A last minute decision to get food turned into a great night. I had the pesto pasta (delicious but…read morequite oily) and the salmon Caesar salad. The appetizers were great and the pizza puffs reheated great the next day! Our sever was so kind and helpful with my indecisiveness with trying to order. There are huge TVs everywhere and she was more than willing to move things around so I could see the games I wanted. It was a fun night! Their tequila espresso martini made our list as some of our favorites around town!

I went with a group of friends, 7 of us in total. Unfortunately, we hit the perfect storm and it…read morewas FUBAR. Granted it was July 4th, and the place was packed, but read on. There was an hour wait for a table. They gave us a beeper. We couldn't grab a drink inside at the bar to escape the heat, so we found another restaurant where we snuck in a back door and ordered drinks at the bar. The beeper went off after an hour and we made the 5 minute walk back to the first restaurant. We ordered drinks and appetizers. It took about 1/2 hour to get our drinks. The appetizers came out about 10 minutes later. We decided to order a Margarita pizza with added pepperoni and mushrooms. It sounded simple enough. About an hour later, the Margarita pizza showed up without pepperoni or mushrooms. We asked the waiter to take the pizza back and have the kitchen add the missing ingredients. Silly us. We figured they throw the missing ingredients on the pizza, reheat it in the oven for 5 minutes and bring it back. A half hour later, we asked our waiter about our pizza. He seemed new and a bit overwhelmed. He went to check on it. We never heard back. 15 minutes later we asked again. Nothing. Finally, 2 hours after we ordered the pizza, the pizza arrives, accompanied by the manager. She is very apologetic. They had tossed the 1st pizza, but never remade it. She comped us the pizza and we each got a free dessert. The food was fine. It was your typical Southern Italian-American food, meatballs, pizza knots, and calamari. The pizza was good thin crust pizza. There was a ton of pepperoni. (Maybe that was to make up for the long wait?) and barely any mushrooms. I was fine with that. No one complained. So it's ordinary food at an affordable price. The choices are limited downtown.

What a great spot…read more This cute bar, restaurant, pub offers character and fun. There is out outdoor seating in a really nice courtyard but we sat inside in a huge booth. Our server was fantastic. She was soo friendly and fun. We were asking about a cocktail list that they did not have. She offered to create fun drinks for us. The food was delicious. We shared a few things and loved everything. The fish tacos and chili were standouts. I would definitely return the next time I'm in the area.

Came in Sunday 2/22/26 around 6:25pm. It was crowded and loud, which we didn't mind. They were on a…read morewait - as expected because there is a show at the Van Andel tonight, doors open at 7, show is at 8. We had hoped to sit at the bar but there was only one open seat. We had beers while we waited for our table and the bartenders were great. Quick service and they were friendly. We were seated at a booth after 30ish minutes. Shaun was our server and he took such good care of us! Our refills were quick, he was so nice and our food was as exactly as we ordered. We had a deluxe pizza on hand tossed crust. I tell ya what - that crust is GOOD. The bottom was crispy and the end was soft and chewy. Decent amount of toppings too! We also had a Caesar wrap with crispy chicken. They add diced tomatoes here - and I like that! Shaun did ask if I was ok with tomatoes, he must have had people complain in the past to know to ask. We went with chips as a side, I knew I wasn't going to eat enough of the side to spend the extra $$ on an upgrade to fries. Z's is a downtown staple, especially late night. It's been a LONG time since we've been out in GR late night, but it was good to know the food is really good when sober too Of course we'll be back!

I will start off by saying that this is not the best place to get a salad, apps or some random…read moreentrees. My rating is based almost entirely on their burgers, which are very good. In fact, my kids laughed at my wife when she got a salad and wasn't overly impressed "Mom, why would you get a salad at a place with great burgers?!?" My thoughts exactly. The service is decent, the space is comfortable for a downtown spot on Monroe Center. When I visit, I focus solely on the burgers and I've never been disappointed. The 'Meat Wagon', topped with ribeye, ham and bacon just wants to cuddle your belly from the inside. The 'Otto Von Burger' topped with a fried egg and bacon is one of the best examples of its kind. The 'Alabamer' is great when you're craving pulled pork and bacon on your burger. If you just want a traditional burger, you have that option and won't be disappointed. Also, the loaded fries are solid, but personally, I would pass on the fancier offerings. Remember: Burgers over fancy apps and skip the salads and you'll be fine.

