Old Man River
123 A St, Mc Gregor, IA, 52157
Old Man River Menu
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Address :
123 A St
Mc Gregor, IA, 52157 - Phone (563) 873-1999
- Website https://oldmanriverbrewery.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Touristy
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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JP B.
Didn't get to try their beer, but the Park Ranger....brisket and slaw on a pretzel bun. Excellent...had sauce on the side, so can't speak to that. Fries were great too. Owner/manager checked on us twice. I'd go there again, but the odds of me being in that town again are remote. Don't get me wrong, the town is really cool too.
(4)Maggie R.
The town of McGregor does not have many traditional sit-down restaurants that serve more than burgers and deep fry. My husband and I were looking forward to eating here but had to wait several days for them to open. No hours are posted on the building and their website gave inaccurate information. So be sure to call ahead before you go and they also prefer reservations. The dining experience was not awful bit disappointing. They are clearly understaffed so service was slow. We sat a long time before anyone came for even a bar order. When we tried to give our dinner order, the waitress said: "Oh no, we aren't serving off the entree menu tonight. Only burgers and sandwiches." So we wound up ordering burgers and fries. We also requested a side of their special malt vinegar cream for the fries. Even though the she said "yes", I knew it wouldn't come because she was totally distracted and walking away from the table. I was right, so never got to try it. The food itself was good but not memorable. Would I eat there again? Yes, but only because there is so little competition in that area. I would recommend it to other tourists in the area for the food, but with a lot of caveats: erratic hours, slow service, limited menu. On the pro side, nice spacious dining room, in house brewery, more variety than other local restaurants.
(3)Jill V.
Stopped in on a cold Friday night and we are so glad we did! Had cheese curds and onion rings for appetizers, both were excellent! We all had sandwiches and had no complaints whatsoever. The pretzel buns were insanely good. Our waitress was excellent, very friendly and helpful. Couldn't have asked for better food or experience. Would highly recommend!!!
(5)Angela K.
We were told we had to go to old man for dinner while camping so we came hungry! We waited 20 minutes to get drinks an hour to get appetizers and then had to ask for the app to come. Then it was two hours before our meal! They are so understaffed! Great food but the wait with two little kids ruined it for me!
(1)Brent G.
Old Man River is a hidden gem in McGregor. The managers have improved the service and consistency since taking over in early 2013. We had lunch on a Saturday afternoon in June 2014. The waitress was extremely friendly and knowledgable and recommended we try the Park Ranger (pulled pork) and the bacon cheeseburger. Both were excellent. They offered a very good beer selection and mentioned that they are working on more in-house brewing. We'll be back next time we're in the area.
(5)Evan M.
My wife and I have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed. It is a place we take family when they visit and all have had nothing but great things to say about the food. The egg salad sandwich is the best i've ever had and i also really enjoy their rainbow salad with locally smoked trout. It has a very cool decor and is located in one of the many historic buildings in McGregor. You will not be disappointed!
(4)Michael G.
As a group of 30 with reservations we expected slightly slower service but this was an abysmal experience from beginning to end. Even with an exceedingly limited menu - 3 dinners, a few sandwiches, and 2 salads - after ordering it took about an hour for the first food to appear and the last burger came out of the kitchen 2 hours after it was ordered. I ordered the double-thick chop and was disappointed it was not as advertised. It was about 3/8" thick. I spoke with the "manager" who defended what was on the plate by saying "well, it's what we got from our distributor". Other folks at the table got the double-thick chops. I suspect they were running out and simply cut the doubles into singles. She refused to comp it but did remove 2 beers from our tab. The chop was not seasoned - no salt no pepper no nothing - and bone dry. This is Iowa for crying out loud! I figured they'd know how to cook a decent pork chop! The salad with smoked trout and blue cheese was great! Service was poor; our waitress didn't stop back to see if we wanted more beverages and we had to flag her down to order desert which turned out to be another disappointment. Our group won't be returning for dinner Sunday night...
(1)Michael A.
Awesome place to eat. The beers were on point and reminded us of San Diego. We got the steamer sliders and couldn't believe how delicious the food was. There were 3 sliders total and they were all different. This was great because it featured all 3 of their top meats. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Jen U.
