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Name: Galena Brewing Company
Address: 227 N Main St, Galena, IL, 61036
Telephone: (815) 776-9917
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.40

Galena Brewing Company

227 N Main St, Galena, IL, 61036

(815) 776-9917
Store is closed

Galena Brewing Company Menu

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g

Big Buford® 230g

Bacon Buford® 255g

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g

Checkerburger® 170g

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g

Cheese Double Cheese 190g

Chili Cheeseburger 135g

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g

Double Decker 215g

Rallyburger® 170g

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g

Smokehouse Buford® 265g

Triple Cheeseburger 250g

Healthy Meal suggestions for

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 570, Saturated Fat (ms) : 6, Calories: 280, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 9, Calories: 370, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 1340, Saturated Fat (ms) : 20, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 6 ]

Big Buford® 230g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1090, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 570, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Buford® 255g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1510, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 680, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 1310, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 660, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 490, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 930, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 580, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 35, Sodium (s): 1230, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 630, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 1030, Saturated Fat (ms) : 25, Calories: 740, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 34, Sodium (s): 1360, Saturated Fat (ms) : 28, Calories: 790, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Checkerburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Cheese Double Cheese 190g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1140, Saturated Fat (ms) : 17, Calories: 510, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Chili Cheeseburger 135g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 620, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 760, Saturated Fat (ms) : 14, Calories: 460, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Decker 215g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 720, Saturated Fat (ms) : 13, Calories: 480, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Rallyburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Triple Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 1450, Saturated Fat (ms) : 23, Calories: 690, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Healthy Meal suggestions for CheckersRally

Burgers

Smokehouse Buford® 265g [ Sodium (s): 1610, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 15 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Anthony C.

Had a lunch here once and beer only twice on a recent visit to Galena. The space is very nice with an open floor plan and retro-industrial look. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable - we even got a little history lesson from him on the town and brewing legacy of Galena. The beers were very good - clean and fresh - especially enjoyed the John-Jon Lager. Prices were extremely reasonable (in the $4 to $5 range) for a pint. The food was good but pretty typical bar fare. We started with a small loaf of the beer bread served with honey butter which was tasty. My wife had the buffalo chicken wrap served with sweet potato tots and I had the Bratwurst which was served on a rye brat bun (nice touch). We will definitely be back when in town again.
(4)
Matthew T.

We looked forward to trying a local brewery after the drive from Chicago. The bar and restaurant were busy, but not overly so. Were seated right away, as the singer was starting his sound check. Noticed the energy in the room was weird, and that they were quick to clean tables up, but not to greet their customers. Made it through the whole sound check and his first two songs and no one had yet to check in on us. We left and took our business elsewhere. And didn't regret where we ended up.
(1)
Rachel Y.

Beers are all really good. Clean and without infection. I enjoyed the blonde, wheat, amber and nut brown. Food was really good as well. We ordered the beer bread - SO GOOD. Got the beer cheese soup... Even better. The chef salad I ordered was huge! Couldn't finish it all. I would definitely come back for the food and beer. Service not so much. That's what's stopping this from being a five star review. Our waitress seemed very disinterested in waiting on us. I had to ask for water twice. She never filled it because she noticed I was empty. One time she walked up to the table on her way to another table, asked if everything was good and I had a mouthful of food. My husband didn't notice my empty water so he told her everything was good and she walked away. Had to wait another five minutes for my water to be refreshed. Other than that, I would rate this place a five star. It's awesome. Very tasty!
(4)
Kristin M.

After endless wine tasting we decided to come into Galena brewing company to try a beer tasting. There were two options of beer flights: seasonal beers and Galena brewing co beers. We were here two times so I was able to try both. While the seasonal beers were good I really think the Galena brewing co beers were much better. The second time we came here we had food with our beer and were both disappointed. We had pretzel bites as an appetizer and they were just gross. Normally I love pretzel bites but the cheese was just awful. Yuck. My boyfriend had hot wings while I had a pulled pork slider with the beer cheese soup. He wasn't crazy about his food but I thought mine was pretty good. The small portion was just the right amount.
(4)
Eric L.

I was slightly disappointed with my experience at Galena Brewing Co. What should not have been a no wait to be seated turned into 10 min ( room was half empty). I am mixed on the meal. The Cuban was above average and beef and mushroom sandwich was below average. The beef had a funny off taste not sure what was but if that is the standard, I would not recommend. Service was good and the live music was really good. If would like to sample some nice locally brewed beers I would recommend Galena Brewing Co! That was the high point!
(3)
Janine K.

I tend to think breweries have decent food, and beer, of course. We took a day trip out to Galena this past weekend and I chose this place to have our late lunch at. Being a Sunday, all draft beer was $3 so I was able to try one of theirs and it was A-ok. For an appetizer we had the GINORMOUS pretzel which came with a hot beer cheese dip and mustard (there were other choices but we picked those) That was fun to eat! What was odd was, there were no burgers on the menu so one of the picky people in my group wasn't having it but he got a BLT flat bread and seemed to be satisfied with it. Being a Sunday wings were also on special so I split those with a friend. The service was decent, and so was the food and beer so thumbs up for this place!
(3)
Keyla R.

I don't like giving bad reviews. Look at my prior reviews and you will see that I just try my best not to do that. But in this case, I wish I was Lana Kane, and you could hear this, so I could go "Nooope," because this place is just a big old pile of nope, nope, nope. Are my feelings clear enough? The atmosphere is nice, lively, like any good brew-pub. And, to be honest, the beer was good. We had their seasonal, and nothing wrong there. We wish we had just kept it to the beer, then we wouldn't have been out the additional $40 for a meal that was completely inedible. This wasn't our first choice. I wanted to eat somewhere else, but this was the 4th of July in Galena and every single place had a crazy long line. Hubby was starving and about to start gnawing on my arm. Wanting to keep my arm, I agreed to this place. It looked liked it had plenty of empty tables, and, in fact, our wait was only about 4 minutes or so. The funny part was when we walked in, we noticed all the empty tables, but the woman behind the desk said there were a couple of people before us. But, regardless, we were quickly seat. The minute we sat down, before even ordering drinks, we ordered the coconut chicken skewers. Seriously, starving man by my side, so no time to waste. We then ordered our meal. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and hubby ordered the Reuben on honey wheat instead of rye. He asked nicely if it could be made on rye because if not he would have to order something else as he abhors rye. Waitress said, they usually do not do special orders, but they could change the bread. (WTF! When did a change in bread become a special order in a freaking restaurant! What the hell, so you pull the freaking sandwich out frozen and nuke it or what!!) Then we wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, out come the skewers. By this time, I am almost as hungry as he is, however, the skewers look completely unappetizing. They look like freezer burned frozen crap on a stick. I would honestly be beyond surprised if these things don't come from a bloody box in the freezer. Even worse, they bake these things (kudos on trying to reduce the fat) and apparently don't realize that you should turn things over in the over. Side A was black and Side B looked uncooked. I had one bite, and wanted to puke. So Hubby, ate them all. He didn't like either, but he was so hungry he ate them all. At least, it wasn't my arm. Then we wait. And wait. And wait. And, finally out come the sandwiches. My pulled pork and his Reuben on rye. Yep, rye. Back goes the Reuben and the wait continues. He munches on my fries, at least they were edible, while I take a bite of the pulled pork and...puke city. The pork tasted like pork in a tub that comes in the meat section of the grocery store...mushy, greasy, and favorless. Yuck! Needless to say, no more bites for me. They actually asked if we wanted to go boxes. Hell to the NO! Anyhow, still waiting on Hubby's sandwich, he decides the skewers of chicken crap made him sick and he is tired of waiting for his sandwich, so we ask for the check. We pay for the check - including the sandwich, because they still made us pay for it - and then finally his sandwich comes. He looks at it, with it's disgusting gray sauerkraut - honestly, how do you make that stuff gray in the first place - and he doesn't even bother to take a bite. It looks gross and our stomachs are already upset. Worst part yet, the few bites we did eat hung in our stomachs and made us feel so sick we cut our afternoon in lovely Galena short. Who can walk around when your bellies hurt.
(1)
Phoebe T.

Great nachos and beer selection. Their beer specials are top notch and the brews are always delicious!
(5)
Ken J.

Let me prefece this with an admonition: I am a beer snob. Any old beer won't do for me. I've asked for water in places where they have crappy beer selections. That said, this place has always been so packed on our Galena visits that we never tried it before last Friday. We had 2 of the beers, which we picked with care after reading their descriptions on the beer menu. I do like the fact that in addition to %ABV, they listed IBU's as well as specific gravity. I don't pay much attention to specific gravity but the other two are important to finding a beer I like. Sadly, neither beer was something I was glad I found. They were passable enough, and judging by their popularity, a lot of folks like this place. But then a lot of people like Bud Light, Coors Light etc. I say life is too short to drink lite beer. Or bad watery beer for that matter. But I concluded these were not especially tasty brews. They were just OK. Use more malt, dudes!! They serve food too but we just came here for the beer. Looked at the menu and it was standard pub fare for the offerings. I did not notice any dishes that actually used the beer. Well, other than beer/cheese soup. Service was good. The place has decent atmosphere and they were offing 5$ tours which included the basement aging cellar. I wasn't tempted enough although I love going into basements of old buildings because they are typically quirky and interesting.
(2)
Steve B.

Had the weizen and the amber ale. Both were delicious. Servers and bartenders were friendly and helpful
(4)
Traci R.

This was my 3rd visit to Galena Brewing, and thought I'd finally write a review. We stop here each weekend we come to Galena for their Midweek (Sun -Thurs) wing special. 20 wings for 10 bucks, you can't beat it!!
(5)
Allie T.

Beer was amazing, food not so much. My boyfriend and I shared the taco salad. I didn't like the blue cheese aside which I thought was sour cream (why would you put blue cheese sauce with a taco!?!) and the taco shell tasted stale. We also had hummus and that was good. Plus I loved sitting at their bar.
(4)
Ian G.

Had the wings. They were great. Had a seasonal beer flight and liked all but one. Very cool place. Our waiter was a little new, but good none the less. The bartender was knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend.
(5)
Jessica C.

Great craft beers and oh my goodness, the best beer cheese soup I've ever had. The service was great and the tour was nice and very informative. I wasn't too impressed by their coconut chicken skewers, but overall a great visit that I'll be sure to visit again on my next trip to this beautiful town.
(4)
Simian S.

We stopped in for a few drinks before dinner and were happy with our experience. We were trying to decide whether to do a fight of 6 different beer samples or the flight of 4 with all of their seasonal beers. We opted to go with the 6, but our server brought over small samples of the seasonal ones as well so that we could try those too. She was very friendly and helpful and was able to answer questions and tell us about the different beers. We liked the Hefeweizen and Coffee Porter the best. The Farmers Ale (a cream ale) was our least favorite. Overall, decent beer, good prices, nice atmosphere and great service.
(4)
Ann F.

Good beer but horrendous food. The only edible thing was the cheese soup. Cool space with live music. Eat somewhere else and enjoy a beer here after.
(2)
Tanya H.

Visited here over the weekend and enjoyed our time here. Food was amazing, however we were already somewhat full because the appetizer portion was amazing and such a great size. We had the nachos and both enjoyed them a lot. Friendly staff and overall great experience.
(3)
Bill R.

It was the first time I had ever been here. I thought it was great . The service was very friendly and knowledgable. They are now serving IPA beers and my son who is into these told me the one he had was the best he has ever had. We got the pulled pork and it was large and fantastic. Prices are very reasonable, we got 5 beers 3 lunches and it was $58.00. The decor is very industrial and very cool. If you like micro brewed beer you must go here if your in Galena Il
(5)
Matt F.

We arrived in Galena Friday night and decided to get a quick dinner at the brewery. They had a good, laid-back live band doing folk and country music. The service was fast and the atmosphere was chill. Beer: The Annabelle IPA was pretty good. Medium body with a strong citrus aroma and taste. I liked it. The Uptown Brown was a typical brown ale. Nothing too special but not bad. Food: I ordered the Beer Bread and the Brat. I liked the bread. It was warm and had a hearty consistency. The Brat was on a really delicious bun loaded with grilled onions and sauerkraut in a side cup. I like a little pop in a brat, but this one was soft and a bit mushy. It tasted good, just not my preferred preparation. Wrap-up: Solid weekend spot for a reasonably priced and chill dinner.
(4)
Rose D.

All the beers we tried were very good. I especially liked their seasonal brew, Calabasas Ale - a pumpkin ale, which came in a glass rimmed with pumpkin pie spice sugar. Yum! We also tried four different small appetizers (their "tapas" menu) - a decent value at $5 each but they are definitely small portions. I would say 3 out of the 4 were good. We enjoyed the stuffed mushrooms, the coconut chicken skewers & the goat cheese bundles. The shrimp skewers, however, were bland and the overcooked so the shrimp was like rubber. They only had 2 servers working Friday night that I could see so service was definitely on the slow side with 2 large groups there. We did come back our last day to purchase 2 growlers of beer to bring back - one for us and one for the inlaws.
(3)
Sally M.

Nice place to stop and have some beers and apps. I had the Krystalweizen - a nice wheat beer that wasn't overly fruity. I can't remember what the husband had, but he liked it. They had a wide variety of beer selections and customized flights. We shared some nachos and chicken tenders that were frankly a tad below average and uninspired (yes, chicken tenders and nachos can be inventive and inspired!) Service was prompt and friendly. Not sure if I'd go back for food, but definitely for some afternoon or evening beers!
(3)
Nichole C.

Things I like about Galena Brewery: 1. It's in Galena. 2. There's good beer. Things I do not like about Galena Brewery: 1. Everything else. Alright, the real problem with this place (besides the pop music) is this: You cannot make your own flight. Nor can you get a sample size. So, it's either THEIR flights or NO flights. I was really bummed because my friends and I wanted to try a bunch of different beers but we were riding so didn't want to get full pours. End result: The beer was good (especially the IPA and Black IPA), but you better like your beer because you are stuck with a 20 oz. pour in most cases.
(4)
SB H.

We have been coming to galena brewing for a long time now. Its menu used to be unique and more upscale and the food delicious. In the last two years, the menu has been down scaled and the food is terrible. Why do we come back? We love the beers! However tonight's dinner was so bad, I will not order food there again.
(1)
Sara C.

We did a lot of research before going to Galena. The Brewery had mixed reviews, but we thought we would try it anyway. The staff was nice, though it seemed like they were confused. 1 person took our drink order, another our food order, they weren't communicating at all. The food was decent, but WAY overpriced for the serving size. The wings are baked, which I usually like, but they were just ok. If you are into beer and want some variety, then I suggest going. I would stay away from the food and I also wouldn't waist a lot of my day here. Too many other GREAT places that are WAY more friendly!
(2)
Dan N.

Very good beer and pretty good food. We took a tour if the Brewery that I would recommend it was interesting and informative . The menu is smallish and they don't appear to have a grill so no burgers or anything like that. We had some excellent beer cheese soup unfortunately served in these tiny cups. My wife had a respectable beef and Blue wrap and I had a better than expected Rubin. Go for the beer and they have food if your there already.
(3)
Wes D.

Excellent beer! We tried every beer they make and not a single one was disappointing. I will say that the nut brown ale was my favorite though. We sat at the bar since we were just having drinks. It wasn't that crowded, but it took forever for a bartender to finally come by and take our drink order. At first the bartender seemed a bit rude, but a while later he came back and was more friendly and chatting with us. I have not tried the food, but the dishes I saw the waiters carrying looked tasty.
(4)
Meagan W.

Galena Brewery was pretty disappointing. Maybe it's because I'm from Wisconsin and I have a higher standard for craft breweries, especially those that serve food, but since Galena Brewery doesn't seem to have any competition in town, they don't seem to hold themselves to a higher standard in terms of staff, food, and beer. Let's start with the staff. Our waitress would make six passes past us before stopping by. She never once asked us how we liked our food or beer. She didn't seem to have a grasp on the differences between the beers - pretty poor service for a brewery. She didn't warn us that the nachos were a little spicy - and then didn't return while we were eating to ask us how things were, so I had to wait to ask for a glass of water until the nachos were already devoured (and my mouth was on fire). She didn't make friendly small talk and didn't even smile once. The place wasn't even all that busy! I get that you work in a tourist town, but come on. You can find a different job if you don't like this one, honey. Because you definitely don't have the chops for it. The food was mediocre. The wings were pretty soggy and the nachos were standard - and spicy, which neither the waitress nor the menu warned us about. Disappointing. And the beer? Meh. We were excited to try some local brew but this place definitely wasn't worth the stop. I'd give you only one star, but the band that night was great!!! Extra star for the awesome band.
(2)
Crysta A.

