Blu

It's going to be difficult to find enough good things to say about our experience about Blu but I will try. Every aspect of the dining experience at Blu was peak quality. We can start with the ambiance. The building is beautiful and there's a nice view of the water if you get a good table. Definition of fine dining experience is the best way to describe it. The food is excellent. We had the NY strip and the duck. Both were amazing. The duck is a staple, so much so that you get a numbered card to commemorate it. The service was amazing. Not only did they try to make our birthday celebration special they also accommodated my wife's special requests. Everyone was extremely friendly and accommodating. If you're looking for one of the best fine dining experiences in the Traverse City area, look no further.

Light and airy atmosphere with high ceilings and skylights, this beautiful place on Lake Michigan serves up exquisite dishes of delicious food! I had salad and the gnocchi and shrimp appetizer, which was wonderful. My husband ordered the duck, which he loved. The flour-less chocolate cake for dessert was amazing. Our waitress was fabulous!

We had a wonderful experience at Blu. The service and setting were exceptional. We had a party of 6 friends. We all enjoyed our meals. The standout dishes were the crab puffs, whitefish, and duck. We have wanted to visit for a long time. I am so glad we did.

This place has fantastic food, great drinks and wine list. My husband had duck confit, I had the salmon with shrimp and risotto. Try the crab puffs and fried green tomatoes. Morgan made it happen with a lakeside view for our anniversary.

Blu was astounding. The staff is truly the shining gem of this place they are warm welcoming while delivering an upscale experience at every turn. The food was beautifully presented and had incredible flavor with every bite. Our son got a tour of the kitchen and it made his whole evening.

I wish I had taken pictures but quite honestly I was just impressed from the moment we started our dinner! Our appetizer of the duck Pate was absolutely amazingly delicious! I had fried green tomatoes. My husband had the salmon with risotto. Everything was excellent! I personally felt that the portions were generous for an upscale dinner experience. We were celebrating our anniversary and they made it very special for us. We will definitely go back there if we are in the area again and definitely recommend!

My wife and I enjoyed an anniversary dinner at Blu last month. The view of the lake was wonderful, the ambiance was subdued, and the food and service were both very good. But having tried three appetizers, two salads, and two mains, we also came away feeling that none of the dishes were particularly memorable. Are you in northern Michigan and thinking of celebrating a birthday or anniversary at Blu? I can recommend it without reservation. Expect a very good experience that falls a bit short of best of the best.

My husband and I love the Glen Arbor area and always have difficultly finding restaurants that will accommodate my vegan diet. Blu was able to do so! The mushroom rissoto was excellent and all the appetizers we had were able to be modified to be vegan. I am very grateful that I was able to enjoy a meal, and my husband enjoyed his steak! Nick was very helpful in making sure I was accommodated. Atmosphere is nice with Lake Michigan in the background, but decor is a bit dated/country club like. We were the youngest in the dining room - but could also be due to our early reservation. Overall, we will likely visit again when we come back to Glen Arbor next summer! :)

We had a fantastic dinner at this small upscale spot while in town for a visit. With its elegant setting and abundant windows featuring Lake Michigan views, it makes for a memorable evening. The daily menu was crammed with the best local foods and in August when we visited that meant cherries, luscious vine ripened tomatoes, blueberries and more. In fact I hard a hard time narrowing down even the 4 salads as they all sounded fantastic as did the 10 appetizers. In the end we opted to share some things starting with the light crab "puffs" (really golf-ball-sized crab/rice cakes) which were delicious although a bit light on the accompanying sauce. Next we savored the small summer salad made with juicy dark purple tomatoes, fresh basil and slivers of mozzarella. Our entree was the pecan crusted white fish that was also nicely prepared. Note they add a somewhat outrageous charge for a split plate-around $16, so our fish ended up costing $66! For dessert we chose the turtle sundae festooned with crunchy toasted pecans and a house made caramel sauce. There's a nice wine list too. Service here was top notch with constantly filled water glasses and a very professional staff. I was really pleased and surprised to find a restaurant of this quality located in a tiny vacation hamlet. Highly recommended

