Que Chimba

(10 reviews)

73.3 mi

I picked Papi's cafe for the gluten free options. And was surprised by how DELICIOUS the food was…read more We got a little bit of everything: empanadas, arepas, desserts, fresh-pressed orange juice and hot coffee. I loved it. My husband loved it. My 7-year-old daughter loved it. (She called the empanadas "mini hamburgers that are so delicious you don't even need ketchup"). The servers were kind and the decor is adorable--clean, colorful, fun. Wanted to make sure I wrote a review, because the ones I read before coming don't do this place justice. It's fabulous.

A very small shop but big flavors live here. Seating is very limited indoor seating for 7 in warmer…read moreweather they have outdoor seating. It was a very busy Saturday and the service was a little slow and frazzled but they pulled it together. When the food came it was beautiful unfortunately my mini doughnuts were cold but my wife's empanade was piping hot and delicious. All in all a good experience.

Wall of customers

See all

La Bendición

(42 reviews)

1.7 mi

My experience was the best as-always and always coming out with a full stomach…read morethe waitress was so nice, and the food was good. The place was calm, quiet everything is amazing and definitely coming again. Just one more things the waitress was welcoming!

VERY RUDE!! As soon as I walked in the restaurant the older lady did not greet me first thing she…read moresaid was "Do you have an order?" I said no for dine in please, she walked away. There was only one person there so it wasn't full. I saw and waited she then comes up and asked me what I want. I tell her and she starts being sort of passive aggressive so I think to myself am I saying anything wrong? Or am I sounding mean or rude, but I wasn't. I just canceled my order because she was going to be prepping my food. So disappointed I really wanted my pupusas.

Marinated grilles chicken breast Deliciosa pechuga de pollo azada a la plancha. Te encantara!!!!

Inside!

See all

Marquee!

Mammitas Coffee Food & Catering

(79 reviews)

0.2 mi

Always excellent service. Great chocoflan! Food is also top notch! Mammitas is a local gem.read more

Fantastic, friendly, and welcoming service. Felt like you'd been a customer for years after only…read morebeing in the cafe for a minute. The pastelios de guayaba was also fantastic!

Pastelitos de Guavas !

See all

Outdoor patio.

El Gustito Pupuseria y Restaurant

4.9

(14 reviews)

3.4 mi

On our second time at El Gustito, my party was there for the pupusas, I was there for the homemade…read moredinner plate. The hibiscus water was very good, as well. The service was excellent. We were all happy enjoying this gem. En nuestra segunda visita a El Gustito. Mi familia fue por las pupusas y yo, por la comida con sabor casero. El agua de jamaica estaba muy buena, también. El servicio es muy amable. Con gusto regresaríamos a este rico restaurante con sabor de hogar.

We tried some pupusas, curtido salad, and fried plantains. It hit the spot! Good food and good…read moreservice. There are two good pupuseria's in the Coralville area.

Chicken breast with veggies, rice and beans plate Pechuga de pollo con vegetales, arroz y frijoles

See all

Pupusa de chicharrón

La rumba night club

5.0

(1 review)

1.7 mi

La Rumba is the only place within a two hour radius that has Banda and Nortena on a regular basis…read more Top bands are brought in from Latin American countries like Mexico and Honduras. Their music is tight and the musicians are top quality. It's great to have an establishment like this in Iowa City which offers live music from the Latin American culture. Vamos!

See all

Mesa 503

(21 reviews)

1.9 mi

Travelling cross country with a stop in Iowa and discovered delicious Salvadoran food. Had it…read moredelivered to our hotel,quick delivery & piping hot. Really wonderful and one of the culinary highlights of our trip. Highly recommend! * Everything was outstanding but the pupusas were really great! Great value.

Food 5 Stars Service 5 Stars…read moreAtmosphere 5 Stars They offer 2 different hot sauces with the pupusa's. An original mild and a spicy. The spicy one is definitely spicy and full of delicious flavor. We tried a variety and almost all the types they offer of pupusa's between the 4 of us. All were superb. Service was excellent. She came to our table to take our order as we were visiting with each other, tho I believe it's standard to order at the counter. :-) We live a couple hours away, but when we come back to the area we will definitely be back and try some other items.

