Grange Kitchen & Bar

Went here for Sunday brunch and it was spectacular! The restaurant itself is lovely and the wait staff couldn’t have been more friendly and helpful.
As for the food, everyone at my table got the brunch burger and we all spent the rest of the morning collectively raving about it! One of my *very* particular foodie friends even said it was the best burger she’d ever had– and I can’t help but agree. It was crazy delicious!
However, one tip for if you order the burger: if you like it medium, definitely order it medium well. Everyone at my table ordered their burgers medium (myself included) and everyone got a burger that was instead a beautiful, yet very red medium rare.
While I personally like both medium and medium rare just fine, I know some are very particular about the cook of their meat and in general, we all just expect to get what we order. One of my friends ended up having to send hers back to be cooked more, but once she got it back she was just as in love as the rest of us! So just something to keep in mind and ask the waiters about if you decide to get the brunch burger.
But overall, the food was really great and the dining experience was fantastic. The burger was just $ 12 which I think is really good considering the quality and portion size. I will definitely be coming here again SPECIFICALLY for that brunch burger and would definitely recommend you to do the same!

I generally spend an afternoon in Ann Arbor three or four times a year, and when doing so, I always make a point of stopping at Grange. I’ve done so for a few years now, and each time I’ve ordered the same thing: duck confit poutine. There are two reasons for this. First, I am usually pressed for time, and do not have the luxury of being able to sit down for a full tasting menu, tempting as that may be. Service in the upstairs bar, where poutine is on the menu, is consistently fast, with my food usually arriving within ten minutes of ordering. Second, when made properly, it is the best thing I’ve eaten anywhere in the state of Michigan.
Why only three stars then? Because this rating reflects my most recent visit. And the poutine on this visit was rather mediocre. I’m hoping that the chef merely had an off night, and not that there has been a change to the recipe. But the gravy was decidedly thinner, darker, and less flavorful. The duck confit was less tender, and the cheese curds seemed colder and firmer than usual. While still not a bad dish, it wasn’t anything special enough to have justified staying in Ann Arbor later than otherwise planned (since they don’t open before 5).
I would also note that while I used to order cocktails there, I’ve stopped doing so more recently, because I’ve found the quality too inconsistent. And to be clear, I’m talking about the quality of the same cocktail ordered each time: the GKB Manhattan. Sometimes it is fantastic, and other times it is seriously underwhelming. I imagine the biggest factor in this inconsistency is that they infuse the bourbon in house, and each batch comes out differently. I’m not interested in paying $ 12 for a cocktail that isn’t very good half of the time.

Delightful place: cuisine, ambiance and service all come together to provide an excellent experience. We only tried two items, but this was enough to whet my appetite for more. Fresh Walleye Pike was best I’ve ever had. On the menu it was listed with a crusted brioche cover, but I requested simply pan seared. Grange happily –and expertly– complied. Meanwhile the gnocchi was fresh and richly flavorful. Drinks and wine were well chosen and reasonably priced. Meanwhile the atmosphere is simple but special, though it would have benefitted by removing the brown paper from on top of the tablecloths. Prices are definitely in the white tablecloth range. The server was pleasant, professional and unobtrusive. Overall Grange was an unexpected treat and I look forward to returning.

I had high hopes for Grange Kitchen’s brunch based on other ratings, but overall the experience was middle of the road. The architectural setting is great with exposed brick and oak woodwork, but the chairs were rickety and the table a bit wobbly. We were upstairs, which was quiet and where the bar is located. The stairs are older and hence quite steep. The sever was very nice but the manager didn’t seem to get it.
My friend had the Grange breakfast. Eggs were done nicely but the smoked bacon was literally dripping grease. It had great flavor but the fat was not crisped or rendered well. I ordered the breakfast poutine and replaced the fries with kale and caramelized onions. It was barely warm and without the cheese Kurds the first time. Then they popped the cheese Kurds on without heating them, so they were cold and the retuned plate even more cooled. I had to ask them to remake it, which they did and it was served at a tolerably warm temperature but not truly hot. The onions were more mushy than caramelized. Again, the duck confit gravy had great flavor and I still enjoyed the dish, simply would have liked it served hot. We ordered a side of the ginger sage sausage, which also had to be returned twice as it was served barely warm. The manager explained that they don’t heat it too much or it gets dry, but when they finally seared it and heated it nicely through the third time it was very tasty. It had that little crispy sausage crust one expects on a patty. It was only slightly drier, but still had plenty moistness. Overall the flavors were great but they had a very hard time serving the food at an appropriate temperature, and they didn’t take anything off the bill or offer any other compensation for having to send two out of three dishes back multiple times.

