Pretzel Bell

I grabbed an early dinner before the Michigan basketball game and had a solid experience. The blonde bartender (I think her name was Allison) made an absolutely delicious peach margarita. Even though it’s a basic cocktail, it’s hard to find a really great tasting one. I would come back just for her margs. 👍🏼 I had the French onion soup to start and asked for the bread/crouton on the side. The soup came out with the bread in the soup which is not how I ordered it. I don’t like soggy bread but I do like dipping the bread/crouton in my soup. The soup itself was just okay…not a ton of depth of flavor. It’s needs a little sherry or something. Not awful but nothing to get excited about either. My entree was one of the specials…lobster ravioli. While the lobster flavor wasn’t very strong it was still a yummy dish. I was missing the sweetness and richness that I’ve experienced with other lobster ravioli. The sauce was yummy but could have used more cherry tomatoes for brightness. The tomatoes really brought a balance to the bite that truly enjoyed. Overall, I really enjoyed the dish. The bartender was attentive, kind, and checked on me plenty. Service was decent but it took a LONG time to get my soup and it still came out wrong. The pasta came out pretty quickly after my soup so the pace between courses was a bit off. Even with the issues here and there I had a lovely visit at the Pretzel Bell. The atmosphere is always warm and inviting with cozy decor.

Loved this restaurant. We tried to get in during Sunday football, long wait. We came back the next day for supper. We were seated in a private booth for 4 people, very rustic lined with many old photographs showing the place has been around a while. Food was tasty, I liked the French Dip Roast beef sandwich. This was our 2nd time here and we will return. We are from Canada and enjoyed Ann Arbor and this restaurant along with many others in the area.

We had dinner here with our dad before the Michigan football game!! I cant say we could have had a better time, it was an all around excellent experience! We sowed up at 3:45 pm not realizing that they dont open until 4pm. no problem hit, Hit the old town tavern just a few doors down for a drink. Ten back to Pretzel Bell for their happy hour at 4pm-6. Starters and Big Ten cocktails half off, what a great surprise. The Woodford Reserve Old Fashion for $7 Large pour aged Cheries and orange slice was exceptional. I am a craft cocktail snob and this met everything! The berry margarita my dad had was suprisngly well balanced, they use a Grand Marnier and Altos , a real house berry puree and fresh good lime. My cosmo perfect. the pretzel starter the best I ever had, Ever!! please go here. atmosphere is sophisticated without being stuffy. really great feel. families, date night, or just some good times. I highly recommend. So, happy we went

I really love their happy hour special. $10 for a smashburger, fries, and a Pilsner. Unfortunately they were out of several items that we ordered. I would stop here again for the happy hour special, other than that a standard really nice bar.

I ordered a smash burger and potato skins during happy hour, and it was the best burger I've had. The lady recommended onions and it made it so good thank you. Bun was amazing, slightly buttery and grilled on the bottom ends perfectly. Multiple layers of lettuce, green and firmish is such a relief yall have no idea. Fries were good seasoned well and still a little crispy despite the consendation. Potato skins could use less sour cream and more cheese as it was too much overpowering everything even after requesting light on the sour cream. Shaved onions was a very nice touch. Shall be back to review again for update for consistency sake of course

The hamburger is one of the best around. It was made to perfection with bacon, sauce and an egg. I added the sweet potato fries which were amazing. However the staff needs to get it together. Our waiter took a long time before even greeting us. Actually he took way longer to get around to doing anything. We had to ask for ketchup for our fries after to walked away. The menu is limited, I would like to see more options.

Our server recommended amazing options. Cajun chicken pasta was amazing, the honey mustard pretzel croutons on the Cesar salad were a great touch, on the Totchose the tots were nice and crispy and the flavors popped! I tried the fruit punch which also was very good. Had went during happy hour so my drink was 50% off and I noticed they had theme nights on most days.

The Pretzel Bar offers a really cool old time swanky feel. They have tables, secluded booths, and high tops. The food is pretty good. Portions run on the smaller side, but we just got a few appetizers to share. Their drink menu has a lot to offer and they have a full bar so you can still order your favorites

My husband and I went to the down bar for the Christmas vacation popup in December and it was so fun! The themed drinks were delicious, as were the hot pretzel and potato skins (more like half a potato!) They really outdid themselves with the fun themed decorations; the ambiance with the decor and movie playing was amazing.

