Great service, great environment, and great food!......................................................................... ...................................... read more

Very cool spot with equally good food. John in the bar area took great care of me and made an excellent old fashioned. The dynamite mahi mahi was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. Tasty rice too. Overall a very solid meal and good company made it a memorable night. Next time I'm back in A2 I will return! read more

Gandy Dancer - Dynamite Mahi Mahi - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ambiance: bring your parent's type of restaurant Service: the service was good Food $$: they are known for their seafood more Audience: Solo Trip [X] Family Friendly [ X] Friends [X] Date Spot [X] Recommendations/tips: I highly recommend read more

It was my husband's turn to pick dinner, and the entire family loved it. The building is fun, and historic. Very inviting, and I love how they've left much intact. The service was also wonderful. Renee was fun, and added energy to our meal after a long day of baseball, and collegiate horse shows. Everything was perfect, and every need and want was anticipated. The food was equally as amazing. I had the flounder royale, and it was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. It was crispy, and light. Not overly sauced, yet somehow fully flavorful. I'm now trying to figure out how to replicate this! The calamari appetizer was also amazing. Every single bite of it. Everyone else in my family raved about their food as well, including my very picky son. From drinks to dessert, every part was amazing. Valet was great as well! Very quick! read more

Went there tonight for a work function. Our waiter was not that great. My expectation for a high end restaurant is high end service. High end service shouldn't mean I am handing you plates from other guests. Service was super slow. Food was decent but not great. I definitely will pick another restaurant to host important people in my company again. read more

Gandy Dancer - Work luncheon - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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I've lived in Ann Arbor for more than 50 years, and it's sad to see what has happened to what was once the city's premier restaurant. We chose to sit at the bar because we weren't looking for a two-hour dining experience--just a good meal and attentive service. Unfortunately, we got neither. Our initial bartender, John, was friendly and poured generous drinks, but he seemed completely disengaged. We had no idea if or when he actually entered our food order because there was no communication and an unusually long wait. Whether he was overwhelmed or simply not paying attention, the service felt disorganized from the start. Then he disappeared, and we were handed off to another bartender, Kelly, who made it abundantly clear that customer service was not a priority. She never smiled, never checked on us, and acted as though interacting with guests was an inconvenience. The biggest disappointment, though, was the food. Gandy Dancer used to be known for exceptional seafood and fine dining. Now the food is mediocre at best and nowhere near worth the premium prices they're charging. It's disappointing to watch an Ann Arbor institution decline this far. Between the indifferent service, poor communication, and disappointing food, this was one of the worst dining experiences I've had in years. There are simply too many excellent restaurants in Ann Arbor to spend your money here anymore. read more

Lisa rocks! Attentive without being obsequious. A wonderful defect-free experience. I had a bit of time between two appointments at the hospital and Gandy Dancer was convenient. The burger was advertised as one-half pound and I believe it indeed was one-half pound. And; it was served medium rare, exactly as ordered. The seafood soup was served hot and was tasty. I love the olde train station vibe. Will I return? Yes. read more

Gandy Dancer - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Really neat building. The old Ann Arbor train depot constructed in 1880. They sure don't build them like they used to. The Amtrak depot is located next door and is a laugh compared to an original. Worth the stop just to admire the building. We went for the Thanksgiving dinner which was the traditional fare. You had numerous options beyond turkey for a few more dollars including Chilean sea bass. The price was reasonable and they expected to serve 950 guests. Well managed to handle that many people and our server, Chloe, was very attentive. read more

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You Must try this restaurant. I had been wanting to try this restaurant for a couple years so I gathered up some folks and we went. There was about 30 of us who arrived by Amtrak which is a Hop, Skip, and. Jump away-right next door. This is a very cozy place to visit. The decor was fitting and was very comfortable. We even had an opportunity to clap as a train passed by . We visited the bar before our table was ready and enjoyed the bartender as we sipped on our first drinks. The staff was very pleasant and accommodating. Now let's talk about the food ... Delicious. First of all, you have to check out the menu before you go so you can decide what you want, but when you see it in person, don't change your mind , I only changed it back. I had the surf and turf. Of course, I couldn't finish it all and it was delicious the Second Time Around - in my Shalamar voice(s) You really should visit this one!!! read more

