Gusoline Alley
309 S Center St, Royal Oak, MI, 48067
Gusoline Alley Menu
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Address :
309 S Center St
Royal Oak, MI, 48067 - Phone (248) 545-2235
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Opening Hours
- Mon :3:00 pm - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : No
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Music : Juke Box
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Yes
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
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Vince K.
Worst bar experience ever! I only gave 1 star because Yelp wouldn't let me give 0. I went there this past Sunday night. Wasn't too busy but bartender took almost 15 minutes to take our drink order. I got a Stella beer and fiancé got a cosmopolitan. $13.25! Talk about price gouging! For a dive bar with subpar service and bad drinks!How can you screw up a bottle of beer! Was not very cold, so was foamy and unpleasant. Cosmopolitan was so poorly made that she couldn't even finish it. Worst bar ever! I'll never be back! I Facebook messaged this before I yelped a bad review just to give them a chance. Heard nothing back, so here's my review.
(1)Evie B.
Loved loved loved!! A real bar with inconsistent pricing! No food; just chips. Great fun crowd where you can laugh, have fun, whooo whooo and no one throws you out. This is where we ended our celebratory evening!! Great bartenders.
(5)Daniel H.
It's a dive bar. It's what you'd expect, dim atmosphere, little dingy, drinks at cheap prices, pinball machine...
(3)Alisha E.
Great dive!!! They have a juke box!!!! Apparently grandpa watches powerball every Saturday. I like snakes. Mustaches hairs tickle my cage. My brother Bilo is a retard. Yelp said my review was too short... So there ya go yelp ;)
(5)Shelly M.
Best hang out in Royal Oak! Bar looks almost the same as it did 25 years ago. It is always my favorite place to stop in whenever I am out that way. Cold beer, great jukebox, and refreshingly no pretension, what's not to love.
(5)Terry K.
Gusoline makes no apologies for their dive bar appeal and I've never met a soul with anything negative to say about the place. They serve good drinks at a reasonable price and from there, the rest is on you. They have a couple of pinball machines, a jukebox and a few tv's but its really about the eclectic people they draw. Very chill staff. Depending on the night, shenanigans and hijinks are on tap. On a recent Saturday night, for the first time in years I walked in there and a couple was aggressively swing dancing by the entrance. Yep, same old Gusoline. I hope they stay in business another 100 years as they are the antithesis to wild woody's, blackfinn and fifth.
(4)Alex D.
Is it a dive bar or a faux-dive? Do they just take cash or accept plastic? Just what is that doorman reading? Who cares, GA is the business! My favorite bar, even though I definitely appreciate a clean restroom as I hit my 30s, I will make an exception for this place because I love me some JD and cokes in a place that doesn't judge (seriously, the most democratic bar I've been in on 2 continents) and keeps a rocking jukebox. Will miss the Alley when I move.
(5)Eowyn K.
Gusoline Alley is a dive bar in the center of Royal Oak. An antithesis to the surrounding bar area. The bar runs almost the length of the narrow space. Good drinks, reasonable prices. They do not do food because, "you would not want anything served here!"
(4)Tom R.
If you wanna hang with the faux hipsters, hit this place. But what can I say, I am not a hipster but I really like this place. Guess it is for the great people watching and cheap and strong cocktails. Oh and the PBR.
(4)Sandy V.
Cheap with no dress code. If you go during the day (when professionals get off work) you can meet some cool people. Had some good conversations in my time spent there. Occasionally visit when I feel like visiting a dive bar.
(5)Giovanni M.
Such a gem: "Cash Only since 1984", says it all. I was introduced to it years ago by the Royal Oak Theater staff, and am grateful for it! I refer to it as a Dive in the most loving, affectionate way. Forget Royal Oak---if I'm traveling anywhere within the greater Detroit metro, a stop to Gusoline Alley is mandatory. Their beer selection is excellent, eclectic, and interesting. The atmosphere felt authentic and genuine. It had a true personality, it was not an invention or a contrived theme---it was their bar. Always a fun crowd, I could walk in a stranger and not feel like it. The staff I met have always been personable, professional, and on-point. Regardless how packed it's been, I've been able to catch eye-contact if I needed it. Manners seemed to be appreciated, which I appreciate. I was always happy to tip well here!
(5)John F.
Excellent beer selection, reasonably priced pitchers, a small Oasis in the douche wasteland that surrounds it. Cash only, I think, which meant we only had 2 pitchers of Huma when we were there most recently.
(4)S C.
A very short post. They no longer rely on cash only and have given in: you can use plastic. It was a nice touch- not giving in to the pressure of having to accept debit cards- but I'm sure it probably hurt them more than it helped. So, go try the place.
