A group of 4 of us who travel with the Heels all too frequently will be making the trip to Ann Arbor from Raleigh on November 28th. We’ve never been so I was curious if anybody had any suggestions for us on where to stay (it looks like the Graduate or Weber’s?), what to see (what is only in Ann Arbor?) and where to eat (best breakfast and steakhouse in town?). We have visited campus’s and cities across the nation for Carolina games and we’re looking forward to seeing Ann Arbor in just a couple of weeks. Any and all tips are welcomed. We would like to stay, see and eat things that can only be had while in Ann Arbor. Thank you in advance.
ETA: what is the last row number in the lower level and first row number in the 2nd level?
Check out the big house. Sometime on game days they have a single entrance open and you can peak in. Zingermans deli is probably the most famous restaurant in Ann Arbor. For breakfast you have to try Angelos.
Breakfast
Angelos - most popular breakfast place in AA
Benny’s - classic popular diner frequented by Michigan athletes. A Michael Phelps favorite
Frita Batidos
This gets its own section. Cuban burger place that is beloved. GO HERE for lunch or dinner at some point. Get the Chorizo frita.
Lunch/Dinner
Zingerman’s Delicatassen - famous sandwich place, frequented by celebrities whenever they’re in town. Probably overated/priced but still very good
Aventura - tapas
Savas - nice safe dinner/lunch place
Neopapalis - best pizza in Ann Arbor
Mezes - good cheap lunch place for gyros
Tmaz Tacqueria - best tacos in the area, more in ypsi than ann arbor
Pacific Rim - very expensive fancy asian fusion place. Probably my favorite expensive place to eat at in AA
Tomokun - Good Korean BBQ or noodle bar
Drunk Food
Mr. Spots - cheese steaks
BTB - Burritos
Pizza Bobs - Chipatis
Hunter House - Sliders
If I was constructing a trip, I would say 100% go to Angelo’s and Frita Batidos. After that, picking from anything else I listed would be good. If you want a different type of food from anything I listed, just take a look at Yelp. The standards for food are REALLY high in Ann Arbor. Anything 4 stars and above on Yelp will be really really good.
I live in Madison now, and although it’s a city that is frequently compared to Ann Arbor, the food doesn’t hold a candle.
Regarding the steakhouse, there’s a new place called Black Rock on State St. south of downtown. It’s not “only in Ann Arbor”, but it isn’t something around RTP (I think it has a couple locations in Michigan and Florida). They bring the steak to your table and you finish cooking it exactly to the level you want on volcanic rock or something like that. It’s a neat concept, and again, totally optional if someone isn’t comfortable with that. The steak is really good too.
Didn’t see the request for a steakhouse. The conventional best steak house is “The Chop House”, which is attached to La Dolce Vita (fancy desert place. Same owners, but technically separated)
Last row in the lower level appears to be 19. First row number in the 2nd level appears to be 22, although that depends on the section (some sections start at 25-26, etc), so I’d confirm on mgoblue.
Re: where to stay - The Graduate and the Residence Inn on Huron Street are the best for being walking distance from bars and restaurants. Weber’s is the nicest, but it is a 5 minute drive from downtown and not walking distance (2-3 miles away)
Agree with the suggestions above for food. Frita Batidos is a must for lunch. Savas and Aventura are favorites of mine too. Chop House is the steakhouse that a lot of recruits are taken to. Angelos is my favorite breakfast spot.
There are plenty of good bars/breweries downtown too and most have good food as well.
Beer:
Jolly Pumpkin
Grizzly Peak
Blue Tractor
Ashley’s
Beer Grotto (no food, but one of my favorites for craft beer)
Other drinks:
Mash - whiskey bar
Vinology - wine bar
Black Pearl (also has good food)
Melange (also has good food)
The Last Word (speakeasy)
You’ve gotta go to Angelo’s for breakfast. Especially coming in on a weekday it won’t be nearly as packed as is standard on a weekend. I will also vouch for Sava’s, though I prefer their brunch for sure. Somewhere not mentioned yet is Afternoon Delight, which is very, very good as well.
Zingerman’s is fun to go to because it’s so famous, but truthfully it’s overpriced. Pizza House is the same story. Aventura is good, so is Frita’s (though I’ve never been, but everyone I know says it is). Arbor Brewing Company is a good laid back lunch spot with these unreal chocolate chip cookies as well. I’ve gone exclusively for the cookies more than once.
Steakhouse wise, it’s a chain, but the Ruth’s Chris in downtown AA is just so good. Their lava cake is without question my favorite dessert in the world. The Chop House is also supposed to be outstanding, but I also haven’t been there.
There’s also multiple really good Asian food places on the Washtenaw end of South University if that’s your thing. I’m partial to either Korean place. Lots of good Korean, lots of good Japanese, but I and many other people I know here have yet to find a good Chinese restaurant (if anyone has suggestions).