Ok, so I was so pleasantly surprised by this place! I can't believe I had never been here before! We made a reservation for 4 and were seated right away at a cute table with booths that were tall so it felt a little bit more private. The wait staff were super friendly. The drinks were also really good, and the spicy margarita may honestly be my favorite one in Ann Arbor! The appetizers and entree (we got the duck) were also tasty, but portions were on the smaller side. Timing of the meal was perfect, and I would definitely come back! read more

We came for the steak and it did not disappoint! I got the Steak Frites and it was cooked perfectly and cut up! The portion was perfect for me. Their ambiance is really nice with saxophone music playing, unique wall paper, and pretty lights. Our server was really friendly and helpful. I will say, my plate had a stain on it when I first sat down so I asked for a fresh one. The waitress let us know that typically dinner takes a whole of 1.5 hours. She said she times it based off of how we eat. For example, she brings the drinks and appetizers out first and then once we finish that, she brings the salad or soup. And then from there, she brings the entree's. Their beignet bread was delicious with the garlic butter (I even asked for seconds later on)!! Their salad was also really tasty (I got the lemon dressing one) and it comes with croutons that are just like the beignet bread but made in smaller sizes and slightly crispier. We enjoyed calamari and fig with bacon appetizers. Everything was very tasty! We will definitely return! Bathroom was clean but the seat was just super low (like for a child). We parked at the nearby lot and it cost $9 for about 2 hours. read more

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Note that this review is for dinner service outside! Does not reflect indoor ambiance. We love a good outdoor meal in the summertime in Ann Arbor! West End's set up was nice, with several tables and an outdoor "bar" section. We tried: - Seafood Strudel appetizer. Generous chunks of shrimp and scallop in a creamy savory sauce wrapped up in flaky dough! Pretty tasty - Lobster Tail entree, which came with wild rice and asparagus. Decadently dressed in a thick, creamy sauce as well. - Smoked Duck entree, which came with mashed potato and asparagus. Great cherry and port wine reduction. Both entrees came with the choice of a soup or salad. Salad dressing options sounded really nice, but ended up going for the Mushroom soup that day! Very tasty. I also enjoyed a Mezcal Margarita. Overall, the food is pretty yummy! I would have like a little more of the veggie side - the serving side was essentially like 1.5 asparagus stalks cut up. Complimentary bread and butter. read more

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Really superior steak with some wonderful places to sit. Our birthday party of six had a good time, even though the celebrant's filet was a bit undone. read more

Great food. Super nice environment. Some of the best service I have had, Gabriel our server was incredibly knowledgeable and came by a lot to check up which was appreciated! The duck was perfectly cooked and super flavorful. All of the sauces perfectly complemented the meats, as well. Best flan and carrot cake i have ever had. Great spot to go for a nice luxurious dinner. read more

Normally I don't write bad reviews, but this restaurant experience prompted me to write one. In my opinion, this used to be a premier restaurant. After our experience last night, we never want to dine here again. The salads were the only good part of the meals - cold plates, crisp lettuce, excellent flavor. At $9 each though - an upcharge due to their being "seasonal salads" - I'd say they were a bit on the small side. The entrees were another story. Both of our entrees came with green beans that were shriveled and blackened, and an ice-cream-scoop sized serving of plain brown rice. The rice was nicely cooked but had absolutely no seasoning. We noticed that it was like the brown rice we have had from the Whole Foods warm bar. Nothing special. The portion sizes were small. Although the restaurant was not even half full, it took a long time to get our entrees and all the food was lukewarm at best. It seemed like it had been sitting around. My husband's salmon was undercooked and had to be sent back. We were there to celebrate our anniversary, which I think was mentioned in our reservation through open table. There was another table that got asked if they were celebrating anything - and they were - and at the end of their meal a piece of cake with a candle was brought out. We were never asked if we were celebrating anything but honestly, we weren't interested in anything else by the time we were done. We just wanted to get the check and leave. I'm truly sorry to leave this review as we believe in supporting small, independent businesses. However, it's really expensive so you go in with high expectations. We just want to let others know it might not live up to them. read more

