Months ago I gave brown bottle 5 stars this most recent experience made me change my stars. Walked in at 5 :15ish on a Wednesday. Waited about 3 min to be seated no employees in sight. Order the usual appetizer salsicci (spicy sausage with tomatoes an garlic bread) it has always been amazing. However this time the sausage link was the size of my pinky finger! I believe the menu says its a "pound of sausage"it was over cooked and so dry. It was a disappointment and embarrassing for brown bottle. Low star rating bc the wait time was a joke employees should get out the kitchen, and be front of the house. 2nd I know that appetizer and what to expect and that was a joke as well.
(2)
Janene G.
Tonight was the most disappointing performance I have ever seen at The Brown Bottle. I ordered two roast beef sandwiches, chips and salads to go. I waited over 35 minutes for my order and paid $40 for my meal. When I got home, I found that they had placed sliced tomatoes and a pickle spear in the same container with the chips (rendering them soggy). The salad, which is normally a nice selection of lettuces, was nothing more than iceberg lettuce with cabbage and carrots, clearly from a bag. There was a slice of tomato, and a homemade garlic crouton on the side. The sandwiches, which are normally quite large, were noticeably smaller and the roast beef was scant and VERY fatty. I think this was my last meal at The Brown Bottle and that is a shame because it used to be a favorite place to eat. Not any more.
(1)
Mikey M.
Overall, very average and incredibly underwhelming. Not a fan on the abundance of celery in the marinara. The pizza is good, however when I got one to-go and opened it up, all the cheese and toppings had slid off of the pizza and congealed along the edge of the box... Was there an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee going on involving my pizza??? When we first moved here just over a year ago, there were not many other restaurant options in North Liberty so my family came here several times, and never left with the "I just had a great meal" feeling. It seemed to get worse with every visit. Now that there are more choices, haven't been back, probably not coming back.
(2)
Lillian L.
I had the seafood lasagna and it was delicious! My boyfriend had the chicken Alfredo and that was very tasty too. The service was pretty good also. I gave this restaurant a 4 because of the overall experience. The ambiance isn't a 5 star restaurant, more like a diner.
(4)
Rick M.
Went there on a date 11/7/13 on her suggestion.Ordered Veal Parmesen..both of us.Came in a bowl of water.Was not veal parmesen...had strips of ham in it.Was tough...I had two bites and said it sucked...still had to pay for it.We asked the waiter if this was a mistake...maybe veal scalapini?No...(So veal soup-and tough) Had ordered mushroom sauted with parmasean.Did not get them...when our waiter Josh did bring them...swimming in water...complained and still was charged 50$ for food I would not even bring home to my dog if I had one. I am sorry..but as a foodie and over 20yrs in the restaraunt biz....this was bad! The 1st time I ever went online to rate a place....I hope the owner reads it and learns. I did not want to embarass my date with what I wanted to say when I left. I was PISSED!No wonder it was empty.This place needs to get it's act together...or turn into a hotdog stand...I really am sorry....Nice clean place.Josh was great...but I feel I got screwed....
(1)
Stephanie S.
Don't bother. I used to visit the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls while attending school there and absolutely loved it. Every menu item there was amazing and full of flavor. This Brown Bottle has no ambiance, the food is very bland, the waitstaff wasn't very good, and everything is overpriced. You are in a strip mall, and the place is very dark, cramped and smelly. The food I selected - the garlic chicken - was gross and lacked flavor (as did the martini, garlic bread, and creamy garlic salad dressing that accompanied my meal). I was with 7 other people, who also didn't like the meals that they ordered. The restaurant nickels and dimes you for everything and lists out each of these ridiculous extra charges on the back of the menu, the worst of which is the $.75/plate charge for them to simply cut your outside dessert and put it on a place. If you're looking for good Italian, I would take the extra time and drive to Cedar Falls to try the Cedar Falls Brown Bottle. Even cheap Olive Garden beats this place.
(1)
Peter B.
Longtime area staple. People either love it or hate it. We love it. A few classic dishes we always get: lasagna, garlic shrimp, manicotti, butter shrimp, prime rib. Very consistent. Good place to go on a Friday or Saturday, you almost always get seated right away.
