Blake's Backyard — Restaurant in Almont Township

Yup, this the place....I passed 38 times in the past 5 years. Heard of Blake's, thought they were apple orchards as there's a Blake's closer to me too. I'm not an insecure person but always wondered if it's ok to stop in here? What exactly is it? Will I feel uncomfortable or unwelcome? Very weird "vibe", my instincts were correct. Stopped in hoping for fresh produce first and foremost (that's what it looks like from the road anyway). Kinda like a store when you enter with no fresh produce but a small table with some apples and jars and jars and jars and more jars of everything with their label.on it. Some type of restaurant in there as I saw people sitting and eating. Guy roaming around with me in the store that one of the employees obviously noticed as I overheard him saying "I'm just waiting for someone". Grabbed a few of the apples and a couple of (pricey) jars with contents I should be interested in and went to the counter marked "Check Out".....with nobody there. I waited, and waited. Maybe they're making apple butter in the back or waiting on tables I dunno. I'm in no hurry, used this time to wander around more to see if anything else of interest to purchase. I even looked outside as there were signs of life with humans looking like they were doing something. Finally one came in and rang me up. No apologies or anything just the "I can help you over here" because you went to the other register that was closed but wasn't marked as such (you know this deal). Put my 2 heavy jars and apples in one flimsy bag that I had to use both hands to carry to the car. The place IS weird. What exactly is it?

Blake's response to review........put RESTAURANT on the MAIN sign most viewable from the road. It's first and foremost a RESTAURANT with trinkets to buy while checking out....like an indie Cracker Barrel on steroids. Who's Blake anyway? Nothing noted inside. Inquiring minds want to know. The...

We just moved to Michigan from Japan, and we have been exploring looking for a spot to make our date night spot. We have read so many amazing reviews on Blakes backyard, which is why we decided to swing by. We had family fly in from California and decided we would all try it together. We came in at 1pm and ordered, and we waited 1 hour and 5 min to receive our food. Blakes was not full when we came in it was quite slow, and by the time 2pm came along, it was getting busy. We had to ask about how much longer it would take for our food to come out in order for it to come out. When we asked, it came out like 2 min later at 2:05pm. When our food came out, it was cold. We ordered 2 burgers, a bowl, a salad, and a flatbread. The cheese on the flatbread was already cold, as you can see in the picture,when it's fresh cheese is melty and shiny not stuck on there, so it's obvious it had been sitting out for a while. The meat in the burgers was no longer hot but warm, and the grain bowls chicken and veggies was lukewarm as well. As far as the salad, it had some old/bad lettuce, which you can see in the photo as well. The waitress did take 10% off the check, which is fine, but the whole point isn't to get cheaper food. We didn't ask for 10% off. We asked for our food the way any other customer would, and the expectation was not to be sitting there in a not busy restaurant for over an hour waiting for food to come out cold. We're over here trying to find date night spots and showing off Michigan to our family members, and we didn't really have that great of an experience. At the very least the food had flavor, aside from three dry chicken in the salad (picture attached as well) and the other things mentioned, but I honestly don't think we will be...

Blake's Backyard offers a unique charm for wedding events, nestled in a scenic location that provides a picturesque backdrop for special occasions. While the venue supplies a selection of Blake's own ciders and wines at the bar, guests looking for a broader range of beverages might find the options somewhat limited. It's worth clarifying with the venue if the drink selection can be customized according to personal preferences or if it strictly adheres to their house offerings.

One critical area that requires attention is the venue's ventilation system. Even with mobile A/C units available, they struggled to maintain a comfortable temperature during a day that was just in the 70's. Prospective couples should definitely discuss climate control solutions with the venue, especially for events planned during warmer months.

As for the cuisine, it was satisfactory but may not exceed expectations for those with a discerning palate. The food service is competent, yet it might not be the highlight of your event.

Overall, Blake's Backyard has potential as a wedding venue but it does come with certain caveats that should be considered and possibly addressed to ensure a pleasant experience...