Want a Drink? Sure. That'll be $80. Bad Luck Cocktail Bar Opens Thursday

Yes that's the name, Bad Luck, of the bar being opened in Capitol Park's The Albert by bartrepreneur Dave Kwiatkowski [of Sugar House and Wright & Co. fame]. And that's the price for "The Admiral" cocktail featuring an "incredibly rare rum from the United Kingdom's last rationing to the British Royal Navy in 1970. The Admiral is served neat, on the rocks or as a daiquiri".

Over your budget? Not to worry. For you cheapskates there is an entry level $18 cocktail called "Death" [[Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum, soy-infused Pedro Ximénez sherry, spiced butter and lime juice).

Bottoms up and Good Luck.

Bad Luck, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Thu.-Sun.; 1218 Griswold [[in the alley behind the Albert)

Full Freep article here: http://www.freep.com/story/entertain...roit/94726410/

Once again, Barnum was right. :cool:

Last thing I want to do is drink $25 cocktails with cereal infused cream in an exclusive bar called Bad Luck in the country's poorest city. Ugh new Detroit has gotten ridiculous. What happened to gritty, real Detroit?

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Originally Posted by DeLemur

Last thing I want to do is drink $25 cocktails with cereal infused cream in an exclusive bar called Bad Luck in the country's poorest city. Ugh new Detroit has gotten ridiculous. What happened to gritty, real Detroit?

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Hasn't gone anywhere. Head over to one of the those shot and beer places on Michigan Avenue. It'll be gritty and it'll be real - you won get confused and think your in the Taj Mahal.

The cheapest drink is $18? You don't pay that even in a posh place in NYC.

Hey, if people are seriously willing to pay 3x the average for a cocktail, good for the proprietors. I can't imagine dropping a couple hundred on after-dinner drinks.

You know, I think it's great if Detroit can support a joint like this. Thriving big cities have over the top restaurants and bars [[and yes, lots of shot and a beer places, too). It shows a certain level of economic activity, and it adds to the narrative that Detroit is becoming an innovative place for dining/drinking.

I have happily paid $20-25 for a basic cocktail at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy and at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria adjacent to the Palace of Versailles. The combination of setting of the venue and the reputation of the establishments makes those rates reasonable. I cannot think of a venue in the Midwestern USA that could approach those prices for entry level cocktails.

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Originally Posted by DetroitSoldier

I have happily paid $20-25 for a basic cocktail at Harry's Bar in Venice, Italy and at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant at the Waldorf Astoria adjacent to the Palace of Versailles. The combination of setting of the venue and the reputation of the establishments makes those rates reasonable. I cannot think of a venue in the Midwestern USA that could approach those prices for entry level cocktails.

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I'm sure a drink at the top of the Eiffel Tower can demand $20, but The Albert? C'mon man. That's ridiculous. It's pretty well known that the markup on alcohol at a restaurant is insane as it is when you're paying $8 for a manhatten, but a $30 cocktail? It is made with baby seal?

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Originally Posted by mikeg19

I'm sure a drink at the top of the Eiffel Tower can demand $20, but The Albert? C'mon man. That's ridiculous. It's pretty well known that the markup on alcohol at a restaurant is insane as it is when you're paying $8 for a manhatten, but a $30 cocktail? It is made with baby seal?

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Whale blubber adds a nice accent,too; for a premium.

I'd rather save the money and take a weekend trip somewhere. Once there, I'd probably continue to avoid the $20 drink places.

one drink max, and once the novelty wears off...back to the $8 Manhattan

Ha how many people can taste the whale blubber?
Amazingly the other night I respectfully questioned the booze in my drink not once, but twice. Then the barkeep showed me he was pouring from the white whiskey bottle instead of the gin. Douh! Least he was honest.

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Originally Posted by archfan

You know, I think it's great if Detroit can support a joint like this. Thriving big cities have over the top restaurants and bars [[and yes, lots of shot and a beer places, too). It shows a certain level of economic activity, and it adds to the narrative that Detroit is becoming an innovative place for dining/drinking.

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I agree with archfan. Thriving globally competitive and important cities support dining, entertainment and cultural venues that appeal across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. There's no need to complain or scoff at the choices that more moneyed folks might make with their dollars. Even I will try it at least once. More power to the owners. I hope that the place is a smashing success. That's good for our city.

Also, I'm pretty sure that Bad Luck will also offer more standard [[and less expensive) drinks in addition to the signature expensive stuff.

Of course they chose to open in the location famous for displacing seniors. Certainly fits an elitist image.

No need to scoff at the mere existence of such a venue. Now, if turns out to be not that good-- if they do not execute and deliver on the price and the hype-- then they are clowns and should be run out of town. But if the place delivers for those who are willing and able, then what's wrong with that?

