We kicked off our annual Fat Tuesday celebration at Whiskey in a Jar. We usually start off at the New Doge and enjoy the Polish Muslims but they weren't playing there this year. Instead we got to enjoy The Kielbasa Kings! What a fun time!! I was super excited because we haven't been able to enjoy this celebration since pre-covid! But we are baaaaaaccckkk! As usual, we arrived early in the morning. And were one of the first there. We kicked it off with Polish beer and some shots. One of the guys that played in the band went to my highschool and his sister and I know each other so that was a fun surprise! They had a huge tent set up where the band was playing. They made both bathrooms female and brought in a porta potty for the guys. The removed all the furniture so it was standing room only. We got our polka on and had a great time! Great start to the day!! read more

See all

This is one great dive bar. Tons of character, cheap booze, a not so fancy but still pretty great patio out back, etc. It's not fancy here. This is not where you'll get a real upscale craft cocktail or microbrew but the beverages are cold and the price point is right (aka--low). And on Paczki day? It's a real party! They set up a tent and it's chock full of paczki shots! And polka music! And kielbasa and pierogi! And of course, all the Tyskie and Okocim you can handle. Na zdrowie! read more

See all

Solid dive bar alert! Ahhh, nothing's better than heading to your local dive, cracking a cold one and sitting on a back patio. I got a strange Doghead sour beer that I didn't love (tried to go local and then found out it wasn't), but the atmosphere of the place was classic and great. The owner talked with dry sarcasm and had a casual demeanor that matched the vibe of the small bar. They do a lot of canned drinks, as well as mixed liquor drinks too. Not sure if they serve any snacks (guess is no). We sat down on the small back patio and enjoyed being outside (almost felt like we were at someone's house) after a day of hard work. It was great! read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Outside - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

See all

Actually affordable drinks, nice staff, relaxed environment. Will be coming back often.

I was first customer of the day. I had a plan to bounce around to local bars and abandoned that plan once I sat down at Whiskey in the Jar. Very friendly and fun regulars. The bartender Kate from NYC was a pleasure to meet. I will visit this place again next time. Don't believe the weirdos on here hating on this place. Five star! read more

This place checks all the boxes of a good time. Katie, the bartender, was very nice and accommodating. Great music. Check out the cool stickers read more

I love Hamtramck and its bars, but this is my least favorite Hamtramck bar. No service complaints, but this bar simply smells poor. It's not like that stale up north bar smell or divey beer smell. Can't pin down the smell, but the place does not smell clean and makes me want to leave. I feel sick in this place. read more

Excellent dive bar, just off the downtown strip. Tiny place with broken tile floor, single pool table, chachki-filled bar, cheap drinks, and decent selection of craft beers. This bar is a block from Polish Village Cafe. We stepped in to have a drink while waiting for our party for dinner. Good choice of craft beers for a reasonable price. The regulars were getting an eye full of the strangers that were sitting in the corner, but if you aren't shy and don't mind the looks then it's definitely a beer whiskey dive bar and about the only place to grab a drink in the area. It's very small and the bar seating was full. There are a few tables too. I think they have food. I saw something about beignets on the wall. TVs are big and one viewable from each seat. read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

What is not to love but DIVE BARS! This is such a cool sport that we had to make a pit stop at the famous Whiskey in the Jar on Fat Tuesday, of course. Live music played throughout the day and nothing is better than enjoying a cold beer and a shot with the locals. Don't expect a wide variety of craft beers or fancy drinks here. Learn to enjoy the basics in life....it's all about the experience. We most definitely will be back! read more

One of the best dive bars I've ever been to! I've had some of the best nights of my life here! The bartenders are great!! The atmosphere is great as well! Spent many weekends here and had a blast! Make sure to write your name on the wall in the bathroom and pose by it for a pic I met a lot of cool people here and continue to frequent this place. If your in the Hamtramck area make sure to check this bar out!!!! read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Anna, Lynn and I - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