(4)
Kristen T.
No ambiance: you feel just like you're in a strip mall (which you are). It has a strange hick mix of a dive family restaurant with a wanna-be classy joint. Bad wait staff: they charged me what they felt like even though I wrote down a specific price on my bill. Bad menu: By no means is it authentic Italian, or "olive-garden-esque" as they want you to believe. Plus, everything is doused in butter, cheese, and grease & you get a stomach ache as soon as you leave. I ordered a house salad. I got the same cup of iceberg lettuce with 2 cucumbers as everyone else that ordered a meal at my table got. And they charged $5 for that plate of water. Beer selection, ok. All the hard booze & wine is too expensive for no reason so I didn't even consider it. Golly I sure am glad I spent $17 on a salad & beer last night!....
(1)
Brandon F.
Don't waste your time or money. I've heard mixed reviews of this place, but thought I would trust the good ones. Boy was I wrong. Overpriced wine. The salad dressing was horrible (their Italian vinaigrette was so strong it numbed my lips). Plus it was served on nothing more than a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few slices of tomato and onion. I ordered the veal parmigiana and it was served as a baked pasta dish like the ones you'd find at a Happy Joe's or Fazoli's. And the side of spaghetti had the most bland marinara sauce I've ever tasted. Only reason I gave it 1 star is that the atmosphere was nice, and service was pleasant and accommodating. For the price and reputation of this restaurant I was expecting WAY more. A big disappointment.
(1)
J. J.
To put it simply, Brown Bottle's main problem is that for what you pay, you should have a much better experience ($60-$80/couple). I have been here probably half a dozen times and have never been super impressed by the food. I generally have gotten a sun-dried tomato pasta that for some reason is prepared fairly inconsistently. Sometimes it was pretty good, other times it tasted stale. All of the other items I have had have generally been okay, but nothing to write home about. The service is usually competent, but not particularly friendly. It is in a strip mall, which I think contributes to not only a lack of ambiance, but also an uninteresting interior. There's nothing on the walls and the main dining room is just an open space with booths arranged in an odd formation. It's probably why they always keep it so dark. Since it really isn't authentic italian, I think you're better off to save a few bucks and go to (gulp) Olive Garden.
(2)
Lori K.
Will never go back to this place again!! We got in right away @ 4:45p Sunday Oct. 13, they were not busy at all..so we thought oh this will be great, good food and good service. Although we didn't get names, we were seated right away. The waiter came over and was very pleasant at first. We placed our drink order and appetizer order, and 10 minutes later we got our drinks. Then the appetizer, at that point we ordered our meals which all came with a salad. Now generally your salad comes before the meal ... umm ours not so much. We finished our drinks sat patiently waiting and after 35 minutes from our order being taken we still had not had our food. At this point people around us who came in after us got their food/dessert/drinks and even tabs before we even got food. My husband went to the Hostess/manager whatever she was and told her the issue and if we didn't get our salads we were leaving. I wish we would have. Got our salads finally and 5 minutes later the food came. The food was VERY good. The service SUCKED! The waiter would have gotten a HUGE tip because they aren't cheap there, but nope buddy boy you got nada! Oh and the dessert we ordered to go, NOT as good as Olive Garden and much cheaper, Thanks for the crappiest service ever. Won't go back. Will go back home to Cedar Falls where I know I will be taken care of.
(1)
Nan K.
Months ago I gave brown bottle 5 stars this most recent experience made me change my stars. Walked in at 5 :15ish on a Wednesday. Waited about 3 min to be seated no employees in sight. Order the usual appetizer salsicci (spicy sausage with tomatoes an garlic bread) it has always been amazing. However this time the sausage link was the size of my pinky finger! I believe the menu says its a "pound of sausage"it was over cooked and so dry. It was a disappointment and embarrassing for brown bottle. Low star rating bc the wait time was a joke employees should get out the kitchen, and be front of the house. 2nd I know that appetizer and what to expect and that was a joke as well.
(2)
Janene G.
