The 25 'most romantic' restaurants in the Detroit area, according to Yelp

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, Feb 14, 2020 at 5:54 pm

Yelp recently released its annual list of "100 most romantic" restaurants in the country, and a couple Detroit-area spots made the list.

To come up with the rankings, Yelp went through a large number of reviews mentioning the words “romantic,” “Valentine’s Day” and “date night” between Jan. 1, 2019 and Jan. 14, 2020, and ranked the restaurants in order along with other key factors like volume of reviews, and total ratings.

While this national list was certainly interesting, we wanted to know more about what local Yelpers thought about Detroit-area restaurants. So, we reached out to the company and they gave us an exclusive list of the "most romantic" spots located around here. You may notice that this list is a little different than the national ranking, and that's because what you see here is an all-time list, that includes reviews from the beginning of Yelp Detroit all the way through today.

So, if you haven't made and any RSVPs yet, here are a few spots to try.

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Wright & Company

1500 Woodward Ave., Floor 2, Detroit; 313-962-7711; wrightdetroit.com
"A hidden GEM! I took some clients here who were visiting from Chicago. Chicago being a foodie heaven, I knew it would be tough to impress these people.. game on! The restaurant overlooks the city street and has a historic charm that time hasn't erased. Small plates and craft cocktails were quickly and efficiently delivered while we enjoyed the floor to ceiling windows, hardwood floors, exposed brick and plenty of ambiance. Food was fabulous, excellent chefs and attentive staff. You don't want to miss it!" —Debbie N.

Photo via Abi C. / Yelp

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Mr. Paul’s Chophouse

29850 Groesbeck Hwy., Roseville; 586-777-7770; mrpaulschophouse.com
"This is family-run perfection. Cozy and old fashioned, it's the steakhouse you draw up in your mind with it's low lighting and intimate service. The decor is classic, not outdated, and the food is properly prepared with care and warmth. We will always come back as long as they are open and we are alive!" —Gladstone P.

Photo via andrea j / Yelp

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Ottava Via

1400 Michigan Ave, Detroit; 313-962-5500; ottavaviadetroit.com
"Great place for dinner with the ladies! Dim lit ambiance and great service! We loved our appetizers and pastas! Very garlicky which I love. Would come again to try more if I'm ever in town." —Olivia A.

Photo via Dan C. / Yelp

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Sava’s

216 S. State St., Ann Arbor; 734-623-2233; savasannarbor.com
Got brunch here today. Was really good! Got the bandito hash and huevos ranchos and orange juice. Everything was really good and fairly priced. Decent sized portions. Service was friendly and quick. A 15 min wait time, came at 1pm on a Sunday." —Rayan K.

Photo via Lily N. / Yelp

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Selden Standard

3921 2nd Ave., Detroit; 313-438-5055; seldenstandard.com
"I will say that $100 should buy a very nice meal out for a couple on date night. For $99 + tip my fiancée and I received a meal that was easily worth $200, possibly venturing into michelin star range. With the caveat that I haven't tried Mabel Grey, this is the best restaurant in Michigan." —Miles L.

Photo via Felicia W. / Yelp

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Toasted Oak Grill & Market

Toasted Oak Grill & Market; 27790 Novi Rd., Novi; 248-277-6000
"We went here for our one year anniversary and it was so nice. The ambiance is wonderful. I love dimly lit restaurants and our waiter was so charming and efficient. Will go back for sure when it's in our budget. Awesome cheese sampler thing (I forget what it's called) Update: have been here several times since our original visit and still consistently delicious with quality service." —Ana P.

Photo via Chanelle D. / Yelp

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Vast Kitchen and Bar

52969 Van Dyke, Shelby Charter Twp.; 586-991-6104; vastkitchenandbar.com
"This was our first time at this restaurant the setting is intimate and the service was outstanding, the Sous Chef and owner Sally greeted us and asked how was everything and we told them everything tasted wonderful and we will be regulars. I just want to spread the good news that this was the best bar restaurant I've ever been to in my life!!!" —Tanisha J.

Photo via Lindsay F. / Yelp

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Vinsetta Garage

27799 Woodward Ave. Berkley; vinsettasgarage.com 248-548-7711
"Historic Woodward Ave M1. Very unique and creative menu items and craft cocktails. They have done a great job retaining the history of one of the oldest auto repair shops in the country. The burgers are amazing as are the pizzas, but they are known for their Mac n Cheese. It is out of this world! Stop in, grab a craft cocktail, and enjoy. And for god's sake get the Mac n Cheese!" —Tony S.

Photo via Yae Sul J. / Yelp

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Mani Osteria and Bar

341 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; 734-769-6700; maniosteria.com
"Wow, I've lived in Ann Arbor for 9 years now, and this is by far one of my favorite restaurants. The pizza here is INCREDIBLE - I really love their truffle one with egg. The spicy oil they have is unreal, and something I've never seen anywhere else. The wine and cocktail lists are excellent as well. The ambiance is upscale, yet fun - this is the perfect place to go on a date, to celebrate a special day, or to go with your parents when they visit!!! Pricey, but it's money well spent!" —Anitha M.

