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Potosi Brewing Company
Categories: Nightlife Bars Pubs Food Breweries Restaurants Pubs, Breweries, Restaurants [Edit]
209 S Main StPotosi, WI 53820
(608) 763-4002
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
7 reviews for Potosi Brewing Company
7 reviews in English
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Review from DIANA M.
Dubuque, IA
10/6/2011
I was here one time about a month an a half ago for dinner. There were two of us, and we had a reservation at 7:30. we walked in about 7:20, and they told us that we could be seated, but nobody would be able to wait on us immediately. No probelm we said. The bar was right there, we'll grab a drink and wait. There were three empty tables around us, and servers just standing around chit chatting, but it was 45 MINUTES before anyone came to wait on us. I had heard similar comments from others who had been there, but didn't believe that it could really be that disorganized. It was. Horribly. I am not saying this to discourage anyone from going there, just hoping the management reads this and gets it fixed.
This establishment's saving grace was it's food and beer. The Good Old Potosi is fabulous. The food was amazing. Have the beer cheese soup and the cheese nuggets. Have anything on the menu! I had a burger and sweet potato fries and my husband had a steak. Absolutely perfect! I craved that soup every day for two weeks after our visit!
We are going for dinner again tomorrow evening. I am hoping that things are a little better organized than they were the last time, because if not, I will never be able to convince my husband to give it a 3rd try. -
Review from Amanda M.
Milwaukee, WI
8/7/2011
We made coming to Potosi part of our vacation. We had a great lunch in the restaurant. I had the french dip and my husband had the garden burger. Boys had pizza. Of course the beer is good. This is Potosi afterall! The museum is ok, it actually did capture the boy's interest better than I had expected (ages 2 and 4). Overall, it seems this will be the cornerstone to a little renaissance in this area.
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Review from Bridgette W.
Dubuque, IA
9/15/2011
We went to the Potosi Brewing Company for dinner for the first time last night with the in-laws. Everything was fabulous!!! We had our two young kids with us and even though they didn't have milk, at least they had a kids menu. The service was excellent, the food was excellent and the atmosphere was excellent!
I called to make a reservation and when we first got there, I didn't think we really needed it, but around 6:30-7pm, it was starting to get pretty crowded. I can see where a reservation would be useful for later in the evening.
It's not a super kid-friendly place, but, like I said, at least they had a kids menu and high chairs. And the portion sizes for the kids were spot on too. Will definately go back! -
Review from Michael W.
Dubuque, IA
5/26/2009
If you don't want to read the full review: service: two stars; food: three stars; beer: three stars; atmosphere: four stars.
We came here on Memorial Day for lunch. From the start, it was a cursed visit. As soon as we walked in the door, a nice lady began a LONG speech about the museum. Frankly, we were hungry and just wanted to eat! So as soon as we could, we detached ourselves from her and headed to the restaurant. We were told that we would have to wait 10 minutes to sit down, which was strange, because we could see three tables in plain sight that were unoccupied. But maybe they had other people waiting, so no problem. Ten minutes later, no-one had claimed the empty tables, so the waiter or floor manager cheerfully steered us to one of the empty tables without explaining once why we had to wait 10 minutes for something that had been open the entire time. A little mismanagement, perhaps?
When we placed our order, we were told that the restaurant was out of not one, not two, but three entree items on the menu! So, I just decided to keep it simple and order a cheese burger. The waitress asked me if I wanted to upgrade to the "Good Old Potosi Burger" which was more expensive. I told her no, just a simple cheeseburger would do. So when we finally get our meals, what do I see? A "Good Old Potosi" burger! Grrrrr....
There are good things. Two things, to be exact. 1) the holiday bock is tasty. 2) The building has been restored beautifully. Maybe we just stopped by on a bad day. My guess is that the place was under-staffed and unprepared for the holiday crowd. But the bottom line is that any good things were canceled by the poor customer service. I might come back...if they ever hire a new manager. -
Review from Steve D.
Chicago, IL
7/21/2008
I attended the _American Breweriana Association_'s annual meeting in Dubuque, IA. this past June. I've been a member of ABA since 1990. But this was only the second annual meeting I have attended. The reasons for attending this year were numerous. I had a sufficient number of breweriana artifacts which I was seeking to trade or sell; Dubuque is an area in which I have never been; (The Dubuque Star Brewery was an occasional participant to our annual beer tasting at the United Soccer Boosters' Convention. Unfortunately, I could not help save it, and it went out of business in 1997.) the rebuilt 1987 Chevrolet Sprint needed a 'road test' to see if it could handle a long motor jaunt; and most significantly, this was the opening weekend for the _*National Brewery Museum*_™ in Potosi, WI; which is where ABA's members' breweriana collections shall be displayed.
