I will echo my brother, Haroun K., in that I really didn't expect to enjoy Local. I was prepared to write it off as just another hipster haunt in Ferndale. My friend had to pull my arm to visit the Ferndale eatery, and I'm so happy that I complied. My second biggest fear, next to just not liking the food, was that I wouldn't be able to find any Weight Watchers-friendly fare. Boy was I wrong.
To start, I had a vegan (minus the garnish) tomato soup. I love that they used a mushroom base. I've never like the mushroom flavor more than I did in this soup. The chunky texture of real tomato mixed with fruit's inherent acid, I could have eaten a vat of this.
Not so WW-friendly were the fried green tomatoes that my table split. Three slices of beefsteak tomato were served golden brown on top of three sauces, with a green onion garnish. One sauce was a spicy tomato, one was a goat cheese sauce, the other was a red pepper jam. I'm used to the goat cheese being worked into the tomato pre-fry, but it was still so darn good this way.
Finally, my entree. Noms. I had the spinach salad, and I added crispy chickpeas and grilled tofu. Really filling, really delicious. The chickpeas were roasted to perfection, and the tofu was grilled beautifully, with the marks to prove it!
My boyfriend had a mint julep -- very strong, and minty -- and the pappardelle with vegetables and pesto, served with grilled chicken.
My friend had the carnitas nachos.
All of us were inducted into the clean plate club that night.
I imagine that any night other than the Sunday following a holiday would have been busier and nosier, but our evening was perfect. Thanks Local, we'll be back!
We wandered by on a late Sunday afternoon when the place was almost empty, and so were seated immediately- nice. I had the CUban sandwich, which was superb, and my sweetie had the eggs, toast and fantastic rosemary potatoes. Great food, reasonable prices, friendly staff, funky casual ambiance. Prices are very reasonable for brunch, and lunch; dinner gets a little pricier with everything ala carte, and entrees running $10-18, although that's not bad for a hip restaurant in Ferndale.
Review Source:Went with my boyfriend. Â Interesting and diverse menu choices. Â I had a kale salad which was perfect and my boyfriend had a lamb dish that was delicious. Â The service was excellent and the restaurant was lovely. Â Will definitely return here.
The wait is a little long but we were able to hang out at the bar while we waited.
The staff was extremely accommodating, it started the rain while we were seated on the patio and the waitress moved us closed under the awning and when the wind picked up they moved us gladly for the second time.
Besides the great wait staff the food was just mediocre. We had the fried green tomatoes which were cooked perfectly but just was not satisfying. For the main entree I had the chicken and dumpling skillet. If was very good but was a smal potion. I ended up eating later. For 2 entrees, 2 sodas and 2 appetizers we spent a grand total of 65.00 before tip. In my opinion there are other good if not better restaurants where you can get a better bang for your buck.
I do have to compliment the restaurant on their very cool and unique decor. Bravo!
Love the house made cocktails. Very friendly staff.
The special ravioli with peas and morel mushrooms was amazing, it also came with a buttery sauce that tasted divine. Would totally recommend if they offer it again.
The scallops with morel mushrooms-tasty.
However the scallops only came with 3, some type of corn pudding, a few morels and was $28. For reference, Beverly Hills Grill has scallops selling for $24. They were good, but it seemed pricy to me.
I think this place is on point, very cute interior-a great place to catch up with a group of friends. However I think they need to watch their pricing. I understand everything is locally sourced, but I still think they need to be more mindful of pricing.
Check it out-I'll be back to check out their patio later this summer!
My husband and I went to Local this past weekend for the first time to give their brunch menu a go. Â We left happy, full, and ready to take on their dinner menu in the near future. Â
As a lover of all things orange juice, I was super impressed with their fresh-squeezed option. Â It wasn't overly pulpy at all, and I ended up having to pace myself so I'd have something left for when the food arrived. Â :) Â
The orange butter that came with the pecan waffle was an clear winner, and really helped elevate it from "just a regular waffle." Â And the stuffed fresh toast - with nutella and bananas galore - was a hearty portion, but led to multiple "mmm"'s throughout the meal. Â Local's morning poutine with mushroom gravy, cheese curds, and egg any way you'd like was pretty spot on. Â The fries that were off to the side had great flavor on their own, and while I'm not a fan of mushy ones (which is what happened of course to the ones hanging out with the gravy), my husband was a huge fan. Â
Our server was attentive and friendly, and even offered up change from his own wallet when the lady manning the cash register told him that she couldn't break a dollar so we could have money for our meter. Â Little things like that made the restaurant stand out, and led us to leave Jordan a generous tip. Â
See you again soon, Local!
First impression of this place was good - cute atmosphere/vibe, nice drink menu, great outdoor seating, etc. Our server was new and said it was his first night (probably allowing himself the leeway of making mistakes) - but he totally forgot all of our drink orders even after writing them all down....not a good start. I don't think he was quite ready for his first night, especially since it was 8:30pm on a Friday and they were of course very busy.
Once we got the correct cocktails, they were very good. I had the Sangria and it was not too sweet, just right. Our appetizer was good, we had the ham/cheese plate and it had some really nice meats and cheeses with mustard and bread. Quality starter.
