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Black Lotus Brewing Company
Categories: Food Breweries Restaurants American (New) Breweries, American (New) [Edit]
1 E 14 Mile RdClawson, MI 48017
Neighborhood: Downtown Clawson
(248) 577-1878
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 12 pm - 1 am
Fri-Sat 12 pm - 2 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
111 reviews for Black Lotus Brewing Company
Review Highlights
"My wife loved the Funkin A Apricot Wheat."
(in 15 reviews)
"Very flavorful - side of sweet potato fries were some of..."
(in 10 reviews)
"...are great, especially the Oatmeal Stout, and the burgers..."
(in 13 reviews)
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111 reviews in English
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Review from Scott C.
Clawson, MI
1/30/2012
Black Lotus is excellent. I have travelled all over the Midwest to dozens of breweries and have had hundreds of microbrews and as a beer lover I feel that Black Lotus is one of the best and most adventurous. What I mean by that is, they don't stick with the same every day beers all the time like so many places do. The brewmaster here is constantly changing the lineup and trying new things and has had great success.
The food is excellent, especially the wasabi salmon wrap! They have recently renovated their kitchen and it has turned out great. They do incredible things with their kitchens.
The staff is awesome! They are very relaxed and friendly. I have had the brewmaster and manager stop and talk with us many times. They really try to have a close relationship with their clientele. The bartender is the best!!!
The overall ambiance is calm and relaxing most of the time. They get top rate musicians in and always have some good jams. Their is always something good going on here.
As a suggestion... Join the mug club. It is cheap and you get a great deal on beer and food!
I continue to go here weekly and enjoy it every time. -
Review from Amy H.
Royal Oak, MI
1/30/2012
My boyfriend and I came here for the first time a few days ago. We were excited to try a new brewery.
We sat ourselves, and then a guy came over with menus and walked away. (Was he our server? Or does he just bring menus to people?) We weren't sure because he didn't say anything to us once he handed us the menus. We just wanted beers, but nobody ever came to our table. The guy who sat us was standing near the bar talking to co workers and checking his phone. After 10 minutes, we decided he had probably forgotten about us after he walked away into the connecting bar next door.
We decided to leave and pick up a 6 pack at the store and go enjoy some beer at home.
We may give Black Lotus another chance, but I'd rather go to the Royal Oak Brewery anyday. -
Review from Jacqueline M.
Roseville, MI
1/21/2012
Beer is consitant. Which is great! You know when you go in ans order a beer, it is going to taste just like it did the last time! "The Gift" was very tasty...and apparently the gift is a hangover...12%ABV tends to do that to this girl! ;-)
Wine is also great.
Kitchen was closed for renovations the night we visited, which is good...that means they are busy enought to build and expand a bit!
Nice cozy feel, great service...good place to meet some friends and just hang out!! -
Review from Sharina J.
Troy, MI
Love this place! Good beer and good company. The blonde is back!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/23/2010
I love this local brewery. The staff (especially Kerry and Sara) are amazing. It is first come,… Read more »
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Review from Eric G.
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I always search out local brew pubs and found this one randomly. I was excited upon arriving and seeing a Oatmeal Stout on tap..
The excitement quickly faded. I tried the Oatmeal Stout, Amber and the Pale.. They do not even have an IPA.
All of the beer tasted flat and like it was made with dirty water almost. I did not try the food so maybe that is the saving grace here. -
Review from Frances D.
Ferndale, MI
Updated - 1/14/2012
I don't know why I keep coming back to this place. Some friends of mine love playing "Quizzos" every Wednesday (bar trivia game), but I'm just going to have to politely turn them down from now on.
Black Lotus's kitchen is undergoing renovation right now, so they're menu is limited. They did offer to have Jet's Pizza deliver food, which was nice. I don't care for Jet's, but it was a nice gesture.
What made me laugh: my server didn't know what "Guest Taps" were. When I asked for a sample of their Gingerbread Oatmeal Stout, she poured me an entire pint. Low and behold, the brew was awful, and I had to send it back. Tasted like a medley of sweet, holiday-inspired extracts dumped into a vat of dirty water and stirred around for a few weeks. FYI, The Gift is a Dark Belgian disaster.
I knew I wouldn't like the beer, so I got over that. What really made me laugh: the Quizzos Championship Table (or whatever they call themselves) accused me of cheating because I had my cell phone out. It's just a game, guys!!
I might actually come back to BL if they would just GET SOME GUEST BREW ON TAP.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2011
Went to Black Lotus to try their beer, knowing full well that it probably hasn't gotten any better… Read more »
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Review from Michelle L.
