Corktown Visiting Guide

On an evening in Corktown, art devotees huddle together, drinks in
hands, poring over giant abstract paintings of mutated-human figures,
or whatever happens to be the flavor of the month at Zeitgeist Gallery on Michigan Avenue.

Elsewhere along the wide thoroughfare, longtime residents, hipsters
and random Red Wings fans chow on burgers (among the best in the city)
at Nemo’s, the 40-year-old bar that was voted No. 3 “perfect” sports bar in the country by Sports Illustrated last year.

As the hours grow late, thirsty folks with a song in their hearts pack tiny but mighty L.J.’s, where karaoke rules Thursday nights; or, on the weekends, they get the blues at Nancy Whiskey’s; or, when everyone else is tucked in their beds, they shake their groove things at The Works.

When
it comes to dining and entertainment, Corktown is not just surviving in
these post-Tigers years, it’s thriving. By day, locals rub elbows with
suit-and-tie downtown workers breaking for lunch, or browse the
expansive shelves at John King Books.
By night, urban hipsters, old-timers and suburbanites alike file in for
some of the city’s best and most eclectic collection of restaurants,
bars, music and dance halls.

Corktown is one of the city’s most walkable neighborhoods, meaning
much of what it has to offer is accessible on foot. Ample parking is
available along Michigan Avenue, making it easy to drive, then get out
and explore.

Get your eat on

Detroit’s oldest neighborhood boasts a wave of newcomers that have
re-invigorated the neighborhood’s restaurant scene, making the area a
dining destination.

Slows Bar BQ opened
last year to much acclaim on Michigan Avenue. There’s so much buzz
around this place you’d think they invented ribs, but the hype is
well-deserved. The gorgeously renovated building has a large bar where
regulars like to congregate. Even on a random Monday afternoon, of all
times, patrons linger, enjoying the urban atmosphere, conversation and
expansive beer menu. The bar is a scene in itself, but the food at
Slows is equally as notable. There are ribs, of course, and an
assortment of sauces to please, but Slows also has wonderful barbecue
chicken, pulled pork, brisket and fish. The sides could stand as a meal
on their own, from the tangy green beans, mac and cheese so good you’ll
swear off the powdered boxed stuff and enormous waffle fries (extra
cheese optional).

A little off the beaten path in the heart of the historic district, diners at the Baile Corcaigh
on Bagley savor their warm Irish soda bread, sitting among the tables
dressed in white linen, the handcrafted stone fireplace, shiny glasses
and dark wood furnishings, while waiting for their crab cakes and
steaks in whiskey sauce. The Baile Corcaigh (the Gaelic name translates
to “town of Cork,” and feel free to call it by its Anglicized version,
“Bally Cork”) also opened last year. It serves dressed-up pub fare —
the kind of well-prepared, inspired, fresh takes on classic dishes that
has become de rigueur at trendy, upscale UK pubs. So along with your
bangers and mash you can try a salad of crisp mixed spring greens
tossed with Irish blue cheese, or start with crepes filled with a
dreamily rich mushroom and spinach mixture.

Drinking and being merry

There
is no shortage of watering holes, music halls and dance venues in
Corktown. It’s a great place to pub hop, especially along Michigan
Avenue, where you can park and then walk up the strip, all aglow with
newly installed lighting, from bar to pub and back again.

If you want to hang with scenesters and Detroit’s underground rock elite, you must go to the Lager House.
It’s the place to see Rock City’s underground up close and personal, on
a stage aptly not much bigger than a two-car garage. Garage rockers
come here to see up-and-coming bands. Up-and-coming bands play here to
be seen. Regulars include the likes of Blanche, PAS/CAL, The Hentchmen
and the Paybacks. As one patron says, “It’s a great place to see
Detroit’s rock royalty boozing it up.”

Another hipster hot spot is the Corktown Tavern,
which has DJs spinning and bands playing upstairs. Look for their
monthly free visit from Les Infants Terribles, whom have gained
national and local acclaim for their Dorkwave night, spinning an eclectic mix with an impressive list of guest DJs who’ve happened by.

For dancing, check out The Works. This is the place to dance — and
keep on dancing till just before the sun comes up. It’s gay. It’s
straight. It’s open really, really late.

For a bit of vintage Corktown, trek north across I-75 to Nancy
Whiskey’s. The old building at the corner of Harrison and Spruce has
been the corner pub for longer than anyone alive can recall. The
quintessential local bar, it also offers live music on the weekends.
And at Nancy Whiskey’s, blues rules the house.

Corktown by day

Most of Corktown’s daytime visitors are the office crowds or casino
workers looking for a break. And there’s almost no better place for a
sandwich than Eph McNally’s, a cool little deli at the corner of
Brooklyn and Porter. The tables in this small spot fill up quickly with
hungry folks ready for some of the most impressive deli sandwiches this
side of the Big Apple. Try the pumpernickel or rye filled with massive
piles of Irish-spiced roast beef, oven-braised corned beef, warm smoked
turkey or tasty limerick ham. Don’t miss the slaw – both the creamy and
vinaigrette versions are fabulous. There are daily soups and an
admirable number of vegetarian options, too. While you nosh, check out
the collection of vintage lunch boxes (“Knight Rider”!) and board games
(“Welcome Back Cotter”!) lining the walls, antique irons and toasters
in the window, dozens of magazines in the oversized rack. And do save
room for the bread pudding.

For breakfast, there’s nothing quite like Sundays at the Steak Hut
on West Lafayette, a Corktown institution. You can get the best
breakfast $3 can buy, accompanied by music from the Detroit folk duo,
$2 Breakfast.

For
shopping,John K. King Books at 901 W. Lafayette is a landmark. King
fills up the four-story former Advance Glove factory with more books
than anyone could dare to count. It’s easy to spend a perfectly good
afternoon browsing the rare volumes shelved here, and expect to walk
away with an armload of treasures.

Yearly gatherings

St. Patrick’s Day in Corktown is a Detroit must. The annual parade
on the Sunday before the holiday draws big crowds for a spirited,
lively trot down Michigan Avenue. Spectators catch candy and beads
tossed from floats, and patrons pack the watering holes for some
spirits of their own before, during and after the festivities.

Corktown residents celebrate a different type of green during their
annual Home and Garden tour, held the first Saturday of June. The event
lets you stroll through the lush landscapes around the Victorian-era
homes. For more info go to www.corktowndetroit.org.

The
annual Tour de Troit bike ride takes place the fourth Saturday in
September. The 35-mile spin around the city starts from base of the old
train station and takes hundreds of riders through Southwest Detroit,
through Midtown, Jefferson East, Downtown and back. Check www.corktowndetroit.org for more information.

For a touch of history, the Workers Row House
on Sixth Street between Porter and Labrosse is one of the oldest
residences in the city. The circa-1840s structure is being restored by
the Greater Corktown Development Corp. to house an interactive museum
and community center. The project received a Cool Cities designation from the state last year.

---

---

	Eph McNally’s John King of John King Books Slow’s BBQ Baile Corcaigh’s Rock Map of Ireland Music at The Lager House John King Books Worker’s Row House

 

---

All Photographs Copyright Dave Krieger