How To Celebrate U-M's First Night Game
Big House
1201 S. Main Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
www.mgoblue.com
Go to Ann Arbor. It's an early autumn night in a college town. You need no other excuse to hop on the expressway after work. Add a football game to the mix? It's almost wrong not to be there. Of course, you have to behave when you're there. This isn't East Lansing. (That's right, we went there.) U-M's Director of Public Safety Doug O'Dell said security will be heightened for the game with increased gate security and closed parking lots until noon Saturday so revelers don't show up too early and overindulge. Grab some friends, find a place to park, and tune in to WWJ news radio 950 to hear the game.
Cubs' A.C. Sports Bar
1950 S. Industrial Highway
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-665-4474
www.cubsac.com
Big screen TV's, food, beer, and bowling. Need we say more? The menu includes pizza, Mexican food and finger-food-friendly appetizers. Colonial Lanes is adjacent. Billed as "Ann Arbor's best kept secret," A.C. Sports Bar is far enough off the beaten path you may actually be able to sit down during the game. The location is a half-mile east of Michigan Stadium.
Arena Sports Bar & Grill
203 E. Washington
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-222-9999
www.thearena-a2.com
With 22 big screens, four of those TV's in high definition, and another two in the bathrooms, plus a pool table, dart board, 24 beers on tap and a jagermeister machine -- this is a place to party during the big game. Grab a spot early for dinner and order the seventh inning stretch sampler, which includes any of these three: buffalo wings, chicken strips, potato skins, spicy fried cheese or quesadillas. Still hungry? Order the 20-ounce porterhouse steak. Stick around and premium well drinks are $3 after 10 p.m.
Rosie O'Grady's
279 W. 9 Mile Road
Ferndale, MI 48220
248-591-9163
www.4rosieogradys.com
If Ann Arbor isn't in the cards, stay close to the metro center and visit the renovated Rosie O'Grady's in the heart of fashionable Ferndale. Stop in for a full menu of burgers, pizzas, appetizers, nightly drink and meal specials. And you won't miss a minute of the action because TV's are everywhere, including high definition flat screens in the bathrooms.
24 Seconds Bar & Grill
3071 12 Mile
Berkley, MI 48072
248-336-0024
www.24-seconds.org
Seventeen TV's, two 10-foot projection screens and drink specials for U-M fans -- including Coronas for $3.25 each; Bud Light and Miller Light for $2.50 -- make this a great suburban spot to watch the big game play out at the Big House. The menu includes ribs, burgers and sandwiches.
