Inside: Tipsy McStaggers in Warren

(Credit: Ese Esan)

Status: If a pretentious pick-up bar is what you're looking for, then Tipsy McStaggers is not for you.

The 150-person bar was unveiled May 19, 2010 and is open to all ages before 9 p.m. and strictly 21 and up after. Owned by John Vostoris, Tipsy is managed by his brother Ken Vostoris and Jo Ann Sikora.

Gear: There is no dress code, but casual is definitely the way to go at this Warren spot where the servers wear black polos and pleated plaid skirts.

Mood: Shelby Township resident Tenisha Robinson frequents Tipsy three or four times a week, and while convenience brought her in (the bar is located near her job), it’s the drinks, affordable food, atmosphere and the wait staff that keeps bringing her back.

The 33-year-old sat in the middle of the bar surrounded by friends and coworkers Friday night as dozens of patrons ate, drank and savored the relaxed environment.

“It has a warm feeling,” Sikora said. “Everyone feels like they’re at home.”

It was the name that first attracted 23-year-old Marci Stopchinski’s attention. “It was funny,” the Warren resident said. “That’s what brought me in here.”

(Sikora said Vostrois picked the name after a friend went to Ireland and discovered a bar there called Tipsy McStaggers. “They just liked it,” she said.)

Now, Stopchincki hangs out at Tipsy about two nights a week thanks to the high-quality karaoke available six days a week.

Pick me up: The oak bar is fully stocked with your liquor of choice, but the Irish experience is evident with the number if Irish brews on tap.

While this Warren bar has an Irish flair, it’s definitely more of a burgers and beer joint. The reason? Sikora said they give the area what they demand -- though they do sell a good deal of corned beef.

The menu is filled with hearty items like pizza ($6.50-$15), fish and chips ($8.95), salads and sandwiches ranging from corned beef ($6.50) to Reubens ($7) to grilled chicken ($4.50).

“It’s pure goodness,” Robinson said of the menu.

Specialty items include Tipsy Skins which are an Irish twist on potato skins and include corned beer (of course), sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and horseradish. There’s also the Tipsy Tower, a giant four-pound burger with five patties, five cheeses, five strips of bacon, fries, coleslaw and pickles. If you can down this monster meal, your food is free and you get a t-shirt and your picture and name on the wall.

Entertainment: Karaoke is available Monday thru Saturday, and trivia night runs Sundays. DJs are also available to entertain along with seven plasma TVs, Keno and Michigan lottery games.

On June 12, Tipsy will hold a fundraiser from 2-9 p.m. to benefit Susan G. Komen, and on June 25, the bar will celebrate its first anniversary with a party from 6 p.m.-2 a.m.