A homey, yet upscale place to dine. The Rugby Grille celebrates creative flavors, offers exceptional service, and creates a hospitable environment for its guests. It brings the elegance of a steakhouse and the charm of a bistro. I've tried many items from their menu. Its safe to say my favorite is the pancakes. Their pancakes are SO soft and pillowy- exactly what you want the texture of a pancake to be like. And the flavor... on point. I've also had the hash and eggs, Townsend grilled cheese, and the Rugby burger which were all also great choices. Oh, and the chocolate cake they have... that's a fan favorite in my family. read more

Really disappointing experience. The service was extremely poor, and it feels like this place has lost what once made the Townsend special. Unfortunately, I wouldn't recommend it. read more

This place used to be great, but as my uncle says, "used to bees don't make honey." I stopped in for dinner tonight and unfortunately left disappointed. The steak was very tough and undercooked. It didn't seem like a bad cut of meat as much as a poorly butchered one. The salad had some brown spots in the lettuce, and the Oysters Rockefeller arrived lukewarm. To be fair, I haven't had dinner here in many years. Breakfast and lunch have always been solid in my experience, but the dinner options felt limited and, based on tonight, below the standard I remembered. Hoping this was an off night, because this used to be one of my go-to spots. read more

Eight of us gathered for wine and a leisurely lunch. There was a nice wine selection. The food selection was very nice and everyone enjoyed what they ordered. I had the ten inch pizza and it was excellent. The service was exceptional and we never felt rushed. The ambiance was pleasant. read more

Rugby Grille - Ten inch pizza with peppers, mushrooms, and onion. Very tasty. - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

Arrived early with only a couple of other diners in the whole restaurant. Iconic but very dated decor. Server was very sweet and efficient. Salads were simple and lacked flavor. No bread was served with our salads. Pricey for portion size. read more

Rugby Grille - Maurice salad - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

always a great dining experience here. Good Dover sole is hard to find as you know and this place is as close as your going to get a fresh one without living near North Atlantic ocean so head on over to Birmingham and enjoy the best Dover Sole and maybe a nice glass of wine in this state. read more

I've been here twice for high tea - the first experience was in September 2023. We had a pleasant experience and I got a cupcake for my birthday which was a surprise. I came back with a friend in June 2024 and the menu was slightly different (it changes seasonally and cannot be modified even if you make reservations). Overall it was an ok experience, but not worth the money in my opinion. read more

Rugby Grille - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

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The Rugby Grille is located in the Townsend Hotel in downtown Birmingham. The restaurant is very small and created a warm and intimate environment. Service was extremely attentive and professional. Overall a very classy place! I decided to order the salmon and white fish entrees. I thought both had great portion sizes and a great flavor. I would have given 4 stars, however I found both entrees to be overcooked, especially for ordering medium on the salmon. The outer crust was absolutely delicious though! We also went with a mushroom flatbread that was on their specials menu. This was very tasty! Overall enjoyed my experience here. read more

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Absolutely excellent choice for the best tasting food in downtown Birmingham Mi. Look no further, everything tops here. Impressed from start to finish. Beautiful interior even though part of a hotel. Lots of street views. All food is PHENOMENAL!!! My group had pear salad, Reuben, and the turkey club... a must!! Wow I had the turkey club. Let's get another thing straight.... HUGE portions too in addition to the deliciousness! The turkey club was club sandwich perfection. Great choice for lunch on the downtown with all their sandwich options! Highly recommended! read more

It's expensive, but it's a quiet and very classy place to have a delicious and peaceful dinner and conversation. I knocked one star off because my chicken dish was WAY too salty. read more

The rugby grill is located inside the Townsend hotel. It is a small but charming restaurant that fills up quickly. You'll want to make reservations for sure. We arrived fairly late in the evening and we were lucky to get a table. The staff was friendly and quick to assist us with our choices. I was starving and had been dieting for months and wanted some real food! We both eyes the bread basket and decided that we should splurge and have some carbs. Well... This bread was amazing and the butter was good enough to eat in the spoonfuls. We contained ourselves (sort of) . The pork loin caught my eye and it was absolutely splendid. Cooked perfectly. Mouth watering and delicious. So absolutely tender. It was a hefty serving too which we enjoyed later as left overs. He chose to stick with a lighter fare and did the soup and salad (while I scarfed down my food lol). The French onion looked delicious but no croutons? They had a small variety of hand crafted cocktails. The bill was on the pricey side but you expect that being in Birmingham and being in the Townsend. They also offer room service until midnight which we took advantage of! We will most definitely be back. read more