Ferndale, MI
11/29/2011
You would think Black Lotus Brewing Co=good beer...unfortunately not. I do like their atmosphere though, and the live music they have regularly. I wanted to give two stars for the beer and the food, but the atmosphere bumped it up to 3. The service isn't really all that great either...I guess I am just feeling generous today.
I've had the hip hops, wheat, apricot wheat, and a special that was super spicy. Honestly, I don't really like any of them. It is too bad they don't have a full liquor license because I would not order beer if I didn't have to. The hip hops is way too bitter and strong and the wheat is just blah. The food is even worse. I ordered some sort of salmon salad once and the salmon smelled gross and tasted like they microwaved it to warm it up or something...Ew!! My brother got the grilled cheese last time and it was supposed to have american, cheddar, and some other cheese in it. Instead, it looked like it had only american in it, like the kind that is individually wrapped for kids. Gross. Plus they use marble rye for the bread...who does that for grilled cheese? So weird. The homemade chips are good though! I think they may be the only edible thing on the menu.
Anyway, if you're coming to black lotus, hopefully it is just for the atmosphere and the music, and not the food or beer. -
Review from Jordon H.
Downriver, Detroit, MI
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Awesome place for a great brew and amazing burger. I'm not a red meat fan but I took a chance and glad I did. It was delicious and recommend Black Lotus to anyone who is a fan of a burger. Their selection of in house beers- while limited is great. You can surely find something to satisfy your beer tastebuds.
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Review from Kristen N.
Atlanta, GA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love hoppy (hoppie?) beer. LOVE. I was not disappointed when I tried the Detroit Hip Hops beer, so I ordered another. Black Lotus seemed to have a nice selection for such a small brewery. We sampled a few food menu items as well. We shared the nachos amongst the table. The nachos were alright, as the chips were way salty. The boyfriend and I also split a burger with sweet potato fries and fried pickles. The burger could have used more seasoning, but had amazing sautéed mushrooms (for $1 extra) and was cooked perfectly to order (med-rare). The sweet potato fries were some of the best I've ever had and came with a delicious mustard sauce for dipping. The fried pickles came as wedges and were so hot (fresh to order, I know) that I only had a bite. They had a really thick breading that the boyfriend didn't care for, but I liked. They probably would have been better if served as chips instead of wedges, but were okay. I probably wouldn't order them again. A friend ordered the Reuben and ate every single bite and loved it.
The atmosphere in this place was amazing. A great mix of younger people with some veterans as well. Even a guy wearing a Bell's Brewery shirt sitting next to us. Our server was awesome. I complimented her necklace and she sent me away with the name of the guy who made it, who I believe works there as well. This is in the boyfriend's new neighborhood and I hope to go back when I visit again!
Weird side note: BEAUTIFUL copper tables!! -
Review from Dan N.
11/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So I was scouring Yelp! reviews on this place before I came here (as I typically do), and, after enjoying a fine dinner here, I don't understand all of the hate?!?! I had a burger with blue cheese and some kind of special sauce and it was INCREDIBLE. One of the best burgers I've had in awhile--cooked perfectly, juicy, great bun, and the toppings were good. I also had the turkey chili, which was surprisingly awesome--I was very skeptical about turkey instead of beef--but it was some of the best chili I've had in awhile.
Also, for all the hate on the golf simulators--I thought it was sweet, and I'm looking to get out and try that! -
Review from Heather J.
Ferndale, MI
9/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Beer and I have a fractured relationship. Sometimes I want to try and like it, and other times I swear up and down I'll never, ever drink it. Bar none, run of the mill beer tastes awful. The mealy finish of hops in my mouth can send me running for the nearest chocolate bar or my trusty toothbrush to spark an infernal bargain with the Tooth Fairy just to get the flavour out of my mouth. You'll never see cans or glass bottles in my fridge.
The beau and I attempted to eat at Black Lotus once before to middling results, as they were on their late night menu and we munched on chips and salsa in an air of disappoint. I refrained from letting starvation after 5 hours on the road colour my judgment, and we gave a fair second shot to this Clawson microbrewery. I do like the site a great deal, with large windows looking out onto 14 Mile and Main. What other microbrewery around has Clue, Pictionary, and Boggle stored in shelves near the side of the brewery? Not many I can tell you, and that would have led to a few inspiring games on their leather sectional if we'd had a few more people. Clearly this can be a nice place to spend a few languid hours in the evening if your living room is a mess and your drink offerings few.
