Restaurant bar in Detroit: Staff Pick

A true microbrewery; six to eight microbrews made on the premises. Spacious, high-ceilinged Chicago loft-style decor. Happy Hour Monday through Friday; 60-item menu served 'til midnight (until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday). Specials include Employee Appreciation Night, Two-fer Tuesdays, karaoke and College Night.

Steak dominates the fare and there’s nothing on the menu that would make a meat-and-potatoes lover squirm. Six dishes under the heading “VIP” are flambéed at two stations in the dining room. All of the entrées we tried were very good: seafood strudel ($16.95), fettuccine carbonara (prepared with chicken), veal Marsala, seafood marinara ($17.95). Sides are predictable, such as green beans. Soup or salad comes with entrees; the clam chowder, which we had in both the New England and Manhattan variations, is terrific. Service is a serious issue that needs attention from management.

Feather bowling is not the only draw to this Belgian cultural hub. Cadieux Cafe combines European flair with a unique menu, and the current owners have furthered the popularity by bringing in live musical acts and staying open until 2 a.m. daily (Midnight on Sundays). So whether you are in the mood for steamed mussels, Belgian beer or Elvis impersonators (sometimes), this is the place for you.

Ann Arbor’s Café Felix is practically poetic. The tradition of a European café serving pastries, breads and cakes baked fresh on-site, as well as European wines, beers and liquors. They serve a full breakfast, omelets, crepes, soups, salads and tapas. Every finishing touch within the butter-colored walls is indeed, as the French say, “Au point.”

Fans would probably rank this a three-and-a-half star experience, but there's no reason for hockey agnostics like myself to visit Cheli’s. It’s a barnlike, underheated space with 14 TVs in one room (and one in each restroom) and a familiar menu whose execution ranges from poor to average. For red-and-white-jerseyed boosters, though, it's a place to exult in pure hockey-ness. The place assumes women aren’t die-hard fans; the TV in the women’s bathroom plays non-hockey fare.

Whether it's pizza, pasta, or anything that can conceivably be breaded and deep-fried, this fixture on the corner of Nine Mile and Woodward has been serving it up since 1961. Rain or shine, Como's sheltered outdoor dining area offers a place for al fresco eating and open-air boozing. The restaurant closed in 2018 and reopened in 2019 under new management.

"The Dakota Inn Rathskeller is the only remaining true ethnic German restaurant in Detroit. It is the type of classic German Rathskeller or Biergarten that was a mainstay of German immigrant community, and still has the very best German cooking in the city."

Since 1933, Detroiters have gotten their fill of bratwurst at The Dakota Inn, which offers a Bavarian style menu in an old Heidelberg atmosphere. Serves up three different types of schnitzel. Gift certificates are available. Reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday.

Fishbone's Rhythm Kitchen Café is one of Metro Detroit's favorite Cajun/Creole restaurants. From the mouth-watering appetizers and authentic New Orleans house specialties to the friendly service and French Quarter atmosphere, Fishbone's is truly first-class. For a truly unique experience, try Fishbone's Sunday brunch, featuring an extensive buffet of mouth-watering sensations and live jazz!

"The Gandy Dancer offers a historic 1886 railroad depot setting. Specializing in fresh fish and shellfish, as well as housemade pastas and desserts."

The Gandy Dancer has an autumn harvest menu that plows right through December with crispy duck, hibachi salmon, autumn tuna steak and more. Special menus come out on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Brunch is also served. Make a reservation or just go on a whim -- a portion of the room is always open to walk-ins.

Designed by leading Detroit architect George D. Mason in 1927, the 450-seat Gem Theatre boasts a lavish, intricately painted ceiling, ornate proscenium panels, rich carpet, and 1920s lighting. The theatre was built by the Twentieth Century Club, a group of cultural and civic-minded women of social prominence, to adjoin the Century Club building, a Mission-style meeting facility constructed in 1903. Prior to the Depression, the “Little Theatre” served as Detroit’s first foreign film house, and survived several name changes before closing as an adult movie house, the “Gem,” in 1978. Detroit developer Charles Forbes purchased the building in the 1980s, and by 1991, had returned the Gem Theatre to its Spanish Revival-style brilliance. In 1997, the Gem Theatre was faced with extinction in view of the City of Detroit’s plan to construct new stadiums for the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions. Upon reaching an agreement with the city, the Forbes family began preparations to relocate the Gem/Century building and preserve this historic structure for a second time. On November 10, 1997, the Gem Theatre and Century Club facility finished its five-block journey, breaking the Guinness Book world record as the heaviest building ever moved on wheels. The Century Club, restored in 1999, now houses a 200-seat cabaret-style theatre, as well as a fine-dining restaurant and banquet facility. Don’t miss the world-class musical and comedic productions in this intimate, elegant venue.