I feel cheated. Thought I was going to a historic U of M institution however I was hoodwinked. The original Pretzel Bell closed ages ago in 1985 and now new owners have opened another restaurant by the same name in a different location. The deception! The tomfoolery! Anyway I do appreciate the effort and also the food was good. That pretzel do kinda slay. Also that cheese sauce it came with was yum as well.

Ordered my soft baked pretzel to go and it came with warm cheese dip and honey mustard dip. It was about $6.50. The waitress who greeted me was friendly and led me to the bar so I could sit while I waited for my pretzel. The pretzel tasted very good! It had perfect soft and baked texture and the temp was nice and warm. The warm cheese dip paired really well with it! The honey mustard was a little too mustardy for me. I had to brush off some of the salt as it was a little too much but it tasted good!

Easily the worst Bloody Mary I've ever had. Chunky and way way too acidic. This is coming from a big fan of a dirty martini and lover of Bloody Marys. Service was fine and it was nice to sit outside while the weather was nice but my god learn how to make a bloody.

The restaurant and staff were friendly and we were seated quickly. The food was good and came quickly out. There was no one dish that stood out, but overall a nice place to eat and great location downtown.

We came in for a late Saturday lunch, and just didn't have a great experience with the service or vibes. The place was empty, but it took us quite a while to even get water, and food took its time coming out as well. Servers and hosts were not really out on the floor, and our booth was not well-cleaned. I ordered the smoked salmon toast which was good, and my friend got the smoked salmon omelette which was alright. Just kind of a let down:/

Excellent food and vibe. Do yourself a favor and order the sprouts appetizer. Those are the most divine Brussels sprouts I've ever eaten. They would convert even the staunchest sprout hater. From our table everything looked exceptional. The victors burger is the chefs kiss and the veggies were great too! Great service--was a little on the slower side but just enough to where we could have a great conversation and not be rushed. If you find yourself close to this place it's well worth a stop.

I can't believe I've never been here before. My friends walked in on a Friday night (8 pmish) and were seated right away. We got seated at a high top table. The stools spin but are weird and are kind of lopsided. Service was kind of slow. It took awhile for us to order and for us to get our food What we ordered: - complimentary bread: we didn't know we were gonna get this! It came with butter - pretzel ($11): it was a solid pretzel and came with hot mustard and cheese sauce. The saltier bits were better. - burger ($19): I got mine medium rare and asked for aioli on the side. I got sweet potato fries that I enjoyed. I wish they were crispier though. - fried chicken sandwich ($18): my friends liked it. There's bathrooms in the back and there is a downstairs area (I didn't get to check it lot though). There are TVs around the restaurant that are playing all sports games.

Went to the basement for the Christmas Vacation pop-up. The speciality drinks were good, but pricey. The decorations and staff were great. I was not happy to pay a 3% surcharge to help cover rising costs. This was not a credit card surcharge, but a cost passed along to all customers regardless of payment type. Seriously!? Just raise your prices. Most likely will not go again.

1). Plenty of seats available (i'm assuming they were reservations) but still needed to add our name to the list. The hostess wasn't friendly, as we checked in we were holding two small children. Upon coming back to get our seats the same tables were still open and the hostess gave us a high top table .... really? We have two small children! Then she asked us to wait 5 more minutes to get a table although the same ones were still open from when we initially walked in. 2). Food was boring and tasted bad. 3). Don't come here

Solid spot for some classic nosh! Pretzel Bell has some history in Ann Arbor that I know I don't fully appreciate myself, but know there's a lot of nostalgia associated with it. Had a good margarita and crunchy bird (chicken) sandwich with tots. I asked for a side of ranch and I think their ranch is probably homemade, it was tasty and unique. Dining atmosphere is more elevated than just casual dining. Feels a bit like a sports club. There's also a bar downstairs in the basement, and food service down there as well, but I don't like going down there anymore because my last two times I got sick. (I think just due to it being a popular spot - lots of people and maybe not the best air ventilation/circulation in the basement.)

The service was amazing, thank you to our server Nathan! He was very quick and polite. The food was great as well. We really enjoyed the pretzel and mustard, as well as their dinner specials.