Galena Brewery was a nice surprise. We're craft beer fans and try to stop at local places, but Galena really exceeded our expectations. We sat at the bar and ordered two sample flights, one of their standard, year-round beers and the other of the five seasonals. The bartender was friendly and a font of knowledge, eager to answer our questions and chat about the craft beer industry in general. We even learned about the new-to-us strain of "Galena" hops that they use in a couple of their beers. The place is brightly lit and open, like many warehouses-turned-breweries, and their equipment is all on site. They seemed to have a setup for live music, too, but on a Saturday afternoon, it was relatively quiet, with a couple of TVs and a few other tables. The summer seasonals were great, especially the rye saison and the tart. I really enjoyed their flagship Annabelle's IPA, too. We shared a Cuban sandwich, which was ok. The emphasis is on the beer, not the food. Definitely come here for a flight of beers, sit at the bar, and enjoy.
(5)
Sam M.

Returning to this place after a couple of years I noticed a couple of things. The branding here is a bit over the top. I wouldn't mind this so much but for the second thing. The beer here isn't as good as the branding. It's not bad mind you, it's just not knock your socks off delicious. After all that fuss I expected more. It's big, cool, and relatively clean, so overall it's not a bad place to take a load off a hoist a pint.
(3)
Brian S.

Can we please put this into perspective?? 1. this is a Brewery/Brewpub ....not a gastropub. Go for the beer ...we have been to gastropubs, brewpubs and tasting rooms from coast to coast. Food is certainly a bonus, and if it is not great.....who cares, the little bit you got into your stomach will allow you to consume more beer! Like the beer or hate it. Since it is a matter of taste, do not hold it against them for your taste buds...Galena has solid, well crafted, beer offerings here. They will pour you a tasting of any brew, or, get a flight, and see all that they are. I know for sure, that I do not like certain styles of beer, but I will definitely take a few sips to experience what a brewer has to offer. A. Come here for beer B. Go back here for beer Repeat PS. Gastropub is just a short Google search away
(5)
Susanna M.

Upon returning to Galena Brewery, we decided to actually eat there (before we just got flights of beer). OK it was BLAH. We arrived on Saturday evening (in July) so it was busy. We were seated promptly, which was great, but it took the waitress like 10-15 minutes to come around. We ordered two flights; one regular and the other seasonal beer, which was great. I will absolutely suggest Galena Brewery for the beer choices. As for the meal, eh, there are better places to eat in Galena. As a previous review stated, the bread was pretty much better than the food. I did have the pulled pork sandwich, which was actually tasty, but the fries on the other hand, yuck. So, all in all, I would come back for the beer selection, but not for the food.
(3)
Patti K.

We stopped in yesterday for a beer to quench our thirst as it was hot and muggy outside. We thought the place was nice and the IPA was okay. Perhaps we should have done a flight to try the craft beers, but we thought the IPA was okay, but it certainly was not the Lagunitas beer that we know and love from Petaluma. Yesterday, was Wednesday and it was $3 a pint, so that was a big plus!
(4)
Chris T.

Great Ale and Grill during Lunchtime. Transformed to a live music venue in the evening. Good food featuring recipes that compliment the hand crafted home brew. Many varieties of craft beer on tap. Great beer selection, with a fully stocked bar. Special events such as speciality beer keg tappings.
(5)
Scott S.

This is a nice place. The beer is on the not-so-hoppy side -- I like their IPA, but it only comes in a 10 ounce glass. You definitely pay extra for the higher ABV here. The kitchen is acceptable, they used to have better pricing, where by ordering multiple tapas appetizers you got a discount. That is gone and they raised the base price from four to five dollars. Our favorite thing was the local meat/cheese plate. Also, they wouldn't fill a growler that wasn't purchased there -- the only brew pub that I've been to that has this policy.
(3)
Mike C.

I have been to brewpubs all over the country and the Galena Brewery competes favorably with some of the best in terms of basic styles. The service was good and the only food we ordered was an appetizer, which was good, but nothing special. I grew up near Galena and it is really great that we have some good beer nearby when we come home for a visit. The Galena Brewery is a step up from the Galena Main Street Brewpub, which was open in the 1990s. I don't remember too much about the quality of the beer at that brewpub, but I do know that the Galena Brewery is a much more spacious and attractively designed facility. I understand the Brewery recently hired a new brewmaster. He seems to know his stuff
(4)
Dawn K.

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(1)
Karen L.

We were in Galena for a wedding and being big fans of the craft brew we decided to go to Galena Brewing. The building and atmosphere was nice. The beer was great, we were there on a Sunday for $3 pints! Beer Likes: We tried Alpha Dog, Annabelle, Uly's Oatmeal Stout and the Oktoberfest. Our favorite was Alpha Dog. Food: Likes: the 2lb Pretzel was great!! It comes out in a pizza box!! The jalapeÃ±o cheese dipping sauce was our favorite. Dislikes: We had the wings, but we're not impressed! The skin was not crisp at all!! So they were kind of flabby and chewy. We also had the Beer Cheese soup with potato but yet did not find a single potato in either of our bowls. The soup itself was a bit thin for a cream based soup. Service: Likes: Our server came to check on us and kept our beer coming. Dislikes: When we asked our server what he recommended, he told us that he was a Busch Light drinker...WHAT?!?! If a craft brewery is going to hire people, I would think that you would want your staff to appreciate the craft beer and be knowledgeable about those beers! We were also disappointed with the bartender. After we had closed out with our server, we decided to go to the bar and get a Growler of the Alpha Dog. The bartender asked my husband if he could help him, but then preceded to tell him he would need a minute, which is fine. But then the bartender started helping other people that came up to the bar after my husband. After about 10 minutes without any further acknowledgement from the bartender, my husband said forget it and we went to leave. The Hostess overheard my husband telling me what happened and apologized, but really did nothing to remedy the situation. We ended up leaving without a growler and very disappointed with customer service! So I might go back for a couple of beers and the pretzel, but I think Galena Brewing needs to work on their customer service. They are lucky right now that they are the only brewery in Galena because if I had another choice I would think twice about going back!
(2)
Sarah H.

Yes, the beer is good. Very good in fact, my beer snob partner took home a growler of the black double IPA he enjoyed it so much. However, you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you do not try the bloody mary. It was honestly the most delicious bloody mary I've ever had and I've had a lot of bloody marys. Also, the bartender was nice and fun and it was enjoyable to spend a Sunday afternoon chatting with him.
(5)
Kaitlyn D.

We had our rehearsal dinner here this past weekend in their private party room. The whole experience was really great. I worked closely with Kathy to customize the menu. She was timely in responding to e-mails, helpful, and overall I'm really happy with the outcome. The food and drinks were tasty and affordable. To go above and beyond, after our rehearsal Kathy gave me two glasses from the brewery to take home. I thought that was a really nice touch and now I'll always have a memory from our rehearsal dinner. If you are looking for a fun place to host a party, I really recommend checking out the Brewery.
(5)
Dusty K.

I'm all for fairness when writing a review. But issues must be pointed out to improve and learn from mistakes. A site like Yelp really helps as most visitors are probably tourists who have one shot at a nice lunch. This place doesn't deliver whether food or drink. Our table of 10 struggled with the food. It came out 2 or 3 meals at a time and so slowly that 8 people had finished eating by the time the last 2 people received their food. It's pretty clear they don't have things together in back of house. The taste of the food left a lot to be desired. Everything was dull with no dishes standing out from flavor. The large pretzel, while fun, didn't have salt on top. It's these type of details that left a bad taste in our mouth when added up. Combining the flavor of the beer, the food, and the general service, I won't be visiting here again on repeat trips to this little town. I like the idea but not much else.
(1)
David R.

Good people, good beer, good location - in the heart of downtown Galena, IL, which is a Harpers Ferry-like old town (albeit larger than Harpers Ferry) in northwest Illinois (home of Ulysses S. Grant). I hadn't planned on taking the tour, but as they were so enthusiastic about it while I was drinking my second IPA, I just had to join them. The brewmaster is a recent college grad, very well spoken and intelligent and he conducted a relaxed, informative tour. The beers are good, not great, although I did enjoy their "Cream Ale," which invokes thoughts of Genny Cream Ale (enough to send shivers down the spine of any beer fan). But Galena's cream ale was smooth and light; they call it "their version of Bud Light" (I would consider that an insult, but it was infinitely better than Bud, or Miller, Light). The food is basic brew pub fare; some of the other Yelp reviews act as if this should be a four star restaurant. There are plenty of other food first, alcohol second spots in this town. Besides, how can you not like a place that offers bone marrow on its tapas menu? And if that's not enough, their sandwich list includes a peanut butter and jam sandwich (and it's not the kid's menu). I had the grilled cheese, perfect for soaking up the ? number of IPAs and cream ales I had......well worth the trip.
(4)
Maggie W.

I love craft beer, and am getting into the habit of stopping by local breweries when I travel to new places. Galena Brewing Company did not disappoint. I tried the Cream Ale, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale and Stout, all of them were delicious! (Not a fan IPAs, so I skipped that one.) We bought a growler of Cream Ale to take home with us on the last day we were in town. We did not try the food, as both times we were there (after 9pm), the kitchen was closed.
(4)
Rhonda G.

Yikes. I'm not sure what's happening here. This place wants to be vibrant and fun but it appears to have left quite the opposite impression on me.The Musical act was not very good and they were using some of those preset tunes from a Casio keyboard (not the venues fault but perhaps they should research their acts better and take a look at the age group of the crowd). The beer is good but it tasted like any old beer and not like we were drinking it in the place it was made, make sense? Food is mediocre and i'm not quite sure the people running the joint actually know what tapas are. Food options were kind of lame, atmosphere in the place is very blah, the space is large and feels like a warehouse. Overall just very boring and not what you would expect from a brewery/restaurant. ps. The staff was nice though
(2)
James R.

My wife and I attended the Valentines Day Beer and food pairing this past weekend. We had a wonderful time. It started with a tour of the Brewery by the Brew Master himself. Then the meal was done over five courses, each one coming with a beer hand selected by the Brew Master to accentuate the flavors of the food and vice versa. It was a good time. We ended up going back the next day to get a better taste on some of the beers we liked. Just like every brewery, they had beers I liked and ones I don't. I love stouts and was not impressed with theirs at all. Their Heffeweizen was excellent! The service was slow. During the dinner there were long down times between courses, I didn't want to ruin my palate by drinking too many beers, but I found myself wanting to order one while waiting, unfortunately I was never asked if I would like a beer. At the end of the meal, it took a long time for us to get our check and then when we did get it, it took a long time for the server to come back and collect it. Even the next day when we went back, the place was empty and we had some down time waiting on getting served. Overall I enjoyed it. I plan on going back.
(4)
Jessica H.

Meh, this place was just okay. Stopped in for a quick bite to eat while touring around Galena last weekend. Service was fine. The beer my husband had was tasty but I didn't really care for mine. The food was definitely just okay - nothing to write home about. Not a standout at all as far as bar food goes. The atmosphere was . . .confused. Old photographs of the town line the walls and you can see all of the brewing equipment, which I liked. They had an odd setup in the back corner of the bar where there was a full set of kitchen cabinets and wet bar without any separation from the patrons - weird. They had two TVs featuring sports and one featuring . . . The Flying Nun? Again, a little weird.
(2)
Meghan H.

looong wait for food, but good service. our waiter felt bad for how long it took for us to get our meals and kept apologizing, which is a nice alternative to the waiters who usually ignore the table in these situations. when we did get the food, it was decent. the bread that they brought out while we were waiting was probably better tasting than the meals...the ingredients used did seem fresh, the food just seemed dull. the atmosphere of this place was quite clean and stylish in a trendy bar kind of way. the location was prime - right amongst the other shops in downtown Galena. I'd see myself coming back here when in town - it's a good option if you're looking for some standard American grub.
(3)
Nick S.

I'm gonna start off by saying i am a brewer and a beer geek. I have visited many breweries and i have tasted hundreds if not a thousand beers in my time. when me and my old lady visited this brewery i didnt have any idea what to expect. we started off with a sampler of their year round brews....they were very well brewed. all the beers were clean and well fermented . The two that shined the brightest were the ipa and the brown ale. the ipa was very west coast in style with a huge hop nose and dry finish. the brown was....well heaven in a shaker pint! Roasty yet slightly sweet but not cloying, the aroma was toffey and brown sugar. I liked the brown so much i ended up emailing the brew master for the recipe and with in a day or two he graciously shared it with me. if you like beer and are in the area do yourself a favor and go. oh yeah the nachos were pretty good too...not outstanding but good.
(4)
Meghan S.

This is a review just of the beers and brewery tour; we didn't stay for food. The brews were really good, with plenty of selection for a microbrewery. We paid $5 each for the brewery tour, which included a beer for you to take on the tour with you (a great deal seeing as the beers were about $5-6 each anyway). The tour itself was only okay. It was 25 minutes, and pretty standard. If you've gone on a brewery tour before, you've probably learned everything that they will tell you here (other than the Galena specific history, which was only about the last 2-3 minutes). However, given the price, it was good! Someone near us asked that since they already bought/finished the beer that came with the tour, could they buy another (normally $6.50) beer for the $5 price, and the bartender said sure...so they're really accommodating! We didn't try it ourselves, but we saw it work!
(4)
Ozzie T.

Overall a nice place, but...the food bad, the service very friendly, the beer okay, and in a nutshell it's like the brewery that's confused about being a brewery and ignoring a key recipe of history that it can truly leverage. Rarely do I not finish my meal. The beer was not enough to keep Waldo's attention.
(1)
Allison C.

The beer? Amazing! My husband and I split the sampler, which came with the normal selection and some seasonals. Each beer was unique and nicely flavored. The food? Mediocre at best. We split some tapas. We had mushroom caps, which were quite good. DO NOT order the empanada. It's not an empanada. It's phyllo dough covered in gravy, stuffed with oversalted filling. I'm not exactly sure what the filling was. Galena Brewery is a good time. Come for the beer. Leave for the food.
(4)
Doug K.

Great local flavors, decent food. Definitely worth stopping in!
(4)
Meg S.

An amazing little gem in the middle of Galena. Good food and great beer! That's all you need, right? They had some live acoustic entertainment while we were there which was very nice and added to a cozy ambiance. Galena is far from home but I would travel there just to go to this place again!
(5)
Mandy K.

Great location right on Main Street. Beers are decent. They are smart and have a section for people who just want a drink separate from the restaurant. I can't comment on the food because I only had one pint of beer. The IPA I had was pretty good and the bartender was helpful and friendly.
(3)
Melanie R.

Just visited Galena and thought we'd try this place for dinner on a Monday evening. We walked in and beside front greeter's desk there was a sign that said "seat yourself". Beyond that desk is a huge, open industrial type room with a bunch of tables and at one end, a huge bar with 3 TVs. We looked around and saw there were only two other couples seated, so we pretty much had our choice where to sit. We saw no waitstaff at all. It was really weird...no one to welcome or greet you. Not a good sign. We sat down and a waiter did come over and ask if we'd been there before. When we said no, he explained about their beers, so that was all good. And he did bring my husband a couple of tastings when he wasn't sure which beer to get. We ordered our food - we started with the beer bread, which was good, but since it was fresh out of the oven, it was crumbly when we cut it. You try to cut a slice and it crumbled all over the bread board. The server also didn't bring us any plates or napkins and cutlery, so we were eating chunks of the bread over the table and then using our cocktail napkins to wipe our hands. For dinner, I had the thai chicken flatbread and my husband had the Cuban sandwich. Both were pretty disappointing, especially for the price. The chicken on my flatbread was in huge even chunks, so I'm assuming it was frozen stuff that the restaurant merely thaws out; not freshly cooked there at the restaurant. And what made the flatbread "thai" was a watery chili sauce that dripped all over the plate every time I picked up a piece to take a bite. My husband said his Cuban sandwich tasted just "OK" and was really small for the price. He ate the whole thing in a few minutes and he's not a big guy. The next evening we ate at Durty Gurt's, which was much better ambiance, service, price and food-wise. So, if you're looking for a casual dinner in Galena, go next door to Durty Gurt's instead of this place. I'm assuming Galena Brewing Company is a decent place on weekends for a beer and an appetizer, but that's it.
(2)
Chelsea P.

Amazing food and beer! My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner in the private party room last year and they were so accommodating! We didn't have time to get there and set up prior to the dinner so they decorated the place for us. They were very attentive and gave great service. Linda, the owner, was very helpful in planning the party, as well. Will continue to go back for the fantastic service, delicious food and one-of-a-kind beer!
(5)
Gina S.

The stars are really for the beer. GREAT IPAs. Wish they sold this more broadly, like in Chicago? The food, unfortunately, was not good at all. We got wings and nachos. First of all, they did not a great selection, which is why we chose these classic bar dishes. My fiance's wings were not slathered in sauce as much as half-splashed. They were baked instead of fried, which I guess is healthier, but not what we were expecting. Then the nachos. Stale tortilla chips + tasteless cheese + insufficient sour cream on the side + guacamole I paid extra for that looked like it had just been squeezed from a tube. Sad face. The ambiance has potential. It's almost "there"....the modern post-industrial there, that is. But something about the layout...the [good] dark wood features with the [bad] plastic-top tables...the [good] modern exposed pipes with the [bad] bright tvs playing sports....it was like they were stuck between trying to appeal to a hipper clientelle and and the older, suburbanite clientelle that just wants to watch the Bears win. It just didn't work.
(2)
Katie S.

