Blue Cat Brewpub
113 18th St, Rock Island, IL, 61201
Blue Cat Brewpub Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Rock Island for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Rock Island for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Rock Island for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
113 18th St
Rock Island, IL, 61201 - Phone (309) 788-8247
- Website https://www.bluecatbrewpub.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 3:00pm
- Mon : 11:00 am - 3:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
andrea m.
This is one of my favorite night time spots in the quad cities so far. The downstairs bartender is very good at his job. The beer is good and they have excellent food! We haven't ventured upstairs yet so I can't comment on that, but this place is a good bar.
(4)Courtney L.
Food was good, service was slow.
(4)Jessica D.
Where to start, where to start... the microbrews (Wigged pig)? The full bar? The capable bartender? The fun upstairs games room with billiards and dart boards? The great music? The special dinner and beer events? The pub crawl... the menu? Excellent Mississippi delta and American classics such as the pulled pork,spicy catfish, salmonburger, and all the delectably unbelievable appetizers. There's high end and yummy grub, a little or a lot, for everyone.
(4)Cari R.
Food: A- Beer: C+ Service: D- ---- We went to Blue Cat Brew Pub before the Quad Cities Marathon last weekend. The food/atmosphere was wonderful and very affordable. (try the pretzel appetizer, the turkey/swiss and tuna sandwich and the carmel apple dessert--TDF!). The beer was just okay. I started with the Wigged Pig Wheat and it was lackluster. Not what I expected. So I switched to the Off the Rail Pale Ale. It was better, but still nothing to write home about. With a race the next day, two was my limit. Unlike every other commenter here, we had *horrible* service. It's possible we just got the wrong server on the wrong night. The place wasn't too busy, yet she forgot to put in our appetizer order, got our food order wrong and failed to reflill beverages. She was unfriendly and had little knowledge of the food or the beer... in fact, she pointed us to the menu when we had questions. I'd go again for the food... and to try a different selection of beers, but would hope for a better service experience!
(4)Bob K.
Not bad food. Beers are typical microbrews.
(3)Niel K.
Nice selection of brewed-onsite beers. Solid food selection, I had the day's special which was baked salmon, not too shabby. Welcoming vibe.
(4)Dan G.
Great brews and the brisket sandwich is awesome! The "Root of All Evil" was good, the wasabi hits hard though, so be prepared. Went excellent with the brisket. Also had the "Big Bad Dog" old English Ale. I loved that brew, hearty and dark. Service was impeccable!
(5)Gordon P.
Its rare that I leave 5 stars but I don't think I could do anything less here. I travel for work and eat at many new restaurants on the weekly basis. I stopped in for lunch and can say w/ 100% certainty that I'll be back in the future. Blue Cat has a friendly staff w/ a "Cheers-like" atmosphere, a menu that isn't just what you're used to seeing, especially for a pub. This food is more of what you'd expect from a downtown cafe than a brewery. I'm coming back for dinner though...really want to try their home brew!
(5)Jeff U.
Met a group of co-workers here for drinks and supper. I was very surprised how good their food was. I had the steak and it was fantastic. I was most impressed with their selection of Scotch. They had some very high end Scotch at reasonable prices. Their knowledgeable waiter recommend some great Scotch to try. I got to try many $100-$200 bottle of Scotch for about $10 a glass.
(5)Ethan D.
Blue Cat always has been and always will be the one place that comes to mind when I think about downtown Rock Island, Illinois. I spent so much time and money at Blue Cat upstairs and boy did I enjoy ever minute of it. Great beer and even greater food (surprising, for a brewery, which typically aren't known for great food). I will always nurse a soft spot in my heart for Blue Cat.
(5)Ray B.
Good beer and the soup rocks. Daily specials are always a draw but the catfish is some of the best.
(5)Dean K.
The Blue Cat Brew Pub has an extensive menu of affordable, consistently pleasing comfort food favorites, all at reasonable prices (most entrees under $15 and many under $10). I adore the meatloaf and brisket. Of the 3 brewpubs in the region, the Blue Cat easily has the best food. The beer, however, can be inconsistent. The Off the Rail Pale Ale is a good beer, and the stouts are usually pleasing, but other beers can be hit and miss. Get a sample before ordering a full pint. This is an easy place to pass the time, as the staff and customers are friendly and talkative. The upstairs bar has pool tables and bar games in abundance.
(4)Heather Ann M.
Moved here a week ago and been there twice already! In desperation to find food we flipped through the phone book (internet was still not set up) and found the brew pub. We had carry-out. I ordered the Greek salad and it was delicious! Second time we went in we again had great food and excellent service. Tomato and coconut soup was the special. I went for it despite the odd combo. It was surprisingly good! We also ate the tilapia, blackened catfish and drank a great IPA and their coriander and orange beer. So yummy! Highly recommend. Will go again!
(4)Rachael P.
