This is a cool place to drop into especially if you're in town looking to kill some time at a chill…read morebar that has excellent beer options (via a wall of coolers where you can pick out what you want and then enjoy at your seat...seltzers, IPA, porters, whatever you fancy, the selection is vast from the four coolers). I also saw some pretty impressive bourbon options (Weller and maybe a Willett, too). The staff was friendly and if you come with a group or a date there's plenty of games to choose from. If I lived nearby this would be a cool spot to frequent with friends.

Five stars, awesome! This place is so cool!…read moreThis is a board game cafe with good vibes, a full bar, and a yummy food menu. Located downtown across from the downtown market, there is lots of street parking and there's also a paid parking lot a block away. If you come on the weekend be sure to make a reservation for a table because this place is bopping and is busy! Hundreds of game options and the staff can help with learning most games. They also host DnD nights and other events. I love it here!

Absolutely loved our experience at SidebarGR -- hands down the best speakeasy in Grand Rapids! From…read morethe moment you step in, you're transported to a cozy, classy hideaway that feels both exclusive and inviting. What really stood out was the bartending -- not just the skill, but the passion. After hearing the bartender's take on the Old Fashioned, I let him make it his way -- and it might be one of the best I've had. Balanced, bold, and beautifully smooth. Two of my friends described what they were in the mood for, and the bartender crafted custom cocktails for each of them -- both drinks were spot on and had them raving the rest of the night. If you're in Grand Rapids and want a cocktail experience that goes beyond the ordinary, SidebarGR is a must. Expert mixology, great atmosphere, and personalized service that makes you feel like a regular -- even on your first visit.

I've known about this bar for a while but finally went for the first time recently and it wasn't…read morefull! To find the entrance, go down the stairs towards Big O's Pizza and instead of turning right, take a left and you will see Sidebar's subtle entrance. It's dim lit and quite cozy in there. Limited seating and some spots at the bar were open and we took a seat up there. We did notice to the right of the bar there is a small additional area with more seating but still not a lot. I really enjoyed the espresso martini from here. The drink was so smooth and had the perfect balance of flavors. Highly recommend. We only stayed for one drink but I would definitely come back for another sometime. The bartenders were also really kind and having a good time with everyone in there! Really loved the atmosphere and our experience while we were there.

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.

EDIT: Read to the end, because it turned out very well…read more We called and booked a reservation a few weeks ago for GVSU's graduation, then just tonight got a call from the manager saying they "overbooked" and were cancelling our reservation. In other words, all these weeks later, it appears they gave our table to someone else and cancelled us. I'm sure the food is fine, but I will never know because they did us dirty and now we can't find a reservation elsewhere in town, as everywhere else is booked for the very busy night. Worst part, there was no sincere apology. Would not recommend, as they are not a reliable business partner. EDIT 11/14/25: THE DAY AFTER I POSTED THIS, THE ASSISTANT MANAGER CALLED US BACK, APPOLOGIZED AND REBOOKED OUR TABLE AFTER GVSU GRADUATION. I AM UPDATING MY RATING, AND WILL UPDATE AGAIN AFTER OUR EVENT NEXT MONTH. SO FAR, THEY HAVE MADE THINGS RIGHT FOR US! (although we did spend two hours last night calling every other restaurant in the area to try and book and had not luck, causing more stress). EDIT 12/8/2025: GVSU's commencement got out early, so we headed to the restaurant to see if they could seat us a little earlier than our reservation. They did! The food was excellent and everyone was satisfied with their plate. Good service, and a great atmosphere. I highly recommend this place and they made things right after our initial experience.

Amazing burgers. The signature and smash burgers were very good. The regular and garlic fries were…read moreoutstanding. Great vibe, nice atmosphere.

Always a fun vibe. Music and videos playing. Great pour on the drinks. Bartenders and always…read moresmiling and popcorn always popping!

My new favorite dive bar in Grand Rapids! I went with a group and we had a blast. Not only was the…read moremusic hopping, there were music videos playing on the TVs. The drinks were very affordable and there was even popcorn. The bartenders were friendly and helpful.

