I'm proud to be part of such an amazing online community. Without Yelp, I totally wouldn't have found this awesome spot to have lunch today.
Enchanted by all the cute, wow and whoa that is Saugatuk, we wandered in here for a late lunch after checking a few reviews. All signs pointed to yummy and we knew we had to try some of the things before setting foot inside the building.
Inside it's standard dark bar/grill with low lighting, red walls and a few pieces of nice upscale art on the walls. This is an upscale art loving community after all. There's a small covered patio seating area outside that we didn't notice til we were leaving. It would be nice to sit out there, but we were happy with the dark and air conditioning after wandering around in the summer sun.
Our waitress was super friendly and kept our drinks refilled before touching the bottom.
We started out with the Gorgonzola ale dip. And tho it seemed like it took forever for it to arrive (hello, how long does it take to microwave some cheese?), but upon seeing it we realized this was baked fresh. Good food takes time, and this was fantastic. Bits of nuts and cherries were added for texture and to enhance the flavor of what was already a wonderfully tasty spread.
For lunch, I had the beef tenderloin. It was served open face and topped with portabello mushrooms and red peppers and had a garlic spread. It was truly perfect in every way. Another Yelper described the potato wedges it came with as the best she'd ever eaten. She was not wrong. They too, were perfect.
My wife had the basil chicken sandwich and it was good with a capital GOOD (yeah, that good).
I would and will HIGHLY recommend a visit to Phil's and am hoping to squeeze one more meal there in before going back home.
Eating out and trying new places is an adventure when you are on vacation and Phil's is the main attraction! Â I cannot say enough great things about this place! Â We went on a busy night and we were quoted 30 minutes but only waited about 20. Â The server was friendly and attentive, the ambiance was fun and lively and the food.... oh the food... A++++! Â My wife and I jokingly over the past few days have mentioned "Would it be crazy to drive 3 1/2 hours just to eat at Phil's and then drive back to Indianapolis?" Â Honestly the more I think about it, the less crazy it sounds! Â If you are visiting Saugatuck this is a place you will NOT want to pass up!
Review Source:Phils is such a nice little local restaurant. Â The fish tacos are awesome! Â Yes, it is fried cod but so good! Â I also love the scallop appetizer and asian slaw. Â The service is friendly too. As the other reviews have mentioned, you will have to wait for a table during prime time and on weekends.
Review Source:Phil's was such a perfect way to kick off a trip to Saugatuck. The ambiance is very laid back and prices are very reasonable.
We started off with the the Broasted Wings and Sake Seared Scallops - what a fantastic way to kick off the meal. The wings were huge, saucy and delicious. The scallops were perfectly seared and even the side of coleslaw was delicious. I had the Lobster Cobb Salad for my entree which was tasty.
Highly recommend!
Don't be fooled by the outside of this place as the marquee outside will throw you off (my husband and I thought this was a run of the mill bar until we looked it up on Yelp). Â The food is amazing. Â Dishes were priced in the $18-$30 range. I had the lobster cobb salad and my husband had the duck. Â Decent beer selection, good wine selection. Â The atmosphere is casual without being too casual given the quality of the food. I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a solid dining experience in Saugatuck.
Review Source:I've been coming to Phil's for 5 years now and have sampled the menu too many times to count.
First, be ready to wait for a table (unless it happens to be an off time), even in January. Â This place is not designed to serve large groups but will accomodate if you have 4+ people in your group. Â
Second, ask for the specials. Â There is a lunch special during the day, there is a separate dinner special in the evening. Â If you are thinking about ordering the special, DO IT!!! The specials are that, SPECIALS!!! Â
I've had the broasted chicken, the lobster cobb salad, the ham and cheese sammy...all were wonderful. Â My favorite is the the scallop pad thai. Â
They do have carry-out, so if you aren't willing to wait for a table, just order carry-out!
Kenny O. and I ordered the ahi tuna salad and a broasted chicken meal to share.
The ahi tuna salad was alright. The ahi tuna slices were marinated with adobo sauce. I didn't really like it. The avocado side that came with it was good though.
The broasted chicken meal came with potato wedges on the side. These were the best potato wedges I've had! I'd go back just to order this. The wedges stayed crispy throughout our meal. They didn't become soggy after a few minutes of rest. The broasted chicken were equally crispy, but I thought the meat itself was a little bit on the dry side.
Good food, I'd go back but probably pass on the Lobster Cobb Salad -- expensive, and although I wasn't expecting a lobster tail, got a few bites of lobster with a hard boiled egg, some bacon, blue cheese in a hearty mass of field greens. . . for $16. Â My husband said his burger was excellent and the fries were some of the best he's ever had. Â So, thumbs up overall, I'd go back but try something else.
Review Source:When we first arrived there was a line of people blocking the door, stairs and snaking around the bar. No hostess or servers in sight, no one taking names or knowing what we were supposed to do to get a table. There was an empty but not yet cleared table near us, but no one was making a move towards it as there was clearly an order to who got the table first but none of us knew what it was. After ten minutes we flagged down a waitress and got on the list. It was a half hour wait but well worth the wait.
Let's start with drinks. Marie P. got an Oberon on tap (it had just arrived on Monday - yipee, it's Spring!) for $4.50. She also had a cosmo and the bartender was quite generous! Â I had club soda with lemon and never had an empty glass the whole night. After a tortuous wait we were finally seated at a table where a glass of crayons was provided for coloring the brown paper covering the table.
For a starter we got the Gorgonzola Ale dip (Gorgonzola, light ale, dried Michigan cherries, pecans and cream cheese baked in to a creamy cheesy deliciousness and served with massive triangles of toasted wheat lawash bread. We split a Nutty Salad (spring greens with Gorgonzola crumbles, sliced green apple, candied walnuts and a generous side of  house-made Gorgonzola Cream dressing). The people next to us got the same salad but had the baked apple and toasted pecan vinaigrette which they praised enthusiastically.
For mains I ordered the broasted chicken wings with ancho-chile citrus glaze. I ordered mild which was plenty hot! It was great with a side of the Gorgonzola Cream dressing, but was too much food for one person (or even two) as the wings are massive. Actually - it's a bit odd to think of what chicken could be that massive to have such big wings. But they are chicken wings, not turkey wings. I think my plate had some 6 or 8 wings on it and I only made it through three of them.
Marie's main dish was a portabello mushroom sandwich - a whole mushroom cap grilled and topped with goat cheese, avocado, spinach, red onion, sun-dried tomato pesto and a balsamic reduction. Instead of a regular bun it's served on pretzel bread though they can also swap it for a toasted chiabatta roll. How awesome is that???
We loved Phil's so much that we asked for a menu to take with us and spend the evening planning our return. On our next visit we got a loaf of crusty bread (ask for it, it's not on the menu but they will make you a fresh personal loaf within about 20 minutes if you ask!) and the Gorgonzola Ale dip again. We also ordered the portabello mushroom fries (thick slices of seasoned mushroom caps broasted with a crispy crust and served with stone ground mustard dipping sauce). For a main we got two pieces of broasted chicken served with coleslaw and potato wedges - at that point all I could eat was the chicken and coleslaw. Marie tried to finish my fries but we still ended up leaving with leftover Gorgonzola Ale dip, potatoes and bread (all of which were a great midnight snack!).
Prices were amazingly cheap. The Gorgonzola Ale Dip and the portabello mushroom sandwich with fries were both only $8. The massive pile of  broasted wings was $8.50. Portabello mushroom fries were $7.50. The nutty salad was $6 for a half or $8 for a whole and the portions are generous!
I planned to try their desserts the second time we went because they looked incredible. But I just never had the room! Â The days were were there they had chocolate and vanilla gelato for $4 and a flourless chocolate torte or creme brulee for $5. I'm still sad about not having room for that creme brulee! Whether you get dessert or not, every meal ends with a small paper cup of animal crackers for each person which are oddly satisfying after such a large and rich meal.
I went to Phil's for lunch on a Saturday in March and it was crowded but I received fast service with friendly staff. Â I ordered the special of the day which was a chipotle pork tenderloin sandwich and my friend got the fish tacos. Â The pork tenderloin was tender and juicy, and the chipotle sauce was extremely fresh and a good creamy flavor. Â They also had a good beer selection with chilled glasses, which really enhances the flavor of beer over a bottle. Â The only negative was the low amount of beers on tap.
Atmosphere was very warm and cozy with low volume alternative acoustic music playing. Â Very good spot for a date.
We love Phil's. Their Tasso Pizza is fantastic as are the mussels, both appetizers. Their tenderloin sandwich is excellent. One thing I would like changed is replace fried fish with broiled in the tacos. Great atmosphere - very friendly with great bartenders. It's a little noisy but not too bad. The outside seating is nice and quiet.
