WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI -- Sometimes people just want to slow down and have a cheap drink among some familiar faces.

Ann Arbor is packed with bars and restaurants offering a variety of experiences. However, there are only a select few bars in and around the city that give customers a “dive bar” experience filled with inexpensive drinks and a comfortable atmosphere.

Here’s a look at five different examples of dive bars in and around Ann Arbor.

Alley art — An alley art installation titled “Urban-Fetti" by LAA Office, a design studio from Columbus, Indiana, next to Alley Bar off Liberty Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Dec. 2, 2022.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

Alley Bar

Sit back, relax and sip on just about any drink you’re in the mood for at the Alley Bar.

The bar on West Liberty Street has a large selection of drinks, including options for whiskey, draft beers, wine, tequila and a list of some cocktails.

Some may consider the Alley Bar a “relaxed cocktail bar” while others may classify it as an “upscale dive,” according to its website.

“These days our goal at the Alley is to run a bar that we ourselves would want to drink in,” The Alley Bar’s website states. “That means good quality fresh ingredients, great cocktails, Michigan craft beer and good cheap cans in a simple relaxed setting.”

Alley Bar, 112 W. Liberty St., is open 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Find it online, on social media or by phone 734-662-8757.

Blind Pig alley art — “LOOMROOM," a new art installation featuring "multicolored portals" in the alley next to the Blind Pig concert venue and 8 Ball Saloon off First Street in downtown Ann Arbor on March 30, 2023.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News

8 Ball Saloon

This Ann Arbor saloon may be the perfect spot for people looking for a drink and night filled with true bar activities.

Located below Ann Arbor’s Blind Pig, the 8 Ball offers customers a place to shoot pool, order cheap drinks, play darts, eat popcorn, listen to a jukebox or watch sporting events on some big screens.

8 Ball Saloon, 208 S. First St., is open 4:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Find it on social media or by phone at 734-996-8555.

Casey’s Tavern

Casey’s Tavern has been around since 1986 serving up “lots of good cheap food and dozens of beers,” according to its website.

The Ann Arbor bar in the former Washtenaw Lumber Co. on Depot Street works on bringing a casual environment to customers by offering them a place to get a drink and a bite to eat.

The tavern has a full menu, including burgers, sandwiches, salads, fish as well as a weekly changing blackboard special. Customers can pair whatever they’re ordering with either bottled or canned beer, draft beer or a glass of wine.

Casey’s Tavern, 304 Depot St., is open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Find it online, on social media or by phone at 734-665-6775.

Tap Room

Ypsilanti’s Tap Room got its start in 1941 before changing ownership in 1993 and becoming a “hot spot” for Washtenaw County’s music in the ‘90s, according to its website, adding the business is still known as a “neighborhood bar with great drinks and great food.”

People also can find live music, comedy, boylesque or even just a spot to play pool there. And the menu is packed with appetizers, chilis, soup, salads, burgers and sandwiches.

Find Tap Room, 201 W. Michigan Ave., online, on social media or by phone at 734-482-5320.

Scorekeepers Sports Grill and Pub

University of Michigan students tend to flock to Scorekeepers Sports Grill and Pub, especially on a game day.

Scorekeepers, otherwise called Skeeps, is on Maynard Street and has a long history in Ann Arbor. The business began as a bar in 1974 when it opened as Dooley’s. It was renamed in 1992.

The bar now brings back great memories for many current and former University of Michigan students who have experienced the pub’s happy hour, dinner or dancing.

Menu items include chicken fingers, wings and pretzel sticks, as well as salads, wraps, sandwiches, nachos and burgers.

Scorekeepers, 310 Maynard St., is open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Find it online, on social media or by phone at 734-995-0100.

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