50 Best American Restaurants in Detroit

“Great food, inventive cocktails, and friendly, knowledgeable service. One of the very best restaurants in Detroit for over a decade.“

“Single women beware I was being followed throughout the building on the way to the elevators to get the restaurant. Followed by one guy that I saw, but when I got to the elevators he came to the elevators and another guy was behind him, he did some sign language to the other guy as they slowly walked by as I had just explained to the lady at the elevator I was being followed. I don’t know what they were planning but he definitely looked me in my face as I entered the Renaissance building, as he was already there, then he began to follow me as I saw him every time I looked back over my shoulder. Getting to these elevators are difficult so you have to stop and read the signage and figure out which way to go and he could’ve been gone on his way but No he didn't! I definitely felt uneasy and fearful. I was celebrating my birthday and meeting my niece there. Women be careful!!!!!! The salad was Great! The octopus was just ok, would not order again, the Halibut was bland but fair.“

“Ran into this place the day before the marathon. Sat at the bar and got recommendations on what to get from the staff. Everything was fantastic. We ended up with calamari, scallops, gnudi, and trilece for dessert. This place was one of the best parts of our trip and we're excited to return. The only thing better than your food is your staff.“

“If you’re looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Detroit, Lumen is the place to be. Located in the heart of Beacon Park, this modern yet inviting restaurant offers a perfect blend of great food, craft cocktails, and stunning ambiance—all with a front-row seat to one of Detroit’s most vibrant public spaces.

One of the biggest reasons Lumen stands out is Chef Aramis Torres, whose creativity and passion shine through in every dish. With a deep appreciation for fresh, high-quality ingredients, Chef Torres crafts a menu that blends elevated comfort food with inventive, seasonal flavors. His expertise is evident in everything from the perfectly cooked steaks and fresh seafood to unique dishes that surprise and delight the palate. And let’s not forget the truffle fries—a fan favorite that pairs perfectly with one of Lumen’s handcrafted cocktails!

The atmosphere is another standout feature. With floor-to-ceiling windows, an open and airy design, and one of the best rooftop patios in the city, Lumen provides an unforgettable setting for any occasion. Whether you’re enjoying a cozy dinner inside or sipping cocktails outside while watching the city lights, the ambiance is simply top-notch.

Service at Lumen is warm and attentive, making every visit feel special. Whether you’re stopping in for brunch, dinner, or happy hour, you’ll experience top-tier hospitality and expertly crafted cuisine.

To top it off, Lumen’s location in Beacon Park makes it the perfect spot to enjoy live music, outdoor events, or simply take in the energy of downtown Detroit. Thanks to Chef Aramis Torres’ culinary mastery, Lumen is not just a restaurant—it’s an experience. Whether you’re a local or visiting the city, Lumen is a must-visit destination for an unforgettable meal. Highly recommended!“

“Literally the best breakfast sammich I’ve consumed. I’ve had several attempts to recreate this at other diners & they ALL fail in comparison.“

“Great service!! We shared small plates and entrees!“

“Must try the peanut butter and jelly slider if you’ve never had it“

“Amazing anniversary dinner there and did not disappoint!! 5 stars and we will be back.“

“Went with Family for a B-Day dinner, Had A Berry, 2 of those Your Good. Had the Wings tried other dishes on the table with family remember Great Food. Will stop by before a Piston Game. P.S. Nice Staff and Clean Invironment“

“They serve lunch at our hospital and the brisket is to die for! Sauce has an amazing kick of sweet and savory in every bite. Definitely recommend.“

“Wow, what an experience. This was truly fine and fun dining. Amazing food, incredible service and cool tunes!“

“Best of the best In Detroit!!! ⭐️ 🌭 Service is always top notch!!! Definitely will always be my go to spot! You are not just a customer at Duly’s, you feel like a part of the community! This is a must try spot for everyone, AMAZING 🌭! Breakfast looks fantastic as well! 🌟“

“To die for - delicious! Had the squash app with the mushroom dumplings and bone marrow. Hot damn - this was superb! I was by myself from out of town and a lovely group of girlfriends sat next to me and started a lovely discussion! Really enjoyed my time.“

“The food and service was excellent!!! The stuffed salmon is a must!! The bartender customer service was impeccable.“

“This is home. The heart of the Eastern Market since I was a little girl. This place and Mike's are pillars for Detroit classics. Service is always A1. My mom always gets their breakfast which they give ginormous portions and I either get a corned beef sandwich or a coney and chili cheese fries. They dont miss!“

“Our server Emily was very attentive, warm and welcoming. She made us feel very comfortable. We highly recommend the rueben sandwich and THE STUFFED SQUASH! Hats off to the chef and Emily. Thank you for a wonderful experience. We will be back.“

“Great bloody’s -you won’t b disappointed“

“Best restaurant in Detroit Metro airport sit at the bar for first class service!“

“Sweetwater has ruined all other wings for me. Life-changing. Been one of my favorite restaurants for years and always a great meal, in an awesome old building. Got an earlier dinner there today and service was quick, kind and efficient. Our server Tiffany was sweet. I hope this place never changes!“

