Town Tavern in Royal Oak

With so many great eateries in Royal Oak, we think there might be dangers of gaining weight if we lived here. The Town Tavern is located on Fourth Street directly across from Goldfish Tea. Their French doors which open to the patio are very attractive. You can start off with a tavern bloody mary served with jalapeño dill infused vodka or a Michigan cherry screwdriver made with, of course, a Michigan cherry liqueur. We loved their parmesan truffle fries, the filet mignon served with cognac pepper sauce and their broiled Great Lakes whitefish. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Can't find a spot to park? Use their valet service!

Penny Black in Rochester

Penny Black is a southwestern themed restaurant in Rochester that took over the old post office. The service was great, the outdoor patio seating in the shade was phenomenal, the margaritas were delish and the food very good.  The tangy remoulade sauce with the deep fried pickles will bring us back. The sweet potato fries with the club sandwich were the best we've ever had. With lots of micro beers on tap and music and dancing on the weekends, it looks like this place is here to stay.