Restaurants in Iowa City

Best Restaurants

Basta Pizzeria Ristorante 121 Iowa Ave, Iowa City Italian • $$
121 Iowa Ave, Iowa City

“The food was amazing. If an Italiann restaurant says spicy meatball or sausage, it should be. Well at Basta it is and it was great.Our service was top notch. Our waitress was attentive without being overly so. She was efficient at removing dishes from our small table.As the restaurant has a small foot print space is a premium. It is cozy without feeling cramp in the right areas. We were sat on the raised section, which for a 250lb 6'2 guy was a little cramp. That is the only reason for the 4 star on atmosphere. If I could give four and a half I would.”

4.4 Superb308 Reviews
Joseph's Steakhouse 212 S Clinton St, Iowa City Steak House • $$$
212 S Clinton St, Iowa City

“Went there for a Valentines dinner date. It didn't disappoint! Our waiter suggested the oatmeal pie for dessert, highly recommend for anyone wanting to try something different.”

4.6 Superb58 Reviews
Iowa Chop House 223 E Washington St, Iowa City Steak House • $$
223 E Washington St, Iowa City

“Was taken out to dinner to celebrate graduating graduate school, so I don't know how much the bill was, but I absolutely loved the Rib Eye steak. They did it rare just the way I like it on the first try. Bison meatball app was killer, totally a vibe. Also, both their Manhattan and Old Fashioned were well made drinks that paired well with the rustic food. I chose Mac and cheese for my side and liked it, but ended up taking most of it home in a box. Other guest with me ordered salmon and said it was perfectly cooked so I included pictures as well.Definitely recommend for a date or a celebration of some kind, even if you're going alone I imagine the vibe could work well.”

4.4 Superb75 Reviews
Pullman Bar & Diner 17 S Dubuque St, Iowa City Bar & Grill • $$
17 S Dubuque St, Iowa City

“Great breakfast spot. Small wait but worth it. We enjoyed our food so much that we forgot to take a photo. The pancakes were yummy, the sandwich bacon was tasty and the simple breakfast didn’t disappoint. Definitely recommend and would go back.”

4.6 Superb109 Reviews
Trumpet Blossom Cafe 310 E Prentiss St, Iowa City Vegan • $$
310 E Prentiss St, Iowa City

“This restaurant is actually well priced for its quality.I loved the Vegan Rueben sandwich I had. It was made with a home made bread that really made the difference.Vegetarian options: Menu is all Vegan”

4.7 Superb68 Reviews
Orchard green restaurant and lounge 521 S Gilbert St, Iowa City American • $$$
521 S Gilbert St, Iowa City

“This is slowly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Service is always excellent and the staff is friendly. Food is superb and the menue is intriguing with wholesome and delicious food made of high quality ingredients. I took my daughter for her 12th birthday and she enjoyed the food, the atmosphere, and appreciated the service. So, if my 12 year old kid likes, I’m all for it.”

4.7 Superb64 Reviews

Restaurants by Cuisine

The Encounter Cafe 376 S Clinton St, Iowa City Cafe • $$
376 S Clinton St, Iowa City

“We had heard about this place via an Iowa Hawkeye womans basketball player. We came here and it didn't disappoint. They have very flavorful drinks here. Better than the competitors! The pear slushie is so good!”

4.6 Superb91 Reviews
The Dandy Lion 111 S Dubuque St, Iowa City American • $$
111 S Dubuque St, Iowa City

“Small very popular place. Has lots of different coffee, tea, and alcoholic drink options which was nice. The chicken was very delicious, juicy and flavorful. Definitely recommend!”

4.6 Superb78 Reviews
Micky's Irish Pub 11 S Dubuque St, Iowa City Irish Pub • $$
11 S Dubuque St, Iowa City

“I freaking love their burgers. Best in town as far as I'm concerned. Classic bar food fair. The fries are basically crinkle cut Ore Ida which is fine. Good beer.”

