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Livonia, Michigan Area

Livonia, Michigan Area
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  • Livonia, Michigan Area

    Post #1 - January 26th, 2025, 8:50 am
    Post #1 - January 26th, 2025, 8:50 am Post #1 - January 26th, 2025, 8:50 am
    Upcoming weekend trip. Staying in Livonia. Maybe my site search is off, but I couldn't find anything with the words Livonia or Novi. Checking if anyone has any "do not miss" restaurants, divey to upper casual, nobody's gonna dress up. Sports tournament weekend for teenagers boys, but we eat anything and everything. Any ethnicity, as long as it is a "do not miss" for some reason.

    Our group will NOT entertain another try at Buddy's pizza. 6 of us laughed at how bad it was.
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #2 - January 26th, 2025, 12:15 pm
    Post #2 - January 26th, 2025, 12:15 pm Post #2 - January 26th, 2025, 12:15 pm
    The one place I miss from when my parents lived in that general area is Stage Deli in West Bloomfield. Memories are pre-COVID, but they had the best mushroom barley soup and the best corned beef sandwiches. I did a quick search, and it's still showing up as "best deli" in Michigan.
    "All great change in America begins at the dinner table." Ronald Reagan

    http://midwestmaize.wordpress.com
  • Post #3 - January 26th, 2025, 1:23 pm
    Post #3 - January 26th, 2025, 1:23 pm Post #3 - January 26th, 2025, 1:23 pm
    I led a three day Roadfood Crawl of Detroit a few years ago. Nearly every one of the attendees, from all over the country, and Canada, stayed at hotels in Livonia. Oddly enough, not a single restaurant that made the final cut was in the immediate area. The closest place was Miller's Bar, known for their outstanding pub burgers, located in Dearborn.

    If you're prepared to go that far (not that far, really), there's a wealth of Middle Eastern places in Dearborn. Al Ameer is top of the heap, as far as I'm concerned, but only if all your boys have an adventurous palate.

    Another option is AB's Amazing Ribs, a Halal BBQ joint. Above average 'Que and very good sides; just no pork. The Amazing Ribs referred to in the name are their huge, meaty beef ribs. Several people in our group ordered them and were very happy. Personally, I'm a big fan of their excellent brisket.

    An outstanding breakfast option is French Toast Bistro in nearby Plymouth. Regrettably, they did not make the final cut, but only because they are extremely busy, and take no reservations. I needed a place that could accommodate up to 25 people for Sunday brunch, and it was obvious that wasn't going to happen, given their limitations. The food is excellent, and you might have better luck getting in on a different day of the week. Splitting up into smaller groups will also increase your chances.

    Detroit is also known for their smashburger diners, scattered across the city and suburbs. They all started out as part of a local chain called The Telway System, which started, I think, back in the 1930's. The chain eventually broke up into independently owned stands, with only one original "Telway" spot still in existence.

    The places that split off have kept the recipes and griddling methods intact, and any one of them will provide a quality greasy smashburger experience for your group. Prolific LTH poster Da Beef has written quite a lot about these stands, both here and on his blog, "Smokin' Chokin' and Chowing with the King". One of the best of these independent outlets is Greene's Hamburgers in neighboring Farmington, just north of Livonia.

    Upon closer examination of my list, Bates Hamburgers, another former Telway store, is actually in Livonia. As I said, any of these alluring little dives will serve you a quality greasy smashburger, but there is some minor variance from store to store. I prefer Greene's to Bates, but you can't go wrong at either one.

    Another pick from Da Beef is Lefty's Grill in Livonia, known for their Cheesesteak Hoagies. We never made it there, so cannot comment, but if it makes a list compiled by Da Beef, it's gotta be pretty good. Plus, it sound like a natural for a group of hungry teenage boys.

    Beyond that, all my picks are in Detroit proper, or in the eastern suburbs. I can send you the final itinerary, if you'd like. PM me with your email address, and I'll send it attached as a Word document.

    I know your primary focus is on the sports tournament, but I have to say, Detroit is a remarkable city; highly underappreciated and wrongfully maligned as a place down on its luck. There's no question the Motor City has seen better days, but what we saw was local communities, working together to make their neighborhoods better places to live, even when the city government wasn't doing enough help them.

