Metro Detroit: Plymouth’s The Ebenezer
As you may know, we love going to unique bars and restaurants . . . especially if they have a cool history behind them. A while back, we featured The Shelby Detroit (downtown) which is a Speakeasy located in the basement of an old bank. Well, we are back with another Speakeasy, except this one you don’t have to venture to Downtown Detroit to enjoy. Instead, just head to Downtown Plymouth to The Ebenezer, Plymouth’s first and only Speakeasy.
The Ebenezer is located in the basement of the former First National Bank of Plymouth and is named after their first appointed president of the bank in 1871, Ebenezer J. Penniman. While the name Penniman is a familiar name to those who know Plymouth, Ebenezer is not…Until now! The Ebenezer was opened in the lovely year of 2020, which we all know was not the best time to open a gathering place. Andi Newman and Stefan Stefanakis (owners of the Greek Islands Eatery in Plymouth) had the vision in 2019 and brought that vision to life in 2020. They wanted to open an “everyday person’s” Speakeasy where you aren’t limited to just having fancy cocktails, bourbons or scotches. If you want a draft beer, you can feel comfortable just ordering a draft beer. You can get a traditional cocktail, but they also have a specialty drink menu that changes with the season. The décor and atmosphere is that of a 1920’s drinking establishment, with private liquor lockers and tasting room located in the old vault. You do not need a secret password to get in the door. You just need to know where it is located, which is 305 Fleet Street. However, you will not find the entrance on the main streets of Downtown Plymouth. You have to enter off the alley near Main & Penniman, near the central parking deck behind Compari’s. Look for the red awning, in the corner, between the Plymouth Shoe Repair sign and Bakehouse 46. Though it is a Speakeasy, they do offer a small plates menu with some absolutely delicious food choices. We went with our friends Charlie and Denise Sergison. It had been a while since we had been out in a 1-on-1 gathering with them, and it was a great night out. If you are like us, you will just get lost in the moment and lose track of time like we did. We arrived at 6 and it was 10 before we know it, we had some great cocktails and some fantastic food. It was a weeknight and it wasn’t totally packed and we didn’t feel like we needed to rush out of there.
Some of the drinks we had were: The Smoke & Pancakes, a bacon and maple syrup style cocktail similar to an Old Fashioned made with Bacon-Washed Buffalo Trace; A Boulevardier made with Rittenhouse Rye, Vermouth and orange bitters; The Black Manhattan and a Sazerac made with Hennessy VSOP, Rittenhouse Rye, bitters and Two James Absinthe. They also have some Dessert Cocktails as well but we didn’t try those. But on to the food…
Most of their food is small plates and shareables with everything from a Charcuterie Board to Chicken Wings but they a have a lamb shank and 8oz filet on the menu as well. We opted for the small plates to share. Our only regret, after 4 hours there, was not ordering more. We had the Brisket Sliders, Ahi Tuna Sliders and the Crispy Cauliflower. Everything was so full of flavor and cooked to perfection. The brisket sliders were super tender and had a great whiskey BBQ sauce and smoked Gouda cheese. The Ahi Tuna sliders were super fresh, cooked to a perfect medium rare and topped with fresh avocado and Kale Cole slaw. The Crispy Cauliflower was topped with a Mushroom Leek Sauce that I could have ate a bowl of, it was so rich and creamy. We saw a good amount of other food as well including the Charcuterie board, Chicken Wings, Spinach & Artichoke dip and Brussels Sprouts so we’ll definitely be going back to try more.
The Ebenezer is open Tues-Thurs 4PM-12AM, Fri-Sat 1PM-2AM and closed on Sunday and Monday. During peak hours reservations are recommended but walk ins are welcome.
Until next time, live well, eat well and enjoy life!
- Keith & Teresa Becker