Sean O'Callaghan's - Plymouth, MI

I started coming here when they first opened. In the beginning they had really amazing, hearty food. They had a chicken sandwich on a crusty bread that was to die for with zesty slaw and the sourest pickles that I have never quite forgiven them for axing off the menu to be honest.

The last meal I had in there was with my entire family. We all had issues with our food and it was a disaster, not that the staff minded any but still. The staff is unfriendly, inefficient and borderline incompetent. Grossly overpriced food badly done is the ultimate restaurant sin in my book, compound it with the fact no one cared enough to address problems properly after complaints and well guess who will never go back?

The burgers in here are ten bucks. Seriously. Not a great burger but a simple bacon burger is ten bucks. For ten bucks I want something special.

I had a Shaved Prime Rib sandwich that was so fatty I could barely eat it, skimpy portioned too. All that for 13.50. Wait, they also charged me 3.00 extra for a small cup of curry dip to eat overdone chips aka fries with. Chewy and tasteless.

My dad had the Corned Beef and Cabbage. 12.50 for a rather sad plate of underdone veggies with a meager helping of beef. Rather bland to boot. I easily make better in a freaking crock pot.

For 9.50 my husband had Irish Breakfast. They were out of bacon aka rashers so they merely didn't put it on the plate. My husband had to complain and then they told him they were out. He had to actually make the suggestion they substitute something for the missing meat. He was highly annoyed because he wanted the bacon and would not have ordered it at all if he knew they had none. His toast was overdone and his potatoes as all veggies at O'Callaghans were underdone.

My mother had the only decent dish of the day but of course had to wait for it while the rest of us ate our food. By the time hers came we were done except James, who was finally getting his substitute bangers for his missing rashers. The Shepherd's pie was tasty and we all drooled as she ate it in jealousy.

Everything is extra here. They nickle and dime you into a very expensive final tab and frankly the food is so not worth it. I would avoid it, even if you have a great coupon. I have no respect for poor service and less for management that fails to address basic complaints. I will never be back.

Malarkey's - Westland, Michigan

Malarkey's is a classic sports bar type place. The Southgate location is quite a bit more glam and roomy than the Westland one but both have equally good food and staffing.
Coupons for Marlarkey's two locations can be found here: http://www.saveoneverything.com/moreinfo.php?advertiser_code=7342812616#. You can also purchase some here: http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=335204&mcn=&eb=False.

The fare is typical but tasty. I love the French Dip, really good roast beef and swiss, au jus for dipping. The Reuben is tasty, ask for extra dressing on the side though. The Super St. Paddy Melt is seriously yummy and big. Fries are good but substitute onion rings for a real treat.

The Steak Bits appetizer is excellent, I recommend them cajun style. You can also get them on a salad and it is tasty. The Super Burrito is huge and a fave of my mother. The Fish and Chips are good and they have numerous steaks that look quite delicious.

This is a strictly casual place. They feature specials on burgers and beer pretty regularly and that is really the kind of place it is, burger and beer. They have some great specials at lunch and can be a real bargain. Solid fare, good drink specials, clean and happy. Use the coupons and give it a whirl.

Cafe Marie - Ann Arbor

I love breakfast but I can be very picky about it. The Cafe Marie does breakfast so well that I am always willing to go there. It is very happy breakfast indeed. You can get a coupon in the entertainment book for a real bargain here.

I love that they offer pots of tea here. A rarity outside of a tea room but one very much appreciated by me. I am not a fan of tea bags and when anyone offers a properly brewed loose leaf I am all over it. They have a great variety to boot, including good chai. My father says the coffee is excellent as well but I will never know that as I do not indulge. Basically this is a beverage paradise, they offer juices, smoothies, all the coffee house essentials, including syrups.

The food here is just excellent. They have four different Benedicts, my fave is the Salmon Bene. Perfectly poached eggs and hollandaise with excellent smoked salmon on english muffins. Heaven. My mom is a fan of the skillets, which are quite good and come in so many varieties. The South of the Border Omelet is great with chorizo, salsa and sour cream. The Whole Wheat Blueberry Flapjacks are just amazing here. You feel healthier ordering them but they sure do not taste at all like health food. The Eggers are fun, served in flour tortillas and of course I will recommend the salmon one.

They are very flexible in here. You can get tomatoes instead of home fries and make special health requests in other areas too. Very nice waitstaff and just lovely atmosphere.

