I haven't had very clean tasting beers at the Livery. I hope the new brewer can get the brewery in better shape. Don't know what the hold-up is. The place hasn't seen an upgrade for awhile. Why not a better food menu and kitchen, too? I like the atmosphere and but had a couple of downer experiences there in 12 visits. Nice venue for music and good times.
Review Source:I'm not a beer drinker, my boyfriend is, but this is always a place we stop at when in Michigan. The bar is nothing special, I like to think of it as more of a man cave. But the bartenders have been fantastic every time we go. Super nice and super knowledgeable. Â They have a couple of wine and cider choices for those that don't drink beer. We had their BBQ chicken pizza which was very good.
Review Source:Let me first off start by saying I am not a beer drinker let alone a beer connoisseur so I am rating this place only on its ambience and feel. Â
It was unique. Â My fiance enjoyed sampling a couple of different beers and the service was fast and friendly especially given how busy they were.
I would definitely recommend this place as a must do for all those beer buffs.
I spent my entire adult life working in bars and pubs and I can honestly report that this place ranks among the best places I've ever encountered. The beers are a revelation, and I strongly suggest the pony tour. The cook downstairs prepared her own recipe "Stuffed Pepper" soup which was again, maybe the best food I've eaten where beer is served. Add to this a very expertly curated slate of live music and you have a very special place indeed. Mike and Steve are the nicest folks you would ever care to meet as well.
Review Source:I like to find new beer, especially on work trips. I took the 30 min drive from La Porte to Benton Harbor to check out the Livery. The food was decent--I enjoyed the red bean soup (they labeled it spicy, but it wasn't really). Their garden veggie sandwich tasted fine, but had very little semblance of artichoke (and was a bit overpriced for what was essentially salad and hummus on pita). The beer was hit and miss, the pils needed a diacetyl rest to curb some of the buttery notes (but was otherwise ok) and the IPA had a bit of Brettiness (I hope this was intentional)
Review Source:The Livery was our destination for Saturday motorcycle ride to Michigan #2. I loved the downstairs bar area. It reminded me of an after-school program room, complete with random wooden tables and chairs, a bookshelf, and delicious beer on tap. (I wish they had beer after school.) A group of little old ladies laughing while drinking wine and flights. There's a painting of the bartender behind the bar; not sure that she knew how creepy it seemed. We hung out for some time without being crowded or asked to pipe down. It was quite relaxing.
I was sad I wasn't able to get a growler of my favourite brew there - Pavlov's Porter - since it was a nitro tap. But I took home one of the Guide IPA for the next day's Bears game; we finished it in no time. IPAs aren't generally my first choice, but it was good.
After reading all the great reviews on this place, we decided that this would be our place to have drinks for the night. I read that they had a live music venue and was excited to see what they had to offer.
When we walked in, we went down to a basement bar, that was like someones unfinished basement. We found a couple of spots at the bar and was hoping for a tasting maybe a little tutorial. The bartender seemed annoyed that we sat at her bar, and even more annoyed that we were asking questions about the brews. When checking it out online I found they had a few different hard ciders. Three seemed watered down and the fourth had a nasty rotten apple after taste. We asked the bartender about the brews and she admitted to us that she thought they were gross to her. She seemed to lighten up and gave us a sample of the two she liked. They were just ok.
They had a counter for food and if you sit at a table you have to get up and get your own food and beer from the bar. The young wannabe hipster kids that were there for the live music, completely turned us off from paying the $15 cover charge. We went out to the outdoor seating area finished our brews and decided to call it one. Overall, not impressed.
The Livery was my last stop on a beercation that had taken me from Chicago to Detroit and back again. We arrived shortly after opening time on a Wednesday.
Only the basement bar was open so that is where we went. The atmosphere was "some guys basement". It literally looked like someone had decided to have a bar setup in their barely finished basement. There was a very small bar that was already filled at the early hour of our arrival. There were a few mismatched tables and chairs. The wood support beams added a little character to the place. If there was a TV I don't remember it.
