Krakus Restaurant, 12900 Joseph Campau St, Detroit. 7 out of 10.

For this trip to Detroit I decided to eat at Krakus, a Polish restaurant just north of Hamtramck.

As I entered, "It's the Most wonderful Time of the Year" played on the loudspeakers. A flyer read, "Live polish music Saturday at 9pm." The unlit, closed right side of the restaurant was a bar with a dance floor, and the illuminated left side was a more traditional restaurant. I sat at a two-person table on the left side. Faux wood beadboard lined the bottom of the walls, with gold wallpaper higher up. Fancy wood beams adorned the ceiling. Krakow, Poland novelties decorated the walls. There were windows on the front wall, but the blinds were closed, letting in very little natural light. As I looked around, a lot of the people were well dressed and looked like attorneys. A friendly waitress greeted me and took my order.

The menu was divided into inexpensive typical lunch items and slightly more expensive Polish dinner items. I ordered a tuna fish sandwich from the lunch menu, which was only about $3. I also ordered pea soup, fried mushrooms, and an iced tea. The soup arrived, but it was too hot to eat. Then the tuna salad sandwich came, so I began eating. The tuna lacked flavor, and the bread was only toasted on one side. I started eating the soup, and it was delicious. However, I only ate a little of it because it had ham in it. Then the fried mushrooms arrived, which I promptly cut in half to cool them down. Once cooled, they were very tasty.

The lawyers next to me got potato pancakes, which I should have tried. Toward the end of my visit, a lady entered and her boss was already at Krakus with a group of co-workers. He said, "It's 20 mins to 1pm, how do you have time to eat and go to back to work by 1pm?" Her response? "I don't need this s***." Everyone laughed. She ordered her soup to go, and her boss paid for it.

Overall the service was good, and the food was better than ok. However, there was no bar for me to sit at for lunch, and the lack of natural light made it a less appealing place to eat. I give Krakus a 7 out of 10 overall.

Street view of Krakus, plus parking lot gate on left

Super-hot cup of pea soup

Fried mushrooms -- delicious

Tuna salad sandwich

Innovative way to designate a hole in the road

View of the inside, lots of tables

Goldengate Café @ 18700 Woodward Ave, Detroit. 7 out of 10.

My most recent visit through north Detroit included a stop at Goldengate Café. It is aptly named after the street that it is on, located right where it intersects with Woodward Avenue. I first heard about this restaurant through Urbanspoon's North Detroit page. Before I forget, I must mention that Goldengate is a vegetarian restaurant.

As I entered, the first thing I noticed was the bold paint scheme on the outside of the building. Second thing I noticed was incense burning. After entering, you have to turn right for the cafe or left for the chiropractic adjustment area. I skipped the adjustment and moved on to the cafe. A large table and a small table are available to eat at, surrounded by green walls -- the large table could probably accommodate up to six people. Thankfully, a counter with bar stools was also available, which is a lot less awkward when eating by yourself.

As I sat down, a gentleman was placing a large order to go. He highly recommended the cornbread. After perusing the menu, I ordered a Tempeh veggie burger and cornbread. No one asked me if I would like anything to drink, so I asked someone for water. A choice was given of alkaline water or tap water. I chose tap water (more acidic, I guess?).

The food came fairly quickly. As I waited, I got to meet Dr. Bob, the proprietor and chiropractor. He asked if I would like an adjustment, to which I declined. I began chowing down, savoring every bite of the delicious tempeh veggie burger. The corn bread was tasty as well, but it had a hint of something that was kind of bitter to me -- perhaps basil. After eating, the lady behind the counter asked whether I had paid already or not. Kind of surprising, but the person who originally took my order had left to go to Home Depot. If you choose to eat here, bring some small bills just in case. Minimum credit card payment is $10, and they couldn't give me change for a $20.

The next day I talked to a co-worker, and it turns out that he had been to Goldengate before for a drum circle night. An Urbanspoon review says they have a fire night, too, which sounds mysterious. Overall I give Goldengate a 7 out of 10. The food was excellent, but the smell of incense made me slightly lose my appetite, and the smell lingered on my hands the rest of the day. Also, the service could use some improvement. If you'd like to read more about Goldengate, check out this Metrotimes Article.

