Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub
East Lansing, MI
Reviews
First reviewed by Sparty
-
terrific graduation party
Harpers has hosted 2 high school graduation parties for us and they have been fantastic. We held the parties in a private room with attached deck. The food was delicious and the decorations were perfect. One of our favorite places in town.
-
Changed
I have been to harpers many times and over the last month I have noticed that the staff has changed and for the better. The service and the food were great!
-
Wedding Rehearsal Dinner in Fireplace Rm/Deck
Very clean, kind and romantic event. Service supreme, steak or chicken excellent, brewed beer the BEST, chef and GM attentive, all of our group loved the event
-
anonymous
May 19, 20091/2off prices, great service, food & brewed beer
As a food critic for many establishments in Detroit I can say Harper's is a refreshing change. I work around the state but live in this area and love to frequent Harper's because of its laid back environment. A typical night there is getting half off on that days special drink and dish while listening to an entertainer usually with a guitar. The servers are very friendly and the bartenders are the best. Yes, it can be somewhat busy especially on Wednesdays because they have 1/2 off everything. Well, of course that night is packed but who could refuse great food at such a low price? You should get a tester of the brewed beer so you can select your best flavor. It has no preservatives and has strength which again gives you more bang for the buck. I take many of my friends or business associates to Harper's to have fun and to kick back. People who go there are friendly as well. The best dish for me is the salmon but again I like healthy options...sometimes I get the veggie burger which is excellent too...or the Caesar salad which is strong on the garlic but very good. Many times I stay until the later night band begins to play and if I like the music I stay longer. The bands play many covers but they also get big name national gigs too. The outside deck is awesome because many times they have soft entertainment out there. If you choose to go to Harper's remember to try out the Spartan Wheat brewed beer. It really has body yet still tastes light too. This place is my favorite because it is different...in a good way. The people, the food and the price meets the challenging times of today so try it out for yourself. I love to watch games there too with the huge TV wall...as I just left there tonight watching the Wings win...lots of cheering going on...all fun.
-
The worst dining experience I've ever had
Some friends and I stopped here before heading to a concert Saturday, I would never recommend this place to anybody. We were seated by a hostess right away, who only gave us 2 menus for our party of 5. She said she would be right back with more menus, never to return. We sat there for 15 minutes without being helped, until I finally waved down a waitress who came over and said she would be back to help us in "2 minutes". Well "2 minutes' was actually 10, when she finally came back and got our drink and food order all at once. 15 minutes later, we still didn't have drinks. So this is a full 45 minutes sitting there without even so much as a beer in front of me. We complained to a manager, who pretty much did absolutely nothing for us, received our food which left much to be desired, and we were late to our concert.
About the only good thing I have to say about this place is I had the Porter and it was awesome. But I would definitely never go back here again. -
Baby Shower
I planned my daughter's baby shower at Harpers, in the fireplace room. It was absolutely beautiful, elegant and classy with professional staff. From the decoration to the food and beverages, everything was perfect. The restaurant is huge, beautiful and very clean, I like that most of all. The staff was sure to check with me every few minutes or at least just to be seen in case I needed her. We had a fabulous time!
Thank you Harpers for making it a success!! -
Good beer, thats about it.
I agree with the bad service comment. Yes, there are great specials on micro-brewed beers, but the service staff is notoriously rude and/or not helpful. I have been there before when the place was almost empty and had to wait five minutes at the bar for a drink. When the bartender finally came to help, he acted like he was doing me a huge favor. It's a fun bar, don't get me wrong, and for being a micro-brewery, its got some of the cheapest beer in East Lansing, but don't go expecting to be treated like a human being.
-
anonymous
Jan 31, 20091/2 off everything
Harpers, where to begin. The service is terrible. Prepared to be seated for five-10 minutes before an employee even acknowledges you. Furthermore, when they do finally greet you, prepare to be treated with disrespect and dishonesty. The last time I was there for dinner was the last time I will EVER be there for dinner. Not only did the waitress overprice all of our food by at least two dollars, (TIP?) when I approached her about it I was treated like a thirteen year old being reprimanded by a parent. The food is OK and at half-off a great deal, but I think I'll take my business elsewhere, and I suggest you do the same.
-
anonymous
Dec 23, 2008harpers is one of a kind.
The service is really really bad. It does take at least an hour to get food, maybe even two. BUT the food is sometimes very good. One time I got pizza with chedder cheese on it... and some other times my food was real real messed up but thats ok. if you go there order early, get drinks from the bar, and expect to wait an hour for food. it can be a good time, just dont wait for a server to bring you drinks, if you do buy all your drinks right away, and let them sit on table in front of you.
-
Food galore for great price/ very good service
A group of us adults went to Harper's for dinner and were welcomed by an all-time fun Monday Audition Night...it was a surprise treat to the excellent crab ragoons and sauted chicken that I ordered. The home-brewed beer is something everyone should try since it has high quality flavor and really has a kick in it...you do not want to drink too many since you will feel it much quicker with brewed beer...what a shock they do half off pitchers on Sunday of that high powered brewed beer. There half off specials 7 days a week rock since my budget has been cut with the tight economy. This restaurant is very creative and very comfortable. The ambiance is ecclectic and fun. The people are all so very happy and really care about the customer. The only complaint I might have is that they do not seem to have many booster chairs for my kids. I appreciate their no smoking areas for this reason...would love it if they went all non-smoking. If you have not been there in a long time please check this out...our group of friends for the surrounding neighborhood really appreciate it and love the fact it is family owned. I would recommend this site put the reviews in by date because very old reviews seem quite irrelavent...just a suggestion. Harpers staff and chef keep up the hard work and great work ethic...it is hard to find these days...maybe add to your menu more ethnic foods so we can come more often.
-
great event...service, food, music and fun
My family had a party for local friends and it was a blast. The hostess was not only pleasant but very professional and pretty too. The servers had wonderful and witty personalities..they all gave prompt service and the food was excellent. The party was during an MSU football game and the place was packed but we had an unbelievable time. After we ate we danced all night to a cover band from Detroit with a female vocalist...they were the best I have heard in a long time...too bad I do not remember their name. The party room was set up beautifully with white lines and the fireplace was adorned with broken china dishes...really a very private room with its own outdoor deck which was an unexpected pleasure. The treat at the end of the evening was the Chef who came out to greet us and who made us their famous french fried ice cream...that really is something to savor for a long time. He was very interested in our rating of the food and service and we appreciate the fact he really cared too. All in all the manager, servers, chef and ambiance was very comfortable and lots of fun...with excellent food and service. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a place to hold a party or reception. Hats off to Harpers for an uplifting experience on all levels...an asset to East Lansing for sure.
-
anonymous
Jul 16, 2008not that great!
Won't go there again. Went with a group of friends and 3 orders were messed up. My ravioli was burnt, my friend was overcharged for several things, including her not-even-cooked salmon, and another friend never even got her food until we were ready to leave. (the waitress forgot her order and left it in the kitchen) this isn't a one-time thing though, had bad service the other times i've been there as well. the only good food is their pizzas, other than that, steer clear. bad service and bland food - not a good combo.
-
Worst service imaginable...
The last time I went to Harper's I swore it would be the last. The time before that, I said the same thing. That's the trouble with this place. That "half-off Wednesdays" is always a deal-breaker when college students are involved and the management knows it. Now that it's been expanded to what seems like "half-off all day, everyday" like some kind of joint venture with DejaVu, there's always going to be a crowd.
We have experienced those busy Wednesdays but also slower evenings. The service is not different. Harper's is frequently out of glasses and has made a habit of bringing drinks in a hodge-podge of plastic and glass cups. They may have finally succumbed to serving drinks in five gallon pails. That could be a new program for Thirsty Thursdays.
With tables only half full and a line out the door, you would think that the staff would be aching to get butts in the seats and drinks on the table. When meeting some friends, I stood around with a line of people while the host was parked on a stool. It took ten minutes for him to merely get up and check IDs. I thought he was waiting with all the rest of us.
The time before that, one in our group had to wait almost 2 hours before her poor quesadilla came. We all ordered at the same time. Everyone else's food only took an hour. Everyone else's food was just as cold. Two hours.
One time before that, a we had dinner on the patio. Plastic cups in hand, we waited the customary hour before food came out. When the waitress started serving plates, she told us that there were enough french fries for all but one of the orders. Waitress's solution: take half of the fries from my plate and put them on the other.
Service only half of the problem. A completely irredeemable place would close in two weeks and that clearly has not happened. When you can get your hands on it, the beer is actually good. Most importantly, it's cheap. It's without doubt the real strength of the operation. It's brewed right among the tables, which is really more a testament to the place's designer than to restaurant itself.