(5)Alex K.
It does what it does better than other places similar could do. Gusoline Alley looks like a bit of a dive bar. They don't have food. It's not the cleanest place you'll walk in to. But they have a surprising number of craft beers on tap at any time, and they have a Wizard of Oz pinball machine... which I spent three hours playing last night. No regrets. I'm giving this place 4/5 because, well, it's pretty dingy, and the jukebox just doesn't have all that many options for songs -- they might change the CDs out regularly though, I don't know. BUT... CRAFT BEER AND WIZARD OF OZ PINBALL!!! I'd come here more often if it happened to be closer to my house. Worth a visit.
(4)Denise S.
Made it there finally. Love this bar! Old school in Royal Oak.
(5)Nick M.
This place is great. Some would call it a hipster pub; I call it an old fashioned dive. They have a jukebox (an old school jukebox), great beers on tap (Two Hearted, Final Absolution, Fat Tire, etc.), a cool door who reads books during prime bar hours, interesting people, cool Sharpie written on the bathroom walls, etc. The only downside is that they STILL don't accept credit cards. Get with the program dudes and you'll get that fifth star! But yeah, this place has some cajones.
(4)Vince S.
Great bear and jukebox selection. It's dark, gritty and has a mixed crowd.
(5)Sarah K.
Best dive in metro Detroit, and definitely the best in Royal Oak. Such a different vibe than the rest of downtown Royal Oak- it's a great change of pace from the surrounding scene.
(5)Tamara Y.
This place is my favorite "hangout" bar. Good selection, good prices, good music and good service. The other patrons are friendly and laid back.
(4)John K.
Even if you are surrounded by douche wannabes with dumb hats and skinny jeans, this is still....by far.....the best place for a shot of Jack and a cold Newcastle, maybe even a little Johnny Cash or Ramones from the stellar jukebox.
(4)Big D.
Great "hole in the wall". Prices fit the area. No decrease in prices for what it looks like. No credit cards :(. Safe call for a "dive bar"!!
(5)Ashley H.
Stopped in for a quick beer. I liked the draught selection. The crowd looked a little rough. But maybe that's part of being a dive bar? I don't think we'll be back.
(3)Sam G.
You know a place is wonderful when you start drinking at 6 (in the afternoon, mind you!) and through some kind of voodoo when you look at your watch again it's last call. Going early will get you a great stool at the table right up to the no-bullsh*t bartender. I love me a stoic badass man in the evenin'. Vomit? I didn't smell none. You want an unbearable sickly smell go to the 8 Ball in Ann Arbor. Then we'll talk human expulsion smells and dive bars! This place smelled fresh as a Daisy (maybe she has been drinking and smoking a little, though). The shots are generous and the well whiskey is tasty and smooth. I like that I can go from Guinness to Oberon to Duvel to Okocim in one sitting. You can also watch whatever sports game is doing whatever it does up on two television screens. For me this is kind of a bummer. But at least the TV's are modest in size, volume, and brightness. The music on the jukebox changes along with the crowd. You'll hear everything from country to Irish diddies. Some bad rock. And later in the night some Cure or indie rock favorites. At about 11pm on a Saturday night the place gets filled up - standing room only. Fairly diverse crowd ranging from quasi-hipsters to a more standard sport's bar demographic. By late-night rush there are at least two bartenders and a barback running the joint. They are friendly and down to earth - efficient - I like that in an enabler. The bathroom is phenomenal. An entire multi-authored, palimpsestic book is scrawled on the walls. Unfortunately there is only one toilet which means when the more made-up crowd comes in, you'll be doing the must-pee-now dance for a while while lipstick is being applied a fourth time. Since I have no patience, I just asked a guy to duck me into the men's room where there's a stall - I got in and out in no time. The guys didn't seem the least bit bothered. You know what else is great? The door guy looks like Santa Claus and reads books when he works. Gusoline Alley is good times. This is Yelper Sam and I approve of this message.
(4)Jeff P.
Great juke box, good beer selection, diverse crowd. It was just the hang out spot I was looking for. Try the pop corn. They have a classic single serve jiffy type popper machine. Cool novelty.
(4)Len A.
Since I moved to Royal Oak 2+ years ago I have been frequented this establishment. Not to the point of an AA meeting mind you but enough to give a review. This place is a stellar bar. From the selection of killer jams on the jukebox ranging from early Dropkicks to Country to 50's era jams, a great selection. The bar is all you need and no frills. Good beer selection, good Whisky, and good service. The only thing that would make this place better is if they let my cat sit and have whisky shots with me. Well not for my cat, for me...you get my drift. Two thumbs up.
(5)Jon G.
