Chandler's

A recent dinner at Chandler’s in Petoskey, MI was nothing short of exceptional—a true highlight in northern Michigan’s dining scene. From the moment you step into Chandler’s, the cozy, intimate atmosphere immediately sets the stage for a memorable meal, whether you’re nestled in the main dining room, the wine cellar surrounded by thousands of bottles, or enjoying the charming outdoor patio. We began our evening with the tartar and the Farmer’s Appetizer Board, both of which were a testament to the kitchen’s attention to detail and commitment to local, fresh ingredients. The tartar was perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender, while the Farmer’s Board was a delightful assortment of artisanal cheeses, cured meats, and house-made accompaniments—easily one of the best charcuterie experiences we’ve had in the region. For the main course, the salmon was a standout. Expertly prepared, it arrived perfectly cooked—moist, flaky, and flavorful, with a subtle crispness to the skin. The accompanying vegetables were fresh and thoughtfully seasoned, complementing the fish without overpowering it. It’s clear why Chandler’s is so highly regarded for its seafood and creative daily special. Pairing our meal with a glass of Zinfandel from Chandler’s extensive and well-curated wine list elevated the experience even further. The wine cellar is a true gem, offering selections that rival those of much larger cities, and the staff are knowledgeable, ready to recommend the perfect pairing for any dish. Service throughout the evening was warm, attentive, and professional, striking the perfect balance between friendliness and efficiency. Even on a busy night, we never felt rushed, and every request was met with a smile. Chandler’s consistently delivers on all fronts: atmosphere, service, and—most importantly—food. Whether you’re a local or just passing through Petoskey, this is a must-visit destination for anyone who appreciates fine dining in a relaxed, welcoming setting. We left already planning our next visit, eager to explore more of the menu and enjoy another glass from that remarkable wine cellar. Five stars, without hesitation.

We visited Chandler’s last night to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We made a reservation and were seated on time at a quiet corner table in the cellar, which seemed like the perfect spot for a special evening. However, not long after we arrived, the atmosphere shifted. There were two large groups—a wedding party and a birthday celebration—already in the restaurant when we got there. While they were relatively quiet at first, the noise level grew significantly as the evening went on and the drinks kept flowing. It became difficult to enjoy conversation or the overall ambiance. On the positive side, we really enjoyed the salad, the bread, and the wine selection—those were definite highlights. Unfortunately, the main courses were disappointing. My NY Strip was undercooked, served lukewarm. After sending it back, it came out warmer but chewy, and still undercooked. It didn’t appear to have been on a grill or flat top. It had virtually no sear and zero crust. My wife’s salmon was just okay—nothing memorable. Our server was friendly and attentive throughout the evening, but the overall experience was diminished. Nothing about the meal felt special or particularly well-executed, and it certainly didn’t live up to the restaurant’s reputation or its price point. Chandler’s has potential and may be a better choice on a quieter night, but for our anniversary dinner, the noise, delays, and lackluster food left us disappointed.

Highly recommend for a special night out. Ask for seating in the wine cellar for later in the evening. This is a unique, luxury experience. My husband and I enjoyed celebrating our 33rd year dating Anniversary here. The atmosphere, service and food were all outstanding. We felt very special for our special occasion!

One of our favorite spots in Petoskey. We stopped in for a late lunch. Service was great at the bar. The grilled cheese and tomato soup hit the spot. My wife had the fried rice-very good! We split a spiced cake dessert. Chandler’s is perfect for a couple or small group. I wouldn’t recommend bringing a big party, the restaurant is pretty quaint.

Highly recommend the sushi & the Salmon Caesar! Local Michigan Riesling paired very nicely. Cozy atmosphere, perfect service & food was so good that we had to go back & order the exact same.

oh my that seabass didn't last but five minutes in my plate, delicious! romantic outside patio seating, cheese board, rack of lamb, good drinks

Fresh flavorful food with generous portions. The crème brule had the right balance of sweetness and creamy flavor. The service was excellent, very attentive. They made a custom Mac and cheese for my daughter and she loved it. A great place to go when in northern Michigan. Make sure to make a reservation!

Had a little day trip to Petoskey from TC with a friend. The alleyway entrance and patio area was super alluring from the street. Menu looked fantastic & we were seated inside immediately. LOVE the charm and class of the dining area and bar. Our table server was super sweet and attentive and the wine list did not miss! We shared a salad with a goat cheese fritter and each got a sushi roll. AMAZING. Love love love this gem of a place and will be back many many more times!