It had been a little while since I've been able to dine at Brick and Porter. It's still amazing!…read more Still has the nice casual pub feel. Our server was friendly and we had prompt service. Prices are very reasonable and the food is amazing! I tried the Chicken Bacon Jammer Sandwich. It was so good! The combo of the Boursin cheese, bacon jam and the reaper mayo was delicious and really balanced out the heat from the mayo. Splurged on desert and the Cookie n' Milk cake was wonderful. Not too rich or sweet. This place is definitely worth a stop if you are downtown!

We came in on Saturday night, 7/25/26 around 5:30pm before going to a concert at Acrisure. We…read moredidn't have a reservation but fortunately there was room at the bar - which is our preferred seating spot anyway. I was surprised at how long it took for the 2 hosts to greet us - as we were standing directly in front of them. They were talking to one another, and it was probably work related, but to just stand there staring at them for a couple minutes while they ignored us was awkward. When they finally talked to us they weren't very friendly. Anyway, we made our way to the bar and it was full except for 3 seats. I think the bartender waiting on us was new. He seemed like he was pretty overwhelmed/in the weeds. He greeted us quickly and brought us waters when he did, which I appreciated. I ordered a Blackeberry Bourbon Sour and my Mr had Paloma Nuestra. We both enjoyed our drinks they were refreshing and well crafted. For dinner I had a really hard time deciding! I wanted to try so many things! Our bartender said his favorite thing in the menu is the chicken and rice bowl. That was something I was considering and decided to go with that. Excellent recommendation! The chicken was flavorful and so tender. The hot peppers were a nice touch. There was a lot of food too! I couldn't finish it all. Mr had the hanger steak that was served with mushroom and asparagus risotto. He said the risotto was the best he's ever had, and I agree. The asparagus was perfectly cooked and so was the steak. The space is really nice, felt intimate without being overcrowded. We are looking forward to coming back!

Studio Park positions itself as a premium spot for event nights at Acrisure Amphitheater, so maybe…read moreput some effort into making the "Party on the Piazza" an actual event. What a disappointment, but not nearly as much as our experience at 123 Tavern. We came in at 4:15PM before the Brandi Carlile show needing a table for a party of 8-10. The place was fully booked (but only half full at that time) except the bar (first-come, first-served). Fair enough -- but from the moment we walked up, the manager at the host stand couldn't have cared less. She quoted a two-hour wait, shut down my question about sitting outside with a flat no, and pointed us toward the bar. No sense of customer service at all. Like zero. The three of us who were there took the last open seats at the bar. Then came the real show: one bartender for the entire restaurant AND bar. He ignored us for ten minutes. My wife and friend got their beers quickly -- but my bourbon sat finished at the service station for another seven minutes while I watched the large ice cube melting as it marinated there. When I finally asked where my drink was, I got "I'm working on it." When he did finally bring it, he pushed it across the bar at me -- no apology, no eye contact, his attention on anything but me. I'll be honest about what I can't prove: I've worked in this industry a long time, and the whole thing read like my service got intentionally slow-walked. My drink held back while everyone around me was taken care of. Maybe the front manager said something after our rocky start at the host stand. Maybe they're just all bad at their jobs. I can't tell you which. I can only tell you how obvious it felt from the barstool. Everything after was the same; menus, ordering, closing out, all a slog. I had to hunt down that same manager for our check so we could get to the show, and she was all attitude, zero help. We only escaped because my wife flagged a server who found a another manager. His response to hearing all this? "I'm sorry." Nothing else. No attempt to make it right. For the first time in my life, I left $0 on a $100 tab. I'm a 25%+ tipper. That's how badly this went. Here's the thing, 123 Tavern: if you're going to bill yourself as a place to gather before events, staff the place and train your managers to act like they want customers there. Until then, I'll spend my money somewhere that values it.

Service was amazing and fries and beer was delightful. We went there after a horrible dinner…read moresomewhere else.

