Book Lovers: if you go to John K King, give yourself a few hours. It's an incredible, multi story warehouse jam-packed with used books. Get a map when you go in so you don't get lost. It looks like an abandoned warehouse but it's the absolute best
What makes that place even more legendary personally is that one of my favorite local rappers Doc Waffles used to work there and referenced it a few times in his songs.
Speaking of local rappers, make sure to buy a mixtape from Shadow Klan. Hard to miss him on his bike. He’s our local science-based rapper.
Also the Book Tower is considered by Architectural Digest as one of:
[The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Repurposed Buildings](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-repurposed-buildings)
Here are some awesome before and after shots:
https://www.booktowerdetroit.com/about/history/
Hopefully the [Michigan Central Station](https://michigancentral.com/) will soon join that list.
For those that don’t know Detroit’s history, basically from the 70’s, to the 80’s to 90’s, most other major city’s tore down their old buildings and built new ones. Detroit was too poor to do that so buildings just stood up in disrepair. Then around the 2000’s people started investing in these buildings to bring them back to life. If you love Art Deco then Detroit has a ton of buildings restored to their original features. Here is [a map of the most beautiful interiors in Detroit](https://detroit.curbed.com/maps/detroit-architecture-beautiful-interiors-landmarks) to give you an idea of what to expect.
Plus [the Z Parking garage is basically an open air street art museum and well worth the visit to park there](https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20131011/NEWS/131019961/first-look-at-the-z-its-not-your-typical-detroit-parking-deck)
Founded in 1885 but now housed in a 1927 Beaux Art building termed the ‘Temple of Art,’ the Detroit Institute of Arts offers a show-stopper across east and west walls in its vast open court: Diego Rivera’s modernist *Detroit Industry Murals* fresco cycle. The DIA is also known as holding the first Van Gogh painting to enter a US museum collection, his *Self-Portrait* from 1887, acquired in 1922. With a diverse collection of 65,000 works–including the General Motors Center for African American Art curatorial department tasked with expanding the museum's collection of African American art, the DIA is in the top six of art museums in the nation.
We went to Detroit last year to pick up my brother on our way to see family in Grand Rapids, and going from Ohio into Michigan was hilarious because there were just constant weed billboards off the highway up into Detroit.
I love Detroit and if we were picking higher, I'd probably make the trip. I would recommend Lafayette Coney Island for a late night dog if you're so inclined.
I went to Detroit for a day back in July and had Buddy's, which was solid. I'm hoping to return in June when my Phillies play there, and if I do, I'll certainly keep Jet's in mind.
DIA is mentioned by so many articles that I felt like it’s hard to miss, which is why I didn’t mention it. But a great time! Rivera court is definitely not to be missed! I love going there and striking up a convo with someone who works there, only to ask them “what’s your favorite painting and why?” Always love hearing why somebody else likes a piece of art so much.
This did feel like a focused list of the non-major hotspots of the city. There's *a lot* missing and the things in this list (outside of the entirety of Hamtramck, Shinola and Greendot) are very small & niche.- No mention of the Henry Ford, the Founder's/Bell's/Atwater taphouses, no Telway, no mention of Corktown (leaving Slow's off the list is nearly criminal), nothing about the various spots in the Wayne State corridor.
Also shout-out to Traffic Jam, which was my number one place for food & beer downtown until the unfortunate fire.
I feel like the dining scene in Detroit in general is underrepresented, there's some good shit across the spectrum from fine dining/upscale restaurants to more casual food. Some other places I haven't seen posted yet:
Downtown:
Dime Store - Brunch
Cliff Bell's - Jazz club with upscale dinner/drinks
Leila - Upscale Lebanese
Sweetwater - legendary wings
Lumen - Upscale American, beautiful restaurant located in Beacon Park, lots of outdoor seating
Shelby - "Hidden" speakeasy in old bank vault, fancy cocktails and appetizers
Bucharest Grill - Casual Mediterranean food
Midtown/Cass Corridor:
SheWolf - best Italian I've ever had
Detroit Shipping Company: Food court with causal street food type stuff; building itself is made out of shipping containers hence the name
Willis Show Bar - snazzy cocktail lounge with Live music
La Feria - Spanish tapas
Grey Ghost - Upscale American, Great burger and drinks
New Center:
Baobab Fare - Wanted to echo this one, I also believe they have food trucks downtown for the draft
Oak and Reel - newer restaurant, excellent seafood
Freya - Right next to Oak and Reel, award winning restaurant with rotating prix fixe menu
Corktown:
Slows - Detroit isn't known as a BBQ hub, but Slows is probably the best known local BBQ
Ima Izakaya - Ramen and Japanese street food
Mudgie's - Excellent deli
Alpino - Also a newer restaurant, upscale Alpine-inspired food. Haven't been yet myself but the reviews are excellent.
