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    The Stray

    4.8 (82 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    The Stray Photos

    Business Info

    THE STRAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Stray

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    Reviews With Photos

    Ice Chai Latte
    Andrea G.

    The interior was beautiful however limited seating. Parking in the back and On side streets. They have a vegan lunch option which is a wrap and dinner option the hummus platter. However limited vegan breakfast options. Service was great and staff friendly

    Smore cafe drink
    Chelsea F.

    Came here for a bachelorette party and had a lot of fun. Some of the girls didn't drink and this place had great alternatives. I even had two of the coffee options because they looked amazing! I also had their flatbread pizza which was delicious. The live music was great too (we pre-paid for the concert and had to give them our names/tickets at the door). It was kind of loud where we were seated but you can stand/move around if you need to. I know they don't have live music every night but would definitely recommend. A great place to listen to live music without it being in a typical "bar" vibe.

    Cheese toast and tomato bisque.  Very tasty.
    Yuko F.

    I like the ambience. Will come back again soon. I like croissants so I prefer it not heated. But I like heated too.

    Matcha latte
    Tran N.

    I love coming to The Stray to study, meet up with friends, or for a cozy reading session! There's a ton of seating and the staff are incredibly friendly and helpful! They offer a variety of drinks, pastries, and food; I highly recommend their matcha latte.

    Breakfast sandwich with sausage

    The Breakfast sandwich will fulfill all your breakfast sandwich hopes and dreams. Add the sausage. 10/10. No notes.

    Teresa M.

    Non-pretentious with fabulously creamy lattes & delicious accompaniments, all at a reasonable price. What's not to love? Glancing about the large open space, you'll probably notice an eclectic collection of patrons. I believe that anyone would feel welcomed and "in place" here, a rare treat, indeed! There's ample room to plug in and get some work done or unplug and socialize the old way.

    Matthew H.

    Great spot for studying with plenty of comfy seating. Loved the chili and both the vanilla mint and salted caramel iced lattes super tasty! Service was kind and informative. Outlets can be a bit scarce. My friend didn't love the matcha, said it wasn't strong enough, but that might be personal taste. Love the creative vibe, artwork, and magnet wall!

    List of shows/activities
    Mirna I.

    Love the vibe in this cafe. It's like an escape from Michigan. Great study spot. Food and coffee slaps. Also have artwork and handmaid trinkets for sale. Already been back twice. Menu changes and got the quesadilla. Great place for a casual breakfast or lunch. Looking forward to going for a band/music night.

    Ryan K.

    True to its name The Stray welcomes all of you wandering sojourners in this life and invites you into its delightfully warm eclectic atmosphere with a solid offering of food and bevvys, it'll make you feel like waging your non-existent tail. This place feels like a community, whether it's a Tuesday morning and you need to fill that void within you with a tasty treat, or you are looking to apply your random knowledge at a Thursday trivia night (greg is an absolute DUDE), or want to lighten the dark cloud over your soul with music... then The Stray is for you. The food is like homemade but elevated. The quesadilla is a wild ride to flavortown for a coffee shop. The all-day breakfast club is excellent and reminds you that you can restart your day whenever you want. The espresso martini is a delightful dessert cocktail perfectly proportioned. Also, the baristas here know how to craft you an exquisitely unique beverage (or standard if you like standard). Stop wandering and wondering and make the Stray your home.

    Musician named Isabelle..
    Chris H.

    Excellent service and atmosphere.. Live music on Friday and Saturday nights... Great local bands.

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    7 days ago

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    28 days ago

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    8 months ago

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    30 days ago

    Very eclectic coffee house . I was there in the morning so I didn't hear any of their live music. It's worth a try!

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    7 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    4 months ago

    Very friendly staff, bagel is excellent, very good flavor, atmosphere very casual and well thought out as the way the room is set up.

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    10 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Cappuccino is excellent, the ambiance is perfect. This will definitely be a go-to for me. Thanks!

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    3 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    10 months ago

    Definitely top 3 coffee I ever had in US. Light roast level with flower scent make the drink into another level.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - The Stray

    Review Highlights - The Stray

    I legitimately ensure that I fly into Grand Rapids when I go to Kalamazoo just so that I can stop at this cafe.

