The Pointe Bar & Grill

We were so excited when The Dunigan family bought the property with the promise of a new restaurant.
We were and are sorely disappointed with what Mike McKay and Mr. Mercer designed and Dunigan’s allowed to be built.
The entire restaurant, from a design standpoint (not decorator) is wrong.
1. No fireplace – HUGE design mistake! it’s winter here for 6 – 7 months!
2. Bar looks out to the asphalt parking lot and the Dunigan inventory of rafts and a party store.
3. The main dining room looks like a cafeteria.
4. The porch is hot with no ceiling fans; faces west with no window treatments. It’s all glass and loud!
5. Service staff is good and very nice but unkempt and sloppy.
6. Food is decent, thanks to Daryl, and Phyllis is a class-​act hostess.
It’s a shame to have let so many possibilities fall through the cracks. It seems the powers-​that-​be gave no thought to function, practicality, atmosphere or their customers. They could have had a gold mine.

Cold! I love the view but cold food? Service was good but both of our entrees were cold. They offered to warm it up and offered a free dessert, but we went for good food. Unacceptable. Oh, I forgot to mention the server who brought our food– tipped over Ed’s beer– cleaned it up after asking me to hold up my entrée so he wipe underneath it… And walked away… No offer to replace the full beer spilled on the table! Classy!!!

Finally, somewhere nearby that has food we like! Everything we had was surprisingly good.

Where the drink menu has prices but they are completely arbitrary and change several times in the same visit without ever being what the menu actually says. Strangely $ 5 drinks were $ 5.50 and $ 6.25 (see pictures of menu and receipt) — this has happened on two separate occasions and no adjustments or apologies were made on either occasion.
Food is much better than any time I have been in the past with Daryl at the helm. Music is good (Benny Poole)… Atmosphere is great.

First time at the point. Had oysters, mussels, walleye and a fantastic goat cheese flat bread. Great bar selection and coffee. The night was topped off with after drinks and dancing on the back deck. What a great evening out. I think this is daryl’s best creation. We are fans of great food. I recommend the point to everyone.

I Have gone to the Pointe quite a few times now with friends, and family and several times just my husband and I. The place is very nice inside compared to many other places up here on the lake. Waitresses have been friendly however many times they are overwhelmed and you can sit at a table 15 minutes before anyone even acknowledges you are there!(one night another couple left in disgust but we stuck it out) My food has been good, the tuna is great but when we came in as a party of 12 (with a reservation) only half of the food came out after a very long wait and several dishes were bad when they were finally served to the last half of our party. I’d like to see a manager roam around talk to guests and find out how the experience is for the patrons and perhaps run interference. Outside the staff will not make eye contact. Saying «Hi someone will be right with you!» is just good manners and goes along way when you have been sitting for 10 – 15 minutes with no one saying a word to you! Darrell needs to make it a point to see that everyone will come back instead of just relying on friends. Hard to become a regular if you feel ignored. I will give it a few more tires. My recent experience was better so maybe someone is catching on:)

Enjoyed an early dinner with Sandra and Sue. The ladies enjoyed Cajun Catfish, which was very good. I had a very tasty Ahi Tuna appetizer downed with a cold bottle of Dragons Milk. A side of chili was also very tasty!

After a long day at the race track, my coworkers and I were concerned that any restaurant we visited the food and service would be poor due to the late hour of our arrival but I have never been happier to be proved wrong than with our visit to Pointe Bar and Grill. The service was great; even the server in training was accommodating. The food was delicious and not because we were all starving either (we actually tested this theory as we ordered lunch to go next day). Though I enjoyed my shrimp and lobster pasta and absolutely loved, loved, loved the table bread served before our meals and the flash fried calamari fries. delicious and will visit again next year when in town!

Every time we’ve gone to The Point, we’ve had a superior dining experience and last night was no exception. We got there earlier than usual, so chose from the early bird menu. Combined with that, it was a Wednesday and well drinks were on sale, making the total bill very reasonable. My sirloin steak was perfectly prepared, the mashed potatoes were great and veggies were ok (I’m old fashioned and wouldn’t have minded if the green beans and carrots were cooked a little more, but I know others like them a tad crunchy so let’s just say they were fine); the chicken corn chowder was wonderful, and the bread exactly as expected (meaning mouthwatering). My better half had Cajun blackened catfish and he said it was phenomenal. To top it off, the chocolate mousse was heavenly — a darker chocolate crunchy crust topped with rich mousse topped with whipped cream topped with strawberries. Think I’ve gained another few pounds just describing it!

Thank GOD we found this place! If you’re looking for a great dinner, with a beautiful view, and affordable pricing, this is the place to go. My husband and I are willing to pay good money for great food, and this place has great food but is not pricey for what you get. That’s going to save us a lot of money!
We’ve gone about 5 – 6 times and we just discovered it last month. The food is very good… my favorite is chef’s special pasta dish. the bacon wrapped shrimp is bomb too! but it only comes with 3 pieces of shrimp, so be sure to order more if you have more than 2 people on the table. I still have not tried everything on the menu, but we have not been disappointed with any of the dishes yet!
And you get a breathtaking view of Clark lake… it’s just beautiful, whether you sit inside or outside. Definitely recommend if you want to a have a great dinner that’s more on the fancy side and won’t break the bank!

