The Eighteen '97 Smokehouse was located at 2156 West Jefferson Avenue in Trenton, in a converted house that was actually built in 1900. The building now houses Savannah's.
Experience and history
- As written by Bill Fry on a 2001 advertisement he posted to Facebook in February 2016:
Starting in the Spring of 2002, I ate there often and enjoyed every meal. As I recall, the owner of this awesome eating establishment was a middle-aged Man named Al. He had a beautiful blonde Daughter, who would wait with Me at the bar while My carry-out order was being prepared, because She was the Host with the Most.
On weekends, this place did a lot of business, like most Downriver Restaurants do. However, during the work week, what kept this place going was all the pleasant patronage from the delightful Doctors and nice Nurses who ate there frequently for lunch or dinner. It was close and convenient for them since they would walk over from Riverside Hospital, which was directly across West Jefferson. If they didn't bring a brown bag lunch or want to eat in the cafeteria, they would jay-walk in large groups of 10 to 20 people straight across the street. Anyway, Al had a good thing going until that old Hospital closed in 2002. About a year after Riverside shut down, I was talking to Al and He told Me that when the Hospital closed it "Killed" His business. This Restaurant carried on for a few years but couldn't continue without that hungry Hospital staff to feed. They do have an ad in the 2005 Downriver Directory but it's only half the size of this earlier ad. I know He hated to, but Al eventually turned out the lights one last time.
Although this Historic Restaurant is long gone, many marvelous memories remain.
