JBaldwin’s
16981 18 Mile Rd, Clinton Township, MI, 48038
JBaldwin’s Menu
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Happy Hpur Menu
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Happy Hpur Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Clinton for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
16981 18 Mile Rd
Clinton Township, MI, 48038 - Phone (586) 416-3500
- Website https://www.jbaldwins.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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Carey C.
Great food, but the open layout makes it REALLY, REALLY loud when dining. If you can put up with the clanking of dishes echoing across the restaurant, then you'll have no problem (my migraines make my hearing really sensitive). Every dish of food we had was delicious, well seasoned, and well plated. From soup, salad & appetizers to the entrees. I, however, would think it's more of a $$$ rather than just $$, you can walk away with a $90 bill for 2 people, but it will be worth every penny. Signed up for their rewards program, so I plan on using every reward and coupon that comes my way.
(4)Ken S.
The calamari is as advertised - delicious! We went with their signature pizza, Baldwin Special or something rather. Very good! Loaded with quality toppings but I thought the pie could do without the chicken topping. I would preferably like the prosciutto flavor to come out a bit more. The veggies were great. I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu
(4)Hannah O.
AMAZING food! Very high quality and generous portions, and very comparable to the Capital Grille in Somerset mall! Their menu is very detailed and thorough and we have never been disappointed going to their restaurant. The employees are great and the manager does an amazing job coming to the table and checking on the status of your meal, making sure everything is in tip top shape. On Fridays and weekends I would definitely recommend reservations because it tends to be a little busier for them but it is definitely worth it! Their calamari and crab cakes are great! They have very many accommodating choices for those who are gluten-free or vegetarian. Exceptionally clean and very in tune with the times. Definitely not a restaurant to pass on!
(5)Anthony B.
The food here was really good. And the service was too. But at least the menu I had wasn't very exciting. I believe the special menu was lobster so we eschewed that for the very reasonably priced Sunday night pizzas. I was told that they change the menu often and even offer different cooking classes and events. If I was local I would not mind including this in my restaurant rotation to see what kind of different interesting things they offer.
(4)Vinny G.
This place is good. I don't know if my experience was great, however. My fiance and I went for an anniversary and had a good experience. I would recommend it to people. But wouldn't guarantee that the person will love it. Their menu can seem a bit ambitious, without truly wowing an adventurous person. The dishes my fiance and I had were creative options, though neither of us truly loved what we had. Mine was a Bourbon Apple Chicken entree. I enjoyed it, but not nearly as much as I would've liked. I can't recall what she had though. (This was in April, I believe on a Tuesday) Also, we split a Caesar Salad which was way overdressed. It's not that the food isn't good, because it is. It's just that for the prices, and how highly touted this restaurant is, I just expected more. I went in expecting to give it a 5-star, and wasn't impressed enough to do so. I'll be back to give this place another try, and maybe then I'll give it a 5-star. But until then, I'm not exactly dreaming of going back. Our server was also very nice and helpful. She helped guide my fiance and I through the menu giving nice recommendations and everything. She even overheard us talking about how it was our anniversary, and quickly went over and grabbed a tea-light candle. It was a pretty hilarious gesture. Not the most impressive candle, but we loved it. It was also pretty funny, and such a simple thing to give a lasting impression. Unfortunately, my memory of that candle is better than my memory of the food. Until next time, JBaldwin. And there will be a next time...
(4)Rob M.
Never have been here and left disappointed. Today proved to be no different. When the kids are away mom and dad will play and this playground of your senses lives up to the billing. For today entree I had the potatoe chips and panko encrusted walleye. It was a beautiful masterpiece of capers, lemon sauce, and chargrilled asparagus. Very happy belly. Original food, original specials, and fantastic atmosphere. A Macomb County jewel.
(5)Despina T.
A Clinton Township gem definitely made an impression on me. I came here last year before the remodel & it was okay. Thank goodness the experience was okay enough for me to come back after the remodel & try again. My first impressions: logo changed, chic atmosphere with dim lighting accented by Edison bulbs, & décor is new - a whitewash whimsical type of look with a hint of urban chic. Tables are served with fresh bread, cracker bread, & a light pesto. My table (2 couples) ordered Spinach artichoke dip - delicious! Great menu selection including meat/cheese trays, pizza, meat, seafood, & wine. Today they has a great selection of specials! Everyone at my table loved their food. I ordered one if the specials - Lobster Menage. Everything about this dish was amazing! Sauce was nice & creamy, lobster risotto was perfectly cheesy & creamy. Lobster was sweet & succulent, and I love the fact this dish was accompanied by my favorite veggie - asparagus. The scallops in my dish were outstanding. I can't wait to come back & try pizza, filet, dessert, & so much more. J.Baldwin's is amazing!
(5)Bryan L.
Tried it. Expensive. I could take it or leave it. Both my wife's dish (kale salad) and mine (apple chicken) were tasty but too sweet. Kids pizza was doughy and undercooked. Kids dough balls were burnt and hard. Calamari on the other hand... Looked anemic but was my favorite dish of the night. Hamburger was priced high for just the sandwich. Sides, like fries or chips were $4 extra. Glad we tried it but will most likely not be returning.
(3)Erin K.
It is refreshing to find a non-chain in the Clinton Twp/Sterling Heights area that is so good. Everything is freshly made in house and with their own unique twist. We ordered the calamari and while I am not a fan, the two at my table who had it said it was the best they have even had. I personally love their kale farro salad (roasted pine nuts, radishes, chickpeas, drunken wine soaked raisins, shredded kale, shaved parmesan and honey balsamic vinaigrette) and have gone back just for that. Their pizzas are also great, especially the fig truffle thin crust (sliced pears, goat cheese, white truffle oil, fig jam and arugula topped with a balsamic honey glaze). They also have a nice beer and wine menu and have good happy hour specials, but at the bar only. This place gets crowded, so if you plan on going on a Friday or Saturday, call ahead to make a reservation.
(5)Joe C.
Outstanding service! awesome food, and amazing atmosphere. My wife and I had relatives in from out of town last week Thursday and we had a party of 8. We made reservations and they sat us at the Chefs table. Our waiter was extremely personable and knowledgable and he genuinely seemed to like his job and loved the food. We took his recommendations on the fish, steak and burgers, so good!! The owner visited our table and was very pleasant and seemed very concerned that we were enjoying our food and time in the restaurant. I even loved the special homemade spicy sauce they brought to the table and the chef brought me some to take home. They made our evening!!
(5)Larry S.
What a great place to dine! If it is your first time coming here, stop to read the quote from Luciano Pavarotti prominently published above the kitchen. Get ready to enjoy. I have eaten here twice (could not wait to review JBaldwins after the first time we ate here). Here are my thoughts. The decor makes me think Mad Men, with frosted glass and art deco style furniture and lighting. The open kitchen with a wood fired stove overlooks the dining room, and there is little separation from the bar. So it is loud. The service has been very professional and helpful both times. When asking for menu suggestions, it is apparent that the staff knows the menu very well. We have tried two entrees and pizzas, salads and soups. All of the food was prepared with care, and delivered hot. The crispy duck was delicious, and made tangy with the addition of Myer lemons. The thin crust pizza is fantastic. If you are not a crust eater, then you will be after you order one of their pizzas (I liked the Angry Chicken pizza, with just enough spice to make one break a slight sweat). I also enjoyed the kale - farro salad, with raisins and radishes. It is good eneough to make this carnivore consider going vegan (ok, that thought is now gone). Yelp says that this restaurant it $$, but really it is $$$. Dinner for two (with entrees and not pizza) will end up costing around $80-$100 or more, including tip. It might not be a bargain, but you will get much better food for your money compared to other restaurants. I do not think that one can find a better meal within 10 miles of this place. In fact, it is interesting that this restaurant is located in an area that is populated with strip malls and associated typical businesses. JBaldwins is an oasis in the desert.
(5)Ron C.
