Help from some Detroit

None of the above, go to Roast.

 

Atwater is beer only if I remember correctly. Never been to Motor City. Detroit Beer is ok, I go there before Tigers game since it's very close to the stadium, a bit farther from the Joe, but you could take the People Mover which I think is 50 cents. Foran's Grand Trunk usually has a pretty good beer selection, never had the food.

My suggestion would be Slows. Amazing BBQ and typically a good tap list. Tomorrow they have a bunch of Bells stuff on tap for the Tigers opener. Black Note gets tapped at 10am I believe, and some other good ones throughout the day. You would need to drive from here to somewhere closer to the stadium though.

 

Here's the Slows tap list for tomorrow

http://twitter.com/#!/TheGr8BeerState/status/187592937931157504/photo/1

 

Be prepared for a long wait at Slows tomorrow if you want to eat. There is generally a wait on normal week days. and there is a lot going on tomorrow in Detroit.

Roast might be tough to get a seat at the bar for happy hour if that is what you are going for. It is awesome if you can get a seat at the bar, which is the only place you can get happy hour specials. They are a bit pricey for food if you have to get a table.

Motor City has good pizza and decent beer. Detroit Beer co has good beer IMO, and good food. Detroit Beer Co is near Comerica Park so this might be tough as well.

 

You're in for a wait no matter where you go for dinner tomorrow. Slow's will be minimum 2hr wait. Grand Trunk is limited menu because of opening day, plus it will be packed. DBC will be a madhouse due to being across from Comerica. Roast happy hour is packed before Wings games...add Tigers and it will be a nightmare. Atwater doesn't have a restaurant. Motor City should be ok, but it's about 3 miles from Joe Louis. That would be your best bet. Food and beer are both great.

 

Remember that Tigers opening day is at 1:00 and the Red Wings game is at 7:30. The Tigers crowd should be well cleared out by then, except for the stragglers who want to keep the party going all day/night.

 

I bartended downtown for the last 2 years of Opening Day. Tigers crowd lets out at 4:30 if no extra innings, then they go to the bar. Hockey crowd for a Wings home game starts to hit the bars at 5:00 for a 7:30 game. There is no in-between. It's one of the busiest days for bars and restaurants in the city...

 

Of the places listed, go to Grand Trunk Pub, great beer selection and great food. Slows is another great place but as mentioned, be prepared to wait 1+ hours for a table during peak times (which lately means lunch, dinner, Friday, Saturday, or any day that there's an event downtown.)

 

Roast if the wait isn't that bad. Food is very good to spectacular and the beer list is top-notch. Skip MBC--their beers and food are both bleh. As others have said, it'll be a madhouse downtown all day. Plan on going in as early as possible and waiting quite awhile no matter where you go.