White Star Ale House
305 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52401
White Star Ale House Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Cedar Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
305 2nd Ave SE
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52401 - Phone (319) 362-2000
- Website https://whitestaralehouse.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner, Late Night
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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David B.
Good beer selection on tap. Went here with a large group, so we tried a variety of things to eat. Everybody liked their food. The atmosphere is upscaly and nice, but on a busy night it is loud, so you might not want to go here for a quiet romantic-type dinner
(4)Krystle M.
Let's start with the less offensive. The decor is mishmash of nautical themes with old Hollywood vibes and then there's moose head? I don't get it. The restaurant does know what it's trying to be. Though their beer list is extensive; their food menu lacks any direction. Is is American, Asian fusion or bbq? Their food lacked flavor or was so over powering it's was Damn near inedible. The pot roast = Lackluster and the China town salad = over-thought. The server we had was flighty and pushy. The atmosphere was rowdy and bar-like; not at all what I expected for a high class dinning. There were tons of co-eds at the bar who made our dining experience less enjoyable. On top of that, our bill was close to 60. Not worth the hype.
(2)Justin B.
To begin, it is not yet entirely fair to write a review considering that the full menu didn't become available until this week. When I attended the soft opening they were only serving appetizers so I tried the buffalo chicken tenders. I've now tried them five times & each one has been different; started out moist & delicious but each one got a little less so. Still good though. That said, I love the atmosphere & the service is second to none. Bartenders and servers are knowledgeable of food and drink & are incredibly nice. A great place for happy hour - half priced beers & 25% off apps. I heart downtown CR.
(4)Casey H.
Went here for a simple evening meal. Service was good - just the right amount of asking if we needed anything and leaving us alone. Had garlic bread/olive oil for the appetizer - very good and simple. My wife had a pork chop (only $9 for a HUGE piece of meat!) which was excellent and I had the BBQ pork shanks. Very tender and good. The building is large and open, so it seemed a bit loud, but otherwise this is a nice place to try something new.
(3)Pete C.
This place reminds me of a girl I used to date. Really, really good looking....but not much there.
(2)Sarah G.
Great atmosphere- great service- great beer list.... Awful food. My "medium" burger was charred to a crisp. Super disappointed. If you want a burger you will be happier going to McDonald's!!!!
(3)Christina J.
I REALLY want to like this place, and I keep going back, but the service and food are terribly inconsistent. We went as a family for brunch on Father's Day and it was amazing. They had a nice variety of items, all the food was fresh and well prepared, and our service was fantastic. On my previous visit before a theater performance up the street, the food was bland, the server seemed incredibly inconvenienced, and the drinks tasted watered down. My first visit, well, I didn't go back for a year. So, I'll say that they are improving, and based on this I'll try them again... I'm just not ready to become a regular.
(3)Scott Y.
This is the type of place that I knew existed. When I talked to people who knew how much I loved the Manhattan restaurant scene about moving to Iowa, they would always say, "You're going to miss the food." I would always try to tell them that I was excited about trying the food in Iowa. Sure, Iowa doesn't have celebrity chefs from all over the world, but this is literally where food comes from. Wouldn't it stand to reason that the pork would be a bit jucier, and the beef would be a bit tastier, out here in Iowa? Wouldn't it stand to reason that the vegetables would be a bit crisper, and the Wisconsin cheese a bit fresher? If that's the case, all it should take is a restaurant that's not afraid to shun the "more for less" approach, and start focusing on the high quality, local ingredients, which may cost a little bit more, but certainly taste a whole lot better. Congratulations. You've found that place. The food is incredible, the servers are amazing, and the prices are reasonable. I know I'll be back here a lot.
(5)Husky R.
I visited White Star Ale House several weeks ago with my friend Jon and his new girlfriend. The Ale House has a nice atmosphere, and this made for an all-around pleasant evening. As I slowly chewed my savory cheese wontons, I couldn't help but relish the uncanny similarity between the warm, gooey texture of the cheese and the romatic chemistry between Jon and his lovely new squeeze. Pros: extensive beer selection, interesting appetizers/entrees, wontons were tasty Cons: nachos were a bit shabby (very little meat, cheese) I hope this establishment can keep the magic alive, just as I hope Jon can keep the magic alive, rather than sabotaging this relationship just like he does all the others. -Robusto
(3)Heidi G.
We've eaten here several times before and enjoyed it. Tonight it was bad enough that we will not be coming back. I'd give it about 1.5 stars. Our calamari was way over-breaded and was mostly tentacles. We sent the first one back. The second one was a bit better (a little less breading), but was super greasy. My husband's fried chicken breast was over-done and drenched in grease. He ended up removing the coating and eating just the meat as we did not have time to wait for a new one. Both of the previous items are things we have ordered before and enjoyed. My fish (orange roughy) was over-seasoned with pepper and chili sauce to the point of not being able to taste the fish any more. Service was a bit slow, as they were busy (Saturday night) and seemed under-staffed. The waitress didn't really seem concerned that we were unhappy (but she was really busy). It was a huge waste of $50 (and with no alcohol in that price it is "spendy".
(1)Todd S.
Food was less that appetizing, had the New Orleans chicken sandwich and all I could taste was an over seasoned salty mess. Not good....
(2)Jason K.
I ordered the pot roast, very dry, we ordered the bread for the appetizer and they gave some awful garlic paste because they said they ran out of what they were supposed to have so the waitress said this is all she could find, unacceptable and also for a so called upscale restaurant they had mc cormics disposable salt and paper shakers, I have better at home, disappointing.
(2)Heather B.
A phenomenal happy hour with a large selection of craft beers on tap. The prime rib accompanied by their cheesy potatoes was great. The prime rib was cooked perfectly and very reasonably priced. I would also recommend the avacado and chicken egg rolls--they were very flavorful. The Nacho appetizer was rather bland as was their four cheese pasta dish. I would say its a wonderful place to go for happy hour but nothing to write home about for dinner.
(4)Willis M.
If you've never been to the White Star Ale House, think cheaply done and loud cheescake factory. We've gone a few times and tried to like them, but their food has always been just so so for the price. The atmosphere is both crowded and noisy. Their live entertainment on Friday Nights sounds more like a try-out for American idol than the kind of live entertainment you'd expect.
(2)FJ A.
Life long Cedar Rapidian here glad to see something, anything, with some thought spring up in downtown. Our family, all 9 of us, tried White Star for the first time tonight and we were a little more than pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was nice with tasteful decor. The noise level was typical for a brew style pub/ ale house (certainly not any louder than Granite City, etc). Most of the noise level was due to conversation, which while a bit louder than we like, was much better than blaring music of some sort. The service was as prompt as any could expect, courteous, informative and attentive. We arrived at 6pm on a Tuesday, with reservations, and were seated immediately. The place was busy, full, but not packed. Very good turn out for a cold Tuesday night. Drinks: Huge beer menu. 36 on tap, 64 bottled. Not too shabby. Appetizers: Philly cream cheese and the Wisconsin wontons: both were very tasty as was the honey mustard wasabi sauce that came with them. Nothing terribly unique but done well enough. Buffalo style chicken fingers: excellent breading, really set these apart from typical white meat chicken fingers. I do wish they had real wings though. Ale House cheeseburger soup: again, excellent and unique. Like beer cheese soup but with some hamburger meatballs. Lobster Sherry bisque: unusual, in a good way. We found it to be especially good with the house french fries, as a dip. Dinners: Sirloin: standard sirloin, prepared well and reasonable. Nothing to complain about. Grandma's Pot roast: excellent. We also had the same only as a sandwich. The sandwich came on a "brioche" bun. It was at the very least soft and tasty. The sandwich as a whole though was superb, with a wasabi/horseradish sauce and jalapeno pickles and a real bargain at $7.95! Roasted BBQ Pork shanks: prepared well and tasty. Fell off the bone. Caveat: these are not shanks however, as far as we could tell. They seemed more like ribs prepared in a drumstick style. Burgers: good and sizable. Chicago style Prime beef sandwich: Really very good, no hesitation to get this again. Au jus very tasty. Almost everyone chose the cheesy potatoes as their side dish and it was overwhelmingly loved. We made a point to tell our server that she tell the owners not to drop the ball. We've seen too many CR places start out above average, only to fall victim to slacking and resting on the laurels of mediocrity that it seems Cedar Rapids has such a green thumb for growing.
(4)Mac F.
Avoid. White Star Ale House has nothing to recommend itself. Our server was a complete spaz. He would take our orders in parts, meaning he would take drink orders for some of us, then walk away, come back, and take the rest. The food was similarly horrible. I ordered a salad in addition to my sandwich, not in lieu of the fries that come with it. The waiter failed to listen. What made the evening more frustrating was that the food, when presented, simply didn't match the descriptions of it in the menu. And what was served up was poorly or sloppily made. GIven the conditions in the restaurant, I think this place will likely close at some point.
(1)Jeff I.
Guys have a decent selection of beer. Ordered a sockeye wrap and that along with the salad were quite boring.
(3)Greg M.
The thing about service is it is easy if you try or care. Nice looking place. Really wanted to try the food. Its been a long time since I have had service this bad. With my wife for her birthday dinner. I ordered a beer then to have the bartender walk away & not ask my wife is she wanted anything while he continued his conversation with someone else @ bar. I guess you share beers here. I felt like you had to know someone that worked here to get service. We got 1 menu ( again sharing system) I was amazed that you receive a menu & are never asked if you would like to order?? Check please! One & dun paid bill asked if I could talk to manager the bartender asked if he had done anything wrong? Yes! Stop ignoring PAYING customer! I actually made a game out of trying to make eye contact with him. It was like he was scared to ask us if we wanted anything?? Really too bad. Was going to spend good money here used yelp to find this place & am disappointed. Good luck everyone hope it turns out better for you!
(2)Ed F.
