Had been looking forward to eating at Spencer's all week, and was highly disappointed. Our food was not brought out in a timely manner, our waitress was highly forgetful, and the order for one of our dishes was not placed all together. They require you to pay and tip in advanced, which was reflected in the service that we received. Other tapas restaurants in Ann Arbor charge half the price for the same size portions. Would not recommend, and will not be returning. read more

I feel bad giving only 3 stars, because I think the food they make is great, maybe one of the best in A2. It's creative, the menu changes regularly, and it's always surprising (although sometimes confusing, so I recommend asking questions before ordering!). But it's just SO expensive for the amount of food you get. We have been there a few times, but the last time we went, my husband and I shared three of their "bigger" sized plates, paid $50 and I left hungry. Really hungry! We even had to stop somewhere else so I could have something else to hold me over. We will probably be back, but I don't think I can fully recommend this place until they dial down their prices. read more

Absolutely delicious. A great variety of really tasty and interesting small plates that are different every night. Never had a dish that is less that yummy...try everything. I especially like that its completely unpretentious and I like the shared table idea. Will be back again and again. read more

Have been there twice; neither was for dinner. Enjoyed the experience and food. Seems like a nice place to stop by for happy hour or for a snack. I don't remember at all what I ate on those visits, I just remember thinking it was good food and flavor combinations. read more

The guy who greeted us was nice. But when we were seated outside on the sidewalk at a picnic table, we were not told there was already some people sitting there. It was awkward when then then came back and sat down. Then we checked the menu and it was quite expensive, which is fine. However, nothing was explained about the food or why it was so special and were were just told to go inside and order our food at the counter. That is why the other guests were gone and came back to our table I guess. He went on to tell us that there was some kind of a special where they would not charge a "corking fee" tonight for opening the wine they would sell us. What????? How is that a special. The wine list, by the way, was super pricey ranging from $30 to $70 or so? We all just looked at each other and said, Let's get out of here. I hate this trend of restaurants where they expect all of us to pay fine dining prices but offer no service. Give me a break! We went a few blocks over and had a normal sit down dinner at Black Pearl. Nothing incredible, but perfectly fine food. The oysters were fresh and also on sale for $1.50 each. And guess what, wine was on sale for 50% off that evening and they opened it for us at no charge. What a concept. read more

I went to Spencer for a quick sunday brunch with a close friend today. I had avocado and salmon tartine with pickled peppers. It was amazing. Also beautifully presented. The bread and the olive oil they used were both top quality just as the other ingredients, which all came together just perfect. Their magic seems to be finding the best and most fresh ingredients that fit well together when used in the right amount. It is good that their menu rotates, because Spencer is one of those places you would like to try something new everytime you go. read more

I really wanted to like this place, but I was underwhelmed by the food. I've only come here for brunch though, so maybe their dinner menu is better. The food reminds me of prepped food you could pick up at a Whole Foods. Solid in quality and taste, but pricey for what you get. The flavors were not complex or nuanced enough. I like the concept but otherwise just was not wow'ed by it. Since most of the positive reviews allude to their wine tastings and dinner, we hope to try this place out again and see. read more

The food here is perfectly prepared - flavors, textures, plating. I loved the balance between rich meats, fresh greens, and their house made preserved vegetables are very good. Also ordered a charcuterie plate and the server explaining the selection was very knowledgable and enthusiastic. read more

Just delicious! One of the best restaurants in Ann Arbor by a mile and that is saying something due to the overall quality. Never been disappointed in 10+ visits. read more

A beautiful place for a beautiful meal. Upscale and earthy, this establishment serves fresh farm to table dishes that are both unique and innovative. I would highly recommend the whole trout. Bursting with flavor, this fish was moist and flakey. A truly gorgeous dish. Spencer is my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! Much love! read more

Delicious! We went on a Friday night so the wait was a bit long, but definitely worth it! Great service and everything we ordered was fabulous. Definitely recommend, but might be hard for a large group. read more

Love the atmosphere in here. It's like a casual environment but with super creative fresh dishes. There are long community tables which is I think is really fun but may not be great for certain gatherings. It's pretty small in here so it's not great for a group bigger than 4 but it was delightful! Must go here there's nothing like it in the area! read more

Amazing dinner with fresh ingredients, subtle and unique flavors in a friendly communal space. A find for foodies!