Colorful Exterior to the Building

The "Dissatisfied States of America"

Artwork by Cookie de Fairy

Accidentally Started Eating Tempeh Burger before Photo -- delicious

Current Rankings

1. Hashbrowns Café @ 19458 Conant Street 9/10

2. Dakota Inn @ 17324 John R Street, Detroit 9/10

3. Pete’s Grill @ 1400 Outer Drive East 9/10

4. 8 Mile Grill @ 8003 W 8 Mile Rd, Detroit, MI 8/10

5. Marcus Hamburgers @ 6349 E McNichols Rd 8/10

6. L.A. Coney @ 1700 E. McNichols 7/10
7. Lou's Deli @ 8220 W McNichols 7/10

8. Nunn’s Barbeque, 19196 Conant Street, Detroit 6/10

9. Asian Corned Beef @ 2847 E 7 Mile Rd. 6/10

10. Kwong Tung Inn @ 3040 E 8 Mile Rd, Detroit 5/10

11. Sullaf Restaurant @ 814 W 7 Mile Rd 4/10  
12. Dennis Julian's Coney Island @ 5 W 7 Mile Rd 2/10

Nunn’s Barbeque, 19196 Conant Street, Detroit. 6 out of 10.

Recently I visited Nunn's Barbeque on Conant St, just around the corner from Asian Corned Beef. Parking was available on the side of the bldg. Inside two hi-top tables featured a total of 4 stools, so this place was set up more for take-out.

I studied the menu and almost ordered fish, but that didn't sound right at a BBQ place. So instead I asked (thru Plexiglass) for half of a barbecue chicken plus fries. I had the option for barbecue sauce on the fries, so I went for it. Nunn also sells their Bbq sauce by the bottle. Fortunately, I was also able to pay with my Visa card, so I didn't have to look for an ATM.

Talking to the lady behind the glass, I learned that the original owner passed away, but that his son now owns the restaurant. They are both named Alvin Nunn.

I must remark that this was not a very comfortable place to eat. No readily available restroom -- I would have had to ask and then go through the kitchen to get to it. The interior featured faux wood beadboard and blue decor. Wendy Williams was on the television -- talking about why Jay Z should pull his collections from the New York retailer Barney's. Very entertaining show.

When my food arrived, the chicken came in polystyrene packaging, which isn't easily recyclable. However, the food was excellent -- the chicken was cooked to perfection and fell right off the bone. Also, the fries with BBQ sauce tasted great. This trip was also my introduction to Grandad's Sweet Tea, which I later found is made in Warren, Michigan. It was a little on the sweet side for me, but hey, it's in the name.

Overall I give Nunn's a 6 out of 10. It's better as a to-go restaurant, but even then food would be packaged in polystyrene.

Former car dealership across from Nunn's

Crispy Chicken restaurant, no tables

Bottled BBQ sauce for sale

Kwong Tung Inn @ 3040 E 8 Mile Rd, Detroit. 5 out of 10.

The other day I felt like eating Chinese food, so I headed over to Kwong Tung Inn. It's named after Guangdong, the most populous province in China. The restaurant is located on the east side of Detroit on 8 Mile. There was plenty of parking in the lot between it and the gas station next door.

The restaurant featured four booths and six extra tables. However, there weren't any windows, which was disappointing and made me miss natural light. The color scheme was two-tone with yellow and burgundy. The place was pretty clean, even inside the men's room. Oddly there were loud rattle noises from fans that were running the entire time. There was no music to listen to, and there was no bar to sit at.

Even though I planned on eating my food there, I made a mistake and placed my order of Kung Bo chicken before sitting down. I should have seated myself first so that my order would not have been packaged in polystyrene.

My food arrived fairly quickly, and it included a spring roll and rice. As I was eating, I found a small shrimp in my food. Looking more carefully, I realized that the rice was shrimp-fried rice. The restaurant should have warned me in case I was allergic to shellfish. The Kung Bo chicken tasted delicious. It had a picture of a pepper next to it on the menu, but it was just the right amount of spiciness for me.

While another customer was waiting, she began talking about how she used to eat at Kwong Tung Inn back in 1973, so this place must have been around a long time. At any given time, there were or 4 patrons in the restaurant, mostly waiting for orders to go.

Overall, I rate Kwong Tung a 5 out of 10. Improvements could be made in the atmosphere as well as warning people about the shrimp fried rice. There are a few other Chinese restaurants in northern Detroit, so I will keep you posted.

Dakota Inn @ 17324 John R Street, Detroit. 9 out of 10.

So this week I went to a place that I knew would have tables -- Kurz Dakota Inn Rathskeller. Long name, but a really cool place. I parked in their large lot and noticed a school bus -- 25 kids came pouring out of the restaurant as I entered the restaurant. Wish my HS German teacher would've taken us to a place like this...

Inside, the decor was 100% German. There was even a Schnitzelbank poster on the wall. There were no windows, but there was enough artwork on the walls that it didn't really matter. Thankfully, there was a bar for me to eat at, so I pulled up a seat to a guy named Wilson (he was older than Cast Away, so don't get any ideas) who was enjoying a German draught. If you like beer, it would probably be better if you went to Dakota Inn after work instead of for lunch. There were about seven different German beers on tap.

After ordering an iced tea, I delved into the menu. Typically German food doesn't agree with me, mainly because of my pork-free diet. However, their Dakota Twister caught my eye -- corned beef and sauer kraut between two potato pancakes and a side of apple sauce. The service was kind of slow because the manager was booking evening reservations for Okotoberfest. However, the food was unique and delicious. Oddly, the applee sauce was served in a plastic to-go cup. Also, I don't think the iced tea was fresh-brewed. But otherwise, a solid restaurant.

At one point someone started playing the piano, then later we all sang along to Schnitzelbank. In the middle of it, a lady started choking on her food. It was the first real-life application of the Heimlich Maneuver that I've ever seen. Overall, I give Dakota Inn a 9 out of 10. If you'd like to try it, remember that they're only open for lunch from Wednesday thru Friday. Also open for dinner Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Flowers behind Dakota Inn

Students from Garden City stopped to eat lunch

Dakota Twister! Corned beef, sauer kraut, & potato pancakes

Menu artwork

History of Dakota Inn

Menu

Interior View

Family Crest

Big parking lot w/ guard shack

Signage

NYC bus in someone's yard by the state fairgrounds

Current Rankings

With tables to eat at:
1. Hashbrowns Café @ 19458 Conant Street 9/10

2. Pete’s Grill @ 1400 Outer Drive East 9/10

3. 8 Mile Grill @ 8003 W 8 Mile Rd, Detroit, MI 8/10

4. Marcus Hamburgers @ 6349 E McNichols Rd 8/10

5. L.A. Coney @ 1700 E. McNichols 7/10
6. Lou's Deli @ 8220 W McNichols 7/10
7. Asian Corned Beef @ 2847 E 7 Mile Rd. 6/10
8. Sullaf Restaurant @ 814 W 7 Mile Rd 4/10 
9. Dennis Julian's Coney Island @ 5 W 7 Mile Rd 2/10

Without tables to eat at:
Hook Fish and Chicken @ 10600 W 7 Mile Rd
Bosco Fish & Seafood @ 16227 Livernois Ave

Deli Plaza @ 18401 Wyoming Street

Ocean Fish and Chicken @ 3732 E 8 Mile Rd

8 Mile Grill @ 8003 W 8 Mile Rd, Detroit. 8 out of 10.

It's been a while since I've eaten lunch in Detroit. A fire at our house 5 months ago has really distracted me.

However, I had a free moment the other day to try another restaurant in the D. First I thought I would try Fresh Fish House at 10033 W 8 Mile Rd, but no tables were available to eat at (similar to Hook, Bosco, and Ocean fish stores).

In the interest of time, I stayed on 8 Mile Rd and ate at 8 Mile Grill. I had passed by this restaurant dozens of times before, so it had piqued my interest. It is a diner-style restaurant with a drive-thru. The diner part is open until 7pm, so even an early dinner there is not out of the question.

I took a seat at a bar stool, and a friendly waitress greeted me. Often I order an omelette at a Coney-style restaurant like this, but 8 Mile Grille's breakfast prices go up after 11am. I settled on a tuna melt sandwich with Swiss cheese and an appetizer of fried mushrooms.

Soon after I ordered, a gentleman from the Middle East sat next to me. He began talking to the waitress about where he is from, saying, "You know Iraq?" Her response, "No." He then asks, "You know Kuwait?" She replied that she does know where Kuwait is. I was dumbfounded that she had not heard of Iraq, especially considering that Chaldean-town was only one mile away.

During this riveting conversation, my food arrived. However, the tuna melt had American cheese on it, which I'm not a fan of and which wasn't mentioned on the menu. To my surprise, the waitress apologized, and she kind of offered to make me another one. This was one good waitress.

