Great friendly service with involved staff who help you through their menu. Although small the "in the round" bar is very social and fun!

This is not at all what I expected from a distillery. It is a super cool scene. The bar makes cocktails from drinks they have distilled in an industrial-type space. I am more of a beer drinker, but I thoroughly enjoyed everything that I drank. On the weekends, you are lucky if you can snag a place at the bar. I like that the place is trendy, but not pretentious. I would not hesitate to come back. read more

This is a great place to go for a cocktail either before or after your evening out but I don't necessarily think it's the type of place that you hang out all night long. It's pretty much just one big room with a bar in the middle and I'm pretty sure that was all the seating that was available. I had a whiskey and rock and rye and it was very tasty I also sampled my friends cocktails and they were all yummy as well so I would definitely pop back in here. read more

Top notch. A great place to bring a date for a drink before or after dinner. Well done cocktails, taste like a spa in a glass. Like, not cheap, fakey tasting stuff. Smooth as a baby's bottom. Great vibe, we went at 4ish on a Saturday. Weather was great, the garage doors were open. I will be back for sure. They do distillery tours $15. Their gin is something to try. read more

This place sucks waitress ignored us half the table got a drink and half the table didn't get anything. Then to get food you have to go outside and order it off of a truck. I'm not happy. read more

I was here on a recent night of bar hopping and I'm hoping the crowd was "off" from the normal crowd - just some sloppy behavior and it felt oddly 'suburban." I didn't really love the circular bar - sitting at it is a bit more conspicuous than I care to feel when I'm at a bar. The drink I had was ok and my friends had a great time and definitely want to go back. I'll give it another try. read more

What's not to like? Delicious booze used to make delicious cocktails in a super-cool tasting room that opens up onto Michigan Avenue. It gets slightly over-run with hipsters and douche-bags on weekend nights, but that's par for the course just about anywhere. I suggest a mid-afternoon Manhattan. Call in sick and take off the rest of the afternoon. read more

We seated ourselves here at about 10 pm on a Friday night. It was busy, but after waiting for 15-20 minutes and not having a single waiter notice us, we got up and left. Mercury Bar was like a block away, and we were served there immediately. read more

Absolutely best whiskey on the planet. And I actually like their gin and I'm not a gin person. I can't even rave enough about Two James. The bar staff is experienced and can whip up something amazing based on what you say your flavor preferences are. It's hard to get in on a weekend so I go during the week when it's less crowded. Absolutely love this place and recommend to anyone heading down to Detroit for a night or local to the area and looking for a good place for happy hour. read more

The ambiance is great, love the actual place and the staff was excellent. Drinks were not amazing. I am not picky, and I actually returned 2 separate cocktails because they were super gross. Do not order the Corktown Mule. read more

Cool spot, especially in the warm seasons when the side is opened up to the street. Good drinks even if you're not a whiskey person, there are other options. They do need to put in hooks under the bar for jackets and purses otherwise you'll spend the evening with your belongings piled up in your lap. The lock on the stall door in the woman's bathroom is broken as well. read more

Very cool place for a drink. Great tasting spirits and distilled right here! Good selection of classic cocktails mixed with some originals.

My Mom and I decided to come to Two James after hearing so many wonderful things from the media and from friends who have been there. We stopped in about 7pm on a Saturday. The doorman was very friendly and started the experience off right. There wasn't a place at the bar and we didn't want to take up an entire table for the two of us so we decided just to order drinks and hang out until a spot opened up since the large warehouse -like space that Two James occupies makes this possible. The menu was full of crazy and fun sounding cocktails. I'm not one for cocktails, especially mixology likes ones (my signature line in college when at a bar was, "What's your cheapest beer?") so I was really stoked at the opportunity to try something new. After deciding on the Almond Joy for my mom and the Mountain Man (? I may have butchered that name) for myself I hovered around the bar with the typical "I want to order" look and stance (combo of trying to make eye contact and leaning forward slightly). The man next to me informed me that it takes awhile to get their attention but once you do "they won't stop giving you drinks!" This was his interpretation of his experience as his sipped on his third absinthe filled cocktail. But when it rains it pours, right? Right. Anyways, I finally got the attention of a bartender and ordered our drinks. He didn't make them with a huge sense of haste and even stopped to take a shot while in the process of concocting. Totally not a problem for us because it was awesome to see them make the drinks while taking in the great environment. However, I did feel bad for the customers who started flooding in after because their wait time for drinks was probably a whole lot longer and not as pleasant. My Mom's drink, the Almond Joy, came out first and was tasty! Mine came next and had an added surprise, you could say. After the first sip I noticed a spice taste that didn't seem like it would come from any of the listed ingredients. I asked the bartender was it was and he said it was from some sort of habanero add-in. We read the menu again and didn't see anything to do with habanero. I'm still pretty sure he made the drink wrong (I could be the one who is wrong though) but it forced me to try something I probably wouldn't have otherwise tried, I'm a self-proclaimed "spice sissy". Overall, the drinks were great (even if not correctly made)! The service was a bit slow but I think it was more under-staffing and the extensive preparation than poor service. I even bought a bottle of the 28 Island Vodka to take back to NYC with me. I couldn't resist since the bottle had an amazing design and what a better souvenir than an awesomely decked out bottle of booze!? I will definitely be back to Two James next time I'm in town and will recommend to friends to check out. Cheers Two James Spirits! read more