Other random stuff throughout Metro Detroit:
Coneys: can literally find these everywhere lol, but American and Lafayette are the most famous and are right next to each other downtown
Pizza: Jet's is probably the largest chain serving proper Detroit style and are all over. Pie Sci, Michigan and Trumbull, and Green Lantern tend to be people's favorites.
Pierogis: 2nd the recommendation from OP for Gratiot Central Meat Market/Pietrzyk Pierogis
I feel compelled to add The Polish Village Cafe as a must if you venture over to Hamtramck. It is a venerable institution that my Polish grandfather used to take us to when we visited. It's run by a mother and daughter who you will hear swearing a lot in Polish in the kitchen, and the food is just good old country fare. You can also experience walking out of the place after downing enough pierogis to kill a pig and hear Muslim prayer calls emanating through the night. I don't know what it is, but the chilled Dill Pickle Soup is to die for.
[https://www.polishvillage.cafe/](https://www.polishvillage.cafe/)
Also worth mentioning Polonia for food, as well as Srodek's on Joseph Campau for more Polish goods! Hamtramck Disneyland is also an interesting art installation (tho I have yet to see). The Fowling (Football + Bowling) warehouse is nearby as well.
LOVE the dive bars there tho: Kelly's, New Dodge, Bumbo's, Whiskey in the Jar, and the High Dive
Upscale dining is just personally not my thing (hence the love for greendot sliders), so glad that somebody else here was able to speak truth to these places that still deserve our love!
> Pizza: Jet's is probably the largest chain serving proper Detroit style and are all over. Pie Sci, Michigan and Trumbull, and Green Lantern tend to be people's favorites.
Had Nikis last time we were there and it was very good. Cool place too.
I do not support Niki’s given that the owner is a notorious slumlord. After being his tenant for 2 years at the Milwaukee Park Lofts, I go out of my way to not give Dennis Kefallinos a single penny.
This post is making me realize I haven’t visited Detroit in a loooooong time and need to go back (I live in Grand Rapids). Thank you for the inspiration!
Some of this has been covered, but if you have time to kill here's one of my favorite weekend activities:
Make your way to Eastern Market on Saturday or Sunday and take a walk down the Dequindre Cut to the River Walk. You can head west from there to get to the Ren Cen and the hub of the draft. Or you can head east and hit up Andrew's or Atwater Brewery on Jos Campau.
From Jos Campau you can head northeast and check out the Detroit City Field House, which has a cool second floor bar overlooking two indoor soccer fields. They screen premier league games Saturday mornings. Just east of that is Brewery Faisan which has some great beer they brew onsite. From there, you can take Lafayette west and hook back up with the Dequindre Cut and Eastern Market.
Green Dot Stables is a good shout. Sliders there are awesome.
If you look Greek food, Greektown has a few Greek restaurants around there by the casino. I always recommend Pegasus Taverna to people who want some, although there's other great places too!
If you're a sucker for sweets like I am, Astoria Bakery is really good. Anytime I'm in the neighborhood I always get some Bougatsa and Baklava. Absolutely love it.
Not a ton to add as these are all great suggestions but more a few personal favorites:
Food:
Johnny Noodle King - Great Ramen, Udon and Sushi bar.
Bobcat Bonnies - Gastropub (very LBGQT friendly) Unique drinks and great food. They have boozie cereal shooters.
Entertainment:
Detroit River Walk! - Runs from Belle Isle past the Renaissance center and Hart plaza, which is where the southern end of the Draft events will be.
Fowling Warehouse (Hamtramck) - If you like football and/or bowling - Look it up and have fun!
Eastern Market brewery - Really great craft beers and in a unique spot for all things local
Jolly Pumpkin - Unique brand/brewery that specialize in Sours & Saisons
Lastly - The city is great for Pokemon Go! I know you're there for all things draft but its also a great place to explore and tons of stuff to see. Enjoy!
I'd throw in Grand Trunk Pub. Good food, good beer and drinks, really cool interior, and it's right on Woodward near the river so fairly close to all the action
Grand Trunk on the Sunday and Monday of Memorial weekend before heading into Movement (the techno festival) has been the traditional way to treat my combustable hangovers from a night of partying till 8 AM
I'd also like to add it's absolutely worth a trip to Dearborn if you want some great Middle Eastern food.
In particular - Masri Sweets has some of the best Baklava and Kunafa and other Middle Eastern desserts.
Local from Dearborn checking in. The food scene is unmatched, but also the Yemeni coffee is absolutely incredible. Check out spots like Qahwa House, Harez Coffee house, and Qamaria. Get a Adenai and thank me later!
should note that Eastern Market is, like, 4th in size for year round farmers markets.
I also recommend the Detroit Beer Company. Its this hole in the wall local brewery smack dab in the middle of downtown
I have always wanted to visit Detroit. Rap guys from Detroit, this is the home of Dilla, Danny Brown and Motown... where do you go see that hip hop? Also I hear that Slow's is the way to go out there?
I’m not cool enough to know much about the hip-hop scene but Danny Brown is certainly the dude these days. Slow’s is good but i think a lot of Detroit people would send you elsewhere depending on what kind of food you want.
