Food is good, very good in fact. Beer also very very good. The issue is the lack of servers behind the bar. We came out for the solstice bonfire. It's 29 degrees. We waited 30 minutes to get our first round. 2 people come out, 2 people go in.finally we get a round and head out to the bonfire. We eat, we finish and it's back to the line. This time it's 45 minutes. Everyone is mad...Finally get inside, and the one gal behind the bar, isn't even trying anymore.... It's not hard, every other brewery has figured it out. The last issue you should ever have at a brewery, is getting a beer. I hate to think that a place with this much going for it would fail because ownership can't staff correctly.this was the same situation at last years bonfire.... It's as if they don't expect anyone to show up. read more

Nice place for a beer & a bite. Very friendly staff and attractive space makes this a good place for a casual beer. They have a small food menu which leans to vegetarian & vegan dishes but still has options for us carnivores. The beer menu is likewise small but covers a range of styles. I had the Bucktown Bock and it is quite tasty. read more

Really loved the atmosphere inside and out. The beer selection provided enough for all pallets and lived up to the positive reviews. The food was excellent, however don't get the popcorn. It was good but you literally get 1-2 handfuls for $2. The reason for the 3 Stars....The woman behind the counter was absolutely the most rude and unwelcoming person I've dealt with in a awhile. Because it was such a beautiful day and had just finishing driving an hour to get there, we decided to stay, otherwise if this was a local place for us, we would have left the beer in the counter and drive off. But we stayed. Thankfully we did, other staff was nice and the place was great. However, when I went back in to try another drink, the same old lady was treating another guest as though she was bothering her. I was disgusted to see her body language and her responses to this guest who just said she loved the place and it was her first time. Again, place was awesome and I won't let one person ruin the overall experience but next time I visit, I will avoid this person. read more

What a cool spot. We really enjoyed our time here. From the food, to gardens, outdoor seating, beers, and games-- it was like a little (or not so little) enchanted farm to table oasis. We'd drive from the SW shore to visit again. read more

River Saint Joe - Chicken Salad, Honey and Hops Coleslaw, Brat, Garden Salad, Saison, Ale - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Buchanan, Michigan

This brewery is beautiful! Great aesthetic, views, food and beer. Staff provides a great atmosphere and the bartenders are very knowledgeable and informative. I thoroughly enjoyed my time and money spent here! read more

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Great food, great beer and cider, beautiful scenery! Absolutely loved the special- brisket quesadilla. Server was kind.

Nice relaxing brewery out in the country. Good flatbreads. Great ambiance with the fire pits & twinkle lights.

Don't get me wrong I love the ambience of this place including out door seating with fire pits and all, but too often I've driven there and there's been a private event and had to leave. Last time I was there they also "ran out of food" an hour before the kitchen closed.. I had been there all day but no one let us know. They have fun outdoor activities and events. Food wise it's been hard to review since chefs have come and gone. I do miss when they first opened some of their main entrees including a chicken kale and bean dish (yum!), but they no longer have it. I think they still need to figure a few things out unfortunately but go just for the atmosphere! read more

Great outdoor dining. Ales and ciders are always delicious. Flatbreads are delicious too.

Close but still country side tucked away. Great beers on tap and plenty of artisan foods to choose from. read more

River Saint Joe - Great indoor seating but even better outdoor! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Buchanan, Michigan

So much potential! But they miss the mark becuase the consistency is terrible. Of course the space is great, but that is pretty much it. Beer is ok. If it was great it could carry this place, but it isn't. They cannot handle special events at the detriment to "normal" patrons. The food was really good at one point, but now just subpar flat bread. Again, so much potential, but they miss the mark. I'm rooting for you guys, but you are making it hard. read more

I tried 2 beers, both types that I would typically enjoy. Both beers had a sour aftertaste. I ordered a sandwich and received a wrap. No big deal, I didn't complain but it was bland. We ate outside. The patio is gravel so your chairs sink into the gravel and lean. read more

It's honestly sad how bad this place has gotten. I'm a local and used to love coming here. The brewers do an amazing job, but the management and staff is failing them so hard. The kitchen will knowingly send out the wrong order and expect you to just deal with it. The server will just look at you like you're crazy for not being happy with getting food that's different from what it ordered. "The ingredients advertised haven't come in yet, this is all we had." Why not tell your guests that? You can tell the management here does not care how bad this place is being ran into the ground because they do nothing to fix it. Good luck in the winter because the locals know this place is trash now. read more

My husband and I were excited to try this place Labor Day weekend. When we arrived, no one said hello, the hostess wasn't friendly. We each had a beer which was just ok and a couple of appetizers to share. The food was good..no complaints. However, our service was terrible. The person who brought our food was rude and forgot to bring plates or silverware. It took over 5 minutes for our server to check on us and finally bring silverware...still no plates. Our server never came back to see if we wanted another drink and ultimately we had to get up and find them in order to pay our bill. The outdoor setting was nice and would be fun with a group. We sat at a covered picnic table which was cute until we realized the underneath of the roof was covered In Mold. This place has so much potential with the outdoor area and beautiful location, but very poor vibes from staff. We will not be back. read more

Disappointing. . Wanted to love it since we are local. Same mean old blond woman sulking around, weird food, beers too strong & tasted dirty. Not worth time or $$. read more

Great atmosphere. Sat outside basically in the meadow. Electric car charger in parking lot

Absolutely fantastic! Been twice now and what a delightful experience. The outside seating is beautiful, food is fresh and tastes amazing, and the service was fantastic. This is a go to destination when spending a weekend at the lake! read more

Awesome place! The menu is evolving, and the food/beer is delicious. If the weather is nice, it's great to sit outside!!

