Holiday pop-ups return to metro Detroit bars: 12 must-visit spots
Grinch Punch. Spiked eggnog in a Wally World moose mug. Giant shakes topped with Christmas-themed cookies and sweets. If h you’re looking for a cup of Christmas cheer, head for one of the many holiday-themed pop-ups around metro Detroit. They’re open now through the end of the year, and a few will keep the fun going into 2024. Some, such as like Griswold’s Hideaway h below the recently opened Bandit Tavern in Royal Oak, have specific holiday themes. There, you’ll finds drinks inspired by the 1989 movie hit “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” Other metro Detroit bars are again launching Miracle and Sippin’ Santa h pop-ups. Miracle, a nationwide and global holiday effort, started nearly a decade ago at a New York bar. Sippin’ Santa, its tropical companion with surfing Santas and a tiki bar vibe, followed a year later. More than 200 bars participate in the annual Miracle and Sippin’
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Santa pop-ups, including three in metro Detroit. The pop-ups have a set menu of drinks, many in mugs and glassware available for purchase. At the end of the season, 10% of all proceeds from holiday mugs will be donated to the Seva Foundation, this year’s charity partner. As in years past, Miracle and Sippin’ Santa will feature some new holiday cocktails. In 2023, Rudolph’s Replacement, the
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Krampus and Marshmallows and Unicorns join regulars like Christmapolitan and Christmas Cricket. Though not comprehensive, here’s
h a sampling of metro Detroit holiday pop-ups.
Blitzen’s on Bagley
This southwest Detroit pop-up is back for the second year with double the space and more seating. Located at 2545 Bagley St. and billed as “Detroit’s holiday tavern,” Blitzen’s will feature drinks that include red and green Jell-O shots, Grinch Punch, a Very Merry Marg (margarita), spiked eggnog and hot cocoa served several ways, including with Rumchata, Bailey’s or Fireball.
Blitzen’s on Bagley is from InLaws Hospitality, the group behind Green Dot Stables, Johnny Noodle King and Yellow Light Coffee and Donuts. Hours are 5 p.m.-midnight Wednesday-Sunday. For more information, visit onbagley.com.
Cocktails & Cable Knits
This pop-up, featured at multiple Union Joints restaurants in metro Detroit, has retro cocktails and appetizers that recall the 1950s and ’60s. Spaces at the restaurants have been transformed with a holiday theme. At Fenton Fire Hall, the pop-up is in the bottom bar. It’s on the second floors of Union Assembly in downtown Detroit and Union Woodshop in Clarkston. The pop-ups run through New Year’s Eve and groups can rent spaces.
Griswold’s Hideaway
The Hideaway Bar at the recently opened Bandit Tavern in Royal Oak has a pop-up called Griswold’s Hideaway that’s inspired by longtime favorite Christmas movie “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”
Griswold’s Hideaway features lots of holiday lights and “gaudy décor” along with music inspired by the classic movie starring Chevy Chase as hapless dad Clark Griswold. It promises to deliver lots of moments worthy of Instagram, Jelly of the Month Club giveaways each week and more.
Seasonal cocktails include Cousin Eddie’s Eggnog with an optional Wally World moose mug, Ellen’s Mistletoe, Hallelujah! Where’s The Tylenol?, Exterior Illumination and Uncle Lewis’ Old Fashioned. Food will be available from Bandit Tavern.
Hours are 5-10 p.m. and 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday through Jan. 6. The bar is on the lower level of
Bandit Tavern, 419 S. Main St. in Royal Oak. For info: 248-544-6250 or hideawayro.com.
Iron Gate
Decorated and outfitted for the holidays, Iron Gate in downtown Wyandotte offers more than a dozen crafted holiday cocktails. They range from the Polar Vortex featuring Patron, mezcal, hibiscus and pomegranate to the Red Ryder BB Gun with Haku vodka, fig, elderflower, cranberry, and lime. Food
items include Jack Frost Nippin’ Agnolotti, cheese pizza and spicy noodles.
Hours are 4 p.m.-midnight Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday and noonmidnight Sunday. 3019 Biddle Ave., Wyandotte; irongatebarwyandotte.com.
