I don't know if this girl still works there, but her name is Nicole K. she was the best waitress I have ever encountered in my life. she is bubbly and funny and beautiful, but she doesn't shove it in your face. she was attentive, and just plain amazing. if you go there and she still works there, sit in her section, and prepare yourself for a great dinner! read more

Took friends to the Candlelight Inn last night for dinner and after waiting for over an hour we left. We had 7 people in our party and therefore were not allowed to make reservations. All the tables big enough to hold 7 people were reserved by 8 people parties. When we walked in we were told 30 -45 min. After waiting one hour in the bar area, for the ONE table that is available for larger parties, I went to the front to see why we had not been seated. That's when I was told that it could take another 20 minutes. "The people were done eating, just waiting for them to leave". Really, ONE table? Had I been told right from the start that there was only one table available for us, we would have left right away and would probably go back, I talked to the manager and he was absolutely no help. So disappointed and will never go back. So big parties be aware. read more

The prime rib is my favorite! Sitting outside, sipping a delicious margarita, enjoying the beautiful view of the Mississippi....it's a mini paradise:) read more

I was pleasantly surprised by the price of the food here! The place looks amazing, with a fantastic river view but the price for a burger was under $8. Chicken George is the most popular and a huge portion. I ate the French dip with was very good. read more

This was our first time at the CandleLight Inn. It was chosen because we were told the view of the Mississippi was great and the food was good. We arrived at 2pm on a Sunday afternoon and the outside deck was not too busy. It took 9 minutes for our waitress to greet us and take our drink orders. The drinks eventually arrived and the waitress WAS very helpful explaining what "Chicken George " was, and the other menu options. We ended up ordering coconut shrimp as an appetizer, Chicken George, BBQ ribs, and a small Prime Rib. The salads, the chicken, and the dessert turned out to be the best items in the meal. The coconut shrimp came back VERY dark and overcooked on the outside, which means either they don't change/filter their oil very often, and/or their fryer temp was set too high. They must cook the Chicken George in the same vat as the shrimp, because the chicken, which actually was pretty good, had a slight shrimp flavor. The ribs were so overdone the BBQ sauce AND the meat was caramelized. Only the thickest parts of the ribs has any moisture. Yea, it fell off the bone....in chunks, and clinked on the plate. The prime rib was a joke. About 3/8" thick grey slab of meat. NOT tender, not juicy, really bland taste. The mashed potatoes and gravy were good, but the baked potato was underdone. Lots of this food was fed to the dog when we got home. She loved it. Especially the "prime rib." Mmmmm.....expensive dog food.... Hoping to get something good for dessert, the server recommended the Peppermint ice cream and the banana nut cake. Both were great! The frosting on the cake must have had bananas in it as well. It was moist and very flavorful. The peppermint ice cream and the banana cake was the highlight of the meal. I'd recommend this place for the view, and the drinks. Don't bother with the food, unless it's dessert. read more

Love the view that this restaurant offers of the river - their outside dining on the patio/balcony is great in warm weather. I especially love their Chicken Spinach salad... i eat healthy but then :) i have their Strawberry Shortcake - awesome!!! A warm shortcake with the fresh strawberries is just great - the one time I really don't want to share it with anyone read more

Although the atmosphere is good & the view is nice the food & the prices were poor. I expected great things when I ordered Parmesan George. It was a large portion, but just about the blandest dish I've ever eaten. Fries & breadstick were good. This was $14.99. My husband got the French dip & his also was extremely bland. He got a breadstick & a very small order of fries which he had to pay extra for. I can make everything better for much cheaper at home. Overall experience is poor & we won't be going back. read more

There staff is awesome! Always a great visit. I feel the food isn't worth the cost however, feels a bit expensive for what you get. But would recommend it to anyone I know or those I don't looking for a good place to eat! read more

The view while eating outside is outstanding. The service was great and the food was decent. The freshly made fried mozzerella was a favorite of all. The whole fried catfish was difficult to eat because of all the bones. All in all it was a nice evening for a dinner out on the deck. Thank you Yelp for helping us find Candleight Inn. read more

I was so looking forward to our family dinner, coming from out of town for a family reunion. I've heard nothing but good things. We arrived and we're seated immediately which is fantastic, the restaurant seemed very busy and very popular on Friday night. I was contemplating what to have for dinner and being from Florida thought some corn fed Iowa beef ribeye steak sounded amazing. My mother ordered a pork chop which she looked forward to from her childhood, and the rest of my family ordered their food. The salad and breadsticks were amazing. The breadsticks are so soft and buttery they just melt in your mouth. I was seeing plates and plates of onion rings there humongous and so I wanted to have some onion rings with my dinner. I ordered the medium-rare ribeye with a side of onion rings, my mom the pork chop and the rest of my family ordered as well. My steak arrived well done, dry as shoe leather. I had to send it back as I had ordered medium rare and along with that my onion rings had originally came out cold, now having to wait for the rest of my meal, even colder. My mom's pork chop and her brother-in-law's were so salty that they couldn't finish the meat. I was sad to pay the $35 my meal as I knew back home in Florida I would be able to get two steaks for the same price and they would be much tastier. For my moms inconvenience and inability to finish her meal, they offered a free dessert. read more

