Great choice for a microbrew! Beer selection was superb. The owner was genuine and welcoming! defiantly recommend a visit, or two!!
(5)
Bob S.
Great service. Pretty good beer. Okay food. We had the pepper corn garlic steak and the spinach fettuccine. Both were unremarkable. The salads were good. Just a solid 3. Not bad but it just didn't live up to the description in the menu. Flavor was flat, lacking any of the boldness described.
(3)
Melanie R.
The pizza horrible, it doctored up Sisco or GFS pizza. The wings and beer average. Very loud too.
(1)
Al M.
I really like the heart of downtown K-zoo where the Olde Peninsula is located - loaded with well maintained turn-of-the-century brick facades - a great spot for a Brew Pub! Visited for dinner mid-week and wasn't surprised that the pub wasn't very busy. We had our minds locked on some savory barbecued chicken wings (bone -in of course) and some of their highly touted brew. Unfortunately, the "Olde Pen" only offers the "boneless" variety of wings. We were devastated! Rather than pick up and drive across town to Buffalo Wild Wings, we decided to split a pound of the boneless wings and took a shot with what the Olde Pen calls their "Beer-B-Que" sauce. Although their "wings" were really small squares of chicken breast lightly breaded and deep fried, they were absolutely delicious with the Peninsula's original amber-colored Beer-B-Que sauce. Excellent! Having lived in Buffalo, NY for 8 years where wings were invented, eating boneless wings was always considered blasphemy. This is the only version of a boneless wing that I could actually recommend. Nice job!
(3)
Rosie D.
Went here with the boo as part of our random Kalamazoo road trip. We had dinner here and thought we'd just sample a couple of their homemade brews but we didn't have any high expectations. We ordered the fried egg and bacon burger. LAWD HAVE MERCY!!!!! That had to be one of the best burgers I'd ever had! Cooked and seasoned to perfection! Everything about it was amazing! Oh and the beer was kinda awesome too! We had a wheat and a porter respectively. Both were equally amazing. Then we decided we wanted to try some of their more interesting beers. I tried their chocolate stout. Pretty good. Not the best I've had but certainly not the worse. The boy (being the glutton for punishment that he is) got their beer called the scorpion. It's a darker beer brewed with hot peppers. Instant heartburn. Lol! Great spot to stop on your beer pilgrimage through Kalamazoo.
(4)
Alicia S.
Stopped in here for lunch the other day. It was a quiet afternoon, seat yourself. Good atmosphere with a very large window looking right into the brewing space. Server was nice and very knowledgeable about the menu options. My peoples and I all ended up ordering sandwich style meals- a wrap, burger, and a Reuben. The only suggestion we all ended up having was regarding the bread quality. The ingredients in the sandwich were super tasty, but the marbled rye, the wrap, and the bun all lacked luster. I sound like a food snob because I couldn't help but feel like the sandwich went down a couple notches just because of the bread. Really enjoyed their Scottish Ale! Mon-Fri 3-6 & 10-close happy hour deals are pretty rockin' too..$3.25 pints, $6.25 1 liter "gustos", and $4.25-22oz "Giant & Call Liquor Drinks!
(4)
L S.
Haven't been on yelp in awhile, but just saw this message from the owner. I stand by my statement about how disgusting the chicken was, and no, I was not having a bad day. This is a sorry excuse for a response to a customer. Solidifies the fact that I would never go back or recommend this place to anyone else unless there is a serious overhaul. Maybe he meant fresh-frozen chicken strips from a box? "Gross, really? It's hard to comment or believe you when we only use fresh chicken and ground beef. I hope this review was because you were just having a bad day. Happy Holidays"
(1)
Colin A.
A big disappointment. Nice menu and decent prices, but the food was below average for a brew pub and service we received was cringe-worthy. Our waitress was more interested in chatting with the hostess, leaving our group of four with empty glasses and lots of dining ware. While my dining partner and lovely wife have been known to be indecisive with lots of menu items, a suggestion would have been nice. "Um, I don't know...I guess that is pretty good" was the standard response from our gum-chomping, oft-distracted server. We are in your establishment to eat good food and spend money -- PLEASE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION! If you don't know anything about the beer you serve, why not ask the also-bored bartender to stop by and provide some knowledge or recommendation? I'm a big boy, so I chose a few styles I generally enjoy (flight of 5 6-oz. samples was a steal at $7), and got on with enjoying a nice conversation with some good folks I don't get to see often enough. For what should have been a crowded Friday night, OP was strangely dead. It's too bad, because the menu is extensive and I am sure I would have enjoyed any other dish with a much needed recommendation. I think I've got the answer for the lack of a crowd --a sad service experience indeed.
(2)
Hayley G.
This was the first restaurant I had ever been to on my first day in Kalamazoo. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but figured it would have general bar or pub food, and a decent beer selection. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap, and it was actually really good! The prices are reasonable, and the service is just fine. Having been there a couple of times now, I've had servers who seem to care, and others who seem bored. It's fine; as long as you're not rude or slow, I don't care how bored you are. (But, also, I shouldn't really notice how bored you are). In general, though, I don't have any complaints. Their beer selection is pretty good, too! I like their raspberry ale, and have also had good luck with some of their other lighter, wheat beers. If you're going just to have a couple of beers on a Friday or Saturday night, order the pub mix (which is essentially chex mix) - it's served warm, and it a perfect addition to your beers!
(3)
Holly P.
The food wasn't what it used to be. The onion rings were the only thing worth eating. The raspberry wheat ale was goodish. My daughter ordered the Mac and cheese kids meal and freaked out when she found bean sprouts and carrot pieces in it. No where on the menu did it say there was veggies in it. She thought the beans were a worm at first and then refused to eat her food cause it put her off. The location is still awesome, the building looks amazing. The food was neither.
(2)
Jarred D.
Excellent and unique beers (i.e. habanero and vanilla porter) with a great staff and ambiance to accompany them. Their food is good, but I always end up getting the same thing (chicken club as a wrap), so I have a limited perspective on their food selection.
(4)
Candice M.
The Brewpub Dip is a must, every time I come back to Kalamazoo this place is a must stop! Chill atmosphere, good menu selection and great home brewed beer. I prefer the Sunset Red. You can even get a liter! Also have a video game area for the kids or if you get board waiting
(4)
Liza V.
Good fried food. That's about all this place has going for it. The beer wasn't too bad- I had a Red Raspberry, their raspberry wheat mixed with their red ale. I enjoyed it, but didn't want another. The cheese fries appetizers was pretty amazing. Probably the only reason I'm giving this place an extra star. You need to get these. Lots of cheese sauce, and good bacon with creamy ranch dip. The fries are beer battered deliciousness, fried to perfection. I had the Fajita Thai Wrap- and it was really crappy. I was bummed. The chicken inside was good and flavorful, but the combination of flavors was totally off. The bean sprouts were cooked way too much, and they were just a soggy mess. If the waitress would have asked how my food was, I was planning to tell her, but she never did. Oh well. I should have just ordered something fried. We also ordered a burger with blackened spice, olive aioli, mushrooms, and jack cheese. The burger itself wasn't great, but the toppings were all very good. And the onion rings were great, of course. Great beer batter, again. The grilled cheese from the kids menu was simply wonder bread and a piece of american cheese. I don't expect gourmet, but c'mon. Even if I lived in the area, I wouldn't come here.
(2)
Connie R.
Good service shitty food. The hamburgers are dry the chicken so called wings are dry chicken salad sandwich no flavor but the waiter was cute :-)
(1)
Tim K.
Gonna keep this one short, sweet, and to the point. I wasn't overly impressed with this place. The service was okay, but the food was just average. I started with the Tomato Herb soup and it was barely luke warm and tasted more like pizza sauce than soup. I also had the California Turkey Wrap and there was no avocado on it nor any ranch dressing which left it very bland and dry. I cannot comment on their beer selection as I didn't order any, but from the list they all looked fairly decent. If I am ever in the area again I may stop in for a drink to give that area a shot, but as for food, I'll pass.
(2)
Andrew M.
We returned to Olde Peninsula and had a much better experience. The food was delicious and priced fairly. The host was juggling a packed bar and a nearly-to-capacity restaurant quite well and our server was prepared, informative and prompt with water refills. I previously suspected that I might have a food allergy here, but I was wrong. I can heartily recommend the pork supreme sandwich with the pub chips, very tasty.
(4)
Sara B.
Came here for lunch while visiting in Michigan. Pretty much one of the only places open on the street on a Saturday in the afternoon. Food and service was great. Would come back
(4)
Kendra K.
Not great! Terrible service and luke warm food... Don't make a special trip to come here! Thank God they have decent beer!!
(3)
Kami F.
Great beer with a wide variety of sizes, fantastic service, really good food...
(4)
Molly I.
Yummy house brewed beer and rootbeer. The Wisconsin cheese curds were wonderful, very crispy and delicious. Burger was pretty good too.
(5)
C W.
There's really nothing special about this place. Not really sure what the draw is. I've been here a handful of times and this weekend will be the last. I don't get when servers are upset with a table for deciding to patron their place of employment. We were starving and this was the only place we could find that was open on Sunday. We ordered an app immediately upon being sat and were ready to order our meals by the time the waitress came back with one water. ( not sure why she decided to only bring one). For the entirety of our visit she was passive aggressive with us. I get not wanting to be at work or having a bad day, but bad service on top of a lackluster establishment, isn't helping things.
(1)
Foodie L.
This was the only place we found to get a burger on a Sunday evening. Not knowing kalamazoo, we had to go with what we had. Oh bwoy, was this a mistake. One of my friends said Applebee's might have been a better option (and we don't even eat at Applebee's). Specifics: the hash browns were frozen then fried, the drinks were either weak and watered down or poorly made with bad ingredients, I asked for a hard fried egg on my burger and I got a runny yolk. Also, said burger was inedible because it was so dry and hard, the cheese curds were nothing special. Overall, skip this place if you know and like good food and drinks.
(2)
John F.
I'm a huge fan of breweries. Especially breweries that have good beer, good food, and good atmosphere. Unfortunately, as much as I want to love Olde Peninsula, I just find it mediocre at best. While I do love their atmosphere and location, and some of their menu items are delicious (their dips are quite good), I'm just never completely satisfied when I go there.
(3)
Pam R.
I'm not a beer person, so I can't speak to that. My sons and husband are in to craft beers and this is why we go....they do like the beer. We've ate here many times, and calzones are excellent. On our recent visit I ordered from their Limited Time Cajun menu. Definitely not the best, maybe the worst Gumbo I've ever had. The rice was crunchy, had 1" balls of clumped rice - made me wonder how old it was. The gumbo had good flavor, too bad the rice ruined it. The manager made a big deal out of "comping" 50% off the bill ($7.49).....well, considering I didn't eat even half it was a pretty poor show of customer service. There were 10 of us, I think they may have lost multiple customers over that dinner....would have been a show of goodwill to offer something else from the menu or remove bad item totally from the bill.
(2)
Kayla K.
Definitely order the RedRaz beer -- a mix of their Sunset Red & Raspberry Wheat. They also do some great seasonal beer mixes, especially around Halloween (ex: Midnight Stout & Pumpkin). Also, I can't stop ordering the veggie nachos. :)
(5)
Chris C.
The Haymarket Brew brew was excellent as was the Bacon and Egg burger. Atmosphere was definitely enjoyable as well. Will definitely be stopping by again on my next trip through Kalamazoo.
(5)
Chelsea C.
Can't say enough great things about our experience here! Came in on a slow afternoon and sat at the bar. Got great suggestions from our bartenders Austin and Tommy, and tried a flight of beer. I'm a wheat beer kinda gal, but I branched out here and I'm so glad I did! For the beers, some of the most memorable were the Stout Chocula, the Raspberry Wheat, and the Diablo IPA (a double IPA without the citrus). The high point of our visit here was when Dan the brew-master (who used to work at Bell's) came out and chatted with us for a long time about the different beers, and even opened some Tornado (which they were out of) that he had been aging for 1 year so we could try it! It was amazing and he really won us over. Also- the food is awesome. We had a fresh Perch sandwich with O-Rings and their Chicago Chop Salad which were outstanding. Service is outstanding, food is great, beer is even better- would definitely be a regular here if I lived in Kalamazoo! A real gem.
(4)
Melissa B.
Excellent! Waitress was nice, staff was very accommodating for our party of 15. Beer and food very good. Everything came out hot and correct. Definitely a Kalamazoo favorite for us!
(4)
Brad M.
We went for lunch. I had the fish tacos and they were tasty, with a nice crunch. They could've used a side sauce: malt vinegar or tartar... but altogether they were nice. My very hard to please friend had the Greek Burger with feta, and substituted chicken for beef. Although it had a bit of a HUGE bun, she said it was really wonderful and she would have it again.
(4)
Michael H.
Initially, back in the 90's, it was novel, but they haven't really done much to change anything since then...the only problem is that competition has exploded exponentially and there are so many options out there trying new ways to attract people, that these guys are just down the list now. Even the beer flavors have stayed stagnant, and they weren't that dope to begin with, it's just that the only compeition they used to have was Bells. There are guys running breweries in kalamazoo that were in highschool when OP started up and believe me, it's like a time warp in there....good if you want the nostalgia, I guess.
(3)
David C.
This place is a treasure-- a brewpub with a solid menu and solid ambiance. Very Nice bar area, clean and comfy tables and overall inviting and pleasant environment. There's an air of pride in their rightful place on the corner --and-- the beer is much better than a decade ago. The place is downright cool and has matured well since I last visited in 07. My wife and I stopped in for lunch and a beer and struck up a friendship with the master brewer and barkeeps while eating at the bar. He even cracked open his final bottle of a treasured brew that he'd kept at bay for some time. We were royalty for an hour; pretty special. Food was excellent, large salads and fresh lake perch sandwich, homemade tartar sauce (bonus for sure!). Truly great onion rings. We split everything and were stuffed with contentment. People who complain on Yelp about Olde Peninsula's menu selection or execution have an axe to grind or really caught the cooks on a bad moment. I'd eat here 5 days a week for sure. Lots of menu items... Again, their beer was very well made, such a pleasant surprise. Try the sampler, any 5 beers if I recall for about 7 bucks. Good job all around and one more sweet spot in sweet little Kalamazoo MI. We will have lunch and beers and friendship with you guys again. THANK YOU. PS The Count Chocula stout is sublime. Try it.
