Dead Bear Brewing! You must go! The establishment has friendly service, a great selection of crafts, and delicious. The beer selections is on point and you won't be disappointed. The staff takes their time out to talk to you and enjoy some conversation. The food is quick and hits the spot. You'll love the inside of this place, I promise! read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

Over the years we've been to this brewery many times, the biggest thing to bring is in the door other than a relatively long on tap list and delicious burgers has always been live music on the weekends. We actually have a few performers we grown used to seeing here. Since the pandemic they aren't doing live music sadly but I hope they will again. The outdoor space is so awesome, it's more of an indoor outdoor but with tons of natural light and garage doors that open to let in the fresh air. That's also where the stage. Also on live music nights this adorable old lady named Sandra would always dance and just put a smile on our faces. The beer that they beer is okay but I really only love the sugar bear beer. They offer lots of other local craft beer too. We've done flights plenty of times. It's a spacious place with plenty of seating options and recently they've added arcade games. Service has typically been good and sometimes is great. Staff seems to turn over often so I'm not used to any particular member of staff. We LOVE their burgers but have had entrees and almost all the appetizers. Appetizers lean towards a small portion and I think are priced high due to that. Great place overall. If you are in grayling this is one of 3 breweries and this place is more than worth stopping into. read more

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Family of four went in for dinner. Restaurant was not particularly busy but took over 40 minutes to get our food (burger, chicken sandwich & 2 kids meals). Bit into the chicken sandwich & grease ran out & burned my lip and chin. Beyond this the food was overly greasy & mediocre at best. $85 later we were disappointed & went home to make better food. The beer was the only saving grace, but wouldn't be enough to bring us back. read more

Reviews on Yelp were not the greatest, but it was on our way back from a trip to Michigan, so we decided to stop for lunch. I think it was a good choice. My wife had the grilled chicken sandwich, pretty basic, and I had the Cuban, which was very good. The fries were also very good. The place is kind of rustic, which was nice, and our server, Toni-Jo, was also very good. If I lived in this area, I would definitely come back here. read more

A decent place to drink, but the food is too pricy ($14+ for a burger, no fries). The bear theme is funny, and their beers are fairly good. I wish there was more drinks on tap though. read more

