My husband and I met some friends at House Rules. This is a great place where you can have a bite…read moreto eat, grab a drink, and play a game in a relaxed atmosphere. You pay for your table by the hour. You can pick from a wide range of games from their game library. You can also bring your own games or purchase one at the establishment. We played Chameleon while enjoying sandwiches and chicken tenders. The food was pretty good and made with local ingredients. You can order from a QR code on the table and the food is brought to your table. For dessert we ordered a cookie skillet. We had a good time at Hose Rules and highly recommend it.

In terms of things to do in Grand Rapids, visiting House Rules nears the top of my list. I'm not a…read morebig beer drinker, so I had my doubts, but in addition to a half dozen fridges full of beer, they had plenty of non alcoholic drinks, as well as hard ciders, seltzers, and canned cocktails. Many brands were local that I'd never heard of before, and it was fun to experiment and try new things. Their food menu honestly shocked me with how tasty everything was. For a board game bar, I usually expect food to take a back seat or be phoned in, but everything was delicious! I had to try the elote deviled eggs, which was a combo I had never considered but I'm so glad someone did! I also got the truffle mac and cheese and a house salad. Both were excellent! The board game selection was extensive, with old favorites and hidden gems. If I'm ever back in the area, I'll be sure to stop in again!

Stumbled upon this little speakeasy inside of a pizza place downtown. We almost walked past it but…read moresomeone directed us towards it. When you step inside it's dark, quaint and has a sexy vibe to it. Very limited seating with a small bar and back room that's beautifully decorated. We both got "my girl" and that drink was delightful and refreshing. Noise level was moderate but we could still talk. Had a nice time with my bff but I could see it being a great first date spot!

We were visiting friends and they heard this place was cute but hard to get into. We took a chance…read moreand luck was on our side. It was a Saturday around 9p and we got the last table. **Reservations are recommended** the space is very small and intimate with only 4 tables. We met the bartender who curated the menu. Each cocktail was designed with intention and he took a lot of pride in them. Would definitely go back! Granda sue was our fav!

I stopped by for one of their trivia nights, and overall it was a decent experience. We got there a…read morelittle early hoping to grab a couple of drinks and some appetizers before the event started, but we were surprised to find out that they only serve drinks (which was on us). We ended up heading across the street to eat before coming back for trivia, which worked out at least. The drink prices were fair for what you get, and the trivia event itself was a fun way to spend the evening. If you're just looking for a place to have a drink and enjoy an event, it's worth checking out.

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.

We came in on Saturday night, 7/25/26 around 5:30pm before going to a concert at Acrisure. We…read moredidn't have a reservation but fortunately there was room at the bar - which is our preferred seating spot anyway. I was surprised at how long it took for the 2 hosts to greet us - as we were standing directly in front of them. They were talking to one another, and it was probably work related, but to just stand there staring at them for a couple minutes while they ignored us was awkward. When they finally talked to us they weren't very friendly. Anyway, we made our way to the bar and it was full except for 3 seats. I think the bartender waiting on us was new. He seemed like he was pretty overwhelmed/in the weeds. He greeted us quickly and brought us waters when he did, which I appreciated. I ordered a Blackeberry Bourbon Sour and my Mr had Paloma Nuestra. We both enjoyed our drinks they were refreshing and well crafted. For dinner I had a really hard time deciding! I wanted to try so many things! Our bartender said his favorite thing in the menu is the chicken and rice bowl. That was something I was considering and decided to go with that. Excellent recommendation! The chicken was flavorful and so tender. The hot peppers were a nice touch. There was a lot of food too! I couldn't finish it all. Mr had the hanger steak that was served with mushroom and asparagus risotto. He said the risotto was the best he's ever had, and I agree. The asparagus was perfectly cooked and so was the steak. The space is really nice, felt intimate without being overcrowded. We are looking forward to coming back!

Studio Park positions itself as a premium spot for event nights at Acrisure Amphitheater, so maybe…read moreput some effort into making the "Party on the Piazza" an actual event. What a disappointment, but not nearly as much as our experience at 123 Tavern. We came in at 4:15PM before the Brandi Carlile show needing a table for a party of 8-10. The place was fully booked (but only half full at that time) except the bar (first-come, first-served). Fair enough -- but from the moment we walked up, the manager at the host stand couldn't have cared less. She quoted a two-hour wait, shut down my question about sitting outside with a flat no, and pointed us toward the bar. No sense of customer service at all. Like zero. The three of us who were there took the last open seats at the bar. Then came the real show: one bartender for the entire restaurant AND bar. He ignored us for ten minutes. My wife and friend got their beers quickly -- but my bourbon sat finished at the service station for another seven minutes while I watched the large ice cube melting as it marinated there. When I finally asked where my drink was, I got "I'm working on it." When he did finally bring it, he pushed it across the bar at me -- no apology, no eye contact, his attention on anything but me. I'll be honest about what I can't prove: I've worked in this industry a long time, and the whole thing read like my service got intentionally slow-walked. My drink held back while everyone around me was taken care of. Maybe the front manager said something after our rocky start at the host stand. Maybe they're just all bad at their jobs. I can't tell you which. I can only tell you how obvious it felt from the barstool. Everything after was the same; menus, ordering, closing out, all a slog. I had to hunt down that same manager for our check so we could get to the show, and she was all attitude, zero help. We only escaped because my wife flagged a server who found a another manager. His response to hearing all this? "I'm sorry." Nothing else. No attempt to make it right. For the first time in my life, I left $0 on a $100 tab. I'm a 25%+ tipper. That's how badly this went. Here's the thing, 123 Tavern: if you're going to bill yourself as a place to gather before events, staff the place and train your managers to act like they want customers there. Until then, I'll spend my money somewhere that values it.

This has become one of my favorite bars in town. Casual, gay, fun, good drinks, good prices. My…read morecurrent favorite drink is the guava vodka with sprite, but they have a full bar so you can get whatever you're craving. There is always good music playing and music videos on the TVs. This is a very inclusive and welcoming bar with about 5 booths and bar seating and it can fill up fast on the weekend nights. Park on the street downtown, walk, or take public transportation-no parking lot. They don't have a food menu, but they do have popcorn.

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

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

There's no hostess for tables so it's a free for all for seating and meals. Once we found a spot to…read moresit for drinks, they were good. It was difficult to get a refill though since the line to get drinks was probably 15+ patrons deep so I'd recommend double fisting. Food was okay. The roast beef sandwich had good flavor, but definitely was skimpy on the roast beef. I did get a beer for $1.5 with purchase though. My wife's gluten free cheeseburger was good. Fun atmosphere and ambiance Second time back and the Cuban was good!

We were in from out of town and looking for something to do near our hotel…read more Looks small when you first walk in, but is a great time! The workers were very friendly and drinks were good. There are also free games in the back area.

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!

Service was amazing and fries and beer was delightful. We went there after a horrible dinner…read moresomewhere else.

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.

I went here for the first time in 2026 after constantly hearing good things about this place. I was…read morereally surprised at how extravagantly themed the restaurant is. The theming is truly off the charts with so many cool things everywhere you look. I've been in both the lower and upper floors of the restaurant and the fun follows all throughout. The food was good and had good portion sizes. The menu has a lot of Hawaiian and Asian flavors represented. The drink menu is massive with a great section of NA mocktails that were really fairly priced. We got drinks and entrees and the entire process took around 45 minutes with me struggling to decide what to order. The service is really attentive without being overbearing. The use of both servers and food runners allowed for the process to be quick while not feeling rushed at all. Our server also gave great recommendations and was helpful throughout the night. While the price of things may feel high, I do think the ambiance was pretty worth the cost and the food was enjoyable! I'd definitely come back.

Last night we went to Max's South Seas Hideaway. This dimly-lit restaurant transported us to a…read moretropical paradise. The restaurant is filled with dark wood, plants and tiki art. We had reservations and did have to wait about a half an hour to be seated, but we were brought to a table in an intimate little nook which made the wait worth it. To be honest, you shouldn't have to wait that long when you have reserved a table as a specific time. Russell was our server and greeted us immediately. Other staff members actually brought out the food we ordered but rusted check on us occasionally. He was personable and friendly. We started with cocktails. Hubby had the Penicillin cocktail substituting in bourbon. I had the non-alcoholic Orange Creamsicle. I love that Max's had a few NA options among their huge cocktail list. We shared the wonton nachos as a starter, which had huge cubes of tuna on top the lightest wontons along with wakame, jalapenos, edamame, avocado, and pineapple salsa. Amazing! For dinner hubby had the drunken noodles, black garlic chicken thighs with cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots and peppers on top of rice noodles with peanut sauce. I tasted his dish, and it was so flavorful and the chicken was very tender. I ordered the tuna poke bowl, sushi rice surrounded by wakame, avocado, carrots, shallots, and edamame then topped with poke sauce. So good! I did have to send it back, though, because the tuna came out with furikake after I told our server that I don't do seeds. The kitchen flubbed up, but they were happy to make my dish seed free. This restaurant was definitely a fun visit and it reminded me of Kon-Tiki-Ports in Chicago. If you're in the Grand Rapids area, I do recommend stopping by for dinner or sit at the bar for one of their cocktail creations. The atmosphere is fantastic!