Kevin Quinn

Mackinaws Grill & Spirits is a rustic, casual restaurant that your whole family will enjoy! It is unlike any place the Midwest has to offer, finished in huge pine logs and beams with massive vaulted ceilings and six stone fireplaces. You will be amazed at the "up North" feel, world-class mounts, and unique rustic sports decor. Where rustic, casual, and great food come together, is a tag line that really fits. Our log cabin bar is surrounded by three dining areas and a vaulted ceiling; it definitely has a "wow" factor. The restaurant is a 10,000 sq foot facility capable of seating 385 patrons. It is home to 40 world class mounts including caribou, mountain lion, Canadian geese, mule deer, whitetail deer, moose, an enormous Elk, and a nearly 1200 lb Alaskan Grizzly bear. The restaurant is truly unlike anything in the region.

Mackinaws was started in January of 2002 by father and son, Patrick and Kevin Quinn.

The idea for Mackinaws came from a vacation to Colorado and a visit to a lodge in Keystone. "This is what we should do for our next venture," Pat remembers saying. As he recalls, it was Kevin who said, "we have the trees; we should do it." Five months later Mackinaws was in the works.

For Patrick Quinn, owning a restaurant in the Green Bay area was nothing new. He has successfully conceptualized, opened, run, and sold nine different restaurants, nightclubs, and brew pubs. All of his places were unique and successful, and he was fortunate enough to have excellent partners in all of them. Kevin began working for his father at age 14 as a barback at "The Top Shelf." Kevin explains, "I always liked working for my dad, I knew what to expect and what was expected of me." He continued to work for his father throughout high school and college as a dishwasher and cook at Gipper's Sports Bar and Grill, and a bartender at Brewbaker's Pub. Kevin was also involved in the construction phase of both Brewbakers Pub and Oxford's Cafe. With all of the working experience shared by Pat and Kevin, opening a business jointly was a very natural and smooth transition.

No matter how many restaurants or business ventures Pat and Kevin are involved in, Mackinaws will always be special to them. The timber used for the log cabin and tongue and groove interior was planted by Pat over 40 years ago with his father and brother on the families property. "I still remember planting those trees," recalls Pat. In fact there is a black and white photo in the menu of Pat standing in front of the trees when they were only a few feet tall. What's really neat is the photo of Pat and Kevin debarking those same trees by hand, right next to it.

The wait staff at Mackinaws are as unique as the building because of the relaxed atmosphere and empowerment lent to them by the owners. When staff are working, they feel is their business, too. This mentality ensures customer satisfaction and many returns. It is not unusual to see a server chase a patron out of the building with a forgotten to-go box or a bartender know a favorite beverage and call customers by name. It is also not uncommon to have tables request specific servers. Not only does that show a genuine loyalty to the restaurant, but it also proves their employees' dedication and exceptional service.

To offer whatever necessary to ensure a customer satisfaction. Stop in on any given night, and you'll probably see one of the owners greeting at the door, helping buss tables, or even bringing patrons their food. Again, this lends to the culture that everyone is allowed and expected to everything.

The menu also keeps customers returning because of its consistency and wide variety. Pat describes the prices as reasonable. They have a broad clientele with a target market ages 25 to 65. Some favorite choices include the Elk Stroganoff, pan-fried walleye, Friday night perch (the best in town), and any one of their top-of-the-line certified Angus steaks. Mackinaws cuts and weighs their own meat and creates all their sauces, dressings, and soups. Try Executive Chef Rocky's fresh salsa for a special treat, you'll be glad you did. Tuesdays and Thursdays feature sizzling fajitas and Wednesdays have Coconut Breaded Orange Roughy on the menu. Mackinaws also offers Sunday Brunch. From Anniversaries to First Communions, Mackinaws can accommodate large groups that want to reserve room for the brunch. It is fully stocked with all of your favorite breakfast items, as well as breakfast burritos, baked chicken, a ham carving station, and a chef preparing made to order omelets.

Because of their proximity to the business park, Mackinaws has busy lunches where they provide features such as the Strawberry Spinach Salad, Chicken Bruschetta Sandwich, and Chicken Pesto Pizza. "We work very hard to make our lunch hour as timely and efficient as possible," Says Kevin. "We realize that our patrons have a relatively small window of time for lunch, so we need to be ready and act accordingly."

A full parking lot does not mean a long wait. "We designed the layout with large crowds in mind." adds Pat. "We have a very fluid delivery system for the wait staff, and a kitchen designed to be fast and efficient, with no wasted space." Their Friday Night Fish Fries put their floor plan and staff to the test. "Our Whitefish and perch is phenomenal," says Kevin. "We run at full capacity on Fridays, pretty much all night, with a great majority of the clientele coming for the fish."

Catering is a new venture for Mackinaws. "We've recently started catering luncheons for the I-43 Business park, and so far the response has been very positive." said Kevin. Their catering menu can be found online, and includes items such as Tenderloin Tips over Fettuccini, Chicken Marsala, and Mango salsa Tilapia over Rice Pilaf to name a few. All Catering and Party related questions can be directed to either of the two owners as well as the General Manger, Kim Goral.

Mackinaws features live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night in the Cabin Bar. They have the area's best duos and trios performing from 7:30 to 11:00. Pat describes the music as "upbeat but not overpowering." Kevin adds, "So many times I see people who came for dinner, stay and hang out in the bar because the live music is so good." Mackinaws was also recently voted Winner in the Best of the Bay for their Wednesday night Karaoke. "We have such a talented and supportive group of singers who come in every Wednesday that the vibe in the bar is non-stop fun." Says Kevin. "Its really one of the best Karaoke bars I've ever been to." Group sing-along's and impromptu chanting are commonplace on Wednesday nights in the Cabin Bar. If your not careful you just might find yourself looking through the index of over 8,000 songs wanting to get on stage and be a part of it all. You certainly wouldn't be the first. It is hosted by Debbie from Toast and Jam and starts at 8:00.

Mackinaws is located on Green Bays growing East side. "We knew there was going to be lots of growth in this area," says Pat. The I-43 Business Center has helped spur some amazing growth. "We do a lot of business with the business center, whether it's catering large luncheons, hosting gatherings for local staffs, special events or simply a relaxing happy hour or dinner."