Strongbow Inn
2405 US 30 E, Valparaiso, IN, 46383
Strongbow Inn Menu
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Sandwiches
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Address :
2405 US 30 E
Valparaiso, IN, 46383 - Phone (219) 462-5121
- Website https://www.strongbowinn.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Classy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
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Sunfish S.
I have been enjoying meals at Strongbow's ever since I moved to Valpo in 1983. Unfortunately, when Strongbow's changed ownership recently, a LOT has gone downhill. The service is terrible...it seems as if NONE of the previous servers are there. The serve staff is rude, inexperienced and are clearly not accustomed to working in a fine establishment. It was very disappointing. The quality of the food seems to still be nice and their dinner rolls are still amazing. (Same recipe, apparently!) However, if you go there and are used to the PREVIOUS Strongbow's, be prepared to be disappointed. On a side note, the soft drinks tasted terrible. Maybe a poor water source? I don't remember a pepsi at Strongbow's tasting so terrible. Lastly, they were doing construction the entire time we were there. When we arrived, we had a hard time getting to the front door due to the construction vehicles crowding the area. When I mentioned this to the hostess, her only response was basically, "Yeah, they're trying to have the new bar open in two days. Isn't that great?" Yeah, for me, not so much. Throughout our entire dinner tonight we watched construction people paint, run shop vacs, and do other things that I had not wanted to experience while celebrating my mom's birthday at what we thought was a nice restaurant. They didn't even put up a curtain or anything...all the work was done in plain sight. The last straw was when they kept the doors open to carry things in and out and froze all the patrons this evening. I overheard the couple at the table next to ours complaining as well. TOO BAD Strongbow's is no longer owned by the wonderful family that had it for generations. PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED.
(2)Kristen G.
This review is for the bakery... We initially contracted strongbow to do our wedding cake when the bakery was under different management. Several months before our wedding it changed management and from there it was very stressful. Management very immature/ missed a meeting in which we were to finalize the wedding and grooms cake. I will say that they did rectify the situation by waving delivery fees for both cakes so I decided to stay with them. When I saw my cake on the big day... I was disappointed. It was plain/ didn't have any of the scroll work that we discuses and was outlined in the contract. I didn't stress about it too much/ dwell on it.. But overall when the cake should be the fun part of wedding planning... It was the most stressful. Cake tastes ok, but I would not recommend strongbow bakery for a wedding cake.
(2)Nicole A.
We always order rolls and pies for thanksgiving from Strongbows. I just tried to talk to an actual person to see if they were still taking orders for thanksgiving. After 20 minutes of voice mailboxes, busy signals, and hang ups, the person I finally talked to a real person who transferred me yet again resulting in a disconnection. After calling back she THEN said they were no longer taking orders. It seems ever since the new owners took over the food has not been nearly as good and the service is far worse.
(1)Ron C.
What happen to strong bows ? They have a new bar area with a large selection of beers and wine. The food has changed! My wife and I stopped for dinner Tuesday night about 7pm. Very few cars in the parking lot. We entered the new bar area, which is nice and we sat by the fireplace. The soft hot rolls they once served were four stale rolls in a basket. The turkey pie was mostly dark meat and smelled of old turkey and tasted the same. Service was O.K., but our waitress had her boy friend at the bar and it was hard to get her attention. The waitress stated they had a new owner, people who own Luke Oil. We could tell things were different. They are not catering to the older crowd. Good luck! We will not be back, this use to be a great restaurant !
(2)Greg L.
My family is a fan of hosting private events at the Inn (birthdays, engagement parties, etc.). The buffet offers great options for every taste (including vegetarian) and there are breakfast and lunch items. There are also great deserts. The made to order omelette station is great. I'm looking forward to my next meal here.
(4)Mario V.
please try turkey loved everything except cornbread stuffing!
(4)Neil A.
The place serves a good dinner - very traditional home style but unique enough to warrant a visit. It's the continuation of a turkey farm that housed a service station and restaurant for the last 75 years, so expect turkey-based treats. I had the pot pie and, while not the best I've ever had, it was still very satisfying. The beer selection was surprisingly good too: 3 Floyds, New Holland, et al. Everything inside has apparently been renovated recently, too, and it shows. Nice seating and a homey bar area.
(4)Mark L.
As of 3/29/15, open for Sunday brunch and banquets only.
(4)Cathy C.
Another fantastic dinner at Strongbows! Hey - if you come on a Saturday night, they run a great special that is two of them fantastic entrees plus an appetizer or a dessert for only $25!!!! Usually one entree by itself is $17-$18. Really great special. Plus, half price bottles of wine. The food and ambiance is always lovely here. Have been coming here for 45 years now and not stopping any time soon!
(5)Lee P.
Tuesday night is Senior Night, and, man, the place was full of us gray hairs. Really good value specials for us old folks. I had the hot turkey sandwich and it was excellent. Not a bad by the glass wine list either. Sounds like the old guard locals are out of sorts about new ownership. But from a restaurant professional, this place has updated its service and presentation beautifully, while maintaining a unique menu focused on turkey. I love it.
(4)matt h.
My extended family has celebrated Thanksgiving the weekend before the holiday at Strongbow for the past seven years. But this year, we had a terrible experience, and we will not be back. The waiter got our drinks and took the order for our party of 16. But we had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for our food! No salads, no additional rolls, or anything. The waiter was MIA for nearly the entire time, and the restaurant was not even busy. When the food arrived, it was (not surprisingly) lukewarm, and several members of our party did not get gravy for their turkey and mashed potatoes. The quality of the food also did not seem to be as good as it had been in the past. After our lunch, I went to speak to the manager, and I had to wait 10 minutes to even talk to her (I think I see the problem). She said that she would speak to the waiter to see what happened and follow up with me. However, the manager could not even be bothered to come to our table to apologize or offer an explanation for the inordinate delay. The waiter offered us free desserts, but by that time the dining experience was already ruined. I would prefer to patronize unique, family-owned restaurants rather than national chains, but if this place does not turn things around, it will not be there much longer.
(1)Nicole B.
Not impressed. Considering I can make homemade food in my own kitchen this place really doesn't appeal to me. Then to top it off the prices are ridiculous considering what they are serving. Another typical Valpo elite spot.
(1)Marianne D.
I have been to Strongbow Inn twice, once under the former management and today under the new staff. I don't consider either visit to be in a fine dining establishment. It's a place to get comfort food, not aesthetically pleasing. First, our server today, Lisa, was friendly and sweet, no complaints. She greeted us right away and got us drinks. The wine pours were very generous. The buffet on this visit was much more manageable and smaller than my first visit, a good value for $20pp. The omelet I had was cooked perfectly except the chef used way too much butter. I should have asked for cooking spray instead because the grease was overpowering. The prime rib was delicious, as was the cheesy whipped potatoes. On the way out, I bought a cupcake at the bakery to enjoy later. I am an avid cupcake baker and like to try different bakeries and Sunday was half price cupcake day. The maple bacon cupcake I bought was a sweet & salty delight. A moist cake with a flavorful light and airy buttercream topped with crispy bacon. So good! The reason I gave Strongbow Inn 4 stars is for the value, the generous wine pour, the tasty prime rib and the oh so good cupcake.
(4)Terry B.
Uneven. I have went and the food and beer selection is very good. Service is usually poor. Hard to get in and out of in and hour. Much better options in Valpo.
(2)Tiff A.
We have been getting a Thanksgiving meal "to go" from a Strongbow for at least the past 5 years - this is a full dinner running around $200 so not just a turkey sandwich. I was extremely hesitant this year after a horrible experience last year when my husband and I had to spend an hour waiting in a tent that wasn't heated for them to finally bring our order out. This was just after the new owners had taken over. This year started out a bit rocky which is what caused me to rate 4 instead of 5 stars - they were advertising on their Facebook page late in Oct that they were taking orders so I called the restaurant to place my order and she told me they were all out of dinners. I hung up and was a bit bewildered - they are a restaurant that specializes in turkey, they have the info posted that day on their Facebook page and it's not exactly the last minute. I decided to call their office instead of just the restaurant and sure enough was able to place an order the next day. As we pulled up on Thanksgiving Day, there was signage that the order pickup was I the bar. So far so good - no tent without heat. I went in and the process looked much like it had before the new owners took over. My order wasn't quite ready, however, they told me it would be right up and it was within 10 minutes. The ladies taking care of the orders were going through each order to ensure everything was there and even offered to help me to the car which was a nice touch although I did not need assistance. We got home and the food was very good - the turkey was well prepared not dry at all and the sides and desserts were equally as tasty. The apple pie was an especially big hit. Looking forward to continuing our tradition next year.
(4)Michael O.
Delicious brunch. Nice atmosphere. Definitely a place for a "group" brunch vs party of 2. Love the omelet bar!
(5)Phillip C.
Went there last night for the buffet. It had a lot of great choices. I do wish there were more dessert choices and that the rolls weren't hard as a rock. The music performers that were there was way too cheesy. It would have been nice if they would have played either classical or pseudo contemporary pieces. The music played definitely did not match the environment. The customer service was nice, but you could tell that he had way too many tables.
(4)Amanda S.
Delicious. Excellent service. We enjoyed dinner in the bar area, outdoors. I had the Spinach Salad with a Raspberry Vinaigrette. Also, tried sweet potato disks and cottage cheese. Absolutely perfect combination.
(5)Jess H.
I used to love Strongbows, I even wrote a glowing review here before, but its changed. The new owners have ruined an iconic Valparaiso business. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, and the soul are all totally gone. Save your money and your memories of the old Strongbows and go somewhere else. What a loss.
(1)Dominique K.
I'm a turkey fan, and this place was right near the hotel where we stayed while visiting Valparaiso. The restaurant seems a little old-school, dinner-clubby...which really suited it. We figured turkey dinner was the way to go here as it's the specialty, and everyone around us seemed to be ordering turkey dinner or turkey pot pies. The food's not fancy, but I like going places with their own local tradition...and I loved the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings here.
(4)Jeff W.
I'm a Valparaiso native, and I've never had a bad experience at Strongbow's until last night. I was there with a group of family members for dinner. It took 2-1/2 hours from sitting down until we *finally* got the bill. The waitress eventually admitted that she hadn't put the order in when she should have - I'm not sure what that meant - shouldn't that have been immediately after we ordered? When our food was finally served, it was generally good, with two exceptions: (1) one member of our party is gluten-intolerant, and Strongbow's formerly wonderful gluten-free rolls were described as being "like eating a sponge, a slightly burned sponge with a fishy undertaste", (2) two of us ordered the turkey schnitzel - it wasn't until later that I realized what was wrong with mine: they'd neglected to serve the gravy that goes with it. At the end, we waited and waited to get the bill, only to be told that the computers had crashed and were rebooting, and that they couldn't tell us how much we owed. Why they didn't seem to grasp how unhappy we were and just figure it out by hand is beyond me. They *finally* produced a bill after we got up to leave and put our coats on. It's actually weird that it worked that way... Through it all the wait staff showed none of the old Strongbow graciousness. I was really expecting to get a visit from the manager to apologize for the mishaps, because that's the kind of place that Strongbow's was before the ownership change, but apparently not anymore. Sad. They actually weren't all that busy for a Friday night - now we know why. A final note: the bakery no longer has the gluten-free cookies. And one more: the aviation-themed "Wild Blue Yonder" lounge (with the view of Neuschwanstein Castle) is gone. The new owners built a new bar area - it has the ambiance of a hospital waiting room (to quote a member of our party).
(1)Michael T.
Loved the fall off the bone Roasted Turkey Leg that was so tender...I ordered another to go! It's traditional turkey with basic dinner sides. The Sweet Potatoes and Mashed Potatoes with butter where smooth and creamy Good.
(3)Miguel M.
Had thanksgiving dinner here last year. Food was excellent. Desserts were a little too sweet for me, but that's me. Quite a drive for a turkey dinner, but fuck it. The food was worth it. Will try again if out in this part of the Midwest.
(4)Jessica M.
The restaurant is very traditionally decorated and structured, hence providing a cozy and warm environment for dine-in. I've been there for their bakery and lunch, and I absolutely adore every aspect of it. Let's start with their bakery. I've ordered a dozen of the designer purse cookies at $2 per piece. $2 sounds a bit pricey for just a cookie but I disagree because they were very buttery and savory, yet not too sweet. Some of the cookies had pellets resembling a silver ornament/accessory but they were edible. I've also ordered the 8 inch carrot cake. The cake was rather heavy, to the point where I thought I had purchased a cheesecake instead. It was extremely rich in carrots and the cake remained moist even though we didn't devour it until 12 hours after the purchase. As for lunch, I've tried the turkey breast/bacon and salmon club sandwiches as well as the fried chicken tenders wrap. They were very tasty, but the salmon club left the strongest impression. The grilled salmon was so juicy and tender that it became my favorite dish to order whenever I dined at Strongbow. Their crème brulee is also amazing. You don't have to go to a French restaurant to try some gourmet dessert because Strongbow has them! P.S. The staff and waitresses are very courteous!
(5)Anne S.