    Have a great trip!
    Buddy

    Miller’s Bar
    23700 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI
    (313) 565-2577
    https://millersbar.com

    Al-Ameer Restaurant
    12710 W. Warren Ave., Dearborn, MI
    (313) 582-8185
    https://alameerrestaurant.com

    AB's Amazing Ribs
    27310 Ford Road Dearborn Heights, MI
    (313) 914-2159
    https://abamazingribs.com

    French Toast Bistro
    40370 Five Mile Rd, Plymouth
    (734) 335-6533
    https://frenchtoastbistro.com/

    Greene's Hamburgers
    24155 Orchard Lake Rd., Farmington, MI
    (248) 474-7980
    https://yelp.com/biz/greenes-hamburgers-farmington
    Da Beef's write up on Detroit Burgers:
    https://chibbqking.blogspot.com/search?q=detroit+burgers

    Bates Burgers
    33406 5 Mile Rd., Livonia
    (734) 427-3464
    https://batesburgers.com

    Lefty's Grill
    29407 Six Mile Rd., Livonia
    (734) 522-0555
    https://eatleftys.com/locations/livonia/
    Da Beef's write up on Lefty's, and other Detroit specialties
    https://chibbqking.blogspot.com/search?q=lefty%27s
  • Post #4 - January 27th, 2025, 8:38 am
    Post #4 - January 27th, 2025, 8:38 am Post #4 - January 27th, 2025, 8:38 am
    Much appreciated!

    The Stage Deli, and AB's look very promising. I was well aware that the area has plenty of Middle Eastern options, so that'll be another target. French Toast was definitely on the radar, but we're kinda hoping the Embassy Suites has a fantastic brekkie for us, and morning will probably be tight on time. I have a feeling that we'll be eyeballing that Mission BBQ (highly rated in the area, never tried one, but it could fit the bill for time) if we are in a time crunch for a lunch or dinner, and can't find anything with acceptable ratings nearby. We'll be going back and forth between Novi and Livonia, not 100% sure of the times, yet. Hopefully we'll be able to venture to the Dearborn area, if nobody's too drained for a 20 minute ride.
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #5 - January 27th, 2025, 9:07 am
    Post #5 - January 27th, 2025, 9:07 am Post #5 - January 27th, 2025, 9:07 am
    I took a look at Bates and Greene's, and the buildings look like the old Top Hat Burger joints back in the day. Musta been.
  • Post #6 - January 28th, 2025, 11:44 am
    Post #6 - January 28th, 2025, 11:44 am Post #6 - January 28th, 2025, 11:44 am
    So...
    My initial research shows me some stuff.

    I'm looking for highest rated in the immediate area of The Embassy Suites, and I'm getting curious about:
    Bad Brad's BBQ
    http://www.badbradsbbq.com/

    Max and Bella's Smokehouse
    http://maxandbellasbbq.com/

    and...

    MeatMoot
    https://meatmoot.com.tr/branches/midwest-michigan/

    As an avid time waster on Youtube, I've been seeing ads for MeatMoot for about a year now. I drive by one to/from the office frequently. One has opened up on the stretch of S. Harlem Ave, in that Middle Eastern tinged hood. It looks like an interesting type of place - you buy bbq'd meats by the pound, and they supply endless sides/sauces and a few beverages. There are several of these places in the states, and in a few other countries. Might be an interesting endeavor - anyone been?
    Last edited by seebee on January 28th, 2025, 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #7 - January 28th, 2025, 11:54 am
    Post #7 - January 28th, 2025, 11:54 am Post #7 - January 28th, 2025, 11:54 am
    seebee wrote:MeatMoot
    https://meatmoot.com.tr/branches/midwest-michigan/

    As an avid time waster on Youtube, I've been seeing ads for MeatMoot for about a year now. I drive by one to/from the office frequently. One has opened up on the stretch of S. Harlem Ave, in that Middle Eastern tinged hood. It looks like an interesting type of place - you buy bbq'd meats by the pound, and they supply endless sides/sauces and a few beverages for free. There are several of these places in the states, and in a few other countries. Might be an interesting endeavor - anyone been?

    Been to the one in Burbank. Kind of an odd, halal-based Fogo De Chao variant. It was good, not great. I thought the quality of the meats was hit or miss. Fun, though.

