- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
400 Renaissance CenterSte A-403
Detroit, MI 48243
Neighbourhood: Downtown Detroit
(313) 567-6700
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Andiamo Detroit Riverfront
Review Highlights
-
"great location right on the detroit river." In 12 reviews -
"...good service --- you guessed it, Andiamo's Ren Cen location." In 3 reviews -
"Mike, our server was very attentive." In 4 reviews
Loading...
37 reviews in English
-
Review from Shamar H.
Ypsilanti, MI
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Pretty good food with exceptional service and location. I love my city and this is a shiny spot for the D! While I missed my tenderloin tips and cream sauce this time, I am sure they will completely satisfy my needs on my next trip.
Our server was excellent and knowledgeable, and the food came hot and well prepared. I did not enjoy our seat by the kitchen, I am sure if I had said something, they would have moved me. It was a romantic weekend and Andiamo only enhanced the romance! Thank You! -
Review from Debbie Z.
4/25/2012
This week is restaurant week in Detroit, so BF and I decided to go (2nd option- first was Irridescence at Motor City, but closed on M & T), Andiamo on the River. Reservations were for 6:30, we got there a little early and saw that parking would have been $20 for anything over 2 hours so we took a little drive along the river to waste some time.
Had to enter through the Renaissance main entrance and it was a little confusing where to go from there to find the restaurant. Went around and found a door, but it told us to go back to the main area and there it was all the way on the left upon entering. The decor is beautiful, I love the beads on the ceiling - it just permeated throughout the dining area.
Restaurant week offers a 3 course dinner for $28 per person which includes an appetizer, main entree, and a dessert - all very limited selections at this location. I decided on the Bruscetta, Pork Loin, and a canolli. BF decided on some risotta wrapped around some cheese - yummy, chicken entree of some sort, and a canolli.
My bruscetta was hard and tasteless unfortunately. Soup or salad came with all entrees. So, I had some sort of pasta soup and BF had a salad. My soup was good, but BFs salad looked better. At first the waitress brought me a salad and I had to remind her that I had ordered soup. It took about 10 minutes for her to get back with the soup and BF had already started on his salad. Then came out a side of pasta - okay, no big deal I could do a better job, I ate most of the tasteless pasta. So by this time I have had tasted BFs risotta, my bruschetta, soup, and then the pasta - OMG my tummy is getting full.
The pork loin finally made it out - it took quite a long time, but we are not in any hurry! BFs chicken looked alright - not melt in your mouth chicken, a little tough he said, but alright. Waitress finally came around again and I hadn't touched my pork loin, can't - asked her to wrap it up because I am just too full! It will be dinner the next night!!! BF ate his canolli, he said it tasted like it was just taken out of the refrigerator or freezer. BF had ordered coffee to go with his canolli, but waitress totally dissed the coffee. After he ate his canolli without a fork I told her to forget the coffee because the canolli was already gone! She wrapped up my canolli along with my Pork Loin.
All in all the food was alright, no big deal. The waitress was the same, no big deal - she was busy talking to another table - all the time! The decor was beautiful though. Parking is meh at best due to the cost. Salvation here was since it took over 3 hours for the meal the waitress gave us a coupon where it would only cost us $10 for parking,and I say only with a frown due to other restaurants outside of Detroit you can self park free. Will more than likely not go back to this Andiamo, especially since I heard that if this was your first time there they would give you to start you off with a special appetizer - did not see that though! Staff was alright - did not make you feel welcome, except for when we left the lady at the entrance did say have a great evening! One more thing, if you take your time eating, they try to take your plate away from you! That happened to me on one plate 3 times! There are better Italian restaurants out there than this Andiamo you are basically paying to eat in the city of Detroit! -
Review from Sally B.
1/10/2012
Wow. Such mixed reviews. Admittedly, I don't eat often at this Andiamo, but every time I have, it has been really good. For lunch, I have the season's grilled salmon salad. It changes a bit depending on the time of year. It's always very tasty. The salmon is perfectly grilled, the salad not over dressed.
Late last summer, hubby and I had dinner there and sat outside. Love that. There aren't enough places in Detroit where you can sit outside. Especially with a view... the riverfront is beautiful. Take time before or after your dinner/lunch for a stroll.
Oops... I digress. I don't remember what we had for dinner last summer, but I don't remember any problems. The waitstaff is helpful and (I've found) appropriately attentive.
The one thing I will caution... the valet is expensive. If you can find creative parking... do it. -
Review from Sheila P.
Royal Oak, MI
4/1/2012
This place is pricy but good. After you have a nice meal, you can take a stroll down the riverfront. Beautiful location. I was pleased.
-
Review from Michael K.
