Certainly one of our favorite restaurants in not only TC but in Michigan. Jen and Eric are rockstars and their staff is fantastic.
Samara Riley
The Cooks’ House in Traverse City is an absolute gem! From the moment you step in, the intimate, cozy atmosphere envelops you, setting the stage for a truly remarkable dining experience. The emphasis on locally sourced ingredients shines through in every dish, with each plate offering a perfect balance of flavors, textures, and creativity.
The tasting menu is a must-try, showcasing the chef’s passion for sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine. Every course is crafted with precision, from the delicate seafood to the expertly prepared meats and vibrant, fresh vegetables. Their wine pairings elevate each dish to new heights, creating a symphony of flavors that linger long after the meal is over.
What truly sets The Cooks’ House apart is the attention to detail and the personal touch from the chefs and staff. (Dillion and Victoria were wonderful and kind). We were greeted with a complimentary glass of wine and warm wash cloth infused with Lemon grass to clean our hands. The service is warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food. You can feel their commitment to providing a memorable dining experience from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a restaurant that exemplifies the best of northern Michigan’s culinary scene, The Cooks’ House is a must-visit. It’s an exceptional dining experience that will leave you raving for days.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 5 Course Tasting Menu, Savory Squash Crème Brule Bhel Puri, New York Steak
Geraldine Thomas
Very good food in general. I ordered the five course meal with the wine pairing , the steak was outstanding and good wines, the salad and soup average. Very nice music and excellent service. The one thing I didn’t like was the chairs and the tables. Chairs are very uncomfortable and outdated, they can do much better and because of that I think they are overcharging, you have to be able to sit comfortably to enjoy the experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 5 Course Tasting Menu, With Wine Pairing
Samuel Jun
Really tasty food and fun cocktails. The staff was awesome and fun, I've come to really appreciate when it's clear the staff is having a good time. They were also very accommodating for my gluten free gf!
My reccs: - Ramp martini (very unique and probably not for everyonee - Mushroom toast - w/e the Eggplant dish was
Can be difficult to get a reservation for, so look in advance!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
randy rice
Great food, great people
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eric Frederick
Unbelievable menu. Staff is amazing. It’s expensive but worth it to splurge once in awhile.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: With Wine Pairing
Kasey Chappel
Amazing! By far the best place in Traverse City! The 5 and 7 course meals, with Amazing wine pairings are a must try. Fantastic friendly service, a cozy dining setting with an elegant yet homie feel. Bring someone special for a superior dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Walleye, Brown Butter, Savory Hubbard Squash Cremé Bruleé, Chef's Taster, Arugula with Spicy Beef Cheek, Gnocchi, Pumpkin Soup, Blueberry Shortcake, 5 Course Tasting Menu, Mixed Greens, Mushroom Tea, Tomato Soup, With Wine Pairing, Savory Squash Crème Brule Bhel Puri, New York Steak, Striped Bass, Black Cod Fish, Hay Smoked Whitefish, Hrugua Bed Tongue Quail Eg Pickled Beets, Gazpacho
Vicky Allerton
We came to the Cooks House with high expectations, having been to many other great restaurants in Traverse City like The Boathouse, Pepenero’s, Poppycocks, etc. The food and service was mediocre at best, it was very disappointing. Everything was over salted, items fried in oil that tasted old, and in general not the quality you would expect for the price.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Vicky Allerton
The Cooks’ House was an all around disappointment! Some of the courses were actually bad. The service was subpar.
Michael Rundle
Visited August 1. My wife and I had the 5 course tasting with wine pairing. It was plenty of food for us. The food was mostly amazing! First course was cold tomato soup. I hate tomato soup but still tried it. Didn’t enjoy, but I just don’t like it. My wife said it was amazing so I go with that. Second course was a pasta. It was unbelievable. Very simple ingredients, but the flavor was amazing.
