We came in for brunch with a friends with a reservation. Honestly, I don't even want to write the review because I rarely have anything negative to say. The food was wrong the service was horrible! and I was embarrassed because I chose the restaurant and brought out of town guests. The restaurant manager tried to do something, but by the time she showed up (45 minutes after we made the 1st complaint) we were just so frustrated that we were ready to leave. I seriously doubt we will be using the rugby grille to try and entertain a guest. read more

First time dining here and it was delicious. Sat up at the bar and had a nice glass of wine with the new Foie Burger. This Burger is outstanding! Served on a delicious brioche bun with braised short ribs, onions, liver, a slightly sweet sauce and topped with melted cheese. Served with a side of truffle fries, which require no ketchup! Yummy! read more

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Doesn't get any better they here for the best steak in Michigan. If you don't believe me just try it. You're welcome. Unbelievable service. Super friendly staff all around. Can't say enough about this restaurant, I wish I could give it 10 stars. Will be back again. read more

Just an amazing restaurant. You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My favorites are the tuna, the French onion soup and the hydro Bibb salad! A real treat is the afternoon tea! Simply wonderful! Such a special treat! :) read more

Rugby Grille has to be one of my top 3 restaurants of all time. If you go here, be ready to spend 100$+ for 2 people, but it is well worth it....especially if you are celebrating something special. I have been to Rugby Grille twice, both times I have had the duck tacos as an appetizer and I would highly recommend those. They are prepared so delicately, the end result is an amazingly, succulent mini taco which is put together in such a creative manner. The wine list is extensive and if I knew anything more about wine I would include those details here as well, but I am sure they will be able to accommodate any requests that you may have. For the entree portion of your meal, I have to highly suggest the Dover Sole if you are a fish lover (like Kanye West....zing!). Sorry for the lame South Park reference, but anyways, the Dover Sole is magnificent and they actually de-bone the fish right at the table.....which is actually pretty cool. The shortrib and the scallops are both excellent choices as well. In the end, you can't really go wrong with anything on the menu at the Rugby Grille. They use the finest ingredients and it shows. Everything tastes great and is presented in a similar fashion. I highly recommend, 5/5! read more

Very nice restaurant. Service was great, food was fantastic. Beer battered octopus appetizer was awesome. 55 dollar burger is definately worth it, amazing burger. Server Jessica is absolutely stunning. read more

Rugby Grille - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

I got the chance for another dining experience here and my goodness it was excellent! The service was perfect. Our server was friendly. She made suggestions and answered my questions perfectly. We had the tuna tartare for an appetizer. It was delicious! For my main course I had the filet mignon. I enjoyed every bite. All of our sides, the brussel sprouts, mushrooms and potatoes are all highly recommended. Our dessert was fabulous. I'm glad we had a redo and I look forward to my birthday dinner here soon. read more

Rugby Grille - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

One of my the best places I've ever had brunch at. Mimosas were so good. Pancakes were delicious. The bacon was the best thing in my life. Coming back for sure. read more

This is a Birmingham classic! Great food and cocktails served by the legendary Bartender; Johnny R!

Went here for dinner the other night and it was fabulous! Jordan was the bartender and he was very attentive and friendly. I had the brick chicken for dinner and is was fabulous! For dessert I tried the creme brûlée and took a blueberry/peach/chocolate tart home togo. Both were so delicious! Looking forward to my next visit here :) read more

I've done dinner and breakfast here. Both outstanding. Breakfast early morning on a Sunday. First customer of the day. Though it was going to be one of those killer heat days I took advantage of the coolness of the morning to dine outside. My waiter was very quiet at first but warmed up as the meal progressed. I loved the coffee. It was hot and fresh. And I was thrilled to pieces when a basket of house made fresh pastries arrived to my table. I tore em up. I ended up ordering a house special with eggs, sausage, potatoes and fresh fruit. The entire meal was outstanding. My eggs were perfectly cooked. It was a nice long breakfast. By the time I left it was starting to get busy. I noticed quite a few beautiful breakfasts being served and they all looked amazing. Especially the eggs Benedict's. I'm definitely going to try that next time. read more

