The West End Grill

Great meal here and excellent service throughout. The price point is on the expensive side, but the quality is excellent and the portions are spot on. The veal dumplings starter and duck main were excellent. Will return.

We really enjoyed ourselves this night. Food was so good & hot. The staff was so nice to my family & I. Our waitor name was Gabriel he went out his way for us. He even decorated the birthday cake for us & lit the candle. He was like the host of the party. Will come back again.

We just had a most memorable and scrumptious dinner at Ann Arbor’s West End Grill. Mitch’s kind, attentive, and knowledgeable service couldn’t have been more appreciated, and will be long remembered. His spot on wine recommendations and lovely food pairings were truly perfect. Of note were the fig and brie cheese tartlets, the pear and Gorgonzola salad, before our savory mains: sea bass for my husband, and my excellent choice of salmon. We ferried an incredible piece of cake (an old recipe from a former tenant) back to our hotel, waited five minutes, and devoured it. Kudos to the chef, and kitchen staff, and all who made this dinner an already cherished memory. Thank you!!

Loved getting the table in the front window! I’m not a seafood eater but if you like seafood, the menu is choc full of a variety from sea bass to scallops. The tomato basil soup was very good. The lobster tail is 8 ounces and left little to be desired but the swordfish was tasty. The prices are very steep so be prepared to pay $70 for the Delmonico Steak. The big negative is this woman who I believe works there (see pic below) kept walking out and smoking cigarettes in front of the window. Just not a good look for what you pay for inside. Kevin is a good waiter and he deserves 5 stars. Gordy, the general manager was very nice and is very friendly with the patrons. Not sure we will be back.

First time visiting. Made reservations, and we arrived a little early and our table was ready! Sat down , and Gabriel was our server. He was awesome with his recommendations, very attentive, but not hovering. He knew every nuance for every dish. And I mean everything. We started out with cocktails, then appetizers, which we took his recommendation for the seafood studel and the calamari, which were exactly how he had described. Calamari was ever so lightly breaded and salted to where it really accented the calamari without overloading it with breading. Next was our entrees. I go the blackened porkchop, my wife got the burger, my mom got the swordfish, and my stepdad got the sea bass. Everyone LOVED their entrees. For dessert, we chose the orange cake and the carrot cake. Gabriel even noticed in our conversation that there was a birthday, so when they brought out the orange cake it had a candle in it! In all The West End Grill is one high end, 1st class restaurant, that is on our favorites list, and must visit list for Ann Arbor

Took hubby here for his birthday and the food was way up there. The flavors... you won't get anywhere else. The chef(s) really pay attention to detail and make sure the food is perfect and to your liking. Great place and highly recommend. We had the scallops and asparagus with coconut risotto, rack of lamb, roasted Brussels, calamari, and dessert. Everything was perfect. Thankyou for the wonderful experience.

My family and I went to The West End Grill to celebrate a milestone birthday. Other than the guy at the door, no other mention was made of my birthday, which was disappointing. My spouse is reticent to say anything, I guess. Every other time we've eaten here (often for anniversaries), the food, service, everything has been outstanding. This time, several of the dishes were disappointing. My salmon was undercooked and tasted odd, chicken was dry, servings were very sparse like a couple tablespoons of rice and 1 skinny cooked carrot). Our server is generally top notch. I think he was upset we weren't "drinking." We had someone with us who we were supporting in his early months of sobriety. The wine glasses were taken away in a huff, it seemed. No candle in the dessert. I don't expect we'll be hurrying back. Wonder if it's under new management? Please read the notes on the reservation and be sure to pass them on to the server. The saving grace was the AMAZING orange walnut cake, which is out of this world.

An excellent dining experience overall. Food and drinks were delicious. Most importantly the servers were very knowledgeable and had amazing recommendations. Branched out of my comfort zone at the suggestion of Mitch was the best choice of the night. Highly recommend.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:)

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.

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.

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.

West End Grill has gone down since last year. Portion sizes are much smaller and it's expensive. Went for dinner with 2 friends last week. Ordered the salmon and it was the smallest filet I ever saw. Accompanied by 2 baby carrots, a small tablespoon size of Rice a Roni rice and green beans. They should be ashamed to charge what they do for those portions. Our bill was over $500 with wine and I went home and ate. Save your money and go elsewhere!

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Drinks were good. That's about it. Don't know why it's so popular in my opinion. Sorry.

The service, food, and management are top notch across the board. One of the top five restaurants in AA.

We had a gift certificate to West End Grill and went there for my wife's birthday dinner. It is a lovely restaurant in terms of ambiance, and the service at the front end of our visit was excellent. However, once we sat down, service was very slow; we got our appetizers almost a full hour after we'd arrived! The waitstaff was courteous but inattentive. As for the food itself, every dish was extremely sweet, but otherwise didn't have much flavor. The menu seemed to make copious use of ingredients like honey and bacon, which do make dishes taste good, but also make them unhealthy and not very refined in terms of flavor. The most damning thing to me was that all the entrees all came with the same side dishes of rice pilaf and steamed green beans. (They used to give out a print menu, which listed different sides for each entree, but now they've switched to a much less informative chalkboard menu, perhaps to hide this fact.) For $40-$60 per main dish, I'd expect side dishes to be tailored to each individual entree! The one standout dish was the key lime pie for dessert. All in all, the food was very heavy (my wife called it "old-people food," lots of beef and fish in bland sauce). Although we liked the ambiance, we won't be back.

