This Cozy Michigan Supper Club Has Prime Rib Worth Talking About

Driving a few minutes out of the Traverse City bustle toward Long Lake feels like a deliberate step back into a time when dinner was an event, not just a task.

This place is a glorious, unpretentious temple to the “Northwoods Lodge” aesthetic, all warm wood, low light, and the kind of buzzing, happy energy that makes you realize why people still treat a reservation like a sacred pact.

I personally love the lack of fuss here. You aren’t here for micro-greens, you’re here for a meal that requires a serious strategy and a very loose belt.

Experience some of the best steakhouse dining in Michigan at this historic Long Lake landmark, famous for its massive prime rib cuts, legendary seafood platters, and authentic lodge-style atmosphere.

If you’re a first-timer, walking in without a game plan is a rookie mistake, especially when the prime rib starts making its way through the room.

Order The Prime Rib The Way The House Is Known For It

The prime rib is the reason many people make the short drive to Boone’s, and it earns that status. The kitchen describes it as hand rubbed with house seasonings and slow cooked, which matches the tender texture and rosy center the restaurant is known for.

It is offered in 8 ounce, 12 ounce, and the massive 22 ounce cuts, so you can choose your level of commitment before the plate even hits the table.

If you want the fullest version of what makes this place special, order it medium rare unless you strongly prefer otherwise. That temperature lets the beef stay juicy and soft, and the au jus actually matters here.

This is not a flashy steakhouse presentation; it is a straightforward, deeply satisfying plate that feels exactly right in a long-running Michigan supper club.

Best For: Meat lovers who value tenderness over trendy garnishes.

Why It Matters: Slow-cooking ensures the seasoning penetrates the meat rather than just sitting on the crust.

Quick Snapshot

Name: Boone’s Long Lake Inn

Type: Classic Northwoods Steakhouse & Supper Club

Setting: Rustic lodge featuring a massive fieldstone fireplace and taxidermy

Location: 7208 Secor Rd, Traverse City, Michigan 49685

Arrival: Highly recommended to arrive early; reservations are a “sacred pact” here

Portions: Notoriously huge, come with a strategy and a loose belt

Do Not Overlook The Seafood, Especially If Your Table Wants Range

Boone’s Long Lake Inn is a steakhouse first, but the seafood matters more than a quick glance at the menu might suggest.

The restaurant is also known for dishes like perch and steamed shrimp, and that gives the table a broader rhythm than a parade of beef alone. If someone wants a surf-and-turf style dinner, this is a useful place to do it without compromising on quality.

The seafood platter works best when you want variety without abandoning the house identity. You still get the hearty, old-school spirit of the Inn, just with a lighter contrast beside the richer steak options.

In a dining room built around prime rib, seafood can feel like an afterthought elsewhere, but here it reads more like a steady second act that knows exactly when to step forward.

Insider Tip: Ask about the seasonal catch. While the perch is a staple, northern Michigan often offers gems that pair beautifully with a side of drawn butter.

Give Yourself A Minute To Take In The Northwoods Dining Room

Before the food lands, the restaurant makes an impression through the room itself. The decor leans into a rustic Northwoods look, with lodge-style warmth, woodsy accents, and life-sized taxidermy that somehow makes the place feel more settled than theatrical.

It has the comfortable confidence of a restaurant that knows exactly what it is, avoiding the self-conscious polish of modern downtown spots.

That matters because the menu makes more sense in this setting. Prime rib, ribs, seafood, a loaded baked potato, or a cheesecake with fruit topping, none of it would feel as satisfying in a sleek room.

Here, the atmosphere supports the meal instead of competing with it. You are sitting down in a long-established Traverse City steakhouse built for conversations and winter appetites.

Quick Verdict: Authentic lodge vibes that feel like a warm hug on a snowy evening.

Common Mistakes to Avoid: Don’t dress up too formally; “up-north casual” is the local tradition here.

Choose The St. Louis Style Pork Ribs When You Want A Break From Beef

Not every great order has to revolve around a cow. The St. Louis style pork ribs give you another way into the restaurant’s generous style, with a slower, smokier profile that fits the supper club mood beautifully.

They are the kind of dish that encourages a slightly messier, happier table, especially when you start passing around the extra napkins.

Choosing ribs here means you aren’t dodging the identity of the house; you’re just exploring another corner of it.

