When visiting a new town, it can be hard to discover new kinds of places. If you’re used to coffee shops and speakeasies, it may be hard to sniff out the best spots to party in a quiet town. Inversely, if you’re a regular at your local clubs and bars, you may miss the quaint havens of peace that hide inside a big city. From wild nights filled with motion to chill nights spent with people you love, I’ll give you my guide for experiencing Detroit nightlife like a local.
Sweet Sounds in the City
Detroit is home to some of the sweetest sounds you can find on the planet, in my humble opinion. From jazz clubs, to karaoke bars, Detroit has a wide range of sounds to be discovered.
Cliff Bells is one of the most iconic jazz clubs in the city, featuring music from Detroit natives as well as music from around the globe. Even as a jazz venue, the different sounds and styles you’ll hear in the club vary. Musicians like Kasan Belgrave, Joshua Watkins, and Noah Jackson bring their groups to provide an elevated musical experience for their audiences. The club also highlights academic groups like Bloomfield Hills High School Jazz Band and U of D’s Just Jazz, which gives you a peak at Detroit’s next generation of musicians. You can reserve a table, or find a seat at the bar and make yourself at home for the evening. Cliff Bell’s has a wonderful menu to peruse as you settle in, featuring dishes unique and exclusive to the club. They’ve got a beef short rib that they braise over night; shrimp and grits that comes with a house made hot sauce; a “house specialty” mac and cheese which, although strays away from your traditional mac, using penne noodles instead of elbow, is a dish to write home about. A night at Cliff Bells is the perfect opportunity to dress to the nines and listen to some of the tastiest sounds you can find, while also eating some of the tastiest food.
Nothing is like the sound of good folks having a good time together. At The Brakeman, you can spend quality time with your friends and loved ones surrounded by the sound of laughter and good conversation. Less than a ten minute walk from Cliff Bells, The Brakeman is a beer hall equipped with classic spirits, bar games like foosball and table shuffleboard, and delicious food. There’s always good music in rotation, whether there’s a dope DJ or a fire playlist, and it’s loud enough to bust a move to, but quiet enough that you can yap with your homies and wake up with your voice the next morning. They have food via their next door neighbor Penny Red’s, serving buckets of fried chicken, honey butter biscuits and side dishes sourced from local farmers. The Brakeman is a great choice if you want to connect with your people through food, drinks, games and good music.
Chasing sounds around the city can be a good time, but when the music is in you, you’ve got to let it out! Sing your heart out at Karaoke! Baker’s Keyboard Lounge is a historic Jazz venue in Detroit whose stage has been graced by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Tammy Flannigan and countless other jazz stars. Originally owned by Clarence Baker, Baker’s was sold to Juanita Jackson in 1996, and has been black owned ever since, continuing to keep jazz music alive here in the city. Every Wednesday from 5pm-9pm, they hold Karaoke night so you can have your star moment. Keep your star moment going at Sid Gold’s Request Room! If karaoke wraps up at Baker’s and you still have a song in your heart, Sid Gold’s runs karaoke nights from 9pm-1am every week Wednesday through Sunday with a live pianist. Unlike traditional karaoke, where you have words on a screen and a rigid track to sing to, Sid Gold’s has professional pianists ready to back you up, support you and help you shine on stage. Their venue is cozy, intimate and feels like you’ve been invited to someone’s kickback in their living room… their living room with two full bars and a baby grand piano. The intimacy of the venue offers an exclusive speakeasy vibe that will make anyone feel like the main character. Have your main character moment at either of these karaoke spots and see what it feels like to be a star.
Motown in Motion
With the automotive industry woven deeply in its roots, Detroit is in constant motion. The best way to keep up with the pace is to fall into the rhythm. Venues like TV Lounge, Marble Bar and Spot Lite Detroit are the perfect spaces to fall in sync with the rhythm of the city. Hosting events like “Dolls Night” and “A Big A** Party (ABAP)” these venues keep Detroit on the move in more ways than one.
Founded by Disc Jockey George, ABAP is a popular recurring event in Detroit, and it’s exactly what it sounds like: a huge party where folks come to get loose. ABAP occupies different venues through the city, namely, Marble Bar and TV Lounge, featuring talent like Kevin Saunderson, Juan Atkins, and Disc Jockey George himself. Being venues with indoor and outdoor spaces, TV Lounge and Marble Bar both have a charm that keeps crowds coming back. TV Lounge is a venue that can feel small and intimate on some nights, and on others feel like a giant rave packed wall to wall. TV Lounge’s outdoor space has heating so you can catch some fresh air in the winter without freezing to death. In the summer, the outside becomes a hip venue, with the Fox Theater, MGM Grand Detroit and the Detroit sky as a backdrop for the stage. Mama’s Kitchen, a local food caterer here in Detroit, is a frequent caterer of events at TV lounge, serving authentic tacos that will keep you fueled for your night on the dance floor. Marble Bar has a large indoor ballroom and an outdoor rooftop patio, with overhead covering in case of light rain. When weather permits, you can spend your night with an elevated view of the city, literally. If you happen to catch A Big A** Party at one of these venues, you’ll also be supporting local DJs, photographers, bartenders, security guards and everything in between, because it’s events and venues like these that really keep folks in the city moving.
Speaking of moves, Spot Lite Detroit is always one! Spot Lite is a bar, club and record store with a spacious dance floor, an extra stage in the outdoor alley, and the Gladys Nite food truck, which has delicious wings, sandwiches and more. A socially progressive venue frequented by folks of all kinds, Spot Lite attracts organizations like Dolls Night. Where the nightlife scene isn’t always the safest, particularly for trans and queer individuals, Dolls Night offers a safe haven where all people can gather and have a good time free of judgement, scrutiny or violence. Dolls Night is a party and Trans advocacy organization that inspires movement both physically and socially and they hold a party at Spot Lite once a month. The queer scene is one of the sparks that keeps Detroit ablaze and keeps our city moving in the right direction.
