The Monarch Club

The Monarch Club was the perfect spot for a pre-retreat happy hour with my coworkers! We were met with a warm atmosphere and stunning art deco decor that set the vibe from the moment we arrived. We were lucky to have Gregory as our server; he was fantastic! Not only did he provide attentive service, but he also shared so much fascinating history about Detroit, like its French origins and a list of notable "firsts" for the city. It was a nice touch that really enhanced the experience!We started with cocktails, and they did not disappoint. I went with the Perfect Pear, which was refreshing with a subtle hint of Blanco Tequila; it hit just the right note. My coworkers had the Zesty Granada and Orinoco Dream, both of which they enjoyed. For food, we ordered a few small plates to share: truffle fries, margherita pizza, and crab cakes. The fries were the standout, perfectly cooked with a light truffle flavor. The margarita pizza was also good, and I'd order it again. Unfortunately, the crab cakes fell a bit short. While they had plenty of crab meat, they lacked enough filler for binding, which affected the texture, and there was a bit of an aftertaste we didn't love.We initially sat inside, then moved out to the terrace for our second round of drinks. The terrace was amazing, with a cozy firepit that kept us warm as the sun went down--such a nice touch! Overall, The Monarch Club made for a memorable evening. I'd definitely visit again when I'm back in Detroit, and I'll make a point of asking for Gregory!

All right, all right, I'll rereview the Monarch Club five years later, after saying I'd never return in July 2019. We went out to Detroit last night for a friend's birthday and his wife had booked us reservations here for after-dinner drinks.We arrived on time for our reservation and took the elevator up, they put us at a small indoor table which is what happened to me last time too, but it turned out to be more of a holding table. We were there for about 10 minutes maybe and then got to go outside. It was a 70° night in October which was pretty nice. Some of the tables outside have regular chairs and some have Adirondack chairs, we had the Adirondack chairs and they were very comfortable. Drinks were good albeit pricey, about $20 each. Waitstaff was friendly but a bit slow, otherwise this review might have been four out of five stars.One kind of random, nice thing that happened: a waitress came around asking if our group likes whiskey, I believe it was, and gave us two free glasses - I guess what happened is people had ordered them and then left before they showed up. The whiskey was a little watery but you can't complain about free alcohol. The views here are amazing, of course, I'm just not sure if they're worth $20 a drink. Overall I did have a much better experience here versus last time, and because of that I would consider going back at some point.

Atop the empire hotel this rooftop bar overlooks Woodward and Tiger stadium. There are firepits and tables but none with umbrellas. They have a wide cocktail, beer, mocktail and spirits menu including appetizers. We had lamb meatballs, flatbread and sliders and they were all tasty. They're not large portions and run ~$25.Cocktails were ~$14-20 each which i think is standard. Valet parking is available and not included or Z garage is open and detroit opera garage closeby. Valet was convenient and less $ for us though no cash. If you want the fireplace ask when you make reservations which are absolutely recommended and sometimes of the year required i think. The host who seated us was very helpful.

A favorite spot for us when we are in Detroit. Very elegant ambiance, nicely decorated interior lounge. In the summer you have the added benefit of the rooftop for cocktails and small plates. Service is very good, staff is friendly and attentive. We had the Burrata and Pine-nuts, with Balsamic Glaze and Pesto, it was excellent with good flavors. We also had the Sausage and Pear Flatbread, Italian Sausage, Pear, Goat Cheese, Garlic and Pesto. The flatbread was flaky, buttery and had really good flavor. Of course they do an excellent job on any type of craft cocktail you enjoy. Definitely recommend trying it when downtown Detroit. Reservations highly recommended.

We stopped here before the Tigers game. This was my first time here. Wow!! What an amazing location! The view is AMAZING! We could see the ball park from our seats. We didn't eat but the drinks were superb. The waitress was very busy. But she was smiling and attentive. This has to be gorgeous at night! We will definitely be back!!

Wonderful customer services, yummy drinks, great atmosphere, and an awesome photo op outside! We will definitely be back

Doris approved 4.5Super pretentious. Daniel asked if I was leaving with my drink. I wasn't. My girlfriend and I spent maybe $250 so I just felt like, hey we spent money here. We had an amazing time. I'm not going to leave with my drink. Whatever. Just dampened the mood. Give a girl some grace! Granted we were having a girls night. Ha! ANYWAYS the place is just a must see. In the Summer/Fall with the roof top open and the fireplaces on (honestly I cannot recall for the winter if the roof is open- I think it is)The drink are outstanding the service is just fantastic. The views are unbeatable. Really this is a must visit if in Detroit! The food is OK nothing to write home about. I wasn't impressed last time I went. So hit or miss for me. To get here. You need to go into the hotel, up the elevator, to the pent house. Bingo you are here! You 100% need a reservation. I wouldn't come dressed down. I would be business casual or dressed up.This is pricey. Parking is street or lots. Walking distance to tons! Right off Woodward.

I wish I had enjoyed Monarch Club more, because it's absolutely beautiful and the outside patios have stunning views.However, the service leaves a lot to be desired. My wife and I were coming in to celebrate a special occasion, so I wanted to make sure we had views. I contacted them on Instagram and they suggested I book the "inside tower" as that's the area that has views of downtown, so I did... when we arrived only 4 days later, there was some sort of corporate party in the inside tower, so we had to sit in the bar area, which has no views. Did they not know they were hosting this corporate party only 4 days prior? I felt very misled, and I probably would've booked somewhere else if I knew we'd be stuck in the bar area (which admittedly is nice, just not what I booked or what we were looking for). The servers were also very slow despite it not being very busy at all in the bar area -- I'm guessing most of their attention was going towards the aforementioned company party.Cocktails were average. The charcuterie board we ordered to go along with it was good, but a bit on the small side for the price.I'd probably only come back here for a drink during warmer months, when their patios are comfortable enough to hang out.

Meh... Trying to be fancy foo foo... under impressed..so the view is great..drinks are over priced..and $3.00 extra if you want a ROCK ice cube !!!! It's already a $20 drink! ...no thanks...

I came to visit friends in the city this weekend and we went to the Monarch club for a drink and had a lovely time. We were lucky enough to get Gregory as our waiter. I let him know that it was my first time visiting the city, and he took his time to tell me lots of history about the area. I really appreciated that. He was also extremely knowledgeable about the drinks and made the whole experience very pleasant. Even though it was cold and snowy, we also got some amazing photos out on the rooftop. I would definitely come back!