This is an upscale restaurant with great ambiance and service. I expected it to be busier on a Thursday evening but was able to make an appointment with just 1.5 hrs notice. The food is very good and tasty. It's on the pricier side but worth it. The portions are on the smaller end but were just right for people who aren't really foodies. For big eaters, I can see them being disappointed. The swordfish and salmon were fresh and delicious. The hamburger is tasty but quite pricey at $28. The salads are fresh and the lobster bisque was savory but didn't really taste like a traditional lobster bisque. Perhaps it's a house recipe ? The dinner menu fits on one page but covers the gamut. They focus on quality and attention to detail and the service was excellent. This is a great restaurant when celebrating an occasion or having business meetings, etc. read more

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We ate at West End Grill last month and were very disappointed. The bill came ot about $500 for 6 of us (all non drinkers). The food was mediocre at best. Three of us ordered the sea bass which I have had before and strongly recommended but it was chewy and overcooked. I learned that the executive chef was off that night which may have contributed to the quality of the food but I would be hesitant to return after such an expensive and unimpressive meal. if I did go back it would be for the key lime pie. Kudos to the pastry chef! read more

From start to finish, Paige was fabulous! She is friendly, knowledgeable and gave great recommendations! This was our first time at West End Grill. We are foodies and have high expectations when dining out. This did not disappoint. We were celebrating mine and my husband's anniversary as well as my friend's birthday. The timing of drinks, apps, wine, meal, coffee, dessert was perfection! I will come back again and again for the smoked duck breast with cherry reduction! The front room, street view window seat for 4 was excellent! Thank you for a beautiful experience for our celebration. read more

The food was either bland or downright bad. The service was good, but the prices were extremely high. The outside seating was nice.

We moved to A2 recently so making our rounds of new places. This is one place thus far we do not need to go back to. Service- very good. Our server was attentive and friendly. Drinks- good but SO expensive. $20 for a margarita in Ann Arbor? No thanks. That's more than many places we frequented in Chicago (downtown) where we moved from. Food- meh. Burger char was good but not worth $28. Nothing special about it. The duck and sides were good in flavor but everything on the plate was cold. If I'm paying $42 for a dish I'd expect it to be warm. Environment- stuffy. Decor was cute but it could use a refresh. read more

The West End Grill - Burger and truffle fries - American Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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The ambience is perfect for any special occasion or just a quiet evening out. The food was delicious and the service was great. Very pleasant dining experience. read more

I am baffled by the Number good reviews. We came here for dinner to try a new place, hoping to add it to our regular rotation. Was surprised at how expensive it was (~$40-60 entrees) but had high hopes that we'd get what we pay for. Sadly we did not. It was a tired, uninspired meal, the kind we might have been ok with 20-30 years ago. We noticed that between our table and the one next to us, we had 4 different seafood entrees with the same sad sides. You'd think for this price point, they'd put a little more effort into creating sides that are unique to each main. The food: BEIGNETS: the compound butter was tasty and the beignets were almost good but the center was sightly under done and doughy. TUNA POKE $16: they should call it red bell pepper with a little tuna - tiniest bits of tuna mixed with lots of red pepper and scallion filler, overdressed in soy-heavy sauce, served with pasty tasting fried wanton wedges SIDE SALAD: the lemon basil dressing was delicious but the greens were tired, even on the verge of rotting, like they came out of a bag that sat in the back of the fridge a few days too long GAZPACHO: tasted ok but basically Bloody Mary mix with chunks of canned stewed tomatoes SWORDFISH $36: overcooked thin filet of fish with sides of parboiled rice (uncle Ben's?), 2 steamed bagged baby carrots, julienned veggies (with tough stringy carrots), snow peas with tough stringy edge intact, and lots of julienned scallions to dress up the dish SEA BASS $46: fish marinated in the same salty soy-heavy sauce used for tuna poke, served with the same sad sides as the other entree Service: Service was ok but he forgot to bring the 1/2 bottle of red wine we ordered for the entrees. Never even realized it and didn't charge us for it. read more

