I'm in Omaha for a few days, I had my ribeye steak, Reuben, fresh corn, Culver's, and plan a Runza run for the next day, what's the next move? I had a free afternoon and for some reason when I check yelp, a couple spots in Council Bluffs, IA show up. I check around and they look fine, elevated bar/comfort food that could be from Anywhere, USA. Pork tenderloin seems to be the move with something fried on the side. LPL's really stuck out for a few reason - massive tenderloin sandwich and a super Midwest feel from the pics. Coming from Omaha, LPL's is about 15 minutes from downtown, but everything is 15-30 minutes it seems no matter where you go so might as well check out a new state. This restaurant is as middle of nowhere in the middle of nowhere as it gets. Nondescript building with just a few windows on the side of what seems like a main road for the area. I'm fairly certain there has not ever been an Asian and/or Hispanic person set foot in here, but hey, I was looking for a hearty and authentic meal and that's what I got. Felt like Joe and Marisa showing up in Alabama. I walked in and could feel the eyes on me immediately and went straight to an open bar stool. The place was pretty packed for a random Monday at 1pm. Everyone seems like regular locals. Server/bartender came up and handed me a menu and I ordered a Yuengling. I already knew what I wanted - pork tenderloin deluxe with some cheese curds. Very reasonable and necessary up charges for both. Now, when people exaggerate and say, "so and so was bigger than my face" I brush it aside, BUT this pork tenderloin was much bigger than my face and is comically large. They actually gave me a to go box to cut some of it up and set aside for maneuverability. I won't say it was seasoned well but the bonus points for size outweighs all. I cut and stacked with mayo and veggies to eat and it was very delicious. Crunchy and juicy with fresh veggies and needed richness from mayo. I was on my 3rd day of curds and ranch, no complaints there other than from my doctor I'm sure. I suppose I can recommend this place... it was just an odd experience of being so out of place for me but the staff was friendly and food was good making this a good place to check out. I would say it's one-of-a-kind spot but I have no idea what the rest of the Midwest is like. It's really in the middle of nowhere and getting an uber back to Omaha took a whopping 17 minutes. I, of course, appreciate anyone that reads my long reviews of random restaurants. I have no idea who is reading this review in NE or IA. $25 for a massive sandwich and 2 beers is the deal if the century. Way off the beaten path but may be worth a visit if you are visiting Omaha and what a different experience. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Pork Tenderloin Sandwich with cheese River City Cheeseballs - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Awesome place... Super friendly waitresses.. Has that homey feeling.. Food is very tasty..alot of it is homemade.. that's a plus now-a-day. Our go to for home cooked food If you don't leave with a full belly It's your fault..very good portions.. read more

I walked in, grabbed a seat at the bar and was greeted with a smile. I heard the specials and soups choices for lunch. GET THE HOT TURKEY SANDWICH! Perfection smothered in gravy. The broccoli cheese soup was sublime! Ask for an extra roll or two to sop up everything!! I loved the atmosphere and feel of the place. The nice gentleman having a noon cocktail and discussing their various guns added to the vibe. I could tell that this place had been around for a while and stubbornly refused to do anything other than make people happy! Run! Don't walk!!! read more

We were in Council Bluff's for the night and LPL's was walkable and had some great reviews. Upon entering there is a HUGE dining room and bar seating. You can tell this is a place that people keep coming back to. I wanted the Prime Rib, but opted for the Pork cutlet sandwich. As the pictures show, it's massive. They even had Diet Dr. Pepper on tap. Our waitress was so extremely fast and attentive. A lot of options for sides as well. Super friendly and great experience on our trip. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - HUGE Diet Dr. Pepper - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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We had a large group come in for an early dinner during the week. I called in advance and they set up a table and the one waitress working was able to take good care of us. The food was very average. I ordered the French dip and the beef was pretty dry. Similar experiences for others. read more

My wife had me a chicken gizzards for this restaurant. This place was packed for lunch so that made me think the food was pretty legit as well. My steak sandwich was cooked medium rare just like I asked, but it could've used a little bit of extra seasonings. My salad was literally lettuce and the dressing which would've been better if they had more additional toppings when I paid the up charge. I know my son's and wife's food all looked really good. The portion sizes were huge, and we all enjoyed our food. We will definitely be back! read more

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The food is fabulous. A restaurant and bar. Full menu and drinks. Small town feel, comfortable dining. We went for the pork tenderloin sandwiches - did not disappoint! It is a very large sandwich. Shareable for sure! The buns are bigger than a normal bun so the bread covers more surface area. Fresh toppings are served with the sandwich; tomato, onion, lettuce, etc. The meat has a nice breading, not too thick, ours was cooked just right. read more

