This place continues to be a winner for me. For those of who are like me and need to "wine" down after work, they open at 4 :-). I went with a friend and when I tell you that I love when you know what I want when you see me...I do. The service particularly at opening is top notch, The music is always beautiful matching the vibe of the place. By now you know I am addicted to the black eye pea hummus. It's so so good. The no more drama is newly added into my rotation of drinks. read more

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One of my favorite bars! I try to make it to Kalamazoo a few times a year, but restaurant week is definitely my favorite. I went this past week and their blues fest was also happening. Live performances, good food, AMAZING drinks, and wonderful staff makes the drive worth it every single time! The cocktail bar has a cool story and I love that every menu item has a feeling to it. My favorite drink for the night was from their limited edition summer menu, the electric slide was perfect and refreshing (sign my petition to get my drink on the regular menu lol), my boyfriend had an old fashioned by one of the bartenders that another couple near us said makes the best, and he indeed said it was made perfectly! (Idk what that means cause I think they're gross, but ‍), the mint julep is also a must try as their signature drink, ooo and the my prerogative is pretty tasty too. Big drinker clearly, we also tried the competition cocktail made with corn!! Sounds insane, but it was actually really good!! Okay onto the food, I have no pictures of the food because I literally inhaled it all. So here's my list of must try's as the cost is pretty reasonable, so you can really try them all. Sweet heat chicken flatbread Collard green dip Honey lemon pepper chicken salad (SOOO GOOD!!!) Peach cobbler cornbread Get my exact order and maybe a few other items and I promise you'll have love them too, can't wait to go back! read more

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This place is wonderfulin so many ways and we just happened upon it on a Friday night. The atmosphere is amazing. So relaxing and lit perfectly and full of cozy areas to sit and sip. Their commitment to having live music is awesome and we happened to be there when a jazz quartet was there. That just added to the chill and relaxing atmosphere more. I would highly recommend reservations, especially on those nights you know they have music. The main reason is because of service. The service people were so lovely but it does take a long time to get served. We had access to a table for an hour and a half (because the table was committed to a reservation after that and the host let us know that---no big deal). We were barely able to get a drink and pay for it and actually finish and enjoy it in that time. This is the only reason I went down to 4 stars. The drinks were good and the bartenders looked like they knew how to handle all the orders they were getting. We did not try any food as we knew we were limited on time. I look forward to trying some things next time. I will be going back and I will just plan a bit differently and make sure I get reservations. read more

Dabney - Drinks in a cozy two-seat spot. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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We came here for the first time this week and I was super excited to try it out. We used to go to the coffee shop at this location and the change over to the bar is phenomenal. It's cozy and intimate and the chairs, while large and a tad annoying to be seated at when you have a coat on (unless you sit on it, you can't really hang it anywhere) were comfortable. It took a bit of a wait to get waters and took almost a half hour to get our first round, by the time we got them it was almost last call so we didn't get to try the others that we wanted. It was not busy, there were several bar seats and 4 separate open tables (Wednesday night) so the wait was not due to being packed. I got the Michael Jackson inspired drink, Heaven Can Wait: "peach mango vodka with delicate hints of basil and subtle plum bitters" It was very overpowering with its sweetness and unrecognizable fruit flavor... Oddly enough, I did not get peach or mango flavors. I felt it tasted most closely to a sour gummy worm and children's Tylenol. It was surprisingly thick and wasn't cold enough for my liking, it was weirdly warm for a cocktail so I added ice from my water to get it a more appropriate temp. I would not get this drink again. I had a cocktail I wanted to try next but it was just so slow we weren't able to do it. I didn't like the 20% automatic gratuity, because I think automatic is always annoying. I understand for large parties, but for any check I don't agree. ‍ I would be happy to give the place another chance next time we're in town, but for now, I think there's some room for improvement when there are so many fantastic local cocktail options. read more

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Great atmosphere, unique drinks, fun vibes, and welcoming establishment. When the bartender asked what I wanted, I told him I was at the mercy of the mixologists. Something gin based. He asked if I liked spicy, and said "I got you." The "Respect" was a tasty libation. I'll be back, and I'll tell everyone I know. Cheers! read more

Dabney - Respect. A spicy gin drink. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

LOVE this place! So classy and a beautiful speakeasy, intimate vibe. The perfect location for a meet up with friends or date night. Lots of options for cocktails. Been here several times and will continue to come back and again and again! read more

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Admittedly, I only tried their cocktails this time but they were EXCELLENT! The service was superb and the ambiance was lovely! I plan on going back for the food! Also, it was PACKED by 10:30 PM on Saturday! read more

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Phenomenal drinks, even better atmosphere. Can't recommend this spot enough for an evening with friends.

