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    St. Burch Tavern

    4.0 (235 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    St. Burch Tavern Photos

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    ST. BURCH TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Trendy
    Romantic

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    Reviews With Photos - St. Burch Tavern

    Basement vibes!
    Jodi B.

    Had brunch here on a Sunday afternoon...the speakeasy in the basement has such a fun vibe! The servers were fun and attentive and the food was delicious! The whole downtown area is so quaint and fun.

    Such a cute patio
    Astrid H.

    Was recommended this place by the beautiful bartender at mill house brewing and said they had great seafood. Was excited to see how easy it was to find and just off the U of Iowa campus, a short walk down the street. We were greeted right away and preferred to sit on the patio, which we did. Great menu, lots of really great options from a variety but definitely some seafood takes. Was tough to pick between this creamy seafood pasta and the sandwich but opted for the sandwich, which was delicious. Came with chips but I chose a salad and I picked the one with cranberries and blue cheese and my my my was ir tasty. Such a light dressing with seeds and it was just perfect with my crab, lobster, shrimp sandwich. My partner ordered the pork chop and cheesy palento and it was marvelous. Not only was it visually delicious but the flavor was spectacular. That pork chop was cooked to perfection left moist and soft but cooked all the way through. So so good. Service was great and we loved the food. Overall glad we came and we'd come back indeed!

    Cheddar biscuits
    Julie T.

    We ate outside and enjoyed the great vibe. Parker was our waitress and she was delightful. The food was really great and the service was top notch! The cocktails were amazing!

    Inside top floor
    Beth s.

    Excellent experience at St. Burch. The steak and Mac and cheese were the stand outs for me. Down stairs has a completely different speakeasy vibe. Highly recommend!

    Vivian S.

    Stopped here as we were passing through town. Great outdoor and indoor areas. Food was delicious, and the portion was perfect. Only thing we didn't like was that we wanted to pay cash and they don't print the receipt so the server and her trainee held the terminal and watched me count through the money in purse, which was uncomfortable.

    $1.50 3-6pm daily oysters (east coast) - $3off drafts and cocktails.
    Bobby C.

    I've been here a handful of times and the food is always stellar justifying the New York City prices. I've never sat outside, but there is outside patio dining, which looks lovely. The best deal are the 3-6pm $1 oysters daily (m-f- not sure on weekends) They also have drink specials during that time. I've also come here for Mother's Day and Easter specials, which have always been again delicious yet overpriced. It's a treat type of place. I'll never be a regular aside from the oysters . The best seafood place in IC. Run by the Nate Kaeding mafia group though :(

    Cool downstairs area for dining
    Leanh E.

    After a long flight arriving to Iowa City, I wasn't in the mood for a big meal but wanted to go somewhere to get a small bite and relax. My daughter took me to the St. Burch and we headed downstairs into the Den. What a cool vibe and loved the dark interior. We had a great time and the food was spectacular. The sauce on the shrimp creole dish was amazing. Scooped up every last bit of the sauce with bread, because it was that good! I really enjoyed the tuna carpaccio which had a great Asian inspired dressing and cashews.

    Salmon Chowder and Mac N Cheese
    Adrienne D.

    SERVICE: Given that downtown Iowa City has a strictly enforced 1-hour parking limit, I've found that the restaurants are great at giving efficient service. Our waitress was no exception. My party of 2 pondered the menu for 10 minutes and our food still came out before we'd even hit the 30 minute mark in our parking. FOOD: We both did the "The Pick Two" option for $15.50. It's a sizeable amount of food for the price. I ordered the Chicken Bacon and Swiss melt with the classic Caesar salad. The other person ordered the Atlas Mac N Cheese with the cup of salmon chowder. The plating and taste of the food was good. The portions are reasonable and you can finish your food during your visit. The lettuce for the Caesar salad is very fresh and crunchy (a personal fave). RESTAURANT POLICY: All non-cash purchases have a 3% fee. Please keep that in mind when you close out your tab. 10/10 recommend

    Kamilla J.

    I love the shrimp voodoo and mac and cheese options at this spot , truly, the shrimp voodoo is a MUST. It's packed with flavor, cooked perfectly, and has that addicting little kick that keeps you coming back for more. And the mac and cheese? Creamy, rich, and the kind of comfort food you dream about. Both dishes are consistently excellent, seriously, they never miss. That said, the service can be hit or miss. I've been here multiple times, and it really depends on the day. Sometimes I'm greeted by warm, helpful staff who are attentive without being overbearing. Other times, the energy feels... off. One visit in particular stood out, I ordered to-go at the bar, and the staff member helping us looked visibly irritated, despite the restaurant not being busy. When my friend asked a simple question, the response came with a look that screamed, "Really?" It was uncomfortable and dismissive. Also, something that lingers in the back of my mind: the restaurant advertises its seafood as "fresh," which sounds great, but I do wonder what that actually means when you're in the middle of Iowa, miles from any ocean. Is it flown in daily? Fresh-frozen and thawed? Just something to consider, especially for a place that leans heavily on seafood dishes. So while the food is absolutely worth it, just know that the service experience may vary. I still come back, but I cross my fingers it's one of their "good days."

    Crazy price for a single drink, even considering what it was.
    Isaac A.

    This review is for "The Den" in the basement of the St. Burch Tavern. I'll keep this short and to the point - we were on track for a five-star review. The cocktails were great, the posted prices were reasonable, and the service good. My last drink of the evening was a Lagavulin 16, which generally costs $80-$100 a bottle retail (bars should pay less through distributors). For that single drink, The Den charged an exorbitant $35. I'd go back, but I'd only buy drinks with posted prices - the off-menu prices are absurd and frankly a rip-off.

    Oysters
    Zoe C.

    Love their happy hour! Good deals on oysters and cocktails. Great vibe, love the outdoor seating in the summertime. I also like their brunch (crispy chicken sandwich is seasoned and fried to perfection!)

    Salmon Benedict
    Meredith L.

    I've been missing out on brunch at St. Burch and highly recommend! Photos include Salmon and Avocado Toast, Shrimp and Grits⁣, and Smoked Salmon Benedict. I got the shrimp and grits and certainly would again! The portion of shrimp and grits were both very generous for price and the sauce on that shrimp was delicious and can't forget to mention grits oozing with flavor from cheese ⁣I have always had great service when I come here and it's a nice space with lots of great natural light during the day! Plus check out the den for evening drinks ⁣

    lobster chitarra

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    11 days ago

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    9 months ago

    Great food, great service. The atmosphere is really cozy and eclectic. Always have a great time here!

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    7 months ago

    Really good food and fun drinks. Inside is unique and interesting while outside is a great spot for alfresco dining.

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    10 months ago

    Bryan C is the best server! 10/10 service, so welcoming & nice, and he got us to stick around for another round. Give this man a raise!

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    Page 1 of 6

    Ask the Community - St. Burch Tavern

    Do you offer a children's menu?

    Yes we do :)

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    This was the place in Iowa City I thought would be the best when I researched it, The Webster is a…read morereally good restaurant. It could be in LA or New York, easily. The decor is modern industrial and it's great. The space is beautiful and feels high end. The service is spot on. The server was professional? helpful and accommodating. It is literally perfect. The food is served family style, though. friend didn't want to do that. Ironically. my wife didn't like that either. So i'm use to it. Instead of splitting apps, we both had the same app: beef tartare. It was one of the best tatteres i've ever had. And I love this dish. We each ordered a pasta as our main. My friend loved his. Mine was ok, but too salty, which is never my issue. Nevertheless? the whole thing was really excellent. This is a great restaurant.

    To be honest I feel bad leaving such a low review for a fine dining staple, but came today for my…read moreDad's 75th birthday and quite possibly has the worst $200 meal on my life. The $50 sirloin steak was served cold. Because our waitress, Grace H, failed to even ask how our food was the entire time until after we had eaten everything I couldn't even send it back. I spent the entire time trying to make eye contact with her but she was busy taking new tables. When she finally came to ask how our food was and was told, her response was I will let the kitchen know. Not "I will bring you another plate" or even discount or comp the entree. Not what you'd expect from Iowa city's fine dining flagship. The prices were not just expensive, but over the top expensive. $50 for an 8 ounce sirloin. $56 for 12 average oysters. To be honest it's below average in value to a nice restaurant in LA, NY or Chicago. They may thrive because the IC elite doesn't have many options for upscale dining. But for someone who has lived in those cities and eaten at Michelin star culinary venues this place is lacking in both food and service for the prices they charge. It was enough of a bad experience that I will never be back. There's Chez Grace, Joseph's and 126 which offer quality food, much better value and food service. Posting my food pics and the receipt to see what $200 gets you here.

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    Pasta dish. $24.
    Pop's Italian Beef

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    Pop's Italian Beef is by far and away the end all be all of Italian Beef in Iowa. I've been to a…read morelot of places around, and nothing comes close. The owners get their ingredients from Chicago, and it shows! Or, I should say, it tastes! The hours are kinda irregular, depending on the weather, and amount of people out and about. If you see them, and there is any remote twinge of hunger in your body... DO IT! If you're actually not even hungry... DO IT! If you see this cart... DO IT! I always get the beef with the spicy peppers, and make sure to have it dipped! Their au jus, yeah, you guessed it, AMAZING! Makes for a mess, makes for a taste masterpiece! I've had a lot of these sandwiches in a lot of places over the years, and I always compare them to Pop's! BEST VENDOR IN THE PED MALL!