Went yesterday for a late afternoon lunch. Sat outside on the patio under the patio heater. All staff was following all the COVID precautions. Service was great, and food was excellent. I ordered the nicoise salad, with seared ahi tuna. Will definitely be back! read more

During our stay at the Townsend hotel, we opted for the Rugby Grille bar area for a drink. Very busy night, but the bartender (I think his name was John) was fast moving and attentive. Great drink selection. Did not order any food so I can't comment on that. Our stay at the hotel and visit to the restaurant was quickly ruined by one server (David i think) when we requested the usual free chips to snack on with the drinks we had just ordered. He then advised us we needed to pay although we had just ordered the most expensive glass of wine. He was extremely dismissive and rude. I then tried to order the chips and pay with our bartender who looked at me like I was crazy since he said those are free, he would send the server David over with some. About 20 minutes had passed we continue to see the server bringing orders and taking new orders to those around us including a dog sitting next to us. When I finally got his attention and asked for the chips this is when he became extremely argumentative and condescending. All for a basket of chips! 30 mins later once done with our drinks, after asking 4-5 different people (who all stated David should be taking care of that) we finally got what we asked for "on the house" according to David since we should be paying he stated. Our stay and our views on this place were completely ruined thanks to this man. It's very unfortunate to think since we don't look like the regular customers or return visitors he was happy to tend to, he definitely treated us in such a condescending and contemptuous manner. read more

Was taken here for dinner for my birthday recently. Wisely, our reservations were for in the dining room, which has a nice atmosphere, as opposed to the hallway. Overheard one of the staff saying they are renovating soon to add outdoor seating. Maybe the hallway alignment will change? Anyway, on to the food. Ordered a chopped salad as did my companion. Included lettuce, scallions, chickpeas, cucumber, etc. Also included hard-boiled eggs and tomatoes. I went sans-egg, but my companion went for it. Eggs arrived cut in half i.e. big wedges. Tomatoes were whole cherry/grape tomatoes. I'm confused - shouldn't both of these items been diced in a "chopped" salad??? Otherwise, a good salad, but overpriced at $14. For my entree, I had the bronzed salmon with spinach, apple parsnip puree (unless my memory is mistaken and it was apple/potato) and mushrooms. Very tasty - I cleaned the plate. Was it worth $35? Hard to say - it was a nice-sized portion and very good, but seems like a lot to pay for (most likely, farmed) salmon... I wasn't paying so I guess it doesn't matter. For dessert, we had something I would call a chocolate lava cake with good vanilla ice cream. Surprisingly, when the bill came, it said it was free due to my birthday. FYI - their dinner menu on their website is not current. I would say 3 1/2 stars, but I'll round up to 4 since the guy serving water kept my glass full every minute of the evening. He did drop an ice cube though... and said it happens all the time... read more

The food was very good, but I feel like I could have received this same quality and selection for a better price. This may be due to it's location. The service was very good keeping the rating at a 3. Get a reservation or you will have to wait on the weekends. The Ambience was a bit crowded. Overall with good food and good service it is a good not great brunch spot. read more

We were seated outside and did not see a waiter for at least 15 minutes and not until we got up to talk to the host.The food was delivered wrong and they never came back for coffee refill. This was my second and last time there. The food was good not outstanding . read more

The service here is exceptional! The food was on point as well; have to try the Dover Sole, it's filleted table side. The New England clam chowder was amazing, the texture was very fine compared to the usual. I was disappointed by the chocolate cake/ice cream. The flavors were off, the vanilla ice cream tasted more like the chai tea ice cream on the menu. Maybe they swapped it by mistake. read more

Rugby Grille - The dover sole was divine. - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

