ID is a CR classic. As an eastern Iowa native who moved away, I have nostalgia for the cozy pub vibes and sharing an order of cheese wontons with friends. Some times nostalgia is great, but sometimes things need to be updated, like the carpet at this restaurant. I recently came back to be a little disappointed at how dingy it was. Our server was attentive and food was delicious as ever so we will come back, as usual the next time I'm in town. read more

See all

As a long time -- and continuing -- fan of the I.D., I want diners to be aware of what they will be getting if they order Fish and Chips, which I have done now a few times. It's heavily battered and not so much fish. My most recent order was 90% batter and 10% fish. I don't know where they find such tiny pieces of fish. The batter, though tasty, was crusty and hard -- hard enough that a compromised tooth I had is now looser. I could not bite through the batter. Find another place to enjoy Fish and Chips. read more

My niece practically dragged me here, and I am glad she did! She kept raving about the wontons and the honey mustard, and she was not wrong in how delicious they both are. We split one order and then ordered another to bring home with us. The menu has a lot of standard pub food but is extensive enough for everyone to find something they can enjoy. read more

Happy hour is wonderful- 1/2 price including martinis Not a fan of food but great place to have a few. read more

A classic in CR! The vibe is moody Irish pub with the friendliest staff! Two words- cheese wontons.

Food and service was very good. RESTAURANT is dated and needs some TLC. Furniture is worn and carpet needs to Be replaced etc.

Service is terrible tried to give me my food in a Styrofoam container and told me they didn't want me in there!?!! All I did was ask what's in the food. Never go there again ever read more

Love going to the Irish Democrat! I came here for a lunch with my mom and the service was great! (As usual) Food came out fast and hot. Highly recommend the Irish potatoes and cheese wantons! They also have amazing sandwiches, I've never had food here I didn't like. read more

Irish Democrat - Irish Potato's - Pubs Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Best honey mustard in NE Iowa, and Melissa is an amazing server. Quickly becoming our go-to spot on Thursday nights!

I have to say, this may be an unassuming place to some from the outside, but it is a real gem! The staff was amazing! Michelle was the bartender and she was fabulous! We had a couple drinks and their cheese wontons with a homemade honey mustard sauce that had the perfect creaminess, flavor, and consistency. It was some of the best I've had in awhile! If you want to go to a great local place with good food and great service, look no further! read more

Haven't been here in years, but a group of friends decided to try it for dinner. The place was packed on a Saturday night so service was slow, but our waitress was friendly and helpful despite being slammed. I had the ribs which were OK, but nothing special. Kind of on the meh side. The garlic otoatoes were better after I asked fir butter. They were dry and nothing special. The cocktails were good, but nothing special. I will note that a friend had a sandwich and it looked much better than what I had. Might go back, but I'd skip the ribs. read more

Irish Democrat - Trying the ribs - Pubs Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

This place has been on my radar for some time. I just thought it was "ok". We started with the cheese wontons and they really didn't have much flavor. My husband and I shared the tenderloin and onion rings. Again, it was just ok. My daughters had chicken strips and fries and a friend had a burger and fries. Nothing to write home about, but the service was good. read more

See all

Food is always amazing! Love the nachos and cheese wontons! Great atmosphere! It's my favorite bar/ restaurant in Cedar Rapids!

Went to this establishment for the first time tonight and we will definitely be back!. Reagan was the best server! Service was prompt and the steak we had was cooked perfectly. The happy hour prices for drinks can't be beat. read more

I placed a take out order to be picked up at a specific time. I was told it would be no problem and the order would be ready. When I got to ID I had to wait 15 min as the oven could only handle two pizzas and not three that I ordered. I mentioned I wish whoever took my order over the phone would have told me that, to which I was ignored. No apology, just handed me my order. What made matters worse is the food was not good at all-will not be going back! read more

