Bacon wrapped filet, Brussels and carrots with Parmesan risotto Food is ON POINT 5/25/22 for dinner and the service was awesome read more

Appanoose Rapids - Bacon Wrapped Filet - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

Great lunch experience. Food was very good. Well seasoned and good portion. I got the club sandwich with loaded potato soup and was very pleased. Very friendly service. Clean and pleasant atmosphere. My third visit and the food has been consistently very good. I will be back when I'm in Iowa again! read more

This is located in Ottumwa, Iowa and honestly, might be the coolest spot here. They served cocktails and dinner and had a variety for both apps and entrees and sandwiches. The cocktail menu had a great selection and this may have been one of the best Old Fashions I've ever had read more

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TLDR: solid brunch. Cod filets were a big highlight. Service was also excellent. I only came here for brunch so I can't comment on anymore than that, but I was pretty happy with the brunch. Had a variety of options so veggies and non veggies can all be happy. The interior has a nice rustic look to it which made for a really fun vibe. Service was great and our coffee cups were kept full. I'll have to come back for a full meal sometime and maybe I'll update my rating to a 5 then! read more

Appanoose Rapids - Bar area - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

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Stopped in with a very large group for my dads funeral. We were seated in a private room and the waitress was a bit frazzled with the shear size of our group, but she was amazing! Every dish ( with more than 25 people) I believe we ordered the entire menu. Every steak, burger, salmon, salad, soup and dessert were amazing! Everything was hot, well prepared and arrived in time which was a spectacular thing given the number of people we had. I am grateful and amazed at the kitchen staff and our waitress. This is a wonderful place and recommend everyone to stop in. read more

So, my waifs and I had our final dinner here at the AR after visiting our daughter and son in law. What a treat. The interior of this place is really incredible and rich with history. The whole downtown actually is slowly getting a facelift and it so great to see this happen. We started with fried onion strings and bacon wrapped scallops. OMG. I could stop there and just eat the scallops. I had the seafood pasta. The mix of seafood was just superb. The wait staff super friendly. The owner apparently comes in on the weekends and jumps on the piano to liven things up. All in all a just awesome experience. It's a must do if in Ottumwa. read more

Appanoose Rapids - Seafood Pasta - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

They have done a beautiful job restoring this historic building. It is worth a visit to just enjoy the gorgeous details in the architecture. The food is just okay. I had the Chicken Marsala and it was way too salty. My friend had a steak and it seemed to lack in flavor. This was my third visit and the only thing that keeps me going back there is the lack of other options in Ottumwa. read more

We stopped here around 11:30 am for a lite lunch as we have always done on our trips from Osage Beach, MO to Des Moines IA. This is our first major trip since COVID 19 arrived last spring. On arrival we were given a menu and placed a drink order. We noticed that the French Onion soup, which is absolutely wonderful at this restaurant, wasn't listed. When the waitress delivered the drinks she asked if we'd like to place an order. I asked about the soup and she politely explained they were temporarily limiting the menu due to limited a staff and limited customer volume. Told her we understood and to give us a minute to look over the new menu. She returned and told us the cook informed her that since they weren't very busy yet he would make the soup for us as a special favor! We placed our order, had a delightful meal and left an additional tip for the cook and the waitress. As a seasoned traveler for over 40 years I must say this customer service, along with a quality product, is a combination that is extremely hard to find anymore. BE SURE TO STOP HERE AND ENJOY THE DINING EXPERIENCE THEY SERVE TO THE PUBLIC!! Our sincere Thanks to the staff. read more

