Freshwater Tavern

Great food and service! Restaurant was nearly full on a Wednesday afternoon, that should tell you something about its popularity. I was visiting from out of town and staying at the hotel where the restaurant is located. I’m usually not crazy about hotel restaurants, but this place was recommended by several people and it didn’t disappoint. “Angry Lobster” was excellent, not spicy but very flavorful. Bread pudding with ice cream was very good as well. Portion wise - it’s enough to feed two people! I’ve seen other tables’ food and portions seem pretty large on pretty much everything.

Service was exceptional! There were multiple servers in the dining area and they came to check on their tables regularly; my server stopped by several times to make sure I had everything I wanted. I really enjoyed the view of the lake from the dining area.

Yes, it’s a bit pricey, but it was definitely worth it.

Wow - so delicious and amazing service. When we first moved here people didn’t talk highly about this place so we didn’t go right away. Big mistake. This place is incredible. We’ve lived all over the country and to have this quality of food and range of flavors so close is brilliant. For our anniversary dinner we shared the Wisconsin Cheese Curds, my wife got the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, and at the recommendation of the server, I got the Red Thai Curry Shrimp & Scallop. Everything was fabulous! We can’t wait to go back! Oh and the Moscow Mule’s were tasty as well!

Josh is absolutely amazing. Detailed, friendly and knows food and drinks like no other. He’s been our waiter several times and he never disappoints. The food and drinks are unique and worth the trip. We love “the kiss” the “honey lav” and the craft cocktails. Best!!! Place!!! Ever!!!

As always the food was fantastic, and always great to come across a place that actually knows how to cook a steak properly to any temp. Robin was awesome; super patient, attentive and friendly, always making sure we had what we needed! ^w^
Photos: Dream State, Bread Pudding, Freshwater Margarita & Midnight Espresso

Moved to the UP from a west coast city and I am so thrilled to have found this place. The view and atmosphere are gorgeous and elevated but also very welcoming. Jordan C. was our server and she was very knowledgeable and charming! Super helpful guiding my friend through the menu who has a gluten allergy. I got the southern shrimp and grits which surpassed to my standards having spent some of my youth in Louisiana. The chef absolutely has Cajun spices down! Can’t wait to come back.

We enjoyed our time at Freshwater for my birthday dinner! The food was delicious and our fabulous waitress, Melissa, took great care of us with a joyful attitude! We will certainly be back again.
(The food quality is amazing and much better than the quality of my photos attached. ;) )

We really enjoyed our meals however we felt that the pepper jam was overly peppered. The red thai curry with shrimp and scallops was swimming in the sauce. Would have preferred less sauce but overall dish was tasty.

Everything was GREAT!! We came to celebrate our 12 year anniversary, we enjoyed our first experience here & Our server was so wonderful Thank you Melissa for making our first time wonderful.
Make sure you try the Korean BBQ Rips Soooo Good!!!

It was a first time experience, the atmosphere was really pleasant, the food was beyond amazing. Everything on our plates was delightful! The service was amazing Robin was attentive, friendly, and overall great experience. Definitely coming back, and 100% recommending this place to others.

Overall, great restaurant! My ONLY complaint was I only had water to drink and I didn't get any refills so I was thirsty the whole time. The food was great and higher end! Definitely recommend the Jalapeño Poppers! Delicious! The menu is pricey 30-60$ per plate on average. Would recommend to friends and family for a nice night out! Great view of lake Michigan was a plus ☺

Tanisha took great care of my wife and me for dinner! She explained the menu and evening specials very thoroughly. She checked in on us the right amount of times for a quality dining experience. The food was great especially the whitefish special with local mushrooms, etc. So delicious. I would highly recommend Freshwater Tavern and hope that you get Tanisha as your server!!

The restaurant seemed busy, however we were immediately sat at a bay-view table and greeted by our lovely & knowledgeable server, Josh. Our 4 course meal was served promptly; the food was delicious and hot. Definitely recommend!

It's been about four years since we've been here, and it looks like they've remodeled to some degree, but it was a pretty cool place when we last went. They had a Margarita Flight on the menu that was fantastic, and their craft beer list was very good. I enjoyed the bar; it had a warm 1970's vibe. The main dining room view over the lake is wonderful, too.

First time here on a mini vacation. Food was delicious and service was 12/10! Will definitely go again before heading back home! Definitely recommend stopping in!

Husband an I went here for our 12th anniversary an the waiter was so kind food was amazing definitely will be goin back for our 13th anniversary!

I just celebrated my birthday here today and it was such an incredible experience. Julia our server was so attentive and really went the extra mile for us. Also, the chef, Joshua, is so incredibly talented. So thankful for this magical experience and I can’t wait to come back. 💗

Award winning dishes with an extensive diverse menu! As well, our server Julia was attentive and knowledgeable. Butter and bread flight as well as the crispy chili tofu were favourites of our family. Definitely going to be one of those places we recommend if someone’s passing through the area!

———Update——
Stopped by again on our way home from our trip and had again very excellent service and mouth watering food. Was much busier today with many larger tables, this didn’t effect our experience at all. Quick service and personable wait staff- team is very clearly well managed. Even has a cute spread on a table about the wait staff that is graduating this June from school.
So sad we we live so far from here! Keep it up freshwater team!

Everything was amazing as usual! The market fish was perfect and the aged ribeye melted in your mouth. The experience was made that much better by the talented Dani, who made our special day (celebrating my mom’s birthday) perfect! Dani presented the specials in a very professional manner and convinced us to save room for dessert…she was spot on! The bombalini was divine! Thanks for everything!

Best ribeye I've ever had. ❤. On God. My wife and I went there last minute due to our original spot being closed on Sundays. But we just found a new spot. It is our 13th anniversary ❤ ♥ 💕 💖. The cheesecake duo is out of this world 🌎 😍. Service was top notch but went there close to closing so did not get a chance to experience the atmosphere. 💯

Had plans to go elsewhere for a friend's birthday. The other establishment could not accommodate our party of 8. We were pressed for time. Freshwater welcomed us without hesitation. No waiting. Our server Melissa was excellent, efficient and most of all fun. The food was superb, but it was Melissa who made the evening memorable for us. We will be back.