If you come on a weekend be prepared to wait. They will take reservations though.

Carrabbas - Canton, Michigan

I try not to review too many big chain places but I do want to review here as it is my favorite of the chain places. It does not have coupons but I don't really care because it is consistently great food. We have also visited the one on Novi and it is every bit as good.

The appetizers in here are great. The Cozze In Bianco are fresh Canadian Cove mussels from Prince Edward Island steamed in white wine, basil, lemon butter and Pernod. You can easily share them with four people, such a deal. The sauce is so good to dip bread into too. The Shrimp Scampi is my husband's fave, sautéed with garlic, white wine, herbs and lemon butter, served with garlic toast for dipping. A small portion for what you pay though so be warned. The flavor, however is top notch.

I love the soups in here. My favorites are the Mama Mandola's Sicilian Chicken Soup, a zesty soup with delicate noodles and the spicier Lentil and Sausage, an absolute delight. I basically could just get a bowl of soup and bread in here and be totally happy. My family also likes the Minestrone but I must confess I never get it. The salads are nice too but I would never pick them over soup to be honest.

I almost always get one of two dishes in here. If I am looking for something light I get the excellent Tagliarini Picchi Picchiu, a fine pasta in a sauce of crushed tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and basil. I add grilled chicken as all the grilled items here are so incredibly good. If I am looking to splurge I get the Chicken Bryan which is grilled chicken breast topped with a sharp goat cheese, sundried tomatoes and a basil lemon butter sauce. I always ask for Fettucini Alfredo as my side pasta and they always allow it. Calorie heaven I know but honestly this is the only fettucini alfredo I eat outside of my own homemade and frankly it is way better than mine.

My husband always gets something with Fettucini Alfredo. Usually Filet Fiorentino with a double side of it. The filet is incredibly good, just melt in your mouth tender perfection. As Carrabbas is owned by the same company that owns Outback its really no wonder.

My parents are fans of the Spiedino di Mare, shrimp and sea scallops coated with Italian breadcrumbs, grilled and topped with lemon butter sauce. Good but not a whole lot of it in my opinion. I love when they have the Chicken Trio on special as I am a huge fan of the Bryan but also quite like the Marsala with the proscuitto and mushroom sauce and the Rosa Maria with the fontina, proscuitto, mushroom and basil lemon butter sauce.

One of the things I love about here is we always have leftovers, my husband and I both make it a two meal deal when we dine, that makes me feel better about spending too much. This place is also special to us as we have had numerous romantic events together in the dimly lit interior, so it always feels happy here for us.

So if you want a top of the line chain with reliable food, good service and a nice atmosphere you cannot go wrong with Carrabbas.

Szechuan - Canton, Michigan

This has long been my absolute favorite Chinese restaurant in the area. It is not cheap at dinner and there are no great coupons but I recommend it anyway. That should tell you something right there. This restaurant is so good we actually drag the food down to St. Louis whenever we see my sister, she misses it that much. They mention something about a deal for a dollar off for every ten you spend here: http://szechuancanton.com/SzechuanCanton.html

I always get a pan fried dumpling appetizer here. The pork filled dumplings are always perfectly cooked and the filling is just so good. I ask for some hot chili oil to spice up the dark brown sauce with scallions that goes with them. It could easily be your whole meal but I share them. The Wrapped Spicy Chicken is like a chicken dumpling minus the skin, unwrap the foil and eat it like a dumpling, delicious. The Cold Noodles in Spicy Sesame Sauce are a cheap lunch at 3 dollars. I adore their peanut tasting sauce and the crunch of the veggie accents.

Lunch is a pretty good deal in here and are plenty to fill you up. Their soups are excellent, I recommend any but have a special fondness for the Wonton. My mother is a sucker for the Hot and Sour though, while my sister swears by the Egg Drop. The lunches come with your choice of fried or steamed rice, My sister and I stick with steamed but the fried is loved by the rest of my family. You also can have Crab Rangoons or a Spring Roll, both are good but I always take a Spring Roll.

