The Beer Grotto – Ann Arbor

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.

The bartenders here are super kind, and allowed me to try a few different beers before I decided on one since they weren’t super busy when we came in. We were able to sit outside on a gorgeous night! I am a strict Blue Moon/​Shock Top devotee so everything else pales in comparison, so I am definitely not their target audience, who loves more obscure beers or trying a whole bunch of IPA’s or something. But because they were so kind to me and helped me find something similar to the fruity beers I prefer, I give them 5 stars! The customer service they offered us is hard to match in A2 and hopefully everyone can find something they enjoy drinking here!

I don’t think it’s fair to say this is the best-​kept secret in Ann Arbor based on the crowds that are now routinely there, but if you haven’t been, you’re missing out. Kiddie-​corner from Bill’s Beer Garden, it’s a far better selection of beer — and they let you try anything in 2-​oz pours — while the on-​site patio is the chillest place in AA if you ask me. But really, it comes down to the beer and this place is always changing up its game while keeping some great house favorites on tap. This is a beer lover’s hangout because whether it’s light, medium or dark, they have something that will please your palette.

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.

Nice place nice staff and good selection of beers
I love how you can order 3oz sizes to try out beers
I would have loved to stay to try more beers and I would come back.

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.

I didn’t have a particularly nice, relaxing first visit to The Beer Grotto yesterday but they deserve recognition for the beer selection, staff (most of them) and outdoor seating. The Beer Grotto would be my favorite beer hangout if not for this first visit. The patio is small but there is a tent for shade. The truffle popcorn is a great munchie to enjoy with all the beverages (and downright addicting). There are a couple wine options and you can take home a growler of your favorite. I would recommend the Peach Punch — great sour on tap. Their Grotto white on tap was nice too.
If you have a large party, go somewhere else or insist on reserving a table if they will do that for you. I didn’t insist and my large party was awkward, uncomfortable and mad at me having to squeeze in at a four top; no matter how much popcorn I brought them.
Employees can be caught talking mad-​smack about customers and «her large party», making for a not so welcoming atmosphere, but that was only one employee and the others were cheery and helpful. Oops. Oh well. We all vent about people but it should be at appropriate times; not in front of other customers nor when I can walk in and catch the conversation.
Seems like a great place but not so welcoming for me. This was my experience. I hope it won’t be yours.

I’m a huge fan of the place. Knowledgeable, kind bartenders. Great, chill space. Awesome selection of beers that’s always well-​curated. Probably ideal for a small group of friends instead of a large party, given the size of the place, but I’ve been with as many as 10 other people and we were able to sit together out under the heated tent. Does get busy sometimes and because the bartenders are patient guys, you sometimes have to wait for some nice guy or gal to make up their mind. Protip: When in doubt, just trust the folks behind the bar. Tell ‘em what you usually drink and they’ll make sure you have a great experience.

If you’re looking for a great selection of beer with value look no further! This is the place. Service is amazing and very friendly. Set in a casual atmosphere with an outdoor seating area as well. Great place to get a quick beer before setting out on the town.

This is a cool place. I like the outdoor patio. It’s small so at times it is hard to find a place to sit. I think the prices are a little on the high side and the ordering procedure is sometimes cumbersome if you are behind someone who is trying to decide which beer to get. Most of the times there is just one person serving up the drinks.
I was there last weekend looking forward to the heated tent they have set up on the patio which I enjoyed so much in the summer. Alas, they had run out of propane for the heaters so I took a seat at the window and watched the folks buzzing around the Fleetwood Diner across the street. They have recently added a television, I guess to appease the sports crowd, but I think it was pretty unnecessary.
I’ll check back in when they get more propane or just leave it until summer. See you there.

A bit pricier than Ashley’s, and without the variety. Still, I go here quite often. When I just want to be out of the apartment, without trying to get a group together to hang out, this works very nicely. I tend to use the place like others do Starbucks — drop in, get a drink or five, and quietly read.
Edit: I realized after the fact that I omitted key points from my review. Rather than type out a full story, I’ll keep this brief: All of the staff are amazing, both incredibly knowledgeable of the selection, and friendly. Stopping into Beer Grotto is much like dropping by an old friend’s house.

Beer Grotto trumps Beer Garden… sorry to say it, but I did. It is far less busy, has a wider selection and the staff is so helpful! Each staff person knows how to properly describe each beer, and has taste tested them for themselves!
The best part of the Beer Grotto. bring in local food and receive a percent off of your total bill!

