47 Best American Restaurants in Iowa City

“Great view! Great food!!!“

“Unbelievable food and service. My steak was cooked so perfect I could’ve cut it with a spoon.“

“I am a celiac and was pleasantly surprised that they have a whole gluten-free menu with lots of options! One of the servers said that she is a celiac, too. That was cool.
The only thing that made me nervous was the wooden cutting boards they served my gluten free food on. Not sure how they clean them, or if they keep them separate from gluten serving boards, but I know we should mistrust all wooden utensils due to their absorbency. These had obvious cut marks on them and everything.
Happily though, I didn't feel and signs of being glutened. With major gluten ingestions I definitely feel symptoms, and I had none to report here. Hopefully that bodes well.

Dietary restrictions: Celiacs may want to be wary but I think that, pending confirmation about their serving boards, this should be safe. I did not experience symptoms of having gotten glutened, at least. The food was delicious.“

“2nd best restaurant in Iowa City, I've come here twice in the last 2 years.

Food is incredible, I'm disappointed they removed the brussel sprouts, which were to die for.

The chefs clearly LOVE food and creating great culinary experiences

The service has definitely deteriorated a little, the waiter was pretty nonchalant and unhelpful. But the food makes up for it“

“My wife and I went to the Black Angel for a late lunch about 4 pm today. We split a beef brisket sandwich with each us having a bowl of chicken tortilla soup. The soup was lukewarm and had to be reheated which was promptly and courteously done, as was all service rendered. This was our only complaint. Everything was excellent. Best Chicken Tortilla soup (not too spicy) ever had, The sandwich was great too. Yum!“

“Great Service, Food, atmosphere. Will visit again when in town.“

“Oh my gosh we are here for my 25th birthday and the food was *chef kiss* delicious!! From our entrees to my birthday dessert was phenomenal and I can’t wait to eat here again!! Everything was very well seasoned and so fresh!“

“Love it would definitely come back and bring friends“

“Excellent food, eclectic specials, one of the better and more creative restaurants in Iowa City“

“The meatloaf melt is the best!! Tenderloin is good, too. Friendly, attentive staff.“

“Ava was incredibly helpful and informative. Also super sweet. They offer free water which is incredibly important during these summer months. The culture is inclusive, and Ava was extremely compassionate with a little girl when picking out a lolly pop. It’s the small things when interacting with customers and she was exemplary.“

“Good food, bright and clean atmosphere and friendly people“

“I finally got time to stop for lunch today. Amazing. Service was quick. The sweet tea was good, and the tenderloin and fries were smoking hot and came out fast. I'm not a cole slaw guy, but it was good. Totally awesome. But if you're not really hungry, get the smaller sandwich. I finished the large, but I shouldn't have. ;)“

“1st time there. Excellent food and service! jumped to top of my list!“

“Ate here on November 7 in the early afternoon. I ordered the baked white fish dinner, which included a large roll, French fries and a side salad. The fish was a large portion and baked to perfection. Our waitress was friendly and took good care of us. All employees were friendly. The place appeared clean and there is ample parking. Prices are reasonable. Would definitely come back again when in Iowa City.“

“Very unique, creative and very delicious food!When we were there, we tried the west coast wrap and it was full of greens and grilled chicken, goat cheese and pistachios.Fresh food, made to order.One goes up to the register to order and then you wait while they fix your food and then you take it and go sit down. They are multi-level, it's narrow and not excessively deep, but there is quite of bit of seating for two people or four people and even if you're just by yourself. There are larger tables up stairs, (they have two floors) The restrooms are on the second floor, as well. Stairs are used to access the second level.They also have very tasty drinks.We had the blueberry lemonade.

Vegetarian options: I do believe that you could get any wrap adjusted to your dietary needs. One could turn a wrap vegetarian. One could add cheese or leave off cheese. I think that they would accommodate that.

Kid-friendliness: I would say it was kid friendly. There is a big front window and it seems like a very fun place that children would like to be.

Parking: Street parking at metered spots, or one could park in the car park(ramps) and walk.“

“I'm gluten intolerant so I ordered the tomato bisque rather than the chips with my sandwich. The waiter heard me tell my friend why I was ordering the soup and checked to make sure I would be able to eat both the sandwich and the soup. He went above and beyond to cater to my needs. Our lunch was good and his entire demeanor and attitude were very pleasant. Worth stopping here since we were only in town for a doctor's visit at the hospital.“

“found by accident was a great experience. woman at the cash register was friendly and helpful to us first timers!! food was fresh, hot and delicious!!!“

“Best bartenders and regulars in the business! Go Griff!“

“Halal food is a rarity in Iowa City, so I'm really hoping they keep these options on the menu.

The gyro burger is amazing. The chicken wings and milkshakes are top tier. Spicy mozzarella cheese curds are delicious. Will definitely be going back for more

Dietary restrictions: Halal“

“a wonderful lunch outside. And a delicious Chicken Salad Sandwich that was DELISH!!“

“I'm consistently impressed by the exceptional service and food quality at The Bistro at the Courtyard by Marriott. Great Iowa City location just across from Kinnick Stadium in University Heights – the atmosphere is fantastic, the food is always fresh and top-notch, and the staff is outstanding. A consistently delightful experience, whether dining indoors or on the patio.“

“Ate here on November 7 in the early afternoon. I ordered the baked white fish dinner, which included a large roll, French fries and a side salad. The fish was a large portion and baked to perfection. Our waitress was friendly and took good care of us. All employees were friendly. The place appeared clean and there is ample parking. Prices are reasonable. Would definitely come back again when in Iowa City.“

“Very impressed. Single page, homecrafted menu items. Single page is the first tell tale sign of a good place. It seems counter intuitive, but restaurants only have so much money to put towards buying items; the more they have to spend per item, the lower the quality. Not to mention how creative you have to be to think of many pages of complex dishes.