Black Lotus earns props for its name, and more for serving up local Michigan fare. Most of the microbrews are specific to them, the wines are from around the state, and they serve Orange Blossom and Wildberry Pyment from B. Nektar, a local meadery in Ferndale I am fast on my way to positively adoring. I had the wildberry the first time I came, but this time around I was apparently in a different phase of my beer relationship where I thought I could give it another go. Based on a somewhat favourable encounter with Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, I went ahead to try the Apricot wheat.
The server provided me with a sample size (mm!) and I found that it was pretty decent. I took a chance with the quirky art student-beer for this date night, and I was pleasantly surprised the apricot flavour came through quite strongly on the first sip. Because it's a wheat beer, the aftertaste is much reduced but still noticeable. It frothed up with a good head, and was much more sippable than the coffee stout ordered by my beau.
I got the Magic Mushroom Melt, a sandwich served on soft bread and layered in portabella mushrooms, roasted peppers, bleu cheese, and other assorted bits. The bread is moist, the veggies grilled to extra softness, and all of it flavourful.
Food isn't the focus here. The menu offerings for sandwiches, burgers, and salads are fairly slim but carefully chosen for being local, organic, and vegetarian. It seems to be well made. The appetizers are definitely good; salsa, homemade chips, sweet potato fries (nomnom), and nachos have been excellent and well enjoyed by me and my beau.Listed in: Beyond the D: West by…
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Review from Kelly A.
7/21/2011
Do you like crap service?
Do you like dry, cake-like hummus and dried-out nachos?
If so, definitely try the Black Lotus!!
I have been here several times, mainly because I wanted to like it SO BAD. After all, they let me bring my fave sushi over and eat it here!! That is perhaps the only redeeming quality of this place (in my eyes, anyways). The last time we were there on a Sunday night after kickball with around 7 of our teammates and I have NEVER had worse service. The bf and I got there about 10 minutes after everyone else and the waitress literally took around 15 minutes to even come over...then she didn't even recognize that we were new and we had to grab her before she walked away!
Everyone was drinking, well...trying to, at least. We couldn't get a refill for the life of us!! The place was nearly empty and she just wouldn't come over even though everyone had empty beer and water glasses. Then our food came, and I was done with the place. The hummus was some kind of two tone creation that was not smooth at all - it bent the pita back when I tried to dip it so I literally had to use a knife to cut through this stuff. The bf got beef nachos which, while it was a generous portion, were not memorable in the least. The cheese was that kind of burned on melted instead of lightly melted...I guess at least it wasn't the fake nacho cheese!!
When it came time for the bill the waitress brings it over and says "You didn't want it split did you?" And we are like...ummm yeah....we did. And she said "Oh, well the other girl didn't tell me that" and just kind of stood there looking annoyed. So we literally had to take the bill, ask her for a pen (which she handed to us with a sigh) and split the bill out ourselves!! It took us about 20 minutes writing our credit card numbers and totals on the back of the check. Then we sat there for ANOTHER 20 minutes while she walked around the place doing absolutely nothing!! One guy had to bring our split out check to the bar and hand it to her!!!! I was astounded at the service, and I will NEVER go back.
Bottom line - there are way better breweries with way better service in the area. Black Lotus needs to get their shit together and train their servers to do their job correctly, and train their cooks to not make crap food. -
Review from Shannon H.
Plano, TX
9/13/2011
This place was alright. Not great, not bad, just alright.
The service was very....well, relaxed. Wouldn't have been a problem, but it did make me late. It wasn't very busy at all when I was there, not enough to explain the amount of time I had to wait to place an order, for my check, etc.
The beer I had, the unfiltered wheat, was very good. The nachos were very large, and quite good. My only complaint about the food is that it was a bit high in price; 9 bucks for nachos (more if you actually want meat). -
Review from Matt V.
Royal Oak, MI
9/1/2011
This is a decent place to grab a beer and a snack. I wouldn't really recommend it for dinner unless you are looking for bar food. I think they need a slightly bigger menu, but that's just me. The nachos and sweet potato fries are good, not sure about much else. Good drink selections, but hey, it's a bar. Sitting outside can be really noisy.
If you are a golf fan, hop over to the Drive next store and hit a few balls while having a beer or too. -
Review from Rebecca T.
Clawson, MI
Updated - 3/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Dear Black Lotus,
I forgive you. You've redeemed yourself after the macaroni and cheese fiasco of '10. I'm still bitter about the popcorn, but I'm ready to move on.
Chicken nachos were plentiful and loaded with toppings and it wasn't your typical nachos where you get a heap of stuff on top and then underneath is nothing but naked chips. No, lots of toppings to go around to make all the chips happy.
Reuben? Amazing!! A bit messy, but it's a Reuben, it's supposed to be messy. Tender, juicy corned beef, loads of 'kraut, but not too much.
