The B.O.B.

The BOB is a mixed bag and depending on your intentions it may be a great spot for the night or a miss. Pros: -multiple bars in one building each with different vibes for night life - Dr. Grins comedy club - Different age groups (>21) can be found there, so you can find a space to unwind no matter what generation you are in on a night out -location is central to downtown - have a coat check ($5 I beleieve) - indoor and outdoor options - enjoyable events listed on the website i.e. dueling pianos, dj, live bands, etc. - multiple experiences available in one venue, so no need to travel/bar hop on a datenight (necessarily). Cons: - service is often less than desired with wait staff often seemingly entitled and unenthusiastic. I even see many of them focused on their phones versus contributing positively to the atmosphere. - check your bill, they often pre-add gratuity to your check (ALWAYS at the comedy club, often for dining, possibly the bar too) and it is not explicitly stated or easy to see when you pay on the digital checkout which does not usually show an itemized statement... ALWAYS opt for a receipt and ask questions about your total if it seems high. - The food quality is often lacking - The drink prices are outrageous (~25 bucks for two wells) - parking is not included - cover charge after a certain time unless you have a ticket for the comedy club Overall, my husband and I enjoy an occasional date night at the BOB with a bite to eat, tickets to the comedy club, and some drinks/dancing afterwards, especially on a warm summer night on the patio. We can anticipate a enjoyable experience with plenty of laughs, easy planning, and a hefty bill (unfortunately). Everytime we go, we are excited for an enjoyable and easy night out together but are prepared to have a bit of frustration with the lack of food/beverage service and the outrageous drink prices. Its a good bet for anyone who needs an easy and enjoyable night out with some variety in the crowd and atmosphere. Its a bad call for anyone in a tight budget spot. No matter what, the night will most likely cost a party of 2 *at minimum* $100 IF you are cautious (usually much more) by the time it is all said and done if you are sparing with drink orders (remembering that you pay for parking and the comedy club has a 2 drink minimum per person with a mandatory gratuity already added in as a service charge). All in all, it's worth it from time to time and we always know its going to be an enjoyable date night, one of our favorite easy go-tos. We make sure we eat dinner before we go because we dont love the food menus and we make sure to keep our expectations low for the bartenders and waitstaff. Let's be real, the restaurant/service industry is NOT what it used to be ANYWHERE you go.

We were greeted after sitting at the bar however we had to flag down a server to order food. They didn't check on us and the location was not busy. They did check on the couple next to us 3 times during their maybe 30 minute visit. The chicken ordered was served hot and fresh however the fries were warm at best. The beer was ok. I was visiting the area, when I return to the area I wouldn't visit again, due to not feeling like a valued customer.

Not a fan of the wait on yourself with a remote menu app, and then still expect you to tip. Waitress brought us a setting for 4. There were 5 of us. Only 1 table configuratuon for more than 4 which was taken. Interacted more with the bar staff and then the guy that brought us our food, saw him twice as we had a split table, than the wait staff who delvired napkins. Had to got to the bar to get refills on water and soda. Had to goto the bar to get mixed drinks. No kids menu, at all. If i want a do it yourself restaurant i can cook at home, i dont get tipped there, and you sgouldnt here. The bar staff was pleasant and courteous, if a bit disorganized. Food was decent, but overpriced for the complete lack of service.

Overall the meal wasn’t bad, main issue was with portions. I had the chicken and waffle sandwich. Too little chicken to waffle ratio. Waffle was a little dry. Tons of chips on the side but I wanted more of the chicken. Spouse has the brisket, again very little brisket compared to the bread and potatoes on the plate. Seemed like there was tons of filler on the plate compared to the protein.

I've only been to the BOB during Art Prize and I've only tried their pizza, so take this review with a grain of salt. Pizza was decent. Brew selection was pretty good except they were out of my top choice. Fun atmosphere, multiple levels. I'd go again.

Great for ArtPrize! Be sure to check out the great art they host!!! My own work can be found just to the right of entering the third floor ballroom!!! Sept. 18 2025 -Oct 4 2025

The good: The atmosphere was nice. The bad: You are basically your own waiter The ugly: Our food was cold. By the time we got it, it was room temperature, and there were no servers to help us remedy the situation. Just the very occasional person running orders out from the kitchen. They were no help. Yet they still had the nerve to ask for a 20% or more tip in the food. Not sure why. They certainly aren’t giving the patrons attentive service. We will not be returning.