Moreover the existence of a place like this or any of the noveau Detroit places does not spell the end of the great longstanding venues. All can exist together. That's what happens in great cities. It is up to Detroiters new and old to appreciate the classic and longstanding venues. That is-- if they still deliver. There is no place for mediocrity or for high price and poor delivery, no matter who you are. If La Rondinella does Italian cooking better than Roma Cafe and Roma Cafe starts to struggle, it is on Roma Cafe to hire a better chef and better cooks. If they struggle, it's not for no reason, and it's not solely due to competition-- it would be due to their own failure to be excellent. It's up to them to keep the fire alive, and frankly, if you operate a great/historic Detroit institution, you owe a duty to yourself and everyone to keep the place vital and not rest on laurels and history. **I use this only as an illustration, as far as I know RCafe is doing just great.**

So also for the new places. What's the latest re: Standby, another cool new spot? I read that they did the classic restaurant bait and switch. They came out with great drinks and even greater food, and then not too long into things, the great chef disappeared and the food is only so-so-- people are now supposed to go and pay for the drinks and the scene. Now this is just what I read/heard-- I hope it's not true. But if true it is an all too typical story. If true, the place should be called out.

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Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

Of course they chose to open in the location famous for displacing seniors. Certainly fits an elitist image.

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And only the image. I'm not sure the seniors [[or anyone) were utilizing the ground-level alley space for anything productive.

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Originally Posted by swingline

I agree with archfan. Thriving globally competitive and important cities support dining, entertainment and cultural venues that appeal across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. There's no need to complain or scoff at the choices that more moneyed folks might make with their dollars. Even I will try it at least once. More power to the owners. I hope that the place is a smashing success. That's good for our city.

Also, I'm pretty sure that Bad Luck will also offer more standard [[and less expensive) drinks in addition to the signature expensive stuff.

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I don't. I think its tone deaf and silly. I guess you can call it "innovative" but its more ridiculous than anything.

The idea that we should be like every other city is becoming dangerously mainstream. Detroit has been adored because its authentic, soulful and gritty. It also has a wealth of education to offer. Bad Luck is just a fancy pants bar but its part of a trend to make us look like everything else out there. Be a "globally competitive city." We're just emulating other cities at this point: Brooklyn, Portland, ect...Bet thing we can do to be a "globally competitive city" is to remake the city with the Detroit brand and keep it unique. We have an abundance of water we don't tout around here. We have open spaces we don't use wisely. We have neighborhoods in extreme poverty we need to do a better job of linking downtown to. This bar seems to be blind to the city its in IMO.

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Originally Posted by preserve

one drink max, and once the novelty wears off...back to the $8 Manhattan

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That ain't so bad when you consider the dutch colonists paid 24$ for their Manhattan.

Rare and hard to find liquors and liqueurs [[Grand Marnier 150) would be right up my alley. Add a killer Porto selection and I’ll be back more than once.
Blow my skirt up and have a cigar room.

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Originally Posted by DeLemur

The idea that we should be like every other city is becoming dangerously mainstream. Detroit has been adored because its authentic, soulful and gritty.

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The idea that we should be NOT be like every other city is/was dangerously mainstream for far too long. Lack of retail, lack of jobs, running red lights, drag racing, absurdly high murder/shooting/robbery/arson rates, etc. were accepted as somehow normal because of anti-mainstream sentiments among other factors.

Every city thinks of itself as authentic, soulful, gritty, etc. The use of that notion as some kind of paralysis and as an excuse towards maintaining a negative status quo is akin to an adult acting like a teenager who is still mad at their parents. I've had enough of that type of attitude in Detroit. It's caused far more harm than good.

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Originally Posted by DeLemur

I don't. I think its tone deaf and silly. I guess you can call it "innovative" but its more ridiculous than anything.

The idea that we should be like every other city is becoming dangerously mainstream. Detroit has been adored because its authentic, soulful and gritty. It also has a wealth of education to offer. Bad Luck is just a fancy pants bar but its part of a trend to make us look like everything else out there. Be a "globally competitive city." We're just emulating other cities at this point: Brooklyn, Portland, ect.

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Translation: People won't think I'm cool for living and/or hanging out in Detroit, if it gets too nice. It's sounds like something written the by some hipster. Authentic? Grit? could you break out some more meaningless media cliches about the city?

The 'mixology' aspect makes it a little more Brooklynesque, and promises better drinks, but in the end this is for the same general class of maroons who think bottle service makes them cooler. It will be interesting to see if a place like this can survive and thrive in the marketplace of our brave new Detroit. Little stabs in this direction have thus far had a rather mixed record of success.

In the meantime, I'll be over at Marshall's.

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Originally Posted by Ray1936

Once again, Barnum was right. :cool:

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And that is the one time I am glad I was not drinking coffee when I read that.


Where I am at it is the craft brewery thing popping up like 7-11s on every corner.

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Originally Posted by Towne Cluber

The idea that we should be NOT be like every other city is/was dangerously mainstream for far too long. Lack of retail, lack of jobs, running red lights, drag racing, absurdly high murder/shooting/robbery/arson rates, etc. were accepted as somehow normal because of anti-mainstream sentiments among other factors.

Every city thinks of itself as authentic, soulful, gritty, etc. The use of that notion as some kind of paralysis and as an excuse towards maintaining a negative status quo is akin to an adult acting like a teenager who is still mad at their parents. I've had enough of that type of attitude in Detroit. It's caused far more harm than good.

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Every city has an identity. We have one now that has made us "cool." Do you think that's an advantage or a disadvantage? Hell Shinola has built a company around it. But instead we're getting a lot more people wanting to mimic anywhere USA. You know I've been down on the effectiveness of the Q line but seeing the electrical propulsion makes me think its a got a little character.

Bring back the 411 bar.