We love Spencer. It's one of our favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor + we hope it never leaves!…read more The quality of the food is amazing- the service is excellent, and the wine is always delicious.

My friend had high praise for Spencer, so I was excited to try it out when I was in Ann Arbor. My…read morefriends and I arrived 10 min before they opened for brunch and there was no wait, though the restaurant filled up quickly behind us. The space is rustic and simple, with fresh cut flowers on the tables. A majority of the walls were occupied by floor to ceiling racks of wine, as that is their award-winning product. Their brunch menu changes weekly and is extremely tight and cohesive. My party ordered the entire food menu sans olives (2/3rds of us don't like them), and two plates of the potato pelmeni. My thoughts below: Amaro Apertivo: mocktail based on the namesake dessert wine. This tasted like candy but not too sweet, and we enjoyed it a lot. Lovage soda: Google told me that lovage is an herb that tastes like citrus and celery. I am a huge fan of drinks with a twist, and I'd say that celery is a pretty big one! Crisp and not too sweet, the citrus flavor definitely balanced the Celery, and both flavors kept the soda fresh and crisp. This was great paired with the rest of the herbaceous menu and balanced out the richness of some later dishes, though it's not necessarily something I would enjoy by itself without appropriate accompaniment. Pickled egg, fried shallot, dill: I had only heard of pickled eggs in the context of strange British food on YouTube, so I was a little hesitant about this dish. The concept of an egg floating in vinegar brine is a bit off-putting, but once I powered through that mental roadblock, I found myself enjoying this bite. The egg is perfectly cooked with a slightly jammy yolk, and the shallots added a much needed crunch. Dill enhanced the pickled taste while cutting through the richness of the fried shallots and yolk. Sourdough focaccia, whipped butter: Never in my life have I ever made focaccia this tall. This focaccia was raised by a loving family and nurtured to develop a golden, non-greasy, crisp crust protecting its tender, pillowy innards. The classic sourdough tang is a novel addition to each bite, and cuts through the creamy, whipped butter to keep me wanting more. I could eat a whole pan of this alone, but we had many more plates to sample. Saucisson sec salami, pickled carrot: This is a simple, charming, carb-free mini charcuterie; place a slice of salami, some of the mozzarella (next dish on this list, below), and its oil atop a pickled carrot base, and you are in for a perfectly balanced treat. My favorite part of this dish is the fact that the salami was incredibly savory, and not too salty. The more you chew it, the more the flavors express themselves, so be sure to chew slowly and thoroughly! The crunch of the crisp, dill-pickled carrot and the soft chewiness of the mozzarella give each bite a lot of good contrast. Mozzarella, green garlic oil: Fresh, hand-stretched mozzarella is something that even I, a notorious cheese-hater, can't say no to. It is not sharp or funky at all, nor is it too salty. Most of the flavor comes from the green garlic and olive oil smothering each bite. Fresh and floral with a little bite, this was delicious with the salami and carrot above. Potato pelmeni, asparagus green adjika, sour cream: Given the portion size of the previous dishes (small, tapas vibes), we were not expecting the platter full of double carb heaven that met our eyes. And we ordered two!!! This is a gorgeous dish with plump, quarter-sized pelmeni nestled in a vibrant green asparagus and herb sauce with a dollop of sour cream on top. This was a classic comfort dish with a verdant twist! The pelmeni were stuffed full of creamy potato, and the dough was cooked perfectly al dente for a satisfying, pillowy bite. The sauce was homey but packed with zippy flavor and tender asparagus. The major feedback I have for this dish is that it was way too salty, to the point where the flavor was a tad too sharp because of it. Lettuces, radish, pumpkin seed, caraway vinaigrette: It was through this dish that I found out what caraway tastes like and through this dish that I figured out that I'm not a caraway fan. The lettuces were bitter and when combined with the slightly medicinal caraway taste, wasn't for me. The crunch of the radish and the nutty pumpkin seeds were great in this dish though! Fennel cornmeal biscotti, rhubarb compote, cream: This was a single biscotti with generous dollops of compote and cream. We were quite full when this dish was set in front of us, so I was frankly relieved for the small portion size. The fennel in the biscotti paired wonderfully with the tart rhubarb, and the rich cream rounded things out nicely without tipping into cloying territory. The savory cornmeal complimented the fennel and provided additional depth of flavor. A great small bite to end on! Overall, Spencer's strong fundamentals allow them to take risks with in-season local produce. Some things worked for me and some didn't, but I would love to come back to see what they can create next!

