Smith & Co

Welcoming place to try a good beer. Pizza is thinking crust and tasty with a glass of beer. I really enjoyed the Bee's Knees and the Oktoberfest beers. Good service that wasn't intrusive but they checked back when needed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my 1st visit to Smith & Co. It's always a great time when you're leaving a restaurant/bar feeling yummy! It's my birthday weekend and I wanted to find something new to try. After seeing a nudging from Yelp, and because of the reviews from my comrades, I decided to try Smith to kick off things. Upon entry, the divine greeter complimented me on my look and I on hers. Black Girl Magic is always in effect! Jermaine, at the the bar greeted me and introduced the other staff. I ordered the wagu hotdog and the seasoned fries with fondue. I also ordered prosecco. I love a gourmet hotdog, and this wagu, itself was on point. Admittedly, I didn't care much for the chili because the seasoning overpowered the hotdog instead of complimenting it. When it was served with minimal chili, I wished that there was more, but after tasting it, I was happy the hotdog wasn't smothered in it. The hotdog was served with the tastiest potato chips. I couldn't stop eating them although I also had the fries which were good. The fondue dip was creamy and could be addictive. I informed Jermaine that it was my birthday and he treated me very well! I enjoyed my birthday weekend kickoff and I will be back for more. The decor is sophisticated and chic, I want to check out more of it. There's also a patio that I didn't stop to see. There was a parking attendant at the free lot. He was fun! The street has apartments and other restaurants, parking is plentiful but somehow still doesn't seem like enough. It was crowded. There is however a huge parking lot a little ways down the street.

Apparently they had closed a bit during the pandemic. Now that they've opened again, some of my friends said it wasn't as busy as before. It's a large restaurant that can accommodate large groups! There were 7 of us and we walked right in and got seated right away with no problem. The space is very well-decorated. Really cute! The womens bathroom randomly has the head of a bull over top one of the stalls. Funny! We ordered a bunch of things to share: Mac and cheese with mushrooms, fried green tomato salad, shrimp with baguette, BBQ beef sandwich with chips, roasted carrots, pretzels with beer cheese and mustard, shrimp and grits. I was full eating all of it. The Mac and cheese was pretty generous. But not very flavorful. It needed more salt and pizzazz, so we all struggled to eat it. Everything else was delicious though! I will add that the fried green tomato salad wasn't really a salad. It was more like large slices of fried green tomatoes with a side of salad. I found the batter for the tomatoes to be a bit bland. My friends also really enjoyed the drinks. I opted out of that since I was stuffed. They were also playing the first Harry Potter movie on the TV. LOL. Staff was great! We didn't wait very long for food and she was attentive to our table. There's an outdoor area that shares with a brewery and an arcade just ti the side. Very cool atmosphere!!

We have been waiting for them to reopen for almost two years. So we decided to go on their first night of reopening and support this excellent establishment. The service was friendly, knowledgeable, courteous, helpful and just all around excellent. The food was very good as well. Had the Detroit fried chicken. The chicken was cooked perfectly. The costing was flavorful and crispy, definitely worth getting. The sides were the smoked cheddar grits, best grits I've had in years, ample amount of flavor and generous amount of cheddar. The jalapeño Napa cabbage slaw was fresh, flavorful and packed a slight punch. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the carrots and mashed potato's are excellent. Rounded out the evening with banana bread pudding. This was decadent and delicious. The walnuts added depth and the white chocolate added a layer of flavor that kicked it up a notch. A great ending to an excellent meal. Only negative is they are not open for brunch. Their brunch was excellent in the past. Will definitely be back as everything that came out of the kitchen looked excellent.

I am a fan of the industrial-chic design of the new businesses popping up around Midtown. It's an appropriate nod to Detroit's history and it fits in well with the city's aesthetic. Smith & Co. opened up a little over a month ago in the Smith Welding Supply & Equipment Company building several blocks west of Cass Avenue. It's a large restaurant and it was half occupied when I dined there on a Sunday evening. The menu is comprised of Small Plates, Salads, Sandwiches, and Entrées. I ordered a "small plate" of Frybread that wasn't small at all and Shrimp & Grits from the Entrées section. The food is pretty good but a little pricey with small plates in the $12-14 range and entrées ranging from $22-27. I liked the Frybread which is something that I haven't eaten since staying at an Indian reservation in South Dakota nearly two decades ago. It came with smokey beer cheese sauce and Detroit hot links. It's large enough to share between 2-3 people. The Shrimp & Grits were okay but not worth the $26 price tag. The grits were smoked cheddar grits topped with pork belly, driftless cheese, and tomato jam. The pork belly was more dry than crispy. I wasn't a fan of the tomato jam. It tasted kind of like barbeque sauce. The dishes are more bar food than upscale cuisine warranting the price. The service was friendly and accommodating. My leftovers were wrapped up by my waitress and placed in a large and sturdy Smith & Co. paper bag. I don't see myself coming to Smith & Co. regularly, but I would return when in the mood for a casual upscale dining experience with friends.