All I can say is WOW!! I stopped in with my son for a nightcap and ended up enjoying one of my best meals in Iowa city. We sat at the bar and ordered two Long Island iced teas. Not an easy drink to pour for many bartenders, but these were PERFECT! We were glancing at the menu and I decided to order their PIZZAIOLA - ribeye cap, roasted tomatoes, roasted garlic, olive tapenade, fresh mozzarella, oregano, house made focaccia. After ordering, my son and I chuckled that I ordered a steak pizza. And I started to stress - a $50 pizza??? When the dish arrived, I almost fell out of my chair. The aroma of the tomatoes, the bread the steak - wow!!! A picture paints a thousand words but one bite generated millions! I will be back for graduation soon and will be sure to make my reservations well in advance!!! Been to most places in this town the past couple years - stumbling into here was the best decision ever!!! read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Steak Pizza - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Very enjoyable evening! Our server was attentive and informative! The dirty martini and old fashioned were both excellent! I ordered the scallops and they were delicious. Great location! Prices are a little high but the food is very good and a solid choice if you want an upscale dining right downtown Iowa City! Make reservations. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

All I have to say is for the prices being charged, you'd think the whipped potatoes would be piping hot, not just warm. You'd never get that at Keens or Peter Lugers. You can do much better !!!! read more

Great service, friendly staff and a solid menu. Old school Midwest steakhouse in downtown Iowa City. Good place for a nice dinner.

I was searching yelp for a new restaurant for my boyfriends birthday and that is how we ended up at Joseph's. It sounded good enough to make the 1.5 hour drive and we were absolutely not disappointed whatsoever!! The restaurant itself is beautiful. You can tell they prioritize making guests feel like their meal is a special experience from the moment they walk in the door. Syd was our server and she was outstanding! If Joseph's management is reading this, please know that she is an excellent representation of your restaurant and very lucky to have her on your staff! She was so nice and gives a really great explanation of the menu and gives some great suggestions while doing so. She was really on top of everything and just made us feel very well taken care of. The food...ohhhh my goodness. Sooooo good!!! We can't wait to go back because there were so many great sounding menu items that we wanted to try. They had the prime rib as a special and my boyfriend loved it. It was a really good quality prime rib and a great cut too. Not overly fatty and cooked perfectly. We had the pork belly appetizer which was delicious. I had the ribeye filet which was also cooked perfectly, was super tender and so flavorful. The mashed potatoes were the best I've ever had. They brought out ice cream for my boyfriend's birthday which was a sweet touch. While the dinner was pricey overall, it was exactly what i would expect to pay for the experience and the food was absolutely worth it. read more

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In town for the weekend and decided on a steak and martini. Dirty martini with bleu cheese olives. The olives were awesome and had a slight hint of lemon. I'd go back just for them. Steak was incredible - a great cut of meat and well cooked. Side of mushrooms - very nicely sautéed. Had to try the loaded hash browns and they are a must order. With a bill that was less than $100 it can't be beat. read more

My wife and I were in town for the holidays and went to Joseph's for a rare date night without the kiddo. Had a reservation but opted for bar seating, the drinks were perfect and service was exactly what you'd want from a nice steakhouse: attentive but not overbearing. Started with the tuna tartare, which was somewhat deconstructed tower concept. I didn't care that the salt was in a pile to be added, would have preferred the tuna to be seasoned by the chef but my wife loved building each bite. I had the wagyu sirloin a la oscar, with whipped potatoes and asparagus. My better half had the petit filet with broccoli. Both were cooked exactly the way we requested, tender and full of flavor. Finished with the oatmeal pie for her desert while I closed out with a pour of grappa. Best way to end a lovely evening. Cheers team and happy holidays! read more

We've always trusted Joseph's for a solid, elevated experience, so we brought our visiting family here on their last night in town--really hoping to make it a memorable send-off. Sadly, it just didn't deliver this time. The positives: our server was lovely, the wine was fantastic, and the onion rings were crisp and flavorful--easily the best bite of the night. But the rest felt off. The steak was overcooked, the other dishes were just okay, and no one offered us a dessert menu. Most of the staff had already left or were visibly wrapping up for the night, which made everything feel rushed and a little deflating. It was especially disappointing since our family had flown out just to spend time with us and we really wanted to share something special. We've had better experiences here before, so I'm hoping this was just a one-off. The ambiance was nice and intimate as usual. I usually would give them a 5 stars but today was really a 3 star experience. read more