The food and service are acceptable but there is absolutely nothing on the menu that was served by the Castor family who owned the original Pretzel Bell at its original location on the other side of the street and block to the east. At its original location Mrs. Castor hung her collection of original Tiffany lamps, interspersed with old upside down table tops all carved up by students over many decades. In my opinion it is highly misleading to call it the Pretzel Bell. When the old one shut down they failed to protect the name so the new owners just took it for themselves.

Solid food with a great atmosphere. We sat inside and enjoyed the historical ambience. We have walked by this establishment 100 times and never pulled the trigger- it was always crowded or we had something else planned. Definitely a great destination with wonderful fair.

This was, without a doubt, the best meal I have ever eaten. I have never been so consistently and wholly satisfied with every part of my meal. My cocktail, appetizer, entree, sides, and dessert were all genuinely phenomenal, every bite felt like the best thing I'd ever tasted in my life. HUGE shoutout to the honey mustard as well, that was a game changer. The restaurant was lovely inside, and Jeremy was a fantastic server. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Language does not currently exist to express how positive my experience was.

We had lunch here on a beautiful Sunday afternoon so we sat outside. If you are a sports fan, there is a tv and a loud speaker outside so you can get the Sports Bar experience while eating outside. We had the spicy (it wasn't spicy) chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries and a Caesar Salad. Everything tasted good, BUT you have probably had a tastier version of everything at another restaurant. Our server was friendly and helpful and once we had ordered our food arrived quickly.

Good outdoor seating. Nice options of drinks and appetizers. Great spot for weekends or game days, does get busy on game days but it's fun!

The crunchy bird is so yum. Quick service and good vibes! Parking around the area can be a pain though so just a heads up

Downbar is the closest thing to a home town bar you can get to in this chaotic city! The staff is all so welcoming and kind. Jeramie, robin, and prea all make you feel like you have known them your entire life and really cater to their crowd. I have never seen a more efficient bar in operation at peak business. If you want good drinks and a good time i highly recommend this spot!

Why was the egg benedict's sauce tangy? Where was the biscuit in the eggs Benedict? When the biscuits came, why were they horrible? Where is my onion soup? Why are people getting scolded in the kitchen? Salad was alright? The swivelly high chairs were fun though, and ambiance was alright.

Had a little time to kill- stopped in for happy hour. It's funny how pretzels can vary from place to place. Philly pretzels are totally different from Pittsburgh pretzels and this pretzel was distinctively different - in a good way. The cheese was tasty, too. They have a nice cocktail list and the happy hour prices were perfect. Staff was friendly, decor is fun.

Terrible service. You have to beg to order a watered down drink. 45 min later you'll get it. Nacho chips were stale and the 3 slices of avocado on top were crunchy. I couldn't cut the avocado with a knife easily lol. That's crazy. I had heard bad things but wanted to give them a chance because they decorated the downstairs bar like Christmas Vacation. Overall just have nothing nice to say. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ literally nothing special except a corner location.

A great spot! I love the story behind the pretzel bell! I got a salad when coming here and it was delicious. Our server was super nice and accommodated all of our dietary request.

Took the family to the sunflower farm near Belleville. And if you're in Belleville you might as well go the rest of the way to Ann Arbor. We've always loved downtown Ann Arbor and we're plenty hopeful that our oldest will go to U of M and give us an excuse to visit often. Anyway this time we chose to eat at the reincarnation of the Pretzel Bell which apparently was a thing before, and is a thing now. We were seated immediately on a Sunday afternoon. Got a nice booth with plenty of Michigan nostalgia and tables long victimized by key gouged initials and messages. We were quick to order and the food was equally fast in coming out. We started with the soft pretzel with honey mustard and beer cheese. The pretzel was warm and good but just a pretzel. The cheese was well received. I don't think honey mustard is the right choice; but we didn't spring for the spicy mustard. My wife and oldest split the mushroom pizza and Greek salad. They liked both a lot. The middle child had mac and cheese which she said was more like pasta and sauce than Mac and cheese. I always figured that was what that was. She also asked for and got carrots and celery instead of the offered zucchini. The boy had a pepperoni and mushroom pizza. Both pizzas were Detroit style. They were good, but not quite Buddy's level. I had the blue burger which came with bacon jam. It was good too. It could have used some lettuce and tomato to freshen it up. Finally, we wrapped with the ice cream sandwich and the cinnamon sugar pretzel which we shared around the table. A good meal for a very hungry family. Service was prompt and kind. 3.6 rounds to 4.

