Before Le Cigar came along, the plaza where it sits between Military and Howard streets on Michigan Avenue was anything but a popular destination in west Dearborn.

But now it’s a thriving area with upscale businesses and some of the most well-known places to hang out on in the area.

Customers enjoying Maestro’s drink specials at the bar.

When owner Najib Rizk first opened the popular cigar and hookah lounge, he also leased the building next door with the intentions of expanding his business, and in April 2008, he did just that with the opening of Maestro’s Restaurant and Lounge.
Since then, business has been good for the elegant, classy restaurant and entertainment hotspot, which features both Lebanese and French cuisine served in a dining atmosphere that includes breathtaking chandeliers and comfortable, roomy booths.

“We’ve been doing really good, especially in these economic times,” said Maestro’s general manager Liliane Moheich. “We get all kinds of nationalities in here and all kinds of people like doctors and lawyers. It’s pretty much been great.”

During the day, Maestro’s is a quiet, relaxing place to enjoy favorite dishes such as shish kabob, shish kafta as well as possible new favorites like crevettes mignonennetes (shrimp sautéed in herbed garlic butter) or coq au vin (chicken breast sautéed with a pan sauce of pearl onions, mushrooms, and red wine).

The place takes on a whole different vibe at night, however, where the focus shifts to drinking, dancing, and mezze appetizers, although customers can still order their favorite dinner entrees. Smoking is also available at the bar area including hookah and cigars with a top-of-the-line ventilation system in the ceiling to keep the air as clean as possible.

Entertainment nights, also known as “Arabian Nights,” take place on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays with a live band helping to heat things up on the dance floor in the center of the lavishly decorated dining room. Wednesday is Ladies Night with no cover charge for ladies. Drink specials are also offered on entertainment nights and are very popular with the late night crowds.

The speakers are state-of-the-art as are the lighting effects while the music is just loud enough to keep the dance floor busy while still allowing people at the tables to carry on conversations.

Most guests can’t help but get into the spirit of the music.

“It’s crazy on entertainment nights, sometimes people even stand up and dance by their chairs,” said Moheich.

Due to the popularity of the entertainment nights, Thursdays will become jazz nights starting November 6th.

Lines can sometimes go out the door due to the popularity of the entertainment nights, so reservations are strongly recommended.

Those who can’t get into Maestro’s often decide to go next door to Le Cigar or vice versa, however, as the two popular lounges have a symbiotic relationship with each other and are connected via doors on the inside.

Customers can stroll back and forth between the two places and combine bills from each side if necessary.

That’s important because the temptation to eat at Maestro’s can be hard to resist once customers have acquired a taste for the restaurant’s popular menu which ranges in price from four dollars for sandwiches to the 30-dollar range for entrees.

Even items that have become routine and unremarkable at other restaurants have the ability to excite customers at Maestro’s.

Moheich said one man thought he was mistakenly given the wrong item after he ordered hummus. He thought it was something else because of the fancy presentation of the dish that Maestro’s has become known for, but he left impressed at how good it tasted.

Maestro’s is located at 22269 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn and is open from 11-2 a.m. everyday and carry-out is also available. For information on drink specials and entertainment nights, call 313-359-1716.