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Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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I have mixed feelings about ABC: I'm neither impressed or completely disgusted with this place, but I can't really figure out why I keep going back...
The beer here is ok at best. Some brews are pretty decent, but others lack balance/flavor and are just kind of mediocre. Also, the last time I was here, both my friend and I wished that our beers were colder. Their food is kinda hit or miss...and on the pricey side. I was really disappointed with the burger I ordered once (and never again), which was not unlike a dry, flavorless hockey puck of meat. Ick. However, the garlic fries that I ordered with it (an extra $1.50, grr) saved the meal. The other night I tried their tacos and was pretty pleased with them. My friend ordered the nachos, which he enjoyed as well.
I've never had a problem with service here. (Although the hostess once told me there was a 25 minute wait when it was actually more like 5...)
The best reason to go here is for their happy hour special on Mondays... a large beer for a paltry $3!
Well this one is a little more difficult to deal with.
5 stars to work with, beer, service, ambience, food and beer! It is a brewing company after all...
1) Beer was good. My first trip in I was the only person that didn't order the German Alt- but I of course tried it. It was good, rather good indeed- but not amazing. I don't even remember what I had but I believe it was the seasonal Octoberfest- also a good solid beer. Neither were terribly memorable however... a truly great beer leave a more lasting impression.
Beer: 1 of 2 stars.
2) Service: I'd like to give a negative star. For real. TERRIBLE!!! Orders came late, wrong, delayed again and glasses sat about empty while we grew progressively thirsty. It was TERRIBLE.
3) Ambience: Nice and cozy until you notice how amazingly loud it is. Don't go with a friend or take a date in- unless you just really don't want to talk to them. We couldn't hear one another yelling back and forth around are somewhat cramped table.
4) Food was slow getting there and at first tragically wrong. But we were feeling peckish and went for a shared snack. It was rather tastey. Which is good- cause Ann Arbor Brewing Company, you needed something for redemption.
I probably won't go back...
On a recent trip to A2 my group wanted to close out the night with some beers after a soccer game. Ashley's was slammed with a line out the door so our A2 guide decided ABC was the next best thing.
This place was also packed wall to wall (as was every single place we passed, Friday night in AA is really something else). The atmosphere is very... well it's a college bar with "sophisticated" beer, you can guess where the atmosphere is at. Lots of pea coats, scarves, glasses, fake laughs, messenger bags, and witty T-shirts.
Non of these things matter though really. It is a bar, if you let the decor and the atmosphere sway your opinion you just don't belong in a bar. The important part is the beer and the food with the more important being the former. The beer as stated previously is just average. Their heavy hitter was quite decent a hop monster clocking in at 9.5% at a reasonable 4 bucks per 12oz. A note about this beer though, YOU CAN ONLY HAVE 3!!! What the deuce is that about!!! I am 5'11", 200lbs, and my drinking resume is quite impressive. Putting a 3 beer limit on me is quite absurd.
Sorry for the rant. Their stout was decent, nothing special, just a stout. They lacked a Porter which was a big upset for me. How can you call your self a brewy and not even carry the standards! The pumpkin ale (the only 1 of 3 they had left) was quite odd. It was like a beer soda with a moderate amount of pumpkin taste, I wouldn't order another one. After trying all these brews that they produce, I switch over to things I knew ere wins (the dogfish heads they carried).
I can't really say much about the food as we only ordered the chips with salsa and black bean dip. The salsa lacked character, but made for it with heat. The black bean dip had a great texture and packed some big flavors. The chips were the big let down of it though. To give you an amazing dip and really bad chips is the biggest upset a group oof half drunks can go through. They had a fresh taste, but a stale texture... but I don't think they were stale, just cooked to seem that way :(
The choice to go here was right though, and I urge anyone in A2 with beer on the head to go the same route. Check Ashley's first, and only go to ABC if Ashley's is too busy.
Fall break??? Gift certificate!!!! What the heck.
I drove my daughter back to A squared after fall break. Since it was during the week and after work, a gift certificate a friend gave me in my wallet burning a hole and saying 'Use me, I know you need a beer", it was time to relax. After dropping off a full closet full of winter clothes at my daughters apartment, it was time to chill.
