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This was not on our hoppassport- so, not an official Hundreds of Hops Amazing Brewery Race Stop. We have been meaning to swing in for quite some time &, while on a bike trip, decided this was THE time to go out of our way to get here - scenic riding to an out of the way location, perfect! First things first, it's out of the way for almost everyone, no doubt. That said, once you arrive there's a large open parking lot & tons of seating, as this place is huge. We opted for bar seating, tho tables were also readily available. Speaking of huge, the tap list is also rather large. I love the way they do the flights, with no real set number, just as few or as many tasters as you'd like. Each taster has FANTASTIC signage, keeping you informed as to what you are drinking. We did a flight & 1 full high abv BA. The oktoberfest had lovely spice. This was also our lunch stop & we ordered a pretzel with 2 sauces - cheese & mustard, the mustard sauce is a sweet mustard, be warned & the cheese sauce was so-so. The pretzel was a bready-type, as in pretzel shaped breadstick. While it wasn't bad, it also wasn't that authentic Bavarian-style one might be expecting, as I know we were expecting it. I wouldn't order it again here. We also order the Blackened Mahi Tacos. These went nicely with the brews & we both enjoyed them. Initially, service was very attentive, and we were adding as we went. Once we stopped adding to the order, service tapped out & we ended up standing at our stop waiting for the bill. Nothing too drastic. We had both used the restrooms in turns while waiting & the bill came up just as the 2nd of us walked back up. All in all, pricing wasn't crazy high, service was good, the selection was varied & appeared to have something for everyone. The vibe was a bit underwhelming, perhaps because they had just opened for the day(?) We were both glad that we'd made the stop & there was only 1 beer from our selection that neither of us cared for. Each of us disliked 1 other, but that worked, as the other 1 did like it. The only real disappointment was the pretzel, as pretzel snobs... if there is such a thing as a pretzel snob...
TG serves the best beer cheese with its tasty pretzel. The service is everything I expected, friendly and it arrived in just the right amount of time. I love the relaxing atmosphere and it is not crowded.
During our trip to Decorah we knew this was a must see! I'm a huge fan of Toppling Goliath beers so I really enjoyed this place. It's right off the highway just east of town. The building is huge and classy. The main entry is a little confusing but that never stopped me from beer before. You enter into grand expanses and welcoming faces. We once again sat at the bar and checked out the menus and taps. Too many choices to narrow it down! You should just throw darts and let that decide! We skipped the food this visit, but got several great samples and a couple of nice beers! We enjoyed it while walking around and checking out the gift shop. The place is huge with a large second story full of seating. I am guessing they can accommodate 200 people. They had live music scheduled the next night so we missed that, but the outside venue it would be a great spot for outdoor music and sipping on some great drinks! We did not ask if they did brewery tours, but with or without it is still a great place to go. Next time we might even eat!
I'm going to give this a four, although I would've maybe given it a 3.5. We were visiting from out of town and everybody recommended we come to the brewery for lunch or dinner. Coming from a nearby small town, it was really good compared to the other options we had available so I'll level up. The space was big and was very suitable for families. The beers we got were really good and the cheese curds are nothing short of amazing. I got a chicken sandwich which was good, but it really wasn't anything special, as you can see. We did see a lot of people with pizzas, but we did not try any. I would give it a 3.5 just because our service was fairly slow (seemed to be fairly staffed) and we had to get some of the things ourselves multiple times. We had asked for a highchair and a booster and they did not come back with them and we also had to ask for silverware at least twice. It also took quite some time for a server to come greet us. Everyone was nice, but not overly friendly or memorable of an experience. I didn't take a picture, but I did really like their outside area although we sat inside. It looked like they had a great patio area as well as a covered option and tables with fire pits for when it gets colder. It looked like a great patio for a nice warm day.
