Side Bar East Lansing

A little overpriced for my liking...

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 1

Service: 3

Nice place with recently raised prices. I don't drink so can't comment on liquor prices, but probably high. Almost everything a la carte now. Menu changed, too, so prices could be raised. Believe the restaurant was recently sold. Would not go there for dinner anymore.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

I’ve tried several times to make a reservation at this place and there’s no way to speak to an actual human. They have a ridiculous AI chat bot and you can only go through the website—which they don’t reply to. They just lost out on a large party

Service: 1

New menu. The Burrata appetizer is exceptional. Atmosphere is nice but small and the acoustics make it difficult to hear.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

One glass of wine after memorial service. Instant greeting, service, selection was perfect, enjoyed the atmosphere to wind down.

Atmosphere: 5

Service: 5

I stopped in and asked the gentleman at the bar. If I could use the restroom that I’m not a customer. I’ll buy something if need be he said it’s OK. Go use the restroom. Two minutes later the owner comes to the bathroom door knocking consistently I said I’m almost done when I come out he told me it’s for customers only and I still asked the bartender and told him to buy something need to be. He goes well. I’m the owner and it’s for customers only and then pointed towards the door with his hand. I was willing to buy something I just had to pee. Owner was very rude. I could’ve been a customer down the road, but he didn’t treat me like that. I was willing to buy something. Definitely do not recommend coming here. The hospitality is not good. It’s a bar supposed to be fun and polite and nice and this owner Was a jerk just pounding on the restroom door, knowing that I was in there peeing when his coworker said I can go in there.

Atmosphere: 1

Service: 1

The only option to order to-go is via door dash. There's no option to speak to someone when calling, it directs you to their website which is always down.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 1

Service: 1

This was a great find - a "gourmet sports bar". We ordered the caprese salad, a classic cheese burger and the porkchops with seasonal vegetables, potatoes and a side salad. All of the food - except perhaps the french fries- were superbly prepared and perfectly cooked. I could have eaten the pesto sauce on the caprese salad with a spoon. The french fries were a bit underdone and may have been previously frozen. The wine could benefit from a bit of expansion but was not bad for a bar. The room and decor (wood panelling with a bit of an industrial look) worked well - especially when combined with the brightness of the windows. There even is an outside patio - albeit in the mall parking lot. My only complaint was the music. It was a bit too "pop-rock" for a dining experience - reminded one more of the sports bar that this is than a gourmet pub experience - which it could be. No objection to pop. music but perhaps a bit more variation in sound track would be great.

Burger was good, I think it needed some onion or lettuce. Missing some flare. It was good, but nothing special. Fries had no seasoning and seemed like they could have come out of a frozen bag. The drippings of my burger on the fries were the best ones. Service was wonderful, super nice staff. My drink had two VERY large mint leaves which made my friend and I laugh, very enjoyable.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

If this had been my first visit to the Side Bar, I probably would not return. We came in for a drink and a snack and made the mistake of ordering the bruschetta. It was more like attempted bruschetta, which consisted of 6 little untoasted pieces of “crostini”bread, topped with a glob of mozzarella and diced tomatoes sprinkled with a balsamic sauce. The consistency of the bread was like a piece of soft Wonder bread right out of the bag. It collapsed in my hand when I picked it up causing the toppings to fall off. When the bartender asked how was everything, I asked her why the bread wasn’t toasted? She immediately defended her bruschetta, proclaiming that it was toasted when they put it in the oven to melt the cheese. That little interaction changed the bar tenders previously friendly demeanor and resulted in a cheaper pour of my wine in my refill leaving a very sour taste in my mouth. If and when we do return, it definitely won’t be to eat mushy, untoasted imitation bruschetta.

Expresso Martini is delicious

Had a good burger

Service started out good then quickly went down hill. 1 server had 2 -8 tops. She paid most of her attention to the other table.
Food was highly over priced and severely under seasoned. Truffle fries were very bland and just tasted like normal fries. I literally enjoy McDonald's more than this food.
Very loud with brick walls.
Most likely will not be back. I feel like I wasted $250.

I don’t even now where to start. Our attempt to have dinner at this bar was most chaotic and underwhelming. Party of 4 arrived at 5:45pm on a Tuesday. We found a table, were greeted by Sophie who took our drink and appetizer order. After the wine arrived, it all fell apart. We asked for waters that were never brought to the table. The bruschetta was lukewarm and mediocre. The food orders we placed were double checked by the waiter and still came out all wrong: steak was advertised as being served with a salad, mashed potatoes and asparagus; it arrived 45 minutes after we ordered with no salad or potatoes. Instead, it arrived not medium rare but well done and when asked about the potatoes, the food runner shrugged her shoulders, said she was not a waiter, and left. Another person came over with a plate of what looked like rice and more asparagus. Confused, we asked what that was all about and the answer was “the rest of your order”. As for the other entrees, the two salads were okay but again, orders were wrong: salmon was supposed to be grilled and was blackened, dressing on the side was not served. Lastly, the pasta dish was brought out in a take out container because at this point, after waiting for almost one hour, we were done. Pesto pasta was all clumped together, lacked seasoning, and the shrimp not blackened but barely thawed. And no side salad. All this to say the food was terrible. The service was unprofessional. Our waiter disappeared the moment we asked why it was taking so long, given that restaurant had empty tables. The bartender who dropped off the food literally slammed the plates on our table and asked one of us to leave because we were being loud. We asked for boxes, the check and a manager. The boxes took forever, the check was outrageous, and the manager… well, there was no manager in duty. When we finally got the check and walked to the bar to pay, a manager showed up and was about to comp our tab after being explained what we had experienced. And then, the snooty and entitled bartender told him we had yelled at her and we had no choice but to hand them the credit card. No one, and I mean no one at this establishment knows what they are doing. I think there was only one waiter, two disoriented food runners, one grumpy bartender who acted like a manager, and who knows how many cooks. For the prices they charge ($12 to add salmon to a salad, $54 for the leathery steak, $65 for a charcuterie board), one would expect much better. Never again will we set foot in this place. Sometimes one or two things aren’t perfect and that’s okay. This was a nightmare, everything went wrong and there was no attempt at fixing it and no apologies offered. And if you care, they don’t card anyone. Great for business.

Been here once have tried several times... Website always says they are open door is always locked just close it down buncha squares