Yesterday afternoon 4-18-14 we had our 2nd visit here in a week, post fire-remodel. What a delight to walk in at 2pm & be seated by Chef Jeff himself, as he just happened to be near the door. He sat us & we chatted with him about how GORGEOUS the new decor is. We sat right in the middle of the dining room, which was perfect to take in the open kitchen, murals & famous quotes stenciled here & there. Whoever did the redesign was spot on with the colors- seating -flooring- fixtures. One cool thing for the gals is they placed a purse hook under the table so, you do not have to lay it on the floor. Thomas was our server & he truly did a very nice job. We both started with cups of soup, the bride had the butternut squash & I had the loaded potato . I really liked my soup a lot..but the aroma of the butternut squash was more than intoxicating . .so she offered me some..and I was I don't know..well I indulged & it was FABULOUS!..now I was coveting it and was wanting to bail on my loaded potato. .but I will just have get it next time. It just tasted like a melted sweet potato..oh man oh man! She ordered the sandwich soup combo with a grilled turkey wrap, which had avocados , bacon and all that, it was perfect. $12 Last time here I enjoyed the batter on the boom boom shrimp & thought the fish & chips would be a nice change of pace. The presentation alone makes it worthy of a re-order. It came in a 1/2 deep fry basket, with 2 generous pieces of light fluffy, Not greasy fish & a host of hand cut natural fries, plus a nice little container of house made tartar & ketchup. $13 Oh and the bread basket...many will say if a place cant do bread right.. Well the rolls here are made in house, cooked to perfection ,plus the bread basket includes some crispy flatbreads & a dish of flavorful pesto. I'd also recommend trying the Chef Jeff's Zip sauce on the table & buy a bottle for at home. Sign up for there plastic card rewards program & get offers throughout the year. Thankful for the gift card from a dear friend .. and plotting a return..soon!
(5)Zach P.
Great Food!! My wife and I go anytime we can. The Calamari is the best I have ever had and the Duck is die for. Anytime we want a special night out, we head to Baldwins!!!
(5)Dan B.
I went here for lunch with a couple of friends. It did not disappoint. The bread and dip (especially the dip) was great. Probably the best dip I've had. The great thing about this review is, my friends and I all shared our food, so I got to taste a variety of food in one visit. I ordered the Apple Bourbon Chicken. Delicious. You have a sweet and savory flavor throughout the dish. The asparagus was alright, but nothing to write home about. I tried a bite of the 'Korean' sandwich/sub. Very flavorful and colorful. It appears to be marinated in peanut thai sauce perhaps, maybe a little soy sauce too. Their salmon was also cooked impressively. The outside of the salmon had a slight crisp (but not burnt) that made the salmon taste that much better. The pizza is highly touted here, and my wife got it. It's not bad. But it's pizza. Come here and order something else. You can get pizza anywhere. The place was nice, the waitstaff was great. I'd go here again in a heartbeat.
(5)Ed M.
Great place.. Good food and good atmosphere. Good variety and good quality. Impressive place.
(5)Ernesto V.
I love this restaurant! .. I had the pleasure of trying out their signature calamari and it was delectable =) ... it's served with tomatoes and a butter sauce that was quite the surprise to me how well it all works... I'm used to simpler calamari appetizers, and this one was quite the surprise =) ... Amongst the other things I've tried are a couple of their pizzas, which are very well crafted... good quality melty cheese, fresh mushrooms (I made sure and ask if they were fresh or canned), and I believe they're stone-fired or whatnot... so the crust comes out nice and firm with perfect texture. And during their happy hour the little ones are only 5 bucks if I recall correctly =) I've also had their brisket tacos and they came with an avocado sauce on the side... with lettue and tomato fixins... very very tasty =) I love the fact that even though it's a more upscale place, they have a good selection of Michigan craft on tap (Two Hearted Ale being what I ordered). The staff is friendly and very attentive. My lady and I have really enjoyed the couple times we've been, and we'll be sure to return.
(4)Sara B.
I went here on Saturday evening with my man and while there was a wait for tables we were able to get a high top at the bar almost immediately. The décor was modern and clean, and I appreciated that there were only 2 TVs, even by the bar. It was, however, pretty loud. Our waitress, Cecelia, was very prompt and took very good care of us. We both had a beer and started off with the calamari. The beers were larger than expected, which was a bonus, and came out quickly despite the restaurant being packed. Did I mention how delicious the calamari was? It appeared to have been flash fried and paired with capers, tomatoes, and a lightly buttery sauce. It tasted fresh, perfectly cooked, and it all paired very well. We decided to go a bit more budget friendly and split a margherita pizza OTC. It also came out quickly, and the crust was crispy, thin, and delicious. The toppings were liberal, and despite it being a thing crust, I didn't feel like they skimped on the cheese. There was also live music, which was amazing. It was a piano player and a jazz singer that were filling in for the usual performer. The biggest turn off I had about this place actually had to do with the music. There was no stage or corner sectioned off for them, instead they were thrust into the smallest of corners right by the door, which makes for a rather pitiful performance area IMHO. If you're going to have a quality performer, give them a better spot and actually make them a center piece instead of seemingly inconvenient background noise.
(4)Jessica K.
Beautiful atmosphere wonderful waitress very nice to my kids. I got the filet mignon, my daughter got to create her own pizza and my other daughter enjoyed her salad. The waitress gave both my kids free cookie dough pops on a stick.
(5)Matthew P.
The place is absolutely beautiful inside. I had a nice lunch at the bar (most comfortable bar seat I've ever sat on). Service was great, and my bartender was on point. - Bloody Mary: This one had some bite to it, definetly a house blend as noted. Seasoned rim, with jumbo olives, celery, and a 'hunters sausage' beef stick with a hole through the middle so you can use it as a straw. Normal straw is included ;). I asked for blue cheese stuff olives as well, and they were delish. - Calamari; Been covered before in depth, I will say the capers were not overly salty at all, they must do something to them. The thick calamari steak is super tender, that was impressive. I'm not normally a calamari steak man myself, but wow this was on point. - Blackened Gorgonzola Steak Tips: Steak medallions were cooked to a perfect medium rare, and fork tender. This dish was a bit disjointed IMO as the steak just sat atop a giant crispy shoe-string potato next that really didn't add any flavor to the dish. There wasn't nearly enough of he Gorgonzola zip sauce to use on all the meat, let alone on the potato nest. Apparently you can get the blackened tenderloin tips over mashed potatoes instead, witch I Would definitely do. I hear the fig jam and pear flat bread pizza with white truffle oil and arugula salad on top is awesome. I want to try that next!
(4)Joyce C.
It was my 60th Birthday and my Daughter planned a Surprise party for me. We arrived at 5pm and to my shock and delight and a Big Family "Surprise" and all of them singing Happy Birthday... the party began ! We spent the next 3 hours enjoying one of the best meals I've had in Almost Forever ! The company helped BUT MUST SAY... the service was beyond what I would have ever expected and very much appreciated ! Everyone's meal was Exceptional ! The Award Winning Calamari, Scallop Entrée and Fish and Chips were Amazing ! Pizza, Salmon, Alaska Halibut were enjoyed as well ! My Brother eats Gluten Free and the accommodations were welcoming. The rolls are tasty and they even offered my Brother Gluten free bread ! He ordered their Gluten Free Pizza and loved that as well. We had 2 children in our party and they were treated to a special treat of a ball of pizza dough to design it in their own creative way. Then they take it, bake it, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and return it after their meal, to enjoy ! Loved that special touch ! To end with, the Owner Chef Jeff came to our table to make sure everyone was satisfied with their meals. He wished me a Happy Birthday B-)
(5)Manda J.
Love this place! Awesome food, expertly prepared and many healthy options too. They just redecorated and it looks great. The live music last night was great as well.
(5)Al E.
The duck was amazing. They bring out a little dough ball for the kids to shape and then bake it with cinnamon sugar. Nice place with consistently good food.
(5)James S.
Best restaurant on the east side. Comparable to upscale dining in downtown Birmingham. My favorite meal is the sea bass with risotto and lobster cream sauce. Highly recommend this place and they often mail out coupons.
(5)Terry P.
No one's better than Balwins when it comes to good ribs pork chops fish they have the best lamb chops ever highly recommend Baldwin's service is great can't beat it
(5)Stephanie D.
I can't believe I just discovered this amazing gem of a restaurant. Not only is the service excellent but, the food was delicious. Our waitress Lindsey was awesome. So awesome in fact that I'd request to sit in her section. The Chef was very accommodating to my gluten free request. My Husband enjoyed the Apple bourbon chicken and I had the scallop dish that usually comes with lobster ravioli. The chef suggested something he call zucchini linguine in place of the ravioli. Truth be told my expectations of zucchini linguine were low. I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious addition to the perfectly cooked scallops. Also, Lindsey found out it was our anniversary and made sure to bring us a special, gluten free, dessert option. P.S. The calamari is to die for. As far as ambiance, because of a fire it is newly remodeled, and really nice inside. The design is a combo of modern, shabby chic and bistro combined. The live jazz duo was very good and the bar seemed very inviting. Go here. Over and over. Do it now.
(5)Cindy S.
Ok.....went back for lunch....bragged about this place to my friend, she lives on the east side so thought I would introduce her to what I felt was a good experience, but sure didn't work out!. I ordered the calamari, well in small doses its great, as a meal no! She didn't want/like calamari so she got the Italian wrap and a cup of tea, I had water, her tea was luke warm, and her wrap had a weird taste to it so she didn't eat it. After a $30.00 lunch bill I don't think she will be back...I got a $100.00 gift card for Christmas so I will be back....one more time!