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Had dinner here on a Saturday night, the place was full & Service was great. We got to try a ton of different dishes, and all came out amazing. They also have a wide selection of wine. Prices are also reasonable with other restaurants I've been to. Recommended dishes here (name might be wrong: mushroom grits, duck wing, apple salad, mushroom & pasta, filet mignon, lamb chops, apple mousse dessert. So far everything we've tried here has been good & the food is consistent. I also think it's a good alternative from going down to Detroit for some fancy food. The food here is legit good, with good ingredients. read more

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This is not the first time this Yelper has reviewed the Rugby Grille, but as it has been at least 5 years since the last one, time for an update. We come here for breakfast on a semi-regular basis, with the same couple each time, most recently today. As is customary, the service was impeccable. The menu offers a wide array of options, and the establishment happily makes adjustments to suit diners' needs. For example, one person in our party always orders hot milk to go with his coffee, and his request is honored without hesitation. I got the breakfast with 2 eggs (I requested poached), meat (mine was chicken sausage), "rugby potatoes (oven browned)," and toast. Fresh fruit could be ordered in place of the potatoes - a co-diner selected this option, and the portion looked very nice. 2 co-diners ordered eggs over easy, and the result was expertly prepared. The fourth co-diner got French toast, and said he was "very satisfied" with it. The only negative - not from this visit - was that when our friends have ordered omelettes on prior occasions, they were not fully satisfied with the dish. Not so this time, with the different egg dish, so that problem was solved. Prices? Not a bargain, but we did not expect this at Birmingham's finest hotel. In any case, we always feel we are getting good value for our dining dollar. We will remain breakfast (semi) regulars, and happy to be so. read more

I went to this restaurant in july for my birthday, after quarantine time. The restaurant was not busy we sat outside . The food was good but not fabulous,customer service was good but not amazing the don't have any light in outside so when the sunset come up you fell you have to go, they dont have any decorations on the table The price expensive for nothing special . It is in nice area Birmingham downtown and nice walking after you done read more

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This was quite an excellent meal. Some coworkers and I went here today for Birmingham Restaurant Week - $15 for a 3-course lunch, including your choice of steak or swordfish for the entree. I ordered the garden salad and the steak, and dessert was salted caramel tiramisu cheesecake, I believe. Everything was fantastic. We started off with a bread basket, too, which had an interesting combination of breads, including matzoh; the rolls with (peppers?) inside them were my favorite. The garden salad had some pickled beets with it, as well. The steak was very good, and a coworker friend said that food-wise, she actually would recommend Rugby Grille over Capital Grille, where we usually go for Troy Restaurant Week. The potatoes came with blue cheese, which isn't my favorite, but luckily it was only a subtle taste. The cheesecake capped off our meal, and everyone agreed that it was delicious. The only issue we ran into was at the end - I had left my credit card there before I went to use the restroom, and our waiter took it and ran all 3 of our lunches on it. When I asked if he could redo it, he got a little annoyed, but still did, so my friends and I were able to each pay separately. Other than that, a fantastic dining experience, and probably one of my favorite Restaurant Week meals to date. read more

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We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Rugby. Our server, Michael, was always there at just the right time. Never in the way, but anticipating our needs. We started off with the crab cake appetizer, which was amazing. It is 99.9% crab and not heavy at all. Two of them could make for a delicious main course. I had the salmon for my entree, and my daughter had the lamb chops. Both of us enjoyed our dishes. For dessert we tried the chocolate cake. It was moist and. It too rich. There is nothing we had that I would hesitate to recommend. This is a great spot for an upscale but not stuffy dining experience. read more

Rugby Grille - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

We frequent the Rugby Grille when we are in the area or staying at the Townsend. It's a rather small, cozy spot to enjoy a cocktail or two. They also have a great menu, top notch in my opinion. Their steaks are fantastic and so are their burgers. I love French Martinis and they make the best one I've ever had. That's always my go to when I stop in the Grille. My friend enjoys the variety of Scotch options. I'm not a Scotch drinker but I always try a little sip when he decides to indulge. The bartenders are always the best and very accommodating. If you haven't stopped in the Grille, you are most certainly missing out. read more

Top notch fresh food in a comfortable atmosphere. We sat outside for lunch; and had excellent service. They had several salads, a few sandwiches, and a few entrees. Not a wide variety of choices, but everything cooked to perfection with a good mix of ingredients, fresh vegetables or fruit. It was expensive; yet lived up to the price. read more

