Between Iowa City and Des Moines leave I80 and drive into Grinell and dine at the Prarie Canary. Worth the 5 minutes. Vietnamese spring rolls made by Matayas (the owner? and our waiter) mother were delicious. Our simple fare was perfect after a long drive but there were more complete meals on the menu. Sunday with a homemade blondie and a flourish wrapped things up! read more

We celebrated my nephew's graduation at the Prairie Canary which seems to be The Restaurant in Grinnell. It was quite happening the night we were there, as I imagine a lot of people were celebrating graduations. We ordered the spinach artichoke dip, shrimp and brussel sprouts to start, and I ordered the steak frites for my entree. Everything was delicious, and we were all very pleased with our meals. read more

What a wonderful experience. We stumbled upon this gem while traveling through the area. We were early for our reservation and invited to visit the Speakeasy in the basement. That was a treat. The service and food were wonderful. The restaurant's simple decor is clean and crisp. Thanks for a great nite. read more

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What a great setup for a speakeasy. The blue and gold colors with velvet seating and vintage decor was spot on. We went on Valentines Day just for drinks, but the lower level was open for extra tables. I think this is why they needed the lights on pretty bright. Not typical for a speakeasy, so I'll be excited to come on a regular night. The floor was pretty busy upstairs and you could hear every crick and cranny when someone walked but I'm sure that's how it was back in the day with authentic speakeasys. It was also a prefix menu so we will be back another time for food as the menu looked great. As for drinks, they have specialty drinks and a list of others to choose from. Had a great time and we will be back to try again!! read more

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Had a wonderful meal here on Friday, then returned on Saturday for some drinks in the Secret Speakeasy. The restaurant is larger than it appears from the outside (think Tardis, you Dr Who fans) and it is quaint, cute, clean and lovely inside. Service? Our waitress Ali was fabulous, checking up on us over and over during our meal to be sure we didn't need anything and to make sure everything was perfect. My favorite meal hands down is the ribeye, and for dessert I guarantee you will regret it if you don't order the S'mores. I don't think I've ever eaten anything quite so decadent. Grinnell is not a large town. It has tons of small town charm, and this restaurant is one of the reasons why. So if you're in the area at all, I highly recommend you stop in. read more

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Great food, service and drinks, fillet very good tall server was too... Prices are reasonable for the quality

The food is so tasty- great combinations and flavors. The ambiance is lovely and you can actually hear people talk at the table!

The food was outstanding. I had the fillet. It was prepared exactly the way that I ordered. The service was impeccable our server, as well as the owner make sure that things were exactly as we ordered made special effort to see that our evening was special. Truly enjoyed both the dining experience and speakeasy to start the evening. He created an enjoyable experience, so ambience wise was the best.. read more

We stopped in for lunch on a Friday and only had to wait a few minutes for a booth. It's a cute little place with high ceilings and a big window in the front. The waitress and hostess were very friendly. I had the maple sriracha chicken sandwich. It had a nice crunch & yummy syrup. It wasn't very spicy. I switched out the goat cheese for provolone. It came with a salad & I had the apple salad. It is mixed greens with shredded apples with a champagne vinaigrette. Tasty! Next time I'll leave off the blue cheese. It was pretty big!! Friend's chicken avocado chicken salad had lots of chicken with a delicious honey balsamic vinaigrette. Minimal avocado. The accompanying taco soup was tasty! What a great place for lunch!! We asked for more water once & could have used another refill. read more

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While in Iowa on a business trip, my colleague and I were trying to find a place to have dinner. There weren't a lot of restaurant options other than fast food. I went on Yelp and found this place, it was about a 23 min drive from where we were staying but that wasn't a problem and I personally didn't mind the scenic rolling hills of corn, and soybean plants that went on for miles. The day we came they had a special going on where any burger on the menu was $11. I went for the only vegetarian one on there which was the falafel burger, came with a house made tzatziki sauce. Really delicious, very generous sized burger. We also shared the cajun shrimp appetizer, and I think I enjoyed that best. Easily could've had it as my entree, very well done. It wasn't till after our meal that we discovered that the downstairs of the restaurant is actually a speakeasy, with the bartender dressed up like something out of the 1920's. VERY beautiful, and for anyone looking to travel back in time while enjoying a beverage, I'd highly recommend it. Overall, this is a great dining spot. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Cajun shrimp app - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

