Ann Arbor / Detroit (Y'all are coming for the UT-UM game, right?)

[Pimphand 5502]

If you are going to Detroit and are a fan of Via 313 pizza then you must go visit Loui's Pizza on 9 Mile & Dequindre in Hazel Park then you will know what real Detroit style pizza is not that decent but not great knock off ;-)

Also the antipasto salad there is a must get
 

I used to work with her son in Center Line back in 2007-09 and she still works there (as of Dec 2023 which was my last trip)

[Pimphand 5502]

I haven't been to Ann Arbor for a game since 2013 but back in the day it was usually cheaper and less annoying to park in a metered spot on the street and get a ticket than it was to deal with the chuckle fuck of parking on the golf course....

The MBA students have a school bus decked out in maize and blue and they usually have kegs, beer bongs, and a DJ going you just need to buy a wrist band (assuming of course a decade later it is still going on).  It is right next to the train tracks at Hill St & S 5th Ave which makes for a nice easy walk to the big house.

https://www.instagram.com/therossbus/

[Pimphand 5502]

If you are looking for a spot to eat near the aforementioned bus/tailgate Cottage Inn & Baba Dari are over by Packard St and a reasonable walk.  Also when I hit up AA I usually make sure to get a sandwich at Maize & Blue Deli you can kinda think of it as Michigan's own Ike's Love & Sandwiches.

[Pimphand 5502]

Another badass dining option for those willing to brave it into Metro Detroit is Andiamo....

There is one in DTW airport but skip that one unless you have no other options...

Livonia: Closest to Ann Arbor
Bloomfield Hills: This is the old Machus Red Fox location which is famous for being the last place Jimmy Hoffa was seen alive
Warren: The OG location about 6 miles north of where Eminem went to high school
Downtown: On the riverfront

Recommendation: Filet w/ zip sauce

If you need some background on zip sauce:
 

 

[Pimphand 5502]

For stuff downtown....

I know they haven't announced the dates yet but should the Lions so happen to be playing in Detroit that Sunday then Elwood Bar & Grill is the spot to pregame and I would make it down to Greektown to eat at Pegasus Taverna. The lamb chops are excellent they still don't rival New Hellas (RIP been gone since 2008 and had been there since 1901 previously) but you will have a good time.

The Old Shillegah is my favorite downtown watering hole (assuming you like Irish Dive Bars).

Hockeytown Cafe is pretty cool for all the Red Wings nostalgia 

The two famous coney places are Lafayette & American and are right next door to each other. 

There is an industrial/goth/freak bar called Leland City Club down off Bagby that some pretty wild raucous shit used to go down back in the day (2007-09)

The best BBQ place in Detroit is Slow's BBQ down by old Tiger Stadium but if you go get BBQ in Detroit from TX then you are truthfully insane ;-)

Also if you are going to go over to Windsor for the Windsor Ballet then Leopards/Cheetahs were the spots to go ~15 years ago I assume that to still be the case.

[Pimphand 5502]

Make sure you download this song and as soon as you get in your rental car put this on
 

 

[Baboontyme 2681]

Disclaimer is I'm old and I don't go "out" much anymore for nightlife. I did hit up a Wings game with some friends in town last winter and we went to some bars in mid town. That said, from what I hear, I would not recommend Greektown other than maybe a place to grab lunch during the day. I think at night on the weekends these days there are a lot of hooligans down there looking for trouble. There have been a few fights and shootings down there over the past few years. 

Also as PH says you would have to be insane to try Slow's as a Texan so please don't. It's not good BBQ imo. There's a place in Dearborn Heights where a guy opened a store who trained under Franklin. But yeah I'm sure you don't need BBQ in Detroit. Square pizza, coneys, Middle Eastern, Polish is our wheelhouse. 

[Pato del Muerto 52035]

1 hour ago, Pimphand said:

Make sure you download this song and as soon as you get in your rental car put this on
 

 

Nah. Play MC5 so they know you an OG

[closetojumping 61997]

13 hours ago, Baboontyme said:

Disclaimer is I'm old and I don't go "out" much anymore for nightlife. I did hit up a Wings game with some friends in town last winter and we went to some bars in mid town. That said, from what I hear, I would not recommend Greektown other than maybe a place to grab lunch during the day. I think at night on the weekends these days there are a lot of hooligans down there looking for trouble. There have been a few fights and shootings down there over the past few years. 

