Weathervane Restaurant — Restaurant in Charlevoix

I wanted to share an update regarding my earlier message. I had the pleasure of being contacted by Paul Andrzejewski, the General Manager. Paul was incredibly apologetic and empathetic. In a time when exceptional customer service is a rarity, I truly valued his attentiveness and willingness to resolve the issue generously. If I find myself back in the Charlevoix area, I would definitely consider giving Stafford's Weathervane another try. Thank you Paul!

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...

Honestly, this place is kinda higher class than just a quick stop in. We went here because my Grandpa had been wanting to try this place for years because of the view of the drawbridge opening for the boats, and I do have to say the atmosphere is quite nice! The fireplace was also a main point that he wanted to see because of the construction, and if you're here to see the cute historical houses in the neighborhood right across from it, you'd probably appreciate this place and its super close to where they hold the tours so thats a plus.

For me, I might be a bit picky here. I can recognize this place is supposed to be higher class so I can understand how most items are between like 30-50 bucks but as someone who has pretty restrictive dietary needs I was pretty much reduced to a salad because when you sit down they leave a paper with your menu that reminds you that no main dishes can be adjusted. That being said, 9 bucks for a ceasar salad is reasonable, but to add chicken to it makes it like 15 bucks. I didn't opt for a skewer like my Mom, but when he asked for any protein in it, I assumed it might have been included, but I suppose that was my mistake. They didn't have good nonalcoholic options either, and I think I missed where the prices for the mocktails were, so I opted for just the water... dont opt for the water guys. The water was absolutely nasty. It tasted like it was from the tap. Considering the prices here were so high- youd think the water would be better. Someone at my table got the lavender lemonade, and while it was mostly clear with like a centimeter of lavender flavor at the bottom, I'd recommend that for anyone who can't drink. Dont know how bad the sugar and carbs are (again, dietary restrictions here), but it was pretty good.

Other than the fact that two small salads with chicken added up to be 30 bucks, we were sat next to the window for the nice views but were a bit suprised that taking up the corner of the window was a giant spider web with a huge spider in it along with what I think was a vent for the ac that looked to be dislodged. There was a kid from a different table who kept coming over to look outside and sit near the ledge that showed me how loose it was. Considering my grandpa has been looking at this place for years, I'd say it's probably a sign of age. On the topic of the kid though- I saw a glance at her pizza and it was stellar looking, me and my Mom both wonder why they dont have an adult option esspecially since it would be a nice thing to add for people who dont want fish or steak since thats most of the menu, she said she would have gotten it if the kids menu didnt specifically say 10 and under loll.

The two other people at my table got fish and chips and some kind of sandwhich, and both enjoyed it. My grandpa said the fries were some of the best he'd ever have, and he'd come back again if he was ever...

I believe in being honest and offering help where I can. Now, in no way, shape or form is this a negative review, just a few observations as i see them. For having THE premier spot for being the best restaurant in town, a couple of things just fell a little flat for me. Walking in, it looked a little dated, not untidy, dirty or unkept, just complacent. You can tell it's been here for a while. I ordered the Shrimp Pappardelle, and added the sautéed morel mushrooms. It was a good dish, the pasta was very tender, but not over done, the shrimp were good sized and cooked perfectly and the roasted tomatoes were excellent. But for a small $38 plate of pasta, three shrimp was a disappointment. Now, maybe it's because I live on the gulf coast where 6 shrimp is the minimum, and maybe I'm just spoiled. I added the morels because I NEVER see them on a menu, and we're on a pretty special vacation, so I accepted the $18 add on. And don't get me wrong they were great, sautéed with the right amount of garlic, they were young and fresh with a slight nuttyness. They just looked sad and lonely on their own little plate. It was a great pairing with the pasta, so I would have preferred if they'd be dressed and plated together. We also ordered the Filet Mignon, which was incredibly tender and grilled to perfection. The minced onion and roasted tomato topping was a great touch. The filet was nestled in soft fluffy whipped potatoes and the demi-glaze brought it all together. Very nice plating. Now, saving the best for last. The Crab Cakes were the best I've ever had! Again, maybe they're just prepaired differently in the South, where most of the time what you get is a cake of fishy crabby favored stuffing that's been taken out of the freezer and dropped in the deep frier. But let me tell you, these are not that at all! These Crab Cakes are light and fresh, not gummy and soft. The crust on the outside was just right and nest of shoestring sweet potatoes gave it that crispy touch to finish....