Yankee Rebel Tavern

"Mackinac Island has many great dining options during the summer season. The Chippewa Hotel Waterfront is known for its Boursin Chicken, Mission Point Resort for its popular smoked whitefish dip, the Island House for its Ice House BBQ and the Mustang Lounge for pizza, wings and burgers. Oh, and then there’s the Grand Hotel, of course. But the Yankee Rebel Tavern is a place that sometimes gets overlooked because it’s not on Main Street. It shouldn’t. Co-owners Steven and Patti Ann Moskwa are known for having a variety of nightly specials, a decent wine list, cocktails and possibly Michigan’s Best Pot Roast. It’s a classic homemade recipe of tender beef braised with carrots, parsnips, pearl onions and Yukon potatoes. It takes you back in time. If you’re just doing drinks and appetizers before a bike ride around the Island, you can always get the pot roast sliders to share. Fresh fish such as walleye and whitefish are always on the menu, as well as steaks, sandwiches, salads and more. Oh, and you’ll love the Island history in the “Yankee Rebel” name. It is named after Ambrose R. Davenport, who arrived on Mackinac Island as a military enlistee from Virginia and later became a wealthy fur trader. While a prisoner of war during the War of 1812, Davenport refused allegiance to the British, proudly declaring, “I was born in America and am determined, at all hazards, to live and die an American citizen.” He was held at Fort Detroit for three years, Moskwa said, and the British referred to him as the “Yankee Rebel.”"