No reservations. Better come early. Or hope there is a seat at the bar. Great food! Cheap drinks on Fridays. read more

Candlelight Inn - American Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

Growing up around Clinton and Sterling area you just know about this place and the chicken George. This review is from when I took my mom here for Mother's Day. I personally think this is one of the best restaurants in Clinton and I haven't had a bad experience yet. They were super busy since everyone was taking their moms here and they had a few prom parties here which meant we had some time to wait. We went to the bar area and got a drink and a chicken George appetizer which was awesome and the perfect amount. The bar tender was very nice and went above and beyond. For dinner we both got a salmon which was good but the star of my dish was the wild rice that was just amazing. The rockefeller sauce was a little to much and I would ask for that on the side next time. But still a good meal. If your passing through Clinton and looking for a place to get dinner this is one of the best places to go hands down. read more

Candlelight Inn - Salmon Rockefeller. Wild rice was amazing just wish it had less sauce on it to let the rice shine through - American Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

First of all, I love the food here. Their chicken, their salads, their desserts.....second to none. Any issues I've ever had here have been with their service. Very lacking. Very very lacking. Why? I walk in on a Sunday afternoon and they're not busy. I tell them I need a table for 12. This shouldn't be a problem. They're not busy. They take us to a table that has 11 chairs at it and not a bit of room to add another chair. I NEED 12, NOT 11. The dimwit seating us looks at me as though I've requested her first born. Part of our group sat at a different table because apparently, pushing tables together is too much to ask. The appetizer I ordered came AFTER my meal. Oy vey. And maybe I was just testy over the seating but I felt like our server was less than enthused to be working with us at the time. It'll be awhile before I go back. Again though.......the food is great! read more

Restaurant is very nice and clean. The view of the Mississippi cannot be beat. Nice bar with good drink specials. The wait staff is very friendly and professional. The food however in my opinion is average bar quality food. Pretty much everything on the menu is fried. They are known for their chicken George which is good but if your not in the mood for deep fried chicken pieces there's not much left to offer you. I have had the prime rib one time and was impressed with it. It's a very nice restaurant just could use a broader menu in my opinion read more

This place was okay. Had good service. The prime rib was tough and the gravy (on my mashed potatoes) tasted like it was from a can.

We were seated and right away we noticed the table was still dirty and sticky so we had the server wipe it down for us . Should not have to police that. The appetizer, onion rings, were Luke warm at best as though they had been sitting around for a while. My entree was just a plate of noodles drenched in olive oil with some garlic cloves mixed in and grilled prime rib strips. No seasoning and very bland. My wife's shrimp and chicken george tasted the same as the onion rings. Her entree was also Luke warm at best. Overall very disappointed as we had heard from friends that we would really like the place. Don't waste your time and hard earned money. Was the worst meal we have ever had bar none. read more

Love the Candlelight. Try the prime rib sandwich!!! Great friendly service and a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. read more

Candlelight Inn - Nice view of the Mississippi River! - American Near Me - Clinton, Iowa

Went here on a Thursday evening with my wife and I. We both ordered two Chicken Georges and also we order drinks with waters. The food was great and we both enjoyed our meal. The reason I am giving 3 stars is because of the too long of wait on our food and even our drinks! I would have been okay with the long wait if they were busy, but they were not. Also for our second round of we ordered a bottle beer And a watermelon margarita on the rocks. Our server came back with the right beer but a lime margarita. The last time I was here the service was better and it was even on a busy Friday night. I would recommend this place for the view of the Mississippi River and food but service can vary. read more

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We order 4 different entrees and we sent them all back. All items were so salty we could not eat them. Each entree had a different sauce and each one was unedible. The chicken is ok. If you like deep fried chicken strips. read more

Our conclusion is that this branch of the Candlelight isn't up to snuff with the two in Illinois. Little things that make a big difference: 1. Dressing-soaked breadstick because of a change in salad service ware to tall soup bowl from the previous wide plate with a wide rim, where the perfectly yummy breadstick fit nicely. Not so anymore. 2. Chicken smothered with green peppers, etc. was a thick ring of al dente green pepper vs. my expectation of all the vegetables smothering the chicken chopped to similar size before cooking. 3. Sweet potato fries should be listed on the menu as waffle cut. I was expecting regular-shaped fries. Plus, they were overcooked. 4. I liked getting a brand new bottle of ketchup for the fries, but not that I had to be the one to unscrew the top and remove the safety seal. read more

We got there late...Vegetable soup was good. Salmon and Quinoa were ok. Chicken George is the house specialty.