Also as PH says you would have to be insane to try Slow's as a Texan so please don't. It's not good BBQ imo. There's a place in Dearborn Heights where a guy opened a store who trained under Franklin. But yeah I'm sure you don't need BBQ in Detroit. Square pizza, coneys, Middle Eastern, Polish is our wheelhouse. 

I assume every other Texan also follows the basic rules of "no texmex beyond the state border" and "no BBQ north of the Mason-Dixon Line". If not, they've got some real problems.

Good info, though.

[Pimphand 5502]

14 minutes ago, closetojumping said:

I assume every other Texan also follows the basic rules of "no texmex beyond the state border" and "no BBQ north of the Mason-Dixon Line". If not, they've got some real problems.

Good info, though.

I've lived in Detroit, St Thomas, Oakland, Richmond, DC, & Denver outside of Texas and occasionally you have to "break the law" because it's too big a pain in the ass to fly home when you get a craving ;-)  With that said it NEVER was sufficient and the first thing you would do upon returning home was eat Tex-Mex, BBQ, & Cajun in that order.

[closetojumping 61997]

57 minutes ago, Pimphand said:

I've lived in Detroit, St Thomas, Oakland, Richmond, DC, & Denver outside of Texas and occasionally you have to "break the law" because it's too big a pain in the ass to fly home when you get a craving 😉 With that said it NEVER was sufficient and the first thing you would do upon returning home was eat Tex-Mex, BBQ, & Cajun in that order.

When you're gone too long, what choice do you have? I was on a two week road trip with my family across parts of the west and midwest. On the 12th day, I broke down and took us to a "tex mex" restaurant in South Dakota that had billboards up for miles on the interstate. The chips and salsa weren't bad, so that made it worth it. I wouldn't send my worst enemy there unless they were desperate though.

[alphahydro 332]

sort of off topic, but thinking of taking my son to 1 or 2 games next year, haven't decided which.   we live outside of texas.

options -

• michigan
• OU (we were at 49-0, so he's been to a recent OU game)
• georgia
• possible playoff game at UT (knock on wood; i know that's not guaranteed)

have friends i can visit/stay with in austin, dallas, ann arbor. 

i've been on the fence about michigan.  this thread is making it seem more interesting.  

just curious which would you pick as your #1 game?  

[6th Street 6270]

Florida game is in Nov and weather should be better and tickets easier to come by late in the season 

[Baboontyme 2681]

Just in case you need to break the emergency glass, this is the guy who trained under AF.

https://abamazingribs.com/

Damn I might have to try it.

https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/dining/mark-kurlyandchik/2019/05/16/texas-halal-bbq-dearborn-heights/3667852002/

[Mittens 7991]

Went to Michigan State @ Michigan in 2002, so it's been a minute, but my take on Ann Arbor/Detroit:

Ann Arbor is the lamest college town I've ever been to.  The Friday night before the game could have been Anywhere, USA that wasn't a college town the night before a game w/ little brother.  Zero energy.  Nothing at the fraternity houses, nothing downtown at the bars/restaurants.  Couldn't have been more disappointed.

Michigan's tailgate area is their golf course, directly across from the Big House.  I was blown away that the school let everyone just destroy their golf course - and they did fuck it up royally....my favorite being a car doing donuts w/ a kid holding on to the rear bumper superman style (wet day).  I remember thinking that this shit would never fly in Texas.  Fun scene, no question about it.

The Big House has the smallest seats possible.  They seat 100K in a stadium that was made for 80K.  You're not only on top of each other on your row, but there's no room between rows.  If someone leaves the row, EVERYONE is getting up - there's no moving your legs over and letting them by.

Going out in Detroit, especially the casinos, is an adventure.  I'm sure it's evolved in the past 20 years.

If The Landing Strip Lounge in Romulus is still open, by all means, do visit.  Shockingly one of the best titty bars I've ever been to, and we were there mid-afternoon, not 1am on a Saturday.

Edited February 2 by Mittens

[Lat22 3949]

4 hours ago, alphahydro said:

sort of off topic, but thinking of taking my son to 1 or 2 games next year, haven't decided which.   we live outside of texas.

options -

• michigan
• OU (we were at 49-0, so he's been to a recent OU game)
• georgia
• possible playoff game at UT (knock on wood; i know that's not guaranteed)

have friends i can visit/stay with in austin, dallas, ann arbor. 

i've been on the fence about michigan.  this thread is making it seem more interesting.  

just curious which would you pick as your #1 game?  

