Nice and cozy place for a romantic meal. Menu is compact but with intriguing options. While nothing wows you, everything is made well and taste good. Good wine list. Biggest downside is their leisurely service.
(4)
Nick G.
I went here with my parents, and it was a bit of a mixed bag of experiences. Our server was polite and made suggestions about wine, which was nice. The food was excellent, and they totally nailed the doneness on my piece of meat. However they were pretty slow about absolutely everything. I am all for a nice long evening at a nice restaurant with loved ones/friends, but it just should not take 20 minutes to receive the check after asking for it. I absolutely recommend this place to people for a special occasion. Just know that the occasion will be extended and hour longer than you had anticipated.
(3)
Daryl C.
We'd been waiting a while to try this restaurant, in part because of the mixed reviews and hearing that it was fairly expensive. We recently tried Linn St. for an early dinner on the front patio, and were generally pleased with the quality of the meal. Two things immediately increased meal quality. First, the outdoor space is fantastic, situated right in the Northside Marketplace--i.e., it affords good people-watching but it's not as bustling as the Ped Mall, where outdoor dining can be interrupted by the grunts of wandering bros. Generally, the Northside Marketplace area is quieter and more refined, which suits this restaurant well. Second, customer service was top notch. Our waiter maintained the appropriate balance of attentiveness and distance, and was very helpful in advising wine and cocktail pairings for our food choices. The cocktails were good, particularly the Monte Carlo. Not above Devotay or Clinton St., but well made. Also, he was very tolerant of the fact that we had a toddler with us, even joking around with him, which as parents we greatly appreciated. Inspired by the tapas dining of Devotay next door, we decided to split four small plates: a lobster bisque, fish tacos, calamari, and crab cakes. The bisque had nice flavor with large chunks of lobster. The fish tacos were the most bland of the four dishes; not actively bad, just in need of more flavor and seasoning. The calamari dish was the best, with a light fry that had an addictive spice flavor. And the crab cakes were, importantly, more crab than cake. In sum, we will come back. The quality-for-price ratio could be better (even with the tapas approach we took, it was still expensive and had room for improvement), but the outdoor environment and quality of service adds considerable value to the experience.
(4)
Jessica G.
My husband and I choose Linn Street every time we want a special meal. Frank always delivers quality food and inventive yet delicious specials. We especially appreciate the use of seasonal, local ingredients. They have a great wine and drink selection and if they would permanently add the salted caramel cheesecake to the dessert menu, we wouldn't have a single complaint! :)
(5)
Nick B.
I'm not really sure why so many of my friends warned me that the Linn Street Cafe was so expensive. Perhaps it's because Iowa City is a college town, and it doesn't seem like there are many restaurants that try to cater to those of us old enough to not be super excited about a beer and wings deal (full disclosure, I do get a bit excited about a good beer and wings deal, just not super excited). The biggest thing that impressed me about this place, outside of having one of the only wine lists worth a damn in Iowa, was the food menu. I'll admit, it's safe. But this is Eastern Iowa. The few places that I've seen try to get too big city with their menus around here haven't lasted very long, and I've only lived here for 3 years. While the food offered is fairly safe, it still seemed very creative for what they were offering. I saw inspirations from around the world reflected in different dishes, and I'm happy to say that the ones that I have tried delivered. While it can be frustrating that the menu seems to change throughout the year, reflecting locally sourced ingredients as a server their once told me, they've never had something that I wasn't pleased with. Some standouts have been a New York strip steak prepared in the style of a bloody mary (you'd have to try it. It was awesome), stuffed fried quail, and a green curry veggie dish. I'm not one to often eat vegetarian, but man, that is one good veggie dish. It's also nice to have dinner at a place here in town where the server doesn't seem like they just got out of class and are preoccupied thinking about school. If you're a fan of wine, or of fine dining, then this is basically your only oasis between Des Moines and Chicago. Do yourself a favor and enjoy a nice dinner here. When it comes to quality and consistency, I haven't found a shop in town that comes close to the Linn Street Cafe.
(5)
Michael B.
This place is awesome. I love the wine selection and the menu is fantastic. Their monthly wine dinners are a ton of fun also.
(5)
Stacy D.
The good: +I really like their bread and fluffy butter +service is attentive The bad: -food is not exciting and disappointing. The mashed potatoes that came with a fried chicken dish came out cold. The dijon sauce for the chicken was hidden under the mashed potatoes and some vegetables which only made the vegetables soggy. -a risotto dish was very bland
(3)
Matt U.
In a word - Superb. My wife and I went here for our anniversary and they did not disappoint. Each course did a great job in selection, portion, presentation and taste. The poached egg napolean was delightful and just perfect for splitting. Great taste that was good enough that I chewed it for longer than necessary! The lobster bisque was spectacular and the only thing lacking from the entire experience was the otherwise bland dinner salad that was just greens. The truffle mac-n-cheese was exquisite and the rack of lamb was done just right with a couscous that went really well with the dish! Wine selection was very nice and the chocolate ice cream for desert was some of the best we've ever had. The ambiance of the place was very nice, with a very nice quiet back room as well as a nice main dining room where you have plenty of space. Service was great, with the waiters coming around just enough and being just the right amount of interactive. Linn Street Cafe is a spot I'll be taking my parents when they come into town Everywhere we've lived, we've found a place where we go for special occasions or when we want to have some really good, thoughfully prepared food and we finally found it!
(5)
Trill B.
Love this place! Amazing food and good service. The food is always fresh and the menu had lots of choices. Will be back soon!
(5)
Erica H.
I was, sadly, very disappointed in my meal here. I was expecting something amazing. We came in, and it took a while for someone to greet us (no hostess, no apparent place to check in, no real room to wait for our table to be ready). The place is small and cozy, which is fine, but we all felt a little awkward as we waited patiently for a table to open up (though we did have reservations). The bread was delicious. Yum. The water? Was awful. Iowa City water. I guess I expect a place as expensive as this to have filtered water? Is that out of line? I had a tasty apple cider cocktail, that was pretty much amazing. We had an appetizer of brie, it was good, nothing to make me stand up and dance, but not bad, either. I paid extra to get the roasted beet salad, as my mother raved about it from her last visit. Except the beets weren't roasted. They were clearly canned beets. The salad tasted tart and vinegar-y, and was overall not that great. A tiny smattering of cheese (more would have balanced out the beet juice a bit). My meal was...ok. I got the scallops, and the scallops themselves were very good. However, they were served with a pretty terrible variant of succotash. Topped with fried seaweed strips. Not good. I ordered creme brulee for dessert. Good, but not the best ever. Overall, I kind of had the impression that they were looking for ways to cut corners. Perhaps the restaurant is struggling a bit with the economy (though they were full the whole time we were there). For the price we paid (which was not insignificant), I did not feel it was worth it. I might try them again, just to see, but I was underwhelmed.
(2)
Tyler R.
I was quite impressed the other night at Linn Street Cafe. The bread is the same partially cooked french loaf we have at my work (should probably do better in this setting)--the sweet cream butter was great! The balsamic house salad was pretty good for a free salad. We ordered the chili rubbed ribeye and pecan crusted chicken. Both were among the best dishes in IC! The ribeye had such great depth of flavor and awesome color--though it came out just warm. Ive also never had chicken that tender and the pecans added a great flavor i havent had before on chicken. The creme brule at the end was the best ive had. Perfectly carmaelized sugar and fresh strawberries were light and refreshing. Our waiter was also the best we have had anywhere--props to not treating college kids like us as unequal. In return we left our 20% tip with gratitude. Awesome.
(4)
Nan K.
Love this place! Only place I will order a steak, love how I can cut it with a fork. Only down side I only go if I have a Groupon or gift card a little spendy.
(4)
Emily M.
Such a good choice for a date night! My boyfriend and I ate here last night for the first time; my dad has eaten here quite a few times and recommended it to us. My bf had the Iowa beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus; I had the herb seared diver scallops with potatoes, artichoke hearts, and wild mushrooms. We started with the crab cakes as an appetizer. We could not have been happier with our meals! Intimate, professional, and our meals were cooked to perfection. Our server was very knowledgeable of the seafood and specials of the day, even recommended dishes and side substitutes. The portion sizes were perfect; we were planning on stopping for frozen yogurt and walking around town, but it was a bit chilly. The restaurant is easy to locate. We stayed at Hotel Vetro that night and made the short walk to and from the restaurant in just a few minutes.
(5)
Jeff B.
We had a groupon and went to a Linn Street. I had been several years ago and the food was excellent. The bill for three, without tip or coupon, and a moderately priced bottle of wine, without desert or appetizers, came to $183. I had the special (fish) and the other two had beef and chicken. The fare was mediocre to say the least. When I order anything at a restaurant in this price range in this town, I expect more than mediocre and especially when I order what the chef has decided what best represents his skills as a "special". The atmosphere was exceptiona. The wait staff was very knowledgeable about their food and wine offerings, as well as having helpful suggestions. Several people I have spoken with who have lived in the area for a while indicate similar declines in the food.
(2)
Andrew S.
Went here recently with my girlfriend. Very good experience. We started with the duck ravioli. Not what I was expecting, but delicious. She had the scallops(she loves scallops and rarely gets to have them) and I had the duck with sweet potato hash. Duck was cooked perfectly and the sweet potato hash with bacon was heavenly. The flavors mingled perfectly. Great place for a romantic evening out.
(5)
Kay S.
I came here for lunch on a Friday, and my friend and I were the only two customers in the restaurant. That sight should have prepared me for the terribly mediocre experience I was in for. I ordered the lobster bisque, but was served a glorified tomato bisque at a lobster bisque price. I also ordered the duck tacos, which left me underwhelmed. My friend ordered the Mac n' Cheese (I believe), and he seemed pretty disappointed as well. Imagine my shock when I saw the bill. Don't get me wrong, I don't at all mind paying good money for good food, but paying good money for bad food is incomprehensible to me. I'm guessing that Linn St. Cafe's good reviews are provoked by how exotic and attractive some of the menu items seem. I can assure you, though, that just like pretty girls at a club, they will ultimately leave you unsatisfied and broke.
(2)
Alison S.
I didn't have a problem with the food I ate. It was good, but I'd rather go somewhere else if I wanted to spend more money on my food. The pumpkin cheesecake they serve in the fall is amazing, however, and worth a stop.
(3)
Anna H.
Nice interior, menu was decent. My duck breast was cooked perfectly. The only down side was they sat us by the door to the bathroom so we kept geting interruppted by people walking by.
(3)
Doug W.
I had pretty high hopes for a birthday dinner for my girlfriend here, and it almost delivered. We went on a Thursday, and it was pretty dead. Not a problem, in my book, though. We split an appetizer, had entrees and desserts. The pork rillettes appetizer was delicious and rich but a little under seasoned. I had the blackened tuna special that was cooked nicely rare and was genuinely spicy (not "midwest" spicy), with some tasty vegetable garnishes and a bell pepper coulis (I think?) that was all cooked perfectly. The tuna was sliced a bit thin, but thats a little nit-picking. GF had the duck, with was with a barley-mushroom garnish (sorry, it was a little while ago, maybe not exactly what it was called). The duck breast was cooked nicely, and it was all very rich and earthy. The portion was a bit more generous than my tuna, which was OK because she couldn't finish it anyway. Desserts were a little disappointing. $7 each for a very small slice of flourless chocolate cake and a squiggle of chocolate ganache-like sauce on the plate that didn't taste particularly special. Wine was reasonably priced by the glass. The room looked a little dated to us, but the large front window on a crispy cool night was certainly a plus. The shared bathroom with Devotay was a little nasty, though. So, pretty pleasant experience, but we felt it was a little overpriced.
(3)
Dianne A.
We were very disappointed last night with Linn Street, formerly a top-notch restaurant. Menu appears to have changed very little over the years. Food was only okay. Strawberry salad was good,but dressing, described as a vinaigrette, was creamy and heavy. My friend had alsmost none on her salad. Scallops were at best lukewarm. Coconut rice was tasteless. Service was good and waiter accepted some requests from my friend. Competition in IC is steep and several new restaurants are clearly better.
(1)
Ananda C.
The food is sublime! I cannot deny that. I tried the roasted beet salad and my only complaint was a lack of beets. It was otherwise delicious. For an entree I had the special, seared salmon with lobster risotto. Again, yum! Lobster was missing in action a bit though. The big disappointment came via the service and lack of communication. We had made a reservation for 8 to celebrate a birthday, unfortunately 4 had to cancel at the last minute. When we arrived at the restaurant at 7:30 on a Saturday night (prime dinner time, right?) the place was half empty. We were greeted by a server who tried to seat us at the table reserved for 8 despite being told we were now only a party of 4. We politely requested to sit at a smaller table to free up table space for them. He seemed confused. Luckily the hostess stepped in to save the day and we were appropriately seated at a table for four! We asked the hostess if she could keep the cake we had purchased from New Pi (a favorite of the birthday boyin back as this was a surprise dinner. She said "Not a problem". The dinner service was great, the waiter was friendly and responsive. The problem started when the check came. It just wasn't adding up to what we had ordered. The birthday boy deftly noticed a 20% gratuity was charged along with a $4 per person plate fee for the cake we had brought in. My husband called our waiter over to discuss the automatic gratuity. We were informed that since we had made a reservation for 8 and not called to adjust, it was the restaurants policy to charge the automatic gratuity. This did not sit well with any of us as it was not stated anywhere on the website or menu. My husband asked to speak to a manager and we were informed there was not one on site. From there the whole incident devolved into a good cop (birthday boy), bad cop (husband) situation, with the waiter threatening to call the police. Very unpleasant experience for us all. The root issue was not the automatic gratuity or the plate fee, but the fact that we were not informed of these additional costs. Perhaps we would have chosen to eat our cake elsewhere! All in all, I recommend this place for the food, but will not be going back based on the treatment I received.
(3)
Jenna F.
