My boyfriend and I came here to celebrate his birthday. We are from FL visiting, and this restaurant was just amazing! From the food to our server... and the owner.. wow! He made sure that we were taken care of, and attentive to our table. He came over to wish him a Happy Birthday. They gave us a complimentary birthday cake which made it so special and sweet. The hospitality is unmatched and worth visiting. We got the lamb/mash, and the hanger steak/mash. The meal was delicious! I'm glad we will be in Iowa for a little longer to visit again! read more

One Twenty Six - Lamb Osso Bucco Dinner - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

We made reservations and we were seated immediately. I love the unique vibes for a downtown restaurant. We were greeted by Amy, who is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and attentive. Our food was outstanding and delicious. The butternut squash was so good!! We will definitely go back! read more

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Amazing food choices - the flavor profiles are mind blowing. I love the lamb vindaloo and the tuna and the crab gnocchi. Hard to pick favorites. The service is thoughtful and unobtrusive. New staff are well trained. I love the patio in the summer, but the warm, happy dining room is great anytime. Highly recommend! read more

Stopped in for an early lunch on a random Tuesday. We were seated promptly by the windows where the sun was streaming in beautifully. We ordered and enjoyed the atmosphere. Service was great but the food was even better we will be back! read more

One Twenty Six - Steak Sandwich Lunch - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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Fabulous!! Love this place! Highly suggest eating at 126!! The food is amazing! The chicken is delicious !!

OMG. This foodie was impressed! Gourmet? Yes. Delicious. Yes. Locally sourced. Yes. Organic? Uh huh. Service? Wonderful. Ambiance? Pleasant and friendly. Best food/dining experience we had in Iowa City this trip. read more

One Twenty Six - Chocolate torte. Lemon poppyseed cake. - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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I think 126 needs a reality check. If they would just realize their errors and make some simple changes, they would be set. The place was recommended by a friend, but they clearly haven't been in a long time. Everything about this place was just pretentious, down to the name (what does 126 even mean?). We walked in for lunch and were seated right away. A couple other tables there but pretty empty. Classic decorations, quite nice. The menu is where the problems start. Way too many options spanning many types of cuisine, probably meaning none are great. Get a focus and stick to it. I'm not gonna order Cajun food at the same place I'm getting pizza. Everything was also WAY overpriced. They think they're good enough to charge that much, but--sorry to say--they just aren't. A sandwich with a tiny crab cake for $16? Nope. I had the salmon tartine with a side of cauliflower curry soup. It was served quickly. The food was actually quite refreshing and tasty. Very few pieces of smoked salmon though. However, when we were brought the bill, we saw that we were charged $2 extra for the soup, though the menu said it was included. The waitress tried to argue with us and even had to take a look at menu. She saw that we were correct but refused to correct the mistake. What the actual heck?! There went my $2 and any chance of me returning. read more

One Twenty Six - Smoked salmon tartine with cauliflower curry soup - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

I have eaten here a few times, and each visit was a pleasure. Although there aren't too many choices, they have different types of dishes for everyone (vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, meat lover, sea food etc). I have tried lamb, hanger steak and seared tuna so far as the main dish, and all of them were delicious. We also tried Mediterranean spread, samosa and fries for starters, they were also good. Vegan baklava (although it was not really baklava) and chocolate torte were delicous too. I did not have anything I didn't like so far. They have a nice selection of wines too. It is usually not very busy, which surprises me. It might be due to the slightly higher prices compared to other restaurants around, but I believe the food deserves it. read more

We had a truly excellent dinner! The gnocchi was the best I've ever had. I wanted to drink the sauce. The wine list is personally curated by an employee and includes several that are not commonly seen on restaurant lists. It was my sister's birthday and she received a delicious chocolate torte as a special dessert at no charge. Service was excellent, as well. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

It's been a few years since I ate at 126 and decided it was time for a visit. I carefully checked the menus listed on their website and was excited to try the lamb osso bucco listed on their website at $26. When we sat down and I looked at the menu, I thought that there was a typo when the price listed for the lamb was $62!!! The food was delicious and, thanks to a generous friend who helped me celebrate my birthday, I had the lamb and it was amazing. Please update your on line menus so that people don't get sticker shock when they sit down. read more

