For the regulars who have been going to Nancy Whiskey for many many a year, who knew what a little hidden treasure it was, Mary Lawson Alexander put it best on the bar's Facebook page:

"Our best kept secret has gone national . . . bittersweet, happy for you guys!"

Alexander's post refers to a commercial for Long John Silver's which talks about the Nancy Whiskey's fish fry.

Stories have been written about the bar at 2644 Harrison St. in Detroit's Corktown, including in Deadline Detroit.

But a national TV spot --well, that's a whole different ball game.


Friday's draw was fried cod ($8.95) or lake perch ($12.95) and "the BEST Cole slaw you'll ever have," the restaurant posted on Facebook with this temptation.

The voice on the commercial says:

America loves a fish fry. And In the Corktown part of Detroit, there's a place called Nancy Whiskey that's famous for one. Nothing fancy, just a tasty good time.

But you don't have to go to Nancy's for a fish that taste that special. Saturday, August 2, Long John Silvers free fish fry is on. Get one piece of our crispy golden fish, plus fries, absolutely free. Long John Silver's; we're America's fish fry.

Well, needless to say, as that commercial aired in recent days, the spotlight was on Nancy Whiskey. Publications started writing about it, and according to media reports, people were calling the bar.

“We’re getting calls from all over the country,” owner Gerald Stevens tells the Free Press. “They’re calling and saying that they’re coming here for a vacation and don’t want to miss the fish fry.”

On Friday, business for its fish fry was brisk, according to the Nancy Whiskey Facebook page and the Free Press article. 

The Nancy Whiskey Facebook page posted this: 

Good news folks... The Fish Fry was Awesome and all of you made it fantastic!! Thank you for the sincere compliments ... The food & guest were great!

For anyone who missed the Fry, we will be hosting every Friday Fish Fry from 3 - 8 pm (perhaps a little sooner). . . . See you next week  Thank you from all of us at Nancy Whiskey !!!

Stevens told the Freep that there was steady flow of customers on Friday and some customers ordered four or more dinners at a time.

Also read: Detroit's Iconic Eateries Flourish In Vanishing Neighborhoods (Deadline Detroit)