Gusoline Alley is the diviest dive bar that ever dove. Seriously, I like my dive bars, but not this place. Last time I was in there I thought I was going to get shanked by the members of Hells Angels. It takes dive bar to another level. The first and final time I was at Gusoline was during a rowdy bar crawl. We walked in around 8 p.m. on a Saturday and were told to quiet down because there was a wake going on? I don't even want to know which places were unacceptable for a wake that ended up at Gusoline. A bottle of Bud Light cost me $4 and the place does not take credit or debit cards. Royal inconvience (see what I did there). I don't recomend going here unless you wear a body condom.
(1)Clark E.
This place is one of the better dives in Royal Oak.* I don't know how, but Gusoline lost a little character after the smoking ban. It seems a little brighter in there now -- am I nuts or did they turn on a few more lights? But it's still a great place to get a beer, with some ancient Czech proto-pilsners on offer and some colorful folken. Also, I've seen these bartenders make some really long pours. My wife ordered a vodka and Red Bull and it came in a pint glass. We split it, and it ended up being our last drink of the night. *Some places like Woody's or O'Tooles are modern snooki-dives, but they won't embrace it and try to make believe they're klassy with a k.
(4)Dea A.
My princess butt fully admits to not doing dive bars well. I can't help it. I don't want to choke on smoke and I don't want to question "what is that stuff on the seat? Is it OK to sit on or am I going to get gum/puke/beer stuck to my butt?" I hate the superficial stuck up snobs just as much as I hate the people who are posers of another kind. The greaser look? Dude, you are trying too hard. I bet you don't even know how to change the damn oil out of your Honda Civic hatchback. As Aaron K noted, pretty conducive to talking. But only if you want your eyes to sting and throat to ache from the smoke. You know, it's totally cool to smoke! ALL THE COOL KIDS ARE DOING IT! I'll take my chill Motor City Brewery in the heart of the D over this "tough" shit hole wanna be any day.
(2)Raimi B.
I always love this place. They redid the booths, stools and floor and it looks much better in here. Great beer selection!!
(5)Réjane P.
As far as I'm concerned, Gus' is the best dive bar in the midwest, and I've been known to drink A LOT. Now living Chicago, I try and stop by Gus' during my long weekend visits to the D (including every opening day for the past seven years). There's a beer for everyone and the prices can't be beat. Awesome and entertaining staff (I've always had a secret soft spot for bartender Eric), and the jukebox leaves nothing to be desired. The bathrooms are also pretty amusing as I once found myself being beckoned via a scribble on the wall. This is a great place for groups of friends to hang out and catch up, or if you just want to grab a beer at the bar alone. Most likely, you'll end up making a new friend.
(5)Greg Y.
I love this bar so much, even though it smells like vomit, I'm not kidding, I keep finding myself looking down to make sure I'm not standing in it, especially near the corner of the bar near the ent., near the name plack of some old time customer, perhaps it's his ghostly vomit from beyond the grave ;)
(5)Hannah L.
I fell in love with this place the moment I walked in. Great tunes. Great atmosphere (except for getting groped and being told I had great boobs for "a yellow person." But hey, typical bar outing, right?) Great drinks. My friends and I had a great hour here before moving onto the next bar for the night.
(5)Chris M.
You saved my Tuesday Gus'. Came here after Woody's and Gracie's. The bartender is always awesome, the beer is reasonably priced, the atmosphere is up my alley even though it feels like Gus' tries too hard to be a dive bar sometimes. $2 Carling Black Label, specials most week days, etc make Gus' a great week day destination. Weekends it can be a bit crowded, so be aware of that. But week days? Perfect Crowd, just the right amount of diveyness, helpful staff, decent drink prices for the Royal Oak area... all these things combine to make Gus' a good place to go. I will warn you, if you are expecting the Black Finn of dive bars, your review will read like Jon G.'s. This is a true to form dive bar. Its grimy, it can be gross, some of the guys look pretty sketchy. But its a breath of fresh air after going to Woody's or Gracie's or Black Finn or whatever other tool box you might go to in Roak.
(4)Pete D.
I LOVE this dive. Just a great place to get a beer, hang with some friends. Not fake not flashy not food. NOT a gay just a everyone's bar. Garb a stool and get comfortable.
(4)Amy H.
This has to be my favorite dive bar. Cheap drinks, great crowd, fucking A+ jukebox!!!!
(5)Haroun K.
Gusoline Alley was the final stop on our mini Royal Oak bar crawl last night. I had been looking forward to visiting it for a long time, and generally prefer dive bars to others. But man, the crowd was quite uncomely. Surprisingly so. And the bathrooms were bad. But the layout is nice, and conducive for socializing, I imagine. The music is good, and not overpowering, so you can talk. But they need some belles and beaux.
