Went for dinner and sat at the bar around 7:30pm. Dining room was half full. Bartender stated they didn't serve food at the bar until 8:30. We opted to wait. At 8:00 Hostess came up to us and stated she would get us a table as they couldn't serve us food at the bar due to how busy they were. Service was understaffed and somewhat rude. Opted to walk to the next place! read more

The place has a nice atmosphere. I found the food quite tasty, and the portions filling. The staff there is excellent, they are very friendly and were very accommodating to the group I was eating with. read more

Kim, Pepper Sprout owner and chef, knows how much I love the cauliflower steak, and even though it's usually on the winter menu, made it especially for me. It was DIVINE. One of he best things I've ever eaten. When does a chef does something especially for a customer?? I love Pepper Sprout / they have everything I love, including s great bartender who makes divine martinis and wonderful wines. Sigh. read more

Service and drinks were good but it ended there. Salad, soup, and bread were mediocre. Lamb was fatty and chewy although cooked correctly. The bison tenderloin was completely raw when ordered medium rare. Both had only mediocre flavor for the price not worth it. We will never be back. read more

Absolutely outstanding! I had the pretzel crusted pork tenderloin and it was one of the best meals I have ever had! read more

I don't like salads, but I LOVED the chef's salad with strawberry vinaigrette. I knew that we were in for a great meal from there. My duck was incredibly well seasoned and cooked. My girlfriends steak was absolutely 100% perfect. Some of the best food I have ever had. Service was also very friendly read more

First time at Pepper Sprout and it was amazing! The salads were really good to start us off. I had the Mac and Cheese - huge portion. I was full after eating about 1/3 of it but it was so good, I pushed on and ate the whole thing. My husband had the ribeye and he said it was the best he has ever had. Then we splurged and split the cheesecake ... yum, yum. From out of town, but will definitely go back when in the area. read more

Second visit, last year same time. Winner! Atmosphere upbeat but not over bearing. Easy to have conversation, yet not for everyone to hear. I'm a meat eater 99% of the time, but the local mushrooms over pasta was irresistible. Not disappointed in the least. Mushrooms were substantial, flavors just right. Totally satisfying. A creative dish done right. read more

Dining at Pepper Sprout is always a culinary experience to be remembered! The menu is designed with in season ingredients. The food is fresh and the meals are creative. read more

Never had a sub-par meal at the Pepper Sprout. It's only for special occasions, since I'm po', but we know that when we need to get treated right we go there. The drinks are very well mixed, the food is always perfect, and the staff is attentive and not snobby. read more

4th anniversary - sprout vs. timmerman's... NO CONTEST - the Pepper Sprout is excellent and TImmerman's should turn in their "Prime Rib" card (maybe I'll talk about that later) But the Sprout is awesome - I had crab cakes for dinner which was an entree selection *nice* they were flaky and a bit dense but still delicious - you wouldn't know you were as far as you could get from an ocean in the continental U.S.. The service was good as long as we didn't care about our reservation getting us the table nobody wanted (we were told) in the middle of the room. Don't tell us that! Either way being the center of attention has never scared me... or my wife. The table just fit the heaping amounts of food and attention they gave to us. Thank you for a lovely anniversary dinner. read more

Had an enjoyable dinner with my wife. She had the lamb, which is a favorite of hers and she enjoyed it very much. I had the stuffed quail which was also well prepared and tasty. Good attentive service and nice atmosphere. Some of the fine details aren't quite as creative as could be, but overall a decent experience. read more

When we went to this restaurant two years ago, the food was solid and the service attentive and warm. We were happy to discover a high-quality restaurant in Dubuque, IA. This year, the food was nothing special, with some obvious problems (over-cooked pasta, dressing-drenched and limp Caesar salad). Most sadly, the service was terrible. It was a Wednesday evening and the restaurant was full, but our table of 4 was there for two and a half hours. We had other plans that night, but by the end, we just went home. The server never even acknowledged our unreasonably long wait and avoided our eye, not bringing more drinks, bread, etc. The irony of it all was that he was training a new server. Towards the end of the evening, the owner went around greeting different tables. I guess she had been helping out, because she apologized for earlier bringing our appetizer to the wrong table--one which had ordered after us. But she didn't offer to take it off our bill. If you end up at this restaurant, all I can advise is to lower your expectations. Then you might be happy with what you get. read more