I got the pork with demi-glace and it was perfectly cooked. Wish I got a photo to post here. Perfect sear w/maintained moisture. Good presentation too. Vegetables on side and well made. $22 on the menu I believe. Very worth the price.

I generally dont eat out, especially these days, as restaurant prices have gone up but quality has gone down. That is not the case here. If lived closer I would eat here a fair bit. Kudos

Dietary restrictions: Many things on the menu are either gluten free or can be made that way. Clear markings“

“food is always great as well as the service. oh, and they make deviled eggs much more delicate compared to most places. with the option to sprinkle bacon on top of their deviled eggs, you definitely got a chefs kiss right there“

“Classic dive bar. If it's not made in the fryer or griddle they don't have it. But it's a good stop for bar food if you don't want the bougie food closer to campus. Server was a bit confused but in the best possible way. Too many jobs to remember which bar she was working that day. Teased her a bit and she responded in kind. Love these types of places.“

“this is my favorite restaurant in iowa city. the hamburgers here are just so amazing. the atmosphere is fantastic. and i would die for a pie shake. it cannot be overstated how good this place is.“

“If you are looking for a delicious sandwich, look no further than Nodo. Both the downtown and the North Side location are 20/10 🤌🏻

I've been enjoying this establishment since I moved here (2015) and it's excellent. Every. Single. Time.

Ham and Mango is a fan favorite. I literally crave this sandwich. It's buttery, chewy, perfectly crisp on the edges sourdough bread with juicy, sweet and salty ham, mango, and gooey cheese. Do I have photo evidence? Probably not because I can't wait that long to dive in.

My husband enjoys the burger, and the bacon. My parents love the C&P. During the 2020/2021 closures, this was regular lunch takeout and I tried almost everything on the menu. It's all very good but the ham and mango will always be my default.

We always order one regular and one sweet potato fry. The aioli is perfection. The cookies are huge and sweet. Big enough to split but no obligation to do so ;)

I don't have anything negative to say about this place. The building is a bit eclectic, but that's part of the charm. The downtown location does have the trouble of parking. It's worth it.“

“Mediocre and expensive food. Terrible service - took forever to get our order, but the waitresses were friendly. $55 for two sandwiches, side salads and two beers with tip.“

“Great service and our food was delicious! Highly recommend“

“The Carmel apple cider is fanominal!!! Thanks for creating another great one to drink !“

“We had the best burgers!! Definitely try the Dundee!!! SO yum!!“

“Ate here for the first time before attending an Iowa basketball game nearby. There were good choices on the menu. I had the spicey Italian meatball grinder with fries. It was good and very filling. Prices seemed reasonable. The place was noisy so it was hard to socialize with my friends. Otherwise, a good place to eat and would go there again if in town.“

“Ethan aat the front security, was awesome and understanding when I realized I had something in my pockets he offered to hold it for me until I left. Awesome people, he could have turned me away but instead worked things out for me to go in. 10 out of 10. Will return“

“food is always excellent and service is always great when I stop by.“

“Had the shrimp with Medium Cajun sauce. Tasted fantastic and I highly recommend!“

“We were passing through town and found this wonderful spot just 20 minutes before it closed. We each got a burger and fries and they were absolutely delicious. Even better than the food was the extraordinary staff. Each one was exceptionally kind and accommodating. If we lived closer we'd be regulars. Thank you for the great food and fun lunch.“

“The Slammin’ Salmon omelette was awesome!“

“After a long day in the sun, went for a drink and had the best waitress around. The sun makes me grumpy but Ms. Hannah's bubbly spirit and kindness was just what I needed to not finish the day in disaster ❤️ Big Grove, you are lucky to have this little peanut and will be a big reason I return 🍻“

“Had a great burger and a great time! Efficient and attentive staff, top-notch burgers.

Edit: Came back another time over a year later, WOW! Still the same perfect burger and PHENOMENAL service. The staff is awesome! Seriously one of my favorite burger joints anywhere in America, and I've tried a lot!“

“Food is good for what you would expect. We stop infrequently for lunch and I have not been disappointed. People behind the counter are always friendly. Atmosphere is low simply because it is a grocery store...though they do have a small area to sit and eat, we always grab take-out. Food is a limited selection of any one type of food (some Pizza, few main dishes of chinese, some side sushi...) but there is enough selection not to get too boring. If you want something quick an better than fast food this is a good place to go.“

“Always a good time. Snorting coke in the back alley behind here and some of the regulars kept me entertained sometimes too. Decent kind of typical bar food though and decent, very decent when it comes to drinks. Usually kind of a younger crowd but not too bad though.“

“pup cups , my dog Herbie loves them.“

“Great staff. Friendly and very helpful.“

“we ate here for the first time on Tuesday and the service was phenomenal! your server, Kate, needs a raise or promotion because she was outstanding! very friendly and engaged. we will definitely be back!“

“We made a quick trip to Iowa City on March 20, 2015. Bo James was a favorite when we were in school and the food was excellent. It was spring break at UI so it was not busy (one other customer in the whole place). Our server was great and the food came out piping hot. We had burger baskets and the grilled cheese with fried egg. Delicious!“

“Very friendly and clean little resturant. The food was made fresh and was perfectly prepared. Choices included grilled cheese and hamburgers but we choose street tacos and quesadilla. The street tacos where very good. The green salsa very fresh.“