My wife and I have dinner here almost every Friday. The food, service and decor are all wonderful. Fridays and Saturdays expect to wait from about 7:30 to 8:30 but it's not a long wait and the bar has 2 of the best bartenders in town.
Salmon and Whitefish are always on the menu and are great.They are known for the beef short rib tacos and short Rib dinner but seriously everything on the menu is terrific.
Love the town tav... not in love with the pricing.
Basically the food and service is great, pricing is expensive boardering on overpriced...
I know this sounds weird, but their wedge salad is one of my favorite things on the menu. They have fish specials which if you order them without butter, they are pretty healthy for you which is a plus. (just dont' eat their awesome breadsticks/rolls if you're watching calories)
They have really good drinks and their bartenders know what's up. I've been eating here for 4 years now since I moved to Michigan and I've only had one oops with the service and they took care of things right away.
Wait can be a while if you go on a friday/sat night but because it's in downtown royal oak, you can walk around the block (take a lap) and you're good to go.
They have Ray's Ice Cream (local favorite) but skip it and spend your money (and save some money) around the corner at one of the best desert places in metro Detroit.
Overall I'm a huge fan of this place, but it's a little pricey (for what it is) to get the 5/5.
(just to be clear, this is a quality place with quality food, I just think the pricing is about 15%-20% high... it boarders on 5-star dining prices which this place, for as awesome as it is, isn't 5-star service dining. That being said the Town Tav is in my regular rotation)
One word: Lobster Mac and Cheese. Â I know the specialty mac and cheese scene is a bit saturated to say the least, but Town Tavern really does it well. Â This rings true for the rest of their dishes and service. Â I've had lunch and dinner at TT countless times, and I've had nothing but the best waiters and cuisine. Â I highly recommend their bloody mary or Kentucky Blizzard off their drink menu. Â The wedge salad and buffalo mac and cheese also never disappoint. Â If eating my weight in Town Tavern parmesan truffle fries is wrong, then I don't want to be right. Â This place is fantastic whether you're meeting some friends for drinks and appetizers or on a romantic date with your lovahhh.
Review Source:Holy crap, Buffalo Mac and Cheese. Â I could eat that every day. Â SO good. Â I like the vibe of this place. Â A little more of an upscale bar, but more restaurant-y. Â Not ridiculously expensive. Â Our server wasn't great this last time. Â I think she was mad that we weren't all drinking a lot. Â Sorry, I'm pregnant right now and one of my friends had to drive pretty far to get home. Â I'd still go back for the food and friends said the cocktails were great.
Review Source:I have to say that my husband and I are beyond disappointed.  I mean look at my past reviews..... no one loved their food more  than I  did.  And  no one  praised  them  like I  did.  Yesterday  they  totally  let  me  down.  Omg!!!!! I  will  not  be  going  back there  because  their  menu  has changed  and  not  for  the  better.... they  served  us  horrible  old  scallops  and  disturbing  burger  that's  supposed  to  be a  blue  ribbon  burger... yeah  right!  fries  loaded  with  salt  and a  chocolate ganache  cake  that  was  old  and  stale  and  we  complained  because we  were  fed  up... and  were  given a  nasty  carrot  cake  that  was  nothing  compared  to  the  carrot  cake I  use  to  have. btw  the  carrot  cake  was  off  the  menu.  sooo  nasty. I  am  so  disappointed.  the  ONE  restaurant I  looked  forward  to  dining  in  has  totally  let  me  down. Go  back  to  your  old  menu  and  bring  back  your  old  chef  and  maybe  just  maybe  I'll  come  back.  until  then..... never  ever  again. BTW  THE  WAITRESS  FORGOT  MY  HUSBANDS  CEASER SALAD  AND  MY  CHOPPED  SALAD  SUCKED. OYE I  WANT  TO  CRY.....WHY?! WHY?!
