Downtown Detroit Restaurants & Bars- 1970

DC48080 · October-25-10, 08:57 AM

Originally Posted by 56packman

I'm having a near-senior moment, what was the name of the restaurant/bar across from the Fisher building, a lot of GM management hung out there after hours?

Could you be thinking of The Normandie?

**56packman** · October-25-10, 09:40 AM

That's it! thanks. I liked that place, for some reason I could not remember the name.

DC48080 · October-25-10, 09:47 AM

Normandie was great. They had fantastic hamburgers.

**CLAUDE G** · October-27-10, 01:23 AM

The one I miss most is the Old Top Hat that was right next to Tunnel BBQ when you got out of the tunnel on the Canadian side.

When the US dollar was up, you could get an entire slab of Baby Back Ribs with Fries for around $8, and the ribs and sauce where seriously the best in town.

On top of that, they usually had a live show ever few weeks, it was a top notch establishement which lived way beyond its time.

What ultamatly forced them to close down was the death of the owner, September 11th, Curranty exchange rates, and the Detroit Casinos.

9/11 Just killed the business from the customers like me who would go over once or twice per week just to eat. 30 minutes in customs when coming back home and then being harrassed for another 5 minutes with the fear of a possible inspection was just too much for alot of people.

The Detroit Casino's picked off a little more business, as they where more convient for most people to travel to

Then we can all blame the all mighty US dollar, with the Canadian dollar being about par with the US dollar, raised their prices over 50%. Didn't help much that they tried to off set their losses by raising prices even more!

Finally the owner did pass away a few years before the place closed, and eventhough the kids did an excellent job running the place for their mother, things just where never the same.

Good news is that I still got the guys email address and can get sauce

Ravine · October-27-10, 04:24 AM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

Oh, I forgot Chin-Tiki and Forbidden City. Forbidden City was by the Masonic, not right downtown.

Yep. I second you on the Chin-Tiki endorsement.

**zitro** · October-27-10, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

The one I miss most is the Old Top Hat that was right next to Tunnel BBQ when you got out of the tunnel on the Canadian side.

When the US dollar was up, you could get an entire slab of Baby Back Ribs with Fries for around $8, and the ribs and sauce where seriously the best in town.

On top of that, they usually had a live show ever few weeks, it was a top notch establishement which lived way beyond its time.

What ultamatly forced them to close down was the death of the owner, September 11th, Curranty exchange rates, and the Detroit Casinos.

9/11 Just killed the business from the customers like me who would go over once or twice per week just to eat. 30 minutes in customs when coming back home and then being harrassed for another 5 minutes with the fear of a possible inspection was just too much for alot of people.

The Detroit Casino's picked off a little more business, as they where more convient for most people to travel to

Then we can all blame the all mighty US dollar, with the Canadian dollar being about par with the US dollar, raised their prices over 50%. Didn't help much that they tried to off set their losses by raising prices even more!

Finally the owner did pass away a few years before the place closed, and eventhough the kids did an excellent job running the place for their mother, things just where never the same.

Good news is that I still got the guys email address and can get sauce

......................

**beanietek** · October-27-10, 02:06 PM

Bonapart's by the old GM headquarters

**mikeinmotown** · October-28-10, 07:43 PM

Who remembers Dirty Helens, The Red Garter with the Red Garter Band, The Diplomat, Shoppers Lounge, The Golden Ducate, Willis Show Bar, The Original Gold Dollar, not the punk place. I was able to get into these places when I was 16. The never carded anyone back then.

**terryh** · October-28-10, 08:24 PM

Do any of you remember the Anchor Bar at its original location?

DC48080 · October-28-10, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by terryh

Do any of you remember the Anchor Bar at its original location?

Wasn't it in the carcass of the Fort Shelby, on the Lafayette side?

**grumpyoldlady** · October-29-10, 12:09 AM

I loved LaLanterna...on Grand Circus Park. Had my first "real" Italian food there. Favorite place for burgers or pizza was Borg's Bar on. Jim's Garage fried ice cream....yum! Mexican favorite was Cadena's.

**detroitbob** · October-29-10, 02:32 AM

Wasn't LaLanterna on Griswold between State and Grand River at Capital Park?

**GPCharles** · October-29-10, 07:53 AM

Former weekly regular at the Downtown Bar on West Lafayette [[I think). Good burger for a reasonable price and you could get in and out in under an hour.

**dtowncitylover** · October-29-10, 08:34 AM

Does anyone know where L'Esprit Discotheque was? Or have any information about it? It's refered to in a Convention and Vistor's Bureau about Detroit from the 70s, which now I can't find on Youtube [[wonder where I saw it...hmmm...)

Anyways, just tried to Google search it again, only thing to come up was an article about Ford II and is wife of 11 years Cristina. Then the article mentions Kathleen DuRoss, the owner, who owned the club, and was found with Ford 2 in Cali when he was pulled over for being under the influence...thanks People magazine article from '76!

**econ expat** · October-29-10, 02:28 PM

" Eat The Rich " Graffiti on L'Espirit wall
"Never Complain, Never Explain" HF2 quoted after the DUI in CA.

[[more additions to Detroit slang?)

**DetroitPlanner** · October-29-10, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Does anyone know where L'Esprit Discotheque was? Or have any information about it? It's refered to in a Convention and Vistor's Bureau about Detroit from the 70s, which now I can't find on Youtube [[wonder where I saw it...hmmm...)

I'm not that old to remember discos, but I do have some faiint recollection of this name with either the RenCen or Greektown.

**detroitbob** · October-29-10, 02:57 PM

L'Esprit Discotheque was at Larned and Shelby, NE corner, now a parking lot. Kathy DuRoss [[Ford) was the owner. Also known as Downstairs Pub. Building also housed Acme Camera on the first floor.

**Carey** · October-29-10, 04:50 PM

The red-brick building at Larned and Shelby that housed L'Esprit was the Free Press building in the 1880s.

**msamslex** · October-29-10, 05:47 PM

My parents used to go to the Chin Tiki when I was little. They always served my pineapple juice in a carved out fresh pineapple with a little umbrella. I made sure I didn't forget to take my "prize" home.

We went to Chung's many times also. I seem to remember the place was always busy.

**grumpyoldlady** · October-29-10, 11:39 PM

detroitbob.....you may be right...Capitol Park, although I don't remember that name. I always thought that was Grand Circus Park. Any way, it was a long time ago, and I didn't know that part of downtown very well....went with my high school boyfriend who went to Cass.

**grumpyoldlady** · October-29-10, 11:41 PM

Top of the Flame.....on the memories!!!! Had to go up there many times and get my boss off of a bar stool because one of the top execs wanted him down on the 25th floor just below. That place was WAY too convienent for the employees of the building.

**DorothyD** · October-30-10, 08:59 AM

LaLanterna was at Capitol Park across the street from the Griswold Building where I worked in the 60's. Always stopped in at the Quickee in the morning for a lemon donut and coffee. Remember Collins Irish Cellar down the street.

**DorothyD** · October-30-10, 09:01 AM

Grumpyoldlady, I loved Top of the Flame [[check out the ladies room). I still have a paper napkin from there that had a map of the city views you could see from the restaurant.

**grumpyoldlady** · October-30-10, 11:45 AM

I worked at One Woodward for many years, and was sad when ANR decided to eliminate the "Top", although for reasons previously mentioned, it was in some ways a detriment to those employed below. Don't remember ever being in the ladies' room at the Top....until after the floor had been converted into office space and it became a plain old boring restroom like in the rest of the building.