Slows Bar BQ

Slows Bar BQ

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+1 313-962-9828+ Add website
Hours
Sun
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Mon
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tue
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wed
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thu
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Fri
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Sat
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
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About
Serving chef-driven, award-winning BBQ based in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood, since 2005.
PRICE RANGE
$0.00 – $25.00
CUISINES
American, Bar, Barbecue
Special Diets
Gluten free options
Meals
Lunch, Dinner, Late Night
FEATURES
Takeout, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Television, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,945 reviews
Excellent
1,047
Very good
570
Average
215
Poor
79
Terrible
34

Laura S
Macomb287 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2024 • family
We held our family holiday party (~30 people) here 11 a.m. EST 12-22-2024. Carrie arranged everything with us via email and text. We reserved their private room in Corktown, which has a bar and a single stall restroom (your guests don't have to go out in the restaurant to use the restroom). The menu was served family style, and included salad, appetizers, mac & cheese, chicken wings, brisket, pulled pork, mashed sweet potatoes, waffle fries, and carrot cake. We were able to order mocktails for non-drinkers, and people who drank alcohol could have whatever they wanted, including IPA on tap. Molly, our bartender, did an excellent job. I didn't catch the names of our servers, but they were great, too. We are senior citizens now and always cooked for 20-40 people. What a relief it was to hand over the cooking and cleaning to Slows, and what a treat it was to eat in a charming building with much better food than we could have gotten at most restaurants. This was a much more interesting meal than we would have gotten at most places, too, and the wide range of offerings (including some gluten free) appealed to everyone in our party. Our guests ranged in age from 3-72. I chose Slows because I used to work for the insurance company that does their commercial coverage. I was there on an insurance walkthrough ~ 6 months ago and was so impressed because they really smoke their food (they don't add fake liquid smoke), and their kitchen was super-clean. The only tip I have (and this is not Slows' fault), is that there's a lot at 2040 Michigan Ave. It has a sign that says it allows parking for Slows, IMA, and several other businesses. There are also Park Detroit metered spots. We were there on a Sunday, and parking's free in the metered spots. I elected to use the lot because I'd used it before and, since it's 1-1/2 blocks away, I figured I'd leave spots for my guests on the street. We arrived at 10:50 a.m. When we came out at 2 p.m., the lot had stuck a claim check on our car and tried to get $5. They'd already shaken down several of our guests for $5. They had temporary signs out front that said "Parking $5." If it costs $5 to park there, why doesn't the lot have a sign that says "You will be charged between the hours of 1 p.m.-11 p.m. (I don't know if those are the hours). I refused to pay, because I thought it was a scam. I looked at the claim check later and it does say Misba Parking, LLC, 2040 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI. I am not sure if it's legit or not (there are a lot of fake parking spots in Detroit). If it is, they need to post a sign right out front, and they need to put up a gate that doesn't let you enter it (only exit) unless you pay. The lot is open and has 2 driveways.
Written December 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Luke Wahl
Lafayette4632 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • none
Rich woody industrial atmosphere for the rich kids to indulge their faces in the ultimate meat slabs, pulls, and pads. Us seven kids dropped in a Saturday late lunch hour and enjoyed googling over the eye candy menu, plenty to make ignoring vegans happy! The tap list was enticing too and had me good with a very dark hefty grog bordering right on extra bitter dark notes and balanced sweetness. I noticed prices for some things were hilariously up in fantasy land. Typical BBQ: hoping customers are not good at math; twenty is a minimum to fill up a teen appetite. The sides especially are bonkers in their small size and big price. I tried not to complain even with the brisket treating my taste buds right, an amazingly succulent and deep well treated cut. Sampled some other's food too, difficult to wine at this level of ingredient quality and chef skill. I was glad to try this big Mo-Town tourist hit and can't argue for success here. I've spent as much for less in other cities so it is good to know what the wallet is getting into with new restaurants. After the brew, brisket, slaw, and splitting scrumptious carrot cake, I was adding tip tipping the cardswip over forty. Everyone was at least as satisfied as I, some thankful they went smart for mac n cheese side to get those calories to fix the appetite. Overall Slows has a good grub game and did us well with casually mood positive time with friendly well trained staff and silly side prices alongside the excellent meats.
Written October 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SaraZig27
Ida37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2024 • couples
Excellent food! We loved every item we ordered. The brisket and chicken were delicious ! Mac and Cheese was tasty and down home casserole style. They have several sauces on every table so you can try everything without asking the server which is nice. You can buy jars of your favorites on the way out for a super reasonable price. Service was also good. Location is super convenient to Roosevelt Park and the restored iconic train station. Take a stroll through historic Cork Town after dinner to visit some great shops and venues.
Written July 19, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roam723083
1 contribution
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2024 • family
Very disappointed! First very hard to find the front door, then no one was at the front station so we seated our self along with others. The waiter was rude when we were told we couldn't sit there. Then we ordered ribs, they were dry and chewy sides very small,very expensive for what you got, would not go back or recommend this place.
Written March 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