By far one of the best bars in Hamtramck!!! I would highly recommend you stop in and give it a try! The music is awesome just like the bartenders! Always have a friendly smile on their face. When I was a intern in Hamtramck I went here every Friday and Saturday night. Some of the best times of my life! Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself! read more

Final stop on my small paczki pub crawl for this year. Porta potties in a smelly alley - part of the lure of hamtramck! A huge tent set up, in a parking lot. How can you go wrong with a band called the kielbasa kings? Maybe very? Lol. Place was packed - everyone having fun. I had to leave at 2pm - guessing it got even friendlier later - lol. read more

I've been to this bar way more times than my check-ins suggest. I really like the vibe. I've been with my husband a few times for a quick beer and I've also visited after DCFC matches, which is a much crazier vibe. The bartenders are usually friendly and chill. There's a pool table in the back if you get sick of sitting around. I like the TouchTunes jukebox that I can control from an app on my phone. The bathrooms are covered in graffiti but they're generally well-kept. Prices are cheap, with a $3 tall boy of PBR as the best deal I've found so far. Good vibes, cheap prices. I dig Whiskey in the Jar. read more

Great dive bar in Hamtramck! ! Love this place! But, where are all the under 30 year old women?

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this townie dive bar while staying in Hamtramck nearby. If you're freaked out by dolls, try to ignore the creepy bride doll with the knife moving around by the bar! This place definitely has a lot of character. There are stickers everywhere and lots to look at. Our bartender was no nonsense, and quick with drinks. The place wasn't super busy when we were there which was nice, but it's a pretty small bar so I could see it getting packed. There's a pool table. Drinks here are definitely cheap -- my vodka sodas were $3! Nice change from the downtown Detroit bars, if you don't mind a dive. My only complaint is that the smokers were smoking right outside the door and it was wafting into the bar a lot. If you need a cheap spot for a few drinks with plenty of character, this is your place. read more

Dive bar at its best! Cute backyard patio, 3$ drafts, great people. Nice pool table. We love this place.

Great dive bar, which is what we were looking for. Relaxed atmosphere with a couple TVs and a good beer selection.

Terrible service my drink order was denied because the bartender Mike wanted me to say please and I refused then he made a commotion about it. Just do your job Mike no one has to be courteous to you read more

John I think was hi name! Took 30+ to get a drink! And he was a dick!He's is the worse bartender there!

Oh Whiskey in the Jar.. a small town bar with a lot of personality. I have found myself here everytime I get to venture into Hamtramck and I fall in love with it a little bit more with each trip. If Whiskey in the Jar was a person: I would picture him to be big polish biker with lots of tattoos, lots of stories from 'back in the day' and would have all the knowledge of polish history and culture to be an actual professor. When I come to this bar, I want to overhear everyone's conversations, I want to be everyone's friend and I want to become a regular. I just get this welcoming feeling all the time which I love. The bartenders are on point! I was here celebrating on Fat Tuesday and I had the opportunity to be around hundreds of drunk people listening to the Polish Muslims and drinking PBRs and eating everything in sight. The beer tent was packed but not annoying and it was awesome to see everyone in such a great mood. It was also 4pm and I wondered if anyone worked on Fat Tuesday. Anyways.. even though there were hundreds of drunks everywhere.. the bartenders were with you as soon as you made eye contact. Drinks were cheap and the service was fast. I even tried the blackberry liquer which tastes like cough medicine.. but for some reason I always said yes when someone offered to buy me one. Come here on Fat Tuesday because it's totally worth it.. and come here if you're in Hamtramck. Very warm and welcoming place and I swear everyone will fall in love with you by the end of the night. read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Fat Tuesday! - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

