Come for the craft beer; stay for the food, fun and hip atmosphere at 7 Hills Brewing Company in Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District. Calling 10,000 square feet in a century-old former warehouse building home, 7 Hills’ vibe is half German beer hall, half creative industrial space. It has been a gathering spot in Dubuque since 2017.
Guests of the family- and dog-friendly Dubuque destination can gather in the street-level outdoor spaces or at the indoor communal tables or large bar with a full view of brewery operations. We love the cool artsy touches like giant hop lamp lights that adorn the ceiling, a rolling garage door to let the nearby Mississippi River breeze blow through and bourbon barrel bike racks outside for cyclists. Local art and photography adorn the walls throughout.
7 Hills Brewing Company prides itself on providing “unapologetically individualistic craft beer and food,” and it shows. The staff is dedicated to the art of making great beer and the process it takes to get there. Attentive bartenders and service staff are upbeat, knowledgeable and excited to offer up new tastes to try. Guests can even say thanks with the brewery’s “Round for the Crew”–for $15 bucks, buy the staff a well-earned beer at the end of their shift. Whether it is your first visit or your 30th, 7 Hills feels like home to all.
The beer selection is wide and ever-changing at 7 Hills. Staples include the Millwork Mile, a hard ginger beer with lime; a German-style pilsner called Town Clock; Bernie’s Red Ale; and, our favorite, the West Coast-style 7 Headed Monster IPA. A rotating list of seasonal delights may include beers like shandy, bock, Italian pilsner, double hazy IPA and sours like the Purple Reign, which is a dessert sour with grape drink mix and cotton candy. Non-alcoholic beer and root beer options are available as well as “prohibition editions” like the Orange Creamsicle made with orange soda and grenadine. Beer isn’t the only thing on tap at 7 Hills; in addition to wine, non-beer drinkers can enjoy fun specialty drinks like an adult cherry cola made with rum or the refreshing strawberry-basil mojito.
Pair your beverage with a great selection of munchies like Zeit Pretzel Bites with beer cheese dipping sauce; mouthwatering spicy Brussels sprouts with a balsamic glaze and citrus vinaigrette; 7 Hills’ twist on bruschetta–“summer chetta”–with basil, garlic, tomatoes, cranberries and parmesan; or go classic with wings in a variety of flavors. We love the classic gastropub selections with a creative twist like juicy brisket burgers (mix of ground short rib, brisket and chuck) with a variety of add-ons. The likes of bacon, onion straws, beer cheese, sautéed mushrooms and bacon cheese curds can be piled atop bun selections like pretzel, asiago and brioche. The menu also boasts a nice selection of sandwiches such as the Nashville hot chicken, pulled pork, turkey and ham club, brisket, hot beef or the loaded adult grilled cheese, all served with fries. There’s also a selection of salads and a kids-only menu.
After 4 p.m., the menu is kicked up a notch with lobster mac, smoked pulled pork mac, grilled black salmon, shrimp tacos and a few sliced, smoked brisket plates with all the fixins.
Adjacent to the brewery is 7 Hills Event Center, a full-service private event space and wedding venue. 7 Hills also has a sister location, 7 Hills West in Dyersville, home to an event center, bowling alley, arcade, simulators, restaurant and, of course, great beer. Expanding into Wisconsin is 7 Hills North in Downtown Platteville, where they are serving up limited releases and cool craft beer options from across the country. Brand new to the family as of July 2023 is Beastro Se7en restaurant, a casual yet upscale spot, also in Platteville.
7 Hills Brewing Company is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit www.7hillsbrew.com/7hills.
1085 Washington St.
Dubuque, IA 52001