In town for an event, first time visitor, probably the only time I will get to Dubuque. This place was heavily recommended by the proprietor of the B&B where I stayed. It was pretty good, but had an ambiance that reminded me of places I visited in the NYC area in the late '70s. I arrived early and had prompt and friendly service and enjoyed my meal. Salad and bread were nothing special. Can't comment on the regional menu because I had a steak, which was cooked perfectly medium rare. Seems to be more of a wine place but had a decent selection of craft beers in bottles. If they asked me, I would replace the Tiffany-esque candle holders with something else from the dollar store, and put fresh flowers in the vases. But this place is definitely worth a visit and I would try it again if I ever make it back to town. read more

On a recent 30 hour vacation to Dubuque, we stayed at the Julien Hotel. In the evening, we strolled north along Main street with out a plan but looking for an interesting place to dine. In our wildest dream, we couldn't imagine finding a better restaurant than the Pepper Sprout. We had the encrusted Sea Bass and the grilled Bison tenderloin both cooked to perfection based on the waiter's recommendations. Justin made us feel like we were the only ones in the building. Friendly, elegant and laid back with perfect lighting to frame up a romantic getaway while savoring such an incredible meal. How is that Kim has been in business 14 years and we just found this jewel. We live 75 miles away and intend to drive up with friends to treat them to such a special place. You will not be disappointed - read more

By far the best restaurant in Dubuque! Nice atmosphere, great food and drinks and friendly staff!

I go very often to Pepper Sprout, and not just because it's close to my house. Kim is a really great chef, and the staff is beyond wonderful. Great bartending! The best martini in town (and the most generous) and a good wine list too. I often have the soup and chef's salad for dinner. That's a perfect meal. But her pasta dishes are great too, and the entrees give us enough for another meal the next day. read more

Last night we celebrated our 42nd anniversary with dinner at Pepper Sprout. The food was great- as usual. I had perfectly-cooked salmon snd my wife had Chicken Piccata, which has now become a favorite! Joe's service was professional and most obliging. G & T, wines were good, and chocolate cake w/Fra Angelico topping delicious. We regard this locally-owned restaurant most highly! read more

One of the best restaurants I've ever been to. My husband and I will drive from Iowa City to Dubuque just to eat at the pepper sprout. Flavors of the food are exceptional. Untraditional flavor combinations are never disappointing. We moved to the Midwest recently from the west coast, and feel like this is one of the truly fine restaurants out here! The wait staff is always prompt, but you don't feel like they are hovering. we have always felt free to stay and enjoy as long as we want without feeling like we are being pushed out. Excellent!!! If I could give this restaurant 6 stars, I would! :-) read more

I loved eating here - the atmosphere is romantic, the food amazing. I was visiting Dubuque with a friend and she recommended this place. I am definitely a fan. When I come back to Dubuque for business, I will certainly stop here again and again. read more

Great food, serene environment. Vast choice of season foods. Halibut, to mention, is one of the best ... Smart bartenders, give a nice touch to cocktails. Romantic interiors with cozy cabins. Perfect place to dine and wine with a cool date. read more

I wanted to post a pictures of my entree, but it was so good I couldn't stop eating to snap a picture. They just launched their new summer menu, created by the chef/owner and you can taste summer all over the plate. Started with a salad with feta, cucumber, onions and a delicious strawberry dressing (like I said it taste like summer!!). I decided on the pepper crusted pork tenderloin that usually comes with a side of rice, but I asked to switch to mashed potatoes (I'm sure the rice would have tasted great too). The meat is covered in reduced cherries and it literally melts in your mouth and the cherries add a nice tang to it. The veggies on the plate were well cooked but still had a little crunch to them. Is your mouth watering yet?! The owner came out to each table and checked on her customer, super sweet and she has a great sense of humor. If you are looking for an amazing restaurant in Dubuque, you have to try this place! read more