(4)
Joe V.
Stopped in here on a Sunday on our way back from a wedding on the west side of the state. We rolled in shortly after opening. My sister used to work here back in the day and she was raving about the food. It was just okay. My sister said that some of the items had not lived up to her memory of what they were like years ago. We split the pub dip (or whatever it is) and the cheese curds. The pub dip came out lukewarm and we had to send it back to have it heated up. It was pretty good stuff on the whole. The cheese curds were just average. The side of hot sauce was good stuff though. We split the buffalo chicken wrap and a patty melt. Both were pretty good, but again...nothing special. The bartender was friendly, engaging, and did a good job. The beer was really good too. Overall, I'd probably take a shot with another place in the area if I found myself in town again, but I'm certain you can do worse than Olde Peninsula. I'll look forward to sampling their beers at the Michigan Brewers Guild Beerfests though.
(3)
Asa D.
Ok, I order the same thing every time: the Fajita Thai Rollup w/chicken. The price has gone up over the years (I think it used to be $7.49 at one point, but probably 10 years ago), but it is still tasty and relatively healthy. The kids menu showed the Mac and cheese was $3.99 and all others were $5.99, but thy rang up $1 higher. Fortunately, I looked at my bill in detail (the other family we came with is not). The waitress (Allison) was very good and fixed it for us and our friends, but I wonder who else had this problem and never got it fixed. The beer here is okay, but it is hard to compete with Bell's. The burgers are okay, but the buns are terrible. Cheap, diner quality buns, in my opinion. Chips are okay, as are the fries. They used I serve fresh fruit as a side, but now it is canned. I am mildly disappointed with OP, but they are still better than other downtown brewpubs.
(3)
Jenna S.
Blah. There's not much to do in downtown Kalamazoo, so this is one of your only options. This is just a regular, old bar. It was crowded with a bunch of rowdy locals when we stopped in (possibly having a holiday party?) so the atmosphere was a bit much. Standard bar fare, a lot of which seemed to be frozen and thawed for serving. Beer is reasonably priced. Still blah.
(2)
Lauren B.
So good!!! Fries were great. Atmosphere was nice, even had free cookies in a jar on your way out! Even went back for dinner! Overall would recommend.
(5)
Jeremy H.
Always have had a good experience here. I always feel though when I order different drinks or crafts that they taste similiar. Appetizers are good, but again everything tastes the same to me, maybe it's the seasoning. Either way I really do enjoy taking clients here.
(4)
Ken H.
I'm sorry to give Olde Peninsula such a low rating. This has been a go-to place for me and my friends for years. We always stop in for late night drinks and food after seeing a movie or a play. A couple weeks ago I heard a friend complain about a hamburger he ordered and I thought it was just a fluke. The food here used to be so good. Last night, I was surprised to see that the menu has changed. Most of the items I used to order are now gone. The Brew Pub Dip junior is not on the menu anymore. This smaller portion was perfect for late night snacking. The Sunset Red Bean Dip is not offered at all anymore. This was a great dip and was also featured in a wrap I frequently ordered. Also missing from the menu was the half order of nachos--another good option for a late night snack when a full order just seems like too much. My friend tried to order cottage cheese as a side for her sandwich last night and was told that was not an option anymore. My vegetarian friends would often order the cottage cheese side as a way to add some protein to their meal. I ordered chips and salsa last night and had to send the salsa back. It tasted bitter and smelled like vinegar. This really was one of my favorite places to eat in Kalamazoo. I am disappointed with my last few visits.
(2)
J G.
The food was terrible, everything had to be sent back because it was burnt, underdone, or cold. The service was great, despite the failures of the kitchen.
(2)
Scott R.
I was a bit nervous trying this place out after reading some reviews. Fortunately it turned to be a great experience. Good bar food. Great selection of beers. Friendly staff. You will not be disappointed stopping by here for dinner. The only drawback is there are limited number of tv's and they are positioned in a way that makes them difficult to look at.
(4)
Walter D.
Great food, great beer,and good service. Our waitress suggested the choc raspberry beer blend and it was pretty amazing. I had the brats off the summer menu and the we're really. It came with home chip which knock my socks off. I wish they would have had gluten free bread option+, but other that that I was impressed.
(5)
Andy B.
Went here for a quick lunch before a wine tasting at Henderson Castle. We looked at the menu while waiting 10 minutes for a table. We ordered food and drinks as soon as we were seated. The drinks came very quickly. The IPA was great, however the Coke my girlfriend ordered tasted awful almost like it's was completely syrup snd no water. They waiter did not return to the table until 45 minutes later noticing that my beer was gone and asked if I needed another. We asked about the food saying that we needed to be somewhere shortly. He said that he would check on it. 5 minutes later he returned stating it would be another 5 minutes, having put the order in over an hour ago, we asked to pay for the drinks and leave without eating. The waiter said he had to talk to his manager. While we are patiently waiting for a manager or our waiter to return we see him go to the bar and fill a drink order for another table. 10 minutes later the waiter returned without a manager and gave us our bill. We left and well not be back anytime soon.
(1)
Kelly R.
Great lunch with a group of eight -- Server was awesome, food has great flavor and recommend the faijti thai roll-up with the peanut sauce!!! Other favorites are the soups, chicken salad sandwich and of course Marie's salad! Good, fun place to have lunch when downtown Kalamazoo!
(5)
Julie D.
A few years ago I would've given Olde Peninsula a 4 or 5 star rating. Unfortunately, the quality of the food, service, and cleanliness has gone down while the prices on the menu have gone up, and that is disappointing (especially since I've come here since 1996, when I moved to Kalamazoo to go to WMU). Some of the menu items are really good, such as the pulled pork, fajita Thai rollup, and the chicken salad sandwich. A lot of their in-house brews are good, too (notice, good, not great). However, some of the menu items are just not very good at all or aren't as good as they used to be (the salsa, brewpub dip, and brewpub chips fall into the latter category). A lot of the menu items are just way overpriced for what you get (the salads, the Olde Peninsula chicken, and whatever the monthly specials are). The children's menu has gone up in price and the servings have gotten smaller. $4 for just mac n' cheese or $6 for a hot dog with a tiny side of fruit seems high (especially compared to other area restaurants). Here was the kicker: in the computer, the children's menu items rang up for a dollar MORE than the prices listed on the menu!! The waitress had to get manager approval to change the prices to what was advertised. This was definitely shady! We will probably keep coming here out of convenience and nostalgia, though not as often as we have. Bummer.
(2)
Josef S.
Great price to value ratio. Steak was ok and beers tasted so so. Will never become my favorite spot but everything else is closed on a Sunday night. Service was friendly though.
(3)
The D.
Euchre night Wednesday at 8pm. It's free and bet is only 2 bucks. I drink my two beers , play a few rounds and tab out. Fun night for a few bucks. Foods not bad. Parking is terrible so park in the garage. The nitro tap is the way to go FYI
(4)
Dylan M.
The food was awesome! Some of the best cheese fries I've ever had. Bar tender was great. Stayed on top of the service but not smothering. Root beer and their root beer cocktail was phenomenal.
Stopped here for dinner and drinks on a Friday night. They weren't to busy and we got a nice table on the main road. Menu has a lot of options, everything from pot roast to nachos. We ended up with brewpub dip, nachos and the chicken tender sandwich. All were great. Server was very attentive and quick. Food was good!
(4)
Kevin T.
So we were in town for my daughters graduation from K college, looking for a place to eat dinner. This was not a disappointment. I got the pot roast and it hit the spot, hearty and homemade style, nothing from a can or frozen, was not dry and it was tender. Perfect for the rainy day it was. We all liked our food. Their rootbeer which was their brew was not so great. NO head and it didn't taste creamy or have much bite, just average. The service seemed kind of slow. And I saw a couple waiters spill drinks.
(3)
Meg W.
I don't believe they were well staffed for the parade day today. Service was slow and there were many spots open. We had three adults and two children. Finally got a seat and then waited. Drink order placed and waited again. Out of two coffees only one cup was full and it was burned. Food orders were placed and we waited a very long time. One child got a hot dog and onion rings. The hot dog was served in a moldy bun. I didn't get the soup I ordered with the meals had to remind the employee of the order of a cup of soup and when it came to my table it was cold. She was great to get the bill out to us. We had to go talk to management because we could not get a server back to our table. They removed the cost of the soup and the hot dog. Still not happy. Most kids wouldn't know to look at the bun. I am thankful that my grand daughter did. She could have become very ill. Really these food handlers don't see the green on the back of the bun??? Olde Peninsula you are suppose to be such a great place to eat......but my money won't go back in.
(1)
J B.
I love all of their beers and ales very nicely crafted. Great taste and decent food. Ill give it 5 just for the crafts.
(5)
Samantha L.
We stopped here on our way out west from Detroit and were very pleased with the food and service. This is in an adorable downtown strip of Kalamazoo and feels very old and historic. The menu had traditional pub food, which was done right. The service was fast and friendly. It was a great pit stop.
(4)
Stephanie M.
this place is amazing!! absolutely a gem!! they have this amazing pumpkin ale that tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass. delish! the food is just as good. i wanted to have room to drink my flight of 8 beers so i had their soft pretzel with cheese. pairs great with the beers. if you're not a pumpkin ale person, try their cream ale. basically.. there's a beer for every palette. by the way, you can also buy growlers filled with your favorite beer. if you're ever in the kalamazoo area.. skip the big brewery down the way (i wont mention names) . Go straight to this amazing brewery!
(5)
Ben B.
I think Olde Peninsula has to be the best place to eat in downtown Kalamazoo. I love their burgers. Did you know you can have them make a burger from buffalo meat for 50 cents extra? You can! And it's delicious! Their beer-battered fries are also really, really outstanding. I've never had a bad meal here. And I really should eat there more often.
(4)
S S.
Very friendly staff. Austin really knows his beer and is happy to help you find your best pairing.
(5)
Laila C.
Seriously?! $5 for 22oz of DELICIOUS beer?! That almost.....makes me want to move to Kalamazoo...almost My burger was pretty good, I didn't really care for my bf's sandwich. BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THE FOOD WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH DELICIOUS BEER FOR SO CHEAP?!?!?! our meal with 2 drinks/person came out to under $40. Are you kidding me?!
(4)
Alicia K.
Went to visit the cousins in MI and they insisted we go here b/c they LOVE it! Maybe my expectations were thus set too high, but I was sadly not all that impressed. I just have a distinct memory of almost everything we tried making me think, "Meh... I've had better." Nothing was BAD, it just wasn't GOOD either. Their BREWPUB DIP was pretty good. Cousins are obsessed with it, but I've definitely had better cheesy dips at other locals. They do make their own ROOT BEER which is super yummy, and maybe the only thing worthy of 5 stars at this place. The DOWNTOWN DIP was a standard dip, but tasty. Their BURGERS, while I didn't try one, were large and looked good. (Fresh toppings, juicy meat.) But their FAJITA THAI ROLL-UP was all carrots and peppers. I almost couldn't even tell there was chicken in it at all! I ended up tearing off some of the tortilla b/c there was a bit too much of that, too. The sauce it came with was great, but overall the meal wasn't nearly as good as it sounded, lacked flavor, and was just a major disappointment. The service here was also "meh" and if you get seated at one of the high top tables, you're on stools with no backs which is pretty uncomfortable. The most redeeming quality for this place is that their PRICES ARE SOLID! For the portion sizes (LARGE!), it really was a good deal price-wise. Bottom line: if you're looking for a decent meal that will make you full for cheap, give it a shot. If you're looking for a great dinner out in the area... keep looking. =P
(2)
Megan P.
Food is ok, service is mediocre and no validating on the weekend!! 2nd visit, not all that great.
(2)
Kelly C.
I'm a huge fan of Olde Peninsula's beers. I would recommend sampling a flight of their beers and taking a growler on the way home. First and foremost though, try the zucchini fries, they never disappoint. The chicken littles are also always a good choice and the pub dip is amazing. Very good bar food to match their great beers. Much of the food I've had at OP's has been delicious though I admit I've had their calzones and they weren't worth the time or price. Staff is typically friendly but are inattentive when the restaurant is busy.
(4)
Hana B.
This restaurant is a good example of a "jack of all trades, master of none." The burgers are okay, but a lot of the other items are premade and reheated there. The most egregious example of this was the "grilled pizzas." I ordered the fresh vegetable pizza expecting it to be made on homemade bread, and it was made on a machine made pizza dough similar to something they would use at Subway. The pizza had little to no taste and they literally just threw fresh vegetables on the pizza (barely anything was even browned from baking). I understand that they want to offer people many options, but they should honestly take this off the menu. It was terrible.
(2)
James R.
I was here over the weekend with a group of friends and we had a good time. The atmosphere was good, a little noisy, but not distractingly. Their was a 20 minute wait, but we killed it sitting at the bar. The bartender was nice, and answered questions, but he could have been a bit more attentive. When we were sat at a table, the waitress was very good. I had multiple beers from them, one of them being the Stout Chocula, which tastes almost exactly like Count Chocula Cereal. It was pretty dang good! Some of the other beers of theirs I tried were also delicious. I ordered a Beer-b-que pizza and my wife had their signature pub dip... both were amazingly delicious. I will definitely go back the next time I'm in Kalamazoo.
(3)
Suzzette M.
Great beer selection!! Good place for dinner too!
(5)
Roy R.
Visited with some friends during the Michigan HOG Rally. Food was great. Service good. But.... No coffee. ?.?.?. Waiter said they had been out for a couple of days. What? Call Gordons and have some delivered. Drive down to Kroger and pick up a can.
(2)
Meg K.
As an occasional beer drinker (not quite so avid a fan of beer as my husband), I want to throw in my 2 cents about O.P. I like this place and have never had a horrible experience (although I have been there enough to have the occasional lax or rude server - which is why we always sit in the bar section now). The Michigan Long Islands are great (and potent - be careful!) and the wings (half-n-half is my recommendation) are delicious. They have a great vegetarian selection and huge, fresh salads (the greek is my fav).
(4)
Donald Z.