The BOB is a great concept, kind of a food court of bars and restaurants. A great space of interesting bars and restaurants with a nice flow between. An actual working Roller Coaster Tycoon pinball machine is secretly in the basement. That's a hard to find game in working condition from about 20 years ago. There are some good dining choices too. Highly Recommend.

Great service, atmosphere and food was great! Loved the different beer choices they have.

This is a classic GR spot from what we've been told. It a multi-story building with differs bars on each level with all different types of vibes so there's something for everyone. There a country, clubbing, fancy lounge, comedy, outdoor relaxing and even a fancy restaurant vibe all within this building. They even have ping pong tables! Great spot for large crowds and staying out late.

We stopped by The B.O.B. as part of our bar-hopping around Grand Rapids and were pleasantly surprised by the three-floor setup. The basement had games and karaoke, the main floor felt more relaxed, and the third floor had a party vibe with ping pong. We had a great time hanging out here! Drinks were definitely on the pricier side, but overall it was a fun experience and worth checking out if you're in the Grand Rapids area.

Jumped online and purchased comedy tickets. The comedy show was at the BOB. Easy to navigate to through GPS. There was a lot across the street you paid to be in. We were asked to show out tickets at the door and then stopped by security who used a wand to look for weapons. Unfortunately my husband had a very small pocket knife in his possession that got taken. They put it in a metal box that he could get when we were ready to leave. They asked us where we were going and were directed upstairs. Yes you heard that right. This place has floor apt entertainment. There is a different bar and a different vibe on every floor. We were on the third floor. The comedy show didn't start quite yet so we got a drink and waited. The lone started to form and we found ourselves a spot and were escorted in. Because the comedy club and bar were on the same floor you could bring your drink in justale sure it was glass. We selected a seat that was not reserved and a waitress found is to take our drink order. We paid with card at the end of th night with her directly. The show felt intimate because the space was small and you could hear the bass through the floor of the bar so that was somewhat distracting but the ticket prices were so cheap and the vendor vibe very cool and fun we didn't care.

Love me some B.O.B. This place has so many venues in one. Love the music, the karaoke, and the games in the basement. However, last visited on a Thursday night and so many things were closed within.

Don't know how fair it is for me to give a full review on the BOB, as we only stopped in for a quick drink on a Thursday afternoon. The building's interior is beautiful, and there are so many options - nuts! We went in to the bar on the first floor, straight back to the left. there were lots of BOB beers on tap - we grabbed two ambers and I got an old fashioned. The ambers were good, the old-fashioned was...not. More like bourbon with an orange peel tossed in. Would I come back for cocktails? Nah - but pizza and beer with a group of friends? Absolutely. Maybe I'll give it another go next time I'm in Grand Rapids. Oh! and they have the coolest little power bank vending machine - great if you're in the area and your phone needs a boost of juice!

Went for trivia stayed for karaoke. Decent selection of beer, wine, and speciality cocktails. The price is what you would expect from a college town bar. They have everything from ping pong to pinball. It would be a great spot for a date night. The bartenders were friendly, and the place was kept very clean.

Big old building, has a reputation to live up to, and it doesn't disappoint. Great venue, multiple floors, plenty of choices in this downtown venue. Outdoor beer garden is an extension of the BOB brewery. Also dog friendly.

This place is always on the list of recommendations when I ask people where to go in GR, but I feel like it was a little too hyped up for me. First, the people at the door, and everyone working here could not be any nicer. They were definitely friendly and made us feel at home. The customer server was great, so thank you all for being kind. I did like the vibe and decor here. There are multiple floors. A main floor with a couple bars and a restaurant. A game room in the basement, and a bar and pizza restaurant on the top floor with places to play pool and sit outside. So this is a great place to hang out and drink with friends. Overall their food and drinks were okay but nothing amazing. The beer was good, not great. Their cocktails were a good price, but not spectacular. Their food was alright but not amazing. Since this is known as "beer city" and a food city, they might want to up their game since there is a lot of competition. But the parking is good and close by and this seems like a great place to bar hop and start or end if you want to explore the city.

Happy hour on Thursday. They call it thirsty Thursday . Had a few $2.00 draft before a show at 20 Monroe.

First went in and asked for the homemade beer cheese and pretzels they said downstairs bar (not the stuff I was looking for so think it's upstairs). The bread was super good but definitely something to share with several ppl. Drink was good can't remind what it's called something like drinkin money or something. Was good but not what i expected specially when I asked the bartender. Bartender was old and he didn't seem interested in waiting on us. Was more interested in his female friend at other end of bar. Bar is very convenient to the concert venues. Would try again but upstairs.

