Detroit: Bricktown’s Sweetwater Tavern
The Sweetwater Tavern in Detroit's historic Bricktown neighborhood has been serving the community since 1989 . . . but the history of the neighborhood and the building go back to the mid 1800’s. Bricktown is home to the oldest standing church in the city Ss Peter & Paul Jesuit Church on St Antoine, which was founded in 1844. The stunning Italian Renaissance style Wayne County building, which opened in 1902 on Randolph Street. It was home to the Wayne County Courthouse, where Mae West was once a defendant on a charge of public indecency, which was not uncommon with her back in those days.
Bricktown is also home to Jacoby’s German Biergarten, the city’s oldest surviving pub. It opened in 1904 and the infamous St Andrews Hall, which opened in 1907, and at the time was a venue for national touring acts. Today, St Andrews is still used as a concert venue, and is now a venue for concerts and their basement, referred to as The Shelter. The hall hosted may breakthrough acts in the 80’s and 90’s, such as Iggy Pop, Nirvana, R.E.M, The Cranberries and Red Hot Chili Peppers to name a few. But there is no bigger name than EMINEM who got his start performing at The Shelter in St Andrews basement.
Let’s talk about the Sweetwater Tavern. It is located at 400 E Congress at the corner of Congress and Brush Streets across the street from St Andrews Hall. The building was built in the early to mid 1900’s and served as a hotel before later being converted to a restaurant and bar. In 1989 it was purchased by is current owner Jeffrey Cain and it has been going strong ever since. It is a long narrow building with a bar on the left as you walk in and tables to the right and up front by the windows. There is also an additional dining room in the back, so it is larger than it looks.
The Sweetwater menu is filled with your typical bar food selections, burgers, salads, sandwiches, appetizers etc. and all their meat is delivered fresh daily from Eastern Market. They also offer steaks, fish, ribs, pulled pork and of course their famous chicken wings as well as some delicious southern style comfort side dishes
Since they are known for their wings, we will start there. The wings are delivered fresh daily and marinated for 24 hours. They have won numerous awards for the best wings in the city from Hour Magazine, The Metro Times, Best in the state by MLive and WJR and ranked in the top 20 in the country by Thrillseeker. They are so popular they sell 15,000 pounds a week between their 4 metro Detroit locations and food truck. They don’t offer different levels of heat, just their version of hot which is not too hot. Most chicken wings favor heat to flavor but Sweetwater has the perfect combination of seasonings to give that savory flavor with a heated kick at the end. You get a pound and a half per order (8-10 wings) and you can add a ½ order to any entrée for an additional fee.
Other menu items include ½ pound hand packed burgers, The Big Pig pulled pork sandwich, 14 oz New York Strip or 24 oz Porterhouse, BBQ ribs, Fish & Chips and some delicious sides of Mac & Cheese and Collard greens. If you are just looking for a quick beer and appetizer (other than wings) they have potato skins, steak or chicken bites, home made onion rings, rib tips and loads of other appetizers. But we came for the wings and that’s what we had along with their mac & cheese and collard greens sides.
Other than their downtown location they also have 3 other locations and a food truck. They are called Sweetwater Express and located on 10 Mile in Eastpoint, Northwestern Highway in Southfield and at McNichols and Greenfield on Detroit’s West side. If you have never been to Sweetwater Tavern don’t worry it’s not going anywhere soon, but you may wonder why you’ve waited so long.
Sweetwater’s Detroit location is located at 400 E Congress on the corner of Congress and Brush, they are open daily from 11AM to 2AM.
Until next time . . . live well, eat well and enjoy life!
-Keith & Teresa Becker
