33 Best American Restaurants near Ely

“I’m always looking for a review that actually tells you something. Not just, food was good! Polite staff… you know what I mean…. So, here we go.We were greeted when we walked in the door! Wow! Friendly and very attentive staff. They have a good selection of beer on tap including IPA’s. Nice and cold in a chilled true pint. Bravo! We ordered the “All you can eat shrimp” and Tenderloin. The shrimp is butterflied and nicely breaded. Comes with fries and coleslaw. I try to stay away from fried food, but I was pleasantly surprised. Not greasy at all. The shrimp was perfect. Flavor, texture and presentation. They serve in tin pie plates, which I found as a nice change from the typical plastic baskets with a paper liner beneath. My husband ordered the tenderloin. In his opinion, the best he’s had anywhere (with the exception of my own hand breaded pork loin)… The service was exceptional. Skylar was prompt in seeing that our drinks were filled and the shrimp kept a coming. We left, comfortably full. And not to forget…Karaoke every other Friday with Mike! And he starts up at 7pm. We will definitely go back. Odie’s is easy to find and only about 10-15 minutes from Cedar Rapids.Parking: There is parking right in front on both sides of the street. Pretty much like any small town bar and grill.“

“We have been fans of Cobble since the very beginning - I can't believe I haven't written a review! The attention to detail, quality, and creativity is unmatched. We love coming every few months, although it would be weekly if it were up to me! We travel a fair amount and have experienced many, lovely meals. We love to compare to our local favorite, but the "Cobble Bar" is quite high - nothing has beat them yet. :)“

“The food is extremely delicious and presented well! Little louder than I’d prefer however the burgers were great! Got to try the F4 Hot Burger if you like a little kick. Staff was really friendly and the ranch is great to. Don’t miss out.“

“We were there on a Thursday for lunch. The place was packed but we found a table in back. My husband had biscuits and sausage gravy, and he said it was delicious! I had a tenderloin and fries and they were very good. The waitress was very friendly and efficient. The food came out hot and in a timely manner. We will definitely be back.“

“I had the fruit salad and brisket sandwich. Both were delicious! The fruit was ripe and fresh cut. We also shared a piece of the chocolate cake between three of us and still had leftovers! It was a super generous helping and very decadent.The atmosphere is quaint and fun, with beautiful light fixtures.The gals serving us were friendly and helpful great job and thank you!Wheelchair accessibility: There is a ramp entrance in the back. I recommend bringing help or calling ahead, as you'll need to maneuver the gift shop area. Totally doable with care, just be aware.“

“Went to Lucky's for breakfast with my family. I had the Villa with their French toast special (red velvet with a sweet cream cheese filling). The French toast was so delicious I didn't need syrup with it, my over easy eggs were perfect, the sausage links are huge and we got four to an order. My son had the mini waffles and they are decent price and excellent quality. We topped it off with coffee that our server Mika kept full and checked on us often. We will definitely have to go back and try other things on the breakfast menu.“

“Loved this place, it’s funky enough to make a west coast hipster blush. The coolest location that’s kind of in a neighborhood kind of in the shadows if downtown Cedar Rapids and on the outskirts of the new Big Grove and Pickle Palace tourist traps sits this authentic, homegrown funky spot. The patio and and fire pits are to die for. The bar makes one want to belly up and drink the day away like a cowboy fresh of the trail. Keep it local LPSF!“

“Went on a date night to try somewhere new. Our server was so nice and informative about the menu. Both tried two of the burgers and were happy and went home full. Loved that you could pick salad, fries, or soup of the day for the side. Will 100% go again and recommend to everybody. ❤️“

“We went early so a smaller crowd; likely much busier later. A fairly typical Midwestern “corner bar with food” however the food was excellent and a wide choice of tap beers with a nice Happy Hour option. Recommend!! (Kind of a hidden gem, with great service too.) We had wings and onion rings, and the daily special BBQ pulled pork and sweet potato fries.Wheelchair accessibility: Ramp in the back. Call ahead to reserve a “lowtop” table.“

