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Founders Brewing

4.1 (1.8k reviews)
ModerateBreweries
Open 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Updated 1 week ago

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First-Class Interior
Ken S.

Most breweries can make a good beer. A lot of breweries can make one great beer. Very few can make several really great beers. In my rankings, Founders is #1. This location is first-class all the way! I was a little surprised - you're not gonna drink on the cheap, but really the prices aren't bad for quality of beer and environment that you're getting. I very much wish I lived closer. One question: My receipt and Google Maps do not agree on the street name. When did the street get renamed, and why?

root veggie bowl and gochujang tofu bahn mi
Delanie M.

If you haven't been to founders in a bit, I suggest you check the new menu before you go. they've gotten rid of a lot of amazing things including all vegan options aside from hummus and a veggie burger (sans bun since that's not vegan). very bummed.

Chicken wings
Jovina B.

Food was good. The chicken wings were perfect and the celery was crunchy. We also ordered the tofu bowl. It was ok. Not my favorite. Beer was good and the waitress was great. She checked up on us and was friendly. Place is huge with outdoor dining. Restrooms were clean. Street parking available. Saw that they had their own parking but we already parked at the garage. I would come back here.

Flight
Ashley B.

Underrated beer in my eyes! I liked all my samplers. Quality soft pretzel with beer cheese. And the staff is so accommodating and sweet.

Rebecca F.

Service: 2/5 Food: 4/5 Ambiance: 3-4/5 depending on where you sit We had a medium sized group and sat near the stage. It was way too loud. Service was very slow despite it being not so busy on a weeknight. But at least the food was good. The potatoes were not cooked evenly though, some were extra hard and some buttery soft. I got the pork ribeye. Otherwise the flavors were on point. There a few non-beer options if you have non-beer lovers in your party.

Tamara M.

You must come here if you are visiting Grand Rapids! A huge area to try their Craft beers. One of a kind. There is a beer, dip, cheese, appetizer, and beer cheese curds which I recommend. They aren't your typical cheese cards, but we're really delicious.

Menu
Brian S.

Founders brewery has always been a place I enjoyed stopping inn while visiting the west side of the state. Unfortunately the state of the service has slowly deteriorated. The first time I visited Founders was 5 years ago. That first visit was wonderful. Great food, service and beer selection. The wait was only 5 minutes and it was packed. This last visited 50% of the tables were empty and they were really short staffed as well. They told us a 15 to 20 minute wait and they only had 2 people ahead of us. 45 minutes later we got seated. I like renovations and design changes plus the beer selections to be honest but the service and menu items disappointed. I believe that Founders just got to big to quick and lost that local love and charm putting the customer first. I'm hoping for Founders Brewery comeback going forward.

Tex Mex mac and cheese kick
Tammy D.

I recently got my wisdom teeth out so I've been on a mac and cheese kick lately... but this mac and cheese from Founders was imMACulate! I got their porky mac which had pulled pork, green onions and scallions drizzled with BBQ sauce. My friend got their special feature today: Tex Mex mac and cheese. This bowl was seasoned with ground beef, pickled jalepeño, fried onions, scallions and chipotle crema. We both agreed that their house cheese sauce is the best we've ever had! If you ever crave mac and cheese, this is the place to go! Honestly I wasn't a big fan of their menu before, but since they revamped their menu, I've definitely enjoyed the food more! I did a take out order and it only took 10 minutes for them to make it. I also enjoy how friendly the staff are and will be coming back soon!

Seating
Nicole R.

I stopped in very hungry with a few friends for lunch and we left stuffed. We got a fried pickles for the table and I ordered the porky mac n' cheese. The portion was HUGE and I definitely could have split it with my friend. My friends also enjoyed their meals and the beer. We sat on the patio and it was a bit too humid - misters or fans would have been nice. It's a huge building so theres lots of seating inside in addition to a store and the taproom. Our waitress was decent.

Flight - all great. By preference: rubaeus, bfast stout, marryin', cone
Kayleigh W.

What a great happy hour! $5-7 beers $2 off. I haven't had a $3 craft beer in...ever! We walked in and sat at the bar after parking nearby on a Wednesday at 3pm. The bartender was attentive and busy. Solid brewery vibes. The flight beers ended up more expensive than our pints at $3.50 each 5oz. We had somewhere to drive and wanted to try a few though. Anytime we are in Michigan we'll definitely try to come back. We've heard the food is good and will check that out too.

Backwoods Bastard and Nitro Rubaeus
Emily J.

Stopped at Founders for dinner last night and tried out their newer food menu- I was super intrigued by the parmesan chicken, since Founders has never struck me as a chicken parm kinda place, but I ended up opting for the porky mac, and lord help me, it was so delicious! I loved the sweet barbecue sauce and the green onions and the bacon, OH MY. It was fantastic. I had two stouts for beers- the Stroopwaffel and the Pecan Pie. They were amazing- I love sweeter stouts, but don't like the barrel aged taste, and neither of these were barrel aged, or had the bourbony taste some stouts do. Also shoutout to our server last night, she was probably the quickest service I've ever had there!

Shawnie P.

Great brewery located in Downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founders Brewing Company was founded in Michigan since 1997 and ranks as one of the top breweries in the country. Awesome. They have a great selection of all types of beer, wine and cocktails. I ordered the refreshing lemonade spritzer cocktail. Yum. The Whipped Feta appetizer is FIRE! Order this! I also ordered the Unwedged Salad...yummy! The building is beautiful inside and out with parking in the garage or along the side street. If you park in the lot, they will stamp your ticket for free parking. Although I went when it was snowing, I noticed they have a nice outdoor seating area. The indoor areas are large and spacious with a bar in each area. Our server was friendly and helpful, offering their recommendation on certain drinks and main courses. I really enjoyed myself and hope to make it back next time I'm in the area.