We were on an amazing bike trip coming from Milwaukee and came upon Mac Gregor by accident. After arriving to our hotel we ventured out to find some place to eat. We stopped at the local gas station for a suggestion on which place we should try. They suggested Old Man River. We came upon the restaurant and to our disappointment realized it was closed even though the sign in the window stated that they should be open! No lights on, no "Sorry we had to close for the night" sign, nothing. We felt as though we were in the twilight zone, as it was normal dinner hours (6:30pm) on a week night and no one seemed to know when they weren't open. Are they closed for good? Did their hours change? If so they should make note of that for customers who want to patronize their establishment. Very unprofessional.
(1)Ken C.
Beer selection OK, food decent, service meh. Waitress seemed like she would have preferred we went somewhere else. Next time we will.
(3)Robb P.
We came here on a recommendation. Service was awful.... Food was mediocre... Plus I got charged $.65 cents when I asked for some extra dressing for my salad...Maybe it was a bad day, but I doubt we'll be back. It's really too bad because it's a nice little place.....
(1)Steve T.
We arrived at 2:00 on a Sunday, the place was busy, but not full, and we were told that they were too busy to serve us and that we should "come back later". We came back an hour later and they said the kitchen was closed (at 3:15 in the afternoon). When we reminded them that they told us to come back they agreed to seat us. Food was good but they got 2 orders wrong and we never saw our waitress after we got our food. Hire more staff!
(2)Brian B.
Terrible service. So slow, cold food, a brewery with no beer menu, cheese curds with no cheese. And this place had so much potential too.
(1)Suzanne G.
Went here on the recommendation of our Boat Tour Guide out of Prairie du Chien. The New Owners have a great menu! First time in for drinks - super Old Fashioned. And they let us use a local phone when ours were having trouble checking on a reservation. Went back for lunch the next day - great atmosphere - good beer, good wine. Loved the Red White and Blue Burger - and they have both white and wheat Gluten Free Bread! My husband thought the fish and chips were excellent. Our server was attentive and professional. Definitely the best place in town.
(5)Shannon M.
My parents had been here a few years ago and described their meal as one of the best they had ever had. Several years hence we returned with a family group, and unfortunately couldn't relive the experience. That's not to say the meal was bad. And there were some factors working against us. But it certainly won't be going in the Greatest Gustatory Hits of my life, let's put it that way. We did have a group of 9 people, but that was really piddling considering the fact that when we walked in the door they were expecting a reunion of 42 people. But they were able to seat us, so with some trepidation we took a seat on the closed-in patio. Our waitress was brand-new, as she immediately (and somewhat defensively) warned us, but she did a fine job, though it was her duty to inform us several times of some ill tidings. The special was tenderloin steak...which they were out of. (?? It was still quite early in the evening...you might want to stop advertising it.) They couldn't make the grilled onions that my parents had had last time (and are listed on the menu). In short, there were several "no"/"we can't"s throughout the meal that got a little discouraging. In lieu of the tenderloin, most of us got the ribeye, which was tasty, though the cooking was wildly uneven: my dad and I ordered ours cooked to the same doneness, and his came out much redder than mine. Things moved very slowly, perhaps gratis the clan of 42 that rolled in. At least this gave our crowd a chance to chat, and chomp on the appetizer of cheese curds (lightly fried and dunked in bbq or ranch -- the latter was better). The restaurant is very attractive: high ceilings, light wood, bright lighting. It was a nice evening to be seated on the back patio, and the benefit of the screen was a boon as there has been a plague of gnats of late, which would have made for most undesirable dining companions. Overall, McGregor is a very cute little town and this is nice dining option. I feel like the stars did not quite align for us on this visit but that it has the capacity to be better, based on my parents' past experience. Hopefully the next time I'm in town I can see if it's still rollin' along.
(3)Sam M.