(3)Willi P.
Another great dinner, drinks and great company. The staff here makes meals for kings and queens!
(5)Steve S.
Great place. Great food, great service, great layout. Bathrooms could be watched a littler better but I'm probably just not picking. This is the best spot for a mental vacation in Clinton Twp. Bravo.
(4)Rick D.
This is one of those hidden resturants nobody really talks about, but I was impressed by the service, food and ambience. I really enjoyed the restaurant had a live singer/saxophonist. The food was excellent. I had the soup trio, which I highly recommend if you're a soup person like me. And my main course was great too. There is also a huge wine selection.
(4)Justin R.
Excellent. Try the filet or lamb. You won't be disappointed. I've never had a meal here that wasn't impressively flavorful. The service is also top notch and it is very common to see the owners interacting with guests.
(5)Lisa W.
Love this place! Everything is delicious. I love what they have done after the fire. Pizzas are great. We usually get the calamari. I think it's the best in the Detroit area. The chicken dishes are really good. I have never had a bad meal here.
(5)Regina S.
Wow!! YOU Yelpers have done it again!! Woohoo!! Brought my friend out for her birthday dinner. We're both calamari addicts and seeing so many amazing reviews of the calamari, we HAD to go here and try their "award winning" offering. They sure didn't disappoint!! That is honestly the BEST calamari I've ever had!! So light and buttery, and the texture is amazing!! So tender, I honestly don't know how they do it.. They're so big they almost look like mozzarella sticks, NO tentacles, and they are just freaking perfect!! That lemon caper butter sauce.. OMFG... Just ridiculously good!! We ordered dirty martinis with bleu cheese stuffed olives, and then looked at the menu and decided what we wanted. Then we changed our minds. And then we changed our minds again.... Everything sounds so good, I told my friend we would have to come monthly until we tried every dish on the menu!! She finally decided (for reals this time) on the asiago chicken, and I chose the shrimp and grits. We got some hot rolls with pesto dipping sauce and these little crisps that taste like an everything bagel. Loved those! Dinner was great, albeit NOT perfect. My shrimp were indeed overcooked, but not to the point of being rubber bands. I'm sure it's hard with "blackening" they use a high heat and it's a delicate balance I believe to get something like that right. The grits were creamy and cheesy, but I really could have done without the andoullie sausage since that just kinda made it greasy. I still enjoyed it, and now when I order it again I know to ask for it without the sausage. That's just a preference thing. The restaurant is very cool and kind of an industrial feel. It's not stuffy at all, and surprisingly a little loud, which I like because i'm rather loud myself, so I fit right in! My friend's asiago chicken was awesome, she loved it so much!! The gnocchi were so good, that cheese center really hits you in the best way, and the chicken was really tender and juicy. For dessert we split the lemon cheesecake and OMG BALLS that was great!!! Perfect lemony flavor with raspberry puree on the side. Just fuckin' delightful!! The staff was nice, the chef goes by every table, and we were checked on quite often. I did notice since it was getting to be around 9:30 our waitress was kind of getting... errr.. impatient, but polite??? You could tell they like to close on time it felt to me, but no one was rude at all. All in all, I really like the place VERY much and am looking so forward to trying many different things on the menu! /Calmariheaven!!
(4)Eowyn K.
My friend had her bridal shower here on a Saturday afternoon. The recent renovations were lovely, creating an open and inviting space. The staff did an excellent job. They were officiant, organized and accommodating. They checked on drinks and had refills ready quickly. The bar makes a mean Bloody Mary and serves it with a meat stick instead of celery (vegetarian may want to beware). They also had a specialty drink that I do not remember the name of. It was blue, mixed with lemonade and really good. Lunch was buffet style with bread, salad, pasta and pizza. Everything we had was good.The rolls had a pesto-oil for dipping that we all liked, the salad was fresh and the ranch was above average. I had the goat cheese and spinach pizza that had a thin, crispy crust. They had two types of pasta and the one I had was wheat pasta, something that was a bit of a surprise as I do not often see this at restaurants. Great place to celebrate!
(4)Ashly C.
I've only been here once so far, so I can't judge much of the food options. However, the food I did eat was pretty good, NOT great. I ordered the Cedar Planked Stone-Fired Salmon with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Everything was well-cooked (ESPECIALLY the salmon) but the seasonings were boring and lacking salt. What really impressed me, however, was their customer service! My friend ordered a 'deep dish' pizza and when they brought it out to her they said the chef wasn't happy with how it looked (but that the taste & qualify is the same as it usually is). SO they proceeded to apologize and bring her a SECOND ENTIRE PIZZA FOR FREE!!! Now that's EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE I even got to take some of the free pizza home so it was a happy day for me I'm excited to go back soon and try some other entrées!!
(4)John M.
Went with a group of 9. The service and food were both exceptional. The owners are very involved with the customers and the kitchen. The Chef/owner came out of the kitchen to discuss a few of our special requests and delivered 100%. Highly, highly recommended restaurant.
(5)Jennifer D.
Too many great options to choose from. Loved the Artichoke Dip, Fried Portobello Mushrooms and amazing Calamari Apps. Dinner consisted of devine Ahi and a side of delicious Brussel Sprouts. The only thing better than the pumpkin cheesecake dessert and doughnuts-OMG- was the service.
(5)Jason R.
The calamari is top notch. Not crunchy by any means. Soft and full of flavor. Also the scallops have never let me down either. Not the cheapest place to eat but you will not be disappointed with the quality.
(4)Sam F.
Chef owned and operated restaurant . Culinary trained / (CIA) Freshest local food products used. What more could you ask for !!
(4)Ralph D.
If you're looking for THE perfect place to have a great meal. I recommend JBALDWIN'S for you and your family. The atmosphere is awesome, the food superb! Lobster Bisque is A× and a must try. By the way "At The End Of The Day" martini is the perfect way to end a work week.
(5)Lisa S.
We always enjoy coming here. It's a welcome change from the typical chain restaurants that people around here actually frequent. Well rounded menu that suits most every palate. The main dining room can get loud which makes it tough to visit with your co-diners. They have a $15 corkage which is a welcome change from most MI restaurants that don't embrace the corkage concept. Another great touch is the attention given by the owners. They visit your table and want to make sure everything is perfect.
(4)George D.
The food was great! I had the shrimp and grits. For me its not often you can find food that taste as good as it looks. Now for my kids they loved the build your own pizza(they bring everything out for them to top it) , they ate everything and thats rare when we go out.
(5)Omar D.
Best steak in Macomb county hands down - the bone-in ribeye at J.Baldwins. Do yourself a favor and order the fig pizza or flatbread too. Prices are higher than most but so is the quality. Bartenders know how to make a nice cocktail...try something made with ginger beer.
(5)Gerry T.
My son, who is a 12-yr old picky eater, found his "absolute best dessert" here. His words. It's mini cinnamon donuts with vanilla ice cream and sea salted caramel. I liked it too. The donuts alone was good enough for 5 stars. But with ice cream and caramel...yummy.
(5)Firas A.
Great food and atmoaphere. Live singer tried really hard and she isn't bad lol. Calmari is amazing it's a must. Pomogrante martini is really good with the ice cup. We tried the pizza surf and turf its was really good if u like ur meat well done. A thumbs up for sure great wait staff and chef.
(5)Christopher D.
Went for the first time tonight. First impression was OMG so loud in this place. Extremely busy. Was pretty overwhelming at first. We were promptly seated at our 8 reservation. We were created by a very friendly waitress. Only wish I could have heard her name. She was a great server. We started with the calamari. Best I've ever had. Next a side Cesar salad. Great also. I had a special. Truffle chicken fettuccine . Thumbs up. Partner had Chicken Asiago. It was good...not outstanding. Desert was bread pudding and creme brûlée. Both wonderful as well. I think I might have a new special occasion place. The staff were all extremely friendly. Many hugging customers Around us. It was very nice finish for a great night. I would definitely go back
(4)Dina S.
Such an amazing meal as usual.. we drive from Farmington Hills just to eat their amazing cuisine! The owners and servers are so sweet and kind and just couldn't be more interactive with us... I wish J.Baldwins was closer to our house, but on the other hand Im kinda greatful that they are not otherwise I would be in a larger size pants.. Everything we have ordered has been off the charts fab so just order it all!
(5)Rach A.
Best restaurant in the metro area. I've been going here for years. I love the new makeover of the place. The food is always fresh and delish! The happy hour is awesome too.
(5)Bob L.
