3 of our group had a real nice dinner here last night. I had the Cowboy Ribeye. The other 2 people had Arctic Char and Rack of Lamb. All of them were good. We also had a bottle of red wine. I did not choose it and cannot recall the specifics. Good selection of wines to choose from however. We had appetizers of a pork chop thing and a sweet potato dish. Both were good. I had Coke and coffee drinks, while the others had various alcohol drinks. Nice size portions on this entire experience. Would I come back? Maybe not. We were not blown away with any of the choices, though we did spend nearly $200. Service was just right amount of attention. read more

A disappointing experience. Was looking forward to trying it again with the new chef. Had peanut soup. It was pretty good, though the fish pieces tasted fishy. The soup was also spicy. I told the server in advance that I can't eat spicy food. I had the caprese salad as my entree. I have never had a cyprese like this one. It was mostly (90%) mozarella with 3 or 4 small pieces of blood orange and bad tasting cherry tomatoes that were devoid of their "meat". It wondered if it was leftover from Valentines Day. It was by far the worst caprese I have ever had and I order this appetizer often. The creme brulee was good but not remarkable. The reason for 2 stars instead of one? The server, except for the spicy snafu, did a great job with our orders and bills. read more

This is the new, higher end restaurant in the fabulous, new hotel in Cedar Rapids. Class Act is unique in that they have students shadowing the professional wait staff, so you get more love and attention for sure! The wine list is par with other similar restaurants and the presentation beats the taste in most of the dishes I have tried. The dishware and design are all trendy and classy for sure and the open concept is fun for a people-watcher like me. Bring a jacket as it's been a bit cold each time I've been. The lunch "chick pea salad" (instead of chips with any order) is THE BEST and I've tried to make it at home. For dinner, I've tried a few different items and the best was far and above the pork chop - it takes a bit of time to get it to your table, but it's worth it. read more

Wait staff was very attentive and friendly. Meal did take quite awhile to arrive even though it was a slow night. Steak was good, nice presentation but noticeably undercooked. read more

Seriously amazing menu and drinks list!!! Rather modern shiny spot like eating on a German autobahn jazzed up modern lab. Pretty n shiny n filled with waitstaff learning the ropes!! Brunch on Saturday at 1230 n we were only guests in dining room. Hmmm not so popular place? Unsure why but posit it is the crazy vibe the students give ? We ordered cocktails: jalapeño margarita and a cucumber gimlet and it was sooooo long a wait. Couldn't get waiter to stick around to place order but there were minimum five students hustling to change tablecloths. This is a teaching restaurant. This might charm you for a few minutes till hunger sets in. Ordered the harvest vegetable soup. I loved it! Velvety yellow but was it cream of mushroom, asparagus , or cheese ??? I don't care it was delicious.!!! Tip staff should tell u what it is. Main brunch plates we had: angus burger with half salad and I had harvest salad with a six dollar grilled free range chicken breast add on. Oh my the desperation of the cook who destroyed this lovely dish by charing all the juice out and leaving a dry and tough lukewarm thin chicken tender type epic mistake.... I cried for what would have tasted awesome if not for too much cooking. Salad was ok. We felt like we had stumbled in to a set of step ford wives as it was unreal ! Charming kids honest n hardworking !! It's just uncomfortable after a bit to be surrounded by table changing setting in an empty place. Do eat here because the food is pretty good. Do enjoy the interesting menu and make allowances for the blips. Nothing was seriously wrong w any of it. Hey this could be your future chef !! read more

I went down to the restaurant to grab a simple dinner take back to my room. I ordered the Burger and a side salad. The salad was the best restaurant side salad I have ever had, especially the Apple Vinaigrette dressing. The burger was one of the best burgers I have ever had too. The meat was delicious. Looking forward to my next visit. Thank you. read more

