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The Original Cottage Inn Reviews List
The Original Cottage Inn
The Original Cottage Inn restaurant opened its doors at 512 East William, Ann Arbor in 1948. This restaurant has had the distinction of being the first restaurant in Ann Arbor to serve pizza. The current ownership acquired the building at 512 E. William in 1961 and it remains the company's flagship today. The restaurant's first major expansion took place in 1975. The restaurant was remodeled again in 1980 and 1987. In 1993, a major renovation of the restaurant was done to include the second floor, which increased the seat capacity. This renovation also provided banquet room facilities. The restaurant offers a diverse menu of Italian and Greek dishes as well as pizzas.
See more The Original Cottage Inn details
81 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Rating Breakdown 81 reviews
5 stars
(25)
4 stars
(39)
3 stars
(12)
2 stars
(5)
1 star
(0)
Food
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
3.9
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- good for groups(53)
- kid-friendly(35)
- neighborhood gem(28)
- great for lunch(19)
- special occasion(16)
- fit for foodies(11)
The Original Cottage Inn Reviews List
Review 1 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Happy Mom
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My kids took me to The Original Cottage Inn for Mothers Day. I have been a fan for almost 30 years and this restaurant continues to please. The dinner salad was a hearty combination of greens and veg. We were all happy with our entrees, bbut the Chicken Marsala stood out as the favorite. Very happy to have returned to an Ann Arbor mainstay, and to see that it is still a gem."
Dined on 5/12/2013
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, special occasion
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Review 2 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We had a lot of fun! And before arriving we didn't know kids eat free on Mondays, so that was a nice surprise!"
Dined on 5/13/2013
Special Features: kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 3 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Get the pizza!
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The pizza was very good. Salads had quite a bit of iceberg lettuce and the chicken dishes were dry and not as good as we had hoped."
Dined on 5/12/2013
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Review 4 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Original Cottage Inn Okay
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Recent dinner experience was good but not as good as it has been in the past. Salad was disappointing and pizza was just okay. Would I go back - the answer is yes but it would not be my first choice."
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: great for lunch
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Review 5 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
My Pleasant Experience
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My friend and I had a very pleasant time at your brunch. The food was excellent and the service was commendable. We thought the ambience was conducive to good conversation and the booth was a comfortable setting for our time there. I'd highly recommend it to any of my acquaintances."
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, romantic, special occasion
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Review 6 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Marginally better than eponymous...
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Good pizza, unfriendly waitress, disaffected hostess, nice ambiance, avoid the gluten-free brownie! It's a shame everything seems to be premade. Makes it difficult for them to accommodate special requests -- like a gluten-free pizza for kids."
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 7 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Graduation Dinner
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The Original Cottage Inn was a great place to celebrate U of M graduation. The location has charm and character - great ambience. Even though the restaurant was full, it wasn't too noisy. The menu had a great selection to choose from and everyone enjoyed their meals. The staff and waitress were friendly and attentive. It was a great family dinner."
Dined on 5/03/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly
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Review 8 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Completely avoid during busy times.
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Food was good as always. If you go there during a busy evening, then avoid it. They can't seem to know how to handle busy times well. We were seated at 6.45pm sharp and did not get our food until exactly at 7.45pm. Our waiter did not help at all. He forgot to put our appetizer order in after being asked twice about it. And his response when we asked for it again (quoted verbatim) - "I didn't put the order in. We are busy. There is not much I can do about it". If my family was not there with me, I would have definitely had a chat with the manager. This experience has put Cottage Inn quite a few points down on my review. Such behavior is inexcusable. A simple sorry and attempt to fix it would have been quite well received."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 9 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Good value. All food was
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Good value. All food was tasty and well prepared. Service was OK even though we had to hail down our server a couple times."
Dined on 04/19/2013
2010
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 10 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We cannot find a fault. We
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"We cannot find a fault. We always enjoy our meal and time spent here."
Dined on 04/13/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, great for lunch, hot spot
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Review 11 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great food. Other than me,
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great food. Other than me, it was our group's first visit to The Cottage Inn. We will return!"
Dined on 04/08/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 12 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
We went to The Original Cottage
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We went to The Original Cottage Inn for Easter brunch. Food was great. Seating was comfortable and service was top notch. I would go again and recommend to a friend as well."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for brunch, kid-friendly, great for lunch
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Review 13 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Great food, generous portions.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Great food, generous portions.
The restaurant accommodated our request to sit on the main floor.