We have a thing for microbreweries. Actually all breweries, but that's beside the point. We stopped in on an early season Saturday and it was busy, but not packed. The hostess recommended we sit in the lounge chairs that are awkwardly off to the side to have a couple drinks. We weren't sure we could get served there, so we loitered around the bar until someone took pity on us and scooted their party down a seat so we could have two together. We each ordered a beer and it was good. Pretty good actually. Good enough that I wanted to investigate more and I ordered the seasonal flight. I'm not usually a dark beer fanatic, but I decided to branch out. 2 were pretty good and I'd drink again, 2 were just ok, and two were pretty bad - at least for my taste. I will say that the beers were as advertised, meaning that if they said it tastes like whiskey and chocolate, then it really did. We ultimately ended up with a growler to go - sealed so it was legal to walk with. The service was pretty poor actually. I understand that it was busy enough to keep the bartenders on their feet, but acknowledging the patrons sitting at the bar is usually a wise choice. After the first beer, no one ever asked us if we wanted another. We even pushed our glasses to the inside edge of the bar - I thought that was universal bar code for "yes, I'd like another". It took about 10 minutes for someone to stop doing dishes or filling server orders first and work on my flight, but that person proceeded to fill two more server orders first, even after I had ordered. This trend continued with the additional beers that were ordered. Since I'm over 21, I shouldn't have to beg for beer that I'm willing to pay for. I should mention that it's not a huge bar, and there were at least 4 people behind the bar at all times. I would hate to be in here when it's actually busy. They did have a live band coming in later and it was decorated scantily, but you'd somewhat expect that of a brewery. Some of the servers had on a shirt that had a red stripe on it, with the phrase "we had it first". Fun fact: Red Stripe beer was originally from Galena, Illinois. It was sold and then taken to Jamaica. Who knew? I'd come back for more beer, but we'd probably just get a couple growlers to go.
(3)
Sean W.

Best to start with a flight of 6 for $10... great way to try a bunch at once. They steakhouse potato salad is awesome... I could get that as a main dish. Service was great, atmosphere is good to get in a reals from the main street. We had the cuban and the taco salad, both excellent. Fun Fact: Red Stripe beer was originally created here and then a British company bought it and moved it to Jamaica.
(4)
Amy K.

Beer: ordered Anna Belle IPA and it was extremely cloudy. We thought it was just the way the beer was, until we ordered a second one and it was an amber color. It seems like a brewery would have higher quality control standards. Food: terrible! My chicken wrap resembled a lunchable with fake, precooked chicken tenders from the Aldi freezer section. It even had the fake grill lines. The potato salad was decent. Environment was fun.
(2)
Kathleen C.

We visited Galena Brewery when we were in town for a wedding. It was chilly out and we had run out of other sightseeing activities, so we figured we'd stop in. It was a bit confusing...there wasn't anywhere to check in initially (we asked at the gift shop and we were directed to the bar and at the bar, no one really helped...). Finally, we caught the eye of one of the bartenders and she came over to help us. We wanted a tour and they told us they didn't have any scheduled (which didn't match the big sign stating tour times....confusion again...). However, they figured things out and we ended up with a free beer for our trouble. Once the tour started, we were astonished at how informational it was. I've been to a bunch of tours, including a Coors tour as well as other large breweries. This tour was quite informative and we learned all sorts about the process as well as the history of the building and this particular brewery. One of the best brewery tours I've been on! The brewery is small, so the tour wasn't very long. We decided to have a beer and a snack before we figured out a plan for dinner. I would say skip the food, stick with the beer and just relax here instead of making it your dinner destination. They do sometimes have live music, which is fun. All in all, a cute spot and worth a visit, but the food is just ok.
(4)
Shawn B.

My wife and I spent a weekend down in Galena for our anniversary and this was our favorite spot! We stopped in twice during our visit, first time to try a couple of beers later to listen to an outstanding band that played primarily Jimmy Buffett covers. Beers were all outstanding and bartenders were both helpful and on top of their game. At night it was great to sit and have beer with good band that was just the rift volume to be able to talk to each other or choose to sit and listen. If we make it back to Galena this will be a stopping point for sure!
(5)
Jesse G.

Galena Brewing Company is a really nice place to visit when in town. They have an excellent selection of beers, including seasonal ones that you probably won't find in grocery stores. The brewery was recently remodeled with the bar being moved off to the side, giving patrons a good view of the equipment used to make the beer. The beer flights allow people to experience all the different types of beer sold by the brewery. The food they have is good but the selection is a bit limited. It's mainly sandwiches and other forms of pub food.
(4)
Matthew M.

Jenna was an excellent waitress; very knowledgeable of the drinks and food. This is a great place for groups to relax and have some good brews. I recommend Anna Belle's IPA for any hop lovers out there. Great place to stop by in downtown Galena.
(5)
Eric B.

Stopped in while visiting Galena for the day. Great craft beers and a really cool atmosphere
(5)
Julia F.

I so hoped to share a more positive review of the Galena Brewery since we've been 'meaning' to check it out for years, but unfortunately that won't be the case. The atmosphere is fun and we visited on a Saturday evening so it was fairly full. We found a table (it's all seat yourself) and awaited the arrival of a waiter. That finally came after about 15 minutes at which time we were finally presented with menus. **note to managers - it would be a great idea to have your hostess seat guests with both drink and food menus in hand** We didn't see the waiter for another 10 minutes so when he finally did stop by again we were ready and ordered drinks, appetizers and main dishes all at once. 25 minutes into seating the drinks finally got there. Ironically, the table next to us arrived only a few minutes after we did and hadn't YET seen a waiter or waitress. (I'd hate to see their review). In good spirits they turned to us and ask how much we'd take to let them buy them. We all chuckled, unfortunately. At this point we were just hoping a great appetizer would make everything worth the wait ... Wha wha wha... our beer cheese soup appetizer arrived with our Meal, delivered by someone we hadn't yet seen. For a brewery, getting beer cheese soup right should be a no-brainer but boy was I wrong. It was so thin, running even like a broth instead of rich and creamy. And while there was plenty of Beer taste present the cheese was entirely missing from the flavors!! It was a small bowl and I didn't finish it. I will say the flat bread beef and blue was tasty and that's really the only reason I'm giving two stars instead of one. We quickly finished, flagged down our waiter (who hadn't shown up again since delivering the drinks ONCE earlier) and ask for the bill. He was quick to get that. Too many other great food and service places in town to waste our time here ever again.
(2)
Philip G.

Haven't been to Galena in a number of years and was happy to see a brewpub in town on Main St. Enjoyed Anna Belle's IPA and the seasonal cherry stout. Food was above average for pubfare. The side salad was more that iceberg lettuce or chopped endive, rather it included a variety of greens. Complimentary bread was more than just white or other rolls; it was a small loaf of a whole grain bread. My wife had the beef and portabella sandwich and I enjoyed the cod fillet dinner. So, if you're in Galena and looking for brewpub, give Galena Brewing Company a try.
(4)
Greg N.

Great beer. Good food. Good the beer sampler and fish and chips with the chocolate cake a la mode.
(4)
Jackie W.

Galena Brewing Company did not disappoint. I recently spent the weekend in Galena with my family and we stopped at Galena Brewing Company twice in short time we were there. The beer is amazing (if you enjoy craft beer). We also had the pretzel bites with the mustard sauce and the chocolate stout sauce and it was sooooo good. We also had the hummus! The staff was polite and friendly and so were the owners!
(5)
John P.

#tourist This place is exactly what I was looking for. Good beer, good food, great environment. Perfect place for lunch on your first weekend trip to Galena.
(4)
Eric E.

I made a pit stop after doing Charles Mound and before heading off to Mississippi Palisades. I'll also note that my review is incomplete at best. There was a busy biking event in and around Galena today so I only popped in for five minutes. I breezed through the menu and chose a beer to buy and bring home. Chose Uly's Chocolate Dark. The taste is gritty and unexpecting. The aftertaste is another story, the malty chocolate lingers and offers a pleasant rebound. The only other item I can comment on is the ambiance. GB offers a large, open room with a long bar spanning the backside of the establishment. A couple of large party rooms are also available. The mood and noise level were acceptable, but I thought it was a little too dark. Let's just say I wouldn't have set it up like this. If we head back to Galena I'd like to try their food and some of their other crafts. Give them a chance. Cheers.
(3)
Jack P.

First, I must say that I have not sampled much of the food here. I did have an Italian beef sandwich, which was passable But, the best part of coming to the Galena brewery is the bartender. Wherever I live, I always hope to have a favorite bartender. And that is certainly the case at The Galena brewery. His name is David. He is outgoing, helpful, and always a pleasure to be around. Of course, we need to mention the variety of beers which are available here. There are always many choices, from Weiss beers to very hoppy beers to very dark ales. Prices are moderate, and the atmosphere is festive and conducive to an evening of enjoyment. Weekends bring live music, which is really a fun, as well. So if you're in Galena, and in the mood for local craft beers and entertainment, make a stop here.
(4)
Jasper F.

Monday through Wednesday is $3 pint specials, a best value in town, this Summer they've had $2 shandy. The rest of the week, pints are $3.50-6, still a great value given the superb quality. They've an amazing variety of beers, particularly the Uly's Stout, one of the best stouts in the country. I've had the food here on many occasions, the sandwiches are nice, you get one side, so the price isn't as value driven as a few other places in town, but it's not outrageous. I think sometimes the service is quirky, you may have to wave them down, but they're always friendly enough. They'll give you a sample of a beer if you want. They've wifi just ask for the password.
(4)
Hillary M.

Our group had mixed reviews of the Galena Brewing Co. The BF really enjoyed the beer flight but others thought it was only so-so, our lumberjack friend was disappointed there wasn't a burger on the menu (seems like a pub staple), my buffalo chicken wrap was tasty but the neighbor-friend gave her sandwich a thumbs down. Unfortunately it was just not quite the craft beer experience we were hoping for.
(2)
Amy P.

This is our second visit. We first went the Galena Brewing Company after it opened and just went back today. Now I realize why we hadn't been back. Its really so... unremarkable. We started with the beer cheese soup which I was really looking forward to on a cold day. While the flavor was good, the consistency was watery. I expected a thicker soup. For the main course I had the beef and portabella sandwich with fries. This was ok, but generally speaking very bread-y and not much beef.. there were only a few small pieces of mushrooms. In comparison to
(2)
Amanda K.

I had higher expectations for this place. When we first walked in there was a sign up that read, "GO Seat Yourself" yet there was a what looked to be a manager standing there at the podium. I felt like this wasn't very welcoming or customer friendly. The restaurant was very open and noisy and I think it would be better if they offered some outdoor seating. Our server wasn't very friendly and didn't really provide us with any recommendations so we were left to guess for ourselves what beers we should try. The food is pretty standard American fare but I've definitely had better. The experience was ok, the beer was good but I have definitely experienced better customer service and food elsewhere.
(2)
Kati R.

Our food was good, but our waitress was TERRIBLE! I really enjoyed the wings and beer soup, my friend got pulled pork which was good, someone else got the BBQ pizza, they said it needed more sauce. Beer was delicious, and the place was charming inside. I asked what was included in the flight of beer and our waitress explained it in 10 words or less. She did not bring silverware, napkins, or water. She didn't ask us if we needed anything, take any plates, or even say you're welcome back to us. She only had 5 tables, and it seemed the bar tender took most of them. Service means a lot to me, and I probably won't go back.
(2)
Duane A.

I feel bad giving Galena Brewery just two stars. I've never had a bad dining experience here. But the food and beer is unremarkable to average. Can I give this a low 3 instead? No? I've had the humus platter here. I liked it, but it wasn't anything I couldn't have assembled by doing some shopping at the Pig (that's Piggly Wiggly for the uninitiated. Why doesn't Yelp have a built in spellcheck for uninitiated?) I've had the bratwurst. Again, I liked it, but I can also go to Weber's and get some deli-fresh bratwurst. The beers here are the usual craft beer fare. I like dark beers: porters and stouts. Especially when I can taste the flavor of the grain used in the malt. I don't find them quite heavy enough for my tastes. I've had a couple of ales as well, and they're a bit too hoppy. But that's what is in right now. So take that for what its worth. Service is really good, some really friendly people on staff here. That's what ultimately made me bump up to three stars.
(3)
Amanda C.

We went in and did the tour first. Short and sweet..only took about 25 minutes but the guide was knowledgable and funny. $5 for the tour ( including a beverage) We then decided to eat. I had the Philly Beef and Bleu flatbread and my boyfriend had the Beef and Portabella sandwich and the potato salad. I really enjoyed my flat bread!! Their roast beef is amazing! Several of their dishes include it and now I know why. It wasn't dry; it was moist and had a great flavor. Top it off, my flatbread crust was cooked to perfection with just enough crisp but not enough to make it dry. As for my boyfriend's sandwich, they STUFFED it with roast beef with a few red peppers and mushrooms with a cup of au jus. The potato salad was a new flavor--it had a smoky taste to it. It was also good, but he said he preferred my flatbread. As for the atmosphere, it was pretty chill. We went on a Friday night and it wasn't busy. Our server came when needed. They have a few TVs to watch sports and a live band on Friday and Saturday nights.
(4)
Nick S.

Did the seasonal flight. Tasty beers. Big fan of the Italian beef slider and soup -- it's nice to have something to eat that doesn't stuff you. So many brewpubs seem to think that, if you like beer, you want to pig out. I just wanted something to go with the beer, and everything on the menu we tried was pretty great. The baked wings are flipping tasty, as well. Totally not greasy, surprisingly moist, and full of flavor. The blue cheese dressing with it had big chunks of blue cheese, as well. The Yelp check-in special was a little difficult to cash in, though -- beware the total loss of signal within the brewery, as well as within most of Galena. Bonus points to the waitress who overheard my worry that my phone was dying and pulled out a charger for me.
(4)
Karolina T.

Came here for the Bear's first pregame because they have decent TVs compared to other places in the town. The beer was surprisingly good. We had the flight of beer and were amazed that it included 6 of their regular beers and was SOOOO CHEAP!
(4)
Julie R.

Galena Brewery- it's more than just beer. They have some great apps and a tasty Bloody Mary. Their beers are also delicious. I especially love that they are constantly rotating their beers and also creating new, seasonal varieties. I'd recommend starting off with a flight that sounds most to your liking, try all of them, and then order a pint of your favorite one! I usually go for the "Blue Moon-like" option- such a girl! It's also in a prime location on Main Street. Very convenient to stop for a quick beer between shops, restaurants, and galleries. There's always ample seating to rest your tired paws. They also have a gift shop if you would like to do some shopping while drinking. ;) When we are in Galena and we need to watch a sports game- this is the hubs locale of choice. They are usually able to play whatever game his little heart desires. What I'm NOT a fan of is the ambiance. It always 'feels' empty and cold. I think it's a combination of "ware-house look", quiet or lack of music, lot's of grouchy old people, and actually being, well, cold. Perhaps it's ideal for beer brewing... let's just install some fire-pits in the middle of this warehouse?
(4)
Samantha R.

Every time I visit Galena I make sure to stop here. I always go here with another couple. So we usually get the flight and share it. The beer is delish! I don't like every single beer but the guys in our group sure did. The food is great. I always have the beer cheese soup. It is always good. I love the chunks of potato in the soup. My go - to is the veggie flatbread. I love the big chunks of portobello and cherry tomatoes. But I have to say that the best part of the flatbread is the balsamic that is drizzled on top. It's the whole reason I order this dish. It is paired so well with everything on the flat. As for the other dishes. The baked wi gs are great. The group always gets them. I am not a wing person bit everyone gets them every time we go. So they must be good. They are not deep fried which is great! Try the chicken tenders if you are nervous about picking something out. Like the wings the tenders are baked with an oatmeal breading! It is so amazing! These taste just like you made them at home. I have zero complaints about Galena brewery. Go here if you love food and beer and a fun atmosphere.
(5)
Kevin B.

This place would probably get a zero from me if I was not judging the beer. For that, it deserves 3 stars. Service is a big fat 0 and the food is a big fat 0. Our server was a bit more interested in flirting with a few guys at the bar than serving the customers at the tables. When we did get served our food, I wish we hadn't. We both got the beer cheese soup. What a salt bomb that was! It was basically inedible. And as for our main meal, I got the cuban sandwich and my wife got a taco salad. The salad was flavorless according to my wife and my sandwich tasted like fish. If our server ad come around, I would had sent it back. Oh, and the sweet potato tots? Don't bother, they're little balls of soft/mashed sweet potatoes. What a waste of time, money, and calories. But if you love beer and LOUD MUSIC, you'll love it.
(1)
GoPar P.

