Detroit Neighborhood Battle Royale: BRING IT!

**BrushStart** · January-14-11, 02:03 PM

Here's the plot: I went bar hopping last night across the city and ran into friends who live all over town. This was not planned, but as it turned out, we were each from different parts of Detroit. At some point during the evening, the conversation came up about which Detroit neighborhood is the best, and specifically, dive bars were used as ammunition to prove our case. Me, being a downtowner represented the CBD. My buddy, who lives in Midtown threw in Comet Bar, Bronx, and the like. Our other buddy who lives in SW Detroit threw down his local favorites and trumped us with 5 Mexican restaurants within walking distance of his flat, and our other friend who lives in Indian Village laid out her E. Riverfront hideouts. As you can imagine, it turned into a drunken battle royale. Mind you, we were all drinking at a bar in Corktown when this conversation erupted, so irony abound.

Now, I'm bringing this battle to a bigger forum. I know we've got people from all over the city on here. I still maintain downtown is the best. Not only do we have all the skyscrapers and stadiums, but nobody can match the likes of dives like Jacoby's, Anchor, and the Post.

BRING IT. You sissies.

**Planner3357** · January-14-11, 02:06 PM

I have to agree with you Brush....the CBD is where its at. A plethora of good dives and entertainment.

**Gistok** · January-14-11, 02:22 PM

Maybe you better wait until you sober up to have that discussion....

The far east side [[East English Village and Cornerstone Village) come to mind.... great shopping experiences in the Grosse Pointes, lots of restaurants... a world class medical center, a huge park with sledding hill... and oh yes... only 10 minutes from the cultural attractions of the Museum and Entertainment Districts.... as well as the riverfront.

**daddeeo** · January-14-11, 02:26 PM

Where's Jack Kelly when you need him???

**NorthofNormal** · January-14-11, 02:29 PM

only 10 minutes from the cultural attractions of the Museum and Entertainment Districts

Or, you know, a person could live in the very shadow of those museums and entertainment venues. Have a drink at TJ's or Motor City Brewing, pick up something tasty at Avalon or Good Girls Go To Paris. Midtown's even got it's own Slow's, now!

**Gannon** · January-14-11, 02:33 PM

I LOVE THIS!

Gotta put in some deep thoughts...won't even start without a drink in my hand, but you've GOTTA know I'm going to be cheering on the Eastern Market.

Cheers!

DetroitPole · January-14-11, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Maybe you better wait until you sober up to have that discussion....

The far east side [[East English Village and Cornerstone Village) come to mind.... great shopping experiences in the Grosse Pointes, lots of restaurants... a world class medical center, a huge park with sledding hill... and oh yes... only 10 minutes from the cultural attractions of the Museum and Entertainment Districts.... as well as the riverfront.

Great bar experiences too. Some great dives like Nikki's and High Noon Saloon, along with the biggest beer selection at Metro Detroit at Ye Olde Tap Room and oh yeah, last I checked the CBD didn't have feather bowling a la Cadieux Cafe!

**BrushStart** · January-14-11, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPole

and oh yeah, last I checked the CBD didn't have feather bowling a la Cadieux Cafe!

OOoooooooh.

**Eastside** · January-14-11, 05:23 PM

The eastside rocks for all the reasons mentioned about PLUS we have the Dancing Santa!

So there!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqzaTdkj-e8

**rencense** · January-15-11, 12:37 AM

Well I think its a little unfair to compare the CBD Downtown to elsewhere in the city in terms of bars, I mean for better or worse if downtown detroit is good for one thing its probably getting shitfaced!

I would say though that midtown holds second place followed by corktown. SW has lots of good mexican restaurants [[with great drink specials) but not so much in terms of genuine bars. I'm always fascinated with some of the more obscure neighborhood bars and holdouts. I believe there are some great old school bars in warrendale and on the east side/grosse pointe border not to mention some of those forboding looking holdouts on the desolate stretches of michigan ave!!! Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to visit many of these places yet but hope to.

Its possible though that brushstart is a lightweight who can't drink and is out after three zimas! I suppose I could be wrong but I myself am a professional drinker!

cheers

**BrushStart** · January-15-11, 02:28 AM

Originally Posted by rencense

Well I think its a little unfair to compare the CBD Downtown to elsewhere in the city in terms of bars, I mean for better or worse if downtown detroit is good for one thing its probably getting shitfaced!

Quality over quantity mate. One good neighborhood bar can top even a hefty list of mediocre drinking establishments. Cadieux Cafe, for example, carries some serious weight. It's definitely not all bars that make a neighborhood great either. Like when I was bragging about my stunning view from way up in the clouds, my friend of Indian Village retorted that her apartment is essentially a 16th century castle, inside and out! Hard to argue that that isn't sweet. Or my friend in Midtown who's neighbor is an art gallery. Hard to top that as well! Being 1 block from a grocery store like my buddy in SW is also tough to beat. I'll admit, I had to start name dropping bars [[CBD's strong suit) just to stay in the fight! There's really no right or wrong answer, but like I said, downtown is definitely the best. HAHA.

I would say though that midtown holds second place followed by corktown. SW has lots of good mexican restaurants [[with great drink specials) but not so much in terms of genuine bars. I'm always fascinated with some of the more obscure neighborhood bars and holdouts. I believe there are some great old school bars in warrendale and on the east side/grosse pointe border not to mention some of those forboding looking holdouts on the desolate stretches of michigan ave!!! Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to visit many of these places yet but hope to.

No doubt!

Its possible though that brushstart is a lightweight who can't drink and is out after three zimas! I suppose I could be wrong but I myself am a professional drinker!

Ooooh, sounds like a challenge....

By the way, what's a Zima?

cheers

Cheers!

**DetroitScooter** · January-15-11, 09:10 AM

There is only one way to settle this... party bus! The bus will stop at the "top three" dive bars in a four area "sweep". Multiple sessions can be coordinated in there are more than four areas. It will be a juried selection. Who's in?

**rencense** · January-15-11, 04:12 PM

I'm with ya brush,

I have some favorites downtown like jacobies, forans, etc etc I also went to the greenwich for the first time not long ago [[that place was a trip!) There's also a zillion other bars I haven't been to yet. Having mongo's alone make me wish i was living downtown if I could sneak in there before it was completely filled with hipsters!

Not too long ago I was almost sold [[save for the lack of a job) on an absolutely awesome apartment next door to the bronx in midtown and boy is that a cool area. lots of people on foot and lots of places to go. A year or so ago when they did the frozen four we brought some detroit n00bs on a bar crawl and my favorite part was walking from downtown to the temple bar and then onto MCBW. I'd have to nominate the temple for the ultimate dive bar award; the building is awesome and nestled in the middle of a bunch of abandoned stuff [[not sure if they do it anymore but they used to serve milwaukee's best light as the only beer on tap for 75 cents a glass)

What I do find myself wishing for is more neighborhood bars. I'm looking in the EEV area lately which of course has the Cadieux and some others along Mack and Warren. I have a pipe dream of opening a place someday to serve the indian village area; I love that area but they could really use a good neighborhood pub.

I believe neighborhood type pubs are important for Detroit, they serve as a meeting place for people who will eventually set a new course for the city. Knock a few back and bitch about the nonsense one puts up with living in this city and how they couldn't imagine living anywhere else!!

cheers

ps: zima was/is a girly malt beverage i recall being popular in the 90's [[think like flavored smirnoff now)