To say this is the most elegant restaurant you've ever visited means you need to move beyond the Dubuque area. It is, however, about as nice as Dubuque gets. And that said, be prepared to pay for it. Dinner last night for four adults (with four adult beverages): $200. So at least according to my own eating budget, it's pretty pricey. But that said, it was a really good experience. The waitress was attentive but not overbearing. The decor was experience appropriate, and the food was really good. The Cute Girl and I started with the avocado spring rolls; very good. I had the ribs, which came with a cornbread muffin and some surprisingly good beans. Both were great, and the ribs really were cooked to perfection. Not too saucy, tender and tasty, and enough of them to where I was full (no room for dessert). In all, it was a really good experience, and I'll be happy to return in the future.
(4)
Troy K.
My wife and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary and decided to make reservations at Woodfire Grille for our maiden voyage of the restaurant. First aesthetic impression was great! The decor was nicely done and a continued theme throughout the facility was taken into consideration. The booth we sat at was very nice and seemed "secluded" from the other people in the restaurant. We both ordered wine by the glass; my wife getting Pinot Noir and I getting Pinot Griggio and both were good. We are not winos, but both glasses had great flavor. We ordered the avocado spring rolls for an appetizer, my wife got french onion soup and I got the cobb salad before our meals. All these choices were great! Very good flavor and nicely presented. My wife ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the chipotle sea bass for our meals. I love seafood and this entree was done very well. Great taste and cooked just right. The filet was ordered medium, but was more medium-well to well done, which was a disappointment considering that we both assumed the filet would have been the best choice on the menu. The flavor of the steak was also just ok as well. The disappointment with the steak is the reason for 4 not 5 stars. All in all, I would try this place again, but only on special occasions due to the higher cost of the majority of menu items. Still a lovely evening.
(4)
Dru D.
Let me get this out of the way. Expensive. By any city's standards, especially Dubuque. That said, I had one of the best sea bass entrees I have ever had, and I eat it just about every time I get near the coast. Buttery, moist, so delicate you barely have to touch it to tease out a bite. Well executed, by any city's standards. Ambiance is unique in Dubuque. Dim but not dark, fine finishes, interesting interplay of stone and wood. Classy, but not overdone, by any city's standards. Def buzz kill when u hit the smokey lobby of Diamond Jo after.
(4)
Keith K.
NOT our type of place, way to hoyti toyti! Wife enjoyed her food, my ribs were dust dry. The service was over the top, very nice staff!
(3)
Chad G.
Fantastic service! They suggested some of the best apps and were dead on. Awesome for the taste buds. Everyone in my group loved their main course and I loved every bite of my bacon wrapped shrimp. The fire pit in the middle topped it off as one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. You have to go here!
(5)
Leah D.
This is one of the most elegant restaurants I have ever been to. My husband brought me here for my birthday. We both had steaks and they were melt in your mouth delicious. The chef personally came out to ask us how our dinner was which I thought was a nice touch. It was a little hard to understand the waiter who had an accent. The wine bar was a little intimidating, but fun. You get points on a card to try samples and insert it into the machine like a credit card and the machine pours the wine for you. We had the crab cakes for an appetizer, very good. And dessert was the best. I had the molten cake which I still can't stop thinking about. It's chocolate cake with gooey chocolate ganache in the middle - yum! Very cozy, warm and inviting. One of the best restaurant I have ever been to. This is my official special occasion place.
(5)
Colin G.
Meat and Ribs cooked to perfection as you would think for the Mid-west. The French onion Soup was really good topped with fried onion strings. The Creme brulee desert was one of the most interesting tweaks on the recipe and tasted very good. all in all very pleasantly surprised as a critical Bostonian it holds up as good as many steak houses back home.
(4)
Ali V.
Much better than you would expect at a casino. Great food, wine list, and service.
(4)
Linda M.
The absolute best grilled asparagus I have every had! The meat was tender and juicy. Excellent service. We liked everything about this eatery and highly recommend it. We found the prices on par with similar places in which we've dined but we're from the Chicago area and are accustomed to this price range for high quality steaks.
(4)
Tim C.
I have visited from Chicago maybe 10 times in the last couple years. Have eaten here maybe four times and it is excellent everytime. This is the best restaurant, by a very long shot, I have experienced in Dubuque. The food is excellent and the wait staff very attentive. The wine guy is knowlegeable and a lot of fun. I know something about wine and this place has the best wine list, based on selection and price, i have ever seen. It is a mistake to order wine by the glass here as that is not really a bargin. But by the bottle...the wines are near retail price (not the usual 100% or more mark up) and the selection is just outstanding. If your not sure what to order, ask the wine guy...he will get you on target and may give you a couple tastes to see what's going to punch your buttons. For $50 or $60 you can get two great bottles and for $100 or $110 you can get two outstanding bottles. Go have some fun!
(5)
Tom C.
Awesome! The service was great and the staff was very knowledgeable. Great wine list. I had the avocado rolls, grilled romaine salad (amazing) and the Berkshire chop. Everything was fabulous. It is fairly expensive but worth it.
(5)
Joel M.
I wasn't sure about eating at a casino restaurant but am glad we walked in and tried it. So glad, we went back a 2nd time during our 1 week visit to Dubuque. Prices per entree were about $5-7 less than we would pay at a comparable restaurant at home in NJ (restaurant reminded me a bit of a chain called Fleming's). Delicious lobster bisque - lighter taste than most I have had. My wife enjoyed the avocado rolls. The first night, I had the sirloin with the melted blue cheese. The steak was perfectly done. The cheese, for me, was a much thicker topping than I expected and made the dish too heavy / rich for me so I scraped it off. If you love blue cheese, go for it. The salmon - we tried the cedar plank and blackened - was very good. Side dishes were for one person (not huge side dishes which you sometimes find at steak places). The cold truffles they gave us when we took the check were enough dessert for us as we were stuffed.
(5)
Nate S.
Went on a Saturday night and had a reservation. We were taken to our booth right away and the server greeted us promptly. We split the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp app which was great as usual. There were 3 shrimp total with some sauce drizzled and a few greens. I believe on my previous visits I got 4 shrimp but oh well. The beer I ordered was called Imper Ale Triplo Malto, imported from Italy and very hard to find in the States. It was $18 for 500ml but f*cking delicious! Dad and I both had the King Filet and a lobster tail. They cook the steak absolutely perfect. Im not sure how they get it so tender but it was like cutting through butter. I ordered mine medium rare but it was more like rare. The grilled asparagus on steroids that accompany the steak were tasty and had a nice char. When I got to my lobster I realized it was totally unnecessary because I was full but I ate it anyway. The lobster was medium-sized and nothing extraordinary. Also they serve bread rolls and a tomato jam and whipped butter with your meal which adds to the fullness. Negatives: We had multiple dirty utensils :((( they were out of a couple of beers I wanted :( and my steak was just barely undercooked Overall the experience was very good again. The ambience is tops in Dubuque, the service impeccable, and the food awesome! Yes, it was moderately expensive ($160) and we had a casino comp but I would definitely pay to eat here again. 4.5/5
(4)
Steve R.
Best sea bass ever with the miso glaze! Lobster bisque was creamy with nice pieces of lobster and the crab cakes melted in your mouth! Everything was beautifully presented and even more delicious.
(5)
Tim J.
A fantastic evening out here with my girlfriend for her birthday celebration. The food was inspired and well-prepared... Hats off to Jess B. and Jason C! Our server Lisa was great and a true pro... Thanks!
(5)
Ray G.
