Oak Café

Only two stars for last evenings visit, largely due to the fact in a near empty bar on a Sunday night that specializes in hamburgers, it took 45 minutes to get
our order which consisted of a cheeseburger, sliders and over cooked fries. Maybe it was because we only ordered Diet Coke and water to drink. People that came in after us had their orders served within 15 minutes of arrival. Disappointed!

Love this place! Excellent beer selection and the food is very good. It is a cash only establishment but they do have an atm inside. It’s super crowded on the weekends and for sporting events but always a good time.

The Oak Café has a very cool vibe. It is the quenisential neighborhood joint. Comfortable for all ages. Very neat and clean yet cluttered with cool bar décor. We were there on a Wednesday evening and it was hopping. No loud tipsy drunk crowd that you’ll see in some blue collar places. The food and service was very lacking however. We just ordered sandwiches which is their thing. Took foooorever. The cornbeef is their signature sandwich. We tried that and was greatly disappointed. There was literally a single sliver of corned beef on it. Almost like a bad joke. Not a lot of options in the area so I’m sure I’ll be back.

The definition of a neighborhood bar…

Updating my review because, as I said in my previous review if we went back they would win me over. And they did.
And in addition to the beer, they make the best cherry bombs in the world.
But I have to leave off a star because they don’t take credit cards. If they took plastic, I’d drink more (because I hate paying their ATM and my bank to take out cash when I hit the limit of what’s in my wallet) and I’d give them 5 stars. So bring your cash and enjoy the Oak Café.

One of my favorite places to eat. Love the burgers and the patty melts. Hubby loves the chicken sandwich. Steak fries perfection. I am not a beer girl but I’ve tried a few different mixed drinks and they’re always very good. Staff has always been awesome and friendly. Its a little loud because of all the TVs. Doesn’t bother me but for someone who does care for loud, it could be an issue.

Probably the best beer selection available at a bar downriver. It is usually super busy on weekends so we try to get there early. Love their Apple Pie shot, which tastes so much like the real deal that you’ll wonder if it’s alcohol free. Do not be fooled, you should pace yourself on those.
Yes it’s cash only, but really, dude who thinks that means they’re hiding their income? Some businesses don’t want to deal with the cost, contracts and % taken out of transactions due to accepting credit cards. This is not the only bar in existence that is cash only. I’ve been to many bars and venues in various states that do this. Bro may have hit too many Apple Pie shots. I warned you.
If you grew up downriver then you’ll know that inevitably at least one person you graduated from high school with will be there. I graduated more than 10 years ago and it happens every time.
Cool atmosphere, good people and great drink selection.

This is a great spot! Excellent selection, reasonable prices, and unique atmosphere. Table service can be a hit or miss at times as it seams the waitstaff is a rotating door.
I would have given 5 stars, but it is cash only. How is the supposed «elite bar of downriver» cash only? This is 2015. c’mon. Being cash only has made me choose another bar /​restaurant over the Oak on numerous occasions.

Great food, good choice of beer, and good atmosphere. It’s CASH ONLY & the jukebox has a very limited selection. I like the place!

Let me start by saying, I’m not much of a drinker, so I can’t review based on booze alone.
They have a bunch of beers on tap, and the microbrews change all the time. They are affordable, but I’ve never tried any.
Been in here a few times, while it’s a bit small, the atmosphere is nice, and the food is fantastic.
It’s not just «bar food» it’s good food at a bar.
This is a great place to stop in for dinner, or to host a party. I’ve done both here to great success.
Service is good, prices are reasonable. I like that they have the large buffet style tables for large groups, or small tables for smaller groups or couples.

When it comes to Downriver bars, Oak Café’s beer selection stands above.
The menu is a step up from typical bar food and I have yet to be disappointed. Try the Mac-​N-​Cheese bites!
Cash only can be a headache if you aren’t prepared for it. The place definitely works better during daytime hours. Night crowds can be a little large.

Perfect corner neighborhood bar. Perfect place to take your beer snob friends. Food is average to above average bar fair. Large rotating craft drafts and large selection of craft bottles. Staff is knowledgeable and helpful. Comfortable and inviting atmosphere. Sports bar décor w/​games on many screens.

I’m updating my review because I’m annoyed they do not accept credit. I was told by my tax person that only places that accept cash are hiding their actual income from the government.
I now, will not go to cash only establishments. Who in these times do not accept credit? Any restaurant show who is helping a restaurant from going out of business thinks is a disgrace to not provide your customers with the ease of paying with credit. You lose more customers by not providing them the ease of paying with credit. This isn’t 1965.
Let me pay with credit I will come back, until than, there will be another Wyandotte craft beer bar coming in on Biddle.

I love their chicken strips, even though your eyes might deceive you that they are always burnt, they are not! They are awesome! Honey mustard is really good too, Ranch not so much, tastes like French onion dip. love the large beer selection too!

This is a precious little gem in a very unassuming location: x3 street signs!
Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the patrons are pretty courteous and mature, but this place is far from stuck-​up. It’s simply the perfect neighborhood spot: x2 monocles!
There is a huge variety of beers and sone exceptionally well priced sandwiches and burgers. Don’t get the chicken wings, though. Undersized and under-​flavored: x5 fat guys!
With a score of 3 street signs, 2 monocles, and 5 fat guys, this place gets a conversion score of 5 stars. Well done.

