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    The Earle Restaurant

    3.8 (424 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    The Earle Restaurant Photos

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    THE EARLE RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Moderate noise

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    Risotto Croquettes
    Kimberly K.

    Everything from the food, service, and ambience is worthy of five stars. This was a last minute choice but once again Yelp came to the rescue. My date and I waked in without reservations but opted to sit up at the bar. We received excellent service and ordered a round of martinis. They are know for their wine menu which includes wines from all over the world. Since it was our first visit our bartender gave us a book with their entire wine selection. It's impressive and includes all price points. We tried the tortellini and the gnocchi for starters. The gnocchi had a pesto sauce on it which was good. Portion seemed a little small but it was an appetizer. Now the tortellini with prosciutto was excellent. There was a generous amount for 2 people to share (or not). The Parmesan cream sauce over the tortellini was delicious. For our main courses I had the salmon in a puff pastry. If you haven't had a chance to try this I enthusiastically recommend this dish. It's one of their signature entrées and it's deserving of five stars. The filet of salmon is rubbed in a Dijon mustard inside a buttery, flaky puff pastry with a mushroom duxelle. On the side was a tarragon cream sauce and grilled vegetables. It was perfection! My friend had the grilled salmon with shrimp on a bed of sautéed spinach. Again the salmon was expertly prepared with a white wine, shallot and lemon sauce. It came with a side of buttery seasoned potatoes. The Earle proved to be a wonderful choice for fine dining and cocktails. They also have live music several nights of the week.

    Veal Scallopini
    Jordyn M.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in Ann Arbor for special occasions! You will need to either walk down a flight of stairs or take an elevator down to get to the hostess stand. Once down there, you enter a cozy and warm ambiance. At times they have live music playing! Service has been excellent each time I have been here. Some standout dishes are the roasted garlic, Earle sliders, beef tenderloin with Roquefort, lamb chops, and veal scallopini. The dessert is delicious too! If you come for your birthday they give you a $10 voucher to use next time as well :) can't wait for my next visit here!

    Leslie C.

    Amazing dinner!!! I took my best friend here for her birthday dinner and it was a fantastic experience. Ricardo took excellent care of our table. He was so friendly, attentive, and made wonderful recommendations. We started with the mushroom caps, which were filled with sausage, garlic, and sweet pepper, topped with Parmesan cheese. So yummy! We also had the beet and goat cheese salad. So good and bursting with flavors. My main course was the sea scallop dish and it was seasoned and cooked to perfection. Sautéed with mushrooms and garlic, with a cherry cream sauce. For dessert I loved the Frozen hazelnut soufflé!! Wow!! The textures and flavors were amazing! I have never had anything like this before. My friend ordered the Tiramisu. I have tried tiramisu many times in the past and never liked it. However, the Tiramisu at The Earle blew my mind! It's the only tiramisu I've ever liked! Excellent cocktails! I enjoyed the Havana Affair as well as their espresso martini. My friend enjoyed the Last Rose of Summer. Dark and elegant atmosphere. I love the live piano music. Great vibes all around. In honor of my friend's birthday, they even gave her a gift card to come back another time. Very thoughtful! Several affordable parking garages nearby. I definitely recommend coming here for a date night or special occasion.

    Ginger shrimp
    Michael L.

    Dinner near the "D" Motor City, in the heart of U Mich (M go blue !) campus. The location was underground, reminiscent of an old bomb shelter in a cool way. Bare brick walls, dim, cozy, clubby, speakeasy feel. Only lacking the smokey cigarette smell to round out the nostalgic experience. Drink list was extensive, 1K+ wine selection. Immediate proximity to U Mich brought back ghosts of beatniks past. Food was fresh, fair selection, but couldn't say that this would be considered a food destination. We had the stuffed mushroom and ginger shrimp apps. Shrimps on the small side, mushrooms were stuffed with "not sure", but ok. We had the whitefish, scallops (did not taste like dry diver scallops, possibly frozen, possibly sulfate added, as Ann Arbor is not close to fresh scallop sources), salmon and penne with chicken entrees. No standouts, but again no complaints either. The bourbon cocktails were good (the clear, round ice ball was the winner here) and the Italian super Tuscan with dinner was very good. Folks probably come here to have some drinks and some smiles, food as an accompaniment, not star. About $100/ per person all in.

