A great bar overall. I've heard mutterings that the crowd is kind of selective, and they'd be right since 99.9% are white and in their 20s or 30s. But that being said, Â they get their share of hipsters, punks, nerds, theater kids, stoners, greasers, freaks, geeks, and you name it. The drinks are fairly strong, which is a plus, but their juke box kind of sucks. A lot of times the bar tenders will put on an ipod or something and that can be cool, but the music you have control over is very limited, and I'm honestly not sure who it's supposed to cater to. Also, it can be extremely loud even on a slow night. They crank that shit whether you like it or not. However, they do have a hammerhead shark mounted behind the bar, a variety of pin ball machines, and a back patio that's great on a warm night.
Review Source:I had a great time at The Meanwhile while I was visiting Michigan. When we were on our way to the bar, the bar was described to me as being a "hipster" bar, which I'm fine with. Plenty of pretty, alternative people drinking beer and playing pinball. The people and staff all seemed nice and the atmosphere of the bar was entertaining and comfortable. They had a large outside patio drinking area and the inside had two stories for people drinking inside. I was there during the end of summer, so the weather was beautiful and we sat outside most of the night (also because the inside was jam-packed full of people). The bar is in a cool area with other bars and plenty of late-night eateries to satisfy you.
They have tons of specials every day of the week and they have great beers on tap. Local beers as well as beers from different areas. The specials that really stood out to me were the $1 Old Styles and $2.50 pints of Two Hearted on Sundays, $3 pitchers of PBR on Mondays, half off Michigan pints on Thursdays, alongside daily happy hour specials until 8pm.
The Meanwhile is a pretty great neighborhood bar; probably my overall favorite hangout in Grand Rapids. Friendly bartenders, friendly people, great list of Michigan draft beers for super-cheap. Well-curated jukebox, comfy booths, and the place is always hoppin'.
The fireball whiskey shot seems to be the hot thing there now... surprisingly good!
I can't think of a single complaint. Probably the best bar in Grand Rapids. I love the bright red walls and the cozy booths. Great selection of Michigan beers. I was also struck by how clean it was for a hipster bar - even the bathrooms, from what I recall. I really prefer this place over Mulligan's, which is seedy and has an awful jukebox in comparison. I'm extremely disturbed to read another reviewer's (quite recent) experience of having a date-rape drug slipped into her drink here, however.
Review Source:So the few times I have been to The Meanwhile have been pleasant ones until the last one...
The staff has always been great and the atmosphere as well. However, last time I went to The Meanwhile I got roofied (to the point where I missed work the next day, went to urgent care to get tested for the drug and it came back positive) I'm not saying it was the staff, who knows who did it but as a girl it will take a lot to get me back in that place. Luckily I was with good friends that took care of me and made sure I was safe but that's something I never want to happen ever again :/
Sorry to be the hater here but I did NOT have a good time here. Things started out very well when we stopped in for a quick beer before eating down the street. The young guy with the blonde beard served us and was friendly when we returned for the post-dinner drinks. The problem started when my husband stepped on to the back patio for a smoke. he didn't know that you couldn't smoke out there (there was no signage, he looked, and some bars in Chicago, where we live, allow patio smoking) and one of the bartenders came flying back and said, "put it out NOW, I'm NOT getting fined because of you." He started to put it out and exhaled as he bent down; then the guy said something like, "don't blow your f-ing smoke in my face" and stood there until my Mr. (who apologized and said he didn't know not to smoke there) came back in to the bar. A few minutes later my husband went out front to finish the cig and a different guy came over to our table and told me and my friend that there is no smoking on the patio. We don't smoke.
We left soon after because it was so freakin' uncomfortable in there after that; the bartender seemed to keep looking over at us and the waitress came by more often... all of this could have been avoided by posting a sign that read: No Smoking on Patio.
The two stars are for good beer at good prices. The negative 3 stars are for bad attitude.
I love this place. It seriously keeps getting better and better. For a while, my best friend and I went every Tuesday, and I have not had a bad experience yet. The staff is wonderful and the beers are delicious. The music is awesome and not too loud. No cover. And the best part is that the prices are very reasonable and they actually take good care of their beer. After 12 days(?) they replace the keg before the beer starts to get stale. I also really love HopCat but I noticed that they charge $7 for Dragon's Milk in a 12 oz. snifter. The Meanwhile charged $5. for an ENTIRE PINT. oh em geezies. It's the best.
