Restaurants in Southfield

The stovetops of Paulette’s Island Place kitchen simmer with a plethora of authentic Caribbean dishes, which draw their complex flavours from Jamaican, African, Amerindian, British, Spanish, French, Dutch, Indian, and Chinese cuisines. Chefs assemble meats and seafood into small and large plates of curries and stews, as traditional Jamaican fruitcakes rise in the ovens. In addition to a Caribbean menu of breakfasts and dinners, the kitchen turns out Canadian mainstays such as sandwiches, chicken wings, and burger patties in the shape of Jacques Cartier’s head.

Strings of colored lights twinkle from the rafters of Gator Jake's Bar Grill Patio, where walls of retro neon and pressed-metal signs lend the dining room a vivacious vibe. The menu brings creole and southwestern perspectives to the table, providing etouffees, steak-fajita subs, and barbecue chicken monterey to complement a glass of Beringer wine, a specialty cocktail, or a beer called Guinness, Killian's, or Corona. Wall-mounted flat-screen televisions broadcast major sporting events as the sounds of clacking pool balls, whirring darts, and songs from the jukebox and periodic live entertainment fill the air. Open until 2 a.m., Gator Jake's—which took third place in the 2011 Detroit A-List's race for Best Sports Bar—welcomes patrons to stay for a late-night birthday party or celebrate the opening of a foreign stock exchange far, far away.

The name of So Thai Restaurant is rooted in two meanings: So is the first part of the founding family's last name, and is also indicative of the eatery's degree of authenticity. By ensuring that each dish balances the five fundamental taste senses—spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and sharp—So Thai Restaurant is simply sooo Thai. The theme carries to the menu, where a chili-pepper icon denotes five levels of spice from no spice, which is similar to ketchup, to so spicy, which is similar to burning ketchup. Traditional Thai dishes including pad thai and drunken noodles comprise the majority of options, though chefs also prepare specialties with uncommon ingredients including barbecue pork, red snapper, and kaffir-lime leaves. With nearly a quarter century of experience in the Thai-restaurant business, the Sookthis family expertly prepares dishes that sync flavor and aromatic components.

Formerly Ernesto’s Country Italian Inn, The Courthouse Grille overhauled its name, menu, and interior to become the intimate Italian-American eatery it is today. While still featuring a selection of Chef Ernesto’s best-loved dishes, the menu has expanded to include eclectic cuisine such as seafood-stuffed crêpes and lobster mac ‘n’ cheese.

The restaurant's façade remains as formidable as ever, with white columns supporting porches in front of the yellow, clapboard siding. The peaks of pediments rise above arched, floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the dining room with the natural light craved by potted plants and solar-powered chefs.

Steeped in tradition, Mario’s Restaurant has served up old-school Italian cuisine since 1948, when it opened as a casual but luxurious supper club. The crystal chandeliers cast warm light on tables covered in white linens, which attentive servers top with a vegetable and relish tray the moment diners are seated. As chefs prepare house specialties tableside, the dining room fills with the rich aromas of buttery broiled lobster tails, veal piccante, and fresh pasta sauce. Guests can also take a whirl on the dance floor during ballroom-dancing sessions on weekends.

The sound of sizzling grills punctuates the gentle whir of beer taps at Basement Burger Bar, a friendly pub nestled beneath the historic Cook & Co. building. Here amidst exposed brick and flat-screen TVs, craft brews and cooked-to-order Angus beef compete for the spotlight as guests crunch through baskets of fried pickles and jalapeño poppers. Proteins such as bison, turkey, and black beans form burger bases, which diners can customize with bacon, grilled pineapple, blue cheese, and more than 30 other add-ons. Instead of cleansing palates with miniature squeegees, the bar draws pintsize baths of Short's seasonal suds and Dogfish Head Brewery ale.