphere. The dining room has poor lighting and terrible acoustics. I wouldn't bring someone here that I actually wanted to hold a conversation with! The wait staff were friendly and helpful. I had their version of the Moscow Mule; passable libation, nothing new or exciting. My friend had a margarita, the first one was good, the second was mainly tequila! (Which he really didn't complain about ;) They also have a decent wine list (as compared to other restaurants in the area.) Ordered the caramelized goat cheese appetizer... Out of goat cheese! Had the honey buffalo wings instead. Good, but not the best I've had. Good flavor, but they could have been cooked a little longer...the skin was rubbery instead of crispy. I had the bourbon braised short ribs for an entree. Very good! Great flavor, very tender. This was paired with crispy fingerling potatoes and asparagus, both prepared perfectly. My friend had the cast iron tenderloin. He enjoyed it. I tried a bite... The steak was tender and flavorful and prepared as ordered (medium). Overall good food and drink. Ok atmosphere. Will definitely try them again.
(4)Kathryn M.
Went on a Sunday eve. Nice patio area with Harbor view. Friendly comfortable atmosphere. The soup was good, a bit different in a good way, maybe a tad salty. We really liked the shrimp and grits small plate, and all other items were on par as well. We didn't have any full entrees but left satisfied and were happy Overall. Lots of options to fit all tastes and budgets :)
(4)Mike M.
Had a great meal with the family (incliding 5 and 1 y.o. Boys) after the ice festival this weekend. The braised pork osso bucco was delicious and almost more than I could eat! The kids liked the chicken fingers/fries and my wife said the burger was good as well. The staff was responsive and friendly. Somehow the restaurant managed to balance the ambiance of an upscale-type place with a comfort level that was family-friendly. We'll be back and can't wait for the summer/waterfront tables!
(4)Yianni Z.
Worst service I have ever received. Both times from Jean. Took a chance on going for Sunday brunch once again and assumed service would have been better than the first time, and we got stuck with Jean once again. Will not go back for brunch ever again!!!!!!
(1)Kurt J.
Great ribs.....great tenderloin!! Great service! No complaints ......would highly recommend to anybody living here or visiting the Southwest Michigan area!!!
(4)Nicole M.
Glad to have another nice dining option in the area. We tried the shrimp and grits and the wings for apps - both were good. The lobster mac was OKAY -- it was more a cross between a creamy white wine sauce and a bechamel than really "cheesy mac". The caesar salad was okay -- needed a bit more dressing. The atmosphere was good and the covered outdoor eating area is really nice. The drink menu was extensive with good brews on tap. My only issue was the service. We ordered our appetizers and they were out within 5 minutes. It was a little off-putting considering they were cooked dishes and the place was packed (Saturday night around 8pm). We placed the salad and entree order together, assuming the salad would come out first, but I guess we should've specified...they both came out just minutes later, together. The mac was piping hot which was again off-putting given how busy the place was and how quickly the entrees came out. It took more time to get a second round of drinks than it did to get entrees and that's just...not right. Other than getting some timing worked out, I was really pleased with the place. The menu is fun and diverse and they definitely had plenty of people working. We'll definitely be back but will probably order at a slow pace to assure our leisurely dinner isn't a fast food pace.
(4)Allisun A.
