Fireside Grille - Shepherd

For my main course, I had mushroom ravioli served in a purée made with green peas. The chef’s use of various spices in the purée was excellent and added great f... read more For my main course, I had mushroom ravioli served in a purée made with green peas. The chef’s use of various spices in the purée was excellent and added great flavor. My wife ordered the New York strip steak, which looked fantastic when it was served. We both enjoyed cocktails with our meal—mine was a tequila-based Mojito and my wife had a strawberry Mamosa. It was evident that care was taken in preparing both drinks, indicating a skilled bartender on staff. The only significant area for improvement would be the service. We found ourselves waiting a bit too long for certain parts of our meal, especially considering that the restaurant was nearly empty at the time. The server was polite and well-mannered, but it seemed he was the only one working that evening. Maybe they have better staffing on weekends? Overall, a pleasant experience with some room for improvement.

Our waitress was outstanding; she answered all our questions and offered excellent recommendations. We enjoyed appetizers, dinner, and drinks, all of which exce... read more Our waitress was outstanding; she answered all our questions and offered excellent recommendations. We enjoyed appetizers, dinner, and drinks, all of which exceeded our expectations. The drink menu, crafted by the bartender, featured some really fun cocktails to choose from. One standout appetizer was the goat cheese, which was absolutely fabulous. For my main course, I had the grill, which included lamb, chicken, scallops, vegetables, and potatoes. The portions were generous, and everyone raved about their meals. Although we were too full for dessert, the staff surprised us with chocolate drizzled balls, which made for a perfect conclusion to our wonderful dinner. The service was a bit slow, but I expected that at a finer dining establishment, where they encourage you to savor your food and enjoy conversation between courses. While it's a bit off the beaten path, it’s definitely worth the detour if you find yourself in the area.

My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the food and service, but... 1) The menu was inaccurate. The bruschetta oddly contained olives (both of us dislike them), but... read more My girlfriend and I really enjoyed the food and service, but... 1) The menu was inaccurate. The bruschetta oddly contained olives (both of us dislike them), but that was not mentioned on the menu, both online and in-restaurant. Also, their spinach salad said it came with walnuts, but did not mention they were candied walnuts. They really need to be careful and accurately list items to make sure they don't run into people with allergies. 2) The menu was overpriced. $9 for a spinach salad (although I think it's hilarious that anyone would pay that more than $3-4 for a salad) is a bit excessive, but the $21 seafood soup was a good (albeit messy) deal. 3) This is a mid-Michigan fancy place, but they have no craft beer? Get with the times! Get rid of Miller, Bud, and Coors. Support Mountain Town, Bell's, Founder's, Odd Side, etc.! We'll be back, of course! Give it a shot!

What a hidden gem! Fresh made, creative, delicious good. Spectacular fish tacos, delicious scampi, everything was made to order right down to a side of coleslaw... read more What a hidden gem! Fresh made, creative, delicious good. Spectacular fish tacos, delicious scampi, everything was made to order right down to a side of coleslaw. They also had a really impressive wine list and craft beers on tap. Wish we had room for dessert as those looked killer as well. I'll stop here again for sure. For what you get, the prices were really reasonable.

We visited on Sunday after spending Saturday snowmobiling, and we were really impressed with both the food and the service. The shrimp and grits were excellentl... read more We visited on Sunday after spending Saturday snowmobiling, and we were really impressed with both the food and the service. The shrimp and grits were excellently prepared and delicious. My wife ordered the chicken and waffles, which featured nicely breaded and tender chicken. The portion sizes were generous, and there were some quick bites offered before the main course as well. It's a fantastic choice, conveniently located off the highway, and the prices are quite reasonable. This place is definitely a hidden gem.