With the holidays approaching, you may need a spot to bring your out-of-town relatives for a drink. Or, you may be the one making a stop in your hometown and need some time away from family to destress. Well, we made a list of Detroit area bars where you probably won’t have to relive your past by seeing old friends either way. Some are dives, some are trendy, but all should hopefully keep you away from people you don’t want to see. (We can’t guarantee it though, unfortunately.)

Northern Lights Lounge 660 W. Baltimore St., Detroit; 313-873-1739; northernlightslounge.com This bar offers live music some nights and great happy hour specials. Plus, the nice outdoor patio provides a way to escape, just in case you do see anyone familiar. Credit: Dig Downtown Detroit, Flickr Creative Commons
Lenny’s Bar 15045 Mack Ave., Detroit; instagram.com/lennysbardetroit Just opening in October 2023, many people don’t even know about this spot yet. The owners bought what used to be Clyde’s East Bar and turned it into a new modern “neighborhood dive.” Credit: Instagram, @lennysbardetroit
Bumbo’s Bar 3001 Holbrook St., Hamtramck; 313-285-8239; bumbosbar.com Often full of Hamtramck locals and hipsters, this artsy bar is perfect for a chill vibe. Credit: Instagram, @bumbos_bar
Room 1904 624 Brush St., Detroit; 313-962-7067; jacobysbar.com Established in 1904, Jacoby’s is a piece of history in the city that everyone should visit at least once. Last year, a speakeasy-style cocktail lounge called Room 1904 opened in its upstairs space. This gives visitors two different experiences in one. Credit: Shutterstock
Standby 225 Gratiot Ave., Detroit; 313-241-5719; standbydetroit.com If you’re looking for specialty cocktails, head downtown to this cool little bar. Credit: Facebook, Standby
Gigi’s 16920 W. Warren Ave., Detroit; 313-584-6525; facebook.com/GigisDetroit One of Detroit’s best gay bars is a perfect place to stray away from the local crowd. See a drag show and dance the night away. Credit: Facebook, Gigis Gay Bar
New Dodge Lounge 8850 Joseph Campau St., Hamtrmack; 313-638-1508; thenewdodgelounge.com This place is getting a little more trendy for sure, with new events happening weekly. But, it’s still a good chill spot to see smaller music acts. Credit: Viola Klocko
Alley Bar 112 W. Liberty St., Ann Arbor; 734-662-8757; a2alleybar.com This upscale dive bar offers cheap beers as well as fancy cocktails. Hopefully, University of Michigan students don’t overcrowd the place, but you can at least hide among them if so. Credit: Facebook, Alley Bar
The Painted Lady 2930 Jacob St., Hamtramck; 313-874-2991; paintedladylounge.com If you want a dive bar to sit back and relax at, this is the spot. You may get to acknowledge a fellow bar regular, but most likely won’t have to engage in any real conversation. Credit: Facebook, The Painted Lady Lounge
The Sugar House 2130 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-962-0123; sugarhousedetroit.com This cocktail bar is more high class but has an ambiance that makes you want to stay for hours. With friendly bartenders and delicious drinks, why not treat yourself? Credit: Facebook, The Sugar House
The Regal Beagle 817 E. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti; 734-961-7045; regalbeagleypsi.com For the hungry ones, head to this eclectic place to try “Michigan-style” barbecue. The dive bar is full of punk rock types and usually has some type of live music show or event going on. Credit: Facebook, The Regal Beagle
The Ghost Bar 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-832-5700; thewhitney.com Legend has it The Whitney is one of the most haunted places in Detroit. Well, the historic building opened up The Ghost Bar so Detroiters can get even more spooked with some alcohol in their system. The quiet little spot has specialty cocktails and lots of absinthe. Credit: Facebook, The Ghost Bar
Temple Bar 2906 Cass Ave., Detroit | facebook.com/TempleBarDetroit For a place to kick back with chill drinks and vibes, check out Cass Corridor hangout Temple Bar. It hosts monthly parties nearly every weekend with resident DJs. Credit: Lee DeVito
Best Bottle Selection (Detroit) Ye Olde Tap Room 14915 Charlevoix St., Detroit; 313-824-1030; taproomdetroit.com Photo from Ye Olde Tap Room / Facebook Credit: Facebook, Ye Olde Tap Room
Best Happy Hour for Drinks (Wayne) Grand Trunk 612 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-961-3043; grandtrunkpub.com Credit: Instagram, @grandtrunkpub
Tap Room 201 W Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti, 734-482-5320; taproomypsi.com The old neon sign flaunting a bubbly martini draws people into this Ypsi dive. Every Thursday, the spot hosts an open mic with house band the Martindales, where visitors and Ypsi residents enjoy local artists getting on stage to perform. Credit: Facebook, Tap Room
Small’s Bar 10339 Conant St., Hamtramck; 313-873-1117; smallsbardetroit.com When you’re trying to not see a lot of people, small is the perfect trait. Local bands and comedians often stop at Small’s to perform, so all you need to do is chill out and enjoy the show. Credit: Facebook, Small's
The Old Miami 3930 Cass Ave., Detroit; 313-831-3830; oldmiami.business.site If you hit the Old Miami on the weekend, you may see an old friend. But during the week, no one will bother you. Play some pool, take a rest on the couch, and sip on some brews. Credit: Facebook, The Old Miami
Abick’s Bar 3500 Gilbert St., Detroit; 313-894-9329; detroitpolonia.org/abicks-bar With an awesome atmosphere and drinks, this is one of the few neighborhood dive bars in the city that has gone mostly unchanged. Credit: Facebook, Abick's Bar
Powell’s Pub 625 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti; 734-484-1484; facebook.com Coining itself as “Ypsilanti’s 5 star dive bar,” Powell’s is always packed with locals, mainly because of the cheap drinks, great wings, and grimey but at-home interior. If you know your friends aren’t regulars here already, they probably won’t start visiting now. Credit: Facebook, Powell’s Pub

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Layla McMurtrie is the digital editor of Detroit Metro Times. She's passionate about art, music, food, and Detroit's culture and community. Her work has been featured in the Detroit Free Press, Between...