North End Taproom
Our Take
North End Taproom is the most fun we’ve had with a drink menu in Royal Oak in a while, and the hook is the format: it’s a self-pour taproom, where you grab a wristband and pour your own by the ounce from a whole wall of taps — Michigan beer, cider, kombucha, even wine. We went last night, and the appeal clicked immediately — instead of committing to one pint you might not love, you wander the wall sampling a dozen things in tiny pours, paying only for what you actually drink. It’s low-pressure, go-at-your-own-pace, and weirdly social in a way a normal bar isn’t.
Why we’d go back
It’s also genuinely family-friendly — board games, room for kids — which is a rare, welcome thing in a drinking spot, and the rotating Michigan-centric tap list means it’ll be different next season. Honest heads-up from our visit: you do pay a premium per ounce for the self-pour convenience, so it’s easy to spend more than you planned when “just a taste” happens fifteen times. And the food’s solid-not-spectacular — the wings and sweet potato fries are the move. But as a fun, casual, taste-your-way-through-it night with friends? We’re in.
The Look
