Decor is nice, dark...definitely going for the speakeasy theme. Staff was polite and attentive. The meat and cheese list is nice, and they don't skimp on quantity. The house drink list is, well...not very good. Started with The Boss. Love the fact that it's smoked, but the drink was sweet enough that the mescal was largely hidden. The recipe I recall from the menu is not what is shown on the web site (web recipe sounds preferable)...I believe the menu listed Cherry Heering, which may have somewhat contributed to the excessive sweetness. Moved to the Bourbon Basil Smash. Again, good idea, but the addition of the (fresh squeezed) orange, overpowered what could have been a decent drink with one-note sweetness. This one was a particular disappointment because of the excessive orange and lemon pulp & seeds in the glass. Poor execution...buy a strainer. Side note, this is the only drink on the menu I would consider fiddling with at home, sans the orange. Next up the Rose Branch...bourbon, ginger, and sugar with lemon (and more lemon pulp). Worst drink of the evening, nothing happening here. Wife ordered a Russian Bride which she enjoyed and I thought was acceptable, if not spectacular. She also ordered a sazarac which was quite good. If you're looking for an 'up north' version of The Sugar House, Roast or The Oakland, keep on looking. Sorry guys, you need to up your game behind the bar. read more

Overall, I loved the atmosphere. Staff hostess were not very friendly, but our server was friendly, attentive & knowledgeable. It was a little noisier than I expected, and I think that 20's and 30's jazz would really add to the Speakeasy feeling. Drinks were well made & delicious but a bit pricey. The decor is classy & authentic. I would come back to try the rest of the menu! read more

I tried to attend Low Bar Saturday November 13, 2021. Unfortunately I wasn't able to attend. I read the reviews and fell in love with the ambience when I saw it on google and I knew that it was somewhere I had to experience. I travel With my friends and family to Traverse City for my 30th birthday. We can from all over Michigan, Georgia and Alabama. We did have a party of 10 and I knew upon coming we would have to wait. But once we came into the bar I immediately felt uncomfortable and unwelcomed to the point that I had to leave!!! The hostess was so rude and disrespectful and her energy was horrible! There was another party waiting in front of us and she treated them completely different and they were a large party as well. I've never felt so much discrimination towards my family and friends in my life. She told us that we couldn't wait down there in the waiting area and she made it very clear every time the party ahead of us mentioned to her that we could go ahead of them because we were from out of town celebrating my birthday and their entire party wasn't even there she said no because we can't really accommodate them. Her body language and behavior was all extremely off she showed signs of fidgeting and as if she was on drugs. Definitely not someone that should be hosting if they aren't equipped to deal with all kinds of people. I'm just really disappointed in the experience I encountered because visiting the low bar is somewhere that I really wanted to experience. read more

Perfect for a night out with the girls, or a date night, or even a bigger group. The place has loungey areas at either end and smaller tables in between. It is such a cool, low-key atmosphere. Bonus: this place has the best drinks in TC! Try the Cosmo Kramer--better than any cosmo I've ever had, anywhere. Excellent atmosphere for anyone age 21 on up to 101. A truly chill place in TC. read more

I got there at 6:30, just a few couples at the bar by the time I left the place was starting to fill. Great individually crafted cocktails and I thought reasonably priced. The ladies behind the bar are fun to watch as they put together the drinks especially when they are making several different ones at once. Just a fun place for a couple drinks. read more

Incredible atmosphere and delicious cocktails! Had a girls weekend dressed as 1920s flappers and fit right in! The Ship Show cocktail was WOW!!! We had a group of 6, so we made sure to make a reservation, it is limited seating, which I loved. Highly recommended. read more

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Quiet, dark, and very satisfying. Homemade "concoctions" and a delightful cheese platter made the trip a delightful experience.

Wicked awesome drinks The Boss actual cherry smoke Ina bottle with cognac and tequila Too cool way too good read more

Love this place! The meat and cheese platter and a couple interesting concoctions are a great way to start the night!

Great service, a plethora of cocktail options, and a romantic atmosphere! Great first or last stop for a date night! Nice service, too!

An outstanding place. We had a couple of different drinks and they all were awesome!! A little pricy but worth every penny!!

great place to relax with a cocktail. not a food type establishment but the drinks and atmosphere are fantastic. low light and quiet when we were there at about 530pm they do have some cheese trays. my wife ordered "The Boss"Cocktail and wasn't disappointed very cool smoke filled drink. must stop destination when we go to TC from now on read more

Below ground level, this speakeasy brings you back in time to prohibition days. Lounge areas are available or just belly up to the bar. The bartenders are knowledgeable and busy mixing drinks but sill take time to answer any questions you may have about their drinks. read more

A really great cocktail bar! Great atmosphere, drinks, and staff. Speaking of the staff, they are really knowledgeable and almost too nice! Every city should have a place like this. read more

The drinks that were made by Jessie were awesome! Mojito to die for!!! Sparkle flower delicious! Fabulous bartender! !! Must come here when in town!!! read more

5 stars for 5 simple reasons...drinks, atmosphere, service, food, and decor. I found low bar online while looking for places to check out on a weekend trip to traverse city. First impressions we're undeniably interesting finding that you take an elevator to the basement to get there, however it's completely worth it! I loved loved loved the dark jazzy-speak easy feel the low lighting gave with all the dark rustic decor and candles. I had the "ship show" cream cocktail which was a devine dessert in a cup as well as the "something better" which was crisp and refreshing. While enjoying an intimate area for conversation I seen a cheese and meat board go to a table that made my mouth water (even after being stuffed from dinner). Overall I'm pleased we stumbled across this gem in the basement and recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well concocted craft cocktail. read more

Low Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Traverse City, Michigan

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Dark and stormy is AWESOME! Homemade ginger beer ftw! Eastside tastes like a liquid cucumber. Highly recommended. We will be back many times. read more

Everything here is a 10! Top notch service. Serious cocktails with top shelf liquor. For the mature crowd. Not a dancing/club place where you slam drinks and do shots. read more

Stop in over the weekend with my wife, great cocktail list and a perfect place for an after dinner drink!

