Parkside A Modern American Bistro

We enjoyed our meals and our waiter was attentive and friendly, we’ll go back and bring another couple with us this time. Spread the word!

This place is a hot mess. I’ve been here a few times only because It’s convenient– I live right down the street. The food was always undercooked (like. Really raw) the bartenders are rude. And the atmosphere is lacking. I’m a bartender myself and I’m very understanding of new restaurants needing improvement. This place — no chance.

It took us 4 months to find this place but boy I’m glad I did! The food is all made from scratch with fresh local and Michigan ingredients. The wait staff was trained and very professional even the bus boys were impressive. The owner is a local guy that’s open many restaurants and then came home to open one here and I’m so glad he did. We had walleye chowder which is made from scratch to order and it was absolutely delicious also tried cider glazed wild salmon (cider provided by Yates,) prawns crab and lobster linguine and they were both super delicious awesomeness! Can’t wait to come back and try the rest of the menu out! Well worth the time and trip from wherever you’re coming from.

Only gave this one star because otherwise I couldn’t post this. This place will be out of business in six months. Made reservations and when we got there they were closed. They took our reservations and phone number. Doors were locked when we arrived at 6:00pm. Upon arriving there was a worker inside but wouldn’t answer the door. After he finally did he stated they were slow so decided to close for the night. Okay I guess that’s fine but they did have our phone number, they asked for it when we made the reservations. They could have at least called to let us know.

We have dined at Parkside a few times since its recent opening. So far, we have been pleased. On our most recent visit, I ordered the short rib dinner and my husband had Greek salad topped with chicken. The short rib, which arrived with creamy mashed potatoes and roasted veggies was incredible. Plus, it was piping hot. The salad was also delicious. We also had walleye chowder — mmmm! We enjoy the friendly, prompt service.

Beer was OK pretty hard to screw that up though. Food was strangely like a sandwich you’d get for carryout. Soggy bread for an $ 11 normal sandwich. Don’t think we’ll be returning.

Guys, I’ve been on Unilocal for a while. I’m fair and honest. Maybe too honest. The vibe in this joint is right. You walk in, you know you’re going to have a fun night. That night will end short by a staff that is eager to leave at no set time. I’ve been there twice before the place was actually marketed as being open. Today I had the recommended classic burger and was excited about it. I’m a 6 foot, 205 pound eating machine who very rarely complains. I did not complain but I also would’ve rather eaten a McChicken from McDonald’s. The burger reminded me of my teen years when I would see a pretty girl and be too nervous to talk to her. It’s priced high and u read good things about the chef all to be let down. The fries are amazing. Like I said I’m honest and would love to give 5 stars to everyone. (Even the teen version of me that had no game). The buns used at McDonald’s and Wendy’s were more appealing and tasteful than this place. We asked for to go menus and they didn’t have any. Everyone, they didn’t have any. A new business doesn’t have a menu to take home and they claim its on Facebook. Sure, I’ll reactivate my Facebook after 5 – 7 years to read your menu. This is how how u fail as a new business in an area where they will need to work extra hard to stay afloat. I hope I’m proven wrong but this place lost me when 10 pm rolled around and they asked if we wanted any more food before the kitchen closes. A new business and hungry owner would stay open until the last person feels like leaving (or 2 am). There’s nothing worse that having a beer knowing there’s a ticking time bomb in your head that these people want to go home early. You’re a bar. You sell booze. Stay open. My buddy said his meatballs were very raw. Classic formula of a business not ready to compete with the big boys. Stay thirsty my friends and go across the street to a place that won’t cut u short of a fun night.

Excited to try a new local hot spot, we got a table for four. Appetizers-​goat cheese dip was tasty, nice presentation. Sandwiches & salad– large servings with creative toppings. Service good, décor clean & modern. Large bar with a nice size crowd. Definitely going back!

Being a local, I have seen this place already as two different restaurants, so when Parkside opened, I was excited to have a nice place to go that was local.
Parkside didn’t disappoint. First off, they did a phenomenal job opening up the place, it was closed off in the past and had a small bar area. Well, they expended that and made a huge wrap-​around bar that seats 30+.
They have 16 beers on tap and a phenomenal Scotch selection.
I ordered the meat and cheese tray, and although it was a bit pricey, it didn’t disappoint.
I then order the walleye chowder and it rivaled that of Kruse and Muer’s. I would make the drive just to have this soup again, it was that good.
Then I see a liverwurst sandwich on the menu, are you kidding me? It was done just like I used to have as a kid. In the future, I want to try the braised short ribs and a few other items that looks awesome.
My only downside? It closes at 11PM, so night owls like me won’t be hitting it for last call, and hopefully it develops a pulse in the future as the clientele was rather old, but it usually takes places a while to find their niche.