This was my first time to the Woodfire Grill. It was a family gathering of 14 people. We had a large table in the back. It was almost like having our own room. Overall, everyone loved the food. The Flatbreads were a hit. People raved about Thai Seafood Pasta and Chilean Sea Bass. My wife loved the Tasmanian King Salmon. I had the NY Strip. It was not medium rare as ordered but it was very good. The Dirty Garlic Mashed potatoes were nothing special. The staff was excellent. They were there when you needed them and they did not rush us. One minor ding, the bartender had problems making a few drinks. However, my Makers Mark on the rocks was well prepared. Plus they have a very good wine list. Overall, it was a great place to eat. They handled a large group without any problems. I would like to go back and try some of the other items. To top it off, my brother-in-law picked up the tab.
(4)
Derek E.
This is my favorite in the Tri-States area. (Five stars regionally; four stars if comparing nationally.) The service is top-rate; the food is seasonal and very good, but they do have permanent dishes. Regardless of what you get, definitely order the chop salad as part of your meal. Their wine list is the best in the area - 600 different labels and usually a couple thousand bottles on hand. The female bartender (Kayla, if I remember correctly, and assuming she's still there) is a total sweetheart and will customize any drink for you and is always willing to experiment with new concoctions. If you go, ask for John as your server. They're all great service staff, but he's the best. Be sure to tip him well (at least 20%. Trust me - he's worth it.) The restaurant is part of the Diamond Jo casino, so you'll see jean shorts and t-shirts in this restaurant, which bugs me a little bit, but don't be put off by that. Enter from the Bell Street entrance so you don't have to walk to the restaurant through the casino floor cigarette smike cloud, which also requires an ID check and a hand stamp.
(5)
Audrey P.
Really, really nice place to eat - food, atmosphere, wait staff - all great.
I have visited from Chicago maybe 10 times in the last couple years. Have eaten here maybe four times and it is excellent everytime. This is the best restaurant, by a very long shot, I have experienced in Dubuque. The food is excellent and the wait staff very attentive. The wine guy is knowlegeable and a lot of fun. I know something about wine and this place has the best wine list, based on selection and price, i have ever seen. It is a mistake to order wine by the glass here as that is not really a bargin. But by the bottle...the wines are near retail price (not the usual 100% or more mark up) and the selection is just outstanding. If your not sure what to order, ask the wine guy...he will get you on target and may give you a couple tastes to see what's going to punch your buttons. For $50 or $60 you can get two great bottles and for $100 or $110 you can get two outstanding bottles. Go have some fun!
(5)
Bridget R.
We started out with drinks. One of the ladies couldn't decide in a wine so they offered a 1oz sample which ended up costing $ 2.10! Two so us ordered salads and one had the lobster bisque and the other the French onion soup. We were ready to order 2 prime rib and the ribeye special($49). We were going to split the steak and order 3 sides. The waitress told us there would be a $6 splitting fee. I said I was vegetarian and was only ordering the sides. She said we could only get it waived if we ordered a salad as an entree . I have never had a fine dining restaurant impose a charge for sharing nor pay for a taste of wine! I thought the wine charge was weird but the sharing fee coat them our business!
(1)
Kate N.
My husband and I went here for a late Valentine's dinner last February and had a fantastic time -- so much that we ended up showing up again in April. :) The decor is great - modern for Dubuque, but warm and welcoming. The wait staff is WONDERFUL, and our waitress has a wonderful memory (she remembered us after only one visit!). The breads and butters starter is a great touch - small half loaves of different kinds of breads with a variety of compound butters. I don't even remember what all we had, except that we polished it off! The prime rib is freaking awesome -- perfectly cooked (and as someone who loves rare steak: Woodfire *nails* it perfectly!), and the grilled asparagus was wonderful. I had it both times with the horseradish sauce, delish! The first time, I had the lobster bisque (perfectly creamy, deliciously lobstery) as a starter and the mashed potatoes as a side (unfortunately, I savored my steak so much that it was cold). The second time, I had the crab cakes to start (crunchy and the sauces were a great complement) and the lobster mac n cheese as a side (simply delicious). The wine was great, and I was too full to even think about eating dessert. (But some day!) My husband is sampling the menu. I don't remember which meats he got, but his absolute favorite was actually his appetizer (the sirloin sticks, or something like that). We're planning on coming here again for our anniversary, if we're in town. :)
(5)
Josh S.
Had dinner here and chose this location after reading other online reviews of the establishment. The food was great and cooked exactly to our specifications. Our server was very polite and added to the experience of fine dining. The fire theme of the restaurant was tastefully implemented in a way that was both very present yet unobtrusive. Others have remarked about the noise level and having read that prior to our dining experience we were listening for it. In all honesty the restaurant had somewhat of a more vibrant noise level but not anything we would consider displeasing or out of the ordinary and thankfully it was not pin-drop quiet either. Feel free to dress up if you are going for dinner, you will not be out of place, however do not be surprised to see other patrons dressed casually the restaurant is located inside a casino.
(4)
Chad G.
Fantastic service! They suggested some of the best apps and were dead on. Awesome for the taste buds. Everyone in my group loved their main course and I loved every bite of my bacon wrapped shrimp. The fire pit in the middle topped it off as one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. You have to go here!
(5)
Dru D.
Let me get this out of the way. Expensive. By any city's standards, especially Dubuque. That said, I had one of the best sea bass entrees I have ever had, and I eat it just about every time I get near the coast. Buttery, moist, so delicate you barely have to touch it to tease out a bite. Well executed, by any city's standards. Ambiance is unique in Dubuque. Dim but not dark, fine finishes, interesting interplay of stone and wood. Classy, but not overdone, by any city's standards. Def buzz kill when u hit the smokey lobby of Diamond Jo after.
(4)
Keith K.
NOT our type of place, way to hoyti toyti! Wife enjoyed her food, my ribs were dust dry. The service was over the top, very nice staff!
(3)
Douglas H.
Ok, so I was in town on business and it was my last night on the road for the week and thought I'd go have a great steak dinner to end my week. #1, there was NO wait at 7pm. I figured out why. Overpriced food and I'm not sure if anyone there really knows how to cook. #2, The server we had was more interested in talking to some guy who appeared to be a regular than us. She wasn't even waiting on him. #3, I ordered the rib eye porchini. It's a $45 steak. You'd think it would be perfect. HA! I ordered it Medium Rare, It came out medium well in the middle and medium on the edges. Then the server had the nerve to say to me, "well, cut into the middle to what it is there." Look chick, I know good steak, and I wouldn't feed that one to my dog! They finally went and "re-cooked" my steak. Yes, it came out perfect. But it had NO flavor. I think the chef needs to go back to school or something. #4, I will say that the asparagus was perfect. And the beer was nice and cold. #5, Dessert, I decided I'd end a horrible meal with a perfect dessert. Creme Brulee. When it came out the glaze was warm, that was a good sign. I didn't realize that Creme Brulee was soup. I didn't even eat half of it. The flavor was incredible, but it was like they just mixed it together and poured it in the dish. My friend had prime rib. It was great. I'm sure that they do have good food, but my experience was horrible. In a restaurant like this, their service should be second to none and rarely have any mistakes. Should have gone across the street to Roma's. Chain or not, they know what service and preparation is.
(1)
Amanda B.
The Sailor and I came here for my birthday on a Thursday winter evening. We requested a booth (we like the option to sit closer if the mood allows). The flames in the window panes added just the appropriate warmth factor that we needed from the blistering cold winds outside. The place was boppin' with a range of other couples and small groups. Drinks: Cab for me X 2 ($12.50 / glass), Merlot for him X 2 ($10.50 / glass). Very tasty as far as I can compare.(Which is little, I'm by no means a wine connoisseur.) Appetizer: Flat bread with mozzarella & prosciutto ham. $9 (We initially ordered the Avocado Spring Rolls, only to find out they were out at 6:30pm.) Next time, passing on the Flat Bread appetizer because they serve a large amount of 3 different breads at the table with butter and Amaretto infused butter. Delish breads. Sides: Wedge salad: Iceberg wedges, sun dried toms, bacon bits, homemade blue cheese dressing. The tangy dressing, salty bacon and sweet sun ripe toms made my mouth hum with "yummhmmmhmmm". Main Course: Sailor: Queen Cut Prime Rib with grilled asparagus ($28) and garlic mash potatoes ($5). He raved about the spiced crust/rim on the Prime Rib and said the grilled asparagus was standard. Garlic mashed Potatoes are strong with garlic which is precisely to his liking. Me: Braised Beef Stroganoff. ($26) The thick noodles, cream sauce and two (maybe three) different mushrooms is what made this dish for me. The beef was cooked well, but had too much marbleized fat in it than I tend to like. Desert: No room. Bill w/ tip: $122 for two. When it was all said and done, I would say we were both pleased with the evening and meal we had. Even with the prices being a little more (ok, a lot more) than our standard allowance. I hope to go back to try the Avocado Spring Rolls, gnaw on the crusty rustic bread and butter, and have another refreshing blue cheese salad.