Fun place to go to see a comedy show,have a meal , or cocktail. Several levels, of restaurants and entertainment.

Fun bar atmosphere! We came before it got too crowded and got seats at the bar. Watched the dueling pianos and was a highlight! Drinks were good. Amazing bartenders for such a crowded place. They kept pace and were very attentive. Deserved a nice tip for their hard work and customer service! Very Enjoyable evening in downtown Grand Rapids. Will come again!

The BOB desperately needs a revitalization. It's a fun place to go a couple of times a year, but I'm not sure it knows what it wants to be. A college town magnet? Mid-Life Mall? It has an identity crisis, similar to its constituents. Alright see y'all at 10PM.

Been here several times in the past and always was my go-to place whenever in Grand Rapids. They have one of my favorite beers on tap grapefruit song which I used to always make the trip to get Growlers or half Growlers to go. Found out they no longer offer Growlers, half Growlers or anything like that. They also no longer except cash, credit card payment only. Very disappointing for me

This was the first time that I went to a show at H.O.M.E, which was amazing! One of the lower rest rooms flooded, causing backup traffic, which wasn't a big issue. The disheartening thing for me was the number of young girls getting sick. People on two different occasions came running into to get the trash can. The concert was amazing, however, and we met a great couple there too.

Marie was very rude and targets people in the bar for no reason at all awful service never coming back.

Went out for a night with friends. One of my friends, my beautiful bestie, was wearing ripped jeans on a winters night. We were DENIED AT THE DOOR, because she was "showing too much skin". Meanwhile, there are girls walking in with their underboobs out. What is this? Discrimination? RUDE. Do not recommend. Would like to speak to owner. What are we supposed to wear in the summer? Hazmat suits? Get it together please! Thank you. - A disappointed & once loyal costumer.

Bad Experience. Sat at Bar to watch football. Finished 3/4 of pizza and had 1/2 of my 2nd beer to go. Took 3 min bathroom break. Came back and my pizza and beer were gone. Bar server then ignored me for 5 minutes. I was in my same seat at bar and they were not busy. SHe finally asked if I would be needing anything else. YES! My 1/2 beer and 2 slices of pizza please. "We tossed it; we thought you left". No apology. No offer to replace it. She just stared at me. I was speechless. So I paid and left. Not worth it to me to argue for a couple bucks. I won't go back. Went home and SURPRISE SURPRISE! They charged me TWICE for the same meal. Filing dispute with our bank over this.

Overall, an OK experience. On the weekend, the cover fee is between $5-8 plus a fee to gain access to the Eve (also if you get there past 9, you will typically wait in a 30+ min line outside). I would recommend going to the Eve if you're looking to dance, but I don't think the price of the drinks and the cover is worth it if you don't go to the Eve.

The beer wall is cool in theory because everything comes out foamy. You pay per ounce which makes for cheap pours... but it's just foam or you're waiting 5 minutes for the foam to go down. I'd rather pay more at the actual bar for a beer with no foam. Plus you wait in line to get inside (often pay cover depending on the time) just to go stand in line for foam.

Headed to the bob on a saturday. Got to watch dueling piano which was amazing. The setting was so fitting. Suzy, our bartender, was absolutely fantastic! She was able to help us with food and beer suggestions. Appreciate the help!

Expensive drinks. Nice bar scene. Will need to go back when there are events going on. Lots of the bar was closed if when I went. Would love to try the food sometime

Here I am again with yet another Halloween Party! If you ask anyone from Grand Rapids, or that lives near the area who goes out occasionally they either love or hate this place. I can see valid arguments for both sides, however all I will talk about is their Halloween Party as I cannot attest to the other 364 days of the year. I went with a group of friends and had a fun and enjoyable time. There's a basement, main floor which I believe is the main restaurant as well, and the 2nd and 3rd floor. Each floor as a bar, a dance floor and their own DJ, who were all seemingly playing different mixes of music, so it essentially feels like 4 clubs in one. It was super crowded but that was to be expected that night. I want to come back and try sitting down and having an actual meal at the restaurant so that I can give a proper review of this place aside from the club. By the time we left we were exhausted as we just danced the night away. But this place knows how to throw a Halloween party.

