Temple Bar

I’m sure everyone just drives by this place with putt a second look but you would definitely be missing out. Don’t be startled by the Jameson, he lives there!

I must say this has to be one of the best, or if not the best bar in. Midtown I been recommended to everybody. The great ownership wonderful bartenders comfortable surrounding affordable drinks

If you’re walking to or from Motor City Casino you should keep your wits about you but once you’re here you’re good to go. It’s a shabby place but it’s really chill and laid back… as you’d expect for the locale. Service was friendly and fast, the DJ spun some tunes we liked and they had a couple dogs and a cat that are clearly part of the staff. I’m not sure the owners loved me getting the dogs all riled up while playing fetch in the bar up but it made for a fun last call.

Perdu aux milieux de bâtiments abandonnés et avec un cadre d’un autre temps avec du lambris aux murs. Et pourtant un endroit bien authentique et vivant à petits prix. Dommage que l’on ai pas pu rester tard car on se levait tôt le lendemain. La musique electro était bien !

When you’re looking to go somewhere without the scene and with all the fun, Temple Bar is the spot. I’ve had a good time here every night I go.
It’s a casual, come as you are type of bar with a younger eclectic crowd typically. The music I’ve typically heard while there is some new age disco and Detroit techno — always been good to cut a rug to.
You can find the owner behind the bar on just about any evening and is always friendly and looking out to ensure everyone is enjoying their night.

We always have a great time at this divey dance bar. The old school DJ booth is awesome, and everyone gets trashed. It gets crowded as hell, so be prepared for that, and don’t be a douche if someone spills their drink on you. Have a good time, because everyone else is! The parking lot is a grass lot, but it’s well-​lit, and your out-​of-​town friends will feel so cool for going here. Very «Detroit». ;)

Love this place has been in the same family since the 1920s. And I’m happy they aren’t selling out for «The District.»
Jamison is the bar dog and Darla the bar kitty. Jamison will paw at you for attention — he’s so cute.
Stiff, cheap drinks — spend some time taking to the bartenders. They have great stories.

Great place and great weekend events. Love the drink prices, bartenders are super nice and door cover is usually only $ 1. Definitely one of my favorite local bars.

Stop 7 on a off the hook pub crawl. A bar that is inhabited by hipsters, and is staffed by a dog and a cat in addition to a skilled bartender that was quite the mixologist. He asked me how strong i wanted his special drink to be, and I said STRONG. It was exactly as represented. As we were leaving, we were invited in back to an art show, which had some very cool people and works. As mentioned in an earlier review, Temple Bar would be a great pre and post Masonic Temple show watering hole.

Dive, and bartender was rude. ‘Nuff said. Cool cat though.

Being out-​of-​towners, we hit the Temple both before after an epic Rodriguez show at the Masonic, and it was the perfect place to prep for the show and keep the party rolling after the concert. The pitbull mascot is a friendly pup and the staff is attentive and friendly.
The juke box was rocking, and the dance floor proved to be entertaining for all, dancers and gawkers alike.
And this was a Tuesday night!
We’ll be back on our next trip to Motor City.

Best place to relax in the day best place to dance at night, colorful group. Filled with the most inviting people to populate a bar. Great service and no fuck about attitude behind the bar, this place feels like a second home to me.

Best bar in Detroit, hands down. And now it’s even better because they started Taco Wednesday, and Larry makes the best tacos in the world. Good place to dance, play pool, and pet animals. I love you, Temple.

I love, love, love a dive bar. My friends know this, so we headed over to Temple Bar. It is surrounded by a bit of a rough neighborhood, but my friends only live 3 or so blocks away so it wasn’t a deterrent. Not at all. I had a fucking awesome time at this joint. My random (and hazy) thoughts on this place.
— I love a place that you must be buzzed in to enter.
— Owner asked me if I wanted my rum and diet the way he likes them. Sure. I got an almost crystal clear drink with just a small amount of brown coloring from the cola. Now THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. I am a very experienced boozer and even I had to sip this slowly. And reasonably priced.
— KARAOKE. That’s my thaaaang. I signed up for my signature song (Humpty Dance). After this I was working on signing up again and the karaōke DJ announces that I’m up next and I have the next 3 songs. I only signed up for one so I was confused. What ensued was a karaōke roulette. While my rendition of Careless Whisper and Wanted Dead or Alive was good (my usual songs), my version of Eyes Without a Face could only be described as «hilarious» or «creative», my version of Oh Sherrie could only be described as «screeching» and «God-​fucking-​awful». But I’m game and will sing whatever. In reward for my karaōke prowess and willingness to play roulette, I got a straw fedora with a black band. A KARAOKE TROPHY!!!
— Talked with the owner outside while smoking some ciggies and he’s hilarious, friendly, and told us all about the history of the place.
— Resident bar dog and cat. Yes.
— Interesting array of characters at the bar, all friendly, all having fun. No judgment, you are just one of the family.
— Apparently they do fun and unusual things there — the next night they were planning a Murder Mystery Dance Party. Whatever that is sounds like FUN.
FIVE FULL STARS. I would come here every weekend if I lived in Detroit and that’s the truth. Imagine the collection of hats I could have?!

I love this place. It’s in a pretty rough neighborhood, and you have to get buzzed in. But once you’re inside, it’s a fun, friendly spot. The owner George, introduces himself to everyone. They have a great selection of local beers, and the prices are very reasonable. They also have a great jukebox, a pool table, and a resident dog (Jameson). I’ll definitely be back.

Diviest of the dives. Come here if you wanna get super drunk for super cheap.

