When Slows opened in 2005 on a desolate stretch of Michigan Avenue across from the abandoned train station, it almost single-handedly put Corktown on the map as a dining destination. The brisket, pulled pork, and burnt-end sandwiches are excellent; the sides are taken as seriously as the meats; the beer list is deep and Michigan-heavy. The room is warm and a little raucous.
Expect a wait at weekends. The strip outside has filled with restaurants since — Mudgie's, Folk, Astro Coffee — making it easy to combine a meal with a walk to see Michigan Central Station's restoration.