    Chocolate Ganache Cake (front), Tiramisu (back)
    Andrea L.

    OVERALL A lovely tucked-in dinner spot in Ann Arbor that is quiet, upscale-level dining in a low-key ambience that's perfect for a date night. Lovely menu of options that were all delicious with a good quiet and cozy (or romantic) ambiance and attentive service. We would definitely return for a nice evening out for ourselves or with guests in town! AMBIANCE We walked by The Earle building multiple times but never realized this cute casually upscale establishment was there. When we entered in for a weekend dinner, we took a flight downstairs and seemingly entered a new space -- quiet, slightly dimmed, jazzy environs. SERVICE We checked in with the hostess via a reservation and were immediately led to our seats in the dining area beside the bar. Our waiter warmly welcomed us and offered us water and drinks and time with the menu. FOOD Based on reviews, we ordered a few wines by the glass (though it was a much too dark to see the daily offering without a phone photo) and the skirt steak and double-cut lamb chops. Soon after, some lovely pieces of warm, brioche-like breads and whipped butter were brought out. Our entrees were delivered in a timely fashion soon after. The 7 oz skirt steak was served as we requested it: medium rare. It was flavourful, not too much balsamic vinegar, and paired nicely with the roasted potatoes and vegetables. The lamb chops fell right off the bone and we very much enjoyed the shallot and port tarragon sauce accompanying the entree star. To close the night, we chose the tiramisu and chocolate ganache cake (which was dense and indulgently chocolate-y but a bit more dry than expected). While we would have enjoyed more espresso-soaked ladyfingers than cream in the tiramisu, the tiramisu was definitely the dessert highlight for us!

    Linguine with Shrimp, fennel, tomatoes.
    Michael R.

    We had dinner here on Friday after Thanksgiving. My wife and I enjoy dining at the Bar if seats are available. We relaxed with cocktails before dinner. Both the bartenders were very friendly and attentive. For dinner my wife chose the Linguine with sautéed Shrimp, shaved fennel. Campari tomatoes, and the dished was enhanced with Pernod and fennel. The shrimp were nice size and perfectly cooked. The pasta was fresh, light and had excellent taste. My wife said it was one of the tastiest pasta dishes she has had. Upon sampling, I had to agree with her! :) I ordered the Veal Scallopini, lightly breaded and sautéed in garlic and mushrooms and deglazed with Marsala finished in cream. It was served with Orzo and a vegetable melody. The veal was tender, and very flavorful. The breading was in fact very light which I prefer to a heavy coating. We would recommend both of these entree options. The Earle is a long established venue downtown Ann Arbor. It is below street level so has a unique, cozy ambiance. They have nice relaxing dinner music provided by a small ensemble of musicians in the main dining room. We would definitely recommend giving them a try if in Ann Arbor.

    Skirt Steak
    Kaylee L.

    Came to the Earle to celebrate a birthday and graduation. We chose an early reservation, and were the only table in the restaurant for a little while which was nice. The atmosphere is dimly lit and downstairs in a basement. I saw they also had a piano which I assume is used for live music at times. For my drink I tried to Pomegranate Martini but with gin. I thought it was pretty good! For appetizers we chose the escargots and tortellini. The escargots come in a garlicky, buttery puff pastry. The puff pastry was light and flaky and I thought it paired perfectly with the escargots. This was my favorite of the two appetizers! The tortellini was delicious as well--the prosciutto in the dish is thick and adds a nice flavor to it. The bread was soft and fluffy and I really enjoyed it! The lamb chops were insanely good--they were paired with mashed potatoes, onions, asparagus, and carrot which were cooked to perfection. The whitefish was also very impressive. It was crusted and presented on a bed of spinach. While it is graduation, I felt that the service was a little slow for being the first table in the restaurant and ordering pretty fast. Additionally, I thought a dessert would've been offered being that it was my brother's birthday. Instead they gift a $10 off coupon to use next time you go. A kind gesture that we were grateful for, but it felt more like a "come back and spend more money" instead of a special way to celebrate your birthday on the actual day.

    The cool room we were seated at.
    Diego A.