Typical no frills, dive bar. Graffiti covered the bathroom walls, a pool table, dark lit with wood paneling. There were a couple of tv monitors and free wifi. We came on Saint Patty's Day, and it was pretty dead as most people were gravitating to Detroit and Irish themed bars. I ordered a Guinness on tap and they had a full bar with lots of Polish Vodka options. The bartender was very inviting, helpful and friendly. They don't serve food but a local business, H Town Deli dropped off menus and took orders over the phone and delivered them to the bar. They offered nachos, chili, ruebens, turkey, and ham sandwiches and beignets. We ordered the beignets which were quickly delivered to the bar. OMG! They were so delicious! Hot fried, flaky dough, fresh out of the oven drizzled in warm chocolate and raspberry sauces and sprinkled with powdered sugar, very good! My friend ate three of them. A very chill hometown dive bar. I'd definitely stop in again. read more

See all

Unless you live in Hamtramck, you might not really understand the beauty of this place. It is not over populated with tourists to the bar scene in Hamtramck. It is not a meat market. It is not Hip. It is not Trendy. What it is, is a local friendly neighborhood bar. This is a bar where literally everyone knows you name. The owner is a past Hamtramck Mayor, and that says a lot. The bar is decorated with Christmas lights year round,and you feel like your in someone's personal basement. The drinks are so amazingly cheap, at 1.50 a PBR. The jukebox is one of those internet ones, so you can listen to just about anything you want. The bartenders are nice, and they keep a folder of take out menus behind the bar.. so you can go and grab dinner and have some drinks. I would recommend the Thai place around that corner. 4/5 stars because I believe bars should be non-smoking. (i just moved from Los Angeles.. where no one smokes) read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

If I lived in Detroit, this would be one of my regular haunts. Located on a residential street at the end of a block of bungalows, it has that familiar cozy neighborhood bar feel I recognized from growing up in Chicago. The bar is in a Polish neighborhood, and has a stock of Polish beers, liquors and signs. We drove by and were hesitant based on the man wearing a cowboy hat sitting outside ( currently living in Texas, I didn't come to the D for cowboys) nut chose to pop in for a drink. Best decision ever. The bar is dark, there is a jukebox, and most of the bar seems to know each other. The bartender was super friendly and the people were picking good music. One of the guys sitting near us at the bar was alone, chatted with the bartender and had his dinner delivered to the bar and ate at the bar.The mix of people was part hipster, part Polish locals, park punk/ rockabilly,... and the cowboy. Great bar, good selection, good music, good times. read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

I can't believe it took me this long to come here. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? I love this place. Staff is great. I'm a fan of any bar that makes you take a shot when it's your first time. haha read more

I really liked this place - it's like a cozy basement. One of the bartenders had a magical Mary Poppins bag perfectly attuned to our needs behind the bar that supplied us with delicious cookies and games, which was lovely. Free street parking is ample. read more

I guess this place is okay. They have a decent selection of hipster cult fave beers in line with Two Hearted and Space Rock. The back patio is a plus. However, they seem to be blatantly operating during the pandemic. read more

We've been here a few times with my sister-in-law, and it's always been nice and mellow. We've been able to kick back, talk to some really interesting people and just enjoy the atmosphere. I really like the cozy neighborhood bar atmosphere. If I lived closer it could easily be a home-away-from-home. The drinks were (as previously mentioned) quite well made and economical (anyone need a translation for that?), and there was an interesting series of selections already playing on the juke box. read more

A legendary Hamtramck dive bar! Always a must stop on the Hamtramck tour. Bartenders are local and very well known. Drinks are poured well and parties are usually themed and fun. read more

3 stars but that's not a bad thing. It's your average (Polish) dive bar. Sometimes cheep beers. Sometimes prices are not as low as I think they should be. Pool table, darts, jukebox, TV playing Boondocks Saints. We keep coming! Eat at Polish Village Cafe then come down here for a great Detroit night out. Fat Tuesday might be the best party of the year here read more

Whiskey in the Jar - Good beer selection - Dive Bars Near Me - Hamtramck, Michigan

