Hack-Ma-Tack Inn

This restaurant is a gem! The building itself is old with tons of character, and it adds so much charm to the dining experience. One of the highlights is being able to watch the food being prepared, such a fun and unique touch. While the menu is quite limited, at least the spring menu, we still were able to make a few selections that we did not regret. I had the house specialty salad, and it was an absolute treat. Without a doubt, it was one of the freshest salads I’ve ever had. You can really taste the quality of the ingredients. My only regret? Not trying the strawberry shortcake. It looked amazing, and I’ll look forward to trying that next time!

First time here, was recommended for their steaks. The atmosphere is old lodge feel, clean and eclectic. We started with a drink at the bar, the bartender was friendly and we settled on a martini and Manhattan, both were good. For dinner, I chose the steak medium rare. It was cooked perfectly, but it was not very tender. It felt like a lesser grade than prime. Our server was very pleasant and overall I would recommend dining here

Ordered the Whitefish w/almonds & steak fries - the fish was overcooked & dry - steak fries were burnt to a crisp. Others were happy with their orders - for the price the food was disappointing - atmosphere and location were great - service was very good

Nice place! This was an old hunting and fishing lodge, as I understand it. Now a fine dining restaurant. We just went for drinks and appetizers so I can't speak of the full menu, but the calamari and white fish dip starters were excellent! I'll be back for dinner during another visit to the area.

Very beautiful location, combined with a truly unique atmosphere. Same owner for 45 years, who takes great pride in the establishment. The drinks from the bar were very good, and the food tasty. Everyone visiting northern Michigan should make sure to visit this authentic gem.

One step inside the Hack-Ma-Tack and you understand why is MLive's "Michigan's Most Iconic Restaurant." Awesome ambiance, location and FOOD. The chef served up calamari, ribs, twice baked potato and broccoli that were absolutely delicious! This friendly, historic place is a must-experience!

Char was our server and she was the nicest server!! My husband and I shared the wedge salad and then each had the prime rib and mashed potatoes and they were delish! Our view from the table was the river.

Up scale. Not run of the mill. Great atmosphere. Awesome food. Wonderful service. Be prepared for surprising desserts also. The small Prime Rib is larger than expected! The grill isn't hot enough for the"Pittsburgh Style", but the cook is top-notch and we were very satisfied. The Coconut Cream Pie is the best served anywhere. Come by Boat or car. Enjoy the experienc!

Great atmosphere and you can even eat on the water. Great view great staff. if you're in a boat on the Cheboygen river, you can even pull up to eat.

Best up north restaurant!! Food was great, service was fantastic, and the view of the river is always entertaining.

This is the best restaurant in northern Michigan. Hands down. The atmosphere is straight out of a Wes Anderson film with food, cooked to perfection. We had frog legs for an appetizer and bison for the main meal and a perfectly ice cold, well balanced martini. The service is too-notch, so warm and friendly. They made us feel like regulars and it was our first visit. Will be eating here every single time I stay up north.

Nice spot on river. Food and atmosphere are really good. The highlight is setting. We usually make one visit per year. We love it.

Really interesting old school location. Very historical,..food is good. It's not fine dining, but worth a visit.

Prime rib was excellent. A great restaurant for a special occasion. The atmosphere is very unique too.

Loved the rustic atmosphere and view of the river here. Service was excellent and the food was amazing. Our dinner and soup came out hot and the fish had such good flavor. We also ordered the wedge salad and cream of mushroom soup but we must have been hungry because I didn't get a picture of those. This place is a little off the beaten path but definitely worth the trip! A must try when in Cheboygan!

A Northern Michigan institution along the Cheboygan River. Great ambiance with big picture windows. Excellent whitefish and prime rib. Haven't been there since my family lived in Topinabee years ago, but it hasn't changed. Which in this day and age, is a good thing.

Food was good but expensive Nice place on the river and we would go back if the value for us was there.

I had the Surf and Turf and it was very good. The desert menu had a lot of options on it. I had the Hot Fudge sundae and I highly recommend it

We had a really nice meal here. Our table overlooked the Cheboygan river; nice location. We had the whitefish dip as an appetizer. It came served with assorted crackers and garlic to toast. For dinner we had the prime rib, the filet and the chicken special. The meals and the sides were very good (broccoli and choice of potato or rice). My son loved the rice pilaf. The desserts were good ( Fresh strawberry pie and chocolate cheesecake). We had a Manhattan and and an old fashioned as well. The service, the food, and the atmosphere were great. We will be back for sure.

Nice experience. An Up North landmark that should be experienced. The food was good, not great, but done very well. Service was outstanding. Some of the best service we have experienced in the northern part of the state. I feel the food is high priced, but Aubrey this is a result of them making up for Covid. I would like to return, but would need to be offered a more expanded menu and a little lower price point. Being said I think it's a good experience over all.

