Sava’s

I don’t know how this place only has 3.5 stars. My parents and I went there for a late lunch and extremely enjoyed it. We started off with some drinks. I ordered Van Gogh’s Portrait. It was delicious with fresh berries and mint. It was a much larger drink than I thought it would be. Very good. My mom ordered the Raspberry Beret. It is served in a martini glass. She enjoyed hers as well.
To start we ordered the special, the Bahn Mi French Fries dish. Fresh fries served with pork, Bahn mi, jalapeños, and multiple sauces. Everything about this dish was wonderful.
For our main dishes, my dad ordered the turkey burger with a side Greek salad. My mom ordered the Gruyère melt which comes with a side of tomato bisque. I ordered the Kalifa panini with a side of sweet potato fries. Every dishes was fresh, delicious, and cooked perfectly. The tomato bisque was extremely good and the sauce served with the sweet potato fries made them stand out.
Overall this restaurant was amazing and our server Mike was awesome. The prices are a little steep, but the food is worth it.

As someone who has been raised in the restaurant business with my parents owning several restaurants, I tend to be a little harsh with my opinions, aka– brutally honest.
I had heard several good things about this place but will probably never be back. Let me break down my experience. Upon arriving to Savas, I had plans of meeting up a group of friends for a birthday brunch. When I walked in I was greeted and ask «how can we help you» and said I was part of a party of 10 under so-and-so’s name and that I was pretty sure they were up stairs… The response I got was «well then go up stairs.» Minus 1 star right there. Rude.
Once we sat and ordered, any questions we had about the food/​drink options or substitutions our waitress seemed borderline clueless. Response after response of «Uhm, let me go check.» I understand being a new server but that’s why training is SO important… Loss of another star.
After we got our food, our waitress never came back to check and ask how anything was. The next time we saw her was for her to pass out each bill. Also very rude. The dining out experience from customer to server is just as important as the food. I’m not going to come eat somewhere that I don’t feel like a valued customer, I will gladly take my $ elsewhere. Minus 1.
Food was good but not worth a half hour drive to deal with unprofessional staff.

I’ve been here twice and I feel like this is an overrated restaurant where you are paying more for the pretentious ambiance than for good food. Yes, the interior is beautiful and fancy, but that doesn’t make up for overpriced, mediocre tasting food.
None of the food I have tried really stood out to me and tastes pretty average. I have ordered the Bandito hash twice. Other than the sauce they serve it with, you can get the same tasting food at a coney island and for less than half the price. Also, last time I went, one of the appetizer items (fried beet chips) I ordered came cold. I probably won’t come back here unless a friend wants to go.

Sava’s is wonderful for a variety of reasons — every time you visit a Savco establishment, you know you’ll have amazingly tasty food with specially sourced ingredients.
The environment is beautiful and perfect for dates, group gatherings, work gatherings, or even birthdays!
The must haves are their sweety fries and crème brûlée. I had the porchetta panini this time around, which is amazing! Their menu rotates seasonally and there’s usually not a wait.

Do yourself a favor and don’t order the burgers. I had the Bacon cheddar burger. The meat itself was just way too salty. The bun was a pretty standard hamburger bun, the kind you’d get just about anywhere. The bun was soggy by the time it got to the table, not to mention that the burger was smushed together like someone sat on it before it arrived at the table.
The burgers and sandwiches do not come with any side. Which wouldn’t bother me as long as the side itself is good. So I shelled out the extra $ 4 for the shoestring fries. I thought that at least for the price I would be getting some really great fries. Unfortunately the fries were just soggy. Not single crispy fry. Like they cooked them in a pool of lukewarm oil. With tip I paid $ 18 for my burger and french fries.
The service was great. The people are super nice and my waiter was fantastic. Unfortunately the food does not match the level of service. Really disappointed with the food, I really wanted to like my meal.

