In a word - loud.
Good beer menu. Several local selection and great prices. Came in here with my husband and some friends on a Saturday night to play pool. It was very busy but not crowded. Impossible to talk much at all.
The bathroom attendant has to go. There's gotta be a less intrusive way to prevent drug use & smoking in the bathrooms.
Went there on Friday night to meet some friends and had a good time. Â It's been years since i have been to Fifth Avenue on a Friday night and the remodeling looks good. Â New big comfy chairs at the downstairs bar when you first walk in which they took away right after i sat down. Â Not happy about that but needed room for all the people. Â Wow those seats were comfy. Â Big screen tv's and new couches all looked good. Â The bar was crowded so we had to wait a little while for drinks but once i finally got one, my drink was perfect. All and all, Fifth Avenue does not seem to change year after year. Â Its a good place to meet up with a bunch of friends because they have big tables, pools tables and also the bar upstairs.
Review Source:Popped in for a drink after work. Not really the place to do that. No happy hour, lots of guys with black "STAFF" shirts buzzing around with clipboards, clearly getting ready for the impending nightclub festivities. I would have turned around and left for a neighborhood dive, but I'm a total sucker for a hot bartender, so I pulled up a big, cumbersome, wooden "bar-chair," complete with drink holders (?) in the arms and a reclining back. Back to the hot bartender: long blonde hair, wicked body, and rocking a skin-tight beater with text bedazzled across her rack. She mixed a very nice, albeit pricey for happy hour ($10) martini that really hit the spot. Not a bad visit considering I was basically the wrong guy in the wrong place at the wrong time. So ignore the stars.
Review Source:I came here for Halloween with my sister in law and some of her friends and I had the best time ever! Â I didn't want to leave so early but had to because she had to work early the next day. Â Bummer.
After coming from South Beach Miami, this place was a welcome change of pace. Â I loved how people dressed up for Halloween- there were some crazy costumes and down to earth people. Â And their shots? Â Full shots compared to the stingy portions in Miami bars. Â The bartenders working the bottom bar were cool and knew how to make their drinks, loved his lemon drops.
However, I went upstairs once the crowd got bigger and the female bartender gave me straight vodka shots when I asked for lemon drops. Â I even brought it to her attention and she was like "they are lemon drops." Â LOOK LADY, I may be drinking but I know when you're not making anything and pouring us straight vodka you lazy twit. Â She's lucky I was having a good time and in a good mood. Â Besides that, music was good.
I will be the first person to stick my neck out and give this place five stars. Â I am finding that I love going out in Royal Oak when it is not the weekend. Â I am just pissed that I discovered their March Madness special on the day of the championship. Â $1 PBRs and $1 burgers (which are way better than you would expect) - you really cannot go wrong. Â I can certainly see the comments on poor service, but at this price I do not care - as long as I do not go thirsty.
They have the best set up of any sports bar I have been to in Michigan (admittedly, I am new to the mitten). Â I love the sports book type set up; I just wish we got there in time to claim the recliners. Â My pint was always full and I never had to leave my seat, except to relieve myself. Â At these prices, I would think the hipsters would mess this place up, but I suspect the sports book angle scares them off (I am perfectly okay with this). Â I think they have something else going on Monday, because by midnight the place was packed but the game was over.
Service is S L O W . I tried to order a carry out because of a groupon i had. No one answers the phone. So i drove down there with my spouse to just eat there. Such a mistake! Ordered a pizza And it took 55 minutes! Really? That long for crappy pizza? They kept saying they were slammed but several table and seats were open. Do not waste your time here. Better drinks, food and service at any other place in royal oak.
Review Source:This place is GREAT for a show if you're interested in teasing the bouncers behind their backs...like I am.
