Yankee Rebel Tavern
1493 Astor St, Mackinac Island, MI, 46757
Yankee Rebel Tavern Menu
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Address :
1493 Astor St
Mackinac Island, MI, 46757 - Phone (906) 847-6249
- Website https://yankeerebeltavern.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:30 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Mon, Tue, Wed
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Katy W.
Went with a group of friends and we all enjoyed our meals. Great meal and speedy, courteous service I recommend the Davenport Orrichette
(5)Ginger R.
Don't take names and so had to wait for about 45 min to call our name. Very strange way to run a restaurant. I can understand no reservations but no list. Most others in party had good food. My prime rib sandwich was way overcooked. Our waiter was good though and kept our drinks refilled.
(3)Lilly F.
I came here with 22 people and they accommodated us very well. Also very nice hostesses and good food, but our hostess was not the nicest person ever. My two cousins switched seats just with each other and she was rude about. Other than that it was a nice lunch. I would probably come here again...
(4)Ron G.
Twenty stars on a 5 star scale. Start to finish this culinary masterpiece was one of the greatest meals this foodie has ever had. The spinach and artichoke dip was well seasoned creamy goodness complimented with perfectly toasted bread crisps. The balsamic chicken pene with mushrooms, asparagus and artichoke hearts I can't possibly rave about enough. Creamy and smooth with the tang from amazing aged balsamic... Wow... The asparagus was perfect and mushrooms a quality I didn't expect on an island where everything is boated in. The meal was rounded out with a perfect chocolate brownie Sunday. If you don't make the trip to Mackinaw island you are missing out on this divine symphony of flavor. I want to start the meal all over and we just left. Perhaps I know what lunch is going to be tomorrow...
(5)Amy B.
Ok, so it's been 20 years since I've been to Mackinac, and not a whole lot has changed. After we got off the ferry, bf and I were starving!!! We wandered around a little bit and saw this place and HAD to go in. Something about a place called Yankee Rebel says that I have to eat here. When we entered, we were warmly greeted by the hostess and seated in a booth. The place is decorated well, and for a second you almost forget your even on the Island. There's plenty of tables, booths and a bar area as well. The menu has a great selection of both lunch and dinner items. I was craving a burger, so that's what I got. I went with the pot roast sliders, which is off the appetizer menu. Holy goodness was it delicious!! It had a nice hint of spicy mustard or horsradish to it, along with being extra soft and tasty. Just the way I like my meat! I also got fries with it, and those were pretty good as well. BF went with chicken strips and fries which he loved as well. Everything here was on point, and we had a really good time. Prices were reasonably fair, along with great service and menu selection. If I'm ever back on the island, I would gladly come here again.
(5)Kelly B.
A newer looking restaurant, the interior was fresh and well-appointed. Spouse had the daily special- pulled pork sandwich with American cheese and fries. It was ok/average in taste- but a good sized portion. Two had the chicken basket- one the kids size. My 10 yr old had two large tenders and could not finish it. Kids meal had option for applesauce and finished off with 2 Oreos. I was delighted to find the restaurant offers gluten free bread so they could make sandwiches for those on a wheat free or gluten free diet. And the bread was actually a bun- surprisingly light and enjoyable. The club sandwich was served with kettle chips. Would eat here again.
(3)Michael B.
Fantsstic food! Fast friendly service. Very reasonably priced. Clean establishment. We will be back!
(5)Annie F.
Pot roast? Delish...really. I don't think I will ever try to make my family eat mine again. It's melt in your mouth, still thinking about it two days later good. The server was obviously done with tourists by the time we arrived. I can't really say I blame her. I did feel as if we were imposing however . I hope she was at the end of her shift and work week.
(4)Roy S.
9-1-15 Had our anniversary dinner here and it was very good. I had the walleye. It had a very light sauce and was served over some great mashed potatoes. The veggies were stir fried snow peas with tiny slices of carrots. I had never had snow peas served this way and will have to try this at home. My wife had the salmon and it looked like a New York strip it was so big. She thoroughly enjoyed it along with a very good Michigan Riesling.
(4)susan w.
What a cute spot and a nice vibe. We got a pot roast sandwich which was very tender and flavorful. Also got a pot roast meal - equally yummy. The rebel back ribs were fall off the bone tender with amazing flavor. The prime rib melt was good too. I was happy with my smoked Gouda Mac n Cheese. The kids got Mac and cheese and a good sized steak with endless Shirley Temples. All this with good, friendly service to boot, which seemed in short supply on the island. Thank you for a great dinner!
(5)David B.
Acceptable food for less than you pay on Main Street. The selection is ok with burgers and sandwiches but the service was only acceptable. Stopped for lunch one day as a break from everything else.
(3)Anjanette T.
Glad we chose a side street place to eat. I had the prime rib melt--perfect. Something I'd get again. Nice friendly place. Clean. We also had the hummus plate which was a little spicy, yum. Fries were crispy so no ketchup required. We would definitely return!
