Brewery Vivant

ebby82

Virginia

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$

My wife and I tried this place during our Michigan beer trip for our five year wedding anniversary.

We were given the option of eating indoors or out; we chose to sit outside. We were seated at a long picnic table like seat. This was strange, but everything else made up for it.

We had one of the sampler trays, which had 4 different beers for 10 dollars or so. Every single beer was great, my personal favorite was the amber abbey ale while my wife loved the Wit. Also have the Belgian IPA and the farmhouse ale.

The food was excellent, and the service was good. Overall, a really good experience.

07-15-2011 00:27:44 | More by ebby82

cratez

Ontario (Canada)

4.2/5  rDev -0.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Came here on a Saturday afternoon with nicktbm and our significant others in October 2011. The sign outside invited us to "warm up with beer," so we took them up on the offer.

Inside sports a beautiful and spacious church-like interior with stained glass windows, high ceilings, communal tables, and about 10 seats at the bar. Crowd is locals who mind their own business. Our server was relaxed and welcoming - he helped us along with beer recos and suggested some dishes to pair with our drinks.

We ordered two flights of the Triomphe Belgian IPA, Farm Hand Ale, Big Red Coq, and Heavy Handed Double Chocolate Stout. The IPA and Red Ale were my favourites, and my oenophile girlfriend really liked the Farm Hand. Compared to other brewpubs, the beer selection is limited, since they do not carry any guest taps, bottles, or cellared offerings. But their house beers are bold, tasty, and unconventional, so they get high marks from me.

For food I had a delicious Oxtail Hash with sunny side eggs and English muffin toast. The lady enjoyed her Pork Belly BLT, even though she couldn’t finish the massive portion. Prices are reasonable as most pints are $4-5 and lunch entrees are in the $12-14 range. After our meal we popped into the retail store, where my friend bought a few cans of beer and a brewery t-shirt. The cashier was happy to chat with us while we looked around.

Overall, we were quite satisfied with our experience here and it made for a nice afternoon stop. Vivant is an impressive, quality brewpub with friendly staff, interesting beers, and an attractive, unique atmosphere. I highly recommend this place if you happen to be in Grand Rapids.

11-05-2011 19:39:25 | More by cratez

Frosty80

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $

Absolutely remarkable atmosphere! I really loved the size of place. A lot smaller than i thought but it works to make you feel like youre at a private party in a friends pole barn - a pole barn made to look like a beautiful Belgian monastery. The details are amazing in this place. One thing i noticed that probably gets overlooked or under-appreciated are the coat/purse hooks under the ledges between the pillars - speaks to the amount of thought that went into the design. I like the efforts made to be energy efficient including motion lights in the bathrooms. Seems common sense.

The beers are all good, though im not sure any of the ones i tried were outstanding. All seemed to be pretty textbook though they are still many i have not had. only had one dish there - the duck and brie sauce nachos. Holy shit. seemed like a lot of money but you got a decent plate full and it was very rich and filling not to mention delicious. I look forward to trying some other fair.

The service seemed average, nothing out of the ordinary either way.

Overall ill be going there quite a bit because of the quality of products and the atmosphere. Way to go Jason and co for doing it right!

03-21-2011 17:35:39 | More by Frosty80

Gigantis

Michigan

4.15/5  rDev -1.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4.5 | $$$

Brewery Vivant is a new-ish beer bar and restaurant on Cherry in Grand Rapids. It has actually been "open" since mid-December but the "grand opening" was held on St. Patrick's day. I have been there a couple of times and I can tell you that it has come a long way since January when there were only three beers on the menu. The selection is more varied now and it seems to change regularly.

The good:
The place is pretty gorgeous I think. It used to be a funeral chapel and it's got the kind of high-ceilinged coziness that I enjoy. Wood beams and an overlook (for where the organ used to be, on assumes) complete the package and the bar is not particularly large but it is ornate yet humble. It looks larger than it actually is, but there is ample seating (more on that).
The beer is a solid 4/5. I have yet to sample one that really blew me away and I've sampled quite a few of them. The Contemplation is my favorite thus far. All the beers I've had a extremely drinkable but I haven't exactly been transported to flavor country yet. Still, they seem to be trotting out new ones every now and again. So far they only have two strong beers (over 9%). I think they should try and make some more of those. A quad perhaps?
The food is high quality stuff and a bit on the pricey side. You won't break the bank, but "The Burger" is 12 bucks - which seems like quite a lot to me but this was one fantastic burger.
Outdoor seating is forthcoming (if it ever warms up!) and they offer a "Monk Club" which comes complete with your own engraved chalice. Cool.