My dad and I are at the hotel for a trade show and we stopped in here for dinner. I loved my steak and my salad. My dad found his steak dissatisfactory and mentioned it to the waiter. A few minutes later, both managers came by to apologize, removed the cost of the steak from his tab and thanked us for being honest about our food. That level of service is outstanding and is absolutely the way a restaurant should be run. Kudos to the staff for being prompt, polite and professional. A Class Act indeed. Despite the issue with one of our meals, I still highly recommend this restaurant. read more

I am being pretty critical as this is a culinary school project - what I really liked most was the bread and the butter. Very nice flavors! The ingredients seemed fresh in the soup and the salad. The toppings on the soup added interest and texture. What I didn't like - the salad ingredients were bland and knife cuts poor. The radish had NO flavor and the vinaigrette was tart but bland, no depth or interest whatsoever, even salt & pepper would have improved it. The soup, while texturally it worked, was also poorly seasoned and could've used a purée or herb infused oil or cream dripped on top for color and a contrast or at least one last flavor note to tie everything together. I was pondering the possibilities of goat cheese or beets? I ordered mine to go so didn't have the option of adding salt - that might have brightened it up enough. The menu is interesting enough that I would try again. read more

The Class Act - House salad & celery-apple soup - New American Near Me - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

See all

Great place for dinner. My husband and I drove an hour to have dinner at this new, hip restaurant in Cedar Rapids. This restaurant is managed by culinary students and what a great way to learn. We started with the butchers block appetizer. It had some ham, salami, assortment of cheese, strawberry jelly and some fresh fruit and bread. It was a good size appetizer for sharing. For our entrees my husband ordered the lamb chops while I ordered the scallops. They were good but there was very little food for the price they charged. The lamb chops were not really chops, just a tiny bit of lamb hanging on to the bones. My dish had just 4 scallops with the center a big portion of rice with julienned vegetables. We're not asking for an enormous portion but these portions were really small, taste was okay (not spectacular, the scallops dish was pretty bland) hence the three stars instead of five. We finished up with the lime sherbet for dessert. Pretty good dinner I'd say. Hope they keep working on making it a 5 star worthy place. read more

I hate to give a place 3/5 stars that i know is trying really hard to be awesome, but I just didn't love it. Drinks: Too strong. Ordered a manhattan, and had to gently sip it. The alcohol flavor was overpowering. You should take the whiskey, but it shouldn't feel like you are drinking it straight over ice. Menu: Here is my problem, lack of consistency/theme. I expect a menu to have a theme, and for all dishes to work together. When I am out with another person, I like to share my entree, if it doesn't compliment each other it feels off. What is an antipasto doing in the same column with falafel? Very different cuisines. Food: Bison meatballs with tagliatelle: sauce was stuck to the pasta, meatballs were dry, it was like I reheated this in the microwave. Granted good tasting leftovers, but not what I would expect. Pan roasted pheasant breast with tagliatelle: Again not impressed, I don't know why, just wasn't great. No it is not bad food, but it is not what I would expect either. The decor is lovely, and the service is good, because of that I would expect higher quality. Maybe I'm confusing Kirkwood with CIA, but ca'mon why can't it be CIA quality? read more

Wow. Who would have thought such a fab find near the Iowa airport?? Excellent service and meal. Had a spectacular salad with grilled salmon filet done to perfection. Started with a smoky tomato bisque. Highly recommended!!!! read more

One of the best kept secrets for Sunday breakfast in town. Never a wait and always delicious.

I'm giving this place a 5* because their lamb Wellington might be the best thing I've ever had at any restaurant. Melts. In. Your. Mouth. Also, the smoked manhattan is a must. Cool presentation! read more

The food is very high quality with great presentation. The environment is a tad stuffy, but mostly just classy. No tax is nice. Service has been a bit hit or miss. Sometimes great, sometimes a bit stuffy. Their burger is great / just wish they had fries to compliment it. read more