(5)Melissa O.
This is definitely a great place to stop for lunch or dinner on the island. The summer Walnut salad is delicious and is presented well. The puff pastry chicken pie is fabulous and the creme brulee is a wonderful choice for something sweet after a meal. The kitchen staff rocks!!!!
(5)Clif P.
Their soup was very good, definitely the best part by far. Their salad had a good dressing, but the lettuce and other ingredients weren't the best quality, and not as fresh as I would have liked. Pretty good beer selection too.
(3)Michelle C.
The chicken salad wrap was soooo yummy! It has Mackinaw red cherries in it which made it somewhat sweet.
(4)Peter B.
We went there for dinner and though it was a bit late at 930 we decided to try it. First the waiter was not interested in seating us so after a few minutes the bartender did. Then the bartender became our waiter and he tried as best he could to serve us and did a reasonable job. Food (I think we received the lunch menu) was only sandwiches etc. I had the pot roast sandwich and it was good and I recommend it. This restaurant might be better earlier in the day when the manager is making sure the staff does their job.
(3)Scott I.
Fantastic food and great service. The draft root bear is old fashioned and amazing. The pot roast sandwich was wonderful and the kids loved the Mac and cheese. Great place to stop and unwind after a busy day on Mackinac.
(5)Scott B.
Awesome mussels! Shrimp and mussel diavalo was excellent. My mouth is still burning! Great atmosphere.
(5)Boris K.
Pot roast sliders were heavenly. Seriously one of the best bites of food I've had in a long time. Potato Leek Soup was outstanding too. Recommended as the one place to check out for food and it was amazing!
(5)Brian R.
I had the prime rib melt. It was amzing. And had my first Moscow mule. Everything was amazing. My fiance had the ribs very flavorful. You must order the Diablo mussles. Very tasty, with a bit of heat to finish it off. Dip the bread in the sauce to savor the flavor.
(5)Jay M.
I ordered the shrimp and mussels Diablo and it was delicious! Definitely not for the faint of heart. It is truly spicy, but in a good way. The waiter was outstanding. I would definitely eat here again next time I'm here.
(5)Jemmie W.
The sometimes highly rated "Famous Pot Roast" is just ok. I've had better at much cheaper places, even cheap buffets. The Pistachio Crusted Michigan Whitefish is just ok and lacks much flavor. Part of that is the nature of whitefish but part of that is the preparation. It's not horrible and you are on an island in Lake Huron so you are going to pay a premium for *everything*. I just don't need to go back.
(3)Chelsea L.
This is one of the few places on the island our local friend would "allow" us to eat, and we're glad we took her advice. Compared to other places on the main drag, their prices are pretty reasonable, and what we had was worth it. (Well, except the soup: $5 for a "cup" [actually about 1/2 a cup] is really unreasonable in my book. I guess it's to hedge against people who just get soup? I dunno. It was, however EXTREMELY good soup.) I chose the Davenport orecchiette pasta - and it was fantastic. Tangy goat cheese, sweet cherries, savory grilled chicken; it all blended nicely into a great dish. It may have been because we were dining with a local, but our service was great. Our waiter was attentive and responsive, even though it was busy.
(4)Wayne R.
Excellent place. I see the reviews are all over the place, but we (4 couples) had fine meals and excellent service. 3 of us had the "petite" pot roast, which is not petite at all; a filling and hearty meal for a hungry adult. My wife had salmon salad, brother in law had rib eye that he thought was good but a little costly at $30, and two sisters shared whitefish and everyone enjoyed their meals. My scotch on the rocks were a little costly too, at $11, but generous pours.
(4)Marlene P.
I love eating out and do so about 3-4 times a week. I did not expect the Island to have superb food, but the Bed and Breakfast recommended this restaurant as "hands down" amazing. Maybe I just expected too much. I asked which fish entree the waitress suggested and she recommended the white fish which was fried in pistachio nuts. I ordered this and was excited to taste whitefish as I had never experienced this type of fish. It was plated nicely, but the fish was all mush. Instead of a crisp fry, it was soggy, as was the fish. The honey butter on top, added to the cloying taste of mushy sweet fish. The broccoli and french fries were very good. I sent back the fish and ordered just the Caesar salad with chicken. I hate to be a grump, but really? The lettuce was nice and crisp, the dressing (on the side) was fine, but the croutons were so tiny - they were hard to find. The chicken had been frozen and microwaved - really tasteless. I did not eat this either. Very difficult to leave all this food, pay for it, and then stop at the grocery store to pick up something for dinner.
(1)Paul T.
A real gem in the sea of mediocre food on-island. Their menu is vast compared to most restaurants, food quality is far higher than average (bordering on excellent) and the staff are back year after year.... That says something about the owners IMO. One of my favorites for sure!
(4)Dan K.
We were seated quickly and well tended for. The Mussels & Shrimp Diablo was rather tasty (excellent flavor and spice). The wine list is massive, but the beer list is a bit thin for a tavern, but has 7 Michigan brews available. My only criticism is that while the Diablo tastes excellent, it is swimming in butter sauce that is likely unnecessary for the flavor and makes the dish a bit hard to eat cleanly. Less butter sauce and it's golden. Excellent locale for a date night on Mack.
(4)Liz H.
Okay. Petite pot roast was plenty for me. Unfortunately lukewarm and had to send back for reheat. This is night #1 on island so need to experience another eatery to compare food quality.
(3)Randy G.
We already knew its a tourist trap, being so close to the main street and it being on Mackinaw Island, but still should attempt to make the best food possible. If Yankee Rebel were to be rated on one dish, it would have received two stars, but it was able to tweak out another barely. The Summer Walnut Salad has the greens, blue cheese, sliced pears, dried Michigan cherries, and spiced walnuts with an oil based dressing. All the elements were fresh and delicious until you combined the dressing. In fact, I'm so happy to ordered it on the side and I ended up eating the whole dish completely without dressing. It really didn't need it with the crunch, sweetness from the pear, cherries, and spiced walnuts with the tartness from the cheese. The dressing just taste of oil, that's it. Stay away from it or order another one. Yankee would haves received two stars if I would have stopped there. Since I moved onto the Pot Roast Sandwich, they redeemed themselves with another star. It has nicely grilled bread with very tender and juicy beef. It has a layer of Dijon mustard to give it that extra tang and kick.
(3)Douglas S.
Friendly service, good food, not crowded during lunch on a weekday, good place to refuel after riding a bike around the island!
(3)Alea H.
This was a great meal! It was recommended by our host and we truly enjoyed ourselves. The atmosphere was cozy and our server was super friendly and helpful! We really liked her. The food was excellent as well and the portions were big! We ordered too much food. I was just not expecting them to be so big. We started with the mussels Diablo. It was not spicy at all but it was absolutely delicious. I want to try to replicate that at home because it was so good. And dipping the bread in the sauce afterward is just as good. We also ordered side summer walnut salads and they were pretty good. I had the 10 ounce prime rib and it was giant! Very tasty, as were the potatoes and veggies. Everything seemed fresh. My husband had the pistachio crusted whitefish. Two filets was a decent amount of fish. And those mashed potatoes were so good I asked what was in them. They were obviously made fresh too. We were too full for dessert. It was fun to talk to our server to see what life was like on the island. I recommend this place!
(5)Christopher F.
The good the drinks and Apps, their pomegranate mojito was really good and really refreshing after an 8 mile bike ride. For app we had the mussel diablo which was really good. They also bring out fresh bread which was good as well. The service was really great. The bad the prices for the quality of food you get. My mom ordered an Asian chicken wrap, which looked awful, the sauce was brown and thick, and was nothing like how the dish should be made, I did warn my mom not to order that dish as I am one to always eat what is local to that region which in this case is the lake fish. My wife ordered a pecan encrusted perch and this was average in my opinion for a $23 price tag. My son had the fish sticks, which I must say looked good for fish sticks, you could tell they used fresh trout and fried in house the fish sticks were in the shape of fish so even more fun for kids. Would definitely recommend the root beer float which comes on tap, really good.
(3)Gretchen D.
We had the pot roast, which was fine. Nice to see a parsnip now and then! service was typical of this type of place--not terrible but not great either. The draft root beer was divine!
(3)Charles L.
Came in for lunch after 1pm on a Tuesday. Very busy that day & was able to sit at the bar without a wait. Had the prime rib melt & the puff pastry chicken (chicken pot pie ). Prime rib was just ok, wouldn't order again. Chicken was pretty good. Fries with the sandwich were great though! Service was ok for being so busy. Our bartender was helping out everyone else with drinks while waiting on us, so it was understandable for the longer wait.
(3)David M.
Nothing to complain about, but nothing outstanding either. Our server was friendly and efficient, the ambiance was touristy but homey and there was plenty of food for the price. The Summer Walnut Salad was the best part of the meal. It could be a main course salad with the addition of turkey or chicken breast. My wife and I both had the "world famous" pot roast, petite version for 16.95. It's a very large chunk of beef in a bowl with broth, carrots, potatoes and parsnips. The veggies were good. The pot roast is tender but lacking in flavor. There was a slightly herbal attitude but not much else happening. Sorry to be this snarky, but a bottle of A-1 Steak Sauce or even a bottle of ketchup would add a needed kick. But it is a hearty meal.
(3)Rosemary Z.
Early-american feel, friendly service, diverse menu, and A-OK food. 4 stars - service 4 stars - location, comfort, environment 3 stars - food, beverage The best part about our meal was the customer service aspect. What friendly, accommodating staff. I think being happy must be a pre-requisite for working at Yankee Rebel. :) The staff went out of the way to make sure we had the best seat, the beverage we wanted, and spent time talking us through the menu. The location is convenient, as the restaurant is just steps from the main strip. The seats are not extremely comfortable - early american wooden chairs and tables. The booths are a bit more roomy. The restaurant can get noisy quickly - one noisy group can easily dominate the entire dining room. We tried the whitefish and the prime rib. The whitefish was OK. I had higher expectations based on the waiter's "melt-in-your-mouth" description, but found it to be just OK. The prime rib, ordered "medium", was served "well." The dish was tender and tasty, and was better than the fish. I think the broccoli was frozen. If not frozen, the broccoli had been overcooked. I also suspect the mashed potatoes were not home made. Maybe it's the name of the restaurant - but I really thought I'd find genuine, down-home, good old-fashioned mashed potatoes. :( Not so much. The wine list was pretty good. I was happy with the waiter's recommendation.
(3)Hans A.
My son loved the "loaf of beef stew" and ordered it twice. My dad loved the salmon. Service was great, we ate here three times during our stay on mackinac island because everyone could agree it was solid and wanted to come back!
(4)Brad R.
I've enjoyed this place on at least three occasions in the past few years and have never been disappointed. Food is good (however, their pot roast sandwich is GREAT), service is attentive and friendly, good selections for kids and a bloody Mary to call home about. They even have really good vegetarian options. Wife just had a Mediterranean vegetable panini and was raving about it. Mackinac Island has lots of good to great restaurants, but I haven't found the consistency that I've found here. It's not on the main drag, so it fills up a bit slower, but it does fill up.... even on a slow Tuesday lunch. The decor is classy and they have a sit down bar with tv's if you're just looking for a quick drink. All in all, this place does a great job and I look forward to returning on my next trip to the island.
(4)Tricia K.
This place is horrible, we had a waiter that was clearly hungover from the night before and didn't want to be working. He was the slowest ever. They also ran out of the chicken lettuce cups that I wanted for lunch, no problem. I opted to get some buffalo wings instead. At least 20% of the wings were undercooked and I am amazed I didn't get sick.
(1)Stacey C.
This is the best place to have lunch or dinner while on the island. They food is delicious, the service is always superb and the white fish is hands down the best on the island. I really enjoy the Yankee Rebel the only downside is you can't see a view of the amazing sights on Mackinac. I have never had a bad experience at the Yankee Rebel.
(4)Phyllis R.
Great food and service! I had the Walleye and my husband had the famous pot roast, both were excellent! Our server was very friendly, knowledgeable and fast. We're glad we stopped by for dinner.
(5)Candace D.
Great little restaurant just off the main strip downtown. Had the Summer Walnut salad and corn leek chowder... both were fantastic. Clean and super cute place.
(4)Dana Z.
We came here for dinner and I get that we're on an island and things are expensive. I am in no way cheap. I have more than one pair of $800 shoes... so that's not the issue. It's the fact that price needs to equal quality. The food was in no way bad, but I can't even really remember what I had, which isn't a good sign. My father had the pot roast, which I tried and was very good. They also had an abundance of bread on the table. (Yay carbs!) I can remember now that I had a balsamic chicken pasta, which was just ok. Our waitress was nice. She was running around all over the restaurant though because it was extremely busy for a Wednesday night! Don't bother getting dessert here. There are plenty of other ice cream/fudge options down the road.
(3)Dan M.
Wife and I stopped in for a post-horseback riding drink. We took a seat at the bar and the bartender, Chuck, served us promptly. Seriously one of the nicest bartenders I've ever met. We just chitchatted with him the entire time we were there, without slowing him down as he did his job. He was really friendly and efficient. Can't speak for the food honestly though. We had fries which were delicious, but it's pretty hard to jack fries up. Good service on Mackinac Island is rare. It's usually young kids who have poor customer service skills, doing only the bare minimum. This was a nice find.
(5)M M.
We go to the Island several times a year, Yankee Rebel is pretty consistent. The food is good, the wait staff is friendly, the service can be slow at times, since a lot of large parties seem to gather here. We had our rehearsal dinner in 2008 here and they accommodated 24 people just fine. The prices on Mackinac Island are expensive no matter where you, but for the taste of the food at Yankee Rebel, I would rather spend my money here than at other places. My husband always enjoys the prime rib. I have tried several things and have enjoyed the bbq ribs, mussels and shrimp diablo over angel hair pasta, chicken pastry puff and the marsala bistro chicken.
(4)Brian C.
1/2 block off Main Street in the middle of all the action. Fantastic atmosphere, service and food at a reasonable price. Had a delicious cup of white fish chowder, Cesar salad, and excellent end-cut of prime rib cooked to perfection. Good wine selection and friendly bartender to boot. What a find on mostly a touristy island.
(5)Ray E.
