North Channel Brewing Co. — Restaurant in Manistee

We visited North Channel Brewery for lunch and were, for the most part, very satisfied with our meals. While we didn't go for the brew, I liked the fact I could get a 5 oz. serving. I usually don't drink that much, and the regular sizes I usually get are way too much for me, so the smaller serving was a pleasant surprise. I had the Salt City Blonde, which was a bit hoppy and had a slight bitter aftertaste, but as my server noted it would, it did grow on me. My s/o had the Blueberry Cider, which we both found excellent. Our very helpful server gave us tastes of the Vogue Dubble (which I liked better than the Blonde), and a German beer I don't recall the name of.

I had the pulled pork plate, my s/o had the ribs, and his mom had the hamburger. All were very tasty, and the portion sizes were just right for a lunch. The prices were very much in line with the quality of food, which I found excellent for the most part.

The only slight quibble I had was with the baked beans. First I'd like to point out that the beans were, in my opinion, perfectly cooked. I grew up on baked beans cooked at home, in the oven for hours in a bean pot, with a chunk of salt pork on top that melted into the beans. These beans had that consistency. It was loaded with what I think was pulled brisket, and had a zing of mild heat. The problem I personally had was that the dish was too salty. My s/o didn't agree and thought they were perfect.

As for the chips, I don't eat chips so gave them to our notoriously picky elderly companion, and she loved them. She thought they were perfectly seasoned. The s/o liked them as well--not too salty at all they said.

The meat was not drowned in BBQ sauce, so we were able to taste the pure smoked meat with just a hint of sauce. The sauce was served on the side for dipping, and it is going to quickly become my favorite.

The slaw we received was julienned zucchini, probably yellow squash, and carrots in a vinegar based pickle liquid. It was an excellent palate cleanser after the meat dish.

The cornbread muffin deserves a paragraph all its own. When I say "cornbread" I'm not talking about the chokingly dry stickey-in-the-mouth cornbread muffins you get from some eateries. Nope, these were perfectly moist, with actual corn and bits of what seemed to be some mild jalapeño judging by the hint of heat I tasted. I'm going to guess that there was cheese in the recipe as well, though if so it added to the overall moist richness of the muffin. They weren't tiny bites, either--you certainly got your money's worth with those beauties.

We had no problem parking across the street; there might have been parking alongside the building but we didn't look--perhaps next time.

The building houses an active brewery, so the eating spaces are along industrial lines, but attractive. I feared it would be cold inside, but soon our elderly companion and I were taking off our coats; it was very comfortable. The music was maybe a little louder than I would have liked, but I liked their selections, so I could live with that. My only quibble there is that I don't hear well and our server had a very quiet voice, so due to the music and acoustics (the place had cement floors and non-tiled, high ceilings) I wasn't catching everything she said.

We will definitely visit again; there's a smoked salmon sandwich with my name on it waiting for me!

4.9 stars for food 5 stars for service 5 stars...

Whenever a new place opens in our beloved Manistee, I hold my breath because I want with all my heart for it to succeed, but it’s tough out there folks. The restaurant business is difficult and good help is hard to find! So, with trepidation and lots of hope we tried North Channel Brewing Company in late November, shortly after it opened but intentionally avoiding opening weekend because we knew it would be crazy-busy and, well, there would be “kinks” to work out. We returned again in December, during the Sleighbell Festival weekend. Here is my rather long, but honest assessment: For a brand-new establishment, this place is doing great and quickly moving past the “learning curve” and on to amazing things. The space is very cool. I was in the former space—a dilapidated old furniture factory—and would never have imagined its transformation into the space North Channel Brewing now inhabits. The owners did not skimp on the little details that make for a great atmosphere and the kind of place you’d love to hang out for a while. The colors and textures used to decorate are on trend, and there are lots of windows to keep it bright and cheerful even during those long, Northern Michigan Windows. And we love the nod to Manistee’s freighter history! That fact that the location is near the Maple Street bridge is an added bonus. On our second visit we had a front row seat when one of those massive freighters made its way through the channel. The beer was very good, as you would and should expect from a head brewer with the level of street cred that Bill Joslyn (formerly of Oskar Blues Brewery) has. We tired the Sawmill Stout, High Bluff Porter, and Manistee’s IPA… All outstanding! Can’t wait to try the Iron Beach Double Red on our next visit. The service was prompt, attentive, and friendly. No complaints there, at all. The staff seemed to be well trained and they knew the beer well enough to make good recommendations. If there is anything that could use improvement, I suppose it is the food. On our first visit my husband had the brisket which, although very tasty and tender, was a little too fatty for his taste. My fish tacos were also very flavorful, but a little “juicy.” When asked by the waiter how our food was, we told him our honest opinion and he listened with what we thought was genuine appreciation for our feedback. On our second visit we had the dry rubbed baby back ribs and they were perfectly delicious and left us wanting for more. I’m looking forward to a third visit to try one of their amazing-looking burgers and/or the brisket nachos, which I hear are “to die for.” I am very confident that if North Channel is responsive to the input they are receiving and make the necessary little tweaks to their menu, the quality of their food will soon be on par with that of their beer, their service, and their space. No need to hold my breath. North Channel is doing just fine; in fact, they are doing great! Welcome to Manistee, North Channel…You are a very welcome addition to the Victorian Port City and we are proud...

There is a simple unwritten yet imperative rule of hospitality specifically the food and beverages industry, ensure guests know they are seen when they come in. Being seated is only the first step, a simple “hey we’ll be right with you” by any member of the floor staff works, nothing formal or outrageous, just acknowledgment that you saw the customer so they don’t feel they slipped into some grey void area where the customer gets overlooked!

I personally have a 5 minute rule, if no one comes to my table within the first five minutes to let me know they saw me, I assume you are too busy or have deemed me to be not a valued customer.

The place was about 30% full at around 6pm on a Monday, there were a couple tables needing to be cleaned and several tables open, we were seated quickly and then had time to look at the menu multiple times and had no staff engagement with us, an unhappy looking staff member came to the next table and removed some dishes and tended to those folks, and she disappeared. Another young woman came and went to the table that hadn’t been bussed yet and worked on clearing it, meanwhile we sat there wondering if anyone noticed us. Not seeing anyone after that for a few minutes we decided there were too many options in the area to settle for this weird energy, and as invisibly as we arrived, we also left. I’ll say the silver lining was that we found TJ’s Pub just over the bridge, their happy hour had $2 pints of anything on tap until 8pm, the staff was abundant and attentive and the food was amazing! We had a great meal and drinks at TJ’s Pub, and the North Channel Brewing Co lost a little bit of revenue, that I’m sure TJ’s staff appreciated!

The last thing I’ll say about this or any business acting as part of hospitality, pleasantries are a must! As a customer I am not entitled, or demanding, I try to be kind and usually tip greater than expected, but here is the deal, I personally don’t want someone handling food I am about to consume who look like they hate the world or are about to quit in a blaze of glory, to be honest it’s a red flag for customers! If you have this much disrespect for the business where people can see you, one can only imagine what’s happening behind the scenes where customers can’t see you! This is definitely a ownership/management issue

5 stars for the building, which was modern and decent looking, -1 for the staff vibe…. total...