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Iowa City Bar & Restaurant Guide

Known as the City of Literature, Iowa City is home to the University of Iowa. The city hosts a number of cultural events annually including a nationally renowned jazz festival, a festival of the arts, free movies and concerts and a major book festival. The area has been able to maintain a small town feel while at the same time offering the amenities of an urban area. It won't take you long to warm up to the excellent restaurants and bars in the area and to get you started, we have provided some reviews of the best of the best below.

Jimmy Jacks

Address: 1940 Lower Muscatine Road Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 354-7427 For the owners of Jimmy Jacks, great food has been and continues to be a lifelong passion. Their one and only passion is to bring an award winning style of barbecue to the city of Iowa City. To how you just how much they love and are involved with barbecue, they have become certified Kansas City Barbecue Society Judges. Before opening this restaurant, they did a ton of research as they visited as many famous barbecue restaurants as they possibly could make it to. Take one step inside and you can't miss the aroma of hickory. And the decor is very unique as you will have a chance to guess what all of the tools are that are hanging up everywhere. Check this place out soon, you will not be disappointed.

Basta

Address: 121 Iowa Avenue Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 337-2010 The word basta is the Italian word for "enough." It is used by chefs when any type of food has been prepared perfectly. So, get ready for some expertly prepared modern Italian cuisine made with ingredients from local sources. You are going to fall in love with the pizza which is Napoli style. Probably the best thing that can be said about Basta is that the food is consistently amazing. And the waitstaff is absolutely phenomenal, they always act in a professional manner and they seem genuinely interested in making sure that your experience is the very bets that it can be. You just can't go wrong at Basta.

Wig and Pen Pizza Pub

Address: 1220 Highway 6 W Iowa City, IA 52246 Phone: (319) 354-2767 Many claim that this is the best pizza in Iowa and who are we to argue with them. Besides the more traditional offerings, you will also have the option of some delicious specialty pizzas like their Chicken Bacon Ranch or Buffalo Chicken. In terms of crust, what you like it available here from thin crust to Chicago Style Stuffed. And the fun will never be over when you have a full bar like this establishment does. You can unwind with a full selection of beers, wines, liquors, mixed drinks and much more. And one thing is certain, you will never beat the prices or the service staff. We highly recommend you make a stop here soon, we guarantee that this is going to become a regular stop for you.

Baroncini

Address: 104 S. Linn Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 337-2048 The chef at Baroncini sticks to a philosophy and that philosophy states that the ingredients used in all of the entrees should be nothing less than fresh, seasonal and local. The menu represents what could best be described as contemporary Italian cuisine. When you graduate from the Italian national culinary institute in Verona, Italy, you know you are ready for the big time. This is a very special environment for anything you might have planned including a special date night. The soft lighting, attentive service and their excellent wine selection truly top off your experience. And believe us, there is nothing on the menu that you are not going to absolutely love.

Pullman Bar & Diner

Address: 17 S Dubuque Street Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 338-1808 When you value the things that staff does here, you will always be a thriving establishment. At Pullman Bar & Diner, it all begins with phenomenal service. It will not take you long before you see that there is nothing more important to the staff here than delivering an outstanding and memorable experience to each and every customer. The food served up could best be described as classic Midwest fare. There is a major emphasis placed on locally sourced ingredients and a major dedication to top quality. And to top things off, you are going to fall in love with the craft cocktails and the ever-changing draft and bottled beer selection. It doesn't matter what you order here, your taste buds are going to get a real treat.

Orchard Green

Address: 521 S. Gilbert Street Coralville, Iowa City, IA 52240 Phone: (319) 354-1642 The ambiance here is fabulous. You are going to be able to kick back and relax which is something that everyone needs from time to time. But one thing we can state without reservation is the fact that the entrees here are absolutely incredible. At some point you are going to want to sample one of their signature dishes which includes salmon and ribeye. We must put in a word on the waitstaff here as well. You are not going to find better servers anywhere. They are attentive, knowledegable and super friendly. If you don't try this place really soon, you truly don't know what you are missing.