Service was fine, food awful and security staff awful. We are 40 years old and they treated us like we were 18. We were trying to enjoy a meal out in GR and the mood was ruined upon entry,

SERVICE: 5 FOOD QUALITY: N/A DRINK QUALITY: 4 ORDER TIME: 5 AESTHETICS: 5 NOISE LEVEL: 5 MENU SELECTION: 3 OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4.5 Oh to be 21 again! Started our evening in the basement of the BOB. This place brought me back to the good old college days. Plenty of competition to be had down there. If you want to entertain a large group and have drinks then this is the perfect set up. Also great for kids. The drink menu wasn't very extensive but the beer that I had was very good. After a couple drinks we left and got food. After having dinner we made our way back to HOME on the entry level for live music, and more drinks. The venue is surprisingly large and can hold a decent amount of people. The drinks were just your standard nightclub drinks. Nothing special... The band was really good. They played old rock and oldies. We had so much fun that we stayed until 1am. This building is housed with a lot of great things to do and can definitely help you relive some of your younger days. Be smarter than me, and drink water during the night though ;). My review is being rated on the party so I wanted loud and simple. I have not eaten there but their patio restaurant looks good. We are going back on the 22nd for the comedy show on the 3rd floor. We will try the food and review that on that visit.

In the basement on Friday, Feb 23rd at 10:00PM to celebrate with my son and his girlfriend that recently relocated to Grand Rapids. We were having a great time the people around us were friendly, invited us to pong and Jenga, our wives were having a great time signing up for karaoke. Yes we were probably some of the (older) patrons in the basement, we're not prudes and enjoy a good laugh, were having such a good time until.... Our wives finally were called up to sing (after a long wait) and I just want to say for the time we were there the DJ ONLY did this to us. Instead of playing the lyrics to the song they picked the DJ replaced them with absolutely beyond filthy lyrics. Our wives were mortified and embarrassed, our night was ruined. After I gave the DJ a few choice words we left NEVER TO RETURN. No apology, nothing. I believe the DJ targeted us because of our age only to embarrass and humiliate our wives. Would love to know the name of the DJ so I can leave this comment on his site. Is this what THe BOB supports and allows?

Had a great experience! Went on my birthday and had a lot of fun with my friends. Shout out to the bouncer named Michael for excellent customer service

group of friends pitched in for vip and bottle service and was kicked out because my friend bumped into a bouncer on accident. even after apologizing and explaining himself. bouncers there need to be checked they're all on power trips don't go here.

Michael and Kevin at the BOB are the best bouncers. Best customer service always take care of us! The best bar in GR!

Tyler G, Joey, Elijah, and Myles are the absolute best. Super nice and really care about customer service. Had answers to every question we had and were very helpful throughout our night at the bob!!!

The guy taking the cover charge to get in was actually expecting to be tipped!!! Was rude when he wasn't tipped. He was providing no service, just taking door money. Totally unprofessional.

A multi floor eating and drinking complex. Nearby garages and limited street parking. You may remember from the news over the last decade that they put up netting because drunk people were dying from falls down the interior open stairwells. We heard from a bartender that 3 weeks ago a drunk jumped from the second floor into the netting over the basement. The net struck a table, smashing the glasses and cutting the jerk and an innocent woman. Old wood, bricks, and trendy bars and restaurants. It is a pretty good time. Great place to make a night or a weekend day of it, with the ability to skip from bar to bar or eat easily.

I was visiting the city and stop by for dinner. The salmon was amazing. The service was great. I would definitely recommend this place anyone who is in town

Confused from the get-go by the multiple bar areas and chose the one that was most underwhelming. Very surprised on a Thursday night how few people were there after seeing larger crowds at other establishments. Beers were okay, prices were phenomenal! Went downstairs for the restrooms and found the game area, too much confusion on which room to settle in because none of them really intrigued me.

We went here after dinner and enjoyed music that was from Classic rock from 80's to today. That a band was playing that night. I guess after 9 pm you have to pay a $5 cover charge to get in. But since we were already there we didn't have to pay.

We went here to see a Comedy show (which was excellent) it is fairly intimate with a small room for the show. The bob has about 4 or 5 stories. From the Biergarten, to the top. They had a guitarist playing outside on the roof which was really cool to see. But at the bob (3rd floor?) we had a server and food / drink menu which I wasn't expecting. My mom ordered the buffalo dip with wonton chips and I ordered the goat cheese and arugula pizza O. M. G. The food was highly addicting. The pizza was cooked to a perfection. The wonton chips were such a pleasant surprise. Delicious with the buffalo dip. They had 4 different comedians which were all hilarious. We had a blast. Bathrooms were clean. Seats were comfy. Had a great time.