We used to go to Pepper Sprout with business (customers and suppliers) as well as occasionally for personal dinner. We stopped going for a couple of reasons, some mediocre service experiences and, mostly because the menu went in a direction that didn't match our palet. Tonight was our 30th wedding anniversary and, mostly because our true Dubuque favorite restaurant is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, we decided to give Pepper Sprout another try. The decor is nice and appeaing for sure and we were indeed seated promptly (had reservations). We both decided on the spicy tomato basil soup as our first course. It was indeed spicy as advertised but we both enjoyed it. My wife ordered the pretzel crusted pork tenderloin. It was very nicely presented and was a solid 4 plus stars for taste - really nice. I ordered the chef's special, which was a cajun walleye with a nice sauce, veggies and rice. It too was nicely presented. Unfortunately it was bathed in cajun seasoning and the wonderful taste of walleye was totally lost. Part of the filets were also overcooked and dry. Worse, part of the filets also had a distinct fishy taste which should never happen with good quality and fresh walleye. Let's just say that I wished that I'd also gotten the pork. So, the next question would be why didn't I say anything too the waiter? Wait, we had a waiter? He took our order and brought out our food but that was pretty much it. He seemed to be running around a lot but it wasn't to take care of us. He never stopped to check in with us about the first or main course, only got me a drink refill when I flagged him down, wanted to bring our check before offering dessert... Oh yeah, dessert, let's just be nice and say that the choices were uninspiring and the taste wasn't anything to be excited about - after we waited 20 minutes to get it. We got the check promptly but, it was actually picked up by the bartender who never brought it back - and neither did our waiter. We finally got it from another waitress. So, will we go back? I can tell you that you can easily get better service and good food at many other Dubuque area restaurants, including several chains. Let's just say that the likelihood of my return is pretty small. All in all, really a disappointing experience. read more

Went to Dubuque for the film festival and not knowing the town found a lot of burgers and fries and beer joints. Not saying that in a bad way as I like all that stuff, but had to look hard to find much else. Enter Pepper. A block from the Holiday Inn we stayed in and highly recommended. Went the first night and it was pretty good. I think I had a steak thing with some smashed cauliflower underneath and went back the next night to have shrimp and scallops with the same cauliflower underneath. That was pretty good too. Waiters were very nice and helpful. Went away for a while a few times, but the place was really busy. Went out of the way to accommodate my travel companion's need for no wheat, dairy or soy, but weren't willing to steam some plain rice for him. All in all both nights were a good experience though and the people were nice. Definitely the best meal I had in Dubuque, but again I didn't explore every place in town, but I think I saw most of them. Nice town though with nice people. If I make it back to Dubuque I'd go back to the Pepper Sprout. read more

I was in Dubuque for business, and Pepper Sprout had great reviews on Yelp! I went there for dinner with my co-workers. Place was pretty busy on a Wednesday night. Although there were tables available, we had a 10 to 15 minute wait since the kitchen was backed up with orders. We sat at the bar and ordered a few drinks. I had Cranberry with Grey Goose. There was a decent amount of vodka in there (especially since the drink was only $4!!). We got our table and sat down. Bread and butter was bought to the table (but it was cold - I prefer my bread warm and toasty). It was a raisin and some sort of herb bread. I ordered the Beef Tenderloin (medium rare) with the Caesar Salad. The menu mentions that the Caesar Salad was more garlicky than average, but boy! 3 hours later and I can still taste the garlic. The Beef Tenderloin arrived, and it was amazing. Perfectly cooked to my liking. I thought the beef lacked a bit in seasoning, but the sauce made up for it. But then there wasn't enough sauce. Vegetables were a bit undercooked and the mash potatoes were okay, but not great. Overall for Dubuque, IA, it was a pretty damn good. read more