My family and I just visited downtown Detroit for the first time this past weekend -- we're in Grand Rapids but never seem to make it over to the east side. My kid is looking at Wayne State for college and we were on a campus tour. Really enjoyed the visit (except for how the draft ate up most of downtown) and I wish I'd had this whole thread before we went! Saving it for later, thanks.
[https://detroit.eater.com/](https://detroit.eater.com/) is a pretty good resource for visitors to find places to eat and drink. Search bar on that website works well too, if you're looking for something specific
If you like archetype, there’s a really cool pocket of historic residential suburb called Sherwood Forest off of 7 mile east of Woodward
Like seriously it’s super cool and isolated
Boston Edison and Indian Village are two other great neighborhoods to see some pretty houses in. Berry Gordy's (the founder of Motown) house is right by my place in New Center, and it's always cool to bike over there to look at.
Funny enough- my friend from high school lived above that Supinos and was responsible for the fire. He was building electric scooters in his apartment. I was devastated. I probably went to that Supinos 3-4 times a week after rock climbing at dyno
Personal shoutout to Yemen Cafe Restaurant in Hamtramck. Food is incredible there and. I go every time I’m back in Detroit.
Also if you like beer Jolly Pumpkin is a Michigan brewery with a Detroit location with great beer and food (personal favorite is Truffle pizza)
It’s still worth visiting and there’s a cool gift shop upstairs with some music video memorabilia and pictures. Is it great? Nah. But it’s decent and worth the experience!
No, but I tried them once in Tennessee and honestly didn’t care for it. There was something about the sauce I didn’t like. A shame, since I had been looking forward to trying it for a while
Tin Roof is admittedly one of my least favorite bars I’ve ever been to. Yet I keep going back because that’s where everyone wants to be for Lions games. *sigh*
It cracks me up that they are doing the draft in Hart Plaza. I've been high as hell running around there for Movement festival many times - I've only seen it as a den of debauchery
Also - 2nd Marble Bar as an amazing venue for some good house/techno tunes if the weather is solid. Very underrated city imo
> they are doing the draft in Hart Plaza
The draft is being held near Campus Martius, not Hart Plaza. The NFL Draft Experience is being held at Hart Plaza.
I was on board until you mention Shinola. They are all about marketing and are selling watches at highly inflated prices considering the internals being used.
If you're looking for a dive bar very conveniently located I try The Skip. It's in the belt (thebelt.org) which is an alley off Gratiot.
It is a dive bar. Which means if you and your friends are looking for a place to sit or stand and sip affordable and readily available drinks then you'll like it. If you're looking for the bar to actually offer any entertainment or a high level of sophistication you'll be disappointed. Really its primary value is its very convenient location and given where it is it might just end up so swamped during the draft that it's harder to enjoy it. During normal times the crowd is friendly, hard to say what'll be the case this week.
Alley bars are not exactly uncommon in Detroit, which is a bit odd given the climate. But when the conditions are right they really work out well given that you can drink in the alley even if you don't fit in the bar proper. It's sort of like sidewalk drinking as you see in the UK and other places. I do feel the belt plays itself up a bit, the art collective did their job and the business aren't quite keeping up their end. It really could do better.
Penny Red's makes use of their alley at times, I think they even move ping pong tables out there sometimes. I don't necessarily recommend Penny Red's, I mean it's there and whatever. It seems well designed to serve a lot of people and so I expect it will during the draft regardless of any merit or lack of merit.
This might seem like a weird question but how is the safety in Detroit?
I've never been, and the city gets a lot of shit online, but I've heard it's overblown/Detroit is making a comeback.
For context, I've traveled extensively in Colombia and Brazil solo, so I'm not too worried... Just curious as to the thoughts of a local.
Word to the wise, most of us Detroiters are sick and tired of answering this question - but it seems like you come with good intent. Like any major city, there are bad areas. Downtown is beautiful, and in my anecdotal experience, most out of towners are not only blown away by what downtown is, but they often say it's safer than other areas they've been (Chicago, New York, LA, etc.). Just my anecdote here. I could bore you with crime statistics (from the state of the city address last week) that are on the decline, but this is r/NFL for goodness sake.
The people who say "Detroit isn't safe" haven't been here in over 10 years. Don't listen to those losers. We're not for the weak either.
Yes I'm asking in good faith. I love to travel and I've been all over the country but not ever Michigan besides a camping trip in the UP.
I've heard good things about Detroit recently, so it's on my list to visit maybe in September.
As I said, I've traveled solo in places like Medellin and Rio, so I'm not too worried. Just curious.
Definitely visit. We have a great food scene that's improving year by year, and I adore our music scene. If house/techno is your thing, it's a must visit. Every Memorial weekend we have the huge international techno fest, that brings in people across the country and around the world. Always fills my heart with so much joy hearing everyone say how much they love the city.
Love the username by the way.
