OT-Best and Worst Restaurants in Ann Arbor?
Recently I was convinced to eat at Zingerman's Roadhouse after many a friend told me "how it has unbeatable barbecue". Sadly, this was far from the truth. While I maintain a strict love of Zingerman's Deli, I was disappointed by the quality of food and service at the roadhouse.
By contrast, I also recently tried the Arbor Brewing Company for the first time and was incredibly impressed. What are you best and worst restauranting experiences in AA?
I love the (cioppino?), whatever the the dish is called with the stew with all the different seafood tossed in. Also, their bloody mary with lump crab meat is good stuff. It's not too pricy either.
I went to the Blue Nile during restaurant week. I have to say, it was quite amazing. The food looks like it came out the back end of a sick infant, but tastes delicious.
The food is good, but significantly overpriced IMHO.
Afternoon Delight for breakfast/brunch.
I'm a fan of the West End/Melange/The Chop House for special occasions. Za's is always a staple for friday lunches, though. Of course, people have already mentioned Blimpy Burger.
For worst, I would say Quickie Burger. Great people there, but the food is just always so bland. I guess thats drunk food, though.
Za's is HORRENDOUS. They microwave their food...
I once asked for their phone number as I wanted to check what cheesecakes they would have in the coming week (at the time, they were carrying some Cheesecake Factory cheesecakes). I was told they don't give out their phone number. What? Well, I don't give out my money to you. I've never been back.
Great burger, and fairly cheap. The ability to order an egg on your burger doesn't hurt either.
Also Mongolian Barbeque-getting as many plates of whatever you want for $15 is heaven on a grill.
something I found out WAY too late (may, right around graduation) is that on monday nights Mongo has $1 beers. We always used to go to Connors for Trivia on mondays, and starting eating at Mongo before.... The $1 beers were great but hurt our trivia scores
went there a while back with 3 people waiting on a fourth person to arrive in about 20 minutes. The receptionist (who had a gigantic attitude) would not seat us in a 4 person booth and started hitting us with how the restaurant loses money when they don't fill a space and a party has to wait on someone. We told her how much is your restaurant going to lose now with us taking our asses and wallets somewhere else? She wanted us to sit at a overcrowded bar until the fourth person in our party arrived. Will never go back there. We went to Ashley's and they didn't give a flip that our total party was not there yet.
It's not just the female hostess, it's the dude who's there on Monday nights too. I have been going there with my golf team every Monday during the summer for 13 years and that clown never lets us sit when three of the four of us are there, regardless of how empty the place is. You'd think after 13 years he'd realized the older guy with a leg brace who has trouble getting around takes a little longer and stop being such a dick about it, but he doesn't. I hate that guy with a passion.
Their food is fine, but nothing special and over priced. If I wasn't the young guy on the golf team I'd never go there in a million years.
someone else got shit on there too.
The place must be run by a Nazi accountant. The need to look the word "service" up in the dictionary.
I've been there a handful of times, and given the hoopla, it should be better. Still like the deli, although I miss the original version when it was just a four table place in the original brick building on the corner.
Also, Steve's Lunch was great for a Bibimbop. RIP.
I think the worst might be the Brown Jug. It might have good college ambience, but I remember the nachos as having slices of barely melted jack cheese on top of stale tortilla chips. Maybe it's gotten better.
I loved that place. Ate lunch there 2-3 times a week. "B-three, brown rice, kimchi, soup" I never ordered anything else.
I love the Gandy Dancer. A little on the pricey side, but they have a sunday brunch for $20 and it is completely worth it.
my personal favorites - sort of hidden gems:
- the #44 at amer's. best sandwich i've ever had. get it every time.
- the grilled cheese at red hawk. best grilled cheese i've ever had. last year my friends said that no grilled cheese could be that good that it's worth ordering. they then had it and ordered it right away.
i think the posts above canvassed the rest of the good eats pretty well.
There's a pulled pork sandwich at red hawk which is DELICIOUS
Seconding Red Hawk
I've had some darn good food and brews there.
Anybody have thoughts about good sushi? I've been to Miki's downtown, and thought it was alright, but wondered if there were other spots that were worth checking out?
I like Yotsuba a lot. It's on Washtenaw and Carpenter. Good Udon, too.
The best falafel place I have been to- Haifa Falafel
A Thai place better and cheaper than Tuptim- Thai Thai
The best fish taco I've had in the area- Pacific Beach Burrito
I"ve yet to make it to Yotsuba, need to check it out..