The Baby Shrimp in Spicy Szechuan Sauce is amazing. So tender and flavorful, I love how spicy they can make it too. The Hunan Chicken is perfect, I love all the veggies in it. The General Tsou Chicken is the very best I have ever had and worth going off a diet for. The coating so very light and the sauce a sticky spicy delight. It is served on bean sprouts which are happy. The Sesame Chicken is a fave of my dad, it is very good indeed, again not too much breading, just a lightly coated fry job. The Beef in Garlic and Ginger Sauce is fabulous, tender and just the right flavor, if you want spicy you need to ask for it extra spicy, as beef doesn't take spice as easily as shrimp or chicken. Medium is the minimum spice I order but I prefer Hot or Extra Hot on almost all these items. At dinner a must is the Crispy Shrimp in Champagne Sauce. So lightly fried in an amazing tempura type batter and the sauce is to die for. Get it spiced Hot for a treat.

As far as veg, I have had the Home Style Tofu with a friend and found it quite tasty. I am waiting to go back with her to try the Sesame or Kung Pao Tofu which both sound yummy. The Ginger Garlic Eggplant was delicious so I am sure the broccoli would be just as tasty. The Moo Shu Vegetables were fun and different. There are some fun veg choices here which I like, especially as a lot of the entrees are not full of veggies.

They redid the restaurant about a year ago and the interior is quite nice and soothing. Servers are great, efficient and accommodating. The owner is a peach who of course remembers a girl who gets six dinners to go on an airplane on a fairly regular basis. The tea is always piping hot and the water glasses are refilled regularly.

If you like good and spicy Chinese food you will like it here. I love it and pay full price happily, although I do usually come for lunch unless I am wanting to splurge.

Grand Traverse Pie Company - Plymouth, Michigan

If you want pie, this is the place to come. A bit spendy but you know you want to indulge in more ways than one. Besides the only other pie specialty place (Baker's Square) is virtually disappearing from our area, you won't much care though once you taste these pies.

The Grand Traverse Pie Company has food but for now all I am reviewing is dessert. This is possibly the best non-homemade pie I have ever had. The cream pies are smooth and creamy with flaky crusts. The crumb topped fruit pies are sweet and have the best crusts around. The traditional topped fruit pies are good but trust me, get crumb instead.

Ironically the very best item in this place is a Lemon Square. A mere 1.99 and found in the refrigerated section. A taste of heaven in a bar. A shortcake like bottom with a creamy gel lemony middle topped with a bit of cakey layer covered in powdered sugar. Bliss, absolute freaking bliss. I could eat one every day of my life. The other bars are just ok. I can make better.

Cookies are meh. Big and a decent value but as somewhat of a cookie expert I say don't waste the time or the calories.

There is a peanut butter muffin looking creation with a swirled chocolate middle reminiscent of a kiss that is also 1.99 and to die for. My husband quite enjoys. It is a cross btween a cookie and a tart.

Chocolate Peanut Butter is a great cream pie and just so delicious and smooth. The Key Lime is amazing, creamy and just the right tart level. The Chocolate Cream is fine but I am not dying to have it again.

The Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb is perfect. The Apple Crumb is a touch too sweet but that doesn't bother my sweet toothed husband. Blueberry Crumb is my father's absolute favorite pie there and I must admit it is quite good. The Cherry Crumb is great as well. All are great with the store ice cream with it, a delicious vanilla.

As I am avoiding sweets I am doing my best to pretend this place does not exist. A word of warning though, do not buy the last Lemon Square just in case I have an emergency....

Rocky's of Northville - Northville, Michigan

I love this place! I have been coming for years and it only continues to improve. No coupons but join their club and get in on it here: http://www.rockysnorthville.com/rockiesgues.html .

Rocky's is seriously tasty food. Chefs Rocky Rachwitz and Dan Meier know their food. It is cheaper at lunch, early bird dinner or to come in and order off the special raw bar menu.

The one thing that is a must to get while in season is the Gazpacho. I must confess I have stolen the recipe. They also have excellent Cole Slaw you can get with optional crumbled Maytag Bleu cheese. The house salad is a treat with cranberries, gorgonzola and raspberry viniagrette too.

They also have great appetizers. The calamari is tender and zippy. The Smoked Seafood Pate is really delicious. The house Smoked Salmon is just perfect as is the spice rubbed Ahi Tuna served rare as it should be. Mussels are great any way you get them. The Oysters are just fresh and amazing raw or cooked.

