Reds Alehouse

Reds AlehouseReds Alehouse
Reds AlehouseReds Alehouse
Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

405 N Dubuque St
North Liberty, Iowa, 52317-9781
United States

(319) 626-2100 | map
redsalehouse.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
4.37
Reviews:
15
Ratings:
37
pDev:
14.42%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by mshannon789:
Photo of mshannon789
Rated by mshannon789 from Iowa

4.84/5  rDev +10.8%

Sep 30, 2014
More User Ratings:
Photo of DoubleJ
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin

3.9/5  rDev -10.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.25
I was driving back home from Iowa City on a beautiful afternoon. A great day to be sitting at a beer garden. What's on the way back where I can have a few drinks? Well, lots of places, but I settled on Reds Alehouse.

The inside is somewhat dark on the inside, or was it the darker furnishings used? Anyways, the inside was dead on my visit, however the outside had a buzz with several occupied tables. Generally peaceful outside despite being near a thoroughfare. Nearly 30 beers on tap with several size option, with lots of Big Grove and sprinkles of Hop Butcher, Barn Town, Mikerphone, Exile, Lion Bridge, Nerdspeak. I was pleased that my pints were poured into a nonic and not a shaker, so points for that. The container selection has a few perks as well; vintages of Bigfoot, Third Coast, and XS Old Crustacean at reasonable prices (2011 Bigfoot at $5 a bottle), and a generous coating of Belgian ales as well.
Aug 17, 2023
 
Rated: 4.4 by craigbelly from Iowa

May 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.78 by Reinbeck11 from Iowa

Jul 27, 2016
 
Rated: 4.33 by jfettig from Iowa

Jun 22, 2016
 
Rated: 4.45 by frankenn from Iowa

Mar 06, 2016
 
Rated: 4.51 by burtonryan from Illinois

Oct 22, 2015
Photo of wapcap
Rated by wapcap from Nebraska

4.13/5  rDev -5.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
A great place to check out. Service was good, foods were good.
Beer selection was pretty good and they had some harder to get tap beers.
Aug 03, 2015
Photo of YodersBeerEmporium
Reviewed by YodersBeerEmporium from Iowa

4.64/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
Killer food and a really great bottle and tap selection which rotates regularly! They keep some older bottles and kegs aging in the basement and break them out for special events as well
Jun 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.8 by EricSloan from Iowa

Feb 19, 2015
 
Rated: 4.5 by millertime416 from Iowa

Sep 18, 2014
 
Rated: 1.08 by kingsuecac from Iowa

Sep 05, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by BarrelAgedG from California

Jul 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by maxsound from Iowa

Jul 04, 2014
 
Rated: 4 by boogs from Iowa

Jun 27, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by Bkoop from Iowa

Jun 13, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by Berg77 from Iowa

Jun 05, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by mattafett from Iowa

Apr 22, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by SoCalBeerIdiot from California

Mar 12, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by sprucetip from Alaska

Jan 10, 2014
 
Rated: 4.75 by eawolff99 from Minnesota

Dec 23, 2013
 
Rated: 4.75 by mrjbrown27 from South Dakota

Nov 16, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Stevedore from Oregon

Nov 08, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by Palsie from Iowa

Oct 18, 2013
Photo of Catlin
Reviewed by Catlin from Iowa

4.48/5  rDev +2.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Living in eastern Iowa can be tough on a young guy who loves craft beer.
Then I found out about Red's. This place is amazing. I mean come on with a slogan like "No crap on tap" whats there not to love.
I only gave 2 problems with Red's. 1st its an hour and twenty minutes away from my home town. Second its very loud and crowded inside. With 4 small children its tough to get there as much as I would like.
Plus always changing up what avaliable on tap.
Oct 04, 2013
Photo of Jodi215
Reviewed by Jodi215 from Arizona

3.88/5  rDev -11.2%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | food: 3.75
We stopped here for a late lunch on the way home from a weekend in Minneapolis. The atmosphere is casual and comfortable. Bar on one side of building and eating area on other side with a nice outdoor patio. Quality is very good and the service is very friendly and helpful. Beer selection is outstanding. I had the beer battered fish and chips and it was a huge order and very good. Other's in our group ordered the Angry Hamburger and turkey stack. Both were described as amazing. Value was very reasonable.
Sep 05, 2013
Photo of Erdinger2003
Reviewed by Erdinger2003 from Iowa

3.96/5  rDev -9.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5
It was very busy when I walked in at 5:30pm on a Monday. There was a long bar with two rooms with booths and tables and there was three TVs behind the bar on the wall with sports playing.

They sell their own growlers and fill them.

All the people behind the bar serving were very young looking women.

I liked how they have the glass rinser, but most of the servers were just getting the glass wet instead of waiting for the water to run off any dust or other particles that might degrade head retention or cause off flavors. Speed seemed more important to them. The two beers I bought for happy hour came to me with suds falling off the side of the glass dripping on the bar.

The beer temperature was ok, there wasn't immediate condensation on the glass and I could start drinking right away without letting it warm up to flavor enhancing temperature.

