Help for Nice Dinner in AA
September 7th, 2010 at 3:33 PM ^
Chop House, no questions asked
ummm, unless you don't eat meat. Then there are questions
September 7th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
Chop House is very nice and makes a great piece of meat (and serves great potatoes).
Other candidates include The Gandy Dancer, The Earle, eve (good French cuisine, if she's into that), Logan, and Pacific Rim (mmm Asian food).
http://www.muer.com/pdf/menus/GD/GAND_Dinner.pdf
http://www.theearle.com/menu/default.htm
http://www.evetherestaurant.com/menu/entrees
http://logan-restaurant.com/sites/logan-restaurant.com/files/Dinner%20M…
September 7th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
is good. We both love a good steak.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
Chop house is great, and you can get a nice piece of meat at either Webber's (good prime rib), or Knights, but I would recommend Zola (on Washington, just west of Main). I wouldn't call it a 'steak place' but they serve my favorite steak in all of AA. I think it's a ribeye, and it's served with really thin french fries covered in grated parmasean and sauteed spinach.
You won't go wrong with any of the three, or a number of other places already mentioned.
September 7th, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
Weber's Inn isn't getting enough love in this thread. I ate there on my parents' dime too many times to count during my college years, and it remains one of the best fine dining experiences I've ever had.
My wife and I stayed there for our honeymoon, as well. The room was incredible, and the room service was almost as good as the restaurant.
September 7th, 2010 at 3:35 PM ^
Won't be disappointed with any of them. In order:
http://www.evetherestaurant.com/
http://www.logan-restaurant.com/
September 7th, 2010 at 4:57 PM ^
the West End Grill.
September 7th, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
There are kinds of levels of nice in Ann Arbor, so you might have to specify a bit about what you're looking for, but some initial suggestions:
The Earl-Overall great restaurant, excellent atmosphere, usually have a three piece jazz ensamble
The Gandy Dancer-Classic Ann Arbor, built in an old train station
Gratzi-Italian fare, excellent food, the decor is a bit more oppulant than the others
September 7th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
I miss the Earl! I used to go eat in the bar, since I couldn't afford the restaurant proper. But what a great place.
September 7th, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
If you or your wife are into wine, give Melange a try. Food is very good and the wine selection is excellent. My wife loves that place.
September 7th, 2010 at 6:17 PM ^
The Gandy Dancer is my girlfriend's favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor. It's great.
Here's their menu: http://www.muer.com/pdf/menus/GD/GAND_Dinner.pdf
September 7th, 2010 at 3:46 PM ^
I've recently enjoyed all three.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
Fleetwood Diner.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:52 PM ^
Haha, awesome.
September 7th, 2010 at 5:41 PM ^
Had to +1 that avatar.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^
I had a really bad experience at Pacific Rim. There were three 5 year old kids running around screaming (which I know isn't the restaurant's fault, but you pay for the atmosphere and someone could have said something). In addition, it took 15 minutes for someone to acknowledge we had been seated, and the appetizer was served approximately 3 minutes before the entrees were put on the table. I felt the food was really overpriced for the quality and I left in a very annoyed mood. Hopefully I am just an outlier for Pacific Rim, but I will not go back to that restaurant again.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
I forgot to mention that we weren't even asked if we wanted dessert. Granted, we would not have ordered any because we wanted to get the hell out of there, but when our food was almost finished, the waitress just slapped down the bill and walked away.
Maybe I have too high of standards for "nice" restaurants.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:10 PM ^
Pacific Rim was great. They have a nice way of combining different styles of Asian cuisine. The Chop House is great for a steak (however, if you don't feel like auctioning off your first-born because of the cost, Knight's is the same beef for 2/3 the cost). The rest of the suggestions listed above are also great. Here's a tip for after the game on Saturday. When you go to grab a bite (if you're not hitting up a tailgate after the game), a great spot is Banfield's West Side (Corner of Jackson rd and Zeeb rd). Get the Westside Burger and prepare to pass out because of a food coma.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:14 PM ^
Love them both.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
We went to Vineology a few weeks back and it was pretty awesome. Great wine selection and lots of different things on the menu.
I had roasted venison and it was very good.
September 7th, 2010 at 6:23 PM ^
The owner of Vinology has a giant Michigan State flag up behind the restaurant.......that alone is the reason I haven't been there.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:22 PM ^
Those are all downtown. There are a few further away too. I really like The Quarter, a New Orleans themed restaurant west of downtown. Right next to it is Zingerman's Roadhouse, which isn't bad either.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
I forgot about the Quarter - I was in downtown Main Street mindset. They have awesome Jambalaya.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:24 PM ^
I would give a slight edge to West End Grill over Chop House, but they are both pretty good. I would NOT go with Eve. It's in a cute location with wonderful service and all that jazz, BUT I found their food to be overly salty. Not just my plate, my fiancee's plate was pretty terrible too. We both didn't finish, and given the price on the plate, I think that says a lot.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
gandy dancer, especially in the fall with the foliage. make sure to mention that it's your anniversay when making reservations and they'll put you in a good spot along the window. the service there, from the valet parking to the wait staff is first rate. and people clap when the trains go by
chop house isn't a bad pick either, but i like the atmosphere at gandy dancer better.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
I would have to say grange is the best in AA, plus they cook their fries in duck fat. the entrees are around $25 and the cocktails are really imaginative, i suggest the ggginger or the back porch lemonade
September 7th, 2010 at 5:09 PM ^
While this could probably be said about any restaurant on this list, I had a terrible experience at Grange. Went there last year with a big group of friends for a football weekend. My meal was ok, not great, but I tried a few of my friends meals and they were almost unedible. The service was lacking too. The drinks were tasty however.
Maybe it was just a bad day but it wasn't a fluke of one dish being bad. Almost everyone at the table ( I think there was ten of us) were disappointed or flat out pissed off about the quality.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
Blimpy Burger. Order a deca with a fried egg and bacon and side of onion rings. The couple who kill's their arteries die together.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
If you like steak, the Chop House is where you want to eat.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:45 PM ^
If you are taking your wife, it has to be Gratzi. The atmosphere is cozy and the food is good. Nice spot for your anniversary dinner.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:50 PM ^
If you are into more of a diverse eating experience, you can't lose at Shalimar. The food is good and spicy..
September 7th, 2010 at 4:59 PM ^
Way to cover up that triple-post...
September 8th, 2010 at 7:39 AM ^
Thanks, the my system froze and I guess I pressed the enter key three times.
September 7th, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^
My birthday was yesterday and my GF took me to Gratzi for dinner, followed by dessert at La Dolce Vita. Both were excellent.
September 7th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
with some of the recommendations already offered. However, if you are just looking for a something a liitle more casual but with a nice ambiance and a decent menu, The Grizzly Peak isn't a bad choice.
Or maybe just say F it and take her to Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger.
September 7th, 2010 at 5:34 PM ^
Vinology, Gratzi, Palio, and Gandy Dancer are all great places to eat. My personal favorite is Gandy Dancer.
September 7th, 2010 at 6:30 PM ^
I suggest the Chop House. I know some waiters there and I can tell you that they know their stuff when it comes to food and wine. Gandy Dancer is nice, but they tend to jack up prices on certain weekends and it's not worth the money IMO. I've also received some less than desirable service before.