Third course was the choice between steak and fish. The fish of the day was rainbow trout, however I’m not much of a trout guy so I went with the steak. It was supposed to be a ny strip. It was the toughest piece of meat I have ever had. I thought it was one off so I tried my wife’s. Hers was about the same. Very disappointed with the steak. However the corn purée under it and the mushrooms (I hate mushrooms, however I tried them) were delicious. I raise beef cattle and have slaughtered numerous for my own freezer and if I took a chuck roast and grilled it like a steak and sliced it like they had it, it would be more tender than what we were served. We both left majority of our steak.
Fourth course was a salad. Goat cheese was amazing. Loved every bit of it. Fifth and final course was dessert. Fresh blueberries with ice cream. Once again delicious. We ate every bit of everything served except the steak. Would definite try it again because we must have just gotten a bad cut of meat. Hopefully next time the fish is walleye or whitefish as I will skip the steak.
Servers were outstanding. Everyone so friendly and attentive.
My husband and I came here during our last trip to Traverse City. The service was excellent with everyone being very attentive. We did the 7-course with wine pairing. Every dish was excellently seasoned and delicious. I would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julie James
Went for my mom's birthday and it was nothing short of perfect. They surprised us with a champagne toast and pre-dinner treats from the kitchen — all were very impressive (the broth shots! So simple yet delicious). Fish was perfectly cooked and the wine suggestion from the manager was spot on. Worth all the hype. Will definitely be back next time we're in TC.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ronan A.
Great restaurant, probably the best in the area. Life changing umami ramp martini. Service needs some process improvements and extra hands for efficiency, as simple as a bus boy and an expediter in the kitchen, as everything was delayed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Eric Norton
I have alway heard about the Cooks House. Service was slow, I don’t recommend reservations for a last seating. Presentation was great but the food did not match the bill.
Alexander Voice
This place is phenomenal. The service is some of the best I have ever received in Michigan. Friendly, genuine, attentive, but not overbearing or interrupting.
The food is also amazing and overall just a really lovely dining experience. Highly recommend. Excited to go back here in a month.
Certainly one of our favorite restaurants in not only TC but in Michigan. Jen and Eric are rockstars and their staff is fantastic.
The Cooks’ House in Traverse City is an absolute gem! From the moment you step in, the intimate, cozy atmosphere envelops you, setting the stage for a truly remarkable dining experience. The emphasis on locally sourced ingredients shines through in every dish, with each plate offering a perfect balance of flavors, textures, and creativity.
The tasting menu is a must-try, showcasing the chef’s passion for sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine. Every course is crafted with precision, from the delicate seafood to the expertly prepared meats and vibrant, fresh vegetables. Their wine pairings elevate each dish to new heights, creating a symphony of flavors that linger long after the meal is over.
What truly sets The Cooks’ House apart is the attention to detail and the personal touch from the chefs and staff. (Dillion and Victoria were wonderful and kind). We were greeted with a complimentary glass of wine and warm wash cloth infused with Lemon grass to clean our hands.
The service is warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely enthusiastic about the food. You can feel their commitment to providing a memorable dining experience from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a restaurant that exemplifies the best of northern Michigan’s culinary scene, The Cooks’ House is a must-visit. It’s an exceptional dining experience that will leave you raving for days.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 5 Course Tasting Menu, Savory Squash Crème Brule Bhel Puri, New York Steak
Very good food in general. I ordered the five course meal with the wine pairing , the steak was outstanding and good wines, the salad and soup average. Very nice music and excellent service. The one thing I didn’t like was the chairs and the tables. Chairs are very uncomfortable and outdated, they can do much better and because of that I think they are overcharging, you have to be able to sit comfortably to enjoy the experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: 5 Course Tasting Menu, With Wine Pairing
Really tasty food and fun cocktails. The staff was awesome and fun, I've come to really appreciate when it's clear the staff is having a good time. They were also very accommodating for my gluten free gf!