I had dinner here Saturday night with a group of 20+ from work. It was great seeing a downtown CR business so packed on the weekend. The holiday atmosphere in the bar was festive and fun. In just their 2nd or 3rd week open, it's clear the staff is still working the bugs out. The wait times were very long but our waiter kept his wits and was a great host. They are receiving their "baptism by fire" however the White Star Ale House is already showing great potential and I have little doubt they will eventually find their rhythm and become a key part of the Renaissance of downtown currently under way. Food: The Wisconsin wontons are out of this world, the calamari was a little on the rubbery side but edible and the avocado & chicken eggrolls are very good. Our entrees could've been warmer but that could be expected for such a big group. I enjoyed my primerib (a good value at $14.95) and was cooked perfectly at medium-rare. The mashed potatoes and acorn squash were tasty as well. They advertise 100 American brewed beers including 35 on tap, although I'm not sure if they have all in stock just yet. They include a number of local selections such as Millstream which is surprising rare to see on tap in CR. Tips: They have great happy hour specials on weeknights - 1/2 price beer & well drinks. On Wednesdays, they have 1/2 price appetizers in the bar. Live entertainment in the bar on Friday & Saturday nights. Remember they are just getting started and try not to be so harsh on them. This is a local establishment that is working to make a positive impact on our city's recovery.
(4)Eric A.
Beer selection and atmosphere were only redeeming qualities. Food was so pedestrian and dissappointing.
(2)Mark M.
Went here recently on a Tuesday evening. I'd say it was a little busier than I thought it would be for a Tuesday, but certainly not I would expect weekend busy to be like. Was just me, so I decided to sit at the bar vs. get a table. The bartenders were pretty busy, but still had time to stop and chat with a couple patrons between making drinks and pouring beer. After sitting at the bar for 10 minutes with no attention, I finally decided to leave,,,,, I guess occasionally stopping to chat with friends is more important than serving customers. The menu looked good, seemed to have something for everyone. The draft beer menu looked good,,,,, but maybe a little lacking for an establishment with the words "Ale House" in the name. Will I go back, yeah if I'm with someone that wants to go there, but I wont offer it as an idea if someone wants a suggestion. Seems like one of those places that is trying to be a "Place to see and be seen".
(2)Gina Marie H.
I will start by saying that the food is good and the Chef there is creative. The service however is the pits. The servers have no sense of urgency and the bartenders act like you are burdening them by asking for another drink or a napkin. I continue to be amazed by nice bar/restaurant type places that think they can get away with less than mediocre service if the food is good. I write this review after three visits there. I've lived in several big cities and have surveyed the food and drink scene everywhere, if this place doesn't get there act together they will be a distant memory too.
(2)Cory H.
Been here before for their 1/2 price draft beer drink specials during happy hour, and I got to listen to some live entertainment. The bartenders were nice and knowledgeable, and offered me samples of the beers I wanted to try. They have really good prices on their draft beers, and its even better that I can get a nice craft beer for 1/2 price during their happy hours. Decided to go back and eat dinner, and went on a Thursday night. I tried the "Charles' Favorite" and the "Roasted BBQ Pork Shanks." Everything was cooked well and tasted great. The pork shanks were tender, and the chicken was juicy. I had the baked cheesy potatoes as my side and they were good as well. The service was really great, and our server was friendly. The food also came out fast, even though the place was pretty busy. The portions and the quality for the price of the food that I ordered was great, and I will definitely be going back.
(4)Dan H.
I really like this place. Went on a Thursday night around 8pm and it was fairly busy. The wait staff was very courteous and attentive. They have a ton of beer on tap (all american brews, no German or other import beers). The food was very good, prepared well and served quickly. My steak was a perfect medium. The conversation volume is louder than I expected but I believe that is because the ceilings are so high. They were in no rush to have us leave as we stayed past the 12am closing time. Will definitely go back many times.
(4)K F.
Took part in a group dinner here. My first experience. Great to see the downtown area really bouncing back from the floods. Nice selection of beers on tap. Food was good....... Enjoy!
(4)Beth H.
It is great to have another restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids. The atmosphere is great and they have a great drink menu. However, the food was just okay. Their menu prices are very reasonable. I wish I loved it. Pretty standard fare. The lemon mushroom chicken fell flat. My husband had the prime rib, which although served medium, was kind of dry. We'll probably go back again, but it won't be because we were wowed by the food. Food - 2 Atmosphere - 4
(3)Chad Z.
The food is surprisingly good. Heartland favorites like steak and pork chops are prepared and served very well. The beers on tap are excellent and the selection is extensive. The atmosphere is modern and cool, but the large area sounds like a basketball stadium when filled up on a friday night. There is nothing to absorb the sound besides the large moose head. It makes it difficult to hear people across the table (i.e. don't bring your parents there on a Friday night unless you want to hear "What?!" every 2 minutes).
(4)Faith E.
Yum New Orleans Chicken Sandwich
(5)M. B. B.
Dinner here twice. Food was either above average or horrible. Tried the tenderloin kabobs and literally could not eat it. This could be a great place but for two major drawbacks, too noisy to have a conversation & no place to park.
(2)Troy B.
Enjoyable place and food was great. Saw a couple of reviews that complained about service, but we were very pleased with our service. Great selection of beer.
(5)John L.
Very nice addition to the many businesses returning, moving to the post-flood downtown. Generally good food. My wild salmon was a bit "fishy" but otherwise I have been satisfied. I would give the food 3 stars, but the ambiance and location are great, and I applaud them for contributing to the comeback from the flood. whitestaralehouse.com/do…
(4)Jennifer B.
I'd been to White Star a few times with small groups and had a drink or a late dinner. Like other reviews, I loved the atmosphere and the downtown location, so I chose to have some of my friends meet up there for dinner and drinks to begin my 30th birthday celebration. BIG mistake. I set up a reservation about a month in advance for about 20 people. The bartender who took my information was very helpful and informative. So far, everything was great. About a week before, I got a call from the manager that the plans had changed due to another larger party. Okay. So we would still have a table reserved in a different area, and that was fine with me. He sent me an email that included that I needed to choose 3 entrees that my guests could choose from. I replied that I wanted the full menu available, which seems fair, since I was only bringing about 20 people. I was one of the first few to arrive, and was greeted by our server. He took a drink order, and others started to arrive. We were talking and waiting for drinks... and waiting... and waiting. We ordered meals and drinks for those of us who had come after the first order. And we continued to wait. Drinks finally came after about a half hour. Then we waited for food. One couple that came to celebrate with me had tickets to an event later in the evening and had to leave before their APPETIZERS arrived. When they tracked down the waiter to let him know that they needed to leave, he said they would have to pay for the appetizers they hadn't received. They were very gracious and said that was fine; that he should just bring them for everyone else at the party to enjoy. When our food finally came after what had to be an hour, many members of the party commented that it was cold. Everyone was served but me, but I snacked on one of the appetizers waiting for my meal to come. It didn't until someone again got the attention of our server. When my meal came, I asked about the second appetizer my friends had ordered, since it was also apparently forgotten. By this time, most of the party was finished eating, and the server asked did we "still want that". Everyone was pretty full at this point, but of course, he couldn't take it off of the bill that had already been paid. I was so embarrassed that I had brought everyone to a place with such horrible service and a mediocre meal. After the party, I emailed the "president and managing member" who I had spoken to before to tell him how disappointed I was in my visit. I was not rude and didn't ask for anything in return for my feedback. I did, however, expect to get at least an apology. I didn't even get an email reply. I may stop in for a drink if out with friends downtown, but I will NEVER suggest that we go there again.
(2)Dana B.
Had a great 'first time' experience there! Definitely loved the atmosphere, had fun trying different beers and our waitress Emily was fabulous with helping us remember which ones we already tasted! The food was well-presented and flavorful, with portion sizes that left you full but not bloated. We had a party of 6 and even though we had a table in the middle we didn't feel like we were in a fishbowl. No complaints from our group :)
(4)Fred V.
First off I love that these sort of restaurants are springing up in downtown cedar rapids. Very great look! Love the atmosphere, the bar area is great, and the beer selection is American only which I can respect. The food is where you loose the stars. Bland. Every item seems to have potential but when it comes out and hits your lips it get disappointing. Great place for drinks, not for food.
(3)Joan H.
My husband and I went to the White Star Ale for the 3rd time. Twice with one other couple and this time with a group. The restaurant is very nice and I love the atmosphere. The food selections are a bit limited but I have never been disappointed in my choices until tonight. I am always up front that I have issues with some food items and ask questions. Our waiter was nice and was very informative as we began to make our choices, Everywhere I go, I ask if they have iceberg lettuce salads and if they have the standard mixed iceberg/cabbage/carrot,etc. I always ask if they would be able to pick me out just the iceberg with tomatoes with croutons(if they have them) I am okay if they can't, just tell me. Tonight, I asked that standard question of our waiter. I thought he understood. I received a bowl of Romaine lettuce and tomatoes. I ate the tomatoes. When the waiter came back to our table and picked up a bowl of greens, I said., "Do you know this is not iceberg lettuce?" I thought he really might not know the difference. He said he knew that is wasn't. but the iceberg has cabbage in it and it was easier to just get the Romaine since it did not contain cabbage. I said, "That is fine except I can't eat Romaine, that is why I requested iceberg. He offered to make me another salad twice. he did offer to remove if from my bill. I said Thank you. I ordered the salmon and was VERY disappointed in it. It was VERY, VERY DRY. The past two times we went to the White Start Ale the food was very good. I will go back for sure but pass on a salad and the salmon. I saw on an earlier review that the Iowa Chop is not an actual Iowa chop as we Iowan's know them to be, a 1" thick pork Chop. I nearly ordered it, glad I didn't. One of our friends ordered the Pork Shanks I think. They looked and smelled fabulous, That will be my next choice. Oh, the Wisconsin Wontons with the honey mustard dipping sauce were delicious and I prefer a sweeter Strawberry daiquiri than was made. Go and try it, ask questions. I hope to have a 4 or 5 star experience next time. JC. in Cedar Rapids
(3)Dave S.
