Menu

Appetizers

Gluten-free multigrain crackers may be substituted in place of naan bread for any of the below if preferred

Sweet Peppered Bacon Flatbread

Flatbread with edgewood peppered bacon, chicken & green onions in a creamy sauce with a touch of sweetness, garnished with fresh arugula

$15.00

Sautéed Mushrooms

$9.00

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

Crab Dip with Naan Bread

$13.00

Sweet Sausage Meatballs

$11.00

Chicken Dip with Naan Bread

$10.00

Cheese Bread

$9.00

Vegetarian

Is this an Italian restaurant?

Yes

No

Unsure

Details

Manage this business?

About

A Cedar Falls tradition for more than 50 years, this family-owned restaurant offers a wonderful blend of classic Italian dishes like lasagna, chicken parmesan and manicotti, along with crowd favorites like chili pepper penne and pesto tortellini to tempt your taste buds. Come, relax and enjoy the delicious Italian scents and tastes of juicy tomatoes, melting mozzarella, sweet basil, crushed garlic and sauces made from scratch!

PRICE RANGE

$8.00 – $20.00

CUISINES

Italian, Pizza

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options

Meals

Dinner

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Private Dining, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Gift Cards Available

Top 3 reasons to eat here

Sponsored by: The Brown Bottle

1. Award-winning Italian

"the Lasagna is to die for"

_iaholic57

2. Top notch service

"The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful"

Kelly N

3. Surrounded by nature

"enjoyed watching the flying birds, turkey, and rabbit along the river"

Grammie1950

Contribute

Write a review Upload a photo Ask a question

4.5

206 reviews

Excellent

120

Very good

48

Average

17

Poor

13

Terrible

8

Jeff A

51 contributions

Favorite Review

Quaint dining in Cedar Falls

Apr 2023 • business

The food, staff and atmosphere are top notch here. We had a guest at our table with severe food allergies and the owner came by and took the time to recommend items on the menu. The food was all delicious and quick to arrive. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a nice, enjoyable meal. There are plenty of options to choose from for anyone in your party.

Written April 24, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

K848

Fareham435 contributions

Delicious Italian food!

Nov 2021 • none

We enjoyed great food one weekday evening in November. The restaurant was fairly busy downstairs but we were put on a table upsatirs at the furthest point away from the stairs. A bit strange really as it really lacked any kind of atmosphere up there. The pasta dishes we had were delicious and our server was friendly and helpful when choosing what to eat. A great place to visit when in Cedar Falls!

Written November 21, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maria B

63 contributions

Simply outstanding!

Apr 2022 • none

We were in Cedar Falls for the weekend (to watch our university play softball at UNI), and The Brown Bottle was recommended by a friend who grew up in the area. On a busy Saturday (prom night!), we were able to walk right in and be seated at a table in the bar area, which was perfect. Literally everything about this dinner was outstanding, from the atmosphere to the service to the food. We were extremely impressed by the professionalism and genuine friendliness of the staff (the owner himself seated us, and then came back to chat later in our meal). We were thanked for coming in, by both the owner and by our server. We ordered the seafood lasagna and the rosemary cashew pasta (recommended by our server), and then shared the red velvet cheesecake and the apple tart for dessert. Everything was delicious!! I cannot say enough positive things about this experience. If you find yourself in Cedar Falls and are looking for a wonderful dinner, go to The Brown Bottle. It is only a couple minute drive from the historic downtown, and it will not disappoint!

Written April 28, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Frank P

2 contributions

Contempt for health protocols

Apr 2021 • family

Food is good but management and staff(except for one person) disregarded pandemic health protocols with no masks. When we asked waiter he claimed they were 'following CDC guidelines' The Iowa governors' guidelines are not CDC guidelines. This contempt is as much a disrespect for customers as a health issue.

Written April 13, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DawnP

Waverly9 contributions

Hands down the best Italian

Mar 2020 • couples

Hands down the best Italian restaurant in the area. The food is delicious. I’ve had lasagna, manicotti, pizza, prime rib and spaghetti and all very flavorful. My new favorite is the vegetarian lasagna. And the service is AMAZING every time I go there. Highly recommend!

Written July 3, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

msdawnlh

7 contributions

Great food, great atmosphere, and great service.

Jun 2021 • none

They absolutely have the best lasagna, the best mashed potato casserole, and their ravioli with meat sauce even beats their lasagna. The only downfall is they are very pricey. Expect to pay about $5 more per meal than most places. It is worth it for a special night out, though. And, they limit your bread--odd, considering their meal pricing. Expect to pay for more than 2 pieces of bread, which is excellent by the way.

Written August 30, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jessica H

1 contribution

Awful

Sep 2023 • family

Food was not home made. Garlic bread was frozen and reheated and looked processed. Fettuccine was stuck together and the chicken was cold. Chicken looked processed like it was frozen and had no grill marks. Salad was ice berg lettuce and dressing. That’s it.

