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House Rules

4.9 (50 reviews)
Open 12:00 pm - 11:00 PM
Updated 3 months ago

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House Rules Tabletop Games Photos

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HOUSE RULES ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Dogs allowed
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - House Rules

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Giant Pretzel with Beer Cheese
Isabella K.

House Rules is a fun little spot in downtown Grand Rapids. I spent a couple hours here on a Saturday afternoon, and enjoyed the large selection of games in their library. My dining companion and I played some Wingspan and Bananagrams and grabbed a couple N/A beverages from the wall of fridges near the front. I loved that concept! The huge variety of beverages on top of the full bar ensures there is something for everyone. We started with the giant, shareable pretzel with beer cheese. It was...curious. The pretzel itself was weirdly bread-y? It didn't taste like your classic pretzel at all. It honestly felt like we were eating a loaf of bread. Not exactly unpleasant, but we didn't even finish half of it. The beer cheese was gritty, too, which didn't help the cause. If you're looking for an appetizer, I'd avoid this one. We were a bit put off by it, so we didn't bother ordering any other food. Service was fine. We came in as a walk-in and the hostess was a little terse, but luckily they had one table available for an hour and 45 minutes. She said they were booked solid the rest of the night with reservations. So, keep that in mind if you're planning on going here. Reserve a table in advance! I'm in Grand Rapids relatively frequently, so I do plan on coming here again in the future. Hopefully their other food is better than the pretzel!

Gee R.

House Rules is quickly becoming one of my favorite hang out spots DT Grand Rapids. With the new food menu, you can even make this a dinner stop. Most dishes are for sharing like fries or nachos, but don't let that stop ya from getting one to yourself! Drinks offered are both canned or tap. They even have n/a options too. As for the gaming experience, I recommend making a reservation before coming because it will be a hit or miss with getting a time slot on a walk in basis. There is a cover fee to play games but that can easily be added to our drink/food tab. All the games known to man are available! At least if feels that way to me. On my last visit I also learned they validate parking! So that is a HUGE bonus for me, personally. My only qualm is that the location is not the safest, so take advantage of parking close. Overall 5/5 stars.

Leslie J.

Great selection of games and drinks. Family friendly & fun, wish we could stay and play all day. Will definitely be back next time we're in town.

Letitia J.

This place was super fun and a perfect place to go with a group of friends, family, or significant other. There were so many games on their shelves I hadn't heard on, and some that I knew of. On the left of the shelves is a kid section - I saw Jenga was there and wanted to play it! We went on a Sunday early afternoon and it wasn't too crowded. I read on their website that Saturdays are the busiest. You can open a tab at the bar and order drinks while you are playing your games. Right across House Rules is the downtown market so you can walk across after to have some more fun! Service was great! I'd definitely visit there again.

Dice set
Sara C.

The mocktail list was exciting to see as a person who's pretty new to sobriety. We walked in at an odd time of day and thankfully didn't need a reservation at this time. It's probably best to reserve ahead of time if you're playing a longer game. They have an amazing selection and it's very well organized! All of the food and drinks were tasty and we will be back soon!

Melissa B.

I've been following house rules on social media for so long and I finally had an opportunity to check it out! I absolutely loved this place! Such a great business idea. My friends and I came on a Saturday afternoon -- you have to make a reservation ahead of time which you can do online. We chose a 2 hour reservation and thought that was a good amount of time though I easily could have stayed longer as well. When you arrive, you pay a $5 "cover" per person and they assign you to a table. You can then browse the games and buy drinks as you please! They have a ton of games to choose from, luckily my friend I was with is kind of a board game connoisseur so we were able to pick a game fairly quickly and she could explain the rules to us. If you are unsure about what you want to play and/or are picking a brand new to you game where you have to learn the rules, I would definitely recommend trying to factor that into your time when making a reservation. They have some drinks on draft + a huge cooler with other drinks and tons of NA options. I also saw on their Facebook page that if you park in the upper McConnell dash lot around the corner and have a $25+ tab then they will validate your parking for you up to 3 hours. That's a nice perk! If you're looking for something fun to do with friends, family or anyone else honestly -- I would recommend house rules!

Bri B.

Chill environment to play games, eat & drink, and enjoy good company. You can play one of their 600 games at the bar or rent/reserve a table for $5. Drinks are extensive from beer to cocktails to nonalcoholic options to soft drinks. Something for everyone. Food is good and extremely reasonably priced. A burger for $6?! We did the tender basket with waffle fries & Italian season, and the Philly with curly fries and Cajun spice. Love the variety of French fry types! Service was quick and helpful. Parking is paid parallel parking.

the inside of a toy store
Natasha B.

I loved this place. Make sure to make a reservation because it fills up. You get 3 hours to play games with a reservation and it's a 5 dollar gaming fee per person. They have HUNDREDS of games and they are well taken care of. Played quite a few and they were all in good condition. Staff was friendly. The oaxacan flaka flame is delicious. the shots were fun and beer was good too. Once our table was up there was room at the bar so we played games there. They have games for sale and good deals on some of them- got a game I liked for 8 bucks! You can bring your own food

Adrienne G.

We won a Chef's table at the New Year's Eve trivia event! Both the Chef's table and New Year's events were spectacular. Absolutely the best way to start the New Year! Chef Mike prepared the most incredible dishes with an excellent theme. We couldn't pick a favorite dish because they were all amazing. Highly highly highly recommend House Rules!! Thank you Chef Mike, Nathan, and House Rules team!!!

We enjoyed playing a few rounds of Harry Potter Codenames (a cooperative game if you prefer to stay on good terms with those in your party).
David F.

If you enjoy games (board games, card games, table-top role playing games, etc) - then this is your place! With a whole row of drink coolers including alcohol and non-alcohol options, as well as a menu of tasty food options and draft beverages for purchase, you can prepare to get comfortable and lose yourself in the fun of any of their 650+ game options. My family and I had a blast - and our three hours just flew by! Come check it out for yourself!

Bf pictured got #10 city built drink and loved it. We played a new game called Snakes of wrath!
Maya R.

Found this place online and came here to pass time before our reservation and man will we be coming again! The service was great, drinks were great, and they had games I hadn't seen in forever! We also went during happy hour so the prices were great and it wasn't too busy. Looking forward to bringing our friends here for a game night on a more busy day!

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2 years ago

This place is so fun! Great place to catch up with friends and have a drink! Good food and atmosphere to hang out on a Sunday afternoon!

Business owner information

Photo of Nathan M.

Nathan M.

Thanks, Kelsie!

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

Great staff! Really helpful if you want to learn a new game or have a different night out!

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Ask the Community - House Rules

Review Highlights - House Rules

Right across House Rules is the downtown market so you can walk across after to have some more fun!

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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What an amazing experience!!! We came here for one of their monthly events. We found out about it…read morethat day and the tickets were no longer available. But we took our chances and the manager was able to get us in! So glad he did. They have these types of tastings every month. December will be a champagne pairing. I definitely plan to come back for that! They did a beautiful presentation. We got to try three different scotches which were paired with delicious small plates of food. Afterwards, we went to the bar area and had a drink. The service here was impeccable. The food was delicious and the signature cocktails were delightful! The hotel itself is gorgeous and I was happy we got to experience it all decked out for Christmas!

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House Rules - tabletopgames - Updated May 2026

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