I want to start by saying I really like this place. The atmosphere is great, I’ve never had bad service and the food and drinks are prepared and presented well.
When I come alone with my husband or with friends, it’s a great time.
However, I’ve spent the last month arranging a brunch for five of my friends with small babies (under two). Finally, the morning of the brunch rolled around and we were all excited to go someplace nice with our kids and relax a bit.
This brings me to the reason I gave one of my favorite Ann Arbor restaurants three stars: I am sick of being marginalized as a parent. They seated us upstairs in a back corner by some kitchen utility door that staff were going in and out of with huge trays and crates of heavy dishes, having to maneuver past our children’s high chairs with these trays teetering over their heads. And under a heat vent that felt like a blast furnace.
Our waiter was nice. Our food was good. But I was pissed. And stressed. And hot. Sure, Sava’s is a «trendy» place, but these restaurants need to get over themselves. You’re not THAT hip. Kids happen. And furthermore, their parents just might be otherwise loyal patrons who may decide to go somewhere else next time they go out with friends or on date night. Believe it or not, there are nice, cool places that welcome families and treat them like rock stars.

We made reservations for brunch on Mother’s Day. When we arrived, we had to wait for a table to be bussed, and there was no apology for the wait. After being seated, we had to go find a server so we could go up to the buffet, because nobody came to our table. The wait wouldn’t have been as bothersome if the buffet wasn’t going to be closed down in 35 minutes, and that was what we came for. For the price and quality of food and service, I felt the buffet was overpriced. And $ 20 for a twelve year old?
Anyway, The BBQ hash browns were OK, buy I did not like the vegetarian hash browns. There were too many dishes using eggs– plain scrambled eggs, deviled eggs made with garlic and other spices (good), and egg and pastrami strata (which was so dried out, the exposed sides were turning a different color). I may be forgetting one. The bacon was thick and flavorful. Sausage links and patties were average. Waffles and toppings were average. The salad with greens was awful. I don’t know what they put in it, but the flavor was just off. Their pasta salad with chicken, on the other hand, was good. Oddly enough, my favorite dish was the roasted vegetables. The roasted carrots were especially good, even though they were cold by the time our reservation time rolled around. The fruit was fresh, and i enjoyed the inclusion of blood oranges for an unexpected splash of color and flavor. The biscuits were good, but the accompanying gravy had WAY too much meat in it. The ratio of meat to gravy was off. There was no omelette bar or meat station.
While Sava’s lacked in the service department, and with the quality and quantity of food choices on the buffet, the ambience is wonderful, and we enjoyed the comfort of the seats, and the great view outside, as well as the modern feel of the restaurant. Perhaps if we’d never been to brunch at Station 885 in Plymouth, or Fox Hills n Northville, brunch here would have seemed better, but this simply paled in comparison to our two favorite brunch spots. I hope your opinion differs from mine, and you are happy with your experience at Sava’s.

I came to Seva’s a very long time ago for breakfast. This location has since closed, but I thought that this establishment had great, healthy options for the A.M. Everything was plated nicely.

Came here for lunch. Was surprised by the Cuban sandwich … really good ! Easily could have had another one. The side order of mac & cheese was delicious (anything with gouda usually is) and left me wanting more. I really wanted to love the Chia Baby smoothie but it was firmly middle-​of-​the-​road. All other members of my party seemed to really enjoy what they ordered, so that’s always good.
The weather was nice so we sat outside … quite the pleasant space that’s in a good area of town for people watching (be honest it’s fun).
The menu is all over the map in terms of the type of food offered up, so it’s a bit hard to get a read on this place and what it’s trying to be. While this may not be an issue of any consequence to many people, it is in my book. I think it’s a good thing for a restaurant to have some focus, and it seemed to me that this menu was lacking that. I dunno, just some food for thought … no pun intended.
Having said that, the ultimate barometer of a restaurant is the quality of its food, and based on that (and the warm, kind service) I would definitely come back to further explore the menu.

