Seldom Blues

one of my fav spot for lamb chop & lobster tail
strawberry, mango, spinach salad and their amazing crab cakes!
love the atmoshpere & vibe from the live jazz band

This boy shut down… send the details to Unilocal but hoping people who were planning to visit before the listing is removed see this and take note.

I went twice to be sure I just didn’t have a unique poor experience. Although the view is beautiful & the ambiance is great, the food and service lack. Im a previous fine dining server so I know the difference
between good service and bad.
Every dish is slow even when the restaurant is empty and the price you pay for the dish, it doesn’t make sense for it to lack in flavor. I truly believe this place needs a management & back of the house overhaul before the damage is irreversible. I’m not going to go back for quite some time. were in a recession, I’m not gonna pay outrageous prices for a meal I can cook myself.

Had a wonderful meal of Surf and Turf; an appetizer of crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, calamari, and lamb chops; and a ceasar salad. The steak was prepared medium-​well and was one of the most tender I’ve had in quite some time. The lobster was good, but tasted very much of salt-​water, which was at times off-​putting. The ceasar salad was fine, nothing special. The crab cake was amazing — that’s saying a lot since I’m a native of the east coast. The shrimp cocktail was just ok. The calamari was good, but very thick — not what I’m used to. The service was great besides a problem with our waiter becoming rather slow in the middle of our service.
Would return here. It looks like they’re falling on hard times, the place was less than half full at peak dinner time, but I think that is, unfortunately, the story of Detroit.

This place was great. We had a private party here for about 20 people. Our area overlooked the water, great view, and excellent service. I had the Blue-​B-​Que (sea bass) as my entrée. It was large and tasty. The shared appetizers we had during the cocktail hour were well received… I only tried the tuna tartare but I heard the meatballs and crab cakes were good as well. The desserts were enormous. I had the bread pudding which was good but it was just way too dense. Anyways, overall… a great place. I’d go back. if I was ever in Detroit again (which is unlikely).

My wife and I wanted to take advantage of Detroit’s restaurant week by eating somewhere new. We found a GREAT meal and deal at Seldom Blues! First off, the location is great. You can park for 6 bucks right next to the Ren Cen and once inside the view of the Detroit River and Windsor is sweet. We made our reservations on Open Table and once at Seldom Blues were seated right away. The hostess was very professional and prompt even with the restaurant very busy. Our Waitress was very good. She was on the ball all night. We both had the seafood pasta, one scampi style and the other was fetticini. The scallops were some of the best I have ever had and the portions were huge! The Calamari was done perfectly and the sauce was amazing. The entertainment was fantastic, great flute player and the crowd was very into it. The only «better if» would be the high prices for alcohol. The wine was very expensive, even for a cheap bottle of wine. The cheapest bottle was 36 bucks and that was for a Justin Pinot. The Caymus «Select» Cab was 295! And the Silver Oak Cab was 250! Well out of our price range. My Bud Light was 5 dollars so I suggest everyone get drinks somewhere else. There is also a bathroom attendant which always wants tips for handing you a towel, something that to me is unnessecary. Overall though fantastic night… food and entertainment gives anyone a sense of what Detroit is all about!!!

I was recently there for a friend’s birthday and I was nothing but impressed. We called ahead for reservations and were seated right by one of the many windows overlooking the Detroit River. The interior was very chic with a jazz band provided for background music.
Dinner was excellent. They have an extensive wine selection as well as menu. The appetizers were mainly seafood based but still had other options such as stuffed artichoke filled with goat cheese complimented with a tomato based sauce. For the main course the chicken and mushroom penne was very good as was the lobster and scallop fettuccine. We had great service and I couldn’t have gone to a better place for dinner.
I will definitely be going back to Seldom Blues.