Food is delicious, and the service might be the best in town. Be prepared to spend a lot because if you have a bigger appetite like me you are going to leave hungry if you only order just one meal.

The location was great and the inside decor is cool and old. The food was mediocre American at best. I'm sure being in Ann Arbor and having to deal with the crazy covid-19 restrictions has put the quality in poor shape. Maybe we will give it another try in a few months.

Great restaurant. The food was excellent. The appetizers were good. I had the soup which was great. The dinners were great. I had the potato encrusted halibut. It was very soft and tasty. The potato encrusting was just right. Not too overwhelming and not underwhelming. My wife had the chicken. It was so good that you could cut it with just a fork. Definitely would recommend this place!

This was our first time dining and we were absolutely blown away. The food and the service were impeccable. This is easily one of our top three favorite restaurants now.

What a gem!! The food and service were both excellent! It was the first time here for us but definitely a place we will come back to. The waitress was personable and spot on with her recommendations. I had the Delmonico steak which was cooked perfectly at the temp I had requested. The other dish was the halibut which was tender and tasty. I had the chocolate torte for dessert (can't leave a proper review without having dessert, yes?)and it was chocolate decadence. My heartiest recommendation!!

Lovely decor and location. They have been open for dine in for awhile now. But service was slow. Our server had more people and the other servers chatted a bit rather than help her. Took almost 40 min to get our entrees. If they were amazing all was forgiven. But my hubby's lamb chops were tough. Probably the worst he has ever had (and the most expensive). My halibut was very bland and dry. My side dishes were really uninspired. Rice that looked like uncle bens and green beans they didn't even take the branches off of. We mentioned the lamb chops and no one came after we told the waitress. The house manager avoided any eye contact with patrons. For this price point of a restaurant more could be done. We expected an apology or free dessert. Even TGIFs does that. Lots of places to eat in Ann Arbor with better service, food and leas expensive (cocktails were 20 dollars!).

I Miss Roland. But the team is still there. At least part of them. And I think the menu is better. Thank you.The lamb chops were wonderful. And a good wine selection . And great service

Overall, the service was decent, the decor very traditional, and the food not very good, particularly considering the price tag. This place is definitely more traditional american than "new ." The decor and selection of mostly steaks and seafood suggest that it is a small take on a steakhouse, with a few other dishes thrown into the mix. I ordered the "gourmet biscuits and gravy" to start which was supposed to be an updated take on the traditional style with risotto cakes and seared scallops, but I found the scallops were completely lost in the sauce and the dish was bland overall. Next, I had a special for the evening which was a caprese salad with roasted tomatoes. The tomatoes were tasty, but the dish was served with too much fresh mozzarella - the centerpiece of a caprese should be the tomatoes not the cheese. Finally, I had the Chilean Sea Bass for my main which was touted as their most popular dish. The fish was not fresh so had a fishy taste and dried out texture - I couldn't eat most of it and filled up on the side veggies instead.

Love this restaurant. Original menu and high quality dishes. The bartenders do drinks right with generous pours. The atmosphere is great for special occasions, but also as a casual meal. Jake is the general manager and we love him. Jake cares about the quality and efficiency of this establishment and it shows. Well done!

Note: The West End Grill is a very nice place with great service and good food. The reason for 3 stars has only to do with the fact that I am Vegetarian and there was no Vegetarian option on the menu. The West End Grill is a classically decorated, dimly lit restaurant tucked off of Liberty St. The menu items are all listed, with prices, on a chalkboard, so you have to wait for the server to recite the full menu descriptions to you. As mentioned by other reviewers, this can be hard for a guest because it's easy to forget the first few descriptions by the time the server hits number 15. Unfortunately, there was no vegetarian option listed on the menu. Seeing as this is Ann Arbor, a city where there are more Vegetarians than a lot of other places... I think it's surprising when restaurants around here don't have at least one vegetarian offering listed. Of course, the server was extremely gracious and offered to prepare a pasta/veggie dish for me. This was appreciated, although I am capable of making pasta & veggies on my own at home - when I go out to eat I enjoy innovative and creative vegetarian offerings that I wouldn't be likely to attempt to prepare at home. And it's really not so hard, Chef's should just check out Seva's menu for some easy ideas they could add to their own menus! BOTTOM LINE: Impeccable service, nice ambiance, creative menu and high prices. A good date place for carnivores; Vegetarians should seek alternatives.