It was my first time at The Class Act and the decor was impeccable. Beautiful modern touches in the lobby and dining room. We sat down and were immediately attended to by great hosts. The service was 5++ for me. The food and the prices though made me give a 3 out of 5. My dining partner had noodles and 3 scallops for $26 and I had a plate full of sliced steak that was chewy and grizzly although it was done med rare. For what I paid, I could have made steaks for me and the neighbors, not sliced them and they would be edible. I couldn't eat more than half the plate because my jaw wore out. The execution of the mains were spot on but the quality of the ingredients were off, at least for me. The culinary staff/students are doing a 100 percent plus job - the ones who are providing them ingredients and setting prices for those ingredients are well below average. If you can screw up a beef plate in one of the best places in the world for beef, there is a management issue. read more

How can we get dates and menus for future World Tour events? I have family from Seattle, KC and Atlanta who want to try it here!

Service is poor - after 15 minutes of waiting for waitstaff, I decided to call in a take out order. As a training center for students in the hospitality industry I would have flunked them. Be prepared to move at a snails pace read more

Quality, atmosphere, and presentation were all a 5. Service was also pretty good! The only reason that I would not give this a 5 is because of the prices for the taste. Sides were great and my main was good. Just felt for the price, I'd like my main to be great as well. Would recommend it for a special occasion for sure! I appreciate it as a way for students to learn and thought they all did a great job! Thanks! read more

Very elegant and gourmet. Everything was delicious and with generous portions. I love eating here. And there was a fire in the lobby to take the chill off. Not cheap but worth it. read more

Wow this is a total hidden gem in the Hotel Kirkwood near the College. Staffed at least in part by students, the place is amazing. Very professional staff, 5 star wine list and menu. Food is excellent! Would highly recommend. The name is not on the building...need to go into the lobby of the Hotel Kirkwood. This will always be my first stop when I come to town. read more

We love this restaurant!!! They use locally grown when possible. We have been there for breakfast and dinner. They will do vegan for me which I really appreciate. My hubby and son are carnivores and also love the food. The waitstaff is friendly and knowledgable. We haven't had anything but great food here!! read more

The restaurant lived up to its name! Driving into Cedar Rapids to drop family off at the airport, I read the yelp reviews for this place. We were looking for a sit down, non-chain type establishment and the Class Act came up first on the list. It is about 6 minutes from the airport. Although the signs indicate where it is, it took us a while to figure out it was inside a hotel. Cloth napkins, basket of pastries, and courteous staff greeted us. I got the BLT and after I was done I started craving to have it again. My husband got the corned beef hash...he says it was super fresh and well prepared. Our 10 year old daughter got the chicken fingers from the children's menu. It would have been enough to feed her dad! Leftovers for our road trip--delish! Kudos to The Class Act for making our short trip to Cedar Rapids memorable in the best way!! Sit down lunch in a quiet, bright and comfortable setting only cost us $30 +tip. I can't say enough! read more

We've been there for dinner a couple of times and have enjoyed it, but we LOVE their brunch on the weekends. Everything is very original and the portions are just right. Their coffee is fantastic. Last summer they added outdoor seating. A great atmosphere in an unexpected location. read more

I applaud the concept of offering real life experience for the community college students who run this restaurant. The dining room is lovely - an extension of the attractive, modern hotel in which it's located. Our server was friendly and prompt, although not polished. However, the food was horrible. My spouse ordered the Pineapple Ham Steaks. It consisted of slices of mediocre ham piled with odd tasting Edamame and pineapple, covered with a sickly sweet glaze. Wanting something lighter, I ordered two vegetable dishes. The Roasted Asparagus was edible, but very salty and the orange reduction was strange and too sweet. The Moroccan Carrots consisted of small overcooked, over-salted carrots over a large bowl of Israeli Coucous swimming in a sticky, sickeningly sweet syrup, heavily seasoned with "Moroccan" spices. I have never sent anything back to the kitchen before, but my spouse and I agreed this was truly inedible. Prices were outrageous for the bumbling servers and awful cooking skills. The menu is filled with weird combinations of "creative" fusion type dishes. These students need to learn how to prepare good basic meals and stop trying to impress by concocting strange and inedible food. (This review was written several months ago and not posted until now. I can only hope the place has improved. I see the menu is still filled with weirdly seasoned items. I love creative fusion cooking, but it has to be based on good cooking skills and a sense of balance and restraint totally lacking at this restaurant.) read more

