Shamelessly, my bestie and I practically fund this place. Steel Cat has the ideal vibe for watching sports, catching up with friends, or making new ones at the bar. The Bloody Mary bar is so worth it (you have to try the dill pickle vodka). You can't beat a $10 stacked Bloody Mary with a Miller Lite sidecar. The service is always spot on--I'd do just about anything for the bartenders here. Sure, parking after 6 PM is overpriced, and the bathrooms could use some love, but honestly? You'll have to pry this bar out of my cold, dead hands. read more

Steel Cat Bar - Mimosa - Pubs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped in here quickly to grab a drink before an event at John Ball Zoo. It's only a short drive from the zoo, and fortunately the service was super quick! I'd never been in here before, but was intrigued, and the location worked for our whole group. It's a little divey, but not as much as what I expected from some of the other reviews. Maybe because it was still earlyish, so there was quite a bit of light coming in. I found it to be clean enough, the bartender was friendly enough, they have a decent drink selection, it wasn't so loud we couldn't hear each other. I'm not sure it will end up being my favorite place in town, but it was fine, and I'd definitely go back again. read more

See all

10/10 service and drinks, the popcorn is a fun touch! The drinks are good but nothing special, overall 10/10 recommend for a classic "dive bar". read more

Not my favorite place to go. The crowd is very specific here, and it's a small place. Have been lucky enough to snag a table the times I've been here, but it's usually quite busy. The beer choices aren't that great, but they have plenty of liquor. The bartenders that I've dealt with here are nice. read more

Steel Cat Bar - a man sitting at a bar - Pubs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped in here for a drink, super nice in there, the waitress was super nice and attentive. Not sure they serve food? Check it out.

My fav bar for casual drinks in GR. Good prices, solid pours, no watering down. It's very casual, clean, and bar staff are all amazing and friendly. I highly recommend for a first date or a night out with friends! read more

So their bloody bar is fabulous and loaded with all the works. Very enjoyable to come Saturday and Sundays before 2. However, god forbid you ask for a bloody on a Friday in the middle of the day and then it's a wrap. She looked at me like I was crazy. Then she denied me if any hot sauce to doctor it up. The server there is really bad. I really would not recommend going here. read more

Formerly Konkle's bar, Steel Cat Bar is a cool updated bar on the West side. They have GR's only "Frost rail," a frozen metal rail built into the bar top that's covered with frosty snow that keeps your beer cold! It's a pretty cool feature, and they have little matchbox bulldozers and trucks you can use to play in the snow. They also have a system that chills the beer to 32 degrees every time it's poured, which means your beer will always be cold! They have free popcorn but no food, but plenty of takeout options to bring in. I noticed some pretty good drink specials including $3 drafts at some point. I also tried a signature cocktail, created by one of the bartenders. It's a Moscow mule but made with Jameson, orange, ginger beer and lime. It was super delicious and refreshing! The atmosphere inside is pretty cool, combining some of the typical features (edison lightbulbs, polished concrete floors) with some more interesting elements (centerpieces with succulents on each table, updated and colorful accents in the bathroom). The clientele included some incredibly intoxicated dudes who insisted on kissing my hand and asking if they could adopt me, etc. They were harmless but pretty obnoxious, so we ended up moving from the bar to a table. The bartenders working were super sweet. read more

Friendly bar with a lovely bartender who is about to have a baby. Now that is a hard working mom....Loved our experience with her and thank you to all for being so friendly to the out of towners. read more

What a fun space. Great beer selection. Good service , attentive bar tender. Really enjoyed our time here. Great recommendations from staff for other stops! read more

Steel cat is my absolute favorite place to bring my friends and family. While I love the bar throughly, Vito and Brandon make the place. I will continue to come back and visit while these men work here. Steal Cat is a extremely lucky to have bartenders that are so dedicated to their guests. My friends and family continue to talk about the fun service! read more

This place is terrible I suggest if you're looking at this rn to find someplace to drink it's not here... I asked for my first drink and I knew I was going to have the same bartender the whole night...so I told her when she gave me my first receipt when I had to pay and it said a tip... I put 0 and I told her I would tip her at the end of night, I paid for my drink tried to order another one she said until I get my tip for the first drink I don't trust I will get tips for any of your other drinks you are going to get "I don't trust people" then my cousin who did too his first drink he tried to ask for a drink she denied to serve him either... my cousin got mad and said now you won't serve me? And I gave her my tip and then I asked for another drink gave it to me started being nice to me but before I gave her the tip she wanted us out and to not come back at the end of the night between me,bf, and cousin she got $35 dollars out of us ps: I had more than enough to tip her but didn't see it going down like this DON'T COME HERE if your looking for a place I would do underground cantina bar ( open until 2 on weekends ) read more

Quick service, great drinks! Four of us split the giant Mule and it was HUGEEEE! We had a great time and will definitely be back.

