Ever once in a while, you stumble upon one of those unassuming Main Street bistros that turn out to be serving up amazing food with a shocking bar selection. That's exactly what happened with La Rana. My cousin and his wife said that it's one of their favorites and after this chicken salad, I can see why. The ciabatta was pillowy soft and this Sriracha almond chicken salad was perfection. The salad was lightly dressed with an amazing balsamic vinaigrette, and I'm glad that I split the sandwich with someone because it would have been tough to get through both halves. My only regret is not going back there and having the chicken curry special with a glass of wine in the evening. read more

La Rana Bistro - Chicken salad - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

Not a bad dinner, but be advised that the "short rib" is not short rib, it's chuck. I don't mind spending money on a pot roast, that's acceptable, but calling it a short rib when it's not - that's just not ok. Excellent service, nice ambiance. read more

Really enjoyed our dining experience during our visit. Food, service, and just overall ambiance were excellent. We had a wonderful time.

One of my wife and my favorite restaurants of all time. The atmosphere is small and cozy, great for a date night dinner or dinner with friends. The food never disappoints and the restaurant changes occasionally but is always delicious. A favorite of locals so call for reservation. read more

Awesome food! Get dessert. Great cocktails and service. I look forward to returning! Lovely vibe. Digging the mostly female staff.

Food and drinks were fantastic. Great service. Only downside it was really hot inside and uncomfortable for 4 older women.

First visit to Decorah. Place was suggested by a woman we met earlier in the day. Did not disappoint. Service was great, and menu had a lot of options. Had a salad and two entrees. All very good! Would consider this a destination-type place much like the driftless cafe in Viroqua, WI. Different, but similar vibe and "farm to table" offerings are a treat. read more

Nice atmosphere ,with limited hours, with a great selection of both beverages and food

La Rana is a staple in Decorah. Beautiful local organic vegetables, a large variety of entrees to choose from, delicious desserts. The staff is friendly and helpful. Limited seating, but I rather have that than having people crammed in that you're bumping elbows. read more

One of the most unique menus in Northeastern Iowa. The fall menu did not disappoint. Mussels in curry broth for a starter. Tonight special Salmon with cilantro pesto, quinoa salad, green beans and roasted cherry tomatoes, amazing. The other dish, Duck confit with fettuccine, another star. The service is magnificent. The place is small, so make a reservation. Vegetarian item(s) available. read more

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Utterly superb. I cannot remember when I have had a better pasta dish - and I mean that I haven't even had a better pasta dish IN ITALY. My companions also raved about their meals. My Mama's quiche was pronounced "divine." They source everything locally and you can taste the freshness and the care in every bite. Staff are lovely. Service is welcoming. Drinks are perfectly prepared. The wine list is surprisingly excellent! The space is tiny - so please do yourself a favor and either make a reservation or arrive right when they open. We were there for lunch at a time we thought was "early," and already we could only get seats at the bar. That turned out well, because the woman behind the bar was AMAZING (and the owner) so we had a great time and learned all about the secrets of the kitchen - but if you prefer a table, reserve. read more

Loved the menu and so glad they take reservations for our small group of two couples. Dinner at 8pm worked great and we chose to start with delicious signature cocktails. Then for our entree we ordered the Greek shrimp pasta special and the Salmon with fresh asparagus. We topped the experience off with a creamy creme brulee and a tangy lemon blueberry cake. The staff were wonderfully and we'll be back! read more

Elite meal. Drink prices are very reasonable and there is good variety. Recommendations were spot on.we had the Flat iron steak and duck breast. Got a side of broccoli to go with the duck and it was really good. Good amount of seasoning and it was crunchy. Everything was cooked perfectly Duck breast. WOW. Skin was crispy while the inside was pink which to me is perfect. Risotto that came with it was solid too Will be coming here every other week if not more read more

La Rana Bistro - Duck breast. WOW. Skin was crispy while the inside was pink which to me is perfect. Risotto was solid too - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

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Nice cozy restaurant with great ambiance and friendly staff. Food was extremely good, fresh, and used locally sourced ingredients. Definitely recommend. read more

The food is always scrumptious, it's a seasonal menu I think, so I haven't gotten the same thing twice...the drinks are lovely and the service, while being on par with this small town's standard, is still in keeping with the cost (proficient and helpful). I recommend getting a reservation or at least calling ahead since it's a smaller restaurant/space/menu. read more

I love this little bistro gem. It has been my favorite for decades. It's a small place and exceptionally cozy with the mouth watering fragrances from the open kitchen wafting through the air. Their staple Tomato Basil soup is my favorite I've rarely been disappointed by one of their pasta offerings. Great place for intimate conversation and laughs. read more

Food is pretty good although the salmon is over cooked. Our server was not very polite either and couldn't deliver the orders to the correct people at all read more

We enjoyed our lunch here! It was good! One the top places to eat in the area from what I heard from many. The atmosphere is inviting. I believe they try to keep it local and the menu is smaller to keep it on point :) We would go back and try their supper if we are back in that area. read more

La Rana Bistro - Ham and cheese with Hungarian mushroom soup - the soup was sooo good! - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

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Great food, artfully crafted and served in an atmosphere of a small french bistro. I've been twice while in town and will return again.

