Marquette Nightlife Tips by yooperprof Top 5 Page for this destination

Blackrocks Brewing Co.: Summer patio evenings on 3rd Street

Blackrocks Brewing rocked the bar scene in Marquette when they opened in late 2010. They took an old four-square house on Third Street and converted it into the niftiest little "nanobrewery" "and beer club" east of the Mississippi. The placed is operated by a team of some of the most interesting and well-connected guys in the northwoods, and this place is always busy, with a diverse but typically Marquette assortment of bicyclists, hipsters, union organizers, environmentalists, pre-law students and bakery cooks. The place comes fully into "best bar in the world" mode on Sunday evenings in the summer, when the house band plays on the patio. Golden beer in the gloaming! You can't beat it.

One warning: these guys are craft brewers, and they are passionate about their beers. They developed out of the home-brewing world, and they like their beer to be strong, bold, and assertive. Did I say that it was strong - as in many of the beers are 7.0% and above A.B.V.? Drink responsibly here, and if you are coming in a four wheel vehicle, be sure to have a D.D.

Because they are so popular, basically they sell out of their beer every week. This means that Blackrocks has limited hours. Generally, they are always open from five to ten p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, they occasionally they will open on a Wednesday - if they have a big supply - or they might close on a Sunday if they run out. Got that?

Because they have a special Michigan license for microbreweries, they do not sell any other form of alcohol beverage besides what they make themselves. They also do not have a kitchen, but they welcome patrons to bring their own food. Their beers go very well with entrees from the Border Grill, which is just two blocks north on Third Street.

Address: corner of Third and Michigan

Directions: the Village shopping District

Theme: Nightclub

Website: http://www.blackrocksbrewery.com/blog/?cat=-4

The Doghouse: Cozy, clean downtown tavern

Nothing really special about the Doghouse, but it's smaller than other downtown MQT bars, and it attracts a somewhat older and more mature crowd than the Verabar nightclub across the street. "Beer and a shot" kind-of-place.

Address: Washington Street, between Front and Third

Theme: Nightclub

Ore Dock Brewing Company: Urban Ambience and a Great Beer Scene

The best new thing in Marquette in 2012, the Ore Dock Brewing Company is an example of the exciting "knock-on" developments that the great craft beer revolution is bringing about in American towns and cities. Little Marquette Michigan, population 25,000, now has Three Craft Breweries - and they are all within walking (or crawling) distance of one another.

The Ore Dock is located in a carefully restored commerical space in downtown Marquette. Much of the facility was an auto repair shop and car storage garage for much of the 20th century. Portions of the building were constructed in the late 19th century, making this one of the oldest surviving structures in Marquette. Happily, the owners of the Ore Dock preserved much of the original industrial feel of the building - there's nothing generic about the place.

Nor is there anything generic about the beer on tap. The owners hired an expert brewmaster from Wisconsin, a fellow with extensive experience in Europe and a genuine passion for German and Belgian brewing styles. It's great to see so many international varieties of beer being made - and made well - in the Upper Peninsula.

As is the case with the Blackrocks Brewery just up the hill on Third Street, the Ore Dock does not sell any other alcoholic beverages, nor do they have a food kitchen, but you are more than welcome to bring in your own food from outside.

Address: 114 W. Spring Street

Directions: downtown, one block up from the old upper harbor Ore Dock

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Website: http://ore-dock.com/

Remie's: Dive Bar Downtown

A little rougher than some of the other bars in downtown Marquette, Remie's is also open early in the morning - for the late-shifters! At nighttime, you'll find a mix of townies and college students, with a few more of the "serious" drinkers than you might find at other establishments. Once in a while fights break out here close to the 2 am closing time - the bouncer earns his money! But generally it's friendly here.

Address: 111 S. Third Street, Marquette

Directions: Just down the hill from the post office

Theme: People Watching

Boat Drinks at the Villa Capri: The only Gondola Bar in the Upper Peninsula

Can't make it to Venice this week? Boat Drinks at the Villa Capri may be just what you're looking for! It's the only bar with a Venetian theme in the Marquette - and the decor has not changed since the late 1970s! If you like red walls, this is the place for you.

Be bold and try one of the "Villa Special 'tinis": it's like a cross between a shotglass of mouthwash and a grasshopper ice cream drink!

Directions: US 41 highway, just to the west of the Big Boy

Phone: 906-225-2534

Theme: Nightclub

The Portside Inn: A Popular Nightspot Downtown

The Portside is both a restaurant and a bar, and there are people in town who love it for both its food and its ambience. The place attracts an interesting mixed crowd of locals, college kids and staff, and visitors from out of town who are passing through. The Portside has a good variety of beers on tap - be sure to try one of the Bells varieties (from Kalamazoo) if you've never had one before. Many people (including Yooperprof) also say that the Portside has the best pizza in town. And the bread sticks -- WOW. Live music on most Thursday nights - in the summer the bands set up on the outside patio.

Address: On Washington Street, between Third and Fourth

Directions: downtown

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Jim & Ray at Vango's: Timeless entertainment

Thursday Night at Vango's: a Marquette tradition. Local musicians Jim and Ray providing classic tunes for an appreciative audience. They cover a bit of everything, but keep coming back to Jimmy Buffet. "Cheeseburger in Paradise."

Address: Third Street at Park

Directions: the Village

Theme: Live Music