What a cool place! My family's cottage is near Cheboygan so I've been coming up my whole life, but there's not a lot of great food up here. So to find a place with a great view AND excellent food was a treat. I got the Up North martini (YUM!), and for dinner the filet mignon. SO good. It came with broccoli and Choice of potato (I got mashed), and the bread brought before the meal was delicious. Warm and fresh and with fun balls of butter. The atmosphere is the coolest. The restaurant is a big lodge that feels like camp--big windows that face the woods and the Cheboygan river. Very cool to see all the boats pass by. The meal was pricey, but definitely worth it if you want really good food up here. I can't wait to go back! Also the service was great. Our waiter Ron was very attentive and friendly. :)

I was celebrating my 60th birthday. Scott was our server. He wished me a happy birthday and suggested a cocktail. I chose the UP NORTH MARTINI..peach vodka, vanilla vodka, cranberry juice, amaretto and sour mix. Very good. Next, I had the bacon wrapped shrimp. Not worth the $19 price tag. Very bland. My husband had the chicken and wild rice soup. I noticed that they had frog legs on the menu, and I was undecided between the frog legs or the filet. I was happy when Scott said they could do a combo of both, like a twist on surf n turf. What a DISAPPOINTMENT the frog legs turned out to be!! Over cooked, or old... no flavor and chewy. I sent them back. The filet was amazing! I had it with the wild rice and it came with fresh broccoli. Nice decor and surroundings.

Really great place on the river! Very rustic decor! Fun gift shop. The food was very good. I had the halibut. My son ordered lobster which he loved. The menu isn't very large but something on there to please everyone! Service was friendly and attentive. We sat in a small area with a great view of boats coming in! Can't wait to return .

I've been in Cheboygan for over two decades and this is one of my favorite restaurants. It is a little pricy but you are paying for the delicious food and the highly professional and attentive hardworking, long-term staff who have made the Hack family and this work their passion and career. And then there's the atmosphere! The Hack was recently voted Michigan's most iconic restaurant. It's truly unique and the food is awesome. I love Julie the owner and the serving staff and bartender and also Olivia, the sweet, friendly hostess whose piano music added a classy and relaxing vibe to some of the experiences! Whether by boat or foot the Hack is a special, one of a kind time whenever we go!

We're repeat guests here...we come every time we visit the north from Grand Rapids. We usually cruise our boat up to the dock but today we drove from Indian River. It's a nice drive. Shar was our server as she has been several other times we've dined here. She is attentive, friendly, and knows her stuff. As always, the food was amazing. My husband ordered the feature rainbow trout almandine and loved it. I ordered the feature 12 oz NY Strip with my shrooms. VERY flavorful and tender. My baked sweet potato side was amazing. The building is iconic northern Michigan and a must see. The interior, though interesting and full of character, is tired, dark, and even grungy. It needs a serious re-do and freshen-up. We will continue to dine here every chance we can and hope to see an upgrade on the decor.

I can't believe it's taken me this long to visit this restaurant, but now that I have, I get it. What a lovely place. Right on the river at the mouth of Mullet Lake in Cheboygan the setting is wonderful. Combination of North woods and marina. The food was great. I had the fresh walleye and my wife, the filet minion. Both cooked perfectly. The staff was attentive and friendly, even in the masks! Definitely an up north icon. Stop in and enjoy. You won't regret it.

Very interesting and quietly friendly place. It's a tough place to find if you're not a local, but follow your Maps app, because this place is WELL WORTH finding and dining at! Delicious food, ample portions, and a friendly staff. $$$

Love going here but they need to figure out how to handle walk ins better. Would go a lot more if they'd get this right.

This is our first time being here. Our server Cherry Annie is the best! She's genuinely happy to see us. Food was very delicious. Halibut was fresh. Prime rib so good! We will return here for both food and her service!

What a fabulous spot to have a fabulous dinner!! Amazing food (Duck, Bison, Prime Rib, desserts), incredible waitress (that "got us") really well with an unexpected joke, great drinks, great ambiance, great view, nothing but great at the Hack Ma Tack!

