When it comes to getting a drink, not just any place will do. On a day when you need a no-fuss drink and a conversation with a friendly stranger, there’s no need to head to a high-brow cocktail bar. Instead, grab a local drink from one of these 35 metro Detroit dive bars that are worth the visit.
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 Sentimental Lady Saloon
36509 Jefferson Ave., Harrison Township; 586-465-5230
Sentimental Lady Saloon has been an Eastside favorite since 1980. Even if you’re not from around town, the atmosphere is either so laid back or so rowdy that you’ll find a way to feel right at home.
Photo by Mike Dionne The Gathering Place
3985 John R Rd., Troy; 248-689-2039
This unassuming brick building built opened in 1936 at the corner of John R and Wattles Road and has been a go-to bar “where friends meet” ever since. Plus they have shuffleboard for your drunken pleasure.
Photo by Mike Dionne Madison Club Bar
32275 Stephenson Hwy., Madison Heights; 248-588-4433
The perfect blue-collar hideout for the industrial strip of Madison Heights along Stephenson Hwy. Located near I-75 and a handful of hotels, means that Madison Club Bar is always welcoming new faces.
Photo by Mike Dionne Norm’s Field of Dreams
1090 Rochester Rd., Troy; 248-577-9188
Near the industrial strip of Troy along Rochester Road is Norm’s Field of Dreams. If you pour it, they will come.
Photo by Mike Dionne Inn Place
917 N Main St., Royal Oak; 248-547-6051
It seems impossibly small from the outside, but there’s tons of dimly-lit fun on the inside. Plenty of Royal Oak bars are just too cool for this list, but Inn Place is cool no matter who you are.
Photo by Mike Dionne Trolley Stop
8820 Pelham Rd., Taylor; 313-406-4258
All aboard! Positioned near the train tracks, Trolley Stop offers surprisingly tasty food like the chili mac and cheese, and a couple of arcade games that will get the party started.
Photo by Mike Dionne White Horse Lounge
12859 Eureka Rd., Southgate; 734-283-6620
The door says “No Motorcycle Colors Allowed,” which gives you an idea of the type of bar it is. The aroma of roach weed and urinal cakes welcomes you when you walk in. Yet despite all of this, the crowd is welcoming at this Southgate staple.
Photo by Mike Dionne Dotte Pub
116 Oak St., Wyandotte; 734-283-6883
Dip a toe in this friendly, popcorn-scented watering hole. Dotte Pub is in the running for the king of Wyandotte dives, and that’s saying something for a city that might as well be called Wyandive.
Photo by Mike Dionne Oak Cafe
1167 Oak St., Wyandotte; 734-283-8380
A cute and cozy corner bar in a 1941 brick building, Oak Cafe is Wyandotte’s answer to Cheers. Photo by Mike Dionne Prush’s Bar & Grill
1212 Eureka Rd., Wyandotte; 734-282-6535
Another classic Wyandotte corner spot. High, tiled ceiling, with a relaxed atmosphere and an underrated menu. Try the buffalo cajun shrimp for some light bites, or grab the eight-ounce char-grilled pub style sirloin for just $11 dollars.
Photo by Mike Dionne Gold Star Bar
898 Vinewood St., Wyandotte; 734-281-9464 Danny’s Irish Pub
22824 Woodward Ave., Ferndale; 248-546-8331
Danny’s Irish Pub is a fixture of Woodward Ave., and a great place to grab a drink among a mixed bag of Ferndale locals. From the old-time regulars to the too-cool hipsters, Danny’s Irish Pub is a great place for a nightcap or pit stop.
Photo by Mike Dionne Alibi
7266 E 9 Mile Rd., Warren; 586-759-3930
Alibi is known for being a great south Warren hideout known for its lowkey atmosphere and affordable drinks.
Photo by Mike Dionne Hot Shots
22759 Van Dyke Ave., Warren; 586-756-1246
Billed as a “nineties billiards bar,” Hot Shots boasts ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall. And likely even more shattered in the alley out back.
Photo by Mike Dionne Club FT
26061 Gratiot Ave., Roseville; 586-772-6750
At Club FT, you’ll enjoy the company of badass murals of music icons like John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix that adorn each booth. One corner of the room is designated as a “stage” for live music and another for pool. But every corner is designated for drinks.
Photo by Mike Dionne
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