Review Source:Another day, another mediocre Restaurant Week meal in Royal Oak. Â Usually when I think of Restaurant Week, I think of restaurants that I cannot afford offering teaser tastes of their fare. Â That is really not the case in Royal Oak, beacause - well, you know what the Royal Oak scene is like. Â
Based on the reviews below, I was really disappointed with what I ate given how good their bar food sounded. Â I should have just saved my money and tried that. Â The one thing I really liked is their warm, pillowy, oily, bread with cheese they bring out before the first course. Â I think for everything else they outkicked their coverage. Â Nothing was bad, per se, but nothing was great either. Â Their beer selection is nothing special, save for bottles of Hacker Schorr. Â They do have a decent-sized wine list, though.
From start (calamari appetizer) to finish (carrot cake dessert) we were delighted with our dinners and wait staff. Â Everything we had was delicious; clam chowder, chop salad, buffalo mac n cheese, filet mignon with asparagas and steak fries. Â Who knew a steak fry could be so good!
We are not from the area, but would travel back just to eat at Town Tavern.
Still coming here and the Sunday brunch menu is still fantastic.
tried the fish and chips yesterday and it was wonderful, Very flaky, tender fish, the right amount of crunch on the batter. It was crisp and light and no hint of heavy oilyness so common in fried fish. My wife and I split a portion, and enjoyed a few bloody mary's which were delish
the portion, even when split was enough for a late lunch. Really nice remoulade sauce and for 2$, we "upgraded" to the truffled french fries ( and I am glad we did since they were fantastic)
we actually had great service this time, which has been my only criticism of the place in the past
My fiance and I decided to try this place out with a couple friends. We went for dinner on a Tuesday night and the place was empty. There is some seating outside, but we ended up sitting inside. The service was great and the decor gives off a nice place to have a fancy dinner without having to get all dressed up.
The local draft beers were good and the prices worked for me. I ordered the buffalo mac and cheese which was excellent even though I couldn't finish it in one sitting. Even the next day it tasted great.
Overall I would say we had a good experience. There were only two tvs situated at the bar, so if your significant other wants to have dinner and a game is on don't go here. But otherwise I would reccomnd trying this place out if you haven't already done so.
The food and atmosphere were great. There is also a full bar. The reason I do not go more often is the prices. I've found everything on the menu to be a bit steep, especially for the portion size.
That being said I did really enjoy the food as did my companion. We especially enjoyed the pulled pork taco appetizer. I could be happy just eating this. I would recommended Town Tavern more to go to to get a drink and a couple appetizers.
Always good. Food is consistent with a varied but not a crazy huge menu. Â Similar to bhg same owners, good caesar, and soups are very good. Â Â Had blueberry scallops last night whIch were very good. Â Eat the bread warm or hot otherwise it's not good. Â Service is always very good. Â Friendly without being intrusive. Â
A good different choice in royal oak
Solid service and no wait time on a Saturday evening in Royal Oak is hard to come by.
I would definitely recommend the buffalo chicken mac & cheese for the sheer novelty of eating two very American foods mixed together. The portions don't look huge, but it'll fill ya up in no time.
I was a little disappointed we couldn't sit outside but then I realized their patio is only 5 or so tables. Otherwise, good service for a good meal.
I have been here twice now and have enjoyed it very much both times. The first time I had the Short Rib Tacos and agree with other Yelpers...they are excellent. Tonight I had the Pork Chop which was also excellent. I have had many Pork Chops in my day and this was one of the best. Cooked medium rare and served with brussel sprouts and bulgur wheat. The sauce was paired perfectly with the dish.
Great atmosphere, great service and good food. The perfect combination. Check this place out.
We came here for my husband's birthday and it was kind of a bummer. My husband had the filet and it was good, but nothing crazy. Â I had the warm tenderloin salad and it was a huge disappointment. It seemed like they had trimmed the fat off of my husbands steak and used it for my salad. So many chewy pieces! The presentation of both dishes was boring in that old school steakhouse kind of way. the only difference is that old school steakhouses can usually get away with that because the food makes up for it. Not the case here.
The service was ok. Atmosphere ok. I just felt that in general, they really need to step up their game.