This being my first time the ABC I find it to be a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. I love the chatter of all the patrons, the hustle and bustle on Washington Street as we are sitting in a window booth. To top it all off, the room we sat in was non-smoking and perfect.
Since this is a brewery I have to "sample" the beer.
Brew: Strawberry Blonde : Not bad....worth another sip or two.
It is a rich and flavorful medium bodied beer with a fresh, floral strawberry aroma. Citrus, spice, and fruit are blended seamlessly for a subtle yet distinct flavor that never turns too sweet. - 4 Stars
Appetizer: Potatoe Pierogis - These little wonderful small pleasures to man are just fantastic. They are deep fried and sprinkled with cheese,bacon bits, and scallions on top to give them an american tradition of potatoe skins taste. 5 Stars
Meal: 1/3 Pound Burger - Prepared medium, topped with pepper jack cheese. Burger Boy loved this burger. Not the best ever but pretty good. On the side were some cajun fench fries, excellent. 5 Stars.
My daughter loved her dish as well. There was plenty of food left over for her to take back to her apartment for a few more meals.
There were so many different beers to choose from in so little time. I had to take home a six pack of three different varieties of their own brewing......I'll save that for my downriver tailgate party consisting of backing my car in the driveway, hooking up my 12" b&w television with rabbit ears and watching the wolverines kick some buckeye butt drinking my ABC brew....aahhhh Saturdays in the fall.
So I really think these kinds of bars are rarely found. This microbrewery got it right in terms of beer. I love their beers.
The atmosphere is fine once you go inside. You are invited by a nice large bar with tons of other booths on the sides. Very nice and accomodating staff. They had a porter as part of their sampling tray......loved that. The first drink I ordered there the first time I was there was the belgian ale/brasserie blonde.....excellent.....very awesome citrousy notes....kind of like a Samuel Adams on a little bit of steroids.
The only gripe i have about this place is their bathrooms. They are really run down. I like checking out the bathrooms of restaurants cuz i mean its part of the restaurant dining experience. Owners should notice every detail of their restaurant if they want their good restaurant to be superb. But who cares. So many people get drunk in there that by the time they reach their bathroom, it doesn't matter.
Bottom line guys, the beers here are great. If your looking for a more upscale feel than ricks or the brown jug and your a fan of microbreweries, visit this place. One of the best microbreweries I have visited. Will I come back for more? yes.
The atmosphere wasn't bad. The staff were friendly and did a nice job...and that's pretty much where my compliments end. Although the prices were pretty reasonable too. The beer was very meh. I've had better at every brewery I've been to. I would say it was my particular choice, but my wife's was worse than mine. Maybe we just got unlucky. The food was very average with an extra helping of pretentious. I ordered the blackened chicken nachos. The chicken was hardly 'blackened', and the overall taste/flavors/presentation/satisfaction would get a 1 out of 5. I probably should have went with one of the sandwiches, as my wife had the portobello sandwich that looked pretty good.
Not trying to be overly harsh, I just can't recommend this place...the first rule of a brewery has to be to have good beer, and this just didn't do it for me.
I recently said that ABC is my favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor. It is true. It took some time, but I've realized that this is the perfect spot in my eyes.
The service is great, they've upgraded the menu, the location is awesome and the beer is good. I mean, seriously, what else is there?
I was in love with the upgraded taco salad with seasoned chicken. I always stick to this, and I'm always happy with it. There is nothing better than a hearty salad!
If I ever move back to A2, this would have to be my regular spot.
With all the other great eateries in A2, there is no reason to go here for dinner as it is pretty… Read more »
I went into ABC last week at about 10pm. It had been a long day and I hadn't eaten anything since morning. So, needless to say, I was famished and just craved some good food and a big beer. When we went inside there was a very large, very obvious sign that said "Please Seat Yourself". Okay, no problem! Because it was Wednesday night, the place was not busy at all. Just a few occupied tables with everyone else at the bar.
