6633 Main StreetDays on Mackinac Island seem longer and more physically demanding. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. The lack of cars for hauling stuff around leads to me dragging 90 pounds of equipment up a pretty steep hill to the Grand Hotel first thing in the morning. By the time the day was done and we made the trek back to Mission Point, I was hungry and just wanted to watch a little football.
My co-workers had eaten the dinner provided by the conference we were attending at the Grand at some point, so I was on my own for dinner. I was fine with that. I had thought about walking back in to town, but all the bars looked pretty packed. The Michigan State vs. Notre Dame football game was about to kick off and everyone was packed in to the bars for the game.
Fortunately, Mission Point has it’s own bar with a decent beer selection, a large food menu, and TV’s to watch the game on.
Round Island Bar & Grill is in the registration building at Mission Point resort east of downtown Mackinac Island on Main Street.
The restaurant is one of five dining options around Mission Point and it’s really the only one I would have felt comfortable at eating by myself.
Round Island Bar & Grill is right inside the lobby of the main building. It’s off to the right when you walk in and down a small flight of stairs. There’s a host stand at the top of the stairs. A hostess asked me if I was joining them for dinner and I asked if it’d be alright if I just sat at the bar. Despite the game getting ready to start, the bar was actually pretty empty with only a couple of other people taking my idea to watch the game while enjoying a couple beers and dinner.
The main dining area is pretty large with high ceilings and a combination of large booths and tables mixed throughout the space. The restaurant goes for a “lodge” look with wood paneled ceilings and walls. The lights are kept pretty low even in the dining room with only a couple of chandeliers and some accent lighting on the walls providing light for the whole space.
The large half circle bar is in the back of the space. It’s kind of separated from the dining room by a large brick pillar where the TV’s are hung. There’s very little light in the bar area at all. Most people were having to use the flashlights on their cell phones just to look a the menu.
Lighting is not really an issue during the day as large windows overlook the grassy field that separates Mission Point from Lake Huron. There are pub tables along these windows where you can look out and watch the barges come in or, during that magic hour, watch the sunset as you enjoy a couple of beers.
There’s also a big outdoor area right off the bar that I never got around to looking at. It was on the other side of the room from where I was sitting and I forgot to go grab a picture before I left.
My co-workers and I had actually come down the night before just to get beers after I got to the Island. They had already been there for several hours. I met them just after 8:00 and we went down to grab a couple before bed, so I already knew the taplist when I went in for dinner. I really enjoyed the Saugatuck Brewing New Day IPA which is brewed for Mission Point. I ordered one of those then asked if I could see a menu to get something to eat.
The Round Island menu is classic pub food. Soups, salads, sandwiches, appetizers, and a handful of entrees. The menus is pretty small and doesn’t have any fancy burger options. The only one on the menu is the Island Burger, so that’s what I ordered.
The Island Burger is a house blend of beef topped with lettuce, tomato onion and a house made “Island sauce.” It’s served on a pretty standard sesame seed bun and choice of cheese. I picked the aged cheddar and also added on a fried egg for $3. The burger itself was just kind of a middle of the road burger. It was cooked well with a slightly pink center and it was very juicy. The aged cheddar and greasy, peppery fried egg really added a lot to this sandwich to give more flavor and more depth. The bun was also kind of a let down. It tasted like a pretty standard bought at the grocery store off the bread shelf bun. It worked for getting the burger to my mouth but that was really about it.
The sandwich comes with choice of fries, salad, or tomato-basil soup. I chose the fries. They were, again, pretty standard restaurant fries served with a small cup of ketchup for dipping. The fries were nice and crispy on the outside and soft and airy in the middle, but lacked any kind of discerning flavor. I finished them all though and they were a good finish to the meal.
The cost of the meal was just under $25 which is really a pretty good price on Mackinac Island. I was happy with the meal it just didn’t leave me saying, “daaaaaaa-yuuuuummmm.” It was a pretty typical bar meal in an atypical bar setting with great views of Lake Huron. Round Island is a solid option when you’re staying at Mission Point or just want to get away from all the activity on Main Street yet still want to be able to enjoy a laid back pub.
