Things to Do in Dearborn at Night
Dearborn, Michigan, has an energetic and engaging nightlife. There’s something for everyone. The best part? It’s only a short 15-minute drive to Detroit.
With all this suburb and the Motor City have to offer, you’ll never find yourself bored on the weekend. You can:
- Get involved with the arts. Whether you want to see a movie or a show, you don’t have to look too far to find inspired culture in Dearborn.
- Taste the local food. You could try a dish you’ve never tasted before or bar-hop with a date or some friends. The delicious meals and lively atmosphere of Dearborn and Detroit’s nightlife will have you looking forward to every weekend.
- Learn some history. There’s so much to learn and appreciate about Dearborn’s history. Learning about its past can give you a new, enriched view of the suburb.
- Teach yourself something new. You can try your hand at a new craft or game. Creating a night of this with a date could make it that much more memorable and special.
- Participate in local sports. The Detroit sports faithful have a vast and proud community of supporters. Join the fan base and enjoy the games and cheering, and look forward to any rival matchups.
Best Fun Things to Do on Date Night in Dearborn
You have so many options for a great date night in Dearborn. With all the different avenues you could take, you might want to research them in more depth so you can choose the best option for you and your date.
- Go Comedy! Improv Theater: Do you want your date night to be full of laughter? You should go to the Go Comedy! Improv Theater. The shows incorporate the crowd and there’s a variety of different improv events to see. It’s an intimate venue and tickets aren’t too expensive. You might want to consider getting there a bit early, though, because tickets sell out fast.
- Fox Theatre Detroit: The Fox Theatre dates back to 1928. It’s a historical, grand theater where you and your date could see a professional show. You can admire the beautiful architecture and detail before seeing concerts, comedians or musicals.
- Ford-Wyoming Drive-in: Rekindle those nostalgic high school emotions with a romantic date night at the drive-in. The tickets are cheap and the drive-in shows double features. There are clear sound speakers and car heaters for winter months.
- Painting With a Twist: Ever wanted to try your hand at painting? Are you and your date wine lovers? Painting With a Twist combines these in a comfortable, patient and creative environment. A painting instructor will help you and your date create a unique piece of art. Remember to bring your favorite kind of wine and get painting.
- DIY Street Fair: The annual DIY Street Fair occurs in September. It celebrates local artists, musicians and cooks who all love to create their craft. For a spontaneous night where you can roam around the tents, listen to the bands play or try a new kind of food, the DIY fair is the place for you and your date. The weekend night hours go until midnight, so there’s plenty of time to do and see everything the fair has to offer.
- Dally in the Alley: If you can’t get enough of festivals, here’s another September festival you and your date can attend. Dally in the Alley is a summer sendoff fair with plenty of food and music to keep you and your date entertained the entire night. These community events bring everyone together, and you and your date can participate in what makes Dearborn and Detroit so special.
- The Henry Ford’s Giant Screen Experience: The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation celebrates past inventions that improved American life and aims to inspire future ideas that will make our lives better. One of the most exciting attractions at this museum is the Giant Screen Experience, a movie theater with a massive screen that shows unique movies. There are nature documentaries and educational movies, but you can also see popular throwback movies. There is a concession stand that sells alcoholic beverages. Once you find what movie you want to see, get there early because general admission is first-come, first served.
- Maker Faire Detroit: This summer festival takes place at the Henry Ford Museum and celebrates engineers, scientists and artists. You and your date can see what projects people are working on and what problem they’re trying to solve. Artists bridge the gap between mechanics and art. For anyone interested in innovation and invention, you should make a point to visit the Maker Faire. You might walk away with new knowledge or a new idea, but you’ll definitely leave with great memories.
- Fowling Warehouse: This is a bar that features a unique Detroit game. Fowling combines football, horseshoes and bowling. You have 10 bowling pins stacked on a plywood platform. Your objective is to throw the football and knock the pins over. Fowling encourages players to show sportsmanship and invites you to drink a beer as you play. Fowling Warehouse has two bars and plenty of lanes.
- Sports: Michigan teams like the Detroit Tigers, Redwings and Lions are all within driving distance of Dearborn. Professional sporting events are always fun and full of high energy. If you and your date love one of these teams, see who can cheer the loudest or who can correctly call the next play.
- Escape the Room Detroit: Test your problem-solving skills and grace under pressure with Escape the Room Detroit. You and your date will connect as you search for clues and solve puzzles together. Choose the theme that sounds the most interesting to both of you. While you two could decide to escape a room alone, you could also opt to be a part of a larger, randomized group. This spontaneity could be an extra fun kick for your date night. If your group doesn’t escape the room in time, you could say it was the other people who slowed you two down.
What Are Some Good Restaurants in Dearborn?
A good date night always includes some good food. Whether it’s for dinner or bar-hopping, these restaurants are ideal choices.
- TRIA: TRIA is an award-winning American Brasserie at The Henry. It serves seasonal American cuisine that promotes local and sustainable foods, including gluten-free options to accommodate anyone with food allergies. The kitchen is open until 11 p.m., so if you’ve missed the typical dining hours, you’re covered. The bar has daily special drinks, as well as delicious appetizers if you want a snack with your cocktail.
