One Salon and Spa Michigan

Search
Close this search box.

miller’s time!

We spend a lot of time on this blog informing you about health and well being. Today, I’m going talk about something that will probably make Andrea Mclaughlin‘s (our Health & Wellness Guru) arteries harden: a big, juicy, succulent cheeseburger. But this is not any ordinary cheeseburger…no, no, no my friend! This is a “if I was stranded on a deserted island and could only eat one thing the rest of my life” kinda cheeseburger. So listen it up…

Early this week, salon biz took me out to the Dearborn area. And I took the opportunity to reacquaint myself with a long lost friend…the cheeseburger at Miller’s Bar. Now many of you probably already know of the wonder that a Miller’s Bar cheeseburger possesses. However, I’m sure many of you do not. Oh sure, go on, go on and regale me with your stories of all your favorite burgers. I’ve heard them all and I’ve tried them all and nothing, I mean NOTHING, compares to the melt in your mouth goodness of the cheeseburger at Miller’s Bar.

I dunno if it’s the beef or the cheese or the fact that they serve it to you on a wax piece of paper, but the Miller’s experience is other worldly. It’s not a slider, it’s not a titanic gourmet burger, it’s just simply, perfect. Order it with cheese and or onions and that’s it. Condiments and pickles on the side.

I also love that you are on the honor system at Miller’s. When you are done, walk up to the bar and tell them what you had. Miller’s Bar has won countless Best Burger awards from just about every media outlet in metro Detroit. Don’t just take my word for it, read this passage from George Motz’s book “Hamburger America” and I guarantee you will be planning a trip to Dearborn soon.

Taken from “Hamburger America” by George Motz:

Miller’s Bar is on a commercial stretch, 6 lanes wide, in Dearborn, Michigan. Across the street from a large Ford dealership, the windowless bar is painted with a fresh coat of red paint and emblazoned with enormous white letters spelling out the name of this nearly 70-year-old institution. Despite the cool functionality of the exterior, the interior, with its original 1940s Brunswick bar of undulating high-gloss wood and booths made of supple deep-red leather feels more like a long-lost private men’s club than the bunker that the outside evokes.

There is no menu at Miller’s but the options are simple—burgers, fries, onion rings are available, as are tuna, ham, and corned beef sandwiches and, of course, drinks from the bar. The clientele are mostly local devotees and regulars from the nearby world headquarters of the Ford Motor Company. They come for the burgers and have been since 1941 when Mark’s uncle George Miller opened the bar.

“Our butcher starts grinding beef for us at 4am everyday,” Mark told me. Mark owns the bar with his brother Dennis, and the two are second generation owners. The Miller’s father Russell bought the bar from his brother George in 1947.

The 7-ounce burger is served on a steamed, white bun and delivered to you on square of wax paper. Lettuce and tomato are not offered. Swiss or Velveeta are available as are the standard condiments like ketchup, mustard, pickle, and sliced onion. But this burger needs no embellishment so forgo the condiments. The meat is so good you could eat it plain. I asked what it was that made the burger taste so great and Mark told me, “It’s the meat. The meat is great. There are no seasonings and we have no secrets.”

Miller’s Bar 23700 Michigan Avenue, Dearborn millersbar.com Mon. to Sat., 11 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.; closed Sunday