4. Restaurants

Garage Grill & Fuel Bar

202 W Main St, Northville, MI, 48167
  • (248) 924-3367
  • Store is closed

Garage Grill & Fuel Bar Menu

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  • Melissa C.

    Love love love, we go here 3 times a month. Outstanding food and service. If your lucky you will get Katherine as your server, such a great server and we truly value that in a restaurant. In the summer the garage doors open leaving the whole restaurant with an open and welcoming feel. Can't say enough about this place. Fish tacos, meatloaf, burgers and steaks are our favorite.

    (5)

  • David M.

    AWESOME Pink Slip Cosmopolitan! Awesome server Kay - ask for her. She was cheerful and professional - a great representative of the restaurant itself. Crispy Chicken Sandwich is great. Ask for their special spicy mayo sauce. Chesapeake Bay Pizza is more than enough for dinner and take home for snacking later. This was certainly worth the 90 minute drive to get here!

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    A true hidden gem in downtown Northville, the trendy design and warm atmosphere inside and out makes you feel at home. The food is always amazing!! I've had there steak, traditional burger, fish taco's and Calamari. Let's just say it was an explosion on taste every time. The service and and managers are very attentive. They sincerely care about your happiness and dining experience and keep the restaurant white glove clean. The only real reason I didn't give them 5 stars though is because the parking lot for this little gem is way too small to accommodate the business. You'll be happy you came and tried all they have to offer.

    (4)

  • Khadija K.

    This charming restaurant is actually a remodeled gas station/car shop. Everything from the photos hung on the walls, the tabletop decorations, and the menu has a car theme. A+ for creativity and charm. Their pizzas were all delicious. Service was quick and friendly, and the menu had an extensive list of options. Overall an enjoyable eating experience.

    (4)

  • Steven L.

    I had high hopes and to be honest I will be back to try additional dishes but the burger I had was totally on the meh side. I asked for medium rare and received one side of the patty was well done while the other side was under cooked. A feat to be noted due the complexity of the achievement. The fries which came out just as we were all finishing were certainly not worth the wait. However, my boss had the fish special and raved about it. So like I said I will back to try additional items because I believe that this place more to offer than what I experienced so far.

    (3)

  • Vinay R.

    The fire glazed shrimp and the catfish tacos were top notch. Fire glazed shrimp were as good as the dynamite shrimp you get at pf changs. They have a huge collection of wines to choose from. The menu is listed in an very unique and garage-y manner, Pizzas = wheels, salads=alternate fuels & so on...

    (4)

  • Jarrod And Heather D.

    Overall place and food......fair at best. Oh and tell the hostess stand to lose the attitude every time we come in there.

    (2)

  • Chris P.

    Unlike any place in downtown. Food is excellent and they really do try to change things up by adding some local twists to the menu. Would defiantly recommend to anyone looking for a nicer place. Not the best place for kids as its a bit upscale and the prices are a bit on the high side.

    (4)

  • Janet T.

    This is the best restaurant I have eaten at in years. The Chef Christian did a superb job- duck tacos, the best sushi I've had in years, halibut , great wedge salad, fantastic tender lamb, I mean it was unbelievable. I will probably host a large dinner meeting in their banquet room the next time I come. Our waiter Tom was also really great!

    (5)

  • Matthew S.

    The service was mediocre, but not awful. The food was alright but really just seemed like repackaged dishes from Olive Garden or Macaroni Grille. The atmosphere and space looks cool. And then comes the worst part: The price. That's what wrecks this place for me. It's like the owners said, "hey so most of our servers are new to the job, we don't staff any experienced bar tenders, and our dishes are bland, but it's Northville so we can charge whatever we want!" And that's why I don't recommend The Garage.

    (2)

  • Matt O.

    Great atmosphere. The food is excellent and the menu is very diverse. Everything from pizza to lasagna to fish or a tasty burger. The beer and wine selection is as great and affordable as the food menu. The staff is friendly and everywhere you look something new catches your eye.

    (5)

  • Doug A.

    Great bar menu. Creative twists on familiar menu items. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere and a neighborhood feel all make this one of my favorites.

    (5)

  • Kari W.

    The food was amazing, but I cannot say the same about the service. Our server didn't take our drink order until 15-20 minutes after we got there. I am really forgiving when it comes to waitstaff if they are busy, but there were hardly any customers in the restaurant. This was the same for our food order and getting our food, little slow. Other than the service the food was amazing! Highly recommend the calamari and shrimp off of the appetizers and the chicken pasta from the entries. It was so good!

    (3)

  • Carolina D.

    Terrible service. Average food. Not worth the price. You can find much better places in the area.

    (2)

  • Annette J.

    So far--I'm a fan. I came here for a lunch meeting and arrived earlier than the rest of my guests. Everyone, from the hostess to the waitress and bussers, were really REALLY nice and welcoming--checking in on me regularly as I waited for the rest of my party. When we were finally settled we decided to order a number of dishes off the menu to give a few things a try. On the list? The grilled cheese with tomato soup, the slider appetizer, and the Baja fish tacos. One of the gals also ordered the kale salad. I didn't try it but it looked incredible and she raved about it. The grilled cheese? Warm, gooey, and just right. Filled with fontina, gouda, white cheddar, and tomato. Not sure you can go wrong with that combo! The gouda lent it a bit of smokiness that I enjoyed. The tomato soup was also fantastic. Not too heavy or creamy. Really liked the sliders. WIth caramelized onion, red wine butter, and fontina cheese. The beef had a great flavor and it satisfied my craving for a burger quite nicely. They were a little more well done that I probably would have ordered on my own but I don't think we specified how we wanted them. Will remember to request medium next time. I would actually call these more mini burgers than the sliders you might be familiar with if you're from SE Michigan. The patty is more substantial and thicker than your traditional slider. The fish tacos were also great. I have to admit I rarely order them so I have very little to compare it to in my past but my companion wanted to try them so I gave them a shot. Would totally order them again. Sizeable chunks of Mahimahi with a lime aioli and napa cabbage. The tortillas were pretty well filled and I was stuffed after one taco, some of the sliders and half the grilled cheese and soup. As for the interior? I dig it. It's modern, bright, and clean but still has some nice nods to the "garage" theme (like denim covered seats and such). It fits the name without being obnoxious. Good choices.

    (4)

  • Katie M.

    After a 3rd try at The Garage... its official - Not my favorite. Are my expectations too high? Everyone else seems to go ga-ga over this place. I just have yet to have a "hit it out of the park" experience. This time I ordered the fish tacos. Nothing good to say about these! Soooo disappointing! The fish was mahi mahi (supposedly) but really tasted rubbery, almost overcooked (or microwaved?) The sauce that was on the tacos was supposed to be something "tex-mexy" but in all honesty tasted like plain ol' mayo to me. I was excited by the lime wedges offered on my dish, but they were not ripe yet and had little to no juice on them to try and add any flavor to this lackluster dish.

    (2)

  • Traveling D.

    Just love this place! Relatively simple, yet varied menu for all tastes. From salmon to tacos, have consistently had great experiences here. Service is very good and attentive. Breads are baked freshly, in clear view of the customers. And the atmosphere, in a restored garage, is fun and awesome. An excellent repurposing of a classic structure. This is a favorite local stop for all my visiting company, and they always ask to return whenever they visit. I highly recommend it!

    (5)

  • Ak S.

    Food was decent but man, it was way overpriced, the ambiance is pretty good here but the pizza itself is very forgettable, though it wasn't bad the price didn't justify the food or slow service, it is however something that I am sure some people may be into so try this out if you are local, it is hit or miss!

    (3)

  • Alexander P.

    I had the pleasure of dining at this very humble and charming restaurant and I have to say that it is hands down on of my favorite places to eat now in the area. The wait staff was perfect, the environment was great but the best part was the FOOD!! It was simply perfect. The calamari was one if the best I have ever had, the seafood pasta was simply fantastic and the fish tacos made me melt into the seat. It's a smaller intimate place that would be perfect for dates or smaller family affairs.

    (5)

  • Sarah I.

    My friend and I went to Garage based on Yelp reviews and it was a huge mistake. We were hoping for the same experience as Vinsetta Garage, but nothing really compares. We were sat quickly, greeted by someone filling water, then by a server, then by another server, who ended up with us the rest of the time. The menu was hard to understand with "garage lingo", and nothing really seemed special. She took our orders and we waited 45 minutes to get a basic salad and a pizza. We saw other tables getting bread rolls and our table did not get anything like that. The server did not come around telling us the status of our food, and people who were sat after us even ate first. When we finally did get our food, I asked for no bacon on my salad and received it with bacon. When I got my salad it was mediocre and overpriced. My friend felt the same about her pizza. We asked for our bills and the server seemed like she could care less. Overall, don't waste your time here. I would go somewhere else local in the area. For that matter, I would have rather spent my money on fast food. We will never be back.

    (1)

  • Chelsea G.

    What started as a service station in the 1940′s has turned into a superb dining experience on the streets of Downtown Northville. In 2012 the building, that has been a gas station or two, a Chrysler car dealership, a dry cleaner, and a garden shop, was renovated and turned into a stylish place to grab some grub. Unlike the past, I'm confident The Garage Grill & Fuel Bar is here to stay. The location is so fabulous that the 45 minute wait on a Saturday evening was no problem. They took my cell number down and texted me when my table was ready. We walked down to the park where there was live music and waited for the text (which I should add only took about 20 minutes). The text tells you that you have 10 minutes to get back and claim your table. Also no worry about parking- they have a small parking lot, but there is also plenty of street space. We went for dinner and I must say they quickly put a basket of these incredible rolls on the table to snack on (or devour in our case) while you browse their classic American menu with a trendy twist. The menu has a little bit of everything; from Kobe Beef Sliders or Pulled Pork Spring Rolls to start for less than $10 to the Chesapeake Bay pizza with béchamel sauce, crab, shrimp, fontina & parmesan for $13. There are more complex entrees; meat, pasta, or fish ranging from $16- $29.50 or simple sandwiches (chicken, burger, tacos) for $16 or less served with their incredible house or sweet potato fries. They have a great specialty drink menu as well as a big beer and wine selection. For anyone that has walked the streets of Downtown Northville, you can probably assume that this place is as incredible as everything else Northville has to offer... I think you are probably right. My favorite part of The Garage is the outdoor seating; you can look over downtown while you eat. Honestly, inside is a fantastic choice as well. They have garage doors that open up and the décor blends the trends of then and now perfectly. I went in knowing the history of the building which made the experience and decorations more meaningful. They offer a great lunch menu, banquets in their "Model A Room", and "Tune Up Hour" from 3-6pm Tuesday through Friday.

    (5)

  • Ray C.

    My wife and I had visited this building many times when it was Gardenview which has now moved onto the downtown area. We had read good things about the garage and decided to try it. The building renovation is so cool and is a very great design of inside and outside dining. We sat outside on a beautiful day and our server Katherine greeted us and guided us as first time diners. She went thru the menu and told us the most popular dishes and we both decided on the perch entree. She so right in how good it was and since grew up enjoying perch we were very happy we had this dish. We watched other meals come out and they all looked good for sure. Simply we will come back when in the area.

