Help With Upscale/ Trendy Restaurants in Detroit

**detroitpride313** · August-31-11, 07:18 PM

Okay so I just started another thread not too long ago about selecting a hotel for a guy that I know who is coming to stay in Detroit for business reasons [[for only a week), but I wanted to ask another question. I wanted people's opinions of upscale/trendy restaurants [[and they don't have to be fine dining or formal) that I should recommend to him. As I mentioned in the other thread he is extremely negative about Detroit. He never has anything good to say about it and he said that the only thing Detroit has is hot dogs [[referring to the Coney Islands in Detroit). So basically I am trying to convince him that there are many upscale restaurants in Detroit [[like the Whitney, which I will definitely be making him go to) and there are also some nice trendy places too with great atmospheres. Thank you!

**Kathleen** · August-31-11, 07:29 PM

Giovanni's on Oakwood Blvd. get my vote as one of Detroit's finest!!
http://www.giovannisristorante.com/

**tarynd85** · August-31-11, 09:44 PM

Centaur has GREAT tapas and martinis! Cliff Bells is good too. Coach Insignia for the view

**JBMcB** · August-31-11, 09:59 PM

Coach Insignia - good steak and seafood place. Iridescence - nice view, a bit trendier than the C.I. Cuisine - less trendy than Iridescence, but better food IMHO.

**tarynd85** · August-31-11, 10:05 PM

I forgot about 24 Grille. Amazing scallops and steaks

**socks_mahoney** · August-31-11, 10:07 PM

United Cafe and Coney Island on Grand River

White grove on 2nd ave

**mikeinmotown** · August-31-11, 10:12 PM

Don't waste your time. Your friend is an idiot.

**laphoque** · August-31-11, 11:15 PM

Originally Posted by socks_mahoney

United Cafe and Coney Island on Grand River

White grove on 2nd ave

Pffft come on now the Long John Silver's on Gratiot is def. the fanciest. Especially after stocking up at the Better Made Outlet.

**laphoque** · August-31-11, 11:20 PM

But seriously others that have yet to be mentioned: La Dolce Vida. El Barzon. Roma Cafe. Southern Fires.

Sunday Dinner Company isn't quite fancy but has a great social justice story if your friends into that and is pretty damn good and inexpensive.

Sinbad's is great. 1917 American Bistro. Baker's Keyboard Lounge.

**Detroitdave** · September-01-11, 06:09 AM

Ok here we go ! Slows, Russell st Deli and Sapino @ eastern market , Angelina, Union st on Woodward, Mudgies, Traffic Jam and Snug, Woodbridge Pub,Vicentes /cuban, I agree 24 grill is excellent , El barzon is also excellent , Good girls go to Paris , Salt water/Bourbon st @ MGM ,Rub BBQ , Avalon for coffee and breads, Astro for coffee and Chez Zara on Woodward for coffee ,oh I forgot Motor city Brewing works midtown, cuisine in new center . ... do I really need to go on ?
I could do this all day !, and these all ALL in the city limits and near Downtown Detroit .
I really need to eat at home more LOL !
If you buddy can't find anything he likes in that list I want to know what city he lives in because I need to eat there, and I've eaten in pretty much EVERY big city in the US !

**spitcoff** · September-01-11, 06:47 AM

Michael Symon's Roast

**spitcoff** · September-01-11, 06:48 AM

Mi Pubelo at central and dix for mexican

**oldredfordette** · September-01-11, 06:55 AM

I'm with Mikeinmotown. Let your friend eat coneys.

**mallory** · September-01-11, 08:43 AM

The Whitney? It's been a long time since I've been there, so I don't know if I would recommend it. Is it still a good place to dine? Anyone?

**JBMcB** · September-01-11, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by spitcoff

Michael Symon's Roast

Holy cow seconded. Any place that has bacon as an appetizer is a winner.

**pkbroch** · September-01-11, 09:34 AM

Have several friends who went in the past few months, said it is only a shadow of it's former self as far as food and service go. The home is still beautiful. Roast is great as is the Caucus Club and Angelina's downtown.

Yelp is a great website for reviews from real people.

**iheartthed** · September-01-11, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by mikeinmotown

Don't waste your time. Your friend is an idiot.

That's a win.

Michael Symon's Roast

I second that. Great food and good selection of beer too.

Andiamo's on the River seems like a great place for the view. But I have never eaten there so I don't know if the food is any good...

**Mind field** · September-01-11, 09:59 AM

I'm about to eat at the Caucus Club for the first time. Detroit has so many fine dining options your friend just needs to do some research.

**swingline** · September-01-11, 10:21 AM

Originally Posted by mallory

The Whitney? It's been a long time since I've been there, so I don't know if I would recommend it. Is it still a good place to dine? Anyone?

Been there twice in the last 12 months and it was excellent both times.

If the OP's difficult friend needs a gastronomic experience that rivals Per Se in Manhattan or Alinea in Chicago, nothing in Detroit will likely measure up. But no place here aspires to that and why should they? The Whitney has excellent food and the setting is unique and beautiful.

**MSUguy** · September-01-11, 10:28 AM

I've heard good thing about Fountain Fistro in Campus Martius. Roast is definately worth a visit. Andiamo the food is good enough, but overpriced for it's quality IMO

**iheartthed** · September-01-11, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by swingline

Been there twice in the last 12 months and it was excellent both times.

If the OP's difficult friend needs a gastronomic experience that rivals Per Se in Manhattan or Alinea in Chicago, nothing in Detroit will likely measure up. But no place here aspires to that and why should they? The Whitney has excellent food and the setting is unique and beautiful.

The food in Manhattan isn't that great. Detroit's restaurant food quality is far better [[even mediocre Slow's is far better than the average BBQ in Manhattan). Manhattan wins on quantity of restaurants and diversity of cuisine options [[it's pretty hard to find an Ethiopian restaurant in Detroit for instance).

**stinkytofu** · September-01-11, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by swingline

Been there twice in the last 12 months and it was excellent both times.

Funny how opinions/experiences can differ. I was at The Whitney for the first time in my life a few weeks back and was really disappointed. The food was bland/overpriced, the service was horribly slow, and it was just kind of dirty [[our seats all had crumbs on them and there were three flies bugging us all meal long). While the dining experience sucked, I did really enjoy walking around the building and checking out the rooms upstairs.

**drjeff** · September-01-11, 11:23 AM

Opus One and Roast are probably my favorite upscale places. There are dozens of other places that are good too, obviously. One thing Detroit is not lacking is good restaurant options. Usually we have trouble deciding where to go because there are too many good places.

**downtownguy** · September-01-11, 11:38 AM

Another vote for Cuisine. Not quite as opulent as the Whitney, but the old house it's in has charm and Chef Paul is the best! Take him for a walk through the Fisher Building afterwards.

DetroitPole · September-01-11, 11:43 AM

And Mr. Fancy probably spends his time dining at an Applebees in some strip mall parking lot.

I long gave up with these types of people. Far too stupid. No sense in throwing pearls before swine.

Not trendy but Giovannis was the finest meal and dining experience I've ever had. More for a sexy date though, not to be wasted on some slack-jawed yokel.