  Wpitonya Member Username: Wpitonya Post Number: 48 Registered: 08-2005 |
Hey I just moved to NYC and I was walking through the Lower East Side yesterday when I came across this Detroit themed bar! Go to http://nymag.com/listings/bar/ motor-city-bar/ to check it out. I went there last night and it made me really home sick. They had Cobo signs, Greektown, Welcome to Detroit, a bunch of car stuff. Anyone else heard of this or seen Detroit themed bars anywhere else? | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 4434 Registered: 10-2003 |
Detroit Bar, Costa Mesa CA | ||
Wanderinglady Member Username: Wanderinglady Post Number: 9 Registered: 10-2007 |
Barnesfoto, I was going to mention Detroit Bar. I live in eastern Los Angeles County, but I'm not too far from Costa Mesa. I haven't been there yet, have you? I might check it out one of these days. | ||
Patrick Member Username: Patrick Post Number: 5123 Registered: 10-2003 |
I heard the Motor City bar in NYC is cool....if you can get over the poser-hipsters. I dont know if this is true but I was told that there is an especially large community of ex-Detroiters on the west coast...especially in LA. Maybe they get a lil homesick?? | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1693 Registered: 03-2006 |
theres one in london too | ||
Lakesuperior Member Username: Lakesuperior Post Number: 206 Registered: 06-2005 |
motor city bar accepts cash only-- it IS just like in detroit!  | ||
Barnesfoto Member Username: Barnesfoto Post Number: 4436 Registered: 10-2003 |
I've heard that Detroit Bar is cool, but I live just east of downtown LA... plenty of cool bars to choose from. I've never been to Costa Mesa...Too Far! There are a ton of people from Detroit in Los Angeles, (There's even a Detroit Picnic every summer) but there are people from everywhere in LA...Last week I ran into a guy from Andorra, which must be the tiniest country in the world. | ||
Andysrc Member Username: Andysrc Post Number: 197 Registered: 07-2005 |
I like the Motor City Bar. Yeah, it's full of hipsters, but it's in the Lower East Side, so that's what you get. They have cheap beer and a lot of signs that remind me of home. I walked by there just last night. | ||
Deandub11 Member Username: Deandub11 Post Number: 170 Registered: 05-2006 |
I'm pretty sure the owners of Motor city Bar are from Farmington Hills. When I was there thats what the bartenders told me if I am not mistaken. It is cool to go there and remember home...I was just in NYC on vacation, but still, ha. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1455 Registered: 02-2006 |
I too have been to the Motor City Bar, and the owner(s) is/are originally from the Detroit area. Lots of cool memorabilia (and hipsters trying to fit in while nonconforming). Good to hear they're still open with how bars and restaurants cycle in and out down there on the LES. | ||
Wpitonya Member Username: Wpitonya Post Number: 49 Registered: 08-2005 |
Andysrc, where in NYC do you live? I just moved here and don't know anyone. | ||
Sfds Member Username: Sfds Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2007 |
The Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa,CA is a music venue and bar, nothing particularly "Detroit" there. However, the "Eden East", named after a former eastside Detroit bar is a different story. It is a small friendly bar located in Upland, CA about 40 miles east of L.A. It has a fantastic 8x15 foot mural loaded with Detroit landmarks and historical logos. There's a great mix of Detroit sports items (even a WSU pennant)as well as other Detroit items. It has a great Detroit neighborhood bar vibe. Randy Bitonti who owns the place,attended Assumption Grotto. He left Detroit when he was 11 years old in '66. The Detroit bar farthest from home, may be "The Detroit Bar" in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. It was started by Billy Downs - the "BD" in BD's Mongolian BBQ" | ||
Ghetto_butterfly Member Username: Ghetto_butterfly Post Number: 771 Registered: 09-2004 |
quote: One of them is my son and also many of his friends/colleagues. But he keeps saying "I only work here, it's not my home, home is the D". | ||
Ltrain Member Username: Ltrain Post Number: 121 Registered: 10-2003 |
Here is another article about the Detroit themed bar in NYC from the Metro Times. http://www.metrotimes.com/edit orial/story.asp?id=11742 Laurie used to dish out drinks at the Bosco. Great writer. Easy on the eyes. | ||
Detroitbill Member Username: Detroitbill Post Number: 378 Registered: 09-2006 |
Sounds like fun, wouldnt it be good to have a "total Motor City Bar " in Detroit itself. The possibilities for decor are endless. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 40 Registered: 08-2006 |