Perhaps the best thing going in Grayling. I likened this place to a bit of an oasis in a veritable desert of what passes for an "up north" tourist town. The entire city seemed to be one bummer after another, so I didn't walk in here with super high expectations. Nope, it was quite the contrary. I did, however, leave impressed, plus I can safely say that this was the most impressive aspect of my visit to the this town. We spent the night in Grayling on a recent trip up north and found the location to be a bit lacking in both decent hotel accommodations and restaurants alike. Desperate for a nice meal and a cold beer, we headed out to one restaurant, only to be driven off by the noise and poor service. Splitting shortly thereafter and heading back to our hotel pretty bummed, we spotted Dead Bear and took a chance. I reasoned, "How bad could it be?" Everything else in town had been a letdown, which meant that, naturally, we were prepared for real disappointment. Well, it turns out it was actually great. From the food and craft beer selection to the atmosphere, price and service, everything was spot on. I ordered the baked mac and cheese dish (served with freshly baked rolls from Goodale's Bakery), which our server explained to me was "made to order." Indeed, it was. While it was listed on the menu as being prepared with bacon, I was able to order mine sans meat. My husband ordered a fish sandwich with fries. Both dishes arrived in a timely manner (after neither a lengthy wait nor lightening fast, which was a good sign). My dish was served piping hot, infused with several layers of good quality cheeses and seasoned nicely. Both the flavor and texture were on the money. I admit, I'm pretty discerning when it comes to restaurant mac and cheese. They are definitely not all created equal, that's for certain. I consider myself to be on a quest for the best mac and cheese out there and I would easily rate this dish up there with the best of them. I think it could be put to a head to head mac and cheese taste test any day of the week. It was a nice version of a savory, comfort food dish. My dish, at $10, was a winner. My husband and I sampled each other's food (and beer). He liked my mac and cheese as well. He enjoyed his fish sandwich, which he said was definitely not frozen and thawed out. I could tell that he was right after a few bites. It was good and didn't taste like the freezer. The fish itself seemed to have a nice, flaky battered texture, but not too much batter. We both have issues with any frozen food being served in a restaurant, particularly meat or fish, which means we are both quite sensitive to it and can spot it a mile away. This did not appear to be the case here at all. It came with fries for $9. They had 21 craft beers, along with a couple of their own, on tap. I liked the variety, plus we could see the brewing area through the window from our table. That was pretty cool to be able to watch them "making hops." I started out with a Sumpollo Session IPA, while my husband went with the Dry Hopped Pale Ale, based upon recommendation from our waitress. If you like a craft beer that isn't too dark or earthy, Sumpollo would probably fit the bill. It was nice, had a great flavor and no aftertaste. I don't typically drink too much of the really dark beers, so this was a good option for myself. The Dry Hopped Pale Ale was nice, too, being a surprisingly full-bodied beer that wasn't a darker brew. We sampled a few more varieties, including one of the house brews. I'd give them a big thumbs up on the beer front. Great selection, good prices. As for the atmosphere, the dining area was split into three areas: the main dining room featuring wooden high tops and the bar area (facing the microbrewing area), a separate area in the back with a fireplace that seemed more family-friendly and a spacious outdoor patio featuring live music (just around the corner from our table, which we could see through the glass enclosure). It definitely looked as if we were sitting in the living room of a Northern Michigan lodge drinking beer. It had deer heads on the walls, an ornate, wood-carved bar/ furnishings and a distinct "Up North" hunting lodge motif. It was nice, but not over the top, suitable for a Northern Michigan tourist town. It was homey, not cheesy or decorated with a heavy hand. It's obvious someone went to a great deal of money & trouble to create this look. The live music was decent and the crowd started piling in shortly before the band hit the stage. The vibe was upbeat and friendly, yet relaxed. Our server was attentive, offering up both food & drink recommendations on the fly. When we were initially seated near a table with a "loud talker (think Seinfeld), she simply picked another table on the opposite side of the room for us and moved our drinks, etc for us without hesitation, just giving us a knowing look that said, "I get it." She was great. A quality experience.. read more

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After 45 minutes on auto redial to try to place a takeout order because a friend recommended their Rueben egg rolls I finally gave up. Maybe if someone answered the phone once in a while or ya know, hung up from their lengthy chat with their buddies? If I had to wait (longer than, since I never actually got anything but a busy signal) 45 minutes I'm sure there'd be mold growing on those egg rolls before I actually managed to get them. Instead of gaining a new customer they've definitely lost one for good. read more

The brews were underdeveloped. Great write ups but lackluster flavor. Food was forgettable. Burgers over done and runny Mac and cheese. The spicy chicken salad needs help. The chicken and dressing had good flavors but the noodles and construction of the dish needed help. read more

My husband and I are traveling to Lansing, MI. I always look to Yelp for places to eat and Dead Bear Brewing had a rating of 3.5 stars so we decided to have lunch there. I ordered the French onion soup to have before our meal. The broth was pretty bland and there were very thick pieces of onions and weren't cooked through ( still crunchy) and strong tasting. I wouldn't order it again. We both ordered the " gigantic crunchy chicken sandwich. They aren't kidding! It was huge and crispy and tasted very good. I also ordered double Makers Mark with sprite ( they don't make old fashions like I like) Even though I asked for little ice, it was packed with ice and I do not believe it was a double. Because of the soup and lousy drink I am only give them 3 stars. I would give them a 3 1/2 star review but I don't know how to add a 1/2 star. read more

Food was flavorless. Our group sat for about 20 minutes before we got our drinks, and sat for 45 minutes before we got our appetizer. And another 30 minutes before we got our meal. Our food was bland, and flavorless. The dining room was not busy. The floors were slippery. read more

