Bab's is great! Lot's of locals. Super busy between 11pm - 2am . There is always a good crowd though. Josh (Head Bartender/ Manager ) is super great! when I have a bar of my own, I would love to have someone like him running it. read more

Cool bar. Lots of beers on tap. Very much a Michigan scene - which I kinda like. Pool tables, dark bar, very dungeon and undergroundish Nonetheless, a staple for any Michiganitte. read more

Babs' Underground Lounge - Lounges Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Babs' used to be a place I was happy to go to frequently--good drinks, fun vibe. But this weekend, the level of incompetence displayed while I was attending a surprise party was beyond unacceptable. Treat your customers well, especially when they put down money to reserve a room for an event. Finding out that the party reservation was not going to be honored was incredibly shocking, especially just a few minutes before the surprise was supposed to occur. Totally unprofessional, and I can speak for a huge group of former customers that we will not be returning. Sorry I'm not sorry. read more

I go back and forth on this bar. I've had some great experiences (ex: last time I was here, it happened to be movie night and they were playing Stop Making Sense - so happy) and some not-so-great ones. (ex: having to stand in the middle of everyone's walking routes on a crowded Saturday) I have a hard time describing what exactly gets under my skin about this place, but it's sort of summed up by the $4 forties they serve on Tuesdays. I mean, yay! $4 forty is a great deal and all, but they serve it to you in a paper bag, which feels kind of icky to me. It's like an excuse for the privileged students to be all, "Look at me, drinking a beer out of a paper bag! It's like I'm from the streets! Hey Chad, take a picture so everyone can see my street cred." Having said that, it's still a nice enough place, especially on weekdays when it's less busy. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but I feel inclined to round down. You could definitely do worse, though. read more

Bab's used to be one of my favorite bars. Not very crowded and in close proximity to fleetwood. But the other night, my friend had reserved a private room for a surprise birthday party for her boyfriend. When his friends arrived for the surprise, Bab's refused to let them in citing capacity issues. My friend had to change the venue of the party to my house. They told my friend that they weren't going to honor the reservation and instead returned her money for the reservation. Lame! read more

I normally can get pretty decent drinks from the tall bartender with the bowtie. He's honestly good in my book. However, the short and squat manager that was working tonight (4/21/2018) was pretty horrendous. According to another worker at the establishment, they had been dealing with a few rude customers already. To be fair, I may have come off a little forceful about my (and my boyfriend's) drinks but I have had a few barely-any-alcohol drinks from Bab's before so I just wanted it corrected. I was told that they didn't do any "returns" even though I was just asking for the drinks to be remade, or for different drink altogether. When it was clear that we weren't going to get that, I just asked for a water because I just wanted to sober up at that point. I was told repeatedly by the squat manager that they didn't do returns. Even though I just wanted water. In the end, this has basically left me to never want to return to Bab's. I would never ever recommend this "establishment" to any friends but, if they did choose to visit, I would still recommend the tall gentleman of a bartender because I still think he's the best. read more

I owe Babs a little more credit. I've been back many a time since the bloody mary incident, and though it's still not totally my type of bar, there's one waitress that's particularly kind and on-it, there's a photobooth (always a bonus). On Tuesdays, you can get 40 oz.s in a bag for pretty cheap and watch a movie. Overall, I'm still not rushing here, but I'll be just fine to meet at Babs with friends. read more

Love this place! Great underground atmosphere with pool tables and chilling lounges. They serve food and a large variety of drinks and beer.

First off the entrance was relatively hard to find. Anyways, after having our IDs checked by the bouncer, we headed down a flight of stairs and just like that, darkness, music and quite a bit of 20 somethings. The space was nice and clean (I think anyways, it was pretty dark). There was a full bar with a few taps. Our cocktail server was nice and our drinks came pretty fast. I was surprised they didn't have a bar food menu (not that I was hungry) because I feel like you just don't see that very often. read more

Unless you're looking for the high-fiving college crowd, this is probably the best place to go for a cocktail in Ann Arbor. Comfy if it's not too crowded, I always liked this tucked away little place. Drinks are good. As soon as it fills up though it becomes a bit much. read more

Great place to be any night of the week. Great bartenders and pool specials on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Clean place once your in here it totally doesn't look like it belongs here. I love it

Why is it so dark here? I had to stand at the bottom of the stairs for 5 minutes until my eyes adjusted just so I could even see the bar.