But, for real, the STAFF (as they are so blatantly labeled on their shirts) here is obsessive and insane. Â They are so overly concerned with clearing the aisles that you just have to laugh to avoid being aggravated. Â Approximately every 4 minutes, one of them will either push a table or chair closer to the wall, or push people towards the bar. Â This, my yelp friends, can turn in to quite the drinking game. Â My entire evening here turned into game of "push the table out and see how long it takes them to push it back." Â They are OBSESSED. Â And I'm pretty sure that jamming tables and chairs up to each other when people are sitting them is equally as hazardous as not having an open aisle way. Â I would have had to climb on the tables and chairs to get out if there was an emergency. Â
The drinks are cheap, though, and the music is decent...although, don't even try to dance or you'll really send the bouncers into a walkie-talkie tizzy.
Stopped by this place recently when home for the weekend. Â It was a good reminder why I moved to Chicago three years ago. Â What a lame crowd. Â Girls in Detroit are trashy yet they all think they are super models. Â One girl blew off my friend so my other friend went up to her and asked if she would like a drink and of course she wanted a free drink. Â Except this time it wasn't free - he snuck away and stuck her with the bill. Â I would go here if I wanted to shoot some pool.
Review Source:Downstairs feels like a sports bar (TVs, pool tables, and high tops). Â Upstairs charges cover, but there's dancing (sometimes a live band, but sometimes just an iPod). Drinks are reasonably priced. Since this place was remodeled, there is now a small patio area outside, which is where we usually go. Outside is nice, but I wouldn't recommend going inside, especially since commune and gracies both have dancing and do not charge cover, so if you want to dance go someplace else for free!!
Review Source:Was here last Saturday for a few drinks before my friends and I went dancing. Â The wait to order drinks wasn't very long. I got a couple Gin & Tonics; they were pretty good, and strong.
The bartender girl was nice enough considering how busy they were. Met a few cool people here. It's no where to go dancing if that's what you're looking for but it had a pretty nice crowd.
First, the good...
The drinks are cheap. The bartenders make them nice and strong. How can you beat three dollar gooses on Tuesdays? Karaoke is usually fun. The burgers are really good for the price (again on Tuesdays).
Then, the bad...
We have ordered things that never showed up. Â We have also waited a half hour before our waitress even acknowledged our arrival. Â I had to pick my own food up at the bar since it was sitting there for at least ten minutes getting cold. Â Now, I just order everything at the bar and pick it up. Â I am certain this place brings out the douchiest douchebags Royal Oak has to offer.
I live in Royal Oak so I frequent this bar quite a bit - definitely my go-to bar if I'm staying local. However, that's not saying much as the bar choices are pretty limited. Ok, now onto the review. This is strictly for the bar, as I've never eaten there. Note that you can only order the beers on tap downstairs, upstairs only has liquor.
Pros
- Line is usually quick due to the large capacity, even on weekends
- No cover (for downstairs)
- Fairly young crowd, mostly mid to late twenties/early 30's
- Pool tables are nice with plenty of space to shoot and rates are about $10/hour, pretty reasonable if you ask me
- Bouncers seem friendly every time I've been there
- They have Oberon and a couple other decent beers on tap, not a spectacular selection by any means
- Pretty good looking crowd
Cons
- Mixed drinks are weak... A double costs about $10 and I can barely even taste the alcohol in a gin and tonic  Beers are around 6 bucks for the large glasses on tap (luckily they serve Bell's Two Hearted)
- The music here is not good/orginal. Your standard pop fare that would be playing on the radio..... about 2 months ago.
- Lots of douchers walking around who think they are VIPs when in reality they pull 30K/year .
-Recently started charging $5 to go upstairs
-Only busy on Fri/Sat, Thurs the place is completely dead
Overall
Better than Woody's. Line moves quick and the place is big. Overpriced for what you get. Nothing unique about 5th ave, it feels generic with nothing that sets it apart.
The upstairs doesn't know if it wants to be a chill pool lounge or loud dance club... So you get both with mixed results. Sometimes they have bands, each time I've been there its been a guy and girl duet doing cover songs. Downstairs would feel like home if you have a blowout and an array of button up shirts with embroidered crosses in your closet. Either way, better than Woody's.
