What's your favorite Metro Detroit area restaurant (ethnic or not)? (Warren: 2015, restaurants)

[mgkeith]

My husband and I found Black Rock to be annoying, too. Yes, both the cooking part, which is easier to do at home, and the hot stone which is in the way. Maybe if people don't do much cooking, it seems more exciting?

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Nothing in Southern Macomb County or Southeastern Oakland County?

Most especially, none of the Asian places there?

[DTWflyer]

Man this is a good thread. Many places on here that I'm familar with and some new ones on here that I'm always up to try new places. I work downtown 3-4 days a week, and I rely on my younger millenial coworks that live downtown/Midtown to tell me the places to go. I wish I was about 10-12 years younger and I'd be living down there too.

Pupusería y Restaurante Salvadoreño (Mexicantown): iirc, also cash only. Great pupusas (in fact, my first experience with the dish) and the rest of the menu deserves a look, as well. Dirt cheap. - I second this recommendation, this place is legit. Co-workers took me there and its great and a local type of place.

Wright & Company - downtown is a great small plates type of place. Really liked it when I've been there too

Griffen Claw - Birmingham, compared to many of the suburb microbreweries, is the real deal. Great beer and good atmosphere but gets super crowded on summer evenings.

Hippos - Troy. Old-school, divy hot dog place. Worth stopping in for a hot dog lunch if you are in the area.

I'm curious to know what do people find to be the best sushi place in the area? I've been to Noble Fish in Clawson which was decent, but I feel like theres got to be some place I'm missing.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by mgkeith

My husband and I found Black Rock to be annoying, too. Yes, both the cooking part, which is easier to do at home, and the hot stone which is in the way. Maybe if people don't do much cooking, it seems more exciting?

Just out of interest, did you not know before going that you'd be doing the cooking yourself?

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by DTWflyer

I'm curious to know what do people find to be the best sushi place in the area? I've been to Noble Fish in Clawson which was decent, but I feel like theres got to be some place I'm missing.

Take my advice with a grain of salt because I don't eat raw fish, but World Market in Novi seems to have a cult following for a good reason.

[MS313]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

"Damn this thread is going to keep me busy most of the year trying to get to these places lol. We have actually had a few threads like this before but it's time for a update. Now that I have time to make this post."

Me too. I have not heard of many of the places on your list, but given we are approaching 400 new restaurants in Detroit alone since 2013, it is not surprising.

Yeah alot of them are in or near the city. I tried to space it out a bit to be all over the metro area but there's still alot of ground I need to cover. For example, idk too many spots in the Downriver area at all. But I don't find myself down there much so that may be a reason.

"Burgers:
Mallie's bar and grille. If you like big burgers, this place was featured on Man vs Food and made the biggest burger in the world. But you can order burgers whatever size, 3 pounds, 5 pounds, 10 pounds, ect.
Green Dot Stables"

What about Miller's Hamburgers in Dearborn? Some people rave about them. I tried it a few times and they definitely do have hamburgers (which is pretty much my reaction to every fancy burger place so far)
I'll have to check them out. They sound filmier.

I will have to try Green Dot Stables again. I found them pretty uninspiring and awfully expensive for sliders. Maybe I just need to try more things. I did try Poutine there for the first time, but I found it pretty disgusting.
They are pretty good for a slider spot. I liked it. But I also thought Telway Hamburgers on Michigan was gross but alot of people like it. I guess I'll have to try it again.
"Ribs:
Capers
Slows"

In that order? While I really love Slows brisket, pulled pork and pretty much everything else. I found their ribs tough overcooked flavorless and excessively smothered in overpowering super sugary sauce. I thought grocery store ribs were considerably better. I have not eaten at Capers. Where is it?
No nothing on my list is in any order. Most is just right off the top of my head. Capers is on the eastside on Gratiot between 7 mile and State Fair. It's a sit down restaurant. Yes it's in the hood but I actually see people of different color going here as well. This place gets packed and it's pretty busy around there. It's often a line out the door especially on holidays.


"Steakhouse:
Capers (again)
Roast
Cameron's
Ruth Chris
Black Rock"

Ruth Cris and Mortons I find overhyped most of the time. However if I go there someone else is paying and we usually get wine, so by the time the steak arrives during the second bottle, I am no longer at my best for remembering tastes for comparison purpose. I will say I liked Ruth Chris considerably better than Mortons.
Yeah I love Ruth Chris. Overhyped? hmm yeah I'll give you that. Mostly because I hear people in different states talking about it. I do however want to find some more steakhouses that will give it a run for it's money. Me being so young I'm kind of new to the "steakhouse" scene since I can finally afford it.


What about Texas De Brazil? I have not eaten there, but people rave about it.
I forgot all about that place. Haven't been there but I heard great things about it too. That's a place I'll be trying this year. I seen a advertisement for another Brazilian Steakhouse in Northville maybe?

The best Steak I can remember having since we moved back to Michigan was the $56 steak at Cliff Bells that the waiter brought my wife when she ordered a salad.
I see that place all the time but never went inside. I'll put that on my list as well. Definitely need to start working some more overtime.