I had a salad and two glasses of wine at the bar. No one ever asked how my food was, if I needed…read moreanything. I had to call them to me to ask for another glass of wine. And it was a very slow night.

Beautiful, Delicious and service was fantastic for our daughter's bridal shower brunch. Guests…read morestill commenting what a wonderful venue it was, how yummy the food was with generous portion sizes and how on top of it all the servers were. Made our lives much easier for this memorable epic event. Highly Recommend!

Easily my favorite speakeasy in Ann Arbor. Although the drinks are small, the creativity and…read morequality and taste is amazing. true "mixologists" here. I love how their drink menu is designed and organized by lighter to heavier drinks. They have a small menu for munchies, nothing too memorable The inside is gorgeous I absolutely love the decor. I noticed a stage so i think they have live music sometimes. The wait used to be really long or they were just fully booked. But now I find it easy to just walk in. they will try their best to seat you.

Cute low key spot, nice vibes, and food amazing! Service was good! The location is pretty cool,…read moresecret door concept.

Paesano's is on our list of favorite spots in Ann Arbor, that we frequent as we rotate through the…read moremany great options we have for restaurants. We enjoy the liveliness of sitting in the bar/lounge area and tonite we were able to get a nice table. It is always hard to choose as they have a diverse menu of options. My wife ordered the Spaghetti Estivi: House made spaghetti tossed with fresh zucchini, yellow squash, Parmesan, shallots and crumbled bacon in a creamy lemon ricotta sauce. Finished with toasted pine nuts. The flavors were very good, fresh, rich and creamy. Portion was generous. I had the Chicken Parmesan: pan fried chicken breasts, mozzarella cheese served with angel hair pasta. The chicken was cooked perfectly, tender, flavorful as was the angel hair pasta. If you're in Ann Arbor, craving Italian, we would recommend checking them out. Service was excellent, as it always is.

We realized recently that we've been sleeping on Paesano. So unassuming and easy to miss in its…read morerandom location next to Arborland. This place is solid. The clientele is always older folks, and it definitely has a kind of 90s Italian restaurant vibe, but the food is great, service is legit, and the prices aren't bad for what you get. My favorites so far have been: - Rigatoni and Country Greens - Papardelle (seasonal with sausage, peas, mushrooms, pecorino) - Roasted apple and fig salad - A seasonal bruschetta thing with pears and burrata Their desserts are solid, so far we haven't had anything incredible. I wish their tiramisu was out of this world (it's our favorite), but it's not the best I've had. (Needs more espresso, was kind of dry). The chocolate mousse was good, but much more dense/thick than expected. Their cocktails are solid and they have a nice wine list, including a fun alcohol-removed sparkling wine that I've enjoyed twice now. This is becoming a staple when we just want a nice meal out since we live nearby. Good place to take family or folks from out of town if you don't want to bother booking somewhere that gets super busy or dealing with downtown parking/traffic.