Chandler's - a classic but our experience last night was a bit disappointing We have really enjoyed Chandler's and this was our 3rd visit in 4 years when we visit N Mich from AZ Paul is a fantastic host and server - we've had the same table for all 3 visits and Paul has served us each time as well The shrimp cocktail was phenomenal - photo of shrimp is only half of the serving as my wife and I shared The filet was disappointing- please bring back the old steak sauce and the asparagus! Charred carrots are just too bitter, pearl onions are ok but there were no mushrooms on the plate. For $58 you expect a better meal...last night was not it and the filet was very small (I get it - inflation etc. We'll be back next summer but please bring back the old steak sauce! Next time I just might order 2 shrimp cocktails as an entree! Thanks Paul for a very nice evening!! See you next summer!

The food here is so expensive and just mediocre. We ordered a Caesar salad - it came in a bowl made of Parmesan cheese. It was chewy and very salty. Ordered a California roll, it was very salty and very small, about an inch diameter with ten soggy pieces. I ordered a bowl of asparagus soup ,, very disgusting, it tasted like thick pepper soup. Ordered a spinach salad, it was so saturated with vinegar.. the total bill was $120.00 for this disgusting meal . Will never come back here

I recently visited Chandlers for the first time and was hoping for a memorable dining experience, but unfortunately, it fell short in several areas. First, the positives: the wine selection was excellent, offering a diverse range of options that catered to different palates. The Caesar salad, though served in a (somewhat) dense cheddar cheese 'crisp' bowl, had a good dressing and tasty anchovies. Unfortunately, the overall experience was more of tourist spit vs the hidden gem I was hoping for. The service was abrupt and made us feel rushed throughout the meal, detracting from what should have been a relaxing evening. The elk medallions were overcooked and lacked the tenderness and flavor we expected. The spring rolls were a major disappointment - sticky and so loosely wrapped that they were almost impossible to eat. To add to the underwhelming experience, the asparagus soup was served barely lukewarm and failed to impress with its bland taste. In conclusion, while the wine and certain aspects of the salad were enjoyable, the service and the execution of the dishes left much to be desired. I hope they can make improvements in the future, but I'm not sure I'll be returning anytime soon.

This is for their service and front of the house. My husband and I went with his service animal. They asked for paperwork (which they cannot ask) and even said they are uncomfortable with us eating there with his dog. Under HIPAA and ADA they are not suppose to ask for any documentation or demonstration. Per the State of Michigan law and Federal law, service animals are welcome in all establishments and again, they can ask what he does but nothing more. We did inform them what he does but the manager wasnt comfortable and we left. I hope the owners see it and fix this since I do plan to report them when offices open back on Tuesday for breaking the law. https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/mdcr/service-animals/documents/faq.pdf?rev=e946e4e0c2f54260ab503e42c22883f4

Wow, Chandler's was pretty fantastic across the board. I went with a large group for brunch and we were seated in their beautiful wine room. Although we didn't get any wine, they have a huge selection of different varietals from around the world. Our server was very patient with our large party, and even nice enough to offer and do 8 individual checks! I am not a burger girlie, but from their brunch menu, it looked like the tastiest option - wagyu meat, pancetta, onion jam, smoked gouda, and roasted poblano aioli. It was really good, and was great paired with the potato chips. Definitely recommend Chandler's if you want a top notch experience!

Rich accommodated me on a busy Thursday dinner rush at the bar. He had my seat waiting & made my dinner a pleasure by getting me in and out as my dogs don't like me leaving them too long at home. Dinner was Crab Cake appetizer, & Scallops on a bed of sautéed vegetables. It was the perfect meal.

Very prompt service, making sure we always had what we needed even when it was busy. Inside was louder than I thought it would be since it was a cozy place but also very unique layout! Now the food, was absolutely fantastic. Spicy tuna roll was to die for, crab cakes were amazing but could've used more remoulade. We also had the filet which was cooked to perfection and the duck! Sorry I didn't get pictures of the entrees, too distracted by the fabulous taste! Definitely going back when back in petoskey!

First time in Petoskey and our host recommend this place when we asked for sushi place. They don't have a lot of sushi around here and some of them were closed permanent :( They are very dog friendly! The service was good from the very beginning with the host and the server. The food for me it was just okay, the spicy tuna was so small, I could eat 2 of them in the same time...but I didn't no worries lol. I also get lettuce tuna wrap, which I really don't know how to explain about this dish. It's a little wired, not a very good fusion food. Felt like it's missing so many thing, but unfortunately, I don't know what it's missing. The portion was a little small and I think they can do better on the presentation as well. My husband got the cheese board and wine. he said it's sooo good, he was very happy with his choices! The lady who was our server explained each of everything very well, impressed! I tried some of it and I would say, everything was great even strawberries.

