Ivanhoe Cafe

The nickname for this place is the The Polish Yacht Club. There are photos of many Sea Captains on the walls. Also on the walls are photos of past visitors including Henry Ford. Walk inside and you will love the atmosphere and all the history in this fun restaurant with great food at a very good price. Don't be afraid of the neighborhood, walk in and you will meet Patti, the owner from her family that has had this place since 1909. The food was home made and great tasting. Joey our server was very friendly and pleasant to take care of us. We're given fresh pickles, great home coleslaw and because it was in season,fresh tomatoes before we order out lunch. You will not be disappointed you came to try this place.

Count your shrimp! Ordered a carry-out shrimp dinner. The shrimp was good and the coleslaw was really good. However, the menu states an 8 piece shrimp dinner, and I only got 7! What’s up with that??

A real Detroit original. Do yourself a favor and check this place out! The owners are very friendly and the food is all fresh and homemade. The coleslaw and pickle plate is delicious and served to welcome you. They serve polish beers. The potatoe pancakes were very good. The whole place is a piece of history!

Quintessentially an Ole School Detroit Bar that jus did a few items on the menu but Oh Boy they are done REALLY good! Opened since 1909 and one of the first restaurants I visited as a child back in 1973 when I immigrated here and lived not tok far from the Cafe/Bar, imagine I come back and nothing has changed! It's like stepping back into my childhood memories! Ok enough about my mushy memories! The Food! Yea here too nothing has changed but in an excellently delisious way, still the best perch, walleye in town, some of the yummiest Polish Specials but most of all the ambiance here gives off European friendly with low warm lighting vibe that jus made my whole experience Right, jus Right, felt I went back home to Europe and was visiting Baba's house and she jus happened to have a few people over for Dinner! Ahhhh I'll be visiting and soon! Side note here the hours vary please call them, reserve a table, come and Enjoy!

My husband brought me to the Ivanhoe, having had fond memories from years ago. Though not in the best neighborhood, the bar has the charm of a neighborhood institution. From the menu that has been in place for years, to the pictures & autographs on the wall, this is the real deal. Somewhere along the way it acquired the name of the Polish Yacht Club, so there are commodore pictures on the wall. Though we arrived after the traditional lunch time, the place was emptying out & we waited a LONG time for our food. The ambience , the complimentary cole slaw & pickle plates kept us occupied. I ordered the $8.95 slim jim sandwich and it was one of the best I have ever had. Loaded with Dearborn ham & cheese & just the right amount of sauce. My husband was craving the perch & got the lite dinner version for $11.99 that came with a cup of wonderful chicken noodle soup, fries & 5 small, sweet perch filets. Worth the wait, we will be back. There was a young man keeping an eye on the cars, but we felt safe.

The place was like a local town club. The customers here seemed they knew one another. I felt a bit awkward as a foreign stranger, but the owner of the place was kind to me. No need to mention great foods.

Ivanhoe Cafe / Polish Yacht Club is a true gem. You may be intimidated by the neighborhood, and that intimidation would be justified. But if you can get past the outside environment, you'll be delighted to a meal as close to grandma's as possible (although the pierogi is underwhelming - much more like Mrs. T's than Grandma C's). Holidays are especially busy, and the hours are extremely limited. It's best to call a day in advance to see if there is seating available.

Unique and iconic mainstay in Detroit. The food is Polish inspired and it's all delicious.

Nothing fancy on the outside. Once you get past the front door the place is filled with history, character , friendly people and excellent foods We met the owner Patty who welcomed us to her bar/restaurant. Excellent service by Tina and Joey. So between us 5 we tried the 1/3 lb hamburger. Walleye, cod , potato pancakes, huge serving plates of Cole slaw, French fries, and . Perch Everyone rated their dinner a 10. They all tried my Potatoe pancakes and were very impressed. We will be back soon. Get your reservations, closed Mondays, don't be deceived by what's left of the old neighborhood. Plenty of Cadillacs parked outside,

The Polish Yacht Club's Walleye and Perch are some of the best in all of Detroit (only Andrew's competes and it's a bit more expensive). It's a large portion that's cooked perfectly and tastes incredibly fresh (a rarity around here, but I won't name names). It's fried, but not greasy at all, and it's flaky because it's fresh (no squishy fish here, thank God) Every dinner is served with pickles, coleslaw, French fries and soup so the value is ridiculous. They also don't lack condiments (malt vinegar included) which I appreciate. The inside of the Yacht Club genuinely looks like the Cigar Lounge of a Country Club. I love it. Small, casual with old school elegance. And the service gives off that same vibe. It's like you're in a cigar lounge only with no smoking and excellent food. Personally, I loved the Ivanhoe Club and will be back!

Always a great experience and great food with a lot of fun history. The people are really friendly and helpful.

Food was good. Nothing exceptional. Place is nostalgic but a little dusty. It was very cold as the furnace wasn't working properly. Could've used some space heaters. Food was a little expensive and the perch was actually Zander. I couldn't find any hand towels in the ladies bathroom. All in all still a good place but getting tired.

Legendary! A piece of Detroit history . The food great and the ambience perfect !!!

This place is partially a tourist trap but we enjoyed it nonetheless. Atmosphere is better than the food. Eat here.

Still have to give 5 stars - for the history & atmosphere at least ! Food was still very good - served family style - coleslaw, pickles, peppers, chicken soup included with dinners. Tina - LONG time server, barmaid, etc. now only works Friday. Patty - owner keeps it going - new cooks- so food takes bit longer - worth the wait ! If u have never been here - do yourself a favor and go soon ! Just in case . Limited hours - call 1st.

I invited friends who hadn't been to ivanhoe's before. It was a group of four and I made a reservation. I arrived early to make sure we got a table. I was seated promptly. Friends started to arrive on time. One was a little late because she got lost but nothing dramatic. We received drinks and appetizers quickly and server was friendly and professional. Then we didn't see her at our table for an hour or more. As she walked by periodically, she would motion that she'd be right over. People who arrived after were served and were finishing their meals. We finally went to the bar to place our order. They close at 3 and we were the last to be served. Reservation was for 12:30 and we didn't finish until 3:30. RIDICULOUS!! Waitress was apologetic and gave us a couple of drinks on the house. Even so I don't think we will be back.

The perch and coleslaw were very good. However, the pierogis tasted and looked like frozen and store bought. The potato pancakes were overcooked on the outside and raw and mushy in the middle. The kielbasa was overcooked too. The soup was very salty. We went with a group and they would only charge by the number of plates of food they brought to each table. So, our $17 perch dinner ended up costing each of us $28. The outside of the building had bare plywood over the windows and the inside was very rough looking. I don't know how it passes inspection. Definitely not worth going! I don't know why Yelp has me living in California. I am from Michigan!

Fun throwback to the old neighborhood bar & restaurant. Mom & Pop-style place with home cooking. This is fun dining, not fine dining. Leave your attitude at the door, relax and take your time to savor the old days and people of Detroit.

Went recently after about 15 years and the place hasn't changed a bit - thankfully. Still great perch and lotsa atmosphere. Thank heaven Patti has kept it open after her husband passed. She does a great job running the place and works hard at making everyone feel at home. Can't wait to go back. Sto lat!!!

Been going there since my dad introduced me to this place in the 60's. Great burgers and fish dinners! A Detroit classic, not to be missed!

My hangout 30 years ago. Love the BBC'S. Watched Patty grow up and get married. I moved to NC in 2,000 and haven't been back since. I had a lot of great friends there and great memories. Always enjoyed the PYC Ball every May and the golf outing in Waterford a few months later. A loyal PYC member - Bill Ledford

Ambiance was nice enough for over 100 yr.old resto in the same family; but it also looked like 115 yrs old from the outside. Sidewalks unsafe for walking, entrance into bldg. was also unsafe with poor lighting and dangerous steps in/out. Windows all boarded up with plywood. Food was cold. My 1st. and last visit here was 2-29-24 with a group of 25 people - NEVER go in a group! Singular or pairs might be OK? for this old pub. It's NOT a Polish Yacht Club but owner Patti Ghalen wants to charge Yacht Club prices. *I was initially impressed to see statue of Fr. Solanus Casey in our dining room. I liked the quaint and very old atmosphere of the pub that has been in business for over 100 yrs. with same family. A lot of history was seen here I'm sure as evidence by all the photo's of celebrities and Commodores on the walls. * I have multi food allergies (I called prior to coming here with no response), so I approached the owner Patti Galen to find out what I could/could not have off the menu she had chosen before we got there. She wasn't interested in talking to me, I even tried to give her my list of allergies- again she wasn't interested. "I don't need that". She is obviously unaware of our Federal ADA act re. people with food allergies nor the fact that Michigan also has their own law re. this issue. She could care less and didn't even want to substitute anything. I asked for maybe plain potato or sauerkraut pirogi - she she said nope ... just potato/cheese and I can't have the dairy - cheese. So this isn't much of a Polish restaurant either if they only have the ONE choice of pirogi ?? * so I could NOT eat the 2 pierogi's (cheese), nor the fish (egg battered), nor the coleslaw (mayo/eggs based), nor the store bought butter cookies served for desert). Patti finally sent word to me that I COULD eat the polish sausage since she said there was no GARLIC in it! *(I should have known better of course the polish sausage probably DID have garlic in it ..since I ate 4 slices and then went outside the throw it up.) I ate 1/2 C of the vegi soup that someone dropped the salt shaker into. I had to add water to make it palatable; so I was saving that other 1/2 C of soup in case I wasn't able to eat anything; but our waitress picked it up to throw out before I got the chance to finish it. I was able to eat 1/2 of potato pancake that was burnt...and hot, but I was so hungry at this point I ate half of it anyway, that's when I looked for my salty (watered down) soup to note it was gone! I had asked her could she make my perch a beer batter or steamed. NOPE. I couldn't order off the menu. I guess the home-made F fries were OK, but I wasn't impressed. *Then the real Rip-off starts: I tried to talk to owner Patti about my bill since I really couldn't eat anything but those 2 items, she wouldn't talk to me and wasn't able to tell me "How much do I owe, so I could pay our escort. I should've been charged nothing. -0- She told me to take it up with our Escort.... I reminded her that she is the owner and she is the one who determines the bill! ...but no, she wasn't going to tell me anything & she never did! She was very rude to both me and our trip Escort. * Next Rip -Off our Escort was told she had to pay the entire tab with ONE transaction: Her's only. Luckily she had her own personal Charge card to put all 25 people on HER card, . WE all were expecting to pay our own bills by charge or cash - NOPE. Turns out the owner was charging per piece of food. OMG ..... in that case mine should've been free. Then she added 20% Tip charge from our 25 people for $122.00. *(Most restaurants may add 15 % chg.- never heard of this before) * From my table of 6, the others said their fish and pirogi's were served cold, the salt laden soup, and burned potato pancakes. I feel we got ripped-off @ $27.95 a person for our pitiful meals... Mine should've $5.00 for that burnt potato pancake & I probably would've refused to pay that too. This is NOT a Yacht Club but Patti charges Yacht Club Prices. She was so rude to both myself and our Escort ...never responding when we were trying to find out how much we owed. We ALL thought we were going to be able to use their regular menu and pay our own bills individually. * When I got there I was planning on ordering the Walleye light. Could NOT!

Food. Service. Ambiance. All were great. Time stopped here. Huge portions. Raw conversation. Fun kitsch around the bar.

You will not leave hungry. Good polish food, prices great and food portions even better. It's a great old bar with a great vibe . The owner, Patty, is awesome and full of knowledge of the establishment.

Authentic Detroit restaurant--wonderful perch dinner with fries, Cole slaw and delicious chicken noodle soup. Tip the guy outside who watches over your car.

What a place this is...and I don't mean in a good way. The woman who answered the phone, who turned out to be the owner I found out, is a very rude person. I looked online, on their website, and it clearly shows a club sandwich on the menu. I called to ask what was all on it, and she said "it's not on our menu...I don't know what website you're looking at, but it has ham, turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayo. I asked if it had bacon, and she said of course it does. Well, why didn't you say that? Is what I felt like asking her. There was no reason for her to be so RUDE!! Definitely not a people person... Also, they close at 2pm but will not answer their phone after 130. I tried a few different days and they refuse to answer. And maybe you should update your website and the online menu because it clearly shows a club sandwich listed!!!! Well, I guess they don't need the business, because I was doing a favor for someone and was going to make a couple of different reservations for 12 to 15 people next month. Not now....glad you have so much money you don't need the business!

This was an unforgettable experience. Our food was delicious. The service was outstanding. The owner and our waitress treated us as if we were "regular" customers! We will return!!

There are so few places left like this is In Detroit. It is such a joy when you find one that you almost don't want to write about it bc you want to keep it special. PYC has been around for over 100 years and while it doesn't look like much from the outside, inside it is full of warmth and charm. It's like being in your grandmas kitchen mixed with the knights of Columbus hall. Hearty Polish dishes and fried perch are the mainstays. But they serve you pickles and slaw when you sit down in the dining room, and a warm cup of chicken noodle soup. Owners are greeting regulars and banter across tables and bar seats is the norm. Food is great (hand cut fried and potato pancakes are delish!) but the folksy ambience is what truly makes this place stand out.

The City of Detroit continues to amaze me with unique gems standing proudly amid areas of massive destruction and desolation. The Ivanhoe Cafe, known locally as the "Polish Yacht Club" or "PYC", is one of those gems that has served hearty Polish food and fresh Lake Perch on the same corner for more than a CENTURY! Think about it...In 1909, the last year the US government minted Indian pennies, PYC opened its doors on this very corner in what was a working class neighborhood of Polish and other ethnic immigrants on the City's near East side. Today, this neighborhood is in shambles with countless vacant lots where houses once stood but have gone through the sad progression of being abandoned, condemned and subsequently razed in an effort to erase the blight. To be completely honest, PYC sits in one of the roughest parts of the Motor City rivaled only by the Brightmoor section of the City's West side. However, once inside this 2-story red brick structure, you've remarkably entered another world. Frequented by white-collared regulars from downtown office buildings just a mile and a half away, lunching in this restaurant/bar feels more like dining in someone's home. Pictures of many of Detroit's famous adorn the walls and the array of table lamps give the dining room a soft glow. You gotta love the complimentary tomatoes, peppers and delicious creamy cole slaw that were promptly delivered to our table. We also enjoyed a coffee cup full of hearty Chicken Vegetable Soup and an appetizer of locally made pan-fried Kielbasa...a fantastic start! For lunch, I chose the house specialty...the fresh Lake Perch Sandwich served on a lightly grilled bun with lettuce, tomato and rough-cut fries. No frozen fish here Jack. This is the real thing...an outstanding sandwich with the freshest and tastiest small Lake Erie perch fillets that I've had in Motown. By the way, remember to toss the door man a few bucks to watch your ride while you are inside enjoying lunch. You don't want to be worrying about losing your wheels while you are dining on Pierogis. Highly recommended! 5 big stars for the overall experience.

I tried to go to this place once before, but when I got there it was closed for no apparent reason. (It was lunchtime on a Thursday.) I recently tried again, and made sure to call ahead to confirm they'd be open. So glad I did!! Yep, the neighborhood is, shall we say, less than optimal. In fact, "particularly desolate" is not an understatement. So what? They've managed to survive over 100 years in the same location. You have to respect that. Besides, once you step inside, you forget that you're surrounded by empty lots and burned out buildings. You feel like you're at grandma's house, complete with a zillion pictures on the walls and Detroit memorabilia. Every table gets a large bowl of coleslaw and a plate of pickles and peppers. We also had chicken noodle soup. It was clearly "clear out the pasta bin day," because the soup had 5 or 6 different shapes of pasta in it, as well as healthy bits of chicken and vegetables. Loved, loved, loved it. I could have eaten soup, coleslaw and pickles and left happy. But (of course) I kept going. I ordered the polish sliders -- kielbasa, sauerkraut and cheese on slider buns with fries. The kraut was delicious. I don't know if they make their kielbasa, but if they don't they buy it from someone who does. I also played "swap bites" with my other two dining companions. One had pierogi and kielbasa (very good), and the other had a reuben sandwich. The corned beef on the reuben had a different taste. It was quite good, just not what you usually get. I suspect that they brine their own beef brisket. This place is DEFINITELY worth the trip. The true gems in Detroit are few, and this is one of them. Make sure you tip the guy who watches your car!

Such a hidden gem. Don't be deterred by the neighborhood. Warm friendly and spotless inside. The food was fresh and delicious.

Dan and I finally made it to Ivanhoe's!! Kielbasa, pierogie, potato pancakes, cole slaw, perch, pickles, peppers and polish beer. Happy, happy Good Friday to us!

Delicious food and friendly staff with old school charm. This is the kind of place Hollywood would not be able to create on a set. I shall return.

We had a wonderful experience here. First, we showed up without a reservation, and they very kindly accommodated us. The place is loaded with atmosphere, and they appear to have a lot of regulars. Their portions are based on the eating habits of football linebackers! First, they brought us a bowl of cole slaw. Very good. Then they brought out a plate of peppers and pickles. We're a pickle family so that was right up our alley. Then they brought us all soup. It was loaded with vegetables and pasta and was very tasty. Finally, they brought us our dinners. It was comical by then. We were already full! It didn't stop us from diving in though. I ordered the Polish platter. Grilled kielbasa, pierogi, potato pancakes, sauerkraut and, I think, French fries! Again, I needed a linebacker to help me eat it. I brought most of it home and was very glad to have leftovers. Everyone enjoyed their meals y much. It's a great experience and I recommend it highly. The only negative, which didn't bother us, was that service was slow. Don't go when you're in a rush, but when you're ready to enjoy the experience.

I was just recently introduced to the fact that this place exists. I was shocked as to where it is. It's the ghetto people. It's a mecca inside the ghetto. It's well lit, and there's parking. The area directly around it isn't that bad. It's getting cleaned up. So it's worth a little trip just to experience this gem. It's an old building that normally you'd probably ignore. One you get inside you realize, this place is ancient and a taste of old Detroit for sure. The service is old school. Very pleasant and nice, not uppity....just quaint. The building is decrepit in many ways. The ceiling is peeling. The pain is old. The carpet is old. The tables are old and rickety, and the chairs are old and rickety. It's wonderful. It has SO MUCH CHARM! The food? Well, it's not the best ever. But it's dang good. I ordered the perch. Have I had better? Yes. There's a few places around that may have better perch. But not many. It's quite good and decent. You get served a huge bowl of cole slaw with your meal along with some pickles and peppers. What a unique touch that is. The slaw is pretty good too. My girl ordered some polish stuff. She had pierogis (limited choices of flavors), and some kielbasa. The pierogis did not taste homemade, and the kielbasa tasted like packaged. However, it was ok. It wasn't terrible or anything. At the end we got some cute little tea cakes as desert. It was nice evening dinner and a cool experience. For polish food, I'd always opt for Hamtramck to get authentic polish. This was not. That's my worst complaint. We may go back....you never know. I wouldn't say no to this place. We left full and the food tasted good.

Wow! Yes the neighborhood is rough, but you can give the guy outside a tip and he'll keep an eye out for your car! We had 6 of us for lunch, of course it was lunch, they don't have dinner hours. You can order the 'dinner' or the 'light dinner' which is like half order. They bring out a pickle and pepperoncini plate, then soup in a coffee mug (chicken noodle that day) and a large bowl of homemade coleslaw, creamy style and very delicious! Three had the Polish Platter and it looked great! Had a sample of the sausage on the platter and it was about the best I have had, it was sliced and pan fried. Heard the kraut was very good too. Three of us had fish, 2 for perch and I had the "light" walleye. My dinner was one piece of breaded pan fried walleye, opted out of the fries and got 3 pierogi's instead, good choice but the fries looked great too. The other guys had the perch and said it was great, after all it is their specialty. The atmosphere was comfy and the staff was very friendly. We will be going back to take some co-workers who could not join us and I can't wait for that!

I asked my eighty-something grand aunt if she knew about the Ivanhoe Café, one of the last remnants of the old Poletown neighborhood where she grew up. "I can't believe it's still there!" she exclaimed. "I haven't been there in about a hundred years!" I can see why my aunt was surprised... the drive up to the place was like heading down a bowling lane with a handful of houses like bowling pins scattered sparsely after a split. The restaurant itself was non-descript- just a windowless brick structure that at first looked like just another abandoned party store. But the simple inscription above the doorway clearly read "Polish Yacht Club"- so we knew it was the place. Polish Yacht Club? It's a bit of an inside joke that's run on for decades (the place is landlocked). Inside... it truly does feel like someone's home, walls plastered with framed portraits, including a collection of regular customers wearing sailors' attire. The regulars, many of whom have been coming here for decades, seem to be on familiar terms with all the staff. But the service doesn't discriminate. From the second you sit down, you can expect to be bombarded by Polish side dishes. First was about a pound of coleslaw... which sounds arterially intimidating, but thankfully seemed to based on yogurt rather than mayo. Then there was a mountain of pickles and peppers- another mandatory starter, but probably the best chance for vegetarians to get their fill. Then some tasty soup- we lucked on some tasty chicken alphabet on our visit. By the time the food coma had already struck and it was getting hard to carry on, we were hit with the dishes we actually ordered- perch and French fries for both of us (the "lite" version. For Kosciuszko's sake, stick with the "lite" version and not the full entree unless you want to Kevorkianize yourself by overnourishment!). Grueling, but good. What's time with family without a session of binge eating? I disagree with the others about the immediate area itself being rough... the desolation can be a bit creepy at first, but the reality is there's no one left to cause trouble. It feels rural more than anything. Just a block south is Farnsworth, a street of young farmers some of whom moved from San Francisco for the cheap land. That said, auto theft remains one of Detroit's proudest pastimes, though, so if you drive here (biking during the day is okay), it's comforting to have a guy named Mike standing out front looking out for your car. Be sure to tip him.

Situated snugly in one of the worst neighborhoods in Detroit, somehow you forget where you are as soon as you walk through the door. It's less than a mile form Eastern Market but you have to drive through crack central to get there. It is surrounded by burned down houses and buildings on a side street a few blocks off of Warren and Chene. However, you have no reason not to feel safe here despite the surroundings and in fact they have a guy that watches the patrons cars since they don't have a parking lot. All of this, of course, simply adds to the character of the place. Once you walk inside you feel like you're in an old house (because you are) complete with separate rooms set up for dining. They have decent sized bar, but the beer selection is weak. Even the Polish beers they carry are simply standard Lagers but that's OK because the food more than makes up for it. I've had their fish and their Polish platters and both were great. This place has some really goofy hours though, but when they are open they get packed pretty quick. And in case you were wondering...no - The Polish Yacht Club is not situated anywhere near boats or water. Get it?

My friend and I wanted some good fish during Lent and were tired of the church basement routine. So off to the PYC I said. Arrived about 630pm w/o reservations, no room but you can sit at the bar if you like said the hostess, who i later found out was the owner. As soon as we sat down we had menus and in front of us. We ordered the perch dinner and the walleye dinner. Out comes two big mugs of mushroom barley mmmm so good on a cold night. Nixt up were pickles, peppers and coleslaw, I'm starting to get full already. Out come the dinners, a nice filet of walleye and several perch with fries etc. Not the best fish ive ever had but it was darn good. The friendliness of the entire staff from the guy who watch's your car to the owner make you feel your at your families table and home

Quintessentially an Ole School Detroit Bar that jus did a few items on the menu but Oh Boy they are done REALLY good! Opened since 1909 and one of the first restaurants I visited as a child back in 1973 when I immigrated here and lived not tok far from the Cafe/Bar, imagine I come back and nothing has changed! It's like stepping back into my childhood memories! Ok enough about my mushy memories! The Food! Yea here too nothing has changed but in an excellently delisious way, still the best perch, walleye in town, some of the yummiest Polish Specials but most of all the ambiance here gives off European friendly with low warm lighting vibe that jus made my whole experience Right, jus Right, felt I went back home to Europe and was visiting Baba's house and she jus happened to have a few people over for Dinner! Ahhhh I'll be visiting and soon! Side note here the hours vary please call them, reserve a table, come and Enjoy!

Each year for Good Friday my boyfriend's family/relatives head here for dinner and lots of booze. I had the pleasure of going last year. Wow!!!!! I LOVE this place. I love everything about it. I love how it makes you feel like you're in busia's house and she's slaving over the stove cooking with love. I love how all of the dinnerware and silverware is an eclectic hodge podge. This is the ONLY place I have ever eaten peorogies and I am anxiously anticipating next good Friday so I can gorge myself on all this Polish goodness and hate myself for the next 3 days. The only thing I haven't tried is the perch, but from what all of the boyfriend's relatives were saying, it's delicious. I will try to try it the next time. Although, I'm weird about eating seafood at non-seafood restaurants. (Much like I will only eat cat fish in New Orleans.) Like other Yelpers have stated, the area is sketchy to say the least, definitely tip the gentleman who watches the patron's vehicles.