A neat little bar with a great atmosphere and friendly service. Shout out to our bartender Tito (I believe) for showing my friends and I a wonderful time! Their alcohol selection is incredible, they have so many innovative drinks I've really never heard of. I'm definitely not a connoisseur when it comes to alcohol, so unfortunately I don't remember what specific shots I ordered. However, they were good! Another great thing about Steel Cat is their frost rail. This kept our drinks nice and cool throughout the night. The bar is super small and intimate, but if you come with the right people you're sure to have a great time. I hope to be back sooner rather than later! read more

This bar is a diverse, cool bar. However, it comes at the expense of your own safety. I was once an employee here and there were multiple bar fights to the extent of the guests needing plastic surgery. Police have came into the bar, tasering guests to break up the fights. I have been involved in a shooting there. Most recently a knife was pulled on the bartenders. The owner holds no accountability nor cares about safety of his guests or employees and covers it up along with not hiring security. read more

Dear Blonde bartender... you might get bigger tips if you quit acting like you are doing us a favor by waiting on us.... And try smiling for God's sake. SMDH! Other than that great clientele and nice bartenders! read more

What a blast on a Thursday before Christmas!! We stopped late around 11 and it was packed ... live the infused vodkas and the vibe of the bar ... we didn't eat but enjoyed cocktails read more

Great spot. Bartenders are very personable, bloody bar is Money and Maggie's is right next door

the people working here are rude as hell. they seem to not want tips. especially the female workin. thinking that wearing a push-up bra will get tips but her shitty personality is not it. read more

I'm not going to tell you this is the absolute best bar in GR. However, this is quite a little hidden gem on Bridge St. Their Sunday Bloody Mary bar is excellent and their beer prices are completely reasonable. The slightly more low-key setting is worth checking out, especially for the unique salt track and toy bull dozers on the bar. Enjoy. read more

Steel Cat Bar - Sunday Bloody Mary bar. - Pubs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I like it, even if it still smells like Konkle's. Once my nose got used to the old smoke/mold/bleach dive bar smell that haunts the building from its previous days as Konkle's, I actually really liked the place. It's small, cozy, narrow but deep with a long bar and several high top tables. There is a cool spider-like light fixture, and when I was visiting, they were playing old Marilyn Monroe movies on the wall. Bonus: all the tables have power outlets to plug your phone into! Why don't more places offer this?!!? The bar top has a narrow steel plate rail that runs the length of it. The bartender explained that they turn the rail on to get it really cold and "snow" forms as a result of the condensation. They serve drinks in freezer cold glasses and your beer can sit on the snowy rail as you visit (the rail is not on the tables, just the bar). I visited with a friend that is a bit more of a beer snob then I, and she questioned the bartender why my porter was served in an icy glass and why it was being kept on the ice rail (apparently porters are to be kept at room temperature). The bartender was super nice the entire time we were there, and just sort of shrugged off the question, tactfully offering my friend a lighter beer that would traditionally be kept cold. I didn't really care about my porter being cold. I chugged it down, and even had another one. read more

See all

Great drinks good music. Cool local bar. Good for a mid day pop in. Sometimes they are super busy and not on point but as a local place that just serves drinks, i get that. read more

See all

Hm.. I'm very on the fence with this one. I just get a "it's definitely a bar" vibe from this place. I did like the self serve popcorn machine with even seasonings available for it.. and the "ice bar" was cool but idk I guess I expected the steel cat to be more epic. I like the concept of the ice bar but I do feel it could've been better executed. It was lacking in wow factor, for me. The waitresses didn't pay us much attention as there was a couple tables of men there that I'm sure generated a bigger tab, making them more of a priority. Overall I'd maybe come back with a bigger group? Haha I'm truly not sure what would make me like this place more. Maybe it's just not for me. If you like dark bars with a very bar feel give it a shot. read more

See all

It's a nice place to stop for a drink. They have a cool ice feature on their bar with trucks in it. Only down fall is the place was super hot and muggy which made it hard to stay for awhile. read more

I was pleasantly surprised walking in how modern of a feel this place has. It definitely doesn't look like a dive bar anymore, from the previous occupancy of the space but I can still see it invitingly feeling more like a dive bar than an upscale place - which is a positive statement. Trying to do a bit of research beforehand about what a steel cat is, I had some information under my belt but wanted to hear the waitresses explanation. They have a great system working of having cold taps, so that they never have to worry about inconsistency from temps of beers coming out of their taps - I am sure this makes their lives WAY easier. The steel rail that runs the length of the bar was full of 'snow' was I was there in the late afternoon. This is made be a place to keep your beers colder longer by housing them on the rail, when you aren't taking sips. I personally agree and enjoy the idea of the system and think it is a great perk for most beers, but for others - letting a beer warm up brings out more flavor complexities. Granted a lot of beers fitting that description probably won't be served at this bar, so they are doing it right for them! I do not there there is food here, but I did see some free popcorn. They also had a lot of interesting looking cocktails on the menu that are served in 'leaning' glasses. I was a bit surprised to see the fixtures in the bathroom to be lime green and it seemed a bit disjointed from the rest of the place, but nothing really too concerning. The tall tables at the wall have outlets which are a great accessory for dying phones. Overall great job, welcome to the neighbourhood - this place is a great addition to the westside! read more

See all

We were searching for a Bloody Mary Bar before a Co Ed Baby Shower on Sunday and "BOY" did we find one! It was stellar! Priced right and great selection of Extras....Only thing we could have added was BACON! Go check it out! They had everything from simple olives to strips of peppers, oysters, okra, pickles, green onions, shrimp, celery, so many seasonings, different juice options, croissants, pastries and fresh fruit!! I know there was much more! Go check it out!! read more

See all

Steel cat is a great dive bar! It's a good option to pop in to for a quick drink when you're exploring the Bridge St area. The ice bar makes the place unique, drinks are affordable, and the staff has always been friendly. We popped in here for the first time last football season because our usual spot didn't have access to the game we wanted. They had a $10 bucket of beer special and the NFL Sunday Ticket so it worked out great! Will be back! read more

Making my way in the world today takes everything I've got. Taking a break from all my worries, sure would help a lot. Sometimes I want to go Where everybody knows my name, and they're always glad I came. I wanna be where I can see, our troubles are all the same I wanna be where everybody knows my name. And that is exactly what I get once I step foot into the Ol' Kitty Cat. Overall this place is purrrrfect! Have a mice day and best fishes. read more

Great atmosphere aside from the bartender that told my girlfriend and I that we "should definitely order" the gallon and a half mule (size of the drink was never disclosed to us until we received it). Not only were we led to believe that this would be a totally manageable drink for two people to get on their own, we were also left in the blue when it came to the hefty price that accompanied the drink. On top of us being taken advantage of by the staff, none of the seats were six feet apart as we were sitting less than 3 feet from the people at the table next to us (along with every other table in the bar as they were all full). Needless to say we will most likely not be returning to this establishment as there are many far better options throughout downtown Grand Rapids. read more

Great hang out. Love the vibe of this place. The frost bar is a great feature. No food menu, but they have popcorn , hot dogs and other snacks! You also can bring your own food too which is a plus! My favorite drink is the steel cat mule read more

Steel Cat Bar - Pubs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Options,options,options!! That's what you have when you experience the Bloody Mary bar here! They have it ALL! A must try if you appreciate a great Bloody Mary read more

This place has the best Bloody Mary bar in town, hands down. Whenever someone asks to do a Bloody Sunday this is where we end up. They have a huge bloody mary mix selection, as well as every acutramount you can think of. They have all the spices, the veggies, and snacky extras you could ask for. Service is on point as well. Love this place! read more

Frost rail is amazing, bartenders are awesome, prices and specials are fantastic. A true west side gem. Oh, and their bloody bar on the weekend...insane. read more

I'm giving these guys a 5 because they took a place that really should have been bulldozed and made it great. Good selection of drinks and beer, limited snacks. The occasional metally ill person from the old days will wander in but the staff is quick to move them out. I hope they keep the vibe they have and not let it turn ghetto read more

This is by far one of the best bars, if not the best bar in Grand Rapids. Amazing and fast bartenders, excellent and kind servers, and some of the best drinks and prices in town. Weekly specials and a Bloody Mary on the weekends? Oh, and did I mention free popcorn? A bar meant for everyone and you're missing out if you haven't checked it out yet! read more

Good spot, friendly service, check out the Ice Rail to keep your beer cold...genius! No food, Id recommend bringing in your favorite Mexican fare from any of 4 locations within striking distance on Bridge Street. (Maggies, The Hut, El Granjero, El Cunado). You won't be alone, when I went in today everyone in the bar had some kind of takeout food with their drinks. read more

People are rating this as a dive bar? No, definitely NOT a dive bar. Dive bars smell of stale smoke, have questionable patrons and haven't been maintained or upgraded. This is a small, intimate, comfortable and hip place that doesn't disappoint. Super great music, vibe and staff. read more

I didn't get a good first impression of Steel Cat. Our drinks were cloyingly sweet, and the whole place smelled like moth balls. I do want to try the bloody Mary bar because I've heard it's great, but I couldn't see myself going there for any other reason. read more

I've been hesitant to post this, because I'd hate for it to get so busy that it's no longer enjoyable...... but HERE IT GOES. Place is bomb. I was super happy to discover that one of my favorite bartenders is working here :) Don't expect anything fancy - it's a to-the-point westside neighborhood bar. Is - was & always will (hopefully) be. And finally: I've YET to find a better bloody mary bar. read more

Great beer selection and service! Environment is clean and fun The mules are great and they have PBR on tap! read more

Steel Cat Bar - Pubs Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan