Kiesling

Detroit, Michigan

Regional honoree for Best U.S. Cocktail Bar at the 2023 Spirited Awards.

Kiesling calls itself a neighborhood bar in Milwaukee Junction, set in a building the Kiesling family put up in the 1890s as a general store, later a saloon and then a cozy tavern whose 1913 woodland murals depicted the four seasons and a great many deer. The name is still spelled out on the doorstep. The cocktail list is organized by base spirit and leans playful: the Beesting with Wild Turkey 101, China China, lemon and honey syrup; the Diego with corn tea infused rye, Nixta and street corn syrup; a Misc. Adventures section; house classics; and a considered zero proof lineup. Italian wines by the glass, cans and bottles round things out.