See the blog for the full review — original got deleted for some odd reason.
Sure I can eat a lot and sure I love food… I mean, I used to be 280lbs… but still, buffet tends to mean low quality and I’m not a low quality kinda guy. The last buffet I dined at? Either Bellagio or Paris in Las Vegas. With that said, when I heard that there was an upscale, white-​tablecloth soulfood brunch buffet with included Gospel/​Jazz performance at Seldom Blues, I had to check it out.
Finding our way to Seldom Blues we were quickly seated at an excellent table off to the corner of the stage by the incredibly gracious staff and after a quick trip to the restroom to wash up (A restroom attendant? Stylin!) the food-​fest began. Southern Chicken, Cornbread, Sweet Potato Muffins, a Southern Waffle station, Bread Pudding, Cornmeal Oysters, Mac n’ Cheese… there was no doubt I was going to leave stuffed.
Before getting into the food, I must say the music was fantastic as the Michael McDonald lookalike played everything from Miles Davis to Luther Vandross flawlessly on the Sax and managed to sound Bluesy with his vocals without sounding cheesy. Twice he left the stage to personally serenade Birthday parties and an elder couple enjoying their anniversary stood to dance. The restaurant itself is equally impressive with a great view of the river, multiple
divided rooms for private parties (there was a group there mourning the loss of a loved one in one room and a wedding party in another,) and the buffet layed out in sections of mains + sides, salads + breads, desserts, and the waffle station in the kitchen. Now onward to the food.
First off, everything was beautiful, fresh, and high quality… better than even the best Vegas buffets in quality and presentation. Skipping over the salads (I eat 2−3lbs of veggies daily, a day off is okay) I grabbed a cornbread and sweet potato muffin, two southern fried chicken breasts, and a scoop of 4-​cheese macaroni. The chicken was juicy, crispy, and tender with a perfect
flavor…as good as any fried chicken I’ve ever tasted and definitely on par with Roscoe’s «famous» version in LA. The cornbread was relatively standard, perhaps a little too finely ground, while the sweet potato muffin was wonderful with a lot of density and even more flavor. The showstealer of the plate, however, was the Mac n’ cheese with its thick cheesy topping and perfect creaminess. No oily residue from any of the items was noted, a great indicator
that the ingredients used were of good quality.
Plate number two was a trip to the waffle station… or should I say sundae station? Hand poured buttermilk waffles were made to order and toppings included three butters (plain, banana walnut, and mixed berry), 5 types of fresh fruit (apples, bananas, blueberry, raspberry, strawberries), whipped cream, walnuts, and Michigan Maple syrup. Feeling gluttonous I opted for the berry butter, whipped cream, nuts, syrup, and blueberries, raspberries, and
strawberries. Perfect. The butter was fantastic and should be served everywhere, the berries were fresh, and the waffle… lets just avoid the Roscoe comparison and say its was better, and vastly superior in flavor and consistency to the ones served at Detroit Breakfast House as well.
Plate three entailed handmade garlic creamed corn, more mac n’ cheese, cornmeal oysters, roasted fingerling potatoes, another cornbread, and a biscuit with country gravy. The corn was a tad garlicky, even for myself while the potatoes were excellent in taste, texture, and saltiness. The oysters were appropriately briney yet perfect in texture and not overtaken by the batter. Finally, the biscuit… wow…the gravy was decent and thankfully light on the pepper, but
that biscuit was transcendent.
Plate four, not yet full enough for dessert, I opted for another piece of chicken and ½ a waffle, this time with the almond banana butter, whipped cream, walnuts and syrup. Another hit. In addition I tried the jalapeño cheddar grits which, while good, were a little too runny for my taste. Again, however, looking at my plates, no grease at all.
Plate five was two small plates of desserts from which I ate ½ of a peanut butter macadamia nut cookie, a thin slice of carrot cake, and a sizeable scoop of bread pudding. While the carrot cake was delicious and the frosting perfect, I’m not a big carrot cake guy and gave most of the slice to my dining companions while focusing my attention first on the remarkably crisp yet buttery cookie and the remarkable bread pudding. Normally buffet bread pudding is pretty mediocre, but this stuff was better than any I’ve found at a restaurant menu in the midwest. Cubed brioche, cherries, cranberries, raisins, butter, bourbon, and cinnamon all melded to form a very complex flavor that bested any cinnamon roll and despite being kept in a serving tray, no aspect of the pudding was too dry or too wet. Wonderful execution, worthy of a menu anywhere.

I had been to Seldom Blues a few times before and was always impressed, but this last visit on Valentine’s day left me wondering if I will go back anytime soon.
We made reservations and when we approached the host table, the man kind of had a stuffy attitude which turned me off right away. We then got sat at our table that was smooshed next to about 3 other tables and was wobbly. It wasn’t even nice chairs or tables… it seemed like they were just packing them in for the holiday. Once we started looking at the menu, we realized the table was a wobbly mess and we had to get moved. Our new table was literally 6 inches from the one next to us. Not exactly romantic when you can hear every word at the other table.
The menu seemed to have shrunk from the last time I was there and overpriced. I had the Lobster Ponchtrain, which was good, but small, and my fiancé had the Chef’s Duo with Lobster Ponchtrain and Lamp Chops. The food was good, but definately over-​priced.

