Detroit
may not be the first choice for a weekend getaway for most travelers, but what
it lacks in attractions, it more than makes up for it in its nightlife. I was really looking forward to spending some
time in Detroit before the
Winter Classic, especially to check out the bar
scene as I had heard that Motor City had quite the eclectic choice for any type
of drinker. Even though my time was
limited, I had more than my fair share of fun in these five downtown bars!
 |
| Downtown Detroit |
Tiger Club
This
private, luxurious restaurant is only accessible to members when it is open
during the Detroit Tigers’ baseball season.
But since Comerica Park was hosting an
AHL Outdoor game as part of the
Hockeytown Winter Festival, this club was open to
anyone with a ticket on this particular day.
 |
| Tiger Club |
What
made this bar stand out in my opinion were the views it gave of Comerica
Park. We had a bird’s eye-view of the
hockey rink below us, and in some ways, it felt like we were watching from a
luxury box suite in an arena. It was
also the first official bar I had ever visited in Detroit even though I had
been here a couple of times before for a Tigers game and a Sales retreat.
Cheli’s Chili Bar
This
was a bar that I definitely wanted to check out as I first heard about it years
ago at a Sales retreat I had in Detroit.
One of the Sales Managers, who lived in the area, told me this was a
popular bar for Tigers fans to drink at as it was also owned by Chris Chelios –
a former member of the Detroit Red Wings.
 |
| Cheli's Chili Bar |
Following
the Marlies’ 4 – 3 overtimes shootout win over the Grand Rapids Griffins, I
convinced Nick that we should at least go to this bar for a quick pint. At the very least, we could always go to a
different bar if Cheli’s was dead.
 |
| Nick catching some hockey highlights in Cheli's Chili Bar |
Sure
enough, Cheli’s was dead when we walked in.
However, it wasn’t all that surprising that it was late December, and its
popular amenity – the rooftop patio – was closed at this time of the year. While Nick nursed his beer as he watched some
hockey highlights on the television, I walked around the bar for a bit to
admire some of the architecture and memorabilia on the walls. Despite the lackluster environment, I think this is definitely a bar I will need to visit again in the future when I am in town for a Tigers game.
 |
| Back entrance to Cheli's Chili Bar |
Hockeytown
Hockeytown
is not only one of my favourite bars in Detroit, but one of my favourite bars
of all time! This two story café pays homage
to the beloved Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. It is also the bar of choice for Red Wings
fans.
 |
| Hockeytown Cafe |
In fact, this place got really
packed shortly after the AHL Outdoor game – which explains why Chili’s was dead
– and was at near capacity during the two NHL Alumni Games held at Comerica Park
on New Year’s Eve when Nick and I were here for a second time.
 |
| Joe Bowen – The Voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs |
Good
beer, good food, and a good atmosphere all help to make this the
best bar in Detroit in mind opinion. It was also
cool that I got to meet Joe Bowen – the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs!
Grand Trunk Pub
While
looking for Grand Trunk Pub, Nick and I stumbled up Campus Martius Park – home of
the annual
D-Drop. Now that we knew
where we needed to go for New Year’s Eve, Nick wanted us to pop inside the
Grand Trunk Pub for a quick drink before calling it a night. That’s correct – in only our first night in
Detroit, we managed to hit up the Tiger Club, Cheli’s Chili Bar, and Hockeytown
for drinks. Yikes!
 |
| Grand Trunk Pub |
The
Grand Trunk Pub dates back to 1879 when it was originally the Traub Bros. &
Company jewellery store. At one point in
time, this building was used as a ticket office for the Grand Trunk Railway,
which is where this pub got its name. A couple of reasons why you should consider stopping by this pub if you are in downtown Detroit are for its 19th Century architecture and its 170+ craft beers.
 |
| The beautiful interior of the Grand Trunk Pub |
Hard Rock Café Detroit
One
of my favourite guilty pleasures when travelling is visiting the Hard Rock Café
if there is a location within the city I am in.
This obsession started back in high school when I went to the Paris
location. My love for the Hard Rock has
more to do with the memorabilia displayed at these restaurants rather than the
food being served.
 |
| Hard Rock Cafe Detroit |
On
our second day in Detroit, I made it my mission to visit Hard Rock Café Detroit. Located near Campus Martius Park, the Hard
Rock Café Detroit is
unlike any other Hard Rock Café I have been to
before. It was very exciting to see some
of Detroit’s biggest music stars being honoured at this location – everyone from
Ted Nugent and Diana Ross to Madonna and Stevie Wonder.
 |
| Stevie Wonder's "Hotter Than July" Braille Tour Book |
With
the limited time we had in Detroit, these were the four bars we managed to
check out during our visit. There a few
other bars that I really wanted to check out, but none of them were close to
downtown Detroit. I may have to visit
again in the future to do a report on those, but for now, this list should help
you quench your thirst if you find yourself in Motown!
No comments:
Post a Comment