Highest-rated restaurants in Iowa City 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 Iowa City, 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.

You may also like: Highest-rated cheap eats in Iowa City by diners

1 / 30

#30. Red Ginger

- Rating: 4.2/5 (39 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1301 South Gilbert St. Ste 6 Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 30

#29. Trumpet Blossom Cafe

- Rating: 4.2/5 (131 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 310 East Prentiss St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Vegan, Vegetarian, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 30

#28. El Paso Mexican Taqueria

- Rating: 4.2/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 609 Hollywood Blvd. Ste 2 Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 30

#27. LA Wine Bar & Restaurant

- Rating: 4.3/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 180 East Burlington St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Korean, Bubble Tea, Music Venues
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 30

#26. Basta Pizzeria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (401 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 121 Iowa Ave. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Italian, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp

6 / 30

#25. Shakespeare's Pub And Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 819 South 1st Ave. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: American, Breakfast & Brunch, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 30

#24. Burger Haul

- Rating: 4.3/5 (55 reviews)
- Address: 112 East College St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Bars, Burgers, American
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 30

#23. Jimmy Jack's Rib Shack - Iowa City

- Rating: 4.3/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1940 Lower Muscatine Road Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Barbecue, Chicken Wings, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 30

#22. Long Xing

- Rating: 4.3/5 (113 reviews)
- Address: 428 Highway 1 West Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 30

#21. Cortado Mediterranean Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 26 South Clinton St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes, Mediterranean, Delis
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Car insurance rates in Iowa City October 2025

11 / 30

#20. Soseki Café

- Rating: 4.3/5 (93 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 227 South Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 30

#19. Mexico Lindo Grill & Cantina

- Rating: 4.4/5 (25 reviews)
- Address: 1857 Lower Muscatina Road Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 30

#18. Get Fresh Cafe

- Rating: 4.4/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 109 Iowa Ave. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 30

#17. Nodo Downtown

- Rating: 4.4/5 (153 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 5 South Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Delis, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 30

#16. Onnuri Korean BBQ

- Rating: 4.4/5 (21 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 624 South Gilbert St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Korean, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 30

#15. Orchard Green

- Rating: 4.4/5 (247 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 521 South Gilbert St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 30

#14. Pullman Bar & Diner

- Rating: 4.4/5 (702 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 17 South Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Diners, Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 30

#13. Estela's Fresh Mex

- Rating: 4.4/5 (110 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 184 East Burlington St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 30

#12. Maggie's Farm Wood-Fired Pizza

- Rating: 4.4/5 (151 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1308 Melrose Ave. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 30

#11. The Webster

- Rating: 4.5/5 (81 reviews)
- Address: 202 North Linn St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, Tapas/Small Plates, American
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: Highest-paying science jobs for people in Iowa City

21 / 30

#10. La Regia Taqueria

- Rating: 4.5/5 (503 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 436 Hwy 1 West Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 30

#9. The Dandy Lion

- Rating: 4.5/5 (191 reviews)
- Address: 111 South Dubuque St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 30

#8. Crêpes de Luxe Café

- Rating: 4.5/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 309 East College St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Creperies
- Read more on Yelp

24 / 30

#7. Saigon's Corner

- Rating: 4.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 201 South Clinton St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Vietnamese
- Read more on Yelp

25 / 30

#6. The Encounter Cafe

- Rating: 4.5/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 376 South Clinton St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

You may also like: The most expensive neighborhoods in Iowa City

26 / 30

#5. Oasis Falafel

- Rating: 4.6/5 (436 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 206 North Linn St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Falafel
- Read more on Yelp

27 / 30

#4. Ramen Belly

- Rating: 4.6/5 (77 reviews)
- Address: 1010 Martin St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Ramen
- Read more on Yelp

28 / 30

#3. Nodo

- Rating: 4.6/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 600 North Dodge St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: American, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp

29 / 30

#2. Mammitas Coffee Food & Catering

- Rating: 4.8/5 (71 reviews)
- Address: 224 South Linn St. Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Latin American, Florists, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp

30 / 30

#1. Island Vybz

- Rating: 5.0/5 (34 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Iowa City, Iowa
- Categories: Caribbean, Food Trucks
- 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.