When it came to the entrees - I ordered the Chicken Paillard which sounded like it would be a hearty entree. It was $17 and so for a $17 chicken entree, I was expecting a decent portion of meat. When the entrees arrived I was very dissapointed. All I got was a teeny tiny sad looking chicken breast that was completely flat and dry. It was about the size of my fist. On top of the chicken was some greens and a few shaved mushrooms. These greens were barely dressed at all and had NO flavor. They were supposed to have truffle oil...definitely did NOT taste any truffle.
Two other individuals in our party got salads and ordered them with chicken. It was a $5 upcharge for chicken, and they got the same pathetic looking chicken that was on my plate. It was like the chefs took one large chicken breast and split it into three entrees. Absurd.
We were all less then impressed by the portion size and taste of our entrees - and needless to say felt like we were COMPLETELY ripped off. I live in Chicago and am used to paying higher prices, but this was literally insane. This place is trying to be hip and cool and encourage people to "eat local" - but they definitely spent WAY too much money on their fancy decor and Williams Sonoma cloth napkins, and not enough on their kitchen.
Over all - definitely will NOT be back. There are enough good places to check out, and this is NOT one of them.
My friends and I went to Local last night for the first time, and I'll definitely be back. Â They're a busy, popular place, so if you have a large group, I would make reservations on a weekend night. Â They don't take reservations for couples or small groups, but you can call 30 minutes ahead and get your name on the list in advance--that definitely reduced our wait time significantly.
Our waiter was pleasant, but he also seemed rushed, like when my group ordered sangria, he didn't even pause to see if someone might want to order something else. Â (I did, but decided to just try the sangria--it was admittedly delicious, with glasses that came with an orange on the side and very fresh-looking strawberries in the bottom). Â
I had the panzanella salad with grilled tofu--the greens were crunchy and fresh, the little balls of fresh mozzarella were delicious, and the croutons were yummy. Â I wish they'd gone with a firmer tofu (I like it firm ;-)), but the flavor was still quite good. Â Everything that my friends ordered looked yummy too, especially the mac & cheese and the nachos. Â I had the brownie a la mode for dessert, which could sometimes end up boring, but the brownie itself was a chocolatey and just the right amount of gooey and the ice cream was super-rich--not like the stuff you get at the grocery store. Â The salted caramel topping with the perfect complement. Â I'll definitely be back--the menu had plenty of yummy looking vegetarian options and this seems like it would be a great place to bring a date.
I had really high hopes for Local Kitchen & Bar bc the menu looked SO GOOD...however, I left extremely unimpressed.
Pros:
- there was one waiter and another lady (host? manager? not sure) who interacted with us...they were both friendly
- Decor..loved it. I also loved that we were able to sit in the room near the patio bc it was so nice and warm outside.
- Extensive wine & (I think) beer list
- Coke products!
- Jams. Â I usu don't eat bread, but my waiter recommended I get a biscuit to enjoy their jam...he was right! I totally forgot where they got their jam, but there are 2 flavors (clementine & strawberry basil). Â I must get my hands on their strawberry basil jam...sooooooo good.
- Chips. Perfect.
- My bf enjoyed his 5-cheese frittata
Cons:
- Everything was SO OILY..like drenched in oil.
- There was nothing special about the breakfast menu. And by that, I mean I wouldn't go out of my way to come to Local Kitchen & Bar for the food alone
- Our waiter was nice, but....I don't know, he left a bad taste on my experience. Â (If the other guy was our waiter, this would've easily been a 4-star review.) Â I don't know if he was hungover/drunk/high/under the influence, didn't want to be there, or what, but I was not at all happy with my service. Â I couldn't wait to get the check to leave.
Over all, it's a nice place to check out if you're in the area, but don't come out of your way to eat here. Â I'd like to come back again some day in hopes of changing my rating, but I don't see myself giving this place another chance when there are so many other options in Detroit to go to.
My wife and I went for brunch on Sunday morning and the experience was just great all the way around. Â Cool decor, great service and the food was outstanding. Â Great coffee, very cool touch with squeeze bottles of locally handcrafted preserves. Â I said to my wife "you know - nothing says "we don't give a crap" like the little individual plastic Smuckers poison servings that you have to peel off and dirty a knife trying to carve out a tiny dab of for your toast". Â The strawberry ginger jam was great. Â The home fries were tasty and we ordered an omelet and frittata that we both split and they were both really really good. Â Highly recommended.
Review Source:I LOVE THIS PLACE! Â Our first experience was for Easter Brunch this year and we just went back this past weekend again, yet another great dining experience. Â I love the decor and the ambiance of this place. Â The food was amazing with a very diverse variety. Â
I don't usually rave about bathrooms but this place actually carries the "theme" right down to the hallway in the basement and into the bathrooms. Â Nice attention to detail all around - from food right down to being visually pleasing everywhere your eye roams. Â We will definitely be making this spot a regular stop.
Have you ever had a JALAPENO DONUT?  Well I had one in my soup last night and it was delicious. The soup was  smoked carrot, and there it was floating in my bowl! The overall result was a very tasty soup --and it was not really "hot". I also had the lamp shank which came on a bed of beans with a great gravy---very good. My wife had the veggie Panini and  loved it. Others in our group had Emily's chicken pot pie and a burger with excellent white cheddar cheese. Everyone was very happy with their meal. The wines and beer were great too. For desert we shared a citrus cake in a jar---also excellent.
Richard did a perfect job of serving this exceptional meal.
We'll get back as soon as possible!!!!