Detroit, MI
2/11/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Great location for a nice dinner. The staff was very nice but not the most attentive when it came to putting in our order or getting the check for us. Other than that the food was pretty decent, I was not a fan of the special but my girlfriend's dish was excellent. All and all, I would say it is a good place to go but there are better restaurants in downtown Detroit.
-
Review from Jennifer V.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
Okay, so my review may be slightly skewed for a few reasons:
1. I didn't pay for anything when I ate here.
2. I came here for a pharmaceutical company-paid presentation.
3. I was paid to be here.
4. I was here for a catered event.
That being said, the food here was really freaking good. I work at an AIDS Service Organization here in Detroit and came to Andiamo Detroit Riverfront for a work-related presentation, which was paid for/sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. In other words, we got paid to go to a fancy restaurant, sit and listen to an excellent, intelligent, & famous AIDS-related guest speaker (Dr. Andrew Zolopa, for those who care), and eat good food.
The meal started off with multiple appetizers, which included calamari, prawns, crab cakes, and roasted & sliced portabello mushrooms. ALL of those things were excellent. We then had the option of choosing from the following entrees - filet mignon, crab-stuffed salmon, or a duet of filet mignon and salmon. Being the food-lover that I am, I chose the duet. I ordered my filet medium rare, and it was cooked to absolute perfection. Seared well on the outside, still red on the inside and just luke warm. And it melted like butter in my mouth. I was genuinely impressed. The salmon was also quite good.
Frankly, the best part of the experience was the service staff. They were all very friendly and attentive, and worked really hard at making sure they moved quickly without interrupting the presentation.
Also, the restaurant has some truly beautiful views right on the river. It's gorgeous! -
Review from Lena L.
2/17/2011
Maybe I'm spoiled being from New York, but this place would have shut down a long time ago if it weren't in Detroit.
Highlights:
- 1/2 off bottles of wine on Tuesday.
- Caeser salad had its moments: fresh lettuce, homemade croutons, not over dressed.
- Server kept us laughing
- Desserts were tasty. Cream puff wasn't a cream puff but tasted good and the kit kat wasn't a kit kat either but again - tasty.
Lowlights:
- Ordered a steak medium rare - came out WELL done. Seriously the poor cow that lost his life to be that abused. 2nd steak came out VERY rare, third time it was close to Med Rare so I took it. Steak was still super tough and grissly.
- Seems very expensive for the quality of the food.
If I ever return I'll stick to pasta, seems people enjoyed those meals.Listed in: Adventures in Motor City
-
Review from Robert K.
Bloomfield Hills, MI
3/7/2012
Andiamos great restaurant
-
Review from Kris A.
2/1/2011
My wife and I went to dinner at Andiamo's Detroit Riverfront as part of her birthday weekend. We're Mille Grazie cardholders, but we tend to go to the one in Novi as it's close to home. Novi is good, but the Riverfront location is phenomenal!
We started with Belvidere dirty martini's with blue cheese stuffed olives, which were perfectly made, and a appetizer of fried calamari. The calamari was perfectly cooked, with a wonderful ammoglio sauce that I just can't get enough of!
Next we ordered the Medaglioni Di Filletto Di Manzo Con Gamberi (Beef tenderloin medallions topped with grilled portabella mushrooms, Boursin cheese and coldwater shrimp for us laymen) for me, and Aragosta Con Granchio Al Forno (Crab stuffed petite lobster tails served with a garlic butter sauce and seasonal mixed vegetables). The we were smart and we split it. There were two tenderloin medallions and two lobster tails, so we both got a bit of surf & turf. The food was beyond description it was so good. Everything was perfectly prepared.
Mind you, this is no place to stop by for a cheap meal (at least not what we ordered), but you get your money's worth! The Manager (Mr. Purchiss) came over and chatted with us a bit, and was very pleasant as well. Our server Mike T was wonderful, and the entire experience was without equal. This is a great place to go out and spoil someone! -
Review from Luna M.
7/12/2011 2 photos
We took advantage of the BOGO offer taking place throughout the month of July which is actually a maximum of $20 off an equal or lesser entree. Made a reservation for 6:30pm to try to make it in time for an 8pm show at the Fox Theatre. it was my first time trying an Andiamo's and the BF had been to one of their other locations prior. When we arrived they were quite busy, but they took us right in and sat us at an intimate booth inside where I had a view of the Caesars in Ontario. I am a fan of booths so I was happy about that and that we didn't end up at an outside table. It was crazy loud out there as a radio station was having a concert on the riverfront. What I was not happy about was the folded cardboard propping up the rectangular light fixture that was partly within the wall in our booth (see picture). It was quite distracting at the corner of my eye. I thought that was ghetto as hell for a place with white tablecloths. The (plastic/crystal?) strings or ropes hanging from the holes in the ceiling looked like a bad decorative craft job from Michael's.
