One of my many regrets is not discovering Lansing's Green Door Blues Bar and Grill on Michigan Avenue until a few years ago. When I lived in the neighborhood behind the bar, I rarely went there because I spent most of my time in East Lansing. If only I had known. For those who aren't regular patrons, I'll go ahead and regret your decisions as well. I should start by saying the Green Door doesn't have the same "people in the street" feeling of other establishments. It's located in the middle of Michigan Avenue a few blocks from Mac's Bar. It shares a block with a bookstore, a café and a barber shop. Compare that to East Lansing's bar district (seven bars in two blocks).
The Green Door is on an island. And that's part of what makes it nice. It has a community quality. One can talk to others and the music isn't cranked up to 11. That doesn't mean there isn't music: It is a blues bar. Six nights a week, one can expect to find a live band on stage, but before the band begins one can hold a conversation without yelling, "What?" every other word.
It's the kind of place that is conducive to interaction. The establishment has an open layout with tables — not booths — placed in a large area between the bar and stage. Along this border is another area with a pool table and some extra seats along the wall. It's a good place to bring a group to watch a game or just shoot the breeze.
In some ways, the Green Door is unremarkable. It's not dull, but it doesn't hit you in the face with anything. It is a place that knows it has a great vibe, but does not need to shout about it.| Green Door 2005 E. Michigan Avenue, Lansing greendoorlive.com |
That kind of attitude brings in "neighborhood" types. There are middle-aged men in fedoras wearing tweed jackets mixing with 20-somethings in skinny jeans and puffy jackets. There's a hipster, a gangster, a musician, a professor, a graduate student, nurses, nine-to-fivers, maybe even a pool hustler. The last time I was there, they all came together to bob their heads to an eclectic band called Global Village. Everything fit.
Pro tip: Get there early to avoid the cover charge. A few years ago a doorman told me the cover charge was to keep out the drunkest MSU students. I don't know whether that is true, but the offhand remark reflects the Green Door's halfway status. It has a community look and feel, a neighborhood vibe. It's a blend; not as dark and intimate as Stober's Bar, but not as laissez-faire as Mac's Bar, the Somalia of Michigan Avenue. It straddles the line and does so successfully.
You'll find a good selection of whiskies and liquor. A look at the cooler, conveniently located behind clear glass behind the bar, showcases just enough of every kind of beer to keep a large cross-section of people happy. It caters to a wide enough variety of people that it could be considered vanilla, like a person who never offends, but also never distinguishes him or herself. In reality, it is toned down, drawing its excitement from its live music lineup and its unique atmosphere from its patrons.
It doesn't come off as a place that wants to overwhelm with sound or cover for shortcomings with aesthetics. Just come in, sit down and try the beer of the month.
Drinks We Love: "The Green Beelzebub"
The Green Door's signature drink, I'm told, is called the "The Green Beelzebub:" an exciting mix of Malibu Passion Fruit, melon liqueur and energy drink. It has a pleasant, crisp taste. Sweet, without a doubt, but it avoids the cloying sweet of drinks such as Four Loko or Pucker.
When I first ordered the drink I thought, "Now, I'm pretty sure this drink does not refer to Beelzebub AKA ‘Lord of the flies.' That would be weird."
I mean, the Passion Fruit and melon blend together very well, like a Sweet Tart, before merging effortlessly with the energy drink (which tastes like every energy drink ever). It was more refreshing; not exactly a term used to describe a prince of hell.
Instead, the name makes more sense as an allusion to Absinthe, which was also known as "The Green Fairy." It has been said the ingredients in Absinthe make one more lucid and clear headed. In that same vein, I think "The Green Beelzebub" is a refreshing pick-me-up, a bright palette cleanser between drinks.