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Ha, OMG yeah who wouldn't like this place if you are from around the midwest. Laid back environment, awesome wait staff that busts their butts running around and huge TASTY portions. For drinks you are not going to have 100 options but that isnt this kind of place. Typical beers wither in bottle/can and some taps and usual liquor. Parking can be a bit tricky since it is a corner lot but there is street parking around the place and neighborhood. Beware the time if you leave and get stuck by trains! Just go down the main street in front of the restaurant as it will lead you back to civilization! read more

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When you pull up to a bar that looks like divey and hear about the food, believe it is gonna be that good. Nothing fancy, from the time to pull up til you go inside you may even have doubts about the food. Don't, it is that good. So far we have have pork tenderloin, burgers, and fried chicken sandwiches. Nothing was less than good. A piece of advice, the pork tenderloin is bigger than your head! Service was great, very pleasant staff. Not loud and a cozy hole in the wall, give it a shot! read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Pork Tenderloin Sandwichtenderloin - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

You know place is good when it is packed... we stopped in for a late lunch and was shocked to see barely any seats available. At 2 o'clock in the afternoon there were still people waiting in line to be seated. I wanted fried mushroom so we opted for the fried button mushrooms. They were coated nicely and tasted great. My son was in a soup mood and order potato soup, and I think the other option was beef and barley. He said both tasted great, but his favorite overall is the potato soup. I had to try the pork tenderloin sandwich that was huge! I cut the pork tenderloin in half and saved part of it for another sandwich the next day. The sweet potato fries were your ordinary potato fries that tasted good but could've used a little salt in my opinion. Service was hit or miss because they were so busy or maybe they were understaffed. We had to wait a while to order, receive drinks, and get refills. Definitely want to come back, and I would like to think I would try something different. More than likely, I'll do the pork tenderloin sandwich again because it was that good! read more

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Have heard a lot of people talking about LPL after doing the Pork Tenderloin Trail and it did not disappoint. You hear the phrase quantity over quality and that is NOT the case with this. Yes, it's the hugest tenderloin I have seen but the breading was full of flavor and the pork was cooked great. The staff here was very helpful and happy to serve us. They had great specials and great atmosphere for hanging with friends or watching a game. Will be coming back. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Pork Tenderloin Sandwich - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

I had their famous Tenderloin with fries. My buddy had Hot Roast Beef Sandwich with mashed potatoes & gravy. Great portions, very tasty food, decent service, and priced right. Old school blue collar grub. read more

After watching an online review, we made the 135 mile trip to check this place out. I have never had a pork tenderloin sandwich and decided to try it and it was amazing! The cheeseballs were fantastic also! My wife opted for the small prime rib which covered the whole plate along with fries and they were both the best she said she's ever had. We both opted for pop and you get a huge glass that never goes empty. The wait staff was so nice and friendly and even though they were busy they were very attentive to us. It just feels like a great little hometown bar and grill that is super clean and has plenty of parking. We will be going back! read more

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Cozy little pub. The food was okay. Nacho chips were flour, which I like. My husband got the prime rib, he said it was decent. Kinda crowded. May return to try the tenderloin read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Nachos - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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6 out of 6 say never go back. Catfish muddy not cooked thru. Hamburger burnt on bottom. Baked potatoes not done. Salmon tasted too fishey. read more

Fantastic food. We ate the tenderloin and boneless buffalo wings. There were only 2 servers and a "bus boy" for the entire restaurant. It was packed for a Monday night. We sat at the bar and it took a long time to get waited on. We ordered a 2nd drink and cancelled the order because we finished our food before she realized she had forgotten to bring us the drink. I honestly felt sorry for the 2 servers. They were doing their best. We will return, however! read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Tenderloin and onion rings. - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Great service great food. The staff are always friendly can't go wrong with the chicken fried steak always a good meal.

Had dinner here after the Berkshire Hathaway convention last May. Staff were inviting and quick. The place is familiy oriented and well lit. Music can be a little loud. Food was great! We tried the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich, a local favorite I hear. We also had to get the Fried Walleye. Friends had urged me to try the fish if I travel thru the corn-belt. It was delicious! The Fried Chicken Gizzards we had were tasty. If I felt like drinking, they would have gone well with a cold pitcher of beer. Wish walleye were more readily available on the East Coast! I'll certainly stop here again if we visit in the future! VIDEO: https://youtu.be/NQdlpHKPTt0 read more

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It was crowded when we got there so I thought this meant it was really good food. You get what you pay for. It was inexpensive food so that pulled a lot of people in. Food was served luke warm and it was rather bland. It was so cold in the place that even the waitress had to put a jacket on. Very uncomfortable. read more

It was okay. The food was okay. It wasn't the best, but not the worst either. I will say one thing - make sure you're always kind. Tables next to each other can overhear. Thank you! read more

This spot is a vibe! It's always busy because it's always good. The people work hard and everyone is friendly.

