30 Best Cocktail Bars in Grand Rapids

“Everything at Gin Gin’s is top notch; from the food to the service to the atmosphere. It is easily the best restaurant in GR! Downside is that it’s hard to get in. You have to get there at open if you don’t have a reservation and if you need a reservation I’d recommend booking at least a week in advance, especially on the weekends.“

“WOW! 100% would recommend this cool low light atmosphere of a bar! Top notch cocktails and amazing service. Our server made sure I got a drink I actually liked and refunded me the one I didn’t. Check them out!“

“Was in tonight for dinner in GR on the front patio with a couple girlfriends and we were approached by a homeless man who tried to grab our bags. I’m reaching out to praise your manager and the rest of the staff for taking our concerns seriously and jumping into action. Top notch team you’ve got there. You were already a go to spot for us, but even moreso now. Thank you for a great spot, delicious menu, and for making your patrons safety a top priority!!“

“This was a new discovery for us. We had marinated olives for our appetizer, morty sub and bacon and friends pizza - all were out standing! Try the homemade chip dip! Creme Brule was the perfect ending! Our waiter lost some tip because taking care of dishes was more important than taking care of our check. Surrounding area, inside and out was very pleasant!“

“Great Mediterranean Cusine! The white steamed rice bowl with steak and veggies is amazing!“

“I lived in GR for a year 2019-2020. I got visit The Apartment Lounge once pre-COVID. Music trivia night. I was a bit unhappy that they didn’t serve food.

I sat down at the bar. A couple was sitting next to me. Since I was a new face, they introduced themselves. I said that I had just moved to GR from Toronto. They called the bartender over and introduced me to the bartender.

Then, another couple came in, obviously friends. They hugged and kissed each other. The first couple introduced me to their friends. And they kissed me too!!

The next weekend was a chili cookoff. I've never felt so welcomed at a place in my life. I need to come back some day.“

“Cozy place Great Service!“

“Private event. The food was excellent. Large portions and the wait staff was outstanding.“

“Really enjoyed the food, especially the starters. For apps we got the goat cheese dip, soup of the day (chicken tortilla) and bacon Brussel sprout salad which were all so so good. Cocktail menu is super fun and refreshing, well balanced and definitely has a lot to care and creativity put into each drink. Jimmy was awesome, knows the ins and outs of the menu and events going on here (including local live music?! Heck yeah!) We’ll definitely be back again soon!“

“Alastair was amazing! Espresso martini was the best I’ve ever had! That salt topping was on point! The personality from the bartender was outstanding! Very welcoming and astonishing environment! Very clean and like I said welcoming! What a gem!“

“Great staff. Friendly atmosphere. Fantastic drinks!“

“What a great experience here! Everyone was friendly and approachable and excited to tell us about their bubbly! Very clean and aesthetic environment! Overall we had a lot of fun here and we will be back soon!“

“Awesome place and awesome people. Love the leaderboard“

“The drinks were dangerously smooth in the best way possible! Dirk even crafted us an off menu cocktail with pickle juice that was unexpectedly refreshing, unique, and absolutely delicious. Beyond making great drinks, he was so personable and genuinely engaging throughout the night. He made us feel welcome from the start and added so much fun to the experience with great conversation and an awesome attitude. You can tell he truly enjoys what he doe and it completely elevated our Sunday funday moms night out visit. We will definitely be back!“

“I had ~heard~ before visiting it isn't as good as some other places, but it's great actually. Came for the random cocktails, roll the dice, not disappointed.

Industry night discounts on Tuesday nights.

Bartenders tonight kind, helpful, warm/friend

Menu is hilariously difficult to read. Like it actively makes me want to not read it. Sideways section titles, different fonts, the skinny fonts, and the generic description font colors not contrasting with the background color(brown on tan). I went right to the RTD, read it(except for the brown on tan), and said sign me up. I hope this is constructive and not a rant, thanks for coming to my TED talk.“

“Excellent assorted specialty coffees. The flat bread pizza was surprisingly good as well. Staff were all above and beyond in their service. Truly wonderful addition to Grand Rapids and Alger Heights.“

“I had a small wedding last week with 11 guest attending. They were a joy to work with, even created special menus for us and allowed us to bring in a cake. Everything was well planned and went great. Pics on the property are beautiful as well. Highly recommend for small groups and weddings!“

“Excellent food options and drink menus with interesting dishes. We got the crab Rangoon nachos and a basic sushi roll that were DELICIOUS. I’ll probably order myself a plate of the nachos as my meal next visit because it was a great portion and amazing flavor with REAL crab. My ONLY complaint is we were there around 7pm or so on saturday sitting at the bar drinking and conversing next to multiple other couples and a couple ladies and two small children were sat at a table adjacent to us. I wish they didn’t allowed minors after a certain time or maybe on the weekends when adults are mostly going out. We were going for the dark, mature, ambiance (while seated at the bar) and it was thrown way off by the kids that were sat near us. We went for the “night life” and ended up feeling pretty awkward drinking and trying to have mature conversation next to lively small children.“

“A welcoming bar/restaurant. Busy but not loud. Our server was nice and took our drink order right away. Prices are very reasonable. We got there late evening and we were not rushed to order or eat. A really enjoyable dining experience. It's downtown Grand Rapids so parking can be somewhat hard to find close by on weekend nights because that's where everyone is at. I didn't mind the walk though.“

“staff and bartender A+ ( very accommodating) First visit and only had bloody marys. They were different, make they're own mix, but they were good.“

“Absolutely loved the food. Drinks were also amazing.“

“Incredible staff! The menu feels very European, is giving seasonal with staples, Flavor profiles of my dreams, lots of vegan options! immaculate vibe, i sat at the bar every time but has such a warm inviting atmosphere, outdoor seating options, and very spacious for groups.“

“amazing beers and cocktails. and the food is 🤤 awesome atmosphere and staff! will be back!“

“Private event. The food was excellent. Large portions and the wait staff was outstanding.“

“Amazing food, environment, drinks💗You must go!“

“Great food and best server Jocelyn.“

“We came here for our 20th Wedding Anniversary. This was hands down the best meal and service we’ve ever had! Thank you, MDRD, for such a special celebration experience. 💕“

“Amazing experience and for anyone who’s new to the Cigar world, BOLD gets you well taken care of. Outstanding hospitality, drinks were on point, the staff were absolutely phenomenal in assisting us. The overall atmosphere was just what I was looking for in a nice Cigar lounge.“

“Such a fun game to play with friends! Nice space, staff and bar were really nice. Will be back!“

“Love Bowdies! Amazing steaks and service.“