Steven Lelli’s on the Green

The food is great. We always enjoy it. The service is just extremely poor. I take a real offense to the waiter over and over calling me «Miss.» I’m married and in my thirties. It’s just plain rude. Maybe I’m being picky. But he kept saying it snidely. The owner walks around and doesn’t even make eye contact unless he knows you. My spaghetti was cold as was my steak. In my opinion he should have apologized and at the very least taken the pasta off. In any event, I’m not sure if we will be back.

Very pretty place. Lelli’s has great service. One thing that caught my attention was that the waitress asked me name and contained to use it while serving me; it made me feel very comfortable with the service. The filet was great. I wasn’t too crazy about the fried shrimp. If they recommend the chocolate cake. Do not get it… It’s very dry and not flavorful. The cannoli’s are great.

NOT a real genuine lellis experience, in my opinion! Don’t let the name fool you. Using the name only to lure people into this overpriced awful restaurant. Big disappointment compared to auburn hills location. Steak is better for much less at outback or even applebees. No joke! Owner is rude cocky and doesn’t care about keeping customers. Read the over 40 negative reviews! How many other «high end» places have this. That should tell you something! I can’t think of a place that is more deserving to go under. Never seen a place that took over 3 times to cook a pricey steak right! Had to actually Ask for something off the bill!!! Got nothing!!! Don’t be a sucker and waste your hard earned money here

Lelli’s is easily a family favorite for me! We’ve been dining and attending events here for years. the reason we have kept coming back is not only for the great food, but for the hospitable and gracious service… I am surprised by some of these reviews when I think of all of the great experiences we’ve had here. That’s what prompted me to finally write review of my own :)
I personally love the nostalgic vibe the vintage old school Italian décor gives. It really goes hand in hand with the great Italian cuisine… from the décor to the music, there’s definitely a theme that resonates throughout your dining experience… and you’ve gotta love all of the pictures on the walls with different patrons that have dined here! It really compliments the feel for family and sense of tradition I feel when I’m here. The red carpeted entrance is a fun aspect too! Makes you feel welcome before you’ve even walked in. The veranda is just beautiful, I love having lunch there!
On my most recent visit, I treated my mom to lunch on the veranda, which was ideal during this Indian summer we’ve been having. We started w. the shrimp Lelli, which is always a great way to start. You get 6 pieces of jumbo shrimp, which was more than enough to share, and they are served with lelli’s signature lemon garlic sauce. a must try! My mom had a grilled salmon sandwich (which was happily made to order, as it wasn’t on the lunch menu) and I had the burger. The salmon came w. either the potatoes Lelli (twice baked potato, great to have w. their filet too) but, they graciously substituted for a salad. The house vinaigrette is delicious. My burger was prepared just As I asked… no complaints, as usual. We ended our meal with coffee. Our waiter was very attentive w. refilling my cup, even though he was pretty busy with other tables.
Great place for lunch or dinner. Excellent wine selection too. Also, great for large groups. I’ve attended quite a few birthday dinners there… The food is great and the staff and service is equally wonderful! :)

My fiancé and I took my parents here two weekends ago to celebrate their anniversary. I have to admit, it appeals visually to a certain type of clientele but I think the atmosphere is a fun change from the normal — it is a dark, rich colored space with old Italian flair. The food is always good. My fiancé had an amazing steak and my chicken was cooked perfectly. The wine selection is nice and I think it’s a nice place to celebrate a special event.

Amazing atmosphere, order the Gino Pasta and ask for Mark to cook it — no food better!!!

We held our wedding reception here in October of 2014 and everything was perfect. We were out on the patio which was beautifully decorated and to this day, our guests still rave about the food at the wedding.
We also celebrated our first anniversary dinner here over the weekend — just my husband and I — and were given a private table in the red room. The service was fantastic and the food was wonderful. We don’t come here often as it’s a bit pricey for us, but when we do we are not disappointed.

We decided on this restaurant to celebrate our 22^nd Wedding Anniversary after reading the reviews. We brought our 10 year old son with us. In advance, we made a reservation on Open Table. The only «dinner» times available were 6pm or 8:30. WOW! We thought. Busy place. Must be a hot spot. We chose the earlier time for Friday, 09÷18÷15 informing the staff we were dining to celebrate our special occasion. At arrival, the restaurant was empty-​one table with 2 guests and a gentleman waiting for a To-​Go order. Curious! Not busy at all! Strike one was the odor in the restaurant. It looks «clean», but there is a heavy, stale stench in the entry and dining room that I couldn’t get over. Maybe it’s the carpeting and numerous heavy draperies. It’s very cluttered and the décor, archaic. Needs cleaning and a makeover. Black decals cover old info on the outer windows. Tacky for a supposed upscale dining establishment. We were seated near the window but moved to the covered patio outside because of the odor. Seriously, I couldn’t stand it! Although the patio has potential, the unset tables (some dirty) and cobwebs were distracting. When tended to, I think it cleans up nice, though. My husband ordered an 18YO Scotch. I ordered their Citron Sorbet Martini. Our waiter, who was pleasant but aloof, brought me a random concoction the bartender mixed instead. They were out of Absolut Citron. Strike two. As for the food, we sent our son’s filet back. It was grossly overcooked. I had Chicken Lelli. My husband, Veal. Both dishes were saturated with sauce and coated with chopped parsley. All three meals were mediocre, predictable and passé’. Strike 3, 4 and 5! Loved the potatoes! Plus 1! The website food photos are not true to the actual experience. The prices for are unjustified. Our Anniversary was Awful! At no time did anyone acknowledge our occasion. Management never came to our table. The restaurant was not full-​maybe 20 patrons. And the Cappuccino Machine was broken! Back to 5 strikes!