(2)Navee C.
I love this place. Cash only bar with fair prices, huge selection and interesting characters.
(5)Sara A.
This no frills dive bar is the perfect place to enjoy a casual beer or 4 in downtown Royal Oak. Located on Center Street, just off of Main Street, Gusoline Alley offers patrons 100 beers in a moderate sized bar. Sunday through Wednesday Gusoline offers patrons great specials like on Sunday when Bell's brews are $2.50 and Tuesday where the "no crap tap" beers are 3 bucks and plays on the rad jukeboxare free. GA is definelty a beer drinking bar, don't stop in looking to get a galss of Chardonnay, it ain't that kinda bar. No need to get all dolle dup either, throw on a t-shirt and jeans and check out Royal Oak's casually hip Gusoline Alley.
(4)Kristin G.
Definitely the best dive in Royal Oak. There are no fronts. It's really the only place that comes close to some of my favorite dives from when I lived in Detroit. When I don't feel like making the trek downtown, this place is it. The crowd: characters, The drinks: really cheap, The Jukebox: pretty solid. Consensus: It's pretty much the definition of a Dive. If it's a dive you seek, then it's a dive you get. That' s what I like about it. You're not going to find flatscreens and sports games and your typical bar scene crowd here. Nope, you'll find an interesting motley crew of characters and that's the beauty of the place- it's less predictable than most in Royal Oak.
(4)Christine S.
I heart this bar. I've been here on numerous occassions and have always had a good time. There is no pretentious behavior allowed. Come one, come all, there are so many different crowds of people to watch here. The bartenders are sassy, a little attitude if you will, just don't order a glass of wine, you'll never hear the end of it. $2 PBR's love it! AND..bring cash, they don't take credit, but they do have an ATM if needed. The juke box is great and the whole bar sang along in unison one time, it was quite entertaining. I always come here before a show at the R.O. Music Theater..the drinks are way cheaper. Can't forget the bathroom..or shall I say stall. It's got quite the graffiti collection..I'm blushing just talking about it..girls can be so crass sometimes lol. Enjoy!
(4)Parisa K.
Great Jukebox. Good beer selection. Excellent atmosphere. If dive isn't your scene, be brave, suck it up, and check it out. It's a nice little retreat in the middle of downtown Royal Oak. No wonder it's a favorite for many.
(4)Stephanie C.
Gusoline is hands down the best biker beer bar I know. It's wonderfully out of place in the confines of today's Royal Oak and I hope it stays that way. There is no pretentiousness here. One of my favorite metro Detroit traditions has to be zooming up to Gusoline for beer and the great jukebox with friends and then heading over a few blocks to the Main Art Theatre for a midnight movie on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer or fall. This used to be one of the smokiest bars in town. You can still feel the haze in the air. But it's still one of the best casual bar-bars around. Belly up and try it yourself.
(4)Steve H.
This comes with a caveat. I love this place, the jukebox is amazing (and regularly refreshed with different discs), the drinks are stiff, the vibe is nice and dive-y, and the bar has a great variety of liquor and beer. Now, the catch. I'm never here on Friday or Saturday when it's bumpin'. It's wall to wall (and you've seen bigger closets) and you can pretty much rule out hitting up the jukebox if you get there after 10:30 or so unless you're planning on sleeping there 'til lunchtime the next day. I'll give 'em this, though.... even under these conditions, it's never tough to get a drink (provided you're slick or surly enough to force your way to the bar). But on, say, a Wednesday just after dinnertime? This is it.
(5)Erik M.
The best way to be pretentious is to try not to be. This place prides itself as a dive bar, which it certainly is. The staff is nice, but the crowd varies day by day. Sometimes, it's the Ferndale hipsters out for the night, other days it's the leather and bikes crew. The music is good for sure, but you have to deal with the self-satisfied look of the person who put it on being proud of his musical tastes and hoping you don't know the song. On the plus side, if someone picks a crappy song, the staff will change it. Inyoface, hipster. Enough has been said about the bathroom to add anything. The biggest problem I have with Gusoline is that they don't accept credit cards. No excuse for that. All in all, Gusoline is what it advertises. Cheap drinks at a hole in the wall. If you don't have a scuzzy bar you're regular at, this one can fill that void.