We had a group of 9 in the wine room which has a great vibe. It was a Friday night in season but they had trouble getting orders out, plus three entree's were graciously comped as over-cooked. The food was tasty, but it was clear this is a very good place we hit on an off-night. Guessing staffing issues which plague the industry.

We had a 5pm reservation and arrived 5 to 10 minutes early. The restaurant had only one table of people outside and the inside was completely empty except for some people sitting at the bar. The hostess walked us to our table which was right inside the door where everyone (customers and waitstaff) constantly walk in and out. And I mean literally right in front of the door. When we asked if we could get a table further away from the door, she said no because those had reservations. Well we had reservations too but apparently that didn't matter. We told her we would be out of there within the hour because we didn't plan to linger, but she still said no. We offered to move to one of the 2 top tables (the one she was giving us was a four top even though we were a party of two). Still no, so we walked out. She didn't do anything to try to get us to stay despite the place being nearly empty. She just stared at us blankly and kept repeating the refrain "those tables have reservations". Not exactly great service, but I guess they don't care about that. I'm sure some of the reservations did request a specific table, but ALL of them? Just not believable. They should really send their staff to customer service training. When I take the time to make a reservation it's not like I expect to be able to pick out my seat, but I also don't expect to literally have one table to choose from. Complete bullshit.

The food and service was excellent at Chandlers. My husband ordered the same bass and I had sushi. Chandlers is described as upscale. I thought the restaurant was rustic and charmingly intimate.

We (my better 3/4s & I) have dined here for many years... there are several good reasons... all of them are the staff! Don't get me wrong, the food has always been great but the people who serve you when you go out to eat have as much (or mire!) to do with your dining experience than given credit. There are several we have seen here for more than 30 years... it absolutely makes our evening out more than special when we hug Diane, Paul, Rich, Bryan and of course Chandler... Great place GREAT PEOPLE

We live in Northern Michigan in the summers, and have been coming here for 30 years. Chandlers has been one of the very best restaurants in the area. Last night was the worst experience we've had there, and fingers are crossed that it was a one-off. My wife ordered the filet mignon medium rare, came out close to well done. I ordered the duck, when the plate arrived, the quantity of duck was a joke, and the preparation was pedestrian, nothing like we're used to at Chandlers. Including tax/tip, the duck cost $65, not creative, not delicious, not filling. Even the drinks were so-so. We will be back, everyone makes mistakes, but if the next visit is anything like this one, it will sadly be our last.

Nice and friendly staff but took forever for the food to come. My salad came in a cheese bowl that was soggy and not crisp. They then finally brought my wife's meal and not my meal. My wife was halfway through her meal before they brought mine. If you want to eat together with your spouse and have completely fresh and proper food, I would recommend going somewhere else. Again, the staff was nice, but the rest of the evening was a disaster and way overpriced for this kind of a disaster. The size of the food portions suck too.

This place was amazing. Excellent service delicious food and sitting outside on a beautiful day with all the flowers and sunshine was perfect. Loved the fish tacos and the 5 Dragon which was like a Reuben. Had the Hummer for dessert and it was delicious and plenty to share!! Highly recommend trying this place!

On one of the snowy afternoon's visiting Petoskey, we wanted to try Chandler's. It was a little weird to find if just looking directly at Google Maps but the entrance is on the side and a little tucked back. We had a great brunch and everything was delicious! The sizing was perfect and we enjoyed everything we tried. I do think it would be a different experience to try for dinner (I hear it does get a little pricey compared to lunch) but worth a shot since it all smelled and sounded great!

Very disappointing dinner tonight. The halibut is our go to at Chandlers and we were surprised to see it was replaced with perch. My wife loves perch but I decided to go with the filet. We about died when our server brought out a plate of 5 small burned perch on a bed of risotto. If I had my phone I would have taken a picture but the perch looked like it had sunk to the bottom of a deep fryer and stayed there cooking all day. My wife took one bite and said she felt like she was crunching on bones. I honestly can't believe they even plated the food and served it to anyone.

Celebrated our anniversary at Chandler's in Petoskey, Michigan. I absolutely love this place! The food is amazing and they have the best cocktails too! The atmosphere is very nice and our server, Will, was awesome!

