Family celebrating Birthday dinner at Aster. Conveniently located downtown Midland, MI. Made reservation for four and we were seated immediately by the host upon arrival. Clean tables, cloth napkins, nice silverware, subtle lighting, intimate atmosphere. Friendly waiter service consistently checking on our table regularly filling waters and clearing plates replacing with new clean plates and silverware between courses. The staff and kitchen did a superb job of spacing out the courses so the drinks and appetizers came out with good timing. Finished appetizers, plates cleared from first course; the entrees arrived promptly. From my observation the staff works well together to provide a very nice dining experience for their customers from start to finish. Ordered starters: small portion appetizers. Asparagus. diced asparagus with diced morel mushroom morsels. Very good. Shrimp Toast. Harder to share as an appetizer, one piece of toast with shrimp pate. I did not try, group seemed to enjoy. Entrees: Burger Filling burger when you order "make it a double", the double is actually three beef patties. Comes with waffle cut fries. Yummy cheddar cheese sauce. I liked the brioche bun because it is soft enough to hold the burger and absorb the cheese sauce without being too messy. Smoked Whitefish Hushpuppies. Basically scrambled egg lighly battered and fried. No flavor or hint of smoked Whitefish fish. "Cocktail sauce" was just ketchup I suspect. Light and fluffy, not dense like traditional hushpuppies. One order comes with five hushpuppies for 10 dollars, the "Smoked Whitefish Hushpuppies" starter is not worth two dollars per piece. Pajun (Korean savory pancake). I really liked this dish last time I dined at Aster. This time the Pajun was burnt on the top and undercooked on the bottom. Love the soy dipping sauce. I will ask for more soy dipping sauce next time. The clever combinations of ingredients -considering local sourcing and seasonal items is- admirable. Plenty of variety for any taste. Drinks ordered: Birthday "Beer and shot": Bartender selected glass of beer, and bartender selected shot glass of hard liquor. Offer "Temperance Pilsner" (non-alcoholic). The unfortunate quality of the burnt Pajun, Hushpuppies with no flavor, but the service is excellent so I will give 5 star. I will be back to Aster to enjoy the next seasonal menu items they offer. read more

See all

We came in for an early dinner while we were passing through town. What a gem for Midland! We had great service and had the pleasure of learning a little bit about the restaurant and the team! The owner and chef is in the kitchen every day and they are a mighty team of about 6 operating every level of service! Food was great, drinks were unique and very good! If we are ever back in the area, we would absolutely visit again! read more

See all

Wow! What an unexpected treat! I was in town for a couple of days on business and my supplier recommended this place. It didn't show under a restaurant search on Apple Maps (fix this, Apple!) but I'm glad I found it. Being from a larger city I didn't have high expectations of a restaurant in a smaller town like Midland, but man I was wrong! This place would do very well in even a large foodie city. A highlight was the craft cocktails, with my favorite being the "Sloe Burn", an original creation from the lovely bartender Rachel featuring mescal (primary spirit), falernum, sloe gin (gin infused with sloe berries akin to cassis or cranberry), and cinnamon syrup, garnished with smoked rosemary. 10/10 and it was difficult to stop with drinking just two of them! The pate a choux inspired hush puppies and the burger were also top notch, and I ate every crumb. Highly recommended! read more

Aster - Sloe Burn cocktail - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

See all

Stopped in for a brunch with the wife after deciding to find somewhere new while in town...and SO GLAD we did! The atmosphere was wonderful. Small, pretty quiet, great ambiance. Service was prompt and attentive. Very friendly. The menu is limited, but still good variety. The food was PHENOMENAL overall. The wife's breakfast sausage patty was just "off" to put it correctly. Not improperly cooked, but just strange and tasted weird. The burger and French toast however were absolutely incredible and my drink was delicious (went with the Golf Rush). Will stop in again anytime we're in the area. read more

See all

Food was amazing. Service was attentive and cheerful. Chef visited our table a couple of times and was pleasant. Food was amazing, really. Price reasonable. read more

