Downtown Lunch Spots back in "the day"

**gazhekwe** · May-01-10, 01:35 PM

I remember Qwikee Donuts, too. Just the donuts part, though you could order food too.

**Jman** · May-01-10, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

The restaurant next to Smiley Brothers, could it be either Z's or Mr. Mike's? I think Barbara Streisand sang at Mr. Mike's very early in her career.

Barbra Streisand sang at the Caucus Club early in her career.

**EastsideAl** · May-01-10, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Cass1966

When I was going to Cass Tech, 1963-66, I remember going to lunch downtown at the Automat. The place had your food behind the little clear plastic doors, like the ones in modern vending machines today. You would put your money in the one you wanted and the door would open. You could get anything you wanted. It was a new idea at the time but it didnâ€™t last long. I donâ€™t remember where it was, maybe there was more then one. Anyone know?

Automats were very popular on the east coast, and particularly in New York, for several decades. Going to the automat was one of the "exotic" things we almost always did when visiting my cousins in NYC. I honestly never knew that Detroit had one.

On the history of automats:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automat
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_&_Hardart
http://www.theautomat.net/
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...ect_aug01.html

After school time during my Cass years, or years spent hanging around people who went to Cass, was passed at the Quickie Donuts on the south side of Capitol Park [[until we were banned, that is). Always had an order of french fries with extra salt poured on, a coke, and a chocolate frosted donut. Ahhhh youth...

**EastsideAl** · May-01-10, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by rodj44137

on Woodward up around the Blvd, or slightly north, there was a nice little restaurant on the East side of the street. If I remember right, it was by an old Victorian house that sold pianos and organs.

My memory of the area really only goes back to the mid to late '60s, but if you're thinking of a nice restaurant north of the Smiley Bros. piano store [[in the old Hecker mansion) then you're probably thinking of Mr. Mike's. If it was actually north of the Boulevard [[which is quite a ways past the Hecker house) then you may be thinking of Lelli's.

Originally Posted by jcole44137

There was a little restaurant just north of the Museum of Art across from old Art Centre Hospital. I think it was called Cappy's. Mostly a lunch spot, IIRC, but good.

Cappy's was in the Park Shelton hotel & apartments. Folks I knew who worked at the DIA used to eat there every day. Nice friendly little lunch counter kind of place. I remember some really good soup.

Speaking of lunch counters, there was once a Toddle House just north of the Hecker house too. Pecan waffles!!

**Islandman** · May-01-10, 04:50 PM

I used to work at the Money Tree. Waited on Carmen Harlan and few other notables. Used to have this lawyer [[can't remember his name now) that would always take his dress shirt and wanted his water with a small plate of cut lemons. Very eccentric.

**jackie5275** · May-01-10, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Wasn't there a little diner in Times Square around 1988-1989? I left my prescription sunglasses there once.

Are you thinking of Dick's Deli? It was on Bagley between Grand River & Clifford.

The Dude · May-01-10, 10:24 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

I used to work at the Money Tree. Waited on Carmen Harlan and few other notables. Used to have this lawyer [[can't remember his name now) that would always take his dress shirt and wanted his water with a small plate of cut lemons. Very eccentric.

Was Carmen as nice to you as she is on TV?