Babs', I love it. I don't know what to say in particular. Pool tables. Cigars to smoke. A Photo Booth!? Lounge seating. 40s and movies on Tuesday nights. DJs on Wednesday nights. Nice selection of Scotch. Dark, sometimes smoky, though Babs' does have a good system to take care of this. You can come here to watch the game, come here to chill on any night, or come here to get bombed. Do whatever you like. Bab's is one of my favorite places in town. read more

I'm not a big bar person, but decided to try Babs on a Saturday night around 9:30 as I had a friend in town and we were working our way around the downtown area. Let's just call the feeling I got when walking in underwhelmed. Another dark, smoky (boooo, Michigan! Get with the times and stop letting people smoke in public places!), awkward-space underground bar. The artwork on the walls, while I'm all for showcasing local talent, looked like it was made by local first graders. The crowd was kind of thin and subdued, almost like no one else was excited to be there, either. They do have a photobooth which is usually a huge star-adder in my book, but the price ($4!) seemed even too much to bring me back. Not a place I'll be hanging out on the regular. read more

This is exactly what you want a lounge to be, at least in the upstairs part. They have comfortable chairs, dim lighting, and pool tables that are free on Tuesdays. It's great you be able to sit back with friends and have a scotch and cigar. read more

Really cozy. Initially, too cozy in that it's almost impossible to find. I like the irony of Tuesday's $4 40s/movie night (the paper bag is a nice touch); the pitchers on Wednesday are so-so; the scotch and cigar deal: my pick. I would advise that you order a few drinks at a time as our servers were at times aloof. I've only been to Ann Arbor in the summer, so I'd imagine this is nothing as compared to during the school year. I'll miss Babs. read more

Babs feels like the definition of a generic but comfortable bar to me. It's got pretty good drinks, reasonable prices, okay beer selection, some nice pool tables, a decent amount of space, etc. The only thing that really stands out is the awesome photobooth. It's alright. Always a reliable place to get some drinks, catch up, play some pool. It's not too dirty, not too loud or crazy, not too expensive. But there's really nothing special about Babs (aside from the photobooth!). This is the kind of bar I go to for the company of the person I'm going with - not for the venue. I do agree with the previous reviewer who said that it has a bit of a sports bar feel to it. If Babs DOES have any personality, I would say that it's kind of a post-frat vibe. For me, that's a bit of a turn-off - but if you like that kind of thing, then more power to you. read more

This place has a major mold issue and it's a public health hazard. Other then that, the atmosphere is good and I like the drinks as well. I just hope the owners check the air quality of the place and get the mold issue worked out. read more

had been here a few times before without any problems except for too few waitresses for the tables. Well, last night I order the $7 beer and bourbon special. Too good to be true? Yep, beer comes in lowball glass. Which would be fine if they had indicated that on the menu AND did not show a picture of bourbon and a *pint* of beer. So I return it and the waitress comes back and says they can no longer serve me b/c the manager is making her pay for the drinks. So I walk up to the manager with the menu in hand and he says no one will be charged for the drinks. I figured we had reached a detente and settled back in. Bill comes and of course there is a charge for bourbon. All of this is a relatively small incident, but it shows a lack of professionalism and general human decency that is not my idea of a pleasant lounge environment. read more

This is my favorite place to drink in Ann Arbor. The martinis are great and super reasonably priced. The atmosphere is unmatched, with a really great crowd and those chic paintings on the walls by the booths. While you could go to play Billiards, it is the perfect place to just sit and drink, especially in a quite dark 2-top booth in the back. Last Monday, a tipsy former instructor of mine inadvertently told 10 classmates (who belong to the Jug crowd) about Babs. Word travels fast here, and I fear the worst. read more

This place is wack-a-docious. I'm not even going to temper my review by adding "its great for Ann Arbor." The place itself is not bad, they at least try to care about ambiance with the deep red painted walls and cycling of local painting/photos. Yet decor alone doesn't define the place. The people make a difference, too. Ann Arbor itself is schizophrenic; torn between applauding itself as some diverse liberal cosmopolitan place in the middle of nowhere and staying "towny" with their anti-middle to upper middle class, not to mention people of color (of all class backgrounds) university constituency, Babs, like most other places in town, can have potentially antagonizing locals wiling to start some drama. It gets the title of "the spot" by default, more or less, because theres nowhere else to go around here without white people starting a raucous or giving people of color attitude from the start. But if you don't mind the werid attention, the drinks are coo and the bathrooms are very clean and usually a free stall whenever you need to doo doo. Probably the safest place in town, but I would probably go Chicago if I really wanted to go out. read more

Do you own an exceptionally stupid hat? Would you like to wear this hat in the evening while downing pitcher mixed drinks? Then this place is perfect for you, douchebag! read more

Friendly bar tenders. Environment was fun. Jack shot I ordered was not jack. Bartender kindly showed the bottle, poured another shot. Definitely was not jack...again... read more

Went here a couple times. The drinks are kind of expensive but the atmosphere is great. A good plce to duck in and smoke a cigar, if you are into that. read more

Oh, Babs, how I love thee. Pretty much my favorite place to drink in Ann Arbor. Bartenders are excellent...if you go there often enough they'll maybe learn your name. Drinks are good. Wednesday nights are my favorite. Sometimes it gets a little crowded and that gets irritating. Luckily the people that are irritating you are also drunk and somtimes wannabe something-or-others (hipsters or what have you) which makes them really easy to take the piss out of. I always go there saying "Only one or two" and leave sloshed at 2 AM having had the best time. I can't ask for much more than that. read more

Great drinks and cool atmosphere that feels like a speakeasy. The staff were friendly and had good recommendations.

