The Alley Deck

Love hate this place. Mostly don’t like the music here but I like the outdoors in the summer (its closed in the winter). Sometimes its a real pain in the a$$ to get there with out paying a cover. Pretty good vibes in general.

Great place to grab a drink when the weather is warm. They have a happy hour (which I have yet to attend) with good prices. It’s great to see a concert at the stick — go out to the alley deck for a bit and when you get hungry you can always go downstairs and grab a pizza — what more could you want?
It’s got a decent view of Detroit from the bar as well!

The Alley Deck is a great place to hang out when the weather is nice. I usually go here with friends and we are always running into people we know.
The bar always has specials. The last time I was there it was $ 1 beer night.
I recommend going on a Sunday– great music (DJ … love the old school hip hop) and chill vibe. Some people dance and some people just chill by the bar or at the tables and hang out.
There are usually shows going on inside, if that is what you are into.
And once you get hungry, just go downstairs and grab a slice of pizza.
This place has become one of my favorite hangout spots in Detroit.

Ok, so I just now realized that the Alley Deck has a whole separate name and identity from the Magic Stick – silly me! Anyway, I spent most of my time gushing about the deck on my Magic Stick review, but I love, love, LOVE it here. One of the best decks I’ve ever had the pleasure of chilling out on. I can’t wait to go back!

This place is great!
The hubs and I went here on a whim on a random Sunday afternoon where we had great weather. I’d never been to the Majestic before so I had no idea what to expect. As we made our way through the retro looking bowling alley and up the stairs through the club, I didn’t think we were in the right place. But we finally found the outdoor patio and took some seats at the bar.
I love to hang outside. Since we only have a few months a year to enjoy it, I try to take advantage whenever possible. This is a great rooftop bar with a very casual, lazy feel.
There was a Tigers game on the TV so we had a couple of cocktails, made friendly with some regulars, and had a relaxing afternoon outside.
The bartender was excellent. He had a great selection of music on his IPod and he was automatically serving us water with our drinks so we could stay hydrated. The Alley Deck is one of those places you’d expect to see in a beach town, so it’s a cool change to the traditional pub.
I haven’t been here for a show, but I plan on it.

I am a fan indeed. I love a good sunshiny day and drinks with my peeps!
Who would have thought after all the dark grungie shows I have seen there and the countless numbers of gutter balls Ive managed to get downstairs that this little jewel would be as awesome as it it.
Drinks could be a little more wallet friendly but hey it is what it is right.
If you are looking for a deck with the non sports bar feel and lots of cool people buzzing around this is a great spot.
I plan on spending many more summer days here!

I’m kind of torn. I’m not sure if I want to give this place three or four stars. I’m thinking four stars because I feel like I have to… The Alley Deck is part of the Majestic complex, a place that I (like many others) have grown up with. I always enjoy a good patio, a nice view of midtown and personable bartenders. However, I’m also leaning towards three stars, to truly cement the A-​OK-​ness of this place. The beer selection isn’t super expansive and is less than stellar. Whenever I’ve been up there its pretty much empty. Last two times, I went there the Magic Stick was closed so it was like walking through a ghost town bar up to the patio. Oh, and the bathrooms suck (I’m keeping tabs on Detroit bathrooms for the ladies!). You have to use the Magic Stick bathrooms which are small, gross and well-​worn-​in. So that’s my dilemma folks! I guess I’ll settle for a 3.5 star rating, rounded up and you get a four. Come up here for the view and fresh air; stay for the Ghettoblaster and the Summer Shanty (seasonal).

i have only been here once and it was before a show at the magic stick. the deck was quite crowded and there was nowhere to sit, but i liked the laid back atmosphere and the view was nice.
they had $ 2.50 stroh’s so i was perfectly happy :)

The Majestic complex has changed drastically since my first visit back in the late ‘90s. Never would I have dreamed it would add a rooftop patio in addition to the kabillion other venues in the complex. The result is a simple but nice addition perfect for sipping a beer on a nice summer day. But it loses points for outrageously expensive beer that is more expensive (at least the ones I’ve ordered) than it is downstairs in the Garden Bowl (say what?). You’ll have to pony up three bones for a PBR (say what?) plus tip to rub elbows with Detroit’s in-​crowd up here. I also saw the Dutchess and the Duke play up on the patio, and I can honestly say that this place should not be a music venue. Ambulances rushing by with sirens blaring (the Detroit Medical Center complex is next door) and having to huddle from wind gusts on cooler nights are major turn-​offs. If you want to throw a singer-​songwriter and his guitar up there strumming away while you sit on the patio furniture with your $ 4 High Life (say what?), that’s fine, but the Alley Deck’s strong point is not as a concert venue.

If you get a chance to see a show on the Alley Deck, I highly recommend it. The last time I was there I ended up running into old friends, drinking a few too many beers (but just enough, really), and shaking a tail feather a bit, too.
Heck, even on a regular day or night without a show, it’s a pretty great place to hang out in the fresh air. We only get a limited amount of sunshine and warm weather ’round here, so I’m always on the hunt for good places to spend some time relaxing outdoors.
There’s a nice canopy area over the bar (which I recommend if you’re there during the day), and then a more open area for those who wand to soak in the sun.
I don’t know the story behind the stained glass panel featuring a gnome and a panther (!?), but I love it, and I also dig that there’s a cooking area where you can sometimes grab a hot dog or another bite to eat.
The deck’s only about a year old, so I think that they are just now starting to book more shows and events to fully utilize the space — but from a few fun times I’ve already had this summer, I hope they keep it active as a separate venue as well as a place to take a break from a show at the Stick.