I have been to Lakeside Charlie's numerous times in the last 15 years and was surprised at how much it has gone down hill. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and looked forward to a sandwich or burger on the deck. We were seated right away and ordered a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary bar was excellent which gave them an upgraded rating to a 2...we were told we could only eat the buffet or order a simple salad. We relented on the buffet and then heard both the tables on either side of us order burgers and sandwiches. We asked our waitress why we could not have the same and she replied "I had to ask the chef to do a special order for those tables". The buffet was not good...when I asked if more roast beef was coming the chef said he wondered the same thing 20 minutes ago. The beef stroganoff was a large pile of mush with globs of sour cream. Skip the brunch and come here another time or find the waitress that is willing to ask the chef for a special order...
(2)
Dave D.
First time visiting this establishment and have to say my wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Very friendly staff, nice food selection. Mid price range, nice wine selection and very good tasting food. Asked to substitute the seafood in the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and got a no hesitation Response of no problem. It was delicious. Will eat there again next time we pass through.
(4)
Joseph O.
I had a pleasant dinner at Lakeside Charlie's on June 27. We were seated, with 95% of the rest of the diners, on the very nice patio overlooking the lake. The draft beer selection was limited, but did feature a couple of Bell's selections, so I started out happy. Our waitress was relatively efficient, if lacking somewhat in a friendly personality. She appeared to be quite young, so I'll assume that she just needs some experience. The red onion soup was OK, but a bit on the salty side. I ordered the prime rib, which was adequate, but not outstanding. The bread was fresh out of the oven, and quite tasty, which to me always helps to make up for minor problems with the rest of the food. The bottom line for me was that Lakeside Charlie's had a nice ambiance outdoors, edible but unspectacular food at relatively low prices.
(3)
Susette R.
Great Walleye, excellent service. Great food and reasonably priced. Waitstaff seem ed eager to please, everyone ver pleasant and accommodating
(4)
Sonya P.
This place is fabulous! It is right on the lake, so no matter where you are, you have a great view! They also make their own ginger ale, delicious!! They also have fresh fish and their seafood fettuccine is the best I've eaten anywhere! There is also a bar room which is great for sports games and dancing, but there is also a fancy section for large groups or events, and both are separate from the normal dining area. If you are in Cadillac, go here!
(4)
Roxane A.
While having a late night snack, I ordered a top shelf margarita and then another. When it came time to pay the bill for my cocktails (only), the total came to $26.50. Obviously, I was shocked. A tab this high at a local Cadillac dive........ You would have thought I was in NYC!!!!
(1)
Skip B.
Lakeside Charlie's has really good food and the prices while not cheap ... are not expensive. I don't give many "5"s and really would have this at a 4.5 if I could...but I can't so I will round it down to a 4. But it is one of the best places in Cadillac area. People coming from Chicago won't confuse it with Charlie Trotter's (I know, it has shut down and he just died so he is on my mind). I mean...it is close to a "Up North 5" which means really good but not World Class or anything LOL Like most places in tourist towns, it will be a madhouse on summer nights especially weekends. We are mainly in the area all fall as I own property up there and get to go there in Sept-Dec when things are more laid back, there are no long waits for a table etc. When you read a review about slow service, long waits etc take them with a grain of salt and realize that person probably went there on a Saturday night in July or August...and guess what...the place is popular. I have had several things on their menu and liked or loved them all. The nightly specials are usually worthy of strong consideration. Soups are real good. I have had French Onion and Chowder both real good. I often get their Filet or Prime Rib and the cost is mid-$20s Not cheap, not crazy high and they are good. But ALWAYS check out the specials. L.C's is one of two places I go if I want a Steak in the Cadillac area the other being The Timbers down the road. But Lakeside Charlie's is a little nicer and quieter while still being a casual restaurant. But if you WANT to get dressed up for dinner you will not be out of place. And of course....it is next to Lake Mitchell as the name implies. It is kind of tucked away so if it looks like you are pulling into a Motel or Car Wash from the main road...keep going...your on the right track!
(4)
Tamara M.
