Woods Restaurant and Bobby's Bar — Restaurant in Mackinac Island

TLDR: there was a mouse at our dining room table, ran around the restaurant, ruined our dinner, and management/service staff were dismissive of our concerns. Manager would not come over to speak with us.

-- Our group dined there on August 15, seated for our 8:45p reservation (towards the end of the night).

We opened a celebratory bottle of Dom Perignon, and had a great dinner. As we were about half way through our meal, I looked down and saw a mouse next to my foot.

Not wanting to make a scene (there were still other people eating in the restaurant), we quietly told our waiter and staff that there is a mouse running around the dining room of the restaurant.

The waiter first dismissed our comment, smiling nervously, stating that he had never seen a mouse there before - at this point the service mood changed entirely. They basically pretended like the mouse wasn't there - then when we physically pointed at the mouse, which ran underneath another table, they acted like they were catching the mouse with a broom and dustpan, and took it into the kitchen area (presenting a clear health hazard). What was bizarre, was that they pretended to catch the mouse - I don't think they actually caught the mouse, and it was running into a different area.

One of the ladies in our group has a phobia of rats - she left the restaurant immediately after we saw the mouse. This ruined our otherwise nice dinner, and two of us stayed behind and asked to talk to the manager.

The waiter actually said that the manager was aware but did not need to speak with us. The manager never came over to speak with me. For what is known as a high-end restaurant, it was a bizarre experience. Since the ladies were outside waiting for us, we paid the tab hastily ($180+) and left disappointed and disgusted.

We've had great experience with the restaurant in prior years. Unfortunately, we saw a mouse running around our feet this time around, and management was dismissive of the clear health code violation. I've never dealt with such bizarre dismissal of a customer's legitimate concern, and sad to say, I do not think I...

We visited The Woods recently and left feeling very disappointed. For a place charging over $100 per person, we expected much more. The drinks were decent, but that was about the only highlight. Online information suggested it wasn’t a formal spot, yet when we arrived, it turned out to be suit-and-tie. On top of that, our server treated us poorly, which really dampened the experience. The whole atmosphere was confusing—is this supposed to be a cozy hunting lodge or a high-end fine dining restaurant? It didn’t feel like it knew what it wanted to be.

Appetizers • Escargot en Croûte – This was actually very good. The puff pastry was light and flaky, and the garlic-parsley cream sauce was flavorful without being overpowering. Probably the best bite we had all night. • Cured & Cultured Board – For the price, this was underwhelming. A very small selection of meats and cheeses that looked like they had been sitting out too long. Nothing about it felt special or worth $21. • Bavarian Soft Pretzel – Dry and chewy, lacking the soft texture you’d expect. The mustards were fine, but overall this felt like a bar snack rather than something from a high-end menu.

Entrées • 28-Day Dry Aged Strip Steak – This was the best dish of the night. Cooked perfectly and full of flavor, with the demi-glace tying everything together. Easily the one entrée worth ordering. • Chermoula Spiced Whitefish – Overcooked and bland. The accompaniments didn’t add anything, and it was honestly disappointing for a Michigan fish dish. • Spiced Honey Duck Breast – Dry and tough, with an unbalanced sweetness. The natural jus couldn’t bring it together. • Cider Brined Heritage Berkshire Pork Chop – Another huge letdown. The meat was dry and stringy, and the cherry compote just made it overly sweet without depth.

Overall, the experience wasn’t worth the price. Between the awkward atmosphere, poor service, and mostly lackluster food, it’s not a place...

Long story short: This place just doesn’t have a clear grip on what its vibe is supposed to be, and it makes for a really weird, expensive meal, and it’s oversold as a fine dining experience.

The pros: The food and drinks are delicious. The decor is cool.

The cons: The “magical carriage ride” to the restaurant is a cramped horse-drawn shuttle that costs $11 per person, each way. And it’s not even Grand Hotel exclusive, so you have extra stops on the way back. The service was unfriendly and infrequent. It was LOUD in the main room with several large parties. The live pianist played “happy birthday” several times and people sang along. There were kids running around unsupervised. It’s very pricey.

Notes: There didn’t seem to be any kind of dress code, people were in flip flops and cargo shorts to formal dresses. Our server took a used soup spoon from in front of someone in our party and put it in front of my husband as his was mistakenly cleared before his soup arrived. Apparently this is the kind of place to run around and sing happy birthday, but not the kind of place where it’s encouraged to share appetizers/starters? The portions are so small, and they act confused when you want to share with your table. People waited over an hour for shuttles from the restaurant, so we decided to take the 30 minute walk back.

Again, this place’s energy was so incredibly weird I can’t recommend it to anyone even though the food was...