American Fifth Spirits

I sampled several of the spirits made here one evening and found them to be quite pleasant. The absinthe was especially nice with a little cold water. The staff was busy but friendly, and they definitely put a lot of effort into their cocktails. It’s a pretty cool place with a somewhat stylish atmosphere. I could see it being a good spot for drinks during a date.

A gem of a cocktail bar and distillery with a smooth retro jazz vibe. The spirit flights (especially the barrel-aged whiskey and gin) were great, but the cocktail flights really stood out — creative, tasty, and just plain fun. Friendly, knowledgeable staff made it even better. #AmericanFifth #LansingDrinks #CraftCocktails #CocktailFlightFun

How can you not love a cocktail flight? Four beautiful flavors to try. It's a great way to decide on a full sized drink.

Zach and Justin were absolutely phenomenal. We have not been to Lansing since graduation in 2018. We are back for a wedding from SLC, and these two are incredible. It was a breath of fresh air to find amazing staff at one of our favorite long time establishments. The prices are criminally low. So go and order craft cocktails at a ridiculously low price. We tipped nearly 200%. These guys should light some herbs on fire and create more of an experience. But even without that, they are killing it. American fifth has a great, long time name, and we are happy to see Zach and Justin representing one of our favorite Lansing establishments.

Unique and one of a kind cocktails! Absolutely loved stopping by here and trying their drinks

Visited a couple weeks ago on Girls Night. This place is so cool! Love that the spirits are crafted in-house. I got the Spring Flight & my fave was the Lavender Whisper. Your new manager Justin was exceptional (quite a change from a few months ago) and Autumn was attentive & super sweet. It was busy but our service was still ON POINT! Nice crowd, good vibes! Great team! Keep it like this & I will definitely be back!

I was born and raised in Lansing. After moving away for a decade, I had no idea this place existed. To my surprise, I showed up for ladies night, and found my new favorite place. I cannot write enough positives. The entire vibe is excellent. The music, the ambience, and the drinks are impeccable.. Justin, the manager, took the time to update me on all I had been missing. He and the staff really made my first experience unforgettable. Excellent service. Definitely my favorite spot in Lansing.

I've thought about making this review for awhile. I've been going to American Fifth with my partner frequently over the last year. American fifth has one of my favorite gins and the seasonal menus can be interesting and tasty (in theory) That being said getting a cocktail here feels like playing Russian roulette. The bartenders/servers are often quite curt, rude, or dismissive. The biggest issue however is there a massive issue with consistency when ordering drinks. If you get the same drink order, especially off their seasonal menu, no two drink of the same order will taste the same. Often one of the ingredients will be so strong and overpowering that the balance of the whole cocktail is thrown widely off. I've had the experience multiple times of trying something when the menu shifts, loving it, ordering it on 3 or 4 other times and being widely disappointed with the result. It feels like there's no written recipe for their cocktail and all the bartenders know is the ingredients and just wing the ratios from there. Another issue I've noticed is that the bartenders chronically underfill the cocktail glasses. I'm not talking about low balls where the point is for most of the glass to be empty, but they do this with high balls and coups. I've ordered many drinks that are served in martini or coup glass that have like 1/3 of the glass be air. If anyone knows anything about volume, you'll know that like half of a Martini glass's volume is in the first 1/3 of the glass. All that to say, even if the drink itself tastes good, which is not as common of an occurrence as it should be, I feel like I'm being cheated a little by how much of the glass is air. I love cocktails, and I really wanted to love this place. I've been more than a dozen times in the past year alone, but don't feel like I can recommend this place to anyone as there's too many problems going on at the moment. There's real potential here, and I hope it gets better. Lansing should have a nice cocktail bar.

Best cocktail bar in Lansing. Cool chic vibes, fun bartenders, special cocktails. Just an overall top notch spot for a special drink or catching up with friends.

this bar in Lansing that serves great cocktails. great service and atmosphere. would recommmend to anyone visiting

The craft cocktails and service here is always top notch. I go here when I'm in the mood to treat myself to a great cocktail, it's pricey but it's worth it EVERY-TIME. The people who work here really know the craft and are always welcoming!

