In Michigan, during what feels like an eternity of hopelessly cold and grey weather, we grow wearier and wearier with each salt-stained puffy parka, every car battery failure, and every snowfall that makes the most benign errand into an epic saga of inconvenience. We crave Vitamin D, sleeveless tops, and being able to drink frosty beverages without looking like a total freak. Well, good news, folks. It's fucking hot again. That's right, it's practically summer and our frizzy, humidity-fried hair is proof that it is officially time to chill out. Thankfully, metro Detroit restaurants and bars know how to cool us down and light us up with boozy slushies and milkshakes. Pack some Lactaid, brace yourself for the inevitable brain freeze, and do your best to push the following fact to the back of your brain: Autumn is just 104 days away. Cheers!
20 Detroit area bars and restaurants serving boozy frozen beverages to beat the heat
By Metro Times editorial staff on Mon, Jun 14, 2021 at 11:56 am
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UFO Factory
2110 Trumbull St., Detroit; ufofactory.comSummer has landed, which means it's time to cool off on UFO Factory's cloud deck with one of the club's summery drinks. The Beach Boi comes frozen and is composed of dark rum, fernet, coconut cream, tamarind, fresh lime, and is described as a favorite of amaro lovers and the discerning palates of service industry folks. Well, damn. Catch you in the clouds, y'all.
Photo courtesy of UFO Factory
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MotorCity Wine
1949 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-483-7283; motorcitywine.comMotorCity Wine has one of the more unique frozen boozy beverages in town and that's because they offer wine and sangria slushies just like the good lord intended. For their highly boozy slushie, they don't use the bottom shelf wine. Instead, they use open bottles from the pour list and add some passionfruit and well, the rest is history. Frozen, boozy history.
Photo via @MotorCity Wine/Instagram
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The Skip
The Belt, Detroit; theskipdetroit.comThis tropical cocktail bar located in the Belt is a must-visit for anyone to cool down while also looking very cool. Of The Skip's tropical, refreshing, and boozy bevs it is their watermelon Frosé (that's frozen rosé for the uninitiated) that might be the most summer-fied drink in town.
Photo via @The Skip Detroit/Instagram
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Taqueria Mi Pueblo
7278 Dix St., Detroit; 313-841-3315; mipueblorestaurant.comThis family-owned Mexican mainstay serves up massive goblet-sized margaritas that can be served on the rocks or blended and come in a variety of flavors. They also have daiquiris, which also come blended, as well as a whole delicious, boozy mess of classic Mexican cocktails, beers, and concoctions.
Photo via 4 of 19
Browndog Barlor & Restaurant
120 E. Main St., Northville; 248-675-8596; browndogbarlor.comSome restaurants are within a destination city, while others, like Browndog Barlor, are the destination. It specializes in craft ice cream and creative liquor combinations and each of their hand-scooped milkshakes are topped with house-made whipped cream. The Drunken Muppet is made from Kookie for Cookies ice cream, chocolate vodka, dark chocolate liquor, house-made whipped cream, and cookie pieces. And then there's the Creamsicle, made with blood orange coconut ice sorbet and vanilla vodka. Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut has a lot going on, with boozy bourbon pecan ice cream, frangelico, Wild Turkey, caramel drizzle, house-made whipped cream, and candied walnuts.
Photo via Browndog Barlor/Facebook
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Mercury Burger Bar
2163 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-964-5000; mercuryburgerbar.comAt first glance, dairy and booze do not seem like a desirable combination. Upon first taste, however, it's clear that Mercury Burger Bar has stumbled on something remarkable: the boozy milkshake. Made with Guernsey ice cream, their offerings include the Southern S'More which features Mercury's signature s'more shake base with Bulleit Bourbon; The Funky Monkey is made with chocolate, Bailey's and 99 Bananas liquor; And, the Detroit classic, Hummer comes with vanilla ice cream, a shot of Cafe Lolita, dark rum, and whipped cream.
Photo by Tom Perkins >
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Batch Brewing
1400 Porter St., Detroit; 313-338-8008; batchbrewingcompany.comBatch Brewing has all the beer to keep you hoppy including some very frozen options. Sure, they've got their standard beer slushie (who knew you could even do that) they also have a raspberry beer slushie, which combines ZRBBT, raspberry, simple syrup, and vanilla. Only downside is they don't offer bucket-sized servings which is probably for the best, medically speaking.
Photo via Batch Brewing/Facebook
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Motor City Gas
325 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak; 248-599-1427; motorcitygas.comIf a revolving variety of small batch whiskey made in-house, as well as bourbons, heirloom styles, and moonshine are your bag, Royal Oak's Motor City Gas is your spot. But, there's more. They have something called a bourbon creamsicle slushie, and for that we will never be the same.
