4/30/2018 Update: Brewery Boom
An almost six
month long layoff from writing gave me the time to hit ten more new bars in the
area, but so many openings and closings makes me feel what I’m writing is
already out of date.
Union @ 525 in Moline is dressed up a little since it was the short-lived Stack’s (I was never there when it was), but I don’t have much to say about it after that. We did have a very nice young man for a bartender, but his inexperience showed when he asked my wife if she her Absolut and Tonic on the rocks bartender on the rocks (as opposed to?), then asked her if she wanted ice too.
Wake Brewing is located on 5t Ave, across from the Botanical Center in Rock Island. They rotate their beers, so I’m prone to give it another chance, but none of the five of us that went in were overly impressed with the beer. More impressive was the size of the beetle that strolled under our table, but that will happen in Rock Island.
Kernan’s was a favorite stop of ours when we first moved here and had a boat. After being closed for almost ten years, it was opened in November as the Princeton Ale House. The upstairs restaurant and bar were remodeled, and gives great river views. Downstairs was where we hung out most of the time, and it used be kind of… well, crappy, but it was fun. We took a quick walk-through of the lower level after having pretty good prime rib upstairs, and they did a real nice job of freshening it up. With Go Fish! (which has the best views on the river from the second story deck), Princeton now has as almost as many bars on the Mississippi as the whole Illinois side of the Quad Cities area.
I’ve had the food at D’s Smokin’ BBQ & Taphouse before they were officially open, and liked it (though I’m not a tremendous fan of barbecue). The only time we went in after they officially opened was during ‘Taste Of LeClaire’, and they were serving samples of their Blueberry Pie Moonshine, which my wife enjoyed. The most unique thing about the place is you can pour your own draught beers, after sliding through your charge card.
Rhythm City Casino in Davenport was trying to emulate a Vegas style casino lounge, and with Rhythm Room. they did a pretty good job, all in all. They get the best bands in the area, and some national acts (Head East was here not long after the casino opened).
Tap 22 in Silvis used to be P. K. Dugan’s (then Red Angus), and they dressed up the bar and the décor a little, added some craft beers, and a new menu – so far, I’ve only had a pretzel there, but others have raved about the food. The best thing they did, however, was hire an all-star team of bartenders and servers. One was already on my Favorite Bartender list, one will be added by the end of this post (she was mainly a server at the other places I’ve know her from), and a couple others would easily fit here.
Dooley’s in Eldridge became Cabo’s Mexican Cantina. Same place, different food.
I had only been in the L’il Cow Bell in East Moline once, and had it on my ten worst dives in the Quad Cities. After our visit to what now is Juniors Sports Bar, I can see when I recompile my lists that this might be in the ten best. Why the difference? It’s not like they totally redid the place; in fact, I’m not sure if any remodeling was done at all. It just feels different in there. When it was the Cow Bell, my bartender didn’t utter a single word (in fairness, I asked for a Miller Lite before she could ask me, but stony silence after that – didn’t tell me how much, took my $3 and gave me .75 cents change, and didn’t say ”thanks”). While I wouldn’t say the owner is overly talkative, he at least spoke and was friendly. Though we didn’t eat, it looked like there were a lot of fans of their barbecue.
Rams Riverhouse opened the end of January in Port Byron. Every time this bar changes hands, it makes me miss G’s Riverfront Café more and more (from G’s, it became Riverbottom Chop House, then Harrington’s, to the current local high school team themed bar). The upside is the Reuben is better than Harrington’s was. On the downside, a) they removed one of the best stages in the Quad Cities – one that we’ve seen past owner Dave Killinger play with a number of other extraordinary musicians, along with other local musicians and bands, and even Todd Snider (great score, Bob Case and Tom Knoche)! Why did they dismantle the stage? Gaming area. b) they apparently aren’t familiar with the workings of the dimmer switches, and it’s as bright as a hospital cafeteria in there, and c) it’s just weird not seeing Tullamore Dew on the top shelf.
Five Cities Brewing in Bettendorf is a really nice looking place, very similar to its neighbor, Central Standard Burgers (which, along with Crust on the other side of 18th Ave, offer food delivery, and have the same ownership). Two glass garage doors open to the patio, but, like CSB, the patio looks out onto a parking lot. I had a Raspberry Provincial (from Funkwerks in Fort Collins, CO) that was too raspberry and too sour for me, but my wife had a really smooth Cacao Nitro Porter that was brewed there. In retrospect, we should have ordered a flight of beer, but we noticed they had this after we had already ordered (it’s in small print at the top of the menu). Looked like 5 4 oz. glasses for $8. While we had good service sitting at the bar, people sitting at the tables had to come up to the bar even though it looked like there was a server for the floor.
