All dressed up and no place to eat.

**hamtown mike** · February-05-15, 04:07 PM

With a whole host of new restaurants, gastro pubs, and bars opening up in the city, I am left wondering where the hell are all these people coming from? This Saturday, My partner and I had enough of our cabin fever and decided to start trying spots on our list. We bundled up and made our way to Selden Standard. A 45-minute wait for 2. [[Congrats to the Selden Standard folks) Seeing that there was no room at the bar we walked. Apparently this is not uncommon among the top 10 in the area. [[Sorry Sugar House, not waiting for an hour behind the curtain.)

With all the new establishments, is there a gastro-bubble that is about to pop?

What place, in your opinion, is underrated and equally under-attended?

**GPCharles** · February-05-15, 04:26 PM

Yogi Berra - "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."

Price of success. As New Yorkers say - "Damn tourists!"

**Goose** · February-05-15, 04:26 PM

not sure of an answer but had a similar experience last Saturday

tried GoldCashGold saturday night, was told it was a 2 hour wait for dinner for 2.... NOT....

so just walked to slows and ate at the bar, not what we wanted but werent willing to wait 2 hours...

anyway, went back to gold after for drinks and desert, checked the menu, and glad we didn't wait, nothing on the menu looked good for my date, ordered the cookies desert at the bar... wasn't too impressed... probably won't be going back to gcg......

**Spartan** · February-05-15, 05:12 PM

There are a ton of places that are great and don't draw huge crowds, even in the greater downtown area. If you want BBQ and can't get into Slow's, head over to Greektown and get some Redsmoke. Ottava Via never seems to be too crowded, when I've been there. Cutter's in Eastern Market has great burgers, and Sweetwater has awesome wings. I could name tons of places I enjoy going that aren't always packed. It's really only the new and super-publicized places [[Slow's, Selden, Wright & Co, Hudson Cafe, Gold Cash Gold, Hopcat, Green Dot, Bucharest, etc) that have insane waits. Of course, places with waits like that are usually for good reason. Not many people wait two hours for an average meal experience.

**ABetterDetroit** · February-05-15, 05:24 PM

LOL I hope that everyone that's used to a empty Detroit is consistently disappointed for a very long time.

**Mackinaw** · February-05-15, 05:25 PM

Can't wait for Guns+Butter!!! Of course, that will have a line too.

Observations: more Detroit restaurants need to accept reservations and use open table. That said, Detroit restaurant-goers need to pack their patience and plan their evening with bar + restaurant pairings. Locate your restaurant of choice and an uncrowded bar nearby, go to restaurant and put in your name, and then walk a few blocks and enjoy the cocktail of your choice while you wait.

Other observation: sounds like a perfect hour to return to some of the old faves, lest they fall inexplicably out of style: hello Roma Cafe, Vicente's Cuban, Chop House, Tom's Oyster, the list goes on.

The improved food scene goes a long way in speaking about the course the city is on. Chicago is the clear midwestern leader but Detroit can tag along right behind if we demand excellence. The talent and money is certainly willing to invest here. Twin Cities has gotten GOBS of good press for having a few big name chefs emerge and rescue said cities from the white bread cuisine of its former self...frankly Detroit is having almost comparable recent success and it is all built upon a more diverse and interesting foundation. Can't wait to receive our national credit for having great food.

**Spartan** · February-05-15, 05:36 PM

Also, 45 minutes isn't that long of a wait for dinner on a Saturday. Hell, people wait that long at places like Olive Garden.

**sumas** · February-05-15, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

Also, 45 minutes isn't that long of a wait for dinner on a Saturday. Hell, people wait that long at places like Olive Garden.

You are kidding, right????

DetroitBoy · February-05-15, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by sumas

You are kidding, right????

Absolutely!

Do you know how many fat people there are in Sterling Heights? There's a reason why they have 'endless soup, salad and bread sticks" on the menu.

**animatedmartian** · February-05-15, 06:27 PM

In general, I've seen many restaurants, mostly in the suburbs, absolutely full on the weekends since the start of the new year. It might be all the people saving money on gas going out to eat. Or maybe the economy actually is improving. Either way, people seem to be back to spending money again.

**Ray1936** · February-05-15, 07:17 PM

Olive Garden has a corporate culture of taking names and making people wait unnecessarily. They try to portray the image that they are absolutely busy, overwhelmed. Then when you're finally taken to a table or booth, you see that the place is 3/4 empty. No matter what city the franchise is in.

If it wasn't for their bread sticks, I'd never go there again.

**wolverine** · February-05-15, 08:19 PM

45 minutes - 1 hour is not a long wait for a good restaurant. 2 hours is considered a long wait, so instead call ahead prior to arrival. Some restaurants will request permission for your number and send you a text when your table will become available 15 minutes prior. Think of the elapsed time on your original restaurant selection while instead spent searching for a new place. By the time you would have been handed a menu, you would been done eating at the first place.

**wolverine** · February-05-15, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by animatedmartian

In general, I've seen many restaurants, mostly in the suburbs, absolutely full on the weekends since the start of the new year. It might be all the people saving money on gas going out to eat. Or maybe the economy actually is improving. Either way, people seem to be back to spending money again.

This is true. The restaurant industry, especially causal sit-down restaurants are reliant on customers with disposable income.

**sumas** · February-05-15, 09:57 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

Olive Garden has a corporate culture of taking names and making people wait unnecessarily. They try to portray the image that they are absolutely busy, overwhelmed. Then when you're finally taken to a table or booth, you see that the place is 3/4 empty. No matter what city the franchise is in.

If it wasn't for their bread sticks, I'd never go there again.

My sister and I went to Chicago, booked in a pricey hotel. Set a date/time for a local restaurant. Didn't set our watches and showed to early. They freaked.

