I seen they offer a 10% student discount so i came in to check it out. I got a burger and it was good af! The hot sauce was homemade and the best hot sauce i've ever had. My server was nice too. Ill be back. Good food and I get a discount!!! im cliché (; pics to show I wasn't disappointed read more

Sanctuary - Sanctuary Pub Burger - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

Service - 4 Ambiance - 3 Food - 2 Sanctuary is your basic college sports bar--nothing fancy and pretty empty on a Sunday night. Our server was pleasant and efficient. As some have noted, the pizza crust is a bit like cardboard. So come for the atmosphere, not the food :) read more

I've lived in the Iowa City area for almost 25 years and Sanctuary has always been one of my fave spots in town. The husband and I hadn't been there in years and decided to have dinner there for old times' sake. Let's just say, were left thankful for the memories, The good news first: the customer service was good and the live music was engaging. The food? Less than stellar. To begin with, the menu presented in person was drastically different than what was posted online. The waiter let us know that the restaurant recently underwent a management change, but that provided little comfort for my gluten-free eating husband. The appetizer listed as Buffalo Cauliflower was simply cauliflower doused in balsamic vinegar. Our main courses (a veggie GF pizza and a sandwich) took nearly 45 minutes to come out. Here's hoping Sanctuary regains its former luster but we'll wait another five years or so before returning. read more

So many options to chose from. From appetizers to desserts- come check out the upgraded menu and appetizing food while you enjoy a drink and enjoy the events scheduled throughout the week. read more

See all

I ordered the sanctuary club sandwich and it was SO good. Everything tasted fresh, but was also really flavorful and filling. The service was fast and the staff is super friendly. The vibe in there was chill, and they played good music too. I'll definitely be back, I think I found a new favorite spot!! read more

Sanctuary - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Pizza was good. Nice neighborhood vibe. Good service. Wednesday night must be trivia night! read more

Sanctuary - Whiskey Sour - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

New management shows great promise in keeping the sanctuary alive I use to love coming here now they're back open I been back a few times like the the pizza and friendly waitresses and I look forward to coming back frequently. read more

Went for my friends birthday dinner. Service was terrible, the waitress took forever and didn't check on us frequently at all. She took half an hour to get back to us each time after leaving our table, and upon seeing our table realized that she had forgotten what she even came over to give us. We had to wait to order drinks which took forever to come out. Then when we finally ordered food an hour later, the food took another hour to get there. The waitress didn't come over to us the whole time during the wait. My friend ordered a caprese salad as an appetizer, meaning she wanted it to be brought out early. This did not happen, and when it had been an hour and the food still wasnt out, we asked if the salads could come out early because we were starving. The waitress brought my other friends side salad but then brought another side salad for my friend that had ordered the large caprese salad. We told the waitress this was not what she ordered, and instead of apologizing and fixing it, she tried to argue with us that this was what she ordered. My friend was in the bathroom at this time, and on her way back to the table, the waitress accosted her and asked her if this was what she wanted or if she wanted a bigger version. My friend was confused; she didn't order the side salad and didn't want a bigger version of it, so she ended up just taking the side salad, even though we repeatedly said that it was the caprese. The food finally came out after an hour and a half of being there. The food was extremely mediocre; the meat was unevenly heated and the veggie burger was soggy. All of it was extremely basic and should not have taken over an hour to make. We asked for the checks right away because we knew it would take forever. The waitress finally brought them out and it was all wrong. She charged us all for fries that were supposed to be included, and she charged my friend for the full $13 caprese salad that she never received. We told the waitress, and she only took off half of the price of the salad because my friend had still taken the side salad. She also removed all of the fries. The side salad is normally only $4 and my friend ended up paying $7. The only thing that was good about this place was the live music, thank god for Fork in the Road and Deb for carrying us. read more

This is a real pub. One of those places where you feel the warmth wash over you as you come through the door. You'll want to try everything... Bangers and Mash. Shepherd's Pie. *and* a Cuban Sandwich. All on the menu? Add those to the top-notch pizza options and a curated beer selection all served by quality staff in a vintage and hip atmosphere... I've just found my new home away from home! read more

As someone whose first visit to Iowa City only included a few bar stops, I would definitely put Sanctuary high on the list because of the live music. I loved the chill vibe and great drink selection. If the pizza was a little bit better, I would definitely give it five stars. Will be back the next time I'm in the area. read more