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I usually eat here at least once every trip into Iowa City and the last three or four times, the food is just bad. The service is always top notch; wait staff is always well prepared and friendly. The ambiance is also quite nice. But the food.... It's getting really bad. Tonight was likely my last trip into this establishment. The Sea Bass was clearly frozen for way too long because it was inedible. Not flaky and light; like a piece of steak grizzle. And the wagyu ribeye my son had was underwhelming to put it in a good light. The steak was served basically raw but he ordered medium rare. The wagyu must've fallen off the plate because that steak was more Choice than a delicacy. All in all, a complete waste of money. Won't be going back. read more

I love the food it is very delicious. You can tell it's house made. I would eat here again. The meat is probably one of the best I have ever had very tender and juicy. The service is amazing. The waitress is very easy to talk to and very friendly she is also very good at suggesting food and drinks. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - RIBEYE FILET & FETTUCCINE - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

My fiance and I went back to Joseph's to celebrate one year until our wedding. I tried the ribeye cap and fettuccine which is a great balance for those that don't want to miss out on the great steak at Joseph's but don't want a full steak meal. Our waiter was phenomenal. If Kadir is your waiter, you are in for a great evening! Best service I've experienced! Friendly and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. He told us about a few lesser known options at Joseph's including that you can add a crust to your steak, including blue cheese or garlic butter (there were others so definitely ask your waiter). read more

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Had a family dinner at Joseph's last night to celebrate my sons first game with the Iowa marching band. The atmosphere is nice upscale steak place and gets perfect marks from me. We had really good service, the waitress was very attentive and cared about us finding the right food. I had a prime ribeye which came out at the right temperature the first time (which isn't always the case for me) and was very tasty. Matching the energy of the steak were the perfectly creamy whipped mashed potatoes. My family had a filet, fettuccine, and the burger. Everyone was very happy with their meals. However what might have been the best part of the dinner was the onion rings as an appetizer. They are one of the best if not the best onion rings I've ever had. The super think ranch that they came with perfectly accented the golden fried batter. We'll be back for sure. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - The best dang onion rings ever eaten - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Went here for dinner Saturday night and it has gotten very pricey. Iowa Chop House is just as good for much less money. Service was very good as always. read more

I used to love this place and go all the time. Sadly, that has changed. I believe that ownership changed a few years ago, and ever since, quality has plummeted. As an example, you will pay market price for a standard NY strip or ribeye cut (which is outrageous - not even NYC or Chicago do MP) that will come out looking grey with no crust. Also, they don't season their steaks...at least season your steak please. They also have odd policies such as not letting you sub sides so you have to pay for an additional side (not a big deal, but is a bit weird). I will give credit where credit is due... they have great drinks and the best onion rings you will ever have.... ...but, save yourself and stay away and go somewhere else. Drive to Chicago for a proper steak. read more

went here on a Friday night before game weekend, to grab dinner. This was a great spot! Drinks were so good, I got the elderflower martini, and I don't always do martinis but I loved this one. For dinner we kept it simple and got fried calamari as an appetizer and salads with fries for our entrees. The staff was very friendly, and service was great. The vibe of the place is definitely more upscale and one of the more expensive spots in the downtown area but the food is good! I'm not a huge fan of onion rings personally, but they're kinda infamous for their giant onion ring appetizer. Definitely make a reservation ahead of time, it looked like there was an outside bar/seating area too for warmer days, and a bar inside if you get there early for your reservation and want to grab a drink, or prefer to eat with the tv visible as they did have a bunch of games on. read more

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Disclaimer that I am from chicago and now live in Dallas, so maybe my expectations are high. The menu here is diverse but the end product is super sub par. Mostly too salty or greasy. We even gave feedback that the food was salty or over cooked and we did not eat it... they did not take it off the tab. Which, when a place is this expensive, there are expectations to be met. Overall - guess it's a nice place to take your college kid for a nice meal but if your a grown adult I wouldn't go here and expect to get your money worth. read more

We had a group of 10 and received excellent service! The food was prepared very well and had excellent flavor. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Petite Filet Mignon Oscar Style - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Amazing. We did not have a reservation and were dressed a bit 'down'. The staff was lovely and found us a table. They chose a good Sauvignon blanc for me I had the filet mignon, bleu cheese crusted. It was possibly the best steak I have ever had. My husband felt the same about his Ribeye.. Our server was Noah. He was terrific! He also told us about some other attractions in town. I am on a travel assignment here in Iowa City, and don't know a lot about the area. I had the Creme Brûlée for dessert, which Noah Bruleed perfectly. It was delicious, with just the right amount of formerly molten sugar crunch. My husband loved the cheesecake, and said it really didn't need the berries. The ambiance was lively but elegant. I will absolutely return. read more

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Overall service was decent, and I'm certain the kitchen team was trying their hardest--it was quite hectic when I grabbed my order. But for a rare steak that cost over $60, I'm fairly let down. read more