I just love this authentic Irish pub. Irish Democrat is my favorite place to eat in the area. They have amazing, delicious food and the best Irish coffees in town. The staff is always very friendly, kind, and helpful. In addition, the atmosphere is very serene and calm with their nicely dimly lit interior with great pictures, paintings, portraits, etc... decorating their walls. I always order their Strawberry Poppyseed Salad and add to it: cucumbers, feta, and bacon, along with the normal dressing that comes on it but I add a side of ranch as well. It is very much so one of the best salads I have ever had! Pair that salad with a delicious Irish coffee and you have a mouthwatering, wonderful lunch or dinner. My daughter loves their Democrat house burger which has on it: sauteed green peppers, onion, and mushrooms with provolone cheese. Really, the whole menu has something for everyone and they are very good about making additions or subtractions to their variety of delicious meals. I definitely recommend this place for everyone! A definite must try! read more

See all

First time here, let me start with I got here about 5:45 and got parking out front on the street. I walked in and was lucky enough to get a seat at the bar, which is what I was looking for. The bartenders was slammed but got my order in and was happy with everything. Great app ... Irish cheese fries and was so happy with them I ordered ribs and wing ( which was recommended)... The ribs was so tender and the sauce was so s as damn good!!! The wings with sweet chili sauce was on point !! read more

I want to update my last review...GREAT service! Team seemed to work well together and were happy that we were there! Only suggestion is more vegetarian and vegan options other than salads. Maybe a cauliflower dish or impossible burger or bean burger.... I asked our waitress about having the oriental salad made into a wrap with no chicken and she was happy to give it a try! read more

I always love coming here with friends and coworkers especially for happy hour. 1/2 price drinks! My favorite apps are the cheese wontons with honey mustard (you've never had a honey mustard this good!) and the bacon cheese fries w ranch. Their ranch is bomb. The food is consistent and delicious. Get the Aussie burger - bacon cheese burger with a fried egg and peanut butter. Don't knock it until you try it! My friend has worked here for a long time and chooses to eat here on a regular basis. I don't think you can say more about a restaurant if the employees choose to eat here and bring friends and family even when they aren't working. The vibe is cool and it has the feeling of everyone's having a good time! read more

See all

Unfortunately, my experience at the Irish Democrat was just okay. I found it to be a bar with some nice people, but nothing really stood out to me. I had the cheese wontons and blue cheese burger, and they were just okay. If I go back, I'd be happy to try something else that might have more flavor. This might be a good spot to have a beer and hang out, but I might go someplace else for more tasty food. read more

I don't really know what to write. It's not like you come here for the food. It's a pub which serves food. Unfortunately, the food isn't very good, the kitchen isnt very fast and the service is hit or miss. If you come, get a beer and the cheese wontons. That will be a 5 star experience. If you get anything else, lower your expectations. We had three people in our group. Two of us were half way done with our food before the third person even got there's. The two people who got their food, got cold food. So...I don't know who had the better experience of the three of us. I mean, the third person got a salad, so that's supposed to be cold. You will never find yourself saying, "Hey, let's get dinner at the Irish Democrat!" Odds are you will end of saying something like, "Well, I can't think of anywhere else to go and the cheese wontons are good. We can just get something after." read more

The food here is phenomenal! I tried a bite of all my guests food and everything was top notch! I had the AHI salad and it was sooo hearty and delicious. The portion was perfect, more than I thought it would be. Despite being busy for the holidays the service was VERY friendly and TIMELY!! It's my new fave when I visit Iowa!!!! read more

Been coming to this place for years when living in the area. Always try and make a visit when in the area. The food is reasonably priced and good. The wings and Cuban are amazing. Fun atmosphere. They have a bar side and restaurant side. Staff are friendly. read more

Good bar, usually a handful of specialty drinks that are worth trying. Menu is always good, and you can count on good service.

We were in Cedar Rapids for our granddaughter's volleyball tournament and went there with our daughter and son -in-law. My Reuben was delicious and everyone enjoyed their meal. read more

This place definitely has a old Irish pub feel. If you live in Cedar Rapids you know they have the best cheese wontons in town. But I heard from a few people to get their salads. Being a salad fan I am I hopped in My car and went over. I got the strawberry poppyseed salad and it was fresh and crisp I also highly recommend this place if you are dying for a salad. read more

Good atmosphere and friendly service. The fish and chips I highly recommend. Definitely will go back

A great bar, cool decor and an amazing collection of political memorabilia. Had a pint of Guinness which was properly poured and delicious. The food looked good but I didn't experience it. Friendly and great staff, a welcoming fun place! read more

