Party of 7, 5 adults, 2 kids. 7:45ish on a Friday night. We chose the patio. So friendly, I had a…read morebacon cheeseburger with fried mushrooms. So good. I don't even mean "for bar food". No, it's good. I tried everyone else's food too. For you, all of you. Mozzarella sticks, decent, could've been cooked about 30 seconds longer. Fried clam strips, delicious, cheese curds, chicken wings, chicken gizzards, fries.... It's all really really good! Staff is super friendly, like they just rolled with it. It's a bar, small town Iowa, wood tables, hodgepodge tables and chairs, it's clean.

Great customer service! Cheap bar food and not too far from Tama. Stop in they use zing zangs!read more

Flaming Office hosted a Celebration of Life for Nancy Sund on Saturday, February 28. It was…read moremarvelous. Just the way a Celebration should be. All of her friends enjoyed talking to each other about how wonderful Nancy was. I recommend this venue for any Celebration of Life. The attendees could eat, enjoy their favorite beverage and talk to friends about the departed one.

When went to a concert on the way to Des Moines we stopped here to have a drink. We love dive bars…read moreand thought the name was clever. We were welcomed with a very rude "how many of you are there?" We stayed and managed to have a good time regardless of the terrible welcome. Today, several months later we attempted to return. When we walked in we were told "we close at 2:30" and again "how many of you are there?". We used the bathroom and left. For a small town dive bar you'd think a group of 8 would be a nice surprise and welcomed. Going forward we will find another FRIENDLY small town dive bar to visit (currently stopping at one).

went there for happy hour and the bartender was a an unhappy bartender ! Je yelled pre much at…read moreanyone that asked a question. He yelled at a woman who was trying to buy me a drink. He yelled at some man and he ended up leaving after like 2 drinks. It was the worst experience of being in a bar ever!!! I do not recommend going to Rabbits when Chace (or what ever his name is ) is working ! There were so many other people he was at as well. He was doing more shots than actually waiting on customers. I know I asked twi for a drink and he pr to help 2 other people then went to the bathroom and then asked if I wanted another drink! THIS was the WORST treatment I have ever experienced as a customer EVER!!!

Stopped in for an Untappd badge. On a Sunday evening it is very quiet. It is the stereotypical…read moresmall town bar. The people inside knew each other "Norm!!" The one employee working was very nice and she took our photo. My mother in law was introduced to PBR and liked it.

This is the coolest bar I've ever been to in Iowa, if not one of the coolest bars I've ever been…read moreto- PERIOD! The Sanity Room takes "theme" bar to a whole new level. There is a state mental facility outside of Independence, Iowa, and hence the theme of the Sanity Room. But don't think it's cold and creepy. No. The owners have gone to great lengths to make this an inviting place complete with the unique chairs, private small booths, and kitschy motto signs surrounding the place (one of my faves: "I can only please one person per day. Today I choose me."). They serve shots in pill bottles and syringes, and the staff will even make you don a patient gown, sit in the old hospital bed (vintage and they claim it came from the state hospital), and then administer the shots while wearing a doctor's coat. Genius! After you are vaccinated, you get a sticker. As if the booze wasn't awesome enough! And let's talk about the booze. This is a full bar that also features some great craft and local beers, as well as a local wine. Iowa wine, you ask? It was by far the best I sampled and I bought a bottle. Yeah, you can buy their stock too, if they have enough. As for specialty cocktails? Look no further than the bloody mary made with Chardonnay. That's right, I said the bloody mary is made with wine. And it's delicious. Since wine doesn't have as much alcohol as vodka, you might have to drink a lot to get the same effect, but with a taste like this you won't mind. The Sanity Room does seem to be a work in progress as they only have one unisex bathroom but they are working on more accommodations. Still, it's small so you can't imagine there would ever be a long line. It also sits in the back of an antique store, so blink and you might miss it. I know we did the first time we walked by, but the second time we took a chance and walked in and I am so glad we did! There's even a back patio area that overlooks the Wapsipinican River. The only bad thing would be that there are no TVs in the Sanity Room. I question if this would change the integrity of the bar, as it might compromise the theme and inviting nature. But I am a sports nut and there would be nothing better than belly up at the bar, drinking a glass of La T Da & watching the game! Seriously, if you're ever in Independence and you don't stop in here, you're missing out. I can't wait to get back and get my dose of Sanity!