Excuse me while I collapse into a food/beer coma now.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/17/2010
Come here for the beer, go elsewhere for the food.
The beer? It never disappoints. Except when they… Read more »
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Review from Kimberly M.
Sterling Heights, MI
3/12/2011
I just felt I needed to make some corrections to Adam L.'s review.
To be clear the only food they still let you bring in is Noble Fish. The pizza is from the Pizzallica, which Black Lotus owns.
As for my review:
As a one time regular I can tell you that things have changed over the years and not for the better. What you can expect:
*The food is inconsistent and now overpriced.
*The service is sketchy, the server turnover is high, so being recognized as a regular will only happen if one of the few long time servers are there or the manager.
* The beer can be good, but not one of the best microbreweries around.
What really saddens me is that I want to go back to this place. However priorities of the owners/management would need to change. Instead of opening a pizzeria and golf simulator, invest in what you started with.
Make sure that you have 3-4 beers that are consistent and always on tap.
Expand your kitchen to help out a kitchen that is constantly overwhelmed by the number of people that you can seat. Maybe have fewer, more simple menu options to speed things up and reduce the amount of inventory you need, which in turn would reduce running out of things.
Keep bathrooms clean (this says a lot about a restaurant).
If you are going to have a mug club with benefits, make sure that those benefits are given to the member in a consistent manner.
I really feel bad having to air all of this, but it just seems like maybe owners/management should know why they no longer see some of their regulars. This includes my husband and his co-workers who used to be there once a week if not more. -
Review from Kate R.
2/23/2011
I used to be a fairly regular Black Lotus fan, but haven't been around recently and was remarkably surprised at some of the changes. The "brewery" part still exists and still turns out some good beer, but there are strange and negative elements that I was less than impressed with. My friends and I happened in recently looking for a drink after some botched plans and spent most of our time there wishing we had gone somewhere else. It's not the chill place that I remember, and the clientele has changed drastically.
First, our service was awful. The waitress was absent-minded and all over the place. She forgot to bring our food to the table at one point (which we had watched sit in the window and get cold), she'd "check" on us but neglect dirty plates/empty water glasses, and on another stop at the table she took glasses and plates without asking if we were done... When she finally did ask if we were still working on one of the appetizer plates, I couldn't have finished eating because she had removed my individual plate and silverware.
Second, they were out of almost all the wines and some of the simple items on the menu. The menu has also changed drastically and I have been less and less impressed with the food every time I've been there. Green Lantern Pizza used to be available - - it's not anymore. The nachos used to be good... not so much. The beer battered pickles are incredibly heavy and bread-y and not appetizing if they're not piping hot. Sadly one of the best things I've had there was the sweet potato fires... and that says a lot...
Finally, and maybe it was the evening that we were there, but the live music made it difficult to converse and just hang out. Also, and again - maybe it was the live music, but the clientele was NOT what I remember it being. Lotus used to be a cool local place in the Troy area to just grab a beer after work - kinda like BlackFinn without the douchebags. At my recent visit, I felt like a 20-something outlier in a sea of dowdy, middle aged patrons who were obnoxiously taking pictures and clapping along with the music. Never again. I'll drive the extra distance to go anywhere else.
It wasn't that long ago that myself and some colleagues used to enjoy a beer there after work and enjoyed going in and hanging out - - Mark, man, you messed with a good thing... -
Review from Leyna K.
Royal Oak, MI
6/20/2011
I like that my friend got bombed here.
My suggestion is drink the ipa -
Review from Neal F.
Royal Oak, MI
3/20/2011
Another love/hate relationship for me. The beer here is very good. I've been coming to Black Lotus since they opened, and the quality of their beer has improved dramatically. My favorites are the Detroit Hip Hops, Funkin' A Apricot, and their seasonal Belgian Trippel. Beer is fairly priced, and their mug clug is very reasonable as well.
The food is good in general, but at times inconsistent. This is my same complaint of PIzzallica, which is owned by the same people. One time I dined here and ordered the brewery chips, which were fresh made to order homemade potato chips. The next time I ordered them, I received a bowl of Better Made from the bag. The homemade chips were very good before, so kind of a dissappointment. The nachos are kind of hit or miss, sometimes they come loaded with toppings, other times they're skimpy.
The food tends to be overpriced, but they're getting better with this as well. I believe they've adjusted the prices on most items to be more reasonable. However, some work still needs to be done - $7.00 for hummus dip is kind of a rip off.
I've been impressed the sandwiches they serve here, my favorite being the magic mushroom melt, with bleu cheese and peppers. I've also had the wasabi salmon wrap and boss hog pulled pork sandwich (with Funkin' A Apricot wheat BBQ sauce); both were good. Sweet potato fries are very good. Most places get these wrong, and they turn out a mushy mess. Black Lotus' are crispy and fresh.
