Some places never disappoint, and for me, this is one of them. The service is what I hope other places aspire to. It is friendly, informative and helpful exactly when you need it. Tonight, their stuffed chicken special was recommended and I loved every single bite. Even the asparagus was delicious, and I truly despise that springtime vegetable. This night, the place was packed with people engaging in conversation and not staring at their phones or at some television. The brewery doesn't have televisions and I love that. We will continue to come back time and time again. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Stuffed Chicken with vegetable medley and a side of Euchre. Paired with a Kludde (not pictured). - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Meeting family for dinner and the decision was to go to Vivant Brewery & Spirits. It was our first time. What an amazing establishment! Ambiance was most definitely a plus. Food choices were diversified and the quality was just as good. Craft beer choices were decent. Our server was very knowledgeable and attentive. All around a great place, great food, and the vibe excellent! read more

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On a Wednesday night at 5 pm, I couldn't be more impressed! The second I arrived, this place started flooding in. I knew I struck gold. A uniquely designed interior, as you can clearly notice the second you enter. A restored church, maintaining some of the most beautiful qualities in stained glass. Each table had a private feeling about it. But it doesn't stop there! Just by reading the menu items, you know what's up. Duck Fat Fries with aioli! Cmon, dare I say more?! And Fried Brussel Sprouts were the perfect amount of crispy with bursting flavor. I'll be back, Vivant, for many other items... don't move. A few that I fancied: Smoked mushroom reuben Duck nachos Nashville chicken Bone marrow Poutine read more

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We popped in on a Sunday while marking time until our flight and a few tastes. We had already had lunch so our focus was on the beer menu. We found parking easily. I'm sure it is more difficult on Friday or Saturday night. The beertender was knowledgeable and made great recommendations. We appreciated her answering all our many questions. The beers were top notch! Share and discuss is our usual plan. I chose Dunk the Halls, their Dunkelweizen as well as the Pumpkin Saison. My husband selected Strange Runes, a double dry hopped IPA and Oud Bruin, a red wine Flemish style beer. We also had tastes of Heinmabrrygg, Norwegian farmhouse ale with maple and Cult Pils from their hand-pull tap. Excellent selection and variety of beer. We enjoyed all that we tried. The building is really cool. We were informed it is a former funeral chapel. The stained glass and arches make it a unique destination for great beers. read more

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A beautifully restored chapel in Cherry Hill! The burgers and duck nachos are amazing! I can also say the same about the service! Always a wonderful experience and a must try!!! read more

We've been meaning to try this place for years -- a nice Belgian brewpub on our favorite little stretch in Grand Rapids -- and finally had occasion to stop in for lunch. The kids food is great. Indeed, we were charmed beyond belief by the "kids board," with a chicken finger, a soft pretzel, oranges, carrots, and cheese -- as was our daughter. Why don't all brewpub kids menus have such a thing!? As every parent knows, toddlers and post-toddlers are inveterate grazers. The grown-up food was unfortunately more uneven. My pulled pork sandwich was passable, with more texture than flavor, and the pickle crock was very nice. But the cheese board was abominable. Stale bread, dried out cheese (and in pedestrian variety too). Only the condiments were decent, and who wants decent condiments on stale bread or dried out pedestrian cheese? I assume somebody prepped the whole board for dinner the night before, didn't sell it, and then stuck it in the fridge to fob off on us at lunch. We salvaged our traditional stop in Grand Rapids with excellent ice cream down the street, but I doubt we will be back to Vivant. read more

We parked easily nearby and were seated when we walked in around 5pm on a Wednesday. Cool old building and bar area. We saw reviews raving about the nachos and had to try them. Good flavor combos but much of it was cold. They didn't quite hit the mark. Beers - prime temps & unapologetic fruit - were ok. Nothing spectacular. We'll stick to Founders whenever we are in the area; being there right before Vivant set the bar high. read more

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This stop came recommended by an Uber driver and a classmate. Nothing here dissapointed. The Brussels with fresh Parmesan and bacon were awesome. Beers were all great and the pork loin was also awesome. Nothing was a huge serving which was just right. Carry-out beers came home to help me remember this stop. The vibe and atmosphere here is way cool in this old turn of the century church. Easily my new fave when in GR. read more

