The Duck Pond Eatery and Beer Garden

Terry White

2023-09

Me and my buddy stopped in for dinner for the first time and wasn't the best experience. I was a gm for restaurants for 7 years, so I know the restaurant business. We came at the dinner rush so I know not the best timing but the service was not good. Seemed like no one really cared about their jobs. Tables walking out left and right. Took almost an hr for the food to come out.i got the blackened white fish and side of fries. The food was really good! Great seasonings! The back patio was very cool, and loved the decor. I'd give it another try if I'm back in town.

Devin Ganka

2023-09

The food was actually really good. You walk in and it’s underwhelming. You really want to sit out back in the beer garden. We were here in the middle of the afternoon and the service was terrible. They were not friendly and they took forever. I know they are short staffed as there were only two servers in the whole place. They were also out of a lot of items.Parking: Parking on site.Wheelchair accessibility: It’s accessible.

The Hunter

2023-09

REALLY nice outdoor spot that allows dogs. If you have a pooch enter through gate in the back.We popped in here for a bunch of drinks and maybe some food. It was late afternoon. We were ready to spend some money after a long day of exploring but the bartender seemed put out having to come outside. Her answers were short and clipped and there was no cocktail menu brought to the table. We ordered pretzel sticks (they were good but probably a food service product). My cousin got a beer (she would've preferred a cocktail.....she had no idea they had liquor). I had the draft root beer. It was really tasty. We ate quickly and departed. One of the few places that we received less than stellar service in our week long sojurn in the picturesque UP.

Karen

2023-09

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Rachel Urbiha

2023-07

It was…the strangest restaurant experience I’ve had in a long time. Not necessarily in a bad way, just strange. The service was weird, the food was mostly good (the whitefish was delicious but had tons of bones). The best Caesar dressing I’ve ever had but the croutons came in a plastic bag on the side. Our apps came with paper plates and drinks came in plastic cups. Our server was a bit weird but nice. The kitchen crew seemed annoyed by our order but still made it fast. Overall, it gave my friends and I a story we will talk about forever but it was definitely…different. I guess what you’d expect for a place with a giant statue of Santa 100 yards away lol.

Jim Walke

2023-07

We booked the dinner/boat cruise for immediately after our small wedding, and it could not have been more perfect. We were married at Miner's Beach near Elliot Falls (where the kayak trips launch) and the outfitter staff from Paddling Michigan, which is a part of the same company, were gracious and accommodating during the ceremony. The staff at the restaurant (especially Chrissy!) and the boat crew were phenomenal: warm, friendly and engaging. They even provided a special surprise at dinner, and handled a grumpy older guest with tact and good spirits.The Duck Pond helped to make our wedding a success and we could not be more grateful. We have a cabin in the area and will be returning many times, and recommending it to everyone we know who visits the Pictured Rocks area.

Michael Scott

2023-08

I was not impressed 🤷🏻‍♂️The dinner entree was no frills. So no vegetable🥦 Anything other than fries is an upcharge 🤑 and there's only three other options to choose from for your side anywayIt is not a large portion of food. I wouldn't call it a dinner, or an entree . I would call it a light lunch.Parking: Parking lot is shared with their Yurt, ⛺ tent and cabin parking, and can be crowded.

Jean K

2021-05

Our party of five stopped for lunch. The patio area is very nice and decorated in a festive way. Lots of tables and areas for big groups. The BBQ ribs, whitefish, and burger were very tasty. The turn off was our service. The waitress was grumpy and didn't seem to care about doing her job right. Things were served wrong and then we waited a long time for them to correct the order. No comps on this, which certainly would have helped with our opinions. She was abrupt with whatever we asked for, but once it was time for us to get the bill, she got friendlier. Overall I would still go back for the atmosphere and food, but would not want that waitress at all. If she just smiled and was a bit happier in her social skills on how she talks to patrons it would help the place. There are many reviews similar to mine, so management should address that. I would give it 5 stars but because of the service I did 3.