We wanted to book one fancy dinner while in the Leelanau/GA/Leland/TC area - and I'm so glad this was our pick!! While we love great food, we are not "foodies" who do well with super modern/unique takes on classics - and after perusing many menus of different restaurants in the area, we felt like Blu was the right mix of fancy but delicious and classic and we were not disappointed! Pro tip: book a reservation and look when sunset is - we did the 8pm seating with the sun setting around 9-9:30 and if was amazing. They have see through blinds, but raise them up for the sunset and many people walk out to go take a picture on the beach right outside! It's a small intimate restaurant, so in general booking a reservation is advised. The gnocchi was amazing and so flavorful with sun dried tomatoes and succulent shrimp. My spouse got the lamb and really enjoyed the garlic and sauce Robert- and was so happy that it wasn't traditional mint sauce with lamb. The scallops were extremely rich with the asparagus risotto. We did split a crème brûlée which was just okay (maybe a bit too eggy in the texture?) , but they do use real vanilla bean and overall we were stuffed at that point. They have an extensive wine list, cocktail list, and mocktail list which I appreciated as a lady on her baby moon trip :) best Shirley temple I've ever had with real homemade grenadine made from real cherries! Staff is attentive, kind, and always checking to make sure you're taken care of. Overall, yes it's pricey, but for the delicious food, view, overall fanciness - I think it's justified and worth it for a special occasion! We would love to come back in the future.

The setting of this restaurant is picturesque right on the lake, especially if you can snag a seat outside or get a window seat. It is definitely the most upscale restaurant in glen arbor and the prices reflect that. The service was really good and friendly. The portion sizes were pretty small and I found the food to be underwhelming. We got the pesto gnocchi to start and the whitefish was really delicious but the rest of the dish was a little flavorless. We also got the tater tots which was basically like fried mashed potatoes with this lemon aioli, it was again just average. For an entree, we shared the Waygu strip loin between 2 people- it was very fatty and chewy but charred well with a crispy finish. The mini baked potatoes, veggies, mushrooms and sauce were very tasty but the quality of the meat didn't match the price in my opinion. Overall, I liked this restaurant, I just didn't think the value was there for the price point.

Unfortunately, we did not have the pleasure of dining in so we had to get take out. The food was still delicious though. We got the crab puffs, rack of lamb, and bouchon. They used to have veal, they should have kept it on there. I liked the crab puffs, very flavorful but for $24 the quantity is lacking. Rack of lamb was cooked beautifully medium rare, a lot of flavor and tender. Bouchon was very good, not sweet and light.

If you're thinking about going here, GO!!!!!! This was the best meal my husband and I have EVER had. We sat outside right as the sun started setting and it was absolute stunning. Our waitress was Laurie and she was the sweetest and totally added to the experience. The food was so divine. It's pricey, like the most we've paid for dinner ever, but it was so worth it. Our suggestions would be to get the Blu Board (trust us it's more than just cheese), the Waygu, and the crème brûlée with some coffee. You will die.

Excellent service and amazing food! First time here and forgot to take pictures until we dug in but there was not one bad item! Good portion sizes, did not leave overstuffed but also did not leave hungry!

Excellent food . Inside larger resort but look for sign as approaching the end of the road. Limited seating so reservation desirable. Great view of sunset from deck or indoor seating. High end food, service and price appropriately reflects.

I've dined at BLU many times over the past 7 years. The staffing is amiable,well trained & professional. The ambiance and views from the dining room are attractive and comfortable. Personally,I love the fresh offerings that include local cherries in their salads . The duck confit is an amazing dish that I order quite often. Last night I ordered a Fried Green Tomato salad,a Whitefish that was lightly breaded with panko breadcrumbs,served on a light beurre blanc sauce and loosely covered with pecans. We ordered a cherry balsamic sorbet for dessert. I highly recommend this restaurant if you're in the Glen Arbor,MI. area.