Came here while on business in Midland. Had some locsl friends tell us about them opening. This is high quality food at a reasonable price. It's to bad the governor is locking down as I would rather eat inside. Anyway... Their burger is in my top 20 nationally. I live in metro Portland where there are some of the best burger places in the US - this stands with any of them. Many times when you have a thick pattie- there is no flavor. Not the case here. Explodes with flavor without being over seasoned. Just an excellent burger. My only minor critique is the bun was almost toasted to much- right on the line before it was burned. The fries would have been great except for the drive to my hotel cooled them off. Flavor was great and cooked perfectly. They were crispy and good. Their sauce was smokey and a great complement. My wife loved the steak. Enough that I didn't get to try it. Come support them Midland! I want them here when I come back next time! read more

See all

Fabulous food and drinks! We all 4 had the lobster rolls and then shared mussels and hush puppies. Lobster roll was the best any of us have ever had! Lobster cooked to perfection. Mussels! Now I'm not a mussel person but I could have drank the broth! I dipped bread in the broth and it was wonderful. Hush puppies have the consistency of a turnover (pastry puff) fabulous. Perfect favor. Dessert. Pot de creme. Topped with bacon fat caramel. Perfect sweetness!! Specialty drinks are made with love just like the food! read more

See all

Atmosphere: it was a beautiful bright spring day and my group walked into a dimly lit space. It was pretty dark inside. We had just made a two hour drive and used the restroom -which was out of toilet paper and watched a guy walk in from the kitchen leave the toilet full of pee, seat up, no flush. Hopefully he didn't forget to wash his hands too. Disregarding the toilet itself, the restroom smelled like a gas station bathroom. Started to lose appetite at this point. Food: I cannot eat pork and asked to sub out the sausage patty and was charged an additional $7 for chicken on top of the regular breakfast sandwich price. The waitress denied any fee changes quite sternly. The chicken was full of veins and cartilage. Still grossed out. Service was ok, the place was pretty empty on a Sunday during peak brunch hours, our RSVP was for 11:30 and not sure why we were required to reserve a table. Overall, I would not return. Bad vibes. Food wasn't warm. This place was really off. We tried to like it, but they missed the mark-in so many ways. read more

Aster - Breakfast sandwich - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

This is my 3rd trip to Aster and I've never been disappointed. The food is hands down the highest quality in Midland, plus it's incredibly unique. Their farm to table, rotating seasonal menu hits every time. They do have a few staples (hello burger, best one in the city). I highly recommend this establishment. Shoutout to Nick, the bartender for always recommending the best seasonal dishes read more

Aster - Angolitto Pasta - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

See all

Farm to table dining and it was good! Staff were friendly and knowledgeable and it was a nice atmosphere.

Oysters then coq au vin above par. Weird that they want you to put your used fork on the table and use it again for the next course, out of character for upscale place. Exceptional white wine by the glass as part of a rotation, I believe. read more

Came in from out of town and decided to try this restaurant given all the great reviews on Yelp. Well...I should have looked at the TripAdvisor ones that gave it poor ratings to get an accurate account of the dining experience. Service was the only positive thing about the restaurant. Hostess and waitress were friendly. Haven't been to this bad of a restaurant in a long time. Quality/taste was meh. Portions were tiny. Cost was high. After we were done, we walked to the corner and got an X-large pizza for the 2 of us! I do NOT recommend. Try the restaurants at The H Hotel. They are much better. The pizza place on the corner was pretty good too! read more

Astounded to find a top-tier, company-independent restaurant in a boring Midwest company town. Took a chance because they serve steak tartare, a Midwest fave getting hard to find. Amazing food, the details like quail egg atop tartare to the savory fatty skin on the aged duck breast. On par with Michelin star restaurants in major metros, but at a very affordable price. Cocktail game is reminiscent of Chicago, San Fran, and other major metros. Ingredients like green Chartreuse, Falernum, scotches, mezcals, amaros, cynar, fernet, old school classics, complex tiki drinks, and their own unique concoctions. Cocktails, both on menu and off, simply excellent! read more

Aster - Chartreuse Swizzle, perfect ice to frost the glass and fresh mint to tie it together as you swizzle. - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

Not a bad place for dinner. It is not easy to find because they don't have a screaming signs outside:)