We went here for my sister's birthday dinner. (She missed Thanksgiving, so she wanted to recreate it. I'm not sure why we had to drive all the way to Valparaiso for Thanksgiving, but everything was good so I'm not complaining). The restaurant is really nice looking. We were dressed up, and this did feel like a special occasion. The restaurant is really pretty inside, and the rooms are broken up well so that you don't feel crowded, (They have a couple of banquet rooms and a meeting room. This definitely seems like a great place to have a big event). Everyone was really friendly, and our server was quite helpful. We had a lot of food, and all of it was good. I had the signature turkey dinner. for $19 it included soup, salad, a roll, turkey, corn, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and apple pie. It was quite a bit of food. (Granted there wasn't that much turkey on the plate, but it was still a lot of food). I wasn't that crazy about the mashed potatoes, but everything else was great. I also tried the scallops (there were a special, but they were amazing), the fried shrimp (best fried shrimp I've had in a long time, they actually had flavor beyond the breading), the turkey oscar (I wasn't crazy about it, but my dad loved it). As if we didn't have enough food from dinner, we ordered dessert. My apple pie was good. My brother's chocolate sourcream cake with raspberry mousse was amazing. That is how dessert should be! It was rich and delicious! The pecan chocolate chip pie with ice cream was also really great. It would be hard to choose just one of their desserts.
(4)Leanne H.
Having been a fan of this restaurant for more years than I can count, the food still remains consistently excellent and the service is genuinely friendly. Well known for the variety of their turkey offerings, my favorite continues to be their turkey pot pie. I have sampled their fish and salads as well. Every meal has been prepared 100% to my satisfaction. It is the attention to detail such as the hostess removing a glass not 100% clean to the linen table napkins to the overall quiet ambiance. Also the lounge is probably one of my most favorite places because you have the experience of sitting in an older airline when airplane travel was with linen and glassware. The airplane models hanging from the ceiling provide additional amusement if not fodder for great conversation. Sunday's brunch provide a wide range of food assortment from carved ham to biscuits and gravy. I always leave Strongbox whether it is for lunch or dinner full and very satisfied. Northwest Indiana is blessed to have another family owned restaurant than has managed to succeed through both the good and bad times.
(5)Laura C.
Why mess with tradition? We were fortunate enough to be around for the Wednesday night buffet with live jazz ensemble. It was a gutbuster! For $17.95, you had fresh hot sliced turkey, turkey legs, dressing, glazed carrots, skin on mashed potatoes with gravy, corn niblets, a fresh pasta bar (made to order), cranberry relish and a salad bar that had traditional as well as something you can only find at the strongbow inn (at least, I have only found it there) green bean with blue cheese salad. Of course, after three trips, I had no room for dessert. If pie had been present, I may have had a slice. select drinks are included with the buffet.
(4)David B.
Famous for its turkey schnitzel, so I tried it. What the heck? Not like any schnitzel I'd had before, it had the consistency and flavor (and size: very small for the price) of a home-made potato pancake.
(2)Dave S.
We went here for Sunday brunch. The buffet was MASSIVE. My eyes opened up wide like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw the buffet stretch as far as the eye could see! I was in food nirvana! When I started my mass consumption, i think I tried nearly everything and I was not disappointed. Everything was pretty good! I was not overwhelmed or disappointed with anything. The pickiest eater will find something they can enjoy! I can't really comment too much on the service because my interactions were minimal at the brunch although the people I did speak with were very friendly.
(4)Laura C.
Held our wedding reception here and the food was amazing! The wedding cake was melt in your mouth fantabulous. The service was classy. Highly recommend them for parties and weddings!
(5)Renita M.
Eating here is like eating at your grandma's, only it's really fancy and they charge you for your food. My mom and I were celebrating a milestone birthday for me with a weekend in Valparaiso (hey, it was halfway) and were staying next door to the Strongbow Inn. So we pretty much had to check it out. At first glance it seemed a little expensive -- most of the entrees are in the $15-20+ range and the famed turkey dinner is about $18 I think -- but it does include a lot of food. And we discovered that they have a "4 to 6" menu that has some inexpensive options in somewhat smaller portions. My mom went for a soup-and-sandwich combo that included a turkey sandwich and she opted for a carrot ginger soup that was a special that day. And I went off the beaten path with a tilapia special that included salad, red potatoes and some sort of bizarre red sauerkrauty stuff. The food was pretty good, I will say. The house dressing was this garlicky vinagrette with bleu cheese that was unusual and tasty. The fish was cooked well and seasoned deliciously. The potatoes were fine, and I'm really not a sauerkraut fan at all, but I guess if you like sauerkraut... I also did try a bit of mom's turkey, and it was moist, but not overly flavorful. And her sandwich was a bit on the skimpy side. I personally found the menu a bit limited. If you love turkey dinners, you're golden, but otherwise, there weren't a ton of choices. And the appetizer options included things like turkey pate. Sorry. Just not my thing. Service was good, friendly, we felt underdressed in our jeans and casual shirts. I'd go back if someone I was with really wanted to, and if they were paying I'd get the big turkey dinner, but there are other fancy options in Valpo I'd just as soon check out next time...
(3)Suzie S.
I have attended three different showers here and was not impressed with the food or dessert. The turkey, and stuffing were both extremely dry each time.
(2)Nancy H.
Really good turkey and trimmings other than the stuffing which is nothing but dry bread with no apparent seasoning? They also make one of the best chocolate martinis anywhere!
(5)Caroline A.
Holy Brownie Heaven. Yes, my friends, these were my thoughts when I sunk my teeth into one of Strongbow Inn's heavenly triangle of chocolate bliss! We had a dinner catered by Strongbow and they were excellent! Their menu mostly features comfort food goodness, and portion sizes are great for large group get togethers and events. We had fresh fruits, a salad with delicious blue cheese and garlic dressing, baked mostacolli, barbecue pulled pork and chocolate cake. It was a food coma inducing meal, but totally worth it. The brownies deserve their own paragraph because they are THAT good. I actually had one the day after, and it was still fresh, gooey and delicious. If you're in Indiana and in need of some home cooking, Strongbow is a strong choice!
(4)Tony S.
I have lived in Valpo for over 25 years and dine out on a regular basis. We always try to stay in our town, going from one eatery to another. We will never return to Strongbow Inn. Over priced for half the portions. Buffet ran out of food after I placed my order. Waitress said that happens, you need to get here earlier. It was 6:30. My advice......just pass it by and go to a real restaurant.
(1)Lilly L.
A trip toValpo isn't a trip to Valpo if don't get a chance to eat here. The bar/lounge section is most unique that I know. The unique menu items are often amazing. The turkey is plane mid America fair.
(5)Heather G.
My parents took me and my four year old triplets to the Strongbow last Wednesday night, and we were surprised to see that they had a dinner buffet. All of the food was fresh and delicious, and the live band was a lot of fun. My favorite entres were the massive turkey legs, the pasta saute station, and the wide range of desserts. While the adult prices were a little expensive, each kid ate free with a paying adult which made dinner a bargain for the six of us! We will definitely be back.
(4)Mike K.
The restaurant was huge, serving some 4,000 dinners, a testimony to the process they have perfected since opening in 1940. When we pulled into the parking lot there were two men in the lot to direct us to the right door, the one marked with an "A." In the lobby where we waited for about 15 minutes, was a refrigerated case filled with the most delicious looking cakes, tortes and etc., none of which, however were to be found on the buffet. Many other desserts were though, including pumpkin, cherry and apple pies, carrot cake, brownies, and all manner of little cakes filled with chocolate mousse and other sweet and delicious things. There were many types of salads, all of which were delicious. Meat carvers at two meat carving stations had both turkey and ham as well as a white gravy, the kind you would have with biscuits. Unfortunately the inexperienced carvers butchered the meat leaving gristle in my turkey and my slice of ham was nearly all fat. At another station several cooks sauteed pastas, bows and tortellini with your choice of onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese with either marinara or alfredo sauce. The hot foods in steamers included mashed potatoes, yams (which appeared to be right from the can), corn (also the canned variety), stuffing (bland), and turkey legs. Of course there was also the ever present cranberry sauce, and thankfully it was not of the can shaped gelatin variety. All in all it was a fair substitute for a home cooked Thanksgiving Dinner, though the white (starchy) gravy was a major disappointment compared to the brown turkey gravy to which I am accustomed. Then I was surprised when the check arrived and the buffet was $35.95 each. I had thought it was $18.95 each. I am not accustomed to paying that high a price for neither a buffet nor home cooked food. We enjoyed two of their five white wine selections, one a Liebfraumilch the other a Riesling. I don't think I will return unless I am in the area looking for a nice German Chocolate Cake.
(2)Reed H.
Strongbow is an old landmark restaurant that has completely fallen off. The dining room is very old-looking. The food is overpriced and just not very good. The famous "Turkey Dinner" is flavorless from the turkey all the way down to the potatoes and gravy. The bakery is the only thing that i can really enjoy; that's the only reason it's not a 1 star review
(2)Christine M.
Ahhhh Strongbow. Where to start.................Turkey is their specialty. They used to have live turkeys on the property. My mother says I used to be afraid of the turkeys when they would go there when I was little. They have a piano player with the brunch on Sunday. The Jeff Brown trio on Wednesday nights with a buffet. They make a garlic dressing that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. The menu has a good selection so everyone should be able to find something to their liking. Staff has always been very nice and accomodating. The chefs are friendly at the buffets. They also offering catering on and off the premises. It really is a must visit when in Valparaiso.
(4)Page M.
Disappointed. The turkey pot pie, which had been the reason I sought the place out, was dry and tasteless, as was the pale gravy meant to accompany it. And please tell me, if one serves turkey pot pie, why are the side dishes mashed potatoes and stuffing? Yikes. Not a vegetable in sight, only more starch. The only thing I truly liked was the garlic blue cheese dressing on the salad, the only green. This menu needs a revamp. It's decades out of date.
(1)Glen S.
It is better to go here in a group rather than just as a couple. That being said, as everyone else has said, get the turkey. I never had a bad experience here and they tended to treat larger groups a little better. I had a few banquets here as well as graduation parties, all of them did the trick. That is all pretty much.
(3)Roland S.
Neat place. It's a nice, big space with homey wood-beam and country decor. They had several variations on the classic turkey dinner. The two we had were both very good but a bit pricey for the portions. The food has that old-fashioned, down-home recipe thing going for it. The service was friendly and adequate, but as others mentioned, big groups and obvious regulars seemed to be getting much better treatment. The pastry case was filled with delicious-looking goodies, too.
(4)Beer H.
Turkey, turkey, turkey, and more turkey!!!!!!!! The wife and I went to my parents house for my moms birthday. My mom wanted to go to Strongbow's for lunch. We jumped in the car and headed to Valpo. It's kind of strange that I had never ben to Strongbows ,and I lived in the area for most of my life. Even stranger, my wife is a turkey junky, and we never went here! A bit of advice, if you go here on a Sunday around noon, you had better have a reservation. They told us the wait was about an hour. Even MORE strange, that was the first time I had ever been told I would have to wait more more then 15 minutes for a table in Indiana! We ended up getting a table after about 30 minutes. I was sooooo happy when we got to our table. There was a pastry case in the lobby , and I was going nuts looking at all of those deserts! If I ever need to get any information out of anyone. I won't feed them breakfast, and plop them if front of this case at around 1 , and they will tell me anything I want to hear to get at that pastry case! The buffet was one of the better ones I have been to in a long time. We started at the salad bar. Nothing out of the ordinary, However, there were some pastries at the end of the table, and I planned to save room for some of those guys! There were a ton of options, there was a omelet station, and your basic thanks giving food. I went with the green bean casserole, stuffing, ribs, and turkey. It was all wonderful! Then I the the pastry table hard. Well worth the wait! I'm kind of sad that we didn't go here more often when I lived here, but it gives us something to look forward to when we come back!
(4)Billie R.
Have been hearing about this brunch for years! Took a small group( I have a large family- this was perfect for us) for my birthday- and everyone was able to find something pleasing! I loved the turkey, and the salad choices were great. The live music (a guy was playing the piano) was a great touch!
(4)Ken M.
I've visited Strongbow's off and on for 20 years. Most recent visit was a little disappointing. The food was above average but the service was very poor. Our server didn't know the menu well (it's turkey) and was incredibly slow even though the place was not full. The bakery, however, is absolutely amazing. I wish it were larger so they could offer more selections.
(2)Eri G.
Excellent food! Their turkey dishes are the best I've ever had, and the drum stick meal is my favorite.
(5)Kevin B.
My family has been going here since the late 60's when they still had the turkey farm behind the restaurant. I remember going there after dark one time in the winter and hearing the birds, scared the crap out of me. lol Yes, most dishes include turkey and it's not a Gordon Ramsey or Danny Meyer type of place. It's old fashioned country dining in a now large banquet type of facility. Always shoot for the main dining room, much more homey and warm. I went home to visit my dad this summer and he wanted to go because it was my mom's favorite place in town. The hot, open-faced turkey sandwich is still awesome and the cranberries are fresh as can be. If you're passing through or in town you really should give it a try.
(4)Joe R.