4.6 Superb73 Reviews

Restaurants with Delivery

Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack - Iowa City 1940 Lower Muscatine Rd, Iowa City Barbecue • $$
1940 Lower Muscatine Rd, Iowa City

“Great food, but staff could use some more personality like the expertise of the Wendy's Drive Thru Guy exemplifies. That Man could make this delicious food even better!”

4.4 Superb286 Reviews
the Webster 202 N Linn St, Iowa City Cocktail Bar • $$$
202 N Linn St, Iowa City

“My husband and I had a wonderful experience at the webster last night. I would highly recommend if you want a more fine dining elevated type of night out for food and/or drinks. Since it was last minute we ended up eating at the bar but it was a good experience as well. Great bar to come in for a drink and a small plate to share before venturing out in the city.We had beer and wine as our drink choices. Small plates we ordered were oysters and wagyu tartar. The large plates ordered were trout and scallops. A side of potato salad was shared as well. And for dessert the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream.Oysters were good with the apple kimchi sauce. I do prefer more of the strong lemon citrus flavors. They did state the Island creek variety oysters aren’t served around the area that they have seen. Wagyu tartar (locally sourced from Jiyu American Wagyu Farms) was great and the seasoning was nice with the cumin flavor coming out. The warm in house pita chips/bread it was served with were very tasty as well.The trout was very good and the sauce it was served with was delightful. I was craving scallops since it had been a minute so I ordered the scallops. They were cooked perfectly! The items it was served with weren’t my favorite- quinoa and escarole and were too cold for my liking. The potato salad side dish was sooo good as well. Highly recommend this one.I wanted to try the hyped up lemon curd but opted for more our style of dessert the sticky toffee pudding with ice cream and it was sooo good if you are craving the more moist and gooey style of dessert. We were sooo full but had to have the dessert.Next time perhaps we will splurge on the dry aged beef and I want to try the famous duck noodles. And the tuna or hamachi crudo.”

4.2 Good77 Reviews
Maggie's Farm Wood-Fired Pizza 1308 Melrose Ave, Iowa City Pizza • $$
1308 Melrose Ave, Iowa City

“Burrata:Great. Mild. Textured. Good breads. Pepper was interesting (that’s a good thing). ??Pear Salad:Great. Contrast. Balanced. Complementary ingredients.Marsala:Great. Savory. Rich, but not heavy. Chicken cooked perfectly. Pasta had great texture - cooked just right, not clumped together, not wet. Good cheese.Lasagne:Great. Balanced. Pasta spot on. Veg spot on. Cheeses spot on. Whole thing held its integrity. Pesto complimented mornay, didn’t overpower it. I actually liked this almost as much as Marsala.Butter cake:So decadent. Loved the coulis to cut through the heaviness. Good ice cream.Cheesecake:The real deal. Cheesecake is either good, or I want nothing to do with it. This is legit.”

4.6 Superb60 Reviews

Online Reservation Available

A & A Pagliai's Pizza 302 E Bloomington St, Iowa City Pizza • $$
302 E Bloomington St, Iowa City

“I love places like this, been around since 1957. Great vibe with a simple menu done really well. I created my own 10 inch pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers, cooked a little extra dark. The crust is thin and crispy, just the way I like it. The flavors were awesome. They had Easy Eddie from Big Grove on tap as well. No Parmesan cheese, which I thought was a little strange but overall an amazing place.”

4.5 Superb85 Reviews
Teamo Tea 121 E Washington St, Iowa City Bubble Tea • $$
121 E Washington St, Iowa City

“This is an amazing place to get Boba in IC. It's not too pricey, and they have a TON of options for your drink. I especially love the wall of sticky notes you can add to, it gives it a very nice vibe and I love seeing what people have drawn. If you like Boba, you'll like Teamo ”

4.6 Superb50 Reviews
Graze Gourmet To-Go 345 S Dubuque St, Iowa City American • $$
345 S Dubuque St, Iowa City

“Jay and Ashley represented Graze Catering at an event held at the Palmer House Stable weddings & events in Solon. The presentation for a line buffet was classy and kept full but the true delight was the food! Absolutely the best we have had in the Stable. They are now on our "Preferred Vendors, Friends & Favorites" list where you have to earn that recommendation from us to offer your services to our clients.Job well done!”

