We had batter dipped tenderloins. The buffet looked amazing. The pie - OMG!!! We shared a walnut and had two to go. Everything is from scratch!! The restaurant has a lot of neat decor and furniture. The entire restaurant was SPOTLESS!!! We absolutely loved everything about this place!! read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - Walnut pie! Absolutely delicious!! - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

I went in expecting to get their pork tenderloin sandwich but was drawn in by the buffet. For a small buffet, it packs a ton of country charm! Every 5 minutes or so they would bring out fresh fried chicken and the wait staff didn't miss a beat. The only thing keeping me from eating the entire buffet was the long drive ahead of me. If you are ever in the area or by the Field of Dreams, you must try this place. read more

See all

Drove 90 minutes to get there. Was moderately excited to eat there based on other reviews, etc. Meh. Just meh. read more

Fantastic buffet with broasted chicken, breaded shrimp, bratwurst and all their fixings'. I would eat here again!

Find was superb. Bus loads of people were there and the service was impeccable. My husband and I first went to Breitbach long before the fiest fire and met with Mike when he was a young man. Delightful family and a a well kept family tradition still carrying on. View is magnificent . No disappointment at all. read more

Good food. I've never seen 20% gratuity added to a check for a buffet though. Strange and excessive.

We had lunch at Breitbach's while on a fall foliage roadtrip along the upper Mississippi Valley. We ordered the food buffet and salad bar. Both were simple but exceptional. The place is busy so the food is always fresh. We enjoyed a delicious piece of apple pie for dessert. In the middle of nowhere but worth the drive! It's rural Midwest food and culture at its finest. read more

See all

The beautiful scenic drive to Breitbach's is an added bonus on top of their amazing brunch on Sundays. Makes my mouth water typing this! This warm inviting establishment has some history and then some - six generations of family have ensured that the customer receives prompt and personable service as well as a menu chock full of delicious tried-and-true food selections! (BTW, check out their tenderloins!) read more

It is a great restaurant. We love going there. The service is good and it basically goes without saying that the food is excellent!!! Also the scenery nearby is not bad either!!! read more

A Dubuque County landmark, and for good reason. It is truly a memorable visit from its food to incredible customer service. A Dyersville friend tipped us off to this place, and so glad that he did because we will be return customers without a doubt. Met at the door by a super nice man who claimed to be the janitor, and he told me about its history. Turns out it was the amazing owner of Breitbach's, Mike Breitbach, a humble, brilliant restaurant operator with a heart of gold. He is beloved by his staff. I can't wait to see him again. I am grateful for all of the time that he spent with us because his restaurant is such a great story. Committed to the community, this is the oldest restaurant in Iowa. They do wonderful things for Dubuque County. Mike and his staff are amazing. This place is the type that you enjoy and cannot wait to come back to. The food? terrific, plentiful, served quickly, and warm just the way that I like it. Loved the buffet choices, and the service was elite. Just a half hour from The Field of Dreams, and a drive that is so beautiful. If you're visiting the Field of Dreams or Dubuque County, make this ride, because it is worth it. I know that he has a loyal customer now in me. read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

visited Breitbach's Country Dining after reading numerous times about how this is a "must stop" eating place in Iowa. Unfortunately, my experience was the complete opposite of what I expected from such high praise. The facility itself is very nice - modern and clean, which was appreciated. However, the buffet food quality was quite poor and didn't live up to the reputation at all. The pan-fried chicken was the biggest disappointment - it had bare spots with no coating and lacked any seasoning. The mashed potatoes were clearly instant, and the gravy was thin and watery, tasting like it came from a powder mix rather than being made fresh. There were also sliced pork pieces sitting in a watery liquid that looked unappetizing - I noticed no one seemed to be eating that entrée, which was telling. The salad bar was mediocre overall with limited dressing options, though I will say the ham salad was good and there were a few homemade items that showed some effort. The service was adequate - no complaints there. Given the restaurant's reputation and all the glowing recommendations I'd read, I expected much better food quality, especially for a buffet. While I appreciate the clean, modern facility and historic atmosphere, the meal itself was very disappointing and I cannot recommend it based on this visit. read more