Such a great name for the town that includes the mental hospital. Eclectic, fun decor and the…read moreowner/managers obviously love their work! A deck in the back gives a nice view of the Wapsie River, and an antique shop with all sorts of fun things, from tools to quilts. Thanks for the hospitality!

If I were giving a review of the food and waitresses, I would give this place a 5, BUT…read more.. Visiting family from out of state, my husband I came in with family who are locals. When Karaoke guy arrived, my niece said she didn't like him because he always skips over her and her friend so that he, his girlfriend, and other friends can sing. My cousin put his name down sixth on the night's list to sing Sweet Caroline. After obviously being passed over by numerous singers, he went up to look at the list to see his name was scribbled out. AVOID this place on Friday nights unless you're into hearing the same 5 or 6 people sing all night.

Food is usually on point, can miss sometimes but they're always quick to fix it! Can't go wrong…read morewith the wings that's my go too.

One of our go-to places in Grinnell. The place is classy and funky and unique, the image of its…read moreamazing proprietor and sole server, who will serenade you with her small accordion on request. Wine is good and pizzas are tasty. Don't leave without a doggie sticker or button!

Solera is a wonderful mix of a small town, laid back vibe and a sophisticated wine selection. The…read moreservice is always spot-on. I wasn't expecting the pizza to be so tasty ... BONUS!

After dinner drink here to get the Pella vibe! Such a totally cool place. Service was excellent. We…read moresat out back after getting our drinks. It was picturesque and relaxing. They are known for their Mules and Bloody Mary's. My Bloody Mary (Original Classic) was another meal! And it was excellent. Definitely will return next time in Pella, IA!

Great bar spot in Pella! Let me tell you, they have an ABUNDANCE of peanuts here! It's great. They…read morehave a bunch of tvs with different sports games on. They also had board games and 2 arcade style game machines in the back! Their draft beer options are super expansive! I was here on a Tuesday and it was packed!! Only issue was because of this being a popular spot, the service was very slow so keep that in mind if you are in a rush to be somewhere after. Otherwise, I loved the vibe in here and there were a ton of 4 person high top tables you could seat yourself at that offered great views of the tvs. There were also a few larger tables for big groups, as well as ample bar seating.

I understand Ragbrai was coming through. What doesnt make sense is they locked their doors, which I…read morebelieve is a fire code violation. Unsure if guy running door was owner or employee but he was not doing a very good job. Menu was limited to just pizzas. Saw some come by and was not impressed- they reminded me of totinos frozen pizzas. We got the one round of drinks and continued to look for dinner. Ended up at Pizza Ranch which was very good.

Really a cute option for non chain dining. When we stopped the service was slow, but at this point…read morehiring staff is hard and all restaurants are struggling to keep up. The waitress was friendly and trying to keep up. There's a great beer list with variety of options. The Philly cheesesteak and BBQ beef sandwiches were real good. The Rangoon calzone not so much. Next to the building is an overlook to a bluff that can cause stress response to the acrophobic but still a cool view from ground level.

A friendly dive bar. Cheap drinks and no attitude from staff or customers. Great music on the…read morejukebox. What's not to like ?

On the square in Newton...nice place for everyone. Friendly local place. Drink snacks beer rock…read moreand roll and country...630pm on a monday

What a fun environment and selection of beers and some liquor. They were fantastic we were there…read morefor my friend's wedding reception and singing. The owner made sure the best man and the wedding party was taken care of. I would recommend Grinnell Craft Brewhouse.

Stayed in Grinnell 4 nights to attend INDYCAR weekend at Iowa Speedway. First night we stopped in…read moreat Grinnell Craft Brewhouse for a local pour before dinner. Drew was the bartender and was both friendly and knowledgeable. This is a taproom only but Drew told us that any of the nearby restaurants would deliver food and offered us menus to view. We ended up ordering salad and pizza from Pagliai's, grabbed a table outside and waited for our food to arrive. Meanwhile, Drew brought out plates, forks, napkins, and parmesan. So accommodating!