My boyfriend and I sat for 17 minutes waiting for someone, anyone, to notice us. A few servers and a busboy came by, but they were in such a rush they blew by us before I even had time to ask for a server or to inquiry what ABC's definition of "Please Seat Yourself" means. Because, where I'm from, that means you sit down and someone will come take your order. Or at least ask if you've been helped, or tell you someone else will be with you. Maybe I'm just out in left field on that one.
Anyways, being neglected and then feeling ignored isn't my idea of a good time, especially when I'm starved and have money that I want to spend on them. So we left...without anyone noticing that either. But, I enjoyed my meal down the street at Grizzly Peak where I got great food and great service! Until ABC gets some basic customer service skills, like, oh, having someone take my order or acknowledge I'm alive, they will not have the opportunity to score a new patron. And, I like burgers and beer. But if they ever do upgrade their service to actually having some, then I'd go back and re-review.
Well, I've been to ABC many many many times. I will go many more times. I like going because the group of people that usually is there is super cool. The wait staff is awesome, but I have to admit that some of them are my friends. So, I'm a little biased. That may mean I get better service ...or crappier service than most, I'm not sure. lol
Honestly, I'm not a fan of their beer. That's just my opinion. Most people like it though. If you are unsure of what beer to get you can always get a sampler, which is really nice. I think I like the Blonde? (not sure if that's the name) the best.
The food is ok in my opinion. I'll eat it. It's not terrible. It's not super great. ABC is not my first choice for food. Unless you go during off peak times it's generally pretty busy. It's nice if you are going to drink with friends or play shuffle board. You can meet some cool people there as well. I tend to go to ABC for the overall environment and it's just a laid back place to hang out with friends.
I would say the serving might be slow during the evening because it's usually busy. They are or have been always friendly. You may get someone new and the service may not be incredibly speedy, but for the most part it's people who have been there for a long time. You will usually see the same faces if you go often. I personally like that because you actually get to know them.
The crowd ranges from Twenty somethings to 50 somethings+. It's a nice mix of people usually. Definitely one of the most popular places in A2 to go to. If you haven't checked it out I would suggest doing so. People tend to go once and keep going back. Chances are you will see some of the people that have posted on here. lol
I have to say that I'm shocked and disappointed to see the huge number of positive reviews for this terrible establishment. I must warn any loyalists that you are about to read a diatribe.
This place just sucks. The beer is exceedingly average, the food is not good and incredibly overpriced, and I've never been treated worse at a bar or restaurant.
First, my story. Last night five friends and I went to ABC for dinner and a few beers. Our bill came to $84. The service was mediocre - not great but certainly not bad. If I was paying the bill myself I would have tipped him about 15%. Due to a shuffle of people coming and going and a couple people in the group acting like the cheap, poor recent graduates that we are, our stack of cash and credit cards came to $92 and nobody was willing to budge. Fine, whatever - the guy wasn't that great, messed up a time or two and did the initial math wrong on our bill, and while a 9.5% tip is certainly not great, it's also not even close to stiffing the guy. I felt a little bad, but these things happen.
But no, this was not the end of it. As we were finishing our drinks and getting ready to go the manager comes and stands over our table and TELLS US THAT OUR TIP WAS TOO LOW. He demanded to know why, claiming to be interested in any poor service we received, but his attitude made it blatantly obvious that he was getting on us for being cheap. WHAT IS THAT? He seriously hovered over our table for a full minute while we stammered and looked at our table and felt incredibly awkward, because of course, we weren't trying to make a statement with our tip, it just happened to not be very good. I have never been so appalled at the behavior of a restaurant employee, and it was the manager no less. To make matters worse, my girlfriend has had the exact same thing happen after a $9 top on a $75 bill with her family, so this is actually a standard practice.
That, my friends, is the kind of thing that will make me not only swear off a restaurant for life, but also scream from the mountains about how terrible it is - hence this review.
I've been to ABC a number of other times that didn't end in disaster, and here are my more sober thoughts on the place:
The beer is not good, but it's much better than any of the other brewpubs in Ann Arbor - it generally tastes like the product a real brewery and not a trendy brewpub like Grizzly Peak or the Blue Tractor. Sacred Cow is a respectable IPA, although not amazing. Many of their specialty beers are quite good, but the rest of their normal brews are mediocre - usually bland and almost all with too little ABV for my tastes. They're also quite pricey when you're not getting happy hour prices. Still, you can do much worse at $3/20oz.