Atmosphere:
I went here for a friend's birthday and it was great. Nice atmosphere and excellent service. Our waitress Michelle was attentive, fun, and really took care of us. This place is great for groups. Â great wine selection and the feeling is nice and cozy inside.
Food:
We had the truffle fries, calamari, and the flatbread as appetizers. Delicious!
I had the buffalo chicken mac and cheese and it was so yummy! Â Some people had the filet mignon, salmon special, and burgers. I heard no complaints.
All in all a great experience.
I love this place. It is my favorite restaurant in Royal Oak. They have perfectly made drinks, well-prepared entrees, and delicious appetizers.
I think their crab cake appetizer is my favorite thing on the menu, but I have yet to have anything I haven't enjoyed. We like to get soup or salad and two or three appetizers when we come here.
The atmosphere is laid-back yet elegant, and the service is very good. I always look forward to enjoying a meal here when I am in Royal Oak.
My only complaint is that the truffle fries didn't come in a larger serving size. My bf and I went there for a late lunch/early dinner after running around on a Sunday. We decided that a few appetizers were enough for us but since it was Sunday, I added a cocktail (don't judge me!). The drink was fantastic - lemonade on a sunny Sunday. My bf decided he needed one as well.
We ended up getting a flatbread app and the truffle fries. Both of them were delicious! The fries we gone first and I really wanted to lick the plate. I figured that wouldn't be appropriate. I ended up getting the crab cake appetizer as my meal and i was pleasantly surprised that had huge chunks of crab! It wasn't heavy or sawdust-y tasting at all. My bf got the pulled pork enchiladas and they were jam packed with pork. I think the thing that got me was that they didn't skimp. Usually when you see these items one menus, the good stuff is usually skimped on. I didn't feel this was the case with Town Tavern. They weren't afraid of their ingredients and they weren't looking to hide anything. It was quite refreshing!
I would definitely go back - especially for a date night to hang out at the fun looking bar.
We were wandering around downtown Royal Oak, hungry for dinner and thirsty for a delicious beverage. I was checking yelp and realized that Town Tavern was right around the corner. We walked in and I was immediately impressed by how lush it looked. It wasn't very busy yet and we were seated at a corner table.
The menu was a bit of a shock. The prices were a little steeper than I had  expected. But the drink list looked awesome and the beer selection had a local focus but had nothing on tap. (This is a tavern?) We ordered a chocolate martini and a Widow Maker black ale by Keweenaw Brewing Company. Drinks arrived and we were pleased to see that the chocolate martini was clear and really delightful but dismayed that the beer was the Lift Bridge Brown Ale. I would probably try it later anyway so I just kept it.
Our waitress was really friendly and nice although she seemed new and hadn't tried that many items on the menu. We order the pulled pork enchiladas and the Tavern "Blue Ribbon" Cheeseburger with an upgrade to Parmesan truffle fries.
We got some great warm rolls to snack on  and our food arrived very promptly. The pull pork enchiladas were served a la carte. For $16.00, I think you should get some rice or something. The pork was very flavorful and the sauce had a great chile flavor. Our server mentioned that 2 people had told her the enchiladas were life changing. (She had not tried them.) They were good but our lives are unchanged by the enchiladas. The burger was excellent, perfectly cooked to medium and fries were probably the best part of the meal. The Parmesan truffle fries may be life changing! We had some Ray's chocolate malt crunch ice cream for dessert. We ordered one scoop to share and it was more like 3 scoops so that was a bonus. That ice cream rocks!
During dessert we noticed the decor and generally found it upscale "taverny". The old advertisement framed on the walls were an excellent conversation piece and a great bit of Royal Oaklandia.
The meal was good but the price was too steep. And for goodness sake, if you are a tavern put some beer on tap. We will probably go back but not immediately.
Nothing remarkable about this place. Â
Food is definitely edible, although nothing wows or inspires. Â The menu offers "safe" chocies that work well in "main street USA". Â The highly touted lobster mac and cheese is more on the creamy side than cheesy, a bit bland in taste. Â
Atmosphere / decor is more chic than the restaurant name suggests, but still, a comfortable and friendly place. Â
No reservations accepted. Â Be weary of long waiting lines on weekends. Â It's a popular place frequented by the locals.
