Hammer & Nail

Fun little spot that is right on Woodward. Sushi is a welcome addition. Love the asparagus truffle roll. Fish could be a little better quality. Chef was very attentive and easy to work with. Cocktails are good but service is sporadic and not organized. Atmosphere is cute as a button.

The atmosphere is great and the sushi is phenomenal. I enjoy the nigiri the best. Ched really uses great ingredients. The drinks are great as well.

Great spot for cocktails and happy hour. Incredible sushi. Much better service than the Block across the street.

It was a nice quiet Friday evening. If I lived nearby it may have become my regular spot just because of how quiet it is but the service was slow and lacking. One of the sushi rolls had an ingredient I requested without, disappointing but fine tolerable. The shrimp on the sushi boat was amazing. There are no instructions or direction so unless you’re a regular this next bit may help you not fumble like I did. Reservations are probably not necessary. Walk around front to Woodward and just go grab a seat. They’ll come around with water soon enough.

I cannot express how satisfying this experience was. From the sushi, prepared by chef Shinya and the over all experience and knowledge provided by the bar staff. The mexico city roll and the Roma roll were my favorite rolls. The sashimi\ nigiri was so fresh it almost melts in your mouth. It's the perfect spot for a date night or just a night out on the town.

We really enjoyed our first experience at Hammer & Nail last night. The building is stunning. A Detroit landmark built in 1965 with floor to ceiling windows that overlook Woodward Ave. and Orchestra Hall. The bar is a long narrow space tastefully decorated in understated mid century design with the iconic neon hammer sign showcased prominently above the bar. The talented and very professional bartenders, clad in white jackets and bow ties were excellent and very friendly! We tried the Pink Squirrel, the Wallbanger, the Nitro Russian, and my favorite The Moonwalk. The cocktails and snacks are right out of the 60's. My boyfriend tried the whitefish dip and said it was excellent. It was really fun to step back in time and sip on cocktails that our parents would have enjoyed during Motown's reign in Detroit. I would highly recommend checking out this beautiful new spot!! If you're driving, there is a parking structure for visitors just south of the building.

Had a great experience at the Hammer and Nail bar. We went on a Friday night and it was relatively easy to find a seat at the bar. Parking is tight in the neighborhood, especially if there’s a concert going on at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra across the street. The drinks were excellent and the service was great too. We tried the deviled eggs 🥚 which were nice as well. Great mid-century modern vibe inside and the neon hammer and nail lighting is a must-see!

A hidden gem, just across the DSO for a special cocktail before or after the show, the sushi menu focused on great fish, craft and simplicity that just fits.

First time back at this spot in a couple of years. We continue to enjoy this place. The art deco decor is excellent. Great views of Woodward. It is nice to find a place that isn't too loud and that you can typically find a seat in without waiting. Excellent drinks. Attentive bartender.

Came here in a whim. Cute little bar with sushi good options. Drinks are very strong, but good. Definitely a place for those who likes a strong drink. Parking is a little hard, so come early.

Here with friends, we've been wanting to try this place for a while. Very nice decor with a large bar and huge windows. The bartenders are super helpful and attentive, happy to review the drink menu and find something for your tastes. Tried a variety of cocktails and happy with all. Would definitely return.

Ambiance and drinks are both excellent! Sushi is okay, but I wouldn't recommend it for dinner. It's a nice snack while out for a drink, but rather disappointing if a meal is your goal. My fault for picking a cocktail bar for Valentine's Day, their fault for advertising a "5- course valentines dinner" that had 2.5 hour service (app, nigiri, two rolls, and mochi).

Recently reopened after being closed throughout all of COVID (as a result lost most of their staff so come and support this business)! Open currently on Sundays from 12-5 with a different DJ and rotating food trucks each week. Indoor and outdoor seating - very mid century mad men vibes at this spot! The drinks are well worth your money here and will definitely be giving you Sunday Funday vibes after 2 drinks. Pro tip: they're open only on Sunday's currently and street parking is free on Sunday's. It's a win-win.

