The menu is limited — there are a few sandwiches; fried chicken buckets ranging from five-piece to 20-piece varieties; and sides such as honey butter biscuits, potato salad, and a banana pudding made of toffee-date cake and bananas foster cream. And the come-as-you-are joint’s nostalgia-inducing ambiance is thanks in part to its wood paneling and checkered floor interior. But this simplicity isn’t a shortcoming; it’s what has made this new spot a standout since it opened in the alley behind the Shinola Hotel last March.

The Penny’s Pigskin platter which comes with 30 pieces of fried chicken, 10 honey butter biscuits, and 2 sauces, as well as the Penny’s Pigskin Picnic, which comes with your choice of 8 fried chicken sandwiches (the classic with city ranch, sweet pickle and hot honey; the k-town cutlet with toasted peanuts, scallion, and kimchi bbq; and the dirty coup with red slaw, crispy shallot, and bacon). Both options come for $80. Pre-orders are available now and will be available for pick-up on game day.

Penny Red’s and its sister game room and sports bar The Brakeman offer both options. Grab a fried chicken sandwich to-go from the pickup window — choose between The Classic, topped with ranch, sweet pickles and hot honey; the K-Town Cutlet with toasted peanuts, chopped scallions and kimchi barbecue sauce; or the Dirty Coup with red slaw, crispy shallots and bacon. Or, order in and share buckets of fried chicken and biscuits with friends.

The Brakeman is an American beer hall featuring rotating drafts of craft beers from the Midwest while serving up fried chicken from neighboring Penny Red’s. Open year-round, The Brakeman’s alleyway features games including Ping-Pong, foosball, and shuffleboard.

I think we were both slightly shocked to find such a great southern fried chicken restaurant in Detroit…but then again it’s DETROIT. Why were we even surprised?. Penny Red’s is located in a new hip boutique hotel in downtown Detroit.