Chicken with grilled caramelized onion, rice and soft corn shells

See all

The food was gone so quick that I didn't get a pic

Garnacheria Y Taqueria Ebenezer

5.0

(10 reviews)

64.4 mi

Beef soup Saturday! Yup check in each day to see what is…read morecooking! Beef soup is real good this year! Called in order and was hot and fresh. Beef soup Price now is 18.72 all in Including 2 buck up charge for card pay Worth every dime! You could easily split this 2 quarts total of food to two meals lol I should have... But fast break as I had not ate in 36 hours.. I ate the whole thing! Good food here! You need this!

Delicious and interesting selections and very reasonable. Small place with quick service.read more

Table booth new tv north

Surf and turf platter

See all

Menu 3 July 2025

El Patio Restaurant

I've lived in Mexico in Columbia and I still love Latino food and culture. Growing up and Iowa City…read morewe played against West liberty and I always love that. This community had diversity opposed to every other adjacent redneck towns. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing but the enchilada rice and other things was nothing special or was the piña colada that felt no alcoholic. With all that being said, I thought it would at least be cheap but the prices were the same as Iowa City the drinks eight dollars in the meal about 15.

Don't let the outside deter you from experiencing the best authentic Mexican cuisine in the area…read more You walk away hungry i would be surprised.

Complementary chips and salsa

El Patio

See all

Menu

Restaurant Izalco

Very rude server we ate there a out 2wks ago Sunday sept 26. The server was very rude when i asked…read moreif they had Salvadoran quesadillas she said NO and walked away then i asked if they had empanadas she said yes and walked away again we order through the phone and ate there but she didn't even offer us a drink! Will definitely not come back.

Good authentic Mexican food. Friendly staff. Cold drinks and good prices. Warm welcoming inviting…read moreenviroment

Posole Chica

Carnitas Dinner

See all

Los Ortega's Pupuseria

4.6

(5 reviews)

22.6 mi

Finally found the food truck at NewBo this afternoon and I'm glad I did…read more You walk up to a window at the end of the truck to order while two people cook, one outside to cook the pupusas and one inside to put your order together to give much when it's finished. The truck is small, clean and easily accessible. I ordered a chicken and cheese pupusa to eat for lunch and a bean and cheese to eat later. I also ordered a tres leches without the fruit on top to split as dessert for each pupusa. The pupusas were outstanding. They cool them to a golden brown on one side (down) then serve the less crispy side up. The salsa roja is good but the curtido, which I don't normally eat, was spicy and good as well. Vinegary without being excessively so. The golden brown crispiness is a nice touch and adds to the flavor. Though it does make it difficult to cut on the foil and styrofoam containers. The tres leches us some of the best I've had. Some places the cake itself is too dry, considering how it's made, it's quite surprising. Here though, it is primo. It's like ordering a good baklava, some things just always taste right and this tres leches is one of them. They haven't claimed the business on Yelp yet but they do have a Facebook profile, find them and their appearance schedule, you'll be glad you did. https://www.facebook.com/share/15NJ1CvzTQ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I've been chasing this truck for MONTHS now and somehow miss them every time EXCEPT for tonight!!!…read moreI picked up some chicken/cheese pupusas and on a whim decided to try their garlic/cheese pupusa. AH-Mazing!! You NEED these pupusas in your life right away!! I ordered via Facebook messenger and they let me know when they were ready to be picked up. Steamy hot, soft and delicious!!

Cheese melted over the top - I think they call this Kiki style?

I need to get my light ring out again when taking these pictures sorry

See all

Tres leche without the fruit topping (strawberry or pineapple)

The Dandy Lion

(216 reviews)

0.1 mi

My birthday request was brunch so my husband and friends surprised me with Dandy Lion - one of my…read morefaves! Six of us met at 11:00 on a Monday and the place was comfortable packed. We had about a 5 minute wait. I LOVE their bloody Mary's and my husband loves their spicy bloody so we each had one of those. The wait staff is friendly and attentive. I loved my salmon toast. I forgot about the hash brown side - they taste fine but I'm just not huge on hash browns so I would have chosen a different side. Since it was my birthday, the waitress brought a small plate with 6 macarons - one with a candle. It was the perfect small treat to polish off our brunch! Delicious caramel and chocolate bite!

Stopped by during lunch rush and scored the last available seat at the counter. I was served by…read moreCole, who gave me excellent service and fast arriving food. I had the French Toast with the house fried chicken - delicious! Lovely Ped Mall gem with an old school diner flair!

