12 Unusual Michigan Restaurants That Make Dining An Adventure
In Michigan, the setting can be just as exciting as what’s on your plate. Historic mansions with whispers of ghostly guests, eateries tucked into shipping containers, and other offbeat spots promise meals that surprise at every turn.
These 12 unique restaurants ensure your dining adventure is anything but ordinary.
1. The Whitney’s Haunted Elegance
Ghosts and gourmet food create a spine-tingling combination at this 1890s mansion-turned-restaurant. The ornate woodwork and stained glass windows transport you to Detroit’s Gilded Age while you savor their famous Beef Wellington.
I once visited during a paranormal tour and swear my wine glass moved by itself! The third-floor Ghostbar serves craft cocktails with names inspired by the mansion’s spectral residents.
2. Legs Inn’s Whimsical Wonderland
Stone walls adorned with twisted driftwood and tree limbs create a fantastical forest atmosphere at this Polish culinary treasure. The restaurant’s name comes from the upside-down stove legs decorating the roofline.
Perched on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, Legs Inn serves authentic pierogi and hunter’s stew while you gaze at spectacular sunsets. The quirky building looks like it belongs in a fairy tale.
3. Detroit Shipping Company’s Container Cuisine
Industrial chic meets culinary creativity in this food hall constructed from 21 repurposed shipping containers. The steel-and-glass structure houses diverse food vendors offering everything from Thai curries to Caribbean jerk chicken.
My friend celebrated her birthday here last summer and we spent hours hopping between stalls, sampling different cuisines.
The communal tables in the beer garden create a festive atmosphere where strangers become friends over shared plates.
4. Woods Restaurant’s Alpine Escape
Hidden among towering pines on car-free Mackinac Island stands a Bavarian chalet that seems plucked from the European Alps. Horse-drawn carriages deliver diners to this secluded spot where Wiener Schnitzel and Austrian steak soup await.
The adjacent Bobby’s Bar houses America’s oldest operating duckpin bowling alley. Roll a few frames on these miniature lanes before dinner for a truly unique northern Michigan experience.
5. The Grill House’s DIY Steakhouse
Become the chef at Michigan’s most hands-on steakhouse experience. After selecting your cut from a refrigerated case, you’ll don an apron and head to the massive communal grill in the restaurant’s center.
Seasonings, tools, and expert advice from staff ensure even novice grillers create perfect steaks. The sizzle of meat and aromatic smoke fill the air as fellow diners share grilling tips and stories around the flame.
6. Sleder’s Moose-Kissing Tavern
Michigan’s oldest continuously operating restaurant (since 1882) features worn wooden floors that have supported generations of diners. The star attraction isn’t just the whitefish or buffalo burgers, but Randolph the moose – a taxidermied head mounted on the wall.
Local tradition demands visitors plant a kiss on Randolph’s nose for good luck. I reluctantly smooched the moose during my college years and aced my finals that semester! Coincidence? Maybe not.
7. Ambassador Restaurant’s Pizza Revolution
Vintage supper club charm meets unexpected culinary innovation at this Upper Peninsula landmark. Colorful historic murals depicting local mining scenes cover the walls while diners feast on the Ambassador’s claim to fame: tostada pizza.
This unique creation layers refried beans, cheese, and taco toppings on a thin crust. Giant fishbowl cocktails complement the quirky menu in this beloved institution that blends Mexican flavors with Italian tradition.
8. Cornwell’s Turkeyville’s Gobbling Good Times
Thanksgiving happens daily at this turkey-centric restaurant on a working farm. The aroma of roasting birds greets visitors who come for hot turkey sandwiches drowning in savory gravy and homemade pie for dessert.
My grandparents took me here as a child, and I still remember feeding the live turkeys before enjoying their distant relatives for lunch!
Beyond dining, Turkeyville features an ice cream parlor, gift shop, and dinner theater productions.
9. Root Beer Barrel’s Roadside Revival
A 17-foot-tall wooden barrel serves as both kitchen and landmark at this restored piece of Americana. Originally built in 1952, the giant root beer-shaped stand closed for decades before local preservationists brought it back to life.
Specialty hot dogs with Michigan-inspired toppings pair perfectly with frothy root beer floats. Picnic tables surrounding the barrel create a nostalgic summer vibe that attracts both tourists and locals to this quirky roadside gem.
10. Gandy Dancer’s Railway Refinement
Train whistles still sound as you dine inside Ann Arbor’s beautifully preserved 1886 Michigan Central Depot. Soaring ceilings, original stonework, and massive arched windows frame an elegant dining experience where seafood specialties shine.
The restaurant takes its name from railroad workers who maintained tracks with synchronized movements resembling a dance.
Servers pause to wave at passing trains, continuing a tradition that connects diners to the building’s transportation heritage.
11. Grand Trunk Pub’s Ticket to Flavor
Marble columns and a 25-foot vaulted ceiling create cathedral-like grandeur in this former railway ticket station. Housed in a 1879 building that became a Grand Trunk Railway ticket office in 1911, the space now serves Michigan craft beers instead of train tickets.
Original brass lighting fixtures illuminate the intricate plasterwork above while patrons enjoy elevated pub fare.
The building’s perfect acoustics, designed so travelers could hear ticket announcements, now amplify the lively conversations of downtown Detroit’s lunch and happy hour crowds.
12. Tony’s I-75 Restaurant’s Bacon Bonanza
Portion sizes enter the realm of legend at this roadside diner famous for its one-pound BLT sandwich. Stacked with around 20 slices of bacon, this towering creation has been featured on numerous food shows and attracts hungry travelers from across the country.
Breakfast platters arrive with mountains of crispy bacon that nearly obscure the plate. The restaurant’s motto might as well be “go big or go home” as everything from pancakes to burgers comes in jaw-dropping proportions.