Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen on South Main Street in Clarkston has been one of Metro Detroit’s most celebrated neighborhood restaurants since it opened, building a menu around scratch-made pub food and pasta in a restored 1893 building that makes it the anchor of Clarkston’s historic Main Street. It appeared in Season 13, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Kid Rock’s Detroit Tour,” which aired December 12, 2011. Guy Fieri arrived with Kid Rock — who was born in Clarkston — and found a kitchen doing elevated pub food and pasta with the quality that earns a destination reputation in a suburban Detroit community that has embraced it completely.
Quick Facts
Restaurant: Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen
City: Clarkston, Michigan
Cuisine: Pub Food / Pasta
DDD Season: 13
DDD Episode: 3
Episode Title: Kid Rock’s Detroit Tour
Original Air Date: December 12, 2011
Address: 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346
Phone: 248-620-6100
Website: https://www.clarkstonunion.com
Status: Open
What to Eat
The House-Made Pasta — fresh daily, in rotating preparations that reflect what the kitchen is inspired to build that week — is the centerpiece that earns Clarkston Union its regional pasta reputation. The Short Rib Pappardelle is the pasta dish most regulars order specifically and return for. The Clarkston Union Burger on a brioche bun with creative house-made toppings is the pub food option that holds its own against the pasta menu. The House-Made Charcuterie Board is the appetizer most tables start with. The Craft Beer List is as thoughtfully curated as the food menu. Find a Detroit area hotel on Trivago.
Plan Your Visit
Check the website for current hours. Clarkston is about 40 minutes north of downtown Detroit — worth combining with Union Woodshop next door for a full Clarkston Main Street experience.
Address: 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, MI 48346
Phone: 248-620-6100
Website: https://www.clarkstonunion.com
Status: Open
Triple D Essentials
Stream the Kid Rock’s Detroit Tour episode on Amazon and bring the pasta spirit home with Guy Fieri Cookware.
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Clarkston Union Bar and Kitchen appeared in Season 13, Episode 3 of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, “Kid Rock’s Detroit Tour,” originally aired December 12, 2011.