[There was also a matter of the American Homebrewers' Association's national homebrew conference that weekend in Cincinnati, OH. But since there just might have been a standing warrant for my arrest in Cincinnati, I opted to not venture there.]
The Potosi brewpub is attached to not only the National Brewery Museum; but, in a fascinating adaptation for grant money which otherwise would have gone unallocated, the Potosi Brwg. Co. Transportation Museum. The Transportation Museum portion of the facility has no admission fee. (The National Brewery Museum's admission is $8.50.) It consists of displays of how Potosi beers were distributed through the midwest, throughout its history [1852 - 1972].
The National Brewery Museum is impressive today. As it receives more ABA members' collections, it will become phenomenal. You really should get here one of these days.
As you enter the atrium of the building; the Transportation Museum is to your right, the National Brewery Museum is directly forward, and to your left is the Potosi brewpub. It will have four standard beers and one rotating seasonal beer.
The brewpub is reclaiming the history of the former brewery. Breweries reclaimed their heritage after 13 years of Prohibition, so I'll be magnanimous and allow it to resume after a 36-year suspension. The physical bar itself is notable. It was designed by Terry Trumm, and constructed by Gary David ("Gary David Woodworks"). The venue has a dbs system with _some_ sports channels, including Comcast SportsNet Chicago. Food is also available. But we had something catered in at the Museum dedication dinner, so I didn't eat anything here.
"Good Old Potosi" - This is the premium beer which was the old(er) brewery's best seller. It has been upgraded to what I call a 'bridge' beer: i.e.; along the lines of a J. W. Dundee's Honey Brown or (to be true to Wisconsin) a Leinenkugel's Creamy Dark. It is an amber lager, a 'session beer', in which the malt and hops are kept in hand. Smooth, nice, tasty, refreshing.
Potosi Pure Malt Cave Ale - Here is a beer you wouldn't expect to find in rural Wisconsin. It is an English Bitter. The (all-)malt is more pronounced, and there is a slight biscuit tang in the aftertaste. I enjoyed this.
Snake Hollow I.P.A. - I love malty beers; but this hoppy brew was actually my favorite of all of the Potosi brews. I almost did not have this because I was worried the hops would be too overwhelming. They aren't. If you've had a Three Floyds Alpha King, it is along that line, but the hops Potosi uses have a lower bittering factor. It adds hops to the kettle with more frequency during its brewing, which is how it boosts the hop flavor, which predominates. It is a medium gold color.
The other two beers were not ready yet. Any time a brewpub feels it should not put on a beer because it has not lagered enough; I understand that completely (and I compliment it for not rushing something on _just because it would sell_). One will be its regular "Holiday" Bock, and its first seasonal - an unfiltered wheat beer.
Transit options: Somebody else is going to have to drive you here and back. Oddly enough, Potosi is _this close_ to a still active railroad corridor. But it is a freight railroad corridor. This corridor is probably what kept it alive through the 1960s, as it provided an inexpensive and swift delivery route to Minneapolis, Milwaukee, St. Louis, & Chicago. (The house beer for Armanetti Liquor Stores, some of which still remain, was brewed at Potosi.)
The State of Illinois has selected the Canadian National (nee Illinois Central) corridor between Chicago and East Dubuque, IL. as the route on which passenger railroad service shall resume, if and when funding is ever provided. (Tracks are extant.) Even if this is restored, it would get you only to East Dubuque (or Dubuque-if Iowa pays to have it cross the Mississippi). You would still need another carrier to get you the 17 miles to Potosi. There aren't any hotels or motels in Potosi, either. You will wind up staying in Dubuque or Tennyson, WI. -
Review from Brian H.
Peoria, IL
3/26/2009
Each time that I go to the Potosi Brewing Company, I have a wonderful experience.
The Brewing Company is situated in the tiny town of Potosi, right on the Mississippi. Its original run started in 1852 and continued under various owners until 1972. After it closed, it fell into disrepair and was neglected until it changed owners in 1995. Through a lot funding and a lot of hard work, the brewery reopened, along with a restaurant and brewery museum.
This place has a wonderful atmosphere. As you walk in you know that there was a lot of care put into the restoration.
When I went there, there were 5 Potosi beers on tap, from light, to dark, to hoppy, as well as root beer. I have tried the 'Good Old Potosi' as well as a dark beer and have not been disappointed.
In addition to the good beer, they serve first-rate food. They have tasty sandwiches, that are on the more economical side, as well as some more expensive entrees.
I definitely will go back and plan on purchasing some of their bottled beer to take with me. -
Review from Jamie G.
9/15/2009
This place is great! Not too far from Dubuque IA and Galena IL, and definitely worth the drive. Great beer and awesome food... I had the Beer Cheese Soup and the Brat... they also made Fried Cheese Curds made with beer that I was VERY tempted to get but I was already really full! Very inexpensive.. $35 for two beer, two apps, two meals!
