Ladder 4 Wine Bar — Restaurant in Detroit

This place is absolutely fantastic. Vibes, service, food, wine, all excellent. Our server was so gracious and he let us try a few wines before we decided. We loved the wines he suggested. Since there were only 2 of us, we just ordered by the glass, but they have a great little wine room where you can just go peruse the bottles and grab whatever you like for dinner rather than just reading the menu. The lighting is very romantic - it would be a perfect place for date night. The food honestly blew me away. Their menu is small and always changing, which just makes me want to come more often to try new things. The scallop crudo with truffle was decadent, velvety, fresh & cold with delicious crispy bits and a yummy sauce. The sweet potato was huge and even better than I expected - made with fresh farmer's cheese that was seasoned perfectly and anything but bland. This awesome chili crisp type sauce was on top with lots of yummy seeds - tons of flavor and would make an excellent vegetarian entree. We also had their cabbage dish and the pork schnitzel, which went very well together. The cabbage has a smoky roast-y flavor with these awesome gems of golden raisin - sort of sweet and sour notes with white sesame seeds on top. Delicious flavor and texture. We also loved the schnitzel - well seasoned, perfectly fried and crispy with tender meat inside. Topped with a great fresh slaw and this yummy lightly sweet red wine transparent sauce on the bottom of the plate so the schnitzel stayed crispy. Honestly, perfect. We ended the meal with their cheesecake thanks to our server's suggestion and wow. It was so odd sounding but was one of the best, most unique cheesecakes I've ever had - it had this flavorful light caramel sauce and a burnt top that gave it the perfect flavor balance between sweet and almost savory with a perfect creamy texture. Yum! the perfect way to end the meal. If you're looking for a place to have a great dinner with friends or somewhere to dine solo at the bar or even just to have a couple glasses of wine after work, Ladder 4 is it. It has a neighborhood vibe that I love, and is upscale without being pretentious at all - it would be a perfect place to bring out-of-towners. It is a welcome departure from the downtown "scene," and I already can't wait to return. They have a perfect private room behind the bar as well that seats 12 - it would be a perfect place for a dinner party, whether it be for business or pleasure. A truly...

Beautiful space, very nice wine, and great food. The "wine list" is a room lined with shelves full of wine that you can pick out yourself. The owner stopped by to chat and talk wine with us, which was very kind, especially because I really don't know anything about wine. I appreciated the stories behind the wines and regions and winemakers on their featured shortlist by the glass.

The food menu is small, rotating, and slightly experimental for Detroit. To start we had good crusty sourdough to start with a nice hunk of fatty salty butter. I would have gladly eaten an entire loaf of the sourdough. We chose the chicory salad, which had hazelnuts dates and feta, my only feedback is the leaves could have been cut smaller. The lemon capellini was simple and deliciously firm with a nicely emulsified lemon sauce. The couple next to us were raving about the chicken neck sausage and the fritters as well. The basque cheesecake was smooth and finished with a lovely char on top. The chocolate-orange cremeux was less cremeux and more like a hunk of chocchy orange ganache...with capers on top? I was imaging small pops of salty goodness but it was more like odd soggy bits on a cold hunk of chocolate, it just didn't mesh. Dessert cheese was tomme brulee shaved into spirals, melted in the mouth, wonderful cheese.

Service was very good. It seemed like the entire staff was sharing most of the duties which meant we were well-attended to at all times. They accommodated our request to be seated at the bar instead of a table, and service picked right back up where it left off.

We went on a cold wintry night and the ambiance is great for a relaxed date. I really appreciate how clean the space is, and I was not cold in the building despite its high ceilings. I am a sucker for glazed brick and woodwork, both of which abound in Ladder 4. The crowd was an interesting mix of well-dressed folks and people who looked like they just got out of a punk show. Overall a great time and we will...

This was my first time at Ladder 4 Wine Bar after hearing a lot of good things, but unfortunately my experience was disappointing.

To start, the beverage options were surprisingly limited. For guests who don’t drink or simply didn’t want wine, there were no soda or pop options at all—only jasmine tea, water, sparkling water, and wine. For a place that positions itself as a destination, I expected more inclusive options.

The wine menu itself was confusing and difficult to navigate. It listed bottles from random regions without clear descriptions of the grapes, varietals, or styles. It felt like blind ordering, and the majority of bottles were priced over $100, which made the selection even less approachable.

Food-wise, the menu was nearly all vegetarian except for one steak option—which was priced at $169. That felt unreasonable and out of place, especially without more balanced choices at different price points.

Service was the biggest disappointment. It took 45 minutes from the time we ordered a bottle of wine for it to finally arrive. We were just about to tell the server to forget it when he appeared, carrying the bottle already open and gripping it by the neck—something that felt both unprofessional and careless. At that point, we decided not to order any food, finished the wine, and left. We ended up getting dinner elsewhere.

To make matters worse, the server knew very little about wine and couldn’t answer basic questions. Instead of a sommelier, the chef was brought out as the “wine expert,” which seemed odd for a place positioning itself as a wine bar.

Overall, I left feeling disappointed. While I can see the concept behind Ladder 4 Wine Bar, the execution—from menu design to professionalism to service—fell far short of expectations. For the high prices and hype, I...