Really Sfds? I've found the Bitantis have always been standoffish, I guess that's why I prefferred Graziano's, Claro's & La Piccoletta...the old Eden East was this wonderfully rundown Route 66 roadhouse kind've a place, same with their restaurant, Spaggi's...which once was this wonderful grapevine-wrapped Villa...they both kinda lose something in that new mini-mall. If you're playing the Detroit-gone-Cali card go a mile East to see the guys from Warren who run the greatest-named liquor store in the world, Liquorama http://www.liquorama.net/ | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 580 Registered: 09-2007 |
Everyone's a Detroiter. You can ask anyone on on the Planet if they are associated with Detroit in some way and they will tell you yes. | ||
Gsgeorge Member Username: Gsgeorge Post Number: 321 Registered: 08-2006 |
I've been to Motor City Bar in NYC, this was a few years back but I remember it. Very dark inside, black walls, red lights, Detroit street signs from various eras dot the walls, good music (usually a DJ), cubby-like booths in the corners to sit and chat with friends, and relatively cheap beer for nyc. A Detroit bar with a bit of New York hip. | ||
Eric Member Username: Eric Post Number: 981 Registered: 11-2004 |
^^^ Wow, thanks for that a constructive post quote: I know there'a bar called "Detroit" in London ,but I don't think it has a Detroit theme to it. Or were talking about some place else? | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 6420 Registered: 11-2004 |
The first time I heard about the Detroit Bar in LA was on Darren Revell's Big Sonic Heaven show. Darren was a local boy but has since moved to the LA area to work at Indie 103 FM. I guess his show was sponsoring a handful of gigs there and it made me wonder if he was feeling homesick. | ||
Sfds Member Username: Sfds Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2007 |
Flyingj Interesting take you had on Eden East. I was a cold walk in to to joint after many years in Detroit. Just recently moved to CA. I thought it was great and very welcoming. In fact Randy even recommended going to Liquorama (the place you posted), because it was owned by a Detroit guy. He doesn't seem to rank high on the negativo scale - at all, which is refreshing. Sounds like you've been a Cally guy for a while, so you probably got some more insights on the local scene. I visited Claro's but unless it's a different place it's an Italian market, not a bar. Heard about Graziano's haven't gone yet, because a lot reviews have been middlin', look forward to checking out the Detroit place called La Piccoletta...haven't found it, but will ask around. Thanks for the tip. | ||
Andysrc Member Username: Andysrc Post Number: 199 Registered: 07-2005 |
Wpitonya - I live on Canal St and Allen, where Chinatown and the LES come together. I just moved here about six months ago. Hit me up on email: holtzab1 at hotmail dot com. Always looking for someone to catch some Lions games with. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1458 Registered: 02-2006 |
Yeah, I seem to remember pints of Stella for like $4, which is pretty good for NYC. | ||
The_recycling_people Member Username: The_recycling_people Post Number: 62 Registered: 11-2006 |
There is a lounge in Berlin named Motor City Nights. Has a mural inside of the ambassador, ren cen, and the rouge plant. Got a pic in front of it last time I was in Germany. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 41 Registered: 08-2006 |
I visited Claro's but unless it's a different place it's an Italian market, not a bar. Heard about Graziano's haven't gone yet, because a lot reviews have been middlin', look forward to checking out the Detroit place called La Piccoletta...haven't found it, but will ask around. Thanks for the tip. Well, there was an old old guy @ Spaggi's, he's probably your guy's grandfather-this was Reagan Era so pretty far back. Oh Claro's et al aren't recommendations as ex-Detroit places...purely on the Italian scale-you can get some good pizza dough & grinders @ Claro's, the usual guy has a tri-color tattoo If you want me to throw down the best Detroit-oriented restaurants either Nate or Al from the famous Beverly Hills deli used to work @ Boesky's before he got out here, the founders of the Cheesecake Factory retired out here from the running a restaurant in D & got back into it as a lark Maybe the niftiest Detroiter run place was "Box Seats" on Tanque Verde in Tucson, AZ, a mother-of-all-sports bar that was founded by the Red Wings former executive chef-great menu & cool memorabilia on the wall, he might've sold out to the guys who ran "Risky Business" tho. | ||
