Royal Oak, Michigan, has no shortage of places to grab a bite — but few spots carry the kind of weight that Redcoat Tavern does. 🍔
Sitting along the legendary stretch of Woodward Avenue, this family-owned gem has been drawing loyal crowds since 1972 with a formula so simple it almost seems unfair: grind the freshest beef daily, treat every guest like a regular, and never, ever cut corners.
How Redcoat Tavern Won Royal Oak’s Hearts
The Brown family opened Redcoat Tavern back in 1972 with a vision that was genuinely ahead of its time — a casual tavern environment paired with a serious, meticulous approach to food quality and beverage excellence.
Their founding philosophy, as described by the restaurant itself, was to create “an establishment liberated from food fads and structures, where simpler foods would be celebrated and where comfort would never come to mean mediocrity.”
Decades later, that original vision has not only endured — it has become the very defining thing that separates this beloved family-owned burger spot from the hundreds of joints that have come and gone on this strip. 🏆
What truly cemented Redcoat Tavern‘s legendary status in the Metro Detroit dining scene was an unwavering, almost obsessive commitment to quality that permeates every single layer of the operation.
The half-pound burger patty is ground fresh daily from a secret proprietary blend of meats — a detail that longtime manager Juan Garcia, who has helmed the kitchen for the Brown family for over 15 years, takes extremely seriously.
The Detroit Free Press awarded the Brasserie Burger the title of Metro Detroit’s Number One Gourmet Burger, and MLive has similarly recognized the restaurant’s excellence over the years.
Pure Michigan proudly cites it as home to Metro Detroit’s best burger since 1972.
Locals consistently describe it as one of the last true mom-and-pop places still standing on this iconic strip of Woodward Avenue — a badge of honor the restaurant wears with quiet, well-earned confidence.
Food Highlights 🍽️
- The Original Redcoat Special Hamburger: Half a pound of freshly ground proprietary-blend beef with tomato, shredded lettuce, and the restaurant’s iconic Special Sauce on a toasted sesame bun.
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The Brasserie Burger: A half-pound patty with smoky bacon, sweet caramelized onions, melted Swiss cheese, tomato, watercress, and a silky Dijon mustard-mayonnaise sauce on a toasted brioche bun.🥇
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The Piedmontese Burger: Certified Piedmontese beef — naturally lower in fat than chicken — served with the same bold, customizable toppings that make every Redcoat burger special. 🧀
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The Smoked Gouda Burger: A half-pound patty crowned with rich, creamy smoked gouda and finished with the restaurant’s famous zip sauce.
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British-Style Fish and Chips: Golden batter-fried cod served with thin-cut fries and creamy coleslaw, with malt vinegar available on request. 🐟
Atmosphere 🏮
Redcoat Tavern feels like stepping into a warm, welcoming time capsule.
The interior is famously dark and moody, bathed in a signature crimson glow cast by red lanterns that give the whole room a cozy, almost cinematic quality.
Plush quilted vinyl booths line the walls, and a long, lively full bar anchors the space with energy and warmth — the kind of place where bartenders know their regulars by name and conversation flows as naturally as the beer.
Bottom Line
Over 50 years of Brown family ownership, a daily fresh-ground proprietary beef blend, award-winning burgers recognized by the Detroit Free Press, an atmosphere that oozes old-school Royal Oak charm, and hand-battered onion rings that locals call the best in Michigan — Redcoat Tavern is an institution every food lover owes themselves a visit to. 🍔🏆
Address:
31542 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073
📞 (248) 549-0300
🕔 Open Mon–Sat, 11 AM–11 PM (Closed Sundays)