    (5)

  • J C.

    Went here expecting a great dining experience with above par food. Sadly we were disappointed on all fronts. The service was horrible and the food mediocre at best and vastly overpriced. It's too bad, the place has such an enticing atmosphere. There are too many other great restaurants in Northville to even give this one a second chance. Big thumbs down.

    (1)

  • Kelli H.

    Dear Garage Grill & Fuel Bar, You're so cute! I was sad when Gardenview moved, but the re-purposing you've done is delightful. I was so excited to try you when I was back home from my current location in Denver. After a massage, my mom and I dropped in and were seated immediately by your friendly hostess. Your bartender took our drink orders promptly, and your selection of beer on tap had good variety. The pumpkin beer I settled on was yummy! Then, your waitress came to take our orders. She seemed like she was bothered that we were there. Our food came out in a reasonable amount of time, but your grilled cheese wasn't very melty and the side of sweet potato fries came out less-than-full. I'll give you another try, but there are some kinks you could work out.

    (3)

  • Chris S.

    I want to start out by saying I have only written a few reviews. Those have been to recognize spectacular service. I am sorry to say this is my first negative review. I am not one of those overly picky people. I would say I am overly optimistic to a fault. The décor inside is nice. The concept is neat. In my opinion, to say the food missed the mark is a gross understatement. It was totally inedible. I cannot remember the last time I did not finish my food. I took a few bites and could not tolerate it. Nothing about it was good. The flavor, texture, presentation all were a total fail. It seemed fresh but the flavor and mix was absolutely horrible. HORRIBLE!!! The food does not justify the pricing. They may want to also update their online menu especially since it is not what they serve there. I live locally and really wanted to like their food. I am sorry to say I will never eat there again. Yuck Yuck Yuck!!!!1

    (1)

  • Jason S.

    It was dark inside but the decor was funky and cool. Sat at a table and felt like the people next to us were on our lap because it was very tight. The plate presentation of the food was awesome and the food was good. It was kind of pricey though

    (3)

  • C T.

    I have been there only once for a lunch during the weekdays. Food and service both very good. I have tried going at night but the wait is usually much too long.

    (4)

  • Friend of D.

    We have eaten here 3 times or so over the past few years. The outdoor seating is great and they have a very interesting menu and good ambiance. We have tried many dishes, and I think the perch (or any fish dish) is probably their strongest. The burger, fish tacos, and mediterranean pasta are probably only 2-star dishes in my opinion.

    (3)

  • Sharon B.

    What a find . This place has a wonderful staff, cute décor and I have eaten here 3 times in 3 weeks . They have the best fish tacos ever. The red beans and rice are also awesome . I have also tried there seafood chowder ,wonderful and also the beef tenderloin and mushroom appetizer ,perfect . I recommend this place as a Lunch Dinner ,or just for drinks and appetizers.

    (5)

  • Lynus P.

    Missed the mark once again. We live in Novi but frequent Northville all the time. This was our 3rd time at The Garage, and we were optimistic that the 3rd would be a charm. No charm unfortunately. The resturant was not that busy as we visited them on Sat. around 2:30PM. The 1st area that seemed unrealistic was the fact that it took over 10 minutes to get our drinks after we ordered them. Then, despite informing our waitress that I had a pepper allergy, I ordered an appetizer and when that arrived it had a pepper sauce that came with it. I didn't inspect the sauce and after several bites, I suddenly realized that the sauce had peppers in it. So after that, my meal was pretty much over. However, when my wife and Daughter's lunch showed up, the medium burger we ordered was dark as a hockey puck. The icing on the cake, we asked to speak to a Manager as at this point, (the entire experience had been going on over an hour), 10 minutes later........no Manager or replacement burger. I left the table and found the Manager who told me he just got there and the other Manager was collecting the money from a banquet that had been taking place. Excuses bore me when it comes to stuff like this. I have such a limited amount of time to enjoy my family and this joint has contributed to soiling our experience for the last time.

    (1)

  • Amy V.

    The Garage is absolutely deserving of 4 stars, if not 4.5. My favorite thing here is actually a salad--the Main Street Cobb. It's surprisingly cheese-less, traditional chicken is replaced with shrimp, and the lemon-basil vinaigrette is incredibly refreshing. Other highlights: Detroit City Sliders. No true "slider" could be quite this fancy, but it's delicious, so I'll take it. Bruschetta: fig jam, burrata cheese, prosciutto, and...honey(?) I don't know, but it's REALLY good. Crispy Chicken Sandwich: The description doesn't do it justice, but this is a MUST TRY. Margherita Pizza: traditional tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil, very well made. Studebaker Salmon: grilled, maple glazed salmon with beans, quinoa, mushrooms, spinach, and bacon-leek vinaigrette. No healthful dish should create this much guilt. The Garage has creative and thoughtful dishes that are well prepared and reasonably priced. Definitely one of the best dining options in Northville.

    (4)

  • Mel T.

    Ok have lived by here and given it three chances since it opened. Other than the cute decor expect below average food and very poor service. There are few good places to eat in Northville as anyone living here can tell you. I'm telling you this because despite the poor reviews you will wait in line in the cold to get in this little place as they have not yet decided offering reservations would be a good idea. Go up the street fto Pooles Tavern. You'll get a beer burger at half the cost arriving before your next scheduled meal I've! This place is pretentious and over priced.

    (2)

  • Gary A.

    This place frustrated me. So it's good, but not great and I want it to be great. It's a very popular place, and it's is Northville, so it's sort of a neighborhood place. Weekend nights can be a 45-60 minute wait, and they don't take reservation for under 6 people. Parking is realisticly on the street, I guess deal with it. I guess you can park across the street at the library, but their lot is tiny. The atmosphere of the restaurant is intimate. It was a former garbage, but it was also a garden shop before the restaurant - I think it was called Garden Views. On a warm summer night, getting an outside table is an enjoyable experience. They have done a good job with the decor and atmosphere. But it's a small and cramp place. The menu is small, a blend on salads, exotic pizza, and entries, with an extensive wine list on the back. Smallish beer list, and no ciders. They have a small bakery on site, and the dinner rolls were tasty. The wife had the farm pizza, which was a good choice. The cheese on the pizza was outstanding and made the dish. I went with the fish tacos, which were good, but not great, frankly it missed having an avacado slice. They were served with red beans and rice, but it was almost a chili and rice dish. We enjoyed our meal here, and it was a little pricey, and I want the place to be better, it was good but not great.

    (4)

  • Liz W.

    Hmmmmmm. Parking sucks. This gets ones dinner off to a bad start. Especially if you are unfamiliar with how Northville is and where to park. This place also runs overpriced for the most part for what you get in my opinion. I can be a cheapskate though and well, it is Northville, what do you expect really? For example: for the entree prices they should throw in a salad instead of charging you three bucks. Service is hit or miss, I had my pet peeve of being left waiting for drink refills (which means I stop eating and my food gets cold until you bother to help me out). Food though is very good indeed when it is eaten hot. The house salad is an upcharge (as is a caesar) but it is very tasty. I love the vinaigrette and the addition of sunflower seeds makes me smile. My seafood pasta was delicious but I got a lot less seafood in it than I was expecting for the price. Luckily they went overboard on the artichokes or I would have bitched. My husband's lasagna was good, I don't know if it was sixteen dollars good though. Overall I liked it but I don't know if I liked it as much as what I paid for it.

    (3)

  • Ashley C.

    Five stars it us! Thy don't take reservations For small parties. But we went in on a Saturday evening at 6:30 PM and were seated with and 15 minutes. We had a drink at the bar to celebrate my husbands birthday, and for my kids Shirley temples. We were seated promptly and our server was Katie. We had a delightful dinner with quick and thorough service. The calamari has a creamy sauce to it, but was a very nice twist. I had the seared tuna which was served to perfection. Because it was my husband's birthday, they served us a complementary brownie sundae. This lasted all of 30 seconds, due to the fact that three of those in my party were boys. We ended up ordering a second, because it was so awesome. It's so nice to be able to enjoy a local dinner venue, instead of driving outside the city to enjoy fine dining. We will be back. GoodTimes for all.

    (5)

  • Krystal R.

    I'll start with the positives. Pleasant staff, good/great service. Cold draft beers served it cool glasses. Nice ambiance. Calamari & bread good. Moving on...the food just wasn't all that in my opinion. My perch (Which was recommended by the server as "the best") was served almost lukewarm. It was closer to cold. Buzzkill. I really don't understand that-fish needs to be served burning-your-mouth-hot. Now I know some schools of thought are "say something" but when you're having fun with a group of people it brings down the mood to complain. Not to mention the concern of spit in your food (hello, "Waiting") and the fact that by the time they re-bring the food, everyone is done eating and you're full. I would go back for drinks, especially in the summer-I imagine that would be a chillin' spot.

    (3)

  • Jenna N.

    My husband and I went here for dinner. The atmosphere is cute and it really does look like a classy old garage! The tables were very close together aka it was hard to talk and we basically heard everyone else's conversations. Drinks were served promptly and it was very clean. I ordered the fish tacos and my hubby the hamburger. The tacos were good but very salty. The hamburger was also good. So the only complaint is the price. The tacos were $14 and hamburger was $12 but to me a little too pricey for what we got. All the entrees were very pricey. I thought I was back in Chicago. I would return but consider dropping the prices, seems like they are marking them up 500%. Our bill with three draft beers was $46 and over $50 with tip. We spent $34 at Hayden's last week and got almost the same thing with desert! Just a suggestion.

    (4)

  • Lynn H.

    I am not sure why some have deemed this restaurant 'stuffy'. Does 'stuffy' mean well executed? Does 'stuffy' mean upscale? If it doesn't mean either of these things, then Garage Grille & Fuel Bar is not 'stuffy'. Hubby and I loved the interior, especially the window sill cum bar shelves and the mural showing downtown Northville fading into downtown Detroit. And we both enjoyed our meals tremendously. Hubby started with the French onion soup, which was cheesy and oniony and delicious, and followed through with the Sicilian pizza, which was easily enough for two, and of which he brought more than half home. I went for the Firebird shrimp, which was just the right combination of spicy and tangy, and accompanied it with the Brussels sprouts, all carmelly roasted and to-die-for! We both ordered from the special drinks menu, which features concoctions such as "motor oil". Yum! The restaurant is now open for lunch - can't wait to check it out. We love this place. Unique atmosphere + good food + great service + good prices = We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Mande B.

    We stopped in here on a Saturday night for drinks. I'm a sucker for those fun spots that took an old building that used to serve a totally diferent purpose and was redone and this particular bar used to to be a car service garage! I really liked the decor and the fun signature drink menu that had things like the "full service" martini (which was quite tasty), motor oil etc. We didn't try the food, but it sure did smell delish! The hubs and I will certainly be back!

    (4)

  • Ann W.