We stopped at Strongbow Inn after a special occasion with our daughter, a student at Valpo, based on the strength of other's recommendations. Our experience was mediocre. Frankly, my wife makes better, more juicy turkey. The portion sizes are adequate but not ample, except for the high carb portions such as mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. I would not compare this to "eating at Grandma's", as did one of the other reviewers - Grandma always offered seconds or thirds (and of course seconds are not offered here), and we didn't leave Grandma's with a significantly reduced wallet size. 2 in our party got the turkey pot pie, which was extremely dry - the ample portions of gravy helped out with this. My turkey dinner was a letdown after the awesome turkey dinner we had at home recently. It was 2 nice slices of white meat with a small piece of dark meat underneath (it seemed as if this was done to shim up the center of hte white meat to make it look like more). For $18, I would expect more than 2 slices and a small shim of turkey. My son's turkey schnitzel was ok but not great. Unfortunately he didn't care for the taste. The cranberry sauce and rolls were tasty. Service was ok. We saw our waitress to take our order, to deliver the food, and to deliver the bill. Water was delivered frequently. No one asked us how our dinner was or if we wanted anything else (except for the dessert). For the prices charged, I would have expected better service. Regarding the prices: They are high considering the quality of the food and service. For the 4 of us, without desserts or drinks, after tip, 80. I don't mind paying for dinner, but we all felt pretty disappointed with the experience. My daughter felt bad that we had spent that amount of money for what turned out to be a merely adequate dinner. We won't be back. I think we will stick with Round the Clock in the future. Our 3 visits there have been satisfying, the service has been perfectly OK, and they are not in business to extract every possible $$ from my wallet.
(3)Tina W.
Sick with what they do best--turkey, gravy, mashed, and cranberries. Can't wait to go back home in a few weeks and go to Strongbow's!
(4)Shannon K.
Strongbow has such a history in Valparaiso, and it feels like 'home'. However, I was there for lunch recently, and was surprised at how expensive it was! I ordered a turkey sandwich for $8.95 and got (really good) turkey with romaine lettuce on soft, white bread. That's it. No cheese, no chips or fries on the side. Too much $$. I think I'll save Strongbow Inn for a special event...or go to the buffet where at least I would get a variety. ps - I had a taste of the stuffing from my mom's lunch and it was Fan-tas-tic!!
(3)Dustin P.
Strongbow Inn is as much a historic landmark of Valparaiso as it is a restaurant with it's name being a throw back to the days when they were an inn. There are many good aspects of Strongbow's, as many have mentioned, turkey is the biggest. Having originally having a turkey farm across the street they have held onto this tradition of serving it. If you're in the mood for Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the summer this is the place to go. The service is excellent and friendly. They are also equipped to do large banquets, probably why it is such a staple for Valparaiso University graduates to dine at. However if an intimate dinning experience or inspiring food is what you desire this would be a good place to skip. Neither the food or atmosphere has changed well with the times. The first thought of the place as I walked in was that it smelt exactly like my grandpa's nursing home. This is probably do to the elderly clientèle that regulars this establishment. There have been renovations so the place does not seem like a dump at all, on the contrary, it is nice. It's just dated in their design. The food is good, but nothing to write home about. They are very good at what they do, which is more traditional type dinner fair and if that's what you are in the mood for this will hit the spot. Overall this is an average restaurant with a big reputation. Three stars for a good place to eat, just nothing all that special. ******************************************** I would like to update this to reflect some newer experiences. I attended a wedding reception here and was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. Off hand i don't recall what was served but I do remember really enjoying the food. Also the bakery is outstanding. I've had several different things including a wedding cake and it is all excellent. I'd really suggest at least trying this place if you haven't as many others seem to enjoy the restaurant maybe you will too.
(3)Ben B.
We drive all the way from Chicago to feast at this great turkey restaurant. Can't believe anyone would give this restaurant a rating below 4 stars unless they just don't like turkey. We generally go on Sundays for the buffet. In addition to turkey they have a nice selection overall. Price is very reasonable for the quality of food, but then again we are from Chicago where these prices seem like a good value.
(5)COURT P.
Mom loves going here for Thanksgiving. It's worth the drive, and the turkey is excellent. Good prices. No ambiance.
(4)Amy S.
Funny, the most recent review was written by my wedding photographer! I definitely agree. They are relatively organized with generally excellent service. Open forever and for a reason. Their signature is the turkey, which is always excellent, in all of its forms. My only holdback on five stars is their bakery. It gets tons of recognition for being among the best bakeries in the area, but I don't understand why. I've had wedding and other specialty cakes at least ten times and it's truly nothing to write home about. Good, good price, but not five stars.
(4)Nichole F.
As a wedding photographer, I go to a lot of weddings. The reception I did here had awesome food! Not to mention my baby shower was held here. Everything was well organized with no major disasters in either event. Obviously they're doing something right - they've been open since the early 1900's!
(4)Justin M.
This place kicks total ass...see, this is why Indiana people don't deserve good restaurants! Strongbow has been open since the early 1900's. They use quality beef, meats and birds for their lunches and dinners. My family has been going to Strongbow's for the past 7 years, and we are never disappointed. Well, I was disappointed when they stopped serving ribs for Mother's day brunch. Actually, I was kinda pissed. I have been here for Thanksgiving dinners, Mothers day brunches, Valpo graduations, and even Valentine's Day dinners...always a great experience. The bar area is totally cool. They have airplanes and weird shit on the wall, and the overall vibe is old-skool country. Being from the city, I like to escape to a world unknown, drink Guinness and look at weird shit on walls. Sort of a conversation piece that you can enjoy only at Strongbow's. Their meals are top-notch! Turkey legs, lamb shanks, corn, veggies, mashed, salad bar, smoked salmon, cheese spread, and the most amazing dessert bar you will find in Northwest Indiana. A++++++++++
(5)Sonia M.
This is where you go for a home cooked meal with the trimmings!! & dessert. Strongbow hit the mark for lunch today for several reasons. First, I had to place my order of sweet treats for an engagement party coming up and I wanted it to have a special touch. Ask for Debra if you need help catering or putting this kind of order together, she's kind and she knows her bakery! Second, I then went into the dinning area for lunch with my 4yr old who still had a bit of the sniffles and my waitress was very accommodating. Not only was Emma pleased with the turkey broth soup w/homemade noodles but my salmon club was delicious. Yes, salmon!! Strongbow's is one of my favorite staples in NWI and I like taking my guest there for the warmth and service. It's nice to be able to relax when your having a meal.
(5)Derek C.
A valparaiso institution. They are known for their turkey and while it is good, I think the people that grew up here have an emotional attachment to it that exaggerates its subjective quality. That said, the bakery is very good as well. Having eaten their catering many times before I ever went to the restaurant, I can attest to the tastiness of their turkey pot pie. The restaurant itself is very traditionally decorated. Your grandmother would not be uncomfortable, in fact, she may think that she is at home.
(3)Carolyn G.
I had lunch here, and it was pretty good. You have to go in with the right mind-set, though... Almost everything on the menu has turkey in it. Apparently, the owners used to have a turkey farm. I guess that adds to its country charm. And, yes, it is decked out in country decor with the requisite white-haired ladies who lunch. I had the turkey croissant melt, which was pretty good. My only complaint is that it didn't come with chips or fries, which I didn't realize and the server didn't ask me if I wanted any. Given the lack of a side, the price makes for a really expensive sandwich! Service was quick and friendly. If I were in the area, and looking for a sit down place for lunch, this is a viable option. But, based on some of the restaurants I saw downtown, I'm guessing there are better options in Valparaiso.
(3)Nicole B.
Easter Sunday brunch is unbeatable!
(4)Emily U.
It's Thanksgiving all year round at Strongbow. Turkey dishes are what this Valpo inn prides itself on--turkey marsala, turkey oscar, turkey pot pie, etc., etc. I don't eat turkey, but I still managed to have a nice time here in part because Strongbow reminds me a bit of the restaurant my parents owned during my childhood with its old-school quirks like offering Jell-O with fruit in place of a salad. It made me wish Strongbow had been frozen in time, though, instead of having undergone a horrid update in the '80s or '90s, which does give it a kind of nursing-home ambiance. If they'd skipped the update, they'd now be totally retro cool, like the typeface on their sign. Besides the geriatric vibe, the service was really good and I loved the garlic-blue cheese dressing on the house salad. My sun-dried tomato Parmesan tortellini was a total gut-bomb, though.
(3)Linda B.
Did not get the dinner menu but a lunch menu on a Saturday after 3. The turkey dinner we anxiously awaited for was not on the lunch menu. Since it was our first time here we just didn't bother to ask our waitress. To start, my husband ordered some chili and I wanted to try the turkey noodle soup. While we waited we noticed that the restaurant was very quiet. There is smooth jazz music playing in the background making up for some of the noise, and most of the costumers were senior citizens (at least while we were there). The restaurant is nicely lit and organized, also very clean. We waited ages for the soups to be brought out. They were nothing to rave about. While we ate, we noticed that the other costumers who were seated before we arrived, got the enormous sized turkey dinners that were definitely not on our lunch menu. Receiving and eating the cold turkey sandwiches we had ordered was a bit disappointing. They were good but we would have liked it the other way around.
(3)Scott L.
Strongbows is decent, especially, as everyone has written, with what they do--turkey. You must like turkey to eat at Strongbows. The classic turkey dinner is a speciality. The prices can be high, but as most have remarked, they do what they do very well. To me, the restaurant is a one-hit wonder.
(3)Kris A.
Unless you really love turkey, there is no reason to go here except with your family after graduation.
(3)Tiff A.
We have been getting a Thanksgiving meal "to go" from a Strongbow for at least the past 5 years - this is a full dinner running around $200 so not just a turkey sandwich. I was extremely hesitant this year after a horrible experience last year when my husband and I had to spend an hour waiting in a tent that wasn't heated for them to finally bring our order out. This was just after the new owners had taken over. This year started out a bit rocky which is what caused me to rate 4 instead of 5 stars - they were advertising on their Facebook page late in Oct that they were taking orders so I called the restaurant to place my order and she told me they were all out of dinners. I hung up and was a bit bewildered - they are a restaurant that specializes in turkey, they have the info posted that day on their Facebook page and it's not exactly the last minute. I decided to call their office instead of just the restaurant and sure enough was able to place an order the next day. As we pulled up on Thanksgiving Day, there was signage that the order pickup was I the bar. So far so good - no tent without heat. I went in and the process looked much like it had before the new owners took over. My order wasn't quite ready, however, they told me it would be right up and it was within 10 minutes. The ladies taking care of the orders were going through each order to ensure everything was there and even offered to help me to the car which was a nice touch although I did not need assistance. We got home and the food was very good - the turkey was well prepared not dry at all and the sides and desserts were equally as tasty. The apple pie was an especially big hit. Looking forward to continuing our tradition next year.
(4)Sunfish S.
I have been enjoying meals at Strongbow's ever since I moved to Valpo in 1983. Unfortunately, when Strongbow's changed ownership recently, a LOT has gone downhill. The service is terrible...it seems as if NONE of the previous servers are there. The serve staff is rude, inexperienced and are clearly not accustomed to working in a fine establishment. It was very disappointing. The quality of the food seems to still be nice and their dinner rolls are still amazing. (Same recipe, apparently!) However, if you go there and are used to the PREVIOUS Strongbow's, be prepared to be disappointed. On a side note, the soft drinks tasted terrible. Maybe a poor water source? I don't remember a pepsi at Strongbow's tasting so terrible. Lastly, they were doing construction the entire time we were there. When we arrived, we had a hard time getting to the front door due to the construction vehicles crowding the area. When I mentioned this to the hostess, her only response was basically, "Yeah, they're trying to have the new bar open in two days. Isn't that great?" Yeah, for me, not so much. Throughout our entire dinner tonight we watched construction people paint, run shop vacs, and do other things that I had not wanted to experience while celebrating my mom's birthday at what we thought was a nice restaurant. They didn't even put up a curtain or anything...all the work was done in plain sight. The last straw was when they kept the doors open to carry things in and out and froze all the patrons this evening. I overheard the couple at the table next to ours complaining as well. TOO BAD Strongbow's is no longer owned by the wonderful family that had it for generations. PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED.
(2)Ron C.
What happen to strong bows ? They have a new bar area with a large selection of beers and wine. The food has changed! My wife and I stopped for dinner Tuesday night about 7pm. Very few cars in the parking lot. We entered the new bar area, which is nice and we sat by the fireplace. The soft hot rolls they once served were four stale rolls in a basket. The turkey pie was mostly dark meat and smelled of old turkey and tasted the same. Service was O.K., but our waitress had her boy friend at the bar and it was hard to get her attention. The waitress stated they had a new owner, people who own Luke Oil. We could tell things were different. They are not catering to the older crowd. Good luck! We will not be back, this use to be a great restaurant !
(2)Greg L.
My family is a fan of hosting private events at the Inn (birthdays, engagement parties, etc.). The buffet offers great options for every taste (including vegetarian) and there are breakfast and lunch items. There are also great deserts. The made to order omelette station is great. I'm looking forward to my next meal here.
(4)Jess H.
I used to love Strongbows, I even wrote a glowing review here before, but its changed. The new owners have ruined an iconic Valparaiso business. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, and the soul are all totally gone. Save your money and your memories of the old Strongbows and go somewhere else. What a loss.
(1)Kevin B.
My family has been going here since the late 60's when they still had the turkey farm behind the restaurant. I remember going there after dark one time in the winter and hearing the birds, scared the crap out of me. lol Yes, most dishes include turkey and it's not a Gordon Ramsey or Danny Meyer type of place. It's old fashioned country dining in a now large banquet type of facility. Always shoot for the main dining room, much more homey and warm. I went home to visit my dad this summer and he wanted to go because it was my mom's favorite place in town. The hot, open-faced turkey sandwich is still awesome and the cranberries are fresh as can be. If you're passing through or in town you really should give it a try.