Outstanding sushi from Detroit Sushi in the Hammer & Nail cocktail bar! Great venue with floor to ceiling windows. We will be back!

Soooooo happy they're open again! They're open on Sundays only as of right now and have a live DJ and usually a food truck. Today everyone who bought a drink got a free Krispy Kreme Donut!

Hammer & Nail is the low-key impressive experience we've been looking for in Midtown but haven't been afforded by the number of preposterously expensive restaurants and bars that have cropped up in recent years. As we were walking up, I told my friend that I felt like if I lived in the Hammer & Nail building, I'd have to have some expertly curated, midcentury modern apartment, with a multiple-thousand dollar vinyl record player, and an expansive collection that I could play while wearing period-appropriate sweaters in muted lime greens or mustard yellows or what have you. Possibly a polyester suit of some sort. This is kind of the vibe that they're going for in the bar, which occupies a skinny end of the mid-60's building. I was promised that this place would be bad and bougie, though it does, in many ways, have the best of both worlds. You can order from a list of classic cocktails, or you can order, quite impressively, a $3 Schlitz or Blatz. I've never even had a Blatz-- and I consider myself a connoisseur of terrible, Midwestern beers. There are maybe two places in Detroit you can get a Schlitz. White-suited staff-- complementing the vibe of the floor-to-ceiling, later-midcentury windows, are attentive, but not unnecessarily so-- the menu is simple and the space, in spite of its spatial grandeur, is without pretense. Service is fast even at peak times. There are a limited number of snacks you can order that aren't very good, but also aren't terrible, either-- we had a shrimp cocktail that wasn't delightful but was served with a cocktail sauce with perhaps horseradish on top? Food portion of the menu might need to be ironed out a bit more.

I visited over the summer for per-dinner cocktails. In a DFP article promoting the bar opening, it boasted a mid-century 'Mad Men' style vibe. The only things in the bar that fit the bill were the bar top lamps, and the liquor display behind the bar. The staff was dressed unprofessionally (eg sloppy t-shirt, messy hair...?). I was surprised to see a picture of someone appropriately dressed in a crisp, white shirt and black bowtie in the DFP article. The bar offered a unique--albeit small--cocktail menu. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy my drink because it was far too smoky to note any of the other flavors. I wish they would've had a larger selection of cocktails to choose from. My boyfriend and I were the only two sitting in the bar during our visit. Our bartender was polite, though she kept disappearing to sit at a table outside with her friends or coworkers, so it was difficult to have questions answered. We were waiting a while for someone to return so we could get our bill--had no interest in ordering a second drink. If you are planning to check this bar out, I would highly recommend going later in the evening. It felt too open and bright, as the surrounding walls are all glass. I likely won't return here. Sounds like others had a more pleasant experience than we had.

The hours on Yelp have changed since I originally left this review and I've seen a couple people leave reviews since I left this one so the place must actually still be open, they just seem to have very limited hours.

My husband and I stopped by Hammer & Nail before COVID hit. We had a lovely experience and can't wait to go back. You enter at the front of the building, not at the side. I think the bartenders are used to people TRYING to come in the side, so one of them kinda "shooed" us away from that door and pointed to the front. The space is galley-style with plenty of bar seating and a few two-tops. There were a few bartenders and it seemed like any of them would help us, meaning they likely pool their tips. The menu was a little... weird? for me, but I told one of the bartenders what I was into and he made me a delicious, strong concoction. My husband went with a funky cocktail off their menu and seemed to enjoy it. The menu features small plates of stuff you'd get served at a house party in the 50s, which is cheeky but nothing really appealed to me. This is a great spot to stop before going somewhere else for a nice dinner. I can't wait to come back to visit.

Arrived a 7 and plenty of tables to pick from. The very long bar was pretty full. Nice choice of cocktails and other options too. Small snack menu, but it embraces the retro vibe so not normal bar food. The service model needs work, but realize this bar is still really new. In first 10 minutes had 3 or 4 waiters check on us but after our first round we had to go to bar to first order food, later to get more drinks and at the end to get our bill. Felt comfortable and laid back. Music was quiet enough that you could easily talk. This place will go in our rotation.