Good service. Wonderful views of Lake Michigan and overall ambience. Food was ok and overpriced.

We had a lovely time at Blu. We must have gone on an off-night as only half the tables were booked. But the staff was attentive, funny, and provided excellent recommendations. It is a bit pricey for the area, but the sunset views and food are worth the cost.

Blu was absolutely fantastic. Wonderful food and service and stunning view of Glen Lake. Their signature dish the duck confit was delicious.

This restaurant was shockingly amazing - very upscale and pricey - but worth it - it has a gorgeous location on the water - the sunset views will disappoint. We started with a few sharable plates - the risotto, gnocchi and hand rolled tater tots - chefs kiss - each dish was fresh and flavorful. I went for the rack of lamb and I'm so glad I did - best lamb I've had EVER in a restaurant. Simply divine. The desserts and drinks were also fantastic and we ate every last morsel m. This was a truly epic evening. Of corse a nod to our excellent server and bartender - who worked extra hard to make the night perfect Sorry I didn't get more photos - Yelp needs to add videos!

A very nice place for dinner with an amazing view of the big pond we call Lake Michigan.

Loved this place! The service was top tier- friendly without being stuffy, and the chef came out to chat with us at the end of our meal. I have an allium aversion, and they were very responsive to my needs, which is often not the case. I had the signature duck confit, which was exquisite, and my husband had the veal, also very tasty. We started with the tater tots and green beans, which were delicious, even without alliums. Cocktails were also noteworthy. A special place in a bit of a food desert- highly recommend.

Great food, great chef, great view/ of the lake. The Chef speaks through the food. I ordered tea and even the tea was from a local tea farm. Really fun, open, bright, elegant dining.

This one of best restaurant I have ever had a meal at! Everything thing they cook is amazing. The atmosphere is great and has an amazing view of Lake Michigan.

Fabulous setting with fabulous food. The Dining room is a joy either any and lake views. We had duck confit which is a specialty as well as a wonderful veal tenderloin.

Outstanding pecan crusted white fish. Naturally, the atmosphere is inviting. Our service and waitress were impeccable.

The atmosphere and service was amazing and it was the best duck confit I've had. Very unique daily appetizers!

Came to this lake front fine dining resturant on Thanksgiving. Blu did not disappoint. Elevated cuisine with classy picturesque aesthetics. We ordered the butter nut squash soup, lobster risotto along with a arugula salad with pine nuts apples and champagne vinneigrete. They timed the plates strategically so we enjoyed each before indulging in their special Thanksgiving meal with turkey, truffle gravy with all the proper sides. Ended the memorable culinary evening with short bread cookies and salted caramel gelato. Scrumptious, indeed! Recommend if you got the payroll and are looking for classy date night.

This is by far one of the best meals I've ever had. If you're vacationing in northern Michigan, book a reservation early and don't miss a meal at Blu. My husband and I called a few times and were able to put our name on a list for cancellations. Thankfully, we got a call back that a 5pm reservation at cancelled and we scooped it up. We were staying nearby at the Homestead, celebrating our ten year wedding anniversary. Due to covid only the patio was open (2020), which was fine because we preferred to sit outside with a view of Lake Michigan. Upon being seated we spied one of our favorite wineries on the wine list - Frank Family- and ordered a bottle of their Chardonnay. We started with the semi-famous crab puffs and they were perfection. Lightly fried with a soft crunch, accompanied by a delicate and sweet chili sauce. For dinner, we ordered the signature duck confit and a pecan crusted halibut with lemon beurre blanc sauce. While the duck was absolutely outstanding, definitely the best duck I've ever had, we fought over the last bite of the fish. It was the perfect summer dish. The service was impeccable, we couldn't have asked for a better meal. Top it off with a view of Lake Michigan and you won't find a better restaurant in the area. Make a reservation early. This place is tiny, and has limited reservations available.

Having dinner at Blu is an absolute dining experience! The food was amazing and the service was wonderful. We will definitely be back.

My boyfriend & I loved our dinner here! The staff was very nice & knowledgeable & the food was great. I highly recommend the bisque, gnocchi, and hanger steak. We'll definitely be visiting next time we are in the area.

The setting on Lake Michigan was perfect. We started with the crab cakes. I had the seared halibut. My wife go the white fish. We ended on a chocolate tart all was top shelf

Wonderful food perfect service in Great View! We had the Walleye & the filet that we're at like a place to get drinks that for perfection

Food- 5 stars Creativity- 5 stars Professional wait staff- 5 stars Wine list-5 stars Location ON Lake Michigan- 5 stars Highly Recommend!

We have loved our experiences at Blu so far. It's a great upscale French restaurant with amazing beachfront views and attentive service. I recommend the escargot and you can't go wrong with any of the meat dishes. My husband had a pheasant special that was unbelievable this fall, and their duck confit is on point. It's the place I'd recommend most for a special occasion spot in the TC area. It has white tablecloths and an upscale feel but is still cozy and comfortable.

Our dinner started out with a nice round of appetizers and champagne Mawby Tallis of course. The tables choice was the Fried Green tomatoes BLT, however both the crab puffs and the ahi tuna were also delicious. Our party sampled the Wild boar tenderloin, the Beef tenderloin and the Pheasant. The winner of main course was the Beef tenderloin the meat was cooked to perfection. The pheasant while delicious was over powered by the chorizo sausage it was stuffed with I recommend if you want the pheasant to either request less chorizo or remove some of the stuffing before eating. The wild boar was my personal favorite the flavor was on point and the meat was perfectly prepared. Dessert there was no clear winner as they all were divine. We watched a lovely sunset while dining and sipping cocktails our courses came out on time and were not rushed at all. If you are looking for fine dining while in Glen Arbor I definitely recommend getting a reservation here.

Airbnb'd it out in Glen Arbor for Thanksgiving & decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at Blu. First, I'd like to say BIG PLUS for wonderful atmosphere and attentive staff! Second....the food. A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT. There were 4 of us, 1 salad, 2 glasses of wine and 4 meals: Elk Chop- delicious / Filet of Wagyu Sirloin- delicious / Rack of Lamb was undercooked(needed to sent back) and chewy / Turkey Ballotine very disappointing- flavorless. For a check total of $400 we expected to walk out of Blu wanting more whereas we just ended up talking about how subpar our Thanksgiving meal was.

Blu is one of our favorite restaurants of all time and we are fortunate to have it in Glen Arbor. The service is impeccable, the staff friendly, and the owners make of point of greeting guests. The view is fantastic. When we have visitors taking them to Blu is always a treat.

It's like $300 Applebees. I'm sure that they are very proud of not being the Boondocks, but if so, the pride is sorely misplaced. The rest of the microwaved food in Glen Arbor puts this place to shame.

Fabulous food, impeccable service and a beautiful view of lake Michigan from this fantastic restaurant in the heart of Glen Arbor, MI. A must for a special occasion.

The reviews don't lie. My favorite spot in the region and some of the best food I've had in Michigan. Sat outside and timed the dinner so that we could watch the sunset. It was perfect. The food and service goes up against any Michelin-rated restaurant I've been to. We went with multiple appetizers because they all looked good and I would recommend any of the fish dishes. However, it was the pasta that made this place so memorable. Will definitely eat here again every chance I get.

Was lucky enough to get a reservation this past week during the sunset. There are very few tables outside, so be sure to make a reservation. We had the barramundi, duck, tater tots, and salad. All were delicious, but the duck really stood out! Felt very comfortable with the precautions taken for social distancing and everyone wore masks when not seated. Would highly recommend!

