We were lucky to be able to try dinner at the bar here on a Sunday night. Every staff member we encountered was very kind and welcoming. The main door opens to the bar side on the left, which has a couple of tables next to the window. We overheard our server telling some other patrons that they've been very busy since they opened last week, and when that's the case, the dining menu is not an option at the bar. The dining room looked very nice. I appreciated the attention to detail when it came to the thoughtful ambient lighting throughout the restaurant, and in the display areas around and behind the bar. Our drinks were delicious, and so was every single bite we had. The menu isn't marked for dietary restrictions, but our server knew it well enough to be able to tell us which options were gluten free, and went back to check with the kitchen to make sure another item he wasn't sure about would be safe for me to eat. We ordered the Vegetable Salad, which was reminiscent of a Vietnamese goi, and had great flavor infused throughout with fun contrasts in texture with the crispy onion bits on top. My boyfriend got the house bread with compound butter, giardiniera (I loved the fresh and spicy jalapeños they used), and muhammara, which he enjoyed very much. The Baby Carrots were a recommendation we overheard the server make to some patrons nearby, and they were absolute perfection; the candied hazelnuts made the dish so special, and the carrots were cooked perfectly. The Scallops with Risotto Nero was perfectly portioned and the scallops were some of the best we've had in a while. Throughout our dining experience, there were so many staff members buzzing around to make sure we had enough water, our dirty plates were never in front of us for long, and to replace our place settings for every single course. It was nice to see a team work so well for a restaurant that's just opened; very impressive! We absolutely loved our entire experience, would definitely recommend this as a top place for a dinner that doesn't disappoint, and will definitely be coming back soon! read more

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Echelon was honestly one of those places that just hits on every level. The food was incredible and everything we had was dialed in, flavorful, and clearly really intentional. You can tell there's serious thought and care behind what they're doing, not just putting dishes out to fill a menu. The atmosphere really stood out too. It feels elevated but still comfortable like you can relax and enjoy it without it feeling over the top. Just a great overall vibe! What made the night for me, though, was Chef Joseph VanWagner coming out and spending time talking with us. That doesn't happen everywhere, and you could genuinely feel how much pride and passion he has for what he's building there. It made the whole experience feel a lot more personal. This is 100% a place we'll be back to and one I'd recommend to anyone looking for a great night out. read more

What a gem! Echelon is truly an amazing experience! In fact, our experience was so remarkable, we ate there twice while in town. The restaurant is gorgeous, a real feast for the eyes that gives a significant nod to the building's rich architectural past while pulling a warm art deco design in a space fitting for an architectural magazine. As amazing as the space was the entire service and food team. Our servers - Jenn on night one and Ella on night two - were so friendly, knowledgeable and everyone went above and beyond to ensure our experience at Echelon was something we would never forget (and we won't!). We even got visits from the kitchen with Chef Joe VanWagner coming by to greet us, expediter and professional forager Marc Jacob Qualls-Sanchez coming by for a long session on his foraging expertise (amazing!), and even their new tiki bar (coming soon!) manager Max giving us the DL on that space and renovations. We felt like royalty! For a special treat above and beyond the food, service, and overall experience, the Echelon team passed around menus that night to have all the front and back of house staff autograph it for us! I am so excited to add this to the unforgettable memories of our trip to Ann Arbor. It's absolutely no wonder that Echelon was nominated for a James Beard award. Every bite, every conversation, every story, every sensation was top-shelf! read more

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Fun, creative, elegant. The service was both kind and efficient, everything is explained. The portions are small, understand. It's more of a order a bunch of dishes and share. The flavor pairings are inspired and the presentation is thoughtful. Highlights: wood-fired pita and dips, pasta Bolognese, fire-roasted beets, kale salad, but everything was delicious, including the desserts. read more

Service was ok, it could have been better. The waitress apparently thought we didn't order enough food (we ordered the broccolini app, and the filet mignon and cod between the two of us) and suggested we order more food, which I found pushy, because while I have never eaten there, it's certainly not a small plates tapas restaurant or similar and we were fine with the amount of food in the end. My filet was an issue. It came out with two pieces one medallion of appropriate size and cooked to medium rare and another smaller piece of meat that was cooked medium well. I'm not exactly sure why this made it through the pass, where was the quality control? The medallion of appropriate size was cooked perfectly, very nice crust on it and seasoned well. The greens on the plate were just a bit underseasoned and undercooked, while the pommes anna were crispy and nicely done. All and all a solid dish without that little overcooked pics of meat. The broccolini was cooked well and nicely charred, but I felt the manchego foam was a little flat, it needed to be punchier with more cheese forward flavor. I actually think I enjoyed my wife's cod dish more than the filet. It was more visually appealing and was a very well rounded dish with lots of flavor. The dessert we had was called the buckwheat, which was a chocolate cake with ganache and a buckwheat cookie crumble. The ganache and crumble were excellent, I really enjoyed the textural contrast on this dish that those provided. The cake was moist but lacked any flavor. And I believe there was a flavored whipped cream or something, but it seriously got lost in the dish, still out there searching for it. I found the menu somewhat confusing as there were several different styles of cuisine presented, middle eastern/north African, French, Italian, Greek, Japanese...and while it claimed to be a vegetable-forward establishment, it certainly has a lot of meat on the menu and none of the vegetable dishes really stand out as being original. read more