(4)Joe R.
We stopped at Strongbow Inn after a special occasion with our daughter, a student at Valpo, based on the strength of other's recommendations. Our experience was mediocre. Frankly, my wife makes better, more juicy turkey. The portion sizes are adequate but not ample, except for the high carb portions such as mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. I would not compare this to "eating at Grandma's", as did one of the other reviewers - Grandma always offered seconds or thirds (and of course seconds are not offered here), and we didn't leave Grandma's with a significantly reduced wallet size. 2 in our party got the turkey pot pie, which was extremely dry - the ample portions of gravy helped out with this. My turkey dinner was a letdown after the awesome turkey dinner we had at home recently. It was 2 nice slices of white meat with a small piece of dark meat underneath (it seemed as if this was done to shim up the center of hte white meat to make it look like more). For $18, I would expect more than 2 slices and a small shim of turkey. My son's turkey schnitzel was ok but not great. Unfortunately he didn't care for the taste. The cranberry sauce and rolls were tasty. Service was ok. We saw our waitress to take our order, to deliver the food, and to deliver the bill. Water was delivered frequently. No one asked us how our dinner was or if we wanted anything else (except for the dessert). For the prices charged, I would have expected better service. Regarding the prices: They are high considering the quality of the food and service. For the 4 of us, without desserts or drinks, after tip, 80. I don't mind paying for dinner, but we all felt pretty disappointed with the experience. My daughter felt bad that we had spent that amount of money for what turned out to be a merely adequate dinner. We won't be back. I think we will stick with Round the Clock in the future. Our 3 visits there have been satisfying, the service has been perfectly OK, and they are not in business to extract every possible $$ from my wallet.
(3)Tina W.
Sick with what they do best--turkey, gravy, mashed, and cranberries. Can't wait to go back home in a few weeks and go to Strongbow's!
(4)Shannon K.
Strongbow has such a history in Valparaiso, and it feels like 'home'. However, I was there for lunch recently, and was surprised at how expensive it was! I ordered a turkey sandwich for $8.95 and got (really good) turkey with romaine lettuce on soft, white bread. That's it. No cheese, no chips or fries on the side. Too much $$. I think I'll save Strongbow Inn for a special event...or go to the buffet where at least I would get a variety. ps - I had a taste of the stuffing from my mom's lunch and it was Fan-tas-tic!!
(3)Neil A.
The place serves a good dinner - very traditional home style but unique enough to warrant a visit. It's the continuation of a turkey farm that housed a service station and restaurant for the last 75 years, so expect turkey-based treats. I had the pot pie and, while not the best I've ever had, it was still very satisfying. The beer selection was surprisingly good too: 3 Floyds, New Holland, et al. Everything inside has apparently been renovated recently, too, and it shows. Nice seating and a homey bar area.
(4)Mark L.
As of 3/29/15, open for Sunday brunch and banquets only.
(4)Lee P.
Tuesday night is Senior Night, and, man, the place was full of us gray hairs. Really good value specials for us old folks. I had the hot turkey sandwich and it was excellent. Not a bad by the glass wine list either. Sounds like the old guard locals are out of sorts about new ownership. But from a restaurant professional, this place has updated its service and presentation beautifully, while maintaining a unique menu focused on turkey. I love it.
(4)matt h.
My extended family has celebrated Thanksgiving the weekend before the holiday at Strongbow for the past seven years. But this year, we had a terrible experience, and we will not be back. The waiter got our drinks and took the order for our party of 16. But we had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for our food! No salads, no additional rolls, or anything. The waiter was MIA for nearly the entire time, and the restaurant was not even busy. When the food arrived, it was (not surprisingly) lukewarm, and several members of our party did not get gravy for their turkey and mashed potatoes. The quality of the food also did not seem to be as good as it had been in the past. After our lunch, I went to speak to the manager, and I had to wait 10 minutes to even talk to her (I think I see the problem). She said that she would speak to the waiter to see what happened and follow up with me. However, the manager could not even be bothered to come to our table to apologize or offer an explanation for the inordinate delay. The waiter offered us free desserts, but by that time the dining experience was already ruined. I would prefer to patronize unique, family-owned restaurants rather than national chains, but if this place does not turn things around, it will not be there much longer.
(1)Nicole B.
Not impressed. Considering I can make homemade food in my own kitchen this place really doesn't appeal to me. Then to top it off the prices are ridiculous considering what they are serving. Another typical Valpo elite spot.
(1)Cathy C.
Another fantastic dinner at Strongbows! Hey - if you come on a Saturday night, they run a great special that is two of them fantastic entrees plus an appetizer or a dessert for only $25!!!! Usually one entree by itself is $17-$18. Really great special. Plus, half price bottles of wine. The food and ambiance is always lovely here. Have been coming here for 45 years now and not stopping any time soon!
(5)Marianne D.
I have been to Strongbow Inn twice, once under the former management and today under the new staff. I don't consider either visit to be in a fine dining establishment. It's a place to get comfort food, not aesthetically pleasing. First, our server today, Lisa, was friendly and sweet, no complaints. She greeted us right away and got us drinks. The wine pours were very generous. The buffet on this visit was much more manageable and smaller than my first visit, a good value for $20pp. The omelet I had was cooked perfectly except the chef used way too much butter. I should have asked for cooking spray instead because the grease was overpowering. The prime rib was delicious, as was the cheesy whipped potatoes. On the way out, I bought a cupcake at the bakery to enjoy later. I am an avid cupcake baker and like to try different bakeries and Sunday was half price cupcake day. The maple bacon cupcake I bought was a sweet & salty delight. A moist cake with a flavorful light and airy buttercream topped with crispy bacon. So good! The reason I gave Strongbow Inn 4 stars is for the value, the generous wine pour, the tasty prime rib and the oh so good cupcake.
(4)Terry B.
Uneven. I have went and the food and beer selection is very good. Service is usually poor. Hard to get in and out of in and hour. Much better options in Valpo.
(2)Tiff A.
We have been getting a Thanksgiving meal "to go" from a Strongbow for at least the past 5 years - this is a full dinner running around $200 so not just a turkey sandwich. I was extremely hesitant this year after a horrible experience last year when my husband and I had to spend an hour waiting in a tent that wasn't heated for them to finally bring our order out. This was just after the new owners had taken over. This year started out a bit rocky which is what caused me to rate 4 instead of 5 stars - they were advertising on their Facebook page late in Oct that they were taking orders so I called the restaurant to place my order and she told me they were all out of dinners. I hung up and was a bit bewildered - they are a restaurant that specializes in turkey, they have the info posted that day on their Facebook page and it's not exactly the last minute. I decided to call their office instead of just the restaurant and sure enough was able to place an order the next day. As we pulled up on Thanksgiving Day, there was signage that the order pickup was I the bar. So far so good - no tent without heat. I went in and the process looked much like it had before the new owners took over. My order wasn't quite ready, however, they told me it would be right up and it was within 10 minutes. The ladies taking care of the orders were going through each order to ensure everything was there and even offered to help me to the car which was a nice touch although I did not need assistance. We got home and the food was very good - the turkey was well prepared not dry at all and the sides and desserts were equally as tasty. The apple pie was an especially big hit. Looking forward to continuing our tradition next year.
(4)Phillip C.
Went there last night for the buffet. It had a lot of great choices. I do wish there were more dessert choices and that the rolls weren't hard as a rock. The music performers that were there was way too cheesy. It would have been nice if they would have played either classical or pseudo contemporary pieces. The music played definitely did not match the environment. The customer service was nice, but you could tell that he had way too many tables.
(4)Amanda S.
Delicious. Excellent service. We enjoyed dinner in the bar area, outdoors. I had the Spinach Salad with a Raspberry Vinaigrette. Also, tried sweet potato disks and cottage cheese. Absolutely perfect combination.
(5)Sunfish S.
I have been enjoying meals at Strongbow's ever since I moved to Valpo in 1983. Unfortunately, when Strongbow's changed ownership recently, a LOT has gone downhill. The service is terrible...it seems as if NONE of the previous servers are there. The serve staff is rude, inexperienced and are clearly not accustomed to working in a fine establishment. It was very disappointing. The quality of the food seems to still be nice and their dinner rolls are still amazing. (Same recipe, apparently!) However, if you go there and are used to the PREVIOUS Strongbow's, be prepared to be disappointed. On a side note, the soft drinks tasted terrible. Maybe a poor water source? I don't remember a pepsi at Strongbow's tasting so terrible. Lastly, they were doing construction the entire time we were there. When we arrived, we had a hard time getting to the front door due to the construction vehicles crowding the area. When I mentioned this to the hostess, her only response was basically, "Yeah, they're trying to have the new bar open in two days. Isn't that great?" Yeah, for me, not so much. Throughout our entire dinner tonight we watched construction people paint, run shop vacs, and do other things that I had not wanted to experience while celebrating my mom's birthday at what we thought was a nice restaurant. They didn't even put up a curtain or anything...all the work was done in plain sight. The last straw was when they kept the doors open to carry things in and out and froze all the patrons this evening. I overheard the couple at the table next to ours complaining as well. TOO BAD Strongbow's is no longer owned by the wonderful family that had it for generations. PREPARE TO BE DISAPPOINTED.
(2)Kristen G.
This review is for the bakery... We initially contracted strongbow to do our wedding cake when the bakery was under different management. Several months before our wedding it changed management and from there it was very stressful. Management very immature/ missed a meeting in which we were to finalize the wedding and grooms cake. I will say that they did rectify the situation by waving delivery fees for both cakes so I decided to stay with them. When I saw my cake on the big day... I was disappointed. It was plain/ didn't have any of the scroll work that we discuses and was outlined in the contract. I didn't stress about it too much/ dwell on it.. But overall when the cake should be the fun part of wedding planning... It was the most stressful. Cake tastes ok, but I would not recommend strongbow bakery for a wedding cake.
(2)Nicole A.
We always order rolls and pies for thanksgiving from Strongbows. I just tried to talk to an actual person to see if they were still taking orders for thanksgiving. After 20 minutes of voice mailboxes, busy signals, and hang ups, the person I finally talked to a real person who transferred me yet again resulting in a disconnection. After calling back she THEN said they were no longer taking orders. It seems ever since the new owners took over the food has not been nearly as good and the service is far worse.
(1)Michael O.
Delicious brunch. Nice atmosphere. Definitely a place for a "group" brunch vs party of 2. Love the omelet bar!
(5)Marianne D.
I have been to Strongbow Inn twice, once under the former management and today under the new staff. I don't consider either visit to be in a fine dining establishment. It's a place to get comfort food, not aesthetically pleasing. First, our server today, Lisa, was friendly and sweet, no complaints. She greeted us right away and got us drinks. The wine pours were very generous. The buffet on this visit was much more manageable and smaller than my first visit, a good value for $20pp. The omelet I had was cooked perfectly except the chef used way too much butter. I should have asked for cooking spray instead because the grease was overpowering. The prime rib was delicious, as was the cheesy whipped potatoes. On the way out, I bought a cupcake at the bakery to enjoy later. I am an avid cupcake baker and like to try different bakeries and Sunday was half price cupcake day. The maple bacon cupcake I bought was a sweet & salty delight. A moist cake with a flavorful light and airy buttercream topped with crispy bacon. So good! The reason I gave Strongbow Inn 4 stars is for the value, the generous wine pour, the tasty prime rib and the oh so good cupcake.
(4)Neil A.
The place serves a good dinner - very traditional home style but unique enough to warrant a visit. It's the continuation of a turkey farm that housed a service station and restaurant for the last 75 years, so expect turkey-based treats. I had the pot pie and, while not the best I've ever had, it was still very satisfying. The beer selection was surprisingly good too: 3 Floyds, New Holland, et al. Everything inside has apparently been renovated recently, too, and it shows. Nice seating and a homey bar area.
(4)Mark L.
As of 3/29/15, open for Sunday brunch and banquets only.
(4)Terry B.
Uneven. I have went and the food and beer selection is very good. Service is usually poor. Hard to get in and out of in and hour. Much better options in Valpo.
(2)Dominique K.
I'm a turkey fan, and this place was right near the hotel where we stayed while visiting Valparaiso. The restaurant seems a little old-school, dinner-clubby...which really suited it. We figured turkey dinner was the way to go here as it's the specialty, and everyone around us seemed to be ordering turkey dinner or turkey pot pies. The food's not fancy, but I like going places with their own local tradition...and I loved the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings here.
(4)Roland S.
Neat place. It's a nice, big space with homey wood-beam and country decor. They had several variations on the classic turkey dinner. The two we had were both very good but a bit pricey for the portions. The food has that old-fashioned, down-home recipe thing going for it. The service was friendly and adequate, but as others mentioned, big groups and obvious regulars seemed to be getting much better treatment. The pastry case was filled with delicious-looking goodies, too.
(4)Lee P.
Tuesday night is Senior Night, and, man, the place was full of us gray hairs. Really good value specials for us old folks. I had the hot turkey sandwich and it was excellent. Not a bad by the glass wine list either. Sounds like the old guard locals are out of sorts about new ownership. But from a restaurant professional, this place has updated its service and presentation beautifully, while maintaining a unique menu focused on turkey. I love it.
(4)matt h.
