Newly re-opened restaurant at the River Ridge Golf Course in Independence. Sorry that Okoboji Grill…read moreclosed - but very happy with Denali's. We hear that they hired away all the wait staff from Bill's - which recently closed. The have added a "party room" on the east end of the building - in what previously was an outdoor eating area with fire pits. The new party room and the large room on the west end were in use when we arrived. We had reservations for three on a Friday night and were seated promptly at a booth in the bar area. With the open ceilings and no carpet - it is LOUD in the bar. At the moment - they do not have a wine list - and - we may have been the first customers to order a bottle of wine. It was a red from Portugal - I don't remember the grape - but it was a good complement to our meal. All three of us ordered the Prime Rib special- medium rare. I chose the "loaded mashed" potatoes, Rick had the "regular" mashed and Mom had baked potato. Portions of prime rib were ample and prepared perfectly; tender - flavorful - delicious. The loaded mashed came with cheese and bacon - think - loaded baked potato. They were fine for something different - but for my taste - I'll stick with the more traditional baked potato next time. Even though we were celebrating Mom's 97th birthday - we opted for no dessert. Did not take a menu picture - but - in addition to the Prime Rib - they offer a variety of appetizers, sandwiches, salads, pizza, and entrees. Well rounded menu for a quick bite after a round of golf - or coming out for an evening. Welcome addition to the northeast Iowa dining scene.

I have given these guys three times to improve and they just can't do it. Today I ordered a Rachel…read morewith baked potato. Who makes a Rachel without Thousand Island dressing? These guys. The turkey lacked flavor, so was way overpowered by the kraut. The baked potato clearly had been baked days before, then a weak attempt to reheat was made. It didn't even start to melt the butter. Mealy and gross.

The place to watch Iowa games, especially if Jake or Endo is behind the bar…read more Great selection of beer. They will have something you like. Their mix drinks are great. Not burned but you can taste the liquor. They have frozen pizzas if you want a snack.

Had a couple drinks here while in town for my brother's graduation. I have to say I was impressed…read moreby the beer selection. Being in a college town I automatically expected there to be just basic beers on the menu, but the bar offered a variety of different craft beers. I have to say I was very impressed. The owner and locals were extremely friendly and welcoming. Enjoyed The Wooden Foot very much. If you are ever in Waverly, Iowa you must go there.

Absolutely incredible! JJ, the owner, let us enjoy the establishment while in the middle of closing…read moreon a Sunday night! Great vibe, best staff around, incredible atmosphere! You should be here! Also, the options for food is incredible!

From the owner: Family Owned and Operated Licensed and Insured…read moreOver 7 Years of Experience

Costa's in Fairbank has become a staple for us when we are in Oelwein for a visit. Usually lunch,…read morealthough the Saturday night Prime Rib is pretty good as well. We've enjoyed the freshly breaded pork tenderloin (I ask for mine to be not pounded too thin) - the Philly Steak sandwich, multiple burgers, patty melt - all good. And the Prime Rib? Based on our neighbor's recommendation - we ventured over early (for us) on a Saturday and were able to get a table at 5:00. They also offer the Prime Rib dinners to go - which is what I think we'll do on our next visit so my 100 year old mother doesn't have to wait to be seated (no reservations on Prime Rib night).

Stopped for lunch during Ragbrai ride this year. They were fast, efficient, friendly and…read moreaffordable- plus it was air conditioned which was a plus too. 4 of us, had a couple vodka lemonades each, along with a burger, chicken strips, a wrap and I had the ribeye sandwich. It was delicious, melt in your mouth and the kaiser was grilled with garlic butter. Great place!

I googled best tenderloin sandwich in CR and the first restaurant that popped up was The Blind Pig…read more I'm so thankful we took a chance on this little spot because the service was amazing and the food fantastic!! You can't go wrong with the flavor of the tenderloin sandwich and the sauce that came with the hot chips was phenomenal!! The whole vibe of The Blind Pig is exceptional!!

Good place to hang out and eat some American food! Decent burgers and love the pickle chips!…read morePerfectly fried! The wings were a lil salty for my taste and had to eat them with a side of their garlic dip which I love! Ordered a drink with Tamarindo Smirnoff. It was delicious! Since it was flavored vodka you really couldn't taste the alcohol on that one. They have karaoke Fridays so it was cool to hear ppl sing. The speakers were a bit loud ( reminded me of a club). Overall, good place to hang out.