Spencer is without a doubt the best restaurant I've been to in Ann Arbor. The food was really unbelievable and for a much more reasonable price than other restaurants in the area. The seating is communal (you sit next to strangers), but there was no interactions between neighbors, so it still works great for a date. We ordered the kale salad and meatballs. Both were really amazing. The kale salad was a mix of fresh (massaged) kale and fried kale. It was topped with watermelon radishes, green apple, and fried bits of garlic and dressed with a miso vinaigrette dressing. It was moist, crunchy, and tasted amazing. I would 100% recommend this. The meatballs were lamb (which we weren't expecting), and were plated a little odd, but tasted great as well. They had a strong lamb flavor and were served with tahini, crushed walnuts, cheese, radishes, and various herbs. It was really a fantastic meal. read more

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Ann Arbor is so lucky to have such an amazing restaurant. I have been coming since they first opened, and everything has always been amazing. The food is thoughtfully constructed, well sourced, and creative yet completely approachable. Kudos to the restaurant and staff! read more

I went here with a date for dinner and I was impressed with our overall dining experience. The staff was super friendly / knowledgable and explained their menu to us, with recommendations. While the seating is more casual with benches set around the restaurant, I felt like it was a good balance of class and chill. The food was also pretty good -- we ordered flank steak and squid ink pasta with shrimp, paired with a glass of red and white wine and they were delicious. I do think they could be plated a little more beautifully and the flavors could be more complex. Overall I had a great time with my date! read more

A little "precious". Could do with a lot less grease and a little more friendliness. Over priced for what I got. Sounded way better than it tasted. Meh. read more

Just went to Spencer on a Monday night for our anniversary. It was a terrific choice for us because we love small plates, farm-to-table, vegetable-centric, delicious food...and a deal (turns out Monday nights have free corkage)! We had a cheese board, spicy turnips, watermelon radish salad, duck kafka and a peach malva pudding with a mini scoop of blueberry ice cream for dessert...all very good. Staff was super friendly and helpful (helped us choose a wine to pair). Really enjoyed the relaxed vibe. Probably helped that on a Monday evening it wasn't too crowded. This little place can hold its own against any Chicago or other big-city tapas restaurants. read more

I ordered carry out from the online menu during to corona virus pandemic. The roasted chicken with flatbread was way over priced $35.00. I also ordered a piece of chocolate cake (basically a cupcake) for $5.00. Plus tax and a 20 percent gratuity to help the essential workers. Sadly, it was not worth the money in taste, quality, or quantity, around $50.00. The chicken could only feed one person and did not carry any special flavoring that you could not achieve from getting a roasted one at Plum or Meijer. I could have gotten a whole one at either of those two places as well feeding more people. The cupcake was dry and very dense. The tiny spoonful of pickled onions and carrots helped give the chicken a better taste. I would say, pass on this particular order. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! Incredible food, adorable atmosphere and super kind staff! Definitely will be coming back

Wonderful and unique! Thoroughly enjoyed our meal here! Quaint atmosphere, fresh innovative ingredients and wonderful wine selection. We tried 6 different dishes and they were all fresh and delicious. The portions do run on the smaller side so I would not recommend going here super hungry but the quality is top-notch. I can't wait to return in a few weeks when they have a whole new menu! read more

I love this restaurant so much. It is my favorite in Ann Arbor by far. The menu is always fresh and rotating. Great beer and wine selection. Food blows you away. I don't love the community style seating , but gladly accept it for the amazing food. (Generally, I like to arrive right when service starts.) Also, place has a great vibe. Definitely worth checking out, and I promise you will become a regular. read more

We went to this place for dinner and it is absolutely horrible! It is overpriced, portions are small and quality of food is bad. We ordered a beat salad and a chicken dish. Some of the beats were so hard that we could barely eat them. The chicken pieces smelled as if they were cooked few days ago and were just taken out of microwave. read more

Never attend this restaurant for a second time trying to get what you got the first time. Their menu changes so much, I don't know why they even bother trying to keep it up to date on their website. Overall the food is amazing though, going there is like playing a slot machine except you know you'll always win read more

Good, imaginative food. Nice people. No drink refills even on super small soft beverages and like SUPER expensive for what you get.

To finish my previous review, Spencer is a "modern style" restaurant. Family style shared large tables. Varied menu. Simple but slightly adventurous menu that changes daily. Moderate plus prices. Mostly millennials clientele. One more thing that differentiates Spencer from other restaurants in the area is its wine. The owners seem to only serve "natural wine". This means wine that is allowed to become wine with very little or no intervention by the winemaker. No manipulation. No, or very little, sulphur. (An interesting and geographically varied assortment.) Therefore many of the wines have some funk to them. The owners love funk. The amount of funk varies. There are varying levels of acetic acid (vinegar). Some of the wines are downright faulty to many wine aficionados. Some people have acquired a taste for this fault, or perhaps are not sensitive to it. But I feel the need to pass on the word of warning. read more

Quiche was terrific, and green bean potato brunch item was great. Tight quarters but food was tremendous.

