Iconic Greene's Hamburgers stands test of time slinging sliders to customers

Step inside Greene's Hamburgers and travel back in time to a simpler era.

The smell of fried onions on the grill. The simple countertop dining bar. The friendly chatter among strangers.

It's a feel the restaurant at 10 Mile and Orchard Lake roads in Farmington has continued for 65 years.

"It's someplace you can kind of like sit back and chill," customer Susan Anolick of Farmington Hills said. "I can sit here for two hours without even a thought. They know my life, I know theirs."

The slider joint at 24155 Orchard Lake will make its 65th anniversary May 21 and plans for a big party to celebrate the milestone. Guests can expect burger specials, giveaways and more 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. New apparel celebrating Greene's will also be available.

Originally open with two locations on the west side of Detroit, Greene's eventually opened its third eatery in Farmington. The two Detroit locations later closed, leaving the Farmington the lone stand in the company. It was purchased by Dan Sutton's grandfather, and is currently owned by Sutton and his grandmother. 

Getting into the slider business is something Sutton knew was for him early on in life.

"I've always wanted to. I've been around this place my whole life," Sutton said. "I think I started at 14 doing stuff around here.

"I've always enjoyed it. I like talking to people."

Inside, it brings all the classic sensations old-time slider hamburger joints in metro Detroit provide. It's a comforting place, one that brings in guests of all kinds.

One such guest is Anolick. She's a regular at the counter, grabbing breakfast or even just a cup of coffee nearly every day.

Someone who's lived around town since before Greene's was built, she's become a part of the fabric of regular guests sitting at the counter.

"People have changed, but basically it's the best place to come," Anolick said. "I've met a lot of people here, made a lot of friends.

"It's someplace you can kind of like sit back and chill. I can sit here for two hours without even a thought. They know my life, I know theirs."

More:Michigan couple says goodbye to apartment living as they head west to live van life

More:Family heartbroken all over again after Army says WWII soldier's remains still unfound

More:White Castle reopens Redford restaurant after massive renovations

Guests can expect to find much of the same items they could have found decades ago: hamburgers, fries, breakfast. A new addition in recent years, Sutton said, is chicken tenders, a dish that gets served typically to children. That, and now taking credit cards, are the two major changes.

Sutton, a North Farmington High School alumnus who now lives in Northville, said the restaurant typically celebrates more so on anniversaries marking every decade such as 50th and 60th years, but especially with the difficulties stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, they thought marking the restaurant's 65th anniversary was a celebration worth having.

Keeping that feeling is key to the success of Greene's, Sutton said. While life outside can feel hustling and bustling, inside Greene's is a different feel. It's what brings so many people back hailing from all walks of life. 

"You want to talk about a melting pot in this city?" he said. "You will get every walk of life in this place. It doesn't matter who you are."

Contact reporter David Veselenak at dveselenak@hometownlife.com or 734-678-6728. Follow him on Twitter @davidveselenak.