State Bar

Right across the street from the baseball stadium — so a convenient location to eat at before or after the game.
There’s not a very big beer selection for bottles (maybe less than 15?)… The tap wasn’t working or something that day so I’m not sure if there’s a bigger selection on tap.
The homemade CHIPS are super crispy and very good!
The restrooms were clean enough, the service was aight, and the chicken tenders were okay… all pretty mediocre, so I think 3 stars is appropriate.

Lots of seating and room to stand. Strong drinks. Average prices. More restrooms would be helpful, but that’s how it is at most bars, right?

This place is not what it used to be. It’s only okay for a quick drink IF you can get someone to help you. I used to come here before concerts and love it, now it’s better to just not. The staff seems pretentious for no reason, and that’s accurate. Its hard to get a drink and then when you get one is not consistent. The staff for years has had issues with how they treat their patrons. I’ve watched people of all ages and genders get snubbed. This place needs to remember no matter who is playing next door, they should respect the people willing to pay good money to drink here.

Stopped in to wait for a concert next door and ended up keeping a table pretty much the whole night. I must say I judge a place by the staff hardcore when I go somewhere new and this place definitely got an A. Everyone from the bouncer outside to the waitresses and bartenders we amazingly well-​mannered and made my experience swell. Service was fast and thorough.
The cons were the drink selection (no way to make an Old Fashioned for me and no Cider for my fiancé made us a bit sad) but the bartenders tried their best. The food was also lackluster… We got nachos which are difficult to mess up but this place came close to making tasteless nachos :(. Not sure if other food is better but the tiny menu makes me hope it is.
Overall, I’m totally giving this place such high marks due to the staff and the convenience of the location. Would go back for those two factors alone.

Great place to go before & after sporting events. Homemade chips are AMAZING!

A great place to go before a Tigers or Lions game. Great huge burgers! The food is very good for bar food! I love hanging out there before any concert. The bartenders are very friendly.

The atmosphere is cool and this place has good space if you’re with a group, but $ 10 for a gin and tonic? Meh. They did have a good selection of beers on tap, but if you’re going to serve beer at their prices, at least serve it in a glass instead of a plastic cup.

Steve is a very cool bartender. Great place to go if you are going to the Fillmore, Comerica Park, or the Fox Theater and you are early. The atmosphere is very cool — the architecture is probably from the 20’s or thereabout! On the walls were black and white pictures of Detroit and it’s aura.
Had a glass of wine here because me and my Sis were a little early for a Unilocal event at the Fillmore and definitely did not disappoint this UnilocalER! I understand that they have great pizza too, but did not taste it! Definitely a do again if I am in the area. Located downtown in the «D»!

It’s a decent enough place to grab a quick, fairly cheap drink of two *before* hitting another venue or event elsewhere…
…and why do I stress «before» strongly? Because I was horribly annoyed to find it closed at 10:00pm after the Unilocal party at the FIllmore let out. Granted, they’re not the only ones in this boat (we tried two other nearby places… also closed…), but seriously now… a bar… on a Friday night… that’s closed… at 10pm?
Really?
If downtown’s going to experience the revival that its on track for, then that practice just simply HAS to stop. After those three places were closed, my friends and I bailed out back to the ‘burbs, when we would have been more than happy to continue hanging out downtown and spending our money there. Very disappointing.

As with most places in downtown Detroit, parking is hard to find. My sister found a spot in a lot for $ 10 which was just around the corner. The State Bar is right next to the Fillmore. They have doors inside the Fillmore that lead into the bar so you don’t have to go outside.
I loved the rock & roll music posters and music at the State Bar and I met the most interesting person. Stephen Brennan was the bartender. He is a striving young artist who is a graduate of Wayne State University. You can check out and vote for some of his paintings on
. The name of his painting is «Wendy» who was a former boss. Stephen did such a great job painting her that I thought I was looking at a photograph. Voting for the public will open up in the near future on the arty. Hopefully, we Unilocalers can help this outstanding young man by voting for his painting.

We stopped in here for a beer before a concert last night. This could be a really cool bar. Very open, wood floors, cool fixtures hanging from the ceiling. I just got a really weird vibe when I walked in. There were a good amount of people in here, but it was really quiet and all of the employees looked extremely bored.
I ordered a Bud Light (not the best tasting beer in the world. Actually, not tasty at all. It was cheap! Don’t judge me!)
I know what Bud Light tastes like, and I’m not exactly sure what was poured into my glass. It tasted like the dish soap hadn’t been rinsed off from inside the glass completely. My boyfriend agreed.
Before we left for the show, I went to the restroom. When I turned around to flush, there was a giant roach on the wall right in front of me!
I usually like giving place second chances, but I have no desire to return. Sorry, State Bar! :-(

Let’s put this bluntly…
The only reason anyone should spend time here is before, or during a show at the State (Filmore). The drinks are cheaper than in the theater, but that doesn’t mean they’re cheap. Subpar drink selections and high prices means that you’re much better off going to Park Bar before or after a show.

How can I be the first person reviewing this place? weird…
Anyway, due to the amazing location of this place, its the perfect place to meet up with friends before a show at The State Theatre (or the Fillmore if you want to get technical with me). I love the comfy booths, they are perfect setting for chatting with buddies before a show. Drinks are good, prices are moderate to high, if I remember correctly. Also, there is plenty of space to spread out if you group is large, or if you run into an awkward turtle situation (awkward turtle = ex-​boyfriend non grata). Avoid this place during baseball games though, it gets way too busy since its across the street from CoPa.