My extended family has celebrated Thanksgiving the weekend before the holiday at Strongbow for the past seven years. But this year, we had a terrible experience, and we will not be back. The waiter got our drinks and took the order for our party of 16. But we had to wait an hour and fifteen minutes for our food! No salads, no additional rolls, or anything. The waiter was MIA for nearly the entire time, and the restaurant was not even busy. When the food arrived, it was (not surprisingly) lukewarm, and several members of our party did not get gravy for their turkey and mashed potatoes. The quality of the food also did not seem to be as good as it had been in the past. After our lunch, I went to speak to the manager, and I had to wait 10 minutes to even talk to her (I think I see the problem). She said that she would speak to the waiter to see what happened and follow up with me. However, the manager could not even be bothered to come to our table to apologize or offer an explanation for the inordinate delay. The waiter offered us free desserts, but by that time the dining experience was already ruined. I would prefer to patronize unique, family-owned restaurants rather than national chains, but if this place does not turn things around, it will not be there much longer.
(1)Nicole B.
Not impressed. Considering I can make homemade food in my own kitchen this place really doesn't appeal to me. Then to top it off the prices are ridiculous considering what they are serving. Another typical Valpo elite spot.
(1)Cathy C.
Another fantastic dinner at Strongbows! Hey - if you come on a Saturday night, they run a great special that is two of them fantastic entrees plus an appetizer or a dessert for only $25!!!! Usually one entree by itself is $17-$18. Really great special. Plus, half price bottles of wine. The food and ambiance is always lovely here. Have been coming here for 45 years now and not stopping any time soon!
(5)Greg L.
My family is a fan of hosting private events at the Inn (birthdays, engagement parties, etc.). The buffet offers great options for every taste (including vegetarian) and there are breakfast and lunch items. There are also great deserts. The made to order omelette station is great. I'm looking forward to my next meal here.
(4)Jess H.
I used to love Strongbows, I even wrote a glowing review here before, but its changed. The new owners have ruined an iconic Valparaiso business. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, and the soul are all totally gone. Save your money and your memories of the old Strongbows and go somewhere else. What a loss.
(1)Kristen G.
This review is for the bakery... We initially contracted strongbow to do our wedding cake when the bakery was under different management. Several months before our wedding it changed management and from there it was very stressful. Management very immature/ missed a meeting in which we were to finalize the wedding and grooms cake. I will say that they did rectify the situation by waving delivery fees for both cakes so I decided to stay with them. When I saw my cake on the big day... I was disappointed. It was plain/ didn't have any of the scroll work that we discuses and was outlined in the contract. I didn't stress about it too much/ dwell on it.. But overall when the cake should be the fun part of wedding planning... It was the most stressful. Cake tastes ok, but I would not recommend strongbow bakery for a wedding cake.
(2)Phillip C.
Went there last night for the buffet. It had a lot of great choices. I do wish there were more dessert choices and that the rolls weren't hard as a rock. The music performers that were there was way too cheesy. It would have been nice if they would have played either classical or pseudo contemporary pieces. The music played definitely did not match the environment. The customer service was nice, but you could tell that he had way too many tables.
(4)Amanda S.
Delicious. Excellent service. We enjoyed dinner in the bar area, outdoors. I had the Spinach Salad with a Raspberry Vinaigrette. Also, tried sweet potato disks and cottage cheese. Absolutely perfect combination.
(5)Nicole A.
We always order rolls and pies for thanksgiving from Strongbows. I just tried to talk to an actual person to see if they were still taking orders for thanksgiving. After 20 minutes of voice mailboxes, busy signals, and hang ups, the person I finally talked to a real person who transferred me yet again resulting in a disconnection. After calling back she THEN said they were no longer taking orders. It seems ever since the new owners took over the food has not been nearly as good and the service is far worse.
(1)Michael O.
Delicious brunch. Nice atmosphere. Definitely a place for a "group" brunch vs party of 2. Love the omelet bar!
(5)Ron C.
What happen to strong bows ? They have a new bar area with a large selection of beers and wine. The food has changed! My wife and I stopped for dinner Tuesday night about 7pm. Very few cars in the parking lot. We entered the new bar area, which is nice and we sat by the fireplace. The soft hot rolls they once served were four stale rolls in a basket. The turkey pie was mostly dark meat and smelled of old turkey and tasted the same. Service was O.K., but our waitress had her boy friend at the bar and it was hard to get her attention. The waitress stated they had a new owner, people who own Luke Oil. We could tell things were different. They are not catering to the older crowd. Good luck! We will not be back, this use to be a great restaurant !
(2)Jeff W.
I'm a Valparaiso native, and I've never had a bad experience at Strongbow's until last night. I was there with a group of family members for dinner. It took 2-1/2 hours from sitting down until we *finally* got the bill. The waitress eventually admitted that she hadn't put the order in when she should have - I'm not sure what that meant - shouldn't that have been immediately after we ordered? When our food was finally served, it was generally good, with two exceptions: (1) one member of our party is gluten-intolerant, and Strongbow's formerly wonderful gluten-free rolls were described as being "like eating a sponge, a slightly burned sponge with a fishy undertaste", (2) two of us ordered the turkey schnitzel - it wasn't until later that I realized what was wrong with mine: they'd neglected to serve the gravy that goes with it. At the end, we waited and waited to get the bill, only to be told that the computers had crashed and were rebooting, and that they couldn't tell us how much we owed. Why they didn't seem to grasp how unhappy we were and just figure it out by hand is beyond me. They *finally* produced a bill after we got up to leave and put our coats on. It's actually weird that it worked that way... Through it all the wait staff showed none of the old Strongbow graciousness. I was really expecting to get a visit from the manager to apologize for the mishaps, because that's the kind of place that Strongbow's was before the ownership change, but apparently not anymore. Sad. They actually weren't all that busy for a Friday night - now we know why. A final note: the bakery no longer has the gluten-free cookies. And one more: the aviation-themed "Wild Blue Yonder" lounge (with the view of Neuschwanstein Castle) is gone. The new owners built a new bar area - it has the ambiance of a hospital waiting room (to quote a member of our party).
(1)Michael T.
Loved the fall off the bone Roasted Turkey Leg that was so tender...I ordered another to go! It's traditional turkey with basic dinner sides. The Sweet Potatoes and Mashed Potatoes with butter where smooth and creamy Good.
(3)Miguel M.
Had thanksgiving dinner here last year. Food was excellent. Desserts were a little too sweet for me, but that's me. Quite a drive for a turkey dinner, but fuck it. The food was worth it. Will try again if out in this part of the Midwest.
(4)Lilly L.
A trip toValpo isn't a trip to Valpo if don't get a chance to eat here. The bar/lounge section is most unique that I know. The unique menu items are often amazing. The turkey is plane mid America fair.
(5)Jessica M.
The restaurant is very traditionally decorated and structured, hence providing a cozy and warm environment for dine-in. I've been there for their bakery and lunch, and I absolutely adore every aspect of it. Let's start with their bakery. I've ordered a dozen of the designer purse cookies at $2 per piece. $2 sounds a bit pricey for just a cookie but I disagree because they were very buttery and savory, yet not too sweet. Some of the cookies had pellets resembling a silver ornament/accessory but they were edible. I've also ordered the 8 inch carrot cake. The cake was rather heavy, to the point where I thought I had purchased a cheesecake instead. It was extremely rich in carrots and the cake remained moist even though we didn't devour it until 12 hours after the purchase. As for lunch, I've tried the turkey breast/bacon and salmon club sandwiches as well as the fried chicken tenders wrap. They were very tasty, but the salmon club left the strongest impression. The grilled salmon was so juicy and tender that it became my favorite dish to order whenever I dined at Strongbow. Their crème brulee is also amazing. You don't have to go to a French restaurant to try some gourmet dessert because Strongbow has them! P.S. The staff and waitresses are very courteous!
(5)Anne S.
We went here for my sister's birthday dinner. (She missed Thanksgiving, so she wanted to recreate it. I'm not sure why we had to drive all the way to Valparaiso for Thanksgiving, but everything was good so I'm not complaining). The restaurant is really nice looking. We were dressed up, and this did feel like a special occasion. The restaurant is really pretty inside, and the rooms are broken up well so that you don't feel crowded, (They have a couple of banquet rooms and a meeting room. This definitely seems like a great place to have a big event). Everyone was really friendly, and our server was quite helpful. We had a lot of food, and all of it was good. I had the signature turkey dinner. for $19 it included soup, salad, a roll, turkey, corn, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and apple pie. It was quite a bit of food. (Granted there wasn't that much turkey on the plate, but it was still a lot of food). I wasn't that crazy about the mashed potatoes, but everything else was great. I also tried the scallops (there were a special, but they were amazing), the fried shrimp (best fried shrimp I've had in a long time, they actually had flavor beyond the breading), the turkey oscar (I wasn't crazy about it, but my dad loved it). As if we didn't have enough food from dinner, we ordered dessert. My apple pie was good. My brother's chocolate sourcream cake with raspberry mousse was amazing. That is how dessert should be! It was rich and delicious! The pecan chocolate chip pie with ice cream was also really great. It would be hard to choose just one of their desserts.
(4)Glen S.
It is better to go here in a group rather than just as a couple. That being said, as everyone else has said, get the turkey. I never had a bad experience here and they tended to treat larger groups a little better. I had a few banquets here as well as graduation parties, all of them did the trick. That is all pretty much.
(3)Emily U.
It's Thanksgiving all year round at Strongbow. Turkey dishes are what this Valpo inn prides itself on--turkey marsala, turkey oscar, turkey pot pie, etc., etc. I don't eat turkey, but I still managed to have a nice time here in part because Strongbow reminds me a bit of the restaurant my parents owned during my childhood with its old-school quirks like offering Jell-O with fruit in place of a salad. It made me wish Strongbow had been frozen in time, though, instead of having undergone a horrid update in the '80s or '90s, which does give it a kind of nursing-home ambiance. If they'd skipped the update, they'd now be totally retro cool, like the typeface on their sign. Besides the geriatric vibe, the service was really good and I loved the garlic-blue cheese dressing on the house salad. My sun-dried tomato Parmesan tortellini was a total gut-bomb, though.
(3)Linda B.
Did not get the dinner menu but a lunch menu on a Saturday after 3. The turkey dinner we anxiously awaited for was not on the lunch menu. Since it was our first time here we just didn't bother to ask our waitress. To start, my husband ordered some chili and I wanted to try the turkey noodle soup. While we waited we noticed that the restaurant was very quiet. There is smooth jazz music playing in the background making up for some of the noise, and most of the costumers were senior citizens (at least while we were there). The restaurant is nicely lit and organized, also very clean. We waited ages for the soups to be brought out. They were nothing to rave about. While we ate, we noticed that the other costumers who were seated before we arrived, got the enormous sized turkey dinners that were definitely not on our lunch menu. Receiving and eating the cold turkey sandwiches we had ordered was a bit disappointing. They were good but we would have liked it the other way around.
(3)Scott L.
Strongbows is decent, especially, as everyone has written, with what they do--turkey. You must like turkey to eat at Strongbows. The classic turkey dinner is a speciality. The prices can be high, but as most have remarked, they do what they do very well. To me, the restaurant is a one-hit wonder.
(3)Kris A.
Unless you really love turkey, there is no reason to go here except with your family after graduation.
(3)Dominique K.
I'm a turkey fan, and this place was right near the hotel where we stayed while visiting Valparaiso. The restaurant seems a little old-school, dinner-clubby...which really suited it. We figured turkey dinner was the way to go here as it's the specialty, and everyone around us seemed to be ordering turkey dinner or turkey pot pies. The food's not fancy, but I like going places with their own local tradition...and I loved the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings here.
(4)Glen S.
It is better to go here in a group rather than just as a couple. That being said, as everyone else has said, get the turkey. I never had a bad experience here and they tended to treat larger groups a little better. I had a few banquets here as well as graduation parties, all of them did the trick. That is all pretty much.
(3)Roland S.
Neat place. It's a nice, big space with homey wood-beam and country decor. They had several variations on the classic turkey dinner. The two we had were both very good but a bit pricey for the portions. The food has that old-fashioned, down-home recipe thing going for it. The service was friendly and adequate, but as others mentioned, big groups and obvious regulars seemed to be getting much better treatment. The pastry case was filled with delicious-looking goodies, too.
(4)Jeff W.
I'm a Valparaiso native, and I've never had a bad experience at Strongbow's until last night. I was there with a group of family members for dinner. It took 2-1/2 hours from sitting down until we *finally* got the bill. The waitress eventually admitted that she hadn't put the order in when she should have - I'm not sure what that meant - shouldn't that have been immediately after we ordered? When our food was finally served, it was generally good, with two exceptions: (1) one member of our party is gluten-intolerant, and Strongbow's formerly wonderful gluten-free rolls were described as being "like eating a sponge, a slightly burned sponge with a fishy undertaste", (2) two of us ordered the turkey schnitzel - it wasn't until later that I realized what was wrong with mine: they'd neglected to serve the gravy that goes with it. At the end, we waited and waited to get the bill, only to be told that the computers had crashed and were rebooting, and that they couldn't tell us how much we owed. Why they didn't seem to grasp how unhappy we were and just figure it out by hand is beyond me. They *finally* produced a bill after we got up to leave and put our coats on. It's actually weird that it worked that way... Through it all the wait staff showed none of the old Strongbow graciousness. I was really expecting to get a visit from the manager to apologize for the mishaps, because that's the kind of place that Strongbow's was before the ownership change, but apparently not anymore. Sad. They actually weren't all that busy for a Friday night - now we know why. A final note: the bakery no longer has the gluten-free cookies. And one more: the aviation-themed "Wild Blue Yonder" lounge (with the view of Neuschwanstein Castle) is gone. The new owners built a new bar area - it has the ambiance of a hospital waiting room (to quote a member of our party).
