The 20 best craft cocktail bars in the Detroit area, right now

By Metro Times editorial staff on Fri, Mar 22, 2019 at 4:16 pm

Detroit may have more of a reputation as a shot-and-a-beer bar type of town, but that doesn't mean we don't have classy cocktails, too. When you need something stronger than beer but nicer than well-whiskey, head to one of these 20 metro Detroit cocktail bars.

Words by Mickey Lyons, Devin Culham

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Willis Show Bar

4156 Third Ave., Detroit
The building on Third and Willis has returned to its roots as a cabaret in the glory days of swing and jazz when it reopened in 2018. Guests can watch local and national acts perform on the bar's stage, which is located directly behind and above the bartenders, as they sip a variety of martinis and pretend they're hanging out with Sinatra.
Photo by Jesse David Green

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Apparatus Room

250 W. Larned St., Detroit
Detroit's world-class hotel deserves an equally stellar bar, and has it in the Apparatus Room. While their food might get most of the critical attention, the Foundation Hotel's bar serves exquisite drinks in a chic, but homey setting. It's just so pretty, the gorgeous glassware alone is worth a visit.
Photo courtesy of @ashmoreaux

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Babs Underground

213 S. Ashley St., Ann Arbor
Not all cocktails need to be served in a faux-speakeasy. Babs Underground, tucked underneath the Schwaben building on Ashley, has a solid list of classic cocktails and a few interesting twists. Plus, there's shuffleboard and free pool on Tuesdays.
Photo courtesy of @babsunderground

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Bad Luck Bar

1218 Griswold St., Detroit
Cocktail wizard Yani Moraitis Frye upped the ante, and the stakes, when he opened this jewel of a bar in a back alley last year. Yes, some (but only some) of the cocktails are pricier than we've seen in years. But that $60 cocktail everyone rages about comes with a 65+ year-old British Royal Navy Rum, so it's worth it. The cocktails are on point, and the service and décor are exactly what you'd hope for from a Detroit Optimist Society venture.
Photo courtesy of @badluckbar

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Castalia at Sfumato

3980 Second Ave., Detroit
A cocktail bar connected to a perfumery may seem worryingly hip, but Castalia takes their scents very, very seriously; after all, the majority of taste comes from our sense of smell. Castalia pairs their cocktails with one of Sfumato's signature scents. If you're feeling a mood, there's a drink and scent at Castalia to match it.
Photo courtesy of @featherstonemoments

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Kiesling

449 E. Milwaukee Ave., Detroit
Newcomer Kiesling quickly managed to become a neighborhood bar for Milwaukee Junction when it opened last spring. Its low-key vibe and streamlined menu belie the skill and experience that goes into developing the menu, including the best Pisco Sour we've ever had.
Photo by Devin Culham

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Lo-fi

220 S. Main St., Lower Level, Ann Arbor
If Ready Player One were a bar, it would be Lo-fi, recently opened in the basement underneath other popular cocktail joint Nightcap. Everything is purple and red and neon, including the giant dragon behind the bar. Plus, there's karaoke to complete this dystopian dream sequence.
Photo courtesy of @mollymeyer19

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Lost River

15421 Mack Ave., Detroit
Near-nightly food pop-ups and a luscious setting have helped the east side's newest tiki bar quickly become one of the hottest spots in the city. Even when it seems like winter will never end, Lost River's tropical rum drinks remind us that summer may someday come.
Photo courtesy of Lost River

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Nightcap

220 S. Main St., Ann Arbor
Sleek, industrial, and polished, Nightcap is the big-brother banker to downstairs neighbor Lo-Fi. The cocktails are every bit as refined, making Nightcap a popular date spot.
Photo courtesy of @the.tailored.pour

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Second Best

42 Watson St., Detroit
Unabashedly '80s, Second Best is the newest venture of sophisticated neighbor Grey Ghost's creators. If anyone can pull off Gummy Bear shots translated into cocktails in a coupe, it's the same people who managed to create their very own version of Zima.
Photo courtesy of @secondbestdetroit