After considering a few top options in AA, took a client here for dinner. A=atmosphere, retro and eclectic. M=menu, creative. A=Appetizers, veal dumplings were incredible. Z=zesty variety of offerings. I=inspiring combinations, I wanted to memorize every description with their creative approach to food. N=nuanced flavors with eclectic options. G=great service from a team who clearly loves gastronomy. AMAZING. a SOLID, go to option if in Ann Arbor

My wife and I were walking around the streets of downtown Ann Arbor and down one of the quaint little streets was this restaurant. They had a menu posted outside. The inside looked terribly romantic. The menu items sounded mouth watering so we said we must try this place next time we're in town. We made reservations and arrived 15 minutes early. We were greeting by the door and asked if we would like to have a seat at the bar for some drinks while they prep our table. The bar tender was so friendly, we ordered two martinis. I guess they're known for them because they are huge! 10oz sized and the price is so incredibly fair for how much grey goose they poured for us. Our table was ready and the bar tender actually came around and carried our drinks to the table for us. Like I said so nice. We felt like family from the moment we walked in. They have these little private "booth" style nooks that actually is a table with 4 chairs so it's cozy and private. On our table sits a chalk board with entrees in one side and apps on the other but no descriptions . Our server who has been working here for over 21 years, came to the table and spent 5 minutes reading each item to us one by one and explained what it came with and how it was prepared. We were floored. My wife and I wanted to try everything but we had the seafood strudel which had fresh lobster, scallops and shrimps baked in a flaky dough finished with a light cream sauce. It was out of this world! Our entrees came with a choice of lobster bisque or salad. I upgraded to a caprese salad with heirloom tomato which was excellent, but our server brought me a soup on the house anyways so I could try it. It was amazing. We each had soup and ended up sharing the salad. For the entree I was going to get the braised short rib however my wife and I are suckers for gnocchi and they make theirs from scratch, so we both got that for our entrees. The gnocchi was melt in your mouth tender and served with a mushroom cream sauce! We were so full we didn't have room for dessert. I can say they won our hearts and our stomachs and we will be back 100%. From what we were told the owner of this restaurant wanted to retire and two regulars didn't want to see this place close. So the regulars bought this restaurant back in feb 2019 and wanted to make sure everything was kept the same. What an enchanting story. Even the chef has been working there over 20 years they said. It's hard to find genuine hospitality like this anymore. They deserve 10 stars, but 5 is all yelp allows. See you soon! Caio!

We have come to this restaurant for many years, and after our meal last night, sadly we won't be back. In the past, the fact that the menu rarely altered, was a little annoying, but we still found it to be a special night restaurant, but not last night. I am so disappointed. We started with cocktails, a lemon drop that was delicious and an espresso martini that was average, and smaller than the lemon drop, but the prices were very inflated at $18 and $20 a piece. Not worth that price. The fried artichoke appetizer was tasty, but the entrees failed miserably. I had the $62 Delmonico steak, with some bland mashed potatoes, undercooked green beans and 2 little baby carrots. The only side with flavor were the 2 small carrots. At this price, I expect every bite to pop with flavor. They did not. My first reaction was to look for some salt and pepper which of course were not available. The steak should have been the star of my meal, but no, I will probably never order a Delmonico again because of this experience. My husband had the lobster tail, at $48, which did have a great texture and taste, but instead of mashed potatoes he received a small serving of white rice, instant maybe?, with no flavor and the same 2 vegetables. In reading other reviews, it appears the chef has not strayed from these sides in a long time. Unfortunately, this all added up to tired food at an inflated price, and you lost us as customers. We knew this was not a cheap restaurant, as we have come for years, but had not been there in greater than 2 years, and we won't be back. Our server was wonderful and met our expectations, but seriously the food and drinks were lacking. Sorry, I would never refer anyone here.

My BF's favorite restaurant in AA. It's pretty good, would probably rate it more average+. Not quite a 4 to me. We went this past Saturday at 5:30, since the next spot was too late at 8:15. We had a bottle of petite Sirah, Consilience, which opened up nicely. Had a veggie app and the crab cakes. The veggie portabella and eggplant app was pretty decent, a bit bland and tasteless for my palate. The crab cakes was too flattened and puréed, couldn't feel any crab lumps, which I like and look for in cakes, was way too mushy, as in baby food mush. We both had a small cup of the lobster bisque, which was wonderful and the side salad was good enough roughage. I had the Chilean Seabass which had a nice sauce with it, but was too flattened, almost like Wiener schnitzel and didn't have the light airiness I was expecting and was grilled too much on the two sides for me. My BF had the potato encrusted halibut and it was cooked perfectly and tasted delicious. I had instant buyer's remorse with the Seabass and though he would have swapped with me. I decided i had to swallow my less than stellar option. We decided to end the gluttonous meal with a side of truffle oil and Parmesan fries, because I will never turn down an opportunity to try truffle fries, ever. The fries were good but still not as good as the truffle fries at town tavern in Royal oak, still the reigning champ. All in all the meal was good, the service was top notch and 2 hours flew by just like that. It does start getting a bit loud and raucous due to the ceiling and smallish venue. Give it a whirl. The food is worth enduring the noise.

We visited Ann Arbor recently and ate here. It's a lovely upscale intimate restaurant with great service. We had outstanding meals of sea bass and gnocchi. I would highly recommend!