WE WILL NOT BE RETURNING UNTIL THE REAL DART BOARDS GO BACK ON THE WALLS!!!!!!!!!!! We usually love 8ball because it's the ONLY spot in town with a real dart board and the right vibe. darts are usually free and it's great, we come with our friends all the time. unfortunately, i had to walk into the bar yesterday and see the plastic abomination on the wall. our favorite bouncer agreed that it's ridiculous and the new plastic electronic dart boards were malfunctioning. we cannot allow this to go on!!!! please give us back the real deal!!! not everyone wants to stare at bright neon lights while they throw darts. this is an abomination. read more

Eightball Saloon - Plastic dart board - Dive Bars Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Fun place to go with friends on a weekend. The vibe is good and employees are nice. They have a few pool tables and cheap drinks. I like coming here with the boys read more

I'm a resident in AA for over 20 years and used to go to this joint more often at that time. The place was never a high class place by any means back then, but it has gone down a lot. Made an adventure the other evening and had a terrible experience at the door. The person checking ID's was very crude and rough! Town has changed and I'm not bending over to this new corporate stale management and greed attitude. F.. off read more

Worst experience I've ever had out. The bouncer and manager both tried to take my legal forms of ID. Rude employees on a power trip!!! Almost had to call the cops to get my real IDs back. I presented a passport card, my drivers license and my learners old permit to the bouncer, one by one because he was looking at them for a while. He shows them to his manager and hands them back to me saying I have to leave, my IDs aren't real. I have an out of state ID and saw other reviewers with this same issue. I ask to speak with the manager and am met with a very rude man who tells me to step outside with him. I was being very polite, did not raise my voice once and hadn't had a sip of alcohol. I calmly explain my 21+ license picture is from when I was 15. I showed my passport card that has more recent photo. I calmly pull up a few pictures of myself from when I was 15 after he said my "facial structure is different" and that "I need to get a new picture taken" to which I replied I didn't have time to get one before I turned 21 this summer so this is what I'm working with. Ive never had this issue before. I also offered to show scans of my passport and was treated like an underage criminal. Bouncer looked very nervous, this bar should invest in a scanner because someone will take someone's real ID again and the cops will be called. Why would I a) use a fake id here, and b) why would I have a fake copy of my under 21 permit, my license, and passport card all with the same information. He proceeds to take my IDs and says I'll be lucky if he gives these back to me. At this point, I am upset because I am 21 and these are all of my real IDs. I calmly tell him if he takes these I will have to call the cops to reclaim them. He gives them back and I leave. Why would anyone try to use a fake id here? Seedy establishment if you don't fit that vibe, expect to be treated rudely. Do not come here, awful and rude staff and they will try to gaslight you that your IDs are fake! read more

We were told by a local bartender to check out 8 Ball if we wanted a dive bar experience while visiting Ann Arbor over the summer. It was definitely divey! Unfortunately they were out of the frozen white sangria but I got a frose that was tasty. The spaghett was a fun drink to try - a Miller High Life with a mixer of Aperol and lemon juice. There are a handful of other beer cocktails that sounded fun, and at $6 or $7 per drink, you can't beat the prices. Where else can you get a 48oz Natty Light for $8?! It took awhile for us to get drinks at the bar, but a friendly patron gave up his seat so I could get in sooner. There's a pretty large outdoor area which was nice - but a lot of people were smoking out there in the communal space. There was an employee who kept telling people they had to move to the smoking area, which was helpful. I don't know that I need to stop here anytime I'm in the area, but it was fun to check out for a drink. read more

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The 8 ball is back, and better than ever! New decor is very fresh, while keeping the authenticity of the 8ball we know and love. Updated drinks include Froźe and delicious slushie sangria that packs a punch! Love the outdoor patio with separate smoking section, and looking forward to some Sunday Fun days there! Brava! Faith and Company you've survived and thrived! read more

Eightball Saloon - Best pool in town - Dive Bars Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

