Ricky Miles North
by Joe Hakim
Usually when bars try to do too much, they fail. There's an obvious lack of focus and the place seems disjointed. Walking into to Ricky Miles North, it's evident that this is a nice place. Visually, the décor is very much classically constructed, with plenty of impressive woodwork. With 20 TVs spread around the bar, Ricky Miles feels like an upscale sports bar. In fact, they do run specials during every Detroit game. (99-cent coneys and 50-cent wings are pretty hard to beat.)
This setup alone makes Ricky Miles a pretty cool joint – but there's more. Walk downstairs and there's an entirely different area with more of a lounge atmosphere. Rather than trying to set the bar as one huge space, Ricky Miles is set up as two distinct areas and it works.
The downstairs lounge, known as Red Lounge, has its own bar, TVs, and even VIP areas with bottle service (if you're into that sort of thing). On Tuesday nights, Dboy Radio broadcasts live from Red Lounge. On Fridays, the Lounge goes Latin, and Saturdays, a DJ spins all night long.
Back upstairs, Tuesday night is bike night and Wednesday is ladies' night (where ladies drink for half off all night) – that's your cue to hit the bar on Wednesday, fellas. Or if you wait until Thursday, everyone drinks for $3. Nothing wrong with cheap booze, amirite? If those specials weren't enough, Ricky Miles runs open-to-6:30 p.m. specials every day, including $1.50 domestic drafts, $2 domestic bottles and $5 lunch specials.
As part of the Reverbnation network, Ricky Miles is also an intimate venue to catch a show. Reverbnation.com is an online community for up-and-coming musicians to book shows and build buzz. As an official venue, Ricky Miles North is a premiere spot to catch a lesser-known band before they sign that major-label record deal.
Like many good bars, Ricky Miles can walk the line between neighborhood watering hole and cool weekend hangout. However, unlike many bars, it has the added draw of exciting new bands and a lounge for folks to chill out in. It is quite possible to hang out at Ricky's for an entire night. Start with some food, have a couple drinks and stay for whatever entertainment might be scheduled for the night – now that's a full evening!
At the very least, you'll be in a relatively new spot (they've been opened a few short months) that's just a lot of fun. Even with their fancy lounge and wood-centric décor, Ricky Miles is accessible to everyone. Stop in and hang out – you might find your new favorite bar. | RDW
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