Those ten put me up to 630.
When I moved to the Quad Cities in 1996, if you wanted a local beer there was Front Street Brewery, Bent River Brewery, and Blue Cat Brew Pub. It continued like that until Granite City opened around 2007, then the floodgates opened. Within the last five years or so, we’ve seen the openings of satellite locations of Front Street and Bent River, plus Great River Brewery in Davenport, Green Tree Brewery in LeClaire, Against The Grain (now Radicle Brewerks) and Wake Brewing in Rock Island, Rebellion Brew Haus in Moline, 5 Cities Brewing in Bettendorf and, within a month I’m told, Crawford Brew Works (also in Bettendorf).
Besides the aforementioned, the only other opening I’m aware of since my last post is Bourbons Bar & Grill (the Moline Dispatch said they offer 128 bourbons) in Coal Valley, which used to be Headquarters. One that slipped under the radar – Wapsi Willy’s opened well over a year ago in what was the Fairyland Ballroom in Long Grove. My ‘What’s Left’ list is at 14.
Other Bar news:
I had heard scuttlebutt that On the Rock in Rock Island might become the new location for Jake-O’s, after it burned down. I don’t know if they’re the ones that own it, or what the new name is, and they plan on opening mid-May.
Happy Joe’s Pizza Grille on Butterworth Pkwy in Moline closed, and I can’t figure out why. It was beautiful inside with a gorgeous view of the river, and you’d think the brand would’ve carried enough weight to maintain profitability, in spite of what I’m sure would be a hefty monthly rent payment.
Falbo Bros. Pizza has left their downtown Davenport location (first floor of RME), and is looking for a spot to reopen in NE Davenport, I’m told.
It does not look like Moe’s Burgers and Brews will be opening at old Ducky’s Formal Wear location, and I’m not sure if they’re still open in Rock Island.
Some sad news: The Captain’s Table in Moline, while closed for renovations, burned down. The location was perfect, next to Marquis Harbor marina on the Mississippi, and with new management, the place once again had great food and good service. It was a great place to see music outdoors on a Sunday and have a watermelon cooler.
Other closings: Rivals, Millz Pizza, and Connections in Davenport; Dee’s Place (I guess I’ll have to redo my Top Ten Worst Dives list), Rumors, and (late-breaking) Cabanas in Rock Island; and The Torchlight in East Moline.
After a year with no additions to my Favorite Bartenders list, I’ve got a couple to add: Sara at Tap 22, and Victoria at 129. Also, two past favorites have resurfaced – Charlee, also at Tap 22, and Ashley at Chief’s.
Finally, while I’m at 630 and my wife is at 441, she went to her third bar that I have not been to, Elements in Davenport. At least I have a chance of going there – the other 2 have closed.
Union @ 525 in Moline is dressed up a little since it was the short-lived Stack’s (I was never there when it was), but I don’t have much to say about it after that. We did have a very nice young man for a bartender, but his inexperience showed when he asked my wife if she her Absolut and Tonic on the rocks bartender on the rocks (as opposed to?), then asked her if she wanted ice too.
Wake Brewing is located on 5t Ave, across from the Botanical Center in Rock Island. They rotate their beers, so I’m prone to give it another chance, but none of the five of us that went in were overly impressed with the beer. More impressive was the size of the beetle that strolled under our table, but that will happen in Rock Island.
Kernan’s was a favorite stop of ours when we first moved here and had a boat. After being closed for almost ten years, it was opened in November as the Princeton Ale House. The upstairs restaurant and bar were remodeled, and gives great river views. Downstairs was where we hung out most of the time, and it used be kind of… well, crappy, but it was fun. We took a quick walk-through of the lower level after having pretty good prime rib upstairs, and they did a real nice job of freshening it up. With Go Fish! (which has the best views on the river from the second story deck), Princeton now has as almost as many bars on the Mississippi as the whole Illinois side of the Quad Cities area.
I’ve had the food at D’s Smokin’ BBQ & Taphouse before they were officially open, and liked it (though I’m not a tremendous fan of barbecue). The only time we went in after they officially opened was during ‘Taste Of LeClaire’, and they were serving samples of their Blueberry Pie Moonshine, which my wife enjoyed. The most unique thing about the place is you can pour your own draught beers, after sliding through your charge card.
Rhythm City Casino in Davenport was trying to emulate a Vegas style casino lounge, and with Rhythm Room. they did a pretty good job, all in all. They get the best bands in the area, and some national acts (Head East was here not long after the casino opened).
