The Back Lot Beer Garden

A tale of three tacos. The fried shrimp taco was amazing. The roast pork taco was solid. But the “steak” taco was terrible. It was an overcooked piece of leather. I had two bites and threw the rest away.

The fish taco leaves you clamoring for more!!! In fact I went back and put in a to go order!!!! My husband LOVED the lamb from here! We also tired the hummus from the Mediterranean place- it was ok. The whitefish from the seafood truck was 10/10 also.

The BackLot has potential. The only problem is you have to go to the bar to get your drink and they also expect you to bus your own table when you’re finished. The tables were dirty when we were there. They have outdoor covered seating and several food trucks if you want to eat.

We visited at lunchtime on a Wednesday in July. It was raining so it took some time for us to find space under the tent filled with picnic tables. There were food trucks along the perimeter with different cuisine options. We ordered from four different trucks: pizza, chicken strips and a Korean BBQ salad. For dessert we shared a cookie dough ball. The food was very good. My husband had an IPA from the bar. There is a smaller seating area inside with overhead doors that can close during cold weather. There were lots of TVs displaying sports events. The bathrooms were large and clean. We would go back!

This place was such a blast, and the food was incredible! The shrimp taco was easily the highlight of the day packed with flavor and the crunchy wrap supreme was equally delicious. The taco truck ended up being our favorite spot, but honestly, everything we tried was great. The fiery feta fries were another standout. Highly recommend checking this place out!

This hidden gem was the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon! My husband and I were in town this weekend for a wedding and we stumbled upon the back lot by chance between the wedding and the reception. First off the concept is brilliant. There's something for everyone with all the super cute food trucks and shipping freights. We loved the atmosphere, it was super chill and we met some lovely locals. We sampled some beer and sat out in the Muskoka chairs and it was a perfect way to spend an afternoon! I wished we lived closer because we would definitely be regular customers! Great concept and fun atmosphere! We can't wait to make another trip back.

Such a fun place and the food was amazing. The shrimp taco was our best bite of the day and the crunchy wrap supreme was delicious. The taco truck was hands down our favorite but honestly nothing bad to say about the other food. The fiery feta fries were really good too. Definitely recommend. Update: went there 2 years later and the food was even better!

Happy taco, It's absolutely the best burrito I have ever had. Super spicy but well worth it. Their sauce is the best. Good beer selection, but I'd go back just for the food.

GET THE CRUNCHWRAP! You won't regret it. We visited the Backlot in Dec '23. While the actual outdoor "backlot" was closed (unsure if it closes for the winter, just during weekdays, or something else), we still enjoyed stopping in to get food from the taco truck that's inside the building. We got our food to go, but while we waited, the beer list looked great. Good variety of local v. national beers to enjoy. The food was to DIE for - and they made it quickly for us.

This is the best addition to downtown Petoskey! There are several food trucks in a loop around picnic tables, which are all connected to an open-air brewery that's in a permanent structure. There's a fence around it all and twinkle lights strung across the area. The vibes are amazing and it's the perfect place to come with a group. We grabbed a local beer from the bar, browsed all the food trucks, and settled on Cheese & Co. The other food trucks included Happy's Taco Shop (beloved in the community), The Reel Deal Fish & Chips, Phoxy's Phillies & Grindage, Mim's Mobile Grill, and Full Moon Pizza. Cheese & Co. has everything from Korean bbq grilled cheese to fried mac & cheese balls, and rice bowls. My husband went for all-things cheese and I opted for the Super Food Salad. It was incredible! It has cubed chicken thighs, mixed greens, baby kale, avocado, pickled carrot & cucumber, lemon lentil quinoa, red cabbage, sweet potato chips, and a side of cheba sauce. You could also make it vegan with simmered chickpeas instead of chicken. It's one of those dishes that was so incredibly healthy but also delicious at the same time. I wish I could have it for lunch every day but unfortunately don't live in the area. We can't wait to come back next year!

This place was awesome. We were looking for somewhere fast to eat for lunch before going to the beach today, and also a place with gluten-free options. Google recommended Cheese & Co. as a food truck with sandwiches, so imagine our surprise when we showed up and there was like 4-6 food trucks! I got the chicken waffle cone with Asian sweet chili sauce from the Philly truck ($11-ish), and some pretzel nuggets ($10-ish) from the cheese truck. Both were good although the waffle cone was super messy; the sweet chili sauce was a little spicy for me but I can't do spice well. The cheese truck also had cheese curds, which looked great, and grilled cheese sandwiches. The other trucks had tacos, gyros, fish and chips, and more. There's also a full bar with beer and cocktails, and free water to the right of the bar, plus bathrooms. The seating is all outdoors except inside the bar though. Overall, super happy with this place and would definitely come back here again.

