Slows Bar BQ

Slows Bar BQ
Map
Restaurant information
Established2005; 19 years ago (2005)
Owner(s)Ron, Phillip, and Ryan Cooley
ChefBrian Perrone
Food typeBarbecue
Street address2138 Michigan Avenue
CityDetroit
StateMichigan
Postal/ZIP Code48216
CountryUnited States
Coordinates42°19′54″N 83°04′33″W / 42.331566°N 83.075946°W / 42.331566; -83.075946
Websiteslowsbarbq.com

Slows Bar BQ is a barbecue restaurant chain with location in Detroit, Michigan.[1] The chef is Brian Perrone, and the restaurant is owned by the Cooley family. The restaurant appeared on Adam Richman's Man vs. Food, and the "Yardbird", a pulled chicken sandwich from the restaurant, competed in the first season of Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America.

Description

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Slows Bar BQ is located in the Corktown Historic District in Detroit, Michigan, opposite the Michigan Central Station. It was founded by former fashion model Phillip Cooley, his father Ron, brother Ryan, [2] and chef Brian Perrone.[3]

In 2023 Slows was sold to founding Chef Brian Perrone, Managing Director, Terry Perrone, and Catering Director Josh Keillor. [4]

The restaurant opened in 2005, and is seen as one of the first modern destination restaurants in Detroit.[2] During the first year in business, the restaurant took $1.8 million. The owners also own the catering and takeaway company Slows to Go.[2]

The premises were expanded during January 2013 into the next door property which formerly housed a real estate business.[5] The premises had previously been used by Slows for private events, and the expansion allowed an additional bar and kitchen space to be added to the restaurant.[6]

One of the sandwiches served at Slows is the "Yardbird": a pulled chicken breast marinated in mustard, served with mushrooms, cheddar and applewood bacon, all inside a poppy-seed bun. Adam Richman, who first visited the restaurant during Man v. Food in 2009, returned to Slows in 2012 when he selected the Yardbird to compete on the Travel Channel's Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America. It competed in the great lakes episode.[7] It defeated a fish taco torta in Minneapolis and a prime rib sandwich in Green Bay (and was declared best sandwich in the Great Lakes), and progressed to the finals.[8] In the final it faced eleven other sandwiches for the inaugural title, and made it to the final round,[9] ultimately losing out to a roast pork sandwich from Tommy DiNic's in Philadelphia.[10] The "Yardbird" finished in the top 3 in the competition.

Another notable sandwich, one tried by Richman during his 2009 Man v. Food visit to Slows, is the "Triple Threat Pork": a 1-pound sandwich stacking together applewood-smoked bacon, pulled pork, and grilled ham, on a poppy-seed bun.

Reception

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Slow's Bar BQ in Detroit, MI.

Actress Erin Cummings said of the menu "you can’t go to Slow’s and eat healthy... you have to go to Slow’s ready to knock it back".[11] Adam Richman described the food at Slow's as "a truly life-changing experience",[12] while trying the triple threat pork sandwich in his show Man vs. Food.[13] Richman also described the macaroni and cheese as "transcendental",[14] and included it on a list of five meals "not to be missed" from around the United States in a segment on NBC's The Today Show.[14] Justine Sterling listed the mac n cheese as one of the top ten in America for Food and Wine magazine.[12]

Raymond Sokolov of The Wall Street Journal approved of the food at Slow's while travelling around the area tasting burgers. He said that it was "my best sandwich of the day. The beef is charred. The cheese is gouda with a nice snap. The bun doesn't ooze away under finger pressure."[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Slows BBQ - Locations". slowsbarbq.com. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
  2. ^ a b c Ryzik, Melena (October 19, 2010). "Detroit's Renewal, Slow-Cooked". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  3. ^ "A Slows Star Is Born". Travel Channel. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  4. ^ "Cooley Family Sells Ownership Stake in Slows Bar BQ". ClickOnDetroit. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  5. ^ Wayland, Michael (December 29, 2012). "Slows Bar BQ To Temporarily Close for Expansion". MLive. Detroit: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  6. ^ Rector, Sylvia (December 28, 2012). "Slows Bar BQ Will Close Jan. 1 for Remodeling, Expansion". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  7. ^ "Does Slows Have Best Sandwich in the Country?". Detroit: WWJ-TV. May 2, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  8. ^ Block, Dustin (July 25, 2012). "Detroit BBQ's Yardbird Sandwich Named Finalist for 'Best Sandwich in America'". MLive. Detroit: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  9. ^ "Adam Richman's Best Sandwich in America: Championship Finale Final Contestants". Travel Channel. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  10. ^ "Roast Pork From DiNic's Wins 'Best Sandwich In America'". Philadelphia: KYW-TV. August 16, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  11. ^ "Erin Cummings Talks Detroit, Filming with Winona Ryder". Southfield, MI: WKBD-TV. January 30, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  12. ^ a b Sterling, Justine. "Best Mac and Cheese in the U.S." Food and Wine. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  13. ^ Nunez, Jessica (November 3, 2009). "'Man v. Food's' Adam Richman Takes on 190-Pound Burger in Detroit". MLive. Detroit: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  14. ^ a b Wattrick, Jeff T. (December 7, 2010). "Video: Travel Channel's Adam Richman Calls Slow's Mac-n-Cheese a Life Altering Experience". MLive. Detroit: Booth Newspapers. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  15. ^ Sokolov, Raymond (March 10, 2007). "The Best Burger". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
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