We did not order an appetizer so as not to take a chance finding parking and making it to showtime at the Fox and figured the gratis bread/infused and herbed dipping olive oil and salad that comes w/ the entree would suffice. The small plate the oil is brought in is a little deeper and concave in the center and there was barely any herbs in the actual oil. In order for the bread to get a little bit of those herbsat the bottom you end up SOAKING it in olive oil. Disgusting, I could barely eat it. The olive oil was good and bread was good, but, together, they did not work for me. My BF makes a version of this at home and I tear his up. No comparison there. I found my salad to be haphazardly thrown together and torn up like someone was pissed while prepping. Some of the lettuce pieces were a little brown too. The BF ordered the Filet w/ zip a sauce, rare. He enjoyed it and happily polished off most everything on his plate save for some cauliflower. The pasta with meat sauce that came on a separate dish, not so much, as he left a good portion on his plate. I ordered the gnocchi based on a previous reviewer raving about it and since I have always wanted to try it ($17.95). I wanted to add a little protein to it and went with the chicken tenderloin vs. the breast option (extra $3.95). The gnocchi was salty and the BITS of chicken were overcooked to the point that some of the pieces scratched my throat going down even after a little chewing. I don't think I even ate half of what was on my plate and didn't even bother to take the rest home. Now I don't know if I don't like gnocchi or just Andiamo's take on this dish. The way I see it, after the voucher was applied, my particular meal was $1.90 before tax and tip and that's EXACTLY about what it was worth. Why call it a 'voucher' too? Voucher is not sexy. How about 'certificate' or something.
Like other reviewers indicated, this place is expensive for what you get. What really chapped my ass was that I asked for the house red wine (they only have Red, nothing more specific than that) and when the bill came saw that it was MORE expensive than the cheapest brand of red (Bella Sera) they had on the menu ($10 vs. $8 or $9)! This is the first time I have encountered the house wine trumping one on the wine list in price. A local Michigan draft brew will set you back $7 a pop too. We had 3 beers and one of the beers came in a totally different styled glass--'sectioned' style, not round all around like the others. You'd think a supposedly high-end restaurant would keep the glassware consistent. Normally, if I don't like the food at a place I still may be inclined to go back for starters and drinks. No way here, not at their ridiculous prices. Well, not if *I* was paying, anyway, and I didn't on this trip out. It's not like you get extra ambiance or anything overly special to offset your dollars (see propped up light fixture again). You would think this was a dress up place too, but a number of the patrons that night didn't really reflect that as much.
Service was great though. Our server, Mike, was very friendly, attentive and the salvo of the meal. He was totally the reason for at least one of the two stars. I was definitely left less bitter because of him. Two other manager types checked in with us to see if everything was good. At the end of the meal Mike asked if we had parked with the valet (we didn't) because they have some kind of deal worked out with the restaurant. We were not in the mood to make a stink about the problems noted here in my review. I mean, we came with a VOUCHER and we had a show to get to. Plus, I don't send food back and didn't want to make my BF feel too bad about suggesting this place among others in the area I'd looked up on Yelp for us to try. Best of luck to you if you decide to take the chance on a meal at Andiamo Detroit Riverfront. -
Review from Wanugee N.
Pleasant Hill, CA
7/8/2009
Andiamo is a great riverside Italian Restaurant in the RenCen, facing the river and the Canadian skyline.
It is pretty large, with sexy mood spot-lighting, Italian Modern decor befitting the rest of the concrete and glass motif of the RenCen, with intimate booths furnished with tall pig-sude coverings in dark greys, and stylish bar chairs in black. You walk into the bar area, then past a small stage, and into the main dining room. They also have a side banquet room.
The food is decidedly northern Italian faire, with offerings of anti-pasta, pasta, griglia, pesce, and other typical tuscan and piemonte type dishes, as well as other regional favorites.
We had a large group of 13, and we came late, after 10pm, but they accomodated us with good pleasure and convivial service. Appetizers for our group included Bruschetta, Mozzarella Bufala di Caprese, and Salsiccia with roasted sliced bell peppers.
All the dishes looked good, and mine was no exception. It was Capellini al Salmone, which was two sliced filets nicely roasted into a combination crisp and tender consistency, over a bed of Angel Hair infused with mushrooms and spinach, garlic, olive oil and wine. There was a bit too much olive oil for my liking, but otherwise it was tasty.
