Located above and below the Leland Dam at the head of Leland's Historic Fishtown overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan and the Manitou Islands is The Cove. I had a wonderful birthday dinner at The Cove and highly recommend. They do not take reservations. It gets very busy so plan to wait or try to get there before the lunch and dinner rush or better yet, go between lunch and dinner rush. They have various seating options and they do have quite a few tables, but it gets busy fast. We were seated right away because we visited just before peak dinner time. Our waitress was very attentive. We sat inside and still had a very nice view of the dam. For an appetizer of course we had the smoked whitefish paté. It was some of the best we've had. It did have chopped almonds on top, something to note if that's not your vibe! The Cove specializes in fresh Lake Michigan Whitefish. I had the baked parmesan crusted whitefish with asparagus & mashed potatoes. It was DELICIOUS. So flavorful and FRESH. Allen had the Whitefish New Orleans which was whitefish and shrimp tossed in a mild creole sauce over linguine. I tried it and if we go back I will definitely be getting this! The parking situation in Leland is not great. It is such a small town but hundreds of visitors each day. There is free street parking when you can find it. If you plan to eat at The Cove, prepare to walk from down the road where you found a parking spot! The Cove has been featured in various magazines such as PEOPLE, Midwest Living, Coastal Living etc. It is worth the hype! A true Michigan gem located in the historic Fishtown and a "must do."

Looking for the coolest outdoor vibe? Want amazing service and great seafood? This place has the best seafood chowder it was amazing. They have all different white fish options and how you can get it prepared. We went with the Parmesan option and the crust was so good and it had no bones. The coleslaw was the best I've ever had. It was amazing service and great beers too! The location is right on the water and the patio gives you a gorgeous little fish town vibe. You even can see salmon jumping. It was awesome rustic, fish shack, chill vibe.

We had a terrific meal here! After reviewing other Yelp posts, we decided on: Seafood chowder (2 bowls) This was very hood , with few potatoes and lots of seafood, just as others had reported. Not the best I have ever had, but very good. Smoked Whitefish Pâté (shared) Interesting and good. I personally don't like a smoky taste. Cherry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream (each had our own!) excellent : heated in an oven, so crispy, not microwaved and hard, or cold. I was disappointed they could not make a regular mojito, which prompted me to look up a recipe for a cherry mojito. Now that would be appropriate here in Michigan. I look forward to making one at home. Noise level: inside- 4 of 5. Julie was our very cheerful and attentive server. Deserving of a "5." Hope to return to this charming town one day!

For all the years I'd been coming to the area we'd never been to The Cove. Usually we're just too intimidated by the crowds of folks waiting for a table. But, a few weeks ago we came to Fishtown with some family with a plan to grab some Cheese Shanty sandwiches only to realize we got their hours wrong. We needed a back up dinner plan. There were some folks waiting outside but we decided to just ask what the wait was like and, to our surprise, there was none for a group of 5. Seated inside at a comfortable round table. We split a few apps (and joked that we should have brought a lazy susan with us to help pass them around) including the whitefish dip (which my inlaws had never had before and they are now HOOKED). I started my meal with an order of the seafood chowder. Even though I typically don't do hot soup in the summer I was ALL OVER this soup. I ordered a cup but sincerely wish I had gotten a bowl. My SIL also got it and loved it as well. For my entree I got the whitefish fish and chips. Oh man it was also quite good and quite a generous portion. When in the area I always go for a whitefish and I don't regret that here. BUT, my mom went walleye for her fish and chips and I'm not gonna lie, I think I liked that better. Both were great but the walleye edged out the whitefish by a bit. It's slightly pricier but worth it, I thought. She agreed after trying my whitefish as well. But you won't be disappointed with either, TBH. Our server was really nice and accommodating. Food came out quickly and, though it was busy, never felt uncomfortable. We all agreed that we'll be adding The Cove into our regular vacation rotation. No matter the wait.

Today was our second visit to The Cove. After about a 10 minute wait on a Tuesday around noon, we were seated outside on a deck overlooking the lake. (Very cool). The waitress was efficient but not overly friendly. I had the white fish and fries while my husband had the walleye and fries. We shared a seafood chowder as well ... which was outstanding! Our fish and chips were good ... but not the best we've had. The portions aren't as large as most places. (We still went away very full!) We'll be back. We love the area and the atmosphere!

