Port Austin’s Garfield Inn
This week’s adventure takes us to Port Austin, founded in 1862, a village located in the tip of Michigan’s thumb. It is a small community at just 1.04 square miles and has fewer than 700 residents. It is a bit of a tourist destination for those visiting the thumb and it is just 20 minutes from Caseville . . . which holds the iconic Cheeseburger in Paradise Festival every year.
This was not our first trip to Port Austin, we have been there before and eaten at a couple other restaurants like The Bank 1884 which is a restaurant located in the old Winsor Snover Bank. This time, a place caught our eye as we were driving through town. We had to turn around to check it out. We had driven by it before but never noticed it was a restaurant and bar. We always thought it was just a bed & breakfast. After doing a little research, we found out it was called Simms at The Garfield Inn. It is a boutique hotel, as well as a restaurant and bar.
Of course we stayed and had lunch!
The history of these old places, especially an old house, is always intriguing to us and this one is no different. In researching we found that they just recently reopened in May of 2025 after doing some renovations. Apparently they have changed ownership a few times since 2018. All we can talk about is our experience, which was a delightful lunch on a Sunday afternoon.
Lets talk a little about the house
The Garfield Inn, originally called the Charles G. Learned House, is a 10,000 square foot Victorian Mansion, built in the French Second Empire style (aka Napoleon III style) which is characterized by it signature mansard roof and lavish ornamentation. The property was purchased in or around 1860 by Charles Learned, a New York contractor who had helped build New York City’s waterworks system and the Erie Canal. A few years earlier, Learned and his brother-in-law had purchased several thousand acres of pine land. Eventually Learned and his wife Maria bought the house and 3 acres at this site. The cutover pine land was converted to a 2000 ace farm where Learned prospered as an agriculturist and a dairy farmer. With the profits from his farm and lumbering operation he enlarged and updated the house. The name Garfield Inn comes from President James Garfield, a family friend, that was a frequent guest here.
Through the years it has been may different names and from 1931 to 1979 It was known as the Mayes Inn and Tower Hotel and was placed on the Michigan register of historic places in 1984. Today it is known as Simms Still & Stogies at the Garfield Inn.
Inside has all the charm and character of an 1800’s built mansion with the individual rooms of the house set up as dining areas with the main entrance converted to a bar/reception area. They are also an Inn and have 4 rooms that can be rented for $200-$250 a night with a minimum 2 night stay. On the main level, in the lobby, they also have a room set up as a shopping boutique called Magnolia Manor where you can purchase gifts or souvenirs.
When you walk in you immediately will notice the bar area with a 15-16 seat bar with marble countertops. There are original hardwood floors throughout with lots of natural wood trim and wooden staircase leading to the rooms they rent. There is a lot of the old charm and character blended with the comforts of todays modern world.
The restaurant features indoor and outdoor dining with the outdoors being utilized as a cigar lounge as well as for dining and drinks. It feature table for dining as well as wicker lounge chairs for enjoying cocktails while enjoying the live entertainment.
Let’s talk about the food
The restaurant menu is not overwhelming. They offer a few starters, 3 or 4 salads, flatbreads, sandwiches and a few entrees. We had 4 in our group so we were able to experience more than just a coupe of items. It was a beautiful summer day so we opted to sit outside on their patio. There was someone there playing music which wasn’t overbearing and loud, it made for a nice lunch environment. We ordered the Rueben, some blackened steak tips, a blackened salmon Caesar salad and their grilled chicken sandwich. The sandwiches come with a choice of pasta salad or potato salad, which we thought was a nice break form French fries or chips.
Everything was delicious. The steak tips were cook nicely and were served with their zip sauce. The chicken sandwich was a grilled chicken, once again nice to have the choice of not having it fried, the salmon Ceasar came with a nice piece of blackened salmon and corned beef on the Reuben was tender and juicy. We really enjoyed our time here and cannot wait to go back next time we are in town.
The Garfield Inn is located at 8544 Lake Street right in downtown Port Austin. They are open Monday, Wednesday-Friday at 4PM, Saturday at 11AM and Sunday at 3PM. The kitchen is open until 8:30PM every day except Sunday they close at 7:30 PM.
Until next time . . . live well, eat well and enjoy life!
-Keith & Teresa Becker, Becker Home Advisors