View 9 photos from The Whiskey Six here
On the outskirts of downtown Grosse Pointe, across the street from fancy French restaurant Marais, is a new bar called Whiskey Six. Capitalizing on that old-timey aesthetic that's so prevalent in pop culture these days, the exterior is wood-planked and large gold letters proudly display its moniker.
Step inside and the massive-feeling space is outfitted with large old-fashioned lanterns, wagon wheel chandeliers, and wooden everything. At the center of the place is a huge, U-shaped bar that soars from floor to ceiling. Competing for your attention is an original 1928 Studebaker — which may or may not have been used to transport alcohol from Canada to Detroit during Prohibition — parked above the dining room floor. The bar is named after such vehicles that often brought booze across the border by crossing a not-quite-frozen Detroit River.
While the place celebrates that oh-so-hip Prohibition aesthetic, it's replete with modern-day technology like large flat-screen TVs and even has cellphone charging stations on the bar. This is a marriage we can truly appreciate.
Behind the bar, as you might expect, is a massive selection of whiskey. There are bourbons and scotches, both recognizable and rare. They have stock from local distillers Two James and Valentine and widely coveted bottles from Russell's Reserve, Old Beezer, and more. They have local brews from Dragonmead, Griffin Claw, Bell's, and Founder's on tap, but still stock national favorites like Miller Lite and Budweiser. Their selection of gin, vodka, and wine is equally as impressive and we felt a little tipsy just looking at their cocktail list.
As for food, their menu is certainly a step up from greasy bar fare. Grilled fish tacos, lamb sliders, short ribs, flatbread pizzas, fried Brussels sprouts, and other dressed-up dishes make up the menu.
The staff is attentive and friendly, and we felt like they really knew the menu and what they had to offer, which can often be a challenge for a newer establishment. We ordered up some pub pretzels and cheese and an order of enormous, Parmesan-dusted doughy logs arrived quickly.
Pop in on a Friday afternoon and you can easily grab a seat at the bar, but the place fills up quickly with folks grabbing dinner. Of course, the friendly atmosphere beckons them to stay and sip on some of the bar's outstanding offerings.