The West End Grill - Salty sea bass with 2 sad steamed bagged baby carrots, uncle Ben's rice, and tough stringy snow peas - $46 - American Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Came here for my sisters graduation dinner where we had to have a reservation. Not sure how popular they are regularly though. Absolutely stellar time. The restaurant was small, dark and intimate with very homey and pleasant vibes. Great for our family's graduation dinner. Prices were on the higher end but it was a higher end restaurant. For food, I recommend the halibut or steak. Each entree also comes with a free soup or salad. The entrees themselves were good, the tofu stir fry portion size was smaller so just be aware of that. One of the best things we ate was also the free bread with butter haha! We kept on getting more from our waiter who was happy to accommodate us. Overall, a typical fancy restaurant that was good for families and celebrations. Just be ready to drop money! read more

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Underwhelmed. The place is nice enough but a smidge stuffy. The food is priced to impressed but just wasn't. I ordered the steak after our server said the chef had like 20 year's experience but ... it wasn't very good. Maybe it's my preference but I don't want my steak burnt (I ordered medium rare) on the outside. I don't remember what we had for dessert so take it for whatever that means. read more

This is one of those reviews that sit on the fence of good or not. We go to West End Grill for special occasions because it maintains its excellence. This trip was like I said on the fence. The appetizer of seafood strudel was awesome even though it was missing the sauce (as we remember from past servings), however the signature was still evident. The Cesar salad had burnt croutons that were like brick and the dressing had no flavor. Lynn's regular salad was flat and not attractive as should be. On to the main meal, Lynn's sea bass and my pecan covered halibut were very good with the right balance. I noticed however my glass of Chardonnay was padded to not the house wine as requested but to the most expensive. This being our anniversary I wasn't paying much attention when served but was disappointed at Rich taking advantage of our evening. Overall, a great night even with a few setbacks knowing it's one of the most expensive in town. Will we return-for sure - but with the question if they have begun the hustle and the decline towards mediocre. Jack and Lynn read more

Service and atmosphere were lovely. The food was just adequate. Short ribs were a tad dry, rare rack of lamb was flavorful but not tender or juicy, scallop risotto had undercooked risotto, salmon was fine. Warm bread and herbed butter were lovely as were our mixed drinks. For the price.....not sure I'll return. read more

This locale is a bit tired; an update to rejuvenate the restaurant would be helpful. The pork chop was a bit salty.

An institution. I've been coming here since it opened. The menu is on a chalkvoard and the servers exceptionally knowledgeable about the food. There are only two drawbacks. First, it's very noisy. The only quiet place for two is at the bar. Second, its not at street level and I don't like steps. Absolutely everything is exceptionally good. read more

It has been a few years since I had been here, so we thought it was time to check in. This is the most quaint, warm and intimate restaurant we have experienced. The location is just hidden from the downtown drag. This is modern American cuisine with the most genuine hospitality. The servers exhibit a level Of old school service that you rarely see nowadays. We were fortunate enough to sit at the table at the front window, which was a fabulous view throughout all of our courses. Our server explained each item on the menu in detail- this is a foodie's dream... As if that were not enough, we were promptly served the most amazing yeasty rolls with creamy garlic butter. After careful consideration, we decided on: the heralded seafood strudel, mushroom gnocchi, grilled artichokes, heirloom caprese salad and sea scallops. The strudel was filled with shrimp, lobster, scallops, bechamel sauce and enveloped in the best flaky phyllo dough. The artichokes were steamed with white wine and herbs and served with a mustard aoli. The gnocchi was house made and melted in our mouths like soft, warm pillows of dough. The pinnacle of the experience was the seared jumbo scallops which were embellished with Sauvignon blanc and lobster cream sauce and served on a bed of coconut risotto and asparagus. The flavors and textures were perfectly complimentary. For those of you who appreciate a quaint ambiance with impeccable service, you have found your milieu. read more

