35 essential dive bars you can only find in Detroit suburbs

Goldie’s Saloon

45330 Romeo Plank Rd., Macomb; 586-286-6991
If that “up north” vibe is what you seek, then stop in at Goldie’s Saloon in Macomb. Built in 1874, if the old school charm doesn’t hook ya, the cheap drinks and fish’n’chips will.
Photo via ©Google2019

Full Moon

18204 Jefferson, Riverview; 734-281-3763
More of an inside-out dive. It looks bizarre on the outside, but quite nice on the inside. Definitely a sports bar with a hole-in-the-wall feel. Photo via ©Google2019

Gusoline Alley

309 S Center St., Royal Oak; 248-545-2235
It’s been branded as a grimey rock’n’roll bar hangout for musicians and artists. Some claim it’s just gotten too cool to be considered among the dives. But don’t let popularity deter you from a great bar experience. It has been and will be a Royal Oak staple, so drink it up.
Photo via ©Google2019

Salty Dog

26033 John R Rd., Madison Heights; 248-399-2988
Shiplap paneling from floor to ceiling in this tiny boat of a bar. Of all the dive bars in the area, you choose to be (at) Salty (Dog). Shots away, matey! Photo via ©Google2019

Drinks Saloon

19380 Allen Rd., Brownstown Twp.; 734-479-0260
Roomy dive with an Anywhere, USA vibe going on. It’s a basic name and a basic bar, but they do extraordinary work by hosting fundraisers for the local animal shelter. Photo via ©Google2019

Mel-Bar

17993 Allen Rd., Melvindale; 313-381-3510
Mel-Bar superstar! Take a nosedive on your way to and from the airport with this private getaway in Melvindale.
Photo via ©Google2019

Miller Bar

23700 Michigan Ave., Dearborn; 313-565-2577
Not only are they a great choice for a round of drinks, they boast a “World Famous Ground Round.” For the uninitiated, that translates to “a really good burger for your sud-soaked taste buds.”
Photo via ©Google2019

Ye Olde Saloon

1023 S Main St., Royal Oak; 248-542-5900
At Ye Olde Saloon, you’ll get experience the classic rustic barn house vibe at the tail end of otherwise posh downtown Royal Oak. Great mix of Ye Younge and Ye Olde. Shuffleboard is a bonus.
Photo by Mike Dionne

New Way Bar

23130 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-541-9870
This one screams Ferndale. It’s hip and trendy inside and out, but just divey and cozy enough that you’ll keep coming back for a brew (or five). Checkerboard floor, a teenie-tiny stage, and barbershop barstools add to the experience.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Warrilow’s Bar

2140 Hilton Rd., Ferndale; 248-545-5861
Warrilow’s may be the most underrated Ferndale bar, located off the beaten path of Woodward Ave. But here, karaoke is king, so you better have a couple cans of liquid courage to loosen up those vocal cords.
Photo by Mike Dionne

End of the Park

634 W 9 Mile Rd., Hazel Park; 248-398-1811
End of the Park is a legendary fixture in Hazel Park. Bikers, long-hairs, yellow beards, bald guys, honky-tonks, metalheads, hunters, and just blue collar folk keep the atmosphere humble and laid back. Here, you’ll find nothing but good conversation between the hazy Winston smoke and the clatter of billiard balls.
Photo by Mike Dionne

New Dodge Lounge

8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 313-874-5963
A divey, smoke-filled music venue where the backdrop for the stage is Joseph Campau Ave. Come in, grab a drink, and settle in to listen to some local tunes.
Photo by Mike Dionne

New Dodge Lounge

8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 313-874-5963
A divey, smoke-filled music venue where the backdrop for the stage is Joseph Campau Ave. Come in, grab a drink, and settle in to listen to some local tunes.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Whiskey In The Jar

2741 Yemans St., Hamtramck; 313-873-4154
The run down and dirty charm of Whiskey in the Jar makes it a quintessential Hamtramck bar. The broken tile floor resembles the potholes you drove over to park in the back alley, and you may open the door to a crowded bar. But once you cram yourself inside with other toasty strangers, you learn to let such petty discomforts roll off your back and discover that this is how bars should be.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Marge’s Bar

15300 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe; 313-881-8895
It’s the friendliest sports bar in metro Detroit. And by sports, we mean hockey. And if that’s not cool enough, they host live jazz music. So basically it’s a dive bar that doubles as a jive bar.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Outer Limits Lounge

5507 Caniff St., Hamtramck; 313-826-0456
Just about every dive in Hamtramck is also a really cool music venue, but Outer Limits is also a record label. Music and drinks are their business and that’s the best kind of business.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Eastpointe Pub

18842 E 9 Mile Rd., Eastpointe; 586-491-2341
Fully stocked with regulars, Eastpointe Pub boasts quality karaoke. Eastsiders can get right to the point in this absolutely no-frills pub.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Rusty Nail

35703 Groesbeck Hwy., Clinton Township.; 586-790-4311
Cozy 80s-style rock’n’roll venue that has been known to get a little rowdy. Photo via ©Google2019

Jefferson Street Pub

36611 Jefferson Ave., Harrison Township; 586-463-7000
You can’t go much farther east or you’ll end up in L’anse Creuse Bay. And that’s not the kind of dive we’re talking about. Loud live music, cheap drinks, good food, and friendly, down-to-earth staff are what makes a dive thrive.
Photo by Mike Dionne

Dick Weeds

299 North Ave., Mt. Clemens; 586-329-1302
Yup, the owner’s name is Richard Weeds. The name alone is a draw. Not to mention horseshoe pits, karaoke, and dancing. Dick Weeds feels more like a house party than a dive bar.
Photo by Mike Dionne