Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo: Kalamazoo Brewing Co./Eccentric Cafe
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Kalamazoo Brewing Co./Eccentric Cafe (269) 382-2332 http://www.bellsbeer.com
355 East Kalamazoo Ave Kalamazoo Michigan United States 49007-3807
Places > United States > Michigan > Kalamazoo

Kalamazoo Brewing Co./Eccentric Cafe
Exceptional based on 92 ratings
Type: Brewery (see beer listings)

355 East Kalamazoo Ave
Kalamazoo, Michigan United States 49007-3807 [ print map ]
(269) 382-2332
http://www.bellsbeer.com

Hours: M-Th 11am-11:30pm, F-Sa 11am-12:30pm, Sun 12-7


Taps: 10-12

Kalamazoo Brewing Co./Eccentric Cafe

WiFi
Children
Patio
Seasonals
Real Ales
Proper Glassware
Beer To Go/Growlers
BYO 6-Pack/Singles
Available At This Location (arranged by most recent)
Bells Expedition Stout 100, Bells Cherry Ale 41, Bells Golden Funk 61
More Beers Available Here

Print out shelftags



92 reviews for Kalamazoo Brewing Co./Eccentric Cafe
 Ambiance 80%
 Service 68%
 Selection 76%
 Food 71%
 Value 14%
 Overall 77%
 Rating 77%
90+
80
70
60
50-
Rating Distribution


mascot (2), Michigan
does not count - explanation
  86   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
4/57/1014/15 7/10 8/1018/20

December 20, 2009
My favorite beers in the world in one place.

Kace (1), Plymouth, Michigan
does not count - explanation
  98   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
5/59/1015/15 8/10 10/1020/20

November 28, 2009
Great place to enjoy quality beer, friendly atmosphere and a good time!

Sammy (275), Toronto, Ontario
  72   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
4/56/1011/15N/A 6/1015/20

August 6, 2009
An ordinary town, although some eccentric names of stores. A retail store with many of the regular classics. The bar itself is fine as long as you get here before 4 pm, when people must line up to get beer. A great patio, but you carry beer, in big plastic cups over. A good selection of beers on tap, although I was not crazy about the carbonation, which was Enoz salty. Some of the classics, I think, are better in the bottle. Pretty friendly though. Bartendress went through some training. I would like more details about the beers in the literature available to us. I was expecting more.

dmschefke (34), Eastpointe, Michigan
  74   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
4/56/1011/15N/A 8/1016/20

August 4, 2009
Interesting place, nice atmosphere, awesome patio, but I could definitely see how it would be a college bar. It was decently busy at around 6pm on a Tuesday, but not hoppin’. You ask for a beer, pay for it, and go drink it. Not my favorite service style, but it works. Beer selection is decent, but dissapointing. This place is definitely not geared toward beer geeks. It is more of the average beer drinker and college student.

markwise (57), 15 Minutes from Kuhnhenn in, Florida
  72   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
2/55/1014/15 8/10 10/1015/20

July 26, 2009
Completely populated by Bell’s unbottled beers plus Oberon... at least while I was there. Prices are awesome! $3.25 for most beers, and the most expensive is the Rye Barleywine at $4.25 a pour. Oh, darn. The ambiance is more like a cafeteria, and very exclusive. One bartender when the place was kind of full, but it was ok. Took a while to get food or beer. Pretty cool.

jeffmw (14),
  60   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
4/54/1012/15N/A 3/1010/20

July 17, 2009
I could write a term paper on our experience at Bells. We were on a beer tour the entire weekend of Michigan Breweries and had a great time at Founders and New Holland earlier in the day. We got to Bells and the atmosphere was just..well...different. Instead of a brew-pub atmosphere, this place is definitely more of a glorified college bar. The patio and lawn outside are amazing -- one of the cooler beer-drinking atmospheres I’ve ever seen, but there was no where to sit and we weren’t about to stand around for hours. All of this combined with the fact that they charged us a $6 cover to get in (the only cover we paid on the entire weekend), the kitchen was closed by 9:30, and the service wasn’t very good either. I love Bells beer, but this place doesn’t do their brand justice. Larry Bell should come in, blow the whole thing up and start over.

Blaze312 (10), Ann Arbor, Michigan
  82   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
4/58/1011/15N/A 9/1018/20

June 15, 2009
Stopped at Eccentric for the first time this weekend on a detour to Founders (A way out of the way detour i might add). We only had time for one beer so I had the Kal-Haven Ale. The setup is nice here, there is an upper level, that has a few seats, also an outdoor section that was closed off for the day. The main portion is fairly open, but broken up by a partial wall. Overall I would still consider it open. Atmosphere was good here, and they had a decent selection of beers on tap. Many of which I have yet to try. I’ll probably stop here again before too long. Maybe on a day when I can spend some more time. Oh, I also stopped at the store. It has tons of Bells merch, most of it Oberon based. As well as their beers for about as cheap as you can find them anywhere. I picked up some singles I hadn’t tried yet.

foundmd (14), Cincinnati, Ohio
  92   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
5/59/1014/15 9/10 10/1018/20

June 8, 2009 [ Updated June 10, 2009 ]
Visited for lunch on 06/07/09. The third and final stop during a trip to some of the Midwest’s most essential breweries. Bell’s makes some of most readily available, consistently delicious craft beers in the country. Although their actual brewery is not open to the public, Bell’s Eccentric Café and General Store is great place to drink some tasty brews, eat some good food, and buy Bell’s beer and merchandise. The café is medium-sized with a bar, a stage for music acts, and cool little upper level. There are typically a dozen beers on tap, several of which are Eccentric Café exclusives. I tried the Kal-Haven and drank the Kalamazoo Stout, while my wife tried the Wedding Ale (which she loved). The food was also good. Bell’s general store is wonderful. They have lots of Bell’s clothing, take out beer, and a wealth of homebrew ingredients. Overall, Bell’s Eccentric Café is a fantastic beer destination.

OSLO (83), Minnesota
  84   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
5/510/1011/15 8/10 10/1016/20

June 2, 2009
Crazy place, but I really enjoyed it. Very relaxed atmosphere, folk music playing in the background, friendly staff, and eclectic things adorning the walls. They only take cash, and you have to order your food at a small window that looks into the kitchen. Prices are outstanding, and the food was very good. The only downside is that it is located in kind of an industrial neighborhood, but that doesn’t detract much. If you are a beer lover, this is one place that you should definitely put on your list of "must visit" places.

Taverner (77), San Ramon, California
  74   Ambiance  Service  Selection  Food  Value  Overall 
5/57/109/15 8/10 7/1016/20

May 21, 2009
Cool place. It was a beautiful Michigan day, so sitting outside was nice. The bartender was friendly, but busy. The food is actually quite good, by Michigan standards AND brewpub standards. Had an excellent Jambalaya. Prices are great too. Highly recommended.

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