I think this is an under-appreciated restaurant in downtown Iowa City! They have delicious dishes, and do very well accommodating large groups. Their space is very unique, with the exposed brick walls, and can make a great place for a date night. The hanger steak is tender, well seasoned and juicy! Also would recommend the chicken linguine (available at moonrakers), which is made with a herb tomato broth and rich Kalona cream! I also enjoy their house made vegetable samosa starters, which come with a mint chutney. Try the chocolate torte for dessert! read more

This restaurant is great! The food is amazing including gluten-free and vegan options. I held a special event here for 70 people. Service was impeccable. Highly recommend you check out this restaurant. read more

My family and I made a last minute reservation and we're pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Our party of five was seated right away on floor 2 of this multi-floor restaurant. Seems they have a full bar on each level and we got our drinks straight away which were well made. We had the cheese plate appetizer which was very nice. For main courses my wife had butternut squash in Filo dough which she said was excellent. One of my sons and I had the seared Tuna, with came with a side of noodles, which was very good. My younger son had a hamburger which he seemed happy with and our last guest had the Scottish Salmon which she said was delicious. Overall a pleasant experience! read more

I've always loved this place but since COVID it's been hard to find good takeout. Now that has changed! One Twenty Six has an amazing family meal which is a great deal!! The portion size is more than enough for the stated 3 people and the food was delicious. We got the beet salad, a Mediterranean dip with bread, and shrimp linguini. We also got a Mediterranean flat bread (they now do pizza on fridays). We also have to say that the owner is so kind and thoughtful. He genuinely cares about his guests and that really shows. Whether you are dining in or taking out, you will not be disappointed!! read more

One Twenty Six - Family dinner special - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

This trio of restaurants reminds of the famous WWE wrestler Mick Foley where he had 3 different alter egos in Dude Love, Mankind, and Cactus Jack. While reach persona had the same person behind them, they were slightly different versions. They have three different restaurants in Flight, One Twenty Six, and Moonrakers that apparently come out of the same kitchen that are slightly different from each other. Not sure why they just couldn't be one together restaurant, but each section has a different name with some of the same and some different food. The food is pretty good, I've had some things I've liked and some so so dishes. The menus have had some changes from the times I've been, so looks like you can get a few new items every now and then. They do offer a decent selection of good for all three places, should be able to find something for everyone. I don't go out of my way to come here, but when I do I'm usually content. read more

The boyfriend and I decided to try out the 5 course NYE dinner menu. Boy were we not disappointed, everything tasted amazing, and then to top it off they had a wine pairing for each course. We sat up stairs which was a bit chilling on this negative degree weather day, but I'm sure most places were chilling next to the windows as well. After we got settled in we started off our meal with a glass of sparkling rose, and the drinks and food just got better from there. Both of our favorites was the bass over shiitake mushrooms, could have ordered that over and over again. Finished off the meal with a chocolate tort paired with a port. This may have been our first visit, but it most certainly will not be our last. Such a great way to ring in the new year with the one you love. read more

