Turns out, though, that Rub is actually the newest entry on downtown Detroit's restaurant/bar menu, a BBQ rib joint located just down the street from Comerica Park, across Adams from Grand Circus Park. The name, I suspect, is a reference to their method of preparing ribs. According to the menu, "Ribs are rubbed with our secret blend of spices."
It's a great place, and despite the terrible timing - Rub opened in early July, right about the time the Tigers stopped winning - they've been doing decent business so far. That, according to the owner, who personally asked how I enjoyed my lunch (I went with The Kid Rock, an excellent burger). Other celebs-turned-sandwiches at Rub include The Nugent, The Kaline, Jack White, The Verlander and The Harwell.
There's also The Belle Isle and The Ren Cen, all of which are Rub's way of paying homage to the locals. In case you're wondering, I looked: there's no The Eight Mile.