    I ate a full course meal here during a work retreat to Ann Arbor and th experience was lovely. The staff was courteous and inviting. The mood was nice in the private group dining room where we were sat. The food was excellent. From the salad and appetizers to the delicious steak meal. All were flavorful, fresh, and satisfying. I didn't have dessert, but all my co-workers raved about it.

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    5 months ago

    Pop up happy hour is great. Kevin the bartender is very knowledgeable. Get therecat 5 pm and enjoy the quiet, unique atmosphere.

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    Spencer - Tin of Spanish Sardines ($10)

    Spencer

    4.4(215 reviews)
    0.1 miDowntown Ann Arbor
    $$

    I want to preface this by saying, I still recommend Spencer. The food is incredible, the wine…read morepairing with the menu is divine however, we had a bit of a downfall with them. For background, my boyfriend and I are from Ohio and ate here around the same time last year and have been talking about our experience ever since. My boyfriend suggested we go and get Spencer again for lunch and saw that they do not take reservations online. That is important to this review, that they don't take lunch reservations online. We got to Spencer around 2:06 and it was busy which obviously is no issue at all. When we first talk to a server, she said it would be about a ten, fifteen minute wait. Then a man came over and said about 40 minutes, again no problem at all. The issue is that they don't "do callbacks", so they don't take your number. You are expected to literally wait around the restaurant in order to hold your place, however the man said to just come back within 40 minutes. We were willing to wait, again with it no issue at all as we were expecting to wait anyway. We walked around downtown for about 30 minutes and went back just to check in. The same man said it would take a little longer, 15 minutes but that we were first in line and would be sat first. Again this is no issue, you can't gage on how long people will stay and eat so we were willing to wait. We let him know that we will be waiting outside then so we don't miss our reservation. A couple were actually in the same boat as us waiting outside. Finally, after about another addition 30 minutes a couple left the restaurant so the couple outside with us walked in and we were behind them. The man saw us, apologized and said they were in front of us because they "made a reservation online." Then crossed off their name below us on a sheet of paper. I'm sorry? I checked and you cannot make a reservation until 5 PM. So what in the actual world was that? I wish I was kidding and I know how I sound here but it was so obvious that he let them in before us. At this point we were in a catch 22, leave after waiting for an hour and thirty minutes at this point just to have them come out and look for us or stay for another promised "fifteen minutes". We waited since we did drive 2 hours and 30 minutes specifically for this restaurant. Finally, after almost an hour and forty five minutes we were sat. Almost half the menu was sold out. I just HAVE to laugh at this point. Apologies were said and at this point like what were we supposed to do? We ordered everything that was left, bread, olives, salami with carrots and a celery salad which they had to make a substitute with the salad. Whatever I would've eaten scraps at this point. I had one glass of wine and after all was said is done, they gave us last call. I am still laughing at this point. We ate our small dishes and promptly asked for the check, which was 58 dollars including gratuity. I am not even going to mention the countless people we talked to outside asking us to hurry up and eat fast so they can get in. This review is for no one BUT the management at Spencer. As someone who works in the service industry and understands set backs, you NEED to figure out your reservation system. Either you have one or you don't. Talk to your staff when these things happens so they don't lie to costumers when they accidentally seat someone before them. I loved the food, loved the atmosphere, but my God please figure out the seating and waiting system. I wish you all the very best!

    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.

    Photos
    Spencer - Interior

    Interior

    Spencer - Sourdough Focaccia ($4) - pretty good but a bit salty

    Sourdough Focaccia ($4) - pretty good but a bit salty

    Spencer - Strawberry drink (non alcoholic), and a glass of orange wine!

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    Strawberry drink (non alcoholic), and a glass of orange wine!

    Share Wine Lounge and Small Plate Bistro - Food menu

    Share Wine Lounge and Small Plate Bistro

    4.4(22 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    First, to make getting here simple, this is the bar and lounge at the Sheraton…read more Here I was, staying at the Residence Inn and thinking, "Gosh, I really don't fell like cooking after this looongg day!" I decided to check out the bar/lounge at the nearby Sheraton and have to say, no wonder Marriott decided to buy these guys! They have great beers on tap and great food. I had the sliders and the Santorini salad, which has fried artichokes on it. The sliders were great. Straight up beef patties on a brioche-like bun. No filler, slightly thin, but still tastes great and beefy. Just what I wanted. The Santorini salad is about twice as big as I thought it would be for $9. I really liked the greens which included butter, red, iceberg and romaine lettuces. It also had goat cheese, olives and fried artichoke hearts. Yum, but I couldn't finish it. Since I'm at the Res Inn I just took the rest with me. I also had the Blond ales on tap. Their big deal is supposed to be the wine selection, but the beer selection is very good. Perfect for slider night! Full, refreshed and ready for he long plane rides home tomorrow.