1701 Member Username: 1701 Post Number: 5 Registered: 05-2007 |
When it first opened,the NewYork NewYork Casino in Vegas had a MoTown Bar/gift shop inside the casino near one of LV Strip entrances. Unfortunately, they closed it down after they renovated a few years ago. It was cool while it lasted. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 3502 Registered: 02-2007 |
but can you get Vernors? | ||
The_ed Member Username: The_ed Post Number: 893 Registered: 10-2007 |
Sfds welcome to the forum.... | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2151 Registered: 04-2006 |
I've been to the Motor City Bar in NYC. I haven't been back since the time I asked did they carry Faygo products and the waitress had no idea what I was talking about. There are a lot of Detroit expats around NYC. Go to U-M Saturdays sponsored by the U-M New York Club and it's always packed with people wearing Tiger's caps. I heard that there are 11,000 U-M alumni in the 5 boroughs alone... | ||
Wanderinglady Member Username: Wanderinglady Post Number: 10 Registered: 10-2007 |
Hey Sfds, I will check out the Eden East one of these days -- my boyfriend lives near Upland, so I'm in the area every weekend. Yeah, there are a lot of ex-Detroiters and U of M alumni in the L.A. area. My sister had a holiday party a few years ago, and it seemed that everyone she knew from freshman year at U of M now lives in L.A.! Don't want to push this thread further off-topic, but does anyone know of a good place (sports bar, etc.) in southern California to see Michigan/Detroit games? I'm suffering from USC/Lakers overload... | ||
Motorcitydave Member Username: Motorcitydave Post Number: 116 Registered: 11-2004 |
There are 2 "Motown" Bars in Tokyo... the one I went to was called "Motown II" ...not really as much Detroit themed as it was Motown music themed, but still cool. | ||
Swingline Member Username: Swingline Post Number: 940 Registered: 11-2003 |
quote:Most of them grew up in Westchester or on Long Island. | ||
Iheartthed Member Username: Iheartthed Post Number: 2164 Registered: 04-2006 |
Most of them grew up in Westchester or on Long Island. Of course. But there are still a significant amount from Detroit, as evident by all of the Tiger's hats I see at the alumni events. I believe the New York area has more U-M alumni than the Detroit area... | ||
Dabirch Member Username: Dabirch Post Number: 2467 Registered: 06-2004 |
quote: Heavy Trash played there last night. I was trying to get out, but could not make it. I would really like to see them -- heard great things. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 1462 Registered: 02-2006 |
There are a ton of U-M folks here in Chicago as well. Of course this city is odd to me in that you can find a bar that caters to alumni of any school, and it will be packed. And not just Big Ten schools either, there are bars for Alabama, Texas, etc. | ||
Vas Member Username: Vas Post Number: 849 Registered: 01-2004 |
Ha ha I love that article in the Metro Times with the kid they run into that is all too willing to get a 'cool' tattoo of Detroit but hates the place and knows nothing of it! I can't tell you how many clowns I've run into just like this. They know nothing about the city and often even dislike it, but when it comes to an old english D on them they'll raise their hands like the trendy sheep they are. Great article | ||
Thecarl Member Username: Thecarl Post Number: 1132 Registered: 04-2005 |
i remember my first trips to nyc in the late 80's. if the "native" cabbies asked where i was from, i told them detroit-area. then, they reeled off the pantheon of detroit sports celebrities: joe louis, sugar ray robinson, gordie howe, ty cobb, al kaline, bob lanier, etc. is the sports element incorporated into any of the above-mentioned detroit-themed bars (besides box seats)? | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 3786 Registered: 12-2005 |
Apologies if this has been answered above but are there any NYC-themed bars in Detroit? | ||
Stromberg2 Member Username: Stromberg2 Post Number: 48 Registered: 10-2006 |
Yep, The Bronx Bar on 2nd. stromberg2, at the Bronx. | ||
1701 Member Username: 1701 Post Number: 6 Registered: 05-2007 |
To Motorcitydave. You are right, the Motown bar was less Detroit and more Motown. But the one in LV did sell Pistons, Tigers and yes, even Lions merchandise. At least it was nice to see something positive about the city. We need more of that. Glad to hear we're recognized in Tokyo. | ||
Vas Member Username: Vas Post Number: 850 Registered: 01-2004 |
How about all of our diners called Coney Islands? That should count for something. |
