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Alley Bar
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Dive-y
- Has TV:
- Yes
22 reviews for Alley Bar
Review Highlights
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"Standard cocktails like a gin and tonic are usually free..." In 3 reviews -
"...are always super cool & friendly (no pretentious Hipsters." In 4 reviews -
"This place is really cozy and they have some tvs." In 3 reviews
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Haley V.
Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI
4/27/2012
Cocktails are strong. And unique. And delicious. They measure everything perfectly and make everything by hand, and use cute garnishes. You can really taste the difference.
The atmosphere is dark and intimate. Lots of couches and booth seating for you and your three best friends. Come here early or on a weekday to make sure you get a table. -
Review from Sam G.
1/30/2012 9 Check-ins Here
I will start out with a limp and finish off with a sprint, I assure you.
Alley Bar, I don't like your clientele of bro-nups and make-up-over-users after 10pm, and especially on Thursdays through Sundays. I don't like when 40 year-old men try to relive their fraternal days, trying to mingle with all the cool kids by buying tallboy PBRs. I don't like the thirty-something women who are looking for drinks to be bought for them and who expect Coors Lite to be on tap.
I do like your roster of regulars on off nights and off days.
I do like your 1) drink menu and quality 2) bartender 3) interior.
One or two of the absolutely delicious, strong, and old-timey-esque cocktails expedites the process of letting the world slip away. May I take a moment to be a bartender-adorer? Phil. Is. Amazing. The man is on-point getting people served and attended to all-around. He makes sure every drink is perfect.
Just be forewarned, his charm and skill make him the most pernicious and amazing enabler. You will find yourself exponentially counting the amount of sheets you are to the wind. And it will taste SO GOOD. And it will feel SO GOOD.
The Manhattan kills here. So do the pickle backs. As do any modifications of classic drinks.
They make their own ginger syrup (with bona fide REAL fresh ginger and sugar, boiled down to pure gloriousness). Some of their bitters are even house-made.
I love the way this place schools me. I love the way it keeps roping me in for more. If only I didn't need a full week in between visits to recuperate...Listed in: Whiskey my love, my weakness
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Review from Steve D.
Ann Arbor Charter Township, MI
5/22/2012
Best bar in Ann Arbor, hands down and by far. Go lowbrow (PBR tallboys) or highbrow (cocktails) with equal results (satisfied inebriation) in a great ambiance that evokes the East Village. Solid music, appropriate lighting, attractive non-undergrad patrons, shitty wooden booths for small group conversation, and ample tables and space in the back for group gatherings on off nights. The only thing missing is a dartboard, though that'd probably disrupt the delicate balance that makes it my go-to nightspot.
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Review from Claribelle C.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 10/31/2011
Since the latest set of management took over (sometime last year/earlier this year), the good old days of Alley Bar are back in a big way. Just visited last Weds in time for Grafitti's night to shake a tail feather to some old school-ish over two bottles of bubbly.
Go go if you haven't already!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/15/2008
I remember the days Alley Bar was it! Some locals, some hipsters, good music (I recall when DJ Virus… Read more »
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Review from Andy P.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2011
The first time I went here was 6 years ago. They played the whole Weezer 'Pinkerton' album... Sweet!
In recent years they have added couches and new pieces of art on the walls. If you want to go somewhere that has a dark candle lit ambiance with good indie rock and retro music, this is the place to go.
It's a great place to have some drinks and hang with friends. The staff are always super cool & friendly (no pretentious Hipsters!)
Note to Fist Pumpers: This is not a place for you. STAY AWAY! -
Review from Tracy L.
Tempe, AZ
10/27/2011
Really great cocktails. Strong, tasty, creative. And I think after my second cocktail I started feeling *warm* inside :-) What? They're not in the double digits? Awesome!
Overall, I got there on a weeknight around 9-10pm. The perfect size in crowd, the perfect amount of darkness, and perfectly friendly and attentive server. I would come back here to hang out. -
Review from Doug S.
5/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dive bar with a pretty good atmosphere and a couple of TVs to watch the game on.