(4)
steve d.
We went to the woodfire for dinner on a Saturday night. We ended up eating at the bar as the wait for a table was long. Service at the bar was great. We also liked their wine and beer selection. We ordered the avocado rolls appetizer to start. It was perfectly cooked. The accompanying sauce was needed as the rolls were a little dry. The sauce itself was a little sweet and one note for me, but the overall dish was original and good. For dinner we split an order of the seared scallops. These were well cooked and very good. We also had a side of the lobster mac and cheese. The lobster meat and mac were good. I prefer a more assertive cheese. A little sharpness or additional flavor would have been welcome. Overall, we enjoyed this restaurant and will return. I recommend giving it a try.
(4)
Bryan Z.
To say this is the most elegant restaurant you've ever visited means you need to move beyond the Dubuque area. It is, however, about as nice as Dubuque gets. And that said, be prepared to pay for it. Dinner last night for four adults (with four adult beverages): $200. So at least according to my own eating budget, it's pretty pricey. But that said, it was a really good experience. The waitress was attentive but not overbearing. The decor was experience appropriate, and the food was really good. The Cute Girl and I started with the avocado spring rolls; very good. I had the ribs, which came with a cornbread muffin and some surprisingly good beans. Both were great, and the ribs really were cooked to perfection. Not too saucy, tender and tasty, and enough of them to where I was full (no room for dessert). In all, it was a really good experience, and I'll be happy to return in the future.
(4)
Troy K.
My wife and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary and decided to make reservations at Woodfire Grille for our maiden voyage of the restaurant. First aesthetic impression was great! The decor was nicely done and a continued theme throughout the facility was taken into consideration. The booth we sat at was very nice and seemed "secluded" from the other people in the restaurant. We both ordered wine by the glass; my wife getting Pinot Noir and I getting Pinot Griggio and both were good. We are not winos, but both glasses had great flavor. We ordered the avocado spring rolls for an appetizer, my wife got french onion soup and I got the cobb salad before our meals. All these choices were great! Very good flavor and nicely presented. My wife ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the chipotle sea bass for our meals. I love seafood and this entree was done very well. Great taste and cooked just right. The filet was ordered medium, but was more medium-well to well done, which was a disappointment considering that we both assumed the filet would have been the best choice on the menu. The flavor of the steak was also just ok as well. The disappointment with the steak is the reason for 4 not 5 stars. All in all, I would try this place again, but only on special occasions due to the higher cost of the majority of menu items. Still a lovely evening.
(4)
Leah D.
This is one of the most elegant restaurants I have ever been to. My husband brought me here for my birthday. We both had steaks and they were melt in your mouth delicious. The chef personally came out to ask us how our dinner was which I thought was a nice touch. It was a little hard to understand the waiter who had an accent. The wine bar was a little intimidating, but fun. You get points on a card to try samples and insert it into the machine like a credit card and the machine pours the wine for you. We had the crab cakes for an appetizer, very good. And dessert was the best. I had the molten cake which I still can't stop thinking about. It's chocolate cake with gooey chocolate ganache in the middle - yum! Very cozy, warm and inviting. One of the best restaurant I have ever been to. This is my official special occasion place.
(5)
Colin G.
Meat and Ribs cooked to perfection as you would think for the Mid-west. The French onion Soup was really good topped with fried onion strings. The Creme brulee desert was one of the most interesting tweaks on the recipe and tasted very good. all in all very pleasantly surprised as a critical Bostonian it holds up as good as many steak houses back home.
(4)
Ali V.
Much better than you would expect at a casino. Great food, wine list, and service.
(4)
Linda M.
The absolute best grilled asparagus I have every had! The meat was tender and juicy. Excellent service. We liked everything about this eatery and highly recommend it. We found the prices on par with similar places in which we've dined but we're from the Chicago area and are accustomed to this price range for high quality steaks.
(4)
Audrey P.
Really, really nice place to eat - food, atmosphere, wait staff - all great.
(4)
Joel M.
I wasn't sure about eating at a casino restaurant but am glad we walked in and tried it. So glad, we went back a 2nd time during our 1 week visit to Dubuque. Prices per entree were about $5-7 less than we would pay at a comparable restaurant at home in NJ (restaurant reminded me a bit of a chain called Fleming's). Delicious lobster bisque - lighter taste than most I have had. My wife enjoyed the avocado rolls. The first night, I had the sirloin with the melted blue cheese. The steak was perfectly done. The cheese, for me, was a much thicker topping than I expected and made the dish too heavy / rich for me so I scraped it off. If you love blue cheese, go for it. The salmon - we tried the cedar plank and blackened - was very good. Side dishes were for one person (not huge side dishes which you sometimes find at steak places). The cold truffles they gave us when we took the check were enough dessert for us as we were stuffed.
(5)
Ray G.
This was my first time to the Woodfire Grill. It was a family gathering of 14 people. We had a large table in the back. It was almost like having our own room. Overall, everyone loved the food. The Flatbreads were a hit. People raved about Thai Seafood Pasta and Chilean Sea Bass. My wife loved the Tasmanian King Salmon. I had the NY Strip. It was not medium rare as ordered but it was very good. The Dirty Garlic Mashed potatoes were nothing special. The staff was excellent. They were there when you needed them and they did not rush us. One minor ding, the bartender had problems making a few drinks. However, my Makers Mark on the rocks was well prepared. Plus they have a very good wine list. Overall, it was a great place to eat. They handled a large group without any problems. I would like to go back and try some of the other items. To top it off, my brother-in-law picked up the tab.
(4)
Tim J.
A fantastic evening out here with my girlfriend for her birthday celebration. The food was inspired and well-prepared... Hats off to Jess B. and Jason C! Our server Lisa was great and a true pro... Thanks!
(5)
Tom C.
Awesome! The service was great and the staff was very knowledgeable. Great wine list. I had the avocado rolls, grilled romaine salad (amazing) and the Berkshire chop. Everything was fabulous. It is fairly expensive but worth it.
(5)
Derek E.
This is my favorite in the Tri-States area. (Five stars regionally; four stars if comparing nationally.) The service is top-rate; the food is seasonal and very good, but they do have permanent dishes. Regardless of what you get, definitely order the chop salad as part of your meal. Their wine list is the best in the area - 600 different labels and usually a couple thousand bottles on hand. The female bartender (Kayla, if I remember correctly, and assuming she's still there) is a total sweetheart and will customize any drink for you and is always willing to experiment with new concoctions. If you go, ask for John as your server. They're all great service staff, but he's the best. Be sure to tip him well (at least 20%. Trust me - he's worth it.) The restaurant is part of the Diamond Jo casino, so you'll see jean shorts and t-shirts in this restaurant, which bugs me a little bit, but don't be put off by that. Enter from the Bell Street entrance so you don't have to walk to the restaurant through the casino floor cigarette smike cloud, which also requires an ID check and a hand stamp.