(1)Michael T.
Loved the fall off the bone Roasted Turkey Leg that was so tender...I ordered another to go! It's traditional turkey with basic dinner sides. The Sweet Potatoes and Mashed Potatoes with butter where smooth and creamy Good.
(3)Miguel M.
Had thanksgiving dinner here last year. Food was excellent. Desserts were a little too sweet for me, but that's me. Quite a drive for a turkey dinner, but fuck it. The food was worth it. Will try again if out in this part of the Midwest.
(4)Heather G.
My parents took me and my four year old triplets to the Strongbow last Wednesday night, and we were surprised to see that they had a dinner buffet. All of the food was fresh and delicious, and the live band was a lot of fun. My favorite entres were the massive turkey legs, the pasta saute station, and the wide range of desserts. While the adult prices were a little expensive, each kid ate free with a paying adult which made dinner a bargain for the six of us! We will definitely be back.
(4)Jessica M.
The restaurant is very traditionally decorated and structured, hence providing a cozy and warm environment for dine-in. I've been there for their bakery and lunch, and I absolutely adore every aspect of it. Let's start with their bakery. I've ordered a dozen of the designer purse cookies at $2 per piece. $2 sounds a bit pricey for just a cookie but I disagree because they were very buttery and savory, yet not too sweet. Some of the cookies had pellets resembling a silver ornament/accessory but they were edible. I've also ordered the 8 inch carrot cake. The cake was rather heavy, to the point where I thought I had purchased a cheesecake instead. It was extremely rich in carrots and the cake remained moist even though we didn't devour it until 12 hours after the purchase. As for lunch, I've tried the turkey breast/bacon and salmon club sandwiches as well as the fried chicken tenders wrap. They were very tasty, but the salmon club left the strongest impression. The grilled salmon was so juicy and tender that it became my favorite dish to order whenever I dined at Strongbow. Their crème brulee is also amazing. You don't have to go to a French restaurant to try some gourmet dessert because Strongbow has them! P.S. The staff and waitresses are very courteous!
(5)Anne S.
We went here for my sister's birthday dinner. (She missed Thanksgiving, so she wanted to recreate it. I'm not sure why we had to drive all the way to Valparaiso for Thanksgiving, but everything was good so I'm not complaining). The restaurant is really nice looking. We were dressed up, and this did feel like a special occasion. The restaurant is really pretty inside, and the rooms are broken up well so that you don't feel crowded, (They have a couple of banquet rooms and a meeting room. This definitely seems like a great place to have a big event). Everyone was really friendly, and our server was quite helpful. We had a lot of food, and all of it was good. I had the signature turkey dinner. for $19 it included soup, salad, a roll, turkey, corn, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and apple pie. It was quite a bit of food. (Granted there wasn't that much turkey on the plate, but it was still a lot of food). I wasn't that crazy about the mashed potatoes, but everything else was great. I also tried the scallops (there were a special, but they were amazing), the fried shrimp (best fried shrimp I've had in a long time, they actually had flavor beyond the breading), the turkey oscar (I wasn't crazy about it, but my dad loved it). As if we didn't have enough food from dinner, we ordered dessert. My apple pie was good. My brother's chocolate sourcream cake with raspberry mousse was amazing. That is how dessert should be! It was rich and delicious! The pecan chocolate chip pie with ice cream was also really great. It would be hard to choose just one of their desserts.
(4)Lilly L.
A trip toValpo isn't a trip to Valpo if don't get a chance to eat here. The bar/lounge section is most unique that I know. The unique menu items are often amazing. The turkey is plane mid America fair.
(5)Leanne H.
Having been a fan of this restaurant for more years than I can count, the food still remains consistently excellent and the service is genuinely friendly. Well known for the variety of their turkey offerings, my favorite continues to be their turkey pot pie. I have sampled their fish and salads as well. Every meal has been prepared 100% to my satisfaction. It is the attention to detail such as the hostess removing a glass not 100% clean to the linen table napkins to the overall quiet ambiance. Also the lounge is probably one of my most favorite places because you have the experience of sitting in an older airline when airplane travel was with linen and glassware. The airplane models hanging from the ceiling provide additional amusement if not fodder for great conversation. Sunday's brunch provide a wide range of food assortment from carved ham to biscuits and gravy. I always leave Strongbox whether it is for lunch or dinner full and very satisfied. Northwest Indiana is blessed to have another family owned restaurant than has managed to succeed through both the good and bad times.
(5)Laura C.
Why mess with tradition? We were fortunate enough to be around for the Wednesday night buffet with live jazz ensemble. It was a gutbuster! For $17.95, you had fresh hot sliced turkey, turkey legs, dressing, glazed carrots, skin on mashed potatoes with gravy, corn niblets, a fresh pasta bar (made to order), cranberry relish and a salad bar that had traditional as well as something you can only find at the strongbow inn (at least, I have only found it there) green bean with blue cheese salad. Of course, after three trips, I had no room for dessert. If pie had been present, I may have had a slice. select drinks are included with the buffet.
(4)David B.
Famous for its turkey schnitzel, so I tried it. What the heck? Not like any schnitzel I'd had before, it had the consistency and flavor (and size: very small for the price) of a home-made potato pancake.
(2)Dave S.
We went here for Sunday brunch. The buffet was MASSIVE. My eyes opened up wide like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw the buffet stretch as far as the eye could see! I was in food nirvana! When I started my mass consumption, i think I tried nearly everything and I was not disappointed. Everything was pretty good! I was not overwhelmed or disappointed with anything. The pickiest eater will find something they can enjoy! I can't really comment too much on the service because my interactions were minimal at the brunch although the people I did speak with were very friendly.
(4)Laura C.
Held our wedding reception here and the food was amazing! The wedding cake was melt in your mouth fantabulous. The service was classy. Highly recommend them for parties and weddings!
(5)Renita M.
Eating here is like eating at your grandma's, only it's really fancy and they charge you for your food. My mom and I were celebrating a milestone birthday for me with a weekend in Valparaiso (hey, it was halfway) and were staying next door to the Strongbow Inn. So we pretty much had to check it out. At first glance it seemed a little expensive -- most of the entrees are in the $15-20+ range and the famed turkey dinner is about $18 I think -- but it does include a lot of food. And we discovered that they have a "4 to 6" menu that has some inexpensive options in somewhat smaller portions. My mom went for a soup-and-sandwich combo that included a turkey sandwich and she opted for a carrot ginger soup that was a special that day. And I went off the beaten path with a tilapia special that included salad, red potatoes and some sort of bizarre red sauerkrauty stuff. The food was pretty good, I will say. The house dressing was this garlicky vinagrette with bleu cheese that was unusual and tasty. The fish was cooked well and seasoned deliciously. The potatoes were fine, and I'm really not a sauerkraut fan at all, but I guess if you like sauerkraut... I also did try a bit of mom's turkey, and it was moist, but not overly flavorful. And her sandwich was a bit on the skimpy side. I personally found the menu a bit limited. If you love turkey dinners, you're golden, but otherwise, there weren't a ton of choices. And the appetizer options included things like turkey pate. Sorry. Just not my thing. Service was good, friendly, we felt underdressed in our jeans and casual shirts. I'd go back if someone I was with really wanted to, and if they were paying I'd get the big turkey dinner, but there are other fancy options in Valpo I'd just as soon check out next time...
(3)Suzie S.
I have attended three different showers here and was not impressed with the food or dessert. The turkey, and stuffing were both extremely dry each time.
(2)Nancy H.
Really good turkey and trimmings other than the stuffing which is nothing but dry bread with no apparent seasoning? They also make one of the best chocolate martinis anywhere!
(5)Caroline A.
Holy Brownie Heaven. Yes, my friends, these were my thoughts when I sunk my teeth into one of Strongbow Inn's heavenly triangle of chocolate bliss! We had a dinner catered by Strongbow and they were excellent! Their menu mostly features comfort food goodness, and portion sizes are great for large group get togethers and events. We had fresh fruits, a salad with delicious blue cheese and garlic dressing, baked mostacolli, barbecue pulled pork and chocolate cake. It was a food coma inducing meal, but totally worth it. The brownies deserve their own paragraph because they are THAT good. I actually had one the day after, and it was still fresh, gooey and delicious. If you're in Indiana and in need of some home cooking, Strongbow is a strong choice!
(4)Tony S.
I have lived in Valpo for over 25 years and dine out on a regular basis. We always try to stay in our town, going from one eatery to another. We will never return to Strongbow Inn. Over priced for half the portions. Buffet ran out of food after I placed my order. Waitress said that happens, you need to get here earlier. It was 6:30. My advice......just pass it by and go to a real restaurant.
(1)Mike K.
The restaurant was huge, serving some 4,000 dinners, a testimony to the process they have perfected since opening in 1940. When we pulled into the parking lot there were two men in the lot to direct us to the right door, the one marked with an "A." In the lobby where we waited for about 15 minutes, was a refrigerated case filled with the most delicious looking cakes, tortes and etc., none of which, however were to be found on the buffet. Many other desserts were though, including pumpkin, cherry and apple pies, carrot cake, brownies, and all manner of little cakes filled with chocolate mousse and other sweet and delicious things. There were many types of salads, all of which were delicious. Meat carvers at two meat carving stations had both turkey and ham as well as a white gravy, the kind you would have with biscuits. Unfortunately the inexperienced carvers butchered the meat leaving gristle in my turkey and my slice of ham was nearly all fat. At another station several cooks sauteed pastas, bows and tortellini with your choice of onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese with either marinara or alfredo sauce. The hot foods in steamers included mashed potatoes, yams (which appeared to be right from the can), corn (also the canned variety), stuffing (bland), and turkey legs. Of course there was also the ever present cranberry sauce, and thankfully it was not of the can shaped gelatin variety. All in all it was a fair substitute for a home cooked Thanksgiving Dinner, though the white (starchy) gravy was a major disappointment compared to the brown turkey gravy to which I am accustomed. Then I was surprised when the check arrived and the buffet was $35.95 each. I had thought it was $18.95 each. I am not accustomed to paying that high a price for neither a buffet nor home cooked food. We enjoyed two of their five white wine selections, one a Liebfraumilch the other a Riesling. I don't think I will return unless I am in the area looking for a nice German Chocolate Cake.
(2)Reed H.
Strongbow is an old landmark restaurant that has completely fallen off. The dining room is very old-looking. The food is overpriced and just not very good. The famous "Turkey Dinner" is flavorless from the turkey all the way down to the potatoes and gravy. The bakery is the only thing that i can really enjoy; that's the only reason it's not a 1 star review
(2)Christine M.
Ahhhh Strongbow. Where to start.................Turkey is their specialty. They used to have live turkeys on the property. My mother says I used to be afraid of the turkeys when they would go there when I was little. They have a piano player with the brunch on Sunday. The Jeff Brown trio on Wednesday nights with a buffet. They make a garlic dressing that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. The menu has a good selection so everyone should be able to find something to their liking. Staff has always been very nice and accomodating. The chefs are friendly at the buffets. They also offering catering on and off the premises. It really is a must visit when in Valparaiso.
(4)Page M.
Disappointed. The turkey pot pie, which had been the reason I sought the place out, was dry and tasteless, as was the pale gravy meant to accompany it. And please tell me, if one serves turkey pot pie, why are the side dishes mashed potatoes and stuffing? Yikes. Not a vegetable in sight, only more starch. The only thing I truly liked was the garlic blue cheese dressing on the salad, the only green. This menu needs a revamp. It's decades out of date.
(1)Beer H.
Turkey, turkey, turkey, and more turkey!!!!!!!! The wife and I went to my parents house for my moms birthday. My mom wanted to go to Strongbow's for lunch. We jumped in the car and headed to Valpo. It's kind of strange that I had never ben to Strongbows ,and I lived in the area for most of my life. Even stranger, my wife is a turkey junky, and we never went here! A bit of advice, if you go here on a Sunday around noon, you had better have a reservation. They told us the wait was about an hour. Even MORE strange, that was the first time I had ever been told I would have to wait more more then 15 minutes for a table in Indiana! We ended up getting a table after about 30 minutes. I was sooooo happy when we got to our table. There was a pastry case in the lobby , and I was going nuts looking at all of those deserts! If I ever need to get any information out of anyone. I won't feed them breakfast, and plop them if front of this case at around 1 , and they will tell me anything I want to hear to get at that pastry case! The buffet was one of the better ones I have been to in a long time. We started at the salad bar. Nothing out of the ordinary, However, there were some pastries at the end of the table, and I planned to save room for some of those guys! There were a ton of options, there was a omelet station, and your basic thanks giving food. I went with the green bean casserole, stuffing, ribs, and turkey. It was all wonderful! Then I the the pastry table hard. Well worth the wait! I'm kind of sad that we didn't go here more often when I lived here, but it gives us something to look forward to when we come back!
(4)Billie R.
