As taverns and bar food go's this place isn't so bad. Service was quick food was As ordered and not too shabby. We had burgers, nachos, and sliders. We all agreed the sliders were the best choice. Stop in for a quick bite of tavern food and you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Nick M.
This is a very cool place with a good laid-back atmosphere. They aren't lying that the perch are great. I'd recommend the perch dinner over the tacos. We ended up coming here twice on our trip. The only thing I could say to make it better would be to have a better craft beer selection on tap and to add a patio.
(4)
Kera C.
All I can say is don't go!! There is no one to sit you and seating is vary limited. The place smells bad and the table we sat at still had trash on it from the people before us. We did not ever get a menu and after ten minuets of waiting my family and I ended up just leaving. If in South Haven, MI there is no need to go to the Black River restaurant.
(1)
Beth M.
One star for location, one for being kid friendly and one for beer (which we could not try because we sat outside and their liquor license doesn't extend outside). I asked how much perch was in the tacos and was told "two big pieces in each in of the two tacos so you'll get four pieces." I'm not looking for huge portions, but I wanted to share with our two yr old. So both my husband and I ordered the perch tacos. I told the server I was sharing and thinking of the perch dinner so I'd have enough fish to share. Our server was wrong. Four horrible perch tacos with four tiny pieces of perch instead of the promised eight pieces. Our two year old ate all our perch and we ended up with store bought white flour tortilla shells with diced tomatoes, shredded cheese (likely from a bag), and a few leaves of decent lettuce. If it wasn't for the tiny drizzle of some sauce I would not have even been able to eat this. The side was tortilla chips and spicy salsa. I'd bet the salsa was straight out of the jar. After delivering our food the server only came back to deliver our check. And the worst part...it was finally a warm summer day - the kind we waited for through 100+ inches of snow and Arctic temps - so we were looking forward to sitting outside and the only thing that could have saved this meal and helped to recoup after a weekend with three kids under seven was a beer (or 2) ...in the sun, BUT the liquor license does not allow them to serve outside. And my water glass was empty. There has to be better in SH!
(3)
Jeff S.
food came quickly and was tasty. i ordered the sirloin sliders on pretzel buns with cheddar along with a side of unremarkable fries. they really would have benefited from pickles on the burgers. ice tea was ok. would have enjoyed wifi if they had it, but they don't. with tip, $15, a little high for lunch.
(3)
Dan P.
Stopped at the end of the night for drinks and a snack. Could of done without the folky band, but otherwise a great place! Lots of TVs to watch games, Rachael the bartender was an absoulte doll and very attentive. Had the Jalapeno Hummus with Fried pita. I was so damn good I almost moistened myself! I will deff hit this place again!
(4)
Ryan S.
Great new interior and cold beer. Very friendly and hard working staff
(5)
Jason M.
For South Haven, its ok. Have had lunch there couple times with party of 9(4 kids). Service is ok, very understaffed. She did her best. Burgers were good last year, this year I tried deep fried hot dogs with Bacon, bad choice. They were terrible. Decent place thou for lunch even with kids. Never checked it out at night as bar with bands
(3)
Tobin h.
Looking at this place as just a bar, not bad. Dark and dink kind of feel with a nice selection of adult beverage. The service was good enough to keep the drinks full but sure not willing to part with any knowledge of the surrounding area and "local" things to do. Like the rest of service based businesses in South Haven, they don't get the concept that their economy is based on tourists and the money they bring in. So if you are a visitor to Black River and expect that fun, let loose on vacation feel...Black River tavern isn't your place. In fact, South Haven isn't your place. But if you are in South Haven and want a nice cocktail and a divey feel, good place to go!
(3)
Mary Y.
So it's a bar. In a beach town. Right near the entrance of a beach. We stopped in for a drink and my friend was starving so she got some fries. It was crowded, and the Kentucky Derby was on. Our waitress was so friendly, and busy as hell. She rushed around, made sure we had ice water with straws, without us asking, and then came back to see if we had any questions, even though we were just ordering drinks. A class act. She recommended a local cider and said it was "non-woodchucky" which made me like her immediately. She was correct, the cider was excellent, and not sweet. My friend liked her fries, so I had to try them. Despite the greasy smell in the place, the fries were not greasy. Served with a side of ranch. Maybe the best, most fattening tasting ranch ever. Stop in, hope that you get that waitress.