(3)juston m.
this is the way i enjoy a bar, loud, smoky and with a good jukebox. i always leave here with the beginnings of a hangover. and that means i was having a good night. my friends and i usually end up here after a concert at the royal oak theater or dinner somewhere in royal oak. i also lived just on the other side of the railroad tracks for 2 yrs so it was easy to walk home with a little stumble. it took a couple times to get used to the bartender, but just give him a little attitude back and he seems to get nicer. i always have a good time, but it may be because i'm so freaking hammered while i'm there. i actually spent an evening last year discussing gay butt sex with a "straight" guy there. he was so interested it was funny. love, juston
(4)Annalisa B.
One of my favorite dive bar haunts. Excellent juke box, even better people watching. Always a good time.
(4)Krupa U.
This is a really interesting little nook of a bar in Royal Oak. I've probably walked past it a million times and never noticed it until one fine day my friend pinpointed it to me. It's really a hole in the wall pub, that has a lot of regulars, but it's still open and welcoming to new comers, you never know who you'll end up chatting the night away with! Plus their drinks are cheap! The crowd is very... harley davidson-punk-rock superstar-esque. But they're cool! I did leave my mark there too... the bathrooms are filled with graffiti... YEAH, it's THAT kind of place! :)
(3)Chris M.
Although I really like this place and one of my friends bartends here, I can't go beyond 3 stars. Good beers on tap, decent specials (3 dollar Guiness on Tuesdays) and a great jukebox. Its funny though, I always find a bit of an arrogance about this bar. I guess its part of the bars charm. I've been going there for about 10 years, and notice that when my friend isn't working, I get different service if I come in after work with a shirt and tie vs. coming in with a worn out Danzig or Horton Heat shirt. I'm not sure why. I'm polite and tip well. Most the patrons seem pretty decent and usually friendly.
(3)Hymae W.
This is one of the few bars that i enjoy in royal oak. Unfortunately it's a little on the small size and they don't take credit cards. But the grungy dive ambiance and pitchers of magic hat no 9 make up for all that. I will warn that is one of those places that the bathrooms are so gross that I feel cleaner if i don't wash my hands so i don't have to touch anything in there.
(4)Michelle B.
Gusoline Alley is the best hole-in-the-wall bar in Royal Oak hands down! The staff is incredibly friendly, the drink specials and selection are great, and it is very easily accessible. There is a parking garage directly across the street. They have also recently teamed up with Open Skate. Which is a promotional program with the Red Wings. You can buy Wings tickets directly from the bartender. The tickets are only $30 each and include a totally free party bus ride to and from the Joe that leaves directly from the bar! It is a really great time. All in all Gusoline Alley will be open for a very long time because they know how to run a great business!
(5)Jeremy S.
A fun little dive in the middle of one of the trendier area's of suburban detroit. Great drink prices too!
(3)Ronnie L.
I'm just wondering how not so many people who have reviewed this place here have noticed this one thing: This is like the Applebee's of dive-bars. It's like it was custom made to be a dive bar... However, I'm cool with that after having been able to take my Dog in there... The people seem pretty friendly and the drinks are cheap. I have, for the past 2 weekends, picked 1 night to take Mr Poop to the bar with me and my friends. He loves it, he gets moshed by people wanting to pet him and tell me how cute he is and all that. Regardless. I took him in here and though it got pretty busy and people were all around he just, for the most part, chilled. There was only one time he got excited and that's when there were like 4 people right above him doing a shot of Jack. He was TOTALLY into it. I told him, "Dude you don't like Jack..." But he was all about it... Meanwhile they score s TON of points for the allowance of Mr Poop on their premises AND they have a NICE beer selection... Oh and it's pretty cheap. Plus how can I not like a bar that the Time before I took my dog was to meet a Sexy Lady who invited me up for a drink and eventual smootches... ;p
(4)Lorna D.
Inked up, hard drankin' joint with a jukebox that'll put a tingle in your jeans. Sure, it's divey...for Royal Oak.
(4)Erin F.
I don't even live in Detroit anymore and I barely even drink anymore, but from time to time, as I wander the streets of Philadelphia, my mind wanders to Gusoline Alley, my favorite bar of all time. I just love it. The drinks are cheap, delicious, the jukebox is good and has some unexpected selections, the crowd is unpretentious and fun. The bartenders are exactly what I want in a bartender. And my cat's name is Gus. I miss you, Gusoline Alley. I'll be back in Detroit for a week in October. See you then, my sweet.
(5)Ria S.
I absolutely love this place. Small and not well lit? My kind of place! This cash only bar is the perfect spot for people looking for the dive experience but dont feel like driving out to hamtramck. They have a great old school (NOT internet) jukebox thats free most of the time, plus their house drinks are CHEAP. I'm not a beer drinker but my friends are, and they love the selection available at GA. They've got beer from all over the world! I dont know anywhere else in Royal Oak where I can drink $3 whiskey sours all night, listen to the misfits AND kings of leon, and talk to cool people. (the place is so small, if you're not making friends you're doing something wrong). If I could give this place ten stars I would!
