New Way Bar

Bar · Ferndale

New Way Bar

Bar · Ferndale

1

23130 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, MI 48220

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New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null
New Way Bar by null

Highlights

Live bands, comedy, open mic, games, burgers & craft beer  

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23130 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, MI 48220 Get directions

@newwaybar

$10–20 · Menu

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23130 Woodward Ave, Ferndale, MI 48220 Get directions

+1 248 541 9870
@newwaybar
𝕏
@newwayferndale

$10–20 · Menu

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outdoor seating

Last updated

Aug 13, 2025

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@eater

The Best Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes in Ferndale, Michigan | Eater Detroit

"The oldest bar in Ferndale is famous for its Monday night open mic comedy, as well as its selection of games including ping pong, pool, darts, Skee-Ball, and Keno, alongside live performances. The menu features classic bar fare such as chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, burgers, onion rings, and wings available in three flavors: Buffalo, barbecue, and garlic Parmesan. The drink menu offers dive bar staples, Michigan beers, and daily rotating specials." - Courtney Burk

https://detroit.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-in-ferndale-michigan
View Postcard for New Way Bar

Rebecca Smith

Google
The place is a whole vibe. Standup comedy on Mondays. Ski ball, billiards. The chicken and fries are good. I miss the patio. They used to have N64 & NES on free play but idk if they still do, no one used it this time. Gets very dude-centric sometimes. They played RuPauls Drag race at the bar, it was the Betsey Johnson episode. It's cool when your friends are bored.

Leela Saxena

Google
Wonderful staff, friendly clientele, great pool table, always a good time! Has been a welcoming place since we came as visitors many months ago. Now we live stumbling distance away and couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of this awesome community :)

Jo Jensen

Google
Absolutely loved New Way Bar! It’s clean, cozy, and great whether you’re looking to have a deep convo or just relax with some TV. The bartender was fantastic—super personable and on point with drinks. They also have pool and ski ball, which added a fun vibe to place. Highly recommend.

Lee Pickett

Google
We stopped by for lunch during the Woodward Dream Cruise and shared the New Way Burger and Cajun Fries. The burger here is really tasty, and the fries are crisp and spiced just right. Jessica, our bartendress, was attentive and very professional. One of the TVs was displaying a roof cam view of the Cruise so that you could still enjoy the action as you enjoyed your lunch. I've been here several times now, and there always seems to be something going on such as open mic night or karaoke. This is turning into one of my favorite places to hang out.

Kaushik Nair

Google
Cozy spot. They had stand-up the day we went, which was cool. The kitchen closes at 11, so not a place for late-night finger food. Also it’s a little on the smaller side.

Tony Apperson

Google
Caught this place while walking to find some food in the area seemed like a pretty cool place but the people we had with us were hungry and it didn't seem like this place was serving food at the time so we decided to go to Bobcat Bonnie's right down the street to grab a bite and a few drinks. Would for sure like to check the place out though if back in the area..

Thomas Dionne

Google
No greeting. No explanation there was no service. No drink menu. No food menu in site. No explanation on what prices for drinks are when asked. The menu linked from their Google page is not accurate. Staff not friendly. I do not recommend coming here.

Valentino Mays

Google
The bartenders were super friendly and that chicken and fries 🍟 I had was delicious. So glad my bestie took me there before going on my own. The live bands are amazing as well
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Gary B.

Yelp
A nicer version of a dive bar, with everything clean and in good condition. Staff is nice, small tap list. Small sidewalk patio area. Sports TVs. Parking is an issue, very limited Woodward parking otherwise parking down a long side street.
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Danica M.

Yelp
If you don't mind paying an extra $2 for ice, please stop by. Uneventful, suce bar with, billiards, air hickey and a dj booth.
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Paul B.

Yelp
Great old bar just outside the downtown area. This review has to be 85 characters so I'll tell you my bartender was Courtney. I think she's new but she was amazing.
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Nicole F.

