Low Bar

This place is a great underground bar that reminds me of a speakeasy in terms of lighting and décor.
The drinks are well thought out, crafter and amazing. The bar tenders are attentive and kind and friendly. It was actually great to talk to them and they held their conversations well.
The crowd is mixed. There are those that are older that’s it in their plush booth seats and those pounder types that hang at the bar toasting their friends birthdays and the like.
Overall an amazing experience. Definitely a place to come when in TC :-)

Dark and stormy is AWESOME! Homemade ginger beer ftw! Eastside tastes like a liquid cucumber. Highly recommended. We will be back many times.

Below ground level, this speakeasy brings you back in time to prohibition days. Lounge areas are available or just belly up to the bar. The bartenders are knowledgeable and busy mixing drinks but sill take time to answer any questions you may have about their drinks.

Hubby had whiskey tasting which he loved. I was told they have good cocktails so we went back on Sunday to give it a try… They were closed :-(
Will def come back if in the city.

Been there twice, great service. Great atmosphere. Bourbon basil smash is fantastic.

I love this bar so much! If there is one thing it could benefit from it is a Playlist from the 1920’s-1930’s!!! Jazz, blues, Miles Davis, swing… anything but current hits or 80’s hair bands that I’ve heard every time we’ve been in there! The drinks are fantastic, the atmosphere is spot on for a speak easy, but the music has got to change! Just background mood music, I want to be able to hear the person that is sitting across from me! :)

5 stars for 5 simple reasons… drinks, atmosphere, service, food, and décor. I found low bar online while looking for places to check out on a weekend trip to traverse city. First impressions we’re undeniably interesting finding that you take an elevator to the basement to get there, however it’s completely worth it! I loved loved loved the dark jazzy-​speak easy feel the low lighting gave with all the dark rustic décor and candles. I had the «ship show» cream cocktail which was a devine dessert in a cup as well as the «something better» which was crisp and refreshing. While enjoying an intimate area for conversation I seen a cheese and meat board go to a table that made my mouth water (even after being stuffed from dinner). Overall I’m pleased we stumbled across this gem in the basement and recommend it to anyone who appreciates a well concocted craft cocktail.

Very cool. I had a classic cocktail called a Hemingway it was delicious, a new favorite. The atmosphere was 50s lounge meets speakeasy. I loved the fact that you take an elevator down to this moody candle lit basement bar. I expected Jessica Rabbit to start crooning but that didn’t happen. The only thing it was missing on a Saturday night was some quiet jazz piano or even freaky Matrix music in the background. The nice thing was lots of group seating and you could hold a conversation. Ultimately the drinks though were expertly mixed and executed. A mixology dream. The list of bourbons and whiskey was enormous! Highly recommend for something out of the ordinary bar scene

Great service, a plethora of cocktail options, and a romantic atmosphere! Great first or last stop for a date night! Nice service, too!

The drinks that were made by Jessie were awesome! Mojito to die for!!! Sparkle flower delicious! Fabulous bartender! !! Must come here when in town!!!

It’s a great concept and we are definitely hoping they can be the cool craft cocktail place in the area.
Unfortunately, their cocktails don’t match up to the quality and prices to be that place.
First, a Vesper is not equal parts Gin, Vodka and Lillet. Not to knock the bartender but if you pronounce it L’il– ette, you’re probably not understanding the drink. Secondly, a Vesper is James Bond’s original drink, therefore, it should be heavy in Gin (3 parts gin, 1 part vodka, ½ part Lillet). Gordon’s was the original but I’m ok with using better booze. But to tell me it’s equal parts Gin, Vodka and Lillet shows no understanding of craft cocktails. Lillet is either an apéritif on the rocks or a secondary or tertiary element in a cocktail. So saying Lillet should equal the Gin and Vodka in drink lacks understanding of cocktails. Rarely is every booze element equally matched with sub components Otherwise they just compete and confuse.
The Sazerac was ok but again, the lack of craft was evident when she left the rye in the glass with ice for 5 minutes while she worked on other drinks. The absinthe was blended into the bitters/​rye mix, not coating the glass.
Nuance is the game when fashioning a great cocktail. It’s not when you just blend all of the components together because it’s part of the drink. Drinks like a Sazerac are supposed to evolve as you consume them. At $ 10+ per drink, they’re charging craft cocktail prices but producing sports bar results.
We really hope the detail and quality goes up because this is a great spot for such cocktails.

Awesome cocktails. We had the Bourbon Basil Smash and the something better.
Good vibes at this place too; very hip and they’ve done all the right things for a basement space.

