The food and the music are surprisingly good

Source: Detroit Free Press
The Lowdown: These days, if you're looking for nightlife accompanied by a genuine sense of style, you'll have plenty of company. In the metro Detroit area there has been a slow but steady migration from the big-barn bars to smaller, more intimate spaces like Lush or the Double Olive. But when you pack a few hundred lounge lizards into a space comfortable only for a few dozen, things might get a little too intimate.

Enter one of Detroit's best-kept secrets: Downtown Wyandotte has continued its evolution into a truly singular weekend destination, despite a recent devastating fire that gutted a local coffee house and several art galleries. South End Station, a Euro-retro bar and bistro that opened in September, is Downriver's resounding answer not only to the cigar-and-martini clubs of the northern 'burbs, but to the Ferndale-Royal Oak take on haute cuisine. In sum: Terrific atmosphere, manageable crowds, first-class eats and a memorable evening out.

Atmosphere: Calm, comfortable and unpretentiously classy, although it can get a little loud later in the evening. At the time of our Saturday evening visit, there were enough bar-side patrons to keep the people-watching interesting, but enough space to stretch out and be comfortable. Note to "Idiot's Guide to Dating" aficionados: You could do a lot worse than stopping here for a nightcap. A lot worse.

Decor: Those of us not fortunate enough to own time machines have to settle for a South End Station visit to get a taste of '20s nightclub ambience. The interior-design savvy of club owners Mickey Pellegrino and Judy Fornell is reflected in each art deco touch. The hardwood deco bar is akin to that of the late, lamented Kress Lounge. In the dining room-performance area, marble accents, low tables with white napkins and period-style paintings -- many by Pellegrino -- cultivate an air of quiet, comfortable refinement sans stuffiness. A particularly nice touch is a pair of large U-shaped booths overlooking the stage area. They simultaneously afford a measure of privacy and a decent view of both the stage and the crowd.

Crowd: Mid-20s to mid-40s, roughly evenly split between men and women, and generally from the surrounding area. Many patrons at the time of our visit seemed to be regulars, receiving either friendly banter or suspicious stares from the attentive bartenders and waitstaff.

Entertainment: Live jazz and blues, featuring performers such as trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, who appears twice a month, and keyboardist Tyrone (Blind Baby) Hamilton every Friday. Once the live stuff wraps up, whoever gets to the jukebox first sets the tone for the remainder of the evening.

Food: Not your typical bar food. Appetizers include squid saute, bruschetta and assorted sauteed mushrooms. Entrees include steaks, lamb chops, pickerel, scallops, pasta selections and a long list of intriguing-sounding specialties. Entree prices range from $10.35 to $23.97. The inevitable question: Why the odd prices, e.g. $6.04, $11.31, $9.73? Answer: All are national averages for that item. A-ha.

Food is served until 10 p.m. during the week, 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Drink: Sixty-three wines, 12 scotches, $7 specialty margaritas, a full bar and a raft of domestic and imported beers. You'll drop $4-$8 for a mixed drink, $2.50 for a domestic beer and $3.50 for an import. The adventurous might opt for the South End Sex Potion, which consists of two rums, Midori, Southern Comfort and pineapple juice. Its aphrodisiac qualities are undocumented, but hey, it might be worth a try.

Specials: $1 Coors Light drafts and different $1 shot specials every night. Happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. every day.

Address: 3756 Biddle, Wyandotte. 734-246-6100. www.southendstation.com

Hours: Opens 11 a.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. Generally open till 2 a.m., with food until 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Parking: A side parking lot, and limited on-street parking along side streets.
Source: Detroit Free Press