Riley`s Grill in Mackinac Island

Had a wonderful time with my hubby and kiddos here! They had great food and even better service. The owner greeted our family and the waitress we had went above and beyond for us, with everything going on right now the island is just opening up for the season, and they made us feel right at home! The brisket dinner with the smoked mac and cheese SOOOOO GOOD! Also the cheddar broccoli soup! My daughter loved the trashcan nachos, and the burgers were also fantastic! Will definitely be going back to try some of their other menu items ( and maybe a cocktail) 🍹

I got way over charged and the kid drinks were the same as Adult ones with no lids! We got an order of kid quesadillas, a pulled pork wrap, a hamburger Two orders of fries and four drinks. They charged me 71.00 and some odd cents. Never even got a refill on my soda. No sour cream or chips to go with the quesadilla. The fries were only like five in the basket. Very disappointed.

With limited ferry runs for the time being, we had a little time to wait near the docks for our ride. Smokey Jose's was the perfect solution! With both indoor and outdoor seating, we couldn't have found a better way to spend our time. Can't wait to go back!

Delicious food and great view on the water. Staff was great! Owner came down to say hello and ask how we were doing. Definitely will be back. Had the pick 3 meats and 2 sides meal. Great value for the money as well. The quality was definitely there as well. More than just a job well done. Exceeded our expectations. Phenomenal experience at Smokey Jose’s.

The service is amazing! Cassie was our server and she was on top of everything and very accomodating. The drinks and foods were great! The only things that makes this less than a 5-star review is 1. The prices are extremely high plus they charge a 2% fee to pay with a debit/credit card. And 2. The kids meal options were limited (only 3 choices and they were out of one) and no side substitutions allowed.

Were seated away from water until we asked if seating was available by the water. Got a table by the water after asking, & ordered shareable "trashcan nachos" for $24 which was basically a small bag of dry chips, 2 tablespoons of stringy brisket, with enough cheese for about 10 chips. I wish i would've taken pictures because it was pretty terrible, especially for $24. The ribs were mediocre and burger and fries were average. Ketchup bottle had about a tablespoon worth in it and when we got another one it was the same. My daughter ended up getting packets of ketchup from bartender. Would not recommend and won't be back.Disappointing, low quality, food for high prices.Nothing special for sure.All waiters were very polite and fairly quick.

Delicious food! We didn't come here for the scenery, but that is also beautiful. The brisket is just perfect.

We had our daughters wedding reception here. We were told there would be music to only find out when we arrived there was none. The owner who talked a good game when booking the restaurant along with their "Wedding Coordinator". We did all the planning after paying for them to do so. The food was so so, the service was slow. The owner never came to check on us, he hid. Everyone is correct that he has no bed side manner. I held back on posting a review as this was a year ago but I decided to do so as to maybe save someone else from wasting their money.

Good food. Nachos were tasty. Brisket baked beans were awesome. Pulled pork sandwiches we're good. Nice place for a bite to eat at the end of dock 1. Friendly staff and clean restaurant. Mix of BBQ and Mexican. Tasty!

I got the smoked brisket and thought it tasted good but I was very disappointed in the portion and the speed at which we were rushed out of the table. This made for an unenjoyable eating experience I would not recommend this place.

The ribs were not cooked, you don’t get any sides unless you orde them with lunch meals (i.e. burgers, grill cheese, etc...) and this will be a very expensive meal. The service was aloof and interacted very well with each other but not the patrons. Made us feel like we were just there to give them money. I would not recommend this restaurant. I gave them two stars because they made things fresh and the owner or manager was personable.

Owner extremely rude and had horrible customer service and basic people skills. I have never witnessed being treated in such a manner to where my family felt discriminated against because I can’t imagine him treating anyone else this way. This is my second time at this establishment and both experiences have been bad. Not to mention the food was way overpriced for what you get in return. I have worked in the customer service department for General Motors and even in the restaurant industry as well, my whole life, and I am truly appalled that this is the way a manager talks to their customers! Sad to say this encounter really put a sour taste in my mouth. This is the first time I have had to leave a negative review for a restaurant ever! I do not recommend dining at this establishment especially if you’re a person of color!