This is one of the worst restaurant experiences I have ever had. The menu is extremely misleading. $ 27 for trout, arugula salad, and smashed vegetables. What a joke. The trout was tasteless, salad small and tasteless, and the smash nothing more than a garnish. Save your money and go to the Prickly Pear.

I was a little apprehensive given the mixed reviews, but wanted a farm to table experience for my fish-​eating vegetarian companion. The service was outstanding from the first moment I arrived. Our server was attentive without being overbearing. She knew the menu and her suggestions were well informed.
The menu is very good for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. We both had the grilled trout and shared the two salads. The beet salad was wonderful and perfectly vinegary. I could not identify all of the root vegetables in the other salad but they were well prepared and the roasted garlic dressing was excellent.
The trout was superb and served atop roasted cauliflower. Best tasting cauliflower I have ever eaten. The fish was expertly cooked as tasted marvelous. We did not eat dessert but never felt rushed through dinner. The conversation was great but I am not reviewing my companion (also 5 stars).
I would highly recommend this restaurant.

I have to admit, I don’t remember much of the two times I’ve dined downstairs (but to the extent that that is telling I will mention it here anyway).
However, the upstairs bar is really neat and the cokctails were amazing the two times I have gone. It’s much cozier upstairs than downstairs (downstairs has some light colored wood benches against the wall, like a booth bench except all wood, somehow making it look kind of cold). So, I’d go again for the drink and want to try out the brunch, too.

Went upstairs for drinks on a week night when it wasn’t very busy, horrible experience.
Server was a straight up ASSHOLE. Rude to me and my friends, almost never checked in on us, forgot to bring drinks we ordered.
I really don’t get how a place that is trying to be authentic and «farm to table» is cool with having such lousy staff.

This place is amazing! With farm to table foods and local flare it’s wonderful. The menu is small but flavorful with each option with seasonal veggies.
I got the lamb and turnips as well as the side turnip salad. The lamb was exactly how I ordered, medium rare. I also had a bourbon hot cider cocktail that warmed me up from the warm winter air.
I definitely would suggest coming here if you are looking for a hearty delicious meal.

I can’t give this place enough praise. Please keep in mind, this is not the type of restaurant where you go to grab a quick bite to eat, this is the type of place you go to experience great food and drinks.
We have friends who live in the area, so when I suggested we go out to dinner for my fiancé’s birthday, this was the first place that came to mind. Everyone at the table absolutely loved everything we had, especially those duck fat fries! Because we were in no hurry, we all ordered drinks off their cocktail menu, and their bartender really knows how to make a strong drink but still have it taste delicious. Not one of us was disappointed with our drink selection, and same goes for the appetizers and entrees.
The wait staff was exceptional and extremely friendly. We had a few friends with dietary restrictions, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure they were cared for. I would recommend this place to anyone in the Ann Arbor area who is looking for a remarkable dinning experience.

I’ve been here once for dinner before and thought the food was good, but not exceptional.
This review is for the bar. Came up to the bar area Saturday night for a few drinks and an appetizer. It’s a small space, but luckily found two spots at the bar. The bartenders were very nice and social and the craft cocktail menu looked great.
My boyfriend ordered the old fashioned and I the pumpkin spice long island iced tea. The old fashioned was exceptionally made. I loved my iced tea! I don’t know how they make it but there was a hint of pumpkin spice without being too cloying.
We had the duck fat french fries which I really liked. Most times when you order a like dish at other restaurants you can’t really taste the duck fat; here you can.

