Grizzly Peak – The Den

The brewery steak sandwich is out of control good. It came highly recommended by the folks I was with and it did not disappoint.

Favorite Sandwich: Brewery Steak, medium rare.
Favorite Beer: Whatever is Seasonal
Favorite Salad: Garden with Pesto Ranch
Favorite Server: Tammy!
Only Complaint:
The guy that sits by himself at the six top in the front of the bar with his computer on friday night… seriously? Have had multiple people tell me the same story about this guy. But in all fairness dude isn’t there every night or anything. but still wow.

To say that I have experienced better is an understatement. But, this establishment does have some very good food and beer. As with many places, the issue is not with the product. Rather, it is the server who delivers the product in this case that obligates me to give this place a substandard rating.
The Den is one of my semi-​regular spots when I go out. Most recently, I went into The Den with my younger sister and met a few friends (who regularly have lunch there) on a Thursday evening to have a beer and some pizza. Our server Tammy, copped an attitude with myself and my sister for nearly our entire time there. Every time I asked for something, or had any run-​of-​the-​mill customer-​server interaction with her, she appeared to have some sort of attitude with me. I understand that servers are busy, but that did not permit Tammy to conduct herself the way that she did. Am I asking for a red carpet to be rolled out for me? Absolutely not, rather, I would appreciate feeling like a customer instead of an annoyance.
Typically I am guilty of being a blanket tipper due to the fact that I know the difference between the wages of someone who works for tips and someone who does not. For this particular visit, that is the ONLY reason that our server Tammy received a dime from me.
I sincerely hope that Tammy’s employment at The Den is transitory, so that less consumers will have to experience her attitude.
P. S. I typically underwrite occurrences such as this one… the FIRST time they happen.

I came in with a few friends on a friday night.
We were immediately greeted by our server Katy who was super nice the entire night.
She helped us choose what beer to order since they brew their own stuff.
My beer was hoppy and perfect.
I could not finish the entire liter beer since those things are massive but it was cool to have a mug as big as my head.

The Den at Grizzly Peak is a great place to stop in before or after a game for a pint and a snack and to catch up on other scores and games on the TVs. If you want a full meal, you should go to the restaurant side of the establishment. Bartenders in the Den are usually helpful and friendly. It is much better than a traditional «sports bar» in so many ways…

We came from a UofM basketball game and the bachelor’s party was filled with good spirits, despite the freezing trek from the stadium.
Any place that highlights their burger as famous or signature deserves a try, and try I did.
Wow. I went with a bleu cheese and bacon. Buddy of mine got a similar burger, but he went with a kobe.
I was in heaven. It’s like that episode in «How I Met Your Mother» where Marshall’s on his conquest for the perfect burger. Well, this is a runner-​up. Not the perfect burger but, worth mentioning.
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On a side note: I honestly don’t drink much, and I never tried the beer, but the food could easily stand alone on its own merits.

Steak sandwich: not bad, but too salty.
Sweet potato fries: not bad, but served lukewarm.
Lemonade: standard stuff, no complaints
Overall: ³⁄₅.

No matter where you stand, an employee will tell you that you need to move. I’ve been here four times and every time I end up leaving because it’s impossible to stand anywhere in the bar. We even had a table last night and we were asked to move away. It’s not really worth going to a bar if you can’t hangout and talk with your friends. Arena and Mash are much better options.

Not only does this place offer flights, but you can even decide on the number of samples from 5 to 9. I started with six and they added some more after I started getting into it. None of the beers particularly jumped out at me, but I did not get to try the Irish Red. I am not sure if that would have changed my opinion. Unlike most bars that only show sports with Michigan teams, these guys had EPL on. I am not a soccer fan, but hooray for being different! The bartender was very cool and helpful. They had several pale ale varieties, but that is generally not my [preferred] cup of tea.

Everything made from scratch (or so I hear). Ordered the Chicken Pappardelle entrée for dinner. The dish was delicious… for the first few bites. If you like salty, creamy pasta, then this is for you (not me). The atmosphere was very cozy. I’d want to come back and check out the beer selection.

With better Unilocal reviews than Arbor Brewing Company, I went to Grizzly. On a positive note, the fish tacos were excellent. However, the beer was decent at best. And the main reason for my lackluster review was the service. The staff was despondent and joyless. My view of a craft brew bar is that staff should live and love their beer. I would even be a prime candidate to purchase mugs, etc., but I left the establishment with no affection for the place. Liven up! And keep trying to make beer!

Hmmm, not sure about this place. Smelled like a mix of mustiness and table cleaner when we walked in. Beers I tried were only Ok, I liked the stout the best. Prices were ok, but there are too many quality breweries popping up for this place to leave a positive impression on me. HOping they step it up a bit.

Visiting Ann arbor for the weekend. Fun place, good beer and polenta fries with homemade ketchup was so good. Cheddar ale soup real good too and chicken club cooked nice. Service was adequate

Love the beer here, if you don’t like heavy beer their Victor’s Gold is for you. I prefer the Irish Red or one of the seasonal beers. Food is also solid here, I love their open faced hanger steak sandwich. I could eat that every day if I wouldn’t die from a heart attack.
This is always our go to pre-​game bar and have usually have great service I’d say 98% of the time. But this was also the place where I had a bar back spill my beer on me once and then told me «Next time get the fuck out of my way». When I asked to speak to a manager the woman treated me like I was some dumb 22 year old kid who didn’t really matter while she was defending the fact that her employee used the f-​bomb on me. After I asked for her name and mentioned I would be writing a letter to the management company that operates the place and let them know what she thought was expectable did she start to really take my complaint seriously.
I don’t want that paragraph to act like that is the level of service to expect because as I said I have never have had an issue other than that time. I mentioned it because it was probably my single worst customer service experience I have ever encountered and I still see the guy in there working. If he is at the Bar he purposely avoids me and will get everyone else their drinks then do some bar prep work before he will finally ask me what I want to drink. That unfortunately still holds true today, wish the guy knew I have no issues with him just want a beer.

