Cocktail Bar
Unclaimed profileLowertown Bar & Cafe
Ann Arbor, MI · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Lowertown Bar & Cafe operates as a coffee shop by day before the bar takes over in the evening, with cocktails and an espresso martini that customers cite as the bestseller. The featured cocktail list runs from a Lowertown Old Fashioned and Manhattan to a Crimson Paloma and Brown Derby, backed by rotating Margarita, Mule, and build-your-own Tonic menus. A substantial zero-proof section, a ten-option beer list with strong Michigan representation, and named wine and spirits selections round out a beverage program with unusual range for a dual-identity space.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Lowertown Old Fashioned, built on rye, brandy, amaro, rhubarb, and bitters with citrus oil, or the Close Call with habanero-infused tequila, yuzu curacao, yuzu sake, cardamom, mango, orange, lime, and Thai Basil. The espresso martini is the established bestseller. For a lower-ABV route, the build-your-own Tonic Menu pairs a chosen base spirit with homemade lime cordial and Tea Haus Tonic.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Guests who want a full beverage spread in one room will find it here: a serious cocktail list, a deep zero-proof section, ten beers with Michigan names, and named wine and spirits pours. The dual coffee-shop-by-day, cocktail-bar-by-evening format suits people whose plans shift from afternoon coffee to evening drinks without changing venues.
- When should I go?
- The room functions as a coffee shop during the day and shifts to a cocktail bar around dinnertime in the same space. The beer and non-alcoholic sections are available all day, so an afternoon visit still offers substantial drinking options beyond coffee. An evening visit aligns with the bar program and the espresso martini that customers cite as the bestseller.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Featured cocktails are $11–$15, the Mule Menu is $10, the Tonic Menu is $7, and the Margarita Menu is $12. NA cocktails run $8–$11, with other non-alcoholic items $4.5–$9. Beer is $7–$9. Wine is $10–$12, and spirits pours are $9–$25, with Blanton's at $22 and Whistle Pig 10 Year Rye at $25.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- The same room works as a coffee shop by day and a cocktail bar around dinnertime, and the drink list reflects both identities. A nine-item non-alcoholic section with NA spirits and NA cocktails sits alongside a broad signature cocktail list, rotating Margarita and Mule menus, a build-your-own Tonic Menu, ten beers with strong Michigan representation, and named wine and spirits selections.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A broad signature list with ingredient-detailed drinks like the Broadway Buck, Close Call, Lowertown Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni Alameda, Northside Punch, Crimson Paloma, and Brown Derby. Rotating Margarita and Mule menus and a build-your-own Tonic Menu add range, and the espresso martini is the established bestseller.
Menu strengths
- — Eight named signature cocktails with full ingredient detail, plus classic cocktails and straight pours available.
- — Rotating Margarita and Mule menus, with the Mule using a house lime/ginger cordial and ginger beer.
- — Build-your-own Tonic Menu pairs a chosen base spirit with homemade lime cordial and Tea Haus Tonic.
Standout selections
- — Lowertown Old Fashioned — rye, brandy, amaro, rhubarb, bitters, citrus oil; $13.
- — Close Call — habanero-infused tequila, yuzu curacao, yuzu sake, cardamom, mango, orange, lime, Thai Basil; $14.
- — Negroni Alameda — gin, Italian and California bitters, vermouth blend, orange; $14.
Pricing: Featured cocktails $11–$15; Mule Menu $10; Tonic Menu $7; Margarita Menu $12
Wine
A compact wine section with rotating red, white, and rose plus a Cava sparkling option. The rotating red is Domaine de la Berthete Les Pierrugues from the Rhone Valley, and the white is Domaine Saint-Lannes from Northern Gascony. Natural wine is offered, and the Cava is Poema from Penedes.
Menu strengths
- — Named rotating wines with producer, region, and vintage detail rather than generic listings.
- — Sparkling wine option available via Poema Cava, Metodo Tradicional, from Penedes, Spain.
- — Natural wine offered alongside the rotating red, white, and rose.
Standout selections
- — Rotating Red Wine — Domaine de la Berthete Les Pierrugues, Rhone Valley, France 2022; $12.
- — Rotating White Wine — Domaine Saint-Lannes, Northern Gascony; 80% Colombard/20% Gros Manseng; $12.
- — Cava (Sparkling Wine) — Poema, Penedes, Spain; Metodo Tradicional; $12.
Pricing: Rotating red and white $12; rose $10; Cava $12
Beer
A ten-option beer and cider list available all day, spanning pilsner, wheat ale, blonde ale, amber ale, brown ale, porter, sour, cider, and IPA.
Menu strengths
- — Ten beers and ciders across nine distinct styles, from pilsner to porter to sour.
- — Strong Michigan brewery representation, with seven in-state breweries on the list.
- — Available all day, so the beer list is not limited to evening service.
Standout selections
- — Professional Pils — Drafting Table, Wixom, MI; German-style pilsner brewed with noble hops; 5.2% ABV; $7.
- — Woods Walk Porter — Four Keys Brewing, Blissfield, MI; 6.2% ABV; 12oz pour; $7.
- — Blueberry Boyfriend Sour — Prairie Artisan Ales, McAlester, OK; sour ale brewed with blueberries and lemon zest; 5.4% ABV; 8oz pour; $7.
Pricing: $7–$9
Nonalcoholic
A nine-item non-alcoholic section available all day, with NA cocktails like Anti-Hero, High and Dry, Rom Com, and Unrequited built on NA gin, NA aperitivo, NA spirit, NA mezcal, and NA amaro. Hot drinks, kombucha, NA beer, and hop water round out a zero-proof list the venue emphasizes and calls itself a mocktail bar.
Menu strengths
- — Nine non-alcoholic items spanning NA cocktails, hot drinks, kombucha, NA beer, and hop water.
- — NA cocktails use NA gin, NA aperitivo, NA spirit, NA mezcal, and NA amaro rather than relying on juice alone.
Standout selections
- — Anti-Hero — N/A gin, N/A aperitivo, early grey rooibos, orange, vanilla, lemon; $11.
- — Rom Com (N/A) — N/A "Mezcal", ginger/lime cordial, cranberry, Mango Dragonfruit sour float; $11.
- — High and Dry — fresh and herbaceous N/A spirit, agave, lemon, orange, sparkling water; $8.
- — Golden Milk (Hot) — coconut milk, oat milk, turmeric, ginger, honey, spice blend, and a dash of cayenne; $6.
Pricing: NA cocktails $8–$11; other NA items $4.5–$9
Spirits
An eight-bottle spirits section available all day, with bourbon, rye, and tequila options. The list includes Blanton's, Colonel Taylor Small Batch, two Penelope bourbons, Whistle Pig 10 Year Rye, and three Libelula tequilas. Classic cocktails and straight pours are both available, with pours priced $9–$25.
Menu strengths
- — Eight named bottles across bourbon, rye, and tequila, with both classic cocktails and straight pours available.
- — Bourbon depth includes Blanton's, Colonel Taylor Small Batch, and two Penelope expressions.
- — Tequila vertical from one producer: Libelula Joven, Reposado, and Anejo.
Standout selections
- — Blanton's — bourbon listed in the Spirits section; $22.
- — Whistle Pig 10 Year Rye — rye whiskey listed in the Spirits section; $25.
- — Colonel Taylor Small Batch — bourbon listed in the Spirits section; $15.
- — Libelula Anejo Tequila — anejo tequila listed in the Spirits section; $15.
Pricing: $9–$25
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