This isn't a review about the beer, or the ambiance. The beer is solid - with the exception of the stouts that for some reason they feel the need to put artificial flavors in - but that's for another review. (Don't put artificial flavors in the beer, please.) I've sat on the inside and the outside. It's really a great space. I'm here about the food, and to be honest, it's not in a good place. I've been here many times, and each time, I leave thinking "why can't I get a good meal at TG?" The most recent experience was no exception. The service here is usually pretty good. Sure, during a beer release it gets crazy, but if you plan and think ahead, it's usually not a problem. The limiting factor is the kitchen. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a bar and I'm not really expecting anything spectacular. But how do you screw up a grilled chicken sandwich? You cannot put "brined chicken breast sandwich" on a menu and deliver a leathery, very clearly not brined, not even whole chicken breast and expect people to eat it. I'm not sure what kind of shredded chicken is being used in those wraps, but that chicken was already dead, there is no reason to kill it a second time. Burgers? Meh. It's really nothing special (please toast / warm the buns). It's not a scratch kitchen, and that's 100% acceptable. But for the love of all that is good and holy, somebody has to invest in the time and training to bring the back of house crew up to at least some sort of basic standard of kitchen competence. I'm not a big "oh they order from Sysco, they aren't a good restaurant" kind of guy. You can do very good bar food in a lot of different ways. Someone has to take the reins and bring the menu up to speed. There is nothing worse than leaving a restaurant hungry, and without fail, I wind up needing to go get something to eat after going to TG. I foolishly expect the food to be better the next time, and time and time again the football gets pulled back at the last minute.
What a great place in a very unexpected area!! Beautiful, very large building with plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy your time there without feeling crowded. You can view the brewery through several different windows which is a nice touch if you can't be there on Saturday for a tour. We hadn't eaten all day and it was 4:00 so we were super hungry and food service was quick! Lani was our super friendly and attentive server that knew the beers very well and picked the perfect ones for us! Great food, nice selection of taps, cocktails and fabulous service, definitely 5+ stars!
This was my first time at Toppling Goliath and I had a great experience! Large brewery with plenty of indoor seating, plus an outdoor patio for when the weather is nice. I appreciate the variety and selection of beers - there's truly something for everyone! And they have a great selection of merch, I particularly liked their hats. I'm excited to come back when it's a little warmer outside :)
We stopped in on a Saturday at lunchtime. The place was busy but not crowded, so we had no wait. Service was great throughout our visit. The interior dining room is a large open space, very industrial, with the brewery visible through windows in the wall; the factory wasn't in operation during our visit. A gift shop fills one end of the dining room. We started off with the local cheese curds. To be pedantic, these are not curds but large cubes of cheese. That said, they are absolutely delicious, the breading crisp and wonderful, the cheese lusciously molten. I asked our server for a recommendation on the dip, and he said he liked the pizza sauce best. We went for that, and loved the combo. I was happy that they had one cider offering, a can from the local maker, Convergence. My husband got a beer flight. I liked how the flight was set up with cards that identified the content of each glass. I ordered the salmon salad. It was delicious. My husband ordered the French dip sandwich. He thought it was tasty, but strangely small, especially considering the $19 price. Overall, we enjoyed our meal at Toppling Goliath.
This is a very hopping place cautious though if you stay to the left side of the bar, you're gonna be inundated with I would say I work in progress, ordering location. Great selection of beers. I love the idea that if you get the samplers they have the card with them. My memory doesn't last that long so it's always good to have a reminder. We ordered the barbecue pizza although the pizza was delicious. I think it was overwhelmed with the barbecue sauce. Once again tried the bloody Mary came with the meat stick that was fantastic and I completely forgot to ask where they get them from. I had some cheese in it and a perfect amount of spice. And if you're looking for merchandise, they are well above the rest. Looks like they have an upper deck for parties very wide, open seating and an outdoor area for those who'd like to be in the scorching hut or cooling winds.
We were excited to finally make it out to Decorah, IA and visit the brewery. We have been drinking there beer for some time now so it was nice getting to see where it comes from. We visited on a Friday evening and the place was pretty busy but we were greeted and seated at a table quickly. We chose to sit inside while we were there because the sun was shining and the patio doesn't have much in the way of shade. We noticed quite a few people sitting outside come inside to find tables. The seating area in side is quite large and I can see it getting pretty loud if it's crowded. We ordered the cheese curds for an appetizer and the TG Supreme pizza for dinner. Both were fantastic. The cheese curds were fried up well and came with a really great ranch sauce. Not sure if they make their own or not but it was really good. The TG Supreme was a nice combination of meats and veggies and tasted great. We both ordered an IPA and neither disappointed!
