Cupola Bar

The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. In my opinion, this should be on everyone’s bucket list. The first time I went to Mackinac Island was 50 years ago and it has become considerably more commercialized. This is still a great place to visit. It was an an exceptional five day getaway with my wife and I.

Great place to have drinks at the top of the grand hotel. You can visit the bar if you are not a guest, but in order to walk through the lobby you need to be wearing a suit jacket. The bartender was very friendly and made delicious drinks. Our favorite was the Mackinac Sunset.

The drinks were ok and the service was fine. But come here for the view. It's excellent and whatever you're drinking it'll taste better with the site of the Mighty Mac over the horizon of the lake.

Beautiful view of the Mackinaw bridge from the top floor. Piano music, but expensive cocktails.

This is my first time here with my husband. We paid the $12 pp to explore the property. We last minute decided to check out this bar and decided to get a snack and a drink. 1. It seems to be a common theme here that servers don’t know the basics of being a server. I did fine dining serving and even BBQ joint serving for years, so I know very well the BASICS. 2. Our server was non existent. Never stopped stopped by after our food was dropped off. Waiting another 20 min then finally had to go to the bar to ask for our check. He took our order and was no longer around or on his phone by the bar. 3. Do not order the tomato burrata salad. It’s not an herloom tomato as listed. The tomatoes were rock hard totally under ripe. I couldn’t even eat it. It was cut in large wedges in a tiny bowl so 1. I couldn’t cut the rock hard tomato’s and 2. There was nothing to it. No salt and pepper on it. No flavor. We paid $18 plus tax for a small ball of cheese. 4. We would have sent it back but our server disappeared. Odane. 5. This is completely unacceptable for the price you pay and the establishment we are at. It was a waste of time and money. This salad should have been taken off but again we didn’t even get a chance to say anything to anyone. It actually put me in a bad mood. Beware going here sunless you want a cocktail or glass of Wine. Underwhelmed and we won’t be back and will warn others to avoid.

Bottom line up front: For a hotel as pricey as this and positioning itself as elegant or timeless or even luxury, the fact that I couldn't order off menu at their "full bar" was disappointing. I really liked the atmosphere and they had a piano player while I was there with my group. The wallpaper was elegant and interesting (better than most at the hotel) and the staff seemed excited to seat us. However, as we settled and started ordering drinks I wanted my favorite cocktail and I expected at this, of all places, would be able to accommodate my preferred cocktail, the aviation. I was told "no." And then I ordered my backup, the Hemingway daiquiri. "No." I understand that while IBA recognized, these aren't common orders, but I didn't expect the Cupola bar at a staggeringly expensive hotel to be unable to accommodate anything more than a Cosmo. Like everything else at this hotel, the Cupola offers an old-timey image, but no substance to back it up.

Fantastic location for cocktails or drinks, small bites and the best sunset view. We went to the second floor of the bar and had plenty of seating, great hostess, an outstanding view of the MacKinac Bridge and Sunset, and yummy cheese and meat board.

Nice experience. Beautiful views. Limited snack menu, tried the croquettes... They were ok. :)