I had a beef with the young pretty bartender, though. My (girl) friend and I sat down for a couple of drinks -- she ordered a gin & tonic, I ordered a draft beer -- and I thought the bartender was changing the keg on the beer I just ordered. I said "oh, no need to change the keg for me, I'll just get something else". Bartender replied "we serve ladies first in this bar, and I'm getting ingredients for your friend's drink".
WTF? Did I say I that I wished you would pour my beer before you made my friend's drink? No I did not......I was trying to be nice to you, you freaky chick! I didn't say anything (I rarely can think clearly in situations like this) and just kinda sat there, chagrined, with my mouth wide open in pure astonishment.
I felt better after I realized this bartender is just plain bat-shit crazy. 5 minutes later a young dude rolled in and walked up to the waitress station (right where the bartender was standing) and asked what kind of beer the bar had in bottles. In one motion, bat-shit crazy bartender handed him a bar menu and said (and I'm not making this up) "here's the bar menu -- but you can't sit here because this is a waitress station and I need to keep this area clear". The Dude (who was standing, and not trying to sit) turned around and saw NOBODY behind him because 1) the only people in the bar were me, my friend, this Dude & bat-shit crazy bartender, meaning that 2) no waitress was even on duty yet.
Bat-shit crazy then continued "oh sometimes I over explain too much" meaning, I guess, that she realized that she probably INVENTED, in her head, that Dude had stated how he really wished he could just pull up a stool and sit right in the middle of the waitress station.
Ugh. OK, I feel better. Just had to get that off my chest. Beware of very pretty bat-shit crazy socially awkward bartender chick!!Listed in: College Town Biz
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Review from Timur A.
Menlo Park, CA
1/25/2012
The mixed drinks at the Alley Bar are great. If you don't want to break your budget, come on a Monday night (discovered that one randomly... no, I do not have a problem...) -- $5 cocktails. The Gin-gin mule and Cucumber Gimlet are delicious. If you want to try something weird (personally, I'm thinking cough medicine) give Corpse Resurrection #2 a try.
Nice atmosphere, although it gets a bit crowded on Friday/Saturdays, but if you show up around 9, it should be pretty easy to grab a table/booth. There are a couple of TVs, the speakers are over the bar and toward the back, leaving the whole front part of it (with cozy couches) as a nice area to hang out and talk. The interior is interesting as nothing matches, but then still kinda fits (yea, it's weird). All around awesome place to hang out. -
Review from Laura G.
Ypsilanti, MI
6/28/2011
I'm super surprised to see that this bar only has a 3 star rating. What the hell?
I guess it's kinda dank looking, but some people like that, okay?
The drinks are spectacular. We went here with a friend for (her) birthday drinks. The bar was packed (probably because of Top of the Park starting that night) but the service was fast and friendly.
About 15 minutes into our stay the Detroit Party Marching Band busts in, which was awesome, but surely not to be replicated on future visits.
One issue, which is not related to the bar or their drinks, is that the trombone player from the DPMB dripped spittle on my face and probably caused the cold sore I got in the following days.
Aside from giving me herpes, this bar was tops. -
Review from Molly H.
This place should totally have a much higher rating. I have been here several times since my last review and every time has been awesome. The bartenders are super nice and make fantastic cocktails. The crowd is good, especially on Monday nights. Still haven't been there on the weekend, but I avoid pretty much every bar on weekends.
I'm happy to have this place as a hang-out! If they only had food...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/2/2010
Well, I finally found a bar I like going to in Ann Arbor that isn't Old Town! I had Manhattans all… Read more »
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Review from Robert C.
11/14/2010
After 1 a.m., this place becomes the Island of Misfit Toys, which could be fun. Or a mess.
Alley Bar really is the place where all the bartenders and servers from other restaurants go. I met three such people last night at individual times.
So does that mean the place is top shelf? Not necessarily.
The Alley Bar really does fall into the category of "dive bar" complete with cheap beer, dingy bathrooms, and "local flavor." It's not entirely bad, but I suppose it's not as bad as other places that are overflowing with drunken hipsters and preps. -
Review from Peggah G.