Photo via Omar S. / Yelp

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Standby

225 Gratiot Ave.; 313-241-5719; standbydetroit.com
"We really enjoy this little spot! It can be easy to miss right off the alley but it's a cozy speakeasy vibe that is perfect for happy hour or weekend drinks. I absolutely love their descriptive menu. I'm not a spirits connoisseur so I appreciate that their menu is unique in how they describe the drinks, not just list the random ingredients. My husband loves their burger and their fries are a great appetizer or snack. I tried the tacos and they were a little dry so I wouldn't order those next time. Service was swift but I'm sure it can get hectic during prime hours." —Jess G.

Photo via Ron R. / Yelp

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Aventura

216 W. Washington St., Ann Arbor
"Tantalizing to all your senses, Aventura is that hip spot everyone loves to crave. For whatever reason, maybe its because i'm feeling fancy - I order their sparkling rosé. I think we can all agree that tapas is the best way to initiate conversation about food and as a shared experience makes dining a lot more fun! It's croquettes every time, flat breads, shrimp. Textures and flavors are in abundance." —Jenny K.

Photo via Don J / Yelp

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Cafe Cortina

30715 W. 10 Mile Rd., Farmington Hills; 248-474-3033; cafecortina.com
"One of the best Italian restaurants in metro Detroit! The service is A++ along with authentic cusine that will leave you coming back for more. The sauce & pasta is all made fresh in house. The sauce was so great that we took a couple bottles home! If you are looking to celebrate something special or itching for high quality dining experience, this is the spot!" —Chintan P.

Photo from Selena B. / Yelp

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Chartreuse Kitchen & Cocktails

15 E. Kirby St., Detroit; 313-8183915; chartreusekc.com
"Loved this place. The service is outstanding. Highly recommend the salmon appetizer, the twice cooked egg (so good!) and the bronzino (a type of white fish). All were well made! Also if you call ahead of time for a special occasion (I called 2 hrs before), they'll print a special menu for your special occasion (we had a bday). It was super nice. Loved it!" —Amanda D.

Photo via Randy G. / Yelp

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Chive Kitchen

33043 Grand River Ave., Farmington
"It's soooo good. I've been intermittently vegan x a few years and this is the best vegan restaurant I've been to! I love that everything is fresh. The flavors of everything taste great -My fav was the burrito bowl w the maple seitan- tastes so much like "real" ham. I also can't stop thinking about their mocha w cocowhip. Will def be back soon!" —N R.

Photo via N M. / Yelp

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Dessous

312 S. Main St, Ann Arbor; 734-222-0202; dessousannarbor.com
"As soon as you walk in, the ambiance reels you in. The curtains between some seating makes for a very intimate feel but yet airy and calm. The appetizers are delicious and unique. The mains are cooked perfectly. And the dessert, especially the cheesecake, is delicious. The cocktails are also great! We really enjoyed a nice night out and will be coming back!" —Martha S.

Photo via Aditya B. / Yelp

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Due Venti

220 S Main St., Clawson; 248-288-0220
"Amazing dining experience! This place was recommended to me by a trusted friend and it did not disappoint. We got the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Each course was delicious and well proportioned. We were comfortably full at the end of the night. They were also able to cater to me being a vegetarian which was really nice. The service was also fantastic and added to our overall experience! I can't wait to go back!" —U. N.

Photo via Tonia R / Yelp

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Forest

735 Forest Ave., Birmingham; 248-258-9400; forestbirmingham.com
"One of the best restaurants I've been to in Michigan. We've been here for a few special occasions and the food and ambiance here was perfect. It's a seasonal menu so we've experienced a lot of different food here. If they ever have duck on the menu, get it, you will not be disappointed. If they have the squid ink linguine, get it. It's a quiet little restaurant and I hope it stays that way, the food is exquisite and I cannot day enough about it. You will not regret bringing your significant other here!" —Abhilash T.

Photo via Jonathan S. / Yelp

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Giovanni’s Ristorante

330 Oakwood Blvd., Detroit; 313-841-0122; giovannisristorante.com
"Looking for authentic Italian food...look no further. Frank Sinatra and many of the Ford family members have dined here. It's the best, you will return for sure." —Lesa S.

Photo from Gerry C. / Yelp

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Grey Ghost

47 Watson St., Detroit; 313-262-6534; greyghostdetroit.com
"Hello Detroit! The food and drinks at Grey Ghost were superb. We sat at the bar and had great service. We are snobby foodies from California and this restaurant would be a huge hit in San Diego. Loved it!" —Teresa R.

Photo via Ciara J. / Yelp

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Iridescence

2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit; 313-237-6732
"I can't help but continue giving 5 star reviews to the Iridescence. This is the place my wife and I have chosen to celebrate our anniversaries. The service, ambience, food is always right on point! I have never been in another venue, where courses are planned as carefully and timely to enhance the experience as at the Iridescent." —Markus M.

Photo via Jim U. / Yelp

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