Inside: The Woodward in Detroit

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Status
The casually upscale lunch and dinner menu, rich dark woods and brick and glass interior may make you feel you’re in a high-end establishment. And you’d be right.

But don’t let the posh interior and polished exterior of The Woodward fool you into thinking this place is nothing more than an elite dining establishment.

The 4,177-square-foot restaurant and lounge, which caters to the grown and sexy folks of Detroit, transforms each Saturday to a professional party-goers paradise.

“Our style here is more of a laid-back experience for everybody,” says promoter Darnell Macon, who coordinates The Woodward’s weekly Signature Saturdays event. “It’s a nice, upscale environment.”

The venue, now more than two years old, features a small outdoor patio on Woodward Ave., several booths for dining and a no smoking policy.

Cover on Saturdays is $10 before 11 p.m. and $20 after.

Gear
Leave the gym shoes, boots and T-shirts at home and break out the dresses, stilettos and ties. Sure you can get in with jeans and more causal wear, but most at The Woodward come dressed to impress.

Mood
Modeled after the 1807 Woodward Avenue streetscape plan, the interior reflects the city’s street pattern with signs marking Monroe Street, Woodward Ave., Michigan Ave., the Detroit River and Campus Martius.

“I love this place,” says 35-year-old Elijah Aziz of Warren, who was visiting for the third time. “There’s a lot of grown, fairly educated and largely employed people here. This is definitely more my speed. I don’t feel uncomfortable wearing a sport coat. It’s grown, but definitely not old.”

Exactly the vibe Macon hoped to generate with Signature Saturdays, which has been going strong since it was created in March. “We cater to the professional audience looking for a place to go that's classy, upscale and sophisticated,” he says. “This isn't your ordinary club experience.”   

Pick me up
Soups, salads, desserts and tapas -- take your pick. Entrees, served before 10 p.m., run anywhere from $9 for a Kern Clock burger (served on a Kaiser roll with fries) to $32 for the chargrilled filet mignon served with garlic mashed potatoes.

Appetizers are served after 10 p.m. and range from $5 for French or sweet potatoes fries to $26 for the Pontchartrain platter which includes Cajun shrimp, calamari, crab cake and honey spice wings.

The full bar comes complete with an extensive wine and martini list and weekly specials, which run from 4 p.m. to around 10 p.m.   

Entertainment
While Saturday is definitely one of the big party nights at The Woodward, they throw down every day of the week with events like Wind Down Wednesdays with karaoke, live music Thursdays and Fridays and smooth rhythms with WGPR 107.5 on Tuesdays. Wednesday thru Saturday events are free before 10 p.m.

House DJ Kutz spins hip hop, R&B and the occasional Top 40.