 Michigan. Possible once in a lifetime visit to that iconic stadium. 

[Baboontyme 2681]

3 hours ago, Mittens said:

Went to Michigan State @ Michigan in 2002, so it's been a minute, but my take on Ann Arbor/Detroit:

Ann Arbor is the lamest college town I've ever been to.  The Friday night before the game could have been Anywhere, USA that wasn't a college town the night before a game w/ little brother.  Zero energy.  Nothing at the fraternity houses, nothing downtown at the bars/restaurants.  Couldn't have been more disappointed.

Michigan's tailgate area is their golf course, directly across from the Big House.  I was blown away that the school let everyone just destroy their golf course - and they did fuck it up royally....my favorite being a car doing donuts w/ a kid holding on to the rear bumper superman style (wet day).  I remember thinking that this shit would never fly in Texas.  Fun scene, no question about it.

The Big House has the smallest seats possible.  They seat 100K in a stadium that was made for 80K.  You're not only on top of each other on your row, but there's no room between rows.  If someone leaves the row, EVERYONE is getting up - there's no moving your legs over and letting them by.

Going out in Detroit, especially the casinos, is an adventure.  I'm sure it's evolved in the past 20 years.

If The Landing Strip Lounge in Romulus is still open, by all means, do visit.  Shockingly one of the best titty bars I've ever been to, and we were there mid-afternoon, not 1am on a Saturday.

I was at that game I think. We lost 49-3 and Chuck Rogers gave up on the field. RIP. I don't believe the Landing Strip still exists. 

Doing my best to put my bias aside I maintain that Ann Arbor is a really cool town but a shitty college town. I'm sure if one went to school there they would feel differently. 

Edited February 3 by Baboontyme

[Pimphand 5502]

12 hours ago, alphahydro said:

sort of off topic, but thinking of taking my son to 1 or 2 games next year, haven't decided which.   we live outside of texas.

options -

• michigan
• OU (we were at 49-0, so he's been to a recent OU game)
• georgia
• possible playoff game at UT (knock on wood; i know that's not guaranteed)

have friends i can visit/stay with in austin, dallas, ann arbor. 

i've been on the fence about michigan.  this thread is making it seem more interesting.  

just curious which would you pick as your #1 game?  

1) Michigan

We have only played them once in our history and that was the Rose Bowl on 1/1/2005. 

2) OU we play annually

3) Georgia we are now in the same conference

4) As stated not guaranteed

[choripan 771]

ANN ARBOR, PART 1

For starters, Ann Arbor basically has two sides, though they’ve started to bleed over into each other since I was in college in the 2000s. To the west, in the heart of downtown, you have what is generally the adults/townie side, which is centered on Main Street. To the east, you have the student side, which is generally within a few blocks of the diag, which is the heart of UM’s campus. Though we don’t have anything as lively as Dirty 6^th or Bourbon St. or anything like that, there’s more than enough places to go.

Ann Arbor-Specific Things to Do, Eat Drink – These are things that are unique to Ann Arbor/UM. Not necessarily the best, but ya really don’t want to make the trip just eat at McDonald’s or go to a generic sports bar. These are some of the main things that’ll come up if you sit next to a UM alum on a plane or a barstool or something like that.

• Campus. Other than just strolling around to catch vibes, things you will want to see are the rotating cube statue (google it), traipse through the student union and nickels arcade, and be absolutely sure to visit the beautiful law quad and, within it, take a peek at the law library. Think of these things like visiting the turtle pond at UT – things that set your/our particular campus apart from others.

• Kerrytown Market/Zingermans. If you’re into it, go to the over-century old market on the north side of downtown on Saturday morning, get some coffee, and get fattened up to drink all day. Zingerman’s is ostensibly an east coast style deli, but they’re also a cheesemonger, wine shop, and a bunch of other things. They pay living wage plus, many emploees are long-tenured, and every employee is super knowledgeable in their area of expertise. I think the deli itself is overrated and would be a very good but not best deli in, say, NYC, but the place is famous.

• Blimpy Burger. This is like going to the White Spot in Charlottesville or Players in Austin. Or it was. Much like Players, the land that Blimpy’s sat on for decades was snapped up by the university for development. Except, after some downtime, Blimpy’s reopened in another part of town with the same grill, most of the same employees, and so on.

