Buoys By the Bay
One more night in St. Ignace.
I still had a full day of work on Mackinac Island on Thursday but Wednesday would be my last night in the area.
I got back to the mainland at a decent time. I was able to get on the 6:00 ferry so I was back in my hotel by 6:30.
I had no idea what I wanted to do for dinner. I was hungry but I didn’t have a taste for anything. A burger didn’t really sound good at that moment but I had no idea what I wanted.
I set my sights on but I felt bad taking a whole table to myself when there was a wait. I walked out as soon as I realized that then drove around aimlessly for a bit.
I was kind of thinking pizza and I saw the bowling alley had that but I kept circling back in front of another bar that looked like it’s probably a lot of fun in the summer. I eventually said screw it, I’m tired of thinking about it so I’m just going to go for bar food again.
I parked my car in front of Buoys on the Bay on South State Street near Spring Street on the south side of St. Ignace’s downtown area. Like most places in St. Ignace, Buoys sits across the street from a marina that sits on the East Moran Bay. There’s a nice big patio out front that has some great bay views but it was too cold the nights I was there and that area wasn’t even set up. The building for this restaurant has been around for a while. It was MI Patio up until 2022 when it became Buoys by the Bay
I walked in to find a pretty full dining room. I stopped at the hostess stand and asked if it was ok if I just went to the bar. There was only one other person there so there were plenty of seats and I wouldn’t be taking a table from another group.
The theme for Buoys by the Bay is obviously nautical. There is a lot of dark woods on the floor and the bar that is contrasted by lighter wood chairs and tables. There’s a lot of Coast Guard themed decor, flags, and beach signs all over the walls. I didn’t notice it at first but they even had live music with a guy in the corner with his guitar setting the ambiance. There are big bay windows along the front of the window so even if it isn’t nice enough to sit outside, you can still get some picturesque views of the bay.
They only have a few beers on tap and only had one IPA. The bartender was also responsible for a few tables in the dining room. When she brought me a menu, I asked for the M-43. That’s always been one of my favorite Hazy IPA’s and if Two Hearted isn’t on tap, I’m always happy to see this one.
Like I mentioned earlier, I wasn’t really in a burger mood so I really took some time looking at the menu. I decided to order the Bouys 5 Alarm Chicken Sandwich. This isn’t a Nashville Hot Chicken. It’s something completely different. Instead of a fried chicken breast, this is more like a fried chicken breast patty. The last time I had something like this was in high school. I always loved chicken patty day. I chuckled a little bit when I saw it but it was actually a really interesting take on a fried chicken sandwich. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pub do something like this. To make it “5 Alarm,” it’s topped with a habanero bacon jam, bacon, and Carolina Reaper cheese. This sandwich had some heat. It wasn’t an overpowering, tongue scorching heat but there was some heat to it. The bacon added that little bit of a salty crunch but the heat is really where it’s at with this sandwich.
The sandwich came with sidewinder fries. I always like these. They’re kind of a cross between a crispy fry and a potato wedge. The outside has that same flakiness as wedges but there’s not quite as much potato underneath. There was a good amount of fries on the plate and there was no chance I was going to leave hungry.
The cost for my meal was around $25 before tip.
Buoys By The Bay wasn’t where I was originally heading when I left my hotel but once I finally made a decision on where I was going to eat, I realized I made a good choice. I didn’t want another burger and Buoys had plenty of solid options. The sandwich ended up being really good and perked me up a little bit. I still had a couple of hours of work to do when I got back to the hotel and that spiciness got me moving again.
SW Michigan Dining 