Though I don't go to the movies often, when I do, it is always nice to be able to debrief with some good friends upon the film's end. Carlyle gives you this kind of space, with awesome pricing, and a touch of genuine class. There's nothing better than just ENOUGH choices. Too many, and your head will explode, too few and you'll just stew, but just enough and you can do the do and this is exactly what we did. We sat on the bar side of the restaurant - a casual place, a grab a drink, enjoy some sports and even indulge in the FULL menu if the mood suits you kinda space. Instead, we went with the happy hour menu, which I believe begins when they open and ends at 7PM. I've become so accustomed to living my GF struggle, that I didn't even notice the GFs on the menu already, which really made me feel special and allowed me to order in peace and this only added to my happiness. My lovely companion ordered a delicious beet salad (I partook, yes, JUDGE ME), I decided on loaded potato skins (with sour cream) and together we each got orders of 1/3 baby back ribs. A few glasses of water, two margaritas, and this awesome food made for two-and-a-half additional hours of fun. I got to watch the Lions beat the Jets on repeat, enjoy 5 hours total with a dear friend of mine, and some delicious food at this somewhat hidden gem, at least, to me. Anything further away from downtown is a hidden gem. Tell me no. All in all, to somewhat quote 1D, "I'm glad [I] came."
(4)
Jonathan L.
These guys are first class and have truly stepped up! Service has been outstanding, and the managers even stop by to ask how things are going and they truly care (vs those managers that leave the table before you can answer their haphazard "Is everything good?"). Order the spinach artichoke dip, pecan crusted chicken, or Newport Chicken Salad (and add candied pecans). They even have specials for discounted movie tickets.
(5)
Kathy T.
I have been coming to Carlyle for years and I have tried nearly everything on the menu - Needless to say I am a huge fan! I love the Calamari, one of everyone who I talk to favorites! The whitefish is also always fresh and served with a delicious side of your choice!
(5)
Beth H.
I am loving Carlyle restaurant these days. Their food and service is on par with the beautiful decor and atmosphere. Food keeps me coming back in the winter months, but the patios are the best in the summer. Partial outdoor dining on the west side, with one open wall, TVs and fans. The east side is outdoor seating for the bar, in relaxing shade from the setting sun during happy hours. Good planning! Soup and salad is choice and a good value for a light lunch or dinner. Excellent selection of soup, each day. Grab the cream of broccoli if they have it. The chips and salsa are addicting. Rich smoky crushed tomato salsa with very thin chips. Mushroom raviolis is my go-to dish when looking for a hearty plate. Very rich, full of mushrooms and absolutely fantastic. Nice balance of mushroom flavor and parm. I top with red pepper flake for a bit of heat. MMMmm Full service bar makes great mojitos - double bonus when it's $6 happy hour and you are seated in the bar. Nice rotating selection of happy hour bites too. I wish they would bring back the flat bread. Nice wine list and burgers too. Great choice for a date night, quick bite or professional meal.
(5)
Kevin T.
Another nice midweek visit at Carlyle's. For the southwest/Ann Arbor/Scio Township/Dexter area, the Carlyle offers a great combination of dining atmosphere, menu and value. Favorites are the Steak Frittes, the Prime Rib & Grilled Salmon. Every visit, the Calamari is a favorite. The 'Carlyle Salad' (basically a Cobb Salad) is a good side to any entree. Calamari here is very good and a little different than typical calamari presentation. Yes, it's deep fried (in a very light batter), but the meat is larger-ringed, very tender and best of all... served on a bed of softened spinach caressed in a very delicious aoili (lemony, garlic, olive oil) accented by capers and small bits of red/green pepper. My steaks are consistently good. About 8oz. for the steak frites selection. Cooked perfectly for my request of medium rare and spiced deliciously. Warning: the micro thin fried potatoes are dangerously delicious! The salmon is a very healthy slab, grilled, but moist, flavorful and lightly accented with lemon & dill and some grilled zucchini, yellow squash & red potatoes alongside. Great for Birthdays. Just bring your I.D. for the discount.
(4)
Jason P.
Carlyle Grill is a great choice if you desire plates that are 1. Overpriced and 2. Devoid of flavor. After going there twice it is confirmed as a menu that while they may have some good ideas for plates, the finished result falls short of what you would expect. The food is simply not good and the service is not great either. Go elsewhere.
(1)
Jiah C.
If I were to try to be objective on the food & service, I'd give them a solid 3 stars(+). I gave an extra star because of the way management handled some input I gave them on a recent visit. We initially dined there and had an older newbie server who we couldn't help but notice was being sort of bullied and picked on by her co-servers. She was up front about what she didn't know yet and it was obvious she was green but we could tell that she still put her best foot forward and tried to give us the best dining experience she possibly could. We were extremely pleased with her service, but was so off-put by the shitty treatment by the rest of the staff in front of our faces. So I wrote them an email letting them know of what I witnessed, in case they were an establishment that would care about such things (as all should). The response I received from the manager was quite the appropriate response (and more) in terms of their understanding of how this reflects on the entire establishment and front of house team. He was forthright, accepting of their responsibility to correct said situation and offered us a gift card to come try them again in hopes of giving us a better representation of what they are all about. We did so and had a great experience once again. My only caveats on Carlyle not being a perfect 5 is that their style is a bit dated and it almost seems like they are trying to come off as the bottom end of fine dining but that theme sort of flops, for me. If they embraced more of the higher end casual concept that their menu and service reflects, in my opinion, it would be more well rounded and consistent in terms of what to expect. The food is pretty decent (some hit or miss) and I do think that it is generally priced appropriately. All in all though, I do recommend Carlyle!
(4)
John M.
My family and I went for lunch on MLK day. Three of us ordered the same thing the special of the day which was Scottish Salmon. The waitress never asked how we wanted our salmon cooked. It came out medium rare, which was only ok for two of us. The other just didn't eat the salmon. One of us ordered soup which didn't come out till we asked the manager. We had four kids with us. Two of them ordered kids pizza. Only one came out, we skipped it because a kids pizza is enough to feed two adults. The other kids asked for chicken strips with ranch and we never go the ranch. We only saw the waitress when we placed the order and when we got the check. Our drinks were not refilled. No one asked how the meal was. One of the people we went with had gone there several times for dinner and had a much better experience. The issue was with the server and the manager.
(2)
Kristin B.
When asked how the burgers are the waitress explained that they had switched meat vendors to lower costs and they were now much lower quality, but that if you ordered one with enough toppings you couldn't taste the burger. We appreciated the warning and ordered other items. We got a giant bowl of penne pasta covered in ketchup tasting sauce for over $12...I could have made this better at home for fifty cents. We got a pizza that was bland and clearly frozen...trust me just grab a Digiorno it'll be better. In a group of 5 no one ate more than a few bites and we are far from being foodies and never write bad reviews! Save your money and try somewhere else or just eat at home. I ate here over a year ago and it has gone way downhill in quality.
(1)
Andrea D.
I'm updating my review based on the response of the company. I have not been back to verify their information, but appreciate their responsiveness.
(3)
Jerry D.
Went here for the first time this evening with my wife after driving past this place many times over the past three years, so very glad we did. We ordered the Old Fashion Burger and the London Burger; these were simply the best burger we've had since moving to Michigan, way better that Bagger Daves, Red Robin, etc. No frozen parties, all fresh and juicy meat, cooked to perfection. We also had the chicken fingers appetizer, which was awesome as well; fresh cut and hand breaded chicken pieces, and not frozen and fried like most restaurants. Finally, our waitress, Kirsten B, was very warm and welcoming, she did a great job explaining options on the menu and helped us enjoy our dining selection. Based on this experience, the Carlyle Grill is top of our list for casual dining.
(5)
Maggi I.
I've eaten here a couple dozen times with my family, and I'm always surprised at how much I like the food. The ribs are as good as any I've had at high-end restaurants in big cities. Tuesdays is half-off wine night, and that's no insignificant thing; their wine collection is pretty darn good. They have nightly soup specials, big salads, the parmesan-encrusted whitefish is delicious and I LOVE both their meatloaf and their pot roast. Pulled pork sandwich, sweet potato fries, sauteed spinach, brisket... hungry yet? The hardest part is saving enough room for the carrot cake, which is enormous and fantastic. It's loud and crowded, so if you can manage it, ask to sit in the room on the west side.
(4)
Pamela J.
This was not a great experience. We chose this restaurant because they marketed that they are a "from scratch kitchen". Their web site states: "All our menu items are made to order and can be customized any way you wish." We thought they would be more accommodating for our daughter who has food allergies. Turns out a lot of their items were prepared ahead of time (with butter) and they did not offer any "from scratch" options. Even the plain burger we ordered for her was not very tasty.
(3)
Will S.
Great place and great food! The staff members are friendly, and the atmosphere is wonderful. It's a great place to unwind after watching the Avengers destroy Ultron!
(5)
Andrew R.
Each time I have eaten at Carlyle I have been satisfied with my entree. The atmosphere is very nice, the service is on point. My family has certainly shared some memorable meals there. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)
Max R.
I have been here a lot over the years, so this review is well overdue. I've tried many different things on the menu, and none of them have ever been less than delicious. For appetizers, the Calamari is a favorite, as well as the creamy chicken soup. For entrees, I have had the ribs, prime rib, meatloaf, whitefish, walleye, macaroni and cheese, pork loin, and a cheeseburger, among many other things, and they have all been spectacular. I personally have not tapped into the wine or beer selection but those I've gone with have been impressed and satisfied by it. The service has been great every visit. I would recommend making a reservation because it can get very busy. This place is my go-to on date night, and is only a stones throw away from the Quality 16 movie theater. They work together to give discounts on movie tickets too, just ask your server. This place gets TWO THUMBS UP!
(5)
Al M.
Carlyle's is one of our solid standbys before or after a movie at the Quality 16, conveniently sharing a parking lot with the theater. We've dined here many times and always had good service in comfortable surroundings at this independent that I'd rate a notch above an Applebee's and other chains. One noteworthy offering that we really like at "the Car" is the Cream of Chicken Soup. Loaded with chunks of tasty chicken, it is a dose of comfort food that never fails to satisfy. Try it as a 'tizeer and enjoy.
(3)
Kirk B.
Best food and service in Ann Arbor! A must for anyone who enjoys food!!
(5)
Saudia S.
Our family favorite! Everything is good from the steaks and seafood, to the pizzas and salads. Always enjoy the blue cheese burger with onion crisps in top, and the shoestring fries. Drinks are great- strong enough, but drinkable. Family friendly for the kiddo. Across parking lot from movie theater, and they offer dinner and a movie specials. (Matinee priced movies). Enjoy the out of this world carrot cake for dessert! Even better the next day for breakfast!
(5)
Ben B.
A below average restaurant that probably only stays afloat due to the nearby movie theater. The dining environment is pleasant and warming, but it is quickly erased by mediocre (at best) customer service. The food is sub par and does not pair well with the pricy menu. The one item that is worth the money is the chicken quesadilla which is great with their homemade salsa. Other than that, their burgers and chicken sandwiches are under seasoned. There are much better dining options located on Jackson Road, but if convenience near the movies is important over quality, this place will fit the bill.
(2)
Maya B.
Went in for Restaurant Week about a month ago and the experience was exceptional. Our server, Brad, was incredibly attentive and the food was delicious. The Manager came to check on us despite the fact that the restaurant was PACKED and genuinely seemed interested in my Husband's bad jokes. We were leery to return after having an unpleasant experience about two years ago but, we are delighted we decided to go back. Great improvements (must be the management) all around, we will certainly visit again!
(5)
Patrick T.
Ate here for restaurant week. It's otherwise an Applebee's/TGIF kind of place. Restaurant week offerings included a soup or salad, one of 5 entrees, and full-sized dessert. The salad was nothing to write home about. For the entree, my gf got the maple soy salmon which was really excellent. It was grilled to perfection; most places will overcook the salmon, but this place had it done just right. It was delicious, and was the highlight of the evening. The filet was also enormously portioned -- like 10 oz something ridiculous. My dish was a Sirloin steak with portabello which was just okay. Came with garlic mashed potatoes and broccolini, which I enjoyed more than the meat of the dish. For dessert, I had the chocolate chip brownie sunday, which was two brownies (one blonde, one regular) and ice cream. The ladyfriend had the carrot cake, which was warm and soft and everything you would want in a carrot cake. Overall, this is a solid place similar to Applebee's or TGIF, with HUGE portion sizes.
(3)
J. J.
I'm a bit of a Carlyle fan. It's not because it's the best, but because it is a "jack of all trades". There's a decent selection of dishes. The food is really good. My kids like the food. My wife likes the food. The restaurant is fairly classy without a ton of chachkies like an Applebee's. The price is on par with most restaurants in its class. I've always had terrific service. Would I take a date there for an intimate conversation - like a previous poster - no, but that's what the restaurants downtown are for. It knows what it is and it's good at it.
(4)
Kait B.
Food is over priced. We didn't have friendly staff, never asked how the food was. Don't think I would go again. They do have good bread and butter that is included though.
(3)
Robert H.
Note: movie and meal deal isn't available on Friday & Saturday's. But you can get discounted movie tickets! So eat first then see the movie. The food is all awesome.
(4)
Vic G.
Have had some decent food here in the past but our visit Tuesday of this week not so good. Ordered the Cuban. Was told they were out of that. Ordered the fish and chips. over priced at $18. The fish was cooked properly but the batter was like a warm flannel. Could pick it up and squeeze it out gross. Husband ordered the meat loaf and enjoyed it. Some fellow diners told us their food was sub par and missing ingredients such as bacon in the club sandwich One told us he was not eating there because the food was not good right now There seems to be a little over familiarity of staff and regulars. Witnessed one staff giving another a back rub at the till! Some guy who was clearly trashed came out of the kitchen and got his 3 wines out of the fridge and sat at the bar. Wine is definitely over priced for the 4oz pour at $10. Probably can get away with it as they are catching film goers I don't know, just a bit hit and miss, and missing professional management
(3)
Liz W.
