How do you get into The River Bottom?
We have not confirmed it. The River Bottom is in the directory because it calls itself a speakeasy, and that is the whole of what we can stand behind about its door.
The drinks at The River Bottom
How the venue describes itself: “The Lakeshore’s only Mediterranean menu in a cozy 1930s speakeasy setting. Crafted cocktails, world-class beer, and an unforgettable dining experience in South Haven, MI.” (from its own website, retrieved 9 October 2026)
Beyond what the venue publishes we have not verified a list, so what follows is the period rather than the bar: Mary Pickford, El Presidente, and Hotel Nacional Special are all drinks of this era, and each links to its origin and its build.
Where The River Bottom sits
The River Bottom is in South Haven, Michigan, in Van Buren County, in the Midwest of the United States.
This is currently the only verified hidden bar our directory lists in South Haven. If you know another, tell us.
Michigan holds 36 listed venues in this directory. See them all on our Michigan speakeasy guide.
Prohibition in Michigan
Michigan did not wait for the federal government. Statewide prohibition took effect here in 1918, two years before the Eighteenth Amendment came into force nationally on 17 January 1920. By the time the Volstead Act was being enforced across the country, Michigan already had an established illegal trade and the habits that went with it.
More on the period in our history of Prohibition in Michigan.
What the newspapers recorded in Michigan
Searching the Library of Congress run of Michigan newspapers for speakeasy, blind pig and bootlegger across 1920 to 1933 returns dated pages anyone can open. These are from Michigan:
- Alma record, February 19, 1920 — read the page at the Library of Congress
- Charlevoix county herald, July 9, 1920 — read the page at the Library of Congress
- Dearborn independent, August 28, 1920 — read the page at the Library of Congress
- Alma record, April 1, 1920 — read the page at the Library of Congress
Planning a visit
Hours published by the venue:
- Sunday to Wednesday, closed and Th to Sa 05:00-21:00
Hours as published on the venue’s own site, retrieved 9 October 2026.
You can reach The River Bottom by phone on (269) 637-4837, through its own website, and on Facebook.
The address is 267 Kalamazoo Street, South Haven, MI 49090. Open in Google Maps.
What we have confirmed
For The River Bottom we hold street address, telephone number, official website, social accounts, and opening hours. We do not yet hold a published drinks list, an online booking link, or a listed-building record.
It is in the directory because the description in the source data describes it as a speakeasy.
Two independent open datasets, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps, both carry this venue at this location. Agreement between them is the strongest existence check we can make without visiting.
The source data classifies the premises as a restaurant.