• Downtown. Ann Arbor has fought hard to preserve independent stores, restaurants, and bars. When we were dating and I first took my wife to my alma mater, she (originally from Houston) remarked that “Holy shit, I don’t think there’s a single chain down here.” I think it’s really cool, and great to just walk around and soak it in within a few blocks of Main Street and out east toward the student side.

I’ll write another post with specific bars restaurants I’d recommend, with a description of what to expect, along with places I don’t love, but that the rest of the world seems to love, and which are worthy of inclusion despite my personal opinion. I'll also have recommendations for stuff to do if you want to get out and be active. Ann Arbor's a pretty good town for that, too.

[This is going to take me awhile. I’m slapping stuff together when I have downtime, which I don’t have a ton of these days…]

[choripan 771]

On 1/30/2024 at 6:41 PM, Baboontyme said:

Depends what you're into. I recommend the DIA, definitely the Henry Ford (Dearborn), Hittsville, the Riverwalk is decent. The zoo is nice. If the Tigers are in town you could check out Comerica, they might even be decent this year who knows. You could do a pedal pub downtown, they even have a boat version of the pedal pub on the river. Hell bring your passport and check out Windsor. There are also casinos if you're into that. Dearborn and Hamtramck are cool if you want to explore some different neighborhoods and aren't scared of brown people. If late 20s, early 30s bar hopping is your thing, Royal Oak. If you are a hipster corktown and Ferndale. If you want to hit on cougars and shop at Lululemon and smoke cigars, Birmingham. If you want to get out to the country and do something seasonal, find a good cider mill. Early September is an awesome time of year in SE Michigan typically weather wise. 

This is a good example of how different strokes can be for different folks. Not my speed but may be your (Baboon's and many others'!) speed.

I would not recommend *any* Detroit suburb except as a place to crash if you can't find a place in Ann Arbor or Detroit. My thought is, "If you're going to make the trip, why visit a suburb like those outside of just about any other city?" IMO, outside of a few places (I'll get to the Henry Ford Museum/Greenfield Village later), there is nothing unique enough in the suburbs to justify going there if you only have 48/72/however many hours in Michigan.

Edited February 4 by choripan

[Uncle Boobs 1240]

I'm staying in Ann Arbor Thursday to Monday. Appreciate the information everyone.

[elfenix 34075]

On 2/2/2024 at 10:28 AM, closetojumping said:

I assume every other Texan also follows the basic rules of "no texmex beyond the state border" and "no BBQ north of the Red River". If not, they've got some real problems.

Good info, though.

ftfy

[closetojumping 61997]

5 hours ago, elfenix said:

ftfy

I know it’s heresy here, but I like KC, Memphis and NC BBQ too. Also, have had ribs in St. Louis and liked them as well. From one of the famous places, can’t remember which. Near Busch. And the protege of Franklin in Charleston is doing some off the charts good stuff too. 

[dcbc 14235]

10 hours ago, choripan said:

Kerrytown Market/Zingermans.

My nephew lives in the area and sends me cookies from Zingermans every Christmas.  Absolutely delicious.  He's a good boy.

[Uncle Boobs 1240]

Flights have been booked.

[Mango4 189]

On 2/2/2024 at 11:45 AM, closetojumping said:

When you're gone too long, what choice do you have? I was on a two week road trip with my family across parts of the west and midwest. On the 12th day, I broke down and took us to a "tex mex" restaurant in South Dakota that had billboards up for miles on the interstate. The chips and salsa weren't bad, so that made it worth it. I wouldn't send my worst enemy there unless they were desperate though.

Was it Que Pasa in Rapid City? That place sucks

[IDIOTsavant 8421]

On 2/4/2024 at 8:52 AM, choripan said:

Blimpy Burger. This is like going to the White Spot in Charlottesville or Players in Austin. Or it was. Much like Players, the land that Blimpy’s sat on for decades was snapped up by the university for development. Except, after some downtime, Blimpy’s reopened in another part of town with the same grill, most of the same employees, and so on.

Second Krazy Jim’s Blimpie Burger. Just a damn good, classic college burger spot. Bill’s Beer Garden is essentially across the street and is great for a couple of drafts after a burger as well. Would highly recommend this for those looking for a low key Friday night before the game. Sitting on the back porch drinking Oberon or sangria at Dominick’s over by the business school is also a very solid September option.