I would really give this place 3.5 stars if I could. Sava’s is the generic upscale go-​to restaurant that you take your friends to when they’re visiting or if your parents are coming to town for dinner. While there is nothing phenomenal about this place, it’s still somewhere you should go at some point in your time at Ann Arbor.
For lunch, I’ve had their lobster BLT a handful of times because it’s not too pricey and their lamb burger is also pretty good but a little bit on the sour end because of the fixings. The sweety fries are one of their popular side dishes and for good reason! they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside which is how I like my fries. The dipping sauce that comes with it complements in flavor as well.
For brunch, I’ve gotten the Mediterranean eggs, the Southern fried chicken and waffles, smoked salmon sweet potato pancakes, and the buckwheat pancakes. All are very decent sized portions and all very, very good. However, my eggs came with a huge shell which promptly ruined my experience but I tried to not let it bother me. The table service was also not the best as the waiter pouring water into our cups spilled some onto us and the table.
I’ve sat at the bar once to try Sava’s drinks during a late weeknight. There were not many people there and the staff was very friendly and attentive. We ordered a specialty cocktail and a gin and tonic. The bartender asked what kind of gin and we were taken aback because most other places just gave the generic brand. The bartender suggested Tanqueray and we went with that — it did not disappoint.
All in all, Sava’s is somewhere you go to say you’ve been there. The dishes I’ve had are all pretty standard and this is a good place if you are looking for decent portions and familiar food.

With each time I’ve gone to Sava’s after its renovation and menu update, I think I’m less and less impressed by the food.
The first time I went to Sava’s was in Fall 2012. I remember getting the Huevos Rancheros and the breakfast was so large I had to take it home. I know large quantity usually means less quality, but that wasn’t the case back in the day. I really enjoyed the breakfast then.
A little after graduation last year in 2015, my friends and I went here for dinner. I ordered the Trout Salad, thinking I would get something light. I definitely got something light, as my $ 14 salad was composed of a handful of greens and mediocre smoked trout.
More recently, I came here for brunch. Well, it was 2pm but they were still serving brunch. I can’t remember what exactly I ordered… Something enchilada. It turned out to look like a weird lasagna. It still tasted decent, but it wasn’t that great. The mimosas we ordered were good, though it’s pretty hard to mess that up!
Our waiter was super nice and attentive. We got some dirty silverware, and he was apologizing profusely. Service is great here. I wish food was as well.

So sad to have had a poor experience here — I have heard great things. To start, the hostess asked if we would prefer inside or outside. She let us know that if we chose outside, there were heaters available. We chose outside because it was a lovely Saturday evening in late April. As it started to get chillier, we asked our waiter if the heater could be turned on. He let us know that one did not work.
So, we asked if we could move to a different table. He said yes. We ordered bombas for an appetizer– three delicious rice balls. We took all of our stuff (glasses and silverware included) and moved to a table near a different heater. Our waiter was nowhere to be found. We waited 10 minutes to see him again and put in our drink orders. We asked if this heater could be turned on, to which he claimed he would need to get someone else to do.
When he came back, he asked if we would like to start with appetizers. Perhaps because he had changed seats, he forgot we had already ordered an appetizer. (Best believe he did not forget to include it on the bill.) Still no one to turn on the heat, we laughed as the table we left from got their heater to work.
Friend 1 ordered the Cuban sandwich, my other friend ordered the Greek salad and I ordered the tomato soup and grilled cheese. I requested the honey on the side. We then ordered sweet potato fries and regular fries. The meal took 25 minutes to get to us, which is more than usual. Unfortunately all 3 of us were disappointed with our meals. The Greek salad was the best of the three, but still disappointing. The Cuban sandwich had delicious chorizo but the bacon was undercooked and everything was too chewy.
My tomato soup was delicious but tepid and served without a spoon. I waited an additional five minutes for our waiter to come back with a spoon.
The heater that we were sitting next to stopped working and we had to wait another five minutes for someone to get the heater to start working again. My ankle is currently in a boot and I had it propped up on a chair — when a different waiter came by, he tried to take the chair away even though my foot was propped up on it. It was awkward.
Even though I had asked for the honey on the side, the grilled cheese had still been crisp with honey on the bottom — which can be delicious but I did not want that for this experience.
It took an additional 15 minutes to get our check and 10 minutes more after that to get our cards back. Overall it was a two-​hour dinner. Our waiter was inattentive, the food was disappointing and overall, I would not have paid the $ 33 (excluding tip) for this meal.