Fish specials are always a good choice. I had a Blue Marlin once that blew me away. My father was a fan of a Swordfish that was covered in a creamy shrimp sauce. Basically if it sounds good it will be. Fish is never overcooked here, it is always fresh and comes with innovative ingredients that match tastes perfectly.

Right now they are having a whitefish festival. I can highly recommend the Hazelnut Encrusted Whitefish that comes with wilted greens, basmati rice and brown butter reduction. They have four other choices as well, all under twelve dollars at lunch. Bargain.

My old standbys are the pan roasts. Seafood like Shrimp, Scallops and Oysters in a spicy cream sauce with veggies like artichokes or sun dried tomatoes. The New England is good but the Pesto is better in my opinion. Creamy sauce, perfect seafood and rice under twelve bucks at lunch, how could you go wrong? The Oyster Stew is also very nice indeed from the raw bar menu.

If you see The Roasted Half Duck on the menu I strongly suggest you indulge. Rocky's is hands down the best I have ever had, with spaetzle and red cabbage it is a delight. The Short Ribs Of Beef fall off the bone tender and delicious. So freaking good.

If you are looking for great fresh seafood, love duck or beef short ribs you have to try Rocky's of Northville. You will not be sorry.

Ashley's - Westland, Michigan

They have been running coupons for here in the Thursday Detroit Free Press Play section. You can also get one online of you are have an Entertainment book. If you join their e-club they will send you a coupon for a free appetizer here: http://www.ashleys.com/.

If you are at all into beer, Ashley's is the place for you. They have varieties from around the globe and something like 60 on tap. This is not a big deal for me but I know there are some serious beer fans out there so I will highlight it at any rate.

Ashley's is a very nice looking place. A former Uno Chicago Grill, they have replaced all things Chicago with Detroit/Ann Arbor/Beer theme. The restaurant is big yet cozy. The staff is hit or miss, we had a great waitress on one visit but the waiter we had on the other was horrible.

The food is good, some better than others. The French Onion soup is incredible and you can get it with no upcharge with an entree. The Bay Chowder is quite good too. The Chicken Noodle just eh. The side salads are boring but are all you can eat, if that is your thing. The entrees also come with all you can eat breadsticks, which are light and puffy with a bit of buttery crunch. If you cannot decide between soup and salad then get both for a mere dollar more yay!

The burgers in here are good, not great. The Monster Burger comes with two kinds of cheese, bacon, sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms. I liked the bun but the burger itself was missing something in my opinion, I think perhaps it was the fact the patty was a preformed half pounder. All burgers and sandwiches come with all you can eat fries which are coated in a light batter and quite delicious.

The pizzas are awesome. The Motor City Classic is an all meat affair with chunks of meat and tomatoes wrapped in a ton of cheese. The deep dish variety is definitely the way to go. The BBQ Chicken had a tangy sauce and really tasty chicken, I really liked it a lot. You can create your own combo from a variety of toppings and be quite happy as the crust is just freaking good.

The Fish and Chips are coated in a Sam Adams batter and are meaty with a light crispness to them. Absolutely delicious! I had a Bronzed Tilapia that was nice, as is the Grilled BBQ Salmon. The Rattlesnake Pasta was misleading as it was none too spicy but still tasty. All were more than generous helpings.

This is a good middle of the road place. I would stick with the Fish and Chips, soups and Pizzas though. They were the definite stars of the show.

Steve's Family Dining II - Livonia, Michigan

I have been going to Steve's since it's first location off of Five Mile road. This place is a huge step up in size as well as atmosphere but the food is still the same deliciousness and the waitresses still do a great job. I do not have a coupon link for you, nor do I believe they have ever had coupons but the prices are so reasonable you will not need them.

I will concede that the best of the best Polish cuisine is found in the Hamtramack area, I will not get into which of those restaurants is best as that is up for some debate. Those can be an out of the way hike for some, particularly with gas prices what they are. This spot in the burbs is a great bargain with quite good food though.

My favorite dish at Steve's is the Polish Combo, a flexible affair that can please anyone's taste buds. It comes with three pierogi, your choice of cheese, potato, kraut or a combo of three. I love the cheese but my mom swears by the kraut. Another choice for the plate is between the City Chicken or the Stuffed Cabbage. You also get a big link of kielbasa which is juicy and delicious. City Chicken, for those who do not know, is not chicken at all but is cubed pork, veal or beef loin on a skewer that is breaded then cooked, forming a light gravy with it. It is tasty and I prefer it to the Cabbage but my dad would argue with me on that. There is so much on the plate we almost always have big leftovers to pack up. They also give you a big basket of rye bread with refills too, you will not leave hungry I guarantee you.

