Oak Grove Tavern — Restaurant in Pleasant Valley Township

Oak Grove isn't far down 53rd Avenue from Stout's Irish Pub. I had just decided to have dinner at Stout's and wasn't quite ready to go home, so I decided to stop in here for another drink.

This is one of the coziest bars I've visited recently. The lighting is a nice combination of a few eclectic suspended fixtures on either side of the entrance, individual spherical lights above the bar, accent lighting around some of the wall art, and some backlighting behind the small stage for live music. The low light gives the space a warmth that likely wouldn't be present in any other space with this combination of televisions and beer art along the walls.

The flooring consists of a combination of wood laminate and a dark ceramic tile. The ceiling is a combination of a large wood fixture above the bar area and otherwise uncovered ceiling plenum throughout the rest of the space, leaving exposed various steel supports and conduit. With the aforementioned lighting and various sports on the different televisions, the space was a nice place to just sit quietly, sip a drink, and relax.

My relaxation ended fairly abruptly around 7, however. I'd ordered a Hamm's (a welcome presence among the other beer taps - I like a good old beer sometimes) and was happily sipping it, watching Chive TV. I chatted with the general manager for a bit about the area, it's general development and further plans. She offhandedly mentioned live music would start at 7 and would get a little loud. I noticed a single gentlemen warming up on a guitar soon after. I even remember thinking - how loud could one person be?

The answer came not long after 7. Turns out when one has there mic turned up way too much, it gets loud pretty fast. It's kind of sad, actually - the guitar was balanced well, but the singing was just way too loud for the small space available. It wore on me over the next half hour until I finally gave up, paid for my drink and went home. It wasn't just the louder music - people visiting in groups started talking louder after the music started. This phenomenon where loud music leads to louder conversation and a general cacophony ensues just isn't enjoyable. The sad thing is that if the vocal mics were turned down just a little bit, the live music would have been enjoyable.

I'd come back for another drink - probably not another Hamm's, though (the novelty of it was not worth the $6) and probably not on a night with live music, at least right now. This space has the potential to host some great live music - I hope they can figure out how to balance the overall sound level and make live music that's enjoyable for...

A little crowded but nice atmosphere. Great bartenders -fast and friendly. Special theme drinks brought us in. One was tasty. One was refreshing and the last one was beautifully presented ☺️. Would come again and order 2 of the three. Btw. The last one was someone else's favorite! (But I think they...

This bar has the worst atmosphere ever. Unless you’re a local you will be taunted and stared at. Servers will not serve you and persuade you to leave unless you’re a local. If you’re from out of town I do not...