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I'm not sure how to rate a restaurant when they don't seat me and my guest at a table to enjoy your food, but here it goes... Thursday night. No reservations. 8:32 pm. Note: The hours posted on the window say open until 9:30 pm. Indoors there were about 3 tables that had diners at them. 85% empty. "Yes, we'd like a table for two." "Do you have reservations?" "No." "I'm sorry but we're only seating parties that have reservations at this time." "I don't understand." "At 8:30 pm you would have had to make a reservation in order to get seated." "It's 8:32 pm and your hours that are posted say you're open to 9:30 pm. Your restaurant is empty." "I'm sorry sir." I'm sure I'm missing something here but either 1) Change your hours to 8:30 pm 2) Have your greeter more clearly explain why they can't seat their guests 3) Tell us you don't have any help and are closing early? You food is pretty darn good West End Grill...thus the 3 out of 5 stars. I think you need to straighten out your greeting service. read more

Delicious food. Every bite was amazing. We opted to sit outside on a warm Tuesday night. We started with the cheese tart and wild mushroom gnocchi, both of which were delicious. I ordered the sea bass for my entree which I couldn't finish after had the Caprese salad. Everything was phenomenal. read more

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Ever go to dinner with a group of co-workers on a business trip and try to make everyone happy? It's a quandary. At the spur of the moment our group of 8 ended up here and didn't expect to be so delighted. It started with our fantastic server, Christian, who did everything right. We had a variety of dishes - the Swordfish, the Pork Chops, Scallops & Farfalle, and the Beef Short Ribs (the Short ribs were the best I've ever eaten). Everyone was thrilled. We commented that it was one of the rare occasions when everyone was happy. The food all came out on time and all at once. No one was left waiting watching the others enjoy their food. Highly recommend giving this place your business. read more

We will be back again. Nice to have a great local eatery. The cocktails were perfect and our waitress was very knowledgeable and attentive. Our appetizer was fried artichoke, with a delicious mustard sauce on the side. I had the tasty Sea bass; nicely prepared and presented--well sourced, too because I usually prefer the North Atlantic cod for fresh non-frozen fish that has the same firm but soft buttery taste. My guest has the blackened pork chop and it never had a chance- devoured:) read more

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I had not been to West End Grill in years, back when servers read the menu to you. The ambiance and service remain very high quality, I would give Ambiance a 4, a refresh is likely in order, while Service deserves a 5 or 6 star grade - servers and host were friendly, attentive, and lovely. However, the food appears to have slipped. This is a pricey restaurant, even for Ann Arbor standards. Tofu stir fry is north of $30, one of the fish dishes near $50. What was so disappointing was that the food was truly mediocre for the cost. The cauliflower appetizer was dry and while the turmeric was flavorful there was not much else notable about it - no fresh herbs, capers, anything to add depth or contrast. The price was still similar to the crab cakes which were sufficient but not wow for the price. The salmon main dish was served with a side salad and some fresh vegetables and rice. The rice was a very small pile of plain rice possibly cooked in broth but lacking any discernable additions or flavors. The asparagus was one of the tastiest parts of the meal, chargrilled and flavorful. I received one oddly lonely piece of carrot that appeared to be steamed or boiled and was overly cooked, and again, lacking additional flavoring or fresh herbs. The salmon was OK, the dill crema tasted fresh and was the only thing flavorful about the salmon. My dining partner's pork chop was OK but slightly dry. At this price point I would have expected at least a side salad with something other than mixed greens and one or two slices of raw brussel sprouts. The greens also appeared slightly wilted. What was surprising and disappointing about this meal was the apparent lack of effort in the kitchen across the meal to make every dish and bite delicious and interesting. We have lived here a long time, been to many upscale as well as daily fare restaurants and this was one of the most disappointing experiences I can recall, other than as I said earlier, the ambiance and service which were both very good. Also, we had noted on our reservation it was our anniversary and while I appreciate many people celebrate many special events, there was no mention at all about it. I hope that maybe it was an off day for the kitchen staff but I fear, in talking to friends, that this is how it is and that perhaps people come back because its familiar or they are visiting and don't know... read more

Service was good; however, the food is overpriced and incredibly mediocre. I had a similar experience a few months ago and tried to give it a second go. It was disappointing both times. Will not come back. read more