I normally don't do reviews but I feel compelled to this time. My husband and I were here twice this past year. I am taking the covid into consideration, but I won't accept rudeness. We made a reservation. We waited for 10-15 minutes before we were acknowledged to be seated by anyone. We were then told it would be a good 5-10 min before a table was ready. All fine. So we thought we would grab a drink at the bar while we waited. The bartender looked at us numerous times and made zero effort to acknowledge us in any way. He walked around us several times. Not even an I'm Sorry, I'll be right with you. Back to being seated... were still wAiting.. 10, 15, 20 minutes - the waitress comes and says we can be seated. Great! We expected them to be busy, but we walked in the dining area and there was barely anyone there. So the waiter comes We order, our drinks were pretty late.., not a huge deal... but then our food came.. it was awful! I ordered the surf n turf, (lobster and filet). My husband ordered the duck. We both were very disappointed in the taste. Very bland and very processed. Our overall experience both times was less than mediocre at best. We didn't say anything to the staff because I don't feel it's worth it. I wasn't looking for a discount, which was maybe about all they could have done, I was looking for a nice dinner with great company. At least I got the company!

The ambiance is woodsy real American on steroids. It is really so cute. The bar and bartender is what every small town should have. The food was surprisingly sophisticated and very good.

We took a boat from Burt Lake to Hack ma tack. I got the prime rib. It was great. Service was very friendly. My brother got halibut and was thrilled with it.

This place is worth a look just for the history behind it. A quirky place by the water, a hidden gem. The decor is boating meets hunting with lots of windows for summer breezes as the place is over 100 years old and not updated for ac. We just had drinks and appetizers since we were unprepared to spend $50 per person for dinner tonight. Would definitely come back another time though. The menu is not huge and has all kinds of delicious looking entrees. Appetizers and drinks were well prepared, ambiance was relaxed and seems like a good place to go when you are tired of barbecue or boating all day.

One of our favorite spots to dine in Northern Michigan. Whether by boat or car, this is a historic gem of a restaurant. Menu is limited and stays pretty much the same but this is must for us every summer and fall. Not open in the winter and only for dinner when they are. Maybe so much history with the location, can't help but love it here. The fist is always first rate and the wild game is an interesting add enjoyed by our party. The service is top notch and the atmosphere is unbeatable. Make time for a before or after dinner cocktail in the bar area for an entire bonus to your meal. Nice dessert offerings and again an overall great up north secret. Shhhhhhh!

A summer without eating at the "Hack" would be like a summer without sunshine. Just The ambiance alone, is worth a trip. Throw in the food, service and Danny's hummers and you have an unforgettable evening. The old hunting lodge, situated on the Cheboygan River, is a summer must. Come by land or lake and be transported back in time. Antique, fishing & hunting memorabilia adorn the walls and ceiling. American fare is prepared in a semi open kitchen and served by a waitstaff wearing traditional black and white uniforms. The whitefish almondine is always a good choice, as well as the prime rib or filet. The calamari appetizer is also delicious prepared in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. For 100 years, this place has been serving Northern Michigan. The history and ledgends that surround the inn are facinating. For those of you who like ghost stories, the Hack is rumored to be haunted by the last bar tender. He has been reported to periodically toss liquor bottles to the ground and has been seen roaming the upstairs hallway. This place is truly a gem.

The service was great. Covid guidelines well followed. The food was good, but a little pricey. However, you are certainly paying the extra for the amazing view of the river! The frog legs were delicious!! Hostess took great care of my kids with extra crayons and even let them pick a toy chest toy!

Excellent meal, we enjoyed dining at this 'most iconic' restaurant in Michigan!

would not recommend, overrated. terrible service and average food. definitely do not order a steak unless you want it well done or raw.

Yuck, this place is filthy and the food (at least the things on the menu that they actually had) were well below average. There are spider webs in the *inside* of the windows and a thick covering of dust in all the wood ledges around our table. The carpet and plastic tablecloths are gross and the whole place smells like a funeral parlor. Our escargot was too salty and the cheese plate looks like it came from a supermarket circa 1975. Was that Kraft Monterrey Jack? Why not class it up with some Velveeta? My husband thought the whitefish was average, but he woke up twice to use the bathroom later that night. I scraped the white gunk off of a few beets in my salad and picked at them until the sight of all the swirling dust above our table and the deafening roar of cigarette boats on the canal made me lose my appetite completely. Thank goodness the restaurant was still open at our hotel or I would have starved. The total bill was about $400 for the four of us with two appetizers and two bottles of wine. My entree was just a vegetarian salad.

We go here at least once year, love the ambiance and that great "up north" feel as we watched boats along the river from our table. Had the walleye special with lemon pepper sauce which was excellent and the wife loved the perch. Our mixed drinks were well made. Had a wonderful evening.

I can't say enough good things about the atmosphere. Lovely building, even better view of the dock/riparian respite. Started with excellent bread. Bread that just kept showing up. Wedge salad was next... It was enough for a meal by itself. Prime rib followed. YUM! Overpriced to be certain, that's the only reason I didn't rate them 5 stars on this particular meal. Ambiance almost made it worth the extra cash. Almost. :)

The food was ok. Had prime rib and it was ordinary. My dad had the same and he found his on the tough side. It also appears they re heat the mashed potatoes. My dad had a plastic chunk in his. It was from a storage bowl with a snap on lid. The only good thing this place has is the view of the water. For something so high priced I would expect a little more than an (I am sorry). In short not worth the money.