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The Gandy Dancer is located in the historic Kerrytown part of Ann Arbor. It's the old train station from years ago that's been converted into a restaurant. They kept it historic with the stone building, dark wood throughout, and left some of the original signs up. They have a covered outside area for the warmer months and a massive inside. I've been here at least 10 times and have never had a bad meal. In fact, all the meals I've had have been exceptional. I've been lucky to get a table by the window each time. What's cool about that is you'll usually see a train go by since it's right next to the (newer) Amtrak station. People clap when the train passes and it's a neat thing to see. Now onto the food and drinks! They have an expansive wine menu as well as their signature and classic cocktails. I would say they are known more for their seafood but don't count out a good steak because they excel at both. I tend to lean a little more towards the seafood here because of the dishes they prepare are unlike anywhere else I've been. My favorite dish is their Parmesan crusted King Cove Sole topped with lump crab and a lemon caper beurre blanc sauce. It's served with fresh asparagus and their coconut jasmine rice. I've also tried their filet and was equally impressed. They are also known for their Sunday brunch and reservations are recommended because they do fill up fast. I would recommend reservations in general for dinner. I've come in the afternoon for lunch and had no trouble being seated immediately. Everything from the service, to the historic ambience, to the food and drinks have always been consistently good. While I'm not close to Ann Arbor the Gandy Dancer is always high on my list as a date night spot or an afternoon lunch catching up with friends. read more

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I went here on a Friday night with a party of six. Parking was easy, which is always a major plus. Shortly after being seated, we asked to move to a larger table with more legroom, and the hostess was very accommodating. Service was friendly and efficient throughout the evening. I ordered my steak medium-well, but it came out medium, so I had to send it back briefly. Aside from that, both the food and service were great. read more

Gandy Dancer - New York Strip Steak with Jumbo Shrimp Scampi topping - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Perfect stop for Happy Hour. We had such a blast. The pomegranate martini was fantastic but the cocktail that stole my heart was the Purple & Blue. I absolutely adore a flip and it was delicious. Enjoyed the appetizers (dumplings and the sliders), totally worth it. read more

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The food was decent, there could've been more variety. The service was very fast and friendly at the area that I was seated in and was a very comfortable and comfy. @ cozy read more

Gandy Dancer - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

The Gandy Dancer is a beautiful restaurant which was formally the Michigan Depot built in 1886. The Michigan Depot was the nicest depot between Buffalo to Chicago. We came here for Sunday brunch. Reservations are recommended but they take walk ins. We had a reservation for 5 and were seated immediately. We were located in the main portion of the restaurant. The outside of the restaurant has floor to ceiling windows which makes is the perfect spot to watch the trains fly by. When a train rolls by, the staff ring a bell and customers and staff applaud. This is to celebrate the train not running into the building, which happened in 1940. It was fun to have a train roll by and celebrate another train not running into the building. My family opted for brunch and the dinner menu. We were given complimentary bread and crackers which comes with butter and salmon spread. Delicious! I ordered the poke and dynamite mahi mahi. The poke was made with raw ahi, avocado, and wonton crisps. Excellent! My entree was great. The dynamite mahi mahi was a crab encrusted mahi mahi with ginger coconut rice and asparagus. My mom ordered the shrimp scampi which was a good portion. Great flavored. My husband ordered the prime rib hash. The flavor was great. Opportunities - a lot of fatty pieces and not a lot of hash (potatoes). My in-laws ordered the seafood roll which was similar to a lobster roll with multiple types of shellfish and the salmon. Both were delicious. Our server was kind, but the service was really slow. It took awhile to order our drinks and then actually get them. The server forgot my mom's mimosa. It had been so long that the rest of the table forgot too. Overall, the experience was great. We love the food. It could have been extra busy since it was Sunday. The only miss was the service. read more

This restaurant is a bit of drive from my place but the beautiful location and the building itself is so much worth it. This is built inside a former train station and it shows in classic yet retro vibe. They offer complimentary valet parking . The service overall was impeccable and the food was delicious. I had the best butternut squash soup there. The shrimp appetizer was amazing too. For my order of chicken schnitzel , I felt that the potato croutons were a bit less but no complaints on the taste. My friend ordered smoked mozzarella ravioli with chicken and liked it . The restaurant offers a huge selection of seafood as well. For desserts we had media luna and it was immensely flavorful. Our server was polite, funny and quite knowledgable on the menu. I will definitely visit again to enjoy the beautiful ambience and fine dine setting. May be I will time it to see a train passing by outside :) read more

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Over priced and over cooked. Make sure you the valet bring your car and someone else's or don't lock the door

My friends had never been here and they knocked it out of the park! We got an awesome table track side to see the trains go by. The food was outstanding and service was too notch! This Ann Arbor classic never disappoints! It's beautiful with amazing food! It has been one of the most notorious restaurants in Ann Arbor since I can remember! It's is a beautiful old train station turned into a beautiful restaurant! Such a gem read more

We had a reservation for a party of 10 for an early dinner on Mother's Day and we were primed for a great experience. There was a price fixe menu with plenty of options. First we ordered a round of cocktails, which went well- the waiter said the bar was quite backed up and apologized for the delay, but when they arrived, everyone was pleased as the pours were generous and the drinks were good. We ordered our meals and waited for a while. Then the waiter came back and said he was embarrassed but he had lost our entire (10-person) order and needed to take it over again from scratch. Though this didn't bode well, we didn't mind as we were in a good mood and being social. When the appetizers arrived, one person's was forgotten. We waited a while but he didn't come back and others in our party were already finishing theirs and we saw our waiter serving other tables, so we figured he must've forgotten about our party member's appetizer, so I went to the waiter's station to ask about the missing appetizer and he said, "I know," and then brought it (which seemed odd). We waited a long time for our meals, and several of us ordered more cocktails in the meantime. In general, those who ordered prime rib or filet mignon were pleased with their entrees, but those who ordered fish or something else felt the preparation was lacking- overcooked and/or not very flavorful. Then we ordered another round of drinks with our dessert. These were quickly delivered, but were barely more than half-full. This was obviously not their typical pour, because our first round of martinis were full to the brim. So receiving a round of only half-full martinis with no explanation was bizarre. (It's not like we were unruly from drinking or needed cutting off or anything like that. We were perfectly boringly normal and simply celebrating our mom on a Sunday afternoon. But we were racking up a hefty bar bill as we were 10 adults.) I assumed he would say this round of only half-full martinis were 'on the house' or at least make some sort of gesture to make up for all the delays and mistakes and the shortness of the drinks, but nope: they charged full-price for a round of only half-full cocktails after screwing up our order twice, etc. Pretty disappointing for such a pricey place and I cannot recommend it for service or professionalism. But the venue is lovely. read more

Came here with a small group on a Tuesday night and the restaurant was fairly busy. There's limited parking in the area but valet is offered complimentary, which was convenient. I ordered the Parmesan crusted fish and shrimp, and the fish was light and flaky. The shrimp were big and a little overcooked, but were tasty. We also ordered calamari for the table and the flavor was good, but the sauce made the calamari a little soggier than I like. The service was really what made this restaurant a standout and our waiter was attentive and helpful. The location near the train tracks is cool, and the staff really lean into celebrating a train passing with clapping and bell ringing, which was kind of fun. Overall a good experience here. read more

The steak was extremely disappointing. It had almost no flavor at all, and what made it worse was that the server never asked how we wanted it cooked. That's a basic standard at any restaurant. Overall, very unprofessional service and poor execution. read more

Gandy Dancer - Prime Rib French Dip Prime Rib French Dip - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

This was a last minute selection for our anniversary dinner. We loved the architecture of the old train station with brick walls and wooden beams overlooking the train tracks. We weren't dressed up but our server made us feel at ease and started our meal off with bread and pate which we enjoyed. We were reminded of our engagement meal at The Pier in Harbor Springs that started with pate and ended with a ring on the pier 31 years ago. I indulged in the Nuff Said bourbon cocktail, which is appropriately named. He had the chicken schnitzel and I had the snapper & shrimp. Both meals were presented beautifully and tasted great. We had to take some home with a slice of key lime for later. This meal was excellent and we are already planning what we're going to order next time. The atmosphere, food, and service were top notch. read more

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Overall, the food was truly terrible when I visited. I dined on Mother's Day. There was a fixed menu, featuring none of the regular menu items. This didn't bode well. Everything from the starters to the entrees to the dessert was prepared from a a box or a bag. My sister pointed out that the mashed potatoes tasted like they came out of a Banquet frozen meal. They were obviously not made from scratch like usual. The poor, flustered manager on duty tried to pass it off as a "new recipe". My chopped salad was comprised of 6 lettuce leaves, a quarter of a cucumber slice, a single cherry tomato, and one white bean. If there was any dressing I couldn't taste it. With the help of Google Images, I identified the yellow rice as possibly GFS Spanish rice (it contained those tiny dehydrated carrots and red peppers). No finessing, no attempt to disguise to what it is - they just boiled it as packaged and slopped it on the plate. The various fish filets tasted acceptable. They were identical to what I buy at Kroger though. They weren't seasoned beyond being "blackened". The asparagus spears were made from frozen. The water was tap instead of the usual bottled water. It didn't contain any ice. The chocolate mousse/parfait wasn't blended properly. Every few bites you would crunch on sugar granules, or get a mouthful of cocoa powder. Mine was served in a chipped glass dish. Our table spent about $1,000. We could have made a far superior meal at home for about $900 less. It was a shameless cash grab. read more

Went for dinner on my daughter's graduation, excited to try their "prime rib". Very disappointed, picture can justify the comment. read more

Gandy Dancer - $58 "prime rib" - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Service was excellent. The waitress was very attentive to our table. We sat in a spacious booth which was lovely. My husband and I were going out for a late Valentines dinner. We were starving so I was really happy that the bread came out. It was soft, hot and melted in our mouths. It came with butter and a salmon pate. I ordered a citrus salad and added blackened salmon on top for some extra protein And the salmon was prepared immaculately. It melted in my mouth, not overcooked and perfectly seasoned. The salad was also excellent. I enjoy all the ingredients separately but when placed together in the salad, it just came together so wonderfully. The dressing was tangy and refreshing. My husband ordered the lobster bisque, it was so good he cleaned his plate. The salad and soup course was excellent. For my main entree, I got the shrimp and crab bucatini. The shrimp was seasoned well and crispy. However, I thought the dish was bland. There was no depth or layering of flavors. At the very least it lacked salt. It may have been improved by adding Parmesan. I will find out when I heat and prepare my leftovers. Overall it was a good experience and we will be back to try some other entrees. read more

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We went here recently for an anniversary dinner and it was so good. Everything was cooked to perfection and staff were friendly will definitely be back soon. read more

All three of us had amazing meals. I had the Lemon Scented Salmon which is a seasonal selection. The service was exceptional. We were in a room with amazing windows. The entire experience was outstanding. read more

Gandy Dancer - Lemon Scented Salmon, a selection from the seasonal menu. Very tasty. - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

We decided to treat ourselves & go to the Gandy Dancer after 20 years. I realized there was a reason. The staff were ideal, the building & ambiance ideal. The special (trout-salmon) was fishy & dry. I had the grouper which was raw in the middle. It may be another 20 years. read more

Had a really disappointing anniversary dinner here. The service was slow and our waitress never checked back in with us after delivering our entrees. If we needed something we would have to call her over as she was walking by. I will say she was also serving a large party next to us, but we just felt neglected. We had specified on the reservation that it was an anniversary dinner, but nothing special or different was done for that. I expected at least an acknowledgement from the host. For food we ordered the baked ricotta, coconut shrimp, spicy tuna roll, and Parmesan snapper & shrimp. Everything was okay, nothing very memorable and was lukewarm. The inside is quite a dark ambiance but it was neat to see the train go past. I have had good experiences here in the past but I think after this one I will not be returning. read more

