I love this place, it feels like a really fancy Red Lobster. We would always go here in college when we felt like blowing a wad (of cash) or to celebrate important milestones, like being done with finals. The food is definitely on the more expensive side, but was always good. The outdoor seating when it's nice out is also a major plus. read more

Mainstreet Ventures was very prompt in contacting me in regards to this review, which was welcomed. I spoke with Barb, the general manager at Real Seafood for over 15 years. I hung up the phone call satisfied with their apologies, and appreciated how insightful Barb was, as well as how she did not try to defend her restaurant as though nothing was amiss. She is sending me an apology letter through the mail as well as a certificate to entice my partner and I to come back, which we will, just to meet her. Thanks Barb! read more

Dined here last night. Service was slow and bordering on unattentive. Our server assumed we knew nothing about seafood , as well. Ordered a dozen oysters to start and when I got them, almost all of them were either not shucked or shucked so poorly that there was a dime-sized shell piece sticking to the oyster. Any restaurant called a "seafood company" shouldn't need an explanation on shucking oysters. (Note: I have been here before and the oysters have been shucked well). I told our server that most of the oysters weren't shucked at all, and she seemed to get a little frustrated with me. When I picked up an oyster and turned the shell over and the oyster didn't even hang out let alone fall out, she simply said, frustratedly, "well, I'll let them know". I shouldn't have to shuck my own oysters at any restaurant, let alone a "Seafood Company". And that was the last I ever heard about it. No apology, no can we make it right, nothing. The bread we got (which we had to ask for) was old and crusty (the second batch was warm and fresh). The seafood gazpacho was absolutely great, except the large shrimp in it was overcooked and tasteless. The cole slaw was great and the new england clam chowder was very good but tasted more creamy than clam-y. The seafood alfredo was a bit of dissapointment. Instead of being a cream sauce as you'd expect for an alfredo (and the picture on their iPad menus shows), it was a butter/oil sauce with some cheese incorporated into it. It wasn't bad, it just definitely wasn't alfredo. My blackened swordfish was cooked very well and tasted good. It had some crema drizzle on it that was totally unnecessary and didn't taste like anything. The portion was a bit small, as well. Their rice pilaf was also simply rice boiled in broth with a little spices. Not a pilaf to be found anywhere. The Jambalaya had a nice kick to it and the chorizo in it was great but the chicked was completely overcooked. The dessert of strawberry smores turned out to be some strawberry jam (which was homemade and very good) in a dish with two marshmallows that were only half melted sitting on top. The picture on the menu and the waitresses description led me to believe it'd be more of a parfait. Overall, Real Seafood company was just another mediocre meal in a town full of mediocre meals. The only things that keep me going back to the place are their birthday deals and the oysters. Well, the birthday deal is still intact, but the oysters were unacceptably presented. And the rest of the food was uninspiring and at best just OK. If your service stinks, you'd better have great food, especially seafood. The only thing I'd go back for was the gazpacho. A sad commentary on a seafood restaurant. UPDATE 6.22.15: After posting this negative review, I got an email from the restaurant asking me to call and talk to the manager about the experience. I did just that and they were very honestly serious about finding out exactly what happened and all of the details. They were very interested in how to make it right. It was nice to see that they took the criticism well and wanted to use it to make things better for the restaurant and for me. read more

Excellence extends beyond the seafood. Succotash is easily the best item I have ever eaten in Ann Arbor, deserts and salads are good too. Great summer atmosphere when they open onto the side walk. Rating this place 3.5 stars is an inditement of Ann Arbor Yelpers. read more

Real Seafood Company Ann Arbor - Grilled Trout. The succotash on the side is the best single item I have ever eaten in Ann Arbor. - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Very good food, and reasonably good service. Raw oysters were fantastic, as was the escargot. I had pan fried perch, my guest had seabass. The fish was cooked perfectly. I had their sweet potato home fries which were delicious, salt and sweet. Definitely a great option for Ann Arbor. read more

Terrible service! Food good, server not so good. Shouldn't judge people by what attire they wear or prejudge by what they look like. Had gone to softball tournament and decided to eat there on way home. Casual clothes. Noticed server treated us much different than other table. Beware because your customer may have been a server in their past and would usually tip above average. read more

