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University of Michigan's Best Bets, Part VII: Fancy Restaurants

Posted by AHor 07/03/2008 7:30 PM

Definitely do the guy behind the counter, hit him back with some poetic justice...

News that’s in any way appealing comes rarely from Ann Arbor during Summer Term, so to spare you all from the reaching Ripe Produce stories that get a good deal of complaints, I’m opening up a Michigan OTR edition of The University of Michigan’s Best Bets. The best bets will ask and hopefully answer some questions that incoming freshman may have as they get ready to make their first impressions on campus. There will be a new topic to be voted on every day until I run out of ideas and get desperate like new seasons of Family Guy, running the earlier success into the ground. Get over it.

Post an answer in the comments if you don’t like the options and if others agree, it will be added to the options. If you guys have your own best bet questions you want to see put up feel free to send them in to the tip line and if they don’t suck I may use a few.

Part VII:

Unless you’re one of those Florida kids, out of state tuition (as well as in-state tuition) can really restrict your casual spending money. While you go to Subway, Noodles and Co, Potbelly’s, etc. for your everyday five dollar meals, there are some fine dining locations just a few blocks away. So for those who have enough money to go there regularly or those who can muster up a special occasion every now and then, the seventh question that Michigan’s Best Bets is: Where is the best place to eat for either a special occasion or when you’re looking to have a meal over $10?

Comments

Anonymous says,

How is Zingerman's Roadhouse not on the list?
Gandy Dancer also should be on there.
RSC doesn't even make top 20.
By far, the best place to eat. Posted 07/03/2008 7:51 PMReply

Anonymous says,

palio is not very good Posted 07/03/2008 9:48 PMReply

Anonymous says,

West End Grill is #1. It's ommission debunks this survey. Posted 07/04/2008 04:41 AMReply

Anonymous says,

Bella Ciao, hands down Posted 07/04/2008 04:43 AMReply

Anonymous says,

Logan and Paesano's, FTW! For people who actually enjoy food. Palio's is definitely not good at all. This list has obviously been sponsered by Main Street Ventures which owns 4 out of 5. Posted 07/04/2008 07:03 AMReply

Anonymous says,

don't forget Pizza house. that place looks really nice on the inside. very classy Posted 07/04/2008 08:43 AMReply

AHor says,

Thanks guys, keep the suggestions coming (I haven't had the time/money to try out a majority of these places in my first two years). I left a few suggestions out (Roadhouse, Paesano's) because they are too far off campus, try to keep em within walking distance. Posted 07/04/2008 08:57 AMReply

Anonymous says,

ann arbor chocolate house is awesome too for dessert. chocolate fondue. best date i've ever been on... Posted 07/04/2008 2:12 PMReply

Anonymous says,

Gandy Dancer.... Posted 07/04/2008 5:59 PMReply

Anonymous says,

Bella Ciao is awesome, but look in Kerrytown for a place called Eve. Definitely a more modern feel, but their cups of white chocolate are to die for. How about Gandy Dancer? Grizzly Peak (kind of)? We're missing some very important items here. Posted 07/04/2008 7:31 PMReply

Anonymous says,

Mediterrano! Posted 07/04/2008 8:52 PMReply

Anonymous says,

when the melting pot opens in ann arbor this fall, it will put all the rest of these to shame... Posted 07/05/2008 4:58 PMReply

Anonymous says,

melting pot is a joke. it's a fun experience once in a while but definitely not fine dining. Posted 07/06/2008 06:37 AMReply

Anonymous says,

how is cafe zola and eve not on the list. these are the best restaurants in ann arbor for over $10

the earle uptown (in the belltower hotel)
chop house
grazi
cafe zola
real seafood
eve
zingerman's Posted 07/06/2008 2:52 PMReply

Anonymous says,

cafe zola is definitely one of the best. by far. Posted 07/07/2008 08:09 AMReply

Anonymous says,

Chop House is the most overrated restaurant I've ever been to. The steaks are great (I'll pay anything for a good steak), but everything else is mediocre whether it's shitty mashed potatoes or lamb chops. I'd put Palio and Gratzi in the same overpriced bin just because the same company operates the three restaurants.

For a fancy meal in Ann Arbor, stick to Gandy Dancer, The Earle, Eve or Bella Ciao Posted 07/07/2008 12:24 PMReply

Anonymous says,

i 100% agree that the chophouse is overrated. i think that there are a handful of restaurants that are a cut above the rest:

and they are cafe zola, eve, and the earle, and bella ciao.

the earle has to be the best for atmosphere because its truly michigan tradition, and when you are in there you can feel that even though you are steps away from the mlb, you are in a different world where so many important members of the university have met for drinks and dinner.

gandy dancer has good food, dont get me wrong, but it just does not have the intimate atmosphere and ambiance that the restaurants mentioned above have. Posted 07/07/2008 12:46 PMReply

Anonymous says,

EVE is definately the best. Posted 07/07/2008 11:10 PMReply

Anonymous says,

Gandy Dancer is ****ing terrible. It may have been good 10 years ago, but it certainly is not anymore.

Other places I have had very good meals: Vinology, Melange, Zanzibar, and Kosmo Posted 07/17/2008 02:13 AMReply