Chill Nights in the City
For those of you looking for a chance to slip away from all the noise, I’ve got you! When we go for a night out, often we’re looking to get lost in loud music or wild experiences. Other times we want to duck off into a quiet corner of town where we can connect with friends and even strangers if that’s what the night holds.
Imagine a quiet, calm night with you nuzzled in a cozy speakeasy under dramatic lighting like the main character you are. Speakeasies like Cafe D’Mongos Speakeasy and Easypeasy are trendy spots that offer the speakeasy experience with a contemporary touch and a quirky aesthetic. Cafe D’mongo’s is a black owned establishment with a nostalgic vibe that serves soul food and unique cocktails. Easypeasy is a cute place that looks like something between a cafe and a bar, with a sister venue downstairs called Lowkey which, like its name, is lowkey and unsuspecting. There could be a quiet serene ambience upstairs in easypeasy, and you could walk downstairs into what feels like a completely different world, with low lighting, loud music, and a crowd of dancing people. For a high end experience that makes you feel very “VIP”, joints like High Society Detroit and Willow Detroit ooze with class and ambience. Each of these speakeasies provides the perfect mix of socialization and stoicism to shape a chill night in the city.
Another cute pairing is The Skip and Standby, sister bars located in The Belt Alley downtown. The Skip specializes in fun tropical frozen drinks while Standby offers classic cocktails with low ABV. The Skip is a vibrant room set with neon and LED lighting, giving the space a trendy and modern feel; standby is set with dim lighting that gives more of a laid back, and maybe even romantic mood. Both bars have food menus, The Skip serving snacks like tropical fruit and nut mixes and charcuterie, and Standby serving entrees like their Bistro Burger, Steak Frites and Spaghetti Al Limón. These sister bars foster very social and welcoming environments where you can connect with your friends and meet new ones.
In Detroit, there is no shortage of spectacles you can use to stimulate your visual senses. With an abundance of art, performance and festivities, visitors can take advantage of a wide spectrum of creations to get a pulse on the visual scene in the city.
Hatch Art is an art gallery and studio that is home to 11 different artists, and host to dozens of galleries and exhibitions each year. They have a schedule on their website that you can use to stay privy to when they hold exhibitions. Hatch Art makes sure everyone has a chance to experience the artistic process, offering figure drawing sessions the last Tuesday of each month, cartooning sessions the last Wednesday of each month, and game nights on the last Friday of each month.
Gigi’s Gay Bar is a bar located in Detroit where you can see some of the best entertainment there is to see in the city. From drag performances to comedy shows to dance parties, Gigi’s is an oasis of entertainment with something new to behold each night. Not only is Gigi’s an eye full, it can be a tummy filler with their concession style menu of food and drink. Being a safe space for all people and an LGBTQ+ centered venue, Gigi’s is a great place to see and be seen.
Midnight Snack
After a night doing whatever, you might be up for a midnight snack! The easy answer is to hit your nearest Coney and keep it pushing. After all, it’s some time after 12am, and where else can you grab something quick to eat at this time in the night? Oh, well I’ll tell you!
Midnight Temple, open from 5pm-12am Tuesday through Saturday (Sunday 12pm-10pm), has superb Indian food for you to end your night on a rich note. As long as you pick up your carry out order by 11:59pm, you’ll be set for your late night dinner. Sabor Taco Truck in Hamtramck is open until 2am and serves some of the best tacos I’ve had in my life. My personal favorite is the birria taco with the corn tortilla. Sabor even has outdoor seating that you and your crew can take advantage of on warm summer nights. Yemen Cafe, also located in Hamtramck and open until 2am, is another one of my favorites. They serve authentic Yemeni cuisine. Whether it be a long day of work, or a long night of partying, Yemen Cafe is the perfect joint to tame your appetite. One of the biggest upsides I find about both Hamtramck spots is how safe I feel there during the wee hours of the night; even if I happen to be by myself.
If you want to stay downtown, right around the corner from Little Caesars Arena is Detroit Shipping Co. , an all in one location, hosting live entertainment like music and comedy, art galleries, and home to six different restaurants. If you’re craving Thai food, Bangkok 96 serves authentic Thai Street food. Momo Cha serves nepalese dumplings crafted with love while Motor serves Burgers and Poutine so our canadian neighbors can feel at home when they visit. In Detroit, by my estimation, in every six restaurants, there’s bound to be at least one halal option; Detroit Shipping Co. meets that quota with Halal Street where they serve New York style halal street food. You can have a taste of tradition with a playful twist at Takitos AF, and build your only meal from a selection of meat based, vegetarian and vegan options.
You deserve a dessert end to your night and there are lots of spots in Detroit where you can find something sweet. One of my personal favorites is For The Love of Sugar, where I like to get a cinnamon roll warmed with butter along with a hot chai latte. We have an Insomnia Cookies located in Midtown that satisfies the sweet toothes of Wayne State University students on a nightly basis. Last, but certainly not least, back in the Detroit Shipping Co. complex, we have -320° Coffee and Creamery where they instant freeze their natural ingredients using liquid nitrogen, merging ice cream with coffee to create the rich treats meant to curb your cravings.
Detroit’s nightlife holds so much to be discovered, with popular events that make you feel part of the community and unique one of a kind events that make you feel special. Come visit Detroit and see what you discover.
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