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Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

4.5
4.5
265 Reviews
$30 and under
American
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar serves comfort food with local flair in a historic building on Main Street in Grinnell, Iowa. Prairie Canary was opened in September 2012 and is currently owned by Chef, Paul Durr. Located in the city of Grinnell, also known as “The Jewel of the Prairie” and home to Grinnell College, Prairie Canary provides a gathering place where guests can enjoy Midwestern flavors in an inviting, understated atmosphere that speaks to the colors and textures of the Iowa prairie.
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is all about being local. From the name of the restaurant to the dishes on which the food is served, effort was taken to showcase local talent and area producers. Enjoy your meal on hand-thrown plates and bowls. Sit at hand-made hickory tables. Savor farm-fresh produce grown just miles away. Sip on an Iowa wine or pint of beer. We look forward to seeing you!

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 17 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Cuisines
    American, Farm-to-table, Comfort Food
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (641) 236-0205
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Paul Durr
  • Neighborhood
    Des Moines
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wine

What 265 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.4Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.4Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Kid-friendly

  • Iowa

    Neighborhood gem

  • Iowa

    American

  • Des Moines

    Innovative

  • Des Moines

    Good for groups

  • Des Moines

    Healthy

  • Des Moines

    Neighborhood gem

265 Reviews
  1. JamesH

    Des Moines

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was a great dining experience. I recommend it highly.

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  2. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 16, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Cute place - best in Grinnell. Love the atmosphere though a little loud. Pastas were good as were the truffle fries and the artichoke dip but the sous vide chop was almost inedible. Great hangout with uneven food.

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    overall3food2service5ambience3
    Excellent service but the food is not nearly as good as it was a year ago. My salmon was overcooked, the salad was wilting and the pasta in the short rib bolognese was dry.

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  4. JamesC

    Orange County

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience2
    We split an order of Vodka pasta to start and it was good. For entrees, my wife ordered the Iowa pork chop and I the bacon wrapped sirloin. We waited nearly an hour from the serving of our first course to get our entrees. My wife's chop was flavorful, but overcooked, she finally asked for steak knives, which should have accompanied our orders. My steak was tough and I suspect it was actually bottom round they were grinding for their hamburger. Moreover, the bacon was burned on one side of the steak and nearly raw on the other side. And I ordered the "loaded" baked potato (a $2 upcharge) and received a lukewarm, very small spud with some crumbled bacon and a hint of cheese, no butter, no sour cream, no chives! The bottom line, this is a small town diner that probably serves decent burgers. If you go expecting more, you will likely be disappointed!

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  5. Bigbubbabbq

    Greensboro

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 26, 2023

    overall1food1service2ambience2
    The service was slow. The food was disappointing one steak was tough the other one was cold, the baked potatoes were cold and under cooked . The asparagus was bland and overcooked. We also ordered the salmon in parchment, it was over cooked and bland as well.

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  6. JoeN

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and good overall experience on a nostalgic small town main street.

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  7. DaveV

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always fun and food is delicious. Staff is excellent!! Thanks Shannon and Kalyn!!!

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  8. IndyRocks

    Indiana

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on July 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We have dined at the Prairie Canary the last 2 years while we have been in Grinnell for the Indy Car races over in Newton. Ambiance, food, service, everything is outstanding. Wish we were closer to enjoy them more than once a year!

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  9. EmmaD

    Phoenix

    5 reviews

    4.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on July 14, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Good food and service, a little too loud in a smallish venue to give 5 stars

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  10. HKiowa

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 1, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Great food. Candle stunk and gave me a headache though.

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  11. JeanF

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful place to meet a friend for lunch and catching up!

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  12. AnneF

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 21, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Came for lunch 1pm ordered drinks appetizer came but not drinks quess they had to find the bartender only complaint otherwise everything else was excellent

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  13. Terry2127

    Chicago

    33 reviews

    4.0

    33 reviews

    Dined on June 3, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Prairie Canary never disappoints. The food is always pretty innovative and always excellent. If crowded, the place can be loud. The servers know their stuff. We live more than an hour away from Grinnell, but we've been to Prairie Canary more than a half dozen times because we love it.

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  14. Jeff

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 1, 2023

    overall2food2service2ambience3
    We came to this restaurant because of good word of mouth review. However, we found the blackened mahi mahi tacos to be very dry and not especially tasty, particularly for the price. We also ordered a kind of creamy Mexican chicken taco soup that sounded good, but didn't have much zing or complexity. The waitress was friendly and engaging but we had to remind her multiple times regarding things like getting our napkin and silverware set ups and extra plate for the our shared fish tacos, etc. Food was edible but didn't match our expectations.

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  15. TatjanaA

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience3
    Service was great. Good quality food and local beer.

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  16. dmariec

    St. Louis

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server was wonderful! We’ve had lots of special dinners at Prairie Canary, this was our last. - she graduated! Thanks for the memories.

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  17. DianaD

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Delicious! Will enjoy whenever passing thru Grinnell. Interesting menu choices.