So, the atmosphere was not "cozy pub", but I didn't mind. It kind of feels like you are hanging out at your homebrewing friend's house. I came for the beer anyway.
The number of beers on tap was impressive. Unfortunately most of them were not to my liking. I did find one or two that were fairly tasty in my opinion, but most of them seemed to be sour and/or weak on the hops. (I tried many, since I didn't want to waste my opportunity to fully experience The Livery.)
The food selection was limited to soups and sandwiches, but they were OK.
This is strictly a no-frills bars as far as service goes. It wasn't bad, just minimal. The bartender was very nice whenever I went up to order beers. She let me open a tab for the evening which I appreciated.
The food must be ordered from a counter on the other side of the room from the bar.
Overall my impression of The Livery is mediocre. I kind of liked the unpolished atmosphere, but it would have all come together better if the beer had been fantastic. I'm torn on whether I would return again if I pass through again.
The beer wasn't bad -- but it wasn't great. Â The mixed drinks were nonexistent because they only want to peddle their micro-brews.
The food was decent -- but, again, far from great. Â If you like to eat with silverware, be prepared to ask for it multiple times.
By far, the most annoying part of this place is the fact that the customer needs to get up and go to the bar to order drinks or to the back counter to order food. Â Hire a waitress or let people know when they come in. Â
I also wasn't a fan of the hipster-doofus mentality of the guys working there. Good for them if this business model works for them -- I'm certain they won't be getting any more of my business.
SWMI Yelpers, I thank you from the bottom of my beer-laden heart. Went apartment hunting the other day and decided to swing by here with the bf after. If it weren't for you fine folks, we'd never have found our new fave brew pub!
Mike, the once-upon-a-time-San-Franciscan proprietor of this fine establishment, made our first visit oh so very memorable & even more excited to move into the neighborhood. He gladly imparted his vast knowledge of brews...*BF interrupts: What are you reviewing on Yelp? Me: The Livery BF: OHHHH THAT PLACE IS SO AWESOME!* uh...yeah...knowledge of brews, reminisces about SF (speaking of SF, met quite a few ex-Cali folk there, which was nice), and he even introduced the BF to some men who recently retired from the company that he just got hired at (while they chatted about fish, buttons, and beer, I sat and had cerveza after cerveza--not a complaint, just an excuse for drinking more than I'd intended to)!
Long story short: This'll be your new Cheers. And for those of you who don't have a Cheers yet, this will be it.
Note: Plenty of street parking (during the day, at least) and I believe there's also a lot. Cafe located in the pub area, also serves as a music venue th-sat, at least (methinks).
AND OH MY GOD, THEIR IPA, THE "FIFTH DIMENSION" IS HEAVEN ON EARTH. AND DON'T FORGET TO TRY THE KENTUCKY KAFFINATOR. OMFG.
that is all.
The Livery boasts a chill crowd, cheap drinks, and a warm and eclectic atmosphere. The brews are good and strong, and I'm a big fan of the cider, although I can only drink one because it's fairly sweet.
They feature yoga classes during the day (I believe these are for a fee), open mic night on Mondays, trivia on Wednesday nights, $3 pints on Thursday evenings, live music on Saturday nights, as well as a mug club and nightly happy hour (during the week). You can find boardgames in the basement, and that's a great place to sit and have a conversation, and there's a separate bar down there.
The main floor features another bar and the stage for entertainment. A balcony overlooks the main area, and the whole space has a wonderful, open feel. The works of local artists are featured on the walls. Â Finally, there's a small outdoor patio area that's open year around. Â I don't believe it's heated in the winter, more so for people to go outside and smoke, but it's an enjoyable place to enjoy a beverage (or 2 or 3) in the warmer months.
God, I wish I knew this place existed when I was still living in SW Michigan. Â Came with my sisters while at our parents over Thanksgiving break. They had live bluegrass, an eclectic crowd, and plenty of hard cider. I was delighted to find this corner of colorful people in my otherwise conservative home area. Local art on the walls, interesting music talent, craft beers, etc. The space itself is wonderful with a vintage, loftish, barnlike charm. First level has a bar and space for the performers, there's a lofted second level that was less crowded and great for people watching. There was also a basement level that couldn't hear the band at all, but was quiet, with big tables, piles of boardgames, pool, Foosball, etc. If I still lived locally, this is the type of place that I could become a regular at and I am certain that I will come again when visiting home.
Review Source:The beer is quite good. Â But if you are going there for an experience of good beer, food and atmosphere, be prepared to sit in a basement with counter service food and beverages which obviously didn't receive a lot of the owner's attention. Â As you walk into the building you can see the great potential but it just doesn't come to life. Â But if it's great craft beer you are after and care for none of the other details then this is your place.
Review Source:I've seen some pretty old looking buildings that have been rejuvenated into brewpubs, but this one takes the cake. It's a pretty bland-looking, simple, brick square building without much of anything to indicate the wonderfulness inside. Going in the front door, stairs lead down to the pub immediately to the right. A small bar is accompanied by several tables, but a surprisingly small seating area in general. A window for ordering food sits across the room from the bar. I didn't notice any televisions, but when with the right company, who needs them? In all, I like the corner bar/hometown feel, but it could use a few more bells and whistles to make it an elite spot.
The food menu is pretty limited but is also pretty delicious. A list of pub appetizers, sandwiches, soups and the like adorns the wall next to the ordering window. I chose the meatball sub because they make their own meatballs, and I was not disappointed. Three giant, juicy and flavorful meatballs joins a simple marinara sauce and hoagie bun. I wish one side of the bun was connected to make eating it hot dog-style possible, but I didn't have any trouble eating it in the end. I also had a chicken curry soup that was very, very good.
The beer is absolutely outstanding. It's the second best I've had in Michigan, just barely being edged out by Founders. They featured at least 10 options including a hand-drawn barrel beer and a nitro tap. I had a sampler of six self-chosen, five-ounce samples. Though the sampler is a bit pricey at $14, it was well worth the money. I have no complaints. I can only say that every single beer I had blew me away. My favorite was probably the Karhu IPA, though the Oktoberfest and Red Canoe Irish Lager were equally delicious. Throw in a decent American IPA and a perfect nitro stout, and you have a happy drinker.
The service was great. I ordered food in the back and just left my card back there. After I was done with my sampler, I just walked back, told him what beer I had ordered, and he trusted me to pay for it. I like some trust in the world.
the livery is totally awesome.
i've spent a lot of time here every time i've visited michigan with my boyfriend.
all of the beers i have tried here have been delicious. my favorites are the ciders and the silver queen. they also offer a lot of delicious IPAs and a lot of beers with a crazy high alcohol content. sweet!
they have an outdoor patio/beer garden where you can bring your drinks and smoke outside.
they have a really cool upstairs balcony area where they have really great live bluegrass (etc.) music.
all of the people that work there are totally sweet and they have a good food selection. quite a few vegetarian options.
they even make fresh pretzels out of the spent grain from brewing. they offer growlers to take home! score!
i definitely miss this place when i'm gone.
Is this the best beer in the Midwest? Compared to Bells? Three Floyds? I don't know, this question will require much more research.
For me the best brew pubs have the best beer. But I think there are extra points for also offering guest taps that provide an interesting dialog. Both the Livery and Three Floyds do this, and it makes the experience so much richer.
The food here is simple but quite good. We had a big plate of steamed shrimp last time, that was a great foil for the beer.
It doesn't get better than this.
We always make it a point to stop into The Livery when in town for a few beers and a growler to go. Â They have a wide variety of beers for every liking, and even a few ciders too. Â They are helpful in giving you tastings to help you decide. Â When we are not sitting at the bar we enjoy playing the games they have available as well as a pool table. Â We don't often eat, as the menu is pretty limited. Â Though we had a fabulous ploughman's lunch one day, but I no longer see it listed as an option. Â A great off the beaten path stop of a great beer.