The pierogi are good but I am a snob, I only love homemade. If you want the best in your life go to the Plymouth Fall Festival and visit the Polish Dancer's booth. I will write my best advice for food at that event at a later time though.

A must try at Steve's is the Dill Pickle Soup. You can get a cup at a meal for 50¢ which is bowl sized. I must confess I am so addicted I get the massive plate sized bowl of it for 1.50 instead. The bonus is I always take more than half my dinner home with me. The other soups are good but this is special to me so I nearly always get it.

This food is simple, filling and more than reasonably priced. I think anyone would find something to enjoy. If you are a fan of good polish food or just like nice hearty cuisine, try Steve's. A real bargain.

The Breadbasket Deli - Livonia, Michigan

I am going to review this as it is the best corned beef in the area. It's a limited review as I only ever order one thing in this place and I am not willing to ever change up even to help you out. I am a #3 Corned Beef, period. It comes on triple decker white toast with swiss, coleslaw and russian dressing. I know, I know, white toast but try it and you will never go back to rye. Trust me. You taste corned beef in all its glory with nothing else vying for your attention.

I see a few people ordering the lean or extra lean variety in here but don't wuss out. Corned beef is not health food, it is utter deliciousness studded with juicy bits of fat. I am not saying indulge every day but c'mon people if you are going to go for it, go for the gusto. Eat only half the sandwich like I do instead of somehow trying to make it healthier. Really you will be hard pressed to finish the whole thing unless you are a huge eater anyhow.

My mother and late grandmother are fans of the pastrami version of the #3 but except for James no one in my family deviates from #3. James is just stubborn. He is very pissy about the fact they do not carry cheddar here and therefore will not order anything in silent protest, which is fine as I get my sammie to go. He says the roast beef was nice on the one sammie he did try in here but without cheddar he will never try it again, even though we take the thing home and he could ummmm add some cheddar of his own. Silly man does not like corned beef or pastrami at any rate so I think maybe the Breadbasket should have put the kibosh on him at any rate rather than the other way around but I digress.

The sides in here are ok. Nothing special. I do highly recommend the New Pickles, a less aged pickle that has the snap of a cucumber but a good fresh dill flavor. I always get a whole one cut up to go with my feast.

They have a coupon for a dollar off a sandwich here: http://www.breadbasketdelis.com/coupons.htm

Go on, be bad. It won't kill you. If you like corned beef, try this Detroit classic. There are five in the metro area but I am a Livonia girl personally.

Herc's Prime Beef and Seafood - Livonia, Michigan

I knew I had to review this place after my post about Liver and Onions at Karl's. I have been coming to Herc's for years with my parents, so I happen to know the owner here personally. David is a great chef and a real sweetheart personally too but I will try to stick to reviewing just his food. You can find purchasable coupons for Herc's here: http://www.restaurant.com/ as well as free ones here: http://www.saveoneverything.com/moreinfo.php?advertiser_code=7344251830# or on the restaurants website here: http://www.hercsprimebeef.com/ .

I have been coming to Herc's so long I do not even need to read a menu. I usually order a special at any rate. David is very creative and the specials are always just really fabulous and fresh. They run the gamut from scallops, fresh fish or garlic roasted prime rib to kielbasa and kraut, deep fried smelt or liver and onions. From the elegant to home cooking classics, all are done well and in heaping portions.

My husband is hooked on the Fried Shrimp here, a big enough portion to satisfy his ginormous appetite. They are giant, perfectly coated in a light batter and never greasy. He also loves getting a Cheddar Burger without the sauteed onions, stubborn man.

My father usually gets the Rib Snack which is quite a big portion of ribs in a very tasty BBQ sauce. He is also very fond of the Lake Perch Sandwich which has three perfectly fried pieces of fish on a bun with lettuce tomato and tartar sauce. Occasionally he will get a Roast Beef Dinner but he likes it best covered in gravy rather than with the au jus that I prefer. He says the Smelt here are the best he has had and they are hard to find elsewhere at any rate.