Tonight was the most disappointing performance I have ever seen at The Brown Bottle. I ordered two roast beef sandwiches, chips and salads to go. I waited over 35 minutes for my order and paid $40 for my meal. When I got home, I found that they had placed sliced tomatoes and a pickle spear in the same container with the chips (rendering them soggy). The salad, which is normally a nice selection of lettuces, was nothing more than iceberg lettuce with cabbage and carrots, clearly from a bag. There was a slice of tomato, and a homemade garlic crouton on the side. The sandwiches, which are normally quite large, were noticeably smaller and the roast beef was scant and VERY fatty. I think this was my last meal at The Brown Bottle and that is a shame because it used to be a favorite place to eat. Not any more.
(1)
Mikey M.
Overall, very average and incredibly underwhelming. Not a fan on the abundance of celery in the marinara. The pizza is good, however when I got one to-go and opened it up, all the cheese and toppings had slid off of the pizza and congealed along the edge of the box... Was there an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee going on involving my pizza??? When we first moved here just over a year ago, there were not many other restaurant options in North Liberty so my family came here several times, and never left with the "I just had a great meal" feeling. It seemed to get worse with every visit. Now that there are more choices, haven't been back, probably not coming back.
(2)
Lillian L.
I had the seafood lasagna and it was delicious! My boyfriend had the chicken Alfredo and that was very tasty too. The service was pretty good also. I gave this restaurant a 4 because of the overall experience. The ambiance isn't a 5 star restaurant, more like a diner.
(4)
Rick M.
Went there on a date 11/7/13 on her suggestion.Ordered Veal Parmesen..both of us.Came in a bowl of water.Was not veal parmesen...had strips of ham in it.Was tough...I had two bites and said it sucked...still had to pay for it.We asked the waiter if this was a mistake...maybe veal scalapini?No...(So veal soup-and tough) Had ordered mushroom sauted with parmasean.Did not get them...when our waiter Josh did bring them...swimming in water...complained and still was charged 50$ for food I would not even bring home to my dog if I had one. I am sorry..but as a foodie and over 20yrs in the restaraunt biz....this was bad! The 1st time I ever went online to rate a place....I hope the owner reads it and learns. I did not want to embarass my date with what I wanted to say when I left. I was PISSED!No wonder it was empty.This place needs to get it's act together...or turn into a hotdog stand...I really am sorry....Nice clean place.Josh was great...but I feel I got screwed....
(1)
Stephanie S.
Don't bother. I used to visit the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls while attending school there and absolutely loved it. Every menu item there was amazing and full of flavor. This Brown Bottle has no ambiance, the food is very bland, the waitstaff wasn't very good, and everything is overpriced. You are in a strip mall, and the place is very dark, cramped and smelly. The food I selected - the garlic chicken - was gross and lacked flavor (as did the martini, garlic bread, and creamy garlic salad dressing that accompanied my meal). I was with 7 other people, who also didn't like the meals that they ordered. The restaurant nickels and dimes you for everything and lists out each of these ridiculous extra charges on the back of the menu, the worst of which is the $.75/plate charge for them to simply cut your outside dessert and put it on a place. If you're looking for good Italian, I would take the extra time and drive to Cedar Falls to try the Cedar Falls Brown Bottle. Even cheap Olive Garden beats this place.
(1)
Peter B.
Longtime area staple. People either love it or hate it. We love it. A few classic dishes we always get: lasagna, garlic shrimp, manicotti, butter shrimp, prime rib. Very consistent. Good place to go on a Friday or Saturday, you almost always get seated right away.
(4)
Kristen T.
No ambiance: you feel just like you're in a strip mall (which you are). It has a strange hick mix of a dive family restaurant with a wanna-be classy joint. Bad wait staff: they charged me what they felt like even though I wrote down a specific price on my bill. Bad menu: By no means is it authentic Italian, or "olive-garden-esque" as they want you to believe. Plus, everything is doused in butter, cheese, and grease & you get a stomach ache as soon as you leave. I ordered a house salad. I got the same cup of iceberg lettuce with 2 cucumbers as everyone else that ordered a meal at my table got. And they charged $5 for that plate of water. Beer selection, ok. All the hard booze & wine is too expensive for no reason so I didn't even consider it. Golly I sure am glad I spent $17 on a salad & beer last night!....