I have eaten here 6 times now. 2 dinners, 1 lunch, 3 breakfasts/brunches. At first blush, the menu looks very good. Trendy with a mix of staples. What I have come to realize is that the chef has a serious execution issue with his staff. They need more training to pull off the menu and put the correct flavors (cooked at the correct temperature) on the plate. This, combined with the restaurants cost cutting measures, makes the food lackluster. I am really frustrated with the restaurant, as I feel that it could be so much more - but it has just gone to the lowest common denominator. Here is a run down of everything I have personally tasted: Tuna Poke Stack: I am starting with this one, as it is one of only a few things I would ever order again and I have had it twice. The tuna is fresh and the wonton chips appear to be made in-house. The ponzu is flavorful with a great hit of ginger. We ran out of wonton chips, but they gave us some more when we asked. Plank's Grilled Cheese: This is a gruyere grilled cheese with duck that is served with a smoky tomato dipping sauce. The dipping sauce is on the thicker side, but has a good texture. I feel that it gets its smoky flavor from liquid smoke, though - which can be a turn off for some people. The bread is also on the thicker side. It was tasty, though. I would give this another try. Caramelized Goat Cheese: This is very good. Clean, simple flavors. I will order this again. Kale Salad: This was good. Fresh, good vinaigrette. I will order this again. Smoked Whitefish Dip: This has absolutely no flavor of smoked anything or whitefish or crab. It's a cheese dip. Plus - it is served with industrial corn chips - the kind your kid would get it the school cafeteria. I don't understand why they wouldn't just fry their own tortilla chips? I won't order it again. Honey Buffalo Wings: Nothing to write home about. These are like any other wing you'd get anyplace else - but more expensive. Pizza Hut makes wings that are just as good. Golden Onion Soup: The minute it was set in front of me, I knew it was going to be bad. A thin,square piece of rubbery cheese was melted over the top in one big gelatinous square. The cheese had an unappetizing film on it. Underneath the cheese was a broth that had to have come from a can. There was no depth of flavor at all. Pastrami Reuben: The house made pastrami is very good on its own. It's the execution of the sandwich that is horrible. It looks like the pastrami gets warmed on the grill before it is put on the sandwich. The slices are very thick. During the grilling process, my slices must have picked up all the oil on the grill. The sandwich was literally DRIPPING in oil. Mix that oil slick with the Russian sauce and slaw and it became an oily, gooey mess. Classic breakfast: This is a good price for what you get. Again, though - it comes down to execution and money saving tactics. The egg and breakfast meat was good and cooked properly. I had 2 major issues, though: 1) The toast wasn't toasted and 2) The "breakfast potatoes" are pre-bought junk. (Think of those inch wide, 4 inch long French fries that you see a lot. The "breakfast potatoes" are merely those fries cut in smaller chunks.) Come on! Peel some potatoes and make your own. Don't serve that crap from a bag. Chicken and biscuits: The biscuits are okay - a bit dense. The gravy is AMAZING. So yummy with a great spicy bite to it. I have now seen 3 plates of this come out to a table I was at, with me eating one of the plates of food. All 3 had the exact same issue: the chicken was HORRIFICALLY overcooked. It was dry dry dry. Plus, huge chunks of the batter had fallen off during frying - making those sections of the chicken piece chewy and brown. Planks French Toast: The syrup is good. I didn't get any marscapone. The French toast itself, though, has no flavor. Add some nutmeg, some cinnamon, SOMETHING to the batter. The bottom line is that I feel you can get better food and a cheaper price at numerous places in town. As for the service, I would say that they are very green, as many of them are very young. I never had a bad server in my 6 times there - but never had an outstanding one either.
(2)Seth B.
Went for an early dinner with my wife and daughter. Service was fairly attentive. The view of the water is great (although spoiled a little bit by the industrial zone across the way). Nice ambiance. Started with the braised goat cheese appetizer, which was very tasty. Good size for the price. Wine and beer selection is adequate, although prices are a little high. The wait for the food was average to maybe a little bit longer than average, but not unreasonable. The burger was tasty, although not in the running for the best I've ever had - I expected a bit more for the price. My wife ordered the fish and chips, which she thoroughly enjoyed. We got a pizza off the kids menu for my daughter, which she also enjoyed. The dough was very airy and sweet. They offered dessert, but we declined, and since they don't list them on the menu, we cannot comment on the selection. In all, it was a tasty dinner. I wavered between selecting 3 or 4 stars because the food wasn't quite good enough for the price, but I ultimately went with 4 stars since I think the current rating is unreasonably low. I had very low expectations based upon the rating compared to other restaurants in the area, but this definitely stacks up against the other places in town that we've eaten.
(4)S B.
The service at the tiki bar was great and loved the atmosphere and live music. However, the food was way too expensive and a limited menu. We were told, after waiting for 20 minutes, that the cook opened the hamburger meat and it was bad, so we had to pick something else. There really wasn't anything else on the menu we wanted, so we settled for an appetizer. We waited another 20 minutes and still didn't have our food. As we sat at the bar, we listened to customer after custom come to the bar to complain about the floor service. Poor bar tender, she was great. I wouldn't go back.
(1)Kendra K.
The outdoor patio option for dining is very nice. Very well done. Lovely view of the harbor minus the construction. Still very nice being outside. I chose to give 4 stars overall because of the food. Service was fantastic! Food was great as well! However, the menu is limited. I never felt full after one appetizer and a full entree. I also wish it came with an additional side; at least a veggie. But overall the food was great and had a very distinct and unique taste. Hope this place does well! Great addition to the harbor! The hotel lobby looks very nice.