Had lunch today at Rugby Grille having made reservations a month ago. Arrived to find our table almost in the lobby by the host stand in a hallway area outside the dining room. Asked to be moved into the dining room which had empty tables. We were told we could not be moved. There was a very large, loud birthday party next to us and we were told by staff there was nothing they could do about it. It was difficult to carry on a conversation and when we asked again to be moved they would still not change our table. Meanwhile luggage carts are going past our table, deliveries were being made and we are friends trying to have an enjoyable lunch at what we thought was an upscale restaurant. As we were finishing our lunch, staff offered to move us into the dining room. At that point we were just ready to leave and will not be returning. Very disappointing customer service. read more

every thing was ok except the the main meal. The stake was cold I asked them to heat it for me they put it in the microwave. since the stake was dry, microwave did not heat it up, so I ate it cold and dry. service was good, expect to hav laud people in the bar. read more

This place was nice place for Sunday brunch . First time here we got the lox starter and beignet were very tasty they come with raspberry sauce on side which tasted home made . I really enjoyed those starters . Ask for warm bread it's so tasty ! My husband got the New York style bagel it was mediocre I didn't love it the bread has a char grill taste to it which I wasn't a fan of my husband said he didn't mind it . We also got the hibb salad which was over priced and not good . The service was great and people were very friendly . Be sure to make reservations though because I don't believe they take walk ins. Overall good and would recommend . read more

Rugby Grille - Hibb salad New York style lox - American Near Me - Birmingham, Michigan

Credit where credit is due, the Rugby Grille is my favourite place to dine in Birmingham to date. Have been several times now and the service and food have been impeccable. Like the hotel, it has an element of class and sophistication that comes across as genuine and not pretentious - as much as I despise the latter. And so 5/5 and a heartfelt thank-you to the chefs and all that work there to make this place exceptional. Keep up the good work. Oh, and not that I think you'll ever be in danger of patrons, but the restaurant doesn't come up very easily on my Yelp searches for some reason... read more

My husband and I went for my birthday dinner and it was spectacular. They were notified ahead of time it was a special occasion and they really made it special. The food was amazing, We ordered ceasar salads and they made it tableside and it was fantastic! I had the brick chicken and it was the best chicken I have ever had. My husband had the steak frites and enjoyed it. They also brought me a piece of chocolate cake for dessert but I had to take it to go, I was so full. But, when I had it the next day, it was GREAT! It is a pricey place but so worth it expecially for a special occasion! read more

Great evening!!! Atmosphere is spectacular outside on the patio. The people watching and car parade is fantastic. The service by Montgomery is second to none. His knowledge and attention to detail is only matched by the exquisite flavor of our meals. Thank you. read more

They will turn you down rudely if you walk in with a kid. "We don't have a table available" she said, in an empty restaurant. I came here before and they seated us at the table outside of the restaurant because of my 2 year old, but since that table was occupied... they decided to turn us down. She didn't give us another option, wasn't nice or apologetic. Gave us the impression that we are not welcome. The doorman and valet drivers were nice, friendly and apologetic. read more

We went here last night to celebrate Valentines day early. The truffle fries were the best part of the meal! But, $18???? Seems crazy. Two couples came in after us but were seated before us. When I asked the hostess why she said "we had to set up your table." We had a reservation and arrived on time. Seemed odd. Anyway I ordered the ribeye. I had to send it back twice. It still was charged on our bill. At such a fine establishment I strongly think that was not right. We go to plenty of expensive restaurants. I felt this was just ok. I mean at least if I has to ask to take steak off the bill, could you have offered us dessert? I just think the customer service could have been better. read more

This is the perfect brunch place. Rugby Grille is inside the beautiful Townsend hotel lobby. The food is delicious with a very attentive staff. A+ every time. read more

I love this restaurant so much. Every time I come here, the experience is positive. The food is wonderful as well as the atmosphere. The staff is efficient, friendly and kind. This place reminds me of a restaurant in NYC or LA. I would highly recommend this gem to anyone. They also have many vegetarian options, which is great. read more

Enjoyed a fantastic brunch at the Rugby Grille today! The food, service, and environment made for a great Saturday outing. My personal favourite was the chicken apple sausage that I had as a side to my eggs. Didn't think I could eat dessert after all that food but our waiter recommended the Saskatoon berry bread pudding and I did not regret it. It looked large but next time I will not share it! Absolutely delicious. Great service, and a pleasant afternoon overall read more