Very good food and amazing waitress! Her name is Amanda. She was very helpful, and though she didn't answer all my questions, she tried to find the answers, which was appreciated. At the end she blessed us with a very filling brownie sundae on her. she was very positive.

In AA consulting at "The" local hospital and staying downtown at the Residence Inn. Just a brisk walk to Pretzel Bell...and I wouldve walked further after my superb dining experience. You hear a lot about Ann Arbor being a "Foodie Locale" and I think most college towns will make that claim. This restaurant exemplifies and proves this to be true. I generally travel solo so I find myself seated at the bar. Jeramie welcomed me and acknowledged me even though he was very busy covering a Bday celebration at a table behind me. I ordered a quick beverage and then ordered the pan roasted chicken breast with a creamed spinach side, and the cauliflower risotto (picture included). I could not have been happier with my decision. It was plenty of food, and the chicken was done superbly, moist, but not over done. As the restaurant was very busy, and he was the only bartender, the manager stepped up and was assisting with dispatching plates of food for the wait staff and didnt relent until all were caught up. I even commented that the price of fame is extra work. I will be back. In fact, I will be here next week and this will be at least one night of my plans. ps...please menu photo posters...stop with the terrible repetitive pics that add nothing and arent straight on as seen below. If we cant read them, they aren't necessary. I do appreciate everyone adding recent menu changes, make sure they're readable. I also wish yelp would eliminate repetitive pics. No one needs to see 10 pictures of the same menu. Cheers! :)

Cute place, had a bunch of old Michigan pics all over. The food was good no complaints but it wasn't anything to rave about. The pretzel was tasty, burger was cooked well. No complaints just nothing special about it. Service was good as well. There is no parking lot, only street parking.

My roommate and I decided to check out Pretzel Bell for a restaurant week lunch and we were excited because of the great things we had heard about their burgers. Out of their restaurant week offerings, the crunchy bird called out to us the most. We also got a beef stew-one of their winter specials-to share (it was alright). The presentation of the crunchy bird was really nice and I really enjoyed the crisp texture but the taste was a bit bland. I wish there was some seasoning or something to add to the flavor of the chicken. The bun was also not as soft and fluffy as I would've liked and was more on the denser side. I'm summary, wouldn't come here for a chicken sandwich but might come back to try a burger and their cocktails.

On a visit to Ann Arbor in August, Nate and I had been wandering around campus for awhile and gotten pretty warm, a little hungry, and quite dehydrated, so we stopped in to Pretzel Bell for a drink and a snack. The interior of the bar is really cool, with curved wood accents and fun booths. They have outdoor seating available but we opted for the a/c since there were only a few other people inside. The hibiscus rum punch (bacardi rum, lime, hibiscus syrup, and peach syrup) and Churchill's breakfast (four roses bourbon, cold brew coffee, maple syrup, and torched cinnamon stick) were both excellent cocktails. Rum punch was slightly sweet and fruity/floral, and the bourbon drink was smooth, creamy, and delicious. Nate also got a mystery $2.50 beer which turned out to be Rolling Rock, which was pretty refreshing on a hot summer day! We ordered the cheeseburger sliders - 3 for $10 and they were a pretty nice size, with crisp pickles, buttery buns, and melted cheese. I had no complaints other than the fact that the QR code menu wasn't super obvious to me. Our server was great and really friendly. The best part was paying the tab using the same QR code on the table - super quick and convenient.

Stopped in when in town for a game. They were able to accommodate our large party of twelve which was awesome. The atmosphere was loud but fun. The food was all good quality with a nice variety for everyone. Would be back again.

Solid restaurant. We started with the pretzel appetizer, which was good a little small if you're sharing, but nothing spectacular. The burger was also very good a decent size but not out of this world. The sweet potato fries were delicious. I would definitely go back but with all the fantastic restaurants in Ann Arbor there's better. Service was good a fast. Nice place to watch a game. Not cheap but appropriate prices.

As Michigan State fans, we still really enjoyed the ambiance of the Pretzel Bell. Loved the vibes and the cubby seating we were sat at. I'm glad we stopped here after the Toledo vs EMU game we went to. We didn't order drinks, but the drink menu looked really good. We started with the pretzel, which came out very fast. It was buttery and soft and had the perfect amount of salt. My steak fajita salad was very good. Loved the dressing and all of the toppings. The steak was seasoned perfectly too. Our server was kind and checked on us often.