    Garage occupies a space in downtown Northville that was formerly a garage and then later on a flower shop. The restaurant is spacious with a bar upon entry, tables able to accommodate small and large groups down a short flight of stairs, and tables dotting the patio. Today, the severe storms and hail during lunch kept all of us indoors. Note that there is limited parking at the restaurant so you may need to consider one of the downtown's free public parking areas. This was my second visit to Garage and I ordered the Garage burger. It came with delicious sweet potato fries. The burger, on a brioche bun, included the requisite cheese, tomato and lettuce but was amped up with sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions. The burger was fine - just not amazing. Service was prompt but relaxed and the staff was friendly and responsive; we were in and out within an hour, which is a requirement for lunch.

    (3)

  • Karen A.

    Business traveler. First visit was approx 9mo ago...What the heck happened? Did the executive chef leave? Super cool "garage" concept,which is reflected in the menu, but the kitchen is unable to execute on the food. We order the Downtown Calamari (a signature menu item), it arrived soggy and tasteless. We sent it back for a second chance, and while it it wasn't AS bad, it certainly was not good. We also ordered the Firebird Shrimp and Sweet Braised Beef Ribs from the Compacts menu, they were also subpar (and really salty!) . The Caesar salad and Seafood Chowder were decent. Overall, very disappointing. Pros: Service and ambiance are great.

    (2)

  • Charles P.

    I was really excited when I saw the menu at Garage. It is a panoply of American cuisine, and includes appetizers, sandwiches and burgers, salads, soups, pizzas, and entrees. Unfortunately I wasn't very hungry, so I ordered the firebird shrimp starter and the three mini sliders. The shrimp came out quickly but hardly had any sauce on it, and was sitting on a piece of clearly spoiled squash. The main courses came out 50 minutes after we ordered, and all of them looked insipid and thrown together. I had to fix each burger with my fingers because it was so sloppily plated, and the patties were both dry and hard thanks to an overly crisp sear. An individual next to us stated he had just eaten one of the best meals of his life, and I feel like if I had ordered an entree the restaurant would have produced something worth a few more stars, but I have to judge Garage on the experience I had.

    (2)

  • Ernie M.

    We have been here several times and the food has always been a 4 or 5 star. My biggest complaint is that they "rush you out". This time, for example, I had the "soup du jour" ( three onion soup) and it was exceptional. I also ordered the lamb chops special ( exceptional) ,but before I got two spoonfulls of the soup, they tried to deliver my entrée. Also they finally delivered the rolls too late. I told them I was not ready, but by the time they finally got my brought to me it was cool----but still pretty good. My wife had the salmon kale salad and said it as great. She started with the seafood chowder and loved it, but it is a lot of potatoes. Our waitress Jessica C. did a good job , but she needs to be trained on how to deliver the orders in an acceptable sequence and time----if she has control. I decreased her tip by $ 1.0 because of this.

    (3)

  • Thomas P.

    Spectacularly bad! Sat for an hour with no food. The waitress came back to get us a round of drinks but did not seem to question that there were no appetizers or salads delivered. Finally, entrees arrived and she came by and realized that they had skipped the first 2 courses. Hurriedly these we're added to our table. BTW, the dressing on the wedge salad was not good. Tasted off. When the bill came we had items on it that we're not ours. Ok, the entrees were good and the kid who refills the water glasses was nice but those were the only positives. Mistakes happen BUT no manager came by to apologize ! I would not be writing this if she or he had. Obviously, we will never go back. Poorly run.

    (1)

  • Adam O.

    Finally made it back here and was happy to see they've made some significant upgrades on the food side of things. Was able to take advantage of the time of year, and score a nice seat on the patio with views to match. Split the shrimp cobb salad to start which was about as tasty as a cobb salad can be. Followed that up with the chicken panzanella. Pretty gosh darn tasty. Still have Two Hearted on tap which is still a huge plus. In walking through, looked like the pizzas have also been refined to taste, you know, good. This seems to be the case of a new place needing some time to get its feet under it and it appears they have. Still packed as always. 3.5 stars if I could.

    (3)

  • Christina K.

    I went here last Thursday w/ a friend and it was packed! The exterior of the restaurant is very cool as well as the interior. The hostess quoted us an hour and half wait so we decided to head to the bar and grab some drinks. But there were only two bartenders so we kept getting overlooked, so I'm sure they're still working out the kinks. We ordered the truffle fries (they came out cold the first time) but the second batch were really good! My friend ordered the wedge salad and it was huge! They have a complimentary bread basket that comes out (we had to ask for ours) and the bread was super hot and fresh so I'm sure they made it in the pizza oven or something! We then split the white pizza which was awesome! I think I'll give them a few more weeks to come back out so they've worked out the kinks but overall I would definitely give this place a try!

    (4)

  • Miike G.

    Fun atmosphere with garage/fuel relics from the past peppered throughout the restaurants interior. Tables are close to each and it does feel way overcrowded on a Friday Saturday night. Dining room is loud but not too bad during the week from what I'm told. Beer selection in my opinion was lacking considering the only had 2 out of 8 beers on tap from Michigan. Beer is also averaging $5 per glass for basic drafts that every chain restaurants carry. Food was slightly above average but more $$ than I believe it should be. The mahi mahi tacos were good but only had three small slivers (less than 1/2" cubes) on each taco. The bean and rice side was very bland. Their shrimp appetizer was good but a recipe that l have had before from Bonefish called bang bang shrimp. The pasta with chicken and spinach was a good portion and had a decent amount of flavor. Three beers, one app, one pasta dish and one taco order came out to be around $65 before tip. If they expand their draft list and serve them in proper glassware I may be back. As for the food, just an average meal nothing worth raving over.

    (3)

  • Jen L.

    The space inside and out is cool, and when it comes to the food and drinks, that is pretty much what you are paying for. Hostess and waitstaff were pleasant, but it seems like Garage G&F Bar is trying way too hard. The menu isn't complicated: Compact (apps), Green Fuels and Fluids (salad and soup), Pizza Wheels (um, pizza. Durr), Midsize (smaller plates), and Full-Size Sedans (dinner). I may have been a little ornery at the time, but when the waitress "explained" the menu, I felt slightly insulted intellectually. Drinks are highly over-priced ($12 - $10 for cocktails, $6.50 Fat Tires, really?). We ordered Hickory Sliders, Lamb Skewers, and a side of house fries to split. The food was o.k., but lacked in flavor and the complexity one would expect from a menu such as this one. For the quality of the food, I would call the menu items over-priced as well. While I wouldn't recommend going for dinner, I'm not going to write off Garage Grill and Fuel Bar just yet - their happy hour menu looks interesting and appropriately priced. I know it's Northville, but seriously. Other places in "upscale" areas are doing similar things, but much better. My skirt was definitely not blown up by this place.

    (2)

  • Leslie K.

    Went here on date night recently. As other reviewers have mentioned, parking can be a problem. We recently moved to Northville so ewe parked in one of the public lots & just meandered about for a while. At the Garage, we sat outside on the patio. It seems that is how the place gets it's name, as a myriad of muscle cars or high end sports cars drove past as if looking for the Woodward dream cruise. The service we had was good and prompt with orders and food. I did notice that once we had our food the drink refills did slow down. But they also got crazy busy at that point. TNT food was great. They have several interesting entrees, and we finally settled on sharing a macaroni & cheese pizza. It was as amazing as it sounds when you roll 2 carb-a-licious comfort foods together. I think we started with the calamari, which was tasty and not rubbery. But lets be honest, the main part of my memory is devoted to the pizza. As for pricing, it we was typical for downtown Northville; so not as cheap as a chain restaurant but the food was far better.

    (4)

  • Nathasja T.

    I like the location, I like the decor and I love the patio. There are outdoor heaters and blankets spread over each chair, such a nice touch. The wait staff is well trained, they seem to know every detail on the menu items and do a great job communicating daily specials. The beef tips portabella are one of my favorite appetizers around. Marinated, melt-in-your-mouth beef tips with earthy, savory mushrooms with a ridiculous sauce. I like to use their fresh, and delicious, baked rolls to soak up the sauce from the bottom of the dish, it's that good. I also really like the pig iron: a cast iron cooked pork tenderloin, prociutto wrapped with squash, candy striped beet, parsnip puree, applewood smoked vinaigrette and frizzled potato. The beet salad with their bomb almond brittle is a nice light lunch/dinner. My stepdaughter loves the sweet potato fries here, I need to order something with them soon. Now that summer is around the corner I am looking forward to more patio dining and garage will be part of our regular rotation.

    (4)

  • Jim G.

    This place is vastly overpriced. I went in there today for lunch and looked at their menu. They have things categorized in keeping with a car theme with titles like "Compact" "Mid Size", "Full" and "Hybrid". This makes it difficult to tell exactly what you're ordering. I ordered an item which was labeled as having beef tips and portabella mushrooms. Based on the price of $13 I assumed it was an entree. Well, it turns out to be just an appetizer. It was tiny and came with absolutely nothing else. It tasted fine, but was certainly not worth what I paid for it. They also charged $3 for a soft drink. All told, it cost me $20 with tax and tip for nothing more than an appetizer and a Coke. Needless to say, with prices like these, I will not be coming back.

    (1)

  • Anon A.

    Meh. Got 4 pieces of shrimp for $8 added to my salad. Not thrilled with other food either. We're offered rolls that never came. At least we weren't charged for those.

    (2)

  • Mike K.

    Love it more and more every time we go. Despite not being able to get it a week ago due to heavy business and no reservation, we got in tonight for a late 8pm dinner with family. Was surprised to see a new menu (the old one was pretty good!), but it had some of the old stuff and a bunch of new items. Waitstaff, as usual, was over the top friendly and attentive. They have some of the best staff in the area. We had calamari to start, it was described as lightly fried, which got me excited, I'm not a deep fry guy anymore, but I was a bit disappointed that it was chewy. The only disappointing part of our meal, although my kids finished it off and liked it a lot. The sauce was original and clearly fresh, as was the calamari. Salads were crisp, fresh and delish, they never disappoint. For dinner, my wife went with pulled pork sliders, my daughter had Cesar with chicken, both were amazing and staples of old menu. I had margarita pizza which was loaded with cheese, tomato and basil, I finished half.... The fun, adventurous one, my son, asked the waiter what to get and offered mac & cheese with bacon pizza... He went for it. It was the highlight of dinner, we all tried it, it was incredible. He could not finish and took a couple slices home. No one had room for desert, although the table next to us all ordered and said they were awesome. What else can I say? The Garage is perhaps the best place to eat in Northville for an eclectic, fun experience with great service, fair pricing and a wonderful location (eat outside if you snag a table!)

    (5)

  • Liz R.

    We arrived late on a weekday evening and were seated in the bar. I like the look of the place, with a ton of inside and outdoor seating. We did street parking and walked, based on yelp information, but it looks like they may have a lot? Our waitress left us on our own a lot, which I will attribute to it being late in the evening. Our waitress talked me into the Perch (tons of pictures of this dish, so it's popular...or the staff talks a lot of people into it). I thought this dish was good, but I ran out if sauce and got a bit bored less than halfway through the meal. Plus, it was pricy at $22, when the only side included is a couple tablespoons of whipped potatoes. Ken chose the Meatloaf. I'm not a fan of loaves of meat, but this was good. Flavorful, juicy and substantial. Their take on green bean casserole is different and fun, but don't expect goopy sauce. I was bummed they did not have the Bloody Mary with all the fixings (as shown in pics), just the plain ol' BM during dinner. I wanted shrimp and stuff! A-OK

    (3)

  • Cyle L.