Went on a Saturday night and had a reservation. We were taken to our booth right away and the server greeted us promptly. We split the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp app which was great as usual. There were 3 shrimp total with some sauce drizzled and a few greens. I believe on my previous visits I got 4 shrimp but oh well. The beer I ordered was called Imper Ale Triplo Malto, imported from Italy and very hard to find in the States. It was $18 for 500ml but f*cking delicious! Dad and I both had the King Filet and a lobster tail. They cook the steak absolutely perfect. Im not sure how they get it so tender but it was like cutting through butter. I ordered mine medium rare but it was more like rare. The grilled asparagus on steroids that accompany the steak were tasty and had a nice char. When I got to my lobster I realized it was totally unnecessary because I was full but I ate it anyway. The lobster was medium-sized and nothing extraordinary. Also they serve bread rolls and a tomato jam and whipped butter with your meal which adds to the fullness. Negatives: We had multiple dirty utensils :((( they were out of a couple of beers I wanted :( and my steak was just barely undercooked Overall the experience was very good again. The ambience is tops in Dubuque, the service impeccable, and the food awesome! Yes, it was moderately expensive ($160) and we had a casino comp but I would definitely pay to eat here again. 4.5/5
(4)
Steve R.
Best sea bass ever with the miso glaze! Lobster bisque was creamy with nice pieces of lobster and the crab cakes melted in your mouth! Everything was beautifully presented and even more delicious.
(5)
Josh S.
Had dinner here and chose this location after reading other online reviews of the establishment. The food was great and cooked exactly to our specifications. Our server was very polite and added to the experience of fine dining. The fire theme of the restaurant was tastefully implemented in a way that was both very present yet unobtrusive. Others have remarked about the noise level and having read that prior to our dining experience we were listening for it. In all honesty the restaurant had somewhat of a more vibrant noise level but not anything we would consider displeasing or out of the ordinary and thankfully it was not pin-drop quiet either. Feel free to dress up if you are going for dinner, you will not be out of place, however do not be surprised to see other patrons dressed casually the restaurant is located inside a casino.
(4)
Bridget R.
We started out with drinks. One of the ladies couldn't decide in a wine so they offered a 1oz sample which ended up costing $ 2.10! Two so us ordered salads and one had the lobster bisque and the other the French onion soup. We were ready to order 2 prime rib and the ribeye special($49). We were going to split the steak and order 3 sides. The waitress told us there would be a $6 splitting fee. I said I was vegetarian and was only ordering the sides. She said we could only get it waived if we ordered a salad as an entree . I have never had a fine dining restaurant impose a charge for sharing nor pay for a taste of wine! I thought the wine charge was weird but the sharing fee coat them our business!
(1)
Kate N.
My husband and I went here for a late Valentine's dinner last February and had a fantastic time -- so much that we ended up showing up again in April. :) The decor is great - modern for Dubuque, but warm and welcoming. The wait staff is WONDERFUL, and our waitress has a wonderful memory (she remembered us after only one visit!). The breads and butters starter is a great touch - small half loaves of different kinds of breads with a variety of compound butters. I don't even remember what all we had, except that we polished it off! The prime rib is freaking awesome -- perfectly cooked (and as someone who loves rare steak: Woodfire *nails* it perfectly!), and the grilled asparagus was wonderful. I had it both times with the horseradish sauce, delish! The first time, I had the lobster bisque (perfectly creamy, deliciously lobstery) as a starter and the mashed potatoes as a side (unfortunately, I savored my steak so much that it was cold). The second time, I had the crab cakes to start (crunchy and the sauces were a great complement) and the lobster mac n cheese as a side (simply delicious). The wine was great, and I was too full to even think about eating dessert. (But some day!) My husband is sampling the menu. I don't remember which meats he got, but his absolute favorite was actually his appetizer (the sirloin sticks, or something like that). We're planning on coming here again for our anniversary, if we're in town. :)
(5)
Douglas H.
Ok, so I was in town on business and it was my last night on the road for the week and thought I'd go have a great steak dinner to end my week. #1, there was NO wait at 7pm. I figured out why. Overpriced food and I'm not sure if anyone there really knows how to cook. #2, The server we had was more interested in talking to some guy who appeared to be a regular than us. She wasn't even waiting on him. #3, I ordered the rib eye porchini. It's a $45 steak. You'd think it would be perfect. HA! I ordered it Medium Rare, It came out medium well in the middle and medium on the edges. Then the server had the nerve to say to me, "well, cut into the middle to what it is there." Look chick, I know good steak, and I wouldn't feed that one to my dog! They finally went and "re-cooked" my steak. Yes, it came out perfect. But it had NO flavor. I think the chef needs to go back to school or something. #4, I will say that the asparagus was perfect. And the beer was nice and cold. #5, Dessert, I decided I'd end a horrible meal with a perfect dessert. Creme Brulee. When it came out the glaze was warm, that was a good sign. I didn't realize that Creme Brulee was soup. I didn't even eat half of it. The flavor was incredible, but it was like they just mixed it together and poured it in the dish. My friend had prime rib. It was great. I'm sure that they do have good food, but my experience was horrible. In a restaurant like this, their service should be second to none and rarely have any mistakes. Should have gone across the street to Roma's. Chain or not, they know what service and preparation is.
(1)
Amanda B.
The Sailor and I came here for my birthday on a Thursday winter evening. We requested a booth (we like the option to sit closer if the mood allows). The flames in the window panes added just the appropriate warmth factor that we needed from the blistering cold winds outside. The place was boppin' with a range of other couples and small groups. Drinks: Cab for me X 2 ($12.50 / glass), Merlot for him X 2 ($10.50 / glass). Very tasty as far as I can compare.(Which is little, I'm by no means a wine connoisseur.) Appetizer: Flat bread with mozzarella & prosciutto ham. $9 (We initially ordered the Avocado Spring Rolls, only to find out they were out at 6:30pm.) Next time, passing on the Flat Bread appetizer because they serve a large amount of 3 different breads at the table with butter and Amaretto infused butter. Delish breads. Sides: Wedge salad: Iceberg wedges, sun dried toms, bacon bits, homemade blue cheese dressing. The tangy dressing, salty bacon and sweet sun ripe toms made my mouth hum with "yummhmmmhmmm". Main Course: Sailor: Queen Cut Prime Rib with grilled asparagus ($28) and garlic mash potatoes ($5). He raved about the spiced crust/rim on the Prime Rib and said the grilled asparagus was standard. Garlic mashed Potatoes are strong with garlic which is precisely to his liking. Me: Braised Beef Stroganoff. ($26) The thick noodles, cream sauce and two (maybe three) different mushrooms is what made this dish for me. The beef was cooked well, but had too much marbleized fat in it than I tend to like. Desert: No room. Bill w/ tip: $122 for two. When it was all said and done, I would say we were both pleased with the evening and meal we had. Even with the prices being a little more (ok, a lot more) than our standard allowance. I hope to go back to try the Avocado Spring Rolls, gnaw on the crusty rustic bread and butter, and have another refreshing blue cheese salad.
(4)
steve d.
We went to the woodfire for dinner on a Saturday night. We ended up eating at the bar as the wait for a table was long. Service at the bar was great. We also liked their wine and beer selection. We ordered the avocado rolls appetizer to start. It was perfectly cooked. The accompanying sauce was needed as the rolls were a little dry. The sauce itself was a little sweet and one note for me, but the overall dish was original and good. For dinner we split an order of the seared scallops. These were well cooked and very good. We also had a side of the lobster mac and cheese. The lobster meat and mac were good. I prefer a more assertive cheese. A little sharpness or additional flavor would have been welcome. Overall, we enjoyed this restaurant and will return. I recommend giving it a try.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Bryan Z.