The one thing this place has going for it is location. The deck across the street from Lake Mitchell is a great place to sit, relax and have a drink--just don't eat here. We were seated mid-afternoon, ordered a drink and were told they were only serving brunch. Ok fine--until you get to the brunch table and begin to feel like you're at your weird Aunt Ethel's. I started with the smoked whitefish and a side salad--not bad. As I sat down, however, I noticed others ordering from the menu...something I was told I wasn't allowed to do. I inquired as to how that could be, only to be told by the waitress that "she had to talk to the chef to open up the kitchen". Apparently, I didn't rate, but every table around me did. So, I went back to the buffet to see what my options were. And here they are: 1). Beef stroganoff mush. I'm not kidding. It was weird. 2). Mediterranean seafood pasta. For brunch? In northern Michigan? Uh...ok... 3). Ham. And that's it. True story. While others around me enjoyed their burgers, wraps and salads from the menu, I ate weird Aunt Ethel's Mediterranean seafood stew. So, I followed it up with a brick-fired pizza at Clam Lake Beer Company--which was awesome! Our waitress was super friendly and helpful (a different experience from Lakeside Charlie's), the food was great and it has a wonderful ambiance. Go there instead.
(1)
Lisa S.
Fairly quiet, but took forever to get waited on. Tortilla chips were stale, but the spinach/artichoke dip was quite fresh and flavorful.
(3)
Heather J.
Coming to Cadillac has proven to be a rough week foodwise. As a Maryland-bred seafood lover, I've realized I can't quite cope for very long this far inland. My business associates and I headed out to Lakeside Charlies on a quiet Wednesday evening. The weather was nice so we opted for a patio table. The host (manager?) was quite accommodating and friendly. There was a short wait for our table, so we headed to the bar first. The bartender was courteous. No complaints there. The six of us were seated on a nice patio table and our server came immediately. Service was good. A little odd - we ordered appetizers and they came while we still had menus on the table, waiting to order main courses. Not a big deal, just .. curious. Overall between the greeting, seating, location, waterfront view, and service, Lakeside Charlies have 4 stars. I want to say I loved it. I want to say I'll come back every time I visit Cadillac. But then the food came. I ordered the smoked fish plate appetizer and my colleague ordered the stuffed mushroom. Unable to eat it due to allergies, we swapped - which was fine by me as the smoked fish plate didn't look as appetizing as the menu made it sound. So I dug in to the mushroom. Attention restaurant owners - if you can't get crab meat, don't stuff a mushroom with 2 pounds of "krab" and make it sound delicious, because it isn't. I had a taste of my colleagues spinach and artichoke dip - Ruby Tuesday's generic, probably-comes-frozen dip is better than Charlies homemade dip, which is sad. It was mostly cream cheese and lemon juice - I didn't see any artichokes, and barely any spinach. Lemon juice? Curious. Next came my clam chowder. How hard is it to make clam chowder? Apparently for Charlie, very difficult. All I could taste was milk, butter, and lemon juice. Again, lemon juice? Hmmmm. It was very thin. Chowder doesn't have to be very thick to be good, but a little thickness is required. Campbell's tomato soup was thicker than Charlie's chowder. And I counted one clam. Next came my seafood fettucini. Again, the menu made it sound awesome. I gotta hand it to whoever wrote the food descriptions. Either that or I was really hungry. A pile of noodles, some thin creamy sauce (is that clam chowder poured over my pasta?) with a few undercooked scallops, a couple tiny chunks of shrimp, and .. fake lobster. Can we just leave the shlobster out of the dish, charge a couple bucks less and call it a day? Is there a difference in taste between shlobster and krab, or is the difference just the shape of the "meat"? So so gross. And what's that faint hint of ... is that lemon juice? Looking around the table, I have to admit I wasn't jealous of anyone else's meal, and no one seemed to enjoy their food anymore than I had enjoyed my own. In fact, 3 out of 5 of my dinner buds said they did not like the food. The other 2 didn't say they enjoyed it - they just left before I could ask. Overall, next time I come to Cadillac, I'll be steering clear of Lemonjuice Charlies.
(2)
Christine M.
With a name and great location, I would think the owners would put in "more effort" . In 5 out of 6 times there, only one time was "perfect". I expected more from walking thru the door. As said by a previous review...All appetisers "sounded good" in description, but fell short. My prime rib(salt encrusted was a mess of raw grissel"...Then, when I asked waiter to get another(not his fault) he came back with it "cooked correctly", but still full of grissel...Again, I sent back. Manager came over, and actually tried to "snowball me", my saying"this is what "primb rib is like"...PLEASSSE. The fact that he even "attempted" to insult my intelligence", was a "big turn off"...I "make prime ribs for holiday dinners, so "don't try and insult my intelligence". I settled instead for a strip steak, By then, "my whole dinner party of 5 people "were finished". They too, had compliants about either their appetizer or meal, or drink not served with the right garnish, or not at all. It would be nice, if the Cadillac area had a restrurant "on the water especially" that you could "count on" to impress your guests from downstate. I don't "mind" paying higher prices, but "make sure qulity and service is "to a "T". Yes, sometimes restrurant have "off days", for whatever the reason...But 5 out of six visits, where "something is a complete mess", well, as much as I enjoy the atmostphere, I'll stick to "Timbers" outside of town.
