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Mason City, IA

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The Blue Heron

4.7 (109 reviews)
Closed • 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

The Blue Heron Photos

Business Info

THE BLUE HERON ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Good for groups
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - The Blue Heron

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Reviews With Photos

Side salad with homemade blue cheese dressing!
Kathy S.

From the minute we walked in it felt like we were regulars. We sat in the dining area and it was full except for two tables. The smells from the kitchen were wonderful. We were greeted by a friendly and kind server. She was waiting on the entire room(7-8 tables). The menu was explained to us and we ordered fried pickles for an appetizer. For our main dish we both ordered the fried fish. Food was great, and service was wonderful. Homemade blue cheese dressing and tartar sauce were both excellent. Even a holiday pour for my wine! We would definitely stop here again!

Hand battered cod fish, extremely fresh. Best fried fish I've ever had

Amazing food and service! People working here are SOOO friendly, food is just amazing! Best onion ring!

Patty Melt ( yes, it was ordered this way ) & homemade chips

Wow. Perfect spot for lunch. Our server Katie was extremely knowledgeable & very friendly. There were 3 of us. We all had Chicken Wild Rice soup ( simply amazing ) the chicken club, patty melt and 2 pc cod with coleslaw. Everything came out fast and very hot. The food was delicious. Wish we lived closer, I would go there all the time! Plus for being super clean!

Patty melt, ordered medium. Homemade chips. Delish!

Wow. Perfect spot for lunch. Our server Katie was extremely knowledgeable & very friendly. There were 3 of us. We all had Chicken Wild Rice soup ( simply amazing ) the chicken club, patty melt and 2 pc cod with coleslaw. Everything came out fast and very hot. The food was delicious. Wish we lived closer, I would go there all the time! Plus for being super clean! And prices were really decent.

Best so far
Lisa Y.

In the onion ring search, these are the best! We'll see if they hold the prize. Battered and good!

Turkey Open Face Sandwich

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Reviews are largely positive. Diners praise the delicious food, friendly service, and inviting atmosphere. Drinks are also well-liked.

Read the full review summary in the app

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Vickie L.

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8 months ago

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3 months ago

Excellent pork tenderloin sandwich & onion rings!! Staff were very friendly and service was FAST!!

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Vickie L.

Thank you for your review. We hope to see you again, soon!

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1 year ago

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4 months ago

Good food and great bloody Mary's and very affordable. Friendly staff and great service. We will be back.

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Vickie L.

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11 months ago

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

Food was delicious. Had the fish dinner. Service was great! Will definitely be back! Loved the paintings on the building also

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Our friends took us there and it was busy! The food was very good, the beer was cold and the staff friendly. What else does one need?

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1 year ago

Wonderful spot. Incredibly welcoming too. Food quite good and beer selection is also great.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Food was good and the local beer tasted great. Warm welcome when we arrived. Katy was great!!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Great food and big menu. The Service was great. Good find!! Highly recommend and great one to support.

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3 years ago

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Ask the Community - The Blue Heron

Boulder Tap House

Boulder Tap House

3.4(99 reviews)
2.3 mi
•$$

We sometimes stop here some days and all the time it's execellent, everything about this restaurant…read moreis great they got good burgers and and great atmosphere while waiting food the food why not watch a game on the tv great place easy 5 stars

Stopped in here on the way out of town after looking for a chill place to relax after reffing a…read morebunch of youth basketball games. I was immediately greeted by a young hostess who was happy to find me a table, but I said I'd find a spot at the bar. I was immediately greeted by Sophia who handed me a beer list and was happy to pour a sample. That's nice service to start out with. She checked in but was never overbearing. A+. Their unique 60/40 beef/bacon burgers caught my eye...mine had cheese sauce, tons of bacon, and bacon jam. You can only have these cooked medium well or well done; for a burger I feel that's acceptable. Sandwich components were all delightful...the beer battered fries have a nice smooth coating and the house made ranch was the thinner variety was a great complement too. I'll kip the pretzel bun next time; I didn't find it to be a great complement to the components on the burger. I felt too many taps had crappy mass-produced domestics for the squares out there. I highly recommend the Mason City Cream Ale. Wish they sold their glasses! Credit cards have a 2.99% service fee. Thankfully, debit cards have no fee...which is the law. Not many places follow this procedure.

Photos
Boulder Tap House - Mason City Cream Ale

Mason City Cream Ale

Boulder Tap House - Mason City Iowana Cream Ale

Mason City Iowana Cream Ale

Boulder Tap House - Hot honey chicken

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Hot honey chicken

Pasta Bella - My non-dairy bread and my Fiancé's regular bread

Pasta Bella

4.3(135 reviews)
3.5 mi
•$$

My wife and I visited Pasta Bella on a Sunday evening around 5:00 PM. When we arrived, the…read morerestaurant was not very busy, but by the time we finished our meal, the dining room had filled up and was extremely busy--a good sign that this is a popular local favorite. One thing that stood out was how well staffed the restaurant was. Even as the dining room became busier, service never slowed down. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and did an excellent job making sure our drinks were filled, checking on our meals, and making sure we had everything we needed throughout our visit. I ordered the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo with a house salad, and my wife had the Chicken Florentine (without mushrooms) along with a cup of Pasta Fagioli soup. Overall, the meal was excellent. The house salad was average but a nice size, featuring lettuce, a cucumber slice, a tomato slice, and croutons. The Pasta Fagioli soup had a very good flavor and was prepared a little differently than what we're accustomed to, but we both really enjoyed it. We were also served fresh-baked Italian rolls, which were warm and delicious. The entrée portions were extremely generous. My Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo arrived piping hot, and the Alfredo sauce had a phenomenal flavor. My wife's Chicken Florentine included two chicken breasts that were well-seasoned, tender, and cooked perfectly. She thoroughly enjoyed her meal as well. We had planned to order dessert, but the portion sizes were so large that we simply didn't have room. For two dinners, soup, salad, rolls, and water to drink, our total bill was right around $40, which we felt was an excellent value for the quality and quantity of food we received. We will definitely be back and would highly recommend Pasta Bella to anyone looking for great Italian food, generous portions, attentive service, and outstanding value in Mason City.

I'm a huge fan of pasta, but not being able to have glutens limits where I go to eat. I went there…read morefor dinner with a friend and really wish I had gone sooner. It was delicious. You can start your meal off with a soup or salad. The salad is pretty simple. I went with the minestrone with gluten free noodles. It was delicious and I ate it all to the last drop. They also serve garlic bread with your meal. This is not gluten free so I did not try it, but everyone else had it and raved over it. I ordered the Chicken Florentine with gluten free noodles. They serve a lot of food and I was able to take it home and have a second meal out of it. It was even excellent the second day. Not only is the food delicious, but the staff was fantastic. They were friendly and efficient. The restaurant was really busy, but our waitress was able to check on us and make sure we were doing okay. The acoustics in the restaurant make it quite loud. Not in an obnoxious way, but this is not quiet dining. It's the perfect place to bring family and friends for a meal together. I'm not sure why I waited so long to try Pasta Bella, but I'm so glad I finally did. Not everything can be made gluten free so definitely talk to your waiter, but there are a lot of options.

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Pasta Bella - Baked Ziti

Baked Ziti

Pasta Bella
Pasta Bella - Pizza was so good

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Pizza was so good

The Blue Heron - bars - Updated October 2026

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