Unexpected find in this small town. Interesting interior. The menu looks cool but I wish the food, and more importantly the beer, was better. My shrimp bisque starter was just ok. Not enough shrimp or cream or sherry flavor to make me consider ordering it again or recommending it to you. My Wedge Salad (which I see is not on the menu at this time) was delicious. I may have considered 4 stars...if that salad had been on this moment's menu. If you come here and it is, get it. W got the Boursin Stuffed Chicken and enjoyed it. I didn't try a bite but it looked fine. We have coworkers who rave about their steak and get it every time they come to town, but we were on the company dime and couldn't afford their steak prices. The beer was a disappointment to me. They did not have a large variety - pretty sure I tried the 4 they had available as a sampler, and the majority were fruity. Meh. Not my style. The evening we were there, the place was and stayed pretty empty. I think they benefit from a lack of competition. read more

Appanoose Rapids - Wedge Salad - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

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This place was amazing! Food was on point, the service was phenomenal, and the building and ambiance is beautiful!!

They were voted the best restaurant in Southern Iowa and definitely lived upo the hype. It's located on the main street and almost felt deserted a bit. However, the interior matches that of any upscale restaurant. There's an ample bar area by the entrance and dining area towards the back. We sat in the middle and enjoyed our lunch. Shrimp Poboy was good but not great. I definitely had better. But their spicy pasta with shrimp and sausage was pretty darn good. I would not have imagined such flavorful dish in Iowa but it was a pleasant experience. The service was excellent and it just felt very comfortable. Definitely a place to keep in mind while traveling outside of the usual big cities. read more

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We were looking for somewhere to eat lunch in Ottumwa on Friday so I found this place on Yelp and we decided to try it (after reading reviews). We're glad we did. Note: it is only open for lunch on Friday and Saturday, so we lucked out. It is in a beautiful old building downtown and has great ambience. The food was also excellent. The pork tenderloin sandwiches were meaty and tasty, the fries were excellent, the farmhouse salad was big and tasty, with lots of veggies, and the salmon was tasty and served with asparagus and risotto (or potatoes). Staff were friendly and efficient. We would definitely stop here again. read more

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter on draft will lead me to return again and again! My favorite! Today was my first visit and the Chicken and Mushroom Pot Pie was delicious. I appreciate that the sauces are light, unlike "gravy" style. My mom ordered the Shrimp Scampi which was prepared without the heavy cream - yes! read more

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A small town but a really great restaurant! Food is good and the ideas from the kitchen are very creative! Last visit I had the mushroom ravioli with carmelized fig-very good flavors!! Only issue was the bowl it was served in what was probably an inappropriate dish for the food. It was a deep dish with high sides-more like a bowl and all the ravioli was squished on top of each other. Better in wider flat dish where ravioli would have been bettter represented and were the carmelized fig would be more could appreciated. Otherwise really amazing food and service!! read more

Downtown main street is getting major remodel. So a nice walk, not much really, and have a bananas foster coming first and then the bolonese, marinara and meat sauce over pasta. Never had before. Club soda drink. Nice and peaceful here. Small customer load. So main item has been discontinued, and marinara and meat balls over pasta. Maybe better. Small cup of chili is very good. Pieces of kinda pretzel bread I added is good. Meatballs are stuffed with, not sure, but really good and I haven't had such prior. Gotta say is near wow good here. Not over that but very good. Is mozzarella inside meatballs. Wow. read more

Appanoose Rapids - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

Best place for elevated dining in town. Love all their food! Great atmosphere and drinks too!

Excellent service and an equally excellent meal. Dean from the Hampton Inn recommended this place to us and so glad he did. Wonderful beer on tap list as well as a menu that offers something for everyone. The beer cheese pretzels were excellent as was the honey mustard sauce for the salad. read more

Appanoose Rapids - Cajun pasta. Delicious - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

I don't even want to give one star. My son and his group of 8 friends made reservations a month ago for this restaurant as a special prom meal location. They were on time arriving and ordered.... They then waited an hour and a half without receiving their food before getting up to leave because they had to make it on time to prom. They were presented with the check before the food. Ridiculous!!! Never should this happen! Staff all but ignored them and made no apologies and in fact questioned them why they were leaving without food! They left with boxes that they never got to eat. Horrible service and treatment of fine young people who were there to have a memorable meal. I am beyond disappointed and will never recommend this restaurant again. You have lost multiple families business. Terrible. read more