We haven't been to Breitbachs for at least 10 years. We used to stop occasionally but got sick of going there and the waitresses would take care of all of their friends and unknown customers to them were ignored. Well, we went there during the holidays in December and NOTHING has changed. Twice the waitress walked around us and checked and visited with each table except us. Was like the seats were empty to her. I did manange to stop her and ask if she could get my wife a spoon and she brought it back and layed it on the table and never said another word. And, the buffet was NOTHING to brag about. There was a bowl of lettuce, 3 choices of salad dressing and a container of Croutons....that's it. There were 6 or 8 containers with some blah maccaroni salad, potato salad, cole slaw, a braunshwagger spread that was mostly mayonnaise and a ham salad spread that was edible and a few other things that didn't look all that great to me. We tried the ribs that were mushy and a LOT of fat on them. The shrimp was these little pre formed shrimp balls that I wouldn't even try. My wife did and said they were horrible. Also tried the chicken and while edible, was not really appetizing. Very blah flavor and the breasts were pretty small. We did not try the soups. There were some club crackers for the spreads on the salad bar and I think some saltines for the soups. They served NO bread or dinner rolls at all. When we were finished eating, the waitress did come on her own and layed the bill on the table. I asked her if we should pay at the bar and she said yes. We walked to the bar and the check was made out and ticket in hand. The bartender at the other end turned and made eye contact. He started heading toward me and a customer he obviously knew must have asked him for a drink and he stopped in his tracks and made it for him instead of coming to take care of us. In the meantime, a server or some young fella came up behind us and stepped behind the bar and asked if we were ready. I told him yes and the rest of the check was for the waitress. He said thans and rang it up. We got outside and agreed that we didn't ever need to make the 35 mile trip or stop when going by ever again. Very disappointing since it is a very beautiful restaurant with beautiful scenic lookouts nearby. read more

What a great place and the ride in the country in Balltown is stunning! The food at Brietbach's is awesome and reasonably priced. We sat at the bar and had a couple drinks too, also reasonably priced. Ben the bartender is very friendly and attentive. The interior is filed with antiques and just a fun place to wonder around. During the summer months there is an outdoor german beer garden. Highly recommend stopping when in the area. There are limited hours. Thurs for lunch. Friday and Sat lunch and dinner and Sunday brunch. read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - Brietbach bar - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

See all

I've known about this place for a long time - read about the fires that devastated the original and rebuilt business and have wanted to go. I can now say I've checked that box. We went on a Saturday for lunch and it was perfectly fine. We had no trouble finding it and there was ample parking. We walkes right in, with no wait except for them prepping a table for us. The dining room is large, with several rooms, and tables are spaced well apart. I admit I was expecting a larger number of options for the buffet. There were two stations (for lack of a better word) - one cold, one hot. The cold station had a pretty basic lettuce mix, a small variety of cold salads (cole slaw, pasta), and a few other items (carrots and celery, cheese spread). The hot station had broasted chicken, ribs, and pork roast, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy, maybe one or two other items, so the selection was decent. In terms of taste, we weren't overwhelmed - it's a pretty standard buffet, nothing fancy or adventurous for the midwestern palate. The service was fine, although it took quite a while for the offspring's hamburger to arrive. All in all, it was a nice drive over there and I don't regret it, but that was a one and done. read more

I was blown away by the quality of food here! I happened to see a news article that Breitbach's is one of the 10 oldest restaurants in the country. I drove 45 minutes out of my way to visit and I'm certainly glad I did! I was able to take advantage of the lunch buffet and it was very reasonably priced ($13.95). They don't have a wide variety like many chain buffets have, but what they do have DAMN GOOD!! I tried a little of everything and I was honestly impressed with all the dishes. I just wish they sold their sweet pickles in jars on the side.... read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

Sunday's buffet is full of comfort foods and so food! Love this place! Would definitely recommend!