Town Tavern is one of my favorite restaurants in Royal Oak. Perhaps not because it has the most exciting food or does the more original dishes, but because it does good, American-style food with just a bit of an upscale twist. It's definitely a step up from the bar-style restaurants in RO, but it doesn't have the pretention of a lot of the nicer spots. It's a best-of-both-worlds place.
What pushes it from a three-star standby joint to an exceptional four-star is the seafood specials menu. While there's a lot of more typical dishes on the regular menu (meatloaf, steak, burgers), the seafood specials are fantastic. On my last visit, I had alligator bites as an appetizer, which I very rarely see north of the Mason-Dixon line. Wonderful. Deep-fried alligator bits with a creamy, slightly spicy, dipping sauce. For dinner, I had a creole shrimp pasta, which was very well-flavored and had just a bit of kick.
The service here is also great. We had a really lovely waitress who made sure we were well taken care of and took the time to answer any questions we had.
Town Tavern is cozy and comforting, and this place is definitely on my list of regular restaurants in Royal Oak.
I came here for my first time on a snowy Tuesday evening around 9 pm. The restaurant was not crowded, and I was seated immediately after getting some change to feed one of the parking meters that lay rampant in Royal Oak.
The interior decor was nice. From their beer list, I ordered a bottle of the North Peak Diabolical IPA, but I wish they would carry craft beers on tap. For dinner, I opted for their evening's special, a veal cutlet along with the Chopped Tavern salad. Both the salad and cutlet were very good, although there was nothing that really made those dishes stand out as a favorite.
A solid four-star restaurant, I gave it three stars because around 9:30 pm (according to the website and the door, this place closes at 11 pm), the staff could not wait to get all of the customers out the door so they could close early. Being just a visitor to Michigan, I don't know if this is typical for inclement weather and/or for slow business. I'm used to venues staying open during posted hours...just sayin'.
If I'm ever back in the area, I'll definitely try this place again, but it certainly won't be the first on my list...
Big fan of TT, one of my favorite places in RO for sure. Â I usually come for dinner but recently stopped in for lunch. Â The lunch experience wasn't my best yet, but I partially blame myself. Â I'm a sucker for seeing Meatloaf on a menu that doesn't say Old Country Buffet, Denny's, etc. Â It's not that the meatloaf was bad, I just think I'm expecting to be blown away but I just get every other meatloaf I've ever had. Â Also, the service was a little slower than normal, probably because the place was about half or less than half full...still no excuse but it wasn't the worst, our server was nice and accommodating.
A big plus are the daily specials. Â I'm a HUGE fan of the Swordish. Â If it's on the specials board it's going in my belly. Â Another staple is the Calamari. Â The sauce has the perfect amount of kick. Â A third recommendation would be the Braised Rib Taco app.
I really haven't had a bad meal here and the service is pretty soild 9/10 times. Â Royal Oak could use more spots like Town Tavern.
This update is largely based upon my new food constraints as a vegan, but I just thought someone should point out the fact that there is virtually (actually?) nothing for vegans on the town tavern menu. It is possible that they could make some of their bread sticks without butter and parm...and maybe they use olive oil...not sure. That said, even the salads are not vegan...
I think that I could order their marinated mushrooms, which are tasty, probably their french fries, and I'm sure that the chef, if asked, could make me a rice pilaf or something like that, so my consternation here is somewhat lightly given.
Still, I'd like to think that if I opened a restaurant, I would serve at least one thing on the menu that was not made with animal products. After all, some of the best foods on the planet are those grown in the ground, cooked up simply and served, even tavern style. Who needs eggs and butter when quinoa, tomatoes and fresh mint are readily available! Last time I checked, tavern style eats were not required to have cheese, butter and meat...but maybe we're working from different definitions.
I will probably go back to town tavern, but I may be stuck eating fries with a side of mushrooms, unfortunately.