We made our way back to American Fifth for date night a few weeks ago and I decided to try a craft cocktail flight this time. It was nice to be able to try miniature versions of the full size cocktails to see what I liked best. The thing about craft cocktails is that they are super unique and often flavors you've never tried, or thought to try, before. Some were good and others were just not my taste, but I nonetheless, I appreciate the creativity! My favorites are their gin and vodka, and I prefer them with tonic or club soda and some fruit (super basic, I know!). If you have an adventurous palette, or if you just want to support a local distillery, be sure to stop by American Fifth!

Excellent craft cocktail spot. Definitely a hipster vibe. Housed in an historic building you can sample their house distilled spirits ranging from a great varieties of whiskies, to vodka and even a wormwood derived Absinthe. The distillery is tastefully on display through a glass wall. Their craft cocktail selection is par excellence and innovative. I highly recommend this stop if you're looking for a fun craft cocktail spot.

We came in 1/2 hr before our tour time. I bought a groupon for $11 which included tastes and two shot glasses to take home! Weeee. Sat at the penny bar and it so kewl! We both tried a flight of tasters. Yes our favs are Gin and Burbon & Vodka. We also tried the straight Burbon. The vodka is good too. Heck they mostly good except for the white whiskey ( ah.. moonshine!). Tastes a bit rugged and leathery. Not sipping material ( for us anyway). Waiting for the tour to begin. We were going to order a cheese plate and their fridge broke lastnite.... bummer. Popcorn was what we had for a snack. We did the tour and it took prob 1/2 hr or so. It was interesting enuf. Learned about MI laws of making and selling booze. We got back to our bar stools and commenced to taste! We had two flights: one of the liquor and other of mixed cocktails. Our favs were Ginger float and I loved the Gimlet. They told us if we wanted to order food in we could! Funny ... we were hungry .. just ordered Jimmy Johns. Made a few bar staff hungry too lol! We were getting a little happppy and decided to order a regular size Gimlet and Ginger float. They were so good! So glad we tried all the samplers. We ended up getting a few bottles of gin and one vodka and one Burbon. Would recommend the Groupon for the beginners. We had so much fun here.

I love these folks. I have been having their drinks for a few years and decided to have my graduation party there. They were so good. The back room where they had my party was excellent. The drink menu was perfect and the service was great. I wish I lived closer because I would be there all the time. Please go to support them. They are great people. The unwind and lavender chill are my favorites!

My friend and I used a Groupon and tried the flight at American Fifth and we both enjoyed it. The vodka and white whiskey were definitely our favorites of the four. We enjoyed our drinks over a game of Exploding Kittens which was provided by the bar. The bar also has a variety of other games which is perfect for a group setting. The Groupon usually comes with a tour but found out that tours is only scheduled for certain days of the week. So make sure to schedule the tour ahead of time if you're using a Groupon. However, we both received complimentary shot glasses at the end of the visit. Definitely worth it!

I decided to give this place a try even though I'm not a big liquor fan. It's a cool place to try new fun drinks, but they have some traditional staples too. The first time I went, I tried some drinks on their seasonal menu (rotates monthly). I didn't care too much for the first two but the server helped me pick one that better suited my tastes. Staff are very knowledgeable of drinks and can make recommendations for you if you tell them what you normally like. I love that they serve craving popcorn here. They didn't even charge us for our refill bowl, so that was nice. They also have some games available to play. The second time I went I loved all of my drinks! I tried both the seasonal and regular menu. Also the drinks are very strong- I didn't mind. I am not a fan of gin either but my two favorite drinks from both visits had gin! I was so surprise their gin didn't have that nasty pine taste it normally has. Very nice. I will be back again. Can't wait to try their wintery-time drinks.