To say this is the most elegant restaurant you've ever visited means you need to move beyond the Dubuque area. It is, however, about as nice as Dubuque gets. And that said, be prepared to pay for it. Dinner last night for four adults (with four adult beverages): $200. So at least according to my own eating budget, it's pretty pricey. But that said, it was a really good experience. The waitress was attentive but not overbearing. The decor was experience appropriate, and the food was really good. The Cute Girl and I started with the avocado spring rolls; very good. I had the ribs, which came with a cornbread muffin and some surprisingly good beans. Both were great, and the ribs really were cooked to perfection. Not too saucy, tender and tasty, and enough of them to where I was full (no room for dessert). In all, it was a really good experience, and I'll be happy to return in the future.
(4)Troy K.
My wife and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary and decided to make reservations at Woodfire Grille for our maiden voyage of the restaurant. First aesthetic impression was great! The decor was nicely done and a continued theme throughout the facility was taken into consideration. The booth we sat at was very nice and seemed "secluded" from the other people in the restaurant. We both ordered wine by the glass; my wife getting Pinot Noir and I getting Pinot Griggio and both were good. We are not winos, but both glasses had great flavor. We ordered the avocado spring rolls for an appetizer, my wife got french onion soup and I got the cobb salad before our meals. All these choices were great! Very good flavor and nicely presented. My wife ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the chipotle sea bass for our meals. I love seafood and this entree was done very well. Great taste and cooked just right. The filet was ordered medium, but was more medium-well to well done, which was a disappointment considering that we both assumed the filet would have been the best choice on the menu. The flavor of the steak was also just ok as well. The disappointment with the steak is the reason for 4 not 5 stars. All in all, I would try this place again, but only on special occasions due to the higher cost of the majority of menu items. Still a lovely evening.
(4)Dru D.
Let me get this out of the way. Expensive. By any city's standards, especially Dubuque. That said, I had one of the best sea bass entrees I have ever had, and I eat it just about every time I get near the coast. Buttery, moist, so delicate you barely have to touch it to tease out a bite. Well executed, by any city's standards. Ambiance is unique in Dubuque. Dim but not dark, fine finishes, interesting interplay of stone and wood. Classy, but not overdone, by any city's standards. Def buzz kill when u hit the smokey lobby of Diamond Jo after.
(4)Keith K.
NOT our type of place, way to hoyti toyti! Wife enjoyed her food, my ribs were dust dry. The service was over the top, very nice staff!
(3)Chad G.
Fantastic service! They suggested some of the best apps and were dead on. Awesome for the taste buds. Everyone in my group loved their main course and I loved every bite of my bacon wrapped shrimp. The fire pit in the middle topped it off as one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. You have to go here!
(5)Leah D.
This is one of the most elegant restaurants I have ever been to. My husband brought me here for my birthday. We both had steaks and they were melt in your mouth delicious. The chef personally came out to ask us how our dinner was which I thought was a nice touch. It was a little hard to understand the waiter who had an accent. The wine bar was a little intimidating, but fun. You get points on a card to try samples and insert it into the machine like a credit card and the machine pours the wine for you. We had the crab cakes for an appetizer, very good. And dessert was the best. I had the molten cake which I still can't stop thinking about. It's chocolate cake with gooey chocolate ganache in the middle - yum! Very cozy, warm and inviting. One of the best restaurant I have ever been to. This is my official special occasion place.
(5)Colin G.
Meat and Ribs cooked to perfection as you would think for the Mid-west. The French onion Soup was really good topped with fried onion strings. The Creme brulee desert was one of the most interesting tweaks on the recipe and tasted very good. all in all very pleasantly surprised as a critical Bostonian it holds up as good as many steak houses back home.
(4)Ali V.
Much better than you would expect at a casino. Great food, wine list, and service.
(4)Linda M.
The absolute best grilled asparagus I have every had! The meat was tender and juicy. Excellent service. We liked everything about this eatery and highly recommend it. We found the prices on par with similar places in which we've dined but we're from the Chicago area and are accustomed to this price range for high quality steaks.
(4)Tim C.
I have visited from Chicago maybe 10 times in the last couple years. Have eaten here maybe four times and it is excellent everytime. This is the best restaurant, by a very long shot, I have experienced in Dubuque. The food is excellent and the wait staff very attentive. The wine guy is knowlegeable and a lot of fun. I know something about wine and this place has the best wine list, based on selection and price, i have ever seen. It is a mistake to order wine by the glass here as that is not really a bargin. But by the bottle...the wines are near retail price (not the usual 100% or more mark up) and the selection is just outstanding. If your not sure what to order, ask the wine guy...he will get you on target and may give you a couple tastes to see what's going to punch your buttons. For $50 or $60 you can get two great bottles and for $100 or $110 you can get two outstanding bottles. Go have some fun!
(5)Tom C.
Awesome! The service was great and the staff was very knowledgeable. Great wine list. I had the avocado rolls, grilled romaine salad (amazing) and the Berkshire chop. Everything was fabulous. It is fairly expensive but worth it.
(5)Joel M.
I wasn't sure about eating at a casino restaurant but am glad we walked in and tried it. So glad, we went back a 2nd time during our 1 week visit to Dubuque. Prices per entree were about $5-7 less than we would pay at a comparable restaurant at home in NJ (restaurant reminded me a bit of a chain called Fleming's). Delicious lobster bisque - lighter taste than most I have had. My wife enjoyed the avocado rolls. The first night, I had the sirloin with the melted blue cheese. The steak was perfectly done. The cheese, for me, was a much thicker topping than I expected and made the dish too heavy / rich for me so I scraped it off. If you love blue cheese, go for it. The salmon - we tried the cedar plank and blackened - was very good. Side dishes were for one person (not huge side dishes which you sometimes find at steak places). The cold truffles they gave us when we took the check were enough dessert for us as we were stuffed.
(5)Nate S.
Went on a Saturday night and had a reservation. We were taken to our booth right away and the server greeted us promptly. We split the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp app which was great as usual. There were 3 shrimp total with some sauce drizzled and a few greens. I believe on my previous visits I got 4 shrimp but oh well. The beer I ordered was called Imper Ale Triplo Malto, imported from Italy and very hard to find in the States. It was $18 for 500ml but f*cking delicious! Dad and I both had the King Filet and a lobster tail. They cook the steak absolutely perfect. Im not sure how they get it so tender but it was like cutting through butter. I ordered mine medium rare but it was more like rare. The grilled asparagus on steroids that accompany the steak were tasty and had a nice char. When I got to my lobster I realized it was totally unnecessary because I was full but I ate it anyway. The lobster was medium-sized and nothing extraordinary. Also they serve bread rolls and a tomato jam and whipped butter with your meal which adds to the fullness. Negatives: We had multiple dirty utensils :((( they were out of a couple of beers I wanted :( and my steak was just barely undercooked Overall the experience was very good again. The ambience is tops in Dubuque, the service impeccable, and the food awesome! Yes, it was moderately expensive ($160) and we had a casino comp but I would definitely pay to eat here again. 4.5/5
(4)Steve R.
Best sea bass ever with the miso glaze! Lobster bisque was creamy with nice pieces of lobster and the crab cakes melted in your mouth! Everything was beautifully presented and even more delicious.
(5)Tim J.
A fantastic evening out here with my girlfriend for her birthday celebration. The food was inspired and well-prepared... Hats off to Jess B. and Jason C! Our server Lisa was great and a true pro... Thanks!
(5)Ray G.
This was my first time to the Woodfire Grill. It was a family gathering of 14 people. We had a large table in the back. It was almost like having our own room. Overall, everyone loved the food. The Flatbreads were a hit. People raved about Thai Seafood Pasta and Chilean Sea Bass. My wife loved the Tasmanian King Salmon. I had the NY Strip. It was not medium rare as ordered but it was very good. The Dirty Garlic Mashed potatoes were nothing special. The staff was excellent. They were there when you needed them and they did not rush us. One minor ding, the bartender had problems making a few drinks. However, my Makers Mark on the rocks was well prepared. Plus they have a very good wine list. Overall, it was a great place to eat. They handled a large group without any problems. I would like to go back and try some of the other items. To top it off, my brother-in-law picked up the tab.