(4)
Kevin B.
Great hole in the wall bar type environment. It's busy every time we visit and the food is fantastic. Especially the perch tacos. Portion is a bit small but tasted excellent. Service is slow though so don't come here if your in a hurry.
(5)
Dr Kyle M.
BEST PERCH IN SOUTH HAVEN, HANDS DOWN. I fish Lake Michigan frequently and catch plenty of my own perch. Several places in SH claim to have the best fried perch, but they just don't know how to cook it. If you like perch and want it done right, BRT is the only place to go in SH. Great bands on the weekends. Comedy club with Jerry Donovan is the bomb.
(5)
Amy M.
Service was friendly and seems like a good spot to hang out. The draft list was fair. The food was terrible. I had the pot roast and the "meat" was more fat than meat. Ted had the Cajun shrimp pasta, it tasted good and the shrimp were good sized and plentiful but it was very oily. I was not impressed
(2)
Travis L.
Good bar for the area. We went around 11pm so I couldn't have any of those famous chicken wings I read about but dollar beers made up for that. This place is one of the few hangout spots for the younger age group. They will randomly change the sports you are watching on the tv which can be frustrating. If you are looking for a happening place to watch sports and get some cheap drinks this is the place to go.
(3)
L.J. P.
briefly stopped in for s drink. like the place, has a real old school pub vibe with the heavy wood bar and ornamentation. Worth stopping by if in South Haven, especially if walking down towards the pier!
(3)
Cameron S.
Don't come here for the food. The food is horrid, though the atmosphere, I will admit, is nice.
(1)
Ken Z.
Had dinner here last night. Nice atmosphere, but you can tell that it used to be something else. Plenty of space around the tables plus a juke box, pool table, tvs over the bar, darts and a Galaga/Ms. Pac Man table game. Went with the sirloin sliders - 3 for $10. Choice of bread, went with the pretzel rolls which were quite good. Nice presentation - the three sliders are served stacked on a skewer. I don't recall if the waitress asked how I wanted it cooked, but they came out a nice medium rare. Sliders come with field greens and a pepperoncini spread (both on the sandwiches). Came with fries or chips and slaw or beans. Hand cut fries were a little overdone for my taste. Biggest complaint - House Recipe brand ketchup. C'mon guys - step up to the good stuff - Heinz! 16 oz. Oberon was $4.50. Root beer = $1.95. Companion had a 1/2 lb. Angus burger $7.99 and liked it. They felt the regular bun (aka Ace Roll) was a little too salty. Came with same sides as sliders. Seat yourself. Wait staff was okay - kind of overwhelmed when place got busy. Kid-friendly.
(4)
Sandy B.
The food is very good here - try the steak sliders! The service has been lacking in the past but seems to have really improved over the last couple of months. Definitely worth a try!
(4)
Rick B.
Had dinner here with family on a Sunday night. Very loud, and not crowded at all, but service was pretty slow. Food took FOREVER. Crab sliders were mediocre, sirloin ones quite tasty. Loved the baked beans. Server checked on us before the food came (not sure why--we were only drinking waters) but not until a long time after. Ultimately, food quality was good, but service and ambience were mediocre. (Not very clean tables, either.)
(3)
Michael P.
Enjoying Coastal Crab Cakes, beer and what definitely is NOT the worst rum and coke ever. (See prior review for reference) Nice place to Reay while shopping. Great service and we will be back.
(5)
Elaine M.
We were in South Haven for a short get away and wanted a place to eat and watch the Hawks game. A local suggested that the Black River Tavern would be the perfect place...and they were right! Nothing fancy here but tons of TVs. Lot's of wood with a large community table in the center. Bar games in the back, darts and pool table. The whole crowd was into the game. The place was super loud so be prepared. The service was efficient and very friendly. Any request was completed promptly without any complaints, even though two us only ordered water. Surprisingly, for a bar, the food was stunningly good! Two of us ordered the perch tacos and one the perch dinner. Both were fantastic! The perch was fried perfectly, crispy not oily and wonderful. The tacos came dressed with the chipolte aioli and the dinner gave you a choice of either tartar sauce or the aioli....go with the aioli it's great! Finally we had one order of the pork sliders on a pretzel bun. The person in our party that ordered these said that they were the BEST she had EVER had! It's those sliders that seal the fifth star for the local hangout.
(5)
Vanessa H.
The food was decent. It is VERY much a bar/pub environment. The menu isn't large but the taste is good. There is also a pool table for your enjoyment.
(3)
Rachel M.
Family had an awesome time. The service was great and our kids had a blast. Hubby and I came back late night and just as great. Best perch and wings.
(5)
Mike T.
Walked Out....... twenty minutes and no one cared to stop at the table. Service was lousy last time and this time we didn't get that far. Wanted to give them a second chance. Won't bother going back. The server was too busy drinking a beer at the bar to care whether we stayed or left. I don't think I have ever walked out of a restaurant before. Go to Taste across the street!
(1)
Mike S.
Stopped in yesterday and was glad I did. Good selection of Michigan craft beers that are always good regular drinks ie Bells, Founders etc. I had the wings and thought they were great, I also had the tavern burger in which I recommend if you like burgers. The place was really busy and the server was all over it, she did a great job dealing with the chaos. I solid spot I would definitely go to again.
(4)
Kelly D.
After walking out of 2 restaurants on the lake #YorksLanding #IdlerRiverboat, because we were ignored, and walking out of another #AdmiralJacks because we were greeted by a bitchy bartender who seemed irritated by our question-asking, we came to #BlackRiverTavern #BRT and were greeted right away by Sierra who was very friendly and informative. She knew the menu well, was able to answer all of our questions, and helped us each choose a delicious beer from the many unique options on draft. My boyfriend ordered the Southwest Burger and a Blue Magic (a lavender hefferweisen) to drink; I had a reuben with parmesan garlic fries and an Emptiness, an apricot IPA). The burger and sandwich were HUGE and everything was delicious. I told my boyfriend we were obviously meant to eat there because as I was planning our camping trip, and trying to choose one special restaurant to eat at, The Black River Tavern was my original choice.
(5)
Karen B.
Decent beer selection with some local Michigan brews (Short's, Bell's and Founder's on tap). Solid bar food. Had the fish and chips. Batter was a bit heavy, but flavorful nonetheless. Casual and laid back. Appears that on Tuesday nights, they have some sort of trivia night/pub quiz going on. Would have loved to join in, but we arrived mid-game.
(3)
Sus I.
Enjoyed Tuesday Trivia Night with my husband. It was free to enter and the winner (not me) received a gift certificate. The Bloody Mary was pretty good. It was an eclectic group of people which made for good people watching from the bar.
(5)
Steve S.
The cold draft beer is flowing and the bar service is excellent. Food quality continues to improve.
(4)
Nichole M.
This is a pretty fun sports bar. It is dark and has lots of t.v.'s like any good sports bar. The bartender was a great guy and it was hilarious to watch him during the Lions game. Cracked me up...as a Bears fan. Had a nice time as we killed time watching football and having a few beers. He was very attentive to us, even during his team's game, which is always nice. They seem to have good food, even though we did not eat here. I watched other people eat food that looked and smelled great. They all seemed pleased as well. Put this on my list for next time in South haven for a visit.
(4)
Jenny H.
Saw some great comedy paired with some great IPA and pretzel sticks. Staff a bit overwhelmed with the last game of the Hawks playoffs but service was friendly and accommodating. Altogether a fun and tasty evening.
(4)
Alex Q.
I had the Ruben here and it was perfection! No frills and no gimmicks here. Just fresh meat paired with sauerkraut that was drained very well leaving the perfectly toasted marble rye with the right amount of crunch, and finishing with sweet and tangy thousand island. Fries were freshly dropped, hot and crisp. My girlfriend had the south west burger and let me tell you, this was a perfect example of how a burger should taste! Smoky but tender as well as perfectly cooked. Had the right among of heat and excellently melted cheese. All this for a great price and with great service.
(4)
Todd M.