Sava’s is probably my favorite upscale-​ish restaurant in Ann Arbor. Food is cooked well and always changing. I always find something on the menu I like. Brunch is the best in Ann Arbor.
I recently had the pork chops with grapes and a creamed polenta. It was delectable. Bae had a spicy seafood dish, and was really pleased.
Service is always on point, as are the wine selections and cocktails. They’re nut allergy friendly here, too.
Beware: go here at the beginning of the month so that you can plan to eat packaged ramen or chef boyardee for the rest of the month. This place will eat up your restaurant budget real fast. I don’t think we’ve ever gotten out of here without paying less than $ 80 (without tip), but it’s been worth it for a once-​a-​month splurge. Sava knows what’s up.

Awesome place for catching drinks with a friend. We came on a rainy Thursday evening and it seemed to be packed. We had a reservation and we were greeted quickly and seated the same. We sat upstairs, which actually the entire establishment has been redone since we last visited. It was a nice aesthetic, clean, updated, modern, which set a nice ambiance.
We were sat at a very, VERY awkwardly placed table. Granted I was there with a friend of mine but there was a supporting line running from the ceiling to the floor that literally cut where the appropriate chair should be (across from the table). Instead, I had to sit next to her at first, which I eventually just ended up sitting awkwardly with the pole/​line in my side so I could see her.
They had a nice selection of craft beers so we ordered as such and were there for some time. Our waitress was nice and didn’t pester us to order more or leave just because we were catching up. I really think they should re-​think their upstairs seating with those supporting lines, which would have made the entire experience much more comfortable!

I’ve only ever been to Sava’s for breakfast or brunch, but they have never let me down there! If you go for weekend brunch, you might want a reservation or else there will probably be a bit of a wait. On weekdays, though, you can get right in. Service is shockingly fast — I’m always surprised by how quickly my food arrives!
I’ve done the weekend brunch buffet before, which is super good. I don’t think I would do it again, just because their single breakfast entrees are soooo good. It did have a lot of variation and a lot of tasty items still. Besides that, I’ve gotten the puffed french toast and bruleed oatmeal many times! I honestly have trouble branching out and trying new things because those are soooo good! It’s hard to imagine anything being able to compare. The french toast is incredibly rich, though. I can never even come close to finishing.
Most recently I got their belgian waffle with fresh fruit on top and a side of bacon. The waffle was so light and crisp — it was PERFECTION. Topped with raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, this waffle made my week. I can’t wait to go get it again!
I can’t speak for Sava’s other meals, but if we’re speaking breakfast, this would be one of my very top recommendations.

Brunch Review
Was in town visiting my girlfriend for the weekend and we decided to try Sava’s for Saturday brunch after having a good experience for dinner on my previous visit. Got there around 11:30 am and were quoted a 30 min wait for a table. Fortunately, bar seating is first come first served and there were several open when we got there. The two bartenders working were very friendly and did a great job checking in with us, refilling water/​coffee, etc… even though they were quite busy.
I ordered the chicken and waffles and my girlfriend got the french toast. We also split a side of hash browns. The chicken and waffles was really good! It’s served almost as two mini chicken sandwiches with pieces of waffle as the buns, plus gravy and a honey flavored syrup. The hash browns were great to throw on top of the gravy! The honey flavored syrup was unique and something I hadn’t experienced before. Thoroughly enjoyed the dish. My girlfriend’s french toast was also really good, albeit a tad on the small side.
Great food, great service and most importantly, quite affordable. I’m always amazed at how expensive Ann Arbor is, and I live in Chicago, but our bill for two entrees and a side was only $ 30. Would love to come back for brunch on my next visit!

Black. Bean. Burger. I am going to say it… a non meat burger is the best burger I ever had. Paired with the delicious sweet potato fries and you will have a great dinner.
I have been here a number of times, and almost every time I get the black bean burger. The lemonade is not good, the fish tacos are too salty, and the mac and cheese is average (better if you add broccoli). But the black bean burger! Okay sorry I know I already said that, but I can not stress how much I love it. All three stars go to the burger, which is a five star burger (but I have to rate the place as a whole).
The service was nothing too special, but never bad. The restaurant is nice with a high ceiling when you walk in. It is kind of annoying that the bathrooms are in the basement (last time I was there I had sprained my ankle playing basketball a few days before so it was more annoying).
The pricing is reasonable. It is popular with UofM students since it is centrally located near campus and has a relatively low price range. Nice date spot for the student on a budget!