I'm going to have to try those fish tacos.
Oh my gawwwd you have to go to SaDAHko we have it delivered every Sunday since our chef doesn't cook for us on the weekends!!
/overdramatically heavy LawnGUYland accent girl impression
I am by no means a sushi connoisseur but I do like Sadako's Fireball roll, tempura fried.
Sadako is absolute garbage. I would not recommend for anyone to go there.
Totoro is not only the best sushi restaurant in Ann Arbor, but it's the best one I've ever been to period.
The best sushi place in Ann Arbor is Totoro IMO. Get the Yam Yams they are delicious
Nothing beat's the Michigan roll. Man, I miss that place.
Cafe zola is my favorite by far
ZOLA IS THE BEST
Worst (most overrated): Palio
Actual Worst: Manchu Wok at Briarwood
i don't think manchu wok counts as ann arbor food anymore than burger king. there's a manchu wok in virtually every airport in this country.
west end grill is my #2 after cafe zola
No love for Backroom Pizza?
It was awesome in the 90s, but not now. After over 10 years, the price of the slice is still 1 dollar. Common sense says something has to give.
It probably still tastes good, stumbling out of Rick's at 2:00 though.
It was awesome in the 90s, but not now. After over 10 years, the price of the slice is still 1 dollar. Common sense says something has to give.
Aha! Cheese slice is now $1.25!!! You have exposed!!!
Seriously, though, for the price you can't find a better slice of pizza in AA. At 2am or for lunch if you're in the math/psych/social work/education departments, that's a decent and very cheap deal.
How is it that noby has mentioned Mr. Spots? Their wings (and waffle fries) were an away game staple when I was in AA (94-98).
Also, pretty hard to beat the unlimited food at mongolian BBQ. I went there for their grand opening and have loved it ever since.
For breakfast, Angelo's is awesome. Great raison bread, great chocolate chip pancakes.
Mmmmm . . . wings (and fries), BBQ and pancakes . . . this thread is making me hungry, as well as nostalgic for AA.
Cheesey waffle fries from Mr. Spots!
Mr. Spots is ridiculous. Their chicken sandwich is amazing too. These days it seems like Quickie Burger 2 doors down gets most of the business (another reason I try to boycott that place as much as I can). Rod's Diner, right next door (mostly known for its Collider's) is also an incredible restaurant which serves some of the best Korean food I've had in Ann Arbor.
good call on spots. can't believe i forgot to mention. wings are great and don't miss the cheese fries. wings may be the best in AA.
There is a Cuban restaurant on Liberty (I think), but I can't remember the name. I went with my girlfriend one time and we both enjoyed it. I had never had Cuban food, but I found it to be an interesting mix of seafood and mexican type dishes.
Right by the blue tractor
Cafe Habana
EDIT: CH is on Washington.
I'm surprised there's been no mention of Pizza House. I've been loyal to their chipatis since college, when it was mostly a take-out place. It's nice now and it's a place we love to take our boys on occasion.
I also love the original Cottage Inn on William and Casey's (yummy BLT)!
I miss Ann Arbor...
Jerusalem Garden (falafel plate)
Amadeus (goulash)
Taqueria la Fiesta (anything+horchata)
Northside Grill (kitchen sink)
Bagel Fragel (multigrain bagel w/ habenero cream cheese)
when i was in school the bagel fragel was a deep fried cinammon raisin bagel dipped in cinammon suger. 3 for $1.00- it was awesome- i still think of bringing it to chicago 25 years later. i miss the bagel factory.
i also miss great places in ann arbor like:
steve's lunch
pizza bob's
drake's
del rio
I'm glad Steve's lunch is still there. I used to love the food there, perfect for student budgets.
gone gone.
My aunt and her friends named the fragel and got free bagels for a while. true story
When I go usually I love to hit up Angelo's with my parents as they remember when the owner's parents ran it, and its still just as good. I love a Pizza House pizza on game day. And I still love Charlie's, probably cause of the memories of me and my friends going there in college to order "The Duece".
Very overated and terrible service. Always enjoyed the Earl and Gandy Dancer.
Place is hilarious, actually its usually ok. Definitely not saying it is great, but managers seem to always be cool with something that is wrong and just comp stuff. Also, usually have good drink specials.
Only go there for the bar food though, don't think of it as a great eatery.