Edited May 19 by IDIOTsavant

[choripan 771]

General -From like April/May until October/November, when the weather is nice, Ann Arbor pedestrianizes a bunch of its downtown streets and, more importantly, many places have go-cups. Just ask because some places participate in the go-cup program and some don’t. Either way, I recommended a stroll around downtown above, and it’s worth it. None of these places are more than a 10-15 minute walk apart, and after a vibe check on yourself or your group, head to whichever sounds best. All of these are usually a good time. There are also lots of “New American” bar/food type places but, fuck it, they’re ubiquitous in any urban or mostly urban environment.

For the purposes of this, I'll divide Ann Arbor in West Downtown, Main Street, and East Downtown/Campus-ish. Here’s a map with West Downtown circled in red, Main Street circled in blue, and the remainder in green, and within that green with East Downtown X’ed in at the top, South University in the middle, and an outlying area off Packard street at the bottom. Very Generally, West Downtown is more of a 25-45 crowd, Main Street is 35+, and once you head east, except for in a few establishments, it's mostly under 30 and in many cases only students and some grad students. Game weekends, though, pretty much anywhere is fair game for anyone. 

Also, don’t forget that recreational weed is legal in Michigan and the County Prosecutor does not prosecute for weed or shrooms (https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/01/washtenaw-prosecutor-wont-charge-people-for-marijuana-shrooms-other-psychedelics.html).

** I'll do West Downtown tonight and get to the rest later **

West Downtown – This is basically anything west of Main Street but not on Main Street. Here’s a bunch of places I like, depending on the general vibe of the group.

• Babs' Underground - This is a cocktail spot where you'll typically see anything from grad students to 40-somethings. Most of the time, they'll be playing a great 90s-2000s hip-hop playlist, but more as background and not crunk. It's not a dancing place. Think stuff like Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village, etc.
• 8 Ball Saloon - This was the place to get a ($6, then $7, then) $8 pitcher of Natty Light. Long-time basement bar with punk vibes. Some students found it between when I went to undergrad (2004) and now, so now I'd say it went from a place to get away from the uppity east coasters that are at UM to a place with a good mix of townies and gownies. Has one of those digital jukeboxes these days and the mix of people makes for a wild playlist. My fav thing here is to play (real, not plastic) darts, bullshit with my friends over cheap beer, and people watch.
• Blind Pig - 8 Ball is the basement of the Pig. Check who is playing here because they have some great acts and a really deep history, though the venue is kind of unremarkable. A bit on the history: https://blindpigmusic.com/history/.
• Circ - Mix of people like Babs' but the demo is more 21-30 years old. They have a huge dance floor area, an outdoor area with firepits, and a small roofdeck. Depending on who is there, the music, and whether it's karaoke night or DJ night, Circ will be either like a 2/10 or a 8+/10. Worth a peek if you're bopping around downtown.
• Bill’s Beer Garden – Some time ago, the owners of A2 Home and Garden turned their parking lot into a biergarten at like 5-6pm each night.
• Beer Grotto - Craft beer joint with indoor/outdoor seating, located on a corner. They always have a really good beer list, service is quick, and they let you bring in outside food. This is really clutch with the aforementioned Blimpy Burger, a great 24-hr diner (Fleetwood), and a BiBimBop place all right across the street.
• Peridot/Pacific Rim – Creative east Asian cuisine. Pacific Rim is a bit more subdued and Peridot is a bit more creative. Peridot is a collaboration between the Pacific Rim chef and the owners of the next place on the list, and is a bit more creative.
• Last Word – Named after the famous Detroit cocktail, if you’re a cocktail person this is the typical “best place to get a cocktail with a vaguely speakeasy vibe” that’s just about everywhere. Good pours, good drinks.
• Blank Slate Creamery – This is a fancy ice cream joint where they’re creative with the flavors and all that jazz. I’m not a sweets guy, so don’t like that much ice cream, but they do a great four mini-scoop flight that’s perfect for sharing or each person having a mini-scoop or two individually.

 

 

Edited May 21 by choripan

[utexas8 1433]

I agree tix in the Texas allotment will be scarce.  But I'm not remotely concerned about getting tix generally in a stadium that sits 100K+.  I'm guessing ticket prices will be comparable to any of our other big games the past couple of years (Bama (both places), TX-OU, Sugar Bowl).  It's pointless to even start thinking about tix this point as the only people selling are short sellers looking for suckers.