“Great foodie experience! Jake our waiter was amazing! Excellent food and service!!! Desserts delicious! Go now!“

“The best corn beef eggrolls I’ve ever had“

“My friend and I went out to eat today on the 4th! Absolutely amazing service, wonderful environment, and super cool signs! My favorite, “MEN LIE”, because ain’t that the truth. Our server, Shonia, amazing! Food was great, absolutely delicious.“

“Noni’s HAD become the go to spot for me because I work in the area. After today, I will find another dining spot. It is not that I am so thin skinned, in today’s economy, service providers must “earn” my loyalty and patronage. Normally I carry out but today I chose to fine in. You seat yourself do I was promptly seated. The waitress took a moment to come to the table and the restaurant was only partially occupied. It took forever for her to retrieve our drinks and return to the table with them. We waited a moment to order and the food , a very simple order, fries and wings took row seemed like forever. After that, we did not hear from her again until she brought the check. Mind you, she refilled the drinks for a table right next to ours 3 times. Ok, so I asked for a refill of our drinks to go. Two of them, children’s drinks were already in styrofoam cups. She returned with a large styrofoam cup and stated she couldn’t refill the kids cups to go, because there was a limit. Because of the disappointed look on their faces, I reminded her that this would be the first refill. What upset me was that she wanted to argue with me. I politely said whatever lady. She wanted to keep it going so I obliged her and reminded her that in a service industry it behooves her to not argue with customers and just stop talking so much! She then attempted to embarrass me by yelling out in the dining room, y’all this lady mad cause I won’t give her lemonade to go. I was going to, but not now.” I responded with “I was going to tip you, but not now.” Before you go there, I do know , understand, and practice two wrongs don’t make a right. Then there are times you stand on principle. All that to say, I won’t be returning!“

“😃try his bacon cheeseburger with homemade potatoes“

“I love Batch! Of course the beer is good but in addition to that the sandwiches are always amazing, and it’s always a great vibe whether you’re outside or inside. Plus they’ve got trivia, food pop ups, and so many other events and activities“

“*EDIT:
The owner did reach out to me to apologize and offer cleaning/replacements for my clothing. They also spoke with the staff to make a training and learning lesson for them which I appreciate. I’m changing my rating of the experience based on Owen’s response, as most owners do not attempt to rectify a bad situation.

I have never had an experience as bad as the one I just had at Firebird Tavern. Needless to say I will never return or recommend this place to anyone. The visit started well and our server was very pleasant and attentive. Halfway through our visit, a full tray of drinks and shots was spilled on me to the point that a mop was needed and a wet floor signed was placed behind me. Not only that, but my white shirt is stained and not reparable. I was soaked. The server eventually did apologize to me and told me that she was personally comping ONE of my drinks. First of all, I would NEVER expect the server to comp any drinks. Second of all, I was never approached by the manager to access the damage or talk about comps, WHICH I would assume from the establishment itself. When we were brought our bill, I asked the server, ‘what is the establishment taking care of for my damages’. The manager eventually came to talk to me and did not seem aware of the situation, even after many servers explained what happened and I showed him my clothing that was still wet and stained. He simply replied that the server was comping one drink and he would see what he could do. The server came back with the same bill, no initiative from the bar or manager and I paid for the bill as it was. How is this acceptable from a bar that my table paid several rounds of drinks and food for the night? I have never experienced this lack of care in my life and cannot express my disappointment and frustration with the management and overall experience of Firebird. What an embarrassment to our city. As a resident of the downtown area, I would never expect such a terrible experience.“

“Been here a few times and it is one of my favorite places to visit in Detroit. The drinks and food rotate and every time I go I find a new favorite!“

“Wonderful place to go for a special occasion. The entertainment is always top notch. The food was absolutely delicious and the entire staff at the top of their game!“

“Great environment for a game or if you're a sports fan. Staff is usually pretty personable but can be very overwhelmed. Especially on a game day. It just seems it may be time for hiring. Maybe time to expand operations.

The burger was delicious. And the jalapeño poppers taste fresh. My advice would be hire some wait staff. At least part time for game days“

“Absolutely 100% recommend Nemo’s! We’re here for tigers opening day and I am breastpumping. I asked if they had a room I could pump, although they didn’t have a secluded area for me, they let me pump in this back area. Thankfully I had a wearable pump so you can’t see anything but one of the bartenders brought me a water & a hotdog and was just the sweetest man. Truly thankful for their hospitality! So very sweet! Above and beyond!“

“After reading several reviews, it left me hesitant about going to Iridescene, however I'm glad that I did not let that deter me. Everything we ordered, from the wine and dine menu was delicious. The chicken breast was tender enough to cut with a fork. And the mashed potatoes were very tasty and well seasoned. I would recommend this place.“

“We had such a great time here! The Bartender, Bao, was very friendly and personable! We enjoyed his company and his recommendations! My girlfriend and I split the short rib grilled cheese with au jus, and it was so damn good! Thanks for being great!“