I had very high hopes coming to The Class Act and was a little let down. To start when we arrived at the restaurant there was no one at the hostess stand to greet us but after a short wait we were seated where our waitress was very friendly but never told us her name which is a little pet peeve of mine. After ordering our drinks it took a little to receive them because of the way they have the restaurant laid out they have to go to the bar area which is on the other side so it was a little bit of a wait, but after ordering the waitress must of never heard our appetizer order because we never received it. In the over all it took over a hour to get our food which for a Tuesday night is ridiculous we were about to leave if it would of took any longer at the point I was already hangry so the food was good but nothing to brag about. The best part of the meal was the soup which is saying a lot. read more

I have been planning on going here with a friend for a few months now. I got the Beef Bourginon which was tasty and my friend got the Orzo Lobster Mac and Cheese. The food was okay for the price, I love macaroni and cheese, but this one was just okay, especially for $14. I like the atmosphere and the plating was pretty, but overall will not be back. Was kind of disappointed, was just okay to me. read more

What a pleasant surprise to find this 5 star, gourmet restaurant in the suburbs of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. We were driving for hours and arrived at the hotel exhausted. The gentleman at the check- in recommended staying at the hotel for dinner and we enjoyed a meal at their student run Class Act. The salmon was the best I've had in years; perfection. The unusual sweet potato soup was delicious and the vanilla mousse with salted caramel was superb. The prices are so reasonable and the service was outstanding. Do not miss this special restaurant. Not only is the ambiance lovely, we were able to sit in a lovely booth without a reservation which made us so happy. The name of the restaurant says it all....a Class Act. read more

We had really high expectations for this place. We went to a culinary School in Napa Valley. This experience was nothing like the one that we had in Napa. Server was Levi and I figured he was a student. Levi told us he has worked there for 6 years and he was an instructor. This could be part of the problem if he is a supervisor. I've had better waiters at a chain restaurant. Two of us ordered Filet Mignon. We both ordered our steaks medium. They came out rare. When the steaks were returned waiter got them mixed up. The steaks still were not medium but did not want to send them back again. I would think a restaurant that is also a teaching school would know how to fix a steak. As for presentation I would have to give you an A+. I ordered a bottle of wine also. Levi did everything right at the beginning by letting me taste it and afterwards pouring the ladies a glass first. When it came time to refill the glasses he poured some for my wife and put bottle back down. A few minutes later he poured some for my son and put bottle down. Several minutes later he poured wine for myself. My wife actually had only had a couple of sips out of her glass. My glass was nearly empty. I was hoping that when my brother came here from California I could take him to the Class Act. I don't think that will be happening. read more

Great lunch experience at The Class Act. It is a bit pricey for what you get, but overall you get items you can't find anywhere else. Definitely worth a try! read more

I went to The Class Act for my birthday. I had heard great things about this restaurant and I wanted to see for myself. We ordered a drink at the bar first and there was a huge selection of beer, wines, and cocktails. The bartender was a student at Kirkwood, studying to be a culinary chef. He was very knowledgable about not only the restaurant but also the school. We started with the goat cheese prosciutto baguette. This was delicious! We then had the salad with their homemade blue cheese. I had the seared tuna dinner that came with asparagus and wild rice. The final course we chose the Death by Chocolate. I highly recommend this restaurant. It was a beautiful atmosphere and very romantic if that is what you are looking for. read more

Service was less than adequate. Had to ask for bread, was never asked how our entrees were. Food was okay. They were running out of food/beverages, no scallops or rabbit at 7pm. Apparently I drunk the last Iowa pale ale in the building?! Definitely not as good as last time. read more

A very nice upscale dining experience. Very good service and excellently prepared food.