(1)
Scott W.
This is as fine as fine gets for the area. Good food, fair prices, open late, good beer selection, friendly service. Win. This is the place to go in Cadillac. Bar has saloon style doors and a large projection TV with a bunch of other flat screens. Restaurant area is much different. No TVs, named rooms (which I always like), more of a dining experience. Need I say more?
(4)
Rene H.
Decided to go here instead of McGuires for fish fry on Friday. The food was pretty tasty, but the waitress could've been more interactive. Good atmosphere though.. will be back!
(3)
Dave H.
First time visit for my wife and I. Visit Cadillac every trip north and were disappointed with the quality of food. Very plain and over salted everything.
(2)
Scott H.
Loved the Friday night fish fry...we will be back!
(4)
David J.
Not sure why my previous review disappeared but I feel strongly enough to rewrite it. My wife and I came here on our anniversary and despite there being only one other table with actual people in it, we were ignored by our waiter for close to half an hour before he took our drink order. Took another half an hour to ask us if we wanted to order anything. Was tempted to leave when I asked for the bill and it took another half hour to retrieve it. Not worth the wait for substandard food. Go anywhere else. The one star is only because Yelp requires it.
(1)
New Dilly G.
Not too much variety among the patrons...But damn, on Friday's, the all yu can eat fish is really good... The fried fish is excellent. The batter is perfect, not too heavy, not too light and seasoned perfect. A pinch of lime and tartar sauce and your good. Nice warm inviting atmosphere and friendly staff.. Good food. I tried the clam chowder, coming from SF and all. I must say it was pretty good. So was the cole slaw...
(4)
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Address :301 S Lake Mitchell Dr
Cadillac, MI, 49601
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner 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 Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Lee R.
I have been to Lakeside Charlie's numerous times in the last 15 years and was surprised at how much it has gone down hill. We came in on a Sunday afternoon and looked forward to a sandwich or burger on the deck. We were seated right away and ordered a Bloody Mary. The Bloody Mary bar was excellent which gave them an upgraded rating to a 2...we were told we could only eat the buffet or order a simple salad. We relented on the buffet and then heard both the tables on either side of us order burgers and sandwiches. We asked our waitress why we could not have the same and she replied "I had to ask the chef to do a special order for those tables". The buffet was not good...when I asked if more roast beef was coming the chef said he wondered the same thing 20 minutes ago. The beef stroganoff was a large pile of mush with globs of sour cream. Skip the brunch and come here another time or find the waitress that is willing to ask the chef for a special order...
(2)Dave D.
First time visiting this establishment and have to say my wife and I were pleasantly surprised. Very friendly staff, nice food selection. Mid price range, nice wine selection and very good tasting food. Asked to substitute the seafood in the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken and got a no hesitation Response of no problem. It was delicious. Will eat there again next time we pass through.
(4)Joseph O.
I had a pleasant dinner at Lakeside Charlie's on June 27. We were seated, with 95% of the rest of the diners, on the very nice patio overlooking the lake. The draft beer selection was limited, but did feature a couple of Bell's selections, so I started out happy. Our waitress was relatively efficient, if lacking somewhat in a friendly personality. She appeared to be quite young, so I'll assume that she just needs some experience. The red onion soup was OK, but a bit on the salty side. I ordered the prime rib, which was adequate, but not outstanding. The bread was fresh out of the oven, and quite tasty, which to me always helps to make up for minor problems with the rest of the food. The bottom line for me was that Lakeside Charlie's had a nice ambiance outdoors, edible but unspectacular food at relatively low prices.
(3)Susette R.
Great Walleye, excellent service. Great food and reasonably priced. Waitstaff seem ed eager to please, everyone ver pleasant and accommodating
(4)Sonya P.
