Gotta love Donnelly's, even though I probably haven't been there since I was in my 20s. It's a great bar to watch games, especially soccer for the upcoming World Cup. The vibes are great. The cheese curds are good and I saw that they have really other good specials that I look forward to coming back to once the students are out. No offense to any students reading this. read more

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Stopped in for a night cap. Our server was Sophia. She was attentive knowledgable and friendly. Great whiskey selection I'll be back read more

If you are in downtown Iowa City and you want a real beer at a real bar with smart and kind staff, Donnelly's Pub is the place to go. Oh, and go for lunch too. Good food at reasonable prices, with outdoor seating. read more

Cool pub great wings! Service was awesome and the place had the Irish pub feels and is buzzing with people.

I was in town for just one night and stopped in to grab some wings and a beer before Penn State smashed Iowa in wrestling. The atmosphere is good. It's a pretty standard Irish bar. I went with the Jamison Buffalo wings. They were fine. Nothing special. Based on other reviews I expected more. I'd go back for a beer but pass on the wings. read more

Arrived 5pm for dinner. Our server was fantastic. Offered suggestions and very attentive. Ordered 2 apps both were tasty. I ordered a burger and asked it be cooked medium. It actually was cooked medium. For a college town Irish pub and restaurant it gets good marks for service and friendliness read more

It has a good atmosphere, and the staff is excellent and very lively. I go almost every Wednesday where they have their one-pound wing basket with fries for only nine dollars. I am a big fan of spicy parmesan garlic and their beer-battered fries. Excellent place! read more

Donnelly's Pub is the perfect place for a casual date night or a night out with friends. The atmosphere was cozy and fun - I always love a good booth. Our server was down to earth, had great recommendations, and was attentive but not overly checking in on us. The fish and chips were the favorite part of our meal - they weren't overly greasy and the breading was really crispy. The battered fries and sweet potato fries we both really good - I couldn't choose which I liked more. The wings were so good! We tried the Jameson buffalo sauce. The price was just right for a date night out. We will definitely be back! read more

Donnelly's Pub - Jameson Buffalo Wings & Side Sweet Potato Fries - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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I Was visiting Iowa on a business trip, and on my night off the fellas insisted on watching wrestling at Donnelly's! I couldn't pass it up. As I sauntered into the bar, I was immediately greeted and taken care of. We sat at the bartop, but there is plenty of tables and booths available for more formal dining. The vibe: A really cool Irish pub, with a nice list of classic cocktails and appetizers. They have a large list of beers as well, and their Reuben is said to be the best in town. The boys and I were going wild as we watched the match. We had a blast, and if you're looking for a fun and classic bar experience, this place is great. Next time im in town, I'll be back for the next match! I ended up getting the egg, and I couldn't have been happier. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Menu - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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My love for a Guinness is no secret. And Donnelly's Pub serves up some of the best (discounted, even). Whether you just wanna grab a beer or you wanna sit down for a bite-- Donnelly's has got you covered. Donnelly's has had some major improvements. 1. Curb appeal. A new red coat of paint that makes this pub pop in the pedmall, along with a pretty fancy sign. In my days as a student, you could easily walk right past this Irish staple-- but that is no more. 2. Holy patio! Previously, there were two two-person tables on a teeeeeeny tiny patio. But since COVID, a structure was added. There are now enough spots for four tables, seating about twelve distanced. 3. Their wings. OK, ok. Those are not a major improvement but they are worth yet another mention. THE BEST WINGS IN IOWA CITY ARE SERVED AT DONNELLY'S PUB. There. You have me on record. Perfectly breaded and offering 11 sauces. Grab a Guinness and wings, enjoy a socially distanced night on their patio. It's the red pub in the heart of downtown. Sláinte. read more

Donnelly's Pub - 1 lb. Boneless Wings with Basket of Fries - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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Still sitting down enjoying my food but had to post this review. Best Rueben ever wow. These fries are perfectly crispy and it's just beautiful read more

