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Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar, Grinnell, IA

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

4.9
4.9
325 Reviews
$30 and under
American

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 4 times today
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
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!

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Farm-to-table, Comfort Food
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Paul Durr

What 325 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.7Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Best Overall

  • Iowa

    Best Service

  • Iowa

    Best Value

  • Iowa

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Iowa

    American

  • Des Moines

    Best Overall

  • Des Moines

    Best Food

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Value

  • Des Moines

    Healthy

  • Des Moines

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar in Grinnell offers a vibrant dining experience with standout service and a diverse menu. Guests rave about "excellent service" and "wonderful chef-created meals." The brussels sprouts and artichoke dip are popular favorites. Though noise can be an issue, the "great atmosphere" and "delicious food" keep patrons returning.

325 Reviews
  1. Ellen

    Des Moines1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is the second time I’ve been there for lunch. Both times I had excellent food and service. I would highly recommend you trying it. We drove about 80 miles and it’s worth it.

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  2. Kathi VIP

    Des Moines17 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 26 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Prairie Canary is always a very nice place to catch up with old friends and enjoy great food in a friendly atmosphere.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 1 March 2025
    Thank you Kathi for your kind words! We're delighted that you enjoy the friendly atmosphere and great food at The Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar. It's our pleasure to provide a welcoming space for catching up with friends over delicious meals. We look forward to your next visit!

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  3. Joleen

    Baltimore1 review

    4.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was very good. The fish was so tasty and moist. Will go back again.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 17 February 2025
    Joleen, thank you for visiting Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our fish dish. It's one of our specialties, and we take great pride in serving fresh, flavorful seafood. We hope we can even make you happier the next time you dine with us.

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  4. Ginger

    Chicago15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 16 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love Prairie Canary and it is our top choice for dinner whenever we come to Grinnell. The food is consistently delicious, as are the cocktails, and the service is always friendly and efficient. Highly recommend!
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 13 February 2025
    Ginger, we're delighted that Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is your top choice for dining in Grinnell. Thank you for your kind words about our delicious food, tasty cocktails, and friendly service. We look forward to welcoming you back soon!

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  5. Barbara

    Des Moines5 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was just okay. We have had better there in the past.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 13 February 2025
    Barbara, thank you for your patronage at Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar. We appreciate your business and hope you'll give us another opportunity to provide you with an exceptional dining experience.

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  6. Samuel

    Des Moines1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 9 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Friendly staff, good food and good options, reasonable prices. My table particularly enjoyed the brussels sprouts and the strawberry salad.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 13 February 2025
    Samuel, thank you for your kind words about our friendly staff, good food options, and reasonable prices. We're delighted to hear that you particularly enjoyed the brussels sprouts and strawberry salad during your visit to Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar. It brings us great joy to provide a memorable dining experience. We look forward to welcoming you back soon.

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  7. Theresa

    Kansas City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on 31 December 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service and atmosphere are great. Our New Years Eve meal was delicious however my mashed potatoes were hard and cold. Flavor of Prime rib was as excellent but barely warm. My husband’s Lobster Diablo was cold. I do not recommend the Sticky Pudding, it was cold hard bread. Took forever to get our food and we were one of the first couples in the door. We are frequent customers of Prairie Canary but were disappointed in this evening.

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  8. Mary

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 29 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Excellent food, special brunch service, the bunt cake was fabulous, and our meal was quite good. The noise level was expected due to the design of the dining room. but the nostalgic of the older building made it quite nice. They filter the water, so the coffee and water tasted good. The waitress was attentive and took good care of us. Priced a little on the high side but this was a special meal. We enjoyed our special outing.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 13 February 2025
    Mary, thank you for your kind words about the Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar. We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the excellent food, especially the bunt cake, during your special brunch outing. Creating a nostalgic ambiance in our historic building while providing attentive service is always our aim. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

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  9. Kari

    Des Moines2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 27 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Allie was wonderful and the food was delicious from the Brussels sprouts to the steaks and loaded potatoes to the marshmallow brownies…what a treat for the soul.
    Prairie Canary Restaurant & BarResponded on 13 February 2025
    Kari, we're thrilled to hear you enjoyed your dining experience with us, especially the Brussels sprouts, steaks, loaded potatoes, and marshmallow brownies. It's our pleasure to provide a treat for the soul through our delectable dishes. We'll make sure to let Allie know that you enjoyed her service as well. Thank you for your kind words, and we look forward to your next visit!

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  10. Matt

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and attentive waitstaff. Overall fun evening.

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FAQs

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is rated 4.9 stars by 325 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 4 times today
Google Map for Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

924 Main Street, Grinnell, IA 50112

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Farm-to-table, Comfort Food
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Paul Durr
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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