I love American Fifth Spirit! We have been here several times with different friends and everyone has always been super happy with their drinks. The staff are very friendly and do a great job at explaining the menu and finding a cocktail that you'll like. Just tell them what you usually like and trust them. My hubby and I have done this on numerous occasions and we have never been disappointed. The drinks menu rotates and adjusts by season. They really know what they're doing as they craft some wonderful new cocktails and there are always a number of basic classics on the menu too. Now to the point that some reviewers have brought up: yes, they do not let you make their own drink. And why would they? This is a cocktail bar that takes pride in their home distilled spirits and the cocktails they make with these spirits. If you think you can make better cocktails, buy a bottle of their spirits and make them at home. Just try something new! And like I said, if you tell them what kinds of drinks you like, they will find at least two that will blow you away. Now, about food. They only have smaller snacks, but holy smokes, those snacks are wonderful. If you've seen the cheese plates you get around Lansing, you will agree that this is above average. They get their cheese from Lansing City Market and really put some love in the arrangement. You can ask for more crackers, dips etc at no extra charge too. Oh, and just to top it off: they have games!! This place is awesome. Don't let the naysayers tell you otherwise!

Highly recommend. Excellent service by an educated staff. Customer service is clearly a priority. The spirits are very delicious & unique. The craft cocktails are amazing. The bar snacks looked scrumptious. It wasn't very busy fir a Saturday night. I can't understand why because the place is a hidden gem. Lansing residents pls patronize this business. It's well worth your time & money!

We were in Lansing for the weekend and looking for cool things to see and try. I discovered that a very short walk from our hotel and the capitol was American Fifth Spirits. We thought we might be able to sample some small batch spirits. We found that it is literally across the street from the Lansing Lugnut's stadium. The building is decently unassuming from the outside but the interior has a cool chill vibe. They have done a great job including an awesome looking bar covered in pennies. The staff was very friendly and outgoing. They walked us through the options for tasting their variety of spirits and made suggestions on cocktails. They have a great menu of their cocktail options from the old standards to some very unique and creative new libations. We enjoyed tasting their white whiskey, rum, gin and vodka. We liked all of them but that white whiskey has a bite since it hasn't mellowed on charred oak. We did overhear that there are some groupons for American Fifth Spirits but they just didn't fit for our needs that day. They do offer tours of their distillery as well. We didn't have a chance to sample any of their food options but many sounded pretty tasty as well. We did walk out with a fifth of their gin which we both enjoyed because it isn't like some of the typical gins that are like chewing on pine needles. If you are looking for a cool place to taste and learn about distilled spirits or just a cool place to grab a unique cocktail I would highly suggest American Fifth Spirits.

This may be the most millennial thing ever (not using "millennial" as a pejorative - strictly descriptive here), because American Fifths is a place that trades in artisanal mixed drinks. Sure, it's a distillery. It's all exposed brick interiors garnished with twinkling Target-decorated girl's first apartment lights. It has a board game shelf (one of the more common features of young, destination bars). And, frankly, I eat all of that up. But the drinks. Hot damn! Each month, they rotate out drinks for a new menu. Those in high demand get to stay on their non-changing part of the menu. It's like a form of drink capitalism; you vote for what mixed drink survives with your dollars. The bartenders create these concoctions whole-cloth. Some fail, but many land. They're all obviously passionate about drinks and each have skin in the game. They want their drinks to live on past the month. And there's tons of people experimental drinks that avail of everything from hibiscus to black tea to all sorts of coffee liquors and cream bases. Oh, and their caramel salted white Russian is the best I've ever had. Highly recommended.

A bit weird smelling when you first walk in, but service has always been nice. The location next to the baseball diamond and close to downtown is pretty great. The drinks are a tad overpriced for the Lansing area, but I REALLY like their creativity and seasonality. Best mixed drinks in Lansing.