My friends and I came here after dining at (revolver). Based on what the bartender said, they gets lots of before and after patrons, and they didn't give us a hard time when we walked in with two half-full bottles of wine (which we obviously didn't drink from). Also props for being a hipstery/dive bar that did not judge us for being obviously not hipster. Also, they had the olympics opening ceremony on, and it was fun to hear the entire bar provide their own commentary. I had a delicious ginger beer, that was served as recommended on the bottle, served over ice and with a lime slice. Yum! Oh, and awesome/random jukebox tunes as well (consistently with the wide variety of patrons). My only complaint was the ladies bathroom. The bathroom itself was not bad, but the, ahem, toilet area, was so gross that I really wished I hadn't broken the seal when I was at (revolver). Perhaps it's not always this bad, but approach with caution and don't say you weren't warned. With that said, I'll definitely be back, but I'll just plan on saving the seal breaking until I get home :-) read more

I need to preface this review with this quote from my friend: "This is the most normal I've ever seen this bar. Seriously." Apparently it's a place that's usually full of an eclectic mix of people: townies, bikers, hipsters, crack heads - you know, a great mix. We were surrounded by a scene typical of any dive-bar-turned-cool hangout in the city of Chicago: trixies wishing it was still their senior year of college (even though they're 30 now), hipsters and locals. The bar itself is small and cozy but even on a Friday night it wasn't packed and there was enough seats for everyone. There's a pool table in the back and a juke box in the front (the music selection was terrible last night - the nostalgic 30somethings picked the worst music ever). The bathrooms were a bit weird - I wasn't impressed with the stall that didn't lock (and there was only one). It was a little creepy. But the bathroom was at least clean and had plenty of soap and paper towels, which is rare for some bars. The beer list was impressive and cheap. All of the "specialty" pints were $4 or $5 and they have a $1 selection EVERYDAY. Amazing. The PBR pitchers were $5 which is a steal. All of the shots were $1.50 (awesome) and they were excecellent. They have a lot of Polish liquor selections (as this is a bar in a Polish neighborhood) - we had a shot of some crazy Polish brandy liquor something and it was delicious. They have $1 domestics every Tuesday (awesome) and other specials every night. There's an abundance of parking because it's in the middle of Hamtramck, MI and it was definitely a fun place to hang out with friends. Oh, and the Pistons won which made it a lot better. read more

Yay for the Whiskey! THIS is a dive spot that is everything a dive should be (well...with the exception of the electronic jukebox, but no place is perfect). Not much to look at from the outside. The inside isn't anything fancy, but it is CLEAN. Even the bathrooms, small and littered with wall graffitti, have never had an "ewww" factor to them. So props for that. Drinks are cheap. Every bartender that works there is cool as heck. Tons of regulars...you'll all know each other after a time or two in. Pool table, small outside area....just good old Detroit antics and a lot of people getting their drink on for cheap. Hooray. (Taking a star off because sometimes the bartenders like to have as much fun as the customers do...which has led to a few instances of inattentive service. But hey, I can't blame them. I'd do the same.) read more

Drinking obscure Polish beer and listening to Mayer Hawthorne's "A Strange Arrangement" -- a selection deftly summoned by the indie-qualified bartendress -- was THE version of Hamtramck that I had longed for since my wife decreed our return to her Homeland every Christmas season for the rest of eternity. Coincidentally, after our recent visit here, now *I* have a home. It was a rather slow evening in there -- not quite happy hour and too early for the late night delirium -- but some of the role players were certainly there: the bar cuddler, the hockey sweater boaster, the Chucks wearer, and erm, us. Now, we're big on the indie/dive scene in Austin, but this was positively Midwest bizarro. Still, the people were jovial, the beer so fresh and Polish, and the juke switched recordings to The Shins' "Gone For Good", lending to the belief that all was right in the cosmos. read more

Can't say I've never had a good time here, but as an establishment it's got next to nothing going for it. No food. Dilapidated bathrooms. A pool table with hardly enough room to take your shots. You don't come here for what's here, you come here for who's here. read more

