Royal Oak

See also: Rail travel in the United States

• 🌍 Royal Oak, 201 S Sherman Dr. (updated Oct 2023)
  • Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1-800-872-7245. Operates train service around the United States of America. (updated Mar 2022) Route serving Royal Oak:
    • Wolverine Service operates several times daily between Pontiac and Chicago including stops along the way in Troy, Royal Oak, Detroit, Dearborn, Ann Arbor, Jackson, Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Niles, and New Buffalo. There are many train connections in Chicago.

• Arts, Beats & Eats Downtown Royal Oak. Oakland county's annual festival celebrating art, music, food and community. Labor Day weekend. $3 before 3pm, $5 before 5pm, and $7 after 5pm

Royal Oak has 2 Disc Golf courses, it is an inexpensive game to get into; there are liquor stores located directly across from the parks that sell individual discs ranging from $9-$18. Also, the store "In Flight" in the Oak Park/Ferndale area also sells discs and other disc golf accessories. The Throw Shop in Ypsilanti, an hour West on I-94, is the largest disc golf store in the region, well worth the trip as it also features a 28-hole disc golf course.

• Starr Jaycee Park, 1101 W 13 Mile Rd (Between Crooks & Main St.). 6AM - 9PM. 18 hole course, it is really just a 9 hole course with tees doubled up. Free. 
• Wagner Park, 100 Detroit Ave (Detroit between Rochester & Main, North of 12 Mile). 6AM - 9PM. 9 hole course. Free. 

There is a Starbucks and Bean & Leaf Cafe located in Royal Oak, both of which are on Main Street.

• Cafe du Marquis, 204 5th Ave, ☏ +1 248-398-4169. 11AM-midnight daily. Free Wi-Fi internet connection, one of few smoker friendly places in Royal Oak. 
• Hookah Joe's, 734 S Washington Ave (Right across from Oakland Community College). M-Th 8AM-2AM, F-Sa 8AM-4AM, Su noon-midnight. Hookah Bar that attracts a young crowd. Free Wi-Fi. $1 drinks, $8 Hookahs. 
• Java Hutt, 165 W 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, ☏ +1 248-542-2438. 

Royal Oak has a ton of bars such as Mr. B's Pub, Woody's, Duggans, O'Tooles, Rock on 3rd, Goodnite Gracie, Sky Club, Ye Olde Saloon, Norm's Field of Dreams and Luna Lounge.

• The Berkley Front, 3087 W 12 Mile Rd, Berkley (Take 12 Mile Rd west across Woodward, the bar is located after Coolidge on your left side), ☏ +1 248-547-3331. M-Tu 4PM-12:30AM, W-Th 4PM-2AM, F-Sa noon-2AM. Around 40-50 beers on tap and around 80 bottled beers available. German food, sandwiches, burgers, Tex-Mex and a few vegetarian options. Has Pool tables and a jukebox. Live music upstairs from Thursdays to Saturdays. Half off appetizers and certain pints are $2.50 on Mondays. Entrees: $5-$9, Beer $4-$6. 
• BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon, 530 S Main St, ☏ +1 248-582-9460, fax: +1 248-582-9461. Trendy Fake Irish Pub chain, Happy Hour 4PM-7PM $2 Domestic Drafts, $3 Import Drafts, $3 House Wine, $4 Calls, $5 Martinis. Good place for a cheap pint of Guinness during happy hour, Drink specials on Wednesday night also. Tends to get really busy. 
• The Emory, 22700 Woodward Ave, Ferndale (One block south of Woodward and 9 Mile Rd on the east side of Woodward), ☏ +1 248-546-8202, info@theemory.com. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa-Su 9AM-2AM. 
• Gusoline Alley, 309 S Center St, ☏ +1 248-545-2235. M-Sa 10AM-2AM, Su noon-2AM. Local dive-bar, smoker-friendly. Notable beer selection. Bikers and hipsters tend to hang out here. 
• The Loving Touch, 22634 Woodward Ave, ☏ +1 248-546-3644. 5PM-2AM daily. Pool hall in downtown Ferndale near the Woodward Avenue Brewers and the Emory. Named after a seedy massage parlor that used to be in Ferndale. 1.25 for 1 game, 5 dollars for 5 games. 
• Post Bar, 22828 Woodward Ave, ☏ +1 248-546-7678. Good drink specials, frequented by hipsters. Features foosball, Golden Tee, plasma TVs and a pool table for entertainment. 
• The Rock on 3rd, 112 E Third St, ☏ +1 248-542-7625. 
• Snookers' Pool & Pub, 30295 Woodward Ave, ☏ +1 248-435-0030. Pool, Golden Tee Golf. Nice bar 
• Vinotecca, 417 S Main St, ☏ +1 248-544-6256, info@vinotecca.com. Upscale wine bar with large selection. 4PM to 6PM everyday half-off all glasses of wine. 80s Thursdays 9PM-2AM, half off glass wines, $5 martinis, $3 pints of Bastone beer. 
• The Corner, 344 W Nine Mile Ferndale, ☏ +1 248 291 5470. Neighborhood bar with over 50 Michigan beers and ciders on tap. The game room section has nearly 500 board games to play or purchase and there's a competitive axe-throwing area upstairs. (updated Jan 2021)

Luckily for beer enthusiasts there are a fair number of brewpubs in this area. Brew pubs are restaurants that brew their own beer. For around 10 dollars you can also buy a "growler" from these establishments which holds a half gallon of beer and is a means to buy take-out beer. Besides being a great deal, growlers make a great souvenir. Also, just a short bus ride away is the Woodward Avenue Brewery in Ferndale, take the Smart 450/460 Direction: Inbound (Runs down South Washington) in Royal Oak to get there.

• Bastone, 419 S Main St, ☏ +1 248-544-6250, fax: +1 248-544-6254. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su noon-10PM. Award-Winning Beers & Belgian Fries, kids eat free on Sundays. 
• Lily's Seafood Grill & Brewery, 410 S Washington Ave (Near 11 Mile Rd), ☏ +1 248-591-5459. Happy Hour is on Weekdays 2PM-6PM and Saturday 11AM-6PM with 2 dollar pints of their own beer. Also Monday nights is an You Can Eat Fish Fry $9.99 with $2 pints from 8PM-midnight. 
• Royal Oak Brewery, 215 E Fourth St, ☏ +1 248-544-1141. M-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F 11AM-2AM, Sa 11:30AM-2AM, Su noon-midnight. Food and microbrews, $5.00 Growler refills on Tuesdays, Happy Hour: 2.75 pints. 3 dollar pints on Wednesdays from 9PM-Close. 
• Woodward Avenue Brewers, 22646 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, ☏ +1 248-546-3696. M-F 11AM-2AM, Sa-Su noon-2AM. Brew pub that features A deck and sidewalk seating. $2 pints after 9PM on Sundays. Half-off food on Mondays 4PM-midnight. $. 

While Royal Oak's downtown area is a very safe place, avoid walking into alleyways during the night time. Many strongarm robberies and rape attempts take place in the city's downtown alleyways. The sidewalks and streets of Downtown Royal Oak are otherwise safe to walk during the daytime and night.

Avoid walking in any neighborhoods near or around an industrial park, railroad or apartment complex at night. Drug dealers are often present in these types of neighborhood after dark. If you choose to walk through such neighborhoods after dark remember to wear neutral-colored clothing and avoid large groups of people.

In addition, try not to walk on the Eleven Mile corridor during the night-time outside of the Downtown area as it is where many robberies in the city take place.

Always park in a well-lit area during the night time. Lock your doors and roll up your windows. Even during the day time, car burglaries are common, especially when an open window is involved.

Take further precaution regarding your vehicle if you are the owner of a Chrysler vehicle. Chrysler and Dodge automobiles are often targeted for navigation systems and owners of such vehicles may fall victim much easier.

Royal Oak has a significant homeless population in the city, mostly centered around the downtown area and industrial neighborhoods. If you are approached by a panhandler simply state in a firm tone of voice that you do not wish to pay them and walk away.