Bear Cave is my go to hangout spot in Hopkins when family or friends visit. The self pour option is so convenient when you're wanting to try new/different beers. Each table has a QR code that you can scan and order food right from your phone which is super convenient. I've only checked out their patio and basement but look forward to checking out their rooftop this summer. You can also rent out certain spaces of the brewery for private parties! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

See all

Downtown Hopkins is really stepping its game up! This new addition to the street has been bustling since it's opening and there's a reason why! Upon entering, you are ID-checked and connect your payment card to a provided wristband. You are now fully hooked up to enjoy the adventure of FOUR floors of seating. The main floor is very open and includes a robust kitchen...these aren't your oridnary brewery food offerings...with artisan pizzas and even bone marrow on the menu. The real twist to this establishment is that you get to pour your own beer...you're no longer stuck getting a full pint of a beer! You grab a cup of your choice from three possible size options, and browse the wall of beers, seltzers, and wine! They have a pretty solid selection but I'm excited for more adventurous brews as they grow! Simply raise your wristband to the tap, don't forget to tilt your glass, and pour as much as you'd like. Now, I recommend making your way up to the rooftop patio to enjoy the quaint views of downtown Hopkins. My only contructive feedback is that they "prefer" you to drop your wristband off in a box at the end of the night. They then add a 20% gratuity to your tab...but unless you got food, they didn't actually do much to deserve a tip, given you have to pour your own beer. You can close your tab at the wristband station and adjust the gratuity to something that makes more sense IMO. I've already been here twice and will absolutely be back throughout the summer!! Great addition to Hopkins! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

It's pour your own beer and has a good selection of seasonal taps. It's got an even better food menu of crowd pleasers; pizza, small plates, and more. I was able to try a bit of everything, it was all delicious. I got the pork belly and it blew me away, salty, crispy, fatty, perfect. It hit the spot especially when there's a cold beer on the side. Take an adventure around, there's a roof top on the third floor. It's an unsuspecting find in a small town. My only con is that it's street parking only, right across from the Hopkins Legion so it can be tough to find. read more

I think we've found another go-to spot! Especially if you're looking for a big patio/ lots of outdoor seating- bear cave has both a large street level patio and a rooftop deck. When you walk in you get set up with a card for self pour service. I'm not a beer drinker but they had a wide selection of beers as well as some ciders, seltzers and even an old fashioned on tap. All the food our table tried was delicious for the most part- with just the pork belly being not the greatest especially for the price. I do wish they had a couple more menu options. Pizza was amazing and so was the chips and dip, the trout spread, and the salad! I also loved their house made canned Arnold Palmer- the price may seem steep but we shared it and the jumbo can was two full glasses- it wasn't overly sweet which is why I usually don't like Arnold palmers. Service was friendly but really all they did was explain how their system worked- ordering at the table with a QR code and then self pour for drinks. They they brought it out to your table, but don't know how to feel about tipping here with this concept... Loved the ambiance here, clean, casual yet modern. There were people of all ages including groups with babies and groups with dogs out on the patio. Bathrooms were well kept and smelled nice. Free street parking in downtown Hopkins, no designated lot. read more

Loved this place! There are two floors plus a heated outdoor tent - the basement is more of a speak-easy vibe which was really simple but well done. Did seem to get a little crowded by the time we left (around 7), but we had no trouble getting seated around 6pm. You get a swipe card and fill beer yourself at the taps on both floors. There's a variety, so if you don't see what you want downstairs, check upstairs. The food is ordered via QR code, which is good and bad. We ordered the smoked trout dip and two pizzas (the trolley and the market) - it was all delicious! And the pizza was done pretty quickly. The only issue was we were hoping to get the smoke trout first, but it didn't come out until we were finished with the pizzas. So just make sure you time food if you want things at certain times. Looking forward to going back though! read more

See all

Bright, open space with tons of pour your own beer, wine and cocktail options located at the west end of downtown Hopkins. Popular spot for hosting events, there's something for everyone. Parking can be a challenge, given restrictions on the neighborhood streets that surround it. read more