It's not often that you can find a place that serves inexpensive food, decent craft beer AND Spaghettios for kids. The veggie burger was your typical pub veggie burger but came with enough toppings to make it good. My German potato salad was good and their pub fries are always awesome. Their beer doesn't wow me as much as other local breweries, but it's better than a cheap domestic. Did I mention they gave my son Spaghettios? He was thrilled! Obviously not on the menu. Hope they didn't serve my kid some dish-washer's lunch! :)
(4)An H.
Blue cat is a great thing to have in our community, but the owners desperately need to bring themselves out of the late 90s and rebrand their facility somehow. Food is good. Beers are ok. Building and interior are dated and worn down. Hopefully a $50k investment would return them to glory. It's worth a try, but only if you've tried all the other places already. Not a place I take guests or clients to. *see don't forget to dust your fans so chunks of dust don't fall onto a customers table. Here's hoping there is something in store for the future. Also, has a nice upper floor with pool and a room you can reserve for parties. That's probably the best part of it currently.
(2)Kermit S.
The Scotch Eggs are a good starter. The flavor was very tasty and refreshingly different than most places. The Beer Cheddar Dip was a good spread on toast, celery, and even a Scotch egg (hint, hint). For my entree, I ordered the Apricot Walnut Pork with the Tomato Coconut Soup. The soup was intense. I simply loved it and could down a punch bowl of the stuff. Delish!! The pork was good too. The apricot and walnut added some very good flavor to the tenderloin. The pork itself was a little tough but the flavor made up for it. I had the 21st Anniversary house brew and enjoyed each sip. Unfortunately, they don't bottle their brews so I couldn't bring any home. Overall, I liked this place a lot and would visit again!
(4)Eric K.
One of many visits through the year, though I mainly grab takeout when I'm working in the area, So it was nice to sit down for a change. It had been quite the week! Arrived about 3pm to small staff, and not many occupied tables. I ordered the Ahi Tuna Sandwich, which advertised came with Aioli, Tomato, Sprouts, and Toasted Bun. Sprouts were MIA, which is pretty normal in most establishments, since the big "Poopy Sprouts Scare" from Jimmy Johns in 2012, when they were discontinued nationally. Sandwiches come with a choice of Beans and Rice, Cole Slaw, Pasta Salad, German Potato Salad or Pub Fries. I went with the Beans and Rice. My lunch date, fought a moment, with the Dixieland Special, (which is some Contoction of BBQ Pork and Slaw poured over Corn Bread). After reminding her that BBQ slaw is usually vinegar based, went with the Grilled Burger. It was advertised with choice of toppings. I'm sure there's loads of different combinatioins available, depending on the aptitude of the server that day!!. I was surprised to find out they actually had a few slaws that were suited to the dishes they were paired with, so that was promising. I began to deconstruct the Tuna Sandwich, as any good fish eater will have a good look and make sure everything is in order, to find that the bun must have been accidently ordered well-done, as there was no life left in the poor vessel. Same seemed to be true of about half the bun on the Burger. Otherwise the Burger and The Slaw got high marks, and she's really picky about slaw. I found my Tuna to be marginal, but edible, and my Rice and Beans, well, the Beans were pretty spot on. I'm not a fan of hot sticky white rice in any situation, so off to the side it went. All in all, it was a fun time getting a meal in, and people-watching. The service staff were wonderful and cheerful. I'll return, but it'll be another sandwich day, as they'd require a little more trust from me before blowing any kind of wad on their dinner entrees!!
(3)Brandon C.
Food here is delicious. The chef comes up with some creative dishes. Their scotch egg is fantastic. Beers here are great! I have had a few that were "ok" but for the most part- really tasty!
(4)Meghan H.
Food is fantastic. All soups, sauces, and dressings are home made, and you can definitely tell. The beer is delicious and crafted with love. The owners, managers, and wait staff are always very knowledgeable and friendly with answering any questions. The kitchen is rather small, which can make for longer wait times than usual for food on a busy night, but the ambience and service make up for it. Watching that beautiful sunset in the river from a window seat? Should make your wait worthwhile. :) if coming with a party, a reservation would be best, as they fill up quickly. This is also one of the only restaurants in the downtown area that serves sit-down food past 11, which is fantastic. Dr. Bob is by far one of the best, and most professional bartenders I've ever encountered in the QC area.
(5)Kristin M.
This was one of my favorite places to visit when I went to Augustana. Lots of the bars in the area are loud and crowded but this one had a much more chill atmosphere. They have pool tables upstairs and more of a restaurant on the first floor. The food is good and reasonably priced and they have a pretty awesome beer selection.
(5)Shawn H.
We were searching for late night eats while visiting the Quad Cities, and Blue Cat popped up! Gave the Arkam Stout a roll...They brew this here! It's very malty and has a strong coffee taste. If you enjoy rich stouts, you will probably enjoy this too. For food, we tried the BBQ Pork Sandwich ($7). This was pretty tasty...good flavor in the pork, but the sauce is very sweet. Love the battered fries here though! I'd still recommend it. My Mom tried the Grilled Ahi Sandwich ($12): Aoli, Tomato, Sprouts, on a Toasted Bun. Cooked to order...ask for a quick sear! We shared a Pounder of Bacon Cheese Fries ($6.75). Can you really go wrong with something like this?? Tasty battered fries with plenty of cheese and bacon for you to devour lol. It was plenty for the group. Might just fit the bill if you are looking for a real casual place for good food and drinks, especially late night! Pics :
(4)Jeff A.