It was ok here but you will not find food nirvana or anything. Our visit was a minute back but I have kept forgetting to write it up until I spied MaryLiz had. I wish I had gone after her review. We did not manage to get in for happy hour which kinda sucked. Be warned the seating is limited so do not get your heart set on anything. Kinda put us in an iffy mood for our meal. I thought the flat iron was overpriced and I am uber picky about steaks so I did not order it. The steak frites was a bit too spendy too (its a sirloin) but it did not stop the hubs. Tasty, cooked to order, but nothing special for my taste. I'm not a particular fan of the cut though, husband was happy enough. Sorry but pricing around twenty bucks for lesser cuts of steak is not reasonable. If you want meat, that 23 buck ribeye is the way to go IMO. I don't get the logic here at all, makes no sense to me, how is a sirloin or flat iron in any way in the same range as a ribeye?. I had the low country shrimp and grits. Not a fan of shrimp on skewers as it does dry them out horribly. I don't think they cook them too long, they just cook them wrong. The grits saved it for me but they should have specified that the shrimp is on skewers on the menu as I would have never ordered them. I said something to our server and got an eyeroll and asked if I wanted something else but given the time it took for everything I decided to suck it up and deal. Meh. Other than that moment the service was fine. The atmosphere here is nice. I just was not in love. I wish they were just more interesting and took care to describe things appropriately so there is no surprise.
(3)
MaryLiz S.
I've been to Carlyle several times. When the place is packed, it's harder to follow the conversation, but if you can get a booth you'll be better off. When you order calamari here, it comes with minimal breading and artichoke hearts, cucumber and capers. A real change from the usual calamari appetizer. The onion rings were huge and crunchy, made with Vidalia onions. The thick, fruity dipping sauce was called "curry catsup" on the menu. I thought it complemented the crunchiness of the onion rings very nicely. The trend I see here: Good recipes occasionally marred by inattention. When we dined recently, hubby's salmon looked very attractive. It even had that crispy crunch salmon gets from being grilled over flames. But it was too salty. And my skewered shrimp had spent a little too long on the barbie. The cheesy grits the shrimp sat upon was great. (The place was packed on Mother's Day, so that HAD to contribute.) One other time, some prime rib arrived with an obvious cayenne lilt. Interesting touch, but we all thought it was a bit too strong. I admit, I'm VERY fussy. I notice all the subtleties of food preparation. If you can overlook an occasional whoops, it's a good place to bring a group when you have some members that don't "do" ethnic restaurants.
(3)
Rebekah P.
This place is super chill. I randomly came in here on an afternoon for a snack and a mimosa. I definitely recommend. Food really does seem homemade.
(4)
Mary J.
Love this place! Great place, good food, warm atmosphere. Front desk hostess personality was lukewarm for a busy Friday, but waitress service from Sarah was top notch pleasant and attentive. I ordered the pot roast - yummy and just like homemade, and a good sized portion. Margarita was well made. Side salad was crisp and fresh. I love the variety of menu choices here. Well suited to be both a date night place and family go to. Skip the chain restaurants - this one is far far better!
(4)
Nancy C.
This review is based solely on my experience with Carlyle Grill's restaurant week menu. We semi-haphazardly chose to dine here since we didn't have to make a reservation 3 months in advance of restaurant week to land a table. And I was really pleasantly surprised by what they had to offer. After walking in to a restaurant with an ambience and menu comparable to an applebee's/chili's, I recalibrated standards accordingly. That said, I was not surprised when the first course: the salad, tasted like, well, a standard side salad. However, the maple glazed salmon I ordered for my main course was delicious! The salmon was PERFECTLY cooked and the glaze was sweet and savory. The portion was GARGANTUAN. All of that salmon, chased by a humongous piece of carrot cake definitely made me feel a little queasy after the meal. But, wow, that salmon... I don't remember seeing the maple glazed salmon on the regular menu, so I'm not sure whether it's a restaurant week only offering. But I highly recommend it.
Service is severely lacking, and the food and drinks are just ok. The hostess was friendly, but then service quickly puttered out. We sat at the bar to take advantage of their TVs. The bar tender made eye contact about a minute after we sat, then he turned to finish a conversation with a coworker and clean some glasses. When he finally got to us, he asked us for our order without greeting us or giving us a drink or food menu. There were only about a dozen other customers at the bar, and at one point, most glasses were completely empty. Keep in mind, the customers were middle-aged and calm, and didn't seem to be heavy drinkers. Tip to management: Provide better training to employees. #1: hospitality!
(2)
eve a.
I went in with my friend's children after a movie for the first time and was surprised by how yummy our food was and how exceptionally accommodating the staff was! They were incredibly kind and patient - an awesome experience!
(5)
Jessica P.
This is my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! My favorite things: Manitoba cocktail, the chicken strips dinner, the fries, the house salad with ranch (ask for bacon!), the pecan crusted chicken, key lime martini. My husband loves the meatloaf. I've had the fish before, and that was good. Steer away from the strangely spiced quesadilla.
(5)
Stephen V.
Absolutely terrible service, I orderd the "beef brisket". The served me the exact opposite. It was shredded bbq beef, and it was burnt from sitting in a steam table all day. They obviously were not following time as a public health control.It looked like the frozen stuff you get at the grocery store. I pushed the plate of food away from me to the edge of the table, and was obviously not eating it. The server walked by our table 5 times and seemed to be avoiding us when she finally came to check on us my friend was finished eating. The server finally checked on us and I told her what the problem was and sent the food back, when the manager finally came to the table he explained to me that "it was an end of the night thing" implying that the "brisket" is normally burnt at the end of the night. I will never go back to that place ever again.
(1)
Natalie G.
Everything here to me is so mediocre. We ate here on Saturday night before a movie. I made reservations on Open Table and requested a booth. They accommodated my request so that was a plus ( I know Saturday is the hardest day to pull that off). The server we had was just so blah it made the whole thing even more "middle of the road". She didn't speech one thing about the specials, she didn't say her name, her hair was down (and well past her shoulders). Which just creeps me out. When we asked about the specials she just said exactly what was on the chalkboard with very little helpful information. She did keep up on refills and such. But she just seemed so unhappy to be there. The pasta I had was nothing special. I've made more flavorful pasta at home many times. My boyfriend had the fish. It looked a lot better than mine. If you are going to the movies and you want something close it'll do the job. But it definitely doesn't blow your mind.
(3)
Caroline K.
DELICIOUS FOOD!! Totally not what I expected by a restaurant, very nice and friendly service. Everything we had was above par. A little dark inside, but very delicious food! Also, super cool that you can purchase your movie tickets at dinner! (Located right next to the local cinema!)
(4)
Pete D.
This is the go-to place for me and my friends for an evening out. The bar setting is very clean and relaxed and perfect for a good night with friends. The prices are fair, the food is decent, and the service is always decent. I'm a little disappointed that they changed the mac and cheese recipe though. Carlyle Grill is definitely on my rotation of places to eat! If your goal is dinner and a movie, then this place is a perfect fit.
(4)
Margaret V.
I really like Carlyle Grill! I will admit, I am biased. My husband and I had our first date there. We will celebrate our first annviersary soon and have eaten at their location many times. I will say, even if our date was a bust, I would eat there often. The restaurant has a great selection. They have everything from sandwiches/burgers to steak and poultry. My husband is a diehard "meat and potatoes" man and we have eaten there with "strict vegetarians" and everyone has found something they have liked. My two favorite items have been their fried perch which is not a regular selection (I really wish it was) and their penne pasta with tomatoes and basil. If you love wine, GO ON TUESDAYS! They have HALF PRICED BOTTLED WINE! It is really fun to try wines you may not usually try on these days.... I dont' care for their pizza as it was really greasy. I don't care for their mushroom ravioli as it was very rich! It wasn't bad. It was just really rich! Their cheesecake with raspberry sauce is divine. The Happy Hour is great, but get there early! Their happy hour is from 3-7 Monday through Thursday and 3-6 Friday and Saturday. As of Spring, 2012, their wines and beers are only a couple of bucks. The appetizer selection includes $2-3 boneless wings, side salad, chips and salsa and sweet potato fries. All of which are great and if you order a few of them, make for a nice meal. Please be advised, the discount they have with the Qualtiy 16 Theatre is not good on Saturday nights.. (at least at the time of my review).
(4)
Michelle C.
They have great happy hour here! Happy hour ends at 7 pm Mon-Thu, and ends at 6pm on Fridays. $3 liquor, $4 wine, and $5 martinis with $4-$5 appetizers. Seating is very limited in the bar area where happy hour specials are (3 booths, 2 half-booths, and about 20 seats along the bar) so come early and enjoy! Dinner is a-ok here. I tend to always get their calamari to start with- big calamri rings that isn't too heavily breaded on a bed of fresh arugula and artichoke hearts. Their crab cakes are excellent as well. I hardly ever go to carlyle for a meal, but it's a great place for happy hour!
(4)
Alissa H.
I have been a huge fan of the food here since it opened, and every time we're back in town we make sure this is one of our stops. The mushroom ravioli and the calamari are hands down my favorite things here, and my husband absolutely loves their ribs. The ribs come with an unbelievable amount of shoe string fries- more than enough for both of us to share plus have some to take home. The raspberry lemon drop martini (without the simple syrup) is also on my list of top martinis (in general, not just at Carlyle). We have had a few service/food quality issues (a stick in my mushroom ravioli and my husband ordering his ribs without coleslaw bc he hates mayo but having the coleslaw come on top of the ribs) and I thought the response to these issues fell short. We were offered a free dessert for the stick incident, but the dessert never came so we wound up leaving after waiting for 20 minutes after our bill came and not seeing our waiter again. The waitress scraped the coleslaw off my husbands ribs, leaving them still covered in mayo and bits of cabbage. A manager later brought him a new rack of ribs after his sat there untouched for about 20 minutes, which we appreciated. Because we love the food and the problems we've had have been few and far between, we are still frequent patrons of Carlyle.
(4)
Ted F.
Had dinner at the bar last night. Great meal and even better service from the ladies behind the bar. The conversation and quick service will keep me coming back.
(5)
Bonnie W.
We went there because it was recommended to us but I have to say we were a little disappointed, mostly because we felt that they highly overcharge for what they give you and for the ambiance (which honestly felt like a Fridays, Applebees, or whatever). I got the whitefish and both my husband and I enjoyed it. However, his steak (which he will say right off the bat was cooked well) was very fatty. But again, the price made it so that we wouldn't go back.
(3)
Adam S.
This place pretty much defines "Meh." Large portions of mediocre food. I got the feeling that their proximity to the movie theater (and uncomplaining dinner-and-movie crowd) has spoiled them. The good: - Whitefish! Very nicely done. Good mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. - Cheesecake! Far too large a piece (order it with a friend) but with nice consistency, flavor, and an oreo-ish crust. Skip the raspberry sauce. The bad: - Kids' pizza? Huge and unappetizing, tasted slapped-together with multi-purpose red sauce. I'm told this is the same as the adult pizza. - Crème Brulee? This tasted like the inside of a Boston Cream donut, but sweeter and a bit thicker. No one who has ever eaten a Crème Brulee will be fooled. The meh: - Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes? No jumbo lumps in sight. Also, burnt black on one side. Strangley, they still tasted OK -- vaguely like bell pepper and breadcrumbs. - Swordfish was cooked perfectly! But the sauce was tucked so far into one corner (and under a pile of greens) that I got through half the meal thinking it was terribly underseasoned. Also the carrots were nearly raw. - Wait staff was pretty absent until I turned on the charm. Dirty silverware ( I mean like funky dirty) was soon changed out with casual apologies. So overall, one plate of whitefish does not a dinner make. In their defense, they seem to do a pretty good business in steaks, which we did not try. That said, we don't plan to return unless we're in a pinch.
(2)
Molly H.
If we have time, my husband and I like to hit up the bar for a drink and maybe an app before a movie. Their happy hour specials are excellent! Last night was the first time we sat in the dining room for dinner and we had a pretty good experience. First off, our service was top-notch! Our entrees, however, were only OK. I got the veggie burger and it was probably the sloppiest burger I've ever had--borderline gross. It tasted pretty good, though, with big pieces of roasted red peppers on top; there was just way too much dressing and the patty itself just fell apart. The sweet potato fries were also below average--limp and soggy, but with decent flavor. My husband got one of the burgers...I think it had "London" in the name--he liked it, but wasn't wowed. We ended up sharing the brownie sundae as recommended by our excellent server (she also recommended the carrot cake) and it was great, definitely one of the best brownie sundaes I've had. I bought the burgers and a Strongbow and the bill was $30, so definitely not thrifty and probably not a place I'd go for a sit-down dinner again. To be really honest, I probably wouldn't go here unless it was leading up to or following a movie at Quality 16, but for that it's perfectly fine and I know I'll be back. P.S. They offer discounts Sun - Thurs if you bring in your ticket stub!
(3)
Erik H.
My wife and I had dinner at the Carlyle Grill around 6:00 on a Saturday. We were seated promptly and had a very pleasant and attentive waiter. We got chips and salsa as an appetizer. The chips were good but just from a bag I believe. The salsa I believe was house-made and quite tasty. For entrees I got the Blackened Chicken Alfredo ($14) and my wife got the Chicken Fingers with fries and blue-cheese coleslaw ($13). My pasta was good. The chicken had good flavor but the pasta tasted a bit more of olive oil than garlic or alfredo sauce. My wife's chicken fingers were quite good. They tasted like they breaded there own chicken rather than just frying frozen. The dinner also comes with a basket of small dinner rolls which were quite good. All in all a solid dinner if a bit on the expensive side for that kind of fare. I would go there again.
(3)
Brian G.
Quick update. Carlyle has stopped their brunch offering, thank goodness. Carlyle's is a GREAT place. I go here all the thime for lunch and dinner. I almost feel like family - on first name terms with some of the staff. Love it.
(4)
Gopal N.
Everything on Carlyle Grill's menu is simply delicious... and the portions are huge! If you are looking for great American dining for a very reasonable price, Carlyle Grill is a great option.
(5)
Lily K.
The Carlyle is A-OK. There isn't really anything wrong with it, but it just doesn't leave you wanting to come back. The food is good, but not unique or the type of food you keep thinking about after your meal is over. It is nice that they do deals for movie goers and the service has always been good. I'm sure I will pass through again.
(3)
Jennifer V.