McGregor is a sleepy little river town in NE Iowa. I was once there 2 years ago and was surprised and pleased to find a local brewery that also served good food. Fast forward 2 years. I return to McGregor. I cant wait to hit that brew pub. Here's where things go awry. The place is clean, the space is open and cheery. But ... They apparently are no longer a brew pub. They weren't offering any in house beers. The brewing equipment was sitting dormant. They had a few Iowa brews as well as some national ones. I tried an Iowa Pale Ale. My wife had a Fat Tire. Then comes the food. We order a sausage plate. The server returns to tell us they are out of one of the types of sausage, so we need to order something else. OK, chicken wings in a waffle bowl. Nope, no waffle bowls either. Can we get an order of chicken wings? OK, apparently they have those. We also ordered a trio of sliders. About 25 minutes later, we get our food. Brisket slider with coleslaw - so so. Pulled Pork slider - the same. The burger slider wasn't bad. The buns were good. Chicken wings - 5 drummies (not whole wings) for $9.00. Dipped in a sesame chicken sauce. I was underwhelmed. Some adjoining tables also had issues with missing or unavailable items. The wait staff was very overloaded. Its Friday on a summer weekend in a tourist town and you have only 1 waitress? 2 stars for a decent beer even if you didn't brew it.
(2)Scott S.
Been here twice. First time, got mediocre service at lunchtime, had a burger which was adequate but nothing special. _Tried_ to eat there again last night, and had the worst service I've ever experienced. They seated us. 10 minutes later were given water. 30 minutes later had not even been asked for drinks -- it's a brewery for crying out loud, can't they at least sell us beer while we're waiting? We left, very disappointed, and at at the Mexican restaurant nearby where one man was taking care of more customers by himself! They need some serious help if they are going to succeed with their expansion. Why not one star? The beer is good, particularly what they call their GPA. Just wish they would have sold it to me!
(2)Matt E.
I stumbled across this brewpub during a recent visit to scenic northeast Iowa. This place excels on so many levels. It was really a delightful surprise when we paid our visit. First, the location is amazing. The McGregor / Marquette area in Iowa is the most beautiful part of our state. The scenery getting here is a delight. Secondly, the brewery is located in a historic building that was once the home and base of operations for Joseph "Diamond Jo" Reynolds. He was one of the early titans of steamboat shipping and transportation long the Mississippi corridor. Several casinos still honor his name in Iowa. The venue on the "town triangle" is fascinating and will provide a lot of background in to the industry and history of the area. It is beautifully done. Third, the beers are very well done. I sampled some of the Scottish Lager and their signature Einfach dunkel style. Both were delicious, and complex. Some of the best I've had out of a local brewpub. This place is very worthy of a day-trip through Iowa's scenic countryside for hardcore beer enthusiasts, and is a must stop if you are in vacationing. McGregor and Clayton county should be very proud of this place. We were told that Old Man River beers will be more widely available shortly. Keep an eye out, this business is going places.
(5)Dave R.
Started off well and just down hill after orders were taken. Went in at 12:30 and it didn't seem to busy. One large group of about 15 people and a few tables of two to three people. Took orders and brought drinks. We then waited and waited. I guess the group was just to much for this place. About 30 mins later the waitress came over and let me know they were out of soup. It's the middle of the day, how do you run out of soup. I asked for fries. After about 45 mins the onion rings came. Those were good. 30 mins after my order came without the fries. They were still getting done. Another person in my party had fries and they were cold. There were two hairs on my plate so I sent it back.
(2)Kate F.
Wish I could give this place 10 stars! I honestly am thrown by the few bad reviews on here? Can't count the number of times we've been here, never a long wait, never once bad service, the food's always been great (otherwise we wouldn't bother coming back over and over), and as far as the beer...I haven't yet had one I didn't like, and I've tried many of them. Maybe the people that gave a bad review are actually wine people? But either way...if they don't want to come back, that's just one more table open for someone who will appreciate this fabulous restaurant! And the portions for the price, definitely more than what you pay for. Location and ambiance are also top shelf. A must stop if you're in the area.
(5)Stephen S.