Nitro Rübeus
Chelsea D.

I miss when this place served only sandwiches from a walkup window at the bar. Now they've sold out and look like every other mediocre brewery. Atmosphere is fine, it's generically nice enough. Food is okay. The Buddha bowl was ENORMOUS, that is way too much food. Beer was good though. Service was slow. VERY slow. Surprising considering it was a Tuesday during lunch and the place was NOT busy at all.

Blushing Monk (cranberry chicken salad)

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Founders Brewing Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Founders Brewing

Where is parking?

There is plentiful street parking and I also noticed a public garage nearby.

Is Founders allowing dogs to visit during the reduced capacity?

Hello, We are still not allowing pets of any kind into our space. Service animals are the exception, however this legally does not include 'emotional support' animals, and… Read more

See mixed answers on kids. Kid friendly?

Yes, the brewery is kid friendly; however, there is a bar in the center of the space. There are soft drinks and kombucha available for children/non-drinkers. There is also a kid's menu

What time is the apparel store open until?

I believe it's open as long as the brewery🙂

How is the tour? Worth it? Or should I just focus on drinking?

We didn't have the real tour. We took our own "tour". Fun.

Is the patio dog friendly?

Hi Melissa, Although we do love dogs, due to rules and regulations we are not able to accommodate… Read more

Do they serve wine and spirits?

Sorry, we do not. We serve only our beer that we produce along with soft drinks.

Will there be live music this Saturday night, if so what type of music?

Varies

View All 9 Questions

Review Highlights - Founders Brewing

I split the Devil Dancer and Backwoods Bastard with a friend and also had the broccoli salad on the side.

Mentioned in 25 reviews

Read more highlights

Broad Leaf Brewery & Spirits - Pickleball Fever!

Broad Leaf Brewery & Spirits

(91 reviews)

$$

Welp. Another brewery with some of the best food I've found. Beer was good too but holy geez, the…read morefood! BEER: I went with "The Vast Skies" which is described as a "hoppy amber ale". Coming from someone who loves a hoppy IPA and an amber, they combined my two worlds into one. So, it was a natural easy love. For my next, I went with their "Blinky's Black IPA" which was good but got more a weak porter feel than IPA. Like I said, it was good and I'd drink it again but with that expectation. FOOD: I went with an olive burger with be try fresh and real ingredients. The burger itself was full of flavor; add the rest of it and it was phenomenal. If I had to complain about something, I could have used a touch more olive sauce. Now the egg roll... I went with the "Guava the Hutt". I'll just say, I ordered two to go in hopes I can resurrect them in the air fryer later. The back half of the building is a pickleball area and the front half is the brewery and restaurant. Very cool look as they have a few shipping containers as sitting areas. Plenty of seating where I didn't feel jammed in. Also, a few arcade games. The service was friendly but know that it is minimal as you will order from the QR code at your table and order drinks at the bar. Definitely worth checking out and plan on returning.

This was a great place to visit as a family - they have lots of board games and card games to keep…read moreyour kids busy plus a small arcade area. The food was delicious, they had options for my son with food allergies and my vegetarian son. The vibes are fun, with pickleball courts in the back.

Greyline Brewing - Nice interior.

Greyline Brewing

(138 reviews)

$$

This place is great. I wanted to try a local brewery, but also one that felt local and not too…read moremanicured. So I stopped by Greyline. Parking was easy as they have their own lot. As soon as you walk in, there are games, chips for sale, and a water cooler with reusable cups. The place was busy. Many folks eating and drinking. There were two seats at the bar, both on either side of a young lady; so I asked if I could take one and she said yes! As it turned out, she was an off duty employee just having a beer. We chatted a bit while I ordered a flight. I love that the flight is not limited. You can have as many 2.5 ounce beers as you want! Each are priced separately. I perused the food menu and checked out the merch. Sadly they did not have the tshirt I liked in my size. They also sell beanies, glassware and hoodies. Oh, and beer to go! I enjoyed the two IPAs with Good Good being my fave, followed by IPA#1. The porter was good and so was the Kona brown. The fade was my least fave, and it pretty much tasted like Guinness, but I did drink it all. I have preferences but I also have values! Lol. The off duty employee and I chatted awhile, even looping in the bar tender and my other bar stool neighbor, especially when it came down to naming the artists on the decorative candles (see pic). We were having so much fun that we decided on her having another beer and me getting a couple more samples. The Mosacca IPA was really good. The Economy, gotta love the name, was also good and the most affordable beer! Look at them looking out for the people. Loved this place. The locals are friendly. Did not eat but all the food I saw looked good! Would return to enjoy more beer, fun convos and to buy a size small shirt!

Nice clean interior. Easy to park. Free popcorn. Friendly bartender. But the beer. So I need to…read morestart by saying, I go to a lot of breweries and am a beer snob. I tried 5 beers- solshine(wheat), fade(nitro stout), porter, rambler(red ale), Kona brown(coffee ale). I liked 2 of the 5. The Fade was a decent nitro oat stout. The Kona Brown a solid brown coffee ale. In my opinion, that is a pretty big miss for a brewery. And I didn't love any of them. My husband got the peach mango sangria which was quite good, although a bit sweet. I didn't try any of the IPAs so maybe those are good. Nice outdoor area and the food menu looked good. I wanted to like this place and would probably come back and sit outside and try some food.

Founders Brewing - breweries - Updated May 2026

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