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We visited with family during the Thanksgiving holiday and chose gandy dancer for out thanksgiving meal. Besides the traditional turkey dinner there were other options. I chose a salmon dish with a lobster and ship sauce. It was delicious. The key lime pie topped off the meal. Our server was very attentive. We were not rushed and enjoyed our time there. The ambience of the old train station felt cozy. The complimentary valet parking is a plus as parking in Ann arbor is a challenge and expensive. read more

Went for an early birthday dinner with my big sister. Pure nostalgia as we have had numerous significant events here over the years. She has lived in St. Louis for 30 years so it's been a minute for her. My last visit was for Sunday brunch pre pandemic. Still gorgeous here. Great service. Traditional fancy pants to the max. In all the best ways. Sadly no train during our visit. That would have made the visit perfection! We started with lobster bisque which was evilly rich and deeply satisfying. Complimentary bread and crackers with butter and salmon pate was appreciated too. Yum. As good as I remembered. For mains, I went for the Trio as I could not pick just one thing. The crab cake was a winner, the salmon is fantastic and the coconut shrimp was pretty good. The broccolini was oh so good but the rice was meh. My sister's scallop risotto was over the top droolicious. Perfect hit of sage and scallop perfection. My husband was in crab cake bliss. He liked the rice so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Overall it was amazing and I will be back. I love that I like it here as much as ai did in the 80s. Aging myself but not too many places you can say that about! read more

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We had been going to the Gandy Dancer for many years, but this was our first visit since the Covid lockdowns. One of the things we always loved most was the Sunday brunch buffet, and unfortunately that's no longer offered. They now have a fixed-menu Sunday brunch, which was okay, though a bit seafood-heavy. On top of that, the bill for just four people was over $200. Sadly, I think this was probably our last visit. read more

Sunday brunch is pre-fixe menu unless you order from the full dinner menu. The only thing that sounded the least bit appealing in the morning was a breakfast item so I went with the entree only prime rib hash with eggs of your choice. (I did not want a salad or desert, so they allow the entree only at a reduced price from the very high price of $39!). It gets worse. The scrambled eggs were quite well overdone and obviously cooked on too high a setting. The prime rib was over-charred bricks of what appeared to be left over beef. It was not what one would have considered "prime rib". The "hash" was carrots, onions, and peppers in an over-cooked soy sauce in which salt appeared to be the number one component. (The only redeeming thing about any of the food was the bread). Frankly, one of the worst breakfast/brunch experiences I have ever had. Thank goodness for good company. The waiter was good and attentive. read more

This place is true, unapologetic old school deliciousness. I've been coming here for about 40 years and it hasn't changed much. I'm convinced that this is why it has been around so long. They don't worry about pandering to trends like villainizing seed oils, going gluten free or any of that nonsense. Just old school classics like Charley's chowder and big old wedge salad with bacon and tons of blue cheese. Just amazing! Our server Tim was awesome at lunch today. Dinner can be pricey, but their lunch menu isn't too bad considering the quality. read more

I would give more than 5 stars if available. This is hands down my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! The food, service, ambience, is outstanding. We also went in December and sat by the window near the train, and was literally like being in the polar express. Can't wait to go back! read more

This is a fantastic Ann Arbor legacy restaurant. The ambience and staff are fantastic. 5 stars. The food is OK. Nothing that would make you dream of coming back. When we last went service was slow and some items arrived lukewarm warm. Given the short staffing we kind of rolled with it. Tempted to try happy hour to see if we have better luck with the food. read more

This is a pretty straightforward review: 5 stars! Service was polite and prompt, despite the restaurant being very busy on this Friday evening. The ambiance is upscale, with a train depot vibe. Classy. The food was very good; we had oysters on the half shell and calamari as appetizers. My wife had a fillet of sole, which was cooked perfectly. I had their signature Prime Rib with lump crabmeat, rare. When it came to the table, it was clearly not rare; I cut into it, and it was clearly medium-well. Our waiter was very apologetic, and expedited another plate; within 5 minutes, I was presented with a delicious rare steak. I'm very pleased with how they handled their error- 5 stars! read more

