Elizabeth Cross
Came here for my anniversary on Labor Day weekend, absolutely the most amazing meal! Me and my partner ordered the 8oz and 12oz steak, meatball app, and cheesecake for desert. The food was so incredible we couldn’t believe how delicious it was, the staff was so friendly and quick on their feet. The day was very busy but they handled it with pure class, the bartender who made our drinks took such great care of us the entire time we were there. Her mixologist skills are TOP NOTCH! Definitely recommend the pear-adise cocktail she created herself, excellent food, excellent staff, excellent view. Couldn’t recommend more!
… moreJennifer Rutledge
Restaurant had horrible service! Food did not make up for the lack of service. We waited 30 mins for our drinks, which included water! Then another 30 mins for our order! We waited 40 minutes for cold soup and a ” broken” Alfredo sauce! IYKYK. In the end, I left with our twins, and my husband waited 45 mins to get our check even though he flagged the waitress down numerous times. We were there for over 2 hours for bad service and lack luster food. Not worth it. My husband was even asked how his service was and he informed them via text and we did not get a response. The hotel was GREAT—not the RESTAURANT! (We did receive free desserts- but that still was not worth the treatment we received)
… moreBen Hoagland
Service was excellent. The food was outstanding! Not the best old fashion I ever had but it was pretty good. Nice view if you can get a table next to the window on the beach side.
… moreChris Neel
A Delicious Hidden Gem on the 5th Floor – Windward Restaurant, Manistee, MI
Perched on the 5th floor of the Hampton Inn in Manistee, Michigan, Windward Restaurant is a pleasant surprise for guests and visitors alike. While the prices are a bit on the higher side and the service was slower than anticipated, the food was exceptionally prepared, beautifully presented, and full of flavor.
The wedge salad was absolutely incredible—crisp, fresh, and generously topped. It was one of the best we’ve ever tasted. The mushroom Swiss burger was massive and satisfying, loaded with perfectly sautéed mushrooms, onions, and melted Swiss cheese. It was too large to finish in one sitting—I had to cut it in half and save some for later. The accompanying fries were perfectly seasoned and worth savoring.
Our daughter enjoyed a gluten-free, cauliflower crust pizza from their build-your-own menu. The portion was generous, and she loved every bite—definitely a finger-licking good meal.
Windward Restaurant delivers a relaxing dining experience with scenic views, hearty portions, and thoughtfully crafted dishes. It’s a great option if you’re staying at the Hampton Inn or just looking for a quality meal in Manistee. Just plan to slow down and enjoy the view while you wait.
… moreKorissa Olson
We have been to Windward many times since it first opened! This by far Is the BEST food we’ve ever had here!!! The Beet Salad was to die for!! The best beet salad I’ve ever had! Big chunks of beets and a wonderful perfect combo of flavors! The steaks were cooked to perfection and the real mash potatoes were perfect!! The side veggies were unique and cooked to perfection. Large portions of everything! The roasted Brussel sprouts with pancetta was amazing- someone in our party had the Swiss mushroom burger and we all got a taste!! Wonderful!!! Great flavors everywhere. Give this place a go!! It’s fairly new, and they’ve really got it together – the menu, the chef, the atmosphere, the views. We come to Manistee often and this is as one of the best meals we’ve had here in town. Iliana was an amazing server as well. She handled the allergies in our party with a smile and double checked on everything!! She was great and got our order perfect! And the DESSERTS!! Amazing Carrot Cake! 5 Stars tonight!!
… moreKelsey Dickinson
The food was excellent, but it took FOREVER. We arrived shortly after 7pm. We waited 5-10 mins to be seated. We ordered everything at once since we were able to peruse the surprisingly limited menu while we waited.
We ordered drinks, appetizer salads, and entrees. The drinks were very easy – a glass of wine and a bottle of NA beer. We probably waited 20 mins for the drinks alone. The food took a ridiculous amount of time. At 8:10, we were informed that they ran out of the style of lettuce for one of the salads we ordered. Why are we just now being told this when the food was ordered almost an hour ago? We decided on another lettuce type for the salad and continued to wait. We planned on walking out if the food wasn’t delivered by 8:20. They walked up with the salads at 8:17. The entrees arrived a few minutes later. We decided to forgo eating the salads (they were huge!) at that point and just focus on our entrees. We finished eating those in less than 10 mins. The food was admittedly great. We asked for boxes for the salads and desserts to go as soon as we saw our server. That took another 15+ mins to arrive. The server brought the boxes and our desserts, plus the check. I immediately handed her my card so we wouldn’t have to wait on that too. All in all, we were there for about an hour and 45 mins, ten of which were actually spent eating. Food – great. View – awesome. Service – abysmal. Wouldn’t return unless we took it to go. The convenience of it being in the hotel wasn’t a convenience at all. We would’ve spent less time going into town and eating there.
… moreAndrea Thorn
My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience last night. Dinner and drinks were delicious, the view of the sunset over the lake was breathtaking, and our server, Kaitlyn (sorry if misspelled!) was so kind. This dinner has been one of the highlights of our trip. We’ll definitely be back the next time we vacation here!
… moreChristy Zacker
We were a guest at the hotel celebrating our 20th anniversary. Arrived for supper around 6:30 and anticipated a long wait. We were ok with that. We were greeted by a young hostess that said there would be a long wait. She suggested we look to see if there was room at the bar…which she should have checked for is. There was not. I saw an empty table with a reserved tag. I asked if we could make a reservation for a later time to come back she said she couldn’t make a “same day” reservation. I asked if we could wait for the next available table after she was trying hard to get us to leave. She said to just come back but we didn’t want to miss a table opening and she said she couldn’t take names for list. The manager walked in and he said we could indeed wait and enjoy the view. Then he sees the reserved table. We overheard the conversation. That reservation wasn’t until 830 and they were her friends. He went ahead and seated us which we were thankful for but didn’t mind waiting a few tables cleared out after we were seated so the wait wouldn’t have been long. Our server was super friendly and efficient. The views and ambiance were spectacular. The food however was a different story. I ordered whitefish provincial. Rubbery cold white fish served on a bed of boxed rice a roni pilaf. With a half can of hunts tomato’s dumped on top. No seasonings whatsoever. Cafeteria food is better than this. I read that they have a chef. What kind if chef designs and serves meals like this? A high end elegant restaurant at the top of a high end resort like hotel!? Do better! My husband had fish and chips. The batter was bitter so either too much beer in it or too much baking soda. We will return as guests to the hotel but make other plans for our meals.
… moreSam Williamson
I can’t say enough good things about this place! Amazing food and atmosphere! Best view in probably northern Michigan if I’m honest. Incredible place to watch the sunset over the lake (right on the beach). The wait staff was so friendly. Our server, Kaitlyn? was super friendly and personable. Our food and drinks were top notch! We’ll definitely be back. 10/10, would recommend!
… morelaura hanson
Stunning views and spectacular food. We ordered the bourbon meatloaf and it was out of this world. Ordered carrot cake to go and it was spectacular. We will be back and will recommend to friends and family.
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