Mushroom Bread Pudding on special

See all

Zolly’s Grill

4.1

(9 reviews)

0.1 mi

I recommend Zolly's Grill. I ordered the spicy gyro chicken sandwich with added onion and Swiss…read morecheese, plus a side of spicy popcorn chicken chunks--both were absolutely delicious and packed with flavor. The atmosphere leans more toward takeout. There is seating available, but several booths are ripped and the interior feels a bit run down. Service was decent overall. I came in late with about an hour left before closing, and the owner or staff member was seated at a table, but he got up almost immediately, took my order, and the food came out fast. My only real hesitation about returning would be the price, but the food quality itself was solid.

First time at Zolly's. Will be back and bring people. Get the gyro cheeseburger. You can thank me…read morelater.

Spicy popcorn chicken chunks.

See all

Big Grove Brewery and Taproom

Amazing staff , love their Baja shrimp tacos , & little gem salad definitely recommend!read more

I passed this brewery several times and decided to check it out. What a pretty cool spot. Plenty of…read morespace on the inside and cool outdoor space. I didn't order any food, just a couple of beers which was good. The staff were friendly and helpful and overall I had a good time. Next time I'm in the area I'll bring some of my coworkers.

Richard the whale release

See all

1939

Yotopia Iowa City's Original Froyo

It was a beautiful day for a Yotopia date yesterday. It was gorgeous out so we grabbed some…read moreYotopia and walked downtown. I tried lime and it was delicious; definitely will come back for that. My youngest had chocolate/vanilla swirl with some toppings! (The best part!) :). Cute place and great service.

I came in recently for a dish, but no toppings. I think my choices were chocolate, Irish Mint, and…read moreCake Batter. It was a fine combination all mixed together in the dish. Even though I know the drill, I appreciated the introduction by a friendly guy working the front. Weighing and paying were straightforward. I think my dish was finished well before I got back to the hotel.

Cool flavors, tons of toppings and syrups to choose from, cool ambiance and cool people. Veronica, the owner, is awesome!!!!

Vibez decor

See all

Island Vybz

Just phenomenal food! The kind of place where you want to try everything on the menu, but the first…read morething you try is so good you just want to get that over and over again. The Rasta wraps are my favorite. They're like the best burritos you've ever had. The kind of food fusion that makes you mad no one else has thought of this before. I can never decide between the fries and the plantains. Both are top notch. The Island Boy pasta is equally delicious. Getting both the jerk chicken and shrimp in the same pasta feels like the kind of generous serving you'd usually only get at home. Again, I want to try so many other things on the menu, but I can't peel myself away from my usuals!

First time trying, and decided to order for to-go. Got their jerk chicken, jerk pork poutine and…read moreplantains. I expected the fries in the poutine to be a bit soggy since i bought it for to-go, but the poutine is still very good regardless - they put a bit plantain, so it balances out the savoriness with a touch of sweetness. Their chicken is also good, but the rice is a bit hard (maybe that's just how they typically serve it). Overall, everything is great. Would definitely come back again.

Jerk pork the slaw!!!!

See all

Interior

Soseki Café

This hidden gem has great food...the Taiwanese beef noodle soup is very good, as are the milk teas…read more The sashimi was fresh and delicious, and the green tea (jasmine) was served in a lovely tetsubin tea kettle. Seating is adequate but it wasn't busy last few times we visited. Nice staff and quiet atmosphere. Trying to find the entrance is a bit of a challenge (off the main road and at the end of South Dubuque, across the street from Graduate by Hilton). I discovered this place by accident while trying to find the library and had parked in one of the public garages (also across the street from the restaurant).

By far my favorite sushi/poke bowl spot in the Iowa city area. Soseki never misses, the portion…read moresizes are great as well! The staff is so friendly each time I come in. Will always recommend Soeski to others! Try their delicious poke bowl!!

One of the nicest displays I've seen that ties it back to its culture

See all

Curry fries

Press Coffee - Iowa City

We were driving through and stopped to use the EV chargers across the street and this was a quick…read morewalk across the street for good coffee, delicious pastries and friendly people!

My favorite locally owned coffee shop. Seasonal flavors and cozy ambiance. Take advantage of…read moreordering through the Joe app if you're using the drive-thru. I love their latte's. Staff has always been friendly and helpful, very inclusive environment.

Inside

See all

Chai Latte with espresso

Que Chimba - empanadas - Updated July 2026

People who viewed Que Chimba also viewed

La Bendición

(42 reviews)

My experience was the best as-always and always coming out with a full stomach…read morethe waitress was so nice, and the food was good. The place was calm, quiet everything is amazing and definitely coming again. Just one more things the waitress was welcoming!