Enjoyed a small plates dinner with four friends. Have to eat quickly and not linger as the tables are communal and chairs are metal. Loved the presentation of the cheese plate, the salads and the lettuce wraps. Flavors were unique and ingredients were fresh. Interesting variety of seasonal plates. Can choose from about 5 types of craft beer and wines. Ginger egg was a tad expensive. Since place was not full, can't really comment on noise level. Service is ok. One orders at the counter. Parking is on the street or in public car parks. Allow lots of time! This is Ann Arbor. They don't take reservations. read more

spencer is hella tight. That's a little Bay Area slang for really good. See, Steve is a hometown boy who knows how to cook, and Abby is an SF transplant who also knows how to cook, and the end result is that they are cooking up some awesome small plates. The ingredients are fresh and seasonal. Good choice of beers. Great atmosphere. Friendly service. What's not to like? This place is off the hook! read more

A unique restaurant that challenges me to try new dishes/flavors. I've enjoy both recent visits. A little disappointing that they don't have the dishes I really enjoyed on the menu regularly but that's part of the restaurant's appeal. read more

Casual atmosphere. Communal tables. You order at the counter and your server brings you your food. Fresh local dishes. We had the burrata salad and kale salad with the cheese board. Paired with a local cider on draft, it was delicious and light. Weather was perfect for easy eating and people watching. read more

This is hands down the best restaurant in Ann Arbor, if not one of the best in Michigan. Every single time I have been there every dish has been absolutely amazing and the staff is always extremely helpful and gracious. For the quality of food you are getting, the price is very reasonable. Presentation is always gorgeous and I have come to the realization that no matter what you order you will have your mind blown. Cute, quirky interior and casual, fun environment makes this a great place for a date or hanging out with a group of friends. The menu changes every 2 weeks which is a further testament to their innovation and fresh ingredients behind every dish. You MUST try this place out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Our faves were the Tandem Cider Bees Dream, squid ink pasta with shrimp, and sunchoke hummus with small potatoes and thin sliced green apples. Nom nom nom. Thanks spencer chefs! Our tongues & tummies are so happy today. read more

Super friendly staff. Amazing inspired dishes that rotate regularly. My cashier was a sommelier, so I was able to get great recommendations for wine. One of the best restaurants in town, I highly recommend checking it out. read more

This was my first visit to Spencer. The food was very good overall. Except the brussels sprouts with popcorn. Just a gimmick I think! The popcorn adds nothing and the sprouts taste very acidic. The rye squash pierogi and the cauliflower larb were very tasty, though not spectacular. The cheese plate was good. I wasn't keen on the house red, unfortunately. The meal wasn't as wonderful as I'd been told to expect, but I enjoyed the vibe of the place. read more

Had an amazing lunch here with my girlfriend about a week ago. Very relaxed but attentive staff. Nice open space, lots of natural light. We had roasted broccoli and cauliflower, served cold over a bed of tahini and greek yogurt, with wonderful spices and shaved almond. Great start to the meal. After that I had the braised Moroccan chicken with couscous served in a small cast iron pan, which I very much enjoyed. The girlfriend had roasted golden beets with boiled potatoes, golden raisins, a bit of mustard and smoked trout. All three dishes had many layers of flavors and each had something new for me. We shared a deliciously floral beverage I can only describe as rose lemonade. The food here is really an experience, but the vibe of the place isn't at all intimidating or stuffy. A real rarity. read more

My favorite restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor. The menu constantly changes so you never eat the same thing twice.

We were lucky enough to stumble upon this little gem on its two month anniversary. Spencer certainly has most excellent food! Small but delicious menu with dishes beautifully prepared from simple and super fresh ingredients. I felt a little like Heidi Swanson was channeled in terms of each plate's look and taste (for any of you 101 Cookbooks fans out there...you'll fall head over heels for this place). Loved the casual vibe and neighborhood feel. If I lived in the neighborhood, you'd find me belly up to the counter with a mason jar of beer and a grainy, herb-laced salad or a glass of wine and a thoughtfully selected cheese board any day of the week. We'll be back for sure! read more

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By far my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! People are wonderful. Food is always fantastic and fresh. Can't recommend enough. Great selection artisan cheeses and wine too. read more

Was walking by and couldn't help noticing the crowd and high energy buzzing in this small place. Was fortunate enough to get west at the counter where the service was ahead of larger less crowded venues in town. The baking was simply scrumptious. read more

Spencer - New American Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan