The Workshop Brewing Company: a broad selection of superlative handmade beers, the best food you’ve ever had at a brewpub, great live music, and a friendly vibe.
Stopped here on our way up north. Very friendly staff, passionate and knowledgable about their beer. I had the 20 lb sledge IPA, it was excellent. Also ordered a pizza which came out quickly and was the perfect addition to our beer. Definitely would recommend to anyone stopping through.
Stacy P.
Place rating: 5 Grand Rapids, MI
This place is a hidden gem. The staff is friendly and knowledgable and the beer is awesome. I will definitely come back here on my next visit to Traverse City
Victoria V.
Place rating: 5 Traverse City, MI
Consistently good food, warm environment and lively atmosphere. Live music and great beerkeepers who take time to talk about your beer choices.
Jim D.
Place rating: 5 Northport, MI
We each had the 20 lb Sledge IPA and then ordered an excellent bowl of New England Clam Chowder, and the outstanding small plate of Blackened Prawn on great Peruvian polenta along with beer battered fried artichokes. They have great pretzels and flat bread pizza as well.
Kerry F.
Place rating: 4 Grand Rapids, MI
We absolutely loved the Workshop! Very good beers(their stout and porters are on point!) I ordered the special Pumpkin bisque and it was a huge serving, a little sweet towards the end but excellent paird with their spicy wingnuts. We accomplished the Ale Trail during our trip to TC and we agreed that the Workshop was our favorite stop.
Adam B.
Place rating: 5 Greenwood, IN
My girlfriend and I are on a vacation from Indiana, and the brewery community there is very competitive and amazing. The beer was on point! The ipa’s were mellow and Easy to drink but still had the complexity you come to enjoy from ipa’s. The seasonal octoberfest and pumpkin ale were also excellent. As far as food, we had the house spent grain pretzels. They were also very good. The atmosphere was very chill and they had a good jazz band that added to the mood. I plan on coming back for growlers. This is a good place for beer and pub food!
Brian M.
Place rating: 5 Traverse City, MI
Very cool and laid back vibe. The bar food is incredibly well executed and one of the best beers in TC(so far that I have discovered). We rode our bikes here for a quick beer, small bite, and to enjoy a gorgeous fall day. The food and beer has us plotting our return to experience more of the menu. Highly recommend their Ball Peen beer!
Irina D.
Place rating: 5 Marina del Rey, CA
Excellent diversity of all ORGANIC beers — pretty unheard of to find an all organic brewery. Beer tasted great! We did a flight, and my favorite was the English IPA — aromatic, hoppy, perfect citrus notes we also had the prawn meal with polenta which was delicious and the pretzel, which was top notch. The pretzel and beer combination is a must. The décor was smart, very modern with an industrial upcyled take, and finely woven with artistic propaganda notes to create one beautiful brewery tapestry. We talked with the owner Pete who was happy to share his process and passion for his brewery, organic food, and art. He even gave us a print of his linocut art that inspired the mural on the main wall that you can see when you walk in. So cool! The brewery has large open front and is close to the water, it was a very relaxing enjoyable atmosphere and if we come back to Traverse City we will definitely be back to this brewery.
John A.
Place rating: 5 Soulard, Saint Louis, MO
This place is awesome. Great beer and the soft pretzels were a good snack to go along with the brews.
Sara B.
Place rating: 4 Ferndale, MI
I didn’t have any food here, and in a fashion very unlike me, I only tried the Cold Chisel Biere Blanche. That being said I’m normally pretty picky about my Belgian beers, and this one was delicious! The general atmosphere of the place is a bit dark, but fun, and the staff is very helpful and friendly. Also, for non beer drinkers, they have a nitro coffee that is pretty amazing.
Michael D.
Place rating: 5 Davison, MI
The Workshop Brewing Company has become a must-visit for myself whenever I am in TC. They have a beer to fit any and every taste, and each one is world class. The environment welcomes visitors to linger and experience new tastes, with delicious eats made from sratch to acompany any flight. The service is great and relaxed. A perfect place to end your day. My recomendation: order a pint of wrecking bar with a side of their house-made pretzels, then head outsided to relax on a bench to enjoy the view of Lake Michigan.
Matt F.
Place rating: 5 Elkhart, IN
First — superb service, friendly and very inviting. Owner spoke to me about brewing and the business, really great guy. Great style based beers brewed well and great food as well. We had a ton of kids with us and they all played games there… Finally, really nice open air inside with overhead door up and patio area. What are you waiting for? Go!
Eric S.
Place rating: 4 Berkley, MI
We enjoyed this brewing company. I had a flight that included: Bastard Rasp(a delicious fruit beer with a clean fresh raspberry flavor) ESB Ball peen(my wife enjoyed this beer and typically prefers a malty lightly hopped beer) The remedy(a breakfast stout with a great coffee flavor) And my favorite Wrecking bar(and imperial porter with strong bourbon notes and vanilla caramel flavors. Very smooth) Our server was pleasant and attentive. Most of the beers were available. The flight was nicely priced and sized(4 pours 8oz each). There was a live band playing which was a little loud for what we were looking for that night. But the outdoor seating was a good option. We didn’t try the food. But if the food is as good as the beer was, I would be willing to consider adjusting my review up to a five star.