Expensive, but worth it. Memorable spirits and cocktails.

If I lived in Michigan, I'd definitely come back for more. Good spirits but one of the three that I ordered for my flight was incorrect; I was given vodka in place of the rye dog. I didn't feel like making a fuss though, so I still drank the vodka and it was indeed really good. So I guess I'm glad I ended up sampling something unintended. I also tried a couple things my friends ordered: the absinthe and the "sneaky Pete" (White Russian with bourbon) were delicious. Great atmosphere and decor, especially the dried flower art on the walls, the barrels, and pretty light fixtures!! read more

After reading an article in the Metro Times about Detroit's new distillery, I had to stop in. I ordered one of the "limited-time" cocktails, the Corktown Flip, that featured Double Cream Stout and a whole egg, and it was delicious. Micro-brewed beer has historically been my beverage of choice, but with the current rise in popularity of craft cocktails, I have branched out. If you are a stout fan, especially bourbon barrel aged stout, you may also like this cocktail. My husband ordered a Moscow Mule with gin and ginger beer. It was tart and not too sweet. He also had a gin and tonic which highlighted the iridescent, bluish quality of the gin. Both drinks were very smooth and utilized high-quality ingredients. My second drink was a Sazerac, which was also quite good. The Corktown Flip, however, was my favorite out of everything I tasted. The bartenders were both very friendly, and we will definitely return. read more

Their grass widow bourbon is amazing their drinks are stronger. I have a pretty solid tolerance and 2 drinks leave me unable to drive. In the summer it has an open feel with the garage. Get to just grab a cocktail before or after something. read more

I liked it a lot . Friendly staff , great drinks made for sipping.. Atmosphere is really cool . It's worth popping into .

The bourbon, vodka, and gin are excellent. The bartenders are very hit and miss, we've had some be very nice and helpful, and others pretentious jerks. Luck of the draw I guess. read more

Such a cool spot in Detroit. Great spirits and staff. We did a tour with tastings, super educational, fun, and delicious.

Really enjoyed the atmosphere. Fun place to hang out with friends before going to dinner or out. Their gin and bourbon were great.

The tasting room was built around a circular bar with a view of the distillery. On a Saturday night it was crowded, but the noise level want too bad. They had a whisky, bourbon, two gins, a vodka, absinthe, mezcal, and more. We tried a couple of their spirits. You can get a sampler or mixed drinks. Everything we tried was good. The bourbon in particular had a nice flavor, but it burned going down more than most. The whiskey was a little smokey, but seemed a little thin on the texture. The vodka was fairly smooth, with a pleasant taste. They serve the absinthe the traditional way by dripping water onto a sugar cube over the glass. They sell bottles of everything, although it is a little pricy. Definitely worth a visit. Well go back for sure. read more

Pretty cool spot. Not my fave, buts its okay. Very nice waiting/ bar staff.