My wife and I have only visited the Toledo Real Seafood on several occasions. We thought we'd give the a2 location a try. We weren't that impressed. We realized they treat you like kings and queens at the Toledo location after our visit. The waiter didn't offer any recommendations on wines, we had to choose ourselves which our first couple choices they we're out of. The appetizer seemed smaller compared to what we were used to in Toledo and the food just wasn't as elegant. We enjoyed our meal though but probably won't return. It was a much colder environment than we were used to at the Toledo location. For what you pay at these restaurants it's nice to enjoy the extra attention. Will definitely drive to Toledo next time. read more

I was invited by a friend to the restaurant. He had reserved a table and there was no table when we arrived. Ordered a $12 salad. You can only add either chicken or salmon as one of the options for about $5. I was surprised that shrimp was not one of the options and asked the waiter if they can add shrimp instead. They said yes and 4 shrimps were added. 4 shrimps at the end costed $10. (Yes, at $2.5 each!).. the waiter failed to communicate the added cost back to the customer (maybe they didn't know the cost either).. The restaurant still has lots of room to improve.... read more

I must say, I can somewhat understand why Real Seafood doesn't have a 5-star or even 4-star overall rating. I, like many of the other reviewers of Real Seafood, go there in hopes of having one of the best meals they've ever had, along with the some of the best service they have ever had; I guess the only difference between those reviews and mine is, I did get the best of both. I feel like I am particularly critical, even borderline anal about critiquing food, especially when that food will set me back a Benjamin when I go out on a date. I had ideas about how I would like Real Seafood even before going in there. Of course, its on Main St., and I've always walked by it and been envious of those sitting in there enjoying surely what is a fine meal. I was totally anxious to finally try it myself. My SO and I sat in the outside/inside seating, which was very nice; we had a nice little table to ourselves. Our waiter, which was part of the reason why I decided to give this visit 5-stars was fantastic. The perfect blend out informative, opinionated, personable, yet not over-done. I feel as though he was the epitome of what a good waiter should be like. I know he was super busy with other tables, which makes it even more impressive the level of service we got. The meal, which of course is the main reason we went there was out-of-sight. Both of our meals that we had were phenomenal. My SO got the swordfish, and if I wouldn't have gotten what I had, I would have gladly gotten that instead. It had a sweet mango-pineapple salsa which just went perfectly with the light fresh flavor of the swordfish. I got the Pacific Rim Tuna, which was also phenomenal. I've got lots of tuna before, both in the form of sushi, and as an entree, and I must say it was one of the best cuts of tuna I've ever had. It was perfectly char-grilled on the outside, leaving a tender, delicious, and melt in your mouth center which reminded me of a perfect piece of nigiri tuna, although it was about 5-6 times thicker. The grilling technique, which I haven't had before with tuna, left a subtle smokey flavor, which was surprisingly fantastic. It came with a ball of sticky rice, I think which was supposed to go along with the sushi theme, and some spinach, which was very tasty. We also got an appetizer of the crab and artichoke dip, which was mediocre, but given the price, I didn't expect anything life changing. we shared the brandy chocolate mousse for dessert, and that was excellent. All-in-all, I am very very happy with our trip to Real Seafood; we were actually still raving about it today. We definitely will be back, and hopefully pretty soon. I think I may have just found my new favorite seafood restaurant... read more

With a tiny parking lot next door, it is always hectic to get to this restaurant on time. After all the parking mayhem, I had to put up with Real Seafood Co's really chewy fish. Restaurants like this only further perpetuate the criticism of bad seafood in land locked cities. Despite the lack in quality, this restaurant is always packed with locals without discerning taste. * ouch * read more

I had been once a year ago and it was not a very memorable meal. I went back a month ago with my husband's extended family, and we all loved our food. They had GREAT free bread that we inhaled (it was a football Saturday night) and a helpful waitress. They have tablets for menus which I thought would be cooler... it winds up that everyone just plays around with their menu longer instead of just deciding and getting back to conversation. The swordfish and salmon dishes were excellent. My only complaint is that it is REEEALLY loud there, and any senior citizen or person who is hard of hearing would not do well here when it is at all busy. Other than that, YUM! read more

I like the food and service here. It isn't cheap, but seafood rarely is. The lunch specials are typically good and the broiled and grilled fish choices are very pleasant. I have had the raw bar here once or twice and it was nice and fresh. The chowders are good as are the salads and as I recall the blue cheese salad dressing was good. Service is friendly and efficient. It is a good place to take business guests. read more