Came to Galena Brewing for our first time since the lunch menu sounded really good and I love craft beers. Say down and ordered the IPA. It was fairly good. Boyfriend and I both ordered the beer bread as an appetizer and the Cuban for our meal... Tic-toc tic-toc... Getting a tad frustrated as I watched others sit down and get served drinks then appetizers!!! Uh, where's ours?!?! As we continued to wait, I overheard another table complain that one beer was "unbearable". Don't know which beer that was or if they had a palette for craft beers but, again, my IPA was good. Finally flagged down our waitress about 20 minutes after we ordered food (mind you she never once stopped by our table in that span to ask if we needed anything while we sat or that our food would be out soon). She came out with our Cubans, then we had to remind her that we ordered an appetizer too. I asked for the manager. She apologized and said they were slammed. Looking around there were empty tables and more than enough staff. Oh well... Food was decent though. But from the terrible service, I probably won't be back for a very very long time. Oh wait... They actually forgot some of the sides to our meals too. Might have gotten 2 stars if they didn't botch that up too.
(1)
Lauren R.

I was there this past Saturday with a Bachelorette party. We went to a few bars, and this was one of our favorites!! We thought the beer was excellent, and we loved that they had mini irish car bombs! It was the perfect amount!! Also, the band we saw was AWESOME! One of the guys played a saw in one of the songs! Yes, a saw!! We even bought some creole seasoning they were selling as it smelled amazing. We were especially impressed with the service. The manager was exceptionally nice, and just plain awesome!! We are very thankful for the excellent service and the sweet cups we got there!! Beer me!! ;)
(5)
Alana I.

OWNER ISSUES: The Yelp Check-In deal was not really a check-in deal at all. When we tried to use it for 50% off wings, the server got the manager. The owner/manager very defensively told me that she thought the check-in deal was merely an advertisement, not a discount coupon. (I even showed her how I could check in and then "use" the deal.). She said it was just advertising their wings-a-palooza for $10 on weekdays. -which doesn't even need a yelp deal to begin with! Why bother trying to find internet somewhere (very difficult in Galena) to check in if you would get the same deal without it!? We went on a Friday, but the check-in deal doesn't mention that it can only be used on the weekdays. It just says that they have wings-a-palooza on weekdays under a different section than the 50% off wings deal to download. Erg. After a heated discussion with the owner (the server had never seen the check-in yelp deal before... odd - you should probably train the servers to recognize deals out there), I informed the owner that we would leave if she would not honor the yelp deal. Our beer flight had already come out, but we had not touched it yet. She asked if we wanted wings. I told her that we did, and she said they'd be "on the house." After ultimately ordering other things and staying, the wings were charged as $10, not "on the house" as the owner had said. At least they did something to try and keep us (honored the original deal), but don't lie about giving us free wings... Geez. We ended up ordering other foods that were decent, for the most part. FOOD: *Parmesan wings - large portion, ok taste - decent parmesan and pepper topping. Quite fatty. Served with ranch and blue cheese but no veggies. *"Bosco Stix" - breadsticks with cheese in the middle served with marinara sauce - delicious! My complaint with these is that the server asked me if I wanted 2 or 4, but she failed to mention that after 8pm, you could get 4 for $5 (vs. 2 for $4). Most servers in restaurants I've been to always mention the deals going on. Alas, here, they did not. *Beer bread with honey butter - decent, but a bit bitter. The honey butter did the trick. A small loaf for $3. DESSERT: *Root beer float - to die for!!! I loved it. The root beer was not too sharp, with the perfect carbonation and sweetness. I also used part of the ice cream in my little stout glass from my sampler to make a mini-stout float. Mmm! *Cheesecake - meh. My fiancÃ© loves cheesecake, and I had high hopes for this one, especially since it was infused with stout. Unfortunately, it had WAY too much orange zest. My fiancÃ© said he thought they used the zest from an entire orange and wouldn't even have a second bite. Sad! :( BEER - decent. Coming from the Portland, OR area (tons of microbreweries), we have high beer standards. The beer was pretty good. If just graded on beer, I'd probably have given the place 5 stars. I especially liked the brown ale, one of the guest taps, and the stout. We got one sampler with all their regular beers (6) and one with their 4 guest beers. Pretty yummy. SERVICE - ok. Our waitress was a bit rude at first when she stared at my ID for far too long (yes, I know it's a different state, but I'm 30, not 18, and she should see IDs from all states since Galena is a tourist town after all). Also, her utter confusion with the Yelp deal was odd to me. But, after I got that taken care of, she did a good job checking in with us. But, she never once refilled my water. It was completely empty by the end. We still gave her an 18% tip. It wasn't her fault the owner is mean and defensive. Maybe the service in the Midwest isn't as good as our Northwest service?
(3)
Nick B.

Typically my favorite spot to visit when I'm in Galena. The food is alright(I'd recommend the BBQ'd Pork Sandwich) the beer is excellent. However our last trip there was underwhelming to say the least. We usually order flights of beer rather than pints and the flights came half full(some maybe a quarter full) and we were told this was because of a new law in Illinois. Not sure if this is true or now. However, later that night at another bar in Illinois we ordered flights with the same number of beers and they came full. If the flights are supposed to come half full they should at least make sure the glasses are actually half full. Some of them barely held a sip or two and all were filled to different levels. Just looked tacky. If a state law screwed you over, that's fine...but at least make the presentation look decent.
(3)
Duely Y.

Came here from a road trip to Chestnut Mountain and had to see what Galena can brew and I had to have the Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. I thought this beer was very tasty and if you like dark beer, such as Guiness, then this is the beer for you. It had a lot of hop in it, but it was not flat like a Guiness. It had some fizz to it, but it wasn't really carbonated. Not sure if it's from the chocolate, but I like it! There was also a live band playing, so it made the night very entertaining. I'm only going to a give it a 3 star rating, only because I didn't came for the food. I didn't get that full dining experience, so I can't really go higher than that.
(3)
Michelle K.

BONE MARROW ON TOAST. They have it on the menu. They have a lot of tasty-looking things on the menu, but the marrow on toast caught my eye because I've always wanted to try it. It looked scary. It tasted rich and salty and delicious, but it did look a little scary. Just close your eyes while eating it and all will be well. My companion and I also shared the Stuffed Mushrooms and the Apple Bacon Cheddar Crostini. The mushrooms were good (fairly standard), and the crostini tasted like Wisconsin. But in a good way. I don't know what that means. The beer was decent, the service was lovely, and the prices were surprisingly affordable for touristy Galena. Stop in and have some bone marrow for me!
(4)
Beth S.

The good: The beer was okay; the beet salad and pulled pork were good. The bad: Pretty much everything else. The restaurant was unbelievably warm (I should have known better when we walked in and saw other patrons fanning themselves with menus), and the service was barely mediocre. We were there for 25 minutes before our drinks were brought over, and even then it took 2 requests to get ice water along with our beverages. The beer bread had no flavor, and we sent the soup back because it tasted disgusting. (And really, who charges extra if you want another loaf of bread? Especially bread that's nothing special??) The chicken wings came with the wrong sauce (hot instead of mild), and we never even offered refills on our empty drinks. All in all, a pretty terrible experience.
(2)
Josh N.

I must insist that you go to this place if you are in Galena. The servers are expert guides on the menu. Ordered the beer flight which gave me 7 (6 oz) tastings of their beer, Only $10 well worth it.
(5)
Larry B.

A fun venue. Went there last Sat nite and enjoyed the Blues band who were very good. Tried the beer, the IPA isnt bad and the Nut Brown is quite good. I did not try the food. I woudl go there for the live music.
(3)
Brian K.

Pretty good beer that keeps getting better
(4)
Mette B.

Stopped in while in town about a month ago... WORST SERVICE that I've ever experienced. We were ignored completely for the majority of the meal. Our entire table had empty glasses and no one even asked if we wanted another or were ready to check out. And what kind of a bar menu doesn't even have a burger on it? Even without a burger, the menu was quite small and very strange, although I was happy to see that they did have multiple vegetarian and gluten free options. (That's the only reason for the second star.) The beer was pretty good, but not at all worth coming in for.
(2)
holly b.

We were out for dinner, and I had a Galena Heifweizen (excuse the spelling mistake, I just don't have the energy to get up and look in the fridge to find out the correct spelling) and I'm not going to lie, it was GOOD! I am allergic to a lot of beers and I was so happy to find one that I enjoyed and didn't have a negative affect on my allergies. Fast forward to the next morning, we are getting ready to come back to Chicago, and I called Galena Brewing Company wanting to get a case to bring back. They didn't have a case available, but quickly bottled 24 beers and called me to say that they were able to put together a case for me. Those beers really were the freshest beers I've ever had. The owners are great and are really trying to make Galena Brewing Company all that it can be. I look forward to having some beers there this summer.
(5)
Nic B.

We had dinner reservations at 6:00 at Perry Street Brasserie, but walked by the brewery at 5:30 as the Wisconsin Iowa football game was winding down. It was a nail biter, but Wisconsin pulled it out in the end - GO Badgers. So I had a good time here, but it had nothing to do with the service or the product. Of the two bartenders one kept his back turned to us, and I couldn't for the life of me catch his eye, the other finally took our order after being prompted by a waitress. Got a flight of 6 beers. Two of them were good, the rest were fairly mediocre beers. Nothing to write home about. That being said, the space itself is pretty cool. As we were leaving the owner made an announcement that he'd be giving a brewery tour. Plus I had a coupon for a free pint glass that I put to use. This place has some good stuff going for it, hopefully it just needs a bit of time to mature. I would come back, in hopes of being able to give a better rating.
(3)
Robb P.

Great beer! Good food! HORRIBLE service. I'm not sure why but the waitresses always seem unhappy and like your bothering them whenever you ask for anything. Never the less, this place is a fun place to hang out. I would recommend checking out some of the bands that they book on weekend nights. We've caught some really good rockabilly bands here..
(3)
Kristi A.

Even after reading a questionable review or two here, my husband and I decided to try this place on a visit to Galena. Ironically, we didn't try any of the beer because we were there for an early lunch and just didn't have the stomach for it yet, but we had a few of the tapas and an entree each. We had the apple/bacon/cheddar crostini, coconut chicken skewers, and the stuffed mushrooms from the tapas selections. The crostini were amazing, the chicken was very good (not too sweet, which many coconut-flavored things can be), and I liked the mushrooms (but my husband LOVED them). These tapas are definitely not traditional Spanish tapas, but the size and spirit of the little offerings has the same intentions. My husband ordered the Cuban sandwich and loved it (although not exactly like traditional Cubans that we've had at real Cuban places in Chicago and Miami). I got the flatbread (basically a long, thin crust pizza) with chicken, red onion, BBQ sauce, and cheddar, which was really huge compared to what I was expecting and awesome. The BBQ sauce was the best I've ever tasted- there was some kind of alcohol in it, and it was just awesome. The only thing is (and as I major cheese lover, I can barely believe I'm going to say this), there was almost too much cheese on it. I mean, not enough to make me upset about ordering it, but if you are not a major cheese lover, you might want to ask for easy cheese on this item. Overall, we were very happy with the food we ordered. Along with our meal also came a little loaf of their house beer bread, which was warm and yummy and had great beer flavor. As for service, we had a great server, although we were only one of 2 tables at lunch on a Monday, so I can't say we had a lot of competition for his attention. But he was funny and inviting, and was sure to let us know about the two things they were temporarily out of for the day before we ordered. We left full and happy!
(4)
M P.

This place is a mixed bag. Nice location and ambiance. Good for a couple, a group or a family. They were setting up a band on the night we were there, but we left before they started. Not to generalize, but I am assuming that like every other bar band, they were going to play at an annoying enough volume that you cannot talk to the person sitting next to you. Maybe I am wrong, but you don't bring that many speakers to play some nice background music. The beer is great. We had a group of 8 and tried a lot of their brews. Great IPA, Nut Brown and Amber. They also had a few seasonal beers that were very good. If going here for the beer alone, this is a 4 to 5 star place. The food is where thye are lacking a bit. The 2 lb pretzel is worth the visit. This thing is huge and the leftovers heated up well the next day. If I go again, it would be beer and the pretzel....that's about it. I will say that we had a few tapas trays and they were actually quite good too. Their main sandwiches were so-so. The worst was the Signature Pulled Pork Sandwich. There is no doubt that this is not made 'low and slow hand pulled pork.' This is the same garbage that every other restaurant serves out of a frozen 10 lb tub. I understand that you cannot make every item authentic, but do not put this as a 'Signature Item.' This should be buried deep in the menu and left there to die. Service was pretty good, but nothing too great. Would visit again, but would stick with the basics on the menu and avoid anything that sounds like they are making it themselves. It's most likely sitting in their freezer ready to make when you order.
(3)
Tim H.

Galena Brewing Company/Galena Brewery is AWESOME! The beers are awesome, the staff is awesome, and the decor is awesome. When we went, the second and third nights after opening, they only had two of the beers available. The two beers were both great. From Sean, the Brew Master, to Mike and Megan, the bartenders, the staff is incredible. They are very friendly and knowledgeable. Sean also give awesome tours of the brewing process. I would HIGHLY recommend going to the Brewery, and make sure to go when you can take a tour with the Brew Master.
(5)
Ann S.

Didn't like the beer or the food. Service was terrible and the menu is very uninspiring for a brew pub. This place is a tourist trap!
(1)
Tara M.

This place is ok. I really like the space itself, it's large and open and has a nice big bar with lots of seating. The beers were good, I always enjoy trying local brews. But the menu is weird. This place needs to figure out whether it wants to be a gastropub, or a brewery that serves traditional bar food. It should pick one or the other because it's too hard to do both. I say it should go the traditional bar food route and ramp up those offerings into good stuff. There's nothing wrong with regular bar food done really well. Plus, I wasn't thrilled with the beer cheese soup. It didn't taste much of cheese or beer.
(3)
steve i.

Wine and service sucked...no server should be rude because the wine is sent back
(1)
Austin P.

Beer was not yum. My wife got the Amber and I the Pale...could barely tell the difference in color or taste. Boring beer flava.
(2)
Michael H.

A classy brewery with some good choices on tap. I particularly liked the home-brewed stout.
(4)
Tom E.

Greg was fabulous behind the bar and the brewery tour was very informative and worth the time Steve wad great. Definitely worth the stop by....
(4)
Megan M.

We had a flight of 7 beer samples and enjoyed the current seasonal beers best. LOVED the stuffed mushrooms. The chicken wings (chose hot sauce) had minimal sauce, so our server brought us additional sauce for dipping. As served, the wings were moderately spicy, but with the additional sauce they were true hot wings. We also shared the Italian beef sandwich (ordered wet). It was okay, but I thought it was still dry. Would definitely return to try more on the tapas menu. Service was excellent. I only give it 4 stars because there was a band that was way too loud - especially at only 7 pm. Really good prices...our flight of samples was only $9.
(4)
Liz P.

Fun place to go in downtown. The menu is pretty limited but I think that is to be expected at a brewery.
(4)
Candy J.

Really great beers, very rich and full. Greg is awesome! Definitely do the brewery tour, it's fun and educational!
(5)
Betsy W.

Excellent tapas, delicious as could possibly be. Don't miss the goatcheese or the sweet potato empanada. Food was great. Our waitress, Rebeka? Not so much. She just didn't want to be there and it showed. One of our party had to work at finding something they weren't out of. It would have been nice if her verbal intro would have mentioned that. We know split checks are a pain, but they don't have to be, especially if you write the different amounts down, as Rebeka did. Still, they managed to arrive incorrectly. Overall, a good place to grab a brew and watch sporting events, and be pleasantly surprised if the service is good.
(3)
Adam H.

On a main street full of tourist trap candy stores and crying baby filled family eateries it was nice to come to a restaurant where it was quiet, comfortable, low key, and delicious. The service was great. Yes, we were one of two tables at the time but the server was friendlly, attentive, able to answer questions, and okay with my wife continually asking her to take pictures of us. The beer was great. I had three glasses of three different kinds. All good. I would have had a fourth but they were sold out of their stout which just won an award a couple weeks before thus making it popular at the moment. For food my wife and I first shared two tapas. A cream cheese tomato tartlet and a veggie spring roll. Both were delicious but the tartlet came out as the winner and actually the best thing I had all night. The contrast of creamy cheese, pastry, and tasty juicy tomatoes just worked. My entree was their BBQ pulled pork sandwich and homeade coleslaw. The slaw was a vinager based one and was perfect to put on the pork making my good sandwich even better. My girl got a veggie flatbread. Simple with a little vinager drizzle. Quite tasty. Overall this place is the best restaurant I tried during my stay in Galena. Their great beer, food, service, and laid back decor are all things I will be coming back for when in I'm next in town. Hopefully by then I'll be able to try their stout.
(4)
Roman M.