Desserts were about 5 choices, including the classic mascarpone and their award winning TiraMisu, and a double chocolate torte/mousse. They also had Hazelnut Gelato, and Wild Berry Sorbetto.
Ambiance was excellent, service was professional, and the food was quite good. Prices, given this setting and view, were high but not unexpected. Most entrees including pasta were in the $20 - $35 range. We had a half dozen bottles of their own Andiamo Sicilian wine, which was unlabelled as to variety, but tasted like a nice light Valpolcella that went well with most everyone's dish.
We all had good food, I heard no complaints, and the dinner was enjoyable for all.Listed in: Wanugee! Italian, Wanugee! Detroit
-
Review from Cristopher B.
Troy, MI
1/23/2010
Executive Summary: Good food, if you can get it. Service is top notch, restaurant planning not so much. Don't go if you're not a patient person or you will leave cranky.
Okay, so here's my thing about Andiamo Detroit Riverfront.
I walked in wanting to LOVE the place. I mean seriously, I'm writing that in all caps so you know I'm serious.
I visited there as part of a dinner with a department from work, and were instructed that we had to wait to be seated, we needed half our group. In a group of eight we were missing two. I'm reasonably sure six is more than fifty percent of eight.
So we were seated in a nice part of the restaurant, just long enough for some folks to get served their drinks, and get comfortable, before we had to move to another table in a dark room, right next to the kitchen. We finally had to ask them to turn the lights up so that our eyes did not have to constantly readjust, as people went in and out of the bright kitchen.
For kicks I ordered an "arnold palmer" martini, which I expected to knock back and be done with it. It first came out tasting like a glass of simple syrup with a bit of grain alcohol in it. Truthfully this is where I give the place a lotta credit.
Immediately both our very lovely server and the bartender (who I later discovered was a high school classmate and teammate of mine) went to work developing a decent martini - it took them something like six tries and they were all on the house, but good lord. Had I just come to drink, I'd have been a happy guy. They weren't good until the last two attempts, but by the fourth one I really didn't care.
In any event, we ordered a shrimp cocktail appetizer. They were out of that. I ordered osso bucco. They were out of that. So I ordered veal. They were out of that.
The excuse is that the auto show crowd cleared them out earlier in the day. Now, I don't know how long Andiamo's has been in this location, but I'm sure they'd been there long enough to know to expect increased customer flow from what is a pretty regular event. No Detroit business is going to open up in late January and be all "Oh no! Look at all these cars! What's going on?" That's stupid, and it's poor planning.
Exasperated, I asked our server to surprise me. And what a girl, she seemed to relish the task and asked me a couple of questions before coming back with one of the best steaks I've ever eaten in a restaurant. Despite being overdone.
It's just as well, since my soup was stupid - giant bowl of chicken stock with a few cheese tortellonis thrown in. Our server put in some extra pasta to be a pal, but dang if it just didn't seem like I should've just drank it out of a mug.
So there we are, all finally eating -at nine o'clock, after arriving at quarter to seven, and still my free drinks keep coming. Truthfully I have never been attended to this well at a restaurant, ever.
After dinner I went to use the restroom, and came back to more drinks and an amazingly sumptuous pineapple cheesecake that I would return for, just for that.
Though the service was outstanding as well, I'd also return for that. Corrine made what could have been a miserable dining experience into a good one, so be warned, I'll fight a dude to sit in her section if push comes to shove. I'm just throwing that out there right now. -
Review from Billy H.
Ferndale, MI
3/3/2010 1 Check-in Here
What has a great view of the Detroit River, wonderful food, and good service --- you guessed it, Andiamo's Ren Cen location. This is my favorite Andiamo location due in-part to the view of the beautiful riverfront.
We decided to take advantage of the Andiamo's Anniversary special: two dinners plus a bottle of house wine for only $40.00 dollars. The selection on the specials menu included a couple chicken dishes, a couple seafood dishes, a couple beef dishes and one pork dish -- overall a very nice selection. The special runs through end of March 2010.
I ordered the eggplant parmigiana (melanzane alla parmigiana), which I wish I could say was wonderful, but unfortunately I received the veal parmigiana in error. While I'm vehemently opposed to veal due to the mistreatment of the young calves used for this meat, I decided to eat it anyway (I'm also against waisting food). The veal had a light herb breading covered in a flavorful marinara sauce; the veal was good. It came with a side of sauteed green beans -- one of my favorites. Note: our server Donna and the Manager were very sorry for the error and very accommodating.
To make up for the food blunder, we received free dessert (my request). I ordered the Chocolate and Raspberry Tort -- absolutely wonderful. A must order!
Overall, the experience was great, but I'm only giving 3 starts for this visit due to the food mixup.Listed in: Place to Visit in the D and…
-
Review from Grace Y.