The trash can nachos and the smoked Mac and cheese was amazing

All our dishes had no flavor, if you are looking for a bland experience you will not find one better. If you are looking for flavor look elsewhere. Tried the wrap, brisket, burrito, and burger. Burger was the best tasting of the 4 dishes. Also, service was mediocre. 90+ degrees and not once did they offer to refill our drinks.

Owner met and greeted us. HE wanted to know us and wanted us to enjoy our visit! HIGH PRAISE and would come back again!

The bourbon and tequila combo just works! The food is delicious and the ambiance was delightful. Everything on the menu made my mouth water. Chips and salsa were so good with a margarita. The main course pulled pork wrap hit the spot for a light lunch. Very friendly staff and good service. Definitely worth the wait if there is a line out the door!

Great service great foods, good music

Was able to try some whiskey's that are near impossible to find in my neck of the woods 👍. Nachos were great too.

Food was just ok nothing to rave about. Ordered the chicken burrito which seemed dry just like the sides. The beans were crusty and dry and so was the rice. Service was not very good or helpful. The guy seemed borderline annoyed or not enjoying his job. Didn’t come and check on the meal the entire time we ate which seems a little abnormal so we were not able to give him feedback on the meal. The other thing that was odd to us was that the male host that was seating people figured it was his place to come over and basically scold our 4 year old for stepping on the back of the high chair his brother was sitting in. Instead of gently correcting or asking us to have him sit down. It just seemed like a very odd way to confront our son in our opinion.

Had lunch here and it was delicious. We had the garbage plate nachos, fish tacos, turkey wrap, and the chicken tenders. Meat for the nachos wasn't super fresh, but still good. A bit pricy at $80 for lunch for two adults and two kids, but we expected to overpay for food on the island.

Good different kind of food, but with a very friendly service.

We were on the island with our basset, Sophie. We were welcomed to sit outside with Sophie, which was awesome as we were guessing we would have to get takeout! They accommodated her nicely with a bowl of water. My wife had the smoked pineapple margarita and loved it. We shared the pick three BBQ plate with brisket, turkey and chicken. All were excellent, though I would double down on the turkey or brisket next time. Got baked beans and mac and cheese as sides. Baked Beans were some of the best I have ever had. Do not overlook the Carolina Sauce, it is excellent! Our server was amazing, owner was delightful, and there was an exceptional singer/guitarist playing. Yes, it is perhaps a bit pricey, but it falls in with Island pricing. A lovely experience for all of us!

Best brisket I've had in Michigan. Drinks r one of a kind. Great experience.They go out of their way to make u happy

I see a lot of 5 stars I wish I could give it that but I can't. My wife and I ordered tic can nachos but they did not meet our expectations as there seem to be lacking in toppings including meat etc... but the weird part is while they apparently build them in a can I still had to grab a chip and make my own nacho with meat in one corner sour cream in another corner as opposed to picking out a chip with all toppings on it. One good point chicken wings where big and tasty

Food and drinks were fabulous! The view from the back porch was very nice for our lunch before getting on the ferry and heading back over to the main land. Highly recommend the trash can nachos! The Smokey Jose's Marg was also yummy!

71 dollars which didn’t include tip for lunch with no alcohol! My children split a kids meal my mom split a meal and I had a meal so for those keeping track 3 sandwiches for 71 bucks!!! do not waste your time and mo way!

Great food. Live music. Fast service. Pleasant and friendly atmosphere. We had a great time. Thank you!

The food we finally got was good but they kept coming back to the table to tell us they were out of what we had ordered. Overpriced as well. EDIT: After the owner's response to my initial review I dropped the rating to 1 star. No apology or anything. Just excuses. I went to 4 different restaurants that weekend and we didn't have a single problem at the other 3. I would've given them another chance before the owner's reply. Won't be doing that now.

My family was on the island to ride around and check out the scenery. We had our 100 lb German Short Haired Pointer with us so we were going to just grab food to go. The owner said he could seat us within a few minutes but I told him we had our huge dog with us. He asked what kind and I told him. He said “oh I love those. Actually have one of my own. If you give me a few minutes I’ll clear off this table on the deck and he can stay with you and you can eat here instead of taking it to go.” We were so thankful that he did that for us. Will definitely go back there just because of that.