This place is fabulous! It is right on the lake, so no matter where you are, you have a great view! They also make their own ginger ale, delicious!! They also have fresh fish and their seafood fettuccine is the best I've eaten anywhere! There is also a bar room which is great for sports games and dancing, but there is also a fancy section for large groups or events, and both are separate from the normal dining area. If you are in Cadillac, go here!
(4)Roxane A.
While having a late night snack, I ordered a top shelf margarita and then another. When it came time to pay the bill for my cocktails (only), the total came to $26.50. Obviously, I was shocked. A tab this high at a local Cadillac dive........ You would have thought I was in NYC!!!!
(1)Skip B.
Lakeside Charlie's has really good food and the prices while not cheap ... are not expensive. I don't give many "5"s and really would have this at a 4.5 if I could...but I can't so I will round it down to a 4. But it is one of the best places in Cadillac area. People coming from Chicago won't confuse it with Charlie Trotter's (I know, it has shut down and he just died so he is on my mind). I mean...it is close to a "Up North 5" which means really good but not World Class or anything LOL Like most places in tourist towns, it will be a madhouse on summer nights especially weekends. We are mainly in the area all fall as I own property up there and get to go there in Sept-Dec when things are more laid back, there are no long waits for a table etc. When you read a review about slow service, long waits etc take them with a grain of salt and realize that person probably went there on a Saturday night in July or August...and guess what...the place is popular. I have had several things on their menu and liked or loved them all. The nightly specials are usually worthy of strong consideration. Soups are real good. I have had French Onion and Chowder both real good. I often get their Filet or Prime Rib and the cost is mid-$20s Not cheap, not crazy high and they are good. But ALWAYS check out the specials. L.C's is one of two places I go if I want a Steak in the Cadillac area the other being The Timbers down the road. But Lakeside Charlie's is a little nicer and quieter while still being a casual restaurant. But if you WANT to get dressed up for dinner you will not be out of place. And of course....it is next to Lake Mitchell as the name implies. It is kind of tucked away so if it looks like you are pulling into a Motel or Car Wash from the main road...keep going...your on the right track!
(4)Tamara M.
The one thing this place has going for it is location. The deck across the street from Lake Mitchell is a great place to sit, relax and have a drink--just don't eat here. We were seated mid-afternoon, ordered a drink and were told they were only serving brunch. Ok fine--until you get to the brunch table and begin to feel like you're at your weird Aunt Ethel's. I started with the smoked whitefish and a side salad--not bad. As I sat down, however, I noticed others ordering from the menu...something I was told I wasn't allowed to do. I inquired as to how that could be, only to be told by the waitress that "she had to talk to the chef to open up the kitchen". Apparently, I didn't rate, but every table around me did. So, I went back to the buffet to see what my options were. And here they are: 1). Beef stroganoff mush. I'm not kidding. It was weird. 2). Mediterranean seafood pasta. For brunch? In northern Michigan? Uh...ok... 3). Ham. And that's it. True story. While others around me enjoyed their burgers, wraps and salads from the menu, I ate weird Aunt Ethel's Mediterranean seafood stew. So, I followed it up with a brick-fired pizza at Clam Lake Beer Company--which was awesome! Our waitress was super friendly and helpful (a different experience from Lakeside Charlie's), the food was great and it has a wonderful ambiance. Go there instead.
(1)Lisa S.
Fairly quiet, but took forever to get waited on. Tortilla chips were stale, but the spinach/artichoke dip was quite fresh and flavorful.
(3)Heather J.