Afternoon tea at the Townsend hotel in birmingham was a great disappointment. The scones were already on the table as we arrived and they were hard and cold. Out of the 6 tea sandwiches that were served, only 4 of them were edible. The turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce was way too sweet, and the roast beef sandwich has very little beef and just a lot of bread. The desserts were very mediocre. We all very disappointed. Will not recommend tea to anyone who is a true afternoon tea lover. read more

Love Rugby Grille! A solid place for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, everything!!!! I've been here several times, but I'll be reviewing my most recent visit which was a couple of months ago. I came in for brunch. They were busy so we waited a little, but the hostess was friendly and sat us down as soon as she could. I ordered an omelette (I believe veggie) and I also got a waffle. The omelette was pretty good. The waffle was great. The service was pretty good. The workers here are all extremely friendly, which I really like. It made up for the service not being the best. I honestly prefer this place for dinner and dessert, but it truly is great for any meal. I just think that the dinner and dessert dishes are more unique because you could go anywhere and get or even make an omelette for breakfast/brunch. There isn't much variety or room to "mess up". Definitely would return! read more

Wonderful breakfast and dinner. Service always consistently good. Really nice ambience.

Really an exceptional experience overall! We had a Friday night 7pm reservation, I was greeted in the lobby and taken right to my table! My wife started with a Malbec she thought it was excellent I had a Harvey walbanger it was also very good! Then we started with salads the presentation on the salad was unique and appetizing. Then the chef sent out a fried rice sampler, very classy and again very tasty. Then I ordered the foie burger ($55) worth every penny, easily the best burger in town! My fiancée had the filet it was delicious and presented beautifully! This is probably the nicest restaurant in all of metro Detroit and I will definitely be back five stars all day! read more

Rugby Grille - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

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This was my fiancé and my first restaurant dining experience since the indoor dining ban was lifted and we were pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the experience was. It really reminded us of how nice a night out is. The server and customer service were attentive and professional, and everyone was masked and followed great sanitary protocol, tables were socially distanced. The fixed 3 course Dinner special for restaurant week in Birmingham was also delicious and portions were just right. The salmon teriyaki was moist and flavorful and perfectly cooked, served over a bed of jasmine rice and asparagus spears. The dinner finished with an exceptional chocolate banana rum tart, paired perfectly with a steaming cup of frothy cappuccino. The candle lit, romantic dining room was busy but relaxed and quiet enough to enjoy an intimate conversation with your table mates. This will definitely become a regular date night location for us. Only negative I saw was how pricey their bottles of wine are-- average bottle is around 90$-$100 with some going up to $950 per bottle. Cocktails also are priced higher than your average fine dining restaurant at $15-20 per drink. Otherwise, no complaints. Thumbs up!!! read more

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The Rugby Grille is a classic. Its a Birmingham staple. The environment is warm and cozy. The service and attention to detail is stellar. I started with a mezcal margarita. We also started with the charcuterie board. Its a delicious variety and the perfect starter. We shared the truffle fries and how could you go wrong with truffle fries? The burger is delicious. My cousin also had the tuna tartare. Ive gone to the RG for brunch too. You just kind of have to read more

We had a beautiful evening thanks to our server, Jessica. I made reservations for 2, for a birthday dinner, about 3 weeks in advance; and from the moment we walked in, everything was perfect. There was a cute little Happy Birthday card waiting for us on the table, and throughout the entire evening, Jessica kept referring to me as Ms. Bickerstaff. That made my boyfriend and I feel extra special. The food was excellent, although it would have been helpful to see the chef's pasta specials in writing. Jessica did a great job of explaining everything, but I forgot to order my plate without truffles. I hated to send a dish back, but I wouldn't have enjoyed picking around the pasta to avoid mushrooms. Luckily, they re-did my order and it was nice and savory. I had the pumpkin fettuccini pasta with a prime rib on top. I can say the meat was very tender because it pulled apart with little effort. The side of steamed spinach was also delectable. Best of all, when it came time for dessert, Jessica brought out a lovely slice of chocolate cake. Everyone in the restaurant joined in on singing Happy Birthday to my boyfriend, and he was so grateful for it. This is a wonderful place for a special occasion, so definitely book your appointment ahead of time, and ask for Jessica to be your waiter. read more

Rugby Grille - I highly recommend the signature chocolate cake. Don't worry, it's not too sweet or heavy ;) - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