Review Source:Small! Â But lovely... Â Nice and laid back place. Â I will probably enjoy it more once MI goes smoke-free in May, currently this place can compete with Mulligan's for smokiest Grand Rapids bar. Â In the warmer months I always hit the patio. Â Love that Meanwhile promotes Michigan breweries better than pretty much anywhere I've seen.
Review Source:I LOVE this bar. I'm told that it is even more hipster then the most hipster bars in Ann Arbor where they have lots of money and apparently are cooler then we are in GR. Anyway, Meanwhile has super cheap beer, which I like to drink allot of. And there is a really nice quite corner around the side of the bar outside that I've thrown up in many of times and no one has caught me. I am a cute girl and I never get hit on here which is nice because sometimes I just want to drink in a non-meat market place. Only thing to be careful for the cops that park across the street at the ghetto-mart. They are looking for drunks and after three $4 pitchers at The Meanwhile, you will be their favorite target.
Review Source:Definitely one of my top five. Â Top three probably. Â All the staff are super nice, the prices are amazing and better than most bars in GR, with regular drink specials and creative mixed drinks like the aforementioned Vern Ehlers. Â The place has super nice decor, sort of like a 50's diner that got taken over by the white stripes or something, with pinball, local art on the walls, and one of the most diverse jukeboxes in the area. Â
Of course depending on your personality you'll have to choose your times carefully, if you get there after 10 or 11 on any given day you're taking your chances that the place might be completely packed with hipster doofuses making the place all kinds of smokey and kind of a loud shitfest, but even then I'd rather be here than most other GR bars. Â Also sometimes hilarity ensues given the clientele. Â (One of my best memories is watching this kid who thought he was Bob Dylan reincarnate go from table to table playing shitty folk songs, and watching him get ejected in the nicest way possible even though he was completely belligerent.)
Hip without being pretentious, The Meanwhile is home to my favorite bartenders, jukebox and owners in the U.S. The brother and sister team that owns the pub put a lot of time, energy and careful consideration into creating a neighborhood joint that honors and celebrates Wealthy St., Grand Rapids and Michigan. They put a lot back into the community and support a number of non-profits in the area.
Try the Vern Ehlers (specialty drink featuring Vernor's) or a Michigan beer (my personal favorite is Founders IPA).
ahh I love the Meanwhile. Â The Meanwhile is a great bar, its owners put a lot of thought into it and have made it a really special place. They make an effort to offer both really cheap options and a lot of local options that are reasonably priced. They also hold a lot of fundraisers for local organizations and groups where they give away ll the profits from the night.
Besides that the Meanwhile just has a great vibe, all the art that is up is really cool, especially the mural on the beer patio which depicts an actual event that took place at the Meanwhile when someone tried to 'free' a unicorn painting. Â It gets pretty smoky inside, especially during the winter, but otherwise it is an awesome place to be
This is my favorite bar in GR. The atmosphere is great and absolutely not the douchy frat boy crowd that you find in most bars downtown. Painted red and decorated with art. Drinks are pretty cheap. No cover charge.
They even have an outdoor seating area with heat lamps, and some fun art painted on the wall as well. Amazing.
There was even a lady from GRPD who came by selling pizza to people, which is so convenient at a bar at 1 AM. Who could ask for more?
I love the Meanwhile because the Meanwhile loves Michigan. Â They have several Michigan beers on tap, and recently added a hard cider from Michigan as well! Â The Meanwhile has revitalized the up-and-coming Wealthy Heights area; every time I've gone in, it's packed! Â Don't be scared off by the neighborhood; they have good security, and I always feel safe when I'm there. Â You can park your bike or scooter on the street, for example, and know that someone is keeping an eye on it.
Yes, it's very smokey inside, and the jukebox is loud (although full of better tunes than most jukeboxes). Â That's not enough to shoo me away though. Â In summer, the outdoor beer garden is awesome.
They don't serve food, but they do have a carry-in license, so you can get pizza delivered. Â There are also several restaurants just a stone's throw away, including The Brick Road Pizza Company, and the Electric Cheetah.
This is the best bar in the country. Â
The staff is fun. Â The beer is cheep. Â The jukebox is unbelievable. Â
Does this place really exist or was it part of a long cold dream I had last week? Â I think my brother was there and I have a t-shirt.
I can not think of a better place to have brought in the new year. Â
Thanks!
I agree with Timothy over there. This is a place that is long overdue in Grand Rapids. It's got all the best parts of a local bar and the staff is great. My only complaint is that it's pretty smokey, but in Michigan it's hard to find a bar that doesn't allow smoking. Plus, now that the beer garden is open, it's not that much of a problem. I suggest going on Monday through Thursday when it's a little less crowded and they have drink specials.
Review Source:
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