Great place to go after work. Bob, the best bartender in the Quad Cities. Their beer is amazing as well.
(5)Joshua M.
Absolutely wonderful food and atmosphere. Amazing staff as well. The burger was great and the calamari was fried perfectly. The pub fries were everything you'd expect them to be. Don't miss this place!
(5)Larry C.
Great Irish stout, and the bacon cheese fries are the bomb! Fun, friendly atmosphere.
(5)Danyel G.
Beer was good. Service was slow and we never saw our waiter after he brought our food out. Food was less than mediocre!! No flavor, cold, blah!! The place is dirty and the bathrooms are nasty!! Can't say we'll be back here!
(2)Alisha M.
Our waitress was so weird it totally threw off our whole dining experience but my bacon cheeseburger was delicious and our battered fries were awesome. Do not get the calamari it was like a cheap fish stick. Also the chicken gnocchi was horrible we had to send it back
(3)Cire N.
Spinach salad is the best I've ever had. Homemade croutons and dressing with bits of real pork belly bacon. Its out of this world! Guy just passed our table telling the owner he had the "best soup in his life." I know what will complement my salad next time!
(5)Jason W.
Love this place! Great beer and great food. Talked to the owner while I sampled both!
(5)Jason M.
Not a beer drinker but I decided to drop in for lunch and I was very disappointed. The Pretzels that I ordered were like the ones you buy in the frozen section of your local grocery store (ie Super Pretzels) and the burger was also made with a pre made frozen patty,along with the "Pub Fries" which were definitely not made fresh but also frozen. Although the server was nice,I wouldn't stop by here again.
(2)James R.
I started out my brewery/Brewpub tour of 2012 with Mud Cat based on an experience I had with them at Great Taste of the Midwest. They offered up some exceptional beers and I happened to be passing through the Quad Cities on pleasure so I thought I would take some time to check them out. The first thing I noticed is that all of the parking around there is either metered or two hours only during the day. Well when you plan part of your trip with visiting a brewpub, you don't plan to stay for just two hours if you are going to sample as many of their beers as possible, and I only sample by the pint. I ended up taking the risk of getting a parking ticket and stayed for three hours. Keep this in mind if you are going during the daytime hours. The atmosphere is really nice. It's a two story building with a mezzanine area. You could fit a lot of people in here. It is in an older building that has been converted that has a more upscale look to it with modern art, but it keeps its Brew Pub feel with them showing off their fermenters in a room separated by glass right behind the bar. We were there for lunch. I know a lot of places are big on their expanded menu's that they try to cater to a higher scale crowd, but when I'm getting ready for some good old fashioned beer drinking I want me a burger and fries. They have specialty soups, salads, sandwiches and entrees that are available to those that want that. The burger was okay. I think it was a pre-made patty, which kind of disappointed me. It wasn't bad and it did the job. The fries were good and made an excellent pallet cleanser between pints. They had some good beer on tap. I was a little disappointed as that they say they have 6 beers on tap but when I was there they only had 4. They ran out of their two specialties earlier, so we only had the choice of 4 of their beers. I was told the owner might come in to add new beers, but if he showed up while I was still there, no one told me. I really would have like to try more of their beer. The service was excellent our server did a fantastic job of answering questions and giving us information about the brewery. He was very polite and knowledgeable. He even put up with some good natured ribbing from my wife and over the missing beers. The prices here are cheap for a pint compared to other Brewpubs. My wife and I had two burgers, multiple pints and we were able to get out of there pretty cheap. Of course I bought a growler which drove the price up on us. They have some of the most fantastic, orriginal growlers I've seen from a Brewpub. It's $30.00 for an empty growler at the time of my visit, but it's very cool looking. Overall I enjoyed my time and experience and am glad I stopped in. I'll definitely do it again the next time I'm in town.
(4)S R.
Had lunch here, the seared tuna. Bland, dry, unimaginative. Asked for a side salad and it was this sad iceburg lettuce with shredded carrots. If you are going for fatty, quantity, comfort food, you might do well. Healthy options are basically nonexistent.
(2)Teresa P.
While traveling through this area we look for breweries, and this one was recommended. Went in and had a couple of their microbrews which I ended up mixing. The two the bartender recommended were fabulous, unfortunately they won't be making them again for a couple years so that's too bad I don't need to add which beers they were, only that one of them was 9% alcohol and the other was a dark. They have fabulous beers, the bartender was very knowledgeable, and it was an overall wonderful experience.
(4)Colin G.