    I don't think they're related to the Chicago food chain, but Pop's Italian Beef in downtown Iowa…read moreCity, certainly feels like Chicago food. The menu is spartan--italian beef, sausage or meatball subs, but hits the spot for a quick lunch fix or after-bar snack. On a recent visit I had the basic italian beef with peppers. I was offered hot or sweet peppers (i chose the latter). After piling on au jus soaked beef, the proprietor added my peppers and dipped the sandwich several times soaking the 8 inch or so italian loaf in au jus. The sandwich as a delicious, albeit potentially sloppy treat. Definitely will go back again.

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    Orchard Green

    Orchard Green

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    Before I came to Iowa City for a conference? i researched places to eat. This was one I wanted to…read morego to. They're well reviewed on Yelp, which I value. My friend from work and I came here tonight. Wow. They have an informal lounge downstairs and a more formal dining room upstairs. The lounge has the same menu plus a lounge menu. So we chose more choice. The lounge was kinda dark and it's not fancy. But it's clean and open. It's fine. The server was terrific. Ash accommodated our need for separate checks (for us each to bill for our meal). She was attentive and pleasant. I asked her what she liked better between a couple of things and she gave me an honest answer. I followed her recommendation, The beet salad was lovely. the dressing had some goat cheese in it and was delicious. The fresh beets on the side really worked with the dressing. My friend got the cheese platter to start and there was lots of cheese. He loved it. He got the lounge version of the salmon, which he thought was great. I got the Artic Char, which was delicate and phenomenal. It was topped with pieces of lobster and caviar like eggs. The fish was delicate and the sauce rich, but not overpowering. It was delightful. We both loved our meals and highly recommend Orchard Green.

    Incredible meal at Orchard Green!…read more While the upstairs dining area was booked for the evening, we were able to walk in and have an incredible meal in the lounge portion of the restaurant. A round of mocktails, crab cakes, and my delicious filet mignon was unbeatable. The steak was cooked perfectly and the garlic topping was the perfect touch. For desert, we shared a cheesecake and peanut butter mousse. The cheesecake was great, but the peanut butter mousse... quite literally one of the best desserts of my life! The balance of peanut butter and rich chocolate was perfect. Service was friendly and helpful, and the lounge was relaxed and comfortable. Would highly recommend Orchard Green for a nice dinner in the area!

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    Bar downstairs
    Bar downstairs
    Lobster Butternut Squash Bisque
    Lobster Butternut Squash Bisque
    Lounge downstairs

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    Lounge downstairs
    The Encounter Cafe

    The Encounter Cafe

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    Stopped in to grab a couple of coffees, a scone and a cinnamon roll. The Encounter Cafe is…read moreliterally across the street from our hotel, so this was a no-brainer if you're looking for an upgrade to the complimentary powdered eggs and overused waffle machine offered by the hotel that your staying at. The space itself is large and looks to be separated into two halves. I entered on the one side, ordered at the counter, just like you would at any coffee shop and waited. This place serves a full-service breakfast as well if you're looking for something more substantial (eggs, panini's, pancakes, etc..). I was just here picking up and bringing it back to our room. The coffees were fine, but there was only one gentleman working the counter, and he was a bit overwhelmed. He forewarned me that he had 4-5 drinks ahead of mine, so I ended up sitting there waiting for about 15 minutes for our two drinks. I wasn't pressed for time today, but if I was, this would've been an issue. I ordered a raspberry chocolate scone and a cinnamon roll. The scone was delicious. Not too sweet and was definitely made this morning. The cinnamon roll was delicious as well, but it was extremely sweet. To the point where it hurt your teeth. It would also have been better if it were warmed up. Lastly, they gave me this big cinnamon roll in a bag without any napkins or utensils?!? I had to stop at the free breakfast at our hotel to get a fork, knife and some napkins. So kind of a mixed-bag at the Encounter Cafe. I would give it another shot and try some other things, but it didn't blow me away.

    I stopped here twice on a recent work trip as it was close by to the hotel I was staying in. It…read morereally lives up to the other reviews that describe it as a cozy atmosphere with fresh food. The first day I had baked oatmeal with yogurt and it was a huge portion size that was very similar to coffee cake. The next day, I ordered the avocado toast and was surprised to see it come out, layered with egg and bacon and fresh tomato. Their lattes were delicious without being overly sweet. So glad I found this place during my trip. It is worth the stop.

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    The Encounter Cafe
    Chocolate croissant and a lavender-honey iced latte w almond milk
    Chocolate croissant and a lavender-honey iced latte w almond milk
    Front counter and menu boards

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    Front counter and menu boards

    St. Burch Tavern - newamerican - Updated August 2026

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