The boy and I had dinner here recently when we couldn't decide what in the hell we wanted. All we knew was that I didn't want to cook, and since he CAN'T cook, it was time to eat out. I ended up ordering the rotisserie herb chicken, and he ordered the blackened chicken alfredo. I was surprised at just how good my chicken was! The chicken was moist, flavorful, and fell off the bone. I loved it. The veggies were cooked perfectly, too. My major complaint would be the potatoes. They had good flavor, but were a bit dry, like they had been in the oven too long. The boy really liked his pasta, though, and had no complaints. The place is a pretty good bet, I think, if you like places like Macaroni Grill, Applebee's, etc. It's reasonably priced and didn't seem to be insanely busy, either. The service was good, the food was good, and the prices were good. Can't complain much!
(4)
W R.
The stars are for the happy hour only. The restaurant is way overpriced, but the happy hour is the best in town. The flatbread pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and reduced balsamic is excellent, as is the happy hour salad. Great place to meet up with friends and hang out. Nice patio in the warm months, too!
(4)
Nicole Y.
Terrible service time and time again! Everytime I come to Carlyle I hope that things are going to be better this time and they never are. Tonights experience was no different. My mom and I went with my 5 and 1 year old. We ordered drinks and chips and salsa after waiting about 10 mins for the waitress to come over. She brought back drinks and took our order...still no chips. She walked away and another 15 mins goes by and my moms soup came (she ordered soup and salad combo for dinner and they brought soup first?! How odd is that?!) and she asked where our chips were since it had been about 25 mins since we ordered them and the kids were getting restless from being so hungry. The guy never came back and apparently never told our waitress we asked about them. Another 10 mins goes by and I finally waved our waitress down and asked where the chips were and to cancel them at this point because our food would be out anytime and sure enough our food came out as we were talking. Of course with the way things were going my burger was SEVERELY undercooked. I ordered it medium and it was barely rare, the OUTSIDE was still pink. GROSS!!! So I sent it back to be redone. Then here comes the manager with our chips...seriously, we got them with our dinner. He told us they were on the house but maybe never told the waitress that because she still tried to charge me for them. All in all, it was a bad experience and I probably will never go back. We always seem to have similar problems. Food tastes good once you get it, but its just not worth the aggravation.
(1)
mariah c.
My feelings about the Carlyle are pretty much right down the middle. The service is good, and the feeling of the place is a little classier than I would expect a restaurant in a move theater parking lot to be. I have had some really delicious salads here, but the entrees are usually "pretty good!" but not amazing. Tonight I had the salmon, and it was pleasing, but nothing about it really stood out. The vegetables it came with were fine, but seems to be more for color and presentation than actually containing much taste. Still, like at a lot of restaurants, the portions were big enough to allow me to take some leftovers home, which means that I got 2 meals for the price of one - a decent deal in my book. And, when I inevitably forgot my take-out container on the table, the waiter brought it to me the moment I turned around to go back for it. Whew, thanks! Maybe I just need to try a few other things here and I'd like it more....
(3)
Robin S.
It has been awhile since I ate here last, but I was very impressed with the quality of the food. Yes, the service was a little slow, but the food is top notch. The crab cake appetizers are the best that I've had in Ann Arbor. The spicy black bean soup that is served on Tuesdays is exceptional. Also, the Cuban sandwich is stuffed full of moist pork and served with a tasty condiment. And the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had.
(5)
Mitch M.
The Carlyle Grill is a great dinner destination -- especially if you're on a dinner date! They have a promotion where they will discount your meal by 15% if you buy vouchers to see a movie at Quality 16 (a theater within walking distance) or if you go to eat after the movie you can just show them your ticket stubs and receive the discount. Even without the promotion, though, this restaurant is really great! I regularly order the rotisserie herb chicken and sub in mashed potatoes for the red skin potatoes (the mashed potatoes are delicious). I am always very pleased with this selection. I've tried the chicken fingers before as well and they, too, are delicious. What really stands above the rest, though, is the creamy home style chicken soup. It's soooo good! If you're still not full after the soup and an entree, try the brownie / blondie sundae. You'll be full, and extremely pleased, after that. The service at this restaurant has always been good, too. The waitstaff are considerate, knowledgeable and generally very attentive. I recently had the chance to interact with a manager there, Kurt (or Kirk), and he was incredibly nice and helpful. One thing I will say, though, is that this restaurant is essentially the same thing as J. Alexander (another restaurant chain). They have very similar menu items, the restaurants have the same feel inside and the prices and service are also quite comparable. If you like J. Alexander and wonder where you can find that same kind of restaurant in Ann Arbor, look no further.
(4)
Greg C.
Overpriced and boring. Go to Wellers, Gandy Dancer, Zingerman's (or McDonald's) for a better meal.
(1)
Aubrey T.
Meh. This is only for the happy hour. I would give it one star, but my mom thought it was three. so I'm compromising. Now that I live in Boston, a city with ridiculous blue laws that prevent pricing alcohol differently at a certain time of the day or day of the week (read: no happy hour or drink specials ever), I thoroughly appreciate a good happy hour deal! Carlyle's happy hour runs from 3-7pm and features good deals on wine at $3. There are also $3 beers, but it's only Miller Lite, Blue Moon, and one other lite beer. Well drinks were $5.50. I think all of their beers should be $3, since it's not that good of a deal anyway. They also have small apps for $2 and $3. The good: a small side salad with a little lettuce, mozzarella balls, and olives looked pretty good for $2 and my sister enjoyed her flatbread pizza app. The two I tried (edamame and mussels) were not great. Edamame is hard to mess up, unless you literally put more salt on the beans than the actual beans. My mussels came with bread that was topped with so much salt it could have de-iced a winter road. Calm down on the salt! The mussels weren't advertised as spicy but had a huge amount of red pepper flakes on them, also not good. Maybe I just hit them on a bad day, but there are too many good bars and restaurants in Ann Arbor to waste your time on this happy hour.
(2)
John T.
I've been to Carlyle several times when I visit my parents, and the only time I was disappointed was when I didn't get the shoestring fries. They're addictive. Plus: Friendly Service, and great food. Minus: A little costly for a casual lunch
(4)
Mary F.
Overpriced for what you get. And what we've received hasn't been at all memorable. Same ownership as Mediterrano near Briarwood Mall. Carlyle Grill is nice looking inside, given its location outside the Quality 16 theatres. We had the Burger with Fries and it was nice (that fatal word again) but nothing wonderful. Cooked well and a good solid 6 out of 10. We've dined here before but I can never REMEMBER what I've eaten here: what I do remember is the hefty price tag. The ritzy-sounding name is not enough to keep us coming back. Honestly, Chilli's does much tastier food. It's somewhere to stop in if you're ever on that side of town and feel like a change. But to what? There's nothing memorable here. Even if we're hungry as wolves, we've staved off our hunger by heading over to Plum Market instead.
(2)
Chris R.
Service was average, prices were high. I had the crabcakes and I was very disappointed, they were mushy and flavorless and I honestly wonder if they used real crab. I'm giving 2 stars because the burgers the rest of my party ordered looked decent enough but there are far better places to get a burger nearby.
(2)
Carlos O.
We ordered a Cuban pulled pork sandwich that turned out to be lacking in flavor and a decent cheeseburger. The plantains that came with the sandwich tasted like thy came straight out of a trader joe's bag. Aside from the mediocre food the service was terrible.
(2)
Zach Z.
L-O-V-E Caryle Grill. It's my favorite place in Ann Arbor (well, techniquely Scio Township, so we'll say the greater Ann Arbor metro-area?). The bar is great and seperated from the resturant (bonus for both groups). Big selection of wine and beer. Caryle carries a lot of the local Michigan stuff but they also carry "the good stuff", aka Oregon Pinot Noir. Try a bottle of Willamette Valley Vinards or Erath. The resturant has a great atmosphere. The food is killer and I think the prices are very reasonable. Specials that change daily. My go-to order is the London Chop House Burger.
(5)
Matt G.
Meh is exactly how I would rate this place. I actually have never really heard about Carlyle's until we were randomly searching for a place to get a burger the other night and it popped up on my Yelp! mobile on my BB. I thought, oh well, lets give it a try. When we initially pulled up, although upscale, I got those chain restaurant vibes; unfortunately those vibes didn't reside throughout the whole meal. Like Mariah said, the service was good, and our waiter was very personable. The menu had a decent amount of things on it, although to me nothing really seemed to jump out at me and say, get me! get me! For our meal, I got the rock shrimp soup (where was all the shrimp?) with the chop house burger (I think). The soup was ok, the sweet potato fries were ok, and the burger was ok. Personally, the burger kind of reminded me of one at Red Robin, not that saying that is all that bad. The fries and burger did come with a pretty tasty southwest sauce. My SO got the marg pizza, and due to her generosity, I got to try some, and it was ok. If you're looking to take someone with a conservative pallet to a more upscale chain-feeling restaurant, and find it convenient that the movie theater is right by, then this place is for you. Personally, for the money, I would rather go downtown.
(2)
Lauren L.
Carlyle is a solid option if you're on the far west side of town because, really, there's not a whole lot over there. I've never had anything that didn't taste good, but at the same time, there are really no standouts--except the fries. They're those tiny shoestring-style fries that you can eat by the handful, and they're incredibly addicting. I also like the bleu cheese coleslaw that comes with a lot of the entrees, which is saying something because I don't normally like bleu cheese or coleslaw. In terms of entrees, I am oddly attracted to the chicken finger platter; the chicken breading is tasty and has a wonderfully crunchy texture. I've also had success with the jumbo lump crab cakes (kind of expensive, though) and the veggie burger. The servers are always pleasant and the restaurant itself is very nice--as others have said, almost *too* nice for the location. For Valentine's Day one year they even gave me a carnation, which our cat promptly ate that same night when we weren't looking.
(3)
Alex G.
My third visit (for lunch yesterday) might be my last. Now, there's absolutely nothing abjectly wrong with Carlyle. The food is fine, the service is fine. But, the prices always leave me with the sense that I could have or should have gotten better bang for my buck. This time, I had the Cuban sandwich. If I think of it as a sandwich with pork and cheese and pickles, I'm okay. The problem is, they call is a Cuban, and it's a relatively poor attempt. In all, I get the sense that the staff here are about being competent, but that's it. No passion or greatness here, but, it is at least predictable.
(2)
Colleen Z.
Friend and I in search of a good lunch salad visited Carlyle Grill today based upon previous yelper reviews. She had the special salad (strawberry/goat cheese/spinach) and I had the asian salad. Both were great in every way. The dressing tasted freshly made and the salad greens were crisp and delicious. Our server was fast, accommodating and friendly. The experience was great all the way around and we have found our good salad lunch spot.
(4)
Todd B.
I'm a very regular customer and I do for the simple reasons of quality food and fair price, but the service is the absolute best! You can go anywhere and get a quality burger, salad or steak, but I would highly recommend Carlyle because you get all that add great service.
(5)
Brittany A.
Went for restaurant week. They were out of 3/6 of the 6 options that were posted online as specials. We happened to go there for those that were no longer available and we not notified until after we had received our wine (passed the point of leaving). We ended up ordering filets which were good but nothing to write home about. They were reasonably priced at about $28. It was very busy, crowded and loud. It was also more casual than I expected. I suppose part of my disappointment is I was expecting more a Ruth's Chris based on the descriptions. It's fine.
(3)
Jenn V.
When Weber's started having serious waitstaff issues and inconsistent food we started going to Carlyle for special occasions or a nice meal out with the parents, etc. Their food is very consistent-- I rotate between the same 4 dishes, and each time they are the same. I like knowing that I will get the same flavor, portion, etc. Menu has some good choices, like a HUGE Cobb Salad, Ribeye, Grilled Shrimp with Grits, Pot roast, etc. I usually rotate btwn the above entrees, and I can say that they are all very good. Except for the Cobb salad most of their entrees are going to be on the small to medium size-- not a lot but just enough. You can tell that they focus on quality, not quantity. Oh, and they usually have fabulous soups (daily menu) and desserts. Wine and beer list are good. Tues and Thurs nights they now have 1/2 off bottles of wine (with purchase of one entree). This is fabulous! Prices are reasonable, except I wish a soup or salad would come with the meal, considering most dishes are $13-30. Maybe even just a bread basket?? The decor is modern and simple, and the restaurant has always seemed clean and well-kept. I like it that way. Service has been touch and go, but usually the waitstaff are attentive and nice. Of course if they are super busy you may have somewhat of a wait for your meal or drinks from the bar, etc. This is true with most places though, so I don't think twice about it. I really like going here, and the fact that it is in a movie theater parking lot is too bad. I know a lot of ppl refer to it as the 'place in the movie theater parking lot', and question whether it could possibly be decent or not. The location is unfortunate, but has nothing to do with the quality of the place, so give it a shot. Oh, as for the number of ppl who have encountered prom kids here, think about it. If you go to any nice restaurant in Ann Arbor around prom or homecoming you are going to encounter the local high school kids out for the night. Big deal. The typical crowd is families (usually sans small screaming children), young and old couples and business ppl-- it is a casual restaurant for the most part, but not like your local Applebees. Dress how you would if you were going to Weber's or Knight's or a restaurant downtown.
(4)
Stacy W.
I've been to Carlyle several times and I love it! Ann Arbor has a lot of great places to eat, and I'd say this one is in the top 5. They have a lot of variety in their menu, the prices are reasonable, and the service is also great.
(5)
Barnaby F.
This is EXACTLY what I expect from a restaurant located adjacent to a movie theater. Which is to say - things could be a lot worse and I wouldn't be surprised - things could be better and I WOULD be surprised. The food is bland and generic - generically bland, blandly generic, you know? They run all sorts of discounts - bring in your movie ticket stubs for 15% off, order an entree from the right side of the menu to get 50% off a bottle of wine, etc, but it still doesn't wind up being very cheap, at least not in my book. I'm not hammering the place - the people were pleasant, the service reasonably attentive, the winelist not altogether stupifying, the decor not assultive. I could end up there again if circumstances dictated, but I would certainly suggest trying something else in the neighborhood first. Several something elses.
(2)
Nick H.
I went for the first time last week and it's a very decent place. I'd call it an upgraded (in terms of food quality and overall style) to Bennigan's. No, that's probably not giving it enough credit. Everything was good, and our server was hilarious and attentive but nothing about the meal really stood out. I approve of the pomegranate mojitos and the steak. Best secret - scallops were on special, but I asked for just a side of them. For $6 I got 6 oz. of great sea scallops on the side. Can't beat that! You can sign up for their email list and get a free appetizer. It's located right next to the cinema so you can bring in your movie ticket or stub on the same day and get 15% off the entire bill. Definitely worth a try.