The food really looked great, I can imagine it taste great too, but I just had two beers.
Jun 21, 2013
Photo of KAF
Reviewed by KAF from Iowa

3.88/5  rDev -11.2%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | food: 5
This bar/restaurant is blocks away from my home and I usually visit about once a week. It is nice that they no longer have any BMC on tap ("No crap on tap" policy), but it would be better if they had more taps as they have less than 20. The bottle selection is great, but the bottles are pricey. There is usually at least one or two local brews on tap. The service is usually very good, but sometimes you seem to get forgotten. This place is always packed no matter what night of the week and it gets very loud inside. The patio, when open, is great. Not only is there good beer on tap, but the food is excellent! I have had most of the menu and nothing is bad (at worst is is average) and most of the food items are far above average. If you're driving by on 380 or are in the area this is a place you should stop for lunch/dinner and have a few beers.
May 30, 2012
Photo of TheQuietMan22
Reviewed by TheQuietMan22 from Iowa

4.64/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
A friend and I paid a visit to Red’s Alehouse on a very relaxed Monday night recently. I had been to Red’s before on weekend nights and it was always packed to the gills; the surrounding residential streets were lined with cars for blocks. However, we pulled up into the little lot next to the building and walked in to find only a handful of other customers.

We sat at the bar and the bartender introduced herself as a waitress would and gave us a beer list. The selection was choice. The chalkboard beer list near the door claims there is “No Crap on Tap” and it is not a lie. There were a number of topnotch, local Iowa beers on tap, especially from Toppling Goliath, and a good selection of domestic and foreign brews. Among the imports was a Norwegian stout. Twenty years ago North Liberty probably did not have a stoplight and now it has a bar with Norwegian stout on tap. Needless to say, Red’s is THE beer bar in the northern portion of the IC/CV/NL metro area.

There were a number of TVs around the bar area but they were thankfully not visually dominant or intrusive, like they can be at some sports bars. The vibe was very chill. The bartender was on a first-name basis with what I assume were a few regulars. The music was kept low and we could actually talk and enjoy the games that were on.

My one complaint would be the fact that Red’s has, as far as I know, just one urinal in a one-person men’s room. I would think a place as popular as Red’s would have a public bathroom with multiple urinals.

Overall, Red’s is a great place dedicated to serving great beer.
Mar 25, 2012
Photo of jwbradley77
Reviewed by jwbradley77 from Iowa

4.9/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Red's is the hub of the craft beer scene in Eastern Iowa. The beer list claims "No Crap on Tap" and it carries through with a great selection of local, regional, and international selections at reasonable prices. The happy hour from 3-6 offers many drinks at 2 for 1 prices, and while some of the selections arent on happy hour, the fact that they are available is impressive by itself.

The food is very good as well, offering bugers in chicken and beef, flatbread sandwiches, and several other entrees. The service at Reds has always been very friendly and knowledgable.
Nov 16, 2011
Photo of AmericanGothic
Reviewed by AmericanGothic from Iowa

4.5/5  rDev +3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
Great food and selection, very reasonably priced, friendly neighborhood setting. The beer selection is fantastic, with lots of great beers on tap. Always adding something new. Hard to believe such a great place exists in such a small town. Have taken friends from big cities there on several occasions, and they marvel at the selection as well. The menu has good variety, and the flatbreads are particularly tasty. In warmer weather, the outdoor seating is the place to be. Every neighborhood needs a place like Red's!
Feb 16, 2011
Photo of MarcatGSB
Reviewed by MarcatGSB from Michigan

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
A great place off the beaten patch north of Iowa City in North Liberty. One of the few places in the Iowa City area that provides you with quality beers to chose from, and plenty of them! The taps are always changing, but recently they have had some great Jolly Pumpkin, Bells Expedition Stout and Third Coast Old Ale, as well as St. Bernardus 12, and Iowa's own Peacetrea Double IPA, which I really like.

The atmosphere is nice, with a mixture of business folks, and normal Joes like myself. I feel comfortable going in there with my flannel to hit up the happy hour deals. Seems to be alot of families that dine there, which is alright with me. They typically aren't on the bar side. A few TV's here and there, enough to distract you for a second or two.

The food is very good as well. We have tried to Bruschetta, which was wonderful, as well as the pan seared Tuna appetizer. My girlfriend and I enjoy patronizing Red's Ale House, and we will continue to do so.
Feb 03, 2011
Photo of BehindtheFinBrew
Reviewed by BehindtheFinBrew from Iowa

4.25/5  rDev -2.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4
Found out about Red's Alehouse through BA and had to go take a look.

Went with my wife and parents as a post-Xmas gift from a family member. The building itself appears to be an old home that was converted to a restaurant. Very classy and clean looking (It was dark so that's all I have). Very busy on a Friday night especially post-happy hour. We had called ahead so our wait was minimal but I would imagine others were waiting at least 30 min. The atmosphere is nice but quite loud. We sat at a small table, 2.5 feet from one another and had to almost yellat each other. The tables were a bit rough but the booths looked nice. Our server was friendly and attentive and actually knew the beer list. This was appreciated given several expereinces of ordering and recieving a "wait, I'll see if we still have that," at other beer bars.