Review Source:Great food and service. Had the sirloin with smashed taters and spinach. The jus was terrific: rich and tomato-y. The steak flavorful and cooked to the right temp. The light, but flavorfully seasoned breading on the calamari appetizer was fresh and crisp--a perfect foil to the sweet/spicy dip. My only suggestion for improvement: add more local beers to the list. Bell's Oberon is a great summer brew, but there are so many accomplished breweries in MI.
Review Source:This is a nice local bar and grill. We arrived 6 minutes before the kitchens closed down for the night, and they kindly squeezed in a quick order of some wings and burgers for us. They were made when we ordered, and arrived fast. The drink pours are generous, and the food was quite good overall. I had a blackened Gorgonzola bacon burger, and it was excellent. I would definitely eat here again if I was from the area, and I can easily see why this is a popular local spot.
Review Source:Decided to try this place after reading some good reviews and found it was a great decision. I ordered the Salmon and it was delicious. The potato crust on top added an extra surprise of flavor and texture.
The place was pretty crowded, but we got a table fairly quickly. The server was pretty attentive and refilled my friend's soda at the right time. We didn't have to hunt her down for anything. Â We would definitely recommend this place and would come back if we get to Saugatuck again.
Hands down, my favorite Saugatuck bar.
Absolutely outstanding food... and not "bar food," either. Â Beef tenderloin sandwich is amazing. Â Burger on ciabatta roll is the best I've ever had. Â Prices are reasonable, ambiance is noisy but very friendly, bartenders and waitstaff enjoy themselves, and the drinks are more than amply poured.
You might well encounter a wait of some length during the summer, but you won't regret it. Â And off-season, it's the perfect neighborhood bar.
Oh Phil...you really shouldn't have! Â Your rough exterior does not give any indication of the gourmet chef hidden inside. Â As I walked up and saw your old theater diggs, I had no idea how amazing you would turn out to be! Â Starting off with a Moose Drool and a Oberon was the perfect way to my heart. Â Not to mention, that fantastic beer gorgonzola ale dip...it was out of this world! Â You really sealed the deal when I tasted the sirloin paired with balsamic brussel sprout carrot slaw and creamy mashed potatoes. Â I have never experienced such a surprise and I cannot wait to see you again the next time I visit Saugatuck!
Review Source:My wife and I were in Saugatuck over several days, and discovered that many of the other restaurants were closed on Mondays. Â We opted to have dinner at Phil's based on other Yelp reviews, and we were not disappointed. Â This ended up being the best meal we had in the area.
The server was friendly and helpful, and the service was great. Â We sat outside, and really enjoyed the more quiet setting than inside the bar would have offered. Â I had the broasted chicken. Â The skin was perfectly crisp, but the meat was moist. Â It was served with french fries that had more of a steak fry cut to them. They were crisp and hot when served. Â My wife had the fish tacos and was completely pleased with her selection.
We will return here any time we are in the area.
When I see over 40 reviews of a place with a 4 1/2 star rating I can't help but get very excited to try it. This combination of reviews to score ratio is EXTREMELY difficult to come across so I was very eager to try out Phil's on my way through Saugatuck, MI this past Monday.
The place was very busy (Labor Day) and had a 45 minute wait. Well I can tell you this....I don't come across that may 4 1/2 star restaurants with 40 plus reviews so I convinced my party it was well worth the wait.
To my group's HUGE disapointment we found the food and service to be way under par. I don't know if we caught this place on a bad day however it was not worth the wait.
We have been eating at Phils for years and have never been disappointed. The f'ood is fresh and innovative, the servers are pleasant and efficient and the bartenders are friendly and attentive.
Phils is not a large restaurant so it can get noisy on weekend nights, but we don't mind that. It's fun to be part of a happy crowd.
We were just driving through mich on the way home from camping and decided we'd find some good food in Sagatuck!
Phil's was the perfect amount of food, temperature, music, attn from service, just everything.
We started w the chicken and shrimp gumbo (a bowl for three of us to have a good amount when we only wanted a sufficient tasting)
I had the chicken pesto sand w feta, red peps, artichoke hearts and on a ciabatta bun. Stuck w the steak fries. Loved everything on my plate, had to take half of sand home w me for dinner..