My mother also loves the smelt but she is addicted to the Liver and Onions, tender and delicious with lots of grilled onions and crispy bacon. She often gets the Burrito Supreme which is huge. The Roasted Garlic Prime Rib is an occasional order for her, she really loves it but it is a lot of meat. She also has a real fondness for the Garlic Chicken Parmesan, the Frog Legs and the Clam Strips.

I love the Shrimp and Scallops either sauteed or fried. I adore all the various fresh fish dishes, especially the Salmon. On the menu you can always get Salmon Rockefeller, Dijon Honey Pecan Encrusted Salmon or Basil Pesto Salmon and all three are winners. I am fond of the Breasts of Chicken done cajun style, simple but delicious. I too will indulge in a Herc Burger with either swiss or provolone and added bacon. For the added 75¢ you get so much bacon your eyes will pop. If I ever see the Kielbasa and Kraut on special I am all over it, it can easily feed you for two meals, possibly three.

Soups here are always fabulous and piping hot. I love the Creamy Mushroom, Ham and Bean, Cabbage, the French Onion, I could go on and on. My husband likes the Chicken Noodle here quite a bit. You cannot go wrong. The salad bar here is tiny but delicious with great toppings. I am addicted to the homemade creamy garlic dressing, possibly one of the only creamy dressing I can stomach. The rolls are also always fresh and crusty good.

The atmosphere here is not a match to the food, dark and a bit less than elegant. Attire is fairly casual. Kids eat free on Mondays and they are open late and get a decent bar crowd. I do adore it. It is a place where they remember you, the waitresses know their stuff and you get great food for a good price. Give it a whirl, you will be surprised.

Karl's Cabin - Plymouth, Michigan

This is a place with some history to it. Johnny Cash once played here for goodness sakes, you gotta love that. They also have seriously good food in good quantities and I do love that with a great deal of respect. You can often find coupons for here in the Clipper magazine and I advise you join their e-club too found here: http://www.karlscabin.com/ . My first mailing was a coupon for fifteen bucks off so that made me happy indeed.

I have eaten here on numerous occasions and it is always top notch. I recommend starting with the Smoked Whitefish & Salmon Pate platter, with its fun crackers and toasted pita it is just yum. The Calamari comes with a tasty tomato, caper and scallion beurre blanc. The Mussels are sauteed in a white wine and garlic clam sauce and served on a bed of spinach, so freaking good. The owners here are Greek so of course there is Saganaki, a gooey and delicious flaming kasseri cheese block. I just love when they flame it tableside.

The soups here are tasty but I am not a fan of the bland chili. The starter salads are delicious and I love that at dinner you can substitute a Greek, Caesar or incredible Forest Walnut as one of the choices.

You can make salad your whole meal here and not regret it. The Forest Walnut has candied walnuts, dried cherries, grilled chicken breast and delicious gorgonzola to make you very happy. The Steak and Spinach is one of my faves with tenderloin tips, roasted red peppers, egg and parm covered spinach drizzled with warm bacon vinaigrette. So filling. The bread basket that comes with has delicious rye bread and hard crunchy breadsticks that are tasty too.

Sandwiches are huge here and use quality meats. I adore the Cajun Chicken Cordon Bleu on its pretzel roll. The French Dip with provolone is delicious as is the Roast Beef Hoagie with mozzarella, grilled onions, mushrooms and zippy horseradish, often they have a sandwich on special that is like a combo pf the two and that is primo. The baked Turkey Bruschetta has sliced turkey, mozzarella, grated parmesan, fresh basil, minced garlic, olive oil and diced tomato and smells just as amazing as it tastes.

The burgers come with a buffalo option and are either in 1/3 or half pound varities. The Patty Melt is yummy, the Blackened Bleu comes with grilled onions and bleu cheese and the Rocky Mountain burger is a surprise with tasty ham, swiss, cole slaw and thousand island dressing. You really can't go wrong with any of them. If you add bacon you always get a ton of it.

Entrees are hearty. I love the Roasted Half Chicken with herb olive oil but my mom prefers the BBQ option. My dad is a big fan of the huge Grecian Pork Chops, boneless and perfectly marinated so they are tender after the grilling. The St Louis Style BBQ Ribs have the best BBQ sauce. The Rosemary Bourbon Flank Steak is marinated overnight and just smells so good and cuts so easily. My moms loves the Liver and Onions here, saying they are seond best only to Herc's which have long been her favorites. I do not eat liver so I am no judge on that matter. The Beef Tips are excellent and come with a cheesy mashed potato to boot.

