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Obviously I can't list every single restaurant in the metro Detroit area, I have decided to list my favorite restaurants instead. If you have an addition for me please email me at eidaj2@hotmail.com. |
The Chop House 322 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (888) 456-3463 Steaks and Seafood Sophisticated New York-style chophouse serves steaks, veal and lamb chops, venison, lump crab and Beluga caviar in a swanky setting . Of course, no one needs $40 caviar, any more than anyone needs a $31 veal chop, or a $35 porterhouse steak that weighs a pound and a half. But the Chop House isn't about meeting your needs—any decent burger joint could do that—it's about spoiling you, and that it does, quite admirably. The food is splendid, the atmosphere is swell, and the service is thoughtful and well timed. This is, quite simply, a great night out. The restaurant is elegantly clubby, with the moneyed, muscular look of a classic Chicago steak house: gleaming hardwood floors, lush leather banquettes, original oils in heavy gilt frames, crisp white linen, and lovely little table lamps aglow with complexion-flattering candle flame. The chairs are broad and comfortable. If you take things at a nice, leisurely pace—and at these prices, you should—chances are you'll be sitting in them for two or three hours. Beluga aside, the first course is the most uneven part of an otherwise impeccable menu. The shrimp cocktail ($10.95) is first rate, with firm, meaty prawns and just the right amount of horseradish in the sauce, but crab Louie ($11.95), a retro classic featuring lump crabmeat on a bed of lettuce, was too dull for even the splash of cream de menthe in the Thousand Island-like dressing to save. The oysters Rockefeller ($7.95)—four oysters baked with spinach and cheese—were fabulously creamy and light, like swallowing a cloud, but my wild mushroom sauté ($7.95) was an undercooked horror, with a surfeit of nearly raw garlic. |
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La Dolce Vita 322 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 4810 (734) 663-5555 La Dolce Vita feels a lot like someone's beautifully appointed living room with an incredibly well-stocked bar. It also suggests the lobby of a small, exclusive hotel, with pools of intimate lamplight, a gas fireplace, and overstuffed furniture gathered around coffee tables instead of conventional restaurant-style tables and chairs, they are wonderfully comfy by the way. La Dolce Vita's other main attraction is its multipage drink menu, which includes "designer" martinis, coffee drinks, ports, sherries, madeiras, and an extensive selection of single-malt scotches. We tried two, an eighteen-year-old Macallan ($13.95) and a thirty-year-old Dalmore ($21.95). Both were wonderfully complex and smoky, but the Macallan, despite being the younger of the two, gets the edge for sheer silky smoothness. La Dolce Vita has a well-appointed cigar bar downstairs. I noticed that women are still very much a part of the cigar craze, and that the expensive ventilation system apparently works, because I wasn't overcome by the smell of smoke. It's an attractive, masculine-looking retreat lined with humidors and wine racks, its slate floors softened by Oriental rugs. There's a glass-enclosed dining room for private parties. It looks like a cozy place to dine, even if you don't smoke. Pastry chef Cheryl Hanewich offers a seasonal menu of classic desserts. |
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Gratzi 326 S. Main Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (313) 663-5555 Cavernous, convivial, colorful, Gratzi has long set the stage for zesty Italian food, cooked with the verve of its setting. The menu, in great Italian detail, tells you exactly what's cooking: Maybe grilled sea scallops and portobello mushroom over angel hair with escarole, garlic and olive oil; or roasted leg of lamb with nicoise olive sauce; or, or, or. A sprawling modern classic with outdoor seating. This upscale restaurant serves Italian food. Expect the average entreé to cost in the range of $12 to $20, and dress casual, but fashionable. You'll be serenaded by live violin while you dine at this restaurant on occasion . Open for lunch and dinner. You'll find that there is a good selection of wines. In addition, the restaurant has a lounge inside. Smoking is permitted in smoking areas. |
