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The loo at Antihero in Ferndale.
Michelle and Chris Gerard

17 Instagram-Worthy Metro Detroit Restaurant and Bar Bathrooms

These stylish restrooms demand selfies

by Brenna Houck Updated
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The loo at Antihero in Ferndale.
| Michelle and Chris Gerard
by Brenna Houck Updated

It may not be the most celebrated aspect of a restaurant’s design or a bar’s most important feature, but a bathroom can certainly leave a lasting impression. The general expectation is that a commode is clean and well-stocked with the baseline necessities. However, at their best a restroom can be a pleasant, memorable surprise. A handful of spots around metro Detroit have gained a particular reputation for their facilities. Some even have their own lavatory hashtags. From outstanding wallpaper to photo-worthy graffiti, here are the best restaurants and bar pit stops in Detroit.

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Flowers of Vietnam

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The Vietnamese-influenced food and cocktails make this Southwest Detroit neighborhood spot a destination, but the restaurant’s bathrooms are also deserving of praise. Old fashioned projectors display a flipbook of photos on the restroom floor.

4430 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
(313) 554-2085
(313) 554-2085
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Takoi

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Thai-influenced Corktown restaurant Takoi has a sci-fi aesthetic that extends to the restrooms. The facilities feature textured walls and colored lighting that makes it an attractive destination for Instagram selfies. Fans fondly refer to it as the #takoilet.

2520 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 855-2864
(313) 855-2864

Also featured in:

The Sugar House

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Corktown’s classic cocktail den has long been a favorite spot for Detroiters to imbibe. The bar’s restroom has gained nearly equal fame on Instagram for its assortment of antique mirrors assembled on the whitewashed brick wall.

2130 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 962-0123
(313) 962-0123

Also featured in:

UFO Factory

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Artsy neighborhood bar UFO Factory’s bathroom has always been a hit with selfie-snapping regulars. In one restroom, lavatory tourists will find the popular pink background with a plump white clouds. In the other, yellow liquid drips into a black backdrop with a teardrop-shaped mirror to match.

2110 Trumbull Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Lady of the House

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No trip to Lady of the House is complete without a detour to the ladies room (sorry gentlemen), which is decked out in flamingo pink tile and matching flamingo-print wallpaper. The best part: visitors can sit on Ryan Gosling’s face.

1426 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 818-0218
(313) 818-0218

Also featured in:

Go! Sy Thai

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Capitol Park’s outpost of Go! Sy Thai includes Bangkok-inspired touches throughout the restaurant including the restrooms where eclectic movie posters plaster the walls.

1226 Griswold St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 638-1467
(313) 638-1467
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Cliff Bell's

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Refurbished Park Avenue jazz club Cliff Bell’s has a stunning interior with historic touches that transport customers back to the 1930s. The doors to the bathroom stalls at the club have a carved deco look and a circular powder room complete with chairs, mirrors, and zebra print carpet.

2030 Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-2543
(313) 961-2543
Cliff Bell’s Scene Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Honest John's

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Whether you love it or hate it, the toilets at Honest John’s have gained notoriety for the layers upon layers of stickers and graffiti plastering the interior. No surface is safe from the scrawl.

488 Selden St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-5646
(313) 832-5646
John H./Yelp

Also featured in:

Willis Show Bar

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Cass Corridor’s recently resurrected cabaret Willis Show Bar features a stunning Art Moderne ceiling and matching bar, but the women’s restrooms are equally stylish thanks to pink and oxblood patterned wallpaper and floor tiles that mirror the building’s facade. Brass fixtures tie the whole look together.

4156 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 788-7469
(313) 788-7469
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Rock City Eatery

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Rock City Eatery’s restrooms got some extra attention during its relocation to Midtown in 2016. Co-owner Jessica Sanches plastered the space with old school black and white concert posters and it quickly became a popular spot for a selfie. Just remember not to flush your hopes and dreams down the toilet.

4216 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 265-3729
(313) 265-3729
Brenna Houck

Also featured in:

The Whitney

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Like the rest of Midtown’s historic Whitney, the restrooms are well appointed. The Ghost Bar on the mansion’s third floor features bathrooms with an adjoining sitting room complete with soft couches, full-length mirrors, and a fireplace.

4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-5700
(313) 832-5700
Brenna Houck

Also featured in:

Northern Lights Lounge

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There are many reasons to visit Northern Lights Lounge, a laid back bar in New Center. It has a great patio, affordable drinks, and regular live music. Regulars also love the restroom, which features a lovely shade of blue tile and an adjoining sitting room.

660 W Baltimore St, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 873-1739
(313) 873-1739
Carolyn E./Yelp

Also featured in:

Kiesling

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This painstakingly renovated 1920s Milwaukee Junction saloon-turned-cocktail hotspot features graphic wallpaper throughout the building. This theme continues into the commodes, accessed through antique wood doors.

449 East Milwaukee Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 638-2169
(313) 638-2169
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Ghost Light

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Hamtramck’s Ghost Light is known for hosting improv and live music, but the bar’s lavatory is notable for its space aesthetic. Known as the #lunarloo, the walls and floors make it feel like visitors are walking on the surface of the moon.

2314 Caniff St, Hamtramck, MI 48212
(313) 402-4418
(313) 402-4418

Also featured in:

Christine's Cuisine

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This east Ferndale favorite serves homestyle meals including pierogi and potato pancakes, but it also has a very snazzy, memorable bathroom with a decorative mirror, colorful tiles, and shooting star mosaics.

729 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 584-3354
(248) 584-3354
Stacia G./Yelp

Also featured in:

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Antihero

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While the colors are relatively muted in Antihero’s dining room, a visit to the loo is a blast of color. The touch of Instagrammable whimsy was created by tattoo artist Kadee Spangler and visual artist Shaina Kasztelan who filled the spaces with a rainbow of Japanese styled characters. Bright circular mirrors complement the look.

231 W Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 307-7383
(248) 307-7383
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Also featured in:

Jim Brady's Detroit

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Royal Oak restaurant Jim Brady’s Detroit knows how to make a statement with a restroom. The women’s restroom is a popular spot for photos thanks to its pink and black tile and wallpaper covered in glossy pink lips. There’s even old fashioned rotary phones hanging on the walls.

1214 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 306-1954
(248) 306-1954
Yelp

Also featured in:

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Flowers of Vietnam

4430 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209

The Vietnamese-influenced food and cocktails make this Southwest Detroit neighborhood spot a destination, but the restaurant’s bathrooms are also deserving of praise. Old fashioned projectors display a flipbook of photos on the restroom floor.

4430 Vernor Hwy, Detroit, MI 48209
(313) 554-2085
(313) 554-2085
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Takoi

2520 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Thai-influenced Corktown restaurant Takoi has a sci-fi aesthetic that extends to the restrooms. The facilities feature textured walls and colored lighting that makes it an attractive destination for Instagram selfies. Fans fondly refer to it as the #takoilet.

2520 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 855-2864
(313) 855-2864

The Sugar House

2130 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Corktown’s classic cocktail den has long been a favorite spot for Detroiters to imbibe. The bar’s restroom has gained nearly equal fame on Instagram for its assortment of antique mirrors assembled on the whitewashed brick wall.

2130 Michigan Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 962-0123
(313) 962-0123

UFO Factory

2110 Trumbull Ave, Detroit, MI 48216

Artsy neighborhood bar UFO Factory’s bathroom has always been a hit with selfie-snapping regulars. In one restroom, lavatory tourists will find the popular pink background with a plump white clouds. In the other, yellow liquid drips into a black backdrop with a teardrop-shaped mirror to match.

2110 Trumbull Ave, Detroit, MI 48216
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Lady of the House

1426 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216

No trip to Lady of the House is complete without a detour to the ladies room (sorry gentlemen), which is decked out in flamingo pink tile and matching flamingo-print wallpaper. The best part: visitors can sit on Ryan Gosling’s face.

1426 Bagley St, Detroit, MI 48216
(313) 818-0218
(313) 818-0218

Go! Sy Thai

1226 Griswold St, Detroit, MI 48226

Capitol Park’s outpost of Go! Sy Thai includes Bangkok-inspired touches throughout the restaurant including the restrooms where eclectic movie posters plaster the walls.

1226 Griswold St, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 638-1467
(313) 638-1467
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Cliff Bell's

2030 Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48226

Refurbished Park Avenue jazz club Cliff Bell’s has a stunning interior with historic touches that transport customers back to the 1930s. The doors to the bathroom stalls at the club have a carved deco look and a circular powder room complete with chairs, mirrors, and zebra print carpet.

2030 Park Ave, Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 961-2543
(313) 961-2543
Cliff Bell’s Scene Michelle and Chris Gerard

Honest John's

488 Selden St, Detroit, MI 48201

Whether you love it or hate it, the toilets at Honest John’s have gained notoriety for the layers upon layers of stickers and graffiti plastering the interior. No surface is safe from the scrawl.

488 Selden St, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-5646
(313) 832-5646
John H./Yelp

Willis Show Bar

4156 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Cass Corridor’s recently resurrected cabaret Willis Show Bar features a stunning Art Moderne ceiling and matching bar, but the women’s restrooms are equally stylish thanks to pink and oxblood patterned wallpaper and floor tiles that mirror the building’s facade. Brass fixtures tie the whole look together.

4156 3rd Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 788-7469
(313) 788-7469
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Rock City Eatery

4216 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Rock City Eatery’s restrooms got some extra attention during its relocation to Midtown in 2016. Co-owner Jessica Sanches plastered the space with old school black and white concert posters and it quickly became a popular spot for a selfie. Just remember not to flush your hopes and dreams down the toilet.

4216 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 265-3729
(313) 265-3729
Brenna Houck

The Whitney

4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201

Like the rest of Midtown’s historic Whitney, the restrooms are well appointed. The Ghost Bar on the mansion’s third floor features bathrooms with an adjoining sitting room complete with soft couches, full-length mirrors, and a fireplace.

4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201
(313) 832-5700
(313) 832-5700
Brenna Houck

Northern Lights Lounge

660 W Baltimore St, Detroit, MI 48202

There are many reasons to visit Northern Lights Lounge, a laid back bar in New Center. It has a great patio, affordable drinks, and regular live music. Regulars also love the restroom, which features a lovely shade of blue tile and an adjoining sitting room.

660 W Baltimore St, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 873-1739
(313) 873-1739
Carolyn E./Yelp

Kiesling

449 East Milwaukee Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202

This painstakingly renovated 1920s Milwaukee Junction saloon-turned-cocktail hotspot features graphic wallpaper throughout the building. This theme continues into the commodes, accessed through antique wood doors.

449 East Milwaukee Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 638-2169
(313) 638-2169
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Ghost Light

2314 Caniff St, Hamtramck, MI 48212

Hamtramck’s Ghost Light is known for hosting improv and live music, but the bar’s lavatory is notable for its space aesthetic. Known as the #lunarloo, the walls and floors make it feel like visitors are walking on the surface of the moon.

2314 Caniff St, Hamtramck, MI 48212
(313) 402-4418
(313) 402-4418

Christine's Cuisine

729 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220

This east Ferndale favorite serves homestyle meals including pierogi and potato pancakes, but it also has a very snazzy, memorable bathroom with a decorative mirror, colorful tiles, and shooting star mosaics.

729 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 584-3354
(248) 584-3354
Stacia G./Yelp

Related Maps

Antihero

231 W Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220

While the colors are relatively muted in Antihero’s dining room, a visit to the loo is a blast of color. The touch of Instagrammable whimsy was created by tattoo artist Kadee Spangler and visual artist Shaina Kasztelan who filled the spaces with a rainbow of Japanese styled characters. Bright circular mirrors complement the look.

231 W Nine Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI 48220
(248) 307-7383
(248) 307-7383
Michelle and Chris Gerard

Jim Brady's Detroit

1214 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067

Royal Oak restaurant Jim Brady’s Detroit knows how to make a statement with a restroom. The women’s restroom is a popular spot for photos thanks to its pink and black tile and wallpaper covered in glossy pink lips. There’s even old fashioned rotary phones hanging on the walls.

1214 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI 48067
(248) 306-1954
(248) 306-1954
Yelp

Related Maps