The Back Lot Beer Garden is a super cute spot right in the middle of the downtown area. The space has tons of tables (inside, outside, and under a tent) of varying sizes so everyone can eat together. Our group was quite large, but there was plenty of space for everyone to get to sit together. There were also tons of dogs, which makes the experience even better. The bar has plenty of beers, ciders, and even seltzer on tap. We tried a plethora but were happily surprised with the Michigan Cherry seltzer; it had a great cherry, but not medicine-like, flavor. The local beers were also plentiful and tasty. We all had food from different spots, but the overall consensus was that the Cheese truck was excellent. It was the most liked of all of the people in our party.

Love The Back Lot! Any time we're in Petoskey we make a point to have a meal here. We brought our friends this time and I ended up going to the same truck, Cheese & Co and I got the same bowl but this time they added some chickpeas. So good and fairly priced.

SUCH A CUTE PLACE! Love that Petoskey has something like this in downtown, such a wonderful location and lil place to grab food and drinks. In my 4 days I was in town, I came here twice! Grabbed a gyro for lunch one day that was fantastic, and then tacos and drinks on a Friday evening. Great ambiance with a ton of options and plenty of seating. Dogs were allowed - I can confidently say I was able to pet 3 dogs during my times there. Anyone passing through should stop by!

Manger was incredibly rude. We walked in with outside cups and were commanded by the owner to throw them away. We understood and totally complied, however he was still very rude and spent the rest of our time there glaring at us. Food trucks are great but we will not be returning due to the unacceptable behavior of the manage .

Brought my friend to the back lot for lunch. It was her first time. We both ordered the same thing. These Philly cheesesteak nacho fries were FIRE absolutely amazing. And the drink was also delicious . It was clean and not crowded. (Went around 1pm on a Friday) A little pricey but worth the money. It's a great place that gives you variety of great food. And everyone that works there are super friendly. Food truck spot. Family oriented and pet friendly. The Back Lot Petoskey and Phoxy's Phillies

Always a favorite! This spot is an inspiration, and has been a stopping point for as long as we have been coming to the area. It is an outdoor permanent food truck spot with multiple food trucks and a bar it's plenty of outdoor seating and amenities. There is a long street in front for street parking or you can park along a side street and walk down (if not wanting to pay a meter). There is one entrance and once you walk in you see Adirondack chairs in a few spots as well as picnic tables both in the open and covered. Our favorite food truck is Happy's Taco Truck but we have since tried most of the others as well which are all amazing. There is a bar under a permanent structure to the left with a ton of beers and even a few coders on tap. Yay! We tried a fruity cider which was refreshing on a hot day and perfectly hit the spot. They have a fountain for water and even a spigot for sparkling water! The bar area has tables under their structure as well and a restroom for all patrons. Once you get your order placed each location gives you a remote which will vibrate once your food is ready. You can then pick your spot and enjoy some chatting and people watching. It is a fun spot for families and dogs too, so you can get to pet a few dogs while waiting for food which is one of my favorite pastimes. Our food is always delicious and it is such a fun atmosphere with good music, meeting people and food. We would love for them to have this type of spot in Indy, so who knows but that we can import it! Highly recommend trying this spot out for a drink and/or some food. Very fun and delicious!!

This place is awesome and we had a great date night here. It was very crowded even on a weeknight but we were able to get chairs after walking around for a little bit. We tried a few different food options from Cheese and Co as well as Happy's Tacos and had some beer from their main bar. The staff was friendly at all of the spots and the food was great. Their beer list was fantastic and we were both able to find something we enjoyed. The line for the bar did get pretty long so we didn't get to try other options. From the Cheese and Co, we had their Mac and cheese bites and the Chicken Korean BBQ Bowl. Both were delicious and the perfect size to share. From Happy's Tacos, we tried 4 tacos that included 2 street tacos (sweet potato and pinto beans), then the Lamb Cheeseburger Taco and Crispy Shrimp Taco. We enjoyed all of them! We will definitely come back when we are in Petoskey.

