The Yummiest Bars in Detroit

The Fountain Detroit

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (99) • $$

"This is the restaurant in a shipping container in Campus Martius. Campus Martius is a fun place with food trucks, tables, live music, foosball, ping pong tables, and a beach in summer. We didn't want to stand in line at the food trucks so we went to Fountain where they have table service. Most of the tables are under umbrellas, but some are in the sun. All of the tables are high tables (which is a terrible trend for short people, people with children, etc). Our waiter Andy was friendly and refilled our drinks and checked back with us. It was slow getting our food. All of the food is brought in from a restaurant in Birmingham since there isn't a real kitchen in the shipping container. The lack of space may slow the food prep. We had the chicken sandwich and the falafel sandwich and both were tasty. We thought that the falafel was better than the chicken. They will stay open into the fall. It would be nice if they could serve hot drinks in the winter when the ice skating rink is open. Word of warning: if you are at a table closest to the fountain on a windy day you might get wet."

Grizzly's Wyandotte

★★★★☆ 3.5 (15)

"Great burgers and food, great service! Will definitely go back! Cool neighborhood bar!"

New Place Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (20) • $

"I've visited a few times and had fun each time. They have a game room, TouchTunes jukebox, darts, area for live music and plenty of seating.They don't have any beer on tap. They're likely to run out of beer while you're there. I know from experience. It's so divey that you just have to laugh it off. It can get lively on weekends, but for the most part, it's kinda dead.I can't really explain why I like this place. I don't fit in with the old, white dude populous usually found here. I've had a couple good visits and my bills have been really cheap. I like Jill the bartender. But overall, it's incredibly outdated and rundown but a good place for a cheap beer or shot."

D'Amato's

★★★★☆ 4 (403) • $$

"This is a must visit for lovers of Italian cuisine. The food is presented in a cozy, yet romantic setting. The staff here is very attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. The recommendations made to me allowed me to satisfy my tastes for all I wanted to experience while dining there. Their presentation and portions were satisfying as well as esthetically pleasing."

The Laundry

★★★★☆ 4 (779) • $$

"OMG Becky!!! This is the 4th time coming here. I finally ordered the onion soup, and it was fantastic!!! The Ruben is large enough for two and is also fabulous. Make sure to order some extra sauce on the side. I didn't finish the meal, and I had no room for dessert. The pies are delicious, and it taste like the old days. If you're in the area, make sure to check out the laundry!!! Excellent service too and decent drink specials."

Vinology Restaurant & Event Space

★★★★☆ 3.9 (555) • $$

"Updating my review for brunch - I still think dinner is the stand out here, but if you're looking for a "bottomless" mimosa/Bloody Mary/aperol spritz spot, this is the spot! Vinology is also a great spot for celebratory occasions as they hook it up with free dessert - such a nice touch! For brunch, we had the: * FRESH DOUGHNUTS (cinnamon sugar, raspberry jam) - kind of more like churro/funnel-cake-like circles because of how dense this was but I'm not complaining! Pretty tasty still. * CLASSIC CAESAR (baby romaine, anchovy, parmesan crisps, creamy caesar dressing) - Whole anchovies is bold, but I enjoyed it! * CHICKEN & WAFFLE (buttermilk fried chicken, fried eggs, hollandaise) - the fried chicken on its own tasted kind of dry and underseasoned BUT once I got the runny fried egg going with some maple syrup and hot sauce, then it was actually pretty perfect. Maybe they planned for it to be that way. Also the waffle was a nice malt-y water so no comlaints! * SHORT RIB CHIMICHURRI OMELET (braised short rib, ricota cheese, home fries, toast) - one thing Vinology does VERY WELL is potatoes. Whether they're the stand out french fries or these home fries, they're always well seasoned and have the right texture. The short rib was a smidge dry too but flavorful and the ricotta chimichurri combo helped! *Chilled Plantains - My husband picked this one for his birthday dessert freebie! I thought it was a unique choice but the birthday person gets to choose! It was actually a really tasty dish and I think takes some finesse. It was the perfect temperature - chilled but not frozen and pretty tasty! The service is always great here & our server, Maya, at brunch was lovely - attentive and super friendly!"

Dan's Downtown Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.6 (171) • $$

"Great food, speedy and friendly service, reasonable prices and although the place was at approx 20% capacity with patrons, I was able to carry a conversation without shouting. Noise level in taverns can be obnoxiously loud but not here. It's lively but not over powering. Great place! Will definitely go back again.Recommend the burger with sauteed onions and sweet potato fries."

