We recently enjoyed our third visit to this northern gem (we traveled from Grand Rapids just to eat here!), and it was spectacular as usual. La Bécasse has a cozy, warm atmosphere that lets you truly enjoy Chef Guillaume's cuisine. Everything we ate was delicious, and our server paced the courses perfectly and provided excellent guidance on wine. We are already looking forward to our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Salad a La Carte, Curried Blackened Salmon with Vegetable, Amuse Bouche
Zach Wilkinson
Reservations are a must.Food aspires for Michelin star level.Chocolate cake is a must.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Lava Cake
djdman 2k
I brought my significant other there for what I remembered to be a very delicious meal with great service (I last dined there ~7 years ago). Unfortunately, La Becasse is not what it used to be.We waited 40 minutes for the bread service. Then, my wine had something in it upon arrival to the table. Our server was hardly attentive and it took a long time to receive our first dinner course requiring us to check-in with any staff nearby. On top of it all, the food was not very flavorful and we were disappointed that the chocolate cake (with croissant wrapping) was quite dry.I emailed them about the experience and they offered me a complimentary dessert. What a joke.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
Bruce Schermerhorn
We had a wonderful evening. This is a very special restaurant on Leelanau
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Coyote-Travelerz
Service was great. The staff were welcoming, friendly, and attentive. The food was (overall) good, though there were “highs” and “lows”. - Appetizers - Onion soup was good. The beet salad got mixed reviews (1 person really liked it, the other felt it lacked flavor/could use more seasoning). - Mains - The salmon, duck, and risotto dishes each got good reviews. The white fish was good, but arrived cool (not warm). Being a large party (9+ people) it seemed some of the food cooled waiting for the entire order to be finished. - Desert - Profiteroles and apple tart. Each was very good. If there was a critique, the tart crust was moist due to the large chunks of apples. For the price, I am not sure I would return, but I would recommend you try it at least once.
NorthStar769680
We have dined at La Bécasse several times and always enjoyed it. Our recent visit was okay, but somewhat disappointing. The onion soup was salty but tasty. The beet salad was bland . Most of the main dishes were good but served just barely warm. . After waiting 90 minutes for them to appear, none of us had the desire to send them back. My veal was very good but it would have been better hot! The service was excellent, so that was not the problem. Desserts were delicious.
Neil_Yeung
From start to finish, this was one of the strongest meals we've ever had in Michigan. Perfectly paced, wonderfully served, and with food quality that actually matches the price-tag. We scored the last reservation of the evening and the place was FULL. In the middle of nowhere, in the pitch black of night, it felt like we discovered a hidden roadside gem. The vibe is warm, welcoming, and lively, owing to the knowledgeable, no-nonsense staff who were very attentive without hovering (which is a rarity these days). We started with the escargot (delicious and juicy), ordering the bread to soak up the buttery sauce, then had the beef burgundy (salty, comforting) and veal (the mushroom butter sauce almost knocked us out of our chairs). The wine list is huge but expertly-crafted and understandable (and French wines around $10 a glass is a steal). Can't say enough good things about this place (we saw nothing to back up any of the negative reviews, so definitely take those with a grain of salt OR consider them to be flukes). We stayed almost 3 hours, were satiated and content, made friends at the next table, and felt like we were somewhere far, far away from Michigan. Absolute magic.
professordoctormom
We had a great meal for 3. Michelle was our server. She recommended a lovely dry white wine. My sister-in-law and I had crab cakes. My husband had fish. The entire experience was delightful.
Caslin
Enjoyed the food - excellent duck, whitefish and Tarte Tatin for dessert. Good wine list. Waiter (Shane) somewhat gruff, unfriendly and unhelpful. But service was good. A bit shabby interior - block walls with cracks - dark carpet and door hanging at entrance. After occupants of next table left, a woman cleaned the table with a spray (Windex?) while we were still eating. Tacky!
Jeffrey Hastie
We were fortunate to find this place after spending the afternoon on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Even more fortunate that they took as walk-ins on a busy Saturday night. I had the duck and my partner had the trout. Both were fabulous. Our server, Kate if I remember well, could not have been more helpful or nice. We’re always happy when the service matches the food. We were visiting TC from Italy and here we felt as if we were back in Europe eating an exquisite meal in a nice countryside setting. If you’re in the TC area we highly recommend this restaurant.