Every time I visit the Twin Cities area for work, I try to find a different brewery or two to visit. Minnesota has some fantastic breweries (I live in Wisconsin). And so, as I planned my trip, I set up a happy hour with some colleagues at Bear Cave Brewing. Even though I checked out their website and did some cursory research, it wasn't at all what I expected. I was the first to arrive and when I walked in, I have to admit I was a little intimidated. It looked, for lack of a better word, "fancy". For one, it's new. Secondly, there were well-dressed staff and really nice-looking tables around. There was an entire wall of taps with some sort of way of interacting with them. Because it had just opened for the day, I didn't see people in action so I wasn't sure how the place worked. So I talked to someone and it all became clear. You buy a wristband with a token type thing on it. You go to the tapper you're interested in, swipe your wristband and pour your beer. It keeps track of what you're drinking and you pay at the end. Pretty efficient. There were multiple floors, including a really nice rooftop patio. The place is pretty amazing. We were there for an hour or so and it progressively got busier and busier, so I'd say business is good so far. The staff was really friendly and explained things well - and were there when you needed it but not pushy. I'm told Chicago, among other places, have this concept of a bar. It's really rather practical and clever. Definitely worth checking out if you're a beer snob like me. read more

See all

New spot alert in Hopkins! Super cute building with indoor, outdoor, basement and patio seating. Unique style bar as you get a bracelet that triggers the spigots for beer, wine or seltzer of your choosing and it gets charged to a card you put on file. No full bar and for those that aren't beer fans there sadly aren't too many options. You turn in the bracelet at the end when finished and if you forget you get charged for the bill, plus 20% and a fee for the bracelet. We sat outside and on the tables you use a QR code to get the menu and place your order. A server does stop by to drop plates and clean up but that's about it, don't plan for normal table side service. We tried three pizzas - sausage fennel, the margarita and then a unique one with apples, truffle honey and white cedar (can't remember the name). Margherita was the best I thought! Some unique flavored pizzas so I personally plan to return to try some other options. They also had snacks and sides but we didn't try any. Overall super cute spot with great seating options all around if you want to be outside enjoying the few months of MN summer! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

We loved our first trip to Bear Cave Brewing! There's a huge lineup of beers, along with a few wines and some mixed drinks (John Daly and Old Fashioned) on tap. Make sure you check out the basement taps in addition to the main floor and 2nd floor!! The basement was where we found the John Daly and Old Fashioned. The brewery was very busy when we arrived on a sunny Tuesday evening, but there was still plenty of seating throughout the whole place. We snagged a table on the rooftop and ordered some pizzas using the QR code on the table. The pizzas came out hot, fresh, and flavorful. I'd highly recommend giving the pizzas a try! Lastly, the staff was attentive and friendly throughout our whole experience, answering questions and checking to see if we needed anything. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Trolley pizza - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

See all

Such a cool spot! Great brews and pizza. The roof is awesome, live music sometimes. Good vibes, great drinks, we can't wait to come back!

Great to see a revitalized downtown Hopkins, great energy and varied experiences. Top among those new faces, is Bear Cave Brewing. It's a surprising experience: three floors each with a different ambiance and liquid choices on each although many are shared. Varieties to sample cover the Brewing spectrum: ales, lagers, IPA's, porters and ales...PLUS...on tap margs and Manhattans! I spoke with the beverage manager, and YES he blends the adult cocktails there, on premises. You may be overwhelmed on the first visit, but have fun and explore: food menu, beers, the overall experience, and YOU MUST hang out on the roof. Great view of Hopkins that few have seen. Good view of the city baseball fields. Great experience. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - First sighting of this particular bear. Beer, selzers, even margs and Manhattans....amid ample food temptations. What's keeping you? - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

I CANNOT recommend Bear Cave Brewing enough!! We went with some friends to check out this new pour your own beer place back in May and had such a GREAT experience I haven't stopped raving to anyone who will listen. We've always enjoyed ourselves at these types of places as I like to try a little bit of everything and don't often want a full beer so this is perfect for me! I tried a little of literally everything while we were there and our bill was so much cheaper than I was anticipating it's had us coming back for more! The fact that they have SO many different places to sit (patio on the lower level, two or three levels of indoor seating and a rooftop patio) and are dog friendly is a huge bonus for us! It looked like they had a little private space you could rent too on the rooftop patio which was super cute. We did a couple pizzas and the roasted bone marrow which was so different and unique but also delicious? The variety in not only beer, but also seltzers and wine was a huge plus. If you live in the area, you need to try this place! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Roasted Bone Marrow - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

