Ann Arbor's Best Romantic Restaurants

Looking for good date-night ambiance, with a tasty meal to boot? It's challenging to find a romantic restaurant that meets both criteria. But on date night, it's important that your chosen restaurant impresses. Besides, if your date's a little lackluster, at least you can take solace in the fact that your meal was satisfying. If said date happens to be in Ann Arbor, Michigan, here are three restaurants to consider:

The Earle - The Earle, located at 121 W. Washington, is ideally situated among Ann Arbor's downtown mix of restaurants, shops, and quirky hotspots. You'll find sophisticated French-inspired faire, with entrée prices peaking at a $32 plate of lamb chops in tarragon sauce. Many other dishes hover around $20; however, salads and soups must be purchased a la carte. $19 will buy a memorable plate of Linguine with Garlic Sausage. What's not to love with a name like that? Capocolla ham, sausage, perfectly cooked pasta, cheese, and just enough oil to add flavor and glisten, this simple meal left me wanting more. The décor is clean and simple. As The Earle sits below ground, sweeping views will not be in order, but nightly live jazz will be during the dinnertime hours.

Prickly Pear Southwest Cafe - You might not expect to find a family-friendly Mexican joint on the list of Best Romantic eateries, but there is something to be said for an unpretentious environment as the backdrop to a good evening. Soak in the bold Southwestern colors, the fresh-faced staff, the unlimited chips and salsa, and let those jitters melt away! The noise level at Prickly Pear tends to be a bit higher than what you might find at a white linens & candles type of place, but that's part of the fun. The menu has traditional Mexican favorites - enchiladas, burritos, and the like - for the cautious-minded, and some more unique flavor combinations - crab cakes with chili chutney, sweet potato enchiladas, chicken empanadas with toasted pumpkin seed sauce - for the more adventurous eater. At the very least, the menu should get you talking. Prickly Pear is on Main Street within easy walking distance of other shops and restaurants (dessert, perhaps?)

Amadeus - On E. Washington, you'll find this cozy Viennese café. This is not the place if you're looking to impress as a health conscious individual. You must commit to embracing potatoes, dough, and sausage for night. Pierogis, goulash, kielbasa, pork cutlets, potato pancakes, cabbage rolls - you get where I'm going with this. This is Central European comfort food. The narrow interior, with its warm colors and antiques, will transport you out of Big Ten country for just a little while. And on Friday and Saturday nights, there is a live pianist to serenade as you inhale the Polish Combination Plate and suggest to your date, "maybe we go for a stroll after this?"