This was a cool, new cocktail bar in the city and we needed to check it out. Located in an office building, this cocktail bar is located on the first floor. We walked in and found seats a the bar. The decor is unique and I love the throw back vibe. Hammer and Nail offers a wide variety of drinks and craft cocktails. The bartenders were accommodating and offered suggestions. The price point for cocktails is similar to most upscale lounges in the city. If you plan on attending an event or are in the mood for a night cap, this is a perfect spot.

I do not understand how this place has any positive reviews. Service is awful. Drinks aren't great and sometimes have bugs in them - I think they got into the liquor bottle because the drink had to be remade multiple times. Pictures are deceiving because while it looks like it would be a cool spot it's definitely a nice looking dive bar without the charm.

A very cute corner signature cocktails spot. The team is very friendly and very COVID cautious.

Hammer & Nail is an excellent drink spot to add your list. Located on Woodward in Midtown it would be a perfect place to get a before or after cocktail before a show at the DSO or dinner in Midtown. The bar is on the first floor and has ample seating, both bar and some large booths. They have a small menu, but very well curated and mixed variety of cocktails. There is a small offering of snacks/apps and grilled cheese type sandwiches. We didn't eat, but someone ordered a tuna fish sandwich that looked really good! All the bartenders were friendly and fast. My favorite cocktails ordered were the Nitro White Russian and the Collins. With the exception of one, all the menu cocktails were $13, in line with other places but a little pricey if you want to stay a while. On the flip side there were about 5 beers that were only $3. Your standard strohs type offerings. The music is great and not too loud, the large neon hammer and nail behind the bar fits great and the staff fit in with the mid century feel. Definitely adding this place to my rotation as it's something different and not a super loud difficult to get a drink bar, check it out!

Happiness is the smell of a new bar. It's freedom from the familiarity. It's the flashing neon behind the Hammer & Nail bar the once adorned the top of "The Plaza" that screams "Whatever you're doing is OK! You are OK!".... Hammer & Nail is a great new bar in Midtown with a mid-century vibe that'll take you back in time to the days of shopping trips downtown; those bottles in your parent's liquor collection that always intrigued; those cocktails you've always heard of but have never actually seen on a menu; those beers your grandpa drank after mowing the lawn. The bar is huge with plenty of seating. The staff is amazing, knowledgeable, and incredibly friendly. No stuffiness or pretension. They have a great small food menu with snacks and light fare that fits the theme. I really just love this bar and what it is doing, and kind of wish I lived in the Plaza so I could stop in for some of Ruth's Snack Mix or a classic grilled cheese and their Old Fashioned as a daily routine. Do yourself a favor and stop in soon. Don't forget to get a boomerang of the hammer and nail sign. P.S. the hours listed are currently incorrect; they are open M-SAT 4-12 and Sunday 2-8.

