Two Way Inn

I was in Detroit, visiting from Washington, DC for Thanksgiving. My brother brought me to two way inn for a drink during our annual day-​on-​the-​town. I was very impressed by the bottled beer menu. The bartender, Danielle even gave us a personal history lesson on the bar itself! I will definately be returning to the 2-​way Inn next time we visit Detroit.

A little far out but hey this place is on its way back to glory
And whit does not want to have a drink In an old bar room
History is all about this old watering hole
Come one come all

One of my favorite places in the not quite the city. From ringing the buzzer to get in like a secret only you know to the cigarette machine that decorates the room like a drunken uncle who is a little too handsy.
Reasonably priced shots… Even more reasonably priced beers… And a clientele that is just as much fun to watch and eavesdrop on as any nightime soap opera.
Get there a bit earlier to beat the hipster influx.

You must go here. The history, the stories Mary tells, the experience. It’s pure detroit, no pretentious here. Just a great experience.

Ridiculously good Bloody Mary’s, everything is made from scratch. Homemade infused vodka, homemade Bloody Mary mix, home made seasoning for the rim, everything done right and everything delicious.
Awesome Brunch the first Sunday of every month, and excellent random food on Wed and Thurs (home made italian meatball subs, sloppy joes, soups, etc.).
Great little spot.

Absolutely in my personal Top 5 Bars… anywhere! This place has it all! Great History, great Atmosphere, great Prices, and, most importantly, best damn Staff in town! From the first time I wandered in they’ve treated me like a regular.
If you’re even remotely interested in the history of our great city I strongly urge you to have a seat at the bar and strike up a conversation with the bartender. Before you know it you have received a lesson on not just a great bar but essentially one of the city’s founding fathers.
I cannot say enough about this place so I’ll just say this: you owe it to yourself to check it out!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s the first Sunday of the month and it’s now 11am which means Sunday Brunch has just been served… Off the The Two Way for me!!!

Rated #1 Dive bar,& oldest in Detroit.
With it’s rich history & old school charm, The Two way Inn is a great dive bar.
Good polish food served on certain days,& hot soup.
Large verity of beer,& whiskey. Always a good time.
Now takes credit cards also.

This place is awesome.
Came here as part of a «hey, let’s roam around and hit dive bars tonight» thing, and this was definitely an add-​on to the fun.
Full of history and mystique, this place holds the oldest liquor license in the city. If you get the chance to sit down and chat with them about the history and what that place has seen, do so.
Beyond that, it’s a typical divey bar in a sketchy neighborhood, but it’s completely worth the adventure to get here, I assure you.
Go ahead… ring the bell. Double dog dare you :)

Located at Nevada and Mt. Elliot in beautiful Detroit. This bar has such a cool history. We came here on Haunted Bus Tour hosted by The Detroit Bus Company and I have to say the place was busy and had such gritty, fun atmosphere. Off the beaten path but worth a stop or two. :)

Cool dive bar with a bit of history! The bartender Hannah gave us the rundown while we sipped on some Polish beer! This place has roots going back almost as far as the Civil War, but I’ll let Hannah fill you in on that when you visit! If you love dive bars, then add this place to the top of your bookmark list!

Very cool old bar. I hear it’s haunted but are yet to be lucky enough to meet the ghost. The place is like a private club, ringing the doorbell makes me feel special.

Cool place — I felt like I was hanging out in a friend’s basement. Good conversation and attentive service. Great atmosphere and fun times. Very secure, also — you have to be buzzed in and there is a camera at the front door. As always, I love a good dive bar!

I hate to be the downer here, but I just can’t squeak out a 4^th star for Two Way Inn. All the things people said about it having history is true. It’s not a bad place, but it’s not one of my favorite dive bars in Detroit. I have to preface that by saying we were there with a large group on a weekend afternoon, so based on fellow Unilocalers recommendations, we need to get in on the 1^st Friday of the month.
Good things — history, friendly bartenders, really great homemade bloody mary mix, cheap drinks, local crowd.
The Not-​so-​good — dark and dingy (I guess that comes with being the oldest bar in Detroit), kind of funky smell like my grandma’s basement, weird black velvet paintings on the wall (may seem ‘charming’ but were honestly kind of creepy), limited beer selection.

Fantastic local bar where we always have the best of times and make new friends. There’s always something neat going on– whether its a spontaneous Sunday BBQ grillin’ in the back patio, or a birthday party with music. The jukebox is always available — and usually alive with queued requests of everything from rock to motown.
Bartender Hannah is a reason to come alone! She’s so freakin cool and super savvy behind the bar!