I went here with my girl for Valentine’s Day. Being past our 4-​year mark — it was important to eat someplace nice. This place hit head on for the most part. When we got there, the greeters hosted us very warmly and seated us promptly. Our waitress was a little hyper and wired up, but maybe that was just her style.
The Calamari starter was pretty good — but not for all calamari lovers as it had this bitter bite to it. It was very squidish which I didn’t mind. if you normally like the thin fried calamari fritters, TGIF style — then this may not be for you. I liked it though — as it was real squid fingers with an interesting jalapeño cream sauce over it.
The entrees were pretty good. My Frank’s Lobster Ponchartrain was orgasmic to my taste buds. This is a very signature dish here so if you like lobster I would definitely consider it. At $ 38, the pricing is a bit hefty but given the ambiance, atmosphere and the fact that the dish had 2 lobster tails, meat was pulled out, jumbo shrimps, lump crabmeat, and ponchartrain style creamy rice — I really couldn’t complain. Besides $ 40 is about what I expected to pay for an upscale meal like this on Valentine’s Day.
My complaints on the Lobster Ponchartrain is not on the quality — but quantity. The twin lobster tails were enough — but the creamy sauced rice was not plentiful — there could have been about 50% more of it. And 2 Jumbo Shrimps hugging a lump crabmeat each was not enough, 4 Jumbo Shrimps each hugging a crab meat would have hit the spot. Then again I am a bigger eater. Weighing in at 250+ pounds and 6 feet tall. For most the quantity — along with cocktails and an appetizer would probably have been just fine.
My girlfriend got the Blue B Que Roasted Chicken and it was decent but nothing to die for. I feel like it was a little too common of a dish. And honestly — the menu should have specified that the «blue» just meant blue berry because being a blue cheese fan, she was expecting blue cheese/​BBQ infusion. In their defense however I must admit that we assumed and didn’t ask.
For wines we had a Chardonnay and Cabernet. Glasses were filled a well below 50%, I personally would have liked the glasses filled to 60% but hey I like to drink 2 – 3 sips before swirling.
For dessert we had the house special — BREAD PUDDING. It was perfect. Not too sweet, not too decadent, but a warm, comforting dessert with a touch of soul. Big enough to share for two of course!
All in all I was satisfied with my lobster ponchartrain dinner. Yeah I would have liked some more rice, 2 more jumbo shrimps/​lump crab meats, etc. But hey the portion was just right for me to be able to drink hard later in the night at the club we went to so I guess it’s nice to not be left feeling way too full. The Blue B Que Chicken was nothing special.
In conclusion — I would go to this place again. The live music, friendly staff, intensely intimate ambiance, super clean bathrooms and dining area ALL make for a very unique dining experience in Detroit. Even a seasoned Chicago or NYC culinary conossieur would be impressed!!!

Another great lunch/​happy hour spot. Haven’t been for dinner yet.
For lunch they have a Blue Plate special that changes every day, but is always $ 10. The last time I got it it was awesome. It was like a beef stew with fresh veggies and mash potatoes. I cleaned the plate, and probably could of licked it — but I went into a food coma after lunch. My coworker got the steak salad on a bed of spinach, and she said it was really good. The did not skimp on the meat at all.
The service was quick and cordial. It wasn’t too crowded for lunch, but I suggest getting here before noon, just in case.
For happy hour they have $ 5 martinis and complementary appetizers. I have plans to go here for dinner and live jazz next weekend, and I’m sure it will be just as good as my lunch experience.

The reviews for the Detroit area restaurants crack me up. I guess no one has ever had service or food that sucked outside of the city. Any who. Had the opportunity to get by Seldom Blues. I didn’t have dinner this particular night. My friend and I sat at the bar to discuss relationships. Gonna be a long night.
The bartender was super cool. And even though I knew he could hear our comments about men, he was totally professional. Giving us the eye only every once in a while.
The bar or restaurant for that fact wasn’t crowded. So my friend was good after two drinks. I tell you, it pays to be at the bar on an off night, no watered down drinks here. My friend and I closed the bar and thanked the bartender for his ear with a generous tip. I’ll definitely come back here to have dinner. I loved the ambiance and the music. I’m hoping the food is better than the reviews.

