Founders Brewing Co. Reviews

This place was packed with people when we visited. Service was scarce at best. Food was just average but the beer was awesome.

Enjoyed the heck out of this spot. Mrs. BP and I rolled in and grabbed a couple of stools at the bar. We were helped right away by the bar staff, who explained that anyone behind the counter could help us get anything we wanted, and that was no lie. The staff was super responsive, fast, and also good with recommendations. Place was booming, music was pounding, had the baseball game on the TVs. A live band came in to do a sound check for their evening show and then the regular music went back on. Place is pretty loud, so don't expect it to be intimate if that's what you were looking for. Also, you can tell the staff enjoys working there and each other. Lot of playful interactions and laughter. A must if in GR!

Great beer selection and the food is always delicious. Never a shortage of staff.

A few taproom only and one-off pour. They tapped a firkin keg at 4 PM - a wild rendition of their Porter. The swag store had some great choices. The food was incredible, the menu varied.

The people of Founders are amazing. Friendly, personable and real. And the beer - off the charts good. Stouts, porters and IPAs among the best in America. Great location with cosy fireplaces outside. Love Founders.

I always have a great time here. Vibrant crowd, cool music and hard working staff. Oh yeah, the beers are some of the best in the world. That always helps.

Sandwiches are on point. Growler fill ups are a fair price.

One of the better patios in the Midwest. Fantastic atmosphere.

I want to Stout from every window!
So I can fulfill my density! Since we're at sea level I think you know what I'm talking about. Breakfast Stout and I are to be wed. Nuff said.

They won't stop with the great beer beat down. So be it.

Great beers. The food is okay. I think the staff is a little rude. I ve lived in GR most my life and I rarely come here. I love beer and I do enjoy some of the founders beers. Im just not a fan of the crowd this place brings in.

This place has delicious tasting beers, great menu as a graphic, great tasting food and delightful people to have service from.
Highly recommend*

Great taproom, fantastic food, great beer, great servers, great merchandise. Knocked it out of the park!

The staff is able to serve an absolute deluge of people clamouring for this amazing beer on Mondays when the price of fantastic brew is super cheap. Founders has enough amazing stouts to make a lumberjack from Northern Michigan feel at home (I'm assuming, I suppose, as I'm from Detroit, but stouts are great cold region brews). During lunch, the bar has a totally different atmosphere and is very comfortable for a quiet conversation. When you get to know the time that fits what you enjoy (quiet, confortable versus inexpensive but packed), you can easily slip into a longterm routine. I spent nine months going every Monday night--missing only twice around Christmas. For two years before that I already had a pretty good track record, and I still go every time I return to Michigan from Colorado now. The food is also fantastic. It isn't terribly expensive, but it might be the higher side of medium for what it is. It's worth it, but a poor college student might have to settle for a large bowl of peanuts in the shell.

Wonderful wait staff! Gave us suggestions based on our beer preferences.

Frequent visitor of Founders however the service is always hit or miss. Service took over 10 minutes to make it to our table and took drink orders and then never came back. He seemed extremely checked out, 30 mins later a shift change was apparent with no heads up from former server. We waited to order our food or additional drinks. Meanwhile saw previous server head outside after this shift with a beer to the outside (a table that we would ve liked compared to the inside) . Very poorly run and service was awful.

Was there this past weekend for a family members bachelor party. We chose the location because we do enjoy the beer. However our overall experience was extremely disappointing. We managed to find seating in the far back to accommodate all of us with 2 empty tables next to each other. We tried to push them together but were immediately screamed at rudely by a random server. I get it rules are rules but a little politeness goes a long way. We had to order most of our drinks from the bar because half of our 20 person group never saw a server. Which is also why only 2 people ate as well. We were there to spend money and a lot of it. All we needed was a little attention. About 20 minutes before we were about to leave a couple people in our group were playing pool with some people we had met there. We had at one point cheered for shot that was made. We were then asked by the manager aggressively to leave, who also felt the need to call security over to our group to escort us out. We were already leaving and she was being dramatic. The people we met there also left shortly after and met us at another place and agreed it was over the top. I am a chef and owner my self but remained quiet. I understand that places have rough nights and don t like messages like this... neither do I, but they are learning experiences and I hope this one is heard because if any of my staff ever behaved like this I would be furious. Overall, the beer was great as always, I can t comment on the food because I didn t have any, but the management and staff are seriously lacking on customer service skills. I won t say I won t be back next time I come through the state because I do believe in second chances however for now I won t be giving any recommendations to my industry friends and it s only 1 star for now. I do wish you continued success in the future and I hope to change my rating to a 5 in the future. Good luck guys.