(5)Richard W.
Royal Oak's best gay bar!
(5)Henry B.
I stop by here sometimes to grab a beer. Last time I was here. There was almost a fight here between two douchebags over a girl. The bartender stepped in and took care of business. The bartender was pretty classy about it. Usually bouncers are all about being alpha males and dragging people out. The place is pretty small. Not a lot of room to move when it gets crowded. Also, it's CASH ONLY. So bring some green. I like the mix of music here. They have a jukebox prominently in the middle of the the establishment where anyone can play anything they want. Usually rock of some sort. It gets loud here when the music blares so be prepared to yell at the person next to you.
(3)Tomas T.
So I walk into this bar and order three shots. A girl sitting at the bar asks me to buy her a shot, so I ask the bartender to make it four. She stops me and changes it to a whiskey and calls me a pussy. We do the shots and I turn around and there are two aussie guys sitting in a booth behind me. Tired, I decide to sit down and talk to them without asking. I sat down and we laugh for the next three hours. On the way out, some guy sold me a version of a magazine, printed on paper. I bought it for $1, it kept me entertained for weeks. That night I fell in love... with the bar. It is a bar with tons of character and a very diverse mix of people. It is a fun place to mix it up, since it is the only place of its kind in Royal Oak. It is a hamtramck bar moved to Royal Oak with groups of people ranging across the board. Do's- Come here when you want to get really drunk. Meet a group of random people that are very fun. Come here if you want to buy the $1 pamphlet they sell outside the bar. Come here if you are up for an adventure Don'ts- Come here if you are pretentious Bring a date... unless she wants to call me a pussy for drinking a shot of vodka
(4)Cristopher B.
Great jukebox, great beer selection, great character. Gusoline's is a great dive bar in downtown Royal Oak that is worth visiting at least a handful of times. It's a bar with character, though admittedly it caters to its character - that is to say, it puts some work into maintaining its dive bar-ness, but I don't think anybody is really bothered by that. A caveat - it's cash only, so be sure to bring some money that folds.
(4)Chip W.
"Moderation is a fatal thing...nothing succeeds like excess" - Oscar Wilde...written on the bathroom wall at Gusoline Alley Great dive bar with cheap drinks that are stiff and a great beer selection on the 'no crap tap'. One of the few places with Bell's Two-Hearted Ale on tap.
(4)Deborah R.
A great dive and one of my favorite places for a drink in RO. The crowd is ever changing each time I go and it's a great enviornment. Cheap drinks and so far great music every time I've been.
(4)Dan P.
Probably Royal Oak's most famous dive. I have had some good times in this place. Kinda smells like pee when you walk in the door.
(3)John M.
A great dive bar where beer, whiskey, and popcorn are your friends. Not a place to order wine. For a truly heroic pour, roll in with former mayoral hopeful and bus-driver John Tenney, who can usually be found holding court at Gus's.
(4)TJ F.
I love this place. Now even better without the everpresent smoke cloud. Two words jukebox and beerselection. (well in german those are each one word)
(4)Claire D.
I love Gus's! It's a dirty little dive bar with decent drinks and a stellar crowd. I might have eaten here once or twice, but it was preceeded and followed by drinking and I just can't remember if it was good. However, it's a cool little place to hang out.
(4)Marissa H.
i love dive bars. i love dive bars like teenage girls love bad boys. i love dive bars like literary critics love jonathan franzen. i love--well, you get the point. dive bars rule in my book, and i was happy to find gusoline alley within my first few weeks of living in michigan. great beer selection, good atmosphere and a great place to go pre-royal oak music theatre shows. fast forward a couple months later. the smoking ban came into effect and took the embedded smell of smoke with it from GA. since then things have not been the same. you might be thinking: "you must be a SMOKER tormented by no longer being able to smell delicious cigarettes while you drink beer!" that's disgusting. i am not a smoker, but i just prefer the smell of smoke to Nasty Bathroom Smell. For those unfamiliar with Nasty Bathroom Smell, it is a warm, salty smell slightly mixed with amonia. it's the reason your throat burns a little when you walk into a restroom. i suspect it could be the smell of pee with high alcohol content. I can tolerate it when it's confined to the bathroom. The world's best dive bar, Galway Bay in Chicago gets a nasty case of Nasty Bathroom Smell every once in awhile, but i can forgive it because it has free popcorn smell to cover the odor in the bar area, though I must admit that sounds fairly unappetizing now when i think about the underlying smell in the bar. NBS is my problem with Gusoline right now. we walked in with about fifteen people the other night and promptly walked back out upon taking more than five breaths. The NBS was that toxic. my recommendations for GA are this: 1. you need to douche your bathroom with some serious bleach and maybe some minty fresh cleanser. 2. get a popcorn machine to invest against NBS. 3. maybe some old school nintendo while you're at it. 4. could you maybe do some trivia nights? let's go back to being best bar friends. thanks!