A wonderful gem located on the beach and walking distance from Glen Arbor. We were there a week before the hustle and bustle of the Summer season. Good for us.. no wait and it was an amazing experience. The ambience and decor immediately put you in a relaxing mood. The sun was out and it was a beautiful day. We had some cocktails as we perused the menu. The menu is constantly changing, depending on what's in season and fresh. We started off with Escargot, Morel Mushrooms and the Leelanau Arugula as appetizers. Then we had the Duck (the best EVER) and the infamous Whitefish for entrées. Everything was fresh with incredible flavors. We made sure that we saved room for dessert - Tarte au Chocolat - an experience in inself. Thank goodness for Blu... if you are in Glen Arbor off season, they are the only place in town for an outstanding, upscale meal. We have a wonderful memory for our last night of our family reunion!

This restaurant has excellent food and beautiful views of the lake. The staff here is friendly & attentive. The duck confit was delicious as was the roast pheasant stuffed with sausage that my husband had. Beautiful presentation of the food! Pricey, but worth it!

OMG! Flavors and tastes woven together to make this one of most amazing dining experiences one can enjoy. First, I had tater tots, but not just any tater tots. These where hand rolled with cheddar cheese and cooked to perfection with a delicious aioli sauce. My main meal included vegetables so yummy with some infused herbs, I guess. I could have had more. The grilled shrimp and the black rice with drizzled with a truffle oil mixed with hollandaise sauce complimented the plate. The tastes and blends of flavors blended to make the each bite pure joy. Finishing with a cup of coffee and dark chocolate gelato with ganache and walnuts around the plate, on top of the delicate walnut cookie- WOWED BEYOND WORDS! I can't forget to mention our wonderful wait person, Lauren. She explained dishes, ingredients and was nearby for and needs. The view of the water while sitting on the patio was beautiful.Blu is a wonderful gastric experience!

Great Restaurant!!! Food is amazing!! Randy is a terrific chef. The variety of dishes showcases his skills. Very good wine list and creative cocktails. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. And the setting overlooking Sleeping Bear Bay at Sunset is spectacular. This is truly a Michelin star-level restaurant in Northern Michigan.

Randy and Mari serve some of the most creative food in the best atmosphere in Leelanau County. Service has always been impeccable. A one of a kind experience that everyone should experience.

One of the better meals I've ever enjoyed, and that says something. Hubby and I were visiting the area proclaiming to be "The Most Beautiful Spot in America," and yes, it's very pretty, but not sure I'd vote for Sleeping Bear Dunes over Maine or Alaska. This restaurant, however, did not disappoint. Blu ain't cheap, as if anything good ever is, but if you are able to do as you wish, you'll thoroughly enjoy a meal here. Our appetizers were the crab puff for hubby and I ordered the cheese plate, both exceptional. For salads he had the arugula and I had the frisee, again, both exceptional. While it seemed odd, I was recipient number 8,552 of duck confit ($40) at this establishment, and it was every bit as delectable and yummy as you'd expect. Hubby had the NY Strip that was also very good, but at $69 it better be! We shared a yummy cheesecake and had three cocktails between us, and before tip our dinner was $223. The dining room is small, but with excellent views of Lake Michigan. Our server was quite good, and our 8 PM dinner reservation was there last guest for the night, and it wasn't a problem when we arrived at 7:45 we were seated early. There is no separate bar area, and it's not large unless you are talking about the view. A very nice unexpected dining experience! It's unlikely we'll ever return to this part of the world, but if we did I'd absolutely stop back in... appeared to be the nicest option in the area.

Stopped in here for dinner tonight with my husband for our mini honeymoon date night, food was amazing! It was a little restaurant, but considering it's a Wednesday in May, it wasn't very busy. Only a couple other tables occupied. The service was great and the (I believe?) chef stopped by to give us a beet sampler. I had the duck confit and my husband had the beef tenderloin. Both delicious! The portions were more generous than expected, and we couldn't even finish either of them. Pricey, but would love to go back again when we come back to visit!

Blu lives up to the hype. It is pricey, but you pay for what you get. Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Service was also on point

What a wonderful experience. If you're planning a stay around Glen Arbor and enjoy a special evening out, Blu is highly recommended. Our server, Erin, was very friendly and enjoyable to chat with. We ordered the escargot (yum!) and foie gras for apps then rack of lamb, crusted whitefish and the duck confit...all wonderful and so much food we took our deserts to go!

Excellent food, service and views. Very expensive. Very nice outside deck if weather is good.

Blu was a wonderful dining experience and was a great place for our group to celebrate a birthday. The restaurant on the the side of the Le Bear resort with large windows that provides a view of Lake Michigan. It was smaller than expected inside, though they also have an outdoor patio. The restaurant is lovely, simple and allows the view to be the focus. The service was excellent, very attentive. They have a good wine list that includes local wines (including some we had sampled earlier that day on our wine tour that were considerably marked up). To begin the meal you are served an amuse bouche. At our visit this was a salmon mousse. The idea of fish whipped is strange but this was surprisingly light and made a nice start to the meal. I had the crab puffs as an appetizer, which were as good as the other recommendations suggest. A friend had the fried green tomatoes. I would not have thought to order this and it was another pleasant surprise. Our group primary ordered fish items, the salmon and the sea bass. They also had a asparagus risotto. This is not the easiest to make and this was perfect and creamy. The salmon was very good, but the sea bass was amazing. I am not sure how often the menu changes or what items are seasonal but this fish option seems to be a good choice. Expect that any meal you have here is going to be pricey. We came to celebrate a friend's birthday, had a wonderful experience and felt that it was worth the price. If you are just looking for somewhere to eat or do not have much time, this is not going to be a good choice. As I noted, Blu is small, and I would recommend making reservation, especially during the busy part of the year.

Had a late reservation but a wonderful indoor seat overlooking the lake and sunset view. Setting is beautiful -- small dining area inside with large windows looking out towards the beach. We shared two apps: sweetbreads and pate. Both were flavorful beautifully presented. Our entrees, which we also shares, were the duck confit and rabbit gallantine. The duck was crispy on the outside but retained its moisture and flavor -- I asked for more of the jus and they quickly brought a generous side of it. The rabbit was exceptional and was our preferred dish. We paired it with a lovely bottle of chianti and then finished the meal with two desserts: spiked rum cake with sorbet and a creme brulee. Again, both hit their marks. Service was excellent start to finish and the entire experience felt like a Michelin star restaurant -- consistency between all our plates and service was phenomenal and our best dining experience in recent memory. Very solid 5 stars and with a reasonable bill (under $250 including wine, desserts and tip, but no cocktails)

Wow! First trip to the area and we are SOOO glad we were able to get a last minute reservation at Blu. The ambiance is beautiful, service was superb (Nick) and the food was excellent! We shared the whitefish (best we've ever had, still talking about it days later), shrimp cocktail, salmon and gnocchi. Wine selection was on point. Would absolutely recommend Blu. Many thanks to the chef and team there for such a special night!

As good as it gets!!! is the only way to describe Blu in Glen Arbor. The food is first class, over the top, such as the crab puffs. Full menu is excellent. The ambience is unbelievable, particularly as the sun sets across Lake Michigan outlining Sleeping Bear Point and the Manitou Islands. The wine list is very good, and they know their wines...just ask. Prices are high for the area, but worth every penny for a loveley evening out. Limited space, seats about 30, but I have taken a party of 10.

I think Blu is the best restaurant value on the Leelanau Peninsula. Randy Chamberlain's meals are always outstanding, the menu interesting and varied and the service really professional. Mari Chamberlain is co-owner and a qualified sommelier who makes sure that she has wines that fit both the menu and a reasonable budget. The restaurant is small enough and the service and food good enough that the whole experience has a European feel. There are a few other restaurants in the area where you can pay more and get as good an experience and many more where you will pay as much for less. On top of the dining value there is the spectacular view of the lake and the sunsets. Its our favorite place for a quiet dinner or a chance to show friends the "best of Leelanau".