Garage Grill and Fuel Bar — Restaurant in Northville

I have been to the Garage several times now and found it to be consistently down to earth, with excellent flavors and great service. My visits were for lunch and twice for dinner, with groups of 2, 4 and 6. I usually don't favor restaurants without reservations, but the Garage handles this trait with grace by timely texting when a table is ready, which does allow time for browsing some interesting local stores in downtown Northville.

For lunch I started with the Seafood Chowder, which was not overly creamy or salty like many pub offerings of this typically overcooked mainstay, and the texture of the meats was very distinct as was the flavor. The Kale salad is a great entree with the only improvement needed would be offering a selection of proteins such as chicken or beef as well as the shrimp it came with. The kale was fresh and the dressing did not cover up the flavors of the salad. My lunch partner had the Garage Burger which he said was very good as was the craft beer that went along with it. It looked great.

The two dinners I had at the Garage were very good as well, although wait times can be one hour plus. The wait time is handled well from the start and the process of letting you know when the table is ready (texting worked for me) works as comfortably explained by the hostess. There is no "you should be grateful to get a table soon" attitude in this place and we received our text in 45 minutes as promised while we were several doors down the street shopping. We waited in the bar the second time I visited, which has interesting decor that is themed towards the garage history of the building. Very cool. Service is friendly and consistently good in the bar, with the same extensive wine list as in the restaurant.

I had the Whitefish the first dinner I was there and the filet the second time I visited. The Whitefish was perfectly prepared and did not allow for the potato crust or mustard sauce to overcome the delicate flavor of the whitefish. It was served straight out of the oven as it was moist and firm. For the second dinner I had, I was in the mood for beef and normally I would head to a true "steakhouse", being partial to Big Rock Chophouse in Birmingham. I'm happy to say the filet at the Garage competes hands down with the best steakhouses, as it was served hot, was evenly pink throughout, did not get cold by the time I finished it, and tasted like excellent beef. My wife had the salmon and my other table mates had the chicken, pork, and seafood pasta. Everyone said the food was all wonderful, with particular emphasis on the pork loin and buttermilk chicken being particularly outstanding. There were several appetizers at each dinner, with the firebird shrimp having just the right amount of edge to get your palette going. The sliders were absolutely fantastic (see hamburger comment above) and the best I've had. Not necessarily just an appetizer as they could serve as a light meal for some.

Lastly, the service had a great operating rhythm and was very professional with a friendly banter working well with the staff here. Staff selection, knowledge, and professionalism were an obvious investment in the development of this restaurant as was the food quality and preparation. Great place, hope it doesn't lose it's commitment as it ages. Can't wait for summer when the...

If you’re looking for a great destination restaurant, go to The Garage of Northville. The conversion of a former fuel and garage business is as tasteful as the food. It’s truly a unique Detroit-area experience. There's a bit of a wait on weekends (not sure about the weeknights yet), so plan for it.

We went on a Saturday night expecting a wait, as The Garage is popular, but knowing they would text us when our table was ready made it painless. Also, they told us an hour and that’s exactly what it was. I’m looking forward to warmer weather so we can explore the beautiful downtown Northville by foot during the wait. experience.

My wife and I had appetizers, entrees and desserts. She had wine, chosen from a very nice selection and I had a good imported beer, both delivered promptly and at the right temperature.

Appetizers: We had an order of “downtown calamari” and steak tips. Each was of good portion and wonderful. The calamari was not over battered and served with a nicely-spiced dip and the steak tips were tasty and not overdone. Very solid.

Dinners: We’re trying to eat healthy so I had the panko chicken while Sheila had potato-encrusted whitefish. My panko chicken was a perfect blend of sauce and chicken, tender and the portion was not skimpy. Sheila was delighted with her whitefish and having been raised on Alaskan salmon and other delights she knows her seafood. Excellent.

Dessert: Normally I’d pass, but we saw someone delivered the mini crème puffs (vanilla ice cream with house-made caramel sauce and sander’s hot fudge) and we had to try it. We split it and it was splendid. Next time, I’ll order a full order for myself and just work off the extra in the gym the next day – it was that good.

Staff: Great, they were attentive and didn't miss a beat even on a Saturday night with a packed house. It was a little tight on the entry, but given the architectural challenge that was not unexpected.

Atmosphere: A couple of observations here. First, the interior design with an automotive garage theme is a must-see. Everywhere I looked there was something unique. From the old-style light bulbs and lamps to the tire chandelier with old Model-A headlamps at the tips, the place is a visual delight and not overly lit. It has a wonderful high-end museum feel to it. The mural on the wall that has three different scenes on three sides is awesome. Secondly, while there is a lot of seating in close proximity I enjoyed the decibels of happy diners in conversation as no one’s table volume impinged on the others. Instead, the atmosphere was of jovial conversation and laughter making the experience charged with a happy atmosphere.

We’ll definitely be back to try other items from the menu and are looking to the open-air options when the bay doors...

Awesome modern casual design. Was a car repair garage at it’s birth many years ago! Fun booths made of multiple pairs of jeans,pockets and all! Cool patches embroidered with different names as you would see on a mechanic’s uniform. We sat near patches Haley and Lauren.LOL Menu is not large and contains many unique house recipes. We were not pleased with the steak tips (a combination of sirloin and fillet ) with zip sauce,mushrooms and pearl onions to include a few pieces of bread: sauce was yummy, tips were so tough some at our table could not chew them. Perhaps more sirloin than fillet?:( The Mushrooms and onions within the zip sauce is tasty. Chili shrimp appetizer: This dish is pretty amazing.It comes with about 5 yummy charred shishito peppers which look like they are there for plate decoration but oh my don’t pass them up! They are yummy. Evening special-Branzino : Well portioned with two fillets cooked to perfection. Cauliflower Vegetable type of a hash with peanuts lacked flavor. Meditation type veggie salad (cucumber, tomato, onions in a vinaigrette) was delish but both contained some type of spice not enjoyed by some at our table. Burgers , oh the Burgers:House blend beef. Amazing presentation of a generously sesame crusted bun, two good sized delicious beef patties with lots of cheese,fresh shredded lettuce,tomato and a thousand-ish type dressing. Great pickles!! :) Fries crunchy and enjoyable. Short rib tacos: Three tacos on the small/appetizer side.No comment on the cold noodle salad. Beef tasty, however, the house made kimchi was not our fav! See photo as kimchi is stacked generously under minimal short rib. :( Two in our party ordered the Cesar salad: Pleased to see fresh lettuce not bagged,however, they were barely tossed together with one severely lacking. We did receive a side of their very mild creamy Cesar dressing. Dessert,three to choose from: Key lime cheesecake: Homemade, great graham cracker crust, just amazing.:) Good portion of fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Other choices were bumpy cake and ice cream I believe. Many house cocktails. Only one in our party ordered off this menu: Well made Original Old Fashion appropriately priced, generous pour as noted on their menu!! All and all a good experience. As you can see, dining with us is like attending a family style smorgasbord. We...