Pasta here is homemade by Mama Mucci and if I weren't trying to cut down on carbs I would be all over it. The Tomato, Basil and Chicken Pignola has a zippy touch of balsamic vinegar. The Seafood Palamino has crab, shrimp, scallops and mussels with roasted red peppers in a tomato cream sauce. The Shrimp and Scallop Angelina has garlic, spinach and wine with parsley butter over airy angel hair. Any will make you very happy.

The atmosphere here is cozy with a dash of elegance. The attire is golf casual. Staff is friendly and attentive. If you like good quality food in good quantity you have to give Karl's Cabin a try. I highly recommend it.

Buffalo Wild Wings - Ypsilanti, Michigan

I much prefer this location to the ones in Canton or Westland. We come here a lot because they offer Buzztime trivia and my husband loves him some wings and trivia. The wings soothe him over the fact I am currently the top trivia score at this location ;). At http://www.restaurant.com/ they have great coupons for the Dearborn location but we have never been there personally, we really like it here.

Ok, I know what you are thinking, fried, fried and more fried. Yes but they also have something called Naked Tenders, grilled chicken breast strips, which are just as excellent with the many wing sauces. The salads here are good too. The Honey BBQ Ranch Salad has good cilantro and pico, I love the garlicky Blackened Chicken Salad and the Grilled Chicken Salad can be happy with the right sauce. They have a Naked Tenders Wrap that is satisfying and happy with your choice of sauce or be a bit bad and get the grilled Southwest Chicken Queso Wrap or Chicken Caesar Wrap, yummy. The grilled Jerk Chicken sandwich is tasty as well.

There are surprises elsewhere too. The pulled pork is excellent any way you get it as are the ribs. They have a burger topped with pulled pork and onion rings that is out of this world. The roasted garlic fried mushrooms are a delight and the onion rings are a real treat. Not healthy but hey at least lower in carbs than the fry options.

The stars of the show here though are clearly the wings. My husband is partial to the boneless variety while my dad sticks to the originals. Sauces here are great. My faves (in somewhat of an order) are the Asian Zing, the Hot, Caribbean Jerk, Honey BBQ, Spicy Garlic and Medium. As hot as I want to go with a whole order of tenders is the Mango Habanero which is nice but the Blazin may well take the average diner's head off, I like it but not for a whole meal.

The prices here aren't dirt cheap normally but we like the entertainment value of playing trivia for free. After ten there are really great drink specials, every day for lunch they have great special meals and on Tuesdays wings are 40¢ apiece and on Thursdays they have boneless wings for 50¢ apiece.

Just don't beat my score in trivia and there will be no hassles.

The Sheikh - Canton, Michigan

This place is so very friendly, the manager is a peach and service is lightning fast. If only they had La Shish homemade oven style pita I would be thrilled. This little restaurant in a strip mall doesn't look like much but the food is remarkably good, some rivals the old La Shish for flavor.

Of course this place has coupons, you know me. They can be found in the Save On Dining mailed circular or here online: http://www.saveoneverything.com/moreinfo.php?advertiser_code=7344590500#.

My mother swears the Deboned Chicken here is as good as La Shish, I agree. The Shish Kafta is actually better than anyone else's locally, much more balance of flavor than I have found at the La Shishes even. It is also just so perfectly cooked. For those of you who are not Kafta fans, I always explain it's like a grilled Mediterraean meatloaf, so good. The Kabobs are a bit dry for me but still good. The prices are much better here on nearly all items as well.

I loved the salads but was not as in love with the tabbouli which seemed like it needed to sit and marinate awhile longer. The rice was perfect and again ahhhh pickled radish. The veggies were very nice indeed. The hummus is creamy and tasty, I definitely recommend it. The garlic sauce is so yummy and makes everything else even happier.

As an added bonus the owner threw in dessert, rich pieces of baklava, all crispy, nutty and delicious.

The major disappointment here is the pita. Cold in baggies. Sigh. I cannot begin to tell you what this does to my heart. It's just jarring from such an otherwise nice place. Other than that I really love it here. If pita is not your main focus you will not mind a bit. I just wanted those like me to be prepared. I still eat here and actually probably do better without eating so much starch at any rate.