Wow. This place really raises the bar in every way possible…read more The drinks and desserts are the best I have had IN MY LIFE. Yes that's right. My husband said he had the nest hazy ipa of his life here too. A wild claim for foodies like us. They offer takeout in case you don't feel like crowding inside. AND they have the only pickle plate appetizer I have been able to find in the state of Michigan. Oh how i have missed these house pickles in different brines. The bartenders are not only incredibly talented and knowledgeable, they are friendly, cool, and so interesting! I think every single bartender I talked to over there had these attributes, and some even went above and beyond that too. I know, hard to believe, and the price tag matches. At least they are neither under or overrated? I come here for the bar atmosphere, the impeccable drinks and desserts and sometimes a snack. I prefer to go elsewhere for fresh oysters and dinner.

Phenomenal Dessert and Solid Tapas, But the Main Missed the Mark…read more Came here for dinner and experienced a bit of a mixed bag. The smaller plates and dessert ranged from good to absolutely stellar, but the heavier main courses left a lot to be desired. Service was very excellent and the ambiance was a perfect place to spend a Sunday afternoon. The Standouts (5/5) Goxua: Absolute perfection. This dessert was phenomenal, beautifully executed, and easily the highlight of the entire meal. Do not leave without ordering it! Patatas Bravas: Stellar. Perfectly crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, and the sauce was spot on. Tuna Tapas: Served with shallot and serrano. Incredibly fresh, beautifully balanced, and another major win for the table. The Middle of the Road (3/5 - 4/5) Katsu Tapas: Quite good (4/5), with solid execution and great texture. Croquetas: Just okay (3/5). They lacked that rich, distinct flavor you usually look for in a traditional croqueta. The Disappointments (2/5) Turkey/Chicken Meatballs: A big miss. They were noticeably under-seasoned and lacked depth. Señorito Paella: For a dish that should be a showstopper, this was very underwhelming. It was light on the seafood, and the overall flavor profile was just lacking. Overall Verdict: Go for the drinks, stick to the top-tier tapas (the Patatas Bravas and tuna), and make sure you save room for the Goxua. Skip the meatballs and the paella.

This was my first time at Union Rec. Preston the bartender was amazing. They made us feel welcomed…read moreand we had the best time! This bar is great for after a round of golf or a cheeky pint with the lads

I really enjoyed my first experience at Union Rec! Vibes were 5 stars and the food a 4.5. The space…read moreis huge and has such a hip, vibey, moody, and retro feel to it. It feels like a perfect spot for University of Michigan students or families looking for a bite. I honestly can't remember which two tacos I ordered, but they were incredibly flavorful and delicious. I also got a side of the Union mac & cheese, which was PHENOMENAL. I originally couldn't understand how a full order of the mac & cheese could be $22, but after trying it, I get it. Thankfully, the side was only $6, which satisifed my mac & cheese craving. The service was quick, and our server was very kind and attentive. There's a parking lot available. Overall, I loved my first experience here. The vibes and the food were great, what more could you ask for?!

Staff was wonderful Business was beautiful inside and clean…read moreFood was good i'd come here again, i went with my coworker and got the fish tacos

Great Brunch, good Lunch, but menu could use more variety!…read more Savas is an adorable restaurant with a really welcoming atmosphere; the space is cute, the environment is lovely, and the staff is genuinely amazing every single time. My first visit was for brunch, and it completely won me over. The buffet had a wonderful variety of food, the mimosas and cocktails were delicious, and for the quality, variety, and service you get, the price point is very fair. I left thoroughly impressed. I came back for lunch excited to experience it again, and while the staff was just as warm and the environment just as great, however, this time the lunch menu didn't quite live up to my expectations. They offer salads, sandwiches, mac and cheese and similar American-style comfort food, which is totally fine, but for a restaurant of this caliber I was hoping for something a little more exciting. I ended up ordering a salad with added shrimp, which was absolutely delicious, and a pomegranate rosemary lemonade that was incredibly refreshing - perfect for a summer day-. But if you're not in the mood for sandwiches, salads, or mac and cheese, your options are pretty limited. My suggestion: keep doing everything you're doing because the hospitality and atmosphere are truly special, but consider expanding the lunch and dinner menu for those looking for a heartier or more diverse meal.