Landing in Lansing. I was invited by friends a month or so ago to Lansing's newest distillery. I've been three times. I've never quite been excited to return but I feel they're worth another try. The parking lot needs attention and love for growth. You can fit maybe 10 cars in the lot. They are awkwardly parked and for people who've come to drink that's not the smartest idea. In terms of encouraging public transit and walking yes but realistically speaking they need more parking. The decor is modern and chic. The floors, the glass windows displaying the distilling equipment in all of its grandeur and the penny lacquered bar make it inviting. They give tours and detailed stories of what they have done and plan to do as they grow. They distill only vodka at this time. They are focused and creating something unique. The vodka is the smoothest I've tasted ever. My vodka library is limited to popular brands (Smirnoff, Belvedere, Grey Goose, Absolut, Kettle One etc) so I may not be the best judge but I am impressed. It is velvety and soothing and un-interupting. They have a menu full of gourmet cocktails that are appetizing. Some fall flat and others quench and allure. The appetizers available are not served consistently and they should offer more in the way of things to fill up on before drinks. It feels more like a bar than a speak easy so they should accommodate with less fancy finger food options. They need to turn the fancy down a notch. Each time I've gone, my crowd has been most of the business happening and the music has been stale. The seating feels like restaurant seating and is not quite comfortable. The place is a bit too stuffy to make me want to sit and have a few. They need better music and more comfortable seating with tables. The lounge areas feel like wait space for a restaurant and have small center tables so everyone has to hold their drink and awkwardly reach for shared appetizers. Better music, more comfortable seating and more tables in the lounge areas. It's also a bit bright for a bar that focuses on drinks alone. I'll probably return but this place has some kinks to work out.

A unique place to try some unique drinks. The drinks are somewhat pricey however you will probably not find these drinks anywhere else. They do come up with a new variety each week, so you will not get tired of the same old thing. The drinks are not made with high alcohol content but more for taste. So if you're trying to get drunk, this is probably not the bar for you. If you want an atmosphere to casually hang out and enjoy some tasty beverages, this might be more to your liking.

Was highly impressed on my first visit here recently. Came here on a double date and it was such a fun and interesting experience. Staff were friendly, helpful, and attentive. I had a cocktail flight which changes monthly. Getting to try a little bit of everything for only $10 is such a steal. Everything was delicious and unlike anything I had ever drank before. It was a short trip so I didn't get to try anything else but I will definitely be back for more next time I am in Lansing!

I would really love to give this place a higher review because I absolutely love craft cocktails and local distilleries. However, American Fifth just misses the mark on too many levels. First, their cocktails are not particularly good. They change the entire menu every month, and this leads to a few hits and quite a few misses. A few examples. Their take on a Manhattan recently came with ice in it. Ugh. The Bloody Mary tasted like a glass of sour pepper... zero umami to be found. Something came with so much lemon in it that we passed it around the table and nobody could get more than a sip down. This would all not be so bad if they offered to get you a new drink if you didn't like yours, but they don't. You don't like it? You can order a new one. The worst sin, however, is the fact that they refuse to make you anything other than what is on their current menu. We had a drink a month prior that we loved, and our server told us that the bartenders would not make it "because they worked so hard on this menu." What kind of garbage is this? I have paid $20+/drink in fantastic cocktail bars with special menus in New York, Barcelona, Paris, London, DC, Chicago, etc. And not a single one of those bars, which make much higher quality cocktails than American Fifth, and which have much more talented bartenders, ever refused to make me something I requested that wasn't on the menu. But I guess maybe if American Fifth's bartenders are doing things like putting ice in Manhattans and several ounces of lemon juice in drinks, they may not actually know how to make much other than what is on a current menu. Two stars is for the design. The interior design with the window and ceiling over the bar is beautiful. But if you are looking for good cocktails from a local distillery, I would head over to Red Cedar Spirits for a truly professional and delicious experience.