I haven’t bought tickets in awhile, what’s the price you think? 400-500/ticket?

[Biff Tannen 45013]

2 hours ago, choripan said:

General -From like April/May until October/November, when the weather is nice, Ann Arbor pedestrianizes a bunch of its downtown streets and, more importantly, many places have go-cups. Just ask because some places participate in the go-cup program and some don’t. Either way, I recommended a stroll around downtown above, and it’s worth it. None of these places are more than a 10-15 minute walk apart, and after a vibe check on yourself or your group, head to whichever sounds best. All of these are usually a good time. There are also lots of “New American” bar/food type places but, fuck it, they’re ubiquitous in any urban or mostly urban environment.

For the purposes of this, I'll divide Ann Arbor in West Downtown, Main Street, and East Downtown/Campus-ish. Here’s a map with West Downtown circled in red, Main Street circled in blue, and the remainder in green, and within that green with East Downtown X’ed in at the top, South University in the middle, and an outlying area off Packard street at the bottom. Very Generally, West Downtown is more of a 25-45 crowd, Main Street is 35+, and once you head east, except for in a few establishments, it's mostly under 30 and in many cases only students and some grad students. Game weekends, though, pretty much anywhere is fair game for anyone. 

Also, don’t forget that recreational weed is legal in Michigan and the County Prosecutor does not prosecute for weed or shrooms (https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/01/washtenaw-prosecutor-wont-charge-people-for-marijuana-shrooms-other-psychedelics.html).

** I'll do West Downtown tonight and get to the rest later **

West Downtown – This is basically anything west of Main Street but not on Main Street. Here’s a bunch of places I like, depending on the general vibe of the group.

• Babs' Underground - This is a cocktail spot where you'll typically see anything from grad students to 40-somethings. Most of the time, they'll be playing a great 90s-2000s hip-hop playlist, but more as background and not crunk. It's not a dancing place. Think stuff like Tribe Called Quest, Slum Village, etc.
• 8 Ball Saloon - This was the place to get a ($6, then $7, then) $8 pitcher of Natty Light. Long-time basement bar with punk vibes. Some students found it between when I went to undergrad (2004) and now, so now I'd say it went from a place to get away from the uppity east coasters that are at UM to a place with a good mix of townies and gownies. Has one of those digital jukeboxes these days and the mix of people makes for a wild playlist. My fav thing here is to play (real, not plastic) darts, bullshit with my friends over cheap beer, and people watch.
• Blind Pig - 8 Ball is the basement of the Pig. Check who is playing here because they have some great acts and a really deep history, though the venue is kind of unremarkable. A bit on the history: https://blindpigmusic.com/history/.
• Circ - Mix of people like Babs' but the demo is more 21-30 years old. They have a huge dance floor area, an outdoor area with firepits, and a small roofdeck. Depending on who is there, the music, and whether it's karaoke night or DJ night, Circ will be either like a 2/10 or a 8+/10. Worth a peek if you're bopping around downtown.
• Bill’s Beer Garden – Some time ago, the owners of A2 Home and Garden turned their parking lot into a biergarten at like 5-6pm each night.
• Beer Grotto - Craft beer joint with indoor/outdoor seating, located on a corner. They always have a really good beer list, service is quick, and they let you bring in outside food. This is really clutch with the aforementioned Blimpy Burger, a great 24-hr diner (Fleetwood), and a BiBimBop place all right across the street.
• Peridot/Pacific Rim – Creative east Asian cuisine. Pacific Rim is a bit more subdued and Peridot is a bit more creative. Peridot is a collaboration between the Pacific Rim chef and the owners of the next place on the list, and is a bit more creative.
• Last Word – Named after the famous Detroit cocktail, if you’re a cocktail person this is the typical “best place to get a cocktail with a vaguely speakeasy vibe” that’s just about everywhere. Good pours, good drinks.
• Blank Slate Creamery – This is a fancy ice cream joint where they’re creative with the flavors and all that jazz. I’m not a sweets guy, so don’t like that much ice cream, but they do a great four mini-scoop flight that’s perfect for sharing or each person having a mini-scoop or two individually.

 

 

Thatsapenis.gif

[Skipper 5961]

11 hours ago, utexas8 said:

I haven’t bought tickets in awhile, what’s the price you think? 400-500/ticket?