Yelp
I like New Way for a couple reasons. You can find free parking, the drinks/prices are not too expensive, and they have games! My personal favorite is the clown game, where you throw ball and knock down the clowns. In the past, I'd also been when they had live music and I never recall having to pay cover for those shows. And the bathrooms have always been clean when I was there.
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Isabelle T.

Yelp
Excellent shirley temples, tasty cherry, and I don't know what brand of grenadine is being used, but it was fantastic. Music was great and I thought it was cool the DJ was using actual vinyl!
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Vincent and Danielle G.

Yelp
Was our first time back since we moved away so we had to go back to our favorite bar. I don't where Langston has been but we wish he was there forever. Service was out of this world, and we really appreciate the magic tricks and bar entertainment! We haven't had so much fun popping in somewhere for a drink in a while. 100% go here and hopefully you have Langston as you bartender
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Derek F.

Yelp
New Way, what's not to love. Ok if you enjoy a good dive bar, you'll love New Way. First off they seem to find the best bartenders, they're great. Good service, hard working and just make my beer drinking experience more enjoyable. They usually have a few interesting craft beers on tap that I enjoy, usually Kuhnhenn dripa. Also a pool table that's always hustling, they put up a ping pong table someone, have electronic darts, and a bunch of other games stuffed in the corner. As well as some live local bands, and my favorite part the patio with the big sun chairs on it. Love it, drink a beer watch the cars on Woodward chill inside, talk to the always interesting locals. To go to Ferndale New Way.
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Bruce K.

Yelp
Nice collection of games. The draft beer is poor . I didn't try the food as the music was so loud I had to put in ear plugs and headphones over that . Cool vibe to the place but I won't be going back .
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John M.

Yelp
Great place with great service. Definitely gets crowded so get there early. Chill vibe and a good time.
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Nicole E.

Yelp
I have only been here once with my college friend that lives in Fdale, he likes sitting or standing out on their patio and people watching on Woodward. If it's warm outside and there's room out on the patio and not too much smoke, it's not too bad hanging out here. It's a bit north from the core of downtown ferndale. It's a very casual and laid back bar. Old school looking inside as well. They do have some decent draft beers, ping pong tables, darts as well.
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Jeph W.

Yelp
I enjoy that the bar has been there over 100 years, there aren't any establishments that I'm aware of that can boast that in the ferndale area to my knowledge! The food is bar food, but pretty decent. I'm very very disappointed that they cancelled the music open mic though, it was one of the last in Detroit! As someone who just moved down the street from it, I was very much looking forward to having a weekly place to hang out.... I want to turn this into a better review, please bring back the open mic!
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Carey C.

Yelp
Great local bar, and bar for locals. Good prices, a good assortment of drinks, and free popcorn! Divy on the inside and bathrooms could use a good scrubbing, a plumber and a coat of paint. Wednesdays are open mic night.
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Arturo F.

Yelp
Great little dive bar -- not much else to say. Fun crowd, cheap drinks, ping pong table, and TVs playing sports. Always a good place to either start or end an evening out in downtown Ferndale!
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Dennis G.

Yelp
The New Way is a down to earth bar, with a friendly crowd. They have cool events like comedy night. If your a bourbon head they usually have Blanton's and Buffalo trace and the prices are more than fair. There is also my favorite arcade game an
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Stephen F.

Yelp
Stopped by here after work for for a drink and something to eat. Great atmosphere and really good crowd of people. Had the onion rings appetizer, garlic parm, and teriyaki wings. Lauren and Frazier were awesome bartends and made up some great drinks. Highly recommend if your in the area stop in and enjoy some great food and drinks.
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Rasky B.

