My husband choked on a whole bay leaf left in the gumbo. The gumbo was so dark it could not be seen. We found 2 in a small bowl of gumbo and another in the jambalaya. The owner told us they do not remove them and seemed to have no intention of changing that. Beware!
Paradise34081847074
We are loyal customers before during and after covid. Flatted fifth could be counted on but the time for excuses for not having things on their limited menu needs to be over. For example 3 times we came for southern greens. Don’t have them. No excuses anymore. Step up of give up.
Vicky S
A very old building with lots of charm. Even better is the food. Smoked salmon appetizer was enough for the 2 of us. Wonderful staff! Although as for many places, they are short-handed. They have live blues or jazz too. What's not to love.
Twinturbo3
You should not drive past this local historical gem. Stop and enjoy the atmosphere and more importantly the awesome food and service. Brisket was perfectly done with a great smoke flavor. Mac and cheese was creamy and full of flavor. Buttermilk ranch dressing is like my grandma would make. Luann provided historical information about the mill and gave us info about the scratch made food. The bread pudding and bacon praline icecream were outstanding. A must stop!!
jetsly
ALERT: TOP TEN ENTRIES FOR CHICKEN, GREENS, NATIONWIDE. Our 14th 'cue stop in Iowa turned out to be one of the very best. The setting is an architectural treasure-- a mill dating to 1843 that is on the National Registry. The interior, especially in the bar area, is to be savored. Service was outstanding (thanks, Luann), and the food top-notch. $50.34 plus tip purchased a round of wings with a side of southern greens, and a mac 'n cheese dinner topped with burnt ends and accompanied with corn bread. A German dark amber on tap washed it down. Both the wings and greens are extraordinarily good ... easily top ten items nationwide. Indeed, we would rank the wings the best that we have had in a BBQ restaurant to date! The mac and burnt ends also had great flavor, but this was far and away the creamiest mac that we have ever encountered, a spoon being more useful than a fork. We are looking forward to a return visit, when we plan to sample the cajun side of the menu.
V5086QMdebbiem
The building is very interesting. The food was great. My husband got steak and shrimp and it was very tasty. I had the pulled pork, and it had a great flavor. You also get a huge portion of the pulled pork. The fried green tomatoes were ok. Are waitress had only been working for few days and she did a great job. (I forgot her name)
217BrentL
We stopped through here on our way back to the campsite we had booked for a weekend trip. I see why it is ranked #1 in this town. They were busy and we were still able to get in and sit down within a 10 minute wait. Ordered food and it came quickly the Brisket was my pick along with smashed potatoes and baked beans. Food was excellent! I left filling stuffed. The atmosphere was great as well. Glad to eat here and will do so again if passing through.
gailgoes
The menu is a combination of BBQ and Cajun fare. We ordered the shrimp and grits, bbq brisket and catfish. Everyone was happy with their choices. Beer menu is local microbrews and wines are chosen from quality labels. Probably smaller vineyards. Not exactly what we expected from small-town Iowa, but a great experience.
Daryll É
Our family had brunch on Easter. As always the food was excellent and our hosts were welcoming and attentive. The ambiance of the old restored gristmill is beyond compare.
Wilstanton
Website says they are open for lunch on Fridays, Google says they are open for lunch on Fridays. But if you show up at the restaurant having planned your day around having lunch here, surprise! They are not open for lunch. When I indicated to the employee that their online details show different hours, she said “yeah, I know. Needs to be fixed.” It’s 2022. If you don’t know how to manage your web presence, maybe don’t have a web presence.
Excellent meal, fabulous service!!! Thank you Rene! Blackened Catfish was delicious. No wait at 745 on a Saturday night. Food was fresh and tasted great. Unique place, very friendly staff I highly recommend eating here.
Innovanation
My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch this afternoon and had a great meal at Potters Mill. We've tried almost everything on the lunch menu, but we keep coming back because the food is consistently awesome and packed full of flavor. My wife had the Brisket sandwich with a cup of Gumbo. The gumbo is addictive because it is super rich and packed full of flavor. The brisket is perfectly smoked and juicy. I ordered the Philly Prime Rib Cheesesteak with fries. The pairing of Gouda cheese on the sandwich with just the right blend of meat and smoky flavored peppers goes perfectly with the soft ciabatta bun. I always take my sandwich and add dashes of the three homemade sauces (vinegar, smoky bbq, and mustard sauce), so each bite is an adventure. If you're not feeling adventurous, their smoky BBQ sauce is the best. I'm not usually a big fan of French fries, but these were perfectly crispy and had great flavor. And if you are into the drinks, I can personally attest to sipping a great Old fashioned or Sazerac at the end of the meal. (I must also mention that their BBQ Bloody Mary is crazy good too!). Our server Lou Ann was awesome and was sure to check in multiple times to make sure we had everything we needed.
LynnieChampaign_Il
After waiting over 45 minutes for our food, the server screwed it up. My fish was supposed to have Bernaise on it. Instead, it had a very acidic red bell pepper sauce. The shrimp was waaaaay over cooked. Mashed potatoes were tasty but cold. Mac and cheese was warm and creamy,but almost flavorless. I have eaten here before with about the same our come. Probably will not be back.
pthenre
We wanted to try something new and this was about an hour and fifteen minute drive for us. It did not disappoint! The food was amazing! I had the pineapple salad, jumbalaya, and smashed potatoes. My wife had the brisket dinner. Just awesome! Our waitress was very friendly and prompt and I believe both owners stopped by to ask us about our experience. Finally, the setting inside was very cool and inviting. While this is a longer drive for us, we will be back many times!
lgwhit
Ordered brisket dinner and blackened catfish salad for carryout. Waitresses were not wearing masks as they served food, handed me my order nor when they accepted my payment.