We patronize all three Candlelight Inns happily, because all are equi-distant from our home. The Original Chicken George or Jumbo Shrimp are my personal favorites, usually accompanied by French Onion Soup, Wild Rice, or Vegetable Medley, and my husband likes seafood or steak entrees. We additionally recommend the Combination Fried Appetizer Platter as the best anywhere: onion rings, fried pickle chips, fried mushrooms, and fried cauliflower. Their new fried potato skins are also excellent. The service is good, the atmosphere attractive, and prices are reasonable. We belong to the Candlelight Club, which returns many times over the $25 one-time donation to your favorite charity. One suggestion is to go early on Friday or Saturday evenings, which are always busy, particularly in Clinton. read more

I brought my younger sister here for her birthday and I've never seen her so disappointed. We waited well over 45 minutes for our waitress just to come and ask us what we wanted to drink and the same for when it came to ordering our meal. On top of that, both of our sandwiches had burnt meat on them and the cheese was scorched. The staff was very unprofessional, as one of the male staff members had approached my table and continued with trying to flirt with me and proceeded with asking for my number. Over all, our experience was awful and we will not be coming back. It's understaffed, overpriced, and I would rather eat cat food than the garbage they serve. read more

Traveling through Iowa. We called to see if we needed a reservation but they said just stop in. We sat outside with a great view of the river. The hostess, waitress and server were all excellent at customer service. We ordered burgers and beef kabob. Fantastic food and loved the French fries (crispy and light). We even got to see a barge go by down the Mississippi. It was a perfect day. And so glad we stopped for a mini vacation. read more

My first time eating here. The Chicken George and Buffalo George was excellent. Our waiter was very attentive. The view of the river was beautiful from our view. Prices on the high side. But will be back. read more

Worst meal I've had in years. 'Hot Prime Sand' was a couple small pieces of shaved grisly meat covered with some awful gravy right from a jar and accompanied by flaked mashed potatoes. Honestly, I would have done better with an Arby's sandwich. read more

The Candlelight is new to Clinton & very welcome. The food is great & the service is really good. Now that the newness has worn off, the wait has shortened considerably. Love the Chicken George, other family members love the Catfish & the lunch menu is nice & very reasonably priced. Fridays they have $1.99 Margaritas, a great deal. During the week they have all you can eat specials, have not tried that as I know I could only eat 1 serving, though I am planning to try it in the future. A wonderful addition to Clinton read more

The best thing about this resturant is the deck with a great view of the river. The food is marginal at best. The steaks are so-so, the fish is ok, and the wine list is short. I've eaten there on business about 6 times, and the best thing on the menu is the Salmon with olive cous cous. You won't have a bad meal here, but you won't have a great one either. read more

Great atmosphere and view of the river. We were greeted right away, the manager stopped by to make sure everything was good & the food was terrific. The price of the food was reasonable. We will eat here again. read more

For Clinton it is one of the nicer restaurants. The set up and dining area are really nice with a great view of the Mississippi River. The service is pretty quick and the chicken george is delicious. read more

I was told (by locals) that this is the best restaurant in Clinton, IA. It has a nice ambiance and is located right on the Mississippi River. I had a filet mignon and chocolate cake, both of which were delicious. The filet was perfectly cooked, surrounded in bacon, and was so good. Really hit the spot. This place is a solid 4, and is definitely worth a visit if you're in Clinton. read more

I was working here on business. Went to the Candlelight Inn. I am sure the view is wonderful, in the summer. Food way overpriced for what you get. I got the prime rib, grilled. Ordered it medium rare. The steak came out burnt on the outside and medium on the inside. The baked potato tasted microwaved. The salad was ok. It was served with a bread stick. If you like this place, it means you have no taste for food. I would not recommend this place, unless, you want to see the river. read more

we ate early and got a table by the window without any wait time. the parmesan chicken was excellent. I love going here anytime I'm in town. I love the atmosphere and the view of the river and marina set the mood for the rest of the new night! read more

Good steak, ok service. Wife had the Philly chicken sandwich and said she liked it.