My boyfriend's brother and prom group had reservations for days, arrived on time, ordered their food, and proceeded to wait over an hour and a half for 2 salads and 2 salmon plates that never came. They never came to refill waters or talk to them, and the group got up to leave because they were about to be late to promenade. The managers tried to make them pay for the food before it ever arrived as well, bringing the bill to the table before any of the food. They ended up boxing up the food for them and making them pay with no discount. They were also extremely rude. I will never ever attend an establishment that treats teenagers in this manner on their prom night. read more

The food is EXCELLENT and the atmosphere superb! Has the chic feel of a restaurant you'd find in a much larger city! We are very fortunate to have a place for fine dining like this in Ottumwa! read more

Location really questionable. :) Clearly the owners are taking huge risk being downtown amongst decaying buildings and the railroad tracks. Food was outstanding. Beer was just OK. Service great. I'd hoped for a view of some nature on the back patio; sadly it overlooks the parking lot and the trains are really loud. But, still a great place to sit when the weather is nice. Sadly they only have three house beers on tap at a time. As a longtime homebrewer and general beer geek, I'd say the beer is average homebrew quality with a bit of "extract tang". The stout was more like a porter; needed way more mouth feel and deeper grain bill. read more

Appanoose Rapids - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

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Waitress was very nice. I had a pork chop which was over cooked and a bit dry even after asking for it to be cooked medium well. My friend had a steak that he enjoyed and was cooked to the proper temperature. read more

I discovered this gem while crewing for the Ottumwa PTO Balloon races. Stopped in for a late lunch before we headed out to the pilot's meeting. First and foremost, the waitress was amazing. She was funny and actually made the group feel so welcomed. She made suggestions. Joked with the group. And didn't give us that hurry up and order all ready vibe. Second the decor was intriguing. Lots of paintings to talk about. It was also brightly lit which was nice and didn't have TVs everywhere. Finally the food. Large portions that were well prepared and tasty. The pork tenderloins sandwich was really good. Tasted like it was freshly made not frozen. The fried pickles were and gumbo were good appetizers. I love the mix of Iowa staples like the pork tenderloin, bar standard fares like the fried pickles, and specials that added an additional option that was very different. I'm glad we stopped in here this year. Now we have a new place to come for future balloon races. read more

Fantastic find in downtown Ottumwa. Thanks Yelper's for your reviews. I had the catfish, business associate had chicken fettuccine. Appanoose's decor reminds me of Milwaukee "Cream City Brick" architecture. Their menu is extensive, plates were fantastic. I so liked the remoulade on my catfish. I think you will be pleasantly surprised, stop in! read more

Appanoose Rapids - American Near Me - Ottumwa, Iowa

My boyfriend and I recently enjoyed a lovely brunch at Appanoose Rapids restaurant this past Sunday. We arrived towards the end of the brunch hours, as we were coordinating our schedule to watch a movie that afternoon (we got there about 1:00 P.M.; brunch is served 10:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.). I was happy to note that the meal offered both breakfast AND lunch items, as a BRUNCH should (I've been to other restaurants that did not do this very well). There was a wide variety of items to choose from and we were both pleasantly full when we left - no room for popcorn! Among the brunch choices that day there was a made-to-order omelette station offering a great selection of ingredients, Belgian style waffles, fresh cut fruits, and a layered biscuit and gravy dish. There was a Caesar salad with savory garlic croutons, and plenty of lunch items including black bean quesadillas, fried cod filets, ham balls, sliced baked potatoes, a creamy pasta and steak dish, and chicken Parmesan. There were other things I can't remember! Plus there was a variety of desserts including apple pie and red velvet cake. There were several options for beverages including soft drinks and beers on tap or bottled. Coffee was also available as well. The setting is very beautiful, with gorgeous molded tin ceiling panels, brick walls, dark wood furnishings, and colorful French poster-type paintings decorating the walls. The space is expansive and open. Ambient background music added to the low-key experience. Our waitress was quite pleasant, checked on us frequently but unobtrusively, and thoughtfully brought my boyfriend a refill of soda and brought me a glass of ice water without us asking for either (I'd ordered a Guiness draft), and cleared the plates very promptly. We spoke a few minutes with the friendly owner, who graduated from Ottumwa High School, and stated he and his wife had always wanted to have a restaurant there. When the original owners closed down, they saw their opportunity and bought the place. While they have kept many of the same menu items, they also work with their chef on tweaking some of them, or developing new and delicious recipes. Next time Sunday comes around and you're looking for somewhere delicious to eat, give Appanoose Rapids a try! Or any other afternoon or evening check out their extensive full menu - we plan to be back to try something new soon. read more

