Bell's Eccentric Cafe — Restaurant in Kalamazoo

I have long enjoyed Bell's beer and the lore around Eccentric Cafe. This was my second attempt to visit, after coming years ago on a Monday when they are closed. This time, we came on a Friday at about 7pm, and they had a concert starting at 8pm. Understandably it was packed, but there were several factors that lead me to rate my experience as much less than expected. Here are some: Getting a table: We were told by event staff seated near the door that the restaurant seating was "first come service". We had already called earlier and knew they don't take reservations, but there is no way to get a table other than to wander and hover and hope someone gets up. We ordered drinks and lurked around until a table opened up. Ordering: Once a table was obtained, one person had to hold the table while another went up to wait in line again and order food. I was given a beacon and told it could take 45-60 minutes. Getting food: The beacon went off around 35 minutes, but when I went up it had stopped buzzing. I was told sometimes there is a false alarm and to wait until it didn't stop buzzing. It started buzzing a couple more times until it didn't seem to be stopping. I went up and found the four meals I ordered on a huge tray and told I could take the tray and bring it back. I felt like they were short staffed so I had been co-opted to work there, and I already wanted to quit. I thought about how I was asked to tip every time I ordered a drink and food. People working there were treading water, and so were the customers. Every surface seemed to be sticky. The poor experience will stick with me even longer. The food: I hoped for redemption with the food, but alas. I ordered "The Noli", a smash burger, which costs $15, that has "bacon jam, orange hot honey, goat cheese, chipotle mayo, brioche bun". It fit neatly on the tips of my fingers (see photo) and the toppings looked like they were scooped out of a dish and squished on top. The brioche bun looked old and I could see where someone pinched it to plop it on top. It tasted good, with some gristle on the smash patty and the blending of flavors, but at $15, it was underwhelming. In combination with the service, it was a dismal outcome.

Will I continue to drink Bell's beer? No doubt. The Cherry Oberon was excellent, and I even allowed myself to have an Oktoberfest in August. Would I come here for a concert? Probably. Will I eat elsewhere before any concert I might see here? Definitely. Would I come here for dinner on a night when there's no event to see if it's a better experience? Not a chance. There are too many better restaurants in the...

I'll preface this review by stating that I have been a loyal Bell's customer since I have been of drinking age (10 years). I love their experimental beers as well as the tried and true, such as the GOAT IPA also known as Two Hearted Ale. I have been their biggest ambassador and will recommend their beers to any non-beer aficionado to people in my new home of Chicago. Proud to be from Kalamazoo and proud to tell people about my hometown brewery.

That being said, I had a very disappointing experience during my last trip to the Eccentric Cafe Beer Garden in December 2020. I realize that Bell's, like much of the hospitality industry, are severely handcuffed by current state/local COVID safety guidelines but I have seen first hand that there are ways to create safe and inviting outdoor dining experiences with creativity and effort.

It was very apparent that there was minimal investment and effort put forth to keep their beer garden patrons warm. There was only really one functional propane heating source that I could see, which pointed at a single table. There were also three fire pits scattered throughout the beer garden, which were regularly maintained by the staff. Unfortunately, these fire pits served no real practical use because they were either roped off or you were scolded if you got too close. If Bell's is concerned about safety then they should probably remove these entirely because the only purpose they currently serve is a pretty fire to look at.

This lack of effort is frustrating because I have seen many restaurants put in substantially more time and investment into creating "warm" environments, with fractional investment power and space to utilize. If a small mom-and-pop restaurant with 12 feet of space can do it, so can you. This really gives off a bad "take it or leave it" message to some of your customers, which led me to personally feel of little importance and a real annoyance for my presence.

5 stars for beer, 1 star for experience. I will continue to buy your beers, but maybe I'll have them at home and give my business to a brewery that value/need customers to survive this incredibly difficult economic situation...

I’m typically a fairly reserved person and have preconceived notions before entering the majority of brewery’s I visit. Without exception, I am met with some version of ‘deconstructed chicken sandwich paired with our triple hopped blah blah…’ until now. To be fair (insert Letterkenny reference) Bell’s is my absolute favorite brewery, but I was blown away by every aspect of my visit. The exposed brick inside was lovely, the bier garden was shaded and very relaxing, the high ceilings made the space feel “open” without feeling overly grandiose, and the stained glass added an old-world charm.

Obviously, the beer was fantastic. The habanero infused Oberon was not what I was expecting in the best possible way! The Official was delicious, as always, and took home a growler. And the food, oh the food. “Bar food” done well, for me at least, makes any visit so much better. My burger was cooked exactly how I asked, my fries were crispy and fresh, and my wife’s BLT was next-level-good. Those tomatoes hit different!

The general store is very well organized and clean. They keep a generous selection of shirts, hats, pins, stickers, and plenty of carry-out beer.

Finally, the staff was wonderful in every aspect! The hostesses was kind and helpful and our server was amazing! I feel terrible not remembering her name, but she suggested mixing the Official with the Kettle Sour and, on the off chance someone from Bell’s reads this, ya’ll need to bottle that. Holy hell, that’s a good combo.

I definitely understand that times are difficult and everyone is doing their best, but you’d never know the café was anything other than a well-oiled machine. I can’t say enough good things about the café and staff so suffice it to say, if anyone is on the fence about visiting…do it. You won’t regret it. See you all in a couple weeks when I come back for Sideyard (I can’t wait!...