Really bummed. My boys got cheesesteaks and they were happy. I got chicken in a waffle cone. Wow was this bad. There is no way that chicken is homemade. It's actually false advertising. There is 99% probability it is frozen nuggets. The taste was not good. I wasted $12 that is for certain. Cheese and co curds were good. Definitely didn't need two orders though. The ranch was awful. Wish there was a better dipping sauce. All in all kind of disappointing. I had high hopes. It fell very short for me and our family

I've only visited the beer garden a couple times, but even when they are busy, the staff are super attentive and friendly. Love the vibe and the positive energy. It's a very popular spot so bring your patience, but it's worth the wait.

Happy's Taco Shop is one of 5 Food Trucks in The Bar Lot. Great atmosphere. Friendly peeps and we even see little tikes around so bring the Fam.

Genius concept. More downtown's need food truck parks/beer gardens in their downtown cores. Definitely get a beer from the bar, and try the whitefish sandwich with American cheese from The Reel Deal Fish food truck.

The perfect spot for fun, delicious, casual dining! I've been here multiple times for date-night, girls dinner, or as a family (toddler age)...and every time was wonderful! We've loved all the food truck options available, and consistency of Happy's! Dog and kid-friendly!

Wish we had a place like this in my town! Atmosphere was casual and relaxing. Went for lunch on a Thursday and it wasn't too busy. Love the idea of multiple food options in one place, great for groups. Mim's Mobile Grill was DELICIOUS (gyro pita), and the hubs got a beer. Happy times!

What a fun place to have drinks and grab a bite from several fabulous food trucks all in downtown Petoskey!!

Great outdoor atmosphere, combined with food unique in taste , a drink and the sounds of guest conversations as background is all a perfect match for the Petoskey ambiance.

This is the coolest place .. several food trucks. Outdoor seating, pet friendly, really fun , can't wait to go back

Great drinks in a warm friendly atmosphere. Hugh variety of beers on tap. Great location. The food trucks provide a variety of snacks or dinner options. Indoor and outdoor seating. We sat outside and enjoyed a few beers with our dogs.

Good beer and many food trucks for whatever kind of food you may want. I will definitely be back.

This is an excellent idea for people who want a fun atmosphere with plenty of food options! I tried the taco and grilled cheese trucks (description with picture) The only thing I would say is..probably not a family friendly atmosphere..they play loud music and people are drinking and get kinda loud (we don't mind but people with little kids might) other than that....AMAZING!

Such a fun idea. Reminds me of a beer garden. There is one main large bar which has covering and then another smaller bar in the parking lot in open air. There are a ton of draft beers to choose from. Then they have up to four different food trucks. I was there on a Monday night and only one good truck was open and unfortunately out of a lot of their options. It was the grilled cheese truck so my boyfriend and I split the Mac and cheese bites and then a Thai grilled cheese sandwich. The sandwich was incredible that I wish we would have gotten two. This would be such a fun place to go with a group of friends. I imagine there is typically live music, but with covid19 who knows if that will happen this year .

Dog friendly in the summer. Winter there was food inside so dogs only allowed outside. Plenty of heaters and food trucks were still running even with all the snow! Lots of beer, cider, etc. options. Had a pregnant friend with us and there were 3 different NA wines, 2 NA beers, a cider, and various seltzer's. The grilled cheese spot was amazing. Had Mikes favorite, the soup and Mac and cheese bites. I'll be dreaming about them for the rest of my existence....

When you ask the waiter what's your fav and he replies "the potato tacos" you get this instant frown on your face because that's not what you want to hear. Then you stuck it up and order it anyway... first bite you are like "I just met Jesus" moment. So good. Try it won't disappoint. Also does not hurt the workers are Uber sweet and the fire pits outside keep you warm while waiting for curbside pickup.

Just love this place and the selection is great. Really have something for everyone. Great atmosphere with several food trucks and a fixture bar with a nice selection. Get's busy but well worth the wait. Just awesome to have something like this in town. Make sure to check this out when in the area!!

