Beer Grotto Dexter — Restaurant in Dexter

First the good, then the not-so-good. The Beer Grotto is a welcome addition to Dexter, with a great lineup of craft beer on draft - with heavy emphasis on Michigan beers/ciders/spirits and other local offerings, which is awesome. As a craft beer aficionado, I enjoy seeking out the best offerings from the area I'm in. When I arrived at the Beer Grotto today, I asked the bartender if there were any great standouts on the menu that might be recent additions, or something you might not find readily in other places. He was knowledgeable about the draft list and directed me towards a couple of very tasty IPAs that I had not previously encountered. A few minutes later, I inquired about a high ABV mango/habanero beer that looked interesting. I said I would like to take a taste of it, knowing it might not be to my liking, but hoping to be pleasantly surprised. He proceeded to pour a small amount for me, which I tasted, and deemed way too sweet and boozy for my personal taste. He actually agreed that it was overly sweet, and didn't care for it personally, either. He went to go serve customers on the other side of the bar, and another bartender approached me, asking if I needed anything. I told him about my experience with the boozy mango beer, and he asked if I had been charged for it. I told him it was just a taste, and he made it clear that he thought I should have been charged for it, going so far as to say "Well, you must have said you wanted a small pour of that", assuming and implying that I was attempting to avoid paying for something I had ordered (not the case AT ALL). Then he awkwardly tried to mention that I'd need to work it out with my bartender. He poured me a different beer (a lager which I enjoyed thoroughly), when my original bartender showed up. He whispered something to him, and it was obvious that he was talking about the taster situation. When I paid my bill a few minutes later, I noticed that I had been charged $3.50 for the taster of the mango beer that I didn't care for. I'm very puzzled about the business practices of this establishment seeing as how the craft beer movement is about making better beer for the enjoyment of all. Why would you offer a taste of something for a customer to try, only to charge them for it even if they didn't like it? For the record, I was charged for less than 2 ounces of beer that I took 2 literal sips of.

I like The Beer Grotto, it's in a great location, it has an awesome draft list, and it has a cool atmosphere. My goal in writing this review is for the management to understand that the customer experience is important. I was made to feel awkward in a craft beer establishment. I've been to hundreds around the world... I am still curious as to why this happened....

I want to like the Beer Grotto - it's in a great location in Dexter, and easy to get to and park. We have enjoyed trivia there regularly for a few months, but have started looking for another spot, due to the service and food. The menu could be larger. I think I have tried almost everything on it at this point. Burgers aren't bad, but some items are just not good. This past week I had a taco salad with chicken, and the chicken was over-seasoned to the point where I couldn't eat it. I requested some sour cream to take the edge off, but it never came. I've also had a lamb burger that was tasteless, a patty melt that was way too greasy (dripping), and a quesadilla that was cold. The service is VERY hit-or-miss depending who you get. A couple of the waitstaff are very quick, attentive, and do a great job! There are a couple others who when they show up at our table I just cringe. They don't write things down, then forget to bring everything. They take seemingly forever to circle back around, which when there's an issue is a lousy experience. I'm not sure if this contributes to the issue, but waitstaff here doesn't just serve the tables, they also go behind the bar and pour drinks. I've not seen this arrangement often, but at the Beer Grotto, it means you might be waiting a LONG time before you see your server again. Again, it's a shame because I really want to like the place, and it seems like the best Tuesday Trivia crowd around. I just can't keep eating...

Went here twice, took more than an hour after our drink orders to come by for food or other drink orders. This is despite us sitting inside in the center front of the restaurant both times. I can understand if it is insanely busy but this was not the case. Good beer selection. Cocktails we ordered including very simple ones like a margarita or old fashioned, and were extremely mediocre. These drinks are common and require only a few ingredients. Anyone with access to the internet and abilty to measure could make a better drink. Employees and management don’t even mention or acknowledge their obvious deficiencies in service. The only aspect of their establishment that is redeeming is the atmosphere which includes darts, board games, and weekly karaoke. I would rather a server insult me to my face and tell me to get out than ignore my party for such a long interval of time, and serve dive bar quality cocktails. Incredibly disappointing, ease of parking is...