What to eat and drink at Detroit's casinos
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They've been around for more than 20 years now, so Detroit's three casinos are kind of taken for granted to locals as part of downtown fun, like visiting Campus Martius, the Detroit Institute of Arts or seeing a concert or sporting event.
While most states allow some form of gambling, not every metropolis has full-on casinos. We're no Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but Detroit's gaming floors do offer quite a bit, and each of the three downtown casinos also have hotels with restaurants and other entertainment. Guests must be 21 or older to enter the gaming floor and most restaurants at the casinos.
While the casinos are open 24-7, the bars have last call just before 2 a.m. Unlike Vegas, there are no free alcoholic drinks for active gamblers in Detroit (Michigan liquor laws do not allow for this), but soft drinks and coffee are usually readily available to keep responsible gamblers engaged and caffeinated. Since the pandemic, smoking areas have been downsized to specific designated areas, not all main gaming floors, so breathe easy.
Across the Detroit River, Windsor also has a casino with live music, restaurants and a concert hall (rock band Godsmack is there April 26) and it's open to those 19 and older. There are also many, many tribal casinos within a few-hours drive from Metro Detroit that also offer destination fun, including Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek and Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant. Lastly, just physically being in the state of Michigan will also allow anyone 21 and older to gamble online, too.
Here's what you need to know about downtown Detroit's casinos:
MGM Grand Detroit
1777 Third, Detroit. mgmgranddetroit.com.
Gambling: Slots, table games, poker room, high-limit area and sportsbook lounge.
Dining: The steakhouse here, D. Prime, is a good option for those looking for fine dining without leaving the casino,; it's closed Mondays and Tuesdays. There's a casual food hall and an even more casual food court for something on the other side of the spectrum, with National Coney Island being the most consistently open vendor here. For something in between, TAP is a spacious, daily sports bar that has an entrance from the hotel so you don't have to be 21 to enter.
Other: Find DJs and other nightlife at Axis, in the center of the gaming floor. There's also state-of-the-art TopGolf simulator bays, and the hotel has a spa and salon.
Nearby: It's about a 15 minute walk to Campus Martius, but in the other direction, Corktown's many restaurants and bars are just a quick jaunt.
MotorCity Casino Hotel
2901 Grand River, Detroit. motorcitycasino.com.
Gambling: Slots, table games, poker room, high-limit area and sportsbook.
Dining: Revel Steak is the new, high-end steakhouse here, but MotorCity Casino may be best known for the Assembly Line Buffet, one of the few all-you-can-eat options in the area and is around $45 per person. (Monday is seafood night for $69 per person.) There's also a food court and a daily diner with breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Other: The SoundBoard is a high-tech theater featuring nationally touring acts (comedian Frank Caliendo is there April 24 and Musiq Soulchild on May 1) and the Radio Bar on the gaming floor regularly hosts DJs. The hotel has a spa and fitness center.
Nearby: There are a lot of fun and popular restaurants and bars in the nearby Cass Corridor and North Corktown areas.
The Hollywood Casino at Greektown
1211 Chrysler Dr., Detroit. hollywoodgreektown.com.
Gaming: Two-level gaming floor has slots, table games, a poker room, sportsbook and high-limit areas.
Dining: The flagship restaurant is the high-end destination Prism, a chef-driven steakhouse serving dinner Thurs.-Sun. Named Monroe Market, the food hall is fun with burgers, tacos, noodles, a Dunkin' Donuts and a high-tech, grab-and-go market. There are also cocktail bars throughout the casino. Those collecting points through the casino's loyalty program can cash in comps at locally owned nearby restaurants, too, like Golden Fleece, Fishbone's, Table No. 2 and Wright & Company.
Other: This casino partners with nearby Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts for concerts.
Nearby: There's a lot; this casino is in the middle of the action. Greektown itself is full of bars, clubs and restaurants and it's walkable to other areas of downtown like Campus Martius and the sports stadiums.
Melody Baetens is the Detroit News restaurant critic