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Friday night DJ is playing dance songs, while folks are playing pool, it is under the Blind Pig. Drinks are cheap and good, no cover, dance, dance, dance, only on Friday, starts getting packed around 930; this is by far my favorite place to hang on Friday nights in Ann Arbor. I love this DJ, he has a very small area to play, but he does the most with a little and it is funky on Friday's. Crowd age is young to older, all vibing. Keep in mind that this bar is under the Blind Pig, so you have to walk down the little hill into the side door on the left, not sure what the capacity is for underneath but it gets crowded fast because it is a bit smaller. read more

Cheap drinks, free pool, great crowd and atmosphere. Make sure you get in early on Friday and Saturday night because there'll be a line outside. read more

I am 22 and was turned away with a REAL ID just because the bouncer had clearly never heard of my home state or for whatever reason found my out of state ID confusing. The fact that I fly home with the same license but couldn't get into a dive bar is ridiculous. I offered to show scans of my passport and birth certificate but the bouncer didn't care. If they're that nervous they should get a scanner so people don't get unfairly turned away, it was such a horrible experience to be treated like a criminal and force my friends to leave simply because the bouncer couldn't believe I am of age. read more

May not be a 5 star bar but it's for sure a 5 star dive! Cheapest beers in town with pool and games. Dive bars might not be for everyone but this place feels like home. Be sure to check out the world class bathroom art. It's even jam packed with some great advice! read more

Eightball Saloon - a toilet with graffiti on the walls - Dive Bars Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Let's go with the pros: free pool on Saturdays from 3-7, cheap drinks, decent tunes, arcade games -- a few that work -- and darts. The cons: weak drinks, limited beer selection, and kids apparently allowed in. The bartender was friendly enough. I did not encounter any bouncer, but I left shortly after 7:00 and there weren't a lot of people there to bounce. I am also pushing 50, so bouncers tend to leave me be. I have been in many dive bars and I actually do enjoy them for the most part. The difference between a good dive bar and a not-so-good dive bar is that a good dive bar has character. This place doesn't really have much of that. I don't find anything particularly unique about it. Look, if you want free pool, this is a great place on Saturday afternoons, but I really can't see any other reason for going. read more

Good vibes and atmosphere but the head bartender (heavy set guy with a beard) needs some serious anger management courses. You can bottle up my drinks, but don't bottle up that repressed anger dude! Find an outlet!(other than your patrons). read more

I like this place. I go here to drink my sorrows away from time to time and to stare at the wall. Good place to go by yourself but still not feel completely alone. People are nice. Interesting crowd. read more

tl;dr: dumbass bouncers on two separate occasions, snapped my REAL driver's license in half, bust my $1300 camera, and shoved me against the stairs, hit my head and I'm currently walking with a limp Bouncers at this venue are on a serious fucking power trip, read the other reviews and you'll see as much. I've had two separate incidents at Eightball and this was the last. I only stop by because I'm a concert goer at the Blind Pig, but it's not worth the shitshow they're running. Incident 1) I moved here from South Carolina not too long ago. I show up with my South Carolina ID, and this bouncer tells me it's fake. I'm 24, and haven't gotten this kind of shit in years. Unprovoked he starts bending it. Not all IDs are bendable dumbass, you have one job and you clearly have no fucking idea what you're doing. I hear a crisp SNAP and stare in disbelief as he breaks my license in half and matter-of-factly confirms to me that it's fake with a smile. After some petty bickering for another 5 minutes I walk past and go to the bartender, who gets me a manager. The manager covers the measly $20 doc fee for getting a new license, AFTER I get my new license, which wound up being two weeks later, having had to register my car in Michigan, change my car insurance, get new plates, and get a new license. Incident 2) Don't ask me why I came back, but I did after seeing Joe Hertler last night. I grabbed a delish ghost pepper kielbasa from the stand outside. As I walk up I ask the bouncer (different guy) if he's ever had one as I'm starting to pant and sweat from the spice. Dude tells me I'm too drunk to come in. What? I tell him the fact that I haven't had a single drink tonight and ask if he's kidding. He says no and I ask for a manager. Lo and behold right next to him is the bartender that "helped" me out with the ID issue last time, who is chuckling at the situation and says he's the manager. I call him on his bullshit, and the bouncer gets in my face and starts pushing me. As I try and hold my hands out to tell him not to touch me he shoved me into the staircase behind me. Six guys are now staring me down and yelling at me to get out. To give ya a frame of reference I somehow scraped my elbow through my leather jacket and hit my head and hip HARD to the point where I'm currently still walking with a limp. Worst of all they bust my $1300 Fuji camera. I'm in disbelief and pain and before I can even get back on my feet they shove me AGAIN. I immediately go to the police station and ask what my options are for a civil or criminal suit for property damage and bodily injuries. They tell me because it's just anecdotal and because I have no hard evidence outside of a breathalyzer test they could perform and the bruises that I didn't really have a case since this was done on private property, and that I'm just going to have to take the loss. FUCK YOU EIGHTBALL edit: you can check out Eightball's pathetic attempts at defending their show of force here https://www.facebook.com/whatthebaek/posts/1531678033588271:0 read more