    First, the value for the food and drink you're getting is terrible as most of the selection for anything is overpriced. I went in there for lunch a few days ago with my girlfriend. Looking at the menu can be a puzzle in itself as everything is categorized cleverly by a car theme with titles like "Compact" "Mid Size", "Full" and "Hybrid". Perhaps having clarification underneath each title (i.e. Compact = Appetizers). I had the Waldorf Crunch Sandwich, which wasn't bad actually - the white truffle mayo and walnut spread are what made the sandwich tasty. My girlfriend had the Back Bayou Fish Tacos - those were terrible. I feel like Taco Bell could have made better interpretations of a fish taco than this. Grease everywhere and yet somehow the fish meat was still dry? We also had an order of sweet potato fries, which definitely were pre-made frozen fries. The bill was over $38 after tip...for 2 small meals in a place that really didn't give any sort of high class clientele vibe. Not worth it and not going back.

    (2)

  • Paul W.

    After a couple of lunches here with coworkers (where she had the Waldorf crunch sandwich and the Northvile chicken salad), my wife suggested we try the Garage for dinner. I was game after looking over the menu, so we headed over last night with high expectations. They were dashed. Things got off to a good start when we found a spot in the restaurant's tiny parking lot and were seated immediately after walking in (dining on Tuesday night probably helps). Our server was pleasant and enthusiastic, though with a briskness of manner that gave the impression he wanted to speed us through the meal and clear the table for the next party, which was reinforced by glasses and plates being snatched away the minute they emptied (and sometimes a little before). My wife was on a mission to try the burger, and found it disappointing. Dry, bland meat; too-abundant saucy toppings that made the bun fall apart midway through. The thick mushroom slices were more flavorful than the meat itself. The french fries she got (with a crunch coating that didn't add much to them) were fine, though no better than you'd get at most local diners or taverns. I ordered the atlantic salmon salad. First the good: the bourbon-bacon vinaigrette was out of this world. Seriously. I would put that on anything green and leafy, and probably a lot of other things too. Rich and savory but didn't overwhelm the vegetables. Goat cheese added some contrasting tang, and though I'd have replaced the soggy chestnuts with some humbler (and cheaper) walnuts, overall, the non-salmonid elements of the salad gave little to complain about. Now the salmon... Farm-raised atlantic salmon is never going to compare to a wild-caught counterpart from any ocean, but at its best, it can still be tender and flaky with a mild, almost sweet flavor. What appeared on top of my salad was pungent and sardine-ish in flavor, thickly coated on one side with the gray fat that usually appears only down the center of a filet. When I picked at it with my fork, I pulled away not flakes but mushy lumps. Either this was low grade fish to begin with or it had been in the refrigerator way too long. Or both. I've had salmon like this before, though only at downscale places where ordering salmon may not have been a good idea in any case. But when I order a $19 salad, I expect something better. I think this item would ROCK if the salmon were replaced with shrimp or even beef, but the salmon takes it down like a pair of lead loafers. The two stars here are a nod to the bourbon-bacon vinaigrette and the lunches my wife had earlier. Otherwise, this would be a solid one-star establishment. With so many good dining options in the area, a return trip is not in the works.

    (2)

  • Margaret V.

    A great place in downtown Northville! I came for lunch on a Saturday a little after noon and it was starting to get busy. It ended up being a beautiful autumn Saturday and there was seating available inside or out. Given it was just me, I ended up taking a small booth in the bar area. The menu has a lot of interesting twists for regular dishes. They have salads, soup, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, pasta, and seafood. I ended up getting the shrimp tacos. Although they were extremely messy to eat, they were delicious! The shrimp was lightly fried, the cabbge was crisp and the pico and sauce on top were fantastic! A little spicy, but not over the top. The two tacos came with a side of rice and beans. I didn't care the side too much. It was a little bland. I would have preferred chips and salsa or quacamole (may be just me). The prices were a little high. Two tacos with the side was $13..... It appeared that most lunch items went for about that much. Service was pretty good. Yes, parking sucks, but it sucks for any restaurant or shop you visit in Northville. Thankfully there is plenty of street parking and lots available near by. Worth a visit if you are in Northville!

    (4)

  • Mary S.

    I had lunch here today at about 12:30 pm. No trouble getting a table and, I'll tell you why. Sat by the side window with two other people. Very nicely decorated. Service was great, very attentive, polite and quick. So, one star for decor, staff and the blue cheese stuffed olives in the bland, bloody mary. I ordered the Crispy Chicken Sandwich and was told it was a "whitefish" sandwich for lent. So I ordered the Garage Burger, Medium Rare $11 and fries $4. The fries have a coating on them and they were tasty but I prefer fries without a coating. The burger came out Well-Done and tasted like a hockey puck. (At least what I assume a hockey puck would taste like and that's rubbery, dried-out crud. For $11, even a well-done burger should taste good.) The cheddar cheese was good. I think they get it from Hiller's. The one mushroom and two onion pieces were tasteless--wasn't even sure what they were but, I ate them. I was hungry. I would have sent it back but I was with people that I haven't had lunch with in years and I didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable. One of the other diners had the Lake Perch and the other diner had a very unimpressive, pathetic looking Corned Beef Grilled Cheese. Neither diner said anything about their food. I will assume that it didn't knock their socks off. The person with the corned beef took a few bites and then removed half the bread. Prob not a ringing endorsement. (And, why-o-why does any restaurant put corned beef on their menus with the outstanding deli's in W. Bloomfield, Southfield...? Just stop.) Overall, very disappointing. Really too bad because this place could be great but the menu and execution needs a ton of help.

    (1)

  • Thomas L.

    Finally made it on a Saturday afternoon. Parking was not a problem and getting a seat was easy as well for it was not that busy. Good concept but the place lacked some sort of character that just cannot pinpoint at this time. Server was ver knowledgable and suggested some items but decided on the seafood pizza and Kobe meatloaf. Both entrees were good but a bit pricy. Overall had good experience but not sure if value was there for what you get. Seemed they try to be fancier than need be just for the location.

    (3)

  • Suzanne S.

    Ok so my husband and I were looking for a "different" outdoor spot to eat dinner Al Fresco tonight. It's a cool & breezy Summer day & we wanted to soak up as much of the outdoors as we still can! We'd visited the quaint little town of Northville a few weeks ago, and vowed to return for a dinner Al-Fresco! We arrived early so as not to get into the crowds and the rush rush of dinner time crowds. We were seated on a cute outdoor patio with the look of a decorated "garage"--hence, the name! But by no means does it resemble anything less than a very nice eatery! Our waitress was kind, pleasant and virtually awesome for what I had put her thru by the end, I'm sad to say. My husband got the pork tenderloins and I ordered the firebird shrimp tacos. I told the server that I was "picky" and she told me or actually she "assured" me that It was "delicious"! The good stuff was the atmosphere and the people working there & even the presentation if the food. The prices for the bigger entrees' was between about $16-$24 & the prices for burger and fries was reasonable for sure! There were several average priced salads and appetizers. Also the menu was not very extensive. I'm so sad to tell you now the few things that I was not excited about.the first thing that upset me was how very very long it took to get my shrimp tacos to me! It was over 30 minutes!! We lived being outside and never complained. Then when our food came, my husband thought his was very good. Mine was super spicy and just plain "hot"!!! I took one bite and really just hated it! So when the waitress came back I switched to order pizza , thinking that it'd have to be good, right? Well the pizza came & the sausage was only slightly warm and the sauce was very greasy and pooling on top of my pizza! It was "brick oven" pizza, therefore very thin and crunchy!!! I ate one piece and did not wish to complain again so asked for a box and decided to take it all home!! My hubby can have it tmw for lunch I suppose!! I told the server that I did not like the pizza either and I felt slightly uncomfortable...as she didn't offer to try & do anything to help, not that I could think of anything that would, by then! We packed up ...oh & I forgot to mention that after waiting 30 + minutes for the 1st meal, the pizza took another 25-30 minutes! But I still lined the experience and if you like "odd" & "quirky" foods, then you might love it here at "The Garage"!!! I'm probably not going back, but still not a "bad" review, right??? Lol... Have a good day!

    (4)

  • Robin L.

    This restaurant is in downtown Northville so the cuteness factor is super high. And the menu looks very good. Lots of nice things about the place. Very welcoming and we (4 of us) had a nice time at the bar. AND, the service was wonderful. I very much appreciate that! But, sadly, dinner was not delicious. And it's not an inexpensive place, so I think it's fair to expect delicious or even good. We were encouraged to order the lake perch dish and I personally trusted the recommendation. I can't remember what everyone else ordered. Bottom line: the flavor was not good. I kept the thought to myself thinking perhaps I was just having an off night and then my husband shared that he felt the same way about his dish after we left the restaurant. So, cute and fun ambiance, lovely service, and sadly, not so good food. (I'm really sorry!) I'm hoping if I ever go back, I can write an updated and better review, because I really do want to like this place.

    (2)

  • Charlene B.

    First let me start by saying we have lived close to several larger cities across the U.S. (Spokane, WA; San Antonio and Austin, TX; Nashville, TN), so we have experienced the cool hipster type of places that are popping up everywhere. Hubby has been wanting to go here for a while, so we went around 1 on a Saturday afternoon. As we entered the building there is a sign that says 'wait for the hostess,' but there is no one at the stand. The bartender finally acknowledged us, then said we could sit wherever. We sat at a booth in the bar area, and the first thing we noticed were the booths were upholstered with old jeans. Matter of fact, the decorations in the place were really cool. The ambiance in the place gave it a really relaxed vibe. First the bartender came over and said she would be taking care of you, and then another guy came over and said he was waiting on us. We got menus, and the first thing we noticed were the prices. When we are new to a place, we usually just try a few appetizers and go from there. So we got calamari ($11), beef and portabello ($13) , and a side of the red beans and rice ($5). We ordered a couple of drinks, and waited for the food. The cocktails were very good. Hubby ordered one of their special cocktails - El Camino, and I got a Tito's and club soda. Both were good solid drinks. The food came and we were really underwhelmed. The calamari was served with the sauce under it, and it caused it to come out soggy. The beef and bellos wasn't worth the $13 price, and the reds beans and rice was mostly all rice. We saw a pizza go by, and it appears that would have been the better option for the price, but by then, we were out. The server came back to ask if we wanted anything else, and when we said no, he pushed the dessert menu on us instead of the check. Two drinks each, 2 appetizers and a side was $59. When the prices are that high, you expect a better quality of food. We would go back for cocktails, but that is about it. Overall, we have had better. If this is trying to be a high-end eclectic kind of place, it has a way to go.

    (2)

  • Amanda O.

    The atmosphere is pretty cool. The food is average. The drinks were average. The service is average. The prices are insane. I would return for the happy hour special, but that's about it.

    (3)

  • Dan G.