What happens when you combine Michigan's finest microbrew with delicious food? An indoor/outdoor setup pioneering Northern Michigan's food truck movement - starting with Petoskey, MI. The Back Lot setup is made up of the following: - 19+ beers on tap and plenty of local wine served out of a portable beer cart & storefront - Happy Taco Truck - The Grill Cheese Company food truck - 20-25 outdoor picnic bench-style seating - 20-25 tables & chair for four indoor seating - 18-20 barstools - great weather, great people, a fun outdoor vibe in Northern Michigan We had the roasted pork taco, spicy pork taco, fried chicken taco, pinto bean taco, and the spicy fried chicken burrito from Happy Taco Truck. Everything was delicious, especially the roasted pork street tacos: think carnitas tacos without the strong oregano or cumin flavor from your standard Mexican cuisine. I think this was Day 2 of grand opening so service was a bit slow due to the crowd size. But I'm sure they'll work out the kinks in no time. This is a game changer in Northern Michigan and I can't wait to revisit soon!

Such a fun atmosphere! Went here twice on our trip. Food trucks are a great option for food. Popular place for sure.

Visiting Petoskey our friend who lives there suggested the Back Lot. We loved it. It has a very open inside with a bar across half of one side with plenty of tables on the inside and lots of picnic tables on the outside. Many craft beers on tap. The best thing, in my opinion, are the food trucks. There were two when we were there: a taco truck and a grilled cheese truck. My friends had some tacos, the chicken, pork street taco and the special smoked potato and were reported as fabulous. There was always a line. I had the goat cheese and cherry grilled cheese and it was one of the best sandwiches I've had. The place is dog friendly and there were plenty of pooches in attendance.

Great place to watch the game. Good atmosphere with a variety of local brews and cocktails. Try any of the mules!

No bad food wise. Lots of people but extremely expensive for what you got. $12 per drink for a specialized drink and we got 2 that we never even drank because they sucked so bad!

Craft beer is mostly dranked by hispsters and the so-called "cool" kids that think a budweiser or guiness are for old people, I've been to a bar recently and got a bottle of budweiser and I heard one of these f***os whisper "okay boomer" to their friends with snickers.. Craft beer is hipster beer. You want a cheap, but good drink? Get mickey's. a 6 pack of the grenade shaped bottles are 6 bucks. a 40 is 2 bucks. King Cobra is the 2nd best cheap but good drink then. That only comes in 40's sadly Only craft beer I tried was the one stone cold made.... Not a big fan of IPA's.

I love this place! It's smaller than other food truck lots I've been to, but it has some great food choices. I was glad to see new trucks this year. Happy's Tacos is always a family favorite for us, but you don't want to miss out on the others like ribs, grilled cheese, pizza or Greek food classics and the new ice cream truck! Sit outside either in the shade or catch some rays, and heaters to keep you warm in when it reaches cooler temps. Open air beer and wine bar can quench your thirst and with lots of big screen tv's. It's a great place to hang out with friends and family to watch your favorite sporting events. And, even more greatness, they are a "waste-free" lot where all food, containers and disposable utensils are compostable!

A variety of food trucks to choose from. Outside setting good for health reasons. Wish all the food trucks were open.

I really like the concept of this place, although most of the food trucks were initially closed on the Saturday afternoon when we visited, despite quite a few people being here already. The hard cider selection left a bit to be desired, but if you like beer, you should be fine. The atmosphere was odd, with a few very loud and obnoxious drunk individuals wandering around, but otherwise it seemed okay. We did end up getting an overpriced glorified Lunchables pizza from the pizza food truck, so that was unfortunate. I think we would stick with Happy's Tacos next time instead.

Such a fun environment to grab some dinner! Several food trucks to choose from, plenty of locally brewed beer options at the bar, and lots of indoor and outdoor space to enjoy the evening (although my boyfriend and I went on a Tuesday evening and it was PACKED, so I cannot even imagine what it looks like on a weekend!). My boyfriend has cheese curds and a grilled cheese sandwich and enjoyed it. I had the crunchy shrimp taco and smoked potato taco from Happy's. The shrimp taco was super yummy, but the potato taco was one of the best I have ever had. SO good. We stay in Charlevoix quite a bit during the summer, so we will definitely be back!

Great place to take the family so everyone can get what they want. Fairly decent beer selection. We hit it on a good weather day so that helps. Not too crowded while we were there and DOD friendly. Definitely recommend.

This place is super cool with a big variety of food trucks and beer! The food trucks use an effective pager system to alert you when your food is ready. It's nice that there is outdoor and indoor seating as well. I will be returning in the summer!