(3)
Nancy S.
This is a nice place, with good food and drinks. I went on a suday afternoon. I had soup and a salad. I enjoyed my food, but I will have to go back to try a hot meal. Then I'll know if this is a place to come back to.
(3)
Julie M.
I've never been wowed by anything here, except for maybe the $2 small plates on the happy hour menu. Ceasar salad and potroast is a solid choice, as is the chicken soup.
(2)
Walter B.
Food was excellent. Little bit of a parking issue because of the location near a large movie complex.
(4)
Heather H.
My husband and I stopped in for lunch while out shopping. Since we wanted to get through lunch quickly we both ordered the lunch special. It took FOREVER to come out. Another table ended up having to get their food to go or they were going to miss their movie. They ended up offering us a free dessert since the food took so long and then the dessert took FOREVER to come out. I was definitely underwhelmed by the quality of food and service for such a hefty price tag. It also seems like a risky bet for dinner before a movie.
(2)
Chaz S.
After taking in a movie at Goodrich Quality 16, we went to Carlyle for a late dinner. To start, there was a great atmosphere; very classy, but still casual. On to the food: this was quite possibly the best pot roast I've ever had. Served with mashed potatoes and veggies, it was moist and a perfect balance of meatiness without being too heavy. Reasonably priced too; $53 for three high-quality meals. If you feel like a ride to Scio Township, give it a go.
(5)
Erin L.
Carlyle Grill has 2 things going for it... Great happy hour prices and it's on my side of town. Is it 5:00 yet?
(4)
Summersett F.
I love the happy hour this place has...yummy food and cheap drinks, who could ask for more....except the barstaff is so terrible I rarely can get them to take my order or bring me another drink. The guy tender is the absolute worst! I have visited this place on numerous occasions hoping the last bad experience was just an off night but NO...this place would so benefit from a new cast of bartenders but until that happens or unless I move to Scio township, I will not be returning...Carl you are dead to me!
(2)
Tyler B.
I was so excited at the prospect of the Carlyle - a slightly upscale restaurant that would serve as a great place to take a date before seeing a flick at Q16 or to grab a drink afterwards and rehash what you'd just seen. Unfortunately, its been pretty much a disappointment bordering on epic fail every time I've went. Let me first praise the two things I enjoyed about the big C. First, the food is fairly fabulous. It has several options that are fairly esoteric, delicious and not outrageously priced. Secondly, everytime I've stopped in for a drink, the bartender has been a very friendly, stunningly gorgeous female. This is usually enough to assure me return visits to a place, but not the Carlyle. The service has always been mind-numbingly frustrating. They have this rotation of servers that I suppose is designed to make you feel like you're being waited on hand and foot - but that doesn't work when all of them seemed to be stretched to thin or just plain forget that you exist. And I've never run into a happy hour special at the bar. Maybe this is completely bad timing on my part, but any place that can't knock a buck off my draft from 4-6 can eat it. The worst thing though, is the clientele. I know this is no fault of the place itself, but everytime I've been here I've run into the group of high schoolers out on a 'group date', or the secretary pool doing dinner and a movie. Obviously this place was designed to be the first half of your dinner and a movie evening, and I always seem get sat next to these people hootin' and hollerin' during their night on the town, while I'm trying to have a quiet, intelligent conversation. Its weird, because I'm all for hootin' and hollerin', just not at a place like the Carlyle. Maybe you'll have better luck, I hope so, because the food is damn tasty.
(2)
Evan K.
The food was good but not great. The service was ok. There were 4 hungry bugs sharing our meals to our disappointment.
(3)
Mark E.
Eaten here twice - I found it to be like mediocre chain food (think Applebees) but with a pretense of something more. I call this "faux fancy" , not actually fancy or upscale but trying to appear that way - anyway, I didn't like it, but perhaps you will.
(2)
Lisa J.
Holy goat cheese potato pancakes batman!! My life will never be the same. Awesome happy hour wine too. The manager, Kirk, made us feel right at home. He suggested a wine that literally tap danced on my tongue. This party in my mouth is not one I will soon forget. Thank you Carlyle!
(5)
Theresa F.
Carlyle happy hour is fantastic and the prices are hard to beat! $3 for a glass of their house wine, and the selections are great! And cheap cheap apps for happy hour, as well. It's become a HH staple!
(4)
Dan T.
I've been a couple of times! I'll go back! Parmesan crusted whitefish is very good.. Another time went for happy hour and sampled many of the apps. Enjoyed them all and the drink prices during happy time are great! Try the silver surfer, a little sweet but concocted right at this bar. Happy hour gets a little crowded. Never been for lunch as it's to far from my local. Dinner is up there in price but many menu items to choose from. MMMMMM....wanting some Caryle in me now!!!! Hope you enjoy!
(4)
Mae S.
A friend and I ate lunch at Carlyle recently because we needed to be on that side of town. My expectations, based on the decor, were low: it's pleasant, including nice daylight windows, but kind of undistinguished. Everything is very new-looking and clean, kind of slick. Lunch customers appeared to include a lot of businessmen (based on number of suits). The food exceeded our expectations. We both appreciated the freshness of our salads and the service was good. Nothing out of the ordinary, but good solid value.
(3)
Joshua E.
Boooooooooo. I _use_ to really like this place. As a vegetarian, I usually steer clear of places with "grill" in the name, but Carlyle Grill surprised me. The had possibly the best veggie burger I've ever had, and I've had a lot. It wasn't the burger itself that made it special, it was the fact the combined a fairly standard veggie burger with great other stuff... You got a nice bun, a veggie burger, a portabello mushroom, roasted red peppers, a tasty pesto secret sauce, lettuce, onions, and terrific shoe string fries. Some places try to serve a vegetarian sandwich that is *just* a portabello mushroom. This is not an adequate sandwich. Little protein, doesn't fill you up, just not right. That's why I loved Carlyle's veggie burger so much. But my worst nightmare came true. Tonight, we went their specifically to get that favorite burger, and the waitress politely told me they no longer served it with the veggie patty. It was just a mushroom and the fixings. Don't get me wrong, the fixings are great, but what made the sandwich really great was having the whole package. I'm not sure I'll go back, at least not specifically. They still get 2 stars for a nice ambiance and a couple other vegetarian options, but nothing compared to the 5-star glowing review I wanted to give for my now dead, favorite burger.
(2)
Natasha G.
Went for the 1st time a couple weeks ago. Had a girls nite out, and did dinner and a movie. The food was excellent. Service was good and the place was really nice. We had a party of 6 and everyone of us raved about our meals. Will definetly be going back to Carlyle's!!!
(4)
mike w.
The enviance is pretty boring and dark (2 stars). The food is 3 stars (get the London Blue Burger medium rare). The bar before a movie at Quality 16 is 4 stars. You can do the math lol
(3)
Stever G.
Everyone can probably agree that Carlyle Grill rocks, if only because it gives us a landmark for where to turn into the obscured and unmarked driveway that leads to the Quality 16 parking lot. As for the restaurant itself, I really like it. It does have the feel of a slightly upscale chain restaurant (I believe it used to be a Cooker?), but the food is definitely a step up from those types of restaurants. I've had my share of misses here, especially in terms of service, but I've been enough that I know how to tailor my experience to my liking. Not really the sign of a four star restaurant when you have to actively choose everything to make the experience good, but I always have a great time and meal when I go here now. Here's how I do it: 1 - Always sit in the bar section. There's usually a wait to be seated in the main part of the restaurant, so why not go sit in the bar, where there's no wait? It has a more casual feel and there are no obnoxious teenagers in prom or homecoming garb (WTF is up with that anyway?) There's a few booths, lots of bar seating, and the adjacent outdoor seating. I always sit directly at the bar because that's where I've gotten the best service. If you go around dinner time, they'll assume you're eating and give you food menus (instead of seeming annoyed that you're ordering dinner at the bar, like in some restaurants.) Our server on Friday evening was excellent. I've sat at a bar booth and outside and had pretty slow service, which can be annoying when you have somewhere to be at a certain time, like, oh I don't know, a MOVIE?! That brings me to 2 - Always go AFTER the movie and not before. On several occasions I've been, they were out of the discounted movie tickets. If you go after, all you have to do is show your stub to get 15% off your meal. Note, this deal doesn't work Fri & Sat. 3 - For God's sake, GET THE VEGGIE BURGER. This is the real reason I'm giving this place 4 stars. This probably gets my vote for best veggie burger in town, which I would never expect from a place like this, and in a town like Ann Arbor. It's totally huge and out of control, but I like my food that way. Expect to use a fork and knife. It features a house black bean burger that's charred just right, AND an orgasmic grilled portabella mushroom on top. I don't know what the marinade is, but it's outstanding. Add some melted jack, roasted red pepper, and interesting pesto sauce, and bam--heaven in your veggie loving mouth. I've had other dishes here, but I don't remember what they are, because I always get the veggie burger now. It goes perfectly with a 22oz of Oberon, which is $5.50. That may seem pricey to some, but I've paid that for just pints at some places downtown *cough*Conor's*cough*. So, is it a 4 star restaurant? Probably not. But I always have a great experience when I sit at the bar, get the veggie burger, and hit it up after taking in a flick at Q16.
(4)
Debra S.
Fantastic service, Great food, great prices, and a wonderful night out. Lovely interior, and the owner was a real pleasure! Will go again, and again! The burgers were amazing. One tip- ask the Chef to "hold the mayo" on the burger, even though you won't see in on the menu. (the mayo.)
(5)
Jim W.
We dine once to twice a week at Carlyle's - why? because the food is great and reasonable, the staff is always friendly and courteous and now the bar is non smoking. It's the perfect combination.
(5)
Richard F.
I know this sounds weird, but this place is a dead copy of a J. Alexanders restaurant. I have asked them if this is part of that chain and I am told it is not. But the decor, the menu, the service items, even the type font on the menu are exactly the same as a J. Alexanders. They even serve the cole slaw with maytag blue cheese just like J. Alexanders. So if you have been to a J. Alexanders you will know what to expect. I have been here for lunch a few times and for dinner once. I really like the menu, the food and the service. The burgers are big and tasty and they can be delivered rare, whichy is getting harder and harder to find. They have a nice Cuban sandwich and I already mentiond the cole slaw with blue cheese. Salads are big and nice too. They do have some kind of movie ticket and meal deal, but I have never taken advantage of it. It is a bit more expensive than most of the lunch palces in the area and that keeps us from going more often, but it is worth what you pay as the food is high quality.
(4)
Tony C.
Having driven by it several times on the way to the movies, its outside appearance never drew me in...until today. This place has to be one of the best kept secrets in Ann Arbor. The location sucks, but the food, service, and ambiance were all very good. The ambiance is dark black leather booths, dark wood, etc. making it look pretty elegant without being too stuffy. One of the features of this place that really stood out to me is the smoking section is not only sectioned off, but walled off with a door. So, when you're sitting in non-smoking, there is no possible way you're going to smell smoke. The service was good as well. The wait staff seem to have been pretty well trained. The managers seem to check up on them often as well, as well as do quality checks at the tables by asking you if there's anything else. Finally, the food really caught me off-guard, as it was quite good. My wife had the burger which was cooked perfectly to medium. The bun was perfectly toasted, the lettuce, onion, and tomato were all very fresh. I had the meatloaf which was presented about as pretty as you can make meatloaf. It was also tasty, but once I had a bite of the burger, I wish I had ordered that. The fries that came with the burger reminded me of Belgian bistro fries, thin cut, crispy. This restaurant has earned a place in my restaurant rotation, so I think that's the best recommendation I could make.
(4)
Nate N.
We have been here many time, but after today's pot roast and great service, I thought I would write a review. They also have great ribs and meatloaf...Try it and you will like it...
(4)
Joseph D.
Adequate but no inspiration.
(3)
Chetan P.
Surprising. Very Surprising. I was driving by for lunch and my goal was a quick bite to eat at a mediocre restaurant. Actually, a friend wanted to buy me lunch and I didn't want him to break the bank. From the outside it looks like a dull Bennigan's or even a Swiss chalet. When I walked in, I was thrown aback by the dark wood and lovely ambiance. The staff is professionally dressed in black or suit attire and they are on top of everything! The feel of the restaurant is similar to a country club. The staff are there to meet your desires. I ordered a medium-rare London burger - blue cheese, apple-wood bacon, and the usual accouterments (cost $8.99). The dish comes with a Poncho sauce on the side which the waitress described somewhat poorly. The sauce is amazing. She said it was a sauce with mayonnaise and steak sauce. This is like saying The world's top chef and the guy that works the fry-o-lator at a fast food joint have the same culinary skills. The sauce contains a medley of fresh ingredients that shapes your dining experience. The fries that came with the dish were lightly fried. They had an amazing crunch but did not feel or taste greasy whatsoever. My friend ordered the chicken quesadillas which he said was fantastic. He got these planks of potatoes that were crisp on the outside and almost like mashed potatoes on the inside. I could not finish the meal so I brought it home. The fries were amazing when re-toasted. A very fantastic dining experience. The price was slightly higher than a TGIF/ Bennigan's. Dress code - business casual, but I saw a lot of people in blue jeans. Very surreal.
(4)
Ed O.
I havent sampled much of the menu at Carlyle Grill but what I have had has been very good. Looking at the extensive menu I will give the benefit and assume it is all good as well. What brought us there first was probably what brought many...the Dinner and a movie special. We ordered one of their daily specials and got 2 movie tickets for a great price. The atmosphere is pleasing with outdoor seating, we have always gotten good friendly service (though we have heard some say they have experienced the opposite) and the food is solid. Now we often get an appetizer and sit outside...and I must say they have one the best Calamari I have ever had. I've sampled many versions around this great USA and between Stone Fire Bistro's in Brighton and Carlyle Grill's, Id be shocked if any others rival theirs. Check this place out. On a weekday its not busy and its a great starter before catching a flick. *Cost Cutting Secret Alert* Go on a Tuesday and get the Dinner and a movie special. Tuesdays the Quality 16 has $5.00 movies..so hold onto the discounted tickets from Carlyle and use them on another night. There is a fine line between Cheap and frugal ;)
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 Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Naz M.
