Rob P.
Yelp
It's a serious workout just getting to this restaurant. It's a 10 minute walk from the dock, and remember there are no taxis or Uber here. Then, you have to climb a steep, lengthy incline to get to the restaurant itself. It feels like I've run the Boston Marathon and this is heartbreak hill. You work up quite an appetite, which I suppose is good, but anyone who has trouble walking is out of luck. There's no way either of our moms could ever go to eat here.
But, once you're here, you really do want to stay a while. Besides the idyllic setting, nestled backing up to a forest, this is one of the few remaining places on the island that's still dog friendly. They provide bowls and water for your little critters, which is why we walked all this way.
When you go to a place that has BBQ in the name, you expect good barbecue. And, wow, does The Ice House deliver. The beef brisket sandwich was rich, thick, beefy, smoky... everything you want from brisket. Burgers were beefy and lean, but a bit on the cold side. We got pulled pork on top of our nachos, which was nice, except at the pork was a bit dry. But, there was a lot of flavor there.
The music was courtesy of the 1990s, which was fine with me. And, the service was casual, but still attentive. The bathroom situation was odd: this is a hotel restaurant, and the facilities are off a swimming pool where guests were swimming.
Prices weren't bad, considering that everything on Mackinac Island is inflated.
If you have some time to spare, and you don't mind a workout before you eat, this is a great place to go on Mackinac Island.