(4)Tad D.
Slightly less impressive than Applebee's. Very slow service and totally uninspired food. Go to Mason Jar Cafe around the corner instead.
(2)Suzanne P.
Food sucks, go elsewhere. Not even worth reviewing. Fish and chips a disgrace to the Midwest, anywhere else better. Scallops not even cooked properly. Prices not equal to quality, nor care.
(1)Courtney F.
I travel for work so I stay here all the time. I have been to Planks now at least a couple dozen times and it seems to be getting worse. The menu always looks good but they never seem to be able to execute. Plus, it's SUPER pricey, downtown Chicago type of pricey and it's hard to understand how they justify the prices. I typically order and bring it up to my room (they won't do room service) and usually get the Oven Roasted Airline Chicken Breast because it's one of the only semi-healthy entrees on the dinner menu. The last couple times it was horrible. Once the chicken was under-cooked - like pink in the middle. I had already eaten half of it and was too irritated to go all the way back downstairs. I ended up with a stomach ache the rest of the night. The last time I had it, the chicken and vegetables had this odd chemical taste to it... it was so bad I couldn't even take a second bite. It's frustrating because I thought I found a sort of decent entree to eat when I stay there. DON'T get the Southwest Salad. It's disgusting. It's probably like an Applebee's Southwest Salad. The lettuce was old and SO SOGGY and drowning in dressing. I couldn't even more than a couple bites without feeling like I was going to be sick. The drinks are ok as well. I ordered a moscow mule and the bartender forgot to put lime in it. The second time I ordered one it was better. Needless to say, I've gone to bed hungry quite a few times whenever I eat here. I've started to bring snacks with me when I travel bc this place has become so bad.
(2)Leticia B.
I wish I could give a review of the food... but sadly we waited around for 20 minutes and were never acknowledged... Asked the hosted to send someone over, waited another 5 minutes and then we walked out. Even the restaurant manager walked passed us and never said a word as we waited and waited and waited. The place had several empty tables and plenty of staff. It would have been nice to at least get water. We left and found a great spot in downtown St. Joes called RyeBells and had a fantastic meal.
(1)Kay G.
Lunch was decent here. We sat on the patio which was nice, minus the industrial part of our view. The burger was just okay and I wasn't a big fan of the seasoned fries but my boyfriend enjoyed his crab salad. What brought the rating up was breakfast. Although it took a while to get our food it was worth the wait. Portions were huge. We loved the pancakes, large sausages, chicken and biscuits and scrambled eggs. The bacon serving was a little on the thin side but still very good.
(4)Ray K.
Great view from the restaurant but the fish and chips I ordered was a bit too greasy. Otherwise the offer good service and when I visited this place a few weeks ago I had a really good slider and breakfast the day after. Really recommended when you are in the area. Lots of places to sit so you can bring a big group.
(3)Toni F.
We visited Plank's Tavern after discovering it on opentable.com . Our usual "go-to" place was closed on Sunday and we wanted something casually upscale with a patio to end our holiday weekend on a high note. The restaurant is inside the Inn at Harbor Shores, a beautiful new building in a section of St. Joe's that is booming with new construction - taking advantage of a scenic spot along the river but very close to the downtown area. We arrived promptly for our reservation - the place is stylish with minimal decor. The first thing you see is a long and sleek bar with leather upholstered stools that just invite cocktail-ing. We sat outside on the veranda along the river at a wonderful table with a spectacular view of the entire porch, the river and the gazebo bar and pool. The atmosphere alone should have warranted at least 4 stars, especially on this spectacular summer evening but the food and service detracted on this visit. The service was tentative at best - the hostess looked confused or distracted when we walked in, barely acknowledging our presence and then showed us to our table. There seemed to be some issue with us arriving at 430pm, in between happy hour and dinnertime I guess, and it took us some time to actually get a dinner menu once we reassured them that we had no problem waiting a half hour so we could order dinner. Then our server said he couldn't actually take our order until 455pm. It was a holiday weekend, all this paying attention to the time of day was killing my buzz! We did order cocktails and a small plate to kill some time...the Blackberry Mojitos were excellent and reasonably priced. We also got an order of kettle chips with blue cheese, caramelized onion and bacon dip, also delicious. The dinner menu seemed to be worth the wait, with a variety of interesting choices and a fresh fish special. Our table ordered the French Dip, Shrimp and Grits and the Chicken & Waffles. I'll start with the French Dip - which did not include the caramelized onions that it said it came with on the menu. The meat was fatty and not very tender - the fries were great. The Chicken & Waffles were ok - four light Belgian waffles (couldn't tell if they were housemade or not) and a decent piece of fried chicken breast on top with a maple syrup drizzle. The Shrimp & Grits were not very good - the plate came in a puddle of sauce that was very, very greasy. The shrimp were large and there were quite a few of them considering this was an appetizer portion but honestly - the pool of liquid it was drowning in did nothing to add to the flavor of the dish. Maybe the intention was to soak it up with something (bread??) but there was nothing else served with it. We enjoyed the ambiance and location so much that we'll likely give Plank's another try (maybe to have cocktails and try the small plates menu during "community sharing") - hopefully they will iron out a few kinks and live up to their potential.
