Metro Detroit bars with things to do other than just drinking [PHOTOS]

By Steve Neavling on Fri, Mar 31, 2023 at 11:38 am

Michelle Gerard

Eat, drink, and be merry: These bars offer more than food and booze.

When it comes to bars in metro Detroit, there’s a lot more to do than throw back some drinks. From feather bowling and ’80s-era arcade games to comedy shows and live jazz music, metro Detroit bars have something for everyone. Want to play board games or throw an ax? These bars have you covered. Here’s our picks for bars that serve up a lot more than drinks.

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Michelle Gerard

Cadieux Cafe

4300 Cadieux Rd., Detroit; 313-882-8560; cadieuxcafe.com

Located on Detroit’s east side, Cadieux Cafe has hosted feather bowling since the early 1900s and claims it has the only authentic lanes in the U.S. Feather bowling is similar to bocce ball and curling and features heavy wooden rollers and curved dirt alleys. The bar is also known for its Belgian beers and steaming hot mussels dressed in a variety of sauces.

Steve Neavling

Barcade

666 Selden St., Detroit; 313-285-9410; barcadedetroit.com

Step into the past for a craft cocktail, some pub grub, and a large collection of classic arcade games and pinball machines. These classics, from Asteroids to Ms. Pac-Man, are certain to bring on a wave of nostalgia for guests of a certain age. And it won’t cost you a fortune — the games are only 25 cents to play. Barcade also has dozens of beers on tap.

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Detroit Axe, Facebook

The Corner and Detroit Axe

344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale; 248-720-5468; thecornerferndale.com

With two concepts in one location, The Corner and Detroit Axe in Ferndale are divided into a main floor and an upstairs. The main floor features The Corner, a cozy, living room-like space with hundreds of board games, a fireplace, party rooms, and a 3,000-square foot game room. The Corner also hosts trivia and karaoke nights. Upstairs is an ax-throwing venue with a few old-school arcade games.

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Garden Bowl, Facebook

Garden Bowl

4140 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-9700; majesticdetroit.com

One of America’s oldest continuously operating bowling alleys, the Garden Bowl in the Majestic Theater Complex is a longtime destination in Detroit’s Midtown. The space features 16 bowling lanes, a full-service bar and lounge, and pizza from Sgt. Pepperoni’s Pizzeria. For a great night out, try Rock-N-Bowl, a regular event with a DJ, glowing lanes, spinning mirror balls, and smoke machines.

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Willis Show Bar, Facebook

Willis Show Bar

4156 3rd Ave., Detroit; 313-788-7469; willisshowbar.com

Willis Show Bar in Detroit’s Cass Corridor is a live entertainment venue and classic cocktail bar. With a stage behind the bar, the venue offers entertainment that ranges from DJs, jazz, hip hop, soul, and burlesque dancers.

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DraftKings Sports & Social Troy, Facebook

DraftKings Sports & Social

2850 Coolidge Hwy., Troy; 248-282-4997; sportsandsocial.com/troy

One of metro Detroit’s newest spots, DraftKings Sports & Social in the Somerset Collection in Troy features live multiple sports viewing on a 32-foot LED media wall and gameday watch parties. If you like sports and gambling, this is the place. Guests can wager bets on various sports, including basketball, football, baseball, soccer, golf, and mixed martial arts.

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Grand River Ball Room, Facebook

Grand River Ball Room

1260 Washington Blvd., Detroit; 313-502-5185; facebook.com/grandriverballroom

In the basement of the Detroit Beer Exchange in downtown Detroit, you’ll find an immersive space with arcade games, pinball, bocce ball, Skee-Ball, foosball, Polaroid cameras, prizes, and big TVs playing sports. The Grand River Ball Room also serves up pizza, burgers, doughnuts, and a huge selection of beers and mixed cocktails in a can.

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Yelp Inc., Flickr Creative Commons

Fowling Warehouse

3901 Christopher St., Hamtramck; 313-264-1288 | 3050 Washtenaw Ave., Ypsilanti; 734-499-3695| fowlingwarehouse.com

At the Fowling Warehouse, football meets bowling, and there’s no place like it in metro Detroit. (Well, except its Ypsilanti sister outpost, which opened last year.) The 34,000-square-foot repurposed industrial site features 20 lanes, where players use a football to knock down their opponents’ bowling pins. The facility also includes a 175-seat beer garden and a stage for live music.