Chose to celebrate our anniversary here based on the other reviews and it did not disappoint! Our server recommended the Ramsey wine which we enjoyed. The shrimp appetizer was interesting, the concoction to dip the shrimp in was fresh and garlick-y, but hard to scoop it up to get the flavor with the shrimp. The chef's salad had a refreshing cucumber vinaigrette. The lamb chops had a wonderful flavor and the couscous was out of this world (the addition of watermelon was unexpected and delicious!) But the show stopper was the bison tenderloin with German potato salad - just amazing. If I lived closer to Dubuque this would be a new go-to restaurant, it was simply fresh and delicious and the people were very nice and helpful. read more

My husband and I ate here last night for the first time, it was 7pm on a Saturday night. First of all, the ambiance I would give 5 stars. It is a beautiful and romantic atmosphere, perfect for intimate conversation, dark with dim lighting. We did not have reservations and the place never filled up. The wine and cocktails were good. I had a glass of Shiraz and my husband had Korbel brandy. I was debating between the smoked chicken squash ravioli and the quail. Since I've never had quail I decided to go with that. There wasn't a whole lot of meat on it, the sauce wasn't very flavorful, the mashed potatoes were very lumpy (it had whole pieces of potato still in it) and the vegetables were unimpressive (carrots and broccoli). Something to try once. My husband ordered the shrimp with andouille sausage. It was tasty but the rice was undercooked and also had the same boring vegetables - carrots and broccoli. We understand that professional chefs cook el dente but the rice was a little too crunchy. The chef's salad that came before the meal was amazing - spinach, candied walnuts, feta bleu cheese, pomegranate seeds and a raspberry vinaigrette. You get a very generous pre-dinner salad. There was a raisin bread that came with the salad and it was not good; it would have been better warm or fresh from the oven, instead it was cold and hard. We waited a good time for our server to come back to clear our plates, refill our drinks and ask about dessert. We both ordered the pumpkin cheesecake which had real whipped cream on it, it was really good. It was pretty expensive, in the end we paid around $110 for the two of us which included tip. For that amount of money I was expecting something a little better food and service-wise. It was a new place to try. Would I recommend it? Only if you are in the mood to splurge. read more

Service was excellent and food was even better. We got there early on a Friday and it was pretty quiet, even as the place started to fill out it was a very peaceful atmosphere. Our waiter was very polite and friendly, checked in with each course, and was very helpful in going over specials and dessert options. The food was amazing. we started with the bruschetta and I could have had a meal of that! Then side salads and bread. We ordered the steak and Mac and cheese. The steak was cooked perfectly and the Mac and cheese was very good. Shared a very good slice of cheese cake to end the meal. Was a very pleased with experience and will definitely be back soon. The menu changes with the season so it's always new! Would advise to make a reservation if going on a busier night. read more

Always treated warmly and the food is made with care and great craft! Great Midwestern upscale fine dinning!

This was our first time here. We own property in a lake community in Illinois and were looking for a new restaurant to try. As you can see, we both enjoyed our meals. If the restaurant had an email contact, I would be writing on that instead. Chef Kim likes to pile all the food on top of itself which for a person who would rather eat out of a divided plate is hard. I just had my leftovers, which I was really looking forward to. The wonderful food was all piled on top of the sweet potatoes and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. The blueberries from the venison had turned everything purple. It was next to impossible to separate the meat, vegies and potatoes. I forced myself to eat it because I knew how it tasted, but looking at the plate was awful. There is no reason for a fine restaurant like this to treat guests' leftovers this way. read more

The atmosphere is pleasant but the some of the food had entirely too much "stuff" piled on it and it requires a specific palate to enjoy, which we simply did not prefer. If your tastes are more aligned with the flavor of the actual food you ordered versus the overpowering garnishes, make sure to take note how the dish is prepared before you place your order. read more