(1)
Brandon F.
Don't waste your time or money. I've heard mixed reviews of this place, but thought I would trust the good ones. Boy was I wrong. Overpriced wine. The salad dressing was horrible (their Italian vinaigrette was so strong it numbed my lips). Plus it was served on nothing more than a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few slices of tomato and onion. I ordered the veal parmigiana and it was served as a baked pasta dish like the ones you'd find at a Happy Joe's or Fazoli's. And the side of spaghetti had the most bland marinara sauce I've ever tasted. Only reason I gave it 1 star is that the atmosphere was nice, and service was pleasant and accommodating. For the price and reputation of this restaurant I was expecting WAY more. A big disappointment.
(1)
J. J.
To put it simply, Brown Bottle's main problem is that for what you pay, you should have a much better experience ($60-$80/couple). I have been here probably half a dozen times and have never been super impressed by the food. I generally have gotten a sun-dried tomato pasta that for some reason is prepared fairly inconsistently. Sometimes it was pretty good, other times it tasted stale. All of the other items I have had have generally been okay, but nothing to write home about. The service is usually competent, but not particularly friendly. It is in a strip mall, which I think contributes to not only a lack of ambiance, but also an uninteresting interior. There's nothing on the walls and the main dining room is just an open space with booths arranged in an odd formation. It's probably why they always keep it so dark. Since it really isn't authentic italian, I think you're better off to save a few bucks and go to (gulp) Olive Garden.
(2)
Lori K.
Will never go back to this place again!! We got in right away @ 4:45p Sunday Oct. 13, they were not busy at all..so we thought oh this will be great, good food and good service. Although we didn't get names, we were seated right away. The waiter came over and was very pleasant at first. We placed our drink order and appetizer order, and 10 minutes later we got our drinks. Then the appetizer, at that point we ordered our meals which all came with a salad. Now generally your salad comes before the meal ... umm ours not so much. We finished our drinks sat patiently waiting and after 35 minutes from our order being taken we still had not had our food. At this point people around us who came in after us got their food/dessert/drinks and even tabs before we even got food. My husband went to the Hostess/manager whatever she was and told her the issue and if we didn't get our salads we were leaving. I wish we would have. Got our salads finally and 5 minutes later the food came. The food was VERY good. The service SUCKED! The waiter would have gotten a HUGE tip because they aren't cheap there, but nope buddy boy you got nada! Oh and the dessert we ordered to go, NOT as good as Olive Garden and much cheaper, Thanks for the crappiest service ever. Won't go back. Will go back home to Cedar Falls where I know I will be taken care of.
(1)
Jen L.
I will never go back to this restaurant. My husband and I gave this place a second chance, as we were there a year ago and were not impressed. We will never go back. Service was awful. Our server had no clue what the special was. The food, even the bread was awful. I had the lasagna. So salty, no other flavor. I make better pasta sauce with prego as the base. My husband had the cannelloni, and it tasted like freezer. Both meals were very clearly microwaved and prepped probably a week ago. The bread was stale, obviously at least 2 weeks old. The entire meal was completely awful. Needless to say we will not be returning. What's even worse, we spent $66 on a terrible meal. I honestly have no idea how this place has stayed in business.
(1)
Rod F.
Best pizza in the Iowa City area.
(5)
Jen L.
I will never go back to this restaurant. My husband and I gave this place a second chance, as we were there a year ago and were not impressed. We will never go back. Service was awful. Our server had no clue what the special was. The food, even the bread was awful. I had the lasagna. So salty, no other flavor. I make better pasta sauce with prego as the base. My husband had the cannelloni, and it tasted like freezer. Both meals were very clearly microwaved and prepped probably a week ago. The bread was stale, obviously at least 2 weeks old. The entire meal was completely awful. Needless to say we will not be returning. What's even worse, we spent $66 on a terrible meal. I honestly have no idea how this place has stayed in business.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Nan K.