    Really well done redevelopment of old gas station. One of the three downtown Northville gas stations to be converted. Others are a Starbucks and pizza place. Food is good, not great.. Atmosphere is excellent. Nice bar, too.

    (4)

  • Jessica H.

    Your wine list needs a tune-up garage. I ordered a glass of pinot noir with dinner and was served something that was basically undrinkable (vinegar-y and chemical tasting). I generally don't complain about wine in restaurants unless I'm sure it's something that could have been prevented (e.g., the bottle has been open too many days). So I went online to look it up. It lists at a whopping $5.99! I don't understand how a restaurant that clearly prides itself on being upscale could serve wine of a caliber that is typically only drunk (maybe?) by desperate high school students. And charges more for a glass then an entire bottle costs. Cost not refunded by the waiter, by the way.

    (1)

  • Tim N.

    Planned a dinner out for 4 of us. So far, service isn't quite up to expectations. Called on the way here to get the wait time, and was told a reasonable time, but they don't take reservations for parties of less than 6, and you can't put your name on the waiting list over the phone. Walked into the restaurant literally approx 5 minutes after calling, and the wait was already up 50% higher than what we heard on the phone call which is why I'm writing a novel for a review, since I have all sorts of time :-). They use your phone number to hold your place in line, and lo and behold... there is a phone app that they tell you about after you're actually inside the restaurant that lets you hold your place in line (it's ironically called "No Wait"). No mention of this on the phone, no mention I could find on their website. We've been planning to come here tonight for a couple of weeks, and this would have been helpful to know ahead of time. I'll update the review once we get a table and experience the service and the food. Follow up: dinner and service was redeeming for them! Overall, a decent experience and good food, with fairly good service (hence 4 stars). We'll be back to see how consistent they'll be.

    (4)

  • Adam R.

    Good atmosphere for the most part. But... Don't go here if you don't want popcorn with your burger.. Told me I couldn't sub sweet potato fries for the over rated popcorn that came with the burger. Burger was good. Wish they had more appetizers than what they have to offer. No chips and queso.

    (2)

  • Lori D.

    Had a great Anniversary Night. The food and service was awesome. Ryan did a great job and would recommend this place to anyone. Great calamari! Sea Bass and Pizza!!!

    (5)

  • Joanna D.

    This place was pretty underwhelming. Edible, but so are many other places for half the price. Came here for dinner with my parents. Arrived at 6pm, and waited 45 minutes for a table. The calamari appetizer was soggy and drenched in sauce (or was it soggy BECAUSE it was drenched in sauce?). I ordered the duesen burger. I asked our waiter what the 'performance boosting sauce' was and he replied 'McDonalds Big Mac sauce.' Ha. I ordered it medium but it came out more like medium well-well. The most peculiar thing about my meal is that it came with a small cup of popcorn. Not french fries or even a salad, but popcorn. My parents ordered the meatloaf dish and the pork tenderloin -- good thing none of us were particularly hungry because the portion sizes were quite small, especially for the price (and this is the midwest, right?) Service was fine -- the waiter was nice, our drinks were promptly refilled, etc. I give this place 2 stars instead of 1 because our experience here wasn't a disaster, but I will definitely never come back again.

    (2)

  • Amy K.

    Great Bloody Mary's at Sunday Brunch! Good food, good service, We have been here a few times and enjoy it. Love sitting out on the patio. Pricier, especially if you drink.

    (4)

  • Kurt H.

    Tried here several times but always leave disappointed. Drinks are good but food never lives up to expectations. Also, my waiter gave me the impression he was doing me and favor by waiting on our table. Will reserve this place for drinks only!

    (1)

  • Laura Y.

    Hostess: Great! She was nice and sat us fast Water boy: Great! He kept our waters full. Server: Great! our server Katherine was super friendly and good at job. Ambiance: trendy casual. There is a bar to the left of the dinning are. You can eat in that area as well. This is a great place for lunch. The food: good My son and I split a bowl of chili, I'm not a chili fan but it was good lots of flavor and stuff in it. I had the chicken sandwich and fries it good not the best chicken sandwich I ever had. I think the chicken is to much for the amount of bread you get but you could easily fix that buy cutting it in half and Next time I will ask for more coleslaw on it. The fries good nice flavor. The a Sweet potato fries are better if you like them. Pet peeve: they bring the butter to the table right out of the fridge. It's so hard you can't spread it on the bread.

    (4)

  • Anna K.

    I've been wanting to check this place out since it opened. Atmosphere is pleasant and original in style. I only wish the food was better. I ordered a side salad it was just ok, nothing great, and a shrimp appetizer as my entree. The shrimp was fresh, but the sauce ruined it. When I mentioned it to the wait person, her reply was "but it's so popular". Well, I did not care for it and I think others would agree. My check was $23 plus tip came to a pricey $28 for a side salad and appetizer that I didn't care for. Good concept, but a lot missing unfortunately.

    (2)

  • Michelle R.

    They are improving. The food and service is MUCH better than the past. Fish tacos, any of their pizzas and my favorite, the cobb salad with salmon are excellent. The service can be slow and a bit disorganized, but as I said, they are improving!

    (3)

  • Joanne R.

    Great food, nice ambience, great wine choices.

    (4)

  • Michele G.

    I love the concept of this place and hoped to enjoy an experience similar to Vinsetta Garage in Berkley. However, this place didn't stack up as I'd hoped for a couple of reasons. 1. The food and garage concept don't seem to align as well here. Why? Well, the servers are fancied up to match their menus and cocktails. (Blue dress shirts and black dress pants.) You won't find "Earl" here or a casual garage feel. Sure, you'll find fun candle holders with nuts and bolts inside, but you'll also find a menu with $15 burgers/sandwiches and mid-$20 fish items, and a limited drink menu of $12 martinis. 2. The food itself is tasty and upscale. I had a Chesapeake Bay pizza that was reasonably priced at $13. It included fresh herbs and some pieces of crab. It was a good quality, but not what I would have expected of a garage concept. My date had Kobe meatloaf for $17 which he enjoyed, but wasn't over the moon about. The only thing I can assume is that the location helped define this place. Duh, right?! The server was very energetic and quick to point out the specials and popular appetizers and drinks. In fact, she was quite the salesperson...not in a bad way, but in a well-versed and "not my first time waitressing" kind of way. She stopped short of pushy. The bread basket was the highlight. Hot, fresh rolls and real butter. Knock your South Beach diet to the side and get 'em while they're hot. Overall, this is a nice place to experience once and the food is good. I'm not inspired beyond a 3-star rating because there are many other quality concept restaurants that trip my trigger for the money in these parts.

    (3)

  • Kelly M.

    The menu can be a bit overwhelming and difficult to understand. The food was pretty good, but I wouldn't say worth the price. I would definitely go back, but maybe try some other options.

    (3)

  • Chris J.

    Came here for lunch today. Cool place, good food, nice atmosphere. Service was good, food was good. I had the tuna sashimi appetizer which was great. Also had the Kentucky chicken sandwich which I liked very much. We even got to sit outside!

    (4)

  • Joshua B.

    Had the firecracker shrimp and pizza as well as a salad. It was great and so was our waitress Joey!

    (5)

  • Jody C.

    I don't know why other reviewers say the food was "ehh" or that it was "underwhelming" and then give it 4 stars? The service was pretty good, but sadly the food was below even your typical chain restaurant quality. Doubt we will be back...

    (2)

  • K K.

    Better than average food and great atmosphere (opening up the garage doors to make the whole dining room open - genius). An interesting menu mix of Southwest, Baja fresh, and Old south bar-b-q. I love the shrimp tacos, though their burgers and perch (what presentation!) are quite good. I live about 25 minutes away with many great restaurants in-between, but its worth the drive.

    (4)

  • Kristin C.

    Dinner was great! I ordered the perch - lightly breaded with a yummy lemon caper butter sauce that I mopped up as much as possible with my perch and mashed potatoes. Also loved the crispy potato strings on top. Great texture and flavor. Very tasty. We ordered the mini cream puffs to split for dessert ... 3 mini cream puffs split and filled with a mini scoop of ice cream and covered with Sanders hot fudge. We all agreed that that was a miss. The ice cream and fudge were delicious, but the cream puffs had a strange texture. Not light and airy, but dense and mealy. I really enjoyed my dinner here. I was thrilled that we only had to wait 20 mins for a table. Loved the converted garage space. Saw lots of yummy things pass our table that others had ordered. I hope to be back soon!

    (4)

  • J. B.

    Called tonight to see if there was a wait and was told no. Arrived ten minutes later and was told there were no tables for our party of five. The 80% of empty tables were for reservations later in the evening. I asked about one table and they said it was for a party of six arriving more than an hour later. When my husband asked the hostess with blonde hair why we were told there was "no wait", she was snotty about it and muttering under her breath. Even my son commented on her rudeness. No customer service skills at all. No sorry for the misunderstanding, nothing. Left and went to Bravo where they actually want to wait on you.

    (1)

  • Mark S.

    Calamari, pizza and perch were great, very clean, great staff, they turn over tables quickly. Bartender went out of his way to find me a stool as last seat was taken, very well run.

    (4)

  • Sue W.

    Firecracker Shrimp. Amazing. Nice place and good service. Not a long wait on an early sat evening. Next time we will come for full dinner. Bartender and staff are very nice

    (5)

  • Sue M.

    First went to the bar, served wine in a dirty wine glass...had to send back twice. The bar keepers could of cared less actually said an onion was blocking the cleaning in the dish washer.....on to dinner our server was less than lack luster we were a party of 6 all but one got their meal and the 6th had to wait 15 minutes before he got his...again no one cared. They did comp my husband who had to eat his meal alone a piece of cake. I will never go back...over rated and the service was terrible. The food was average and not worth the trouble of going there.

    (1)

  • Rick S.

    I can't believe the raving reviews of this place, it's ok at best. We had the pizza. It wasn't bad. I'd eat it again, but I probably won't. It was kinda small for the dough...yeah, I actually said that. The menu was way overpriced for what you get, and very limited. The rolls were rubbery and obviously came out of the microwave. Nothing more appetizing than yesterday's rolls. Staff was friendly, but it didn't make up for everything else. Not horrible, but not great. I really doubt I'll go back. I REALLY don't understand what people are seeing in this place. Very mediocre, at best.

    (2)

  • Kai S.

    Continuing the theme of urban revival in Detroit, my sister and I find ourselves this afternoon at this less-than-a-year-old chic restaurant in downtown Northville that used to be an auto repair shop. Last October when I was back in town and drove past this property, it was still being renovated, so this time around I am quite impressed by its transformation. For lunch, I had downtown calamari (with banana peppers, and a nice kick of spice), seafood chowder, Detroit city sliders and grapefruit crème brûlée (light, fluffy, with a great balance of sweet and tart). All were satisfying but nothing really stood out that would turn it into a destination restaurant. I must confess that when I first took my seat, I was disappointed by its menu and was gonna get up and leave. There was simply nothing special, all of the items being the standard fares of sandwiches, soups, salads and pizzas, with little or no twists. I do believe that's a common problem in Detroit's restaurant scene. When I lived here for 17 years, every time I visited a new, buzz-worthy fusion restaurant (such as Ronin in downtown Royal Oak or Chen Chow in Birmingham), I would be delighted to find some unusual dishes on the menu. However, returning a couple months or even a few weeks later, I would find those items gone, replaced by some middle-of-American offerings, because, as I was told, "Not too many people ordered them." I'm afraid that for this reason, among others, while Metro Detroit may have a few great spots here and there (I'm loving Green Dot and Social), it may have a hard time going beyond being the birth place of "coney island" and achieving the status of a world-class heaven for foodies.