Grange had been on my list of places to been to try for quite awhile. I came on a Tuesday at about 6. Their happy hour is everyday from 5 – 7 and offers specials on bar menu items and $ 2 off of drinks/​wines.
They offer a «farm to table» type of dining with various ingredients purchased from local farms and producers!
They have a different special everyday. Tuesday is skillet fried chicken. Wednesday (at the time of this review) is Korean tacos, Thursday is pasta day, Friday is fish fry, etc…
I checked out the main menu and ended up on the pan roasted chicken. It was absolutely delicious. The skin was extremely flavorful with a ton of spices and was very crisp. The breast was large and was served with a pan sauce and various vegetables. The fresh green beans were the best.
The menu consists of several appetizers, chicken, fish, beef and vegetarian options.
While the main course was very good, dessert was the best! I ordered the «Eton Mess» dessert. I thought it would be a baked Alaska type of dessert, but it was far from it. It was a beautiful bowl of raspberries, raspberry sorbet, little morsels of meringue (they looked and were the size of chocolate chip), cilantro and coriander whipped cream. The combination of flavors was amazing. I loved the cilantro with the berries and the coriander whipped cream was fantastic.
Prices were a little on the high side, but worth it for the quality and quantity of food you receive. Service was fantastic.
I can’t wait to come back!

Went here with a group of 8 on a busy Friday night in August.
5 stars for the concept (farm-​to-​table), atmosphere (like a quaint European restaurant, but in downtown AA), service (nice, and never snooty).
2 – 3 stars for the tastiness of the food and value. I understand that you will usually pay more for farm-​to-​table, but of the entrees we got (smelt & chips, aka fish n’ chips, grilled lamb, fried green tomatoes), none of the flavors, presentation or taste were breathtakingly great. This can be fixed with some help in the kitchen /​changes to the menu, but for now, we will try some other places in the area.
Suggestion to the owners: Google ‘Seasons 52′ and steal some of their dishes. They rotate their menu 4 times a year and everything we got there was great.

Came here for restaurant week and had a great experience. Service was prompt, menu was diverse, and I personally love the concept of locally-​sourced foods.
I started off the evening with smoked fishcakes in mustard aioli. While I’m usually not a fan of mustard, the aioli was spot on and complimented the fishcakes well. The next appetizer was a simple arugula salad. I was a huge fan of this too, and the pieces of parmesan on top really added a lot of flavor.
For my entrée, I ordered the pork, which was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. I was impressed with the pork, but the beans and brat it was served with didn’t taste like anything special. Since I was dining with a few friends, I also had the opportunity to try the roasted chicken, and I have to admit, I wish I ordered that instead. The chicken was deliciously moist and full of flavor. Personally, I think good roasted chicken is so difficult to prepare since there’s no sauce for the chicken to hide behind, but Grange has this dish completely mastered.

Came here for a work function with 11 people. The staff was very attentive. We came directly from campus with coats and bags in tow. The staff took our belongings and delivered them to us at the end of dinner. I had the pork with beans and kale. Everything was very fresh. I ordered my favorite dinner drink, a dark and stormy. For
dessert I had the fried Apple pie with a scoop of brown butter ice cream. The apple pie crust was like a Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuit (hahaha) and cutely wrapped in a newspaper crossword puzzle. Grange seems great for groups and the staff is familiar with U of M purchase card processes.

Second visit to Grange. Didn’t think it could get better, but it did! Went on New Year’s Eve when they had a prix fixed menu. Enjoyed every single thing we ate, from the appetizers to the entrees and then dessert. Perhaps the best dessert either of us has ever had.

