Authentic firehouse doors flank the front entrance to The Engine House and, while no fire trucks ever come racing out, the firefighter motif continues inside with memorabilia such as two fiery cauldrons hanging above the bar. Wednesdays are Firefighter Days, when The Engine House feels even more like a proper fire station as local personnel stop by to socialize and hose down patrons who are speaking too heatedly. Together, firefighters and their fellow diners can also play tunes on the digital jukebox or catch a game on the bar’s large projection screen and copious plasma and flat-screen TVs.

While the restaurant’s two founding Detroit firefighters—John Gusumano and Greg Sisoy—authenticate the decor, Executive Chef Dennis Capozzoli focuses on the bar’s extensive menu. He exhibits his culinary range with sandwiches, salads, specialty pizzas, and pub staples including mini-burgers and ribs slathered with homemade barbecue sauce.