A must stop if traveling the River Road. Scenic overlook down the road. Great bar, good Iowa food. read more

As good as your Mama's home cooking! We absolutely LOVED this place. Everyone is friendly, the staff treats you like old friends and the food is to.die.for! TO! DIE! FOR! It has been a very long time since I've been to a restaurant that made me this happy. I cannot rave enough about the excellent service, welcoming atmosphere, and the prices are beyond great for what you get. This is an absolute gem! Total value! If you are anywhere in the area, this place is worth the trip! read more

This is a charming historical restaurant in a pleasant area outside Dubuque. The owners and the staff are really nice. I'm really happy that this kind of family restaurant with such a strong sense of pride still exists in the U.S. and hope that they are able to keep it going successfully into the future. After eating here a few times though, I'm just not all that inclined to go back. Even though I feel like they are doing a lot of things right, in the end, the fact that they are using standard ingredients rather than ones produced with quality and care (e.g. local/organic) means that the foods just does not feel or taste very good to me. If they had better quality meats, local produce, higher quality grains/oils, etc. (e.g. the same quality of ingredients that were served 40 years ago in t he restaurant, before the U.S. food system got destroyed by Big Agriculture), then it would be a heck of a restaurant though. So that does make me sad for what we have lost. read more

Very nice stop for lunch. Got there a little early and not many people eating but didn't take long to fill up. Food was good and it was cool looking at all the decor and antiques. Nice place to stop on your way to look at fall foliage in northern iowa read more

Celebrated a birthday at one of Iowa's oldest restaurants! Located in the middle of no-where, surrounded by beautiful country land with an iconic view, Breitbach's is definitely worth the drive! We all had the Sunday buffet which had broad red chicken, ribs, popcorn shrimp, roast beef, and ham. They also had all the fixin's of mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, Cole slaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, broccoli salad, and soups and bread. It was delicious!! My only disappointment was the dessert options - chocolate cake or vanilla cake with strawberries... rural Iowa is known for their pies, which is what I had my heart set on. read more

Absolutely charming family restaurant! We were greeted, seated, and treated! I suggest going on a Saturday night for the buffet. What a gem! read more

After watching the movie "Spinning Plates", how could I not want to come here and check out the restaurant that has survived two fires, been rebuilt by the town that loves them, and that serves food all made from scratch?! Got here on a Thursday early dinner and excitedly opted for the buffet with my wife. Thursday's are their "German" style days, and boy was it delicious... Some standouts: Fried chicken: Seriously good stuff. My wife circled the fried chicken pan like a hawk waiting for the new batch to come out.. because people kept emptying it like there was an upcoming fried chicken shortage! Needless to say, we got our share... Smothered Pork: Oh man.. this was by far the best thing on the buffet line. Pork so tender, gravy so good... I think I had about two pieces per plate, and four plates of food. Phenomenal. Pickled veggies: I have no idea how they get the beets to be perfectly rounded and so small every time. All their pickled veggies were pretty damn good. Pineapple mousse: An excellent, "light" final bite that's part of the buffet! Nice to include some version of dessert! Raspberry Pie (not on buffet): Easily one of the best fruit pies I've ever hadi n my life. My wife doesn't like raspberries, and she was itching to eat more of this! Some not as good: Mashed potatoes: Personal preference here... I like my mashed potatoes a bit chunky... this were nearly as smooth as silk. If you're a smooth potato fan, perfect! If not, save your stomach for other amazing buffet options. Amazing service, from scratch delicious food, you can't go wrong here! This will definitely become a regular spot for us! read more

Breitbach's is back. We just dined here on Sunday with some guests from Panama. The buffet started with homemade creamy vegetable soup. Then to the well-stocked salad bar - I hadn't had braunschweiger in years. The main course included baked ham, roast beef, fried shrimp, mash potatoes and gravy (yum!), corn, hush puppies and their famous fried chicken. All for just $12.95 including dessert. Mike Breitbach came out and thanked everyone for coming. He made some mention about re-opening and told a story about a speech by Gen. Patton that his father heard while serving in WWII. He said, "Never, never, never give up!" And Mike said he won't ether. Thank God for his persistence, any normal person would've given up by now. read more

The view on the drive to reach Breitbach's is worth 5 stars alone. That being said, once you reach this place you'll be glad you did. Now keep in mind that this place is a Country Diner. Not gourmet, life changing super innovative stuff here. Just that good ole stick to your bones down home cooking. So expect that. It's like a family owned Cracker Barrel. I came here for breakfast on a recent Saturday and was expecting it to be a bit more full, but we were one of two tables occupied. I was hoping to snag some biscuits and gravy, but not such luck as it's not on the menu. Luckily the french toast and bacon were amazing and made up for it! My husband loved his omelette and we were feeling stuffed. BUT. Stuffed or not you get yourself some pie here. 10:30 in the morning isn't too early for pie is it? The pie (I tried apple and my fellow yelper tried coconut cream) was memorable and delicious. read more