There were so many choices for dinner in Ann Arbor on a recent weeknight. But there is an undeniable draw with West End Grill given its creative menu and quaint ambiance. It's a place to catch up with a good friend and maybe coincidentally run into other friends. The space sits just hidden from the main drag in the downtown core, among, in my opinion, some of the better restaurants Ann Arbor has to offer. The restaurant is small with little nooks and crannies throughout; the bar is at the back. Tiffany-styled stained glass lamps offer low light, nothing, however, that can overcome the encroaching evening's darkness. The menu was scrawled on small blackboards and provided only the basics, title and price. While deciding, I enjoyed the warm beignets that were served with warm herb butter. The yeasty beignets were crispy and hot - so delicious with the accompanying butter. Many of the appetizers sounded fantastic but none as good as the Seafood Strudel. Flaky layers of crispy pastry with scallops and shrimp covered in a thick and creamy béchamel sauce. I did note a chunk of lobster - not sure if there were more. It was tough to discern in the dark. The dish was deliciously savory - no sharing allowed - that I did my best not to lick the plate clean. Well, what are forks and knives for if not to scrape up every last crumb? For my entrée, I had the duck, cooked medium rare, closer to rare. It was smothered by an abundance of sour cherries and served with peapods, roasted potatoes and one perfectly cooked carrot. The duck breast was nicely crispy with a pale pink center. I confess to deliberately eavesdropping on the neighboring table when I heard their conversation turn towards dessert. Hmmm ... it sounded interesting enough to take the rest of my entrée home in order to reserve that one unoccupied corner of my tummy for something sweet. And I was sincerely glad I did, even though it was growing late. I had the orange-flavored layer cake with cream cheese frosting with a thin layer of crushed walnuts. A few strawberries offered contrasting tart flavors. It was so good that I ate every crumb. Service was cordial and friendly. The server threw in a few extra beignets with the duck after hearing how much I raved about them. read more

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Worst calamari ever, right out of a Gordon foods frozen bag on to the plate, soggie served with nothing and just plain terrible , long john silvers can do better. Crab cakes were the same just awful. 28 dollar burger may have been worth 5, don't bother with this place try speedway instead, seriously. read more

I don't know why it has taken us so long to get back the the West End. It's a great spot with everything we look for in a small, cozy independent restaurant downtown. We know many townies that flag the West End Grill as their favorite Ann Arbor eatery sighting the combination of the their creative menu, awesome food and arguably the most congenial service in town. We love the Grill's warm and intimate ambiance where you can carry on a quiet conversation with those at your table. The antique Tiffany-style lamp shades strike me as a bit kitschy but do add a comfortable homeyness to the feel to the room. My wife and I had to indulge ourselves in splitting the Seafood Strudel, one of the West End's most popular appetizers. This delicious app is loaded with lobster, shrimp and scallops in a flakey Phyllo pastry shell bathed in a delicious béchamel sauce. Don't miss this Seafood Strudel...it's ridiculously delish! We both went for seafood for our entrees. My wife chose the heralded Chilean Sea Bass and it clearly lived up to its top billing as one of the West End's signature dishes. It is uniquely steamed in soy and ginger for an incredible taste. I thoroughly enjoyed the Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops topped with morel cream sauce and served with coconut risotto and asparagus...a delightful combo for sure. Right on cue, our server Joy brought over a tempting dessert tray that got us drooling. A Chocolate Lava Cake and a slice of Key Lime later, we were all but in heaven. Throughout our visit, Joy pushed all the right buttons thereby crafting a wonderful dining experience. Without question, the best servers in town reside at the West Side Grill...5 bright stars. read more

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Food was fine...I'm not sure what is supposed to be so great about this place though to justify the prices though? Service was good, not great. Atmosphere is what I would describe as stodgy, maybe even dated. read more