First visit. Began at the bar while waiting for reservation. Great wine list along with attentive service. Reservations were right on time. Marvelous decor. As there were 6 of us everyone ordered something different enabling sharing. Small plates. Food was fantastic! We will be going again. read more

I'm a pretty decent home cook and often think that I can make dishes that I eat at restaurants just as good or better. NOT true here. My friend and I splurged on the Chefs tasting menu. Tastebuds I never knew I had came alive last night. It's been 24 hours since I got home and I'm still thinking about it. Bartender Felicity and waitress, Anya, were delightful and knowledgeable. I would pay money learn how to replicate a fraction of what we ate. My friend treated me...and I'm forever grateful because I could not afford to have experienced this otherwise. It was not a meal...it was an event that I will always remember. read more

Overrated & severely overpriced. Strange food combinations that create a facade of unique cuisine and artistry, but when it comes down to it, most of the flavors do not work well together, and the textures of some dishes were inedible. The servers advertise "shareable" tapas-style dishes yet many of the menu items do not align with this format. Ultimately they are trying to do too much and get away with absurd prices. It's not working. Left me unsatisfied. Nice ambiance though. read more

Really good... service & food were on point. The bolognese stood out to everyone. It's definitely pricey but you pay for the ambience too. Would repeat. read more

Beautiful restaurant with open kitchen and great service. Delicious small plates. Great place for special dinner out that is not too stuffy. I will be back! read more

A seven-course tasting menu with wine pairings was impacted from the start as I bit into a stone that found its way into my canapé. It was served in a wooden box on a bed of these stones, and it seems one found its way in. Luckily it was the stone that broke and not a tooth. More troubling was the response of the service team member, who when told what happened thought I had to be making a "Dad joke," rather than addressing the issue more appropriately. I think they need to re-think this presentation and better train the staff in how to deal with such situations. The GM was apologetic, and the rest of the meal was excellent. But the start put a damper on what could have been an experience worth the high price. The open format of the restaurant is great, and even with that it was not too loud for conversation. But the lighting throughout is far too bright - by half, at least. read more

Over promised way under delivered. Overall - the chef seemed more concerned with appearance of the plate versus what was on the plate Apps were excellent. Pita and dips were a good twist on classics. Cauliflower was done well but the pieces were too small. Tartine was my favorite. Entrees - I had the bass. The serving size was literally a fish stick. The skin was rubbery and I couldn't eat half of the fish stick. Wife's filet mignon was not a quality piece of meat. The vegan pasta was meh Deserts - Lemon curd had good flavor. Bulgar wheat dish was playful and had good components. The chocolate cake was disjointed. read more

I never leave reviews unless I'm blown away and last night I was blown away. The Chefs Tasting was everything and more. I was excited with every plate that came out next. Our waitress was a treasure as well, Ella (I believe?). Regardless, wonderful experience. The vibe was really nice as well. Definitely will return. read more

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When my wife and I arrived for our dinner we discovered that the menu for the evening contained too many items to which my wife was allergic. When we left the restaurant we were told we would not be charged a no show fee. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had been charged a $150 fee. Don't patronize this business - no food, no service, no ambiance read more

Great service and delicious food. Went here after being ignored at our original reservation at a different restaurant and couldn't have been happier with the change of venue. read more

We dined here for restaurant week and selected the chef's tasting menu. Our only question is where are the Michelin stars. It was fantastic. From the amuse bouche to the root vegetable desert, it was creative and some of the best food we have had. Will definitely be back. read more

This place is fantastic. Super high end, every dish is incredible but the prices reflect that. Service is very high level. Enjoyed every dish and definitely will be back. read more

Food, service, atmosphere are all top notch. A great addition to Main Street! Can't wait to return. read more

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The service at Echelon is outstanding. The manager Ben takes service to next level with accommodating guests. Huna tiki bar downstairs is a must see and a great way to end the night. Thanks Ben read more

Excellent fresh food with local ingredients. Super friendly and detail oriented service. Modern deco and inviting atmosphere, definitely will go back again. read more

Yes it's pricey but it's also the best place in Ann Arbor right now. Really nice attention to detail. Great service and ambiance.