Review Source:I spent about an hour in here and I couldn't wait to get out. I went on a Saturday night around 9pm for a friend's birthday. The bar was LOUD, the service was slow, the drinks were TINY and there was more North Face, hair gel and cologne than the Jersey Shore. Barf.
Our server, along with the other servers, was precious in her spandex pants and tight, sparkely tank top. She was nice and efficient for the first 30 mins, but we literally had to hunt her down later to get our tab. The place filled up really quick with "cheese dicks," "chodes," and "douche bags." My drink (rum and diet) was literally about 5oz - 1oz of which was liquor and the rest was ice and a splash of diet - it cost $6. Stupid.
This place was the epitomy of what I hate in a bar and I would never go back.
One of my go-to places in RO.
Compared to Black Finn and Commune they have quicker lines, more space, easier to get a drink, and a better draft beer selection.
Compared to Woody's it tends to be a better crowd.
Since they reopened it seems like 5th has a lot more waitresses and the new bar in the lower level is choice.
Fun place to have drinks with a bigger group of friends.
After dinner at Bastone, my friends and I decided to stop by Fifth to shoot some pool. I'm pretty sure it was a Thursday night, but regardless, the place was dead. The nice thing was that we got a free round of shots just because we were, and I quote, "the prettiest girls there". The truth is, I think we were the only girls there. Though I'm sure they were just trying to get us to stay and buy more drinks/play more pool, it was flattering nonetheless.
Pool costs ten dollars an hour, and it's not too bad if you split that four ways. I'm not a big pool player, so I don't know how much places normally charge. We stuck to beer, cause it's nice to always have a guaranteed alcohol content...
It's true that the workers seemed fairly clueless about some things, but they seemed friendly enough. I'd be interested in going back during the weekend to get a better idea of what this place is all about.
The new 5th Avenue is pretty similar to the old, except that tonight the downstairs was deafening, whereas the upstairs had a pleasant, chill ambiance (I remember it being the reverse in the olden days). Â We found a very nice area upstairs, with 3 leather couches, although we were kicked off the couches as a "private party" was arriving. Â I don't think I'd ever want my party to involve simply renting 3 leather couches upstairs at 5th avenue. Â There are plenty of pool tables. Â The beer selection is so-so, though upstairs there is only bottled beer. Â Most of the bartenders were unpleasant, but since you only have to deal with them for 30 seconds at a time, it's bearable. Â The bouncers, however, were all very polite. Â All in all, I would never become a regular here, but it is fine while in the neighborhood.
Review Source:Dropped in on a Wednesday and took full advantage of $2 Cheeseburger, and $3 Grey Goose special. Â When they mentioned the $2 burger, I never imagined it to be as tasteful as it was with ALL the fixings.....it was the Ruth Chris of burgers. Â Okay, maybe exaggerated but it was really really good. Â The drinks were nice, atmosphere was okay, but I didn't care because my burger was sooo good and my drinks were stiff. Â So I was happy.
Review Source:Because they are trying to "re-launch" 5th they have some pretty good drink specials that are worth the trip in, but don't expect the staff to know what's going on.
The bartender didn't have a clue about the specials or the price for beer, and poured the wrong beverages after we ordered. Â We did notice the kitchen is open much later than it used to be so that's a positive.
Like other reviewers have said- it's pretty much the same place it was before plus a new bar set up and minus a few pool tables.
Yes they're open for business once again, but really it's the same place it was before.
Downstairs is chop full of choads trying to look cool in their black shirts and gooped up hair. Upstairs is a little more to my liking, the people weren't as obnoxious, but I must say the staff is Effing clueless, I asked how long the band playing and no one seemed to know, I'm not paying cover if the band's done! Luckily I saw the drummer who I'm familiar with and he told me they had another set.
