MBC is the perfect place to relax with drink and snack after an afternoon of browsing and shopping in downtown Minocqua. Â It's also a nice spot in the evenings, especially when they have live music entertaining you.
They have a nice menu and a full bar, but it is a brewing company so I always go with their house beer. There are six house made brews and a seasonal brew. I love how you can get "paddled", meaning you get a flight of their beer. 7.5 oz pours. delivered to you on a hand paddle. You are in the Northwoods after all. So cute.
The space is really nice. Dark woods, clean and tidy space. The open deck adds to the open and airy feel the space has as well.
Very friendly service. Fried cheese curds are delish. Â I've been told the Cheese Soup is wonderful too. The beer is ice cold and tasty. One of my favorite spots.
Sitting in The Courthouse Pub in Manitowoc several months ago a couple spoke highly of The Minocqua Brewing Co. and yesterday I finally made it in. The attention to detail is tremendous from the homey feel of the bar and dining room downstairs to the more rustically elegant Divano Lounge upstairs. From different types of wood for the chairs, back, bar, and walls to the beautiful hand blown (remeniscent of cat's-eye marbles) tap handles the first floor says country home.
 Upstairs for live entertainment are the lounge areas with couches and chairs and the floor to cieling view of Schoolhouse Bay. The bar is a more refined version of the downsairs and you get the feeling that someone from the country with means did the decoration. It was closed when I came in but Dan the (or one of the) owner(s) was kind enough to offer to show it to me.
  Two beers that I normally don't care that much for were the Wheat which didn't have as much of the citrus character which is what puts me off and the Lager which rounds out the barley with wild rice. The Pale Ale was a hoppy but balanced American style and the subtly chocolatey Porter were my favorites. They also have a couple Wisconsin guest taps beside their own.
  Four 13-15 (sized 13 to15 to a #) bacon wrapped cajun spiced shrimp were were done perfectly with the sweetness of the shrimp counterbalanced by the salt of the bacon and the heat of the seasoning. The pepper crusted Yellowfin carpaccio served slightly warm, was a generous portion of rare sushi quality tuna with a bed of greens. While I generally prefer the beer cheddar style soup the Gouda cheese was combined with ale in a rich silky emulsion that was a nice twist on an old standby.
  Kelsey was a knowledgeable and capable bartender and was as friendly as the owner and the other servers I spoke briefly with. Good beer, good food, a nice ambiance, and beautiful country. If you're any where near here do yourself a favor and stop in.
As a person who frequently visits brewpubs on vacations, my companions and I were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the beer. Two of the four of us had eaten here before so we knew the food would be good, and it was. Â The beer was delightful compared to many places I frequently describe as shallow. Â I'm very surprised by another recent review saying the beer was lousy. Â This beer stands up well to all the microbreweries in my current home town of Madison, WI, and is better than some of them. Â Definitely a place to go when you're in the area.
Review Source:No offense, Minocqua, but who the hell knew you could get such good food and beer in the middle of nowhere? My bf and I were on a mini-vacation in Hazelhurst/Minocqua for some rest, relaxation, and snowboarding (him, not me). I guess you could say we're beer snobbish, but I prefer the term "beer lovers." Basically, we love craft beer and trying new stuff. To find a brewing company in this small town was one of the coolest things about our trip (we love this kind of thing).
It doesn't look like much from the outside. Actually, it looks pretty divey. There are two levels: the upstairs is 21 and older and has a lounge and beer. The lower level is the "family" restaurant, though family is used a little loosely, as there were a bunch of snow mobilers swearing like sailors and talkin' bout yo mama. Thankfully they left and we were able to enjoy our time. It has a nice decor and a fireplace in the back of the restaurant.
The beer is really great and fairly priced. I think it's $3.25 for a 10 oz, $4.25 for 16, and $5.75 for a 23 oz. We had the Whitey's Wheat, M.P.A., Road-Kill Red, Pudgy Possum Porter, and their seasonal beer called a 3-something Amber ale. All of these were very drinkable. The M.P.A. isn't as hoppy as you would think an IPA to be, so I wouldn't call it "bold" but still very good, and a nice way to ease those who aren't big fans of IPAs into the wonderful world of hops. The Amber was interesting, but good. It had hints of ginger or cinnamon that I didn't notice at first. It's not overwhelming and it gives the beer a nice, warm flavor, perfect for winter. You can also get a flight of beers, though I can tell you right now that the Rice Lager is probably gross. My bf had rice beer before and it was awful.
