Farm Club: Restaurant, Farm Market & Brewery — Restaurant in Elmwood Charter Township

My wife and I stopped here on a whim, having passed it numerous times thinking that it was a club for farmers. The menu is very limited, being determined by what vegetables are in season on their farm, which is nearby on a side road. Also, for that reason, our waitress told us that the menu changes every couple of weeks. In the winter they serve more root vegetables and pizza. They use meats that are locally sourced. They grind their own meat for the sausages.

My wife had a delicious ratatouille ($17). It had an intense tomato flavor that she attributed to the use of sun-dried tomatoes. She ordered her ratatouille with a side of smoked trout ($5) for protein. The trout was excellent. I had their green curry with chicken ($17, see picture). The curry was pleasantly spicy "hot," accented with sprigs of Italian parsley. The combination of spices, fresh vegetables, rice, and chicken was a winner. Both of us had happily contented stomachs from the generous servings. I was curious about the onion rings ($13), so I placed an order. The sweet, nicely breaded onions came slightly glazed with a very spicy sweet sauce. I would have preferred the sauce on the side, but the onion rings were very good, nevertheless.

Finally, we finished the meal by splitting a melon gelee ($7) topped with whipped, sweetened cream. We were impressed with the delicate, subdued sweetness of the melon that was complemented by the much sweeter cream. It was just the right amount of cream not to overpower the fruit.

I washed my whole meal down with their 17 oz. Helles lager ($6, it is a brewery, after all). The lager was good. Our total bill without the tip was $68.90.

The service was pleasant, and our waitress was able to answer all our questions about the food. The atmosphere is Spartan. The floor is concrete and there is a lot of blond wood. So, it's noisy. But, again, it's a brewery. If you sit outside, you're basically in a farm field. Google Maps hasn't caught up with it yet, so all you'll see there is a hay field. Be sure to check out their indoor market.

I recommend Farm Club. My wife and I will be returning there often.

[update on 2/7/2023: Google Maps has caught up....

Let me just preface this by saying that I am in no way a connoisseur of the culinary world. I am fortunate to be in a profession where I travel the east half of Canada and the Midwest for more than 150 nights a year on the road. Therefor, I eat at a LOT of restaurants. I tend to only eat at unique, local places that offer an experience. Some win and some lose. Because I have such a vast part of N.America to travel to, I try to visit a different restaurant each day. However; Farm Club is that one exception. Farm Club is what other farm-to-table restaurants strive to be. It’s the whole package for me. From Danny and Nate at the bar, that continue to treat me like one of their good friends and not just a customer. To the decor, atmosphere, smell, locally sourced fare, and all the other finite details that make Farm Club what it is. There truly is no other place that I have been to that even comes close. Some places have one or two amazing attributes, but Farm Club is the entire package. I think what also makes it special is while dining, I also noticed that one of the owners, Gary, who also owns other restaurants, was in there taking orders, running drinks, and interacting with the customers. I had the pleasure of chatting with him for a few minutes as well. He’s not pretentious on the slightest, but the most humble dude you’ll meet. Whenever I’m in Northwestern Michigan, this a place that I will always end up at. I can’t wait to see what is next for the owners, as I know I will be first in line when something new opens up. Well...

After an early-evening hike, my husband and I were hungry for dinner, but didn't feel "presentable" enough to dine in at a restaurant. We had been to Farm Club on a previous weekend getaway, thoroughly enjoyed it and remembered that they had outdoor seating. This sounded like the perfect way for us to have a quality dining experience without feeling out of place.

Because the evening was chilly and not many people chose to dine outdoors, we had a picnic table and a fire pit to ourselves. Farm Club provided blankets which added to the cozy ambiance.

We started by enjoying a couple of beers and some onion rings around the fire. When our dinners arrived, we moved to the nearby picnic table to eat. Everything was tasty and came out promptly.

Service started out great, but unfortunately lagged at the end. Perhaps, it got busy inside and we were forgotten, but we waited a good 15-20 minutes after finishing before we were able to get our bill and boxes. It wouldn't have been an issue if it hadn't really cooled down by this point.

Another reason for taking off a star would be a charge for extra rice. I had the Thai Green Curry, which at $24 is significantly more expensive than I've paid for this dish at other places. It included very little rice and so I requested a bit more. I was told I could order a side of rice for either $3 or $4 (I can't remember exactly) additional. I just felt this was unfair, based on the cost of rice, the dish itself and the amount provided.

Overall, we still love Farm Club and will return in...