We walked in and looked around the place. It was dark, small and everyone shot us a quick look. We sat at the bar, wondering what this place was gonna be like. As I took off my coat the smiling bartender came over to us and laid out 4 shot glasses for the 3 of us. "First time here?" he asked. We nooded and he began to pour us our welcome shots. "Welcome to Whiskey in the Jar." and we all took shots. The bartender sold me on my first small bar experience. He was awesome, interactive, informative and just social. He knew all the regulars by name and more importantly made newcomers to this tiny dive bar feel right at home. The drinks came cheap that night, we had a good deal on beer and shots that were the special of the evening, and ended up finishing off the stock ourselves! There's a pool table and dartboard in the back but other than that and a TV, the place is about the friends and atmosphere. You look around this place and know everyone there is local and just wants to share a drink and a story or two. It definitely worth checking out, and when we left the bartender (August) called out our names and beckoned us back next week. definitely the personal style some of you might be looking for. read more

This is such a great dive- and probably my favorite bar when I come to visit Detroit. They always seem to be opening up the bar just when we arrive.. and we always have the best of times and really fun conversations. We came for Paczki Day this year and were floored by the wonderful bands, dancing, home cooking up for sale and wonderful crowd of Paczki obsessed locals. We once missed our plane home to NYC .. we definitely got carried away with the cheap drinks and good people. I remember leaving in a snow storm, through the quiet of the snow blanketed neighborhood.. feeling such love for this little place. See you soon, Whiskey. read more

Oh, dive bars...my home away from home. What is it that makes thee so special? 1. Quality music 2. Bartenders with character 3. Cheap drinks 4. Games of some sort After seeing everyone pee their pants in excitement over Whiskey in the Jar, I made it a priority to check it out the next time we made it to Hamtramck. I happened to drag two other couples with us, and I have to say, I wasn't too impressed when I walked in. It's not that I expect much out of a dive...but I do expect character, and the small room filled with a few punkskis didn't give me and my group much hope. That quickly changed after the bartender and a patron got in a verbal battle over some tip money. The screaming was slightly startling, and everyone was quiet before breaking into uncomfortable laughter. You definitely couldn't say this place didn't have character. Sensing the need for some positive vibes, I went to the awesome internet jukebox and played The Pixies. Suddenly the bartender starts dancing behind the bar and patrons are dancing in their stools. Everyone is singing. People come in and out smoking cigarettes. Polish beers are going down easy, as well as 24 oz. PBRs that seem to be a requirement for dives to have. Requirement 3 is met! A game over flip cup ensues at our table, and a game of pool is behind us. All are happy and buzzed. And that's requirement 4! I will definitely be back, but I might have to thank Frank Black for that one! Remember: when all else fails, a dive needs the Pixies! read more

Fantastic beer selection... from Hamms to Shorts and everything in between. Friendly bartender and locals. Nice cool spot for a cold beer on a hot day. Will definitely consider coming back next time I'm out that way. read more

One of the best bars in Hamtamck.. go here & let the drunk bartender get you drunk for cheap cheap cheap.. put on your hat & coat & wander towards Hamtramck Disneyland.. See one of the sweetest places ever & hope that one day you can make something as amazing as whats on that guys garage.. This is also a Detroit must read more

I think Beth H, the Happy Hour Guru from Ann Arbor said it best.: Whiskey in the Jar has a broken tile floor. If this kind of thing annoys you or you suffer from high level ADD, this place just may put you over the edge. I mean come on guys, if Beth H and I both consider it a defining characteristic of your bar, others must see it too. I've engaged management to fix the afore mentioned tile (or tiles is you look hard enough) on many occasions with barely a hint of concern on their part. I've been told "it is not a trip hazard", "who the f#ck is this Beth H you keep jabbering about", "you're cut off Damian" and "Go home Julián you f#cking drunk!"...Yet no tile repair. So if you can get by the whole tile thing (Beth H and I did....eventually), yeah it's a great little neighborhood joint with good people on both sides of the bar, a decent jukebox, level pool table, cheap drinks and a high tolerance for jackasses like me. I would go on more but Yelp has informed me that "this review is looking pretty epic! Nice!" read more