We were visiting Dubuque from out of town. We read about this restaurant on Dubuque's tourist board and decided to give it a try after looking at their WONDERFUL fall menu. We are SO pleased that we did! Val was our server - she was incredible, very attentive, made great suggestions and made us feel like we were eating in a friend's kitchen. Kim, the owner, came out to make sure everything was good with our meal. She, too, made us feel like friends she had known forever. The food was outstanding. Three of our group had squash squash ravioli which was amazing. Such a perfect fall meal. I had the mushroom risotto with veal. The veal was some of the best I've had and the mush risotto was delicious. For drinks, others in my party had wine that was suggested by Val. Very impressed. I had a martini that was exactly what I was wanting. The prices were good for what you get. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant while visiting Dubuque. Ask for Val as your waitress! read more

Creative food and wonderful service resonate with my wallet. Good drinks as well. I left impressed and satisfied. Don't get your hopes up though if you are looking for an experience of multiple courses. This restaurant serves a very large majority of the food in the entree. read more

Dubuque is not an epicurean paradise but Pepper Sprout is a diamond in the rough. The food is generous and delicious, prepared by the chef who often greets guests at their tables. Local, seasonal ingredients are featured in a locale where there is so much abundance but not many restaurants feature that abundance. Pepper Sprout does and makes you feel at home in the Midwest. read more

The owner/chef is the rudest woman ever. If you are going to come out behind the kitchen then at least have some social grace with your guests. I have been a customer from day one excited about the new cuisine it had to offer but the last time me and my family went for dinner we waited an hour and a forty-five minutes for our food and it never came, I had to stop our waitress to inquire about it and there were 3 tables sat in the whole place! No one apologized for the long wait instead the waitress said the chef asked if we want our $26 salmon and other overpriced food to go- and wanting to charge us! The only thing that is worth eating is maybe the salad anyways- the décor is horrible and out dated, the bread is stale. I will never go to PS again- there are so many better restaurants in Dubuque especially with better social skills then the owner of this one. read more

Went here once while in town on business. That food was very tasty, and the drinks were mixed ok. The service was a bit slow for a Tuesday night. Order the Grilled Bison or the Scallops. read more

The best restaurant in Dubuque. Nearly every restaurant in the tri-state area serves pizza, fried chicken and reuben sandwiches. Each is a fine choice every once in awhile, but when those are the main choices everywhere you go it gets a bit old. Pepper Sprout has unique choices as well as comfort food, much of it locally sourced and even sometimes organic. It's a much healthier choice than nearly every other restaurant in Dubuque. The atmosphere is really beautiful, the bar has everything you could want and then some and it's very comfortable. Even though it's one of the more expensive places in Dubuque, the prices are really reasonable for the quality and quantity of food. Bueno. read more

One of the best restaurants in the area offering nice food variety and decent ambience. The service was pretty good as well.The food was a bit greasy so I can't go here very often with my health! read more

Pepper Sprout is simply delicious! My husband and I went to Pepper Sprout this past Saturday night while visiting friends in Dubuque. We made reservations which was a good idea because the restaurant isn't very big and there is limited seating. One pro if you do have to wait for a table is that they have a full service bar in the front of the restaurant you can wait at until you can be seated. Now to the food....we ordered the Watermelon Caprese appetizer which was amazing!!! The goat cheese and watermelon went perfectly with the balsamic vinegar reduction, it was excellent. My husband has a caesar salad to start which was great. The dressing was tangy and had garlic which made it a step above a normal caesar salad. For my entree I had the Shrimp Mac & Cheese. The portion was huge and oh so good! The dish had gorgonzola cheese, mushrooms, shrimp, bacon and red onions.....all so tasty! My husband ordered the Grilled New York Strip steak and he loved it. The side of mashed potatoes were also terrific; we couldn't stop eating them. From start to finish this was an excellent meal. The chef served us our appetizers which was pretty cool and our waitress was the best. I really appreciate a waitress that knows the food and helps make decisions regarding what entree to order!! I highly recommend this restaurant and love that they have a changing menu. read more