The Mill Glen Arbor — Restaurant in Glen Arbor Township

Dining at The Mill Glen Arbor was an experience that left me more perplexed than impressed. From the moment we arrived, the atmosphere seemed to promise something extraordinary, but what followed felt like a series of missteps that never quite came together.

Let’s start with the food: while it was fine—certainly not offensive, it was hardly groundbreaking. There was no wow factor, no memorable dish that made me rethink what we knew about the cuisine. The flavors were straightforward, bordering on basic, and the execution was… unrefined. For a place with such a reputation, I expected the kind of culinary finesse that elevates every bite, but instead, I found myself wondering if my taste buds were missing something.

The staff, on the other hand, displayed genuine knowledge and a clear appreciation for their craft. They spoke passionately about the dishes and wine pairings, as if they were eager to share something special with us. Yet, this expertise was overshadowed by a strange sense of hurriedness that pervaded the entire meal. It was as if we were being pushed through the courses—dishes arrived almost too quickly, with little space between them, and our servers seemed to be more concerned with turning the table than engaging with us.

Perhaps more frustrating than the rushed pace was the general atmosphere of discomfort. Rather than feeling welcomed or valued, we were made to feel like an inconvenience, as though the goal was to get us in and out as efficiently as possible. That’s not the kind of experience we expected. It felt cold in contrast with the warm atmosphere of the restaurant.

In the end, the experience left us with a sense of confusion—an experience that promised so much but delivered little beyond the basics. The food was decent, but nothing we will remember. The service, while knowledgeable, felt more transactional than hospitable. If they can smooth out the execution and shift the focus back to the customer experience, there’s potential here. As it stands, however, I wouldn’t rush...

My fiance and I spent a very pleasant Early November 2024 Sunday night here. We needed a little get away and stumbled upon this beautiful spot. The location is fabulous the house is surrounded on three sides by a lazy river and some beautiful trees. We had an upstairs room and looking out any window was peaceful and serene. The building has rustic decor and no in room TV. Internet connection was easy and internet speeds were good. We loved the way the room was decorated and furnished. It was very functional and comfortable with period pieces placed tastefully about. The king size bed was very comfortable and cozy. The bathroom is large with a large walk in shower, large sink / counter combo and separated toilet. Very functional and very comfortable. There are a lot of windows in the room so it is bright and well lit during the day. We would have liked some of the room lights to be a bit more powerful as we are getting older and need extra light. However the room lighting was adequate. We opted for dinner in the mill, rather than head to town. What a great choice, the food was all delicious, service was first rate and the ambience was cozy and peaceful. All of the staff that we interacted with friendly, knowledgeable, happy and just plain delightful to talk to. Upon check out in the morning we were given our choice of pastry and coffee. The pastry choices were many as were the coffee choices. Everything that we had was delicious. Our stop here was exactly the relaxation experience that we needed and we would stay again. I know I am missing some of the little details that enhanced our stay like the "special lightly scented nighttime wash towels. It was little things like this that contributed to a...

The Mill is two things (three really): The listing here is for the "B&B" cottage they rent (I think?) but "The Mill" is mainly a cafe (main floor) that serves higher end coffee and breakfast/brunch options until about 3pm. "Supper at The Mill" is a chef curated designer gastro bistro experience hosted in the basement after 4:00pm (use OpenTable to make a reservation day-of).

The Mill's coffee and bakery options are delightful. The coffee service is all pretty amazing, and the grab and go options are always delicious. The fresh sliced bread is great to take back to your cabin, too. The "hot breakfast" stuff is a bit newer and we haven't wanted to brave the wait, but it all looks very good with a "designer breakfast" vibe about the whole place.

The scenery both within the restored mill and out back overlooking the creek are top notch, it is certainly an experience to be had, even if you only treat yourself for a quick coffee and a lil nosh to go while you're in town.

Our only gripes about the place are probably how busy it gets (both the café and the parking area around it, which sadly does not accommodate their crowds so you're stuck parking on a busy street kinda precariously, plan to drop off little ones while you go find a spot), and the prices are pretty high. That being said, it has the quality to warrant it, and often times something good is...