“Our server Kale was excellent. Very thorough and attentive. We each tried something different. I had the Cobb salad with Chicken. It had unique corn bread crouton, cranberries, diced sweet potatoes, yummy fresh crumbles bacon bits. The sweet potato were the only part of my meal I was not a fan of. We all tried the salmon Cajun soup. It was good the salmon melted in your mouth. The Class Act burger my son said was easily the best burger he has had. My son's girlfriend had the Iowa omelet and she said it was yummy. My husband had the corn beef hash he said it was a great from scratch hash.“

“Stopped in mid afternoon for an early dinner on our way home. We had never been to any of thenBig Groves! We tried the 7 oz Boomtown and a 7 oz Iowa City ? .... Boomtown for the win! Very tasty! We really liked the Boomtown! We decided to order three starters and share them, we were so curious! Started out with the big soft pretzel......it was superb! Both the cheese sauce and the mustard were delicious. A+. Next we tried the Mac and cheese. Lots of creamy sauce, needed a little more cheesy goodness. B Lastly we tried the TaterTot Casserole. Um, we'll, we didn't like it. The tots were super hard, like over cooked, the burger below was kinda bland. C The service was excellent, our waitress even brought us a gift to take home, BOOMTOWN! The beer was great, and the atmosphere was really nice. Now we have to try the Iowa City one!“

“Really solid greasy spoon experience. Iowa nice servers (which is not always given for diners), decent comfort food, clean ambience, and a good mix of townie clientele. The food was quite underseasoned, but nothing that could t be fixed with table salt and pepper. They probably do this on purpose for the older folks who might be limited salt. We had breakfast and everything was pretty much exactly as you'd expect. Generous portions!“

“We stopped in from out of town with several of our friends. This local place is so charming and friendly. The good kind of fried food that just puts you in a good mood. Atmosphere is so fun - of you’re up for a hole in the wall adventure, can’t recommend this enough!“

“I had the regular burger served on a brioche bun, homemade pickles and a special sauce. It was delicious. The French fries are the best I've had, with a crisp seasoned coating, I'm not a fry person, but loved these. Great atmosphere.“

“Not a horrible place. We were there for a company party, so the place was closed to the public and we were the only ones there. It was very open. In the way back they had games, like cornhole. I didn't really go back there so I'm not sure what else was back there. And there is a pool table up front. The only thing that bothered me was its location. It's behind other stores, so you kinda have to know where you're going or else you'll miss it. The entrance is in between two businesses and farther back. But, obviously, they can't do anything about that, so it just is what it is. I did like the size of the place and how airy it felt, the ceilings are really high, I think it was just a warehouse that they converted into a bar. But, all in all, it's an okay b ar. Not the best, definitely not high scale. I don't know how much drinks cost because ours were covered..“

“Stopped by for the first time and let me tell ya what, BurgerFiend is exactly what other Guys wish they could be. For the price of a certain 3 bun burger I got exactly what I wanted with a side of delicious fries. Could not be happier. Also finished it all off with a delectable chocolate shake. They use French Vanilla base with chocolate syrup so it's creamy but not overly rich. I will return.“

“Got 1 dozen chocolate and birthday cake and 1 dozen of gluten free red velvet and got compliments on all! Wouldn’t even be able to tell that the gluten free were gluten free. Will definitely be coming back for more in the future! Also, great customer service to top it all off!!“

“Almost 30 craft beers on tap! Food was great, and it was a lot of food! Service was amazing! A really helpful server. The place was clean and fun too. Only bummer was they ran out of my beer and instead of a 10oz pour I got 5oz. But it was sooooo amazing. The highlight of my drinking day a boozy imperial stout“

“I discovered this restaurant about 8 months ago and it is easily my favorite restaurant in town. Delicious home cooked meals with large servings of everything. The service is friendly and top notch! And it's clean with a homey atmosphere. And best of all, the prices are reasonable and you always get your money's worth! Try it, you won't be disappointed!!“

“The menu has a really nice selection. There is a good value for the food you get. We liked the appetizer sampler basket because we could try three different appetizers at once with smaller portions.There is a jukebox you can choose your music on by using your phone. There are also TVs, pool tables, and darts to play. The bathrooms were clean and well lit.“

“My band had played here on a firday night and we kept seeing and smelling the food coming out of the kitchen and it all looked and smelled great. The next day I brought my wife out so we could get some food and it was wonderful. As well the staff were super nice and attentative. we would definitely recommend The Village Tap to everyone.“

