Graduate Rock Bar

I always love visiting the Rock Bar at the top of the Graduate Hotel - it’s such a great perch overlooking the north side of campus. Popped in on 5/3/25 for a few drinks - the place was busy but I found a seat on the outdoor patio. Friendly, fairly quick service given how busy they were. I always love coming up here when I’m in town and can’t wait to come back again - the view is great!

Not sure about the food, but this is the best view in the city. Staff and drinks are great. Traditional 70/80/90s music. Cocktails better than the wine selection. A great place to enjoy a sunset.

Phenomenal brunch, friendly atmosphere with personable staff and delicious food. One of my favorite places to view the city, have a drink, and a bite to eat. I’ve always enjoyed lunch here. Recently tried brunch and loved it. We tried the banana bread french toast, burger Benedict, and chilaquiles. The banana bread French toast was the perfect amount of sweet and the burger Benedict was savory and very flavorful. The chilaquiles were also delicious with great flavor. I also had a mimosa, which paired well with everything Highly recommend as a favorite brunch spot.

I came for brunch at the Rock Bar which has the most amazing views of the city! The service was excellent and the chocolate croissant was to die for. Like truly amazing! Get one with whatever else you order. The friends I went with both got the recommended chicken and waffles which was really good; sweet, spicy, crispy, gooey - it was everything. The chilaquiles I had were less impressive and not traditional, I would steer clear from those in the future.

Very cool lounge/bar on top of The Graduate hotel. Beautiful view from the terrace. We just had drinks so I can’t comment on the food. Great vibe.

Heads up, they do not allow bar crawls! Called ahead to let them know we were coming in with a group and never at any point was I told bar crawls were not allowed. We were staying at the hotel and could have easily come in without our bar crawl shirts had we known in advance. Staff was rude and wouldn’t even allow us to take a picture.

Beautiful views of campus and nice decor. The drinks were a little strong but most people would probably be happy with that. The pretzel bites were very good! Definitely check it out!

Had high hopes for this rooftop bar- since the other graduate hotels have such great bars. But this one was subpar. The prices were high & all served in plastic cups due to a Lansing law. The drink with the name MOOD in the title was gross and put me in a foul mood! $15 + 20% gratuity for some nonsense. Will not return.

Stayed at the Graduate for a conference that was in town. Went to the Rock Bar for a late dinner. Getting to the place involves taking the elevator to the 10th floor. Inside mirrors how the hotel is - dark color and dark lighting. Bar seating along with comfy lounge areas, high tops, and outside seating. The views are awesome. The menu food wise is creative and has a good variety, not a big menu. Drinks wise they have a decent cocktail list but drinks are pricey. I got a mocktail version of a cocktail and that came out to $8.00. Our waiter was friendly but not overly attentive. Did not fill our waters or ask if we wanted more drinks. We ordered the Michigan Beer dip which includes pretzel bites and dip. These were delicious, so soft and fluffy and came out hot! Our food on the other hand took forever - 30 plus minutes? Our waiter never came out to check on us or let us know the hold up. Once our food finally came out it was a good portion size. I got the BLT which was hearty, and I liked the friend green tomato. The bacon was also thick and cooked well. Not worth the upcharge in price was the beer battered fries - they didn't taste like anything. Good place to go for a drink while at the hotel and even better if you can head outside and enjoy the views. But service wise was a little lacking.

We did not eat the food only went for drinks. It's more laid back than I expected. Pictures online make it look more elegant than it is. But you don't have college students really in here. It was more of an older crowd which i appreciated. Bartenders were kind and attentive. Overall stopping in for a drink is good, love to see it in the summer with the outdoor patio.

My friend and I worked our way up here for drinks. I've been meaning to check it out for over a year. The ambiance is the best part of this place. The maximalist "up north camp" decor is fantastic, balancing tasteful texture elements and antiques. This is the best view of the city now that they allowed high-rise buildings. The drinks are fine, but a hair spendy. I will have to give another review once I try their food. The place was busy and filled in more once we got our drinks. With the hotel below, I doubt they will ever hurt for business. It does bum me out a bit to hear they are a chain, but a very limited one.

Very cool spot at the top of the graduate hotel great views, decent small plates and appetizers. Good drinks the bartender was a little bit rude but it was a busy night. I think she was having a bad night. If you're staying here it's a must if you're just in Lansing might be a great spot to grab a drink before dinner.

The bartender was perfect on Saturday April 27th making the best shots and mixed drinks! We had an amazing view of East Lansing. Highly recommend going!!

The rooftop bar is nice but you look directly into bedrooms of an apartment building, so it's a bit awkward. Only decent place in East Lansing. Also a lot of college kids, which is expected in a college town, but they were immature and annoying.

I go to Michigan State and the bar staff here is insane. I've gone to the graduate multiple times to get drinks (as a 21 year old; he did not check our IDs before denying us) I went 2 times in a bar crawl shirt and they denied me both times. I chatted with the front desk staff and they said they had no clue about the policy. The bartender called us "babies" and was the most condescending prick I've ever met. I also want to point out I only had 2 drinks before this interaction and was basically sober. He talked down to us multiple times telling us "I'm not changing this policy but ok..." and "I've been in the food industry for 14 years" it was a bunch of bullshit and they can fuck right off. We asked him to give a good reason why we could not be served, and the only conclusion that is logical is that he is ageist against young people in the area.