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Andiamo Lakefront Bistro Harbor 9 Marina 24026 Jefferson St. Clair Shores, Mi (810) 773-7770 Beautifully situated on the Nautical Mile on Lake St. Clair, this Italian family member has something for everyone. The main floor menu offers famous homemade pastas and veal, along with fresh fish and seafood and luscious steaks in a casual atmosphere. On the second floor, you'll find J.J.'s Pie Company serving the best gourmet style, traditional deep dish Chicago style pizzas along with a large selection of salads & sandwiches. Extensive wine list, bar is cigar friendly, handicap accessible. |
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Andiamo West Centrally located in Bloomfield Hills, Andiamo West offers a northern Italian decor amid the hustle-bustle of an appealing dining spot. This is where the "Glitterati" come to sup, as one restaurant critic so aptly put it. A favorite dining spot of many of the area's celebrities, try one of our sumptuous dishes and you'll see why. Reservations accepted, extensive wine list, bar is cigar friendly, handicap accessible. |
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Andiamo Osteria (Royal
Oak) Located on Main Street in the heart of Royal Oak's restaurant district, this popular location has the locals licking their chops. Many of the classic Andiamo menu items plus a few surprise specialties make this a dining experience you won't want to miss. Centrally located, this restaurant is convenient for business lunches. |
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Big Rock Chop & Brew House 245 S Eton St Birmingham, MI 48009 (248) 647-7774 Big Rock is to brewpubs what Cadillac is to the American automotive industry. This place is so exclusive they concentrate on selling guests wine instead of their beer. They also offer 100 different martinis in their Got Rocks cigar lounge. |
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Fox & Hound Once an Old English-style inn, the legendary Fox & Hounds continues to provide a warm hospitable and comfortable setting from years past. The Pub and Oyster Bar provide a place to relax and unwind after a long day or enjoy nightly entertainment and dancing. Offering a great way to start your meal with menu items such as oysters Rockefeller, escargot, crabmeat cocktail and more. The intimacy or dim lights and warmth of the fireplace in the main dining room offers the perfect setting for any occasion. With a variety of menu selections from both sea and land, we are bound to satisfy the most discerning palates. The Library and banquet facilities offer a private setting for your next special occasion or business function. Let our staff help you plan your next event. Come for dinner... Stay for the pastry tray! If you skip dessert this time, take a little home for later. Don't forget to stop by the Pastry Den for gifts and sweets. |
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The Earl 121 W. Washington Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734) 994-0211 The Earl Steaks, seafood and Italian dishes. French and Italian country cooking in candlelit, intimate surroundings. Live jazz. Mon.-Fri. 5:30-10 p.m. (Fri. till midnight), Sat. 6 p.m.-midnight, Sun. 5-9 p.m. (closed Sun. in summer). 121 W. Washington . 994-0211 The Earle's appeal is both sophisticated and elemental, with sleek lines, high tech pin point light and upscale jazz playing against flickering candles, lustrous wood and rough brick and stone walls. There are no windows, save for two at the front covered with cork, so while outside, it may be raining, snowing or even ablaze with sun, inside the Earle it's all velvety dark corners and twinkling light. Longtime chef Shelley Caughey Adams puts on a fine menu of rotating provincial French and Italian dishes featuring robust pasta dishes and classic presentations of fish, game and beef. Many locals consider this Ann Arbor's most romantic restaurant. |
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The Gandy Dancer 401 Depot Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (734)769-0592 During the Gandy's Chuck Muer days, this elegant restaurant housed in the beautifully restored Michigan Central railroad station on Depot St. made its name with seafood and fresh fish, as evidenced by the excellent smoked fish pate with which diners began every meal. The restaurant has now changed hands, but it remains one of Ann Arbor's fine dining pleasures. This is serious eating. Typical items are roughly $20 to $30, and people usually dress casual, but fashionable. The piano bar fits the style and sets the mood at this restaurant. |
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| Martini Bars | |