The place was Very Clean. Very happy to see cleanliness in a restaurant anywhere! The food was fairly typical pub fare. Even so, it was quite good! No long wait. Nice and hot. Would give it an 8.5 of 10. Definitely worth the trip. However... They ran out of their most popular appetizer both last night and today at lunch. HOW CAN YOU DO THAT? Has Burger King ever run out of the WHOPER? Has McDonalds ever run out of BigMacs? NO! The service. Well let's just say that a LOT of training is in order. Quick and short. Feels a bit rude, even though that was not their intent. Work on that customer service and you have it made! GREAT BEER AS WELL! read more

Affordable beer. Great atmosphere. The food isn't top notch, but the beer makes up for it. Great place to visit when you are in the area, close to the grocery store, gas station and market. Recommended. 3 IPASs for 12.75 read more

First, all recommended COVID precautions are being followed, so that was a big round of applause! We were there for lunch, on our way to the wineries in Traverse City, so we didn't order any of the brews. Hubby ordered the Reuben and was really happy with that - but the star of his order was the onion rings! These were probably the best we've had in a long time.., very good. I had the hamburger with homemade chips - this was an excellent typical bar burger. Stop in, you won't be disappointed ! read more

Personable, friendly, and helpful staff with a substantial menu where everything looked good. We asked for suggestions and were guided toward the Reuben. I'm always up for a good Reuben so we had no hesitation...and it was indeed very good (it did need an extra side of homemade Thousand Island for my taste). Fries were good, onion rings were good, Bang Bang Shrimp was good (though I'd have preferred the tails not be battered/sauced so it was easier to eat them but that's terribly minor), and kids mac and cheese looked like Kraft boxed which was perfect for our picky daughter. Bonus? Military Discount!! read more

Was up here in Grayling for training and we managed to make it to Dead Bear for a couple of dinners. Nice microbrewery, lots of room, the wood theme made it very inviting. The beer menu with its expansive beer narratives looked like the work of an English major! The waitress was very helpful, offering many recommendations when it became evident we were newbies to Dead Bear. Ordered a steak salad one night and the open faced steak sandwich on another. They both were good and what I wanted. On the open faced steak sandwich night a generous anonymous benefactor paid for the bill for the whole table, because we were in uniform. Thank you! All in all a very enjoyable visit. I would enjoy coming back when we are up in Grayling again for training and trying other dishes. Will repeat and recommend! read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Steak salad - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

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Great atmosphere. Tried a couple beers and were excellent. We had the cod dinner, wings and fried mushrooms. All were excellent. Good service and friendly staff. A lot of seating for a brewpub. Give them a try. read more

Good choice of guest taps however their brewed beer I had was a meh IPA. Food was ok but cold and reheated because it took forever. Our server (Shannon) was terrible. Took 15 minutes to get our drinks, another 15-20 for our food. She got 3 of our orders wrong. I subbed onion rings for fries but my plate came with fries and yet I was still charged for subbing onion rings. After we ate she never came back and had to flag down another server for our bill. Place was not busy at all and two tables who came in after us got drinks and food before us. read more

Awesome spot! Stopped in for lunch and a beer on the patio, and this place did not disappoint. We ordered the Dead Bear Escanaba River Amber Ale and the Dead Bear Blood Orange Pale Ale - both were delicious with burgers and the Aporkalypse sandwich. Will definitely be back! read more

We were traveling and stayed at a hotel by this restaurant. We had the rueben sandwiches with fries and onion rings. My husband had a local beer and I had wine. It was a great place to eat. The staff was very friendly and did their very best to keep everyone happy. I commend them for their hard work and great attitudes. Working in food service can't be easy but each person we encountered was smiling and pleasant. read more

Got back this week and tried the Kolsch. Nice example of the style, smooth, full bodied with just a little tang. My new favorite offering from DBB. Also had a hamburger. OK, but not one of the better ones in town. Fries were VERY salty. 4 stars for the beer, 2 for the burger. read more