Basic Buffet. Personally, not my first choice in dining. Great for family dinners. Good value. Good for family reunions. One of my parents favorite dining places. For me, not enough vegetables and too much meat. read more

See all

Great food and service. Fresh food and a smile from Mike on every visit. Buffet or off the menu. From Wine to beer and great pie to finish. read more

First of all, the place reminds me of an old country house. Absolutely love the atmosphere and ambiance. Went there on a Saturday night and luckily we had reservations, because there was seven of us because the place was packed. Quickly figured out why. I know that they offer an all you can eat buffet, but I deducted a star because people in my party that got it weren't necessarily impressed. They all said it was good just not great. Mine on the other hand was phenomenal. I ordered off the menu and got the tenderloin at the recommendations of a lot of yelpers and it was amazing!!!! Not to mention that the owner, himself, delivered our food to us, and made sure that our evening there was very special. Now let's get to the after dinner drinks. We ordered a few grasshoppers and let me tell you, they are nothing short of amazing....and HUGE!!! The bartender decided that she wanted to try out a new "Girl Scout thin mint" frozen after dinner drink so she had us being the testers. LOVE THAT! Gave her some feedback as to what we all thought and she was going to tweak it, so I can't wait to be back a lot sooner than I was the last time. read more

Wow! What can you say about this restaurant... The history alone makes it worthwhile to go and have a meal! We stopped in and had lunch and it was outstanding! The service, the friendliness, the quality of the food, all home cooking... It was just an overall excellent experience. I highly recommend that if you're in Sherrill, Iowa to stop in to Breitbachand have a meal! read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - breitbach's country dining - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

See all

Family tradition keeps us coming back. Amazing unique restaurant with plenty to keep your eyes full. Great buffets ecru time. But I recommend the tenderloin sandwich off the short order menu. read more

See all

What a cute place. They have a sign in book for people that come from all around, which we came from Dallas so it was a nice touch. When we came in there was a sign to wait to be seated but employees kept walking around us and no one sat us for a while even though it was pretty empty. We went for Sunday morning breakfast so it was a buffet. The French toast & biscuits were soooo good. Some of the food I'm pretty sure it was pre packaged they they just warmed up and set out but it was still good. Our server was always ready with fresh coffee & water. The restaurant & view was great! It's worth the drive to check this restaurant out. Lots of history! read more

Came from Chicago just to have their breaded pork tenderloin. Would do it again without hesitation. friendly staff, and owner. can't say enough about this establishment. You'd have to experience it yourself. read more

Spinning plates has nothing on this place Really really good home cooked food . From the salad bar to the best beef soup I've had in a long time!. The fried chicken strips was excellent and the onion rings were good too. It's good to see this place still going strong. Need to make another trip but try dinner instead of lunch Oh the pie!!!;) a must have read more

See all

I don't get why people think this place is so great. The food is mediocre at best - when they decide to refill the buffet. Went for the St Patrick's Day buffet for all you can eat corned beef, and they didn't have any. Said they ran out. It was 5:00 pm. The "dressing" was runny and disgusting. Just overall blah. read more

Very clean. Friendly service. Lacking ambience. Great destination spot. Fabulous tenderloin and really good fish sandwich! read more

This restaurant is frequently listed on top ten lists for restaurants in Iowa, best small town restaurants, etc. I finally got the chance to make the trip to Sherrill last weekend en route to Dubuque. The restaurant has a country charm appearance to it and is loaded with plenty of Americana. I was seated in the dining room with the salad bar. Behind me was either former card catalogs or apothecary chests, I wasn't sure which. I elected to eat the buffet for $15.99, which included ribs, fried cod, popcorn shrimp, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and the salad bar. The kind of menu the food police would hate. There's also soup and rolls available. The fried cod was absolutely delightful. Lightly breaded and cooked perfectly--I had six pieces I believe. Chicken was also lightly breaded and tasty--but the fish was outstanding in my mind. Popcorn shrimp was rather basic--nothing bad about it, but not exceptional. Salad bar has lettuce and toppings for a make-your-own, as well as prepared salads. I had some of the best potato salad I've consumed in my life. The potatoes were sliced (not cubed) and were in a zippier sauce that wasn't mustard base. It was obvious the salads were homemade. Other prepared salads included a chopped broccoli, coleslaw, and a pasta salad of some sort. There were also dessert-looking salads that I declined to try. As a note, you pay at the bar. I chatted with the bartender briefly and she seemed pleased I made the stop and shook my hand before I left. Due to the distance, I'll probably be here infrequently, but its well worth your time to get off Hwy 20 or Hwy 52 for a visit. read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - Fish, popcorn shrimp, tartar sauce - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