(2)Tom I.
Extremely bad meal of noodles and beef...noodles hard.. sauces was just soy sauce...
(1)JB S.
Great new restaurant in Benton Harbor. Friendly staff, tasty food and well rounded wine list. We ate dinner here last night and enjoyed sitting on the patio. The Tuna Poke appetizer was very fresh with a little bite of spice. The scallops were seared perfectly and I enjoyed the white beans and kale accompaniments. The rose by the glass is a refreshing full flavored rose. I'll definitely be back.
(4)kelly h.
Great food and staff very nice. A little limited on selections . We all enjoyed our meals and their meeting catering was top notch. Will stay and plan an event here again.
(4)Madyson G.
Amazing atmosphere! Love the pool bar and live music on the weekend by the water Jeannie the bartender outside makes the best drinks!!
(5)Danielle C.
Great place to eat overlooking the water. Benedict eggs were very satisfying as well as the Bloody Mary. It's connected to a hotel but you can't tell once inside. Very peaceful.
(4)Dianna Z.
We came here for Father's Day brunch and walked out after being seated for 30 minutes. We made a reservation on Open Table and we're seated immediately, but after sitting for 20 minutes (w/2 toddlers) we mentioned to the young kid that sat us that we still didn't have a server. He apologized and said he would get someone right over. Still sat waiting, and even the table behind me mentioned to their server that we still didn't have a server. Still waiting we continued to see others get seated and served coffee, and drinks. At 30 minutes we finally got up and left. Spoke to the manger about our wait, and she compensated us. Didn't matter at that point. We just wanted to feed our kids! Will never go back! If I could I would give it ZERO stars!
(1)Lyn W.
I have been to Plank's Tavern on the Water a number of time. However this past visit will probably be my last visit. I went on 10/13 and it was not a busy Monday night. I was there for a client dinner and it started off okay. Drinks were okay and service was okay. We started noticing fruit flies around or table and it was hard to ignore them a continue in conversation. We ordered appetizers and the to goat cheese was amazing! Love it. Next was entrees and I had Chicken and Waffle - okay at best. My clients had Pork Chops - okay (not enough season). Ended with dessert which usually I love. We ended up splitting the apple pie thing and chocolate mousse thing - neither were home runs. All in all, it was just an okay meal for a huge price.
(2)Allen T.
I used to go to the restaurant in the Hilton hotel in Muskegon Mi. It always was an incredible experience. Esp the sea food night. The same could not be said about this new hilton restaurant. Friday night I went with 8 girls. Not one of us liked our meal that was selected from a poor menu selection. One sea food selection on Lake Michigan. Our comment for the night was it's ok but something missing. Taste !!!!!
(1)Emilyanne K.
I went there a couple weeks ago and it was a great experience. Excellent and friendly service. Server was knowledgable about the food and drinks. Portions were larger than expected and that was nice. Its a very small restaurant which was a little different but it was a very nice experience.
(4)Kate B.