The food is not good at all, compared to any place. I find it quite amazing that ABC has the balls to charge $10 for a 1/3lb burger that doesn't come with fries ($1.50 extra). That's just highway robbery, even in Ann Arbor. There are many places in town that you can get a much better and larger burger with fries for much less, even made with fancy local beef. The Blue Tractor sells dramatically better burgers made with good beef and with fries for $8-9. Get over yourself, ABC. Every other dish I've had there is the same story - aggressively overpriced and mediocre. That's not a deal breaker for a place that's mostly about drinking, but for some reason ABC has picked up a reputation for good food and I just want to push back at that notion.
I dig the location, atmosphere, jukebox, and most of the crowd. But I'm not going to spend an arm and a leg on products of dubious quality and insulting treatment by the pretentious staff. Avoid this place at all costs.
I grabbed a bite at the Arbor Brewing Company the last time I was in Ann Arbor on the advice of the desk guy at my hotel who charmed me to no end and told me that the food was AMAZING.
Imagine my surprise when semantics got in the way: I ordered Roasted Vegetable Ravioli (served with spinach, said the menu) and received Tortellini (?) in a chunky tomato sauce with a few baby spinach leaves wilting compliantly.
Maybe the tomatoes were roasted? There were no other vegetables in evidence and, forgive me folks for bickering, but Tortellini isn't Ravioli.
It was fine. Might stop by for a beer with friends but won't be seeking it out for a meal anytime soon.
Used to go here every Monday for their happy hour.
I loved to have their home brewed beers and garlic fries though I stank the next morning.
I went here a few days ago for dinner, not for the beer or drinks. While I like the atmosphere - nice outdoor eating area and cozy seating inside, I think the food quality is just okay. The people who dined with me ate the nachos and caesar salad and I had a turkey club sandwich. In all cases the food was okay, but nothing distinguished it. My sandwich needed more flavor. The soda was way too watered down.
I think this could be a good setting if you like beer and are looking for other alcoholic beverages. To go there just for the food just isn't enough.
Arbor Brewing has become a new habit over the past few months. The food is better than average bar food with some decent Mexican but we don't go for the food. The atmosphere is great and so is the beer.
The beers rotate so you need to try some new ones which is usually good. My wife likes dark beers and I go for the hefeweizens, pale ales or pilsners and we always find something great to drink.
The place is a true "Ann Arbor" establishment so if you like the local vibe you'll have a great time.
Really a great local establishment. The fish and chips are out of this world (and that's coming from a Los Angeles native). Onion rings have great beer batter and it goes without saying you can't find better beer in the area. They really know beer so don't be afraid to ask for a personalized recommendation. Happy hour is $3 beers and you just can't beat that! Plus, they are smoke free now!! I can breathe! That is a huge plus and makes me want to come more often and stay longer!
Simply put, ABC is my favorite bar in Ann Arbor. It has every component of a bar I look for: good beer, bar games and personality. There are a variety of good beers here with the choice of small or large and a full bar. The bartenders here are friendly and attentive. The servers can go missing for some time, however.
The atmosphere is perfect for those bar nights where you want to go play darts, enjoy some beer and listen to some good tunes. It can get somewhat crowded here, but ABC is pretty relaxed about it.
The menu here is extensive and reasonably priced. It raises the standard on bar fare in my opinion. Sure, there's some pomp, but ABC is the perfect middle ground for someone who wants a cheaper (and more entertaining) alternative to Ashley's.
Heading out to Ann Arbor for the Top of the Park festival last weekend, my gal and I decided we wanted to try out some food in the area and having had a few of their beers at joints like Foran's, I had wanted to try out ABC for quite some time.
Parking was an adventure, we ended up at the top of the lot directly across the street. The very top was level 7b... which actually was level 14 (not sure why we're trying to hide that fact with As and Bs), but the good news is it only cost us $1.50 when we came back out.