Best fried pork tenderloin sandwich anywhere! Do not miss this family owned gem. So good. Great buffet, nice big bar. Nice people. Can't wait to go back. Great motorcycle roads in the area as well. You can take the Cassville Ferry over from Wisconsin in the summer (usually). Highly recommended. read more

I'm glad to see my Yelp buddy gave them a good review as well... (Thanks for the review Ed!) I dined here while passing through on a van trek in search of good food and fishing fun. What a wonderful place! The lady who assisted me, Lynn, was super friendly. The food was outstanding with some of the best fried chicken and fried cod I can remember. "Homemade with love" came to mind when I savored their fare. I won't rehash the food choices on the buffet (just look at the detailed review by Ed F.) The creamy chicken soup featured today was yummy. I liked the salad bar as well. Pickled beets.. YUM! The decor is gorgeous. I am going to put some photos on my personal blog. The interior is tastefully decorated... heck, you need to see it. Breitbach's had the most beautiful Christmas displays I have ever seen. It's a class act. For outstanding midwest food, friendly service, and a comfortable dining experience, this is a "must visit" place. Take the Great River Road and enjoy some classic, timeless country dining. read more

Located about 15 minutes north of Dubuque, Breitbach's is Iowa's oldest bar and restaurant, founded in 1852. It's known for old-fashioned, down-home cooking, including steaks, prime rib, chicken and seafood. Everything is made from scratch and may remind you of your grandmother's cooking (at least, if you're lucky!) The restaurant is filled with antiques - kerosene lamps hang from the ceiling, quilts decorate the walls, and there's even supposed to be a horse blanket left at the tavern by a member of the outlaw James gang! The cozy, casual atmosphere is a perfect match for the comfort food. While you're there, be sure to spend some time at the outlook just north of the restaurant, which has a spectacular view of the Mississippi River valley. read more

I think we just had the salad bar. Or maybe it was the "buffet" ... ? Either way, I know my Austrian lady friend and I enjoyed a great-tasting meal here after enjoying the nearby view of the Mississippi valley. We found that the salad bar/buffet far exceeded "pedestrian." Don't like my lack of details? Du bist ein Dummkopf. read more

I rely on yelpers to find good eats when out of town. So I have to ask the reviews for this place, "Are you related to the owners? Maybe owe them some favors? You guys raised on hog slop perhaps?" No way does this place deserve more than 2 stars. Period. 5 of us stopped in on a Sunday for breakfast as we were out for a ride. Breitbachs had their buffet going on. $11.95 a head. Sheez...better be good. NOPE! Biscuits were as hard as a rock. Gravy had very little flavor. Bacon was thing and soggy, like it was kept in a steam cabinet, NOT FRIED FRESH. Scrambled eggs were from McDonalds. Oh, and while the buffet is going...YOU CAN'T ORDER FROM THE MENU! The only thing I enjoyed eating was the eggs benedict. That was tasty....but not worth the trip or the cash. read more

The warm greetings and inviting atmosphere makes Breitbach's a welcome change from City restaurants. On top of the friendliness, the good food and bakery items are attractions! Definitely worth the trip. (just avoid during bad winter storms. The hills can get your car in trouble) Also, if you can track down the film/documentary "Spinning Plates" please view ahead of visit. Gives you a wonderful insight into the family who has run the "oldest restaurant in Iowa" and the obstacles they faced. read more

When we arrived we were offered to wait 10min or immediate seating downstair. We took the poor option and sat downstairs. We were told the buffets were the same but the salad bar was smaller and i had to walk upstairs to det my dressing of choice. i read on other reviews that they missed on desert, and so did we, we were done with supper at 5:30_kind of early to run out of desert. I had the prime rib, which looked better than it tasted, but overall was ok. My wife had the buffet- and I am glad I didn't_ looked similar to bonanza. They also are not set for kids very well, they dont have any activities or even a kids menu. The view on the overlook was by far the highlight; breathtaking! read more

