On July 29, food writers across the USA TODAY Network named 38 of the best bars in the United States. We hand-selected the top dive bars, wine bars, speakeasies and craft breweries from Michigan to Alabama.
In Detroit, the wine and cocktail bar Father Forgive Me landed a spot on the list for its specialty in wines from small producers and creative, effervescent cocktails.
Buy the Book! Father Forgive Me featured in ‘Shake & Sip: Recipes from America’s Best Bars’
Detroit’s landscape of unique, quality bars made narrowing the list a true feat. With a host of establishments equally worthy of recognition, we’re rounding up our list of honorable mentions.
Chenin
A 10-seat-bar tucked away at the ground level of downtown hotel The Siren, Chenin is small in stature but delivers big on its promise to serve up biodynamic wines in an approachable way. Here, there’s a small menu of wines and classic cocktails, as well as gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, handmade pastas and unique ice creams, each executed at the highest level. In 2026, the bar was recognized for its excellence as the only Detroit finalist for a James Beard Foundation Award.
1509 Broadway St., Ste. A-1, Detroit. barchenin.com
Pine Hall
From Union Square Hospitality Group, owned by New York City restaurateur and Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer, comes Pine Hall, a new rooftop bar and the crown of Hudson’s Detroit. Inspired by one of Hudson’s original restaurants, The Pine Room, Pine Hall brings food and beverage back to the historic site. Try an ice box martini, a mezcal negroni, beer on tap, or choose from a menu of nonalcoholic cocktails, wine and beer.
3000 Nick Gilbert Way, Detroit. pinehall.com
Roar
When it opened in 2025, Roar Brewing Co. became Detroit’s first Black-owned brewery. The Midtown watering hole offers a small range of beers, from its signature honey oat stout to a bright raspberry wheat. There’s also a concise food menu, including burgers, a simple salad and wings. As a part of a growing neighborhood of culinary attractions, Roar shares a courtyard with the aptly named arcade and bar Barcade and the Italian restaurant Medusa.
666 Selden St. Ste. B, Detroit. 313-326-2680; roar.beer
Saksey’s
Building upon a portfolio of Detroit establishments that includes San Morello, Evening Bar and Penny Red’s, the New York City-based firm NoHo Hospitality Group from acclaimed chef Andrew Carmellini brings Saksey’s to the subterranean level of Gilly’s Clubhouse. Saksey’s draws inspiration from a Detroit tavern owned by Sam Gilbert, the late father of real estate titan Dan Gilbert, in the 1960s. The bar has a playful air, serving drinks such as the Dirty Snow Cone, a shaved ice dirty martini, and a root beer negroni made with smoky mezcal.
1550 Woodward Ave., Detroit. sakseysdetroit.com
The Dog House
Adjacent to the Dirty Dog Jazz Café is The Dog House, an intimate, moody speakeasy-style cocktail lounge with just 24 seats. Here, there’s an extensive menu of cocktails — shaken and stirred — beer and wine. Try The Mutt, a take on a dirty martini made with cheese-washed vodka, olive and caper brine and topped with olives stuffed with cream cheese. Small plates include duck fat fries, oysters and arancini.
97 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe. 313-882-5299; dirtydogjazz.com/the-dog-house
Wet Picnic
There’s a lot to love about Wet Picnic, located in a former Victorian home in Midtown Detroit. The dim cocktail lounge has a cavernous, glow-from-within feel, lit by candles. An innovative menu features cocktails with unexpected ingredients and bold flavors. Think margaritas that blend kiwi and tomatoes and peanut and cola whiskey highballs. Wet Picnic comes from bar veterans Allison Everitt and Jonathan Brill, who have been recognized over the years by notable outlets including StarChefs and Punch Magazine.
3980 2nd Ave., Detroit. wetpicnicbar.com
Contact Detroit Free Press Dining and Restaurant Critic Lyndsay C. Green at: LCGreen@freepress.com. Follow @LadyLuff on Instagram and Twitter. Subscribe to the Eat Drink Freep newsletter for extras and insider scoops on Detroit-area dining.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: USA TODAY named its Bars of the Year. Here are 3 honorable mentions
Reporting by Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
