M-brew

Cool place to hang out with friends. It’s a bar with a café feel. They have many local beers on tap and great pizza. The pizza is available by the slice or whole. They also have arcade games and pinball machines one the «basement» area.
Cons: parking on busy days is a hassle and they only have a one person restrooms.

Great assortment of local/​Michigan beers… and the taps rotate seasonally. Good pizza and bar munchies. Its like walking into someones house — there is a fireplace upstairs next to the bar which makes it feel homey. There is a man cave with plenty of video games downstairs. As a bonus, they also have a full sized shuffle board. All in all, a great neighborhood joint.

An imaginary 3.5 for now, but I figure it could end up being four if I come back and eat some food. I came in here on a Monday afternoon for a beer and some pinball (I am clearly an adult). They have quite a few pinball machines, most of which are newer (except Addam’s Family). The machines all work well, and seem to all cost 75c for one game, or $ 2 for three, with the exception of the Wizard of Oz table. Those are pretty standard prices, so not much to say about that.
The beers are just priced strangely — down to the penny, and seem a bit more expensive than most places, but hey, it’s Ferndale. I’ve heard the food is supposed to be pretty good, but I was saving my appetite for Dollar Dogs at Ye Olde Saloon. I like the extensive beer list and the pinball and other arcade machines, but I don’t see myself coming here a whole lot just because it costs more for the simple fact that it can. A mile down the road I can go to Ye Olde Saloon and get a decent beer list (smaller than here), some pinball machines (also, fewer than here), and a filling meal for considerably less money. Still, this is a nice place that I could see myself coming to fairly often if I lived in the area.
Likely unfair that I’m partially giving M-​Brew a fairy-​tale 3.5 because I’m a broke ass college kid, so… sorry about that. That’s why I rounded up.

We started coming here for the convenient location by our house and kept coming back for the great rotating Michigan beer selection, nice outdoor seating where we can bring our dog, awesome pizza, and fun arcade style game room in the back!
Staff is always very knowledgable of the beer selection and willing to let you sample before ordering. I’m not a big beer drinker so I appreciate this. They also have a small but nice wine selection which I often order from.
Menu is pretty unique but we always get the warm pretzels, pizza and salad. Haven’t tried many of the other options. Honestly, between the awesome beer and great pizza I don’t think they need the other menu items. I would really like to see the pretzel wrapped hot dog with bacon and cheese back on the menu though! So good.
Pro tip: Stop by for breakfast! The breakfast pizza is amazing. You can dine in or grab coffee and a slice to go.

Loved this place! At first I thought it was a little weird ordering drinks from a counter. it’s like McDonalds, but for beer! But in a good way. If you’re not sure what to order, they kindly allow you a sample taste.
They have converted a cute little bungalow into this personable hangout. Lovely seating all around a wrap around porch and in what was the yard beside the sidewalk. Once you have your beverage, head downstairs for some pinball, shuffleboard or just kick back and watch the tv. Got munchies? No worries! Pizza, and awesome looking baked goods are readily available. My friend couldn’t leave without getting one of their gigantic cookies to go! If you’re hanging out downtown in Ferndale, for sure make this one of your stops! Oh, and I highly recommend St. Julian’s cider on tap, it’s my new favorite! Delish with a capital D!!!

Sort of a hip place, but it has no vegetarian fare save for 3 sides: mediocre green salad, cole slaw and mac n cheese. After asking about veggie selections, discovered they also have a cheese pizza, but when I asked for 3 slices for the family, the guy taking my order said they only had pepperoni made and he wasn’t ready to make a cheese one… yet. I had to stare at him for a second before I confirmed he would not make a cheese pizza for slices. Seriously? It was barely 6, well w/​in the dinner time, so it was more than likely he would have sold whatever was left. It’s not like we asked for an olive and anchovy pizza, that would be harder to sell.
So meh. We also don’t drink, so the large selection of beer on tap holds absolutely no appeal and w/​relatively no selection in food and not even a minimal effort to accommodate us from the too cool for school server, there is just no reason to go back.

This place has an impressive offering of indie brews, nice and frothy, make sure you wipe your mouth off or your friends will think you have rabies, trust me, I know what Im talking about! If you like pinball AND beer (I suppose you could like them both individually as well, a pinball lover but a beer hater or a beer lover and a pinball hater. If you are like that you are boring) then this is the place to be in Ferndale, believe me, I know what Im talking about!
M-​brew has an impressive selection of pinball machines that are activated by a few quarters. Apparently some pretty talented players frequent this place because the replays are challenging and it’s real challenging to enter your initials on the board (trust me, I know what Im talking about!).
This place is really chilled out, good for groups and good if you want to be left alone. Ill be back, man! Oh yea, they have delicious looking food also.

