Weekend hoursClaimed on Google661 reviews
Shipwreck Cafe is at 11691 S Lacore Rd, Empire, MI 49630. Its Google category is "Sandwich shop", with Fast food restaurant as extra categories. After we adjust for review count, its 4.8 stars count as 4.79.
Empire, Leelanau County, Michigan
Restaurants in Empire, MI (2026)
6 restaurants with a Empire address, scored out of 100. Updated October 2026.
Who is the best restaurant in Empire, MI?
As of October 2026, the highest-scoring restaurant in Empire, MI on TownAnswer is Shipwreck Cafe, with a score of 69 out of 100 (4.8 stars from 661 Google reviews). Next are Empire Village Inn (67) and Joe's Friendly Tavern (62). We scored 6 restaurants with a Empire address. If review count matters most, Joe's Friendly Tavern has the most Google reviews (1,799).
This page has fewer than three scored businesses, so we keep it out of search results until it has more. The nearest city pages are listed below.
Empire at a glance
Our October 2026 pull of Google Maps found 6 restaurants with a Empire mailing address. 4 list a website, 4 have claimed their Google listing and 0 take online bookings.
None belongs to a business with three or more Michigan locations in our data.
Every business is scored by the same rules. A business cannot pay for a higher place.
The most-reviewed restaurant in Empire is Joe's Friendly Tavern with 1,799 Google reviews. The median rating among scored listings is 4.6 stars.
What to ask before you hire
- Do they take reservations, and how far ahead?
- Can the kitchen handle your allergy or diet?
- Is there parking, and is the room accessible?
- Is there a private room or group menu?
- What are the kitchen hours, not only the bar hours?
Restaurants in Empire, ranked
Highest score first. Tap a name for its website, or Score details for the full breakdown.
The 100-point TownAnswer score. Every restaurant here is checked on the same 5 parts: reputation (26 points), review volume (18), focus (14), profile (22) and verified owner (20). Nobody pays to rank. How we rank
Open after 8 PMWeekend hours859 reviews
Empire Village Inn lists its address as 11601 S Lacore Rd, Empire, MI 49630. Google files it under "Bar & grill". Its 4.6 stars rest on 859 reviews, which our method reads as 4.60 after the review-count adjustment. The owner has not claimed the Google listing.
Open after 8 PMWeekend hours1,799 reviews
Joe's Friendly Tavern is at 11015 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630. Its Google category is "Bar & grill", with Restaurant as extra categories. After we adjust for review count, its 4.3 stars count as 4.30. The owner has not claimed the Google listing.
04
Little Finger Eatery
★ 4.6 70 Google reviews
59scoreC
Weekend hoursClaimed on Google
Little Finger Eatery lists its address as 10213 W Front St, Empire, MI 49630. Google files it under "American restaurant" and also Sandwich shop. After we adjust for review count, its 4.6 stars count as 4.57.
Claimed on Google
The Dunes Café is at 6311 W Empire Hwy, Empire, MI 49630. That is 3.7 miles east of the Empire city center. Its Google category is "Cafe", with Breakfast restaurant as extra categories. Its 4.7 stars rest on 11 reviews, which our method reads as 4.53 after the review-count adjustment.
06
Adriana’s kitchen
★ 4.0 2 Google reviews
42scoreC-
Weekend hoursClaimed on Google
You will find Adriana’s kitchen at 11600 S Lacore St, Empire, MI 49630. That is 0.4 miles north of the Empire city center. Its Google category is "Mexican restaurant". Its 4.0 stars rest on 2 reviews, which our method reads as 4.36 after the review-count adjustment.
Side by side
| # | Business | Score | Grade | Rating | Reviews | Street |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shipwreck Cafe | 69 | B- | 4.8 | 661 | 11691 S Lacore Rd |
| 2 | Empire Village Inn | 67 | B- | 4.6 | 859 | 11601 S Lacore Rd |
| 3 | Joe's Friendly Tavern | 62 | C+ | 4.3 | 1,799 | 11015 W Front St |
| 4 | Little Finger Eatery | 59 | C | 4.6 | 70 | 10213 W Front St |
| 5 | The Dunes Café | 51 | C | 4.7 | 11 | 6311 W Empire Hwy |
| 6 | Adriana’s kitchen | 42 | C- | 4.0 | 2 | 11600 S Lacore St |
About Empire
341residents
$83,929median household income
331residents per square mile
172households
63.6median age
1.0square miles of land
Empire has 341 residents on 1.0 square miles of land, about 331 people per square mile (ACS 2024 5-year estimates, Census Gazetteer).
The median household income is $83,929 and the median age is 63.6. These figures describe the town. They do not show who visits any business on this page.
Our October 2026 data has 6 restaurants with a Empire mailing address: 176.0 per 10,000 residents. A mailing city can differ from the city limits, so treat the ratio as a guide.
How to choose a restaurant in Empire
Call ahead about allergies. Ask how the kitchen keeps an allergen apart, not only whether a dish contains it.
For a group, ask about a set menu, a private room and the deposit rule.
Kitchen hours and bar hours often differ. Check the kitchen hours if you plan a late dinner.
County health departments inspect restaurants in Michigan. You can ask the county for the latest inspection report.
Chains are scored by the same rules as independent restaurants. Each location is scored on its own reviews.
Restaurants near Empire
| City | Distance | Restaurants | Top score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glen Arbor | 6.6 mi northeast | 15 | 74 |
| Honor | 10.3 mi south | 5 | 73 |
| Maple City | 10.3 mi east | 5 | 74 |
| Lake Ann | 12.0 mi southeast | 6 | 74 |
| Beulah | 13.0 mi south | 11 | 72 |
| Cedar | 13.2 mi east | 2 | 68 |
| Benzonia | 13.7 mi south | 6 | 76 |
| Frankfort | 14.8 mi southwest | 19 | 75 |
Other local pros in Empire
HVAC Companies 1Electricians 1Dentists 3Photographers 1Coffee Cart Vendors and Mobile Coffee Bars 5Cafés and Coffee Shops 5Real Estate Brokerages 2Everything in EmpireRestaurants in Leelanau County
Questions
How many restaurants are in Empire, MI?
Our October 2026 data lists 6 restaurants with a Empire mailing address. 6 have a Google rating and are scored. A business can be missing, so treat the count as a floor.
Who is the top-rated restaurant in Empire?
Shipwreck Cafe has the highest TownAnswer score in Empire: 69 out of 100, from 4.8 stars and 661 Google reviews. Scores change when listings change.
How is the score worked out?
Reputation (26 points) is the Google rating adjusted for how many reviews it rests on. Review volume adds up to 18, how closely the business matches the trade up to 14, profile facts such as website, phone, hours, photos and a claimed listing up to 22, and a profile the owner verified with TownAnswer adds 20.
Can a business pay to rank higher?
No. Every business is scored by the same rules, and no payment changes a score or a place on a list.
Which restaurants near Empire are outside the city?
Nearby city pages: Glen Arbor (6.6 miles), Honor (10.3 miles), Maple City (10.3 miles), Lake Ann (12.0 miles).
What should I ask a restaurant before I hire?
Do they take reservations, and how far ahead? Can the kitchen handle your allergy or diet? Is there parking, and is the room accessible?
Which county is Empire in?
Empire is in Leelanau County. See every restaurant in the county on the Leelanau County page.
How often is this page updated?
We refresh the data from Google Maps and change the date on the page only when the data changes. This version uses data read in October 2026.
Sources
- Google Maps listings (ratings, review counts, categories, hours)
- American Community Survey 2024 5-year, Empire village
- Michigan Department of Agriculture: food safety
TownAnswer ranks local businesses by one published method. Businesses cannot pay to change their rank. Ratings and review counts come from Google Maps, read in October 2026. Details change, so confirm hours, prices and licences with each business. How we rank.