Kevin J.
Yelp
Classic neighborhood dive bar. I think it's called Outer Limits cause it's on the outer limits of Hamtramck? The last time I was there was for New Years and they had the Twilight Zone marathon on behind the bar. The real entertainment, though, was on stage where The Stools then Easy Action rocked out, wrapping things up precisely in time to count down from 10 to ring in 2023. Shows here seem to always conclude by midnight. Other venues run later by OLL has neighbors very close by in the dense town of Hamtramck so I assume it's a noise thing.
The set up really isn't the best for bands here with the mens room directly to the left of the stage, the front door opening smack dab into the middle of the mob gathered for the music and a couple of awkwardly placed poles. At least the poles have shelves for drinks, I guess. Outer Limits seems to do the best they can with the built in ergonomics or lack thereof and I'm sure it would be prohibitively expensive to remodel the joint.
The decor is great; all manner of retro delights mainly focused on the Super 70s, some of which reinvigorated memories that had been long lost to the shifting sands of time. I don't drink, so I'm pretty useless for giving you the lowdown on libations, and I don't hang out at bars unless it's to see bands or scarf down a meal but I might actually pop in here sometime during daylight to get a better look at the vintage extravaganza on the walls in something other than the dimmest light and without a crowd around.
The backyard is spacious for Hamtramck. It's no Old Miami but it'll do. It's a welcome respite from a claustrophobic concert crowd. Even though it can get packed out there, too, there's still some fresh air between the gusts of cigarette smoke. There's a little wedding chapel back there, too! Don't know the story or ever seen it in use but it is a curiosity adding to the ambiance, along with the year round strings of lights.
Parking is sparse. You probably have to hit the side streets to the north and hoof it back. And hopefully they finish the construction on Caniff soon cause that's getting to be a real drag.