The trend among new and local restaurants is fresh, local food, sustainable, environmental conscience, and more artistic and creative dishes. Local is attempting to accomplish just this and executes it well on most of those objectives. Most.
The Fried Green Tomatoes are served with pepper jam, goat cheese, and a tomato purée having an impact on your taste buds in a sweet and savior fashion. The breading on the tomatoes is nice and even with a sweet thick slice of a green tomato underneath. It was nicely golden brown with three sauces to match is flavor profile. My favorite was the pepper jam, but it was milder than other places that make it. Some places give it a kick of heat in the beginning or the end. This jam didn't have that delivery, but it has that sweet undertone that works well with the tomato. Both the tomato purée and the goat cheese are both well suited to work with these delicious fried wonders. They are both mild and help to balance the fried flavor. My only criticism is that with these two sauces, it neutralizes it too much, making it more bland than complex.
The Pork Belly appetizer, arrived along with the tomatoes, which are pan seared, served along with house made conserves, herb salad, and rye toast. The pork was nicely seared on the edges and still fatty on the inside. It had that nice rich balance of fatty, salty, and crunchy. The conserves, well, they are not spectacular. One is cinnamon apples and the other is sauteed onions. Both are served cold, real cold, refrigerator cold. It would have been better if both were warm or even room temperature. The herb salad includes a nice small set of greens and lightly dressed. I'm not sure why the toast is there. Didn't use it, didn't need it.
Here was the bad part of either the service or execution of the food delivery. The appetizer arrived and not 45 seconds later, the entrees arrived. So our entrees were getting cold while we were eating the appetizers. Not to mention, the table really isn't big enough to have all this food on it. We make it work, but it was difficult to maneuver.
The carnita nachos has home made chips, shredded pork or vegetarian black beans, salsa, pickled jalapenos, crema, queso, and avocado. I like that it can be made vegetarian as well. The chips are wonderfully crispy and not sure if its in the chips or somewhere else, I swear I taste some kind of cinnamon hidden in their somewhere. This gave it a nice element of surprise and allure. What's also nice with this dish and particularly the jalapeños is that they remove the seeds. For me, spicy is my thing, for for many others, it's not. So in this case, you can still enjoy the flavor of the pepper, but without the heat. It's a nice little touch.
The Seared Scallops with Wild Rice Jambalaya was one of their specials. The scallops were seared nicely, but I don't thing they were cleaned properly. The scallop had this wonderful smooth texture and while enjoying the sear, you get a harsh crunch hear and there. The crunch of grittiness, improperly cleaned scallops, a turn off. The jambalaya was certainly an interpretation of one. It was not one I've had in New Orleans for sure. I think anyone from there would send it back if they had it. That's not to say it wasn't good, it just wasn't a traditional jambalaya. There wasn't any sauce on, in, or around the rice. The rice did have some chicken and shrimp pieces that were cooked and seasoned well for a non-jambalaya dish.
Finished off with a nice dessert of Rick's Brownie having vanilla ice cream, salted caramel drizzle on top. I was so happy to see the brownie warmed up. It was very nice and warm that just barely started to melt the ice cream, not too quickly. It had hidden chocolate chips in the brownie that was a nice surprise. The ice cream was ice cream. Nothing special. The salted caramel sauce was on the skimpy side and a little more would have made it just a little better. It needed that little extra salt to contrast the sweetness to give it a pow.
Ok bear with me here, I am not one who really gives bad reviews so for me to give this review you must trust it was really not a good experience. I am really trying to hit every point along with my extreme irritation over my last visit. So here it goes.
The location- Prime. Right where Via Nove was (So sad about his place being gone- it was wayyy better than this new place)
Parking- Always somewhere to park in Ferndale and I love that parking meters are only until 8pm!
The above was the good part...So here is the bad part....So as soon as you walk in you give them your name at the little hostess area and like most places you try to find a place to stand around for an hour until you are seated. So along with a small bar there are about 4 high pub tables lining the wall with two bar stools at each so we, like others who came in before and after us, we sat there because it only seemed right that those were for the waiting patrons right???? No one of the managers who I later found out her name was Kim was rude and came over and told us "We are seating people here this is for dining you have to find somewhere else to wait" OK so my party of four kindly got up and walked to stand on the wall... fine, not a big deal even though she could have worded it way better being we are waiting to eat in the restaurant she gets paid by, anyway continuing on....
So we are at the table, nice décor love the country- shabby chic look in the place. Love the colors on the wall. Didn't care for the menu all that much but was willing to give it a go- The menu is all over the place to me, they don't seem to have a specialty they go from one part of the world to another - the menu does not fit the "look" of the place. This menu once it's all broken down could  be any hole in the walls menu. One end you see a turkey club sandwich then look over a few spaces and you'll see mac and chz... It just didn't flow to me. It seems as though they are trying too much.
First I'll let you know what was actually good, the fried green tomatoes were reallly good and the mac and chz was also ok- no comparison to Vinsetta garage's mac and chz- hands down Vinsetta has got them beat. Also the mini corn bread muffins and butter are good and sweet, really like those! So I also  ordered the brisket and grits. I asked for a bun on the side - they bring me the brisket on the bun which I was highly upset about  because I knew they would only put as much as they could fit on the bun and that they did which was exactly... 6 pieces 3 big pieces and 3 burnt ends. This was $16. So to make an extremely long story short. The so called manager Kim came over casually (I didn't call her over) and asked how was everything. My friends said good I was quiet -didn't want to get myself worked up and I wasn't going to say anything. She must have sensed I wasn't happy and with an attitude asked me directly  if everything was OK I said not really and told her why, she offered to help in NO way and even added a smart remark which infuriated me to call over a real manager. This was when Rick came by- not any help as well, actually took up for Kim and made matters worse. Soooo the point here kids is that along with a menu I don't care for. I won't be back. All the nice décor in the world can't make me like the menu and put up with being insulted by not 1 but 2 managers. The end.