VacationQueen96
Saint Clair Shores199 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • family
Went to slows on Wednesday evening, and the restaurant was empty. My family and I were downtown and decided to come for dinner based on previous reviews and one past experience. Although there plenty of people working behind the counter, we were asked to order from the kiosk. We ordered about $60 worth of food, a brisket sandwich mac and cheese, the smallest slab of ribs I've ever seen, brisket, 2 corn bread muffins, and 2 additional mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was awful, it was dried out and not edible, the ribs were not fall off the bone and needed sauce. The redeeming factor was the brisket, the sandwich and the side of brisket were both delicious. If we go back, it would be for the brisket
Written October 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

bebeth1919
Detroit12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • none
Seated quickly and very attentive staff. I ordered Apple BBQ chicken which was good BUT it was literally just a scoop of BBQ chicken on a plate. It looked lost and lonely on that big plate. Not a pickle or a cracker or a piece of lettuce to dress it up. For a dollar more I could have had a bun, cheese, bacon and mushroom with lettuce and a pickle. Side dish of mac and cheese was good- and necessary. Baked beans were dry and barely 1/4 cup serving.
Written August 16, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Real advice
Tecumseh10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • none
I am not a big BBQ person, but my wife is, so I said let's try some place different for BBQ and read the reviews for Slows Bar BQ and said why not try it. I am so glad we did. We both ordered the BIG 3 meal and it was amazing, great without sauce, even better with their sauce(s). My favorite sauce was the Apple, but also liked the NC, and spicy. We also ordered their waffle fries, delicious, their beans, delicious, and their Mac and Cheese, tasty. We did order some baby back ribs, which at first were on the dry side, but man, they went above and beyond and made it right, took the ribs off our bill, yet still brought out a fresh half rack for free to make it right when we were getting ready to leave. They already made it right by taking the ribs off our bill and we were still happy with our experience, but then they still brought out a fresh half to take home anyway. That's service you don't get anywhere anymore. We had a 35 minute drive home. When I arrived home I had to try the ribs before they got too cold so I could have the best first experience possible, and wow, fell off the bone and tasty, even after the drive home. Awesome food, awesome sauce, awesome service, above a beyond...what a restaurant experience should be!!! Thanks Leo! P.S. we had Barbeque at a famous restaurant in Nashville Tennessee but Slow's even beats them in the food quality and taste. Will be back, again, and again, and again. One of our new favorite places and worth the drive.
Written January 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ccriderYVR
Vancouver4601 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • business
Dropped in for lunch. Slows is a well known establishment and you really can’t go wrong there. I ordered the combo plate which has 1/4 lb of pulled pork, chicken and brisket. Nothing comes with it, so you have to order the sides separately. I do like having an assortment of sauces on the table. The brisket was great, pulled pork ok but the chicken was dry and I didn’t enjoy it. Didn’t eat the chicken after a few bites. But the server didn’t say anything, which I think they should ask to find out what may be an issue. Who knows, I am finding the level of service and knowledge these days is very much lacking.
Written April 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Brendan S
Arlington2172 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • solo
It is often hard to choose what to order at BBQ restaurants, where everything is both good and filling and the restaurants load up plates with huge portions. Slows has great sampler options - a couple ribs, a serving of meat - that came with three sides, but all were small. So I got to try it all and it wasn’t excessive in size. There’s also a choice of five sauces right at the table. It was all excellent. The ribs were both falling off the bone and charred and seasoned on the outside. The pulled pork had a bit more fat than I like, but the meat itself was tender and juicy. I loved the baked beans - which were themselves mixed with pulled pork. This is also a pleasant restaurant to dine at. Spacious, clean, with fast and friendly service. Slows also has a large and varied drink menu, including unusual beer types like the cream ale I selected. The drinks were also surprisingly inexpensive.