Food starters are delicious as hummus is! Beer supports a…read moreGildas Club family used She is Native and my muse Live from New York beer T o G o drinks too Veggies in hummus are cool colors soft pita bread Service was pleasant attentive very satisfied Ambience was ok- used my head phones Watched the Fever BB. Horse Race and girls softball

Stopped in to have a beer and tried the cheese curds, chili, and a flight…read more The cheese curds were really good and fresh. The chili was quite expensive and I wasn't a fan. It didn't have a lot of meat and it had an overwhelming amount of chick peas. The server was nice and she was very efficient. It was clean and well maintained. Bought some beer in the gift shop to take home.

This is such a fun place for a date night, afternoon with family, or time with friends. It's…read morelocated in the heart of downtown which makes it an easy stop during a night out or weekend. I especially love the theming and vibrant atmosphere. It can get a bit overstimulating when there's lots of people and kids there but it's all part of the fun. The drinks are also a big draw and can definitely help make the game more fun. The last time we were in the staff was also nice enough to turn on the hockey game while my husband and I enjoyed our drinks and played some of the other games in the game room. Make sure to check out the Photo Booth too!

I brought my daughter to play mini putt putt before walking to a Griffins game. While they allow…read morekids and were more than happy to let us play, it's definitely geared towards adults. The course is fun and challenging but definitely way too hard for a 4 year old, but she had fun trying. There was a little bit of a wait to start the course but they had other things to do like darts, N64, connect four, and of course, a bar. Overall, I probably wouldn't bring a kid back but it would be fun for a date night or with a group of friends.

Fun place to go on a night out with friends! Drinks can be expensive but the dj always plays great…read moresongs!

Such a great spot to check out when you're in the Grand Rapids area! The music was awesome, and the…read moredance floor was perfect for actually getting up and dancing. Definitely recommend!

Can't speak for the food but the beer and cocktail I got were great. The staff were super friendly…read moreand helpful in recommending what to get. I liked the vibe and it seemed like a decent place to grab a drink

We visited HopCat as a walk-in on a busy evening around 5:30, and the wait time was a bit over an…read morehour, which was totally understandable with several events happening downtown. Luckily, I was able to snag a reservation for 6:45, so we found a few things to do nearby while we waited. Once we returned, we were seated upstairs, which I actually prefer. It's noticeably less crowded and quieter than the main floor, making for a more relaxed experience. The menu offers a great variety, and their draft list is especially impressive for beer lovers. This time, I ordered one of their meal deals with mac and cheese, along with pretzels and beer cheese. Portion-wise, it did feel a bit small, but for the price of the deal, it made sense. That said, the flavor was a bit underwhelming. The mac and cheese and beer cheese dip both lacked that rich, cheesy taste I was expecting. The mac and cheese also had quite a bit of topping/breading, and the sauce was fairly loose, almost soupy in consistency. Since this was my first time ordering it, I'm not sure if that's typical. Overall, it's still a great downtown spot that offers something for everyone. The service was prompt and helpful, which definitely added to the experience.

Birthday excursion. Great appetizers (that I chose as my main course). Jason was an awesome bar…read moretender. Fun to talk to. Very attentive. Reminded me of Jon Hedder. -Liesa Swejkoski (author of Windy's Last Ride)

Love a good theme!!! This place is such a fun spot! Full…read morecommitment with the decor and overall atmosphere. A two level restaurant which makes for lots of space for big party's or just a date night. Our server was super friendly and gave wonderful drink suggestions. I can't wait for another girls night here!! Drinks: -Aku Aku: I love a fruity drink with lots of flavor and this was it! Recommended by our server, this was the perfect for me Food: -Budae Jjigae: Similar to a traditional ramen dish this had some great elements such as a soy egg and kimchi. I felt the broth lacked some depth of flavor but overall a tasty dish. -Bonfire: cute little dessert platter!! Great dish to share with the table