The food was bland and expensive for what we received. The main, the duck, was $45 dollars. This included a duck breast and a duck leg, along with a little sweet potato square and steamed vegetables. The breast was overcooked (despite the waiter asking for our preferred doneness and us ordering medium rare). The sweet potato was the highlight of the dish. The steamed vegetables were a head scratcher. No seasoning -- just a scoop of steamed vegetables for $45.The amuse-bouche tasted like refrigerator. The appetizer -- an onion and cream tart of some sort -- was quite flavorless. Dessert, a coconut frangipane, was crumbly and lacked flavor.The wine list, however, was very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
IKE48
An absolutely fantastic experience with superb food. The service was top notch and the pace was perfect. We had the duck and veal which melted in our mouths. Local produce is procured as part of their dishes. A delightful and huge wine list with price points for every budget. Strongly recommend making a reservation (it's worth it) so you won't be disappointed at not getting a seat.
TM E
I waited at least 4-5 years to finally make this drive for a gourmet restaurant weekend and perhaps I had expectations too high. The pros first:Most amazing French bread I’ve had outside of FranceGreat wine list with a generous sized glassVery clean insideA very helpful and knowledgeable serverNot pretentious at allThe veal was excellentThe cons:Waited too long for our server with many tables openWaited too long between coursesThe duck duo is good but not great as the breast was chewy and tough even when cooked rareThe portions are smallThe salad needs more and also is too smallStill I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would go back. Just not for the duck. So if you’re a big eater you’d better plan on ordering from every course!
Seekingpace
Absolutely not worth the hype or the price. Very small portions and the duck duo, their specialty and cooked as recommended, was chewy and tough. The serving was so small with only 2 pieces of broccoli. The bread, however, was delicious but also a charge for a very small basket. Long wait for service and between courses. A big disappointment after waiting many years to try this place. No ambiance.
Sheryn Bellas
Warm, inviting atmosphere. Attentive service. Delicious French cuisine with a subtle distinctive flare. What's not to love?
We recently enjoyed our third visit to this northern gem (we traveled from Grand Rapids just to eat here!), and it was spectacular as usual. La Bécasse has a cozy, warm atmosphere that lets you truly enjoy Chef Guillaume's cuisine. Everything we ate was delicious, and our server paced the courses perfectly and provided excellent guidance on wine. We are already looking forward to our next visit.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Salad a La Carte, Curried Blackened Salmon with Vegetable, Amuse Bouche
Reservations are a must.Food aspires for Michelin star level.Chocolate cake is a must.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Chocolate Lava Cake
I brought my significant other there for what I remembered to be a very delicious meal with great service (I last dined there ~7 years ago). Unfortunately, La Becasse is not what it used to be.We waited 40 minutes for the bread service. Then, my wine had something in it upon arrival to the table. Our server was hardly attentive and it took a long time to receive our first dinner course requiring us to check-in with any staff nearby. On top of it all, the food was not very flavorful and we were disappointed that the chocolate cake (with croissant wrapping) was quite dry.I emailed them about the experience and they offered me a complimentary dessert. What a joke.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 2
We had a wonderful evening. This is a very special restaurant on Leelanau
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Service was great. The staff were welcoming, friendly, and attentive. The food was (overall) good, though there were “highs” and “lows”. - Appetizers - Onion soup was good. The beet salad got mixed reviews (1 person really liked it, the other felt it lacked flavor/could use more seasoning). - Mains - The salmon, duck, and risotto dishes each got good reviews. The white fish was good, but arrived cool (not warm). Being a large party (9+ people) it seemed some of the food cooled waiting for the entire order to be finished. - Desert - Profiteroles and apple tart. Each was very good. If there was a critique, the tart crust was moist due to the large chunks of apples. For the price, I am not sure I would return, but I would recommend you try it at least once.