This delightful spot has a small town feel in a big city way. The microbrew selection was interesting--small samplers of 6 or larger samplers of 4. The smoked trout salad I had was perfectly dressed--a meal in itself. The wait staff was very attentive and the chef even came out to the table to check on our satisfaction. Right outside the door is a charming main street with antique and gift shops. It's a perfect place to relax if you're on the Great River Road beside the Mississippi.
(5)Karen T.
Service? Just not helpful topped off with overwhelming perfume. Both food entrees we received were incorrect. Tried to fix one, delivered a wildly undercooked egg that we could "just add" ourselves. Beer menu was nonexistent - literally as a brewpub they could not give us a menu of the beers, ordered a sampler and got a quick but confused description of 6 beers. Just not a good experience. This has happened here before, we keep coming back and then wondering why.
(2)Michael B.
Was in town doing some camping at Pike's Peak, and decided to give this place a try on a lark when driving back to my campsite. Really nice renovated industrial interior, very spacious, and I had great service on the day I went - a Wednesday night. I honestly don't even remember what I ate (I do remember being satisfied), but they get four stars for the Scottish Ale alone. Friggin' amazing. I think it's a somewhat regular offering. Really nice find in a very cool and pretty little river town.
(4)Austin B.
This is how to do a brew-pub. Good food, nothing too complicated, just good burgers/steaks/pork cuts/fried fish, etc. Their German-style beers are second to none as well. Prices on everything are very reasonable as well, it is good to find a microbrewery that doesn't try to bend you over a barrel as the reward for travelling to their site. The wife really dug their root beer as they don't make it as sweet as others, my favorite beer has to be the Dunkel (though they are all very good). As a current Coralville resident, I have to say that I can't wait for Backpocket to open their brewery at IRL next summer!
(5)Jim H.
Some hits and misses with this place. It is a brewery - - - the weizen beer was very good especially when paired with a starter of homemade potato chips which were served warm. We could not stop eating the chips and I would have drank my lunch I was not driving. I ordered the rueben and fries for lunch. The beer battered fries were good, the rueben was just average. We enjoyed sitting on the screened in patio and a nice Fall day but there was definitely no views of "Old Man River" from this establishment.
(3)Dean K.
Located in a historic brick building just a short walk from the Mississippi River, Old Man River is a fine brewpub with an upscale menu. Brewers of better-than-average beer, they usually have about a half-dozen of their craft beers on tap at any given time; you can get a 16oz draw for under $4. Dinner entrées include pastas, chicken, salmon, and steak dinners that generally run $20+ but sandwiches, salads (I enjoyed the Asian Thai Salad), and burgers are more affordable. After church on Sundays, they offer free tours of their brewing operation.
(4)Catherine D.
My husband and I like to stop in here whenever we're in the area. Not a very big wine list, but I had a nice California Merlot, while my husband had the brewery's sampler. The decor is very nice and clean. Try their onion rings...they're very good. Their waitress, Brianna, is a sweet girl.
(4)Terri P.
Ok place for a beer, but service is lacking. We visited Old Man River while in town on a holiday weekend, and I was interested to try the locally brewed beer. The beer was decent, but the experience was overshadowed by some of the worst service I've experienced. Our group of 12 was told we could not be seated together, despite the fact that the large adjoining room was completely empty. I didn't think much of it (assuming they were not using the room for some reason) until that area proceeded to fill up with customers who received their food before we did. We waited nearly a half hour for our drinks, and over an hour and a half for our food. The food was relatively good bar food. The onion rings are tasty, and the portion size is enough for a large group. The manager did throw in a couple free drinks (about $8 of a much larger bill), but she really wasn't very helpful. When I inquired about the delay on our food, she literally told us to "roll with it".
(2)Heather P.
I think the food is good with the Rachel sandwich being my favorite (Reuben but with Turkey instead of Corned Beef). It really depends on what you order, some items are definitely better than others. The pastas are hit or miss with the more pricier ones being the most flavorful. The calamari for apps is probably the best choice followed by the cheese curds. I was not impressed by their spinach and artichoke option. Their traditional burgers are always good. For their desserts, the brownie sundae is the best but their cheesecakes are good too. Their fresh brewed beer is a must have! I wish their prices were cheaper but their establishment is nice and clean with friendly staff, so I don't mind paying a little extra to help keep the business going. When ordering mixed drinks from the bar, order an extra shot because (depending on the bar tender) the drinks tend to be weak.