Sanctuary - Pizza - just OK - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

So downhill. Basically a sports bar now. Such an awesome and unique place for so many years. Went last night and the chicken tenders were the least tender thing I've ever eaten. Fries were good. Very few vegan or veg options. Service only okay. read more

This is an old school Pub, dark and comfortable, a great place to grab a beer but maybe not the best place to eat in Iowa City. The staff was friendly and efficient but the kitchen is not as fast as you would like. We went with the pizza which was pretty good. read more

Sanctuary - Pizza with apple and prosciutto - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

We had dinner and drinks for my husband's birthday and enjoyed the night so much! Firstly, the atmosphere is so quaint and reminiscing of an English pub; rustic wood benches and tables, a fireplace and cool lighting and decor! We each had our favorite maple stout and a delicious house special pizza, but the best part of the evening was our server, Venus. We were made to feel like the only customers in the house, by his attentiveness and willingness for a laugh without neglecting his other guests. He was wonderful! As a topper, he served my husband a lovely slice of cheesecake as a birthday surprise. Sanctuary has become our new favorite place to spend an evening. read more

Since the remodel, pizza is not even close to being any good. Must have lost some staff-like the pizza maker. No sauce and maybe a teaspoon of cheese. Really disappointing- used to be one of my favorites. Last two visits have been way below par. I will say the server was really good. read more

We used to come here 20 years ago and the place was great! Good food and drinks at a good price. We came again for a birthday party for my daughter. The burgers were overcooked,cold and dry. The bun tops were burned, they were actually black! I thought they were playing a joke on me. The wait staff was nice, not their fault. Will not go back. read more

This is an IC legend-- living here for nearly FIFTY years-- and I am ashamed to say I knew existed, but never tried it. UNTIL NOW. It is one of the most pub feeling pubs in the city. You walk in it and it is surprisingly big, dimly lit, with gobs of booths and a charming bar. So much character lives in this bar. Mostly because the building is from the 1840s and its gorgeous stone walls totally show that. Apparently, the building used to be a foundry? Who knew. I stopped in on a Wednesday night for a stout and to try their well known pizza. The beer list is no joke. We settled on the The Sanctuary Special-- but without mushrooms or olives, adding banana peppers. Guys. This is the first time I think I have ever said this but; the green peppers MAKE this pizza. The medium was perfect for two people and I even brought a few slices home. (Additionally, you can get gluten free crust here, folks!) They have 27 beers on tap with daily drink specials from 4-6P and ALL DAY Monday. ($1 off Drafts, $2 off Wine by the glass, $8 Pub Burger & Pint of Lager) Plus, on Sunday, their divine pizza is half off. The staff was wonderful. Pricing seemed on point. Parking is a nightmare with only meters or street parking which is a hot commodity in this part of IC. Plan accordingly. Don't be like me and walk past Sanctuary. Stop in. Have a pint! Order some pizza (especially on Sunday). Enjoy the ambiance. You may see me, because I think I may become a regular. No joke. read more

See all

Pizza was dry and tasted like cardboard. Service took 1.45 hours for food. Would NOT recommend.

Visited the Sanctuary over the weekend because I was craving pizza and have heard so many great things from longtime IC residents. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but this was my biggest food let down in awhile. Pros: Nice change of pace downtown away from the college scene. The bar felt cozy and they were playing good jazz. They also have a great drink list--we only got wine and beer but I could hear the people next to me talking about how great the cocktails were. Service was also great. Cons: The pizza was mediocre at best. It looked and tasted like something we could make at home with a box crust mix, kraft mozzarella, store brand marinara and pepperoni, and some veggies. It was just bland and covered in flavorless cheese. Given how much people rave about the Sanctuary, I'm going to hope they were just having a tough night and/or got a new chef. Bottom line: Good drinks and atmosphere, could have skipped the pizza. Would be willing to give it another try in the future. read more

Sanctuary - Pizza with pepperoni, green pepper, onion and olives. - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Well, not what was expected for dinner tonight, and, unfortunately, not in a good way. I know it's cold outside, but it was chilly inside... yep, put on our coats. Atmosphere was ok... Service was slow but the servers were both pleasant. Should have ordered the pizza. read more

