The Dining Room At the Grand Hotel on Mackinaw Island

Aug 17, 2025
3 min read

Hey all!

Today, we took a ferry from St. Ignace to have brunch at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, where we'll be dining in the Grand Hotel Dining Room. I arranged for the Grand Luncheon Experience to be included with our ferry fare, giving us savings off the regular price of $79.00 per adult and $41 per child. The Dining Room has a strict dress code, requiring at least a collared shirt and slacks, while dinner attire demands suit jackets. Women are expected to wear business attire, with a more formal dress code for dinner. Essentially, dining here requires formal attire. This was a bit of an adjustment for us, as we usually dress casually. Nonetheless, we adapted. The dining room, like the rest of the hotel, is elegantly decorated with intriguing color schemes. We were seated and offered coffee, tea, or lemonade as part of our meal, with the option to purchase soft drinks, wine, beer, or a full bar. We were then invited to enjoy the buffet spread. Please see below for the options available at the buffet:

Composed Salad Options:

Tri-Color Potato Salad
Country Egg Salad
Albacore Tuna Salad
Michigan Cherry Chicken Salad
Tortellini Pasta Salad - Roasted Red Peppers, Marinated Olives, Tomato, Feta, Mediterranean Vinaigrette

Main Buffet Options:

Salad Display Offerings:

Romaine, Mixed Greens, Baby Spinach; Tomato, Cucumber, Carrot, Hard Boiled Egg, Sliced Beets, Chickpeas, Kalamata Olives, Sunflower Seeds, Croutons; Parmesan, Feta, Shredded Cheddar Cheese; Balsamic and Italian Vinaigrette, Ranch, Blue Cheese, Caesar Dressing

Cheese and Charcuterie Display Offerings:

Salami, Mortadella, Pepperoni, Smoked Kielbasa; Cheddar, Pepperjack, Ranch Spiced Cheese Curd, Whipped Ricotta; Dried Apricots, Smoked Almonds; Toasted Baguette, Artisan Garlic Loaf

Mediterranean Display Offerings:

Traditional and Roasted Beet Hummus; Baba Ghanoush; Stuffed Grape Leaves; Tabbouleh Salad; Marinated Olives; Toasted Pita

Canape Display Offerings:

Deviled Eggs; Cucumber Finger Sandwich, Watercress Cream Cheese; Smoked Ham Finger Sandwich, Pimento Cheese; Smoked Salmon Finger Sandwich, Lemon Dill Cream Cheese; White Bean and Artichoke Bruschetta; Smoked Whitefish Crostini

Seafood Display Offerings:

Oysters on the Half Shell; Cocktail Sauce, Mignonette, Lemon, Crackers; Shrimp Cocktail 21-25; Marinated Green Lip Mussels; Individual Shrimp and Scallop Ceviche; Lime, Cilantro, Red Onion, Mango, Serano Pepper

Soup Offerings:

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque

Carving Station Offerings:

Garlic and Herb Roasted Strip Loin; Red Wine Demi-Glace, Horseradish Sour Cream, Roasted Garlic Rolls

Hot Offerings:

Green Beans, Petite Carrots; Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Roasted Atlantic Salmon, Smoked Tomato Compote; Pan Seared Chicken Breast, Oyster Mushroom, Thyme, Garlic Confit; Apricot and Mustard Glazed Pork Loin

Dessert Display Options:

Warm Michigan Cherry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Assorted Desserts Options:

Tiramisu; Mango Panna Cotta; Coconut Chocolate Pecan Bar; Apple Tartlet; Michigan Bumpy Cake; Chocolate Pot du Crème, Flaked Sea Salt; Assorted Cannoli's

The Grand Pecan Ball Station:

Gurnsey's Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Rolled in Pecans; House Made Warm Hot Fudge

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In wrapping up this review, we sampled a variety of offerings from the display. We particularly enjoyed the Cheese Board Assortment, especially my significant other. I also appreciated the salmon selections and the desserts. In conclusion, this is a great option if you want to experience what the Grand Hotel has to offer without staying on the premises. As mentioned earlier, it was an expensive meal, but the dinner is even more costly, so we were glad to try the brunch option at the Grand Luncheon Experience! Check out our photos from the experience below!

How We Rate It:

Dining Experience: 5/5 Tikis

The Cuisine: 4/5 Tikis

The Value: 3/5 Tikis

For Picky Eaters: 3/5 Tikis