My husband choked on a whole bay leaf left in the gumbo. The gumbo was so dark it could not be seen. We found 2 in a small bowl of gumbo and another in the jambalaya. The owner told us they do not remove them and seemed to have no intention of changing that. Beware!
We are loyal customers before during and after covid. Flatted fifth could be counted on but the time for excuses for not having things on their limited menu needs to be over. For example 3 times we came for southern greens. Don’t have them. No excuses anymore. Step up of give up.
A very old building with lots of charm. Even better is the food. Smoked salmon appetizer was enough for the 2 of us. Wonderful staff! Although as for many places, they are short-handed. They have live blues or jazz too. What's not to love.
You should not drive past this local historical gem. Stop and enjoy the atmosphere and more importantly the awesome food and service. Brisket was perfectly done with a great smoke flavor. Mac and cheese was creamy and full of flavor. Buttermilk ranch dressing is like my grandma would make. Luann provided historical information about the mill and gave us info about the scratch made food. The bread pudding and bacon praline icecream were outstanding. A must stop!!
ALERT: TOP TEN ENTRIES FOR CHICKEN, GREENS, NATIONWIDE. Our 14th 'cue stop in Iowa turned out to be one of the very best. The setting is an architectural treasure-- a mill dating to 1843 that is on the National Registry. The interior, especially in the bar area, is to be savored. Service was outstanding (thanks, Luann), and the food top-notch. $50.34 plus tip purchased a round of wings with a side of southern greens, and a mac 'n cheese dinner topped with burnt ends and accompanied with corn bread. A German dark amber on tap washed it down. Both the wings and greens are extraordinarily good ... easily top ten items nationwide. Indeed, we would rank the wings the best that we have had in a BBQ restaurant to date! The mac and burnt ends also had great flavor, but this was far and away the creamiest mac that we have ever encountered, a spoon being more useful than a fork. We are looking forward to a return visit, when we plan to sample the cajun side of the menu.
The building is very interesting. The food was great. My husband got steak and shrimp and it was very tasty. I had the pulled pork, and it had a great flavor. You also get a huge portion of the pulled pork. The fried green tomatoes were ok. Are waitress had only been working for few days and she did a great job. (I forgot her name)
We stopped through here on our way back to the campsite we had booked for a weekend trip. I see why it is ranked #1 in this town. They were busy and we were still able to get in and sit down within a 10 minute wait. Ordered food and it came quickly the Brisket was my pick along with smashed potatoes and baked beans. Food was excellent! I left filling stuffed. The atmosphere was great as well. Glad to eat here and will do so again if passing through.
The menu is a combination of BBQ and Cajun fare. We ordered the shrimp and grits, bbq brisket and catfish. Everyone was happy with their choices. Beer menu is local microbrews and wines are chosen from quality labels. Probably smaller vineyards. Not exactly what we expected from small-town Iowa, but a great experience.
Our family had brunch on Easter. As always the food was excellent and our hosts were welcoming and attentive. The ambiance of the old restored gristmill is beyond compare.
Website says they are open for lunch on Fridays, Google says they are open for lunch on Fridays. But if you show up at the restaurant having planned your day around having lunch here, surprise! They are not open for lunch. When I indicated to the employee that their online details show different hours, she said “yeah, I know. Needs to be fixed.” It’s 2022. If you don’t know how to manage your web presence, maybe don’t have a web presence.
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent meal, fabulous service!!! Thank you Rene! Blackened Catfish was delicious. No wait at 745 on a Saturday night. Food was fresh and tasted great. Unique place, very friendly staff I highly recommend eating here.
My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch this afternoon and had a great meal at Potters Mill. We've tried almost everything on the lunch menu, but we keep coming back because the food is consistently awesome and packed full of flavor. My wife had the Brisket sandwich with a cup of Gumbo. The gumbo is addictive because it is super rich and packed full of flavor. The brisket is perfectly smoked and juicy. I ordered the Philly Prime Rib Cheesesteak with fries. The pairing of Gouda cheese on the sandwich with just the right blend of meat and smoky flavored peppers goes perfectly with the soft ciabatta bun. I always take my sandwich and add dashes of the three homemade sauces (vinegar, smoky bbq, and mustard sauce), so each bite is an adventure. If you're not feeling adventurous, their smoky BBQ sauce is the best. I'm not usually a big fan of French fries, but these were perfectly crispy and had great flavor. And if you are into the drinks, I can personally attest to sipping a great Old fashioned or Sazerac at the end of the meal. (I must also mention that their BBQ Bloody Mary is crazy good too!). Our server Lou Ann was awesome and was sure to check in multiple times to make sure we had everything we needed.
After waiting over 45 minutes for our food, the server screwed it up. My fish was supposed to have Bernaise on it. Instead, it had a very acidic red bell pepper sauce. The shrimp was waaaaay over cooked. Mashed potatoes were tasty but cold. Mac and cheese was warm and creamy,but almost flavorless. I have eaten here before with about the same our come. Probably will not be back.
We wanted to try something new and this was about an hour and fifteen minute drive for us. It did not disappoint! The food was amazing! I had the pineapple salad, jumbalaya, and smashed potatoes. My wife had the brisket dinner. Just awesome! Our waitress was very friendly and prompt and I believe both owners stopped by to ask us about our experience. Finally, the setting inside was very cool and inviting. While this is a longer drive for us, we will be back many times!
Ordered brisket dinner and blackened catfish salad for carryout. Waitresses were not wearing masks as they served food, handed me my order nor when they accepted my payment.