Solid distillery. 5 stars for their wrap-around bar and open air atmosphere. 5 stars for the quality spirits. My favorite is the Johnny Smoking Gun whisky-- nice smokey notes adding complexity to a smooth finish. Will definitely be back. read more

Service staff is unfriendly at bar and all three bartenders this past Sunday seemed to wish they weren't there. They make you feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed read more

We spent a Sunday afternoon at Two James while my sister was visiting from Fla. It was truly Sunday Funday!! We sampled many different drinks between us and all agreed we loved the jean greenie!! We had a fantastic time with great drinks and great bar staff. It was a bit pricey (my only reason for the four stars) but we will absolutely be spending another day/evening/night sipping some wonderful cocktails there again in the future. read more

Preface it to say I am not a huge liquor drinker. But I thought going would be fun. I counted 22 folks at the bar and 4 bar tenders but none would wait on us. Seriously. I had ask a gal bartender if our seats were the 'do not wait on' seats. After the bar tender extracted himself from drooling over a hot french gal, he did wait on us - -as little as possible. The liquor was good, but when others ordered a flight they got soda with it and I did not. My review is based on the tasting room experience and not the quality of the spirits. read more

A very "New Detroit" spot with a lot of craft cocktails. I love that they have absinthe however the Johnny Sour should be removed from the menu. read more

Very laid back atmosphere without being too hipster. It's not the type of bar where drunk idiots will be trying to hit on you, instead everyone is casually drinking, enjoying each other's company. The decor is modern, the waitresses were polite and friendly and they didn't overwhelm us by checking up too often. Some food is available such as hummus and pita, it was relatively cheap and yummy - a light snack that went great with a drink or two. I will definitely back here, this type of place is the kind that Detroit needs to get back on its feet. read more

The drinks are expensive but very well made, good atmosphere, overall a pretty decent place to get drinks. However, due to the lack of secured parking our passenger window got busted out and car ransacked and we were parked just yards from the building. They need to pony up for some security. read more

The atmosphere here was outstanding. We sat at the bar and both bartenders were very friendly and knowledgeable. We ordered a flight and then cocktails. This place did not disappoint. Definitely going back! read more

I've been wanting to come here for a few months now. Finally stopped in on Thursday night. The bar area was not what I expected at all, but not in a bad way. They have a great selection of craft cocktails all made directly in front of you at the circular bar. It wasn't real busy at the time I was there but it's a great low key spot for sure. read more

My wife and I decided to stop in after the final Tiger game of the year to commiserate. Walked in at 8:01, were greeted and quickly told that they close at 8. The place was full of people. I mentioned that they didn't have their closing time posted on the door, only the time that they open. No response. All I can say is that business must be good to turn away customers. I turned to my wife and said Valentine's in Ferndale is now the distillery of choice for us. read more

Who would know that this gem is hidden in this old beat up brick building. The cocktails they make are seasonal and all unique. With fun names like Drunken Granny and Rosemary's Baby. All cocktails are between $7 and $14. The cucumber cooler was awesome. Excellent stuff!! read more

Awesome chilling bar! Great Atmosphere with none of the pressure to fit in - just go in as is and enjoy the drinks selection

Owner sucks ass when it comes to making drinks, but the other bartenders make up for how crappy he is, hence the 2 stars. The owner makes REALLY strong drinks fml read more

I really love this place! I like watching the bartenders craft my cocktails..it's so intense! The drinks are also fantastic! I have sampled quite a few and of course, the names of them have somehow escaped me. Except for the Moscow Mule, it's one of my top faves for sure! Everyone is friendly and I never had to wait long for a drink. A MUST stop if you're in the area :) read more

All I can say is good liquor but poor service. Second time here but won't be back. Such a cool environment, but the staff doesn't care about serving the customers. read more

I am a gin guy. And two james gin is my go-to tipple. I mean in the whole world of gin....In fact I mostly drink it neat, on ice, only with a twist of lime. So you can imagine I get excited when I can sit in the two james "tasting room" (as far as I can see that means "bar" but only legally allowed to serve the half dozen spirits that two james actually makes) and enjoying the fruits of a very well conceived drink menu, made by serious and frenetic bartenders. I had the first 3 items on the gin drink menu (natch) and all were terrific. The Last Word (top of current gin section) was conceived in Detroit 100 years ago and is a cultural and gustatory must. The third gin drink's name escapes me but it has "fizz" in it, and is just like a key lime milkshake no matter what the description claims: delicious (but you'd want to KNOW you were ordering a milky shakey thing in case u were expecting a more typical clear and citrusy item). The place makes its own grenadine from fresh pomegranate, people! Get here. Life hack: put your name in at Katoi across the street for dinner but spend the hour you have to wait at Two James, across the street. You're welcome..... read more

All I can say is "fabulous " I stopped there on a weird chance and Ben (the manager?) was the best connection as a person to represent the product! Thank you! I hope to come back with a group from the industry for a tour. read more