Here's the blueprint: The White Star Ale House is in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is in the Witwer building which over time has been home to several business, but as far as I know never a restaurant/bar. The place has an open and clean look to it. Although the high ceilings did tend to extenuate the noise level with what I would consider a small number of patrons. Service was good as I sat at the bar. I was there during the soft opening. The only thing they were serving were drinks and appetizers. Can not do too much to mess up a beer, but the selection was great and happy hour pricing was great. I did find it curious that the bartender passed the chilled glass over a device that shot water up into it. I asked what the purpose that served, and he indicated that it was to make sure the glass was clean. That would imply to me that the glass was dirty, but I am sure that was not the case. I did opt to order an appetizer, which was the shrimp cocktail. It was presented on a plate with a large bowl of shaved ice with shrimp and lemons on top of the ice. the presentation was okay. It looked as if the shrimp and lemons were just thrown onto the ice. No tails on the shrimp a little over cooked, but good. I know that would appeal to some, but I think it adds to the presentation if they would have left the tails on. Maybe they buy them that way. Over all it was okay and I would go back to give it a second chance. Downtown needs more good restaurants!
(2)MC L.
Great atmosphere and decor. Super sized proportions were unexpected and not really wanted. Waiter seemed like he had better things to do than wait on us (bow tie did help show he was unique). We ordered calamari- good, asian wrap with avocado- good, wisconsin wontons- found ourselves wishing we were at another local restaurant that serves a similar and sadly better version- we had every excitement to want to have this app. but sadly should have said no- not a cheese to be fried and tasted a bit greasy and the dip EWW!. Husband ordered flank steak- med rare... got it rare and on a moment we could flag the waiter down he said 'yeah it does look a bit rare' before we told him anything- well duh do you think you could have done that at the time of pickup at the window? I got a cheeseburger- decent but not much to bite in to. 3rd person with us got salmon, decent again nothing stands out. Overall I would like to give this place another chance because it does seem like it could be done well but just not the night we went.
(3)Bill W.
My wife and I went to dinner tonight. We have been there before and not been impressed by the service. Last time we sat for 15 minutes before we got to even talk to a server, it wasn't busy. I had to go out and talk to the hostess so I could get a server at our table. This time however was much worse. When I ordered the Monterey cheeseburger it came out burnt. This is the first time I have ever had to ask to send anything back in my life. It took about 15 minutes to get a new one. Through the duration of the meal we didn't get refills in a timely manner, another server actually came up to our table and got us refills without us asking. In my opinion if you burn a customers food and they have to wait for a new plate you should offer some sort of discount or another way to make it up to them. I will not be visiting this place again and will not be suggesting this restaurant to anyone in the future.
(1)Alan F.
meah food allot of beers nice but awkward bar set up crowded
(3)Jane L.
White Star has an incredible selection of beer, their late-night happy hour can't be beat, and they can handle large groups without any problems. If you just want to go out with a big group of friends to enjoy a couple beers and have a good time, White Star is the place to be. The decor isn't very cohesive (they've got the Christmas Story leg lamps, a giant moose head, a variety of mismatched chandeliers, etc), but I kind of enjoy that aspect. It's reflective of downtown Cedar Rapids as a whole--kind of all over the place! The appetizers are a hit, but I've never been a huge fan of the dinner entrees. I would suggest going to White Star either before dinner (for apps and their early Happy Hour), or after dinner (for some late-night beers or cocktails). But either way, the service is generally good and the environment is friendly and fun. Also, their house-made sangria is amazing! It's a must-try.
(4)Sara C.
A surprise visit from our son brought us to this nice find in Cedar Rapids . Tuesday night and not extremely busy so our service was great! 4 in our party and we first enjoyed the sampler appetizer , Delish! My favorite was the cheesy wontons! I ordered the pistachio crusted chicken with mango salsa, tasty moist but couldn't really define the nut crust, the mango was a nice touch. I highly recommend the generous portion of mommas cheesy potatoes! Better than mine! Everyone had something different from hamburgers to prime rib which was also amazing! I would go back! The decor was classy and comfortable, but my favorite was the leg lamps in every window!
(4)Jamie B.
Good food and a very nice beer selection. Not to mention a very friendly staff. Both my coworker and I each enjoyed our meals. I would defiantly return when back in town.
(4)Jonelle T.
Overall: mediocre food and experience. Portions are large and they were very accommodating to our large party. The drinks kept flowing and that definitely helped the food situation. I had the prime rib, but it wasn't memorable in any way. A good place for beer, but that's about it.
(2)Jeff C.
We really enjoyed this place. It has an upscale decor but is a casual place. There was decent variety of food options. Our service was very attentive and everything was accurate.
(5)Matt M.
Found this place downtown while on a business trip. Don't let the name of the place fool you, it is a great restaurant with elegant decor. It is definitely not just bar food. I started with an appetizer sampler that included chicken fingers, cheese wontons, and spicy spring rolls that was great. My entree was the bone-in pork chop with cheesy potatoes. I usually don't get dessert but had a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie fresh baked into an iron skillet with cinnamon ice cream. I can't remember when I have had a better dessert. My co-worker and I both left full and happy. We wanted to try a local place instead of a chain and were not disappointed. I really do not understand the 3 star rating it has as it was an easy 5 for us.
(5)Lane H.
Went to the White Star last weekend for supper before heading over to catch the comedian at Penguins. Made it just in time for the tail end of happy hour. I'm glad because the beers we had were a little pricey. They were delicious, but I always have a problem paying $8 or more for a beer. Both the husband and I had stouts and they were amazing. Would have had more, but we knew that we had a two drink minimum awaiting us at Penguins. We ordered an appetizer. We had the margarita flat bread pizza. It was ok. Not much pesto flavor and limited on basil. For the price is was ok, but next time I'll try something else. Entrees: He had the beef tenderloin skewers and I had the seared flank steak. Both were cooked as ordered and were alright. I would have enjoyed a little more of a seasoning on it, perhaps some cracked black pepper and garlic. It just kind of sat there with. I was not overly impressed with the cheesy potatoes. They tasted just like what I make at home. I was hoping for something with a little wow to it. Not just the same old same old. So food overall was fine, but was hoping for more of the WOW factor. Desserts: We were not offered anything, but we were ok without anything. Service: He said he was new, so we cut him some slack. However, even if you are new you should know your menu and talk to the other servers as what to suggest. I know this seems nit-picky, but good service seems to be disappearing quickly and is being replaced with the slack-jawed mentality of the counter worker. (disclaimer- not to say I haven't had some good service at Micky D's, but it's few and far between) Pick something that everyone seems to like and make it your favorite. Decor: Wow, talk about a lot of money spent on the little things. Love the look, but it was loud. Bathrooms could have used a bit of freshening up.
(3)Jennifer S.
The atmosphere is great--and the hostess not only accommodated our work group of 11 people, but she also set up a semi-private table for us. The drinks were good and appetizers were fantastic, but our group wasn't thrilled with the actual dinner dishes--they were just okay.
(3)DK B.
Excellent dinner of pistachio encrusted chicken and cheesy potatoes. Our meal was split for us. Priced so reasonably! Everything was very nice. Chef took the time to come and chat. Excellent service! Will definitely return when we are in town.
(5)Jeff W.
Seems they got the messege about service overall. Ive made a few more visits and the bartenders are much more approachable. Maybe it was a fluke on past visits. Hard to say. On the food front, avoid the seafood and you should be fine. I had the chicago prime rib sammy and it was amazeballs. Most of the plates they serve are at least visually appealing even if the food hasn't always been the greatest. Worth a try. Forget my previous rantings...most of them. Still would avoid the salmon wrap, that's still a disaster.
(4)Mike P.
I would not go to this place on a busy night if you want to have any kind of dinner conversation. The place is ridiculously loud. Went there with friends who were in town visiting and decided to have dinner at the White Star Ale House. Staff was friendly enough (but never introduced themselves) and the menu selections looked good, but we didn't get a chance to eat as we had to get up and leave. The place must have acoustical issues as we had to shout at the server in order for her to get our drink orders...then when we couldn't even have a table conversation, we excused ourselves and went to another restaurant.
(1)Frank F.
Came here while on a business trip after seeing that the reviews were pretty good. Beer selection is certainly pretty deep with 100 to choose from. I started with a pilsner and worked my way up to a chocolate stout. Main course was the prime rib with a side of green beens. Green beens were a touch in the salty side. I ordered the steak medium rare and it came out medium rare, so I was happy. It was seasoned nicely too. Service was definitely the best part of this place. Server was extremely cheery and made sure my beer was never empty. Forgot her name but she was awesome.
(4)Michael L.
Stopped here on a road trip and very pleasantly surprised. My fellow weary travelers wanted to make it quick and easy and just go to a Chili's by the highway; but I am pretty stubbornly against going to chains anywhere a decent local option should be easily findable. However, after a swing about downtown, I was ready to admit defeat, as on a Sunday night it seemed fairly abandoned. Still, we checked White Star and it was open, though sparsely populated, and we are all glad that we did. The mushroom flatbread here was the best I have had, very nice texture on large chunks of mushrooms and great umami flavor. House salad with bleu cheese dressing also very good. And the beer selection is huge, with perhaps 40 microbrews on tap. There is just one beer of their own label, as this is not a brewery, and I did not get to try it. The decor is upscale, modern, clean and it is a very large place.
(4)Thomas D.
Made a second trip to the White Star Ale House. We were in town for a concert, really not dressed for a nicer restaurant decided to take a seat at the bar. Immediately after being seated we were approached by Geoff Who welcome us and took our order. Provided great service along with all the other bartenders! They have a extensive beer selection we settled in a a couple stouts and began to look over the menu. On my last visit my son ordered the cheeseburger, it looked wonderful so I guess you could say I had already made up my mind. The burger was delicious! Cooked just as I had ordered. They make there own sangria that they were kind enough to let me sample, it was very good, but I was in beer mode.. Next visit perhaps? Great spot, good vibe and 30-50s age-appropriate crowd for me.
(5)Deborah B.
We went here on a recommendation from a local and were not disappointed. They have a large number of beers on tap including a good number of local (Iowa) beers. I had the meatloaf and hubby had grandma's pot roast. Both were very delicious. The mashed potatoes melted in our mouths. We also had the Wisconsin wonton appetizer which was a perfection of creamy cheese and crispy wonton that had an incredible honey mustardy dipping sauce. Service was excellent. This is definitely a place we would return to.