First visit to Bear Cave Brewing! The brewery itself is beautiful with plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces. Live music on the roof was a super nice touch! Their pizzas looked amazing, but we didn't get to try any today. It's all self-pour, so you get a card when you check in and show your id/credit card, and you pay at the end by dropping your card in the box which automatically leaves a 20% tip. I have mixed feelings about this since everything is self-pour and we didn't order any food, so an automatic 20% tip seems like a lot when we didn't receive any service from anyone. You could probably go find someone to alter the tip, but it's ok since everyone was so busy. I got the margarita, which was a good price but super salty! Not my favorite... my friend ordered the May the 4th Be With You and he said it was good, with a 3.25/5 on untapped. Would visit again to try the pizza and for the ambiance. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Margarita and May the 4th be with you - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

We went to see a friend's band play on a Friday. Loved it all. Fun beverages, easy ordering, and fast service.

To say this is one of the best staff experiences I have had in the last 5 years is to say the least! There was a not a staff person that we interacted with that was not going above and beyond to ensure everyone was having the best experience possible. It is an interesting business model, similar to The Marketplace where you sync your credit card with a shopping card that can be used anywhere in the building. When you walk in you think it is relatively open small space, but what you will quickly learn is that Bear Cave is made up of three unique floors with varying taps on each floor. From beer to ciders to wine and cocktail, from the 15 taps per floor you are sure to find something you like.If you would like food it is simple and easy to order from your table via QR code. There are floating "Tap Masters" for your respective seating area that will provide recommendations, clear tables and ensure you have the best experience. For food we had the Pork Belly, Mainstreet Pizza (add speck) and Bruatta + Speck. The pizza and pork belly, we good but nothing special. The pizza lacked a punch of flavor so we ended up drizzling the sauce from the pork belly over it. However, the Burrata + Speck was one of the best bruatta salads I have had. The ratio of peaches to burrata to greens was spectacular! read more

See all

Now, I will say that we didn't order any food but I will say...the food would have been the only positive thing about this place! In my opinion! Stopped in to see a NCAA Sweet 16 game and this is where it started....this entire place is just disjointed! Very awkward to have to check in a get a little card, really?? OK..Now wandering around to find a place to watch the game..up-stairs we go...downstairs was just weird...TV with one stand-up table, OK.. Margaritas without ice....No, doesn't seem to work. For a tap room this is just a bad selection of beers, in my opinion. Now, I have to order my food myself after having to serve myself a bad beer! No thank you, I will go pay a server to help me and I will pay them for that! And checking out, you ask men for a tip?? For what? There are so many good places around this place, yep! KT read more

We met several friends here last night, and overall I would give it 3.5 stars. The extra half a star is for the exceptional rooftop patio. I might go back just for that, honestly. We go to a lot of breweries, and the beer here was kind of meh. We really hate the pour-your-own situation. So imprecise. We all got mostly head on most of our drinks- I go out so I don't have to pour my own beer LOL. So unsanitary, people kept coming back with the same glass and refilling it. EW. And so impersonal! I like for a beertender to tell me about the beers, so I can interact with the brewery and decide what I might want. The pricing was kind of wild as well, especially for the beers that were not made in house. The fruity beer keg fried while we were there, and a staff member pointed out the Wild State cider as an alternative, but then my husband noticed it was $1.55 an ounce (vs. .55 an ounce for the fruity beer they ran out of). Um, $24.80 a pint? Nah bruh, I'm good. Too bad, because I was really in the mood for fruity on the rooftop. I enjoyed the Belgian Trippel, doubel and quad. We all hated the sour, which was SO VERY sour. Our friend joked that it was just what she needed, a whole mouth exfoliation. Interesting place though. It has potential if you're in the neighborhood. I didn't try the food, but I noticed they had a real Italian pizza oven, and the pizzas looked really good. The second floor has some different taps than the first floor. The bill at the end of the night was a bit of a shock though, but I after seeing the itemized receipt come through my email, we figured out they charged both of our Bev cards on the same bill, I guess because we were under the same credit card. Also, it doesn't add the tax until the end, which is deceiving. They should add the tax into the per ounce price. It's also really hard to tell how much you're pouring, especially when half of it is head. But the super sweet staffer named Sam who closed out my bill took me over and showed me how things work and was very kind and patient. It tells you the final ounces poured on the screen, but only for a split second, so you have to pay attention. Would have been nice to have that walk-through in the beginning. I think I gave half a star just for him actually. YMMV read more