Written September 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Slavisa S
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2024 • couples
Summary - decent place, good service and at the best, average food. We went for a dinner but since it was full ended up at the bar. Service was good and friendly, we ordered platter of appetizers. Came in cold, bit strange for BBQ place but something new to try is good. Turns out not so much. Links were tasty, other food looked like it was prepared way ahead and was just served. Brisket was hard and tasteless, chicken wings tough and cold, ribs mediocre, pulled pork looked like leftovers. Not impressed at all. Will not go there again.
Written February 18, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alex VDP
De Pere149 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • couples
Stayed in Corktown on the eve of the Lions Divisional Playoff game and found this place close to where we were staying. About 30 local beers on tap, and all the brisket you could ask for. I got the brisket and my wife got a half a rack of ribs. Each table has 5 of their house sauces on it and they were all great and went well with the brisket. The housemade mac & cheese was also excellent as a side
Written January 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jessica M
2 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • couples
My husband and I went to here in the late summer and the service was horrible. We just put it off to a new staff or a bad night. Food was a little less than I remembered, but it had been a while since we had been there. We recently returned. Service was horrible. We waited and waited. They told us we couldn’t be seated at a table and only at the bar. The staff was very concerned with leaving and taking care of closing tasks, even though it was an hour before closing. We finally got a drink. We ordered. Food came and it was not as good as I remembered from years past. The sauce containers were sticky. The bathroom had seen better days. All I wanted to do was clean the place and show them how to be attentive to customers. I think it is past its prime. This is so sad to me.
Written December 26, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kristie C
Chicago66 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021 • none
Slows was recommended to me by a member of the Lion's organization so I definitely wanted to try it out during my short trip from Chicago. Service is great and the staff is wonderful. We ordered the ribs and mac and cheese (which came highly recommended). The Mac and cheese was super cheesy and quite good, but the ribs were not very tender and the outside was really hard. They were hard to chew. Taste was good but they were difficult to eat. Did they sit out too long or something? We would possibly go back if in town again and try the brisket next time. A few people at the bar ordered it and it looked really good.
Written December 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ski
7 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • family
Waitress forgot about us.. bartender brought out by beer afraid of bring warm.. repeated soft drink orders ignored. Only two utensils and had ask and ask. And finally orderd 4 kaiser rolland grought one 1. Her explanation “well, i am sure we all made mistakes” totally ruined experience.. do not remember wht we ate.. a Terrible experience
Written June 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roger M
Allen Park204 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • none
Some restaurants that consistently get the accolade of the best food in Detroit can rest on on their laurels and get lazy. Not so with Slows. They still crank out the best barbecue in a city that knows its barbecue. Service is top-notch and the sides are varied and prepared with love and care. Sometimes there food seems a bit much, but the staff is good about allowing guests to share a dinner. Keep up the good work!
Written May 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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SLOWS BAR BQ, Detroit - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor

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