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

I have been to Breitbach's previously, translation = pre fires and was with several friends that had never eaten there. I will say that I didn't have much of a memory of the previous building or the quality of the food because I was feeling sick that day. So we headed out for the beauty of the area and a planned stop for a later lunch. After taking in the breathtaking vistas of eastern Iowa, we pulled into the parking lot of Iowa's oldest restaurants. The new building is wonderful, lots of wood and things of interest to look at. I will say the sign telling us to go to the end of the hall to wait for a table was a little confusing as it was at the end of the hall and the other hall appeared to be almost into the dining room. No problem, but it did take about ten minutes to get seated due to a very large number of dirty tables. The main lunch crowd must have departed. We were taken to a table for four. These don't leave much in the way of extra elbow room. Plus the hanging cabinet on the wall side made for a possible concussion had we not reminded our friend to watch his head. We all ordered the buffet, although after watching a tenderloin sandwich go by, I regretted my decision. I'm not anti buffet, but I hate mass produced food of mediocre quality. That is what this buffet was. Sliced ham, ribs, broasted chicken, roast beef and fried shrimp. The chicken was good but the other meats had a lot of sodium in them. The mashed potatoes came from a box and were very thin. This did pair nicely with the gravy that was so thin it slid right off the potatoes and made a pool of brown on my plate. Off course the store bought soft buns help to slop that up later. The salad bar portion of the buffet was typical of 1970. Pickled beets (I'm not going to lie. I love them, but seriously everyone else at my table was like "ewww!"), liver pate, creamy salads galore and iceberg lettuce with three dressing choices! I don't know what is normally on the dessert table, but today was like being the last one through at a Methodist funeral. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and yellow cake with fluffy frosting and a tablespoon of strawberries. Where is that famous pie I was hearing about? Bread pudding would have been tasty too. Cake? Meh. Service was ok, nothing to write home about since we did have four plates stacked in the middle of our tiny table for a while. Drink refills brought once. Owner (older guy?) very friendly as we stood in line and as we paid. So, if you are over 70 years old and want that flavor of yesterday, here is the place for you. If it's not your cup of tea, check out that tenderloin. read more

First time here. Good food. Great friendly staff. Gorgeous view.

Fret not, Breitbach fans. FYI: Breitbachs will be rebuilding yet again. They are hoping to reopen June 1st, 2009. read more

If you're into pork tenderloin sandwiches...this is the place for you. Stopped by while out on the bike, the views of the Mississippi River in this area are amazing. Anyway, back to the tenderloin...deep-fried goodness in a batter that is very light and crispy...the best ever! Burgers delicious, too; the place is a landmark...you gotta go if you're anywhere near the area...simple as that. read more

Now don't get me wrong, I have ALWAYS been a fan of Breitbach's for as long as I can remember and have always spoken highly of them. I have to say, we ate here a few months ago after going on a trip with the family in Iowa to the Apple Orchards, and wow, we were displeased. It took us over 15 minutes to get recognized at the door, (and it didn't look that busy to me.), then it took us another 30 minutes to be recognized at our table by our waitress. Our waitress neglected us the whole meal, we didn't even order food from her, we just went to the buffet. The buffet was ok, but wasn't the normal Breithbach's I remember. This one had just filler junk, that was luke-warm at best. I will be back I am sure, but I was super disappointed. read more

This is a beautiful restaurant, and far bigger inside than I thought as we pulled up. Its perched on a bluff in a very small town.. and I believe I heard about this when reading an article about driving trips in the fall. When we found ourselves here at 5pm we thought we just had to try it. Walking in the first thing that struck me was it feels very warm and inviting. Beautiful woodwor and antiques - and very clean! Staff was friendly and seated us right away. There was quite a list of sandwiches on the menu but I wasn't in the mood for that. I opted for the buffet... it seemed like it had simple basics that looked good. Warning though: it was basically all friend food. The fried chicken caught my eye & it was good! They also had fried cod and shrimp, corn & potatoes (not sure if they were real or not, but they were decent). There is also a salad bar that comes with the buffet and also your regular entrees. Its ok. More what I would consider old-school salad bar with very basics for a green salad, and a lot of cream type salads. Did try the pie - Im a true believer that you always have to partake in pie at places like this. I had to choose something that could stand a warm car for a bit since I took it to go... so I went with walnut (its basically pecan, change the nuts). It was good..I enjoyed the crust quiet a bit!. Overall I just loved the atmosphere here... and the food was pretty decent. If we went back, i'd probably just get the fried chicken entree rather than buffet since I didn't enjoy a lot of the other items enough to justify buffet eating. read more

Midwest living wrote a article in 2010. Finally got here on my wife's bucket list. Had a great buffet. Yes we will comeback very good pie home made read more

See all

Didn't eat but stopped for a cocktail. Mike was so friendly and made you feel like you'd known him for a long time. Reasonable prices and we will stop again! read more

One of the best places ever to eat at!! Hospitality is wonderful!! Family owned business and they are absolutely amazing people!! And on top of all of that the food is just simply amazing!! It's a place you want to put on your dining list to eat it!!!!So thank you Breitbach's for the amazing hospitality and wonderful food!!!!! Look forward to coming back, Steve and Julie Taplin. read more

Cozy, clean, warm, welcoming atmosphere. Food at the Buffet was fresh and flavorful. Good homestyle cooking.

