Sawmill Saloon

The Sawmill Saloon sits at 1003 Maple St in Big Rapids, right next to White Pine Trail State Park, on the site of an original sawmill. Linda Ozenghar-Proctor and the Proctor family have run it since 1969, and the tavern still carries that history in dollar bills stapled across the ceiling and old photos on the walls. The kitchen keeps it simple with a Build Your Burger made from Certified Angus Beef, a beer-steamed Design a Dog, and Bass Ale battered cod for anyone who wants something fried and flaky. Locals return for the outdoor beer garden, where horseshoes, cornhole, and an outdoor pool table keep things going between rounds. Regulars come back for the live music and open mic nights that turn the patio into the town's go-to hangout, drawing a mix of Big Rapids townies and Ferris State students. With White Pine Trail running right past the property, cyclists and hikers often stop in for a cold beer mid-ride. The Sawmill has stayed a fixture of the Big Rapids scene for over fifty years, and it still runs on the same family ownership that opened its doors.