The place is great. My first time there. I can't drink beer, so it was nice to see other options. The wood fire pizza is about as good as it gets in the area. We got the Trolly and Firestone, the firestone is an underrated option. The chips and dip are perfect snack food.The SUNBURST SQUASH was amazing! I would order it again. The pork belly was good, needed a little more acid to cut through the richness. All in all a great social and dinning experience. Definitely would come back! read more

Every month we do a little taproom tour with friends. This month Bear Cave was on the list. When I learned it was a pour your own place I kind of grumbled - to me they aren't really brewery/taprooms if they serve everyone else's beer. Except - I was wrong and they DO serve mostly their own brewed beer!! I didn't drink much (DD) but was pleased to see in addition to their beers they also had a margarita on tap (though at $2.50 an ounce it was a bit pricey and could have used ice) as well as some seltzers and wines. One nice thing about the pour your own is there was no waiting for a bartender or server. They also had like 40 taps so there was plenty of options. It was VERY BUSY the Saturday we visited. There seemed to be plenty of room (three levels, I believe) but we still had to stand around and wait a while for a table. It was cold and chilly otherwise it looked like they had a huge deck/patio space out back as well. Ordering food takes place on your phone, by scanning a QR code on the table. This also kept lines short and service quick. We had a pepperoni pizza that was very tasty with a nice spice,though on the spendy side ($18). Overall I was pleasantly surprised and maybe next time I won't be so quick to judge! read more

We try to visit a brewery every week or so. One afternoon last month we took the drive to Hopkins to check out Bear Cave. It's a bit of a drive for us, but we were not disappointed. When we arrived we were greeted by a very helpful young woman who gave us the rundown. Bear Cave has a self-serve tapwall system. You give your cc, they give you an RFID card and you help yourself to beer and mixed drinks from the taps. At the end you pay by the ounce. I like this arrangement for two reasons: I can sample a beer before I commit to a full pint, and I don't have to stand in line for beer! The beers were very well-executed, and I particularly enjoyed their smoked porter. They also offer a mixed margarita from one of the taps. We had eaten prior to coming, so didn't order lunch, but the pizzas being brought to nearby tables looked mouth-watering. We'll try the food next time we go. The brewery is huge, with many rooms on different levels, including a rooftop deck and a "speakeasy" in the basement. read more

A try before you buy business model since you can sample the beers before committing to an entire drink. It is genius to have this at a brewery! Here is how it works: 1. When you arrive you receive a card that you swipe at each tap so you only get charged for what you pour. There are several types of clean glasses for you to use. And different sizes as well. 2. There are three levels with drink taps on each. We preferred to sit upstairs since it was a more open space. They had live music on Thursday night. 3. You can order food by scanning a QR code at the table then they bring the food directly to your table. It's very convenient. Drinks: We tried a variety of beers and drinks. My favorite drink was the grapefruit cider. My husband liked their old fashioned on tap. Food: We enjoyed the trout dip appetizer which was also recommended by the waitress. And we ordered two pizzas (pepperoni and margarita pizzas). This place is great for groups and if you like sampling many beers. read more

To say the pizza place is sublime is fire is an understatement! The beer is phenomenal and the pizza is fire! Such a giant fan. New favorite and going back for the fun and 4 floors to book! # hooked! read more