I was told that they are now under new management and will have an official launch in February 2019. But, I'm here today and these are my thoughts. If you come for the restaurant with the sole purpose of eating, but not drinking, then you'll be fine. If you come to sit at the bar, have a drink and order some food, this is where improvement is greatly needed. Examples: - they have a nice choice of small Iowa brewery offerings and I was told they rotate often. That's a bonus. BUT, if you ask to see a list of what draft beers they do have, it's nonexistent. - cocktails? I was told they have some specialties. "Really, can I see your cocktail menu?" It doesn't exist either. I find both of these omissions a big ding towards a quality dining experience. Yes, my steak was good, but not memorable. Unfortunately I won't be through Ottumwa anytime soon, if at all. So for tonight, I can only give a 3 star rating, because this was just an average evening. read more

I liked the setting downtown on Main, building is nicely renovated. We had the Chilean Piccata which really did not do much for either of us. It was an adaptation of the dish that I know. Sorry. Service was excellent on a busy night. I'd go back and try another dish because of the atmosphere. It is Ottumwa not St Louis or Chicago. So I'll give them a break. read more

If you are in town, do NOT miss this place! I sat at the bar and had the best service and margarita! Also the house salad, the shrimp bisque and the seared ahi tuna and cheesy risotto! Omg!!!! Seriously this is a hidden gem and one you will not regret. The staff is amazing and one of the owners is here making sure all is perfect! I will be back here again and again! read more

The pretzel sticks are amazing My burger wasn't good Fries were amazing Server forgot to put in my son's order so she gave him cottage cheese Took awhile for server to come check out drinks Cost 2.75 for iced tea read more

I love Appanoose Rapids! It's my favorite place to go for date night. The atmosphere is great! They have a great selection of beers and craft beers, wine, and mixed drinks. The food is delicious and the customer service is phenomenal. The owners also make sure there are Vegan and Vegetarian options. read more

This is a lovely addition to the southern Iowa scene, I was very impressed with the quality of my meal. I would consider this legit fine dinning, I felt the food here was of high quality and would definitely try other things here. Could be the best restaurant in town. I would try this place a few times if you are in the area, they have enough variety to keep you coming back. read more

Enjoyable evening at this restaurant. Atmosphere is very unique for the area. Service was okay. Food was satisfactory. I would down here again. I think it's better for intimate a dining experience. read more

We almost didn't come in when we drove by. We were looking for something to eat for dinner and we were pleasantly surprised. Our waitress, Jennifer, was absolutely amazing! Made our dine-in time very welcomed. Food was delicious! We will definitely be coming back. Thanks, Jennifer! read more

Great atmosphere and great food. Hard to beat this place for a nice dinner, always friendly service. Cocktails are always excellent too.