Three of us ordered coffee with Kahlua and small plates at the bar. They did not have Kahlua, so they served a substitute. Drinks were served in a tiny 3-ounce cordial glass. Very disappointed in the beverages. The food and drinks were too expensive, even for Ann Arbor. Neither my party nor I will be back. read more

Bar prices are ridiculous! Everything for a cocktail comes on the bill as a separate item. A Tito's on the rock s, dirty with blue cheese olives was Listed as 1) Tito's Handmade $14.00, 2) Blue cheese olives $1.50, 3) Martini $4.00? So &19.50 total . I didn't order a martini, but they charged me four dollars for olive juice. Extremely overpriced. read more

We had about 8 different dishes to share in our group of 4 and each was better than the last. The octopus and scallops standing out to remember. Great cocktails, ambiance and food, favorite upscale flavors and meal in Ann Arbor to date! Congrats to this new venue, we will definitely be back and cheers to Chef Nate, he's the best!! read more

I do feel bad writing this review. The bill for two with wine was 170$. The scallops had franks red hot on them disgusting. The pasta tasted like it was from Costco. The staff was lovely and service was good. But this food was shameful . Buyer beware read more

Friendly open service, delicious beautiful food, comfortable atmosphere. Can't wait to go back and try more.

A must go and check out this Amazing food excellent service and good will come again

Just wow! We were here this past Sunday and were very impressed! When we walked in we were immediately greeted and checked our coats. We were a little early so sat at the bar and perused the extensive drink menu. We settled on a delicious white wine that the bartender helped us choose. Perfect choice. We were seated at a comfortable table for 2. The set up is phenomenal. You are not right next to another table so even though the place was full you didn't have to hear other people's conversations. There was music in the background but at the perfect level. The decor is beautiful. We were able to taste 4 dishes. The filet was perfectly cooked and was a flavor explosion. We also had the duck. I have never tried it before but it was so flavorful and delicious! My favorite dish was probably the bucatini. Wow! The service was impeccable. Our water glass was always filled. They just made you feel so pampered. Even the bathrooms were well thought out. There are 4 individual bathrooms that had an occupied and unoccupied designation when you lock the door. No anxiety about people knocking! We tried 2 desserts and they were delicious! people! You NEED to make your reservations and have a wonderful experience here. I promise you will NOT be disappointed! I can't wait to come back. I want to try everything on the menu. read more

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Very very beautiful restaurant as well as plated food. Service was also good. Everything we ate was very well crafted. With that said I'm not sure that I left knowing that I'd crave to come back. Our biggest issue was with the appetizer portions. We ordered many, broccolini, cauliflower, hummus, octopus (one tentacle) and found it difficult to share such tiny portions especially for the price. We found the cocktails flavorful but weak and not worth the price of having a second. Then they tack on an extra 3%, their pricing just seems a tad greedy. read more

Pretty venue and was nicely comped on drinks when the service was not great, but the food was just "good" and the prices are way too high for the portion sizes. It's basically four bite dishes for $40 each. I'd prefer more generous tapas down the street. read more

Sampled 7 different things from the menu and nothing blew me away. Everything was solid but nothing crazy. The carrots and the cabbage dishes were probably my favorites. The ambiance is very good vibes and had a lot of energy on a Sunday night. Our service was okay but could've been better. read more

Exceptional from start to finish. The attentive, knowledgeable, and warm staff make the whole place a vibe. It is clear everyone is happy to work there, and right now that atmosphere is so appreciated. The bar area is a comfortable oasis with an extensive menu of both cocktails and mocktails. If you grab a bite at the bar, the fried chicken sandwich is officially the best in Ann Arbor. (I said it.) We have also dined in the dining room on a few occasions. The variety of plate sizes is ideal if you want a small bite or if you order a few and share. No more one-size-fits-all. The food is thoughtfully inventive, and chefy without pretence. Anyone would feel comfortable reading and understanding the menu, and if you have any questions, the staff will happily explain. Please take the opportunity to ask about their menu favorites! After three recommendations to try the carrots, we ordered them, and how did they make them so delicious? Game changer. I did not know carrots could taste like that. Attire in the restaurant varied, from jeans and a sweater to lots of UMich sweatshirts on game days, and clearly a few couples out on special occasions, all dressed up in suits and dresses. It all works! No one was out of place. Also, the open kitchen is an entertaining backdrop yet incredibly quiet. And last, if you have room, the desserts are insanely delicious and not heavy. If you want Blank Slate, go to Blank Slate. Also delicious! This just isn't that. Eschelon desserts are well-balanced flavor explosions of some old favorites, like a lemon cake with a twist or S'mores ice cream with chefy marshmallows. Who knew marshmallows could be chefy? Reservations help, but they do leave room for walk-ins. The food prices reflect quality and attention to local seasonal picks. We found that they are less expensive than some other restaurants with this intention that are not located downtown, and Eschelon has better food and a better location. Highly recommend! read more