The Bad
There isn't much to complain about. The lack of actual space causes there to be long waits at certain times. So, if you want to eat dinner there on a Saturday, get your name on the list early. The other problem I have, which some may not find problematic at all, is that half the seating in the place is communal a la the Hofbrau House with long wooden tables. I am not personally a fan of this seating style and with Vivant I could see ending up forced, against my will, to sit next to some sort of undesirable. Of course, lots of people enjoy this sort of thing and it works for Vivant because they seem to be all about community.
From the coasters to the bike-powered television - a tv that has never once been on because it would take too much pedaling - Vivant sees itself as one of these new-fangled sustainable/local places. I wish they would just have a functional tv though and I do hope Vivant doesn't end up too full of itself.

But if you want a friendly place with it's own beer selection and fantastic ambiance, you will be quite happy with Vivant.

03-28-2011 18:10:05 | More by Gigantis

hotsudge

Ontario (Canada)

4.13/5  rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25 | food: 4 | $$

Beautiful building redone in a gorgeous architectural way. The beers we had were decent to great. We loved the atmosphere and really enjoyed the cheese plates paired to the beer. The nuts with beer were also great.

We entered and were seated at one of the bench style seats along all the other patrons. Unfortunately that wasn't overly comfortable and the guests next to us (inches away) weren't too social so we jumped at the chance to move to the bar. At the bar we had a great time. Other patrons next to us at the bar were social and we had some good conversations about the beers - if this matters to you...

Overall a great visit. Unfortunately after spending $150 at the bar and another $100 in merchandise (beer and swag) to go, we asked if they could call us a taxi cab and were told flat out no. Not the best way to end an expensive visit. Luckily the restaurant next door had a fantastic valet who hooked us up with wheels back to the hotel.

The beers we took home have been wonderful and we have the growlers to take back and refill.

05-12-2013 15:51:48 | More by hotsudge

abaculy

Michigan

4.03/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3 | $$

I went to Brewery Vivant on the Monday they opened. What a cool place! Rather small compared to other West Michigan places, there was still a fair amount of seating(which means you the place can get pretty crowded). The interior and exterior are both done up to resemble French/Belgian monastery a.k.a. abbey. I selected 4.0 for selection, but wish I could omit this category. I was told they would have 14 taps, and also have cider and wine. They plan to make their own wine in the future, and currently have Vander Mill's cider on tap(Not sure if they have their own taps or not). The first night, they had a Belgian IPA, an amber(I think an abbey), and one other. When I went back with my parents during the first week of 2011, they had 4 beers on tap (brown, amber, farmhouse, and one other). I would be more comfortable rating their selection when they've everything going at full force, but I do have confidence they will have a good selection relative to their theme. It was pretty crowded and the place will surely benefit from having their outdoor patio open, as many of the tables are like long picnic tables (although there are booths and many other smaller tables, plus bar seats). The mug club mugs are AWESOME! They are like a chalice or big goblet. I rate the foot as 3.0 because it was good, but the amount of fries you get doesn't seem like $5 worth. The beers were good, but not my style. I like a lot of Belgian beers, but the sour aftertaste sometimes gets me. The IPA had this and it just wasn't for me. I believe this may have been an abundance of lactic acid in the beer, but I would need it in front of me again to say for sure.

Overall, I recommend trying this place, as I can only see it getting better!

01-20-2011 01:42:09 | More by abaculy

SupaCelt

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

The ambiance and aesthetics of Brewery Vivant may quite possibly converge to compose the most unique commercial setting in which you will ever quaff a quality brew in West Michigan. This former funeral chapel is quite alive and quite well in these present times. Double doors lead to a vestibule containg Brewery Vivant logo goods and a few more steps lead to the seating area. A balcony showcasing a perfectly relevant stained glass window overlooks the mingling room from the entry side of the complex. Rustic furniture built from salvaged barn wood, including bench seating along picnic style tables that will inevitably lead to natural socialization among patrons, four place tables, and booths of walnut for more intimate gatherings comprise the seating area that besets a very lovely bar with tap handles that pour forth the delicious offerings of Brewery Vivant. A very appealing landscape indeed. Outdoor seating is a future luxury that will add to the already engaging character of this brewery.

The quality is good of course. It can only be expected. The brewery is owned and operated by industry professionals who have significant history in the craft brew realm as well as formal training within the particular brewing domain that this brewery will become famous for.

