Wild Dog Grille

Nice local restaurant but keep an eye on your drink. Recently, several of my friends had something slipped into their drinks. When reported to the owner, there was no response or follow up. As a local, I will not take my business there & have asked others not to as well.

Great dinning in Douglas but because you can’t make a reservation I tend to forget it’s an option. Bartenders are friendly and use there sex appeal in all the right ways. Food is good but not a great value for the price. In the end it’s always a great time if you can stand to wait an hour for a table.
If you want a reservation go to Hercules or Zing both have menus that are similar and executed well. Wild dog doesn’t disappoint but be prepared to wait.

Best Grilled Cheese EVER… We made a special trip here on the way to Traverse City just to have this again! Douglas is a small quaint town just across the bridge from Saugatuck.

I am so glad we found Wild Dog. The service was great and the food was good. The dining room has an intimate feeling but half the diners are wearing shorts, so the atmoshpere is fairly casual.
Decent beer list. Next time maybe we will wait for the patio.

Such a treat to have a place like this in Douglas. You cannot go wrong sitting on the patio on a gorgeous late summer day, eat one of their juicy burgers (hands down, best in the area), sip a Bloody, and watch passers-​by. My hubby and I were in a blissful state. On top of it, the service is always on point, relaxed but on top of everything. It is a staple– and a golden one at that!

The basic burger with provolone cheese was fantastic. Their fries are perfectly seasoned.
Wife got the Chicken «Parme-​Cata». She enjoyed the dish with the fresh flavor of the tomato and mozzarella. She really enjoyed the lemon flavor of it as well. She commented that the breading on the chicken ended up quite soggy because of the sauce the chicken was cooked in/​had drizzled over it. Otherwise she really enjoyed every forkful.
Ps the calamari was superb!
Unfortunately we tried to experience dinner on the patio and the mosquitoes got at our legs and ankles so I would recommend the establishment invests in a fogger/​torches or every table have a citronella tea light or something. It was a very pleasant scene outside and much more comfortable than the frigid indoor seating (and I never complain about the a/​c) that was offered.

Three things. Beer, sweet potato fries and grilled cheese sandwich. Winner, winner and winner. We love Wild Dog Grille.

This is on of those places I alway like coming to but always leave slightly disappointed. We were told the wait would be 30 minutes. It ended up being 90. The hostess sat 2 large parties in front of us gobbling outdoor tables together and told me they had to seat them first because they had nowhere else to put them. Well how about waiting for the people who had been there first to do that. Our waitress cam back 30 minutes after our order to ask a question about our entrée and apparently had not put them in. So now been here over 2 hours and not happy. People who were seated after us had already finished their meals at this point. The food was actually good but not worth the hassle. They should really take reservations. Friday and Saturday nights this place is a zoo. Better to come when it’s not packed beyond their capability to handle the crowds.

The wild dog is a very well decorated restaurant with a nice patio. We were seated quickly. Service was pretty awkward. Not bad really, but unfriendly and sometimes weird. For example, instead of taking a pitcher to refill soda the sever brought a regular cup and started pouring «refills» into the wrong cups. They menu is divided into sandwiches, pizzas and entrees. The sandwiches are reasonably priced from $ 10 – 13. The pizzas were similarly priced. The entrees rand from $ 17−20+.
We had the four cheese pizza which was just too much. It was very oily and salty, and not very enjoyable. The regular pizza was pretty good. However, we ordered pepperoni/​sausage and received pepperoni/​mushroom. This is an issue when they person ordering it can’t eat mushrooms and the server can’t be found to fix the order. We also had the fish tacos. The flavor was very good but the «tacos» we’re actually way too big and they were more like small burritos. Finally we had the pork enchiladas. The flavor was good and the pickled onions and peppers were enjoyable. I thought the back beans and rice was bland. The price point for the enchiladas was high compared to the quality of other dishes in this price range for the area.
Overall the wild dog was an ok experience. I don’t think I will be back, but it is a decent option of you are looking for causal dining experience with a short wait on a busy night.

We stopped in at The Wild Dog Grille for a quick lunch before hitting the beach. We enjoyed their outdoor patio with plenty of shaded seating. Decent beer list with local options. I went with the grilled cheese — Pesto Spinach Cheese Dip, Provolone, Smoked Mozzarella, fresh Spinach and Sun-​Dried Tomatoes. Gooey goodness between 2 slices of bread that I will be craving for a long time! I chose chips for my side. Too salty for my taste but had an excellent crunch. My husband had The Wild Dog & fries — Beer Brat topped with house made Pub Cheese Mustard, Dill Pickle-​Pepperoncini Relish, sliced Tomato & Scallion on a Sesame Seed fresh baked Hoagie Roll. I didn’t try it but I could tell he really enjoyed it. Our server was very friendly but a little slow bringing our check at the end. Not a big deal. We were probably in a hurry to get to the beach!

