I want to preface my review by stating that I had never been to Founders before this visit, and I wanted to enjoy my experience here, I really did. It came highly recommended from several trusted friends so I was excited to go and give it a try. My issue was not with the beer or the food, it was the lack of attention from our server which bothered me. When he greeted us, it wasn't with a "Hi, welcome to Founders, have you been here before?" Or even a "Hi, what can I get started for you today?" Instead I got someone who sidled up next to me and opened with, "You guys want some beers?" Off-putting greeting aside, I did in fact want some, so I ordered a beer and a pretzel. Once we ordered the pretzel, he plopped a buzzer down in front of us and walked away without a word. I now understand that you pick up your food from the deli counter, but I went in there expecting table service. I am not sure if they don't have table service or if it was just the day we happened to be there. None of this would have been a problem if our server would've just taken the time to explain to us the process of how you order your beer and food, because it's atypical from other bars or restaurants I've been to. In the end we closed our tab with another server because ours disappeared. I was puzzled by the entire experience. read more

Amazing service and love the atmosphere! The team at Founders Grand Rapids is stellar!

Some of the best craft brews in the country, and the food will surprise the heck out of you. I finally made it to Founders after years of drinking their beers. I didn't even expect the food to be impressive...but it was. read more

Stopped for a quick lunch while traveling thru the area, my first visit to Founder's. Have to give the entire experience the highest marks. Food, service, quality, ambiance, speed, all are just top notch. I tried their Scorpion Pale Ale, a seasonal brew featuring habanero peppers. Awesome beer !! Do yourself a favor and don't miss tasting this taproom beer. Wish I lived in this area, it would be my new home away from home. read more

Wide selection of beer at very reasonable prices. I am always impressed with the speed/quality of service. Despite being a nationally recognized brewery, they are not pretentious at all. My only reason it isn't a 5 star review is that they will always have live music on Saturdays and therefore a $10(or more) cover. I would like to come there more often on Saturdays but don't want to pay a cover if I am not a fan of performer (or if I sit outside). It would be cool if there was a separate section for people that want to listen to the music, and those who want to drink/hang out. read more

Wow! I cannot day enough great things about Founders! My husband and I came here on our anniversary trip. Safety protocols are ideal - felt VERY safe. Social distancing upon entering, from servers, with seating, etc. All disposable dishes for food. Quick and efficient service and the wait staff was very polite and kind! Got a flight of beer and loved them all. In addition the southwest salad was both delicious and a very great portion! The beer cheese appetizer was unbeatable. Between service, safety, and the quality of the food and beer, I can't say enough great things! read more

Being from Portland, OR my standards are high. Founders always has impressed me from their beer quality to their staff and ambiance. The last visit I especially was besides myself, as Lindszey Dean was more than personable. She exudes excellence and we felt as we were super special! Great job Lindszey! read more

Founders has such a unique and cozy atmosphere. Good live music. Great beer. Better company. Zandria is a phenomenal bartender and introduced us to some amazing beer. 10/10 would recommend. read more

My boyfriend and I went there and were so impressed with their check in and social distancing procedures. We felt very safe and were able to enjoy a night out. The service, food and obviously the beer have never been better. Thank you for putting in all the effort to make things safe for everyone. Special thanks to the security/doorman who was very nice and very clear with everyone on what the new procedures were and how everyone was expected to act. It eases fears knowing exactly what to expect. read more

Founders Brewing is my favorite brewery. Facility is nice. Purchased a flight. Service was good. The damn music was so damn loud and strident. Does it really have to so damn loud?????? read more

Cool, I like IPAs Its a weird set up So there were no servers but it was an enormous place they have a food line and you'd order and then they give you a buzzer to go pick it up when it's ready So we sat at the bar, we couldn't order food from the bar people that sat at tables had to go up to the bar to order drinks Kind of like a self serve set up I had their special which was a pulled pork with bacon and fried onions sandwich They had some exclusive beers that's limited to their tap room only the guac was pretty good read more

Delicious​ nitro beer​ and the hummus with olive tapenade​ is yummy.

If no stars were an option, that's what I would give. I called ahead and was told to make a reservation by 8:15 on yelp, so I did. My group travelled a decent distance to go to founders, but when I arrived with my party we were refused service. Total disappointment. I would not recommend this place to anyon read more

I was so looking forward to going to this brewery and it was a total disappointment . The beer was great and the food was great but the staff is extremely mean and rude and everyone was commenting on it. Our server was extremely mean and rude. He was yelling at us for everything. Total jerk but he wasn't the only one. I would never ever go back there again despite the good beer and food. Covid is no excuse for being rude. read more

The food is great and beers are spectacular. The set up is an attempt to help connect people but instead leaves people abandoned to fight over tables. They have no way of managing the flow of people into the restaurant. If there is no seating, patrons just stand around all over the restaurant. They are forced to ask others to finish up or for the fellow customers for dibs on their table. Also, this leaves no time for staff to clean the table for the client. I don't care about cleaning my table, but I'd imagine others do. This leaves no room for tip because service is minimal. read more