I had been meaning to get to a Quad Cities brewery for a couple of years now. I had heard good things from people in both Champaign and Chicago, and had had a taste of a Bent River beer once (they distribute to Illinois, but not to Indiana), so it was nice to finally get a chance to fulfill the goal. I chose Blue Cat because they seem to have good reviews and seemed to have an interesting food menu. I needed dinner, so the latter was important. They sit in the middle of Rock Island's "entertainment district," which is just a couple of blocks and maybe five bars. It's a smaller city though, so you can't expect much. Blue Cat was across the street from the river. There's metered parking all around, all of which is free after 5pm. I parked on the same block as the brewpub. I arrived fairly early, at about 5:30, and it was pretty quiet, but the place got pretty busy as I hung around. Turns out they were doing a beer dinner that night, but not everyone that came in was there for that, so they're evidently somewhat popular. I sat at the bar and ordered a sampler, then a pint, and a sandwich. The bartender was cordial but not overly nice or eager to chat. He had other customers and other things to do though. The beers were pretty interesting just from the descriptions. A Scotch/Rauchbier, a pumpkin ale, an English ale, and then a stout, a wheat and a pale. I thought the wheat was just bad, but it seemed to be their answer to people coming in wanting "light beers" or those who don't really like beer. The pale was pretty sorry: very little on hops and somewhat flavorless. I like pumpkin beers, but hated this one. It was all cinnamon and very little flavor or body past that. On the flip side though, I liked all the rest. I ended up with a pint of the English ale, which a lot bigger and bolder than what you normally see from an "English ale" style. For food, I ended up with a chicken brie flatbread sandwich. It came with choice of side, and I opted for rice and beans. The bread was nothing special, nor was the chicken. The brie was just brie. The sandwich was supposed to feature chutney (which made me order it, because it sounded interesting), but I just got a lot of honey oozing off of it. Maybe that's what the chutney was supposed to be? I was satisfied with it though, and it was cheap for what it was: $7.75. The side was actually the real star. I'm a native New Orleanian and grew up with red beans and rice. People simplify it too often, thinking they can just put canned beans on top of any old rice and it will be the same thing. It's much more than that, but they do it very well here. The beans had this little kick that I really appreciated, and were really good overall. If the rice was Mahatma's (not sure you can even get that in this region), then it was cooked differently, but it was overall very good. That was a nice surprise, because you never what you're going to get with "rice and beans" as the only descriptor. I enjoyed the food and beer. I recall this place being open when I first came to Rock Island in 2009, though I didn't stop, but they've obviously been doing something right to have made it this far. I would come back.
(4)Nick B.
Food is alright. Beer is awful.
(2)Rebecca M.
A friend recommended this place to me based on his experiences here 5+ years ago - It is still great! I was too busy getting a Whiskey 101 lesson from one of my colleagues to try their beer (yes, they have quite a good scotch selection), but I will definitely need to go back to do so. We were all pretty impressed with the food and service as well. The bread, which comes with the soup/salad was AMAZING. I know I shouldn't spend too much time talking about the bread, but it was so soft and tasty with a hint of sweetness that I had to order extra. I was feeling adventurous so I tried the chicken and caper soup. It was definitely interesting, although I don't know if I will order it again. The other soups sounded great too though. As an entrée, I had the chicken gnocchi. The chicken itself wasn't great, but the gnocchi and red sauce was delicious. I will be back next week to try some more dishes!
(4)Samantha C.
The food here is really great. The cheese dip in particular is delicious and very unique. The menu is big and has a lot of creative offerings. So I definitely recommend coming here for dinner. However, their beer is just. awful. We've tried almost every kind, on several different visits, and without fail they have all been flat, warm, and completely unlike whatever style they claim to be. Most of them are completely flavorless as well. And I couldn't help but notice that most people in the restaurant were drinking mixed drinks, so I can't be the only one that thinks so. So come here to eat, but choose liquor!
(3)Keith F.
I enjoyed the brisket sandwich and cole slaw. The waiter gave samples of the seasonal brews. I recommend going to this fine establishment.
(4)Bev S.
Sadly disappointed in the quality of their Dinners. If you say it is a Mango Ginger sauce it should taste like it not an sweetened version of a basic bechamel. My husband, who eats anything, even commented on the declining quality. This would be a good spot for a beer and appetizer but not much else. Sorry, you used to be so good.
(2)Toby M.
Drinks were quickly filled, which was great because food did not come quickly. Once the food did arrive, it was delicious.
(4)Tom R.
Visiting the area and was waking around trying to find a place that was opened to eat. Decided on the Blue Cat. Side salad was good. Ordered the Beer Brined Chicken with Scalloped Potatoes. The potatoes appeared they came from a frozen package as they were presented in a rectangular shape. The chicken did not taste as if it was freshly cooked and prepared. It appeared it may have been cooked previously and was just warmed up. While it did take awhile for the entree to arrive service staff was nice.
(2)Corinne P.
Loved this place! I want to go back ASAP. I got to see the equipment for the brewery. Everything was clean and spacious. Food was excellent. I will go back!
(4)Roxanne O.