Now, the chances of getting good food at a beer establishment are slim. It does happen, but not often. Not the case here. The food was incredible. I felt like having a burger, so I had the "Phat burger" with some aged cheddar and regular fries. I'm not sure what kind of bread it came on (panini maybe?) but it tasted like it was freshly baked and really added to the burger in a way bread usually doesn't. The cheese was to die for. It was laid on thick and made every bite mouthwatering. It's been five days since I've been there and I'm still thinking about it.
My bf had the Beef and Brie, which is pulled beef and brie cheese served open-faced on ciabatta bread. He loved every bite of it, especially the nice surprise of the house beer mustard, which went perfectly with the meat. They even gave him a side of lemon aioli for his sweet potato fries that really elevated the flavors. That's some Food Network shiznit right there.
Our experience was awesome. We even got a growler of the M.P.A. to go. I wish Minocqua was closer because we'd come more often but since we're planing to visit again sometime, we'll definitely be stopping in.
Beer Cheese Soup + home-brewed brews + gorgeous Lake Minocqua views = great memories.
My suggestion would be to go upstairs to the bar, and get a spot on the upscale cabin-y furniture right by the windows. They don't serve food up there, but the food is only average (besides the beer cheese soup - currently salivating at the thought of it).
Not sure if I'll ever make it back up to Minocqua, but if I do, I'm stopping here for some soup and a Bloody Mary.
One of 'those' establishments that truly exemplifies the Northwoods experience. Â The gouda soup is absolutely fantastic- a must-have. Â The artisan cheese nuggets are worthy of pawning-off your first-born. Â The Minocqua Pale Ale is a GREAT beer choice, by far the best IMHO. Â Fried fish is always good, and the Brewhaus Burger is bloody exceptional!
Review Source:I would give the hostess a two but the service and food a 3. I would give the beer a 4. We wanted to sit outside and the hostess said it was long wait. We said we didn't mind. She tried to get us to sit inside at least three times. The last time she pretty much badgered us. I would maybe go back for the beer which was good (had the sampler) but not for dining service.
Review Source:I have to say I was pleasantly surprise to see that Minocqua had a Brewery and the second I saw it I knew that's where I needed to be. Â This place is laid out a little differently which I was really a fan of. Â The upstairs is decorated very cute and has a great view of the lake- the downside is they don't serve food up there. Â The upstairs also has a great outdoor patio but again it would have been nice if they served food up there. Â The downstairs is a little more up north looking( i.e tacky decorations) but also offers outdoor seating.
The food was goo especially for being an up north place and there home brewed beer was very tasty! Â
Overall it's a pretty cool place to check out and I'll for sure hit it again next time I am up that way
Really a 3.5 but rounded up because the manager + staff were so pleasant.
I officially ate the healthiest thing I plan to consume during my week in the Northwoods here - a veggie burger with sprouts, cucumbers and avocado. It was tasty and nice to have a change from the meat and grease heavy fare one usually gets here. It didn't blow my mind or anything, but most places don't have much for vegetarians or healthy eaters. Hubs and Sis both had meat burgers and enjoyed them. Â
The beer? I tried three types (so I could write a fair, accurate review of course) - the Lager (nope), the Hefeweitzen (ok) and the Wheat (pretty good). You can get them in growlers to go if you fall in love with one variety. Â
Great space, great location (right on the lake) and a great patio round out the reasons to stop. Overall, it's a nice spot and I'd return.
Good food. Â Great view. Good beer (i had the rice based microbrew my companions had the porter which they also liked). Good view of the lake. Â Cheerful and fairly prompt waitress. Â Outside table on Thursday night in the summer got to listen to free concert in neighboring park bandstand.
Review Source:Good location with view of the lake. Been there twice -- on and off season. Greeting on arrival was inviting and food was good each time. Had a very juicy burger the first time and fish the second. My husband had the open faced corned beef which was good, although if you're looking for authentic deli style juicy corned beef, no -- this was a bit dry. Food was prompt and hot.