(5)Ethan W.
The best thing about this restaurant is the location. Really beautiful old building and the inside is really well decorated, very tastefully done. The service was great, our waitress was very upbeat and attentive. As far as the food goes it was good, not the best I've had. The stand out for me was the margarita flat bread pizza I got for an appetizer. Really good, fresh ingredients. I also got the pistachio chicken for an entree, interesting but not the tastiest dish, the pistachio flavor was lost in the frying I think. My father ordered the pot roast and he said it was exceptional so I may have ordered the wrong thing. Overall a good experience and a really nice restaurant to have in Cedar Rapids, would love to see more restaurants like this with actual substance and not a fast food atmosphere.
(4)Dustin H.
Decent food, gf had a sirloin which she really loved, I had bbq shanks which were insanely spicy, hottest bbq I've ever had and I enjoy spicy food usually. Pretty good selection of beer, I went with a local doppelbock and a CO tripel. Got the cheesy wonton appetizer, very rich and served with a really strong honey mustard, gf did not enjoy the sauce. Desert was very good, we both enjoyed the white star special. Overall a good place, and our waiter was very attentive. One thing to note, the noise level at 9:00 pm is insanely loud, you will have to yell to talk, so something to consider. Overall we wouldn't rush to go back soon.
(4)John S.
We found this place sort of by accident, as there's not much open in Cedar Rapids downtown on a Sunday night, but we didn't want to drive anywhere. I was hoping to stay away from a typical "brew pub", so initially didn't want to go, but there weren't many other options, so we went. It is NOT a typical brew pub (although they do have great beers). It's a nice décor, not 'faux sports bar' like so many have become, and the food was great. The pork shanks were excellent, fall off the bone tender, but the real dish that had everyone talking was the pistachio fried chicken. In addition to a very interesting and tasty breading, it was cooked to absolute perfection. In addition to all of this, the service by Ryan was also great. Overall a great find.
(5)Shameka O.
Classy, classy bar food...and I love it! The ambiance when you enter is amazing and doesn't look like it belongs in Cedar Rapids. I ordered the Prime Rib, my dad the meatloaf, and my mom a burger (we're definitely carnivores) and they were all very tasty. My steak was a great cut of beef, cooked perfectly Medium. The side items were also generous in portion size. I would go for 5 stars here, but there was a discrepancy on our bill that required a little to much conversation before it was corrected, and we did not get the most attentive service from our waitress. Needless to say, I will go back...again, and again.
(4)Mel M.
The service was fantastic but the food was far from. The meatloaf was the consistency of patte, tasted like flavorless tamales, and was presented as what appeared to be a giant block of wet cat food. My boyfriend ordered a pasta and had to pull all of the chicken out in order to eat it. The lighting was poor but the chicken looked undercooked and was mushy. We did order the house dessert (mostly to get the awful taste out of our mouths) which made the visit worthwhile. (But not the bill.) Noisy atmosphere. Mediocre menu selections poorly executed. Red fabric wall decor needs to be lint brushed, felt icky eating underneath them. If we ever come back it will be for a beer and dessert only; but I don't see that happening.
(2)Kristin H.
This review is only based on experience sitting at bar. We come here for four things: (1) great beer and beverage options; (2) incredibly tasty sliders and wontons; (3) Geoff the bartender who consistently takes care of us; and (4) fun vibe at the bar with live music/tv showing game/interesting 30s/40s crowd. This is a go to place pre and post TCR.
(4)Todd B.
This place went from great and then to 1 Star they had the best prime rib now they over cook it and WAY TOO MUCH PEPPER. Also the cheesy potatoes are amazing Still. Try the Wisconsin Wantons as well there great. I've been here 20 times but never again. Such a disappointment to see this happen
(1)Jordan S.
This is a great place to grab food. The burgers are fantastic, and they have a good selection of beers. Service was good. The only complaint is that they don't open till 3pm. Good potatoes and wantons. I would definitely go back here.
(4)Jennifer G.
The cigarette butts and bird poop outside the restaurant were disgusting! Didn't do much for our appetite! Hostess didn't smile or greet us, and when I asked about the history of the building (it is really beautiful but i thought would have been flooded), she had no clue and her manager didn't look happy we were trying to have a conversation with her while waiting for our table. Once we were finally seated, the service was terrible! We ordered drinks and just missed happy hour (which ended before we were able to order) - when we asked since we waited he said we could have gone into the bar instead before happy hour ended. The appetizer didn't come out until about two minutes until our food did, and then the waiter disappeared. We needed a refill on our drinks so we tried to flag down the manager but he started yelling at another server so everyone could hear. It was embarrassing. At that point, we just wanted to leave. When the waiter finally came back with our bill we tried to joke with him that he must have been hiding from the manager's outburst and he just rudely said he had other tables. By the time we finally left, there were these obnoxious kids (early 20s) outside the door smoking and blocking it. Not worth the rudeness for decent food.
(1)Nick N.
Drink selection is excellent and features local beers which is a big plus. The food is also good and not outrageous in price. There are two parts to this restaurant, the dining portion is quiet and the high booth partitions enable an intimate venue. The bar portion allows for general socialization. Service always seems to be a bit of a snag here. Nothing absurdly terrible, just have servers who seem disinterested in what they are doing and are not well versed with the menu. This is unfortunate because it detracts from an otherwise excellent experience.
(4)Oscar t.
We had a group that tried several things. The crusted chicken breast was very dry and bland. Same with chicken fingers. My burger was supposed to be medium rare but came out well done. Sent it back as it was just too far off. The second burger was better but still not right, but i ate it anyways. They decided to not bring me fries with the 2nd burger, even though i'd eaten like two fries from the first plate. That was poor form on behalf of the restaurant. Service was decent, and the space and beer selection are great. But the food is lacking big time.
(2)Ashley W.
Service was great. awesome beer selection.I ordered the New York Strip special with the cheesey hashbrowns . the hashbrowns were amazing but unfortunately the bleu cheese on the steak was too strong and made the steak leave a bad taste in my mouth. My husband ordered a chicken sandwich and it was great. We will be back!
(4)Tom G.
Good beer selection, and that's about it. Food was ok at best, nothing special for the price. The problem with this place? The service. Sucks. Bad. Our waitress was hanging out with friends right next to our table. It took way too long to get anything. Drinks at the bar took 10 minutes (it wasn't busy), wait staff took forever to check on us, ect. Really not worth the time/prices ($1 for cheese slice of Kraft singles on a $9 burger? How about no)
(1)Lydia A.
I don't get the bad reviews...being this is Iowa I don't expect much. And this place did surprise me. Went with a date and the food was great. The drink was too strong, not very tasty and was clearly an over pour. Ordered mac and cheese and was very pleasantly surprised! Was very delicious, blew me away! Great portions too! Was a little loud, but not full of kids or anything.
(4)Bob K.
I never thought anyone could mess up a buffet, but apparently they were out to prove me wrong. Almost all the food that was in the warmers was cold, the chicken was tough and some of the pastries were still frozen in the center. Never again will we visit this place.
(1)Esteban F.
Great beer selection! The food was very good. I had the pork shank and my wife had the pork chops. The wonton appetizer and calimari are very good. The service was excellent! Can't wait to get back to CR to visit The White Star.
(4)Adam P.
All that this place has going for it is the beer selection and the atmosphere. I've had grade school cafeteria food that had more flavor and better presentation than anything I was served here. DO NOT ORDER THE SALMON WRAP. The service was pretty poor. Our server had no clue what the beer specials were for the night- and it was 9 when we dined there. Talk about disappointing. Such a beautiful space - such a waste.
(1)Mark B.
Great place upscale but not to fancy. Great beer selection and a Gerry nice food choices. Prime rib is great!!! It's a casual place but fun environment!
(5)Mike D.
One of the best places to go in the CR area. Has some amazing food and a lot of beers on tap. Really like the atmosphere and staff at White Star. My wife and I have never had a bad experience or time there. The food is outstanding as well. Has some decent specials during the week as well.
(5)Cristie F.
I'm almost a celebrity. Well, at least in Cedar Rapids, IA. My picture is now on the wall at White Star Ale House - well, my feet are anyhow. So if you see some cute little feet with Essie painted toes in Wicked and brown wood and leather strappy wedges, chances are it's me. I'm not sure why they have a wall of women's shoes, but I totally dig it and it makes some killer wall art. Anyhow, on to more important things. Like food. We started out having some sangria ((major excitement for happy hour specials)) and an order of Philly Cream Cheese Wontons ((stuffed with onion chive cream cheese with honey mustard dipping sauce)). These were the vegetarian's answer to crab rangoon! The fried wonton wrapper was packed with cream cheese and chives, and paired amazingly with the honey mustard sauce. I'm still swooning. For my dinner I ordered a mojito, which was almost as good as one I watched being muddled for me on the beach in Cabo. It was incredible. Deciding not to drink my dinner, I went with the Satay Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The chicken strips were coated in panko and served with carrots, cucumber, rice noodles and lettuce leaves. The highlight was the sweet red chili and peanut sauces on the side. I could tell the chicken was fresh and not some crap out of a freezer. It was beyond tender and moist. I asked the server where they got their chicken from ((yes, I'm one of those)) and he mentioned a local farm - AWESOME. My dining buddy for the week ordered the 10 oz. Star Prime Rib which was a slow roasted - and apparently quite good since he damn near licked his plate clean. The service was once again fantastic. Our server was helpful and friendly and even allowed us to order drinks off the happy hour menu even though it was a few minutes past the stopping point. I also totally dug the decor. It was trendy but with a classy, vintage feel ((i.e., lamps in the shape of a sexy woman's leg)) When I'm back in Cedar Rapids, White Star Ale House will definitely be on my list of places to hit up - especially for those gooey cream cheese wontons!
(4)Derek J.
We got a couple beers (took recommendations from our waiter), and got wontons, which were to die for. I got the pork chop which was underpriced and cooked great. It was juicy as heck and I loved it. Wife got chicken with a mango topping which was also really good. The chicken was really moist. Overall it was a really good experience and we will be back.
(4)Krystle M.
Let's start with the less offensive. The decor is mishmash of nautical themes with old Hollywood vibes and then there's moose head? I don't get it. The restaurant does know what it's trying to be. Though their beer list is extensive; their food menu lacks any direction. Is is American, Asian fusion or bbq? Their food lacked flavor or was so over powering it's was Damn near inedible. The pot roast = Lackluster and the China town salad = over-thought. The server we had was flighty and pushy. The atmosphere was rowdy and bar-like; not at all what I expected for a high class dinning. There were tons of co-eds at the bar who made our dining experience less enjoyable. On top of that, our bill was close to 60. Not worth the hype.
(2)Mike D.
One of the best places to go in the CR area. Has some amazing food and a lot of beers on tap. Really like the atmosphere and staff at White Star. My wife and I have never had a bad experience or time there. The food is outstanding as well. Has some decent specials during the week as well.
(5)Bill W.
My wife and I went to dinner tonight. We have been there before and not been impressed by the service. Last time we sat for 15 minutes before we got to even talk to a server, it wasn't busy. I had to go out and talk to the hostess so I could get a server at our table. This time however was much worse. When I ordered the Monterey cheeseburger it came out burnt. This is the first time I have ever had to ask to send anything back in my life. It took about 15 minutes to get a new one. Through the duration of the meal we didn't get refills in a timely manner, another server actually came up to our table and got us refills without us asking. In my opinion if you burn a customers food and they have to wait for a new plate you should offer some sort of discount or another way to make it up to them. I will not be visiting this place again and will not be suggesting this restaurant to anyone in the future.
(1)Alan F.
meah food allot of beers nice but awkward bar set up crowded
(3)Christina J.
I REALLY want to like this place, and I keep going back, but the service and food are terribly inconsistent. We went as a family for brunch on Father's Day and it was amazing. They had a nice variety of items, all the food was fresh and well prepared, and our service was fantastic. On my previous visit before a theater performance up the street, the food was bland, the server seemed incredibly inconvenienced, and the drinks tasted watered down. My first visit, well, I didn't go back for a year. So, I'll say that they are improving, and based on this I'll try them again... I'm just not ready to become a regular.
(3)John L.
Very nice addition to the many businesses returning, moving to the post-flood downtown. Generally good food. My wild salmon was a bit "fishy" but otherwise I have been satisfied. I would give the food 3 stars, but the ambiance and location are great, and I applaud them for contributing to the comeback from the flood. whitestaralehouse.com/do…
(4)MC L.
Great atmosphere and decor. Super sized proportions were unexpected and not really wanted. Waiter seemed like he had better things to do than wait on us (bow tie did help show he was unique). We ordered calamari- good, asian wrap with avocado- good, wisconsin wontons- found ourselves wishing we were at another local restaurant that serves a similar and sadly better version- we had every excitement to want to have this app. but sadly should have said no- not a cheese to be fried and tasted a bit greasy and the dip EWW!. Husband ordered flank steak- med rare... got it rare and on a moment we could flag the waiter down he said 'yeah it does look a bit rare' before we told him anything- well duh do you think you could have done that at the time of pickup at the window? I got a cheeseburger- decent but not much to bite in to. 3rd person with us got salmon, decent again nothing stands out. Overall I would like to give this place another chance because it does seem like it could be done well but just not the night we went.
(3)Nick N.
Drink selection is excellent and features local beers which is a big plus. The food is also good and not outrageous in price. There are two parts to this restaurant, the dining portion is quiet and the high booth partitions enable an intimate venue. The bar portion allows for general socialization. Service always seems to be a bit of a snag here. Nothing absurdly terrible, just have servers who seem disinterested in what they are doing and are not well versed with the menu. This is unfortunate because it detracts from an otherwise excellent experience.
(4)Oscar t.
We had a group that tried several things. The crusted chicken breast was very dry and bland. Same with chicken fingers. My burger was supposed to be medium rare but came out well done. Sent it back as it was just too far off. The second burger was better but still not right, but i ate it anyways. They decided to not bring me fries with the 2nd burger, even though i'd eaten like two fries from the first plate. That was poor form on behalf of the restaurant. Service was decent, and the space and beer selection are great. But the food is lacking big time.
(2)Ashley W.
Service was great. awesome beer selection.I ordered the New York Strip special with the cheesey hashbrowns . the hashbrowns were amazing but unfortunately the bleu cheese on the steak was too strong and made the steak leave a bad taste in my mouth. My husband ordered a chicken sandwich and it was great. We will be back!
(4)Tom G.
Good beer selection, and that's about it. Food was ok at best, nothing special for the price. The problem with this place? The service. Sucks. Bad. Our waitress was hanging out with friends right next to our table. It took way too long to get anything. Drinks at the bar took 10 minutes (it wasn't busy), wait staff took forever to check on us, ect. Really not worth the time/prices ($1 for cheese slice of Kraft singles on a $9 burger? How about no)
(1)Lydia A.
I don't get the bad reviews...being this is Iowa I don't expect much. And this place did surprise me. Went with a date and the food was great. The drink was too strong, not very tasty and was clearly an over pour. Ordered mac and cheese and was very pleasantly surprised! Was very delicious, blew me away! Great portions too! Was a little loud, but not full of kids or anything.
(4)Bob K.
I never thought anyone could mess up a buffet, but apparently they were out to prove me wrong. Almost all the food that was in the warmers was cold, the chicken was tough and some of the pastries were still frozen in the center. Never again will we visit this place.
(1)Esteban F.
Great beer selection! The food was very good. I had the pork shank and my wife had the pork chops. The wonton appetizer and calimari are very good. The service was excellent! Can't wait to get back to CR to visit The White Star.
(4)Adam P.
All that this place has going for it is the beer selection and the atmosphere. I've had grade school cafeteria food that had more flavor and better presentation than anything I was served here. DO NOT ORDER THE SALMON WRAP. The service was pretty poor. Our server had no clue what the beer specials were for the night- and it was 9 when we dined there. Talk about disappointing. Such a beautiful space - such a waste.
(1)Mark B.
Great place upscale but not to fancy. Great beer selection and a Gerry nice food choices. Prime rib is great!!! It's a casual place but fun environment!
(5)Cristie F.
I'm almost a celebrity. Well, at least in Cedar Rapids, IA. My picture is now on the wall at White Star Ale House - well, my feet are anyhow. So if you see some cute little feet with Essie painted toes in Wicked and brown wood and leather strappy wedges, chances are it's me. I'm not sure why they have a wall of women's shoes, but I totally dig it and it makes some killer wall art. Anyhow, on to more important things. Like food. We started out having some sangria ((major excitement for happy hour specials)) and an order of Philly Cream Cheese Wontons ((stuffed with onion chive cream cheese with honey mustard dipping sauce)). These were the vegetarian's answer to crab rangoon! The fried wonton wrapper was packed with cream cheese and chives, and paired amazingly with the honey mustard sauce. I'm still swooning. For my dinner I ordered a mojito, which was almost as good as one I watched being muddled for me on the beach in Cabo. It was incredible. Deciding not to drink my dinner, I went with the Satay Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The chicken strips were coated in panko and served with carrots, cucumber, rice noodles and lettuce leaves. The highlight was the sweet red chili and peanut sauces on the side. I could tell the chicken was fresh and not some crap out of a freezer. It was beyond tender and moist. I asked the server where they got their chicken from ((yes, I'm one of those)) and he mentioned a local farm - AWESOME. My dining buddy for the week ordered the 10 oz. Star Prime Rib which was a slow roasted - and apparently quite good since he damn near licked his plate clean. The service was once again fantastic. Our server was helpful and friendly and even allowed us to order drinks off the happy hour menu even though it was a few minutes past the stopping point. I also totally dug the decor. It was trendy but with a classy, vintage feel ((i.e., lamps in the shape of a sexy woman's leg)) When I'm back in Cedar Rapids, White Star Ale House will definitely be on my list of places to hit up - especially for those gooey cream cheese wontons!
(4)Derek J.
We got a couple beers (took recommendations from our waiter), and got wontons, which were to die for. I got the pork chop which was underpriced and cooked great. It was juicy as heck and I loved it. Wife got chicken with a mango topping which was also really good. The chicken was really moist. Overall it was a really good experience and we will be back.
(4)David B.
Good beer selection on tap. Went here with a large group, so we tried a variety of things to eat. Everybody liked their food. The atmosphere is upscaly and nice, but on a busy night it is loud, so you might not want to go here for a quiet romantic-type dinner
(4)Frank F.
Came here while on a business trip after seeing that the reviews were pretty good. Beer selection is certainly pretty deep with 100 to choose from. I started with a pilsner and worked my way up to a chocolate stout. Main course was the prime rib with a side of green beens. Green beens were a touch in the salty side. I ordered the steak medium rare and it came out medium rare, so I was happy. It was seasoned nicely too. Service was definitely the best part of this place. Server was extremely cheery and made sure my beer was never empty. Forgot her name but she was awesome.
(4)Jennifer S.
The atmosphere is great--and the hostess not only accommodated our work group of 11 people, but she also set up a semi-private table for us. The drinks were good and appetizers were fantastic, but our group wasn't thrilled with the actual dinner dishes--they were just okay.
(3)Jane L.
White Star has an incredible selection of beer, their late-night happy hour can't be beat, and they can handle large groups without any problems. If you just want to go out with a big group of friends to enjoy a couple beers and have a good time, White Star is the place to be. The decor isn't very cohesive (they've got the Christmas Story leg lamps, a giant moose head, a variety of mismatched chandeliers, etc), but I kind of enjoy that aspect. It's reflective of downtown Cedar Rapids as a whole--kind of all over the place! The appetizers are a hit, but I've never been a huge fan of the dinner entrees. I would suggest going to White Star either before dinner (for apps and their early Happy Hour), or after dinner (for some late-night beers or cocktails). But either way, the service is generally good and the environment is friendly and fun. Also, their house-made sangria is amazing! It's a must-try.
(4)Sara C.
A surprise visit from our son brought us to this nice find in Cedar Rapids . Tuesday night and not extremely busy so our service was great! 4 in our party and we first enjoyed the sampler appetizer , Delish! My favorite was the cheesy wontons! I ordered the pistachio crusted chicken with mango salsa, tasty moist but couldn't really define the nut crust, the mango was a nice touch. I highly recommend the generous portion of mommas cheesy potatoes! Better than mine! Everyone had something different from hamburgers to prime rib which was also amazing! I would go back! The decor was classy and comfortable, but my favorite was the leg lamps in every window!
(4)Jamie B.
Good food and a very nice beer selection. Not to mention a very friendly staff. Both my coworker and I each enjoyed our meals. I would defiantly return when back in town.
(4)Jonelle T.
Overall: mediocre food and experience. Portions are large and they were very accommodating to our large party. The drinks kept flowing and that definitely helped the food situation. I had the prime rib, but it wasn't memorable in any way. A good place for beer, but that's about it.
(2)Jeff C.
We really enjoyed this place. It has an upscale decor but is a casual place. There was decent variety of food options. Our service was very attentive and everything was accurate.
(5)Matt M.
Found this place downtown while on a business trip. Don't let the name of the place fool you, it is a great restaurant with elegant decor. It is definitely not just bar food. I started with an appetizer sampler that included chicken fingers, cheese wontons, and spicy spring rolls that was great. My entree was the bone-in pork chop with cheesy potatoes. I usually don't get dessert but had a white chocolate macadamia nut cookie fresh baked into an iron skillet with cinnamon ice cream. I can't remember when I have had a better dessert. My co-worker and I both left full and happy. We wanted to try a local place instead of a chain and were not disappointed. I really do not understand the 3 star rating it has as it was an easy 5 for us.
(5)DK B.
Excellent dinner of pistachio encrusted chicken and cheesy potatoes. Our meal was split for us. Priced so reasonably! Everything was very nice. Chef took the time to come and chat. Excellent service! Will definitely return when we are in town.
(5)Jeff W.
Seems they got the messege about service overall. Ive made a few more visits and the bartenders are much more approachable. Maybe it was a fluke on past visits. Hard to say. On the food front, avoid the seafood and you should be fine. I had the chicago prime rib sammy and it was amazeballs. Most of the plates they serve are at least visually appealing even if the food hasn't always been the greatest. Worth a try. Forget my previous rantings...most of them. Still would avoid the salmon wrap, that's still a disaster.
(4)Mike P.
I would not go to this place on a busy night if you want to have any kind of dinner conversation. The place is ridiculously loud. Went there with friends who were in town visiting and decided to have dinner at the White Star Ale House. Staff was friendly enough (but never introduced themselves) and the menu selections looked good, but we didn't get a chance to eat as we had to get up and leave. The place must have acoustical issues as we had to shout at the server in order for her to get our drink orders...then when we couldn't even have a table conversation, we excused ourselves and went to another restaurant.
(1)Michael L.
Stopped here on a road trip and very pleasantly surprised. My fellow weary travelers wanted to make it quick and easy and just go to a Chili's by the highway; but I am pretty stubbornly against going to chains anywhere a decent local option should be easily findable. However, after a swing about downtown, I was ready to admit defeat, as on a Sunday night it seemed fairly abandoned. Still, we checked White Star and it was open, though sparsely populated, and we are all glad that we did. The mushroom flatbread here was the best I have had, very nice texture on large chunks of mushrooms and great umami flavor. House salad with bleu cheese dressing also very good. And the beer selection is huge, with perhaps 40 microbrews on tap. There is just one beer of their own label, as this is not a brewery, and I did not get to try it. The decor is upscale, modern, clean and it is a very large place.
(4)Thomas D.
Made a second trip to the White Star Ale House. We were in town for a concert, really not dressed for a nicer restaurant decided to take a seat at the bar. Immediately after being seated we were approached by Geoff Who welcome us and took our order. Provided great service along with all the other bartenders! They have a extensive beer selection we settled in a a couple stouts and began to look over the menu. On my last visit my son ordered the cheeseburger, it looked wonderful so I guess you could say I had already made up my mind. The burger was delicious! Cooked just as I had ordered. They make there own sangria that they were kind enough to let me sample, it was very good, but I was in beer mode.. Next visit perhaps? Great spot, good vibe and 30-50s age-appropriate crowd for me.
(5)Deborah B.
We went here on a recommendation from a local and were not disappointed. They have a large number of beers on tap including a good number of local (Iowa) beers. I had the meatloaf and hubby had grandma's pot roast. Both were very delicious. The mashed potatoes melted in our mouths. We also had the Wisconsin wonton appetizer which was a perfection of creamy cheese and crispy wonton that had an incredible honey mustardy dipping sauce. Service was excellent. This is definitely a place we would return to.
(5)Ethan W.
The best thing about this restaurant is the location. Really beautiful old building and the inside is really well decorated, very tastefully done. The service was great, our waitress was very upbeat and attentive. As far as the food goes it was good, not the best I've had. The stand out for me was the margarita flat bread pizza I got for an appetizer. Really good, fresh ingredients. I also got the pistachio chicken for an entree, interesting but not the tastiest dish, the pistachio flavor was lost in the frying I think. My father ordered the pot roast and he said it was exceptional so I may have ordered the wrong thing. Overall a good experience and a really nice restaurant to have in Cedar Rapids, would love to see more restaurants like this with actual substance and not a fast food atmosphere.
(4)Dustin H.
Decent food, gf had a sirloin which she really loved, I had bbq shanks which were insanely spicy, hottest bbq I've ever had and I enjoy spicy food usually. Pretty good selection of beer, I went with a local doppelbock and a CO tripel. Got the cheesy wonton appetizer, very rich and served with a really strong honey mustard, gf did not enjoy the sauce. Desert was very good, we both enjoyed the white star special. Overall a good place, and our waiter was very attentive. One thing to note, the noise level at 9:00 pm is insanely loud, you will have to yell to talk, so something to consider. Overall we wouldn't rush to go back soon.
(4)John S.
We found this place sort of by accident, as there's not much open in Cedar Rapids downtown on a Sunday night, but we didn't want to drive anywhere. I was hoping to stay away from a typical "brew pub", so initially didn't want to go, but there weren't many other options, so we went. It is NOT a typical brew pub (although they do have great beers). It's a nice décor, not 'faux sports bar' like so many have become, and the food was great. The pork shanks were excellent, fall off the bone tender, but the real dish that had everyone talking was the pistachio fried chicken. In addition to a very interesting and tasty breading, it was cooked to absolute perfection. In addition to all of this, the service by Ryan was also great. Overall a great find.
(5)Shameka O.
Classy, classy bar food...and I love it! The ambiance when you enter is amazing and doesn't look like it belongs in Cedar Rapids. I ordered the Prime Rib, my dad the meatloaf, and my mom a burger (we're definitely carnivores) and they were all very tasty. My steak was a great cut of beef, cooked perfectly Medium. The side items were also generous in portion size. I would go for 5 stars here, but there was a discrepancy on our bill that required a little to much conversation before it was corrected, and we did not get the most attentive service from our waitress. Needless to say, I will go back...again, and again.
(4)Mel M.
The service was fantastic but the food was far from. The meatloaf was the consistency of patte, tasted like flavorless tamales, and was presented as what appeared to be a giant block of wet cat food. My boyfriend ordered a pasta and had to pull all of the chicken out in order to eat it. The lighting was poor but the chicken looked undercooked and was mushy. We did order the house dessert (mostly to get the awful taste out of our mouths) which made the visit worthwhile. (But not the bill.) Noisy atmosphere. Mediocre menu selections poorly executed. Red fabric wall decor needs to be lint brushed, felt icky eating underneath them. If we ever come back it will be for a beer and dessert only; but I don't see that happening.
(2)Kristin H.
This review is only based on experience sitting at bar. We come here for four things: (1) great beer and beverage options; (2) incredibly tasty sliders and wontons; (3) Geoff the bartender who consistently takes care of us; and (4) fun vibe at the bar with live music/tv showing game/interesting 30s/40s crowd. This is a go to place pre and post TCR.
(4)Todd B.
This place went from great and then to 1 Star they had the best prime rib now they over cook it and WAY TOO MUCH PEPPER. Also the cheesy potatoes are amazing Still. Try the Wisconsin Wantons as well there great. I've been here 20 times but never again. Such a disappointment to see this happen
(1)Jordan S.
This is a great place to grab food. The burgers are fantastic, and they have a good selection of beers. Service was good. The only complaint is that they don't open till 3pm. Good potatoes and wantons. I would definitely go back here.
(4)Jennifer G.
The cigarette butts and bird poop outside the restaurant were disgusting! Didn't do much for our appetite! Hostess didn't smile or greet us, and when I asked about the history of the building (it is really beautiful but i thought would have been flooded), she had no clue and her manager didn't look happy we were trying to have a conversation with her while waiting for our table. Once we were finally seated, the service was terrible! We ordered drinks and just missed happy hour (which ended before we were able to order) - when we asked since we waited he said we could have gone into the bar instead before happy hour ended. The appetizer didn't come out until about two minutes until our food did, and then the waiter disappeared. We needed a refill on our drinks so we tried to flag down the manager but he started yelling at another server so everyone could hear. It was embarrassing. At that point, we just wanted to leave. When the waiter finally came back with our bill we tried to joke with him that he must have been hiding from the manager's outburst and he just rudely said he had other tables. By the time we finally left, there were these obnoxious kids (early 20s) outside the door smoking and blocking it. Not worth the rudeness for decent food.
(1)Lane H.