A pleasant experience, for sure. Our group of 4 stopped in on a Wednesday evening and all enjoyed the buffet. Even though they weren't very busy, everything was fresh, at proper serving temperature, and the buffet area was nicely kept and clean. Our host, and waiter (the owner's son), did a great job of keeping our used dishes bussed and our glasses full of beverages. I can't say that anything was particularly amazing, but it was certainly a good meal and we all enjoyed ourselves. While the restaurant is a little bit off the commonly traveled path, the scenery along the drive there is about as picturesque as you can find anywhere in the Midwest, and the food is just a nice cap to it all. Certainly recommended. read more

We are from out of state and this is always a MUST! The staff is amazing and the food always is presented beautifully; it's hot and always delicious! No one does chicken like them. I highly recommend the buffet. Best home cooked food anywhere! Worth the drive with beautiful views up there and a beautiful overlook not far from the restaurant. read more

See all

Nice drive from Peoria, il to Iowa! Breitbach's is a family friendly restaurant, in the middle of nowhere but couldn't beat the atmosphere. Everyone was friendly, seated quickly, waited on quickly, buffet was good, had meats from roasted pork, broasted chicken, ham, and shrimp. Lots of various salads which were all good, only downfall were the mashed potatoes weren't real, other than that worth the beautiful drive! We will be back! read more

We both had the Saturday night buffet. Broasted chicken, cod, ribs and popcorn shrimp. The chicken and fish have a really nice light batter. read more

We ate there last night for the 1st time, it was SO worth the nearly 2 hour drive. The service was top notch and the food was divine. My husband had the jumbo shrimp and they were huge & cooked to perfection. His hashbrowns were a mountain of potatoes. I had the German buffet, the schnitzel was so good, salads were fresh, vegetable soup was best I've ever tasted. We'll definitely take a day trip this fall when the leaves are in color. Looking forward to next time............Thank You! read more

Stopped in on the bikes for a couple of beers. It was a very nice place with neat history. Very good service.

Comfort food at its finest!! The best mashed potatoes and gravy. The best part about our experience here, however, was the warm and welcoming service. I feel truly blessed to meet such amazing, Christ-like, people like Mike the manager and the rest of the staff. read more

We were at Breitbach's this evening, stood in line from 6:55 until 7:35, then had the buffet. The buffet menu was listed on the board but changed apparently after we went by it. The food was fairly good, the exception being that the fish was very good, salads were good but could have a bit more variety. Several in our party were upset that the barbecue ribs were missing, they must have run out but no one told us as we waited in line or at the table. Also, desserts were no longer available but no word from the waitress. With the long wait in line, shortage of foods on the menu and $15.95 per person and no adjustment to the price with the shortened buffet menu, it will be quite some time before we return. read more

We have been coming here since the original building was standing. It is not gourmet but if you want the best comfort food around, here it is! It's like going to Mom's for dinner. The soups rate as the best ever. The chicken is incredible. Anytime we find ourselves in this area, we eat here! read more

First time and last time there. Stopped by on a Sunday for the breakfast buffet. $11.75 what a ripoff! Bacon you can read a newspaper through. Biscuits as hard as a rock! Scrambled eggs that looked like they were powdered. Plus there just wasn't much on the buffet, not to justify $11.75! read more

I don't know why the original poster would give less than five stars. This place has been in the family for four generations. It was featured on the food channel on several shows. I had the best cherry pie of my life here, along with a rock solid all you can eat buffet of some of the best fried chicken I've ever had. If you are in the area, make an effort to check this place out. It's a piece of Americana, a gentle and sweet reminder of a simpler time. ....and I did I mention that the buffet was only $14.99?? This place is a steal. UPDATE 12/30, as poster below mentioned, the place burned to the ground. boo hoo. :( read more

I have lived in Dubuque for years but have never gone here. I ordered broasted chicken and mashed potatoes. The chicken had good flavor but the breast was small and very, very dry. The mashed potatoes were watery and certainly tasked like they were instant. That's just not "home cooking" if you ask me, and that is what they advertise. The only thing that got this place 2 stars from me was a decent salad bar. read more

We stopped here on the way home to Chicago hoping to get an authentic country experience. We found the buffet pretty pedestrian, with lots of fried food (fried chicken tenders, fried shrimp, fried bone-in fish, hush puppies) and salads that seemed premade, processed and canned. They were out of dessert, so we didn't get to experience the great desserts. The owner and family were around and very friendly. About 100 yards down the road is a don't-miss breathtaking view of the Mississippi River Valley complete with coin-operated telescope. read more

Get the pork tenderloin sandwich! Onion rings were great. Steaks were cooked as asked. Watch out with the add on mushrooms, we suspected they were canned. Also, we weren't thrilled that the gravy tasted so much like beef bullion. The salad bar was very minimal, and not a great side dish for the entrees. read more