The Channel Marker – Kosciusko County’s Escape to the Islands

If you are visiting Kosciusko County for an overnight stay or weekend getaway or you are a local looking to get your island vibe on, The Channel Marker in Syracuse should be on your short list of places to eat. With its outdoor tiki bar, tropical vibe, bright colors and waterfront setting, it is sure to transport you away to somewhere warmer. Enjoying a cold one at the tiki bar while boats slowly meander by? In the Midwest, that qualifies as an island escape, especially for beach bar bums.

There is ample seating in the main dining area and the covered deck. If you’d like the full experience, keep walking until you find yourself outside. Seating at the tiki bar is limited but grab one if you can. If not, there are seats aplenty along the channel to give you an al fresco dining experience. With trees and umbrellas standing guard over the denizens, there is plenty of shade for the more fair-skinned among us.

The food menu offers everything you would expect to find in the islands. From cheeseburgers to fish to seafood, every foodie in your group is bound to find something to satisfy their cravings. The cocktail menu, as expected from any other island bar, doesn’t lack for options either. With aptly named libations including a Mud Slide, Caribbean Breeze, Sundown Hurricane and Cruzan Confusion among others, you will no doubt be swaying to the tunes as the trees start spouting palm fronds, the tropical breezes pick up a little and you start to feel sand between your toes … or maybe that’s just the drink working its magic. Either way, you will be thankful for the moment.

If a restaurant that describes itself as an “Island Attitude with an Island Atmosphere” sounds like your thing, let the trade winds carry you to Syracuse and The Channel Marker. Your inner parrot head will thank you.

Thinking about visiting Kosciusko County? Consider your own island or one of our lakefront resorts!