Love this place. First off, it’s versatile. I have met colleagues here for a mid-​morning business meeting complete with dueling laptops, coffee, and breakfast pizza. I’ve taken a seven year old to play pinball and have a slice and a root beer. I stop in for a seven am coffee on the way to work, and I’ve closed the place down with friends out on the porch late at night.
And, they deliver, pizza, fried chicken, and even (my favorite) The Brew Burger (just do it, you can thank me later. This place is the ultimate neighborhood joint, and what it lacks in a not-​so-​expansive menu, it more than makes up for in friendliness. Oh, salad-​lovers? Nope, skip it… there is NOTHING for you here.

This is one of my favorite spots in the area. It’s so low key and relaxing.
The staff is great, I love how friendly they are and they have great recommendations.
Also, anywhere where you can go from great coffee to great beer is A-​OK in my books!
I love the arcade although some of the machines are frequently broken but not enough to ruin the experience… it’s never too crowded and I love the renovated space. I wish there was one of these in every town.

First, let me say, I’d come back here to have drinks and play games. There’s a really cool vibe here, like you’re hanging out in your best friend’s basement. It is also very reminiscent of an Up North Country Store — lots of Michigan products, treats, and cool gift items in addition to food and drinks.
I heard good things about the pizza and I had a craving, so my husband and I stopped in. We ordered a couple of slices and beer. The pizza was meh. Bready, and not much flavor. Perhaps if we had ordered one to take home fresh, it would have been better? I don’t like pizza that tastes like bread with pizza stuff on it, and that’s basically what this was.
The desserts looked amazing, though, so I’d come back. The girls handling the counter were very friendly and the crowd was cool. Family friendly fun.
But…if you’re looking for a fantastic slice, head to The Loving Touch instead. ;)

I have been there for beers and games on pretty much every day during ther week and have been happy. This review is on something different, something special they offer that I do not know of a another place that offers… oh you want to know now…
…oh you crave to know now…
…oh you want to know bad now…
I will tell you what they offer that really satisfies !!!
They have a breakfast pizza !!! by the huge slice, or order ahead for a 6 piece medium or a 8 piece large. I have gotten all three to bring into the offer or sometimes being sneaky selfish just for myself lol. It is so good and always ready when I have ordered on time from 7am to ranging from 7:30am. Here is the lowdown on it…
Rise & Shine Breakfast Pizza Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage gravy, scallions, and Pinconning cheese blend
Go there because it is a Rock’n Two Thumbs Up. just better not take my food lol :)
P. S. been there over 28 times for the breakfast food in 2015

This is my most ideal place for a happy hour. I cannot believe it took me this long to end up here. I went last week and was greeted by large picnic tables and a wrap around porch. Perfect.
The inside is a wooden paneled ceiling terrace with double doors opening to the porch which is great for near outside drinking. When I say near outside I mean «I like eating outside minus the wind and possible rain». The setup of the restaurant is ordering at the counter followed by getting a number and they bring the food to you.
To the beer. Rotating taps. Some familiar michigan beers. Some limited release brews. Some you haven’t heard of. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Plus plastic cups, in case you have a few too many and get clumsy like me.
The food is centered around the pizza. I wouldn’t call their «Detroit» style pan pizza but it’s not a regular crust. Maybe if regular hand tossed and pan pizza had a child, that would be this pizza.
The Piggy Q was phenomenal. Brisket and pulled pork with barbecue sauce. Who needs Slows BBQ anyway? Get at least a slice of this.
But the best part is walking through the building down the steps to a paradise of arcade games and pinball machines. If you grew up playing space invaders like me your inner 8 year old is jumping up and down with a Fanta in his hand. Overall a great experience.

M-​brew is an awesome addition to the neighborhood. I love me some pinball and they’ve got pinball! Score! They have some pretty kick ass old school arcade games, as well as darts and shuffleboard. The arcade portion of M-​brew is located on the bottom floor, and it really does feel like you are hanging out in somebody’s basement in the best possible way.
I don’t drink beer but it seems like they have plenty of craft brews on tap. I don’t drink coffee but I know they open early for your a.m. fix. They have a small assortment of baked goods and I know they have pizza that looks pretty decent. They also have Ferndalelicious gifts, like mugs and t-​shirts.
While the pinball is a bit pricier than some other similar arcades I’ve been to (75 cents a game!), this is a super fun neighborhood hang out spot. Looking forward to spending some more time here this summer.