Only hitch was the service....waitress greeted us with "Do you need more time?" Greeting with a negative is odd -- we'd been there over 5 minutes and had the menus down (international sign??) a "Can I get your a drink?" or "Hi, are you ready to order?" would have seemed better. After our food was set down we weren't checked on, and could not spot our waitress if we'd wanted anything  --perfunctory check when we were near done.  Bet my husband would have been tempted to order another beer if she'd checked sooner! Prior time there we had the same issue with a different server -- I was hoping for an iced tea refill. Bet they could do more in sales if they tweaked the service. Will be back for sure.
Great location near town and on the water! Lots of beers made on site if that's your thing. I came on a winter day for lunch and was seated overlooking the lake. The food is beautifully presented and tastes great. A table nearby had an issue with bones in their fish and the manager came over completely mortified and removed it from their bill as offered replacement food. We had the bacon-wrapped shrimp and calamari for an appetizer and I had the chicken, bacon sandwich on ciabbata bun, someone had fish fry and another had a burger. Everyone polished off their food and loved it. The desserts, warm drinks and dessert drinks looked great but we were stuffed. We will be back! Hint: There are 2 establishments on site so don't be turned off by the packed parking lot. 1 star off for the price...food was good but lunch for 3 was $60 (before tip, no liquor)
Review Source:Meh, probably wouldn't drive out here again, just for the brew. The food was good, but the day we went it took well over an hour for entrees. The restaurant was understaffed and the inefficiency became a huge nusance.
However, this is a cute little micro brew/pub. It's very comfortable and beautiful inside. You feel warm as soon as you go inside and it's very cozy. It's the only place around the Eagle River, Rhinelander, Minocqua area... so you gotta go here at least once!
I have to say the view is great when dining out looking over the lake. The food was great,but portions were smaller than I expected. The drinks are above average prices but the bartenders know how to make them. The people are friendly and always have a smile to make it inviting. the atmosphere is very appealing and warm. For a more romantic evening, I would recommend taking your spouse or significant other here and get a table next to the lake. You will enjoy the view!
Review Source:We just happened to stop by Minocqua on a trip. We loved the town but we would make a trip back for this restaurant alone. The view over the lake is lovely and the food was wonderful. From the obvious use of quality ingredients to the plate presentation, everything is done well. Although our food selections were simple (smothered brat and gouda soup), both were memorable. We would be back for the food alone but the beer they brew is great as well. We tried a few small samples at the bar upstairs and there isn't a bad one in the bunch. However, we especially liked the red which had a wonderfully complex flavor. The only dissapointment was that they were out of the wild rice brew.
Review Source:My favorite place in Minocqua! Â The atomosphere is nice and classy but at the same time casual. Â The food is great, they use the best Wisconsin Cheese's which I think makes their food extra special. Â The gouda soup is wonderful! Â My other favorites are the pulled pork and their original take on a BLT. Â
The microbrews are also great, my pick is always the wheat..goes great with the gouda soup ;)
So far we've encountered some difficulties. I asked for iced tea no ice and received it with ice and it was mixed tea not fresh brewed. Â Then I come to find out that their sandwiches are pre-made in the morning. They don't generally allow for substitutions but made an exception.
Food was decent, but portions were small. Â If you want fries with your meal you have to pay extra.
Definitely better restaurants available in the area...
We went here for lunch with friends.
Nice location at the end of the main street overlooking the lake.
I had the brat which was the best one on my one week trip to Wisconsin.
The star of the meal was the red ale. Â A perfect blend of sweetness and smoothness. Â I wish I could get it down here in AZ.
Also, check out their t-shirts. Â The new designs are really cool.
Hiding on the northwest shore of Minocqua Island, Minocqua Brewing is a jewel on the chain of lakes. No less than six eateries have docks on the chain waiting for patrons to tie up and fetch a brew. Recently remodeled following a fire in 2005, Minocqua Brewing's upstairs pub area has a commanding view of the lake and serves custom crafted brews and choice appetizers. A cut above, they offer not only typical Bushmills and Jamesons, but the finer 12 yo Tullamore Dew, and Red Breast as well. And Glenfiddich is on hand in three choices, 12, 15, and 18 yo.