Written October 1, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Christian P

251 contributions

Make sure you visit here

May 2024 • business

This restaurant came well recommended by locals with whom we were working. Their recommendation was spot on. It is surprisingly large and has a wonderfully relaxing location along the river. The parking lot was packed (another good sign) and we thought the wait would be too long. However we’re pleasantly surprised when seated immediately. They have several dining areas-multiple floors. The menu is expansive with several categories and all the choices appetizing. The food was well cooked. Personal recommendations are the Bruschetta (light, garlicky and full of flavor), the vegetable tortellini, homemade vinaigrette (spring greens salad) and apple tart. We also had the sun dried tomato/goat cheese stuffed chicken. Was well prepared but the cheese was a little overpowering and could have done with less in the filling. Still tasty! I doubt you could go wrong here! Excellent meal, excellent service. Attentive, despite there being different floors.

Written April 30, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Roving12242443056

Cedar Falls26 contributions

EAT ELSEWHERE - we’re never going back!

Nov 2023 • family

Our waitress was very nice and friendly, and was really wonderful! However the FOOD WAS AWFUL. They don’t have a chef, they must have pre-processed food that they put into a dish and heat it in a Blodget oven. Spring salad was ridiculous - just a heaping dish of greens and dressing - nothing else! Our waitress said the iceberg lettuce is the same way. This is just a heat ‘em up shop, not a proper restaurant. We hadn’t been there for 10 years, and are never going back. And they aren’t aren’t an inexpensive restaurant, either, not that we care, we love Orchard Green in Iowa City - this place is a complete disappointment. If you really like food, go elsewhere.

Written November 15, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

J B

11 contributions

Anniversary dinner

Jun 2023 • couples

Gre food and t and service Service aa. Always clean professional server's food is hoot and good not to worry about not having enough help

Written June 6, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Scott K

Cedar Falls8 contributions

Great menu, service and seasonals

Feb 2023 • none

Have been here a number of times and the service staff is well trained. The menu is delicious and if they have a seasonal entree or dessert, you should probably try it!

Written March 3, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MinnesotaRandy

Minneapolis2618 contributions

Amazing Italian Food!

Mar 2022 • none

Had not been to the Brown Bottle in many years and it did not disappoint. Had several different entrees and all were delicious. The service was top notch. The drinks were on the week side.

Written March 10, 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Carol L

1 contribution

Great experience on a busy night!

Sep 2021 • couples

My husband and I ate at Brown Bottle on a recent Saturday night. It was hopping! We didn’t have reservations, but manager Brad found a spot for us at the bar, which gave us a perfect view of all the “action” and it was impressive! The staff worked well together, kept on task and kept smiling all the time we were there! And to top it off, the food was delicious!

Written September 20, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen K

1 contribution

No Staff Masks

May 2021 • none

My husband and I have been dining at the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls since it opened in 1972 and have continued to eat there whenever we come to town. This past Sunday, May 2, 2021, we had reservations to dine there again. Upon arriving we noticed that not one staff person was masked, including the manager. Since the country is only about half-way through this COVID pandemic, we thought it was highly irresponsible of management to permit this practice. Not only does it put their staff at a health risk, it puts their patrons at risk as well. As staff moves from table to table viruses can be spread throughout the restaurant, possibly infecting those who haven't been vaccinated or who are more at risk for infection. It was very disappointing, and if we hadn't been meeting another couple there, we would have turned around and walked out as soon as we noticed the maskless staff. Sadly for us as we always enjoy the food, we will not be back to the Brown Bottle again for a very, very long time.

Written May 5, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ilse035

Decorah177 contributions

Brown Bottle and Birds

May 2021 • none

We appeared at the Brown Bottle in Cedar Falls at 4:30 pm for dinner before driving home (90 miles). I had eating at the downtown Waterloo Brown Bottle in 1974--as a southern Iowa junior college student attending a play at UNI with a drama professor. We at there on our wedding night in 1987, too--a drunk was obnoxiously trying to bribe a kid to eat until he threw up. This time at the original BB on the river, we were seated in a room with a fascinating view of trees and bird feeders to which woodpeckers, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, cedar waxwings, et al., flocked. We were masked; the waitperson was too. A young couple who came into the room was maskless. The menu had gunk on it. The waitperson was efficient; I ordered an iced tea and she brought me a second without being asked. Scout decided to try the Italian manicotti; I, the salmon with peach salsa. We both had spring green salads with raspberry vinaigrette and parmesan dressing--they came with a tiny piece of toast. The salmon was done with a funky spice mixture, and the peach salsa was delicious. My side of herby sweet potatoes could have been warmer, but it was tasty. We cleaned our plates and decided not to order a Pink Squirrel because we had Cupcakery cupcakes in the car. As Scout put it, "the ambiance was great; the food was good."

Written May 3, 2021

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

2

…

Showing results 1-15 of 206

Best moderately priced restaurants

See all