Help me find new bars in Detroit!

So after several years of being a bar fly, I feel like I might be coming close to exhausting the city's bar options. Because I am on a constant quest to discover new and unique places, I'm taking suggestions on what I may be missing... Instead of you making suggestions, it's probably easier if I just tell you where I've been and and you can fill in the gaps. The ones in [brackets] are bars that I am aware of but have not yet been to.

In no particular order [[and with a few probably forgotten :p), I've been to:

Downtown
Jacoby's
Sweetwater
Checker
Greenwich
Town Pump
Cliff Bell's
Hockeytown
Cheli's
The Well
Baltimore
Steve's Place
Anchor Bar
Shotz
Old Shaleighleigh
Mosaic
Delux
1701 Cigar Bar
Detroiter
Liv Resto Lounge
Detroit Beer Co.
Tom's Oyster Bar
Coach Insignia
Red Smoke
Pegasus Taverna
D'Mongos
Bookie's
Fountain Bistro
5&10 Bar
Motor City Wine
Foran's Grand Trunk
Rub Pub
Hard Luck Lounge
Centaur
Bucharest
Coach's Corner
Opus One
Vicente's
Next Level
Loft 501
Fishbone's
U Detroit Cafe
Bleu
Vain
Oslo
Big City Bar
Detroit Pub
The Leland
Detroit Athletic Center
Wah-Hoo
24 Grille
Sweet Lorraine's
Round Bar
[Post Bar]
[Mac's On 2nd]
[Cobo Joe's]
[150 Lounge]
[Harbor House]
[Nick's Gaslight]

Midtown
Harry's
AFB
Circa
Cass Cafe
Union Street
Bronx Bar
Traffic Jam & Snug
Motor City Brewing
Comet Bar
Honest?John's
Old Miami
The Majestic
The Whitney Ghost Bar
[Jumbo's]
[Temple Bar]

New Center
Northern Lights

Corktown
PJ's Lager House
Nemo's
Hoots on the Ave
Bailey Coraigh
Nancy Whiskey
Slow's
The Works
Casey's Pub
LJ's Lounge
[Gaelic League]

Woodbridge
TV Lounge
[Woodbridge Pub]

East Riverfront
River's Edge Grille
They Say
Atwater Block Brewery
Andrew's on the Corner

Hamtramck
I really have no clue how many I've been to, but I distinctly remember these:
Small's
Belmont
Mars Bar
Whiskey In the Jar
Mephisto's
Buddy's

So, I think I may be a bit of a lush, but can anyone suggest new places? I don't care where they are in city. I typically stay within in an easy cab ride of downtown, but I'd go far and wide for a good time. Two places I am itching to go are Baker's Keyboard Lounge and Cadieux Cafe.

Nice list. I'm hungover just from reading it.

On the west side -
Club Celebrity at Plymouth & Mark Twain
Starter's at Plymouth & Evergreen
Tom's Tavern at Seven Mile & Wyoming

I am also really impressed by the list.

Wait, do you have a girlfriend?

I used to live in Hamtramck and gave up trying to hit all those bars [[110?). 60 cent schells and bra's hanging behind the bar. Throw in some blue's and we have heaven.

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Originally Posted by Bigb23

I used to live in Hamtramck and gave up trying to hit all those bars [[110?). 60 cent schells and bra's hanging behind the bar. Throw in some blue's and we have heaven.

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You just reminded me of the New Dodge Lounge on Jos. Campau w/ '60s-era paintings of hip unsmiling women in geometric print dresses on the walls. And that was for no extra charge beyond the 60 cents. Maybe the paintings aren't there anymore but the bar seems to be - haven't been there in ages. Maybe it's not a dive anymore, shame.

St. Cece's @1426 Bagley? Former Bailie Corcaigh

You are a real urban pioneer.

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Originally Posted by Orthophonic

On the west side -
Club Celebrity at Plymouth & Mark Twain
Starter's at Plymouth & Evergreen
Tom's Tavern at Seven Mile & Wyoming

I am also really impressed by the list.

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Thanks for the suggestions. I've actually been to Tom's Tavern, but only to pick up intoxicated cohorts, but never for a drink. It's in my cross-hairs.

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Originally Posted by Bella

Wait, do you have a girlfriend?

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Haha. Actually, yes, but she knew what she was getting into when she started dating me. To be fair, she often tags along for my drinking exploits and enjoys many of the new places I find.

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Originally Posted by Alley

St. Cece's @1426 Bagley? Former Bailie Corcaigh

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Yes, I actually stopped into St. Cece's 2 weeks before they opened and met Celeste, who is one of the owners. I was then in there this past Friday, which was the 2nd day they were open. I rarely ever miss a new bar opening. I really take pride in being the first to experience a new venue. It's like taking a new car for a test drive before anyone else. Quite thrilling!

How about the Dakota Inn?

Nothing to add, but wow, I'm bookmarking this. I have some catching up to do!

Quite unacceptable that Ye Old Tap room is not on that list.

http://www.yeoldetaproom.com/

My Dad's Bar is on Alter and Kercheval...another good eastside spot.

For the far westside, Warrendale specifically, Chick's bar[[NOT to be confused with the gentleman's club, Chicks on Dix, on Dix, which I cannot vouch for) is an interesting hole in the wall, almost exclusively Warrendale townies.

The Bridge Bar at Fort and Oakwood at the drawbridge is a good one. Fresh booze on the Rouge.

Texas Bar at 14619 Kercheval St between Philip and Manistique streets.

Thanks for the suggestions!

i see you did not list Vivios in eastern market. though they close around 9pm, its a great after work bar and restaurant. great peeps after 5pm.
also the new beaubien bar in the old third street bar at fort & 3rd.

Don't forget our own [[1KielsonDrive) Skipper's Hamtown Bar!
http://www.skippershamtown.com/

Wow, very impressive. I would hit up the Temple and report back here!

Stromberg2

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Originally Posted by BrushStart

Yes, I actually stopped into St. Cece's 2 weeks before they opened and met Celeste, who is one of the owners. I was then in there this past Friday, which was the 2nd day they were open. I rarely ever miss a new bar opening. I really take pride in being the first to experience a new venue. It's like taking a new car for a test drive before anyone else. Quite thrilling!

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You better be Irish - and do us proud.:o

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Originally Posted by Kathleen

Don't forget our own [[1KielsonDrive) Skipper's Hamtown Bar!
http://www.skippershamtown.com/

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I haven't been to a bar in several years. But this will be the first on my list. Garwood forever!

Marshall's on East Jefferson at Manistique.

Z's Villa on piquette is close to downtown, SkyBar, Roast and Pulse downtown.

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Originally Posted by Bigb23

I haven't been to a bar in several years. But this will be the first on my list. Garwood forever!

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Better hurry! Not long after I posted the mention of Skipper's Hamtown Bar, I received an email saying that the bar is for sale.

BrushStrart, I don't know who I feel the worse for: your girlfriend or your liver.

I saw that Your Place Lounge on E. Warren near Cadieux is boarded-up. Was there a fire or something?

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Originally Posted by gnome

BrushStrart, I don't know who I feel the worse for: your girlfriend or your liver.

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He can always find a new girlfriend, and if you are a celebrity like David Crosby for instance, a new liver, too.

Hard Luck is now named The Dirty Trick. Same staff though, does that count as one you haven't been to? ;)

Lefty's on Cass across from WSU, is a pretty good place I didn't see on your list. It has a sports bar theme, pretty good food and decent beer selection.

Doesn't look like you hit Third Street Saloon yet, corner of Forest and Third in Midtown

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Originally Posted by JROLLA

Hard Luck is now named The Dirty Trick. Same staff though, does that count as one you haven't been to? ;)

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Is Hard Luck still open in Grosse Pointe?