Service was excellent. Very friendly staff! The food was amazing! We got the pork tenderloin sandwich which was huge and enough leftovers for two more sandwiches plus a ton of tots. We also had the beer battered walleye. It was two very large fillets, Cole slaw, and homemade mashed potatoes with white gravy. Plus we got the corn fritters. Everything was delicious. read more

To begin, it doesn't look like much, but the service is impeccable, and the food superb!!!! I had the prime rib...it was cooked to a perfect medium rare, it came with soup or salad, I had the beef noodle soup which was delicious, mashed potatoes and a pasta dish..the potatoes were awesome the gravy good. My husband had the hot beef dinner...he also had a salad, needless to say neither of us left hungry!!!! We also ordered some chicken gizzards which weren't overcooked and fried ravioli..and our drinks, the whole meal with a decent tip was under a $100!!!! Will definitely be going back, we may have waited 10 minutes for a table, the only downside to that is I'm disabled and there wasn't anywhere to sit. Otherwise it was a purely wonderful experience!!!!! Give 'em a shot!!!! read more

My family and I have been going to LPL's for over 20 years. It's always been our go-to spot for every occasion, and we've spent a lot there over the years and ALWAYS tip very graciously. Unfortunately, the new female owner (not Nikki) has been consistently rude and unwelcoming, which has really changed the atmosphere. It's disappointing after so many great memories. We still stop by occasionally out of loyalty, but we're now looking for a new bar and grill to call home. read more

Overall, not a terrible place to eat for lunch. This review is based on food, service, cleanliness, atmosphere, and value. The food is okay. My first experience was better than my second. The burger patty was a little dry. I ordered the 10oz Cowboy, and it was probably too much for me, but I finished it. The service is friendly, and the dining area is as clean as it could be. Inside is old, and in desperate need of a renovation. The ambiance is that of an old dive bar. Don't get me wrong, some of the best food I've ever had came from similar places. The value is average. I paid $16 for a burger and side. Three stars means I will go back. It also means there's room for improvement. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - The Cowboy - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

Superb food! I know this place has been there forever and can understand why, it is excellent lil family pub and grill. Our server was awesome as was their food. The famous Iowa pork sandwich totally delicious! Will be back for sure! read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Pork tenderloin delicious - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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After reading about this place in a spread in the Omaha World Herald, we were eager to check it out for ourselves. We are so glad that we did! The atmosphere is typical bar and grill, but the food was anything but typical! Our server was extremely patient with us, especially as it took some time to decide from the massive menu. I ordered the Cobb salad and the server asked if I would like any additional ingredients added to the already vast amount of toppings included. The bleu cheese and ranch dressings are homemade. The salad was huge and the lettuce was hardly visible due to the heaping amount of toppings. My husband had the homemade chicken fried steak, homemade mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon and onions, and a bowl of homemade chili. He was a very happy man! When I asked for a to-go box for the remainders of my salad, our server included extra containers of dressings and crackers. Service, food and price were all amazing!! read more

This is a locally owned treasure. Staff is friendly and very knowledgeable. They have daily dinner specials that are great tasting and affordable. I can easily eat 2 separate good meals from just one of their specials. read more

My brother and I like to try different spots when we travel. The more local, the better. We saw LPL on a Facebook post of a guy eating a pork fritter the size of a hubcap. We knew we had to try it! I had the fritter and it was as big, crispy and tasty as advertised. My brother had the prime rib which was also delicious! If you're looking for fine dining, this isn't it. But, if you want a comfortable spot, with real people and a local treat when in Council Bluffs.... LPL's is your spot!!! read more

Best prom loin in town and family friendly amazing restaurant and definitely a regular meal spot

Great food great service a treasure in council Bluffs IA, top 10 places To go in CB IA Don't miss this little epic spot read more

We both had the pork tenderloin it was delicious. Service was good waitress was friendly. We were very happy with our food. Has a dive bar vibes. Restrooms were clean. Restaurant was clean. Just had a small town bar feel read more

