Lake Bluff Grille — Restaurant in Muskegon

We dined for the first time at the Lake Bluff Grille for Thanksgiving Buffet. When making the reservation I requested a booth and were consequently given a much later time which was less than desirable for our schedule. Upon arrival they had no knowledge of our request for a booth and a booth was not ready. Once we were finally seated, we sat unattended for about 10". We made contact with a man we later identified as the General Manager who was busing a nearby table and asked him for water. He brought us the water and advised us that our server would be with us right away. Another 5 plus minutes passed and still no server. When the server finally showed up, we placed a wine order. Several minutes later he returned to advise that they were out of that wine, and he offered us an alternative. Instead of bringing the alternative wine he had to go back and get the alternative bottle. Upon returning he had somehow found the wine we originally requested. After going to the buffet to get some appetizers we returned to the table to find that our full wine glasses had been cleared from the table. We registered a complaint with the server, who offered us no real concern or interest in remedying the situation. I demanded then that we not be charged for the wine, and he grudgingly complied. We had been in the restaurant now for about 30 - 40" and had yet to have the main courses. Before having a chance to go to the buffet for the main dishes our server wanted to give us our check. Not sure, but perhaps the wait staff was eager to depart for the day. We did enjoy several of the dishes on the buffet, but they were mostly unremarkable.

My assessments are that the restaurant is poorly managed and staffed, and that the training of the staff is inadequate and not customer focused. Much more attention needs to be paid to customer service and care which embraces a genuine attitude of concern for the wellbeing of patrons to ensure a more positive experience. The food quality was okay, but nothing special. That too was somewhat disappointing.

We have a family member that has been looking forward to dining at the Lake Bluff Grill, and we will probably take them, but are dubious. We are hoping for an improved experience, however if we don't have one, we will not be returning to this...

So disappointed. Came here for a late dinner after our wedding ceremony had nothing but issues and then after letting the manager know about it by email, instead of leaving a bad review, he said he would reimburse the egregious gratuity and still have yet to have that happen since 9/28. To start, when we got there we were ignored by several wait staff before two women finally came over and asked us if we had a reservation and then proceeded to argue in front of us which of them was taking our party. They had the patio doors open almost the entirety of our dinner, at 8:30pm at night so there were bugs everywhere flying around. I asked about their champagne and the first waitress said she would ask about them and then never returned so we ordered regular drinks. Our assigned waitress informed us that the systems were down so she wasn't sure how our night was going to go because they couldn't run credit cards or tickets to the kitchen, I told her I didn't have cash to pay for dinner so assuming we'd have to leave and she then said they could do it the old way by writing the information down. She reminded us several times she wasn't "sure how the night was going to go". This as a patron is not my problem, very unprofessional and upsetting as we were there celebrating a momentous occasion. She never asked me husband if he wanted a refill on his beer, she took drinks and plates away before we were finished. They forgot the grilled onions that were ordered and paid for on two dinners and the waitress told the boy who brought the dinners out to go grab them and then he never did. She finally came back and asked awhile later while they waited to eat their food. Then she received a $70.00 tip automatically per their gratuity rules on large parties. Disgusting. I wouldn't have given her $10 based on how she handled anything during our experience. Wish I could say the food was at least good but it was par at best. Everyone in our party was surprised and disappointed on the whole experience. I really expected more from this restaurant. The location and view are the only positive...

Edit 6/8/25: Once again, my wife and I visited for a special occasion. We ordered the French Dip with mushrooms and onions and the Salmon Wellington. The Salmon Wellington was the hands-down star of the show. Presentation was amazing, and I have the picture to prove it. It was crispy on the outside, and the salmon was perfectly cooked in the center. It was delicious and very filling, and will definitely be considered for a repeat order during our next visit. The French Dip was decent, but the flavors of each ingredient didn't stand out; it all just tasted like salty meat. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I'd strongly recommend that you find something more distinct on their menu. The atmosphere was wonderful as always. Proximity to the golf course and lake makes for one of the most scenic places to eat in the county.

Edit 7/23/23: My wife and I celebrated our third anniversary here as well! This place definitely holds up: gorgeous views, good food, and great atmosphere. This time around, I got the Lobster Bisque and Perch Sandwich and my wife got the Faroe Island Salmon. The Lobster Bisque is very rich and creamy. It tastes great, but I'd recommend getting a cup with your entree instead of ordering just a bowl for your meal. The Perch Sandwich was so good I had a hard time putting it down! The salmon was delicious as well. Definitely still putting this high on the list of places to eat for anyone in the area.

My wife and I chose to celebrate our second anniversary here at the brand new Lake Bluff Grille, and we were not disappointed! The outdoor seating has a spectacular view of the lake. We just had to take a few pictures to capture the moment. My wife got the Perch Sandwich, and I got the Truffle Mushroom Swiss burger. Delicious, well-cooked, and flavorful, we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of food. We opted for the Raspberry Almond Cake after dinner, which was just as good. We would recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area looking for a nice place to celebrate a special occasion, or even just somewhere to...