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Bar & Lounge  - La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar, Birmingham, MI

La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar

4.7 (399)
$31 to $50
Italian
243 E Merrill St, Birmingham, MI 48009

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 16 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Neighborhood gem
La Strada Italian Kitchen and Bar is your place for authentic Italian cuisine in the heart of downtown Birmingham. Restaurateur and chef Zharko Palushaj opened this gem in late 2015. Our menu is packed with top-quality Italian and European products, including a variety of aged and fresh cheeses, salumi, pizzas, homemade pasta, fish and seafood flown in from all over the world. We also include top American beef and poultry, classic desserts, and gelato, as well as vegetarian and gluten-free options. Our passion, attention to detail, and dedication to our guests set us apart. We can't wait to show you what makes La Strada a world of its own! We're so grateful for the opportunity to serve you, and we can't wait to share our love for food with you!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Wine Bar, Cocktail Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Zharko Palushaj
  • Catering
    We are pleased to offer catering services and request a sufficient lead time for preparation. Our catering packages are customized to meet your needs, and we are committed to ensuring that every dish catered is delicious, visually appealing, and meets your expectations in terms of taste. For inquiries about catering contact our restaurant.
  • Private party facilities
    For inquiries regarding our event services, please contact us via email or through our website. Our team is committed to accommodating your requested date and any specific requests you may have. Whether you are planning a birthday party, graduation, business dinner, or any other special occasion, we are here to ensure the success of your event.
  • Neighborhood
    Birmingham
  • Cross street
    Old Woodward & Merrill Street
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 399 people are saying

La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Great for fine wines

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Good for special occasions

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Italian

  • Detroit

    Great for fine wines

  • Detroit

    Good for special occasions

  • Detroit

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar offers a delightful dining experience with "exceptional food and world-class service." The ambiance is warm and inviting, perfect for memorable evenings. Guests highlight the "fantastic pasta" and extensive wine list. Although some find the decor outdated, the "impeccable service" and "amazing food" make it a standout choice.

399 Reviews
  1. Sam VIP

    Detroit5 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    Food was bad , low quality and not gourmet it just looks gourmet , disappointed and will not be back

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  2. Allison VIP

    Detroit23 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Two entrees, two non alcoholic drinks, one dessert and coffee - $160 without tip! And who cooks … fries Coho Salmon to be well done! No quality chef. Value exchange is just not there. Sadly we won’t be back.

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  3. Maureen

    Washington DC7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was excellent. I had the grouper (fish of the day) and it was one of the best fish entrees I have had.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Zachary

    Indiana3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 20, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was great, service was excellent - very well managed & staffed. Definitely recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Tim VIP

    Detroit18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a good time. Great food, people, and service!

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  6. Maureen VIP

    Las Vegas12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Restaurant was beautiful and much larger than expected! Food was delicious! The owner and staff were wonderful and helped celebrate my birthday with a special dessert. Everyone in my group really enjoyed their food! Definitely recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a dinner out in Birmingham!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Karen VIP

    Detroit15 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 5, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was good but nothing extraordinary. Small portions and expensive. Excellent service. We had a 6:15 reservation. We didn't order dessert and felt pressured to leave by 7:20.
    La Strada Italian Kitchen & BarResponded on April 7, 2025
    Dear Karen, As we try to keep our reservations as scheduled, especially on the weekends, inconveniences still happen. Parking has also become very hectic due to the nightclubs and other things happening in the city, as it has been for the last few years and especially on weekends. However, we don't want to give the impression that our dinners are rushed, just because our staff is busy juggling workload. Reservations are set for 2 1/2 hours at OpenTable. It is noteworthy, though that the kitchen was even able to prepare your meal in 1 hour, given that the food preparation is also coordinated with the kitchen staff's cooking time frame, which is 2 1/2 hours to dine and serve. Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience. Best Regards!

    Is this helpful?

  8. I VIP

    Detroit7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on April 4, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Place is neat, service is ok. Options listed on the menu not available. Food good . Cheese offer and quality great. Prosciutto great. Olives not worth the bother . Pizza great. Pasta great. Risotto needs work in both texture and flavor. Missed marks on both. Extensive wine list with Italian selection too extensive compared with other options. Atmosphere pleasant, only the locale becomes very loud once more patrons start showing up. Would I still recommend it? Yes, the positives outweigh the few things that could be better. Although risotto must be perfection. Other wise better not offer it.
    La Strada Italian Kitchen & BarResponded on April 7, 2025
    Dear Guest, We appreciate your feedback regarding the risotto we served that evening. We agree with your assessment that the risotto did not meet our usual standards. We appreciate your input and will make sure that next time you visit, the risotto is prepared to your satisfaction and meets the La Strada quality standard. We would like to express our gratitude for your thorough assessment. We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our services. Sincerely, La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar

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  9. Fred VIP

    Chicago14 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The main dining room would be much better if the decor was updated like the bar

    Is this helpful?

  10. Debra

    Detroit9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a wonderful experience ! You are cared for and the food is fantastic :)

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (248) 480-0492.

La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar is rated 4.7 stars by 399 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Detroit / Eastern Michigan
  4. Detroit
  5. Birmingham

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 16 times today
Google Map for La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar

243 E Merrill St, Birmingham, MI 48009

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Old Woodward & Merrill Street
  • Neighborhood
    Birmingham
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Wine Bar, Cocktail Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Zharko Palushaj
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    We are pleased to offer catering services and request a sufficient lead time for preparation. Our catering packages are customized to meet your needs, and we are committed to ensuring that every dish catered is delicious, visually appealing, and meets your expectations in terms of taste. For inquiries about catering contact our restaurant.
  • Private party facilities
    For inquiries regarding our event services, please contact us via email or through our website. Our team is committed to accommodating your requested date and any specific requests you may have. Whether you are planning a birthday party, graduation, business dinner, or any other special occasion, we are here to ensure the success of your event.
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