Thirsty Fish Sports Grille, located at 221 E State St in Traverse City, MI, has quickly become a favorite dining spot for locals and visitors alike. The restaurant boasts an inviting atmosphere, perfect for enjoying sports events, thanks to its ample TV screens and friendly, attentive service. Customers often commend the staff, particularly servers like Christina, who go above and beyond to enhance the dining experience.
Guests rave about the menu highlights, such as the seafood mac and battered shrimp, both of which receive high praise for their quality and flavor. While some dishes might not hit the mark initially, the restaurant's commitment to customer satisfaction shines through remarkable recovery efforts, like replacing less-than-ideal appetizers with delicious alternatives. The ambiance, complemented by cleanliness and a family-friendly vibe, adds to the overall enjoyment. Many patrons express eagerness to return, making it clear that Thirsty Fish Sports Grille is more than just a restaurant—it’s a community hub with great food and fantastic service.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
Service options
Has outdoor seating
Offers takeaway
Serves dine-in
Highlights
Has fast service
Has great beer selection
Serves great cocktails
Has live music
Good for watching sport
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
Offerings
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves coffee
Serves comfort food
Serves happy-hour drinks
Serves happy-hour food
Serves late-night food
Quick bite
Serves small plates
Serves spirits
Serves wine
Dining options
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Serves dessert
Has seating
Amenities
Has bar on site
Has toilet
Has Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
Casual
Trendy
Crowd
Good for groups
LGBTQ+ friendly
Transgender safe space
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Accepts credit cards
Accepts debit cards
Accepts NFC mobile payments
Credit cards
Children
Good for kids
High chairs available
Has kids' menu
Photos
Reviews For Thirsty Fish Sports Grille
Blake Soulet
Jun 30,2025
My wife and I came here for dinner and we had a great experience. Quiet night so we were able to get seated right away outside. We ordered calamari for a starter and we both ordered the seafood mac for our entrees. Both were great. Also, our waitress, Christina was very friendly and also helped make our dining experience enjoyable.
Mercedes Nickerson
May 29,2025
We stopped here for drinks and appetizers. Ordered the Bang Bang Shrimp and it wasn’t the best. Our server, Cristina asked how we liked it and we were honest. She then brought us another plate of Bang Bang Shrimp without us asking, but unfortunately had the same funky taste. She then went waaaay out of the way, left to buy new shrimp, had the cook make us a third plate and it was delicious! They were very accommodating, especially since we didn’t make a huge deal out of it. Highly recommend stopping here!
Alison Hester
May 24,2025
I have had a great experience the last two times I went here. The food is hot and delicious. Service is super nice.
K4560Z
May 17,2025
Found this place accidentally and so glad we did! Great atmosphere, very clean and lots of TV screens. Our waitress was lovely, so friendly and service was quick. The battered shrimp was amazing, not greasy and fries were awesome! Hubby enjoyed the wings, the kids loved the fish tank! If we're in TC again we would definitely go again!
Charles Johnson
May 16,2025
Great food, waitress was amazing and very helpful. Atmosphere was an awesome vibe. We even won 2 stuffed animals in the claw machine.
keith christians
May 5,2025
Holly made my day she was on point kept my glass full and the entire bar, happy you can truly tell when someone is good at there job and she is it
Lilly Lane
Apr 29,2025
Dillon was awesome! I would recommend to get him if you can! He's friendly and very helpful. The service was top notch and food came pretty fast! Food was good but kindof plain. The atmosphere was really clean and good vibes! I enjoyed myself for the 3 5 hour drive drive here.
Lea Martin
Mar 20,2025
Amazing food and service. We came at an off hour with our doggos. Even though the outdoor seating was closed, the servers were happy to accommodate. The shrimp Po boy was delicious.
Reviews For Thirsty Fish Sports Grille