While in the Midland area for a show at the Dow Center, we decided to have dinner at Aster. This is a fabulous place. Our server, Casey was wonderful & we had an amazing meal. We had the Butternut squash soup with pepitas, smoked whitefish hush puppies with cocktail sauce, coq au vin half chicken with diced veggies and bulgogi. The bulgogi paired with the sticky rice was amazing. Super tender & flavorful! All around awesome dining experience!! read more

See all

My oh my this place is good! Dropped in on Sunday morning right at opening, 10am, for brunch. We didn't have a reservation but luckily it wasn't needed. We sat outside under the umbrella on a beautifully overcast July morning. Service was quick for drinks. Coffee for me and tea for hubby. Coffee is strong and rich, it's a Chicago brand but can't remember the name. They don't have sweeteners but instead white or brown sugar and honey. I had the brown sugar but will probably try the honey next time. I ordered the sweet potato hash. Yummy! Loved breaking the egg yolk over the hash. Everything in the hash just tasted fresh. Hubby ordered the burger. We were a bit confused since the menu says $3 to make it a double, which we did, and the burger came with 3, 4oz. patties! The server said the burgers are already doubles so it's actually a triple burger! The menu should be adjusted to account for that. Hubby didn't mind the third burger but for others that might not go over too well. Prices are higher than other chain places but we didn't mind because the food was fresh, delicious and I love to support local! Parking is right along the one way street (Ashman) so it might be hard to find a spot right near by if it's busy but it's not that big of a deal to walk from any other nearby parking. Other than the burger confusion my only other complaint is the water. I believe it's tap water and to me the city's water is very chlorinated so unfortunately I couldn't drink it. The coffee was ok but to just drink the water, nope, not for me. We'll definitely be back to try other options (want to try the duck!) and I suggest you give this place a try, you won't be sorry! read more

Aster - Coffee with brown sugar. Love the little wooden spoon and sugar bowl! - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

See all

Our party of three went for the burger special. The burgers and fries were great, but the service was even better. Our server, Sarah, went above and beyond for every aspect of the meal, but was also gracious enough to give a lot of credit to the bartender and the hostess. Probably would have been back regardless, but that service really sealed the deal. read more

Another fantastic night at Aster, accommodating a party of 10 on a very snowy Friday night. If you are someone who appreciates a place that knows how to perfectly crisp the skin on a super fresh salmon filet, craft unique cocktails with all house made ingredients, and provide knowledgable and very professional service from a superb staff, this is where you go in Midland... No further questions about that. Thanks Evan and crew for another great meal and overall experience. read more

Aster makes me feel like I am fine dining but at an affordable price. I love their farm to table concept and that the menu changes and is seasonal. The presentation of their dishes is beautiful. The chef/owner is definitely talented. I got the mushroom risotto and it was well seasoned and flavorful. Will definitely need to come back and try the brunch menu. read more

I have been going to Aster for many years now and have loved most of their food. They are the best local restaurant here in Midland. Unfortunately, I have been disappointed by their ribeye the last two times and won't be ordering it again. It seems to just get smaller and smaller and this last time, it was like a tiny piece was cut off of the ribeye. The potatoes on my plate were larger than the piece of steak. I was also told that they can no longer cook my steak rare because of the cut. When I received the steak, I understood why they said that, because it was so small. I miss the very large ribeyes they used to sell, crusted/charred to perfection and rare. I will still be a patron for other dishes, but I can't pay $40 for a tiny piece of meat. :( read more

Aster - Ribeye onions and potatoes - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

Can't handle a crowd. I have dined at Aster several times and enjoyed its creative, seasonal menu and cocktails. However, this past visit was anything but enjoyable. It was busier than usual, I acknowledge, but the service and food were poor. It took 53 minutes from the time we were seated until our food arrived (a relatively simple order), after having to ask twice about the status, as other diners who were seated after us received their food in a timely manner. My burger looked as if an 8-year-old prepared it and my friend's dish was similarly haphazardly put together. When we inquired the server about it, she lectured us by saying that the kitchen was busy preparing everyone else's orders (um, were we not part of the "everyone" in the dining room?? Did she think we don't know how a restaurant works?) She went on to say that since we needed to look at the menu and decide on wine, that is why it took a long time. No, dear, we took a minute and a half to decide but you took 15 minutes to come to our table to take our order. Very disappointed in this experience. read more

First and foremost the food and drinks were fantastic. My wife and I don't eat out a lot and when we do we often bring it home. Our experience at Aster exceeded expectations in making us feel welcome, valued, and ultimately satisfied. The atmosphere was great as well and I certainly do not feel a sense of "midland" in here, which we love. Aster took us to what felt like a big city, hole in the wall, with some high quality dining. My wife has a restricted diet and they were great with options for her as well. Actual bubbly from Champagne, France was a fun new treat for me, and a nice touch! Cheers! read more

Brunch - the food - was good, tasty, hot, flavorful. The service wasn't properly trained - the front of the house needs a real manager.

