A luxurious club experience is shimmying its way toward the Motor City’s historic Financial District and it’s going down on the second floor.
The Upstairs Bar is set to open in July inside the 511 Woodward high rise at 511 Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit.
The cocktail lounge is among the latest creations of award-winning hospitality firm the Elia Group, the team behind some of Detroit’s most popular restaurants and entertainment venues.
“We wanted to deliver a truly iconic experience and over-the-top party vibe to Detroit with Upstairs Bar,” Elia Group founder and CEO Zaid Elia said. “It’s designed to be a seductive, techno-fantasy brought to life, and melds Detroit’s distinctive sound with Japan’s colorful anime aesthetic.”
Elia Group announced its plans this week to add Upstairs Bar and Experience Zulu, an Asian-infused indoor-outdoor restaurant, to 511 Woodward this summer.
The 511 Woodward building is one of several ventures of Elia’s team of mega developers. The ownership group also owns Parc Detroit, the Cadillac Lodge and the iconic Ford Building.
The five-story 511 Woodward is a multi-use building that has more than 30,000 square feet of office and retail space. Originally built in the early 1970s as the headquarters for Detroit Federal Savings and Loan, the building sat vacant several years before the Elia Group did a full makeover in 2020.
While guests can feast on the wok-made recipes at Experience Zuzu on the ground level, the Upstairs Bar on the second floor will offer a luxurious Japanese anime-themed feng shui. The lounge/club will serve hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and sushi and a live DJ will set the party atmosphere on the turntables.
Owners estimate the Upstairs Bar and Experience Zuzu will bring about 150 new jobs to the city’s downtown corridor.
“An incredible amount of thought went into creating Experience Zuzu and Upstairs Bar,” Elia said. “Along with iCrave, a world-renowned design firm, we curated a space to create a totally immersive and unforgettable iconic experience for our guests, unlike any other in downtown Detroit or even the Midwest.”