New York, NY
7/22/2008
So I'm in Detroit for a couple of weeks and I came here with my coworkers for dinner. The waiter that helped us was definitely new (the way he took our orders was really awkward) and our food took over an hour and a half to get from the kitchen to our tables. I ordered the pasta with seafood (I substituted the regular linguine for whole wheat pasta) and ended up with an overcooked BLOB of pasta with mussels and a ton of GRIT. I tried to eat as much seafood as possible (I had to eat something!) and each bite was like taking a bite of sand (have you ever heard of CLEANING your seafood before serving it?). I know it's a lot to expect from a restaurant, but COME ON!!
Also, my server didn't know what seltzer water was...wtf?! -
Review from Christina M.
Macomb, MI
6/14/2010
Stopped here back in 08' with my ex.
The memory is foggy so I'll keep it short and sweet.
Service was horrible.
The pasta side dish came in a plate full of water.
My "side salad" (which consisted of a few pieces of spring mix and two cherry tomatoes) had been drowned in dressing, despite the fact that I had ordered dressing on the side.
The lemon, butter, white wine sauce that my Veal piccata was SOAKED in, had broken under the heat lamp, but was shipped out to me anyway.
And the coffee was old and cold.
Over priced and over rated. -
Review from Ryan B.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2009
My second trip to Detroit for NAIAS, we stumble upon a nice Italian restaurant for dinner before our trip home back to sunny SoCal. I was in the company of my good friend from CA and FL. This restaurant was referred to us so we decided to give it a try. We were pleasantly surprised that this restaurant was only downstairs in "RenCen" from the Marriott we were staying at above. We didn't have to brave the 21 degree cold and snowy weather and we stayed in the comforts of the RenCen. Andiamo's is on the ground floor facing the Detroit River and Windsor, Ontario, Canada. We were lucky to be seated in the high chairs of the dining area with a gorgeous view of the river and the Ceasar's Windsor Casino across the way. We had no reservations, but we were seated promptly. The decor is very nice and upscale. The hostess and the rest of the staff were very friendly.
The food is excellent. To start it off, we ordered the Bruschetta Al Pomodoro Classico appetizer. Delicious homemade breads were also served to accompany the meal. I ordered the Capellini Al Salmone. It was one that was recommended by our waitress and it was fantastic. The portions are very good. I did not get to finish my whole meal which was a good thing because the dessert selection is mind blasting. I was so full I was about to say no to desert. I'm glad I didn't. I ended up splitting the cheesecake with my friend from Florida. It was totally worth it. If you're in town for the auto show, a vacation or a business trip, make sure you visit and enjoy the ambiance of Andiamos at RenCen. -
Review from Jenn F.
San Francisco, CA
3/30/2010
***20th Anniversary Dinner Menu Review***
1st impression: beautiful view of the Detroit river and Windsor skyline; wall of purple-hued fishtanks; full restaurant on a weeknight - woohoo!
2nd impression: waiter arrives with a flourish and gives us the regular menu. "No!!" we proclaim. "We want the 20th anniversary special menu!" (Perhaps this was the Big Mistake?) Upon first glance, we were très impressed- $40 total for 2 entrees, 2 soup/salad, 1 bread basket, and 1 bottle of wine! There was a very good selection of entrees, from seafood to meat to vegetarian. I chose the fettucine with chicken and my friend ordered the steak.
3rd impression: 15 minutes goes by. We wonder out loud whether we have become invisible. We hear a loud, obnoxious woman in a booth yelling at her man (prob not anymore, from the sounds of it). Finally, the waiter arrives. We order. We are served a bread basket. Now, the bread was excellent - in fact, it was the best part of the meal. Freshly baked and soft, served with olive oil and pesto on the side. We chalk the wait up to the chef conjuring amazing meals with love and care for everyone.
4th impression: never mind. Salad was a few pieces of romaine lettuce with 3 cherry tomatoes and a coating of raspberry vinagrette. Fettucine was bland and tasteless. As for that steak... well let's just say it was unfit to be served. Half of it was fat and it was almost impossible to cut, let alone chew. Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the few meals where I asked for a doggie bag (which, incidentally, was not consumed by yours truly).
5th impression: aw shucks, let's just order dessert as a saving grace. I tried the banana walnut sorbet. Given my rave reviews of rival 24 Grille's homemade delicious *blood orange sorbet*, I thought it tasted store-bought. Severely disappointed.
6th impression: I want to pay the bill and go home.
Note: I waited a week to write this review to be as objective as possible. I have a feeling that the dissatisfaction we experienced is unique to the 20th anniversary menu, but hell, if you're gonna celebrate 2-big-0's in business, please, Andiamo, give your customers a bite they can chew. -
Review from Iffat B.
10/26/2009
The ambiance and view at this location was absolutely fabulous.
The service was good.
The food, on the other hand, was another story. Maybe it's because I was trying to be good and ordered off of their new lean menu. I had the Jicama and apple slaw, the salmon in the corn broth, and the panna cotta for dessert. The Jicama slaw was interesting. I've never tasted anything quite like it. I'll just leave it at that. The salmon was good, but the corn broth was disgusting. I couldn't even look at it without gagging. And the Panna Cotta was a complete disaster.
I tried my friend's fettucine alfredo and it was really good as was the big kit kat bar dessert.
Lesson learned: Never try to order a healthy dish at a place like this. You'll just pay alot of money and be disappointed. If you go to this restaurant, definitely stay away from the lean menu! -
Review from Daniella B.
Ann Arbor, MI
8/9/2011
This is a cool place to go when celebrating any special occasion. My friends and I have been here for a large party of 12+ as well as just to enjoy drinks and apps while listening to the live entertainment. It is pricey for dinner but well worth it!
-
Review from Charles S.
La Jolla, CA
7/27/2009
Great view, mediocre food.
Obviously Andiamo's got a great business plan: it was very busy on a Wednesday night -- out of towners, Detroiters on a night out, several groups celebrating events. Lots of fun.
This is Italian-American food time warped from the 1950's. Big portions. Lots of tomato sauce. White table cloth. Squishy bread. Big prices.
The waiter said the best thing on the menu is the steak. Steak is the best dish at an Italian restaurant? I really wanted something more Italian so I ignored the suggestion. I should have listened.
BTW the espresso was so bad it had to have been a mistake.Listed in: The bad stuff
-
Review from Alana D.
Chicago, IL
5/31/2011
This is my favorite restaurant in Detroit,since I live out of state now and hardly ever come back,when I'm home I know I have to hit this place up. I was here just last wknd,and as usual the food was out of sight. I see a few yeplers complaining about the price but I feel its totally worth it,I always leave with left overs,food is seasoned well and service is pretty good. The view of the river is great and on some nights they even have entertainment.
-
Review from Mitch M.
Ann Arbor, MI
1/3/2010
I was a mille grazie member for awhile, and if you like this restaurant you should look into it, but I don't visit as much anymore. Here is my general critique of Andiamo followed by a more location specific critique:
The prices are a little high, and you might be paying more for the ambiance than quality of food. However, that isn't to say the food is poor quality. Quite the contrary. It's yummy :-)
I have never really ordered anything I didn't like here, but I don't eat seafood so I can't say I've sampled that fare. Regardless, depending on your budget there isn't really a dish that you can go wrong with.
Location --
This is the Andiamo you come to if you want the full experience. Make a reservation and request river view. They have an entire back side that they can stick you in if you don't haha. Very beautiful location and it comes highly recommended. The only caveat would be that sometimes the valet can take awhile so be prepared for that. On the plus side you're in the Ren-Cen so you can just walk around or (in summer) enjoy the riverfront. After your meal, depending on the weather, you may wish to take your date on a riverfront walk. It's the best Andiamo location in my opinion. -
Review from Lynn T.
Alexandria, VA
5/3/2011
What an incredible disappointment on all fronts. Although on the river, the view is nothing to get excited about. The waitress came out and listed the specials, yet mispronounced 5 different ingredients. All Italian ingredients, at an Italian restaurant. We should have taken this an omen of what to expect with the meal.
The Caesar was poor - fresh romaine, but the dressing tasted bottled. No hint of anchovy paste whatsoever, but at least there were plenty on the top. One of us had the lamb chops served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. In addition, a side of pasta with red sauce accompanied it, but arrived a full 15 minutes before the entree. The waitress said our meals were coming right out. When the didn't arrive, the pasta should have been replaced. My wild mushroom risotto was sticky, but not in the way that risotto normally is. This was heavy and glue-like.
We decided to split a dessert and the waitress encouraged us to try their award winning tiramisu. It looked good, and it was thoughtfully split on two plates for us. What arrived though, was just plain awful. Dry and flavorless. Award winning? Hardly!
The prices were high - extremely high considering the quality of the food. Shame on them for charging these prices and serving mediocre-at-best food. Don't waste the effort or the expense. Go to a coney island place - it would be a heckuva lot better! -
Review from Nikki W.
9/9/2008
Great location, great food and great service. I stopped in Andiamo's the other night with a friend. We didn't have dinner but we sat at the bar for some conversation and drinks. Even though it was already 10:30pm when we arrived and they close at 11pm the hostess was more than welcoming.