Wonderful restaurant! Arrived early to have a cocktail before dinner. Sat at the bar. The staff were great, friendly and very informative.. and made good drink recommendations. Family members arrived, table for 5 and off we go to meet Noah our server. Such a nice guy. You can tell that he has enjoyed all of the food he recommends and serves as he describes it with passion... The appetizers were wonderful - the onion rings were as good as Noah described. Salad, Steak, scallops and Mac and cheese were served up and wonderfully prepared but somehow we still had room for dessert, chocolate cake with berries and ice cream and bread pudding- yum! The meal, ambience and service were all wonderful... and we anticipate returning soon! read more

We arrived with a reservation, three colleagues. I loved the ambiance. The service was wonderful! I ordered the salmon and I had a hankering for mashed potatoes, so I had to get those too. The salmon had a citrus flavor and was so good. It was supposed to be served with squash, but it was mostly carrots (photo included). The potatoes, you ask? Top notch. Next time I'm getting a steak and those Boursin potatoes. I am in the area for work for several weeks, so this one will be on my list to frequent again! read more

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Delicious! Everything came out perfect! Very intimate setting with tables surrounded by their own curtain to allow for privacy. The borsin cheese mashed potatoes are to die for. We had a party of 8 and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meals. Their cocktails are excellent as well! read more

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The ambiance is intimate and classy. The food is typically well put together and tastes great.

Celebrated a friends Birthday here last night and it was phenomenal. We started with the jumbo shrimp and I had the scallops. Others at our table had a steak and a pasta dish. Food was delicious and service was great. I really felt like we had an "experience" here. read more

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I love it the elegance, delicious food definitely high end my taste. I recommend others to eat here with friends, family, colleagues, business partners and more. read more

Let me start with the good. As a business traveler I'm frequently dining alone. As such I'll usually sit at the bar. The bar tender here on this night was named Noah. Great server. Knowledgeable about his menu and drink offerings. Never left me hanging. Now what I didn't like. Steaks at market price in Iowa? Come on??? The cattle are probably from here and you can't keep costs regulated?? Then they have the audacity to charge $67 for a NY?? I recently ate at the Capital Grille in MPLS and that cut goes for 50ish in the big city. Slightly outrageous. No age statement or anything to justify its price. Next, the burger. Since I was on a per diem, the $67 steak was not an option. So, I went with the burger. It just wasn't my style. It was big and fat, like 6" unhinge your jaw fat. I'm not into that. I like smash patty's. The bun couldn't hold up to it either. Not really their fault but again with the price of $22!?!?! The fries were meh too. Lastly, I sat at the bar in plain view of the beer taps. Everything was Reunion Brewery. I asked my guy Noah if they were hosting a tap takeover or something. "No, our owner owns this brewery up the street too". Well that's convenient. Unless you want beer. Some mediocre tasting product at best and no backup offerings. For this much money I deserve better. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Burger - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

I have gone to eat here once, didnt dislike the food, but havent been tempted to visit again. Great ambiance, classy, waiters are kind.

We just celebrated my husbands birthday dinner tonight, we had the BEST service EVER his name was Peter, very friendly, knowledgeable, outstanding. The food was so amazing too . We'll be back and I would highly recommend this amazing restaurant. Thank you Peter read more

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We dined at Joseph's on NYE. Our waiter was Noah. He was excellent! He was pleasant, knowledgeable and friendly. Our food was amazing. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. The ambiance is incredible. We will definitely be back! read more

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We made reservations 4 months in advance as we were coming to Iowa for the Wisconsin football game. Friday night before the Saturday night game, the restaurant was packed. Glad we had reservations. We showed up early hoping to have a drink in the bar as they have great craft cocktails. Bad idea. Who would have thought that an upscale steakhouse would have forsaken their bar business by serving dinner at the bar. Very disappointing and led to slow drink service during our meal. The good news is that our table was ready. We were promptly seated and a drink order was taken. There was some mix up with the waiters over whose table we were. They were both named Noah which was pretty funny. Drinks took 15 minutes from time of ordering. Not Noah's fault. He checked In twice with updates. I put it on the bar staff that should have been mixing cocktails instead of delivering dinners. They missed out on a second drink order from us. They were short staffed but our waiter, the older Noah, did an excellent job and was very attentive. Dinners include soup or salad -- potato or vegetables are an additional charge. I ordered French onion soup and New York strip with a crab cake. The steak was perfect -- rare and flavorful. The soup was very beefy with rye bread and gooey cheese. The crab cake, however, was unexciting. My husband ordered the prime rib and seafood bisque. The rare prime rib was a home run. One of the best we've had. The seafood bisque was merely average. The loaded hash browns we shared were very good with onion and cheese in the mix. We both ordered old fashions (we're from Wisconsin so it's almost required). Mine was brandy and excellent as was my husbands whisky (we were taste-testing the two and it came up a tie). This up is a popular, reasonably priced steakhouse that I highly recommend. The only downside is the noise level. It has high ceilings with no sound proofing so you need to shout to be heard on a busy night. If you go, ask for Noah, not the young one and not the bartender. He'll take good care of you. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Joseph's has become a tradition especially on game days in Iowa City. I had the 16 Oz New York Strip medium with the hash browns an asparagus. The steak was perfect as usual! A wonderful cut of meat. Everything was perfect and the service was outstanding. The best part is Joseph's will not break the bank - a great steakhouse they have definetly figured it out! read more

Fantastic steaks and we had a wonderful waitress tending to us. Not inexpensive but really great.