Months ago I gave brown bottle 5 stars this most recent experience made me change my stars. Walked in at 5 :15ish on a Wednesday. Waited about 3 min to be seated no employees in sight. Order the usual appetizer salsicci (spicy sausage with tomatoes an garlic bread) it has always been amazing. However this time the sausage link was the size of my pinky finger! I believe the menu says its a "pound of sausage"it was over cooked and so dry. It was a disappointment and embarrassing for brown bottle. Low star rating bc the wait time was a joke employees should get out the kitchen, and be front of the house. 2nd I know that appetizer and what to expect and that was a joke as well.
(2)Janene G.
Tonight was the most disappointing performance I have ever seen at The Brown Bottle. I ordered two roast beef sandwiches, chips and salads to go. I waited over 35 minutes for my order and paid $40 for my meal. When I got home, I found that they had placed sliced tomatoes and a pickle spear in the same container with the chips (rendering them soggy). The salad, which is normally a nice selection of lettuces, was nothing more than iceberg lettuce with cabbage and carrots, clearly from a bag. There was a slice of tomato, and a homemade garlic crouton on the side. The sandwiches, which are normally quite large, were noticeably smaller and the roast beef was scant and VERY fatty. I think this was my last meal at The Brown Bottle and that is a shame because it used to be a favorite place to eat. Not any more.
(1)Mikey M.
Overall, very average and incredibly underwhelming. Not a fan on the abundance of celery in the marinara. The pizza is good, however when I got one to-go and opened it up, all the cheese and toppings had slid off of the pizza and congealed along the edge of the box... Was there an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee going on involving my pizza??? When we first moved here just over a year ago, there were not many other restaurant options in North Liberty so my family came here several times, and never left with the "I just had a great meal" feeling. It seemed to get worse with every visit. Now that there are more choices, haven't been back, probably not coming back.
(2)Lillian L.
I had the seafood lasagna and it was delicious! My boyfriend had the chicken Alfredo and that was very tasty too. The service was pretty good also. I gave this restaurant a 4 because of the overall experience. The ambiance isn't a 5 star restaurant, more like a diner.
(4)Rick M.
Went there on a date 11/7/13 on her suggestion.Ordered Veal Parmesen..both of us.Came in a bowl of water.Was not veal parmesen...had strips of ham in it.Was tough...I had two bites and said it sucked...still had to pay for it.We asked the waiter if this was a mistake...maybe veal scalapini?No...(So veal soup-and tough) Had ordered mushroom sauted with parmasean.Did not get them...when our waiter Josh did bring them...swimming in water...complained and still was charged 50$ for food I would not even bring home to my dog if I had one. I am sorry..but as a foodie and over 20yrs in the restaraunt biz....this was bad! The 1st time I ever went online to rate a place....I hope the owner reads it and learns. I did not want to embarass my date with what I wanted to say when I left. I was PISSED!No wonder it was empty.This place needs to get it's act together...or turn into a hotdog stand...I really am sorry....Nice clean place.Josh was great...but I feel I got screwed....
(1)Stephanie S.
Don't bother. I used to visit the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls while attending school there and absolutely loved it. Every menu item there was amazing and full of flavor. This Brown Bottle has no ambiance, the food is very bland, the waitstaff wasn't very good, and everything is overpriced. You are in a strip mall, and the place is very dark, cramped and smelly. The food I selected - the garlic chicken - was gross and lacked flavor (as did the martini, garlic bread, and creamy garlic salad dressing that accompanied my meal). I was with 7 other people, who also didn't like the meals that they ordered. The restaurant nickels and dimes you for everything and lists out each of these ridiculous extra charges on the back of the menu, the worst of which is the $.75/plate charge for them to simply cut your outside dessert and put it on a place. If you're looking for good Italian, I would take the extra time and drive to Cedar Falls to try the Cedar Falls Brown Bottle. Even cheap Olive Garden beats this place.
(1)Peter B.
Longtime area staple. People either love it or hate it. We love it. A few classic dishes we always get: lasagna, garlic shrimp, manicotti, butter shrimp, prime rib. Very consistent. Good place to go on a Friday or Saturday, you almost always get seated right away.
