Atwater Brewery in GR — Restaurant in Grand Rapids

Great location and food and beer. Plays spartan games 8.31.22 poorly managed. Manager doesn’t seem to be worried that two people ordering sandwiches during lunch being the only people there can’t get served within an hour. She gave me the excuse that they only had one cook as if you needed a team of people to assemble them. Don’t set up your laptop at the bar and give your patrons the sense that you are interrupting you. I realize you are hiring more people but if you can’t get productivity out of who you have it doesn’t matter. Btw with this logic you better put your order in the day before and their cook starts working at 8am if you have 6 people from your office ordering and hopefully no one comes in to eat during that time. I wouldn’t bother with ordering lunch if you are at work. It’s too bad this place used to be great. Maybe the owner needs to take over the management for a bit. Oh and they only have a few beers used to have double the amount. Edit 10.23.23 still plays games but not friendly for sparrows anymore even moved the flag to near bathrooms. Beer isn’t fresh it seems either. Foods still expensive even though low quality. Really want this place to be great but they do everything to stop it, the bar tender was wearing gym shorts update 9.23.24 I don’t understand why your tap list is never accurate you’re a brewery. There has to be someway to keep upto date even if it’s just once and month and as things change...

Quite expensive for food, but beers are really good and not very expensive. Ordered the pesto chicken sandwich ($18) for dinner this afternoon and received a sandwich with a very small (2in diameter) piece of rubbery grilled chicken with half a slice of cheese on it. No pesto on it at all. There was only one lady working the bar and whole dining room, and it took forever for our food to come out. After we ordered our dinner, she announced to some newcomers that the kitchen was closed, so I didn't bother complaining about it. Chicken tenders ($15) were somewhat small and heavily breaded and included 3 of them. Then there's the ketchup. I think they make it themselves. I found it delicious, but it was spicy, so my ketchup-loving kids hated it. Maybe keep a bottle of the actual stuff handy for people who don't like spice? The pretzel bites were pretty good, but were served with old, cheese dip (wasn't hot and had the discolored layer on top of it from sitting out too long). Tried to order a pizza, but they were out of pizza crusts. Bartender said that this happens a lot. No kids menu at all. Not very kid-friendly, but there was a changing table in the women's restroom, thank goodness. We definitely...

How is this place still in business? We ask ourselves that every time we drive by. You’ve got a great location—aside from the parking, which is the only thing anyone should be complaining about. The convention center is close, and you’re not far from the boom on Bridge St. So why is no one here?

Once a year or so we give it another try, and today was no different—just a bite and a beer. The wait for food was long, and when it finally arrived, it was barely warm, like it had been sitting there for a while before making it to the table.

While we were waiting, we noticed the signs on other tables showing there are happy hour food and drink specials. Why not mention that when greeting customers—or better yet, post it on social media so people actually know?

I see there’s trivia on Monday nights, but again, how would anyone know if you don’t advertise it? Same with other events—why not try more and actually promote them?

Clearly you’ve managed to stay open, but it’s hard to see how much longer that can last without improving the basics and actually getting the word out. It’s not a mystery why the place is empty—it’s the experience. Until that changes, once a year is more than...