My reccs:
- Ramp martini (very unique and probably not for everyonee
- Mushroom toast
- w/e the Eggplant dish was
Can be difficult to get a reservation for, so look in advance!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great food, great people
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Unbelievable menu. Staff is amazing. It’s expensive but worth it to splurge once in awhile.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: With Wine Pairing
Amazing! By far the best place in Traverse City! The 5 and 7 course meals, with Amazing wine pairings are a must try. Fantastic friendly service, a cozy dining setting with an elegant yet homie feel. Bring someone special for a superior dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Walleye, Brown Butter, Savory Hubbard Squash Cremé Bruleé, Chef's Taster, Arugula with Spicy Beef Cheek, Gnocchi, Pumpkin Soup, Blueberry Shortcake, 5 Course Tasting Menu, Mixed Greens, Mushroom Tea, Tomato Soup, With Wine Pairing, Savory Squash Crème Brule Bhel Puri, New York Steak, Striped Bass, Black Cod Fish, Hay Smoked Whitefish, Hrugua Bed Tongue Quail Eg Pickled Beets, Gazpacho
We came to the Cooks House with high expectations, having been to many other great restaurants in Traverse City like The Boathouse, Pepenero’s, Poppycocks, etc. The food and service was mediocre at best, it was very disappointing. Everything was over salted, items fried in oil that tasted old, and in general not the quality you would expect for the price.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
The Cooks’ House was an all around disappointment! Some of the courses were actually bad. The service was subpar.
Visited August 1. My wife and I had the 5 course tasting with wine pairing. It was plenty of food for us. The food was mostly amazing! First course was cold tomato soup. I hate tomato soup but still tried it. Didn’t enjoy, but I just don’t like it. My wife said it was amazing so I go with that. Second course was a pasta. It was unbelievable. Very simple ingredients, but the flavor was amazing.
Third course was the choice between steak and fish. The fish of the day was rainbow trout, however I’m not much of a trout guy so I went with the steak. It was supposed to be a ny strip. It was the toughest piece of meat I have ever had. I thought it was one off so I tried my wife’s. Hers was about the same. Very disappointed with the steak. However the corn purée under it and the mushrooms (I hate mushrooms, however I tried them) were delicious. I raise beef cattle and have slaughtered numerous for my own freezer and if I took a chuck roast and grilled it like a steak and sliced it like they had it, it would be more tender than what we were served. We both left majority of our steak.
Fourth course was a salad. Goat cheese was amazing. Loved every bit of it. Fifth and final course was dessert. Fresh blueberries with ice cream. Once again delicious. We ate every bit of everything served except the steak. Would definite try it again because we must have just gotten a bad cut of meat. Hopefully next time the fish is walleye or whitefish as I will skip the steak.
Servers were outstanding. Everyone so friendly and attentive.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: With Wine Pairing
Restaurantji Recommends
My husband and I came here during our last trip to Traverse City. The service was excellent with everyone being very attentive. We did the 7-course with wine pairing. Every dish was excellently seasoned and delicious. I would highly recommend!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went for my mom's birthday and it was nothing short of perfect. They surprised us with a champagne toast and pre-dinner treats from the kitchen — all were very impressive (the broth shots! So simple yet delicious). Fish was perfectly cooked and the wine suggestion from the manager was spot on. Worth all the hype. Will definitely be back next time we're in TC.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great restaurant, probably the best in the area. Life changing umami ramp martini. Service needs some process improvements and extra hands for efficiency, as simple as a bus boy and an expediter in the kitchen, as everything was delayed.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
I have alway heard about the Cooks House. Service was slow, I don’t recommend reservations for a last seating. Presentation was great but the food did not match the bill.
This place is phenomenal. The service is some of the best I have ever received in Michigan. Friendly, genuine, attentive, but not overbearing or interrupting.
The food is also amazing and overall just a really lovely dining experience. Highly recommend. Excited to go back here in a month.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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