Great food! Great prices! Honestly was surprised by this place. They really give you nice portions…read morefor bargain prices

I go to CJ's Sports Bar and Grill with friends every now and then. It is always busy when I go…read morethere and the staff are always really nice. There's lots of different seating, including a nice fenced in patio. Beer selection is limited especially craft beer. They have decent food also. A good sports bar to go with friends.

As if the the smoked prime rib and ginormous side of hash browns weren't enough, we had one of the…read morebest wise cracking waitresses ever. If you go be sure to ask for the crazy redhead, Stephanie. I think if she served me cardboard I would have ate it, she was that good. Gotta love these small town out of the way establishments!

Oh my goodness, the food here is wonderful! So many delicious options! My family and I came on my…read morebrother's 53 birthday (Still a spring chicken, I know!) and the entire family practically licked their plates clean! Our waitress was such a sweetheart! I believe this is a family owned restaurant too, that is just too special! I had one of their cheeseburgers, it was amazing! I practically had to be rolled out the door!

Food and service was amazing Highly recommend , we had the…read morenacho's and it was fantastic also has the onion rings and they were really good

Great guys working the bar. Food was outstanding and really reasonably priced. This is a hidden gemread more

Received a lot of angry "feedback" with anti-Semitic and racist innuendos aimed at us for sitting…read morein a "regular's" seat. Bar tender did absolutely nothing about it and just said it's a regular who's been over served (despite still being served).

Standard bar fare in a comfortable setting, this is a good place to go for a celebration with…read morefamily and friends as the food portions are fairly large, cooking is reasonably good, and prices are friendly on the wallet. The staff is also friendly and was accommodating to our large group - even with the large number of split checks. They were also good on regularly checking on extra orders for drinks and food without being prompted.

This is the coolest bar I've ever been to in Iowa, if not one of the coolest bars I've ever been…read moreto- PERIOD! The Sanity Room takes "theme" bar to a whole new level. There is a state mental facility outside of Independence, Iowa, and hence the theme of the Sanity Room. But don't think it's cold and creepy. No. The owners have gone to great lengths to make this an inviting place complete with the unique chairs, private small booths, and kitschy motto signs surrounding the place (one of my faves: "I can only please one person per day. Today I choose me."). They serve shots in pill bottles and syringes, and the staff will even make you don a patient gown, sit in the old hospital bed (vintage and they claim it came from the state hospital), and then administer the shots while wearing a doctor's coat. Genius! After you are vaccinated, you get a sticker. As if the booze wasn't awesome enough! And let's talk about the booze. This is a full bar that also features some great craft and local beers, as well as a local wine. Iowa wine, you ask? It was by far the best I sampled and I bought a bottle. Yeah, you can buy their stock too, if they have enough. As for specialty cocktails? Look no further than the bloody mary made with Chardonnay. That's right, I said the bloody mary is made with wine. And it's delicious. Since wine doesn't have as much alcohol as vodka, you might have to drink a lot to get the same effect, but with a taste like this you won't mind. The Sanity Room does seem to be a work in progress as they only have one unisex bathroom but they are working on more accommodations. Still, it's small so you can't imagine there would ever be a long line. It also sits in the back of an antique store, so blink and you might miss it. I know we did the first time we walked by, but the second time we took a chance and walked in and I am so glad we did! There's even a back patio area that overlooks the Wapsipinican River. The only bad thing would be that there are no TVs in the Sanity Room. I question if this would change the integrity of the bar, as it might compromise the theme and inviting nature. But I am a sports nut and there would be nothing better than belly up at the bar, drinking a glass of La T Da & watching the game! Seriously, if you're ever in Independence and you don't stop in here, you're missing out. I can't wait to get back and get my dose of Sanity!

Such a great name for the town that includes the mental hospital. Eclectic, fun decor and the…read moreowner/managers obviously love their work! A deck in the back gives a nice view of the Wapsie River, and an antique shop with all sorts of fun things, from tools to quilts. Thanks for the hospitality!