Corktown Tavern

quite the dive. had a a few drinks here during the day. friendly bartender.

I’m a big fan of dive bars. I was here for a friend’s annual Halloween party. When you go in the front the site on the left tales you to the bar. The door on the left takes you upstairs for private parties. The whole bar was packed. The bartender downstairs was swamped. Which was fine but she was bordering on a little rude. I get it though. Good drink specials. The specials are dofferent upstairs and down. I guess upstairs had great shot specials, downstairs had beer specials. That was kind of a pain in the but. Out back there’s a patio you can drink AND smoke. Thats key to a great bar!

I’m just glad there’s still a place to have a drink on Michigan Avenue in Detroit and not to be bombarded by snooty restaurant goers that act like Detroit just opened for business six months ago. If you want the real Detroit culture, the good music, the no-​bullshit drinks and clientele, this is the spot.

Either you like dive bars or you dont. There is no smoking in the building anymore and they serve food now. Everything is $ 2 on the menu and is damn good. Everyone is welcome at this bar. Even you nose up in the air high maintanance people. They have great shows featuring Detroits finest underground bands and… The staff is on top of things and you dont wait long to get a drink here. Its a love it or leave kida joint.

Not sure why I never went to Corktown Tavern until today. I’ve been to just about every other place on Michigan Avenue, but somehow missed this one. Burgers, $ 2. Tater tots, $ 2. Wings, $ 2. Other things we didn’t eat, $ 2. Between us we had three burgers, two orders of wings and one order of tots and spent $ 12. You gotta love it!
Best of all, the food was good. Great bar burger with all the fixings. The wings were good with do-​it-​yourself bbq sauce. Tots, yum. We spent more on beer than we did on food. Domestic brews were $ 3.
It was a beautiful day and they have an outside area in back. We didn’t go there, but several people were out there enjoying the sunshine.
I also love free parking. They have their own parking lot right next door. Fantastic!
Great spot. We will definitely be back.

It’s time for reviewers to update their reviews of Corktown Tavern. They have some local Michigan brews and Shrubs. I attended a Gleaners fundraiser with 2 live bands. Good time. It’s a bar bar. Just a bar. Live music, good times. The bathrooms were clean, people.

Good: Friendly bartender. All of the rest of my time there was lost amongst the clouds of cigarette smoke from the patrons sitting next to me. This would be fine if Michigan still allowed smoking inside of bars. However, they don’t and it’s illegal. It’s a dive bar, so they probably don’t care. I won’t return for my health sake and if you don’t smoke then skip this place. Go down the street to Casey’s or Nemo’s.

I wouldn’t even give this bar a half star. I frequent a lot of bars in the area to support local music. Corktown unfortunately is one of those bars. I went there to see the Howling Diablos on the day of the St. Patricks day parade. For some reason the doors didn’t open until noon. Why that was is beyond me. I walked up to the door and it was locked. I didn’t know they were closed. Every other bar on Michigan was open. The door opened slightly when I was standing outside, and I put my hand in to open it. The steel door was slammed almost crushing my fingers inside. A biker was on the other side of the door laughing at me and my father through the glass on the door. He thought it was funny to almost break my fingers. I hadn’t had a single drink and the Corktown was my first choice. Now I will never go back since the owner wants his hole in the wall represented like this. All the guy had to do was say we don’t open until 12:00, but no. He had to be an ass. Never again will I support music at this horrible venue. I know the owner is a biker, but he should really think about getting better friends to operate a business. Don’t go here if you want to have a good time.

The most dive-​y hole in the wall joint I’ve ever been to. I do like a good dive bar… but I can’t see myself going back here just to hang out.
I went this time with a friend, just passing through, to meet another friend who was already there. I didn’t go upstairs, so I didn’t see the area for live music. Though, my bladder was pleading for mercy, I made the wise choice to bypass their restroom. I didn’t think it was in my best interest.
I’m sure this place is a Corktown gem… but just not for me.

Love this place…
One of the first bars I went to during my initial trip to Detroit. If you haven’t heard its a lil bit divey but the staff is awesome. Holly is one of my favourite bartenders in the city. Great place to catch a show, a true Detroit crowd. The area isn’t that bad you’ve gotta keep your eyes open even if you’re in Singapore. Great big (GOOD) burgers too!

Blah.
Ignoring the smoking ban does not make you cool.
I was so excited to be able to walk to bars on Michigan and have a beer and come home and smell like me! NO more smokey hair! NO more smokey jeans! Unbelievably lame that this place doesn’t adhere to the ban. Not that it was a great bar to begin with. No thanks, I’ll stick to Lager House or Nemo’s. Slow’s bar is also great after the kitchen closes and the hoards of people get back into their SUV’s and drive to suburbia congratulating each other on being able to find the «Hidden Door» hahaha.
Oh yeah and posting no smoking signs all over the bar and substituting real ashtrays for plastic cups does not count as compliance.

When my band Ictus played there years ago we got hammered and jammed out to a packed house (Thanks to us)! yay! but when you have to bring your drum set down a very high, narrow and steep stair case you may just end up tumbling with your bass drum. Glad I am not a drummer.

Dirty Detroit dive. But, you’ll get some cool live music here, along with an eclectic crowd, and cheap drinks.
Just remember to bring your hand sanitizer. :)

Cool dive bar that was probably the S**t back when Tiger Stadium was right there. Fun people, and cheap drinks will bring ya back for more.

I love this bar. It has come a long way from it’s dive status. The staff is incredible. The shows there are some of the best I’ve seen. Good drinks and good peps. I recommend this bar on any night of the week. I promise you’ll have a good time.

So, the first time I made a trip into this joint was only for the sole reason that my friends worked here. Later, I started stop in for beers, tunes, and pinball, because the staff was attentive and the other barflys entertaining and kind.
Located on Michigan just down from the Old Tiger stadium, this local hole in the wall offers customers a full bar and continuous entertainment, from classic ska bands like Superdot to local d.j.‘s and indie rockers have graced the stage, both upstairs and down. Oh, this joint has not one, but two bars, two! So, feel free to mingle downstairs, have a drink, play some pinball, and then head upstairs, have a drink or two and listen to some more live music.
CT has definitely been booking more electronic music then anything, but the crowd is always eclectic and friendly, everyone from local hip-​hoppers, to hardcore Tigers fans that still frequent the bars and restaurants on Michigan. Corktown Tavern is definitely one of those «Detroit bars», so if you wanna taste of Motown, sip on a brew at Corktown Tavern and soak it all in.

Great Place!!! Nice bight out!

I’ve had a couple incredibly insane and extremely memorable times here, and met some characters who looked like they were bound to smash a beer stein right through the wall for fun.
Whenever there’s live music or a DJ expect to have a good time despite yourself — the grime, the poorly transitioned music… I’m no fan of house music but — who cares, I had a good time. I ain’t gonna hate on it.

This place is a dirty, nasty, mess. But! So much a dive bar it’s ridiculous. I was there for their house night, and up the creaky stairs and to the left you’ll find a top floor that is meant only for dancing, drinking and overall debauchery.
The downstairs is total dive territory, cracked tiles and missing teeth. $ 2 tap beers and the warning, Don’t go across the street by yourself to pick up a pack of cigarettes, you’ll get mugged.

This place is a dirty, nasty, mess. But! So much a dive bar it’s ridiculous. I was there for their house night, and up the creaky stairs and to the left you’ll find a top floor that is meant only for dancing, drinking and overall debauchery.
The downstairs is total dive territory, cracked tiles and missing teeth. $ 2 tap beers and the warning, «Don’t go across the street by yourself to pick up a pack of cigarettes, you’ll get mugged.»