Ok now with the good, I love the stage in this place, it's easy to see the band from most anywhere on that side of the room, and the sound mix is great!  esthetically I like how the upstairs looks too, you make not be cool enough to know who they are, but they have some cool  black and white photos of a young Muddy waters and Howling wolf on the back wall, which endeared me right away, I'm glad those are still here.
It was pretty easy to get a drink at the bar too, I like that! If you come here maybe you'll be lucky enough to see a great show like I did, I wouldn't come here to just hang out, not my scene, only for the music baby.
I enjoyed it when I was younger...after a nite of feeling like the oldest person in there I realized why I enjoyed it when I was YOUNGER. I saw some chick in the bathroom that couldn't have even been close to 21....depressing as f*ck.
Don't know anything about food or local bands...but that is cool that they have it and people seem to enjoy it. I wouldn't mind checking out a good local band here....
Sadly, not a lot of options in RO as you emerge in late 20s....it's either too young of a crowd or too douchey and Bham is way too $$$$, but at least you feel young there, right??? Â
It's darker than I remembered, and I tend to enjoy the upstairs more than the downstairs, and I won't refuse to go here. However, dear jesus, 5th ave...add some more tables!! I know there is room...also, please put liquor in your drinks. Thanks!
Place kinda sucks.
First time here was on Saturday. There was a good funk band, but they don't allow dancing now, so having a good funk band was pointless.
Drinks were pricey and weak.
Someone took a crap ON the toilet. It had to have been intentional. I won't give you the gory details, but trust me on this. If that is the type of crowd that rolls in this place, I'm too old for it.
The DJ played really good music between sets. The band and the DJ together, deserve 5 stars. Everything else is -3.
I was so disappointed. I have only been here twice, and that's probably going to be it for me.
I felt like there were hundreds of creepy old guys coming out of the woodwork. The drinks were expensive and I would argue virgin despite paying for booze. The bands were good, a small highlight.
There were no tables available for shooting pool and I am pretty sure the occupants were owners because they looked at us like we were crazy to assume we might get a chance to use them. Oops, my bad.
I gave it 2 stars because of the bands, but I wouldn't suggest that you waste you time there.
I AM NOT SINGLE...
However, when I was, I loved this place- Â especially on Wednesdays and other weekdays too. Â Weekends- I'm not really a fan it gets too crowded and loud to have fun, unless you like making out with random people- that tends to happen a lot. Â They also tend to have great local jazzy/funky music here.
Now the downstairs pretty much sucks. Â On weekdays it can be fun to hang with the bartenders downstairs and have a few drinks with friends. Â However, on weekends it gets way too crowded....
Thank god for the upstairs. Â You can hang out and dance with some local bands, or you can talk to the bartenders or people next to you. Â Everyone is really friendly. Â Ask for Russ, he is one of the best bartenders I have met in Detroit. Â
This place is especially great if you are single and you like to groove to good music.
Fifth Avenue is by far the best of the bar's on Fifth Ave. don't get me wrong, they're all pretty bad, but this one's the one, if forced, I would spend my time in. Â
As another reviewer mentioned the bar downstairs is useless, although that doesn't bother me as much because I don't really use it all too often. Â I also agree that the first floor is a little loud, but every once in awhile they place some decent tunes. Â I've never played pool there but I would have to say that after 10:00 it would be pretty hard to get a game in without getting bumped into. Â I prefer a place to sit in a bar, and there's not much anywhere in here, but I don't hold it against Fifth it's hard to find a place to sit in a bar anywhere in R.O.
As for the second floor, as I said in my review for Woody's, I can't stand charging a cover to essentially walk up a flight of stairs to another, more crowded bar. Â I just don't get it. Â There is usually an alright band upstairs, along with 50% more people. Â
All-in-all, not my favorite place to be on a weekend night, but definitely the lesser of the three evils on Fifth Ave.
