Phil Bator

Latest Posts From Phil

Imperial nachos
Eat
Jul 3, 2013

Imperial's got a secret and we're telling EVERYONE

More than just the best place to get tacos Northeast of Southwest, Imperial is finally ready to tackle Metro Detroit's biggest issue to date: being on the brink of declaring bankruptcy where to get late-night weekend grub that's just as sloppy as you are.

Bikes at Shinola
Own
Jun 27, 2013

Thrillist takes you inside Midtown's much-anticipated Shinola

Despite the media foreplay dragging on for months, do-everything Detroit darling Shinola and its flagship Detroit shop are finally ready for the sex!

Campus Martius beach
Eat
Jun 20, 2013

Weekday beaching... Downtown?

Just when you thought Campus Martius couldn't be turned into any more of a playground (#XG2D's rally car shoot, anyone?), the Park peoples organized a Summer's worth of action including everything from towing in tons of sand for a pop-up beach (open every day at 830a) to enough lunchtime food trucks to make you think twice about tanning shirtless.

Detroit Princess Deck
Drink
Jun 13, 2013

Treat your dad like a (beer-drinking) Princess

Motor City Brew Tours is commandeering the Detroit Princess for a Michigan beer-fueled boat cruise along the Detroit River happening on Sunday, which is Father's Day, as you definitely already knew and weren't just now reminded of.

Horse on track
Drink
Jun 6, 2013

BBQ, beer, and betting, courtesy of your favorite slider house

In honor of their biggest gamble, the husband and wife team behind Green Dot Stables is throwing an absolutely ridiculous beer, BBQ, and betting blowout at the Hazel Park Raceway track to celebrate the slider house's one year anniversary.

Orion Festival main stage
Lifestyle
May 30, 2013

A party on Belle Isle with one of the Big Four

Coming on the heels of another event with tons of cars and enough super-loud metal to make you tone deaf (the Grand Prix!) is the Orion Music and More Festival: a two-day-long music & film festival-cum-car show-cum-all-around awesome time organized by Metallica, who're bringing along friends like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rise Against.

Charley fig sausage bite
Eat
May 16, 2013

Charley the Singing Hot Dog Man helps us tackle the Corridor Sausage guys' new truck

Besides being what 7th grade you thought was a totally awesome nickname for your mom's basement, The Grindhouse is apparently also a food truck, thoughtfully brought to you by the Corridor Sausage guys, and thoughtfully taste-tested by us with help from Charley, or, as you might know him, Charley the Singing Hot Dog Man

Shaved fluke with lobster broth for Guns & Butter
Eat
May 9, 2013

Five courses of pure Michigan from a Jean-Georges alum

Guns & Butter: it's both what Paula Deen suggested Axl call his band, and a nomadic-style restaurant concept that popped up in Mumbai and New York before landing in Detroit this month for a hyper-local, 12-night dinner series

All drinks for Bailout Cinco de Mayo
Drink
May 2, 2013

How to crush not-Mexican Independence Day at Green Dot

Good news for people with livers: in addition to the Downtown Boxing Gym fundraiser and Imperial's weekend-long El Dia de la Batalla, the boys from Bailout Productions are back after a Whiskey Rebellion hangover hiatus to host their very own Cinco de Mayo party at Green Dot Stables.

Sausage tomato fennel pie main
Eat
Apr 25, 2013

Goat cheese crab corn pies, served in a Midtown bar

The greatest thing to happen to American pie since the four straight-to-DVD spinoffs (right??), Dangerously Delicious is a full-fledged pie empire with locations in Baltimore, DC, and now Detroit

Interior at Monk
Eat
Apr 18, 2013

Burgers and Belgian beers worth worshipping

Monk: it's both what you become when your Sandpiper Air-servicing taxi company goes under, and what you open when you are Royal Oak Belgian-beerery Bastone, which's replaced the old Cafe Habana space with a brew hall that's more beer abbey than Downton.

Four-for-one just outside of Eastern Market
Lifestyle
Apr 4, 2013

Four-for-one just outside of Eastern Market

Finally repurposing a massive, former spice-processing facility (it's about... thyme?), Trinosophes is a cafe-cum-gallery-cum-live music venue-cum-soon to be second home of a Midtown record shop