Cavern Clubs Entertainment Complex

This place is horrible. There is zero management; it’s the owner (who lives there) and everyone else. He’s constantly drunk and on drugs and talks to employees and customers as if they’re beneath him. He only pays his workers when he feels like he made enough money. Nick Easton is the biggest racist in Ann Arbor and I say that from witnessing it firsthand. That place will never get another penny of mine. It’s sad because with the right owners, that place could be the best venue in town

The group was big and the girls liked to dance and the boys really couldn’t say no so to Cavern Club we’d go. Cavern Club came into our lives out of the blue but again and again we went through. It had space for the girls to let loose and dance and tables for the boys to watch out for them and shoot any creepy guys a dirty glance.
It looked like a cave (dingy at first) and had a diverse crowd and played good music. However the middle-​aged men who would hit on our friends seemed quite abusive. Eventually we quit going but on a whim I now went back again. It’s part of the Circus complex but otherwise still the same ol Cavern Club… with the good and the bad and the creepy old men.

This place is enormous. Lots of different bars and dance floors. Free coat check. Cute coat check girl (at least the last time I went).
Great for booking large clubbing events/​parties.

I have no idea where I’m going, but I’m having fun!
Everyone says this huge place sucks, is shady or is filled with creepers, but I wanted to experience it for myself and make my own judgements.
So I ventured here on a Saturday night, paid the $ 5, checked my coat (for free) and was ready for a night of adventure.
The first thing I realized is this place is massive, and has little sub sections connected by entry ways or red doors. So I decided I would just follow someone into each section, or just enter any door that opened.
The result: wandering around rooms made of mirrors, eating free popcorn, and ending up in a broom closet.
And when I emerged, The Pink Flamingos were playing live versions of LMFAO covers.
I left with a handful of mints, lots of laughs, and a huge smile on my face. Definitely would return, and had a great adventure my 1^st time.

We planned to go to Circus for karaōke on a Saturday night after specifically looking on their website and seeing that they did not have cover for people 21+. Cavern Club owns all four bars in the same complex and the separate Circus door was closed. When we went in the entrance they asked us for cover. After politely explaining that we came because the website specifically said there was no cover on the date we were there, the staff accused us of lying. Then after showing them the website on my phone, they still refused to make any accommodations and were very rude. One of the staff in particular was very patronizing, calling me «honey,» etc. Even if this was some kind of mistake on the website, they could have at least been polite. However, I’m somewhat suspicious that part of their plan is to lure people there and hope they will pay the cover anyways…

Out of all the «clubs» in this storied old building, I quite like Cavern Club… and they frequently have some darn good blues/​rock bands playing on Friday/​Saturdays. I believe that the large area encompassing CC was a commercial dairy/​cheese cellar waaay back in the day, used for aging cheeses — hence the curved field-​stone walls and vault ceilings. I also believe that it was additionally a speak-​easy as well (Shwaben-​Hall was the other popular Speakeasy in town besides The Den at The Lord Fox…) Either way, it’s a cool place to have a bar/​club.
It is known as a local meat-​market for the 35−55-year-old set so expect to see some people who are not wrinkle or grey-​hair free. The stage is in a somewhat awkward area, but the sound isn’t bad. There are also a decent amount of chairs and tables so you can actually sit down and have a conversation with whomever you’re with.

I like the Cavern Club. It’s an easy place to have fun, dance and party with a crowd, but there are lots of quiet corners and tables to tuck into when you want a rest and a minute to think by yourself.
The cave feeling only adds to the ambiance. I wouldn’t want to be wearing heels here with the unpredictable paths, but it’s sort of neat not knowing who might be around the next corner.

The first half dozen times I was in the CC, before the night was out I was drunk enough to get lost at least once trying to get to the bathrooms and back. The place is Labrynthian. I mean that in the best possible way. This place oozes cool.
OK, two of the three other ‘clubs’ in the building are for assholes, but CC always has a broad range of people in attendance, all with the same mindset — get drunk, dance to some sweet live music, randomly make out with someone you just met. Good times.
Getting a drink isn’t always cheap, but its never too hard either. I guess the bottom line is that I’ve never had a bad time here, so they must be doing something right.

This club has the best décor, hands down.
I was so excited to hear about how the Cavern Club is really old, and was once a speak easy. It’s those sort of stories that really get me excited to see a place!
The club is organized into tunnels, with the bar and «dancefloor» in the center, like the spokes of a wheel. The tunnels house tables, chairs, and lights made to look like candles. The walls are bare brick that looks older than dirt. So does the bar, and not only because of the antique cash register. In one of the tunnels there’s a fish pond and fountain; what purpose they serve other than to be awesome, I have no idea… but I love it.
A friend of mine started to DJ here a few years ago, and unfortunately it was destined to fail for two reasons: the place is hard to find, given that it’s below the Millennium club and as of last month has no permanent sign on the building pointing to it, and the dance floor is tiny. And really, there isn’t a dance floor per se, just an area in the middle of the place where there aren’t any tables or chairs. You could fit twenty people on it and that’d be it.
I was sorry to see the night go, but not the club. It’s a great place with cheap beers and the best ambiance in the state.

Cavern Club is sweet. The carvernous underbelly can be a cruel mistress, however, as she seems to get more and more dim as the night progresses. The drawing curtain effect could be intentional or, most likely, the result of an exponential effect relating time (and thereby increased inebriation) to increased dimming. This part is a complex arithmetic problem, the subtleties I will spare you, but rest assured that this dimming effect has no relevance to the idea that the Cavern Club is a good, chill spot.

The Cavern Club is located in the lower level of the 3-​level complex that also includes Millennium Club, Gotham City (although not much goes on there), and Circus. Each have separate review spaces on Unilocal,FYI. Cavern/​Gotham/​Millennium are only open Fridays & Saturdays, Circus is open every night of the week.
The Cavern Club is dark and somewhat maze-​like… the ceilings and walls are made to look like you’re underground, in a cave. It’s pretty dark so be careful of the stairs within the bar.
There are several reasons why I like the Cavern Club: #1) It’s a big place and there are tons of tables off in cavernous areas, so you can find a spot to rest your dancing feet without a problem. #2) It’s part of a 3-​club complex that has pretty different environments (and people) depending where you go within the place. The Cavern Club often features a live band (check the website for schedule & whether there’s a cover charge), the Millennium Club usually has a DJ, and Circus has free pool. So if you get tired of dancing, go play some pool. #3) If you’re trying to find a spot for a large group of people (i.e., 15+), this complex can be a good option because there’s room for everyone. LIVE and other nearby bars just can’t accommodate large groups like Cavern Club can, they’re too crowded as it is.
The best night to head to the Cavern Club is when the Killer Flamingos are playing. They are a faaabulous cover band & it’s a very popular night. Unfortunately that also makes the dance floor rather crowded, that’s the main problem with the Cavern Club — they need more dance space! When the bar is busy downstairs you can easily head upstairs to grab your drink, b/​c it’s not usually nearly as crowded.
BOTTOM LINE: Cavern Club is the best option of the 3-​club complex for weekend dancing. A good spot for large groups, there’s usually something for everyone in this complex.

Live music. but part of a very frightening 3 story club thing.