Get your pearls and fedoras ready and prepare to be transported to the swinging 60s in this retro chic bar that makes you feel like you either stepped in a time machine or you're on the set of Mad Men. Seriously, I half expected to see Don Draper and Betty sipping Manhattans in the corner of Hammer and Nail's posh leather booths. The building was originally a Professional Plaza office tower developed in the 1960s and home to the Detroit Carpenter's Union and had a giant neon hammer and nail sign at the top of the building. Now the life sized neon hammers striking a nail/cocktail sign sits in the middle of the bar. The space is long and rectangular with seating at the long bar, round high top tables around the bar, and chic dark chestnut brown leather booths along the edge of the space with large windows overlooking the city. Servers are dressed in period piece uniforms, white coats and bow ties and soft 60s inspired music is playing. Cocktails are reminiscent of forgotten popular drinks of the era when Pink Squirrels and Harvey Wallbangers were all the rage. There are ten cocktails on the menu, all priced at $13 including a Gibson, Collins, High Ball, Blue Hawaii, and more. Hammer and Nail is known for their Pink Squirrel which they had to special order the Creme de Noyaux from out of state, just to have the unique authentic ingredient. I had the Manhattan which was excellent! It wasn't overly boozy as Manhattans sometimes are, and I loved the flavors from the black cherry syrup and citrus sorbet. My friend had the Collins, which she also really enjoyed and said had nice citrus flavors. The Harvey Wallbanger was good too but not my favorite and tasted like a screwdriver. They also have a full bar and can make cocktails off menu as well. They also have a small food menu that keeps consistent with the 1960s theme, specializing in classic wholesome grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup just like mom used to make. They also have a ham and cheese, tuna melt, deviled eggs, onion dip, cocktail shrimp, and party mix. Prices for sandwiches are $7-$12 and are served with kettle chips. I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup and it was delicious, and was the perfect comfort food. The tomato soup was flavorful and the perfect thickness for dipping my grilled cheese. Service was great. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive and explained the menu and offered suggestions. I really enjoyed my step into the 60s here. Drinks, food, and atmosphere were "just swell"! Hammer and Nail nailed it!

Great drinks. Wonderful service. Beautiful decor. Definitely pop in for a low-key classic cocktail.

Sarah is the most amazing bartender ever! Her attentiveness and quality of service is second to none. If you want an unforgettable experience please come here and ask for Sarah!!!

Great new bar. Friendly staff. Bartenders Gus, Will, Adam and Desmond are creative , friendly and hilarious. Great cocktails. Stopped in for a drink but they do have a small snack and sandwich menu which looked good. We definitely will be back!

Such a neat spot! Very unique drinks that are a spin on mid century classics. The bar tenders are attentive and knowledgeable and proud of their concoctions!! It's embedded in the ground floor of an apartment building close to Wayne state and walking in makes one feel like they're stepping back in time. My favorite was the draft White Russian!

Came here as a surprise before my birthday dinner with my family. The cocktail list is limited ( my brother tried to order a dirty martini and they didn't have the olive juice) but there is pretty much something for anyone. I don't recall what everyone else ordered but I had the Wallbanger which was deliciously strong! We also ordered some of Ruth's party mix, which is similar to a homemade chex mix and was delicious. Everyone seemed to enjoy their drinks and the waitstaff was super friendly and helpful. In my opinion, if you are looking for a cool new bar stop on by!

Cool place. Mad Men feel. Feels like I was in an hotel bar. Plenty of seating. Good old school basic cocktails. Bartender Alex (I believe) has good conversation. I'll make it an occasional spot.

First time here. Very quiet. Nice atmosphere. Bartender was very knowledgeable. I like to tell them what I like and have them create something unique. This was a great place for it. I also loved that they saved the hammer and nail. I remember it at the top of the building when I was a kid. I will be back.

Amazing atmosphere and very unique and creative drinks. Definitely should check this bar out!!

Came in with a friend before the symphony the other night and had a lovely experience. The atmosphere is a nice balance between trendy and upscale and retro and renaissance and the neon decor is awesome. Bartenders were super friendly and quite nice, and some of the cocktails were really interesting. The location rocks as well, with easy access to the major entertainment spots and cool views of Woodward through glass walls. Can't wait to come back and try more.

Delicious drinks, good apps/food, great staff. Definitely recommend this friendly place

Look... they take care of you. It's authentic and doesn't try too hard. The bartenders are genuine and are actually real people. If I lived closer this would be our local cocktail bar for sure. Love it, and you will too.

Excellent new spot in midtown. Great atmosphere and style. Expert and classy staff making classic cocktails. Perfect for drinks after work or an evening out.

The bartenders were amazing and so friendly! They kept saying "how are you doing friends?" Great drinks. Great atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend

Cocktails are fantastic! I love the cocktails on tap, and the menu drinks. I recommend the nitro Russian with cream. The vibe and decor make me feel like I'm in Mad Men. We got the shrimp cocktail and it was fine but over priced. I'd probably only come for drinks.