We visited HopCat as a walk-in on a busy evening around 5:30, and the wait time was a bit over an…read morehour, which was totally understandable with several events happening downtown. Luckily, I was able to snag a reservation for 6:45, so we found a few things to do nearby while we waited. Once we returned, we were seated upstairs, which I actually prefer. It's noticeably less crowded and quieter than the main floor, making for a more relaxed experience. The menu offers a great variety, and their draft list is especially impressive for beer lovers. This time, I ordered one of their meal deals with mac and cheese, along with pretzels and beer cheese. Portion-wise, it did feel a bit small, but for the price of the deal, it made sense. That said, the flavor was a bit underwhelming. The mac and cheese and beer cheese dip both lacked that rich, cheesy taste I was expecting. The mac and cheese also had quite a bit of topping/breading, and the sauce was fairly loose, almost soupy in consistency. Since this was my first time ordering it, I'm not sure if that's typical. Overall, it's still a great downtown spot that offers something for everyone. The service was prompt and helpful, which definitely added to the experience.

Came in Saturday 1/31/26 around 10pm after a show at the DeVos…read more It's pretty loud with all the bowling and music. But we could still have a conversation. Bar service was great! Very friendly. Drinks were delicious and reasonably priced! Not always the case in GR. We hope to come back and bowl another time!

Haters will say that duckpin bowling isn't real bowling, but an astute mind will realize: Does it…read moreeven matter? When you've had a drink or two, it's all just throwing balls and knocking things over. Woodrows Duckpin is the only duckpin bowling alley in Grand Rapids, as far as I can tell. It's a great place to get a drink and knock things over. In fact, you should be aware that you can only get things to drink here -- they don't sell any food. But you're welcome to bring in your own food. We opted to just get beverages (sodas for kids, beer and wine for the adults) and eat elsewhere after we played. You can reserve a lane for an hour at a time. An hour of duckpin bowling was more than enough for me and my family! Games go by quickly, and I think we played three games in about 45 minutes, then peaced-out with 15 minutes left on our tab. (But we had our fun and got our money's worth.) Duckpin bowling uses smaller balls that are more lightweight than regular bowling balls, so it's easier for young kids to play. Think skee ball, but on a slightly larger scale. Honestly, I think I prefer duckpin bowling to regular bowling! It feels more laid-back and less serious. There's a nice lounge in Woodrows Duckpin, which is pleasant to sit in when you're not playing, or if you're waiting for your lane to be ready. Woodrows is also attached to the Amway Grand Plaza, so if you're staying at that hotel, it's just a quick jaunt downstairs.

went here for food quick between appointments and got the salad. It was a huge portion and it was…read moresuper good!

I had take out during a work trip. The smashburger - DELICIOUS. It was perfect and a decent size…read more The fries were good. I ordered online and walked over to pick up from my hotel across the street. I was greeted when I walked in and then was directly to the other entrance for pick up orders. Oops. She was nice about it. I just don't recall seeing signage for the other entrance. The other entrance had a small pick up area. It took a few minutes after I rang the bell, as instructed by the sign, for someone to come and greet me. The food was packaged well.

My friends and I stopped in for a quick snack, and we're so glad we did. We ordered the nachos, and…read morethey were absolutely incredible!! The atmosphere was cool, and our server was super chill and friendly, which made us feel welcome right away. We only wish we had more time to stay because the rest of the menu looked just as good, and we'd love to come back to try more dishes. Service was a little on the slower side, but we were seated near the front on a Sunday night, so it's possible the restaurant was busier than it seemed. Either way, the food was well worth the wait. If you're looking for a place with great vibes and delicious food, this one is definitely worth checking out. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in town!

A funky spot to stop while downtown, this quickly became a place we'd love to add to our regular…read morerotation for a night out. Everyone was friendly, service was quick and efficient without feeling rushed, and the vibes were fantastic! We opted for nachos to start. Honestly, would've ordered a second batch instead of a burger if I had the chance, but we had already put in for burgers. Now, the burgers were also amazing, so you really can't go wrong. The chronic fries are DELICIOUS, with a perfect hint of heat to make them more unique. Prices were pretty good for serving size. We can't wait to make our way back (& hopefully that's soon!)