We have dined at La Bécasse several times and always enjoyed it. Our recent visit was okay, but somewhat disappointing. The onion soup was salty but tasty. The beet salad was bland . Most of the main dishes were good but served just barely warm. . After waiting 90 minutes for them to appear, none of us had the desire to send them back. My veal was very good but it would have been better hot! The service was excellent, so that was not the problem. Desserts were delicious.
From start to finish, this was one of the strongest meals we've ever had in Michigan. Perfectly paced, wonderfully served, and with food quality that actually matches the price-tag. We scored the last reservation of the evening and the place was FULL. In the middle of nowhere, in the pitch black of night, it felt like we discovered a hidden roadside gem. The vibe is warm, welcoming, and lively, owing to the knowledgeable, no-nonsense staff who were very attentive without hovering (which is a rarity these days). We started with the escargot (delicious and juicy), ordering the bread to soak up the buttery sauce, then had the beef burgundy (salty, comforting) and veal (the mushroom butter sauce almost knocked us out of our chairs). The wine list is huge but expertly-crafted and understandable (and French wines around $10 a glass is a steal). Can't say enough good things about this place (we saw nothing to back up any of the negative reviews, so definitely take those with a grain of salt OR consider them to be flukes). We stayed almost 3 hours, were satiated and content, made friends at the next table, and felt like we were somewhere far, far away from Michigan. Absolute magic.
We had a great meal for 3. Michelle was our server. She recommended a lovely dry white wine. My sister-in-law and I had crab cakes. My husband had fish. The entire experience was delightful.
Enjoyed the food - excellent duck, whitefish and Tarte Tatin for dessert. Good wine list. Waiter (Shane) somewhat gruff, unfriendly and unhelpful. But service was good. A bit shabby interior - block walls with cracks - dark carpet and door hanging at entrance. After occupants of next table left, a woman cleaned the table with a spray (Windex?) while we were still eating. Tacky!
We were fortunate to find this place after spending the afternoon on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive. Even more fortunate that they took as walk-ins on a busy Saturday night. I had the duck and my partner had the trout. Both were fabulous. Our server, Kate if I remember well, could not have been more helpful or nice. We’re always happy when the service matches the food. We were visiting TC from Italy and here we felt as if we were back in Europe eating an exquisite meal in a nice countryside setting. If you’re in the TC area we highly recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
The food was bland and expensive for what we received. The main, the duck, was $45 dollars. This included a duck breast and a duck leg, along with a little sweet potato square and steamed vegetables. The breast was overcooked (despite the waiter asking for our preferred doneness and us ordering medium rare). The sweet potato was the highlight of the dish. The steamed vegetables were a head scratcher. No seasoning -- just a scoop of steamed vegetables for $45.The amuse-bouche tasted like refrigerator. The appetizer -- an onion and cream tart of some sort -- was quite flavorless. Dessert, a coconut frangipane, was crumbly and lacked flavor.The wine list, however, was very good.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 4
An absolutely fantastic experience with superb food. The service was top notch and the pace was perfect. We had the duck and veal which melted in our mouths. Local produce is procured as part of their dishes. A delightful and huge wine list with price points for every budget. Strongly recommend making a reservation (it's worth it) so you won't be disappointed at not getting a seat.
I waited at least 4-5 years to finally make this drive for a gourmet restaurant weekend and perhaps I had expectations too high. The pros first:Most amazing French bread I’ve had outside of FranceGreat wine list with a generous sized glassVery clean insideA very helpful and knowledgeable serverNot pretentious at allThe veal was excellentThe cons:Waited too long for our server with many tables openWaited too long between coursesThe duck duo is good but not great as the breast was chewy and tough even when cooked rareThe portions are smallThe salad needs more and also is too smallStill I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would go back. Just not for the duck. So if you’re a big eater you’d better plan on ordering from every course!
Absolutely not worth the hype or the price. Very small portions and the duck duo, their specialty and cooked as recommended, was chewy and tough. The serving was so small with only 2 pieces of broccoli. The bread, however, was delicious but also a charge for a very small basket. Long wait for service and between courses. A big disappointment after waiting many years to try this place. No ambiance.
Warm, inviting atmosphere. Attentive service. Delicious French cuisine with a subtle distinctive flare. What's not to love?