I’m in downtown Detroit quite a bit for concerts or games and never have felt unsafe. I even mostly park my rather nice car on the street and have never had issues with or broken into. Don’t listen to the people who watched 8 Mile and thinks the place is a dump.
I live about a mile from downtown and rarely have trouble. There are pretty tough parts of the city but they are far outside of downtown and you wouldn’t spend much time there unless you were looking for trouble.
I imagine it is nothing like Brazil or Colombia. If you are from Chicago, I would compare the downtown core to the loop. Is there absolutely zero crime? Nope. But if you have some sense you won’t have any issues.
I love Buddy's as much as the next guy, but I'd be hard pressed to even rate them top 5 these days, let alone best overall.
They're solid, and they've been doing their thing for a long time, but there is much better pizza around these days.
Michigan & Trumbull puts Buddy's in the dirt. I do not understand the Buddy's love anymore. Maybe I just missed out on when they were better, but it's fine at best these days.
Every Buddys tastes different. The ORIGINAL Buddy's on Conant is hands-down the best one and almooooosssst as good as Louis. The rest are all hit or miss, except downtown, which is terrible.
My ranking would be Louis > Original Buddy's on Conant > Michigan and Trumbell > Other stuff/Other Buddys >>>>>>>>>>>>> Downtown Buddys >>>>>>Shields.
You can’t leave Como’s off of the Detroit style pizza list. Also, Green Dot Stables treats their employees like garbage, haven’t gone there since I found out
Yes, there’s a lot of cool things to appreciate about Hamtramck. The dive bars being one, Planet Ant for comedy, or DCFC games, but unfortunately they aren’t playing at home this weekend.
Book Lovers: if you go to John K King, give yourself a few hours. It's an incredible, multi story warehouse jam-packed with used books. Get a map when you go in so you don't get lost. It looks like an abandoned warehouse but it's the absolute best
What makes that place even more legendary personally is that one of my favorite local rappers Doc Waffles used to work there and referenced it a few times in his songs. Speaking of local rappers, make sure to buy a mixtape from Shadow Klan. Hard to miss him on his bike. He’s our local science-based rapper.
Whaaat I was considering flying out for the rams game this year and this just sold me
Henry ford museum one of the better museums in this country
Detroit Institute of Art is also damn good
Also the Book Tower is considered by Architectural Digest as one of: [The World’s 11 Most Beautiful Repurposed Buildings](https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-repurposed-buildings) Here are some awesome before and after shots: https://www.booktowerdetroit.com/about/history/ Hopefully the [Michigan Central Station](https://michigancentral.com/) will soon join that list. For those that don’t know Detroit’s history, basically from the 70’s, to the 80’s to 90’s, most other major city’s tore down their old buildings and built new ones. Detroit was too poor to do that so buildings just stood up in disrepair. Then around the 2000’s people started investing in these buildings to bring them back to life. If you love Art Deco then Detroit has a ton of buildings restored to their original features. Here is [a map of the most beautiful interiors in Detroit](https://detroit.curbed.com/maps/detroit-architecture-beautiful-interiors-landmarks) to give you an idea of what to expect. Plus [the Z Parking garage is basically an open air street art museum and well worth the visit to park there](https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20131011/NEWS/131019961/first-look-at-the-z-its-not-your-typical-detroit-parking-deck)
DIA is one of the best museums in the country...if anyone has time, definitely check that out...and the science center
Founded in 1885 but now housed in a 1927 Beaux Art building termed the ‘Temple of Art,’ the Detroit Institute of Arts offers a show-stopper across east and west walls in its vast open court: Diego Rivera’s modernist *Detroit Industry Murals* fresco cycle. The DIA is also known as holding the first Van Gogh painting to enter a US museum collection, his *Self-Portrait* from 1887, acquired in 1922. With a diverse collection of 65,000 works–including the General Motors Center for African American Art curatorial department tasked with expanding the museum's collection of African American art, the DIA is in the top six of art museums in the nation.
Went there last year when going to a Michigan game. 10/10 Also you can't buy weed in Detroit, so stop on your way from the airport.
We have rec now, I don't think there is anything downtown but there is a dispensary about 1.5 miles out of downtown.
We went to Detroit last year to pick up my brother on our way to see family in Grand Rapids, and going from Ohio into Michigan was hilarious because there were just constant weed billboards off the highway up into Detroit.
Pleasantrees or Quality Roots are not too far away in Hamtramck, and there's also Utopia Gardens that's just East of downtown near Belle Isle
LIV at Jefferson and Conner a couple miles east of downtown
Its awesome
I love Detroit and if we were picking higher, I'd probably make the trip. I would recommend Lafayette Coney Island for a late night dog if you're so inclined.
Props to an out-of-towner knowing the TRUE best coney dog in Detroit
Shout out to the Henry Ford Museum, one of the underrated gems of our country. Could spend a week in there.
Anyone who watched the latest season of Blown Away on Netflix. Ryan Thompson works at the Henry Ford. Check his work out.
Can absolutely confirm that Detroit style pizza is an absolute banger.