After reading a few reviews and getting advice from a friend who had been here a few times (and was with us during this visit), it seems like their brunch is a lot better compared to dinner. Still, I would realistically give this place 3 1/2 stars.
A recent early afternoon brunch on Sunday wasn't too busy with friendly and prompt service. And the five of us all raved about our dishes.
I had the short rib hash -- chunky, tender pieces of meat with smaller cubed potatoes, onions, peppers with hollandaise and two poached eggs on top. Really flavorful and hearty, which was what I was looking for that day.
The only downfall were the potatoes, which were way undercooked -- tough and rubbery, which was a disappointment.
Our waitress was nice, but I think she was new: Our drink order wasn't taken right away, but when we were ordering food. We had to ask for condiments rather than having it brought out with our food.
All in all, a respectable spot for brunch but didn't knock my socks off.
The good: interior, waitstaff, mixed drinks, wine selection, appetizers.
The bad: entrees.
I've eaten here six time (it's close to home) and figured it's time to review. Each time, the entree is ALWAYS a) tiny and b) totally mediocre and c) completely overpriced as such. Just ate there tonight and the veg entree: $17 for two little things the size of tiny spring rolls, sitting on a pile of braised celery and leeks and a watery sauce. So lame. The ham and cheese app was delicious though. This place needs to up it's game. Wish I could switch John D into this location and Local onto Woodward!
Overall we liked it and will try it again. But here are the highlights and lowlights. Can i rate it a 3.5???
Great - nice casual place, cool decor, comfortable dining, good bar. Carnitas nachos were awesome, i could have eaten just that for dinner! Â Although they appear in a strange place on the menu.
Good - lamb shank and brisket were good, but the portion size of the brisket seemed small compared to everyone elses entrees.
Ok - mac n cheese and parpardelle lacked flavor. Steak frites special, ribeye was a bit fatty for my taste but the fries, aoili and herb salad were nice.
Awful - dessert! Â After being enticed by the big boy style rotating dessert case as soon as you walk in, we chose the strawberry rhubarb cobbler. It was served cold - really??? - and there was just a thick layer of undercooked cobbler batter with literally NO FRUIT at all underneath. Very disappointing end to what was otherwise a very nice meal. Waiter offered to bring us something else but our taste for dessert had already gone south.
Also, the menu is clearly labeled "spring" but it still feels very wintery to me: pot pie, meatloaf sandwich, lamb shank, heavy pastas. Probably would not return until they roll out their "summer" menu and we can try out the patio.
Aside from the fact that we called ahead, had reservations and still didnt get seated until 2 hours later, my friends and I were still in decent spirits by the time the food came. Our appetizers, which took another 45 minutes, were cold. My friend's main dish, the bistro steak, was cold. They took it back and warmed it and it was still cold.
The two stars are for ambience and our waitress, who was very accommodating and apologetic.
Still not enough to bring any of us back there.
I really didn't expect to like Local as much as I did, and I really, really liked it. Â The yelp reviews, reviews in the local press, and even the restaurant's website made me think this wasn't my kind of place. Â But actually, it is wonderful. Â Walking in, I was amazed at how much better the space looks now compared to when it was Via Nove. Â It has a warm, almost Colorado-lodge atmosphere, with lots of wood, and a smoky-wood smell, that makes it like sitting at a campfire or fireplace. Â Soft music like Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkle was playing the background. Â I actually prefer the atmosphere to that at Vinsetta Garage - it's much more welcoming. Â And it's nice sitting by the windows looking out on 9 mile.
There was a grilled portobella and onion sandwich on special, which was great. Â And the spinach salad is just terrific, with orangey accents (and I don't even like oranges), and beets and shaved fennel. Â The sandwich also came with an herb salad on the side which was wonderful in its own right - so fresh and flavorful. Â The kale salad looked delicious and got good reviews. Â For dessert I had this tiramisu sundae which was gone in 30 seconds.
Service was very, very good, and the experience was altogether very positive. Â I'll be returning.
There's ample (pay) parking in the back lot, and some metered parking on the street.
A few friends and I met up on President's Day, or some holiday, and shared an experience here. The interior is beautiful. Granted, not something I would decorate my place with but a restaurant, sure! There is a fireplace, pitch forks and various farming things on the wall, then there are these candles that are placed on the old school weights. The ambiance!!!
One of the topics of conversation was the paper straw! They feel a little weird drinking from them but they're interesting. The cocktails are intriguing as is almost everything else in this place, from the food, the soda (their home made concoction), the decor... etc~
I highly recommend this place but I probably won't be back.
Not only is this place my go-to restaurant for taking visiting friends and family to impress them with Ferndale's ever-growing awesomeness, but I just discovered that their special wine tasting dinners are just plain fabulous!