On Set. 19, I brought my 96-yr-old mom here for a drink and hors d'oeuvres. I had sent a note on the online reservation form that we would appreciate a quiet table. The receptionist had knowledge of the request without my saying anything, and immediately showed me three locations she thought would suit. I wish I had gotten her name, for management to commend her. (We arrived at 5:15, which should help you know to whom I refer.) We sat in a booth, and our server, Usama, made our nearly 3-hr (!) visit truly joyful and perfect! Again, management - please take note. We agreed that he was the best waiter either of us have ever had - attentive, fun and funny, and going the extra mile in tailoring our drinks to our (sweet-tooth!) tastes, and making us feel welcome and special. This was likely my mom's final "fancy" outing, and I am so grateful to Usama for making it perfect. Kudos also to the chefs. Our 3 dishes were superb. read more

Everything was 10/10 from the ambiance, decor, and service! We didn't have to wait. We had a 12:30pm reservation on a Monday which was perfect! I had the two eggs meal with chicken sausage but forgot to take a pic. It was AMAZING! Truffle fries were so good. I will definitely be returning. We had Jason as our waiter and he was fabulous! Someone had the French onion soup and they loved it. Great for a business meeting or a large party of people. It's upscale so plan on bringing $60-$100/person but it is well worth it!!! read more

When I now think about hospitality, I will think of all the wonderful people at Rugby Grille. They are surely the most helpful, guest-oriented people that I've had the pleasure of encountering. Along with The Stand, Maison Boulud, and Commander's Palace, Rugby Grille sets the bar very high. On a recent lunch, I started the meal with the duck taco appetizers. Three crispy mini taco shells were filled with spicy duck meat, shredded, and topped with crème fraiche and peppers. The duck was subtly seasoned and delicious. A small ramekin of guacamole, served on the side, and had an airy consistency. However, it lacked flavor and had browned slightly. As entrée, I had the flat iron steak with fries. A compound butter, consisting of garlic, blue cheese, and red wine reduction, added depth and flavor to the medium-rare steak. A mound of thin, crispy fries was a delicious and welcomed side. I had not intended to have any dessert but the crème brûlée came highly recommended - as it should have been. The vanilla-flavored custard had an amazing sugar crust that crackled and crunched. Along with the tart berries, it was the best part of an already good meal. As I mentioned before, service was fantastic. read more

Elegant and food is good. Such a plush and elegant spot to eat a steak. I have had many tasty mixed green salads, many filets and oh so many veggie sides here. It's an elegant and romantic spot for dinner for two or a great spot to catch up with friends in a warm and cozy setting. read more

I really used to love coming here. I would visit the restaurant on a weekly basis. Mainly Friday nights for drinks and dinner, or Sunday's for brunch. But the Rugby Grille has taken a turn, a wrong turn, in the past year or two. The food was always great, and so was the impeccable service. The food has gone down hill! I literally don't know what to order anymore. A year ago, they served me a raw chicken sandwich, and a burned filet (when I requested medium). Breakfast for two usually sets me back $50, and it's not worth it. The eggs are never cooked properly, and the potatoes no longer have flavor. After taking a break from the Rugby Grille, I came back and was happy to see avocado toast on the menu. My husband ordered a chicken sandwich. The avocado toast and egg will set you back $14-$16, so it better be good (I thought to myself). I was pleasantly surprised, because it was pretty good. I had no complaints. On the other hand, my husband's sandwich came on a chewy, hard bread. We found out the bread comes in frozen? Really? Why wouldn't they use the ciabatta bread for the sandwiches (supposedly made in house). The restaurant used to serve a delicious pastry basket filled with mouth-watering scones, croissants, etc. - FREE of charge! I asked our server about the complimentary basket of goodies and he said it's no longer complimentary. They now charge $11 for the basket!!! Talk about cutting corners. Sad to say, the Rugby Grille is no longer a gem in Birmingham. Because I know how dynamite the restaurant used to be and where it is now, the Rugby Grille deserves a 1 star. read more

Rugby Grille - Avocado Toast - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

We stood at the Townsend Hotel for four days and ate at least four times at the rugby grill. The food was absolutely amazing. They also honored all our special request. They were very accommodating, polite and the food was very special. Their attention to detail is second to none. I would highly recommend them. read more

Very underwhelming. The service was outright terrible. We waited over an hour even for bread bowls. When appetizers came, there was still no silverware. I had to go inside to grab them for my table. Food was mixed. Gazpacho was fantastic. Salads were good. Cooked food was mixed. Steak was good but chicken was cold. Quality of meat was not inspiring. Will not come back. Way better options in downtown Birmingham. read more