Nice destination in Decorah! Very kind staff, yummy beers and good food! We'll definitely be back for more.
This place has all the aspects that make a fantastic brewery! Plenty of space to host larger parties- there were quite a few people there on a Saturday night, but we had efficient service and no wait time. My husband loves the pseudo sue beer and was giddy to try a few more in a flight. We were seated next to a window that looks into the brewery itself which was pretty cool! As for food- seems like you cannot go wrong with anything, we tried the highly rated Sweet and Spicy pizza and it lived up to the hype! We also tried the goliath burger that was dang good. On our way out, we had to check out their merch section as they have really cool apparel, stickers, hats, etc.! We had a great time and would definitely go back again!
Reviews are generally positive. Many highlight the beer selection and quality, welcoming and spacious atmosphere, and friendly, attentive service. Food, especially pizza and cheese curds, is also enjoyed.
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4 years ago
Real quality food for a reasonable price. Victoria was a very helpful, super nice pirate(waitress)! The ribeye sandwich and roast beef panini were super tasty. The beers are phenomenal. Neither of us have had so many beers that we enjoyed. The holidotz was festive by the first smell. It is clean, complex, and totally drinkable. The caramel apple fandango is just darn tasty. The peach brandy naughty temple reminds me of a tawny port. Developed and lushish. It is also quite filling. Great time. Worth the trip! read more
5 years ago
Way bigger then your normal brewery. Sorry for the red pictures but we were seating under a red tent because we had dogs with us. I love that they were very friendly with the dogs. Plenty of seating outside. The food was great and so was the beer. The only thing I disliked was the so called pickles on the side. They were like a mix of pickle and cucumbers it didn't taste good. They also had plenty of outdoor games to play. I would recommend going if your in the area. read more
3 years ago
1 year ago
One case where there is such a things as "too big." In this case the beer stays the same- and it's good beer, but the brewery experience is no longer about the little guy. Service suffers- it was not personable- too many staff running around each other- multiple staff checking in on us at the bar- it was too much. No stand outs on the food menu- typical appetizers- standard wings- ONE pretzel that tastes frozen and the cheese sauce was clumpy. Prepare for sticker shock in the gift shop- growth does come at a price. The glassware was plain and without a logo- because they want you to buy that one. No frills when it came to dining. This was a one stop brewery for me- checked it off my list. read more
2 years ago
2 years ago
This brewery is huge. There's a large patio. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use it, as it was rainy, cold, and windy outside. There are two levels to the brewery. I like that you can look inside the brewing facility, even without going on a tour. All the workers were friendly. I had the chicken banh mi sandwich. It was decent. But nothing like a banh mi you'd get from a Vietnamese sandwich shop. The chicken was delicious. Very tender. The chips are made in house. However, they were cold and very greasy when they arrived. There's a HUGE selection of available beers. At least 20+ on tap. Plus many beers are available to go in cases & growlers. read more
This is a rating on their food and only trying it once. I recommend (without trying them) sticking to burgers and pizza. We tried the banh mi and chicken tacos. They both did not have much flavor or spice. The banh mi didn't even have cilantro or jalapeños- my husband called it a "slick meat sandwich". The chicken was cold on the tacos and the salsa didn't have much spice. The side of coleslaw was bland. Great hip atmosphere and lots of room for large groups in the new spot. The service was good. The brewery gets rave beer reviews but I'm not a huge fan of IPA's so nothing special here. However, if you are a sour beer fan, the dragon fandango is excellent! We bought a growler to take home since they aren't canning/bottling it yet. read more
Business owner information
Sarah H.
Hi Erica, thank you for stopping in to the brewery this past weekend.…
5 years ago
Visiting again and it's a while new experience. Beautiful new location. Happy staff. Great beer selection. Try the Shandy or the Luther Lager. Yum. All the positive comments remain! Happy to upgrade from 4 to 5 stars. Gotta stop here. read more
Business owner information
Sarah H.