Have been hearing about this brunch for years! Took a small group( I have a large family- this was perfect for us) for my birthday- and everyone was able to find something pleasing! I loved the turkey, and the salad choices were great. The live music (a guy was playing the piano) was a great touch!
(4)Ken M.
I've visited Strongbow's off and on for 20 years. Most recent visit was a little disappointing. The food was above average but the service was very poor. Our server didn't know the menu well (it's turkey) and was incredibly slow even though the place was not full. The bakery, however, is absolutely amazing. I wish it were larger so they could offer more selections.
(2)Eri G.
Excellent food! Their turkey dishes are the best I've ever had, and the drum stick meal is my favorite.
(5)Mario V.
please try turkey loved everything except cornbread stuffing!
(4)Heather G.
My parents took me and my four year old triplets to the Strongbow last Wednesday night, and we were surprised to see that they had a dinner buffet. All of the food was fresh and delicious, and the live band was a lot of fun. My favorite entres were the massive turkey legs, the pasta saute station, and the wide range of desserts. While the adult prices were a little expensive, each kid ate free with a paying adult which made dinner a bargain for the six of us! We will definitely be back.
(4)Leanne H.
Having been a fan of this restaurant for more years than I can count, the food still remains consistently excellent and the service is genuinely friendly. Well known for the variety of their turkey offerings, my favorite continues to be their turkey pot pie. I have sampled their fish and salads as well. Every meal has been prepared 100% to my satisfaction. It is the attention to detail such as the hostess removing a glass not 100% clean to the linen table napkins to the overall quiet ambiance. Also the lounge is probably one of my most favorite places because you have the experience of sitting in an older airline when airplane travel was with linen and glassware. The airplane models hanging from the ceiling provide additional amusement if not fodder for great conversation. Sunday's brunch provide a wide range of food assortment from carved ham to biscuits and gravy. I always leave Strongbox whether it is for lunch or dinner full and very satisfied. Northwest Indiana is blessed to have another family owned restaurant than has managed to succeed through both the good and bad times.
(5)Laura C.
Why mess with tradition? We were fortunate enough to be around for the Wednesday night buffet with live jazz ensemble. It was a gutbuster! For $17.95, you had fresh hot sliced turkey, turkey legs, dressing, glazed carrots, skin on mashed potatoes with gravy, corn niblets, a fresh pasta bar (made to order), cranberry relish and a salad bar that had traditional as well as something you can only find at the strongbow inn (at least, I have only found it there) green bean with blue cheese salad. Of course, after three trips, I had no room for dessert. If pie had been present, I may have had a slice. select drinks are included with the buffet.
(4)David B.
Famous for its turkey schnitzel, so I tried it. What the heck? Not like any schnitzel I'd had before, it had the consistency and flavor (and size: very small for the price) of a home-made potato pancake.
(2)Dave S.
We went here for Sunday brunch. The buffet was MASSIVE. My eyes opened up wide like a kid on Christmas morning when I saw the buffet stretch as far as the eye could see! I was in food nirvana! When I started my mass consumption, i think I tried nearly everything and I was not disappointed. Everything was pretty good! I was not overwhelmed or disappointed with anything. The pickiest eater will find something they can enjoy! I can't really comment too much on the service because my interactions were minimal at the brunch although the people I did speak with were very friendly.
(4)Laura C.
Held our wedding reception here and the food was amazing! The wedding cake was melt in your mouth fantabulous. The service was classy. Highly recommend them for parties and weddings!
(5)Renita M.
Eating here is like eating at your grandma's, only it's really fancy and they charge you for your food. My mom and I were celebrating a milestone birthday for me with a weekend in Valparaiso (hey, it was halfway) and were staying next door to the Strongbow Inn. So we pretty much had to check it out. At first glance it seemed a little expensive -- most of the entrees are in the $15-20+ range and the famed turkey dinner is about $18 I think -- but it does include a lot of food. And we discovered that they have a "4 to 6" menu that has some inexpensive options in somewhat smaller portions. My mom went for a soup-and-sandwich combo that included a turkey sandwich and she opted for a carrot ginger soup that was a special that day. And I went off the beaten path with a tilapia special that included salad, red potatoes and some sort of bizarre red sauerkrauty stuff. The food was pretty good, I will say. The house dressing was this garlicky vinagrette with bleu cheese that was unusual and tasty. The fish was cooked well and seasoned deliciously. The potatoes were fine, and I'm really not a sauerkraut fan at all, but I guess if you like sauerkraut... I also did try a bit of mom's turkey, and it was moist, but not overly flavorful. And her sandwich was a bit on the skimpy side. I personally found the menu a bit limited. If you love turkey dinners, you're golden, but otherwise, there weren't a ton of choices. And the appetizer options included things like turkey pate. Sorry. Just not my thing. Service was good, friendly, we felt underdressed in our jeans and casual shirts. I'd go back if someone I was with really wanted to, and if they were paying I'd get the big turkey dinner, but there are other fancy options in Valpo I'd just as soon check out next time...
(3)Suzie S.
I have attended three different showers here and was not impressed with the food or dessert. The turkey, and stuffing were both extremely dry each time.
(2)Nancy H.
Really good turkey and trimmings other than the stuffing which is nothing but dry bread with no apparent seasoning? They also make one of the best chocolate martinis anywhere!
(5)Caroline A.
Holy Brownie Heaven. Yes, my friends, these were my thoughts when I sunk my teeth into one of Strongbow Inn's heavenly triangle of chocolate bliss! We had a dinner catered by Strongbow and they were excellent! Their menu mostly features comfort food goodness, and portion sizes are great for large group get togethers and events. We had fresh fruits, a salad with delicious blue cheese and garlic dressing, baked mostacolli, barbecue pulled pork and chocolate cake. It was a food coma inducing meal, but totally worth it. The brownies deserve their own paragraph because they are THAT good. I actually had one the day after, and it was still fresh, gooey and delicious. If you're in Indiana and in need of some home cooking, Strongbow is a strong choice!
(4)Tony S.
I have lived in Valpo for over 25 years and dine out on a regular basis. We always try to stay in our town, going from one eatery to another. We will never return to Strongbow Inn. Over priced for half the portions. Buffet ran out of food after I placed my order. Waitress said that happens, you need to get here earlier. It was 6:30. My advice......just pass it by and go to a real restaurant.
(1)Mike K.
The restaurant was huge, serving some 4,000 dinners, a testimony to the process they have perfected since opening in 1940. When we pulled into the parking lot there were two men in the lot to direct us to the right door, the one marked with an "A." In the lobby where we waited for about 15 minutes, was a refrigerated case filled with the most delicious looking cakes, tortes and etc., none of which, however were to be found on the buffet. Many other desserts were though, including pumpkin, cherry and apple pies, carrot cake, brownies, and all manner of little cakes filled with chocolate mousse and other sweet and delicious things. There were many types of salads, all of which were delicious. Meat carvers at two meat carving stations had both turkey and ham as well as a white gravy, the kind you would have with biscuits. Unfortunately the inexperienced carvers butchered the meat leaving gristle in my turkey and my slice of ham was nearly all fat. At another station several cooks sauteed pastas, bows and tortellini with your choice of onions, peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and cheese with either marinara or alfredo sauce. The hot foods in steamers included mashed potatoes, yams (which appeared to be right from the can), corn (also the canned variety), stuffing (bland), and turkey legs. Of course there was also the ever present cranberry sauce, and thankfully it was not of the can shaped gelatin variety. All in all it was a fair substitute for a home cooked Thanksgiving Dinner, though the white (starchy) gravy was a major disappointment compared to the brown turkey gravy to which I am accustomed. Then I was surprised when the check arrived and the buffet was $35.95 each. I had thought it was $18.95 each. I am not accustomed to paying that high a price for neither a buffet nor home cooked food. We enjoyed two of their five white wine selections, one a Liebfraumilch the other a Riesling. I don't think I will return unless I am in the area looking for a nice German Chocolate Cake.
(2)Reed H.
Strongbow is an old landmark restaurant that has completely fallen off. The dining room is very old-looking. The food is overpriced and just not very good. The famous "Turkey Dinner" is flavorless from the turkey all the way down to the potatoes and gravy. The bakery is the only thing that i can really enjoy; that's the only reason it's not a 1 star review
(2)Christine M.
Ahhhh Strongbow. Where to start.................Turkey is their specialty. They used to have live turkeys on the property. My mother says I used to be afraid of the turkeys when they would go there when I was little. They have a piano player with the brunch on Sunday. The Jeff Brown trio on Wednesday nights with a buffet. They make a garlic dressing that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. The menu has a good selection so everyone should be able to find something to their liking. Staff has always been very nice and accomodating. The chefs are friendly at the buffets. They also offering catering on and off the premises. It really is a must visit when in Valparaiso.
(4)Page M.
Disappointed. The turkey pot pie, which had been the reason I sought the place out, was dry and tasteless, as was the pale gravy meant to accompany it. And please tell me, if one serves turkey pot pie, why are the side dishes mashed potatoes and stuffing? Yikes. Not a vegetable in sight, only more starch. The only thing I truly liked was the garlic blue cheese dressing on the salad, the only green. This menu needs a revamp. It's decades out of date.
(1)Beer H.
Turkey, turkey, turkey, and more turkey!!!!!!!! The wife and I went to my parents house for my moms birthday. My mom wanted to go to Strongbow's for lunch. We jumped in the car and headed to Valpo. It's kind of strange that I had never ben to Strongbows ,and I lived in the area for most of my life. Even stranger, my wife is a turkey junky, and we never went here! A bit of advice, if you go here on a Sunday around noon, you had better have a reservation. They told us the wait was about an hour. Even MORE strange, that was the first time I had ever been told I would have to wait more more then 15 minutes for a table in Indiana! We ended up getting a table after about 30 minutes. I was sooooo happy when we got to our table. There was a pastry case in the lobby , and I was going nuts looking at all of those deserts! If I ever need to get any information out of anyone. I won't feed them breakfast, and plop them if front of this case at around 1 , and they will tell me anything I want to hear to get at that pastry case! The buffet was one of the better ones I have been to in a long time. We started at the salad bar. Nothing out of the ordinary, However, there were some pastries at the end of the table, and I planned to save room for some of those guys! There were a ton of options, there was a omelet station, and your basic thanks giving food. I went with the green bean casserole, stuffing, ribs, and turkey. It was all wonderful! Then I the the pastry table hard. Well worth the wait! I'm kind of sad that we didn't go here more often when I lived here, but it gives us something to look forward to when we come back!
(4)Billie R.
Have been hearing about this brunch for years! Took a small group( I have a large family- this was perfect for us) for my birthday- and everyone was able to find something pleasing! I loved the turkey, and the salad choices were great. The live music (a guy was playing the piano) was a great touch!
(4)Ken M.
I've visited Strongbow's off and on for 20 years. Most recent visit was a little disappointing. The food was above average but the service was very poor. Our server didn't know the menu well (it's turkey) and was incredibly slow even though the place was not full. The bakery, however, is absolutely amazing. I wish it were larger so they could offer more selections.
(2)Eri G.
Excellent food! Their turkey dishes are the best I've ever had, and the drum stick meal is my favorite.
(5)Mario V.
please try turkey loved everything except cornbread stuffing!
(4)Kevin B.
My family has been going here since the late 60's when they still had the turkey farm behind the restaurant. I remember going there after dark one time in the winter and hearing the birds, scared the crap out of me. lol Yes, most dishes include turkey and it's not a Gordon Ramsey or Danny Meyer type of place. It's old fashioned country dining in a now large banquet type of facility. Always shoot for the main dining room, much more homey and warm. I went home to visit my dad this summer and he wanted to go because it was my mom's favorite place in town. The hot, open-faced turkey sandwich is still awesome and the cranberries are fresh as can be. If you're passing through or in town you really should give it a try.
(4)Joe R.
We stopped at Strongbow Inn after a special occasion with our daughter, a student at Valpo, based on the strength of other's recommendations. Our experience was mediocre. Frankly, my wife makes better, more juicy turkey. The portion sizes are adequate but not ample, except for the high carb portions such as mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. I would not compare this to "eating at Grandma's", as did one of the other reviewers - Grandma always offered seconds or thirds (and of course seconds are not offered here), and we didn't leave Grandma's with a significantly reduced wallet size. 2 in our party got the turkey pot pie, which was extremely dry - the ample portions of gravy helped out with this. My turkey dinner was a letdown after the awesome turkey dinner we had at home recently. It was 2 nice slices of white meat with a small piece of dark meat underneath (it seemed as if this was done to shim up the center of hte white meat to make it look like more). For $18, I would expect more than 2 slices and a small shim of turkey. My son's turkey schnitzel was ok but not great. Unfortunately he didn't care for the taste. The cranberry sauce and rolls were tasty. Service was ok. We saw our waitress to take our order, to deliver the food, and to deliver the bill. Water was delivered frequently. No one asked us how our dinner was or if we wanted anything else (except for the dessert). For the prices charged, I would have expected better service. Regarding the prices: They are high considering the quality of the food and service. For the 4 of us, without desserts or drinks, after tip, 80. I don't mind paying for dinner, but we all felt pretty disappointed with the experience. My daughter felt bad that we had spent that amount of money for what turned out to be a merely adequate dinner. We won't be back. I think we will stick with Round the Clock in the future. Our 3 visits there have been satisfying, the service has been perfectly OK, and they are not in business to extract every possible $$ from my wallet.