Have eaten here a couple times now all the food has been awesome especially the meatloaf and burgers, service has also been top notch very pleased

I ate here for dinner last night with a few friends and was very pleased! They had a large and diverse menu that made me want to come back and try more. We got the goat cheese and roasted garlic dip and the prime meat balls for an appetizer and they were both excellent. The garlic goat cheese dip had a very nice mix of flavors, good consistency, and was served with warm baguette toast points. The meat balls were mouth watering and come to find out, they are chefs recipe of blended prime meats.
For dinner, I got the bacon wrapped pork tenderloin and could not have been happier with my selection. It was presented with a nice set up on the plate which didn’t really matter because as soon as I tried the pork, I was thinking about ordering seconds. The pork was very juicy and cooked to perfection. Too many times I have ordered pork at a restaurant and hope to God they have applesauce to dump all over it. This was not the case here.
Unfortunately I did not leave room for dessert, but I will definitely be going back to enjoy it again. The food was great, the service its equal, and all around a good, vibrant, friendly atmosphere. Keep up the good work, Parkside!

We went to Parkside Bistro today for the first time, not being aware that it had just opened. The food and service were remarkable! Kathy, our waitress, made our lunch experience really special. She explained that the chef tried either to make things in house or source them locally, down to the catsup and mustard on the table. This attention to detail showed in our food. My walleye chowder was just amazing, as was my fish and chips. My fellow diner’s lunch, the American Dip, was equally delicious. Neither of us left a scrap. The side salad with ranch dressing was so good, I boxed up the leftovers to munch on tonight — and who does that with a salad? We were in and out in under an hour, having had a great lunch. We’ll definitely be back!

This up and coming restaurant was such a treat! We were there during the third night after opening and were so impressed with the friendly service, vibrant atmosphere and delicious food! The menu had a variety of foods to cater to different tastes and had a fun twist to each item. The managers walked around and engaged with the customers and made sure everyone was having a good experience. I was truly impressed given they had JUST opened their doors. I was even able to bring my 4 month old who had a blast looking around and flirting with the servers and staff. They have an amazing beer, wine and spirit menu fairly priced. We will definitely go back!

First of all I commend the proprietor on investing into the building and into downtown Auburn Hills. This property has been inhabited by a number of restaurants and restaurateurs in the past, each with nominal success. Parkside offers a breath of fresh air into an expanding downtown. An open concept, Parkside is a modern eatery that boasts large «garage» doors connecting outdoor dining with the indoor. A plethora of natural light illuminate the restaurant at sunset, which blinds those working behind the bar. Unfortunately the «open» concept precipitates a rather noisy dining experience, but it is a tavern so one should not expect an intimate dining affair. The Menu… I’m pleased to hear they were sourcing local vendors, however I was quite disappointed to find that they do not offer a happy hour (other than a minimal discount on some house wine). If this place wishes to be competitive in the market, they must consider providing a happy hour menu and cocktail/​beer list. Make it simple, $ 9 and under appetizers/​small plates and discounted beers/​wines/​cocktails. With fortune 500 companies literally right next door housing thousands upon thousands of employees just itching to enjoy a drink and a bite after work, one would think that this would be one target group a new restaurant would accommodate to, but I digress. The Menu… It covers the bases, and offers some trendy takes on old favorites. Their pricing seems mostly competitive, and in some places aggressive. They market themselves as mostly a «scratch kitchen» where everything is homemade… I Believe them. Unfortunately from what I sampled, I felt nearly everything was significantly lacking in flavor. Presentation was on par for a tavern, with a slight flare of additional elegance. After researching the Executive Chef, I feel this place can produce a better product and be a little more creative with the cuisine. However, Parkside is still in its infancy and will continue to grow towards the positive. I foresee a few menu rewrites and some other changes to aid in «dialing it in». I will continue to visit Parkside and recommend that you stop in and try it for yourself. Bonne Chance Parkside!

I ordered the bacon-​wrapped pork tenderloin. I had to send it back because it was raw – visibly. I didn’t have to cut into it to see that it was raw. I don’t know how it made it onto the plate, out of the kitchen, or onto my table. The second time it came to my table, I finally got to try it.
One of the three medallions was still very undercooked even though chef assured me he cooked it himself and the first time was done by amateurs that he somehow allows to send food out of his kitchen. A manager visited me about the problem only as the re-​do plate hit my table. He told me he was buying me dessert – I should have declined (see below).
The pork was nothing special. The plating was poor – green beans on both ends of a long plate, way too much sauce, and runny squash that just kind of oozed out from under one pile of the beans. The beans were mushy; the squash was runny, and the bacon was flabby. The fennel-​apple salad was crunchy but had zero flavor. And it all tasted like nothing. There was not a bit of salt on the plate. It didn’t even taste like the plate passed a salt cellar on the way out of the kitchen. This probably explains the tacky disposable salt and pepper grinders on the table. I made liberal use of the salt grinder just to get the food down.
In addition to the salt and pepper grinders on the table, there were three bottles on every table: mustard, hot sauce, and an unlabeled bottle. They were in off-​putting brown bottles that looked like medicine bottles.
For dessert, I chose the raspberry mousse with lemon chiffon cake. It was served in a tall, narrow jam jar that was filled to the brim. It was a bit difficult to eat. This dessert was not sweet. The raspberry mousse had no flavor. The cake had no flavor. They were both overpowered by a very, very bitter, chemically tasting lemon curd. I couldn’t finish it.
Staff was attentive and friendly but brusque. There are two entrances to the restaurant. I chose the door that did not have the host stand. There was no sign; I wandered around until staff directed me to the opposite side of the restaurant.
The owner was just sitting at a table, watching everybody (staff and patrons) the whole hour I was there. It was very disconcerting.
The place is very open. There are televisions not just at the bar but throughout the dining room. The fireplaces were cozy and the décor was warm but the tables and chairs – somewhere between diner and fine dining – make the look a little confused. Flatware comes rolled up in black cloth napkins.
I might return to give the place a second chance but it will have to be spectacular to make up for this horrible first experience.

I want to be fair for this. Me and my fiancée didn’t get meals. Reason being, it looked like a deli with alcohol! A few entrees nothing special so just got the Buffalo dip. It was a C-​. Warm chips and celery were good. The dip was like a spicy microwaved sauce. Runny with nothing in it but sauce and onion. Not baked like i thought it’d be. Because of the menu we won’t return. Ambiance is nice and people were good. Waaaay overpriced too.

Parkside is a welcome addition in downtown Auburn Hills! My husband and I had dinner on Friday evening, which was the restaurant’s second day open. The newly renovated restaurant was busy with a vibrant bar area, outdoor seating, and a wide open dining room. There were plenty of TVs in the bar and a few in the dining room for the sports fanatic. The menu includes apps, soups, salads, a long list of sandwiches, and entrees (steak, salmon, pork, and meatloaf). The waitress explained that all food was fresh and made to order. We ordered some local beers and started with classic salads. Our entrees — the meatloaf and pork tenderloin — were slow to arrive to the table but were excellent! The pork was wrapped in bacon with an amazing sauce. The meatloaf was juicy with an herb flavor. The servers require more training, as they struggled with timing, orders, and food delivery. But this was only the second day open for Parkside so streamlining and training will come in time. We didn’t get to try the dessert menu, which looked creative and yummy, so we’ll be back for more!

Struggled to accomadate a group of 7. Service was slow given that there was only a handful of customers, waited an hour for our meals, which happened to be served at two intervals, 20 minutes apart. Manager came to serve second round of meals and came across abrasive and rude given the time that we had patiently been waiting. No apology or accomadation was offered. Food was below expectations, and for that, overly priced.

Being a foodie I was quite impressed with the menu. Large selection of appetizers, sandwiches, and some classic dinners. Large bar menu. The restaurants ambiance is friendly and upscale to the other local establishments. Staff is very friendly, and seem to work well together.
I’ll definitely be a regular to parkside. I’m eager to sample a bite of everything they have to offer.

Went here for dinner last night and discovered it was the opening day. Food was very good, we had 4 people at our table and we ate Walleye chowder, fish and chips, salmon and desserts. I get the impression there is some creative cooking going on here and this area really needs this kind of restaurant. We all liked our meal. They have beer and wine, not a full bar but maybe someday. I live in the neighborhood so I will definitely be coming back.