Spike’s Keg O’ Nails

April 22, 2016

Informal History And Great Burgers In Grayling

They call it Home of the Spikeburger, The Meeting Place of the North and The Friendliest Place in Town. has collected a lot of nicknames over its whopping 83 years in business — and its popular Friday night fish fry is nothing to sneeze at, either.

SPIKE’S SPORTS

Opened the day after Prohibition ended in May 1933, Harold “Spike” MacNeven held a contest to name his new tavern in Grayling, with a $20 prize going to winner Laura Smith who was inspired by the region’s lumber and timber heritage. MacNeven, long a Grayling activist, promoted the AuSable River as a canoeing destination, developed a toboggan run at the Hanson Hills Winter Sports Park and, after he opened Spike’s, further expanded Grayling’s appeal by bringing up his pals from the worlds of baseball and boxing.

Baseball greats like Detroit Tigers “Dizzy” Trout, Jo-Jo White and Pete Fox could often be found working behind the bar, and boxers Kid McCoy and Jack Dempsey visited Grayling often, too. Spike’s was the place to hang out and that’s exactly what the locals did, right alongside sports celebrities of the day.

LOCAL MEMORIES

Today, Spike’s occupies the same location, although in a new building (the original fell victim to a fire years ago.) Since MacNeven, there have only been four subsequent owners, the current ones being Jeremy and Darcie Bowers, who bought the business in 2005.

The restaurant/tavern has been kept very much the same over the years and that’s 100 percent intentional.

“My wife and I were both born and raised here,” Jeremy Bowers said. “And we stick with what works. We work very hard to keep Spike’s as it is, because it’s a destination for a lot of people.”

Spike’s has a feel as old as its age. Located right next to the AuSable River, it’s all about wood, from the cabin-like exterior to the wooden interior walls and ceiling beams; color is brought in via the red and orange plaid curtains and the wall decor.

“The walls and tables are all carved up by the customers who have passed through,” Bowers said. “And there are also old vintage photos that are fun to look at.”

And he means lots of photos, right alongside all manner of other memorabilia. Being in Spike’s is a little like sitting in a three-dimensional scrapbook of Grayling.

“People come in for a Spikeburger, a cold one and our friendly service,” Bowers said. “We’re known to take good care of our customers and we pride ourselves on that.”

BURGERS ‘R US

They also pride themselves on those Spikeburgers, the highlight of Spike’s food menu. A third of a pound of ground round on a roll, with your choice of toppings, plus potato chips and a pickle spear; it’s emblematic Midwestern fare at its best.

“We sell 40,000 hamburgers a year,” Bowers confirmed.

Another popular menu choice is the Hammy Sammy sandwich, with grilled thinly sliced ham, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo.

“Instead of a regular roll, we use grilled pretzel bread for that one, which really makes it stand out,” Bowers said.

You can also order up a northern Michigan favorite: a half-pound of tempura-battered smelt, deep fried and served with tartar sauce, lemon wedges and ketchup. Twelve beer taps — four always stocked with Michigan beers that change seasonally — offer up those cold beverages to go with your burger.

EVERYONE’S TAVERN

In the appetizers department, you’ll find many of the usual suspects, from onion rings and potato skins to jalapeno poppers, plus a few you might not expect, including deep fried green beans with ranch dipping sauce, breaded mushrooms and hot pepper cheese cubes.

Spike’s also makes many of their own soups, as well as their own chili, and offers a salad menu for those looking to lighten things up a little. You can choose from a hearty chef ’s salad or Caesar salad, as well as a buffalo chicken salad spiked with Frank’s Red Hot Sauce, or a fiesta salad bursting with Mexican flavors and served with a side of “guacaranch” dressing.

And when you’re ready for dessert, Spike’s offers chocolate sundaes, plus Oreo and Reese’s peanut butter pies. It’s a straightforward menu that’s as classic as Spike’s itself.

“What I like most about running this place is the nostalgia,” Bowers said. “People have been coming here for so long, they treat Spike’s as if they’re part owners, too.”

Spike’s Keg O’ Nails is located at 301 N. James St. (on the I-75 Business Loop) in downtown Grayling. Find them online at spikes-grayling. com or call (989) 348-7113. Open Monday– Saturday from 10am–1:30am, Sunday from noon–1:30am.