If you are lucky enough to get a reservation for one of these 5-course dinners, I would highly recommend that you give it a try sometime. Local utilizes their private party space above the regular restaurant for these tastings. Our party of 8 had our own large round table. Loved the mood lighting and elegantly arranged tables.
Each course is a little taste sensation and pairs perfectly with the wine that the wine experts have chosen. Let me say that I am NOT a wine drinker, but I very much enjoyed the glasses they had chosen to compliment Local's delightful culinary concoctions. I can now say with confidence that I fully trust whatever these capable chefs feel like preparing. I had quail for the first time last night!
Just another reason that I'm proud of my fabulous Ferndale!
Fantastic date night at Local! We had a cozy little table. We had delicious homey food. Â Loved the mini corn bread muffins that they brought to the table. The turkey meatloaf sandwich was fab, as were the brussels sprouts on the side. The baked mac & cheese was super yummy - loved the combination of cheeses they used, the buttered breadcrumbs and the candied bacon was a nice touch.
We got here before 6pm on a Saturday night and we were seated right away - but it wasn't long before the place was packed and by the time we left it was crazy busy with tons of people waiting. It was a nice experience and we look forward to a repeat visit.
Went here for dinner with a few coworker/friends and was pleasantly surprised by the warm and inviting interior. Imagine being at a friends really nice winter cabin, complete with a roaring fireplace and warm comfort food. We joked that if we didn't have to drive home or work the following day, we could have plopped ourselves right in front of the fireplace the remainder of the evening.
They have a fun and somewhat hipsteresk specialty cocktail menu, which did not disappoint and a full bar for those a bit afraid of the fancy. We all ordered their specials that night which included a flank steak hash, lamb shank and grilled mahi-mahi type of fish. Everyone's meal was decadent without being miserably filling. I also sampled their creamed spinach which was happily found to be gluten free as was the lamb shank special I enjoyed.
My one gripe would be that they unfortunately didn't have a ton of GF options, however the server we had was a complete doll and also extremely knowledgeable about the food items and worked with me to find some truly wonderful options.
Would totally go back with friends, a date night or brunch!
I met up with three lady friends for a simple weekday dinner. Â The ambiance was warm and inviting, service professional and cocktails were tasty. Â Everyone really enjoyed their food: mac&cheese (with candied bacon), pork&beans (pork belly~), steak (came with rice). Â In general, the food was noted to be very rich and that the candied bacon didn't quite go well with the mac&cheese. Â
I had the spinach salad which was dressed with a rich, but bright citrus vinaigrette. The fennel, delicate beets and shaved fennel really did it for me. Â My turkey club was really nothing worth writing about, but I guess it was my fault for expecting something on par with Mudgie's sandwiches in Detroit. Â Dry turkey, ho hum challah. Â Actually, once I toasted my leftover half of sandwich in the oven, it became quite edible.
Overall, it's a bit pricey for me, but maybe I just need to order the right thing. Â I did appreciate the hot toddy ~ I was in need of a drink and something for an itchy throat ;)
p.s. I LOVE the smell of woodfire. Â If you don't, you might wear something that doesn't need to be dry cleaned often.
Local, I owe you an apology. Â My last few experiences were exceptional and I forgot to Yelp about it. Â I think I may have actually posted a picture, but neglected to write....
Let's do a little menu analysis. Â
- Crostini, simplicity at its best.
- Mac and cheese with candied bacon, dependably, amazingly delicious as always.
- Tater tots, lovely. Â
- Club sandwich, a delectable amalgamation of clubby goodness, bacon, gruyere, and sriracha (who doesn't love sriracha) mayonnaise. Â
- BBQ Brisket sliders, classically delicious. One recommendation, more cheese. Â Everything is better with more cheese.
- Sicilian meatballs, quality homemade meatballs with a subtle but present diverse flavor profile, and well-made sauce.
...I've had many more items off the menu, but I have to complement one of the specials that I had recently. Â Beef cheek in pastry ravioli with ox tail broth and braised vegetables. Â It was like two little delicious beef wellington pillows but BETTER. Â Soooooo good.
I love you still, Local Kitchen. Â Your hostesses are welcoming, servers are always polite and gracious, and I can't say that I have ever had to wait for a table - that might be strategic, but I still appreciate it.
Great place! Â We went for lunch. I'll break it down
Ambience: Quiet, lunch appropriate, casual. Large restaurant. It has mixed rustic and industrial decor. Very nice touches overall. Fireplace in the front annex like area with seating all around as well, very cosy.
Food: My husband's beef brisket sliders were excellent - he was ga ga over them. My burger was very good, well made and put together. Â The bisque was okay, a bit too sweet. The coffee was just fine. We intend to return for the fried green tomatoes and the poutine!
Service: There was confusion aplenty re: service. This is part of where the star is lost. It took a LONG, long time for the hostess to materialize while we cooled our heels at the foyer in this half empty restaurant. It took a while for someone to take our order. While I was eating my bisque another bisque mistakenly showed up and obviously had to be sent back. On a separate occasion, when my friend and I showed up, we were greeted and about to be seated when the hostess remembered that "oh it's after 3 and we close at 3". Â
Overall, would go again - I feel the service issues will iron themselves out with experience and with maybe hiring more servers. I plan to try their poutine (you don't see that much around here!) and friend green tomatoes - if I knew the service would improve I'd return faster!