I had the Sacred Cow IPA, a beer which I've had before and has never disappointed. And my girl had the Red Snapper bitter... also a great choice. My opinion is that you can't go wrong with any of the beers here, they've all got their own charm and taste.
We're on a vegetarian kick, going 30 days without meat is the goal in my house this month. We were 7 days into our experiment when we happened in here, mouth watering at the sight of the burgers and nachos. We got none of that.
Instead we started with chips and salsa and a black bean dip that tasted really good. It had chunks of tomatoes and jalapenos in it, and with the salsa started us out with a little kick. We were both feeling fish and fries so we went with the fish and chips. Everything they can they buy local and as close to home as possible (even using compostable carry out packaging) which is a huge bonus for us. I was slightly disappointed that I asked for cajun fries and didn't get them but decided not to make an issue of it. The service was pretty slow, I would have liked a second beer but she didn't make it back and the food took a bit longer than I would have liked. But they were busy, and to be honest I was having so much fun with the atmosphere and the feel of this place that it didn't really matter.
A great experience.... if I lived closer, this would definitely be a regular drinking hole.
ABC has mostly taken the place of the old Del Rio (RIP) in my social orbit, if not in my heart. I have major love for ABC -- the beer (the Blonde and the Alt are favorites), the food, and the fact that I'll invariably run into at least half a dozen people that I know.
Most weeks, I'll wind up here at least once, but sometimes it'll be 3 times. In Ann Arbor, a lot of restaurants (that are within my price range) seem to close on the early side, so ABC's grub is my late meal of choice.
They've changed the taco salad set-up now that they're using Ann Arbor Tortilla Company (yum!) chips, but it's still delicious. However, sometimes you'll get a normally sized portion, and sometimes (like my fella got last week), they'll give you such a giant mound of beans and fixins that it's really a salad for 2, or 3!
I love their tempeh burger with garlic fries, though I can never finish the whole thing. The roasted garlic plate is a good option to split, too -- just make sure to pick up a handful of those mints on the way out!
The owners really seem to care about the community, and that's a big plus, too. They try to source much of the food locally, and that sort of care comes through.
Service is generally really good. Every once in awhile you'll get someone who's new and/or spacey, but for the most part, everyone's friendly and quick to please. One of my favorite spots around.
GENERAL INFO:
I've been going to ABC for about 7 years now and their beers are some of the best brewed in town, and probably even in Michigan. They really have flavor ranges and styles to satisfy any pallet.
BEERS, BEERS, BEERS - MY STYLE & THEIRS:
I happen to love the dark, Russian Imperial and other dark styles that are on the sour side. I have noticed that many of their beers tend to have a sweet finish to them on some level. Also, there are a few beers that will cater to the "I love hops" crowd, but maybe one or two. The majority of their selection is well above par, and tends not to "over-hop". (You won't get a Sam Adams type here- sorry hop lovers). Although I love dark beers (the blacker the color the better), I tend to love Hefeweissen in the summer, as it's a nice clean, citrusy splash to any hot day.
IMPORTANT TIP:
Overall, great place to get great beer. You MUST try the Sour Blonde if they have it in their "special bottles" section when you go. They cellar a finite amount of that brew if/when they make it, but it is one of my favorites. I also love the smoked beer that I have nicknamed "Bacon Beer" as it tastes like bacon in a glass.
Enjoy!
This place has great beer and standard American bar food. They lose some stars service and food no where near Grizzly Peak. I ordered a burrito that you can pretty much get anywhere, my wife and a chicken salad all pretty average, they also offer some middle eastern stuff, like hummus, pita things of that sort but nothing special. The only advantage this place has over grizzly peak are the darts and has more fun bar things to do!!!
Arbor's beer is the best in town, hand's down. I especially love the Sacred Cow IPA---it has hints of grapefruit. The German Alt is also good. At happy hour you can get a pint for 2-3 bucks and happy hour is all day long on Mondays!
I'm not crazy about their food but the garlic fries rock. The other stuff on the menu is kinda boring bar food. I have to give them credit though-they use a lot of local ingredients and have cut everything from the menu that has high fructose corn syrup.
The staff is stellar.
