DETROIT (WWJ) -- The Cadieux Cafe on Detroit’s east side has been offering up mussel dinners, live music and feather bowling to its dedicated regulars for decades.
But did you know that this neighborhood anchor is also rumored to be one of the most "spirited" places in the Motor City? And we’re not talking about their diverse drink selection…
On this special spooky episode of The Daily J podcast, WWJ’s Zach Clark and Annie Scaramuzzino explore the enigmatic cafe that’s been bringing Belgian food, fun and frights to the masses for nearly a century.
Detroit is home to several prohibition-era bars, each of which brings its own unique history to the table.
For the Cadieux Cafe, it’s the deep celebration of Belgian culture that has made it a popular destination for Detroiters and tourists alike.
Founded by Belgian immigrants in the early 1930s, the Cadieux was purchased in 1962 by Robert and Yvonne Devos, who continued to weave aspects of the Belgian culture into every element of the bar while also bringing the addition of live music.
The Cadieux has developed a reputation for its Belgian beer and food, and for housing clubs interested in cultural pastimes like pigeon racing, archery, bicycling and, of course, feather bowling.
In fact, the bar remains one of the only places in the United States where you can participate in the unique sport of feather bowling, which resembles Bocci, horseshoes, and curling.
The former speakeasy’s festive reputation was enough to draw the late Anthony Bourdain to the bar in 2009 when he profiled the Cadieux on his popular show, “No Reservations,” giving it rave reviews.
The Devos family continued to operate the Cadieux Cafe until ownership changed hands in 2018, at which time Paul Howard, co-owner of Cliff Bell's, and musician John Rutherford purchased it with the intention of carrying on its many traditions.
Indeed, the bar’s welcoming atmosphere, along with its unique cuisine and activities, keep Detroiters coming back time and again — but does that even extend to the afterlife?
Through the years, the Cadieux Cafe has become known as one of the most haunted places in Detroit, and paranormal activity has been reported by workers and patrons alike.
Similar to most supernatural legends, there are various theories about why these hauntings are taking place.
Some suggest that the spirits are those of the former Cadieux Cafe owners, Yvonne and Robert Devos, who have continued to look over their beloved bar.
Yvonne is said to be seen wearing blue dress and sitting at the same table in the Cadieux, which is placed near the entrance of room housing the feather bowling lanes. Meanwhile, some believe they have spotted apparitions of Robert in the bar's basement.
Another legend says that a man who was hit by a car outside the bar can sometimes be seen darting across the road towards the building before vanishing.
Owner John Rutherford explains that the most frequently experienced phenomena reported by bar staff includes objects inexplicably falling from shelves, doors closing on their own, and items disappearing from one spot, just to reappear in another.
While speaking with Jon Milan and Gail Offen, co-authors of the book “Michigan Haunts: Public Places, Eerie Spaces,” Milan relayed a story from a bartender who had a strange experience late one night at the Cadieux with someone he initially believed to be a straggler.
“[He saw] a woman come out of the ladies room after hours, and he looked at her and said, ‘Ma’am we’re closed.’ And then she just absolutely disintegrated in a big flash of vapor,” Milan explained. “And he decided it was time to go home.”
Robert Devos -- son of the late Ron Devos, who ran the bar with his nephew Paul Misuraca for many years -- says that while his dad was a big believer in the paranormal, he was more apathetic on the subject.
But after Robert and his dad participated in an overnight ghost hunt at the Cadieux, he walked away a believer.
“Unexplainable things happened to where, if you were family and you ask a question only certain people would know, and things are responding to that, it was pretty crazy,” Devos said.
In the end, the Cadieux Cafe is more than just a neighborhood bar; it's an active piece of Detroit history that continues to carry on traditions that are special to the Belgian culture, and to our region.
Whether you’re looking to enjoy some live music, feather bowling, and delicious food, or hoping to have some sort of paranormal encounter — you’ll find it all at the Cadieux.