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Offworld Arcade, Facebook

Checker Bar

124 Cadillac Square, Detroit; 313-961-9249; checkerbar.com

The longstanding bar in downtown Detroit renovated its upstairs space for Pop + Offworld, where patrons can play classic arcade games and pinball machines. You’ll also find a full bar, live entertainment, and New York-style pizza.

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Brew Detroit, Facebook

Brew Detroit

1401 Abbott St., Detroit; 313-344-7185; brewdetroit.com

With a clubhouse-like atmosphere, Brew Detroit is a cozy brewery with multiple gathering areas, a restaurant, tap room, and plenty of space for darts, shuffleboard, and billiards. If you’re looking for a low-key night out with some friends, farm-to-table food, and craft beer, Brew Detroit won’t disappoint.

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Jeff Dunn, Flickr Creative Commons

Cliff Bell’s

2030 Park Ave., Detroit; 313-961-2543; cliffbells.com

An iconic bar with a classy interior, Cliff Bell’s is known for hosting talented jazz musicians up to five days a week. With fine dining options and cocktails, beers, and wine, Cliff Bell’s makes for a memorable evening in an elegant atmosphere.

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168 Crab Karaoke, Facebook

168 Crab & Karaoke

32415 John R. Rd., Madison Heights; 248-616-0168; 168crab.com

Tucked inside a strip mall, this bar is loads of fun. With Cajun seafood, karaoke, and a full bar, what else do you need for a fun night out? If you’re shy and don’t want everyone to hear you belt out a tune, this spot offers private karaoke rooms with a complete song list.

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Courtesy photo

The HUB Stadium

44325 W. 12 Mile Rd.; Novi; 248-946-8888; novi.thehubstadium.com

This entertainment complex features six ice curling lanes, 22 ax-throwing, eight football bowling lanes, six private event rooms, and four full bars with draft beer, craft cocktails, New American cuisine, and an upstairs lounge with a massive outdoor balcony. Whether you’re looking to celebrate with friends or hold a corporate meeting, there’s plenty to do at the HUB Stadium.

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Detroit City Clubhouse, Facebook

Detroit City Clubhouse

3401 E. Lafayette St., Detroit; 313-656-2480; detcityfc.com

If you’re a soccer fan, there is no better place to watch Detroit City Football Club games than the Detroit City Clubhouse. The watering hole offers watch parties for the soccer club, and the atmosphere can get festive. Throw back some beers and cocktails and order from a reasonably priced menu that includes hamburgers, chicken wings, chili, hand pies, and fries.

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Detroit Axe, Facebook

The Yard at Corktown

1375 Michigan Ave., Detroit; 313-285-8080; detroitaxe.com

This unique entertainment center has two bars, a taco truck housed inside an indoor airstream trailer, a board game room with hundreds of games, pinball machines, ax-throwing, shuffleboard, cornhole arenas, hook and ring games, two outdoor fire pits, and indoor and outdoor decks. In addition to beer, The Yard has a large collection of tequila, whiskey, and mezcal.

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Eastern Palace Club, Facebook

Eastern Palace Club

21509 John R., Hazel Park; 248-850-8165; epchp.com

One of metro Detroit’s newest bars, Eastern Palace Club in Hazel Park is a beach-inspired destination with cabana-shaped booths and thatched roof canopies. Enjoy the Key West vibes with pinball, Skee-Ball, a pool table, shuffleboard, giant Jenga, and an oversized Connect Four.

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Sid Gold’s Detroit, Facebook

Sid Gold’s Request Room

1511 Broadway St., Detroit; 929-260-1070; sidgolds.com/detroit

This piano bar, dubbed “Home of That Baldwin Sound,” has a retro vibe with a U-shaped bar, dim lighting, and 1970s-era chairs and couches. Grab a microphone for karaoke accompanied by a live piano. The full bar offers classic, music-inspired cocktails, along with beer and wine.

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Viola Klocko

New Dodge Lounge

8850 Joseph Campau Ave., Hamtramck; 313-874-5963; thenewdodgelounge.com

This longstanding Hamtramck bar got a bit of a makeover when it came under new ownership in 2022, which included adding TVs and arcade games. It still hosts live music, as well as karaoke and DCFC watch parties.

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Lee DeVito

Blue LLama Jazz Club

314 S. Main St., Ann Arbor; 734-372-3200; bluellamaclub.com

This jazz club in downtown Ann Arbor pairs the love of music with mouth-watering food and cocktails and wine. With tables in front of the stage, Blue LLama Jazz Club offers a unique opportunity to dine on quality food while listening to top-notch jazz musicians.

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