Went by a recommendation of a regular guest of mine and surprisingly I was a little surprised by the attention this place received. They were very accommodating in making a reservation for 12 people with a week notice and Mel was the one the person in contact and she was very helpful in assisting with this reservation. As we arrived we had a Chef's style table towards the back of the restaurant which was perfect, like we had our own little private area, away from the regular guests. The food and drinks were amazing and the bread is too die for. (wish I got the recipe). However, it needs major updating, it's so outdated. The location of the restaurant is in the primest area and the food/drinks are superb but the "old grandma look" has to go. I would so recommend this business but I can do to it looking like an overpriced diner. The service was outstanding, but they should change their uniforms to something classier, once they update the place. There are many regulars that wander the streets of Ann Arbor and this place has potential but without a face lift, people will want something newer and happening. read more

The West End Grill - Smoked tomato and mozzarella salad. - American Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Better than A-Ok, but I don't know that I would say I am fan of this restaurant yet. Stopped in for an appetizer, as my companion was craving the Seafood strudel. Had to check it out, even though it was $16. It was a good size, filling and rich. Everything I expected. Whole pieces of scallops and shrimp. The whole thing was white, so identifying much was a little hard but I will definitely order it again. I also ordered a mojito with the dish. I really like that the mint was minced for easy travel up the straw. It was a little bland though. Second one, I asked for extra lime. After seeing the $11 price tag on the drink, I won't bother getting it again. IT wasn't that good. My dining companion ordered another appetizer of Chicken mushroom risotto. It was beautifully presented in an asiago cheese crisp basket, and loaded with artichokes and chicken. Not so much risotto but it was good. Definitely plenty to make a meal. I can't wait to try the Sea Bass next time. Definitely not a place for bar/appetizer hopping. read more

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My husband and I came here on our anniversary (back before the craziness of covid) and it is truly a splendid spot for an intimate evening together. The restaurant is a little hidden in downtown, but that makes it all the more interesting. It's a very cozy setting and well established. Before the meal they served us some warm rolls (and garlic butter) which was fabulous!! The martinis are very strong and tasty, so you get your money's worth. The grouper was out of this world with how amazing crisp and fresh it was. Also, the key lime pie is SOOO yummy and really good homemade quality!!! Also, our server was so courteous and a true professional! read more

Great food. Awesome chicken tenders. You have to order tenders. Wait staff outstanding

Last night's dinner was traveling back in time. We walked by the quaint restaurant accidentally, and fell in love with it. Everyone was super friendly and so warm. We started off with drinks at the bar, we ordered their signature martinis - 10 oz martinis! They were delicious. For a 10 oz martini will only set you back $16! That's a steal. Once our table was ready, the bartender took our martinis to the table. I don't think that's ever happened at any restaurant I've ever been to. That's the old school service that I miss. Since we were first timers we ordered dishes that they are known for, including the seafood strudel appetizer and the mushroom gnocchi. But items were incredibly delicious. The seafood strudel is served with a béchamel sauce that is to die for. The entree came with a lobster bisque or a salad. I ordered the soup and my husband ordered the caprese salad. Everything was really good. We can't wait to go back. read more

Small restaurant. We requested to be seated outside. It was a beautiful day out. They only had two tables pushed together outside for seating and we opted to have them separated to be more comfortable and out of the direct sunlight. Each course took one hour to serve. One hour for the bread, apps and main course. It was getting dark so we dared not ask for dessert. Our server was very sweet and knew the menu well. We had guests in from out of town and wanted to treat them but sadly the food was mediocre and the restaurant next to us had people also eating outside and their food looked amazing. We were regretting that we hadn't have went there instead. Won't be back. read more

The West End Grill - Hibachi-Style Delmonico Steak* - American Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

The service was great and it was easy to chat with my client while dining; however, the food was C+ at best. I ordered the Delmonico and so did my customer and I understand this is a fatty steak but it was by far the worst cut of meat I have ever eaten. Tough and chewy. I was actually embarrassed watching my client eat his steak. For 60+ dollars for that particular dish I expect better. Will never go back. read more