The food tasted delicious, and the environment was friendly. Overall I give this restaurant an 8 out of 10. Some of the drawbacks are that they don't brew their own iced tea and my order arrived slightly wrong. Otherwise, though, I really enjoyed my meal. So, in summary, as one Google reviewer stated, "They chilli cheese fries and omelets be on point. I love going here"

Photo of the new Meijer on 8 Mile Rd.

Meijer.

Fresh Fish House, but no tables

8 Mile Grill, can't miss it

Fried mushrooms (started eating the delicious sandwich before I took a photo)

Inside the restaurant (blurry from the fried mushroom grease I got all over my cell phone)

Pete’s Grill @ 1400 Outer Drive East, Detroit. 9 out of 10.

Now that the city is officially in a financial emergency, I feel it is more important now than ever to eat lunch in Detroit. One area that really needs help is the east side (east of Woodward). Some signs at a local children's park highlight some of the issues the area is facing. The east side has no universities or large parks -- just mostly housing, factories, and a seldom-used airport. One bright spot is Pete's Coney Grill. It sits right at the corner of outer drive (7.5 mile) and Dequindre Rd. I visited this location recently, hoping for some good food.

I took a seat at the bar and was greeted right away. A waitress immediately brought me a water. From my observations, it appears that Pete's is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For dinner it may be take-out only, though.

Wendy Williams was playing on the TV, which is always amusing. I considered ordering breakfast, but it would have cost extra since I arrived after noon. Instead, I ordered a grilled chicken pita. The food only took about 10 minutes to arrive, so I listened to the entertaining retired man who was next to me. He said the only work he would do is work that would benefit him -- like working during a Detroit Lions or Tigers game so that he could watch the game for free. Interesting concept.

As my food arrived, I was a bit concerned because the last time I had chicken a kabob (kind of similar), it upset my stomach. Not the case for this pita, though. It tasted delicious with a side of ranch, and my stomach felt great.

Instead of bringing the check promptly, the waitress went on a diatribe about Mike Tyson's recent visit to The Fox Theatre. She said, "What does he do -- bite himself on stage?"

The food was excellent and the service was good. The only detractors from my visit were that I had to ask for my check and that iced tea was not on the menu. (hot tea was, though). Overall, I give Pete's a 9 out of 10. I'm looking forward to eating there again.

Sullaf Restaurant @ 814 W 7 Mile Rd, Detroit. 4 out of 10.

I've decided to not review any more Detroit restaurants that don't have tables to eat at. With that being said....

A couple years ago when I was living in Ferndale, I would occasionally ride my bike to Detroit's Palmer Park. One Saturday I traipsed over to 7 Mile Rd east of Woodward, which is also known as Chaldean Town. There were lots of restaurants, but they didn't all look appetizing. I stopped in and ate at one that wasn't too busy, but it was kind of awkward because I was the only person there other than the owner's family. I ate my food, which was tasty, as I read the Arab American News.

The other day I drove by the location of this restaurant, but it was empty and it looked like it had been fire-bombed. I couldn't believe it, so I decided my next Detroit lunch would be in Chaldean Town before it becomes eliminated or gentrified, what with a Meijer being built just north of there.

One of the few, if not only, restaurants listed on Google Maps in Chaldean Town is Sullaf. It's located on 7 Mile not too far from Woodward. I parked in the church lot across the street from Sullaf, and as I entered I was a bit confused as to what to do. Do I seat myself? There are tables, but am I supposed to place my order to go? Nobody really said anything to me. There were four men speaking a foreign language at one table, and there were two men in the kitchen cooking. After a couple minutes, the older kitchen man asked for my order, so I asked for a menu, but he said, "No menu." In his broken English, I heard that my options were a gyro or a chicken kabob, so I opted for the kabob.

The other kitchen man brought me a glass and a pitcher of water, and then he brought a pita and toppings for the kabob. The food took about 10 minutes to arrive. Meanwhile a couple had come in asking if Sullaf served hummus, which they don't. They ordered some food anyway.

My food was a mixed bag. Maybe it's just my opinion, but the eggplant soup didn't taste that great. I mixed it with some rice, but the marinara/spaghetti sauce they used to make the soup didn't sit well with me. The chicken was delicious -- I'm not sure what seasoning they used, but it tasted really good. After I finished my meal, I felt really bloated, and I got hiccups.

I waited for the bill, but it never came, so I went up to the register to pay. I'm sure the owner didn't mean to be rude, but the service was severely lacking. Due to the poor service and the lack of a menu, I give Sullaf a 4 out of 10.