Though I don't go to the movies often, when I do, it is always nice to be able to debrief with some good friends upon the film's end. Carlyle gives you this kind of space, with awesome pricing, and a touch of genuine class. There's nothing better than just ENOUGH choices. Too many, and your head will explode, too few and you'll just stew, but just enough and you can do the do and this is exactly what we did. We sat on the bar side of the restaurant - a casual place, a grab a drink, enjoy some sports and even indulge in the FULL menu if the mood suits you kinda space. Instead, we went with the happy hour menu, which I believe begins when they open and ends at 7PM. I've become so accustomed to living my GF struggle, that I didn't even notice the GFs on the menu already, which really made me feel special and allowed me to order in peace and this only added to my happiness. My lovely companion ordered a delicious beet salad (I partook, yes, JUDGE ME), I decided on loaded potato skins (with sour cream) and together we each got orders of 1/3 baby back ribs. A few glasses of water, two margaritas, and this awesome food made for two-and-a-half additional hours of fun. I got to watch the Lions beat the Jets on repeat, enjoy 5 hours total with a dear friend of mine, and some delicious food at this somewhat hidden gem, at least, to me. Anything further away from downtown is a hidden gem. Tell me no. All in all, to somewhat quote 1D, "I'm glad [I] came."
(4)Jonathan L.
These guys are first class and have truly stepped up! Service has been outstanding, and the managers even stop by to ask how things are going and they truly care (vs those managers that leave the table before you can answer their haphazard "Is everything good?"). Order the spinach artichoke dip, pecan crusted chicken, or Newport Chicken Salad (and add candied pecans). They even have specials for discounted movie tickets.
(5)Kathy T.
I have been coming to Carlyle for years and I have tried nearly everything on the menu - Needless to say I am a huge fan! I love the Calamari, one of everyone who I talk to favorites! The whitefish is also always fresh and served with a delicious side of your choice!
(5)Beth H.
I am loving Carlyle restaurant these days. Their food and service is on par with the beautiful decor and atmosphere. Food keeps me coming back in the winter months, but the patios are the best in the summer. Partial outdoor dining on the west side, with one open wall, TVs and fans. The east side is outdoor seating for the bar, in relaxing shade from the setting sun during happy hours. Good planning! Soup and salad is choice and a good value for a light lunch or dinner. Excellent selection of soup, each day. Grab the cream of broccoli if they have it. The chips and salsa are addicting. Rich smoky crushed tomato salsa with very thin chips. Mushroom raviolis is my go-to dish when looking for a hearty plate. Very rich, full of mushrooms and absolutely fantastic. Nice balance of mushroom flavor and parm. I top with red pepper flake for a bit of heat. MMMmm Full service bar makes great mojitos - double bonus when it's $6 happy hour and you are seated in the bar. Nice rotating selection of happy hour bites too. I wish they would bring back the flat bread. Nice wine list and burgers too. Great choice for a date night, quick bite or professional meal.
(5)Kevin T.
Another nice midweek visit at Carlyle's. For the southwest/Ann Arbor/Scio Township/Dexter area, the Carlyle offers a great combination of dining atmosphere, menu and value. Favorites are the Steak Frittes, the Prime Rib & Grilled Salmon. Every visit, the Calamari is a favorite. The 'Carlyle Salad' (basically a Cobb Salad) is a good side to any entree. Calamari here is very good and a little different than typical calamari presentation. Yes, it's deep fried (in a very light batter), but the meat is larger-ringed, very tender and best of all... served on a bed of softened spinach caressed in a very delicious aoili (lemony, garlic, olive oil) accented by capers and small bits of red/green pepper. My steaks are consistently good. About 8oz. for the steak frites selection. Cooked perfectly for my request of medium rare and spiced deliciously. Warning: the micro thin fried potatoes are dangerously delicious! The salmon is a very healthy slab, grilled, but moist, flavorful and lightly accented with lemon & dill and some grilled zucchini, yellow squash & red potatoes alongside. Great for Birthdays. Just bring your I.D. for the discount.
(4)Jason P.
Carlyle Grill is a great choice if you desire plates that are 1. Overpriced and 2. Devoid of flavor. After going there twice it is confirmed as a menu that while they may have some good ideas for plates, the finished result falls short of what you would expect. The food is simply not good and the service is not great either. Go elsewhere.
(1)Jiah C.
If I were to try to be objective on the food & service, I'd give them a solid 3 stars(+). I gave an extra star because of the way management handled some input I gave them on a recent visit. We initially dined there and had an older newbie server who we couldn't help but notice was being sort of bullied and picked on by her co-servers. She was up front about what she didn't know yet and it was obvious she was green but we could tell that she still put her best foot forward and tried to give us the best dining experience she possibly could. We were extremely pleased with her service, but was so off-put by the shitty treatment by the rest of the staff in front of our faces. So I wrote them an email letting them know of what I witnessed, in case they were an establishment that would care about such things (as all should). The response I received from the manager was quite the appropriate response (and more) in terms of their understanding of how this reflects on the entire establishment and front of house team. He was forthright, accepting of their responsibility to correct said situation and offered us a gift card to come try them again in hopes of giving us a better representation of what they are all about. We did so and had a great experience once again. My only caveats on Carlyle not being a perfect 5 is that their style is a bit dated and it almost seems like they are trying to come off as the bottom end of fine dining but that theme sort of flops, for me. If they embraced more of the higher end casual concept that their menu and service reflects, in my opinion, it would be more well rounded and consistent in terms of what to expect. The food is pretty decent (some hit or miss) and I do think that it is generally priced appropriately. All in all though, I do recommend Carlyle!
(4)John M.
My family and I went for lunch on MLK day. Three of us ordered the same thing the special of the day which was Scottish Salmon. The waitress never asked how we wanted our salmon cooked. It came out medium rare, which was only ok for two of us. The other just didn't eat the salmon. One of us ordered soup which didn't come out till we asked the manager. We had four kids with us. Two of them ordered kids pizza. Only one came out, we skipped it because a kids pizza is enough to feed two adults. The other kids asked for chicken strips with ranch and we never go the ranch. We only saw the waitress when we placed the order and when we got the check. Our drinks were not refilled. No one asked how the meal was. One of the people we went with had gone there several times for dinner and had a much better experience. The issue was with the server and the manager.
(2)Kristin B.
When asked how the burgers are the waitress explained that they had switched meat vendors to lower costs and they were now much lower quality, but that if you ordered one with enough toppings you couldn't taste the burger. We appreciated the warning and ordered other items. We got a giant bowl of penne pasta covered in ketchup tasting sauce for over $12...I could have made this better at home for fifty cents. We got a pizza that was bland and clearly frozen...trust me just grab a Digiorno it'll be better. In a group of 5 no one ate more than a few bites and we are far from being foodies and never write bad reviews! Save your money and try somewhere else or just eat at home. I ate here over a year ago and it has gone way downhill in quality.
(1)Andrea D.
I'm updating my review based on the response of the company. I have not been back to verify their information, but appreciate their responsiveness.
(3)Jerry D.
Went here for the first time this evening with my wife after driving past this place many times over the past three years, so very glad we did. We ordered the Old Fashion Burger and the London Burger; these were simply the best burger we've had since moving to Michigan, way better that Bagger Daves, Red Robin, etc. No frozen parties, all fresh and juicy meat, cooked to perfection. We also had the chicken fingers appetizer, which was awesome as well; fresh cut and hand breaded chicken pieces, and not frozen and fried like most restaurants. Finally, our waitress, Kirsten B, was very warm and welcoming, she did a great job explaining options on the menu and helped us enjoy our dining selection. Based on this experience, the Carlyle Grill is top of our list for casual dining.
(5)Maggi I.
I've eaten here a couple dozen times with my family, and I'm always surprised at how much I like the food. The ribs are as good as any I've had at high-end restaurants in big cities. Tuesdays is half-off wine night, and that's no insignificant thing; their wine collection is pretty darn good. They have nightly soup specials, big salads, the parmesan-encrusted whitefish is delicious and I LOVE both their meatloaf and their pot roast. Pulled pork sandwich, sweet potato fries, sauteed spinach, brisket... hungry yet? The hardest part is saving enough room for the carrot cake, which is enormous and fantastic. It's loud and crowded, so if you can manage it, ask to sit in the room on the west side.
(4)Pamela J.
This was not a great experience. We chose this restaurant because they marketed that they are a "from scratch kitchen". Their web site states: "All our menu items are made to order and can be customized any way you wish." We thought they would be more accommodating for our daughter who has food allergies. Turns out a lot of their items were prepared ahead of time (with butter) and they did not offer any "from scratch" options. Even the plain burger we ordered for her was not very tasty.
(3)Will S.
Great place and great food! The staff members are friendly, and the atmosphere is wonderful. It's a great place to unwind after watching the Avengers destroy Ultron!
(5)Andrew R.
Each time I have eaten at Carlyle I have been satisfied with my entree. The atmosphere is very nice, the service is on point. My family has certainly shared some memorable meals there. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
(4)Max R.
I have been here a lot over the years, so this review is well overdue. I've tried many different things on the menu, and none of them have ever been less than delicious. For appetizers, the Calamari is a favorite, as well as the creamy chicken soup. For entrees, I have had the ribs, prime rib, meatloaf, whitefish, walleye, macaroni and cheese, pork loin, and a cheeseburger, among many other things, and they have all been spectacular. I personally have not tapped into the wine or beer selection but those I've gone with have been impressed and satisfied by it. The service has been great every visit. I would recommend making a reservation because it can get very busy. This place is my go-to on date night, and is only a stones throw away from the Quality 16 movie theater. They work together to give discounts on movie tickets too, just ask your server. This place gets TWO THUMBS UP!
(5)Al M.
Carlyle's is one of our solid standbys before or after a movie at the Quality 16, conveniently sharing a parking lot with the theater. We've dined here many times and always had good service in comfortable surroundings at this independent that I'd rate a notch above an Applebee's and other chains. One noteworthy offering that we really like at "the Car" is the Cream of Chicken Soup. Loaded with chunks of tasty chicken, it is a dose of comfort food that never fails to satisfy. Try it as a 'tizeer and enjoy.
(3)Kirk B.
Best food and service in Ann Arbor! A must for anyone who enjoys food!!
(5)Saudia S.
Our family favorite! Everything is good from the steaks and seafood, to the pizzas and salads. Always enjoy the blue cheese burger with onion crisps in top, and the shoestring fries. Drinks are great- strong enough, but drinkable. Family friendly for the kiddo. Across parking lot from movie theater, and they offer dinner and a movie specials. (Matinee priced movies). Enjoy the out of this world carrot cake for dessert! Even better the next day for breakfast!
(5)Ben B.
A below average restaurant that probably only stays afloat due to the nearby movie theater. The dining environment is pleasant and warming, but it is quickly erased by mediocre (at best) customer service. The food is sub par and does not pair well with the pricy menu. The one item that is worth the money is the chicken quesadilla which is great with their homemade salsa. Other than that, their burgers and chicken sandwiches are under seasoned. There are much better dining options located on Jackson Road, but if convenience near the movies is important over quality, this place will fit the bill.
(2)Maya B.
Went in for Restaurant Week about a month ago and the experience was exceptional. Our server, Brad, was incredibly attentive and the food was delicious. The Manager came to check on us despite the fact that the restaurant was PACKED and genuinely seemed interested in my Husband's bad jokes. We were leery to return after having an unpleasant experience about two years ago but, we are delighted we decided to go back. Great improvements (must be the management) all around, we will certainly visit again!
(5)Patrick T.
Ate here for restaurant week. It's otherwise an Applebee's/TGIF kind of place. Restaurant week offerings included a soup or salad, one of 5 entrees, and full-sized dessert. The salad was nothing to write home about. For the entree, my gf got the maple soy salmon which was really excellent. It was grilled to perfection; most places will overcook the salmon, but this place had it done just right. It was delicious, and was the highlight of the evening. The filet was also enormously portioned -- like 10 oz something ridiculous. My dish was a Sirloin steak with portabello which was just okay. Came with garlic mashed potatoes and broccolini, which I enjoyed more than the meat of the dish. For dessert, I had the chocolate chip brownie sunday, which was two brownies (one blonde, one regular) and ice cream. The ladyfriend had the carrot cake, which was warm and soft and everything you would want in a carrot cake. Overall, this is a solid place similar to Applebee's or TGIF, with HUGE portion sizes.
(3)J. J.
I'm a bit of a Carlyle fan. It's not because it's the best, but because it is a "jack of all trades". There's a decent selection of dishes. The food is really good. My kids like the food. My wife likes the food. The restaurant is fairly classy without a ton of chachkies like an Applebee's. The price is on par with most restaurants in its class. I've always had terrific service. Would I take a date there for an intimate conversation - like a previous poster - no, but that's what the restaurants downtown are for. It knows what it is and it's good at it.
(4)Kait B.
Food is over priced. We didn't have friendly staff, never asked how the food was. Don't think I would go again. They do have good bread and butter that is included though.
(3)Robert H.
Note: movie and meal deal isn't available on Friday & Saturday's. But you can get discounted movie tickets! So eat first then see the movie. The food is all awesome.
(4)Vic G.
Have had some decent food here in the past but our visit Tuesday of this week not so good. Ordered the Cuban. Was told they were out of that. Ordered the fish and chips. over priced at $18. The fish was cooked properly but the batter was like a warm flannel. Could pick it up and squeeze it out gross. Husband ordered the meat loaf and enjoyed it. Some fellow diners told us their food was sub par and missing ingredients such as bacon in the club sandwich One told us he was not eating there because the food was not good right now There seems to be a little over familiarity of staff and regulars. Witnessed one staff giving another a back rub at the till! Some guy who was clearly trashed came out of the kitchen and got his 3 wines out of the fridge and sat at the bar. Wine is definitely over priced for the 4oz pour at $10. Probably can get away with it as they are catching film goers I don't know, just a bit hit and miss, and missing professional management
(3)Liz W.
