Viral milkshake joint, JoJo’s Shake Bar, opened its doors in downtown Detroit on September 29th. Right across from Comerica Park, JoJo’s offers typical American fare like burgers, fries, sandwiches, and salads, but they are known for their craft milkshakes. Prior to landing in Detroit, JoJo’s first started in the downtown Chicago areas, such as River North and Water Tower, then later, suburban locations such as Naperville. The diner-esque spot has a lot of traction on social media, especially TikTok, so Detroiters were thrilled to hear about it opening in their hometown.
True to their name, JoJo’s Shake Bar is best known for their crazy milkshake creations with larger-than-life toppings. According to one of the waitresses at the new hotspot, customers already have a favorite shake! “Chocolate Nirvana has definitely been ordered the most since opening, but those who don’t like chocolate usually order our Wonder Years shake,” she noted. Chocolate Nirvana is a chocolate oreo shake paired with a chocolate-covered donut hole, chocolate chip cookie, and chocolate-dipped marshmallow, while Wonder Years is a blueberry shake featuring a candy ribbon, candy marshmallow, and cotton candy. Wow, that is a lot of stuff in one shake! There is a taste for everyone as the menu features seven+ craft shake choices along with standards like chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry.
While their insane shakes are what they are famous for, their main dishes aren’t too bad either. The menu offers, as JoJo’s describes it, “elevated diner fare”. Fan favorites include JoJo’s Fries which are waffle cut fries with cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives, and the loaded grilled cheese which is five cheese blend, bacon, and roasted tomatoes on challah. Guests can choose from an extensive menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and entrees. There is definitely something for everyone.
When I came to the new diner, I tried several different items. Here are a few of my favorites:

• JoJo’s fries: These are super popular for a reason! All the different ingredients added a wide variety of flavors that blend together perfectly.
• Chocolate Nirvana shake: The oreo shake base has the perfect ratio of oreo to shake, and the toppings are crazy, but doesn’t overpower the shake itself.
• Girl Scout shake: This thin mint inspired shake has a perfectly flavored chocolate mint base, and crazy toppings such as a S’mores, and a chocolate cookie is my favorite item I tried.

Beyond the milkshakes, one of the reasons JoJo’s Shake Bar has gone viral is its decor. Bright colors and fun accents make it an Instagram-worthy spot and a great place for posting on social media. The walls of the Detroit location are filled with classic 80s and 90s decor, along with vintage arcade games to match. It is currently decorated with pumpkins, leaves, and other fall favorites paired with an exclusive autumn menu. They even pay homage to all Detroit Featuring Motown icons such as Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, and of course, their all-new “Faygo Float ” menu item. The creativity hasn’t gone unnoticed as the setups have been favorites for many customers’ social media feeds. Recently, JoJo’s Shake Bar caught the attention of students at Berkley. Junior Remy Sollish is excited to go to the new spot. “The milkshakes all looked super good, and I would definitely want to try them,” she exclaimed. Fellow junior Audra Bergman already has thoughts on what she wants to try. “Of course I would want to try the smoke house,” she noted.
Although JoJo’s Shake Bar is new, you might want to make a reservation at this hotspot as soon as possible. Even on a Thursday night, there was only one reservation available between 4:00-10:00 pm and it could only seat two people! Overall, in just one short month, JoJo’s Shake Bar has already become a favorite spot in Detroit for so many residents. It has also achieved massive praise, and customers are ready to visit the viral spot. If you want a cool place to eat with a great atmosphere and even better food, visit JoJo’s Shake Bar on Columbia ave in downtown Detroit.