Great food and atmosphere. Met two friends there for lunch and we all agreed it was great Definately get the brussel sprouts. Had recommendaction to try the blackened salmon and it was delicious A real find!! Plan to meet up with my friends there again when I am back in town read more

Great food with gluten free options and knowledgeable staff who understand the concerns of those with Celiac Disease.

Food as always is excellent. Creme Bruelle was so good! Service was excellent. Great atmosphere.

The service is FANTASTIC. The food and ambiance is wonderful as well. My grandmother is vegan and they were very accommodating with her wishes. She got the Greek quesadilla without cheese and she was very happy. She also ordered the Brussels sprouts and it was crispy and hot. Very happy. I got a salad with chicken on top and it was just Devine. The chicken was grilled perfectly and the salad was very fresh. We will definitely be returning. read more

The food is unique and very good. You won't be disappointed! Staff was attentive and our food arrived quickly. Try the spring rolls. They are so good. read more

Friendly attentive service, had the special it was delicious, full of variety of flavors

Super Cool small town Iowa Treasure, map it as if your hungry you won't want to be driving around and around...just look for where all the cars are and people coming in and out... The Food was as fantastic as the wait staff, not overly friendly as they were being super serious about getting Food Out... and I appreciate that cander. There is alot of charm within the dining area to keep you distracted while waiting for your very smartly prepared food choices...try more than one fir sure and then you can take some home, maybe. Loved the Canary Burger; one of the best I've had in a long time soo juicy and flavorful along with holding together all the way! Check this place out for an awesome day trip Culinary adventure in the middle of a very quaint but progressive Iowa town. read more

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ALWAYS GREAT FOOD & SERVICE!!! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! The grilled jam & cheese with tomato feta soup is my favorite, but the entire menu is wonderful. read more

Never a disappointment. I love the salads - had the apple salad with blue cheese and cranberries. Yum!

Food is great - service also very good. Eat in - it's better than picking up even though you can. Maple Sriracha sandwich, salads and the grilled cheese - you can't go wrong. Cool space too. read more

Best place to eat in Grinnell, no question. Fantastic staff consisting of locals and college students. They can get backed up in the kitchen so be patient. Eaten here many times and always had a delicious meal and left feeling good. Burger night on Wed is great, half price appetizers on Thu is also fun. Probably best to make a reservation to be safe. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Pasta with Bolognese sauce - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

Such a beautiful restaurant hidden in a beautiful small town. Prairie canary comes with culinary desire at a reasonable price. The restaurant offers lots of seating with an industrial vibe. Full bar and creative menu makes this place not only the perfect place for a work lunch but also a date night dinner. I went here for a work lunch and got the special, which were Korean bao buns. The flavor was spot on and offered plenty to enjoy. My coworker ordered they are grown up grilled cheese and it includes a spicy jam which really set the sandwich apart. I cannot wait to visit again. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Main Entrance - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

Prairie Canary in Grinnell, Iowa is awesome !! It's a little hidden gem we found when we go to the Lake (Ponderosa). My family and I have been going for about 5 years now. This place is classy yet welcoming. Locally owned !!! Their food presentation is amazing, drinks are off the charts ( yes I'm a drink snob) They also have great specials that are not on the menu on a daily basis. The staff is amazing and very attentive !!!! read more

The food is always delicious and the staff are friendly and attentive. We've always had a great experience at Prairie!