(3)Curtis E.
In a different area, this is a just another dive. But in Royal Oak, it's an oasis. It's release from the grip of backwards baseball hats, button up shirts, and too much make-up that is Royal Oak. This place is at it's best during the week. Great Jukebox, just enough people to stir things up, and cheap PBR. What more can you ask for? If you come on the weekend, be prepared for the mix of people who like the bar, and drunk tools who stumbled across it while on their way back to Mr. B's or any of the other unoriginal bars that little Royal Oak.
(4)Pontip M.
I was in town visiting a friend this past weekendand we came here for a few drinks. I am not much of a drinker but I love a place with cheap drinks(on a sat my vodka tonic was $3!) and cool music. People with tattoos always make me feel at home and the low key factor was really high. Just a cool place to sit and talk with friends. I prefer a dive bar over a dance club these days and this fit the bill perfectly. Next time I'm in town we'll have to come back when I'm up to do some serious damage!
(4)Brian B.
This place is a dark, dank hole in all of the best possible ways. It is a welcome departure from the abounding douchebaggery of Royal Oak. The place has a top-notch beer selection, including a ton of microbrews and imports that other bars know their fratboy crowds can't appreciate. The crowd is always entertaining and above all, friendly. You can strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone in there about damn near anything and have a good time. Its also nice not having to scream at the top of your lungs to be heard by the person standing next to you. I don't think I've once gone to the bathroom here and not had a laugh out loud moment reading some of the nonsense scrawled onto the walls. The bartenders are super friendly and actually want you to have a good time, not just get the hell out of the way for the next person. They host a very solid jukebox which is a relieving change from a night of mind-numbing top-40s that is beaten into your dome at every other bar in any given outing. The cash only aspect is a minor drag, but if having to hit up an ATM before you go out is the worst part of your night...that's a pretty good night. For everyone that gave this place a negative review and swore they weren't coming back...GOOD. Stay away. Have fun at Black Finn. You're the tiresome bore of a person I'm heading to Gus to get away from to begin with.
(5)jack w.
Best Dive bar to hang out in. Best Non-Internet Jukebox EVER!
(5)Michael C.
Gus... oh man. Gusoline Alley is a sliver of a bar hiding behind Noir Leather. I say sliver because it's definitely small and LONG. No matter what anyone tells you, size doesn't matter! Gus's has the best selection of brew in Royal Oak, period. They have Dragonmead on tap and Delirium Tremens for crying out loud! So fratboy or beer snob... they'll be in each other's arms by the end of the night. Speaking of: they also have the best jukebox in Royal Oak as well. (The only place that comes close is WAB) There's plenty in there to keep hipsters and club girls alike happy. The prices are great, and there's not a bartender in the place that pours short shots. Can Fifth Avenue say the same? The only thing I would say is, given the sliver-ish nature of Gus's, it may be a good idea to come early; seating is severely limited, so after midnight you may not be able to even get in the place. Also, surprisingly for the look of the place, they have a bouncer checking the door. He's a nice man and has kids; smile at him!
(5)kelly w.
The best place to find your indie scene queen. But... please don't let that turn you away from Gusoline (or maybe you should so it won't be so crowded!) As noted, the juke is where it's at. The Cure, Tom Waits, you name it. Loooove the Juke. The beers.. read Michael C's review. He nails it on the head with the Dragonmead and Delirium- amaze! I wouldn't go in there draped in hoochie mama clothing because there may be a snicker snicker amongst the patrons and staff since you'll be a little out of place..
(4)Gia D.
I can't say one bad thing about this place! Great jukebox, great atmosphere, and Patrick is one of the most interesting and entertaining men to ever be behind a bar. Drinks are reasonably priced, good selection of beer and ciders on tap. They don't take credit cards, so bring some cold, hard cash or be prepared to use the atm inside of the bar. The bathrooms are covered in graffitti from all walks of life! Attracts a very diverse crowd; bikers, punkers, greasers, hipsters, suburbanites. Always an experience!
(5)andrew h.
Imagine you've led a life of villainy and deceit and the only thing left for you is eternal damnation, but wait... hell is full and there's a really long line. You'll find yourself in the waiting room to hell and it's called Gusoline. If you think that's an insult you don't belong there anyway. The weirdest[coolest] people hang out there and everything there feels like you're in another universe. If you see harry potter or overalls say hi.