Eightball Saloon - Look at ALL of these accounts of physical abuse of power, they've been like this and will always be like this. You've been warned. - Dive Bars Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Waiting in line to get in and was told to "get off the stairs and close the f**king door." Won't be returning.

I've been here numerous times but have apparently never reviewed it. It's considered a "dive bar" and definitely is, but you can't beat the cheap drinks and specials. We came here Friday night to meet up with some friends, I had a rum and Coke which was $3.50. They have booths to sit at as well as the bar area, and they also have darts and pool if that's your thing. It's located directly beneath the Blind Pig (and if you're in the Blind Pig and need to use the restroom, this is where you go). Restrooms were pretty gross but they usually are. The 8 ball is not bad if you're looking for a cheap night out. My drink didn't really taste mixed although to some people that would be a good thing (more rum than Coke, it tasted like). I'm sure I'll be back here again at some point because my friends like to go here. read more

Most sub-3 star reviews on here are bemoaning that eightball is a "shithole". Well, my fellow yelpers, I have a message for you: some of us seek such an establishment, and eightball makes no claim that it is anything BUT a shitty dive bar that will ensure you wake up the following morning wishing death upon yourself. To further explain why Eightball Saloon is a 5 star establishment in my eyes, some ecological theory is in order: The concept of a "niche" can be ambiguous. While some define a niche as the environmental variables suitable for an organism, others have used niche in terms of the organisms' functional role within the ecosystem. G. Evelyn Hutchinson, regarded as the "father of modern ecology", provided perhaps the least wieldy, yet most succinct, definition of a niche: n-dimensional hypervolume. Ann Arbor residents are no more than a plethora of n-dimensional hypervolumes, where each dimension represents an Ann Arbor establishment, such as Eightball. Personally speaking, I have a dimension on my hypervolume that thrives in the conditions as described in paragraph 1; therefore, I'm elated to find such a place that unabashedly embraces such an identity and fills my niche. read more

Went here and they refused my boyfriends real id. Not only was she being extremely rude for no reason, but the woman working the door took it out of his hands and walked upstairs and threw it out the door into the alley even after the manager confirmed it was a real id. He was polite about it, but when the other staff came she also claimed he was going after her because "she was a woman." As a woman, there was nothing disrespectful going on and it was ridiculous. Nobody would even try to use a fake id to get in this bar of all places. read more

I love this place. It's a dive bar -- expect a dive bar. You go for drinks, free popcorn, maybe play some pool and darts and then head out to the next bar. It's not super worn down, but there's no question it's a dive. There's just some quality about this place that makes me love it. I stop in almost every time I'm in Ann Arbor. read more

Something needs to be said about the smell I experienced during a (very) brief visit a week ago. It was HORRID. I'm not just being a priss, either. I know what dive bars can smell like and I'm totally cool with that. This, however, smelled like people had been peeing and barfing on the carpet for decades. Which is probably true anyway. Really disgusting and enough to make me not ever want to return. read more

Eightball Saloon - the interior of a restaurant - Dive Bars Near Me - Ann Arbor, Michigan