The atmosphere was inviting. The diverse menu offered a great range of and I absolutely highly recommend trying their pork tenderloin- it's a true standout. The waitstaff's knowledge of the menu and their friendly demeanor added to the overall enjoyment. I'll definitely be returning for another delightful evening at this gem of a bar. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Pork tenderloin - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Even though there are new owners the tenderloin was amazing. Slightly different from before but still one of the top contenders in the state. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Tied the cherry stem with mouth hahaha - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

We took my wife's parents out to a nice tenderloin dinner, so LPL's was the obvious choice The Good: Our tenderloins were amazing as we remember them from last time. The service was very nice and attentive, too. Everyone enjoyed their time here tonight. The Bad: We sat at the table by the door, which didn't want to stay shut at all. So our dinner was interrupted several times in order shut the door. The Ugly Truth: The humongous tenderloins that could feed 3 people where very, very good and my sweet potato criss cross fries were amazing as well. I loooovvvveee mayo and asked the waitress for a tub of mayo and usually when you ask for something like that you get an extra little to-go package or another little sampler. Not here!!! They brought me a huge tub of mayo to enjoy - which is amazing and so thoughtful of them to take my request seriously. The waitress took the time to joke around with us while ordering and throughout dinner. If you're looking for a great meal with wonderful service this is the place to go! On a side note: I used the restroom and saw the sign over the sink... I waited several minutes for an employee to wash my hands as the sign instructed, yet nobody showed up so I had to wash my own - LOL. Just kidding, but surely a funny wording for this sign Hope the 4 pictures finally uploaded read more

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Great little hole in the wall restaurant and bar. Food is amazingly good. Tenderloin is the size of your face. Hot roast beef was excellent as well. Salad was very tasty and they offer Dorothy Lynch dressing as an option which is an added bonus. Overall, it's a great place to eat and we will definitely go back next time we are in Iowa. read more

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Great food and staff. Huge portions and couldn't eat it all. I hear the tenderloin sandwich is awesome

I am staying just up the Bluff from this establishment and have been driving by it, on the way to and from work, for the past year and a half and have never stopped in. From the outside the curb appeal is very minimalist, although neat, and just has never had a pull, or draw, for me. But a co-worker was telling me of their world class pork tenderloin and prime rib so I thought I would check it out on the way home last night. A cold beer and hot food is always a draw regardless of outside appearances. Once inside I was treated to a warm, family like ambiance...if having a bar in the middle of your dining room is acceptable, it is to me...and the staff welcomed my solo appearance with open arms. The menu was diversified with family style comfort foods but I had my mind set for the prime rib and a beer and boy oh boy I was not disappointed. First out was a large dinner salad with homemade blue cheese dressing, what a delight and before I could even ask for another napkin to wipe the ample dressing from my mustache the rest of the dinner appeared. It's a good thing that I was dining alone because the other two plates took up the entire rest of the table. Wow...should I ask for a 'take-home box' now or wait until later. (Check out the photos) I am here to tell you, folks, that I did not make my way even halfway through the prime rib, mashed potatoes (w/gravy) and beans; but I gave it the ole collage try. If you are a big guy and tired of those tiny, dainty, little servings you get at many high priced restaurants well this is the place for you. Just like my dear ole grandma's place, God rest her soul, nobody leaves here hungry. And the real winning comes when you gather up your leftovers and peruse the bill to see that you can have all of this AND a nice cold draft beer for just a tad over a twenty dollar bill. Heck, I am coming back. LPL's is the gift that keeps on giving as tonight I am going to warm up the rest of that great dinner and relive the entire experience, right in the comfort of my home. Ya gotta love it. Peace on, friends! read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - Generous Salad with homemade dressing - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa

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Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich and Waffle Fries was fantastic. Absolutely perfect. I eat here about once a month and everything is constantly spot on. read more

I went to LPL's for the first time last week with my wife and parents and it was a pleasent experience. My dad told me to try the Prime Rib or the Pork Tenderloin sandwich, which he claimed was huge. I chose the Pork Tenderloin sandwich, which was just okay to me. The Pork Tenderloin sandwich was pretty massive, but kind of one note'd. The pork was kind of soggy and not crispy like it should be, and the bread was really soft, not toasted like they advertised. The pork itself didn't have a whole lot of flavor either. The fries were okay though. For what you get, the price is a pretty good deal. Overall, I wouldn't get the Pork Tenderloin sandwich again, but would like to try something else. read more

LPL's Restaurant & Pub - The pork tenderloin sandwich with fries. Enormous sandwich! - American Near Me - Council Bluffs, Iowa