Took a walk from my hotel in Davenport to Rock Island to see the Mississippi river and get some grub. After seeing that Blue Cat Brew Pub had a couple vegetarian options, I decided to drop in. The restaurant was pretty busy the entire time I was there but my server was very attentive. I was able to order a non-beer cocktail, and they have an extensive drink list. (that's not always the case in brew pubs!) I started my meal with a house salad. They have a really great house dill dressing. For my entree I had a pesto pasta with a smorgasbord of roasted vegetables. As a vegetarian, I've had more veggie pasta dishes than I'd care to remember, but this one really was amazing. The vegetables were perfectly cooked and crisp and had a salty kick to them. This is definitely a neat place to check out if you're in the quad cities. It's a little off the beaten path if you're staying in Davenport, but it's a quick walk away!
(4)Scott S.
Decent and flavorful beer. My favorite was the Off the Rails Pale Ale, but they had a seasonal with coriander and ginger that was very inventive and smelled and tasted great. Did a decent cheeseburger, fries, and the warm German potato salad was great. Air conditioning was a bit on the cool side. Wait staff was laid back and cheerful. Will return. I give Front Street Brewery across the river points for a better kitchen which also costs 50% more.
(4)Anthony Z.
Stopped here during a soccer tournament this past summer. It was so good that we came for lunch and dinner. I enjoyed it so much that I drove 2 1/2 to try it again. Yep, still that good. Everything on the menu is delicious and the beers are phenomenal. Taking some growlers home this time.
(5)chris w.
Yeah! My kid is going to attend Augustana College - that means 4 years of delicious ribs are coming our way!:)
(4)Heather J.
Wow, oh wow. We recently visited Blue Cat Brew Pub and I was blown away. We started with beers. I had an English Stout and the hubby had something that I can't remember (he liked his a lot though). The English Stout was good. Not sure what the alcohol content was, but after two and dinner, I felt pretty good! For dinner I got the Blue Cat Whiskey Steak. I can honestly say, hands down, that this is the BEST steak I have ever had in a restaurant. I'm not sure what the seasoning was, but it was a bit spicy. It was marinated in whiskey and it almost caramelized while being grilled giving it a sweet flavor. The sweetness of the caramelized marinade paired with the spiciness of the stuff that was sprinkled on top gave it an amazing flavor. It was cooked perfectly to temp, also. I'm still craving it 2 days later! I made the mistake of giving everyone at my table a bite of my steak. It kinda ruined their dinners because mine was SO much better. The other entrees were the honey glazed half chicken and two top sirloins. The sirloins were cooked perfectly and had a good flavor. Not overly seasoned, just a great, steak flavor. The chicken was good, not excellent, but couldn't stand up to the Blue Cat Whiskey Steak. The dinners came with salad and a roll. The roll was great. The salad wasn't anything overly special, but still good. For sides, our dinners came with new potatoes and the veggie of the day. I barely touched the new potatoes. They weren't bad, but they were not great either. The veggies were steamed carrots and broccoli. Nothing special either. I didn't leave hungry though. The steak and salad filled me up plenty. The only cons about this place is that the bathrooms weren't very clean. I'll let that go because it was packed and a Saturday night. The other was that our waiter was pretty slow to acknowledge us after we sat down. It took almost 10 minutes for him to get our drink orders. I'll let that slide, too because he did have 2 other big tables that he was dealing with at the same time. The food is what keeps this review being 5 stars instead of 4. While we live in Champaign and don't make it that way often, we will try to make it again. It's worth it.
(5)Russ B.
Beer Cheese dip was disappointing But the beer brined chicken was good
(3)M N.
The Quad City region is blessed with great, independent breweries, creating multiple nectar's of life, BIER! Within a five mile radius, four independent micro breweries bless the area. Each has its own, distinctive flavor and character. The four independent breweries (NOT chain) in order of my preference are the Great Lake, Front City Brewery, Bent River, and Blue Cat. The cost of the bier was affordable, from $3.75 to $4.00 a pint! I do not know if the citizens of the Quad City realize the how fortunate they are to have so many great independent breweries. The Blue Cat produces good, decent flavors of bier, unfortunately, they just brewed my favorite, IPA, so it will not be ready for a few weeks. I did imbibe in a pale ale, not bad, but does not have enough hop as in the IPA. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Kitchen serves food, but did not have food, thus cannot comment. I went for the bier - I will have some food the next time so will draft another review. In addition to the restaurant and fully stocked bar, the Blue Cat has a second floor where folks can play billiard and darts. A place to "hang out" and enjoy a few biers. Located in the heart of downtown Rock Island, at the edge of the "District," it was within walking distance from my hotel (Holiday Inn), so I did not have to worry about driving. If staying in downtown Rock Island, the Blue Cat is a good place to enjoy a few flavorful brews, shoot pool, and relax.
(3)J A.
Always one of my favorite in the Quad Cities. If your at the bar Bob will take care of you. Love their beers and the Ahi tuna is tasty. Head there on Thursday evening if your looking for the seafood, that is when they usually get it in. Also, the soups are some of the best I have ever tasted and always very interesting combination's, but I have not been disappointed yet.
(5)Bridget D.
I like this place a lot. They brew interesting beer blends, like orange cardamom. The food is pretty good, too. So far, I like their southern style dishes the best. The BBQ brisket is delicious!
(4)Joe S.