Good luck trying to order one of their distilled spirits with a simple mixer, like ginger beer, which they have. You will get some serious attitude from your server, who apparently thinks you are asking the world of them to just bring you a simple rum (which they make there) and ginger beer (which they have there - Goslings in a can, good stuff). And her manager could not care less that you waited 40 minutes for your next drink order (which was straight off of their menu - no substitutions or any changes) and were frustrated by the wait and her attitude. Our party of 5 tried to enjoy the place. Hope you fare better than we did. Tip: don't try to order anything different than what they have on the menu, even if they have those ingredients on hand. The place *might* be owned by Janice in Accounting.

American Fifth Spirits is the first distillery I've ever had the pleasure of visiting since I've moved in to the area. The menu is constantly changing every month to bring in seasonal drinks. The drinks always leave you with a surprise because of the amount of thought that goes into their process of producing their cocktails. The company also hosts monthly charity events to give back to the community as well like their most recent food drive. American Fifth Spirits always delivers with their drinks.

Was excited to see how this place was. We are told to stand and wait for a table. During that time we placed a drink order. After a halfhour we are asked if (3 people) want to share one bar stool. An hour has past with others seated at tables. We still haven't seen our first-round of drinks. Fed up we decided to go. To top off our experience. The host who watched us during all of this. Decided to ask as we were leaving without a drink "hope you had fun? " Never going back.

This place is pretentious. Drinks are mediocre. Bartender had an a snizzy attitude. Overpriced. Never going back. In retrospect this place still sucks.

Heidi is great. She's the sole reason I'd go back. There are two main things that make a space; lighting & music. It was way too bright and I don't feel that deep dubstep is the vibe for an intimate setting such as American Fifth. But Heidi- she dimmed some lights. Allowed me to taste some things before I committed to a choice. She's fun and friendly. And she laughed at my jokes. Always a plus . Check it out. Maybe it'll be different.

Went out after my daughters graduation from MSU. 5 of us and we all got different cocktails. They were all amazing. I got the cocktail flight

Drinks are a bit DTM and the ambience is a bit cold but overall I would recommend it as a good meeting spot for a pre drink.

Great drinks, but waited about 40 minutes for a drink before we eventually walked out. We were sitting at a table so we couldn't order at the bar. After waiting for 30 minutes with nobody coming up to us I went up to the bar a second time politely asked for a drink and was again told to wait for the waitress. We waited another ten minutes before we left. Worst service I've ever received at a bar. I get y'all were busy but 40 minutes without even being greeted is CRAZY.

Not our cup of tea. Or glass of cocktail. Expensive, watered-down cocktails in an overly pretentious atmosphere. Our server was aloof and unfriendly, bordering on rude in my opinion. She had very few customers, so certainly not overworked. Snacks are nothing special, and overpriced. In addition, I echo another patron's review. I was refused a custom cocktail as they insist they "stick to the menu" -- I've never encountered that at a BAR. That's what this is: a bar. Will look elsewhere in the Lansing area.

This place is incredible and these drinks are all I want to drink forever. American Fifth is like nothing else in Lansing, and based on the Yelp reviews, that disappoints a lot of people. So doing my part to set expectations: This is a beautiful distillery tasting room that specializes in creating artful cocktails. That's it. No beer or wine. No liquor that's not made in-house. Snack food only. If you go in looking for a pub meal and a jack & coke, you'll be disappointed. But if you find alcohol not just delicious but also endlessly fascinating, American Fifth is your new jam. Currently, the distillery makes vodka, whiskey and gin. From these base liquors, they create uh-maz-ing tinctures, mixes, infusions. The bartenders talk knowledgeably and with great enthusiasm about their ingredients, process, and the history of cocktail lore. The drinks, admittedly pricey, are complex and masterful and beautifully presented. Some of them are on literally on fire. Some are quite dry. Some have candied fruit or charred herb garnishes. Some have Fruit Loops floating in them. Seasonal ingredients are prominently featured. Almost all of the names are puns (my favorite fall cocktail: the Sass-Squash). The building is charming, too. This is Lansing's answer to Detroit's Sugar House. Get your drink on - but y'know, in a classy, nerdy way.