(4)Kristen T.
No ambiance: you feel just like you're in a strip mall (which you are). It has a strange hick mix of a dive family restaurant with a wanna-be classy joint. Bad wait staff: they charged me what they felt like even though I wrote down a specific price on my bill. Bad menu: By no means is it authentic Italian, or "olive-garden-esque" as they want you to believe. Plus, everything is doused in butter, cheese, and grease & you get a stomach ache as soon as you leave. I ordered a house salad. I got the same cup of iceberg lettuce with 2 cucumbers as everyone else that ordered a meal at my table got. And they charged $5 for that plate of water. Beer selection, ok. All the hard booze & wine is too expensive for no reason so I didn't even consider it. Golly I sure am glad I spent $17 on a salad & beer last night!....
(1)Brandon F.
Don't waste your time or money. I've heard mixed reviews of this place, but thought I would trust the good ones. Boy was I wrong. Overpriced wine. The salad dressing was horrible (their Italian vinaigrette was so strong it numbed my lips). Plus it was served on nothing more than a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few slices of tomato and onion. I ordered the veal parmigiana and it was served as a baked pasta dish like the ones you'd find at a Happy Joe's or Fazoli's. And the side of spaghetti had the most bland marinara sauce I've ever tasted. Only reason I gave it 1 star is that the atmosphere was nice, and service was pleasant and accommodating. For the price and reputation of this restaurant I was expecting WAY more. A big disappointment.
(1)J. J.
To put it simply, Brown Bottle's main problem is that for what you pay, you should have a much better experience ($60-$80/couple). I have been here probably half a dozen times and have never been super impressed by the food. I generally have gotten a sun-dried tomato pasta that for some reason is prepared fairly inconsistently. Sometimes it was pretty good, other times it tasted stale. All of the other items I have had have generally been okay, but nothing to write home about. The service is usually competent, but not particularly friendly. It is in a strip mall, which I think contributes to not only a lack of ambiance, but also an uninteresting interior. There's nothing on the walls and the main dining room is just an open space with booths arranged in an odd formation. It's probably why they always keep it so dark. Since it really isn't authentic italian, I think you're better off to save a few bucks and go to (gulp) Olive Garden.
(2)Lori K.
Will never go back to this place again!! We got in right away @ 4:45p Sunday Oct. 13, they were not busy at all..so we thought oh this will be great, good food and good service. Although we didn't get names, we were seated right away. The waiter came over and was very pleasant at first. We placed our drink order and appetizer order, and 10 minutes later we got our drinks. Then the appetizer, at that point we ordered our meals which all came with a salad. Now generally your salad comes before the meal ... umm ours not so much. We finished our drinks sat patiently waiting and after 35 minutes from our order being taken we still had not had our food. At this point people around us who came in after us got their food/dessert/drinks and even tabs before we even got food. My husband went to the Hostess/manager whatever she was and told her the issue and if we didn't get our salads we were leaving. I wish we would have. Got our salads finally and 5 minutes later the food came. The food was VERY good. The service SUCKED! The waiter would have gotten a HUGE tip because they aren't cheap there, but nope buddy boy you got nada! Oh and the dessert we ordered to go, NOT as good as Olive Garden and much cheaper, Thanks for the crappiest service ever. Won't go back. Will go back home to Cedar Falls where I know I will be taken care of.
(1)Nan K.
Months ago I gave brown bottle 5 stars this most recent experience made me change my stars. Walked in at 5 :15ish on a Wednesday. Waited about 3 min to be seated no employees in sight. Order the usual appetizer salsicci (spicy sausage with tomatoes an garlic bread) it has always been amazing. However this time the sausage link was the size of my pinky finger! I believe the menu says its a "pound of sausage"it was over cooked and so dry. It was a disappointment and embarrassing for brown bottle. Low star rating bc the wait time was a joke employees should get out the kitchen, and be front of the house. 2nd I know that appetizer and what to expect and that was a joke as well.
(2)Janene G.