I would like to begin this review with a slight bias in that we did have a $25 restaurant.com certificate for this place that needed to be used up, so naturally we weren't as critical as if we were paying full price. But....truth be told, we absolutely loved it and would come back without the $25 coupon. We had the beer sample flight, the 5 tapas for $18 and two entrees. The food was very flavorful and fresh. The beers were well explained to us by our waitress and we felt welcomed by their service. The crowd was the typical professionals from both Chicago and the Dubuque/Galena/Platteville area. The ability to see employees making the beer in the back and the darkened, cozy seating area really made an intimate setting. My only quibble was that I would have liked to have a small description of the beers on the flight, because we totally forgot which beer was which once the waitress left.
(5)
Gina S.

The stars are really for the beer. GREAT IPAs. Wish they sold this more broadly, like in Chicago? The food, unfortunately, was not good at all. We got wings and nachos. First of all, they did not a great selection, which is why we chose these classic bar dishes. My fiance's wings were not slathered in sauce as much as half-splashed. They were baked instead of fried, which I guess is healthier, but not what we were expecting. Then the nachos. Stale tortilla chips + tasteless cheese + insufficient sour cream on the side + guacamole I paid extra for that looked like it had just been squeezed from a tube. Sad face. The ambiance has potential. It's almost "there"....the modern post-industrial there, that is. But something about the layout...the [good] dark wood features with the [bad] plastic-top tables...the [good] modern exposed pipes with the [bad] bright tvs playing sports....it was like they were stuck between trying to appeal to a hipper clientelle and and the older, suburbanite clientelle that just wants to watch the Bears win. It just didn't work.
(2)
Katie S.

We have a thing for microbreweries. Actually all breweries, but that's beside the point. We stopped in on an early season Saturday and it was busy, but not packed. The hostess recommended we sit in the lounge chairs that are awkwardly off to the side to have a couple drinks. We weren't sure we could get served there, so we loitered around the bar until someone took pity on us and scooted their party down a seat so we could have two together. We each ordered a beer and it was good. Pretty good actually. Good enough that I wanted to investigate more and I ordered the seasonal flight. I'm not usually a dark beer fanatic, but I decided to branch out. 2 were pretty good and I'd drink again, 2 were just ok, and two were pretty bad - at least for my taste. I will say that the beers were as advertised, meaning that if they said it tastes like whiskey and chocolate, then it really did. We ultimately ended up with a growler to go - sealed so it was legal to walk with. The service was pretty poor actually. I understand that it was busy enough to keep the bartenders on their feet, but acknowledging the patrons sitting at the bar is usually a wise choice. After the first beer, no one ever asked us if we wanted another. We even pushed our glasses to the inside edge of the bar - I thought that was universal bar code for "yes, I'd like another". It took about 10 minutes for someone to stop doing dishes or filling server orders first and work on my flight, but that person proceeded to fill two more server orders first, even after I had ordered. This trend continued with the additional beers that were ordered. Since I'm over 21, I shouldn't have to beg for beer that I'm willing to pay for. I should mention that it's not a huge bar, and there were at least 4 people behind the bar at all times. I would hate to be in here when it's actually busy. They did have a live band coming in later and it was decorated scantily, but you'd somewhat expect that of a brewery. Some of the servers had on a shirt that had a red stripe on it, with the phrase "we had it first". Fun fact: Red Stripe beer was originally from Galena, Illinois. It was sold and then taken to Jamaica. Who knew? I'd come back for more beer, but we'd probably just get a couple growlers to go.
(3)
Sean W.

Best to start with a flight of 6 for $10... great way to try a bunch at once. They steakhouse potato salad is awesome... I could get that as a main dish. Service was great, atmosphere is good to get in a reals from the main street. We had the cuban and the taco salad, both excellent. Fun Fact: Red Stripe beer was originally created here and then a British company bought it and moved it to Jamaica.
(4)
Kathleen C.

We visited Galena Brewery when we were in town for a wedding. It was chilly out and we had run out of other sightseeing activities, so we figured we'd stop in. It was a bit confusing...there wasn't anywhere to check in initially (we asked at the gift shop and we were directed to the bar and at the bar, no one really helped...). Finally, we caught the eye of one of the bartenders and she came over to help us. We wanted a tour and they told us they didn't have any scheduled (which didn't match the big sign stating tour times....confusion again...). However, they figured things out and we ended up with a free beer for our trouble. Once the tour started, we were astonished at how informational it was. I've been to a bunch of tours, including a Coors tour as well as other large breweries. This tour was quite informative and we learned all sorts about the process as well as the history of the building and this particular brewery. One of the best brewery tours I've been on! The brewery is small, so the tour wasn't very long. We decided to have a beer and a snack before we figured out a plan for dinner. I would say skip the food, stick with the beer and just relax here instead of making it your dinner destination. They do sometimes have live music, which is fun. All in all, a cute spot and worth a visit, but the food is just ok.
(4)
Shawn B.

My wife and I spent a weekend down in Galena for our anniversary and this was our favorite spot! We stopped in twice during our visit, first time to try a couple of beers later to listen to an outstanding band that played primarily Jimmy Buffett covers. Beers were all outstanding and bartenders were both helpful and on top of their game. At night it was great to sit and have beer with good band that was just the rift volume to be able to talk to each other or choose to sit and listen. If we make it back to Galena this will be a stopping point for sure!
(5)
Jesse G.

Galena Brewing Company is a really nice place to visit when in town. They have an excellent selection of beers, including seasonal ones that you probably won't find in grocery stores. The brewery was recently remodeled with the bar being moved off to the side, giving patrons a good view of the equipment used to make the beer. The beer flights allow people to experience all the different types of beer sold by the brewery. The food they have is good but the selection is a bit limited. It's mainly sandwiches and other forms of pub food.
(4)
Matthew M.

Jenna was an excellent waitress; very knowledgeable of the drinks and food. This is a great place for groups to relax and have some good brews. I recommend Anna Belle's IPA for any hop lovers out there. Great place to stop by in downtown Galena.
(5)
Julia F.

I so hoped to share a more positive review of the Galena Brewery since we've been 'meaning' to check it out for years, but unfortunately that won't be the case. The atmosphere is fun and we visited on a Saturday evening so it was fairly full. We found a table (it's all seat yourself) and awaited the arrival of a waiter. That finally came after about 15 minutes at which time we were finally presented with menus. **note to managers - it would be a great idea to have your hostess seat guests with both drink and food menus in hand** We didn't see the waiter for another 10 minutes so when he finally did stop by again we were ready and ordered drinks, appetizers and main dishes all at once. 25 minutes into seating the drinks finally got there. Ironically, the table next to us arrived only a few minutes after we did and hadn't YET seen a waiter or waitress. (I'd hate to see their review). In good spirits they turned to us and ask how much we'd take to let them buy them. We all chuckled, unfortunately. At this point we were just hoping a great appetizer would make everything worth the wait ... Wha wha wha... our beer cheese soup appetizer arrived with our Meal, delivered by someone we hadn't yet seen. For a brewery, getting beer cheese soup right should be a no-brainer but boy was I wrong. It was so thin, running even like a broth instead of rich and creamy. And while there was plenty of Beer taste present the cheese was entirely missing from the flavors!! It was a small bowl and I didn't finish it. I will say the flat bread beef and blue was tasty and that's really the only reason I'm giving two stars instead of one. We quickly finished, flagged down our waiter (who hadn't shown up again since delivering the drinks ONCE earlier) and ask for the bill. He was quick to get that. Too many other great food and service places in town to waste our time here ever again.
(2)
Philip G.

Haven't been to Galena in a number of years and was happy to see a brewpub in town on Main St. Enjoyed Anna Belle's IPA and the seasonal cherry stout. Food was above average for pubfare. The side salad was more that iceberg lettuce or chopped endive, rather it included a variety of greens. Complimentary bread was more than just white or other rolls; it was a small loaf of a whole grain bread. My wife had the beef and portabella sandwich and I enjoyed the cod fillet dinner. So, if you're in Galena and looking for brewpub, give Galena Brewing Company a try.
(4)
Greg N.

Great beer. Good food. Good the beer sampler and fish and chips with the chocolate cake a la mode.
(4)
Jackie W.

Galena Brewing Company did not disappoint. I recently spent the weekend in Galena with my family and we stopped at Galena Brewing Company twice in short time we were there. The beer is amazing (if you enjoy craft beer). We also had the pretzel bites with the mustard sauce and the chocolate stout sauce and it was sooooo good. We also had the hummus! The staff was polite and friendly and so were the owners!
(5)
John P.

#tourist This place is exactly what I was looking for. Good beer, good food, great environment. Perfect place for lunch on your first weekend trip to Galena.
(4)
Eric E.

I made a pit stop after doing Charles Mound and before heading off to Mississippi Palisades. I'll also note that my review is incomplete at best. There was a busy biking event in and around Galena today so I only popped in for five minutes. I breezed through the menu and chose a beer to buy and bring home. Chose Uly's Chocolate Dark. The taste is gritty and unexpecting. The aftertaste is another story, the malty chocolate lingers and offers a pleasant rebound. The only other item I can comment on is the ambiance. GB offers a large, open room with a long bar spanning the backside of the establishment. A couple of large party rooms are also available. The mood and noise level were acceptable, but I thought it was a little too dark. Let's just say I wouldn't have set it up like this. If we head back to Galena I'd like to try their food and some of their other crafts. Give them a chance. Cheers.
(3)
Jack P.

First, I must say that I have not sampled much of the food here. I did have an Italian beef sandwich, which was passable But, the best part of coming to the Galena brewery is the bartender. Wherever I live, I always hope to have a favorite bartender. And that is certainly the case at The Galena brewery. His name is David. He is outgoing, helpful, and always a pleasure to be around. Of course, we need to mention the variety of beers which are available here. There are always many choices, from Weiss beers to very hoppy beers to very dark ales. Prices are moderate, and the atmosphere is festive and conducive to an evening of enjoyment. Weekends bring live music, which is really a fun, as well. So if you're in Galena, and in the mood for local craft beers and entertainment, make a stop here.
(4)
Jasper F.

Monday through Wednesday is $3 pint specials, a best value in town, this Summer they've had $2 shandy. The rest of the week, pints are $3.50-6, still a great value given the superb quality. They've an amazing variety of beers, particularly the Uly's Stout, one of the best stouts in the country. I've had the food here on many occasions, the sandwiches are nice, you get one side, so the price isn't as value driven as a few other places in town, but it's not outrageous. I think sometimes the service is quirky, you may have to wave them down, but they're always friendly enough. They'll give you a sample of a beer if you want. They've wifi just ask for the password.
(4)
Hillary M.

Our group had mixed reviews of the Galena Brewing Co. The BF really enjoyed the beer flight but others thought it was only so-so, our lumberjack friend was disappointed there wasn't a burger on the menu (seems like a pub staple), my buffalo chicken wrap was tasty but the neighbor-friend gave her sandwich a thumbs down. Unfortunately it was just not quite the craft beer experience we were hoping for.
(2)
Amy P.

This is our second visit. We first went the Galena Brewing Company after it opened and just went back today. Now I realize why we hadn't been back. Its really so... unremarkable. We started with the beer cheese soup which I was really looking forward to on a cold day. While the flavor was good, the consistency was watery. I expected a thicker soup. For the main course I had the beef and portabella sandwich with fries. This was ok, but generally speaking very bread-y and not much beef.. there were only a few small pieces of mushrooms. In comparison to
(2)
Eric B.

Stopped in while visiting Galena for the day. Great craft beers and a really cool atmosphere
(5)
Amanda K.

I had higher expectations for this place. When we first walked in there was a sign up that read, "GO Seat Yourself" yet there was a what looked to be a manager standing there at the podium. I felt like this wasn't very welcoming or customer friendly. The restaurant was very open and noisy and I think it would be better if they offered some outdoor seating. Our server wasn't very friendly and didn't really provide us with any recommendations so we were left to guess for ourselves what beers we should try. The food is pretty standard American fare but I've definitely had better. The experience was ok, the beer was good but I have definitely experienced better customer service and food elsewhere.
(2)
Kati R.

Our food was good, but our waitress was TERRIBLE! I really enjoyed the wings and beer soup, my friend got pulled pork which was good, someone else got the BBQ pizza, they said it needed more sauce. Beer was delicious, and the place was charming inside. I asked what was included in the flight of beer and our waitress explained it in 10 words or less. She did not bring silverware, napkins, or water. She didn't ask us if we needed anything, take any plates, or even say you're welcome back to us. She only had 5 tables, and it seemed the bar tender took most of them. Service means a lot to me, and I probably won't go back.
(2)
Duane A.

I feel bad giving Galena Brewery just two stars. I've never had a bad dining experience here. But the food and beer is unremarkable to average. Can I give this a low 3 instead? No? I've had the humus platter here. I liked it, but it wasn't anything I couldn't have assembled by doing some shopping at the Pig (that's Piggly Wiggly for the uninitiated. Why doesn't Yelp have a built in spellcheck for uninitiated?) I've had the bratwurst. Again, I liked it, but I can also go to Weber's and get some deli-fresh bratwurst. The beers here are the usual craft beer fare. I like dark beers: porters and stouts. Especially when I can taste the flavor of the grain used in the malt. I don't find them quite heavy enough for my tastes. I've had a couple of ales as well, and they're a bit too hoppy. But that's what is in right now. So take that for what its worth. Service is really good, some really friendly people on staff here. That's what ultimately made me bump up to three stars.
(3)
Amanda C.

We went in and did the tour first. Short and sweet..only took about 25 minutes but the guide was knowledgable and funny. $5 for the tour ( including a beverage) We then decided to eat. I had the Philly Beef and Bleu flatbread and my boyfriend had the Beef and Portabella sandwich and the potato salad. I really enjoyed my flat bread!! Their roast beef is amazing! Several of their dishes include it and now I know why. It wasn't dry; it was moist and had a great flavor. Top it off, my flatbread crust was cooked to perfection with just enough crisp but not enough to make it dry. As for my boyfriend's sandwich, they STUFFED it with roast beef with a few red peppers and mushrooms with a cup of au jus. The potato salad was a new flavor--it had a smoky taste to it. It was also good, but he said he preferred my flatbread. As for the atmosphere, it was pretty chill. We went on a Friday night and it wasn't busy. Our server came when needed. They have a few TVs to watch sports and a live band on Friday and Saturday nights.
(4)
Amy K.

Beer: ordered Anna Belle IPA and it was extremely cloudy. We thought it was just the way the beer was, until we ordered a second one and it was an amber color. It seems like a brewery would have higher quality control standards. Food: terrible! My chicken wrap resembled a lunchable with fake, precooked chicken tenders from the Aldi freezer section. It even had the fake grill lines. The potato salad was decent. Environment was fun.
(2)
Nick S.

Did the seasonal flight. Tasty beers. Big fan of the Italian beef slider and soup -- it's nice to have something to eat that doesn't stuff you. So many brewpubs seem to think that, if you like beer, you want to pig out. I just wanted something to go with the beer, and everything on the menu we tried was pretty great. The baked wings are flipping tasty, as well. Totally not greasy, surprisingly moist, and full of flavor. The blue cheese dressing with it had big chunks of blue cheese, as well. The Yelp check-in special was a little difficult to cash in, though -- beware the total loss of signal within the brewery, as well as within most of Galena. Bonus points to the waitress who overheard my worry that my phone was dying and pulled out a charger for me.
(4)
Karolina T.

Came here for the Bear's first pregame because they have decent TVs compared to other places in the town. The beer was surprisingly good. We had the flight of beer and were amazed that it included 6 of their regular beers and was SOOOO CHEAP!
(4)
Julie R.

Galena Brewery- it's more than just beer. They have some great apps and a tasty Bloody Mary. Their beers are also delicious. I especially love that they are constantly rotating their beers and also creating new, seasonal varieties. I'd recommend starting off with a flight that sounds most to your liking, try all of them, and then order a pint of your favorite one! I usually go for the "Blue Moon-like" option- such a girl! It's also in a prime location on Main Street. Very convenient to stop for a quick beer between shops, restaurants, and galleries. There's always ample seating to rest your tired paws. They also have a gift shop if you would like to do some shopping while drinking. ;) When we are in Galena and we need to watch a sports game- this is the hubs locale of choice. They are usually able to play whatever game his little heart desires. What I'm NOT a fan of is the ambiance. It always 'feels' empty and cold. I think it's a combination of "ware-house look", quiet or lack of music, lot's of grouchy old people, and actually being, well, cold. Perhaps it's ideal for beer brewing... let's just install some fire-pits in the middle of this warehouse?
(4)
Bill R.

It was the first time I had ever been here. I thought it was great . The service was very friendly and knowledgable. They are now serving IPA beers and my son who is into these told me the one he had was the best he has ever had. We got the pulled pork and it was large and fantastic. Prices are very reasonable, we got 5 beers 3 lunches and it was $58.00. The decor is very industrial and very cool. If you like micro brewed beer you must go here if your in Galena Il
(5)
Samantha R.

Every time I visit Galena I make sure to stop here. I always go here with another couple. So we usually get the flight and share it. The beer is delish! I don't like every single beer but the guys in our group sure did. The food is great. I always have the beer cheese soup. It is always good. I love the chunks of potato in the soup. My go - to is the veggie flatbread. I love the big chunks of portobello and cherry tomatoes. But I have to say that the best part of the flatbread is the balsamic that is drizzled on top. It's the whole reason I order this dish. It is paired so well with everything on the flat. As for the other dishes. The baked wi gs are great. The group always gets them. I am not a wing person bit everyone gets them every time we go. So they must be good. They are not deep fried which is great! Try the chicken tenders if you are nervous about picking something out. Like the wings the tenders are baked with an oatmeal breading! It is so amazing! These taste just like you made them at home. I have zero complaints about Galena brewery. Go here if you love food and beer and a fun atmosphere.
(5)
Kevin B.

This place would probably get a zero from me if I was not judging the beer. For that, it deserves 3 stars. Service is a big fat 0 and the food is a big fat 0. Our server was a bit more interested in flirting with a few guys at the bar than serving the customers at the tables. When we did get served our food, I wish we hadn't. We both got the beer cheese soup. What a salt bomb that was! It was basically inedible. And as for our main meal, I got the cuban sandwich and my wife got a taco salad. The salad was flavorless according to my wife and my sandwich tasted like fish. If our server ad come around, I would had sent it back. Oh, and the sweet potato tots? Don't bother, they're little balls of soft/mashed sweet potatoes. What a waste of time, money, and calories. But if you love beer and LOUD MUSIC, you'll love it.
(1)
Sara C.

We did a lot of research before going to Galena. The Brewery had mixed reviews, but we thought we would try it anyway. The staff was nice, though it seemed like they were confused. 1 person took our drink order, another our food order, they weren't communicating at all. The food was decent, but WAY overpriced for the serving size. The wings are baked, which I usually like, but they were just ok. If you are into beer and want some variety, then I suggest going. I would stay away from the food and I also wouldn't waist a lot of my day here. Too many other GREAT places that are WAY more friendly!
(2)
Dan N.

Very good beer and pretty good food. We took a tour if the Brewery that I would recommend it was interesting and informative . The menu is smallish and they don't appear to have a grill so no burgers or anything like that. We had some excellent beer cheese soup unfortunately served in these tiny cups. My wife had a respectable beef and Blue wrap and I had a better than expected Rubin. Go for the beer and they have food if your there already.
(3)
Alana I.

OWNER ISSUES: The Yelp Check-In deal was not really a check-in deal at all. When we tried to use it for 50% off wings, the server got the manager. The owner/manager very defensively told me that she thought the check-in deal was merely an advertisement, not a discount coupon. (I even showed her how I could check in and then "use" the deal.). She said it was just advertising their wings-a-palooza for $10 on weekdays. -which doesn't even need a yelp deal to begin with! Why bother trying to find internet somewhere (very difficult in Galena) to check in if you would get the same deal without it!? We went on a Friday, but the check-in deal doesn't mention that it can only be used on the weekdays. It just says that they have wings-a-palooza on weekdays under a different section than the 50% off wings deal to download. Erg. After a heated discussion with the owner (the server had never seen the check-in yelp deal before... odd - you should probably train the servers to recognize deals out there), I informed the owner that we would leave if she would not honor the yelp deal. Our beer flight had already come out, but we had not touched it yet. She asked if we wanted wings. I told her that we did, and she said they'd be "on the house." After ultimately ordering other things and staying, the wings were charged as $10, not "on the house" as the owner had said. At least they did something to try and keep us (honored the original deal), but don't lie about giving us free wings... Geez. We ended up ordering other foods that were decent, for the most part. FOOD: *Parmesan wings - large portion, ok taste - decent parmesan and pepper topping. Quite fatty. Served with ranch and blue cheese but no veggies. *"Bosco Stix" - breadsticks with cheese in the middle served with marinara sauce - delicious! My complaint with these is that the server asked me if I wanted 2 or 4, but she failed to mention that after 8pm, you could get 4 for $5 (vs. 2 for $4). Most servers in restaurants I've been to always mention the deals going on. Alas, here, they did not. *Beer bread with honey butter - decent, but a bit bitter. The honey butter did the trick. A small loaf for $3. DESSERT: *Root beer float - to die for!!! I loved it. The root beer was not too sharp, with the perfect carbonation and sweetness. I also used part of the ice cream in my little stout glass from my sampler to make a mini-stout float. Mmm! *Cheesecake - meh. My fiancÃ© loves cheesecake, and I had high hopes for this one, especially since it was infused with stout. Unfortunately, it had WAY too much orange zest. My fiancÃ© said he thought they used the zest from an entire orange and wouldn't even have a second bite. Sad! :( BEER - decent. Coming from the Portland, OR area (tons of microbreweries), we have high beer standards. The beer was pretty good. If just graded on beer, I'd probably have given the place 5 stars. I especially liked the brown ale, one of the guest taps, and the stout. We got one sampler with all their regular beers (6) and one with their 4 guest beers. Pretty yummy. SERVICE - ok. Our waitress was a bit rude at first when she stared at my ID for far too long (yes, I know it's a different state, but I'm 30, not 18, and she should see IDs from all states since Galena is a tourist town after all). Also, her utter confusion with the Yelp deal was odd to me. But, after I got that taken care of, she did a good job checking in with us. But, she never once refilled my water. It was completely empty by the end. We still gave her an 18% tip. It wasn't her fault the owner is mean and defensive. Maybe the service in the Midwest isn't as good as our Northwest service?
(3)
GoPar P.

Came to Galena Brewing for our first time since the lunch menu sounded really good and I love craft beers. Say down and ordered the IPA. It was fairly good. Boyfriend and I both ordered the beer bread as an appetizer and the Cuban for our meal... Tic-toc tic-toc... Getting a tad frustrated as I watched others sit down and get served drinks then appetizers!!! Uh, where's ours?!?! As we continued to wait, I overheard another table complain that one beer was "unbearable". Don't know which beer that was or if they had a palette for craft beers but, again, my IPA was good. Finally flagged down our waitress about 20 minutes after we ordered food (mind you she never once stopped by our table in that span to ask if we needed anything while we sat or that our food would be out soon). She came out with our Cubans, then we had to remind her that we ordered an appetizer too. I asked for the manager. She apologized and said they were slammed. Looking around there were empty tables and more than enough staff. Oh well... Food was decent though. But from the terrible service, I probably won't be back for a very very long time. Oh wait... They actually forgot some of the sides to our meals too. Might have gotten 2 stars if they didn't botch that up too.
(1)
Lauren R.

I was there this past Saturday with a Bachelorette party. We went to a few bars, and this was one of our favorites!! We thought the beer was excellent, and we loved that they had mini irish car bombs! It was the perfect amount!! Also, the band we saw was AWESOME! One of the guys played a saw in one of the songs! Yes, a saw!! We even bought some creole seasoning they were selling as it smelled amazing. We were especially impressed with the service. The manager was exceptionally nice, and just plain awesome!! We are very thankful for the excellent service and the sweet cups we got there!! Beer me!! ;)
(5)
Janine K.

I tend to think breweries have decent food, and beer, of course. We took a day trip out to Galena this past weekend and I chose this place to have our late lunch at. Being a Sunday, all draft beer was $3 so I was able to try one of theirs and it was A-ok. For an appetizer we had the GINORMOUS pretzel which came with a hot beer cheese dip and mustard (there were other choices but we picked those) That was fun to eat! What was odd was, there were no burgers on the menu so one of the picky people in my group wasn't having it but he got a BLT flat bread and seemed to be satisfied with it. Being a Sunday wings were also on special so I split those with a friend. The service was decent, and so was the food and beer so thumbs up for this place!
(3)
Phoebe T.

Great nachos and beer selection. Their beer specials are top notch and the brews are always delicious!
(5)
Ann F.

Good beer but horrendous food. The only edible thing was the cheese soup. Cool space with live music. Eat somewhere else and enjoy a beer here after.
(2)
Tanya H.

Visited here over the weekend and enjoyed our time here. Food was amazing, however we were already somewhat full because the appetizer portion was amazing and such a great size. We had the nachos and both enjoyed them a lot. Friendly staff and overall great experience.
(3)
Ken J.

Let me prefece this with an admonition: I am a beer snob. Any old beer won't do for me. I've asked for water in places where they have crappy beer selections. That said, this place has always been so packed on our Galena visits that we never tried it before last Friday. We had 2 of the beers, which we picked with care after reading their descriptions on the beer menu. I do like the fact that in addition to %ABV, they listed IBU's as well as specific gravity. I don't pay much attention to specific gravity but the other two are important to finding a beer I like. Sadly, neither beer was something I was glad I found. They were passable enough, and judging by their popularity, a lot of folks like this place. But then a lot of people like Bud Light, Coors Light etc. I say life is too short to drink lite beer. Or bad watery beer for that matter. But I concluded these were not especially tasty brews. They were just OK. Use more malt, dudes!! They serve food too but we just came here for the beer. Looked at the menu and it was standard pub fare for the offerings. I did not notice any dishes that actually used the beer. Well, other than beer/cheese soup. Service was good. The place has decent atmosphere and they were offing 5$ tours which included the basement aging cellar. I wasn't tempted enough although I love going into basements of old buildings because they are typically quirky and interesting.
(2)
Steve B.

Had the weizen and the amber ale. Both were delicious. Servers and bartenders were friendly and helpful
(4)
Traci R.

This was my 3rd visit to Galena Brewing, and thought I'd finally write a review. We stop here each weekend we come to Galena for their Midweek (Sun -Thurs) wing special. 20 wings for 10 bucks, you can't beat it!!
(5)
Allie T.

Beer was amazing, food not so much. My boyfriend and I shared the taco salad. I didn't like the blue cheese aside which I thought was sour cream (why would you put blue cheese sauce with a taco!?!) and the taco shell tasted stale. We also had hummus and that was good. Plus I loved sitting at their bar.
(4)
Ian G.

Had the wings. They were great. Had a seasonal beer flight and liked all but one. Very cool place. Our waiter was a little new, but good none the less. The bartender was knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend.
(5)
Jessica C.

Great craft beers and oh my goodness, the best beer cheese soup I've ever had. The service was great and the tour was nice and very informative. I wasn't too impressed by their coconut chicken skewers, but overall a great visit that I'll be sure to visit again on my next trip to this beautiful town.
(4)
Simian S.

We stopped in for a few drinks before dinner and were happy with our experience. We were trying to decide whether to do a fight of 6 different beer samples or the flight of 4 with all of their seasonal beers. We opted to go with the 6, but our server brought over small samples of the seasonal ones as well so that we could try those too. She was very friendly and helpful and was able to answer questions and tell us about the different beers. We liked the Hefeweizen and Coffee Porter the best. The Farmers Ale (a cream ale) was our least favorite. Overall, decent beer, good prices, nice atmosphere and great service.
(4)
Matt F.

We arrived in Galena Friday night and decided to get a quick dinner at the brewery. They had a good, laid-back live band doing folk and country music. The service was fast and the atmosphere was chill. Beer: The Annabelle IPA was pretty good. Medium body with a strong citrus aroma and taste. I liked it. The Uptown Brown was a typical brown ale. Nothing too special but not bad. Food: I ordered the Beer Bread and the Brat. I liked the bread. It was warm and had a hearty consistency. The Brat was on a really delicious bun loaded with grilled onions and sauerkraut in a side cup. I like a little pop in a brat, but this one was soft and a bit mushy. It tasted good, just not my preferred preparation. Wrap-up: Solid weekend spot for a reasonably priced and chill dinner.
(4)
Rose D.

All the beers we tried were very good. I especially liked their seasonal brew, Calabasas Ale - a pumpkin ale, which came in a glass rimmed with pumpkin pie spice sugar. Yum! We also tried four different small appetizers (their "tapas" menu) - a decent value at $5 each but they are definitely small portions. I would say 3 out of the 4 were good. We enjoyed the stuffed mushrooms, the coconut chicken skewers & the goat cheese bundles. The shrimp skewers, however, were bland and the overcooked so the shrimp was like rubber. They only had 2 servers working Friday night that I could see so service was definitely on the slow side with 2 large groups there. We did come back our last day to purchase 2 growlers of beer to bring back - one for us and one for the inlaws.
(3)
Sally M.

Nice place to stop and have some beers and apps. I had the Krystalweizen - a nice wheat beer that wasn't overly fruity. I can't remember what the husband had, but he liked it. They had a wide variety of beer selections and customized flights. We shared some nachos and chicken tenders that were frankly a tad below average and uninspired (yes, chicken tenders and nachos can be inventive and inspired!) Service was prompt and friendly. Not sure if I'd go back for food, but definitely for some afternoon or evening beers!
(3)
Nichole C.

Things I like about Galena Brewery: 1. It's in Galena. 2. There's good beer. Things I do not like about Galena Brewery: 1. Everything else. Alright, the real problem with this place (besides the pop music) is this: You cannot make your own flight. Nor can you get a sample size. So, it's either THEIR flights or NO flights. I was really bummed because my friends and I wanted to try a bunch of different beers but we were riding so didn't want to get full pours. End result: The beer was good (especially the IPA and Black IPA), but you better like your beer because you are stuck with a 20 oz. pour in most cases.
(4)
SB H.

We have been coming to galena brewing for a long time now. Its menu used to be unique and more upscale and the food delicious. In the last two years, the menu has been down scaled and the food is terrible. Why do we come back? We love the beers! However tonight's dinner was so bad, I will not order food there again.
(1)
Meagan W.

Galena Brewery was pretty disappointing. Maybe it's because I'm from Wisconsin and I have a higher standard for craft breweries, especially those that serve food, but since Galena Brewery doesn't seem to have any competition in town, they don't seem to hold themselves to a higher standard in terms of staff, food, and beer. Let's start with the staff. Our waitress would make six passes past us before stopping by. She never once asked us how we liked our food or beer. She didn't seem to have a grasp on the differences between the beers - pretty poor service for a brewery. She didn't warn us that the nachos were a little spicy - and then didn't return while we were eating to ask us how things were, so I had to wait to ask for a glass of water until the nachos were already devoured (and my mouth was on fire). She didn't make friendly small talk and didn't even smile once. The place wasn't even all that busy! I get that you work in a tourist town, but come on. You can find a different job if you don't like this one, honey. Because you definitely don't have the chops for it. The food was mediocre. The wings were pretty soggy and the nachos were standard - and spicy, which neither the waitress nor the menu warned us about. Disappointing. And the beer? Meh. We were excited to try some local brew but this place definitely wasn't worth the stop. I'd give you only one star, but the band that night was great!!! Extra star for the awesome band.
(2)
Crysta A.

Galena Brewery was a nice surprise. We're craft beer fans and try to stop at local places, but Galena really exceeded our expectations. We sat at the bar and ordered two sample flights, one of their standard, year-round beers and the other of the five seasonals. The bartender was friendly and a font of knowledge, eager to answer our questions and chat about the craft beer industry in general. We even learned about the new-to-us strain of "Galena" hops that they use in a couple of their beers. The place is brightly lit and open, like many warehouses-turned-breweries, and their equipment is all on site. They seemed to have a setup for live music, too, but on a Saturday afternoon, it was relatively quiet, with a couple of TVs and a few other tables. The summer seasonals were great, especially the rye saison and the tart. I really enjoyed their flagship Annabelle's IPA, too. We shared a Cuban sandwich, which was ok. The emphasis is on the beer, not the food. Definitely come here for a flight of beers, sit at the bar, and enjoy.
(5)
Sam M.

Returning to this place after a couple of years I noticed a couple of things. The branding here is a bit over the top. I wouldn't mind this so much but for the second thing. The beer here isn't as good as the branding. It's not bad mind you, it's just not knock your socks off delicious. After all that fuss I expected more. It's big, cool, and relatively clean, so overall it's not a bad place to take a load off a hoist a pint.
(3)
Brian S.

Can we please put this into perspective?? 1. this is a Brewery/Brewpub ....not a gastropub. Go for the beer ...we have been to gastropubs, brewpubs and tasting rooms from coast to coast. Food is certainly a bonus, and if it is not great.....who cares, the little bit you got into your stomach will allow you to consume more beer! Like the beer or hate it. Since it is a matter of taste, do not hold it against them for your taste buds...Galena has solid, well crafted, beer offerings here. They will pour you a tasting of any brew, or, get a flight, and see all that they are. I know for sure, that I do not like certain styles of beer, but I will definitely take a few sips to experience what a brewer has to offer. A. Come here for beer B. Go back here for beer Repeat PS. Gastropub is just a short Google search away
(5)
Susanna M.