Would I go out my way to visit Black Lotus? Not at this time. However, it is close, serves good beer, and has a nice atmosphere so it works for me. I was there on a weekly basis last summer, and will probably do so again this summer. Their taproom is nice, they have outdoor seating, and the beer is good. This place has improved over the last couple of years, and I hope it continues to do so. -
Review from Rex M.
Hartford County, CT
6/14/2011
I dig this place! Not only does it brew great beer but it has a great vibe, friendly staff and good food.
The beer was excellent try the Detroit Hip-Hops and currently serving 2 wheat beers with totally different profiles. An obviously passionate brewer on premises. It's this on site owner/brewmaster that gives this place its advantage over others.
Check it out! -
Review from David O.
4/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Let me preface this review by saying that I am generally not a Beer drinker. But I was here for my brother-in-law's Bachelor party.
I tried several Beers, including the Claw-Town Brown and Red Tao Amber and found them to be quite good.
The "food" is pretty much bar food. Make no mistake, its the Beer they care about and its the Beer you should stop in for. -
Review from LaRon R.
Royal Oak, MI
3/10/2011
Pretty decent beer, and nice staff. For goodness PLEASE bring back the popcorn!!!
EDIT: The nachos with chicken and loaded with cheese and bacon is the unhealthiest but most delicious nachos I have ever had. They are delish, but make sure you plan to get in a workout before or after. They are enough to make me upgrade to a 4th star. -
Review from Jeff S.
Ann Arbor, MI
8/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
Wow, I'm going to give this place the letdown of the year award. The beer was mediocre, the service was the worst I have ever experienced, and the food, well... it never came.
Let's start with the beer, because that's the reason we went in to begin with. I tried the Detroit Hip Hop IPA, the People Mover Pilsner, and the Summer Ale. At $4.50 a pint I was expecting a bit more. To be honest, this is the first micro brewery I have ever wished served Bud Light. The beers we let down after let down. Especially the IPA which I couldn't wait to try. Watery and warm seemed to be the overall theme at this place. I know those micros aren't supposed to be served ice cold, believe me I wasn't expecting the the Rockies to turn blue on the glass, just cooler than room temperature would be nice.
I guess next comes the service, which was, as I stated, the worst ever. I would have rather served myself. I was with a group of 6 and not a single one of us will ever go back because of how bad the service was. The waitress would wait until every glass at the table was empty before she would come to take orders for the next round, that can lead a man to become mighty thirsty. Then one of us ordered dinner and the rest ordered some stuff to snack on. 30 minutes later, the dinner came out wrong and the appetizers were MIA. So while they were preparing a new dinner, we asked the waitress about our appetizer....can you say deer in headlights? She blamed the error on everyone in the restaurant other than herself which is quite the turnoff. Maybe she thought serving up a round of ice waters with bits of salad floating in it would make up for her mistake? Wrong again!
So service leads to food right? Well I guess not in this case. The dinner came back out the second time and was still incorrect. I would say rating food can only be done by actually getting to eat it so I will have to leave that as world's largest mystery which I will never try to solve.
Hey.. Black Lotus... you owe me the better part of a Saturday night! -
Review from Krupa U.
Troy, MI
7/28/2010
The first time I went here was about a year ago, and it's the same experience that Eric P. and Joe T. are writing about below since I went with them lol.
I recently revisited on lazy sunday afternoon with a good girlfriend of mine. We opted for the outdoor seating since it was HOT and because there's nothing more relaxing than passing judgement on innocent, unsuspecting passerby's while sippin' on some cold pure michigan brew! I can't remember the exact name of it, but I ordered some Apricot flavored beer.... it's sooooo good when it hits your lips but the after-taste was a tad bitter. We also ordered the $3 basket of Sweet Potato Fries to share which were a perfect pair to our drink choice. Oh, and the basket was HUGE!
As much as I appreciate intuitive and attentive wait-staff, our waitress was just too annoying. She was asking if we needed anything almost every 5 minutes!! I mean, wait til I'm at least half way done with my first beer? And also, sense my tone when I say "Nothing for now, we'll let you know, right now we're just chatting and catching up." Maybe i'm just being bitter because I wanted less interruptions in my conversation with a friend i only see 2-3 times a year. I actually did want to stay longer and grab another brew, but to have to commit to another 1/2 hour interruptions was something I didn't want to tackle so I just asked for the bill and we split.
I still love black lotus despite my recent annoying experience, they have awesome brews and sweet munchies at reasonable prices in a relaxing environment! -
Review from Blake M.