Joe V.
Place rating: 4 Canton, MI
Came in here a couple weeks ago on Saturday night to catch the Crane Wives and drink a beer. Overall, really liked the place. The size of the crowd seemed a bit overwhelming for the size of the place, but we managed. This was my first time in here, so I’m not sure if it’s regularly crowded or what. Not going to lie… having a place to sit would’ve been nice. Band was fantastic. Beer was good. Crowd was upbeat and friendly. Definitely would give this place another shot when I’m in town next. Maybe I’ll opt for a time other than Friday night just so I get to enjoy more that it has to offer.
David L.
Place rating: 4 Commerce Township, MI
Good beer. A bit on the expensive side but quality. Entertainment some nights. Comfortable seating. Friendly people. Likely will be back(after I get a raise). Enjoy!
Matt H.
Place rating: 5 Kalamazoo, MI
This local gem is located in the old Right Brain building just on the West side of downtown, tucked away in the alley. It might be a bit of a challenge to find a spot to park during a peak time but most of the time there is adequate parking available nearby. The décor is set up for a good time and it is visited by locals and tourists alike. I found that there are usually younger people having a good time in there but nothing that would make it uncomfortable for anyone that walks in the door. The idea of this place is craft beer and craft food. Most of there beers are called«journeyman» and are not«light beers». I thoroughly enjoy sipping on a saison called the sickle while my wife likes the cold chisel which is more of a Belgian wheat. The food looks and tastes amazing as well. We like to have a spent grain pretzel with beer mustard as a snack or a smoked bison burger with bacon and cheese. Whatever you try, you’ll be happy. There are even some games in the back corner if you’re staying awhile or you can sit with your feet up on the couch for a bit. Whatever your pleasure, you should enjoy your time here.
Michele A.
Place rating: 5 Ferndale, MI
Great beers! The bartender was super nice and knew about all the beers and just what to recommend as well as gave tasters. We had dinner I had a greek salad which was fresh and full of flavor. My husband had the smoked bison burger which was very good. Great atmosphere.
Sandra F.
Place rating: 5 Cincinnati, OH
#4 on our list of breweries in the Traverse City area. This is our 2nd day in the city and wanted more! This place was highly recommended by locals. This is my favorite brewery of all time!!! Located in the Warehouse district. I love how open and spacious this bar is! Rich bold colors. Long tables and hanging from the ceiling are beer bottles recycled as lighting fixtures. They have foosball table, pinball machines, and even books! We wanted to try the beer flights: $ 12.00 –Ball peen: ESB –Sickle: Saison –10lbs Sledge: IPA –10lbs Cascade: IPA Can I say WOW!!! All beers were super smooth and did not leave a bad after taste(not too hoppy). For appetizers we got the Apricot baked camembert– with candied pecans, roasted garlic and grilled baguette for $ 9.00. I highly recommend trying this! The candied pecans and the garlic tasted so well together. What a great combo! Bread was extra soft. We literally cleaned our plate! My husband loved this place so much that he got a fitted grey cap for $ 25.00. Which has a small logo on the front right hand corner. Everything was perfect. The beer, service, food. I highly recommend trying this brewery if you are in the Traverse City area. Great Stuff!!!
Peter C.
Place rating: 4 Milwaukee, WI
Cool, new brewery just a block off the main drag in downtown TC. The girlfriend and I went in here after biking around the area on an afternoon. They had a nice beer garden that overlooks the fermenters. They have been around for a year according to the bartender. The tables are all old workshop items like table saws, etc. that have glass tops on them. They have a Tornado fooseball table, darts, bags, and tons of games. They even have some repurposed church pews with a ton of books in the corner so you can drink and read if you would like. We ended up getting a flight after we found out that they come in huge tulip/sniffer glasses(6oz pours) and proceeded to sit outside. They don’t have anything that they serve their flights on rather just give you napkins, which is a bit disappointing yet in one regard refreshing compared to the general rack or paddle that most places use. The food menu looked really good yet we just stuck to a liquid meal that day. It had some great beers and would recommend this place for some good beers and games.
Liza V.
Place rating: 5 Columbus, OH
On our mini-tour of the TC breweries, this one sticks out as such an obvious leader of the pack. Having just celebrated their one-year anniversary, I’m so impressed with what they’ve got going on. First, the beer: we had four samples. And these are 8 oz. pours– not your average sample pours! We enjoyed them all– each very unique. We ended up with a growler of the Uncapper, since we thought it would agree with most of the drinkers we’d share with. Next, the food: It’s all wonderful– even the simple farmer’s salad that I had. Amazing bacon, that I assume they smoke in-house, or they get it somewhere very high-quality. And the dressings they make are so unique and delicious. I suggest getting a salad for sure– they’ll even make you a smaller portion than the ones listed on the menu if you want it as a side. The bison burger(that they smoke!) was so flavorful! We got the pretzels as an appetizer, and these were a showstopper! With their cheese sauce and uncapper mustard– wow. So, so, so delicious! The service: The bartender was so super friendly. She gave us lots of good suggestions, and even gave us some pointers about which breweries were worth checking out before we left town. Everyone was friendly and never acted like they were in a hurry, and were willing to answer questions and chat as much as we liked! I can not wait to return!