The hidden gem of downtown TC, if your wanting an ordinary drink- try one of the 19 watering holes within two blocks of this great place! Every time we stop in here Melissa the bartender asks if we would like our "usual" concoctions, and we agree with a smile! She always recommends other "flavors" in our genres to keep us on our toes- and we try many each time. But this place is always a great time! read more

This is such a cool spot! If you enjoy mezcal, try the boss. The presentation is so classy and different, it's an experience to be had! We went on a Thursday and we were 2 of 5 people in the bar, so service was super fast. We also went on Friday when it was busier, and these drinks definitely take some time when the bar is slammed, but worth it! It's very dark as to add to the atmosphere, but my boyfriend and I found this to be romantic, not a draw back. Definitely a bar to check out! read more

This place is a diamond in the rough! Their unique choice of music makes the place my number one pick for Traverse city. Their drinks and the staff that serve are awesome too. Every time I stop in TC, I always hit this place. read more

This place reminds me of a speak easy, as it is only entered by taking an elevator to the basement and there is a dark atmosphere. All of the drinks are made to perfection, and so intricately. I definitely cannot wait to go back! Probably my favorite during my Traverse City trip. read more

outstanding! professional service, great atmosphere, attention to detail was first rate. very upscale, without any attitude. one patron came in who had already had too much to drink. a staff member handled the situation perfectly. showed respect, caring (helped him with his coat, arranged for a cab) and pulled the situation off so smoothly, I didn't realize what was happening, in spite of being seated 10 feet away. wonderfully creative drinks made with top notch ingredients and flawless execution. read more

One of the best spots in downtown TC. Phenomenal drinks and service. Live band playing jazz and blues contributes to the vibe of the venue.

Had a great time . Fun drinks . Never experienced anything like this. Really cool and fun!

We recently heard about Low Bar, and decided to try it out. We loved everything about it, from the elegant décor to the great cocktails. Nothing like it in Traverse City. The locker concept was new to us, but makes a lot of sense. The cheese and meat boards offered were great. We left knowing we would be back soon. Very comfortable setting, and great cocktails. read more

Very cool. I had a classic cocktail called a Hemingway it was delicious, a new favorite. The atmosphere was 50s lounge meets speakeasy . I loved the fact that you take an elevator down to this moody candle lit basement bar. I expected Jessica Rabbit to start crooning but that didn't happen. The only thing it was missing on a Saturday night was some quiet jazz piano or even freaky Matrix music in the background. The nice thing was lots of group seating and you could hold a conversation. Ultimately the drinks though were expertly mixed and executed. A mixology dream. The list of bourbons and whiskey was enormous! Highly recommend for something out of the ordinary bar scene read more

I've been here plenty of times when it was slow and had ok service. BUT tonight, multiple tables around us sat down and got drinks before we even got menus. We sat at a table for over ten minutes and I had to go to the bar to get service. And even after we got a servers attention it took several minutes to get our drinks. With six workers, you would think we would get a little better service. read more

Been there twice, great service. Great atmosphere. Bourbon basil smash is fantastic.

Had a relaxing evening with friends down at Low Bar in Traverse City, MI. Was greeted by a very friendly (but cold :) ) hostess who walked us to the elevator. Once we arrived downstairs, we were greeted, again, by a very friendly hostess who seated us off to the left side, where there were comfortable larger chairs and a couch. Evan, the Manager, came over with a HUGE smile on his face and took our order. He made some suggestions on cocktails that were the most popular, as well. After taking it all in and just chilling, I realized there were several people bellied up to the bar that I knew. It was fun to get up and walk around to see the place. As for food....other than cheese and meat (crackers and bread) they were somewhat limited just opened! I had a fantastic time and would come back in a heart beat. Stay tuned!! Michelle read more

This was not my first time visiting LowBar, and I was very excited to come back. Their cocktails were perfect the first couple of times, the service was a bit spotty but they were very busy, so it all turned out to be a good experience. However, sitting down on Saturday night to grab a cocktail (usually correctly made) was maybe the worst experience I have ever had in downtown Traverse City. My two guests and I started with waters and were immediately judged to some extent as the waters took at least ten minutes to arrive. Then we ordered our cocktails, I had a simple Ketel One and Soda with a lime, the drink took twenty minutes to arrive (easiest drink to make in a bar) and once it was delivered it was vodka with flat soda water. I let the waitress (Sunny) know that the drink was flat, and not a quality cocktail, she acted as though I was at fault, and took the drink to be remade, not exactly with the best of attitudes. the second drink arrived shortly after, and the soda was still flat. Maybe two minutes later, Sunny dropped the check off at the table, without us even asking for it. I am not sure if the goal of this establishment is to make the customer feel comfortable and taken care of, or if they aim for a more abrasive, intimidating, and uppity feel. Either way, I paid the bill, having taken only two sips of the god awful vodka and WATER. I have worked in the service industry for years, in all positions; but this was by far the worst service I have ever received. I will never be going to this establishment, and I will be passing along this information to anyone thinking about spending their money there. read more