This food was amazing! We had the spicy tuna roll to start and it was gone within minutes - very fresh. My husband had the filet and thought it was alright, nothing too special, but still tasted great. The salmon florentine was a special, so I chose that. It was so flavorful and cooked to perfection! The restaurant itself was smaller than I imagined and pretty loud so it was a bit difficult to hear sometimes, but such a fun atmosphere and we hardly had to wait for our food. Would definitely recommend to anyone visiting the area!

I went to Chandler's for brunch before a wedding in Petoskey. We sat just inside the door at a table in the corner. The table was far too close to the wall to be comfortable but we weren't able to move the tables nor the table itself to make more room even though the restaurant wasn't very full. Our server was very friendly and welcomed us in. They were quick in taking our order and bringing our food when it was ready. The food was pretty good but there was a lot of variation between dishes. I had the Breakfast Tostada which was flavorful and covered the plate. My partner had the Taylor's Hash which looked very simple and did not leave them full. Overall this was a nice spot for a good brunch and I would be interested in trying their dinner options next time.

We were there earlier today. The dish my husband ordered was dismal. This is the second time we have been disappointed this year. we know we cannot complain as we will be looked at like Karen's. We are out. We will venture elsewhere and never return.

Excellent food and service, they have great specials too. It's a little pricey but worth every dollar. Love this place.

Diane was an amazing waitress, I loved the venue, it was very small call ahead if you want a table!! Filet was cooked perfect!

Veal Chop. Good drinks, food is mediocre. Steak was cooked inconsistently. Wouldn't be my first choice for a nice dinner in Petoskey.

The food is creative. The service was perfectly professional and the ambiance is always romantic.

A northern Michigan staple with a creative flair on the menu. The tight quarters and slow service is certainly worth the wait.

Mediocre and excessively high priced and no ambiance went there once and never went back. I think people go there just to be seen.

Usually really good. Not sure what happened to the burgers. bland only ate a few bites.

I highly recommend checking this place out if you are in the area! My friends and I stayed at an air bnb in Indian river and road-tripped to petoskey and checked out chandler's for the first time. Jordan was our waiter and he was incredible- he went above and beyond to serve his customers.

Just had amazing cocktails at this great secluded place. Will had great recommendations. Outside table was very enjoyable and quiet. Just stopped for cocktails, but looking forward to having a meal.

This place is great, i've gone here 5 times, 2 out of the four anniversary's i've had with my girlfriend have been here, and i've also choose to go to this place on my birthday. The service is always great i'm a person who likes to drink a lot (non alcoholic) so i appreciate it a lot when they are able to switch the drinks out fast so i can keep chugging when the conversation starts to diminish. I do get the same thing every time, and so does my girlfriend so we can only critique so much of their menu. I get the fillet which is always excellent, and tender like it should be! My girlfriend gets the salad which she usually finish's at home because it's pretty large. The price is fair for the food you get or at least in my eyes!

Smaller venue with indoor and outdoor seating. Noise is moderate and atmosphere is very pleasant. It is not truly a "family" restaurant with kids' menus and such, but the staff had no problems managing something for younger patrons. Service overall was absolutely outstanding, as was the food so let's get to that. The risotto was likely the best I have had inside the US, and topped with perfectly seared scallops. My daughter's bolognese would have been very acceptable in Milan. The charcuterie board was yummy, and my family totally wiped it out. My wife had a medium rare filet paired with a beautifully prepared and tender lobster tail that was neither dry nor chewy. Not to leave out the bar, my caipirinha was made with an authentic and imported cachasa - if I closed my eyes, I absolutely could believe I was in São Paulo. In all honesty, every element of every dish was respected and developed to full potential. This was so much more than I expected to find in Petoskey, and I would have been thrilled to eat this meal in Melbourne, Milan or New York. I have traveled the world, and I genuinely put this visit top 5. It isn't cheap, but it's worth every penny.

The atmosphere is great. The menu is eclectic. The service is good. The food was enjoyed by the three of us until two of us found a hair in our meals. Matched the blond, wavy hair of one of the cooks. He had nice hair, just didn't want it in my mouth. Politely told the waiter, who apologized. No compensation was offered (we didn't ask for any, but assumed we'd at least get a visit from a manager).

Me and my fiancé's all time favorite when we're up north! It's a very intimate romantic setting. Food is delicious!

