The Roaring Twenties may be over, but bars themed after speakeasies and Prohibition are back in style. Michigan speakeasy is home to a few of these hidden bars, where you can slip into a leather couch and pretend you’re a gangster or banker in a city like Detroit or New York.

Some speakeasy bars require you to follow a dress code or know a password before you can enter. Others are more casual and welcoming. A few of them even have food options.

In the west side suburbs, you can find a few places where you can sip cocktails and eat pizza while listening to jazz and acting like a gangster in the 1920s. The Ebenezer is one example. It’s a cocktail lounge in the basement of a former bank building in downtown Plymouth. Visitors can get a feel for the era by stepping past a simple door and entering a large room where they can relax on leather couches.

A few of these hidden bars in Michigan offer cocktails in vintage glassware and a menu of appetizer-sized plates that can be shared by groups. You can order the classics, like French 75 and gin gimlet, or try something new, like a spicy Blood Ritual that pairs mezcal with cinnamon and lime.

Uncovering the Secrets: Exploring the Speakeasies of Michigan

East Lansing’s GOAT on Grand River has the same Prohibition-era vibe and a commitment to the speakeasy concept. Co-owner Mel Spencley says the secluded space, which is accessed through an alley off Parker Street, also will have live music and community events. She says she’s hoping to do things that nobody else does, such as a “speakeasy flight,” which will feature drinks with different levels of alcohol intensity.

Weiss Distilling Co.
34 14 Mile Rd, Clawson, MI 48017, United States
Phone: +19294843932