Bear Cave is a new pay-by-the-pour brewery & restaurant that opened recently in Hopkins and has received a lot of hype, so we wanted to go and try it out! Unfortunately for us, it didn't live up to the buzz. Disclaimer: the only other place I know with this concept is First Draft in North Loop, so we found ourselves comparing the two places most of the time we were at Bear Cave. We arrived at Bear Cave around 6:30 and it was packed to the brim on a Friday night, which is expected! However, we had to wait in a long line to get our wrist brands and for there being 2 people checking everyone in with just a show of their ID and swipe off the credit card, it seemed to take a while. After getting checked in, and handed our wristbands, it was difficult to get them to stay on since it had a weird clasp - un-like First-Draft that has Velcro. I would recommend changing this down the line - throughout the night when waving hands talking my groups' wristbands went flying. The vibe of Bear Cave is super modern, which I thought I would love! The patio & rooftop looked amazing - but were already full when we arrived. Instead we opted for going to the second floor. Because if the long check-in line and open concept kitchen, the first floor is chaotic and crowded. We didn't want to be in the thick of it. When we went upstairs we got more of a feel for the place, and realized it felt a little crowded and stale. I personally like my breweries more dark wood-homey feeling, and this was more white and bright with marble patterned tables. The tables are small and pretty close together - if we had gotten food or more flights I think our table for 4 would've been too small. Now to the drinking! If there's a flight option at a brewery, I'm almost always gonna try it - so I was excited to see pour-your-own flights. After going up and tapping my wrist band, I started to pour my little glasses and had a difficult time. The pour was way too fast for the tiny glasses causing a ton of foam. It was incredibly frustrating, especially since your charged by the amount you pour - so I was basically paying for half foam. My friend who also had a flight had the same problem - and my boyfriend who got a full pint even had trouble. Since I had been to First Draft before, I had a good idea of how to use the wristbands - but I did have to help someone else at the tap wall that was confused. There are some designs around the tap that don't make it clear where to scan your wristband. In my flight I got Bauhaus Short Pants, Bear Cave's Grapefruit seltzer, and two light beers. After taking a picture of the list of beers, I realized they hadn't updated it to match the taps - so I'm not sure which two I got. One was a European style Lager, and the other just a light ale. Bauhaus Short Pants never disappoints, it's an amazingly sweet local summer shandy! As a seltzer lover, Bear Cave's was a total miss for me & my seltzer-loving friend. The flavor was overpowered by the taste of a vodka-y liquor that was watered down. One of our group put it best and said, "it tastes like a vodka soda that you left in the sun and the ice melted". It wasn't very carbonated either. The other two light beers were fine, nothing groundbreaking but not bad. One was more hoppy than the other, so I liked the less-hoppy option better. I was a little disappointed that there were no sours available, but we later found out they had run out the week before. After finishing our beers, we realized we didn't really desire any refills for the ones we had, and it was hard to hear each other - so we headed out. One thing to note was that this place was crawling with kids. I don't mind children in breweries, but it almost felt like a family-friendly restaurant with a bunch running around the place. Just not quite the place me and my friends in our early-mid twenties want to hang out. One thing we realized thanks to other Yelpers was that if you don't close our your wristband (and just throw it in the box) you'll automatically be charged a 20% tip. Since we didn't order food, had no help from staff, and cleared ourselves - we made sure to close ourselves out with a cashier since we didn't feel the need to leave a tip. Since it was so busy, and the same place you check-in you cash-out, it took a good 10-15 minutes to get out of the place. We didn't order food this time because the prices were extremely high (~$20 for a 1-2 person woodfired pizza), but from the people around us it did look good. Overall, we just didn't love our time here - it felt a bit too crowded for the space it offered and there wasn't a ton of beers we were interested in. I'd be willing to come back and try another rotation of the taps, and maybe try food if I shared with a couple of others. read more

See all

Update! Their sausage pizza is amazing, best GF crust we've had, even better than Olive's. I also dug more into their beers and found the two Hazy's very good as well as the red and barley wine. This place is going to be very busy! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Last slice of sausage pepper pizza - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

R2 and just as great as before! Such a huge fan of this place and can't believe it's just blocks away from my new home. The perfect spot to hangout with your pups, significant other, friends, or fam. It's really just great! read more

See all

All in all a fun little place. I like the atmosphere and aesthetic. Ordered the pork belly, which left me feeling pretty hungry after finishing it. Not the best I've had but was pretty good despite the smaller portion. Wouldn't say it was worth the cost though. We also transitioned tables before ordering more food but couldn't get the food to be added to our current tab abs come out at our new table (we asked staff for help and they said it wasn't possible) - this ended up leading the new patrons at our old table to believe they received a free pizza despite us standing there letting them know it was ours. The experience was kind of a hassle so didn't enjoy it a whole lot, but could see things being much more seamless without adding food into the mix. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Pork Belly - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