12/9/2010
I would call Alley Bar a dive bar as in it's hard to notice, but the atmosphere and such were very nice.
This place has no signage, so I'm sure a lot of people have passed by it without realizing that it's an actual bar.
The drink 'menu' is just some sheets of paper on some clipboards. Kind of cute, kinda cheap, kinda dive-y. They have 24 oz PBRs for $3.50, which isn't too bad.
They have one of the video entertainment systems for people who want slight entertainment, and they also have a Spiderman pinball machine. Which is why this place gets 4 stars.
I don't know if they don't charge for coke, or if the waitress just put it on my friends' tabs, but she was great at coming around and asking if we wanted more drinks. Really good service!
This place is really cozy and they have some tvs.Listed in: Splattered Walls and a Kick in…
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Review from Dustin W.
Ann Arbor, MI
5/26/2011 62 Check-ins Here
Brilliantly Unpretentious. I was hesitant in writing this review because I'd like to keep the place under wraps, but Robbie & Co deserve all the patrons they can handle.
The Alley Bar is a great establishment that focuses on one thing- serving a well-crafted cocktail. The staff is very creative and meticulous with their cocktail making, measuring out all of the ingredients; while this may seem like a drawback or like you're not getting a heavy pour, it usually tastes much better. Standard cocktails like a gin and tonic are usually free poured.
Service can vary wildly, depending on whether you're sitting at the bar or at a table. Sitting at the bar offers much more flexibility when ordering and a chance to interact with the bartenders who are always willing to show you the ingredients, chat about new cocktails they're developing or just have a bit of a chat. If it's slow, you can often give them a few parameters such as "citrus and not vodka" and have them come up with a drink. This is how I ended up with my new favorite, a bourbon smash. Sitting at a table allows you to sip your drink and have pleasant conversation.
The second time we walked in, Robbie remembered exactly what we ordered the first time (both drinks were not on the menu) and asked if we'd like the same- we were hooked. -
Review from Guillermo K.
Ann Arbor, MI
10/24/2011
One of the more tolerable bars in Ann Arbor on a Saturday night. Decent selection.
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Review from laura g.
San Francisco, CA
12/11/2006
Actually, this place became a hangout for staff who just worked at all those restaurants you've reviewed. Still a place for locals though.
SORRY HIPSTERS!!
Don't get me wrong, the new Babs is great, I love tattoos, leggings are so cool, blah blah.
Alley Bar was cool too, then big Andy got rid of little Andy and it really fell off. -
Review from Jennie G.
Ann Arbor, MI
9/28/2011
Love this bar . . . service is great, selection is great, manage to end up here way more evenings than I care to mention.
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Review from Paul N.
Grand Rapids, MI
9/17/2010
The Review:
The (new) Alley Bar comibines two attractive elements: The ease and informality of a "dive bar" and the offering of inventive, historically-informed cocktails. Where else can I stop - full-sweaty mid-bike-ride - for a lovely Bourbon Smash or a classic Mint Julep. These guys are deteremined to bring fine fresh ingredients and extensive mixological knowledge to a comforatble friendly environment. If you like your high-end libations without any snobbery, this is a place you should go.
The Haiku:
Salty brine chasing
full mouth of malty irish -
Alley Bar Pickle Back!
P.S.
For those of you nostalgic for the old Alley Bar, get over it and have a Negroni. -
Review from Marissa B.
Chicago, IL
11/24/2007
I love a good dive bar - BUT I love a good dive bar with some character. This place is not distinctive, it's not memorable, and it doesn't really have much character. Alas, it's a dive bar and if you're looking to escape from some of the snooty Main St. bars, this is the place where you can breathe in (cough, cough) and relax. There are no fancy decorations, no servers, no glam.
I've never been in here where you can't find a spot to sit (one point), the bartenders have always been friendly to me (two points), and the crowd usually seems rather nice as well (three points). If they had some decent drink specials or more than one pool table I'd probably come here more often.
