Village Grill Café & Family Restaurant — Restaurant in Royal Oak

New favorite breakfast spot in the area, hands down. Everything you could want for breakfast, priced well, and executed correctly. I’ve tried a lot of diners in the area, and it’s surprising how difficult making something so simple, simply taste good, can be (Alex’s, Berkley Coney, The Avenue). I think this really comes down to ingredient quality, and attention to detail (seasonings, ingredient ratio per dish, even distribution of ingredients per bite, etc), which this place seems to have down.

I was also pleasantly surprised with their selection of lattes, cappuccinos, etc. Often, the only downside to choosing a coney/diner style restaurant for breakfast instead of getting a coffee + breakfast sandwich/similar directly from your favorite coffee spot is that you’re settling for subpar coffee in leu if a satisfying meal. Not here!! I ordered a caramel latte and was genuinely pleased with the flavor and presentation - served in a lidless 16 or 20oz to-go cup with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. You can then grab a lid on your way out to carry it with you for the rest of your morning.

In short, the food was delicious and the service was great. Very pleased to have...

I'm thinking this place is trying to discourage takeout orders. As of Oct. 15, 2024 they don't seem to have a current menu online anywhere When I went inside and asked if they had a paper menu to take, I was told they do not I picked up my order and found they had charged separate line items for carryout boxes and a "service fee". This wasn't disclosed anywhere, just a surprise when I got the receipt.

I tipped when picking up because I understand it is often the wait staff (who rely on tips) who has to take time to check & bag up a carryout order, but now I'm wondering why I tipped if they have a service fee. And I can't say I've ever gotten charged for carryout boxes, restaurants include that in their costs of running the business. (i.e. Why not a separate charge for washing dishes when I dine in? Because that would be ridiculous.)

Food has always been good and never an issue when dining in, but leaving this review as a heads up for anyone who might be considering a...

No face mask, when I asked why the man on grill John was not wearing a mask he simply stepped out of the grill window so that I could no longer see him. I'm told he is the owner by another customer, I left without picking up that order as it was meant for in immunodeficient Crohn's patient and we specified that beforehand as we've seen many places not utilizing the proper CDC guidelines for how to wear a mask with the mandatory $500 fine doing little as no one is getting fined. Disgusting and disgraceful, we will not be returning. Then when I told them this I had the waitress chase me out to my car trying to convince me that everything was fine that it was no big deal all while not wearing her mask 😂 please seek assistance in training your staff health...