At the time of this review, which is based upon an experience on a Wednesday in the afternoon, the service was very prompt from attentive servers.

The selection at the time of this review was solid although more selections, by rule, would be more than welcome. A million taps would never be enough taps for the beer enthusiast. The brews on line during this encounter were well crafted and include an IPA named Triomphe, a rye ale named Sgt. Peppercorn, the perceived flagship farmhouse ale known as Farm Hand, and a quite satisfying brown or Brune ale. Very nice selections all, and quite approachable by both nuanced palates and those without experience in consuming beers of exceptional quality.

The food was not sampled at the time of this entry. Future updates may ensue.

The prices are on par with the prices of the other purveyors of fine drink within the Grand Rapids area.

It would appear that Brewery Vivant is off and running. It will be exciting to watch the progression as this enterprise takes its place within the craft brew industry and secures its nitch within the juggernaut that is the West Michigan beer scene. Cheers to Brewery Vivant, and well wishes on your journey...

01-20-2011 03:40:28 | More by SupaCelt

kbutler1

Minnesota

4/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 4 | $$

Been here a couple times now. Really beautiful place as you walk through the front doors into an old funeral church. Long tables go from the entry way all the way to the bar which are then surrounded by booths. Everytime I am here this place seems to be packed. The bar staff was friendly and we grabbed a couple of beers. The ambiance is nice and energetic. Service as I said was good. The selection was better this go arond as they now have about 10 beers on tap. We did end up ordering some frites that were basically just really good french fries. Overall, a cool place that I would go to again only after having my fill of Founder's and Hop Cat.

04-04-2011 17:00:02 | More by kbutler1

GRPunk

Michigan

4/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$

While I've been to this brewery many times and will continue to visit, this is such a difficult place to review. Like their beer, I find there are wild swings in the quality of their pub. While there are things they do extremely well, there's always something that just isn't up to snuff that offsets it.

Atmosphere is a perfect example of the swinging pendulum. As many have remarked, the structure itself is amazing. It's really cool how they've taken a building that's gone through many transformations to create the feel of a centuries old French/Belgian brewery. I'm even cool with the communal seating. That said, it is one of the loudest bars I've been to that isn't booming club mixes. The concrete/stone architecture and high ceilings mean conversational levels just bounce all over the place. Some friends said they are surveying whether they should bring in live acts. I don't see how that can go well. Coolness of the building does get a slight edge here.

Quality of the beer is a lot like the atmosphere. I've had some amazing brews that I wouldn't hesitate to drink again. Then, I've had some real "misses."

Service has always been quite good. There are always a ton of servers that tend to check up just enough that you aren't ever empty. Most have been pretty well versed in the taplist and profiles of what they are serving any given night.

Selection is quite good. Always have a nice combination of "regular" brews and a couple "one off" beers. Sometimes availability doesn't match the menu. Since it's marketed as a Belgian style brewery, you can't be disappointed that all of their beers have some sort of Belgian quality.

Haven't had the food, but it does look spectacular. I'm willing to re-review if I ever eat here.

This place is pricey. I can understand the premium pricing on some of their beers and you can get some deals with their "Monk Club." But, it's generally difficult to have a couple and make it out with a lighter wallet.

In the end, the things they do so well overcome most of the shortcomings. It's a good place to have a beer.

10-16-2011 01:35:54 | More by GRPunk

Brophmonster

Illinois

3.98/5  rDev -5.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3 | food: 5 | $$

Visited 10/1/11 with 3 others after the CBS release.

Atmosphere is very cool. Brewpub in an old church. Local art on the walls, large wooden tables and benches. Very well lit. A really nice place to sit down and have a beer. Varied crowd, saw lots of families, and lots of others who came straight from the CBS release.

Quality of the beer was very good. I tried the saison, Belgian IPA, Belgian amber, and the brune. All were very well done, I personally thought the amber was the best.

Service was friendly and prompt. Our server was well versed in the beer and food. Can't ask for much more.

Selection was the only thing lacking. I think there were maybe 6 to 8 house beers, and maybe 2 guest drafts. They're a small brewery, and the quality did make up for the quantity.

Food was outstanding. We were there for lunch, so the menu was slightly smaller than the dinner menu, but great selection. I had the fried alligator tail po boy, which was very well done with tender meat and a great garlic aioli. I also tried some of the lobster roll and pork belly BLT. All were fantastic.

Very friendly prices, especially considering the quality of the food. Beers were average price, but were quite tasty.

Overall I think this is a must stop when in Grand Rapids.

10-02-2011 23:00:53 | More by Brophmonster