This is a nice, clean, bar with a speakeasy type atmosphere. The drink selection was great and the prices weren't too bad. The drinks were all really good. We were a party of six and it was not too busy. The drinks came out fast, but we had to go up to the bar to pay when we finished our drinks. read more

Dabney - Cotton candy inspired drink...very tasty - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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A nice cocktail was exactly what was needed to end a long day. It was definitely a nice surprise to find this place directly across from the hotel! The outside doesn't look like much, but when you enter, you are swept into a serene environment. Black out curtains drape the windows. Soft lighting and rich colors adorn the bar. The walls are covered in old black and white photos. The entire experience was wonderful! Unfortunately, there was no food, but the drinks were fantastic! I would absolutely come back. read more

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Incredible place. Gorgeous interior, incredibly kind and knowledgeable staff. Absolutely loved the story behind this place as well. Stopped in for a few drinks and loved chatting with the bartenders. They know how to make an incredible drink and have a huge and creative selection. I tried their famous mint julep (made with rum) and this is now exactly how I plan to order my mint juleps in the future!! Wish I had known about this cocktail bar sooner- it's absolutely wonderful and so are the people. Will be back next time I am in town!! 10/10 read more

Dabney - Mango habanera margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

I just had the Banana Pudding Cornbread. It is 5 out of 5 stars. I thought it was going to taste more like cornbread but it is definitely a delicious dessert. It is perfectly sweet with a touch of crunch, and a mouth watering flavor of creamy banana flavored filling with the perfect light texture of moist cornbread. Beautifully designed with vanilla wafer topping and on the side. You're going to love it. DJ Jazzi Roc read more

Came for a private event - left with a great experience and a promising spot for future nightcaps. The Fried Green BLT sandwich is amazing and the Black Eyed Pea hummus is full of flavor. The owner, Daniel, is a magnanimous man and this establishment is full of history and homage to some artful aspects of the Black Experience. This place has a great energy and is worth your time to explore. Take a friend and grab a drink - share some food. You won't be disappointed. read more

Dabney - A few snaps of the beautiful decor. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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This place is one of the most beautiful places in Downtown Kalamazoo. The vibes of this place : This place is all about the vibes, starting from the classic cozy romantic atmosphere, and the wonderful classic choices of music. It is really beautiful and I would definitely come here again. The service: All the staff were really friendly and very professional of what they do. The food : The Hummus dipping with Pita bread was super good ! The corn bread was also good. The BLT sandwich was delicious, although it had bacon it it and I don't eat bacon. So I took it out, but yet the sandwich was still delicious ! The drinks : Oh god, the drinks are something to die for ! I tried : - Pandora's water Mocktail - Toro Mocktail And both of them they were super DELICIOUS !! And I was really glad that this place had great options of Mocktails. Thank you so much Dabney for having this wonderful experience to have a joyful romantic cozy dates ! Definitely will be coming here again ! read more

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Great spot here. Music was great and not too loud/ quiet. Jazz sounded great when we went. It was a pretty expensive place for a college kid like myself but I got one drink, The Make A Wish. It was great, even being 15$. Worth it. My problem was with the service. They automatically add 20% gratuity, and it shows. Servers were borderline rude and not attentive whatsoever. I always tip 20%, but when you give me bad service because you know it's automatic, that's frustrating. read more

So excited for this opening! First soft opening was Oct 2022, second soft opening is Nov 11-12, 2022, and then full opening soon after that with exact date TBA. Be sure to read "The Man Behind the Name" on their website. Love their dedication to honoring history, creating community and sharing meaningful drinks together! They will also have live music and can host events. Love welcoming this much-anticipated cocktail lounge to Kalamazoo!!!! read more

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Great atmosphere! Loved the music. Such friendly bartenders- Kileean made me the best aperol Spritz I have ever had. My husband had the paper Plane which was also delicious. Definitely a place to check out in Kalamazoo. read more

Dabney - Aperol spritz and paper plane - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Incredible experience here, but make a reservation!! Don't get caught up in the over flow area when there is live music. Nicky and Jack were incredible servers and were super helpful with suggestions. Ask for them when you visit and you'll have the best experience! Highly recommend read more