    (3)

  • Jeff L.

    The decor is fantastic, lot of super touches that really add the the theme. The service was a little slow, and they got things wrong, maybe becouse they're still a little new, the menu is a little low on things to order, I found some of the food entree selections a little odd. And not a ton for the vegetarian crown (i'm not). The food was a little on the pricey side, but not crazy. I also like the app for waiting in line, i can walk around downtown and know when my spot is coming up.

    (3)

  • Abbie L.

    I've been trying to get to the Garage ever since it opened and now that I finally have, I can't wait to go back. My family (and extremely picky grandmother) went to the Garage for lunch. We were seated right away in a nice table right by the window and greeted immediately by our very friendly server. The Sunday drinkers ordered Mimosas and Bloody Mary's. The Mimosas were a perfect size garnished with a strawberry, and the Bloody Mary was basically an appetizer! It was garnished with a spicy shrimp, onions, cherry, orange, stuffed olives, pickles and celery! I ordered the turkey caprese with house fries. What I loved about this is the turkey was not the slimy deli turkey. It was fresh turkey breast sliced thin. The bread it was on was soft and crunchy. It held the balsamic reduction and pesto really well. The fries were crispy shoestrings seasoned perfectly. My grandmother had the salmon blt and she couldn't stop raving about how delicious it was. Overall, it was a great experience from start to finish. I'm looking forward to going back to try the dinner menu!

    (5)

  • A R.

    Unique environment and menu items. Friendly staff, excellent variety on menu.

    (4)

  • M B.

    We wanted to love this place. We sincerely did. We overlooked multiple problems before we finally gave up and admitted "yeah, that place sucked." Pros: The idea is hip & original, the decor is great. Cons: I only saw one person working their who smiled (at us or just in general) and it was the bartender, everyone either didn't seem to care about anything or they just weren't sure what they were supposed to be doing. My wife's chicken salad came without chicken. My lasagna was partially cold. Ignoring those issues...the food was average at best. Bottom Line: I promise you we TRIED to like this place. We didn't even admit our dislike until we were done and in the care together. But it just wasn't to be. Don't bother checking it out. It will be out of business this time next year.

    (1)

  • Patrick G.

    Returning from a trip to downtown Detroit this morning, I figured I'd bring my out-of-town foodie friend to the Garage Grill for lunch. Thinking we'd start with seasonal pint, we ate at the bar. From the start, the bartendress was remote and aloof, almost surly. We had the sense we were intruding. It took some time for our pints to arrive. She seemed to look for other things to do besides delivering our beers. My friend ordered a chicken sandwich. I ordered the kale salad. The chicken sandwich was wet & messy. The shrimp on the kale salad were dry, tasteless and stiff. The kale salad was dry & suffered from a lack of salad dressing. We tipped appropriately. I'll definitely think twice about eating lunch here again.

    (2)

  • Nick M.

    Myself, wife, and 4 yr old daughter were excited to try out this new Northville restaurant for some time. We finally made it their for lunch on St. Patrick's day. Wow, the food was fantastic! We had the Garage Burger, Turkey Caprese sandwich, and kid's pepperoni pizza. I ordered my burger "Medium" and it was cooked to perfection. My wife is still talking about the turkey sandwich - she said "this might be the best turkey sandwich I have ever had. It will be difficult for me to come back here and order something different." Our daughter loved the pizza, and the kid's portion will easily feed 2 kids or provide plenty of left overs if ordering for 1 kid. We will be going back to The Garage, and we will bring friends and family next time.

    (5)

  • Beth H.

    This place was fantastic! I brought my boss here for her birthday lunch and we both got salads. She had the salmon and I had the chicken. Service was warm and inviting, decor and atmosphere was fun and prices were right in the ballpark of what I was hoping for. (Avg $9-$13/plate). Definitely will come back!

    (5)

  • Collette C.

    So cute, fun atmosphere had me anticpating a good meal.Food can only be as good as the service. We were not given a bread baksket, never offered coffee, no refill on the water, were served cold frech fries and waited near fifteen minutes for our bill to be taken up. These glitches could have been overlooked but it was the attitude of staff when we tried to rectify the mistakes that "left a bad taste." Typically I would not write a Yelp review, but they promised to have the manager call us, which they never did.

    (2)

  • X P.

    I was excited when this place finally opened after a very long time spent renovating it. It is attractive enough, inside and out. That's about the best thing I can say about it. Went with a party of 4 on a weeknight; we arrived at 6 p.m. sharp and waited nearly ninety minutes for a table. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised at having to wait this long at a relatively new place, but for the entire time we waited and ate, we watched several empty tables. These same tables were still empty as we left! I was able to sample each of the four items we ordered. Mine was the 'big sicilian' pizza ($12) which was pretty bad. It was so salty I could barely eat it (and I like salty food). The crust was thin, hard and flavorless, like the pizzas that come in a box. When our bill arrived, the waitress was amazed that I didn't want to take the rest of it home. The fish tacos ($14) were soggy, there were some flakes of fish hidden inside; the ones at Baja Fresh are better which isn't saying much. They came with cabbage and rice(???). The Garage burger ($11) was average, not something I'd order, especially when I can get a much better burger for half the price at the bar half a block away. The burger came with a small steel cup containing about 8 smallish sweet potato fries that I think were seasoned with cinnamon - they tasted like something you'd serve on Thanksgiving. An $11 hamburger should at least come with a pile of fries, right? The 'sliders' were very greasy ( the red wine butter?) and presumably made from the same beef as the $11 hamburger. In other words, tasteless. And if you want sliders don't order these because they are mini-burgers, not real sliders. Go to Bates in Livonia for real sliders. We had plenty of time to observe the waitstaff, the majority of whom appeared to be high school kids working their first ever job. Our waitress was unable to answer any questions about wine, much less make a recommendation. So when all is said and done, including a tip, we spent $100 for some extremely mediocre food.

    (2)

  • David T.

    Third time so far and this place only gets better. The vibe is great inside, the service staff is super friendly, and the food is outstanding. Now that it's summer time, they've got the patio open adding more space for customers. Plus, since it was a former garage, they can open the garage doors so even if you sit "inside" you have a great breeze and a feeling that you're outside. The decor is automotive heavy, but not overwhelmingly so. My wife has had the fish tacos and loves them. I've bounced around between the fried chicken and a burger - both were great. Tonight we split a cobb salad (with shrimp on top). Our server was cool enough to actually have the salad split between two people instead of having us try to figure out how best to split it up. After that we had the "big sicilian" pizza. The pizza itself was fairly small, but it definitely fills you up and was terrific. I almost don't want to give this place a good review...I don't want people to go there and jam up the place, but the owners and the staff have done a great job. If you're in the area, this place is a gem worth checking out.

    (5)

  • Allison F.

    What a breath of fresh air for Northville! When you step inside, you'd never know the place used to be a gas station, or more recently, Garden Views unless you are a citizen of this Victorian town. The inside has a rather intimate feel to it, with dim lighting and really creative decor on the walls. The mural in the front entrance way was painted by the mother of someone I went to school with and it's beautiful! The booths are fashioned by blue jeans. I know, it sounds tacky, but they are really sleek and amusing. The owners stuck with the theme of the 'garage' by taking model size cars, tires and old gas pumps to give the guests something to check out while they're waiting. They do not take reservations but if you walk in, they will take your phone # and you will be sent an update through text as to your wait. It is very convenient, seeing as the downtown area is perfect for a stroll or even grabbing a drink before dinner if the Garage bar is full. As far as the staff, everyone is super friendly and very attentive. I went in with my parents maybe a month after it opened and had a very nice waitress named Amanda. The second time I returned, she knew me and my family by name. Pretty impressive. Maybe we were an entertaining bunch, but nevertheless, the staff is punctual. As far as the food goes, the menu is amazing. Their bread is great, the calamari appetizer is delicious and their draft beer is perfect. When it comes to entrees, you've got a choice between seafood, italian and even fried chicken! The chefs are clearly well versed in their techniques because the plates are always beautiful and the food is always perfect. Aside from raving about the food, I have an issue with some of the comments below that are negative. First off, if you went within the first few weeks of opening and you're complaining, every resturant takes at least a month to work through getting into their groove and you should know that if you are a consistent diner. Secondly, to anyone that says this place is stuffy, you're obviously not from Northville since you're coming in with that stereotypical attitude. Like I said, Amanda remembered my name after meeting me once. What is stuffy about the staff??? Also, there's a difference between stuffy and high end and clearly people are acting as if the two are one in the same. If you already have a negative attitude towards Northville, don't come here. Bravo to the owners and the staff for bringing a brand new dining experience into our little town. And for the people that post negatively about this place, just know that the wait every weekend since it's opened has been 45min to an hour. I'm pretty sure the place is a hit, and they deserve it with all the hard work they put into that place and their menu. Love it and can't wait to go again!

    (5)

  • Michigan H.

    Disappointing. Things seemed promising with the appetizers: we got the hot pretzels, onion dip and calamari. They were well-prepared and delicious. All three were excellent. Things turned sour at the entrees, though. Fish tacos were exceptionally dry: instead of mahi mahi filets, I found shredded pieces of fish buried under the lettuce, pico de gallo and sauce. Perhaps the worst fish tacos I've ever had. The lasagna also received a thumbs down, a lot like Chef Boyardee. The perch received the highest praise ("It was okay...bland"). It could have used more sauce. Desserts were alright: banana sticks and caramel pudding. They were just average, at best. Even though we live close, it will be hard to imagine we will return.

    (2)

  • Kerrie M.

    I am really liking this place! I have been here a few times now (both for lunch & for dinner) and I have enjoyed every visit! First of all, whatever design firm did the decor, they deserve a huge round of applause. It is designed to perfection. Every detail was thought out to complete the "garage" theme. From denim covered booths with mechanics name patches to clear glass candle jars with nuts and bolts inside, everything was fun but not overdone either. I have been able to try quite a few things on the menu so far.... The Firebird Shrimp, downtown calamari and the pretzel sticks were all flavorful starters. I liked the trio of dipping sauces that were served with the pretzel sticks very much. I have also tried a few of the entrees as well. I loved the Garage Grilled Cheese (served at lunch only). It was oozy and gooey and was served with a very tasty but not too rich tomato basil soup. I was also pleased with the Baha Fish Tacos, Potato Encrusted White Fish and the Margherita Pizza as well. I will say that the ground mustard sauce, served along the white fish, was a bit too strong for my taste but my husband loved it. My most favorite part of the meal, I have to say, were the rolls that they bring to the table! Oh man, were they addicting! I will be back here over and over again and will be bringing friends when they come to our side of town. There are too many things I still need to explore on the menu..... beef brisket, you are calling my name!