Yelp
Jess is awesome. It's a feeling of people who mostly know one another and I was happier outside. As in, I did feel a clique attitude inside so this review is about the people outside and how nice Jess was regarding the situation. For those visiting it's a decent place and staff will make you feel welcome. Or, else. (Kidding). I'll stop over once again but if it's the same that's the last time. I give it 5 stars because I think it's a great experience the first visit and it has a lot of potential. I thought of playing there which is why I visited in the first place. I think most people will have a 5 star experience. The last two times I was there you absolutely served someone you knew was intoxicated. He didn't remember the last time and went around rambling. I get he walks home but he bothered me because he was way over the legal limit and kept bring served. Don't pretend any given day you haven't violated your license. I really don't care. What makes me mad is when your obnoxious patrons take it out on me.

Jayahasan B.

Yelp
It's nice bar with good music and ambience, few games around the bar to keep you entertained along with good music choices. Not too loud that you gotta shout across the table, best Cajun fries I ever had. Damian is one of the best bartenders, he took time to suggest one whisky, Perfect Vibe for Friday night
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Maggie H.

Yelp
We popped in for a bite on a snowy Sunday afternoon. We didn't plan our trip out very well and we're delighted to find the New Way Bar. Cozy vibe with fun arcade games. We had a delicious BLT & Grilled cheese along with a side of onion rings. The bartender could not have been more attentive or friendly. We'll definitely be back for more (and a ski ball challenge )
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Brian Y.

Yelp
Fun, little, neighborhood bar. It can get crowded if there is live music. And when it's crowded it gets SUPER hot. They have a few bar games inside including a knock the clowns down game. This was by far the highlight of the bar. The competitive juices get flowing and it's a lot of fun. Good place for a drink and some friendly competition. There is also skee ball, foosball, darts, and pool.
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Cuemaster S.

Yelp
Great times bar, lil bands and fun times with cheap drinks ferndale funky without the woke, very enjoyable.

Paula E.

Yelp
I came with my daughter and friend to celebrate their 50th Birthdays. It isn't a bar for a grandma, but 30-40 year olds would have a good time! I liked all the things to do to strike up conversations. I saw there was set up for a band which would be fun. I've been by there for years and noticed this bar. Glad I got to go in there! I had a good time people watching.

ender w.

Yelp
None of my music got played and I spent 30 bucks at the ami. I just want a refund. Bartenders are the best in the city, hands down.

Kane B.

Yelp
So I took the advice from a review from Guy K. And boy did I have a great time! All I did was go in around 4 or 5 on a Wednesday , and asked for Mike Forbes. The bartender looked at their watch, said any minute...and within the next half hour all of my dreams came true! What a hotttie! I offered to buy him a drink and he actually turned it down, and paid for MY tab all night! He said anytime you come in this place just put in on the Mike Forbes tab! Wow. What a man!
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Greg B.

Yelp
Great little shot and a beer joint. You can't beat the friendly atmosphere and neighborhood feel. On weekends its on of the few bars that still have live bands. During the week... Quiet and conversational. They have a good games corner and a pool table.

Dustin W.

Yelp
Bartender said we weren't eating or drinking enough, when the whole table had been drinking, and more than half ordered food. Mind you we had been there for an hour! He had an attitude from the moment we got there. As for the food, the wings sucked, the fries were soggy. If you get mark as your bartender I would recommend leaving and not tipping as he was extremely disrespectful! I have been to this bar several times and spent hundreds of dollars, so much for hospitality, maybe he was acting this way because of the diverse group of friends I was with !
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Rodger W.

Yelp
My favorite Ferndale watering hole. Cool diverse crowd, stiff drinks, chill bartenders, and DRIPA on tap. Easy parking in back. I have not seen any live music here, but the lineups look great. Best of all, no flying axes!
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Celeste B.

Yelp
Really cool atmosphere and unique for the area. It's kind of divey but in the best possible sense of the word. There was a band playing and an area for dancing, there are games like pool and hoops set up in the back. The bar was packed and there was still plenty of space to move around and dance to the band! I would definitely go back, the most fun I've had out in a long time! Great drink selections, pretty much everything you could want is available.
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Jessica Y.

