Highest-rated restaurants in Dubuque by diners

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Dubuque, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

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#30. West Dubuque Tap

- Rating: 3.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1701 Asbury Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#29. Marco's Italian & American Foods

- Rating: 3.9/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2022 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, American
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. Falbo Bros Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3250 Kennedy Cir Ste 3 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. Fuji Asian Buffet

- Rating: 4.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Address: 806 Wacker Drive Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Buffets, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Happy Joe's

- Rating: 4.1/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 855 Century Drive Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 30

#25. Sunshine Family Restaurant

- Rating: 4.1/5 (102 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Jack's Chicken Palace

- Rating: 4.1/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Sandwiches, American
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Copper Kettle

- Rating: 4.1/5 (450 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2987 Jackson St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Ichiban Steakhouse and Sushi

- Rating: 4.1/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3187 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. 7 Hills Brewing

- Rating: 4.1/5 (315 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1085 Washington St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Breweries, Beer Bar, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#20. Adobos Mexican Grill

- Rating: 4.1/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 756 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#19. Great Dragon Chinese Restaurant

- Rating: 4.2/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3500 Dodge St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

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#18. Paul's Tavern

- Rating: 4.2/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 176 Locust St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#17. Knockout Melts

- Rating: 4.2/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 3412 Pennsylvania Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Sandwiches, Soup, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#16. Foodie Garage Eatery

- Rating: 4.2/5 (133 reviews)
- Address: 1046 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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16 / 30

#15. Pepper Sprout Midwest Cusine

- Rating: 4.2/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 378 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#14. Zoro's Gyros

- Rating: 4.2/5 (54 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1400 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Greek
- Read more on Yelp

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#13. Pete's Thai Kitchen

- Rating: 4.3/5 (115 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 609 East 22nd St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp

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#12. Magoo's Pizza

- Rating: 4.3/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1875 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

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#11. The Vault Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge

- Rating: 4.3/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 342 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Waffles, Tacos, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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21 / 30

#10. Jumpers Sports Bar & Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2600 Dodge St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Sports Bars, Chicken Wings, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

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#9. Roses and Berries Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 4340 Asbury Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Mediterranean, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

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#8. Smokestack

- Rating: 4.4/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 62 East 7th St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Restaurants, Music Venues, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

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#7. Oolong Asian Cuisine

- Rating: 4.4/5 (83 reviews)
- Address: 145 West 11th St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

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#6. L May Eatery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (377 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1072 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

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#5. El Paisano's

- Rating: 4.5/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1543 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

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#4. Baraboo's on Main

- Rating: 4.5/5 (37 reviews)
- Address: 345 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pubs, American
- Read more on Yelp

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#3. Convivium Urban Farmstead

- Rating: 4.5/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2811 Jackson St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp

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#2. Brazen Open Kitchen Bar

- Rating: 4.6/5 (410 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 955 Washington St. Ste 101 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp

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#1. Devour Cafe

- Rating: 4.8/5 (42 reviews)
- Address: 1798 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.