Printable View
I have some friends in from out of town this weekend, and we are headed downtown on Friday night. As they're unfamiliar with Detroit, I want to take them to dinner somewhere unique and fun. I'm familiar with the usual suspects - - Slows, Small Plates, Roast, etc. but am wondering if anyone has suggestions for places to go.
I want to show off the city and prove that we do have great places to eat and hang out!
Maybe one of those 'You Buy We Fry' type places?! LOL!!!!
Are you looking for something within the CBD? There are tons of great places that are off the beaten path or in obscure neighborhoods. IE-Buddy's.
Detroit International Film Festival is on this weekend.
There's a pre-St Patrick's day bar tour in Corktown Friday afternoon-evening.
Greektown is another usual suspect, though it does have plenty of restaurants in addition to the casino.
I would agree with Greektown... but be sure to take them on a loop around downtown on the People Mover... it never fails to impress out of towners [[at night the city and Windsor lights will impress)... If you do decide on that, check the PM hours.
Another option is, as has been mentioned one fo the restaurants in the Wintergarden at the RenCen... or to the top [[Coach's Insignia)... but do include a loop around the PM in your itinerary.
It's not downtown - but it's a fun way to kick the night off. Go to the Dakota Inn Rathskeller. It's right off I75 and McNichols [[6 Mile). It's one of those funky German restaurants complete with sing a longs, dancing etc - think Frankenmouth meets Detroit. Definitely worth checking out if you're never been. http://www.dakota-inn.com/web/pages/home/
If looking for downtown specific - I think Oslo is a cool place. It's just north of Campus Martius on Woodward and is good people watching sushi/pan Asian. There's a lounge/dance floor underneath that gives it a very DC/NYC vibe. Start at Coach Isignia and have a drink or two - soaking up the views of Detroit. Then walk up Woodward through Campus Martius to Oslo for dinner. End with dessert at the Whitney [[3rd floor). I think those three should woo them appropriately.
I don't have any advice but just enjoyed the thread b/c I've wondered the same thing from time to time.
In Bricktown, The Detroiter has an awesome burger and good prices if you are looking for a laid back bar with good food.
Sinbad's if the weather is nice.
I like bringing folks to Gracie See's just for the OMG! effect. But good subsitutes include Mario's, Italian Village, or Roma's.
Mudgie's is more of a lunch place but I think they're open till 9. They're right in Corktown about 3 minutes from the CBD. I've really enjoyed Angelina Italian Bistro - it's right on Grand Circus Park in the old Madison Theatre building. Check ahead to see if there's anything going on at the Opera House though, if so, you'll never find a table. I'm also a fan of Sweetwater Tavern. It's more of a pub but they're food is excellent. They're at Congress and Brush right downtown.
I'd also second a loop or two on the DPM....well worth it for only 50 cents each and the views are impressive both day and night. Hope this helps!
You should take them to Eastern Mkt on Saturday morning. I always enjoy going there [[Except in the summer when I end up staying too long at Berts and end up singing Karaoke).
Go to Butcher's Inn, a historic place that used to have a brothel on the second floor! They have great food and the bottomless blood marys and mimosas are nice as well.
Thanks to everyone for the great suggestions!
Take them to Windsor.
Dover627... if you do take them for a loop on the People Mover... get of at the Financial District Station.... Take them to the window on the east side of the platform, and point over to One Woodward Ave. [[formerly "The Gas Building"). Mention that this building was designed by Minoru Yamasaki, the designer of the World Trade Center... [[I've taken 6 busloads of Germans and 1 busload of Hungarians on a tour of downtown, and that image of the Gas Building never fails to impress them)... I usually just tell them that this building [[designed 3 years earlier) was a prototype for the WTC, and you can tell in the slender windows, that the design was reused for the WTC.
After standing on that platform, you can either get back on the next PM car [[without having to pay again) or take them for a safe quick walk one block from the Financial Center Station, to the Guardian Building. Although late at night the shopping arcade [[former main banking hall) is closed at that time, the guards at the entrance desk will let you oogle at all the artwork in the lobby with a view up the stairs to the former main banking hall [[the gates will be closed). The lobby of the Guardian Building will impress even the most jaded visitor.
Checkers Bar on Cadillac Square has great burgers but limited hours. Mudgies is awesome! But, where is Gracie See's?
Stromberg2
West side of Greenfield south of Warren.Quote:
Originally Posted by stromberg2
Why would anyone, save for the clueless, need to take a tour of bars?Quote:
Originally Posted by mwilbert
Greektown, Belle Isle, Fisher Building, Guardian Building, Roma Cafe, Cadillac Place, Indian Village...