4.4 Superb123 Reviews

Takeout Restaurants

Da Flava Unit Xpress 1608 Sycamore St, Iowa City Caribbean • $$
1608 Sycamore St, Iowa City

“We had excellent curry pork made by the very friendly owners. Most all the ingredients are local with a goal of fully local soon. Can’t wait to come back and try other dishes!”

4.7 Superb37 Reviews
Soseki Café 227 S Dubuque St, Iowa City Sushi • $$
227 S Dubuque St, Iowa City

“Took myself to Soseki on a date and I was throughly pleased! I got Crab Rangoons and the Spicy Tuna Roll as an appetizer and they were both delicious! For my entrée I got the Mongolian Shrimp and added Beef. It was absolutely amazing. The flavor was on point and thanks to my waiter Seb I got more bang for my buck! Definitely recommending and definitely will be returning! Total experience was a 10/10!”

4.5 Superb64 Reviews
Szechuan House 320 E Burlington St, Iowa City Chinese • $$
320 E Burlington St, Iowa City

“Wow, this food seriously exceeded my expectations. I had the Szechuan shrimp entree and the Takoyaki appetizer. The Szechuan is a cut above any other Chinese restaurants in town, owing to the higher-grade ingredients and perfect execution. First time trying takoyaki and I was really impressed - really a delicacy. If you haven't tried this place, disregard the dated, mixed reviews, and stop by!”

4.5 Superb62 Reviews

Drive-Thru Restaurants

Baroncini Ristorante Italiano and Pizza 104 S Linn St, Iowa City Italian • $$$
104 S Linn St, Iowa City

“Went here for dinner before a show a Hancher recently - really fantastic experience!All tables were taken with reservations (get some well in advance of the weekend), so we sat at the bar. The bar was great - Adam was tending. He was excellent - friendly, A+ recommendations, and made us feel at home. The atmosphere was great and the other couple at the bar was very friendly.I have heard the food is good and we were really impressed. Mozzarella burrata, bucatini boscaiola, and tagliolini. Cheesecake for dessert. Would also recommend Adam’s Mint martini (created by Adam the bartender). All of the food was excellent - bucatini was my favorite.I didn’t do a great job w photos - but here are a couple!”

4.4 Superb80 Reviews
Los Agaves Mexican Grill 2208 N Dodge St, Iowa City Mexican • $$
2208 N Dodge St, Iowa City

“The adult beverages are great! Food was very good. Staff was good as well. We enjoyed some mother/ daughter time there and it was a good experience. I would go again and recommend. We ate street tacos and border fajitas. There was plenty to eat and some to spare for another day.Vegetarian options: There are some options that say vegetarian, but most items you can customize to fit a vegetarian diet like my daughter.Kid-friendliness: There were kids there, one had a birthday and they sang to them. Plenty of room for families.”

4.4 Superb76 Reviews
Big Grove Brewery & Taproom 1225 S Gilbert St, Iowa City Brewpubs • $$
1225 S Gilbert St, Iowa City

“The vegan options are very tasty. We shared the salad and the vegan bowl . It was very loud that day due to a local game on and all the hard surfaces reverberating the noise of patrons yelling . Service was pleasant but not very timely. Will be back to try the outdoor areas.”

4.4 Superb72 Reviews

Cheap Eats

Brix Cheese Shop & Wine Bar 209 N Linn St, Iowa City Wine Bar • $$
209 N Linn St, Iowa City

“I thought I had posted this review , so it’s long overdue. We had my daughters baby shower in the private room upstairs in April of 2022. The staff was friendly and extremely accommodating with us. The fee for the space was very reasonable and only required a minimum food & beverage purchase. They allowed us to arrive early to decorate and to bring in our own dessert. We had a lovely spread of salads and sandwiches and the staff was attentive but never in the way. This a terrific venue for a small gathering, we had 25 people.”