“Shout out Chelsea from Texas! Super speedy, straight to the point, and just straight-up awesome. She kept things flowing without ever making us feel rushed. Her no-nonsense, friendly vibe made the whole experience better. Attentive, efficient, and full of personality—exactly the kind of service that stands out. Big shoutout to Chelsea at Grand Trunk! We’ll definitely be back.“

“5 stars (only because 10 isn’t an option) If I could marry a bar, this would be my messy little soulmate. The vibe? Immaculate. The bartenders? Absolute legends. One handed me a drink and a shot of unsolicited life advice—and honestly, both slapped. The owner greeted us like we were long-lost cousins who owed him money but he missed us anyway. They even had a shuttle, which was perfect because we were on our way to an event and needed transportation that didn’t involve us drunk-sprinting through Detroit. And yes, we came back after the event, because clearly we have good taste and no self-control. 10/10 would get roasted by the bartenders again, spill a drink on myself, and still call it the best night ever. We love this little chaos goblin of a dive bar, and we’re coming back the second we’re in town. Save us a seat and maybe a bar rag.“

“Excellent place for great food and service. We had a wonderful time. Also great price for the quality of food“

“Came down for brunch whoever made that omelette it was the balm will be back again for one, nice place also.“

“Yes, but - the order and pay by phone ruins the overall experience of Mudgies. Can’t ask an app about the menu. Spent 10 minutes looking on the interface to order an ice tea. Figured it was my lack of finding the menu. Had to flag someone down to learn they were out of ice tea. All those things a server would tell you. But alas you don’t get. So good food, crappy experience! Lower your expectations, taking on the McDonald’s approach, sad really. Oh and if you want an item on the side they charge extra for that?! And with this order system no one asked me how my lunch was- or if I needed anything. So my sandwich was cold and sat awhile before it was quickly dropped at my table. I am so bummed - loved this place. The good news is there are now a ton of amazing options for lunch in Corktown. I recommend tipping much less because you are really on your own.“

“The bartender Jon was amazing. The food is so good and the restaurant is absolutely beautiful. I will say that the hostess, Ms. P was extremely rude, and I almost left. I wanted to dine in, but Ms. P said reservations were required. I told her if we can't eat in, then we can order to go. She interrupted me while I was speaking and asked, "You wanted to eat in, don't you?" I almost left because as her being the face of the restaurant, it was not a welcoming experience.
I'm glad I walked away from her and ordered at the bar. She definitely needs a class in customer service.“

“Beautiful place for a special occasion.“

“Had an amazing evening!! We went with 2 other couples . It started out with Eve in the bar, she was so knowledgeable and made us the most amazing cocktails. Then we moved to the dinning area where Keri was our waitress. Her suggestions for wine and dinner were spot on!! She was fun and very attentive to our entire party. Dinner was 5 stars all around , as many of us are foodies. After dinner we followed up with Valerie who gave us a lovely tour of this beautiful Detroit Club!! All in all it was an incredible experience with our friends!! We will definitely be back!! Thank you to the entire staff who made our visit so charming and memorable!!“

“Table No. 2's lobster bisque, surf and turf, and peach cobbler make for a fantastic dining experience! High-quality food and friendly service. Highly recommend! Will return!“

“Best place in Detroit and metropolitan area. A true dining experience. Not to be be missed.“

“I had a delicious biscuit and a Black Tonic! Very interesting beverage if you’re feeling a little daring - I liked it!“

“Been there two times now. Perfect neighborhood bar for folks in Brush Park. Food was very good and service was excellent. My wife and I are “Summer birds” . We reside in Arizona and reside in Brush Park when weather is good so it’s a perfect neighborhood place for a nightcap.“

“Been going there for 60 yrs. My dad used to work there back in the early 60s. GREAT FOOD.“

“Originally from Michigan but now live in Florida. Went to Detroit for the weekend to attend Red Wings games. Looked for perch dinners and found Andrew’s. Absolutely awesome perch with a generous portion. Loved the atmosphere of the old time era. Staff exceptionally friendly as was the owner. Would definitely recommend this place and can’t wait to return. What I liked was the minimal breading so you have the true taste of perch. This is by far the place to go if you love perch.“

“Amazing food and great waitstaff.“

“We came to The Whitney for an early birthday dinner for my husband. I cannot say enough positive things about our experience there! The staff went above and beyond my expectations. The food was amazing and cost was much less than I would have expected for the caliber and presentation of our meals and dessert. For all of you paranormal afficionados, their Ghost Bar is a must. The owners of The Whitney have done so much to preserve this amazing estate in Detroit without any funding assistance from the government or grants. Please consider supporting them by being a patron the next time you are in Detroit.“

“What can one say about this! Amazing coffee, meaning a real mean and perfect double espresso, and silence, all that in the middle of an incredible museum. My wife and I went to this place through a spiral staircase of the first level and were stunned. And to top all that, I was so intrigued by the crests that adorned the walls. Take your time and enjoy looking at them because I apnly had one concern: why, ih, why did I not have more time to spent there? But, we have another trip to the area soon, so we will be back....“