The jalapeño cornbread catfish was great, the beer was better and our server was friendly and attentive, even though we came in for dinner after 9pm.
(4)David B.
The food is fantastic! I've also had most of their microbrews but the food is what makes this place great for me. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing and we have had a great time each time we go.
(4)Eric J.
Fantastic atmosphere, very friendly staff. I ordered the brisket and so did my girlfriend, mine was tender and delicious but hers was a bit tough. Fantastic seasonal beer called abbey..... Something.
(4)Stephanie Y.
The two star rating says it all. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. This can be said of both the service and the food. The food: I got the steak salad with the smoked cheese dressing. The dressing was out of sight, but the salad was just meh. It was romaine and there were huge ribs of romaine that really should have been discarded and not served to customers. The homemade croutons were delicious, but the other items of the salad looked like a mix from Hyvee - and not the expensive mixes from the organic isle, but rather the sad pathetic mixes that are usually on sale 2 bags for $3. Here's the really bad though - the piece of steak was terrible. I asked for medium well - and what was given to me was well done. No big deal, however it was inedible b/c there was a huge vein of gristle running down the center of each and every slice. I finally caught the attention of the server (see below) and he was more than happy to get me another piece of steak - but the vibe I got was kinda like "you can eat that why are you complaining." But regardless - after another 20 minutes or so I got a piece of steak that was cooked properly - medium well and had no fat/gristle. However - the rest of my salad was long gone so I basically had a side salad and a piece of steak for dinner. The service: The server appeared to be having trouble with the credit card machine and/or closing out his tickets. He spent the entire time behind the bar sorting receipts. This presented a problem - when our meals were delivered even though he was less then 20 feet away he never came over to check on us. I didn't wanna be a jerk and scream across the room to him. When he finally came from behind the bar about 15 minutes had elapsed. 15 minutes of me trying to eat around the horrible steak. My girlfriend also got a salad - hers was also most likely from a bag mix, but didn't feature any protein so she had no complaints.
(2)NIcole M.
I don't know why I had never been here until recently after living in the QC my whole life but I can't wait to return. I sampled several apps and also the pulled pork and everything was unique and delicious. Good atmosphere and service as well. Will be back soon!
(3)Brian C.
In town for a few days and thought I'd check out the Blue Cat based on the always reliable Yelp reviews (or 90% of the time anyway!), I'm glad I checked them out! I wish we had a few places around my neck of the woods like the Blue Cat, fantastic selection of micro brews, the food, and service were top notch in my opinion. I've actually eaten here twice in the past two days, yum! My first selection was the BBQ roasted pork sandwich, it came out faster than a Big Mac at McD's and was mouthwateringly good, the sauce was crazy thick and had a nice little kick to it! Second selection for lunch today was the Blackened grilled Ahi tuna steak sandwich, wow was it good! I couldn't believe how thick it was and cooked just right! Service both times has been prompt and friendly, great job Blue Cat! If I find myself in Rock Island again I'll be coming back!
(5)Lonnie Z.
I've had lots of pork tenderloins made lots of different ways at lots of different places. Blue Cat's is as good as any and better than most. Rice and beans were a delicious side and I sprung for a salad and was glad I did. The bleu cheese dressing is the real deal. I'll be back.
(5)Katie L.
We went here before dropping my brother off at Augustana. We will not be back. We arrived for a late lunch. The place was DIRTY, our table had stuff all over it. There was spilled space on the picture frame next to our booth and the floor was coming off the ground. Also, it looked like there was something in my glass from nay drink. The food we got was not very good. I got a burger and it was nothing special, the fries were good though. Our table got the sausage sampler and it wasn't bad, I liked the uniqueness of the item. We also got some of the pulled pork and the corn bread, the corn bread was dry. Seriously!? We wanted to like this and support local businesses band even though we will be in Rock Island a lot because my brother is going to school there but we will not be going back here.
(2)Alice K.
Meh. Menu looks decent. But did not eat here. Server was nice enough. But beer was FF-funky & flat. Would do 2 stars but in a good mood.
(3)Kevin N.
Food is solid. Beers are great. Atmosphere is dirty, tired, and in need of a great deal of renovation.
(2)Lindsay M.
A local brew pub is a always one of my most favorite places to meet with my ladies. As far as brews go, all the beers are high quality, and I tend to prefer the pale ale. However, th!!ey also make a fantastic Cosmo. They have a variety of gourmet appetizers that will absolutely please the hungry bellies at the table. I suggest the beer cheese dip with veggies and pitas or the artichoke jalapeno dip! The full menu is lovely, and I find the soups to be pleasantly surprising every time. For dessert, the caramel apple crisp is worth saving some space for...I usually have soup and salad to ensure I have room for it! Also, the bar upstairs offers darts, pool, and other fun stuff.
(5)Steven D.
