Tip Top Deluxe Bar and Grill, 760 Butterworth St SW, Grand Rapids ~ June 3, 2025

Would you walk into this place based on the outside and with no previous knowledge about it? That would be a 'no' but that would also be a mistake.
The building was built in 1920 (according to Zillow) and it looks its age.
This is the front entrance but you need to enter and exit on the side.
This is the back.
The interior though has such a cool, retro vibe that we really appreciated. The walls are covered with period artwork and concert posters.
This bench and those booths are awesome.
The old tin ceiling.
The Beers on Tap list is up at the mahogany bar.
We had an Oberon, Miller High Life, Blood Orange Honey, and a Ginger Ale, which turned out to be Vernors - only in Michigan 😉
Neither the online menu or the printed menu turned out to be accurate. Sandwiches are gone and the burgers are available only on weekends. So, that left us with the fried appetizers, which were actually quite good. Sourced from Van Eerden Food Service, the food was above average for fried bar food.
We shared the Breaded Pollack (called Alaska Wild Wings Basket and served with fries), Mac and Cheese Bites, Portobello Mushrooms Fries, and Spicy Green Beans.
The current owners purchased the place in 2011 and designed it to be a concert venue, not a bar with background music. We were there early so there was no show and only a few other customers. For concert lovers, this place is very popular and the atmosphere is quite different on show nights than what it was for us. There have been citations and lawsuits about the noise level in the neighborhood but it seems like everyone is trying to be a good neighbor here on the westside.
The history I could find is as follows. It was Curly's in the 1960s, Loading Zone and The Venture in the 70s. It was the Raven in the 80s. KCs Hotspot, closed in 2009, and sometime in there it was Low Bottom. That's a long history. So if you're not into concerts and want to enjoy a a nice early evening in a westside bar, although with fried food only, visit the Tip Top and soak up the cool atmosphere. And if you're lucky enough to have Kalie as your server/bartender, you'll have the best service in the house.
 

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