Our party of seven ate here for the Easter Buffett. The place was busy, service marginal, the food good though not great. Nice modern decor. FOOD: The buffett line was overcrowded with a long wait. They should of had two lines on each side of the small table instead of one. Too many SLOWWW people holding up the line. Some of the buffett items advertised online were underwhelming in person (lame salads), inconsistent (some rolls were fresh, others not) and some items nonexistant (advertised mini-potato pancakes???). The specialty pizza was no big deal. The fried calamari was soggy. Good smoked salmon. ENTREES: The steaks were excellent, fair chicken dishes, weak fish dishes. Deserts were small in size and OK, nothing to write home about. The cheesecakes and frostings were somewhat lardy. SERVICE: My pet peeve is that there is a new generation of wait staff who are clueless when it comes to basic wait skills (yet they feel entitled to a minimum 25% tip). Some of these people work at J. Baldwin's. The waiters were clearly pushing the underwhelming Tilapia and Whitefish dishes (probably a management decision). Long buffett lines led to main entree's being served before the entire party was back at the table. Some of the entree's were cold when guests returned from the buffett line. The wait staff served dessert while we were still eating dinner. The desserts were plopped down around our dinner plates and, to top it off, no spoons provided to consume the melting ice creams and cakes. Overall, I felt the dining experience was rushed and out of sequence. VERDICT: Skip the holiday buffets. I'd try it again on a less busy day when the amateurs are off. The beef dishes stood out. Not a bad restaurant, but definitely not as great as other reviews would lead one to believe.
(3)Alice S.
Came here on Sat during lunch time and surprisingly it was not busy at all. Maybe it was because we came in when right when it opened, but by the time we finished and left, there were maybe one new party that came in after us. Regardless... The food was great! We had the chartreuse and cheese board, fried calamari, and fig pizza. Out of all those plates the fried calamari was the best! Best I ever had. I am not a big fan of fried calamari, mostly because the places I go to deep fried and batter the heck out of them, but at J Baldwin, I don't know what they do, but the calamari came out tender. The tomato, capers, and scallion sauce was just divine. I wanted to lick up the whole plate, but the sever took it away before I could. The fig pizza was another great dish! It had the right amount of sweet and savory and the crust was perfectly crispy. I was least impressed with the cheese board. It was good, but I just wished for more variety of cheese with both soft and hard cheese. We were just given hard cheese, that taste mostly the same. Oh! Almost forgot I also did get the Champagne Wishes martini in their ice cup. That was a nice whimsical touch. A lot of alcohol for what you get. Overall, I had a great lunch experience. The ambiance and decor was nice. The sever that helped us was excellent. The food was great. I will definitely come again!
(4)Lisa H.
Food was creative and tasty. Loved the calamari! Service was amazing! Looking forward to going back.
(4)Jennifer F.
This is my absolute favorite place! A friend from out of stare was just in town and I recommended she have dinner with her family there. They loved it too! Prices are average for professionally prepared food. Can't wait to go for my birthday :)
(5)Nancy J.
Just visited for Easter brunch. Not impressed in the manner in which they handled my vegetarian guests order. Pasta brought out without any sauce, had to ask for some and when it came out it was in a small container that resembled mayonnaise. I expected better from this place as I've been here before sans the vegetarian guest. Flatbread crackers on buffet could have used cheese or hummus as an accompaniment. Not impressed with the buffet table at all. The only plus was Tyler, our waiter. Very nice young man and good service under the circumstances. Sorry Chef Jeff, we probably won't be back.
(2)Scott M.
My first visit to J Baldwin's. I have to say I was disappointed. We were there for a large gathering (50th birthday) and it was below our expectations. The pizza was very greasy and cold. Their famous chips appetizer was soggy and when we finished and tried to serve a cake which we brought in for the birthday, they told us it was not allowed. No foreign objects. Needless to say if you want to hold a large function there, I would recommend somewhere else.
(1)Rachel H.
This is the best restaurant in the area hands down. You have to start with the calamari, it's my favorite calamari I've ever are still to this day. My favorite entree is the lobster ravioli and sea scallops, but you can't go wrong with their pizza, too. Even the bread dipped in balsamic vinegar and oil is amazing! Love this place, and since they reopened after the fire and remodeling it's even busier so expect to wait on the weekends.
(5)Brie B.
I'm torn. On one hand, J Baldwins is quite possibly the best restaurant in the culinary wasteland that is Macomb County. But on the other hand, my last couple experiences here left me feeling underwhelmed. First off, the remodel looks fantastic. The decor wasn't horrible before the fire, but it certainly wasn't that appealing either. If my review was based on decor and atmosphere alone, I'd give them a 5. They also changed the menu up quite a bit in the past few years. They've added dishes like kale salad and brussel sprouts, which is attractive to someone like me, but they've also removed some of my favorite items, such as the fried chicken and portabella rolls The two times I dined there last year i ordered their supposedly "award winning" pizza and wasn't impressed. It either wasn't as good as I remembered or just isn't the kind of pizza I like. However, the other food I've sampled( chicken bella, brussel sprouts, and portabella fries) was incredible. Service has always been decent,however my attempt to hang out at the bar during happy hours this past Friday was less than pleasant, and the reason for my low rating. My friend and I planned to order several rounds of drinks and appetizers, but we didn't get past our first round of margaritas because both bartenders barely paid any attention to us. I suspect it had something to do with the fact that we not only look really young for our age, but we by far the youngest people there by at least 10 years. Nothing annoys me more than having to beg for service, especially at a nicer restaurant.Just because I might look young, doesn't mean that i don't have money to spend. The vibe at the bar was really odd and I felt that the bartenders were kind of unprofessional and definitely not well suited for a restaurant of this caliber. The margarita was delicious and I would've loved another one if the bartenders hadn't been so busy sucking up the trashy, middle aged clientele that crowed up the bar area. Needless to say, we paid for our drinks and met up with friends at Sherwood, where the food and drinks are nowhere near as good as J Baldwins, but we had a much better experience. I'm not taking J Baldwins out of the rotation, i just certainly won't be hitting up their happy hour ever again.
(3)Stephanie B.
I'm basing this review on the service since it was so poor we didn't even get to order. This was our first visit back since the remodel. We went here today a bit after what may have been a lunch crowd. Our waiter (I guess that's what he considers himself) came and took our drink order and asked if we wanted a bread basket and we said yes. We then sat there for about 20-25 mins with our iced teas empty and no bread. I watched our Zoolanderish waiter scratch his head for a bit and play with take out boxes all the while the table next to us had their waiter check on them several times. We decided to leave and on the way out we explained to the hostess why. She just said that she was sorry about what had happened...so were we since I was looking forward what looked to be good food. We took our business down to Asahi"
(1)M G.
A favorite in the area for many years, many great entre dishes, portabella fries are great, many of the flatbreads. Just wish it wasn't always so noisy. I think some improvements could be made in the ceiling design for noise control.
(4)Kristin K.
One of my new fav go-to places. It isn't cheap, but the quality of the food in realtion to the price is fair. LOVE the calamari appetizer. We have tried: Pizza, Asiago Chicken, Fish & Chips, Blackened Swordfish, and more. It is always fresh, hot, delish! The service is also always top notch and that goes a LONG way in my book!! If you haven't checked it out, do yourself a favor. The rewards program is awesome, too. They send coupons for spending so much, your birthday, and also when you haven't been in a while. Smart marketing!! The only thing that irked me the last time I visited was that the waitress was asked to split the bill (we had two couples); she said she could do it, we gave her our cards. When I got out, my phone alerted me that TWO charges had been rung on my card. We called and the person who took the call said their was nothing they could do. I wanted to just be assured that one charge HAD been voided and that I wouldn't be charged double. I had to wait 6 days before it cleared to find out. It would have just been nice for her to tell us she had made a mistake, especially because that $60 was hung up as "pending" with my bank for a week. Whats worse is that our friend tipped her 20%+ on the total bill, and hadn't told us, so we also tipped her 25% on just OUR bill! The rest of the service was wonderful and was deserving of a good tip, but honesty goes a long ways.
(4)Brandon S.
It was great before the renovation and even better now. Some of the best calamari I've ever had. Lots of great wine without the crazy price tag. Really a top 5 pick for the Eastside!
(5)Scout W.
Had Sea Bass last Friday. The entire meal was incredible! Sooo good! Would highly recommend. Good job Jeff!
(5)Lisa K.
Fabulous food, drinks, service and atmosphere! The hummous is the best I have ever had...the steaks are to die for! This is our #1 place for Date Night!
(5)Stacey M.
Food was great! We also had excellent service from our waitress. Our experience was ruined by an extremely rude manager, who was also the hostess. She should find a non customer service career or just hide in the back. I will most likely not return.
(2)Joe R.
