Michael's on the Lake — Restaurant in Moses Lake

From December 2015. Mostly pros, but some cons.

The atmosphere and decor is nice but could use a little improvement. We were there just a couple days ago and when my husband stood up from his seat, he hit his head on some kind of giant candle holder looking thing that was hung too low on the wall. It broke and glass got all over him and cut his finger pretty bad. A waitress who was close by offered a bandaid but he didn't want one and we just left since we were done eating and had already paid. The manager should have done something about it, but maybe they just didn't notice. They also have this problem at Rock Top; hanging big bulky things low on the wall to where it's an obstruction for a person trying to sit or stand. FIX IT PLEASE!

I like the lake view and sitting on the patio when the weather is warmer. Sometimes the lighting is too low inside. I almost couldn't see my food while sitting in the sun room at about 4:00 a couple weeks ago on a sunday. It is also usually pretty cold in there to where I keep my coat on while eating.

Sometimes I call in to order for pick-up and there have been a few times when something was left out, but I don't notice until I get home and open it. The last time this happened, maybe a month or two ago, the girl on the phone was very rude (i should've asked her name) and she told me that a manager would call me back, but that never happened. She probably didn't even report it. The quality of the food should be the same when you take-out as when you dine-in and include all the same components of the dish.

All cons aside, the food is great, not amazing, but great, and the people are mostly friendly. I couldn't tell you about the bar since we don't drink. We've only ever had to send a dish back once that was too salty; it was shepherd's pie. The prices are very reasonable. Most people in Moses Lake think it's expensive, but they just are not that knowlegable about food and restaurants. They also probably think that Sharis is expensive. My husband usually always gets the prime rib, which is available EVERY DAY of the week, mind you. It's currently 25 dollars here if I remember correctly. In a bigger city, the same exact dish would be upwards of 40 to 60 dollars. We went to Coeur d'Alene a few months ago and ate at The Cedars floating restaurant. My husband got the prime rib there and it was about 35 dollars. He said it was as good as Michael's. One of my favorites is the lobster ravioli; it almost...almost gives me a foodgasm in my mouth...but i still have yet to experience such a thing. For a quick lunch, I love the Cuban pork sandwich. Most of the appetizers are really great too. And I LOVE the salmon. They also make a salmon shrimp ceviche which is pleasantly different. My husband likes to stick with his prime rib, but I like to try different things and I haven't been disappointed... actually one time the calamari disappointed me. It was dry and flavorless. Luckily it had a good sauce to dip in. For dessert, the homemade chocolate banana bread pudding is to die for!!! It is a must-try and very shareable!

All in all, I give Michael's on the Lake 4 out of 5 stars because it's great, but could still use some improvement. Even with the addition of other restaurants in the area, such as Simmer, I still say that Michael's on the Lake is the best restaurant in Grant County, or at least Moses Lake. I haven't tried the Moses Pointe restaurant yet, or Pillar Rock Grill, which I'm told are good. So after I try those, I'll update...

My recent dining experience at Michaels on the Lake on May 4th was quite disappointing, primarily due to the substandard service I received from my designated waitress, Dawn. From the moment she approached my table, there was a discernible negative attitude that permeated her interactions with me. It lacked the basic warmth and attentiveness one typically expects in a restaurant of that caliber, especially considering the price point! While I am generally amenable to spending a considerable amount for a quality meal, it is predicated on the expectation of top-notch service. Unfortunately, Dawn's demeanor suggested a clear disinterest in ensuring a positive dining experience for me. Her attempts at hospitality felt forced and inauthentic, making each interaction somewhat uncomfortable and strained.

The situation escalated when my appetizer failed to arrive in due course. After a reasonable waiting period, I politely inquired with another food server about its status. This seemingly innocuous inquiry unfortunately led to a rather unpleasant confrontation. The food server relayed my question to Dawn, who then marched over my table, visibly fuming. To my utter shock and disbelief, she proceeded to scold me, in a manner akin to reprimanding a child, for not having informed her directly about the missing appetizer sooner. Her tone was accusatory and entirely inappropriate for a service professional addressing a patron. Following this astonishing reprimand, she turned and walked away, casting a seething look back at me. I was genuinely taken aback and deeply offended by her attitude and the fact that she felt it was acceptable to scold a customer. Such behavior is not only unprofessional but also demonstrates a significant lack of maturity and understanding of basic customer service principles.

I wasn't going to write a negative review, but Dawn compounded a negative dining experience by returning with my credit card and check and practically throwing them on the table without any acknowledgment or thanks and marching away with an attitude. Dawn's dismissive manner of handling my payment ultimately compelled me to share my experience. This incident has left a lasting negative impression on my overall dining experience at Michaels...

I didn't take any photos of the food because it was soon delicious it was gone before I thought about it.

First course - got the mahi mahi tacos and these were to die for. I could have eaten these as my full meal and I was sad to have to share with my SO

Second course - I got the Ceasar salad and SO got the wedge. He enjoyed his a lot and my Ceasar was one of the best I have ever had. The parm slices were thick and actually tasted fresh and not pungent like parmesan can sometimes be. The fresh made croutons were great. Not so hard like rocks like some places and had a good crunch and flavor of their own. Perfectly dressed and seasoned salad. Not boring.

Entree - I got the parmesan panko crusted halibut on the mushroom tomato pesto cream sauce on linguine. It was delicious. The halibut was probably a bit overcooked for my tastes but I found out later I could have asked for it less done just like steak preference. I still found it delicious. The panko breading really had parmesan flavor like it was mostly cheese and great crust. The linguine I miss even while writing this. It was also a lot of food. The halibut was like two standard post it note size width and thickness. In my experience with halibut restaurants typically give you half that. My husband got the seafood fettuccine and though I didn't taste it, he said it was the best he ever had. Swimming in seafood and a flavorful Alfredo.

Dessert - yes we managed to save room for dessert.... we got the banana bread pudding and split it. It was to die for. I usually hate bread pudding but I thought to take a risk and the bread pudding was not soggy They served the sauce on the side and came with a huge bowl of vanilla ice cream with caramel and hot fudge. We also got a slice of chocolate peanut butter cake to go and ended up eating it for breakfast. The cake was good too but the bread pudding was really the star.

I would 10/10 return and get exactly the same food again. Can't wait to go back...