So disappointing. Despite hearing bad reviews from our friends and family, we decided to try Plank's after a beach day. Great venue. Nice view overlooking the St. Joe river. Too bad the service and food couldn't live up to it. (It's an ongoing frustration: we find that in SW Michigan, it's rare to find a restaurant that masters all three: atmosphere, service and food.) Ordered the whitefish dip as an app. It was served cold. Sent it back, and it came back to us lukewarm and, ultimately, flavorless. We also ordered the simple salad, kale salad and Caesar salad. The simple salad lived up to its name, and not in a good way. The kale salad was a HUGE plate of kale. Not much else. The Caesar was a huge heart of romaine, without the stem removed, barely grilled, and a tiny, tiny bit of flavorless dressing. Dinner--just as unimpressive. Our two kids ordered the pizza, which was just flatbread topped with diced tomatoes and shredded mozzarella. No seasoning. Yuck. The scallops were cooked well, and the beans tasted good. But $26 for 3 scallops? In Michigan? Please. And the burger is hardly worth mentioning. Drinks were sub-par and ridiculously expensive for the area. I'm from Chicago, so it's not like I'm not used the price tag. But consider your surroundings. Maybe the Harbor Shores members are okay with it, but unless your drinks are spectacular, they're not worth $12. Service was horrible. Staff is uber-young and unhelpful/unenthusiastic. And no one bussed our table until we paid the check. We will not be back. Very disappointed.
(1)Tina R.
I have been twice and haven't been super impressed. Food is a little pricey and service is quite slow. Food is ok but not outstanding.
(2)Edwina P.
Wait staff was attentive and friendly, although a bit tentative. Restaurant is fairly new - opened in May. Can't beat the location - on the St. Joseph river with outdoor seating. Casual, upscale ambiance. Dinner was ok. The dishes seemed to be missing salt...from the whitefish dip to the scallop dish. A bit of seasoning would have elevated the dish from "ok" to fantastic. Not sure we will come back - maybe the restaurant needs a bit of time to settle in. I'd like to like it!
(3)Nancy B.
Despite the mixed reviews we decided to give Plank's a try and were pleasantly surprised. A lovely night outside overlooking the water didn't hurt. But the food was very good and well served. I wanted a salad first and the waiter volunteered I could get a half portion. The kale and Blue cheese was well-dressed and tasty, as was my husband's Caesar salad. He had the osso buco, which he pronounced beautifully prepared and nicely accompanied by whipped potatoes. I had the burger with cheddar and Carmelized onions, which was one of the better ones around. Just couldn't finish the portion which came with with well seasoned fries. Service was also very good and servers were sincerely interested in pleasing us. We'll come back with guests.
(4)Jason S.
Four of us tried Plank's on a Friday afternoon (about 3:30 PM) and sat outside. Nice view overlooking the St. Joseph River. We had appetizers and wine. The Smoked Whitefish Dip (house smoked whitefish, jumbo lump crab meat and goat cheese cream sauce crusted in parmesan panko) was "fishy" not in a good way and rather bland. Next we had the Margherita Flatbread (mozzarella cheese, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic and fresh basil) with chicken. This wasn't bad but certainly not memorable. All in all, those items were of poor quality for way over-priced bar food. The wine list was good and we were happy with our selections. The Hostess and Servers did a good job and we were happy with the service. However, the tavern wasn't crowded (maybe 4-6 tables) so I can't say how they are under pressure. We might stop back but really weren't impressed with what Plank's tried to be.
(2)Stu U.
Good atmosphere but overpriced menu! $7 up charge for chicken on a salad. Drinking outside at the Tiki Bar is generally a good atmosphere, just usually underwhelmed by the food/prices.
(2)Laura C.
I was just a guest at the Inn at Harbor Shores. We were in town shopping for a vacation home for a friend. We got to the Inn later than expected, decided to have dinner at Planks. Bad decision. Our waiter was friendly and laid back.....way laid back. For some reason he could only bring items for one table at a time. He left the bar with drinks for one table but not with our glasses of wine. Crazy. The food was remarkable only in the fact that it was so blah! We ordered the Whitefish dip.Seriously, we live in Michigan it has to be good right? It tasted like tuna fish that had had water poured on it. Awful. awful. The chowder was fine. We each had the Wedge salad as our dinner. Blue cheese Mousse sounded pretty good. I guess it's a way to use less cheese and save money. Again, pretty tasteless. The lettuce was limp and blah too. We tried breakfast the next morning. Shrimp and grits. Blah and greasy. The Inn itself is very nice and the bathroom in our room was very nice. I love the color scheme. Would we stay again, yes, would we eat there again? Absolutely not.
(2)wendy w.
Fantastic - had brunch there today and were 3 for 3 on excellent dishes - the french dip sandwich, crepes florentine and pastrami and sweet potato hash with eggs - great outdoor patio, wonderful service and the food was top notch - tasty and fresh - we will be back! Oh and VERY reasonable brunch prices!
(5)