Tap 22 in Silvis used to be P. K. Dugan’s (then Red Angus), and they dressed up the bar and the décor a little, added some craft beers, and a new menu – so far, I’ve only had a pretzel there, but others have raved about the food. The best thing they did, however, was hire an all-star team of bartenders and servers. One was already on my Favorite Bartender list, one will be added by the end of this post (she was mainly a server at the other places I’ve know her from), and a couple others would easily fit here.
Dooley’s in Eldridge became Cabo’s Mexican Cantina. Same place, different food.
I had only been in the L’il Cow Bell in East Moline once, and had it on my ten worst dives in the Quad Cities. After our visit to what now is Juniors Sports Bar, I can see when I recompile my lists that this might be in the ten best. Why the difference? It’s not like they totally redid the place; in fact, I’m not sure if any remodeling was done at all. It just feels different in there. When it was the Cow Bell, my bartender didn’t utter a single word (in fairness, I asked for a Miller Lite before she could ask me, but stony silence after that – didn’t tell me how much, took my $3 and gave me .75 cents change, and didn’t say ”thanks”). While I wouldn’t say the owner is overly talkative, he at least spoke and was friendly. Though we didn’t eat, it looked like there were a lot of fans of their barbecue.
Rams Riverhouse opened the end of January in Port Byron. Every time this bar changes hands, it makes me miss G’s Riverfront Café more and more (from G’s, it became Riverbottom Chop House, then Harrington’s, to the current local high school team themed bar). The upside is the Reuben is better than Harrington’s was. On the downside, a) they removed one of the best stages in the Quad Cities – one that we’ve seen past owner Dave Killinger play with a number of other extraordinary musicians, along with other local musicians and bands, and even Todd Snider (great score, Bob Case and Tom Knoche)! Why did they dismantle the stage? Gaming area. b) they apparently aren’t familiar with the workings of the dimmer switches, and it’s as bright as a hospital cafeteria in there, and c) it’s just weird not seeing Tullamore Dew on the top shelf.
Five Cities Brewing in Bettendorf is a really nice looking place, very similar to its neighbor, Central Standard Burgers (which, along with Crust on the other side of 18th Ave, offer food delivery, and have the same ownership). Two glass garage doors open to the patio, but, like CSB, the patio looks out onto a parking lot. I had a Raspberry Provincial (from Funkwerks in Fort Collins, CO) that was too raspberry and too sour for me, but my wife had a really smooth Cacao Nitro Porter that was brewed there. In retrospect, we should have ordered a flight of beer, but we noticed they had this after we had already ordered (it’s in small print at the top of the menu). Looked like 5 4 oz. glasses for $8. While we had good service sitting at the bar, people sitting at the tables had to come up to the bar even though it looked like there was a server for the floor.
Those ten put me up to 630.
When I moved to the Quad Cities in 1996, if you wanted a local beer there was Front Street Brewery, Bent River Brewery, and Blue Cat Brew Pub. It continued like that until Granite City opened around 2007, then the floodgates opened. Within the last five years or so, we’ve seen the openings of satellite locations of Front Street and Bent River, plus Great River Brewery in Davenport, Green Tree Brewery in LeClaire, Against The Grain (now Radicle Brewerks) and Wake Brewing in Rock Island, Rebellion Brew Haus in Moline, 5 Cities Brewing in Bettendorf and, within a month I’m told, Crawford Brew Works (also in Bettendorf).
Besides the aforementioned, the only other opening I’m aware of since my last post is Bourbons Bar & Grill (the Moline Dispatch said they offer 128 bourbons) in Coal Valley, which used to be Headquarters. One that slipped under the radar – Wapsi Willy’s opened well over a year ago in what was the Fairyland Ballroom in Long Grove. My ‘What’s Left’ list is at 14.
Other Bar news:
I had heard scuttlebutt that On the Rock in Rock Island might become the new location for Jake-O’s, after it burned down. I don’t know if they’re the ones that own it, or what the new name is, and they plan on opening mid-May.
Happy Joe’s Pizza Grille on Butterworth Pkwy in Moline closed, and I can’t figure out why. It was beautiful inside with a gorgeous view of the river, and you’d think the brand would’ve carried enough weight to maintain profitability, in spite of what I’m sure would be a hefty monthly rent payment.
Falbo Bros. Pizza has left their downtown Davenport location (first floor of RME), and is looking for a spot to reopen in NE Davenport, I’m told.
It does not look like Moe’s Burgers and Brews will be opening at old Ducky’s Formal Wear location, and I’m not sure if they’re still open in Rock Island.
Some sad news: The Captain’s Table in Moline, while closed for renovations, burned down. The location was perfect, next to Marquis Harbor marina on the Mississippi, and with new management, the place once again had great food and good service. It was a great place to see music outdoors on a Sunday and have a watermelon cooler.