The wife had the Dutch cruncher. I had the angus burger. Both were gray! Service was fine. And bonus, there was live music that was easy to listen to. read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Unique! - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

I understand there is COVID going on so yes I was disappointed not to see the fabulous steak I had last time. We both got the Mac n cheese and onion rings. The onion rings were nice and large but very oily, I had to stop eating them. After we ordered our food I checked in on FB. It was almost an hour before we got luke warm mac n cheese. Oh and why too salty. The poor waitress. She was so kind and felt bad, but I was a bit upset for a $52.00 bill when the best thing that came to my table was my Sprite. read more

Cute little place right off the highway. Came in here because we had to try a new brewery. Maybe this is too new. They only had 2 of their beers on tap and both were dark beers. I expected more from a Brewery. They do however have a lot of other beers on tap that are great. The food is tasty as well I had chicken strips which were plump and juicy, and my husband got the pork bomb. HIs looked like a heart attack with ham bacon and pulled pork but if you like that then thats what to order. The service is friendly and fast. The decor is amazing and gives you a nice ambiance. read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Bear rug - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

Overall I was satisfied with the place. I was disappointed that I could not get some craft beer to go. They don't have growlers yet. The food was "just" good. It would appear that it sat in the hot window as all the plates were very hot to the touch. Nothing was bad, just your normal type of stuff. We had burger, chicken fingers, Ruben and pulled pork. The waiter was very nice and knowledgable, Damien was his name. However service was slow. Not just us everyone in our section, the patio was slow. This would led me to believe a back house issue. The men's restroom was tidy and suitable to a mans standard. My wife indicated that this we jot the same for the women's. The floor and other surface area were not taken are of. The mopping of the floor was barley done to prison standards. The rest of the restaurant was clean to your 1950's house wife standard. Dead Bear, I salute you! Thank you for bringing another craft brewery to Michigan. Thank you for serving beer that I would drink again, we all know that we have had beer that deserved to be in a chew spit bucket rather than your belly. PLEASE step up your game on beer to go, back of house/ wait staff and restroom cleanliness. read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Front of building. - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

This place was really good it's one of the better places to eat if your ever stuck in Grayling the food was good and the bartender was great let us sample what ever we wanted before we made our drink decision read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

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We stopped in on a Thursday night during my husband's work trip. I really liked the decor, nice wood interior that definitely had that brewery feel. The dining room and bathrooms both were very clean. Service was friendly and prompt. I had one of their wheat beers and my husband had an IPA and we both like what we ordered. I ordered the whitefish for dinner and although it was a very nice size filet, it didn't have much flavor. It was fresh; It wasn't fishy or bad, it just wasn't well seasoned. The lettuce in the salad was also old. These are the only reasons I'm giving three stars instead of four. The mashed potatoes and gravy however were some of the best I've had, I don't even know why but yum! I would go here again when we are in town and just try something else. To be fair the whitefish was not one of the dishes our server recommended when my husband asked. read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

The menu is amazing. First time here. Sampled with the bartenders who are great! Food is amazing! read more

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Only taking off a star because I wasn't completely blown away. I had the brisket special dinner and it was good. It came out so quick tho I didn't really get to enjoy a beer first. Always feel weird when food comes out that quick. The beers were good as well, again not mind blowing but good, I'd drink em all again. The bartender was lovely and nice to chat with. I'd go back. read more

Visited 3 times and all three times service was horrible. In our last visit we had a large party but we're only visited three times in our hour and a half long visit. An initial round of drinks, a follow up round and then food. We watched our server visit multiple tables 5 times before our second round. Food was not bad but the service needs a lot of help. Definitely will not be visiting again. read more