Chicago, IL
1/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
I stopped in here with my dad and sister as we were making the family rounds in the area. Since I am a complete beer nut and like checking out the local offerings, we decided to stop in for a late lunch.
When we came in, there was not really anyone else in there, so I cannot really comment on what the scene is like at night. The golf simulators were pretty noticeable in the back room, though. The people playing looked serious. Calm down guys, I thought it was golf simulator off season. Sit back and have a brew.
Unfortunately, there were a couple of issues with said brews. My sister ordered the apricot wheat, and I gave the server a look when it came out a tan color cascading like crazy. If I had not noticed, she would not have said anything, but she told us the beer hit a 'yeast bubble.' Sounds like some serious quality control issues to me. After a few more attempts, she moved on to their amber. I had the Thai Porter, which was decent -- adding some Thai peppers to the beer was a fun idea. 'The Gift' was anything but. Seriously, just an unabated disaster of a beer for anyone who has had or will ever drink a quality Belgian ale. Unfortunately they don't serve anything except their own beer, so if I went back I would be forced beer-less.
The food was better than average. The Buffalo wings were enjoyable, and my sister won the ordering contest with the pulled pork sandwich and sweet potato fries. My wasabi salmon wrap was also fairly good.
If I could have the food alone this would get four stars, but I cannot award that to a brewpub without a decent beer. -
Review from Don J.
Farmington, MI
7/23/2011
Good beers: The People Mover Pilsner has a crisp bitterness, and the Red Tao Amber was very hearty. My wife loved the Funkin A Apricot Wheat. The sandwiches are large and tasty, and the house chips are pleasingly salty. We'll be back.
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Review from roscoe j.
Farmington, MI
5/28/2010
Beer: D
Complete disappointment. The oatmeal stout was a disgrace. Their wheat beers were OK. The rest were all bland, watery, and made for the masses. Around 10 on tap. The brewmaster here needs to grow some balls.
Food: A-
I had their vegetarian mushroom cap burger. It was AWESOME. It was chopped portabellos, melted gorgonzola, and spicy peppers on toasted ciabatta bread. I also had their Brewhouse nachos but with their apricot-wheat BBQ sauce on top and sour cream on the side. These were also very good. The rest of the menu was burgers, sandwiches, and other standard bar fare but with some interesting twists. They also serve many different teas and wines.
Service: B-
Value: C
My sandwich was only average size and came with a pickle for $8. A little overpriced. The beers were $4.50 a pint which would be OK if the beer actually tasted good. Nachos were $8 which was about right.
Ambiance: B
The decor was pretty cool. It was dead on this particular Thursday, so hard to gauge what the vibe would be like on a busy night. Seems like it would appeal to the 25-40 crowd. Outdoor patio is a nice touch. Overall, a nice place with a relaxed atmosphere.
Overall:
Beer sucked. Food was good. Place was pretty empty. I think it has potential if they start making better beer. I'd consider going back just for the mushroom-cap burger if I had a date who was a vegetarian and didn't mind drinking crappy beer. -
Review from Brandy L.
San Diego, CA
2/27/2011
Amazing crafted brews. No matter what your style you're going to find one you love! My favorite is the Black IPA (Dark and Lovely or my go-to the Wheat.)
Genuine service with great character. We moved from San Diego (which has amazing beers/breweries) to Royal Oak. Not knowing what to expect we found B.Lotus. Our server went through each beer with us, chatted us up on San Diego and was able to make us feel like locals!
The Magic Mushroom Sandwich isn't really my thing, but on a whim I tried it w/ the "Dark n' lovely" IPA. Not to get too graphic but I almost couldn't move out of extreme pleasure. The sandwich was incredible and the beer was smooth and silky with just the right bite.
Outstanding find! Thank Goodness for such a cool local place! -
Review from Mike W.
Royal Oak Charter Township, MI
7/11/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I like the cluster of various bars within walking distance in downtown Clawson. Black Lotus is not my favorite brewery in town but whenever I'm in the area I like to stop in and check out their taps.
1 star - Beer - Seem to have a decent variety on tap at all times. Our waitress last night was attempting to liken their various beers commercial brews (somehow EVERY place that serves a red only says 'Killians').
1 star - Food - I have tried a few different dishes at Black Lotus. I generally visit for beer when I'm hopping around but the burgers are very good.
1 star - Local flavor - I love the local/supporting local business/supporting small business approach to a business model and Black Lotus seems to favor this as well.
1 star - Variety - Between the beers and food, I think almost everyone can find something of interest on the menu.