The selection is phenomenal. 10-15 on draft with one local offering (John's Generations White Ale). Their bottle list is even more impressive with a reserve bottle list. Quite a few Belgians too. From the tap-list I ordered an Anchor Humming APA, St. Bernardus ABT 12, and Jolly Pumpkin Noel de Calabaza. All came in clean, proper glassware and served at the appropriate temperature.

We ordered the bruschetta appetizer which was mediocre at best, quite heavy on the tomatoes. I ordered the roasted red pepper burger which I would recommend if you like heavy red pepper flavor as it has roasted red peppers AND a red pepper aioli on it. A challenge to eat but tasty. My wife had the "gourmet" grilled cheese with basil and field greens. A steak salad and club-style sandwich were also had. All were enjoyed and the food was decent overall.

Red's Alehouse is a very good beer-centric restaurant, in Iowa no-less. Could it have been better? Sure. The acoustics were near painful and the food was good but near Ruby Tuesdays-esque. That said, the beer selection and attention to detail regarding their beers will keep me going back...preferably not on a Friday night.
Jan 22, 2011
Photo of ICHawk
Reviewed by ICHawk from Iowa

4.9/5  rDev +12.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 4.5
Red's is a fantastic place to meet for a beer and grab some great food. The flatbread pizzas are very, very good. The buffalo chicken pizza is my favorite, but all are quite tasty. Need plans for Sunday brunch? Red's has you covered there with a great spread.

The beer selection is amazing. Always changing, and they have such a wide variety on tap that anyone should be able to find something they like. Of course some of the beers are a bit pricier, but they are worth it.

Waitstaff and bartenders are very friendly and knowledgeable about the beers on tap, and they are happy to bring samples of something if you're not sure you're going to like it.
Dec 28, 2010
Photo of alcstradamus
Reviewed by alcstradamus from Iowa

4.4/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4
A great little spot tucked away in a small suburb.

Stopped by here after work with a couple of coworkers (one of whom used to own the place before it was Red's Alehouse). I was impressed by the tap list and the bottle list....being able to drink lambic at a bar in Iowa was a pleasant experience. Ordered a Cantillon Gueuze which was $14 which is expensive but pretty much what I would expect the markup to be (tried to order another later and apparently I had gotten the last bottle). There was a Lou Pepe Kriek on the reserve list for $30 which I thought was a very reasonable price considering it doesn't retail for much less than that. Later I ordered a pour of Bourbon County Stout on tap. I also sampled some Rogue Double Chocolate Stout on tap. The overall selection was good for any place, but exceptional for the area. I believe there were 12 taps (all of them solid craft offerings) and the bottle list was probably in the 40-50 range. It is available on their website for viewing.

Ordered a steak sandwich that was tasty but unremarkable. The tortilla soup was fantastic though. The food pricing was reasonable.

I will definitely be stopping in there again in the near future.
Nov 27, 2010
Photo of AugiePrimrose
Reviewed by AugiePrimrose from Illinois

4.15/5  rDev -5%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5
Red's is your basic midwestern utilty restaurant. You might sit next to a group of little leaguers or some guys in suits. It's a nice place with tv's, booths, a nice size bar, and plenty of tables for larger parties.

It's a very, very busy place that obviously goes through a bunch of product, so freshness of the beer or food is not an issue.

Your usual Iowa hard workers. We moved from the bar to a table and there were no problems with the bill, or knowing what kind of pints we were having.

An astonishing selection...considering it's in North Liberty, IA. Around 15 taps of Euro's, seasonals, and some USA classics. When I was there, they said they had the only two kegs Iowa got of Bell's "Hell Hath No Fury'. They have a exceptional bottle menu as well.

A nice menu of flatbread pizzas, and the usual midwest fare. Some veggie options.

We stopped in during 'happy hours', so I drank 4 pints of Yellow Snow for $11...which is a strong value. Regular beer prices can be a bit pricey though, but the food is normal value. Like everywhere these days, you just have to pick your spots.
Nov 05, 2010
Photo of daledeee
Reviewed by daledeee from Iowa

4.72/5  rDev +8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | food: 5
Stopped by here on a recommendation from my local beer shop.

This rather new looking building is on one of the main streets in town. Parking is limited. They were working on an outside beer garden.

Took the wife with me and we had some food. The menu consists of flatbread pizza, steaks, burgers. We tried the pizza and found it exceptionally tasty.

The main reason I went there is because of Belgian beer on tap. That may not sound too exceptional to many of you but remember; we are in Iowa. St. Bernardus Abt 12 and Tripel Karmeliet plus several other bottled brews.

The atmosphere is rather open roomish with a bar that circles both rooms.

Happy hour includes two beers for the price of one. Hey, if I can get Belgian beer and the wife likes the food, I can't go wrong. Definitely, will go back.
Aug 16, 2009
Reds Alehouse in North Liberty, IA
Place rating: 4.37 out of 5 with 37 ratings