I really enjoy going to the sanctuary when I am in iowa city for a football game or whatever. The 21 year old college me never would have went in here, it thought it was where lit professors with tweed jackets hung out, I don't know why I thought that, now this place is one of my favorites. The beer selection is always solid and always changing, although the liquor selection is a little weak. The pizza is really good, totally underrated. It's a not quite thin crust, pub style pie that is always cooked perfectly. The staff is great and the atmosphere is great, a total dark but inviting pub feel. read more

Food took forever to come out and we were the only ones there. When the food came out it was burnt to the point I didn't wanna eat it anymore. read more

Stopped in B4 game at Carver We got 2 bowls of pasta and 2 sodas, they were below average and small portions But our bill was only $17, can't beat that read more

Weeknight in summer, food and service excellent and good value. Loved the margarita pizza, Caesar salad.

Love this fuckin' place, one of the chefs kinda looks like stewie from family guy but that makes the experience almost better. food is great and the servers are all super nice. read more

the goat, food always smashable and drinks always slamable. Shouts out the staff too.

sanctuary is a good hole in the wall. their pizza menu has good vegetarian options that you can't always find -impossible meat- and is half off on sunday nights. the staff are friendly and it's a good spot to take small groups for a drink and a bite. read more

We were told it would be an hour wait for food because they were short staffed.. an hour and a half later we got our roasted cauliflower, room temperature and still the best tasting thing of all of it.. next came our lamb sliders with lettuce and burnt buns.. the lamb was good but it was lacking the caper remoulade, had to dip it in ranch because our waitress didn't even check on us after bringing the food out.. and our salads came last and were extremely underwhelming. 0 stars, never coming back.. we tipped the guy playing piano more than our waitress, he at least engaged with us. read more

Why don't I come here more often?? Is the question I ask myself every time I'm here. What is there not to love about this place? Great drinks, nice staff, always has live music, and the food is delicious! In my recent visit we had corn beef and cabbage (for St. Patty's) and shepherds pie with lamb (always on menu). Both dishes are just stick to your bones comfort food that you shouldn't go without. I've also had their lamb sliders and this amazing stew (seasonal). They have a beautiful fireplace you can sit by and have a glass of wine and charcuterie platter and just people watch. They also have happy hour and drink specials. read more

Sanctuary - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

Food was subpar at best. I ordered the pub burger and it was tough, bland, and made me feel super nauseous after eating it. It reminded me of dining hall food. Service was very slow but I think that was due to the fact that they only had one waiter on a Saturday night which is wild. Ambiance is okay. Nothing special. I wouldn't recommend this place. read more

A pleasant surprise with some unique offerings. On date night, last night, we (Cedar Rapidians) decided to try some place different in Iowa City. We only drive to dine there occasionally, so we checked out YELP for a place we haven't tried before. We ended up at the Sanctuary, due to good ratings and a price range we wanted. First impression was nice, a comfy Pub atmosphere, with adequate seating and a nice bar area that reminded me of a neighborhood bar. I even remarked to my wife, "this is the kind of place I would own if I had one". As is our custom when trying new places, we ordered a couple of their specialties, the Roasted Cauliflower and the Bulgogi Beef Bowl. Loved the Beef Bowl, just the right amount of spice to make it unique. The Caulflower was good, but I thought a little parmasen on top would have made it perfect. So the food was better than average. They had a nice offering of craft beers, and I tried the Uinta Lime Pilsner and loved it. Really unique lime blend you couldn't miss. Service was right on point. The only down side was parking. If they had better parking this place would really increase their business. All in all, I'd definitely return, but since we don't get down here very often, probably won't be soon. Recommended for those more adventurous diners looking for somethig different. read more

A cozy quaint pub atmosphere with attentive staff and good food. I love their gluten free pizzas!

Our entire order with the exception of the Nachos was horrible and ended up in the trash. My wife's pesto pasta was over cooked and mush. I don't know what was going on with the impossible burger. It was a paper thin burnt to a crisp patty on a huge bun with a speck of cheese on it. The cheese halo had no flavor except for the burnt bottom. We are vegetarian and the grilled cheese tasted like meat. It tasted like it was cooked in the same greasy area as the meat on the griddle. read more

This place is honestly a treasure. One half is more intimate and the other half with the bar is chill and relaxing. The waitress knew her stuff when it came to making drinks. Our food tasted like they use fresh ingredients ( very impressed if they don't ). Everything was handmade from the pizza to the nacho chips and freshly chopped. I don't know how they manage to serve fresh ingredients because most restaurants are dumping out of a can or bag and calling it "freshly made". I would argue that this place doesn't and I tasted the difference. They even made their own BBQ sauce. Attention to detail is immaculate here. The food did take some time to come but it was worth it in every bite. Was made with care. read more