Yelp
1.Cheap Beer. 2.Best Open Mic on the West Side(Wednesdays at 9pm with Brian Miller, who rules at the sound boards btw!) 3.Yummy Junk Food. 4.The Owner Looks Like Cher.
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Arun P.

Yelp
The Tacos are just amazing - not to mention the service which is second to none. I am blown away from the taste on all the unique flavors. They switch up the menu every Thursday and specialty tacos. I have not been disappointed since and I have been coming once a week for the past 6 weeks.
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Kris G.

Yelp
The drinks are a bit expensive for a dive but the bartenders are always friendly and they make an effort to remember your name. I've always felt welcome here and safe enough to use it as a casual first date meet up.

Pasquale T.

Yelp
I love this place!!! Great atmosphere, great crowd and the drinks... obviously great. Took my girl here for the tail end of our 2nd date on a whim. She walked in with a "wtf are we?" look on her face. That was over a year ago. She's begging to go back :-) a great story and memory. Thank you for the experience. We'll see you soon!!
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Tajia C.

Yelp
This place is not diverse at all!! Walked in saw the crowd and immediately turned around!!
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Rhonda J.

Yelp
It's like the positive reviews must have happened when everyone was drunk cause this is a crappy dive bar.. literally everything is filthy and falling apart. It's not that cheap either 7 bucks for a frozen crappy burger with no sides? I ordered food then watched the bartender cough in his hand and handle money then just continue to grab buns and handle raw meat with no hand washing or gloves being used. Extreme cross contamination all around and then he grabbed the top of our glasses where we drink with the same hands that haven't been washed. I pray I don't get sick.
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Michael H.

Yelp
$2.50 Stroh's cans? Hell yes. Monday night open-mic comedy night is weird, but fun. Lester is my favorite bartender in Ferndale. Only reason it's not five stars is that the sound could be mixed better for live shows. Almost always too loud and the vocals get lost in the mix.
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Carolyn M.

Yelp
Chris from New Way- she is INCREDIBLE. I can't believe her multi-tasking abilities. Wonder Woman she is. She is the ultimate plate spinner and we have witnessed her skills now a few times in awe. With a smile on her face or an " I'm sorry for the wait" kind of graciousness. I'm not kidding you, that girl was working the whole bar (I counted 40) AND cooking not missing a beat and keeping the customers happy. They have really good burgers and the fryer foods are available late into the night. I like what the new ownership has done with the place. Ping pong table is awesome as well.

Andrew W.

Yelp
Stopped in at about 7:00pm on an Friday and snagged a couple seats at the bar with a friend. Hands-down, the absolute worst service I've ever had to suffer through. Took a good 10-15 minutes before we could order our first pints (it wasn't remotely busy and there were three people working behind the bar). Finished our first round.... had to basically scream and flail to get one of the 'bartenders'' attention (again - after a LENGTHY wait). Ordered our second round (pints of draft - nothing too difficult here). She says 'no problem' and then proceeds to walk to the other end of the bar and take other drink orders - completely forgetting and/or neglecting us and our order. After several incredulous minutes of this nonsense - the bitch came back down the bar with an "oh yeah" and said she'd grab our beers at which point we told her to just cash us out. I frequent a LOT of bars.... and I have never in my life seen ineptitude at this shocking level. I hope the place burns down with the staff locked inside.

M S.

Yelp
Every time we come here we feel so welcomed. There's never been a time where we weren't so happy to see Matt & Ashley behind the bar! They've always been so awesome to us!! Prompt service, happy and helpful bartenders, great crowd..... what's more to ask?? The people that hang out here are always happy and seem to adore our fellow bartenders Ashley and Matt. I wish we could come here every night :) We love this bar!!! This place has become our staple for Pleasant Ridge!!!
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Tim P.