I moved to San Francisco in September from Ann Arbor. The last bar I visited before bidding this dear town goodbye was this fine establishment. If you don't like the 8ball you're probably (a) pretentious (you should move to San Francisco!) (b) unaware of what a dive bar is supposed to be/smell like (c) my mother (d) not wanted at the 8ball anyway read more

Mmmmm...divey. From the alley entrance to the off-kilter dart boards to the full-sized poster of James Dean on the women's bathroom door, I love the dirty little basement bar under the Blind Pig to bits and pieces. The Eight Ball is reliably smokey and outfitted with all the necessary accessories: a game console on the bar where a few quarters buys you bikini babe photo hunt, $1.50 bottles of pabst and $3 pitchers of something like Old Style, $1 pool, and an Elvis pinball machine. The crowd is full of ironic haircuts you could never work 9 to 5 in and thrift store chic that pays homage to mod and punk with a few leader-clad rockers and beefy shaved heads thrown into the mix. The jukebox is one of those magical downloading contraptions, and I've heard everything from Chuck Berry to Guns and Roses to New Order to Tenacious D come out of it. Talking Heads and Patty Smith seem to be popular choices with the regular crowd. There are only half a dozen tables and a dozen stools around the bar, all of which tend to be occupied past 11pm, and the crowds tend to get in the way of the paths between the bathroom, change machine, and bar on Friday and Saturday nights but that's when the people watching is best. The bartenders are sweet and will do their best to scrap together a set of darts if you ask, but you're better off bringing your own if you've got 'em. And for your own sake, be nice to the guys who hang out at the foot of the stairs to check IDs; they won't hesitate to throw you out (or around) for any offense (real or imagined) and all of their friends drink there every night. read more

When I lived in Chicago, I had the pleasure of going to Tuman's Alcohol Abuse Center, an insanely awesome dive bar if ever there was one - so dark you could barely see, crazy cheap drinks and the only available seating was on empty kegs. Tuman's is now a cleaned-up yuppie shell of its former self, but I like to think that the Eight Ball is carrying on the tradition of shitty dive bars in Ann Arbor... Cheap cheap Old Style or Pabst (aaah, Chicago how I miss you!), lots and lots of cigarette smoke and very few places to actually sit down. The only crappy part is the fact that they have a new-fangled internet jukebox, which inevitably means that you will be subjected to death metal and Indigo Girls, usually within a half hour of each other. This place is STINKY, so don't wear anything that you'll want to wear the next day... read more

If you ever have trouble getting in, bring confections or berries. We were just waved past by offering a boon of strawberries from a picnic earlier. However, I was wearing checkerboard slip-ons... not flip-flops and a Hawaiian shirt. Why we thought to give the bouncer berries... hmm. We may have already been drunk. Sue me. WAAAA smoky. Don't dig it? Go back west to your bike paths stupid-high taxes and robotic governor, hippie! $4 pitchers of High-life. Beer snobs need not apply. Tired, Hungry, and Poor welcome. I am so surprised that there is, GASP! table service. Granted, it was the wobbliest table I've probably ever sat at, but I really couldn't tell after pitcher #1. Bathtub urinals just like at Joe Louis. Strange... and stinky. Ah well. Do I really need to go on? It's the place to go when you have to pay in quarters... and I love that. read more

This bar is a total dive bar, so of course I love it! My friend and I have never been to Ann Arbor before, and we decided to get a room in town and live it up college-style. We tried a few bars and (quite literally) stumbled into this joint towards the end of the evening. This is a basement bar accessed from the alley. It's dank, dark and dreary and totally awesome because of it. The crowd is pretty young but they didn't seem to even bat an eye at us even though we were about 15 years older than the average age here. Full bar with stiff drinks. The burly bartender special made a delicious bloody Mary for my friend and I drank the delicious Lagunitas IPA that they have on tap here. Game 7 of the San Jose Sharks/Detroit Redwings was on the crappy TVs. I was, of course, the only one in the entire bar excited to see the Sharks win -- and it's worth mentioning that nobody punched me or even scolded my drunk ass for cheering for the wrong team. Kudos, Eightball patrons, for putting up with my stupid drunk ass cheering for the Sharks. God how embarrassing. They don't take credit cards here but they do have an ATM that dispenses only $5 bills. I took out $100 and got the entire withdrawal in 5's. Hilarious! read more