VERY RUDE!! As soon as I walked in the restaurant the older lady did not greet me first thing she…read moresaid was "Do you have an order?" I said no for dine in please, she walked away. There was only one person there so it wasn't full. I saw and waited she then comes up and asked me what I want. I tell her and she starts being sort of passive aggressive so I think to myself am I saying anything wrong? Or am I sounding mean or rude, but I wasn't. I just canceled my order because she was going to be prepping my food. So disappointed I really wanted my pupusas.

El Gustito Pupuseria y Restaurant

4.9

(14 reviews)

On our second time at El Gustito, my party was there for the pupusas, I was there for the homemade…read moredinner plate. The hibiscus water was very good, as well. The service was excellent. We were all happy enjoying this gem. En nuestra segunda visita a El Gustito. Mi familia fue por las pupusas y yo, por la comida con sabor casero. El agua de jamaica estaba muy buena, también. El servicio es muy amable. Con gusto regresaríamos a este rico restaurante con sabor de hogar.

We tried some pupusas, curtido salad, and fried plantains. It hit the spot! Good food and good…read moreservice. There are two good pupuseria's in the Coralville area.

Mesa 503

(21 reviews)

Travelling cross country with a stop in Iowa and discovered delicious Salvadoran food. Had it…read moredelivered to our hotel,quick delivery & piping hot. Really wonderful and one of the culinary highlights of our trip. Highly recommend! * Everything was outstanding but the pupusas were really great! Great value.

Food 5 Stars Service 5 Stars…read moreAtmosphere 5 Stars They offer 2 different hot sauces with the pupusa's. An original mild and a spicy. The spicy one is definitely spicy and full of delicious flavor. We tried a variety and almost all the types they offer of pupusa's between the 4 of us. All were superb. Service was excellent. She came to our table to take our order as we were visiting with each other, tho I believe it's standard to order at the counter. :-) We live a couple hours away, but when we come back to the area we will definitely be back and try some other items.

Restaurant Izalco

4.2

(13 reviews)

•$

Very rude server we ate there a out 2wks ago Sunday sept 26. The server was very rude when i asked…read moreif they had Salvadoran quesadillas she said NO and walked away then i asked if they had empanadas she said yes and walked away again we order through the phone and ate there but she didn't even offer us a drink! Will definitely not come back.

Good authentic Mexican food. Friendly staff. Cold drinks and good prices. Warm welcoming inviting…read moreenviroment

El Sol Mexican Cuisine

4.7

(51 reviews)

•$$

Authentic, delicious, the best!!! I am from Arizona and El Sol tastes and feels like home. I have…read moreto make the trip from Mt Vernon every time I'm in town!

This is our family's favorite Mexican place! Great service and atmosphere. Everything is bright…read moreand clean, including the bathrooms. Fantastic food and consistently delivering a lot of smiles and satisfied tummies for our family.

Tequila Grill

4.0

(31 reviews)

•$

To Riverside for my birthday and looked for a close place for lunch…read more They had really quick service, friendly help and great food at reasonable prices. I had the pastor burrito special. Diced and grilled pork with white cheese and pineapple. It's delicious! My Wife had the lunch fajitas. No photo of mine I cut into it too fast

Great owner, he is always interactive with his customers! Fabulous food and margaritasread more

Maestro Empanadas

4.9

(52 reviews)

•$

This was a great, little stop right off of I-80 to pick up some tasty, handheld food that's…read morehandmade, and infinitely better than most other similar options. We got a six-pack of four different empanada types (beef, pork, chicken, and breakfast), and ate them on the road.

Omg so good! How did I never know about this place? Very friendly service and great prices! Plenty…read moreof flavors and they make it FAST. I only wish there was dinner-in. I love this DE-LISH-OUS

Mexico Lindo Grill & Cantina

(2 reviews)

Friendly, attentive staff. Delicious food. Fast service for both dine-in as well as carry out.read more

I'm picky. Like really picky. Like I'm from San Francisco and grew up with The Mission picky…read more Finally! A place that reminds me of home, somewhat. We ARE still in Iowa. I had their ceviche last week, as I was craving seafood. I needed to be transported back to Isla Mujeres for a minute. I asked for the servers recommendation and they did not disappoint! It was fantastic! A little bummed for the $2 up charge for a jalapeño, but, ok. Today I tried their flautas. They weren't pretty, but they were good! I also asked if they had a spicier salsa, and they brought me one. This is when I was transported back to SF. Well done Mexico Lindo, well done.

Mammitas Coffee Food & Catering