Peanut allergy alert: they are not versed in food allergy safety. After calling in advance and talking a second time to the waitress, my son ate peanut contaminated food and 20 minutes later we were in the emergency room. Otherwise, they need to get rid of the smelly all- weather carpeting in their eating area that's obviously beer and food soaked, this area is impossible to keep clean. The employees transport food from the basement to the kitchen in cleaning buckets. Red flag. As for the table, the condiment tray had old goo on them and the table had glass sweat from the previous customers which showed they don't wipe the tables down. Given that this place was practically empty at lunch time, when some other restaurants were at capacity, tells a lot about this place. Bottom line, if you have allergy concerns or are concerned about cleanliness, you might want to skip this place. Note: checkout the yelp pic of the dart board and pool table. Notice the carpeting with stain? Image the microbial colony.
(1)
Paulette K.
Atmosphere was as expected, sort of dark and tavern-like. Lots of t.v's. Food was good enough, perch tacos and 1/2 rack ribs. Nothing special about either. Really had problems with the bar tab. I had 2 rum and diets which were a bargain @ 2.25, but my husband ordered a Manhattan which could not be served due to not having sweet vermouth. He got a draft Guinness instead which cost $1.50 more than the bar down the street. Then we ordered a bourbon on the rocks, which cost $8! $6.50 for Makers and $1.50 for rocks. Wow. You charged for ice? The Manhattan was only going to be $6, and when the bill arrived they had charged for the Manhattan they didn't serve us. Took all the fun out of the evening. Yuck.
(2)
Ike T.
Went to this bar/restaurant on a nice summer day with the wife for lunch. For being so close to the beach, the view was terrible and no outside eating. Really? The lunch menu was basically bar food selections, nothing impressive. Wife had the fish and chips (she had much better), I had the ribs and wings. Wings tasted like they we're microwaved from frozen and ribs had no taste and was just soaked bbq sauce. On top of that, the beer wasn't even cold. The only reason I gave this place a 2/5 is for the service. Fast and friendly.
(2)
Danny T.
Came up to the wonderful town of South Haven for a Gus Macker basketball tournament. The town is small and beautiful, and my friends and I really enjoyed this beautiful bar. We played some memorable pool games, and had some delicious burgers. The service was the friendliest around. I highly recommend the place and hope to visit soon!
(4)
Jelly R.
The food wasn't bad... It just wasn't anything to rave about, either. The highly touted parmesan garlic fries were little more than french fries with some grated parmesan and powdered garlic dumped on top after the fact... Not baked/fried on, as I assumed it would be. They advertised having the "best perch in South Haven." My perch sandwich was okay, but certainly nothing to write home about... Nothing that stood out about it... Just typical bar food. Service was good, though.
(3)
Brenda D.
We have been here 3 or 4 times, and, EACH AND EVERY time the food is AMAZING!! As a rule, I order the Perch Dinner!! I have now converted every single person we take there!! If you are in the mood for a dinner of fresh fish that is cooked to perfection, look no further!! My mouth is watering right now!!
(5)
Dan O.
We had "Coastal Cakes/Crab Cakes", "Andy's sweet heat wings", "Perch Tacos, Italian Beef, and a Southwest Burger". Everything was solid and our bartender was helpful. Also went to "comedy night" last Saturday and laughed my ass off! Nice surprise for a small town. Kind of a Chicago Bar/Restaurant. I'll go back again.
(4)
Mary Jo T.
Decent food. I was up charged for a side salad but I thought it was just a substitute for fries. Food was decent. Menu appealed to my family of 5. Service was good. Nothing outstanding.
(3)
Amber F.
Stopped into the restaurant for a quick and light bite to eat before heading out of town. We got the prime table right in front of the window so we were able to look outside and see everyone walking around. I asked the waitress for her suggestions as I'd never been there before and she suggested the Perch Tacos. EXCELLENT CHOICE! I can't wait to go back and have them another time! Service was good for me, I wasn't in a hurry and didn't feel rushed at all.
(4)
KJ V.
Great food! We had a family of 6 and it came out super fast. I recommend the crab sliders. The crab meat cakes were cooked to perfection and the pretzel rolls were amazing. We sat out on the patio. They cannot serve alcohol on there due to city ordinance but that was fine. I recommend for families or even couples without kids!
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Music : Live Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Jamie G.
As taverns and bar food go's this place isn't so bad. Service was quick food was As ordered and not too shabby. We had burgers, nachos, and sliders. We all agreed the sliders were the best choice. Stop in for a quick bite of tavern food and you won't be disappointed.
(4)Nick M.
This is a very cool place with a good laid-back atmosphere. They aren't lying that the perch are great. I'd recommend the perch dinner over the tacos. We ended up coming here twice on our trip. The only thing I could say to make it better would be to have a better craft beer selection on tap and to add a patio.
(4)Kera C.
All I can say is don't go!! There is no one to sit you and seating is vary limited. The place smells bad and the table we sat at still had trash on it from the people before us. We did not ever get a menu and after ten minuets of waiting my family and I ended up just leaving. If in South Haven, MI there is no need to go to the Black River restaurant.
(1)Beth M.
One star for location, one for being kid friendly and one for beer (which we could not try because we sat outside and their liquor license doesn't extend outside). I asked how much perch was in the tacos and was told "two big pieces in each in of the two tacos so you'll get four pieces." I'm not looking for huge portions, but I wanted to share with our two yr old. So both my husband and I ordered the perch tacos. I told the server I was sharing and thinking of the perch dinner so I'd have enough fish to share. Our server was wrong. Four horrible perch tacos with four tiny pieces of perch instead of the promised eight pieces. Our two year old ate all our perch and we ended up with store bought white flour tortilla shells with diced tomatoes, shredded cheese (likely from a bag), and a few leaves of decent lettuce. If it wasn't for the tiny drizzle of some sauce I would not have even been able to eat this. The side was tortilla chips and spicy salsa. I'd bet the salsa was straight out of the jar. After delivering our food the server only came back to deliver our check. And the worst part...it was finally a warm summer day - the kind we waited for through 100+ inches of snow and Arctic temps - so we were looking forward to sitting outside and the only thing that could have saved this meal and helped to recoup after a weekend with three kids under seven was a beer (or 2) ...in the sun, BUT the liquor license does not allow them to serve outside. And my water glass was empty. There has to be better in SH!
(3)Jeff S.
food came quickly and was tasty. i ordered the sirloin sliders on pretzel buns with cheddar along with a side of unremarkable fries. they really would have benefited from pickles on the burgers. ice tea was ok. would have enjoyed wifi if they had it, but they don't. with tip, $15, a little high for lunch.
(3)Dan P.
Stopped at the end of the night for drinks and a snack. Could of done without the folky band, but otherwise a great place! Lots of TVs to watch games, Rachael the bartender was an absoulte doll and very attentive. Had the Jalapeno Hummus with Fried pita. I was so damn good I almost moistened myself! I will deff hit this place again!
(4)Ryan S.
Great new interior and cold beer. Very friendly and hard working staff
(5)Jason M.
For South Haven, its ok. Have had lunch there couple times with party of 9(4 kids). Service is ok, very understaffed. She did her best. Burgers were good last year, this year I tried deep fried hot dogs with Bacon, bad choice. They were terrible. Decent place thou for lunch even with kids. Never checked it out at night as bar with bands
(3)Tobin h.
Looking at this place as just a bar, not bad. Dark and dink kind of feel with a nice selection of adult beverage. The service was good enough to keep the drinks full but sure not willing to part with any knowledge of the surrounding area and "local" things to do. Like the rest of service based businesses in South Haven, they don't get the concept that their economy is based on tourists and the money they bring in. So if you are a visitor to Black River and expect that fun, let loose on vacation feel...Black River tavern isn't your place. In fact, South Haven isn't your place. But if you are in South Haven and want a nice cocktail and a divey feel, good place to go!
(3)Mary Y.
So it's a bar. In a beach town. Right near the entrance of a beach. We stopped in for a drink and my friend was starving so she got some fries. It was crowded, and the Kentucky Derby was on. Our waitress was so friendly, and busy as hell. She rushed around, made sure we had ice water with straws, without us asking, and then came back to see if we had any questions, even though we were just ordering drinks. A class act. She recommended a local cider and said it was "non-woodchucky" which made me like her immediately. She was correct, the cider was excellent, and not sweet. My friend liked her fries, so I had to try them. Despite the greasy smell in the place, the fries were not greasy. Served with a side of ranch. Maybe the best, most fattening tasting ranch ever. Stop in, hope that you get that waitress.
(4)Kevin B.
Great hole in the wall bar type environment. It's busy every time we visit and the food is fantastic. Especially the perch tacos. Portion is a bit small but tasted excellent. Service is slow though so don't come here if your in a hurry.
(5)Dr Kyle M.
BEST PERCH IN SOUTH HAVEN, HANDS DOWN. I fish Lake Michigan frequently and catch plenty of my own perch. Several places in SH claim to have the best fried perch, but they just don't know how to cook it. If you like perch and want it done right, BRT is the only place to go in SH. Great bands on the weekends. Comedy club with Jerry Donovan is the bomb.
(5)Amy M.
Service was friendly and seems like a good spot to hang out. The draft list was fair. The food was terrible. I had the pot roast and the "meat" was more fat than meat. Ted had the Cajun shrimp pasta, it tasted good and the shrimp were good sized and plentiful but it was very oily. I was not impressed
(2)Travis L.
Good bar for the area. We went around 11pm so I couldn't have any of those famous chicken wings I read about but dollar beers made up for that. This place is one of the few hangout spots for the younger age group. They will randomly change the sports you are watching on the tv which can be frustrating. If you are looking for a happening place to watch sports and get some cheap drinks this is the place to go.
(3)L.J. P.
briefly stopped in for s drink. like the place, has a real old school pub vibe with the heavy wood bar and ornamentation. Worth stopping by if in South Haven, especially if walking down towards the pier!
(3)Cameron S.
Don't come here for the food. The food is horrid, though the atmosphere, I will admit, is nice.
(1)Ken Z.
Had dinner here last night. Nice atmosphere, but you can tell that it used to be something else. Plenty of space around the tables plus a juke box, pool table, tvs over the bar, darts and a Galaga/Ms. Pac Man table game. Went with the sirloin sliders - 3 for $10. Choice of bread, went with the pretzel rolls which were quite good. Nice presentation - the three sliders are served stacked on a skewer. I don't recall if the waitress asked how I wanted it cooked, but they came out a nice medium rare. Sliders come with field greens and a pepperoncini spread (both on the sandwiches). Came with fries or chips and slaw or beans. Hand cut fries were a little overdone for my taste. Biggest complaint - House Recipe brand ketchup. C'mon guys - step up to the good stuff - Heinz! 16 oz. Oberon was $4.50. Root beer = $1.95. Companion had a 1/2 lb. Angus burger $7.99 and liked it. They felt the regular bun (aka Ace Roll) was a little too salty. Came with same sides as sliders. Seat yourself. Wait staff was okay - kind of overwhelmed when place got busy. Kid-friendly.
(4)Sandy B.
The food is very good here - try the steak sliders! The service has been lacking in the past but seems to have really improved over the last couple of months. Definitely worth a try!
(4)Rick B.
Had dinner here with family on a Sunday night. Very loud, and not crowded at all, but service was pretty slow. Food took FOREVER. Crab sliders were mediocre, sirloin ones quite tasty. Loved the baked beans. Server checked on us before the food came (not sure why--we were only drinking waters) but not until a long time after. Ultimately, food quality was good, but service and ambience were mediocre. (Not very clean tables, either.)
(3)Michael P.
Enjoying Coastal Crab Cakes, beer and what definitely is NOT the worst rum and coke ever. (See prior review for reference) Nice place to Reay while shopping. Great service and we will be back.
(5)Elaine M.
We were in South Haven for a short get away and wanted a place to eat and watch the Hawks game. A local suggested that the Black River Tavern would be the perfect place...and they were right! Nothing fancy here but tons of TVs. Lot's of wood with a large community table in the center. Bar games in the back, darts and pool table. The whole crowd was into the game. The place was super loud so be prepared. The service was efficient and very friendly. Any request was completed promptly without any complaints, even though two us only ordered water. Surprisingly, for a bar, the food was stunningly good! Two of us ordered the perch tacos and one the perch dinner. Both were fantastic! The perch was fried perfectly, crispy not oily and wonderful. The tacos came dressed with the chipolte aioli and the dinner gave you a choice of either tartar sauce or the aioli....go with the aioli it's great! Finally we had one order of the pork sliders on a pretzel bun. The person in our party that ordered these said that they were the BEST she had EVER had! It's those sliders that seal the fifth star for the local hangout.
(5)Vanessa H.
The food was decent. It is VERY much a bar/pub environment. The menu isn't large but the taste is good. There is also a pool table for your enjoyment.
(3)Rachel M.
Family had an awesome time. The service was great and our kids had a blast. Hubby and I came back late night and just as great. Best perch and wings.
(5)Mike T.
Walked Out....... twenty minutes and no one cared to stop at the table. Service was lousy last time and this time we didn't get that far. Wanted to give them a second chance. Won't bother going back. The server was too busy drinking a beer at the bar to care whether we stayed or left. I don't think I have ever walked out of a restaurant before. Go to Taste across the street!
(1)Mike S.
Stopped in yesterday and was glad I did. Good selection of Michigan craft beers that are always good regular drinks ie Bells, Founders etc. I had the wings and thought they were great, I also had the tavern burger in which I recommend if you like burgers. The place was really busy and the server was all over it, she did a great job dealing with the chaos. I solid spot I would definitely go to again.
(4)Kelly D.
After walking out of 2 restaurants on the lake #YorksLanding #IdlerRiverboat, because we were ignored, and walking out of another #AdmiralJacks because we were greeted by a bitchy bartender who seemed irritated by our question-asking, we came to #BlackRiverTavern #BRT and were greeted right away by Sierra who was very friendly and informative. She knew the menu well, was able to answer all of our questions, and helped us each choose a delicious beer from the many unique options on draft. My boyfriend ordered the Southwest Burger and a Blue Magic (a lavender hefferweisen) to drink; I had a reuben with parmesan garlic fries and an Emptiness, an apricot IPA). The burger and sandwich were HUGE and everything was delicious. I told my boyfriend we were obviously meant to eat there because as I was planning our camping trip, and trying to choose one special restaurant to eat at, The Black River Tavern was my original choice.
(5)Karen B.
Decent beer selection with some local Michigan brews (Short's, Bell's and Founder's on tap). Solid bar food. Had the fish and chips. Batter was a bit heavy, but flavorful nonetheless. Casual and laid back. Appears that on Tuesday nights, they have some sort of trivia night/pub quiz going on. Would have loved to join in, but we arrived mid-game.
(3)Sus I.
Enjoyed Tuesday Trivia Night with my husband. It was free to enter and the winner (not me) received a gift certificate. The Bloody Mary was pretty good. It was an eclectic group of people which made for good people watching from the bar.
(5)Steve S.
The cold draft beer is flowing and the bar service is excellent. Food quality continues to improve.
(4)Nichole M.
This is a pretty fun sports bar. It is dark and has lots of t.v.'s like any good sports bar. The bartender was a great guy and it was hilarious to watch him during the Lions game. Cracked me up...as a Bears fan. Had a nice time as we killed time watching football and having a few beers. He was very attentive to us, even during his team's game, which is always nice. They seem to have good food, even though we did not eat here. I watched other people eat food that looked and smelled great. They all seemed pleased as well. Put this on my list for next time in South haven for a visit.
(4)Jenny H.
Saw some great comedy paired with some great IPA and pretzel sticks. Staff a bit overwhelmed with the last game of the Hawks playoffs but service was friendly and accommodating. Altogether a fun and tasty evening.
(4)Alex Q.
I had the Ruben here and it was perfection! No frills and no gimmicks here. Just fresh meat paired with sauerkraut that was drained very well leaving the perfectly toasted marble rye with the right amount of crunch, and finishing with sweet and tangy thousand island. Fries were freshly dropped, hot and crisp. My girlfriend had the south west burger and let me tell you, this was a perfect example of how a burger should taste! Smoky but tender as well as perfectly cooked. Had the right among of heat and excellently melted cheese. All this for a great price and with great service.
(4)Todd M.