La Rana will forever be my favorite place in Decorah. I started eating here at 15. They have the best lemonade and hummus (though the hummus disappeared from the menu in the past couple years (bring it back, please!)). Twenty years later, I can say I've never had anything but an exceptional meal here. It's a small joint, so reservations are recommended. Whatever the special is, it's always a safe bet. They also serve up the best sour dough with every meal. If you're making a trip to northeast Iowa, you have to have dinner at La Rana. read more

Fresh homemade food in a comfy cafe. Stopped here while on a road trip and glad we did! Easy parking.

Back again, for dinner this time. I choose the steak after recommendations from the bartender. It came with mashed potatoes and Brussels. The steak was cooked great, the mashed potatoes were not amazing but were decent. I substituted a side salad because well, I'm just not a Brussels person- I always feel like a jerk messing with a menu but, they accommodated very graciously & I love there house made dressings. Services is always friendly & this is always my top choice I'm in Decorah. Can't seem to go wrong, I'd strongly recommend. read more

La Rana Bistro - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

Excellent, fresh food. Good selection of wine and cocktails. Always a pleasure to eat here!

Nice vibe and excellent food! Loved our table for two in the front window. I was hesitant to order the ciopinno, being located in NE IA! We spent time in Nova Scotia this summer! How can I order seafood at a restaurant in Iowa? But I thoroughly enjoyed it! Our server was warm and attentive to our needs! We would come back! read more

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Excellent and reliable bistro serving Decorah for many years. Small menu full of local ingredients and excellent preparation. Drink and dessert menus are also tasty, and service is impeccable read more

Great food, adorable French place full of frogs. We made a special trip to Decorah to eat lunch here on our way through Iowa. So glad we did! My son absolutely loved his burger! Done perfectly with great topping combos. The quiche specials- one veggie, the other with bacon were good. Made with local organic eggs. The side salads that came with were perfectly dressed in a delicious herb vinaigrette. My daughter had the crab cakes but asked for the avocado salsa on the side. The crab cakes were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. Only thing we would change would be to have the aioli on the side. The crab cakes were on a thick bed of it that was too much. If you weren't careful making your bite it overpowered the delicate lovely crab. Would love to someday come back! read more

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Tiny but mighty! This is one of our favorite stops. The atmosphere is fantastic with great service and delicious menu options. A must visit if living in or traveling through Decorah. Choose your time of day wisely, though. It's always packed. read more

This restaurant was recommended to us, as we were in town for just the weekend. The butternut squash ravioli was very good and they had a great cocktail selection. While I enjoyed the food, I didn't find the environment particularly friendly, the staff seemed stressed out (which I understand as I worked in food service for over 10 years), but when asked for a food recommendation the server responded with 'I'm busy with other tables, I'll come back when your ready to order." If you want a quick place to come in and get out then the food really is good, but if you want a fine dining experience with staff to explain the menu and help you select an option, I wouldn't recommend this place. read more

Where is the 10 star button? I've been eating here for years & it has always been perfect. Fresh, delicious, consistent. Bottom Line: Amazing! read more

This place is great! It is super tiny and on the corner with a warm glow at night. There is quite a bit of parking available outside. They book up quickly since the space is so small - we called ahead and they were full for the evening (it was a Saturday), but we decided to swing by anyway to double check and they managed to squeeze us in! Good selection of cocktails, beer and wine. My Sidecar was very strong and well made. My fiancé tried the Debbie, which was a well-sized drink with a generous amount of St. Germaine. We ordered bread to start, which came with 2 slices per person and an olive oil / balsamic dip. Simple but delicious. My entree was the butternut squash cavatappi, which was topped with crispy bacon and had chunks of squash in it. Honestly, it was good but I've had better - kind of reminded me of macaroni and cheese with butternut squash. Still satisfying. Fiancé ordered the special - scallops and lemon linguine - this was also really good, but I wished they had seared the scallops crispy vs just cooking them through. Very romantic French place - just know that if anyone in the restaurant is loud, you will hear it. We had a raucous group of 5 women next to us who were literally screaming to each other and we could barely hear each other over dinner. Great service and ambiance, just reserve in advance! read more

