Ruthie's definitely lived up to the hype! We've had this place recommended to us for years, so to…read morecelebrate a big milestone, my fiancé took me here. We were able to snag a last-minute reservation on OpenTable, and the entire experience was wonderful. Our waitress was incredibly attentive--our water glasses were refilled frequently, and even when the restaurant got busy, she made sure to check on us. We were seated in a cozy, intimate circular booth on the side, which made the evening feel even more special. What I'd Order Again: Alaskan King Crab Legs - Pro tip: Order these as a side to another dish instead of as an entrée--it's much cheaper that way! The crab was incredibly fresh, thanks to their flash-freezing process, and it really hit the spot. Lobster Bisque - HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! I added this last-minute when our waitress mentioned that people travel just to try it, and it did not disappoint. The freshly cracked pepper, along with the truffle accents, made this so flavorful and rich. Cocktails - The drinks were fantastic! I had the Tweed Jacket cocktail and really enjoyed it. What made it even cooler was that our waitress actually created a cocktail that got added to the menu when she started working there--so cool! Scallops - Perfectly cooked with a stunning presentation. While I've had better on the coasts, I was impressed given that we're in Iowa. Desserts (HIGHLY recommend the homemade coffee ice cream & tiramisu!) - The tiramisu was amazing, and I could tell it was homemade because I nearly choked on the cocoa powder (the ultimate test!). But the real star? The homemade coffee ice cream--absolutely phenomenal. What I Wouldn't Order Again: Jumbo Crab Cake - It was good, but it had that slightly "old crab" taste and reminded me more of snow crab than the rich, sweet crab flavor I was hoping for. Given that I'm from Seattle, my seafood standards are high, so this didn't quite meet expectations. Brussels Sprouts - Great flavor, but I prefer mine extra crispy, and these weren't quite there. 10 oz Filet Mignon - It was cooked to the right temperature, but it wasn't as juicy as other steaks I've had in Iowa. Good, but not particularly memorable. Other Notes: Shareable Side Dishes - One thing I really liked was that their side dishes are all shareable, so they feel more like appetizers than traditional sides. It makes it easy to try a variety, and I definitely want to explore more of them when I come back! Location & Accessibility - Even though Ruthie's is inside a casino, it's tucked on the side, so you don't have to deal with the cigarette smell. Parking is plentiful, though depending on where you park, it might be a bit of a walk. Bathrooms - The restrooms are located outside the restaurant on the right--not too far of a walk. Final Thoughts: Ruthie's is a true gem, and I can see why it's so highly recommended. The service was outstanding, the food was top-tier, and the small details--from our cozy booth to our waitress's personal touch on the cocktail menu--made the night extra special. It's the kind of place that turns a meal into a memory, and I can't wait to come back.

The 5 stars explains it all!!! Such a laid back atmosphere but yet still formal environment makes…read morethis a "go-to" place. A little out of the way most times but glad way went the extra mile tonight. I recommend this place 100%!!! The filet lollipops, for an appetizer, were amazing!!! Then came our entrees. All of us got steak and NO ONE was disappointed!!! All done to protection, the way a great steakhouse is supposed to operate. Our server was above and beyond helpful in making our decisions easy and would take his advise time and time again when ordering. Filet was perfect and the Gouda cheese potatoes as a side were to die for!! Definitely go here!!!

Last time I went here was a busy Saturday night with a bunch of fellow dog trainers. Tonight was a…read morequiet Tuesday with my husband. No dogs in tow to worry about Nothing at Rubes has changed. Delicious steaks, hot grill, fresh vegetables and plenty of butter. It is dark in the dining rooms but there is plenty of light around the grill. It is the centerpiece of each dining room. Rubes is a great place to go to celebrate a special occasion. Or anytime you are in the area.