In 2022 Hopkin's MN got a new brewpub on Mainstreet. They has three levels with IPourit taps. This means you pour your own! Upon arrival you will check in - grab a card & you can pour any in- house beer brewed by Brewers Charles Chapman & Ben DeCamp. They have different size glasses and even flights boards. You will also find seltzers, wine and various cocktails available that you can pour. In the summer you will a find dog friendly patio and rooftop patio as well. The beer I enjoyed the most was Larry's Lager coming in at 5% ABV. I thought it was also special that one of their flagships is Nate's Passion - a Hazy IPA created to honor the life and work of Nate Bergeland original and late founder of Bear Cave. Let's talk food. Do not skip on grabbing something to eat when visiting Bear Cave. Executive Chef Marc Paavola has made a mark for himself with awesome Stone-fired pizza's and Not Pizzas. Marc comes with a lot of experience into Bear Cave & I really enjoyed every item we had during this visit. Margie: Red sauce, buffalo Mozzarella cheese, basil, Grana Padano cheese, xvoo oil. We added sausage - that's was a pro tip from our server & it was a good idea! I definitely want to try most of the Za's! Octopus - Calabrian Remoulade, local potatoes, sun sprouts, octopus, & corn Salsa. This dish was so flavorful. It actually is the most flavorful Octopus dish I have ever tried. Pork Belly - Belgian Tripel, saffron, honey glaze, and celery slaw. The slaw had apples and celery which pared really nicely with the sweet glaze on this pork. This was probably my favorite dish. Raspberry Peach Crisp - pecan crumble with Adele's fresh cream custard. I look forward to returning to Bear Cave to try more in the future. I know that roof top patio will be a must visit for me this upcoming summer! read more

See all

This is EVERYTHING that a brewery/ pub should be! Excellent selection of great beers that you can serve yourself! Nice selection of pizza and non-pizza options and self service/QRCode for ordering. Grab a seat outside in the patio amongst the dogs and kids running around... This place is putting the "HOP" in Hopkins! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Self serve beer!!! - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

The selection of beers is good. Staff is friendly. We all had personal pizzas which were delicious. Sitting on the rooftop made the experience even more delightful. read more

My son and I waited in a long line to get in and we got our wristbands which were three dollars each and I think they take the three dollars off when you're done, my son only had one tiny beer and then a tall beer, I tried a few little tiny beers, and a couple little tiny wines to try to figure out what I liked for flavor, I ended up having some more wine and I poured my girlfriend that showed up later a glass of wine and my bill ended up being $80 which I have no idea how that could've happened for just me and my son, that pizza I ordered was margarita and it was just meh, and a seven dollar cupcake for my dog, that I paid separate that wasn't on my drink bill on the toast app and that ended up being $28 with tip, staff was very nice and friendly but I think they made a mistake on my drink bill and I need to contact them read more

See all

I'd heard bear cave was offering the pour your own options and wanted to check it out. The location is in Hopkins a block from the free city parking garage and also has plenty of on streeet options. The space is three levels with seating throughout as well as a large patio area and a second story deck. Upon entering you check in and start a tab then they give each visitor a wristband to operate the pour your own stations. It was pretty self explanatory but we did ask how we check out and there was an option to return to a kiosk and sign for a receipt or just drop your wristband on a lock box on your way out and consent to a 20% auto tip you your drink total. Bear cave offers a small variety of food options which you order from a QR code at your table. We didn't order anything during our visit but did see a few pizzas being brought out that looked delicious. Now onto the beer. Each wristband gives the user a 40 Oz max per visit. While the pour your own is convenient and allows the options for multiple size glasses, Including tasters to make your own flight, the execution is not 100%. I like to think I know how to pour a tap beer but, as another reviewer noted, the tap lines aren't dialed in fur proper carbonation and many drinks were roughly a third to half foam. I saw almost every customer experience this regardless of glass size so you left feeling like you were paying for foam rather than beer and were hesitant to let the extra roll off to get a full drink. This occurred in multiple lines so they need some adjustments to dial that part of the experience in. The options were all $0.50-$0.65 per ounce and there were 8 or so beers, three wines and two seltzer options. It was a hard pass on both seltzer's. Beers were a range of styles and were ok but nothing stood out as exceptional. They were some open taps that were unused so there's options for more variety in the future. They might benefit from some collaborations with other local breweries and offering a wider range in the future. Overall, neat concept and very nice space to try on occasion but lacking in the execution and offerings to make it a go to spot in the future. read more