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So many things wrong in what should have been a simple lunch order... After seeing the menu at One Twenty Six I was excited to try a personal favorite before taking my family there for a dinner this weekend. I ordered my lunch online via One Twenty Six's website (directly) in about 40 minutes in advance of my selected pickup time. When I arrived 5 minutes early they seemed not to have started yet, so I was made to wait another 15 minutes. I appreciate that quality can take time, and cold food would be a bad experience, so I was amiable and took a seat. I was not offered water or anything else as staff were loudly joking around in the main area of the restaurant. There was no ambience - no music or TV. Not great, but I'll live. My food was presented to me by the manager in a comically giant brown grocery-style bag. I had ordered a po boy and a side of fries (because for whatever reason in this establishment burgers and sandwiches are served a la carte with no mention of this on the menu) to the tune of $21 - slightly pricey for a simple lunch but if it was quality I would be happy and certainly bound to return to explore more offerings on their eclectic menu. Still seated, I finished an email before opening the bag to check my food, and the crinkle of its cardboard paper immediately drew the manager's attention. One Twenty Six's important leader informed me that I could not eat takeout food in the restaurant - yes, I could not eat their food in their empty establishment. I informed the manager that since the restaurant only had two other patrons I thought it could be ok to sneak a few fries before leaving, and between condescending smiles he offered the consolation of a different table - 3 whole feet away. I guess in his universe issuance of this traffic control is of immense value, but I logically did not expect a marching band of customers to appear in the 5 minutes so my lonely occupation of a table for 8 would be without dire operational consequence to One Twenty Six and its future. Being an agreeable human being, I moved to his suggested table, ate 10 disappointing fries, and left. I'm sure he was proud of his strange power flex and certainly made a mental note to share his triumph with his family on the twilight of this glorious day. Despite the manager's abrasive traffic control I am proud to report that the food matches the restaurant experience perfectly. The menu read as an eclectic and extensive array of dishes, boasting what seemed to be high end ingredients assembled in inspired combinations; but honestly, everything was a pretentious joke. I ordered a $13 shrimp po boy that was a pointed diversion from any po boy that has ever existed on this planet before this day. Served on a slider bun, the shrimp was greasy and pan cooked in butter (not fried like every other po boy since the beginning of time because apparently that's too pedestrian). Everything was completely unseasoned, the sandwich was topped with double the amount of pepper jack cheese than its protein (maybe this was lifted from a ragebait YouTube recipe?), and everything was garnished with soggy red cabbage. The menu's mentioned aioli stayed home from this round apparently. The sandwich was not at all dry despite its lack of condiments, however, thanks to the oils from four servings of melted cheese. Sigh. My poor excuse for a po boy (One Twenty Six, you can use that name free and clear if you want it) missed ALL marks and is an insult to all po boys. Some Popeye's shrimp on Wonder Bread would run laps around this trash and cost 1/3 the price. The fries were complete trash - even $7 fries couldn't be done well. In typical One Twenty Six fashion, they were unseasoned and not presented with ketchup or any condiment. One Twenty Six is a place that needs to be walked past and forgotten. The menu reads like an extremely interesting array of high end offerings but it is fanciful fiction. Go if you wish to subject yourself to the same experience, but don't you dare eat their food on their tables! read more

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We arrived for lunch. It was a beautiful day so my party of 3 chose to sit outside. We were greeted by a nice waitress named Raina. She made small talk as she got our drinks and our order. She was a ray of sunshine. The lunch menu is paired down to smaller portions with lower prices. The menu is small but there are several choices of sandwiches, salad and entrees. The lunch menu ranges from $11 to $18. It took around 45 minutes to get our food after we ordered. This would not be a good choice for a quick meal. We were fortunate that there was a live blues band playing outside at another restaurant a couple doors down so we got to enjoy the music. In the meantime the waitress kept our drinks full. I ordered the pork Cuban sandwich with homage chips $12. Another in my party ordered the gnocchi with mushrooms, and the other was a sausage and shrimp stew like item with rice. I can't remember the name. The food was an A+. And it was a perfect portion. Besides the wait for our food the only other downside was it was windy outside. And the table we sat at was very small and flimsy and had a shade umbrella going through the middle. When we sat down the table was tilted because the umbrella had pretty much called over and was resting against the railing. We had to upright the table when we sat. As the wind continues to blow we had to literally hold down the table out of fear it would topple again and our food would go everywhere. We walked to the restaurant from the university. Parking in this area is metered and hard to come by. read more