4.7 Superb26 Reviews
Bluebird Diner 330 E Market St, Iowa City Diner • $$
330 E Market St, Iowa City

“I've never had a bad dish at the Bluebird. The Racheal Sandwich is particularly good.Kid-friendliness: Great kids menu with huge portions. The Mac and cheese ? is delicious”

4.3 Superb119 Reviews
Wig & Pen East 363 N 1st Ave, Iowa City Pizza • $$
363 N 1st Ave, Iowa City

“Website says Dine-In but it's actually Pick -Up only. We ordered and then waited in our car 25-30 minutes. Pizza was fresh and hot. We liked the toppings however the thin crust was very hard and chewy. Will definitely go back and try a different crust.”

4.3 Superb107 Reviews
Vue Rooftop 328 S Clinton St Suite A, Iowa City American • $$$
328 S Clinton St Suite A, Iowa City

“We originally bought tickets for the dueling pianos on a Friday night. We decided to make reservations and have dinner there. We started with the shrimp cakes and duck wontons. We also got a bourbon flight to try 4 different bourbons. We got the bone in Iowa chop with brussels and mash. We finished with the creme brulee and drinks. The shrimp cakes were good with a sweet chili sauce. The duck wontons were fantastic and awesome. I would order these any time, every time. The bourbon flight was not for me, not a bourbon person apparently. The main course was excellent. The Brussels were crispy and tasty. The mash was smooth and flavorful. It was a great compliment to the thick and juicy Iowa chop. The creme brulee was good and the drinks were decent. The shrimp cakes were good however I would rather order the duck wontons. The main course was fantastic and I would definitely order this again. The creme brulee was good, pretty standard brulee. The drinks were ok. I probably wouldn't order drinks, other than wine or beer, here as they are small and pretty pricey. The waiter was good though he did drop off towards the end and my drink order got list whether he forgot or the bar didn't do it but he did blame it on the bar. Overall, the food was excellent and worth the trip. I would say give it a try for good m, not so much the drinks.”

4 Good71 Reviews
Short's Burgers Eastside 521 Westbury Dr, Iowa City Hamburger • $$
521 Westbury Dr, Iowa City

“I'm a regular there. The food & service bring me back every week. The Tinga nachos rule. Staff are super friendly. Many extras don't cost extra. Also no cc coveince fee is nice.”

4.4 Superb53 Reviews
Get Fresh Cafe 109 Iowa Ave, Iowa City Cafe • $$
109 Iowa Ave, Iowa City

“the juice here is actually addicting i love it! the morning dew is by far my favorite. i’ve had some of the food options and they’re equally great! the açaí bowl is my favorite. it’s a bit pricey but a nice treat:)”

4.4 Superb50 Reviews
One Twenty Six & Moonrakers 126 E Washington St, Iowa City American • $$
126 E Washington St, Iowa City

“We went for valentine's day unfortunately we waited for an hour after being seated for service. The owner was very apologetic and comped are dinner. The food was amazing and worth the wait. I will definitely give them another try.”

4.4 Superb49 Reviews
Wig & Pen Pizza Pub 1220 US-6, Iowa City Pizza • $$
1220 US-6, Iowa City

“Just went with family from out of town! The service was phenomenal. The food was fresh and tasty and the servings were generous! I got the Crab Rangoon Pizza! Will definitely be back!”

4.2 Good309 Reviews
Shakespeare's Pub And Grill 819 S 1st Ave, Iowa City American • $$
819 S 1st Ave, Iowa City

“Got to go out for dinner at Shakes and had a great time! Good food, lots of laughs, and great service. Kelsey made us feel like her favorite regulars even tho we don’t get there as often and we’d like. Will make it a point to come back more often!”

4.3 Superb72 Reviews

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