Jet's is probably the best "chain" pizza in the midwest.
Absolutely. Had it Monday fresh and leftovers yesterday
10/10 ranch dressing too
I went to Detroit for a day back in July and had Buddy's, which was solid. I'm hoping to return in June when my Phillies play there, and if I do, I'll certainly keep Jet's in mind.
Just murdered an entire large pizza from Jets in my hotel room. I already love Detroit and haven't even been downtown yet for the draft festivities
This is the way
Wow no love for the DIA? Worth it for the Diego Rivera mural and the Impressionist collection.
DIA is mentioned by so many articles that I felt like it’s hard to miss, which is why I didn’t mention it. But a great time! Rivera court is definitely not to be missed! I love going there and striking up a convo with someone who works there, only to ask them “what’s your favorite painting and why?” Always love hearing why somebody else likes a piece of art so much.
Been to Detroit once and the DIA was amazing.
This did feel like a focused list of the non-major hotspots of the city. There's *a lot* missing and the things in this list (outside of the entirety of Hamtramck, Shinola and Greendot) are very small & niche.- No mention of the Henry Ford, the Founder's/Bell's/Atwater taphouses, no Telway, no mention of Corktown (leaving Slow's off the list is nearly criminal), nothing about the various spots in the Wayne State corridor. Also shout-out to Traffic Jam, which was my number one place for food & beer downtown until the unfortunate fire.
As a Wayne State SOM grad, I spent a lot of time and money at Traffic Jam. Pour one out 🥲
I feel like the dining scene in Detroit in general is underrepresented, there's some good shit across the spectrum from fine dining/upscale restaurants to more casual food. Some other places I haven't seen posted yet: Downtown: Dime Store - Brunch Cliff Bell's - Jazz club with upscale dinner/drinks Leila - Upscale Lebanese Sweetwater - legendary wings Lumen - Upscale American, beautiful restaurant located in Beacon Park, lots of outdoor seating Shelby - "Hidden" speakeasy in old bank vault, fancy cocktails and appetizers Bucharest Grill - Casual Mediterranean food Midtown/Cass Corridor: SheWolf - best Italian I've ever had Detroit Shipping Company: Food court with causal street food type stuff; building itself is made out of shipping containers hence the name Willis Show Bar - snazzy cocktail lounge with Live music La Feria - Spanish tapas Grey Ghost - Upscale American, Great burger and drinks New Center: Baobab Fare - Wanted to echo this one, I also believe they have food trucks downtown for the draft Oak and Reel - newer restaurant, excellent seafood Freya - Right next to Oak and Reel, award winning restaurant with rotating prix fixe menu Corktown: Slows - Detroit isn't known as a BBQ hub, but Slows is probably the best known local BBQ Ima Izakaya - Ramen and Japanese street food Mudgie's - Excellent deli Alpino - Also a newer restaurant, upscale Alpine-inspired food. Haven't been yet myself but the reviews are excellent. Other random stuff throughout Metro Detroit: Coneys: can literally find these everywhere lol, but American and Lafayette are the most famous and are right next to each other downtown Pizza: Jet's is probably the largest chain serving proper Detroit style and are all over. Pie Sci, Michigan and Trumbull, and Green Lantern tend to be people's favorites. Pierogis: 2nd the recommendation from OP for Gratiot Central Meat Market/Pietrzyk Pierogis
If you're visiting Detroit, use this comment as your culinary guide.
I feel compelled to add The Polish Village Cafe as a must if you venture over to Hamtramck. It is a venerable institution that my Polish grandfather used to take us to when we visited. It's run by a mother and daughter who you will hear swearing a lot in Polish in the kitchen, and the food is just good old country fare. You can also experience walking out of the place after downing enough pierogis to kill a pig and hear Muslim prayer calls emanating through the night. I don't know what it is, but the chilled Dill Pickle Soup is to die for. [https://www.polishvillage.cafe/](https://www.polishvillage.cafe/)
Also worth mentioning Polonia for food, as well as Srodek's on Joseph Campau for more Polish goods! Hamtramck Disneyland is also an interesting art installation (tho I have yet to see). The Fowling (Football + Bowling) warehouse is nearby as well. LOVE the dive bars there tho: Kelly's, New Dodge, Bumbo's, Whiskey in the Jar, and the High Dive
> The Polish Village Cafe ***Yes.***
I love Ottava Via in Corktown for Italian
Ottava Via is awesome
Upscale dining is just personally not my thing (hence the love for greendot sliders), so glad that somebody else here was able to speak truth to these places that still deserve our love!
This is a very good list and better than ops I’ll add that Supinos pizza just reopened in Eastern market and is top 5 in the state as well.
Supinos is the BEST
Is marrow still around? that place is legit the best dining experience I have ever had.
It is, and definitely worth a mention. I was trying to keep the recommendations closer to downtown otherwise the list would be too long 😅
> Pizza: Jet's is probably the largest chain serving proper Detroit style and are all over. Pie Sci, Michigan and Trumbull, and Green Lantern tend to be people's favorites. Had Nikis last time we were there and it was very good. Cool place too.