Photo via Motor City Gas/Facebook
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Honest John's
488 Selden St., Detroit; 313-832-5646; honestjohnsdetroit.comDitch that FOMO for a big ol' glass of FROMO — which is always on the menu at Honest John's, where hangovers are made and cured. Oh, but back to the FROMO. For mimosa lovers, HJ's frozen mimosas come in classic orange juice and strawberry varieties.
Photo via Honest John's Detroit/Facebook
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Detroit Fleat
1820 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-607-7611; detroitfleat.comListen up slushie lovers, this one's for you! Detroit Fleat — Ferndale's food truck park — has a rotating selection of spiked slushies, er, slooshies in mouth-watering, liver-stressing flavors like blueberry lemon, peach cobbler, salty dog, blue mother trucker, French Martini, caramel apple, pineapple upside down cake, Superman, and, like, so many more.
Photo via 10 of 19
Bobcat Bonnie's
Various locations; bobcatbonnies.comThis locally-owned chain of veggie-friendly, hangover-curing gastropub always have frozen boozy bevs on tap and, lucky for you/us/everyone each Bobcat Bonnie's location has their own unique offerings so you can keep your tastebuds — and alcohol tolerances — on the up and up.
Photo courtesy of Bobcat Bonnie's
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Pinky's Rooftop
100 S. Main St., Royal Oak; 248-291-6506; pinkysroyaloak.comGet the ol' Instagram machine fired up because Pinky's Rooftop in Royal Oak is the picture perfect — and very pink — place to beat the heat. In addition to eclectic small plates and colorful cocktails, Pinky's also has what they call Pinky's Ice Pops. Hardly the popsicle of your childhood, these treats come with a base of either brut rose or prosecco and your choice of "pop," which includes raspberry bubble vodka, mango bango rum, or strawberry lavender gin.
Photo via Pinky's Rooftop/Facebook
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Grandma Bob's
2135 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-315-3177; grandmabobs.comPizza and a milkshake with a buzz? That's what's on deck at Grandma Bob's in Corktown. In addition to their creative and vegan-friendly pizza pies (the Big Mack tastes just like a Big Mac, for real) Grandma Bob's has a selection of boozy milkshakes that grandma would likely not approve of. There's the chocolate fernet, chocolate Baileys and strawberry shake, a vegan fernet menta, and the white blossom, which comes with vegan vanilla ice cream, Valentine White Blossom vodka, lavender syrup, topped with almond whipped cream and fruity pebbles.
Photo via Grandma Bob's/Facebook
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Detroit City Distillery
2462 Riopelle St., Detroit; 313-338-3760; detroitcitydistillery.comThis Eastern Market distillery is turning up the heat, er, keeping it chill this summer with a selection of boozy popsicles including, the Trainwreck (Gilded Age Vodka, Michigan cherry, raspberry, lemon), Bananaphone (Summer Rum, banana, lime, molasses spice), Blueberry Gimlet (Railroad Gin, blueberry, lime), and the Whiskey Sour (Bloodline Whiskey, strawberry, lemon, lucuma).
Photo via Detroit City Distillery/Facebook
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The Grotto
303 S. Ashley St., Ann Arbor; 734-369-4212; thegrottobar.comThe Grotto in Ann Arbor has a special message for lovers of boozy frozen bevs: margarita and mojito slushies hath returneth! That's it. That's the blurb.
Photo via The Grotto/Facebook
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Port
116 E. Troy St., Ferndale; 248-546-3696; portferndale.comWe apologize in advance for the song that is likely about to enter your brain and refuse to leave which could jeopardize your relationships, career, and general mental health but if you like Pina Coladas Port in Ferndale has frozen and blended goods. ... and gettin' caught in the rain. Hey, we said we're sorry.
Photo via Port Ferndale/Facebook
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Valentine Distilling Co. Cocktail Lounge
161 Vester Ave., Ferndale; 248-629-9951; valentinedistilling.comGet sloshed on slush at Valentine Distilling Company's cocktail lounge where they serve up a Detroit-inspired slushie. The distillery uses its Liberator gin paired with Vernor's ginger ale with a hint of raspberry and lime juice.
Photo via Valentine Distilling Co./Facebook
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MGM Grand Detroit
1777 Third St., Detroit; 877-888-2121; mgmgranddetroit.comMost of life is a gamble, right? Every decision has a consequence. Some things, however, such as ordering a cool boozy treat from MGM Grand Detroit's 32° lounge, are instantly rewarding. Frozen daiquiris, margaritas, and frozen craft brews are among 32° frosty offerings.
Photo via MGM Grand Detroit/Facebook
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The Charlevoix
14927 Charlevoix St., Grosse Pointe Park; 313-458-8448; thecharlevoix.comIn addition to offering frosé, a frozen margarita (tequila, cointreau, lime) and a frozen mule (vodka, lime, ginger beer), The Charlevoix also has a Jim Beam orange-based frozen drink made with vanilla vodka, amaretto, and citrus called Fred the Push. Might as well push that drink right into our faces.
Photo via The Charlevoix GP/Facebook
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