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Cocktail lounge serving classic cocktails and BBQ - Bitter Truth, Ypsilanti, MI

Bitter Truth

5.0
5
19 Reviews
$31 to $50
Barbecue

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 1 time today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Intimate barbecue restaurant/cocktail lounge with an Art Deco vibe. Perfect for date night, a celebration with friends or just a cozy retreat. Enjoy a cocktail from our curated menu, paired with genuine smokehouse barbecue.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Cocktail Bar, Speakeasy
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (734) 340-2381
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 19 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

5.0
5 based on recent ratings
  • 5Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Good for special occasions

  • Detroit / Eastern Michigan

    Lively

  • Ann Arbor

    Best Overall

  • Ann Arbor

    Best Food

  • Ann Arbor

    Best Service

  • Ann Arbor

    Best Ambience

  • Ann Arbor

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Ann Arbor

    Good for special occasions

  • Ann Arbor

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Bitter Truth shines with "probably the best cocktails" in Ann Arbor and a barbecue-forward menu that never disappoints. Guests enjoy a "cool, welcoming vibe" with "friendly staff" and an "amazing drinks" selection. The speakeasy decor and comfortable seating make it an ideal spot for intimate gatherings.

19 Reviews
  1. OpenTable Diner

    Detroit1 review

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I loved it very nice very good very demure. The service was top tier and the food was great!

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  2. KristinB

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Friendly staff, delicious drinks, terrific ambiance!

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  3. ScottH

    Detroit6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Probably the best cocktails in all of the Ann Arbor area. Great BBQ as well.

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  4. Wendy

    Detroit1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 22, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service; drink I had called Aviation was wonderful. Will be back!

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  5. Edgar

    Chicago3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, great drinks, friendly staff and relaxed ambiance. Great job! Definitely coming back for some ribs (they sold out).

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  6. Rick

    Detroit58 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    In an age of far too many chain restaurants with their boring drink / food menus, what a delight to discover the Bitter Truth. Cool, welcoming vibe… friendly staff… and true cocktail expertise, we felt right at home. Oh, and the barbecue-forward menu did not disappoint. Owners Sean and Myra are fully invested and super personable. Eva and Ava took great care of us. We will definitely be back. Thank you.

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  7. Anna

    Detroit1 review

    4.0

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food here is FIRE. Smoked wings were juicy with perfectly crispy skin! The ribs are dry rub and you can pull the bone right out, and the original house made sauce was sooooo good, it’s the slightly vinegary kind which is my fave. The mac and cheese is bomb but the portion size was disappointing for $12. The place was full (valentine’s day) but the seating is spacious - even at the bar - you don't feel crammed in and there is a very comfortable distance to the next table. Nice decor, speakeasy vibe and comfy velvet chairs. The music kept cutting out, like the person whose phone is connected to the bluetooth speakers walked too far away pretty frequently. As someone who is hypersensitive to background music it was annoying, but most people would prob not notice. Cocktails were fantastic but unfortunately the drink service was incredibly slow (20 min wait per drink). Staffing another bartender would easily fix this. To be fair, the bartender was never goofing around, and the bar back, host, and bus staff were giving all the support they could, but since they cant make drinks, there was a true bottleneck. Certainly not enough to keep me away - when I go back, I will just order doubles.

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  8. Evan

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    My new favorite spot in Ypsi. Went here on Valentine's Day and had a great experience with my wife at the bar, the food was excellent but as a setting it really stands out. Entire restaurant was staffed well, which was nice to see. As much as anything, it's *quiet*, not covered with hard surfaces that reflect sound like some of these modern restaurants, which drives me nuts.

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  9. Humza

    Detroit1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Place was nearly empty, I think we were the only ones in there. For it being our first visit, that was a little disappointing. Delicious food, fantastic bar, and the place looks great. Attractive and friendly service.

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  10. Liz

    Detroit1 review

    5.0

    Dined on January 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing drinks, truly some of the best I have had in metro Detroit. Food was a slam dunk. Everything delicious. Ambience was perfect. Service phenomenal. We will be back!!!

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FAQs

Bitter Truth is rated 5 stars by 19 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 1 time today
Google Map for Bitter Truth

207 W Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48197-5440

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    Ypsilanti
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Barbecue, Cocktail Bar, Speakeasy
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
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  • Terms of Use
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