Metro Detroit: Royal Oak’s Iron Horse

Jul 13

Iron Horse opened its doors in 2015 and is one of Royal Oaks hidden gems. If you are going to Royal Oak this is probably not even on your radar . . . but it should be! It is located right next to the Royal Oak Music Theatre. You might even think it is part of the theatre, since there is a door from the theatre for patrons to enter. We had been here before, following a show, so we assumed it was part of the venue that was only open during events. We never realized it was it’s own place. But now that we do, it has become a Royal Oak destination for us when we are in the area.

At first glance, the place seems small, with a little 7-8 seat bar and a scattering of tables. But there is a side section for dining, as well as patio dining when the weather is nice. The décor is a modern-rustic look with dark woods, exposed brick walls and cozy lighting. It’s a balance of trendy and casual. The few times we have been there, we have loved the staff! They are super friendly and very attentive. Of course we sit at the bar, our favorite spot, so we tend to get a little more attention from the bartenders.

The happy hour menu has:

I opted for the Griffin Claw El Rojo on draft. If you aren’t familiar with Griffin Claw, its a local micro brewery in Birmingham. It was started in 2013 by Bonnie LePage and Mary Nicholson and has become one of the top 10 microbreweries in Michigan, but that’s a story for another day. I had never tried El Rojo, and it was really good. It’s a red ale that’s not too heavy, with a roasted malty, nutty and caramelly flavor profile. Teresa had their Kentucky Blackberry Mule, a mule made with their house made Blackberry infused bourbon. It was extremely tasty and not too sweet.

For food, we ordered the tostada, taco and mexican pizza. For $3 each, how can you go wrong? They were quite tasty and a good value. When we first ordered, we were picturing those mini tacos that you get at dive bars, or bars that don’t server very much food . . . but these were legit and yummy!

And of course, we always try to stay around $30

You are not limited to just their happy hour menu, just because it is happy hour. There are plenty of other delicious items to choose from on their regular menu. While most their selections are Mexican food, they have burgers, pizzas, and other various sandwiches to choose from. Everything we have seen looks amazing.