I really want to rate this higher, I really do. I've been coming here somewhat regularly for the past year while in town for work. The service is great and the staff is friendly. The beer is good, some of it is a little too experimental for my taste, but still good on site brewed beer with other craft selections if none of theirs fit your tastes. My issue is the food, the menu is pretty uninspired. Standard bar food with a couple of "specialties", but they aren't done well. The Aporkalypse is greasy, not a lot of favor in their pulled pork. The steak was okay, but not worth what they charged. They had a some great walleye which disappeared from the menu. A nice place to stop for a beer, but not someplace I would go regularly if it wasn't right next door to my hotel. read more

Absolutely terrible service. Orders drinks got them decently quick then took 25 minutes just to order food. Fast forward 2.5 hours into this place still hadn't received food. Only got one refill in that time frame. Food came out colder than my refrigerator! read more

This is the second year that we have taken our annual Kayak trip on the river and ended up at Dead Bear Brewing. Both times I have been her I have been so impressed with this place. I love this place. The beer is delish and they have awesome brews on tap that are local and home brewed. Pretty much any type for anyone that loves beer. Then to top it off the food is delicious. Their fried mushrooms are the best I have ever had. The Aporkalypse is so good don't pass on it if to sounds good to you. After this last trip we are definitely going to make this our Grayling summer after kayaking tradition! read more

Amazing food. Good service. Nice atmosphere we stopped in the middle of the day and service was fast and knowledgeable. Prices were good for food portions. read more

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Decent for a place surround by nothing but mostly fast food. I enjoy the decor a lot but it's missing a lot. There is not music. It's too boring. I didn't drink any beer so I can't comment on that as I was in route to Chicago. I did have a burger and was pleasantly surprised. The french onion soup was a joke. I've had better canned french onion. So, I'd advise you skip that. And that's all I have to say about that. Jackée read more

Great food and plenty of beers to choose from. I had a burger and it was cooked perfectly. I stop here once a year during a yearly work trip and we always look forward to it. read more

We came here for dinner last night and seated in the back room by the fireplace. The beer list we were given was extremely limited as we thought this was a brew pub. Not one beer listed was indicative of this being a brew pub. And they only had 7 or 8 beers listed. The food was okay, we had the reuben egg rolls and those were pretty tasty. On the way out we noticed that yes, it was a brew pub and they had a beer list above the bar. My suggestion to management, add those beers to your table lists, and make sure your servers, we had Toni-Jo last night, let your customers at the tables know about YOUR beers, not the Atwater we had. That's why we went there. read more

Waitress (Paige) is a absolute jerk, no manners and very short and sharp with her customers. Paige is a first timer. Terrible service, other employees were super nice read more

We stopped here on a Tuesday night on our way up North for a ski vacation. Wonderful place. Easy to get to from the highway. Beers - sour mash stout and a wheat ale with cucumber and lime excellent! Service excellent. Homemade salad dressings a plus. Rueben sandwich outstanding. Nice decor and woodwork. Stop in, you won't be disappointed read more

We are some of the least picky people around. I love our mouse turd grill at deer camp for Pete's sake! This experience was not good. First, almost 10 minutes to be seated... no one else ahead. Okay , got seated. Brewery, ready to try their beers. 20 minutes in since we walked in door, still don't have anyone asking if I'm thirsty. Food was not good. Lettuce in house salad brown on edges. It's harvest season in Michigan, get a fresh tomato! Beers were forgettable. Lacked carbonation and presentation. Best beer I had was Austin Brothers from Alpena. $98 for the 4 of us, worth about $30. Maybe they had a bad night, but there has to be better in northern Michigan. Left a note on the bill to eradicate the fruit flies. They were landing on the table. Not good. Darn it. read more

Dead Bear Brewing - Bag salad that at least 4 days old - Breweries Near Me - Grayling, Michigan

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Good beer selection, reasonable service, awful food. Had the perch dinner, featuring four or five wafer thin slices of perch with excessively thick breaking. "Fresh" green beans appeared to have been boiled for hours. Best part of the meal was a simple house salad with modestly wilted lettuce. Fortunately can good beer on tap, and bartenders helpful in serving samples. Unlikely to return, though. Will try downtown spots next. read more