One Twenty Six - Pork Cuban with homage chips lunch portion - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Absolutely LOVE this restaurant. The food is super good and the service is outstanding! The server was incredibly knowledgeable about the food served and tells a little story about the preparation of its unique flavor. I had the mushroom gnocchi that is made in house. The sauce was amazing and is a three step process to make. My boyfriend had the seared ahi tuna, also delicious! I like that they had a vegetarian/vegan menu, but also plenty of meat options. The wines suggest what foods they would be good with and I was impressed with the list. They have a few beers on draft, all local to Iowa and several bottles to chose from. Didn't try the cocktails, but the menu was plentiful. The ambiance is lovely in the historic building with the tall industrial ceilings and old brick. Location is perfect, right downtown and if there's no close parking available, the Old Capital Parking lot is just a couple blocks and first hour is free. $1/hr after. read more

This was probably the worst meal I've had in recent history. My wife said the exact same thing and added she was so disappointed. I had the steak and fries. Steak was good but WAY OVERPRICED at $39. The fries were so greasy and soggy they were inedible. My guess is that the cooking oil wasn't hot enough. I cannot recommend this place nor will I return. read more

Food tasted tremendous but the portions weren't amazing for the price. Server was also just awkward. We had a big party and it was hard for them to accompany so it was reasonable. Very dark in their too read more

Made our reservation through Open Table after careful consideration of the many choices in Iowa City and Coralville. This was our "nice" dinner while at the University Of Iowa attending continuing education classes. I lived here for 11 years nearly 30 years ago, return every few years to attend class to maintain my dental license. Reservation was for 6:15 on Friday the 11th of October on a football weekend. Arrived at 6:10, seated right away. Water was brought and drinks were ordered. Drinks served, and appetizers ordered, a cheese plate with three very good cheeses, dates, walnuts and perfectly toasted French bread. We also had the marinated olives which complimented the cheeses very well. Order another glass of wine and dinner. Wife ordered the steak frites medium and I the tenderloin medium it was complimented with whipped potatoes and broccolini. Or I should say I think it was. Original entree order was placed at approximately 6:30-6:35 also ordered the bread basket (it's not complementary) bread came just a few minutes later. At 7:20 our young lady server brings two simple dinner salads explaining that another server had inexplicably taken our order to another table. Please accept these salads and of course the wine is also on us. Salads, simply greens with a nice vinaigrette. No bread left but that's fine. The trek to the bathrooms go directly by open kitchen up a long flight of stairs. After the salads went to the bathroom up the very tall stairs for the second time we've been here nearly 1 1/2 hours with cheese and bread and wine........ coming down the stairs there is NOTHING on the grill? Get to the table there is still no food. It's almost 8:00pm. Olives, bread, drinks (the cocktail not the wine she said was comped) cheese. We decided to put $40 cash on the table and left. We did briefly say we had to leave, to our waitress as she stood running another patrons tab. We told her we had left some $ on the table and she just smiles and says oh really? Then we went to find food. I would have thought when our order was found to be lost every effort to bring our dishes as quickly as possible would have been afforded. Or at the very least kept updated. Nothing no communication after the salads were given. We ended up at 8:15 pm trying to find a place to eat on a football weekend in Iowa City. So disappointed. read more

One Twenty Six - Drinks - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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We were a party of four, and I ordered the classic hamburger with no bun and pepper jack cheese instead of american cheese. Our waitress came back and said that there were no substitutions so I would have to oreder the Guadalajaran Burger in order to get the pepper jack cheese. I was stunned that the chef couldn't just pick up a slice of pepper jack instead of american to put on my burger. I didn't ask to speak to the manager so as not to make a scene. I have gone back and checked their menu and website, and I find nowhere is the a statement that there are no substitutions. I guess not providng a bun (which only benefits the owner) wasn't a substition, only asking for a different type of cheese constituted one. Obviously cutomer service wasn't the order of the day, and now everyone I meet who asks about dining in Iowa City wil hear my story about this rediculously poor treatment. read more

Excellent dinner tonight! Grilled vegetable salad was definitely worth repeating - warm goat cheese and very tasty marinade. Mediterranean spread and cauliflower were also delicious. And service was everything you could hope for - relaxed, friendly, knowledgeable. We will be back! read more