FINALLY a bar that doesn't put up with bullshit from uppity students and bros! There's nothing like sipping a beer in good company while watching rich kids get told no for the first time in their life. No means no, leave means leave, the adults are busy commiserating our employment serving you rich brats. The staff has always been top notch and on top of it. Thanks for all the years of fun eightball! read more

I rolled up to 8-ball because everything on main street seemed really gucci. This place was not. I can't believe there are still some places in America that allow you to smoke indoors. That seems so 2005. This place was still pretty fun even with the cloud of cancer. The beer was dirt cheap (1.75), the tunes were mostly metal but pretty good, they had darts and pool, and the chicks were tatted up and pretty hot overall. If I were in ann arbor again this would be a pretty good spot to chill at. read more

I don't even know how to rate the Eightball. It's a shithole, but that's its thing. It does its thing REALLY well. Cheap pitchers of beer, pool tables, and darts go in the plus column. However, I do like a bathroom where I'm not running an appreciable risk of contracting a disease. Which is magnified by the fact that the Eightball bathrooms are also used for the Blind Pig upstairs. During a concert, it might actually be more sanitary and pleasant if people just went outside and did their business in the alleyway. Someone with a sense of humor decided this should be a stop during my bachelorette party pub crawl. It was hilarious. The Eightball clientele was highly amused by our pink-clad glittery selves and free drinks abounded. I remember the Eightball fondly at least for that. read more

If you like dive bars, cheap beer and loud music - this place is for you. Quite honestly this is my kind of scene: a BROAD mix of clientele with an even broader range of hairstyles and... levels of cleanliness. A good jukebox, darts, pool, photo hunt, infinitely less pretentious than many of the surrounding dance-scene bars/clubs. I really like that the clientele here seem approachable and open - like you could strike up a conversation with anyone there. I like that there are tables, booths, different bar seating and standing areas - plenty of places to hang out no matter your mood or the size of your group. Cheap drinks with specials on different nights, though be warned they do run out of some of the beers occasionally. Also be warned it is cash only. ...btw, the door is kind of hard to find. It's more of a sketchy side-street, back-alley entrance. There's a sign above it that says '8Ball Saloon Entrance.' You might not believe it is telling the truth, but it is. Really. read more

Only reviewing because of how horrible the experience was. The place itself isn't bad, and had a very dive bar atmosphere, but the bar staff was horrible. They charged different prices for the same drink. When my friend, a white local male, went and ordered four well tequilas, they charged him $18. A bit overpriced for the place, but that's okay. When I, an Asian male, went to get the next round twenty minutes later and ordered the same thing, voila, it became $26.25. How is that even possible? $26.25 isn't even divisible by 4 down to the cents. However not wanting to cause a scene, I payed up and we left after our shots. I'm not claiming that they're racist, but they're clearly discriminating somehow. A shameful hack of a bar. read more

This is first bad Yelp review I've ever left, but I've never felt more compelled. Eightball Saloon was the most unpleasant bar experience I've had in Ann Arbor. The woman with dreadlocks checking IDs was insufferable. She denied the polite man infront of us, who was clearly of age. Even after the manager confirmed that his ID was real, she insisted that it was her call and she didn't want him in her bar. He could not have been more of a calm man and was utterly confused why she was doing this. When he asked if he could have his ID back she chucked it down the alley. My friend and I were right behind him and made a comment about how the situation was a little ridiculous and she threw us out too. As we were leaving, others were outside and claimed they were kicked out for racist reasons. This bar is not worth your time. Didn't think anyone below the age of 25 would even come to this bar let alone use a fake. There's plenty of other bars in Ann Arbor, and I highly recommend avoiding this establishment. read more

I'm so bummed to hear that the jukebox is gone and replaced by Gasp!! an internet juke!! I used to play "Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago," by soul coughing followed up by a John Lee Hooker joint and head into some pixies. I suppose I can most likely still do this, but it would feel a bit fake. 5 stars remain though!!! read more