Coming to Cadillac has proven to be a rough week foodwise. As a Maryland-bred seafood lover, I've realized I can't quite cope for very long this far inland. My business associates and I headed out to Lakeside Charlies on a quiet Wednesday evening. The weather was nice so we opted for a patio table. The host (manager?) was quite accommodating and friendly. There was a short wait for our table, so we headed to the bar first. The bartender was courteous. No complaints there. The six of us were seated on a nice patio table and our server came immediately. Service was good. A little odd - we ordered appetizers and they came while we still had menus on the table, waiting to order main courses. Not a big deal, just .. curious. Overall between the greeting, seating, location, waterfront view, and service, Lakeside Charlies have 4 stars. I want to say I loved it. I want to say I'll come back every time I visit Cadillac. But then the food came. I ordered the smoked fish plate appetizer and my colleague ordered the stuffed mushroom. Unable to eat it due to allergies, we swapped - which was fine by me as the smoked fish plate didn't look as appetizing as the menu made it sound. So I dug in to the mushroom. Attention restaurant owners - if you can't get crab meat, don't stuff a mushroom with 2 pounds of "krab" and make it sound delicious, because it isn't. I had a taste of my colleagues spinach and artichoke dip - Ruby Tuesday's generic, probably-comes-frozen dip is better than Charlies homemade dip, which is sad. It was mostly cream cheese and lemon juice - I didn't see any artichokes, and barely any spinach. Lemon juice? Curious. Next came my clam chowder. How hard is it to make clam chowder? Apparently for Charlie, very difficult. All I could taste was milk, butter, and lemon juice. Again, lemon juice? Hmmmm. It was very thin. Chowder doesn't have to be very thick to be good, but a little thickness is required. Campbell's tomato soup was thicker than Charlie's chowder. And I counted one clam. Next came my seafood fettucini. Again, the menu made it sound awesome. I gotta hand it to whoever wrote the food descriptions. Either that or I was really hungry. A pile of noodles, some thin creamy sauce (is that clam chowder poured over my pasta?) with a few undercooked scallops, a couple tiny chunks of shrimp, and .. fake lobster. Can we just leave the shlobster out of the dish, charge a couple bucks less and call it a day? Is there a difference in taste between shlobster and krab, or is the difference just the shape of the "meat"? So so gross. And what's that faint hint of ... is that lemon juice? Looking around the table, I have to admit I wasn't jealous of anyone else's meal, and no one seemed to enjoy their food anymore than I had enjoyed my own. In fact, 3 out of 5 of my dinner buds said they did not like the food. The other 2 didn't say they enjoyed it - they just left before I could ask. Overall, next time I come to Cadillac, I'll be steering clear of Lemonjuice Charlies.
(2)Christine M.
With a name and great location, I would think the owners would put in "more effort" . In 5 out of 6 times there, only one time was "perfect". I expected more from walking thru the door. As said by a previous review...All appetisers "sounded good" in description, but fell short. My prime rib(salt encrusted was a mess of raw grissel"...Then, when I asked waiter to get another(not his fault) he came back with it "cooked correctly", but still full of grissel...Again, I sent back. Manager came over, and actually tried to "snowball me", my saying"this is what "primb rib is like"...PLEASSSE. The fact that he even "attempted" to insult my intelligence", was a "big turn off"...I "make prime ribs for holiday dinners, so "don't try and insult my intelligence". I settled instead for a strip steak, By then, "my whole dinner party of 5 people "were finished". They too, had compliants about either their appetizer or meal, or drink not served with the right garnish, or not at all. It would be nice, if the Cadillac area had a restrurant "on the water especially" that you could "count on" to impress your guests from downstate. I don't "mind" paying higher prices, but "make sure qulity and service is "to a "T". Yes, sometimes restrurant have "off days", for whatever the reason...But 5 out of six visits, where "something is a complete mess", well, as much as I enjoy the atmostphere, I'll stick to "Timbers" outside of town.
(1)Scott W.
This is as fine as fine gets for the area. Good food, fair prices, open late, good beer selection, friendly service. Win. This is the place to go in Cadillac. Bar has saloon style doors and a large projection TV with a bunch of other flat screens. Restaurant area is much different. No TVs, named rooms (which I always like), more of a dining experience. Need I say more?
(4)Rene H.
Decided to go here instead of McGuires for fish fry on Friday. The food was pretty tasty, but the waitress could've been more interactive. Good atmosphere though.. will be back!
(3)Dave H.
First time visit for my wife and I. Visit Cadillac every trip north and were disappointed with the quality of food. Very plain and over salted everything.
(2)Scott H.
Loved the Friday night fish fry...we will be back!
(4)David J.
Not sure why my previous review disappeared but I feel strongly enough to rewrite it. My wife and I came here on our anniversary and despite there being only one other table with actual people in it, we were ignored by our waiter for close to half an hour before he took our drink order. Took another half an hour to ask us if we wanted to order anything. Was tempted to leave when I asked for the bill and it took another half hour to retrieve it. Not worth the wait for substandard food. Go anywhere else. The one star is only because Yelp requires it.
(1)New Dilly G.
Not too much variety among the patrons...But damn, on Friday's, the all yu can eat fish is really good... The fried fish is excellent. The batter is perfect, not too heavy, not too light and seasoned perfect. A pinch of lime and tartar sauce and your good. Nice warm inviting atmosphere and friendly staff.. Good food. I tried the clam chowder, coming from SF and all. I must say it was pretty good. So was the cole slaw...
(4)