UCBC opened as one of Oak Park’s newest spots, after the city finally opened up liquor licenses to businesses. The brewery is helmed by Edward Stencel, who brings his expertise as co-owner of Royal Oak’s River Rouge Brewing Company. His signature Peanut Butter Chocolate Stencel Stout heads up the extensive draft menu of more than a dozen beers.

Royal Oak’s side bar slid under the radar when it opened in 2022, but it’s quickly developed a loyal following. The weekday happy hour from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. is a great spot to belly up and take a break from dashing around town. Expect board games, big screen TVs and an extensive menu of bar bites, sandwiches and pizza vegan and traditional.

The whiskey bar formerly known as Cornerstone Barrel House has moved on up to Ferndale, taking over the old Dino’s space on Woodward and rebranding as Barrel House. Whiskey-intensive drinks like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan are supplemented with a short list of seasonal cocktails, plus beer and wine. Sunday brunch brings tableside Mimosas, Aperol Spritzes, and boozy coffee drinks.

The Black Salt is a self-described “witchcraft cocktail bar” in Hamtramck. The building dates back more than a century, and among its many incarnations the space was formerly a goth and industrial hangout. Now, owner Zoey Ashwood has transformed the space into a serene, lush lounge evocative of European cafes where guests can order drinks that put the “craft” in cocktail as bartenders are trained to cast the optional spell on orders. Customers are invited to place their coaster logo-side up, indicating to the barkeep to make their drink “with ritual.”

Owners Kiersten Schilinski and Garrett Ragsdale have spent the past 18 months polishing up both the interior and exterior of this beloved Hamtramck dive, leveling floors, gutting and rebuilding the kitchen, and sprucing up the restrooms. The custom built bar rail and revamped back yard have earned the bar new fans, and taco nights, Kellyoke and (motor) bike nights keep the regular crowd shuffling in. Keep an eye out for rotating and random $2 canned beer or $3 draft or $4 liquor specials.

Amaro? Yes please! Apartment Disco on the east side not only features a wide selection of the bitter spirits, but its owners painted it a very intentional Aperol orange to match the spirit of aperitivo. Every weekend, guest DJs spin grooves from the 70s and 80s while bartenders mix up amaro- and vermouth-focused cocktails. Plenty of beer, cider and low-alcohol drinks are also on hand to keep the party rolling.

Lenny’s is the newest spot on the eastside right on the border of Grosse Pointe Park and Detroit. According to a media release, the ethos of Lenny’s (which opened October 20) is to provide radical inclusion and radical hospitality, essential principles of the grandfather of co-owner Chris Stewart. One way to include a diverse range of barflies: cocktails are priced at around $8 to $10, shot and beer specials are available daily, and pool is free to all. The bar is named after a Newfoundland poodle called Lenny, one of the owner’s dogs.

Italian seafood restaurant Oak and Reel added The Upright, an underground cocktail lounge, in October 2022. The cozy underground bar boasts a lengthy booth stretching the length of the room. Small plates and snack accompany classic and new cocktails and Oak and Reel’s impressive wine list. Monthly workshops from bar manager Jacob Feitler explore the origins and preparation of classics like the Margarita.

This cafe and bar opened to its first customers at the end of July 2023. Situated in the basement of a brick housing development turned Airbnb, Cafe Sous Terre is an homage to the French cafes of the early 20th century. Decorated in natural tones with pops of green from subway tile and long booth seating, it’s a casual spot for a coffee soda, cocktail, or a sandwich — whether studying during daylight hours or having a wind down with friends after work.

Billing itself as “Eastern Market’s living room,” Tocororo Detroit took over from longtime favorite Stache International. They kept the carousel horses and unfussy approach to service. They’ve also zhuzhed up the space and the menu. Coral pinks and tropical turquoise are accented by greenery and neon, lending a Miami-Vice-meets-Cuba vibe. Fanciful boat drinks, blended margaritas and painkillers head up Connor Payne’s bar menu, while in the kitchen chef David Previch whips up Buffalo curry fries, burgers and monstrous smoked chicken legs.

Wine and marketing genius Mikiah Westbrooks first opened Brix wine bar in West Village in 2017, but shuttered the spot in 2018 amid a landlord dispute. Westbrooks’s new spot opened in Rivertown in early May with an emphasis on education, tasting and retail. Westbrooks is happy to share recommendations and her extensive knowledge about Michigan-made Rieslings, old world Pinot Noir, or her very own label, Haus of Harriet, named for the undaunted Harriet Tubman. The shop and tasting room are open to the public and also host private tastings, public events and music nights.

A speakeasy-style bar has revealed itself on the upper level of the building that houses Jacoby’s Bar in downtown’s Bricktown area. The last time anything was up there was in the late aughts when the 313.jac indie rock club was still around. Guests here can try a variety of Michigan-made craft beers, premium spirits — including an absinthe service — and cocktails like the The 1904

Lip Service Rye, citrus cordial, cherry liquer, bitters, and absinthe. A selection of small bites like bruschetta tapenade, beet salad, and chicken skewers are also available.

There are very few old-school dives left in Corktown, and a “new dive” may seem like an oxymoron in the now high-rent neighborhood. All the same, Last Chance manages to pull off the near impossible feat. Credit the cheap beer, friendly and laid-back bartenders, and a bar full of mellow regulars and service industry workers looking for Last Chance’s success.