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    Cliff Bell's

    3.6 (701 reviews)
    Open 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Cliff Bell's Photos

    Business Info

    CLIFF BELL'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Live music
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Cliff Bell's

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    Robbie F.

    Live jazz is amazing in this venue. The place is intimate and when you enter, it feels like you have stepped into a time warp with art deco and live jazz playing. The food and drinks are excellent, but very pricey. If you don't try anything, give their Brussels sprouts a whirl! They are packed with flavor and smell amazing. For the record, I spent more than $200 for small bites and drinks with my college student. Granted the tip was already included but man the cost! This is more of a treat for a lovely night out. Not an every day experience. It was a nice treat with its dim lighting and eclectic jazz scene. Until we meet again, Cliff Bell's!

    Shirley Temple.
    Brandon W.

    Cliff Bell's is a historic and beautiful Jazz Club with an amazing vibe! Perfect for any date night or just a quick drink. The staff, band and performers they had were amazing! The Pan Seared Steelhead Trout was amazing and the Shirley Temple hit the spot as well.

    Christina S.

    Cliff Bell's has a cool atmosphere with live music, which is a nice touch. The show we saw was good, though it wasn't jazz--we were really hoping for smooth jazz, but it was still enjoyable. However, the food was disappointing, especially for the price. It's priced like fine dining, but the quality doesn't match. My mashed potatoes were cold, and I was even charged extra for them. Overall, the food was very bland. The drinks were also overpriced--nearly $20 for a small cocktail. Service was decent, and I appreciate the experience, but the automatic cover charge added to the bill for shows is something to keep in mind. If I go back, it'll be for the entertainment, not the food.

    A peacock near the entry
    Chelsea D.

    Live music, beautiful atmosphere, and superb Mac and Cheese. It's too loud for the staff to hear you but they are attentive.

    Outside
    Soleil K.

    Had a jazzy time bringing in the new year. So glad we got our reservations early and I'm glad they don't do first come first served with reservations. Our table was already set aside for us. But be aware, there's a huge pillar in the middle of the floor, which ultimately blocks your view of the entire stage depending on where you're sitting. And the tables are very small! So plates will be touching. The band was great. The margarita was perfectly balanced. Our appetizers came out fairly quick. We got salmon patties, truffle fries and oysters. For entree I ordered the short rib. In my opinion, my food was nothing to brag about. There really wasn't much flavor, it was just okay. I felt like i should've ordered something else. And then the saddest part was they ran out of the cheesecake bread pudding dessert. Food wise, the best part in my opinion was the margarita and truffle fries. My partner on the other hand really enjoyed his meal.

    Artisan Salad ($13)
    Kaitlyn C.

    This is a great unique spot where you can experience good food, have nice live music, and enjoy your dinner. One waitress was very sweet and recommended a few items like the crispy shrimp and deviled eggs. My favorite items on the menu were the Crispy Shrimp, the Scallops, the Cinnamon & Cheesecake bread pudding, and the chocolate torte. All the item we ordered were good but we really enjoyed the others and highly recommend ordering them. The Crispy shrimp is very delicious and the coleslaw was different than what I was used to. I don't normally like or eat coleslaw but they had a nice little spice to it. Their desserts were also very delicious and perfect to end the night! You can't go wrong with the bread pudding or the chocolate torte. Both were very delicious! We enjoyed our time and the live band was nice to listen to. A great place to grab a drink or get dinner. The cover charge is $25 for the band which starts around 7:30.

    Jazz show
    Josh L.

    Great service and great jazz! It was a perfect experience, a must try! Don't let the outside view fool you it is really a fantastic venue with great staff!

    7 oz Filet with potato gratin, haricot verts, mushroom ragout
    Lynn G.