Walnut Bar

★★★★☆ 3.6 (15) • $

"I stopped in here with some friends for dinner and drinks. We didn't feel like cooking or cleaning, and wanted to sit down and enjoy some ambiance. This place provided that for us. A comfy little bar and grill with a couple pool tables. Seems like the best spot to gather with some friends, and grab a bite to eat as well as some liquid courage. As I was looking over the menu, I couldn't stop looking at the Reuben. And I've been on a Reuben kick lately, so I had to see what this one was about. Let me tell you, this sandwich as DELICIOUS. I don't like how other restaurants have sliced corned beef on the sandwich, making it like a warmed up cold cut. That's something I can make at home or get at Arby's. This sandwich had pulled corned beef on it. That's just how I make them. This has to be the best Reuben I've had at a restaurant. I can't recommend this spot and dish enough."

Lady Of The House

★★★★☆ 4 (352) • $$$

"What a wonderful dining experience. From the cozy decor to the cute china to the excellent service, drinks and food, I wish I could eat here every week.It's a little hard to find, and parking is a bit scarce, but there is a small lot and street parking available. You have to walk into the little courtyard area by BARDA and you'll see the red neon "Lady" sign. It feels like you're walking into a secret space, and I love it. We were greeted warmly and sat right away; they give you tiny cups of tea to welcome you, and it was so nice after walking in from the arctic chill. They have a great cocktail list, and I ordered one with their Lady gin that comes from Detroit Distillery, coconut and lime. It was so tropical and not too sweet - very easy to drink. Just lovely. My friends' cocktails were also delicious - I really liked the one with bourbon and raspberry - kind of like a whiskey sour. We also ordered a bottle of a unique tasting orange wine, it was perfect.As for food, we had the root vegetable frisee salad, shrimp butter with rye toast, carrot steak and the whole roasted chicken. Everything was so good! The standout dish to me was the carrot steak - I heard so much about it and thought it might be overrated, but it definitely is NOT. Do not skip this when you go here. It's truly amazing and I'll return just to get it for myself. It's so buttery with this amazing hollandaise and pistachios...it's so yummy, and even if I try, I'm pretty sure I won't figure out how to make it. If they offered a class teaching how, I'd be the first to sign up! The shrimp butter was velvety and savory, but the star really was the rye bread from the bakery next door...out of this world. Charred and flavorful. The roast chicken is so impressive - served with this savory bread pudding/stuffing type of thing and roasted mushrooms; just delicious. Lots of umami and perfectly cooked; the 3 of us had enough to take home. We really did feel like we were in someone's home. Such a warm, lovely experience on a cold winter night. I highly recommend and can't wait to return."

Bill Fritts' Browns

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (36) • $$

"This is a must stop if you're on the water. The views and location is amazing. They recently redid the bathrooms this season which is great. They have okay food. The Madison burger is very good, but sometimes it comes on Texas toast, which I was not a fan off. I think before I got it on something different. They have good wraps and mozzarella sticks. Strong drinks. Sometimes the servers are hit or miss, but that's because they are usually packed on the weekends. There are a lot of boat slips, but it may be hard to find one mid day on a Saturday. Great loCal! Views! People! Remember though there is no wake out front on the middle channel."

Firehouse Bar And Grill

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (104) • $$

"Stopped in for lunch and a beer. I ordered the club and it was very good. It had sun dried tomato aioli instead of tomatoes on it a stroke of genius. I'm not a fan of tomatoes in the winter. The sandwich was stacked well. Very fresh also. The fries were good. Got a Dirty Blonde beer nice and cold. Service was good."

Garage Grill & Fuel Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (396) • $$

"It's been 10 years since we've been here according to my last help review. My son and I enjoyed great service on the patio during a not so busy Sunday night. I had the antipasto salad and he had the chicken sandwich. Food was great, service great! The only thing I didn't love was that when we pulled up there was one employee smoking on the parking lot (went around the corner to find parking) and another female employee was sitting on a chair outside smoking on the side of the building next to the house. I hate thinking about them touching my food, perhaps get them a break room?"