- Oakwood Grille: Live music and a menu with something for everyone makes Oakwood Grille a great option for date night. Get a glass of wine or beer and enjoy the music.
- JB Bamboozles Pub and Grille: This restaurant is always up to doing something fun with the community. It participates in pub crawls, hosts beer tastings and has dart leagues. It supports all Michigan teams and has game-time specials. Bamboozles also has a unique alcoholic coffee menu and “dessertinis.” Give date night an extra twist and join whatever new fun activity Bamboozles is up to.
- Echo’s Place: This restaurant has tasty soups and sandwiches that are perfect for a relaxed evening where you and your date can talk over a meal. The chefs make the desserts in the restaurant and there are always a lot of options. The atmosphere and people are friendly.
- Fall Sports Lounge: Are you and your date sports fans? Do you both love pub food? Enjoy the game at the Fall Sports Lounge. There is a large variety of beer and plenty of meal options on the menu. Grab a burger and watch the game. Don’t worry if your favorite team goes into overtime, because the restaurant is open until 2 a.m.
Detroit Night Life
If you’re looking for a stronger city vibe, Detroit has plenty of lounges and nightclubs that will connect you with the city’s nightlife.
Detroit has a rich nightlife history rooted in counterculture. When Prohibition took effect and Michigan was declared officially dry, that didn’t stop the city. People ran underground speakeasies and kept the nightlife spirit alive.
Now that liquor has been legal again for quite some time, the nightlife in Detroit has only grown and improved. There’s no better way to try something new. You might discover your next favorite spot to hang out and relax on a weekend night.
- 220 & Edison’s: This upscale lounge has its restaurant in a historic building from 1932. The Detroit Edison Co. built the Old Detroit Edison building to use as offices. New owners changed it into a restaurant in 1979. While the restaurant has changed ownership a few times since then, it retains its popular reputation. It serves America cuisine and also has excellent Italian dishes. You could also go to its Wine Down Wednesdays, where the wine list is 22 percent off.
- Got Rocks Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge: Accented with a dance floor and sophisticated atmosphere, the Got Rocks Diamond Crown Cigar Lounge sets the bar high for how a nightclub should operate. On the weekend, Got Rocks has a DJ for lively music. The place has plenty of technology for efficient smoke filtration to keep everyone comfortable.
- Cadieux Café: Want a more cozy, laid-back vibe? Cadieux Café has you covered. It has delicious seafood and plenty of imported Belgian beers. This café dates back to Prohibition and was a speakeasy. With Flemish cultural influences, Cadieux Café will introduce you to clubs in Detroit that participate in unique sports. Pigeon racing, archery, darts and feather bowling are just a few. The café brings in live music and is open until 2 a.m. daily.
- Small’s: This bar was built in what used to be a bank, giving Small’s a special charm. It focuses heavily on rock music and always has local bands playing onstage in the back room. Small’s also hosts punk rock bingo, so test your knowledge against other Detroit locals to see who knows the most about that music genre.
- Baker’s Keyboard Lounge: It calls itself the world’s oldest jazz club. Fact or fiction, this traditional lounge embraces local jazz culture and serves Southern-style food. The intimate space and warm atmosphere provide an all-encompassing experience of celebrating live jazz music.
- Centaur Bar: Built in the Iodent Toothpaste Factory, Centaur brings a new, fresh vibe to the nightlife crowd. The Art Deco style and an impressive martini list make this a prime spot to sit and chat with friends.
- The Grasshopper Underground: This classic, urban-style bar embraces the underground city life. It plays underground dance music and has a dance floor for those who can’t stay off their feet.
- La Casa de La Habana: This cigar and martini lounge has imported tobacco and hand-rolled cigars. It features live music and private lounges for those who want a more intimate experience. The most interesting aspect is the 20 Minutes Cigar, invented for people who wanted to smoke but only had a short period available. Spend a half hour or three and immerse yourself in the cigar culture.
If you don’t know a lot about cigars and still want to give this place a shot, the lounge welcomes people who are new to cigars. There’s also a cigar store so you can purchase the kinds that you like to enjoy outside of the bar.
- Bert’s Marketplace: Soul food and live jazz are the hallmarks of this place. There are different themes for music during the week. Listen to some blues on Wednesdays or see what Thursday’s open mic night has to offer. The food is delicious barbeque, so come hungry for ribs or wings.
- The Whisky Parlor: The welcoming and relaxed environment will make you feel at home when you’re at this bar. It has a speakeasy feel because it’s on the second floor. The Whisky Parlor always has great entertainment. There are jazz bands, tastings and an oyster happy hour. The friendly staff will help you pick a drink from the extensive menu, so have no fear if you aren’t a whiskey expert.
- PJ’s Lager House: This Irish bar has great beer and always has live entertainment. It packs its calendar with different bands, so going here could be a great and different experience each time. This bar is in walking distance of other bars, so it’s a good stop if you’re planning a pub crawl or don’t want to worry about driving that night.
Visit Our Restaurant
Start your fun date night on the right foot with TRIA. The dining room is beautiful and servers are happy to answer your questions or recommend a drink or dish. Our delicious food and original cocktails will allow you to relax and enjoy your date in Dearborn.
Reserve a table now and start planning your date night.