Place was dead empty!

**Tuere** · February-05-15, 10:12 PM

I agree that on the weekends in many suburbs a wait of 45 minutes is not unusual for chain restaurants, but growing up in Detroit [[1990s and early 2000s), outside of Greektown, I don't recall ever waiting very long with my family at the city's nicer restaurants. When I've been back to visit in the past year I've had multiple occasions of 45 minute to 2 hour waits [[Wright & Co, Selden Standard, Ottava Via, GCG, Dime Store) or just experiences where the place is jammed [[Punch Bowl Social, Sugar House). That simply wasn't happening 5-10 years ago. That being said, there are still some good new places [[like Craft Work and Grille Midtown) that have been open for just over a year now, but on most days I'm pretty sure you can be seated pretty easily.
The change in the dining scene in the city is undeniable and it's definitely picking up momentum.

**sumas** · February-06-15, 06:12 AM

Life is too short to wait. I do not wait in Dr offices either. Reservation/appointments don't seem to be significant.

On the dining end, lots of great choices with no waits.

**adamjab19** · February-07-15, 06:39 AM

These new restaurants are getting swarmed! I'm thankful to have weekdays off so I can try during off nights or lunch hours.

My limit for waiting is an hour. That's simple self preservation for me. I usually am hungry when I go out so waiting too long gets me HANGRY!! Theres always slows to go when plans fall through.

**sumas** · February-07-15, 08:28 AM

maybe people should forget trendy and just look for good food, good service and good prices. My limit for waiting is zero.

**313WX** · February-07-15, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by sumas

maybe people should forget trendy and just look for good food, good service and good prices. My limit for waiting is zero.

Usually, the reason a place is trendy is because people, by word of mouth, have heard about their trifecta of good food, good service and good prices.

Chances are if a place isn't trendy, it's lacking at least one of the three aforementioned things. Sure, I can go to a "hole-in-the-wall" to get good food perhaps at good prices in just minutes, but I don't expect to receive "good service" either...

**sumas** · February-07-15, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Usually, the reason a place is trendy is because people, by word of mouth, have heard about their trifecta of good food, good service and good prices.

Chances are if a place isn't trendy, it's lacking at least one of the three aforementioned things. Sure, I can go to a "hole-in-the-wall" to get good food perhaps at good prices in just minutes, but I don't expect to receive "good service" either...

Hey i like hole in wall places but those are for drinks. I don't generally eat out but lately have, Mexican town, Pole town. Sinbads on the water and a few coney places. No wait, good food, good service, good prices.

Mostly i like my own cooking. Company coming today for dinner. Dry rub baked chicken, mashed potatos, homemade gravy, an awesome salad [[my mom's recipe) veggies steamed and homemade biscuits. A home made cherry pie for desert. Borsin cheese with crackers for an appetizer. Mostly friends complained I made too many appetizers, so I keep it small now.

Still firm on the no wait. We go out enough that if an establishment can't meet standards just don't go back.

Sometimes I just like to not do dishes hence eating out.

**Jayp213** · February-07-15, 04:28 PM

AGREED!! Because those same people would be sad that sowntown is still empty and wondering why nobody is coming down to the city and staying in the suburbs and not enjoying these new restaurants. lol. The American mindset: "I wanta change for the city but I want priority seating when this change happens because I don't have time in my life to wait for anything." If you guys think the waits are bad now, wait until about 4 years from now when the red wings district opens; I'm sure EVERYWHERE will have a wait. Welcome to what people in nyc have to deal with in certain places. Welcome to big city characteristics.

Originally Posted by ABetterDetroit

LOL I hope that everyone that's used to a empty Detroit is consistently disappointed for a very long time.

**iheartthed** · February-07-15, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by sumas

You are kidding, right????

Try getting into the Cheesecake Factory on a Saturday evening, lol.

I don't know if long waits are the sign of a bubble in the Detroit dining scene. It's probably more a sign of health...

**warsaw7** · February-07-15, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Spartan

There are a ton of places that are great and don't draw huge crowds, even in the greater downtown area. If you want BBQ and can't get into Slow's, head over to Greektown and get some Redsmoke. Ottava Via never seems to be too crowded, when I've been there. Cutter's in Eastern Market has great burgers, and Sweetwater has awesome wings. I could name tons of places I enjoy going that aren't always packed. It's really only the new and super-publicized places [[Slow's, Selden, Wright & Co, Hudson Cafe, Gold Cash Gold, Hopcat, Green Dot, Bucharest, etc) that have insane waits. Of course, places with waits like that are usually for good reason. Not many people wait two hours for an average meal experience.

Shocking to hear that nobody on here has mentioned Craft Work. Hands down my favorite restaurant, the menu is a little small but the food and ambience of the space makes it the most underrated restaurant in the city. Definitely off the beat and path, but the fact that it is in a safe neighborhood with accessible parking, makes this restaurant worth the drive.

**sumas** · February-07-15, 08:39 PM

Craft Work is on our radar for a place to check out. My only issue, I don't wait. I'll call in advance, no problem. The money is green. I don't need trendy, mostly those are just places to be seen or say you have been. Too old, too grumpy, pay our bill, tip well.

**G-DDT** · February-07-15, 08:58 PM

Any wait over 45 minutes is excruciating when you have a blood sugar condition that requires you eat by the clock. No matter how you time it, you can hold off a glycogenic reaction from your liver with the fiber from crackers or sunflower seeds only for so long. One of many aspects that sabotages the "dining out" ritual with me when I try to take a woman out on a date.

Also, Romas---had a bad experience on a Wednesday clocking well over an hour wait [[with reservation) with mother and brother. We watched as occasional pairs of young Russians and Italians walk in in the same kind of European style leather jackets, greet each other, talk like "made men", and get priority treatment.