Advice: If someone at your table is already getting the prime rib, the ribs make a smart companion order because the textures and flavors contrast nicely.

Beef brings deep roasted richness, while pork ribs deliver tenderness and a sweeter barbecue edge without making dinner feel repetitive.

Treat The Baked Potato Like Part Of The Main Event

The baked potato is easy to underestimate until it shows up looking exactly like the side dish you hoped for.

Properly cooked and ready for the usual toppings, it does what a steakhouse potato should do: anchor the plate, absorb a little sauce, and bring comfort without stealing attention.

With a rich main like prime rib, a good baked potato keeps the meal grounded.

It gives each bite a plainspoken counterweight, which is especially welcome when the portion sizes are generous and the table is already full of strong flavors.

Boone’s understands this old-school formula where the sides are not decorative clutter, they are part of the satisfaction. If your instincts tell you to skip the potato, I would resist that impulse.

Best Strategy: Go for “the works” (butter, sour cream, chives, and bacon) to fully embrace the supper club experience.

Save Room For Cheesecake, Especially With Cherries

After a heavy steakhouse dinner, dessert can feel either absurd or absolutely necessary.

At Boone’s, the cheesecake makes a convincing case for necessary, especially if you choose the version topped with cherries or strawberries. The creamy texture and bright fruit are exactly the kind of contrast you want after beef and potatoes.

Ending a northern Michigan meal with cherries on the table gives dessert a regional wink without turning the evening into a theme dinner. More importantly, the flavor balance works.

The richness is there, but the fruit keeps it from feeling flat or overbearing. If your table has been talking big about leftovers and restraint, this is where those plans often wobble.

Why It Matters: Traverse City is the cherry capital, and using local fruit elevates a standard dessert into a regional tradition.

Ask For A Table Where You Can Enjoy The Fieldstone Fireplace

The fieldstone fireplace is more than a decorative touch; it is the visual center of the dining room. Knowing that it remained part of the restaurant even after a 1989 fire gives it a little extra gravity.

In person, it helps explain why the place feels cozy rather than merely rustic. It’s a piece of history you can sit next to.

If seating allows, it is worth asking for a spot where you can take in the fireplace. The room already has a lodge-like ease, but that stone centerpiece gives the whole experience a steadier warmth.

Food lands differently when the setting feels lived in. The fireplace helps connect the history and the comfort-first menu into one clear, nostalgic mood.

Planning Advice: During winter months, these “fireplace seats” go fast. Call ahead or arrive just as they open to snag one.

Try The Escargot If You Want The Menu’s Most Old-School Surprise

One of the most interesting signals on the menu is the escargot. Served in mushroom caps with garlic butter and accompanied by homemade garlic toast, it nods to a classic steakhouse tradition that feels increasingly rare.

That choice tells you Boone’s is not just trading on size; it remembers a slightly older, more formal idea of dinner out.

Ordering escargot here is less about showing off than about leaning into the restaurant’s personality. The appetizer is rich and aromatic, making an unexpectedly graceful opening before a larger main course.

Good To Know: In a room with taxidermy and massive cuts of beef, it adds a touch of retro polish that keeps the evening from becoming one-note.

Arrive Hungry And Plan For The Portion Sizes Honestly

Boone’s is one of those restaurants where portion size is not a minor detail. The plates tend to arrive with real heft, and that abundance shapes the entire meal, from how many appetizers make sense to whether dessert is a heroic choice or a practical impossibility.

It is part of the restaurant’s identity, not just a pleasant accident. If you go in expecting delicate pacing and tiny composed plates, the evening will feel mismatched from the start.

Boone’s works best when you understand that generosity is built into the experience. That can mean sharing starters, choosing your cut size with care, or simply accepting that leftovers may happen.

My Opinion: None of this feels wasteful or showy in context. It feels consistent with a long-running steakhouse that wants dinner to be comforting, substantial, and worth the drive from downtown Traverse City.

Final Verdict: Key Takeaways

Must-Order: The 12oz Prime Rib (Medium Rare) and the Cherry Cheesecake.

The Atmosphere: Authentic Northwoods lodge, warm, loud, and welcoming.

Pro Tip: If you can’t finish that 22oz cut (and few can), the kitchen provides great containers; the prime rib makes an incredible sandwich the next day.

Quick Verdict: A mandatory stop for anyone who wants a “real” Michigan supper club experience without the downtown price tag.