The Pretzel Bell Carries a 1934 Name on South Main
The current restaurant uses the name of an older Ann Arbor institution, with pub food, cocktails, and a downstairs bar.
The original Pretzel Bell opened in 1934, shortly after Prohibition ended. The University of Michigan's Bentley Historical Library describes it as a popular student gathering place and preserves photographs taken there in the late 1930s. The City of Ann Arbor's historical timeline records its closure in 1984.
The current Pretzel Bell at 226 South Main Street uses that historic name, but readers should not confuse the present business with an uninterrupted operation dating to 1934. The restaurant's own history page frames it as a return of the name and displays photographs from University of Michigan history.
What is there now
The current menu is pub food: burgers, sandwiches, shareable plates, salads, entrees, and brunch. The drink program includes cocktails, draft beer, and wine. Down Bar, the lower-level space, hosts live music and trivia according to the restaurant.
The restaurant publishes separate upstairs hours and event information on its website. Those details change often enough that the live page is a better source than a static list here.
The old Pretzel Bell was a campus institution from 1934 to 1984. The present restaurant borrows the name and makes that history part of its identity. The continuity is cultural, not corporate.
The Pretzel Bell is at 226 S Main St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Call (734) 994-2773 for current hours or event details.