Several bars and distilleries in Grand Rapids have elevated the standard gin and tonic (G&T) by using local or house-made spirits and adding a variety of botanicals and other spices to create a unique flavor profile. While some remain juniper-forward (very piney), others are crafted to be significantly more subtle, which means there are G&Ts around town to satisfy a variety of taste preferences.
We celebrate National Gin & Tonic Day (April 9) every year by asking our social media followers to recommend their favorite local G&T destinations. Here are gin joints that rose to the top in 2025:
Eastern Kille's Uptown cocktail bar, EK Wealthy, is the perfect spot to enjoy their Gin & Tonic.
Photo by Leigh Ann Cobb for Experience GR
Eastern Kille Distillery
A self-described “grain-to-glass” distillery, Eastern Kille handcrafts two award-winning gins. Both are juniper-forward spirits paired with citrus and rounded out with different premium ingredients.
Barrel Finished Gin highlights Citra hops in the botanical recipe to further augment the gin’s citrus elements with a subtle note of grapefruit. It’s rounded off with a surprising oak note. American Dry Gin uses makrut lime leaves to complement citrus peel, juniper and coriander, creating a vibrant citrus fragrance and intriguing flavor. Black pepper and other spices deliver a dry, peppery finish.
You can choose either gin for a G&T and enjoy it at both Eastern Kille locations: the dazzling contemporary restaurant, cocktail bar and production facility nestled against a wooded backdrop in Rockford , or EK Wealthy , a warm, sophisticated cocktail lounge in the city’s hip Uptown neighborhood.
Mammoth’s gin is a blend of locally sourced botanicals, offering a distinct northern Michigan flavor profile.
Photo by Courtesy of Mammoth Distilling
Mammoth Distilling
Northern-based Mammoth Distilling opened a cocktail lounge in GR’s Uptown in late 2023 and quickly gained a fervent following – in in part due to the many locals who had been visiting the company’s “Up North” locations.
Mammoth’s 90-proof Contemporary Northern Gin captures the unique terroir of northern Michigan, as it’s a blend of six individually distilled botanicals – juniper, white pine, lavender, sage, lemon and orange – several of which are grown on Mammoth’s own farm. Boasting a distinct floral nose and subtle mouth feel, the gin leads with a coniferous note, follows up with hints of sage and citrus, and ends with a long lavender finish. A barrel-aged version of this recipe is also available.
The Mammoth G&T pairs gin with Northwoods Perfect tonic in a Collins glass garnished with juniper berries and citrus slices. Enjoy it in the rustic Mammoth Distilling Cocktail Lounge and you really will feel like you’ve been transported “Up North.”
AC Lounge
Downtown GR’s AC Hotel by Marriott is the setting for the AC Lounge, which offers two crowd-pleasing G&T variations on its regular menu. The “ACGT” is made with Bombay Sapphire East Gin, which is distinguished by the addition of Thai lemongrass and Vietnamese peppercorn. The AC’s “Signature GinTonic” features Hendrick’s Gin, created from eleven botanicals and infused with rose and cucumber, and Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic water, crafted with a blend of essential oils from herbs gathered from around the Mediterranean shores.
Both drinks are elevated and refreshing, a perfect match to the artfully plated Spanish- and Latin American-inspired tapas on the AC food menu. Stop in on Friday evenings to sip your G&T do a DJ spinning music.
Long Road Distillers
All the spirits and mixers at Long Road Distillers are made in-house and from scratch. They also make a point to source ingredients from local farmers or purveyors whenever possible.
Long Road crafts three gin variations: MICHIGIN is a seasonal release made with all-Michigan ingredients. Dry Gin, made with six botanicals, exudes a citrus-forward juniper flavor, tasting more like a sweet berry than a heavy pine or bitter flavor. Sovereign Gin is built from a botanical blend of juniper, lime peel, grapefruit peel, bay leaf, Thai basil and more, and it is naturally colored with butterfly pea flower to give it a brilliant violet hue.
Pair any of these with Long Road’s house-made tonic for a memorable G&T you can enjoy at the original Long Road Distillers on West Leonard Street and at Long Road’s Less Traveled cocktail bar in Uptown.
MDRD
Fun fact: Spain has a thriving G&T culture, with the drink known simply as gintonic (or gintónica) often considered the national beverage. It makes sense, then, that MDRD, a modern Spanish restaurant on the 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza , garners high praise for its G&T, which combines gin, sloe gin, lemon tonic, grapefruit, thyme and black lemon. Gins from Spain, Michigan and other global destinations are available here.
Pronounced Madrid, MDRD was named America’s #2 Best New Restaurant by USA Today in 2021, and it remains one of the city’s premier culinary destinations for its delicious sharing plates and entrees, lavish libations and bird’s-eye views of the city.
More Gin-spirations
The five distilleries above earned the lion’s share of votes in our poll, but each of the locations below had fans as well. Try all 9 to see which most gin-spires you.
Myrth
This Ada pizza and pasta restaurant from James Beard Award-winning chef Paul Berglund pairs gin with house-made tonics for its G&Ts.
Bier Distillery & Brewery
Located in Comstock Park, Bier crafts its own Hard Frost Gin and Mum’s Ruin Barrel Gin. Its G&T selections include a seasonal Rhubarb Gin & Tonic made with the latter.
Two James Spirits
Two Jame’s Old Cockney Gin, a dry, smooth spirit crafted from a base of organic winter wheat, is the star of the G&Ts served in the Grand Rapids tasting room of a Detroit distillery.
The Pyramid Scheme
The bar in this downtown music venue offers great deals on G&Ts and other drinks, and it has an impressive collection of pinball machines to play while you sip.
New Holland Brewing The Knickerbocker
Try any of The Knickerbocker’s 10 or so handcrafted specialty gins – including seasonally available grapefruit gin, blueberry gin, blackberry thyme gin and garden gin – when you order a G&T at this popular Bridge Street gathering place.
Grove Restaurant
The G&Ts at this award-winning Uptown restaurant, just like everything else on its award-winning food and beverage menus, are meticulously crafted and supremely satisfying.
Mertens Prime
Enjoy your Mertens G&T at Mertens Prime, a French-inspired restaurant located in the renovated lobby of a historic former hotel, or atop Mertens Rooftop, an open-air lounge.
Portico
This casual-yet-chic eatery on the first floor of downtown GR’s Canopy by Hilton Hotel serves breakfast, lunch and killer cocktails, including a classic G&T.
Archival Brewing
Known for recreating historic and forgotten styles of beer, Archival offers a refreshing twist on the G&T with its Heart to Heart cocktail featuring gin, tonic water, sage syrup, lime, rosemary tincture, grapefruit bitters, star anise and juniper berries.
Menus can change without notice. Confirm availability ahead of time if you have your taste buds set on one of the drinks mentioned in this article.