Seeing the ramshackle exterior and topsy-turvy floors, you’d think there’s no way Tom’s Tavern has been in business since 1928. The bar was funded by Stroh’s to sell their beer exclusively over 100 years ago. What to order: Stroh’s, new or old-style. What to check out: Other than Shadow? If the bartender has a moment, ask to see the Kil-a-Kol crate and old bottles, and the barbershop-turned-cigar lounge off to the side. The bar likely saw some significant boozing, though: Recent renovations have unearthed some Prohibition-era bottles and two giant whiskey barrels (one still partly full) in the basement that predate 1920. (He’s more likely to be afraid of you than you are of him, so don’t worry.) Asked about its speakeasy history, Abick’s former owner Manya generally gave a wry smile and said, 'The boys took care of us,' and nothing else. Odds are Shadow, the resident English mastiff, will startle you with a massive guttural bark when you ring the buzzer.
Not much has changed: The gorgeous tin ceilings and mahogany bar welcome guests into the mellow, relaxed atmosphere. Abick’s is the longest family-operated bar in Detroit, now on its sixth generation of the same Polish-American family that founded it in 1907.