My first trip to Rube's was in 1989, and there have been a lot of changes since then. I've eaten…read morethere many times and for many occasions. However, I don't want to focus on the past. Let's focus on this visit. I called ahead and made reservations. My wife and I arrived about 5 minutes before our reservation time. The ladies at the desk always seem to make it an awkward experience for some reason. They are nice enough, but they don't really act like they know what they're doing. There was a lot of whispering among themselves, and we were asked to wait while they checked with our server, and then asked to wait again while they seated people who arrived after us, even though that group was missing a couple of people. The lighting in the dining room is always a bit dark. Maybe they do that so the grills stand out when they're lit. They have small lamps on the tables. Our server was excellent. She ushered us to the cooler to pick out our steaks. She identified the largest ones on display as the ones to get, and even asked the cooler staff to put out more steaks so there were bigger ones to choose from. I got a New York strip and my wife ordered a small ribeye. We also ordered a mushroom skillet, which was extra. This is a grill-your-own-steak place, so you are the chef. There are a few seasonings available at the grill to add to your steak like garlic salt, seasoning salt, and table salt. They also have a bucket of melted margarine if you want to baste your steak with it, or put it on the Texas-sized bread while you toast it. I asked if they had butter. Our server brought us whipped butter and sour cream for the baked potatoes that are included with the meal. She melted a few of the butter packets for us to use on our steaks. Unfortunately, whipped butter just doesn't have the same flavor as regular butter. While I appreciated the effort, the end result wasn't what I'd hoped for. In addition to all the baked potatoes you care to eat, there are also baked beans and salad included with every meal. The salad was basically a section of a head of lettuce with dressing and toppings in it. While the presentation was nice, I prefer when they actually had the salad bar that they advertise. The salads used to come with carrot and celery sticks, and I used to be able to get cottage cheese from the salad bar for my baked potato. Now you can request another salad be brought out if you want another one. Let me add that the cups for the self-serve baked beans could be twice as big and still be considered small. There are also fried potatoes on the grill, and you can eat your fill of them. I assume they're cooked with the margarine they have available on the grill. While the food was good and service was excellent, I left thinking that for just the two of us, we could have made a feast for ourselves at home for less than half the price after the tip was included.

Great calzones, pizza, and spaghetti. Very nice people in good customer service. The restaurant is…read moreclean and casual.

Well to start the pizza is still amazing. But my gripe is lazy people. First off the waitress…read morenamed Jenny was the best ever. She was friendly and fast and knew her job well. Then the other 3 was lazy. One came in while we was there her name is Nikki. All she did was talk talk and talk some more. OK if she was to man the register then do it but when not busy then clean something. The front windows for instance they need cleaned. Then the red head came in she wore a pink shirts saying Nanas Army. She started eating as soonas she got there and was still eating when we left. No work just eating. Then one other was there and all she was doing was talking and talking . Goodness there are lots of things to keep busy with. So suggestion tell the lazy people get to work and shut your traps . .. Jenny was doing all the work ....

If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. We ended up at Pullman Bar & Diner three mornings in a…read morerow during our trip, and honestly, it became one of the highlights of our weekend. Every single thing we ordered felt fresh, thoughtful, and just really well done. My kids were obsessed with the chocolate chip pancakes (which says a lot), and my dad and I worked our way through a few different dishes. The biscuits and gravy were comforting and rich without being too heavy, and even the simple eggs were cooked perfectly. But the standout? The breakfast tacos. They were insane. The pork was seasoned perfectly, super flavorful without being overwhelming, and everything just worked together so well. Also, do not skip the fresh squeezed orange juice or the local sourdough with homemade preserves. You can taste the difference. It's one of those places where you can tell they really care about the ingredients. Service was warm and easy, and the vibe just makes you want to sit and stay a while. We'll 100% be back if we're ever in Iowa City again!

Adorable restaurant on the University of Iowa campus with exposed brick walls and a masculine,…read moremodern contemporary diner feel. Food 3/5 Service 5/5 Ambiance 4/5 Croque Madame 3/5. The hollandaise sauce with jammy egg on top was fabulous, but the sandwich itself was just ok. Garganelli 2/5. I liked the mushrooms but was disappointed that this dish was rather bland, especially for this price point.

We don't visit Sigourney IA too often , but we always eat at the Copper Lantern! The drinks are…read morealways good, the beer is cold and the food is well above average. Try the sweet potato fries with the honey butter dip-oh my goodness-double yum! The service has never been disappointing and the ambiance is kind of small-town comfortable. We Iwould definitely recommend this spot.

Thank you so much for making my valentine tear up, just with the words "Make it Better". The…read moretenderloin was a great meal.