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  18. Dennis68

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall2food3service1ambience3
    Difficult to rate the service. The waitress was wonderful. The kitchen screwed her over. She was very pleasant, explained everything, was very good with the kids, and regularly checked back. On the other hand, it took absolutely forever to get our food. Both the waitress and the manager kept saying any minute, very soon, etc. I felt we should leave, but the women prevailed. We waited. And waited. So, finally the food arrives. Mine is cold. I don't mean lukewarm. Cold. I tell the waitress, who apologizes and takes it back to the kitchen. The manager apologizes and says we won't be charged. So, I waited again. The food finally appears a second time. I stick my finger into the mashed potatoes to check the temperature. It's OK. But everyone else is finished with the meal. I take the rest to go. BTW, my granddaughter requested butter and it never arrived, even after repeated promises. I don't know what our waitress had done to the kitchen, but we had to pay for it. This experience was astonishing and memorable. Needless to say we won't be back.

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  19. BarbaraL

    Des Moines

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    The food is good and filling. Service was just okay.

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  20. VikkiF

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Excellent food, creative with fresh ingredients.

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  21. CarlandJodi

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 28, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Gorgonzola penne pasta with steak was delicious. As usual the tomato feta soup and roasted brussel sprouts were awesome appetizers. Izzy was very attentive as our server.

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  22. LisaS

    Minneapolis

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Service was great but slow as it was a busy night. We can appreciate how hard it may be to staff the restaurant. Steak salad and tomato soup are always a hit. Loved the artichoke dip!

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  23. JohnC

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great higher end place to eat in Grinnell. Food is great and the price point is right on for portion size. Staff are knowledgeable and very polite! A great place to take friends and family out for dinner. The Speakeasy downstairs is a great addition and one of a kind! Highly recommend.

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  24. Troy

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had an amazing brunch at Prairie Canary! The food and service was amazing as usual!

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  25. StephanieH

    Minneapolis

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always a favorite when we’re in town! Great menu, nice ambiance, great people!

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  26. marty

    Des Moines

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I ordered the chicken avocado salad, and the kids got pasta bowls. My wife had the "build your own chicken." Everything was good. The kids had a lemonade and slammed them. We each had a cocktail. I had the "that time down Cody road" which was balanced, and flavorful. My wife had the "Basil Drop" and it was great, too! They do a great job!

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  27. ZaneF

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was very good. We were impressed with our first time there.

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  28. Chris

    Des Moines

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 14, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Food was quite good but noise level was still rather high, especially for older patrons.

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  29. SarahM

    Omaha

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 12, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Great service & atmosphere; large portions. Heads up: The pad Thai is not good at all—the noodles are overly sauced and the sauce is heavy on a savory/sweet flavor that’s almost tomato-ish and raisin-like. Very strange. (You might like their pad Thai, but only if you’ve never had authentic Pad Thai before.) Everything else is delicious. The Canary salad is amazing.

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  30. ToddR

    Atlanta Metro

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Best restaurant in Iowa!

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  31. 12345

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food and service were both on point. Can't wait to come back!

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  32. AaronL

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 11, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Overall, I great experience. The waitstaff was attentive and knew how to manage a room. Though it was a hopping Saturday night, it didn't feel chaotic. The mood was fun and positive. The ingredients were quality, fresh and plated nicely. Everything had a great flavor. I did give 4 stars instead of 5 because my Mahi mahi was a little dry. My friend had the Canary burger and she said it was great. The menu has a lot of nice choices so there's something on it for everyone. I will try the pork chop next time. When you're done, head down stairs to the speak easy. The décor is fun and the drinks are quality. They offer a nice selection of cocktails and ask what brand of liquor you prefer. I was happy they had Belvedere vodka, my Cosmopolitan was amazing. I will be going back. It was a great experience.

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  33. jerryw

    Charleston

    42 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    42 reviews

    Dined on February 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server was outstanding

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  34. Grinnellians

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Fabulous restaurant!! Hostess and servers were excellent!! Gracious, checking in to be sure everything was just right, down to earth, pleasant. And the food…..Food is always amazing. Who knew the best Pad Thai could be found on the prairie?! We always look forward to our visits to Grinnell so that we can eat at Prairie Canary. Never disappoints. Thank you for this lovely gem.

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  35. casey

    Des Moines

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 4, 2023

    overall3food2service4ambience3
    I was very disappointed with my meal. ordered gluten free pasta, over cooked, sauce was extremely bland. husband had cajun seafood, had a cheese sauce which was incorrect. He didn't say anything until later. I sent mine back. Waitress did take the cost my dish off the ticket. Also, was very suprised at the additional cost for gluten free.

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  36. OpenTable Diner

    Pittsburgh

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 3, 2023

    overall4food4service2ambience2
    The wait staff served in a very sloppy manner crossing over the table to deliver then plates. Because of this, a spoon was dropped over the food of another person. They seemed uninterested and too busy.

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  37. LarryH

    Orlando

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on January 31, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Prairie Canary is one of our new favorites for an evening out with friends. They have courteous, fun & knowledgeable servers and wonderful chef-created meals. A great find in an interesting Iowa location. We will be back for sure!

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  38. MikeG

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service and food. Overall, a wonderful evening! Thanks so much!

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food with reasonable prices

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  40. DanielM

    Columbus

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Daughter's new job

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FAQs

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is rated 4.5 stars by 265 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 PM


Booked 17 times today
Google Map for Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

924 Main Street, Grinnell, IA 50112

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Des Moines
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Cuisines
    American, Farm-to-table, Comfort Food
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Paul Durr
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wine
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