What a beautiful place to spend the evening. The beer and sangria were delicious. Food was good as well. Try the spicy corn salad. Yum!

Lovely afternoon at River St Joe. Love their Double IPA. Lovely ambiance whether you sit indoors or outside. No pressure to order food... and we didn't this time. But we will be back. Love this place it's so special. read more

This is a fabulous brewery! And a really cool spot. They have heated tents outside and fire pits. The food was fabulous. We actually came for a parent's weekend with our kids from Notre Dame. The owners took great care of us. We got a personal tour of where they make the beer, where they grow the hops and all the behind the scenes of the farm. The put together a delicious menu for our group also. This was a true find. We will be back! read more

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Wow...talk about the biggest beer garden (farm) I've seen. Delicious and special. They have small flights and the food fresh from the local farm. read more

Really cool brewery with finely crafted brews made w many ingredients grown on site. The IPAs were tasty and we took a walk around the farm. We'll be back to eat soon. read more

Unique outdoor dining experience. Small menu but enough fresh choices. I enjoyed the view of the farm and its hops. Dumb restaurant name. The river isn't at all in sight. If you want to honor the land and sustainability you might want to honor the indigenous people's name for the river. read more

Always a great experience here! Really lively scene with great beer and amazing food. They have created a very innovative and safe environment. read more

Awesome food and awesome service! The atmosphere is super inviting, both inside and out. The place can get pricey quickly but it's more than worth it. Be mindful, the menu is seasonal and limited with COVID. Nonetheless, A favorite place for dinner when back in Buchanan. read more

We will start with the positive. The atmosphere is stunning. Beautiful rusted metal features, high ceilings, and sweeping fields. The beer is pretty average, nothing amazing. Contrary to the pictures of the food we saw on these reviews (looked stunning) The food we received was incredibly disappointing, we were excited to see vegan dishes on the menu but were surprised when we were served a spoon full of dry rice and some brown unseasoned vegetables. Skip this place. Not the hidden gem I was hoping for. read more

Wonderfull brewery and great service! They have done a lot to make the space inviting and welcoming.

Dining tents on the patio a nice touch during this era of distanced and ventilated dining. Food imaginative and tasty. Looking forward to seeing how the grounds and menu develop as this newer farm-to-table grub pub settles into the local dining scene. read more

We had so much fun here with our family of four. Great food, amazing music, very chill vibe. Groups and families were all just happily hanging out outside. Everyone that works there is super friendly and helpful. Beer was amazing and very drinkable. Didn't have a chance to do bocce or bags but will definitely try that next time! read more

River Saint Joe - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Buchanan, Michigan

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4 of us went for our first time on Friday night. Everything was perfect: The environment (indoors), the beer (we all had flights and loved every drop!), the food (four different meals and each and every plate was cleaned), and our server Xavier did a fine job of taking care of us. Five Stars! I'll be back! read more

Wonderful place with a great atmosphere. We were able to social distance and still enjoy a night out. Food and beer were excellent! Service as well. Will definitely be back. read more

What an amazing place! The beer AND wine were so good. Food was absolutely perfect. Staff is extremely friendly. We will be back!!

First of all this place is beautiful. I was a little nervous with the limited menu, but everything we got tasted amazing. We ordered an appetizer, a salad and 2 entrees to share between myself, my husband and our daughter. I was a little upset to hear that when my daughter got up to go to the bathroom they were talking about us sharing food? We do this all the time because everything sounds good we can't decide. Not sure what the problem was. Service was very slow but we were not in a hurry. I'm giving it the lower review because I was bummed to have staff talking about us. read more

Loved everything about this place. Great beer, great food, great service. So cool see the hops growing behind the brewery. We got to play tether ball and corn hole and the vibe was so relaxed. For sure coming back and bringing more friends for the games too! read more

We had lunch here today for the first time, and we have picked up several growlers since they opened. They are absolutely fantastic in every way. Great food, great brews, great service, and great views. We look forward to coming back. read more

5 stars through and through. The food, beer, cider, ambiance, friendliness of the staff. Everything here is top quality. We came frequently during covid lock-down for a growler and pizza, now that the state is open again we came here for dine-in today. The patio is so peaceful and beautiful. Comfortable seating, ample shade or sun, and enjoyable experience. read more

Great beer but one of the bartenders, an older lady, had to be the most unfriendly employee I ever met at a brewery. She was rude to both customers and her coworkers. Her coworkers, a young man and young lady, were fantastic, helpful in our selection of beer with the young lady being very knowledgeable. July 4 visit in the afternoon, not very crowded at all read more

Hearing the hype about RSJ, we had to give it a try. After locking in their hours we landed at the site on a spectacular October afternoon. With a great brew in hand we relaxed in a couple of Adirondack chairs under the warmth of the sun and enjoyed the serene view. We had planned on doing carry out but the item we wanted was not available 'to go' so didn't get to try the food (hence the 4 starBut we'll be back! Beer was great. Staff superb. Setting beyond perfect. Bring your friends and enjoy! Cheers! LJW read more

River Saint Joe - Chillin @RSJ! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Buchanan, Michigan

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Loved the outdoor space. Food was so fresh and delicious. Could have spent all day relaxing in the "yard" sipping on beers. Only downside is it's pretty far off the beat and path from other spots but we'll worth the trip. read more