BOTTOM LINE: It's on the pricey side for what it is, but if you want to escape the Main St. glitz & glam, this is a completely unpretentious, off the beaten track option. -
Review from Margot F.
Ann Arbor, MI
2/5/2006
If you find yourself suspecting that management matters less than location/space, try this little comparison: around the corner on Ashley St. a line forms waiting for the privilege of sipping some of the most competent cocktails in town at the "new Babs" to decade-hopping jazz, pop, new wave. The Alley bar, otherwise known as "the old Babs," kept the same martini menu, dippy names and all (*ahem* "Bikini-tini"), but that's where the resemblance to its plush and swanky neighbor ends.
Weezer and Green Day blare -
Review from Liz G.
Howell, MI
8/23/2010
When a friend told me to meet her at Alley Bar one evening, I walked around looking for a bar called Ally Bar, or a bar in an alley, or something of the sort. I finally was able to deduce that this small bar adjacent to a lit alley way was, in fact, Ally Bar--despite the lack of a discernable sign to indicate this. This actually bode well, in my mind, that this bar might be the small, hole-in-the-wal, divey bar with cheap drinks and a laid-back crowd I was hoping for. Alley Bar met most of those expectations.
This bar succeeds if you are looking for a dive bar to go with some friends and avoid the usual Main Street crowd and high prices. There is not a whole lot of space, but our larger group had no problem all getting booths around each other. The music was just loud enough to enjoy but still be able to carry on a conversation, and the on-tap selection sported a nice variety of commercial staples, seasonals, and local artisan brews--all at a decent price for Ann Arbor, and at least a couple on $3.50 special.
All in all, when you go to Alley Bar, know what you are doing--going to a dive bar to talk with friends over drinks. It fills this purpose quite well. -
Review from Sam S.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2007
The place where dreams do NOT come true. You see, I was dating this girl and we were in a certain state of "hooking up" that I shall keep ambiguous, for your sake.
One night, I was with some friends at another bar and they were "tired" and decided to call it early. Lameasses. It still being early, I decided to roll solo. As I'm walking by this place, I hear my name; I turn around to see it's the bouncer beaconing me in. Apparently, I know him from another bar.
Now, I usually don't go to the Alley because of allegiance to Barbara (it used to be the old Babs' but some drama ensued), but, really, mainly because it's filled with uggos and the staff often make bullshit overpriced drinks. Dude, don't try to pass off a tonic water as a gin and tonic, yo! But I digress...
The bouncer tells me, "You'll have fun here." I go in. I saunter up to the bar, prepare to order, but who do I see in a booth? The girl. My eyes readjust in the dim lighting. She is making out hardcore with some dude!
I feel sick to my stomach, I am heartbroken and sullen, but I say to myself, "Whatever, dude, she's not your girlfriend, she can do whatever she wants." But, the nagging fact is, why would she makeout with that dude and not come to me for some sweet, sweet love? My egomania reassures me I am superior. I ponder the question further, but realize I will NOT have fun here and abscond.
After last call, around 2:30, I get a call on my cell. It's her. I gingerly answer. "HEEEELLLOOOO? HEEEY, CAN I COME OVER?" Ha ha ha. Apparently, that dude wasn't good enough.
VINDICATED! -
Review from P W.
Cleveland, OH
4/15/2011
It was hard to find a normal bar to drink at on my first night visiting Ann Arbor. Every bar that was highly reviewed on Yelp was packed. No bar stools were open. I was going stir crazy. I walked by this place and saw a few open seats and perched on one. A nice girl needed seats so I scooted one down, to be seated next to a weird older guy reading a book. She could see that this was a nice thing to do, and I am possibly nice. She engaged in conversation. I was introduced to a great group of people. We ended up sharing a few laughs and stories and heading to another bar. The crowd seemed laid back. It smelled like a guy was smoking pot inside. I think he must have just finished up before he walked in. Or had a fresh sandwich baggie in his pocket. That earned this place the extra star to an uneven 5. Really, I just needed some beer, this place facilitated that. The beer list was not too impressive although they did have Founders on tap which is what I stuck with. I thought the service was good too.