I expected better, for the second time dining here. My ribeye was a horrible cut, very gristly. The light near our table wouldn't stay on for more than a minute at a time. Our server told us this wasn't the first night the light was acting that way. I would think that repairs would be made ASAP. If you're in Clinton I guess it's the best place to eat but I wouldn't travel there to eat. read more

The chicken George is delicious & the service is great! We luv going there for lunch or dinner

I went to visit a friend up here in Clinton yesterday and the food was great! Chicken George was amazing and the onion rings were delicious! Got to sit outside and it was definitely awesome! Will for sure be returning to this wonderful dining destination. read more

This was my first visit to the Candlelight Inn in Clinton IA. Overall it is probably one of the better dining establishments in Clinton. But that really doesn't mean much because the bar is fairly low. The service was pretty good but they could use some assistance with removal of dishes by other than the primary server. Food was pretty good as well with the exception of the walnut encrusted salmon, which was dry. Had to order a side sauce to moisten it up a bit, for which we were charged. Portion size was good for the price charged. The noise level is quiet loud and there needs to be sound dampening wall treatments. The organization and workflow are poor with food and waiting customers competing for the same space. Nice view of the Mississippi River and outside deck looks inviting in warm weather. Will probably try it again. read more

I had dinner here over the holiday period. It was a great experience. The atmosphere is friendly, comfortable and well-appointed. On a busy Saturday night, three of us barely ordered drinks at the bar when we were seated in the restaurant section. It's a big busy place with a fun vibe. Lots of families and large groups - like being at a wedding reception. We all skipped the appetizers and went right to ordering entrees. I chose the slab of ribs, and my companions got steak. Salad and two sides come with the entrees. My ribs were excellent with a choice of sauces, as I like it, on the side. Mac 'n cheese and slaw accompanied it. Steak reviews were good, too. Service was quick but we never felt rushed either. Prices are reasonable and the entire experience a good value. Friday special is fish fry with $1.99 margaritas. I look forward to enjoying dining on the deck overlooking the river in summer. read more

The place was very decorative nice looking, but that's where the good qualities ended. I ordered the queen prime rib steak and it looked good from the outside. The taste was very bland and mellow. On top of that they over cooked it to my request. I ordered medium and it had almost no pink on the inside. The place is known for it's "Chicken George" which I've never had. I have though been told that it it tastes like sweet and sour chicken, except without the sweet...or sour. Please excuse any typos. read more

Great place to eat. We had a birthday card for a free meal. The Chicken George is fabulous. They were also super about checking what foods were gluten free to accommodate a dietary need. Got the kabob with a baked potato and salad. Staff was freat! Food good. read more

This place was recommended by the hotel I stayed at. It did not disappoint. The food was pretty decently priced. It looks pretty fancy inside, but the food and people weren't, which was nice. The ribs fell of the bone (could have used a little more sauce though) . Sweet potatoe was excellent. Chicken strips and the sauce they came with were great. read more

Best place to get a jumbo margarita on Fridays for $1.99 awesome!! Chicken George is the best also!

I see all the 1 start reviews on this restaurant are relegated to the "not recommended" listing. They all also seem to have a common theme...bad service...rude waitstaff..and poor customer service all around. I guess the truth isn't recommended these days cause that is a perfect description of this snooty wannabe elitist establishment. My experience this past weekend was beyond disappointing. It was deplorable. I sat waiting to be acknowledged long enough to see people who were sat 10 minutes after us have their drink order taken immediately. I had a waiter make eye contact and walk away three times. They didn't seem to want our business and they didn't get it. We left without even having a drink order taken (I counted 18 minutes from seating to leaving). The hostess didn't ask if there was a problem when we asked for the security code to leave via the dock. She let us walk out without comment. Furthermore, when I walked up to the hostess desk on the way out I counted 7 employees standing by the front who didn't seem particularly concerned that customers were walking out or hadn't been served. I did get a menu...which contained pretty normal fare for a bar and grill. There was nothing to suggest that this was too fancy of a restaurant to be wearing sandals and shorts in (honestly...you serve onion rings next to a dock on the Mississippi...get over yourselves). I was hoping to try a bottle of their sauvignon blanc and maybe some steak bites...but couldn't get served. Wouldn't go back to this place or recommend them to any of my friends who frequent the boating stops on the Mississippi. Awful service and a bunch of snobs. read more

Waited for over an hour and got a table with a great view. Waited for almost another hour before food was finally served. The coconut shrimp was good but the chicken George was nothing more than chicken strips with fish batter and a funky sauce to dip them in. I heard good things about it and was highly disappointed. Mashed potatoes tasted like something out of a box, doubt they are real potatoes. read more

We went there for dinner and because of the long wait, we went to the bar for a drink. We sat outside for about 15 minutes before we went to a manager, the manager comped our drinks and appetizer, so that was very nice. To be fair, the place was busy, but who knows how long we would've waited if we didn't talk to a manager. When we got seated, we both ordered prime rib and everything was fine, but nothing great. Service was ok and margaritas were $2.00, but nothing I'm rushing back to go to. Definitely one of the better places in Clinton with a nice view, but I wouldn't be expecting anything spectacular. read more

My wife and I have been there twice. Once during the week at the end of Sept. and then for a late lunch during the week the second week in October. The first visit was with a group of ten and for supper. We had a great corner round table and the service was very good made complete with a waitress who had a sense of humor. A few had prime rib. Mine I had grilled. MMMMM Good! For lunch in October we had their Chicken George Express. Plenty to eat and on a "hot" platter. Waitress was Ok. Both times the meals came on a timely basis. We will be going back to Clinton to enjoy their view of the Mississippi River read more

I really enjoy there chicken george with the Jans sauce. Also its a romantic and classy place to eat out when on a date, with a nice view of the river. Or if you go on Friday night they have $1.99 margaritas! If you have a sweet tooth the chocolate cake is very delicious:) read more

The view of the river is great. The food is good. Someone said the Chicken George serving was small. Not any more... Huge. They have an all you can eat night of it, but the regular portion is large. They also have a happy hour and drink specials in the evenings. As far as Clinton goes, this is as good as it gets. You can even get a veggie burger and a vegetarian friendly salad. read more

A nice view of the river from the outdoor deck. Drinks were good and reasonably priced. Food was good. You won't be asking the chef for his/her recipes, but you won't be unhappy, either. Worth a stop! read more

Whenever I come back to Clinton I take my mom out to eat here. To tell you the truth, I've eaten in places from Honolulu to Miami, and the food here is average. I'm not complaining. It's decent and well made, but it lacks anything that pops in your mouth. I go for the view, nice service, and varied menu. If you are in Clinton, for God knows whatever reason, and you want to go out for a nice meal, this place is a good choice. read more

Great views, over-priced mediocre food, inattentive service. This restaurant seems to know it can count on a steady stream of customers, and that attitude can be felt the minute you are greeted by a hostess. Instead of "Here comes a paying customer lets make them feel important", the attitude is, "Let's herd some more cattle in an out-wait over there." Having grown up in Clinton, and long since moved away to Chicago area, I am aware that Iowans in general are not very picky about how their food tastes. This restaurant capitalizes on the customers who seem oblivious to bland, formulaic food choices. And when they venture into 'exotic' dishes, it's merely adding coconut shavings to fried shrimp.($18?!) Gosh, it's like being on a Polynesian Island. Not. My young daughter happens to like their sweet Chicken George sauce, so while in town on her birthday I stopped for carryout and asked the hurried hostess if she could add that sauce to a fried catfish dinner. She robotically entered in the order on the register, keeping a wary eye on the customers coming in. She told me, (not invited me) to wait at the bar and order a drink and it would be ready in 10-15 minutes. I don't drink, but sat at the bar with a $2 diet coke for 30 minutes before tracking down the elusive hostess to find my order. Turns out it had been sitting in the kitchen getting soggy for 20 minutes while the hostess shuttled more cattle into the restaurant. And when she finally brought be the cold bag of fries and fish, she handed it to me and flatly said, "Here." No apology, no time to check the contents, just 'Here you go now be on your way.' I got to my car before realizing she forgot the damn sauce, which was the whole point. When I went back the hostess was annoyed to have to look up from her reservation sheet and reluctantly fetched the sauce, handing it to me with no eye contact and another "Here." $22.00 and 35 minutes wasted for a soggy bag of fries and catfish. I won't go there again, but I truly don't think they care one way or another. read more

This place has an amazing chicken george which I am quite fond of. Serving sizes are huge, food is good and the atmosphere is great. It is a very cozy place, especially in the winter. read more

Good food. A great family friendly atmosphere. The waitress brought out a kids tray right when we were seated which helped with our "hangry" children. The restaurant is right on the river which provides a beautiful setting. read more

i have been to the candlelight a couple of times. the first experience was one of total chaos basically the blind leading the blind total mismanagement and ineffiecency. the second well it was thursday lunch what could they screw up. last night 08/21/2011 was a complete disaster. the only thing that was good about it was the company we were with. it was to take 45 minutes to be seated at a table. so meanwhile we sat at a cocktail table. we had no servers at a table specifically for drinks and appetizers for well over an hour. finally after an hour and a half some one did come, we got the menus ordered and waited again. about a half hour later our food arrived and well it was less than stellar to say the least. the management knew of our discontent so they gave us all complimentary drinks of which it took 20 minutes to get them. when we did get them it was after yet another complaint, at that point the waiter and the barkeep both showed up with 2 sets of drinks, neither knew of the others intent absolutely no communication. after a bit it was time to pay the bill the waiter came by to clear the table and dropped his tray on the table making a huge mess, he did this not once but twice. the only reason that i gave it 1 star is because there is no options for zero stars. i will avoid this place as if it were the plague and tell others to do so. unless management changes i predict this place will self destruct. read more