Incredible atmosphere at Dabney & Co. Not only were our drinks incredible but Teodor was so friendly and knowledgeable! You can tell he loves his job and getting to learn about people and their lives. He gave great recommendations, did great explaining different cocktails on the menu, and went above and beyond when we ordered off menu later in the night. Ambiance was incredible as well, the low lights and comfy couches definitely made the place feel cozy but elegant. We're sad we missed the live music, but will definitely be back :) read more

Dabney - Mango habanero mule and R.E.S.P.E.C.T - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Nice vibe! Teo made my drink look appealing and tasty! If you're hungry, try the Sunday Dinner sandwich, I was pleasantly surprised with the collard greens on the sandwich! So good! I cannot forget to mention the Bacon Jalapeño Cornbread, oh my goodness this cornbread was like a dessert and enough to share! Delish! Great spot to meet up! Thank you for having me and my girls! read more

Amazing ambiance, perfectly balanced drinks, and a great story on top of that! The bartender, Teo, gave premium service. Highly recommended! read more

Dabney - Perfectly balanced drinks. A Manhattan and the bartenders twist on a blood orange Tom Collins. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Always a vibe!!! I love the drink I had a French Kiss and it was wonderful!!! If you like cheese and collard greens please try the collard greens dip! read more

My friends and I really enjoyed ourselves at Dabney for my birthday. We got the black eyed pea Hummus and the blueberry lemon cornbread for appetizers and they were both great. Their bartenders are top notch and make amazing drinks! 10/10 recommend! read more

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I have been to Dabney more than a few times (many times actually) and there is a reason that I keep returning. The staff are always super friendly and kind, the food is always delicious (my fave is the hummus and the blt). I do not drink alcohol, and their mocktails are delicious (my favorite being the Motownphilly). The music is probably my absolute favorite about this place. The playlist is always reminiscent of the best soul and R&B of the 60s-90s and I love it!!! I love when they have R&B or Hip Hop events in partnership with a DJ and Satellite Records where I can add to my vinyl collection. The owners (Daniel and Kristy) are hard workers and always attentive (acknowledging me and my friends when we are there). The decor makes me proud to be Black! Paying homage to the greats in music. If I had to offer any cons is that I do with sometimes that they had more help as service can sometimes be slow. I don't mind it because the music keeps me vibin until my food and drink comes but my friends have mentioned it before. I also wish that there was a little bit more light as sometime it is so dark that my selfies and videos are no good lol. Overall I give the place a 9 out of 10 and cannot wait to bring more friends and family to Dabney to vibe with me. I wish nothing but success to the Mays and their team at Dabney & Co. read more

You have to check this place out! It's a stylish cocktail bar with an interesting, minimalist food menu. We stopped in with another couple for cocktails prior to our dinner reservation at JungleBird. The ambiance was chill and the drinks were delicious. Our bartender was very attentive and helpful in decision making. The manager stopped by to assure all was well. We will definitely be back! read more

This is a true gem in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo. Loved the vibes, the drinks were perfect, and the food is delicious. Thank you to our attentive waitstaff for giving the absolute best service. If you haven't already been, get there. read more

Had a group of 12 and the staff didn't seem to be interested in helping us. It was our first time and were celebrating a birthday. A couple of us ended up trying to get drinks at the bar. We left and went to Burdicks. We had hoped for a good experience especially because the place was empty. We were going to be spending a few hundred dollars read more

Great drinks, service and ambiance. I also appreciated they had some mocktail options on their menu. We will definitely be back!

This is my new favorite cocktail place in Kalamazoo. The vibe is so laid back, unique, music incredible and r&b-esque, food great and in huge portions, and drinks to die for. The ambiance is unmatched in my opinion. I ordered a Paper Plane and I've tried these in dozens of bars prior - this was my absolute favorite rendition. Their story makes me want to come here a million times over. We ordered the hummus (huge portion), lemon blueberry cornbread (oh my god) and the lemon pepper salad (YUM). 10/10 recommend read more

Dabney - Paper Plane - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Had a really bad experience the first time there. The manager was very rude to us and it just was an uncomfortable situation.