If you are looking for an off-the-beaten path type place check out la dolce vita at Cedarhurst and Woodward. Very non-descript building and they go solely by word of mouth. Although I don't know if they are open during the winter?
Remember the DIA is open till 10:00 PM on Fridays . Dinner at Shangri La , DIA , then drinks at Woodbridge Pub would be a nice evening .
Or , Polish Village , a movie at the Redford [[maybe pre show espresso next door at Motor City Java House )& drinks at Motor City Brewing Works......
I couldn't say of my own knowledge. Here's the organizers' pitch:Quote:
Originally Posted by LodgeDodger
So I guess it is kind of for the clueless. I think sometimes people are reluctant to go into a bar they aren't familiar with, so maybe it is also for the recalcitrant.Quote:
Thousands of people will be coming down to Corktown to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and we want to help you stay ahead of the crowds by showing you where to go once you get there. We’ll be taking you inside of some of Corktown’s best bars along the parade route. Throughout the night you’ll hob nob with owners and staff, get drink specials and find your inner Irish. And as always you’ll get fun information about Detroit plus you’ll meet lots of fun people along the way.
Thank you for the info, mwilbert. I guess I just don't understand such things. ;-)Quote:
Originally Posted by mwilbert
Man up and show people what the city is really like. Why sugar coat it, take them to Del Ray, downtown Highland park, for a ride down Robinwood ect.
Why try to hide what Detroit really is?
i show people around detroit whenever i get the chance, some of my favorites:
*Grab a coffee either at the rowland [[guardian bldg) or stella [[fisher bldg)
*drive around belle isle, maybe check out the conservatory or just admire the view from just off the bridge
*eastern market
*get a good coney or detroit pizza like dulys or the original buddys [[im looking forward to trying gracie sees myself!)
*take the pm to the rencen and check out the gm display, the view from the 2nd/34d floor toward the river is awesome, if you feel like a walk hit the riverwalk
I have a zillion more but those are some favorites. I get kinda carried away showing off Detroit so i hafta keep it limited. I wish i could take a salary being an official tourguide of the city lol
best of luck!
Well in fairness that piece of robinwood is extreme even by detroit standards and if you wanna be technical hp is its own city [[and in fairness if you consider hp detroit then you'd also have to show off hamtramck). I might drive down robinwood just as a demonstration though. Try this: drive down robinwood then jump across woodward to palmer woods; then explain that that these are the two extremes of Detroit and the whole city falls somewhere between those. Besides if you're in the area you can stop at dutch girl from some awesome donuts!!Quote:
Originally Posted by thatguy123
I see no harm in showing them the good and the bad... and do it in a way that shows that we still have a long way to go... but we still have our crown jewels.Quote:
Originally Posted by thatguy123
As the semi-official tour guide for mainly German European cultural tour groups [[they're usually here to perform either chorally or with ethnic dancers)... I mainly provide day tours, and start with a tour of the Ford House... take them down Lakeshore in the Pointes... and then continue down along Jefferson in Detroit to show them the bad as well as the good... once around Belle isle... and then on to the Downtown sights. That gives them a bit of the bad, along with plently of the good. No need to sugar coat... but an even lesser need to dwell on the bad...
Dakota Inn Rathskeller gets my vote! Haven't been there in years, but we had a ball when we went.
La Dolce Vita is open in the winter. I was there this past Sunday for brunch. Great atmosphere/live music during brunch and unlimited mimosas/blood mary's starting at noon. Though it can get crowded - so reservations are recommended. The nondescript buidling has the letters "LDV" on it driving up Woodward. But, if trying to impress someone, hold off on going until the weather is warm and the outdoor patio is open. One of the coolest outdoor dining expereinces in the city.
Dinner and show at Cliff Bell's - very unique, entertaining and nice. People have the impression that Detroit is all crack houses and frozen bums. Take the People Mover to Foran's for a drink. I've never had anyone "impressed" by the People Mover [[mostly just baffled or amused by it) bit it is worth the trip.
If it's too much booze for your guests, just get off at Greektown for dessert at Astoria. You could gamble at Greektown Casino for a while as well.
I mean, the poster just said downtown Friday night, right? Some of you are packing in enough for a week's vacation.
Detroit, like all major cities, is a lot of different things. People are free to show the Detroit that suits them.Quote:
Originally Posted by thatguy123
Why are you on this site?Quote:
Originally Posted by thatguy123