I don't usually write reviews unless a place is exceptionally good or exceptionally bad. I dined at the West End Grill with a friend of mine on Saturday 9/23/23 I believe. Our waiter had a wrist support wrap on his left hand. He was nonexistent during 90% of the service. It took us 2 hours and 37 minutes to dine there when normally we are out in an hour or less. I said to my friend, how much do you want to bet that the salads are going to come out at the same time as the entree? Fortunately the salads did not come out with the entrees but they did take an hour and a half to come to the table. The place was busy when we got there but after about 40 minutes it completely died out because it was later in the evening. I ordered a burrata ravioli appetizer and the short ribs. My friend ordered calamari and the duck. We come here often or I guess I should say we used to come here often. So we have a certain level of expectation for this place. The burrata ravioli, which I had never had before, was absolutely flavorless. At a bare minimum the dish needed salt. They really could have used some type of a sauce or reduction over the ravioli to give it some type of flavor. My friend and I split one ravioli and decided we really didn't care for the dish. They took the item off of the bill when they saw the dish relatively untouched. My salad was very good except I am pretty sure that they forgot the honey dressing. I could not taste any dressing on the salad but the combination of everything else in the salad was delicious. The duck was so overcooked that my friend couldn't eat it. I said to my friend it can't be that bad. I took one bite and I couldn't swallow it because it was so dry and rubbery. I unfortunately had to spit it out. They wound up taking the duck away and taking it off of the bill. My short ribs would have had a nice flavor but they put so much salt on it that I couldn't eat it. It tasted like they dumped an entire pound of salt on the dish. My friend didn't mind the saltiness so he consumed the dish but did acknowledge that it was overly salty. We were considering dessert but were afraid to order anything because of the more than 2 hours we had already sat there and because of the flavor of our dishes. We walked over to the Pacific Rim where my friend got dessert and I got a decent entree. My friend said he's not interested in ever going back to the West End Grill. I agree for now. They really need to get the bugs worked out so they have decent service and decent food. Everywhere I dine, regardless of the service, I always leave at least a 15% tip. We were so annoyed by this visit. With the horrible service and lackluster food, I think I only left a 5% tip. I also forgot to mention that our waiter only had one other table and that table was done an hour into us dining there. So there really wasn't any excuse for for the salads to take an hour and a half to come to the table. My friend was pretty sure that the duck was ready to go much earlier in the dinner service but it sat so long that they tried to reheat it in the microwave. I will say that it tasted very rubbery like it had come out of a microwave but I can't be too sure. We have had the duck many times before and it is always a tender dish except for this time. read more

Birthday Bummer! Fried bread with no flavor - strange breading on fried artichokes- when I asked the waiter about the duck breast he said he "I'm not the person to ask" I thought we'll then who is? So we both ordered the potato encrusted halibut. Omg ! It tasted like thawed super dry, no flavor fish that I might have made at home if I didn't know how to bake a fish fillet. I was so disgusted but I didn't want to hurt my husbands feelings since he had taken me here for birthday dinner. Turns out he felt the same - it was awful!! We won't be back - and maybe the waiter should find out who diners shroud ask about menu items since he clearly was inept. read more

The long and short of this review: good food, but extremely long wait. The West End Grill is a very upscale restaurant on Liberty, which is situated right across from Grotto and kitty corner from Fleetwood Diner. The location is great for being downtown but not too busy and there's lots of outdoor seating right now with the streets blocked off. We got an outdoor table, and my first compliment to the restaurant was that they knew it was super hot outside and kept coming around to refresh our waters and bring glasses of ice. They also brought our beverages out in short order, which was nice as well. They start you off with a bread basket of savory beignets and butter, which is certainly unique and they tasted great. We were able to order in a timely manner, but that's where the timeliness ended. It took a while to get our salads (maybe 20 mins?) and then another hour to get our main courses. The salads were light and fresh, but we had sat down around 5:30 for dinner and didn't get our main courses until 7-7:30. It would have been alright if the food was fresh and hot, but once we got it it tasted like it had been sitting on the counter getting cold for a while. I'm giving them a 4 and not a 3 since my duck breast and potatoes were really satisfying, but I honestly expected more from such an expensive meal. All in all, I'm glad I tried this place, but I don't feel the need to go back again soon. read more