Nice spot! All the levels are fun and entertaining. We ventured in here to watch the comedy show at the top, but hung out before and after. The bob is a GR classic and is what it is... a lot of college kids living it up and older couples on dates. The service is always good to great. However, the people watching tops it all! Come ready to enjoy yourself and you will have a great time!

My first trip to the BOB after a late night event at the arena. It was going strong with a crowd of a variety of ages. We had a cocktail at one of the "quieter" bar rooms and listened and sang with the 80s music. Then we decided we needed a bit of food so opted to dine, watch folks dance, and have another cocktail. We had the cheese bread. It was a bit burnt on the bottom but apparently that didn't really stop us!! Lol- all gone. Would like to come here again and get a view of more floors.

If I could leave zero stars I would, waited in line well over an hour as over 250 people walked out

I'm not normally the type of person to share stories like this, but tonight was one that I want others to know about. I used to love this place but I was there for my best friends birthday and we paid extra to go to the Eve and we never moved out of our dancing spot once we got to the dance floor. These random girls and one guy came in and shoved us out of the way. They called me a b**ch and then next thing I know security is escorting us out for their behavior...? Totally crazy and the security guard Steven was rolling his eyes at me at I was telling him this group was aggressive (hitting by and calling names) and a guy in the group groped me after he shoved me. I am super disappointed with the security staff in that we had to leave because these random college kids wanted our spot on the dance floor. Absolutely ridiculous way to have to "remove both parties" when we didn't do anything besides mind our business and dance. So sad because the BOB isn't what it used to be. I got assaulted and kicked out all because these random kids were unhappy with the limited dance space. if you go here, prepare for anything I guess...

my boyfriend came here in over $100 Lululemon ABC black pants and the bouncer told him if he came here again wearing them he wasn't allowed in because they resembled jeans too much. Sidenote, we weren't going to EVE. So if you are wearing jeans or Lululemon ABC pants as a guy dont go. Unless you're okay will young ass boys bullying you bc they hire bullies as bouncers trying to assert dominance, because I saw plenty of men in there with ACTAUL jeans (who weren't question at the door) throughout the night who weren't interrogated the same way!

michael, nate, and kevin at the door were so kind and helpful! this bar was so much fun and the staff was awesome! will def be coming back!

Very low quality food for the price. Glorified cafeteria food. Minus well go to Burger King.

When it comes to the Bob, don't. The place is crawling with old weirdos and underage college kids. The bouncers and staff are rude and reckless, the food is mid, and the beer is overpriced for what it is. If you want a good experience go somewhere else

Had Halloween tickets to the bob and still had to wait 2+ hours to even get inside. It was so unbelievably unorganized. I'm both MAD and DISAPPOINTED. Why would you only start letting people in at 9pm? Never coming back here for Halloween again. The Bob should of just stayed closed.

Bought pre sale tickets. Could get In before regular sale tickets. The bob is empty, line has been waiting for two hours

This is such a cool place! If you are in Grand Rapids, you have to check The B.O.B out! This is a "many-in-one" type of place. There are different things happening in different parts of the building all the time. If you are looking for delicious food and outstanding margaritas, I would point you to the second floor. There you will meet the hostess and wait to be seated. I highly recommend trying their margaritas, as they are some of the best I have had at an "untraditional" location. Aside from food, this is also a really cool place to just hang out. There are ping pong tables, corn hole boards, and beer pong tables in the basement that you can use while you are hanging out with friends. All you have to do to get ahold of the items to play the games is approach the bar tender and ask. They will request a form of ID to hold as you "check out" their materials. No worries, though, if someone else wants to use them after you, they have no problem switching IDs! Warning! There was Karaoke on Saturday night, and what a blast that was! There was so much talent, which made for an awesome atmosphere! Everything about The B.O.B is great, but the location of The B.O.B stuck out, as well. It is super convenient, especially for guests at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel across the street. In fact, it was so much fun the first night of our visit that my friends and I returned the second night! All in all, if you are in the Grand Rapids area, you must check this place out!

Honestly I'm sure in its prime things are great here, but I was very uncomfortable here in our recent visit. We were in town for a wedding and wanted to go out for a drink in the evening. I totally get the college town vibe and I think the concept of this place was really great, but in terms of COVID things weren't good. The bathrooms were not clean, tons of people close together everywhere, and it just gave me a really uneasy feeling. We ended up at the bottom level and had a fantastic bartender. He was attentive, quick, and super hilarious. If it weren't for the uncomfortable feeling I'm sure my rating would be better. Hopefully we can visit again and have a better experience. I've heard great things about this place, we just unfortunately did not have a wonderful experience :/