Bad Luck Bar is exactly the kind of place that makes you feel like you earned your cocktail before you even order it. It is tucked away in an alley, and yes, the trash bins may briefly make you question your life choices. But once you spot the glass block window, you know you are in the right place. The second you walk in, the vibe completely changes. You are greeted by a friendly host, then brought into this tiny, dark, cozy little speakeasy that feels like it seats maybe 25 people total, including the bar. It is intimate in the best way, with a gorgeous liquor wall and a rolling ladder that makes the whole room feel dramatic without trying too hard. The drinks are the reason to come. They are creative, unusual, and genuinely unlike what you will find at a standard cocktail bar. Some of the spirit combinations sound like they should not work on paper, but somehow they absolutely do. The mixologists clearly know what they are doing, because every "wait, really?" ingredient pairing seems to turn into something balanced, interesting, and dangerously easy to appreciate. The only things to keep in mind are the size and the pricing. It can get busy quickly because it is so small, and cocktails can run anywhere from around $20 to over $100 depending on what you order. Not exactly a casual "oops, I had three" kind of place unless your wallet has been emotionally prepared. Bad Luck Bar is moody, memorable, and one of the more unique cocktail experiences in Detroit. It feels hidden, thoughtful, and just a little mischievous, which is exactly what a good speakeasy should be. read more

A HIDDEN gem! It's nestled in an alley, so yes you will question if you are going the right way! Lol Greeted by a host as soon as you enter and fair warning - - it's small and popular. Please make a reservation! Our wait was about 30-40 mins so we walked to another spot to have a drink and wait. It's a cozy lux vibe with an upscale cocktail menu. This is not your normal tequila and soda okay! Know before you go! Visit their website and preview the drink options if you don't have experience with this style of bar. I ordered the Forgotten Blossom because all things lychee has been my thing lately. The drink looks like water but it is not! lol It's strong drink + having aperitif in it. The waiter was attentive and checked in on us consistently. We even received a complimentary shot after being seated and complimentary birthday shots for the birthday folks! I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I will be back real soon! read more

Bad Luck Bar - Forgotten Blossom - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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My bf and I really enjoyed our experience at this classy speakeasy while here for a weekend vacation. We were definitely a little uncertain walking down a dumpster-filled alley, but once we stepped inside we were pleasantly surprised at how elegant, well-designed, and beautiful the interior was. We went around 6PM on a Thursday before a Red Wings game, and while there were 2-3 people seated at the bar, we were the only ones seated at a table. Service was attentive and quick. They served us a complimentary warm dark rum honey tea to start, and honestly I should have ordered a whole cup! It was delicious and unique, and I hope I can find something like it again. I would order it in a heartbeat. The drinks themselves were a little on the pricey end and since I wasn't in the mood for drinking a lot, I didn't end up ordering anything, but my boyfriend got The Hammer. Unfortunately he didn't realize it would be smoked and doesn't love the flavor of butane, but the presentation of the drink and the smoked spiced cashews that came with them were excellent! If it weren't for the butane flavor (which he believes not many others taste), my boyfriend would have really enjoyed his drink. I think it's definitely worth a visit for the ambiance and welcome drink alone, but be prepared to spend a little! read more

Yes, you want to go down that alley and find the entrance to Bad Luck Bar! Expertly crafted cocktails in an intimate setting makes this place unique and a destination. Be prepared to pay $30/cocktail. read more

Bad Luck Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Amazing place! Great craft cocktails! It's in the alley so look for it...check out the store front and let them guide you,m. Make reservations or better when they open. read more

I have been here several times over the last, almost, decade since they opened and have always had a good time. The cocktails can be quite pricey, but are always very good. Sometimes with unique ingredients. I always tend to gravitate to a more zippy fruit cocktail and those have often come with pop rocks, which is super fun. My significant other, during our last visit, got a smoked cocktail which was a fun experience and my sister received a miniature plate of cheese, pickles with hers. There was only a single pickle and a teeny bit of cheese, but it was kind of funny. (For the price, you would think you would get more or they would offer it as an option) The ambiance in there is always moody and romantic in a way. It can be a smidge hard to see the menus depending on where you sit. The place is quite small, we have sat along the back and at the bar, both are nice locations with different vibes. The service is always good, sometimes you have a very talkative bartender and other times they don't say a word, but I'm sure they are all very knowledgeable. It's a bit of a hidden gem, some people that I talk to still don't know it's secretly waiting for them in a mildly sketchy downtown city alley. Part of its appeal! read more