No reservations so we had to wait maybe 15-20 minutes but they gave us a buzzer so we could walk around and enjoy the evening a bit first. We were given the best table in the place, it seems: right in the corner where we had a lovely view of the dam and the little river, as well as being able to see the rest of the main dining room. Once we were seated, our server, Jess S, greeted us promptly and asked if we'd like anything to drink. We ordered our drinks and then she read our minds by saying it seemed as though we might be ready to order everything. We were impressed. I stopped in the bathroom to wash my hands and was impressed with how pretty it was, and clean. By the time I got back, our drinks had already arrived! We didn't have to wait too long for the meal either. We love whitefish and this was definitely top notch quality. We'd never had it presented in tinfoil before - really ensured the fish stayed moist. I wasn't too hungry, having eaten too many snacks, so was happy with the tiny mashed potatoes but others might want to order an appetizer if very hungry. But the real triumph was the award winning cherry pie. Whenever we visit Door County Wi or northern Michigan, we always hunt for the best cherry pie. This slice was hands down the best in our lives. Perfect flaky crust with ripe, amazingly flavorful cherries and not so much sugar, allowing the flavor of the cherries to really shine. I asked Jess S if the ice cream was French vanilla, letting her know I don't like French vanilla but would like it if it's regular vanilla. She checked and brought the pie without the ice cream, knowing that since it was French vanilla, I wouldn't want it. At each turn, she was friendly, speedy, and seemed to read our minds. I'd go every week just for that pie if I lived in town!

My husband and I discovered The Cove two years ago after visiting several wineries along the Leelanau Peninsula. This cozy restaurant is located in Historic Fishtown, which offers amazing views. And the staff is extremely friendly. During our previous visit, we ordered the Whitefish and Chips, which is amazing! The breading is light, and the fish is quite tender and flaky. This time around my husband ordered the Garlic Parmesan Whitefish, which I sampled, and I ordered the daily special Cherry BBQ Glazed Salmon. Both dishes were perfectly prepared and quite flavorful and delicious. The star of the meal, though, was the Seafood Chowder that we shared as an appetizer. OMG! I cannot remember the past time I enjoyed a bowl of soup so much. Incredibly flavorful with nice chunks of shrimp, crab, and clams. And despite being quite satisfied after finishing our entrees, we shared a slice of chocolate cheesecake with cherry glaze. Yum! I highly recommend The Cove the next time you're in Fishtown. Your taste buds will thank you. Bon Appétit!

A local recommended this restaurant to us. We came here for a late lunch on a Saturday and it was still packed and busy at 2pm! Located right on the water, this casual and fisherman themed restaurant has great views and tasty food. I tried a bowl (larger size) of the seafood soup and it was very delicious and filling. Not overly laden with potatoes like some chowders are prone to doing. And you could taste all the seafood components. Not sure if it's really necessary to have the krab in it, but the shrimp, fish and clams were great. My husband got the perch basket and the four pieces of fish were not overly breaded and quite large. Fries were well done too. Coleslaw is a sweeter mayo version. Higher in price but at least a good amount of fish! Service was prompt and nothing special, but got the job done (the restaurant was busy and we sat at a high top near the bar so the busy bartender had to take our orders/do our check out and make drinks for the whole restaurant!) Would go back again and hopefully on a non rainy day to be able to sit outside!

Being originally from this part of the world, this is always a must stop. The menu is diverse, the food delicious and of course you need to get a chubby Mary

We were visiting the area and got a strong recommendation to visit The Cove for their seafood chowder. We stopped and were not disappointed...here's why: - The chowder was amazing! It had little baby shrimp, and lots of whitefish that just melted in your mouth. There weren't too many potatoes, and they make their own hot sauce, which was excellent on top. For lunch, a bowl each was plenty enough for both my wife and I. - We visited in early May so it wasn't crowded at all yet...but the place is massive, very eclectic with memorabilia related to the lake all over the walls, ceilings, etc. - Service was great! Bottom line: I would recommend The Cove to anyone visiting the Leelanau Peninsula!