Peanut allergy alert: they are not versed in food allergy safety. After calling in advance and talking a second time to the waitress, my son ate peanut contaminated food and 20 minutes later we were in the emergency room. Otherwise, they need to get rid of the smelly all- weather carpeting in their eating area that's obviously beer and food soaked, this area is impossible to keep clean. The employees transport food from the basement to the kitchen in cleaning buckets. Red flag. As for the table, the condiment tray had old goo on them and the table had glass sweat from the previous customers which showed they don't wipe the tables down. Given that this place was practically empty at lunch time, when some other restaurants were at capacity, tells a lot about this place. Bottom line, if you have allergy concerns or are concerned about cleanliness, you might want to skip this place. Note: checkout the yelp pic of the dart board and pool table. Notice the carpeting with stain? Image the microbial colony.
(1)Paulette K.
Atmosphere was as expected, sort of dark and tavern-like. Lots of t.v's. Food was good enough, perch tacos and 1/2 rack ribs. Nothing special about either. Really had problems with the bar tab. I had 2 rum and diets which were a bargain @ 2.25, but my husband ordered a Manhattan which could not be served due to not having sweet vermouth. He got a draft Guinness instead which cost $1.50 more than the bar down the street. Then we ordered a bourbon on the rocks, which cost $8! $6.50 for Makers and $1.50 for rocks. Wow. You charged for ice? The Manhattan was only going to be $6, and when the bill arrived they had charged for the Manhattan they didn't serve us. Took all the fun out of the evening. Yuck.
(2)Ike T.
Went to this bar/restaurant on a nice summer day with the wife for lunch. For being so close to the beach, the view was terrible and no outside eating. Really? The lunch menu was basically bar food selections, nothing impressive. Wife had the fish and chips (she had much better), I had the ribs and wings. Wings tasted like they we're microwaved from frozen and ribs had no taste and was just soaked bbq sauce. On top of that, the beer wasn't even cold. The only reason I gave this place a 2/5 is for the service. Fast and friendly.
(2)Danny T.
Came up to the wonderful town of South Haven for a Gus Macker basketball tournament. The town is small and beautiful, and my friends and I really enjoyed this beautiful bar. We played some memorable pool games, and had some delicious burgers. The service was the friendliest around. I highly recommend the place and hope to visit soon!
(4)Jelly R.
The food wasn't bad... It just wasn't anything to rave about, either. The highly touted parmesan garlic fries were little more than french fries with some grated parmesan and powdered garlic dumped on top after the fact... Not baked/fried on, as I assumed it would be. They advertised having the "best perch in South Haven." My perch sandwich was okay, but certainly nothing to write home about... Nothing that stood out about it... Just typical bar food. Service was good, though.
(3)Brenda D.
We have been here 3 or 4 times, and, EACH AND EVERY time the food is AMAZING!! As a rule, I order the Perch Dinner!! I have now converted every single person we take there!! If you are in the mood for a dinner of fresh fish that is cooked to perfection, look no further!! My mouth is watering right now!!
(5)Dan O.
We had "Coastal Cakes/Crab Cakes", "Andy's sweet heat wings", "Perch Tacos, Italian Beef, and a Southwest Burger". Everything was solid and our bartender was helpful. Also went to "comedy night" last Saturday and laughed my ass off! Nice surprise for a small town. Kind of a Chicago Bar/Restaurant. I'll go back again.
(4)Mary Jo T.
Decent food. I was up charged for a side salad but I thought it was just a substitute for fries. Food was decent. Menu appealed to my family of 5. Service was good. Nothing outstanding.
(3)Amber F.
Stopped into the restaurant for a quick and light bite to eat before heading out of town. We got the prime table right in front of the window so we were able to look outside and see everyone walking around. I asked the waitress for her suggestions as I'd never been there before and she suggested the Perch Tacos. EXCELLENT CHOICE! I can't wait to go back and have them another time! Service was good for me, I wasn't in a hurry and didn't feel rushed at all.
(4)KJ V.
Great food! We had a family of 6 and it came out super fast. I recommend the crab sliders. The crab meat cakes were cooked to perfection and the pretzel rolls were amazing. We sat out on the patio. They cannot serve alcohol on there due to city ordinance but that was fine. I recommend for families or even couples without kids!
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