I visited One Twenty Six for lunch with a colleague last week. We had reservations and were promptly seated. They sat us in a booth, the table of which was actually two smaller tables pushed together. I wasn't a fan of that setup, which was inconsistent with the restaurant's overall style. We split an appetizer of Vegetable Samosas and these were a solid beginning to this food excursion. For my meal I ordered the Cuban Pork Sandwich. Served open-faced, the presentation was different that I'd expected. Either way, it was flawless in taste. This was my second time at One Twenty Six and based on this experience, I imagine there will be a third. read more

We sat out on the patio and the owner waited on us. The cheese plate was delicious! Salmon was cooked to perfection and chocolate cake was to die for. read more

I was visiting friends and came into Town and we had lunch here. It was fantastic! The veggie grilled salad was amazing and the black bean soup was hot and fresh . I wish we had this restaurant in Nashville! read more

Perfect Date night spot. I ordered Salmon and it was cooked perfect. I was low carbing it and the cook personally came over and asked what evegetable I would like because he didn't want me just eating salmon. It was so nice I'll never forget how nice he was. read more

Thoughtfully prepared food, very nice ambiance and great servers. My wife and I shared the beef tenderloin and the chicken breast with bacon. Both were very good. The creme brulee' was excellent. Beer selection was pretty decent and they made good, not great, mixed drinks. Definitely a place to go if you have the chance! read more

Party of 8 celebrating an anniversary - happened across the menu and was intrigued so I booked a reservation. For a reservation booked three weeks in advance somehow they cannot manage their timing and we were made to wait outside for 45 minutes. When we made our way inside we found MANY vacant tables that could have easily been combined to accommodate our party. No apologies from host, waiter, or management for the unnecessary and long wait. We should have taken the mismanagement of the queue as a sign that we should have gone anywhere else but here - while the menu is interesting not one dish was very good, and most were prepared differently than the menu described. One of our party is gluten free and ordered specifically from the gluten free menu - her plate came with a giant piece of bread atop that was clearly not GF. The waited sighed and made it clear that the mistake was inconvenient, returning instantly with the same dish minus the bread. That's not how that works! After we asked (nicely) for a fresh plate that was not contaminated we waited 50 minutes for it to arrive. Of course everyone else finished their meal in the time it took to arrive so everything was just awkward. Again, no apologies, and not even an attempt at an excuse. This place is not great. read more

Got the steak sandwich and it was DELICIOUS. Definitely coming back, plus the owner is super friendly. You won't regret it.

Ahhhmazing dinner tonight. Food was delicious, service was tip-top. Amy, you are a gem. Thank you for making our dinner a great dining experience read more

Cute restaurant, good service. The upstairs is especially cool and very hip backdrop. Love the open kitchen concept on the first floor. The food is where I was less impressed. The crabcake sandwich was super lackluster and the cake itself was tiny for the price. The veggie mozzarella sandwich tasted like it was entirely missing seasonings. The roasted veggies were fine but altogether it was just ... eh. It was on focaccia that similarly lacked any strong flavor. For what it costs, I expected way more. That being said, the chocolate torte with raspberry coulis deserves two enthusiastic thumbs up. Super yummy! But overall, the price is just not matched up with the quality or serving portions, especially in the downtown area, which has numerous better options. read more

Quiet jazz. Pleasant table spacing. Great drinks and the salmon flaked in bites both flavorful and moist. You're in Iowa City? Check it out. read more

One Twenty Six - a plate of food and a fork - New American Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Probably my favorite place to eat in Iowa City. Between Orchard Green (too heavy for my taste) & Baroncini (too salty), I would pick 126 as the best restaurant in Iowa City. Small menu covers all the meats and fish and some vegetarian options. Very consistent food but menu has been same for as long as I can remember which may be its only blemish. Owner Mathew truly loves food and it shows. Even though food has heavy French influence, his mother's Indian recipe shows up occasionally, especially on Hearth menu. All the ingredients are impeccable. I have tried most of the menu and all are excellent. Outstanding wine list is heavy on French varietals. If you are on the mailing list, you will get notices about the free wine paring 3 course menu that is a really good deal at $35 even if you have to pay extra for some dishes. This is an outstanding restaurant with consistently good food. read more

