Barrel Back
Location: Walloon Lake, Michigan, USA, next to Hotel Walloon
Dress Code: No, Smart Casual Recommended
Price: $30-50/Person for Dinner
Reservations Required: Reservations Not Accepted
Special Diet Options: Pescatarian, Vegetarian, Numerous Gluten Free Options
During our time in Walloon Lake, we had breakfast and dinner at Barrel Back restaurant and we were blown away by how wonderful the staff, the food, the atmosphere and the view from the restaurant were. Perched on the shores of Lake Walloon, Barrel Back restaurant has a delightful breakfast menu, and a massive dinner menu, with options from fish with vegetables and decadent pastas to beautiful salads and mighty cuts of meat. For breakfast we enjoyed the skillet pancake with fresh blueberries and a side of potatoes, and I enjoyed the best omelet I’ve ever had, prepared with onions, Swiss cheese, mushrooms, and green peppers, all cooked to perfection and imbued with the enticing flavors of a meal carefully created over an open fire, the likes of which can only be found at this Northern Michigan eatery.
For dinner, we sampled a few different dishes including Smoked Salmon and Whitefish Dip, gluten free Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato, Basil, Crushed Red Pepper, and Toasted Walnuts, a lovely chopped salad, and Wood Fire Salmon with Fall Vegetables, Spätzle, Arugula and Brown Butter Sage. Everything was absolutely delectable and I can’t recommend Barrel Back’s delicious food enough!
Almost any of the menu items can be made gluten free, or adapted for other special diets, which makes this large and varied menu even more flexible, so that anyone in the area can find something to suit their needs and preferences. As someone with a severe gluten in tolerance, I felt like I was in heaven knowing that just about anything I wanted from the expansive menu at Barrel Back was something that I could enjoy too! I, like anyone who must adhere to a special diet whether by choice or by necessity, appreciate places like this more than words can describe. If you’re looking for a place in Northern Michigan that has a plethora of gluten free options, Barrel Back is by far one of the best and most exquisite places to eat in the area.
In addition to their expansive menu, they have a wonderful and varied selection of local beers, cocktails, local and imported wines, and other import beverages to pair with your meal, which further elevates the experience. There’s nothing quite like unwinding after a long day, watching the gentle waves roll in over the lake, while enjoying a beautifully prepared meal paired with your favorite drink, and Barrel Back is the perfect place to enjoy just that.
The restaurant itself is adaptable to whatever the changing Michigan weather may bring. Outside on the docks is a large and well stocked bar that guests may utilize to enjoy the beautiful outdoor weather in the warmer months. Inside the restaurant, there is a spacious patio seating section for 60 people, as well as a very large indoor seating area that seats up to 118 comfortably. The indoor space is beautiful because the walls can be rolled up to allow the refreshing breeze of Lake Walloon to blow through as guests enjoy their meals. In the cooler months, a roaring fire in the centre of the restaurant keeps things toasty for guests such as ourselves, who had been chilled by the early fall air. Stepping into barrel back felt like coming home after a long day, and we instantly felt relaxed and at peace.
If you’re in Northern Michigan, stop by Barrel Back and let me know what you think; it’s one of my new favorite restaurants!
xAnnie Fairfax
aka @AnnieWearsit
@AnnieFairfax
Explore the World with Me:
Leave a Comment Here