My family & I have been to J Baldwins probably 25-30 times over the past 2-3 years and each and every time it was AWESOME!!! My only complaint would be the prices, that being said - "YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR!" I LOVE THIS RESTAURANT!!!
(5)Mark M.
Ok ....went the first time, ran into old friends, many cocktails later.....I was Very impressed with the beautifully prepared fair and the attention to details Not seen on this side of town. But their were many drinks involved, so I didn't Really pay attention. 2nd visit was the middle of the afternoon, ordered a Mac and cheese dish And was taken aback by this talented and and unique Chef. Now.....the third visit.........I was just over the top crazy over absolutely Everything this team of experts puts out!!!!!! The steak was to die for. With interesting sauces and treatments all their own. Mrs. Baldwin stopped By to ask how we liked your experience......this Gal has another full time Position......but stops in to help and loves doing it. After a nice chat we realized later she bought us a peach cobbler dessert baked in the fire oven! Then, we are getting ready to leave......and the chef comes over to say hello On Saturday night rush hour!!!!!!!!!!! I mean come on! The atmosphere is So perfectly put together......Every where you look you see something So unusual and clever........but than Mrs Bladwin does this professionally. If you have ever been to the "Lark" you have to pass the smell test to get Past the king...or shall I say proprietor pay twice the money for what Bladwin Gives you for so much less...........and, oh yes they don't charge extra For true excellence!!!!! This is a five star all day long and an honor to Have in our area. ,
(5)Santo H.
Went for Easter brunch. It was amazing! Believe me when I say this food is always on point. This has to be one of the very best culinary experience in Michigan.
(5)Tom P.
This place is great! The Filet was cooked to perfection. It is seared with a crispy outer layer with a soft tender middle. I added the blue cheese butter patty which only put it over the top. The service was great and the happy hour drinks were awesome. So glad to finally find a restaurant in the area that has something worth going back for.
(5)Crystal S.
Found JBaldwins through the positive Yelp reviews and have tried it twice in the last month and likes it overall (3.5 score). There was live entertainment by the bar both nights which is nice if you like that sort of thing. The first time was with a group so we had several appetizers & the second time I was on a date. Here's the rundown: -The steak bites were really good but the potato nest seemed unnecessary -The meat & cheese platter also very good. The little jars of mustard and jam inspired a cheese platter for a holiday party I had -The calamari which I had at both visits was really good. The sauce is light and lemony. This is my 2nd fav calamari next to Kruse & Muer. -1st time I had the beet salad as my entree. The overall salad was really good but maybe just a touch too sweet. All their salads seemed sweet. The salad is not really enough food to order as an entree but I wasn't very hungry plus had lots of appetizers. -The mac and cheese has a smokey flavor which I liked but also had bacon added which to me made the dish too heavy to have more than a few bites. -The entree I ordered the 2nd time was sautéed chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, etc. & a few mushroom ravioli. Not a huge fan of pasta and didn't care for the ravioli but the chicken and veggies + sauce were very good.
(4)Kevin L.
Despite seeing ads for J. Baldwin's, I never knew much about it. In fact, I was under the impression that it was a bar and catering business. Through Yelp, I learned about J. Baldwin's; as it turns out, a full service, American style restaurant is right in my neighborhood. Oh, and they do have a bar and a catering business. What J. Baldwin's represents to me is convenience; it is nearby, offers many options, and is reliable. If I had to describe J. Baldwin's with one word, it would be "solid." Their atmosphere is much more personal than chain American style restaurants like Chili's or Applebee's. J. Baldwin's is a bit more upscale, too. However, it is not pretentious. Having visited J. Baldwin's several times, I can attest to you that the service is always exceptional. The owners/management circulate throughout the dining area to interact with customers. They seem genuinely concerned that you are having an enjoyable experience. Their menu is eclectic and vast in size. I have already picked out several items from the menu to sample on future visits; I am particularly looking forward to trying the Low Carb Chicken Romesco. Some of the things that I have tried include perch and filet mignon. Both were very good. Their menu contains one of my favorite salads: the iceberg wedge salad. Despite finding the price of this salad to be comparatively a tad high, it was delightful. In addition, I have sampled some of their appetizers and their pizzas. I have a favorable opinion of everything I have tried. I will note that I like their deep-dish pizza much better than their thin crust pie. The relatively small lobby and bar can get quite crowded during peak dining hours on the weekend. Live music will entertain you throughout your obligatory, albeit generally short, wait. In addition to live music on Thursday - Saturday they often have appealing weekly and special events. Their prices are very reasonable (save for the salad I mentioned above!) and can be offset by coupons found in local advertisements or by signing up for their frequent diner program.
(4)Meg K.
Based on all the five star reviews we were looking forward to trying J Baldwin's. Unfortunately, there was nothing about our food that would excite me about going back. Granted, all three of us had burgers so we didn't have a varied sampling of the menu. The "ultimate baldy" burgers appeared to be cooked to perfection (medium rare), but they were dense, tough, dry (not a drop of juice on the plate) and not seasoned. The lamb sliders were juicy, but lacked complexity in flavor. The whole grain buns had good texture and flavor. Of note, our server hit us hard with up selling throughout our meal. It started as soon as we sat down with suggesting that we get bottled Jones Soda ($3.19) instead of the soda on tap "because it's not very good here." (Shouldn't they do something about improving their soda dispenser?) I bet she asked us five times if we wanted to add fries, soup etc, to our burgers. If I pay $9 for a burger (not including any sides) I want it to be mouth watering memorable. These were forgettable.
(2)Tom h.
I've been here 10 times now and every single time I can taste the effort that was put into my dish, making me feel privileged to eat here.
(5)Pauly G.
Valentine's Day Dinner was the best one in recent years. J.Baldwins came through big time. We had a perfect view of the open kitchen & I must say Chef Baldwin has a nice little restaurant going for himself. We started with the calamari and the crab cakes. The calamari was awesome, lightly fried and tossed with a lemon caper butter sauce. We ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture of it, ha ha. The crab cakes were nice sized, served with a remoulade sauce over rice and with what they called Asian vegetables (mushy zucchini & tomatoes). The service was great, I think I said less then 20 words the whole night which made for a good time dining with my wife. 2 beers, 2 apps & a grilled turkey panini later we were ready to have the desserts explained to us. We went with the bumpy cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries, it was delicious. I can say with certainty that we will be back to try some of the other great looking food we seen. I would like to say "Great Job" & "Thanks" to the staff of J.Baldwins for putting together a wicked awesome Valentine's dinner.
(4)Keith M.
Ever wonder what its like to have that perfect bite? That once in a great while bite that enhances everything in your body, perfects the senses and takes you on a moan trip? Wonder no longer...try the Calamari! Its is perfect...the perfect appetizer, perfect flavor, perfect everything. When you couple it with a wedge salad its a GREAT night with Awesome Bartenders...(Heather is a bowl of sunshine) and the perfect amount of food for two. The only reason it doesn't get 5 stars is because I have had some inconsistency with the entree for the price. The Lamb Chops were out of this world, the Lobster Ravioli was good too, if you have had La Dolce Vita's Lobster Ravioli then this one will be a little more generic tasting. The Chef is always polite, and friendly. Great staff, nice selection of beers local and out of state.
(4)Debra S.
My husband & I are vegan we were blown away by what great food & service we received. Vegan pizza, kale salad like you wouldn't believe!!!Beet salad that was as beautiful as it was tasty. For the perfect ending a vegan dessert!! Sooooo tastefully decorated.
(5)Andrew Z.
Heard this place had a fire last week and is closed for awhile. May want to call be before going. Very good meal for the price. One thing we didn't like was the noise. They need to work on that when they rebuild.
(5)Kimberly M.
My husband and I have tried twice and we both agree the food is very good, but the servings are way to big and the prices reflect that. Also their drink prices are higher than any place in that area unless you happen to get a drink on special. Also the service does not measure up to the level of food they are serving. We have sat both at a table and the bar and neither time did we really feel that we were getting even average service.
(3)Shannon S.
Jaaaayyy Baldwinsss....Yummmmm...... 2nd visit to J. Baldwins tonight was another total WIN!! Stopped in for the happy hour, they have different drink specials each day, so Wednesday's are $5 glasses of wine...which were superb, many to choose from... The treats they have lower priced on their munchie menu are simply awesome! Had the butternut squash bisque, with cinnamon croutons...sigh...heaven in your mouth... Then... Bruschetta, which I'm sure you're thinking...okay bruschetta, no big deal...well let me tell you my friends.. J. Baldwins does not do "half-ass" these were some BRUSCHETTA!! I can still taste the yummy garlic... Moving on.. Next was the vegetable potstickers..with their thick and tasty dipping sauce...another win.. Then my friend had the turtle cheesecake (which I tried, because I too wanted to orgasm at the table), while I went on to try the Lamb Sliders... All were a complete success! This restaurant is on the north east side of Garfield Rd (north of The Mirage)....blink, and you will miss it....and boy, will you miss it! P.S. - We met Alyssa.....the (see below) inspiration for Alyssa's Margarita...She was our server tonight...and she was excellent!! I didn't end up having the drink, but not to worry, I will be back soon! Good Times!
