OT - Fanciest Dinner in A2
Seconded. Much more intimate and a stellar menu every time I've been.
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mean by overbearing? Just curious. Price I'm guessing.
Actually West End is just as pricey but it's a more intimate environment. I assume bluebots means overbearing as in the Chop House is good and expensive, and they know it, so they're kind of in your face about it. West End is great but there are less than 15 total tables, I want to say.
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West End Grill has only a few tables inside and Chop house isn't more expensive. My experience is that its my favorite by far. Although I like the Chop House, Earle, and some of the others, the West End grill is the best, it might be the most expensive though too....
Agree. I'd also add the Chop House goes full on bulky tablet-in-a-case menu and the tables seem much closer and the environment much louder than it used to be. West End had their specials on a small chalkboard menu on the table and it was all I needed. Fantastic. You can't go wrong food-wise at either place but I tend to prefer the environment of West End.
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West End is really great.. quaint.
Logans not bad either... dbags will downvote
Panda Express in the Michigan Union
Both are good choices. Two different atmospheres. But both have good food, and solid beer/wine selections.
Pacific Rim or Knight's Steakhouse (the one on Dexter Road, I like it more than the one on Liberty).
Knights would be an OG, Townie A2 night for sure.
Agree with others as Sra ElBictors and I hit #14 ...it's not the restaurant, it's the time.
Pick a place YOU GUYS will like, not a place some douche-foodie tells you to try. RSF is solid ..and where we did my Graduation dinner ...don't be afraid of the sole proprietor shops ...Ruth's Chris is good, but a chain.
Congrats and GO BLUE!!!!
Chop House, Real Seafood, and a lot of the other places on Main Street are good bets. Personally, I'd go with Real Seafood because I don't like paying $35 for a steak I can pretty much replicate at home.
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That and Gratzi were so overrated dining destinations when parents were in town. West End and Earle were the spots.
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.
I hear people have been having quite the good time at Red Robin and Cracker Barrel.
Quality
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Chop House is, in my opinion, the best steak house in the city. Can't go wrong with going there. If you're going during the Art Festival, you'll likely want to book reservations now. Pacific Rim is solid, too.
I actually went to the Earle a couple weeks ago. Food was good, but the atmosphere was a little more dull than we were expecting. Maybe it's better during the school year, or we just went on a slow night, but the place was more than half empty and they just stuck us in a back corner. I'd say pass on them. Avoid Gratzi, too. The decor inside is great, but the food is just really average.
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If it was up to Tom Brady he would tell you Mr. Spots in a second.
Hands down. West End Grill.
Logan and West End Grill.
Back when I graduated in '98...West End Grill was head and shoulders better than all of the other higher end restaurants in A2.
I've been a couple times in the last few years and it's still quite good. Logan is better though IMO.
Thanks!
100%. Hands down the best meal in town since eve closed. Close seconds are Grange and Logan though.
Prime Rib at Webers
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I worked there a long time and basically they get the first pick of all the prime rib. It basically makes their shit untouchable. I remember when the chef was explaining to me that it really comes back to the contract they have for the beef...
i need to go back and grab a meal some time...
jdon
Go back, and you'll be delighted/upset/bemused that you were 100% correct on who would be there as a lifer. At least that was the case when I dropped by for breakfast a few years ago.
I guess Ken is still running the place, yes? Any idea what happened to his sister Linda? She was quite the party animal in her youth.
Why not Gandy Dancer?
If he didn't mention in the OP, I would have said there too. I love me some Gandy.
...but the food to be a little overrated.
If you take the Gandy Dancer out of the train station it's just meh.
I worked there in the early 90s putting myself through school.
My wife and I have always been fans of The Earle when it came to a reasonably fancy dinner, and if you don't mind spending a little bit, you wont' be disappointed in my opinion. The menu does change from time to time, but we were there a few weeks ago and the beef dijonnaise was spectacular. You can check it out online beforehand, but it's not a bad setting at all.
Live Jazz music there as well?
Yes, they have live jazz but I'm not sure it's every night so you better check.
I think the Earle is more romantic than the others & it has a more interesting menu than most of them.
A little secret about the Real C is they have, or used to have anyway, a very good filet mignon, and of course those addictive dinner rolls.
At the Earle be sure to try the escargot appetizer and cream-sherry scallops (if you are not allergic to shellfish).
For me, Vinology is the best meal in the city. I always found Chop House overrated. Fleming's serves a significantly better steak.
Dated info, but the Earle is a favorite. I proposed to the MGoBride there in 1987; when we became townies we used to go there for appetizers and a glass or 2 of wine when we wanted jazz piano and couldn't afford a whole dinner. Also took her parents to meet my parents there.
In the years since, the food has been unfailingly great, and the atmosphere too.
great topic, but do me a favor in the future: don't yeild an inch homie! when you start by saying 'if this gets deleted, I understand' you underestimate your self...
like my man matt damon says: if a hand is worth playing, it is worth raising... so if you have a topic worth sharing, which you do, then do so with no fear my friend...
fanciest meal I ever had in ann arbor was gandy dancer when I graduated
Mani and Grange are great foodie places. Logan was about eight years ago but their menu has barely changed since they opened.
I would also add Pacific Rim and Cafe Zola.
I forgot all about all the awesome restaurants in Ann Arbor!
In addition to everything else, if your wife like's chocolate, there is also that chocolateer on Washington St. next to Ann Arbor Brewing. (Ann Arbor Brewing sucks btw so don't go there).
is great!
Surprised nobody has mentioned Amadeus. Took GF there for V-Day a few years back and it made me look rather good. Then again, we broke up that summer, so...
Seriously, though, Amadeus is a quaint, intimate and very nice place. Gratzi and Chop House are a little more upscale, but I think Amadeus is just as nice, but a bit more charm and smaller check.
Seconded. Totally unique food and atmosphere, and unlike Gratzi and Chop House it's not a Main Street Ventures operation.
This might also be worth a look: http://mgoblog.com/content/guide-ann-arbor-eating-drinking
Surprised BTB and Mr Spots got the requisite mentions but not Weber's.
I'll join in with everyone and say Chop House is probably what the OP is looking for, but one of the best steaks I've ever had was at Weber's.
Edit: Missed GoBlueRandy's post above. My bad.
Consider visiting S3 Safe Sex Store together whilst in A^2. They appear to have chocolates inter alia. I wouldn't know firsthand since I am a yurt-dweller living on the steppes and mostly visit Crazy Jim's or Brown Jug when in town.
That would spell the night "fancy" in part because you could literally tickle her ... nevermind.
What did I just read?
Surprised to have not seen Palio mentioned yet. I don't really have much else to add as so much has been covered already. Although I will say Carson's has become a favorite for my wife and me, but they are quite far from downtown AA and there's really not much to do on that side of town.
Is my favorite location to go with my dad. Food is cheaper, pretty solid (really Gratzi isn't any better imo), and the view is the best in AA. Plus, with the money you save, you an down a bunch of sangria pitchers (I'm a degenerate).