Jen Elzinga
We love this place so much, great manager chic that’s always there is so sweet. Servers are always quick and nice. Food is always amazing. Mexican Street corn brussel sprouts, goat cheese stuffed chicken so good. Love their holiday drink menu
… moreTerri Grannis
We spent a sunny fall afternoon enjoying lunch at the “new” Smuggler’s At North Shore on Hess Lake in the Newaygo, MI area. About a year or so ago, the original Smuggler’s was a total loss due to a fire. They rebuilt–bigger, better, more amenities, and still great food. The menu has changed from the original, but there remains plenty of delicious options, with a few new twists. We were there for lunch and we selected the pulled pork sandwich (chips & coleslaw) and the butterfly shrimp basket (waffle fries & coleslaw)–both were very good. You can check out their complete lunch/dinner menu (as well as pricing) on their website. Seating options include inside (tables, high top tables, booth-like tables, or bar seating). We noticed that they have large “garage door” like openings that can open the entire restaurant to the outside. They also offer outside seating–round tables shaded by umbrellas. Our server was friendly, polite, and prompt–refilling beverages, checking on us a couple of times, etc. After lunch we wandered the grounds. In addition to the umbrella tables, there are casual seating areas–Adirondack chairs on the deck dock, seating around gas fire pits, casual seating on the lawn, etc. There is also an outside bar that we would assume gets plenty of use during the high season of summer. Also, there are corn hole boards, if you are so inclined. If you live on the lake, there is a large dock area with ample boat slips for many. The dock and dock deck are new and the quality is top notch. Smuggler’s At North Shore is a great place to grab a bite to eat, a full meal, or perhaps just a glass of wine, stein of beer, or your favorite cocktail. We also noticed that indoors, they used vintage pics from the 50’s/60’s of Hess Lake. Also, if you’d like to take home a souvenir, t-shirts are available for purchase at the hostess station. There is limited parking in front of the building, however, about a 1/2 block away, there is a large ample parking lot specifically designated for Smuggler’s patrons.
… moreCourtney Lynn
Myself and a group of 8 other ladies stopped in the other day. It was my birthday and this place looked like a nice stop for the way home from our trip. The atmosphere is really cool, I can’t wait to stop back in during the summer to sit outside by the lake!! Unfortunately, my cousin and I ordered a bakers dozen of oysters and they were extremely fishy tasting and mine had a good amount of crunchy shell parts in them. We were informed they were the last ones, didn’t have enough for the whole bakers dozen so the restaurant did discount the bill which was nice. We didn’t complain about the oysters to the server but I hope if we had that they would’ve done the right thing. Also, our server, Abby, was not super attentive. At first she was great but then once our food was delivered we all had zero water left the whole time and our table was in the very back so not many staff members were walking past us. I hope that next time I come in with a smaller group we will have better service because all of the food sounded amazing on the menu. I got the all you can eat pallet fish basket for $18 and it was also pretty fishy but looked phenomenal. Besides the fishy taste it was great. I don’t think I’ve ever had Pollock before but maybe that is how it’s supposed to taste. My group ordered other menu items that looked phenomenal. Overall, I would recommend eating here and I will give it another try.
… moreAri Adler
Great food and an eclectic menu. All the staff members were extremely friendly. It’s quite loud inside when the big deck doors are closed, we assume it would be great with them open. Nice outdoor seating area on the lake, unfortunately it was raining when we went.
I had the truffle mushroom burger, which was well-prepared. I recommend the baked beans as a side! My wife had the goat cheese stuffed chicken and said she really liked it. Looking forward to visiting again when we’re in the area to try out other menu choices.
… moreTwyla Becker
We have eaten here twice when passing through, the setting is gorgeous, drinks are very good, enjoyed the food but the service is slow so make sure you have some time.
I didn’t get a picture of the pizza, but one in our party ordered it and we all enjoyed a piece, very good!
I really enjoyed the mushroom soup and the chopped salad this time. Another in our party chose the onion soup which was very good as well.
… morestacylaughs
We made a reservation at Smuggler’s while on vacation, hoping for a relaxing family dinner with our group. Unfortunately, the service really let the experience down. Despite having a reservation, we waited a long time just to be acknowledged, about 30 minutes before we were able to order drinks or appetizers. Drinks came out slowly and staggered, and our food didn’t arrive until nearly two hours after we were seated.
What made it worse wasn’t just the slowness, it was the lack of communication or apology. It felt like we were forgotten about, especially sitting outside on the 2nd floor patio. One couple in our group had to leave early with their baby before food even arrived, and there was no acknowledgment from the staff about the long wait or the inconvenience.
To be fair, the food was actually pretty good. But when you’re dining out (especially with a group and kids) timely, attentive service really matters. It’s a beautiful spot and one of the few sit-down options in the area, which is probably why it stays busy. But unless service improves, I wouldn’t recommend it for groups or anyone on a timeline.
… moreMegan Fox
We really enjoyed eating here! It was a beautiful day and we were on the patio. Having a lake view was great and the food was all amazing! I literally danced in my chair over those duck bacon rangoons! DELICIOUS. Service was a little slow, but we never ran out of drinks or anything like that, so not worth taking away a star. If we are ever back in this area, we will definitely be coming back here!
… moreLaurel Peacock
We had such a fantastic experience at Smugglers at North Shore! From the moment we walked in, everything was spotless and inviting. The atmosphere was relaxed but polished, and we instantly felt welcomed.
The food was absolutely amazing every dish we tried was full of flavor and beautifully done. Executive Chef Mike was incredibly hospitable and took the time to come over and chat with us. He even let us try a few new menu items that are launching next week, which was such a fun and unexpected treat!
Our waitress was so sweet and attentive she never missed a beat and Laura, the manager, was just as lovely. She went out of her way to make sure we had everything we needed and genuinely cared about our experience.
All around, it was one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in a long time. You can tell this team truly loves what they do. We’ll definitely be back and we’re already telling our friends they have to check it out!
… moreLeAnna Smith
The entrance and environment is very inviting. The general manager Donna is helpful and makes it a place you want to come over and over again to enjoy all the specials they provide.
Twila our server and bartender made drinks that were balanced with the perfect taste and perfection in a great drink.
The food is as amazing. It’s hard to find restaurants that when you enjoy the food it’s so good that you cannot wait till you come back to try something new. The food was perfection.
I would highly recommend you make the drive and enjoy the food and atmosphere
… moreAmy Schoen
What a hidden gem this restaurant is. I’m so glad we decided to check this place out. The service was spot on and the food was over the top. And not to mention they are very generous with their portions. We definitely were not disappointed by any means.
Regardless of where you sit, you’ll have views of the lake. They offer a beautiful outdoor patio upstairs as well as downstairs. There’s even have an outdoor bar you can belly up to right next to the lake. Yard games are provided to entertain those who would like to play them. On cooler evening you can warm up next to their outdoor fireplace places.
I highly recommend this restaurant if you’re looking for a delicious meal with great views. There’s no reason to go home hungry if you’re eating here.
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