Tonight was the most disappointing performance I have ever seen at The Brown Bottle. I ordered two roast beef sandwiches, chips and salads to go. I waited over 35 minutes for my order and paid $40 for my meal. When I got home, I found that they had placed sliced tomatoes and a pickle spear in the same container with the chips (rendering them soggy). The salad, which is normally a nice selection of lettuces, was nothing more than iceberg lettuce with cabbage and carrots, clearly from a bag. There was a slice of tomato, and a homemade garlic crouton on the side. The sandwiches, which are normally quite large, were noticeably smaller and the roast beef was scant and VERY fatty. I think this was my last meal at The Brown Bottle and that is a shame because it used to be a favorite place to eat. Not any more.
(1)Mikey M.
Overall, very average and incredibly underwhelming. Not a fan on the abundance of celery in the marinara. The pizza is good, however when I got one to-go and opened it up, all the cheese and toppings had slid off of the pizza and congealed along the edge of the box... Was there an impromptu game of ultimate frisbee going on involving my pizza??? When we first moved here just over a year ago, there were not many other restaurant options in North Liberty so my family came here several times, and never left with the "I just had a great meal" feeling. It seemed to get worse with every visit. Now that there are more choices, haven't been back, probably not coming back.
(2)Lillian L.
I had the seafood lasagna and it was delicious! My boyfriend had the chicken Alfredo and that was very tasty too. The service was pretty good also. I gave this restaurant a 4 because of the overall experience. The ambiance isn't a 5 star restaurant, more like a diner.
(4)Rick M.
Went there on a date 11/7/13 on her suggestion.Ordered Veal Parmesen..both of us.Came in a bowl of water.Was not veal parmesen...had strips of ham in it.Was tough...I had two bites and said it sucked...still had to pay for it.We asked the waiter if this was a mistake...maybe veal scalapini?No...(So veal soup-and tough) Had ordered mushroom sauted with parmasean.Did not get them...when our waiter Josh did bring them...swimming in water...complained and still was charged 50$ for food I would not even bring home to my dog if I had one. I am sorry..but as a foodie and over 20yrs in the restaraunt biz....this was bad! The 1st time I ever went online to rate a place....I hope the owner reads it and learns. I did not want to embarass my date with what I wanted to say when I left. I was PISSED!No wonder it was empty.This place needs to get it's act together...or turn into a hotdog stand...I really am sorry....Nice clean place.Josh was great...but I feel I got screwed....
(1)Stephanie S.
Don't bother. I used to visit the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls while attending school there and absolutely loved it. Every menu item there was amazing and full of flavor. This Brown Bottle has no ambiance, the food is very bland, the waitstaff wasn't very good, and everything is overpriced. You are in a strip mall, and the place is very dark, cramped and smelly. The food I selected - the garlic chicken - was gross and lacked flavor (as did the martini, garlic bread, and creamy garlic salad dressing that accompanied my meal). I was with 7 other people, who also didn't like the meals that they ordered. The restaurant nickels and dimes you for everything and lists out each of these ridiculous extra charges on the back of the menu, the worst of which is the $.75/plate charge for them to simply cut your outside dessert and put it on a place. If you're looking for good Italian, I would take the extra time and drive to Cedar Falls to try the Cedar Falls Brown Bottle. Even cheap Olive Garden beats this place.
(1)Peter B.
Longtime area staple. People either love it or hate it. We love it. A few classic dishes we always get: lasagna, garlic shrimp, manicotti, butter shrimp, prime rib. Very consistent. Good place to go on a Friday or Saturday, you almost always get seated right away.
(4)Kristen T.
No ambiance: you feel just like you're in a strip mall (which you are). It has a strange hick mix of a dive family restaurant with a wanna-be classy joint. Bad wait staff: they charged me what they felt like even though I wrote down a specific price on my bill. Bad menu: By no means is it authentic Italian, or "olive-garden-esque" as they want you to believe. Plus, everything is doused in butter, cheese, and grease & you get a stomach ache as soon as you leave. I ordered a house salad. I got the same cup of iceberg lettuce with 2 cucumbers as everyone else that ordered a meal at my table got. And they charged $5 for that plate of water. Beer selection, ok. All the hard booze & wine is too expensive for no reason so I didn't even consider it. Golly I sure am glad I spent $17 on a salad & beer last night!....