    The atmosphere of this restaurant is top tier. It's like being transported back in time and I loved that. I started with the Mushroom Bisque, which was good as far as soup goes, but I've had better at cheaper places. For my entree, I chose the 7 oz filet. The steak was cooked perfectly, seasoned well. It came with green beans and a potato gratin. The green beans were perfect, the potato gratin was almost crunchy--and not in a good way. My husband got the lobster mac and cheese and was not impressed. He also ordered an Old Fashioned, but the ratio of bitters to everything else was off and he didn't like it. That aside, our server was fantastic. When we made the reservation, we had not been told that there was a $25/person cover charge that would be added to the band. Our server spoke to her manager and got that cover charge taken off, which I was thankful for. If we had known there would be a cover charge we probably wouldn't have made the reservation there.

    Espresso Martini
    Sesa G.

    I decided to stop in to Cliff Bell's on Saturday night to enjoy some cocktails and jazz music. It was my first time here and I was in awe with the music, environment, service, drinks, and food. I highly recommended the brussels sprouts and espresso martini. 10/10

    Talking with a band member!

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    4 months ago

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    8 days ago

    Amazing time! Great music, service and food. Hubby and I vibed all night and left feeling like we cant wait to go back. 10/10 recommend!

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    7 months ago

    Great place in downtown Detroit. Great food and awesome local music. Recommend the pork chop!

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    1 year ago

    This place was wonderful, the food was okay but everything else was a plus it's worth a try

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    5 months ago

    Our server Rebecca was wonderful! Fun night, great music and vibes. Will be coming back

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    1 year ago

    Super cool place! The music and the acoustics were really amazing. It was recommended and I'm really glad I went to Cliff Bell's.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious drinks and food- amazing music! We enjoyed our server and the historic atmosphere.

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    Page 1 of 18

    Ask the Community - Cliff Bell's

    Have you been charged a cover here and if so how much?

    10 for a table for the band

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    Review Highlights - Cliff Bell's

    After finding parking (that was no easy task) a group of friends and I walked over to this cool ass tucked away jazz bar.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Standby - Big Eye Tuna

    Standby

    4.4(712 reviews)
    0.4 miDowntown Detroit
    $$

    If you're looking for a spot that truly elevates the downtown Detroit experience, Standby…read moreabsolutely lives up to the hype. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere pulls you in. It's sleek, intimate, and effortlessly cool without feeling pretentious. The lighting, the music, the overall aesthetic -- everything feels intentional. It's the kind of place that works just as well for date night as it does for a night out with friends. Now let's talk about the drinks -- because that's where Standby really shines. The cocktails are creative, beautifully presented, and perfectly balanced. You can tell there's serious thought behind every ingredient. Whether you're into something bold and spirit-forward or smooth and refreshing, they nail it. The food matches the energy of the bar. Every dish feels curated, flavorful, and plated with care. It's not just "bar food" -- it's thoughtfully crafted and pairs perfectly with whatever you're sipping. Service has always been attentive and knowledgeable. The staff knows the menu inside and out and makes great recommendations without making you feel rushed. Standby is one of those places that feels like a hidden gem even though everyone knows about it. If you want craft cocktails, elevated bites, and a true downtown Detroit vibe, this is your spot. I'll definitely be back.