    (4)

  • toni b.

    Terrible terrible terrible. Unlike many of the reviews I will say that the service was good, however the food was disgusting. My husband ordered the pork & polenta which came out and looked like cat food and scrambled eggs. It was virtually inedible. I had the beef pappardelle and it had ZERO salt. Same with the perch. The martinis were delicious and they have a decent beer list and I would say just go there and have cocktails but the ambiance blows. It's loud and bright and they were playing whitey Huston when we walked in on a Saturday at 7pm. I won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Matt A.

    Awesome! Food was really good. Service excellent. Decor is great, especially if you are a true michigan car person. Shrimp tacos were very good. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Gina G.

    Garage Grill & Fuel Bar is amazing! Everything was very clean and the service was great. Everyone was extremely friendly and always had a smile. The deluxe Bloody Mary is THE BEST I have ever had, it is a drink and appetizer in one! I really enjoyed my experience and I will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Amy G.

    I'm a little surprised to read so many negative reviews. Are people really shocked that a Northville restaurant seems stuffy? It just goes with the territory. I have eaten at the Garage twice and both meals were good. I had the perch both times (I tend to stick to my favorites). My BF had the lasagna which was also tasty. The service was okay. I'll definitely go back- it's nice to have another choice for dinner in Northville.

    (4)

  • Joe B.

    I remember passing by this place three years ago thinking that it would be a great spot for me to open a restaurant...I was obviously on to something. I started at the bar waiting for my party to arrive and Katie #2 waited on me. She was polite and friendly and on-the-ball making a well mixed Manhattan for me. Drink prices seemed very reasonable although the specialty Garage cocktails are a little steeper running around $12. When our table was ready and we were sat, Katelyn became our server for the evening. She was also friendly and checked in regularly before we ordered, while we ate and after dinner to inquire about dessert. I should note that we did feel a bit rushed and that the smaller tables aren't large enough for drinks, bread, a butter plate, place settings and the actual sequential platings...we were pretty cramped - uncomfortably so! But the service here seems like it's coming along pretty well based off some other reviews. I should note that at 5:30 on a Wednesday night it was just starting to pick up and by around 7 it was in full swing and filling up. I ordered the calamari to start served in a cream sauce with pepperoncinis. I really liked this dish. I know there was a comment about the crunch of the breading being lost to the sauce but I thought it was a nice blend of both. The flavor was outstanding and bright and I could've eaten another plate of these easily. The calamari itself was tender and the still fairly crispy when it arrived. For the entree I ordered "the steak and stuff" which is an 8oz. filet, with truffle fries served in a small cup alongside asparagus spears. The truffle fries are shoe string thin and lightly seasoned....I liked them but they got cold quickly. The asparagus was also really good...I think it was roasted, but there were only 4-5 spears. At $27, I would've liked more, and it's asparagus, so being stingy here isn't appropriate. The filet itself, which I ordered medium, came rare but it was seared really nicely and seasoned heavily, which I don't mind. I order my steaks medium figuring most of the time it's on one side or the other of my request so I hedge my bets. This time it was way off the mark but it was still really delicious. All in all this was a nice meal at a nice spot that is still finding it's footing. I think they'll do well once they tighten up the machine a little but I'd come back. My only gripe, again, was about the amount of food they offer for the prices they ask. I went home a little hungry but I guess I should've grabbed one of their pizza pies for an after dinner snack. Oh, and as a final note the decor here is really crisp and elegantly defined. The black tables against the white walls and the art work make this place pop which I'd imagine is part of the trend appeal. It's worth a visit.

    (4)

  • Marshall W.

    Fun place! Finally got a chance to go to the "new place on the block." Only parking on a Friday night was on the street. It was bustling! ..the narrow bar area packed. Oh, the bar is so much fun! They text your phone when your table is ready - got there at 6PM and we were texted at 6:18. Katherine is sweet, pleasant, efficient and fun. She quickly got us water and explained the menu and gave suggestions. Menu is actually small - one side of the page. Yummy comfort food: pizza, burger, fish taco, a little pasta, chicken and fish. But, it's all done with a little bit of flair - some call it "lagniappe". The back side of the menu is the drinks - wine galore! I love it!! Great selections, I had a glass of the Donati Family Vineyards Claret, but they also carried some Francis Ford Coppola and Groth Cab. House side salad was mixed greens with house vinaigrette - tasty, good sized and inexpensive. The Buttermilk Fried Chicken was great. Three pieces (leg, wing and breast) done in a tasty crust that was not greasy and had a hint of something special (heard someone said they marinated it in apple cider). Even the potato 'tots' were intriguing balls of mashed potato, deep fried to give a crispy shell - not greasy - and was that just a hint of nutmeg? Nicely done. Rather noisy, but found that good, as we didn't have to hear the table next to us - and it is a rather tight fit. Dark also, but fun decorations throughout made me feel like a kid again. Kind of small and cramped with narrow aisles. We were in by 6, out by 7! Yes, the prices are a little high, so it's not your every nite place, but although it's homey comfort food, they add a little bit of extra flair that makes it so much fun. Glad we stopped by - worth a repeat visit.

    (4)

  • JP L.

    What a welcome addition to the Northville downtown dining scene! The place looks great and obvious care was taken during the renovation to blend both modern and classic decor. The result is a very cool vibe in both the dining and bar areas. Although the wait was long, it was worth it. The menu has good variety and the quality of the food is top notch. We both ordered a house salad and the maple glazed salmon. They were terrific. Highly endorse the Garage and wish them much success.

    (5)

  • Mariah H.

    I visited this restaurant with some friends to celebrate a birthday. We were there for dinner and the restaurant was pretty busy. First off, let me say that parking isn't that great. The lot is a bit small and I ended up having to park across the street in the library parking side lot. I also noticed that there's not too much walking space between the tables. Our semi large party was slightly crammed into a corner booth and it seemed like the waiters and waitresses had to dance around each other in order to avoid a collision.... The bread they served before the meal was very good and our waitress was friendly and attentive. She offered suggestions when we asked and was very prompt in making sure we weren't without drinks. I was having a hard time deciding exactly what I wanted, but I eventually landed on the firebird shrimp tacos. They were AMAZING. I was thinking about these tacos for days after I had them!! The sauce they used was relatively spicy, but the flour tortilla, cabbage and pico helped to minimize the heat. They didnt skimp on the shrimp, which I could appreciate. My only critique would be the rice and beans served on the side. Don't get me wrong, they were very good, however they were red beans and there was also some type of meat (im thinking ham) mixed in. Personally, I felt that this dish was more Southern and clashed a bit with the tex/mex feel...if rice and beans are being served I'd opt for a black bean instead, but hey that's just me. Overall I had a very good experience here and I would recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for good food in a unique atmosphere.

    (4)

  • James M.

    * * * Second visit * * * We tried eating here a second time but on a Wednesday. It was still crowded and noisy as usual but by 8 PM only half full. The young servers went out of their way to make things pleasant this time. They get an A for effort. But they still need to be more attentive to water, drinks, etc. Part of the problem may be the poor traffic flow through a bottleneck by the hostess table. Moving that down near the main door where it belongs would help. The food was better but still not great for the price. The french onion soup was still good but the main courses were too pretentious with lots of parsley, etc. hiding food that was . . . . average. I'm still hoping for more from them.

    (2)

  • Amber L.

    We arrived on a Wednesday at 11:40 am for lunch. At that point the restaurant was only half full. It took the waitress 10 minutes to come to our table and by that time we placed our beverage and food order. The tables around my husband and I were severed all of their drinks even though we were there prior to the other customers. We had to remind the waitress that we ordered diet cokes when she brought our soups. The soup of the day was a really great minestrone. We both ordered salads, I had ordered the Northville chicken salad and my husband ordered the mainstreet cobb. We tried to wait patiently yet once we noticed it was already 12:30 pm, we both got a little annoyed. Seeing how this was a lunch break and we each needed to get back to our employers. We received our salads and ate as fast as we could, without any drink refills mind you. Then we asked for the check and that seemed like pulling teeth for the waitress. Long story short we each got back to work after 1pm (both of us work in the area). Our total bill was $41.34, which was a lot for what we ordered. Don't get me wrong the food was good but it took forever and our waitress was terrible. I'm pretty sure we won't be going back during the work week that's for sure! We'll stick to the restaurants in downtown Plymouth.

    (3)

  • nancy P.

    Visiting from San Francisco, we were anxious to try this extremely popular, fairly new and esthetically attractive restaurant. Our party of four arrived just before 6 pm and were seated immediately on a recent Thursday evening. All of our selections were outstanding - arugula/beet salad, seared tuna, calamari, and salmon on bed of spinach and quinoa were all scrumptious. Service was good - when the restaurant became crazy busy, another observant server graciously stepped in to help out. We were happy with our wine selections and dessert was simply outstanding - mixed berry cobbler with ice cream - the best I've ever tasted. Although noise level can get a bit high, we were seated at a corner table and didn't have to shout to hold a normal conversation. I give it 4.5 stars - I'll be back next time I'm in Northville!

    (4)

  • Denise N.

    Great place! Came for dinner on a Sunday night. It has a very cool atmosphere. The Kobe beef sliders were delish. Ceasar salad was yummy. They even made a special dinner for my very picky daughter. Service was excellent!

    (4)

  • Ann T.

    Great location and decor. Times I've been here, had to wait a few minutes for a table so need to make reservations esp if you are with a group. Extensive menu no dish really stands out for me as I need low-salt dishes. Can get really busy on weekends so buy drinks and order an appetizer.

    (3)

  • Robyn S.

    Great atmosphere! Turkey Caprese sandwich was excellent...work in Northville and plan to go back.

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    First time at The Garage tonight and it was a great meal. We ate on the patio but both inside and out has a fresh look and just feels right. The service was friendly and knowledgeable, but the star is the food. Between the four of us we had different salads and entrees and every plate was cleaned. Then we talked ourselves into dessert by saying we just wanted a taste, but we never had a chance - delicious. And my wife, a brownie "nut", says their brownie was one of the best she has had! Needless to say, we will be back.

    (5)

  • Liviu F.

    For starters this place has a great food selection however the seating is horrible. My wife and I basically had trays being passed over our heads all night long and my wife's foot was stepped on by a passing server at least twice while trying to reach the tables behind us. After her foot was stepped on the same server proceeded to step over her crossed legs, basically straddling her lap. The table set up was so poorly designed that our own server accidentally bumped into me while squeezing through the packed tables. (Btw we are avg. sized people) After my wife got up and spoke with one of the owners we were moved to a better table in the corner but at no time did anyone offer an apology. Apparently if you want to spend a nice evening here you need to put up with the house attitude. Sorry garage you over promise and sadly under deliver.

    (1)

  • Karrieann F.

