Average food and service at a premium price. Caesar salad is $40 for 2 people (you are out of luck if only 1 person wants it) and is the size of a single salad elsewhere. No soup offered. No bread (!) at an Italian restaurant?? Not unless you want to order the $25 Focaccia. Service was average; food was tasty but comparable to many other nice Italian restaurants that are much lower priced. I won't be returning. read more

Lydia was a wonderful sever. Attentive, great info and suggestions. Thanks for an amazing first experience at Aurora (and the sweet anniversary dessert)! read more

We had a fabulous experience at Aurora on the Lake! We celebrated our anniversary in the bar, where we had a beautiful view of the lake. It was also happy hour. We ordered drinks that were on special: an Aperol spritz and a gin drink (Basilico). Both were perfectly balanced and delicious! We tried the bruschetta happy hour appetizer, and it was great. The perfect tomato:toast ratio. For dinner, we had the fettuccine Alfredo with blackened shrimp and the pollo paillard. The pasta was some of the best Alfredo I've ever had! It had a rich cheese flavor; would absolutely order again. The blackened shrimp was slightly overcooked, might try a different protein next time. The pollo paillard was also excellent. The fresh arugula and thin sliced onions were great atop the chicken. The portion was huge, too! The restaurant treated us to a cannoli dessert for our anniversary, and it was wonderful. We don't typically like cannolis but this one was outstanding! The shell and cream were light, not as dense and thick as a standard cannoli. It was a treat!! A great place to celebrate a special occasion. read more

Aurora Italiana - Pollo Paillard - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

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We had an interesting experience at Aurora on the Lake. Our waitress was friendly, but the actual service fell short. We waited nearly 30 minutes for bread. It arrived with cheese dip and jelly, which was fine, but we asked for butter. By the time --three-- small packets of butter were brought out for --four people--the bread was already gone. We ordered another basket (at an additional charge)and that bread arrived without butter as well, despite our asking for it. Our dinners were adequate, but nothing exceptional. We had also mentioned that we were celebrating two birthdays. I understand that restaurants are not obligated to provide complimentary birthday desserts, even though that has been my experience for 64 years. However, instead of explaining their policy, our waitress brought the bill, asked whether we wanted a birthday dessert, took the bill back, and added two dessert charges totaling $30. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere, and the food was satisfactory, but the service was disorganized and disappointing. I've read several reviews saying the food and ambiance are good while the service can be inconsistent. Unfortunately, our experience was very much in line with those reviews. read more

Food delicious ( pricy $98 Diver sole) Server Cassie attentive helpful and charming Ambiance very loud hard to converse despite close sitting four top. read more

Aurora on the Lake offers a beautiful dining experience, especially if you're lucky enough to sit on the patio overlooking the water. The view alone makes it a great spot for a relaxing evening. The staff was attentive and made sure we were well taken care of throughout the meal. The food itself was good, thoughtfully prepared and flavorful, though the portions were on the smaller side for the price point. Speaking of price, it definitely leans toward the expensive side, so it feels more like a special-occasion place than an everyday dinner spot. One downside was the mandatory valet parking, which felt a bit unnecessary and inconvenient. Overall, Aurora on the Lake delivers on ambiance and service, with solid food--but be prepared for smaller portions and a higher bill. read more

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I was looking forward to taking my mom here for her birthday. Initially, we were seated against a wall, so I asked if we could be moved somewhere with a view. The staff kindly accommodated us and seated us on the enclosed patio overlooking the water, which made for a much nicer birthday experience. Our server was very kind, but it was apparent she was fairly new. I have no issue with a new server, but I do wish a manager or more seasoned team member had checked in periodically to ensure everything was running smoothly. There were several instances where we were left waiting for items we had ordered, including coffee, focaccia bread for our appetizer, and additional sauce for my entrée. As for the food, I ordered the king salmon, which was cooked perfectly and served with green beans. While delicious, it felt like it could have benefited from an additional side, particularly given the price point. My mother ordered the branzino, which was a generous portion size but lacked flavor. Fortunately, she had also ordered the gnocchi and was able to use some of that sauce to enhance the dish. For dessert, the restaurant provided a complimentary birthday cannoli for my mom, which was a very nice touch and something we both enjoyed. One thing that caught me off guard was feeling somewhat rushed by another staff member who appeared responsible for boxing leftovers. Additionally, when it came time to pay, I noticed we had been overcharged. It took approximately 10-15 minutes to correct the error, and unfortunately, no apology was offered for either the mistake or the wait. Small touchpoints matter. While I understand our server was new, I would have expected a bit more oversight and support as she learns the ropes. That said, I would likely give the restaurant another try. I enjoy cooking at home, so when I choose a higher-end dining experience, I'm not only looking for great food but also exceptional service. This visit had some highlights, but it fell short of the "wow" factor. read more

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We recently visited here for our 12th wedding anniversary and brought our three young kids with us. They were so awesome and kind with the little ones and really made them feel welcome and special for mom and dad's special day. The food was excellent and served hot and fresh. They had a great selection of cocktails and mocktails too. Dessert was also phenomenal. We will definitely be back. read more

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Always a beautiful spot to enjoy our special occasions. And delicious food too! Starting with their unique burrata and focaccia bread service, the Rustica beet salad (yum) and Chicken Lemone. A shareable feast with all! And a special anniversary dessert. We loved the restaurant in its old life but Aurora has really amped up the experience and CONSISTENCY. read more

Aurora Italiana - Burrata al Pesto - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

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The staff was very friendly and the service was excellent. The food was good . I'd give the place four stars but it was pretty expensive we don't mind paying the extra but this wasn't it. Again great service and good food. read more

Aurora Italiana - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

Valet parking only. It's on Union Lake. Only bar seating, same high tops at least. Cassie is waiting on us. They do make their own dough for their pasta and pizzas. Ordered fritto misto less shrimp, Tartufo, patate fritte, corn dolce, Caesar less croutons, rustica salad with feta on the side, and chicken Marsala. $160.06 for our meal tonight. The salads and the fritto misto were out first. The Caesar dressing is quite good. Not a big salad though for $20. The rustica salad is just okay. Needs some dressing or something. The wine or olive oil was so slight. It's rather bland. The fritto misto is really good. Tomato garlic dipping sauce is yummy. The sweet corn reminds me of elote, it's good. The patate fritte is yummy. Addictive, a bit bigger than shoe string fries. So good. The chicken Marsala, sweet corn and the fries were out as round two. The chicken Marsala sauce is light and you can definitely taste the wine reduction in it, it's not bad. The chicken is flattened and thin, it's perfectly cooked. The staff is a bit anxious about cleaning off plates before you are done eating. We were full and done with all of our food and still no pizza yet. :( Last out is the mushroom pizza, there was a mix-up in the kitchen, supposedly. It has fresh small mushrooms, was thinking it would have been slices of fresh mushrooms. Dough isn't bad. Hint of truffle oil. Pizza wad so-so. Service was okay. Expected better service from the bar staff. read more

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Food was great! Everything we tried was good have to return soon to check out some stuff for sure! The service was phenomenal staff here is very helpful and hospitable. The Ambiance is unmatched it's right off a lake feels like you not even in Michigan! read more

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We've been to the Aurora on Orchard Lake Road multiple times and really enjoyed it, so when we found out they opened another location right on the lake, we wanted to check it out. It was the perfect place for a beautiful spring outdoor birthday celebration. The patio has a fabulous view of Union Lake. I was happy to see that they had an extensive mocktail menu and I tried one of those and liked it. We started our meal with the Arancini appetizer followed by the Caesar salad that was repaired tableside. It's really fun to watch them make it, and it tasted great. I had the Veal Limone for my entrée. It looked different than I expected, but it was quite good, and the portion was very generous. It came with some potatoes on the side, although I might've preferred a small portion of pasta. My wife had the Tagliatelle, Bolognese and really liked it. read more

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Fantastic experience! Beautiful views, outstanding service and delicious food! We were seated promptly and our waiter, Dave, took the time to run through all of the specialties with his and talk with us about what we might be interested in. Answered lots of questions and was great about recommending wine to compliment our chosen meal. Truly, outstanding service would definitely return! Robert talked us into taking some cannoli home with us because it was the best he's had outside of New York City. read more

Aurora Italiana - Homemade Pesto pasta with chicken. - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

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The service was amazing! Took our family including 2 year old grandson. The staff made sure he was served 1st to avoid boredom. It worked he had a kids pizza and I have to say it was large in size. My hubby had the lobster sicilaiano and raved about it. This place is on our list of place for next visit. The restaurant had great ambience , food was delicious, service was excellent and being on the water was a perfect setting. We will be next time we visit our daughter and family ! read more

Absolutely beautiful!!! Overlooking lake with beautiful view Great food! Great service! read more

Lydia was awesome, service was wonderful!! Highly recommend coming here, beautiful views and amazing food!! read more

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Great food and staff,Lydia always provides friendly and efficient service.The ambiance is amazing.

amazing service, a beautiful restaurant with lake views. the food is amazing, tried the focaccia bread, burrata, filet mignon and tagliette bolognese and everything tasted amazing. 10/10 would recommend read more

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I had the pleasure of diving here for dinner recently and I was not disappointed! It's such a beautiful restaurant and I can't wait for the weather to warm up so I can sit outside. It's a busy restaurant so please make a reservation in advance. They do offer valet as well. My waiter Morgan was phenomenal! I was in a time crunch and ensured my meal came out timely. I decided to order one of the evening specials, Braised Lamb over Pappardelle pasta. Ooooooooommyyyyy it was so good. I also ordered a side a Brussels and you can never go wrong with that! I'll be back Aurora!! And I'll take pics next time. read more

Exceptional. Can't put into words what a wonderful experience we had here. It's the perfect place to celebrate that special occasion. The interior is elegant and the ambiance magical. When you consider the incredible view, this becomes a most impressive Italian restaurant. Matthew's efforts were most appreciated. He did a fantastic job with our group of six. The level of service probably the best we've seen in Southeast Michigan. This is the last place that I'd expect to see a pass around or a community meal. But once I saw two people starting it, I immediately jumped in and shared everything in front of me. The tops were the Fettuccini Alfredo, Fruitti Di Mare and Rigatoni Al Bosco. Do yourself a favour and splurge on the Grilled Octopus in a cici bean purée. It's the best thing on the menu! A big thank you to our hosts, Jimmy and Rachel and all the good people at Atlantic records. True class unveiled! 08/25 read more

Aurora is located right on the water with beautiful views. It's a great place to go for a special occasion. We have been to the west Bloomfield location but decided to try the commence location for our anniversary. The location and food was good but this location has an opportunity to improve with their service. We had a reservation but still waited about 20 mins for a table on a Wednesday night at 7pm but we did get a great table outside so I think it was worth the wait. Our server was very nice but we couldn't help but notice 4 other tables complained while we were there about the slow service, food issues and one table walked out. We were not in a hurry and we enjoyed our meal but there was room for improvement with the people bringing food out because they seem to have no idea what table they were supposed to bring the food? Each course people brought food to the patio looking confused, asking tables if they ordered that item and after a few nos they would eventually get the right table. It seemed odd like they should know what table they were taking food to. I think this is a great place and if the service improved has really great potential! Overall we enjoyed our meal and appreciated the complimentary dessert. read more