Traveled to the Ottumwa for business and initially wasn't impressed by the areas offering for resturaunts but couldn't be happier that I found Appanoose Rapids! I had the rib eye with mashed potatoes and vegetables along with a salad with blue cheese. I'm usually wary about ordering steaks at restaurants as I tend to find that they aren't always cooked to order and aren't the quality that I get from my own grill but here at Appanoose...they know what they're doing and I couldn't have asked for a better meal had it come from my own kitchen and grill. Steak was cooked to perfect, medium rare, and potato/vegetable pairing (green beans, yellow carrots, red bell pepper, and broccoli) was the perfect accompaniment. Being from Chicago, I was pleased to find some offerings of Iowan breweries and tried Excile Beatnick Sour and Peace Tree Red Rambler...both were excellent. Staff/bartender was knowledgable and friendly. Quick service and attention to my dining/drinking needs were well tended to during my visit. My only complaint...the information on Yelp and their website say they aren't open on Mondays and I was cut short eating here two nights in a row based on the wrong information as my stay in the area was over a Monday and Tuesday evening. Had I knew they were open on Mondays I would have eaten here two nights in a row! Should I find myself in the Ottumwa area again, you'll definitely see me at Appanoose Rapids! read more

First off, it's hard to find a place that immediately makes you feel like they're fully prepared to deal with your toddlers. The bartender sat us and brought out a huge tub of glowsticks to let my girls choose from, which kept them entertained for the duration of the meal. THANK YOU! The beer selection was a pleasant surprise, and the bartender was happy to let us sample a few. Definitely go with their beer over other domestics. You have to, obviously! We were stunned at how good the mussels were. Whatever broth they braised them in, we ended up eating like soup. The kids menu had steak on the menu, which was a shock. We ordered that and grilled cheese with fries for the kids, and they loved it all. My husband ordered a bbq bacon burger, which he said was kinda whatevs. Way too bbq sauce, overpowered the whole thing. The only reason I'm knocking a star on this place is because I actually saw our server (not the bartender) turn away an elderly couple. They went to sit down and she said, "if you want to wait an hour to get your food, I'm just warnin' ya" with a snide tone. I guess she was just giving them fair warning, if it was even true, but I'm sure the owner would not have been happy about it. Or, she could have said it a little nicer. She was really nice to us, and very attentive too. Maybe she just had an off moment? It happens! read more

Just ate there on Monday evening. My daughter had the salmon & it was honestly the best meal ever!! I had the Cajun pasta which was excellent & my husband had the Bolognese pasta which was delicious! The service was wonderful & we will definitely be back!! read more

The food was absolutely amazing! This is a gem in the middle of Ottumwa...seriously. We were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food and we are going to return to eat there again. I would give the food a 5 star review. A couple things that were somewhat a negative (didn't ruin our experience but was a little annoying): The service wasn't fantastic. The servers were nice but just not attentive. Also, the servers didn't know the menu (we sat at the bar btw). When asked if the salmon was fresh one person didn't know and the other person said "I believe it's frozen but I'm not sure (no follow up)". No way it's frozen at a place like this. Everything we had was fresh. Also, I'm a vegetarian and made it clear that I don't eat meat. When I ordered the mushroom soup I was not told that it was made with beef stock (a problem with not knowing the menu). Lastly, I was very surprised that Appanoose didn't have any brewed beer of their own. "Brewery" is in their name and we originally chose the place to try some local craft beer. To sum it all up...absolute fantastic food just have some things to correct as the details matter when you serve food this good! read more

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I'm glad to have visited this place. It's been so hard to find a good place to eat in Ottumwa, which is why this place excels so much. They serve your typical pub fare with a few unique options for appetizers. Their sandwiches seemed like pretty solid choices (I can personally vouch for the Cuban). I like that you can choose between beer battered fries or a side salad with your meal depending on your mood. And what kind of brewery would they be if they didn't have a few of their brews on tap? They had their own red, IPA, blackberry porter, and pale on tap while I visited, plus 5-6 taps with other beers. Just a good place with nice staff and a great vibe. read more

Food is good. Menu lacks variety. Maybe look at one before you sit down or you may find yourself in my shoes: wanting to leave, but feeling trapped by the bartender/server staring in our direction. The fish & chips are what I got on a whim and they were great. read more