Our waiter wanted to take our order before our entire party had arrived. We only had 5 people in our party.
We had to ask another waiter for Parmesan cheese as it was not on the table nor was it offered, which we thought
strange, considering it was an Italian restaurant.
However, our waiter did keep our drinks and bread basket refilled, which we appreciated.
The Orginal Cottage Inn continues to be our favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor."
The restaurant accommodated our request to sit on the main floor.
Our waiter wanted to take our order before our entire party had arrived. We only had 5 people in our party.
We had to ask another waiter for Parmesan cheese as it was not on the table nor was it offered, which we thought
strange, considering it was an Italian restaurant.
However, our waiter did keep our drinks and bread basket refilled, which we appreciated.
The Orginal Cottage Inn continues to be our favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2013
Special Features: special occasion, hot spot
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Review 14 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
This staple of the Ann Arbor
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"This staple of the Ann Arbor campus area has a large Italian menu. We had the bruscetta as an appetizer and found it wonderful with fresh tomatos, balsamic vinegar and a small amount of cheese on top. The pepperoni pizza was a disappointment with a thin, floppy crust and excessive cheese. My Chicken Parm. was good but the side spaghetti was very salty. Service was super fast, but I had to ask for the side of bread."
Dined on 03/29/2013
2004
Special Features: kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 15 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
First time! If in the area
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"First time! If in the area again would stop to eat! Vey Good!"
Dined on 03/25/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, great for lunch
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Review 16 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Indeed an original
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Service was very attentive and excellent. I enjoyed the salad and the server was very accommodating. Great atmosphere. Will go again"
Dined on 03/20/2013
2006
Special Features: neighborhood gem, great for lunch, hot spot
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Review 17 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Food was not as good as we
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Food was not as good as we all remembered. Crab cake sandwich was too spicy for one person. Fries cold. Most importantly, the service was terrible. Had to ask for bread and the waiter seemed a little upset that we requested bread plates. We had to request silverware several times, meals actual arrived before the silverware. My salad was incorrect and I had to wait almost 10 minutes for the correct item to arrive-- it was only a salad. That might have been a good thing as I was able to give my silver to another diner while I waited."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2010
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Review 18 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We had a great experience
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We had a great experience before a dance recital at the lydia mendelssohn theatre. Great parking at the adjacent parking garage."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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Review 19 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Pizza is a specialty of the
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Pizza is a specialty of the house, and we certainly enjoyed our varieties! Good Greek salad, too, along with local brews.
Best part was using Open Table for a reservation -- we walked right in and were seated immediately (ahead of several waiting parties.)"
Dined on 03/02/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 20 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Really appreciated the gluten-free
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Really appreciated the gluten-free options!"
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
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Review 21 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
This was our first time dining
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was our first time dining here and all aspects of our visit were very good from food to atmosphere to the service. The host, manager and the server were very friendly and helpful and the menu had a nice variety of options to choose from. We all enjoyed our meal and will definitely pay a return visit. Great dining option for families visiting their University of Michigan students!"
Dined on 02/10/2013
2012
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 22 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Went here for restaurant week
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Went here for restaurant week for a change. Service was fantastic (our server was excellent), the food was quite good even with the Restaurant Week special menu. If I have any complaints, it would be that the seating was right next to the kitchen and it was noisy and aesthetically unpleasant. Instead of leaving it open like that, they should consider putting a door there. Customers would be really happy."
Dined on 01/25/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 23 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Pizza was tasty but crust
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Pizza was tasty but crust was a bit too soggy."
Dined on 01/27/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 24 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
I was thankful for their policy
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I was thankful for their policy of helping charitable causes with a 20% donation from our meal."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 25 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Excellent food, great service
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Excellent food, great service in a great food city!"
Dined on 01/24/2013
2013
Special Features: kid-friendly, neighborhood gem
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Review 26 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
We went for the buffet. It
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We went for the buffet. It was good, not great. We were hoping for more options and variety."
Dined on 01/21/2013
2011
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 27 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
The chicken pesto sandwich
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"The chicken pesto sandwich was too bland and too greasy. However, everyone else in our party seemed to enjoy their dishes."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2011
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Review 28 for The Original Cottage Inn
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Good food and good service
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Good food and good service - would come back"
Dined on 01/19/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups
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Ratings-Only Reviews for The Original Cottage Inn
Based on the average of (53) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Outstanding)
4.2
/
5
5 out of 5 recommend this product
Food
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic