Locals' Guide to Grand Rapids’ Dance Floors

Grand Rapids is home to more than 90 music venues, and many of them open up a dance floor on select nights. Browse the list of venues below, choose your favorite music genre and dust off your dancing shoes – we want to see you strut your stuff!

AC Lounge

Located inside downtown’s AC Hotel by Marriott, the AC Lounge is a restaurant/bar that hosts live bands for Jazz Jam on Thursdays from 8pm-11pm. The emphasis is on sipping handcrafting cocktails and savoring tapas plates while soaking up the vibe, but there is space to dance if the spirit moves you. Other nights feature music spun by DJs – including area “celebrities” as part of a recurring Guest DJ Series. The $5 cover charge for Guest DJ nights is donated to charity. Open 4pm-11:30pm Monday-Thursday and 4pm-midnight Friday-Saturday.

BackForty Saloon

Downtown’s only country music bar is the perfect place to get your boot scootin’ boogie on. Fridays feature a DJ spinning country tunes and Saturdays offer live performances from local country bands. The BackForty stocks an extensive selection of whiskey, bourbon and scotch, plus bottled beer, hard seltzer and spirits. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 6pm-1:30am, with the music starting at 9pm.

Billy’s Lounge

Located in the city’s Uptown neighborhood, Billy’s Lounge is rooted in the blues but it hosts performances from many other danceable genres as well. Enjoy live performances on Fridays and Saturdays, and DJs Sunday (featuring tunes from the ‘70s-’00s), Monday (electronica) Wednesday (Latin) and Thursday (College Night). Tuesday is reserved for pool tournaments. Fully stocked bar and nightly drink specials. Open 3pm-2am Monday-Friday, 8pm-2am Saturday and 1pm-2am Sunday.

The B.O.B.

The B.O.B. (Big Old Building) in downtown GR offers four different places to display your fancy footwork:

• Eve is a classic big-city nightclub with a spacious dance floor featuring music spun by the area’s most talented DJs. It’s open Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm-1am. Drinks and VIP bottle service available. 
• HOME (House of Music & Entertainment) presents live performances across a variety of genres along with the occasional DJ, Thursday-Saturday from 4pm-1am. Drink, dance, dance more, repeat! is the motto here. 
• Bobarino’s is a casual pizza-and-sandwich restaurant with room to dance to DJ-curated tunes on Country Night and Throwback Night, alternating Fridays from 10pm-1am. DJs spin contemporary tunes on Saturday nights.
• Bob’s Beer Garden invites you to dance outdoors to the music of DJs and acoustic acts, select evenings throughout the summer.

Dublin Hall

DJs and the occasional live performance keep the dance floor jumping at this Irish-themed downtown gastropub. Step it to Top 40, EDM, reggaeton, dembow, dance and other get-you-moving genres in between pints of Irish Guinness beer or shots of Jameson Irish whiskey (or all sorts of other beers, wines, spirits an cocktails). Dublin Hall is open Wed-Sun.

The Grand Celebration Center

The Social Dance Studio offers a wide variety of dance lessons at this event space on the northwest side of the city ­­– but the Grand Celebration Center also opens for community dance events, including Latin Night (the 2^nd Friday of each month), Country Party Night (3rd Friday), Swingin’ to the Blues (4^th Friday), Ballroom Social (4^th Sunday) and more. Dinner and drinks available, too.

Grand Woods Lounge

“Drinks, Grub and Grooves” is the promise at downtown’s Grand Woods Lounge restaurant and bar. Live musicians bring the jams on Fridays and DJs spin current hits on Thursdays and Saturdays. It’s open ‘til 1am on both nights.

Holiday Bar

Nestled in Grand Rapids’ West Side neighborhood is The Holiday Bar. It boasts an indoor bar, outdoor patio bar and bier garden, and a plethora of TVs. Get out on the dance floor every Friday and Saturday from 10pm-2am with DJs spinning current hits. Live music sets start at 6pm Tuesday-Saturday and 2pm Sunday. The Holiday Bar offers a wide selection of food and drinks, plus a 3:30pm-6pm Happy Hour Monday-Friday.

Log Cabin Cocktail Lounge

Live bands take the stage every Friday and Saturday from 9pm-1pm at the Log Cabin – and the dance floor fills with patrons rocking along to the music. Operating since 1938, this Wyoming fave also offers karaoke on Sundays, Mondays and Thursdays, Name That Tune on Sundays, and more. Pub food, adult beverages and lots of TVs playing sports round out the experience.

Mojo's Dueling Piano Bar

Sing and dance along to some of the most popular tunes from the ‘70s to today, all played live by dueling pianists who take your requests. Or head up to Mojo’s second floor to dance to a DJ-spun soundtrack. Dueling pianos Wednesday through Saturday evenings. The second floor is open from Friday and Saturday nights. Mojo’s doesn’t serve food but it does offer adult beverages.

River City Saloon

This westside music venue presents live music every Friday and Saturday from 9pm-1am – and there’s never a cover charge! River City Saloon books local bands that play everything from classic rock to today’s hottest hits, and there’s an ample dance floor to get your groove on. Other nights feature trivia, karaoke and comedy, and there are great food and drink specials throughout the week.

Rosa Parks Circle

Rosa Parks Circle is an outdoor public square that transforms into a giant dance floor every Tuesday from May through October. The Grand Rapids Original Swing Society kicks off each evening with swing dancing and line dancing lessons at 7pm. There’s a live band to dance to the first Tuesday of every month. When the weather cools, the dancing moves indoors to the Grand Rapids Public Museum, also Tuesdays starting at 7pm.

Rumors Night Club

Known as Grand Rapids’ most popular gay bar and dance club – but welcoming to all orientations – Rumors is open 6 nights a week. The dance floor is buzzing Wednesdays through Saturdays, with DJs playing current hits. Sunday is show night, featuring The House Divas of Rumors, and Tuesday is all about amateur cabaret. Rumors welcomes 18 and older guests on Tuesday and Sunday, and 21 and older patrons the rest of the week. It's closed Mondays.

The Score Restaurant & Sports Bar

Dance outdoors in the sand on the waterfront patio of The Score. Bands take the stage seven days a week (and twice on Sundays) in warm-weather months. Ample outdoor seating plus food and drink service let you replenish yourself between sets. The Score is open to midnight daily, with a Happy Hour from 2-5pm Monday-Friday.

Shots on the River

This vibrant, family-friendly bar and restaurant less than 15 minutes northeast of downtown GR presents no-cover live music concerts every Friday and Saturday starting at 9pm, with plenty of space to get up and do your thing. Shots on the River offers full bar services and an extensive food menu, including a late-night selection of munchies.

Skelletones

Skelletones is an all-ages live music venue that aims to create a safe gathering, listening and dancing space for fans of punk, hardcore, emo ska and other underground genres. Bands typically take the stage at 7pm Fridays and Saturdays, and complete their sets by midnight. It’s alcohol-free and wheelchair accessible.

Social House

Dance to tunes spun by DJs (and the occasional live band) most Wednesdays through Saturdays at Social House, a casual pub in downtown GR. The pub also hosts frequent DJ-led after parties following concerts at nearby Van Andel Arena. Off the dance floor, you can enjoy New-American pub fare, craft beer, cocktails and more. Music typically starts at 7pm on Wednesdays and 9:30 other nights.

Taco Borracho

The private dining area at Taco Borracha transforms into a dance floor on Friday and Saturday late nights from, when DJs play the hottest salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton and cumbia music. This Midtown restaurant/bar, about one mile east of downtown GR on Michigan Street, offers a menu that’s also filled with Latin rhythms, from the Mexican tacos to the Puerto Rican steak sandwich to the Caribbean Mule, Cuba Libre and Mojito cocktails.  

Turnstiles

Located on the westside of Grand Rapids, just outside the Bridge Street entertainment district, Turnstiles is a music club that also offers an extensive food & drink menu. Live bands take the stage at 8pm or 9pm Fridays and Saturdays, playing a variety of music genres. Other nights offer karaoke, open mics, jukebox music and other surprises. Open ‘til 2am seven days a week.

Twisted Bull

Slightly off the beaten path, the Twisted Bull is a fun destination if you’re staying close to the Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Enjoy live country music every Friday and Saturday night and karaoke Wednesday-Thursday. Also on the menu: mechanical bull rides, pool tables, darts, pong, and food & drink specials.

Woody’s Press Box

Live bands start at 9:30pm every Friday and Saturday and play into the wee hours so you can dance all night at Woody’s Press Box. This restaurant and bar in the Spectrum Entertainment Complex 12 minutes south of downtown GR is also known to host line dancing lessons on Wednesday evenings.  

Visit a venue’s social media to view entertainment schedules, and to verify age requirements and cover charges, which can vary from one performance to the next.

Happy dancing!