Great location wonderful atmosphere and very attentive staff. The menu could be a little more varied but they offer some nice local specialties (Walleye) and other unusual specials. The bar chairs are the most comfortable I’ve ever sat in and I’m a bar guy…

Took my parents here for dinner tonight. Right away, the host warned us there would be a wait on the food because it had been busy and he thanked us for our patience — very polite. The waitress (I think her name was Cassie) was very knowledgeable about the menu. She was also very polite and friendly. She came by often to make sure we were doing okay. All three of us enjoyed our food. I tried all 3 meals — crab-​encrusted walleye, salmon, and pot roast — and all were delicious. Overall, great experience!

Very caring people and they strive to make sure you have exactly what you ordered to perfection. The food is also amazing. Will be going back a lot. Very polite which is also very nice

Tonight I went with my family to the Pointe for a late dinner. The service was good. The food was ok. I requested my salad with out croutons (being critical but) there still were. But that’s not the big problem. The big problem was my salmon. I ordered it grilled but it was poached. Also my mashed potatoes tasted as if they were mixed with water. The menu is not very gluten-​free friendly though. I will come back, but it is pricy.

Our initial impression of The Pointe came during the annual «taste of the Irish Hills» event, where we were astounded to discover an establishment of such apparent class and culinary expertise amongst the otherwise drab offerings of the local area. The interior is upscale and elegant, with clean décor and high ceilings complimented by a 180 degree view of Clark Lake. Although a free tasting event, with small samples provided to showcase the local restaurants, guests were treated to full table service and received with warmth and hospitality by the waitstaff.
Unfortunately, our return visit was not so pleasant. With a reservation at 8 PM, I assumed that we would be slightly later than the dinner rush, but in no way be putting off the staff. However, we were repeatedly rushed through the dining process by our waitress and our food arrived at a pace enviable by McDonalds executives. The food itself ran the gamut of quality, from quite good to downright dreadful. My entrée was a crab stuffed salmon atop vegetable risotto accompanied by asparagus. Delicious, I will admit, but most things soaked in that much butter and oil are quite good. My wife ordered the nightly special, which was a petit filet mignon topped with a menagerie of other proteins and sauces. Presentation was excellent, but what followed was a unique experience among our many years of bovine appreciation. The cut, though cooked to perfection and beautiful to behold, had zero flavour as if it had been produced by some future technology capable of printing delectable meals out of an otherwise flavorless engineered complex of amino acids and binder. The analysis was confirmed around the table, and reluctantly brought to our waitress’ attention. She promptly apologized and carried away my wife’s meal, but to our surprise it was still included in the bill, and would remain there despite our polite protest.
Which brings me to perhaps the top reason for the low rating. Our waitress, while well intentioned, seemed to lack any knowledge of the dining procedures that accompany a bill of over $ 100 for two people. The lack of professionalism and casual manner in which my guests were treated was downright embarrassing.
The Pointe’s identity crisis is manifest in other ways as well, such as the inclusion of plastic McCormack’s salt and pepper grinders on the table. All in all, the place reminds me of a young child trying on his dad’s suit. The Pointe can invest all it wants in tableware and décor, but without management and staff that know how to behave in a fine restaurant, area diners might as well stick with «Jus’ Bad Food»… It’s a more authentic Irish Hills experience.

The cuisine is exceptional for the Irish Hills area. The restaurant is esthetically pleasing and comfortable. A first class operation unparalleled in the area. Even with that, the prices are not out of line with what you’d pay at far lesser establishments in the area. I’ve eaten there twice and have had seafood and pasta and both were excellent. Service was as good as any place I’ve been in the area. If this restaurant was in Ann Arbor it would be 4 stars but it isn’t. I’m impressed.

I can’t say enough about the outstanding service we received not only by Matt (our server) but by all of the other staff members and management who truly made sure we were having a good time and enjoying our food. The menu is limited in selection, but the items are reasonably priced and very high quality. We brought our kids and I wouldn’t say that the restaurant caters to kids because of the very small menu. But, they were very welcome there and several staff members stopped by to talk to them and dropped off extra crackers to make sure they were content. The atmosphere is perfect for the lake setting and we can’t wait to visit again when we’re in town!

The atmosphere and building is nice. The menu is pretty small. If you want a lot of options this is not the place. The food tasted fine however nothing special and probably not worth the price. Our server didn’t know any of the specials but thankfully she had someone who was training with her that knew. The bar is separated from the restaurant which is nice depending on what you’re looking for. Occasionally they have live entertainment. Not a place I would go often if I ever go back at all.

Food was great and a great view of the lake. Really loud though especially on the enclosed porch. They need to add sound boards to the ceiling and walls.

Very nice atmosphere with a lakeside view. The food is very reasonably priced. I had the stuffed chicken leg with thai purple rice and chili. The chili was beef and bean based and was very good — spicy but not too spicy, and was not oversalted (a pet peeve of mine with chili. The stuffed chicken leg was large and tasty. The thai purple rice was a bit tasteless, I thought. Everyone at my table liked what they got, including the children. My son is pretty picky, but he cleaned his pasta plate. Recommended.