Veterans Day: Free coneys and discounted meals at metro Detroit restaurants

In honor of Veterans Day on Thursday, many metro Detroit restaurants are thanking those who served with special meal deals for veterans as well as active-duty U.S. military. Many of those offers are free meals.

Keep in mind that most restaurants require proof of current or former U.S. military service or that you be dressed in uniform. Some offers are for a limited time. Others continue for a few days.

Here's a sampling of what's being offered from Free Press research, themilitarywallet.com and militarybenefits.info.

Applebee's: Complimentary full-size entrée from a menu of seven. Veterans also receive a $5 card to redeem for dine-in, to-go or delivery meals within three weeks.

Black Rock Bar & Grill: Free steak dinner for all veterans. The dinner includes a side dish and is dine-in only. Available at Michigan locations including Ann Arbor, Canton, Davison, Portage, Grand Rapids, Hartland, Novi, Utica and Woodhaven.

Bob Evans: A free meal to all veterans and active service members. Choose from a menu of seven options.

Bonefish Grill: A 10% discount for all service members, veterans and first responders.

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Buddy's Pizza: Veterans and active service members receive 15% off their bill on Veterans Day for dine-in service only.

Carrabba's: Service members and first responders receive 10% off on any visit year-round.

Chili's: Free entrée for dine-in only from a limited menu of seven items.

Denny's: Complimentary build-your-own Grand Slam to all active, inactive and military personnel. The offer is valid 5 a.m.-noon for dine-in only at participating locations.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Free any size hot or iced coffee with purchase at bakery locations. Offer excludes license stores inside colleges, hospitals, airports and hotels.

Little Caesars: Free Hot-N-Ready lunch combo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at participating stores nationwide. The combo features four slices of Detroit-style DEEP!DEEP! Dish pizza and a 20-ounce Pepsi product.

National Coney Island: The metro Detroit chain is offering two free coneys for veterans and active military.

On the Border: Veterans can choose from its Tex-Mex favorites menu and receive a free pick-two combo. Choose from tacos, enchiladas or soup and salad. All are served with rice and beans.

Outback Steakhouse: Free Bloomin' Onion and Coca-Cola product to all veterans and active military. Outback Steakhouse offers all nurses, doctors, medical staff, military veterans, servicemen and women, police, firefighters, and first responders 10% off their entire bill all year.

Red Lobster: Free appetizer or dessert while dining in. Choose from eight appetizers, including coconut shrimp, or three desserts.

Red Robin: Free Tavern Double burger with bottomless steak fries through Nov. 14 for dine-in or to-go.

Yard House: Complimentary appetizer from more than a dozen offerings.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit: Free pulled pork sandwiches with the code VETFREE in-store for carryout and online for pickup all day. From Nov. 11 through Dec. 31, Barbecue at Home by Dickey's is taking 15% off all orders for veterans with the code VETERAN15.

Mission BBQ: Free sandwich for all veterans and active duty military personnel.

Oak & Reel in Detroit's Milwaukee Junction neighborhood, a contemporary seafood-forward Italian restaurant, has added Mondays to its dinner service. The restaurant will now be open 5-10 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 4:30-9 p.m. on Sunday. Starting Monday and through November, Oak & Reel will offer 50% off bottles of wine priced below $100.

The restaurant from two-star Michelin chef Jared Gadbaw is also reintroducing its Wine Club. The monthly club features curated wines from select regions. For November, wine highlights are from Sicily; December's offerings will be from Lombardy. Oak & Reel's wine club features three tiers. Three bottles (one of each selection) is $100. Six bottles with two of each wine selection is $190, and 12 bottles featuring three each of four different wine selections goes for $360. Wine Club members receive a description of the wines in their package, tasting and pairing notes.

Oak & Reel is at 2921 E. Grand Blvd., Detroit; oakandreel.com.

HBO Max invited fans to celebrate the season premiere of "Love Life" with a four-day series of romantic evenings Oct. 26-29 at eight Black-owned restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit and Atlanta. In case you missed getting a reservation, you can still take part in a romantic dinner at home.

Chef Christina Stanco of Central Kitchen + Bar in Detroit is sharing the restaurants' recipe for Bolognese and the Lover Cocktail. The cocktail features tequila and grapefruit, and the Bolognese is a mix of beef and veal paired with a sauce made with vegetables and San Marzano tomatoes. The recipes are available at theplugbyblk.com.

Contact Detroit Free Press food writer Sue Selasky and send food and restaurant news to: 313-222-6872 or sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter.

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