90 Years of Art’s Tavern

A look back (and forward) for this Glen Arbor tradition

By Greg Tasker | Oct. 7, 2023

Chances are, if you spend any time exploring the Leelanau Peninsula, you’re going to end up eating at least one meal at Art’s Tavern in Glen Arbor.

This welcoming throwback to another era stands proudly on M-22 in the heart of Glen Arbor, welcoming tourists and locals alike, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost every day of the year. Staples like burgers and tater tots and a rotating selection of Michigan craft beer and other ales keep customers coming back.

But it’s more than that. Art’s Tavern is a big personality in a small resort town. It’s also an anomaly—cash or check only—in an era of Apple Pay and Google Pay. The dining room looks pretty much as it always has (there have been no additions to accommodate more guests, despite demand): college sports pennants blanket the ceiling, old photos line the walls, and a streamlined jukebox awaits to play your favorite tunes.

Nine Decades in Northern Michigan

Art’s Tavern has been serving meals for generations. Next year, the beloved landmark will mark its 90th anniversary. That’s quite an accomplishment in the restaurant business, an industry known for slim profit margins, transient staff, and other challenges (and that doesn’t even include the hassles of the pandemic).

Technically, Art’s Tavern began its decades-long run not as Art’s but as The Blue Goose Saloon, founded by Frank Sheridan and opened in the 1920s. Unfortunately, Sheridan died in an accidental electrocution in 1934, and his son, Art Sheridan, inherited the business. He renamed the saloon after himself: Art’s Tavern. Another tragedy occurred in 1950 when an electrical fire destroyed the business. By spring of the following year, a flat-topped brick and concrete structure was completed, and Art’s Tavern has remained in that space ever since.

The official opening of Art’s Tavern in 1934 predates many of the big draws that bring people from all over to the region. Leelanau’s first commercial winery didn’t open until decades later. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore wasn’t established as a national park until 1970. The Homestead, a destination resort, didn’t open to the public until the late ’70s. Cherry Republic established roots in Glen Arbor in the 1990s.

“Art’s has been at the corner of Lake Street and M22 for a long time,” says Bonnie Nescot, who, along with her husband, Tim Barr, are the current proprietors, the third owners since Prohibition. “Many people enjoy coming back and seeing that Art’s is still there. For a lot of people that have property in the area, gathering at Art’s has become a family tradition, something going back generations.”

Ownership has changed only a few times over the decades. Art died in 1970 and his widow, Mary, ran the business until 1986 when she sold the business to the Wiesen family. Tim Barr and Bonnie Nescot purchased Art’s Tavern in 2000, and they’ve been running the business ever since. Barr had worked for the Wiesens at Art’s; Nescot had worked in accounting in the oil and gas industry.

Step into Art’s Tavern and you’ll likely see Tim sitting with regulars at the bar or chatting with visitors. As you might guess, he’s frequently mistaken for the restaurant’s namesake, to which he’ll reply: “I’m not Art.” Nescot handles the books and everything office-related.

The duo have implemented some updates over the years. They purchased the gas station next door to put in a new wastewater system, and the building became a store for Art’s merchandise, including T-shirts, hats, and hoodies, as well as homemade food products like Tim Barr’s Best Damn Jam and Tim Barr’s Tavern Mustard, locally sourced and produced. They also created outdoor dining (formerly the right of way for gas delivery trucks).

Inside the restaurant, the couple has replaced the bar, booths, the floor, windows, and the kitchen hood. “We worked hard at making sure anything we replaced was similar in look to what was being replaced,” Nescot says.

Some Things Never—or Rarely—Change

There have been menu additions too. Art’s served only burgers and fries when Barr and Nescot took over more than two decades ago. Today’s menu includes breakfast staples, everything from eggs to pancakes, and a variety of sandwiches, salads, and entrees like parmesan crusted whitefish and European perch. Dessert options include Art’s chocolate chip cookies and Moomers vanilla ice cream.

But what has continued to make Art’s Tavern relevant in an ever-changing and growing tourism town has been consistency.

Beloved menu items—burgers, tater tots, chicken jalapeño soup, grilled cheese, chili, and mac and cheese—endure and remain as popular as ever. Art’s has also continued the tradition of 2-for-1 burgers on Mondays through the winter months, much to the delight of locals.

Just as those favorite dishes remain, the restaurant’s hours have remained largely consistent throughout the year, while many other businesses have limited days of operation since the pandemic due to staffing and other issues. And while seasonal businesses in Leelanau County’s resort towns close during the winter, Art’s keeps the lights on and the grill going.

“We say open consistent hours seven days a week most of the year, only closing for maintenance and a few of the holidays,” Nescot says.

Still, some changes have had to be made. Hours have been reduced, and the menu was redeveloped to feature a smaller selection of offerings than in the past, with a “focus on what we do best,” Nescot says.

“We have stayed with our core menu offering of fresh ground burgers,” Nescot tells us. “The pandemic taught us how to pivot much more quickly to changes in supply, which, at times, has caused frequent menu changes.”

As Art’s Tavern embarks on its 90th year, Barr and Nescot remain enthusiastic about running the beloved eatery and welcoming old and new generations.

“The diversity of our visitors and the experienced, top-notch staff keep things interesting at Art’s,” Nescot says. “There are always new stories to share.”

Find Art’s Tavern at 6487 Western Avenue in Glen Arbor. (231) 334-3754; artsglenarbor.com. Cash only.