Very good moderate priced restaurant!
(4)
Michael V.
Pros: open on labor day, the beer battered fries are amazing. Cons: waited for 10 min before anyone took our drink order- the hostess took our order... also, the pepper ribeye was like a 3" cube so the middle was done right but outside was way overdone. Dont get the ribeye.
(2)
Adam H.
Much like visiting Bell's brewpub we did a tour of the brewery before we had any food or drink. But unlike Bell's this brewery is one room with three vats and that's about it. So the tour was really maybe 10 minutes if that. Still informative and it was interesting to hear the story how the place got their start but it really hit a lot of points about the process of beer making I already heard the day before and was content when it ended. So sure. Do the short tour if you want but really, one could skip it, look through the glass and see the different large vats viewable from the dinning area, and then ask their server any questions about the place and be just as informed. So good tour but skippable. Their food and drink on the other hand should not be skipped by any means. The beer is great. I got a 4 beer taster and told my server to give me his favorites. He brought back their seasonal Pumpkin ale, Sunset Red, their Jack-o-latern, which is a combo of their Midnight Stout and Pumpkin, and one he highly recomended, a combo of their Count Chocula Stout, I think that was the name, and their Rockin Raspberry Wheat. The latter was amazing. The combo of a chocolate stout and raspberry reminded me of a much better version of Guinness and blackcurrent and I ordered a 22oz "Giant" immediately. Delicious. Much like other reviews I've read on yelp our food too did seem to take awhile to arrive. But our server stayed with us and kept giving us updates and we had wounderful beer so the wait didn't wreck the evening. I ordered the Macaroni and Cheese along with a cup of their Cheddar Ale soup. The soup was tasty. Not too heavy. Warm, cheezy, and good. My mac and cheese was a little much for me. It was good but after eating a cheese based soup and then trying to eat the rich pasta was a mistake on my part. There were pieces of meat in it to try to break things up and add some balance but the solution was actually given by my friend who suggested hot sauce. This restaurant makes their own hot sauce and I gingerly put some on my pasta here and there. It made the dish great. The hot sauce was kind of sweet and had a nice spice that really highlighted the creaminess of the dish. So thank you hot sauce and friend. You made my meal awesome. i was quite happy with this place. It had a nice vibe and the employees seemed glad to be there. When my wife and I visit our friends in Kalamazoo again we will certainly be coming back to O.P. to get our beer and grub on. And also bring home lots of growlers of beer with us. Lots and lots of growlers.
(4)
Samir N.
I knew nothing about their beers, so I went for the tasting flight. I was already several beers into today, but I enjoyed all of the ones that I had. I had the fried appetizer platter, and that was pretty good too.
(4)
Don H.
On the way back to Chicago, we wanted to stop half-way between Detroit. We've never really explored downtown Kalamazoo together so we took Business Route 94 and went downtown. It's nice down there. Very cool and quiet on a Sunday afternoon. We started out with beers (their homemade Midnight Apple and an Arnold Palmer) and took in the environment. Another sports bar. But this one had more of a restaurant feel to it. That's weird to explain. It had the TVs and stuff all over the place, but it didn't seem like it was the focus. The beer was the focus. It's more of a down-home brewpub. For dinner, we ordered a florentine calzone and a mess turkey burger. Both were prepared quickly and very tastily. We were hoping to have left room for dessert, but didn't. We walked out with a bill for $30 without tip and extremely satisfied for the next 2-1/2-hour part of our ride.
(3)
Quin A.
My friends and I initially intended to visit London Grille for lunch today but they were closed and would not open until 4pm so we walked a few more steps to this establishment. This restaurant has a nice atmosphere with several televisions tuned into sports events. I was informed that they brewed their own beer and had a good selection which that's why they are popular. I tried to order a fresh-brewed iced tea but was informed that the only tea they had was from a fountain. I ordered their pot roast (available after 4pm and all day Sunday) as an entree and their zuchinni fries as an appetizer. The appetizer came quickly but our entrees took a little while to arrive. The veggie fries were very tasty but my pot roast was quite dry. It was not served with any gravy or sauce and while it had flavor, I could not finish the dish. My friends appeared to have no complaints about their food or beverages. If I liked beer, I am sure I would have enjoyed this restaurant more than the 2-stars which I am giving them.
(2)
Sandy C.
This place has been much better. The main attraction--potato-crusted walleye--was still on the menu, but was no longer being served. What we ordered instead (a wide range) was mediocre. Very disappointing, especially since last year's dinner (a Kalamazoo Conference tradition) was so much better.
(2)
Sam C.
OK, so the beer. I had a Tornado (IPA) which was nice - super hoppy and a touch sweet, as it's supposed to be. The red ale was fine, though not remarkable. The food here was decent, but ultimately a little disappointing. They no longer have the walleye, thought it's on the menu. I ended up with the pepper & garlic encrusted sirloin, which was good for about half of it, then was a struggle against fat and gristle. Now, I couldn't see the non-meat parts because of the layer of delicious char, but surely someone in the kitchen saw this weak cut of meat before rolling it. So I left sated, but a little disappointed. Had mashed potatoes that were fine but not a standout and a simple green salad (a touch heavy on the dressing).
(3)
Jason C.
Fun atmosphere with classic Irish and American pub food. I hear their beer is really good. I really enjoyed their burgers. They were very large and were somewhat blackened in a nice tasty way. Great flavor. Hockey was playing on the tv though which was really boring. At least you don't have to worry about that this year. :)
(4)
Anne S.
I just returned to eat here last weekend for my 5 year reunion at Kalamazoo College. And just as I remembered, the food was great. I had the Fajita Thai rollup with onion rings on the side (for no extra charge, how cool is that?) Both the wrap and the onion rings were great. Service was pretty slow, but at least the waiter was friendly.
(4)
Beth S.
Delicious IPA and stout, fast & friendly service. Kids' mac & cheese was lackluster, but our server quickly brought a new choice at no charge. Very fun and pleasant family night out!
(4)
Jay S.
Great lunch spot. The food was great, the staff was excellent and I would reccomend it to anyone.
(4)
Justin M.
I came here because Bell's Eccentric Cafe was completely packed on a Thursday afternoon at 2 pm somehow. Anyway, I was not disappointed. It's a very cool atmosphere here; laid back and a little upscale. It seems like an old timey bar to me for some reason. They have a great variety of beer, and as always, a sampler is a huge plus that let's you try them all. The food is standard bar fare, but pushed a little up the fanciness scale. A little tweak here and there to standard items, and from what I can gather from the rest of my party, most of the tweaks are for the better. The zucchini appetizer is delicious. Service was solid. The party I was with was pretty big, like 8 or so, and the waitress handled it admirably. The location is great here as well; right on a busy corner. It also means that the place has a lot of seating without feeling like it's a warehouse with tables. If I'm in Kzoo again, when I visit my brother next, I'll definitely stop here for a sampler and a burger. While Bell's may get the most press, come here for a change.
(4)
Drew E.
One of the most dirty restaurants I have ever been to. Brisket sandwich was disgusting as well as the rest of our meals. Will definitely not be coming again.
(1)
Stephen H.
Was very disappointed in the food and service. Went there with 2 other people on a Saturday night, so a small group and the restaurant and they were not that busy. had to ask our server several times for extras like dipping sauces with our appetizers and the bacon we requested never came for the burger. On top of that our server was sweeping next to our table when he hadn't yet brought us the requested dipping sauce. Guess he had extra time on his hands. As for the pot roast it was dry as a bone - even noticed after I mentioned it to our server that a nearby table had also ordered it and eaten all the veggies but left the dry tough meat untouched. As other reviewers said the beer was good and inexpensive but there are tons of other places in downtown Kalamazoo with good inexpensive beer. I've eaten here before years ago and the food was good. Unfortunately this time service was terrible and food was below average. Hopefully your experience is better.
(2)
Curt O.
Started with the Haymarket cream ale - good but a little lighter than I prefer. Had an Amber, that was quite good. Onion rings and pub chips as appetizers. Good. I always try the fresh made potatoe chips when I can find them. Fried very crisp - not soggy like sometimes you get. Had brats for my entre. Good enough. We had a party of 6 and everyone enjoyed their meals. I picked up the tab and $80 for 6 people including alcohol and appetizers was really reasonable.
(4)
alejandro p.
Call it willful neglect but I passed up Olde Peninsula for years in favor of Bell's. And don't get me wrong, I love the beers that Larry Bell brews, and the Eccentric Cafe has been a great place to hang out in the past--with a group of friends. But for a nice place to go by myself and drink some microbrews in a welcoming environment I've found myself returning more and more to Olde Peninsula. What is it that I like about this place? The beers are all good, standard, reliable--and inexpensive. Especially during their late-night happy hour or discount days. They all hit the marks (with the exception of the triple-hopped special release I tried, which I felt hoppy but too thin), and the Tornado Ale (to commemorate Kzoo's twister) is a real treat that I ask for but always miss. More than the beers, however, what's won me over is the welcoming bartenders and friendly patrons. I have yet to come back from OP without having struck up conversations with any number of people sitting at the bar. Seriously! Whether it's couples, groups of revelers, or fellow beer enthusiasts, I know I can go by myself and have a good time. Best part was on my last visit, when I tried the whiskey flight. I accidentally knocked over my last taster while reaching for a menu and the bartender filled my sampler glass back up--no questions asked. How's that for nice?
(4)
Lisalynn K.
Went about an hour before they closed and it was pretty clear the waitress was not pleased to see us. The food was mediocre. I got the thai chicken wrap and it had mushy vegetables and the chicken was pretty bland. The onion rings better and the beer was good. Looked like they had good options on the drink menu that we didn't get to try. This place would probably be ok if you know what to order there.
(2)
Jeremy M.
I cannot believe that these guys aren't packed! Year after year they never disappoint, other than they were out of Pumpkin Ale last night, but that's cause it's awesome!!! Unlike Larry Bell's shit brewery, O.P. puts out a high quality product across the board, daily. Midnight Stout to Cream Ale...great, great beer. Thanks guys and gals.
(5)
Michaelia K.
"Tap into the good times, Olde Peninsula Brew Pubbbbb" I think that lil jingle right there is forever branded in my mind. I am a definite fan of this place. Hell, I had a root beer keg from here at my high school graduation party. My favourite/usual? The Fajita Thai Rollup. YUM! (I'm a huge fan of peanut sauce). The brewpub dip, with it's sundried tomatoes, artichokes and asiago cheese is DELICIOUS. The only bummer sometimes is trying to find parking!
(4)
Adam B.
Went here all the time when I was in college... Great place!
(5)
Dan L.
On my way back from Chicago, I had to take advantage of my traveling situation and take a slight detour to Kalamazoo to visit Olde Peninsula Brewing. We rolled in around 10pm on a Thursday evening to a rather empty brew pub. I figured for a Thursday night in a college town, this place would be slammin' but that was not the case. Sure there was a few college kids running around but nothing crazy. Our waiter who was rather attentive waited on us immediately and promptly got us our drinks. I ordered a Cream Ale and their OP IPA. Both beers were just OK..actually I thought the IPA wasn't really that great. The cream ale was very conservative in flavor, but I kind of expected that for a "session beer" that was only 4% ABV. The IPA however, was just bland...no malt backbone whatsoever. I see that the brew master tried to use hops to try and boost the flavor in that regard but it just didn't cut it... The food was very good, which was my saving grace for the evening. I had the fish 'n pub chips which were both very delicious. I didn't get a chance to sample the other brews as I wanted to get back on the road and get back home at a decent hour, so I couldn't stay that long. I'd probably give the place another try to see if their other beers were better, but based on the two I had my hopes aren't too high.
(3)
michael s.
good beer, good pub food. safe bet when you're in Kalamazoo.
(3)
Adam R.
My fiance, best friend, and his wife were in town and we decided to try the Olde Peninsula Brewpub, hoping the extra "e" would pay off - and did it ever. The first night we were there we only had the beer, which was decent. I've had my fair share of beer over the years and really wasn't all that impressed with the beers, save for the Razberry Wheat. I don't even remember the first beer I had but it tasted like a really smooth domestic light beer, think Miller Light/Bud Light but good. My fiance got the Old Red (I think that was the name) and it was good, but nothing special. My friend opted for the 8 samples and he seemed to enjoy them. Friend's wife got the summer hefe with the lemonade, and it was somewhat off-putting to be honest. I purchased a growler of the Razberry Wheat and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially liked the price. Apparently from 10pm - close there is a happy hour. I don't remember the exact happy hour discount, but 2 beers and 1 64oz growler was like $15 I think. After the initial impression I saved the review at 3 stars. However two days later we went to the Olde Peninsula Brewpub for lunch and it was delicious. I would recommend ordering the cheesiest cheese fries as an appetizer. The fries were fried hard and seasoned extremely well. Then loaded up with cheese, green onion, and huge chunks of bacon. The chicken fingers were also fried to a nice crunch and were paired with some more of the fries seen earlier. The cheddar beer soup was decent, but not my favorite. The other meals around the table consisted of a cheese pizza, another chicken finger meal, a bratwurst, and a turkey club. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals and the general consensus was that we'd all return. The "e" rule definitely worked in our favor. Easily would have been 5 stars based on the food, unfortunately the beer brought the review down.
(4)
Brad T.
Stopped in while on a business trip downtown and thought it would be a good experience. Ordered a steak which looked great, but was unfortunately rare--like still bleeding rare. I ordered medium. I had ordered the food "to go" so experienced this problem after walking back to my hotel. Called up and the manager offered a refund so I came in later for dinner and just used it towards a burger. (Can't mess that up right?) Ordered the burger mid well and it came medium at best. Lots of pink in there. This was after the manager said she double checked it just to make sure it was right. The place was just about deserted both times I was there. The only patrons there seemed to be friends of employees. I hate to give a place just one star but they definitely earned it.
(1)
Jason J.
There's so much good beer in Kalamazoo that you don't have to mess around with this bland brew. The food is hit or miss, and the service is usually worse. Skip it, and visit one of the much better bars, restaurants, or breweries in town.
(1)
Terral A.
