Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub — Restaurant in McMillan Township

On 6/16/2025, my girlfriend and I walked the falls. We returned and my girlfriend stated she was hungry. We decided to try Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub; it looked like a great place to eat steak. We stood and waited for the hostess to seat us, then another hostess, (I think), then another hostess said they would get our table ready, there was only 3 other tables in the entire place that were being used! Our waitress came out and took our order, I was not hungry, so I declined from eating, my girlfriend ordered a steak. The steak came out and it looked good until she took a bite, I asked her what was wrong, she stated it tasted funny! I asked for a bite, I immediately recognized a chemical taste. We brought it to the attention of our waitress, our waitress became rude and aggressive, she grabbed the plate and told us to get out. I did not leave, our waitress left us sitting there. Two young people came out to clean another table, so I ask them to come over so I could talk with them, I explained to them what I tasted, they apologized and said sorry, our waitress came back by the table and said quit talking about me and get out. I usually don’t complain too much because I worked in the food business for a federal office that oversaw food preparation for a hospital, I was in charge! I have dealt with the FDA and state officials when it comes to food preparation in a clean environment! Based on my knowledge, our steak was involved with cross contamination. Here are a few points of interest when preparing food!

Residual soap: Utensils used for cleaning might not have been rinsed properly, leaving behind soap residue that transfers to the steak during preparation or cooking. • Contamination: Improper handling or storage of the steak could lead to bacterial growth or exposure to unwanted substances, causing an off-putting soapy flavor. • Meat aging: The aging process of meat can sometimes result in off-flavors, including a bitter or livery taste that some individuals may perceive as soapy. • Genetic predisposition: Certain individuals have a genetic variation that makes them perceive certain compounds as soapy, especially with herbs like cilantro, which are sometimes used with steak. • Sodium salts: Sodium salts of tripolyphosphate, used in meat processing, can enhance meaty flavors but also produce a soapy aftertaste. If you experience a soapy taste in your steak, you should discard it and investigate the potential causes: • Check your utensils: Ensure all cooking tools are thoroughly rinsed after washing. • Inspect the steak: Look for signs of spoilage and ensure it was purchased from a reputable source. • Consider the age of the meat: If you aged the meat yourself, research proper aging techniques. • Review spices and marinades: Consider if any ingredients in your recipe might contain compounds that could cause the soapy taste. • If you suspect genetic factors: Keep in mind that some individuals are genetically predisposed to find certain flavors soapy but when two people taste the same thing then there is cross contamination.

Between the rude waitress who felt she knew more then we did and the steak that tasted like soap, it was a very bad experience!! I put forward this and more detailed information to the proper food inspecting agencies (MDARD), Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the office of the FDA, being far away from major cities, I am sure you don’t see these agencies too often. It took one rude person to bring this to light. This could have been avoided if she apologized and offered a solution, but we were never given...

AVOID! Do NOT eat here or support this business!

We called this restaurant at 11:30 am to ask if they could accommodate a group of 20 people for dinner. We were told that despite a party of 50 earlier in the day, if we arrived around 6:30 pm, they could seat us.

We arrived at 6:20 and let the hostess know we were the large group who had called earlier. She acted as though she had no idea what we were talking about and walked away. When she returned, she said they would not be able to seat us and had no estimate for when they could.

After explaining to another staff member that we had called ahead and were told we could be seated, and that we had a 2.5-hour drive back to our Airbnb, we were asked if we’d be okay sitting separately. We agreed, and were told it would be about 15 minutes and to wait outside.

After waiting 30 minutes, we went back inside for an update. The hostess said they were waiting for one specific table to leave so they could seat us all together, despite multiple empty tables (5 or more) being available and despite us confirming we were fine being seated separately.

When I asked again why we couldn’t use the empty tables and that I was confused because we were fine to sit separately, the hostess didn’t respond and left. Minutes later, another staff member (who appeared to be the manager) approached our group with her hands up, saying, “What is the issue here?” in an extremely aggressive and disrespectful tone. She claimed the hostess was “in tears” because I had been rude. I absolutely was not, I just asked her a question. She then continued speaking to me in a raised voice, waving her hands in the air, and accusing me of being rude simply for asking questions. When I told her to stop speaking to me in that manner, she responded, “No! You need to stop being rude!” I told her again to not speak to me that way. She then told us we would not be served and kicked our entire party out of the restaurant.

We were a party of 20, all on one bill, ready to spend well over $1,000.

Instead, we were met with extremely poor communication, a complete lack of professionalism, and outright hostility from management.

The next day, I called the owner, only to be met with the same level of unprofessionalism, rudeness, and complete lack of understanding of what customer service should be.

This is not how paying customers should be treated. No one deserves to be met with the level of aggression and disrespect shown by the staff at this restaurant, especially with the full support of the owner to act to others in this manner.

Being thrown out over a simple and reasonable seating question, while multiple tables being empty and plenty of staff standing by, is absolutely unacceptable.

As someone who spent years in the restaurant industry, I found this experience not only unprofessional and disappointing, but deeply upsetting, especially as it disrupted a special family gathering.

I understand the location is tempting due to no other options in the area (probably how they stay open) but save yourself the trouble and drive a little further to ANYWHERE else!

AVOID!...

The convenience of eating here after visiting the falls is the only thing that would ever cause me to return after our experience in August 2025. Service was poor from the start, and though they weren't busy, there were three groups of people waiting to be seated for at least ten minutes without anyone even acknowledging us, while employees stood nearby at the bar. When a gentleman in line went and asked someone if we were ever going to be helped, he was told that her mom was on reception and would definitely seat people when she could. The woman was pleasant when she finally seated us under a massive wolf carcass (it really was beautiful, but the sentimental side of me always feels a little sad looking at animals mounted on walls). There was no soon for the wait. About ten minutes later we were finally waited on by someone who took our orders and disappeared after checking back once. I would have loved a water refill but left thirsty. We asked for one of our appetizers with the meal and one ahead of time, but both were brought out simultaneously before the meal. My daughter had the mushroom ravioli, and after three of us tried it, none of us would recommend it. The battered fish and chips was average, but we all agreed that the beer cheese spread (with soft pretzels) was the best thing we ordered. They add 4% to the bill when you use a credit card and their tip suggestions are based off the total including tax and the 4% surcharge, which is tacky. Tipping on a charge card surcharge? It wasn't a good experience from start to finish, and though the inside of the brewery looks pretty nice, the atmosphere is tainted by some of the staff, many of whom give off vibes like they're bothered by their patrons. Food choices in Paradise are slim, so in a pinch, stop here with low expectations and you may be ok with...