12-04-2025
Downtown Berkley getting a Slows Bar BQ location
The recent loss of one restaurant in downtown Berkley has made way for a big win as an iconic Detroit barbecue restaurant is taking its place.
Corktown darling Slows Bar BQ is expanding its presence into Oakland County. A second location of the iconic barbecue joint plans a fall in the space previously occupied by Berkley Common, according to a Friday, Downtown Berkley Facebook page.
The post with 'Big, News, Berkley' made it official that the famed Slows Bar BQ will open at 3087 12 Mile Road and Griffith Street.
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"Detroit's iconic SLOWS BAR BQ is officially coming to Downtown Berkley—and we couldn't be more excited to welcome them just in time for their 20th anniversary in business!" the post read.
Slows Bar BQ, which started in Corktown 20 years ago, has built a strong following throughout metro Detroit. In addition to the Corktown location, a Slows To-Go spot and a food truck operate in Perrone, co-owner of Slows Bar BQ, said the food truck and catering has always been strong in that area.'We knew we had support out there and landlords reached out to us,' Perrone told the Free Press. 'We took a look at it and said, 'you know, this this looks really good. This looks like this could work.''Perrone said that the 'building is in great shape' and, according to the Facebook post, work is underway for the buildout of the restaurant.
The restaurant's first floor will seat about 70 people. Depending on the timing of the opening, Perrone said, plans also include a patio/parklet on Griffith Street side of the building.A highlight of the space and what attracted Slow's owners to space was the building's second-floor private event space with a dedicated Corktown, Perrone said, they've turned part of the space into an event space.'We get rehearsal dinners, meetings and certainly train station tours all the time,' Perrone said. 'But to actually have a dedicated space that was even more appealing,' he said.
In Berkley, expect the same Slows Bar BQ menu, Perrone said, slows Bar BQ menu is known for its sandwiches like the Reason and the Yardbird, ribs, brisket, pull pork plus its mac and cheese. Slows Bar BQ has always offered plenty of offsite catering, which, Perrone said, has good support in the area. While the buildout is underway, Slow's Bar BQ food truck will roll into the area and its catering arm is available through Slows To-Go for summer graduation parties and events.
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Opening in Berkley is a full circle for the owners, who also include Brian Perrone and Josh Kiellor, Slows' catering manager, all of whom have roots in the community.
Kiellor grew up in Royal Oak, not far from the new Berkley locations.
'All three of us … Brian and I grew up in Northwest Detroit … but our dad taught at Shrine high school,' Perrone said. 'All three of us went to Shrine.'
This is not the first time for a Slows Bar BQ in Oakland County. At one time they operated a location in downtown Bar BQ in Corktown got its start in 2005 and is celebrating 20 years in business this year. It's known to many as the catalyst for putting Detroit's oldest existing neighborhood in the culinary spotlight.
Soon after its 2005 opening, Slows was the talk of the town, with chef Brian Perrone at the helm, churning out deftly smoked ribs, smoked pork and smoked chicken sandwiches, plus creamy sides of mac and cheese.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Slows Bar BQ Berkley to seat 70 and have second floor event space