We will not be back- I called 3 weeks ahead of time and talked with Patti- The owner to make reservations for 11. She asked for a CC to hold it and I asked why? We where staying on the island for my folks 52 wedding anniversary and we would be there just like we had for the last 2 years. She said OK- When we got to the restaurant the night of the dinner we were told the reservation was never made. Thanks Patti- I know you have more money then you know what to do with but you will not get any more of ours!! Food was Average- The Manager helped us get a table and was very helpful.
(1)Dagwood S.
I really wanted to like this restaurant reading the reviews, but it was such a let down. The interior is really bad diner decorations in the large room that has no sound insulation so very loud from just simple conversations. Horrible waiter that had absolutely no personality and just walked up and asked if we were ready and took our order. Not even half a smile. While waiting for dinner, my wife and just watch servers speed waking between tables whipping full trays right over our heads. Reminded me of a very large Denny's. Then the food: I had the Salt and Pepper Shrimp and YUK is all I can saw. "Large prawns" ??? Really, they were just medium large shrimp is a horrible bread crumb mush of oil and I think lemon, disgusting. Thank god for my wife's large cut prime rib which was actually rather good and I ate 1/2 of that and the only reason I am giving 2 stars. Then, as we were still eating the server dropped off the check and walked away. Didn't even ask if we wanted desert or another glass of wine. That was actually perfect because we could not leave fast enough. Overall, I would never return and the overall experience ( ambiance, service and food) it gets 2 stars from me.
(2)David Z.
One of the better restaurants on the island. The food is good, priced reasonable and the place is fun.
(3)M D.
Went for lunch, onion rings were old. Fish sandwich was more bread than fish. My wife didn't eat, just picked around. Waitress was good, food needs a serious upgrade.
(1)Jon G.
My wife and I stopped in on a Tuesday afternoon for lunch and were pleasantly greeted and shown to a table. The menu was extensive and easily accessible for even the pickiest of eaters (My wife). The wine and beer listing was what you would expect from an establishment with "tavern" in the name. I had a half turkey sandwich and potato soup. The sandwich was great and the potato soup was definitely home made. I would recommend this place to anyone. We definitely will be back when we return to the Island.
(4)Heather J.
Mackinac Island operates in a timewarp that drops it back somewhere in the vicinity of 1884 when the tourism industry in the United States discovered that placing multiple versions of the same shop and selling knick-knacks for the home, children, and horse. Not much has changed since those early days when railway bigwigs and lumber barons chortled over their gin on the veranda of the Grand Hotel while their wives purchased metric tonnes of fudge and humorous blouses. Sometimes the common man found his way to the public houses, perhaps daydreaming about the time he too might be able to purchase a pound of flavoured fudge, capturing his piece of the Victorian-era American dream. Memory of this time is preserved in the streets of the isle, and in the likes of the Yankee Rebel Tavern. Situated off the main drag somewhat, Yankee Rebel has a definite patriotic Americana vibe in the decor and amusing names on the menus but don't let that put you off. Serious food can be found here at a fairly reasonable cost, adjusted for the fact the island -- our nation's second national park and probably the first to be tossed out of the system -- is a tourist trap going on a century old. Better yet, the different selections are made with fresh ingredients of good quality. My beau ended up going for the chicken pot pie while I favoured something else which was not the pot pie, using Yelp suggestions, and we were far from disappointed. We nearly came to a duel in our booth over the melting, buttery crust of the pot pie and then later for the rootbeer float. Truly they make a magnificent pair of bookends to a very pleasant meal; the pot pie was lightly balanced between flavours when I managed to swipe a forkful or two. My meal was good, I remember that much, but its identity was obliterated the instant I tucked into that pie. *sigh* It went very nicely with the chai I had, as the weather turned rather windy that afternoon and we were both a bit chilled despite it being in the 90s back home in Ferndale. Yankee Rebel can become very busy but while we were there, the service was attentive and the crowds not too busy. We were checked in on quite frequently and my hot water refilled steadily enough, which is often hard to come by at any resort-like setting or vacation destination. I imagine when the place gets hopping at dinnertime, though, we all wish we were lumber barons above the cares of our common diners!
(4)Jacqueline S.
We really thought this was the best food we had on our 3 day stay. We shared the daily special salmon and the chicken pot pie. Both were amazing! The chicken pot pie was better than any other I have had simply for the amazing crust! The atmosphere and service was good too. I think we just ordered the right thing (I don't order pot roast or meatloaf out - it just doesn't make sense to me).
(4)Brian R.
This is one of the best restaurants on Mackinac Island without question. They make American food with quality and without a lot of pretense. Their Pot roast is simple and relies on the freshness and quality of its ingredients to be such a wow. Their fat-free tomato basil dressing should be bottled and sold. I had the beef stew in a bread bowl, served with a wedge of cheddar cheese. I cut up the cheese and put it into the bowl and let it melt. It was simple and delicious. They offer a great bar, and the ambience is traditional early American. The gift to be simple is the gift to be free. Works for the Amish. Works here too.
