I just posted this in response to a post below, but thought that others might appreciate it also. I copied this several years ago from another poster on this site and have referenced it several times. Some of it might be out of date now, but most of it is still good advice. I would add Broken Egg to the breakfast recommendation. Gandydancer is still a great, great choice for Friday night. The list below is light on higher end dining. Pretty good stuff though.
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Friday afternoon - Dominick's (behind the Law Quad). Try the sangria, and get to know the perfect combination of Greek life and alternative Ann Arbor. The food is good as well. Not sure if it is still open in November.
Friday night, head out around campus:
Dinner/drinks:
Good Time Charley's - bar/restaurant on South University & Church. I believe Friday is the night the 15 Long Island variations are on special. Try the pepperoni stix and the count twists. The food won't be special, but the drinks and the views probably will be. Sit outside in the fenced-in sidewalk and watch a football town come to life.
or
Pizza House - virtually right next to Charley's. Good pizza, but I'd recommend the Chicken Chipati Salad (ranch and chipati dressing on the side). You've never had it before, and it is good. It might also be the healthiest thing you eat this weekend. This place won't be quite as fun at Charley's but the food is a little better.
After dinner (college bar night):
Scorekeepers - Campus sports bar that may or may not be hopping on the weekend. Thursday is their packed night. Plenty of TVs to watch lots of different sports programming. I sometimes feel like a dirty old man going in there nowadays [that's blockm2 talking, I never feel that way].
Rick's - get there early, and prepare to be ignored by sorority girls. If you were ten years younger, it would be the place to go.
Touchdown - see Rick's, but a little better.
Ashley's - bar with god knows how many beers on tap (60 or so) on State Street on the west side of campus. You can get something on tap from almost any part of the world. Easily the most laid back. You will feel the least weird about being here.
Now, you might want to go to bed early at this point, because you have a big day ahead of you.
Football Saturday:
Decide where you are partying: either tailgating at the University Golf Course, or drinking at Dominick's pregame. If you have a car, or an official tailgate, it will be on the golf course or in the parking lot next to the stadium, so I recommend that. Most everybody over the age of 23 is on the U Course, and it is a pretty friendly bunch. Don't bother eating, it will harsh your buzz. And odds are, somebody will be giving away food. If you don't have a car or a tailgate, head up to Domicks or The Brown Jug for beer and breakfast. Plan on starting by 8am. If you are driving, get to the golf course by 7:30am.
Either way, you'll want to make your way to Hoover Street to make at least some of the walk to the Stadium with the students, probably an hour to an hour and a half before gametime. Be in your seats 30 minutes prior to kickoff, to watch the band and the team take the field. In my opinion there isn't a better entrance in sports.
Post-game: return to tailgate, or local bar, to watch the rest of the afternoon in football.
Saturday night:
Dinner: Grizzly Peak or Ann Arbor Brewing Company. Two breweries located two blocks away from each other. Common theory is that GP has better food, AABC has better beer. I like GP better for the food and the crowd, and I think the beer is better there.
Bars: a number of them on Main Street, but unless you want to play pool, go to Conor O'Neill's. Irish place with good beer, and lot's of disgruntled townies or friendly medical students.
Full Moon Cafe - your basic pool hall. Don't bother going here looking for girls. They'll be there, but they'll be with people.
Cavern Club - more grad students, alums and non-greek seniors in a club-lounge hybrid. Be careful, the Jack & Cokes are stiff.
Sunday breakfast/brunch:
Maize & Blue Deli (lunch) - awesome sandwiches [note: get the #9, the #69, the #26, or the Championship Celebration w/no egg and 1/2 meat]
Blimpy Burger (lunch) - not before the game, might need a bathroom handy...amazing though...be a man and get the quint (I'm not a man, go for the quad) [i like a triple and a double, with fries]
Brown Jug (breakfast) - For late, late night too, food sucks but its an A2 landmark.
Angelos (b-fast) - long wait but worth it. [More hype and scene. The food is indeed good, but the line is very long. An East Coaster phenomenon like no other at Michigan. I guess they don't have breakfast places on Long Island]
Anyway, that's your weekend. I pretty much guarantee you a fun time. If you stick around for the afternoon, check out Scorekeeper's for all the NFL action.
Also, on your first trip to Ann Arbor, make sure you check out...
The Diag - center of campus. Don't step on the Block M in the middle. It is bad luck.
The Union - JFK announced the creation of the Peace Corp on the front steps. Adjacent to West Quad and acrossed the street from the Law Quad and South Quad.
