OMG! This place is delicious! Had the tenderloin as recommended along with fried mushrooms and cheese balls. The tenderloin was as amazing and juicy as reported and the mushrooms were so good! I want to go back if I'm ever in that town again. The service was good and the taste was great! Wish I had taken some pics but I guess I was so hungry I forgot. read more

Five Stars for the pork tenderloin sandwich. The onion petals are darn good too! Whenever I have been in Elk Horn for quilting we've had to get our fix read more

We specifically picked to eat at Larsen's in Elk Horn while we were in the area today as we are working on the Iowa Tenderloin Trail. This place had the #1 ranked breaded pork tenderloin in Iowa at one time, which is saying a lot considering how many restaurants serve a tenderloin. This place is super easy to find, since here really isn't much else in downtown Elk Horn. The sign on the outside is Larsen's Pub, and it is referred to as Larsen's Pub by pretty much everyone. The menu for lunch is small, but that actually makes it easier to order... though I was there for one reason and one reason only - that breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. Folks, believe the hype - this tenderloin is fantastic. It was crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and extremely flavorful. I've tried a lot of tenderloins and this one can stand up with the best of them. I love the no-nonsense feel of this place. The staff is friendly and the decor is "Iowa" themed. There is a full bar available here. On nights and weekends I would recommend showing up early unless you want to wait a good 45 minutes for a table. It's worth the wait. Downsides - not many to speak of. They don't accept credit cards so you'll need to have cash with you when you go. The food is served "as is" meaning they don't do any substitutions or cook things to order. I wouldn't worry at all about that, they know what they're doing. If you're in the area, it's worth stopping by. Larsen's is great and they have a fantastic tenderloin. I definitely recommend it! read more

See all

Actually Larsen's Pub.....in Elkhorn, IA Great tenderloin sandwiches, stopped in for lunch on Friday. Be sure to check business hours before making the trip. Sandwich was huge and delicious! read more

Larsen's Catering - Tenderloin sandwich - Caterers Near Me - Elk Horn, Iowa

See all

The #1 tenderloin currently in Iowa. Yes I would agree that it is amazing. The paddy was super thick and the circumference was twice the size of the bun. We started with fried pickle spears and friend mushrooms. The menu was funny to read and they have root beer on tap. Only downfall is if you have gluten tolerance or special food needs you won't find it at this tap. The interior of this place is nice and we were sat right away. The waitress did say that some nights there is a wait but it's hard to tell. They have decent sides almost all fried minus the coleslaw. But yes the tenderloin was fantastic. So much meat that I ditched the bead and ate it alone. Worth the motorcycle drive from Des Moines. read more

Larsen's Catering - Two tenderloins with one shared orders of fries. - Caterers Near Me - Elk Horn, Iowa

I didn't get to sit inside due to coronavirus but thanked my lucky stars they were still open for takeout. Went for the tenderloin since what else would I be trying on a trip to Iowa. It is thicker and more pepper flavor than a normal restaurant tenderloin and it was great. It comes with pickle and onion so you must add your own mustard or heaven forbid, you feel the need to add some other condiment on it. read more

I went in with high expectations. Much too high, apparently. I expected greatness for this sandwich, since Iowa Pork Producers rated and gave this tenderloin the "Best Tenderloin in Iowa" year award (in 2007). When it arrived, I was excited; it looked to have all the qualities I want in a tenderloin. Thick-cut, with a homemade breading that doesn't overpower the loin, and hot. I always take my tenderloin the same way: tomato, pickle, ketchup, and mayo. Alas, no tomatoes here.... (I can survive without, they can be hard to come by sometimes.) I went to take my first bite; too hot! Lol. I hastily sat it down again, and waited a few moments. This was hard to do, it looked delicious! Retry: success!...or not. My very first bite was a big chunk of gristle. I continued, stubbornly, to fight my way through the rest of it. There was more through the entire sandwich. I finally gave up with about 3 large bites left. I was so disappointed with this sandwich. This doesn't even count the terrible service. There was one group of 7 besides me in the entire pub. I never once was offered a refill (ran out about 2 bites in trying to wash down the gristle). After sitting for ten minutes completely done with my meal, I finally went up to the bar myself and asked for a check. Apparently 2007 was to long ago for them to keep up the quality the Pork Producers once found within. read more

Larsen's Catering - It looks deceptively delicious. Apparently looks aren't everything. - Caterers Near Me - Elk Horn, Iowa

Unfortunately I can not write a thing about the sandwich. My family and friends were turned away at 7:25pm because they close at 8pm. Huh...thats more than enough time to take the order, eat the food and pay the tab. Apparently though, they don't just close at 8pm, they walk out the door at 8pm. Tenderloin Nazi is all I can think. Whether I make the journey there again, would be shame on me. I have worked in the restaurant business for many years, and have always accepted PAYING customers until the actual close time. NOT HERE. Turned away way before closing time. As stated before..make sure you get there before they want to walk out the door. read more

Just recently opened back up for inside dining. Visiting relatives nearby and went here for dinner. The pork tenderloin sandwich is awesome. My wife and I have been here two times and it's been awesome both times. Food and service are great!!! read more

This place is what it is and it's clearly portrayed on their list of rules on the back of their menu, but I like quirks and they sure have them. I'm not a big fan of tenderloins but my family and friends enjoy them. My favorite is their chicken sandwich. I haven't been able to find one with the taste and texture that they produce. This really isn't a bar but they have a nice selection of beer and the owner makes very nice cocktails. The best is when they have special events. The last one I went to they had a FREE buffet with FREE margaritas, it was very dangerous but much appreciated! P.S. - they make their own bbq sauce...oh my, it's good. read more

If you have had a fresh hand cut fried tenderloin you must come try one here at Larsen's Pub!

The food is good and the tenderloins and cole slaw are excellent. That being said the customer service is terrible! Sandwiches come one way. Do not dare ask for specific condiments, salad or dessert! We arrived last Thurs at 6:30pm and requested two hamburgers to go. The proprietor informed us they close and walk out the door at 9:00pm and he was too busy to get them cooked in 2.5 hrs. We will not be back! read more

We ate here while camping nearby. Glad we did. Didn't even order their tenderloin which is number one in Iowa. I just ordered some sides: coleslaw and macaroni salad. Both of them were obviously homemade, very fresh and great flavor! There was a bit too much sauce for the amount of coleslaw but that was not too big of a deal. My partner ordered the Philly sandwich and it was delicious. Waitress was very friendly and very helpful. You have to come here with cash though. They don't do credit cards and we were fortunate enough to have enough with us. We will go again. read more

Iowa is the home of the pork tenderloin sandwich and perhaps the best one I have ever had is at Larsen's Pub. I grew up in the Elk Horn area and stopped by for a small lunch. As it is difficult to find a pork tenderloin in Arizona and about impossible to find a good one, I had the tenderloin and onion drops. I thought at first there wasn't any bun, since the plate was so covered with food I didn't see it at first! With the idea of a small lunch out of the way, I decided just to enjoy Iowa home cooking. The tenderloin broke off with my fingers as it was so tender. It was fried to perfection, not overly done, as were the onion drops. I got served by Neal, the owner, and the service was outstanding! read more