We had great service but the restaurant was so loud we had a difficult time carrying on a conversation. The food was great but we thought over priced. I won't go back, any stand the noise

This place has its own pros and cons. If you're looking to spend a quiet, romantic evening with a nice view of the lake, you have other options. But if you're game for a cosy place on the gaslight district with a vibrant crowd and great food, then this is your place. They've done their best with the small area but it may feel too loud on a busy day. When it comes to food though, you're not going to be disappointed at all! We had ordered sushi (they call it the tuna roll) for dinner and to our pleasant surprise, it was the best one we had in a long, long time! The other dish we had was the halibut risotto and it was just perfect as well. They also offer a nice array of drinks to choose from... but we stuck to the good old Guinness that evening. All in all, this place undoubtedly serves great food and deserves all the accolades for that!

This restaurant may possibly turn into our new anniversary restaurant. The food was delicious. We started out with drinks, I had gin with infused rose, which was very good. For an appetizer we had the tuna tartare. It was excellent. It came with nacho chips...hmm, but it worked. For dinner I had the halibut and my husband had the fillet. We will be back.

I was very put off when we first arrived bc they told me our reservation was only valid at an outdoor table in a rainstorm (umbrellas were up but it was NOT fully dry) -- this is not cheap food so did I really feel like taking the risk of being rained out mid meal? Glad we did. The rainy patio ended up being charming (and mostly dry) and the food/service more than made up for any minor discomfort. Cocktails, food, dessert were all delicious. We got: salads, beef tartare, beef bolognese (kids), and the chicken breast. Creme brûlée and chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was perfectly done.

The food was great. The atmosphere was very comfortable and inviting. The service was prompt and friendly.

Great dinner at Chandler's last night! Excellent service - Paul was terrific! Filets we're done perfectly! Good crowd, cozy place. A bit pricey but we'll worth it!

Chandler's has a quaint outdoor patio area that is tucked in between the indoor restaurant and Symon's General Store. We were immediately greeted and our server, Kara, was at our table within minutes. I ordered the PDX Margarita and my husband ordered the Fritz. Both drinks are unique and have the perfect spicy kick. We shared the Cali Roll, simple and fresh. Perfect spot for an afternoon drink and snack. Kara is super sweet and attentive. Thank you!

This place has amazing food. The halibut is hands down the best around. Highly recommend. Make sure to make reservations before you go since with reduced capacity you need to take that into account. Other than that this place is the best Petoskey restaurant you can go to.

Fantastic. That Bolognese is amazing. The steak is awesome. Staff is attentive and progressional. Great atmosphere. This is a must in TC

It's sad for me to give this review. I've been going to Chandlers for 20 years. It's been steady and wonderful for so long. Something is wrong. I had veal and it was over cooked and so tough it was very hard to chew. Everything about the food is a little off. Service was good. The ambiance and atmosphere is the same. Something has gone wrong with the food. When questioning people in town they say the chef left and the new chef has not found his or her way. Anyway at this time, the quality of the food is not up to the high prices.

Oh how he loved this small and wood paneled restaurant. We sat at the bar mid afternoon to enjoy a cocktail and a sandwich. We had the five dragon sandwich which was more than enough for two women.We also wanted to try the Caesar salad, the beef carpaccio, tuna poke, turkey wrap, and more. We have to come back. We loved our bar tender/waitress, Sophie. She was very attentive and engaging. We could see the kitchen from where we sat and it looked to be a team environment for the staff. It was also a great vantage point for going oh yeah I want that one and that one and that one. Chandlers is easily accessible and in the heart of the petoskey downtown. You don't want to miss it!

Update: We just experienced our first less-than-satisfactory visit to Chandler's. Food was uninspired and very expensive, service perfunctory and the timing of the meal (appetizer and main courses only, so not a complicated puzzle to solve) was way off. Waited about 30 minutes from the time we finished the appetizer until our entrees arrived. We know that some key kitchen staff has recently changed, and it appears that what we experienced may be the result. Disappointing, and makes it tough to consider going back, considering all of the other excellent restaurant options in the area.

We love Chandlers. Our favorite thing to do is have dinner in the wine cellar. Actually we love it so much we are having our rehersal dinner in the wine cellar. The food here is consistently good. Steak, seafood, sushi, you name it, it is delicious. My favorite fish I've had is the halibut, its cooked perfectly and super flavorful. The wine cellar is a beautiful room and the selection of wines is tremendous.

Awesome!! Best in Petoskey! Service is the best and the food is exquisite. Very cozy atmosphere.

A great dinner on the patio. We love the atmosphere here and the waitstaff are so nice and helpful. We had the halibut and the Caesar salad. Both were delicious! We will be back

Someone recommended this in passing and we stopped in for lunch. Each thing we ordered was delicious! Huge portion of Beef tartare, Caesar salad, and eggs Benedict. Will definitely be back to try dinner.