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.