Olde Peninsula Brewpub in downtown Kalamazoo is a great place for a good brew, or a great meal. OP has a large menu with many great items including the Hummus and warm Pita which can't be over-looked. The fresh fruit is always a bonus that comes with this great flavorful hummus appetizer. I also enjoy the Greek Salad, however, I am not a fan of the Greek relish. If you like micro-brews, you will love Olde Peninsula. There are many beers on tap that are brewed on-site, and they also usually have seasonal ales. If you are not a micro-brew/Brew Pub beer lover, OP still has domestic beers by the bottle. If you are in downtown Kalamazoo, then you need to stop at Olde Peninsula for a great bite to eat. You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Frank K.
Good grub, Good brew, Good service. I can't make it any simpler or clearer than that. I've been here three times now and it is consistently one of the best I've been to............ anywhere in Michigan. You can peruse the other reviews and most of them, 'cept for the non brew drinkers who stumble into the place, will tell ya that this is the place to go. The prices are very good as well as the food. This could easily be a 'destination' for a Saturday Road Trip. Do yourself a favor and stop in sometime.
(4)
Jason R.
My second time in Kalamazoo and I decided to check out Yelp for good eats. I'm glad I did. Olde peninsula is located downtown and is actually a brewery. I tried the OP IPA and it was great, it had a good amount of hops which made me wanting more. As an app i had their famous red bean dip...man it tasted good. Good amount of flavor and spice. For dinner I decided to forgo the ribs and steak to try a buffalo burger. Usually my experiences with buffalo have resulted in dry mouth. This was not the case at olde peninsula, perfectly moist and 1/2lb of heaven totally satisfied my stomach. They have a good thing going here...watch out Texas...don't mess with...Michigan?!!
(4)
Richard C.
The O.P. is one of the best dining establishments in downtown Kalamazoo. They're reasonably priced, brew their own beer (and root beer!), and have wonderful food. I usually grab a seat right by the tanks. Service is fast for the most part, with appetizers arriving shortly after the beers, and the entrees quick on the heels. However, coming in for a late dinner, you should expect to wait a bit. I've never had any issues being seated right away. The waitstaff is very knowledgeable about the menu and the beers. For your first time there I'd recommend the beer flight. You get small samples of all of their current offerings at a reasonable price. The beer is good, very good. But it's certainly not exceptional, especially with Bell's right up the road. Still, it's always fresh and tasty, just doesn't branch out from the norm too much. The IPA and the Haymarket ales pair well with just about anything on the menu. The IPA isn't as hoppy as some others, so it doesn't distract from the food at all (though I am an advocate for hoppy ales). If you're not a drinker I strongly recommend their root beer. Not too sweet, and with the slightest bite. For apps you can't beat their dips. The red beer bean dip and the artichoke dip both stand out. This coming from a guy who rarely eats anyone's artichoke dip but his own. The burgers are the stand-out stars of the menu. Any of their burgers are available with a veggie patty, turkey, or bison in place of the beef. I've had the pepper crusted sirloin which tastes like a finer cut of meat than it is. I've also gone with the calzone Florentine, which is freaking great - veggies and chicken stuffed into a flaky homemade crust with alfredo sauce. Amazing stuff. Onion rings are highly recommended as a side. The OP has become my default downtown dinner joint, because of the quality of their food and service and their prices as well. Wednesdays they usually have beer and growler specials, and I'm always excited to see what promotions they're running. Sign up for their email club and get a free entree and updates weekly. Now if only they took down the TV sets, it would have been a 5 star review. ;)
(4)
J. G.
The staff are very friendly and attentive. I went here once with my partner to watch a Bulls game and they changed the channel for us on a TV we were sitting by - no problem. I also have ultra sensitive digestion and a gluten intolerance, so I was concerned that as it was a bar I would not find good food. I ordered the salmon dish that comes with vegetables and rice and it was AWESOME! Very high quality food, a little on the very salty-hot (spicy) side in a surprising way, but very yummy and better than standard bar food. I also like the feel of this place- cool interior decorating, somewhat British Isles feel to it.
(4)
Sarah P.
Good pub food, and although I'm not a beer drinker, everyone else raves about the offerings they have throughout the year. Granted, Bell's is just down the street, but it's still a good little pub. There's street parking, a small lot ($) in back, and a couple garages in the area. I'm pretty amused by the decor comparison; Denny's? Really? I've never been in a 'fancy' Denny's, but ... okay. Also, note to the women out there; careful with the heels. Even in just kitten heels, I skidded the whole way to our table, and my sister has fallen while wearing heels, too.
(4)
Josh M.
Good pub grub and tasty brews. I enjoy all the beers they brew.
(4)
Kelsey K.
This place is okay, but the decor reminds me a little bit of a Denny's. The food is fine. It's not bad at all but it's nothing spectacular to write home about. The staff is always really nice here which is a bonus. The reuben is good, as is the Mt Olympus roll-up. My beer-loving family does LOVE their beers which is great to know. Although I haven't been there, I've heard that Food Dance right around the corner is much better and they have free parking, which is nice. There isn't a free lot for this place, kinda important to know. Do I enjoy this place when we go? Sure. Do I look forward to going there? Eehhhh... Not so much.
(4)
Caleb F.
free refills for root beer on tap- very sweet. food is decent. great prices on beers.
(4)
Reid G.
Only frequented here once. Not sure my limited experience can justify 4 stars. However, Olde P just has the right atmostphere. Doesn't try too hard. Just focuses on beer and exceptionally good food. I guess that's why it was "Kalamazoo's First Brewpub", and still going strong.
(4)
Christopher J.
I'd like to give this place more stars but I've had horrible service here on multiple occasions. I like the food and the beer is pretty good too. The brew dip is absolutely delicious. If you luck out and have good service it will be a great experience but there have been too many times when I've felt forgotten there.
(3)
Nick C.
This is the place I take friends and family from out of town. The beers are prertty good and there is always a new one to try. The food is pretty good. I usually get a chicken sandwich. They have a good sized menu with sandwiches, salads and fish. It can get pretty crowded in this place, but it has that Kalamazoo feel that keeps you coming back.
(4)
Alan L.
i drink a lot of beer - and their largest size (practically a gallon) was ridiculous.. in a good way. that said, 3 of my friends got mixied/special drinks and none of them liked them. my advice would be stick to beer, or a 'classic' liquor drink. food was okay - the pub dip was a little meh, but we all liked our entrees (burgers and wraps). there may be better in kalamazoo, but for standard 'applebees-ish' food this is a good local spot.
(3)
Gayle B.
Quick service & great food makes olde peninsula one of the best in downtown Kalamazoo
(4)
Borracho G.
Menu has much to choose from and the brewery offers a good selection too. Tried all 4 beers they offered that day in a sampler. The red bean dip was awesome and enough for the table. The other dip they have is the one that everyone raves about. Only thing is bars still allow smoking and since tables are near bar, you will be in the smoking section unless you sit far away in the back. A must try if you want comfort food and home brewed beers.
(4)
Julia H.
Really, this is one of my favorite restaurants of ALL time. It is NECESSARY to order the brewpub dip every time I come here. It is their house specialty -- a combination of artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese. I've had many things on the menu here in my eight years in Kalamazoo. I love the "Zorba the Greek" salad, and adore the fajita thai rollup (veggie style) with the peanut sauce. It's a light and perfect sandwich. They brew a pretty mean beer and rootbeer here too, and you can buy a growler to take home!
(5)
Chuck N.
I've been back to Olde Peninsula a number of times in the last year and a half. It's grown on me more and more. I don't know if I've just become more familiar with it, or if my opinion of it is tempered by having some great times hanging out there, but I enjoy it a bit more every time I go. I guess that's really the whole idea, even if I can't quantify why I like Olde Peninsula more than I used to, I still do.
(5)
o m.
Good brewpub in downtown Kalamazoo to have beer and Pub food, nice place, nice people, happy HR before 6pm after 9pm ( they change often check at web). OP is not special but not bad at all. The oldest brewpub in Kalamazoo, but their craft beer is just an average or less. Food is good and good price. After Craft Beer closed the door, this is few Brewpub fills growler in town for $6.99. 3.9 stars.
(4)
Melanie M.
Probably the best pub food restaurant in Kalamazoo. The hamburgers are fabulous, along with the onion rings and french fries. They also offer great drink specials. Parking is pretty close but not right next to the door. Service can be poor but usually is quite good. Usually there is no waiting for a table unless it is a particularly busy Friday or Saturday night. Take out is also great!
(4)
Ryan B.
OPB has one of my favorite burgers in the world. The fries are very good. The homemade root beer and orange cream are great, too. Wish I lived about 520 miles closer (when I'm hungry).
(4)
Allison E.
Had a great lunch here during my college homecoming weekend. The brewpub dip is still a favorite and I had a Haymaker cream ale that was divine. Burger, fries, beer, a good time was had by all!
(5)
TJ Lee W.
I miss this place. Their beer is no champion, but the food is some of the best in downtown Kalamazoo. If I were visiting, this is where I'd eat. For sure. One rare thing to find in this world are great french fries, and the truth is, they have 'em.
(4)
Rachel L.
Mediocre. The onion rings were soggy and dripping in grease. Mediterranean wrap was okay but I would not go out of my way to eat here again.
(1)
Kristin A.
During my college days, I used to go here to enjoy their tasty Hawaiian barbecued chicken sandwich with a side of fries. Even living states away now, I still think about this sandwich.
(4)
Frederica B.
Standard casual American food. Nothing wrong with. Nothing particularly special either.
(3)
Justine D.
One of my favorite places in Kalamazoo, but just as a tip, if you do not say the words "side of" when you want to add a side of something that costs a little extra (which it does say is possible on the menu for the entrees), you will get charged for the appetizer price instead of the side price. Our waitress (we went on April 10 for dinner) didn't think that was necessary to clarify so we got charged extra $. It put a downer on a great meal at one of the best places to go for food and drink in this city, so 3 instead of 4 stars from me.
(3)
Lisa J.
Had a girls lunch out yesterday with my mom, sister and daughter. There was only one other table seated with plenty of waitstaff ready for the lunch rush that never came. The room was very cold and our food took FOREVER. However, it was wonderful. I had the Mt Olympus wrap. My sister and mom both had the Thai wrap wtih peanut sauce and my daughter had the house salad and hummus. We were all very happy with our selections and very satisfied. For some reason they have terrible fountain tea instead of fresh brewed, but other than that we were all very satisfied!
(4)
Tommy A.
Tough call here, definetly would go 3.5 out of 5 if I could but I'll bump them to 4 because their beer was decent and their price on it was EXCELLENT. On day 3 of a whirlwind Michigan Microbrew bender, this was our last stop. We were out of gas at this point but we still drank a few of their home crafted beers. They were good, not great. The price however was out of this world. On a weekday night $2 for any pint of their home made beer, that's just a great deal. We also were starving after a long day of bad fishing, and we had mixed results at the OP. OP chip and dip combo appetizer, rather good, especially the artichoke dip. The crab chowder soup also rock solid. However, the Cheddar Ale Soup, that was out of this world good. Focus on this when you go there, especially if you like mushrooms. They were sliced so thinly and nice with this perfectly decadent broth. Dinner was a bit of a flop. My buddy had the fried perch, and that was decent. Although I would never cook nice pieces of lake perch fish and chip style. Then there was my order, the marinaded London broil on a bed of wild rice with sauted onions. The onions were barely sauted, in fact they were close to raw, no good! The beef was way overcooked, not a lot of flavors and altogether just kind of there. Nothing really popped, but I was hungry and I guess it got the job done. What bothered me most is that the menu had it listed as basically one of their signiture items, that's a big foul to me. If in the area, I'd go back, I'd focus on their beer, and have a bowl of soup. The 4 stars is going mostly on the price, I could be mistaken but I believe on the weekends many of their craft beers are only $3, pretty good deal as well. If around go to OP, especially if there is a game you'd like to watch that's on, but wouldn't kill yourself to try it.
(4)
Laura B.
I love this place. All I need is the brewpub dip and a microbrew from OP to male me happy. The burgers are also a plus.
(5)
Alured P.
A decent brewpub. Roughly 5-7 of their beers on tap... a decent stout and a fairly good raspberry wheat beer. Food selection was decent, the patty melt I had was good although there was some odd faint mint taste I could not place [less than ideal since I dislike mint]. Prices seem decent, service was also pretty good.
(4)
Don P.
Works in a pinch but not on the top of the list.
(2)
John B.
Another lame ass place that Kalamazoo is forced to put up with Michigan has terribly restrictive laws on liquor sales which almost gurantee that any restaurant with a liquor license will survive even a paint by number brew pub like this one. I recall one beer that was decent here but seemed to a cheaper version of Sledgehammer that was sold at Bilbos. The food is boring and is replicated at about 20 places around town (see roadhouse, main street pub, burdicks...)
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Mon, Tue, Wed Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Danyel D.
Great choice for a microbrew! Beer selection was superb. The owner was genuine and welcoming! defiantly recommend a visit, or two!!
(5)Bob S.
Great service. Pretty good beer. Okay food. We had the pepper corn garlic steak and the spinach fettuccine. Both were unremarkable. The salads were good. Just a solid 3. Not bad but it just didn't live up to the description in the menu. Flavor was flat, lacking any of the boldness described.
(3)Melanie R.
The pizza horrible, it doctored up Sisco or GFS pizza. The wings and beer average. Very loud too.
(1)Al M.
I really like the heart of downtown K-zoo where the Olde Peninsula is located - loaded with well maintained turn-of-the-century brick facades - a great spot for a Brew Pub! Visited for dinner mid-week and wasn't surprised that the pub wasn't very busy. We had our minds locked on some savory barbecued chicken wings (bone -in of course) and some of their highly touted brew. Unfortunately, the "Olde Pen" only offers the "boneless" variety of wings. We were devastated! Rather than pick up and drive across town to Buffalo Wild Wings, we decided to split a pound of the boneless wings and took a shot with what the Olde Pen calls their "Beer-B-Que" sauce. Although their "wings" were really small squares of chicken breast lightly breaded and deep fried, they were absolutely delicious with the Peninsula's original amber-colored Beer-B-Que sauce. Excellent! Having lived in Buffalo, NY for 8 years where wings were invented, eating boneless wings was always considered blasphemy. This is the only version of a boneless wing that I could actually recommend. Nice job!
(3)Rosie D.
