Standby

The gnocchi was one of the best meals I have ever had

Standby is easily one of my favorite spots in Detroit. The food is consistently excellent, and the menu is thoughtful, elevated, and somehow still not intimidating. The cocktails are some of the best in the city, and the bartenders clearly know what they’re doing. What really stands out, though, is the staff. The team is genuinely welcoming, diverse (which we LOVE, why is this so rare???), and creates an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable. From the hosts to the servers and bartenders, the service is attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly without ever feeling overbearing. Whether you’re stopping in for dinner, drinks, or both, Standby delivers an experience that keeps you coming back. I’ve gone several times but this is a pic of the smash burger I got to go.

My Mom and I decided to visit Standby a few weeks back. We've never been in the Belt. That was facinating in itself but then we entered Standby! I absolutely loved the entire ambience and felt extremely welcome! The staff was fantastic, we were seated immediately and given water, and menus before ordering cocktails. The staff was very attentive answering all of our questions. I ended up ordering 2 cocktails. I had the Farm to Highball and the their Espresso Martini. I'm here to say, the BEST ever!!! Then the food! My Mom and I both decided on the smash burger and fries, and oh my! Delicious!!! Overall, the service from the entire staff that tended to us during our dining experience, the cocktails and food, our Standby experience will have us returning soon, with more of our family to enjoy again!!!

Food does not match description on menu. Payment is for agreed upon food. Grilled means grilled. Fried means fried. Plain and simple. Poor management skills and no customer service skills. And no accountability afterwards. Treat people better :)

A must! Happy hour was crazy good! Wings were probably the best I’ve had in the city so far since I’ve moved here and the bartenders were super knowledgeable. Making this my new regular spot!

Very disappointed and my feelings are hurt because I use to enjoy stand by. I ordered the grilled wings and received fried wing dings with a grill mark and they were not appetizing. I have been to stand by a few times a year back and the grilled wings were grilled not fried with a char. I sent my food back and the manger still tried to charge me and called the police on me. I never refused to pay for my bill I simply stated I want to pay for my drinks and tip my server. Which my server didn’t deserve a tip, he barely checked on us half the time we had to flag him down for service. He was rude about me disputing the wings. I paid my bill which they added gratuity on and still tipped on top of the gratuity despite everything. I will not Come back here. I have posted a photo of the fried wings with a char and the grilled wings they use to sell. All my server had to do was be transparent about the wings not actually being grilled. Instead they gave me a hard time and called the police on me to try to embarrass me.

Food was just fine, service was not great. Ate here Saturday night. As soon as we sat down the vibes were weird. Manager and server kept coming over when my friend and I were laughing and seemed like they were not happy with us. We then ordered the pork belly appetizer which was really good. Our server then came back to get our orders when we finished. We waited probably 20-30 minutes and then our server said she was going out for a break but another server would check on us and food should be out soon. No one came by to check on us. She was gone for another 30 minutes and when she came back she asked if we needed anything else…. we still had not gotten our food. We weren’t even at all upset with the server at this point (even though we had every right to be), just hungry. We finally got our food after all this, it was not worth the wait. Then when it was time to pay, our server basically threw the check at us, probably bc she thought we weren’t going to tip… still tipped 20%, I’ve worked in the industry, I get it. But there was no reason for us to be treated that way. Probs not coming back

This place has a great vibe and knows how to make a good drink. The cocktails were strong, flavorful, and definitely something to enjoy slowly because they sneak up on you! The appetizers were tasty and made a great addition to the night. The staff were kind, welcoming, and helped make the whole experience even better. Great drinks, good food, and friendly service make this a spot I’d happily come back to again.

This place was amazing!! From the ambiance to the food and drinks! The staff was friendly and made me feel so welcome. The Short rib is to dieeeeeeeee for! Will definitely be back again.

It looks nice...💯 I'm going to go... And I'll find out 😁

This spot was full of surprises! The smash burger was seriously amazing—juicy, flavorful, and totally worth ordering. The drinks were just as fun, especially the milkshake cocktail, which was such a unique choice. I loved that the menu kept things simple while still delivering big flavors. Even the newspaper-style menu added a cool vibe to the whole experience. Great food, creative drinks, and a place that definitely stands out!

Standby Detroit absolutely blew me away this was genuinely one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The blue crab waffles were wildly creative and perfectly balanced, the pork belly was rich and melt‑in‑your‑mouth, and the Lions Mane burger was one of the best “burgers” I’ve ever eaten, which is saying something because it isn’t even meat. The cocktails are next‑level: insanely good, beautifully presented, and so cool how each one pays tribute to different chefs and culinary influences. The service matched the food and drinks attentive without being overbearing, and everyone seemed genuinely excited about what they were serving. The atmosphere in The Belt alley is incredible and adds to the whole night out downtown Detroit. It honestly felt like eating at the restaurant from The Bear that same intense focus on craft, hospitality, and detail, but in the middle of Detroit. Can’t recommend Standby highly enough for anyone who cares about great food and seriously good cocktails Tip: Get reservations!

We have been there twice now. Once for dinner and drinks and once for drinks and apps at the bar. The food is outstanding! So creative and delicious! And the drinks are the same! The bartenders and wait staff are friendly and welcoming to everyone! We will be back again to keep trying new food and drinks!