They have so much going for them but the steaks are just not there. Although the do a really good job on plateing and presentation.

It was 5 to 6 minutes before anyone waited on us to take us to a table. Wait staff was nice, but was forever coming to wait on us or check with us. The wife ordered Almond Encrusted Walleye, it was "battered" and fried, not baked! I had a requested a ribeye, medium rare. I guess that wasn't a choice as thin as the steak was. It too, was overcooked (well done) and of course pretty tough. I haven't seen a steak curl up like that around the edges before. It was more like a slice of roast beef than steak! Wait staff was all to young to really care about providing service. Sorry, we were really disappointed! read more

Great atmosphere and staff. The Drake is one of our favorite stops for meeting friends and dining with family. It's a great place to sit outside and enjoy the views of the Mississippi! read more

The food and service were adequate but nothing exceptional. The location is nice. My main complaint, though, is the lack of handicap accessible parking. In the entire lot, there is one handicap parking spot, which is very disappointing. We went early on a Tuesday evening, and we still weren't able to find a spot close enough to the door for my elderly grandparents. It proved very problematic for them, and it's sad that the owners and management don't consider this to be a concern. read more

I ordered the salmon and the waitress very correctly asked me how I wanted it done. That was impressive to begin with. Most places don't even ask and it comes out over cooked. This one came out exactly spot on as I had ordered it. I was able to replace any of the starches in the menu with some great steamed broccoli and a gorgeous side salad. Very happy with my meal. read more

I often bring clients/customers to the Drake for lunch. The noise level is low enough that you can easily have conversations. The ambiance of the old hardware store and the view of the river is great, and the menu is varied enough that there is something for everyone. However, there are some unique things on the menu for the more adventurous like elk, bison, duck, and lobster pizza. I eat here 2 to 3 times a month and the owner greets me by name every time I am there. read more

Dont ever go to this place - Terrible!!! Tough Tough leather steaks! Waitress was sooo bad!! PLUS they got AUTOMATIC GRATUITY bcus we had a table of 6 people! Ive seen this for eight people - never six! No wonder why she didnt care! Took almost two hours to complete the 'experience". I havent been there in years.. they got me this time, but wont ever get me again! Marigonal food, horrible service! and stupid high prices ($185 bill for 6 people - no drinks) I took a business card of the manager from the hostess stand... it has some Alias nickname on it! Their manager wont even put his name on the business card! Unprofessional. read more

Nice outdoor seating and good view of the river. Food was good, big fan of grouper and the grouper filet that was wood fired was wonderful. Also tried the parmesan crusted grouper and there was just to much breading for myself taste was good but over powered by the breading. My wife is a very picky potato soup fan and they have a very good bowl of potato soup. read more

Unique atmosphere and good food. The gentleman who own it also goes around and interacts with his guests, which is very unique and shows great pride in his business! read more

We were in town from Phoenix visiting family in Columbus Junction. Thought we'd drive into Burlington for lunch. We were pleasantly surprised when we found The Drake. The atmosphere is cozy and the views are beautiful. Our server was prompt and personable. The owner was a nice man who took the time to stop by our table and see how we were enjoying ourselves. He even gave us a short history lesson on the building and the area. The menu looked so good that we had a hard time deciding what to get. I got a dinner salad with their homemade ranch dressing which was amazing. My husband did not order a salad and was tempted to try to steal some with his fork. For my main meal I went with crab stuffed shrimp. It was sooo good. The rest of the family all enjoyed their meals and we agreed we would definitely make a visit back to The Drake the next time we are in town. We enjoyed ourselves so much we moved to the bar after our meal and had a few drinks. read more

We went to the Drake on a Friday before going to Steamboat days. Great service and good food..

My first visit.. All was good with a party of 4.. We ate appetizers before meal.. Meals served hot... The elk steak was a little dry, but burnt ends delish! Wonderful service! Management came by the table and thanked us for eating there. read more

Came for lunch and had the burnt ends and brisket. The patio seating was nice and the food was good, but not outstanding. Service was acceptable, but not overly attentive. All in all, a little too pricy for the experience. read more

I really shouldn't be even giving it one star!!!! Service was the pits. Didn't believe other reviews and decided to try it anyway. WRONG!!!!! Ordered food and got my salad and drink. 35minutes later with no other customers at the bar I paid for my salad and tea and left. Hope the food got made just to waste it. Lesson learned! read more

We love the appetizers and the steaks are wonderfully prepared. Great atmosphere and good service. Enjoy each trip to the Drake.