Upon returning to Galena Brewery, we decided to actually eat there (before we just got flights of beer). OK it was BLAH. We arrived on Saturday evening (in July) so it was busy. We were seated promptly, which was great, but it took the waitress like 10-15 minutes to come around. We ordered two flights; one regular and the other seasonal beer, which was great. I will absolutely suggest Galena Brewery for the beer choices. As for the meal, eh, there are better places to eat in Galena. As a previous review stated, the bread was pretty much better than the food. I did have the pulled pork sandwich, which was actually tasty, but the fries on the other hand, yuck. So, all in all, I would come back for the beer selection, but not for the food.
(3)
Patti K.

We stopped in yesterday for a beer to quench our thirst as it was hot and muggy outside. We thought the place was nice and the IPA was okay. Perhaps we should have done a flight to try the craft beers, but we thought the IPA was okay, but it certainly was not the Lagunitas beer that we know and love from Petaluma. Yesterday, was Wednesday and it was $3 a pint, so that was a big plus!
(4)
Chris T.

Great Ale and Grill during Lunchtime. Transformed to a live music venue in the evening. Good food featuring recipes that compliment the hand crafted home brew. Many varieties of craft beer on tap. Great beer selection, with a fully stocked bar. Special events such as speciality beer keg tappings.
(5)
Scott S.

This is a nice place. The beer is on the not-so-hoppy side -- I like their IPA, but it only comes in a 10 ounce glass. You definitely pay extra for the higher ABV here. The kitchen is acceptable, they used to have better pricing, where by ordering multiple tapas appetizers you got a discount. That is gone and they raised the base price from four to five dollars. Our favorite thing was the local meat/cheese plate. Also, they wouldn't fill a growler that wasn't purchased there -- the only brew pub that I've been to that has this policy.
(3)
Mike C.

I have been to brewpubs all over the country and the Galena Brewery competes favorably with some of the best in terms of basic styles. The service was good and the only food we ordered was an appetizer, which was good, but nothing special. I grew up near Galena and it is really great that we have some good beer nearby when we come home for a visit. The Galena Brewery is a step up from the Galena Main Street Brewpub, which was open in the 1990s. I don't remember too much about the quality of the beer at that brewpub, but I do know that the Galena Brewery is a much more spacious and attractively designed facility. I understand the Brewery recently hired a new brewmaster. He seems to know his stuff
(4)
Dawn K.

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(1)
Karen L.

We were in Galena for a wedding and being big fans of the craft brew we decided to go to Galena Brewing. The building and atmosphere was nice. The beer was great, we were there on a Sunday for $3 pints! Beer Likes: We tried Alpha Dog, Annabelle, Uly's Oatmeal Stout and the Oktoberfest. Our favorite was Alpha Dog. Food: Likes: the 2lb Pretzel was great!! It comes out in a pizza box!! The jalapeÃ±o cheese dipping sauce was our favorite. Dislikes: We had the wings, but we're not impressed! The skin was not crisp at all!! So they were kind of flabby and chewy. We also had the Beer Cheese soup with potato but yet did not find a single potato in either of our bowls. The soup itself was a bit thin for a cream based soup. Service: Likes: Our server came to check on us and kept our beer coming. Dislikes: When we asked our server what he recommended, he told us that he was a Busch Light drinker...WHAT?!?! If a craft brewery is going to hire people, I would think that you would want your staff to appreciate the craft beer and be knowledgeable about those beers! We were also disappointed with the bartender. After we had closed out with our server, we decided to go to the bar and get a Growler of the Alpha Dog. The bartender asked my husband if he could help him, but then preceded to tell him he would need a minute, which is fine. But then the bartender started helping other people that came up to the bar after my husband. After about 10 minutes without any further acknowledgement from the bartender, my husband said forget it and we went to leave. The Hostess overheard my husband telling me what happened and apologized, but really did nothing to remedy the situation. We ended up leaving without a growler and very disappointed with customer service! So I might go back for a couple of beers and the pretzel, but I think Galena Brewing needs to work on their customer service. They are lucky right now that they are the only brewery in Galena because if I had another choice I would think twice about going back!
(2)
Sarah H.

Yes, the beer is good. Very good in fact, my beer snob partner took home a growler of the black double IPA he enjoyed it so much. However, you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you do not try the bloody mary. It was honestly the most delicious bloody mary I've ever had and I've had a lot of bloody marys. Also, the bartender was nice and fun and it was enjoyable to spend a Sunday afternoon chatting with him.
(5)
Wes D.

Excellent beer! We tried every beer they make and not a single one was disappointing. I will say that the nut brown ale was my favorite though. We sat at the bar since we were just having drinks. It wasn't that crowded, but it took forever for a bartender to finally come by and take our drink order. At first the bartender seemed a bit rude, but a while later he came back and was more friendly and chatting with us. I have not tried the food, but the dishes I saw the waiters carrying looked tasty.
(4)
Kaitlyn D.

We had our rehearsal dinner here this past weekend in their private party room. The whole experience was really great. I worked closely with Kathy to customize the menu. She was timely in responding to e-mails, helpful, and overall I'm really happy with the outcome. The food and drinks were tasty and affordable. To go above and beyond, after our rehearsal Kathy gave me two glasses from the brewery to take home. I thought that was a really nice touch and now I'll always have a memory from our rehearsal dinner. If you are looking for a fun place to host a party, I really recommend checking out the Brewery.
(5)
Dusty K.

I'm all for fairness when writing a review. But issues must be pointed out to improve and learn from mistakes. A site like Yelp really helps as most visitors are probably tourists who have one shot at a nice lunch. This place doesn't deliver whether food or drink. Our table of 10 struggled with the food. It came out 2 or 3 meals at a time and so slowly that 8 people had finished eating by the time the last 2 people received their food. It's pretty clear they don't have things together in back of house. The taste of the food left a lot to be desired. Everything was dull with no dishes standing out from flavor. The large pretzel, while fun, didn't have salt on top. It's these type of details that left a bad taste in our mouth when added up. Combining the flavor of the beer, the food, and the general service, I won't be visiting here again on repeat trips to this little town. I like the idea but not much else.
(1)
David R.

Good people, good beer, good location - in the heart of downtown Galena, IL, which is a Harpers Ferry-like old town (albeit larger than Harpers Ferry) in northwest Illinois (home of Ulysses S. Grant). I hadn't planned on taking the tour, but as they were so enthusiastic about it while I was drinking my second IPA, I just had to join them. The brewmaster is a recent college grad, very well spoken and intelligent and he conducted a relaxed, informative tour. The beers are good, not great, although I did enjoy their "Cream Ale," which invokes thoughts of Genny Cream Ale (enough to send shivers down the spine of any beer fan). But Galena's cream ale was smooth and light; they call it "their version of Bud Light" (I would consider that an insult, but it was infinitely better than Bud, or Miller, Light). The food is basic brew pub fare; some of the other Yelp reviews act as if this should be a four star restaurant. There are plenty of other food first, alcohol second spots in this town. Besides, how can you not like a place that offers bone marrow on its tapas menu? And if that's not enough, their sandwich list includes a peanut butter and jam sandwich (and it's not the kid's menu). I had the grilled cheese, perfect for soaking up the ? number of IPAs and cream ales I had......well worth the trip.
(4)
Rhonda G.

Yikes. I'm not sure what's happening here. This place wants to be vibrant and fun but it appears to have left quite the opposite impression on me.The Musical act was not very good and they were using some of those preset tunes from a Casio keyboard (not the venues fault but perhaps they should research their acts better and take a look at the age group of the crowd). The beer is good but it tasted like any old beer and not like we were drinking it in the place it was made, make sense? Food is mediocre and i'm not quite sure the people running the joint actually know what tapas are. Food options were kind of lame, atmosphere in the place is very blah, the space is large and feels like a warehouse. Overall just very boring and not what you would expect from a brewery/restaurant. ps. The staff was nice though
(2)
James R.

My wife and I attended the Valentines Day Beer and food pairing this past weekend. We had a wonderful time. It started with a tour of the Brewery by the Brew Master himself. Then the meal was done over five courses, each one coming with a beer hand selected by the Brew Master to accentuate the flavors of the food and vice versa. It was a good time. We ended up going back the next day to get a better taste on some of the beers we liked. Just like every brewery, they had beers I liked and ones I don't. I love stouts and was not impressed with theirs at all. Their Heffeweizen was excellent! The service was slow. During the dinner there were long down times between courses, I didn't want to ruin my palate by drinking too many beers, but I found myself wanting to order one while waiting, unfortunately I was never asked if I would like a beer. At the end of the meal, it took a long time for us to get our check and then when we did get it, it took a long time for the server to come back and collect it. Even the next day when we went back, the place was empty and we had some down time waiting on getting served. Overall I enjoyed it. I plan on going back.
(4)
Jessica H.

Meh, this place was just okay. Stopped in for a quick bite to eat while touring around Galena last weekend. Service was fine. The beer my husband had was tasty but I didn't really care for mine. The food was definitely just okay - nothing to write home about. Not a standout at all as far as bar food goes. The atmosphere was . . .confused. Old photographs of the town line the walls and you can see all of the brewing equipment, which I liked. They had an odd setup in the back corner of the bar where there was a full set of kitchen cabinets and wet bar without any separation from the patrons - weird. They had two TVs featuring sports and one featuring . . . The Flying Nun? Again, a little weird.
(2)
Meghan H.

looong wait for food, but good service. our waiter felt bad for how long it took for us to get our meals and kept apologizing, which is a nice alternative to the waiters who usually ignore the table in these situations. when we did get the food, it was decent. the bread that they brought out while we were waiting was probably better tasting than the meals...the ingredients used did seem fresh, the food just seemed dull. the atmosphere of this place was quite clean and stylish in a trendy bar kind of way. the location was prime - right amongst the other shops in downtown Galena. I'd see myself coming back here when in town - it's a good option if you're looking for some standard American grub.
(3)
Nick S.

I'm gonna start off by saying i am a brewer and a beer geek. I have visited many breweries and i have tasted hundreds if not a thousand beers in my time. when me and my old lady visited this brewery i didnt have any idea what to expect. we started off with a sampler of their year round brews....they were very well brewed. all the beers were clean and well fermented . The two that shined the brightest were the ipa and the brown ale. the ipa was very west coast in style with a huge hop nose and dry finish. the brown was....well heaven in a shaker pint! Roasty yet slightly sweet but not cloying, the aroma was toffey and brown sugar. I liked the brown so much i ended up emailing the brew master for the recipe and with in a day or two he graciously shared it with me. if you like beer and are in the area do yourself a favor and go. oh yeah the nachos were pretty good too...not outstanding but good.
(4)
Meghan S.

This is a review just of the beers and brewery tour; we didn't stay for food. The brews were really good, with plenty of selection for a microbrewery. We paid $5 each for the brewery tour, which included a beer for you to take on the tour with you (a great deal seeing as the beers were about $5-6 each anyway). The tour itself was only okay. It was 25 minutes, and pretty standard. If you've gone on a brewery tour before, you've probably learned everything that they will tell you here (other than the Galena specific history, which was only about the last 2-3 minutes). However, given the price, it was good! Someone near us asked that since they already bought/finished the beer that came with the tour, could they buy another (normally $6.50) beer for the $5 price, and the bartender said sure...so they're really accommodating! We didn't try it ourselves, but we saw it work!
(4)
Ozzie T.

Overall a nice place, but...the food bad, the service very friendly, the beer okay, and in a nutshell it's like the brewery that's confused about being a brewery and ignoring a key recipe of history that it can truly leverage. Rarely do I not finish my meal. The beer was not enough to keep Waldo's attention.
(1)
Allison C.

The beer? Amazing! My husband and I split the sampler, which came with the normal selection and some seasonals. Each beer was unique and nicely flavored. The food? Mediocre at best. We split some tapas. We had mushroom caps, which were quite good. DO NOT order the empanada. It's not an empanada. It's phyllo dough covered in gravy, stuffed with oversalted filling. I'm not exactly sure what the filling was. Galena Brewery is a good time. Come for the beer. Leave for the food.
(4)
Doug K.

Great local flavors, decent food. Definitely worth stopping in!
(4)
Meg S.

An amazing little gem in the middle of Galena. Good food and great beer! That's all you need, right? They had some live acoustic entertainment while we were there which was very nice and added to a cozy ambiance. Galena is far from home but I would travel there just to go to this place again!
(5)
Nick B.

Typically my favorite spot to visit when I'm in Galena. The food is alright(I'd recommend the BBQ'd Pork Sandwich) the beer is excellent. However our last trip there was underwhelming to say the least. We usually order flights of beer rather than pints and the flights came half full(some maybe a quarter full) and we were told this was because of a new law in Illinois. Not sure if this is true or now. However, later that night at another bar in Illinois we ordered flights with the same number of beers and they came full. If the flights are supposed to come half full they should at least make sure the glasses are actually half full. Some of them barely held a sip or two and all were filled to different levels. Just looked tacky. If a state law screwed you over, that's fine...but at least make the presentation look decent.
(3)
Duely Y.

Came here from a road trip to Chestnut Mountain and had to see what Galena can brew and I had to have the Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. I thought this beer was very tasty and if you like dark beer, such as Guiness, then this is the beer for you. It had a lot of hop in it, but it was not flat like a Guiness. It had some fizz to it, but it wasn't really carbonated. Not sure if it's from the chocolate, but I like it! There was also a live band playing, so it made the night very entertaining. I'm only going to a give it a 3 star rating, only because I didn't came for the food. I didn't get that full dining experience, so I can't really go higher than that.
(3)
Michelle K.

BONE MARROW ON TOAST. They have it on the menu. They have a lot of tasty-looking things on the menu, but the marrow on toast caught my eye because I've always wanted to try it. It looked scary. It tasted rich and salty and delicious, but it did look a little scary. Just close your eyes while eating it and all will be well. My companion and I also shared the Stuffed Mushrooms and the Apple Bacon Cheddar Crostini. The mushrooms were good (fairly standard), and the crostini tasted like Wisconsin. But in a good way. I don't know what that means. The beer was decent, the service was lovely, and the prices were surprisingly affordable for touristy Galena. Stop in and have some bone marrow for me!
(4)
Beth S.

The good: The beer was okay; the beet salad and pulled pork were good. The bad: Pretty much everything else. The restaurant was unbelievably warm (I should have known better when we walked in and saw other patrons fanning themselves with menus), and the service was barely mediocre. We were there for 25 minutes before our drinks were brought over, and even then it took 2 requests to get ice water along with our beverages. The beer bread had no flavor, and we sent the soup back because it tasted disgusting. (And really, who charges extra if you want another loaf of bread? Especially bread that's nothing special??) The chicken wings came with the wrong sauce (hot instead of mild), and we never even offered refills on our empty drinks. All in all, a pretty terrible experience.
(2)
Josh N.

I must insist that you go to this place if you are in Galena. The servers are expert guides on the menu. Ordered the beer flight which gave me 7 (6 oz) tastings of their beer, Only $10 well worth it.
(5)
Maggie W.

I love craft beer, and am getting into the habit of stopping by local breweries when I travel to new places. Galena Brewing Company did not disappoint. I tried the Cream Ale, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale and Stout, all of them were delicious! (Not a fan IPAs, so I skipped that one.) We bought a growler of Cream Ale to take home with us on the last day we were in town. We did not try the food, as both times we were there (after 9pm), the kitchen was closed.
(4)
Larry B.

A fun venue. Went there last Sat nite and enjoyed the Blues band who were very good. Tried the beer, the IPA isnt bad and the Nut Brown is quite good. I did not try the food. I woudl go there for the live music.
(3)
Brian K.

Pretty good beer that keeps getting better
(4)
Mette B.

Stopped in while in town about a month ago... WORST SERVICE that I've ever experienced. We were ignored completely for the majority of the meal. Our entire table had empty glasses and no one even asked if we wanted another or were ready to check out. And what kind of a bar menu doesn't even have a burger on it? Even without a burger, the menu was quite small and very strange, although I was happy to see that they did have multiple vegetarian and gluten free options. (That's the only reason for the second star.) The beer was pretty good, but not at all worth coming in for.
(2)
holly b.

We were out for dinner, and I had a Galena Heifweizen (excuse the spelling mistake, I just don't have the energy to get up and look in the fridge to find out the correct spelling) and I'm not going to lie, it was GOOD! I am allergic to a lot of beers and I was so happy to find one that I enjoyed and didn't have a negative affect on my allergies. Fast forward to the next morning, we are getting ready to come back to Chicago, and I called Galena Brewing Company wanting to get a case to bring back. They didn't have a case available, but quickly bottled 24 beers and called me to say that they were able to put together a case for me. Those beers really were the freshest beers I've ever had. The owners are great and are really trying to make Galena Brewing Company all that it can be. I look forward to having some beers there this summer.
(5)
Nic B.