First visit the other night. Once again a place I’ve been meaning to visit for awhile and finally did. I am crazy for lobster, lobster rolls etc. I’ve been searching for where to get them besides my own kitchen it a different state. So I saw it listed and had to go in. An issue I would like to take a minute to mention– Reservations. I tried making a reservation that night using Open Table which is an app I’ve used for years. I make all my reservations on it. So I was surprised to notice that Sava’s blocks off days at a time. I thought it was maybe an event or something until I tried to make a future reservation and noticed the same thing four weeks out. Not very customer friendly in my opinion. That I can’t make a reservation Thursdays & Fridays a month in advance… That’s just crazy! They should at least make a note to call the restaurant for reservations (which I did) otherwise they are just potentially losing business making it seem that they are booked.
They did a remodel months back and it looks great. It’s beautiful and modern. Atmosphere is good as well. We sat upstairs in the high top tables. Not as welcoming and cozy as other places, maybe I’ll try a booth next time. Music was a bit loud. I had read many reviews on the slow service here but during our visit we had a good server who answered all of our questions and checked back appropriately. A huge downfall is the bathrooms. I’m used to the restaurants in Ann Arbor having their restrooms in the basement often times but sitting upstairs at this place and having to go down two flights of stairs is not appealing. Especially after a few drinks. They just remodeled and should have put restrooms in upstairs. For such a large restaurant it would be helpful.
The Food– My husband and I both ordered the Lobster Rolls and split an order of sweet potato fries. As I mentioned I love lobster rolls. These were flavorful and not all drenched in sauce. It was the perfect amount of sauce and it didn’t over power the taste of the Lobster. I do feel that amount of lobster in the roll is lacking greatly from others I’ve had at that price point. Way to much bread to lobster ratio. However, I will be back very soon to order them again! First place I’ve found since being in Boston that has them especially in the winter. Please never take them off the menu! Hopefully I’ll try some other items as well next time but I can’t promise.
Update today– ordered carry out lobster rolls, barely any lobster but a ton of sauce and that were warm. Very disappointing! If I had eaten in I would have sent them back. Especially after the 10 minute wait time on the phone to place my order. I called and spoke with the manager who offered me a gift card since I couldn’t come in for a refund. At least that was handled well.

Strolled into a very busy Sava’s on a brisk Sunday morning after the Michigan — Michigan State football game and had a 30 minute wait for a table. The place was packed with many diners opting for Sava’s very popular brunch buffet offered on the weekends.
Being here at the peak of the Sunday morning rush, our server was a bit frazzled and it showed as we felt pressured to our quickly place our orders.
Despite the sprint for our orders, our omelet plates arrived at our table quickly and accurately.
One Egg White Omelet with spinach, onions, tomatoes, whipped feta and lamb kefta got high marks while a «Spaghetti Western» Omelet chuck full of white onions, green peppers, babo porchetta and Swiss cheese knocked me out with excellent flavors.
Sava’s vibe was hip and trendy, the food imaginative and delicious but the frantic service knocked my overall rating back by a star. We will have to pick a slower time if we venture back for another visit.

I had a friend visiting from out of town and i was going to play it safe and visit a place with which i was familiar with. I always wanted to check out this place so i read some reviews. Some were good and some not so good. I decided to check it out. It is in the heart of downtown A2 which can be tricky for parking. It was not too bad for an early morning visit. I found a great parking spot. Whooohooo! My friend had arrived early and decided to sit outside which happened to be a great choice. It is setup courtyard style on the side of the building. Nice and cozy. The waitress was also attentive and had a geat attitude.
The menu had a variety of items for lunch/​brunch from Waffles, toast, eggs, pancakes and even a fried chicken based item.
I started off with a carmel latte and orderd the french toast and eggs with spinach, cheese and mushroom. The french toast was great. Sweet with a good cinamon flavor. It was almost like candy. I like my sweet so it was right up my alley. Don’t take this home to the kids. The eggs were also done just right, not runny and not overcooked. My friend was a vegatarian and opted for the egg whites. She loved that i choose this place due to this. She thought it was an excellent pick and i agree. I will visit for dinner soon.