The mug club for $ 60 is great! I purchased this in 2005. It’s paid itself off over and over and over again. You’ll always get your beer in a mug-​club-​only mug, discounts on beer during normal hours as well as happy hour.
I am a big fan of food here– same menu as Grizzly Peak. The cheddar ale soup is perfect year-​round. Not too thick, not too much crap in it– it’s made just right. The burgers and sweet potato fries are amazing as well. I do not put their food in the same category as «bar food». It’s waaaay better than that.
Now, the reason this place is getting 3 stars is because of their service. The two bartenders that are usually working are quite rude– especially the male bartender. You can be standin at the bar for hours (well, more like 20 minutes because I usually give up after a while), actually make contact with the bartender and he’ll just ignore you. Sometimes, he’ll make comments like «I’m busy» or «don’t stand there. I won’t serve you if you stand there», etc etc. If you can get a table and a server, then I can guarantee that you’ll have a good time and no one will talk to you like the male bartender… but on a weekend night when it’s difficult to find a table, go elsewhere. There are plenty of other restaurants and bars with excellent hand crafted beer. Trust me.

If the staff have their iPods plugged in, the music here is top notch. Couldn’t have done better myself. I now consider this my home bar. The staff and service are awesome, the beer is great, and most nights you better have something special going on to get me to go anywhere else.

I’ve spent many hours drinking beers in the Den. As other reviewers have noted, Grizzly Peak brews its own beers and always has its core brews on draught, with 2 – 3 rotating taps. The rotating taps are often interesting or unusual beers, and worth considering. The staff is always happy to bring a small taste before you order, so feel free to ask if you’re curious about any of the beers.
If you’re planning to come to Grizzly Peak or the Den often, it’s worth your while to join the Mug Club. $ 60 buys you lifetime membership. You get a GP mug to take home, and then you are always able to get gigantic beers at happy hour prices ($ 2.50 for a mug – and the mugs are bigger than pints). If you don’t join the Mug Club, you can still get some bargains on beer. Consider going in for a pitcher, or the multi-​beer samplers are also a good value. There are also both afternoon and late night happy hours when pints are $ 2.50.
Any of the food from the Grizzly Peak menu is available at the Den. I usually stick to appetizers or sandwiches when in the Den (except for those few times when we’ve snagged a booth here because there’s a wait for a table at GP). The burger is very good, in large part because they will cook it to order. I also like the polenta fries and the mussels. Food is solid, not great, but for the price and the setting you can’t ask for much more.
My biggest gripe with Grizzly Peak and the Den is that they’re always tinkering with their menus and recipes, usually for the worse. I used to LOVE the Victor’s Golden Ale, until one time I ordered it and thought I got a skunked glass. The bartender replied, «No, it’s our new recipe, isn’t it great?» Uh, no, I thought it was skunked! So I don’t order the Golden anymore. They’ve recently changed up their excellent ravioli dish from artichoke to pumpkin, which sounded delicious but wasn’t that great. And a few years ago they revamped their pork chop dish so you got only one chop instead of two for the same price. I wish the GP folks would recognize when they’ve got a good thing and not play around with it.
The Den does get crowded on weekend evenings and right after work on weekdays. Plan accordingly.

This is the «bar» extension of the Grizzly Peak restaurant and you can get the same menu here as next door. The bartenders have always been friendly and the beer is always great. The happy hours are really good as well.

Average beer and average atmosphere.
What sets The Den apart is their late night happy hours. At those cheaper prices after 11pm (I believe), their microbrews are good value. It’s a place to go with friends at the end of a long day that does little damage to your wallet.

The Den is the bar next door to the Grizzly Peak Brewing Co. Restaurant. It’s a separate space, has a separate front door, offers separate hours … it surely should have it’s own section in Unilocal!
The Den could become a nice hole in the wall someday, but for now it’s still too nice and new. It’s a great space — dimly lit and cozy with a long bar, high topped wood tables, and roomy booths. The tables by the front door are always the last to fill up in the winter because it’s FREEZING — there’s no vestibule to offer any protection from a rush of cold air every time the door is opened.
The Den serves food off a menu that has much of the same offerings as Grizzly Peak Restaurant but I’d say many people come here for the bar, not to necessarily eat. The Den is often busy later in the evening as all their house-​brewed beers are $ 2 a pint after 11pm — every night of the week! It’s a favorite late night spot for many twenty-​something locals and students.
The service is usually pretty good, although as the night gets later it can get harder to find your server as the place picks up steam. One strange phenomenon — if you order your drinks at the bar, you pay no tax (i.e., $ 2 for your beer) while if you order your drinks tableside tax is added to your drink (i.e., $ 2.12 for your beer). Obviously not a big deal, but rather strange!
BOTTOM LINE: The Den is a great spot to hit up if you’re in the Main st. area. Head there after 11pm to take advantage of their great beers at great prices. Try to snag a spot towards the back in the winter so you don’t freeze your buns off.