-1 star - Service - I've had a couple times in the bar (last night included) where the service was mediocre. A few of the servers are great and keep up with everything. I guess I'm just more critical on service than most.Listed in: The "Drink Good Beer Here"…
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Review from Lindsay B.
Dallas, TX
7/13/2011
Went here with a co-worker during an out-of-town client visit. The food was nothing special, but it tasted fine and was filling. They brew their own beers and I tried the apricot one, not too bad. There is not a ton of seating here, but we had a nice spot on the outdoor patio. Overall it was fine, but i wouldn't make a special trip to come back.
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Review from Taurean V.
Allentown, PA
9/12/2010
Another MI brewery with mostly only location going for it. The food and the beer are not really worth a return trip, but the street-side patio is pretty inviting.
The beer: It's definitely watery. Some people enjoy that "drinkability", there are multi-million-dollar ad campaigns centered around this quality. I don't think people who go out of their way to go to a local brewery fit that demographic. I do like that they seem to have inventive seasonals, not just your basic mainstream varieties. Their cinco de mayo beer was incredibly dark and watery, things that don't normally go together with beer... I'm actually a little ashamed to admit it grew on me. -
Review from Michael S.
Chicago, IL
7/23/2010
I'm a big fan of some of their beers. The People Mover and their hops-heavy beers are usually great. I'm not a fan of their sweeter beers like the apricot beer, though. Overall, good beers.
Their food was mediocre. We had buffalo burgers, which were decent but not great.
The atmosphere is hit or miss. I like the patio for hanging out and having a few beers, but tend to stay away from inside, especially when they have bands. Haven't seen a band that I really like there yet.
It's a cool place, and a great location for those in North Royal Oak and Clawson, and is definitely a step up from most of the other bars just south of Black Lotus on Main Street. -
Review from Brian M.
Livonia, MI
6/26/2010
the goods:Very chill atmosphere, friendly waitstaff,good food(had a buffalo burger with wasabi aioli, smoked gouda, and bacon! Crazy right?),beers were tasty, but not nearly the best I've ever had, tried the hip hop APA, the black bottom oatmeal stout, and the sun ra wheat,all enjoyable,picked up a growler of the stout to take home, prices were decent
the bads:waitstaff could have been a little more attentive,(it took about ten minutes for the chips and salsa we ordered to arrive), slightly disappointed in the menu, could have a few more choices in the food department
the verdict:a fun experience overall, and will definitely be returning to the Black Lotus! -
Review from Justin O.
Royal Oak, MI
8/26/2010 3 Check-ins Here
IMO, if you have the words 'BREWING COMPANY' in the name of your restaurant, you had better offer up some extra special beers.
Unfortunately, Black Lotus is one of the worst microbreweries I have been to in our fine state. Every beer I have tried here is some how 'off'. The porter (only offered in the colder months) is not a lush creamy porter, rather a watery black coffee like porter. The lager I tried here lacked carbonation, and again was watery. The beers do not lack flavor, but the flavor they do contain is just weird. Like I said, the beer seems 'off'.
It truly is a shame that the beer here is so bad. The food is pretty decent, even if it is your generic brewpub fare. I would actually say that the sandwich I had (Cuban) was good, but a bit pricey (over $10!) The best aspect of Black Lotus is the space itself, the art and ambiance this place has, is the only reason I can give them 2 stars.
The beers here are that bad. -
Review from Lisa C.
Royal Oak, MI
6/13/2010
Stopped in lateish on a weeknight. The menu is pretty lackluster - and limited for the vegetarian crowd. Mostly sandwiches - and none that grabbed us - my boyfriend and I split the hummus plate. The olives were tasty but the hummus itself was too garlicky on a bit on the dry side.
We decided to stay because it was getting really late and split a Ruben (I'm a flexitarian after all). This sandwich was totally over the top - creamy slaw, lots of cheese, tons of butter on the marble rye but was served on a bread plate and didn't come with anything on the side. Lot of fat, but not a lot of food for your dollar.
I had their apricot beer which I really enjoyed but I won't be heading back anytime soon. -
Review from Amber C.
Royal Oak, MI
7/20/2010
I like Black Lotus and personally feel they get better all the time. They make regular updates to their menu and have great self-brewed beer and wine selections. Yes, sometimes they do run out of things - that happens from time to time when you're an independent place and not a commercial chain. They serve their own beer and wine only - they do not have a full bar.
I appreciate the staff at Black Lotus - they are always friendly and accomodating. My pals and I also appreciate the small town atmosphere where the staff remembers your name and what you drink if you're a regular. Lately they've also had great deals through http://www.restaurant.com. -
Review from Emily D.