Donnelly's Pub - Rueben - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

We Love Donnelly's! Anyone who gives this place less than four stars are just in the early stages of Karen's/Ken's in waiting. Always have had great food, beer and service. Even when it's a little slow, great time was had by all. Just gives you more time to chat it up with good friends and family. Their Ruben is the best we've had. Their chicken tenders are always hot and freshly battered to order. Pretty basic COVID rules I place. No drama to report. Love Donnelly's! Keep up the good work. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Irish tacos. The hot sauce is sweet, but hot AF. Sweat beads were activated. - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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Good old Irish pub as reliable as the come. From the textbook head on my Guinness to the crispy bread on my brisket sandwich. Every city and town needs a place like this. read more

From out of town but needed a place to watch the playoff games where I could get some beer and some solid bar food and this was close to our hotel and served its purpose. Pretty good distribution of TVs both behind the bar and around the restaurant so even though the bar was full when we showed up (side note: thought maybe in Iowa it would be Packers or Bears fans, but the Vikings fans were quite vocal today), our booth had a great view of the game. Our waitress was kind and attentive and overall really great -- wish I could remember her name to give her the shoutout she deserves. The beer selection was average - ended up settling for the classic Blue Moon on tap which was $3 on the happy hour deal so no complaints there. Food was hit or miss. The deviled eggs were good enough, but the burger sliders were not so good. Not cooked well and the burger to bun ratio was sad (way too much bun). The cheese curds were delicious and the donuts were SUPERB so I'd highly recommend those. All in all, prices were cheap and the food was solid for the price point. I would definitely go back to watch a game if in the area. I'm not from around here so I don't know if this is necessarily an undergrad area or not but the population in this bar midday on a weekend was definitely older than the undergrad population and a calmer crowd -- even with the playoff games on -- which I appreciated. Bathrooms were clean but one stall each so sometimes there was a bit of a wait. Since we walked, I can't speak to parking but it's in a little outdoor mall area with other bars, shops and restaurants so there's at least not a ton of outdoor parking space that I saw (it's all walkways). read more

Donnelly's is the perfect place to meet up with friends to watch USMNT matches. I've been here a few times for such purposes, the latest being during the USMNT vs. Netherlands match as part of the 2022 World Cup. The environment had so much respectful energy as we were all in there together for a common cause. With as busy as it was, the staff did a good job of trying to make rounds every once in a while. Customers were also helpful in placing orders for other customers who might have been too far from the bar to place their order. Teamwork! read more

Somewhere I visit each time I'm in Iowa City! Never disappoints, food, service and atmosphere are all excellent!

Average bar with frozen and deep fried food. $9 for a bar rail cocktail is a bit steep! The patio was dirty and unkept unfortunately. Probably not going back. Service was great though! read more

Greeted immediately and order was taken in good time. The pretzel is THE BEST!! I have tried many a pretzel in my day and this one was moist and lightly salted. Just perfect! The Buffalo Chicken Sandwich was also really good and I recommend giving it a go! There are many places to stop and eat in the Ped Mall area, you won't be disappointed at Donnelly's. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Such a great - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

This place by far has the best Reuben sandwich that I've ever had. The menu says the best in Iowa City and it's absolutely 100% true, their corn beef is what makes their Reuben standout and I would highly suggest anyone who loves Reubens to check out theirs. Thumbs Up 100%, it will pair perfect with a Guinness read more

No just no! Expensive and definitely not quality food, frozen fries, strange soda, terrible bread on the sandwich's. The grilled cheese was not actually grilled just basically put together, the bread wasn't toasted and the cheese was still a square so no never again! read more

Food could definitely be better, both the fish in the fish and chips and the chicken in the strips and dips were dry and didn't have much taste. read more

Food - great Table Service - very good Wait time for food - terrible Fresh air - non-existent While the food is legitimate pub quality food, the result of smelling like an uncleaned grease trap when you leave makes the visit very unpleasant. Our server was very attentive; however, we were one of only 3 occupied tables in the restaurant and it took more than 40 minutes from the time we ordered to actually get our food. We are talking fried chicken sliders and fries not made to order scratch pasta or beef wellington. At least we'll have that overly fried fish smell to remember the evening read more

Every workplace has their a corresponding "go-to" lunch place, right? Well, for me, that's Donnelly's. It's fantastic. The waitstaff is great, it's well managed, the food is consistent, and they offer great specials during the week. And, I'll be honest, it doesn't hurt to feel like a regular. Donnelly's serves my favorite Reuben in Iowa City. The rye bread is crisped to perfection, the corned beef is pulled and salty, the sauerkraut is the perfect amount of tangy, and the Russian dressing is served on the side for ease-of-dipping purposes, meaning you can slather as much of that greatness on as you want for each and every bite. I usually get the potato salad on the side in an effort to convince myself I'm being "healthy" by not ordering fries. The portion is very reasonable, and it has bacon in it so it's obviously pretty freaking good. Donnelly's does a couple of other things very well... I'm a fan of their Black & Bleu Burger, their Onion Rings are seasoned really well, their Irish Stew is great for a cold, wintry day, and their Buffalo Chicken Sliders are awesome. Their Garlic Parmesan fries are also super delicious, but I don't recommend ordering them if you're on a date, or have to talk to human beings afterward because they are potent enough to rid you of vampire encounters for a lifetime. If you feel like Irish pub food, this is your spot. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Best Ruben in town, IMO. - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Worst food I've ever had delivered. The poutine looked like someone took a dump on it. The sandwich was burnt. The staff was rude. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Reuben - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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A great place for a late night pint and a bite. A good alternative to the much louder and more crowded places next door.

Came in Sunday at noon, great atmosphere music was playing but it wasn't drowning out conversation. Wait staff was right there and got us drinks and as soon as we were ready got our food order. Menu isn't to expansive, but we were all happy with what we ordered. Food came out without too much wait, kitchen is open and you can watch them prepare everyone's food. Price was reasonable, all round great experience, this will definitely fall into our come back again category! read more

so disappointed ...we used to LOVE this place and the last 2 times we have been there we have been disappointed. I even asked tonight if they still chopped the ruben meat... our waitress even asked. Was told by (Manager?) that of course it was they make it in house ..when you hear a chop that is a ruben being made. Well you use to hear several chops very fast (the meat was fine when done). Tonight we heard 3 chops. The ruben had good flavor but was tough. the fries were not done (kinda soggy) and the fried chicken sandwich was way over done! I figure sometimes it just happens but this is 2 in a row now and there are a lot of good places to eat in Iowa City. Guess from now on it will be drinks only as it is still a good bar read more

I have gone to this bar several times in my youth and as an adult. I even worked as a waitress at this bar for a couple of years when I was in college. Donnelly's Pub has always been a very cool bar to me and I have always loved: the atmosphere, decor, and their BLT sandwiches. I have spent many New Year's Eves at this bar partying and it has always been a great bar to go to in the heart of the pedmall in downtown Iowa City. Recently, I went there to meet an old friend to catch up and we each drank a beer and talked a bunch and had great service and the whole experience was wonderful. I will definitely return to Donnelly's Pub sometime in the future. read more

Seth is one of the best servers I've ever encountered being a professional food reviewer. Above and beyond. Straight to the point and super friendly. Would 10/10 recommend specifically because of the experience I've had with Seth. Thank you so much! read more

I stayed away from this bar for a long time because I was suspicious of a new bar using the old Donnelly's name. The original Donnelly's was a piece of Iowa City history that got destroyed by Urban Renewal in the early 1970's. The owner, Harold Donnelly, was a real character according to my dad. The current Donnelly's is really pretty good. The staff are all helpful, and the kitchen is solid. I've heard some complain about the fish but I've never had it -- I like their Thursday lunch special, which is a grilled chicken club, their wings are great and inexpensive, and these days they have at least three or four good to great craft beers on tap. They do a pretty big lunch business, so don't expect miracles at noon on a Friday! Oh, and I had some professors lose a receipt once and the manager went out of her way to find me a replacement. read more

Donnelly's Pub - Buffalo chicken - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Great Irish pub downtown. Stop in, order a pint and a pretzel, and let Ethan and Buddha take care of you. Very friendly staff and crowd. I will be back every time I visit Iowa City. read more

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Really good Irish bar in downtown Iowa City. The Reuben here is top notch and I enjoy their sweet potato fries. The beer/drink selection isn't anything special and is a bit on the high side. It is a really good value for food though. Oh, and free popcorn! read more

Donnelly's Pub - Reuben and sweet potato fries - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Watched the cook grab raw meat with no gloves then immediately pick up a bun. Nasty!!