I found Black Rock annoying (not just because it is a chain and therefore bland). Cooking my food mouthful by mouthful means I am completely preoccupied with cooking and cannot really focus on conversation or just relaxing. If I have to slice and cook my food myself, what is the point in eating out? They do not even discount the food for not needing a chef or cooks. Plus having that 700+ degree slab of rock sitting in front of me makes me uncomfortable I am always afraid I will forget about it and set my hand down on the table and get branded. It was also a difficult place for asthmatics in our family. All the cooking at every tables means the place is very smoky. Kind of like being seated in the kitchen. Blcok rock is odd. I have never heard of or seen one before then all of a sudden there seems to be one in every area. They are everywhere. Invasion of the hot stones!.
My mom doesn't see the point in that either, but she also cooks at home so it doesn't interest her as much. I don't cook sh*t but grill cheese, roman noodles, and wings lol so this was very different and interesting to me, especially with a date.


Dessert:

Insomnia Cookies

They have one of those in Bowling Green. My daughter loves them. I didn't but only tried them once. They were hard. I like cookies soft. I usually do not eat dessert, but when I do, I really love that bakery in greektown that starts with an A. Sometimes I go in there just to look.
They didn't make yours fresh? I always tell them to make my cookies (and brownie) fresh so that way it's always nice and soft. Plus they deliver cookies (if your close enough), that's a plus in my book.

I thought The Whitney was supposed to be the key place for dessert in Detroit?
Really? I didn't think that was a dessert spot. There are alot of restaurants that have dessert on the menu but I only wanted to name the ones that are actual dessert spots (like Cold Stone or Dairy Queen). Speaking of Cold Stone, I hope they make their Greektown location 24 hours like the one on Telegraph in Taylor.

I sometimes meet guests at the Coach Insignia for dessert. Their desserts are not that great, but the view! I have no intention of ever eating there again. Their food is mediocre to bad and astronomically priced. However if you have out of town guests, you have to meet there for drinks and or dessert once.
I think their closing down.

Other places:

Sweetwater Tavern

Coney Island


Which Coney? Any?
No not any. Most of the ones in the hood are the best imo.

I just do not get the hype over sweetwater tavern and the "best wings in town" claim. THeir wings are at best ordinary. I found them to be a bit goopy. It is not horrible, but best in town? If that is true, that is kind of a sad statement about the quality of wings in Detroit.

Best wings in Detroit? lol ummmm... nah. Their Sweetwater signature dry rub wings are not at all ordinary though. It's something about that unique flavor. As far as places claiming their the best (insert whatever here) in Detroit, 9/10 times it's not true. In fact, I've seen probably 5 or 10 different chicken spots claiming they have the "best wings in Detroit". Me and my family said the same thing about Rosco's chicken and waffles and Fatburger when we were out in LA. I heard claims that they were the best in LA but we were disappointed. I did love the food though and I will go back to both of them again next time I'm in Cali. I think alot of places start to fall off a bit after they start getting too popular, especially if their crowds start getting alot bigger.

My response in blue.

Perhaps here's where I show my own ignorance. I get that Coney restaurants are sacrosanct to Detroiters, but I really don't get them. To me they are nothing more than Denny's/Bob Evans with a side of gyros or an occasional six thousand calorie "Michigan" salad. Yay?

Well, one thing you will eventually learn. The "Coney Island" name is not trademarked nor is it one big chain. Nobody even knows how many Coney Island restaurants there are in Metro Detroit but I think a couple of articles estimated around 400-500 in Metro Detroit. People have literally slapped "Coney Island" onto their restaurant name just to bring in more business. So with that being said, Coney Islands go from hole in the wall take out joints to sit down restaurants that have waiters, some even deliver. They also have a bunch of different menus depending on location. In southwest Detroit you might see some Mexican stuff on the menu, I think I even seen one in or near Dearborn that had Curry on the menu. They are not all the same but the rules for a "real" coney island are good prices, open 24/7, and of course serve the basics. I think the fact that people can go to Coney Island right in their own neighborhood at 4am (even in the ghetto) and have these kind of options 24/7 makes Coney Island extremely popular.



Not to mention it's cheap and still taste better than IHOP or Denny's or McDonald's, ect.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

Originally Posted by highlanderfil

Take my advice with a grain of salt because I don't eat raw fish, but World Market in Novi seems to have a cult following for a good reason.

One World Market on Grand River just east of Novi. It is the best. I say that not having been to Noble Fish, which has the best reputation for sushi in the metro.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers

One World Market on Grand River just east of Novi. It is the best. I say that not having been to Noble Fish, which has the best reputation for sushi in the metro.

Yep, that's the one I was referring to, thanks for the name correction. I got two out of three words right.

[highlanderfil]

Originally Posted by MS313

Well, one thing you will eventually learn. The "Coney Island" name is not trademarked nor is it one big chain.

I know. It's the concept itself I don't really "get". Why is it that Metro D has such affinity for the name that

People have literally slapped "Coney Island" onto their restaurant name just to bring in more business.

?

I think the fact that people can go to Coney Island right in their own neighborhood at 4am (even in the ghetto) and have these kind of options 24/7 makes Coney Island extremely popular.

That makes some sense.

Not to mention it's cheap and still taste better than IHOP or Denny's or McDonald's, ect.

Eh...that's debatable.

[Arthur Digby Sellers]

These three menu items qualify a metro Coney:

1. Coney dogs (duh)
2. Giant greek salads
3. Gyros

Bonus points for the following:

1. Spinach pie
2. Stuffed grape leaves (the best)
3. Chicken lemon rice soup
4. Loose coney
5. Rice pudding