Review Source:Went in for a craft beer and they do provide samples. I'm a fan of malty beers and not hoppy or fruity beers. That's about all they have are variants of hoppy and fruity beers, which are done very well, but all tended to be fairly similar. Even the stout I ordered was very hoppy. Not my place to go, but it's a good place to sit at the bar and the beers tend toward refreshing summer tastes.
Review Source:I stopped at the Livery on my way home from work today and picked up a growler (half gallon jug) of their Martini Red Lager. Â The bar for this brewery is located in the basement so it was nice and cool on this 90 degree day. Â There was music playing and the bar was full. Â The bartender was polite but not overly helpful. Â I asked for some recommendations & suggestions and his reply was "it depends on what you like" and then walked off.
After talking to some of the local patrons I settled on Martini Red Lager and I am very happy with the selection. Â I am not a beer connoisseur, but this beer is delicious. Â I am anxious to try other varieties that they had on the hand written menu board.
I give The Livery a 5 star for the crafted beers and a 2 for the food. have been to hundreds of these brew houses and their beer is in the top 5. they need to expand on their food side. hire a young fresh cheif to really bring this place to life.Basment bar is like having a bar in your own basment . cold and uninviting.standered bar food. they need to add a wood fired pizza oven and some killer fresh salads . to put this place over the top .Have been to the North Peak brewing company in Traverse city which I rate second best in the state . food is outstanding.And they have out standing beers.
Review Source:The Livery has some of the best craft beer I have ever tasted. With plenty of choices on tap you are sure to find one that fits your liking. If your not sure where to begin, they offer a sampler and some great suggestions that will point you in the right direction.
The kitchen has a limited but not lacking selection of food including some of the best nachos around. The atmosphere is one of a kind and so are most of the patrons. The Livery stands out as one of the gems of southwest Michigan.
Awesome Atmosphere... Â We went on Sunday a couple of weeks ago, just locals in there hanging out, they made us feel like we were part of the crew within 30 seconds. Â The beer was really tasty too, I tried all variants of their IPA's. Â Such a positive experience, I can't wait till I'm back in Benton Harbor...
Review Source:Great people, atmosphere, food, and beer! The bartenders will patiently educate you on their plethora of hand-crafted brews, from pilsners to stouts. The menu has great sandwiches, soups, and pizzas. Week nights are good for games and good conversation downstairs and weekends offer the best live music in the three counties. The Livery is truly the gem of Benton Harbor!
Review Source:Outstanding beer. Unique atmosphere.
My husband lived in Brussels for four years and said the beer at The Livery rivals some of the best beer he had when he lived in Belgium.
Had the seasonal nectarine tripple dark this August and it was outstanding - just a little tart and delicious.
The staff is helpful and will assist you in finding the beer for you. Haven't had the food, just the beer.
I have a brewery boner for this place.
Great food, LOTS of delicious craft beers to choose from and some of the most rockin' staff this side of the lake.
Seriously awesome little tucked away place. I had a mega veggie burrito and their beer shrimp- yeah that's right, beer + shrimp. We chatted up the bartender and played some their board games... a 1979 edition of Trivial Pursuit with pretty much no questions that I'm smart enough to answer but plenty enough that I'm drunk enough to try to.
The next time I head into the MI I will defo be making another stop her.
PS- extra points because I came in with no make-up on, unbrushed hair, wearing men giant basketball shorts and a plaid flannel shirt, on top of having neon hair... and no one looked at me like I was a bug. Â Score 1 for the orange headed Eddie Vedder.
A great place to drink beer.  It is a brewpub so expect to drink only their beer, no BMC crap.  A wide variety of styles including cask offerings.  A limited food menu which consists of about 4 apps and 4 sandwiches.  Still they offer some of the best beer in the state so if you are in the western part of Mi be sure to  stop by.
Review Source:Great Microbrewed beer and live music in Benton Harbor in one location. Â The renovated first floor and upstairs is great for watching music and this place has become a destination for interesting bands and their open mike night on Mondays. Â Sitting out on the patio in Summer is awesome and this place also sponsors locally grown organic produce as well as having yoga sessions. Â There is much to like at the Livery.
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