Went here with the boo as part of our random Kalamazoo road trip. We had dinner here and thought we'd just sample a couple of their homemade brews but we didn't have any high expectations. We ordered the fried egg and bacon burger. LAWD HAVE MERCY!!!!! That had to be one of the best burgers I'd ever had! Cooked and seasoned to perfection! Everything about it was amazing! Oh and the beer was kinda awesome too! We had a wheat and a porter respectively. Both were equally amazing. Then we decided we wanted to try some of their more interesting beers. I tried their chocolate stout. Pretty good. Not the best I've had but certainly not the worse. The boy (being the glutton for punishment that he is) got their beer called the scorpion. It's a darker beer brewed with hot peppers. Instant heartburn. Lol! Great spot to stop on your beer pilgrimage through Kalamazoo.
(4)Alicia S.
Stopped in here for lunch the other day. It was a quiet afternoon, seat yourself. Good atmosphere with a very large window looking right into the brewing space. Server was nice and very knowledgeable about the menu options. My peoples and I all ended up ordering sandwich style meals- a wrap, burger, and a Reuben. The only suggestion we all ended up having was regarding the bread quality. The ingredients in the sandwich were super tasty, but the marbled rye, the wrap, and the bun all lacked luster. I sound like a food snob because I couldn't help but feel like the sandwich went down a couple notches just because of the bread. Really enjoyed their Scottish Ale! Mon-Fri 3-6 & 10-close happy hour deals are pretty rockin' too..$3.25 pints, $6.25 1 liter "gustos", and $4.25-22oz "Giant & Call Liquor Drinks!
(4)L S.
Haven't been on yelp in awhile, but just saw this message from the owner. I stand by my statement about how disgusting the chicken was, and no, I was not having a bad day. This is a sorry excuse for a response to a customer. Solidifies the fact that I would never go back or recommend this place to anyone else unless there is a serious overhaul. Maybe he meant fresh-frozen chicken strips from a box? "Gross, really? It's hard to comment or believe you when we only use fresh chicken and ground beef. I hope this review was because you were just having a bad day. Happy Holidays"
(1)Colin A.
A big disappointment. Nice menu and decent prices, but the food was below average for a brew pub and service we received was cringe-worthy. Our waitress was more interested in chatting with the hostess, leaving our group of four with empty glasses and lots of dining ware. While my dining partner and lovely wife have been known to be indecisive with lots of menu items, a suggestion would have been nice. "Um, I don't know...I guess that is pretty good" was the standard response from our gum-chomping, oft-distracted server. We are in your establishment to eat good food and spend money -- PLEASE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION! If you don't know anything about the beer you serve, why not ask the also-bored bartender to stop by and provide some knowledge or recommendation? I'm a big boy, so I chose a few styles I generally enjoy (flight of 5 6-oz. samples was a steal at $7), and got on with enjoying a nice conversation with some good folks I don't get to see often enough. For what should have been a crowded Friday night, OP was strangely dead. It's too bad, because the menu is extensive and I am sure I would have enjoyed any other dish with a much needed recommendation. I think I've got the answer for the lack of a crowd --a sad service experience indeed.
(2)Hayley G.
This was the first restaurant I had ever been to on my first day in Kalamazoo. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but figured it would have general bar or pub food, and a decent beer selection. I ordered the buffalo chicken wrap, and it was actually really good! The prices are reasonable, and the service is just fine. Having been there a couple of times now, I've had servers who seem to care, and others who seem bored. It's fine; as long as you're not rude or slow, I don't care how bored you are. (But, also, I shouldn't really notice how bored you are). In general, though, I don't have any complaints. Their beer selection is pretty good, too! I like their raspberry ale, and have also had good luck with some of their other lighter, wheat beers. If you're going just to have a couple of beers on a Friday or Saturday night, order the pub mix (which is essentially chex mix) - it's served warm, and it a perfect addition to your beers!
(3)Holly P.
The food wasn't what it used to be. The onion rings were the only thing worth eating. The raspberry wheat ale was goodish. My daughter ordered the Mac and cheese kids meal and freaked out when she found bean sprouts and carrot pieces in it. No where on the menu did it say there was veggies in it. She thought the beans were a worm at first and then refused to eat her food cause it put her off. The location is still awesome, the building looks amazing. The food was neither.
(2)Jarred D.
Excellent and unique beers (i.e. habanero and vanilla porter) with a great staff and ambiance to accompany them. Their food is good, but I always end up getting the same thing (chicken club as a wrap), so I have a limited perspective on their food selection.
(4)Candice M.
The Brewpub Dip is a must, every time I come back to Kalamazoo this place is a must stop! Chill atmosphere, good menu selection and great home brewed beer. I prefer the Sunset Red. You can even get a liter! Also have a video game area for the kids or if you get board waiting
(4)Liza V.
Good fried food. That's about all this place has going for it. The beer wasn't too bad- I had a Red Raspberry, their raspberry wheat mixed with their red ale. I enjoyed it, but didn't want another. The cheese fries appetizers was pretty amazing. Probably the only reason I'm giving this place an extra star. You need to get these. Lots of cheese sauce, and good bacon with creamy ranch dip. The fries are beer battered deliciousness, fried to perfection. I had the Fajita Thai Wrap- and it was really crappy. I was bummed. The chicken inside was good and flavorful, but the combination of flavors was totally off. The bean sprouts were cooked way too much, and they were just a soggy mess. If the waitress would have asked how my food was, I was planning to tell her, but she never did. Oh well. I should have just ordered something fried. We also ordered a burger with blackened spice, olive aioli, mushrooms, and jack cheese. The burger itself wasn't great, but the toppings were all very good. And the onion rings were great, of course. Great beer batter, again. The grilled cheese from the kids menu was simply wonder bread and a piece of american cheese. I don't expect gourmet, but c'mon. Even if I lived in the area, I wouldn't come here.
(2)Connie R.
Good service shitty food. The hamburgers are dry the chicken so called wings are dry chicken salad sandwich no flavor but the waiter was cute :-)
(1)Tim K.
Gonna keep this one short, sweet, and to the point. I wasn't overly impressed with this place. The service was okay, but the food was just average. I started with the Tomato Herb soup and it was barely luke warm and tasted more like pizza sauce than soup. I also had the California Turkey Wrap and there was no avocado on it nor any ranch dressing which left it very bland and dry. I cannot comment on their beer selection as I didn't order any, but from the list they all looked fairly decent. If I am ever in the area again I may stop in for a drink to give that area a shot, but as for food, I'll pass.
(2)Andrew M.
We returned to Olde Peninsula and had a much better experience. The food was delicious and priced fairly. The host was juggling a packed bar and a nearly-to-capacity restaurant quite well and our server was prepared, informative and prompt with water refills. I previously suspected that I might have a food allergy here, but I was wrong. I can heartily recommend the pork supreme sandwich with the pub chips, very tasty.
(4)Sara B.
Came here for lunch while visiting in Michigan. Pretty much one of the only places open on the street on a Saturday in the afternoon. Food and service was great. Would come back
(4)Kendra K.
Not great! Terrible service and luke warm food... Don't make a special trip to come here! Thank God they have decent beer!!
(3)Kami F.
Great beer with a wide variety of sizes, fantastic service, really good food...
(4)Molly I.
Yummy house brewed beer and rootbeer. The Wisconsin cheese curds were wonderful, very crispy and delicious. Burger was pretty good too.
(5)C W.
There's really nothing special about this place. Not really sure what the draw is. I've been here a handful of times and this weekend will be the last. I don't get when servers are upset with a table for deciding to patron their place of employment. We were starving and this was the only place we could find that was open on Sunday. We ordered an app immediately upon being sat and were ready to order our meals by the time the waitress came back with one water. ( not sure why she decided to only bring one). For the entirety of our visit she was passive aggressive with us. I get not wanting to be at work or having a bad day, but bad service on top of a lackluster establishment, isn't helping things.
(1)Foodie L.
This was the only place we found to get a burger on a Sunday evening. Not knowing kalamazoo, we had to go with what we had. Oh bwoy, was this a mistake. One of my friends said Applebee's might have been a better option (and we don't even eat at Applebee's). Specifics: the hash browns were frozen then fried, the drinks were either weak and watered down or poorly made with bad ingredients, I asked for a hard fried egg on my burger and I got a runny yolk. Also, said burger was inedible because it was so dry and hard, the cheese curds were nothing special. Overall, skip this place if you know and like good food and drinks.
(2)John F.
I'm a huge fan of breweries. Especially breweries that have good beer, good food, and good atmosphere. Unfortunately, as much as I want to love Olde Peninsula, I just find it mediocre at best. While I do love their atmosphere and location, and some of their menu items are delicious (their dips are quite good), I'm just never completely satisfied when I go there.
(3)Pam R.
I'm not a beer person, so I can't speak to that. My sons and husband are in to craft beers and this is why we go....they do like the beer. We've ate here many times, and calzones are excellent. On our recent visit I ordered from their Limited Time Cajun menu. Definitely not the best, maybe the worst Gumbo I've ever had. The rice was crunchy, had 1" balls of clumped rice - made me wonder how old it was. The gumbo had good flavor, too bad the rice ruined it. The manager made a big deal out of "comping" 50% off the bill ($7.49).....well, considering I didn't eat even half it was a pretty poor show of customer service. There were 10 of us, I think they may have lost multiple customers over that dinner....would have been a show of goodwill to offer something else from the menu or remove bad item totally from the bill.
(2)Kayla K.
Definitely order the RedRaz beer -- a mix of their Sunset Red & Raspberry Wheat. They also do some great seasonal beer mixes, especially around Halloween (ex: Midnight Stout & Pumpkin). Also, I can't stop ordering the veggie nachos. :)
(5)Chris C.
The Haymarket Brew brew was excellent as was the Bacon and Egg burger. Atmosphere was definitely enjoyable as well. Will definitely be stopping by again on my next trip through Kalamazoo.
(5)Chelsea C.
Can't say enough great things about our experience here! Came in on a slow afternoon and sat at the bar. Got great suggestions from our bartenders Austin and Tommy, and tried a flight of beer. I'm a wheat beer kinda gal, but I branched out here and I'm so glad I did! For the beers, some of the most memorable were the Stout Chocula, the Raspberry Wheat, and the Diablo IPA (a double IPA without the citrus). The high point of our visit here was when Dan the brew-master (who used to work at Bell's) came out and chatted with us for a long time about the different beers, and even opened some Tornado (which they were out of) that he had been aging for 1 year so we could try it! It was amazing and he really won us over. Also- the food is awesome. We had a fresh Perch sandwich with O-Rings and their Chicago Chop Salad which were outstanding. Service is outstanding, food is great, beer is even better- would definitely be a regular here if I lived in Kalamazoo! A real gem.
(4)Melissa B.
Excellent! Waitress was nice, staff was very accommodating for our party of 15. Beer and food very good. Everything came out hot and correct. Definitely a Kalamazoo favorite for us!
(4)Brad M.
We went for lunch. I had the fish tacos and they were tasty, with a nice crunch. They could've used a side sauce: malt vinegar or tartar... but altogether they were nice. My very hard to please friend had the Greek Burger with feta, and substituted chicken for beef. Although it had a bit of a HUGE bun, she said it was really wonderful and she would have it again.
(4)Michael H.
Initially, back in the 90's, it was novel, but they haven't really done much to change anything since then...the only problem is that competition has exploded exponentially and there are so many options out there trying new ways to attract people, that these guys are just down the list now. Even the beer flavors have stayed stagnant, and they weren't that dope to begin with, it's just that the only compeition they used to have was Bells. There are guys running breweries in kalamazoo that were in highschool when OP started up and believe me, it's like a time warp in there....good if you want the nostalgia, I guess.
(3)David C.
This place is a treasure-- a brewpub with a solid menu and solid ambiance. Very Nice bar area, clean and comfy tables and overall inviting and pleasant environment. There's an air of pride in their rightful place on the corner --and-- the beer is much better than a decade ago. The place is downright cool and has matured well since I last visited in 07. My wife and I stopped in for lunch and a beer and struck up a friendship with the master brewer and barkeeps while eating at the bar. He even cracked open his final bottle of a treasured brew that he'd kept at bay for some time. We were royalty for an hour; pretty special. Food was excellent, large salads and fresh lake perch sandwich, homemade tartar sauce (bonus for sure!). Truly great onion rings. We split everything and were stuffed with contentment. People who complain on Yelp about Olde Peninsula's menu selection or execution have an axe to grind or really caught the cooks on a bad moment. I'd eat here 5 days a week for sure. Lots of menu items... Again, their beer was very well made, such a pleasant surprise. Try the sampler, any 5 beers if I recall for about 7 bucks. Good job all around and one more sweet spot in sweet little Kalamazoo MI. We will have lunch and beers and friendship with you guys again. THANK YOU. PS The Count Chocula stout is sublime. Try it.
(4)Joe V.
Stopped in here on a Sunday on our way back from a wedding on the west side of the state. We rolled in shortly after opening. My sister used to work here back in the day and she was raving about the food. It was just okay. My sister said that some of the items had not lived up to her memory of what they were like years ago. We split the pub dip (or whatever it is) and the cheese curds. The pub dip came out lukewarm and we had to send it back to have it heated up. It was pretty good stuff on the whole. The cheese curds were just average. The side of hot sauce was good stuff though. We split the buffalo chicken wrap and a patty melt. Both were pretty good, but again...nothing special. The bartender was friendly, engaging, and did a good job. The beer was really good too. Overall, I'd probably take a shot with another place in the area if I found myself in town again, but I'm certain you can do worse than Olde Peninsula. I'll look forward to sampling their beers at the Michigan Brewers Guild Beerfests though.
(3)Asa D.
Ok, I order the same thing every time: the Fajita Thai Rollup w/chicken. The price has gone up over the years (I think it used to be $7.49 at one point, but probably 10 years ago), but it is still tasty and relatively healthy. The kids menu showed the Mac and cheese was $3.99 and all others were $5.99, but thy rang up $1 higher. Fortunately, I looked at my bill in detail (the other family we came with is not). The waitress (Allison) was very good and fixed it for us and our friends, but I wonder who else had this problem and never got it fixed. The beer here is okay, but it is hard to compete with Bell's. The burgers are okay, but the buns are terrible. Cheap, diner quality buns, in my opinion. Chips are okay, as are the fries. They used I serve fresh fruit as a side, but now it is canned. I am mildly disappointed with OP, but they are still better than other downtown brewpubs.