(4)K S.
Doesn't get better than J. Baldwins! Nothing but great things to say, so no point in expanding upon it further than this - best restaurant in the Metro Detroit area. Period.
(5)Maggi W.
This restaurant in our area recently reopened after a fire. We visited last night for Valentines Day. My husband and I both felt the entrée portions were more like appetizer size. I ordered "surf and turf", which on the menu listed filet, crab cake and lobster mac and cheese, all my favorites ($29). When it arrived, I was shocked to see that the crab cake, which was placed on top of the filet, and the filet were tiny, not much more than two inches in diameter. The filet was only about 1/2-1 inch thick and was rather chewy. The lobster mac was OK, you could see a piece of actual lobster in it. My husband's Ahi tuna entrée ($23) was, again, small and not very filling. Thankfully we had ordered the Pear/Quatro cheese app and I liked the pesto/oil dip for the bread. We tried the Bananas Foster dessert which we had to send back because it was flavorless and dry. Instead we got the Bumpy Cake ($7), which wasn't bad. If it were my restaurant, I would have comped that to the customer. The decoration re-do is very nice and the music was good (although I felt bad for them having to perform right next to the chilly door area.) In redoing the restaurant I wish they could have addressed the noise issue. It was Valentines Day and the restaurant was full, but we had to shout at each other to have a conversation. If I return, I definitely will look for something of a better value than this last time.
(2)Tina D.
Today was our first visit back to the newly remodeled restaurant. What a great makeover and I ordered the scallops over mushroom risotto - all I can say was WOW. Everyone enjoyed their dishes; I.e, salmon, crab cakes, and lamb chops. The newly renovated bar was very open and so spacious. Service was ok, still not on top of it, had to ask for refills. Fabulous food and as usual I would highly recommend this place.
(5)Tom D.
The newly remodeled restaurant is beautiful. Not many upscale places on the eastside, so we will go back. However our waitress was dismissive and ruined our Friday night out. Here is one thing wait staffs might want to keep in mind. People work all week and look forward to going out at the weeks end for a nice dinner. Our waitress never made eye contact, and slapped our dishes and drinks on our table, and was borderline rude. The food and drinks were well prepared but she was such a distraction, that we just left feeling that our Friday night didn't turn out like we planned. I'm not going to mention her name hoping that the Baldwins management might read this review and have a meeting with their entire staff to re-inforce that people work hard all week and expect to have a nice experience at their restaurant. Is it really that hard to be nice and treat people with respect? Apparently for some it is. Perhaps this waitress is in the wrong line of work or should be placed in the kitchen. Anyway, we'll go back because J. Baldwins did a great job of remodeling the place and the food was very good. But please let your staff know that their is not a endless supply of customers and we can always go to Sterling Bistro.
(3)Julie C.
Great for happy hour. Wine selection is good. Butternut squash soup is wonderful. Thefood fails to disappoint. My gripe is when my friend and I were leaving, one of the workers stated...thank God they are leaving. Apparently our hour and a half was just way too long to be there since it inconvenienced a regular customer of this place. Veryrude and unprofessional. For that nasty comment, I leave s poor rating. Shame onhim. My money spends the same as anyone's. When I confronted him, he laughed it off. Such a shame since our food was great along with our service. Btw...I am a professional as is my friend.
(1)Edward B.
Sort of like a Rolls Royce without an engine and transmission. It looks fantastic but goes nowhere. Prices, both food and beverage, are substantially higher than they should be for the "just okay" flavors and the average (at best) service experience I've had during three separate visits. Better off heading to Maggiano's in Troy at a comparable cost for a better meal and service...
(2)James W.
Good food. Noisy bad acoustics and pricey:(
(3)Gerald S.
Great atmosphe but the butternut squash risotto was not good. There was only two or three small chunks of squash and even less portobello mushroom. Both the squash and risotto was under cooked. Also, could not find any kale.
(3)Phillip B.
Great place. Amazing bar selection of cocktail drinks and great menu. Wait staff needs work but that's only item keeping it from having 5 stars
(4)Sayble H.
Food was good, nothing spectacular though but I ordered the lemon mediterranean chicken salad and subbed the chicken for scallops. The portions were large and veggies fresh. Only complaint is the scallops, they weren't all that flavorful and in fact had a slightly weird oil taste to them. But I do recommend ordering an extra portion of their thin crisp bread that they bring out.. Delicious! I ordered the cucumber cocktail, which was amazing! Highly recommend it.. I ordered it without the syrup. The server was very accommodating (I change orders a lot; yea, I'm "that guy") which is why I went with 4 stars. My date didn't want most of the veggies on his salad so I asked our server to throw 'em on mine and he did! ***NOTE: I would not recommend this for a first date because the tables are VERY close to each other, which would make conversing slightly uncomfortable.
(4)Tricia H.
I always end up doing a family dinner here when I am in town and I really enjoy this place. The food is good, the waitstaff is pleasant - my only complaint is that it's tad noisy. They should have separated the bar area a bit better from the restaurant - cause if they have a band playing, you won't be able to hold a conversation with everyone at the table. But the chef / owner does come out and make rounds to all the tables to make sure you are pleased with the food and service.
(4)Eric R.
You must order the calamari.
(5)Jessica A.
Finally! I've found a restaurant where I don't have to sacrifice quality just because I have two toddlers! Seriously, people, fine dining - scratch that - even mediocre dining is nearly impossible with two little people who can go into major meltdown mode with a mere moment's notice. J. Baldwin's may have just saved me from Red Robin/Chili's hell. Don't get me wrong, your progeny are by no means allowed to run amok in the joint, but the special attention that J. Baldwin's pays to little ones is amazing and will completely captivate the little buggers for the majority of your meal. As soon as you sit down, your waiter/waitress brings each child a dough ball which they can pound and punch to their heart's content while you peruse the menu. -They top the dough with cinnamon and sugar, bake it and bring it back out at the end of your meal. J. Baldwin's also lets rugrats build their own pizzas AND sundaes. Happy, busy kids = happy, vino-enjoying 'rents. :) Even setting aside the kiddie-wow factor, J. Baldwin's makes the grade. The menu is huge and chock-full of awesome dishes. - The pizza rocks. The frequent diner program rocks. The wine list rocks. The place just rocks. The only problem I have with J. Baldwin's is that it's situated out in suburban hell. Other than that, it's A-OK!
(5)Donald L.
The service,the food and even more important; the help are all top notch and a team. Like the food, they compliment one another. From the calamari to even ordering off the menu they will impress you.
(5)Bess R.
Best. Calamari. Ever. seriously. Went back for our anniversary dinner with our excellent coupon for $10 off $30. It was delicious and service was great.
(5)Aaron A.