There were two Seafood Restaurants downtown to choose from and reservations were recommended. The other restaurant did not have anything available until 2100. So, it was an easy choice. There was a parking deck off 4th Street with plenty of parking and very convenient to the restaurant. As soon as you walk in the door it is clear that this is going to be very nice dining experience. From the hostesses to the waitstaff everyone is well dressed, friendly, and accommodating. The place is clean and roomy. We chose a booth and were instantly impressed with the iPad Menu's. Although a bit overwhelming at first, the waitress was very understanding and took the time to explain the whole process to us. I especially liked how you could see the pictures of the dishes prior to ordering. The bread was excellent and they brought more with the meal. I ordered a salad and the Pan Fried Lump Maryland Blue Crab cakes with stewed tomatoes. For desert I had the Cheese cake with Strawberry sauce (the strawberries were out of season and tart, but the cheese cake was good). The crab cakes were full of lump crab meat and limited breading, very filling (plenty of food for the price). I would definitely recommend this seafood restaurant if you are in the Ann Arbor area and looking for some delicious seafood. read more

Real Seafood Company Ann Arbor - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Our last visit was years ago and it wasn't a great experience so I was a bit leary about returning but I'm glad we did, we went for lunch and it was so nice to sit in the bar area with an open view to the outdoors. The weather was perfect and so was our meal. I had the seafood pasta and my companion had grilled salmon, they were both perfectly cooked, the salmon was moist and flakey. The pasta was the perfect al dente and our server was really attentive. read more

Overpriced and overrated. I don't expect to get the freshest seafood living in Michigan. There's a nice ambiance to this restaurant which I appreciate, it feels more upscale. It's great for an evening with friends and i had a blast with a few friends I dined with. The menu presents a good variety of seafood options. Wine list isn't very impressive. They seemed to be out of many of he options though which the server wasn't very educated on until after I ordered and she had to come back multiple times. Our server was very friendly though and I never felt rushed which I always appreciate. I ordered a half a dozen of oysters. They were decent, nothing spectacular so I would probably give them a 5/10. I ended up ordering the Swordfish with a side of brussel sprouts. The brussel sprouts were very tasty, 9/10! The Swordfish was pretty flavorless and not very good honestly. I would rate the Swordfish as a 3/10. Honestly probably won't come back to this restaurant. I had been here once before this and thought it was better then but this was also about 4-5 years ago! read more

Fairly good seafood. I usually go here with groups and am happy with the food that they offer. Atmosphere is good and leads to a happy time with friends and family. I would rate the food as 3/5. read more

Good food. Great deal on your birthday. I haven't been back to see if they updated the changing table but someone contacted me regarding it and I don't want my lower star rating to reflect badly on the restaurant. read more

Some of the dishes we ordered were delicious especially the BBQ salmon. The portions were on the smaller side so we weren't full after dinner. The atmosphere was OK. Kind of felt like a cafeteria. But the waiters were very friendly. Overall it's a good place to try but not my favorite in Ann Arbor. read more

Good food, fast service even on a busy game night. Had lobster and steak. Good place to go pleasant atmosphere read more

Real Seafood Company Ann Arbor - Seafood Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

This is a lovely place to have seafood. It just isn't "5-star as good as it gets" because there has been the rare occasion when the fish has been fair to middling. My favorite entree is the Block Island Swordfish, but only when it is in season, which is during the fall months when the swordfish have migrated from the gulf. If you normally don't think soft and tender for swordfish, then have it fresh here and you'll think differently. read more

Lobester was over cooked but good flavor. I also had the yellow tuna. Yum. The coleslaw smelled spoiled and tasted funny. Creme brule was off the chain. The waiter was awesome and saved it from 2 stars. read more

Cold bread, The halibut had a dry outside texture. The Asian sauce was watery. Outdated "Indian casino" fabrics on bench seats. The waiter was super because of his honesty, menu and wine knowledge. He even mentioned during the service that a fish item on the menu was poor. Very overpriced. Big let down. read more

I was there on Friday November 11th with a party of 8. The service was not good at all, dirty dishes were left on the table throughout dinner and drinks were not refilled unless we asked. For the amount we paid for that big of a group, I am deeply disappointed. It was for my boyfriends birthday and I will NOT be returning. read more

Very expensive for mediocre food. There were 4 of us and we each ordered something different. We were all "meh." Not worth the money.