Absolutely delicious!!! I've been here several times with my family. Everything is amazing on the menu. My aunt knows the chef and he is fantastic. The prices are high, but the food sure is great. The Kobe fillet was the best, and the salmon, shrimp and scallops were all great dishes. We also had the crab cakes for an appetizer and they were amazing. I also recommend the chocolate Belgian mousse for dessert!

When up north in Michigan, it's not always easy to find a fine dining restaurant. This place off the beaten path (located off a gravel road) is a fantastic locale which features the best prime rib, lobster and ribeye I've ever had. In addition, they make some excellent (strong) cocktails. The ambience is very log-cabin-esque -- not stuffy but cozy. The views of the river and woods are beautiful. The service is always outstanding. Yes, it's a little expensive, but where else are you going to go for this kind of food within a 90 mile radius?

Surf & turf to die for. Best as always. It ain't cheap but well worth the price. Enjoy!

The Hack-Ma-Tack is back. The food, waitstaff and atmosphere are excellent. Food is pricey but the menu items are not to be found in your average restaurant. The overall experience is worth the higher prices. This is the original "Up North" setting.

The best thing going for Hack-Ma-Tack is its location and large windows that overlook the Cheboygan river near the mouth at Mullett Lake. The prices are way out of line for the standard Up North Places. They use to be open for lunch years ago and should consider re-opening for lunch. It is a nice place to take a ride on your boat for drinks, these are expensive also, but thats about it. Newbie guests will like the view and you can dock right next to it. Don't pay for an over priced dinner unless you just hit the lotto.

The Hack-Ma-Tack Inn is a little hidden gem along the inland waterway of northern Michigan, and I am glad we found it! We saw it on our way up the river in the morning, and made sure we were back in time for dinner! The menu was pricier than the Traverse Magazine blurb led me to believe, but it's common to pay extra at a place you can boat to. The menu had something for everyone in our party of 8, and while most of the cuisine had been described by others as "standard" it was very tasty. I highly recommend the Hack-Ma-Tack to anyone in or around Cheboygan.

I have been going here since birth. It is old school right down to old wood boat that pulled up while we dined. Kept looking for Al Capone or Jimmy Hoffa. Food was as great as it gets "up north" for fine dining.

The first star is for the service at Hack-Ma-Tack. They know what they are doing here. The second star is for the drinks: Excellent. The third star is to give them props for doing their thing, despite the passage of time, and surviving. This really isn't my kind of place - I feel the decor needs major updating (those vinyl tablecloths and the big wooden chairs -oy!) and the menu could benefit from a facelift, too. But they're sticking to it and people keep coming. The food, to me, is solid, but standard fare, nothing to keep me coming back. Just prepare for old-school upscale cabin-chic and you may just enjoy a unique dining experience on the Inland Waterway.

After 22 years of loving the food and atmosphere, and paying ridiculously high prices, my last three experiences where not good with either the food or the wait staff. If your looking for high quality food, service, and atmosphere look into Pier 33 or Douglas Lake Steakhouse, both are far superior. In my opinion the Hack-Ma-Tack has become " A Hack".

We went here last night, been her a handful times before. Last time we were here we met chef Paul, who is the head chef, and i talked to the other chef named Danny, who can execute some of the best by they way. As being a chef myself for 28 years, and going to CIA, I undetstand how a kitchen is suppose to be run. Let me start off by saying the service was good on our waiter Scotts part very friendly, but the professionalism of your kitchen sucks. Your chef Danny, who I talked to before I left, was the only one wearing a chef coat, and very professional, however your head chef, and the other guy only wearing tshirts, I thought this was fine dining, not mcdonalds. I also watched your head chef Paul drop a steak, and keep cooking it, this man has NO Sanitary standards, no glove use on his part or anything, and lets not forget the other guy, maybe he should wear some deodorant sometime, didnt smell nice at all. I do want to say this people, I watched their chef Danny be very sanitary, always wearing gloves, and washing his hands, I observed this from none of the other chefs, so think about this if you eat here. Have Danny cook your food, none of those other guys, they are dirty. Chef Danny from one chef to another, you should be running this place, we talked and you were very professional, you are welcome in my kitchen any day of the week!! If not running this place get as far away as possible. You guys made a mistake with who you got running your kitchen, very dirty and not very personably. In closing, I had the prime, and it was perfect, Danny great job, and i'm glad the steak my wife had was not the one that hit the floor.