This place has great friendly service and the food was amazing! I ordered the perch dinner and it was so tasty! The onion soup reminds me of what my grandma used to make! The atmosphere was awesome and had wonderful old pictures and a lot of history! The location has a lot to be desired and I'm suprised and happy that it stays open and in business! PLEASE PLEASE stay open!

great place with loads of atmosphere-been going here for years-they have very limited hours, so check the times open on their web site-crummy neighborhood but you feel safe with an outside attendant-tina, the waitress, has been there over 20 years-she is fun, like this place-prices are reasonable with large portions-the pictures are my friend, mr.ed & tina-there are pictures on the walls of this old place of many famous people who came by-

I stumbled upon this place randomly while searching for Polish restaurants outside of the Hamtramck area. They have extremely limited hours (which is a bummer) but I was finally able to make it on a Friday with a group of 5. After reading the reviews, I was pretty excited to try the food. As many reviewers mentioned, the look and feel of the restaurant was pretty unique. Basically, you feel like you're going to eat with a big family at your grandmother's house. It's an old building filled with pictures of members and random beer signs. All signs for common/readily available "domestics" (lame). They have a bunch of sides served prior to eating including cole slaw and pickles. Most of the dinner entrees were priced mid-range with a few dishes less than $10. I ended up getting the kielbasa and pierogies. I also had a chance to try the perch. I've...had better at many other places. Nothing really stood out about the food on any level. Bland, mediocre, and uninspired are all things that come to mind. Tipping for the guy standing around outside was taken care of by one of the guys in our group. Most of the area was pretty run down so it seemed like it would be a good idea.

First off, a guy watches the cars outside so that feels good. This place is a treasure that has stood the test of time. The pierogi and kielbasa were wonderful. The staff and patrons were extremely friendly and easy to talk to. I know the schedule is difficult, but try to make it over here and give this place a shot. Also, they take credit cards unlike some of these types of places.

Went to the Polish Yacht Club in Detroit today for lunch and had a Walleye Dinner - it was FANTASTIC! I have been dining at the PYC for many many years and it is always consistently excellent! Not only was the food fresh and delicious but the service was courteous and top notch! Had a nice Polish draught beer and it was just like the good old days when I came here with my friends from work. I will be coming back to the PYC very soon!

Another great time at the Ivanhoe. Everything is excellent and atmosphere is perfect.

I love this place. It feels a little bit like a house with separate rooms, all of which are richly decorated with photos, certificates, newspaper clippings, and other paraphenelia. If you mad reservations ,you arrive with coleslaw and pickles already waiting for you. Their Pierogis are AMAZING- I think the best I've had so far (though I'm by no means a Polish food expert). Make reservations, because they apparently get very busy friday nights, and take their last reservations at 7:15

The Ivanhoe Cafe aka PYC is an old school Detroit hangout. The perch was fantastic and the sausage was very good. I had to wash it down with a Strohs beer on tap to make it feel like real Detroit. Check out their web site for hours - They are not open as often as they used to be. We went for lunch and the neighborhood was not very nice. On your way out be sure to give a couple of bucks to the guy who watches your car during your meal. This is not a date place and will not impress anyone. It is a place to remember what Detroit was and share some good memories. Not family friendly - Really rough neighborhood.

A diamond in the rough. Two blocks from the church I was married at .. St. Hyacinth's we had our rehearsal dinner here. The food was absolutely amazing. Great polish food and soup for dessert they served carrot cake. The staff is nice and friendly. The building was originally a house/ inn you can tell its pretty old. This restaurant is definitely a must stop when you are in detroit. It's only open for dinner on Fridays lunch almost everyday:)