(5)Joshua R.
The Famous Pot Roast Switcheroo. Ten years ago, I ate at the Yankee Rebel and was delighted when I had some very excellent pot roast. When we decided to go back to Mackinac Island, this was first on my list! I had to have some more of that delicious pot roast. I raved about it to my kids. It should have stayed a memory. I ordered the pot roast and split it with my daughter. (Thankfully, the waiter didn't charge us the $4 split plate charge.) The first bite told me something wasn't right. It was bland. Very bland. The meat was overcooked and the potatoes disintegrated with a touch, but it was the taste that was really off. I tried pawning off my pot roast on other unsuspecting members of my family. One bite and they went back to their own food. I asked the waiter about it, telling him it didn't taste like I remembered 10 years ago. He checked with the chef who said they had changed vendors. I recommended that they go back. 10 years ago, I would have given this pot roast 5 stars. Now 2 stars is pushing it. This is not their famous pot roast. This is an imposter. This is the Dick Sargent of pot roasts and it is no longer bewitching.
(2)LuAnn G.
Started with the mussels app. It was good, nice spice. I had prime rib, ok nothing special, a steak knife would have made eating it not such a chore. My husband had the pork chop. He is a pork chop expert. It is the go to thing for him if it is offered. Pork chops can be better than any steak if done right. Should have stayed away from it here. Just nothing special. Sides were not very inspired. Bread basket had some nice items. I think this could be a great place with some extra effort in the kitchen. This was not a bad place just nothing above ordinary. Will give three stars only because the service was pleasant and fairly prompt.
(3)Tim G.
Great place, frequented by the Island workers. Friendly staff and pretty good food.
(4)Mary S.
Great food, lovely atmosphere. Hope to return next time I'm on the island!
(4)Egg H.
Like many other reviewers, I'll start by noting that this restaurant is in a tourist trap and on an island, which you already know if you're going to Mackinac Island. It's one block off the main tourist strip, nicely decorated in an Americana style, sort of New Englandish to go with the name. We were there for dinner after a long day exploring the island. Our server was Samatha, who was excellent, attentive, helpful. The food was also quite good, I had the bbq ribs, my wife had the pistachio crusted whitefish. We also had the mussels with Diablo sauce, which was only a little spicy, but quite flavorful. Lots of food, hot rolls, vegetables were crisp, not the usual soggy overboiled ones. Definitely would repeat if it weren't for the fact we don't get out here except once every 10 years or so.
(4)Brittany A.
Great bar selection, great wines, healthy pours. BUT they charged $1.50 for rocks. Really?? Not cheap for cocktails. The portions looked huge but that's why we didn't get food.
(3)alyssa c.
Great food! Party of four and not one of us had mediocre food. Nachos, potato skins tacos burrito and soup if the day which was mushroom brie. Outstanding!
(5)Beth F.
The signature pot roast from this restaurant comes frozen in a bag. Scroll down to read my whole review. So, I had the displeasure of dining here last summer, but I didn't get around to a review until now. Our server was a scowling-faced woman who called herself "the manager." She was real proud of that fact. We saw our same waitress (the so-called manager) talk disrespectfully to some younger college girl that was working there. If you are a bitch, and you are a bitch to your employees-- you should not let customers see. I think her name was Summer. Pretty name, awful woman. My boyfriend gets the "pot pie." Basically, it was bland, tasteless crap with a piece of frozen puff pastry laid on top and baked. This is no better than a Swanson pot pie. Just gross. The restaurant has a bacon theme. They don't advertise it, but I noticed that bacon appeared in every section of the menu. Okay. I get it. You like bacon. Finding something without bacon is tough. Summer suggested the pot roast. So that's what I ordered. It was...um...okay. I mean, it was just pot roast. Not anything I would normally order out. But I thought it was going to be amazing. Nope. Just like a frozen meal...just like the pot pie. There was a "Kobe" beef steak on the menu for $35. Since it is literally IMPOSSIBLE to buy Kobe beef for that much, I figure the owner's just lie and nobody on this island of candy and fudge knows enough to call them out on it. This island is a vacuum of culinary talent. There was no way we were going to order dessert. Service and food were both too poor. BUT GET THIS: When we were leaving, we walked down the alley way behind the restaurant (taking a short cut back to our hotel). When I walked past the back door of the restaurant, there were two boxes of Sysco Pot Roast, pre-cooked, in the bag. There was a cook and a waitress out back smoking (always attractive)-- so I asked them if the pot roast came pre-cooked in a bag. The waitress immediately turned on her heels and went inside the restaurant, ignoring me. (smart girl) The cook said, "Yeah, we get it in a bag, but then we jazz it up." This is the kind of crap food you can expect on Mackinac Island. Get real full before you take the boat over, or prepared to get real white-trashy, real quick.
(1)David L.
I had the pot roast sandwich at lunch. It was okay, but nothing to rave over. My wife had the omelet and potatoes. There was a funky taste to the omelet. We think they added cucumbers to the veggies in it? It was hard to tell what they were, but it sure didn't add to the flavor. They were pretty skimpy on the potatoes, that more closely resembled thick potato chips than fried potatoes. Not planning to go back.
(2)Bob G.
What is it with service these days or lack of? Food here is decent, but damn, why do servers act like they are doing you a favor by waiting on you?
(2)Lonny B.
We ate here while visiting a couple weeks ago. We glanced at the menu by the door, before you go in. My companions thought it was a little pricey, but we decided to go in anyway. It was not busy, and we were seated promptly. I had the summer salad with pear and walnuts. Others had Ruebens. The salad was good, with a vingerette dressing, but was a little high, $12 for a salad with no meat. The ruebens they said were good, came with chips I think, but nothing spectacular. We never saw our waitress after she dropped off the food. I bit down on a walnut shell, Ouch!....and waited for her to come back around to tell her, but she never came back. Odd too, because there were only two other tables with people. We just paid our bill and left. I would try another place next time we go.
(3)Jason S.
Nice mellow enviornment. Plenty of seating for a Wednesday. The draught root beer tastes great. Go for the pot roast sandwich. This place is a nice break on the Island from Tshirt Shops and Fudge.
(4)Len M.
Great and friendly staff, food left a lot to be desired. The folk that had the Prime Rib did enjoy their meal. The chicken pot pie was very bland.
(2)Brian D.
Good place. The pot roast is very good
(4)Amanda H.
The food was ok, but nothing special. There wasn't much flavor to anything. For the high prices they charge I was expecting much more
(2)Abigail H.
The boyfriend and I stopped here for a very late lunch after biking the perimeter of the Island. Our waitress was nice and more than happy to substitute prime rib for chicken in a caesar wrap. I'd been craving a decent chicken caesar wrap for a long time and this hit the spot. My boyfriend had a reuben, which he said was good. Their spinach artichoke dip is one of the best spin dips I've ever had. Yummy! Not exactly cheap but we got out of here for under $60, which is pretty decent for lunchtime. Nothing on Mackinac Island will be very cheap, it's just the way it goes there. I'm pretty sure the owner also owns Horn's Gaslight, also on the Island.
(4)c d.
We stopped in for lunch and everything we ordered was great; MI cherry salad, kids fish dish, PBJ (best looking PBJ I have ever seen), and a fish sandwich. The service was wonderful! Great wine list, cocktails were tasty. The atmosphere is cozy and the fireplace is perfect for a cool day/night. We also stopped in for dinner, just as good, but a bit more pricy. The fish tastes fresh, the prime rib a generous size. A safe bet for a good meal with good service.
(4)Kate F.
My Dad loves their pot roast - had it twice in two days. I had the prime rib melt. The prime rib was very good, but it was a hunk of meat on a piece of bread. I was imagining thinner slices. I couldn't eat it all in one sitting. My husband had the burger. He said it was very good. We also split the summer salad. It was good but not spectacular. Chunks of blue cheese, candied nuts, dried cherries with field greens and a light dressing. If you like your beef, try this place.
(3)Sandy C.
This is a 3 star place. It has a nice, varied menu for group dining. We had lunch. The good: whitefish sandwich- great taste with good aioli on top. Bells beer on tap a plus! Veggie wrap was also pretty good. Bad: summer salad. Came with one canned pear (it is summer, can't get pears fresh????) overly sugared walnuts and just clumps of frise with lettuce from a bag. I could have made a better salad at home. Overall, service was meh. It wasn't very busy, but our waitress was not really interested in us. When we were leaving, there was quite a few groups waiting for tables, yet the restaurant was half empty.
(3)Lauren G.
I ate here with my family, and I ordered the chicken pot pie, which was huge, but impeccable. Our waitress was very friendly, and they had gluten-free food for my mother. My sister got the whitefish, which she said was fabulous. This is a perfect lunch spot, delicious, and fair-priced. If you bring small children, there is a kids menu. This is a place I'll definitely come back to!
(5)Pamela S.
We ate here in August and just getting around to writing the review. The food we had was good but, the service was not very good. It seemed to take forever just to put in our order and even longer when the food came out. The food was hot and good. Lots of comfort food but, no explanation as to why so slow. If someone would have given a polite excuse they would have gotten a higher rating.
(3)Vanessa W.
Thanks to other yelpers my husband and I popped into Yankee Rebel Tavern for dinner and happily we were not led astray. The food was fantastic, the service was top notch(sadly better than the two fancy dinners we had on the island) and the fireplace was warm and toasty on what was a chilly rainy day. I had the pot roast and it was de-lic-ious and huge. My husband had the pecan encrusted white fish and while not as massive of a portion, it was equally delicious. I was too stuffed for dessert, so I can't vouch for that but if they take the same care into that as they do dinner, you won't be on the wrong track.
