Mid-Michigan Dining

• 410 S. Clippert St.
• Lansing, MI 48912
• (517) 351-5690
• Website
• Limited Menu

I grew up in a a really rural area.  Line dancing and country music were pretty popular.  I graduated high school and moved to the city and things changed. I started going to night clubs with a DJ friend of mine and starting listening to Euro and Progressive music.  I got older and started to gravitate back towards Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson.  I was thrilled when I heard commercials for The Whiskey Barrel Saloon on WITL.  I’ve been wanting to go for a few weeks, so Friday night, we decided to check it out when my girlfriend got off work.

The parking lot was pretty full when we got there, but from the outside, the building looks huge so we weren’t too worried.  There was a $5 cover at the door and we didn’t even get there until midnight.  That kinda sucks, but I’ve paid worse.  There was a live band (more on them later), so at least the cover made sense.

The bar is really cool.  The whole building is one big open room.  The main bar is in front of you when you walk in.  To the left is a bunch of tables next to the dance floor which is surrounded by a drink bar so you can stand around and watch the regulars boot scoot or you can sit down, relax and watch a little racing on their big screen TV’s. In the far corner of the room, there’s a mechanical bull.  Yeah, a mechanical bull.  We didn’t wander over that way, but next time…. 

In front of the dance floor they have a pretty good sized stage and a DJ booth.  When we got there, a DJ was playing country music and the dance floor was packed with dancers.  After about three songs, a band took over and they weren’t playing country.  I hate when that happens. I want to hear country music….they were playing Keith Urban-esque country which isn’t country at all.  There wasn’t an accoustic guitar on stage until the fourth song and there were no fiddles and no steal guitars.  That was pretty disappointing…I wish they would have just kept the DJ….it really looked like everyone was having more fun when the he was playing.  It would be a great place if there was a country act in town….and there is this week.  Eric Church is playing Thursday, May 8.

As far as food goes, there’s not much.  I did notice a case of pizza slices at the bar, but other than that, The Whiskey Barrel is just honkey tonk.  Prices were pretty reasonable.  Beer was $3 and my girlfriend’s cocktails wer $4.  Good beer….good music…interesting people….can’t wait to go back on a night when I can hear a little Taylor Swift.