We're from Las Vegas and our cousins brought us here Friday night. We came for the fish. Our table of 6 ordered the buffet and couldn't be happier. The quality of the meal priced at less than $20 was beyond anything I expected. The choices were amazing, and the food was very attractive and HOT. Best fish fry I've been to in a very long time. The property was beautiful inside and out and the staff was truly very accommodating and attentive without being too hovering. If you get the chance to go here, I'd strongly suggest you take it. I know it'll be on our very short list of places to go whenever I'm in the area. Thanks so much for the "Midwest hospitality " read more

The family run restaurant has been around for decades. The decor is antique country. The place is clean. The service is attentive. The food is like grandma's home cooked meal. Consistent with the origins of the local population, the menu has a German quality. I love eating here when in the community. If you are not from the areas it is a little hard to find. read more

Great country dining! Delicious buffet and also can order off the menu. Homemade pies just like my grandma made! Warm, friendly atmosphere! Plus incredible scenery! One of my favorite places! read more

This is not a gourmet restaurant. It is a country diner, the oldest restaurant in Iowa. I had the buffet lunch and it was good home style country food. Fried chicken and ham. Sides were mashed potatoes and corn. Salad was cucumber, pasta and iceberg lettuce. I will return. read more

Delicious food, friendly staff, relaxing place for friends and family to gather anytime.

This was my third time visiting Breitbach's and it was just a great as the first time! My husband is from Germany and he stands by the fact that this is his favorite place to eat in America (so far) which is why we drove 1.5 hours to get there! We were looking for a day trip last Sunday to enjoy the great weather, so we decided on heading out to Breitbach's after hitting up an apple orchard. The drive through Wisconsin and on through Iowa is very calming and offers some great views of the countryside. The drive there can be a bit tedious, however, if you get stuck behind a group of motorcycles on the way into Balltown, but it just forces you to actually look around and take in the scenery! Don't blink once you get into town, however. This place comes up fast and, at least in my experience on the weekends, the parking lot fills up as well as the street parking. As there were only four of us, our wait was minimal. We waited maybe 15 minutes for a table and got sat in their basement which the open for parties and overflow customers--especially on Sundays! I cannot speak about the buffet, as I have never had it. I always order off of the menu as I am not much of a buffet person if I can avoid it. The reason my husband loves this place so much is because of their pork tenderloin--he claims it is similar to schnitzel. The tenderloin is simply a monster. It comes out on the plate and makes the tiny bun on it actually look comical! He loves them so much, he ordered one to go in order to cook the next day for lunch! (I'd recommend just ordering the meat, without any of the workings and make it fresh at your house). I enjoyed a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and onion rings. The prices are cheap for the amount of food you get. Be warned, however, the pop is served from a can with a glass of ice. This place is definitely a family-friendly environment. It is still family-owned and, if you come at the right time, the owner will make his way to your table to shake your hand! He found out my husband was from Germany and stopped to chat with him for about 10 minutes on where his family lives and whatnot. He even took him out to the beer garden to discuss the spelling of their German sign! Side tip, if you visit this restaurant, make sure you go about half a block down to view the overlook! On a clear day, you can see the Mississippi River winding in the distance! read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - Pork Tenderloin - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

The staff is very friendly and professional. They went out of their way to graciously accommodate our group which included elderly, handicapped, and infants. The food was awesome. Im certain that I've never had BBQ ribs as tasty as those before. I loved everything on the buffet. I recommend Breitbach's because they are classy and they won the title of the best steakhouse in Iowa quite recently. read more

