Jazz club in Detroit: Staff Pick

Baker's bills itself as "The world's oldest jazz club," and, in the club's 76-year history, almost every jazz musician of national importance has played its bandstand. Baker's complements the music with some amazing down-home cooking, their catfish being a true showstopper. Live entertainment nightly, with metro Detroit's finest local musicians every weekend.

Anyone can show up here. Detroit's only late night jazz club serving up Cajun catfish and red beans and rice all night long. It's not common to find a bar where everyone seems to know each other and yet newcomers don't feel excluded. Dozens of regulars turn up Thursdays for the open mic jazz jam sessions. Bert's serves the music fans bargain-price soul food from rows of steam tables: meat and two sides for nine bucks, or up to $25 for a whole slab of ribs. In keeping with Bert's bare-bones, working-class atmosphere, their food is more down-home than much of the soul food you find in restaurants, which has often been upgraded from its humble origins.

Stepping into the newly restored art deco live jazz bar with an even more recently opened kitchen is to arrive in another era. Before the stage, the main area is separated into two spaces: One with round, candle-lit tables, the other, a stunning curved bar. All this sits below massive barrel-vaulted ceilings. All this ambience comes from pricey restoration work done in 2006 to make today’s Cliff Bell’s look like the Cliff Bell’s of 1935. That and the way they mix a cocktail. Neither cheap nor fast, mixed drinks are crafted old-school, more for taste than ease of production. With everything from a standard fillet of beef tenderloin to cassoulet, the French-inspired eclectic food menu speaks for itself. Try the duck confit on a buttermilk biscuit with cranberry jam for a small plate reduction of Thanksgiving dinner. Hedonists will go for a chunk of tender braised pork belly (otherwise known as bacon when cured and smoked) that comes plated with a rich, spicy sweet cider sauce, roasted fingerling potatoes and a pinch of cracklings for good measure.

The beautifully remodeled Firefly Club presents quality jazz, blues, big band and swing acts, seven nights a week, featuring artists on the national and local scenes. The club boasts a state-of-the-art sound system and a new dance floor. The Firefly Club is also available to rent for private parties, receptions, dances, workshops and seminars. Check our Web site for a current calendar of events, pictures and descriptions of all bands playing at the Firefly.

Popular spot for afternoon networking and late night clubbing! Located in a beautiful historic building near Greektown. Known for its magnificent bar and live entertainment. Appetizers, sandwiches, soulfood. Live jazz, R&B and top-40.

Best of Detroit 2002
Best place to move and shake
You can tell by the bottlenecked line of glimmering Jags, Beemers, Mercedes and SUVs lined up for valet parking that this is a nightspot where the Motor City’s elite come to meet. The food’s OK, but that ain’t the point; it’s the tailored clientele and top-shelf booze that really sets Flood’s apart. And when the band kicks on, the place really starts to thumpin’. Precaution: Don't wear jeans and flip-flops.

The Magic Bag is one of metro Detroit's premiere entertainment venues and plays host to both local and national touring acts and artists. Those that have played the Bag include The Black Keys, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Violent Femmes, The Smithereens, White Stripes, Dandy Warhols, Leon Russell, Los Lobos, Fitz & The Tantrums, Gov't Mule, Jeffery Ross, Whitney Cummings, Amy Schumer, Chris Hardwick, and Marc Maron. The Magic Bag has been voted 'Best Venue To See Live Music' for 20 years running by Hour Magazine, The Detroit News and Free Press, WDIV Channel 4, and The Metro Times .