I do not support Niki’s given that the owner is a notorious slumlord. After being his tenant for 2 years at the Milwaukee Park Lofts, I go out of my way to not give Dennis Kefallinos a single penny.
That place is also full of roaches. Avoid it.
Good list with a lot more than OP... but why is everyone ignoring Niki's for pizza?
This post is making me realize I haven’t visited Detroit in a loooooong time and need to go back (I live in Grand Rapids). Thank you for the inspiration!
lol, I’m in Ann Arbor (45 minutes for non-natives) and I don’t know any of this stuff (ok, I know 10%)…
I'm with you! I have to go to this bookstore now that I'm reading the write-up and some other comments. . What a wonderful city Detroit is.
I'm going to Buddy's on 28th Street thanks to this post lol
What up doe?
Oh they gonna learn about that one this weekend 😎
Don't know that I've seen anyone mention Balkan House. The Döner is amazing and the only place I've found them like I had in Germany
YES! Balkan rules! Thanks for the mention!
Some of this has been covered, but if you have time to kill here's one of my favorite weekend activities: Make your way to Eastern Market on Saturday or Sunday and take a walk down the Dequindre Cut to the River Walk. You can head west from there to get to the Ren Cen and the hub of the draft. Or you can head east and hit up Andrew's or Atwater Brewery on Jos Campau. From Jos Campau you can head northeast and check out the Detroit City Field House, which has a cool second floor bar overlooking two indoor soccer fields. They screen premier league games Saturday mornings. Just east of that is Brewery Faisan which has some great beer they brew onsite. From there, you can take Lafayette west and hook back up with the Dequindre Cut and Eastern Market.
Real shame there’s no DCFC home games this weekend for anyone visiting to experience!!
**Food:** Detroit style pizza
Green Dot Stables is a good shout. Sliders there are awesome. If you look Greek food, Greektown has a few Greek restaurants around there by the casino. I always recommend Pegasus Taverna to people who want some, although there's other great places too! If you're a sucker for sweets like I am, Astoria Bakery is really good. Anytime I'm in the neighborhood I always get some Bougatsa and Baklava. Absolutely love it.
Astoria is a MUST
This is an awesome writeup. Wish I was there. Thanks for putting this together!
Not a ton to add as these are all great suggestions but more a few personal favorites: Food: Johnny Noodle King - Great Ramen, Udon and Sushi bar. Bobcat Bonnies - Gastropub (very LBGQT friendly) Unique drinks and great food. They have boozie cereal shooters. Entertainment: Detroit River Walk! - Runs from Belle Isle past the Renaissance center and Hart plaza, which is where the southern end of the Draft events will be. Fowling Warehouse (Hamtramck) - If you like football and/or bowling - Look it up and have fun! Eastern Market brewery - Really great craft beers and in a unique spot for all things local Jolly Pumpkin - Unique brand/brewery that specialize in Sours & Saisons Lastly - The city is great for Pokemon Go! I know you're there for all things draft but its also a great place to explore and tons of stuff to see. Enjoy!
I'd throw in Grand Trunk Pub. Good food, good beer and drinks, really cool interior, and it's right on Woodward near the river so fairly close to all the action
Grand Trunk on the Sunday and Monday of Memorial weekend before heading into Movement (the techno festival) has been the traditional way to treat my combustable hangovers from a night of partying till 8 AM
Ready Player One is closed :(
Bummer :( and ty, edited
Offworld Arcade above Checker Bar (soon to be in Eastern Market) and Barcade in Midtown are good options now
Checker bar got rid of the upstairs arcade, still a bar up stairs, but most of the arcade part is gone.
Good job on the list. So excited to have this event in our city.
I'd also like to add it's absolutely worth a trip to Dearborn if you want some great Middle Eastern food. In particular - Masri Sweets has some of the best Baklava and Kunafa and other Middle Eastern desserts.
Local from Dearborn checking in. The food scene is unmatched, but also the Yemeni coffee is absolutely incredible. Check out spots like Qahwa House, Harez Coffee house, and Qamaria. Get a Adenai and thank me later!
The last time i was at Hamido, the schwarma was an absolute clap bomb. Still don't know the area as well as I'd like for those underground gems.
Al Ameer 🤤
+1 for Greendot and Pie Sci. Both are incredible
+1 for the great username #LGRW
Why thank you! Same to you. Stoked for the future
I'd also add Sugar House for nice cocktails and amazing bourbon. La Casa if you enjoy your cigars.
should note that Eastern Market is, like, 4th in size for year round farmers markets. I also recommend the Detroit Beer Company. Its this hole in the wall local brewery smack dab in the middle of downtown
I have always wanted to visit Detroit. Rap guys from Detroit, this is the home of Dilla, Danny Brown and Motown... where do you go see that hip hop? Also I hear that Slow's is the way to go out there?
