AroundRoyal Oak

Best Restaurant Around Royal Oak

Category round. 19 titles, 38 places. Vote the matchups you actually eat. Winner of each one takes that title. Those nineteen play later for the overall. Standings update as ballots come in.

Best Italian

House-made pasta on Main versus a Sicilian trattoria.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best chef restaurant

Two kitchens on John R. Tasting-menu Hazel Park versus modern Romanian.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best new American

Midwest plates from 2025–26. Clawson versus Berkley.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best drinks and dinner

You go as much for the bar as the kitchen.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best classic night out

The steakhouse that's been there 60 years versus 30 years of Italian.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best new Royal Oak table

Both opened into downtown in the last year. French-American versus seafood.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best seafood

The brewery on the water versus the 70-year American room that does fish.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best American restaurant

Woodward sit-down. Kruse family versus the new brunch bistro.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best Mediterranean

Modern Greek on Main versus Lebanese that's been on Woodward since 1981.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best Thai

Downtown lunch-and-dinner room versus the market that people carry out.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best sushi

The omakase room versus the sushi-and-Korean room on Main.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best ramen

The independent bowl versus the chain on Main.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best pizza

Wood-fired cucina versus the lantern.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best carryout pizza

Detroit-style square versus the other takeout pie. This is the takeout fight people actually search.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best gastropub

Walk-in Oak Park bar with a serious kitchen versus Berkley's neighborhood pub.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best brewpub

Oldest brewpub in the county versus the beer hall on Woodward.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best casual

Late-night burgers versus tacos.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best Indian

Ferndale institution versus the Main Street room that ranks first for indian restaurant royal oak.

  1. 1 vs 2

Best seafood bar

Ferndale Cajun versus the Main Street oyster bar. Not the same plate as Lily's vs Jim Brady's.

  1. 1 vs 2

Who got robbed?

The seeding is mine and it's probably wrong. If a place should be in here, name it — the field isn't locked.

Want the next round?

Optional. Drop your email and I'll send you when category winners play for the overall. Standings are already on this page. No email needed to vote.