We sat at bar and ordered drinks. We had the nicest bar tender. She talked with us for a little while and then brought our drinks. My friend ordered a concoction that required the expresso machine. The person who was preparing his drink came out to apologize that it would be a few minutes because the machine had just been cleaned for the night.
She didn't mind having to re-clean the machine and even though we insisted she didn't go through the trouble she was kind enough to insist she would. We did close the place and the staff wasn't visibly upset that we overstayed our visit by 10 minutes. -
Review from Ben K.
Chicago, IL
3/26/2010 1 Check-in Here
A nice place, but no great shakes.
I was traveling on business with a large group, 10 people, and the locals took us here to Andiamo.
I had Wild mushroom soup, a steak panini sandwich, and some lemon cheesecake for dessert. All were very good, in fact I thought the mushroom soup was excellent. A bit salty, but I like that.
The service was slow. Admittedly we were a very large group, but it didn't look like the rest of the tables in the place were being turned over much faster. I get the feeling this is a place to go when you aren't in a rush for lunch, or probably dinner either.
The atmosphere to me was a bit disorienting. I'm not sure why. There's mirrors on some walls, glass partitions on others, and between all the reflections it took me a few minutes to get my bearing.
The place did have a excellent wait staff, they were very attentive. There is a nice view onto the River. And the food, once we got it, was very good. -
Review from Mike S.
Montclair, NJ
6/16/2011
Food was pretty good and server was very attentive - almost too attentive. The worst part about Andiamo was that we were staying in the Marriott and trying to navigate the maze that is the Renaissance Center was pretty difficult. It was also a nice evening so we decided to sit outside - which would have been alright, except for the numerous low riders/jacked up cars that were driving around the block blasting their music. Can't blame that on the restaurant though, they can't help that they're located in Detroit.
-
Review from Kyle S.
Ypsilanti, MI
12/22/2008 1 photo
I had the most amazing meal here. Incredible food. The waitress was very sweet and friendly. The oreo cheesecake was delicious. Great calamari.
-
Review from Charlie P.
Anniston, AL
8/23/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Walked the River Walk, and stopped here for a beverage. Wound up ordering some appetizers that were very tasty. Mike, our server was very attentive. I would definitely come back for a meal.
-
Review from Bob N.
7/31/2010
Ok, I should have known when they started offering BOGO. Went on a Friday night before the Rockin on the Riverfront concert right after work. Had reservations for the patio and was seated very promptly, so far so good. Was served very good bread and dipping oil just after being seated. Ordered our drinks and should have gueesedthey would be expensive when they don't list the price. $15 for a martini YIKES.
We ordered our dinners, a bowtie chicken with mushrooms and cheese which we asked to exclude and their Bistecca porterhouse steak ordered medium rare.
Salads and soups both good but nothing special.
The chicken dish arrived with both items that we asked to be excluded so that was sent back. It came back the second time without the cheese but still having the mushrooms, ok we can pick off the mushrooms.
The steak ordered medium rare arrived well done and lukewarm, so that was sent back.
The second steak arrived medium rare, good, but tough as nails. I had to saw thru the filet side and didn't even eat half.
I guess i should have ordered spaghetti.
Way to much money for this place. -
Review from Dave C.
Detroit, MI
8/10/2009
Sounds like from previous reviews that Andiamos has been pretty hit or miss. My experiences have been really disappointing. I've been there twice so far and am debating whether or not it was my last trip.
I was sat in the 'winter garden' area one time which translates into the 'overflow seating'. This was their way of saying they overbooked the main dining room, but still want your money anyway. We didn't see a waiter for a good 20 minutes. It was like we were in a blackhole and no one could see us. Except for the people coming down the escalator in the middle of our dinner in the GM lobby 'or wintergarden'. Did i mention it was freezing? I had to laugh at that one. Someone finally came said 'sup' and took our orders and forgot to bring back drinks. I finally just couldn't take it anymore and asked the hosts to seat us on the main floor. She did.... 20 minutes later after my leathery lasagna was half eaten and my party was ready to leave. If you're not going to sit someone on the main floor Andiamos, you should tell them when they make their reservation!
this is where it gets funny. The host actually started picking up some of our plates and told us to follow her. We walked litterally through the restaurant, through the dance floor, through the bar, and to the table carrying our own dishes.
and then we sat..... for an hour....and waited for the check. In awe at how royally this restaurant had screwed up.
I spoke with a very kind manager about it and wanted us to come back and try them again on the house. Sadly, the food was still mediocre and the restaurant was still cold, but hey, it was free and we had a decent table with a nice view. -
Review from Mary Y.