Food and ambience would have received four stars if not for these reasons:
1. I called ahead and asked how much valet cost and was told it was free. When I did valet, it cost $5.00. Ok, I can deal with that but then when I am leaving to present my ticket to the valet, I see them 'working' on my car. They had left the headlights on when parking and drained the batteries but then still charged me for valet with no apologies. I had wondered if I came outside if they would have told me.
2. I had been looking forward to the corn muffins that everyone is talking about that comes out before the meal with the amazing butter. We didn't get them. The people who were seated at the communal table while we were eating did and people sitting around us were. I had felt like we gypped. Â
At places charging higher prices for casual comfort food, the service should have been exemplary. That's why I'm being so harsh.
I loved the fried green tomatoes, the mac and cheese and my cocktail was delicious. I loved the communal atmosphere, and the service was ok. Our waitress was friendly enough but absent pretty much every time I wanted another drink. I like my drinks flowing and a new one as I'm finishing the last but I had to hunt for the waitress. Regardless of how busy a place happens to be, if they are adequately staffed there will not be an issue with being thirsty!
I enjoyed my meal and service at Local Kitchen and Bar! My servers name was Stephanie and she was fantastic. She definitely made the dining experience more enjoyable!
First of all the space is beautiful. Like, for REAL beautiful. They have a fireplace that lures you in off the cold streets. Also, they were playing great music - which to me, really enhances my time somewhere! So 5 stars for both service and the interior!!
I wasn't super impressed by the menu. It took me a while to decide what to order because nothing jumped out at me like - OMGah that sounds SO good. I eventually settled on the Kale salad. It was unique! At first I thought it was only okay tasting but when I had it again later as leftovers I thought it was really good. Not sure why I wasn't loving it at first - but now I would definitely recommend that salad to others heading to Local! It has some quinoa on it and pistachios etc. My friend had the chicken pot pie and said it was amazing - I think next time I'll try that :) They bring out little mini cornbreads with like a citrus-y butter spread before your meal - now those were reaaal good!!
Overall I enjoyed Local - they are exceptional at customer service and having a beautiful facility and atmosphere.. maybe I will update to 4 stars if I go back and try something different that really wows me! If you're looking for a spot to try in Ferndale you will most likely enjoy your time at Local- no real complaints here!
Meeehhhhhhhhh.
Honestly, I really really really wanted to like this place. I really did. I stalked their facebook page before they opened. I drooled over the pretty pictures they posted. I drove by all the time wondering when they were going to open. I COULD have been their biggest fan. BUT when they finally opened the pretty pictures, long waits, delicious SOUNDING menu just did not live up to the hype.
Meh is a perfect description. I have visited local on a few different occasions and nothing foodwise stood out for me. All of the things I have tried were just fine. Nothing extraordinary. Just fine .... Meh. The service was not great. The prices were high. Meh Meh Meh.
I will give them one thing. The drinks are delicious. Unfortunately, I do not believe their craft drinks are listed on their website but whatever quenched my thirst while I was waiting for my table was fabulous (I think it was called "The Local"??).
They have done a great job updating the place. The interior is very pretty and I love the wood burning fireplace. Sadly, the food just does not warrant another visit. Oh well.
This is my favorite new restaurant!
Dinner: I have eaten there a handful of times and have seen  the growth of its personality. The food is always great and I'm consistently changing by new favorite dish. Right now my favorite appetizer is either the bbq beef slider with home made cheese sauce or the house made ricotta. The chicken pot pie and turkey meatloaf are incredible but I think the scallops may be the best scallops I have ever had and not talked about nearly enough, perfectly cooked and huge. For the desserts, my favorite is the Misters banana pudding and before my one complaint had been the container it was served it but they fixed it!!.
Drinks: The drinks are awesome. I follow them on facebook and they keep having wine and beer dinners with local breweries. I have had the chance to try one yet but the reviews they are getting and making me kick myself for having missed it. I can't wait until they have another one. Their everyday beers on tap are awesome and Michigan worthy and the bartenders are great.
Bruch: So I just had my first brunch experience at local which is the reason i felt I finally had to write a review. The Brunch was the best brunch I have ever had!, first of all, Â maybe it was because it was snowing, but we had a table near their wall of windows where the fireplace was cooking and the snow was falling. Â What a way to start a sunday. I ordered the short rib hash (Im a sucker for short ribs) and my wife ordered the Chilaquiles. The only problem i had is now having to decide which one i want to order next. The other couple we were with had an egg scramble special and the nutella french toast.
When i left that brunch, i realized that ferndale had an incredibly special place in their neighborhood. I can't wait to spend more special occasions there!
I'm torn between two stars for drink prices and four stars for food. Â Three stars it is. My husband and I each ordered a beer, both priced a few dollars more than other bars nearby. Â $32 for a bottle of Vander Mill?! Â It's like $12 in the store. Â $9 for a pint of Hopslam? Â Only because it's one of my faves. Â There wasn't anything we were really excited about on the menu. Â It's kind of "meh". Â Nothing stood out and I wasn't immediately drawn to anything in particular. Â We settled on a few things to share: chicken pot pie, creamed spinach, and Mac and cheese with bacon. Â All had great flavor, especially the Mac w/ bacon, but I don't think I'll find myself craving any of it any time soon. Â I'll go back if some friends want to check it out, otherwise it will be a while before we return. Â
We were lucky and found two seats at the bar right after we put our name on the list. Â We decided to stay at the bar and eat and I'm glad we did. Â When we left people that were ahead of us were still waiting. Â And if I had waited that long for that experience? Â I would have been upset.