I’m not cool enough to know much about the hip-hop scene but Danny Brown is certainly the dude these days. Slow’s is good but i think a lot of Detroit people would send you elsewhere depending on what kind of food you want.
My family and I just visited downtown Detroit for the first time this past weekend -- we're in Grand Rapids but never seem to make it over to the east side. My kid is looking at Wayne State for college and we were on a campus tour. Really enjoyed the visit (except for how the draft ate up most of downtown) and I wish I'd had this whole thread before we went! Saving it for later, thanks.
[https://detroit.eater.com/](https://detroit.eater.com/) is a pretty good resource for visitors to find places to eat and drink. Search bar on that website works well too, if you're looking for something specific
If you like archetype, there’s a really cool pocket of historic residential suburb called Sherwood Forest off of 7 mile east of Woodward Like seriously it’s super cool and isolated
Boston Edison and Indian Village are two other great neighborhoods to see some pretty houses in. Berry Gordy's (the founder of Motown) house is right by my place in New Center, and it's always cool to bike over there to look at.
GO TO THE EASTERN MARKET ON SATURDAY. Largest out door farmers market. Also Supinos is the best pizza in the city
They finally re-opened up after the fire this week. . . *just in time for the draft*
Funny enough- my friend from high school lived above that Supinos and was responsible for the fire. He was building electric scooters in his apartment. I was devastated. I probably went to that Supinos 3-4 times a week after rock climbing at dyno
Personal shoutout to Yemen Cafe Restaurant in Hamtramck. Food is incredible there and. I go every time I’m back in Detroit. Also if you like beer Jolly Pumpkin is a Michigan brewery with a Detroit location with great beer and food (personal favorite is Truffle pizza)
YES! I wish I would have also mentioned Stadt Garden in midtown too!
Mootz Pizza is incredibly delicious! And Dessert Oasis for some great coffee!
I am so excited
Detroit fan, how good is mom’s spaghetti (Eminem’s chain)?
Save your money, go elsewhere. Union Assembly next door has awesome Mac and Cheese if you’re into that.
It's bad but the restaurant it's attached to, Union Assembly, is pretty good.
it’s terrible. literally 0 reason to go to eminem’s stupid gimmick restaurant.
😂 I was going to say spaghetti between bread. Too much carbs
It's horrible.
It's utterly generic but that apparently was also the goal.
It’s still worth visiting and there’s a cool gift shop upstairs with some music video memorabilia and pictures. Is it great? Nah. But it’s decent and worth the experience!
Supposedly it's designed to taste like mid, day old spaghetti. From what I hear, it delivers on that. Take it how you will.
I wish my area (not Pittsburgh) had good Detroit style pizza. Best I can get is Little Caesar's
Michigan and Trumbull was originally from Pittsburgh and moved to Detroit, I think.
I’m not in Pittsburgh
No Jets?
No, but I tried them once in Tennessee and honestly didn’t care for it. There was something about the sauce I didn’t like. A shame, since I had been looking forward to trying it for a while
That's a shame. I wouldn't say their sauce is great but usually not terrible. They do the dough and crust better than any other chain though.
I did really enjoy the crust, we got some of the cheesy bread that was just the crust with cheese on it, and I thought that was really good
You can get great middle eastern food in Detroit and the surrounding area. I’ve never had bad chicken shawarma here.
ya fuck all those Detroit style places OP wrote, just get J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets
You missed Legends and the casinos for entertainment, Sweetwater for food, and Tin Roof for drinks.
We can't tell everyone about Sweetwater wings
RIP City Wings :(
Tin Roof is admittedly one of my least favorite bars I’ve ever been to. Yet I keep going back because that’s where everyone wants to be for Lions games. *sigh*
Tin Roof is horrific; Harrys is much better for games for the same type of thing.
Legends -- where boys become men. And where not-boys go to have a fun time, too.
It cracks me up that they are doing the draft in Hart Plaza. I've been high as hell running around there for Movement festival many times - I've only seen it as a den of debauchery Also - 2nd Marble Bar as an amazing venue for some good house/techno tunes if the weather is solid. Very underrated city imo
> they are doing the draft in Hart Plaza The draft is being held near Campus Martius, not Hart Plaza. The NFL Draft Experience is being held at Hart Plaza.
See you at the underground 🔊
Wish I was going again - was popping last year. Should be a fun Spring/Summer to live in Detroit
Hard vouch for the mussels for anyone who hits Vivios
If you’re the Buffalo bills you gotta get tee Higgins or Brandon aiyuk tomorrow right??
I'll have a dozen of the mystery meat sliders and some 90s and early 00s techno, please.
Why is this pinned? Do we have to use that other thread as the draft discussion thread? Are they gonna make a no spoiler thread?
Local here: you’ll wish your local watering hole was as cool as kiesling.
I was on board until you mention Shinola. They are all about marketing and are selling watches at highly inflated prices considering the internals being used.
