Buffalo Wild Wings

[French777]

really Raptor? I've been there 2 times [[ Wednesday and a Friday) and its been good. . .

[thecarl]

but the service is terrible. At least it was the three times I went there.

i've been to the stores in lake orion, south bend, ferndale, and sterling heights. i've had great service every time, except for the south bend location, where the bartender was a little slow to notice me at first. and, i tend to be a discerning customer, having been in the service industry for years. too bad for your run of tough luck, raptor!

the wings are a little smallish for me; i don't need the full-on steroidal antibiotic wings - but then again, they've got a great array of flavors. i've always found bw3's to be a fun environment with a great crowd.

and, looking at the site criteria posted above - it doesn't seem consistent with some of the bw3 locations i've seen, as noted with the ferndale store.

[jackie5275]

The one in Dearborn is pretty good. I was pleasantly surprised when I went there. I was expecting less variety.

[kraig]

A big problem with the Club Bleu location may be the lack of foot traffic during the day along with a lack of parking at night.

No one's going to go downtown for what they can get in the suburbs. Detroit needs to have restaurants that aren't available in other parts of the metro area in order to be succesful.

[One Shot]

What about the Madison's place? From what I remember at Superbowl it already had the feel of a BW3.

[raptor56]

I went to the Rochester BW3 shortly after it opened to meet my fiancé for dinner since she works nearby. Our waitress seemed rather aloof. Wasn't keen on filling our drinks either. Went there a second time a few months later. The place wasn't very busy, so you would think we wouldn't have an issue. The waitress was more interested in standing over in the corner [[in full view of our table) talking to her coworkers than taking our order, filling our drinks, and bringing our bill. Third time I was there, the service started ok, then the waitress did a disappearing act when we needed our bill. A Coworker of mine has had similar experience with this particular BW3 location. I have eaten at the BW3 in Ferndale without issue, the one at Hall and Mound without problems, Flagstaff Arizona was good, and I have had mostly pleasant experiences at the BW3 on 15 Mile and Utica. I've been to that one so many times that I was bound to have a couple ying yang servers, however, the manager took care of the situation promptly and discounted my meal [[one time above and beyond what I was expecting), so I still eat there. I'd like to see a BW3 downtown. I'd give me an alternative to HockeyTown, Chelli's, or the Detroiter Bar to watch multiple games on multiple big screens.

[Supersport]

Glad to see I ain't the only one who stands by calling it BW3's! My fiancee's younger sister, and even younger brother, haven't ever heard it called BW3's. Granted, back in college, it was called B-Dubbs as often as BW3's. Today, would the correct lingo be B-Double Dubbs?

[kraig]

I'd like to see a BW3 downtown. I'd give me an alternative to HockeyTown, Chelli's, or the Detroiter Bar to watch multiple games on multiple big screens.[/quote]

That's a pleasant surprise to hear. If your attitude is more of the rule than the exception, then there's hope that a BW3 downtown could work.

[izzyindetroit]

No one's going to go downtown for what they can get in the suburbs. Detroit needs to have restaurants that aren't available in other parts of the metro area in order to be succesful.

You do know that there are people that live near downtown right??

[French777]

Yeah we called it B-Dubbs here too!

[dcmorrison12]

I really am unimpressed by B-dubbs. The food was mediocre at best when I ate there. I have no interest in going back, plus the interiors are mass produced and sterile. I'd preferred a home grown bar anyday! I say ban B-dubbs from Detroit and just have privately owned bars open up. [[well, not that extreme.. but you get the point)

[kraig]

You do know that there are people that live near downtown right??

Yes, I do. But, are there enough people, foot traffic and ample parking to sustain a restaurant that already has close to a dozen or more locations in the metro area?

Small Plates, The Detroit Brewing Company and The Hard Rock Cafe are pretty much exclusive to downtown Detroit as is Cheli's Chili, the location in Clinton Township that used to be Shield's Pizza has only been around for a year.

Most of their business comes from suburban customers, not people that live downtown. Good luck trying to find any business downtown that is able to sustain itself on just its downtown customers.

[dcmorrison12]

need i say, downtown detroit is growing - plus, the Broderick Tower renovation is becoming more and more promising. Plus, although stores along that stretch havec closed, a couple more have opened since AND light rail will be built there within a few years - not to mention the activity going on around two buildings that line Grand Circus. You'll be surprised in the not-so-distant future, Detroit's turning around even though the recession and I'm getting excited!

[Bearinabox]

Yes, I do. But, are there enough people, foot traffic and ample parking to sustain a restaurant that already has close to a dozen or more locations in the metro area?