(5)Cameron M.
I was expecting mediocre fare and was pleasantly surprised on two accounts. First, the prime rib was done well and they were quick to supplant creamed horseradish for real horseradish; and the walnut and blue cheese salad was quite good too but make sure that you request the dressing be applied judiciously. Second I sat at the bar and had a great chat with the bartender/manager and possibly owner who gave me wine advice as well as insights into the island and where to go and where to avoid. Most times I think resort/tourist towns are about throughput and volume but he took genuine pride in the culinary art of the place and went on about where they sourced produce etc. I was impressed and thank them for their hospitality.
(4)Samay J.
Good food, huge portions, very knowledgable staff and great service.
(3)Greg K.
Veggie sandwich was great. Service was mediocre. Server forgot to mention rootbeer at $4 per glass had not refills. He just smiled. I would have fired him.
(1)Megan T.
I have to give 5 stars because they have the best bartender on the island. My husband and I were on a brewery/tavern tour of Michigan (3rd most breweries in the states) and the bartender knew her beers. We were drinking Michigan brews and she had several recommendations and other great breweries to try. We went to every bar/tavern on the island and both agree that they have the best and largest variety of not just the same apps. that you get everywhere. Although we pretty much had liquids at most the taverns we looked at the menu at all the places to see if they had any apps that we MUST try. I would recommend the Sesame encrusted tuna and the white fish bites for apps. here.
(5)Susan B.
Came in for lunch - had the Summer salad (walnuts, cherries, pear). Gigantic salad. Ask for it undressed because they drowned it. The pears were a joke, but otherwise ok. Husband had open-faced prime rib sandwich. Fantastic (why the 4 star). Decent service, decent beer (the ever present Bell's Oberon). Worth walking off main street up the hill.
(4)Pam G.
Excellent lunch, varied menu. Excellent service. A little pricey.
(4)Kelly S.
Stopped in for dinner our first night on the island and loved it. I had the summer salad and really enjoyed it, very refreshing. Our server was very sweet and attentive and we had a nice relaxing meal.
(5)Daniel M.
Previous reviewers hit it on the head. Dining in Mackinac is not very adventurous and menus are largely shades of the same idea. Yankee Rebel stood out for good quality food (I had the prime rib and my wife had the whitefish), interesting-enough variety, and being very family friendly (it IS good for kids). The server was your typical, mildly disinterested college kid but tolerable. Probably the best meal we had over 4 days on the island.
(4)Chris V.
The absolute WORST hostess service I ever had. Not coming back here just for the terrible experience I had waiting for a table. Food was OK, nothing to write home about.
(1)Justin P.
Stopped in here for lunch on a recent vacation. I checked Yelp to see where to go and this place got pretty good reviews. Decent food, good service, cozy spot. I had the whitefish sandwich which was really pretty good. My girlfriend's dad did the burger and was satisfied. In a tourist-trap of a place, I'd say this spot is worth a try.
(4)joe d.
I agree 100% with Susan B's assessment of the summer salad. Also the Pot Roast was colossal. Come hungry. Overall, the food was good. Our server was very friendly and attentive. We would go back.
(4)Valerie V.
Decided to eat lunch here because of the last review. My husband is a vegetarian but also eats seafood. He wished he had ordered the veggie wrap instead of the fish, which was fried with the skin on it. I had the Ruben sandwich which they made into aTurkey Ruben for me. It was delicious and huge. I also had one of Michigan's Short's beer. Our waitress was fun and friendly. Lunch with tip came to $23 for the 2 of us.
(4)James A.
This place has everything you would want in a vacation restaurant. This is the place we always go to on our first night in town, our most "casual" meal. I have never been disappointed. The mussels diablo is killer, spicy as hell! The other time we went on a Monday night and they were having sushi night. Paired up with a bottle of regional sparkling wine it was quite the memorable meal. Service is great; the bartender remembered us from the previous year. Not a huge deal but nice touch.
(4)carolyn t.
Really delicious sandwiches. Pot roast melt is their specialty, definitely try it if you like pot roast. Garden melt a great vegetarian option. BLT salad is beautiful. Everything we got tasted great.
(4)Patti R.
My husband and I ate here for dinner with our two year old daughter. I liked the ambiance - casual, cozy and inviting, acoustic music playing softly in the background (although most songs were remakes of current tunes that really shouldn't be acoustic, so that was a little weird), more of a date place than one for kids, but we didn't necessarily feel out of place with a toddler either. Service was good, our waiter was attentive but not overly so. I had the Kobe beef medallions and scallops in an orange sauce - the beef was a tad overcooked and a little fatty, and the described "zesty" sauce was downright holy-red-pepper spicy! Thankfully I like some spice, but they really needed to provide a more accurate description. My husband had the "famous" pot roast, to which he felt was average but not anything special. Overall, the place wasn't too bad, but we felt it was overpriced (as are most places on the Island) for what we got.
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