Brewery Vivant
| Address: | 925 Cherry St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, USA |
| Phone: | +1 616-719-1604 |
| Site: | breweryvivant.com |
| Rating: | 4.6 |
| Working: | 3–11PM 3–11PM 3–11PM 3–11PM 3PM–12AM 11AM–12AM 12–10PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 5
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Denise N
We could not have felt more unwelcomed or made to feel more awkward. We were in the area and thought we would check out a brewery neither of us had been to before. We went to the bar, grabbed a beer and snagged a seat high top that turned out to be very uncomfortable to sit at. There are only three of these tables in the bar area with no other seating option, so we moved to the indoor patio and plopped down comfortably at a picnic table. After sitting down for about 5 minutes, a waitress approached us and told us she was going to seat people at our table....okay, a little strange. This wasnt a long bar-style table like you typically see in breweries where strangers sometimes sit together at opposite ends, it was picnic table. Then a couple minutes later the same waitress tells us that the table is reserved (clearly a lie) and moved us to another table where there was a mother with her three young kids enjoying lunch. We could not have felt more awkward and unwelcomed at this point. Here I am, a paying customer being moved around the restaurant. It made for a very unpleasant experience. We felt that we were making the family we were forced to sit with feel so awkward that we left before finishing our drinks. It seems that Brewery Vivant does not welcome people who would like to come in for a casual drink, unless they plan to order food. Very disrespectful and greedy to move paying customers from their seat in order to seat customers that are ordering food. I felt uneasy the entire time I was there. I had always wanted to visit Brewery Vivant but unfortunately I will not be returning, or purchasing their products any longer. Very insulted. This place was not worth our time. Also, the layout it very strange and could be opened up more to be more inviting. Right now it seems that anyone who just wants to have a drink is forced to stand or sit 1 of the 3 high top. I do not get the brewery feel at this place at all. Go to Founders, very open very inviting. Go to Bells, Arcadia, go anywhere else if youre looking to have a fun and relaxing time with friends where you can sit and wander wherever you please.
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Ian Coburn
Brewery Vivant is one of my favorite places to eat in Grand Rapids. Fortunately, I only live a few blocks away, but this restaurant is worth it even if you’re coming in from out of town. The unique and hearty cuisine and warm, atmospheric space make for a rich meal, especially in the evening. If you’re not in for something quirky, like the ever popular duck nachos, the burger is always amazing. I know many people who visit Vivant will have a polarized opinion of their alcohol selection—since it’s all brewed in-house, and usually with an eclectic bent, the brews are not for everyone. But I’ve found a few tried-and-true selections (Triumph and Farmhand, to name a few) that are always satisfying and generally appealing. That is, if I’m not in the mood to try something more off the beaten path. The space itself is about as interesting as the food and drink, with a deep, warm ambiance. You may wind up sitting next to a few other guests at their long tables—I used to be put-off by that, since I tend to like to keep to myself. But this really falls right in line with the general vibe, where you might wind up a bit out of your comfort zone, yet still immersed in a homey warmth. The staff fully backs up that idea, as I’ve always had a great experience with everyone who’s helped us. The way I usually describe Vivant to friends is that it’s like a medieval tavern with a modern sophistication. If you’ve ever wanted to step in to a pub on a snowy winter’s night, eat a dense meal, and have a conversation wrapped in the soft glow of the lamp light, this is your place. And you can do that while you diversify your palette. To wrap it all up, Vivant sources many of their items locally, and their restaurant is the first LEED certified micro-brewery in the world. All this and more makes Vivant a regular in our restaurant rotation, and once you get settled in to a meal that’ll warm you like meeting an old friend, it isn’t hard to see why.
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Nicholas Fish
Prepare yourself for a melancholy evening of condescension and shoddy service. You will be greeted by a hostess who will loudly proclaim to anyone who is listening that she doesnt understand why, "...everyone is up in arms about the game!" After all, how could such an establishment hope to expand its clientele beyond hopeless souls who use craft beer as a platform to indulge their own narcissism to, for example, those who might have a casual interest in catching the opening UofM college football game? Next, you will find yourself in the tender care of waitress Al who, after delivering a stern reprimand about the acceptableness of your out-of-state ID, will charitably indulge your neophyte questions into the various offerings on the beer menu. After your first round arrives, be sure to enjoy it very slowly, as Al will tease out your longing for more by cattily chatting with her colleagues near the register while your palette dries. Once Al has endured enough of your raucous enjoyment of the down-touches at 11:01pm, she will inform you that you have overstayed your welcome with a giggle and by turning off the projector, delivering a clear ultimatum that your patronage has been suffered for long enough; and that you would do well to find another venue for your future enjoyment henceforth.
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Vera DeVera
Beer: Excellent! For $10, we got the Vivant flight and got the Farm Hand (French style farmhouse ale), Triomphe (Belgian style IPA), Big Red Coq (hoppy Belgian American red aleł, and the Undertaker (Belgian style dark ale). Our favorites were the last two. The Big Red Coq had a cirtrusy hoppy finish that went well with my burger. The Undertaker tastes like dark roasted coffee and dark chocolate with a cherry finish. 4 stars for beer Food: We ordered the vegan flatbread, 1/2 lb burger, vegan stew and roasted beet salad. The salad and flatbread were okay. The flatbread was touted to have a vegan bechamel but we could barely find it underneath the beautiful pile of spring vegetables. If the flatbread had been softer and less crisp like a cracker, it would have been easier to cut. I got the burger medium rare without cheese and bacon on a pretzel bun , since it already had a bacon onion marmalade. The burger was all right, not the best I ever had. It was so thick and juicy, I needed 3 napkins to clean up. The fries were all right, I did like the skin on. The salad could have used more dressing, the greens were dry. The beets and toasted pecans were nice! 3 stars for food.
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Lindsay D
Terrible experience just trying to get a table here this past Saturday night. We went on a brewery tour as most of us were from out of town and heard rave reviews of BV. We walked in with a group of 10, well after dinner rush (fully expected to wait knowing how popular it is), to grab drinks and a few appetizers. We walked in to two hostesses, said we had a party of 10, received blank stares back, and then one of them said "what?". Having never been there, I wasnt sure what the problem was, and frankly I was blown away by the lack of customer service just by that one quick interaction. We told them again, there were 10 of us, and they asked us in a snarky tone if weve called first. Most of us having never been there, we didnt think it was necessary to call. Finally they tell us there was a 2 1/2 hour wait for a table. We asked if we could grab a drink at the bar, and they quickly told us no. Just in that quick, unprofessional interaction with the hostesses, maybe its a good thing we didnt get seated. With there being so many other (newer) breweries and distilleries in the area, next time were in the area, well go elsewhere.