Fantastic service, very cool vibe. They take great care to make their drinks equally aesthetically pleasing and good for the palette. Their bartenders know their stuff, and they auto-grat which shows management cares about their employees' incomes. It's a very chill vibe oriented toward black culture and neo-classic cocktails. Francis has served me the two times I've went and seems like she really enjoys the work she does and, honestly, she's very talented. Everyone on their staff is. They could serve shot and pops with their vibe and still be fantastic. This is a big recommend from me. read more

Dabney - Mango Habanero Margarita - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

I. Cannot. Give. This. Enough. Praise!!! I work on Rose Street so I was really excited to see construction and renovation happening early last year at the corner of Rose and Kalamazoo (where Civil Coffee used to be). I followed its progress on social media and learned that they would be "honoring the black mixologists that influenced the cocktail industry but often went unrecognized". The name Dabney & Co is inspired by John Dabney (1824-1900). When it finally opened in late 2022, I was so excited. They held a couple soft opens and hosted a disco themed New Year Eve party. Last weekend I was staying at the Hotel 2 and walked across the street on a Saturday night around 8pm. There was a private party going on so the space was almost at capacity. My partner and I were able to get seated right at the bar. We were very thankful we got in when we did because the wait time went from 10 minutes to 2 hours pretty quickly. Everyone wanted to be there! There are rich, warm velvety curtains on the tall windows. There is a gold, ornate ceiling. Exposed brick. Edison light bulbs. Retro light fixtures. The music cannot get enough props, too. Every song that came on was one that I remember from my younger years so I was thoroughly enjoying it. They serve food and it looked delicious, but we just had cocktails. I ordered a French 75 and my partner ordered a Make a Wish. Both cocktails were 10/10. Beautifully crafted and garnished, delicious, strong - just phenomenal. I will say that on this particular night, it took a very long time to receive our drinks. We ordered our drinks and my partner received his about 15 minutes later, but I did not receive mine. I wait another 10-15 minutes and the bartender noticed I was still waiting so she made my cocktail and included a second one on the house. After my partner had finished his Make a Wish, he ordered an Olde Fashioned and never received it during the other hour we were there. They took it off the bill and apologized profusely. Despite the slow service, I still give this place five stars. I believe with it being a new establishment and potentially new bartenders, and with a private party going on - it affected the service. I'm certain that will smooth out with each passing day. I also noticed that the bartenders were making drinks in batches instead of as they were ordered, so that probably affected the timing as well. Again, small details that will be ironed out, I'm sure. The quality of the ambiance, the drinks, and the server personalities is too good to not come back! read more

Dabney - Make a Wish - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

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We were there tonight and they were a little short staffed, but we 100% enjoyed our time there! The vibe and the atmosphere was so lounge-y and chill. We'll definitely be regulars! read more

Fantastic cocktails, service and vibe. It felt like you stepped back in time to an elegantly kept secret speakeasy. I can tell how much love was put into this place. We'll be back! read more

This bar is so amazing! The atmosphere and vibe is something you haven't seen in the Kalamazoo area before. read more

Dabney - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Welcome to your new favorite place in Kalamazoo! I was so excited to try Dabney and Co. The location is convenient and we found parking right out front. We walked in the door, and it was an experience from the first step! The energy of this space is so warm and inviting, and hip and cool at the same time. We were greeted by staff immediately. It felt like being welcomed "home". The staff showed they were happy to see us and went above and beyond in their warm greetings. We ordered two drinks. He had the Mint Julep . I asked the server for a mocktail based on the bartender's recommendation. Both were wonderful! We walked around and enjoyed the beautifully designed interior. The music, the ambiance, everything was impeccable. The attention to detail at Dabney is to be admired. We enjoyed talking to the owner and learning about the inspiration behind the space. We ordered the blueberry cornbread and the maple bacon jalapeno cornbread. Both were AMAZING! They were like pillows of heaven! I left the space feeling like my heart, mind, soul and palette were beyond satisfied. I can't wait to go back and try more menu items! I highly recommend Dabney and Co. Don't sleep on gem in our community! read more

Stopped for a some cocktails after dinner this past Friday. Staff were so nice and the owner takes pride in introducing himself to all guests. I thought this makes the experience even better! He has put a lot of work into the space and the ambiance is top notch, very speakeasy vibes. Drinks are top notch as well "the last word" was the drink of the night for me and you can tell the effort put into the mixology of the beverage. Loved this place and will be back! Kalamazoo needed a place like this. read more

Amazing atmosphere, drinks, and service. Our bartender Francis was great she suggested perfect drinks for our whole group! I'll be back for sure read more

Staff was very personable and atmosphere was great. Perfect place to end the night after a nice dinner.

Great craft cocktails, ambiance is warm and inviting, our bartender was Killegin, great service, very knowledgeable about the drinks, Will definitely be going again. read more