(1)Brandon F.
Don't waste your time or money. I've heard mixed reviews of this place, but thought I would trust the good ones. Boy was I wrong. Overpriced wine. The salad dressing was horrible (their Italian vinaigrette was so strong it numbed my lips). Plus it was served on nothing more than a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few slices of tomato and onion. I ordered the veal parmigiana and it was served as a baked pasta dish like the ones you'd find at a Happy Joe's or Fazoli's. And the side of spaghetti had the most bland marinara sauce I've ever tasted. Only reason I gave it 1 star is that the atmosphere was nice, and service was pleasant and accommodating. For the price and reputation of this restaurant I was expecting WAY more. A big disappointment.
(1)J. J.
To put it simply, Brown Bottle's main problem is that for what you pay, you should have a much better experience ($60-$80/couple). I have been here probably half a dozen times and have never been super impressed by the food. I generally have gotten a sun-dried tomato pasta that for some reason is prepared fairly inconsistently. Sometimes it was pretty good, other times it tasted stale. All of the other items I have had have generally been okay, but nothing to write home about. The service is usually competent, but not particularly friendly. It is in a strip mall, which I think contributes to not only a lack of ambiance, but also an uninteresting interior. There's nothing on the walls and the main dining room is just an open space with booths arranged in an odd formation. It's probably why they always keep it so dark. Since it really isn't authentic italian, I think you're better off to save a few bucks and go to (gulp) Olive Garden.
(2)Lori K.
Will never go back to this place again!! We got in right away @ 4:45p Sunday Oct. 13, they were not busy at all..so we thought oh this will be great, good food and good service. Although we didn't get names, we were seated right away. The waiter came over and was very pleasant at first. We placed our drink order and appetizer order, and 10 minutes later we got our drinks. Then the appetizer, at that point we ordered our meals which all came with a salad. Now generally your salad comes before the meal ... umm ours not so much. We finished our drinks sat patiently waiting and after 35 minutes from our order being taken we still had not had our food. At this point people around us who came in after us got their food/dessert/drinks and even tabs before we even got food. My husband went to the Hostess/manager whatever she was and told her the issue and if we didn't get our salads we were leaving. I wish we would have. Got our salads finally and 5 minutes later the food came. The food was VERY good. The service SUCKED! The waiter would have gotten a HUGE tip because they aren't cheap there, but nope buddy boy you got nada! Oh and the dessert we ordered to go, NOT as good as Olive Garden and much cheaper, Thanks for the crappiest service ever. Won't go back. Will go back home to Cedar Falls where I know I will be taken care of.
(1)Jen L.
I will never go back to this restaurant. My husband and I gave this place a second chance, as we were there a year ago and were not impressed. We will never go back. Service was awful. Our server had no clue what the special was. The food, even the bread was awful. I had the lasagna. So salty, no other flavor. I make better pasta sauce with prego as the base. My husband had the cannelloni, and it tasted like freezer. Both meals were very clearly microwaved and prepped probably a week ago. The bread was stale, obviously at least 2 weeks old. The entire meal was completely awful. Needless to say we will not be returning. What's even worse, we spent $66 on a terrible meal. I honestly have no idea how this place has stayed in business.
(1)Rod F.
Best pizza in the Iowa City area.
(5)Jen L.
I will never go back to this restaurant. My husband and I gave this place a second chance, as we were there a year ago and were not impressed. We will never go back. Service was awful. Our server had no clue what the special was. The food, even the bread was awful. I had the lasagna. So salty, no other flavor. I make better pasta sauce with prego as the base. My husband had the cannelloni, and it tasted like freezer. Both meals were very clearly microwaved and prepped probably a week ago. The bread was stale, obviously at least 2 weeks old. The entire meal was completely awful. Needless to say we will not be returning. What's even worse, we spent $66 on a terrible meal. I honestly have no idea how this place has stayed in business.
(1)Rod F.
Best pizza in the Iowa City area.
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