La Dolce Vita 322 S. Main Ann Arbor, Michigan (734) 663-5555 La Dolce Vita feels a lot like someone's beautifully appointed living room with an incredibly well-stocked bar. It also suggests the lobby of a small, exclusive hotel, with pools of intimate lamplight, a gas fireplace, and overstuffed furniture gathered around coffee tables instead of conventional restaurant-style tables and chairs, they are wonderfully comfy by the way. La Dolce Vita's other main attraction is its multipage drink menu, which includes "designer" martinis, coffee drinks, ports, sherries, madeiras, and an extensive selection of single-malt scotches. We tried two, an eighteen-year-old Macallan ($13.95) and a thirty-year-old Dalmore ($21.95). Both were wonderfully complex and smoky, but the Macallan, despite being the younger of the two, gets the edge for sheer silky smoothness. La Dolce Vita has a well-appointed cigar bar downstairs. I noticed that women are still very much a part of the cigar craze, and that the expensive ventilation system apparently works, because I wasn't overcome by the smell of smoke. It's an attractive, masculine-looking retreat lined with humidors and wine racks, its slate floors softened by Oriental rugs. There's a glass-enclosed dining room for private parties. It looks like a cozy place to dine, even if you don't smoke. Pastry chef Cheryl Hanewich offers a seasonal menu of classic desserts. |
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Double Olive Michigan Ave. Dearborn, Michigan 48126 Hours: 12pm-2am (313) 359-5533 A throwback to the '40s, the Double Olive is a cozy gathering spot where everyday Joes and Josephines can casually partake of the good life -- fine liquor, cigars and copious amounts of easy conversation -- without any highbrow pretensions. Devoid of distractions such as video games, virtual reality booths and big-screen TVs, the Double Olive emphasizes casual mingling and cozy conversations, fueled by artfully mixed, potent libations. This, in fact, is your father's cocktail lounge -- only more hip and with better music. ATMOSPHERE: Intimate, very dimly lit, with a smoky atmosphere minus the smoke (courtesy of four super-suction smoke-eaters). With no windows and a most inconspicuous storefront sign to denote its location, the Double Olive is reminiscent of LA's underground bar scene, where unmarked drinking establishments don't advertise, have no identifying signage and are known only by word-of-mouth. (The owners, Dan Helka and Joe Aguis, both 34 years old and native Dearbornites, spent seven years in the bar biz in LA before opening the Double Olive in July 1997). DRINKS: The Cosmopolitan and the Classic martini are the most popular drinks, but ask your waitress or bartender to show you the menu listing 23 types of martinis ($6-$10); 16 single malt scotches ($5-$12) and 11 bourbon whiskeys ($5-$12). Martini selections include the Johnny Socko (Asian saki with a drop of lime juice, shaken); Martini Hell (Absolut Peppar, dry vermouth, with a jalapeno-stuffed olive); and the Dean Martini (Smirnoff vodka, dry vermouth, two olives, a Lucky Strike cigarette and a pack of matches). For the less discriminating drinker, there's the Red Neck martini -- a Budweiser and a shot of Jack Daniels. The choice of olive stuffings includes pimento, blue cheese, anchovy, jalapeno, garlic clove and almond. An extensive wine list is offered, as well as the requisite slew of beers. |
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336 Main 336 Main St Plymouth, Michigan (734) 454-6500 Hours: Monday thru Thursday: 3pm -12am Friday: 3pm - 2am Saturday: 11am - 2am Sunday: 12pm - 8pm 336 Main Martini and Piano Bar offers a unique atmosphere for socializing and relaxing. It's home to some 52 different types of martinis, including house specialties, such as Sleeping Beauty, Banana Hammock, Satan's Sauce and Chocolate French Kiss. For nonmartini drinkers, 336 Main Martini offers 27 types of beers, 30 wines and 150 selections of top shelf liquor, as well as an impressive array of cigars. "We thought it would be an interesting concept because there really was nothing like this around," says Tom Guina, who opened the establishment with business partner Bob Theard in December. "The Plymough location has been great because the city is developing the whole downtown area, so it's the perfect place to come and spend an evening." The venue hosts live entertainment every night except Sunday. Piano players, vocalists and jass trios are among the featured acts. It's really a fun place to go and they get a nice mixed crowd of people of all ages. The bar also sponsors wine socials on Sundays, when guests can enjoy a sampler of three different types of wine from various regions and learn about them through the fact sheets provided at 336 Main Martini. Cigar rolling events and Scotch tasting parties are also held on the premises. |
Last Updated: November 29, 2001