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Originally Posted by Kathleen

Better hurry! Not long after I posted the mention of Skipper's Hamtown Bar, I received an email saying that the bar is for sale.

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Every bar in the planet is 'for sale' every day of the year. Ask any bar owner.

For Hamtramck, be sure to add Baker's Streetcar Bar. Not only the best locals bar in Hamtramck, but comes with a free historical reference to the streetcar that ran down Campau.

Dude, I am obviously in the presence of greatness, but feel that although our paths have roughly paralleled that I am honored to be able to suggest a few places to add to your impressive list.

West Side: Duffy's [[six mile few blocks west of Telegraph)

SW: Kovacs - Jefferson west of Livernois [[if it has not closed)
Abick's - Gilbert, corner of Dennis [[near Michigan and Livernois)
Stempien's - Martin south of Michigan Ave.
Charlie's Bar - Springwells north of I-75 a few blocks [[great rehab in recent years)
Bridge Cafe - Fort St. at the Rouge River drawbridge

East Side [[ish):

Stonehouse Bar - Ralston south of State Fair, just east of Woodward
Dakota Inn - John R a few blocks north of McNichols
Two Way Bar - Mt. Elliott @ Nevada

Keep in mind Kryptonite has a fondness for dive neighborhood bars.

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Originally Posted by 313rd

Is Hard Luck still open in Grosse Pointe?

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From what I understand yes, but I've never been to that one. Hard Luck downtown was renting the name from the GP location for its first year being open I guess.

There are a lot of bars on W. Michigan that I drive by but have never been into, such as Cas Bar, Alaskan Bar, Brent's, and several others. They look like they would definitely fall into the "dive" category.

It's not as sexy, but don't forget Hard Rock, although I don't know if it qualifies as a "bar".

In Midtown is Town Pump Tavern - http://www.thetownpumptavern.com

I've been dying to go to the Alaskan. Has anyone been?

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Originally Posted by JROLLA

From what I understand yes, but I've never been to that one. Hard Luck downtown was renting the name from the GP location for its first year being open I guess.

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The Hark Luck downtown is called the Dirty Trick now, I was just there a week ago.

Valuable information from Kryptonite: "...Abick's - Gilbert, corner of Dennis [[near Michigan and Livernois)..."


Kryptonite - I am thinking this is the same place I took some Ann Arbor folk about 20 years ago after wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood for a while. Need to go back to see - I recall a small bar seating about 10 people max with a few tables, perhaps. Thanks for the pleasant reminder. Description is at http://www.detroitpolonia.org/sites/index.htm

http://www.detroitpolonia.org/sites/images/abicks.jpg
Or am I thinking of a different place?

I hate to ask since it appears to be gone, but did you ever make it to Mother's Bar at the corner of Proctor and Panama? You are clearly the Jedi master of the west side dives. I always wanted to go to Mother's when I went to get pastries at the Supreme Bakery across the street years ago but it was always in the morning and seemed somehow not quite right to get a beer at that time of day. And when I returned to the Supreme after a long absence last year and lamented the decline of the surrounding neighborhood [[but not the supremity of the baked goods) I saw that Mother's was not in business anymore. But Chadsey was also not in business, either.

Atlas - Hamtramck

Check Detroitblog. They do a lot of profiles on bars that need customers. For example:


http://www.detroitblog.org/?p=2188

Orthophonic, you are right, that is Abick's. It is still open, I go there almost weekly. Manya is still running things at age 87.

I think Mother's is now closed, although there might be a private business still operating there, I can't tell. I was never at Mother's, but recently I was at Supreme Bakery on my way from Eastern Market.

I would recommend the Ivanhoe Cafe, on Jos Campau and Fredrick. They have the best perch dinners and cole slaw to die for.A fun place and home to the polish yacht club.