Jingle at Ale Mary’s
Ale Mary’s Beer Hall in downtown Royal Oak is back with Jingle, its holiday-themed pop-up. The place is loaded with lights and decorations and offers a menu of holidaythemed crafted cocktails that includes the Mele Kaliki Maki, Mistletoe Muleand and Love Actually.
316 S. Main, Royal Oak; alemarysbeer.com.
JoJo’s Shakebar Winter Wonderland
Known for its over-the-top shakes, JoJo’s Shakebar in District Detroit has rolled out its Winter Wonderland pop-up. Expect an 8-foottall nutcracker, giant ornaments, and thousands of string lights. Drinks include mega margaritas and the Winter Wonderland Biggie Shake, a peppermint shake topped with Christmas sweets. (You can opt to make it boozy.) You can also try JoJo’s giant Polar Espresso Martinis garnished with a peppermint rim.
JoJo’s is also offering mixology classes, ornament-painting workshops, wreath-making workshops and gingerbread house workshops. Dates, times and prices vary.
The pop-up runs through Jan. 14. 88 W Columbia St., Detroit; jojosshakebar.com.
Legendary Lodge
Legendary Lodge in Westland is a ski lodgethemed bar featuring holiday food and drinks, artificial snowstorms and ax throwing. It’s from the folks behind Hush Haunted Attraction.
A dozen festive cocktails are offered, and non-alcoholic versions are available. You’ll also find small bites and shareables. Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater on Thursdays and get 15% off on food and drinks. Food options include
a loaded pretzel and smoked salmon latkes.
Hours are 5-10 p.m. Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight Friday, 4 p.m.-midnight Saturday and 410 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 30. 37550 Cherry Hill Road in Westland; legendarypopup.com.
Miracle at the Oakland and Dragonfly
Miracle is back at the Oakland in Ferndale for a fourth year, and it’s being held for the first year at Dragonfly in Detroit. Popular drinks on the menu at both places are the Snowball Old Fashioned, Christmapolitan, Jingle Balls Nog and the Naughty and Nice shots. The pop-up runs through Dec. 30 at both places. It’s best to make reservations on high-demand weekend evenings; weeknights are a little less hectic.
Dragonfly hours are 5-11 p.m. TuesdayThursday and Sunday, and 5 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. 2929 E. Grand Blvd.; dragonflydetroit.com.
The Oakland hours are 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Tuesday-Sunday. 201 W. Nine Mile, Ferndale; theoaklandferndale.
Royal Park Hotel
The Rochester hotel’s holiday pop-up bar is open Thursday-Saturday evenings through New Year’s Eve. It’s decked out with upsidedown Christmas tree and thousands of lights. The cocktail menu features Santa’s Sipper, the Jack Frost and Jingle Juice. You can pair drinks with menu items that include hot smoked Gouda dip, hot honey garlic chicken wings and sweet-and-spicy nut mix.
Hours are 5-11 p.m. Thursday, 5 p.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday. 600 E. University Drive, Rochester; royalparkhotelmi.com.
Sippin’ Santa at the Skip
The Skip, in the Belt Alley in downtown Detroit, is known as an open-air bar with an island vibe. But it’s in a wintertime frame of mind for its Sippin’ Santa pop-up featuring holiday-themed cocktails. You can book a party table or reserve a private space for 20-30 people.
Hours are 4 p.m.-midnight, Sunday, Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, and 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday-Saturday. theskipdetroit.com.
Sylvan Table
This Sylvan Lake farm-to-table restaurant has transformed its heated and enclosed patio with lights, ornaments, music and holiday cheer. It features food and drinks, tables games and favorite Christmas movies. Pop-up dates are Dec. 8-10, Dec. 14-23, and Dec. 26-28 the restaurant’s regular dining hours.
1819 Inverness, Sylvan Lake; sylvantable.com.
Contact Detroit Free Press food and restaurant writer Susan Selasky and send food and restaurant news and tips to: sselasky@freepress.com. Follow @SusanMariecooks on Twitter. Subscribe to the Free Press.