Slow service but great beer. The waiters never wanted to take our order. But again great beer. I thought I would get fries with my meal but I guess not. At least the beer was good. read more

Waitlist should be available online and not when you arrive. Set up a link to reserve a seat so you're not left waiting for nearly two hours just to chill even when the guest party is only 2 people. What a waste of a drive to come here read more

I was expecting better from the reviews. Maybe because we were just there for food, not beer, the experience wasn't as enjoyable. The restaurant is very large and the noise of everyone talking topped with the noise of whatever music they had playing made it very loud. It was hard for our group of 5 to hear what each other was saying. The food was just meh. I liked the bread that came with the appetizer dips much better than the dips themselves. Caprese salad was fine- could have used more tomatoes. I asked to add chicken to the salad so the put a cold, chewy chicken breast on top. The rest of my group also said the bread was the best part of their sandwiches. They were not impressed with the rest. They also make you open a tab even if you are just eating. It was weird. read more

This place is great! I like the live music and staff is friendly! One thing i really wanted is a lite beer and they dont have any!

This is the best place in the world. Every single beer is good. About half of their beers are epic- I still haven't found anything comparable. The food is almost as good as the beer; accompanies the beer perfectly. If you've never been here, trust that they've put a lot of time and effort into finding perfection, and don't get pissy when you find out they don't have Miller and crappy fried 'bar food'. read more

Recently took a few days to travel around Michigan and visit some of the fabulous breweries. Founders was our first stop, and by far our favorite. The place itself is very large inside...much bigger than anticipated. And the bar is enormous! The entire front of the building was made up of garage doors which I can only assume they open in the summer so you can enjoy the large patio. The end of the bar had a decently sized stage, where it seems they have live music at least a few nighs a week (they had a few DJ's up there the Sunday we visited). Behind the stage was a wall of windows where you could see into the brewery (unfortunately, I don't think they do tours...this seemed to be a fairly common theme with all the Michigan breweries we visited). We loved the atmosphere here...it was dim, but not too dark. Lots of background noise, but not too loud. Quite a variety of people here as well...a nearby table had a couple older people talking, while another had a large group of younger people. Saw several people/couples with laptops out. I'd say to me, it had a coffee shop vibe if that makes sense? Food was excellent. We sampled a few appetizers as well as a few sandwiches, and all were perfect. You place your order at the food window, and you get a pager that goes off when your food is ready to be picked up. You pay for your food at the window...completely separate from any bar tab you might have. Finally, the beer...it did not disappoint. They have quite a large selection available, divided into three "classes"...price, alcohol content, and rarity go up with each class. We sampled all of the class 2 and class 3 offerings, and loved every one of them. Drinks are available in multiple sizes...great if you want to try a bunch without having to drink full-size pints. We have always like Founders beers...this visit cemented their place as our favorite brewery. read more

They have a great selection of beer and most of it is very good! Founders has many seasonal selections as well as staples that they offer year round. They don't serve any drinks but beer, so this place is definitely for beer lovers only. As far as food, they have a pretty good menu, with great snack food as well as wonderful sandwiches. In my experience, the service has always been good and bartenders and servers are happy to provide advice, explanations, and samples. This place has a great environment! read more

If you've been directed to Founder's as we were, you need to be aware of the fact that it's basically a bar which masquerades as a restaurant sometimes. We arrived around 2:30pm on Saturday, and found the place full. We were lucky enough to find a friendly group of 5 at a table that could easily seat another few, so the four of us sat at the other end. We ordered: Chips and Guac, Half a 'Tree Hugger', one 'Godfather', one summer special, and one 'Castro'. I had the Castro, and it was a fantastic Cuban sandwich. Just absolutely delicious. The guys reported that their sandwiches were excellent as well. I'd love to try the 'Louis Cornelius' if I went again. You'd be smart to: Order the Castro! So good. You'd be dumb to: Not try their beers. We sampled their pale ale, their wheat, their 'Dirty Bastard' and the 'Dave's Not Here'. Very good. And it's a brewery. If you're not going to have a beer, maybe don't go. You could go either way on: Their wheat beer, which tasted almost exactly like the pale ale. When we thought perhaps we'd gotten three pale ales instead of two pales and a wheat, the server who brought them (the servers work in a tag-team during lunch) got kind of huffy, and brought small samples of both. Upon further review, they still tasted almost exactly the same. read more

My first visit to founders left me feeling frustrated. The seat yourself idea is terrible. You wait at the door, or mill about and wait until you see people getting ready to leave then you run for the table and sit among their dirty plates waiting for waitstaff to clear the table. While you are eating, those waiting watch you like vultures for their chance at a table. The service was terrible. Ordered a beer and waited 20 min. before it came. The second beer took even longer....at least 30 min. There is no parking lot so you have to find a space of the street somewhere. As for the food there was a nice selection of sandwiches that all looked amazing. Mine was delicious and a generous size. read more

