The Grotto - Watering Hole

Nice place, pay as you go. Outdoor and indoor seating. Fast service. Good selection of beer, 37 varied taps. I'll be back.

Has a good collection of beers and is super tasty. But inside the room there’s a strong (bad) smell of some kind of detergent… kinda ruining the vibe. But sitting outside enjoying beer is really nice.

The atmosphere of this place really took me a minute to digest. The brick and stones invoke a cellar or damp basement but a barkeep named Don quickly turned this into a warm and inviting perspective. He told me stories about the Mets (his favorite team) and New York! I couldn’t imagine hiring my a better bartender than Don!

Service was solid, with the server delivering our order within a minute after using the QR code. Enjoyed the game in their patio that was warm thanks to the heating eliminate. Overall the bar was ok in my opinion. Something with the atmosphere vibe clash. Maybe the modern look, mixed with a sports bar balance threw me off?

Absolutely love this place...always great beer on tap always a great staff on hand. Stopped in twice over the past weeks. The variety they have on tap is pretty amazing... Always hitting on all cylinders when it comes to variety and rarity. Love when they have witch's hat beers on tap. Best part is you can bring in your own food. Tip if they are not very busy opt for the table service, really makes things easier then getting up all the time. I also recommend not getting a glass of anything untill you've tried a few flights first

Came here because someone told me this is the only establishment in Ann Arbor with an eight foot tall Don. Instead I found that, on this night, there were eight one foot tall Dons. The night was great but would appreciate posting a schedule for when eight foot tall Don will be there.

We had some beers. I only liked one of them, but it was ok. The testers were like $2.5 for 3 oz so you don't have to waste too much money if you don't like it.

Often come here to people watch. Great selection from fruits to IPAs and efficient service whether with the table qr code or at the bar inside. Can get a bit loud inside and when it's hopping there's little seating (not a bad problem for a business to have..) Appreciate heated covered seating in the tent and lamps by tables.

Great place to enjoy some craft beer on a warm summer day. Their convenient QR code ordering system makes it easy to browse the draft list right from your table and order a pint, or a flight. Our beer was delivered within a few minutes of ordering, and we were able to close out and pay without waiting for a server to deliver our check and run our card. Legit and constantly changing selection of local and craft beer. Shaded outdoor tables are great for people-watching.

Great Beer selection? Patio? Count me in! Scan the QR code and just order from your table. It's wonderful. We enjoyed the Gumballhead what beer from Bells & the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter from Great Lakes Brewing Company. There is still time to enjoy the outdoors! Go for it!

Love the Grotto, great beer, best destination for me and the doggo after a long walk. I mostly love the music but as someone older, I prefer something chill, fun and mellow, especially early afternoon.

Second visit to the Grotto for beer. Nice beer selection. You order online (virtually ?) from your phone (QR codes) and they bring the beer to the table. Nice casual location. Easy in - easy out with the no sit down. Need a credit card. Not sure if they take cash. There are a few tables inside, but most of the seating is outdoors, which is great for Ann Arbor (maybe not winter ).

We were walking around the area looking for bars to check out while visiting Ann Arbor over the summer and The Grotto caught Nate's eye. We sat at a picnic table outside and were greeted quickly. Our server was super nice and friendly, and gave us recommendations on other places to go, including the 8 ball dive bar. The Grotto's beer menu is huge with 30+ taps, but we went with a spicy margarita and a mule this time. The drinks were decent, nothing super special, but good versions of these classic cocktails. The people watching was great in this area so it was fun to enjoy a drink outside. I'd definitely come back and try some beer next time we're in the area.

This is surely the nicest place to enjoy a burger from Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger. Being able to bring in your own food to a beer bar with a large selection of taps is an incredible feature. Naturally, without a kitchen to increase revenue, the beer prices might be a buck or two higher than you may find elsewhere. However, the setting is lovely with both covered and uncovered outside tables. There are heat lamps should it get nippy outside. Plus the service staff is quite friendly. I do wish the beer selection didn't lean so heavily on IPAs. That is a common complaint for me, along with so many beers that are flavored or contain gimmicky adjuncts. Props for having a deep list of pilsners and lagers. But I would love to see some hard to find beers from around the world. Having only one beer listed in their "Belgian/Wheat/Cream Ales" category which was just a Belgian-style beer made in Pennsylvania and available in nearly every supermarket, is what I would consider to be a red flag. The Grotto is good, but I also know they could do better... if they really wanted to raise their game. The issue isn't more beers. They have plenty. I would love to see a more curated selection that would really knock people's socks off. Although to be fair, the issue may simply be people. People love their fruited gose, double pastry stouts, and beers modeled after cocktails. Maybe one day I'll find a place to go in Ann Arbor for Geuze, ESBs, Farmhouse Ales, or true Belgian Blondes. In the meantime, The Grotto is a lovely spot downtown to sit down for one of my favorite burgers and a pint.

I decided to take a stroll in the downtown Ann Arbor area. I decided that I wanted a meal and a drink. I passed Grotto and decided this would be a great spot seeing that I had not been here before. We asked and were told that we seated ourselves. The waiter gave us the rundown. You can holler and ask for Any waiter, there are mainly drinks and beer, there was not usually food but this was football night so there was a limited menu. Cool and different. Different is great sometimes. I ordered the crispy burrito and taco. I also ordered a nice wheat beer that was recommended. The food was great for a spot that does not specialize in food. This was a nice spot with a good vibe. I would recommend it as a stop if you are ever walking around the area.

Staff and management have difficulty controlling their anger. Witnessed a server physically assault a customer and when management was requested, she threatened physical violence as well. Truly appalling behavior. There are so many great bars in Ann Arbor- find a better one to support than the grotto

Good Drink | No Food If you are looking for a casual happy hour spot during the week in Downtown Ann Arbor, this should be on your list. They have three different seating zones (indoors, sunroom, and outdoors) that each have a slightly different mood. The service is quick, friendly, and polite (Pro Tip - Make sure to ask your server's name, it is usually a bonus point during trivia). Although they don't serve any food, you can bring your own food in and there are a couple of options close by.

First things first, this is one of my go-to spots for happy hour and drinks in Ann Arbor! My friends and I enjoy coming here to celebrate the end of the week with drinks and good vibes. The cocktails here are really good as well. Not pictured is my go-to, the Moscow mule! Let's just say after two of them I feel great! The green tea shots here hit different (in a good way)! As you can see me and my friends enjoyed ourselves with a whole round of shots! I'd highly recommend this place! A pro-tip is that you can have food delivered here from other restaurants while you enjoy your drinks!

This used to be my jam. My place to go and try new things. Haven't been there in a few years walked in couldn't get eye contact from server asks for a menu told us we could go to a table still no eye contact. Normally I'd try three things to see what I liked was offered nothing. We were kind blown at the lack of service and disrespect won't be back. Pre pandemic we went once a week but definitely not anymore when treated like trash.

The Grotto has a great selection of beer, wine, cocktails, and even non-alcoholic drinks. They don't serve food, but you can bring your own food from any of the nearby restaurants. During COVID, perhaps their biggest selling point is that they have a lot of seating outside and some of it is covered in case of rain. Find a table, access the menu using the QR code on the table, and a waiter will come by to take your order.

Decent selection of beers, came because the website advertised games and then couldn't find them? No complaints otherwise

This was a nice casual place to get together with a large group of people. The beer list was extensive and ordering was a breeze. I loved that you could order at your convenience right from your phone. Everything was brought out promptly. Highly recommend this place!

I come looking for the frozen drinks, but it is hit or miss whether they will have them or the machine is working. When it all pans out the daiquiris are great.

Much improved!!! I love writing update reviews for great improvements. Again, my office wanted a happy hour to celebrate a co-worker at a venue with great beer. Beer Grotto fits that bill - but to avoid the catastrophe we had last time, I called to ask if space could be reserved for 20 and not take the chance that seats would be available, like last time. Doesn't hurt to ask. Jamie was great! He listened to my concern and agreed to reserve space for 20 of us. The office has the Beer Grotto, I have less stress because I was able to reserve seats and BG got a lot of business for an hour and a half. Win-Win-Win. It worked out perfectly. Everyone had a seat and was happy. I was able to open a tab on my card but the boss switched it to his card and treated us when he closed the tab. I told the staff that this is the best happy hour we have had in a long time and I really appreciated their accommodations. The Boss showed his appreciation with a good tip. The patio is bigger, with more tables along both streets. More beverage options for cocktails, frozen drinks, and wine. Grizzly Peak has an abbreviated menu that they will walk over to you for free, or BG encourages you to bring in your own food. Kosmo's, Blimpy burger and The Fleetwood are across the street! I won't make a request for 20 a habit, but glad to know it's an option for 4pm on a Wednesday afternoon. They will surely see us again. Thanks Jamie and Beer Grotto!

They have a great variety of drinks on their menu. However, everytime I've been here the service has been subpar. The waiters are not that attentive and one time it took 15 minutes for me to get my drink when it wasn't even busy.....

We stopped in for a beer one afternoon. We're so glad we did. They have a nice selection of beers and a fun atmosphere. There is outdoor seating, but there are windows everywhere; even sitting inside you get a lot of natural light. We look forward to stopping in again.

OK, so it's winter in Michigan and you are looking for a place outside to get a drink on Monday afternoon and, (what the heck?) almost all the bars in Ann Arbor are closed on Mondays. The saving grace is the Grotto Watering Hole across from The Old Town and the Fleetwood Diner--and open on Mondays. They have a covered patio with heaters both in the ceiling and on poles and it stays pretty toasty (relatively). They have a great selection of beers, have a shorter wine list and cocktails as well. Even though they don't have food they are literally steps away from both the aforementioned restaurants plus Kosmo's and Blimpy Burger. They have big TV's on the patio so you don't have to miss the game. The wait staff is terrific and all the pandemic rules are in place. You can even bring your dog. Check it out. See you there.

I love The Grotto. Lots of awesome craft beer options on tap but they always have a few choices for cider or daiquiri lovers. Chill vibes and a great small patio. Sometimes they even have live music. And when it's not a pandemic you might even be able to snag some free popcorn

I had been wanting to try The Beer Grotto for a while now, and got my chance this past Saturday night. My boyfriend and I both ordered the Weinstephaner (sp?), on draft, for $6.50 each. I had tried a different version of it before, and I ended up liking that one better than this one, but it was still okay - I'm not a big beer person in general. I believe they had 20-30 beers on tap, and then a few more in bottles. The place itself is small, but they have an outdoor seating area too, along with some heat lamps throughout. It was nice and warm inside but there was no seating, so we sat outside, it was about 60 out so that was fine. They don't sell any food, I believe, except truffle popcorn ($2), which I'd like to try next time. Overall, not my favorite place to drink out of all the Ann Arbor establishments I've been to, but I may return in the future.

Relaxing music on an inviting patio makes the Beer Grotto a great place to hang out when the weather is nice. I did just that recently while in Ann Arbor with a friend and was so glad to find a new favorite place. After ordering and paying at the front, we headed around back to the patio and grabbed a seat. There was a warm din of conversation and chill music for I set the mood for an enjoyable night. We sat, sipped, and swayed to the music for an hour or more before calling it a night. All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening!

MANNY IS THE BEST! We stopped by a few nights ago to grab a drink and got so lucky with Manny as our server. He was extremely kind, personable, and attentive. The weather has gotten quite chilly and Manny was able to move us under the tent after a little while of sitting outside. My only recommendation to the Beer Grotto is for them to lower the heating lamps so that customers can actually benefit from their heat (i.e. take a lesson from Fritas). You don't really feel them at all when you're sitting down and the lamp is 10 feet away! 5/5 for Manny alone. 3.5/5 if Manny was not included.

I've visited the Beer Grotto a few times and really dig their simple setup. They feature a handful of carefully-curated beers and ciders on tap... and that's about it. The people working the taps are wonderful, especially when it comes to offering samples. They pour in a couple different sizes and their prices are super reasonable. There are a few tables inside and out for your sitting pleasure. I love their patio. It's perfect for catching some sun and doing a little people watching. The Beer Grotto is one of my favorite stops when I visit Ann Arbor. You should check it out if you like beer or cider in a relaxed setting.

When the sun is out, this is the spot to go for a nice cold beer of the tap and soak up the sun in the patio area. Lots of good beers on tap. Perfect spot to chill and hang with friends in the midday and afternoon. Been here many times. And it's right by a handful of food places in case you'd want to bring food over to enjoy with the beers. They have snacks such as chips and popcorn for purchase as well.

I've been here a few times and I've always enjoyed it. Multiple rooms, each either different vibes and outdoor seating when its warm out. They partnered with a few local places so you can get free delivery for food. They have a side variety of drinks and have a popcorn machine set up as well. I highly recommend!

