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 said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% 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 online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
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 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#30. Falbo Bros Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3250 Kennedy Cir Ste 3 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Stone Cliff Winery
- Rating: 4.0/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 600 Star Brewery Drive Ste 100 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Wineries, Venues & Event Spaces, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#28. West Dubuque Tap
- Rating: 4.0/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1701 Asbury Road Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Fuji Asian Buffet
- Rating: 4.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 806 Wacker Drive Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Buffets, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Lina's Thai Bistro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (164 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2055 Holliday Drive Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Thai, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Your Pie
- Rating: 4.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 800 Wacker Drive Ste 100 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Adobos Mexican Grill
- Rating: 4.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 756 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Woodfire Grille
- Rating: 4.0/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 301 Bell St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Wine Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Happy Joe's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 855 Century Drive Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Sunshine Family Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (87 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 401 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Paul's Tavern
- Rating: 4.0/5 (69 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 176 Locust St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, American
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Ichiban Steakhouse and Sushi
- Rating: 4.0/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3187 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Jack's Chicken Palace
- Rating: 4.0/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1107 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chicken Shop, Sandwiches, American
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Great Dragon Chinese Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (38 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3500 Dodge St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Copper Kettle
- Rating: 4.0/5 (395 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2987 Jackson St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#15. 7 Hills Brewing
- Rating: 4.0/5 (294 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1085 Washington St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Breweries, Beer Bar, American
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Pepper Sprout Midwest Cusine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 378 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Pete's Thai Kitchen
- Rating: 4.0/5 (98 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 609 East 22nd St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Foodie Garage Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (107 reviews)
- Address: 1046 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Vault Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 342 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Waffles, Tacos, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Smokestack
- Rating: 4.5/5 (22 reviews)
- Address: 62 East 7th St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Restaurants, Music Venues, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Zoro's Gyros
- Rating: 4.5/5 (47 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1400 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Magoo's Pizza
- Rating: 4.5/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1875 University Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Oolong Asian Cuisine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 145 West 11th St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Baraboo's on Main
- Rating: 4.5/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 345 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Pubs, American
- Read more on Yelp
#5. L May Eatery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (350 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1072 Main St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Italian, Cocktail Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#4. El Paisano's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (31 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1543 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Brazen Open Kitchen Bar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (368 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 955 Washington St. Ste 101 Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Convivium Urban Farmstead
- Rating: 4.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2811 Jackson St. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Devour Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1798 Central Ave. Dubuque, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.