David Rowell

2023-08

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Ali Diaz

2023-05

Stopped in for some delicious white fish! My husband got the fried fish and I got the fish tacos - so good! The staff was super friendly, the atmosphere was inviting and clean and all around a good time! If you are in the Christmas/ Munising area this is a must go to, and enjoy their beer garden!

Ella Spence

2023-05

My husband and I shared the poutine, cheese curds, and portabello mushrooms, which were all fantastic. My suggestion tho, call ahead and get it to go. If Abigail answers, you're in luck, she was wonderful. We ate inside the first night and the waitress was unfriendly and horrible. She took my husband's drink order and walked off, I had to stop her to order my drink. She then hovered over my husband after handing him the check waiting to take our money to cash us out. Both of the newer waitresses seemed agitated and unhappy to be there.

Kimberly Stowe

2022-05

Cute little place! Tons of beers to choose from, LOTS of local brews!! The menu is simple and easy, and done well.My whitefish sandwich was delicious!! Great flavor, well seasoned (had it blackened), perfectly cooked sweet potatoe tots. And delicious beer. (Should have bought a 12er)The outdoor area is SO cute and welcoming. You could sit out here for hours having beers and chatting.The staff was very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our meal here very much.

Elizabeth Bulmer

2023-07

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Brandon Londo

2023-05

We stumbled upon The Duck Pond Eatery while on a trip to the Munising area. The restaurant has a great back patio and a very nice selection of beers. We experienced friendly service while we dined. The food selection was alright, nothing mind-blowing, just the kind of comfort food you'd expect for that type of restaurant. The fresh fish that's caught locally was the best option on the menu, no matter how you had it prepared.

Steve H

2023-05

Good food, terrible service.Everyone at our table enjoyed our food which included a pulled pork sandwich, pulled pork tacos and chicken wings.You might get better service if you sit at the bar inside than outside at the back of the restaurant where we did. The servers are not very attentive to customers seated outside. It takes about 15min to have someone take your drink order and then another 15min to bring it to you and then about 30min to get your food once ordered. After you're done eating your food you might wait another 15min to see someone to ask them to bring you a check and then it'll take them 15min to bring your check out at which point you'll be so angry with the service you'll just go inside and pay at the bar.Like I said, the food is good, but since they had the worst service I've ever experienced, I would never eat here again.

Craig Smith

2022-05

This was an offensive meal. Grilled white fish dinner was appauling. For all the great fresh fish available this was awful. Fish was unseasoned, dry, and not what you expect from a U.P. white fish experience. The smoked fish dip was a bowl of cream cheese with sporadic pieces of light flavored smoked fish and some raw bell peppers and onion. Several times you'll take a full spoon of "dip" to realize all you have is cream cheese.

Pratik Desai

2022-05

Great food and Beer!Awesome place just 4-5 miles NW of Munising, has Outdoor seating at their Beer Garden.Awesome ambience and great staff.Will definitely visit again if we go to Munising area.We had the following:Pickaxe Blonde Beer - 5/5Boneless Wings (sweet chilli) - 5/5Fried chicken Salad Wrap - 5/5Black Bean Burger - 5/5.

Ashley Borgert

2021-05

We ate here a few times as part of our package with Paddlers Village. The first night there was miscommunication between servers so we sat a good 20 minutes without our order being taken but after that the service was great each time. Everything we ordered was good but my favorite was the blackened fish tacos. We also enjoyed their large Michigan craft beer list!

Kylie Cook

2022-05

The food was great; they serve fresh whitefish straight from the lake! There’s a huge variety of beers and drinks to choose from.The only down side was that the staff wasn’t very attentive. We didn’t get any sort of drink refills.

Jeff Yaddow

2022-05

It took an hour and a half to get the appetizer, 2 hours to get the food. We were checked up on a total of 2 times during our wait. I ordered a chicken wrap, with no onions and no mayo. It came out loaded with onions and no tomato. The server explained that they're understaffed and she had to work the kitchen as well. My wife and brother said their food was okay enough, but certainly not worth the wait, and less than worth the $14 we paid for a sandwich.we sat at the patio because we had a dog with us, so they did accommodate. There was bean bag toss to occupy time. They had these flags flying, left to right: American, Jamaican, US Marine corpse, and an upside-down Arizona state flag.