Came here the other day with a friend and it still continues to not let me down.
I decided to try something different than the regular ribeye that I've had over and over and over.
Decided to go with the braised short ribs. Â absolutely wonderful. Â even my girlfriend who is not a big rib fan commented on how good they were and that she would order them.
nothing really new to write about, but just had to comment on the short ribs.
I went to Town Tavern after hearing about the lobster mac and cheese and was not disappointed. Â It was oh so cheesy and creamy, with lots of lobster chunks, crunchy crumb topping, and a slight hint of lemon to it. Â 5 stars.
They also give you a basket of garlicky bread knots with powdered parmesan on top, kinda like Little Caesar's crazy bread (in a good way... it's made with butter rather than margarine). Â 3.5 stars.
On my next visit, I got short rib tacos, or something like that. Â They were awful. Â Very bland and just plain beefy-tasting. Â I think they forgot to add any seasoning to the beef. Â The pico de gallo on the side tasted and looked like unripe pink hothouse tomatoes in the wintertime... except that I'd gone in summer. Â The rice and black beans were equally boring. Â This dish might have been a special of the day. Â Let's hope they don't bring it back. Â 1 star.
Then I returned for brunch after hyping up the lobster mac and cheese to my friends. Â I decided to try the crab cakes benedict, as did two of my friends. Â It thought it tasted okay, if a bit lukewarm, and the crab cakes were a bit small. Â One of my friends started sawing vigorously at her english muffin, saying that it was hard as a rock, but my other friend and I didn't have any difficulty with ours... until we got halfway through our entrees. Â Then we found that we had rock-hard english muffins on our plates too. Â I find it absolutely bizarre that there would be three rock-hard english muffin halves at our table and three normal english muffin halves, all divided evenly among our entrees. Â The kitchen had to have known that they were using stale english muffins. Â Not cool. Â 1 star.
I've been avoiding Town Tavern due to these two awful experiences. Â Eventually, I'll cave and go back for that lobster mac and cheese, but I will never try anything else there again.
So that averages out to be 2.625 stars out of 5. Â I'll round up to 3, only because of the LM&C.
A friend and I were looking for a place to have a late afternoon lunch. Â We did not have an idea as to where we would like to go but walked by and saw Town Tavern. Â We checked out the menu that was posted on the window ( to see if anything peaked out interest) and then decided to check it out. Â
I have to say, the interior was different than what I had expected it to be. Â We were impressed - dark wood and low light and clean. There weren't very many people here during our late lunch so it wasn't to loud or busy. Â The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating.
I ordered a side burger and split the truffle fries with my friend, which is a must since the order of fries were huge. Â The burger was messy but good; however, I did not see anything too special about it. Â My friend ordered the lobster mac and cheese, which she said was really tasty. Â She ate half of the mac & cheese as it was pretty rich but she took the home the left overs.
Oh, I almost forgot - before the meal came we were given some warm bread. Â Very good - you can even ask for more because it is go tasty.
Definitely will return - need to show the husband.
So after the crowds were just too much at Ronin and City Grille didn't have outdoor seating for three, Town Tavern made our evening. We had already eaten, so we each tried one of their specialty cocktails. I had the Savannah Sipper. It made me feel like I was sitting on back porch in Georgia for sure!
We weren't hungry but our server encouraged us to try the yummy tacos you see in the picture. Those and the delicious bread were all we needed to settle our stomachs and get us ready for bed. The patio was cool and refreshing. Our server was great! I'll be back for a full meal!
I've been lunching here for the past year or so and there's a few recommendations I'd like to share:
The Pulled Chicken Salad. I know, it's salad...not exciting...usually! But this salad is really one for the books. The pulled chicken is moist and delicious, there are sliced almonds, dried cranberries mixed in over top a bed of various greens. The dressing: a wonderfully sweet tart maple mustard vinaigrette. They give you a generous serving and it's much welcomed, I have taken some home with me, but rarely...it's that good!