Bourbons

★★★★☆ 4.1 (297) • $$

"First visit on NYE. Made reservations for 8pm. We am were so surprised that the place was packed. I was concerned about weather and parking so we arrived early, checked in at the desk and had to go across the street to get a drink to wait for our table. Bourbons host sent a text when our table was ready, which was exactly at our reservation time. We sat squeezed in at a two-top along the windows. There's no coat check and no place to put coats and purses which was annoying to have to fight with all the coats at such a small spot for the whole dinner. I ordered a spicy rum cocktail after confirming with the waitress that the drink is spicy. Got the drink, it's was very sweet and tasted like peach but not spicy. She suggested a spicy margarita instead. It came and it was spiced with BBQ seasoning. I thought the rim was tajin but it was hot BBQ or Cajun spice that was smoky. I told her it was fine but it was crap. I didn't want to keep trying. My husband first ordered a bowl of corn chowder. It was more like chicken tortilla soup. No corn but corn flavor, not so much creamy, full of chicken and potatoes. It was smoky and spiced too, which made it taste more like tortilla soup. Our entrees were the Bourbons burger and short ribs. Flavors were good but nothing outstanding. The burger was nicely done and a substantial patty. There were no sauces for the burger and had to get our waitress to get ketchup. Waitress was excellent. She was on top of everything and very gracious. The dining room was very full and loud, even at 9pm. The dining room was well run and turned tables quickly. Everyone was very nice. Glad we tried it was consensus is that we won't be back unless someone asks to go. The food and drinks were underwhelming for the popularity of Bourbons. I am glad we tried it though."

Casey's On The Plaza

★★★★★ 5 (1)

"This extension of Casey's is awesome! I went when they had their Christmas themed drinks and it was super tasty and the servers were nice and quick. We went on a karaoke night and it was fun and cozy environment. I'm excited to go in the summer when there are bands performing outside of McMorran!"

Redcoat Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"What can I say that hasn't already been said about this place? Come here and get a burger and fries. It's got an old feel to it but remains the cutting edge for meat between two slices of bread. Great team running this institution."

Ground Round Grill & Bar

★★★★★ 4.5 (23) • $$

"We ate here on opening night. The food was great. Husband ordered a long island and it was absolutely huge and he said very good. We also started off the night with the nacho app. My only complaint on it is they needed to give you more of the sauce for it. Other than that, it was very good. I ordered the trio fajitas so I could try all three meats with it. Good. The flavor was great but it needed a sauce or something to spice it up. Husband ordered steak which was cooked to his temp perfectly. The steak quality itself was fine but he stated the mashed potatoes were fantastic. And lastly, the dessert. We ordered the trio and OMG The brownies and the fried oreos were absolutely killer. Best dessert I have had in a long time. Couple the great food with the fact that its right by our house, we will def be going back regularly."

The Dive Bar

★★★★★ 4.7 (10)

"Good drinks, affordable, laid back atmosphere. I would come back if I were in this area again."

Harbor Steak House

★★★★☆ 3.6 (106) • $$

"My wife and I had an excellent experience! The atmosphere was warm and inviting. Our server was extremely friendly and knowledgeable, offering great recommendations and making sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal.The new owner is extremely friendly and personable. The food was delicious-- my steak was perfectly cooked. We will definitely be back and highly recommend."

Algonac Harbour Club

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (12)

"Had an outstanding lunch enjoying a nice Summer Shandy with a delicious Shrimp Po' Boy sandwich. I'm sure the beautiful weather and outside Tiki Bar totally enhanced the experience."

Redwood Steakhouse & Brewery

★★★★☆ 3.7 (357) • $$

"I was out on a business trip and I needed to find dinner near my hotel. The guy at our hotel recommended Redwood for the steaks and a house made root beer. I walked in and the hostess asked if I wanted to sit at the bar since I was by myself. So, I took a seat at the bear and was greeted right away.I did learn that the brewmaster was no longer making the root beer, but they did have a nice drink selection. I ordered a 10 oz sirloin steak that came with mashed potatoes and a house saladThe salad came out and it looked pretty nice. It had greens, onions, cranberries, walnuts and bleu cheese. I could have done without the bleu cheese, but it was no biggie.My steak arrived and looked really nice with a demiglace and some veggies on top of it. It was cooked pretty perfectly medium rare. The restaurant itself had a kind of rustic vibe to it. It was also a brewery of sorts and had quite a lot of seating. Our waitress even offered us a discount for staying at our hotel, which was awesome. Overall, the food was good for the value and pretty tasty. I would definitely give it a shot if you are near the area."

The Highline Room

★★★★★ 4.7 (13)

"We went to Plymouth to check out a new restaurant in the area. We both love the charming town. We came across this new spot and decided to check it out. We very much enjoyed ourselves. This is the second location, the other being in Dexter. This spot is located in an old Pharmacy. This place opened very recently, only a couple weeks ago. They had a wonderful craft cocktail menu. They also have flights if you want them. We enjoyed chatting with the bartender and learning all about the concept and future plans. I absolutely recommend checking it out!"