WOW!! We had dinner here before a concert at THE ENGLERT on 2.28.18. We ordered a salad that came with a house dressing that was fabulous and the pork chop. The Pork Chop was enough for two- so tender,,just absolutely amazing- glazed with a maple and bacon concoction and a side of sauteed brussel sprouts. The owner came out to the table and spoke with us to check in. Phenomenal. The desserts looked supper yummy but we were too full. I have been to many great restaurants all over the country and this one stands out as one of the BEST! read more

I was there with a friend, the food was really good. I ordered a roast beet salad and the steak frites. It tasted amazing. The steak came with tones of fries and they were so good. The service was excellent. The guy helping us "David" was very helpful and work with my friend on her order since she has allergy it. The ambience was great I loved it. The two reasons I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is one: the place was cool, as in cold and I was cold the entire time I was their. Two: I wish the portions were a bit bigger compared to the prices. It is too pricy. That said I might visit again one day but It won't be exactly my first choice. read more

My wife and I dined at One Twenty Six for our anniversary, and we will never be going back. We've been there a number of times before, and have never been impressed with the quality of the food relative to its expense, but we thought we'd give the restaurant another try because the menu seemed enticing. My wife's meal was cool and undercooked when it arrived. After some hesitation, she sent it back, only to have the en croute return 10 mins later completely mushy. When the server asked how it was, my wife was honest and said it was bad. This is where the meal went from "meh" to "never again." The server, (Aimee, if management ever reads this) said that we shouldn't expect much, because the kitchen was busy due to graduation. Shen then took away the plate while rolling her eyes, shaking her head, and flailing her arms in disgust - all in front of me; this was infuriating! I expect better service than this at any caliber of restaurant. The entree was comped, which was definitely appreciated, but the server's attitude never improved. I understand I should tip on the total price, including the comp, but the server left a note on the bill to remind me. Consequently, she got a minimal tip and a note back on the bill about her attitude; I also complained to the manager on the way out. The server could have made a disappointing meal better, simply by having a gracious attitude. Instead, she opted for disdain and indifference. For the price of the meal, service should be much better. Like I said, never again. read more

If you go to 126 for lunch, like I often do, you need to remember some things: 1. ALL the sandwiches are oily and rich. Even the veggie ones. That's fine. But that means that even though the potato salad and the soups are excellent side dishes, you should always order a side salad instead. I've tried like seven different of their sandwiches and my consistent lunch date has tried like seven others. None of them are in the habit of having very many green ingredients. 2. They do not serve bread automatically with your meal. If you get a salad (and you should sometime, since the one with goat cheese and pear is really generous and filling and seems healthy enough), then you should order a bread basket to even things out. 3. This restaurant can be unexpectedly good for a hangover. There is a distinct lack of upscale brunch places in Iowa City and you have to get creative. So do not rule out lunch at 126 as a way to fulfill that craving. They serve good coffee with steady refills, and though they don't serve eggs, they DO have a wicked BLT and their mushroom sandwich sort of feels like an omelet without the eggs (in a good way). 4. The cuban sandwich is SO good but SO sloppy you might want to save that for times you are dining with someone you know really really well. The only thing that takes this place down for me is the price . . . if it were cheaper I would be here once a week! read more

The food was fantastic, but extremely pricy. This is a great place to take a date in downtown IC, but very painful on the wallet. The service I received for the price was pathetic. It took over 10 min to get a greeting. I won't be going back. SERVICE: 1/10 AMBIANCE: 4/10 FOOD: 8/10 PRICE: 1/10 UNIQUENESS: 5/10 OVERALL SCORE: 38 Service: Graded by the "Keep my cup full principle". Ambiance: Pretty self-explanatory Food: A high food score does not always indicate it is a place for foodies. It is weighted based upon the establishment - thus bar food can receive a high score Price: Price is graded based upon what I believe is fair value for the food you are receiving. A high score does not necessarily indicate the establishment is cheap. Uniqueness: Higher scores indicate desire to return. read more