Michael,…
3 years ago
Went on a road trip last week, and a friend suggested I extend my trip to Decorah, IA to visit Toppling Goliath. I've had their beers before at brew fests, so it was an easy sell. The tasting room is massive and well-kept, and the staff is friendly and very helpful. I already knew what beers I wanted to try so I ordered my flight and a burger to balance out the high ABV beers I ordered, Mornin' Delight, two variants of Term Oil, plus Dragon Fandango and Cherry Dragon Fandango. Every beer was perfect, and the House Burger I ordered was one of the best burgers I've ever had. The house made chips were cold and some were stale. They should fry them to order and add a nice seasoning blend to them. Overall, it was a great visit, and I would go back in a heartbeat! read more
2 years ago
My husband and I took a road trip to Decorah to take advantage of a beautiful weekend and, of course, we couldn't wait to stop here! I had been here once before and had fallen head over heels for their Dragon Fandango. It did not disappoint on our second visit! We tried the Caprese pizza and were actually really impressed. I've never had great luck with food at places that focus a bit more on the drinks side. It wasn't the best pizza I've had, but I would get it again! I also really love the way they are handling the pandemic. Between the barcode menus and huge outdoor area, it's easy to feel safe here. With the whole staff in masks and masks mandatory if you leave your table, Toppling is to be admired for their precautions. Thanks for doing your part and keeping the drinks flowing! read more
2 years ago
Recently picked up the Seismic Sue, the triple IPA rendition of Pseudo Sue. This not so pre-historic beer was juicy, full bodied, mango-y, pineapple-y goodness. Drank incredibly smooth and was gentle on the nose with a nice balance of the juiciness and the hops. Seriously was an outstanding TIPA from Toppling Goliath! read more
4 years ago
We visited over Labor Day weekend, and they were swamped! We arrived right after 5 and still had to wait almost 15 minutes for a table, and by the time we left, the wait time was over an hour. The funny part is they had 3x the space but not enough servers to utilize it. The food was worth the wait, though. I did a custom pizza and my husband went with the ribeye sandwich. The pizza was huge and well worth the price, and it tasted great overall, even though I didn't love the crust (very thin and crispy without a ton of flavor). The sandwich was substantial and also had great flavor! My husband got a flight and loved how he could pick and choose the beers he wanted to try. Two of the four he ordered were great, one was average, and one tasted like grape juice, according to him, so it's good that he got a flight and didn't chance ordering just one. The price point was good and this is clearly a space where you could make an afternoon out of it, hanging out and ideally making use of the patio (when we visited, you couldn't order food out there due to the staff shortage). Definitely a place I'd recommend when you're in the area. read more
We traveled to Decorah just for Toppling Goliath and definitely weren't disappointed! Their added procedures for COVID were top notch with masks required until seated, lots of cleaning, and social distancing. Hubby LOVED trying all the beers and his favorite was a secret menu item called "Kevin." If you like IPAs, try Kevin. The food was great too. I split a Cobb salad and soft pretzel with my friend, and it was all so yummy! read more
3 years ago
This great food, great service and awesome selection of beers for anyone to enjoy. Would absolutely recommend this place for anyone who is looking for something better than the usual menu items at a regular restaurant. read more
6 years ago
Pretty cool flights of beer. We had a great service and the service was prompt. Great teamwork atmosphere. The names of the beer are kinda funny too. Pseudo Sue & Luther Lager. Big place with lots of windows! Outdoor seating! read more
7 years ago
I headed out to the newer Toppling Goliath finally. It's HUGE! I legitimately emailed them to see if they would ever host a wedding. They have a large patio that would be amazing in the summer. We got the pizza, got creative with mixing Dorothy and some sours, and had a lovely time! The March was pretty dope too. Will be back when in the hometown! read more
3 years ago
7 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah H.
