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Thirsty Buddy, Wayland, MI

Thirsty Buddy

4.2
4.2
11 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Experiences are available.
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Good for special occasions
Welcome to Thirsty Buddy, a unique dining experience for all offering a swanky indoor lounge, four season deck, and outdoor patio. An upscale yet comfortable atmosphere serving hand-crafted cocktails, tantalizing shareables, wood-fired pizza, and expressive entrées. So come join us and see why Thirsty Buddy is the talk of Gun Lake, Michigan!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Pizza Bar
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (269) 397-1210
  • Website
    https://thirstybuddygunlake.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Catering from 20 to 100+, Thirsty Buddy has a wide variety of catering options certain to please. Contact Julie at 312-961-8657.
  • Private party facilities
    Thirsty Buddy offers 3 distinctive settings to host a variety of special occasions. From elegant wedding showers and rehearsal dinners to sophisticated business events and festive holiday gatherings, Thirsty Buddy is a blend of modern sophistication and rural charm perfect for your next event.
  • Location
    12850 M-179, Wayland, MI 49348-9318
  • Neighbourhood
    Wayland
  • Cross Street
    M-179 and Patterson, just 2 miles east of the Gun Lake Casino.
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Trivia Thursday

    Multiple dates available
    Every Thursday night at Thirsty Buddy is Trivia Night. It's fun!!! Prizes for first, second and third place teams!
    Trivia Thursday photo

  • Live Music Every Friday and Saturday Night

    Multiple dates available
    Enjoying live entertainment at Thirsty Buddy as a touch of sophiscation, elegance and fun to your night out. The dim lighting and plush seating inside the Lounge creates a cozy and intimate atmosphere or select our more casual four season deck or stunning ourdoor patio.
    Live Music Every Friday and Saturday Night photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 11 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.2
4.2 based on all time ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.2Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

11 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 6, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Our server was very good and the staff were friendly. Food was acceptable but nothing special.

    Is this helpful?

  2. StephanieR

    Atlanta Metro

    5 reviews

    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on April 13, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Disappointing in all aspects. Saturday night, no music as advertised. Lights up bright, pizza undercooked and cold. Service slow and unconcerned. Had to pay cash because they never came for our payment and we were super ready to go. Two thumbs down.

    Is this helpful?

  3. MATTV

    Grand Rapids

    7 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on March 30, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Don’t order the prime rib. They should take it off their menu as they don’t cook it. It was grey and looked liked they microwaved it. The chicken and shrimp cocktail were excellent. Also the old fashioned was very good.

    Is this helpful?

  4. HowieB

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 7, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first visit to this new restaurant near our home, and I made a reservation to celebrate my wife's birthday. Abby was our server and did a great job to make our dining experience extra special. We ordered the mushrooms as an appetizer and a wood-fired pizza for dinner and both were excellent. We will definitely return again this summer when I'm sure it'll be even better with live entertainment, etc.

    Is this helpful?

  5. JulieT

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 28, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    In my reservation I suggested I wanted to sit on couches but it wasn't a requirement. When I arrived they didn't have couches left which was not a big deal to me but they offered moving furniture around for me. I declined and took an available table but was very impressed by the service and how they were willing to go above and beyond for me.

    Is this helpful?

  6. OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 28, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    It's kind of hitter missed with this place depending on what time of the day you go and what day of the week you go. We went there on a Saturday when they had open miwhich. We did not know so that probably didn't help. Our food took over an hour. They have pretty good food but I don't know what happened last night. For the most part, I would recommend this place. I wouldn't recommend going during a really busy time.

    Is this helpful?

  7. SandiR

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 14, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was great. The prices reasonable. The drinks were awesome. They go the extra mile. We were celebrating a birthday and they let us bring in a cake.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Detroit

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 31, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very cool atmosphere! Awesome selection of drinks. Roasted chicken was amazing! Asparagus was soggy and needs some serious help. Would love to see a steak on the menu. Will definitely return!

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    Grand Rapids

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on December 16, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are always a little concerned when we read poor reviews about a place, but we decided to try it anyway. Really happy we did! Really near place. Our service was great and the wood fired pizzas were awesome. The Mack ‘n Cheese needed to be a little saucier, but that’s seriously my only complaint. Can’t believe this place isn’t busier. Will go again when it gets warm to try the outdoor activities they offer as well!

    Is this helpful?

  10. RickH

    Grand Rapids

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 16, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had dinner in an igloo, toasty warm, Dominic did an outstanding job! Good food and drink, we will be back!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Thirsty Buddy is rated 4.2 stars by 11 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Thirsty Buddy

12850 M-179, Wayland, MI 49348-9318

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    M-179 and Patterson, just 2 miles east of the Gun Lake Casino.
  • Neighbourhood
    Wayland
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–8:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Cocktail Bar, Pizza Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://thirstybuddygunlake.com/
  • Phone number
    (269) 397-1210
  • Catering
    Catering from 20 to 100+, Thirsty Buddy has a wide variety of catering options certain to please. Contact Julie at 312-961-8657.
  • Private party facilities
    Thirsty Buddy offers 3 distinctive settings to host a variety of special occasions. From elegant wedding showers and rehearsal dinners to sophisticated business events and festive holiday gatherings, Thirsty Buddy is a blend of modern sophistication and rural charm perfect for your next event.
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