in our nearly 5 years of living here, we've seen this space evolve quite a bit: dessous, of rice…read moreand men, oram, and now this space dedicated to local pop ups and residencies. i changed our wedding anniversary dinner immediately to this spot when i saw the rooster & the rabbit come thru. bao boys hosted their phenom chef in laws and treated to ann arbor with something incredibly special. the meal: - the shank herb cured pork shank, palm sugar glaze, namjim coleslaw, za'atar flatbread - the toasty veg char roasted broccolini, toasted miso, grana padano, lemon breadcrumbs, almonds - the crispy potatoes crispy potatoes, chili garlic crunch chimichurri the sweet finish -mochi churros rolled in cinnamon sugar, bourbon caramel sauce

First time trying Echelon and will absolutely be back. The service was amazing and the food was so…read moregood. The shaved vegetable salad was our favorite.

I'm a pretty decent home cook and often think that I can make dishes that I eat at restaurants just…read moreas good or better. NOT true here. My friend and I splurged on the Chefs tasting menu. Tastebuds I never knew I had came alive last night. It's been 24 hours since I got home and I'm still thinking about it. Bartender Felicity and waitress, Anya, were delightful and knowledgeable. I would pay money learn how to replicate a fraction of what we ate. My friend treated me...and I'm forever grateful because I could not afford to have experienced this otherwise. It was not a meal...it was an event that I will always remember.

Poor waitress had two tables and was very very overwhelmed. No refills on drinks forgot the side…read moreorders. Who has ever seen potato skins like this ? FYI it's with green onions/chives. I'll be back to drink and play pull tabs but no food from here on out.

Went out with bachlorette party on a Saturday night. Sat down at a table was served by a sweet…read moregirl. Random guy came up to us told us it was $5 for wristbands to stay. Nobody else had wristbands. Tried to put these wristbands on us and none of us even paid or said we would pay the $5 still. A regular at the bar said he wanted a picture of all of us girls but himself not allowed in pictures.. other dude that worked there comes up to us and tells us this guy is a regular and he will get angry if we don't do what he asks. Seemed sketchy so we left. Definitely do not recommend this place to young women.

1. Rosemary fries are out of this world…read more 2. We also ordered and split the Santa Fe salad which was great with blackened chicken. 3. Finally, we had the Garden Martini and the Spritz of the season. Both were very good. 4. Service was also very good. 5. We would love to come back.

Going to the Common Grill for years. Usually for lunch so it's rarely for dinner and with the hour…read morecutbacks, haven't visited for two years. On the visit today had the walnut walleye and the shrimp lobster pasta. The pasta was good but the recipe was less flavorful and tangy than before. Ingredients were changed and not the unique flavor from the Craig Commons era. The pear salad and rolls were delicious. The walleye was a big disappointment. The dish came out hot and fresh from the kitchen but fish was soft and mushy and either lower quality or refrozen or just not first rate. Our expectations for this level of restaurant are much higher. Likely will try again but for a 150 dollar dinner with tip for two entrees and two glasses of wine that aren't first rate is not worth my time. The waitress was great. But a somehow a large table of eight people next to us had a major order screw up that required smoozing from several manager types to repair. Disappointed. Craig Common prices but not Craig Common quality or service.

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!

Been here a few times and am always delighted…read more In this case we were there for Valentine's Day. Service was great and the menu had lots of tempting options. Loved the cheese plate. Tasty cheese selections and a generous amount of bread and crackers. Their cocktails are ON POINT. The Pep in Your Step blended the mezcal flavor wonderfully. The Nightshade Martini was one of the most unique cocktails I've ever had. I enjoyed my pasta, though I had wanted to order a seafood dish and they were out of mussels. Definitely a bit of a bummer. I remember the beans in the smoked duck dish being especially good. My one complaint about this place is the menu seems to feel similar each time I'm there (months to years between visits). Like there's always a similar fish dish and a curry. I guess I just wish there were different options because the menu is relatively small. Excited to return for another visit in the future and would like to try their lunch offering as well!

Fantastic meals and outstanding service! The ambience was very welcoming. We were two couples and…read moreshared the starters - plenty for four people. The salad was fresh and well dressed - simple but good. The second starter was sardine tin. Very very good. Not overly fishy and the garnishes served with it were perfect. For mains which are enough to share, one was the trout! Absolutely well seasoned and crispy. It is served whole and butterflied. We changed the side to the house vegetable. OMG these sautéed garden veggies were the best! The other main was a Japanese curry dish. Here is why the five starting dropped to a four. It was just ok. We would not order again. For dessert we had the bread pudding- another star for the night! To the owner, terrific staff. Everyone we engaged in, were positive and knowledgeable. They are a great team! Looking forward to a second visit!

We enjoyed a lovely evening meal in a low noise setting. The Mushroom Cheeseburger included swiss…read morecheese, nicely sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, bread and butter pickles and mayo. The burger came with a side of fries, though you can upgrade to onion rings. The fish and chips special was spot on, with perfectly battered and cooked cod. Malt vinegar for the fries is available upon request. There is a bar available with a tv for watching your favorite sporting event and the main dining area also has an inviting fireplace, which is very welcoming and warming in the winter.