Chicago, IL
4/16/2009
The hubs started homebrewing a few months ago. Holy hell. Why isn't everyone hopping it up to do this too? From the Brewmaster Marc I'm told it's "easy" (I wasn't good at chemistry, in fact cheated my whole way through so. . . not true for everyone), fun (also debatable, as fun for me doesn't quite smell this bad) and cheap. The last one I can agree with. Righteous.
Black Lotus was brewing up a storm when we arrived on the first chart-topping temp day of the Spring season. Post-frisbee golf, pre-sundown-patio-sitting-drunk fest, we were poised for some serious consumption. When I lived just down the street from this corner post, I wanted BL to be my Cheers. My haunt. Where I could get a free brew with a wink and a smile, in a pinch.
Sadly, I moved to Chi before that could happen. . . so this visit was somewhat sentimental. BL has an ever-changing, always-high-alcohol-content selection. I sampled quite a few from my group's pints, but my absolute favorite is the Funkin' A Apricot Wheat Ale. Oy gavelt. They also have super high alcohol content brews served in delightful snifters conjuring ascots and bellows instead of brewski. . . for the classy set, that wants to get drunk quick.
To set a base in the gut, there's a old-fashioned popcorn maker with unlimited refills, but the menu isn't too bad. We rather enjoyed when you could order a pizza from Buddy's or bring pasties from Barb's and enjoy your BL beer. But they make the effort with bar basics, they're just not worth the calories. Tositos and Pace I can get at home.
But go for the beer. Many beers. And bring buddies. Laugh and carry on until the sunsets and then drink some more. It's a lively place where you can bring and make friends. *clink* -
Review from Janelle W.
Detroit, MI
10/29/2008 1 Check-in Here
I hate beer. I think it all tastes like horse urine. But I saw an article about the barbecue chicken nachos at Black Lotus, and decided to give it the old college try. After all, I've been kept awake by their live band every Wednesday night for the past year. The least they can do for me is a tasty plate of nachos.
And yes, I felt like a fool going to a microbrewery and not ordering any beer. But the food was so good that I didn't mind the whole feeling-like-a-fool thing.
The barbecue chicken nachos are tasty--everything that article made them out to be, and more! Generous pieces of chicken, lots of cheese, a flavorful and spicy barbecue sauce, and salty chips... delicious!
The Bayou Burger with chicken breast was also a great menu find. Served on an almost-Bavarian-pretzel bread, the gorgonzola cheese, bell pepper spread, and Cajun seasonings provided a deliciously complex array of flavors.
The menu emphasizes organic and local products, and is also veggie-friendly.
You'll find me here frequently from now on. Never would've thought this beer-hating spend-Friday-night-at-home kind of girl would fall for a microbrewery. -
Review from Tom S.
Ferndale, MI
9/6/2008 ROTD 2/5/2009
Now, my friends (actually one in particular) are bigger fans than I am of 'The Lotus.' Still, I think it's a serviceable, valuable and yes, tasty local destination. The 10ish original beers on tap are well made and range from basics like the Pilsner & IPA to the exotic Apricot Wheat and Yelper-favorite Oatmeal Stout. I find something good about each one and any amateur to semi-pro beer connoisseur will enjoy perusing Lotus' offerings. At least once.
This is the part where 'the snarky' enters stage left.
Unless I wanted hot dogs that tasted like grilled cheese (or vice versa) I wouldn't eat here. Their "kitchen" resembles my freshman dorm room but instead of the George Forman Grill, they've upgraded to a bonafide Hotplate 3000. Everything is cooked on the same griddle and sub-par at that. After 4-5 7% ABV Stouts I would consider some Nachos, let's just put it at that. Also, they recently started selling 'handcrafted' wines. The joke about distilled Welsch's grape juice is too easy so we'll just move on.
That said, I give it another star for congeniality. A friendly group of regulars and patrons, it's a neighborhood place that encourages conversation, laughs and more. The open mic provides nice ambiance and your chances are good you'll see some entertaining and talented acts.
Finally, I commend this place for whole-heartedly embracing local biz-nass and culture. It's through and through a local place that loves being an asset to the Clawson & Metro D area. Overall, a friendly, fun place to enjoy a pint. -
Review from TJ F.
Ferndale, MI
9/12/2009
Decent Food. Very good to Excellent beers. My favorite, which is not always available I am afraid, is "The Gift".
Unfortunately the last time I was there a waitress tried to snatch my beer before it was empty without asking if I was done with it. I consider this a cardinal sin. When I called her back with my glass, she acted like it was a problem "for her". I was not amused. Other than this solitary incident, I really like this place. Keep an eye on your beer and there shouldnt be any problems.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