Other closings: Rivals, Millz Pizza, and Connections in Davenport; Dee’s Place (I guess I’ll have to redo my Top Ten Worst Dives list), Rumors, and (late-breaking) Cabanas in Rock Island; and The Torchlight in East Moline.
After a year with no additions to my Favorite Bartenders list, I’ve got a couple to add: Sara at Tap 22, and Victoria at 129. Also, two past favorites have resurfaced – Charlee, also at Tap 22, and Ashley at Chief’s.
Finally, while I’m at 630 and my wife is at 441, she went to her third bar that I have not been to, Elements in Davenport. At least I have a chance of going there – the other 2 have closed.
Bars since the 11-20 post ( * - New to my list)
Green Tree Brewery
|
Steventon's
|
129
|
GiLanella's
|
Doc's Inn
|
Steel Head Tavern
|
Jersey Grille
|
TGI Friday's
|
Bleyart's
|
Caddy's
|
Sports Fans
|
* Five Cities Brewing
|
Brew In The Village
|
Faithful Pilot
|
Driftwood
|
Barrel House - Moline
|
Boozie's
|
Steel Plow
|
Fargo
|
Parkside
|
Jimmie Lee's
|
Applebee's (Elmore)
|
Ruby's Bicycles,
Beers, & Brats
|
* Delta Longe (Stockton, CA)
|
TGI Fridays (DFW - Terminal C
|
Bad Boy'z Pizza
|
O'Keefe;s
|
Bent River Brewery
|
Broken Saddle
|
Bierstube Moline
|
Other Bar
|
Rebellion Brew Haus
|
Pub 1848
|
Brewhouse
|
Central Standard
|
Tuggers
|
Rookie's
|
Soi 2 Thai Street Food
|
Barrel House - Silvis
|
Barrel House - Dav
|
* Rams Riverhouse
|
Chief's Bar &
Grill
|
Red Ginger
|
Biaggi's
|
Cubs Bar & Grill
(ORD)
|
Heart Bar (Planet
Hollywood, Las Vegas)
|
* Vista (Caesar's
Palax, Las Vegas)
|
Carnaval Court
(Harrah's, Las Vegas)
|
* Ringers (Planet
Hollywood, Las Vegas)
|
* Center Bar (Mirage,
Las Vegas)
|
Cleopatra's Barge
(Caesar's Palax, Las Vegas)
|
* Lawry's (Las Legas)
|
Rudy's Cantina
|
Dam View Inn
|
* Casino Bar @ Diamond
Jo's (Dubuque)
|
* Barrel House
(Dubuque)
|
* Odd Fellows Bar
(Dubuque)
|
The Edge
|
Wide River Winery
|
Governor's
|
* Micky's Irish Pub
(Iowa City)
|
Duck City Bistro
|
Zeke's On The Hill
|
Beirstub LeClaire
|
* Junior's Bar
|
11th St Prcinct
|
Thunder Bay Grille
|
Blue Cat
|
Treehouse
|
* Tap 22
|
Bix Lounge
|
Van's Downtown
|
Waterfall Lounge
|
Van's Davenport
|
* Blanco (PHX)
|
* Rula Bula (Tempe,
AZ)
|
* Cien Agaves
(Scottsdale, AZ)
|
* Salty Senorita
(Scottsdale, AZ)
|
* Grapevine
(Scottsdale, AZ)
|
* Old Town Tavern
(Scottsdale, AZ)
|
* Chico Malo (Phoenix,
AZ)
|
Pappadeaux (Phoenix,
AZ)
|
Skyscraper (ORD)
|
* Cabos Cantina & Grill
|
* Club Arcada (St
Charles, IL)
|
Nico's
|
Go Fish
|
* Rhythm Room
|
Bad Boy'z - Davenport
|
Belgrade
|
Red Lobster
|
Biaggi's
|
K & T's Bike Rack
|
Moe's Burger & Brews
|
Blue Iguana
|
* D's Smokin' BBQ & Taphouse
|
Woodfire Grill
|
Tantra
|
Osaka (Davenport)
|
Generations
|
Backwater Jack's
|
* Princeton Ale House
|
Chili's
|
Bass Street Chop Bar
|
R Bar
|
* Wake Brewing
|
Harrington's PB
|
Bennigan's
|
Redstone Room
|
Falbo Bros.
|
* Grin & Goose
(Cedar Rapids)
|
350 First (Cedar
Rapids)
|
Rico's Tropical
Cantina
|
Baked
|
Wide River Winery
Davenport
|
The Grape Life
|
* Union @ 525
|
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