Hi Brendan, thank you for the review. We appreciate you visiting all…
2 years ago
3 years ago
This place is seriously amazing!! I came for the first time when they were closed and you could only order beer to go. The first time I ended up getting six growlers. The next time I came was for Father's Day and they had a crawfish boil. We had impeccable service and a huge shout out to a long list of incredible folks working that day! From check-in, through dinner and then getting beer to go EVERY SINGLE person was HELPFUL AND KIND!! Service is what keeps me coming back and I can't wait to make the drive again. Additionally, their beer is incredible. I loved every one that I tried in particular the stouts and porters. And I also thoroughly enjoyed my crawfish boil and bucket! It had shrimp, and sausage, crawfish, potatoes, corn and maybe something else but that's all I can remember right now. We sat outside on the patio and enjoyed our beer and our boil. This place is definitely worth the drive and I can't wait to come back and get some more growlers in the future!! read more
I highly recommend the $10 tour, it's really informative and a great deal since you get a collectible glass full of beer to kick it off! We booked our Toppling Goliath tour in advance on their website. The two tours that Saturday were definitely full, so I'd recommend booking in advance as they only have 15 slots for each tour! The Chicken Bahn Mi sandwich was amazing. My only complaint is that they don't serve dessert (although they said they are working on it). It's a really fun atmosphere and of course, amazing beer. read more
3 years ago
We finally made it to TG. Hubs has wanted to check this place out for forevvvver. Their new location is great - it's spacious, has lots of bar and table seating, still has yummy brews, and they now serve delicious food! First, the beers; my husband got King Sue, Nomad's Bounty, and Pompeii. I had a Dragon Fandango. My beer wins the award for prettiest beer and if you ask me, tastiest beer as well. I can try the IPAs and other kinds of beers but I generally prefer fruity beers. My husband really enjoyed all of his beers but King Sue was his favorite. You can also purchase 4 can packs of a few of the beers to-go. And if I remember correctly, you can get a growler of any of the beers they had on tap. Now onto the food. I would insert the smiley emoji with heart eyes right now if that were an option. O.M.G! We got a burger to split and that was good BUT THEN I happened to catch a glimpse of a plate the server was bringing out for another table and what I saw was the most beautiful plateful of food that I've ever laid eyes on. They were loaded chips! Check it out, they were house-made chips topped with chicken, feta cheese, scallions, avocado sour cream, and beer cheese. These chips are what dreams are made of. I'm coming back for ya next year, TG! read more
2 years ago
6 years ago
Such a fun brewery and definitely a popular one! We came on a Friday afternoon and the place was PACKED! We waited maybe 15-20 minutes to be seated - but were greeted by our server almost immediately. The beer list is HUGE and has something for everyone. I went with the Czechs Pilsner - light and refreshing! We also got a bite to eat while visiting. We had just come from CR and had been without power for days so I was crazing a gourmet salad (gimme all those fresh veggies)! The salad was large enough to feed an army - this you definitely get your money's worth. The hubs went with their chicken wings and said they are some of the best he has ever had (that is saying a lot as he has tried wings at almost every restaurant in our hometown)! Definitely will look out for Toppling Goliath brews back at home! read more
5 years ago
My new gold standard for breweries. Excellent beers, beautiful brewery, very friendly and knowledgeable staff- everything. My only complaint is you are 3.5 hrs from my house, so time to build another in western twin cities area please! read more
8 years ago
Since the opening of Toppling Goliath, I have gone a handful of times. The food is AMAZING! I usually get a pizza or sandwich but the Nachos are heaven. The decor and atmosphere are really cool and I love how you can see the brewing area through the windows. If you have the chance, go on a tour of the brewery! It is really cool to see and hear about the beer process. Having the brewery in town is great because growing up in Decorah can be kind of boring so with this addition of food and drinks, it brings a great spot to hang out on the weekends. It also brings in great crowds for beer launches helping the community and other businesses! read more
6 years ago
I'm a beer and food snob and I give 5 stars for the service, atmosphere, friendliness, good feeling, over welcoming and etc etc.... the food is good but wish they had more selections, like steak, but then again it's a brewery.. The beer, yes! The Colorado feel of a large REAL brewery, yes! Where else are you going to go in NE Iowa for a good time? read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
The beers are all amazing! The ipa's are well done especially sosus and the sumo supa. The TG pils was authentic. They are serving flights! The service was excellent, thanks Moriah! Had the wings and a pizza, both were excellent. You won't leave disappointed! read more
More info about Toppling Goliath Brewing
1600 Prosperity Rd
Decorah, IA 52101
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(563) 387-6700
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https://www.tgbrews.com
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Ask the Community - Toppling Goliath Brewing
Is this dog friendly out on the patio /outdoor area?
Yes! Last time I was there it was.
