BEST BURGER AROUND! It's the Torch, c'mon, a Flint tradition that has been consistently THE best place for a burger and beer in downtown Flint for years (or at least since the Sports Coupe left Brush Ally back in the 90's). Â All types of people, artsie, lawyers, street freaks, hipsters, upscale Grande Blancians, low scale Mt. Morrisians, South siders, North enders, East siders, GM workers, UAW reps, old and young. Â This is the dive bar that set the bar high for all other dive bars. Â In fact it is so cool that it has carved out its own new genre. Â "Classy Dive Bar"
Review Source:If you want a burger and fries, this will fix everything.  The burgers here are so good that you will forget about those overdue bills, the ex-lover who burned all your possessions, or the stalker that likes everything you post on FB.  Drink it in, baby.  The burgers are so good that I question if they may be made with human flesh or the meat of a mythical animal that nobody knows about that is only found roaming in the Second St area of downtown Flint.  The Torch has a  rotating selection of beer including microbrews on tap and a liquor selection that plays the hits.  It may be hard to park in the area but chances are by the time you've recovered from your haze you will have somehow found a way to leave your car, eat and return to it.  And as far as getting shanked in the alley, I don't even think there's enough people in Flint anymore for anyone to want to shank you downtown.  It just doesn't turn a profit these days.
Review Source:The Torch. First time here. Being an outsider, I am beholden to no one in this review (which means it's unbiased for those of you unfamiliar with research). The bar is located in an alley off the main downtown drag. I went late at night but am so dedicated to Yelp and giving you all accurate information about local spots that I risked my safety to visit. Or maybe I just had heard of the legendary cheeseburgers and my life no longer seemed so important. Definitely the second.
My companion and I both ordered beers (no specials to speak of on a Wednesday night) - I got an Atwater Vanilla Java Porter (can't mess that up) and he got a Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPA. Both delish. Both uncomplicated.
Out waitress seemed easy going and laid back. Not in the I-don't-care-about-you-as-a-customer, but more as an I'm-a-hipster type of behavior. She was pleasant but didn't kiss our feet, which may have worried me more in a dive bar like this.
We both order Jr. Torch burgers, his with fries, mine with onion rings. Onion rings were the frozen, mass produced kind. Meh. His French fries were like potato wedges. Good potato-y flavor, not enough salt (but I'm the type that's begging for my high blood pressure club membership card). The burgers, however, were out of this world. So simple, so good. I love that the menu doesn't guarantee them if you order them more done than "medium-well." So true. My companion and I agreed that their preference of medium was even better. The burgers were juicy, tender, had amazing flavor, and will certainly not be our last here.
I have been here numerous times now. As soon as I gave my 2 week notice to my work, we have been celebrating here pretty much on a daily basis. I absolutely love coming here. I finally tried the Torch burger. Outstanding! I've sampled the steak fries, the onion rings, and the BLT. All were really good. This is definitely my new hang out spot.
Review Source:Not for the faint of heart, the Torch is basically a blackened pit with sticky carpet, wobbly tables, potent Long Island Iced Tea and bathrooms at the base of a staircase so steep even the sober have trouble navigating them.
But it also has the best atmosphere, the friendliest/most efficient staff and the most incredible burger in town. I have no idea how they produce such a fabulous burger from a dorm room fridge and a flattop that is nothing more than a glorified hot plate. Â
I started going to the Torch while performing in plays next door and in 15 years since, I've never had a bad burger or anything less than a good time here.
I can't say this is a true to form review as we didn't get to experience any of the food or drinks at Torch Bar and Grill. Â My +1 and I arrived a little around 8pm on a Friday night. Â We wanted to grab something to eat somewhere new and well-rated on Yelp prior to a metal show at The Machine Shop nearby while in Flint. Â We surveyed the dining room/bar and saw that there was nowhere for us to sit, not even at the bar. Â Hating to stand there looking like dummies, we turned, we turned around and walked out to find somewhere else to eat (ended up at Wize Guys Pizza again around the corner). Â This was very disappointing as I had gotten a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FRestaurant.com&s=0aab4cbd731f3d3b0d1453050d3abc56a8c80bd214e25469c7555b750dca8a51" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Restaurant.com</a> certificate for $10 off on a $20 purchase excluding alcohol for $5 (send me a message and I will mail it to the first interested Yelper). Â We were definitely gung ho and ready to eat, drink and review The Torch.
So the real purpose of this review is to let the masses know that finding a seat on a busy weekend night may not be a possibility. Â The establishment is definitely down an alley off a side street. Â There was still sufficient daylight when we arrived, but I can see how one would need to keep your wits about you in the dark of night. Â Especially if you had to park on a side street like we did because the alley was full with cars. Â When you reach The Torch you have to walk up a flight of stairs where there are 2 doors with no windows at the top of the landing. Â The door to enter being on your right. Â As a first time visitor, I felt slightly apprehensive and excited not knowing what lay beyond. Â The place is nice and dark and divey. Â The crowd was mixed. Â It really looks like a cool place to chill and toss some back or discuss the details of some cloak and dagger, diabolical plan with relative comfort.