Arbor Brewing Company offers the best beer in town. The food is standard bar fare, but the atmosphere is warm and congenial. The brewpub is conveniently divided for smokers and nonsmokers, so if you don't feel like inhaling secondhand smoke this is your spot. Additionally, I'll give Arbor big points for thinking both locally and sustainably.
Beer aficionados, be sure to sign-up for the monthly beer tastings! Also, be sure to visit ABC's sister bar in Ypsilanti, The Corner Brewery.
The beer is actually quite hit-or-miss for me. The hefeweizen is nice in the summer, and the Belgian triple is delicious, but winter beers are eh. The service quality is also very varied: some days you'll get the nice people, and some days your server will treat you like shit and refuse to split a check. Still, the shuffleboard is a big selling point. I suggest going on not-so-busy nights.
They do need to stop using Comic Sans on the back of their coasters though. Bummer.
I would give this place a 3.5 if I could.
While Arbor Brewing Company's food and beer lack compared to Grizzly Peak (down the street), ABC is still a good place to go on Monday during their all day happy hour. Their beer is hit and miss: I loved their sweet stout when they had it, but I find their Hefeweizen and many other of their beers lack in flavor compared to other brew pubs in Michigan. The food here isn't bad, but isn't that good either. The food is priced too high for what you are getting (probably due to them using local/organic ingredients). If ABC wants to use the freshest local organic ingredients, they need to hire a chef that knows how to do them justice in a dish. The service here doesn't seem to be as personal as other brew pubs, and can be fairly slow overall -especially when ABC is packed.
EDIT: On my last few visits I find the service to have improved but the food to be worse than I remember. Maybe it got worse? Either way, I am keeping my rating at 4 stars because ABC is truly a must visit Ann Arbor institution.
I see a lot of people here raving about the beer. To be honest, it's alright at best and completely awful at worst (I mean, I've had some bad beers, but I haven't had a beer that was worse than the one I ordered from here; it's too bad I can't remember what it was called).
The food is mad pricey for Ann Arbor standards as well, but i suppose ABC makes up for this with its accommodating tables, booths, and bar stools. Sure it can get crowded, but the wait is never too long. Then again, maybe that was because when I'm tired of waiting I go up the street to Cafe Habana.
Self-contradictions aside, I have had fun times here (my birthday included). On top of all that, if you're down with some darts you can partake in that as well.
ABC isn't a bad place, but it's never my first choice to get a brew.
P.S. Seeing GSI's here during the weekdays is unsettling.
P.P.S. How could I forget?! I had my first Irish car-bomb here too. Now that's a good time!
For the first time in several years, I went to ABC during a bar crawl instead of at my usual dinner-hour... and I was really disappointed.
Don't get me wrong - I love their beer and I think their food is very good... but I will never, ever again go late at night.
It was horrifically loud. I couldn't even think, it was so loud. There were four of us in a booth in the back and we didn't even make small-talk because every time we tried it'd turn into, "THIS BEER IS GOOD!!!" "WHAT???!!!" "I SAID, 'THIS BEER IS GOOD'!" "I'M SORRY, WHAT???"
And our poor waiter was so busy flying around from table to table, that we hardly saw him, and had a bit of trouble acquiring the check when we were ready to leave.
Seriously not worth it.
But I will continue to go again in the earlier part of the evening, and will (hopefully) continue to enjoy it.
ABC's beer is Michigan's best! They offer vegan options like their super Tempeh Burger and yam fries too.
The only problem is that it is insanely busy, but at least the Washington parking garage is across the street.
Exactly what everyone else has said! I moved to Ann Arbor in August, and have gone to ABC at least once a week ever since. At first I didn't realize that they change their brew selection as frequently as they do (a + in my book), so I was very disappointed when I went in and my what I thought was my favorite beer, the Smoked Lager, was off the menu!
The food is amazing because they use local, and when possible, organic ingredients. Unlike other restaurants, they don't mark-up their prices for this. Because I am there so frequently, I particularly appreciate the fact that they always have different monthly food specials too. They have great vegetarian menu options, but sometimes I get bored with those and order a Georgia Reuben with tomato instead of turkey, or get the Taco Salad without a meat option...and they actually take $2 off the price. In my experiences elsewhere, they add a charge on for a substitution, despite the fact that they are saving money!