Linn Street Cafe is THE local date restaurant in Iowa City. There literally doesn't seem to be anywhere else to go. Last night I was surrounded by tables full of couples holding hands, which would have been fine if the lights were dimmer. If you want to look absolutely unoriginal Linn Street is the place to go! The decor of the restaurant is less than inspired, a single bud vase on the table, book covers on the wall in the back room. Beyond that...the food is delicious and worthy of the high prices compared to other local restaurants. I ordered the scallops with vegetables and lobster cream sauce, which was recommended by our waitress. It was fantastic. Light, fresh, great flavor, the scallops were perfectly cooked. However, the beef tenderloin I ordered last time was equally delicious if not more delicious. My boyfriend got the lamb three ways, and while 2/3 of the lamb was mediocre, the lamb stew portion was just divine--surprisingly sweet and very filling. I wish Linn Street would create a dish of just the lamb stew! In terms of service, the waitstaff has always been attentive and not overly in your face.
(3)
Charles S.
I've had the pleasure of dinning at Linn Street Cafe a few times over the past couple of months. The environment is warm and inviting reminding me of the small dinners that I used to frequent back in small town Monroeville, Alabama (but with nicer table and food apparel). The service has always been excellent and engaging. This is a place where you can feel comfortable being inquisitive about the food and getting a knowledgeable response in return. Recommendations: Find a generous friend with deep pockets if you plan on having three or more courses with drinks. Dinner for two with drinks averages around $90 - $110. While I've not yet had the pleasure of trying everything at Linn Street (lack of enough generous, deep pocketed friends), I'd say that the dungeness crab cakes are an excellent start. The crab cakes themselves are not groundbreaking, but with the mini jalapeno corn bread, caramelized onions and bacon (yes, I said bacon!) paired with the best mojito in town (as indicated on the menu as such, and thus far true) you can't go wrong with this selection for beginning your Linn Street culinary adventure. The grilled Iowa beef tenderloin stands out as my favorite entree at the cafe. The tenderloin itself is an excellent cut of tender local beef paired with an inspirational caramelized shallot-pomegranate demi glace that may have you thanking the almighty for your excellent dinning selection (the mashed potatoes aren't so bad either, if that's your type of bag). Their large selection of desserts seem to change often. I've always had excellent experiences with the cheesecake (you can't go wrong with cheesecake). Give them a try. Reservations are recommended, but if you get there before 7 PM, I'm sure that they will be able to squeeze you in.
(4)
Jennifer K.
I was sorely disappointed by the food here. Maybe I'm not used to the heartiness of Iowa meals, but all the dishes we had were really salty and heavy. I usually like my salmon either raw, grilled, or steamed...but fried with bread crumbs? The presentation was nice, but the taste of food was not up to par, especially for the price.
(3)
Chad Z.
It was good. The atmosphere and the food was nothing to amaze me though. She had the duck and I had the short ribs special. The entryway does everything to impress upon you how many awards they've won, so you kinda go in with high expectations.
(3)
Timo W.
I've dined here on three separate visits to Iowa City over the years and have enjoyed myself each time. You'll be hard-pressed to find another place in the area with such an eclectic menu or wine list. The quality of the menu offerings I've tried has been excellent, with a surprising range and combination of flavors. Service has always been warm and friendly and the place has a simple elegance that creates a comfortable and satisfying dining experience. A must-try place for the Iowa City traveler.
(4)
Amy M.
Inventive yet classic dishes, well-prepared and presented, unique upmarket casual atmosphere, great service, great beverage selection. We found this place in the AAA guidebook while driving across Iowa and pulled in for dinner. They accomodated a group of seven at the last minute on a weeknight graciously. We were attentively served and pleased with the service. Food didn't come out very fast but it was worth the wait. Our table sampled several appetizers: french onion soup (delicious), a special cold cucumber-strawberry-rosemary-mint soup (interesting), grilled shrimp over polenta and a beet salad that was simple but perfectly for a beet-lover like myself. For dinner we had grilled tenderloin of beef and pork - the beef was really the winner so tender and the sauce was delicious and not quite like anything I've tasted before. Seared ahi tuna special was amazing. We also had a shrimp pasta, and a duck the presentation of which stole the show (cupped in a whole leaf of red cabbage - stunning). Everyone left full and happy. The special side of sweet corn was my personal favorite item. While we were eating I couldn't stop looking at the artwork - all looks original and very interesting - the best art choice for a restaurant if you ask me. There was variety, too. Each piece was a stand-alone. I also enjoyed the fact that the white tablecloths and cloth napkins were offset by the 50s-style vinyl-covered kitchen-set chairs - albeit covered in a fancy-looking vinyl. I'm only sorry I won't be back in Iowa City again soon to visit Linn Street Cafe again!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Very Loud Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
j c.