It was ok here but you will not find food nirvana or anything. Our visit was a minute back but I have kept forgetting to write it up until I spied MaryLiz had. I wish I had gone after her review. We did not manage to get in for happy hour which kinda sucked. Be warned the seating is limited so do not get your heart set on anything. Kinda put us in an iffy mood for our meal. I thought the flat iron was overpriced and I am uber picky about steaks so I did not order it. The steak frites was a bit too spendy too (its a sirloin) but it did not stop the hubs. Tasty, cooked to order, but nothing special for my taste. I'm not a particular fan of the cut though, husband was happy enough. Sorry but pricing around twenty bucks for lesser cuts of steak is not reasonable. If you want meat, that 23 buck ribeye is the way to go IMO. I don't get the logic here at all, makes no sense to me, how is a sirloin or flat iron in any way in the same range as a ribeye?. I had the low country shrimp and grits. Not a fan of shrimp on skewers as it does dry them out horribly. I don't think they cook them too long, they just cook them wrong. The grits saved it for me but they should have specified that the shrimp is on skewers on the menu as I would have never ordered them. I said something to our server and got an eyeroll and asked if I wanted something else but given the time it took for everything I decided to suck it up and deal. Meh. Other than that moment the service was fine. The atmosphere here is nice. I just was not in love. I wish they were just more interesting and took care to describe things appropriately so there is no surprise.
(3)MaryLiz S.
I've been to Carlyle several times. When the place is packed, it's harder to follow the conversation, but if you can get a booth you'll be better off. When you order calamari here, it comes with minimal breading and artichoke hearts, cucumber and capers. A real change from the usual calamari appetizer. The onion rings were huge and crunchy, made with Vidalia onions. The thick, fruity dipping sauce was called "curry catsup" on the menu. I thought it complemented the crunchiness of the onion rings very nicely. The trend I see here: Good recipes occasionally marred by inattention. When we dined recently, hubby's salmon looked very attractive. It even had that crispy crunch salmon gets from being grilled over flames. But it was too salty. And my skewered shrimp had spent a little too long on the barbie. The cheesy grits the shrimp sat upon was great. (The place was packed on Mother's Day, so that HAD to contribute.) One other time, some prime rib arrived with an obvious cayenne lilt. Interesting touch, but we all thought it was a bit too strong. I admit, I'm VERY fussy. I notice all the subtleties of food preparation. If you can overlook an occasional whoops, it's a good place to bring a group when you have some members that don't "do" ethnic restaurants.
(3)Rebekah P.
This place is super chill. I randomly came in here on an afternoon for a snack and a mimosa. I definitely recommend. Food really does seem homemade.
(4)Mary J.
Love this place! Great place, good food, warm atmosphere. Front desk hostess personality was lukewarm for a busy Friday, but waitress service from Sarah was top notch pleasant and attentive. I ordered the pot roast - yummy and just like homemade, and a good sized portion. Margarita was well made. Side salad was crisp and fresh. I love the variety of menu choices here. Well suited to be both a date night place and family go to. Skip the chain restaurants - this one is far far better!
(4)Nancy C.
This review is based solely on my experience with Carlyle Grill's restaurant week menu. We semi-haphazardly chose to dine here since we didn't have to make a reservation 3 months in advance of restaurant week to land a table. And I was really pleasantly surprised by what they had to offer. After walking in to a restaurant with an ambience and menu comparable to an applebee's/chili's, I recalibrated standards accordingly. That said, I was not surprised when the first course: the salad, tasted like, well, a standard side salad. However, the maple glazed salmon I ordered for my main course was delicious! The salmon was PERFECTLY cooked and the glaze was sweet and savory. The portion was GARGANTUAN. All of that salmon, chased by a humongous piece of carrot cake definitely made me feel a little queasy after the meal. But, wow, that salmon... I don't remember seeing the maple glazed salmon on the regular menu, so I'm not sure whether it's a restaurant week only offering. But I highly recommend it.
(4)Wendy F.
Not great service. Ordered tall beer was served regular beer and when I asked about it I was not given the option for waiter to bring me the size I actually ordered. He just avoided the fact he made a mistake. Husband ordered gazpacho he didn't get it by the time the meal arrived. When he asked the waiter he said ohhh I totally forgot about it. Do you still want it. Husband did want it so it was brought in middle of eating our meal. The gazpacho was puréed, I have never seen it served this way, pureed would not be my preference. The restaurant was totally empty when we were in there and our waiter was leaning on a counter in my view acting like he was too tired to be there. Other then the texture of the gazpacho the food was pretty good but rather pricey.
(2)Jen Z.
Service is severely lacking, and the food and drinks are just ok. The hostess was friendly, but then service quickly puttered out. We sat at the bar to take advantage of their TVs. The bar tender made eye contact about a minute after we sat, then he turned to finish a conversation with a coworker and clean some glasses. When he finally got to us, he asked us for our order without greeting us or giving us a drink or food menu. There were only about a dozen other customers at the bar, and at one point, most glasses were completely empty. Keep in mind, the customers were middle-aged and calm, and didn't seem to be heavy drinkers. Tip to management: Provide better training to employees. #1: hospitality!
(2)eve a.
I went in with my friend's children after a movie for the first time and was surprised by how yummy our food was and how exceptionally accommodating the staff was! They were incredibly kind and patient - an awesome experience!
(5)Jessica P.
This is my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor! My favorite things: Manitoba cocktail, the chicken strips dinner, the fries, the house salad with ranch (ask for bacon!), the pecan crusted chicken, key lime martini. My husband loves the meatloaf. I've had the fish before, and that was good. Steer away from the strangely spiced quesadilla.
(5)Stephen V.
Absolutely terrible service, I orderd the "beef brisket". The served me the exact opposite. It was shredded bbq beef, and it was burnt from sitting in a steam table all day. They obviously were not following time as a public health control.It looked like the frozen stuff you get at the grocery store. I pushed the plate of food away from me to the edge of the table, and was obviously not eating it. The server walked by our table 5 times and seemed to be avoiding us when she finally came to check on us my friend was finished eating. The server finally checked on us and I told her what the problem was and sent the food back, when the manager finally came to the table he explained to me that "it was an end of the night thing" implying that the "brisket" is normally burnt at the end of the night. I will never go back to that place ever again.
(1)Natalie G.
Everything here to me is so mediocre. We ate here on Saturday night before a movie. I made reservations on Open Table and requested a booth. They accommodated my request so that was a plus ( I know Saturday is the hardest day to pull that off). The server we had was just so blah it made the whole thing even more "middle of the road". She didn't speech one thing about the specials, she didn't say her name, her hair was down (and well past her shoulders). Which just creeps me out. When we asked about the specials she just said exactly what was on the chalkboard with very little helpful information. She did keep up on refills and such. But she just seemed so unhappy to be there. The pasta I had was nothing special. I've made more flavorful pasta at home many times. My boyfriend had the fish. It looked a lot better than mine. If you are going to the movies and you want something close it'll do the job. But it definitely doesn't blow your mind.
(3)Caroline K.
DELICIOUS FOOD!! Totally not what I expected by a restaurant, very nice and friendly service. Everything we had was above par. A little dark inside, but very delicious food! Also, super cool that you can purchase your movie tickets at dinner! (Located right next to the local cinema!)
(4)Pete D.
This is the go-to place for me and my friends for an evening out. The bar setting is very clean and relaxed and perfect for a good night with friends. The prices are fair, the food is decent, and the service is always decent. I'm a little disappointed that they changed the mac and cheese recipe though. Carlyle Grill is definitely on my rotation of places to eat! If your goal is dinner and a movie, then this place is a perfect fit.
(4)Margaret V.
I really like Carlyle Grill! I will admit, I am biased. My husband and I had our first date there. We will celebrate our first annviersary soon and have eaten at their location many times. I will say, even if our date was a bust, I would eat there often. The restaurant has a great selection. They have everything from sandwiches/burgers to steak and poultry. My husband is a diehard "meat and potatoes" man and we have eaten there with "strict vegetarians" and everyone has found something they have liked. My two favorite items have been their fried perch which is not a regular selection (I really wish it was) and their penne pasta with tomatoes and basil. If you love wine, GO ON TUESDAYS! They have HALF PRICED BOTTLED WINE! It is really fun to try wines you may not usually try on these days.... I dont' care for their pizza as it was really greasy. I don't care for their mushroom ravioli as it was very rich! It wasn't bad. It was just really rich! Their cheesecake with raspberry sauce is divine. The Happy Hour is great, but get there early! Their happy hour is from 3-7 Monday through Thursday and 3-6 Friday and Saturday. As of Spring, 2012, their wines and beers are only a couple of bucks. The appetizer selection includes $2-3 boneless wings, side salad, chips and salsa and sweet potato fries. All of which are great and if you order a few of them, make for a nice meal. Please be advised, the discount they have with the Qualtiy 16 Theatre is not good on Saturday nights.. (at least at the time of my review).
(4)Michelle C.
They have great happy hour here! Happy hour ends at 7 pm Mon-Thu, and ends at 6pm on Fridays. $3 liquor, $4 wine, and $5 martinis with $4-$5 appetizers. Seating is very limited in the bar area where happy hour specials are (3 booths, 2 half-booths, and about 20 seats along the bar) so come early and enjoy! Dinner is a-ok here. I tend to always get their calamari to start with- big calamri rings that isn't too heavily breaded on a bed of fresh arugula and artichoke hearts. Their crab cakes are excellent as well. I hardly ever go to carlyle for a meal, but it's a great place for happy hour!
(4)Alissa H.
I have been a huge fan of the food here since it opened, and every time we're back in town we make sure this is one of our stops. The mushroom ravioli and the calamari are hands down my favorite things here, and my husband absolutely loves their ribs. The ribs come with an unbelievable amount of shoe string fries- more than enough for both of us to share plus have some to take home. The raspberry lemon drop martini (without the simple syrup) is also on my list of top martinis (in general, not just at Carlyle). We have had a few service/food quality issues (a stick in my mushroom ravioli and my husband ordering his ribs without coleslaw bc he hates mayo but having the coleslaw come on top of the ribs) and I thought the response to these issues fell short. We were offered a free dessert for the stick incident, but the dessert never came so we wound up leaving after waiting for 20 minutes after our bill came and not seeing our waiter again. The waitress scraped the coleslaw off my husbands ribs, leaving them still covered in mayo and bits of cabbage. A manager later brought him a new rack of ribs after his sat there untouched for about 20 minutes, which we appreciated. Because we love the food and the problems we've had have been few and far between, we are still frequent patrons of Carlyle.
(4)Ted F.
Had dinner at the bar last night. Great meal and even better service from the ladies behind the bar. The conversation and quick service will keep me coming back.
(5)Bonnie W.
We went there because it was recommended to us but I have to say we were a little disappointed, mostly because we felt that they highly overcharge for what they give you and for the ambiance (which honestly felt like a Fridays, Applebees, or whatever). I got the whitefish and both my husband and I enjoyed it. However, his steak (which he will say right off the bat was cooked well) was very fatty. But again, the price made it so that we wouldn't go back.
(3)Adam S.
This place pretty much defines "Meh." Large portions of mediocre food. I got the feeling that their proximity to the movie theater (and uncomplaining dinner-and-movie crowd) has spoiled them. The good: - Whitefish! Very nicely done. Good mashed potatoes and sauteed veggies. - Cheesecake! Far too large a piece (order it with a friend) but with nice consistency, flavor, and an oreo-ish crust. Skip the raspberry sauce. The bad: - Kids' pizza? Huge and unappetizing, tasted slapped-together with multi-purpose red sauce. I'm told this is the same as the adult pizza. - Crème Brulee? This tasted like the inside of a Boston Cream donut, but sweeter and a bit thicker. No one who has ever eaten a Crème Brulee will be fooled. The meh: - Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes? No jumbo lumps in sight. Also, burnt black on one side. Strangley, they still tasted OK -- vaguely like bell pepper and breadcrumbs. - Swordfish was cooked perfectly! But the sauce was tucked so far into one corner (and under a pile of greens) that I got through half the meal thinking it was terribly underseasoned. Also the carrots were nearly raw. - Wait staff was pretty absent until I turned on the charm. Dirty silverware ( I mean like funky dirty) was soon changed out with casual apologies. So overall, one plate of whitefish does not a dinner make. In their defense, they seem to do a pretty good business in steaks, which we did not try. That said, we don't plan to return unless we're in a pinch.
(2)Molly H.
If we have time, my husband and I like to hit up the bar for a drink and maybe an app before a movie. Their happy hour specials are excellent! Last night was the first time we sat in the dining room for dinner and we had a pretty good experience. First off, our service was top-notch! Our entrees, however, were only OK. I got the veggie burger and it was probably the sloppiest burger I've ever had--borderline gross. It tasted pretty good, though, with big pieces of roasted red peppers on top; there was just way too much dressing and the patty itself just fell apart. The sweet potato fries were also below average--limp and soggy, but with decent flavor. My husband got one of the burgers...I think it had "London" in the name--he liked it, but wasn't wowed. We ended up sharing the brownie sundae as recommended by our excellent server (she also recommended the carrot cake) and it was great, definitely one of the best brownie sundaes I've had. I bought the burgers and a Strongbow and the bill was $30, so definitely not thrifty and probably not a place I'd go for a sit-down dinner again. To be really honest, I probably wouldn't go here unless it was leading up to or following a movie at Quality 16, but for that it's perfectly fine and I know I'll be back. P.S. They offer discounts Sun - Thurs if you bring in your ticket stub!
(3)Erik H.
My wife and I had dinner at the Carlyle Grill around 6:00 on a Saturday. We were seated promptly and had a very pleasant and attentive waiter. We got chips and salsa as an appetizer. The chips were good but just from a bag I believe. The salsa I believe was house-made and quite tasty. For entrees I got the Blackened Chicken Alfredo ($14) and my wife got the Chicken Fingers with fries and blue-cheese coleslaw ($13). My pasta was good. The chicken had good flavor but the pasta tasted a bit more of olive oil than garlic or alfredo sauce. My wife's chicken fingers were quite good. They tasted like they breaded there own chicken rather than just frying frozen. The dinner also comes with a basket of small dinner rolls which were quite good. All in all a solid dinner if a bit on the expensive side for that kind of fare. I would go there again.
(3)Brian G.
Quick update. Carlyle has stopped their brunch offering, thank goodness. Carlyle's is a GREAT place. I go here all the thime for lunch and dinner. I almost feel like family - on first name terms with some of the staff. Love it.
(4)Gopal N.
Everything on Carlyle Grill's menu is simply delicious... and the portions are huge! If you are looking for great American dining for a very reasonable price, Carlyle Grill is a great option.
(5)Lily K.
The Carlyle is A-OK. There isn't really anything wrong with it, but it just doesn't leave you wanting to come back. The food is good, but not unique or the type of food you keep thinking about after your meal is over. It is nice that they do deals for movie goers and the service has always been good. I'm sure I will pass through again.
(3)Jennifer V.