    I hadn't been home in three years, and I probably hadn't been to The Standby in five or six years…read more. and let me tell you, it's still just as amazing as I remember. Downtown Detroit definitely feels different now, and the crowd has shifted a bit, but none of that took away from what The Standby is. That alleyway magic is still there. Walking in honestly felt like a little blast from the past, and it made me really happy. It ended up being a highlight of my trip home. The food was phenomenal. The crab was so buttery, the waffle situation was amazing, and the overall execution across the menu was impressive. We ordered a lot, basically half the menu and everything hit. * Short rib plate: delicious, rich, and comforting * Chicken schnitzel with curry mustard: WOW. Juicy, crunchy, fresh, perfectly seasoned. The curry mustard was everything, and that little pepper on top? 10/10. This was hands down my favorite dish. * Drinks: They had brand ambassadors for Wild Turkey, giving out free Old Fashioneds, which was honestly the perfect touch. We also had a small ounce pour of a mezcal that was beautifully smoked, super aromatic and smoky in the best way. Service was great too, we had two different servers, and both were attentive and kind. The only miss for me personally was the pastrami salmon toast. I wanted to love it so badly because I love salmon and I love smoked fish, but it just wasn't for me. I actually sent it back (which I felt bad about). I think the slight sweetness, (possibly from the tomato jam)threw it off for my palate. I was craving something fully savory with a bit of acidity. I think a thicker, crunchier toast and a more umami-forward, citrusy or pickled element might have taken it where it needed to go. That said, I know pastrami-style salmon is a thing right now, it just didn't work for me. Everything else? Truly amazing. The Standby will forever be a place I come back to when I'm home. I'm excited to return, see what's new on the menu, and relive that magic again. Highly recommend. 10 out of 10. Will absolutely be back.

    Photos
    Standby - Seating area

    Seating area

    Standby - Smashed Cucumber Salad

    Smashed Cucumber Salad

    Standby - Coconut Shrimp

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    Coconut Shrimp

    Selden Standard - Flat Bread with Sweet Potato Baba Ganoush

    Selden Standard

    4.3(1.5k reviews)
    1.0 miCass Corridor, Midtown
    $$

    We had another incredible dinner at Selden Standard, which will always be our number one restaurant…read morein Detroit. We even got married here this summer!! So it holds a special place for us. Lauren took great care of us and encouraged us to order whatever we were craving. Dangerous advice, but we happily accepted . Warning - the ratings are real. They're not a mistake. We started with our usual cocktail, the Instant Karma (5/5). It is the perfect balance of citrus and salt with a light cucumber note. Clean, refreshing, and it pairs well with everything. The roasted sweet potato (6/5) is one of the best vegetable dishes in the city. The caramelized exterior gives way to a soft interior, and the crispy quinoa adds a subtle light crunch that plays against the creamy texture. The salsa macha brings a smoky, nutty depth without the heat, and the crema ties it all together. I had to physically stop myself from scraping the plate (actually they had to take it away ). The tagliatelle (5/5) with beef bolognese and parmesan was flawless. The pasta has that ideal handmade chew, and the bolognese is rich without being heavy. The parmesan blends perfectly into the sauce and stands out in every bite. The potato pierogi (10/5) were the star of the night. Soft potato-filled pillows with horseradish crema, apple, and crispy shallot pieces create this perfect sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy bite. Each forkful felt intentional and balanced. I felt guilty, because in my head, I didn't want to share with my wife, but I did anyways . The cruelty of having to split an odd number of pierogis...well played...we should have just ordered another one. We also ordered the smoked potatoes and the pan roasted half chicken with sauce au poivre (always 5/5 for both) The smoked potatoes, with raclette, and crème fraîche, are always a must. These winter variation was just as good! The chicken remains one of the most consistently well-executed mains in the city. I have tried recreating it at home with the cold pan method and it never comes close. Every time we dine here, it feels like four or five different dinner experiences in one evening. Selden Standard continues to set the bar for us in Detroit. We love the staff, the food, and the memories tied to this place. Cheers to many more amazing years to come!

    It was one of those meals that I enjoyed so much that I forgot to snap photos of all of our food…read more Selden Standard was the setting for an amazing date night recently in Detroit. My husband surprised me with a birthday dinner here, and I'm glad that we got to experience it. We arrived in advance of our reservation and grabbed a seat at the bar. The bartender brought us a glass of wine while we waited. It took about a half hour, but we were shown to our table for the night and promptly greeted by our server. All of the food looked amazing, both on the menu and with what people were ordering at other tables. We chose a variety of dishes - cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, squid ink orecchiette, octopus, mushrooms, and scallops. I would recommend all of them, but the standouts for me were the Brussels sprouts and the scallops. Flavors were unique and textures were especially on point with those dishes. Service was good, but we both felt like it was slow. There was a slight glitch in the beginning of the night where the host stand didn't mark that we had checked in when we actually had, which probably contributed to the half hour wait at the bar. Aside from those points, it was an impeccable night!

    Photos
    Selden Standard - Main space

    Main space

    Selden Standard - Smoked Potato

    Smoked Potato

    Selden Standard - Cauliflower

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    Cauliflower

    Grey Ghost - Cheeseburger

    Grey Ghost

    4.2(1.2k reviews)
    0.6 miMidtown
    $$$

    Wow! I love this place, it was decorated for the holidays and was super cozy. It had a Hogwarts…read morevibe. We were thinking of doing the tasting menu but after asking the waiter, it seemed like a lot of the dishes were spicy (& I have an aversion). I am glad I asked though because the dishes didn't necessarily call out spicy ingredients on the menu. They have a unique selection of mocktails and we got the earl grey one- it was well balanced and delicious. I loved the ricotta tart, it was fresh and complex. We also enjoyed the chicory salad. We got the filet mignon and it was good but probably wouldn't order it again.

    A solid 4.5. FINALLY made it to this place after years of being on the list. Went here with a…read morefriend for a birthday meal, and it was a solid if not spectacular time. AMBIENCE - definitely a hip spot, not too dark, not too light. the hosts were very friendly and accommodating as we hit some traffic on our way in and had to switch our reservations to 40 minutes later. We ended up being placed on the "veranda" which was an enclosed space with about 4-5 tables. They had heaters, but fortunately, it was warm enough that they were not needed. SERVICE - my friend made it well known that we were there for my birthday, but I'd like to think even without the birthday drop, we would have gotten great service. Our server was friendly, attentive and made a number of recommendations to help guide our dining experience. MENU - Grey ghost has a rotating menu, with a few items that our consistently featured (I'll talk about my burger later). An interesting array of starters including brussel sprouts and coconut shrimp as well as a great variety of main entrees. I feel like there was something for all tastes at this place. They also had a good variety of cocktails and mocktails. FOOD - We started off with shrimp tempura which had a tropical salad of some sort served with it. The shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the tropical salad really complimented it very well. We also decided to try their home made Rock and Rye (their take on Faygo's marquee drink of the same name). The Rock and Rye was decent, but if you want rock and rye, nothing beats the original. For our main dishes, a number of things caught our eye. including the lamb and ribeye, but we ended up going with their burger and a side of fries and their wild boar pappardelle. I've heard Grey Ghost has one of the best burgers in Detroit, and it did not disappoint. And you know we had put an egg on it and it was rocking. I don't know what the burger sauce they put on it was, but it seemed like a much, MUCH better executed big mac. The fries were great as well. The pappardelle was good, nothing mind blowing, but a solid entree in it's own right. I was curious how the burger here compares to the one at their sister restaurant (Little Ghost) and the host said the quality of meat used in the patty is better at Grey Ghost than little ghost. Guess I'm going to have to go there as well. OVERALL - definitely worth a visit. I'd say a good spot for a first date, or some other sort of special occasion. I won't wait as long to make a trip back to this place, that's for sure. CELEBRITY RATING - Collin Jost

    Photos
    Grey Ghost
    Grey Ghost - Ramen salad

    Ramen salad

    Grey Ghost - Inside lamps

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    Inside lamps

    SavannahBlue - Catfish Plate and Shrimp & Grits

    SavannahBlue

    4.1(683 reviews)
    0.2 miDowntown Detroit
    $$

    Fantastic! Enthusiastic staff and perfect food. Cornbread can be hit or miss in general. This…read morecornbread is perfection. Crispy, soft, sweet, buttery. The lamb chops were top tier (that's what I ate) but the fried chicken that my wife had was mind blowing. I'm not generally given to hyperbole. Seriously: try this chicken. Also, this may be the best bread pudding I have ever had (though I think I had to order the ice cream separately).

    I appreciated an article written about the dress code and fine dining attitudes of this…read moreestablishment. I purchased gift cards during Covid to help support local restaurants during shut down, and I was pleasantly surprised that we could still use them in 2026! We had tried to use them in 2022, but were told the restaurant was small and could not accommodate our party of 8, even early on a Sunday. Fast forward 4 years! We made a reservation for a party of 4. It would've been nice to know the restaurant was on the second floor with no elevator, but perhaps that is my lack of inquiry. We were warmly greeted. Our server was absolutely fantastic! She made wonderful recommendations, and our meal was delicious! We had the crab dip, cornbread muffins, fried chicken and catfish entrees with yams and collard greens. Our family is from the South (KY, NC, TN, VA, MS, & AL) and we cook southern food on a regular basis. The yams were perfectly cooked and sweetened. The collard greens had just enough density, not runny or too salty. YUM!!! The chicken was tasty and moist. Catfish was seasoned and prepared perfectly and absolutely delicious also. Served with Frank's! We finished it off with the skillet cookie dessert, shared by all. A great way to end a really wonderful meal. The restaurant wasn't busy, so food service could've been a little faster, but we enjoyed a leisurely early dinner. My only other comment is that with glass top tables, you almost have to use Windex when tables turn over. The water streaks on all the glass top just make it look more like a greasy spoon or diner and does not do justice to the great service or the quality of the food. I don't usually do catfish at home, so we will be back for more!

    Photos
    SavannahBlue
    SavannahBlue - Catfish Plate

    Catfish Plate

    SavannahBlue - Catfish &  Collard Greens

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    Catfish & Collard Greens

    Besa - Grass-fed sliders

    Besa

    4.2(299 reviews)
    0.6 miDowntown Detroit
    $$$

    We visited during happy hour and sat at the bar, and the experience was lovely from the moment we…read morewalked in until the very last bite. The service was attentive and our server was both personable and knowledgeable, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Everything we ordered was well-seasoned and well prepared. The standout dish was easily the lamb shoulder appetizer, extremely tender and perfectly paired with the creamy hummus. Hands down, the best lamb shoulder I've had to date. The half chicken was also very good, tasting fresh off the grill, and paired nicely with the light, fluffy rice and grilled asparagus. The ambiance deserves a mention as well. The space feels modern and classy with romantic undertones, while still being warm and inviting. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience, and I'll definitely be back to explore more of the menu.

    The staff is so fun and talkative. Not just our server but everyone would pass by and ask how we…read morewere doing and chat with us. The place is so nice, clean and very modern. I like that the booths are kind of private with the party you are with. For starters we had the pulled lamb shoulder hummus. The lamb was well seasoned and so tender the hummus was great but the combination was amazing. The mini gyros were really good too. They should make them as an entree with a bigger portion. They were so much flavor in the two bites I had since we split them in half. The branzino was good I have had better and the sides that it came with were a little on the small side it was Swiss chard and there was suppose to be romesco in it but I didn't see any and just a few pieces of fingerling potatoes. The ribeye was cooked to perfection and came sliced already the sides were plentiful and flavorful. The lamb chops were very small and not a lot of pieces and didn't really come with any sides. For dessert we split the Citrus Cheesecake and Trilece Cake. The cheesecake was very creamy and light the citrus taste was very pronounced and so fresh there wasn't any kind of artificial taste to it at all. The cake was delicious the cream on top was light and fluffy, cake was soft and moist, the sauce at the bottom gave it that extra touch that made it one of the best things I ate that night.

    Photos
    Besa
    Besa - Close up of the steak, along with a vodka martini with stuffed olives and vegetables

    Close up of the steak, along with a vodka martini with stuffed olives and vegetables

    Besa - Raw oysters

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    Raw oysters

    Cliff Bell's - bars - Updated May 2026

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