The food is A M A Z I N G!!! I don't know who they have in the kitchen back there, but whoever they are, I am in LOVE! Really good variety of sides and main dishes and I loved the buffet. Ordered a Grasshopper with my meal and the thing was HUGE (and really good). The service was Excellent as well. Servers were really friendly and very attentive. One of THE best dining experiences of my life! You get really good quality food for a pretty decent price and excellent service. Top notch. The only reason I don't eat there more often is because the commute is a bit too far for me (which is especially tragic because I find my self craving their chicken and mashed potatoes near constantly). If you ever get a chance to eat here, DO NOT MISS IT. You won't regret it, trust me. read more

An oldie but a goodie. Breitbach's is located just 10 miles or so out of Dubuque. The drive is scenic and worth the trip all by itself. Next door is a marvelous overlook. This place is huge. You could feed an army here. The army was just beginning to muster when we entered. They have a nice buffet with fried chicken, roast pork, and fried shrimp as the features. Don't miss the fridge pickles, they are so good. The food overall is good solid country fare. Bring your appetite. I missed it, but they actually have Potosi Ale on tap. Next time. read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - The main entrance. - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

We've been hearing about Breitbach's for years and we can now say it was worth the wait and the trip! After attending an event in Sherrill - down the road 6 miles - we figured we should check things out and boy what it a treat. We saw Spinning plates a few years back (A must see documentary for foodie folks) and had heard the tales about how the place burned down twice within a year, both of which made the experience better. It's like reading the book before seeing the movie - it gives you a better understanding of what this place does for the surrounding community and gives you people to look for at the restaurant! As we'd come by on a day when we were eating dinner elsewhere, we decided we need to try the classics - the chicken and the pie! We split a 3 piece chicken dinner and it was lovely! The chicken is broasted and they do it as well as we've ever experienced. Great batter, great flavor and juicy chicken! The pie was immaculate! We shared a piece of cherry and coconut cream - The coconut cream may have been the best pie I've ever had. Papa tends to be a cake person, so the fact that my preference here is pie will forever be memorable! The cherry was delicious as well with some great crust. While the food was memorable, the best part about this place was what epitomizes Iowa - the friendliness of the people. Within a minute of coming in, we'd had a conversation with four people and had continuous interactions with a couple groups throughout the meal. Our waitress was a delight and we ended up talking about Washington state for a good amount of time. Finally, we got to meet the family who runs the place - the son (Mike I believe) was a complete joy. We chatted for a good 10 minutes about their experience with the documentary, a couple trips out east and west, and growing up in Iowa. We met papa Mike as well and had a nice quick talk with him as well. All in all, Breitbach's is a place everyone should check out. Not only will you meet some great folks and have some excellent food, but you also have a chance to see the best overlook of the surrounding valley. About a half a block away is view spot where you can see three states - on a clear day, it's quite breathtaking! If you're anywhere nearby, you should stop in and after our experience, we think it's worth a trip just to check it out! read more

Nice traditional buffet. The fried chicken was very good. You also must have the pickled carrots. They are awesome. Salad bar was nice, though the prepared salads (cole slaw and potato salad) tasted odd. The hot sides didn't disappoint. Soup (vegetable beef) was good enough to get seconds. read more

This is just one awesome restaurant :) As you know, this is the oldest restaurant in iowa... Has been burnt down. Okay besides all the well know facts, the place serves good food and the interior decor is well done :) if you like Midwest style, you will like this place a lot! read more

Breitbach's Country Dining - Sunday breakfast buffet - American Near Me - Sherrill, Iowa

Decided to visit Breitbach's for a special family weekend lunch. No one in our party (from Wisconsin) had visited, but two had heard good things. We arrived at 11:30 and all had the buffet, which was fantastic. The atmosphere reminded everyone of a typical family restaurant and the warm decor was comforting. Highly recommend! read more

See all