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.

This place is R-​A-​D, RAD. Conveniently located downtown within a ton of parking around, this niche place on the corner has it all: indoor seating, outdoor seating, and beer, simply beer. No fancy food menu to complicate things or endless lists of beers that makes my head spin, but a select list of beers that makes things easy.
Instead of just simply listing the beers on tap, they categorized them into types such as sour/​fruity, wheat ales, stouts, etc etc. The tap area is just what it should be, a counter with the taps right in front of you, not too far away so you can get idea of what you’re in for. You’re allowed to try a few different beers before choosing «the one» but the staff is more than knowledgeable about each one. I felt very comfortable and excited about my Arcadia «Whitsun» that was delicious and perfect for the afternoon on the patio.
Speaking of, the patio was awesome. They did what they could with the limited but priceless outdoor seating area. The tables are a neat glass mosaic with high, large umbrellas to keep the sun from frying my ginger skin. The chairs were larger than the standard ones, allowing me to get comfy and enjoy the atmosphere.
Great beer, great service, great location, great place.

Went here as a post game for a wedding with a few friends. I can’t drink beer so I can’t attest to how it was, but the selection seemed interesting. They had a number of local beers. The layout was different, with a few high top tables inside, a low counter and then a fridge with a selection on beers and ciders. Service was good. The guy behind the counter was willing to talk through each beer and figure out the best to fit what you were looking for. The truffle oil popcorn? To die for.
There’s a cute little outdoor area to sit, talk shop and people watch but in the street right next to that was a whole lot of garbage… after a 90+ degree day. Ew.

SETTING:
On the corner of the street with an outdoor patio. This place is laid back to the max. No pretentious people allowed! Could get crowded, but I wasn’t rubbing shoulders with people who I did not know. Awkward/​judgemental eye contact never happened and was always averted, so it was fine by me. Wine barrels were spread out to use as tables, but there weren’t enough chairs! Unless people swiped them for their own group. Also catered to a diverse group of ages, ethnic backgrounds, etc! Thumbs up for diversity!
DRINKS:
Order up front. What I liked is that you could try 2 types of drinks to sample before deciding what to purchase. You also have an option of size for your drink. They make their own drinks too.
SERVICE:
For how busy it was, the staff up front with the ordering were patient and moved quickly. Efficiency at its best.
IMPRESSIONS:
I never quite understood why people would go to the bar to hangout. It’s loud, dark, and sometimes dirty. Why don’t we just hangout at our friend’s place where I can hear you, see you, and not feel repulsed when I make a trip to the bathroom?
Although I did not use the bathroom at BG, the other qualities make BG an exception. Sure it has many similarities to a typical bar, but the atmosphere is welcoming towards everyone, and it is pretty affordable, so you don’t feel like you’re breaking the bank. Just a good all around place to kick back and relax with your buddies. Oh, your place is too bright, quiet, and clean, so you want to go elsewhere? Beer Grotto? Okay, count me in!

Good selection of beers, especially Michigan beers. Knowledgeable staff. Great location. Designed tastefully. Awesome outdoor seating.
The only semi-​minor thing that would propel this rating to the rarely obtainable five stars is more seating at the bar. I like to chat it up with bearded men (don’t we all?).

Great beer selection of quality and friendly service. They let me taste a few beers to help me which is nice. They’re also quite knowledgeable about helping you find something you like, a trait that seems to be missing at a lot of places. Seems to be strong emphasis on jolly pumpkin here. They have a good selection of European beers (Belgian style, German style), and IPA (of course).
When I came here one Saturday afternoon it wasn’t too crowded, but I can see how this place could fill up real quick looking at other reviews. Other than that, nothing but nice things to say!
They also have a really nice patio where you can sit when the weather is nice (:

Decent beer selection (plenty of Jolly Pumpkin, though few unique or weird entries), emphasis on tasters (like a good ice cream shop), and a few little tables.
Much smaller than Bill’s Beer Garden across the way, and the small fence means much more road noise. Inside is pleasant, but outside feels much like drinking on the sidewalk.
I like a good sour, and the Grotto seemed to offer two — the only one the bartender knew off the top of his head was the Jolly Pumpkin iO saison. Good start, but I’ll dig deeper next time.

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!