If you want to get away from the exasperating no-class clubs with their incessantly loud music of very poor taste, Donnelly's is the place to go. Nothing spells out maturity in a college town like a good old fashioned adult pub. Let the boys ruin their hearing and spend all of their parents money at those clubs! I came in to Donnelly's twice during my brief visit to Iowa City. The beer is of decent price, and there is a nicer more relaxed atmosphere than the other places in town. The first night in they were playing some good old fashioned French Pop from the 60s, which was pretty cool since no one does that, and it wasnt too loud either, which was another plus. If I find myself back in town, I know which watering hole I will be going to! read more

My favorite wings and Fries downtown Iowa City. Sunday they have bloody mary specials we love. Don't keep it a secret Donnellys has enough wings for everyone. read more

Cool hang out! Also love their food. Can't walk away without sweet potato fries! Luckily we also stopped in during happy hour and got awesome deals. All of their drafts were ~$3 Thursday night read more

Donnelly's Pub - They have big grove's new sour! Delicious! - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

Donnelly's is a longtime favorite for us - we love the great food and beer selections, amazing atmosphere, trivia, and typically friendly staff. Today we could not have felt less welcomed during our visit. We walked in (not busy whatsoever, one other table) and the bartender ignored us, then when we asked if we could sit outside, rolled her eyes and "uh.... I guess" and walked away. She came out scowling, threw down some menus and walked off without a word. When she came back out she interrupted with "do you want anything" and then begrudgingly listened to our simple order and silently walked away. She was silent and dropped the food on the table then immediately retreated inside before we could ask for condiments. When we went in to get them ourselves, she annoyingly set her phone down and handed us the condiments with a clearly irritated glare. Everyone has bad days and I'm sure that's what occurred today, but she spent our entire visit frowning, eye rolling, scowling, and acting highly irritated by our mere presence, which isn't what we are used to at this amazing establishment!! read more

We really really liked this pub. Came here after a basketball game and the bartender was super awesome and hilarious(don't remember his name but he had dark hair) and made my friend and I a really good Irish whiskey/hot chocolate drink! When we're back in Iowa city we'll definitely be going back! read more

Donnelly's Pub - Irish Pub Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

The GOOD: Decent pub atmosphere. Burger (angus) was great. Plain, but surprisingly satisfying. Cooked to perfection, moist, flavorful. The roll and onion were both perfect. The fries were perhaps better than many other restaurant fries, although that might've been because we were hungry and the barbecue sauce goes well with salty food. Price was generally competitive. The BAD: The menu on the website does not match the prices or content offered at the restaurant. Barbecue sauce costs .50 extra for a single small cup of Sweet Baby Ray's. Fifty cents for that? Really? And the waitress didn't let us know it would cost extra. Because it was a busy day (and thus it would be too much work/wait), Donnelly's was not offering onion rings. Kind of a lame thing to stop serving, especially when customers only find out when they show up. So, Donnelly's, people should only expect a full range of items when you're not busy? Oh, a slice of cheese is .75. Seriously. The MEH: The service was surprisingly fast for how busy they were. But given that they were probably dealing mostly with customers looking just to drink, and that they weren't taking any of those cumbersome onion ring orders, perhaps the quick service isn't anything to be surprised at. Our waitress was attentive enough, but it way quite obvious she was more interested in getting to other people quickly than in making us feel valued, as she dealt very hurriedly with us. That's not necessarily a bad thing -- it's a pub, and we weren't looking to make friends -- but it's worth mentioning. OVERALL: If you want a quick bite of delicious bar food, you could do a lot worse than Donnelly's. read more

Good atmosphere, good drinks, terrible waitress (at least at the beginning). When we walked in, half our group snagged a table while the other half ordered from the bar. While we were at the table, a waitress stopped by to take our order. My friend started to say, "Our friends are ordering at the bar, but--" and the waitress just did a 180 and walked away. My friend had intended on finishing with, "but we can order from you," but the waitress didn't give her the opportunity to offer her business. I was shocked by the waitress just walking away while my friend was mid-sentence - most servers would have said something like, "Oh no problem!" or "Well, just flag you down if you need me!" but would never just high-tail it when a customer was talking to them. When another friend sat down without a drink she came back and then took our orders, and was apologetic when it turned out what we ordered was tapped out, but that initial rudeness was really off-putting. The upside is that the drinks were cheap, so I'd probably return on another visit to Iowa City. read more