Everything was delicious! Don't sleep on this place! The service was exceptional and the food was even better! We went for dinner and liked it so much we went back for brunch the next day. read more

See all

Amazing food presented beautifully! Portion size to just what I eat without a ton of left overs. I always feel guilty when I have a ton of food left over. Loved this place everyone should try it! read more

Amazing food! Wonderful cocktail menu. Great ambiance. Highly recommend this place, especially if you're a foodie who enjoys trying new dishes. read more

Aster - Agnolotti pasta, duck filling and delicious broth/sauce - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

See all

First off let me state that I have yet to eat here, but I did stop in for some drinks with friends.. highly recommend the Lil Buddy service was great and everyone's very friendly! read more

What a find!!!! Their menu has a fun array of cuisines with a combination of small plates and entrees. We opted to try a variety of the small plates and one entree. GET THE PAJUN! So good. The elotes were classic, the beet salad was light and fresh. The hush puppies were like little clouds!!! As other reviewers stated, the smoked fish flavor is subtle but really tasty! For our entree we shared the meat and potatoes (steak, potatoes, and bone marrow butter). Can't wait to come back and try the seasonal options as the year goes on. read more

The food was amazing! The service was attentive without being overbearing, and our server had great tips and info about the selections. We had a great experience. read more

This was some of the best food I've ever had. New to the area, I brought my family and friends here who were visiting (8 in total). Every appetizer and each entree was absolutely fantastic. Farm to table and phenomenal! read more

I went there for a business dinner. I arrived a little earlier. Staff was very welcoming. Server was great, very attentive. The food was absolutely delicious. read more

Service was terrible. They dropped my wife's dinner, which meant she had to sit and watch the rest of us eat then we sat and watched her eat. They never offered her an appetizer or any compensation. The food was passable, but don't come hungry because the portions are extremely small. The atmosphere was loud and nothing special. We won't be returning anytime soon. read more

Our first visit. The service was fantastic, very attentive server. We made it in just before the rush. The beet salad was delicious and a great presentation. We went in specifically for the advertised weekly Ramen special. Amazing! This will become a regular spot while we continue to explore the menu! read more

The food here is great and the wait staff are so friendly and make you feel welcome - my favorite place in Midland. Love brunch on Sunday. Can't wait until they get their liquor license and you can have a mimosa with their delicious breakfast read more

Just ate here. Not impressed. My chicken was undercooked twice. I know what cooked chicken is. I ordered the salad with a poached egg. Normally no one can cook a poached egg without hard boiling it. This was the rawest one ever. Not impressed and probably won't go there again. Waitress was good though. Too much money for mediocre food. read more

Best place to eat in Great Lakes Bay Area. Lots of thought in presentation, ingredients, and service go into every dish!

Amazing food! We each got a different dish and loved, loved, loved every one! We'll definitely be back.

Aster is such a special place in Midland. After working in California at a Michelin restaurant this was at the top of my list to try when I came home for a visit. I appreciate the thoughtfulness put into each dish. The service was excellent. I wish them nothing but the best! read more

Aster - Burger and waffle fires - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

Awesome farm to table restaurant in downtown Midland. They had just opened up an outdoor patio area when we ate which was nice. I had the lamb shank special which was beautifully presented and one of the best meals I've had in Midland. Would definitely recommend. read more

Aster - Lamb shank - Salad Near Me - Midland, Michigan

Absolutely amazing. Service is top notch, owner is better. Great place that cares about its community with a passion for food. Definitely not your average options but the taste exceeds expectations. Drove 2 hours to eat here and will definitely be making the trip back. If you haven't been here you're missing out. read more