If you want to sit in pitch black darkness and yell to all your friends over super loud music with expensive cocktails then The Low Bar is the place to go.
Stopped in here on a Saturday night after a friend recommended we check it out. It’s super cool that you have to take an elevator to get downstairs and it looks really cool when the doors open up to a swanky underground bar. Considering we were in a basement, it was HOT… like super hot and humid. I’m not sure if it’s because it was really crowded, or if the air was broken or what… but it was hot.
There was no sign saying to seat yourself or to wait to be seated so we just kind of stood at the front waiting for someone to acknowledge us. Finally a girl came over and quickly sat us down. She rushed us over to a table and said «Sorry I only have on menu, you’ll have to share» and walked away.
Our server came over and we ordered some drinks, she warned us the bar was backed up and it would take a while for our drinks to come. No problem. She even brought over a sample of one of their ciders since we had to wait which was really nice, and the cider was delicious. Our drinks finally arrived and I really liked mine, my friend hated hers.
It was so loud in their we couldn’t even hold a conversation. The music was way too loud and everyone was shouting to be heard over it. We quickly finished our drinks, paid and left. Not sure if I’d go back.

Traverse City should have a speak easy — but this feels so fake and generic. Y’all are trying so hard. The décor is definitely 90% Home Goods. Nothing authentic about this place, which is too bad, given it’s TC — which typically thrives off authenticity.
The drinks were meh. I love a smokey scotch cocktail, and theirs were weak. really weak. The smoking gun trick they use to infuse drinks doesn’t work. it looks cool, but the taste doesn’t stick… you’d be better off just serving decent scotch. Keep that party tricks, for parties.
I wish it was better — and i wish them the best. i wont be back.

I’ve been here 4 times with my wife, and every time is a great one. Experts behind the bar who are always willing to chat a little, and a friendly crowd to boot.

Loved it, good service, and the drinks were very good. Sunny, the waitress did a very nice job and the two bartenders kept busy the entire time. I really liked the sazerac drink it is outstanding. Definitely will go back. Drinks do take some time to get but they are all mixed and mostly complex. Just take time to enjoy who your with and the drinks.

Was impossibly excited when I heard that Traverse City had added an upscale cocktail bar before our impending honeymoon. Something badly needed. Swung in only briefly during our appearance but it was enough to make an impression. Great vibes and an even better bourbon basil smash. Cant wait to come back on our next trip to the area. Definite 5 star potential.

Love this place! This is the kind of cocktail bar that I expected to find in Chicago– not only is the ambiance great, dark and intimate that’s perfect for dates, but the drinks are top notch as well.
I had the Sparkle flower, which has tequila, St. germaine, Brown sugar and other yumminess that made me want to down it in a gulp instead of sipping because it was so darn good! My friends and I were originally going to have just one drink to check it out before moving into the next stop but after this drink, I knew I had to try more. Ordered the basil bourbon smash, which also blew me away. I feel like it’s easy for a bar to do one good drink, but to do it multiple times (tried my friend’s drink too) shows that this place really is good.
Would definitely come back to try the other drinks on the menu! They don’t have much food though, just cheese and charcuterie boards.

Low lighting, low noise, low smooth jazz. Welcome to the speakeasy of TC.
This new establishment is a great place to tuck yourself away from the typical bar scene. A great list of unique homemade libations, standard classics, and several draft beers to choose from. The price points, from $ 8 to $ 12, are appropriate for the ingredients being utilized. The quality spirits and mixers distinguishes itself from others in town and caters to a higher end crowd. A few of these classy concoctions will get your night rolling.
We came in to sample the drinks and make our way upstairs for beers & friends. I don’t picture myself staying here all night and perhaps it’s a good thing they stop serving booze at midnight. There are many places within walking distance to keep the night rolling.
A very dimly lit setting helps you focus on your entourage with literally no distractions. There is a lot of dark wood, dark wall coverings, and soft lighting. Your eyes will needs a few minutes to adjust but once dialed in it is very comfortable.
Booths can accommodate roughly six people which is the maximum number of patrons they will accept to seat in a group. Greatest hits from Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong filled the air which made for easy conversation. The service was prompt and drinks came out after a short wait.
Cheese, meats, and oysters are the main bites. Certainly not going to fill you up for dinner but a nice compliment to the drink menu. A glossary at the end of the menu lays out what you might be consuming which is handy.
This is a unique experience for TC. Following the success of 7 Monks this seems to be a natural progression from the owners. Likely this will be a standout in the cocktail arena but I have a sneaky suspicious a few more will pop up in the area (if they haven’t already). The sum of Low Bar’s parts makes for a great experience.

Opening night I popped in after work for a drink. I had 2 wonderful drinks, an Old Fashioned and I believe a Russian Bride, in a relaxing atmosphere. It was a great way to pass a couple hours.
They have a large list of bourbons and a good selection of everything else. The beer selection is limited, you’ll still want to go to seven monks if your looking for a large beer selection. They also have wine but I forgot what that selection looked like.
I work across the street and see frequent visits in the future.