Waited outside at the empty hostess stand for 5 min just to ask if we needed to make a reservation later for dinner. Decided to poke my head into the bar area and was told hastily they'll be back in a few moments. Clear that person wasn't answering our simple question. Waited a few more minutes to find out they don't do reservations. Maybe that's why they didn't answer the phone the 3 times we called. Wont be spending our money there.

Was unaware of the 2.5% transaction fee for using a card to pay. No mention of fee or anything until after having already paid with my card and getting transaction receipt.

Smoky Joses is our favorite place on the island. The smoked pineapple margaritas are to die for and I love their fish tacos!

Food was very good! Garbage can nachos were delish with brisket and pork. Chicken tacos were a perfect lite lunch. Kids menu was limited to 3 choices but were good sized portions. The low rating is for the kitchen not getting our food out all together. We had a party of 16, which is large I know, but our food came out almost 20 min apart. Some were finished before the rest was served!!

The service was great and I thought the seating areas were neat also. There’s two outside areas: one up by the water and one by the walkway, as well as some indoor seating. We were sat by the walkway and got to see some carriage horses resting. Our waitress was great and we got our drinks quickly. My husband got the bbq pork sandwich with waffle fries and I got a wrap. Both were delicious. I was genuinely surprised by how good their waffle fries are so would absolutely recommend them if you get the chance. Also, it’s right off the Starline dock, so it’s unbelievably convenient.

Over priced , underwhelming meal, disinterested server claiming to be manager. Shorted us change 15 upon check out. When confronted, did not apologize or admit a mistake. Blamed it on stress from covid. Really?

Great food, margaritas, service, and staff! Highly recommend the sweet potato waffle fries and the azteca margarita!

It was so delicious. I loved everything I ordered. Pictured is the brisket sandwich and house mac and cheese.

Great view and pulled pork sandwich

Amazing food!! I would take the ferry here just to eat the food & service. The folks here are so nice and pleasant. Best hospitality!We came here on vacation from the Chicagoland area.

Excellent service! Very accommodating! Highly recommend. Only restaurant on the island always ready to serve us. Food was great!

Pros and Cons.Pros: the food is great, the ladies who work there are wonderfulCons: the bartender and the older gentleman have NO bedside manner. Nothing there is customizable to your liking. Their menu is small. The mannerisms from those two men were so bad, for the first time in my life I was upset I even enjoyed their food. I just wanted to walk out. The older man attempted to insult my husband and invaded my personal space, I couldn’t even order all of what I wanted because David I believe it is couldn’t wait two seconds for me to finish what I was saying before asking my husband what he wanted and walked off. He never tended to us for refills, we had to stop one of the ladies who were quick and helpful.

It is in a great location, on the road to Starline's Mackinaw city ferry. Many folks go by without knowing what a hip-joint it is. I like the cozy indoor area. Most of the seating is outdoors, half with a great lake view. I have hesitated to review it because I work there. Last year when I first starting reviewing for Google maps I would have given 5 stars just like now. I unpack the ingredients so I know they are fresh. I have sipped liquor for the taste for almost 40 years so I know they have a quality liquor selection. Smokey Jose's is BBQ and Tex-Mex. Any Margarita fans would enjoy Smokey Jose's on Mackinac Island.

I absolutely love this place! I had their tacos and they were amazing I highly recommend this place! Staff was great the both times we went. It was right there once we got off star line and best place ever.

Food was very good, the 3 of us all had something different but we all agreed it was delicious. We ate in the bar area and our waiter was great. Looking forward to a return visit.

This place was SO GOOD! The slogan of “where barbecue & bourbon meet tacos & tequila” caught our attention. The Smokey pineapple margarita was bomb. Whitefish dip was great. Taco shells were out of this world. We will absolutely make this a stop for all future island trips.

This place is on point! Brisket is amazing😜

Awesome food and drinks! Very friendly staff

Great little spot. The owner helps routinely as a bar back, talking to guests and mingling. Great place for a craft cocktail. The bartender is very nice and knowledgeable. The margaritas are delicious.

Eating anywhere else on the island is a big mistake. The best service and food. The waffle fries, the whitefish, the BBQ and the Mac and cheese ... all amazing.

Sat at the bar for some drinks. Great service.