Drink prices are a little high, but you pay for the fancier names and all that. Drinks are good tho, albeit a bit light of a liquor pour. Location is super cool, located at the top of the Graduate hotel. The giant rock inside tells you why they call this "The Rock". The balcony is nice, and the view is nicert. And be sure to check out the artwork on the walls when you come in downstairs.

Located on the 8th floor of the Graduate Hotel in East Lansing, the Graduate Rock Bar has a rooftop patio and amazing views of campus, especially of Spartan Stadium. Nate and I stopped in East Lansing on our way to Ann Arbor specifically to check out this bar which opened recently. The decor and furnishings have a hunting camp/cabin/lodge vibe, which is cozy but a bit unexpected - it seems like it would be more suited for Northern Michigan. The drink menu is small with several vodka options. I tried the Sparty Water and the Willie Style, named after Willie the Can Man. The Sparty Water was pretty sweet with strawberry vodka, cranberry juice, and basil. The Willie Style was refreshing with a shot of Stoli in a grapefruit Stiegl beer. They have a small food menu with some snacks, a couple of sandwiches, salads, and chili. It seemed pretty pricey - $9 for a walking taco! I'd definitely recommend coming for the views and a drink. Our server was great and I'm glad we got to check it out. If I lived in town, I'd probably end up being a regular here. Must-see for all Spartan fans!

Excellent stay at this boutique hotel close to the university. The hotel was well maintained, the carpets were clean, staff super friendly and efficient. The bathroom was the best ever, clean and great shower. Liked everything about it, will certainly come back if in the area.

Great bar in a wonderful hotel!!! Nice vibe and awesome drinks! Co-workers and I came here for a nightcap.

Didn't have food but it's probably good. The atmosphere is lovely and watching the sunset from the roof was fantastic. However $12 for a glass of house wine is a little rich for my tastes.

Horrible horrible staff and food...take your money and time and spend it somewhere else in East Lansing. Wouldn't send my worst enemy here! Don't recommend at all.

The rock bar is definitely upper classman student friendly. I went there just as a visitor because I wanted to visit an orchard nearby but stay at a place with personality. I even decided to walk to the actual rock because of this place.

My husband and I went to the Rock Bar at the Graduate Hotel this past Friday evening hoping to enjoy a drink at what we think is the coolest venue in East Lansing for adults over the age of 25. Sadly, the ridiculously loud volume of the music made for an unpleasant experience and we cut short our date. Not sure who they were playing to as the majority of patrons were clearly non-college aged. East Lansing needs a place that isn't just another joint catering to undergraduate college students. You might be surprised that students might also enjoy a place without blaring music where conversations could actually be held.

Great views, friendly bar staff, excellent drinks. The classiness level would go up a lot if they lowered the sound system volume. Do they want to be the Riv or a cool rooftop bar? Go to rooftop bars in big cities and listen to the music. Spoiler alert: it's not obnoxiously loud. Why can't any place in EL get the vibe right for people over 25? This place is SO close. But not yet there.

Beautiful views, wonderful food, and amazing service! Definitely will be back! Try the Michigan mule! It was my favorite and one of Michigan's staple sodas, Vernors!

The drinks are okay, food was okay too. Nothing too special about this place besides the rooftop bar and the view of east Lansing.

I have never been in a rooftop bar with such a great atmosphere, they even played some Ranchera music and I have never heard that at any other establishment in Lansing! Highly recommend and shout out to the barback!

Normally, I love the Graduate. However, the server Addison ruined the graduate for me. I will not be returning. Our single appetizer took 50 minutes and after asking Addison about how much longer it would take, she gave lots of attitude. She blamed it on the other staff instead of taking responsibility for forgetting our order. I am so disappointed in this experience and it's a shame to see the Graduate's staff slowly get worse and worse. 0 stars if I could.

Great rooftop, service is top-notch, and the vibe is unbeatable. The space looks amazing also, with very comfortable seating. We had the Rocket and the Black-Eyed Susan for drinks, and then for food we did the Grilled Chicken Melt, and the Cobb Salad with chicken. 5/5.

Very sad because I've been here before when service was better. Really went down hill. Beautiful view but doesn't make up for the rude service.

Loud... on a Saturday night anyways. Not a great place for a conversation later in the evening.

The atmosphere is nice, however the wine pour was the smallest I have ever gotten at any restaurant or bar. I assumed there had been a mistake but observed other wine glasses coming out similarly filled. Im not one to write reviews, but I was pretty disappointed. I would consider coming for one drink because of the vibe but definitely don't expect quality drinks.

Cool place that takes MSU traditions to heart. Fun menu, great drinks, & good service. Spectacular views for East Lansing! Best of all are is the casual furniture seating that makes you want to kick back and have a good conversation with friends. The outdoor area is great when weather permits. Love this new addition to East Lansing.