See all

I stopped in yesterday. I encountered several staff; Tim, Kayla, Keith, Nick, Lindsay, Kristen & Jimmy; all were super friendly and extremely helpful in helping me choose which beers to sample. Surprise!! I didn't check them out. Why? But there is an upstairs bar and a downstairs speakeasy!! Tim did go downstairs and get me an Old Fashioned, a delicious and boozy Old Fashioned. We were discussing the drink when Tim said they were available so I didn't inquire what else was available or if there was a menu. With all my beverages I decided I'd better get something to soak it all up and opted for the Firestone pizza. Which I immediately ruined... RUINED! By generously loading on the pepper flakes; rookie. When perusing the beers I was surprised to see Wild State pear cider was available and Bear Cave also had a delightfully delicious margarita. I also sampled the N/A CBD seltzer. Street parking was super easy, the tap room was bright and cozy, food and drinks are delicious and the staff is fantastic!! Bear Caves hits all the marks!! Hopkins isn't my side of town but I look forward to popping in occasionally!! Thank you Bear Cave, cheers!! read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Old Fashioned from the downstairs Speak Easy - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

See all

Great area to go for lunch or a dinner party. Staff is very nice and there's a lot of options. The owner Jillian is very sweet and friendly. The design is very unique and has 4 sections to sit at, every area has a different design and vibe. Recommend anyone to swing by even for just the food! read more

Bear Cave is the perfect brewery for a nice summer day. They have a beautiful two floor outdoor patio that has quite a bit of shade. They have beer and food and the food is delicious. Who doesn't love a good pizza with beer? The pizzas were fantastic and made with fresh ingredients. They had vegetarian options too. They had a great beer selection, but it is pour yourself. I'm not the biggest fan of the pour-your-own stations so that's one of things I didn't really like about Bear Cave, but I really it's a great brewery, especially in the summer. Definitely worth a visit. read more

See all

Love going to Bear Cave for pizza. The large patios and self pour are something different and not necessarily offered at other places. I do wish they had more non-beer options, but they have been branching out more. The staff are fun and overall experience/ambiance is great. Make sure to check out the bear in the basement when visiting next! read more

Cool concept of a place and great space, but terrible pricing on their drinks. I had three margaritas, and when closing out I saw that the price was over $15 for each one. Come on, Bear Cave. Over $15 for a margarita? Be open and honest about your pricing, instead of surprising people at the end when they close out. Unfortunately, this was a bad experience for me. read more

I really loved the ambiance here, and it's a cool concept. Being a seasoned pro at bringing kids to breweries I probably should have known better than bringing my kids to a brewery where all of the glasses were at their height! Don't worry there were no broken glasses, only broken kid hearts that they couldn't play with them. Cool space, great selection of beers. I didn't try any of the food but it all looked good! We will be back, just without the kids! read more

Bear cave is not your average Minnesota brewery experience. I love the self pour concept and the food is also delicious. I've been here for a birthday gathering as well as in a private space for a holiday party- I was impressed with the overall aesthetic of the space. Great food and drink options- just wish it was open later! read more

You'd think the first thing I'd talk about is the beer selection, but it won't be - it's going to be the food on the menu - wow! The brick oven pizza selection either from the restaurant created ones or the build your own options are top-notch. Lots of yummy snacks from traditional chips & onion dip to fancier like octopus! Also non-pizza entrees like meatballs, hot dog, or a grain bowl. Plus yummy dessert options. The brewery itself is large and welcoming - 4 floors including basement level, street level with outdoor and indoor seating, mid indoor level and rooftop with "some" indoor seating and a lot of outdoor seating. Here's the thing with the drinks, all the beers except one were hoppy! What about those of us don't like high IBUs? I had a margarita that was good, but it was expensive! I don't have much to say about the service because you serve yourself drinks and you order food on the QR code menu. I will say that the food came quickly and they checked on us appropriately. read more

This was a nice summer day and what I loved about this place was you are able to have a self pour so that your enjoyment if the beverage is not interrupted. They are not afraid to try different forms of beer and stay humble in the old style. I loved there smoked tuna a pita chips. They have a great outdoors area, and two floors to enjoy your food and beer. read more

Bear Cave Brewing - Smoked trout spread - Brewpubs Near Me - Hopkins, Minnesota

See all