Nice and cozy place for a romantic meal. Menu is compact but with intriguing options. While nothing wows you, everything is made well and taste good. Good wine list. Biggest downside is their leisurely service.
(4)Nick G.
I went here with my parents, and it was a bit of a mixed bag of experiences. Our server was polite and made suggestions about wine, which was nice. The food was excellent, and they totally nailed the doneness on my piece of meat. However they were pretty slow about absolutely everything. I am all for a nice long evening at a nice restaurant with loved ones/friends, but it just should not take 20 minutes to receive the check after asking for it. I absolutely recommend this place to people for a special occasion. Just know that the occasion will be extended and hour longer than you had anticipated.
(3)Daryl C.
We'd been waiting a while to try this restaurant, in part because of the mixed reviews and hearing that it was fairly expensive. We recently tried Linn St. for an early dinner on the front patio, and were generally pleased with the quality of the meal. Two things immediately increased meal quality. First, the outdoor space is fantastic, situated right in the Northside Marketplace--i.e., it affords good people-watching but it's not as bustling as the Ped Mall, where outdoor dining can be interrupted by the grunts of wandering bros. Generally, the Northside Marketplace area is quieter and more refined, which suits this restaurant well. Second, customer service was top notch. Our waiter maintained the appropriate balance of attentiveness and distance, and was very helpful in advising wine and cocktail pairings for our food choices. The cocktails were good, particularly the Monte Carlo. Not above Devotay or Clinton St., but well made. Also, he was very tolerant of the fact that we had a toddler with us, even joking around with him, which as parents we greatly appreciated. Inspired by the tapas dining of Devotay next door, we decided to split four small plates: a lobster bisque, fish tacos, calamari, and crab cakes. The bisque had nice flavor with large chunks of lobster. The fish tacos were the most bland of the four dishes; not actively bad, just in need of more flavor and seasoning. The calamari dish was the best, with a light fry that had an addictive spice flavor. And the crab cakes were, importantly, more crab than cake. In sum, we will come back. The quality-for-price ratio could be better (even with the tapas approach we took, it was still expensive and had room for improvement), but the outdoor environment and quality of service adds considerable value to the experience.
(4)Jessica G.
My husband and I choose Linn Street every time we want a special meal. Frank always delivers quality food and inventive yet delicious specials. We especially appreciate the use of seasonal, local ingredients. They have a great wine and drink selection and if they would permanently add the salted caramel cheesecake to the dessert menu, we wouldn't have a single complaint! :)
(5)Nick B.
I'm not really sure why so many of my friends warned me that the Linn Street Cafe was so expensive. Perhaps it's because Iowa City is a college town, and it doesn't seem like there are many restaurants that try to cater to those of us old enough to not be super excited about a beer and wings deal (full disclosure, I do get a bit excited about a good beer and wings deal, just not super excited). The biggest thing that impressed me about this place, outside of having one of the only wine lists worth a damn in Iowa, was the food menu. I'll admit, it's safe. But this is Eastern Iowa. The few places that I've seen try to get too big city with their menus around here haven't lasted very long, and I've only lived here for 3 years. While the food offered is fairly safe, it still seemed very creative for what they were offering. I saw inspirations from around the world reflected in different dishes, and I'm happy to say that the ones that I have tried delivered. While it can be frustrating that the menu seems to change throughout the year, reflecting locally sourced ingredients as a server their once told me, they've never had something that I wasn't pleased with. Some standouts have been a New York strip steak prepared in the style of a bloody mary (you'd have to try it. It was awesome), stuffed fried quail, and a green curry veggie dish. I'm not one to often eat vegetarian, but man, that is one good veggie dish. It's also nice to have dinner at a place here in town where the server doesn't seem like they just got out of class and are preoccupied thinking about school. If you're a fan of wine, or of fine dining, then this is basically your only oasis between Des Moines and Chicago. Do yourself a favor and enjoy a nice dinner here. When it comes to quality and consistency, I haven't found a shop in town that comes close to the Linn Street Cafe.
(5)Michael B.
This place is awesome. I love the wine selection and the menu is fantastic. Their monthly wine dinners are a ton of fun also.
(5)Stacy D.
The good: +I really like their bread and fluffy butter +service is attentive The bad: -food is not exciting and disappointing. The mashed potatoes that came with a fried chicken dish came out cold. The dijon sauce for the chicken was hidden under the mashed potatoes and some vegetables which only made the vegetables soggy. -a risotto dish was very bland
(3)Matt U.