Food was great (love the burgers!) and the vibe awesome on a football game day! Service was fantastic also. Love the cozy booths -very good for families or with friends. Wish they carried more cider and not just beer/wine/cocktails (they had one cider on the menu but were out of stock when I was there on a football game day)

Food is below average for price. Chicken sandwich tasted like a frozen chicken patty. Very overpriced for the quality of the food. Service was not the best either. The atmosphere is good here though, but i would not come here if I'm stopping by for one meal in ann arbor. will not be returning

12-21-2023 Came w/ sons and gf before an Ark show. Super convenient. Our server, Edward, was friendly and efficient. Decent ambiance and the food was good, with the french dip and baked pretzel as stand outs. Our grilled cajun salmon was a bit disappointing, overcooked and not very cajun

My friend and I went to the downstairs bar area. He drinks, I don't. I was DD that night. We went to the bathroom having a jolly chat and someone else was in the bathroom and they left. Apparently he was a bouncer and he came back with 2 bouncers into the bathroom and said my friend was too drunk, which he wasn't, and told us to leave now. He didn't even order anything yet. All he was doing was talking. There were like 5 people at the bar at 10:30pm on a Saturday. It's places like this that are destroying Ann Arbor's once great nightlife. Pretzel Bell, you're letting your bouncers spy on patrons in the men's restroom. Shameful and weird.

Food was okay. But the cheesecake was the best! So good! Server Manny was nice and made us feel welcomed!

good food good service. stopped in for a quick bite and a drink. easy in and out. lots of good thing to choose from. Love downtown. for sure will be back

Food and service were excellent but the bill included a 3% surcharge for "rapidly rising costs." This is not transparent pricing. Inflation has returned to historically normal/pre-pandemic levels of nearly 2%. If your costs rise, raise your published prices and re-print your menus. Slipping in 3% at the time of payment is dishonest and predatory. I won't return or recommend to others given this practice. I left feeling cheated.

Been here a few times now and I really like it! The hot pretzel on the appetizer menu is always so good, and they used to have pulled pork sliders that I love. The menu has changed up a bit recently, so I got the Pbell chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. My partner got the Varsity burger and rated it a 9/10. A little pricey in my opinion but definitely would return

This place is awesome, but the service is really what brought down my experience. A lot of our plates took a long time to come out with a lot of mistakes on the customizations. Additionally, they forgot some of our appetizers. The food was great though once it came out, very sharable for the large group I was with and the atmosphere was very fun with sports games on the television. The pretzel is obviously a must and the baked potato bites are also a great sharable plate. I got the iceberg wedge salad, which was super good and the salmon is also a delicious options.

Better than average bar food with a fun game area in the downstairs area. I tried the nachos, a burger, and some wings. All were good quality with the nachos probably the best of the bunch.

The calamari was barely fired and and lacked flavor. The Cuban was pretty decent. Good flavor or meat

Ella was great! Best server ever! She makes me want to come back all the time! Can't wait for my next time

If it's got pretzel in the name it better be one good pretzel - they are! Nice service and solid food. Will return next time in Ann Arbor.

10/10 experience. They had a nice patio section and the food was good too. I ordered a Paloma with an appetizer of calamari and the burger with the pretzel bun. Overall, no complaints.

The food was really good. The atmosphere was awesome. The service was great. I had the Cuban sandwich. It was super delicious. I also had a house salad with tater tot's. It was really delicious. I would go back there again.

In town for a rowing regatta at Ford Lake. Came after the teams departed. Nice spread of a dozen or so craft drafts (not 100% IPA's, but if that's your thing, they are well represented). Food surpassed expectations - excellent. As you would expect - the pretzel was top notch. Crew shared some orders of fish and chips - must say - they were some of the best we've had. Rivals any U.S. based Irish Pub. Definite winner. The cinnamon crusted, pretzel, ice cream, carmel dessert thing was crazy good. Again, if that's your flavors of choice - HIGHLY recommend. Rachel was our server and could not have been more attentive and engaging. Great place! Enjoy!

A really solid go to restaurant if you're downtown looking for something eat and drink. Good place for celebrating too (B)