Slate Traverse City

4.5 (99)

$31 to $50

American

250 E Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684

Make a reservation

Slate Traverse City

4.5

$31 to $50

American

Traverse City

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 9, 2026

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Great for live music

Your newest Front Street favorite, Slate proudly opened its doors on Friday, June 22, 2018.

The name Slate was derived from its chalkboard style menu and will boast nightly features and other accoutrements that will tantalize your taste-buds. Slate’s chalkboard menus will likely change based on availability of the freshest food, the whims of our culinary team, and the seasonality of Northern Michigan.

Join us for Tom Kaufman Thursday - Saturday evenings as Tom creates delightful dinner ambiance while performing as a soloist entertainer. Great food, handcrafted cocktails, and amazing ambiance all rolled up into one experience in Downtown TC: SLATE!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Steakhouse, Italian
Hours of operation
Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Contact
(231) 421-5912
Website
https://slatetc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
250 E Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684
Neighborhood
Traverse City
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

All Experiences

PRIX FIXE MENU. Dinner for two for $65
1 - 8 people
Multiple dates available
Includes Bottle of House Wine APPETIZER (to share) Bistro Frites truffle | parmesan | ancho chili ketchup Seafood Dip lump crab | baked scallops | cream cheese | panko | crostini Pork Belly Wontons hoisin glaze | chili aioli | cilantro | quick pickles SOUP AND SALAD (one each) Tomato Basil Bisque (GF) Ceaser Salad PRINCIPAL (one each) Beef Tenderloin 6oz hand cut | pomme puree | seasonal vegetable | bordelaise Salmon hoisin glaze | kimchi fried rice | vegetables Veal Saltimbocca prosciutto | sage | pomme puree | seasonal vegetables | bordelaise Monday - Saturday | 4PM - 5:30PM | Dinner for two for $65 CONSUMPTION OF RAW OR UNDERCOOKED FOODS CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK OF FOOD BOURNE ILLNESS Dinner for two for $65

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Roasted Pistachios$7.00
olive oil | sea salt | rosemary
Steakhouse Frites$7.00
thick cut | flash fried | fry sauce | + house seasoning 11.5 | truffle parmesan 15
- House Seasoning$4.50
- Truffle Parmesan$8.00
Pork Belly Wontons$17.00
hoisin glaze | chili aioli | cilantro | quick pickles
Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes$21.00
Ritz Cracker Crust | Creole Remoulade | Myer Lemon Arugula
Calamari$18.50
flash fried | chili aioli | arrabiatta sauce
Seafood Dip$29.00
lump crab | baked scallops | cream cheese | panko | crostini
Beer Braised Clams$25.00
lager | whole grain mustard | cream | baguette
Bacon Wrapped Scallops$29.00
grilled | prosciutto | gorgonzola chive dressing | lemon

Salad

Caesar Salad - Small$9.50
artisan romaine hearts | parmesan | house caesar | olive oil croutons | + chicken 8 | salmon 15 | steak 17
Caesar Salad - Large$14.00
artisan romaine hearts | parmesan | house caesar | olive oil croutons | + chicken 8 | salmon 15 | steak 17
Slate Salad - Small$11.00
spinach | marcona almond | bacon | gorgonzola | balsamic vinaigrette | + chicken 8 | salmon 15 | steak 17
Slate Salad - Large$15.00
spinach | marcona almond | bacon | gorgonzola | balsamic vinaigrette | + chicken 8 | salmon 15 | steak 17

Soup

Tomato Basil$9.00
San marzano | balsamic vinaigrette
Whiskey Crab and Corn Chowder$12.00
lump crab | red skin potatoes | fresh herbs

Principal

Snake River Farms Black Label Tenderloin$58.00
center cut wagyu | steak sauce | pomme puree | seasonal vegetable
Ragu$35.00
short rib | pappardelle | parmesan
Waygu Beef Tips$30.00
sauerbraten gravy | puree de pomme | roasted carrots
Salmon$34.50
hoisin glaze | kimchi fried rice | vegetables
Clams Linguini$33.00
tarragon | sherry cream | parsley
Patty Melt$21.00
8oz steak burger | sweet peppers and onions | gruyere | texas toast | fry sauce | frites
Classic Burger$19.50
lettuce | tomato | onion | pickle | frites
Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich$19.50
breaded | hot honey | white bbq | lettuce | quick pickles | brioche bun | frites
Slate Chicken$29.00
blackened | grilled | garlic honey glaze | sweet peppers and onions | pomme puree
Low Carb Plate$22.00
twin grilled chicken breast | seasonal vegetables | + 4 Substitute grilled salmon

Add - Ons

Sautéed Mushrooms$4.00
Sautéed Onions$4.00
Au Poivre Crust$5.00
Bordelaise$6.00
Kimchi Fried Rice$7.00
Garlic Shrimp$9.00
Seared Scallops (3)$21.00

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Slate Traverse City.

4.5

(99)

4.4Food
4.6Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula
Hot spot
Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula
Neighborhood gem
Northern Michigan / Upper Peninsula
Lively
Northern Michigan
Hot spot
Northern Michigan
Neighborhood gem
Northern Michigan
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Slate Traverse City offers a delightful dining experience with "excellent date night deals," "outstanding food," and a charming "Friday live piano." Guests appreciate the "very friendly, knowledgeable staff" and the option to order from two menus. The tenderloin is "seasoned perfectly" and the atmosphere is "conversation quiet," making it a favorite for return visits.

