The Holiday Bar

A little bummed because I ordered a $ 6.00 pulled pork and the bartender says, «we have a special with…» Do I said sure.
The special costs $ 11.00
I don’t think a special should be that much more than your order. That’s not a special.

They gave the holiday bar a make over recently– fresh paint, new front windows, cleaned up tables, and a much improved outside back patio. It still has the neighborhood feel but it’s less dive bar-​y now. Oh, and the burger is great! They have $ 4 burger baskets on Sunday’s. Get that with the fries!

I only like going when Tim is bartending. Everyone else just seem like they have no idea what they are doing. Or have a shitty attitude. Food is decent. Drinks are a bit pricey.

Here on a summer Wednesday night… moderate crowd, acceptable background music (not too loud) and huge semi-​circular bar. Took a while for either of the two bartenders to acknowledge me after I sat down at the bar but not a crazy long wait. Decent beer selection on tap (8 – 10) and a fairly decent «bar food» menu. This won’t be co fused with other «gastric pubs» I. GR but if you want a westside GR bar to grab a beer and grub this seems like an ok place. They also have a sizable outdoor seating area that might be pretty nice on a pleasant summer or fall evening.

Enjoyed the neighborhood old time pub feel. We were lucky enough to sit with a longtime Grand Rapids couple (celebrating their 60^th anniversary) and who made the family style seating enjoyable. We all had burgers that were good, not amazing. Atmosphere and food make a place we will visit again.

This place is exactly what you might expect of a bar on the west side.
Other than the lack of parking and the fact that they don’t care one iota about people smoking (real cigarettes, in violation of both state law and local ordinance), this is a pretty decent place to grab a cold one.

A bright spot, glad to dim things with happy overservice. Man that was a lot of Crown!
There’s a great table right between the mens and ladies rooms that’s perfect for people watching and making friends.

Great bar and good live music! This bar will grow on you and seems to attract a crowd ranging from every age group… that is every age over 21 years old. They have live music on weekends, open mic night and karaōke. They just added an outdoor area which is pretty big and I’m told they will be doing a happy hour music special out there. The servers and owner are top notch!

Had a burger and a couple of draughts. Classic westside! Friendly staff, good food, worth a stop.

Great Grand Rapids dive bar.
Cheap beer/​booze
Nostalgic look and feel.
One of my favorite west side spots.

Always good times at this little dive! Staff is awesome, prices are super cheap, music is great.

Our trip to the West Side begins at The Holiday Bar (801 5^th St). It’s one of the oldest businesses in Grand Rapids. Great grandfather opened the Ideal Tavern 105 years ago on Stocking Avenue. The bar had to move when the Arsulowicz Brothers built their mortuary there. It has been on 5^th Street for only 60 years. The next generation of the extended Arsulowicz family has taken over and brought the bar up to date. They added hi-​top tables, two new pool tables, nine HD TVs and a coat of paint. But they still have the classic 40-​foot horseshoe bar. The Open Mic is hoppin’ on Tuesdays and there’s Gong Show Karaōke on Wednesdays with $ 4 Jäger Bombs. Just make sure you try the Holiday Shot — Bailey’s and Rumple Minze. It’s a holiday everyday at the Holiday Bar.

I’m a fan of the good ol’ Holiday Bar. I like the newer look and staff. it’s still a dive but God Bless them for trying. Cheap beers and pretty solid drinks. you get a decent crowd on the weekends. Full of regulars, college folk, young pro’s, and dirtballs. Overall a swell time on the Westside.
Cheers.

My friend Krueger and I found this place by chance. We were actually on a hunt for a different west side dive that my dad used to go to when I was a kid. I would be dropped off every other Friday, and when I asked my step mom where my dad was, she would always say «Oh, he’s down at the Triangle.»
Anyway, on our way to the Triangle, we passed this awesome looking gem, and decided we would have to stop there on the way back. The Triangle sucked, so we were back there within a half hour.
It was Tuesday. JUMBO Tuesday! This is the only bar I’ve ever been to that served 40oz beers at the bar for under $ 4.00. They even served them with a tiny glass. I felt classy.
A quite large place, with very few people inside. No one under the age of 40. Dirty, with what I thought was a hardwood floor the first two times I was here. Until once, we hit a pool ball off of the table, and when it hit the ground, it didn’t sound like wood. It was then I realized that it was carpet that had a print to look like hardwood. Again, pure class.
The juke box sucks. But if you put in a five, you can play the entire Abby Road album, with one play left over for a Cheap Trick song. $ 1.25 drafts, and cheap strong mix drinks. Cheap greeeaaaassssyyy bar food, i.e. deep fried pickles, wings, fries, mini tacos, etc. No kitchen, but the ever convenient Auto Fry at the end of the bar.
The mens room smells like ass, and often there is vomit in the sink, but the ladies room smells just like Fruit Loops.
Being one of the oldest bars still in operation in the area, you’re sure to hear some stories from the old timers who are there every day.
I liked this place so much, I ended up slinging drinks here for two years. And even almost getting into my first fight, with two white trash gangsta girls covered in jailhouse tattoos. I ended up getting off easy, by dodging a burger to the head, and having a rock thrown through the window. Whew.