About The Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant
The Blind Tiger opened on May 1, 1995, as Topeka's first craft brewery, and it marked 30 years in business in May 2025. The name comes from Prohibition, when illegal bars set out a stuffed or china tiger to signal that drinks were available after hours. Inside, the rough-cedar dining room spreads across eight levels, including an outdoor deck, and the bar has about 20 televisions.
Six flagship beers are always pouring: Raw Wheat, County Seat Wheat, Raspberry Wheat, Holy Grail Pale Ale, Tiger Paw Porter and Tiger Bit IPA. Another half dozen or so seasonal and specialty beers rotate alongside them, usually about a dozen in all. The brewing team, led by brewmaster John Dean and head brewer Alvaro Canizales, won a silver medal for its Munich Dunkles and a bronze for a smoked bock called Smoke Follows Beauty at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival, bringing the brewery's total to 33 medals.
This is a full restaurant as much as a brewery. The menu leans on hand-cut steaks made from 100 percent Kansas beef, barbecue, pasta and seafood, and a gluten-free menu is available. The full menu is served in the lounge and bar, and the restaurant takes banquets and large parties. The kitchen closes an hour or two before the bar, so plan dinner accordingly.
Somerset Lavender, a family farm on the western edge of Topeka that holds a June festival with u-pick bundles, is roughly 10 to 15 minutes away, which makes the Blind Tiger an easy dinner stop after an afternoon in the lavender.
What to do
- Try the six flagship beers, from Raw Wheat to Tiger Paw Porter
- Ask which seasonal and specialty beers are on, usually about six
- Order a hand-cut steak made from Kansas beef
- Ask about the gluten-free menu
- Book a banquet or large-party meal
- Sit on the outdoor deck
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open daily year-round except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
- Hours
- Posted on their website (checked October 2026): Sun–Thu 11 am–11 pm (kitchen until 9 pm), Fri–Sat 11 am–midnight (kitchen until 10 pm); closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Good to know
- Age
- 21 or older to taste or drink alcohol
Tips for your visit
- The kitchen closes two hours before the bar, so arrive by 9 pm on weeknights if you want dinner
- Ask for the gluten-free menu if you need it
- Call ahead for large parties and banquets
- Plan a designated driver before you go
Pair it with a lavender farm
Somerset Lavender · about 15 minutes away
Somerset Lavender on Topeka's west side is about 15 minutes away, so pair its June festival or open days with dinner here.
Getting there
Questions
Why is it called the Blind Tiger?
The name refers to Prohibition-era bars that displayed a stuffed or china tiger to signal that alcohol was sold after hours.
Is there a gluten-free menu?
Yes. The restaurant offers a separate gluten-free menu.
When is the kitchen open?
As posted, the kitchen closes at 9 pm Sunday through Thursday and at 10 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