    Food was very good and the bar staff were friendly, funny and helpful with both the food and drink menus. They made up for the hostesses who were rude and somewhat inept. I would have given the restaurant a 4 star rating but the hostesses were really that bad. We waited over a half an hour to watch two men walk in and sweet talk them into letting them sit at the bar. Apparently two women who ask to sit at the bar to dine was not allowed. The false apology and feigned surprise and confusion after we asked why we couldn't do the same was insulting. Really you didn't realize we wanted to sit there even though we specifically asked if we could. Next time at least wait until you seat us before you allow others to do exactly what you denied us. Rude.

    (3)

  • Erica B.

    Don't plan on having dinner as a family here. We went with our two children who are well traveled and have eaten in numerous restaurants far nicer than the garage. Upon entering the hostess gave us a disapproving look and said I am sorry we just sat our last table right before you. She then told us the wait was over an hour and we should try some other place in town. Please keep in mind there were numerous open tables, and a table of four (same as ours) was seated with no reservations as we walked out.

    (1)

  • Tracy P.

    Garage Restaurant Needs to Refuel I dined with my husband and another couple on Monday May 6 @ 5:45. While the drinks and appetizers came out quickly, our entrees were very slow to arrive. The server, Michael P., explained this was the first day with the new chef's new menu. We chalked it up to bad timing and patiently waited for our food. The waiter was apologetic and we understood. However, when the food came out (about 45 minutes after ordering the entrees- we ordered a bit after our appetizers were delivered), my pork loin was extremely undercooked. I don't mean rare, I mean raw. It was cold in the center. The waiter made me feel like it was my fault, "Oh that's too rare for you?" "No, it's too raw for me", I said. Secondly, I'd requested an almost dairy-free meal. My server agreed that he'd tell me if any substitutions needed to be made. The risotto was floating in a cream sauce upon arrival. Without mentioning the dairy issue, I had my pork loin sent back. I didn't want the repair job to take any longer than necessary as the 3 other people at the table had their meals and I didn't expect them to wait for me as their food grew cold. My meal returned to me over 30 minutes later. While the others tried to eat slowly, they were done or practically done when I was finally served. I couldn't even munch on rolls as I waited because they were so dry they tasted like they were made four days earlier. Just one quick apology from the server was all I received. He never checked back and gave me an update as I waited an excessively long time for my second attempt at a meal. He really didn't seem to care. The manager never stopped by. For 30 minutes our table was forgotten or ignored other than the person filling water glasses (for this person, I gave service a good) I will NOT return and I will not recommend the Garage restaurant to others! p.s. the others had tuna and white fish which were fine. Not extraordinary, just fine.

    (1)

  • Rebecca B.

    I had really high hopes for this place.. If I were to only rate the décor, I would give it four stars. A newly remodeled building - I loved going here when it was a garden shop. Every attention to detail has been met with the auto paraphernalia. I noticed a super cool chandelier which included headlights and tires. There's a great mural on the back wall, check it out! It was cool to see the water station outside the entrance beside the sidewalk for people walking their dogs.. The parking is very limited, unless you luck out and snag one of the few spots in the lot, be prepared to park somewhere down the street.. The garage doors open all along the front wall for a lovely outdoor feel, but it is really noisy on that side and almost impossible to have a conversation. Anyway...what we got to restaurants for...the food, meh.. I ordered a burger which was not fabulous. I'm pretty sure my fries would have been good had they been at least warm. :( The service was pretty slow considering we were there when it wasn't busy, but we weren't in too big of a hurry.. My niece was sad to see a little girl at a nearby table that had crayons when she wasn't offered any :( nobody in our party was excited about their meal.. I will mention the bread - delish, but took way too long to get, probably 15 minutes.

    (2)

  • Dana O.

    Our estimated wait was 60 minutes but after waiting around for an hour and 45 we walked out. Had a spot at the bar but what a ridiculously long wait to get a table. Had no appetite by the time we were ready to be seated. Can't vouch for the food however I will not waste my time here again!

    (2)

  • Dana A.

    Just went for drinks. Uppity Northville crowd even staff a bit stiff. Getting a lot of publicity for something that is just another new place in Nville.

    (2)

  • Chris C.

    Excellent! The location, the thematic ambience, the service, the food, the prices...the fish tacos were excellent. My first time but not my last...highly recommended!!!

    (5)

  • Edgar B.

    Very cool place. Really good soup. Do not order the chicken on bread something-or-other. It's a horrible and unrecognizable experiment (based on our travels). We have done restaurants from Port Austin to Allen in the Detroit area. This one is very worthy dining, but that dish is gag-worthy. Neither my wife nor I could get it down our throats. But go. It's a great idea for a restaurant.

    (4)

  • Ron B.

    We decided to try the Garage again. I just read the reviews below where someone complained about a hostess that told the diners that It would be a long wait. Very similarly we walked in at 5:30 Fri night and no one was ahead of us waiting but the hostess said to us. "We just sat everyone so it will be about a 45 min wait. Perhaps you would like to eat at the bar'......Which was empty. A restaurant never sets the entire restaurant at the exact same time unless a BUSS load of people just came in. We said no, I will take my chances that you are not telling the truth( I said to myself) and wait for a table. We went to the bar, ordered 2 drinks and just like that.......a table opened up. What is with the owners that they tell their staff to lie to customers. Now the food. The Shrimp appetizer is out of this world, the Clam Chowder is more of a fish chowder and Wonderful .......and the Farm Pizza was just OK. Usually designer pizza's are thin crust and this was Not and they put regular tomatoes on it that you normally do not put on Pizza. Waiter and other diners very nice but we will probably not give it another chance

    (3)

  • Kevin G.

    First visit here two nights ago with 8 people. As you can imagine we had to wait awhile to get seating for this number. Love the outside of this place. We used to shop here when it was the Gardenviews outdoor shop. Really like the way they kept the interior multi level design. Decorated very nicely inside. Amy was our server and she did a great job explaining the specials and different menu items. it was very busy at 8 pm and the noise level was pretty loud but we sat up against a inside wall so the noise did not stop our party from hearing each other. The menu does not appear to be to large for the kitchen to handle which is a plus in my book. Good selection of appetizers. Pretzel sticks with trio of mustards was very good. Seafood chowder was also very tasty and smelled fantastic. With regards to entrees I agree with bits from each of the other reviews to date. All the entrees are 17 to 27 dollars. I had the perch dinner at $21. Nice portion but came out on warm side. Still think it could be 3 or 4 bucks cheaper. 4 pizzas were ordered and all but 1 were done perfectly. 4th pizza was a little doughy. 1 burger was ordered and it came out as ordered and was said to be just great. Had enough to take home but that was $11. Seafood pasta had a lot of pasta but not enough seafood for the price. Manager was very visible and talking to patrons. The price points here will keep this from being a regular haunt . We will give it a couple of months and go back. I want to try some of the appetizers and the kale salad. Still worth at least one visit in 2013.

    (3)

  • Nanci D.

    Not worth the wait! We went for early dinner, restaurant was not busy and service was really slow! Had to wait a long time for drinks, and the main course took forever. The server kept saying it would be out in 3 min. and it took another 20. When the dinner finally came out, it was luke warm at best and very dry (halibut- the night's special) On a good note, the mojito was wonderful!

    (3)

  • Tom J.

    They don't take reservations, so you have to put your name in and wait. Luckily, when your name comes up they text you on your phone so you can mill around downtown in Northville until your name comes up. We arrived at 7:00pm on Friday night, seated at 8:15pm. The estimated wait time was 1.5 hrs so they were spot on. We had drinks, apps, entrees and desserts Drinks: Everyone loved the martini variations. Strong pours. 5 stars. Apps: Firebird shrimp - great; Sliders - fair/very dry. 4 stars. Entree: Perch (recommended by staff) - fair at best/bland; Salmon - good/bland. 3 stars. Dessert: Cream puffs - great; Caramel pudding - bad/grainy, poorly prepared. 2 stars. Staff: Great. Very friendly. Amanda was awesome. Atmosphere: Small and very loud. Decor was fun. They could use some sound absorbing materials around the place. We had high hopes for this restaurant because of all the previous reviews, but it fell short of expectations. We will likely not go back for quite a while to allow the hype to die down a bit, but we'll try it again to test the other menu items. TIP: Get your name in early since they don't take reservations.

    (3)

  • Dave C.

    We just had a nice lunch at the garage. The chicken sandwich, burgers, and seared tuna salad were all good. The tomato basil and lobster bisque were good too. Stop in and check it out.

    (4)

  • Valerie P.

    Pleasant experience, although our table was in the bar area, which was not very private and difficult for the wait staff to navigate. The atmosphere is interesting but has a crowded feel. The food was excellent: rolls were fresh and hot and the salads were good. Hubs had the day's snapper special and loved it. I had the perch and it was heavenly. Good selection of beer and wine. We've been here a couple of times and haven't been disappointed.

    (4)

  • Katie F.

    Have been to this restaurant at least 5 times and I have yet to find a bad thing to say. The service was great, staff is very kind and welcoming. Food is delicious, one of my favorite meals is the Big Sicilian pizza. The decor is classy, and sets a warm environment. I would recommend The Garage to anyone.

    (5)

  • Kyle K.

    Went to Northville to have dinner at Table5, saw the very cute Garage and changed our plans. Not a good decision. The Garage is cute but you can't eat and drink cute. Sat at the bar. Bartender ignored our recipe for a cocktail but remade the drinks when we requested--no problem. The beef and mushroom appetizer with zip sauce had excellent flavor though the beef was fatty and should have been better trimmed. Beet and arugula salad was fair, possibly bland. Entree of pork and risotto was positively bad. Pork was dry, risotto more like rice in a puddle of chicken stock.

    (2)

  • Tanya E.

    We always enjoy this place aside from the first time when it first opened. I wonder if they just had to work things out, but we really love it now. Great atmosphere to meet friends. Yummy martinis and great food.

    (5)

  • Lesley K.

    My husband and I had dinner on a Wednesday night. The staff was friendly, we were seated right away, and the service was good. Decent wine list, the warm rolls were great. I had a Caesar salad, my husband had the seafood chowder, both were really good. We were impressed until we got our entrees. My fried chicken was raw inside--I sent it back to the kitchen and got the same chicken back ten minutes later, apparently microwaved. Then I tasted it--it was so salty I couldn't taste anything but the salt. The potatoes were good. My husband ate his perch, but was disappointed that it was so bland he couldn't really taste perch. I had the chocolate fredo for desser, which was quite good. We will give this place another try, as the sides were so good, but I'm not optimistic.

    (3)

  • Lisa R.

    Food was good but not great for all the hype of this place. The hostess came by our table and asked us if we were going to leave soon! ARE YOU KIDDING ME LADY??? I have never had that happen at any other place EVER! Our waitress (who was excellent) was mortified and reported the rudeness to the manager. Then the hostess came back and apologized which was nice, however a token of a dessert or coffee on the house would have been a nice gesture. I get the feeling of Northville snobbiness in this place and they don't take reservations. It was kinda pricey too but they have a nice wine selection. I will have to try it again with a better experience to rate it any higher. Decor was ecclectic and the place was clean.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Tue

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : No
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Street, Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Trendy
    Noise Level : Average
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : Yes
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : No

Garage Grill & Fuel Bar

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