    This is a great place with American staples for when you want to relax at the end of a long day of…read moretravel...or just the end of a long day. The food and service here are really good, and the atmosphere is quiet and relaxing. Located in the lobby of the Sheraton, you almost miss it because it is so quiet. The ambiance is a little dark but not really dark - so perfect for relaxing. There is an unobtrusive TV above the bar for sports enthusiasts, but it is quiet to allow for conversation. The food ranges from quite good to really, really good. The bruschetta is distinct and fantastic. The mixture is served separately from the crustini, ensuring that the bread doesn't get soggy. And it has little pieces of fresh mozzarella in it to add even more freshness! Their fried mozzarella is also quite good, clearly freshly made. A friend had their salad and got blackened salad on it and really enjoyed it. They are happy to customize orders, whether that be food or drink. And they are happy to make drinks extra strong, so that's never a bad thing!

    Photos
    Share Wine Lounge and Small Plate Bistro - Cocktail menu

    Cocktail menu

    Share Wine Lounge and Small Plate Bistro - A table adjacent to wine wall display at Share.

    A table adjacent to wine wall display at Share.

    Share Wine Lounge and Small Plate Bistro - Nice bar and TVs here at the Sheraton.

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    Nice bar and TVs here at the Sheraton.

    Bellflower - Olive Oil Cake ($12) - very good! Vanilla-rhubarb compote with Guernsey whipped cream.

    Bellflower

    4.6(216 reviews)
    7.4 miDowntown Ypsilanti
    $$

    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!

    Photos
    Bellflower - Bar and seating

    Bar and seating

    Bellflower - Pork cutlet sandwich- outstanding!

    Pork cutlet sandwich- outstanding!

    Bellflower - Seating

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    Seating

    DropTop Pizza - Joey's Favorite

    DropTop Pizza

    4.6(69 reviews)
    8.0 mi
    Locally owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    DropTop is one of those small local spots that surprises you with how well developed and…read morethoughtfully run it is. The burgers are easily the standout!! juicy, flavorful, and clearly made with care. The shakes are AMAZING, and the pizza is different and big size, making it great for sharing. The fries are another win: crispy, well‑seasoned, and addictive. The environment is nice and cozy, which adds to the charm, though I do wish they had more tables. That said, they've optimized the experience by offering a separate pickup door, which makes takeout incredibly smooth and efficient... a smart move for a small business. What really elevates DropTop is the staff. They're super friendly, genuinely welcoming, and very knowledgeable about the menu. Their recommendations were spot on, and you can tell they care about the food and the customers. Overall, I'd absolutely come back. The burgers were my favorite, but honestly, everything I tried was solid.

    The Detroit style pizza at Droptop is some of the best I've had. Generous toppings, amazing crust…read morethat's not too thick, and a sauce that has just the right amount of spiciness. I had the Super Sport Pizza and it was outstanding. The rest of my family did the BYO pizza options due to gluten and dairy sensitivities and said the crust was the best GF crust they've had, and were stoked to be able to have it Detroit style! We also tried the Motor Oil Wings and they were excellent! Nicely sized wings and a good portion. The sauce was rich and umami just as described on the menu. I loved the dedicated "To Go" area in the alley behind the restaurant, close to the parking lot; not having to go inside the main area to fight through the people (it was crowded the night we ordered), was a big bonus. The staff working the to-go counter was friendly, fast, and helpful. We ordered online and everything was ready exactly at the promised time. We will 100% be back!

    Photos
    DropTop Pizza - Waffle Fries

    Waffle Fries

    DropTop Pizza - Dining Room with Bar

    Dining Room with Bar

    DropTop Pizza - Craft Cocktails

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    Craft Cocktails

    The Earle Restaurant - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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