Live music, DJs, dancing, games, pool, TVs, hockey memorabilia, great food and great people! Please visit HockeytownCafe.com for more info and upcoming events!

Jacoby's has been a favorite downtown Detroit eatery and hangout since 1904. The main floor dining area retains that classic appeal, but many don't realize that Jacoby’s hosts live music from lots of local bands in its upstairs lounge. Call for scheduled acts.

Bringing Tuscany to Detroit, La Dolce Vita's classic Italian cuisine will have a fresher taste and be lighter for the summertime according to new Executive Chef, Matt Baldridge. Their menu will still include old favorites like classic pastas, chicken, veal and beef, but new to the menu is the stuffed trout, which will be served with chili, a hint of lime and olives. The dessert tray has some creative chocolate gems, but sorbets are also available if you're looking for something lighter. An inviting courtyard awaits behind a wrought-iron fence to offer al fresco dining. Hit the patio on Tuesdays to dance to live a DJ or for cocktails during their weekly patio parties that last until 2:30 a.m.

Serving authentic Greek recipes prepared with the freshest ingredients, the dishes have a unique flavor and romance. Classic Greek country cooking blends simple ingredients like vegetables, grains and cheeses with fragrant herbs and spices to create wholesome, delectable meals that are as healthy as they are delicious.Pegasus is proud of their fine Greek cuisine.

This 116 year-old historic cite is famous for their Sweetwater Wings, BBQ ribs, and the world's best hummer. Casual atmosphere. Great desserts such as granny apple pie and brownie bottom sunday.

Although not even close to being vegged-out, Traffic Jam and Snug restaurant has some pretty interesting food of their own, not to mention, much of it is made in house. The selection changes all the time, so don't count on phony dogs anymore, but do enjoy any of Traffic Jam's own brewed beers. If coney islands aren't your thing, try the Delta Stack: collard greens, avocado, roasted peppers and dill ranch served on corn bread with sweet potato fries. Wash it down with Fruity Pebbles and Faygo Rock and Rye homemade ice cream. It's good.

"Art Deco decor, eclectic crowd. Menu ranges from chicken wings to homemade pastas to filet mignon. More than 100 beers; excellent wine list. Wide range of catering packages for any occasion."

Union Street's tremendous reputation as a Detroit landmark is not built on good eats alone. It's true, each dish on the menu is prepared with home-cooked lovin'. And sure, there is a wide selection of flavorful meals – from smoked pork loin foccacia sandwich to "Union Street Jambalaya" or baked brisket to BBQ rib fingers.

But the number of imported beers alone is reason enough to stop by. The long 1920's bar blends a classical spirit of aged hardwood and antique artistry with modern accents of art deco knicknacks, making it a hip place for the young and young-spirited to step up to the counter. Plus, the staff understands "service with a smile" still matters – grinning workers Hali and Jason (pictured) are just happy, not drunk.

Of course, don't let these good looks and traditional values impress you. Someone told these business-savvy gents to give people what they've always wanted in a bistro but rarely asked for – the bonuses. Bonuses like a good meal available until 1 am Sunday morning, for friends who need to catch up. The luxury of wide open spaces and echoing walls, ready for loud venting over an imported ale after work. Or perhaps most importantly, conversation with a friendly bartender to calm first-date jitters. Offer this and you can bet they'll come and be merry. It's a Detroit kind of place... one that makes you feel good when you go. And it makes you want to thank them by going. See... they trick ya.

--Rebecca Mazzei

Perfect for a pre-theater meal, or a post-show toddy, Union Street is a quaint little bistro in the heart of D-town. Opened in the early 1900s, this piece of midtown history is dark and deco, with a welcoming atmosphere that offers the slightest hue of casual. With a savory menu that boasts gourmet burgers, a vegetarian menu to die for, and the ever-famous dragon's eggs (a lightly fried chicken breast stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and spices), an evening at Union Street is always a good time. Try one of their yummy homemade margaritas or an ice-cold martini, or take a dive into their delicious beers and wines. Either way, you will be pleased. Union Street is at 4145 Woodward, Detroit; call 313-831-3965 for more information.
--Eve Doster

The Whitney's famous "garden parties" are sure to return by mid or late June. The Whitney is Detroit's showplace mansion restaurant and features outdoor dinning with a Bistro menu for the front patio and fine dining in the back.