(4)Derek E.
This is my favorite in the Tri-States area. (Five stars regionally; four stars if comparing nationally.) The service is top-rate; the food is seasonal and very good, but they do have permanent dishes. Regardless of what you get, definitely order the chop salad as part of your meal. Their wine list is the best in the area - 600 different labels and usually a couple thousand bottles on hand. The female bartender (Kayla, if I remember correctly, and assuming she's still there) is a total sweetheart and will customize any drink for you and is always willing to experiment with new concoctions. If you go, ask for John as your server. They're all great service staff, but he's the best. Be sure to tip him well (at least 20%. Trust me - he's worth it.) The restaurant is part of the Diamond Jo casino, so you'll see jean shorts and t-shirts in this restaurant, which bugs me a little bit, but don't be put off by that. Enter from the Bell Street entrance so you don't have to walk to the restaurant through the casino floor cigarette smike cloud, which also requires an ID check and a hand stamp.
(5)Audrey P.
Really, really nice place to eat - food, atmosphere, wait staff - all great.
(4)Julie A.
Although pricey, the food was excellent - my friend and I split a very unique watermelon salad, the best lobster bisque I've ever had, and a delicious steak appetizer served in a pepper sauce with fried onions. Topped it up with a delicious but not outstanding crème brulee. Service and décor were excellent. I would have given 5 stars if it had not been in a casino.
(4)Tim C.
I have visited from Chicago maybe 10 times in the last couple years. Have eaten here maybe four times and it is excellent everytime. This is the best restaurant, by a very long shot, I have experienced in Dubuque. The food is excellent and the wait staff very attentive. The wine guy is knowlegeable and a lot of fun. I know something about wine and this place has the best wine list, based on selection and price, i have ever seen. It is a mistake to order wine by the glass here as that is not really a bargin. But by the bottle...the wines are near retail price (not the usual 100% or more mark up) and the selection is just outstanding. If your not sure what to order, ask the wine guy...he will get you on target and may give you a couple tastes to see what's going to punch your buttons. For $50 or $60 you can get two great bottles and for $100 or $110 you can get two outstanding bottles. Go have some fun!
(5)Bridget R.
We started out with drinks. One of the ladies couldn't decide in a wine so they offered a 1oz sample which ended up costing $ 2.10! Two so us ordered salads and one had the lobster bisque and the other the French onion soup. We were ready to order 2 prime rib and the ribeye special($49). We were going to split the steak and order 3 sides. The waitress told us there would be a $6 splitting fee. I said I was vegetarian and was only ordering the sides. She said we could only get it waived if we ordered a salad as an entree . I have never had a fine dining restaurant impose a charge for sharing nor pay for a taste of wine! I thought the wine charge was weird but the sharing fee coat them our business!
(1)Kate N.
My husband and I went here for a late Valentine's dinner last February and had a fantastic time -- so much that we ended up showing up again in April. :) The decor is great - modern for Dubuque, but warm and welcoming. The wait staff is WONDERFUL, and our waitress has a wonderful memory (she remembered us after only one visit!). The breads and butters starter is a great touch - small half loaves of different kinds of breads with a variety of compound butters. I don't even remember what all we had, except that we polished it off! The prime rib is freaking awesome -- perfectly cooked (and as someone who loves rare steak: Woodfire *nails* it perfectly!), and the grilled asparagus was wonderful. I had it both times with the horseradish sauce, delish! The first time, I had the lobster bisque (perfectly creamy, deliciously lobstery) as a starter and the mashed potatoes as a side (unfortunately, I savored my steak so much that it was cold). The second time, I had the crab cakes to start (crunchy and the sauces were a great complement) and the lobster mac n cheese as a side (simply delicious). The wine was great, and I was too full to even think about eating dessert. (But some day!) My husband is sampling the menu. I don't remember which meats he got, but his absolute favorite was actually his appetizer (the sirloin sticks, or something like that). We're planning on coming here again for our anniversary, if we're in town. :)
(5)Josh S.
Had dinner here and chose this location after reading other online reviews of the establishment. The food was great and cooked exactly to our specifications. Our server was very polite and added to the experience of fine dining. The fire theme of the restaurant was tastefully implemented in a way that was both very present yet unobtrusive. Others have remarked about the noise level and having read that prior to our dining experience we were listening for it. In all honesty the restaurant had somewhat of a more vibrant noise level but not anything we would consider displeasing or out of the ordinary and thankfully it was not pin-drop quiet either. Feel free to dress up if you are going for dinner, you will not be out of place, however do not be surprised to see other patrons dressed casually the restaurant is located inside a casino.
(4)Chad G.
Fantastic service! They suggested some of the best apps and were dead on. Awesome for the taste buds. Everyone in my group loved their main course and I loved every bite of my bacon wrapped shrimp. The fire pit in the middle topped it off as one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. You have to go here!
(5)Dru D.
Let me get this out of the way. Expensive. By any city's standards, especially Dubuque. That said, I had one of the best sea bass entrees I have ever had, and I eat it just about every time I get near the coast. Buttery, moist, so delicate you barely have to touch it to tease out a bite. Well executed, by any city's standards. Ambiance is unique in Dubuque. Dim but not dark, fine finishes, interesting interplay of stone and wood. Classy, but not overdone, by any city's standards. Def buzz kill when u hit the smokey lobby of Diamond Jo after.
(4)Keith K.
NOT our type of place, way to hoyti toyti! Wife enjoyed her food, my ribs were dust dry. The service was over the top, very nice staff!
(3)Douglas H.
Ok, so I was in town on business and it was my last night on the road for the week and thought I'd go have a great steak dinner to end my week. #1, there was NO wait at 7pm. I figured out why. Overpriced food and I'm not sure if anyone there really knows how to cook. #2, The server we had was more interested in talking to some guy who appeared to be a regular than us. She wasn't even waiting on him. #3, I ordered the rib eye porchini. It's a $45 steak. You'd think it would be perfect. HA! I ordered it Medium Rare, It came out medium well in the middle and medium on the edges. Then the server had the nerve to say to me, "well, cut into the middle to what it is there." Look chick, I know good steak, and I wouldn't feed that one to my dog! They finally went and "re-cooked" my steak. Yes, it came out perfect. But it had NO flavor. I think the chef needs to go back to school or something. #4, I will say that the asparagus was perfect. And the beer was nice and cold. #5, Dessert, I decided I'd end a horrible meal with a perfect dessert. Creme Brulee. When it came out the glaze was warm, that was a good sign. I didn't realize that Creme Brulee was soup. I didn't even eat half of it. The flavor was incredible, but it was like they just mixed it together and poured it in the dish. My friend had prime rib. It was great. I'm sure that they do have good food, but my experience was horrible. In a restaurant like this, their service should be second to none and rarely have any mistakes. Should have gone across the street to Roma's. Chain or not, they know what service and preparation is.
(1)Amanda B.
The Sailor and I came here for my birthday on a Thursday winter evening. We requested a booth (we like the option to sit closer if the mood allows). The flames in the window panes added just the appropriate warmth factor that we needed from the blistering cold winds outside. The place was boppin' with a range of other couples and small groups. Drinks: Cab for me X 2 ($12.50 / glass), Merlot for him X 2 ($10.50 / glass). Very tasty as far as I can compare.(Which is little, I'm by no means a wine connoisseur.) Appetizer: Flat bread with mozzarella & prosciutto ham. $9 (We initially ordered the Avocado Spring Rolls, only to find out they were out at 6:30pm.) Next time, passing on the Flat Bread appetizer because they serve a large amount of 3 different breads at the table with butter and Amaretto infused butter. Delish breads. Sides: Wedge salad: Iceberg wedges, sun dried toms, bacon bits, homemade blue cheese dressing. The tangy dressing, salty bacon and sweet sun ripe toms made my mouth hum with "yummhmmmhmmm". Main Course: Sailor: Queen Cut Prime Rib with grilled asparagus ($28) and garlic mash potatoes ($5). He raved about the spiced crust/rim on the Prime Rib and said the grilled asparagus was standard. Garlic mashed Potatoes are strong with garlic which is precisely to his liking. Me: Braised Beef Stroganoff. ($26) The thick noodles, cream sauce and two (maybe three) different mushrooms is what made this dish for me. The beef was cooked well, but had too much marbleized fat in it than I tend to like. Desert: No room. Bill w/ tip: $122 for two. When it was all said and done, I would say we were both pleased with the evening and meal we had. Even with the prices being a little more (ok, a lot more) than our standard allowance. I hope to go back to try the Avocado Spring Rolls, gnaw on the crusty rustic bread and butter, and have another refreshing blue cheese salad.
(4)steve d.
We went to the woodfire for dinner on a Saturday night. We ended up eating at the bar as the wait for a table was long. Service at the bar was great. We also liked their wine and beer selection. We ordered the avocado rolls appetizer to start. It was perfectly cooked. The accompanying sauce was needed as the rolls were a little dry. The sauce itself was a little sweet and one note for me, but the overall dish was original and good. For dinner we split an order of the seared scallops. These were well cooked and very good. We also had a side of the lobster mac and cheese. The lobster meat and mac were good. I prefer a more assertive cheese. A little sharpness or additional flavor would have been welcome. Overall, we enjoyed this restaurant and will return. I recommend giving it a try.
(4)Bryan Z.
To say this is the most elegant restaurant you've ever visited means you need to move beyond the Dubuque area. It is, however, about as nice as Dubuque gets. And that said, be prepared to pay for it. Dinner last night for four adults (with four adult beverages): $200. So at least according to my own eating budget, it's pretty pricey. But that said, it was a really good experience. The waitress was attentive but not overbearing. The decor was experience appropriate, and the food was really good. The Cute Girl and I started with the avocado spring rolls; very good. I had the ribs, which came with a cornbread muffin and some surprisingly good beans. Both were great, and the ribs really were cooked to perfection. Not too saucy, tender and tasty, and enough of them to where I was full (no room for dessert). In all, it was a really good experience, and I'll be happy to return in the future.
(4)Troy K.
My wife and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary and decided to make reservations at Woodfire Grille for our maiden voyage of the restaurant. First aesthetic impression was great! The decor was nicely done and a continued theme throughout the facility was taken into consideration. The booth we sat at was very nice and seemed "secluded" from the other people in the restaurant. We both ordered wine by the glass; my wife getting Pinot Noir and I getting Pinot Griggio and both were good. We are not winos, but both glasses had great flavor. We ordered the avocado spring rolls for an appetizer, my wife got french onion soup and I got the cobb salad before our meals. All these choices were great! Very good flavor and nicely presented. My wife ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the chipotle sea bass for our meals. I love seafood and this entree was done very well. Great taste and cooked just right. The filet was ordered medium, but was more medium-well to well done, which was a disappointment considering that we both assumed the filet would have been the best choice on the menu. The flavor of the steak was also just ok as well. The disappointment with the steak is the reason for 4 not 5 stars. All in all, I would try this place again, but only on special occasions due to the higher cost of the majority of menu items. Still a lovely evening.
(4)Leah D.
This is one of the most elegant restaurants I have ever been to. My husband brought me here for my birthday. We both had steaks and they were melt in your mouth delicious. The chef personally came out to ask us how our dinner was which I thought was a nice touch. It was a little hard to understand the waiter who had an accent. The wine bar was a little intimidating, but fun. You get points on a card to try samples and insert it into the machine like a credit card and the machine pours the wine for you. We had the crab cakes for an appetizer, very good. And dessert was the best. I had the molten cake which I still can't stop thinking about. It's chocolate cake with gooey chocolate ganache in the middle - yum! Very cozy, warm and inviting. One of the best restaurant I have ever been to. This is my official special occasion place.
(5)Colin G.
Meat and Ribs cooked to perfection as you would think for the Mid-west. The French onion Soup was really good topped with fried onion strings. The Creme brulee desert was one of the most interesting tweaks on the recipe and tasted very good. all in all very pleasantly surprised as a critical Bostonian it holds up as good as many steak houses back home.
(4)Ali V.
Much better than you would expect at a casino. Great food, wine list, and service.
(4)Linda M.
The absolute best grilled asparagus I have every had! The meat was tender and juicy. Excellent service. We liked everything about this eatery and highly recommend it. We found the prices on par with similar places in which we've dined but we're from the Chicago area and are accustomed to this price range for high quality steaks.
(4)Audrey P.
Really, really nice place to eat - food, atmosphere, wait staff - all great.
(4)Joel M.
I wasn't sure about eating at a casino restaurant but am glad we walked in and tried it. So glad, we went back a 2nd time during our 1 week visit to Dubuque. Prices per entree were about $5-7 less than we would pay at a comparable restaurant at home in NJ (restaurant reminded me a bit of a chain called Fleming's). Delicious lobster bisque - lighter taste than most I have had. My wife enjoyed the avocado rolls. The first night, I had the sirloin with the melted blue cheese. The steak was perfectly done. The cheese, for me, was a much thicker topping than I expected and made the dish too heavy / rich for me so I scraped it off. If you love blue cheese, go for it. The salmon - we tried the cedar plank and blackened - was very good. Side dishes were for one person (not huge side dishes which you sometimes find at steak places). The cold truffles they gave us when we took the check were enough dessert for us as we were stuffed.
(5)Ray G.
This was my first time to the Woodfire Grill. It was a family gathering of 14 people. We had a large table in the back. It was almost like having our own room. Overall, everyone loved the food. The Flatbreads were a hit. People raved about Thai Seafood Pasta and Chilean Sea Bass. My wife loved the Tasmanian King Salmon. I had the NY Strip. It was not medium rare as ordered but it was very good. The Dirty Garlic Mashed potatoes were nothing special. The staff was excellent. They were there when you needed them and they did not rush us. One minor ding, the bartender had problems making a few drinks. However, my Makers Mark on the rocks was well prepared. Plus they have a very good wine list. Overall, it was a great place to eat. They handled a large group without any problems. I would like to go back and try some of the other items. To top it off, my brother-in-law picked up the tab.
(4)Tim J.
A fantastic evening out here with my girlfriend for her birthday celebration. The food was inspired and well-prepared... Hats off to Jess B. and Jason C! Our server Lisa was great and a true pro... Thanks!
(5)Tom C.
Awesome! The service was great and the staff was very knowledgeable. Great wine list. I had the avocado rolls, grilled romaine salad (amazing) and the Berkshire chop. Everything was fabulous. It is fairly expensive but worth it.
(5)Derek E.
This is my favorite in the Tri-States area. (Five stars regionally; four stars if comparing nationally.) The service is top-rate; the food is seasonal and very good, but they do have permanent dishes. Regardless of what you get, definitely order the chop salad as part of your meal. Their wine list is the best in the area - 600 different labels and usually a couple thousand bottles on hand. The female bartender (Kayla, if I remember correctly, and assuming she's still there) is a total sweetheart and will customize any drink for you and is always willing to experiment with new concoctions. If you go, ask for John as your server. They're all great service staff, but he's the best. Be sure to tip him well (at least 20%. Trust me - he's worth it.) The restaurant is part of the Diamond Jo casino, so you'll see jean shorts and t-shirts in this restaurant, which bugs me a little bit, but don't be put off by that. Enter from the Bell Street entrance so you don't have to walk to the restaurant through the casino floor cigarette smike cloud, which also requires an ID check and a hand stamp.
(5)Julie A.
Although pricey, the food was excellent - my friend and I split a very unique watermelon salad, the best lobster bisque I've ever had, and a delicious steak appetizer served in a pepper sauce with fried onions. Topped it up with a delicious but not outstanding crème brulee. Service and décor were excellent. I would have given 5 stars if it had not been in a casino.