Ginger - Canton, Michigan

This is one of those quiet spots I really like. Ginger specializes in pan Asian cuisine, offering up a nice fusion of tastes from the region. They have a soothing atmosphere, friendly staff and good food. I also love that they are coupon regulars in the Save on Dining circular, you can find their coupons online here: http://www.saveoneverything.com/moreinfo.php?advertiser_code=7344141818#

The appetizers are good. I love that they feature two different combination platters, several different rolls (egg, spring and vietnamese) and tasty chicken dumplings on their menu. You can also get lettuce wraps for 5.95 or four pieces of chicken or beef satay for 3.95. They have six different types of soup including tom yum and a tofu and vegetable soup and six salads including a mango salad and a thai noodle salad. If you like to go veg this is a great place.

Lunch specials are varied but all are under the seven dollar mark, including for shrimp. You can opt for steamed or fried rice, egg roll or your choice of salad. A lot healthier options than your average chinese lunch menu.

My favorite dinner in here is the Garlic Seafood Fried Rice, again I know I have said I am not a big fried rice person but this stuff is seriously tasty. Full of shrimp, crab and squid, it is heavenly with its garlic flavor. It is big enough to share to boot.

From the wok I have sampled Szechwan Spicy, Kung Pao Tasty and Mongolian Favorite. I tend to prefer the chicken or shrimp option meat wise. I found the beef to be a bit tough, I am not a huge pork fan and no one will share tofu with me. The Sesame Chicken is nice enough as is the General Tao's but I am trying to avoid deep fried things personally and the other items are nicer at any rate.

This place is quite popular for their fresh smoothies and bubble teas. You can get an infused tea slush, infused green tea or infused milk tea as well. I haven't delved into that as I am a hot or plain iced tea girl myself. Do try some of the hot tea varieties here, they are quite good and I think I have tried them all.

I am not a dessert person except for samples but I do know the coconut sticky rice with mango and green tea and mango ice creams make me wish I could indulge.

So print out those coupons and give the Ginger a go, I think you will find it happy.

Bone Yard Bar-B-Q - Dearborn Heights, Michigan

This place is seriously good barbecue. Cheap as chips to boot. You can eat cheap without a coupon but you can get an even better deal with one. They run advertising in all the major places; newspaper, circulars, etc. but you can always find them online here: http://www.saveoneverything.com/moreinfo.php?advertiser_code=3135610102#

I think the ribs in here are good if sometimes a bit too chewy, the shrimp in here are excellent but the star for me is the fall off the bone barbecue chicken. I have sampled the fish and broasted chicken and they are quite nice but I usually stick to the specialties of the house. The bonus is that they have a whole barbecue chicken dinner for two for a mere 14.95. Use the 15% off coupon and that is seriously cheap eats. This is no scrawny chicken mind you, my husband and I can split it and both have leftovers the next day. Luckily we are perfect sharers on chicken, he likes dark while I prefer white, so we both get exactly what we want with no arguing.

At save on dining they have a fabulous coupon on a feast for four to six people for 29.99 that includes a whole slab of ribs, a whole chicken, potatoes, a large greek salad and a bread basket. It will definitely feed six comfortably, possibly eight. We split it with my parents once and barely ate a third of it.

The barbeque sauce is very thin and zesty here, it is a nice change from the sticky, heavy sauces you get some other places. The potatoes are huge round circles, broasted rather than fried. They have great slabs of garlic bread that are not too buttery or overpowering. They have salad or coleslaw gratis with the meals or you can upgrade to a loaded type cheesy bacon salad my husband likes or a great greek that I prefer. The upgraded salads are huge and worth the extra charge, it really makes it a great deal.

Another thing I really like about this place is you can make an appetizer into a meal for two dollars extra, getting bread, salad and potatoes to go with it. Great for nights when all you want is a few barbecue wings or fried shrimp. If you add another person to your group and want to round out your meal by giving them the extras and including an appetizer for the table to share that works too. I have done this several times when sharing the whole chicken with my parents and it works out well.

One appetizer you might want to try that deal with is the Rib Tips. They look horrible but are so tender and delicious. I think they have better flavor than even the regular bones. It is a huge portion, simmered in the sauce and just rich. Give em a whirl, they are a bargain.

The atmosphere here is ok, not great but the place is clean, the staff friendly and the food a tasty bargain. Give it a try, I think you will like it.