Saturday night football game.MSU vs Iowa halled butt to Joseph's for dinner after the game.What the hell we had 10 people.Why can't you stay open after a home football game? Crazy! read more

The calamari by far was my favorite! The filet was super soft and tender! The mash potatoes were very buttery and I loved the presentation. Khadir, our server, was super helpful, very sweet, and provided excellent service! Definitely would recommend for a date night or celebration! read more

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I've been here a few times. But I don't feel I can review Joseph's for dinner service quite yet. The verdict isn't out. This review is solely for appetizers and drinks at the bar. I will say. They have a unique vibe for downtown Iowa City. It is so, so dark when you come inside. Mood lighting on fleek. It does feel like a big city establishment living in a smaller college town. But with that said, it is missing something that those high-spending eateries have. Staff was... helpful? But not overly friendly, all in their nicely ironed button down shirts. The cocktails were well done, flavorful but not too strong. And the tuna tartare we ordered was well prepared, but we kind of wished they'd taken a stance on how it was seasoned. Instead of giving us the pepper, salt, garlic, onion, etc to add as we desired. A positive, parking-wise, is a ramp lives across the street. So no need to worry about finding street parking or feeding the meter. I never noticed valet which I feel like is always available at steakhouses or fine dining establishments. Expect to spend $$$. And see regulars that the staff knows by name. It is quite popular with its niche crowd and that's rad. Order a house cocktail during happy hour, served daily 5-6pm. (They're half priced.) Check them out. They're one of a kind, for sure. I'm just not sure they're worth their price tag quite yet. read more

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What can one say about a top end restaurant that won't sound pretentious or not picky? Be prepared to drop $150 for a dinner for two, before tip...but also be prepared for it to be worth every penny. The 8oz filet was tender and cooked to perfection, while the brussel sprouts with bacon complimented it nicely. If you are looking for a high end place to have a quiet special dinner, this is it. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - 8oz filet cooked to perfection - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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Nice place for a date. It's pretty dark atmosphere and wasn't too busy. Had the filet, mashed potatoes and asparagus. It was cooked to my liking. Plan to spend $$$ few bucks when you go. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Fillet - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Amazing food and service. Our waitress was incredibly knowledgable and went above and beyond to give a unique experience. The food was delicious from start to finish and it was a surprising but delightful dining experience in Iowa. read more

Joseph's Steakhouse - Crème brûlée - Steakhouses Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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My experience here was wonderful, from the service to the food. I was in a private room for a large group and liked the dark, intimate vibe, although slightly more decor would have been nice. The service was excellent; they were very attentive but never disruptive and I loved everything I had to eat and would order it all again! The appetizers had huge portions. The calamari was everything I hope for (sometimes its rubbery or not crispy; thankfully this wasn't one of those times) and I didn't know it was possible to make onion rings gourmet until now! The onion rings had a thick, bready layer under the crispy outside, which was unusual and made it hard to eat a lot, but still delicious. I would have loved bigger chunks of seafood in the seafood bisque, but it had an amazing flavor and acidity. The 8 oz filet mignon was perfectly juicy with an great crust, and truly didn't need any toppings. I was stuffed, but couldn't resist seeing what a $3 creme brûlée is like. It came in an adorable tiny espresso cup (I appreciated the small size after a huge meal) and I can't recommend it more. This is a great place for any special occasion. If you're willing to spend a fair amount, it is worth it! read more

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We are visiting for one night from Texas and decided to try this steakhouse....what an incredible experience it was! Being from Texas, we KNOW our steakhouses and fine dining, and we were so impressed. The food was top notch and so well prepared. However, what we enjoyed the most was our EXCELLENT server, Shannon, who made our experience completely unforgettable with her professionalism, yet warm and friendly personality. We were not just another table to her. If we could, we would adopt this fantastic young lady and whisk her away to Texas! She is a great representative of the state of Iowa! We also enjoyed meeting the manager, Rebecca, who made sure we had a splendid dinner! A great place to spend our anniversary! Highly recommend! Ask for Shannon! read more