OT: Dinner Recommendations in Ann Arbor
Staying in Ann Arbor for the first time that didn't revolve around a sporting event. Looking for dinner recommendations for less than $30 per person(ish). Any type of food is open.
This is my first ever topic, but who better to help than fellow mgobloggers! Take it easy on me if I did this wrong :(
January 29th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
I'm a fan of Cafe Zola for dinner but the higlight would definitely be to go to La Dolce Vita for dessert.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
Love Cafe Zola. Lived really close when I worked at UM. The wife and I would go there for brunch quite often, and the food is excellent. But hot damn, $17 dollars for an omelet?
January 29th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
Damn, if you're going to spend that much on Brunch just go to Gandy Dancer Sunday Brunch and pig out
January 29th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
First ever topic...could have been stronger.
I keeed, I keeeed...
January 29th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 2:55 PM ^
Heading to Macau this afternoon. Any advice for how to watch the Michigan basketball game?
January 29th, 2018 at 3:10 PM ^
A beer in one hand and a babe in the other...
January 29th, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^
VPN is the way to watch games, make sure you have the Fox Sports app and Watch ESPN. That covers most games but you will need a VPN to access them.
For authentic Macanese food outside of the casinos try a place called Cafe Litoral. Ask in your hotel, concierge should know it.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:46 AM ^
Go up to "Useful Stuff" at the top of the page and click "Where to Eat in Ann Arbor." It hasn't been updated in a while, but it still has most of the main stuff.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
I suck. Didn't even realize that was there.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
It's cool. It hasn't been updated in a while. Here is a more current topic on the issue from last summer:
http://mgoblog.com/content/week%E2%80%99s-obsession-dining-ann-arbor
January 29th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
Here is another thread from the start of football season:
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/recommended-places-eat-weekend#comment-4603…
January 29th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
Redhawk is my favorite burger downtown, it's also a bar so you can grab drinks there too. Frita Batido's is second favorite burger.
I'm not a big Italian guy but I think Palio's is the best in downtown AA, and you can usually get out of there under $30/person. I might get jumped for this but Grazi is overrated, IMO.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
A lot of the Main Street restaurants are overrated and overpriced, Gratzi is definitely one of them.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:10 AM ^
While they are over priced they are top notch and reasonable for dessert.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:26 AM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^
For dessert I would take Gratzi over Olive Garden any day of the week.
January 29th, 2018 at 6:27 PM ^
No. Olive Garden has better salad, better breadsticks and is a lot cheaper.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
Is overrated but Palio isnt??? Good lord!!!
$60 for 2 Inc a drink or two each and a decent tip??? I'd do noodles at Tomukun. Just water for the happy couple?? Mikette! No question.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
I've never felt like I got a better meal for what I spent at Gratzi than at Palio's. Just haven't. To each their own I suppose.
I also stated that I don't really get excited for Italian food, so if you're pure-blood Sicilian you probably shouldn't pay attention to my opinion.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
I just feel that both are way overpriced. I probably came in a little strong there. Cheers and Go Blue.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
You're good, go blue!
January 29th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
In my (very humble) opinion, I also prefer Palio's. The food is not exactly fantastic, but still have very fond memories of sitting outside upstairs in the summer (even though it didn't have the full menu). Damn, I miss Ann Arbor.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
Gratzi is easily the worst restaurant in AA in regards to food quality vs. price. The room and bar area is great - maybe best environment in AA. But the food quality is really bad compared to other places around Main St and it's not really that close.
January 29th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^
This might be an unpopular opinion on here because of how deeply tied in they are with the Athletic Department, but I've always felt that Pizza House takes the cake for Worst Quality for a given price. It's incredibly expensive (basically Main St. prices on South U) for what's basically standard bar food and slightly above average pizza.
Even their beer is expensive - my brother used to work there, and his joke when asking if I wanted to come in and sit at his table was "come have a beer - it's $7 Two Hearted day!"