Love this place They always seem to have a pool table open for us! They have 2 tables. Plenty of parking in both front and back. Great bar food with some traditional Irish foods. And good cold drinks. read more

Recently just started to go back to restaurants for meals. Have gone twice now to Irish Democrat, both times, service was great and food was hot and delicious. Highly recommend this place. read more

Over the years, I have gone into the Irish Democrat for lunch, dinner, drinks and parties. My wife and I also had our first date here, so we planned to have dinner there on our anniversary. The staff were amazing, provid us the table we sat at and a flower on the table. The waitress was super nice and food was good, adding to our evening. Thank you ID!!! read more

We just had dinner at this terrific place; apparently closed in front by street construction but accessible in back via alley. A lot of local people obviously know but we had to call. The ambiance is comfortable, clean, Irish decor atmosphere, baseball game on silent screen. The food was very good: Irish stew, balsamic salmon, red wine, coffee - all way above the usual pub standard. Our server was very helpful and professional. Wish we lived here to come back often. read more

Fantastic experience today. Waitress was very friendly and made sure to have our drinks always full. As for my sautéed grilled cheese....OMG. It tasty soooo good and buttery. Been too long since the last time I was here but it won't be that long before I go back. read more

So let's start with the happy hour! 3-6pm Monday through Friday 2 for 1's! Applies to all drinks except shots. The atmosphere is cozy and dark. It is more of a restaurant setting than a bar. The menu has a lot of bar food but also has ribs, steak and fish. Reasonably priced. The nachos were good! Next time I will try the ribs they smelled delicious! read more

Irish Democrat - The Nachos are huge and taste great! - Pubs Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

See all

Arrived at 5pm for Beef stew, 45 minutes later waitress comes back and say they don't have any? When I asked what took so long answer was, short staffed. I asked for manager and they sent over a teenager who overed to pay for our wine but couldn't tell us how long it would take to get our food if we reordered. Paid for my when and left. read more

If you want something cheese filled or cheese covered, this may be the place for you. Fried cheese wontons with honey mustard dipping sauce are tasty, so are the cheese fries. Aside from these menu items, that's where my admiration for this place stops. Beer selection is embarrassing and the mixed drinks are 'meh.' Décor is Applebee's-esque, not much to rave about there. Service IMO is hit and miss. You're better off trying one of the new up and coming bars in downtown CR...the 'ID' really needs a facelift. read more

Your average small town Irish pub that it seems like everyone in the area gravitates towards. I was told the chicken tenders were the best ever and while I can't say they were the best I've ever had they were uniquely good (Disclaimer I hadn't ordered chicken tenders from a restaurant in at least 5 years). The Democrat serves crinkle cut fries and a variety of other menu options. The restaurant really needs a makeover. It feels like you're in a ski lodge with all of the wood paneling and carpet in a restaurant is just strange. Those are the features that give it that homey feel though. I guess you can't have the best of both worlds, but if you're in Cedar Rapids and want to visit a busy restaurant The Irish Democrat is the place for you. read more

Irish Democrat - Tenders & Fries - Pubs Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

This is a Cedar Rapids gem! The Mules on the menu are great and overall great drink selection.

I'm pretty shocked this place only has 3.5 stars. Fortunately all of my visits here have resulted in friendly service, a fun atmosphere and delicious, fast-to-the-table food. Try the wontons - you won't regret it! My husband is hard to please with burgers. He's very picky and knows his ground beef, but he loved the Democrat burger here. I always go with the ID Special and it's never a disappointment. Service is prompt, friendly, and there's plenty of seating and very little wait time. They have great local beers on tap, too, so don't forget to check the board! Good parking out back, great ambiance in the restaurant. I dig it. It's one of my favorite cozy local spots for a good meal at a fair price. read more

Great place for a laidback meal and cocktail. Other than the cheese wontons, nothing will blow you away. Food is better than bar food, and what takes me from 3 stars to 4 is the atmosphere. ID is a go to spot when it comes to an after dinner cocktail with friends. It's never dead, and it's never packed, fun enough that it feels like a bar, but quiet enough to hold a conversation. They have enough TVs to watch a game, but aren't a sports bar. I don't know anyone who doesn't like it. read more