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Friendly waitstaff great atmosphere. That said I had the truffle fries w duck that were $30 bec of the added duck. I had to reheat them in my airfryer at home. The entree was lukewarm at best. The soup which was $5 was a 1/2 cup literally of reuben & sooooo salty. I was super hungry & this time Brewery Vivant did not hit. read more

We went to Vivant (Brewery Vivant if you're a local) together for the first time and it was a blast! Our server was awesome and very attentive, and since it was just before dinner time, we had basically no wait for our food, even on a Saturday. The building looks like it used to be an old church, so it has high ceilings and a really unique interior. We shared some truffle fries with our friends, and we split the duck nachos and the snickerdoodle ice cream sandwich, which was their dessert special. Definitely a fun experience and we hope to go again soon! read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich (dessert special) - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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We visited Brewery Vivant on a family recommendation and arrived genuinely looking forward to the experience. The outdoor seating was beautiful, the place was busy, and the atmosphere suggested we were in for a great evening. We started with drinks, sampling a couple of their beers, and ordered appetizers. Everything felt on track. Our group--including our kids--was settled in and excited for dinner. Then things took an unexpected turn. When we went to order our meals, our server informed us that we would be "cut off" from ordering any additional drinks. At that point, each adult had consumed two beers over the course of a relaxed evening. No one was loud, disruptive, or even close to overindulging. The decision felt abrupt and, frankly, unwarranted. What followed was even more uncomfortable. As we placed our food order, the server repeatedly questioned whether we were "sure" about our selections--doing so multiple times and to several members of our group. Instead of feeling like guests, we felt scrutinized. The food itself was average--perfectly serviceable, but nothing memorable. The beers were good, but not enough to justify the experience that came with them. After the third round of second-guessing, we decided to end the evening, paid our bill, and left. We continued the night at Mitten Brewing, where the atmosphere was far more welcoming. I waited to post this review to make sure I had properly processed the experience. After a few months of reflecting on the evening and replaying the situation to ensure I hadn't misread it, I feel confident in my assessment. This was not just disappointing--it was unnecessarily uncomfortable and poorly handled. I will not return, and I would not recommend Brewery Vivant to others. read more

I hadn't been here in several years so staying close by, this was the chance! Came with three friends, service was really good. Everyone liked their beers and the beer cheese but they definitely don't give you enough for 4 people. Womp. My bf had the hash, which was advertised as having sauerkraut. It was just basically diced cabbage. My burger was overcooked. Overall I don't know if this is the right place for a meal for me, but for beer it's a win. read more

e in | Lunch | $20-30 I'm stingy with 5 stars. Andrew & Jason at Vivant earned it! This is your neighborhood 'Cheers' experience. I was visiting Grand Rapids and put in ChatGPT if I was Anthony Bourdain, what restaurant should I experience. (See actual prompt below) Vivant was #1. Loved the Shadow Raven: bourbon aged English style stout beer (8.2 ABV), Pulled Pork Mitraillette and Bavarian beer hall vibe. ME: Act as Anthony Bourdain and tell me the top three places to visit and eat in Grand Rapids Michigan CHATGBT: If I were channeling Anthony Bourdain, exploring Grand Rapids, Michigan, I'd seek out places that embody authenticity, character, and a deep connection to their community. Here's the #1 spot that captures that spirit: 1. Brewery Vivant - A Belgian-Inspired Gastropub in a Former Funeral Chapel Housed in a beautifully repurposed funeral chapel, Brewery Vivant offers a unique blend of history and culinary innovation. Their menu features Belgian and French-inspired dishes, and their beer selection is crafted with the same European flair. It's a place where the ambiance tells a story as rich as the food and drink. read more

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Great food. Great ambiance. Great service! We even brought our kids and they enjoyed everything. My daughter ordered the kids board and it was everything she loved! So delicious! read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Kids board - apples, carrots, cheese, pretzel stick and a delicious chicken tender! - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Beer was good. Had poutine for the first time. It was ok. It was like loaded fries. Shouldve got the chef burger.