Bottom line, ABC is so awesome, I actually took its location into consideration while conducting my most recent apartment search
We've had pleasant times hanging out here. The food was good and filling, and my husband said the beer was pretty good as well (I'm not a beer fan, myself, but love bars. Go figure).
The best thing for us here was the service. On our last visit, my husband left his credit card. He called and they confirmed that they had it and would put it somewhere safe until we made it back there later in the evening. Since he was on crutches and I was eight months pregnant, we just double parked and I ran in and asked for his card. The first woman I reached was helpful and quick and even remembered, "He said he'd send a pregnant woman in for it!" We both chuckled.
Here's really all you need to know about ABC to make it a worthwhile destination in my book: they have steel tip darts and shuffleboard. Enough said. End of story. Move on? You're right.
OK, well maybe a bit more. The beer is pretty good. You never know what's going to be on tap, but I can always find something tasty (not that I'm too picky). And even though one of my good friends claims that chicken tenders here are the greatest on earth, I've found the food here to be middling to bland.
As for the atmosphere/clientelle - to me its quintessential Ann Arbor. Eclectic, laid back, willing to be what you make of it. The bar always seem to be involved in some cool community thing too, which I like. But really, they have free shuffleboard, I'd come here if the booze was awful and expensive.
If you like "healthy" bar food and good beer than this place is for you. I always feel better knowing my bar food is organic, natural, local, and made from scratch. No high fructose corn syrup in anything! Hey, if I have to be evil at least I know it's the best it can be for me.
I love the garlic fries here but you really shouldn't eat them unless your going home alone! The cheeseburgers are good too. One thing I liked alot that has recently been taken off the menu was the pesto sandwich. Maybe we can beg them to bring it back?
They have a good happy hour here. And there is the tap room that you can rent out for private parties. The tap room has its own private bar, private restroom and private entrance. I have been to two parties here, one was a birthday with catered food from ABC. And the other was an all out dance party with their own DJ. They were both alot of fun and you can really do any kind of event in here.
This place gets an extra star for supporting non proft groups, student groups, human-rights centric events, and all humans in general. Bravo! It makes me feel great to support a local business I know supports me!
I've enjoyed alot of the beer here, especially the hefeweizen and the german alts. If you ever get a chance to attend one of their beer tastings, I'd recommend it. Really fun way to try their stuff, munch on snacks, win prizes, and the money usually goes towards some kind of feel-good cause.
Its a great place to go in a large group, or to host an event!
Almost forgot what a great place to hang out with your buds. House was packed Thursday night and had to look around for a table.
For Ann Arbor, it's pricey: $5 for a bottle of Bell's Explorer and more than $10 for a plate of nachos. Haven't had any memorable meals here, but the atmosphere is perfect when you're looking for a neighborhood pub to have a few pints.
The beer is hard to beat.
2 stars seems a little low, but I've experienced better. I tried a couple of beers - the Sacred Cow IPA and the Olde Number 22 German - and they weren't that great. I almost felt like puking after the Olde Number 22 German (though it's not as bad as Jupiter Brewpub in Berkeley, CA, where one sip of their porter does make me puke).
Well, maybe their other beers are good, but for now, I'll just bask in the glory of California microbrews!
My girlfriend took me to the brewpub and eatery two nights ago and I can say that it was wonderful. Many vegan options, good beer, and some ingrediants from Zingermann's. I had the Zingerman's burger with cheese made from their creamery. It was awesome. I also took home a Growler of the imperial IPA, which was a very nice brew. I definetly recommend this cool spot right off main st. in Ann Arbor.
I follow the crowd on this one: ABC has the best beer brewed in Ann Arbor. The Red Snapper is perfectly bitter and wonderfully hoppy, but smoother than most and gently floral. The hefeweizen is sweeter than most and lingers, but still clean and light and summery. The IPA is dry and intense, and frequently a fun contrast to whatever beer #1 was that night. Even the standard golden ale, the Big Ben, is a rich and flavorful brew.
