Plymouth’s Sidecar Slider Bar adds ‘approachable’ vibe to restaurant scene

Based on a first-impression tour of Plymouth’s newest restaurant, the Sidecar Slider Bar isn’t going to take a backseat to any eatery in or on the perimeter of DTP.

Its walls decorated with vintage images of — what else? — sidecars and strategically-placed big-screen TVs, the long-anticipated gourmet slider provider promises to become a magnet for everybody with an appetite for food and memory-making fun.

“We really want this to be a great place to watch sporting events, for family meals, happy hour, date night — we wanted to hit all of the different aspects that make people want to go out,” said co-owner Stephen Simon, whose fifth metro-Detroit Sidecar Slider Bar opened Tuesday afternoon at 340 N. Main Street (with a sixth coming this fall to Grosse Pointe).

“We wanted to keep it approachable — a place where people can go everyday. When we opened our first place in Birmingham seven years ago, most of the restaurants downtown were big-ticket steakhouses or seafood restaurants where you almost felt like you had to order a $50 steak. This is a place you can feel comfortable dropping in after work, with your family or to watch a big game.”

Cool ‘Sidecar’ backstory

Even the restaurant’s name has a delicious backstory.

“There are four of us who have been in the restaurant industry for a while and we opened a 7,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant in Birmingham,” Simon reflected. “We ended up adding on a Sidecar Slider Bar restaurant, which was only about 1,000 square feet, so it kind of looked like a sidecar on a motorcycle.

“I have to give my wife credit for the name. She’s the one who thought of it first. We all loved it and it stuck.”

Located close to a quarter-mile north of downtown Plymouth — the restaurant has taken the place of the former Plymouth Crossing — should bring a few benefits, Simon said.

“Parking is the big thing,” he said. “We have ample space, which isn’t always the case in downtowns like Plymouth and Birmingham.

“Secondly, we’d like to think of our place as a first destination for people coming into Plymouth and/or the last destination when they leave. It’s the kind of place people in other hospitality-oriented businesses may stop after work for a couple sliders and a drink.”

The restaurant’s menu is packed with several gourmet sliders and other items like hot dogs and appetizers.

“Our sliders are a little bigger and upscale compared to, let’s say, easy-grab places like White Castle,” Simon said. “They’re basically gourmet burgers, just smaller. Restaurant trends these days show that people like sharing, so instead of ordering a huge dish, you can order a number of sliders and try different flavors.

“We’ve found that two or three of our sliders fill people up. It’s fun, too, because they can mix and match.”

Possibly the most unique slider on the menu is the PB JAMMIN, which includes beef, peanut butter and jelly, cheese and bacon.

“People are intrigued by it, to say the least,” Simon said, smiling. “A lot of times, they’re afraid to order it, but those who do love it.”

The go-to slider, Simon revealed, is the standard late nite sandwich with onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard.

“We offer sliders with tons of different protein,” Simon added. “Everything from pork, chicken, tuna and salmon.”

The building at 340 N. Main is just weeks away from becoming twice as nice as the Simon and his partners will be opening SHIFT Kitchen and Cocktails in the space connected to Sidecar.

SHIFT’s menu and ambience will be slightly more upscale than Sidecar, but just as welcoming Simon assured.

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.