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Drinks were fantastic! Very intimate place and you have to know where to look to get in. Seating is very limited so either make a reservation or be patient to allow a seat or two to open. I wouldn't try bringing any big parties in here. 4-5 max. Staff were amazing. Can't wait to get back there and try more of their signature cocktails. read more

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Bad Luck bar is an abosolute gem. First of all, as far speakeasies go, this gets it in that it's hidden down an alley that under old city conditions would probably get your fight or flight juices rolling, but in the new city it's just a little stinky from the trash. But do not let this deter you, find the door, go through the curtains, and you will be very happy. First of all, walking in, you are already impressed by just how beautiful the bar is. Everything is backlit so you have plenty of light, but also somehow everything is dark and shadowy for the right atmosphere to feel secretive and unannounced. The liquor choices are nothing outside of outstanding in that you will see bottles here that are without a doubt not common at most places. Small batch, rare, and of course with that comes the price tag, which you shouldn't be surprised runs close to $30 per drink some a little less most a little more. As long as you are not put off by the price tag, I think the experience itself is nothing short of excellent. Keep in mind that this not a large space, so seating is limited and it can get a little crowded. The barstaff does a great job getting to each person very quickly and these drinks for the most part are pretty complex so I was impressed how quickly they were able to get them out. Overall I think this is really one of the gems in the city and everyone should experience this at least once. read more

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Tucked away in an Alley In downtown Detroit is a true speakeasy style bar. WOW. The outside is a little off putting but once in the door the ambiance is unreal. Menu rotates and the selections are true works of art. Give this place a try read more

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Hannah was such a sweet girl. So knowledgeable of the menu and also on bourbons in general. Let her make you a drink of her choice! We had 3 drinks from the menu. All were really good. It's a very small space. Back alley entrance! lol, you are going the right way down the freaky alley! read more

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This bar was such a vibe! We found it while visiting Detroit for the Braves/Tigers game one weekend. We love visiting speakeasy type bars and this one didn't disappoint. The service was great, we didn't wait at all for a table. The drinks were well crafted and delicious as well. They didn't have a food menu, so don't come hungry if you don't have dinner plans! read more

Bad Luck Bar - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

This is such a cool speakeasy. It is located in an alley in downtown Detroit. Once you find the door you go in and if there are seats available then you can get a drink. The inside is pretty small so I would make sure to come early if you really want to go. The ambiance is amazing. It's pretty dark but the cocktails are good. The only thing is the cocktails are pretty expensive. read more

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Immediately yes! This place is hidden nicely in an alley. This was my second speak easy of the night and I am impressed. Inside is low lighting soft music and very limited seating. We were lucky when we came because two people were leaving. I had the Fruit of Mount Ida drink and it was delicious. They gave us an amuse-bouche which was a delicious tea made with black tea, honey, and ginger. read more

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Really cool spot. Drinks are great and very unique. It's down a dirty alley in Detroit. Hard to find unless you know. read more

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Cool little speakeasy tucked down an ally way. We walked straight in, sat down and immediately was met by our server. She was very sweet, kind and gave us a great service experience. Me and my boyfriend went here on Friday 13th as the day switched to Valentine's Day. We love crafted cocktails so we thought Bad Luck Bar should be our next quest. We wanted to be sure we tried their signature cocktails to get the full bar experience. My boyfriend ordered the Gaia which consisted of a coffee based cocktail with fresh burning cinnamon, sprinkled cinnamon and what appeared to be sun dried grapefruit/blood orange slices. I ordered the Hidden Groove which tasted to me like a pre mix, as I didn't taste any notes of the ingredients that were listed on the menu. We weren't exactly fans of our drinks but maybe didn't choose the best ones. For the price of the drinks and quality of craft I didn't feel it met the expectations we were looking for. I will say oddly my favorite drink was the complimentary warm green tea shooters. They were well made and enjoyable to drink. It's still a full bar and they can make anything just not a fan of what I've tried so far. The ambiance and bar theme was quite remarkable and an overall unique experience. read more