See all

Heard about Sanctuary Pub from some friends in the area and finally got to stop by. This is officially my favorite place to go when it's not nice enough to sit outside. It's hard to beat Red's in NL, but this place is close on beers and has hands down the best spots to sit and chill that I've found in the area. Upon walking in, you're greeting by a bar that boasts 27 beers on tap, the majority of which are things you're interesting in trying. First place I've seen in a long time that has Old Rasputin on tap! The selection of bottles is also quite impressive with a dozen high quality Belgians, plenty of classy European selections and a growing number of microbrews from spots in Iowa and surrounding states. Monday is pint night where heaven is served in a glass for $3.75/glass. The small plates are quite tasty as well. We came w/ a group and split a pizza and chips/salsa - nothing special, but . However, the magic was truly in the cheese dishes. The baked brie was done just right w/ a balsamic reduction and is complimented well by the crostini it comes with. The highlight of the night had to be the blue cheese IPA dip. Twas a great take on a simple classic and well worth trying - the sort of thing that everyone was taking on a spoon when the crostini was gone. The true deal maker to the Sancturay however is the ambiance. The whole place is laden with dark wood tables and booths with dim lighting that doesn't cross into trying too hard, but sets the stage for conversation. The bar is quite impressive and the whole room is brought together by the fireplace with four large leather chairs that accompany it.. A great place to sit, try some new brews and pontificate about who has the most distinguished turtle neck and thick brimmed glasses. The atmosphere creates just enough of a difference from other bars in the area that you appreciate it, but not so much that you feel as if you need to bring your macbook air and work on that novel where everyone can see you working on that novel. Whatever your pleasure, Sanctuary is a great spot to class it up a little with a great beer selection and some good appetizers with an ambiance that's unique among bars in the area, but is very welcome once you get here. read more

Historic and great venue, but if they didn't have that vibe and great trivia, they'd be out of business... Almost all food is terrible and bland, except the Balboa pizza. Only a couple good beers on tap and always out of whatever you tried to order first. Hope they can turn it around. read more

This is a nice spot for happy hour and it's easily walkable from the downtown district. We walked in at 4:30 on a Friday evening expecting the place to be buzzing but there were only two other people - perhaps because it's not connected to the ped mall? A mixture of indie and modern jazz/blues was playing though, so it made for an awesomely chill atmosphere. Exactly what we were looking for. The beer selection was well-rounded and the server did an excellent job describing some of his favorite highlights. The food though, was less spectacular. I really wanted to love the pizza but it was either made from a freezer crust or the dough's recipe was sorely lacking butter (when in doubt, always add more butter. please). I was floored about the rest of the ingredients though! Cheese was from Milton Cheese Factory out of Milton, Iowa - tomatoes were from Blue Grass, Iowa (tiny town by the Mississippi, apparently) - and the beef and pork were both from several small operations around Johnson County. I'll be back and next time I'm ordering the neuske ham & fontina sandwich. read more

Sanctuary - A small mountain of nachos topped with locally sourced pulled pork! - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all

This was a first return to the restaurant in about 30 years. The environment and pizza or as good as ever. Some changes in decor but still very laid-back and appealing. Only criticism relates to wine. Pretty mediocre and very small servings. read more

Sanctuary - Old menu - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

This is a great spot in Iowa City. One of our favorites when we are in town! The pizza is great and so is the Caesar salad. Ross was our server and did a great job taking care of the entire place by himself! read more

I agree with Kate. The best pizza is gone.....the Fontina. It was one I could feel decent about eating, with the roasted broccoli and tomatoes.BRING IT BACK!! read more

This place has got to be one of my favorite bars and restaurants in Iowa City. I love the pizza. They currently are trying out a semi-deep dish pizza which is amazing, it was available in the Italian style when I went in and I had to go back for more... Sunday's are half price on all pizzas! They have a lot of options for craft beer and seem to keep them updated and they offer great cocktails as well. Above all I love the service and the ambiance there. They have lovely seating options in the second room and even a fireplace going when it's colder. They are under new management and recently have been having live music which I can't wait to check out! read more

Sanctuary - Pizza Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

See all