Love this place and the bartenders. We try to go at least once a week and support them while bundling up and enjoying a tasty beer by the fire outside

Love this place...a lot like Little Fleet in TVC. They were covid correct...and love that they have compostible/ recyclable dishware. I got pork and lamb street tacos from Happy's. Very yummy. My husband got his fish and chips fix at another spot. Love all the options. Only wish there was a Thai or indian truck. We'll be BACK! PS Drink options looked great too!

We loved this place! Such a fun idea! Their drink selection was awesome. We had food from happy tacos and they were so good! I'd highly recommend and will definitely be back!

Great place, chill atmosphere. We had some beers and sangria, all delicious. We brought our older (13 &9) kids with us without issue and we saw some people had smaller kids, too. No one was rowdy or out of control. Not too busy on a Thursday night. Dog friendly. We tried the taco truck, pizza and grilled cheese trucks. All good food. Happy Taco is absolutely delicious. Plastic reusable cups and compostable/recyclable plates and napkins.

The Back Lot is an absolutely incredible place, with amazing staff, that care not only about your experience, but also your well being. The atmosphere is delightful, the beer selection is remarkable, and the food is unbeatable. Plain and simple, if you aren't someone that enjoys a diverse and expansive establishment with great food/drink offerings, then go somewhere else. It is pretty clear what they offer and what they do, and it's delightful time after time. If you don't like that, then pack up and move one.

We have been here a few times and always have a great time. They have love music and events often and amazing food truck options. Mims is always a favorite and the grilled cheese truck is good too. A must visit for hanging out and getting a drink or two!

We've been going to the Backlot since it opened. They have great food options. We especially like Happy's for the lamb cheese burger tacos and their potato tacos, Mim's for the Gyros and Cheese & Co. for their Korean grilled cheese and power bowls.They also have a pizza truck and fish & chips truck this year. Can get crowed and loud on the weekends and some evenings, but it's a good place to go with a large group and even kids. There's a playground across the road at St. Francis so the kids can go play while waiting for food.

Wow. What an awesome place in Petoskey! We were walking along the road and came across this cool beer garden with food trucks! The bar itself boasts 30+ drinks - beers/ciders/wine/mixed drinks/everything! We were mesmerized by the menu on the wall - handwritten signs in bright colors displaying each drink, percentage, price, etc. The bar is indoors, with magnificent garage doors opening out into the outdoor seating section. Next to the bar (indoors) is a shipping container converted into Happy's Tacos stand! Easily the most delicious tacos we've ever had! The roasted pork street tacos, spicy pork, shrimp, and chilaquiles were EXCELLENT. They also had other food trucks that had pizza, Mediterranean food, gourmet grilled cheese, BBQ, and ice cream! Later in the night, a man came around handing out trivia cards - what a great surprise! We stayed another hour and ended up winning trivia! We received some vouchers for free food/drinks from local restaurants! It definitely made our night, and we will be back tonight! More dogs to pet & beer to drink!

The bartender thoroughly scrutinized my 100% real driver's license and thought it was fake so not the best experience. Keep in mind if you have an out of state ID. The tacos were good tho.

Such a great environment!!! The love the locals and treat the tourist like family. 6 food trucks in the back to cater to any pallet! Family friendly, dog friendly. Huge garbage style doors open when the weather allows so you get fresh air in at all times. The practice social distancing so amazingly that your actually able to relax if you choose to dine/drink in. Oh ya, AND they have live music! This place is a must if you have never been. The staff is so friendly, the managers are very hands on, we have even see the owner bussing tables and taking out the trash. Now that's pride in your business, leading by example. Great beer selection, and craft cocktails too!

Must stop anytime in the area. Taco truck inside the building and other trucks outside. Plenty of can and draft options, TVs, and indoor seating. Usually stop at Tap for a beer and app and walk out the back door straight to The Back Lot

Tonight I went to The Back Lot in Petoskey with my parents. While the staff were friendly and the band was great, the experience was extremely troubling. Other than taking your name and number upon entry for Covid 19 contact tracing, The Back Lot is doing NOTHING to prevent the spread of Covid. None of the staff were wearing masks or gloves. There are no plexiglass dividers at the bar. Social distancing was not enforced at all. Staff who were bussing tables were not wearing gloves and that same person then went to the bar to do dishes without washing their hands or putting on gloves. It was as if the pandemic did not exist!