I’m sure this place deserves 3 stars but man was I disappointed. I tried it multiple times because a place like this does deserve a second chance. I like the environment and the beer selection is outstanding! The customers seemed like a good crowd. But this is downriver! $ 8 dollars for a pint of founders? I had a chicken Caesar salad that was extremely small. There was no flavor to it. The chicken could at least be brined or marinated.
Previously I had a pretzel blt that was only ok. Im not hard to impress with food but it’s not worth the hype. It seems happy hour is best way to fly money wise. 4 – 6 I believe. I really want to like this place. I don’t care about the cash only deal, but the prices are way too expensive and the food needs some work. I usually spend my times in breweries so I’m used to paying for craft beers. Maybe things used to be better…

I love the beer selection and the food is good. The service is good. I have had many fun times here and I like that it is female freindly for beer.

This place is one of the few things I miss about living downriver. There are always interesting things on tap, reasonably priced.
If I had to deduct points for anything, it’d be the restrooms with the trough. The trough is the most inhuman thing us males could be subjected to. Having to inhale our own pee steam whilst relieving ourselves? This isn’t enough of an inconvenience to deduct a star though.

The Oak still loses a star for its clubby clientele, but the beer selection is off the hook, and the owner is very knowledgeable about the brews he sells. They always have a few ultra rare taps flowing, including Bell’s Hopslam in late April 2013. Hats off to a Downriver bar that has the balls to keep a load of hyperpricey snob beer on tap all the time. In fact, I think they have better high end choices than One Eyed Betty’s. If you get a chance, stop in when they are running the Randall Hop Infuser on an Double IPA like Dogfish Head 90 Minute.

I’ll start off by saying what I tell all my friends… I LOVE THIS PLACE! I’m borderline obsessed! I’m a beer drinker though, and a beer snob of sorts — I can’t stomach the taste of domestic anymore. So, The Oak is absolutely amazing for their beer selection. Not is it just Michigan beer and craft beer, but they even have some crazy imports that I’ve never even heard of! They always have at least one thing from all of my favorite Michigan breweries… New Holland, Short’s, Bell’s, Arcadia… and if you’re familiar with downriver, you know you can’t find these ANYWHERE! (Until The Oak, I was going to Oakland County and downtown Detroit for this kind of selection) If you’re not sure what to have, ASK! Their staff can help you select something you will like — most are very knowledgeable. PLEASE don’t order domestic… The Oak has so much more to offer!
Pricing is slightly high for downriver, but overall not bad — some beers are better values than others. It’s usually worth it to get the 22oz instead of a pint, because when I ask the difference in price, it’s usually just 50 cents or so (maybe $ 1 on the more expensive beers.) Check out their sampler too, it’s pretty reasonably priced. It’s a great way to figure out what you like, try new things and expand your taste in beer.
The atmosphere is almost as good as the beer selection. «Homey» is a very good description, as is «neighborhood bar». This place is definitely NOT a sports bar. (Thank god!) People come here to eat great bar food (that’s a step above most bar food, with a bigger selection), drink great beer and enjoy conversation or relax. They have numerous flat screens though, so if you want to catch the game you can — it just doesn’t dominate the experience there. There is a jukebox for music of course, and I would love it to be louder because I love loud music… but the reasonable volume is part of makes the atmosphere so great in this place. I also would love more space or an outdoor patio — but again, it would totally change the feel of this place and it wouldn’t be the same.
Service is not quite as awesome as the beer selection, but it’s not bad by any means. I’ve noticed that the service has gotten better since I’ve become a regular, so that’s a plus… but like most places, the service suffers when they’re busy. If there’s just a couple of ya, take a seat at the bar — you’ll get faster service and they have these cool metal things to balance your plate on the edge of the bar, if you’re eating. Don’t forget to check out the five different shots that are $ 2 all the time — the signs with the choices are hanging from the ceiling over the end of the bar.
The busy and not busy times are incredibly hard to pin down at The Oak. The way that most bars are slow during the week, The Oak is not. There have been plenty of weeknights around 8−9pm when I’ve stopped by and not been able to find a place to sit. And then, there have been Friday nights where I’ve gone in to just a few tables of people. There’s no predicting it, just take a gamble and you’ll find out when you get there. Trust me, it’s worth it – even if you have to share a table with a stranger. You might end up making some new friends! Pretty much everyone 21 – 121 enjoys this bar.
And finally… it’s like a broken record but I’ll say it again. CASH ONLY. It’s a huge bummer when every other place takes it these days, and I definitely do think it’s a hindrance to their business. However, if you’ll notice, I still gave The Oak 5 stars. There are so many other amazing factors at play here that it seems insignificant at times. After scrambling for a late night ATM visit when friends have covered my tab, it’s now second nature to stop at the ATM on the way there. However, for those uninformed, it’s a huge inconvenience — and on those days when I am short on cash but have a credit card, it’s a huge disappointment.
I should wrap this up but let me reiterate… I LOVE THIS PLACE. My favorite bar downriver, hands down. I feel like such a fool for not having been there for so many years! I also want to mention that Chris S and Keith G gave very well written reviews, and shared a majority of my opinions. Check out their reviews too and you can get a good idea of what kind of magic is in store at The Oak Café.