(3)Jenna S.
Blah. There's not much to do in downtown Kalamazoo, so this is one of your only options. This is just a regular, old bar. It was crowded with a bunch of rowdy locals when we stopped in (possibly having a holiday party?) so the atmosphere was a bit much. Standard bar fare, a lot of which seemed to be frozen and thawed for serving. Beer is reasonably priced. Still blah.
(2)Lauren B.
So good!!! Fries were great. Atmosphere was nice, even had free cookies in a jar on your way out! Even went back for dinner! Overall would recommend.
(5)Jeremy H.
Always have had a good experience here. I always feel though when I order different drinks or crafts that they taste similiar. Appetizers are good, but again everything tastes the same to me, maybe it's the seasoning. Either way I really do enjoy taking clients here.
(4)Ken H.
I'm sorry to give Olde Peninsula such a low rating. This has been a go-to place for me and my friends for years. We always stop in for late night drinks and food after seeing a movie or a play. A couple weeks ago I heard a friend complain about a hamburger he ordered and I thought it was just a fluke. The food here used to be so good. Last night, I was surprised to see that the menu has changed. Most of the items I used to order are now gone. The Brew Pub Dip junior is not on the menu anymore. This smaller portion was perfect for late night snacking. The Sunset Red Bean Dip is not offered at all anymore. This was a great dip and was also featured in a wrap I frequently ordered. Also missing from the menu was the half order of nachos--another good option for a late night snack when a full order just seems like too much. My friend tried to order cottage cheese as a side for her sandwich last night and was told that was not an option anymore. My vegetarian friends would often order the cottage cheese side as a way to add some protein to their meal. I ordered chips and salsa last night and had to send the salsa back. It tasted bitter and smelled like vinegar. This really was one of my favorite places to eat in Kalamazoo. I am disappointed with my last few visits.
(2)J G.
The food was terrible, everything had to be sent back because it was burnt, underdone, or cold. The service was great, despite the failures of the kitchen.
(2)Scott R.
I was a bit nervous trying this place out after reading some reviews. Fortunately it turned to be a great experience. Good bar food. Great selection of beers. Friendly staff. You will not be disappointed stopping by here for dinner. The only drawback is there are limited number of tv's and they are positioned in a way that makes them difficult to look at.
(4)Walter D.
Great food, great beer,and good service. Our waitress suggested the choc raspberry beer blend and it was pretty amazing. I had the brats off the summer menu and the we're really. It came with home chip which knock my socks off. I wish they would have had gluten free bread option+, but other that that I was impressed.
(5)Andy B.
Went here for a quick lunch before a wine tasting at Henderson Castle. We looked at the menu while waiting 10 minutes for a table. We ordered food and drinks as soon as we were seated. The drinks came very quickly. The IPA was great, however the Coke my girlfriend ordered tasted awful almost like it's was completely syrup snd no water. They waiter did not return to the table until 45 minutes later noticing that my beer was gone and asked if I needed another. We asked about the food saying that we needed to be somewhere shortly. He said that he would check on it. 5 minutes later he returned stating it would be another 5 minutes, having put the order in over an hour ago, we asked to pay for the drinks and leave without eating. The waiter said he had to talk to his manager. While we are patiently waiting for a manager or our waiter to return we see him go to the bar and fill a drink order for another table. 10 minutes later the waiter returned without a manager and gave us our bill. We left and well not be back anytime soon.
(1)Kelly R.
Great lunch with a group of eight -- Server was awesome, food has great flavor and recommend the faijti thai roll-up with the peanut sauce!!! Other favorites are the soups, chicken salad sandwich and of course Marie's salad! Good, fun place to have lunch when downtown Kalamazoo!
(5)Julie D.
A few years ago I would've given Olde Peninsula a 4 or 5 star rating. Unfortunately, the quality of the food, service, and cleanliness has gone down while the prices on the menu have gone up, and that is disappointing (especially since I've come here since 1996, when I moved to Kalamazoo to go to WMU). Some of the menu items are really good, such as the pulled pork, fajita Thai rollup, and the chicken salad sandwich. A lot of their in-house brews are good, too (notice, good, not great). However, some of the menu items are just not very good at all or aren't as good as they used to be (the salsa, brewpub dip, and brewpub chips fall into the latter category). A lot of the menu items are just way overpriced for what you get (the salads, the Olde Peninsula chicken, and whatever the monthly specials are). The children's menu has gone up in price and the servings have gotten smaller. $4 for just mac n' cheese or $6 for a hot dog with a tiny side of fruit seems high (especially compared to other area restaurants). Here was the kicker: in the computer, the children's menu items rang up for a dollar MORE than the prices listed on the menu!! The waitress had to get manager approval to change the prices to what was advertised. This was definitely shady! We will probably keep coming here out of convenience and nostalgia, though not as often as we have. Bummer.
(2)Josef S.
Great price to value ratio. Steak was ok and beers tasted so so. Will never become my favorite spot but everything else is closed on a Sunday night. Service was friendly though.
(3)The D.
Euchre night Wednesday at 8pm. It's free and bet is only 2 bucks. I drink my two beers , play a few rounds and tab out. Fun night for a few bucks. Foods not bad. Parking is terrible so park in the garage. The nitro tap is the way to go FYI
(4)Dylan M.
The food was awesome! Some of the best cheese fries I've ever had. Bar tender was great. Stayed on top of the service but not smothering. Root beer and their root beer cocktail was phenomenal.
(5)Ed L.
Just about an hour after finishing the 2013 Kalamazoo Marathon on 05/05/2013, a few friends of mine and I ventured here to celebrate our accomplishments. It was great to be able to sit down and enjoy the rewards of finishing another marathon. And of course, refueling / eating is always great too. A friend of mine, who lives in Kalamazoo, recommended this place to me and told me he's been here like 1,000 times, so it must be good. After checking out reviews here on Yelp, we decided on checking things out. What a way to spend an afternoon with friends and to drink some booze to celebrate what I have accomplished just 7 hours before on the streets of Kalamazoo Michigan. The Olde Peninsula Brewpub and restaurant is at the corner of Portage Road and Michigan Avenue. Not too hard to find, although we had to find parking along the street. Since it was a Sunday afternoon, it wasn't too hard to find street parking. I would imagine that wouldn't be the case during more peak times during the week. Just another sports bar, but it was in Kalamazoo the Olde Peninsula was. As a tourist, it was exciting here, especially when the rest of downtown Kalamazoo was relatively dead on a Sunday - with exception for the lines of cheering spectators during the morning @ the marathon. Thought that was kind of crazy, but it made me happy. I myself tried some of their local brews before settling on some coronas. We got set up in a booth, which was nice. The ambiance was lively, but somewhat loud, but that's all good. The décor was that of a sports bar. There was plenty of televisions to keep your attention and tab here all weekend long. My body was tired, but I am glad I was sitting here instead of still being out there along the marathon course. After running the Wisconsin Marathon the day before, the killer hills of Kalamazoo made this trip to the Old Peninsula just that much more sweeter. The service here was good and decent. I eventually looked at the menu and ordered the roasted garlic pepper sirloin with mash potatoes and French fries. That really hit the spot and really was great, especially after what I did today. The steak came out more charred than I thought, but then again, I thought maybe it was the garlic pepper that was seared into the meat. I dug right in and found out that it was pretty good, although more dry than I expected. Maybe I shouldn't order my steaks medium, but more rare instead. I like more chewy than tough, but that's just me. I asked for the coveted A-1 sauce and that made the steak more palatable and edible for me. Yes, I should have located a real steakhouse, but this place is does it ok - a nice substitute, but still can't do justice as far as a real steakhouse goes. Sorry! The mashed potatoes were good, as they have ever been and the French fries were nice and crispy, like it came out fresh from the kitchen. One of my friends had the French dip sandwich, but she didn't really enjoy it, saying that it's not as good as what she has had before. It was standard bar fare here, no doubts about it. Very much comfort food to be sure, but I do love a good outing and the prices are pretty standard for what you are getting. I don't think it's too pricey, but then again, I ordered the steak, so it's already up there. The serving of steak was decent, but I would've paid more for a larger generous serving any day. I wouldn't say that this place is overly great, but it has it's place in Kalamazoo and my friend in Kalamazoo who recommended this place wasn't wrong. I did enjoy myself here and I hope you will too. Overall, I would recommend this place for a good time and plenty of drinks! This place would not be your ideal place for a great dinner, but as a lunch spot, it fits the bill to a tee. Thanks to my Kalamazoo friend whom recommended this spot to me. He's out there running the Kalamazoo Marathon, pacing the 5 hour group. Support local! B
(3)Shawn B.
Stopped here for dinner and drinks on a Friday night. They weren't to busy and we got a nice table on the main road. Menu has a lot of options, everything from pot roast to nachos. We ended up with brewpub dip, nachos and the chicken tender sandwich. All were great. Server was very attentive and quick. Food was good!
(4)Kevin T.
So we were in town for my daughters graduation from K college, looking for a place to eat dinner. This was not a disappointment. I got the pot roast and it hit the spot, hearty and homemade style, nothing from a can or frozen, was not dry and it was tender. Perfect for the rainy day it was. We all liked our food. Their rootbeer which was their brew was not so great. NO head and it didn't taste creamy or have much bite, just average. The service seemed kind of slow. And I saw a couple waiters spill drinks.
(3)Meg W.
I don't believe they were well staffed for the parade day today. Service was slow and there were many spots open. We had three adults and two children. Finally got a seat and then waited. Drink order placed and waited again. Out of two coffees only one cup was full and it was burned. Food orders were placed and we waited a very long time. One child got a hot dog and onion rings. The hot dog was served in a moldy bun. I didn't get the soup I ordered with the meals had to remind the employee of the order of a cup of soup and when it came to my table it was cold. She was great to get the bill out to us. We had to go talk to management because we could not get a server back to our table. They removed the cost of the soup and the hot dog. Still not happy. Most kids wouldn't know to look at the bun. I am thankful that my grand daughter did. She could have become very ill. Really these food handlers don't see the green on the back of the bun??? Olde Peninsula you are suppose to be such a great place to eat......but my money won't go back in.
(1)J B.
I love all of their beers and ales very nicely crafted. Great taste and decent food. Ill give it 5 just for the crafts.
(5)Samantha L.
We stopped here on our way out west from Detroit and were very pleased with the food and service. This is in an adorable downtown strip of Kalamazoo and feels very old and historic. The menu had traditional pub food, which was done right. The service was fast and friendly. It was a great pit stop.
(4)Stephanie M.
this place is amazing!! absolutely a gem!! they have this amazing pumpkin ale that tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass. delish! the food is just as good. i wanted to have room to drink my flight of 8 beers so i had their soft pretzel with cheese. pairs great with the beers. if you're not a pumpkin ale person, try their cream ale. basically.. there's a beer for every palette. by the way, you can also buy growlers filled with your favorite beer. if you're ever in the kalamazoo area.. skip the big brewery down the way (i wont mention names) . Go straight to this amazing brewery!
(5)Ben B.
I think Olde Peninsula has to be the best place to eat in downtown Kalamazoo. I love their burgers. Did you know you can have them make a burger from buffalo meat for 50 cents extra? You can! And it's delicious! Their beer-battered fries are also really, really outstanding. I've never had a bad meal here. And I really should eat there more often.
(4)S S.
Very friendly staff. Austin really knows his beer and is happy to help you find your best pairing.
(5)Laila C.
Seriously?! $5 for 22oz of DELICIOUS beer?! That almost.....makes me want to move to Kalamazoo...almost My burger was pretty good, I didn't really care for my bf's sandwich. BUT WHO CARES ABOUT THE FOOD WHEN THERE IS SO MUCH DELICIOUS BEER FOR SO CHEAP?!?!?! our meal with 2 drinks/person came out to under $40. Are you kidding me?!
(4)Alicia K.
Went to visit the cousins in MI and they insisted we go here b/c they LOVE it! Maybe my expectations were thus set too high, but I was sadly not all that impressed. I just have a distinct memory of almost everything we tried making me think, "Meh... I've had better." Nothing was BAD, it just wasn't GOOD either. Their BREWPUB DIP was pretty good. Cousins are obsessed with it, but I've definitely had better cheesy dips at other locals. They do make their own ROOT BEER which is super yummy, and maybe the only thing worthy of 5 stars at this place. The DOWNTOWN DIP was a standard dip, but tasty. Their BURGERS, while I didn't try one, were large and looked good. (Fresh toppings, juicy meat.) But their FAJITA THAI ROLL-UP was all carrots and peppers. I almost couldn't even tell there was chicken in it at all! I ended up tearing off some of the tortilla b/c there was a bit too much of that, too. The sauce it came with was great, but overall the meal wasn't nearly as good as it sounded, lacked flavor, and was just a major disappointment. The service here was also "meh" and if you get seated at one of the high top tables, you're on stools with no backs which is pretty uncomfortable. The most redeeming quality for this place is that their PRICES ARE SOLID! For the portion sizes (LARGE!), it really was a good deal price-wise. Bottom line: if you're looking for a decent meal that will make you full for cheap, give it a shot. If you're looking for a great dinner out in the area... keep looking. =P
(2)Megan P.
Food is ok, service is mediocre and no validating on the weekend!! 2nd visit, not all that great.
(2)Kelly C.
I'm a huge fan of Olde Peninsula's beers. I would recommend sampling a flight of their beers and taking a growler on the way home. First and foremost though, try the zucchini fries, they never disappoint. The chicken littles are also always a good choice and the pub dip is amazing. Very good bar food to match their great beers. Much of the food I've had at OP's has been delicious though I admit I've had their calzones and they weren't worth the time or price. Staff is typically friendly but are inattentive when the restaurant is busy.
(4)Hana B.
This restaurant is a good example of a "jack of all trades, master of none." The burgers are okay, but a lot of the other items are premade and reheated there. The most egregious example of this was the "grilled pizzas." I ordered the fresh vegetable pizza expecting it to be made on homemade bread, and it was made on a machine made pizza dough similar to something they would use at Subway. The pizza had little to no taste and they literally just threw fresh vegetables on the pizza (barely anything was even browned from baking). I understand that they want to offer people many options, but they should honestly take this off the menu. It was terrible.