Great lunch. Writing to give a special shout out to Cheyenne in the kitchen. I asked for my salad to be well chopped. She took that opportunity to compose a delicious and beautiful piece of culinary art. Thanks! read more

Great food and great service. Soups are always the most flavorful, especially the tomato

This place checks all the boxes AMAZING food great service and perfect ambiance. There able to accommodate your social and dietary needs as well read more

Definitely one of our favorite places while visiting Grinnell. The service is always welcoming and attentive. The atmosphere is comfortable and clean! The food is delish! On my latest visit, I had the Canary Salad with chicken and the Tomato Feta soup. Yum! Both were absolutely delicious! The salad was large enough to save half for lunch the next day. My husband and child had burgers and those looked amazing! They both enjoyed their burgers and ate it all in spite of them being extra thick! Will definitely return! Sorry no pictures. We were so hungry I forgot to take pics before we dug in! read more

The best fine dining in town. Very clean and attractive setting. The food was very well prepared. I will return on my next stop in Grinnell. The Iowa Chop was delicious. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Iowa Chop - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

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Beautiful interior and great food. My friend introduced me to this location and I instantly fell in love w it. Can't help but feel a lil bit fancy after getting seated. Their serving sizes are decently big. My side of the Canary Salad is savory and is a perfect blend of texture and taste. The Sriracha Maple Chicken wasn't spicy but much more sweet. It was crispy and flavorful. I appreciate how this dish was filling but still felt light. I believe their menu is slightly different in the evening but you can also check their menu online. They have a lot of great options. I definitely recommend this place for cute lunch dates w your friends or romantic date nights w your lover (: read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Sriracha Maple Chicken with a side of the Canary Salad - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

The meal had extremely reasonable prices for large portions of great food. I went at the hight of lunchtime and ended up having to wait a little while and put my name on a list, and the service was still great. I had the pesto chicken club sandwich and the truffle fries and Brussel sprouts to share. The Brussel sprouts were one of the highlights of the meal. The sandwich was came out with the chicken still warm and the rest of the salad ingredients (that came with the sandwich) tasted extremely fresh. The outside of the restaurant is modest, and I was pleasantly surprised by the great food. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Pesto chicken club sandwich (only half is pictured) with salad - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

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Delicious. Friendly service. Fun, relaxed atmosphere. Definitely get the brussel sprouts!!

Everything a Prairie Canary is great. Perfect for a night out. We try to go every time we visit.

Delicious food. Great service. Cool building and a bartender who can make a classic daiquiri.

Had lunch here & was really impressed. Cool atmosphere in restored older building. Reasonable prices. Staff were very friendly and attentive. Menu incorporated great flavor contrast that were amazing on the taste buds and visually appealing. read more

Great meal in an unassuming but super charming location. The staff is attentive and engaging. We had 4 appetizers - Brussels sprouts were simply prepared but excellent, crab cakes were top notch, stuffed mushrooms the same, the spring rolls felt inventive - definitely not typical ingredients - and freshly made on site. We had the Iowa Chop, a burger and the steak salad as entrees. All good to very good. I'm only attaching pictures of the dessert because we dove right in - and ate - everything else. We also had two cocktails that were well prepared. Slightly odd to have a maraschino instead of a luxardo cherry in my aviation. I'm giving 5 stars overall because the meal stood out and exceeded our expectations. If this were down the street from me at home I would be there all of the time. read more

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar - Berry shortcake - Burgers Near Me - Grinnell, Iowa

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Good food. Our server Kelly was sweet and so helpful. Always a nice time. Get the Canary Salad so delicious!

Definitely worth the few miles off of I 80 for a lovely meal! My husband had the blackened salmon sandwich and raves about it. I enjoyed the daily flatbread which was with blueberries, honey, and arugula. We both had the strawberry salads as sides. Everything was fresh and tasty. Attentive and pleasant service from Shannon and an inviting decor. read more

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Always a great atmosphere, service, and even better food! The desserts are to die for!

Our first overnight in Grinnell and had the best time. The food was outstanding and loved the special menu choices. The service was superb particularly the hostess and server that kept checking on me. An outstanding experience and we will be back!! Loved the vibe of the speakeasy! read more