The boy and I had dinner here recently when we couldn't decide what in the hell we wanted. All we knew was that I didn't want to cook, and since he CAN'T cook, it was time to eat out. I ended up ordering the rotisserie herb chicken, and he ordered the blackened chicken alfredo. I was surprised at just how good my chicken was! The chicken was moist, flavorful, and fell off the bone. I loved it. The veggies were cooked perfectly, too. My major complaint would be the potatoes. They had good flavor, but were a bit dry, like they had been in the oven too long. The boy really liked his pasta, though, and had no complaints. The place is a pretty good bet, I think, if you like places like Macaroni Grill, Applebee's, etc. It's reasonably priced and didn't seem to be insanely busy, either. The service was good, the food was good, and the prices were good. Can't complain much!
(4)W R.
The stars are for the happy hour only. The restaurant is way overpriced, but the happy hour is the best in town. The flatbread pizza with fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and reduced balsamic is excellent, as is the happy hour salad. Great place to meet up with friends and hang out. Nice patio in the warm months, too!
(4)Nicole Y.
Terrible service time and time again! Everytime I come to Carlyle I hope that things are going to be better this time and they never are. Tonights experience was no different. My mom and I went with my 5 and 1 year old. We ordered drinks and chips and salsa after waiting about 10 mins for the waitress to come over. She brought back drinks and took our order...still no chips. She walked away and another 15 mins goes by and my moms soup came (she ordered soup and salad combo for dinner and they brought soup first?! How odd is that?!) and she asked where our chips were since it had been about 25 mins since we ordered them and the kids were getting restless from being so hungry. The guy never came back and apparently never told our waitress we asked about them. Another 10 mins goes by and I finally waved our waitress down and asked where the chips were and to cancel them at this point because our food would be out anytime and sure enough our food came out as we were talking. Of course with the way things were going my burger was SEVERELY undercooked. I ordered it medium and it was barely rare, the OUTSIDE was still pink. GROSS!!! So I sent it back to be redone. Then here comes the manager with our chips...seriously, we got them with our dinner. He told us they were on the house but maybe never told the waitress that because she still tried to charge me for them. All in all, it was a bad experience and I probably will never go back. We always seem to have similar problems. Food tastes good once you get it, but its just not worth the aggravation.
(1)mariah c.
My feelings about the Carlyle are pretty much right down the middle. The service is good, and the feeling of the place is a little classier than I would expect a restaurant in a move theater parking lot to be. I have had some really delicious salads here, but the entrees are usually "pretty good!" but not amazing. Tonight I had the salmon, and it was pleasing, but nothing about it really stood out. The vegetables it came with were fine, but seems to be more for color and presentation than actually containing much taste. Still, like at a lot of restaurants, the portions were big enough to allow me to take some leftovers home, which means that I got 2 meals for the price of one - a decent deal in my book. And, when I inevitably forgot my take-out container on the table, the waiter brought it to me the moment I turned around to go back for it. Whew, thanks! Maybe I just need to try a few other things here and I'd like it more....
(3)Robin S.
It has been awhile since I ate here last, but I was very impressed with the quality of the food. Yes, the service was a little slow, but the food is top notch. The crab cake appetizers are the best that I've had in Ann Arbor. The spicy black bean soup that is served on Tuesdays is exceptional. Also, the Cuban sandwich is stuffed full of moist pork and served with a tasty condiment. And the carrot cake is the best that I've ever had.
(5)Mitch M.
The Carlyle Grill is a great dinner destination -- especially if you're on a dinner date! They have a promotion where they will discount your meal by 15% if you buy vouchers to see a movie at Quality 16 (a theater within walking distance) or if you go to eat after the movie you can just show them your ticket stubs and receive the discount. Even without the promotion, though, this restaurant is really great! I regularly order the rotisserie herb chicken and sub in mashed potatoes for the red skin potatoes (the mashed potatoes are delicious). I am always very pleased with this selection. I've tried the chicken fingers before as well and they, too, are delicious. What really stands above the rest, though, is the creamy home style chicken soup. It's soooo good! If you're still not full after the soup and an entree, try the brownie / blondie sundae. You'll be full, and extremely pleased, after that. The service at this restaurant has always been good, too. The waitstaff are considerate, knowledgeable and generally very attentive. I recently had the chance to interact with a manager there, Kurt (or Kirk), and he was incredibly nice and helpful. One thing I will say, though, is that this restaurant is essentially the same thing as J. Alexander (another restaurant chain). They have very similar menu items, the restaurants have the same feel inside and the prices and service are also quite comparable. If you like J. Alexander and wonder where you can find that same kind of restaurant in Ann Arbor, look no further.
(4)Greg C.
Overpriced and boring. Go to Wellers, Gandy Dancer, Zingerman's (or McDonald's) for a better meal.
(1)Aubrey T.
Meh. This is only for the happy hour. I would give it one star, but my mom thought it was three. so I'm compromising. Now that I live in Boston, a city with ridiculous blue laws that prevent pricing alcohol differently at a certain time of the day or day of the week (read: no happy hour or drink specials ever), I thoroughly appreciate a good happy hour deal! Carlyle's happy hour runs from 3-7pm and features good deals on wine at $3. There are also $3 beers, but it's only Miller Lite, Blue Moon, and one other lite beer. Well drinks were $5.50. I think all of their beers should be $3, since it's not that good of a deal anyway. They also have small apps for $2 and $3. The good: a small side salad with a little lettuce, mozzarella balls, and olives looked pretty good for $2 and my sister enjoyed her flatbread pizza app. The two I tried (edamame and mussels) were not great. Edamame is hard to mess up, unless you literally put more salt on the beans than the actual beans. My mussels came with bread that was topped with so much salt it could have de-iced a winter road. Calm down on the salt! The mussels weren't advertised as spicy but had a huge amount of red pepper flakes on them, also not good. Maybe I just hit them on a bad day, but there are too many good bars and restaurants in Ann Arbor to waste your time on this happy hour.
(2)John T.
I've been to Carlyle several times when I visit my parents, and the only time I was disappointed was when I didn't get the shoestring fries. They're addictive. Plus: Friendly Service, and great food. Minus: A little costly for a casual lunch
(4)Mary F.
Overpriced for what you get. And what we've received hasn't been at all memorable. Same ownership as Mediterrano near Briarwood Mall. Carlyle Grill is nice looking inside, given its location outside the Quality 16 theatres. We had the Burger with Fries and it was nice (that fatal word again) but nothing wonderful. Cooked well and a good solid 6 out of 10. We've dined here before but I can never REMEMBER what I've eaten here: what I do remember is the hefty price tag. The ritzy-sounding name is not enough to keep us coming back. Honestly, Chilli's does much tastier food. It's somewhere to stop in if you're ever on that side of town and feel like a change. But to what? There's nothing memorable here. Even if we're hungry as wolves, we've staved off our hunger by heading over to Plum Market instead.
(2)Chris R.
Service was average, prices were high. I had the crabcakes and I was very disappointed, they were mushy and flavorless and I honestly wonder if they used real crab. I'm giving 2 stars because the burgers the rest of my party ordered looked decent enough but there are far better places to get a burger nearby.
(2)Carlos O.
We ordered a Cuban pulled pork sandwich that turned out to be lacking in flavor and a decent cheeseburger. The plantains that came with the sandwich tasted like thy came straight out of a trader joe's bag. Aside from the mediocre food the service was terrible.
(2)Zach Z.
L-O-V-E Caryle Grill. It's my favorite place in Ann Arbor (well, techniquely Scio Township, so we'll say the greater Ann Arbor metro-area?). The bar is great and seperated from the resturant (bonus for both groups). Big selection of wine and beer. Caryle carries a lot of the local Michigan stuff but they also carry "the good stuff", aka Oregon Pinot Noir. Try a bottle of Willamette Valley Vinards or Erath. The resturant has a great atmosphere. The food is killer and I think the prices are very reasonable. Specials that change daily. My go-to order is the London Chop House Burger.
(5)Matt G.
Meh is exactly how I would rate this place. I actually have never really heard about Carlyle's until we were randomly searching for a place to get a burger the other night and it popped up on my Yelp! mobile on my BB. I thought, oh well, lets give it a try. When we initially pulled up, although upscale, I got those chain restaurant vibes; unfortunately those vibes didn't reside throughout the whole meal. Like Mariah said, the service was good, and our waiter was very personable. The menu had a decent amount of things on it, although to me nothing really seemed to jump out at me and say, get me! get me! For our meal, I got the rock shrimp soup (where was all the shrimp?) with the chop house burger (I think). The soup was ok, the sweet potato fries were ok, and the burger was ok. Personally, the burger kind of reminded me of one at Red Robin, not that saying that is all that bad. The fries and burger did come with a pretty tasty southwest sauce. My SO got the marg pizza, and due to her generosity, I got to try some, and it was ok. If you're looking to take someone with a conservative pallet to a more upscale chain-feeling restaurant, and find it convenient that the movie theater is right by, then this place is for you. Personally, for the money, I would rather go downtown.
(2)Lauren L.
Carlyle is a solid option if you're on the far west side of town because, really, there's not a whole lot over there. I've never had anything that didn't taste good, but at the same time, there are really no standouts--except the fries. They're those tiny shoestring-style fries that you can eat by the handful, and they're incredibly addicting. I also like the bleu cheese coleslaw that comes with a lot of the entrees, which is saying something because I don't normally like bleu cheese or coleslaw. In terms of entrees, I am oddly attracted to the chicken finger platter; the chicken breading is tasty and has a wonderfully crunchy texture. I've also had success with the jumbo lump crab cakes (kind of expensive, though) and the veggie burger. The servers are always pleasant and the restaurant itself is very nice--as others have said, almost *too* nice for the location. For Valentine's Day one year they even gave me a carnation, which our cat promptly ate that same night when we weren't looking.
(3)Alex G.
My third visit (for lunch yesterday) might be my last. Now, there's absolutely nothing abjectly wrong with Carlyle. The food is fine, the service is fine. But, the prices always leave me with the sense that I could have or should have gotten better bang for my buck. This time, I had the Cuban sandwich. If I think of it as a sandwich with pork and cheese and pickles, I'm okay. The problem is, they call is a Cuban, and it's a relatively poor attempt. In all, I get the sense that the staff here are about being competent, but that's it. No passion or greatness here, but, it is at least predictable.
(2)Colleen Z.
Friend and I in search of a good lunch salad visited Carlyle Grill today based upon previous yelper reviews. She had the special salad (strawberry/goat cheese/spinach) and I had the asian salad. Both were great in every way. The dressing tasted freshly made and the salad greens were crisp and delicious. Our server was fast, accommodating and friendly. The experience was great all the way around and we have found our good salad lunch spot.
(4)Todd B.
I'm a very regular customer and I do for the simple reasons of quality food and fair price, but the service is the absolute best! You can go anywhere and get a quality burger, salad or steak, but I would highly recommend Carlyle because you get all that add great service.
(5)Brittany A.
Went for restaurant week. They were out of 3/6 of the 6 options that were posted online as specials. We happened to go there for those that were no longer available and we not notified until after we had received our wine (passed the point of leaving). We ended up ordering filets which were good but nothing to write home about. They were reasonably priced at about $28. It was very busy, crowded and loud. It was also more casual than I expected. I suppose part of my disappointment is I was expecting more a Ruth's Chris based on the descriptions. It's fine.
(3)Jenn V.
When Weber's started having serious waitstaff issues and inconsistent food we started going to Carlyle for special occasions or a nice meal out with the parents, etc. Their food is very consistent-- I rotate between the same 4 dishes, and each time they are the same. I like knowing that I will get the same flavor, portion, etc. Menu has some good choices, like a HUGE Cobb Salad, Ribeye, Grilled Shrimp with Grits, Pot roast, etc. I usually rotate btwn the above entrees, and I can say that they are all very good. Except for the Cobb salad most of their entrees are going to be on the small to medium size-- not a lot but just enough. You can tell that they focus on quality, not quantity. Oh, and they usually have fabulous soups (daily menu) and desserts. Wine and beer list are good. Tues and Thurs nights they now have 1/2 off bottles of wine (with purchase of one entree). This is fabulous! Prices are reasonable, except I wish a soup or salad would come with the meal, considering most dishes are $13-30. Maybe even just a bread basket?? The decor is modern and simple, and the restaurant has always seemed clean and well-kept. I like it that way. Service has been touch and go, but usually the waitstaff are attentive and nice. Of course if they are super busy you may have somewhat of a wait for your meal or drinks from the bar, etc. This is true with most places though, so I don't think twice about it. I really like going here, and the fact that it is in a movie theater parking lot is too bad. I know a lot of ppl refer to it as the 'place in the movie theater parking lot', and question whether it could possibly be decent or not. The location is unfortunate, but has nothing to do with the quality of the place, so give it a shot. Oh, as for the number of ppl who have encountered prom kids here, think about it. If you go to any nice restaurant in Ann Arbor around prom or homecoming you are going to encounter the local high school kids out for the night. Big deal. The typical crowd is families (usually sans small screaming children), young and old couples and business ppl-- it is a casual restaurant for the most part, but not like your local Applebees. Dress how you would if you were going to Weber's or Knight's or a restaurant downtown.
(4)Stacy W.
I've been to Carlyle several times and I love it! Ann Arbor has a lot of great places to eat, and I'd say this one is in the top 5. They have a lot of variety in their menu, the prices are reasonable, and the service is also great.
(5)Barnaby F.
This is EXACTLY what I expect from a restaurant located adjacent to a movie theater. Which is to say - things could be a lot worse and I wouldn't be surprised - things could be better and I WOULD be surprised. The food is bland and generic - generically bland, blandly generic, you know? They run all sorts of discounts - bring in your movie ticket stubs for 15% off, order an entree from the right side of the menu to get 50% off a bottle of wine, etc, but it still doesn't wind up being very cheap, at least not in my book. I'm not hammering the place - the people were pleasant, the service reasonably attentive, the winelist not altogether stupifying, the decor not assultive. I could end up there again if circumstances dictated, but I would certainly suggest trying something else in the neighborhood first. Several something elses.
(2)Nick H.