In a word - Superb. My wife and I went here for our anniversary and they did not disappoint. Each course did a great job in selection, portion, presentation and taste. The poached egg napolean was delightful and just perfect for splitting. Great taste that was good enough that I chewed it for longer than necessary! The lobster bisque was spectacular and the only thing lacking from the entire experience was the otherwise bland dinner salad that was just greens. The truffle mac-n-cheese was exquisite and the rack of lamb was done just right with a couscous that went really well with the dish! Wine selection was very nice and the chocolate ice cream for desert was some of the best we've ever had. The ambiance of the place was very nice, with a very nice quiet back room as well as a nice main dining room where you have plenty of space. Service was great, with the waiters coming around just enough and being just the right amount of interactive. Linn Street Cafe is a spot I'll be taking my parents when they come into town Everywhere we've lived, we've found a place where we go for special occasions or when we want to have some really good, thoughfully prepared food and we finally found it!
(5)Trill B.
Love this place! Amazing food and good service. The food is always fresh and the menu had lots of choices. Will be back soon!
(5)Erica H.
I was, sadly, very disappointed in my meal here. I was expecting something amazing. We came in, and it took a while for someone to greet us (no hostess, no apparent place to check in, no real room to wait for our table to be ready). The place is small and cozy, which is fine, but we all felt a little awkward as we waited patiently for a table to open up (though we did have reservations). The bread was delicious. Yum. The water? Was awful. Iowa City water. I guess I expect a place as expensive as this to have filtered water? Is that out of line? I had a tasty apple cider cocktail, that was pretty much amazing. We had an appetizer of brie, it was good, nothing to make me stand up and dance, but not bad, either. I paid extra to get the roasted beet salad, as my mother raved about it from her last visit. Except the beets weren't roasted. They were clearly canned beets. The salad tasted tart and vinegar-y, and was overall not that great. A tiny smattering of cheese (more would have balanced out the beet juice a bit). My meal was...ok. I got the scallops, and the scallops themselves were very good. However, they were served with a pretty terrible variant of succotash. Topped with fried seaweed strips. Not good. I ordered creme brulee for dessert. Good, but not the best ever. Overall, I kind of had the impression that they were looking for ways to cut corners. Perhaps the restaurant is struggling a bit with the economy (though they were full the whole time we were there). For the price we paid (which was not insignificant), I did not feel it was worth it. I might try them again, just to see, but I was underwhelmed.
(2)Tyler R.
I was quite impressed the other night at Linn Street Cafe. The bread is the same partially cooked french loaf we have at my work (should probably do better in this setting)--the sweet cream butter was great! The balsamic house salad was pretty good for a free salad. We ordered the chili rubbed ribeye and pecan crusted chicken. Both were among the best dishes in IC! The ribeye had such great depth of flavor and awesome color--though it came out just warm. Ive also never had chicken that tender and the pecans added a great flavor i havent had before on chicken. The creme brule at the end was the best ive had. Perfectly carmaelized sugar and fresh strawberries were light and refreshing. Our waiter was also the best we have had anywhere--props to not treating college kids like us as unequal. In return we left our 20% tip with gratitude. Awesome.
(4)Nan K.
Love this place! Only place I will order a steak, love how I can cut it with a fork. Only down side I only go if I have a Groupon or gift card a little spendy.
(4)Emily M.
Such a good choice for a date night! My boyfriend and I ate here last night for the first time; my dad has eaten here quite a few times and recommended it to us. My bf had the Iowa beef tenderloin with mashed potatoes and asparagus; I had the herb seared diver scallops with potatoes, artichoke hearts, and wild mushrooms. We started with the crab cakes as an appetizer. We could not have been happier with our meals! Intimate, professional, and our meals were cooked to perfection. Our server was very knowledgeable of the seafood and specials of the day, even recommended dishes and side substitutes. The portion sizes were perfect; we were planning on stopping for frozen yogurt and walking around town, but it was a bit chilly. The restaurant is easy to locate. We stayed at Hotel Vetro that night and made the short walk to and from the restaurant in just a few minutes.
(5)Jeff B.
We had a groupon and went to a Linn Street. I had been several years ago and the food was excellent. The bill for three, without tip or coupon, and a moderately priced bottle of wine, without desert or appetizers, came to $183. I had the special (fish) and the other two had beef and chicken. The fare was mediocre to say the least. When I order anything at a restaurant in this price range in this town, I expect more than mediocre and especially when I order what the chef has decided what best represents his skills as a "special". The atmosphere was exceptiona. The wait staff was very knowledgeable about their food and wine offerings, as well as having helpful suggestions. Several people I have spoken with who have lived in the area for a while indicate similar declines in the food.
(2)Andrew S.
Went here recently with my girlfriend. Very good experience. We started with the duck ravioli. Not what I was expecting, but delicious. She had the scallops(she loves scallops and rarely gets to have them) and I had the duck with sweet potato hash. Duck was cooked perfectly and the sweet potato hash with bacon was heavenly. The flavors mingled perfectly. Great place for a romantic evening out.
