The Back Lot Beer Garden

425 Michigan St, Petoskey
(231) 881-9933

Recent Reviews

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James B

The setup is great. We showed up after a little league game and seating was in limited supply for a group of 12. Food was good, and came out fast.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Amana

Food truck park with so many different options. Perfect for a group who can’t decide what they want.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Autin

Good beer offerings, and the food truck style food options provide a lot of variety!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

Salina S

Neat place to stop and grab a drink

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

Paul Jakubos

Lots of fun and great selection of food!

paige criswell

Food, amazing. Vibes, great. However service, specifically from a balding man in a floral button up was horrible. I mistakenly put a plastic cup, in the plastic ware bin and this man snatched the cups out of my hand and threw them in the glassware bin, then proceeded to say “NO! use your eyes that bin says plastic ware not glassware”. Ok my bad I put plastic in a plastic bin baldy. This is not okay as someone who has food service experience. Never ever put your hands on a customer and tell them to “use their eyes”.
ON THE OTHER HAND!!! The blonde girl with braids working the bar in the main building was AMAZING. Her customer service is very sweet and she deserves a raise!!!!!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 1

Terry Osborne

Really cool outside seating. Plenty of good food options. Something for everyone. Good beer selections. Bartenders were short and sweet with my orders, not super friendly but didn't bother us by any means. Did know how to make good drinks.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Jaron Loman

Great atmosphere. There are several food trucks to choose from. Each food truck has a completely different menu, so the options are almost endless. We prefer to order several dishes from several trucks and have a family style smorgasbord when we visit.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Kathy S

The BackLot has potential. The only problem is you have to go to the bar to get your drink and they also expect you to bus your own table when you’re finished. The tables were dirty when we were there. They have outdoor covered seating and several food trucks if you want to eat.

Atmosphere: 3

Service: 2

Tim Morton

Fun place with many trailer food types available. Great energy.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Anthony Carchidi

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A vibrant, laid-back gem in the heart of Petoskey

The Back Lot Beer Garden is exactly what you want in a Northern Michigan hangout — fun, casual, and full of flavor. From the moment we walked in, we were struck by the energy of the space. It’s a perfect mix of relaxed and lively, with great music, friendly people, and an atmosphere that invites you to stay awhile.

The beer selection is impressive, with a rotating lineup of local and regional craft brews that truly showcase the best of Michigan. Whether you’re into IPAs, sours, lagers, or hard ciders, there’s something on tap for everyone. The staff behind the bar is super knowledgeable and always happy to offer a sample or point you toward something new to try.

But what really makes The Back Lot stand out is the food truck setup. The variety is unreal — we had tacos, burgers, and even a loaded mac and cheese dish that was out of this world. Each food truck brings something different to the table, and everything we tried was fresh, flavorful, and made with care. It’s the kind of place where you can come back multiple times and never eat the same thing twice.

There’s plenty of seating both indoors and out, with picnic tables, string lights, and fire pits that create an inviting, cozy vibe whether you’re there in the middle of summer or on a cool fall evening. It’s super dog-friendly, family-friendly, and just has that effortless “good time” feel that’s hard to find.

We spent the better part of an afternoon here and honestly could’ve stayed all night. It’s a go-to spot for locals and a must-stop for visitors. If you’re in Petoskey and looking for great beer, killer food, and a chill atmosphere, The Back Lot Beer Garden is where you want to be. We’ll be back — again and again.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Steve Alspaugh

During the warmer months, since that is when I've been here, this is an outdoor eating area. There's a variety of food trucks here. Pizza, sandwiches, fish, Mediterranean, Mexican and grilled cheese are all here. There's even an ice cream food truck. This place is good for all ages and the variety of trucks makes it easy to find something for all ages. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is positive.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Paul Krueger

Everyone knows you have a lot of options for food and drink in Petoskey. If you are looking for a laid-back place with food options to meet all the tastes of your group and a solid bar this is the place you need to go! There is plenty of seating outside and quite a bit of indoor seating.Though none of it is air-conditioned. But even in the dead of summer, you don’t need it. We ate from the taco place next to the bar, but saw the food that was coming from many of the other places and it all looked really good!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Charles Ryde

Great fun and good food!

Tina P.

Had a drink from the bar. Great atmosphere. Very busy. Some Sun. Some shade. I hade Philly cheesesteak. So good!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

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