(5)Vicki C.
This is one of the few "real" bars left in Royal Oak. It has a very down-to-earth, somewhat gritty vibe, excellent music on the jukebox (and the only place in RO where you can hear Motorhead), and a decent (and very diverse, depending on the night) crowd. Sometimes you get locals that are sick of the cheese in the other spots around RO, and sometimes you get bikers on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but no matter what, it's definitely one of the very few bars that I enjoy in Royal Oak!
(4)Shane m.
I stop in here often after work. Nice place to meet up with friends for a drink. Great Juke Box and the service is pretty good and drinks are cheap. It is really small though, and smells like a urinal cake. Not a place to take a date but definitely an alright place to drink with your friends..... or alone.... whichever.
(3)john w.
Great place to have a few beers
(5)JamesJohn R.
i used to like this place until the place started to smell like barf and puke day and night. and i am not exaggerating.
(1)Jodi K.
Holy, crap! I'm the first!!! I've never been the first. What up D-Town? So I haven't lived in Detroit in a really long time, but this place in Royal Oak was a second home to me. It doesn't get better than Gus' and I hope the place hasn't changed one bit. I used to bartend at Memphis Smoke around the corner and looked forward to retiring here after to get away from the suburban nightmare of clientel I used to have to deal with. The jukebox alone makes it a 5 star joint. But it's dive bar local feel made it a favorite. Bluecollar, no bullshit. Gimmie a beer.
(5)Amelia P.
Must be the Detroit area's premier dive bar. Felt like every bar I've every been to that I wanted to stay in in any town in the US, I mean that in the best possible way.
(5)kristen f.
This is a really cool little spot. It definitely has a wide range of people that come in which makes for an interesting experience. Cool atmosphere, cheap drinks, and good music. What more could I ask for in a dive bar?
(4)S M.
Unpretentious while still retaining a little flavor. No business or hipster dress codes; come as you are (refreshing for Royal Oak these days). You won't walk out when you see the prices and most likely nobody will look at your shoes like you aren't good enough!
(4)Steve W.
The jukebox has Reverend Horton Heat. Enough said.
(4)Dominic P.
It's like a face full of character scars from the rickety tables and torn seats to the eclectic music lover's jukebox. With a selection of good beer and drinks, you can sit and wax philosophical with a stranger. It's a dirty diamond in the middle of suburbia.
(4)Steve D.
Gusoline is pretty much the anti-bar in Downtown Royal Oak compared to places like Woody's or O'Tooles. It's always really cramped and crowded when I'm there, but it's also one of the more unique bars in the area. I really like the atmosphere in this joint, so you'll sure to meet someone cool.
(3)Allen P.
So far this is the only real bar in Royal Oak that is worth going to. It's a pretty sweet dive bar with tons of different beers including a few from Germany that I haven't had in a while. The theme is cars and fuel which is ok by me. As far as Royal Oak goes, this seems to be where the "hipsters" hang out, or in Michigan I think they are just original artist type creative sort of weird different kids, but I may be wrong. They could be just hipsters, which is still ok by me.
(5)John X.
Great bar. Great selection of beers. Great jukebox. Great people watching. packed on the weekends.
(4)Matthew D.
i've been yelping since may and i've waited for awhile to throw out something for my fav bar in my tiny town. my buddy had been raving about this bar for about a year when i first moved here about 7 years ago, and we finally went and i took to it immediately. now it goes oh so much deeper. it's usually the only place i want to go in the area, and if we go elsewhere, i always end up here at the end of the night. the pbr's are $2, and you can't beat that with a bat (you can get with this! or you can get with that...). the jukebox is usually in the running for old school (non internet) jukebox of the year in detroit... great mix of punk, detroit music, blues, and newer rock... something for everyone. and i love that the bartenders control it. don't even try putting madonna on this bad boy... they'll skip it in a heartbeat. which also prevent replays, awesome. patrick, the head bartender, is a bit of a local celebrity and has a small spot in the metro times where he says "patrick says" and it gives a small, usually witty, insight. black hair, huge chops. big, bushy chops. if it's busy, give it some time... the crowd in here goes in waves. if you can get a booth... you're lucky. but the stools all the way in the back are a great spot too. and the bathroom graffiti here is next to none. nothing better than taking a wizz and being able to entertain yourself with some one else's (someone who's not above writing on a wall, mind you) random thoughts. also... totally off topic. and girls... feel free to check out here... but how come we can put a man on the moon but no one can invent a urinal that doesn't splash piss on your calves? all day i'm afraid to touch my legs cause i went pee at lunch. it's just gross.
(5)