    =R=
    Same planet, different world
  • Post #8 - January 28th, 2025, 1:51 pm
    Post #8 - January 28th, 2025, 1:51 pm Post #8 - January 28th, 2025, 1:51 pm
    BuddyRoadhouse wrote:Detroit is also known for their smashburger diners, scattered across the city and suburbs. They all started out as part of a local chain called The Telway System, which started, I think, back in the 1930's. The chain eventually broke up into independently owned stands, with only one original "Telway" spot still in existence.
    Just to clarify, these places serve sliders and not smashburgers. To me, that makes them even more desirable destinations. While smashburgers are increasingly ubiquitous, Detroit and New Jersey are the only places I know of with a decent slider culture. Well worth seeking out a couple of stops if you have the time.
  • Post #9 - January 28th, 2025, 7:06 pm
    Post #9 - January 28th, 2025, 7:06 pm Post #9 - January 28th, 2025, 7:06 pm
    Even after googling it, I'm not completely clear on the difference between a slider and a smash burger.
  • Post #10 - January 28th, 2025, 8:29 pm
    Post #10 - January 28th, 2025, 8:29 pm Post #10 - January 28th, 2025, 8:29 pm
    Apologies for following the tangent, but this is important information. The term slider has been bastardized to mean pretty much any small burger, but traditionally, think White Castle - tiny patty steamed over a pile of onions. This is what you'll find at places like Greene's and Motz's in Detroit and White Manna in New Jersey. One side will be topped with onions, pressed down (not smashed) and flipped over onto the bed of onions while it cooks through. The Maillard reaction is limited (and entirely non-existent on one side) and the super soft bun is typically also steamed a bit (some places even throw a dish towel on top to trap in steam), resulting in an end product so soft that teeth are entirely unnecessary.

    A smashburger is smashed hard into a griddle on both sides with the express goal of maximizing the Maillard reaction and getting crispy edges, and is served on a range of buns. There is no steaming involved at any point. Sliders typically only come with, at most, cheese, onions, ketchup and mustard. Smashburgers' toppings seem to be virtually unlimited. I don't think a true slider ever involves more than 2 ounces of meat. I'd guess most smashburger patties are 50% bigger, but surely there's plenty of variation there.

    Here's a video showing the Platonic ideal of a slider:
  • Post #11 - January 29th, 2025, 4:46 pm
    Post #11 - January 29th, 2025, 4:46 pm Post #11 - January 29th, 2025, 4:46 pm
    If Walled Lake is not out of range for you, consider Jeff's Kitchen:

    https://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=593073
    "I live on good soup, not on fine words." -Moliere
  • Post #12 - February 4th, 2025, 9:41 am
    Post #12 - February 4th, 2025, 9:41 am Post #12 - February 4th, 2025, 9:41 am
    So, The Embassy Suites took care of our breakfasts handily. Even had real grits. Not fully proper, almost enough to scratch an itch.

    We lunched at David's New York Deli, where we had the best corned beef I've had in probably three years. Just barely salty, extra lean, but remarkably tender. Their egg salad was a mustard rich delight. Chicken noodle soup was very rich, but nothing truly exciting. Just rich and homey. I'd easily return for that corned beef. The lady running the show knew everything. She WANTED to help you with what you should order, and asked each patron, if they looked puzzled, if she could help with anything - order size, dietary needs, what flavors anyone liked, etc. She knew her stuff cold.
    https://davidsnewyorkdeli0481.s4shops.com/

    For dinner, we KPotted, after nixing MeatMoot. One friend balked at it, asking if it was a Middle Eastern "Fogo De Chao" that might just be too expensive for what it's worth. We agreed we'd try the lunch special down on South Harlem to test the waters. KPot is fantastic, imo. 31.00AYCE KBBQ, and nothing was bad. Everything was quite good, actually. It's self serve banchan/panchan, and a good selection. I basically only need kimchi, radish paper, pickle, and a few dipping sauces, and they had plenty of it, and it was very good. The pickles were nicely spicy. Plenty other banchan, but I don't think I tried much of it, if any. They even had fresh oysters on the half, some cooked mussels, and crab leg sections free for the taking. The meats for the bbq were all solid enough. I much prefer it over Iron Age for a few sheckles more. Their "Kpot Finger Ribs" were the clear winner for their beef selections. No idea what they were, but they were a tiny bit chewy and fatty, but had a huge beefy flavor. None of the meats we tried I wouldn't be happy to get again. Their marinated short ribs and bulgogi were not overly salty or sweet - just really great. We're getting one, or it may have just barely opened in Chicago Ridge, on 99th street and Ridgeland-ish? I'd easily take the fam there, especially for the better priced lunch.

    https://thekpot.com/
    We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.
    Pronoun: That fool over there
    Identifies as: A human that doesn't need to "identify as" something to try to somehow be interesting.
  • Post #13 - February 6th, 2025, 9:11 pm
    Post #13 - February 6th, 2025, 9:11 pm Post #13 - February 6th, 2025, 9:11 pm
    Oooh, wish I seen this earlier. I’m about 20 min from Livonia. Never really consider it for a place to grab a non chain bite to eat, but assuming it’s still open, Cantoro’s Italian Market is a good place to grab a quick bite. I enjoyed the couple of time I’ve been to Mac and Bella’s. If Novi is on your radar for a return visit, there’s a nice handful of Japanese stores/ restaurants in that area.

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