Muldoon's Rochester Hills

★★★★☆ 3.5 (70) • $

"I came here yesterday for trivia, and it was PACKED, so bear that in mind when reading this review. It was my first time at Muldoon's, so I'm not sure how the restaurant is normally.First obstacle when I arrived was parking - the (small-ish) lot was almost completely full. I have a medium-ish sized car (Honda Accord) but couldn't fit in to the one spot that was left, so I had to reverse-park into it. Second obstacle when I arrived was that my trivia team (7 people) was already seated, and there were no chairs to be found. Muldoon's has about half "regular" tables (low chairs) and half barstool-type tables (high tops), and it would have been SUPER awkward had I had to grab a high-top chair to sit at the table with, so I was glad when someone finally located me a chair, as I had spent a few minutes roaming the restaurant trying to find one.I ended up trying a Griffin Claw Norm's Raggedy Ass IPA - which unfortunately was too strong for me, so I only drank like 1/4 of it - and the sliders, which come with chips unless you upgrade to fries. The sliders are reasonably priced ($6.50, as is a regular burger there) and although they weren't anything spectacular, they were tasty. Their drink pricing tends to run all over the place, which is strange - my beer was $4.75 and was on tap (and they have some interesting Michigan brews on tap, like Bell's Two Hearted), but a friend's soft drink was $3, I saw, which seemed really pricey - usually soft drinks are like $2-3 at most places I go, and it's only usually $3 at places like Granite City. I saw another's iced tea was $2.25, too, so I'm not sure why that was cheaper. I'd come back to Muldoon's for trivia but I'd make sure to get there early next time, so as to avoid any chair or parking snafus again."

Shantie Food & Spirit

★★★★☆ 3.6 (21) • $

"Another awesome meal for a ridiculously reasonable price. I had a Rueben for $7.99 that had a large amount of tasty corned beef on nicely toasted rye, and a pile of crinkle cut fries were included in the price.My wife substituted grilled chicken for the fried chicken in a chicken club sandwich. Unlike most places, the grilled chicken was perfectly cooked: thick, moist, and tasty. Only $6.99 with fries included.As before, a giant beer (20 ounces) was only $3 for a premium bock beer. A whisky sour only set us back $3.50.Including coleslaw, the meal for two with drinks only set us back $25. Where else can you get a tasty meal for two with drinks for such a bargain price?"

The Alley Deck

★★★★☆ 4.3 (12) • $$

"If you get a chance to see a show on the Alley Deck, I highly recommend it. The last time I was there I ended up running into old friends, drinking a few too many beers (but just enough, really), and shaking a tail feather a bit, too.Heck, even on a regular day or night without a show, it's a pretty great place to hang out in the fresh air. We only get a limited amount of sunshine and warm weather 'round here, so I'm always on the hunt for good places to spend some time relaxing outdoors. There's a nice canopy area over the bar (which I recommend if you're there during the day), and then a more open area for those who wand to soak in the sun. I don't know the story behind the stained glass panel featuring a gnome and a panther (!?), but I love it, and I also dig that there's a cooking area where you can sometimes grab a hot dog or another bite to eat.The deck's only about a year old, so I think that they are just now starting to book more shows and events to fully utilize the space - but from a few fun times I've already had this summer, I hope they keep it active as a separate venue as well as a place to take a break from a show at the Stick."

Rick's Half Time Bar

★★★☆☆ 2.7 (46) • $

"Ok so I just moved back to the city of Taylor and thought I would try this bar out since it is right across the street. So when we first got in it was packed to the bone. When we sat down we didn't get served til about 10 mins into being there, then we ordered food. The waitress said that it was gonna be about 30 mins. Which is fine but the entire time we were there it took forever to get us another beer but the food took at least an hour and 15 mins, I understand it is packed but damn that took forever, I will say the food was awesome I had a triple bacon cheeseburger and it was very fulfilling. However, the staff was very slow and I really think they need to hire more waitresses and cooks because the wait time was longer than Olive Garden. They were friendly but next time I come here it will be for drinks only and I will sit at the bar so they can see me. Oh and the vibe here is very loud with alot of bearded people lol more of an older crowd though. If I could write 2 and a half stars I would have tho."