Impressive display of excellence in an eclectic range of dishes. From Thai to Mexican to American traditional, all dishes are stupendous. Service is warm and prompt.
Highlights (in rank order):
— Sweet Potato Fries — perfectly crisped, piping hot, and garnished with a cool coconut aioli.
— Crab Cakes — genuine fresh crab meat this far from the coast? Yes, and well seasoned with a light panko and Asian slaw to boot.
— Cocktails — the bartenders pour heavy and mix new twists on classics.
— Thai Beef Skewers — spicy, tender beef over a bed of lightly fried rice with snap crisp veggies and coconut curry. Outstanding.
— Adobo Enchiladas — these would stand out even at a Mexican joint; the rice/​bean side is more of a risotto and a star all its own.

No complaints about the food. The service was terrible. Pro-​tip: When a 5yo says, «Where did our waiter go? Maybe he died» that’s a pretty good indication the server is awful.
We waited an hour for our food. An hour from the time we ordered. In that time, our waiter came by once to refill my drink and tell us the food would be right out (and yes, he refilled my drink and no one else’s). It was out 20 minutes after that when it finally came (again AN HOUR total). We sat there with empty glasses, no food, and no indication of what was going on. People who came in after us left before us and the only thing we got as far as an apology was from a completely different server who said, «We had some big tables.» OK, I can understand delays but what I can’t understand is completely ignoring your table.

My husband and I dined here upon a friend’s recommendation. The food and drinks did not disappoint. I devoured my delicious enchilada as did my husband the chicken parm-​cada. The french martini was delish.
However, I have one huge issue. We sat at the bar to eat. The bartender, at one point, pulled the rubber band off his pony tail/​bun and started running his fingers through his semi-​greasy very long hair. This went on for several minutes, then he pulled it all up back in the bun. Unfortunately, he failed to wash his hands. Instead he went right back to making drinks, handling garnishments and serving. I was a bit taken aback. If we hadn’t already eaten, we would have left.
Shortly after, he started texting on his phone — again without washing his hands. I wondered if he had any idea of how many germs were on that phone.
Gross!
So based on that, I probably won’t return to the restaurant because I can’t help but wonder about the cleanliness of the entire restaurant.

Great patio. Lovely interior space. Our spinach cheese appetizer was wonderful. Shrimp pesto entrée was full of super fresh ingredients. The enchiladas were delicious too. Huge portions. Our kids ordered pasta with cheese sauce and ribs from the kids menu. Both were fabulous. Only downfall– skimpy draft beer selection.

We enjoyed the Wild Dog so much while on vacation we had to come back a second time before we left! If you’re in the mood for a burger, they are awesome. Ground sirloin and ribeye make for a great balance and they are cooked just right — charred on the outside and juicy on the inside. The fries are fresh and seasoned perfectly. My wife had a great mediterranean salad which came with a delicious chicken skewer. They had a good kids menu, but I wish my son’s sandwich would have included a side of chips or fries.
They have their own ale which was very nice and went well with our outdoor meals on a summer day. Needless to say we will be back!

I’m torn with this place. It wants to be at least four stars but can only achieve three. The food is serviceable and the atmosphere is actually good, but the service team appears to consist of either failed artists or high school juniors on summer break. I think with the right team spirit and appropriate communication of verve, that coveted fourth star could be within reach. Not so much that elusive fifth star, without a new management team, multi-​carrier cellular boosters, and enhanced menu items. There’s a reason Everyday People Café across the street had a line around the corner and we walked right jn to a 4-​top here. But all things considered, it’s better than Burger King.

Great food. Great drinks. Fun atmosphere. The hostess was completely clueless, but everything else made us forget about it.

Hidden gem right down the road from Saugauck.
Had some very tasty truffle fries and a bowl of their chili for the starters. The fries were seasoned nicely and were great for sharing. The chili was hearty and had a bit of a kick.
Tried the full rack of ribs served with house made tater tots. Ribs are dry rubbed and then dressed in a nice bbq sauce and could be eaten with a fork and knife.
On a different occasion, tried the chipotle lacquered salmon. Prepared nicely and loved the scallion potato cakes that accompanied the dish.
For dessert, our wonderful server perfectly brûléed the dessert.
Great example of a local restaurant doing things right.
Insider tip: menu features seasonal offerings so make sure to try those before they’re gone.

Came to this place on a sleepy, snowy night. We were the only table in the bar and felt like we had the place to ourselves (I’m sure it’s a MUCH different story in the summer when the beach towns are booming!).
Started with the hummus, which was delicious and enough to share for 2 – 4 people. Then enjoyed the Caesar salad with sweet potato fries, which were the best I’ve had! I loved the dipping sauce and the coconut flakes; so unique. Diners with me enjoy the enchiladas and the curry dish. Great options for gluten and dairy-​free diners.
Will def be back — next time to sit by the fireplace in the main dining room!

Food is good. Menu very creative. Service is a bit slow, but in these small towns it can be hard to find good help. I had the Fish Tacos and my wife had the Wild Dog burger. And we both had the sweet potato fries. She and I both enjoyed our meals greatly. The fish tacos have a kick to them you might not expect, but not too much heat
The décor is cool, a lot of large exotic taxidermy but in a very ‘chic’ way. Huge wine cellar you must peek at behind the bar
Would go again for sure