We had dinner reservations at 6:00 at Perry Street Brasserie, but walked by the brewery at 5:30 as the Wisconsin Iowa football game was winding down. It was a nail biter, but Wisconsin pulled it out in the end - GO Badgers. So I had a good time here, but it had nothing to do with the service or the product. Of the two bartenders one kept his back turned to us, and I couldn't for the life of me catch his eye, the other finally took our order after being prompted by a waitress. Got a flight of 6 beers. Two of them were good, the rest were fairly mediocre beers. Nothing to write home about. That being said, the space itself is pretty cool. As we were leaving the owner made an announcement that he'd be giving a brewery tour. Plus I had a coupon for a free pint glass that I put to use. This place has some good stuff going for it, hopefully it just needs a bit of time to mature. I would come back, in hopes of being able to give a better rating.
(3)
Kristi A.

Even after reading a questionable review or two here, my husband and I decided to try this place on a visit to Galena. Ironically, we didn't try any of the beer because we were there for an early lunch and just didn't have the stomach for it yet, but we had a few of the tapas and an entree each. We had the apple/bacon/cheddar crostini, coconut chicken skewers, and the stuffed mushrooms from the tapas selections. The crostini were amazing, the chicken was very good (not too sweet, which many coconut-flavored things can be), and I liked the mushrooms (but my husband LOVED them). These tapas are definitely not traditional Spanish tapas, but the size and spirit of the little offerings has the same intentions. My husband ordered the Cuban sandwich and loved it (although not exactly like traditional Cubans that we've had at real Cuban places in Chicago and Miami). I got the flatbread (basically a long, thin crust pizza) with chicken, red onion, BBQ sauce, and cheddar, which was really huge compared to what I was expecting and awesome. The BBQ sauce was the best I've ever tasted- there was some kind of alcohol in it, and it was just awesome. The only thing is (and as I major cheese lover, I can barely believe I'm going to say this), there was almost too much cheese on it. I mean, not enough to make me upset about ordering it, but if you are not a major cheese lover, you might want to ask for easy cheese on this item. Overall, we were very happy with the food we ordered. Along with our meal also came a little loaf of their house beer bread, which was warm and yummy and had great beer flavor. As for service, we had a great server, although we were only one of 2 tables at lunch on a Monday, so I can't say we had a lot of competition for his attention. But he was funny and inviting, and was sure to let us know about the two things they were temporarily out of for the day before we ordered. We left full and happy!
(4)
M P.

This place is a mixed bag. Nice location and ambiance. Good for a couple, a group or a family. They were setting up a band on the night we were there, but we left before they started. Not to generalize, but I am assuming that like every other bar band, they were going to play at an annoying enough volume that you cannot talk to the person sitting next to you. Maybe I am wrong, but you don't bring that many speakers to play some nice background music. The beer is great. We had a group of 8 and tried a lot of their brews. Great IPA, Nut Brown and Amber. They also had a few seasonal beers that were very good. If going here for the beer alone, this is a 4 to 5 star place. The food is where thye are lacking a bit. The 2 lb pretzel is worth the visit. This thing is huge and the leftovers heated up well the next day. If I go again, it would be beer and the pretzel....that's about it. I will say that we had a few tapas trays and they were actually quite good too. Their main sandwiches were so-so. The worst was the Signature Pulled Pork Sandwich. There is no doubt that this is not made 'low and slow hand pulled pork.' This is the same garbage that every other restaurant serves out of a frozen 10 lb tub. I understand that you cannot make every item authentic, but do not put this as a 'Signature Item.' This should be buried deep in the menu and left there to die. Service was pretty good, but nothing too great. Would visit again, but would stick with the basics on the menu and avoid anything that sounds like they are making it themselves. It's most likely sitting in their freezer ready to make when you order.
(3)
Robb P.

Great beer! Good food! HORRIBLE service. I'm not sure why but the waitresses always seem unhappy and like your bothering them whenever you ask for anything. Never the less, this place is a fun place to hang out. I would recommend checking out some of the bands that they book on weekend nights. We've caught some really good rockabilly bands here..
(3)
Tim H.

Galena Brewing Company/Galena Brewery is AWESOME! The beers are awesome, the staff is awesome, and the decor is awesome. When we went, the second and third nights after opening, they only had two of the beers available. The two beers were both great. From Sean, the Brew Master, to Mike and Megan, the bartenders, the staff is incredible. They are very friendly and knowledgeable. Sean also give awesome tours of the brewing process. I would HIGHLY recommend going to the Brewery, and make sure to go when you can take a tour with the Brew Master.
(5)
Ann S.

Didn't like the beer or the food. Service was terrible and the menu is very uninspiring for a brew pub. This place is a tourist trap!
(1)
Tara M.

This place is ok. I really like the space itself, it's large and open and has a nice big bar with lots of seating. The beers were good, I always enjoy trying local brews. But the menu is weird. This place needs to figure out whether it wants to be a gastropub, or a brewery that serves traditional bar food. It should pick one or the other because it's too hard to do both. I say it should go the traditional bar food route and ramp up those offerings into good stuff. There's nothing wrong with regular bar food done really well. Plus, I wasn't thrilled with the beer cheese soup. It didn't taste much of cheese or beer.
(3)
steve i.

Wine and service sucked...no server should be rude because the wine is sent back
(1)
Austin P.

Beer was not yum. My wife got the Amber and I the Pale...could barely tell the difference in color or taste. Boring beer flava.
(2)
Michael H.

A classy brewery with some good choices on tap. I particularly liked the home-brewed stout.
(4)
Tom E.

Greg was fabulous behind the bar and the brewery tour was very informative and worth the time Steve wad great. Definitely worth the stop by....
(4)
Megan M.

We had a flight of 7 beer samples and enjoyed the current seasonal beers best. LOVED the stuffed mushrooms. The chicken wings (chose hot sauce) had minimal sauce, so our server brought us additional sauce for dipping. As served, the wings were moderately spicy, but with the additional sauce they were true hot wings. We also shared the Italian beef sandwich (ordered wet). It was okay, but I thought it was still dry. Would definitely return to try more on the tapas menu. Service was excellent. I only give it 4 stars because there was a band that was way too loud - especially at only 7 pm. Really good prices...our flight of samples was only $9.
(4)
Liz P.

Fun place to go in downtown. The menu is pretty limited but I think that is to be expected at a brewery.
(4)
Candy J.

Really great beers, very rich and full. Greg is awesome! Definitely do the brewery tour, it's fun and educational!
(5)
Betsy W.

Excellent tapas, delicious as could possibly be. Don't miss the goatcheese or the sweet potato empanada. Food was great. Our waitress, Rebeka? Not so much. She just didn't want to be there and it showed. One of our party had to work at finding something they weren't out of. It would have been nice if her verbal intro would have mentioned that. We know split checks are a pain, but they don't have to be, especially if you write the different amounts down, as Rebeka did. Still, they managed to arrive incorrectly. Overall, a good place to grab a brew and watch sporting events, and be pleasantly surprised if the service is good.
(3)
Adam H.

On a main street full of tourist trap candy stores and crying baby filled family eateries it was nice to come to a restaurant where it was quiet, comfortable, low key, and delicious. The service was great. Yes, we were one of two tables at the time but the server was friendlly, attentive, able to answer questions, and okay with my wife continually asking her to take pictures of us. The beer was great. I had three glasses of three different kinds. All good. I would have had a fourth but they were sold out of their stout which just won an award a couple weeks before thus making it popular at the moment. For food my wife and I first shared two tapas. A cream cheese tomato tartlet and a veggie spring roll. Both were delicious but the tartlet came out as the winner and actually the best thing I had all night. The contrast of creamy cheese, pastry, and tasty juicy tomatoes just worked. My entree was their BBQ pulled pork sandwich and homeade coleslaw. The slaw was a vinager based one and was perfect to put on the pork making my good sandwich even better. My girl got a veggie flatbread. Simple with a little vinager drizzle. Quite tasty. Overall this place is the best restaurant I tried during my stay in Galena. Their great beer, food, service, and laid back decor are all things I will be coming back for when in I'm next in town. Hopefully by then I'll be able to try their stout.
(4)
Roman M.

I would like to begin this review with a slight bias in that we did have a $25 restaurant.com certificate for this place that needed to be used up, so naturally we weren't as critical as if we were paying full price. But....truth be told, we absolutely loved it and would come back without the $25 coupon. We had the beer sample flight, the 5 tapas for $18 and two entrees. The food was very flavorful and fresh. The beers were well explained to us by our waitress and we felt welcomed by their service. The crowd was the typical professionals from both Chicago and the Dubuque/Galena/Platteville area. The ability to see employees making the beer in the back and the darkened, cozy seating area really made an intimate setting. My only quibble was that I would have liked to have a small description of the beers on the flight, because we totally forgot which beer was which once the waitress left.
(5)
Anthony C.

Had a lunch here once and beer only twice on a recent visit to Galena. The space is very nice with an open floor plan and retro-industrial look. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable - we even got a little history lesson from him on the town and brewing legacy of Galena. The beers were very good - clean and fresh - especially enjoyed the John-Jon Lager. Prices were extremely reasonable (in the $4 to $5 range) for a pint. The food was good but pretty typical bar fare. We started with a small loaf of the beer bread served with honey butter which was tasty. My wife had the buffalo chicken wrap served with sweet potato tots and I had the Bratwurst which was served on a rye brat bun (nice touch). We will definitely be back when in town again.
(4)
Matthew T.

We looked forward to trying a local brewery after the drive from Chicago. The bar and restaurant were busy, but not overly so. Were seated right away, as the singer was starting his sound check. Noticed the energy in the room was weird, and that they were quick to clean tables up, but not to greet their customers. Made it through the whole sound check and his first two songs and no one had yet to check in on us. We left and took our business elsewhere. And didn't regret where we ended up.
(1)
Rachel Y.

Beers are all really good. Clean and without infection. I enjoyed the blonde, wheat, amber and nut brown. Food was really good as well. We ordered the beer bread - SO GOOD. Got the beer cheese soup... Even better. The chef salad I ordered was huge! Couldn't finish it all. I would definitely come back for the food and beer. Service not so much. That's what's stopping this from being a five star review. Our waitress seemed very disinterested in waiting on us. I had to ask for water twice. She never filled it because she noticed I was empty. One time she walked up to the table on her way to another table, asked if everything was good and I had a mouthful of food. My husband didn't notice my empty water so he told her everything was good and she walked away. Had to wait another five minutes for my water to be refreshed. Other than that, I would rate this place a five star. It's awesome. Very tasty!
(4)
Kristin M.

After endless wine tasting we decided to come into Galena brewing company to try a beer tasting. There were two options of beer flights: seasonal beers and Galena brewing co beers. We were here two times so I was able to try both. While the seasonal beers were good I really think the Galena brewing co beers were much better. The second time we came here we had food with our beer and were both disappointed. We had pretzel bites as an appetizer and they were just gross. Normally I love pretzel bites but the cheese was just awful. Yuck. My boyfriend had hot wings while I had a pulled pork slider with the beer cheese soup. He wasn't crazy about his food but I thought mine was pretty good. The small portion was just the right amount.
(4)
Keyla R.

I don't like giving bad reviews. Look at my prior reviews and you will see that I just try my best not to do that. But in this case, I wish I was Lana Kane, and you could hear this, so I could go "Nooope," because this place is just a big old pile of nope, nope, nope. Are my feelings clear enough? The atmosphere is nice, lively, like any good brew-pub. And, to be honest, the beer was good. We had their seasonal, and nothing wrong there. We wish we had just kept it to the beer, then we wouldn't have been out the additional $40 for a meal that was completely inedible. This wasn't our first choice. I wanted to eat somewhere else, but this was the 4th of July in Galena and every single place had a crazy long line. Hubby was starving and about to start gnawing on my arm. Wanting to keep my arm, I agreed to this place. It looked liked it had plenty of empty tables, and, in fact, our wait was only about 4 minutes or so. The funny part was when we walked in, we noticed all the empty tables, but the woman behind the desk said there were a couple of people before us. But, regardless, we were quickly seat. The minute we sat down, before even ordering drinks, we ordered the coconut chicken skewers. Seriously, starving man by my side, so no time to waste. We then ordered our meal. I ordered the pulled pork sandwich, and hubby ordered the Reuben on honey wheat instead of rye. He asked nicely if it could be made on rye because if not he would have to order something else as he abhors rye. Waitress said, they usually do not do special orders, but they could change the bread. (WTF! When did a change in bread become a special order in a freaking restaurant! What the hell, so you pull the freaking sandwich out frozen and nuke it or what!!) Then we wait. And wait. And wait. Finally, out come the skewers. By this time, I am almost as hungry as he is, however, the skewers look completely unappetizing. They look like freezer burned frozen crap on a stick. I would honestly be beyond surprised if these things don't come from a bloody box in the freezer. Even worse, they bake these things (kudos on trying to reduce the fat) and apparently don't realize that you should turn things over in the over. Side A was black and Side B looked uncooked. I had one bite, and wanted to puke. So Hubby, ate them all. He didn't like either, but he was so hungry he ate them all. At least, it wasn't my arm. Then we wait. And wait. And wait. And, finally out come the sandwiches. My pulled pork and his Reuben on rye. Yep, rye. Back goes the Reuben and the wait continues. He munches on my fries, at least they were edible, while I take a bite of the pulled pork and...puke city. The pork tasted like pork in a tub that comes in the meat section of the grocery store...mushy, greasy, and favorless. Yuck! Needless to say, no more bites for me. They actually asked if we wanted to go boxes. Hell to the NO! Anyhow, still waiting on Hubby's sandwich, he decides the skewers of chicken crap made him sick and he is tired of waiting for his sandwich, so we ask for the check. We pay for the check - including the sandwich, because they still made us pay for it - and then finally his sandwich comes. He looks at it, with it's disgusting gray sauerkraut - honestly, how do you make that stuff gray in the first place - and he doesn't even bother to take a bite. It looks gross and our stomachs are already upset. Worst part yet, the few bites we did eat hung in our stomachs and made us feel so sick we cut our afternoon in lovely Galena short. Who can walk around when your bellies hurt.
(1)
Eric L.

I was slightly disappointed with my experience at Galena Brewing Co. What should not have been a no wait to be seated turned into 10 min ( room was half empty). I am mixed on the meal. The Cuban was above average and beef and mushroom sandwich was below average. The beef had a funny off taste not sure what was but if that is the standard, I would not recommend. Service was good and the live music was really good. If would like to sample some nice locally brewed beers I would recommend Galena Brewing Co! That was the high point!
(3)
Mandy K.

Great location right on Main Street. Beers are decent. They are smart and have a section for people who just want a drink separate from the restaurant. I can't comment on the food because I only had one pint of beer. The IPA I had was pretty good and the bartender was helpful and friendly.
(3)
Melanie R.

Just visited Galena and thought we'd try this place for dinner on a Monday evening. We walked in and beside front greeter's desk there was a sign that said "seat yourself". Beyond that desk is a huge, open industrial type room with a bunch of tables and at one end, a huge bar with 3 TVs. We looked around and saw there were only two other couples seated, so we pretty much had our choice where to sit. We saw no waitstaff at all. It was really weird...no one to welcome or greet you. Not a good sign. We sat down and a waiter did come over and ask if we'd been there before. When we said no, he explained about their beers, so that was all good. And he did bring my husband a couple of tastings when he wasn't sure which beer to get. We ordered our food - we started with the beer bread, which was good, but since it was fresh out of the oven, it was crumbly when we cut it. You try to cut a slice and it crumbled all over the bread board. The server also didn't bring us any plates or napkins and cutlery, so we were eating chunks of the bread over the table and then using our cocktail napkins to wipe our hands. For dinner, I had the thai chicken flatbread and my husband had the Cuban sandwich. Both were pretty disappointing, especially for the price. The chicken on my flatbread was in huge even chunks, so I'm assuming it was frozen stuff that the restaurant merely thaws out; not freshly cooked there at the restaurant. And what made the flatbread "thai" was a watery chili sauce that dripped all over the plate every time I picked up a piece to take a bite. My husband said his Cuban sandwich tasted just "OK" and was really small for the price. He ate the whole thing in a few minutes and he's not a big guy. The next evening we ate at Durty Gurt's, which was much better ambiance, service, price and food-wise. So, if you're looking for a casual dinner in Galena, go next door to Durty Gurt's instead of this place. I'm assuming Galena Brewing Company is a decent place on weekends for a beer and an appetizer, but that's it.
(2)
Chelsea P.

Amazing food and beer! My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner in the private party room last year and they were so accommodating! We didn't have time to get there and set up prior to the dinner so they decorated the place for us. They were very attentive and gave great service. Linda, the owner, was very helpful in planning the party, as well. Will continue to go back for the fantastic service, delicious food and one-of-a-kind beer!
(5)

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Address : 227 N Main St
Galena, IL, 61036
Phone (815) 776-9917
Website https://www.galenabrewery.com
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :4:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Live
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes

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Galena Brewing Company

227 N Main St, Galena, IL, 61036

Galena Brewing Company Menu

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