Old Hamlin Restaurant — Restaurant in Ludington

I noticed it has been a shocking 5 years since I have updated my Old Hamlin review, so I figured it was past time as we are regulars here each summer.

Old Hamlin is a historic treasure of not just Ludington, but the entire state of Michigan. No joke or hyperbole. It has become more and more rare in the days of chain restaurants to come across a gem like Hamlin. Amazing food that looks and tastes reminiscent of home cooking by grandma. Large portions. Prices that make you feel as though you received a bargain (and probably really should be raised). Decor that, while perhaps dated as some in the reviews have mentioned, gives the place a cozy feel that is REALLY taken for granted these days. And many of the same servers year after year that are without a doubt underappreciated (and vastly undertipped) by patrons - it says a lot when a restaurant can actually keep the same team for any length of time these days.

Old Hamlin is truly awesome, and each year they remain open is a gift to not only Ludington but everyone who passes through each year. So many amazing local restaurants like Hamlin have folded in the face of the relentless pressure of corporate chains and in the wake of the pandemic, it's a testament to ownership/management and the quality of service they provide that they are still here. But a family restaurant is a tough, often thankless business, and despite their staying power, I dread the year we will drive into Ludington for the summer and see that the owners of Hamlin have decided it's no longer worth it.

So if you've taken the time to read this, whether you're a regular thinking of returning or you're considering a visit to Hamlin for the first time, I urge you to stop in to support them as often as you're able - you won't regret it. They deserve a packed house of fabulous tippers each and...

Stopped through Ludington & quickly searched a brunch spot. After reading few reviews & seeing this had been around since the 40’s we knew this was it. Oh yea, did I mention homemade pies & bread?! After reading some pompous guys reviews about him being in the back & seeing people walk in the back & being confused about walking to the front (seriously read his review it oozes entitlement) we went in the back & walked to the front (crazy concept) 20 min wait on a busy Saturday was definitely acceptable. Shopped around & came back for our table. The decor is definitely outdated, but this is not a trendy restaurant this is a home cooked meal with a smile. Our server was super sweet & friendly, definitely made us feel right at home. We ordered our entrees & a side salad & the baked potato soup. Unfortunately our server forgot those, but things happen nbd. I chose the “roger burger” medium well hamburger, sautéed onions, pickles, cheese & bacon on some really good marbled Rye. It hit the spot! Fries were meh not crispy enough for me, but that’s me. My partner got the open faced Turkey sandwich on their huge homemade bread & they said it was fantastic! Stuffing was great & the mashed potatoes were right on point! Finished off with done homemade pie. Unfortunately I was kinda disappointed with the pie. As a holiday pie baker I’m always on the hunt for a coconut cream pie that can beat my grandma’s recipe & have never found one close. This custard filling was dense & not creamy at all. Both pies (coconut & lemon) had meringue on them that had shriveled up to a thin shrunken trim. Anyone that bakes knows a good meringue is hard to do, but I expect an established restaurant that has pies on the sign on the front to have perfected a meringue. Ah well! Over all it was a good lunch with a friendly staff & we will...

I like their breakfast better than their lunch or dinners. This time we decided to venture out for an early dinner and my mom got the turkey dinner sandwich. I told her I wasn't real satisfied with it last time I had it but she wouldn't listen. I personally think it's much better at House of flavors. The one here is saltier and the meat looks like it's thinly sliced from a turkey loaf instead of a fresh made turkey. The salad bar is good. The soup available was chicken noodle, just noodle and broth, no veggies or chicken chunks. The minestrone is good. When my mom went to compliment them on their very nice and clean salad bar, she told the owner about the saltiness of her dish, which was abruptly met with, "We make everything from scratch and don't salt anything!"... and then turned around and walked away. I thought that was odd because I think if you make anything from scratch, well, anyone that's ever worked in a kitchen, you know that food has to have at least some salt. If your product is really good, then you don't need to over salt the food. It should stand on its own. The attitude is uncalled for. 4 stars for breakfast. 4 stars for the waitress. 3 stars for the one dinner, but I would say 4 to 5 stars for my bacon double deluxe. Tasty even cold the next day. And the fried potatoes were good and surprisingly, I could tell they were not salted. Which is fine. There's salt on the table for that...