Small Plates, The Detroit Brewing Company and The Hard Rock Cafe are pretty much exclusive to downtown Detroit as is Cheli's Chili, the location in Clinton Township that used to be Shield's Pizza has only been around for a year.

Most of their business comes from suburban customers, not people that live downtown. Good luck trying to find any business downtown that is able to sustain itself on just its downtown customers.

I don't think ample parking should be a concern for downtown residents. If you live downtown and you drive to a bar that's also downtown, you're a hopeless case.

[dcmorrison12]

plus, there is underground parking for Grand Circus, a parking deck about 2 blocks south of club blu - right off of woodward [[above the CVS), there's street side parking AND the People mover connects many parking structures to this location...OR you could get some excercise and walk a few blocks. Plus, if you aren't biased, you can take the bus.

I'll put money down that there is more parking serving this Downtown location that any other location in Metro Detroit. [['m broke though.. so maybe like a dollar)

[izzyindetroit]

Do people forget or not realize that there is an IHOP and Fuddrucker's among others near downtown?

[raptor56]

Do people forget or not realize that there is an IHOP and Fuddrucker's among others near downtown?

Where's the Fuddrucker's at?

[izzyindetroit]

2630 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI

[Redleg81]

This is one chain I am not a fan of- Wings are OK, but the few times I've tried the burgers- Blech. Overly dry and bland. Any local bar can and usually does better.... Just my 2 cents.

[Maxine1958]

I agree BWW burgers are terrible. But I do like their wings and most of the items on their appetiser menu are pretty good as well. I, for one, would like to see them open a franchise in the CBD, since that's were I work. ;-D

[rjlj]

Good point Bearinabox.

Downtown Detroit has enough parking to support 10 times the number of businesses that are currently there.

The last I checked, the place wasn't called Buffalo Wild Wings and Burgers. I wouldn't go to a Chinese restaurant for a pizza.

[3WC]

My single experience with BWW was down here in Wichita Falls. It will be my one and only experience. Lousy food and lousy service.

The place sells only well done hamburgers as I found out after I ordered one rare. [[The various kinds of wings I sampled were mediocre at best.) While they're apparently concerned about being sued over uncooked food, they are probably going to be closed because last fall they served 3 oil field workers 54 beers in 6 hours one afternoon; the guys left, were racing their pickups , and one of the drivers racing in the wrong lane hit another car head on and killed the three teen age girls inside, including the niece of one of my employees. Good riddance for that BWW.

In all fairness, food in TX is generally lousy. It's all fast food, primarily lousy Tex-Mex. Somebody built a new Tex-Mex drive-in called Taco Mayo. It opened and closed in 5 days. People here are unforgiving when it comes to Tex-Mex. But, most think BWW is at the top of the food chain. Go figure.

Be happy you have so many great restaurants in Detroit. I look forward to my monthly business trips up there.

[raptor56]

This is one chain I am not a fan of- Wings are OK, but the few times I've tried the burgers- Blech. Overly dry and bland. Any local bar can and usually does better.... Just my 2 cents.

You don't go to Hooters for a steak, Andiamos for a hotdog, or BW3 for a burger. Certain things are on the menu just because they are, not because they should be.

[Redleg81]

You don't go to Hooters for a steak, Andiamos for a hotdog, or BW3 for a burger. Certain things are on the menu just because they are, not because they should be.

Yet they are always pushing those "burger specials" for lunch and whatnot-- And Hooters has food? I've never noticed!

[kraig]

Good point Bearinabox.

Downtown Detroit has enough parking to support 10 times the number of businesses that are currently there.

The last I checked, the place wasn't called Buffalo Wild Wings and Burgers. I wouldn't go to a Chinese restaurant for a pizza.

Look at the location where Club Bleu is. There is a handful of parking meter spaces on the street. The foot traffic that way during the day is non existent, a number of the parking garages that you're mentioning are closed in the evening. Now, I'm not saying a BW3 in that location couldn't make money, my point is, as a restaurant that's part of a franchise, it probably wouldn't make enough money to justify keeping it open. At that location, the overhead would be as high, if not higher, than any of the stand alone BW3's in the suburbs. The Corporate offices wouldn't like this and very likely close it up. Besides, all of the other BW3's have ample free parking. There aren't going to be a lot of people looking to travel down to Detroit to watch a game and pay for parking at a restaurant that exists all over the metro area when they can stop at one of the other locations and park for free and not have to worry about parking tickets or paying for parking. Remember, this is the same downtown that could not sustain 2 McDonald franchises, a Hardee's franchise, Wendy's, Taco Bell or Johnny Rocket's.

Additionally, Fuddruckers and IHOP are not downtown and both provide ample free parking.