Went to the White Star last weekend for supper before heading over to catch the comedian at Penguins. Made it just in time for the tail end of happy hour. I'm glad because the beers we had were a little pricey. They were delicious, but I always have a problem paying $8 or more for a beer. Both the husband and I had stouts and they were amazing. Would have had more, but we knew that we had a two drink minimum awaiting us at Penguins. We ordered an appetizer. We had the margarita flat bread pizza. It was ok. Not much pesto flavor and limited on basil. For the price is was ok, but next time I'll try something else. Entrees: He had the beef tenderloin skewers and I had the seared flank steak. Both were cooked as ordered and were alright. I would have enjoyed a little more of a seasoning on it, perhaps some cracked black pepper and garlic. It just kind of sat there with. I was not overly impressed with the cheesy potatoes. They tasted just like what I make at home. I was hoping for something with a little wow to it. Not just the same old same old. So food overall was fine, but was hoping for more of the WOW factor. Desserts: We were not offered anything, but we were ok without anything. Service: He said he was new, so we cut him some slack. However, even if you are new you should know your menu and talk to the other servers as what to suggest. I know this seems nit-picky, but good service seems to be disappearing quickly and is being replaced with the slack-jawed mentality of the counter worker. (disclaimer- not to say I haven't had some good service at Micky D's, but it's few and far between) Pick something that everyone seems to like and make it your favorite. Decor: Wow, talk about a lot of money spent on the little things. Love the look, but it was loud. Bathrooms could have used a bit of freshening up.
(3)Justin B.
To begin, it is not yet entirely fair to write a review considering that the full menu didn't become available until this week. When I attended the soft opening they were only serving appetizers so I tried the buffalo chicken tenders. I've now tried them five times & each one has been different; started out moist & delicious but each one got a little less so. Still good though. That said, I love the atmosphere & the service is second to none. Bartenders and servers are knowledgeable of food and drink & are incredibly nice. A great place for happy hour - half priced beers & 25% off apps. I heart downtown CR.
(4)Casey H.
Went here for a simple evening meal. Service was good - just the right amount of asking if we needed anything and leaving us alone. Had garlic bread/olive oil for the appetizer - very good and simple. My wife had a pork chop (only $9 for a HUGE piece of meat!) which was excellent and I had the BBQ pork shanks. Very tender and good. The building is large and open, so it seemed a bit loud, but otherwise this is a nice place to try something new.
(3)Pete C.
This place reminds me of a girl I used to date. Really, really good looking....but not much there.
(2)Sarah G.
Great atmosphere- great service- great beer list.... Awful food. My "medium" burger was charred to a crisp. Super disappointed. If you want a burger you will be happier going to McDonald's!!!!
(3)Scott Y.
This is the type of place that I knew existed. When I talked to people who knew how much I loved the Manhattan restaurant scene about moving to Iowa, they would always say, "You're going to miss the food." I would always try to tell them that I was excited about trying the food in Iowa. Sure, Iowa doesn't have celebrity chefs from all over the world, but this is literally where food comes from. Wouldn't it stand to reason that the pork would be a bit jucier, and the beef would be a bit tastier, out here in Iowa? Wouldn't it stand to reason that the vegetables would be a bit crisper, and the Wisconsin cheese a bit fresher? If that's the case, all it should take is a restaurant that's not afraid to shun the "more for less" approach, and start focusing on the high quality, local ingredients, which may cost a little bit more, but certainly taste a whole lot better. Congratulations. You've found that place. The food is incredible, the servers are amazing, and the prices are reasonable. I know I'll be back here a lot.
(5)Husky R.
I visited White Star Ale House several weeks ago with my friend Jon and his new girlfriend. The Ale House has a nice atmosphere, and this made for an all-around pleasant evening. As I slowly chewed my savory cheese wontons, I couldn't help but relish the uncanny similarity between the warm, gooey texture of the cheese and the romatic chemistry between Jon and his lovely new squeeze. Pros: extensive beer selection, interesting appetizers/entrees, wontons were tasty Cons: nachos were a bit shabby (very little meat, cheese) I hope this establishment can keep the magic alive, just as I hope Jon can keep the magic alive, rather than sabotaging this relationship just like he does all the others. -Robusto
(3)Heidi G.
We've eaten here several times before and enjoyed it. Tonight it was bad enough that we will not be coming back. I'd give it about 1.5 stars. Our calamari was way over-breaded and was mostly tentacles. We sent the first one back. The second one was a bit better (a little less breading), but was super greasy. My husband's fried chicken breast was over-done and drenched in grease. He ended up removing the coating and eating just the meat as we did not have time to wait for a new one. Both of the previous items are things we have ordered before and enjoyed. My fish (orange roughy) was over-seasoned with pepper and chili sauce to the point of not being able to taste the fish any more. Service was a bit slow, as they were busy (Saturday night) and seemed under-staffed. The waitress didn't really seem concerned that we were unhappy (but she was really busy). It was a huge waste of $50 (and with no alcohol in that price it is "spendy".
(1)Todd S.
Food was less that appetizing, had the New Orleans chicken sandwich and all I could taste was an over seasoned salty mess. Not good....
(2)FJ A.
Life long Cedar Rapidian here glad to see something, anything, with some thought spring up in downtown. Our family, all 9 of us, tried White Star for the first time tonight and we were a little more than pleasantly surprised. The atmosphere was nice with tasteful decor. The noise level was typical for a brew style pub/ ale house (certainly not any louder than Granite City, etc). Most of the noise level was due to conversation, which while a bit louder than we like, was much better than blaring music of some sort. The service was as prompt as any could expect, courteous, informative and attentive. We arrived at 6pm on a Tuesday, with reservations, and were seated immediately. The place was busy, full, but not packed. Very good turn out for a cold Tuesday night. Drinks: Huge beer menu. 36 on tap, 64 bottled. Not too shabby. Appetizers: Philly cream cheese and the Wisconsin wontons: both were very tasty as was the honey mustard wasabi sauce that came with them. Nothing terribly unique but done well enough. Buffalo style chicken fingers: excellent breading, really set these apart from typical white meat chicken fingers. I do wish they had real wings though. Ale House cheeseburger soup: again, excellent and unique. Like beer cheese soup but with some hamburger meatballs. Lobster Sherry bisque: unusual, in a good way. We found it to be especially good with the house french fries, as a dip. Dinners: Sirloin: standard sirloin, prepared well and reasonable. Nothing to complain about. Grandma's Pot roast: excellent. We also had the same only as a sandwich. The sandwich came on a "brioche" bun. It was at the very least soft and tasty. The sandwich as a whole though was superb, with a wasabi/horseradish sauce and jalapeno pickles and a real bargain at $7.95! Roasted BBQ Pork shanks: prepared well and tasty. Fell off the bone. Caveat: these are not shanks however, as far as we could tell. They seemed more like ribs prepared in a drumstick style. Burgers: good and sizable. Chicago style Prime beef sandwich: Really very good, no hesitation to get this again. Au jus very tasty. Almost everyone chose the cheesy potatoes as their side dish and it was overwhelmingly loved. We made a point to tell our server that she tell the owners not to drop the ball. We've seen too many CR places start out above average, only to fall victim to slacking and resting on the laurels of mediocrity that it seems Cedar Rapids has such a green thumb for growing.
(4)Mac F.
Avoid. White Star Ale House has nothing to recommend itself. Our server was a complete spaz. He would take our orders in parts, meaning he would take drink orders for some of us, then walk away, come back, and take the rest. The food was similarly horrible. I ordered a salad in addition to my sandwich, not in lieu of the fries that come with it. The waiter failed to listen. What made the evening more frustrating was that the food, when presented, simply didn't match the descriptions of it in the menu. And what was served up was poorly or sloppily made. GIven the conditions in the restaurant, I think this place will likely close at some point.
(1)Jeff I.
Guys have a decent selection of beer. Ordered a sockeye wrap and that along with the salad were quite boring.
(3)Greg M.
The thing about service is it is easy if you try or care. Nice looking place. Really wanted to try the food. Its been a long time since I have had service this bad. With my wife for her birthday dinner. I ordered a beer then to have the bartender walk away & not ask my wife is she wanted anything while he continued his conversation with someone else @ bar. I guess you share beers here. I felt like you had to know someone that worked here to get service. We got 1 menu ( again sharing system) I was amazed that you receive a menu & are never asked if you would like to order?? Check please! One & dun paid bill asked if I could talk to manager the bartender asked if he had done anything wrong? Yes! Stop ignoring PAYING customer! I actually made a game out of trying to make eye contact with him. It was like he was scared to ask us if we wanted anything?? Really too bad. Was going to spend good money here used yelp to find this place & am disappointed. Good luck everyone hope it turns out better for you!
(2)Ed F.
I had dinner here Saturday night with a group of 20+ from work. It was great seeing a downtown CR business so packed on the weekend. The holiday atmosphere in the bar was festive and fun. In just their 2nd or 3rd week open, it's clear the staff is still working the bugs out. The wait times were very long but our waiter kept his wits and was a great host. They are receiving their "baptism by fire" however the White Star Ale House is already showing great potential and I have little doubt they will eventually find their rhythm and become a key part of the Renaissance of downtown currently under way. Food: The Wisconsin wontons are out of this world, the calamari was a little on the rubbery side but edible and the avocado & chicken eggrolls are very good. Our entrees could've been warmer but that could be expected for such a big group. I enjoyed my primerib (a good value at $14.95) and was cooked perfectly at medium-rare. The mashed potatoes and acorn squash were tasty as well. They advertise 100 American brewed beers including 35 on tap, although I'm not sure if they have all in stock just yet. They include a number of local selections such as Millstream which is surprising rare to see on tap in CR. Tips: They have great happy hour specials on weeknights - 1/2 price beer & well drinks. On Wednesdays, they have 1/2 price appetizers in the bar. Live entertainment in the bar on Friday & Saturday nights. Remember they are just getting started and try not to be so harsh on them. This is a local establishment that is working to make a positive impact on our city's recovery.
(4)Eric A.
Beer selection and atmosphere were only redeeming qualities. Food was so pedestrian and dissappointing.
(2)Jason K.
I ordered the pot roast, very dry, we ordered the bread for the appetizer and they gave some awful garlic paste because they said they ran out of what they were supposed to have so the waitress said this is all she could find, unacceptable and also for a so called upscale restaurant they had mc cormics disposable salt and paper shakers, I have better at home, disappointing.
(2)Mark M.
