Created by Brad Teagan — founder and co-owner of Bad Brad’s BBQ — with partners Tony Raymon and Jake Crowder, Three Blind Mice is the city’s first traditional Irish pub since Deacon Brodies closed more than a decade ago.
The team has worked for close to a year on renovating the 113-year-old building on Main Street at Market Street, which has housed One-O-One Saloon, Voodoo Lounge, Chrissy’s and others. They’ve created a cozy environment featuring lots of oak and brass along with quaint touches such as a strip of 2013 pennies embedded on the bar trim.
“We wanted to make a really warm, comfortable 5-star dive bar with an Irish theme,” Teagan said. “We want you to be able to come in here no matter if you’re wearing a suit and tie or jeans and a T-shirt, and sit down to have a Scotch and some food. I think we’ve accomplished that.”
Three Blind Mice got its name from a whimsical story developed by Teagan’s crew about three mice who fell asleep in a barrel at an Irish whiskey factory and ended up getting shipped all the way to Mount Clemens. On the trek, the mice consumed so much whiskey, they went blind. The entire tale is spelled out on the back of the menu.
The menu also boasts a number of “fun facts” about the tavern, another interesting ingredient, as are the sandblasted Three Blind Mice logo on the interior door, and the distressed-wood bar counter, made of wood taken from burned-out houses in Detroit.
There are hanging cathedral lamps acquired from a New Haven church, two barn doors covering a closet and a number of bourbon barrels that form a backdrop for the stage in front of exposed brick walls.
“We wanted to have a story behind everything in here,” Teagan said. “Just about every time you come in here, you’ll find something to talk about in terms of the history of the building and the history of this region, and other fun stuff.”
For spirits, Three Blind Mice has more than 140 whiskeys, bourbons and Scotches, along with 250 beer selections in bottles and cans and 20 drafts. The beer selection includes “at least 100 craft and a bunch of Michigan-made” beers such as Dragonmead and Kuhnhenn, Teagan said.
The owners tapped Danielle Roberts as general manager and hired Zachary Stotz as executive chef. Stotz, a Mount Clemens resident, previously was employed at the former Atlas Global Bistro in Detroit.
Stotz developed a simple menu of traditional Irish dishes such as shepherd’s pie, corned beef and cabbage, bangers and mash and fish and chips plus a variety of burgers, salads, small plates, and soups.
Some items stand out — such as whiskey/apricot and Korean BBQ dips for the Amish wings, an over-easy burger topped with a fried egg and spicy mayo, and a one-of-a-kind Spamwich with deep-fried Spam, hash browns and scrambled eggs served on toasted ciabatta bread.
They plan to develop a rooftop garden next year to supply some of the restaurant’s veggies.
“I’m a big fan of global food — I’m not even Irish,” Stotz said. “But I think we’ve developed a very good menu.”
They’ll also have special Sunday brunches 11 a.m.-3 p.m. with bottomless bloody Marys and mimosas.
There will be live entertainment from an acoustic guitar player, often performing Irish tunes, seven nights a week on the first level. The second floor, boasting tall windows with a nice view of the city, will feature bands and DJs Thursday through Saturday. There’s even a plan to eventually assemble a live karaoke band for the upstairs as well.
Three Blind Mice is at 101 Main St., Mount Clemens. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 586-961-6371 or visit threeblindmiceirishpub.com