If you're a cucumber fan try the Shark Julep in the Standard Cocktails. It tastes very good and has a few different flavors of lemon and mango to give it an extra boost!

The bourbon is good, however the mixed drinks are not liquor forward. The staff is rude and seems disorganized. We went on the tour, I would assume the general manager would know more about the distilling process. She thought methane was in the heart. She though the distilling pods were copper because it's not a metal. I would re-educate your staff. Yikes. Save time and money. Go somewhere else.

Drinks are ok, staff was rude. Went on the tour and the facility was dirty and the manager who led the tour did not know what she was talking about. We will not be back. Save your time and money, go to Red Cedar instead.

A great variety of mixed drinks exist here. They are definetly a spot if you like unique mixologist type drinks. They also make their own sodas and specialty drinks without alcohol. I had the ginger, which was fresh. The service was cool. I would like to try more of their cocktails. They also have a small appetizer menu and sweets. A nice place.

I'd been keeping an eye on American Fifth since before they opened because I thought a distillery would be a great addition to Lansing. We visited first during their opening week, and had some complaints that I just chalked up to growing pains. However, after this, my second, visit, my disappointment has been solidified. To be fair, the interior is lovely: tastefully renovated with exposed brick and a cool art deco vibe. The staff is, in my experience, attentive. However, no amount of loveliness and attention can cover for the fact that their cocktails are fundamentally lacking. In a city like Lansing, where the cocktail scene is floundering at best, making a good cocktail shouldn't be too difficult. Take, for example, this evening. I ordered a strawberry balsamic fizz, which is described on the menu as "Hue vodka, strawberries, basil leaves, balsamic vinegar, bubbles." I took my first sip, expecting to have my tastebuds a bit shocked by the tartness of vinegar, and a cocktail full of flavor. What is not communicated by the menu is that "bubbles" actually means soda water (not soda, or sparkling wine, or anything else with a little flavor). So. I'm paying for a weak, $7 cocktail that is at least half *actually* water, and tastes like it too. My disappointment is amplified by the fact that they still only have vodka, which really limits their cocktail repertoire. Although they say that other spirits (whiskey, gin) are coming "soon," we watched as that were "soon to open" for more than six months...So I'll believe it when I see it. Until then, my cocktail business will go elsewhere.

I'm not a liquor expert, but I thought I would try this place on Be A Tourist In Your Own Town day, thinking this would be a good time to learn about the distillery process and try a drink here. I walked in with a friend. We normally like to sit at the bar, but all the seats were taken, so we sat at a table right next to the bar. When we came in, no one acknowledged us, so we waited patiently for someone to greet us at the table. I counted 5 employees wandering around, most of them drinking behind the bar, and not one of them brought us a menu or even acknowledged us. There was no room at the bar to approach the bar and ask questions and the bartenders did not look friendly at all. We sat uncomfortably for about 10 minutes and then walked out. I later read an article that their ideal customer is a cocktail connoisseur, so apparently they didn't want my business because I'm not already knowledgeable about their product. I really wanted to learn about it and give them a try, but I wasn't even given the chance.

This is my first time here and the cocktail I ordered, the Unwind, is the best I've ever had! I've lived in LA, Chicago, Austin, Detroit, and most recently New York and I've had more than my share of adult beverages. These bartenders and distillers know what they're doing. I'd give the place five stars if there were a more diverse crowd. I'm the only Black person in sight and it's a warm Saturday night. But, this is Lansing and I'm learning to limit my expectations. Big ups to the folks behind the bar!

This place had some growing pains as it first got started - as any new establishment will - but they have really come into their own. They offer a wide variety of vodka and whiskey cocktails hand-made from fresh ingredients. The menu changes each month. Because of the work that goes into the cocktails, there is sometimes a longer wait for your drink, but they are well worth it. Don't expect this to be like any regular bar. It's a tasting room. The management are happy to give tours of the distilling area and talk to you about the spirits and the cocktails, and the staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend American Fifth to anyone looking for a good experience in Lansing. Stop by, have a cocktail, and learn a few things about the distilling process.