(5)Kay S.
I came here for lunch on a Friday, and my friend and I were the only two customers in the restaurant. That sight should have prepared me for the terribly mediocre experience I was in for. I ordered the lobster bisque, but was served a glorified tomato bisque at a lobster bisque price. I also ordered the duck tacos, which left me underwhelmed. My friend ordered the Mac n' Cheese (I believe), and he seemed pretty disappointed as well. Imagine my shock when I saw the bill. Don't get me wrong, I don't at all mind paying good money for good food, but paying good money for bad food is incomprehensible to me. I'm guessing that Linn St. Cafe's good reviews are provoked by how exotic and attractive some of the menu items seem. I can assure you, though, that just like pretty girls at a club, they will ultimately leave you unsatisfied and broke.
(2)Alison S.
I didn't have a problem with the food I ate. It was good, but I'd rather go somewhere else if I wanted to spend more money on my food. The pumpkin cheesecake they serve in the fall is amazing, however, and worth a stop.
(3)Anna H.
Nice interior, menu was decent. My duck breast was cooked perfectly. The only down side was they sat us by the door to the bathroom so we kept geting interruppted by people walking by.
(3)Doug W.
I had pretty high hopes for a birthday dinner for my girlfriend here, and it almost delivered. We went on a Thursday, and it was pretty dead. Not a problem, in my book, though. We split an appetizer, had entrees and desserts. The pork rillettes appetizer was delicious and rich but a little under seasoned. I had the blackened tuna special that was cooked nicely rare and was genuinely spicy (not "midwest" spicy), with some tasty vegetable garnishes and a bell pepper coulis (I think?) that was all cooked perfectly. The tuna was sliced a bit thin, but thats a little nit-picking. GF had the duck, with was with a barley-mushroom garnish (sorry, it was a little while ago, maybe not exactly what it was called). The duck breast was cooked nicely, and it was all very rich and earthy. The portion was a bit more generous than my tuna, which was OK because she couldn't finish it anyway. Desserts were a little disappointing. $7 each for a very small slice of flourless chocolate cake and a squiggle of chocolate ganache-like sauce on the plate that didn't taste particularly special. Wine was reasonably priced by the glass. The room looked a little dated to us, but the large front window on a crispy cool night was certainly a plus. The shared bathroom with Devotay was a little nasty, though. So, pretty pleasant experience, but we felt it was a little overpriced.
(3)Dianne A.
We were very disappointed last night with Linn Street, formerly a top-notch restaurant. Menu appears to have changed very little over the years. Food was only okay. Strawberry salad was good,but dressing, described as a vinaigrette, was creamy and heavy. My friend had alsmost none on her salad. Scallops were at best lukewarm. Coconut rice was tasteless. Service was good and waiter accepted some requests from my friend. Competition in IC is steep and several new restaurants are clearly better.
(1)Ananda C.
The food is sublime! I cannot deny that. I tried the roasted beet salad and my only complaint was a lack of beets. It was otherwise delicious. For an entree I had the special, seared salmon with lobster risotto. Again, yum! Lobster was missing in action a bit though. The big disappointment came via the service and lack of communication. We had made a reservation for 8 to celebrate a birthday, unfortunately 4 had to cancel at the last minute. When we arrived at the restaurant at 7:30 on a Saturday night (prime dinner time, right?) the place was half empty. We were greeted by a server who tried to seat us at the table reserved for 8 despite being told we were now only a party of 4. We politely requested to sit at a smaller table to free up table space for them. He seemed confused. Luckily the hostess stepped in to save the day and we were appropriately seated at a table for four! We asked the hostess if she could keep the cake we had purchased from New Pi (a favorite of the birthday boyin back as this was a surprise dinner. She said "Not a problem". The dinner service was great, the waiter was friendly and responsive. The problem started when the check came. It just wasn't adding up to what we had ordered. The birthday boy deftly noticed a 20% gratuity was charged along with a $4 per person plate fee for the cake we had brought in. My husband called our waiter over to discuss the automatic gratuity. We were informed that since we had made a reservation for 8 and not called to adjust, it was the restaurants policy to charge the automatic gratuity. This did not sit well with any of us as it was not stated anywhere on the website or menu. My husband asked to speak to a manager and we were informed there was not one on site. From there the whole incident devolved into a good cop (birthday boy), bad cop (husband) situation, with the waiter threatening to call the police. Very unpleasant experience for us all. The root issue was not the automatic gratuity or the plate fee, but the fact that we were not informed of these additional costs. Perhaps we would have chosen to eat our cake elsewhere! All in all, I recommend this place for the food, but will not be going back based on the treatment I received.
(3)Jenna F.
