New cafe opening in Pleasant Ridge - Mae's

[Ravine]

Yep, Pam, that's the one.
You are encouraged to join me. Bring a tin of snuff for the cooklady.

[SG Creative]

Mae's has their grand opening today: Saturday, April 10, 2010 starting at 8am. They even have a coupon available!

[Fury13]

You mean this place?

http://www.detroitblog.org/?p=1106

"It’s all mental cases around here... ninety-nine percent mental cases. Might as well talk to that ceiling up there, you’d get more sense from it. And 95 percent of them are up to no good.�

[TheValson]

Anna's will never be replicated, and I can appreciate the fact that the new owners are not exactly going for that. Marion was as amazing as her coffee shoppe. I'm glad that the place will continue to exist in some fashion, but the problem that people have is that now that some young hipsters with ironic haircuts and big glasses own the joint, every idiot in the world is going to be tripping all over themselves to praise the joint, and act as if they discovered the place. Anna's used to be reliably accesible when other trendy joint like Toast had a line like Slow's out the door every weekend morning. So, I don't begrudge the new owners, just the customers that are sure to price and crowd me out a place I used to love. Who would have thunk even Pleasant Ridge could be gentrified. I can't believe that they removed the cigarette machine.

[lizaanne]

Looking forward to checking the out! The menu looks great!

[maesdetroit]

Hey everyone. I was so surprised to find this thread when I googled our restaurant name! My husband and I own Mae's and I can assure you we aren't "hipsters with ironic haircuts" and we aren't trying to be Anna's Coffee Shoppe either. We live a block away and have spent many many years working for other people and wanted a little place of our own in our own neighborhood. As far as our menu, it is now up on our website. Our prices range from 2.50-8.50 so wearen't trying to gouge anyone or price anyone out of the place. We make as many menu items from scratch as possible including roasting our own ham and turkey, slicing all of our meats and cheeses, making our own biscuits, baked goods [[with the exception of our vegan selections from Avalon Bakery who supplies our bread), hand cutting fries, fresh strawberry and raspberry jam, etc. I hope you guys will give us a chance now that we are open.
Oh, and we also wish the cigarette machine was there still but Marion's daughter sold it to a local police officer.

[ggcanfield]

Thanks, maesdetroit, for your courteous post and the information update! I look forward to eating there. The menu looks delicious.

[Johnlodge]

Thanks for posting, Mae's. Mrs. Lodge and I are in the neighborhood and will be sure to stop by with minimal handwringing about the past or types of haircuts. Best of luck to you in your venture.

[lizaanne]

I already have plans to meet up with a girlfriend for lunch there soon - maybe in a week or two! I drove by the other day and it looks really cute inside with 50's style turquoise diner chairs - can't wait!

[Zimm]

i had lunch there today. cute place, good food, reasonable prices. will definitely eat there again. i've been looking for a reasonably priced lunch place that is a notch or 2 above coney/mediocre restaurant food. mae's fits the bill.

my only complaint-it has ultra-low visibility from the street. i drove by twice looking for the place.

[janb]

I've been excited about the opening of this place since I first read about it a month or so ago. Now that I've checked out the menu, I'm even more enthused! Everything sounds delicious and the prices are very, very reasonable. I'm there this weekend, for sure. Hopefully the wait isn't too long, but I guess that's a good thing, right?

[lizaanne]

i had lunch there today. cute place, good food, reasonable prices. will definitely eat there again. i've been looking for a reasonably priced lunch place that is a notch or 2 above coney/mediocre restaurant food. mae's fits the bill.

my only complaint-it has ultra-low visibility from the street. i drove by twice looking for the place.

I agree - I think they need to get a sign out on the curb directing people around that corner, because you sure do fly right by it before you can see it.

[maesdetroit]

We are working on the signage. It is currently against our city ordinance to put out any sandwich boards on the sidewalk.

[lizaanne]

We are working on the signage. It is currently against our city ordinance to put out any sandwich boards on the sidewalk.

Sandwich board!! That is what I was looking for! That is too bad - that would be perfect for where you are. Trying to get adequate signage in PR and Ferndale is brutal. I hope you can find something that works!

[terryh]

Fuckin' A. To hell with that. Let's head on down to that place in The Corridor [[oh, I forgot; "midtown," that is) that Blogger John wrote about, in the Metro Times, a few months ago. At least we'll get a goddam table.
I'll bring the bleach & ammonia mixture, to wipe it down.

lol....maybe Maes will end up being a hidden Gem..if its the same location Im thinking of it is going to be a quaint tiny little place...it was a not quite gritty diner....out of the way...quiet...

[lizaanne]

So - anyone been there yet? Husband and I are going on Saturday after a stroll around the RO Farmer's Market [[hoping it won't rain)!!

[gazhekwe]

We were there this morning. It's a very pleasant place, and we enjoyed our breakfast. It is hard to see when you are northbound on Woodward, so watch for Susan's Special Needs, which is right next door.

[Fury13]

We were there this morning. It's a very pleasant place, and we enjoyed our breakfast. It is hard to see when you are northbound on Woodward, so watch for Susan's Special Needs, which is right next door.

Some friends who recently went to Mae's told me they enjoyed the place. Good food and nice atmosphere.

Seems like an neon sign on the building or in the window would be appropriate for a retro place like that, and that it would help attract business. Does Pleasant Ridge allow neon signage?

[gazhekwe]

The problem is, it is on the north side of Susan's which sticks out past it a little bit, so it is hard to see.

[East Detroit]

We had breakfast/lunch at Mae's today [[one of us had breakfast and one of us had lunch).

Logistics were a little odd... Was hard to find, didn't know if we should seat ourselves, wireless required a password...

The food was really good. I had grilled cheese, chips, faygo, salad... my wife had an omelet, coffee, toast...

"Substitutions are encouraged" was cool...

The waitress was really nice; called everyone honey or dear.

Signs and crates inside from Faygo, Uptown, etc... nice setup.

We'll definitely be back.

[surenowinlife]

Awesome food,prices and service with a smile.You gotta check them out!
How about a big old Waffle?

[Kathleen]

Molly Abraham: Restaurant Review -- Mae's: 2.5 stars

Small-town feel is Mae's charm

http://detnews.com/article/20100610/...is-Mae-s-charm

A nice overview and I really did read anything strongly positive or strongly negative. But sure sounds like a place to check out. Just wish they were open later than 4pm.

[Wintersmommy]

The child and I went there for lunch today...must say i loved the place.

I felt very at home there , maybe it was the cat salt and pepper shakers that reminded me of my grandma, or the fact that someone at the next table was drinking out a glass that is a twin to the one my mom has in her kitchen. My child even yelled out "mom look its grandma's glass" which promted a lady at the counter to say well I am eating off a plate that matches my moms china...it was a cute moment


It was retro but not overboard or fake. The place just felt right

It was nice and bright and uncomplicated...did I already mention i loved it?

When we arrived [[about 2:30) there were 2 or 3 tables open so we didnt have to wait.

I had the Soprano sandwich which was mighty tasty. The kid had pb & j. and we both had ice cold Faygo's mmmm yummy as always

we will be back...Mae's was nothing special but it was just right if that makes sense?

[Farnsworth]

Cute place, but not overly impressed with it as a dining option.

I order Huevos Rancheros for $8.50 -- they charged me an EXTRA $3.00 to have an egg put on it after came without -- I wonder if they know what "huevos" means. Even with the egg, it was only mediocre.

[9mile&seneca]

11.50 for 1 egg and refried beans? All you need is no parking and you're in Savannah Ga.