Another highlight: The "Taverntini's" I had the Chocolate Raspberry Expresso Martini and my friend had the Peartini. Both were wonderfully done. They also have a decent selection of beers and wines for those who don't do "tini's" as well as bloody mary's and mimosas.
The atmosphere is less "Tavern" and more old school yuppie-ish bar. With old Detroit photos adorning the walls, lots of wood detailing and 1920's throwback type fixtures, it has a certain elegance to it...not exactly what you think of when you hear the word "tavern"...more like tavern with an upscale twist. It's not normally my scene, but the Pulled Chicken Salad alone has me coming back for more time and time again. A neighborhood staple and great patio during summer months. It's a keeper!
[Pop.] The sound of my yelp review cherry.
Took Mom to the Tavern this evening; the menu aligns nicely with her very safe palate. Â I had the buffalo mac'n cheese. Â Conceptually this dish gets 5 stars (as far as comfort food goes): cheddar; pasta; bacon; buffalo seasoned chicken; and ritz crackers. Â I was sold. Â Execution on the other hand, more in the 2.7 neighborhood. Â The flavors were solid, but it fell short in the texture department. Â The crust could have been crunchier. Â Another minute or two in the oven may have yielded a Levan Hawkins crusty and lusty dish. Â The sauce was a little watery. Â I need my macncheese gooey, yo. Â Kath had a chicken breast and grilled asparagus. Â She enjoyed it. Â It looked decent. Â Remember the safe part?
The obligatory bread sticks were so so: sort of one note and a little chewy (like they were a day old).
It's a decent spot. Â It's about a 2.5. Â I can't round up. Â I won't.
late.
kah
I went to try this place out because someone said this place had cheeseburgers comparable to Miller's in Dearborn. Boy, were they wrong. There is no comparison!
But with that said, their short rib tacos, pizza dip, and lobster mac n' cheese were amazing!
Go out and try the mac n' cheese!
Went here again for brunch the other week...still great. Oh god that bread makes it worth a trip in and of itself.
I was surprised that at noon on a Sunday there were only 3 to 4 other tables, certainly not because the food...I blame this on the economy.
Had a delicious mango mimosa-would have gotten more than one if it hadn't been a hefty 8 bucks-regular ones are 7. While I indulged in a giant pineapple pancake bake with a rum syrup, my fellow diners enjoyed a giant short rib omelet with bacon and cheese...mine was ok, but I def. left wishing I had gotten the omelet. It wasn't horrible or anything but I wouldn't order it again. Brunch specials change weekly and it's worth a trip especially with the warmer weather approaching to work off your breakfast.
This place swarms with Hour Magazine reading, "We're from DETROIT (but we don't live there)" peeps and it's totally not my scene...BUT--
The food is pretty darn good! Â I'm particularly a fan of their burgers and french onion soup. Â When I asked for a burger with avocado it arrived with a HOUSE built from fresh avocado slices on top. Â YUM. You seriously can't eat it as a sandwich without inducing lockjaw.
The bar area, while lovingly back-lit and well stocked, is a total pick-up joint. Â The drinks themselves are nothing special. A place like this should boast a much more creative martini menu.
To avoid the yuppies, be part of the early dinner or lunch crowd.
...unless of course you enjoy being hit on by men who cover their hairy backs with expensive leather jackets and your favors can be purchased with two tix to the auto show.
While working in A2 (apparently that's what the cool kids call Ann Arbor) I took some time to meet my friend Brian for dinner. Â He suggested this place because he said it's his favorite restaurant. Â That plus the fact that the Detroit Free Press recently voted this as home of the city's best burger compelled me to visit so I could see for myself.
The restaurant is very nice and situated in downtown Royal Oak. Â Once you find parking it's easy to find your way here (although I couldn't tell you, so don't ask). Â Our server was very friendly and even though I don't think it was Detroit's best cheeseburger, it was still pretty good. Â I got mine cooked medium-well with blue cheese and bacon, then added ketchup, mayo, mustard, lettuce, and tomato. Â It went really well with my Bud Light and special Parmesan fries.
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