The Drake is awesome! The view of the river can't be beat, and their BBQ is excellent (although maybe a little saucy). Service was great except for the issues with their computer system when it came to paying our bill. read more

Been to bar once, was nice, second time we ate dinner, I had tenderloin that was mostly burned bread and little loin and fries that tasted like bad frozen from a bag. Other 2 people had sirloins that they disliked and felt werent seasoned and were tasteless. read more

The Drake, being also the name of my favorite rapper, was a must visit for that reason when I was staying in Burlington, Iowa for work. The food was given in large portions but fairly standard. In my opinion there was not much creativity behind the food. The Drake specializes in a very large menu so they have something to offer everyone. The restaurant is very big and on the Mississippi water front which makes this place so appealing. From the outside you think you are entering a classy intimate establishment but upon entering you will find more of a chilies atmosphere. It is slightly more classy than a Chilies but still not upscale. For the area it is definitely upscale but not compared to a restaurant in an urban area. We ordered the app sampler and then I ordered the cod in almost crust. I expected more of a grilled fish with a lightly breaded almond crust but I got a deep fried fish with a little bit of almonds on it. It was very bland. The fried taste took over any taste this fish had to offer. My friend got a Bloody Mary with a beer back and a steak. He was very happy with his meal. The service was a little slow especially since we were one of the only groups there that night. Perhaps the service would have been better if my friends and I were not talking so loudly and inappropriately. I may go back or try something new in the future. I was left full but not 100% satisfied. read more

Sat outside and had a couple beverages. Service was very good. Weather also made experience great. We only had appetizers but they were yummy. Very cool collection of autographed plates (celebs who have played at Steamboat days-I'm sure). Other times I've eaten there were always brunches. Very good on a Sunday morning. read more

Very bad! The food sucked. I travel for a living, so I've ate at a lot of BBQ places. This place was the worst. Don't eat here. The view is nice. The food isn't. Trust me go to Mc Donalds read more

The view on the outside patio is awesome. The ambience of the entire restaurant is wonderful. Unfortunately I have never had a good meal at The Drake. Ate with 6 friends one night last week. Not one of of us had a good meal. Iceberg lettuce. My grilled chicken was horribly dry. Beans so salty I could hardly eat them. I have eaten at this restaurant about every 6 months. Always hoping the food might live up to the atmosphere. Huge disappointment. read more

Salmon was ok, the garlic mashed potatoes were really bad. The bread bites were doughy - not a good dinner. I was very disapointed.

Very unimpressed. The wait staff seem stressed out. Took about 20 min to get service. The food we got was just ok at best. The prices are astronomical for what you get. We received ice cream that was already melted when it reached the table. Go down the street to Big Muddies, way better food, service and price. read more

I love the Cajun pasta and the view. Don't be in a hurry, because the service is slow. I have been a repeat customer and satisfied every time. read more

Sadly every time we dine here we get mediocre service. Usually the food makes up for it, but not tonight. The special was definitely NOT special, the lobster was very bland, the artichokin chicken had a weird plastic taste, no one got drink refills & I had to pester our waitress for my husbands appetizer after we were served our entrées. Won't be back. Really would have liked to have a drink with my meal read more

Just walk - in and look at how the employees look and you will not want to eat here. Some of them are sweating in the food and the staff is standing around talking about women health problems. You would think that a restaurant on the river with a nice patio would be a really cool place - well I guess they did not get that memo. The menu does offer a lot of options but then again if you cant cook any of them correctly then what is the point. Do not waste your time or money on going here. The servers do not care after you place your order - they turn it in then go smoke outside. The prices they charge are high for the area especially for the quality and I do not have a problem with high prices for good food. The tuna there is a joke, the quality of the fish is gross. After all the commercials I have seen no wonder they advertise so much since after you are there - YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK! read more

First, I have to wonder if the others who rated the Drake below a 5 star rating even ate there! We have eaten there countless times and I mean at least 35 times a year! Never and I mean NEVER have we had poor service, a bad steak, or even any item not arriving promptly. The wait staff is awesome and some of the friendliest people you'd ever meet. Sam who runs the place will sit down with you and shoot the breeze at times. He REALLY is glad you came to the Drake! The cooks are great and if you want a great steak or even pizza then the Drake is the place to eat. The steaks are cooked on a wood fired grill and you can taste it in your steaks. Awesome! I've eaten at restaurants all over the country as my work takes me to different locations. The Drake is head and shoulders over most of them. Honestly, try the Drake. We have never been disappointed and you won't regret it! read more

We ate here on a Wednesday afternoon. Let me just say that it was NOT busy, yet we had to wait for what seemed like an eternity for our actual server to come to our table. We only had apps and a few beers. AWFUL, AWFUL service. The waitress seemed annoyed every time she came to our table. I would NOT go back. read more

The Drake is our favorite Burlington restaurant. It is more upscale than the "beer hall" atmosphere of many other restaurants in town. We enjoy the private booth arrangement and the variety of food. The Drake falls into the category of fine dining - but they do not take themselves too seriously as boaters coming in off the river are as welcome as anniversary diners. Fair price for the food and service and the specials are a true value read more

The service and food is some of the very best around. The patio during the warmer months is a wonderful place to meet friends and enjoy the riverfront. The live music offered in the summer is an added bonus. I have taken many of my clients, family, and friends to the Drake over the years as I am assured great friendly staff, delicious food and drinks, and a fun atmosphere. Highly recommend. read more