That's Harper's. And the sad truth is I'll probably have to go back. -
DONT GO HERE!!!...service is rude..
I don't understand how they can consistently train their employees to be extremely rude, but they do and they do it well. I've gone there many times in the past 8 years (mostly because my friends force me to go on half off wednesdays) and every time I go, I regret it. Here is a list of my issues with this place:
1. Half off Wednesday. Sounds great right? Well, that is if you wanna wait at least an hour for your food and drinks, be yelled at by the bar tender for whatever reason they can make up, and pay a $5 cover to eat! Oh and sometimes, once you pay the cover, the staff will announce that today is special and therefore, nothing is half off. Talk about false advertising. No joke on the wait...I'm not even exaggerating...it will take them an hour to an hour and a half to deliver your food.
2. The service is just plain rude....sometimes even violent. From the hostess to your server, to the manager, they will make you feel like a peon. And I'm not speaking for myself. I watched as a bartender told several people to f-off cause they didn't have their drink order ready. No joke! He came up to me, I asked him for some drink prices and he told me that I'm holding up the line...he skipped to someone else. I heard someone tell him to chill out and he replied, "come say that to my face." Another bartender took my friends order, delivered it, she gave him the cash...he put it in the tip jar, came back and asked for the money. She told him that he just put it in the tip jar....he got really upset and after arguing with him, we were asked to leave.
3. Food is ok. No complaints or praises except that it usually comes cold...cause it takes them so long.
4. I was once forced to leave by a bouncer who had a crush on a girl that I was talking to. I asked him why and he said it was because I put my head down. I didn't do this...I was standing the whole time.
5. Music is too loud to even think. I mean, why have a band jamming at full volume during dinner hours 5 to 7. It was quite annoying.
Don't go to this hole. They don't deserve any money. -
Great Friday Happy Hour
My husband and I came in on a Friday after work for drinks and appetizers. The happy hour special was $2 microbrews and $2 wristbands that were good for a buffet of appetizers...how do you beat that? Sure, the buffet was just pizza, chips n salsa and cocktail shrimp, but that's more than we expected for 2 bucks.
As far as atmosphere goes, they had a huge tv directly across from the bar and it was definitely better/cleaner than any of the stinky, windowless basement bars that I've been to in E. Lansing.
The service was quick and the bartender even chatted us up about things to do in and around town (we just moved to the area 6 weeks ago). -
1 of 1 users found the following review helpful:
Loud, Bad Service, Cold Food, 1/2 off, Harpers
Harpers, where to start. I have been there probably around 50 times. I am either positively or negatively surprised everytime. The food and service vary every day. Either good or bad, you never know what you get.
The food can be good, can being the keyword.
At 1/2 off on Wednesdays everything is half off, price, service, food quality.
Loud music is also a common complaint. The bands are too loud for anyone to have a decent conversation. -
1 of 1 users found the following review helpful:
Worst Dining Experience Ever
1. They told us to sit wherever, when we did the host then told us that those seats were taken and we should move.
2. We sit down at another table and the wait staff comes by to "borrow" our salt and pepper, we're the only table in the place that has people on it, couldn't they take it from an empty table?
3. We waited a half hour to place our orders.
4. We waited another 20 minutes for our drinks
5. The drinks were made wrong.
6. The manager came by to apologize for the time it took and the drinks being made wrong and offered to send us complementary appetizers. We stil haven't gotten them.
7. Food came out over an hour after we ordered. It was cold.
8. No one came by to refill our drinks, not once.
9. We went to pay and they told us that we weren't their table and pushed the money back towards us.
10. The tables are so big if you sit on the wrong side of them you can't hear your own party talking to you.
11. Seriously there's a lot of bad dining in Lansing/E. Lansing, but this is single handly the worst experience I have ever had dining out. -
Post MSU Hockey
We went in when this place first opened.
My ears are still ringing for the loud LOUD (can you hear me?) L O U D bar band.
Service was kinda crummy also.
Wrong orders taken, partial orders delivered.
It was a mess.
We never went back.
And who called this place "eclectic".
BS, it is a just a bar in a college town.
Other Online Reviews
Write your own review
More Information
Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub website
Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub menu
Do you know more about this restaurant?
You can
update this restaurant
Has this restaurant closed?
You can
remove this restaurant