I had dinner here with a large group to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We were on the back patio, which was really nice. The space had really nice ambiance and the staff did an excellent job with the decorations. I had the salmon and it was perfectly cooked; crisp on the outside, but tender, moist, and flaky on the inside. The potatoes were standard, but the minestrone soup was very good. The other members of my party seemed to really enjoy their respective dishes also. I’d dine here again.

Good was not as expected. Soup was cold and steak was under cooked.
Service was terrible — pushy overbearing waiter who was in a hurry despite a half empty restaurant.
Will not be returning to the place for a
while, a long while.

As I was driving to the restaurant, I reminisced with my family about going to Lelli’s in Detroit. .. the bountiful portions beginning with the classic antipasto tray, attentive service, the first time I tasted the famous Detroit Zip sauce and the family atmosphere. I will be left with my memories because this restaurant left me cold.
I was prepared for the breathtaking prices assuming that there would be corresponding value. I was mistaken. No more inclusive pricing. You want the antipasto tray? Pay extra. The wonderful salad? It seemed dumped in the plate with a half sized portion. The service? In a word, indifferent. The steak, however, was perfectly prepared with that wonderful zip sauce.
I disagree with some of the other posters that this is a horrible restaurant. It’s just meh in a town with some very fine steakhouses.

Let me start by saying this «restaurant» was absolutely horrendous.
My fiancé and I arrived at 3:00 on a Sunday only to realize they don’t open until 4:00. The owner told the waitress to go ahead and serve us anyway. We were seated on the patio which was nice (aside from the awful décor) I noticed the tablecloth was dingy and our water glasses were dirty. After scanning the menu, the outrageous prices like $ 70 for a filet, I was turned off. My fiancé ordered the lamb chops and I had chicken parmigiana. Our food arrived and we had to ask for silverware. That was brought out and we had to ask for napkins. Both meals were bland including the instant mashed potatoes and frozen green beans they tried to pass off as homemade. After spending nearly $ 200 I was very disappointed. Hell, Olive Garden has better chicken parmigiana than these crooks. This place is a joke. I felt like I was on an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. I will not return.

We had a Baby Shower in the Patio last weekend. Food — fabulous!!! Patio — beautiful. It was perfect for our open house with tables, high top tables and couches. Maya and Francis did a great job helping us have a memorable event.
Thank You!!!

Excellent Rib Eye! I didn’t expect a good ambiance considering the exterior which reminds me of your typical golf club house look. Good place for a special dinner. Calamari was also tasty.

2÷25÷15: Had dinner again with 4 other work colleagues. I ordered the extra-​cut filet again, cooked medium. It was so tasty and frankly perfect! I want to figure out how to make their zip sauce! I also ordered a Caesar salad and the dressing was delicious and the lettuce was fresh. My friends enjoyed the bread. I was appreciative when my server replaced my Pinot noir with a glass from a brand new bottle after I thought the original pouring had an old smell and flavor. For dessert, I had the chocolate ice cream. This was no ordinary chocolate ice cream — it was rich, super chocolaty and absolutely delicious. We all had decaf cappuccinos which had the perfect amount of froth and cinnamon and was accompanied by a stick of rock sugar. I would go there for the cappuccino and ice cream alone :-) Service is always superb.

The wine selection is the bomb! Great pasta, great fish, great dessert selection as well. The ambience is nice and the service was prompt and courteous. Carrot cake is a must! My husband’s father and step-​mother took us out to dinner here and we will definitely come back! Funny little caveat, though: My father-​in-​law said it’s nice, but it isn’t The Ram’s Horn. Haha. He’s a die-​hard devotee of The Ram’s Horn!

Had a nice business dinner there. From soup to filet finale it was all delicious and down-​right tasty. A nice petit syrah topped it off. Great service.

First, the food is excellent! Now the bad part. The waiter was terrible. I ordered a bottle of wine. He brings out a different bottle of wine, saying they were out of the wine I ordered. I guess he assumed I would just take it. I asked for the wine list, that took 10 min, ordered different wine. After 20 min, and no wine, I asked the hostess to track down the missing waiter. She said he’s trying to find the key for the wine. Seriously!
The service went downhill from there. The bill was incorrect, all in all the poor service added at least an hour to the meal.
They also cram too many tables in, this lead to my chair being bumped into heavily many times during our visit.
Unfortunately that kind of service is the norm. Phenomenal food that’s marred by simply very bad wait staff.

Walking in felt like walking into the 50’s. Very old feel to the restaurant.
Service was kind of lacking in the sense that dirty plates were left at our table for 10 – 15 mins before someone came to clear them.
Really good calamari and carrot cake but other than that the food wasn’t too exciting. The calamari were steaks tender and had a great sauce to dip in. I had the fresh pasta with seafood and it was enough for 5 people lol. One of the chicken lellie that our table mate ordered was raw and sent back :/​
Overall this place is nothing to run back to. There are a lot of other fine dining restaurants that have way better food and service!

Great food and better service. I’ve never had a bad meal here. Fawzi is my server of choice although all staff is exceptionally courteous and friendly. These guys do Italian great. For the side pasta dish, ask for palomino sauce and a side of meatballs. A great combination and high on the taste charts. Mark Zarkin is a great host and owner and he’s very hands on. If service and ambience are important to you, this place will make you happy.