Regentrified.
This was the place for trannies to hang on Saturday night before the «Rebirth of Detroit» happened. In other words it was a holdout of real Cass Creatures and other weirdness to be found in the Corridor before it was watered down by suburban spectators. I could be wrong, but I think the only thing still gay about this bar is George, who is gripping to GTFO. He’s had the place forever, and inherited it from his dad who I believe established the place back in the 1920s.
Sad to see one of the last bits of REAL Detroit underground culture (not the poppy hip wannabe underground) disappear. Good luck George.
Oh, btw, if you’re standing here rating the place 1-​star because your car got broke into, you’re a f%$#@ing fool, and this is the first sign that you don’t belong here. Go back to Buffalo Wildwings.

Oh yes… There’s the spot! This place looks pretty sketch from from the front and even sketchier from the back but, go inside and it’s the people that make this place great.
Here’s the skinny:
In a rough lookin’ neighborhood.
Treated like a regular, even if you’re NOT!
You can order in food from local take-​out places.
George!!! I love George!!! He runs a great little place.
There was a cat and a dog there… no really, there was.
Here’s the fat:
I was lost as hell, and found this place on Unilocal’s «Nearby Everything» feature… I just wanted directions outta here. Temple Bar is located in a rough looking neighborhood, abandoned buildings, burnt out buildings, etc. I parked in the back, place was pretty empty and I’ll admit that I was way nervous going in… George told me to park the car in the little fenced/​gated area… I did. I backed right in (easier to book it the hell out, just in case).
I went in through the back door… George was friendly as hell. I got a drink and my bearings too. Next thing I know, the few people that were there (was around 1 or 2 PM) just started engaging me in conversation. Wait??? Whaaa??? Yup, no awkward silence, George was pouring drinks for us, we just started
about whatever’s clever. Hell I felt like I’ve been coming here for YEARS! Loved it!
So eventually (2 hours later) we all got kinda hungry, George ordered us some food, ON HIM! Really? I walked into this bar for the first time 2 hours prior and you’re buying me food (and a couple rounds)… I can dig it. BTW he orderd us all some «Grape Leaves» and they were awesomeness, that’s all I remember… there were cookies too… very special cookies.
I love George, he’s really quite awesome! Super friendly, talkative, and from the short time I met him he seems like a GENUINE kind of person. Call me slow but, it took me a while to realize he was gay, oh did the people laugh when it dawned on me… I was like huh? God… this place is great… everyone gets along, no-​one is «offended» by peoples sexual orientation… gay, straight, bisexual hell TRYsexual… everybody just let’s that stuff be. Ya there were little jabs at me about being straight but, that’s all it was… good times, no malice. If I am ever back in Detroit, I’ve gotta pay this place a visit.
OK, last little point… I saw a black cat and a dog there, are they still there now? I don’t know but, it was pretty cool that they just kinda meandered throughout the bar. Don’t know if this place is «Animal Friendly» but, it sure seemed like it.
Hurray for Temple Bar!
SYOY

Temple Bar was the first libation station after my initial Amtrak stop in Detroit. I’d been reading about this bar in anticipation since I decided I was coming to the Motor City, so I decided it had a lot to live up to. It delivered!
There was a chatty kathy hipster bartender named Evan who was a great barkeep, kept the MGD’s flowing and provided enough banter to not be annoying but be helpful. George, the owner, eventually came down and serenaded the friend who I was with. We were then treated to a bounty of shots (one of which included using only your mouth to consume… no hands; i’ll leave it at that) and conversation about the city, which was my main goal; to chat with locals!
Set up here is dive but comfortable; pool table and internet juke with a tiny dance floor. there were literally 3 other people in the bar when I came in, and we were the only 2 at close. You have to get buzzed in from the bar, too. Kind of fun, for me anyway. There’s also a rather large abandoned hotel literally across the street, so that provided for some fun smoking views.
Temple is a great bar, I enjoyed it breaking my Detroit cherry. while it is indeed a «gay bar,» i dont think you’ll ever seen a little Menjo-​twink here. Its crowd is very hipster and alternative, so hit it up if that’s your style. I’ll be back when I get back to the D!
Also, smoking ban rarely applies here? lol

I’ll admit, occasionally I’m slow with this kind of stuff, and it took me about 20 minutes to realize I was in a gay bar, as opposed to a bar that happened to have some gay people in attendance. George the owner, and Evan the bartender are great guys, with George making a couple cracks about me being a «virgin» to the Temple, but as I told him — I may be straight as an arrow, but I still love the place, and plan to return quite often.
As George told me, his intention for the place is somewhere where everyone, gay, straight, bi, whatever can just come and have a good time, and that’s exactly what it was. My preference has always been for more of the country-​western style dive bars, but honestly, I can’t remember the last time I had that good of a time at a bar as I did last night at the Temple. I even ended up doing a round of karaōke, which I _​never_​do.
So yeah, if you’re looking for the typical rowdy bar scene, this probably won’t be your place. But if you’re looking for the time of your life, come on down :)

Say Hey to George the Owner/​Bartender when you hit the door because the only time you’ll see him again is if you order at the bar. no waitresses but plenty queens and kings.
Yes Lala this is a gay bar but honey this is the one to come to for a GREAT TIME; even if you’re not gay. (wink*wink)
Nobody cares who you are and everyone is just here for a Great Time.
The well drinks are cheap; the bar is top quality; the beer is cold; and imho the service is good. the dancefloor stays packed and the music is bumpin the windows out. there are no problems with the clientel or the neighbors because everyone calls this spot «The Temple» and that it is baby, that it is.