January 29th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
I think Pizza House is delcious, and well worth the price. Also, its pretty common place for restaurants to have expensive alcohol. That's how they make the majority of their money in the restaurant business. I would also imagine you would be in the minority of people who think their pizza is "slightly above average". Their turkey reuben and steak fries, chili cheese steak fries, and seafood pizza got me through Junior and Senior year. Plus they deliver until 4am!
January 29th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
No, I agree with you entirely, and I don't think I would even call their pizza above average. Pizza House was always a last resort for me.
January 29th, 2018 at 2:11 PM ^
Best Italian restaurant in town (though not downtown), and at the price point you want, is definitely Bigalora Wood-Fired Cucina down on Washtenaw near Whole Foods. They do Neopolitan pizza and pasta but we often fill up on the small plates and salads (try the risotto balls). Huge variety of craft beers on tap and a great wine list.
January 29th, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
Hold on brother - if I'm getting Italian food on Washtenaw I'm going to Paesano's.
January 29th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
Agreed. As far as food is concerned, Gratzi sucks compared to what you'd expect to get at a fine Italian restaurant. The decoration and ambiance are great, but as far as food goes, I've never gotten anything there that I didn't think I could make myself and make it taste just as good.
Just a very bland, overpriced restaurant.
January 29th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
Agreed, the ambiance is nice. You'd epect more from the food based on the attending circumstances.
January 29th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 4:47 PM ^
Wait I like Chop House, why fuck them?
January 29th, 2018 at 10:45 AM ^
get bombed on this because a lot of MGoBloggers don't like the "best place to eat in AA" threads at anytime. That being said, I always enjoyed Real Seafood Company or Pallio for dinner. If those are both still around, been a long time since I have been back!
January 29th, 2018 at 10:46 AM ^
Thought of Chris Falrey and Adam Sandler's Zagat's SNL sketch.
There is quite a few restaurants out there that fit that description
January 29th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
Love that sketch, and love Chris Farley.
Ravioli. Holy cannoli!
January 29th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
SOMEBODY SHOOT ME NOW
January 29th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^
GIVE ME CANCER NOW GOD
January 29th, 2018 at 10:48 AM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 10:49 AM ^
There are a million posts throughout the years about good food in AA, but here's my take for downtown:
Nice sit down dinner: Logan. Great upscale American food. Pacific Rim if you're in more of a seafood mood. Grange for more adventurous fare.
Less formal, more fun: Frita Batidos has excellent cuban street fare made by Eve Aranoff, former Top Chef contestant. Get the chorizo frita and share a Best Snack Ever. The batidos, a type of milkshake, are also great and you can add a shot of dark rum for extra flavor.
Post-Dinner: If you're a whiskey person, The Last Word has the best selection and cocktail menu in town. For other liquor, the Ann Arbor Distilling Co. has an incredible tasting room and makes all of their ingredients in-house. Raven's Club has a nice ambience. If you're looking for a micro-brewery, Wolverine Taproom is a quick Uber ride away and has the best beer made in the city. Avoid Arbor Brewing Company, Grizzly Peak, Blue Tractor, or Jolly Pumpkin (unless you love sour beer.) Nothing wrong with them, but they're all just okay.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
Agree with most of this but HOMES has the best beer brewed in Ann Arbor and it's not even close
It's about time that Ann Arbor has a brewery that actually produces really solid beer across the board
January 29th, 2018 at 1:13 PM ^
You should warn that Wolverine ONLY has lagers. They have many styles of lagers, but they're all lagers. Some are quite good. Jolly Pumpkin and Arbor both have several outstanding beers as well.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
Jolly Pumpkin, Frita Batidos, Tomukun are 3 of my favorite go-tos.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
My favorite place is Jolly Pumpkin -- good beer and a fantastic burger. Their menu overall is somewhat limited compared to other places. I'd also suggest Prickly Pear for some higher end Mexican (but still cheaper than most main street places). In fact, that's probably where I would point someone to first if you're not looking to spend too much.
January 29th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
January 29th, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^