Unlike some people(Heather J.) I have actually eaten here. How is it possible to review a place you have never eaten at? Weak sauce.
After a long, cold day in the D my lady friend and I decided we were going to meet some of our Ferndale friends for drinks. Juston suggested we meet here. I went along hearing a few good things about Local. I was misinformed.
The last word in the name of Local is "Bar". Now they have a bar, but it seats about 4. The beer selection was decent, and the drinks looked tempting. I say tempting because I certainly wasn't going to pay what they were asking for them. Let me be clear, this is not Sugar House or a tittie bar. I will pay $10 for a drink if they either:
A - Craft my drink like I am the only patron in the place(Sugar House)
or
B - I am being assaulted by ta ta's from an unwed mother paying her way through med school.
We paid $3 for a soda. it was good, but not $3 good considering I could make it at home with one of those fancy soda machines as seen on TV.
The food was meh at best. They talk it up like your really eating something special but it's really not. Nothing here I couldn't make at my house with stuff I already have.
There are plenty of better places in the area to get your grub and drink on. I suggest going anywhere but here. That is, of course, unless you like overpaying for what equates to diner food on a pretty plate.
I want to love Local, I really do. As one of the newest additions to the Ferndale restaurant scene, in place of Via (9? Nove?) that seemed to fade into the background and shuttered its doors last year, Local Kitchen and Bar aims to bring homestyle comfort food to the next level. They totally redesigned the space that used to host an upscale restaurant to something with a gorgeous central fireplace, a street-facing patio, and an attractive bar with a slick appeal. I waited with baited breath for their opening.
I don't make a point of going to restaurants opening night due to inconsistencies with a new kitchen staff, people still tweaking and fine-tuning essential details, and the crew needing to gel as a whole. I like to let them get a few hiccups out and show up in the first few weeks instead to form an impression. I really should have gone day one though. All the publicity from a salivating public threatened to turn Local into the next Social in Birmingham or, worse, the Vinsetta Grill. Accolades were heaped. Media attention sparkled. People lined up around the block. While it's great for business and I won't deny the abundance of a few open spots in the Royal Oak/Ferndale corridor worries me, it also prevents *me* from getting in there.
I've tried on at least fifteen separate occasions to come for dinner. Each time the wait was longer than 40 minutes. Different days of the week, different weather, different hours within dinner... and always a long wait. I must pick 'em. I'm not willing to wait that long and the one time I put my name down on the list, I showed back up 35 minutes later after window shopping down the length of 9 Mile -- wishing we had an H&M or something more substantial to shop at -- only to find out, no, there were other parties dining still and could I wait another 30 minutes?
Um, no. I live less than half a mile away and my kitchen is pretty local.
The menu looks pretty but I haven't had the chance to get in there to try it. Maybe one of those rare days I have off that no one else does because damn if I don't want to try and support a local business.
Parking: paid only on the street, valet, or the Breckenridge lot behind the building. Save yourself some time and money (and calories!) by walking up to the
I hesitate to write this review based on the New Year's Eve service. Â It was a fixed price menu for NYE, and I was a little worried about it, but we had a chance to sample many dishes on their menu. Â We all know that family-style holiday service doesn't often reflect the service and quality on a regular night, but I was so satisfied with our experience that I had to post a review. Â
The six of us were sat immediately at a lovely round (but small) table in the center of the room and were greeted with delicious Green sparkling wine (seriously, seriously good). Â At the beginning things were moving nicely, but by the end of the night (Three. Hours. Later.) service was a little slow for us, and in fact took so long that we had to change plans for our after-dinner location.
I can't believe the amount of food for $50 (!!!), which included a glass of the great sparkling wine. Â We were able to try everything below, and I listed things from my favorite to my least favorite.
Appetizers: Â Crostini with ricotta and olives and capers, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Beef Brisket Sliders. Â The crostini was excellent with a generous portion of ricotta. Â FGTs were pretty good, too, but the pepper jelly wasn't too spicy and the tomatoes themselves were pretty thin. Â I didn't get the buzz about the sliders with the homemade cheez whiz -- a little bland for my taste, too much bread.
Salad course -- probably the most boring but still good: Â Wedge salad with tasty thousand isle dressing and generous chunks of bacon and blue cheese; Emily's salad with excellent ricotta salata, cherries, and fried shallots, but a vinaigrette that was so over-blended it had the consistency of mousse; and corn muffins, which were room temp and pretty blah.
Entrees -- now we're talking: Â Sauteed walleye with delightful but a little too buttery sweet potato mash; bistro steak, a little over-cooked for my liking, with some sauce that didn't add much but good wild rice; chicken fried chicken, pretty standard but tender, with arugula and tomatoes; and eggplant rollatini, the token vegetarian option and boring.
Sides -- the Most. Delicious. Broccoli. Ever., roasted with garlic and olive oil; and macaroni and cheese, which at this point I skipped, because did you see how much food we had above?
Dessert -- all three outstanding: Â Warm brownie sundae with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel; banana pudding with marshmallow and vanilla wafers; and a generous bowl of berries which surely would have cost me $10 if I went out to Hollywood to make this myself.
