Three floors of exposed brick, sleek bar tops and eccentric, vivid paintings set the atmosphere of the new ReUnion Brewery soon to open on the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City.

It’s located at 111 E. College St. near Riverside Theatre and across from longtime haunts like Donnelly’s Pub and TCB Pool Hall, adding a new option for those looking for brews and dinner among newer nearby bars that include The Stuffed Olive and Roxxy.

Ahead of its late October opening, the Press-Citizen toured the renovated space for a sneak peek of what’s to come.

Guests will enter on the main floor, also called the brewery, due to the five-barrel brewing system visible behind the bar that seats 24, Kris Kass, chief operating officer, told the Press-Citizen.

There are 40 seats in the space outside the bar, and about 80 seats in the space that formerly housed El Patron. Multiple TVs adorn both spaces alongside large, colorful paintings of characters created by artist Jon Sims, who painted them at ReUnion Brewery’s production facility in Coralville.

On the lower level, dubbed the “speakeasy,” are two rooms, though one will not be open for another six to eight months as renovations continue, Kass said. When it is open, it will act as an additional dining space that can host live music, such as an evening of jazz or a smaller band. When both spaces are open, the lower level can seat about 100 guests.

“Every stair you go up, it gets a little more exciting,” Kass said.

More:ReUnion Brewery will open a location at the Ped Mall in Iowa City. Here's a peek at what's to come.

While the lower level can host smaller, more intimate events due to its size, the third floor, as promised, will host larger, more high-energy offerings.  

Tucked in the corner of the wall that overlooks the Ped Mall is a stage where musicians or a DJ can set up and perform, Kass said. Guests can expect one night to be bluegrass music and another night to offer '70s disco music.

The windows along the stage's wall can be shut with curtains to provide a more intimate atmosphere, and the TVs on all floors of ReUnion Brewery can stream the upstairs' performances if the brewery chooses.

The upper-level space, Kass said, can also be used for banquets, weddings, rehearsal dinners and more. It can also host the brewery’s finer events, such as plated dinners.

That’s in part because the interior of the space is both “industrial” and “chic,” Kass said.

Both the main floor and the lower level will be serviced for food. Servers won’t bring food to the third floor to avoid any challenges with carrying it upstairs, Kass said.

Instead, there will be a kitchenette tucked in the corner where the brewery’s cooks can prep food and serve items exclusive to the upper level, such as tacos, burritos and more into the early morning.

Kass said ReUnion Brewery will determine when the upstairs will be open, whether that be 5 p.m., 8 p.m. or when the brewery’s lower levels are especially busy, such as on University of Iowa football game days.

ReUnion Brewery at the Ped Mall is a five-barrel brewhouse with a bar on each level with 24 taps.

Along with the beer brewed in-house, beer from the brewery’s other facilities will be kegged and available. The brewery will also serve its homemade seltzers, owner Jim Mondanaro told the Press-Citizen in February.

The Ped Mall location will serve food with a New Orleans twist, thanks to its new chef, who is from Louisiana. The menu will be different from the Coralville location, which boasts American fare, including pizza, street tacos and sandwiches.

“When you’re trying to serve that many people, you really (can’t) have 60-plus items and serve people quickly,” Kass said. “So we’re still trying to get it where people are getting their food even on a super busy night within a half an hour.”

ReUnion Brewery at the Ped Mall is set to open later this month, likely with an-invite only celebration on Oct. 22 followed by an opening to the public on Oct. 25, according to Kass.

It’ll be open Tuesday through Saturday, likely from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Kass said eventually the brewery will be open seven days a week and for lunch as well.

The brewery and its main-level bar takes the space of what was the Fieldhouse bar more than a decade ago. ReUnion Brewery will also extend into what formerly was Givanni’s — later replaced by the restaurant El Patron — and Graze, all part of the Dooley Block building, the Press-Citizen reported in February.

The tri-level brewpub, complete with a patio, will seat about 450, compared to the Coralville location of 350, Kass said.

ReUnion Brewery is a 10-barrel brewhouse in Coralville that makes beers that include IPAs, hazy pale ales, sours and more. It opened in 2015 at 516 Second St., formerly Mondo’s Drafthouse. Five years later, the brewery opened a 30-barrel production facility off Heinz Road in Iowa City.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.