And they support craft beer with 23 taps, 14 of them featuring Michigan breweries. The creamy and rich tomato soup, made with Peggy's recipe, is a MUST! They source meats locally at Irish Hills Meats. They make many things in-house, including most sauces and soups. We were impressed with the overall operation, including the attentive wait staff (it swells to 100-plus during the busy summer season). John Collins has even opened a gift shop and ice cream stand across the street and on the water, and boat slips are available for those who want to come over and enjoy dinner or live music on the patio, where the lake is visible.

A drive-up window is just as busy as the restaurant, which makes it one of the top spots for those spending time on Clark Lake.

He beams with pride of the family history, which you can see on the walls through photos and memorabilia. Today it is owned by John Collins, Tommy and Peggy's son, and third-generation owner. It has gone through several expansions, so much so that you can still see the tree that once stood outside of the restaurant now in the middle of the dining room. Then in 1976 it was re-acquired by their son, Tom, and his wife, Peggy. It was a thriving restaurant/destination, but the Collins' sold it after 13 years. Harry and Marie Collins first met at the Ocean Beach Pier in the early '30s, and eventually opened the Beach Bar across the street in 1946 when the dance pavilion was torn down. Located about 20 minutes southeast of Jackson, Clark Lake has a storied history as a summer fun destination for locals and visitors, dating back to the mid-1800s when people came by train to vacation. Factor in great desserts, a great drink menu and you have a perfect destination for any occasion. The big surprise for both of us was the pan-seared halibut ($32), a very meaty halibut filet seared perfectly and served atop creamy mushroom asparagus risotto with a lemon beurre blanc sauce. We loved the 'flavor explosion' of the Twin Boursin Beef Filets ($34), topped with Boursin cheese medallions, mushroom caps, haystack onions, and demi-glace, served with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and asparagus. We loved everything coming out of the kitchen from chef Seth Bouchard, including the signature, lip-smacking bacon wrapped BBQ shrimp appetizer ($15) and the whitefish dip ($13) served with Naan bread, flatbread crackers and baby gerkins. Food is not allowed in the patio area because of health department regulations, Parkhurst said. A popular Tiki bar keeps the party going as live music entertains those waiting for a table. The gorgeous setting overlooks the west arm of Grand Traverse Bay where diners see boats of all sizes. 'My role is to be the caretaker of the Apache Trout Grill so it can continue to serve its role as a cherished waterfront, community gathering place.” We couldn't agree more. 'This restaurant belongs to the community and the people that patronize it,' Lobdell said when taking over the restaurant. The transition in the last year has been smooth since not much has changed. Good luck finding a parking spot during prime dinner time any day of the week. Now under the ownership of Jeff Lobdell and Scott Parkhurst of Restaurant Partners, based in Grand Rapids and Traverse City, the popularity of Apache Trout Grill has not waned. The Apache Trout Grill, which was founded by Mike and Sheila Connors in 1994 out of a passion for the Northern Michigan outdoors and their love of the fresh fish, has carved out that niche. Oddly, for the Traverse City area, there are not a lot of restaurants on the water. It was one of our favorites of the whole trip and includes fresh banana, strawberries, coconut and spiced rum. The signature drink? The fresh-fruit Rum Runner ($10), which is frozen and served around the clock.

Seafood is a large part of the menu, including crab legs, grouper, shrimp linguine, crab cakes, Lake Perch, beer steamed shrimp, ceviche and more. No reservations, but there are transient slips available near the outdoor Tiki Bar, which was getting a trim on the day we visited. It rests 120 feet alongside the waters where you can see Captain Lou's and the waterway leading to the Big Lake. We stopped because you always go where the locals send you, right? Opening in August of 2014, Admiral Jack's is constructed of six steel barges and is a permanently moored floating bar/restaurant vessel. © Copyright 2022 Destination NSW.We were only scheduled to visit two places in South Haven, but our 'tour guides' at Captain Lou's said we really needed to check out Admiral Jack's, which is located right on the Black River near the Idler-Riverboat. is the official tourism site for Destination NSW.

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