Weiss Distilling Co.

Weiss Distilling turns the tasting-room format into a bit of theater. Since opening in downtown Clawson in 2022, this micro-distillery has hidden its bar behind a dramatic elevator entrance that opens onto a moody, 40-seat speakeasy done up in copper, velvet, and low gold light. Nearly everything in your glass is made in the building — not just the vodka, gin, and whiskey, but the syrups, bitters, sodas, and even the ice — which is a level of do-it-ourselves that most cocktail bars only gesture at.

The result is a lush, date-night-ready room that takes its drinks seriously without taking itself too seriously (the bathroom, of all things, has become a selfie destination). Bar seats go first-come while booths can be reserved, so a little planning pays off on a weekend. It’s on our list as one of the more atmospheric places to drink in south Oakland County — a distillery that decided the experience should be as crafted as the spirits, and mostly pulls it off.