Mom AND sister each had the portobello sand w goat cheese, avacado, and a sun dried tomato pesto sauce on a PRETZEL ROLL. I almost ordered the same thing just for the bread!! Delish.
Sister got the veggies instead of fries.. OK veggies, not the best.
They give animal cracks w the check:) how cute?
Visited Phil's after shopping in cute lil Saugatuck, and I'm sure glad I did.
The service was really outstanding. The waitress was so patient with my [many] requests and I felt like they were more concerned with ensuring guests had a good time than getting them to spend money. The bathroom was small, but it was clean, which I appreciate.
You know what really wins the 4th star in my book? They make almost everything from scratch. No joke, I was so impressed by this little spot.
I love Phil's!
We started out with the portabella mushroom fries. Â Sure, it is not a health food, but they were delicious! Â The big winner was the Chicken Pesto Sandwich. Â I can't wait to eat it again! Â The chicken was perfectly cooked, the feta was plentiful, and the pesto was perfect.
I look forward to my next trip to Phil's.
Damn, can we talk about their potato wedges?! They are GREAT. Sometimes I eat about half the potatoes before I even get around to the rest of my meal which is always delicious in its own right. This past weekend I had the broasted chicken which was outstanding. A two piece white meal for under $10 and more than enough food. Really impressive. The ribs are also pretty tasty as well and they come with those crazy good fries too which rules!
The space is a low key bar with dimmed lights and paper/crayons on the tables for sketching badly drawn animals and silly notes. The menu is varied--from your basic grilled ham and cheese sandwiches to nightly specials that get a little more creative. The staff is SO nice and attentive. In the past we've had wonderful conversations with Phil himself and his mother who both take the time to speak with the guests. The marquee outside the restaurant welcomes customers with special occasion announcements (I have to admit it's really exciting when you get your name on the board for your birthday!) and they have a nice little patch of outdoor seating if you'd like some fresh air. Unfortunately I'm a mosquito magnet so my days of dinner dining outside are limited but the space is nice if you can handle the bugs!
I do spend most of my summer in the small, quaint town of Saugatuck, I like this place for many reasons. 1. Once I was highly intoxicated and went there to buy food for me and 6 other friends. I ordered everything on the menu x 2. I am still the talk of the evening. The food impressed so many of my friends that this story became a legend. 2. They where so patient with me when I was at my most vulnerable state, they even helped me load it into the limo. and 3 this food was good, we even ate the leftovers the next 2 days, it only got better with time.
Thank you Phil's for being so different from your bourgeois counterparts in town.
This place is great.
We go here with my 3 year old and mother. Â Very family friendly but I would just as soon come with a group of adults. Â Delicious broasted chicken for the meat eaters, yummy fried portobella mushrooms(homemade NOT frozen), and the BEST lobster cobb salad in the world. Â Try with any of the scrumptious dressings they offer and you will be soooo happy.
Service is amazing- any little problem and the waitress practically fell all over herself to make things perfect again...wish I remembered her name.
Somehow we found this place and wandered in. It looks somewhat like a dive bar from the outside with a flashing marquee that's reminescent of a movie theater. We ended up coming out for drinks our one night in town (after dinner somewhere else) but came back for lunch the following day. And we were not sorry. Their menu is surprisingly imaginative. I had an amazing sandwich made up of a huge portobello mushroom with avacado and pesto on a pretzel bun. Very delicious. My husband had the perch sandwich which he thoroughly enjoyed. And even their wedge fries (which I usually don't like) were very good. Not dry at all.
The atmosophere once you're inside leans towards romantic with candles lit on every table and a long bar at the front. It's also smoke-free (starting Jan 2009) which I love. They do have a little outdoor smoking area right outside the door complete with a heater (since we were there in February).
We'll definitely be back!
There's a tuna appetizer with avocado that's worth the trip to this place. Â The rest of the food might've warranted a 3 star rating, but they did have a decent beer selection and I just really liked the place overall.
I've been back a few times to Phil's and this last time I was able to sit outside and get away from the roar of the patrons in the bar. Â I tried the fish tacos and really like that this time. Â My date had the Pad Thai mussels and it was excellent. Â Our waitress was great. Â She was handling a bunch of tables and was great.
Since the outdoor seating is season dependant, I'm probably not going to go here much in Winter. Â It's just so noisy in this place. Â If the owner were to put up noise dampeners on the ceiling, it would go a long way.
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