Cabbage Patch Saloon

★★★★★ 4.5 (22) • $$$$

"Not sure if I want to let the secret out on this place, but it's truly a good one.Cheap drinks, great selection, laid-back atmosphere, plenty of seating inside, and even some outside. Not too loud and very friendly if you feel like striking up a conversation with someone at the bar, but also lots of tables for you and your friends."

The Fireplace

★★★★☆ 3.6 (34) • $$

"Over the past few years, The Fireplace has seen new owners, some great changes but still that great local spot for a burger and a beer. Don't sleep on this little gem on the north side of Lake Fenton - THE best burgers in the area, great customer service and continuous improvement by the Gilbert's. Don't want to head out on the town but rather eat at home in front of your favorite show, move or sporting event? They offer to go as food as well!"

Madhouse Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.9 (162) • $$

"I'll keep this one short.Family owned, so that's a plus.Good service.The place was clean and pretty busy for a weekday afternoon.I had a burger and fries. Nothing special. Everything tasted good and was very reasonably priced.If I lived nearby I'd probably come here a lot. You should think about dropping by if you do."

Jacobsen's Mountain Inn

★★★★☆ 4.2 (16) • $$

"Mountain inn the wife and i stopped in for dinner its a nice clean place friendly staff wige wanted pasta but thought at 16.00 was a little expensive she decided on the fried chicken sandwich it came nicely prepared the chicken was bigger than the bun the lettuce and tomato were fresh i had the 1/2 # bacon cheeseburger the meat is of good quality fresh veggie toppings cooked perfectly onion rings are really good cooked thoroughly and not greasy was a really nice dinner will definitely be back"

Sava's

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"We had the pleasure of dining at Sava'sfor an official dinner, and it was an absolute delight! I booked a table for my team, and it turned out to be an excellent choice. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance set the tone, calm, inviting, and perfect for a peaceful evening. It provided the ideal setting for us to unwind and connect after a long day.The food was simply amazing, every dish was crafted to perfection and bursting with flavor. The service was impeccable, ensuring our experience was smooth and enjoyable. I'm so glad I suggested this place, and it did not disappoint. Great food, a relaxing atmosphere, and a wonderful evening overall.Sava's is a fantastic spot for a team dinner, whether you're looking to relax after a long day or celebrate something special. Highly recommend it for its delicious food and serene atmosphere!"

Steis's Village Inn

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (77) • $

"If you looks for Great pizza and a small town feel with cheap drinks this is the one in town for sure."

Mint 29

★★★★☆ 3.8 (363) • $$$

"I've had the Filet multiple times here and I can't honestly say that it is without a doubt the BEST STEAK I have ever had. The dry age on it creates this amazing bark from the grill and it is ALWAYS seasoned to perfection. I choose Mint29 over any other steakhouse any day of the week."

They Say Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (211) • $$

"Excellent service from the parking lot to inside. Staff was very friendly and full of smiles, you can tell they liked being there and we were more than welcome to come in and enjoy ourselves. It was quiet and the ambiance made you feel right at home. Our waitress was super nice and made sure we were well taken care of. I ordered the fried wings that were cooked to perfection in looks and taste. The BBQ sauce looked really nice, a little bit too tangy for my tongue but good! We will most definitely return with a few more friends."

Zef’s Dockside Bar & Kitchen

★★★★☆ 3.5 (192) • $$

"I went for Sunday brunch for my brother's bday. The windows were open and a great breeze was coming in off the water making a perfect temperature for dining. We started with calamari, bourbon glazed Brussel sprouts and truffle fries. All were delicious and large portions. I ordered the spicy margarita for my drink and I loved the hint of spice. Sometimes the jalapeño is overpowering but this one was great & strong. For my entree I selected the fried green tomato blt with sweet potato waffle fries. The sandwich is huge, I could inky finish 1/2 of it and took the rest home . I wish they had a honey dipping sauce for the sweet potato fries but they were crisp and evenly salted. The service was fast and friendly. Keep in mind 20% gratuity is added on parties of 6 or more."

Hazel's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (394) • $$

"I finally tried the warmed lobster roll, and wow--what a treat. The lobster was perfectly cooked, tender, and flavorful, but what really sealed the deal was the buttery toasted roll. It was golden, soft, and basically the perfect vessel for all that deliciousness. Every bite felt indulgent and satisfying. That being said... it was *expensive*. If they knocked a few bucks off, I'd be back in a heartbeat. For now, it's a "treat yourself" kind of meal--delicious, but definitely not an everyday splurge."