The guy behind the bar, I think his name was Doug, was completely rude. Bad taste before we even got to order.

Great place to stop by and get a beer! Always has local/an interesting selection to choose from! All employees have been super helpful with answering questions and love sharing their knowledge and helping you to find a beer suited towards your preferences.

A group of us decided to break away from the daily grind of kids and work to enjoy the food and beer scene in downtown Ann Arbor. This was our first spot of the day and it was good. We sat outside in the garden room, which was unusually warm and bright for this time of year. They had a wide variety of drafts on tap. I decided to stick with traditional pints, whereas my fellow beer lovers went with 3oz samplers. My top picks were the Pilsner Urquell and the Bell's Bright White Ale. Both were rather light, but good for a mid-afternoon beer adventure.

Great place for a chill afternoon beer! I am from out of town and was looking for a safe, relaxing place to work while enjoying a delicious adult beverage. Would highly recommend this bar!

Post-game we stopped in for a beer, they do also have wine, but no food (okay they do have popcorn for a price). We sat out on the covered part of the patio. Given the early rain this section was dry and warm due to the space heaters. The beer selection is quite extensive though I did not care for the Prairie Wheat I ordered - it tasted more like a cider than beer. The others enjoyed their beers. On a nice summer day this would be a fine place for some beer drinking...

Stopped in and had the best sour of my life followed by a delicious margarita. Our waiter? Server? Bartender??? Doug was THE best. We were in Ann Arbor for the day and he was super helpful at recommending not only great drinks- but great dinner/activity related stuff too. He was so friendly and attentive. This place offers some stellar adult beverages. Don't let the outdoor seating deter you. The heaters make it nice and toasty. Nothing like watching the snow OUTSIDE while reveling in the heat with a drink. 3 cheers for the Grotto. It was by far the best on our brewery tour.

Everyone needs to hang with MANNY! He is the the maker of the manny margarita and the best person ever! Order chicken tenders that they deliver to you from the beer garden and enjoy ur time

Great place. Can't believe I hadn't been in before. Nice atmosphere, friendly helpful staff. There's outdoor seating and some inside as well. But it is small. They have a great selection of beers on tap. You can purchase smaller samples if you want to try a flight or maybe you're just interested in trying something new. You can get 1oz 3oz and 5oz samples. They have a few wine choices as well which I was interested in but they were sadly out when I was in. I was delighted to see they had beers from Witches Hat. Can't wait to go back and try some other items.

I don't feel like I can say a bad thing about Beer Grotto. Incredible tap list. Seriously, you'll find stuff here you can't find anywhere else. Beautiful patio when it's warm out, handful of seats inside when it's not. This is my favorite part... Any beer comes in a 3oz pour if you want. Only want a small guy of that Founder's Project Pam (10.8%)? You got it. Want to put together a stellar beer flight? You're the boss. No food, but you can have it delivered. It's Ann Arbor, for Christ's sake. You can find something.

I've been coming to the Grotto for years and they've always had a great menu and wonderful staff, not to mention my favorite outdoor space in town. Being able to bring in outside food is also great and appreciated, as there are several great places for food nearby. I also want to thank the staff for being so accommodating with helping me hide my pregnancy from friends for the first few months with their amazing non-alcoholic cocktails :)

One of my favorite taprooms in Ann Arbor. They have a great selection of local craft beers. The bartenders there are also very knowledgeable and generally can make great recommendations if you let them know what you like. What makes this place even better is the ability to taste the beers in different sizes 2oz to growlers. You can get a great beer flight at reasonable prices - with some tasting beers at the $1 price point, you can easily sample a flight for around $5. It's across from Fleetwoods, super convenient for a BYOF snack run and a great place to go in the cold winter months (when Beer Garden from across the street is closed) and since it's mostly indoors (but outdoor heated patio seating also available). They have limited tables, so seating can be tight, esp. on the weekends, but generally it is chill on the weekdays.

Came here on a Saturday with a few friends and had such a great experience. Manny our server was exceptional and the reason we are back this friday! great place great service and amazing drinks

An excellent place to grab a beer. Good Vibes and no frills. They they offer crowlers and bottles to go. I make it a point to stop in anytime I am in the area just to see what they're offering. If you're a fan of craft beer, and are in Ann Arbor, you should stop here.

One of my favorites patios in Ann Arbor to sit and enjoy some amazing cider and live music. I love that we are able to bring food and snacks from other nearby locations to enjoy. I cannot wait till the weather to gets warmer so I can visit!

Great atmosphere....great place to get drinks. No food, but has a eclectic choice of beers/ciders/mead. Service is thrifty, despite large crowds. Bonus: Bring your own food! Double Bonus: Across the street from Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger.

I love the sangria here! Right in the middle of the downtown Ann Arbor. After getting drinks from here you can easily go to bills beer garden or blank slate creamery. They've handled COVID well, keeping tables far apart and being quick quick with purchasing drinks.

Opening day! The crowds are insane and it is impressive how many bearded men are here. That usually means good things for beer places. I tried the Fuego sour beer and it was delicious. A friend had the Le Freak IPA which he enjoyed but was surprised by the weakness of a tripel. Everyone generally enjoyed the beers and the vibe was social, yet relaxed. Also, they have some pretty delicious popcorn drizzled with truffle oil gratiz for customers. Just ask an employee while you are getting your beer! Check it out Ann Arbor!

Really fun place to sit, chill, and have a beer! However, it's a little awkwardly set up... sort of in such a way that you always feel in the way. If you're in the beer line, you're in the way of people who are in line for the bathroom. If you're in line for the bathroom, you're in the way for people going to the kitchen. If you're in the corner table, you're in the way of the door. lol it had a great vibe, good beer selection, and the location is muy cute. Also the patio is covered and heated in the winter, which is a nice little space and basically triples the size of the place. All in all, really fun for a stop over before dinner!

Pretty good selection of beers from various breweries. I appreciate the fact that they are on untapped. It makes it really easy to look up the rating of beers that they have because their menu is ever changing. The place is pretty small so I don't know how often I will make it here during the winter months. The only thing I wish they would do is fill glass growlers. Their canning leaves an odd metallic taste to the beer when you bring it home. If you are into craft beer this is definitely worth checking out.

I love this place! Great beer selection with plenty of interesting and sometimes rare beers. The selection rotates frequently and is always fun and new. All of the staff are friendly and helpful. They can recommend beers or give tastes in order to help you pick out something really good. The place itself has a small indoor area and a patio. In the summer, the patio is really the perfect place to hang out and have some beer outside. I go there a lot in the summer just for that reason. In the winter, there's a little less appeal to the place, since the patio is what makes it really special. However, still a great tap list and nice, relaxed spot to hang out. They also have events with tap takeovers or celebrations of special releases. I haven't made it to any, but imagine they would be great and would like to go in the future.

Beer Grotto has a constantly-changing selection of craft beer. Despite the amazing selection, the vibe is low-key, and it always feels homey. They always have multiple great sours on tap (my favorite). I love that it's not too loud, so it's a great place to bring someone when you want to have an actual conversation. However, it's not a large place; if you have a big group, maybe only come on a night when you can sit outside. Come on a Monday for the pizza! And the truffle popcorn is a must any day.

If you ask for pumpkin beer, they might very well judge your inner basic fall loving spirit. These guys try to keep their beer selection respectable, I suppose. Overall, people working there are nice and enthusiastic about helping you make your selection. Always a great option right off Main Street for fresh local beers, it tends to be my backup if Bill's is closed or off season. Beer Grotto also allows outside food, and its location is nicely situated for that. One of my favorite moves is running down to Blank Slate for ice cream and scooting back up to pair it with one of their stouts on tap. This most recent time I scored pumpkin ice cream with a very special bourbon barrel aged stout from Goose Island - my spirits were high that October day on the Beer Grotto patio :)

Great spot with the enclosed and heated tent made the chilly spring evening just perfect. Nice selection of brews allowed me (not a local) the opportunity to sample lots of local brews. I have a service dog and they were so cool and accommodating for me. That's always a welcomed feeling as someone who's traveling with a furry companion. The tent was super comfortable and warm and we were able to enjoy the truffle popcorn, beer all in a cozy closed sided tent. What more could you ask for?!

Good vibes all around. Went here for a beer waiting for an appointment in aa. Came back after for 3 more. Feels like home. Great people work here. Nice work beer grotto! Check this place out. Great outdoor seating too!