Great waterfront view, ambiance and lighting...even saw some eagles outside. Not many vegetarian options (just veggie burger and veggie sides) so I created my own dish and waitress was very nice about it. They have the best mozzarella sticks I've ever had = fresh batter/fry with every order. read more

No reservations unless you have a party of 8+. We went with a party of 6, was told there'd be a two-hour wait. (!) Gorgeous Friday night in July, two-buck margaritas. The wait is understandable. The food, however, was not quite worth the wait. We all ordered the flagship dish "chicken george" which was rather tasty (lightly battered, like tempura, chicken strips, with some yumyum sauce ala Benihana). Would I order this again? By all means. Would I wait three hours to eat some (btw after we ordered, it took an eternity to actually see any plates)? No. Go with seven more people, or go on a rainy or snowy day. The server left a bit to be desired as well. We figured she was megabusy, and she was, but a modicum of personality would have went a long way. Spectacular view. read more

OMG!! The George Chicken is to die for! The bartender at Wide River Winery recommended it to us and I wasn't too sure about the recommendation of chicken. I'm not big into fried chicken, but this was perfect! It's a very thin batter and it uses real chicken. The sauce was crazy delicious as well. If you're not sure, they offer samples of it and the sample was huge! Holy cow delicious! read more

If you want overpriced food then get to Candlelight. The food is never bad but basic. Totally bland to the point that even strong accents like Cajun spice taste like Burger King bbq sauce. Never had a great meal here. The atmosphere is good right on the river but you can do better for food in Clinton as at a cheaper price read more

So much food. The chicken George may have been chicken strips, but the batter was fabulous! The grilled chicken was cooked to perfection. Get there early or make a reservation. Only minor complaint is that the hot beef sandwich was not toasted and the gravy was thick and over salted. Great service and enjoyed the atmosphere. read more

Jan sauce... It is like crack for finger food. The catfish is amazing, I ask for it extra crispy. I get the whole catfish... not as much of fan Catfish Charlie (to much breading, just my opinion). The Margarita's are wonderful and Friday's are even better cuz' they are a $1.99. Oh YEAH. As to some of the other fare it's good... but I love their fish. Can be a bit pricey; but the view and service are worth it. read more

Getting around to finishing up some reviews started long ago. We've stopped in here several times on our way through, in 2012 and 2013. The food was okay, but too processed tasting for my taste. NIce folks at the bar to talk to and nice staff. Will keep it on our list. read more

Everyone was talking about the chicken george so I thought I just HAD to get it. Ended up being just decent chicken fingers. Nothing special. The view from the restaurant is nice. If I'm back I'll have to try something that isn't one of the many chicken george options. read more

Grant setting right on the river. I'd love to visit in the summer. Food and appetizers were good. Prime rib was well seasoned and prepared perfectly. . Chicken George was good although it didn't match the hype it had received. The French onion soup was good as was my salad. A friend ordered the walleye and it was excellent. read more

This was solid food. The fish was well prepared and the river view cannot be beat. I'm sure I would eat here again next time I am in Clinton. read more

Put our name in at 5pm. Told an outside table would be 45 min so we just said first available. An hour later we checked and everyone on the list before us had been seated (outside) and 3 names after ours. We mentioned that there were two tables outside that could accommodate 6 and were told they were reserved for tables for eight! Wait... What? So 10 min later we were crammed into a booth. The heavily breaded chicken strips were as expected. The seafood alfredo was so laden with white cheese sauce and seemed to have been sitting around for more than a few minutes that you couldn't taste anything in it. Just a bland bowl of goopy noodles. The seafood was just lost. read more

I love the atmosphere. Its nice to sit out on the deck with our friends and have dinner by the river. Friday nights (I believe they still do this) they have HUGE margaritas for 1.50 It seriously don't get better then this! The service can be really slow and wait can take a while especially on the weekends so if your looking to eat RIGHT AWAY you may want to head elsewear. The steak is fabulous!!! You get two sides and a huge steak for 20$ The cheesecake is awesome too! The chicken George is OKAY, its the "go to" order. Everyone orders it. Nothing special just deep fried with some yummy dip. I suggest asking to sit out on the deck, the wait may be longer for this depending on the day and time you come. Its worth the wait. read more

Outstanding! Music Thursday nite. . Best prime rib in town. On water front. Supper club atmosphere. Not easy to find, but well worth the drive. read more

Very rude, unreasonable reservation policy, customer service terrible. Will never go there again. Does not deserve even 1 star. Managers condescending. read more

The view from the deck was the only thing worth going back. Almost broke a toothe in a boneless chicken appetizer. Super hard hoagie bun for my sandwich I couldn't eat it. Super dry ribs. In the middle of eating, the waitress closed our umbrella but no other table. I feel my boyfriend and I were discriminated because we were in our motorcycle leathers. Dispite our horrible food, the manager didn't reduce our ticket or our waitress didn't try. DON'T GO THERE if you're a motorcyclist. read more

Love their food there. Every time I go there I always get the chicken George. The portion sizes are pretty big, so I always have some for later. Which isn't a bad thing. read more