My associate and I visit Founders Brewing at least once a week and are never disappointed with either the beer or the food. Of late, our favorite brews have been Backwoods Bastard and CBS, and our favorite dishes have been the pulled pork and beer cheese. This last Sunday we returned to Founders against our better judgment, given that we intend to be there nearly every night this week to make the most of Cellar Raid 2015. Our Sunday visit ended up being incredibly wise as a very generous bartender comped our drinks after noticing we had traveled to Grand Rapids from our hometown in the upper peninsula, a very distant 8-hour drive away. I was floored by this bartender's generosity and walked away from him in complete shock. Founders has proven itself on multiple occasions to be an establishment more than worthy of our hard-earned dollars. For the bartender to feel compelled to give my associate and I our drinks for free shows his good faith in our support and dedication to the success of their business. I could not be more impressed with the caliber of cuisine, beverages, and service at Founders Brewing Company. read more

Founders; a justifiably bustling establishment. Founders brewery offers a wide variety of brews, made on-site and served daily. The sandwich and appetizer menu provides a multitude of options, all of which sound delectable and delicious. One issue I had when walking in for the first time is that the place is so popular that I wasn't able to find a table, or even a spot at the bar. However, there is plenty of outdoor seating and from what I've heard, Founders will be expanding soon. The sandwich I got, the Cuban, was everything I could have hoped for. Juicy roast beef and pork, pickles, mustard and more on a toasty ciabatta bun. The meat wasn't very salty, but the pickles picked up all the slack. The pale ale paired very nicely, and the waiter brought us a smorgasbord of brews to sample before our meal. Overall, I give Founders four out of five stars for great food, great beer, great environment, and a slow start. read more

Founders Brewing - Breweries Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Sadly, this used to be an establishment that I very much enjoyed going down to and grabbing lunch from on a regular basis. Food had always been quick and consistently dependable, with decent service. Unfortunately, the standards of service here have really deteriorated to almost non existent these days. My last couple visits have been almost regrettable, which is sad to even have to type. Bluntly, the service from both bartenders and servers has just become terrible. The food is still pretty good, but almost doesn't seem as fresh as it used to. Definitely not as flavorful or enticing as it used to be. I fully acknowledge all their achievements, appreciate what they've helped to do for Grand Rapids, and I still think they make great beer. But from a food standpoint, I won't be coming back again. read more

I have nothing unique to add to other people's reviews. Founders is great. I'm fortunate to work really close. The best compliment I can give it is I have eaten here about once a week for over 3 years and I still keep going back. Personal favorits for food are the Backwoods Bastard, and the French bread pizzas. The centennial ipa is a favorite beer. Otherwise I almost always order a unique tap room only release. read more

Great place to gather at, enjoy a beer, or eat a casual meal. Unfortunately they dodnt have the limited Backwoods Bastard IPA but they did have the Devil Dancer and it was almost worth selling your soul for! Clean restrooms, good food, and good beer. The outdoor garden area is serene and relaxing. Only issue I had was finding parking. read more

Founders Brewing - Devil Dancer IPA, chili, and chicken club sandwich - Breweries Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great beer. Really good sandwiches and sides. Can't complain. Yes it's HELLA busy, yes you sometimes have to take matters into your own hands to get a beer, but the vibe is out of this world. read more

Great environment great food and drinks. The staff is always great never had a bad time. we love going to Founders

Great spacing of patrons; beer and service are always awesome. Thank you, Founders, for being responsible.

Amazing food, amazing beer, amazing atmosphere, awesome live music. The waiters are unreasonably friendly and accommodating. I've been here multiple times and love it every time. One of my favorite places in Grand Rapids. read more

What can I say, my favorite beers, Two Hearted Ale and Dirty Bastard, the beer cheese dip was amazing. The place was packed, but the bar staff moved like a choreographed dance team, never stopping but making keeping up with multiple orders. read more

Great place to spend a day. Wide open and brings the outside in. Took my kids (10 and 8) and they were not out of place. It was a busy Saturday afternoon and almost standing room only. Kids split a frenchbread pizza (filled them up) Me and my wife split the caprese sandwich. Very good food and would recommend to anyone. I had the Munson IPA (only available at the Taproom) my wife had the Blushing Monk. She absolutely loves this beer. Just wish it was an all year brew. The Munson was loaded with hops yet very smooth. Also had a CBS which we all know is great. read more

Took a pit stop here on a road trip and really enjoyed it. Great beer and delicious food! The staff was kind and attentive.

Fabulous food! Awesome beer! But take their word for it if they say something is spicy hot! lol

Nice place. We had a great time. So many different beers to choose from. Salads are good and the BLT is huge. I would definitely go back!

Actually haven't been here in quite a while considering we only live 35 min away. Founders is just fun. What I was most impressed with this visit was the very noticeable attentive service from every employee I interacted with. At the deli counter, at the bar the beertender came out from around the bar to find out what we wanted to order. Great beer, great food, great service. Love it. You gotta stop at one of the best breweries in the country if you're near West Michigan. read more

Don't bother trying to get in the taproom if your not young and hip. Signed in to the wait-list app and kept getting updates pushing my check in time 30 minutes later each time. They want old fat guys to stay at home and drink their beer not show up at there place of business. Waited 45 minutes more than the initial wait time and still kept getting updates of my wait time being increased read more