After not dining at Real Seafood for at least 20 years, we recently dined here twice: Restaurant Week and Valentines day. The special menu during restaurant week was excellent and everyone in our party of 10 reported that they enjoyed their meals. Service was very good. During the Valentine's Day dinner, both the service and the meal were excellent. The waitress was pleasant and knowledgeable about the origin of the seafood served, not so much with regard to assistance with beverage choice. If there was anything I would change, it would be the ambiance. The overhead lighting in the back is so bright, I felt like I was in an interrogation room. In addition, the restaurant has an overall "dated" appearance. As anyone knows, the ambiance is a huge part of the dining experience, I recommend RS address this. read more

The Real Seafood Co can always be counted on for having good food prepared well. The service is also good. I went again today and was fortunate enough to have Andrew as my waiter. I have to say I have never had a more pleasant server. A true gentlemen who genuinely seemed to be enjoying his guests as much as they enjoyed him. Every inch of his 6'6" stature epitomized kindness. As a result we all had one of the best dining experiences we have ever had. read more

I have always loved this restaurant and would recommend this place to newcomers. The bread is amazing; in fact, I often just get the bread, a salad (delish), and clam chowder...followed by the brandy mousse which is superb. Fish is always fresh and service is usually pretty good. read more

Had a very pleasant meal and thought the wait staff was attentive and courteous. Loved the oysters!!!

One of the finest seafood restaurant, I am a repetitive customer and will always go back there. Their food/menu stay the same!

I am giving Real Seafood three stars because of the excellent service and tasty wine but the food is much to be desired. I asked for broiled scallops and I received a bowl with a lot of liquid and wet scallops. I wouldn't call that broiled. Also thought the calamari was rubbery. So sad to say not a fan. read more

Come for my friends birthday party. Crab cakes are great, not big but make you so full. Chocolate mousse is amazing. Coconut shrimp is crispy and yummy! But the most disappointing thing is the crab chowder, not creamy at all! Maybe it's the michigan version, not what I ate at San Francisco! read more

Good fresh fish. I loved their seared tuna appetizer, but they got rid of it. I also like their bread. they are good about letting you split meals if you don't want to end up with leftovers. read more

Great food and service! Very few restaurants accomplish fine dining while still maintaining a relaxed atmosphere like this place. I got the crab cakes and they where perfect. Not too salty and where most definitely fresh. They also have interactive menus on tablets that they give you when ordering! read more

Perfect choice for a large group celebrating a special event. Reservation was seamless, service by Jessica was excellent and food was delicious! read more

We had dinner during the busy time of the Ann Arbor Art fair. The service was good and the food was quite good. We did find the prices to be on the high side. read more

You should dine here, or at the other joints owned by Mainstreet Ventures that honor the birthday deal, mainly for the free birthday meal. Everyone seems to know this. On a Monday, you can hear "happy birthday" sung at nearly every table. It's a decent meal at a good value with the discount, but far overpriced for decent but hardly exciting seafood at full price. At my last birthday meal, only the service went beyond expectations. The paella lacked any distinctive flavor (saffron or otherwise) beyond salt, but it was good way to get half a lobster and some mixed shellfish and shrimp on the same plate. The clam chowder ranked among the worst efforts I've seen at a marriage of cream and clams. Of all we ordered, only the miso sea bass was truly well-prepared. read more

Just meh. Lobster was OK, scallops were good. Service was quite slow. Waiter forgot to bring bread and also appetizer we ordered. Drinks took forever. All in all, many better choices in downtown Ann Arbor. read more

We have gone there for many years and found our last visit disappointing. Since they were not serving calamari we chose a spicy shrimp appetizer which was disgusting. Tiny shrimp bits slathered in a strange breading and heavy sauce. My son ordered the linquine with shrimp, salmon and scallops in alfredo sauce. The salmon was pure over cooked mush and the sauce had a bad fishy taste - not at all creamy like a true alfredo sauce. The mussels were very good at least and the paella was very soupy but okay. Would prefer to see the traditional menu rather than the online one because it is too hard to compare and make choices with the computer option. I hope there is always an option for a traditional menu. Even my techie teens do not like the online menu. read more

It was spectacularly average..... the food was bland and the fish was dry, but the raw bar was good. Our waiter had absolutely zero personality and I mean ZERO!!!! It was not a good time.... read more

The grilled dolphin (you guys call it mahi-mahi) was overcooked, as was the stuffed flounder (the filling of which was undercooked). It took a long time to get bread to the table, and the waitress (who was very sweet) was a bit forgetful. The menu's overpriced... I'm not likely to go back. read more