Ate here, they got my order wrong. When they got it right, it still wasn’t up to par. I got a weird vibe from my waiter also. I wasn’t sure if it was just a «thing» for this restaurant or if they were going to poison my food.
The live jazz was nice.

I have been to Seldom Blues probably 5 or 6 times. A few times for lunch, a few times for dinner, a few parties, and finally for a benefit (kinda like Real Men Cook type deal). This place sits right off the Detroit River at the Ren Cen, and honestly is very aesthetically pleasing. Its a white table cloth place, and honestly pretty fly.
The food is pretty darn good here. Unfortunately, I really cant remember all the stuff that I have had:(Its been years, and on a number of occasions I had gone for events where I had way too much too drink… OOOPS.
Actually, now I do remember one thing. They had an event here, that really exposed me to lamb for the first time. The lamb was amazing, and I probably had more than I was supposed to. IT was marinated in garlic, and the flavor in that damn meat was ridiculous.
This place is the spot where a lot of conferences/​celebrities have their parties… and somehow i sneak the hell in:)
Great times here… lots of drinks spilled inadvertently… sigh…i am ridiculous.
Good restaurant. great view… good service…

Boodah very happy when leaving Seldom Blues… could not have been happier. Wife-​san and I went for brunch and dinner next night. Beautiful place to have meal. Ask to be seated next to window so you view the lovely water view of Canada. Boodah almost slap mother-​in-​law due to meal being so good. Jazz, ah… Boodah love good Jazz. And it LIVE too! So good, so good!!! Something for everyone on menu at Seldom Blues. Yes, a little expensive to some degree, but it is worth every penny. Boodah WILL return to this establishment for business and entertainment… with wife-​san of course.

I went to Seldom Blues for the first time last month for my cousin’s graduation dinner. It has a great ambiance and was very spacious. The live jazz band was pretty awesome, although I sat right by the stage and could barely hear my family over the music. There were a couple of bars in key areas of the restaurant for those that wanted to just come in and lounge to some music.
The food was pretty good. I ordered barbecue chicken I believe, and it was an extremely large portion. In fact, I don’t think I ate half of it :-(. It was kind of pricey (but I didn’t pay for the meal… lol). But honestly, I think the ambiance made it worth it. Everyone in my party of ten enjoyed themselves thoroughly.
I read a few comments about the service, and actually I don’t think mine was bad at all. They were getting ready for a big party later that night, so everyone was moving quickly (maybe so they could hurry and get us out… lol). I actually stayed around for the party afterward, and they cleared out the whole dining floor and made it a dance floor. The Jazz Band was replaced by a DJ and the venue came to life. So if you want to rent out a restaurant for a big party… this would definitely be a good option!

My parents took my boyfriend and I here after this place one some award (maybe best Michigan restaurant?). Our service was so bad that the manager invited us back gratis (we said no thanks, we would not waste our time). The food was pretty bad, but nothing touched the low standard of service. I am embarassed for the state if this is the best Michigan has to offer.
The bread pudding dessert is worth 5 stars. If you average that with the piss-​poor food and service, you get 2.

I have to say after all the hype this place was a disappointment. The entire dinner took over 3 hours and we experienced several problems. The calamari was rather chewy and lacked sauce. The caprese salad was served with a sauce that did not taste or look like balsamic. The lobster Pontchartrain (one of the signature dishes) was served lukewarm with overcooked lobster, and undercooked shrimp. I would not return here for dinner, maybe for drink due to the view.
The pros: the view of the river is nice and there were a few bottles of wine on the menu that were not too overpriced — be careful though, initially we were brought the wrong vintage. Always check the year on the wine label prior to allowing the waitstaff to open!
Music was good but the sound was a bit loud for dining. It is a nice place to go if you are looking for only drinks and music.

Features nightly live jazz/​blues music. Food and drink is rather expensive, but the experience is well worth it.
I’ve had dinner there only once. Other times I went to the bar for drinks only. My boyfriend is a sucker to their Silver Bullet martini.

went for lunch over the holidays. the restaurant has a beautiful view of the river and windsor, although its location in the fortress-​like renaissance center made the entrance a little hard to find.
the food was good, but i think over priced – $ 20 for lunch entrees.
the blue-​b-​que bass: tasty and the sauce was not overpowering.
petite short ribs: good and served with yummy potatoes
shrimp cobb salad: this was actually a great value at $ 12 with at least 6 or 7 fresh jumbo shrimp.