Had a nice dinner here with some family. I had a reservation that I needed to change from four to five people the same day and they were very accommodating. The place is beautiful on the inside; upscale but not stuffy and clearly full of history and charm. There's even a real wood burning fireplace. Definitely feels upscale enough for a date night but not overly shmaltzy. Would be perfect for a celebratory meal for a graduating student for example. Service was attentive and friendly. We were started off with their house bread basket and butter which was delicious. We ordered two salads; the Martha's vineyard and the sweet potato and beet. Both were good and decently priced at around $10. For apps we split the calamari ($16) and the baked brie ($15), both of which were just okay. We did love the sauce on the calamari however. For mains, we ordered the double cut pork chop on the restaurant week menu, the Cajun chicken pasta ($23), the lemon chicken ($24), and the king cove sole ($28). Everything was delicious but my favorite dish was the Cajun chicken pasta. Everything was maybe a touch too salty but I didn't mind it. For dessert, we all split the key lime pie, creme Brûlée, and crazy big carrot cake. The carrot cake alone could feed a family. Overall a very good meal for the price. I'd definitely come back again for a special occasion. read more

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I'm a foodie and I love to eat! The food was well seasoned and had a great flavor. However the portion size was disappointing! And the drinks as well as the food were a bit pricey! The service was great , our server was very attentive and fast. The vibe over all, is a little stuffy and conservative. read more

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Food was delicious but the steak was more rare than medium. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was upscale, quiet and comfortable.

Today's lunch visit was my sister's birthday choice as a meeting spot to enjoy glasses of bubbles and fine dining for her special day. We had a 7 top in the back dining room that was very well-lit and elegant. It was just noon when we sat and ahead of the lunch rush. We flagged down the server to let him know that we would like to order drinks and appetizers ahead of the rest of the diners arriving, as some of us were time limited. Bill was attentive and friendly in the beginning, however, his pleasant demeanor soured as our table and his section filled. Idk what his problem was but we were all very polite when we really should have been complaining about the crap coming out the kitchen and the bar shorting my drink. We said nothing and were super nice to him. I ordered a spicy cucumber cocktail and asked Bill if the bar could make it spicier and not so sweet. He was happy to hook me up with my request and that was it. When my drink came, it tasted great BUT it was half a cocktail! Where's the rest for $13?! The pic I included was before 1 sip. I didn't ask or bring it up to avoid a scene or complaining. Just annoying and shows that the server doesn't care to tell the bar to do it right and make sure his table is getting what we ordered. I ordered a Brie for the table and my friend ordered calamari. Both were not on par with what you'd expect from GD. There was something off about the Brie. Something pungent and not appetizing like mustard seed in the apple compote on top. The calamari was overcooked and mostly vegetables. Barely warm too, like precooked and served from a holding table instead of made fresh. Especially with how fast it came out of the kitchen, it had to be precooked. We all picked at it but had the same opinion. We said nothing to the server and another young man swooped in and cleared one of the plates when it was clearly unfinished. We just looked at each other and said wtf is going on here? But shook it off to make sure my sis was having a good birthday. When Bill brought the second bottle of bubbles, I asked to place a lunch order of the Ahi Tuna Poke that was $17.50. It was ok. Light portion. Fake guacamole that tasted sour, but the dish had a nice bit of heat. Fine portion for what it was. I dropped my napkin on the floor ONCE and it had so much yuck and hair on it, I quietly set it aside and grabbed another from an empty place setting at our table. They need to vacuum better. We had to ask for three replacements for dirty flatware. I don't know how or why The Gandy Dancer's quality checks have fallen off so dramatically, but I hope someone is paying attention and will make corrections. I was there just under an hour and had to get back to work. Bill was upset at something and it should not have been that I pointed out the bill split was incorrect for the two of us that ask for our checks. It was a reasonable thing I pointed out, and everyone was taken aback that he snapped the folio out of my hands. I still made a point to said thank you and tipped well so he'd hopefully continue to provide good service to the table after I left but he was clearly pissed at something. I'm not going back here unless invited by someone. It was all around poor. read more

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