We decided to give it another chance a few weeks ago, and the ambiance and energy are not the same…read moreas it was before. The shrimp Santorini was good. It is served with slices of baguette nicely toasted and a tasty tomato sauce was nice. We also tried the jalapeño burger and onion rings, that was a winner. Energy was low, and there were a few people in the dining area by the fireplace, and only 5 people at the bar, and that included us. Hoping things change and we can come back as regulars again. For now it's nice to have it as an option. Prices are a bit high, but then again isn't everything high nowadays? So just beware that you will be paying $19.00 for a burger and there's a charge for Onion Rings. They are tasty though so you get what you pay for.

We dined at the Grey Ghost for a special dinner last week and it was outstanding. The service was…read moreabove reproach and they carefully accommodate allergies, walk you through the menu, and provide a stellar experience. Our server, James, was phenomenal. Atmosphere is nice, decor is very cool, and the setting is intimate, but when it fills up, it is quite loud. Regarding accommodations, for our teen daughter, the chef went WELL beyond normal accommodations to modify the Steelhead Trout dish to allow her to enjoy what she called "the best fish I've ever had". He absolutely made her night. We all shared the Brussel Sprouts (w/ honey, lime, & chicken skin) and Octopus appetizers. The Brussels were heavenly and the octopus was flavorful and tender (very nicely prepared). Aside from the Steelhead entrée, my wife and son both had the Ribeye Cap w/ yaji, peanut, & kiwi. They couldn't stop raving about it. The pairing of kiwi with steak was delicious and creative! I ordered the Lobster dish and honestly, it was better than many top tier seafood restaurants I've visited. It featured tail & claw meat atop a crab cake with a citrus beurre blanc and crispy wontons. I'd go back just for this dish. For dessert, we tried the PB&J Napoleon, and found the berry sorbet to be ridiculously fresh and bursting with flavor. Portion sizes were just right. Everyone left well satiated, but not overly full. We had a reservation, and I'd highly recommend if you're thinking of going, you get one as well. It was a full house the entire time we were there, and it was only midweek.

A solid 4.5. FINALLY made it to this place after years of being on the list. Went here with a…read morefriend for a birthday meal, and it was a solid if not spectacular time. AMBIENCE - definitely a hip spot, not too dark, not too light. the hosts were very friendly and accommodating as we hit some traffic on our way in and had to switch our reservations to 40 minutes later. We ended up being placed on the "veranda" which was an enclosed space with about 4-5 tables. They had heaters, but fortunately, it was warm enough that they were not needed. SERVICE - my friend made it well known that we were there for my birthday, but I'd like to think even without the birthday drop, we would have gotten great service. Our server was friendly, attentive and made a number of recommendations to help guide our dining experience. MENU - Grey ghost has a rotating menu, with a few items that our consistently featured (I'll talk about my burger later). An interesting array of starters including brussel sprouts and coconut shrimp as well as a great variety of main entrees. I feel like there was something for all tastes at this place. They also had a good variety of cocktails and mocktails. FOOD - We started off with shrimp tempura which had a tropical salad of some sort served with it. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the tropical salad really complimented it very well. We also decided to try their home made Rock and Rye (their take on Faygo's marquee drink of the same name). The Rock and Rye was decent, but if you want rock and rye, nothing beats the original. For our main dishes, a number of things caught our eye. including the lamb and ribeye, but we ended up going with their burger and a side of fries and their wild boar pappardelle. I've heard Grey Ghost has one of the best burgers in Detroit, and it did not disappoint. And you know we had put an egg on it and it was rocking. I don't know what the burger sauce they put on it was, but it seemed like a much, MUCH better executed big mac. The fries were great as well. The pappardelle was good, nothing mind blowing, but a solid entree in it's own right. I was curious how the burger here compares to the one at their sister restaurant (Little Ghost) and the host said the quality of meat used in the patty is better at Grey Ghost than little ghost. Guess I'm going to have to go there as well. OVERALL - definitely worth a visit. I'd say a good spot for a first date, or some other sort of special occasion. I won't wait as long to make a trip back to this place, that's for sure. CELEBRITY RATING - Collin Jost

We did not choose this restaurant, we went as part of a group. We are vegetarian and this place is…read moreabsolutely not vegetarian friendly. We ordered the fried cauliflower as an appetizer and the only flavor was the ranch dressing and the old oil it was fried in. Another vegetarian in the group ordered the mac and cheese bites, only to find out after that they have bacon (not listed). We ended up ordering a grilled cheese and fries from the kid's menu. Our server was very nice and the old building is cool.

We stopped in pretty much right after opening for an early lunch. First the atmosphere is perfect…read morefor a small town bar. We were greeted by our friendly server Barb and the cadence of the meal was perfect. We started with the breaded mushrooms - perfectly fried with a crunchy exterior and the mushrooms fully cooked. Our entrees - the Reuben with onion rings - the bread had a great grill on it. Kept the sandwich from being soggy! The onion rings were again just about perfect. No sliding onion rings after the first bite here! I had the Hanover Backwoods Burger and wow was it tasty. The fries were good (I believe double fried with a good crunch) but the burger was the star of this meal for me. If we're in the area again we'll be back!

Hard to believe no one else has reviewed Sarah's. The former Thuli's still has the great hand-cut…read morefries and one of the largest bar menus in Jackson. When we were there it was nearly full, so people like it. We all enjoyed our meal.

The burgers here are great! But, I tried a smoked turkey and cheese. Said served on a toasted…read morehoagie, it was one slice of lunch meat on dry white toast. Very disappointed.