ann arbor area restaurants

Submitted by gobluejrm on

My family is coming into town and when they come in they want to eat at restaurants that are unique to this area.  Any ideas on good places to take them?  We've done blue tractor, ABC, and Grizzly Peak already in past visits.  Also, places like chophouse would be too expensive for our taste, as my family doesn't like to spend a lot and the dont like what they consider "fancy" so places like pacific rim would be out

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jam706

August 14th, 2010 at 11:52 AM ^

Middle Kingdom is the best Chinese food I've ever eaten, and I live in Asia now. Dinners are ~$15 a piece, order whatever your favorite Chinese dish happens to be, because everything there is fantastic (I get the Gen chicken, hunan beef, or special crispy fried noodles [>$20] usually). Split the duck spring rolls ($7-8) for an appetizer, they are amazing

Joined: 10/02/2009

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Wendyk5

August 14th, 2010 at 3:10 PM ^

I was at Middle Kingdom last year (love the food, btw) and the stodgy owner guy was sitting in a booth, conversing in Chinese with a caucasian student in the booth across from him. The kid looked like a skateboard dude, not someone who could speak fluent Chinese of some unknown dialect, at least to me. It was kind of awe-inspiring. 

Joined: 11/20/2008

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MGoAlumnus

August 15th, 2010 at 12:01 AM ^

I cannot stress this enough. Middle Kingdom is by far the greatest Chinese food I've ever eaten. Order a chicken meal? Expect 8 pieces of chicken which are each the size of a half chicken breast. Order a beef meal? Enjoy the same amount of meat, but cooked at a perfect "medium." Plus, if you go for lunch it is very reasonably priced. On a side note, I once saw the owner SCREAM in chinese at our waitress because she brought us the wrong food. It was the only time in my life that I have been both terrified and satisfied.

Joined: 07/27/2009

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I miss Spring Lake

August 14th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^

Ok, so I love beer.  Really love it.  But I'm visiting just for the day tomorrow and I want to take home some collectables to remember my trip.  Is this the right place to go?  (To be clear, I mean Growlers, beer holders, etc.)

I didn't want to start a thread, but I'm glad this one was started at the same time that I will be in town.  (Visiting from Cali.)

Thanks for any advice you guys and girls can give me.  Great to be back in God's country, btw.

Joined: 06/16/2009

MGoPoints: 576

Kinda Blue

August 14th, 2010 at 12:42 PM ^

This comment is so true. My wife and I have been in Cali since leaving A2 a decade ago and have yet to find an Indian restaurant we like as much as Shalimar. Also, if you are willing to drive ten miles up the highway to Chelsea, the Common Grill is a fantastic restaurant without reaching fancy status.

Joined: 11/18/2008

MGoPoints: 525

scrb31

August 14th, 2010 at 2:09 PM ^

We moved to Seattle just over a year ago and are running into the same issue. Shalimar is just amazing and makes everything else just "meh".  Chicken Hyderabadi is our weakness though.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 142

LumberJack

August 14th, 2010 at 2:20 PM ^

Right.  But you don't have to eat in a restaurant to know if it's what you're looking for.  Just walking by most places can tell you a lot (e.g., dress code, price, type of food), and moreover, I've got to imagine the OP has friends he or she can talk to or has talked to about where to eat.

Beyond that, I never understood the decision to turn to this board for information on good restaurants.  There are whole sites devoted to rating and discussing restaurants (e.g., Yelp) that could tell a person everything they want to know.

Joined: 02/13/2010

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dlanny22

August 14th, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^

You can never go wrong by going to BD's and getting mongolian BBQ.  If the food's bad, then you only have yourself to blame.  It's also fairly affordable.

Joined: 01/04/2009

MGoPoints: 1665

Raoul

August 14th, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^

In the good and unique to the area but not fancy category, I would suggest Red Hawk.

Also, I realize people have different takes on what is considered "expensive," but Zingerman's is hardly what I would call a reasonably priced place to eat.

Joined: 09/29/2009

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dmblue

August 14th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^

Cafe Zola is always my #1 recommmendation.  It's not too expensive, but it might be more expensive than what  you are looking for.

Joined: 03/12/2009

MGoPoints: 728

Ernis

August 14th, 2010 at 2:23 PM ^

Lotus Thai, down near the Target off Ann Arbor-Saline road, is the best Thai in AA, IMO. Though, some prefer Siam Palace (in the hotel across from Arborland mall). Just don't go to Marnee Thai ... place is junk in fancy dressing. Also some good places in Ypsi ... Tup Tim and Thai Thai, both near each other on Washtenaw Ave

Joined: 09/23/2008

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umichzach

August 14th, 2010 at 3:27 PM ^

Conor Oneill's is by far my favorite restaurant in AA.  it's damn delicous food in the $10-15 range for most meals.  Also the atmosphere is second to none imo plus mike martin works there (and hopefully me if they hire me this week).  after that i would say palio/real seafood but thats another price bracket up but still not too bad.  Red Hawk is a unique bar and grill experience.  i haven't been there in ages but the menu is pretty eclectic from what i remember.  if you want easily the best burger in washtenaw county along with great beer selection go to sidetrack in ypsilanti in depot town.  great pub and if you're lucky you'll get a freight train roaring by.  final recommendation would be cafe habana on washington.  good latin food with a unique atmosphere in the same price range as conor's.  they also have good mojitos but a bit overpriced.    

Joined: 07/01/2009

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MaizeNBlu628

August 14th, 2010 at 4:34 PM ^

My favorite in ann arbor for its value, my gf and i go there all the time. You can get a fajita combo for 2 for $20, and we usually still have some left over for lunch the next day! We ususally just order that, some guac to go with the free chips and salsa, and a few beverages.

Joined: 08/21/2009

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CountBluecula

August 14th, 2010 at 7:51 PM ^

Unique to Ann Arbor and not fancy...

Zingerman's, has been suggested. Dominick's, Fleetwood, Jerusalem Garden, Brown Jug.  And, as has been suggested, Knight's, Blimpy's.  Maybe  Heidleberg? 

Joined: 01/02/2010

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