This was my first and LAST time I will be going to this restaurant. I will start with the food and end with the service (and interactions with the manager). My friend and I ordered a total of 4 items on the menu. I started with a bowl of the lobster bisque. This I enjoyed alot, although it was luke warm (had been sitting out and wasn't freshly made, which I could determine in the taste). I ordered both the chicken bella and a pizza (half meat lovers/half angry chicken): The chicken bella had a sour taste to it for some odd reason. The entree's taste was very bland and the portion size was VERY small compared to the price (just under $20 for the chicken bella alone). In the menu, I believe it described it as including ravioli. The "ravioli" had mashed potatoes in it, which would constitute a pierogi, a Polish food item (definitely not Italian). The chicken itself was dry; it kept getting stuck in my teeth because of this also (VERY irritating). There were only 2 or 3 small chicken breast pieces in this meal (and little of the other items that were included in it). Many of the food items were also partly burnt as well. I was starving so I didn't bother complaining only to wait a longer period of time for my food to arrive. The half meat lovers/half angry chicken pizza (if I remember correctly) was around $15. The pizza was lacking the proper amount of sauce. The toppings and cheese were easily sliding off because of it (the sauce is what helps "stick" the cheese/toppings to the bread of the pizza). The pizza also was not cooked long enough (another reason the cheese/toppings were sliding off). I decided to have the rest of the pizza boxed. My friend ordered the asiago chicken. She enjoyed it, but her portions were small also. The chicken breasts were small and there were only two. The sauce was thicker than what it should've been. The gnocchi that the meal included was only a few pieces. Now, here comes the best part.... the service. The service (receiving drinks and food) was good. But oh wait, there's more: The manager, Carmen, decided to sit next to me, so I tried to make conversation with her... keyword: tried. We were talking about foods I had as a kid and what she gives her kids sometimes. The foods we talked about included celery. For some odd reason, she thought she'd "try" to show some intelligence about celery. She said celery had "negative calories", which I laughed, especially since she said she's "done every diet there is and knows about these things". Nothing has "negative calories". If something had "negative calories", it wouldn't even exist. Zero calories is as low as you can go, which is water. I told her I'm a biology/pre-med major in school, which we laughed at, and continued on with her "knowledge of food". She then said that it dissolves in water (water-soluble). In basic nutrition class, you learn that FRUITS are water-soluble and vegetables are fat-soluble. I didn't bother arguing with her about it. She was trying to have a "battle of wits" and kept talking on and on, like she was trying to always one up me on everything I said. After I ate my chicken bella, she said something like "and now you have all of that pizza to eat too...". I told her I had a technique I used with pizza. I take two of the slices and place one upside down on top of the other and eat it like a sandwich. 8 slices = 4 sandwiches. I was "mixing" the slices (the chicken and meat lovers together) and she said it was gross or something similar to that.... It's pizza. You can mix anything you want and it'll still taste good. She said about mixing the broccoli of the angry chicken with the meats of the meat-lovers being gross mixtures. I replied "have you ever eaten ham and mushrooms together? it's not gross at all. you can mix whatever and it'll taste good." and laughed. She had a disgusted look on her face and walked away. (FINALLY... I couldn't wait for her to leave me alone!). Her presence I did NOT enjoy the slightest bit. EVERYTHING we talked about, she kept on trying to sound like she was the "smarter one of the two of us"....hahaha. She was going to lecture me about nutrition, saying that I was wrong... As I said, I'm biology/pre-med and ACED both of my required nutrition classes. My mother is also a chiropractor, so I know quite a bit about nutrition. She is a manager at a restaurant in her 40's or 50's. I'm sure her parents are proud haha. As a "manager", mostly of what I saw her doing was that she was drinking at the bar (which she left her wine at the bar) and talking to a few ppl in the bar area. Not only was the food below avg, but I had a (what seemed to be) partially drunk manager arguing with me AND criticizing me while I was trying to eat my food. My friend said she does this all the time to customers. As I was eating (after she moved away) she stared at me for 5-10 mins. I saw it in the corner of my eye. DO NOT GO HERE!!! Would like a refund on the food (about $55) and the rude manager fire
(2)Jen M.
Pleasantly surprised. I've been venturing out of my tried and true weekend dinner places due to my having purchased the Entertainment book this year (which I HIGHLY recommend to anyone that eats out more than twice/month.) Saturday night dinner service was quick and efficient and I believe I squealed when I realized that they had TWO different champagnes poured by the glass. The entrees-lamb chops and tuna steak-were well seasoned and cooked perfectly to spec. Both came with unique side items that meshed well with each dish. The homemade bumpy cake was an out of body experience. This happens to be my boyfriend's favorite dessert of all time and J. Baldwin's version is served atop warm fudge and dotted with homemade whipped cream. I would have licked the plate if there were less people seated around us. One gripe: dessert drinks. I ordered a double espresso. I received a long espresso which is essentially just one watery shot instead of two short ones in the same glass. This was $9.50! Are you serious? The Gran Marnier I ordered on the side was only $7?? The other reviewers are spot on. This is a wonderful place to enjoy a nice but not too pretentious dinner out but slightly overpriced for what you get.
(4)Tracy M.
My family and I (2 adults and 2 children) dined at J. Baldwin's last Friday night to celebrate our Anniversary. The restaurant was nice and busy, and we were seated right away (I did have a reservation). I wish I could say our service was really good, but it was just ho hum. Perhaps our server was having a bad day, but regardless he barely did the minimum. When we declined appetizers it went down hill. No explanation on the dough balls (we had to ask another server), no refreshers on my husbands ice tea, my sons meal was cold. My husband had to ask more than once for a condiment for his sandwich, which took forever since it appeared our server was avoiding us (my children sit very well at restaurants, we have no issues with them). When my husband took my sons to the bathroom, the fire exit was blocked with boxes and it looked like the hallway was being used for storage. My salad was the probably the highlight of our dinner, it was excellent. I had the salad with the baked goats cheese. We have another gift card to J. Baldwins (only one of ours was honored), but I doubt my entire family will be going back. Perhaps I'll try their lunch service. I really hope it's better.
(3)Colleen D.
Since I was just there last night, I figured I would write a quick review. Initially, two things drew my fiance and I to this restaurant - it was close to my aunt's house and it had GF pizza. Since then, we have been back numerous times for date nights. Most of the time it is great. A few times, we had waitresses who did not know what GF was and brought my fiance a salad with croutons. Hmmm... But, that being said, the food is fantastic (love the surf and turf pizza) and the martinis are great too (champagne wishes...yum!) And, if you are GF and you feel like your waitress may be a little clueless, just ask to talk to the chef and you should be all set.
(4)Jerome O.
An upscale independent restaurant located within two miles of my house is one thing. An upscale independent restaurant located within two miles of my house that where the staff is as notable -- if not more so -- than the menu is remarkable. While we're not regulars there in the strictest sense of the term, we've gone to J. Baldwin's often enough, it seems, to where we're being recognized by some of the staff. Brian, the bar manager, often stops by our table to discuss the latest offerings in Michigan craft beers at the restaurant. And that is a significant topic of conversation in and of itself. The draft beer offerings at J. Baldwin's are ALL Michigan craft beers. Whether it's Founder's, Short's, Dragonmead, or Bell's, J. Baldwin's is supporting Michigan brewers. But that's not a conversation one would normally have with customers....unless you know that your customers are connoisseurs of craft beer! That attention to detail despite that fact that we go there maybe once a quarter, if that, is significant. After our meal, we moseyed over to the bar to take advantage of the Thursday evening half-off drink specials. One of the bartenders, Rachel, took the time to introduce herself, and it was sincere. That was equally significant, and of course, has influenced this review. Other reviews have talked about J. Baldwin's menu, and I agree -- it is fantastic. Dishes are prepared expertly and are delectable. But it's the service that keeps us coming back and that despite our casual appearance, we feel like we are treated like valued customers. We appreciate the fact that we can see the Baldwins themselves either in the kitchen or on the floor. J. Baldwin's is a place for a dining experience, not just a quick, in-and-out meal. It's well worth it to carve out a few hours of your evening to luxuriate and linger.
(5)A B.
We love J Baldwin's. We have been here many times, and each time we have tried something new that we have enjoyed. For first timers: try the calamari, crab cake sandwhich, surf and turf pizza, and the pear quatro foramggio.
(4)Renee A.
Seriously best food ever. Get a dirty martini, with blue cheese stuffed olives. Then order the calamari (best ever, I've looked.) Then pick any entree on the menu (except the apple chicken just a little too sweet, but still good.) Then get the bumpy cake. You'll spend too much but you will be so glad you did. LOVE this place.
(5)Thomas M.
Always a solid dining experience. Never a bad meal or service. A neighborhood winner.
(4)Sam B.
J Baldwins was good. It wasn't exactly what I expected though. I would give it a 3.5 stars if I could. The calamari is delicious and it is a very good portion for an appetizer. I also had the crab cake melt but wasn't that impressed. It seemed fresh and warm, but it was missing something. The cucumber drink on the cocktail menu is surprisingly good. I would go back with a few friends if it was suggested, but I don't think I will be going back any time soon.
(3)Richard A.
Very good. Wife had crab cakes, I the duck; enjoyed both. Service good. A little loud in dining area.
(4)Carole H.
I made a trek to the suburbs to J Baldwin's, for the occasion of meeting up with a couple of college friends. One of them plays music at Baldwin's on a weekly basis, and another was coming into town to see him play. I mostly came just for drinks, but ended up splitting the wild mushroom pizza with my friend. It was pretty good, fresh ingredients and baked on flatbread, but we did not get much for the price we paid for it. Furthermore, the service was less than awesome. A table of 4 of us were there for about 3 and a half hours. In that time, they switched our server twice (giving a total of 3 servers we were then responsible for tipping...and we had to cash out each time and start a new tab). That was a pain, and seemed pretty unnecessary to have that much turnover in such a short time. Even after the dinner crowd had cleared out, we were one of only 2 occupied tables in our section of the restuarant, and still had to wait longer than should be necessary to get our server to come by to take our order for another round. Then it took another 10-12 minutes for them to come back with our drinks. There was only 4 of us drinking beers - nothing complicated. The wait staff all knew my friend who plays there regularly, they would come by to say hi and joke around. In most establishments, being a good regular means the staff is usually extra attentive to your service, but apparently not here. The best thing was that the night we were there (a Thursday) they run a special of all drinks half off for a few hours. But considering their drink prices are on the high side anyway ($7 for a rum & coke), it sadly wasn't quite as exciting of a deal as it could have been. I guess if my friend plays again I might go back, but I won't otherwise.