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We brought our mom here for her birthday, but unfortunately, the experience was incredibly disappointing. We had a 4 PM reservation for 4 and requested outdoor seating. Despite planning to order a large amount of food and drinks, the manager refused to seat us at a slightly larger table--even one just set for 5. He was rigid and dismissive, offering no flexibility or hospitality, which set the tone for the evening. Soon after being seated, we were served water that had thick floating particles in it. Unfortunately, we had already taken several sips before noticing. When we asked what we had consumed, we received three different explanations: one server said it was leftover napkin from drying cups, another said pollen, and the manager insisted it was lemon residue from unclean pitchers. Not only was it unclear what we actually drank, but staff--including the manager--continued to make jokes about it throughout the evening, despite our obvious discomfort and concern. It felt unprofessional and tone-deaf. Later, a server accidentally dropped a tray of wine glasses next to our table, and my sister's toe was cut by the broken glass. The manager brought Band-Aids but made an inappropriate joke about suing the restaurant showing no concern to the situation. Cleanup was slow, and guests kept stepping through the shards--we had to ask multiple times before it was cleaned up. The food was actually quite good, and the drinks were what we expected. But the lack of leadership, professionalism, and basic guest care--especially from management--completely overshadowed the meal. We won't be back. read more

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A fantastic first visit to the newly renamed Aurora on the Lake! * Atmosphere: "Amalfi Coast" vibes with beautiful lakeside views. The outdoor seating is a must on a nice day. * Food & Drinks: The Aperol Spritz was perfectly balanced and the salad was good (though I'd love it chopped). For the price, I thought the salmon would be a little larger. We also enjoyed a very flavorful fried appetizer. For dessert, the fried Oreos were to die for--so delicious and decadent, I will definitely get them again! * Service: The staff was wonderful and the service was great all around. * Bonus: I love the addition of the front market for prepared foods and to-go items. A great, convenient feature. Didn't pick anything up this time, but I might the next time I'm in the area. Overall: A great experience. I will definitely be returning! read more

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Ashley was great as our server. Food was very good. They were very attentive to our large party.

We thoroughly enjoyed our first dining experience here. Our food , Pizza, rainbow salad with Salmon and Calamari was well prepared and tasty. For our Drinks we had the Black Berry Old Fashioned made with the house black Berry syrup which was quite tasty albeit a tad sweeter than I like in my Old Fashions but a nice change up from the classical drink recipe. If your cocktail tastes trend to a sweeter drink than this one should be right up your alley and probably not to be missed. Aside from the food, I love the tasteful decor of this new restaurant with its indoor and outside terrace dining options along Union Lake front that adds quite a bit to the overall dining experience. Service was top notch where our waitress was very friendly and outgoing with great follow up throughout the meal. The restaurant manager also checked in upon us while dining which speaks highly of this newer business. Definately a strength of this business! Overall a very nice addition to the greater West Bloomfield dining scene where we will definately be returning in the very near future. read more

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This may have been my worst dining experience ever. To start off, I had a reservation that wasn't on time. The hostess sits us outside, as I requested and then said "oops it was meant for someone else" and moved us back inside. First low class, petty move. Then she gives 3 adults and one child, two children's menus. Next I'll focus on the few good things. Good drinks, good service and good calamari app. The good aspects end there. The arincini was awful, the bolognese my friend had was reportedly bad, my wife's fettuccini was bad, and my fruti di mare tasted liked seawater mixed with pasta. Lastly, even the cheese pizza and chicken tenders for the kids were truly terrible. How this is called Italian food is beyond me, especially for the outrageous prices for abysmal food. You don't even get bread?! Avoid at all costs unless you want to pay just to look at union lake. To make matters worse, they wouldn't even split the tab for two couples. read more

The food was excellent. Short ribs were fall apart with excellent Demi glaze. The risotto was extremely good. The steak tip pasta was excellent, plenty of steak and mushrooms with an excellent sauce. The tiramisu was excellent as well, decadent and luscious. Service was very good with a smile. Very attentive. The atmosphere was very good, if a bit eclectic. Nice place to go to for a special occasion. read more

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You get what you pay for. We went with our kids for our anniversary and everything was great. Staff were very attentive and kind. They were amazing with our children. All the food was fantastic. Cheese pizza for the win!!! We would definitely come back (with our kids too). Thank you for a great dinner read more

Aurora Italiana - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

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Happy hour is fun! Vistited twice and the seating arrangement in the bar area is much improved from the opening. The service upon opening was ah-mazing with many people checking in on us and chatting. This past visit (within the last couple weeks) the service at the bar was pretty unfriendly and quite the opposite. I had to ask for service, a menu, a refill, etc. I was patient yet the staff was not smiling and appeared quite miserable. I hope this was an isolated case. read more

Food quality is good, but portions don't match the price point. Service was the bigger issue--staff need customer service training, and the hostess working Monday night was rude. The overall vibe from staff made for an unwelcoming atmosphere. read more

Beautiful restaurant, service was very attentive. The best part of this location has always been the view of Union Lake. Food was good but, not great and not cheap. My main issue was when the workers start clearing dishes before everyone is finished eating and without asking if we wanted them to take dishes. I not a fan of going out for a meal to be rushed. We were celebrating a 90th Birthday and wanted enjoy the company. Overall, good experience. read more

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This location provides magnificent views of Union Lake and a beautifully contemporary, somewhat eclectic but elegant decor suitable for special occasions. The staff is friendly, professional, and highly attentive. The food quality is excellent and portioned appropriately. Some complimentary bread to accompany soups would have been a nice touch, just as a suggestion. Overall, it was an experience on par with the Orchard Lake location and certainly exceeded expectations. read more

Delicious meal and Ashley was a wonderful server. Great options and drinks. The private room was lovely.

First trip since they opened! Our waiter was amazing and we came early enough so he could hang with us what felt like more than normal. Delicious made at the table Caesar salad, for 3 of us, 2 min for them to create in front of us. Everyone enjoyed their meals. Homemade pasta won me over before I arrived! Delighted that the vodka sauce had some heat! Drinks were wonderful too!! read more

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Gianni is the best he's supperrrr nice and had the best service and he was nice and funny read more

Aurora Italiana - Gianni - Italian Near Me - Commerce Township, Michigan

Food is very tasty. Portions are less than average with high prices. Service is good. Lake view is nice. The indoor seating is extremely cold and inside and outdoor seating is very noisy. Acoustics need improvement. read more

Loved visiting Aurora on the Lake! Having already dined at Aurora, I was familiar with the menu and was looking forward to a slightly different ambience. The stunning lakefront views, even on a cloudy day made for such a nice dinner. We started with a spicy shrimp appetizer that did not disappoint. I had the Caesar salad and I must admit my favorite part of this salad are the delicious croutons!! My main entrée was a pasta with delicious sausage. It was a huge serving and I had plenty leftover. Service was great and our waitress also shared the dessert menu which we were too full to try. The inside is very cute and there's also an upstairs area that you can rent out for private parties. read more

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Stopped in for happy hour and it was a beautiful day. We wanted to sit out and enjoy a cocktail and the weather. We were seated and no one came out to take our order. Went in and got a menu. Minutes later we were told they were not serving outside. Not enough staff So there weren't many seats at the bar left and all the tables in the bar were "reserved " also due to lack of staff. My drinks were just ok. The pizza, not great. The mushroom bruschetta, well for me, looked very unappetizing. Some of the mushrooms and yes I know there are several varieties, but they looked like penises and the texture was like the ones in a can. I ate one piece but I just couldn't eat anymore and I love cooked mushrooms. Friendly staff! They are pricy but happy hour is very doable. I'm not sure if I would go back. read more

The service from David was outstanding.Brussel sprouts were very good as was the meat and cheese tray.my chicken was very tasty as was side. My lovely wife's bolognese was just ok. As we have had better.the tiramisu was very good. Ambiance was very nice as we had a table over looking the lake. read more