(2)James R.
I was here over the weekend with a group of friends and we had a good time. The atmosphere was good, a little noisy, but not distractingly. Their was a 20 minute wait, but we killed it sitting at the bar. The bartender was nice, and answered questions, but he could have been a bit more attentive. When we were sat at a table, the waitress was very good. I had multiple beers from them, one of them being the Stout Chocula, which tastes almost exactly like Count Chocula Cereal. It was pretty dang good! Some of the other beers of theirs I tried were also delicious. I ordered a Beer-b-que pizza and my wife had their signature pub dip... both were amazingly delicious. I will definitely go back the next time I'm in Kalamazoo.
(3)Suzzette M.
Great beer selection!! Good place for dinner too!
(5)Roy R.
Visited with some friends during the Michigan HOG Rally. Food was great. Service good. But.... No coffee. ?.?.?. Waiter said they had been out for a couple of days. What? Call Gordons and have some delivered. Drive down to Kroger and pick up a can.
(2)Meg K.
As an occasional beer drinker (not quite so avid a fan of beer as my husband), I want to throw in my 2 cents about O.P. I like this place and have never had a horrible experience (although I have been there enough to have the occasional lax or rude server - which is why we always sit in the bar section now). The Michigan Long Islands are great (and potent - be careful!) and the wings (half-n-half is my recommendation) are delicious. They have a great vegetarian selection and huge, fresh salads (the greek is my fav).
(4)Donald Z.
Very good moderate priced restaurant!
(4)Michael V.
Pros: open on labor day, the beer battered fries are amazing. Cons: waited for 10 min before anyone took our drink order- the hostess took our order... also, the pepper ribeye was like a 3" cube so the middle was done right but outside was way overdone. Dont get the ribeye.
(2)Adam H.
Much like visiting Bell's brewpub we did a tour of the brewery before we had any food or drink. But unlike Bell's this brewery is one room with three vats and that's about it. So the tour was really maybe 10 minutes if that. Still informative and it was interesting to hear the story how the place got their start but it really hit a lot of points about the process of beer making I already heard the day before and was content when it ended. So sure. Do the short tour if you want but really, one could skip it, look through the glass and see the different large vats viewable from the dinning area, and then ask their server any questions about the place and be just as informed. So good tour but skippable. Their food and drink on the other hand should not be skipped by any means. The beer is great. I got a 4 beer taster and told my server to give me his favorites. He brought back their seasonal Pumpkin ale, Sunset Red, their Jack-o-latern, which is a combo of their Midnight Stout and Pumpkin, and one he highly recomended, a combo of their Count Chocula Stout, I think that was the name, and their Rockin Raspberry Wheat. The latter was amazing. The combo of a chocolate stout and raspberry reminded me of a much better version of Guinness and blackcurrent and I ordered a 22oz "Giant" immediately. Delicious. Much like other reviews I've read on yelp our food too did seem to take awhile to arrive. But our server stayed with us and kept giving us updates and we had wounderful beer so the wait didn't wreck the evening. I ordered the Macaroni and Cheese along with a cup of their Cheddar Ale soup. The soup was tasty. Not too heavy. Warm, cheezy, and good. My mac and cheese was a little much for me. It was good but after eating a cheese based soup and then trying to eat the rich pasta was a mistake on my part. There were pieces of meat in it to try to break things up and add some balance but the solution was actually given by my friend who suggested hot sauce. This restaurant makes their own hot sauce and I gingerly put some on my pasta here and there. It made the dish great. The hot sauce was kind of sweet and had a nice spice that really highlighted the creaminess of the dish. So thank you hot sauce and friend. You made my meal awesome. i was quite happy with this place. It had a nice vibe and the employees seemed glad to be there. When my wife and I visit our friends in Kalamazoo again we will certainly be coming back to O.P. to get our beer and grub on. And also bring home lots of growlers of beer with us. Lots and lots of growlers.
(4)Samir N.
I knew nothing about their beers, so I went for the tasting flight. I was already several beers into today, but I enjoyed all of the ones that I had. I had the fried appetizer platter, and that was pretty good too.
(4)Don H.
On the way back to Chicago, we wanted to stop half-way between Detroit. We've never really explored downtown Kalamazoo together so we took Business Route 94 and went downtown. It's nice down there. Very cool and quiet on a Sunday afternoon. We started out with beers (their homemade Midnight Apple and an Arnold Palmer) and took in the environment. Another sports bar. But this one had more of a restaurant feel to it. That's weird to explain. It had the TVs and stuff all over the place, but it didn't seem like it was the focus. The beer was the focus. It's more of a down-home brewpub. For dinner, we ordered a florentine calzone and a mess turkey burger. Both were prepared quickly and very tastily. We were hoping to have left room for dessert, but didn't. We walked out with a bill for $30 without tip and extremely satisfied for the next 2-1/2-hour part of our ride.
(3)Quin A.
My friends and I initially intended to visit London Grille for lunch today but they were closed and would not open until 4pm so we walked a few more steps to this establishment. This restaurant has a nice atmosphere with several televisions tuned into sports events. I was informed that they brewed their own beer and had a good selection which that's why they are popular. I tried to order a fresh-brewed iced tea but was informed that the only tea they had was from a fountain. I ordered their pot roast (available after 4pm and all day Sunday) as an entree and their zuchinni fries as an appetizer. The appetizer came quickly but our entrees took a little while to arrive. The veggie fries were very tasty but my pot roast was quite dry. It was not served with any gravy or sauce and while it had flavor, I could not finish the dish. My friends appeared to have no complaints about their food or beverages. If I liked beer, I am sure I would have enjoyed this restaurant more than the 2-stars which I am giving them.
(2)Sandy C.
This place has been much better. The main attraction--potato-crusted walleye--was still on the menu, but was no longer being served. What we ordered instead (a wide range) was mediocre. Very disappointing, especially since last year's dinner (a Kalamazoo Conference tradition) was so much better.
(2)Sam C.
OK, so the beer. I had a Tornado (IPA) which was nice - super hoppy and a touch sweet, as it's supposed to be. The red ale was fine, though not remarkable. The food here was decent, but ultimately a little disappointing. They no longer have the walleye, thought it's on the menu. I ended up with the pepper & garlic encrusted sirloin, which was good for about half of it, then was a struggle against fat and gristle. Now, I couldn't see the non-meat parts because of the layer of delicious char, but surely someone in the kitchen saw this weak cut of meat before rolling it. So I left sated, but a little disappointed. Had mashed potatoes that were fine but not a standout and a simple green salad (a touch heavy on the dressing).
(3)Jason C.
Fun atmosphere with classic Irish and American pub food. I hear their beer is really good. I really enjoyed their burgers. They were very large and were somewhat blackened in a nice tasty way. Great flavor. Hockey was playing on the tv though which was really boring. At least you don't have to worry about that this year. :)
(4)Anne S.
I just returned to eat here last weekend for my 5 year reunion at Kalamazoo College. And just as I remembered, the food was great. I had the Fajita Thai rollup with onion rings on the side (for no extra charge, how cool is that?) Both the wrap and the onion rings were great. Service was pretty slow, but at least the waiter was friendly.
(4)Beth S.
Delicious IPA and stout, fast & friendly service. Kids' mac & cheese was lackluster, but our server quickly brought a new choice at no charge. Very fun and pleasant family night out!
(4)Jay S.
Great lunch spot. The food was great, the staff was excellent and I would reccomend it to anyone.
(4)Justin M.
I came here because Bell's Eccentric Cafe was completely packed on a Thursday afternoon at 2 pm somehow. Anyway, I was not disappointed. It's a very cool atmosphere here; laid back and a little upscale. It seems like an old timey bar to me for some reason. They have a great variety of beer, and as always, a sampler is a huge plus that let's you try them all. The food is standard bar fare, but pushed a little up the fanciness scale. A little tweak here and there to standard items, and from what I can gather from the rest of my party, most of the tweaks are for the better. The zucchini appetizer is delicious. Service was solid. The party I was with was pretty big, like 8 or so, and the waitress handled it admirably. The location is great here as well; right on a busy corner. It also means that the place has a lot of seating without feeling like it's a warehouse with tables. If I'm in Kzoo again, when I visit my brother next, I'll definitely stop here for a sampler and a burger. While Bell's may get the most press, come here for a change.
(4)Drew E.
One of the most dirty restaurants I have ever been to. Brisket sandwich was disgusting as well as the rest of our meals. Will definitely not be coming again.
(1)Stephen H.
Was very disappointed in the food and service. Went there with 2 other people on a Saturday night, so a small group and the restaurant and they were not that busy. had to ask our server several times for extras like dipping sauces with our appetizers and the bacon we requested never came for the burger. On top of that our server was sweeping next to our table when he hadn't yet brought us the requested dipping sauce. Guess he had extra time on his hands. As for the pot roast it was dry as a bone - even noticed after I mentioned it to our server that a nearby table had also ordered it and eaten all the veggies but left the dry tough meat untouched. As other reviewers said the beer was good and inexpensive but there are tons of other places in downtown Kalamazoo with good inexpensive beer. I've eaten here before years ago and the food was good. Unfortunately this time service was terrible and food was below average. Hopefully your experience is better.
(2)Curt O.
Started with the Haymarket cream ale - good but a little lighter than I prefer. Had an Amber, that was quite good. Onion rings and pub chips as appetizers. Good. I always try the fresh made potatoe chips when I can find them. Fried very crisp - not soggy like sometimes you get. Had brats for my entre. Good enough. We had a party of 6 and everyone enjoyed their meals. I picked up the tab and $80 for 6 people including alcohol and appetizers was really reasonable.
(4)alejandro p.
Call it willful neglect but I passed up Olde Peninsula for years in favor of Bell's. And don't get me wrong, I love the beers that Larry Bell brews, and the Eccentric Cafe has been a great place to hang out in the past--with a group of friends. But for a nice place to go by myself and drink some microbrews in a welcoming environment I've found myself returning more and more to Olde Peninsula. What is it that I like about this place? The beers are all good, standard, reliable--and inexpensive. Especially during their late-night happy hour or discount days. They all hit the marks (with the exception of the triple-hopped special release I tried, which I felt hoppy but too thin), and the Tornado Ale (to commemorate Kzoo's twister) is a real treat that I ask for but always miss. More than the beers, however, what's won me over is the welcoming bartenders and friendly patrons. I have yet to come back from OP without having struck up conversations with any number of people sitting at the bar. Seriously! Whether it's couples, groups of revelers, or fellow beer enthusiasts, I know I can go by myself and have a good time. Best part was on my last visit, when I tried the whiskey flight. I accidentally knocked over my last taster while reaching for a menu and the bartender filled my sampler glass back up--no questions asked. How's that for nice?
(4)Lisalynn K.
Went about an hour before they closed and it was pretty clear the waitress was not pleased to see us. The food was mediocre. I got the thai chicken wrap and it had mushy vegetables and the chicken was pretty bland. The onion rings better and the beer was good. Looked like they had good options on the drink menu that we didn't get to try. This place would probably be ok if you know what to order there.
(2)Jeremy M.
I cannot believe that these guys aren't packed! Year after year they never disappoint, other than they were out of Pumpkin Ale last night, but that's cause it's awesome!!! Unlike Larry Bell's shit brewery, O.P. puts out a high quality product across the board, daily. Midnight Stout to Cream Ale...great, great beer. Thanks guys and gals.
(5)Michaelia K.
"Tap into the good times, Olde Peninsula Brew Pubbbbb" I think that lil jingle right there is forever branded in my mind. I am a definite fan of this place. Hell, I had a root beer keg from here at my high school graduation party. My favourite/usual? The Fajita Thai Rollup. YUM! (I'm a huge fan of peanut sauce). The brewpub dip, with it's sundried tomatoes, artichokes and asiago cheese is DELICIOUS. The only bummer sometimes is trying to find parking!
(4)Adam B.
Went here all the time when I was in college... Great place!
(5)Dan L.
On my way back from Chicago, I had to take advantage of my traveling situation and take a slight detour to Kalamazoo to visit Olde Peninsula Brewing. We rolled in around 10pm on a Thursday evening to a rather empty brew pub. I figured for a Thursday night in a college town, this place would be slammin' but that was not the case. Sure there was a few college kids running around but nothing crazy. Our waiter who was rather attentive waited on us immediately and promptly got us our drinks. I ordered a Cream Ale and their OP IPA. Both beers were just OK..actually I thought the IPA wasn't really that great. The cream ale was very conservative in flavor, but I kind of expected that for a "session beer" that was only 4% ABV. The IPA however, was just bland...no malt backbone whatsoever. I see that the brew master tried to use hops to try and boost the flavor in that regard but it just didn't cut it... The food was very good, which was my saving grace for the evening. I had the fish 'n pub chips which were both very delicious. I didn't get a chance to sample the other brews as I wanted to get back on the road and get back home at a decent hour, so I couldn't stay that long. I'd probably give the place another try to see if their other beers were better, but based on the two I had my hopes aren't too high.
(3)michael s.
good beer, good pub food. safe bet when you're in Kalamazoo.
(3)Adam R.
My fiance, best friend, and his wife were in town and we decided to try the Olde Peninsula Brewpub, hoping the extra "e" would pay off - and did it ever. The first night we were there we only had the beer, which was decent. I've had my fair share of beer over the years and really wasn't all that impressed with the beers, save for the Razberry Wheat. I don't even remember the first beer I had but it tasted like a really smooth domestic light beer, think Miller Light/Bud Light but good. My fiance got the Old Red (I think that was the name) and it was good, but nothing special. My friend opted for the 8 samples and he seemed to enjoy them. Friend's wife got the summer hefe with the lemonade, and it was somewhat off-putting to be honest. I purchased a growler of the Razberry Wheat and thoroughly enjoyed it. I especially liked the price. Apparently from 10pm - close there is a happy hour. I don't remember the exact happy hour discount, but 2 beers and 1 64oz growler was like $15 I think. After the initial impression I saved the review at 3 stars. However two days later we went to the Olde Peninsula Brewpub for lunch and it was delicious. I would recommend ordering the cheesiest cheese fries as an appetizer. The fries were fried hard and seasoned extremely well. Then loaded up with cheese, green onion, and huge chunks of bacon. The chicken fingers were also fried to a nice crunch and were paired with some more of the fries seen earlier. The cheddar beer soup was decent, but not my favorite. The other meals around the table consisted of a cheese pizza, another chicken finger meal, a bratwurst, and a turkey club. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals and the general consensus was that we'd all return. The "e" rule definitely worked in our favor. Easily would have been 5 stars based on the food, unfortunately the beer brought the review down.