My parents were in town for a family event and staying at the Townsend Hotel. When looking for a place in Birmingham for brunch, we were happy to discover the hotel restaurant, the Rugby Grille, was so well-reviewed on Yelp. And the reviews were right-on, the food was amazing, though not cheap. The baked goods on the table were fine, but nothing special, the only thing that was even slightly mediocre. Having recently become an Eggs Benedict connoisseur, I ordered it with a side of fruit. The dish was exactly how it should be: the eggs were perfectly poached, the hollandaise was light (or as light as hollandaise can be) and not overly gooey, and the Candaian bacon was crisp. Amazing. My mom got creme brulee brioche french toast (seriously, it's a real thing), which was incredibly decadent. It came with a grand marnier berry compote, cinnamon butter and fresh whipped cream. It was an outrageously good combination. My dad went for the boring eggs, hashbrowns and sausage breakfast. It was very good, particularly the chicken-apple sausage, which was huge (that's what she said, I know) and clearly came right off the grill, steaming when he cut it open. The service was impeccable, my coffee cup was always full, and the staff was very pleasant. Overall, in my estimation, this a great place for a indulgent (both calorically and financially) brunch. read more

Table of four. $425 (including tip). I had the Dover Sole which was delicious, presented with panache, and cooked perfectly. Our hearty group split three bottles of wine and ate three-and-four course meals. We came here for a special night and didn't care about the cost, as it was a one-off thing. We stayed for a few hours, enjoying the atmosphere and conversation and food at an easy pace and never felt rushed to move or clear the table so they could seat the next group. I get the feeling Rugby Grille is accustomed to be treated as a destination in itself. I won't be coming here again very soon, but it's not because it wasn't great. Wait staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Rugby Grille is a former Restaurant of the Year winner from Hour Detroit Magazine, and you'll find plenty of helpful suggestions on what to order in reviews if you do a little homework online. Which, if you're paying this much for dinner, is probably worth the effort. So, next time I have a 10 year wedding anniversary, or my son wins a Pulitzer, or I win the Lotto... see ya there! read more

I have very fond memories of this restaurant growing up, we lived in the hotel when we moved here when I was a kid. The brunch is amazing, lot of variety and great seating. Typical of what you would find at any country club. Went for dinner last week, was very nice except we were practically the only people in there. Had the tuna which was very well prepared, a little pricey in my opinion, but we had a restaurant.com certificate so it didn't concern us greatly. The wine list is extensive and the service is impeccible. The bar is a good place to take business clients. read more

Beautiful atmosphere, we sat in the gallery and enjoyed our Friday ladies lunch during Birmingham Restaurant Week. Service is top notch. read more

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Best in the Biz! That's all that needs to be said! The food is outstanding, the service is awesome hands down, the atmosphere is great! If you are familiar with the area you know this is the best read more

part of it may have the been the 2nd glass of wine, but i believe i have a new death row meal. lobster taglietelle from rugby grille. the good: 1) excellent, but not intrusive service; 2) warm, comfortable ambiance with a glowing fireplace and wonderful paintings of poppies and blown glass sculptures 3) delectable and appropriately portioned cuisine. 4) a nice array of wine's available by the glass the bad: 1) it's pricey, but you should expect that from fine dining in birmingham anyways. 2) i would have expected better mashed potatoes from a restaurant like this. they were still great, but were a little standard and pale in comparison to the other dishes. recommended: lobster tagliatelle (not too heavy, with a marscapone and black truffle sauce. dreams are made of this), townsend salad (can't go wrong with maytag blue cheese). the have excellent steak, cooked as you like it, but this wouldn't be the #1 place i would immediately send my beef/lamb loving friends (maybe #3, in the area). i have yet to try their dover sole, which the waitstaff has recommended the two times i've been to rugby grille. read more

This is my go to spot for business breakfast. While my usual is the omelet, the corned beef hash and the lux are favorites as well. The atmosphere is very professional and the service is outstanding. read more

If there's something to love about downtown Birmingham, it's the glamorous little shops and high end restaurants. If there's anything to make you puke about downtown Birmingham, it's all here. Rude, I mean RUDE service. The hostess, the waiters, the fast, pretentious manager check to ask if everything is good-because, of course it is (not). The food is ordinary. My filet mignon was overcooked and full of gristle. Really? At a luxury priced GRILL restaurant? So, if you're into paying a premium for being treated like a peasant and eating just OK food, here you go! read more

Very good food and very good service. I had the lamb, which was excellent. Others had the bone-in fillet (an oxymoron?), and the Dover sole. All are recommended. I also enjoyed the French onion soup and the house salad. Excellent wine list, but one of the highest mark-ups I've seen. The ambiance is good, although the room with the bar can get a little loud. I'll return...but not without a restaurant.com coupon. read more

I recently went to the Rugby Grille for an anniversary dinner with my girlfriend. We wanted to have a big meal for our big day. I made reservations a few weeks in advance. I heard the place fills up pretty quickly, so I wanted to make sure we were set. I told them it was my anniversary and they said they would take note of that and do something special for my girlfriend and I for dessert. Sounded good to me. I was shocked to see that they had lost my reservation when I arrived for dinner (there goes the free dessert). Luckily there was one table open that they offered us, however it was basically in the hotel lobby. If you've never been, the place is pretty small. I guess it was better than waiting for 1-2 hours in the lobby like a few of the guests that came in moments after us. All of the food that we had was amazing. Huge compliments to the kitchen staff, because everything we aet was really good. We had Short Rib Spring Rolls for an appetizer, and the bone in Filet's for dinner. We capped off the night with an Adult Milkshake and some Chocolate Chip cookies. Nothing bad to say about the food at all. The service started out really well, then slowly degraded as the night went on. Our sever was very prompt when we first got there, and we saw her less and less as the evening went on. It took almost 20 minutes for our check to be picked up. I liked how infrequent her visits were in the beginning of the meal when I was letting my appetizer settle in, but near the end of the night it was an annoyance. Since we were basically sitting at the server stand, we overheard a couple (who were regulars) tell the hostess it was the worst service they had ever had. When he pointed out their server, it was the same as ours. They said they felt bad leaving her a $10 tip, but they had to wait for over an hour for salad. Unfortunately for me, since we used a coupon I was forced to shell out the maximum tip possible. I understand why they do that, but I had a hard time spending $50 on terrible service. Overall the meal was good, but not a place I think I'd ever return to. read more

I must commend the team that works at this establishment on their level of patience with the clientele. I visited this restaurant while on holiday this past weekend. During my visit here, I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness and interact with a total of three adult patrons, at separate tables who treated the staff poorly and acted like children, one throwing a yelling tantrum, shouting at the maitre d obnoxiously informing him of her dissatisfaction in which table was reserved for her. Later as I was leaving, this woman walked past us and informed her son that she would never be back, due to how rude the manager was. For everyone's sake, I hope she won't be returning either. Each team member who interacted with us was pleasant, from the beautiful host, to our charismatic server. My breakfast (avocado toast) was wonderful and was just the right serving size. Hats off to you, Rugby Grille Team, for keeping smiles on your face and patience with entitled guests. read more

I don't know why my wife and I had never before tried the Rugby Grille. It's not as though we live too far away; or don't enjoy spectacular dining experiences; or thought it wouldn't live up to its reputation. Perhaps it's because Rugby Grille didn't come to mind immediately when we were looking for a special place to mark a special event. Whatever the reason, we could not have chosen a better spot to mark our 20th wedding anniversary. The menu is mostly a journey through familiar staples of upscale casual and fine dining, with inventive twists and perfect preparation. An amuse bouche of fois gras and fig jam enlivened the palate. And then, we were off... We shared the octopus appetizer that alone would have merited rave reviews from us both. My wife's main of beef cheeks was easily one of the best meat dishes either of us can remember; so tender and full of flavor that it will be our benchmark from now on. I tried the duck breast and it brought an immediate smile to my face: black truffle added an earthiness and depth of flavor that complemented well the root vegetables and calvados jus. Then came the lava cake and coffee. Whatever brand they use, I would love to find out - I want it for my own home! It's time now to make up for lost ground ... We'll be back soon and often. read more