Fingers Crossed for a New Era of Dining

Optimistic (and prolific) restaurateur reimagines Northport landmark

By Geri Dietze | July 22, 2023

When Garage Bar owner Bruce Viger finally decided to end his three-decade career in the restaurant business, it was hard on the legions of regulars who loved the Garage. But Viger’s exit was an opportunity for Detroit entrepreneur Dave Kwiatkowski, who already had nine eclectic, high quality bars and restaurants in various neighborhoods throughout the city of Detroit.

Northport’s Fingers Crossed, number 10, is his first venue outside of Detroit, and its name refers to Kwiatkowski’s hopeful wait for the moment when Viger was ready to sell. (Kwiatkowski and his family had been coming to the area for the last five or six years and decided to purchase a home, though Detroit is still home base. “We fell in love with the area,” he says.)

The Vision

Kwiatkowski’s entry into the hospitality business came from the emergence of craft cocktails, made from innovative, small batch spirits. “I fell in love with craft cocktails about 20 years ago,” he says.

The love affair began at Sugar House, his first venue and Detroit’s original craft cocktail bar in the city’s historic Corktown neighborhood. (The name references Detroit’s infamous Purple Gang.) The Sugar House has a regular selection of 101 craft cocktails made from small batch distilleries, plus a rotating selection of specials.

From there, things took off, and Kwiatkowski opened one new venue just about every year. How did he do it? “I work hard and [put in] long days,” he says. “But honestly, a lot of opportunities just presented themselves to me.”

His willingness to present trusted employees with partnership options—he is the only common partner in all of the venues—in order to always have an owner/partner on-site and his loyalty to community all play a role in the successful business model. All of his businesses are organized under the parent company the Detroit Optimist Society, an apt name that speaks for itself.

Detroit Optimist Society’s newest member is already finding its niche. The smoothly cool interior of Fingers Crossed seats 52, and the covered patio accommodates another 70. The garage door opens fully to bring the outdoors in, and vice versa.

“It’s sophisticated, but not too sleek,” Kwiatkowski explains, adding that the environment is “playful.” Specially commissioned paintings hanging behind the bar (one of his wife and the other his sister-in-law) are from New York- and Milan-based artist Tyler Hays. Mirrors and shelving face the 25-foot zinc bar, which Kwiatkowski describes as a “fun material,” both for its utility and its weathering.

Zinc-topped tables, stained Michigan cedar walls, and a concrete floor round out the overall vibe. Outside, customers can sit under umbrellas by day and strings of lights at night, where outdoor heaters will take the chill off.

The Food

Now for what to eat at the bar, in the dining room, or on the patio. Fingers Crossed serves up fresh South American and Mexican inspired dishes—tacos, nachos, taco salads, and quesadillas—with uncommon flavors, presentation, and sophistication.

Eight taco varieties include the Baja, Carlson’s whitefish in beer batter, with slaw and ginger lime vinaigrette; Smoked Shrimp with avocado puree, lime crema, and cabbage; and the Al Pastor, traditional roast pork shoulder with pineapple, chipotle, and red onion.

Kwiatkowski says the big favorite is the Pork Slider tacos, with house-pulled pork and cherry whiskey BBQ sauce, served with slaw and pickles. Two more “huge sellers,” are the Carne (flank steak) tacos, with grilled shishito pepper, chimichurri, and queso fresco; and the half-pound Wagyu burger, sourced from Wisconsin’s renowned Snake River Farms, served with pepper jack, roasted poblano, and salsa roja.

Sides are both simple and traditional: Puerto Rican Rice with sofrito, peas, and adobo, or Cuban Beans with ham, bacon, and sofrito.

The Drinks

Like all Optimist Society venues, Fingers Crossed is serious about its craft cocktails, taking the idea of top shelf and expanding it exponentially. If a spirit isn’t among the best, you won’t find it at Fingers Crossed.

Of the 10 current choices on the menu, we couldn’t wait to try the House Old Fashioned, made with Long Road bourbon finished in nocino walnut casks, with demerara and root beer bitters; or the Snap Dragon, made with Corazon blanco tequila, raspberry, lime, and Baia Lambo. And then there’s the Skeleton Key, a combination of Benchmark bourbon and St. Germaine, with ginger, lemon, and bitters. Trust us: it’s really hard to choose.

But patrons need not be shy about asking questions. The friendly, expert bartenders will guide you through the choices and help you make the perfect selection. Local brews, and a selection from well-regarded small breweries around the nation, plus a thoughtfully curated wine list, will please other tastes.

The restaurant also keeps things authentic with Mexican Coca Cola—sweetened with cane sugar instead of America’s ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup—a choice that is indicative of the attention to detail found at Fingers Crossed.

The cocktails and the food are already taking off. Kwiatkowski says the response from the community has been very positive and indicates that “people have been super complimentary.” His intention is to stay open through December, close in January and February, and then reopen in March.

And will this driven entrepreneur expand his empire beyond Fingers Crossed in northern Michigan? “No, this is it,” he laughs. “Having one restaurant up here is like a vacation.”

Find Fingers Crossed at 108 S. Waukazoo St. in Northport. (231) 281-8940, @FingersCrossedNP on social media