We came here for dinner during restaurant week, and with a reservation, we were seated immediately. The service was prompt, and the food was all delicious, well prepared, and some quite innovative flavor combinations. I’m also a big fan that this restaurant tries to locally source their ingredients.
If you are a fan of bacon, you will be a happy camper here, as with our 4 courses plus drinks, all of which had some bacon in it!
The cocktail GKB Manhattan was made with bacon infused bourbon. Quite an interesting aroma, but the guys in the group loved it.
Our favorite dish of the night was the roasted winter squash soup with crispy bacon. It had a complexity of flavor and was rich and creamy with some spice. We each got different appetizers, the walleye cakes were made with plenty of fish meat, and the lemony sauce paired nicely with it. The squash potstickers could have been crunchier, but the others liked it. The pork rillettes were also good, but wish it came with more baguettes.
As for entrees, the pan roasted chicken on celery root purée, came with bacon jam. The chicken was super tender. The pork and beans dish came with crispy belly. I love anything with crispy fatty belly. I do wish it came with something to balance out the sweetness of the beans though.
We ended up also getting a dessert, and tested out the flourless chocolate cake with applewood smoked salt and black pepper ice cream. This was super interesting, again, a complexity of flavor, though, I’d have been ok with just regular vanilla icecream.

My husband and I dined here for the first time for restaurant week after wanting to try Grange for quite some time. In a short note: do not let the hideous interior design of the restaurant deter you from the fantastic good.
I had started the evening with a bordeaux blend. It arrived in a large wine glass, and was a nice compliment during every course of our dinner. To start, we ordered the sauteed walleye cakes and the squash potstickers. I am generally not a fan of the potstickers, however these were fantastic! Very elegantly done, and the chives on top complimented the sweet flavor of the squash. The walleye was fantastic as well.
For the next course we ordered the winter squash soup and the salad. The soup was flavorful and at serving temperature. It is a very nice winter soup and it had a creamy texture. The salad was absolutely bare. The restaurant week menu describes it as «local hoop house lettuces, shaved root veg, mustard seed vinaigrette,» but it was more like spring mix with dressing.
The entrees were overwhelming amazing. We ordered the pan roasted chicken, and the pork and beans. Portions sizes were a bit large, but it was optimal for sharing. The chicken came with creamed cauliflower, brussel sprouts and a sweet celery root purée. The pork was tender and meaty, and the bratwurst was salty in a way that complimented the brown beans.
Overall we had a wonderful experience at Grange, thank you!

If I could go 3.5, I definitely would. Me and a friend came on a recommendation that specifically stated to avoid the downstairs and head straight up stairs to get the best experience out of the place. We were able to grab a seat pretty quickly, which was surprising as it was pretty crowded.
The upstairs was a small cozy space with a seating area, a bar and several tables made up of two and four tops. It had a really chill and laid back vibe which carried over to the patrons and servers. The food menu was small and eclectic, but had a good variety of dishes. The drink menu mirrored in variety! Me and my buddy are normally craft beer drinkers, but decided on a specialty cocktail as it seemed to fit the mood of the place. The drink was tasty, but did not fit the description at all. The «bacon infused/​maple syrup and blood orange bitters» were void in the cocktail we ordered and we were told «the bartender has a heavy hand» which is all good, but I was exited to taste some bacon in my drink! The food on the other hand 100% delivered on all levels! We shared the duck confit poutine, which simply amazing!
Sadly, as good as the poutine was, it did not outweigh the service which was scarce to say the least. I am all for communal serving and don’t mind several waiters through out my meal, but in this case it didn’t really work as none of them EVER stopped by outside of the initial order and food delivery. We had to get up twice to go to the bar to ask for service and our check after waiting a little too long.
Overall, it wasn’t a terrible experience. Seemed like a pretty chill place and I would definitely give it another shot when I am back in town.

From the cozy décor to the friendly waitstaff, and of course, the food, I am a big fan of Grange!
The downstairs dining area has a refined farmhouse feel, a chalkboard features specials and details the local farms where various food items on the menu may be found (e.g. «Carrots from X,» «Pork from Z,» etc). The upstairs bar area is furnished in dark wood, approximately five dining tables, and leather couches, offering a more intimate dining experience that is great for couples.
The menu is constantly updated with seasonal offerings, so I will refrain from gushing about too many dishes for fear of getting your hopes up only to be dashed by new menu items. I will say, however, that the lemon pancakes offered at brunch are heavenly, and I always order one as a side dish, which the kitchen accommodates even though it is not offered on the menu — More kudos for that!
Overall, truly a 5-​star menu in a relaxed atmosphere! I just wish that they were open for Saturday brunch too!