(4)Carolyn N.
Got in on a Monday to camp at Pikes Peak St Pk and found out this is the only day they are closed. After a great morning hike at Effigy Mounds Nat' Monument, I decided to return to McGregor to come here for an early lunch and am SO glad I did! A dynamite combination of great food, tasty beer and friendly service at super reasonable prices in a beautifully restored historic building! They did only one of their own beers but it was the one I liked the best on the sampler. I had a delicious Prime Rib Sandwich special with combo regular and sweet potato fries for $9! Their beer sampler included a sample of their outstanding root beer, which led me to the best part-dessert! And I did not see it on the menu so make sure to ASK for the ROOT BEER FLOAT w/ HOT BUTTERED POPCORN ICE CREAM...I am still dreaming about it.
(5)julie j.
This is the 4th time we've been there, over a 4 year period. We vacation here every year. This first 2 visits were wonderful. Last year, the service was mediocre, but it was better than the food. They had a rib special, and they were the worst ribs we've ever had. At nearly $30 for that area, they should have been spectacular. We tried it again last night, and although it was sparsely occupied, the service was pretty slow, tand the menu was abbreviated. It was as if they only had a short-order cook working in the kitchen. Food was okay; even though it was like a lunch menu. Although other tables seemed to be eating dessert, our server brought our check while we were still eating our meals, and apparently thought we either didn't need to eat any more, or wanted to go home. We were obviously still figuring out how much to leave to cover our bill, and our server just stood there waiting. We ignored her until she left the table and then proceeded to reduce the amount of the tip. Such a shame- beautiful space, good location, but it's declined steadily. We probably won't try it again.
(2)Trixy W.
Good service, food, and atmosphere. I was surprised that the sandwiches were served on regular bread...but the still good quality. Smoked salmon sandwich was really good. It's been months after we've been there and I still think about their mac & cheese! Honestly, you won't find another place like this in the surrounding area...(at least we couldn't during our stay).
(4)Misty A.
Pleasantly surprised by this place. From start to finish, the experience was fantastic. Extremely friendly staff, excellent atmosphere and superior food! I haven't eaten here in over a year, but the onion rings and special dipping sauce was delicious and so was the pasta dish I ordered. My parents really like their burgers and tenderloins. We also loved the uniqueness of the restaurant brewing their own beer and learning some historical tid bits while we were there! A must EAT place!!!
(5)Nikki l.
Stopped in at this brewery for some much needed lunch while antique shopping in the area. I got a hamburger which was nothing to write home about, but my mother in law got the pasty which was simply divine. I noticed there was an employee at the bar who seemed to be enjoying a pasty for their lunch break, so that must be the way to go. The staff was friendly, but service was a little slow, so don't arrive famished. The atmosphere is ok; it can get a little loud if it's packed.
(3)sarah p.
I researched this place before going.We were camping at Pikes Peak and knew we'd check out the town. I was really excited to try it. Unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. It doesn't have a brew pub feel. It has more of a cafeteria feel. Its very bright and open and echoey. The service wasn't terrible like others have posted but it certainly wasn' great. We waited a little too long for the beer samplers we ordered and the root beer my kids ordered was filled super high almost overflowing and I had to pour some out so it didn't spill. That's not the end of the world but any real server knows not to do that to anyone especially not small children. There were some good points though. We ordered onion rings and they were good and there were tons of them! We also ordered hot wings and they were deep fried and super spicy also soo good. The best part was the fried cheese curds. OMG Heaven! The beer was ok. Not great but it was beer so I was happy either way. There were a few families there which was nice for us to not feel bad for bringing our kids into the brewery.
(3)andrea a.
It is hard to find a menuu like this in small town Iowa. I had the osso bucco and it was delicious. We brought a party of 20. The service was great and so was the food. We asked for separate checks and this wasn't a problem. The decor is great. The clam chowder was fantastic. The salad bar was above average. We'll be back the next time we're in the Midwest.
(4)