Wine/Cocktails -- not included with our fixed price. Â We shared a bottle of the Felino Malbec which was, indeed, woodsy, too much for my taste. Â Cocktails were pretty boozy and, from what I could tell from my party, delicious.
Food portions and price: 5 stars. Â Food quality, minus 1/2 star. Â Slow service by the end, minus 1/2 star. Â I'm looking forward to going back!
C'mere Local, you sustainable little mynx, I want to tell you my deepest emotions. It's taken me a while to be this forward which perhaps is due to the fact that during my first visit you didn't really show me how smooth you can be. Maybe that ridiculous long wait after a call ahead was just to tease me since you knew I would enjoy my selection of the Bistro Steak ($19.5) and absolutely be enamored with your Berry Pear Cobbler al la mode ($7). Still though, I didn't want to seem like I enjoy being messed with so I've taken things slow and held off from truly telling you how I feel.
Well, no longer. Tonight you showed me a new side of yourself; one I can't hold back from. I decided to go bigger and select one of your specials due to previous visits and the satisfaction they had brought other members of my party. I did well this time, and so did you. The Wild Snake River sturgeon with it's hazelnut butter sauce was outstanding ($27). I found the roasted garlic mashed Yukon gold potatoes and creamed spinach it came with wonderful as well. It was a great pairing - each dish tasting better together, simply elevating the flavors of one another with their rich and complex appeal.
You got me where you want me don't you Local. I like the way you look, the way you taste, and most of all I like your mind. You truly do concentrate on sustainable and locally sourced foods, and you show craftsmanship when preparing them. Â Whooo, let me fan myself.
Sure there are things about you I am not AS wild about, such as your fried green tomatoes with pepper jam and goat cheese ($8) but that is something easily overlooked since I know it is a favorite of many others. I'll also admit the servers I've had the pleasure of meeting here have been great, only missing top notch because I've found myself needing water and it being no where in sight on a couple of my visits. You did seem to clean up your inaccurate wait times so I don't want to nitpick, but you and I aren't as new anymore and if we don't nip that water issue in the bud now it will really start to get under my skin later. Until then, I'm looking forward to seeing one another again soon and letting my taste buds travel with you. I trust you'll take them on a noteworthy trip.
FINALLY found a place that has REAL salads. Â I just moved back to Detroit after spending 12 years in Los Angeles. Â I got a bit salad snobby while out there. Â I know there are other places in town with good salads - but what is with all the iceberg lettuce here?
Anyway - back to Local. Â Â LOVE the Bloody Mary options, mac & cheese is good and my fav fav fav is the Kale salad. Â
The fireplace is awesome and adds that smokey home feel inside. Â Â The bartenders are fantastic (as there's always a wait for a table weekend nights). Â They also have a room upstairs for private events that I would love to check out one day.
Our experience was ok. Just ok.
We went Saturday night, at about 10pm. Our waiter was super nice, the ambience was classy. The tables are VERY close together and there's no place to put your coats.
I had the mac and cheese with candied bacon bits and it was delicious and creamy. Â Calories, calories! The BF had the turkey something sandwich and chips. The menu is super small and everthing is ala carte.
If you like 'normal' food this may not be the place for you, the menu is very hipster with exotic ingredients added to otherwise common foods. He's pretty meat and potatoes and had a harder time finding something he actually wanted to eat. But we may go back, especially if it's a late night and nothing else good is open.
After I checked into Local on my social media outlet, I got a text from a friend saying 'over priced and under portioned'. In the end, this described the meal perfectly.
Nothing about our meals stood out. They were ok. Not great. Everything was bland. It's like the kitchen was lacking a spice rack.
The drip of spicy jelly across the plate of the fried green tomatoes did not kick it up a notch enough to add any flavor, the meatballs were tiny and tasteless, and the chicken fried chicken was just plain boring and bland.
As far as claiming to be 'local' as much as possible... show me some proof. Â Serving 'local' food is the new in thing to do. I totally support it, but show on the menu where you bought the produce and why you like to use that farm or company. Â
There is no reason to return to Local. Every dish and drink on the menu is better and cheaper elsewhere in the area.
I wish Local had better food because I love the location and the interior (even if it could use a bit of a feng shui). My previous trips to Local were relegated to sitting at the bar and a few apps. I was really hoping their entrees would be outstanding, unfortunately they were not. Let me state for the record I'm not really a fan of "comfort food" at least in the American sense. While the fried green tomatoes app is tasty it's not crave worthy.
Nothing on the menu really jumped out at me, so my dining companion and I ordered two dishes to share, the scollops special and the vegetarian plate of the day.
Here's where the big let down begins, the scollops while well cooked were fine. The pile of oily, angle hair noodles they were plopped on top of seemed like an after thought. The vegetarian dish was even more disappointing it consisted of green lentils sans any type of sauce and a few limp pieces of cauliflower. I can cook the hell out of some lentils and perhaps I could give them my recipe for (toaster) over roasted cauliflower.
The best thing I ate all night was the dessert special of lemon-blueberry polenta cake. Now that was crave worthy but since it's not on the menu who knows when it will be around again. Oh and one last thing while I'm on a tangent, I found the mark up on their bottles of wine to be bit steep. 35 dollars for a bottle of wine that retails for 10 bucks is a bit much when you're charging so much for lack luster food.
I'll go to Local for drinks and to enjoy the fireplace but when I want good food in Ferndale I'll visit their next door neighbor, if you know what I mean *wink wink*
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