Part of the Gay Saugatuck Guide — bars, events & things to do.
Saugatuck, Michigan
Historic 1898 waterfront complex with bars, dining, and marina
A Saugatuck waterfront institution with history stretching back to 1898, when the Leiendecker Brothers of Chicago bought the property and built a hotel and dock. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the sprawling complex at 220 Water Street is now one of Michigan's oldest family-owned restaurant and bar operations, run by Michael Johnson, whose father Tom purchased it in 1958. Today it's a two-and-a-half-block waterfront entertainment campus with three restaurants, four bars, a marina, jet ski rentals, and even kiddy rides — something for literally everyone. The main restaurant, Il Forno, serves waterfront indoor and outdoor dining with homemade soups, pizza, pasta, steaks, and fresh seafood. Multiple decks offer river views, live music, dancing, and a weekly comedy show. It's not the most polished spot in town, but the sheer scope of the operation and the buzzy summer energy make it a quintessential Saugatuck experience.
Have feedback on this description? Let us knowDrag brunches, circuit nights & every party worth knowing in Saugatuck — in your inbox every week.
No upcoming events
Try checking a later date or browse events in the app
Get the full experience — check in, follow this venue, and connect with the community.
Palm Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Provincetown, Key West and more — 34 gay resorts and guesthouses, property by property, including the clothing-optional men's resorts.
Robbie S.
The practical first-timer's guide to drag: what people actually wear, how much cash to bring, how to hand a tip to a queen without making it weird, and what the room expects of you.
Robbie S.
A gay bar is a bar. Here's what actually happens on a normal night, why walking in alone is easier than you think, and how to pick the right one for your first time.
Robbie S.
A calm, practical answer to every question first-timers actually have about gay bathhouses — how check-in works, the unwritten rules, what things cost, and why almost everyone there came alone.
Robbie S.
The rainbow flag has meant something specific since 1978 — one word per stripe, assigned by the man who dyed the first one. What every color means, why two stripes are gone, and all the other flags.
Robbie S.
Drag is an art form, not an identity, and what people assume about it is off. Here's what a drag queen actually is, where drag came from, what the job pays, and how the illusion gets built.
Robbie S.