(4)Brad T.
Stopped in while on a business trip downtown and thought it would be a good experience. Ordered a steak which looked great, but was unfortunately rare--like still bleeding rare. I ordered medium. I had ordered the food "to go" so experienced this problem after walking back to my hotel. Called up and the manager offered a refund so I came in later for dinner and just used it towards a burger. (Can't mess that up right?) Ordered the burger mid well and it came medium at best. Lots of pink in there. This was after the manager said she double checked it just to make sure it was right. The place was just about deserted both times I was there. The only patrons there seemed to be friends of employees. I hate to give a place just one star but they definitely earned it.
(1)Jason J.
There's so much good beer in Kalamazoo that you don't have to mess around with this bland brew. The food is hit or miss, and the service is usually worse. Skip it, and visit one of the much better bars, restaurants, or breweries in town.
(1)Terral A.
Olde Peninsula Brewpub in downtown Kalamazoo is a great place for a good brew, or a great meal. OP has a large menu with many great items including the Hummus and warm Pita which can't be over-looked. The fresh fruit is always a bonus that comes with this great flavorful hummus appetizer. I also enjoy the Greek Salad, however, I am not a fan of the Greek relish. If you like micro-brews, you will love Olde Peninsula. There are many beers on tap that are brewed on-site, and they also usually have seasonal ales. If you are not a micro-brew/Brew Pub beer lover, OP still has domestic beers by the bottle. If you are in downtown Kalamazoo, then you need to stop at Olde Peninsula for a great bite to eat. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Frank K.
Good grub, Good brew, Good service. I can't make it any simpler or clearer than that. I've been here three times now and it is consistently one of the best I've been to............ anywhere in Michigan. You can peruse the other reviews and most of them, 'cept for the non brew drinkers who stumble into the place, will tell ya that this is the place to go. The prices are very good as well as the food. This could easily be a 'destination' for a Saturday Road Trip. Do yourself a favor and stop in sometime.
(4)Jason R.
My second time in Kalamazoo and I decided to check out Yelp for good eats. I'm glad I did. Olde peninsula is located downtown and is actually a brewery. I tried the OP IPA and it was great, it had a good amount of hops which made me wanting more. As an app i had their famous red bean dip...man it tasted good. Good amount of flavor and spice. For dinner I decided to forgo the ribs and steak to try a buffalo burger. Usually my experiences with buffalo have resulted in dry mouth. This was not the case at olde peninsula, perfectly moist and 1/2lb of heaven totally satisfied my stomach. They have a good thing going here...watch out Texas...don't mess with...Michigan?!!
(4)Richard C.
The O.P. is one of the best dining establishments in downtown Kalamazoo. They're reasonably priced, brew their own beer (and root beer!), and have wonderful food. I usually grab a seat right by the tanks. Service is fast for the most part, with appetizers arriving shortly after the beers, and the entrees quick on the heels. However, coming in for a late dinner, you should expect to wait a bit. I've never had any issues being seated right away. The waitstaff is very knowledgeable about the menu and the beers. For your first time there I'd recommend the beer flight. You get small samples of all of their current offerings at a reasonable price. The beer is good, very good. But it's certainly not exceptional, especially with Bell's right up the road. Still, it's always fresh and tasty, just doesn't branch out from the norm too much. The IPA and the Haymarket ales pair well with just about anything on the menu. The IPA isn't as hoppy as some others, so it doesn't distract from the food at all (though I am an advocate for hoppy ales). If you're not a drinker I strongly recommend their root beer. Not too sweet, and with the slightest bite. For apps you can't beat their dips. The red beer bean dip and the artichoke dip both stand out. This coming from a guy who rarely eats anyone's artichoke dip but his own. The burgers are the stand-out stars of the menu. Any of their burgers are available with a veggie patty, turkey, or bison in place of the beef. I've had the pepper crusted sirloin which tastes like a finer cut of meat than it is. I've also gone with the calzone Florentine, which is freaking great - veggies and chicken stuffed into a flaky homemade crust with alfredo sauce. Amazing stuff. Onion rings are highly recommended as a side. The OP has become my default downtown dinner joint, because of the quality of their food and service and their prices as well. Wednesdays they usually have beer and growler specials, and I'm always excited to see what promotions they're running. Sign up for their email club and get a free entree and updates weekly. Now if only they took down the TV sets, it would have been a 5 star review. ;)
(4)J. G.
The staff are very friendly and attentive. I went here once with my partner to watch a Bulls game and they changed the channel for us on a TV we were sitting by - no problem. I also have ultra sensitive digestion and a gluten intolerance, so I was concerned that as it was a bar I would not find good food. I ordered the salmon dish that comes with vegetables and rice and it was AWESOME! Very high quality food, a little on the very salty-hot (spicy) side in a surprising way, but very yummy and better than standard bar food. I also like the feel of this place- cool interior decorating, somewhat British Isles feel to it.
(4)Sarah P.
Good pub food, and although I'm not a beer drinker, everyone else raves about the offerings they have throughout the year. Granted, Bell's is just down the street, but it's still a good little pub. There's street parking, a small lot ($) in back, and a couple garages in the area. I'm pretty amused by the decor comparison; Denny's? Really? I've never been in a 'fancy' Denny's, but ... okay. Also, note to the women out there; careful with the heels. Even in just kitten heels, I skidded the whole way to our table, and my sister has fallen while wearing heels, too.
(4)Josh M.
Good pub grub and tasty brews. I enjoy all the beers they brew.
(4)Kelsey K.
This place is okay, but the decor reminds me a little bit of a Denny's. The food is fine. It's not bad at all but it's nothing spectacular to write home about. The staff is always really nice here which is a bonus. The reuben is good, as is the Mt Olympus roll-up. My beer-loving family does LOVE their beers which is great to know. Although I haven't been there, I've heard that Food Dance right around the corner is much better and they have free parking, which is nice. There isn't a free lot for this place, kinda important to know. Do I enjoy this place when we go? Sure. Do I look forward to going there? Eehhhh... Not so much.
(4)Caleb F.
free refills for root beer on tap- very sweet. food is decent. great prices on beers.
(4)Reid G.
Only frequented here once. Not sure my limited experience can justify 4 stars. However, Olde P just has the right atmostphere. Doesn't try too hard. Just focuses on beer and exceptionally good food. I guess that's why it was "Kalamazoo's First Brewpub", and still going strong.
(4)Christopher J.
I'd like to give this place more stars but I've had horrible service here on multiple occasions. I like the food and the beer is pretty good too. The brew dip is absolutely delicious. If you luck out and have good service it will be a great experience but there have been too many times when I've felt forgotten there.
(3)Nick C.
This is the place I take friends and family from out of town. The beers are prertty good and there is always a new one to try. The food is pretty good. I usually get a chicken sandwich. They have a good sized menu with sandwiches, salads and fish. It can get pretty crowded in this place, but it has that Kalamazoo feel that keeps you coming back.
(4)Alan L.
i drink a lot of beer - and their largest size (practically a gallon) was ridiculous.. in a good way. that said, 3 of my friends got mixied/special drinks and none of them liked them. my advice would be stick to beer, or a 'classic' liquor drink. food was okay - the pub dip was a little meh, but we all liked our entrees (burgers and wraps). there may be better in kalamazoo, but for standard 'applebees-ish' food this is a good local spot.
(3)Gayle B.
Quick service & great food makes olde peninsula one of the best in downtown Kalamazoo
(4)Borracho G.
Menu has much to choose from and the brewery offers a good selection too. Tried all 4 beers they offered that day in a sampler. The red bean dip was awesome and enough for the table. The other dip they have is the one that everyone raves about. Only thing is bars still allow smoking and since tables are near bar, you will be in the smoking section unless you sit far away in the back. A must try if you want comfort food and home brewed beers.
(4)Julia H.
Really, this is one of my favorite restaurants of ALL time. It is NECESSARY to order the brewpub dip every time I come here. It is their house specialty -- a combination of artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese. I've had many things on the menu here in my eight years in Kalamazoo. I love the "Zorba the Greek" salad, and adore the fajita thai rollup (veggie style) with the peanut sauce. It's a light and perfect sandwich. They brew a pretty mean beer and rootbeer here too, and you can buy a growler to take home!
(5)Chuck N.
I've been back to Olde Peninsula a number of times in the last year and a half. It's grown on me more and more. I don't know if I've just become more familiar with it, or if my opinion of it is tempered by having some great times hanging out there, but I enjoy it a bit more every time I go. I guess that's really the whole idea, even if I can't quantify why I like Olde Peninsula more than I used to, I still do.
(5)o m.
Good brewpub in downtown Kalamazoo to have beer and Pub food, nice place, nice people, happy HR before 6pm after 9pm ( they change often check at web). OP is not special but not bad at all. The oldest brewpub in Kalamazoo, but their craft beer is just an average or less. Food is good and good price. After Craft Beer closed the door, this is few Brewpub fills growler in town for $6.99. 3.9 stars.
(4)Melanie M.
Probably the best pub food restaurant in Kalamazoo. The hamburgers are fabulous, along with the onion rings and french fries. They also offer great drink specials. Parking is pretty close but not right next to the door. Service can be poor but usually is quite good. Usually there is no waiting for a table unless it is a particularly busy Friday or Saturday night. Take out is also great!
(4)Ryan B.
OPB has one of my favorite burgers in the world. The fries are very good. The homemade root beer and orange cream are great, too. Wish I lived about 520 miles closer (when I'm hungry).
(4)Allison E.
Had a great lunch here during my college homecoming weekend. The brewpub dip is still a favorite and I had a Haymaker cream ale that was divine. Burger, fries, beer, a good time was had by all!
(5)TJ Lee W.
I miss this place. Their beer is no champion, but the food is some of the best in downtown Kalamazoo. If I were visiting, this is where I'd eat. For sure. One rare thing to find in this world are great french fries, and the truth is, they have 'em.
(4)Rachel L.
Mediocre. The onion rings were soggy and dripping in grease. Mediterranean wrap was okay but I would not go out of my way to eat here again.
(1)Kristin A.
During my college days, I used to go here to enjoy their tasty Hawaiian barbecued chicken sandwich with a side of fries. Even living states away now, I still think about this sandwich.
(4)Frederica B.
Standard casual American food. Nothing wrong with. Nothing particularly special either.
(3)Justine D.
One of my favorite places in Kalamazoo, but just as a tip, if you do not say the words "side of" when you want to add a side of something that costs a little extra (which it does say is possible on the menu for the entrees), you will get charged for the appetizer price instead of the side price. Our waitress (we went on April 10 for dinner) didn't think that was necessary to clarify so we got charged extra $. It put a downer on a great meal at one of the best places to go for food and drink in this city, so 3 instead of 4 stars from me.
(3)Lisa J.
Had a girls lunch out yesterday with my mom, sister and daughter. There was only one other table seated with plenty of waitstaff ready for the lunch rush that never came. The room was very cold and our food took FOREVER. However, it was wonderful. I had the Mt Olympus wrap. My sister and mom both had the Thai wrap wtih peanut sauce and my daughter had the house salad and hummus. We were all very happy with our selections and very satisfied. For some reason they have terrible fountain tea instead of fresh brewed, but other than that we were all very satisfied!
(4)Tommy A.
Tough call here, definetly would go 3.5 out of 5 if I could but I'll bump them to 4 because their beer was decent and their price on it was EXCELLENT. On day 3 of a whirlwind Michigan Microbrew bender, this was our last stop. We were out of gas at this point but we still drank a few of their home crafted beers. They were good, not great. The price however was out of this world. On a weekday night $2 for any pint of their home made beer, that's just a great deal. We also were starving after a long day of bad fishing, and we had mixed results at the OP. OP chip and dip combo appetizer, rather good, especially the artichoke dip. The crab chowder soup also rock solid. However, the Cheddar Ale Soup, that was out of this world good. Focus on this when you go there, especially if you like mushrooms. They were sliced so thinly and nice with this perfectly decadent broth. Dinner was a bit of a flop. My buddy had the fried perch, and that was decent. Although I would never cook nice pieces of lake perch fish and chip style. Then there was my order, the marinaded London broil on a bed of wild rice with sauted onions. The onions were barely sauted, in fact they were close to raw, no good! The beef was way overcooked, not a lot of flavors and altogether just kind of there. Nothing really popped, but I was hungry and I guess it got the job done. What bothered me most is that the menu had it listed as basically one of their signiture items, that's a big foul to me. If in the area, I'd go back, I'd focus on their beer, and have a bowl of soup. The 4 stars is going mostly on the price, I could be mistaken but I believe on the weekends many of their craft beers are only $3, pretty good deal as well. If around go to OP, especially if there is a game you'd like to watch that's on, but wouldn't kill yourself to try it.
(4)Laura B.
I love this place. All I need is the brewpub dip and a microbrew from OP to male me happy. The burgers are also a plus.
(5)Alured P.
A decent brewpub. Roughly 5-7 of their beers on tap... a decent stout and a fairly good raspberry wheat beer. Food selection was decent, the patty melt I had was good although there was some odd faint mint taste I could not place [less than ideal since I dislike mint]. Prices seem decent, service was also pretty good.
(4)Don P.
Works in a pinch but not on the top of the list.
(2)John B.
Another lame ass place that Kalamazoo is forced to put up with Michigan has terribly restrictive laws on liquor sales which almost gurantee that any restaurant with a liquor license will survive even a paint by number brew pub like this one. I recall one beer that was decent here but seemed to a cheaper version of Sledgehammer that was sold at Bilbos. The food is boring and is replicated at about 20 places around town (see roadhouse, main street pub, burdicks...)
(2)