Getting Comfy in Bar Louie's Hip but Cozy U-Shaped Booths
Newest restaurant in Rochester Hills is open until 2 a.m. and it's kid-friendly, too.
Bar Louie sports a large island bar with wrap-around seating and 30 beers on tap.
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It's hard to believe, but it actually took me two weeks and four days to visit Bar Louie after its Rochester Hills opening.
Now that I've been there, I'll be back soon.
The restaurant holds the "trifecta to perfecta" in my book: food, service and atmosphere.
Let's start with atmosphere
It's hip.
So hip that when I walked in with my family on a Sunday night I wondered if I should have left the kids at home.
But, no worries. Bar Louie is hip and family-friendly. The perfect combination for Rochester-Rochester Hills.
The restaurant opened last month in the former Shield's Pizza spot on the corner of Rochester and Tienken roads.
The layout is open and airy with exposed ceilings and lots of windows. It's muy macho with a black, grey and lime green color scheme. And yet the warm woods and U-shaped booths give it a cozy, intimate feel.
The music is cool (as my husband explained, "anyplace that plays Nick Cave is okay in my book.") but not so loud that you can't hold easy conversation with the person on the opposite end of the U.
There's more than a dozen flat-screen televisions, most of them over the island bar with surround seating. The giant bar seats about 40 and there are also two large high-top tables that each seat eight.
Personally, I loved my U-booth. With the kids tucked in with the cool triangular crayons and color-me-menus I felt as cozy as a mama bird in my nest — except with good food and beer instead of worms.
The food and service
The menu has a lot to offer.
It starts with small plates (a.k.a. appetizers), ends with large plates and has burgers, salads and sandwiches in between.
Some items are pretty standard — a hamburger or a pulled pork sandwich — and some are downright unique: you can have Truffle Butter Popcorn as a small plate.
Here are some of the favorites from our night:
- Appetizers: The delicious Chicken Nachos had so much topping that extra chips had to be ordered. The Bavarian Pretzel Sticks are also a fun choice to share. They come with a trio of dipping sauces to satisfy every taste bud.
- Salads: The Chop Chop Salad, Bar Louie's version of a Cobb, got high marks from my editor-in-chief. I got the Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with cider vinaigrette and was impressed with the unique blending of flavors. The crisp pears and creamy cheese are a nice pairing.
- Big Plates: My husband raved about his Drunken Fish & Chips, named so for their beer-batter coating. Voodoo Chicken also got good reviews. And I'm just waiting until I'm feeling truly decadent (maybe after the holidays) to dive into the El Burrito Loco.
- Burgers: It's interesting to note that any of the 10 burgers can be made with chicken breast, turkey burger or portabella substitutes. The Blue Louie is on my radar, with blue cheese, bacon, spinach and buffalo sauce.
- Drinks: Bar Louie has 30 beers on tap. Most come in 14 ounces for $5 or 20 ounces for $6. There are also more than a dozen martinis on the menu with The Diva (SKYY pineapple vodka, PAMA liqueur, pomegranate syrup and pineapple juice) called out as a house favorite.
- Kids menu: The kids menu has six of the standard kids' fare — including burgers, pizza, chicken fingers and some incredible mac & cheese. The cost is $5.99 and each kid meal comes with a beverage and kids' sundae. Even my very picky eater finished every bite of his pizza, which is a rarity.
I liked our service. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable (about the restaurant and football). Not only did he know Bar Louie's menu, but he was honest about it. That's an excellent trait for a waiter in a new restaurant where they may only get one chance to impress.
Ribbon-cutting
Bar Louie holds its official ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce at 4 p.m. Thursday. It's a great opportunity to welcome the new guy to town. (You might even want to stick around to catch the Red Wings game on those big plasma televisions.)
Bar Louie is open Sunday-Saturday from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Call 248-218-5114 for details.
Have you been to Bar Louie yet? What's your favorite dish?
Tell us in the comments.
David Gifford
7:31 am on Wednesday, December 7, 2011
I ventured here alone one night to check it out. The first thing I thought was I'm sure the outdoor seating will be packed in the summer. I took a seat at the bar and was greeted with a handshake from the bartender who gave me plenty of time to look over the great menu. Certainly a hip place! Although I still like the vibe of the older places around Rochester and Penny Black is still new to downtown, I liked the atmosphere here. I will say Bar Louie is poised to do some good business with the closing of Main Street next summer.
Kathy
11:34 am on Wednesday, December 7, 2011
We are avid Bar Louis patrons at the GLC location, so we were thrilled to see that there would be a much closer location. So, over the Thanksgiving holiday, we attempted to dine at the new location. We walked in with our three kids in tow only to feel like we were walking into a small concert venue - the noise level was unbelievable! Granted it was a Friday night, but it was much to loud to hold a conversation with out talking as if you were at a concert. Much to our dismay, we left. Hoping as the novelty dies down we can try again soon. PS - don't forget to mention that kids eat free all day on Sundays, and $1 burger night on Tuesdays!
Mackey Chandler
6:48 pm on Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Went on a Sunday. First problem was the bar was very indifferent about getting drinks to the food server. I saw him go up three times and ask for my beer. I waited over ten minutes to get a glass of beer. Second problem was that I saw on the menu that they have $1 burgers on Tues. I asked the waiter if that is ALL DAY? And he said yes. Went back and they say "Oh no - after 5 pm." Is it that hard to put this stuff on the printed menu? I noticed there was a lack of clear communication in other parts of the menu. I always feel they are being a bit sneaky and just hope you'll just order up and not ask how much stuff is when restaurants do this.
E sommer
10:33 am on Sunday, March 25, 2012
Surprised you felt this was appropriate for families. With waitresses dressed in hotpants, I would say Bar Louie is for grownups only. Adults can choose if they want to be in that kind of environment, but why take your kids to a place that requires its female employees to dress provocatively?