If you're expecting world class drinks, this is your place. They make everything themselves. Just tell them the kinds of drinks you like and they will make a concoction worthy to the last drop. If you're expecting dinner, this isn't it! Popcorn and cheese with crackers will have to sustain you as you sip the fancy cocktails. Different, fun and classy. Enjoy!

Lovely atmosphere and wonderful cocktails, however, I will not be going back anytime soon. Having to wait for 30 minutes for a cocktail is not acceptable especially when the bar is not overly crowded (in fact, one table of patrons left while waiting for service). The waitress assigned to our area seemed disgruntled from the moment she greeted our party. There are also a plethora of drinks on the menu, it takes time to read through all of this. A party of 8 needs more than one menu. Furthermore our server brought water in a lovely tall bottle for our table. One of our friends drank the water front the bottle as he was parched. The server saw this, and immediately challenged his drinking from the bottle. When we asked why this was an issue, she told Is that they don't wash the water bottles after they serve at a table which our group found concerning. This establishment has the foundation for a great after event drink stop, however long wait times and very poor service will prevent American Fifth from becoming a destination distillery. #fail

Thoroughly underwhelming. Uninspired and simply not good. One of the drinks I had actually came with chunks of muddled spice in it that were unavoidable to consume. No snacks, beer or wine here. Also, a lot of pretention. I wish that I hadn't gone.

Awesome atmosphere! We had several drinks which were all creative, unique and flavorful. They had good music and games to play if you wish. We will definitely be back!

This place is awesome. Been here multiple times and my wife is a mug club member. Always friendly and never really too crowded. I usually get the rye whisky but they have a lot of interesting and different selections like a buckwheat spirit. Haven't been by to try their bourbon yet, but looking forward to the next trip.

Very cool place to get a drink in downtown Lansing! They give tours of the distillery, and the drinks are great. We also got the cheese plate, which was delicious. This was a really fun place to bring a game of Cards Against Humanity or Catch Phrase, have a drink, and spend some time with friends.

First cocktail bar I've been to since my turn of age. I'm about it and will definitely be returning. Seems like a great place to relax after work or to share a drink with a suitable lady. Looking forward to pairing this places charm with mine and seeing how that works out for me. Bartenders are friendly and if you come alone I suggest sitting at the bar for some solid conversation.

We went into American Fifth for the first time earlier today and were incredibly disappointed without even managing to order a single thing off the menu, believe it or not. The bar was mostly full, so we decided to sit at a table where we were the only two of the dozen or so people in the entire place to be seated at a table...directly in front of the bar, mind you. We were not greeted and were not even visited by any one of the minimum five employees working, so we eventually just walked out after ten minutes of being ignored. At least three employees looked directly at us and ignored us at the same time, with one of them indulging in their own product at the time. I can understand spotty service with a packed establishment and minimal staff, but not with a dozen people and a minimum of five employees. $9 for a drink and the service sucks while you are a brand new joint in town...located behind a homeless shelter? No thanks. To continue with the entitlement/hipster attitude, this past Saturday, American Fifth set up a booth at the Beerfest at the Ballpark that was manned with three of their employees the entire time. As like any other alcohol festival, patrons can purchase VIP tickets to gain access one hour earlier than the general public and avoid the long lines. American Fifth showed up 45 minutes late, leaving tons of irate customers that were left staring at a table with their name on it and that was it. Sometimes people get lost in new towns, I get it, but for those of you who are unfamiliar, American Fifth is located across the street from the damn stadium!! Once they got set up, the people were beyond rude to the customers, many who were first time samplers, leaving some patrons to make comments to the staff members about their attitude. Not only did they show up late, they were one of the first vendors to leave as well. These festivals invite breweries and distilleries, they certainly do not hold a gun to their head and make them show up (plus the brewery or distillery gets paid quite handsomely too). While the service is a huge reason for their rating, the drinks flat out suck compared to any other distillery I have been to. They seem to overthink the cocktail theory way too much, with flavors that are just plain awful, as was evident this past Saturday by people getting a drink from their booth, taking a sip, and immediately dumping the rest out on the grass with a bitter beer face look....and those were basically free! Try paying the $9 per cocktail while being treated like you are a burden to them. If you want quality, you usually have to pay for it, but if you pay for quality and get crap, then it leaves a bitter feeling. So to those who keep insinuating that all the bad reviews are purely cost-related, get a clue. Walking into a shiny new building with an impressive facility is not enough when your product and service are below par. I would much rather walk up Michigan Ave., hit Moriarty's or Stober's, drink their well vodka or whiskey, get treated like an actual customer by their staff, and leave with a few extra bucks. This is a great place for hipsters who think they are spirit aficionados in their own mind and will prove so by overpaying for cocktails next to a homeless shelter and single-A minor league baseball stadium.

