Resturant Review: Red's Alehouse

Red’s Alehouse

Finally made it to Red’s Alehouse and discovered what many have known for a long time, Red’s is a must stop in the Iowa City/Coralville and now North Liberty area. I would classify Red’s as a place that promotes their beer but delivers on their food. Red’s menu is dominated by flat bread pizzas and sandwiches but its surroundings and service are closer to a fine dining experience. When looking around its clear Red’s is the place to be. Our waitress was attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Qualities that are harder and harder to find these days.  Buffalo chicken and ranch dressing are two things that I don’t particularly care for, but when I took a bite of my wife’s flat bread pizza I wasn’t sure I even wanted to try my meal. It was awesome and that’s taking into affect I went into it thinking I wouldn’t like it. The balance of flavors and heat was perfect. I would order this in a heartbeat.

 

 

My Daughter had a burger with feta and you can’t go wrong with that.

 

 

My choice for the evening was the The Braiser - pork belly, brussel sprout slaw,

aged white cheddar, smoked tomato BBQ. I mean come on, with that combination how can a guy go wrong. The brussel sprout slaw was a pleasant surprise and added a nice crisp freshness to the burger. Red’s take on coleslaw was also a pleasant surprise they use purple cabbage and a red wine vinaigrette that may not be for most but I found it a nice change to the common coleslaw.  

 

 

There are times when after a meal you just sit back and think to yourself; that is sitting just right. My trip to Red’s did just that.

 I have devised a new rating system for restaurants that I will unveil with Red’s that goes like this. I consider the meal and the experience and compare it to what it cost to what I would be willing to pay for it.   Just a word positive numbers may be rare and a 0 is not bad. I came up with this system at the last place I ate in which the entrée was $17 and I would have willing paid $10 for the meal so it earned a -7. Red’s earned a +4 on my initial visit.

 Red’s Alehouse

405 N Dubuque St, North Liberty, IA 52317
(319) 626-2100

 Price range: (everyday, a night out, a special occasion only) a night out

Overall rankings all based 1 to 5

Atmosphere:  4.5

Service:         5                                                        

Food:            5

Value:          5

Overall          5

 

The Blackstone revisited

 

This will be my first re-review of a restaurant. Over the week end I made my first return trip to the Blackstone in Iowa City, (one of the very few places to earn a perfect 5 on my grading scale. The atmosphere hadn’t changed which is good but the food and the service was even better than I remembered. After my fist trip I said I wanted to have an main entrée on my next so I was looking that one of the streaks. But they also had a Rueben special that looked wonderful (pictured below). I asked the waitress and without hesitation she said get the Rueben, you can get the steak anytime. Later I said to her you know I was impressed because the steak was about double the price and it would affect your tip. Her reply I just care about the customer and good food. Needless to say I tipped at the steak price. For me the Blackstone is the perfect combination of a fine dining experience at an affordable price. You should try it just not on the nights I want to go so I can get in. The best place to eat in all of Iowa City.