(2)Allison C.
Best calimari ever, I usually get it as my meal. The entire place perfect. Each thing on the menu that I have tried has been amazing. The staff is great and quick with service.
(5)Annon Imus X.
My husband and I have eaten here several times. The food is normally top notch (some of the best lamb chops I've ever had!) but occasionally the kitchen has an off night. (Mother's Day 2008 was a total disaster and half my family swore off the place that afternoon.) I agree with another writer that the restaurant is noisy and a somewhat cramped. The To-Go section is awkward and seems out of place. The bar is super small but the bartenders are very friendly. Drinks are a little pricey. One night we decided to go "cheap" and just have appetizers and drinks while sitting at the bar. The bill was over $80. The restaurant occasionally hosts fun events and offers several cooking classes throughout the year. Definitely worth trying!
(4)Ryan S.
I've had two people either personally recommend J Baldwin's or tell me that they'd heard good things so I thought I couldn't go too far astray by giving it a shot. Really wish I hadn't. Got there around 6:30 on a Tuesday night and saw that the place was decently busy which is always a good sign. The hostess sat my bf and I right away and was very friendly and likeable. The menu offered several things that sounded really good to both of us and we actually had a little bit of a difficult time deciding on something - another good sign. The first thing that I didn't like about J Baldwin's was our waiter. He seemed to have an air about him of being "too cool" to be bothered to serve us despite the fact that we were polite, agreeable and made no special requests of him. His demeanor toward us was unprofessional and flippant. Service = strike one. The food came out very quickly which was alright even though we were only halfway through our appetizer. First, the presentation of the food was marvelous. My bf ordered an almond encrusted chicken with an apple glaze with asparagus over butternut squash ravioli and I ordered a dish of chicken, mushrooms and spinach over portabello ravioli in a lemon-sage sauce. Each dish was obviously arranged with great care and they really looked great. The flavor on the other hand, was sadly uninspired and poorly paired. The butternut squash inside the ravioli paired very poorly with the apple glaze which was clearly just prepared apple pie filling. It was overly sweet, cloying and really made everything else seem bitter by contrast. My meal was better, but still tasted pretty boring compared to how pretty it was. The ravioli was good but the mushrooms were undercooked and there was no detectable hint of lemon nor sage in the sauce. Food flavor = strike two. Finally, we were ready for our bill and the waiter asked if I'd like another water with it and since I'd been drinking a Diet Coke I very nicely corrected him and said that yes, I'd like another. When it came back I noticed that the ice was significanly more melted in the glass and the soda was cloudy. When I pensively tasted it I realized that he'd taken my glass with a small amount of Diet Coke in it and mixed it up in the kitchen and given me someone else's glass that had clearly had iced tea in it but topped it off with Diet Coke. No doubt that included someone else's used straw. Unacceptable. Hygiene = strike three. I'm not out to specifically hurt J Baldwin's business by writing them a poor Yelp review and in fact I feel really bad giving a restaurant fewer than 3 stars especially in this economy; but it's J Balwins' 4-5-star review that cemented my desire to go there and that rating is completely undeserved. Aside from our truly friendly hostess, the whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Literally and figuratively. And let's hope that's not all it left in my mouth thanks to my dirty straw. Bleh.
(2)Chad M.
Best food in this part of town!
(5)Davis H.
A hidden little gem in Clinton Township. This restaurant is easy to miss and that is to bad because its very good. I had a thin crust pizza that was very tasty. They serve martinis in an ice glass that is fun and different. the waitstaff was friendly and very good.
(4)Allison G.
Three stars, the food is yummy but the service is ALWAYS bad. Boo!!!
(3)Terri W.
I have been to J Baldwin's twice with some friends. The first time it was a small group and we sat near the door at the bar. It was very noisy due to the crowd coming in. I had the squash soup and later tried the thick sweet potato fries. They both were very good for the happy hour price. A little later some other friends joined us at the bar and the place had settled down some. After laughing and having tons of fun, the bartender informed us someone has complained and we had to be quiet. Wow we thought who would complain about friends laughing and having fun, especially since we were at the bar and not in the main dining area. We decided to give it another try and just went there this weekend, only it was 2 African American friends instead of 6. Sat at the bar again and both bartenders basically ignored us. I did get my drink right away but we had to wait for the bartender to take our orders for food for quiet a while so we called her over to us. She acted very unfriendly and as if she didn't care one way or another. Our food finally arrived and my burger was charred to almost being burnt, i asked for well done not burnt. How ever the balsamic dressing with the mixed greens was wonderful atop of the burger, and my sweet potato fries were too crispy and very short and thin, not thick like my first visit. The happy hour appetizers prices are not honored after 6p any longer were we informed. The bartender only came back once to see how we were doing and we waited for a while and had to call her several times for the bill after being ignored. I'm feeling they have some prejudice towards African Americans. The 6 of us friends decided we won't be returning; 4 of them being white; they felt a racist issue the first time with the restaurant against the 2 people of color. I guess they fell they don't need the business so we are taking our business elsewhere.
(3)Robert W.
I'm a big fan. Yes it is a bit pricey - but us Eastsiders are pretty cheap (hence the lack of great independent restaurants around here. Great atmosphere, great food and good service.
(4)Matt C.
One of the very best restaurants in the area. The service is ALWAYS outstanding. Upscale food in a casual atmosphere. A little pricey if you just want a quick bite to eat. But if you are in the mood for some great pizza, fish or steak this is the place. My favorite is the black and blue filet with the ice berg wedge salad. Top it all of with a cream puff. Mmmmm. My wife and I eat here for birthdays, anniversaries, and any other excuse we need to stuff ourselves.
(5)Jim M.
Jerilyn treated me to my birthday dinner tonight. As always the food and drinks were superb. This is my favorite east side restaurant. If you have not join the Baldwin club. Nice perks.
(5)Mike L.
The standards at this restaurant are not reflected in its prices. If this place was appropriately priced, I'd give it a better rating, but its prices put it up against competition that's well out of its class. The last time I dined here I ordered the swordfish special. The fish was seasoned and prepared well, but it was small and a bit less than fresh. The vegetables that accompanied it were pretty good, but nothing special. For $22, this should have been a lot better. Another problem is the alcohol prices. I ordered two vodkas and paid $10.50 for each of them. That's nothing short of a ripoff. This restaurant does not offer a good value for your money. There are too many other truly good restaurants around for me to consider trying this one again anytime soon.
(2)James M.
This place can unfortunately be a little hit or miss. I've had meals at this restaurant that rival some of the better meals I've ever had, and some that were underwhelming to say the least. That being said, I do find myself always coming back. All of the meals that I would dub "good to great" seem to come from the specials menu, so I would order from there. Nothing that I have ever had from the regular menu has been that great (except for the pizza, which is pretty good). The downside to this place is that it can be expensive (most of the specials seem to be $18 & up) however they always have coupons and great deals, so I would recommend signing up for the frequent dinner program. The service is usually pretty good and it's a good "nice" restaurant where you can take kids because it can be noisy in there.
(4)dee b.
I ordered the signature pizza (prosciutto, chicken, artichoke, basil, ...) when the pizza come out it was cold and didn't taste like it came from a wood-fired oven. I think they waited to bring all three pizzas out together which one of the was the meat lovers deep dish (was which good and hot). It also just had one small piece of prosciutto, three strips of basil, and 4 pieces of chicken for the entire pizza. My son got sick 30 minutes after we left. So pricey, bacterial, cold and toppings were lacking. Would not go back.
(1)Kristen M.
If I had a penny for every bottle of wine I've finished at this place... I wouldn't be writing these reviews trying to kick off my side job! I had my doubts when I first pulled into the parking lot but judging by my number of frequent diner points all was forgotten after my first sip of Pinot Noir. Every time I've gone for dinner I've ordered one of their nightly specials and haven't been disappointed yet. Word on the hypothetical street is that on Wednesdays they have half off Pizza's and bottles of wine. Three years ago I got a call offering me a job in Los Angeles and I seriously contemplated kidnapping the chef at Baldwin's and bringing him with me. Trust me - Don't overlook this place!
(5)Donna F.
My husband had the beef tips and loved it. I had the scallops and lobster ravioli and it was wonderful. The kids enjoyed their meals too. We are planning to go back to try other dishes on the menu.
(5)Leann G.
Very good quality food for a reasonable price. Great service & atmosphere!
(5)