Beautiful space, friendly faces, delicious food & scrumptious hand crafted drinks the Pecan Carajillo is so very yummy read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Wizard's burial ground flight! - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I personally prefer Brewery Vivant's Broad Leaf locations better, but Brewery Vivant is a Grand Rapids staple for visitors and locals alike. The world's first LEED certified microbrewery is housed in the former chapel of a funeral home (not just a church as many assume based on the interior of the space). So you can have a Belgian beer inside an old funeral home, which is kind of cool. The company has a clear dedication to sustainability and is a certified B Corp, which I think is admirable. While I'm not a huge fan of Belgian and French styles of beer, I like that Brewery Vivant offers something a bit different and is a great place to gather with friends. They also have non-alcoholic options, cider, wine, and cocktails. The menu is an interesting mashup of different styles of food, including French, German, Asian, and more. They do have a few vegetarian items, but I probably wouldn't go for dinner at Brewery Vivant if I was vegan. The duck nachos are a staple on the menu and have been since they opened in 2010, but I tend to steer towards other options these days. I recently tried the tempeh sandwich and really liked it. The frites are crispy and delicious. Service at Brewery Vivant is typically great, and they are usually helpful in accommodating larger parties if possible even after they got rid of the large communal tables due to covid. The lobby houses a small retail section, with canned beer and merchandise for sale. Outdoor, dog and kid friendly seating is available, and they have a shared parking lot. Plenty of metered street parking too. A unique spot great for any beer lovers! read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Fried tempeh sandwich - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

such a far cry from the Vivant of yesteryear. this really used to be a five star restaurant for me- the menu was inspired, the beer was unique to not just the city but the state, a testament to the belgian, french, german styles they emulated. the ambiance honored the beautiful solemnity of the funerary chapel it was built in. i suppose you can't entirely blame the people of vivant for this decline, it's also a little bit of shame on west michigan for demanding the exact same from every establishment, the same annoying beer trends, the same things to eat on every menu, the same kid friendly attitude and vibe at every single brewery. read more

We were at Brewery Vivant on a Tuesday afternoon. The patio area was quite bustling so we opted to get seated inside. Lovely stained glass adorned the inside of the old chapel building. Tried the Tropical Saison, very refreshing. Duck fat Frites is so yummy! Overall, a very enjoyable experience. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Duck Fat Frites, escargot and Limoncello Spritz - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Closed without updating website or voicemail. I checked both before walking in the cold to arrive to shuttered doors. Please practice some basic courtesy to your customers. read more

Farm to table fresh food with beer and spirits in a beautiful old church- what's not to love? Great, friendly staff. Such a fun place to look at and relax. Had some great beers and really delicious food. They use unique ingredients to really bring an experience to the meal. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Interior - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Such a cool concept for a bar/pub. The menu is eclectic and creative. It also changes(but not sure how often). Came here with a few friends. I was very please me and impressed with the service. Initially, they wouldn't seat us on the patio because it might rain which was a bummer. But our waiter was awesome and answered all our questions and even explained the history of the building (which used to be a funeral home chapel). My rice bowl was a bit dry but they happily added more of the lemon cream sauce for me when I asked and I finished the bowl. My friends enjoyed their food and drinks too. Lots of classic and unique beer options available, will let you taste before you order a glass. read more

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Good beer, creative and tasty food, incredible dessert, spectacular space. Wish I lived nearby. Got a flight of 4 beers and quite enjoyed the range, spanning sours and IPAs. The poutine and escargot were rich and tasty as expected. The escargot was loaded with cheese and went great with nutty bread. The donuts were out of this world, balancing a sugary outside with tart lemon and crème fraiche. They have a number of outdoor tables and accommodating of our infant in a stroller. I popped inside and was blown away by the bar converted from a funeral home. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Donuts - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Good food, service, and all in a very unique ambiance. What can I say the holy trinity for some relaxation. read more

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No shade to the brewery, but it just wasn't for me. The atmosphere was beautiful, and I can see why others might enjoy it. However, the menu items felt a bit underwhelming to me. While the drinks were decent, I found the food to be just average. That said, the overall vibe of the place is inviting. It might be worth a visit if you're in the area, but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me personally. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Farm Hand Ration - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I want to preface this with the fact that I've been here many times over the past 5-10 years and have often had great experiences. I went there this evening for stein night. The beer was great. Just what I wanted. However, the food was almost laughable. They currently have a stein night "snack" menu that I think they're trying to advertise as good deals to pair with your beer. I got the $12 steiny "smashburger". This should've cost $5. The burger was not a smash burger, and seemed more like a pre-frozen patty with bland lettuce and tomato on top. It also did not come with fries. My friend got the stein night poutine, which was a small portion of fries topped with a few cheese curds and gravy. Similarly, it felt like that was worth half the price they were charging. I'm not sure who is currently making the food decisions at vivant, but it needs to change! I used to really look forward to the creativity that was being brought to the menu, but this felt like the exact opposite. read more

This place earns four stars almost solely due to their beer. Farm Hand ale is and probably will always be my favorite lager ever. Additionally, the restaurant is super cool - it's housed within an old church, and there's nothing quite like throwing back a pint while admiring a stained glass window. Aside from this, the food is just ok. The spicy chicken sandwich was mid, and the aioli that it came with was just straight up mayo water - it had zero flavor. The fries are fine, and the poutine is good (but you can't really mess up poutine, let's be honest). Vivant thrives as a brewery where you can grab a bite on the side, but don't expect a life changing meal by any means. read more

This place lost it. Was a loyal mug club member but I heard it's under ownership. Also was my favorite cheese board intown. Now maybe the worst. Paid 58 dollars for the new charcuterie and cheese board plus 2 beers. Nah son. I'm out. Good luck moving forward. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Surf board - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Great vibes, cool aesthetic, excellent service, food is interesting. Love the converted funeral home interior. Our server Kendall was so friendly and gave great recommendations for my husband and I who just moved to the area. Drinks, beer cheese, and brussels sprouts were great. Burek and monk salad were a bit odd but I think that's a personal preference, I'm sure other people would find both delightful. read more

Neat atmosphere! However, food was below average. Heard the duck nachos use to be really good but has been a significantly smaller portion of toppings on the chips; I can attest to that. Not enough toppings to cover close to the portion of chips. Ate many plain chips within the nacho which I did not find appetizing either way. The other dish we got was also not great. Unfortunately Vivant is not a place I would go to for food, sadly, considering GR usually has great food. I will go for drinks and atmosphere!. Cool atmosphere and vibe in this place! read more

This is a tough review because the beer list is terrific! If you want to go for a drink this is a great option. However if you are looking for dinner, this place has a small menu with limited vegetarian or gluten free options. If you've got a crew with any kind of dietary restrictions I would go somewhere else. The veggie bowl feels a bit like a meal you'd make when you clean out your fridge and then duck poutine is greasy. Both were tasty but I wouldn't order them again. The service is always lovely and the inside is very cool. If you want a drink in a church this is the spot. read more

We sat outside. The seating area was spacious and had tables with umbrellas. We unfortunately waited a while to see a waiter and get drinks. The drinks and food were very good; albeit a little pricey. The few IPAs we tried were yummy. The pulled pork sandwich was packed with flavor and different textures from all the ingredients. The duck nachos were covered nicely with cheese and the chips were so crispy they kept from getting soggy. My toddler had the kids board, which is pretty cool. The board had a ton of orange slices, a couple cheese slices, a chicken tender, a soft pretzel, and carrots chips. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Kids board - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Brewery Vivant is an excellent place to chill, have some good food, and really good brews. They have an open air gated area, which is great for a nice warm day out. They also have plenty of indoor seating as well with large picnic type tables. To start we had the Duck Confit nachos. Flavorful duck with a really good cheese sauce. Definitely should share this dish unless you want to make it your main. For my main dish, I always go with a burger if it's on the menu. The Vivant Burger was a bacon/beef blend, which I've had this type of combination many times before. I didn't like their version. It was a bit on the dry side even when I wanted a medium burger. The house bun was a little dense for my taste too and I think a brioche bun would suit this burger better. I have no qualms with the pomme frites. Thin crispy fries! As for the star of my visit, I give it to Strawbarb. I wanted a sour and didn't bother ordering any other beer. It was a strawberry rhubarb ale. Just keep the coming! read more

Very cool brewery located inside an old chapel. Decent selection of beers types on tap as well as a full menu if hungry. Most of the beers have options for sizes (5, 13.5, 16, 20oz) and range between $3.50-7.50. Decided on the Rapid IPA ($6.50) first - a well rounded fruity hop with a smooth finish. Also had the Chromatic Shatter ($6.50) - a hazy type ale that's not as hop forward; good to sip on. Servers here come around often, even if you're not at the bar. Pretty much everything is done right here for a nice bar stopover. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Menu - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

I was in Grand Rapids for business and as I normally do when on business, I visited a local brewery. There were about four or five that popped up within 5 miles but this one seemed like the one I would like the best. I wanted to get a wide variety of their beers and went with a flight that included the following... Rapid ipa Anyuta rye farmhouse We're on a roll tootsie roll stout Devastation bourbon barrel aged I am an IPA guy so I expected to like the IPA which I definitely did. I would keep it in my fridge. I've never been a big fan of rye brews but the Rye farmhouse there's another one that I would keep in my fridge and was a surprise for me. I was certainly disappointed with the stout and the bourbon barrel aged IPA as I was expecting them to be much better. They were very good but not quite as good as I expected. I also ordered food here. Unfortunately they were out of the Cuban sandwich so I went with a burger. The burger came out perfectly cooked as I asked and was very tasty. Food here is very good, the beer is above average for sure. Overall, this is a place I would go to if it was near my house. read more

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I've been a number of times over the years, but this past experience on Friday afternoon was just especially awesome. I've always loved the medieval tavern/monastery aesthetic they have inside the dining room. Kinda wish the ambient music matched the decor, but meh, it's a tiny nitpick. The bar staff was friendly and helpful, introduced themselves, and made conversation even though they were busy. The food was unique and felt both adventurous and luxurious (wild boar pasta for an entree and bone marrow with fennel seed crust for appetizer). The regulars at the bar were so kind and welcoming that I ended up staying way longer than I had planned! Like they wanted others to be part of their exclusive club. It was so nice. Great experience overall, will definitely stop in more often. read more

I felt fortunate to try a beer from Brewery Vivant. I do feel grateful for these opportunities for craft beer breweries that isn't exactly low hanging fruit from where I live. Thanks to traveling, stores with broad selections and shipping services that provide these beers from breweries all over the country. For this brewery Steve and I had one of their beers and liked it fairly well. The Farmer's Hat was the beer we had which is a New England IPA. I've discovered I'm very picky with particular IPA. Some breweries make fantastic ones while others seem underwhelming. Farmer's Hat is one of the better ones I'm happy to say. Perhaps not the best one I've ever had in my brewery adventures but a very solid one all the same. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Farmer's Hat, a decent New England IPA. - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We stopped here on a whim while visiting East town. Service was great, beer was good, food didn't match the price, and stated quality in my opinion. The Vivant burger was just so "dense" that even though it wasn't dry, it seemed dry if that makes sense. We also tried the spring rice vegetable bowl.. and it didn't have much flavor at all, super bland. My daughter in law had the tempeh sandwich and liked it. I was really excited about the highly rated pastrami sandwich, but it wasn't on their menu anymore.. BUMMER! The atmosphere is really cool, like you're walking in to an old church! But for me the food needs to really jump out in order to keep coming back. Maybe if we liked duck it would be better? There are a lot of fancy duck items on the menu....It is an interesting concept.. half brewery, half upper scale dining with sort of a mixed menu of each, that's how it feels anyway. read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Vivant burger - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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My wife and I are checking out GR as a potential place to relocate. Since I made the quick visit on my own, I asked her what places she didn't want me to miss. Brewery Vivant was her first answer. Well, she picked a good one! I was greeted at the door, and I asked to sit at the bar. Natalie was a great bartender - I asked for a taste of something and she offered me two others that she recommended. They were all great, but I ended up going with the Rapid IPA, which was delicious. I had some frites, too, which I highly recommend. I ate them like I hadn't eaten in a week because they were so delicious. Natalie also went out of her way to provide thorough input on what I would need to know as far as relocating to GR. I could not have felt more welcome and safe in this place and I can't wait to visit again. Thanks, Brewery Vivant! read more

Vivant Brewery & Spirits - Rapid IPA and frites with garlic aioli. Amazing! - Belgian Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Cool space! It reminded me a bit of The Publican in Chicago. The food kinda shares similar trait as well. The best and most memorable dish was the schnitzel! Probably the best we have had ! My toddler scarfed down the vegan parsnip cake in no time! Well she gets her daily veggies in! :p The mussels was slightly disappointing but we are still in the Midwest after all ... Awesome beer too! read more

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