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The most amazing speakeasy bar!! It might actually be too good on the "speakeasy" part a sits actually pretty hard to find -- it is indeed in an alley and you have to walk prey deep in until you see the neon signage. Their cocktail menu has so many unique options and the bartender was amazing. Every drink on the menu is so well thought out in its flavor profiles and then the bartenders make such amazing classics as well. Luca was our bartender and we ended up staying far longer than intended to have more drinks made by him. He put me onto pisco and have been searching for a pisco sour that compares to his ever since. Any time I'm back in Detroit I'm definitely coming back here! read more

BLB is still one of my favorite bars in the city. The complexity of flavors that goes into each drink is one that deserves to be so celebrated. I had a riff on a dirty martini, one that craft fully joined savory, salty, acid for a complex sip every time. read more

The first stop while we bar hopped. My boyfriend hadn't been to a speakeasy and his friend who was showing us around decided that this would be a fun one to try. All the drinks were aesthetically pleasing and good. I had the air zephyr which was pretty and had good flavor. The whole place was nice and it definitely tiny so I can see how it can get busy. My only complain is when I asked the server for a recommendation for an aesthetic pleasing one, he said that it's based on opinion so he couldn't help me choose one. I would think as a previous server myself if you having someone asking you a question whose unfamiliar with the menu, you would try to help them get something. Luckily the person we came tried one drink before so I got that one. I would come again because it was fun. read more

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My favorite speak easy in Detroit. Premium drinks, classy atmosphere, friendly staff, cool entry

Definitely make your reservations, very small place but drinks were good! Staff was sweet. read more

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I circled for a second visit just to see if the vibes were the same. Needless to say I love this bar. My old fashioned was made to perfection. This will become a staple for me. read more

Bad Luck Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

Bad Luck Bar had been on my list to try for a while now, and I finally got to go last night, with my fiance and two friends. The drinks and their presentation were pretty neat. They start you off with a welcome drink, as others have mentioned here; some sort of hot toddy and it was very good. My friends and I each had three drinks, which as you imagine was pretty expensive for this place. Mine were: -Persephone: good but with licorice undertones, aka absinthe I think, so wasn't my favorite. -Concordia: very "alcohol-forward," as our friends said, and not entirely for me; to me it tasted like boozy cough syrup. -The Fifth Eye: my favorite of the bunch. Definitely tasted like pineapple and coconut, as promised, and came with a sidecar of spicy pineapple Pop Rocks, which was pretty interesting. Presentation was exquisite here. That being said, I did think the prices were really high, hence why it gets four stars from me instead of five. Most drinks are $24-29, but my fiance and a friend did have one each that was $50. Other reviews said here that they use top shelf liquor and I believe it, but that's way out of my price range on a normal night out. Definitely make sure you make a reservation for this place, also; we did Mabel Grey for dinner then came here, and one of our friends planned all of it which was super nice. I would come back here again because the ambience was pretty cool, but with the price range it would definitely have to be a special night out or special occasion. read more

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Tucked away down an alley is the bad luck bar. Prepare yourself for amazing, handcrafted cocktails. It's helpful to make a reservation. This is my second outing here. Be prepared to drop some $ since this original experience is original and singular. Came early, had some great explanations for the ingredients we didn't know about and had some great drinks. This is a great spot and perfect for special occasions! Have been here previously for a pop up event and included pics from that event as well. read more

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What a place and it is like literally going to a speakeasy! You enter through an alley way and into this small quaint atmosphere! Service was great! Highly recommend reservations because it is a really small place! No food, just drinks! Luca and Hannah were great bartenders ! read more

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Reminds me of SG Club, from the decor, the aesthetics, the lighting, to the menu and logo. It literally felt like I was transported back to SG Club in Japan. The drinks were fun and innovative, and our server was very knowledgeable and kind. Our amuse bouche was a honey tea that was delicious! We didn't make any reservations and tried our luck at walk in, and luckily, we were able to be seated right away. It was a fun experience! The "coolest" drink I had was The Fifth Sun, which was a pineapple cocktail that came with pineapple pop rocks. If I had to compare the two, SG Club would win hands down due to innovation and experience, but Bad Luck is definitely a cool experience for those that don't have the chance to experience the SG collection! read more

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Fantastic speakeasy with wonderful cocktails and great atmosphere. Although they don't serve food, the staff and bartender Hannah are fabulous! If you have not been - it's a must go in Detroit! read more

This place is very overpriced. Plan for $27-$32 cocktails which is just absurd. The drinks my table of 4 had were mediocre at best - not one person truly enjoyed their drinks. They also don't typically answer their phone or respond to emails if you have questions, or god forbid request a reservation. It's a very cool spot inside and wish they weren't so overpriced. I'd say there are better options in the area for sure. read more

A fun 90 minutes! There are two things you need to do to enjoy your visit: make a reservation (for a 90 minute visit) and walk through the back alley to enter. When you enter you walk into a small speakeasy setting. The cocktails are creative and delicious. The staff are helpful and informative. read more

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Fun vibes and great drinks. Speakeasy style in the alley. Very fun and loved the drink menu. Definitely a hidden gem. read more

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BadLuck Bar was the first Detroit Speakeasy I found, it has a special place in my heart. It is still one of the best bars I've been to, the small size means service is always amazing, but it also can mean it is a challenge to get in especially with larger groups. I always ask the server which drinks on the menu have the most fun presentation and pick from those. One of my favorite places in Detroit. read more

We went here for my birthday drinks prior to our dinner plans. The vibe at Bad Luck Bar was fun and original. All of the drinks were unique and tasty. My husband had the fifth sun and Leshy which he really enjoyed and I had the Persephone and the Horus. I was very disappointed though that after serving me the Horus, the part of the drink that they catch on fire fell off onto my lap and burned multiple holes into my dress along with causing a mild burn to my skin. I told the server and she said "sorry I don't know how to fix that." I asked for a marker to at least try to color in some of the gray marks from the melted material of my dress. I feel like with how expensive the drinks are that they might have handled the situation better or offered a drink or something. It was disappointing that I had to finish the rest of the night with a dress with burn marks and holes in it. read more

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My husband and I were out for the night and in the area of the Bad Luck Bar, so we decided to try and check it out. We called in advance, which I highly recommend. This is a small space, but such a neat speakeasy vibe. You don't want to miss out! We were able to make reservations 1.5 hours before closure. Score!! We made our way to find this hideout. This bar is a little hard to find, maybe because it's in an alleyway. A little scary, but worth it! If you're in a scary alleyway, you're heading the right way. Glad I had my hubs with me! We walked into a small entrance area. The host was great. So friendly! I can't remember his name, but he was the same person that helped us on the phone too. Once our table was ready, the curtains opened up to see this great bar! We were seated at a table for two. Eric was our waiter. He was amazing! The whole night was an experience! The night started out with complimentary rum toddies. So warm and so yummy! How nice is that! The drink menu was an experience in itself. We wanted to try everything. We tried a lot of drinks! A couple of our favorites were The Sun, The Elixer, And Evocation. read more

Always a great experience with amazing customer service. Love the atmosphere and staff. Highly recommend.

What a cool, hip, unique and sexy place! The bartenders are wizards! The service was amazing! So much creativity in the drinks weather you order on or off the menu. On the menu we got the old fashion which came out of a Smokey goblet. We wanted to enjoy in the moment so no videos but almost anything brought to that table SHOULD be captured on video (or slow-mo) because it's so cool. Things are smoking or on fire or sparkling. We had a Mezcal old fashion with fancy ice cube. It was strong and smokey and spicy - just perfect. Then a bourbon old fashion and this was served with some smoked nuts - yuuuum!!! That was a perfect drink to sip, sit back, have deep conversations and repeat. Reservations are definitely needed. I loved that even for two people we had a cozy corner spot. It felt so private and fancy. Can't wait to go back! read more

Bad Luck Bar - Even the ice cubes are dope! Mazcal old fashion and bourbon creation. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

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Slightly pricy but great ambiance and good cocktails! Would go back again! Server was very knowledgeable and friendly

Possibly the best cocktails I've ever had, and I guess they better be at $25 each. Yowza. But the service was excellent - they really take care of you here. It's velvety and dark inside no matter what it looks like outside, and yes, you have to enter through the muddy, trash-strewn alley. I suppose that's part of the experience, and though I definitely could, I won't make fun of the fact that fancy folks love to tromp through alleys to spend $$$ on their smoky, sea grape adorned cocktails. It was fun. Definitely a novelty experience for me; a great place to bring hard-to-impress out-of-towners or potential clients or employees. Each and every cocktail sounded interesting. It's a very small space - I'd recommend reservations, and I'm very glad they take them with a $20pp deposit. read more

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It was fun that it was hidden like a speakeasy (I would not have found it if I hadn't seen the photo of the door here!) in fact the alley where it's located is kind of littered and run down and not entirely safe-looking, but you don't have to walk very far to find the door. Inside was a small entryway that still looked kind of cavern-like, but the welcoming smile on the hostess waiting just inside the door put us right at ease. We hadn't called first, but arriving around 7pm on a Thursday we were able to be seated. In fact we were on a nice first date and maybe they knew intuitively to put us in a cozy romantic corner that seated only two. The service was very prompt and helpful; the waiter was able to provide detailed descriptions of several of the drinks on request since unfortunately one of us did not have reading glasses to decipher the small, lengthy descriptions of the intriguing-looking drinks. When I asked if they had any, the waiter sympathetically agreed the print was small. No but seriously, you guys should keep some spare reading glasses on hand for the seniors! lol. (It starts around 40 kids, get ready!) Speaking of cozy romantic corners, it's very dimly lit as well. Which is wonderful atmosphere but didn't help for reading the very fun menus. Soo, it is pricey for those intriguing fancy drinks, and the presentation is totally awesome - both of our orders involved plenty of smoke and flames - but if you're not a liquor connoisseur the flavor may be lost on you; I mean maybe we didn't order the right drinks but they both tasted like drinks I've had before. I got a fruity tiki-type drink and my friend got a smoky whisky thing (although it was in fact the smokiest thing I've ever tasted because it arrived in a covered dome filled with dense smoke. YUM.) I would go back on my next romantic date and a) reveal to my date in advance where we're going so he doesn't think I'm leading him to be jumped in a mugging, and b) bring a small flashlight and spend more time perusing the menu next time before choosing. 4 stars. read more

Bad Luck Bar - Tip: Thyme smells a lot better than it tastes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Detroit, Michigan

What a fantastic "hidden" gem! This place is set up like a Speakeasy. Located down an alley, you have to find the hidden door. Once located, you call the number listed and you are greeted at the door and allowed into a dark hallway. There is a curtain shielding your view from the magic within. Walking through the curtain, you enter a fairly small room, but your eye is inevitably draw to the wall of liquor! It's amazing! The mixologists are extremely knowledgeable! These guys knew the science behind what they were doing and were quick to educate us and answer any questions we had. I enjoyed The Alchemist to start, which is served with a side of pop rocks. Super fun time snacking on these! He ordered the Oasis, which was a fruit drink with tequila. Both were delicious. We decided to have another drink before moving on and I chose The Envy which was made with absinth. My first experience with it. He got a gin and tonic. They have their signature cocktails but they will make anything you want. We got to watch them make "The Hammer" which is a smokey presentation and really fun! They have a variety of warm drinks as well. We got to sample one of their teas and it was amazing. Ok. So this place is very small. Pre Covid it may have fit 15 people at most. But now it fits about 8. You are going to want to make a reservation! Especially if you're going in the evening. There is no food so plan to eat before or after. And this place is pricey. They use all premium ingredients. You pay for quality. You're also paying for the knowledge of the mixologists and the ambience, which is incredible! Expect to pay $25/drink. For me it waa worth it! He has been here before but this was my first time and I'm so happy he wanted me to experience this! Off to our next adventure! read more

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Very cool ambiance, incredibly knowledgeable and nice server and very cool, tasty, theatrical drinks! I'm currently pregnant so drink joints are usually limiting to me but they were very accommodating and made delicious mocktails for me! We had a group of 6, and although you can't reserve a table that big, we did 2 reservations of 3, emailed to explain our group and they were able to seat us all together . You must have a reservation. Between the 5 drinkers, every drink on the menu was ordered. Each one came with a special treat or decoration that made it feel like we had some entertainment! The ambiance is sultry and sexy and cool. It's not a place I would say you're staying drinking all night, but a great place for 1-2 post dinner drinks. read more

Great little speakeasy. Drinks are fab but pricey. Love that they have a little snack pairing with their specialty drinks. read more

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