(4)Nate S.
Went on a Saturday night and had a reservation. We were taken to our booth right away and the server greeted us promptly. We split the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp app which was great as usual. There were 3 shrimp total with some sauce drizzled and a few greens. I believe on my previous visits I got 4 shrimp but oh well. The beer I ordered was called Imper Ale Triplo Malto, imported from Italy and very hard to find in the States. It was $18 for 500ml but f*cking delicious! Dad and I both had the King Filet and a lobster tail. They cook the steak absolutely perfect. Im not sure how they get it so tender but it was like cutting through butter. I ordered mine medium rare but it was more like rare. The grilled asparagus on steroids that accompany the steak were tasty and had a nice char. When I got to my lobster I realized it was totally unnecessary because I was full but I ate it anyway. The lobster was medium-sized and nothing extraordinary. Also they serve bread rolls and a tomato jam and whipped butter with your meal which adds to the fullness. Negatives: We had multiple dirty utensils :((( they were out of a couple of beers I wanted :( and my steak was just barely undercooked Overall the experience was very good again. The ambience is tops in Dubuque, the service impeccable, and the food awesome! Yes, it was moderately expensive ($160) and we had a casino comp but I would definitely pay to eat here again. 4.5/5
(4)Steve R.
Best sea bass ever with the miso glaze! Lobster bisque was creamy with nice pieces of lobster and the crab cakes melted in your mouth! Everything was beautifully presented and even more delicious.
(5)Josh S.
Had dinner here and chose this location after reading other online reviews of the establishment. The food was great and cooked exactly to our specifications. Our server was very polite and added to the experience of fine dining. The fire theme of the restaurant was tastefully implemented in a way that was both very present yet unobtrusive. Others have remarked about the noise level and having read that prior to our dining experience we were listening for it. In all honesty the restaurant had somewhat of a more vibrant noise level but not anything we would consider displeasing or out of the ordinary and thankfully it was not pin-drop quiet either. Feel free to dress up if you are going for dinner, you will not be out of place, however do not be surprised to see other patrons dressed casually the restaurant is located inside a casino.
(4)Bridget R.
We started out with drinks. One of the ladies couldn't decide in a wine so they offered a 1oz sample which ended up costing $ 2.10! Two so us ordered salads and one had the lobster bisque and the other the French onion soup. We were ready to order 2 prime rib and the ribeye special($49). We were going to split the steak and order 3 sides. The waitress told us there would be a $6 splitting fee. I said I was vegetarian and was only ordering the sides. She said we could only get it waived if we ordered a salad as an entree . I have never had a fine dining restaurant impose a charge for sharing nor pay for a taste of wine! I thought the wine charge was weird but the sharing fee coat them our business!
(1)Kate N.
My husband and I went here for a late Valentine's dinner last February and had a fantastic time -- so much that we ended up showing up again in April. :) The decor is great - modern for Dubuque, but warm and welcoming. The wait staff is WONDERFUL, and our waitress has a wonderful memory (she remembered us after only one visit!). The breads and butters starter is a great touch - small half loaves of different kinds of breads with a variety of compound butters. I don't even remember what all we had, except that we polished it off! The prime rib is freaking awesome -- perfectly cooked (and as someone who loves rare steak: Woodfire *nails* it perfectly!), and the grilled asparagus was wonderful. I had it both times with the horseradish sauce, delish! The first time, I had the lobster bisque (perfectly creamy, deliciously lobstery) as a starter and the mashed potatoes as a side (unfortunately, I savored my steak so much that it was cold). The second time, I had the crab cakes to start (crunchy and the sauces were a great complement) and the lobster mac n cheese as a side (simply delicious). The wine was great, and I was too full to even think about eating dessert. (But some day!) My husband is sampling the menu. I don't remember which meats he got, but his absolute favorite was actually his appetizer (the sirloin sticks, or something like that). We're planning on coming here again for our anniversary, if we're in town. :)
(5)Douglas H.
Ok, so I was in town on business and it was my last night on the road for the week and thought I'd go have a great steak dinner to end my week. #1, there was NO wait at 7pm. I figured out why. Overpriced food and I'm not sure if anyone there really knows how to cook. #2, The server we had was more interested in talking to some guy who appeared to be a regular than us. She wasn't even waiting on him. #3, I ordered the rib eye porchini. It's a $45 steak. You'd think it would be perfect. HA! I ordered it Medium Rare, It came out medium well in the middle and medium on the edges. Then the server had the nerve to say to me, "well, cut into the middle to what it is there." Look chick, I know good steak, and I wouldn't feed that one to my dog! They finally went and "re-cooked" my steak. Yes, it came out perfect. But it had NO flavor. I think the chef needs to go back to school or something. #4, I will say that the asparagus was perfect. And the beer was nice and cold. #5, Dessert, I decided I'd end a horrible meal with a perfect dessert. Creme Brulee. When it came out the glaze was warm, that was a good sign. I didn't realize that Creme Brulee was soup. I didn't even eat half of it. The flavor was incredible, but it was like they just mixed it together and poured it in the dish. My friend had prime rib. It was great. I'm sure that they do have good food, but my experience was horrible. In a restaurant like this, their service should be second to none and rarely have any mistakes. Should have gone across the street to Roma's. Chain or not, they know what service and preparation is.
(1)Amanda B.
The Sailor and I came here for my birthday on a Thursday winter evening. We requested a booth (we like the option to sit closer if the mood allows). The flames in the window panes added just the appropriate warmth factor that we needed from the blistering cold winds outside. The place was boppin' with a range of other couples and small groups. Drinks: Cab for me X 2 ($12.50 / glass), Merlot for him X 2 ($10.50 / glass). Very tasty as far as I can compare.(Which is little, I'm by no means a wine connoisseur.) Appetizer: Flat bread with mozzarella & prosciutto ham. $9 (We initially ordered the Avocado Spring Rolls, only to find out they were out at 6:30pm.) Next time, passing on the Flat Bread appetizer because they serve a large amount of 3 different breads at the table with butter and Amaretto infused butter. Delish breads. Sides: Wedge salad: Iceberg wedges, sun dried toms, bacon bits, homemade blue cheese dressing. The tangy dressing, salty bacon and sweet sun ripe toms made my mouth hum with "yummhmmmhmmm". Main Course: Sailor: Queen Cut Prime Rib with grilled asparagus ($28) and garlic mash potatoes ($5). He raved about the spiced crust/rim on the Prime Rib and said the grilled asparagus was standard. Garlic mashed Potatoes are strong with garlic which is precisely to his liking. Me: Braised Beef Stroganoff. ($26) The thick noodles, cream sauce and two (maybe three) different mushrooms is what made this dish for me. The beef was cooked well, but had too much marbleized fat in it than I tend to like. Desert: No room. Bill w/ tip: $122 for two. When it was all said and done, I would say we were both pleased with the evening and meal we had. Even with the prices being a little more (ok, a lot more) than our standard allowance. I hope to go back to try the Avocado Spring Rolls, gnaw on the crusty rustic bread and butter, and have another refreshing blue cheese salad.
(4)steve d.
We went to the woodfire for dinner on a Saturday night. We ended up eating at the bar as the wait for a table was long. Service at the bar was great. We also liked their wine and beer selection. We ordered the avocado rolls appetizer to start. It was perfectly cooked. The accompanying sauce was needed as the rolls were a little dry. The sauce itself was a little sweet and one note for me, but the overall dish was original and good. For dinner we split an order of the seared scallops. These were well cooked and very good. We also had a side of the lobster mac and cheese. The lobster meat and mac were good. I prefer a more assertive cheese. A little sharpness or additional flavor would have been welcome. Overall, we enjoyed this restaurant and will return. I recommend giving it a try.
(4)