I went for the first time last week and it's a very decent place. I'd call it an upgraded (in terms of food quality and overall style) to Bennigan's. No, that's probably not giving it enough credit. Everything was good, and our server was hilarious and attentive but nothing about the meal really stood out. I approve of the pomegranate mojitos and the steak. Best secret - scallops were on special, but I asked for just a side of them. For $6 I got 6 oz. of great sea scallops on the side. Can't beat that! You can sign up for their email list and get a free appetizer. It's located right next to the cinema so you can bring in your movie ticket or stub on the same day and get 15% off the entire bill. Definitely worth a try.
(3)Nancy S.
This is a nice place, with good food and drinks. I went on a suday afternoon. I had soup and a salad. I enjoyed my food, but I will have to go back to try a hot meal. Then I'll know if this is a place to come back to.
(3)Julie M.
I've never been wowed by anything here, except for maybe the $2 small plates on the happy hour menu. Ceasar salad and potroast is a solid choice, as is the chicken soup.
(2)Walter B.
Food was excellent. Little bit of a parking issue because of the location near a large movie complex.
(4)Heather H.
My husband and I stopped in for lunch while out shopping. Since we wanted to get through lunch quickly we both ordered the lunch special. It took FOREVER to come out. Another table ended up having to get their food to go or they were going to miss their movie. They ended up offering us a free dessert since the food took so long and then the dessert took FOREVER to come out. I was definitely underwhelmed by the quality of food and service for such a hefty price tag. It also seems like a risky bet for dinner before a movie.
(2)Chaz S.
After taking in a movie at Goodrich Quality 16, we went to Carlyle for a late dinner. To start, there was a great atmosphere; very classy, but still casual. On to the food: this was quite possibly the best pot roast I've ever had. Served with mashed potatoes and veggies, it was moist and a perfect balance of meatiness without being too heavy. Reasonably priced too; $53 for three high-quality meals. If you feel like a ride to Scio Township, give it a go.
(5)Erin L.
Carlyle Grill has 2 things going for it... Great happy hour prices and it's on my side of town. Is it 5:00 yet?
(4)Summersett F.
I love the happy hour this place has...yummy food and cheap drinks, who could ask for more....except the barstaff is so terrible I rarely can get them to take my order or bring me another drink. The guy tender is the absolute worst! I have visited this place on numerous occasions hoping the last bad experience was just an off night but NO...this place would so benefit from a new cast of bartenders but until that happens or unless I move to Scio township, I will not be returning...Carl you are dead to me!
(2)Tyler B.
I was so excited at the prospect of the Carlyle - a slightly upscale restaurant that would serve as a great place to take a date before seeing a flick at Q16 or to grab a drink afterwards and rehash what you'd just seen. Unfortunately, its been pretty much a disappointment bordering on epic fail every time I've went. Let me first praise the two things I enjoyed about the big C. First, the food is fairly fabulous. It has several options that are fairly esoteric, delicious and not outrageously priced. Secondly, everytime I've stopped in for a drink, the bartender has been a very friendly, stunningly gorgeous female. This is usually enough to assure me return visits to a place, but not the Carlyle. The service has always been mind-numbingly frustrating. They have this rotation of servers that I suppose is designed to make you feel like you're being waited on hand and foot - but that doesn't work when all of them seemed to be stretched to thin or just plain forget that you exist. And I've never run into a happy hour special at the bar. Maybe this is completely bad timing on my part, but any place that can't knock a buck off my draft from 4-6 can eat it. The worst thing though, is the clientele. I know this is no fault of the place itself, but everytime I've been here I've run into the group of high schoolers out on a 'group date', or the secretary pool doing dinner and a movie. Obviously this place was designed to be the first half of your dinner and a movie evening, and I always seem get sat next to these people hootin' and hollerin' during their night on the town, while I'm trying to have a quiet, intelligent conversation. Its weird, because I'm all for hootin' and hollerin', just not at a place like the Carlyle. Maybe you'll have better luck, I hope so, because the food is damn tasty.
(2)Evan K.
The food was good but not great. The service was ok. There were 4 hungry bugs sharing our meals to our disappointment.
(3)Mark E.
Eaten here twice - I found it to be like mediocre chain food (think Applebees) but with a pretense of something more. I call this "faux fancy" , not actually fancy or upscale but trying to appear that way - anyway, I didn't like it, but perhaps you will.
(2)Lisa J.
Holy goat cheese potato pancakes batman!! My life will never be the same. Awesome happy hour wine too. The manager, Kirk, made us feel right at home. He suggested a wine that literally tap danced on my tongue. This party in my mouth is not one I will soon forget. Thank you Carlyle!
(5)Theresa F.
Carlyle happy hour is fantastic and the prices are hard to beat! $3 for a glass of their house wine, and the selections are great! And cheap cheap apps for happy hour, as well. It's become a HH staple!
(4)Dan T.
I've been a couple of times! I'll go back! Parmesan crusted whitefish is very good.. Another time went for happy hour and sampled many of the apps. Enjoyed them all and the drink prices during happy time are great! Try the silver surfer, a little sweet but concocted right at this bar. Happy hour gets a little crowded. Never been for lunch as it's to far from my local. Dinner is up there in price but many menu items to choose from. MMMMMM....wanting some Caryle in me now!!!! Hope you enjoy!
(4)Mae S.
A friend and I ate lunch at Carlyle recently because we needed to be on that side of town. My expectations, based on the decor, were low: it's pleasant, including nice daylight windows, but kind of undistinguished. Everything is very new-looking and clean, kind of slick. Lunch customers appeared to include a lot of businessmen (based on number of suits). The food exceeded our expectations. We both appreciated the freshness of our salads and the service was good. Nothing out of the ordinary, but good solid value.
(3)Joshua E.
Boooooooooo. I _use_ to really like this place. As a vegetarian, I usually steer clear of places with "grill" in the name, but Carlyle Grill surprised me. The had possibly the best veggie burger I've ever had, and I've had a lot. It wasn't the burger itself that made it special, it was the fact the combined a fairly standard veggie burger with great other stuff... You got a nice bun, a veggie burger, a portabello mushroom, roasted red peppers, a tasty pesto secret sauce, lettuce, onions, and terrific shoe string fries. Some places try to serve a vegetarian sandwich that is *just* a portabello mushroom. This is not an adequate sandwich. Little protein, doesn't fill you up, just not right. That's why I loved Carlyle's veggie burger so much. But my worst nightmare came true. Tonight, we went their specifically to get that favorite burger, and the waitress politely told me they no longer served it with the veggie patty. It was just a mushroom and the fixings. Don't get me wrong, the fixings are great, but what made the sandwich really great was having the whole package. I'm not sure I'll go back, at least not specifically. They still get 2 stars for a nice ambiance and a couple other vegetarian options, but nothing compared to the 5-star glowing review I wanted to give for my now dead, favorite burger.
(2)Natasha G.
Went for the 1st time a couple weeks ago. Had a girls nite out, and did dinner and a movie. The food was excellent. Service was good and the place was really nice. We had a party of 6 and everyone of us raved about our meals. Will definetly be going back to Carlyle's!!!
(4)mike w.
The enviance is pretty boring and dark (2 stars). The food is 3 stars (get the London Blue Burger medium rare). The bar before a movie at Quality 16 is 4 stars. You can do the math lol
(3)Stever G.
Everyone can probably agree that Carlyle Grill rocks, if only because it gives us a landmark for where to turn into the obscured and unmarked driveway that leads to the Quality 16 parking lot. As for the restaurant itself, I really like it. It does have the feel of a slightly upscale chain restaurant (I believe it used to be a Cooker?), but the food is definitely a step up from those types of restaurants. I've had my share of misses here, especially in terms of service, but I've been enough that I know how to tailor my experience to my liking. Not really the sign of a four star restaurant when you have to actively choose everything to make the experience good, but I always have a great time and meal when I go here now. Here's how I do it: 1 - Always sit in the bar section. There's usually a wait to be seated in the main part of the restaurant, so why not go sit in the bar, where there's no wait? It has a more casual feel and there are no obnoxious teenagers in prom or homecoming garb (WTF is up with that anyway?) There's a few booths, lots of bar seating, and the adjacent outdoor seating. I always sit directly at the bar because that's where I've gotten the best service. If you go around dinner time, they'll assume you're eating and give you food menus (instead of seeming annoyed that you're ordering dinner at the bar, like in some restaurants.) Our server on Friday evening was excellent. I've sat at a bar booth and outside and had pretty slow service, which can be annoying when you have somewhere to be at a certain time, like, oh I don't know, a MOVIE?! That brings me to 2 - Always go AFTER the movie and not before. On several occasions I've been, they were out of the discounted movie tickets. If you go after, all you have to do is show your stub to get 15% off your meal. Note, this deal doesn't work Fri & Sat. 3 - For God's sake, GET THE VEGGIE BURGER. This is the real reason I'm giving this place 4 stars. This probably gets my vote for best veggie burger in town, which I would never expect from a place like this, and in a town like Ann Arbor. It's totally huge and out of control, but I like my food that way. Expect to use a fork and knife. It features a house black bean burger that's charred just right, AND an orgasmic grilled portabella mushroom on top. I don't know what the marinade is, but it's outstanding. Add some melted jack, roasted red pepper, and interesting pesto sauce, and bam--heaven in your veggie loving mouth. I've had other dishes here, but I don't remember what they are, because I always get the veggie burger now. It goes perfectly with a 22oz of Oberon, which is $5.50. That may seem pricey to some, but I've paid that for just pints at some places downtown *cough*Conor's*cough*. So, is it a 4 star restaurant? Probably not. But I always have a great experience when I sit at the bar, get the veggie burger, and hit it up after taking in a flick at Q16.
(4)Debra S.
Fantastic service, Great food, great prices, and a wonderful night out. Lovely interior, and the owner was a real pleasure! Will go again, and again! The burgers were amazing. One tip- ask the Chef to "hold the mayo" on the burger, even though you won't see in on the menu. (the mayo.)
(5)Jim W.
We dine once to twice a week at Carlyle's - why? because the food is great and reasonable, the staff is always friendly and courteous and now the bar is non smoking. It's the perfect combination.
(5)Richard F.
I know this sounds weird, but this place is a dead copy of a J. Alexanders restaurant. I have asked them if this is part of that chain and I am told it is not. But the decor, the menu, the service items, even the type font on the menu are exactly the same as a J. Alexanders. They even serve the cole slaw with maytag blue cheese just like J. Alexanders. So if you have been to a J. Alexanders you will know what to expect. I have been here for lunch a few times and for dinner once. I really like the menu, the food and the service. The burgers are big and tasty and they can be delivered rare, whichy is getting harder and harder to find. They have a nice Cuban sandwich and I already mentiond the cole slaw with blue cheese. Salads are big and nice too. They do have some kind of movie ticket and meal deal, but I have never taken advantage of it. It is a bit more expensive than most of the lunch palces in the area and that keeps us from going more often, but it is worth what you pay as the food is high quality.
(4)Tony C.
Having driven by it several times on the way to the movies, its outside appearance never drew me in...until today. This place has to be one of the best kept secrets in Ann Arbor. The location sucks, but the food, service, and ambiance were all very good. The ambiance is dark black leather booths, dark wood, etc. making it look pretty elegant without being too stuffy. One of the features of this place that really stood out to me is the smoking section is not only sectioned off, but walled off with a door. So, when you're sitting in non-smoking, there is no possible way you're going to smell smoke. The service was good as well. The wait staff seem to have been pretty well trained. The managers seem to check up on them often as well, as well as do quality checks at the tables by asking you if there's anything else. Finally, the food really caught me off-guard, as it was quite good. My wife had the burger which was cooked perfectly to medium. The bun was perfectly toasted, the lettuce, onion, and tomato were all very fresh. I had the meatloaf which was presented about as pretty as you can make meatloaf. It was also tasty, but once I had a bite of the burger, I wish I had ordered that. The fries that came with the burger reminded me of Belgian bistro fries, thin cut, crispy. This restaurant has earned a place in my restaurant rotation, so I think that's the best recommendation I could make.
(4)Nate N.
We have been here many time, but after today's pot roast and great service, I thought I would write a review. They also have great ribs and meatloaf...Try it and you will like it...
(4)Joseph D.
Adequate but no inspiration.
(3)Chetan P.
Surprising. Very Surprising. I was driving by for lunch and my goal was a quick bite to eat at a mediocre restaurant. Actually, a friend wanted to buy me lunch and I didn't want him to break the bank. From the outside it looks like a dull Bennigan's or even a Swiss chalet. When I walked in, I was thrown aback by the dark wood and lovely ambiance. The staff is professionally dressed in black or suit attire and they are on top of everything! The feel of the restaurant is similar to a country club. The staff are there to meet your desires. I ordered a medium-rare London burger - blue cheese, apple-wood bacon, and the usual accouterments (cost $8.99). The dish comes with a Poncho sauce on the side which the waitress described somewhat poorly. The sauce is amazing. She said it was a sauce with mayonnaise and steak sauce. This is like saying The world's top chef and the guy that works the fry-o-lator at a fast food joint have the same culinary skills. The sauce contains a medley of fresh ingredients that shapes your dining experience. The fries that came with the dish were lightly fried. They had an amazing crunch but did not feel or taste greasy whatsoever. My friend ordered the chicken quesadillas which he said was fantastic. He got these planks of potatoes that were crisp on the outside and almost like mashed potatoes on the inside. I could not finish the meal so I brought it home. The fries were amazing when re-toasted. A very fantastic dining experience. The price was slightly higher than a TGIF/ Bennigan's. Dress code - business casual, but I saw a lot of people in blue jeans. Very surreal.
(4)Ed O.
I havent sampled much of the menu at Carlyle Grill but what I have had has been very good. Looking at the extensive menu I will give the benefit and assume it is all good as well. What brought us there first was probably what brought many...the Dinner and a movie special. We ordered one of their daily specials and got 2 movie tickets for a great price. The atmosphere is pleasing with outdoor seating, we have always gotten good friendly service (though we have heard some say they have experienced the opposite) and the food is solid. Now we often get an appetizer and sit outside...and I must say they have one the best Calamari I have ever had. I've sampled many versions around this great USA and between Stone Fire Bistro's in Brighton and Carlyle Grill's, Id be shocked if any others rival theirs. Check this place out. On a weekday its not busy and its a great starter before catching a flick. *Cost Cutting Secret Alert* Go on a Tuesday and get the Dinner and a movie special. Tuesdays the Quality 16 has $5.00 movies..so hold onto the discounted tickets from Carlyle and use them on another night. There is a fine line between Cheap and frugal ;)
(4)