Great service. Great ambiance... perfect place to hang out and grab a bite or afternoon snack... I came for the tea time and it was fantastic! Service is top-notch! read more

Instead of having breakfast in the dining room, how about breakfast in bed? Rugby Grille serves their food to Townsend guests, so if you don't want to have it in the dining room, why not in your room? I tried their eggs benedict with side of bacon and turkey sausage. The english muffins were toasted well and not soggy from the eggs. The eggs were cooked well and perfectly runny to mix well with the hollandaise sauce. The sauce was delicious, creamy, and salty and sweet. Both the bacon and the sausage were very good, salty, charred nicely, and perfect to dip into the hollandaise sauce. The fruit was nice, fresh, but nothing out of their ordinary. It certainly lightened the dish up a bit since the rest of it is pretty heavy. It was actually nice to have that instead of potatoes, which would have made it a really heavy dish. Enjoy! read more

Rugby Grille - Eggs benedict with side of bacon and turkey sausage - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

If you are staying at the Townsend or just looking for a tasty meal in Birmingham, you will not be disappointed at the Rugby Grille. I like meeting friends here for brunch or lunch. I am a very big fan of their breakfast. I usually go with their bananas foster french toast. The pancakes are also very delicious. Satisfying and filling. Service is always attentive and the dining area is typically quiet. read more

Rugby Grille - Bananas foster french toast - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

Probably the best sandwich I've ever had. My picture was taken after I ate the best part (the mountain of fried, crispy meat) though I'd say it was truly good to the last bite. read more

Yesterday, i was hungry after my flight. The first thing I did was to enter to the restaurant. And I came with great expectations!! The atmosphere was very Cousy and the service was great! And unfortunately thats it... After small consulting with the waiter I ordered the home salad and the bricks chicken ( originally I wanted the lamb but he said its a very small dish). The dishes was small and very regular, and for sure don't worth the money I paid for them. I came in hungry and cane out the same way . I was very disappointed. Its a good thing that they had some fresh fruits, for free in the Lobby read more

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Server came to the table extremely tired, lethargic, and annoyed. He was low enthusiasm the entire time and had an attitude. We actually were concerned if he was okay. When someone in our party wasn't satisfied with their crab cake, which came as a squishy lump, the restaurant tried to argue us down saying they couldn't get them something else instead. The manager eventually accommodated after going back and forth for a bit. We had a few people show up late and instead of communicating that anything was a problem, we were treated with a passive-aggressive attitude the rest of the evening. Diamond at the front was amazing, but everything else was underwhelming and disappointing. read more

Food was delicious, but service was rather odd!!! The 2 gentlemen that tended to our table seemed kind of confused and had a language barrier which made it difficult for them to explain menu items. The bread and butter they give before the meal was fresh and tasty...We ordered the filet with potato purée and roasted Brussels sprouts for our entree and it was excellent. At the end of our meal, The server then made a cardinal mistake, he actually walked by picked up our tab envelope, opened it, and said did u pay? We were floored we just spent 100 bucks a person and we were feeling rushed! The ambiance was very boring and stuffy! Definitely not a place for a hip, young, crowd! The food itself was amazing, however not a place you should go for a fun dinner date, or out with the friends! read more

Rugby Grille - Filet with potato purée - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

Today I took my mom out for a little shopping and some lunch for the first time in a while. We were in Franklin and called the restaurant to see if reservations were required, it was 2:11 pm. They said they were about to close, but if we came right there they would seat us anyway. I was confused because their Google hours are listed as 7 am to 9 pm, I just now saw on their website they do close at 2:15pm, but will take a dinning reservation up to 2:15 pm. Anyways, we were 5 miles away, we said it would be 10-15 minutes, and they so no problem, just come on and they will take us. So, I drove straight there, parked right at the hotel and walked in at 2:26 pm. We went straight to the host stand, and the woman, who was the same person we had spoken to starts shaking her head no and says they are closed. I told her we were the ones who called and we came because she insisted it was fine, and they would seat us. She said, well I expected you would be here by 2:10 pm or so... I showed her the phone screen showing we didn't even call until 2:11 pm. She said "Oh, well we are closed now. You can't be seated. There is nothing I can do." Well yes, there is something you could do, don't tell me to come to your restaurant and that you will seat us if you don't actually want to do that...really simple. RUDE and Unbelievable. We drove 15 minutes out of our way after they insisted we come there and that it wouldn't be a problem. We paid to park, and then immediately left. For this caliber of restaurant and hotel this should never happen.. Horrendous customer service. read more