We arrived late on Saturday night, a group of 6. Four of us are from New York and the other two, Michigan. The guy at the door who took my ID folded it (NY IDs are very flexible) and asked to see another photo id. Who carries multiple photo IDs? I told him all NY IDs are like this and there were three similar ones behind me. After checking and bending all of our IDs the other guy at the door told him "that should be fine". It's fine to be thorough, but it's not necessary to be so rude. Once we were seated everything was wonderful. A few of us shared the BBQ chicken pizza, which was delicious. We were seated outside which was very nice, and when it reached a certain time, we were politely asked to move inside. Overall, with the exception of the guy at the front door, a good experience. read more

Mr. MVP and I can appreciate that Shakespeare's is a Pub in a college town and it serves mostly young college age kids. We completely appreciate this, but Shakespeare's Pub is FILTHY. The carpet is sticky. We have never experienced such a smell at a food establishment before. It was a mixture of cleaning solution, fried food and stale beer. It was horrible. Now, cleanliness aside, our meal, which we took home, was just okay. I had to keep reminding myself that the kitchen was probably a lot cleaner than the rest of the bar area while we were eating, but our meal was not too bad. The vegetables were fresh on our pizza and the crust was a nice thickness. We ordered a regular house salad which came loaded with vegetables and three different types of lettuce. We would order a salad to go for lunch before we would ever eat in. Apparently they use a special "secret" cheese blend which I had to ask, re-ask, and then triple ask if there were any aged cheeses in because all three answers were a smidgen hinky, but no allergic reactions means someone actually knew what they were talking about. We think Shakepeare's could easily keep up some level of cleanliness. Bell's does it beautifully, but then again Bell's doesn't have a very good menu. *sigh* read more

Ah, Shakespeare's. I will tell you all this is my favorite place to be. I call Shakes my "Cheer's" bar. Everyone here is wonderful. The owners are incredibly friendly, understanding, and kind. They have a bar with 44 different beers on tap. A great place to go to discover new craft beers around Kalamazoo. What I'm saying is, if you go, don't order a Miller Lite. The food? I mean, it's bad food. However, the nachos are a MUST try. My mother is a nacho enthusiast and she will always say these are the BEST nachos is Kalamazoo. I WILL SAY, I hate coming here on the weekends. I hate going anywhere on the weekends. However, that aspect is entirely based on the clientele. Shakes has been everyone's last stop around the Kalamazoo loop for years. People get sloppy drunk and blame it on the establishment. I hate it. Yes, they will cut you off at 2am. Yes, last call is at 1:45. No, the employees do not want to stay 4 extra hours late so you can finish your beer. Don't go to a bar at 1:30am. It's pretty simple. Any bar, regardless of rules, will hate you for this. Overall, 10/10 would recommend my home away from home. Make sure to drop in on Wednesday or Sunday for karaoke. Say hi to Jason and Hot Carl for me! read more

Shake's is the place to go for a reasonably priced drink, as long as you can deal with noise & slow service. The service, food, environment, cleanliness, etc. are mostly sub-par, but it is a fun place to get together with a group. read more

I've been to Shakes many times to watch the game or for a night out with friends. Now this place is absolutely insane when it's game night, especially if western is playing haha. It is always worth coming here though. They have free popcorn and great drinks. The food here is pretty good and the service can sometimes be slow but I mean they are very busy so i always take that into consideration. This is definitely one of our go-to bars in Kalamazoo! read more

Summary: Great patio, good pizza, crowded The patio here is one of the best places to have a drink outside. The beer selection is fabulous. The service is friendly and as fast as they can be given the crowds (which is to say not fast). The pizza is amazing, much better than a lot of places in the area that specialize in pizza. (I have a friend who'll drive all the way from GR just for their BBQ chicken pizza.) This isn't an upscale establishment (definitely not somewhere you'd have, say, a first date), but it's great for what it is (someplace to have a few drinks with friends, try a new beer, or watch the game). read more

NEW: Apparently the new wood floors are a major upgrade from the stinky carpet that previously blanketed the floors. This large bar downtown is on my list to return to (should I find myself in Kalamazoo again). Good beer selection, and surprisingly great food. I had a tasty french dip with waffle fries, and my wife's burger on a pretzel bun will have her booking a return trip in no time. There was plenty of seating, and our server was on the ball. read more

One of the best pubs in town. They got great food and their chicken nachos and fried pickels are the best. Don't for get free popcorn to go with tons of beer on tap. read more

Shakespeare's Pub - One of the best pubs in town - American Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

I use to have a lot of fun with my old friends here. Its always a pretty good time here I can't really complain.. They have a HUGE selection of beers on tap!! The selections are excellent and seem to change every week. Decent food and good pricing! On the slight downside the people here constantly do not know their own drink specials and always seem caught off guard when we ask.. read more

Arrived at midnight and was denied entry because my friend had the hiccups was not aware you could not drink before arriving to the bar. This was not the first time having issues unrelated to the situation at hand ; overall, unfortunately, the bar used to be better 2 years ago :( read more

Moved here 1.5 years ago and finally made it to Shakespeares. I AM ONE AND DONE!!!!!! If you are over 25 yrs of age or have a good paying job, you will most likely be disgusted by the filth and disgusting carpet. Truly a college kid hangout which is fine, but Im not a college kid and prefer a higher class of beer selection. Yes, it has over forty beers but the selection is more on the cheap side. The selection does seem to be skewed towards IPAs. They do have some semi mid level beers but are missing the top tier. Lots of TVS and a very large footprint. Has pool tables and a large bar., Should be a great place for a cheap night, but my taste requires better food, better drink and and a more sophisticated atmosphere. read more

Found this place on a Tuesday night while visiting on a business trip. This establishment was not terribly busy then. Now I've been to Kalamazoo many times considering I went to Western Michigan University and the pizza is the best in Kalamazoo. I highly recommend this place to any visitors that are looking for good drinks and good food. read more

The beer was pleasant, and the price was about what I expected. The welcoming atmosphere was certainly enjoyable; plenty of that 2000s xylophone-laced indie pop for the thirty-somethings. And they even busted out some Dave - LOVE me some Dave. But what sets this bar apart is the relentlessly salty popcorn. Seriously, it's unacceptably salty. Popcorn is generally the only free food available at any bar, and this isn't even University Roadhouse-tier. I also have to say, this is not the most diverse bar I've ever visited (read: cisgender heterosexual white people abound). Perhaps that is because this establishment proudly displays the Betsy Rose flag - a KNOWN racist hate symbol. Two stars. read more

This is usually one of my go-to places for grabbing drinks with friends. I love this place because: (1) it's pretty big and we never have to wait for a table or have a hard time finding a seat. (2) large outdoor seating area. (3) they have cool bar tap handles that are displayed all over the ceiling. (4) the food is decent (5) it's a casual atmosphere and I can feel comfortable going out here and not feel like I'm dressed down too much, and (6) you can never go wrong with free popcorn! read more

*batman 2.5/4.0 beers A relatively happening atmosphere, $1.50 half pint you-call-its, and so many tap handles that they hang from the ceiling...like a first date, Shakes is all about setting a first impression. After the draw of the over-salted popcorn wears off, you begin to recognize how mediocre this place actually is, reminding me of a famous U.P. college bar, yeah you may have guessed it...the Dog. Some would travel many miles to discover a bar of this caliber, especially in the yoop. However, for a downstate bar in a bustling city like Kzoo, I would venture out after a handful of half pints...2.5 beers. *captain ron 3.0/4.0 beers Shakespeare's is a big open bar with an ample beer selection and no cover charge. Pool tables, dart boards, and arcade games are strewed throughout. The music - no doubt provided by somebody's i-Pod - is unpredictable, mercurial even, as Jimi follows up a song by The Postal Service. Outside, there is a sprawling patio with a nice view of downtown Kalamazoo. Ultimately, Shakespeare's reminds me of a candidate for a reality TV show that will never get their fair share of the spotlight. Why? Because they aren't a flashy bi-sexual-trans-gender-curious musician with a drinking problem and a sordid past. They're just too normal and too conventionally attractive to rock the boat. Shake's could easily serve as the location for an after work gathering or a jumping-off point for an incredible evening. Solid. Dependable. 3 beers. *qclown 3.0/4.0 beers Shakespeare's is a happening place in Kzoo. It has nice parking, nice beers on tap, free popcorn, and it's decent walking distance to places with some flavor...the main ingredient keeping Shake's from being a four out of four. Give me something different, Shake's! Sometimes I mentally want to escape my normal life and Kzoo - Shakespeare's does not achieve this at all. It's nice, but almost routine for people in the Kzoo area. Without a steady stream of people, the Shake's experience could easily be reduced to a 2. In order to spice up my Shakespeare's experiences I've tried: * Drinking in the parking lot from a flask. This works, but beware of cops. Just be cordial with them, pour out your Jameson when they ask you to. Keep a back-up. * Drinking in my car in the parking lot with friends. This also works, but be careful with Jaeger and the like. * Writing in crayon on the bathroom wall. This entertains other people and supports Crayola, a foundation of the US economy. My suggestion to add flavor to Shake's: 1. Hire unemployed foreign flight attendants to serve drinks. Their accents will make people order double, and make people want to buy more. 2. Cajun seasoning on the pop corn. 3. High class liquor specials. It's that simple. www.theKalamabooze.com read more

Wow, wow, wow, I'm in love with this place! The draft handles on the ceiling were my favorite. My friend and I sat at the bar, but I wish we had gotten more attention while we were there. The food was very good and the beer was refreshing! This is a must for KZoo visits! read more

Super slow tonight. Server has no experience. Been waiting 45 minutes for a TAP beer There is a music fest and it's Friday night. General manager didn't staff accordingly and our server is a snot read more

Not a bad place. Decent beer selection. And I got a good hotel reccomendation. Now I just need that beer passport ... lol

If you come here you need to get the Nachos. Other than that the rest of the food is your typical bar food. Chicken tenders, burgers, pizza. Large drink selections. They have lots of seating, but also means they don't always have the best service. read more

Shakespeare's Pub - Large chicken nachos. - American Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Decent place with a large parking lot. Easy to come here to hang out with large groups of friends since it's so large. I dig the free popcorn, but I just wish the kitchen was open later! It's not a place I'd want to eat sober but would love the opportunity to chow down on some nachos drunkenly. Service has been okay the last couple of times I went. Occasionally servers would forget your order, but I just persist and eventually get what I need. read more

Solid happy hour and after hour college type bar to hang out in. It's been our go to place after work all summer especially on the nice days with that huge patio / deck. Tons of beers on tap, including both domestic and craft (locals!!), and shall I mention FREE POPCORN! Now I can't really speak to the food served here but word of mouth tells me it's decent bar food, pizzas being mentioned on multiple occasions. Layout of Shakespeare's is summed up as huge. Big ol bar with tons of bar stools and table seating. Decor seems a little dated but expected at a bar of this caliber. There are a couple pool tables, updated jukebox, and a couple sets of bathrooms. Service was always great, even when they had to deal with a couple sarcastic BS'ers like myself and my fellow coworkers. So I'm pretty sure Shakes is not going anywhere any time soon so get down there and enjoy yourself but don't expect a red carpet rolling out to your car. Expect to see drunk people on weekend nights and medium sized happy hour crowds during the week. Don't worry about parking cause there's lots of it. Although I did have someone cause deductible amount of damage to my new car on the 2nd day of owning it, but that's entirely not the bar's fault, sort of comes with the territory. read more

My favorite bar in the world. Great beer, good food, solid service. Everything a bar should be.

Worst management staff at trying to help accommodate families!! Would not make room for us based on having kids!!

I will never return... wouldnt let a group of us in for dinner at 830 pm because a 48 year old man in our group didnt bring his ID. Who cares how good the wings were 'supposed to be' the management and doorstaff was extremely unkind in the 2 minutes we were there. read more

There are many better places in Kalamazoo. Good- Prices of drinks. It was $7.50 for a pint of Oberon and a large Sex on the Beach. Waitress was friendly. Good music. Bad- Weird building/set up. Not great atmosphere. Service was slow. Lots of frat/sorority people read more

Fun atmosphere, good food. Drinks are always flowing. Pretzel platter is among my favorites! This place is a lot of fun, but the bathrooms and back pool hall reeks of urine. read more

Shake's is my go-to bar in Kalamazoo for beer or food. It's got a GIANT selection of craft beer and ciders on tap, a full liqueur selection, a great kitchen that's open pretty late, all the popcorn you can eat, four pool tables, two dart boards, countless televisions, a sweet shuffleboard table, and the frequent concert/comedy show in the basement. The staff is amazing and so personable. The kitchen is great and open late. However, if you want a fancier atmosphere or food that isn't bar food (it's great bar food however), you might want to check elsewhere. Also, it's 21 and up after like 8 pm or so (don't quote me on that though) read more

I was refused a drink order at 1:45am. After tipping 40% and being a model customer. Very disappointed and will not return. read more

Shakespeare's Pub - American Near Me - Kalamazoo, Michigan

Best bar in town. Fair prices, great food, relaxed atmosphere. They're busy on the weekends but pretty slow on weekdays. Their pizza is to die for. Live music and comedy in the lower is great for local artists. read more

This place is sort of a Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde phenom. They host incredibly curated beer events with rare unicorn-tears bourbon-barrel-aged craft beers like Deschutes Abyss, Oscar Blues BBA Ten-Fidy and the local favorite, Founders KBS. And yet, it seems the majority of the clientele is sucking down $4 long islands or domestics. My favorite quote last night was: "Ooh! Great selection. ... Do you have Miller Lite?" Something inside me died that moment. I love to go dancing when '80s cover band Starfarm plays downstairs, but the sticky floor isn't ideal for dancing and the filthy glass in the upstairs entryway grosses me out every time. We love it that they offer free popcorn and the food I've had there has been pretty good for bar fare. Sure would love it if they fixed the pinball machine. I would normally give this joint a 3-star but had such a great time at the Bring Out the Barrel event yesterday I'm throwing a little extra goodwill their way. read more

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GREAT bar if you're looking for many beer options and also an amazing patio (weather pending). This place gets pretty rowdy on the weekends so don't be put off by the popcorn on the ground. The pizza is amazing and I think is also a hidden gem of kzoo. The food can take a little longer than expected but the pizza is worth it imo. Oh and the popcorn is free! read more

If you come during the busy times you will be close with your fellow patrons, quite literally. The staff tries their hardest to keep up but you will be waiting for drinks and such. Pretty good menu and great outside eating area for the summer. read more

Great pizza, service and atmosphere. First time there, but won't be our last. Service was very good. Staff polite and friendly. Pizza was also very good. It is a pub, so don't expect a fancy restaurant, but it's big and a great place to just hang out. Lots of TV's and pool tables too. Just moved to Kalamazoo from the east side of the MI and have been less than impressed with a lot of other places in Kalamazoo, but not Shakespeare's Pub. read more

Shakespeare's first impression for me was not very good since I drove around kalamazoo's downtown as a freshman/soph. with my parents for what seemed like hours and never finding the place that night, thankfully - not their type of place. Their signage is not very good, no doubt. However, I found it a suitable, but not ideal, place, to have a few cheap microbrews with friends and classmates in college and play some pool. Their selection of tap beers is very nice, about 8-10 if I remember correctly, including microbrews - Dogfish, Bell's, and even a Great Lakes ! Plus, It's the only place in Kalamazoo that I knew selling microbrews for under $3 (only on Mondays).... I went there on a few Monday nights (although early, before 10 or 11), the bar had some chaches, hooknasties, and hambones (not as many as some other places - like Waldo's), but Shakespeare's is a bit large and I was able to bubble myself away from them. I don't remember anything noteworthy about the service and never had the food there. If you're college-aged and want a decent microbrew selection [especially on a weekday night], Shakespeare's is an allright choice. read more

While I've only been here enough times to count on two hands, I've never had a bad time. The Pub style benches and tables make it a great place to have gatherings of large groups. The pizza here is great and there is a wide selection of beers. They also host Karaoke and stand up comedy during the week which can be a great way to wind down after work. While the appearance of the place upstairs can be a little off putting at times, the general feel is fun. Their pool tables aren't in the best of shape but they're available.They also have the Shakespeare's Lower Level venue down stairs which has a respectable sound set up and a good atmosphere. read more

They have a huge draft list but seem to be out of most things every single time we go. Their nachos are AMAZING but everything else is pretty mediocre. read more

Place was empty at 8 pm wait 20 min for a greeting then another 20 to get drinks service here sucks

I don't know why the reviews here are so negative. They have a huge beer selection (about 40 on tap). Better-than-average bar food (the pizza is possibly the best in Kalamazoo). Cool people work here. The owners are good guys. Two outdoor patios. read more

Incredibly rude bouncers. Bar service was good before bouncers came out but didn't go in to bar after bouncers came out because of their horrible customer service. read more

I've been here multiple times the service is a little slow but that's expected when the place is packed. We had a beer, an appetizer, and two meals for under $35 and our server Kanoelani was super nice. Definitely recommend this establishment. read more