The Law Quad - in my biased estimation, the coolest academic setting in the US. Check out the Law Library.
-----------------------------------
Friday afternoon - Dominick's (behind the Law Quad). Try the sangria, and get to know the perfect combination of Greek life and alternative Ann Arbor. The food is good as well. Not sure if it is still open in November.
Friday night, head out around campus:
Dinner/drinks:
Good Time Charley's - bar/restaurant on South University & Church. I believe Friday is the night the 15 Long Island variations are on special. Try the pepperoni stix and the count twists. The food won't be special, but the drinks and the views probably will be. Sit outside in the fenced-in sidewalk and watch a football town come to life.
or
Pizza House - virtually right next to Charley's. Good pizza, but I'd recommend the Chicken Chipati Salad (ranch and chipati dressing on the side). You've never had it before, and it is good. It might also be the healthiest thing you eat this weekend. This place won't be quite as fun at Charley's but the food is a little better.
After dinner (college bar night):
Scorekeepers - Campus sports bar that may or may not be hopping on the weekend. Thursday is their packed night. Plenty of TVs to watch lots of different sports programming. I sometimes feel like a dirty old man going in there nowadays [that's blockm2 talking, I never feel that way].
Rick's - get there early, and prepare to be ignored by sorority girls. If you were ten years younger, it would be the place to go.
Touchdown - see Rick's, but a little better.
Ashley's - bar with god knows how many beers on tap (60 or so) on State Street on the west side of campus. You can get something on tap from almost any part of the world. Easily the most laid back. You will feel the least weird about being here.
Now, you might want to go to bed early at this point, because you have a big day ahead of you.
Football Saturday:
Decide where you are partying: either tailgating at the University Golf Course, or drinking at Dominick's pregame. If you have a car, or an official tailgate, it will be on the golf course or in the parking lot next to the stadium, so I recommend that. Most everybody over the age of 23 is on the U Course, and it is a pretty friendly bunch. Don't bother eating, it will harsh your buzz. And odds are, somebody will be giving away food. If you don't have a car or a tailgate, head up to Domicks or The Brown Jug for beer and breakfast. Plan on starting by 8am. If you are driving, get to the golf course by 7:30am.
Either way, you'll want to make your way to Hoover Street to make at least some of the walk to the Stadium with the students, probably an hour to an hour and a half before gametime. Be in your seats 30 minutes prior to kickoff, to watch the band and the team take the field. In my opinion there isn't a better entrance in sports.
Post-game: return to tailgate, or local bar, to watch the rest of the afternoon in football.
Saturday night:
Dinner: Grizzly Peak or Ann Arbor Brewing Company. Two breweries located two blocks away from each other. Common theory is that GP has better food, AABC has better beer. I like GP better for the food and the crowd, and I think the beer is better there.
Bars: a number of them on Main Street, but unless you want to play pool, go to Conor O'Neill's. Irish place with good beer, and lot's of disgruntled townies or friendly medical students.
Full Moon Cafe - your basic pool hall. Don't bother going here looking for girls. They'll be there, but they'll be with people.
Cavern Club - more grad students, alums and non-greek seniors in a club-lounge hybrid. Be careful, the Jack & Cokes are stiff.
Sunday breakfast/brunch:
Maize & Blue Deli (lunch) - awesome sandwiches [note: get the #9, the #69, the #26, or the Championship Celebration w/no egg and 1/2 meat]
Blimpy Burger (lunch) - not before the game, might need a bathroom handy...amazing though...be a man and get the quint (I'm not a man, go for the quad) [i like a triple and a double, with fries]
Brown Jug (breakfast) - For late, late night too, food sucks but its an A2 landmark.
Angelos (b-fast) - long wait but worth it. [More hype and scene. The food is indeed good, but the line is very long. An East Coaster phenomenon like no other at Michigan. I guess they don't have breakfast places on Long Island]
Anyway, that's your weekend. I pretty much guarantee you a fun time. If you stick around for the afternoon, check out Scorekeeper's for all the NFL action.
Also, on your first trip to Ann Arbor, make sure you check out...
The Diag - center of campus. Don't step on the Block M in the middle. It is bad luck.
The Union - JFK announced the creation of the Peace Corp on the front steps. Adjacent to West Quad and acrossed the street from the Law Quad and South Quad.
The Law Quad - in my biased estimation, the coolest academic setting in the US. Check out the Law Library.