Probably somewhere in that range but really impossible to know until Michigan fans have received their tickets and can list them.  The market doesn't really exist yet.

[gernblansten 3122]

Zingerman's pastrami reuben seemed a bit light on the meat for $22. Blimpy Burger has tiny patties with seemingly a quarter of a slice of cheese on it. I think you need three to five patties to make a substantial burger. My recollection is a single patty is around the size that'd fit on a King's Hawaiin slider roll. Onion rings were good. Beer Grotto is enjoyable. The law library is impressive. 

[HenryJames 65251]

I'll probably skip the game and just hang out in the law library.

[choripan 771]

On 5/21/2024 at 10:12 AM, gernblansten said:

Zingerman's pastrami reuben seemed a bit light on the meat for $22. Blimpy Burger has tiny patties with seemingly a quarter of a slice of cheese on it. I think you need three to five patties to make a substantial burger. My recollection is a single patty is around the size that'd fit on a King's Hawaiin slider roll. Onion rings were good. Beer Grotto is enjoyable. The law library is impressive. 

Yeah, the standard burger at Blimpy's is a triple. I think they're 1/10 of a pound per patty and an adult can't even order a single patty (?). Never seen it over the course of going there 50-100 times. Anyway, back to business.

Main Street Proper –

North Main Street (Culantro/Heidelberg/Chapala) – There’s a really good block of fairly priced restaurants on the north side of downtown. Culantro is good Peruvian cuisine and could hang with what I’ve had in Lima and Arequipa. Check what’s going on at Heidelberg. It’s a wood-paneled, German-themed, multi-level venue that sometimes has DJs, latin night, trivia, all sorts of stuff. And yes, of course, they have the boot. And the best for last, Chapala! One of my favorite places in the city, though I rarely eat there. The food is Tex-Mexy rather than Mexican, but the crowd at the bar is almost always down to chat, they’re always playing a good mix of rancheras and reggaeton, and they have a STRONG pour.

Regents Field – The best sports bar in A2, imo. The food is actually good, you can get a pitcher for under $12-15, depending on what you order, and they have stuff like skee-ball and video games for free. Also, very importantly, they play the broadcast sound for games. 90% chance you’ll catch me watching a game here if I’m not at home or at the game.

Pretzel Bell – An A2 classic and I don’t know why. The main floor is kinda lame, but the basement turns into a club at night. Listed here because of two things: (i) on weekend nights, they have a great DJ that plays a mix of 2000s and some 90s hip hop, mixed with modern stuff, and (ii) they fashioned an old can vending machine into the “Mystery Machine” where they stock cheap cans of beer and you can get them for $2. I’ve had MGD, Rolling Rock(!), Tecate, and a whole bunch of other random beers out of it.

Conor O’Neils – A good Irish pub. They also often play sound for games.

Blue Llama – A jazz bar that has good acts and an EXCELLENT chef, and usually the best menu in town, IMO. If you’re looking at a date night, this is my top rec.

Cannelle – A patisserie/bakery that is a small chain, with 3 locations (Detroit, Ann Arbor, some random Detroit suburb). 90% sure it won a James Beard and their shit is top notch. This is the type of place I watch my wife eat an overpriced variation of a croissant with a pretentious mane while I sip my coffee.

Lo-Fi – Poke your head in and see if you like the music. They have DJs that play anything from hip-hop to techno/EDM to reggaeton, depending on the night. Always busy on a weekend night and if you dig the music they have that night, you’ll have a good time.

[GreenspointTexas 9376]

Where is the official pregame bar for students/alums? 
 

Brown jug?

[Txangel9910 217]

Anyone else staying for the Rams/Lions game.  Matt Stafford's return so it should be chippy....

[VABuckeye 2472]

Ann Arbor is a whore

[4th&Five 41111]

14 minutes ago, Txangel9910 said:

Anyone else staying for the Rams/Lions game.  Matt Stafford's return so it should be chippy....

Re-return. They played there in the playoffs. 

[utexas8 1433]

We are going to a cubs game on Friday, Texas game Saturday, and bengals game Sunday. First time without the kids in awhile so we are making it last lol

[TheRRKid 227]

What’s the parking situation? For Texas games I prefer to park for free around Guadalupe and the 30s and walk in. I’d rather walk than sit in traffic getting out of a lot or garage. Is there anything like that around Michigan Stadium?