I still can't get over that the burger grill is the size of my home stovetop, and all of the magical food came out of the regulation-size fridge sitting right next to our table. Â This place is such a gem, and the exact reason why we try to venture far, far away from nondescript chains when we travel.
The Torch burger is yummy, they have a great beer selection, and the service was efficient. Â Diverse crowd, too. Â Love!
Love The Torch. Used to go there after band practice at the local and get thwasted. Yea, the Torch Burger is legendary and its the place that introduced me to an everlasting love affair with Newcastle. And its on tap!
The bathroom is a helluva trip if you cant walk straight. Hold onto the railing going downstairs if needed.
Dammit, I wanna go there now
this place stinks! the atmosphere is good, the drinks are okay, but the staff sucks. our group was enjoying ourselves until the grouchy fat black-haired bartender with tattoos totally killed our buzz with his bad attitude. with a better staff this place could be great, but as it is, you'd be better off skipping it for one of the other cool bars in the area.
Review Source:i love the torch. Â maybe it's the burgers (served with a fork), maybe it's the dangerous (when you're drunk) staircase to the bathrooms, maybe it's because it's the only place where i can order a pitcher of guinness and not feel like i'm committing a crime.
i spent years worth of mondays huddled in the corner booth with one of my best friends, drinking down pitchers of guinness and polishing off baskets of fries.
it's tiny, it's dim, it's one of the best places to be in flint.
Andrew L. Â Is 100% correct about the Torch. Â Torch has decent beer, damn good cheeseburger, fries so hot they sizzle on your tongue and a really nice wait staff (-1, there is one lady there that meaner than a hornet's nest)
The Torch isn't just that though and Andrew talks a little about it.  What first made me a Torch regular was what awesome people I would find there.  There were shop rats and lawyers hanging out, college kids talking to professors, theater kids hanging out with  homeless dudes (or vice versa),  Cartoonist talking with local band promoters,  bookstore people hanging out with tattoo artists and everyone getting along having beers.  I thought it was great. When you walk in  that bar you shake a dozen hands slap a dozen more high fives before you can make it to your table.
When I was in college that was the first Flint Bar I went too and I got  spoiled.  I made new friends there, I chatted with strangers, I got a few mispours. I love that bar. Â
The torch isn't the greatest bar in the world but its a benchmark.
sometimes the music is too loud.
The Torch is the quintessential Flint bar. Located in scenic downtown Flint, it is a back alley gem surrounded by the blighted wasteland that is Flint's nightclub scene. It may not be the nicest bar in Flint, or have the best parking, or be "safe" (insert sarcastic sneer), but any bar in Flint that thinks they have a one up on the torch is deluding themselves.
The basics: Comfy seating, decent beer selection, weird bathroom setup ( If it's anything but a piss I wouldn't even bother, which is a problem because there are few fully operational late-night crappers downtown ).
The Torch is a black hole from which no light can escape. Perfect for that regrettable hookup or doomed blind date. It also makes every gathering of friends a private affair since you can't really see the next table.
This next point cannot be understated. The Torch Burger is the best burger in Genessee County hands down. There is no reason that the tiny grill next to the back door, manned by the waitress/bartender/cook should be able to produce such impeccable burger magic. Sometimes I eat them even when I'm not drinking!
The only reason The Torch isn't getting 5 stars is because of the likelihood you'll get shanked in the parking lot.
Hey, what the hell do you expect in the middle of downtown Flint! Â But, none the less, if you want one of those "Food Network" off the beaten path bars, this is the place for you. Â
The Torch Burger is the way to go. Â If you're looking for health, then go somewhere else. Â This place is where you go when you need a bar food fix - and there's NOTHING healthy about that! Â
The bar has a long history in Flint Town and for those of us who have left Flint, we pay homage when we're in the area.
If you get less than par service, stop being cheap and tip!
I went to Torch to watch Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. Â It is a dive bar with a couple of widescreens and that's all I need. Â I love the atmosphere. Â You walk in through the red door and you are greeted with random decorations, a bar that has liquor randomly displayed behind the counter, a deep fryer at one end, and a refrigerator just chillin' out in the open at the other side of the bar. Â There is a cigarette machine and a popcorn maker living side-by-side next to the fridge.
The bartender poured me a shot the size of a double and expertly poured me a two-finger head Guinness. Â They serve food here that would probably give you a heart attack. Â I highly recommend the mini tacos because they are basically just beef and cheese deep fried in a tortilla chip.
There are many tables and some seats at the bar. Â You can hear everone else's conversation if you really wanted to. Â I thought I would hate this place but I love it. Â I love how it just doesn't care.
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