Prues Bar

This is the bar where I bought my first beer. I started going to this bar 20 years ago (I'm 36 now) This is the quintessential dive bar. It is a place where the beer is cold and shots are overflowing. I don't think the owners have even heard of a jigger before. I will always have a sentimental feeling for this place. I learned to play cricket with some serious dart players and how to sand a shuffle board (It's gone now). They also have an eclectic jukebox. However, I have to warn that in typical dive bar fashion, this one is located in a pretty sketchy strip and may not be a place for the jumpy. Fortunately the North Oakland Medical Center (or whatever it is called now) is located across the street. If believe this place has either the oldest or one of the oldest liquor licenses in MI. In sum, if you are looking for a real dive bar, look no further than Prues.

My friends love this place and always rave about what a fun "little hole in the wall" bar it is. So I decided to give it a shot... I have to admit I was a little skeptical because of where it is located but from the moment we walked in everyone was extremely friendly! The drinks are pretty cheap as well so that was a perk. The only reason I am giving it 3 stars is because you can smoke in there and being a non smoker it makes it very hard to enjoy yourself when it's nothing but a cloud of smoke. Not sure that I will go back for that reason but other than that it's a pretty cool place!

It is in a rough part of town. Not quite sure how I stumbled in here...it was surely on a whim.....and many moons ago. CASH only....which always bums me out.They have a jukebox and a few dart boards. Lots of locals where the bartender knows everyone. PBR in a can for cheap. Decent enough selection of booze for the size of the place. Super old building but holding its own.

Are you sick and tired of "nice places"? Me, too! That's why I go to Prues Bar at 724 W. Huron in Pontiac. At Prues, you will NOT find 20 TVs showing everything from Cricket to Australian Rules Football. You will NOT find 20 designer "craft beers" on tap. You will NOT find overpriced appetizers, California wines, a VIP section, or a cigar lounge. There is no live entertainment, and there is never a cover charge.What you will find is a beer joint that probably hasn't changed much since it opened in the 1920s or 30s. The old wooden bar runs the length of the room. There Patty, Janet, Lenny or Jennifer will serve you basic cocktails, canned beer and two kinds of draft. The menu consists of bagged chips and pretzels. Draft beer is a $1.75, except on Wednesdays, when all drinks are reduced by $1. There are a few tables, darts, keno, a jukebox, and a small TV at each end of the bar. You can watch the news or play along with "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy." The vintage metal ceiling is 20 feet high, which is good for non-smokers (the minority) because the smoke of the majority has someplace to go. Ashtrays are metal Altoid cans that can be closed to hide butts should the authorities make an appearance. There used to be a big, lighted sign out front, but a recent windstorm blew out all the glass, and it has yet to be replaced. Most customers are regulars and don't need a sign to find the place. Many of them, in fact, live upstairs and make up a cast of characters to rival the movie "Barfly." You might see anyone from college kids throwing darts to retirees drinking up their pensions to same sex couples dancing with construction workers. One of my favorite people there is a tiny 76-year-old lady named Marlene who was a pro singer and dancer around Detroit back in the day. She now lives upstairs and comes down regularly to sip vodka, hold court, and tell stories.As far as I can tell, Prues is open from early morning until the wee hours--even when you might not expect it to be. Since it's less than a mile from my house, I usually walk up there and back for a little exercise. Not long ago, as I was on my way, there was a sudden power outage up and down West Huron. The streetlights went out, and all businesses were dark and closed within minutes. Still I trudged confidently on through the snow-and-ice-covered, blacked-out urban landscape. I felt like Denzel in "The Book of Eli"--sure of my destination. And when I got to Prues, surely enough, the door was open, and candles were burning on the bar. It was dollar-off Wednesday, so I had a couple of cheap drafts, shot the breeze with the regulars and Jennifer the barmaid--aka "Little Mary Sunshine" with a potty mouth! When I left, more people were coming in, and I heard later they'd stayed open that way until 2:00 a.m., serving customers and making money while every other business on the street was closed. So, if you're looking for a cheap beer and a humble, unpretentious atmosphere, look for Prues. It's a few doors west of the Silver Dollar store, on the north side of the street. If you reach Telegraph, you've gone too far. Look for a big, broken sign holding only a few shards of broken glass, and pull the screen door closed behind you when you walk in! Enjoy!

Crack hoes in the area, but cheap beer prices. Bring a mace and some mace.

This place is such a dingy hole in the wall bar, but I absolutely love it! I always have such a good time when I come here. It's in a seedy part of town so I don't recommend coming here alone, but it's definitely worth checking out with a few friends. Also, keep in mind that it's cash only.

I like a good dive bar, but this place stinks... literally. Decades of people smoking has made this place unbearable. Not to mention they continue to smoke in there and there is no ventilation to speak of. I stayed to choke down my one drink, but had to keep my hand over my mouth and nose, and after I left my cloths reeked horribly.

Great place, great crowd! Always good times. Bad area? Never 1 issue here! Mace not needed! Crack hoes? Well ive never seen any! But i dont go looking for them! If your looking for fun. This is the place!