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The Sugar House

2130 Michigan Ave., Detroit
There's a reason Detroit Optimist Society's Dave Kwiatkowski spawned an empire from this formerly rundown spot on Michigan Avenue in 2011. Sugar House staff is on point with every trend in the business, and the meticulous attention to detail shows.
Photo courtesy of @sugarhousebar

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Ghost Bar

4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit
Not to be confused with Grey Ghost, the unassuming Ghost Bar is located on the second floor of The Whitney, the former mansion of Detroit lumber baron David Whitney Jr. The Ghost Bar is shrouded in legend and believed by many to be haunted by the ghost of its former tenant. However, we know it for its tasteful furnishings, live music, and its decadent cocktails like the Duchess of Detroit made with Hennessey VSOP, Luxardo Maraschino, and Dry Sack Sherry.
Photo via The Whitney/Facebook

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The Keep

140 Cadillac Sq., Detroit
The tiny underground bar in the flatiron adjacent to Cadillac Square once served as a mortuary. Currently, it's known as the bartenders' bar. The staff there knows their drinks and enjoys playing around with new combinations and draft cocktails, including the underrated Keep Nutty Alexander.
Photo courtesy of @thekeep_detroit

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The Last Word

301 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor's swanky speakeasy has survived seven years in a town notorious for fast turnaround in bars — despite hordes of broke college students. The secret to the bar's success is its vast menu, skillfully executed by knowledgeable staff.
Photo courtesy of @livvykitcher

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The Whiskey Parlor

608 Woodward Ave., Detroit
When you approach the Whiskey Parlor, it's easy to get confused by its first-floor sister restaurant Grand Trunk Pub. Walk up the narrow stairwell, however, and you'll find yourself in one of Detroit's best-hidden gems. Distinctively dark and serving and abundant list of whiskeys, scotch, and wine, the Whiskey Parlor surprises with it's tastefully curated craft cocktails, like the Spring Smash, made with Detroit City Distillery bourbon, fresh strawberries, mint, lemon, honey, lemon juice, and soda.
Photo via The Whiskey Parlor/Facebook

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Candy Bar

1509 Broadway St., Detroit
Everything here is touched with just a hint of pink, and that's the secret to Candy Bar's glamorous, multi-textured ode to the softer side of cocktail culture. It's like an apothecary set up shop in a Parisian pre-war apartment. A lengthy cocktail list aids guests in choosing by adding descriptions like "Jolly, Wistful, Bright" for the Hyogo Vice.
Photo by Christian Harder

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The Oakland Art Novelty Company

201 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale
One of the OGs of Detroit's cocktail revival scene, The Oakland continues its tradition of stellar drinks in a decadent setting. The bar isn't afraid to push the limits — Oakland had a tiki bar in years past before the latest cropped up — but the staff is perfectly chill and unpretentious.
Photo courtesy of @artnoveltycompany

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Otus Supply

345 E. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale
Otus Supply came onto the scene in late 2016 and has steadily upped its game since then, with the addition of brunch, an interesting lineup of jam bands, and a top-shelf whiskey program. Cocktails are equally varied and adventurous with special emphasis on complex smokey-sweet pairings.
Photo courtesy of @laurajude_

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The Library at the Detroit Club

712 Cass Ave., Detroit
Located in the Detroit Club, the Library is opened in January of 2019 as a cocktail bar that is inclusive to non-members. With comfortable furnishings, wood paneling, and a magnificent chandelier, you'll want to visit the Library for the decor as much as the drinks.
Photo by Wheeler Visual, courtesy of the Library.

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Standby

225 Gratiot Ave., Detroit
When you tell your Lyft driver to drop you off at 225 Gratiot Ave., you may receive some confused looks. From the outside, Standby is relatively conspicuous. The speakyeasy-style cocktail lounge located in The Belt boasts an inventive (and rotating!) cocktail menu. New to the lineup is the Jean Claude Pandan, which features made Coriander Rhum JM, Strawberry chartreuse, CocoPandan, Orgeat, Lime, finished off with a mint leaves and Peychauds bitters garnish.
Photo via Standby/Facebook

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