(3)Tina W.
Sick with what they do best--turkey, gravy, mashed, and cranberries. Can't wait to go back home in a few weeks and go to Strongbow's!
(4)Shannon K.
Strongbow has such a history in Valparaiso, and it feels like 'home'. However, I was there for lunch recently, and was surprised at how expensive it was! I ordered a turkey sandwich for $8.95 and got (really good) turkey with romaine lettuce on soft, white bread. That's it. No cheese, no chips or fries on the side. Too much $$. I think I'll save Strongbow Inn for a special event...or go to the buffet where at least I would get a variety. ps - I had a taste of the stuffing from my mom's lunch and it was Fan-tas-tic!!
(3)Dustin P.
Strongbow Inn is as much a historic landmark of Valparaiso as it is a restaurant with it's name being a throw back to the days when they were an inn. There are many good aspects of Strongbow's, as many have mentioned, turkey is the biggest. Having originally having a turkey farm across the street they have held onto this tradition of serving it. If you're in the mood for Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the summer this is the place to go. The service is excellent and friendly. They are also equipped to do large banquets, probably why it is such a staple for Valparaiso University graduates to dine at. However if an intimate dinning experience or inspiring food is what you desire this would be a good place to skip. Neither the food or atmosphere has changed well with the times. The first thought of the place as I walked in was that it smelt exactly like my grandpa's nursing home. This is probably do to the elderly clientèle that regulars this establishment. There have been renovations so the place does not seem like a dump at all, on the contrary, it is nice. It's just dated in their design. The food is good, but nothing to write home about. They are very good at what they do, which is more traditional type dinner fair and if that's what you are in the mood for this will hit the spot. Overall this is an average restaurant with a big reputation. Three stars for a good place to eat, just nothing all that special. ******************************************** I would like to update this to reflect some newer experiences. I attended a wedding reception here and was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. Off hand i don't recall what was served but I do remember really enjoying the food. Also the bakery is outstanding. I've had several different things including a wedding cake and it is all excellent. I'd really suggest at least trying this place if you haven't as many others seem to enjoy the restaurant maybe you will too.
(3)Ben B.
We drive all the way from Chicago to feast at this great turkey restaurant. Can't believe anyone would give this restaurant a rating below 4 stars unless they just don't like turkey. We generally go on Sundays for the buffet. In addition to turkey they have a nice selection overall. Price is very reasonable for the quality of food, but then again we are from Chicago where these prices seem like a good value.
(5)COURT P.
Mom loves going here for Thanksgiving. It's worth the drive, and the turkey is excellent. Good prices. No ambiance.
(4)Amy S.
Funny, the most recent review was written by my wedding photographer! I definitely agree. They are relatively organized with generally excellent service. Open forever and for a reason. Their signature is the turkey, which is always excellent, in all of its forms. My only holdback on five stars is their bakery. It gets tons of recognition for being among the best bakeries in the area, but I don't understand why. I've had wedding and other specialty cakes at least ten times and it's truly nothing to write home about. Good, good price, but not five stars.
(4)Nichole F.
As a wedding photographer, I go to a lot of weddings. The reception I did here had awesome food! Not to mention my baby shower was held here. Everything was well organized with no major disasters in either event. Obviously they're doing something right - they've been open since the early 1900's!
(4)Justin M.
This place kicks total ass...see, this is why Indiana people don't deserve good restaurants! Strongbow has been open since the early 1900's. They use quality beef, meats and birds for their lunches and dinners. My family has been going to Strongbow's for the past 7 years, and we are never disappointed. Well, I was disappointed when they stopped serving ribs for Mother's day brunch. Actually, I was kinda pissed. I have been here for Thanksgiving dinners, Mothers day brunches, Valpo graduations, and even Valentine's Day dinners...always a great experience. The bar area is totally cool. They have airplanes and weird shit on the wall, and the overall vibe is old-skool country. Being from the city, I like to escape to a world unknown, drink Guinness and look at weird shit on walls. Sort of a conversation piece that you can enjoy only at Strongbow's. Their meals are top-notch! Turkey legs, lamb shanks, corn, veggies, mashed, salad bar, smoked salmon, cheese spread, and the most amazing dessert bar you will find in Northwest Indiana. A++++++++++
(5)Sonia M.
This is where you go for a home cooked meal with the trimmings!! & dessert. Strongbow hit the mark for lunch today for several reasons. First, I had to place my order of sweet treats for an engagement party coming up and I wanted it to have a special touch. Ask for Debra if you need help catering or putting this kind of order together, she's kind and she knows her bakery! Second, I then went into the dinning area for lunch with my 4yr old who still had a bit of the sniffles and my waitress was very accommodating. Not only was Emma pleased with the turkey broth soup w/homemade noodles but my salmon club was delicious. Yes, salmon!! Strongbow's is one of my favorite staples in NWI and I like taking my guest there for the warmth and service. It's nice to be able to relax when your having a meal.
(5)Derek C.
A valparaiso institution. They are known for their turkey and while it is good, I think the people that grew up here have an emotional attachment to it that exaggerates its subjective quality. That said, the bakery is very good as well. Having eaten their catering many times before I ever went to the restaurant, I can attest to the tastiness of their turkey pot pie. The restaurant itself is very traditionally decorated. Your grandmother would not be uncomfortable, in fact, she may think that she is at home.
(3)Carolyn G.
I had lunch here, and it was pretty good. You have to go in with the right mind-set, though... Almost everything on the menu has turkey in it. Apparently, the owners used to have a turkey farm. I guess that adds to its country charm. And, yes, it is decked out in country decor with the requisite white-haired ladies who lunch. I had the turkey croissant melt, which was pretty good. My only complaint is that it didn't come with chips or fries, which I didn't realize and the server didn't ask me if I wanted any. Given the lack of a side, the price makes for a really expensive sandwich! Service was quick and friendly. If I were in the area, and looking for a sit down place for lunch, this is a viable option. But, based on some of the restaurants I saw downtown, I'm guessing there are better options in Valparaiso.
(3)Nicole B.
Easter Sunday brunch is unbeatable!
(4)Dustin P.
Strongbow Inn is as much a historic landmark of Valparaiso as it is a restaurant with it's name being a throw back to the days when they were an inn. There are many good aspects of Strongbow's, as many have mentioned, turkey is the biggest. Having originally having a turkey farm across the street they have held onto this tradition of serving it. If you're in the mood for Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the summer this is the place to go. The service is excellent and friendly. They are also equipped to do large banquets, probably why it is such a staple for Valparaiso University graduates to dine at. However if an intimate dinning experience or inspiring food is what you desire this would be a good place to skip. Neither the food or atmosphere has changed well with the times. The first thought of the place as I walked in was that it smelt exactly like my grandpa's nursing home. This is probably do to the elderly clientèle that regulars this establishment. There have been renovations so the place does not seem like a dump at all, on the contrary, it is nice. It's just dated in their design. The food is good, but nothing to write home about. They are very good at what they do, which is more traditional type dinner fair and if that's what you are in the mood for this will hit the spot. Overall this is an average restaurant with a big reputation. Three stars for a good place to eat, just nothing all that special. ******************************************** I would like to update this to reflect some newer experiences. I attended a wedding reception here and was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. Off hand i don't recall what was served but I do remember really enjoying the food. Also the bakery is outstanding. I've had several different things including a wedding cake and it is all excellent. I'd really suggest at least trying this place if you haven't as many others seem to enjoy the restaurant maybe you will too.
(3)Ben B.
We drive all the way from Chicago to feast at this great turkey restaurant. Can't believe anyone would give this restaurant a rating below 4 stars unless they just don't like turkey. We generally go on Sundays for the buffet. In addition to turkey they have a nice selection overall. Price is very reasonable for the quality of food, but then again we are from Chicago where these prices seem like a good value.
(5)COURT P.
Mom loves going here for Thanksgiving. It's worth the drive, and the turkey is excellent. Good prices. No ambiance.
(4)Amy S.
Funny, the most recent review was written by my wedding photographer! I definitely agree. They are relatively organized with generally excellent service. Open forever and for a reason. Their signature is the turkey, which is always excellent, in all of its forms. My only holdback on five stars is their bakery. It gets tons of recognition for being among the best bakeries in the area, but I don't understand why. I've had wedding and other specialty cakes at least ten times and it's truly nothing to write home about. Good, good price, but not five stars.
(4)Nichole F.
As a wedding photographer, I go to a lot of weddings. The reception I did here had awesome food! Not to mention my baby shower was held here. Everything was well organized with no major disasters in either event. Obviously they're doing something right - they've been open since the early 1900's!
(4)Justin M.
This place kicks total ass...see, this is why Indiana people don't deserve good restaurants! Strongbow has been open since the early 1900's. They use quality beef, meats and birds for their lunches and dinners. My family has been going to Strongbow's for the past 7 years, and we are never disappointed. Well, I was disappointed when they stopped serving ribs for Mother's day brunch. Actually, I was kinda pissed. I have been here for Thanksgiving dinners, Mothers day brunches, Valpo graduations, and even Valentine's Day dinners...always a great experience. The bar area is totally cool. They have airplanes and weird shit on the wall, and the overall vibe is old-skool country. Being from the city, I like to escape to a world unknown, drink Guinness and look at weird shit on walls. Sort of a conversation piece that you can enjoy only at Strongbow's. Their meals are top-notch! Turkey legs, lamb shanks, corn, veggies, mashed, salad bar, smoked salmon, cheese spread, and the most amazing dessert bar you will find in Northwest Indiana. A++++++++++
(5)Sonia M.
This is where you go for a home cooked meal with the trimmings!! & dessert. Strongbow hit the mark for lunch today for several reasons. First, I had to place my order of sweet treats for an engagement party coming up and I wanted it to have a special touch. Ask for Debra if you need help catering or putting this kind of order together, she's kind and she knows her bakery! Second, I then went into the dinning area for lunch with my 4yr old who still had a bit of the sniffles and my waitress was very accommodating. Not only was Emma pleased with the turkey broth soup w/homemade noodles but my salmon club was delicious. Yes, salmon!! Strongbow's is one of my favorite staples in NWI and I like taking my guest there for the warmth and service. It's nice to be able to relax when your having a meal.
(5)Derek C.
A valparaiso institution. They are known for their turkey and while it is good, I think the people that grew up here have an emotional attachment to it that exaggerates its subjective quality. That said, the bakery is very good as well. Having eaten their catering many times before I ever went to the restaurant, I can attest to the tastiness of their turkey pot pie. The restaurant itself is very traditionally decorated. Your grandmother would not be uncomfortable, in fact, she may think that she is at home.
(3)Carolyn G.
I had lunch here, and it was pretty good. You have to go in with the right mind-set, though... Almost everything on the menu has turkey in it. Apparently, the owners used to have a turkey farm. I guess that adds to its country charm. And, yes, it is decked out in country decor with the requisite white-haired ladies who lunch. I had the turkey croissant melt, which was pretty good. My only complaint is that it didn't come with chips or fries, which I didn't realize and the server didn't ask me if I wanted any. Given the lack of a side, the price makes for a really expensive sandwich! Service was quick and friendly. If I were in the area, and looking for a sit down place for lunch, this is a viable option. But, based on some of the restaurants I saw downtown, I'm guessing there are better options in Valparaiso.
(3)Nicole B.
Easter Sunday brunch is unbeatable!
(4)Emily U.
It's Thanksgiving all year round at Strongbow. Turkey dishes are what this Valpo inn prides itself on--turkey marsala, turkey oscar, turkey pot pie, etc., etc. I don't eat turkey, but I still managed to have a nice time here in part because Strongbow reminds me a bit of the restaurant my parents owned during my childhood with its old-school quirks like offering Jell-O with fruit in place of a salad. It made me wish Strongbow had been frozen in time, though, instead of having undergone a horrid update in the '80s or '90s, which does give it a kind of nursing-home ambiance. If they'd skipped the update, they'd now be totally retro cool, like the typeface on their sign. Besides the geriatric vibe, the service was really good and I loved the garlic-blue cheese dressing on the house salad. My sun-dried tomato Parmesan tortellini was a total gut-bomb, though.
(3)Linda B.
Did not get the dinner menu but a lunch menu on a Saturday after 3. The turkey dinner we anxiously awaited for was not on the lunch menu. Since it was our first time here we just didn't bother to ask our waitress. To start, my husband ordered some chili and I wanted to try the turkey noodle soup. While we waited we noticed that the restaurant was very quiet. There is smooth jazz music playing in the background making up for some of the noise, and most of the costumers were senior citizens (at least while we were there). The restaurant is nicely lit and organized, also very clean. We waited ages for the soups to be brought out. They were nothing to rave about. While we ate, we noticed that the other costumers who were seated before we arrived, got the enormous sized turkey dinners that were definitely not on our lunch menu. Receiving and eating the cold turkey sandwiches we had ordered was a bit disappointing. They were good but we would have liked it the other way around.
(3)Scott L.
Strongbows is decent, especially, as everyone has written, with what they do--turkey. You must like turkey to eat at Strongbows. The classic turkey dinner is a speciality. The prices can be high, but as most have remarked, they do what they do very well. To me, the restaurant is a one-hit wonder.
(3)Kris A.
Unless you really love turkey, there is no reason to go here except with your family after graduation.
(3)