Great beer on tap. However, I purchased a six pack tp go from the brewery and I thought it would be fresh. Fresh beer tastes better, only to discover the beer was canned on June 1st. I bought on August 4th. Very disappointing! Will not go back. I can get fresher beer from a grocery store.

It is unfortunate that the company like this with good product line gets involved in such unfair distribution practice. We are 200+ stores, be carefule , graceful and provide an equal opportunity to all small retails stores.
We are small individuals but to gather we have a huge community of business.

Proud member of Aara Midwest..

Fun and lively environment on my first visit. Plan to return when back in Grand Rapids.

A Grand Rapids staple. They always have taproom only beers that rotate regularly. The outdoor beer garden is great even in the winter.

Good food (I ordered Castro as one recommends and wings) and phenomenonal beer and bar service! I don't drink beer often and simply asked the guy in the bar for advice. 3 out of the four were great, the other one was okay.

Very nice brewery with tons of different beers and fun atmosphere

Not impressed with the sandwiches. Bar service was fine though.

Excellent brewery with tons of space inside and outside complete with firepit and heaters. Multiple bars to serve you. Awesome selection of brewery only beers. Didn't get food, but it looked pretty tasty. Parking can be challenging and worth the trip! Cheers!

with all respect we like to inform you, our all store will no longer support your brand. please send some one to pick up your all products from our all stores.
if you like us to continue supporting your brand and start supporting us with providing your all new beer release. All New release You Guys Send to Big Box Store . Please have them to support , we can't

IF I HAD AN OPTION I WILL PUT 0 RATING

A must-visit if you re in Grand Rapids! Friendly staff, amazing beer, and good eats! Love this place!

Great beer and my sandwich was excellent. They have no clue when it comes to running a restaurant. Allowing your guests to meander aimlessly to obtain a table is seriously lacking in the customer service department. Guests approaching other guests and asking if they are leaving soon or can they put their drinks on the table to reserve it is an awful system. The staff was large enough to accommodate hostesses and wait staff. When people go out for entertainment they want to be treated like guests, not as an afterthought. Many people agree with me, the "system" they have in place does not work.

Founders is a great place to go with friends. Food is quite good, staff is very friendly. It is always crowded every time I'm there. Good selection of nitro brews.

Love this place! Only bad thing is it's always so crowded and you have to fight for a table

Fantastic beers in a great bar setting! Will return!

One of the best brewery's and one of the only that also does great food!

Was looking forward to this stop while in town and they did not disappoint. They take social distancing and COVID19 precautions seriously. If that bothers you, they don't want your business anyways nor would I. I do agree that kids of any age should not be allowed there after 8 pm. The beers were delicious. The service was great. I would highly recommend to anyone.

Pretty dang good food, and of course the beer doesn't suck either. Great place to meet you buds for a good sandwich and a pint, or 8.

Awesome place me and my gurls love being here and looking for men

The godfather of craft breweries in Grand Rapids. They have it all down to a science. From swag, to live entertainment, for inside and outside sitting, to knowledgeable and great staff. Spent hours sampling beers and just enjoying life

An uncontrolled mess. They don't take names (no waiting lists) and not enough seating. Luckily there are a lot of alternatives in downtown GR. ^^

(EDIT)
I am a Grand Rapids native but live overseas. First had Founders in Korea and wanted to try it in GR. As mentioned above it was the most unorganized mess of a brewery/pub/restaurant ever! Ended up going to Atwater (a small pub/brewery worth checking out).

When in doubt, go to Founder's. Sit at the bar.... Meet good people... Have a few drinks & share many laughs :)

This is one of the best breweries I have been so far. They have a wide variety of beers on tap. I like the ambience of this place as well. They even have a fire place. They have a plenty of parking on the rear and there are many off street parking slots available across the brewery. Food is good. I liked bread sticks the most. The prices are very reasonable. I would definitely recommend this place

Great place. Always very busy. Founder's beer selection is top notch. Highly recommend if you are in the area.

Great place filled with young twenties and thirties crowd. Great environment and they offer a large variety of beer.

Great beer. Good atmosphere. Reasonably priced. If you like craft beer, you have to check it out.
The food did not seem to match the beer scene though.

I haven't reviewed this place yet?

Anyway, I used to live in GR but now I only visit during the holidays and Founders is a must stop.

The atmosphere is great. Cabin like feel. There is a nice inside area and an outside area.

Founders is the only bar ever that I have seen set up a section of the bar strictly for getting beer then going back to sit down elsewhere, and this is much appreciated. And this is if you even have to get up: the staff is always super helpful.

The prices are perfect and the selection is amazing: there is always something new on tap and it is usually great.

The beer (do I even need to go here) is amazing. Insanely great beer.

The food is also very good. It's sandwiches but they are done very well.

In short: Founders is the perfect place. Great to stop by if you are from the area or if you are visiting. A must if you are in Grand Rapids.

If there is any indication how there beer tastes to how their employees at their brewery I will never even try this local brew,because they are very rude and lazy

Great beer, delicious eats, but hard to get a seat. You have to stalk others to get a table. Great outdoor area!

We took a daytrip to Grand Rapids and had visited only one other brewery in the same day (Brewery Vivant). It was a toss up between a cozier brewery, ELK, or Founders, and decided on the latter.

Founders, established in 1997, occupies a block in the downtown /river district of Grand Rapids. We were lucky to find parking in their private lot (free on Saturday evening) since it seemed the brewery was bursting at the seams.

There was a $5 cover since they had a band playing live music. There were 3 bar ordering lines, and it moved fairly quickly. If you're looking to have a leisurely chat with your beer pourer, go elsewhere. You have to know what you want it seems. There isn't any educational material to help you pick and we didn't want to hold up the line by asking what to get.



The oatmeal stout was dark chocolate and coffee flavored. Very smooth.

We found a seat at the gas firepit outside. There wasn't much seating inside to watch the band.

I would come again, on a weekday during the afternoon versus the evening. We're not into the young collegiate scene since we're in out late 30s and it felt overwhelmingly bro-ish.

Went here with a friend while I was 20. Had clear Xs on my hands, drinking water. My friend came back with 2 beers for himself. Staff comes over and asks for my ID. I handed it over, clearly not concerned because I wasn't doing anything wrong. They proceeded to ask me to leave. I asked why and they stated that i was using my friend to buy me drinks. At no point in time did I even look at his beers or put my water cup down. They kicked me out and let my friend stay... even though they believed he was the one who was performing the illegal act. SCREW this place. Needless to say, I haven't been back since I turned 21.

Fast friendly staff, good food, great beer. If you live close enough they have a beer club. They have a wheel chair ramp. Parking is not to far, mostly meter parking, parking is the only thing that makes it 4 stars

We arrived at a busy time. It was seat yourself. With no tables open and other parties also trying to find seating it was both awkward and kinda creepy. There were others asking those seated how much longer they might be and others aggressively staking out tables. We ended up seating four at a table for two and were lucky to get that. Founders really needs to have a wait list and a set procedure for seating. I won't go back until they do.

That said, my sandwich was awesome (The Glutton) and service was reasonably quick. Only picky thing - I ordered the cole slaw and it was vinegar based. I prefer creamy cole slaw. My bad for not asking.

A great brewery with many beers on tap, huge outfit porch and patio, great bar good.

I was in GR for business and hit Founders on my way out of town lo and behold they were having a tapping party, so the place was packed and food wait time was a little long. But it was still a blast, had a great sandwich and some delicious beers. Atmosphere is very beer-hall, open with a lot of sharable table space. So glad I lucked into being there for an event, Founders is a highlight of the Grand Rapids beer scene.

Always an awesome experience. Their tap room only brews really are the whole point. Their brewers can still make amazing stuff when they're able to run free.

They really work hard to make a great social beer experience. Great heavy beers for those cold MI nights.

Great beer, good food. Can be hard to find a seat sometimes though. Great outdoor patio for the summer.

Lots of people. Lots of beer. Lots of great. Entertainment.

Amazing! Food is great, Raspberry Ruebeus is my favorite beer, and I love the new outdoor fireplace! A go-to spot in GR!

Not quite beer Mecca, but pretty close. Pretty packed, decent set up, but not really a restaurant as much as a cafe.

The place is huge. Seemed really busy but it wasn't.

As always, a wonderful experience. Great appetizers and great beer! I particularly enjoyed the CBS (2018).

Not a casual spot for one or two. Order food/drink at the bar, only sandwiches and light fair. Plan ahead, it's PACKED!

We had a good time here. Even though it was crowded, the service was good. The food and beer were both very tasty.

Great place with friendly staff and great beer selection.

I rarely leave reviews but I just couldn't let this slide. My family and I left Treverse City on our way back to Howell and decided to come check out Founders Brewery. We made sure to be here when they opened because we were traveling and planned our whole morning around it. They did not open their doors at 11 as posted. They proceeded to have a "meeting" that lasted till past 11:45 (not sure when they opened because that's as long as we decided to wait outside in the sun with my 6 month old) We asked when they would open and they just shrugged their shoulders. Shame on this place. Never returning.

A mandatory beer experience when in Grand Rapids. Special shout-out to Keegan. Legendary bartender!

Food is ok but I'm from Chicago. Beer is fantastic. Love this place, been here twice. I can only imagine the atmosphere when their live bands are performing!

Sat there with my family for twenty minutes without a server speaking to us. Not the best service

By All Repect,Due to Unfair Distribution of your products between local and chain stores, we will not carry any of your products in our stores.

Great beer and really good food.

Came back while in town for a cider competition. Needed a change after 2 days of ciders. Pizza Bread and Beer Cheese dip were great.

We always have a great experience at Founders! Great food, great beer, great service! Really enjoyed having curbside service available when things shut down too!

When I visit different cities, I make a point to find a local brewery and take a brew tour, if it is offered. Thus far, Founders is my favorite brewery that I have visited.

I was in Grand Rapids for a weekend at the end of January 2013, and I found out that they had recently opened their doors for tours on Saturdays. But the date and time that I would have been able to go was not available for ticket-purchasing at their website.

I stopped into Founders' Taproom on the Friday night to inquire if I could get on the next day's first tour. When I walked in, it was very busy with everyone from college students to old timers. The atmosphere was inviting and warm, yet it was pretty spacious. Still, I was able to find a seat at the bar, and was served pretty quickly.

In addition to all the "classic" Founders favorites, they also had specialty brews, that you could only have within those walls. I ordered an Oatmeal Stout, which was delightful, and ended up getting an order of pizza bread, which was fresh and yummy-- the bread was awesome.

After speaking with the bartender, she gave me the email of the contact for the brew tours, and I sent him a message to find out if I could possibly squeeze into the first tour time slot. He got back to me promptly, and told me that the tour was sold out, and they have to be very strict with the number of people, due to keeping the brewery sanitary. But he said I could stop by, and be on "stand by," in case someone couldn't make it.

Lucky for me, that's exactly what happened, and I was able to get on the tour and learn Founders' story and history, see the facility where the magic happens, get some insight into what makes their Taproom bread so good, and also get a peek at their future expansion layout.

When the tour completed, I sat down at the bar again, ordered a spicy "Devil Dancer" sandwich and paired it with their Tellicherry Peppercorn ale. It was so freakin' good! The bread really is the star, but all of the ingredients were delicious.

I could have easily spent the afternoon in the Taproom, but duty calls and I had to work in the afternoon. If you visit Grand Rapids, make a point to visit Founders!

I've been a loyal Founders patron since the Brassworks days, but as of today we are done. Not only has the product taken a nose dive but the taproom has turned into a forgettable waste of time. Most weekend afternoons look like chuck e cheese with all of the children running around. But the worst of all is the total lack of any semblance of customer service. There's always another schmuck in line so why give a rip. Today I was admonished by a staff member for moving a bar stool to sit next to my wife. Really? Their success has been phenomenal and earned, but when the doors were chained its people like me that bailed them out. Might as well just sell the rest of the place to the Europeans and get it over with. Good bye.

Love the outside seating. One of the best places to enjoy a beer in MICHIGAN.

Great brewery. Great staff. Great food. Highly recommended.

Very hipsteresc but good, great beers....you order food from a window.....love music outdoor seating and fires.

Friendly, fast service and very tasty. Dig that you pickup your own food when it s ready so you re not kept waiting. Went on a weekday afternoon and it was busy but had plenty of tables available. Definitely try a beer flight, and the raspberry nitro is out of this world.

Very cool place and popular! Service was top notch and beer selection was fantastic. All their beers are offered in 5 oz tasters if you want some variety. Would be 5 stars but the food options are limited and my pulled pork sandwich was mediocre.

Beer and food are always good, but the service is usually a bit slow.

pretzel tasted like cardboard. service was terrible. even tho there were outside waiters, i had to stop one to get a beer. and he had attitude about it. if you're that busy, hire more servers. i won't be going back.