Great service, food, and cocktails. What a wonderful addition to Ann Arbor. Best meal I've had in this city and I've lived here nearly 20 years. Bravo read more

One of the best restaurants I've been to. Echelon is everything you want in a fine dining restaurant: beautiful atmosphere, delicious food (truly, everything I've had in my 3 times there has been delicious), and most importantly excellent service and hospitality -- thoughtful touches everywhere, kind staff, and just overall high quality. All of this, yet it doesn't feel stuffy or pretentious. Awesome restaurant and great addition to Ann Arbor! read more

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Food was horrible and so was service. Notice no menu on website guess that says it all.

Staff not knowledgeable about wine and instructed how to eat the dishes which was off putting.

the menu is always creative and the food tastes great! probably the best in southeast MI! service rocks and I like the changing wine list as it affords the luxury of trying different wines from around the world. read more

New favorite restaurant in AA!!!! Beautiful and delicious food, great atmosphere, great service. Outstanding.

This is my new favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! Every dish was great, but highlights included the cauliflower, crudo, octopus, and duck (and I normally don't like duck). The service was excellent all around. Our server Aaron was very helpful and knowledgeable. Taylor, the sommelier, was outstanding! read more

This review is mainly from a vegetarian perspective. The tl;dr is I had an ok dinner here as a vegetarian but I wouldn't really recommend it to other non-meat eaters in general because there wasn't a good "main course". If you eat meat you'll have way more choices. The service was great and we liked the decor. It got a little loud when the restaurant was full but we could still talk without yelling. There was comfortable seating, and very nice staff. Longer version: I went with a couple friends as it's new and we wanted to try it out. I'll try and give a lot of detail so people can decide if they want to go considering it's very expensive, as I mentioned. First, they state they're "vegetable forward," but there is nothing that really serves as a main dish for vegetarians -- all the vegetable dishes were more like side dishes or something you'd share. I still had enough to eat because we ordered all the vegetable dishes to try. We had: -Bread: Parker house rolls with some butter, sauce, and pickled vegetables. We thought it was an odd choice to have the rolls instead of a flatbread type bread but they were good. -Carrots: very good, loved the combo of flavors -Cauliflower: this was ok, interesting combo of flavors -Flatbread: interesting, you need to really like preserved lemon to enjoy it. Not much goat cheese, had a lot of other stuff on it. The beet was sliced super thin so even if you don't like beets it wasn't too overwhelming. -Cabbage: two preparations of cabbage were served on different plates. The first was a wedge of grilled cabbage coated in some sort of seeds and spices and a different cabbage dish that was much tastier but it was just a small dish. The wedge of cabbage had something spicy on it also, so just FYI if you're spicy averse. -Chicken: my friends had the chicken and they liked it. It came with crepes and a plum bbq sauce instead of traditional side dishes. There's a note on the menu that said to allow 45 minutes for it to be prepared, FYI. -Drinks: friends had a couple cocktails that were ok/good and wine with dinner. I had sparkling water and I liked that they refilled it instead of having just a bottle of San Pellegrino or something to the table. Water refills were constant. There were tons of workers everywhere doing things, taking plates, refilling water. -Desserts: One friend got the grapefruit panna cotta which tasted good but wasn't amazing. We probably wouldn't get it again. I had the chocolate dessert which was very good with three triangles of a double layer chocolate mousse cake thing, and the second friend had a disappointment with the ice cream which was the tiniest third of a scoop of ice cream in a tiny dish. The hazelnuts were burnt (which we mentioned to the server) so that ruined the flavor, my friend had to take them off to eat the ice cream. She said the ice cream was good once she removed the hazelnuts. The thing that surprised me the most was the seemingly random mix of flavors: muhammara with the dinner rolls, tahini with the cauliflower, plum bbq sauce with the chicken, Asian (???) spices with the cauliflower. All in all, we had fun but I don't know if I personally would go back for dinner unless someone else strongly insisted or the menu changed in the future. read more