Went here recently on a Tuesday evening. I'd say it was a little busier than I thought it would be for a Tuesday, but certainly not I would expect weekend busy to be like. Was just me, so I decided to sit at the bar vs. get a table. The bartenders were pretty busy, but still had time to stop and chat with a couple patrons between making drinks and pouring beer. After sitting at the bar for 10 minutes with no attention, I finally decided to leave,,,,, I guess occasionally stopping to chat with friends is more important than serving customers. The menu looked good, seemed to have something for everyone. The draft beer menu looked good,,,,, but maybe a little lacking for an establishment with the words "Ale House" in the name. Will I go back, yeah if I'm with someone that wants to go there, but I wont offer it as an idea if someone wants a suggestion. Seems like one of those places that is trying to be a "Place to see and be seen".
(2)Gina Marie H.
I will start by saying that the food is good and the Chef there is creative. The service however is the pits. The servers have no sense of urgency and the bartenders act like you are burdening them by asking for another drink or a napkin. I continue to be amazed by nice bar/restaurant type places that think they can get away with less than mediocre service if the food is good. I write this review after three visits there. I've lived in several big cities and have surveyed the food and drink scene everywhere, if this place doesn't get there act together they will be a distant memory too.
(2)Cory H.
Been here before for their 1/2 price draft beer drink specials during happy hour, and I got to listen to some live entertainment. The bartenders were nice and knowledgeable, and offered me samples of the beers I wanted to try. They have really good prices on their draft beers, and its even better that I can get a nice craft beer for 1/2 price during their happy hours. Decided to go back and eat dinner, and went on a Thursday night. I tried the "Charles' Favorite" and the "Roasted BBQ Pork Shanks." Everything was cooked well and tasted great. The pork shanks were tender, and the chicken was juicy. I had the baked cheesy potatoes as my side and they were good as well. The service was really great, and our server was friendly. The food also came out fast, even though the place was pretty busy. The portions and the quality for the price of the food that I ordered was great, and I will definitely be going back.
(4)Dan H.
I really like this place. Went on a Thursday night around 8pm and it was fairly busy. The wait staff was very courteous and attentive. They have a ton of beer on tap (all american brews, no German or other import beers). The food was very good, prepared well and served quickly. My steak was a perfect medium. The conversation volume is louder than I expected but I believe that is because the ceilings are so high. They were in no rush to have us leave as we stayed past the 12am closing time. Will definitely go back many times.
(4)Heather B.
A phenomenal happy hour with a large selection of craft beers on tap. The prime rib accompanied by their cheesy potatoes was great. The prime rib was cooked perfectly and very reasonably priced. I would also recommend the avacado and chicken egg rolls--they were very flavorful. The Nacho appetizer was rather bland as was their four cheese pasta dish. I would say its a wonderful place to go for happy hour but nothing to write home about for dinner.
(4)Willis M.
If you've never been to the White Star Ale House, think cheaply done and loud cheescake factory. We've gone a few times and tried to like them, but their food has always been just so so for the price. The atmosphere is both crowded and noisy. Their live entertainment on Friday Nights sounds more like a try-out for American idol than the kind of live entertainment you'd expect.
(2)K F.
Took part in a group dinner here. My first experience. Great to see the downtown area really bouncing back from the floods. Nice selection of beers on tap. Food was good....... Enjoy!
(4)Beth H.
It is great to have another restaurant in downtown Cedar Rapids. The atmosphere is great and they have a great drink menu. However, the food was just okay. Their menu prices are very reasonable. I wish I loved it. Pretty standard fare. The lemon mushroom chicken fell flat. My husband had the prime rib, which although served medium, was kind of dry. We'll probably go back again, but it won't be because we were wowed by the food. Food - 2 Atmosphere - 4
(3)Chad Z.
The food is surprisingly good. Heartland favorites like steak and pork chops are prepared and served very well. The beers on tap are excellent and the selection is extensive. The atmosphere is modern and cool, but the large area sounds like a basketball stadium when filled up on a friday night. There is nothing to absorb the sound besides the large moose head. It makes it difficult to hear people across the table (i.e. don't bring your parents there on a Friday night unless you want to hear "What?!" every 2 minutes).
(4)Faith E.
Yum New Orleans Chicken Sandwich
(5)M. B. B.
Dinner here twice. Food was either above average or horrible. Tried the tenderloin kabobs and literally could not eat it. This could be a great place but for two major drawbacks, too noisy to have a conversation & no place to park.
(2)Troy B.
Enjoyable place and food was great. Saw a couple of reviews that complained about service, but we were very pleased with our service. Great selection of beer.
(5)Jennifer B.
I'd been to White Star a few times with small groups and had a drink or a late dinner. Like other reviews, I loved the atmosphere and the downtown location, so I chose to have some of my friends meet up there for dinner and drinks to begin my 30th birthday celebration. BIG mistake. I set up a reservation about a month in advance for about 20 people. The bartender who took my information was very helpful and informative. So far, everything was great. About a week before, I got a call from the manager that the plans had changed due to another larger party. Okay. So we would still have a table reserved in a different area, and that was fine with me. He sent me an email that included that I needed to choose 3 entrees that my guests could choose from. I replied that I wanted the full menu available, which seems fair, since I was only bringing about 20 people. I was one of the first few to arrive, and was greeted by our server. He took a drink order, and others started to arrive. We were talking and waiting for drinks... and waiting... and waiting. We ordered meals and drinks for those of us who had come after the first order. And we continued to wait. Drinks finally came after about a half hour. Then we waited for food. One couple that came to celebrate with me had tickets to an event later in the evening and had to leave before their APPETIZERS arrived. When they tracked down the waiter to let him know that they needed to leave, he said they would have to pay for the appetizers they hadn't received. They were very gracious and said that was fine; that he should just bring them for everyone else at the party to enjoy. When our food finally came after what had to be an hour, many members of the party commented that it was cold. Everyone was served but me, but I snacked on one of the appetizers waiting for my meal to come. It didn't until someone again got the attention of our server. When my meal came, I asked about the second appetizer my friends had ordered, since it was also apparently forgotten. By this time, most of the party was finished eating, and the server asked did we "still want that". Everyone was pretty full at this point, but of course, he couldn't take it off of the bill that had already been paid. I was so embarrassed that I had brought everyone to a place with such horrible service and a mediocre meal. After the party, I emailed the "president and managing member" who I had spoken to before to tell him how disappointed I was in my visit. I was not rude and didn't ask for anything in return for my feedback. I did, however, expect to get at least an apology. I didn't even get an email reply. I may stop in for a drink if out with friends downtown, but I will NEVER suggest that we go there again.
(2)Dana B.
Had a great 'first time' experience there! Definitely loved the atmosphere, had fun trying different beers and our waitress Emily was fabulous with helping us remember which ones we already tasted! The food was well-presented and flavorful, with portion sizes that left you full but not bloated. We had a party of 6 and even though we had a table in the middle we didn't feel like we were in a fishbowl. No complaints from our group :)
(4)Fred V.
First off I love that these sort of restaurants are springing up in downtown cedar rapids. Very great look! Love the atmosphere, the bar area is great, and the beer selection is American only which I can respect. The food is where you loose the stars. Bland. Every item seems to have potential but when it comes out and hits your lips it get disappointing. Great place for drinks, not for food.
(3)Joan H.
My husband and I went to the White Star Ale for the 3rd time. Twice with one other couple and this time with a group. The restaurant is very nice and I love the atmosphere. The food selections are a bit limited but I have never been disappointed in my choices until tonight. I am always up front that I have issues with some food items and ask questions. Our waiter was nice and was very informative as we began to make our choices, Everywhere I go, I ask if they have iceberg lettuce salads and if they have the standard mixed iceberg/cabbage/carrot,etc. I always ask if they would be able to pick me out just the iceberg with tomatoes with croutons(if they have them) I am okay if they can't, just tell me. Tonight, I asked that standard question of our waiter. I thought he understood. I received a bowl of Romaine lettuce and tomatoes. I ate the tomatoes. When the waiter came back to our table and picked up a bowl of greens, I said., "Do you know this is not iceberg lettuce?" I thought he really might not know the difference. He said he knew that is wasn't. but the iceberg has cabbage in it and it was easier to just get the Romaine since it did not contain cabbage. I said, "That is fine except I can't eat Romaine, that is why I requested iceberg. He offered to make me another salad twice. he did offer to remove if from my bill. I said Thank you. I ordered the salmon and was VERY disappointed in it. It was VERY, VERY DRY. The past two times we went to the White Start Ale the food was very good. I will go back for sure but pass on a salad and the salmon. I saw on an earlier review that the Iowa Chop is not an actual Iowa chop as we Iowan's know them to be, a 1" thick pork Chop. I nearly ordered it, glad I didn't. One of our friends ordered the Pork Shanks I think. They looked and smelled fabulous, That will be my next choice. Oh, the Wisconsin Wontons with the honey mustard dipping sauce were delicious and I prefer a sweeter Strawberry daiquiri than was made. Go and try it, ask questions. I hope to have a 4 or 5 star experience next time. JC. in Cedar Rapids
(3)Dave S.
Here's the blueprint: The White Star Ale House is in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It is in the Witwer building which over time has been home to several business, but as far as I know never a restaurant/bar. The place has an open and clean look to it. Although the high ceilings did tend to extenuate the noise level with what I would consider a small number of patrons. Service was good as I sat at the bar. I was there during the soft opening. The only thing they were serving were drinks and appetizers. Can not do too much to mess up a beer, but the selection was great and happy hour pricing was great. I did find it curious that the bartender passed the chilled glass over a device that shot water up into it. I asked what the purpose that served, and he indicated that it was to make sure the glass was clean. That would imply to me that the glass was dirty, but I am sure that was not the case. I did opt to order an appetizer, which was the shrimp cocktail. It was presented on a plate with a large bowl of shaved ice with shrimp and lemons on top of the ice. the presentation was okay. It looked as if the shrimp and lemons were just thrown onto the ice. No tails on the shrimp a little over cooked, but good. I know that would appeal to some, but I think it adds to the presentation if they would have left the tails on. Maybe they buy them that way. Over all it was okay and I would go back to give it a second chance. Downtown needs more good restaurants!
(2)