When your mood is properly adjusted, you can migrate to the dinning area on the first floor to complete an exceptional experience. Sandwiches from "Beef & Brie" to "Love Me Tender" (a 6 oz butterflied tenderloin) with Burgers and a choice of more than a dozen appetizers, from "Heavenly Cherubs" (bacon wrapped shrimp) to hand cut beer battered Wisconsin sharp cheddar awaits.
Toss the keys and go enjoy One of Minocqua's finest lakeside eateries.
Of all the places I visited during my trip to Minocqua, The Brewing Company was the one that seemed out of place. Â It was modern, nicely painted and had new furniture throughout. Â I felt you could find a brewery like this in any suburb around Chicago. Â That being said, the beer served was the best I had on my trip. Â The wheat ale and special ale (currently hefeweizen) were very good. Â I was told the red ale and nut brown ale were tasty as well. Â
Although I didn't try any of the food, I noticed that their menu wasn't standard by any means as everything had a culinary twist. Â Come here to taste some great, local beer and leave with a growler of your choice.
We decided to try the Minocqua Brewing Company based on some other reviews on TripAdvisor. Â I have to admit, the view from the restaurant was great (if you're up on the top section - you overlook Lake Minocqua)! Â The overall restaurant area was pretty common place, I would have expected something a little more "rustic" in the Northwoods - but the food was very good.
I ordered the Soup du Jour which was a roasted red pepper soup - it was very good! Â They had a grilled veggie sandwich - which sounded delicious with grilled zucchini, squash, onions, etc - but they were out, so I ordered a plain old cheeseburger, which you could tell the patties were fresh made, not from frozen meat, the flavor was good - but it was so greasy, I ate it open face on the top of the bun and did not eat the bottom of the bun at all. Â There was a pool of grease in the bottom of my plate from it dripping. Â
It came with kettle chips - but I'm not a chip fan (which is why I ordered the soup) so I did not try them. Â
For the bar selection, I was disappointed they didn't offer any malt coolers (no Smirnoff Ice, no Bacardi coolers, etc.) nor did they have any hard cider. Â I'm not a fan of microbrews - so since they are a microbrew - they only had a limited selection of beer other than their own brews. Â The diet coke was delicious. Â
The service was good, she was attentive and had all of our orders correct, the food came out in a timely manner, and everything was of an appropriate temperature.
If you like pub food and microbrews, you'll probably like this place ... since I like "healthier" fare, there wasn't much for me to choose from on the menu. Â My friends really enjoyed their entrees though!
I like going to the smaller bars in the wooded areas away from the town area but this place ain't that shabby. Â Its very clean inside and they have a decent sized selection of their homebrews. Â I tried the pale ale and the red rice ale. Â Both were good but the red rice was unique and that's what I like about this place. Â Due to my high level of touristy activity I didn't have a chance to try the food here. Â Maybe next time. Â The dining room has windows that overlook the lake. Â And they have growlers for beer nerds to take home.
Review Source:During the summer it's a given that restaurants in Minocqua are going to be busy. Filled with tourists whose fanny packs are bulging with Loon and Pine Cone shaped keepsakes. Despite not meshing with the  demographic of the lunch crowd, I was pretty happy with the rest of the experience. Once finally seated, that is.
The in-house brews are good, the Wild Rice Lager had a distinct rice smell to it,( Never would have guessed, right?) and the M.P.A. (Minocqa-Pale-Ale) was a hopsy delight, even if the not-so-clever isn't.
I went with the Smothered Brat, a fav of yelpers apparently, since I was in Wisconsin who could resist a brat? I'll skip the description since Heath's Review did it justice. One thing to note, is be sure to ask for the Sweet potato fries. They came out just the right amount of crispy/bendy those kind of fries should have.
I would have liked more time to sample the other brews, as long as I could procure a white-tailed deer to ride home on. Drinking and Deer riding is a legal, and a time honored tradition in the north woods.
Under new management, and refurbished following a fire, this brew pub sits on the shore of Lake Minocqua. Last Thursday, I tried their red ale -- a nice, smooth beer -- and their Smothered Brat sandwich. Smothered it was! The open-face sandwich came with a mound of sauerkraut, onions, and Swiss cheese, making for a hearty -- if not overly healthy -- noontime meal. Delish. Even my dad, who says he doesn't like brats, said he'd enjoy that sandwich.
Review Source:
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