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Interior - The White Buffalo Bar & Grille, Mackinaw City, MI

The White Buffalo Bar & Grille

4.2 (49)
$31 to $50
American
312 E Central Ave, Mackinaw City, MI 49701

About this restaurant

DOORS OPEN APRIL 30TH FOR OUR 2026 SEASON. BOOK YOUR RESERVATION NOW!

At The White Buffalo Bar & Grille we serve local, fresh, and healthy food. Located in historic downtown Mackinaw City, just steps from the ferry docks, our menu features bison raised at a local farm and fish caught daily. Enjoy the health benefits of lean bison meat and omega-3 rich fish while supporting local businesses. Join us for a nourishing dining experience that celebrates our community and your well-being. We offer finer dining as well as a more casual rooftop experience.

Not bookable

This restaurant is open seasonally. Unfortunately, it is currently closed.

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Dining areas

Additional information

Concierge
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Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The White Buffalo Bar & Grille.

4.2

4.2
(49)
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 3.9Ambience
  • 4.0Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula

    Innovative

  • Northern Michigan

    Innovative

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The White Buffalo Bar & Grille offers "great healthy and tasty food" with attentive service and a welcoming atmosphere. Diners rave about the "perfect ribeye" and "wonderful bison tenderloin." While experiences with service can vary, the restaurant is praised for its "great staff and great food," making it a popular choice in Mackinaw City.
49 Reviews
  1. Christine Gold

    Chicago / Illinois90 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 9 September 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great healthy and tasty food in Mackinaw City! Highly recommend.

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  2. Phil Gold

    Indiana2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on 7 September 2026

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Food was below average. Other issues made it today a poor experience. The waitress served me a cold appetizer. When she served our salad, the dressing was not French, as ordered, it was greasy and spicy. When she returned it, she brought back ranch, “cause the kitchen was punking her” & purposely giving her wrong orders. No management in sight. The hostess was on the phone the whole night, apparently texting.

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  3. Wendy

    Grand Rapids / Western Michigan2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 22 August 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Food came out dry and cooled and then waited 45 minutes before somebody came over to check on us. Our server was slammed and no one was helping him.

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  4. Melba Gold

    Tampa / Central Florida West35 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 10 August 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    Good was good; the service was excellent. There's zero ambience.

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  5. belinda Gold

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 29 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ate at the White Buffalo for lunch. It is a very nice restaurant and the food was good. The wait staff was attentive. I asked for an additional sandwich to take home and it was delivered to the table when we were finished with our meal, without any reminder on my part.

    1 person found this helpful

  6. Ruth

    Southwest Florida7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 13 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great dinner with great service. Looking forward to going back.

    1 person found this helpful

  7. Jim

    Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula5 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on 13 July 2026

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    The place wa, expected, very busy but the noise level was far above that which I expect even in the peak season of a tourist center. The full house also delayed the food prep and service. To her credit the server apologized for the delay.

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  8. Shannon

    Detroit / Eastern Michigan1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 3 July 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a wonderful experience. We had gone for lunch earlier and enjoyed it so much we made dinner reservations. The ribeye was perfect!! So delicious. The special for the evening was bison tenderloin and we got that too. It was wonderful. We will all definitely go back.

    1 person found this helpful

  9. Maria

    Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 June 2026

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had such a great lunch and drinks! Our servers and staff were wonderful!

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  10. Ryan

    Grand Rapids / Western Michigan2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on 13 June 2026

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Got sat right away than waited over 15 to be checked in on. Drinks were sufficient but the food was heavily buttered and lacked flavor. It’s unfortunate as the restaurant has a nice vibe. Won’t be going back.

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Dining areas

Additional information

FAQs

Come hungry, guests commonly describe portions as generous, with the bison pasty repeatedly called a meal‑and‑a‑half and several parties saying dishes were more than enough.

Yes, The White Buffalo is family-friendly: it has a dedicated kids menu with diverse options (ribs, beef tenderloin and usual kids choices) and guests report children dining there with appropriately sized portions.

Yes, The White Buffalo accommodates families: guests note a kids menu and that staff used a high chair, so younger diners are comfortably handled.

The White Buffalo Bar & Grille feels warm and inviting, tasteful, well-lit decor, an appealing bar area, intimate two-person booths, and a rooftop option that adds a casual, al fresco layer to the dining experience.

Yes, The White Buffalo is well suited to a special evening: multiple guests report anniversary dinners and warm, inviting nights with attentive service and window‑table seating.

How FAQ content is generated

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula
  4. Northern Michigan
  5. Mackinaw City

Not bookable

This restaurant is open seasonally. Unfortunately, it is currently closed.

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