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

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    The Pyramid Scheme

    The Pyramid Scheme

    3.8
    (93 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $

    Came for the most amazing performance by comedian, Alok!…read more The Pyramid Scheme is a fun retro take on a dive bar known for their great shows, pinball machines and (somewhat) reasonably priced drinks. The staff may seem rough on the outer edges, but they are all actually teddy bears once you get to know them. Usually shows are standing room only, which is a drag if you are old like me and opt not to wear orthotics. Luckily, the 9 pm encore show was seated. My old bones appreciated this. Now look below as I'm fangirling in the attached photos! I absolutely adore Alok and their courage to humorously challenge the gender binary and systematically poke holes in the patriarchal system that comprises The USA.

    i have been attending the Pyramid Scheme for years now. I absolutely love all of the staff and they…read morereally become like friends and family after constantly seeing them when attending shows. The lineups are often pretty diverse, now offering more local music and the addition of more free events to bring together the community. They've added vintage nights, trivia, and free pinball days which I think is a very important and necessary community good. The venue has a front half with a bar, pinball cabinets, and even some outdoor seating. The back hosts the concert venue with interior bar, seating, and elevated stage. I'm allergic to alcohol so I can't speak to the drinks nor the prices but they have free water jugs readily available which is a lifesaver during shows and is just such a small, nice feature to have access to. I definitely would recommend coming here for a concert, finding some new local music, or establishing a new hang out for your friends.

    Photos
    Uh-oh! I did 172 million
    Uh-oh! I did 172 million
    T-shirts for sale
    T-shirts for sale
    The Pyramid Scheme

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    Midtown

    Midtown

    4.9
    (8 reviews)
    5.1 mi
    $$

    Midtown is such a cute performance space. They are located in studio park, right on top of of the…read more123 restaurant and movie theatre. They host open mic nights (usually free), comedians, and niche musical artists. I believe the venue only sits around 100 people, but the intimate space makes for fun shows where artists can interact with the audience. There is a full service bar in the back and they serve a few snacky-type foods (popcorn, pretzels). Ticket prices range, and I think it's based on who they book. So just be in tune to their website for info. If you park in the "STUDIO PARK(ING)" ramp, they will validate the parking ticket. My experience seeing shows here has always been positive. Midtown is also a part of the Listening Lawn performances in the summer! Overall a 5/5 rating.

    I've been to the Listening Room a few times now, most recently for a stand up show. Seats were…read morefirst come, first served, so we got there early and grabbed a seat near the front. One of the nice things about this venue is that there's not really a bad seat there, due to the small size of the room. It's pretty cozy, but I like the more intimate setup for shows. I will say that we could hear the concert happening outside on the lawn throughout the set, which was a bit distracting at times but not too bad. A server will take your order right from your seat - they have a small drink menu and a couple snack options. They only had one mocktail option available - a lemonade drink which was really sweet but tasty. I wish they had the other non-alcoholic drinks that One Twenty Three offers downstairs. Drinks are pretty pricey, and I'd skip the snacks and just head to One Twenty Three for dinner before or after the show. They close out your tab automatically at the end of the night and add a 20% gratuity. You can still ask to see your bill if you want to check the total, etc. I think this is useful so you don't have to flag down your server to close out your tab if it's busy. I still really like this venue, and will continue to seek out shows here.

    Photos
    Midtown
    Midtown
    Midtown

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    Wealthy Theatre

    Wealthy Theatre

    4.6
    (17 reviews)
    4.9 mi

    I'm in my movie era, and I'm so excited to finally have gotten a membership at Wealthy Theatre…read more Nate and I went to the Cat Video Fest on my birthday, which was so fun and sold out! I'm glad I got tickets online ahead of time, but they were still selling tickets at the door when we arrived about 20 minutes before the show. Memberships are only $15 and are good for the year. Membership gives you voting privileges for board seats as well as access to the bar at events. They sell some cocktails, beer, canned seltzers, and snacks. The theatre is historic and beautiful, and the seats were pretty comfortable. I will say it was a hot day and it got a tiny bit stuffy, but wasn't too bad. They show older movies and also have live music performances. I can't wait to come back to see more movies!

    I like having a community theatre for movies, plays, or in this case, a comedic opera…read more The Yeomen of the Guard was entertaining with great talent, including a live orchestra. It ran a bit long, 3 hours with a 15 minute intermission. The theatre itself feels hipster. Slightly old but revitalized with the creative shows. You have to be a member to enjoy alcohol at the events. Join for $15 and you can drink for a year. Overall a nice place with some free parking in the back. Check out something that interest you today, playing this summer.

    Photos
    Marquee board: mayoral debate
    Marquee board: mayoral debate
    Wealthy Theatre
    Member of the Grand Rapids Film Society introducing a film

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    Member of the Grand Rapids Film Society introducing a film

    The Stray - coffeeroasteries - Updated June 2026

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