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    Blue Dog Tavern

    4.1 (237 reviews)
    ModerateBurgers, Pubs
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Business Info

    BLUE DOG TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Casual
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Blue Dog Tavern

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    Reviews With Photos

    Mardi Gras specials
    Chantel M.

    Love Blue Dog Tavern! We came specifically for the NOLA menu and it did not disappoint. Honestly, I just love the vibe of the NW side. No thrills no frills. Great food and reasonable prices. I loved my po' boy and the hubby loved his jambalaya. Had to have a Hurricane and an Abita to wash it all down. Everything went smoothly and the place filled up fast for a Tuesday. Make sure to come early if you don't want to wait for a seat. We snagged the last one around 5:30pm.

    Tots, Ditka Dog (bottom), and Loaded Dog (top)
    Kyle V.

    Stopped in for lunch on a Sunday and the place was pretty busy. We grabbed a booth and our server stopped by shortly after. We ordered a couple craft sodas in a can because it was the only non alcoholic stuff we saw on the menu but later realized they also had Coke products, which I would have rather had. We started with the Garlic Parmesan Tots and they were delicious. Pretty hard to screw these up but the bowl was full of oil or butter on the bottom, probably why it was so good. For lunch, I had the 2 dog combo with a loaded dog and the ditka dog. The menu said if you get a 2 dog combo, you get a free upgrade to tots or fries. I ordered fries but she brought tots and still charged me for them. Oh well, not worth the hassle of complaining when it was on a couple bucks. Just would have rather tried their fries since we started with tots. It would have been helpful if she wrote the order down. Overall, the staff were very friendly, the bar was clean, and the menu had tons of options. This is like a dive bar that's nicer than what you'd expect. My daughter was excited to use the TouchTunes app to play music but they had it paused. Our issues were all pretty minimal and we all enjoyed the food. The hot dogs are messy and over the top but fun.

    West Side Rodeo Burger
    Karsen L.

    There's truly nothing cozier than sitting at the bar at Blue Dog, watching big snowflakes fall, sipping on a winter sangria, and enjoying a perfectly made hot dog. Say what you want, but hot dogs are delicious--and I'll happily stand by that. Blue Dog's hot dogs rival any spot in town claiming to serve the best. The toppings are always piled high, and the creative flavors never fail to impress. They also have monthly loaded tot specials, amazing ranch, and super affordable prices. My bestie is all about their burgers and has never had a single complaint. This cozy, vintage little spot has always charmed me, and it keeps me coming back. The only thing I would change is that the happy hour specials are a little lackluster!

    Onion Burger - FAV
    Rayce P.

    Blue Dog Tavern is one of our favorite spots for American-style food in downtown Grand Rapids. just a couple of blocks away from the popular Bridge St., Blue Dog Tavern has a cozy bar vibe with lots of photos and art of dogs surrounding the inside. All of their food is delicious, but they are well know for their loaded tater tots. I highly recommend trying the Poutine tots. If you're looking for a great restaurant off the beaten path of Grand Rapids, definitely check it out!

    Plain Dog
    Eileen B.

    This is a typical bar but the food is delicious and the service is great We had fuzzy navels for my mom It was her favorite drink We ordered loaded tots no sour cream and I had a Ditka dog and my sister had the French dip Both were exceptional

    Loaded tots???
    J M.

    Ordered online the loaded tots. Called politely & asked for a redo because as u can see in the photo DRY AS F NO CHEESE. How are these loaded??? Never again. They said take it up w Uber eats. Uber eats did NOT make the food. So sad

    Aaron H.

    Very understaffed. We were told an hour plus wit for food. Then we waited 20+ minutes for our bill for 2 drinks. We were also told they aren't even allowed to place orders for a minimum of 20 minutes unless it's for a beverage. This all would have been understandable if they would have cashed us out as soon as they knew we weren't staying. Waiting the length of time it takes to even put in our food order to get our bill so we could go get food somewhere unless is unacceptable and rude.

    Loaded tots
    Allison F.

    My husband and I wanted a place to grab a quick bite before checking into our hotel for the night. Blue Dog Tavern had tons of great reviews all over the web, so it won our vote. It was fairly easy to find free street parking. I could see this area getting jammed as the night goes on, though. We entered through the front swinging door and chose seats at the bar. A friendly bartender came over before we could take our coats off. Waters came up quick while we looked over the menu. The menu... they're got a great menu! It's got enough variety to suit all diets but is small enough that you won't get overwhelmed with too many choices. I ordered the loaded tots and Jacob got the Ditka (Chicago) dog with a side of mac n cheese. Food came up quick. Jacob loved his dog, my tots were great but the mac needed a little something. It was a bit mushy, unfortunately, but the flavor was greatly improved with a little sriracha. The floor to get to the (gender-neutral) bathrooms was incredibly, dangerously slick, even though it wasn't wet. Petition for them to sand it down? I almost fell both times going to and from the restroom. Overall, cool little spot with TVs, a jukebox, friendly staff and overall bright atmosphere. I'd definitely stop in again.

    Mural outside
    Olivia A.

    Been here a couple of times and my absolute favorite item on the menu is the tots! This place is walking distance to my boyfriends house so we've been a couple of times and it's a small bar with some delicious bar food. My drinks have always been pretty tasty and strong as well! If you come here, order the tots! Whatever you do:)

    There brand new patio seating outside is very rusty, music is great, the lighting outside is wonderful and that atmosphere inside and outside is great! The food is very delicious!

    Beer
    Jim R.

    Last minute work luncheon- friend of a friend recommended. Cool little place- Here's what I liked- *Service- super friendly and easy going. *Beer was cold and delicious *if you like Tots- they have a bunch of selections. * Their loaded version of a Rueben was interestingly good- with onion straws and bacon. *The fish and chips- fish was crisp outside and flaky inside. What I thought could be better : * While they had a lot of Tots selections they were nothing special. Basic tots with condiments. * the jalapeño hush puppies were good- think they could be a little sweeter or have a dipping sauce? Overall we really enjoyed the place. I would go back for sure

    Bri B.

    My boyfriend tried to sell me on this place by saying 'they're known for their tatter tots' to which I thought if tatter tots were the best thing on the menu I wasn't interested. Yet we ended up there and I realized he didn't mean JUST tatter tots, but actual tatter tot meals with various toppings. We tried the parmesan garlic ones - sooo good! Our entrees were also good and reasonably priced. They also serve a killer Old Fashioned - probably within the top 10 of GR. Service was quick and nice. Nice atmosphere. Small parking lot across the street. Was a bit loud making it hard to talk/hear. When our food was delivered I could barely understand which meal the waiter was trying to place (food was above my eye level so I couldn't visually help)

    J-Dawg Burger

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    5 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Killer hotdogs and was glad this place was recommended to us while out of town for work. Pay them a visit and you'll be glad you did.

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    10 months ago

    Smash burger was delicious. Philly tots were amazing! Our drinks were delicious. Service was great!

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    3 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Blue Dog T.

    Blue Dog T.

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    11 months ago

    Staff is legit nasty to customers. Food actually isn't bad. Jeremy is the only nice staff member

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    2 years ago

    French Dip was awesome. Service was great even though they were extremely busy. Old school bar with tv for sports and such.

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    The service was amazing! The food was delicious and the atmosphere is so cozy. I will definitely be going back

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    The food is great, the service is always good, and I love the unique ambiance of the building along with its location.

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    Ask the Community - Blue Dog Tavern

    Can you bring puppies here?

    Pets of any kind are not allowed inside unless it is a service animal.

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