There are dozens more, all distinct and masterfully executed, available in a rotating schedule so be adventurous. I have yet to be disappointed.
As if that weren't enough, the menu is crawling with vegetarian options and healthy and sustainable choices like locally-raised free range beef and fair trade coffee. The "late night menu," the very slightly pared-down version of the full menu, is available until midnight. Cajun fries, catfish tacos, their homemade black bean burger (in any of its incarnations: on a bun or crumbled on nachos or taco salad), and the fish n'chips are favorites. Nothing to go wild over, but tasty and reasonably priced standard pub fare: shepherd's pie, salads, sandwiches, burgers.
A host will seat you, a server will fetch your beer, and the non-smoking section is twice the size of the smoking part, making ABC feel much more like a restaurant than a bar. Uninspired juke box, condiments on the tables, it's absolutely the kind of place you take your parents to for lunch. For a special treat on the first Thursday of every month, you can even attend a beer tasting for $25/person, and then you too can spout off about how floral or citrusy or hoppy this or that monthly feature is.
Fair warning: many of the brews have a higher alcohol content than you may be used to, so be careful--or don't. If you choose the latter, I'd be happy to challenge you to a game of darts or shuffleboard in the smoking room, pink-lunged crowd be damned.
Great beer. Affordable. Locally-focused menu. Do you really need anything other than that? Whenever I come back to A2 from Chicago we end up eating here because all my friends have different dietary preferences and there is something for everyone; vegan, vegetarian, omnivore, and carnivore alike!
I really have only 1 question, which is maybe hypothetical: doesn't knowing how to make beer imply that you know a lot about other foodstuffs that come from the ground?
The problem with the ABC is that it's hard to know what to do with it. The beer, truthfully, is awesome. The best is either the Smoke Lager (if you ever wanted to know what it was like to combine eating bacon and drinking beer, you've found your answer) or the Red Snapper SB. But the food? The food here is . . . unbelievably, unfathomably horrible. Really. I couldn't eat it. And I'm a guy, and I was full of beer. On top of that, the food isn't cheap.
Gagh! I'm still thinking about the food . . . .
The Faricy Feast (though I'm sorry if I've butchered the spelling), was my favorite brew from this pub in a long time. It was my Guinness substitute, and it had chocolatey espresso-ish notes (sorry, not quite familiar with the beer lingo). It never fails to be watery, however, during their Half-Off Mondays special, when their pints are half off. They do have Crooked Tree bottled up, though, for those times when the tap isn't doing it for you.
The food is decent with a selection of free-range chickens (though their chicken tenders are not free-range), happy cows, organic choices, and healthy oil. I've eaten here several times and I feel you can't go wrong with the pesto sandwich. Stay away from the pierogis, though.
This is a great place to go to if you are lunching with the baby, but you still want to do something grown up -- like have a beer. They have a cute changing table in the bathroom (it's vintage-looking!) and an entire non-smoking section completely separated from the smoking section.
You can rent out the Tap Room for parties if you want. I went to a Critical Moment party there once and they had a DJ and there is a bar in the room, as well. It is non-smoking. They also have great outdoor seating. I used to pass here all the time and run into my friends hanging out on a nice summer day.
I was pleasantly surprised by the food when I had dinner at ABC for the first time, during a recent trip to Ann Arbor.
If you are not a big fan of "bar food", like me, because it usually consists of meat and fried food, then you will appreciate the food options at ABC.
If you think meat is nasty, most of their dishes can be substituted with yummy fake meat! I had a delicious taco salad with fake meat and I was very happy, while my friends got to eat their real burgers and drink their beer.
Also, their garlic fries are very good, but you will smell like garlic for at least a day. But they are worth it.
We went here on a busy evening, and the food was a little slow, but we stayed for hours and had a nice time after finally getting our food.
No real strong opinions about the beer, but I would go here again for the food.
Ann Arbor, MI
Category: American (New)
Ann Arbor, MI
Category: Turkish
Ann Arbor, MI
Category: Pubs
Ann Arbor, MI
Category: Bars
Ann Arbor, MI
Category: Pubs
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