Jets pizza is the best pizza. You MUST get a side of ranch
Liquid gold
they put crack in the sauce i have no idea how a chain fast food pizza can be so good
Don't forget to check out the world famous Windsor Ballet.
Better have the right credentials they are serious pricks at the border sometimes
GO TO THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS!!!!!!!!!!!! ITS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!
I only watch this shit for an hour lol
If you're looking for a dive bar very conveniently located I try The Skip. It's in the belt (thebelt.org) which is an alley off Gratiot. It is a dive bar. Which means if you and your friends are looking for a place to sit or stand and sip affordable and readily available drinks then you'll like it. If you're looking for the bar to actually offer any entertainment or a high level of sophistication you'll be disappointed. Really its primary value is its very convenient location and given where it is it might just end up so swamped during the draft that it's harder to enjoy it. During normal times the crowd is friendly, hard to say what'll be the case this week. Alley bars are not exactly uncommon in Detroit, which is a bit odd given the climate. But when the conditions are right they really work out well given that you can drink in the alley even if you don't fit in the bar proper. It's sort of like sidewalk drinking as you see in the UK and other places. I do feel the belt plays itself up a bit, the art collective did their job and the business aren't quite keeping up their end. It really could do better. Penny Red's makes use of their alley at times, I think they even move ping pong tables out there sometimes. I don't necessarily recommend Penny Red's, I mean it's there and whatever. It seems well designed to serve a lot of people and so I expect it will during the draft regardless of any merit or lack of merit.
This might seem like a weird question but how is the safety in Detroit? I've never been, and the city gets a lot of shit online, but I've heard it's overblown/Detroit is making a comeback. For context, I've traveled extensively in Colombia and Brazil solo, so I'm not too worried... Just curious as to the thoughts of a local.
Word to the wise, most of us Detroiters are sick and tired of answering this question - but it seems like you come with good intent. Like any major city, there are bad areas. Downtown is beautiful, and in my anecdotal experience, most out of towners are not only blown away by what downtown is, but they often say it's safer than other areas they've been (Chicago, New York, LA, etc.). Just my anecdote here. I could bore you with crime statistics (from the state of the city address last week) that are on the decline, but this is r/NFL for goodness sake. The people who say "Detroit isn't safe" haven't been here in over 10 years. Don't listen to those losers. We're not for the weak either.
Yes I'm asking in good faith. I love to travel and I've been all over the country but not ever Michigan besides a camping trip in the UP. I've heard good things about Detroit recently, so it's on my list to visit maybe in September. As I said, I've traveled solo in places like Medellin and Rio, so I'm not too worried. Just curious.
Definitely visit. We have a great food scene that's improving year by year, and I adore our music scene. If house/techno is your thing, it's a must visit. Every Memorial weekend we have the huge international techno fest, that brings in people across the country and around the world. Always fills my heart with so much joy hearing everyone say how much they love the city. Love the username by the way.
I’m in downtown Detroit quite a bit for concerts or games and never have felt unsafe. I even mostly park my rather nice car on the street and have never had issues with or broken into. Don’t listen to the people who watched 8 Mile and thinks the place is a dump.
I live about a mile from downtown and rarely have trouble. There are pretty tough parts of the city but they are far outside of downtown and you wouldn’t spend much time there unless you were looking for trouble. I imagine it is nothing like Brazil or Colombia. If you are from Chicago, I would compare the downtown core to the loop. Is there absolutely zero crime? Nope. But if you have some sense you won’t have any issues.
Also for any Eminem fans there’s Mom’s Spaghetti on Woodward right across the street from Comerica Park(it’s not good, but it’s there)
Facts: you cannot find better pizza than Detroit style at Buddy's Like, anywhere in the world. Sorry, Italy.
I love Buddy's as much as the next guy, but I'd be hard pressed to even rate them top 5 these days, let alone best overall. They're solid, and they've been doing their thing for a long time, but there is much better pizza around these days.
Michigan & Trumbull puts Buddy's in the dirt. I do not understand the Buddy's love anymore. Maybe I just missed out on when they were better, but it's fine at best these days.
Every Buddys tastes different. The ORIGINAL Buddy's on Conant is hands-down the best one and almooooosssst as good as Louis. The rest are all hit or miss, except downtown, which is terrible. My ranking would be Louis > Original Buddy's on Conant > Michigan and Trumbell > Other stuff/Other Buddys >>>>>>>>>>>>> Downtown Buddys >>>>>>Shields.
Michigan and Trumbull is #1 and it's not close.
gotta go to the OG conant location though
You can’t leave Como’s off of the Detroit style pizza list. Also, Green Dot Stables treats their employees like garbage, haven’t gone there since I found out
Como's is good but I doubt most people visiting for the draft are going to want to drive up to Ferndale
such a terrible list as someone who lived in detroit. You're really suggesting people who flew in for the draft go to Hamtramck? wtf
Yes, there’s a lot of cool things to appreciate about Hamtramck. The dive bars being one, Planet Ant for comedy, or DCFC games, but unfortunately they aren’t playing at home this weekend.