Nice patio location overlooking Lake Okoboji. Just be warned on a hot day, it may not be the most accommodating climate. As for the food, it's a bit diverse and a bit tropical-leaning. Nothing quite outstanding, but also nothing we tried was too bad. This included the Fiji Fish, which was a decent overall flavor and a reasonable amount although you're stuck with just a standard white rice side dish. It seemed a bit overpriced, but you could do a lot worse! read more

Bracco Okoboji - Fiji Fish - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

Can be a bit over priced, but you're paying for the view and the resort feel of the place. Some favorites are the prickly pear mojito, bronzed fish tacos and coconut shrimp. Will always return for those items regardless of the prices and accessibility. read more

Bracco Okoboji - Bronzed fish tacos with lettuce wraps - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

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Bracco is positioned right along Okoboji, so it has a nice view, which is good because you may be sitting there for some time while waiting for your food. The temperature was quite hot when we were there, so that didn't help our experience, but I cannot hold the weather against this establishment. I would highly suggest some more sun shades and possibly a couple fans to help cool off when these summer heat waves hit, but that is just my two cents. We found the service to be very slow for every aspect of our experience. Our reservation was at 7pm and we didn't have our meals in front of us until around 8:40pm, roughly 1 hour and 20 minutes after we placed the order. Every aspect of our service took an extended period of time, from water refills to our appetizers reaching the table and lastly the food. Unfortunately, when the food arrived, it did not hit the spot. We started with chips and guac. I am biased when it comes to guacamole as I have had a lot of great guacamole in my lifetime. This guacamole was very clearly missing a few key ingredients. Those ingredients being: salt, pepper, jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice. It did come loaded with diced tomatoes on top of the pureed avocado, so that was a nice touch. I ordered the bronze chicken sandwich. This would have been so much better if it was actually hot, but unfortunately it was lukewarm to cold based on the bite. This was disappointing considering we waited so long for our food and were quite hungry by the time it came out. The French Fries had clearly had a lot of time to cool down as they had passed into the almost soft and soggy phase of their lifespan. We did have someone order the southwest salad, the barbecue wings and the pizza with pepperoni, hot honey and ricotta. Those items had better reviews and, by themselves, would have bumped this up to a 3 star review. Overall, the view was good, but be mindful of the time of day you visit, the food was subpar and extremely overpriced, and the service was possibly the slowest service I have ever had. I will not be coming back this year, but if I see the reviews take a turn towards the 4-5 star range, I will come back to give them another chance. read more

This used to be one of our favorite places to eat at the lakes, and then they really took a nose dive for a few years. I'm happy to report that they are on the way back up. The menu seems to have changed in our food that we had was quite tasty for lunch. We started out with Curry wings which were really quite good. The cheeseburger in Paradise that my wife had was really good and the club that I had on the croissant was good as well. The sides were served in plastic containers, but we're good. The potato salad was really good. Our server was great and the view was amazing. The only negative thing I can say is they need to fix their dock so that more people come there read more

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Our waitress was great- Very helpful! Wonderful deck with nice view of the lake. We shared appetizers and they were very good! read more

Great food. Great service. Beautiful view of the lake. We had the nachos and coconut chicken tacos. Really good flavor. Our waitress was awesome. read more

We had an amazing experience tonight at bracco! Mya was our server and she did a fantastic job! We will definitely be coming again. Love this place! read more

1st time here. Was visiting friends and familiy. Waitress Mary was outstanding. The service she provided was out of this world. Food was good but nothing outstanding. I did love the nachos. The queso cheese was a nice touch. Also ordered the Spicy Orange Chicken. It's not spicy but this is the Midwest so didn't expect much. Overall I would come again. Over priced. But the water view was nice and the service was outstanding. read more

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They gave our table of 15 people to a new server. It took 2 jours to get food and over 30 minutes for the simplest appetizer of salsa and Guac and chips. Ever food item was auctioned off at the table as no notes taken for who ordered what. The Guac had NO seasoning... no peppers, no cilantro, no salt or pepper, no red onion.... How sad . All the fries that came out were cold along with all the chicken sandwiches. Apparently the motto of Hot food hot and cold food served cold is not followed here. No thermometers to check food temps used. Was told by mgmt that server was new and also screwed up ordering so they held the food till they made the rest they then the hot food got COLD.... And yes they still served the cold food. No mgr came to the table during the wait time to advise of problems. They waited for my one on one to complain about said cold chicken and fries that 6 of us ordered. read more

We had a great time Saturday here. Great staff. The restaurant was dog friendly so I was excited to give some dog hugs on the patio. The drinks really reminded me of being on vacation. Cheese curds were amazing. I had the chicken tender and fries they were a huge portion so I would split it with someone. Great spot to dock your boat and get a light lunch and enjoy the view. There wasn't a dress code but everyone had swim suits with a cover up like you would at a all inclusive resort. Also they have a shop with light sweatshirts and everything you may have forgot for your boating day. read more

Bracco Okoboji - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

Shrimp salmon tortellini, splitting with a friend, portion is great for 2, Noah was an amazing serving us, would highly recommend!! read more

Bracco Okoboji - Shrimp salmon tortellini - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

Great food, views and service! Our waitress Matayah was amazing! Cute drinks with flamingos.

After waiting 1 hour and 15 minutes, I asked to speak with the manager. I told her we were still waiting on our food and I thought the server forgot to put it in. The manager told me that she couldn't expedite food if she was talking to me. Waitress ignored table. Completely ruined the final night of a bachelorette party weekend. I've never been so dismissed and treated so poorly. read more

I think I might be generous with the stars. Had a large group. No problem with seating. Our waitress was great. But then everything else was horrible. Drinks were inconsistent. Do not order the Cucumber Crisp unless you like drinking water with a hint of cucumber. Not even sure there was alcohol in there...4 of us ordered it and we all hated it. Out of everything ordered, the best were the tacos and jambalaya. Burgers were bland. Fish and chips were flavorless and the breading was thick.... But worst of all was what they called Sweet and Sour Chicken. Anyone who has ever had this dish knows sweet and sour chicken has onions, carrots, green peppers, maybe even green onion or boc choy or bamboo shoots... no. Not here. I legit got chicken nuggets covered in a generic sweet and sour sauce. And they charge a bit more than most other dishes for this?!? There are better places to spend money in Okoboji.... Like next door at the Waterfront. read more

Bracco Okoboji - This is what Bracco's thinks is sweet and sour chicken. - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

We were seated quickly despite them being very busy. Our orders for drinks and food were taken and delivered in a timely manner. I LOVED the jambalaya! (Minus grouper) and my son finished all of his chicken strips & fries. Our friends seem to thoroughly enjoy the shrimp tacos & some kind of club sandwich. Had fun frozen drinks in Tiki cups for adults and kids. Beautiful view! I will definitely go back next time we're at the lake. read more

Ambiance is terrific. Inside and outside are both great options. View is incredible for seeing the lake and boat traffic. Pretty place to chill out and enjoy some good food and drinks. read more

We had heard good things about this restaurant but just didn't have the best experience. The food was mediocre at best and we found hair in two of three of our dishes. My husband got a burger, it was good he said. I got a shrimp salad and ate about 2 bites of it. Our son got chicken strips and ate a few but nothing to write home about. We probably won't be seconding this establishment and were sad walking through the neighboring restaurant because their menu looked 100 times better! We will go there next time. read more

The only redeeming quality was the view and the friendly staff who were frankly a bit hands off. However, the food and drinks were pretty horrendous. 17 dollars for a southwestern salad with a handful of Sodexo prepackaged lettuce that tasted like chemicals when you have access to beautiful local produce. Presliced cheddar jack cheese and packaged salsa. IF and I mean IF they used local produce I could have pictured it being that price but it was awful. The nachos were nothing to write home about. As for the drinks, they label locations of where these cocktails were rooted from and I tell you Trader Vic would have been rolling in his grave with that mai tai. No falernum, no fresh citrus, just some sweetened fake mai tai mix with overly pungent coconut rum. The service was very much turn and burn, get everything out as soon as possible and kick the guests out. This is the definition of a tourist trap with no life and soul. Go here for a view, not for the food and drinks. read more

My wife, friends, and I had an unpleasant time at Bracco recently. We asked to move to a shaded table due to intense sun/heat but were met with rude and unaccommodating staff. We left without even looking at the menu. Disappointing service overall. read more

Great food and drink but probably the only place I've ever been where a group of 7 could spend ~$100 on a round of drinks and not be allowed to sit at a table read more

I always leave here saying-that should've been better. I've experienced both watered down and excellent drinks here. Food has been consistently good but not fantastic. At times the heat is near stifling on the deck and there is zero breeze. The music is sad and a little depressing compared to the entertainment at the Barefoot Bar and that's a fact. I think the reason this place gets low marks is because it's very expensive and for the money,patrons simply expect more. We would certainly go more often while visiting if it weren't so pricey. read more

Service can be iffy on a busy night but normally they do a good job. Food is good. Prices are ok. The outdoor dining overlooking the lake is a huge draw. Good option if you're in the area. read more

Had a wonderful sunset dinner at Bracco's! It was a great place to sit outside and watch the sun set over East Lake. Our server was helpful and friendly. I got the shrimp asparagus tortellini per recommendation from our waitress and wow was it good! The sauce was very flavorful and there was a generous amount of shrimp. It was presented very nicely with a flower on the dish! read more

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The view is gorgeous and the service is great but if you're looking for a decent dinner, this is not the place to go. Their chicken is dry and sides are mediocre. The prices are way too high for what is served. You could make better food at home. read more

They said "we can't give you a table unless you have more than 15 people" we never got a menu. Don't come here , never come here if you Have a big group. You will never get seated read more

This has become my new favorite lakeside place! With repeatedly bad service at Barefoot Bar - needed a new daytime drinking spot. On the plus - this place has WAY better food than Barefoot as well. The beach bar is a great addition! They have live music daily, and you can sit overlooking the water with your toes in the sand. Try the Miami Vice! Best ever!!! Hubby enjoyed the Route 66 burger, and they also have great flatbreads! read more

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Bracco is a good place for apps and a couple drinks. The food/drinks are a little over priced but you're paying for the view (which is amazing!). The food is typically consistent but had a few bad pieces of fish so won't be ordering that again. The coconut shrimp and bronzed fish tacos are my favorite! They also have great beer/cocktail choices which will keep us coming back. I would recommend even those the prices are a little high. read more

Updated August 2015: no change except food prices are up! I am still pining away for 2012! Can we go in the way-back machine? Sep 2013 review: "I still want to give 4 stars based on past summers but something went very awry here since 2012. In previous years the food was an absolute highlight - much better than any other lake-front restaurant in my opinion. And the drinks were stiff and good. Well, the drinks are the still pretty dece. But the food has dropped into mediocre territory. The nachos we ordered were still good - but not the piled-high-gooey-sticky delight of summers past. And the burgers we got were unimpressive in the extreme; a Big Mac is way better. For $13 you expect a fat juicy perfectly cooked masterpiece with top notch fixin's. Instead what came out was thin, not juicy, grey, with pedestrian fixings. As if they were floating in water and got warmed up for us -- but not even that moist. Edible, not memorable. If we hadn't gotten the 50% off price to $6.50 I would've had to send them back. I love the location. I love the view and the multi-level setup.But since the food quality does not merit the price, it's getting to be a drinks-only visit." read more

My wife has a lot of food allergies so we were happy to find Bracco and its large menu. We got an outside table and the views of Lake Okoboji were excellent. The patio is large with lots of tables, each with a large umbrella. The service was great and the service times were reasonable considering how busy this restaurant seems to stay. The prices were pretty reasonable. The food was good... not great, but solid. The drinks came out a little warm which isn't desirable with beer. Still, overall we had a great experience here and would certainly come back. read more

Bracco Okoboji - Bracco - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

Ok, my wife an I are locals. We want to like this place so much and every year we come to see if things have gotten better. Food is hit and miss. The salmon and shrimp risotto is decent and the cheese curds are actually good. The drinks are the most watered down tasteless concoctions I have found anywhere. Today we ordered a pitcher of Red Sangria. It tasted like water. Looked pretty, but tasteless. We complained that it was watered down and wanted something else. Our very nice waitress looked confused but offered to take the pitcher back to see if the bartender could fix it. She cheerfully came back and said "bartender thinks the seltzer water settled to the top . . . He remade it". It was only marginally better. My wife makes better hotel sangria. We won't be back this summer. Too bad, because the back deck is gorgeous. read more

Our server was amazing... the bar tenders are terrible it has taken over 30 min to get our drinks! The way it looks they are way understaffed and the manager isn't doing their job! I feel bad for the servers trying to get there drinks for their guests! Looks like we won't be coming here much this summer!!!! What sucks is I'm a local read more

Lousy food and slow service and not busy! Not worth the view!!!! There are plenty of places in the area.

What kind of restaurant practices charging customers for bottled water when they didn't ask for bottled water? If I want a glass of ice water, I expect it to be complimentary. I have been to fancy schmancy Ruth Chris Steakhouse and they give complementary water when you sit down. Why not you Bracco? It's crap like this, on top of your mediocre food that you charge an arm and a leg for, that make people never want to come back. I'll be happy to report that I will never step foot in this establishment again. read more

Currently staying at the Bridges Bay resort in Okoboji for the weekend which is in very close proximity to Bracco. The visuals of the restaurant are awesome - eating right on Lake Okoboji while the sun is setting... it doesn't get much better. But the food was not good. I ordered the Cubana which was $13 and more closely resembled a Hot Pocket. Super thin with very minimal ham and pork tenderloin. And there must be a french fry shortage in northwest Iowa because there were not many to be had in my basket. Really, the $13 should be considered to pay for the view/experience more so than the food. If you are new to 'Boji I would encourage you to maybe find a different restaurant to experience the area. read more

Wednesday at 5pm, we were prepared to catch an early dinner with the kids and avoid the evening rush. We were right about both of those, however the service was absent as well. We waited 20 minutes just to get a drink order and we were 1 of 4 tables seated in the entire restaurant. If Yelp allowed for video I would have uploaded the numerous servers that were simply walking around, as if to look just busy enough to not get in trouble by the manager. "Busy doing nothing" Once we were finally served the waitress was on it, she was swift and efficient with the order and table service. This is a highly touted establishment, was well staffed, at a slow time, and we were still neglected for an uncomfortable amount of time = 2 POSITIVES: The view is great and it is easily accessible. The food was good, my fish tacos were great in fact, and the guac was good and fresh. Tips for parents: avoid the nachos for kids. Literally is a cup of cheese and chips. The fruit cup is great. read more

Very good atmosphere. Food was very hit or miss. The blue cheese burger was one of the worst I've had at any prices - it was $13. It looked good- was moist- no flavor. Shrimp tacos were much better at $17. Cheese flat bread was ok- again very basic with little flavor. The service was decent and seemed to feel bad having no water- you have to buy bottled for $1.75. That is a poor business practice in my opinion. I'd recommend the dry dock or the warf if you want lake views. read more

I have been visiting this restaurant/bar a few times each summer season when vacationing at the lake. Everytime i visit, the service gets a bit worse. This time (July 10 - 12 2015) the service was terrible at the main bar. The bartender was more interested in flirting with the women patrons and left the men/and couples sitting there at the bar with empty glasses and/or bottles. I continually notice the crowd decreasing as well as getting a table there now is never difficult, a clear sign of where things are heading. The establishment needs to begin with new management who checks in tables and ensures that the "seasonal help" is actually working. The food is still great, but the lack of service will have me looking at other establishments to now visit instead. Note: free wifi also now taken away in 2015. read more

Bracco Okoboji - View from lake - Cafes Near Me - Arnolds Park, Iowa

Went on a Monday night before 6 pm. They were not busy and we were seated right away. The waitress was good but the service was slow. My friend and I both ordered the Club sandwich and it comes with potato salad. $3.00 more for fries or sweet potato fries, which I ordered because I love them. Took quite awhile to get our food and the sandwich was edible, but usually a club has several pieces of ham, Turkey, bacon ...there was 1 piece of ham and 2 thin pieces of turkey. I ordered a soda with my meal. About $22.00. Much too high for the low quality & small quantity. Won't go back. read more

Worst service I've ever had. Unbelievably awful. Servers can't figure out what's going on. It's just an unorganized mess. Never coming back. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND read more

I wanted to like Bracco...I really did. It's a cool space and the outdoor deck overlooks the lake, which is beautiful! That's about it for positives here though. We sat at the bar for at least 8 minutes while the bar tenders checked on all the existing guests and did not even look at us. I had to ask to be helped. Then the mango daiquiri I had tasted like frozen mangoes and 0 alcohol --for $7. We got seated at a great table right by the deck. Our server was pleasant and fairly quick to check on us. I ordered the chips and queso --the queso was bland and chips over salted. The queso has a film on it from sitting under the heat lamp. I also ordered fried grouper sandwich with fries. The sandwich was bland and the fish not very crispy, more soggy. The fries were decent but by this point I was just kind of over the whole food experience. For a $27 meal, I was really unimpressed. read more