Really the only time I like coming here is when it’s dead… like on a Sunday morning at 9 am. I can grab a slice of some of their pretty amazing breakfast pizza, a beer and hang out by the fire. I’d avoid the breakfast sandwiches… they were dry and hard but the pizza was whip.
When it’s slow the game room is fun, when it’s busy it’s kind of a nightmare. The shuffleboard isn’t well taken care of and there isn’t anything to wipe it down with or sand to add to it so it takes the fun out of playing since it’s kind of jacked-​up. Otherwise, they have plenty of other games to play. It’s a decent stop for a quick beer on a Friday night but I haven’t wanted to stay here very long. The crowd can be pretty hit or miss.

Another great spot for Ferndale. There is not shortage of craft beer options in the area. I’m happy about that! I like that it’s on a side street, which isn’t too busy.
I haven’t spent any time on the 1^st floor, but it seems like a good spot to hang if you like pinball machines. Upstairs is kind of cozy with a fireplace. They have a pretty good draft list. I’ve always found a good variety and new beers to try. Staff has always been helpful and friendly. I’ve eaten dinner here one time. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and fries. The pulled pork was pretty standard. The fries were great. Full of spice, even a little hot. I could’ve eaten the whole basket!
I’m looking forward to visiting M-​Brew in the summer!

This place was really crowded, which is usually a good sign. But considering the lack of organization or seating this made for a lot of people awkwardly standing around. This included people standing in front of arcade machines they weren’t even using.
The food looked like nasty bowling alley food, but the pastries were delicious looking (I got a cannoli and it was, in fact, delicious) but a little pricey. The drink selection was great: all michigan beers, ciders, meads, and wines. A lot of good ones too. However they serve everything, including the wines, in clear plastic cups. That’s so you can look as classy as possible sitting next to the fireplace in the corner.
The game selection was pretty weak. The ATM charges you $ 3 to use it, so make sure you have cash. There were a lot of pinball machines, but most people don’t care about pinball machines. There was a knock-​off street fighter that sucked. There was one machine that had Pacman, Ms Pacman, and Galaga all in one machine. That was a great machine, except that everyone wanted to play on that one because all of the other ones were dumb. The best options there were the bubble hockey table and the shuffleboard table which aren’t even arcade games.
But despite all of these disappointments we still had a really good time and may return someday.

Great pizza. Got the Detroit style crust. Good craft beer selection and lots of Made
In Michigan products. Nice place to relax and hang out in a Up North kinda vibe.

I’m not sure whether to give this place 3 or 4 stars. Maybe by the time I’m done with my review I’ll have a better idea.
When my friend told me about this place, I thought it was going to be like a barcade. I met my friends upstairs, and it felt like a ski lodge with Michigan beers. I got a soft pretzel which was pretty good, but not amazing.
When we went downstairs, it felt like… a basement. It felt like your cool uncle’s basement who had been collecting games. There were some children there on a Friday night, so I didn’t get a real barcade vibe.
They had shuffleboard, some pinball games and some classic arcade games, but nothing really enticed me.
The tables and stools were kind of wobbly. I knocked into the table about 3 times spilling drinks.
I’m not sure if I’ll make an effort to visit this place again.

Great selection of craft beer, and vintage arcade games in the basement, as well as an awesome shuffleboard!
I was visiting college friends that live there now. M-​brew was the perfect place for a reunion!

This place reminded me of Olive Garden: I couldn’t figure out whether I was enjoying myself or not.
First off, the place looks like a huge house that was turned into a bar. The upstairs is a lot nicer than the downstairs, almost presenting a tropical-​type feel with all the wood and chairs. It’s probably really fun in the summertime. The downstairs is more open and less bells and whistles; it boasts a wide range of pinball machines and old arcade games (Galaga, anyone?!), along with one bathroom for each sex. That can become problematic on weekends because there are no bathrooms upstairs.
The beer selection is vast. From Shorts to Founders to Dragonmead and more, you can get your porter or IPA or stout as you wish. The prices vary, as some beers cost $ 5.50 while others cost $ 8. I’m not sure how the pricing works but I would definitely look closely at the chalkboard by the register if you’re concerned. Alas, any craft beer fan would be quite thrilled with the selection.
I played pinball for a few minutes. One thing that sucks is that there is nowhere to put your drink, which can be inconvenient. I don’t know… it’s a cool place to hang out and throw back some beers, but I wouldn’t ever hang out here for hours. It’s laid back but lacks overall character that distinguishes other establishments from their counterparts.