“Stopped at New Bo for something to eat and decided on this booth. I ordered the Italian Beef with Hot Peppers and juice on the side since I was eating in my car. It was hands down the best I have had in Cedar Rapids. I would put it up against a couple places I go to in Chicago. Full of beef and very filling and was $11 after tip. Well Done I will be back!“

“Great place to eat. Friendly staff. We ate breakfast this morning, and had a small issue. The manager came right over to see what she could do to make it right. I highly recommend this restaurant if your ever in Solon they have something for everyone.“

“I had an exceptionally excellent meal last night! Texas Roadhouse is ALWAYS great, but my server went above and beyond to accommodate my dietary needs and wishes. As a person following a gluten free predominantly keto diet, it’s not always easy! She gave me salad without croutons, I had the 16 oz ribeye medium rare, and loaded broccoli. Yes folks, broccoli with butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon, and when I asked for it on a plate instead of a small bowl, and explained why, (better cheese melt), she said heck yes and got ‘er done. Now I know this isn’t every one’s cup of tea, but it sure made my night, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t try it herself next time… signed, Potatoes Not Necessary!“

“ON MARCH 30, 6pm went for nice quiet dinner and WOW! The music was so loud you couldn't here yourself. It blew our heads off. I don't know how the customers there could stand it....There was no choice but to leave. We like the place the servers and the food but not with music raising the roof. Very dissapointing! Not sure if and or when we'll go back.“

“My dad and I popped in for lunch at Czech Town Station. Our waitress was very helpful throughout our meal and quite accommodating with helping us select beers to try with our meal. We both ended up getting the schnitzel with tots and potato salad. We polished it off because we were hungry tourists. This restaurant provided a nice pick-me-up for us to continue exploring Czech Village and Cedar Rapids.“

“To my suprise, it was quite good. I had their BLT, and their bacon was very high quality and crispy, I enjoyed their aoili on it as well. Fries were super crispy, salty and hot- the perfect combo. Only 4 stars because their hot cocoa was pretty sub par- it looked pretty but it was just hot milk with hersheys syrup, just not for me. Would visit again!Kid-friendliness: Many seating options and great coloring supplies for kiddos!“

“My choice for dinner was the Pasta Primavera, which was delicious with a wonderfully flavorful sauce and veggies that were cooked just right. The Limoncello cake was moist and heavenly. The server was attentive, friendly and helpful. I enjoyed the cosy ambiance and music.Vegetarian options: Crosby’s has a few vegetarian options. The one that I tried was delicious. Pasta Primavera.Parking: I found several available free street parking spaces, including one directly in front of the restaurant ! (5:00 pm)“

“Love this place I take my grandkids there in the afternoon for lunch. They're only open from like 11 to 2. (For lunch but please check that) and than open again at 2 for the evening . The mozzarella sticks are made homemade in house and are amazing. We crave their burgers !! Yummy !! There is a Very handsome blonde waiter. That is always so fun and has Great customer service. It's worth it to overlook the parking situation downtown !!“

“Great place for a rest from cruising the river. Nice playground for the kids, good hamburgers and salads to meet everyone's tastes. Very friendly staff and quick service. The burgers had just the right toppings.Kid-friendliness: Playground and sand toys entertained the kids while we rested.Parking: Free parking for boats with ample boat slips.“

“I like it alittle less noisy, but thats just me.The food and drinks were very good. And everyone had a good time. If you want to visit,just ask not to sit near the bar ..Duh !!! Overall it's a really nice placeParking: It's on street parking, sometimes metered between 7am and 6pm. It's not bad,but not big parking lot, just along the street curb“

“The food was amazing took my parents there when they were in town. Yet another restaurant that makes everything from scratch. Service was top notch. The restaurant participates in team service so you never really want for anything. The atmosphere was above and beyond. Super cool architecture. Really awesome space to dine and spend time with your friends and family. We noticed that they offer a brunch menu on the weekends. This place knows what they're doing!!“

“Getting older...just 2 of us....bake or use a skillet to cook a Naomi's tasty entree in about 30 min., make a salad, and dinner is served. The light meals for two are just right for us. Good variety, and did I say tasty? Convenient and cheaper than restaurants.“