Thought it was great! Mike was an awesome and accommodating host! You go for handcrafted drinks and a little snack if you like with good company, not to get hammered. It's definitely a unique place! We will return!

Agree with Mel - $6 for a tiny bowl of popcorn? I don't care if it is "Chicago Style" ... still two handfuls for $6. Cocktails are $9 ... watery, and served in tiny little glasses. This place is so into decor and looks it'll probably evolve into a good place to see and be seen, but if you want to have a real drink and maybe actually eat something, go somewhere else! Also - such a crabby pants of a staff! Really turned off by the overall service and attitudes in here. Super slow to get everything, and it's not that big of a place. My date and I won't be back.

Great place! This is a tasting room, and not a bar, so come here if you are interested in having your crafted drinks made with fresh ingredients! Garnishes and ingredients are made in house! When you fall in love with a cocktail, buy a bottle of their HUE vodka, take it home, and make the drink yourself! That is because they will teach you how to create their VERY UNIQUE drinks in your kitchen/bar. I did not give them a five because they are getting ready to run their white whiskey and rum lines with barrel aged whiskey and gin in the future. So I needed to reserve a star for down the road. :) I have read other reviews and noticed that people think the wait is long, or the waitstaff is slow. Keep in mind that your drinks are being made with all fresh ingredients. This is a young business and the wait staff and drink makers are learning too. Don't dismiss American Fifth because I think they are set to become a world class distillery. Come here to enjoy a crafted beverage, an atmosphere where you can sit and talk to your friends, without yelling over loud music, and some really great app plates that feature some of the same ingredients that they use in their drinks. A great place where you can drink great vodka!

The owners and staff are so nice that I wish I could rate this establishment higher but I just don't really love any of their drinks. The decor is nice and it's a cool place to meet friends as it's not really busy or loud and the seating is comfortable. The owner took us on a tour of the distillery side and talked about the whole process and you can tell that he and the co-owner really take pride in what they do. I had the bloody mary and one of the coffee flavored drinks both oh which I did not like. Several of my friends had other drinks and the flights of vodka and all said they liked theirs so I think it's just me. The guys really liked the root beer infused vodka. They use a vinegar based simple syrup for their drinks that I just don't care for. But solid service and nice ambiance.

I'm getting really into cocktails these days and have been to a couple stellar bars in Detroit, and I was really hoping this one would live up to their standards. I was disappointed. Ordered the strawberry balsamic fizz. They simply added all the ingredients into the glass and served it. No mixing, no theatrics. It tasted like lightly flavored water and chunks of strawberry kept getting stuck in the straw. I thought about ordering a second drink, but decided that the bartender's job is to make my first drink so enjoyable that I'll order a second. Since the first one was so bad, I wasn't willing to risk $9 to give them another chance. Shared the experience with people at work and it sounds like disappointment is a common first impression with this place. My advice--spend less time artificially building a tribe (what is a partillectual, anyway? An intelligent person who enjoys socializing?) and invest in your improving your drinks and training your staff how to bartend like professionals.