I LOVE places with history and I do also love Polish food, so I decided to try this place out one day... OK- I have to admit that the first time I tried to find this place I was so very confused- Joseph Campau is a regular side street, not a main road like it is in Hamtramck. So- I missed the turn onto it from the I-94 service drive. The neighborhood is quite a rough one - burned out buildings and houses, piles of trash 5 feet high. The first time I went, I had no idea about the hours that they are opened/closed and I HAD to have been there at a time that they were not open because I found the building on my GPS and I am like "OMG this is a joke- where are the cameras counting how many people actually pull up to this abandoned building looking for a restaurant??" I thought the building was completely abandoned (like a lot of the neighborhood around it) and I drove away thinking that the place has actually been closed for years, I just missed the posting on the internet or something...? Luckily, I went back a year or two later after doing some research. Lunch was pretty busy and very filling! I was surprised to see very little Polish food on the menu, lots of fish.. I got the Polish plate that came with old fashioned kraut with mushrooms ... and the perogies were fantastic! The only thing is... gulp I didn't like the sausage- it was cut into about 1 inch pieces and I think it was fried- just too greasy for my stomach. The starters (pickles, peppers, coleslaw) are so good.. !! And.. it comes with fries.. ?? Next time I will skip the fries too. I would take my kids here (for lunch) and I would love if a date took me here- my "date" is my husband but we LOVE places like this! I would much rather go here than to a stuffy date dinner (and this is coming from a Birmingham girl LOL)

This place is only open for dinner on Friday and you better get there by 7. A study in century old architecture - if you look closely you'll notice the triangle shaped outlets in the wall that went out about 80 years ago. You can't help but root for an old school classic like the PYC. The food and service are superb. On the wall are some outstanding photographs of local and national celebrities who've been there. I've had perch, walleye and kielbasa - all terrific. If I had lunch there - i wouldn't go back to work! :)

A diamond in the rough, and one of the most fantastic experiences you'll have in the D. Very kind staff, and amazing Perch. You will not leave feeling hungry...maybe hungry to come back. Your eyes will not leave the character of the walls in this place!

This was my third time here and I must say that the atmosphere is still festive and light, but the attitudes on some of the employees are not. I came in for lunch on Good Friday for some of their tasty fried fish. Now I know how this place is. If you don't have a reservation, they treat you like an outcast and send you on your way. Well I was rolling solo and tried for a meal at the bar. I sat down and was quickly greeted by a short older lady with glasses. I asked for a Labatt Blue Light and received a regular Blue. I politely stated that I asked for a light and she looked at me with such disgust and quickly put down a Blue light. Now there was a very nice blonde bartender/waitress who came over and said that it was no big deal, because I'm sure she saw the attitude that I had received. She gave me a menu and took my order. My meal of a fried perch sandwich came and it was very tasty. Lightly fried and very flavorful. The place was extremely busy and my beer had run dry. The bartenders were busy with the dining room so they had other things to attend to. Now, there was this bowling ball looking guy with a droopy dog face who waddled behind the bar. He looked liked he worked there, but all he seemed to do was talk with friends at the end of the bar and feast on handfuls of chocolates. On one of his trips down my end of the bar, he looked directly at my empty beer in the tip rail and kept walking. I quickly asked if I could have a new beer and he stopped and hesitated as if I had asked him for his kidney. He reluctantly gave me a new one. The employees here, except for the very nice blonde bartender, seem to act like you are a nuisance and that they are doing you a favor to get you anything. This place is good, but there are many better. They are living on borrowed time.

Boyfriend and I have been going there for about 2 1/2 years now and we always feel like regulars - very welcome! I recall the first time we visited on a Friday afternoon after a Tiger's game, we met the regulars, received a hug or two and free beers. Patti and Tina are awesome. The atmosphere is awesome (like other reviewers mentioned, it's unique). The slaw, the perch and the crispy sausage appetizer are enjoyable. Order a Long Island Iced Tea if you dare (they're strong!). Again, like other reviewers mentioned, the neighborhood appears a little rough but don't let that keep you away! I believe they're open for lunch time during the week and for dinner on Friday nights. Oh, and check out the "trough" along the bottom base of the bar. You'll have to find out for yourself what exact purpose it served.

Lunch on 7/29/15. Good experience with chicken noodle soup, grilled sausages, slaw, perch and walleye dinners and carrot cake. Located in a "down and out" Detroit neighborhood...tip the watchman who protects your car while you are having lunch. I'll return to Ivanhoe's!

I haven't been to the PYC in years and stopped in 3 months ago for lunch. I am extremely happy I did. The service was fantastic, the food was excellent and the drinks were well poured. I have been back 3 times. The place feels like your eating in someone's home - very comfortable. I cannot say enough good things regarding the home style cooking. Plus, they have someone that watches your car and opens the door. A True Gem !