Was in town visiting our son at Augustana. Decided to go out to dinner so we read a good yelp review for Blue Cat. Called ahead and was told it would be a 30 minute wait. We arrived in 5 minutes. An hour later we were seated at a dirty table in an area with lots of empty tables. No placesettings or menus. Eventually the hostess returned with silverware and menus and apologized for the long wait. She also said that the waitress would be with us in a while but she might be delayed because she was busy with a large party. After 10 minutes the waitress came to our table with attitude. Before she came over I had noticed that the hostess had approached her and asked her to wait on us. She asked for our drink order. Since we had waited so long I asked if we could go ahead and put our order in. With a big sigh she said OK. Our soups showed up before our drinks. Then my drink showed up on me. Literally. The waitress spilled the drink all over me and my cell phone. And she didn't even apologize. She did however bring over extra napkins for me to clean up her mess. Food was delivered relatively quickly except for one order which came 10 min later. Ribs were OK. Burger, Pork Tenderloin Sandwich and Steak Salad were also OK. When the check came the waitress said "Sorry for giving you a bath". So in summary the service was poor, facility dirty and the food was decent. The place is pretty filthy. Bathrooms were run down and in need of attention. The windows to the brewery tanks were so dirty you could hardly see in. Probably wont return unless I hear that new management is brought in.
(2)James P.
Overall a wonderful staple to Rock Island and great place to eat, drink, and hang out. Downstairs features a full bar and dining area. Posted is a menu of their microbrews they have for the season. (My faves: the Pumpkin Spice, Arkham Stout, Raspberry Ale) The food is wonderfully cooked and prepared. I usually go for the open faced Reuben or the Pot Roast sandwich. Both are flavorful and decently priced for the amount of food you get. Their Key Lime pie isn't bad either. If you get tired of the scene downstairs and want to unwind, then go upstairs for a different feel. There you will find another full bar, two dart boards, juke box, pinball machines, and four pool tables. If you are in RI and need a place to go...I strongly suggest Blue Cat.
(5)Dan M.
The Ahi Tuna steak sandwich was very good. The stout beer was also very good, and strong. Service was very good for lunchtime. Would like to come back and see what it is like in the evening.
(5)John H.
My trips to the Blue Cat came long before I had any appreciate for craft beer. For example, I used to consider Blue Moon and Killian's Irish Red exotic imports. I owe the Blue Cat a return visit in a major way. Brews aside, they have all the makings of a fine bar in order. It's a nice enough layout, spacious, with a few pool tables upstairs. We had our 5-year high school reunion here. That's all I got, folks. Give it a try.
(4)Jenn C.
This is one of the tastier casual places in the QCA. If you're looking for an inexpensive and decent meal, this is your place. The beer is good and the soups are always creative and yummy. I would give four stars, but they never seem to get it just right- if the service is excellent, then the grilled pita breads are burned; if the dinner is perfect then the service is slow. I'd like to see it be a little less sloppy and more pulled together. However, if you are visiting friends and family in the QCA, you will find this place to have a nice variety of options, at a reasonable price and lots of flavor.
(3)Gregory P.
I'd like to try this place again to be sure it doesn't deserve a better rating. The beer was good, but I am not an expert or very picky about craft beers. Service was very good and the waiter was quick with some recommendations when I asked which sandwiches he liked. I went with his second choice, a Ruben sandwich which he claimed was one of the best around. Unfortunately, it lacked real flavor and the corn beef was really dry. This is the kind of sandwich you expect strong flavors, so I am not sure how there was almost none. :( My son had a BBQ pork sandwich and he said it was great and sampled my sandwich and thought it was also great. Soooo, maybe it's just me. Like I said, I'd like to come back and try this place again to be sure they couldn't do better.
(3)Doug K.
Beer was great, service was great, food was ok, service and beer make up for the food.
(5)Garren K.
I have to agree with the previous post that stated blue cat was "OK". I am a huge beer fan and a big supporter of micros and brew pubs. I am also an even bigger dive bar fan. That being said, a dive bar needs Character, it can be weathered, but it has to balance that with character. Like an old salty dog sailor... not a run down house out in the country. Esthetically, this place needed a face lift, not real clean and fairly run down. I did not eat (as we were heading to the duck city bistro after a pint), so I can not speak to that, but I did look at the menu and frankly, it looked pretty standard issue... cheese sticks, fries, potato skins... basically, frozen stuff from costco. Nothing stood out on the menu as "YEAH, we make it and we are proud of it". As for the beers... I would give them a C. It was an average micro (at best). Nothing was glaringly wrong with the pints I tried, they just lacked (hate to use the term again) character... it was a standard red and a standard pale. Overall... the place seemed serviceable. Our waitress was sweet, but uninformed about the brews, I do have a problem with that... if you are going to work in the butcher shop... know the meat. Work in a bait shop... know the tackle. Work in a fricking brewery... know a bit about the beer. "its like the red, but hoppy" is not enough for me. Maybe I am jaded though. Bottom line, if you need a pint, go here... if you need want a pint that has something going on... check out another brew pub in town. There appears to be several.
(2)Jim R.
Good food, fairly fast service, will go again.
(4)Jeff M.
I love that you can hit brew pubs on the Illinois or Iowa side of the quad cities. This one does some great local beer. The food didn't disappoint either. It wasn' t amazing but it was sufficient. If you are headed to a brew pub then it should be for beer. Their seasonals are great.