This is an excellent restaurant! My husband and I were visiting from out of town for the weekend- I'm so glad we made a reservation here! Right now, this place is outdoor dining only, so make sure to wear layers. The server mentioned that they would start indoor dining in November. We ordered the salmon and steak for entrees and got the port chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was well-cooked and had good flavors. La Rana also does a brisk take-out business-- lots of people stopped by to pick up their orders while we were there. It seems to be a favorite among locals and visitors alike! I definitely recommend this place! read more

Small place, I didn't expect much but as soon as a walked inside I saw the nicely plated tables and the glossy bar. I had a beautiful seafood dish that look almost too good to eat, everything was delicious and we got good service. If you are looking for good food at a reasonable price this is it. read more

Great small town dining! The whole family works here and takes great pride in their local dishes. It was delicious!

For the last 10 years on my birthday 1-7 my fiance has been bringing me here to get mudslides for both of us and a crem brulee to share. Every year the service has been outstanding and amazing! The mudslides are incredible and the Crem Brulee is mouthwatering! The servers all treat you equally! I would most definitely rate this as a 20! read more

La Rana Bistro - 2 mudslides and crem brulee - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

Definitely our go-to place in Decorah and have never been disappointed. Love the bread with balsamic and oil for dipping. My salmon was cooked to perfection and my husband's Rock Cedar Ranch Burger was amazing. Cozy, intimate setting with gracious host and wait staff. Strongly suggest dinner reservations on Friday or Saturday nights. read more

The hubs and I stopped in to La Rana for a late lunch/early dinner. It's a cute little place and I like the way it's set up. A long bench to the right when you walk in with tables set up down its length. To the left, some tall tables and the bar, and a bit further back, the 'kitchen' where you can watch the chef do his thing! And of course I love all the frogs :) Lots of good beer on tap, but of course we had to get the local Toppling Goliath. We ordered the small tapas plate to start which was just simple bread with olive oil/balsamic to dip, some (really good) salami, and couple wedges of cheese. They had some really nice looking stuff on the menu but I was in a burger mood. Hubs ventured outside his comfort zone and ordered a creamy shrimp pasta. Both dishes were excellent! My burger was served on a ciabatta bun and was cooked perfectly. The side salad was light and fresh. The only complaint I have about my dish is that there was too much of the garlic aoili sauce and it kind of overpowered the rest of the burger. I think half as much sauce and it would have been perfect. The pasta dish was very good, but for the price ($20) I thought the plate was kind of small. Decorah won't be a frequent stop for us but I highly recommend La Rana to anyone thinking of visiting! read more

La Rana Bistro - My burger and hub's pasta. - New American Near Me - Decorah, Iowa

Food was extremely interesting, especially for smalltown Iowa. The quality and taste were above average. The focus may be on the wine, though I didn't feel ostracized for only ordering food. That said, however, I did not find the service warm or inviting. It wasn't rude, however; just not what I expect at a place with upscale prices. They're certainly not afraid to charge what they want! It was also really closely packed for such a small place. read more

Amazing food, great service, thoughtful wine list and warm atmosphere as well as the best martini anywhere! We eat at La Rana whenever we visit Decorah (for over ten years!) and have never been disappointed. They use local products creatively and always feature a special that surprises and satisfies a discerning palate. Karena, the chef, is amazing to watch - she stays calm, focused and sends out beautifully composed, delicious plates. On our last visit, she offered scallops on a tomato risotto that showcased the flavors of the summer. Several in our group ordered the steak and were not disappointed - flavorful, tender and juicy. Cooked to perfection. The desserts (creme brûlée, key lime pie...nightly specials) are top notch. Every. Single. Time. Don't miss it! read more

La Rana Bistro, Decorah, IA A memorable dining experience. We started with Sweet & Sour Eggplant Bruschetta - something like caponata, but silkier in texture and more interesting in flavor. Marvelous! I had the beef tenderloin, and Jude, my better half, had the locally caught trout. I was well pleased with my beef, but she swooned over the trout, and she's no habitual swooner. For dessert we shared a Strawberry-Peach Crisp, and it was a perfect closer - not too sweet, really crispy and light. Service: prompt and efficient, not intrusive. Ambience: Felt like a friendly neighborhood restaurant, very casual dress, and a lot of laughter. Summary: worth every penny! Five stars from both of us. read more

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Excellent restaurant, great atmosphere, food, cocktails and desserts like the amazing "chocolate pot de crème". Highly recommend literally anything that is on the menu. read more