5th Avenue is one of the better spots I've been to in Downtown Royal Oak. I have always mainly just played pool and hung out with friends of mine, but it seems to have a nice crowd of people in their 20's and 30's, and is busier than most places are on a Sunday night. Â
It appeared to be that after about 10:30pm things start picking up here, and the music will get turned way up so it's not the best location to sit down and just chat with those in your group.
The staff tries to help you out the best they can but at some points during the night it is best to wander over to the bar and get a drink from there. They also have a kitchen, but not that sure on what exactly is all on the menu, but I recommend get the pizza with feta cheese.
Fifth is not my favorite place, but there are several reasons why I choose to go here when I do. Â They regularly have The Killer Flamingos, a great local cover band. Â The downstairs is less crowded, has many pool tables, and there is no cover downstairs. Â Upstairs there is a cover, but there is a LARGE bar that wraps around the entire length of the place almost, more pool tables, and a dance floor. Â So when you are out with people who have differing ideas of what would make it a good night, Fifth is a good option because it has a little bit of something for almost everyone.
Review Source:OK, when I got here around 9pm on a Sat night, it was a reasonably nice place to play pool. Â It wasn't croweded and the music was playing Motown tunes. Â As time went on, I began to notice that my friend and I had to speak louder to each other, it got smokier and our waitress all but disappeared. Â I'm not so sure it was her fault or that the place didn't schedule enough waitresses. Â The place filled up with a bridge and tunnel crowd that poured in with the party buses/limos.
Oh yeah, replace the damn felt on the tables. Â The cues were in good condition, but the felt on the tables were nasty looking. Â It's another small, but important detail in the whole experience.
I'd go back, but certainly not on a Saturday night. Â My friend told me there's a club upstairs and that would explain the mob scene. Â When I want to play pool, I don't want to have to deal with that nonsense.
A friend brought us here after dinner. She raved about loving this place on Sunday's esp. when the Killer Flamingo's play.
My new fave spot, well at least for Sunday nights! Â It's more of a hole in the wall spot with a live band which were great. They played pop/rock/alt, a good mix.
Diverse crowd, pool table, no cover and no dress code, a triple plus!
What I did hate was leaving smellin like an ashtray! Otherwise, it's my new joint.....
Mood: Relieved (for finding a chill spot with good music)
Ugh.
Is there anywhere else in town with pool tables? Doesn't the Rock? If you're looking to play pool, I'd suggest seeking other avenues. (figuratively, literally)
There's a few things that I never liked about Fifth Avenue.
Parking is absolutely horrible, so I'd suggest grabbing a meter (remember, they check them until 10!).
This place has a strong tinge of meat market to it. Granted, it's no Wild Woody's, but it's close. Lots of sharp-dressed men with way too much cologne and testosterone frequent this place along with their dyed-blonde counterparts. I don't want to be too insulting, but the phrase "meat market" should bring to mind a certain atmosphere...
I know they do music sometimes, but honestly any of the music I've heard was sub-par pap. If a band does happen to play in Royal Oak, the one's worth seeing would most likely be at the Royal Oak Music Theater, and nowhere else. (The one exception to this rule I grant to The Gypsy Strings) This is not a place to see a show.
Maybe it's just not my style, but I really don't feel the need to ever come back here. Check it out if you like, but it may not be a place to stay the night, so to speak.
I have what is probably an unreasonable hatred of this bar, but I'm going to hash it out here for you, biases and all, anyway.
Here are my issues:
-It's oddly loud and dark. Â The downstairs is all pool, why does the music need to drown out everything else? Â And I like dark places but this is a bit over the top.
-The setup sucks. Â There are very few places to sit or put down your drink. Â The bar, run by one 'tender, is tucked into a very bottlenecked corner. Â It takes forever to get a drink -- better get more than one if you go.
-Seriously, the bar thing is really annoying!
Anyway, the upstairs bar fares a little better, but again, it's one of those unreasonably loud places -- they usually have a live band, which could be cool, but the complete lack of ability to hear anything but the band can suck. Â Also, just try getting a drink out of the bartenders.
All in all, I hate this bar.