(4)William D.
Had pulled pork sandwich and fries. Fries were over salted. Sandwich had too much bar b que sauce on it, and if it was a bar b que sauce sandwich with pork.
(3)Lucky T.
Good beer, crap food! Ate there two times and the sandwich both times was really BAD, but the beer was okay...so I was moderately happy.
(2)Stacy B.
We needed food and had no clue where we were going, so we blindly stepped into the Blue Cat Brew Pub. The service was a little slow, but our kind waiter's personality made up for it; he was great. The beer was excellent (had the wheat and the orange); YUM. Also had a blackened burger, which was very good. I would definitely come here again, as it was the perfect Saturday afternoon lunch.
(4)Amy G.
Hubby had been out here a few years ago on business and was fortunate to find this place. He fell in love with the tuna. For three years, every time we had tuna he mentioned the tuna he ate at this place. Finally, on a family trip to Iowa for a wedding, we happen to drive through the quad cities. He was bound and determined to eat at this place. After a little driving around to see the area, he pulls up to the neat looking restaurant about a block away from the river. Nice location. The service was amazing. I am going to give 100% of the credit to our server. He was knowledgable, helpful, and had a good personality. He obviously understands consumers and he'd probably be able to sell eskimos buckets of snow. The food was really good. I ordered the tuna on a salad. The mistake was that the dressing (which you blend yourself from a small cup of balsamic vinegar and a small cup of garlic infused oil) ended up overpowering the tuna. I almost couldn't taste it. Hubby got the tuna on a sandwich and seemed to be pleased. He did say that neither lunch version compared to the dinner entree version. The kids each had a bowl of soup. Their Chicken Dill Pickle was excellent (and a nice variation on a theme) and their Tomato with Basil and Fresh Mozzarella also had a great falvor. Only change needed to be more fresh mozzarella in the soup. :) We ordered some sides and appetizers. Everything was good. The ambiance was very interesting. Sort of urban loft meets art gallery meets warehouse. Hubby's beer was really good. A very nice dining experience. The only problem was that the bill for lunch was a little steep.
(4)Paul L.
I was in the Quad cities on business recently and was told to check out Blue Cat Brew Pub. I went here with a very open mind. Overall, the experience was okay. Pros - Good beer. I had the Toad micro amber. Good ambiance. The place needs some new artwork, but other than that, it was nice. Cons - Service was pretty slow. I didn't take the first bite of food until 45 mins after walking in. Seems a little slow for a Wed night. The food was not very good, but it was cheap. I ordered the meatloaf, which was covered in spinach. My hopes were high based on presentation, but the delivery was lacking. I hate to be a total snob a-hole, but I don't think this place would cut it in Denver. My brew-pub expectations are really high.
(3)Dejan B.
This place was great. The food was great (I had the BBQ Beef Brisket off the "regional favorites" section of the menu) and my wife had another meal with mashed potatoes and a lot of gravy (what the meat was escapes me now). The place was pretty quiet. The staff was nice and relatively prompt and we liked the laid-back atmosphere overall. The place has the air of the historic and distinctive. It was nice that there were a lot of booths as well as the bar and other seating. The bathroom was small but serviceable. If I visit Rock Island again I would make a return visit and recommend it highly to others.
(5)Kristin M.
One of my favorite restaurants in the QC. Their food and prices are wonderful. I've been completely satisfied every time I have eaten here.
(5)Andrew E.
This is the best bar food in the QC. The service can be kind of slow, but it's worth it. Their beer is really tasty, but in my most recent trip I had one that wasn't very cold. I'll still go there to eat when I'm in the district over anywhere else.
(4)Maren P.
We were passing through the Quad Cities on a cross country road trip, and we wanted to grab a bite to eat before hitting the road. The Blue Cat Brew Pub is in a little downtown area that seemed to have a lot of other shops/restaurants. Parking was easy, and the place was just fine for our purposes. The food was reasonably priced and it was good but not out of this world. My companion had a beef stew, and I had the Dixieland Special which was a very 'saucy' BBQ pork that came with coleslaw. It was good, but not spectacular. Definitely a decent brunch/lunch place given we were not familiar with the area and just picked it semi randomly (after consulting other Yelp reviews). Seems like it'd be a fun place to go have a beer in the evening and hang out.
(3)Samantha F.
Love this place! Great beer, great food and awesome Ranch! I def. recommend it if you are from out of town!
(4)David S.
Just completed a road trip from Denver to DC, and this was definitely the best food along the way. The blackened catfish sandwich was awesome, and their beer was definitely solid. Recommended highly.
(4)Kristin K.
When we hosted a welcome party for our wedding guests at Blue Cat, I felt like I was bringing my friends and family into the Cheers set. Blue Cat is our home bar, and everyone knows our name. Thank you!
(5)Ron S.
Good beer. Great food and a pleasantly funky atmosphere. One of the better beer oriented places in the quad cities.
(4)Jeff S.
One of our favorite regular restaurants to go to. Great food at a reasonable price, nice mix of people and good service.
(5)