Yelp
Um... No drink discounts for bands ... Drinks over priced... Sound guy plays WRIF music no matter what the crowd is like... One "plus" is that there is Paul Stanley lookalike roaming around..So, if you play there... Please do a cover of "Shandi:" and dedicate it her...
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Maureen C.

Yelp
A fun Ferndale dive bar. Friendly and welcoming atmosphere with a low-key vibe. Lots of games and cheap drinks. I like that they have live music frequently! The place is divided into two skinny sections which gets tight when it's crowded.
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Vic D.

Yelp
I didn't mention in my first post that I am a member of the Detroit Blues Society. We we holding our monthly meeting at New Way Bar. We had never met there before. I was so angry about the way I was treated Saturday night that I e-mailed several folks on the DBS board of directors to tell them what happened to me, and to suggest that we not hold any additional meetings there. It turned out that one of our board members had an unpleasant experience with a different employee Saturday night. He wasn't at all happy about the way he was treated, either. I haven't heard back from everyone on the board I communicated with, but the response from each board member who has replied to me is unanimous -- we won't be meeting there again.
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Parisa K.

Yelp
So this is a quaint, little (tiny) dive off Woodward. It's one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it locales. I actually didn't know it existed until my friend's cousin played a show there. I like it, though I think it may be cash only, so come prepared. There are two rooms, a few pool tables, and a decent size bar. I'm pretty sure that they have other local bands perform there from time to time, but I don't think this is the kind of place that fills up (at least never when I've been there). I wouldn't say this is a bar to go to when you want to be a social butterfly and meet people. I'm not sure if this is the type of place most people drop in on at random. I definitely think you should stop in and check it out sometime tho.
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Tim G.

Yelp
The is the way a hole-in-the-wall, neighborhood bar should be. Recently remodeled, it is clean & friendly with good burgers, good prices on beer, and live music. Unlike many small bars with a grill in the back bar, it smells clean and you don't feel greasy when you leave. New TV's make this a great place to watch a game. The front patio makes it a great place to relax with an afternoon cocktail. The owner doing things like having a horse out front for people to get their pictures take on for the Kentucky Derby, make this a great place. I was there for the release party for the book, Bird Box - Don't open your eyes, by local author and musician Josh Malerman. Run out and buy it (Book Beat, B&N, Amazon, etc.) before they make it into a movie (it's in the works).
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Libby S.

Yelp
My favorite dive bar!! Love that we can play skew ball (or the creepy clown game) when we go. Also love that they have popcorn!!

Jill E.

Yelp
Awesome Bar! The owners are amazing! I had such a great time here... I recommend everybody make it part of your Detroit experience!
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Casey S.

Yelp
No need to dress up at this place. Very chill and low key. THEY HAVE SKEE BALL. Their live bands are always playing something with a good beat. They also have free popcorn. Don't throw it in other people's mouths though because it makes a mess...
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Maggie M.

Yelp
Accidentally left my purse there on Christmas eve... They found it untouched! Thanks so much to the staff for looking for it and guarding it... Love this bar and that they support live music!
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Liz R.

Yelp
Stopped in for the $5.00 burger, beer and fries. Was the best burger I've had in a while. Fries are fresh cut and really good, pretty much like the fries in a cup from the fair. It's got the good-ole-bar feel, but the bartender did a great job at making up feel welcome. It's not uppity like most of the bars in the area, just a easy place to hang out on a weekend afternoon. P.S. Make sure you take cash as they don't take cards.
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Joe B.

Yelp
The new ownership looks good on this place. A fresh coat of paint inside, anew sign and Tiger's colored patio furniture and it's like a whole new bar. Add to that the fact they now take credit and it's a winner all around.
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J D.

Yelp
This place would be better if they fiigured out a couple things to do instead of trying to do everything. Pool table. Pin ball, skew ball, trivia and live music. Too much crammed into too small a space.