Bogie's Steak House - Albia, IA (1.25ish hours south of DSM)…read more Calling all steak burger connoisseurs! Warning: if you're the "I eat my burgers with duck confit mayo, fig-bacon jam, and jalapeño-garlic aioli" I would steer clear of this burger. This is for a true midwestern steak burger and, if that's your jive, then you must try Bogie's Steak House in Albia. $11.75 for a MASSIVE steak burger resting between two tried and true thick sliced Texas toast, topped with Swiss and American cheese, pickle and white onion slices. No ketchup, mustard or mayo served with the meals here, nor is it needed; their "house seasoning" is the cat's meow. Includes a baked potato, butter, sour cream, and 1 trip to the salad bar. Don't even think about subbing your baked potato for onion rings or french fries because a baked potato is your only option. Salad bar was meh, but they don't specialize in a salad bar so no harm, no foul. Thought it was 1000 dressing but nope...more like Dorothy Lynch or some other dressing of similar coloring. No signage so couldn't tell. Ranch tasted like fat-free Ranch so that was disappointing but, again, I didn't come here for the unlabeled salad bar. Macaroni salad and potato salads were good. The Bogie Cut Prime Rib (16-18oz) was awesome. I asked what the difference between the Bogie cut vs. Petite cut was, and I got "big or small"...fair enough! Au jus was nothing special but the seasoning used on the PR was spectacular, no au jus needed. Different than the special seasoning in/on their steak burger but equally as delightful. Very generous cut of delicious prime rib (my absolute fav). I must say, anywhere I go and see prime rib on the menu, I get it - hands down. But I ended up longing for more bites of the steak burger than my prime rib. That's a first! Ambience: small town supper club. Nothing fancy, no frills but ladies do take a trip to the ladies room for a good laugh at the hilarious quotes on the wall. $60 total with tip + both meals + 2 beers. I've spent more than that on one meal at other places that have served my burgers with weird toppings, but you won't find a fufu burger here. In fact, there's only one option: Bogie's Steak Burger. I'd gladly drive to Bogie's any day of the week!

I ordered a sirloin steak, it must've came from the oldest bull out in the field's Because it was…read morelike chewing shoe leather, i've eaten beef jerky with more flavor and and hell a lot more tender. should add more sides than just a salad bar and baked potato. expects yourself to cut it open and only gives you butter and sour cream no cheese or anything. you only get one trip to the salad bar, very very disappointing.

In town for business or just driving through, you must stop! The service was impeccable, the food…read morewas off the chart amazingly flavorful. We had a hard time deciding what to get. We had scallops, truffle mac and cheese, steak flatbread, Caesar salad. Will definitely be back when we are in town.

Wissota Chophouse is a little fancier than I usually go for, but it might be just right for you…read more The staff was great, super friendly, and even the manager came over to chat for a bit. The place has a really nice upscale vibe. The outdoor seating has fire pits and heaters, and inside there's a gorgeous bar setup. We had drinks, fried alligator bites, and truffle fries. The drinks were amazing, and the food was good, though it could use a little fine-tuning. Overall, a nice spot if you're looking for something a bit more upscale.

Fantastic boutique hotel well-located in downtown Pella. Over the Fourth of July weekend the town…read morewas surprisingly quiet but you can walk nearly anywhere from here. Very nice third floor rooms were clean and comfortable. The attached restaurant was closed during our visit. The little breakfast bar isn't much but was decent.

Absolutely beautiful! Great location, friendly staff. Very accommodating for my daughter's wedding.read more

We read the great reviews and decided to try it out. When we walked in I thought...OK, standard…read moreIowa bar, but boy, it's much more than that. Bar seating and additional high top seats set back from the bar, along with tables and lots of TVs. We grabbed a table and got in our drink orders. They don't have a wide variety of beer and distilled spirits, but it's ample. Our food came out in short order and was fantastic! My wife got a Mushroom Burger and I got the Steak Philly. It was REAL steak, and may heave been the best I've ever had. My wife's burger was also great, and had lots of shrooms. Fries (and sandwiches) were all hot and fresh. Service was great and prices are very reasonable. Definitely recommended.

As previous reviews have said - super clean! :) Bartender very welcoming and the bar food done very…read morewell! Chicken bacon ranch wrap had a nice grill on the tortilla, and the pepper jack cheese balls dipped in sweet chili sauce were a great find. Clearly well-loved by locals, we found it a perfect stop for road trip lunch