99 Reviews

J
Jason
Northern MI3 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The Salmon was great! The piano was a nice touch, for a romantic dinner. Amy is the best server ever.
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D
Dave
Northern MI3 reviews
5.0
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food, excellent service. Shoutout to our server Paige.
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S
Stephanie Gold
Orlando1 review
1.0
Dined on October 23, 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
My husband and I chose this spot as a date night to be able to catch up on the week and enjoy each other’s company. I chose this location because the pictures of the food were genuinely making me salivate. I was really looking forward to a good steak. Instead, what we experienced was the loudest atmosphere I’ve ever been inside of in a restaurant, and it wasn’t overly busy. My experience of the facility is that there is zero sound absorption, so even with a normal amount of patrons is incredibly loud inside of the restaurant and completely impossible to have a conversation. The pianist was very nice and I loved the music. It was at a decent level. Our waitress was not very versed in nonalcoholic beverages or their options which was disappointing. The pork belly wontons were not at all what you would expect. It was quite literally a tortilla chip with a piece of pork belly on top of it is very disappointing. When asked for a nonalcoholic Mojito, it was definitely missing some ingredients and just tasted like spicy water. Our Caesar salad was warm and not very well prepared. We ended up ordering the tenderloin and veal and neither dish was fantastic, but I will say that the tender line was tender. We ordered a ginger ale that was definitely sprite with a splash of Coke and I would’ve really appreciated. Just being told they didn’t carry it. Overall, we were disappointed and the quality of food, disappointed in the level of service provided, disappointed in the noise level and overall experience. I do really love the location and I really love the pianist and think that with some noise, absorption and quality of food rehaul but this could be a really great place.
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G
Gene
Naples3 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 17, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Second time there. Food is very good. Definitely recommend this restaurant!
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R
RENEE
Naples2 reviews
5.0
Dined on October 13, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the fall price fixe menu and each item we ordered was perfectly cooked and was delicious! Our server was very friendly. We had a lovely evening!
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G
Gary J Gold
Detroit86 reviews
4.0
Dined on October 9, 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyed early dinner specials with service and Friday live piano
Is this helpful?
e
edward Gold
Chicago244 reviews
4.0
Dined on September 25, 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
I had the nashville hot chicken sandwich and my wife had the salad with salmon on top. Both were very good.
Is this helpful?
E
Erin
Chicago4 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 25, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is our first time eating at Slate. It was outstanding food with very friendly, knowledgeable and hard working staff. I would eat there again and recommend it to my friends and colleagues.
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P
Pat
San Francisco4 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 25, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, service and piano music. Can also order from the Italian restaurant next door.
Is this helpful?
M
Melissa
Grand Rapids9 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 16, 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Slate has its own cocktail and upscale bar menu but also offers full access to the Sorellina menu. We enjoyed the quieter atmosphere on the Slate side of the shared kitchen restaurants.
Is this helpful?

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Steakhouse, Italian
Hours of operation
Mon–Sat 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Contact
(231) 421-5912
Website
https://slatetc.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
250 E Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684
Neighborhood
Traverse City
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

FAQs

Slate offers a polished, modern dining room with live piano entertainment (Tom Kaufman performs Thu–Sat evenings) and a generally pleasant, conversation‑friendly vibe, especially during early hours.

Thursday through Saturday evenings are a highlight, Tom Kaufman performs then and guests praise the live-music atmosphere.

The early-bird/prix-fixe dinner tends to be generous, guests note the early-bird menu includes shared appetizer, soup or salad, and a main, and describe the portions as "a little too large."

Smart casual is the guide, think polished but relaxed: neat, put‑together clothing without anything overly formal.

Yes, Slate Traverse City accepts private parties and includes private events as part of its offering.

Yes, Slate Traverse City is frequently recommended for dates, with many guests praising its atmosphere, food, and suitability for special evenings.

Slate Traverse City is at its best during the early-bird/early-dinner window (around 4–5:30pm), guests praise the prix-fixe value and a "conversation quiet" atmosphere before the dinner rush.

How FAQ content is generated

Make a reservation

Slate Traverse City

4.5

$31 to $50

American

Traverse City

Make a reservation

2 people

Nov 9, 2026

7:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Slate Traverse City

Make a reservation

Slate Traverse City

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

PRIX FIXE MENU. Dinner for two for $65

Small Plates

Roasted Pistachios$7.00

Steakhouse Frites$7.00

Pork Belly Wontons$17.00

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes$21.00

Calamari$18.50

Seafood Dip$29.00

Beer Braised Clams$25.00

Bacon Wrapped Scallops$29.00

Salad

Caesar Salad - Small$9.50

Caesar Salad - Large$14.00

Slate Salad - Small$11.00

Slate Salad - Large$15.00

Soup

Tomato Basil$9.00

Whiskey Crab and Corn Chowder$12.00

Principal

Snake River Farms Black Label Tenderloin$58.00

Ragu$35.00

Waygu Beef Tips$30.00

Salmon$34.50

Clams Linguini$33.00

Patty Melt$21.00

Classic Burger$19.50

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich$19.50

Slate Chicken$29.00

Low Carb Plate$22.00

Add - Ons

Sautéed Mushrooms$4.00

Sautéed Onions$4.00

Au Poivre Crust$5.00

Bordelaise$6.00

Kimchi Fried Rice$7.00

Garlic Shrimp$9.00

Seared Scallops (3)$21.00

Loved For

Review summary

Additional information

FAQs

What's the ambience/atmosphere like in this restaurant?

What is the best day to go to Slate Traverse City?

What are the portion sizes like at this restaurant?

What is the dress code for Slate Traverse City?

Does this restaurant have private dining?

Is this a good pick for date night?

When is the best time to go to Slate Traverse City?

Make a reservation

Slate Traverse City

Make a reservation