I love hanging out in basements with my friends drinking whiskey. The setup in the basement reminds me of my days in art school in San Francisco, hanging out in old beat dives in North Beach. I wish they had more booths and less games. I am not allowed to play games at bars anymore because I get very competitive when drinking whiskey, but that is just me. If you're into it, they have a few video games, several pool tables and some darts to pass the time. The juke is rad too. I would like to mess with it more, maybe if I come in on a night where it's not packed with patrons so I can play the jams I like without feeling embarrassed [yup, I might really enjoy drinking to Simon and Garfunkel, what of it?] read more

If you are looking for a trashy bar with cheap beer and golden tee, this is it. I used to go here in college with other restaurant staff after closing down the Gandy Dancer. You could by a lot of beers for under $10. The atmosphere is very seedy. It doesn't get any better than this. read more

The Eightball is how all other dive bars were coined such. It reaks of piss, beer, bleach, and some unrecognizable odor; but goshdarnit they have $2 PBR's! Frequented (notoriously) by ann arbor's waitstaff after their shifts, the crowd ranges from hipster to punk to prepsters. Not a lot of old folks in this joint. I once saw Drew Barrymore speak after a screening of "Whippit", in which she admitted to spending copious amounts of time at this bar while in and around Ann Arbor. If it's good enough for Drew Barrymore to get tanked here, it's good enough for you, huh? The ATM in this place spits out $5 bills, weird, huh? Also you can buy tickets here for Blind Pig shows (it is directly upstairs). Also I think if you sneak down here to buy drinks during shows they are a little bit cheaper than the bar upstairs. read more

This place is okay, but not A-OK, if that makes any sense. I just don't like it. The cash only thing is annoying, but it's not a problem if you know ahead of time. I was disappointed that the entire 3 hours I was there, no one made popcorn. :( Oh, and this might not be the bar's fault, but the last time I was here, the change machine dispensed a dime instead of a quarter, which was lame. read more

How do you even write a review for a place like this? It's so hard to place stars of any kind on Eightball... but as far as dive bars go, I'll have to give this place at least 3 starts. PBR on special, a working jukebox, 3 pool tables, 3 dart boards, and you're basically in a basement. What more needs to be said? Don't expect fast or friendly service, but that's pretty much ok. It's pretty standard issue with beer this cheap. I could see this as a good place to hang out - especially if you're in the mood to go to the bar in your pajamas (we all have those days, don't we?). read more

I just had a very unfortunate experience at this location. After I and my four friends spent two enjoyable hours playing pool and indulging in two delicious pitchers of bud light, my two friends and I were rudely "kicked out" of the bar! We were directed to some exogenous bud lights, and "Adam" and "Lowe" bullied us out of the establishment. Keep in mind we were in the middle of a pool game and had a pitcher of beer pending ... there was no explanation of the rude behavior, and "Lowe" pushed me in the back as I was walking out. Keep in mind I was not intoxicated, I had been playing pool for over an hour, and I had two beers while I was there. I don't know what their agenda might have been, but the five people in my cohort will definitely never return, and I suggest that all avoid this establishment. This sort in of behavior should be unacceptable. read more

It smells worse ever since smoking has been banned in Michigan bars and restaurants...didn't think that was possible, but it's true! That being said, you can't spend time in Ann Arbor without visiting this place. It's got character and the staff ARE characters. Funny thing is, no matter how much time you spend away from this place, you will return to find the same people sitting at the bar with scowls on their faces...or different people who look the same. The Blind Pig upstairs has some of the best live music in southeast Michigan. read more

Here's the thing about the Eight Ball. Weekday nights, it's usually not crowded, you can put some money in the jukebox, get a couple pitchers of Old Style, grab some popcorn, sit in a booth with your friends for a couple of hours, and not have to deal with douchebag students. You'll go home reeking of smoke. On weekend nights, it's crowded. You'll buy your pitchers of Old Style, but you won't have anywhere to put them down. Your songs will never come up on the jukebox. There will be a bunch of jerks acting foolish. You'll go home, and you'll be coughing up cigarette ash for three days. Best dive bar in Ann Arbor. read more