The Two Way to me is like the Old Miami in that when you are drinking there you feel at home making this the perfect bar for low key nights, and friendly conversation.
As you have probably guessed the Two Way is not fancy, and has no frills but these same attributes are the same thing that makes it feel so comfortable.

What’s not to love? The TWI has made me realize that I need to go to dive bars more often. Neat little dive in the armpit of Detroit. John and I, along with some neighbors, hit the First Friday and enjoyed drinks and free stuffed cabbage! Delish! My drink was adequately strong, but very cheap.
The place is clean, but totally rough around the edges. It does lack some of the old-​school divey charm that I like, but it’s super comfortable and the other patrons were friendly. The bar itself was cool — big, wooded and long (yes, that’s what she said). But the rest of the place was sorta hap-​hazardly thrown together with a mixture of ‘70s paneling and what not. I would love to see what it looked like «back when.»
Totally a cool bar. I will be back. I will also bring more friends.

This is a really cool place. I got to take in the First Friday celebration in February and intend to do so again in March.
Two Way Inn is a great old building in an area that I haven’t frequented in a very long time. I’m not quite sure what it reminds me of more when you have to knock on the front door for admittance; an old speakeasy or a hip club.
Once inside you’re surrounded by style. Sure the bar is over 100 years old, but you need to appreciate how many different people must have sat in the same place that you’re sitting in now.
The place has a great selection of beer and booze and very good prices. It draws a mixed crowd, and you can either take in a retro video game, play some pool, or just sit at the bar and have a conversation with the bartender or friends that you’re bound to meet.
I can’t wait to get back here again.

I like to frequent local spots (shopping, eating, etc.) so this was pretty interesting. The UYE was a reason for me not to be afraid to hit this Mt. Elliot spot alone. But now that I’ve been I will come back (after a nice dinner since they don’t have a food menu). I liked that I could get a drink for under $ 5 that wasn’t some off brand well liquor. The Two Way Inn is a small quaint spot with a lot of nostalgia. It didn’t feel like the normal crowded, stuffy bar. I like the fact that they you have to be buzzed in and there is a WORKING camera watching the door!
I enjoyed the conversation, the specialty night with corned beef & swiss (YUM!!), & the Apples to Apples throw down. I felt at home at this spot and the family vibe was there. A little known chill spot to have a drink and relax. Next time I have to try the pool table out and the jukebox.
NOTE: Not wheelchair accesible.

This was my first time and I had an AWESOME time…
When I walked in which was extremely early for a Friday — I was greeted by the bartender, random people, and even the owner. The owner also gave me a FREE shot. As the night continued — more people entered but it was still a great vibe and everyone was socializing randomly.
Hey this isn’t no downtown fancy bar which you need to dress up and pay a door fee for pricey drinks… NO!
This is a true bar — relaxing, cool bartender (he goes by T-​Bone but I called him «Steak»), people playing pool, something weird playing on TV but you wouldn’t want to watch it (Lol!), and low prices for drinks.

The Two Way has stood proudly on the corner of Mt. Elliot & Nevada since 1876 — and is still open and operating as the oldest bar in Detroit (yes you heard correct — the Two Way holds the oldest Detroit bar title, NOT Jacoby’s…although they like to say they do). The neighborhood is somewhat of a no-man’s land these days, and chances are you won’t just happen upon the Two Way unless you come looking for it.
That being said, you SHOULD come looking for it.
There is such history and character in this place — I’m talking, bulletholes in the walls from back in the speakeasy days, and more than a couple accounts of ghostly encounters. Along with that, there’s also a pool table, video games, plenty of old crap on the walls to ogle, and friendly patrons with stories to pass the time. The Two Way occassionally books bands (usually punk) or hold special event nights (which usually include homemade Polish food) — this info is always communicated on their facebook page. The first Friday of the month is where the real party is at — Tony and Aaron (from Whiskey in the Jar, Hamtramck) come in as guest bartenders, and draw an eclectic, sizeable crowd of young and old. The First Fridays have even gotten attention in a Free Press article a while ago.
Did I mention the drinks are CHEAP? I can’t speak for the price of the beer, but if you’re a liquor drinker, you’ll get poured a stiff one for only a couple bucks. Without fail, my tab at the end of the night is always at least $ 10 cheaper than I expect it to be. Should be noted that they are cash only.
Also, the bathrooms are well lit and CLEAN! Much cleaner than I’ve seen in bars 100 years younger…
The Two Way isn’t fancy, but it’s got heart. If you’re looking for a truly historical, truly Detroit bar… awesome patrons and staff with a passion for preserving this gem of a spot… and ridiculously cheap drinks. it’s definitely worth searching out.
*CASH ONLY*