[immamac 41615]

6 minutes ago, TheRRKid said:

What’s the parking situation? For Texas games I prefer to park for free around Guadalupe and the 30s and walk in. I’d rather walk than sit in traffic getting out of a lot or garage. Is there anything like that around Michigan Stadium?

Where are you staying? If in AA take rideshare. If in Detroit take shared transportation or get a driver. 

Parking is readily available and there's tons of yard parking for 20-50 bucks. 

What does everyone wanna do pregame? It's a noon kick and the weather will be phenomenal, but I'm not gonna do some big production unless people are enthusiastic about wanting to show up. I don't want a bunch of "I'll stop by" types if in gonna set up a $25k+ party that only lasts 3 hours pregame. 

I'm happy to do it if everyone wants to commit to coming to the tailgate, their tailgate situation is pretty fun, but it's not like tailgating in the south at all. There's also a TON of regulars etc so people have their spots they've been going to forever and it's generally speaking all maize and blue. 

I've got the opportunity to have a 60x60 area carved out on the golf course for us, but again it's a lot to commit to without anyone saying they want to do a pregame experience. I'll also have my family (extended) in tow so it will be an enormous burden for me not just financially if no one wants to come. 

I expect a 60x60 could easily house 800-1000 people throughout the day and we will have food and beverage covered. It would be something like $50/per person all you can eat/drink from 8AM to kick and after-party till everything is gone. 

[TheRRKid 227]

I’m staying with family not in AA or Detroit and will be driving in. Cash lots sound great.

 

Im absolutely in on a pregame. I’ll be solo but hoping a Surly party comes together 

[HenryJames 65251]

I will also be attending this sporting event.

[HenryJames 65251]

28 minutes ago, immamac said:

I'll also have my family (extended) in tow

/no racist 

[Tailgate 2974]

Pumped for my first visit to the Big House! LFG!

[RollLeft 5038]

I'm staying in a trailer park near 8 mile, eating square pizza and gonna look for a dude named Les at local pawn shops.  

[Gravy Train 970]

Who's also staying at the MGM?  I haven't checked with them yet on shuttle service to AA.

[Pimphand 5502]

7 hours ago, immamac said:

Where are you staying? If in AA take rideshare. If in Detroit take shared transportation or get a driver. 

Parking is readily available and there's tons of yard parking for 20-50 bucks. 

What does everyone wanna do pregame? It's a noon kick and the weather will be phenomenal, but I'm not gonna do some big production unless people are enthusiastic about wanting to show up. I don't want a bunch of "I'll stop by" types if in gonna set up a $25k+ party that only lasts 3 hours pregame. 

I'm happy to do it if everyone wants to commit to coming to the tailgate, their tailgate situation is pretty fun, but it's not like tailgating in the south at all. There's also a TON of regulars etc so people have their spots they've been going to forever and it's generally speaking all maize and blue. 

I've got the opportunity to have a 60x60 area carved out on the golf course for us, but again it's a lot to commit to without anyone saying they want to do a pregame experience. I'll also have my family (extended) in tow so it will be an enormous burden for me not just financially if no one wants to come. 

I expect a 60x60 could easily house 800-1000 people throughout the day and we will have food and beverage covered. It would be something like $50/per person all you can eat/drink from 8AM to kick and after-party till everything is gone. 

Not going to tell you what to do but personally I think we should crash the Ross School MBA bus they sell wristbands to those of us schleps who aren't active MBA students and it's usually a pretty fun party both before and after the game but it only includes beverages.  The advantage here is there is no pressure to organize anything or worry about enough attendance or finding the particular parcel of land on the golf course.  

https://www.jgfoundation.org/bus
https://www.instagram.com/therossbus/

I haven't been since 2013 but from 2006-13 when I went regularly the bus was always parked at Hill St & S 5th Ave right next to the train tracks and I assume it's still there it's a real easy walk to the Big House from there as you just head right on Hill then take the first left onto Greene St and it takes you straight to the stadium.

[someguy 1462]

I reserved a spot at Pioneer High School.

[Pimphand 5502]

Also it should be our civic duty to inform the Wolverines about the shithole they are walking into when they visit the nexus of the crisis and the origin of storms next season.

At a minimum we should impart the knowledge that

Boomer = Squatter
Sooner = Cheater

And to mentally substitute those words in that infernal song the dickbags play all too often as well as responding to OU with sucks and when asked what time it is how to reply correctly to the inquiry.

Edited August 2 by Pimphand