Lakehouse Restaurant Bar

Food is always good, but they need to turn down the volume of performers so you can think and enjoy your dinner.

The staff and food was amazing! Everything we ordered was on point. They only have valet parking so be prepared for that. Would go back! Parking: Only valet Kid-friendliness: They were friendly to my 4 year old Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $100+

I came in on a Wednesday night and there were a few people at the bar and one group seated at a table. Service was quite slow since it seemed like they were decorating for Christmas. The restaurant is lovely. Great architectural detail and a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. I was seated at a table with a view of the water and did enjoy looking out at the evening lake view. I ordered a s'mores martini that was potent and well presented but really, really sweet. I enjoyed the roasted marshmallow decoration and the graham cracker rim. I ordered a pecan crusted chicken sandwich on ciabatta and a side of macaroni and cheese. The macaroni was pretty good. The cheese sauce was smooth and the serving was generous. The chicken sandwich left much to be desired. The coating lacked any significant flavor and was extremely bland. The ciabatta bun apparently had been pulled right out of the bag without being griddled or even warmed up. It was cold, hard and crumbled before I could even take a few bites of the sandwich. I wasn't a huge fan of the red pepper jam on the sandwich, but I could see how others would like it. Another server saw I was holding my credit card in hand and agreed to cash me out and give me some carryout containers. It was not a great dining experience.

The food was not good. Bang-Bang shrimp had a weird taste to it. Pulled pork sandwich was cold and dry. The view is good, although you have a busy street between the restaurant and the lake. The interior feels very old and a bit run down. Too expensive for what it was. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $30–50 Food: 1 Service: 4 Atmosphere: 4

No place is perfect and I'll point out where improvements can be made at The Lakeshore Restaurant Bar but, my experience tonight blew my socks off! The restaurant is next door to the Holiday Inn Express in St. Joseph, MI and came recommended to me at the front desk. Being up here just happened to coincide with my birthday (which was yesterday) so, I put on my kakis and a nice dress shirt and walked over. The building is large and according to their website, can accommodate a good amount of people. The interior is clean, open, and bright; with fantastic views of lake Michigan. I walked in, was greeted by quite a few of the staff, and taken to my table. There was one guy at the bar and it appeared that I was the first dinning room guest of the evening. My server, Destiny, took my drink order and left me to peruse the menu. The menu isn't overly complicated and has a nice selection of choices. They also have a secondary menu of that day's specials. The beer and wine list is a bit lacking for a restaurant of the caliber of The Lakehouse Restaurant Bar but, it does the job. Destiny came back a short time later and I ordered the Duck Bacon Sweetcorn Wontons as my appetizer. While I waited, I enjoyed my Bombay Sapphire and tonic while watching the sunset over Lake Michigan. My wontons arrived a few minutes later. I took the obligatory photos and cut in to a wonton. The smell of duck, and sweetcorn wafted up to my nose. Let me say that my mouth was watering long before I took that first bite and when I did take that bite, I was transported to the kingdom of great food. I say it all the time... good food isn't hard but most of the places I go, fall way short of that mark. Not The Lakeshore let me tell you! After enjoying a couple of wontons, I ordered my main course. I ordered the 12oz ribeye which comes with garlic mashed potatoes, and seasonal grilled vegetables. My steak came out quickly since there was only one other table of diners that arrived shortly after I did. The steak smelled so good and when I cut in to it, was cooked exactly to my liking. Like with the wontons, my mouth was watering before the first bite and didn't stop even after I took a bite. The beef flavor was outstanding and with the added flavor from the grill, the steak was perfect! The mashed potatoes were also excellent. These mashed potatoes were chunky with that hint of garlic. When I am making my own mashed potatoes, I prefer to make them smooth and creamy. Its a better mouth feel in my opinion but these potatoes were just as good. The seasonal vegetables were zucchini, squash, with bits of carrot and onion. I don't enjoy cooked zucchini and squash so they stayed on the plate. I think there are better seasonable vegetables that could be used. I've read quite a few reviews where the reviewer was left with concerns and was unsatisfied but I can't say that was my experience tonight. The Lakehouse Restaurant Bar is a gem in a sea of so-so dinning choices. It isn't a chain restaurant which is a huge plus in my book! Support local whenever you can. Overall, I had a great experience and The Lakeshore was a nice birthday gift to myself.