Linn Street Cafe is THE local date restaurant in Iowa City. There literally doesn't seem to be anywhere else to go. Last night I was surrounded by tables full of couples holding hands, which would have been fine if the lights were dimmer. If you want to look absolutely unoriginal Linn Street is the place to go! The decor of the restaurant is less than inspired, a single bud vase on the table, book covers on the wall in the back room. Beyond that...the food is delicious and worthy of the high prices compared to other local restaurants. I ordered the scallops with vegetables and lobster cream sauce, which was recommended by our waitress. It was fantastic. Light, fresh, great flavor, the scallops were perfectly cooked. However, the beef tenderloin I ordered last time was equally delicious if not more delicious. My boyfriend got the lamb three ways, and while 2/3 of the lamb was mediocre, the lamb stew portion was just divine--surprisingly sweet and very filling. I wish Linn Street would create a dish of just the lamb stew! In terms of service, the waitstaff has always been attentive and not overly in your face.
(3)Charles S.
I've had the pleasure of dinning at Linn Street Cafe a few times over the past couple of months. The environment is warm and inviting reminding me of the small dinners that I used to frequent back in small town Monroeville, Alabama (but with nicer table and food apparel). The service has always been excellent and engaging. This is a place where you can feel comfortable being inquisitive about the food and getting a knowledgeable response in return. Recommendations: Find a generous friend with deep pockets if you plan on having three or more courses with drinks. Dinner for two with drinks averages around $90 - $110. While I've not yet had the pleasure of trying everything at Linn Street (lack of enough generous, deep pocketed friends), I'd say that the dungeness crab cakes are an excellent start. The crab cakes themselves are not groundbreaking, but with the mini jalapeno corn bread, caramelized onions and bacon (yes, I said bacon!) paired with the best mojito in town (as indicated on the menu as such, and thus far true) you can't go wrong with this selection for beginning your Linn Street culinary adventure. The grilled Iowa beef tenderloin stands out as my favorite entree at the cafe. The tenderloin itself is an excellent cut of tender local beef paired with an inspirational caramelized shallot-pomegranate demi glace that may have you thanking the almighty for your excellent dinning selection (the mashed potatoes aren't so bad either, if that's your type of bag). Their large selection of desserts seem to change often. I've always had excellent experiences with the cheesecake (you can't go wrong with cheesecake). Give them a try. Reservations are recommended, but if you get there before 7 PM, I'm sure that they will be able to squeeze you in.
(4)Jennifer K.
I was sorely disappointed by the food here. Maybe I'm not used to the heartiness of Iowa meals, but all the dishes we had were really salty and heavy. I usually like my salmon either raw, grilled, or steamed...but fried with bread crumbs? The presentation was nice, but the taste of food was not up to par, especially for the price.
(3)Chad Z.
It was good. The atmosphere and the food was nothing to amaze me though. She had the duck and I had the short ribs special. The entryway does everything to impress upon you how many awards they've won, so you kinda go in with high expectations.
(3)Timo W.
I've dined here on three separate visits to Iowa City over the years and have enjoyed myself each time. You'll be hard-pressed to find another place in the area with such an eclectic menu or wine list. The quality of the menu offerings I've tried has been excellent, with a surprising range and combination of flavors. Service has always been warm and friendly and the place has a simple elegance that creates a comfortable and satisfying dining experience. A must-try place for the Iowa City traveler.
(4)Amy M.
Inventive yet classic dishes, well-prepared and presented, unique upmarket casual atmosphere, great service, great beverage selection. We found this place in the AAA guidebook while driving across Iowa and pulled in for dinner. They accomodated a group of seven at the last minute on a weeknight graciously. We were attentively served and pleased with the service. Food didn't come out very fast but it was worth the wait. Our table sampled several appetizers: french onion soup (delicious), a special cold cucumber-strawberry-rosemary-mint soup (interesting), grilled shrimp over polenta and a beet salad that was simple but perfectly for a beet-lover like myself. For dinner we had grilled tenderloin of beef and pork - the beef was really the winner so tender and the sauce was delicious and not quite like anything I've tasted before. Seared ahi tuna special was amazing. We also had a shrimp pasta, and a duck the presentation of which stole the show (cupped in a whole leaf of red cabbage - stunning). Everyone left full and happy. The special side of sweet corn was my personal favorite item. While we were eating I couldn't stop looking at the artwork - all looks original and very interesting - the best art choice for a restaurant if you ask me. There was variety, too. Each piece was a stand-alone. I also enjoyed the fact that the white tablecloths and cloth napkins were offset by the 50s-style vinyl-covered kitchen-set chairs - albeit covered in a fancy-looking vinyl. I'm only sorry I won't be back in Iowa City again soon to visit Linn Street Cafe again!
(5)Gigi W.
cheesecake to die for.
(5)