Ted S

2023-10

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McKenzie

2023-10

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Jane Freehauf

2023-10

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Eryn Ratkov

2023-08

Such a bizarre experience. First off, the restrooms(women) I could talk to and make eye contact with the person washing their hands while I got ready to use the restroom because the door is so short. Then, the service took nearly an hour to get chicken tenders. No refill on water. Got two beers that were just a can out of a fridge, but it still took super long to get the second beer. Food was not that great. Definitely felt sick after. $33 for kids chicken tender, 2 beers, and mushrooms. Paid with $40 and the server wouldn't bring me change. She said that covered it. I tip anyway, but to help yourself to the tip without even offering to bring change is super rude. Do not recommend.

stoutjeff09

2022-05

Always a worth stop while in the U.P. Great food and great service. Sit outside under a patio table for a wonderful atmosphere. And make sure to try one of nearly 30 Michigan beers.

Corey Watt

2023-08

This place came highly recommend with a warning that the service was slow. We paid over $80 for good food, but the service was non-existent. I had to get our silverware and my wife had to go up and get our drinks. The cook brought our appetizer to the table. We got our waters just in time for our last few bites. To add to it, we were up charged for our sides even though the menu says "choice of side". We are pretty understanding and go with the flow...smaller, rural places are struggling to get help but this was bad. A few parties left after 15-20 minutes because nobody came to their tables.

Jessica Rathunde

2022-05

This place has the best fish! We’ve been waiting all year for our vacation again so we could have the white fish bites again. LOVE them! Great staff, amazing food, try the white fish bites! Dog friendly outside.

Elizabeth Pack

2023-10

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Jennifer Edgar

2023-09

We went for the dinner cruise. We ate out in the beer garden and their outside area is one of the nicest I've been to. They have a ton of drink options offered, but it was a little disappointing that it took us 5 tries to find something that was actually in stock. The food was really good. The service outside was great, inside it was a bit hectic. We had beautiful weather for the cruise and our captain was very informative about the history of Grand Island.

Maricel Squire

2023-08

Wow - wish we had read the reviews before going to this establishment. But we hadn’t, and we were starving after coming into town later than we had planned. Still, nothing could’ve prepared us for this utter disappointment that is the Duck Pond Eatery.As with other diners, this evening may have been the singularly WORST non-dining experience we’ve ever had as a family; NON-DINING because we waited for nearly two hours for food that never came, and were left on our own for a good chunk of that time to wonder what was going on with our dinner. No special orders, no substitutions - nothing at all out of the ordinary that could have caused the extraordinary amount of time we waited with incredibly little service and no food.It was 20 minutes to get menus; and because we had an inkling that service was going to be challenging, we put our drink and food orders in at the same time. Once our server dropped off our drinks, it would be an HOUR before she finally came back and checked on us. But by then all of our blood sugars were well into the toilet, and our kids were beyond grumpy from the infernal wait with still no food. She tried to say that our food was delayed because they were very busy. But NO ONE as far as we could tell had their food either! So not sure at all what the kitchen was busy doing. I was struck by the fact that I’ve actually never seen an entire section of a restaurant with literally no one serving it and worse yet, no one eating. And as others have noted, several tables were even compelled to get up and get their own drinks at the bar inside.After almost two hours with no word on an ETA for our food we could take it no longer, and finally got up to leave. It was 8:40 and we realized that we were in danger of missing any other opportunities to eat elsewhere, as it was nearly closing time everywhere.On our way out, we ran into our server who still could offer no logical explanation for our lack of food and the non-sensical amount of time we had waited for said food at that point. Ordinarily, our family really likes to support food service industry professionals and have always been understanding and supportive if things are running rough on any given night. But tonight’s disastrous first-ever visit to this establishment is very firmly our last.