Babs is so fun, in the cool secluded way. It's somewhere where you would pass it if you didn't know it was there. I went here once or twice in college, and again last year for homecoming. I loved the chocolate martinis, and the chill atmosphere, the only thing that sucked was I could not find a seat. It's all good, this is way better than a typical college bar. read more

I dig this spot. It's spacious and has a nice feel to it. I was here for 40s night when they serve Pabst or Miller 40s in brown paper bags for cheap. It was ghetto-fabulous. What I don't like about this place is the lack of windows. It's underground, no outside light. read more

I just recently discovered Babs' and really enjoyed my first visit. It's a little hard to find on the street, but if you know the street number, you're fine. Walking into the basement, the atmosphere is very cool. The first section has a few red felt pool tables and couches. The entire lounge is dimmed and has a refreshing vibe. The lower level has plenty of tables and the bar has quite a bit of space. They offer martinis, mix drinks, shots, bottled beer, and draft beer. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 star rating was due to the lack of selection of beer on tap. They only have four beers available on draft which was a little disappointing. However, they were good ones. Overall, a fun place to hang out. read more

Listen...I grew up in Ann Arbor for the first 25 years of my life. I've lived in Chicago for almost a year...Babs' is an amazing bar. They have an amazing alcohol collection, great beers on tap, a tremendous atmosphere, and Bartenders that you could get to know for a long time. I have never and will probably never have a bad experience at this place. Every night they have something different going on for entertainment. They are a little more upscale then your average bar, but provide sweet drink specials during the week to allow any crowd the chance to have a blast. Go there, as much as possible. read more

Good. The underground location with low lights, pool tables, and couch/table, and table layout is neat. Where it fails is cocktails: Alley bar is better. Bab's wil execute the basics, but lacks creativity without lacking price. read more

I try to like Bab's. I really, really do. Many of my friends love it here and I even know several former employees, all of whom have the highest praises for it... but it's just not my cup of tea. It's always much too loud, too crowded, and too smokey. The decor needs a serious over-haul - it's too dingy, like it passed its hay-day long before I passed the legal drinking age. The drinks are a little expensive for the atmosphere... I could pay lower prices to be in similar places or the same prices to be in a much nicer place. If my whole crowd is going, then I'll go with them... but I wouldn't ever suggest it on my own. read more

My uncle had had his haircut that day and it was looking kinda whispy. But i like it when it does that. So we went to play cards and Babs wasn't the place to go so we went to The Arena for chips and drinks. read more

Smoky, dark, local hangout. Wasn't overly impressed, but as a non-townie, the different atmosphere is appreciated once in a great while.

This will not be an earth shattering review. Babs' is true cocktail lounge (vodka+redbull is not a cocktail). It's a really nice space, there's an awesome pair of pool tables. I was there around 9ish on a Saturday but was told that around 11 it gets packed and turns into any other 'bar'. I would definitely go back again, the 40 oz. night sounds hilarious. Both of our drinks were delicious BUT packed a punch. I'd take anyone visiting there, you can actually hold an audible conversation... read more

God, this place sucks so hard. Crappy drinks, crappy company, crappy location. Their vending machine sells Huey Lewis tapes -- I guess that's a plus. read more

Babs' is definitely one of my favorite bars in Ann Arbor. The bartenders are some of the best in town, and the bar has a relaxed atmosphere. It manages to pull off a fairly upscale feel without having the deafening music or quite as many douche bags as the competing Main Street bars. It seems rare to find a bar in Ann Arbor that has a lounge atmosphere without music so loud that you can't even talk to the person sitting next to you. They have two HD screens where they show games, and two full size pool tables. There is also a room in the back that you can book ahead of time for a private party. Dress is pretty casual, but if you walk in wearing shorts and a tee, you will probably look out of place. read more

Nice quiet atmosphere. Great server. Cocktails are also good.

Normally a great spot. Went in Friday night for a cocktail and a Guinness. The bartender, sarah? i believe, incorrectly poured the Guinness. It was all foam and the bar was not extremely busy. I said, may i have a stella instead. i really don't enjoy my Guinness like that. Immediately copped an attitude and gave me a stella. Then made me wait 10 minutes to cash out. I had to ask the other bartender to have her give us the tab when she said, "oh fuck them, they can wait." She then proceeded to charge the credit card twice. Denied it and said it should come off of the statement. Returned yesterday and the same bartender said to come back monday when the app says the charge is no longer pending. They are closed mondays. Its unfortunate because i enjoy the atmosphere but i will never return. read more