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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

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The loo at Antihero in Ferndale.
| Michelle and Chris Gerard

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Brenna Houck

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.

Brenna Houck

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Flowers of Vietnam

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.

Takoi

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.

The Sugar House

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.

UFO Factory

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.

Lady of the House

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.

Go! Sy Thai

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.

Cliff Bell's

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.

Honest John's

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.

Willis Show Bar

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.

Rock City Eatery

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.

Brenna Houck

The Whitney

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.

Brenna Houck

Northern Lights Lounge

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.

Kiesling

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.

Ghost Light

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.

Christine's Cuisine

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.

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Antihero

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.

Jim Brady's Detroit

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.

Related Maps