Staffords Weathervane - Charlevoix

After an awful experience, awful food and awful service at The Weathervane Restaurant in Charlevoix, MI, I stumbled upon it in Yelp reviews today for some reason. I got such a laugh at the 5 star reviews! Does the restaurant think people are stupid? All the 5 stars even contain professional photos taken directly from their menu! HEY WEATHERVANE! STOP TAKING TIME PUTTING FAKE 5 STAR REVIEWS TO HELP YOUR OVERALL SCORE AND TAKE THAT TIME IMPROVING! Anyone reading this review check out what I am saying, if not a laugh you will be aware of fake positive Yelp reviews!

I’ll start by saying I sent this review as an email but never heard back from anyone. So I decided to write it as a google review. My husband and I were really looking forward to a pleasant dining experience in Charlevoix at the Stafford Weathervane, but unfortunately , our evening turned out to be a series of disappointments. We chose to go to dinner on October 4 and expected that a place like this would be busy. So, I decided to be proactive and called at 4:00 when they opened to make reservations. However, all I got was a voicemail, which informed me of their operating hours from 4:00 to 8:30 on Wednesdays and asked me to call back during business hours to make a reservation. I followed the instructions and called back three times, only to be met with the same unhelpful voicemail every time. No one answered. Determined to make the most of our evening, we decided to stop by in person to secure a reservation for 6:30. We succeeded in that regard, but to our disappointment, we were informed that the patio, which we had set our hearts on, was only open on weekends. We settled for a window seat and returned later as agreed. Finally seated in the back room with about four other tables, we were attended to by a waiter named Philip. He was pleasant, albeit seeming a bit green. We promptly ordered drinks and an appetizer – spinach dip. Our drinks arrived quickly, but we had to wait quite some time for the appetizer. When it was finally brought to our table, Philip apologized for the absence of silverware and napkins and promptly brought them over. What was baffling was that every table seated in our vicinity after us received the same apology for the same oversight! With the appetizer finally in front of us, we placed our meal orders – both opting for the French Dip. Our patience was further tested as it took an eternity for our meals to arrive. Once again, apologies were offered for the delay. Regrettably, when the sandwiches did arrive, they were disappointingly dry, even with the au jus, and lacked flavor. Frankly, for the price we paid, we expected a much better dining experience. Typically, we would indulge in dessert, but given the considerable amount of time we spent here (2.5 hours), most of which was waiting, we decided to forgo it and headed down the street to Kilwins for some ice cream. The bill, totaling just over $100 for two sandwiches, four drinks (we needed seconds during our long wait), and an appetizer, was a bitter pill to swallow. This experience fell far short of what we anticipated. It's safe to say we won't be making a return visit.

A Stafford's standard. An Earl Young building , fabulous fireplace, on the channel. Watch the bridge raise and lower, boats passing by. So interesting but the food tops it all. Classic dishes, excellent preparation, seasonal offerings. Attention to detail, professional service and presentation. Great service and a great rewards program for frequent diners.

Food was just ok. Had the grain bowl. Not impressed at all. They surcharge 3% for cc. Don’t show me that. Build it in the price. Won’t return.. In response to the manager..my reason for not returning is not the cc issue. It was the marginal quality of the grain bowl. I’ve had many similar items...this one was not good. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner

Had a great dinner here! I got the French Dip, and my wife got the Planked Whitefish, and both meals were excellent. And you can’t beat the view! We will definitely come back next time we’re in Charlevoix. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $20–30 Recommended dishes: Planked Whitefish