11/23/2009
While at a recent convention, I stopped in for apps and dessert. Great choice. I've been to other locations, in Livonia and Dearborn, and I liked the ambiance and the view here best.
Appetizers? Caprese Salad, Portabella with Zip Sauce and these greasy risotto mozzarella things which were lacking something but I'm not sure what.
I would have expected a little better wine selection, though I'm a bit high maintenance when i really want a good glass of wine. (Who doesn't after working a convention all day?). My Chianti Ruffino was ok, but nothing to set the world on fire.
But dessert? YUM. We had a pumpkin spice cheesecake that may have flopped miserably, but it didn't. None of us are cheesecake fans and we found it light and fluffy and yummy. There were 3 or 4 other desserts that didn't look half bad either.
The service was attentive and the waitstaff knowledgeable.
If you want to pretend Detroit is San Francisco, sit in the window and look out. The water is calming and if it is warm, you can convince yourself that Detroit is simply not as bad as everyone bitches it to be. -
Review from Deepa J.
Chicago, IL
2/3/2009
After making my way through a maze of deserted floors and desolate store windows in the Renaissance Center, I was very pleasantly surprised to step into a bustling scene at Andiamo. Our group got a table with a great view of the waterfront and Windsor beyond, a very friendly hostess who was as eager to get out of Detroit as we were, and a great deal on some good dining.
Andiamo presents a nice vibe, by any standards - the interiors are nice, albeit a little busy, space is plentiful and the menu has enough to pique interest.
I loved the gnocchi, rich but wonderfully delicious - the half size portion was about as much as I needed coming on the heels of a substantial salad and a guilt-free attack on the bread basket! Glasses clinked, conversation flowed and somewhere between sipping my Spanish wine and soaking in my coworkers' tales, I realized my road-warrior days were back again...Gearing up for more yelp-trips in the Motor city! -
Review from Sophia G.
Ann Arbor, MI
3/3/2008
I am always impressed with the service and the breathtaking view of the Detroit River. The food is good and the waiters are very attentive, with the bus boys whisking away empty plates almost as soon as you are done with them. This would be an excellent place to take a business client for a fancy lunch or your significant other for a romantic dinner.
-
Review from Derrick G.
Broomfield, CO
10/13/2009
Nice atmosphere. Dug the aquariums lining the wall behind our table. Great filet mignon. One of the nicer places in the saddest city in America.
-
Review from A Y.
Petaluma, CA
6/25/2008
great location right on the detroit river.
i was in a group of about 8 that grew to 9, then 10 and finally at 12.
they were totally cool about the reservation flux, and we had great service. our waiter, william, was young, attentive and had nice recommendations for our food/wine.
even when we had a disasterous time with the bill (seriously, 8 separate checks? lame), he was nice about it even though it clearly made things harder for him.
the food was good, although i thought the fried calamari was a bit cold and not nearly as good as the stuff i get out here on the left coast. they had a nice columbia valley SB, which was great with the veal. i will say, however, that nothing i had made me think, "damn! this is fucking awesome!" i've definitely had much better italian food here in the north bay. it was just pleasant comfort food on a rainy evening in detroit. nothing special and nothing that stood out as being wrong, either. anyway, a very enjoyable dinner, attentive service and nice art deco interior. would visit again, though it wouldn't be a priority. -
Review from gummy j.
San Francisco, CA
5/17/2010
The atmosphere is nice, very modern. The food is good, but not great. It's right next to the water, but finding it was a maze that they call the GM building. How about some proper signage, Ren Cen?
-
Review from K C.
Frankfort, KY
7/6/2010
As out of town visitors to Detroit, we've always enjoyed the blue collar attitude we find, however this was not the case when we visited Andiamo Riverfront. We were staying in the Renaissance Ctr Marriott and meeting friends and thought eating there would be very convenient. We were walk-ins but apparently this means the manager and staff can be as rude as they want to you. The only person that would acknowledge us was the waiter who was great (Joe S.). When myself & a friend asked where the bathrooms we were quite rudely in a nasty tone sent to the public restrooms located in the mall complex even though there are restrooms for customers located in the restaurant. We were constantly called the "walk-ins" and were treated with general disdain when my husband & I had the gall to split an entree because we were watching our weight. When we complained to the manager we were generally dismissed, given an excuse as to basically why the hostess was so rude to us (his excuse was that we were sitting at the patio/mall area and she didn't realize we were guests, unfortunately this excuse didn't hold water since the hostess was who seated us, she just didn't like us being walk-ins). Also, in general the food was overpriced and bland. I honestly expected better and can say that this put a damper on our second visit to Detroit. I definitely won't be back.
