Dubuque, IA recs needed

Hi -
My husband is going to Dubuque for a soccer tournament and in the past when his team has gone to tournaments they have tended to wind up at some pretty awful chains (TGIFriday's, some sort of Margaritaville themed place.....) because they're not very good planners and they're usually so hungry by the time dinner rolls around they just hit the place closest to their hotel. They're staying at Timmerman's on Friday night (I found that thread when I did a Dubuque search), but they'll need somewhere to go for Saturday night. I'm not looking for haute cuisine (chances are in Dubuque I'd come up empty handed anyway), but a place with good food that can handle a larger group and preferably one that isn't a chain. I already tried Roadfood and I couldn't find anything for Dubuque.
Thanks!

not exactly dubuque, but it's darn close

Country Junction is possibly the only place worth eating west of dubuque... Americana atmosphere, sells a local Iowa brew (try the root beer).

Actually there is quite a number of places to go in Dubuque. First off, if they are staying at Timmerman's, the supper club there is very good. The Blackwater Grill in the Bricktown Brewery might be the perfect spot for a soccer team, it's in the downtown area as are several other places along the waterfront. I believe there is a previous post here on Timmerman's Supper Club. Dubuque and surroundings is very scenic, a lot of neat little historic towns are nearby.

http://www.dubuquechamber.com/play/restaurants.cfm

Any recent tips for eats in Dubuque? Thanks!

About a month ago, while passing through Dubuque we stopped for dinner at Crust. We ordered off the "Build Your Own Pasta" portion of the menu that allows you to select a pasta, a sauce and your choice of meat (spinach fettuccine with spicy Diavolo sauce and chicken for me, and Orecchiette Puttenesca with chicken for my dining companion). We enjoyed them both, although I could not finish the Diavolo. I'd like to pretend that was because I have a dainty appetite. The truth is, I filled up on bread. The pasta was accompanied by really fantastic warm little nuggets of buttery garlic bread which had the size and texture of donut holes. I'm not certain how they were prepared, but I think they were fried like a donut hole. While we did not try the pizza, the thin crust pizza that I saw at neighboring tables looked good.

Crust Italian Kitchen + Bar
299 Main St.
Dubuque, Iowa
http://www.crustdubuque.com

Any suggestions for a place in Dubuque that serves late? I see Crust is open til 2am for pizza, at least.

No chains preferred. Thanks!

Not open late, but Breitbachs Country Dining in Balltown has a great location and atmosphere for mostly good American food. The daily buffet usually has fried chicken and salads. They have a ham and cheese sandwich served cold if you want. It could hold a world record for rebuilding after catastrophic fires and reopening over and over again. The latest rebuild has an outdoor beer garden and a few patio seats. Balltown is just a bunch of houses on the top of a hill at the intersection of Balltown Road and Breitbach Road a few miles north of Dubuque.

I notice they also have pie.

Don't forget Iowa 80 Truck Stop; "The World's Largest Truck Stop". I'll be postig about a visit there soon in my 5-Day Road Trip Missouri & Iowa thread.

Iowa 80 Truck Stop
(I-80 Exit 284)
515 Sterling Drive
Walcott, IA 52773
866-446-9280

IPPA 2012 Tenderloin of the Year:


Battered Pork Tenderloin Sandwich from Breitbach's Country Dining in Balltown, Iowa by Tyrgyzistan, on Flickr

Breitbach's Country Dining in Balltown, Iowa by Tyrgyzistan, on Flickr

I'm going to second the rec for Crust.
Our huge family group descended on this place, and the waiter handled us without a hitch.
There were kids, vegetarians, carnivores, etc.
No problems, they were so accommodating.
They start the meal with baskets of little pop-ems of delicious hot pizza crust- we could all have made a meal of those-
Then everything is "build your own"
pasta, pizza, or salad-
If this place was in Chicago, it was be slammed busy and full all the time.
The prices were reasonable- and food was fabulous,
Service was great, food was great and those little crust nuggets.... O.M.G.

One of my boys has since asked if we could go back just for dinner even tho it is a 3 hr+ drive.


Also nice up that way is Potosi Brewery in Potosi, WI....

I am definitely going to check out Crust next time I'm out in that area - thanks!

Was in Dubuque Friday and Sat. night. Had much of the time devoted to the wedding but I did get out and do a few things.
Friday I had a rec. of Pauls Tavern as a spot to have a cold beer and a burger. One of the cooler bars I have been to in a while. Music was loud, and drinks were cheap. Went with a couple cheeseburgers here - they are cooked on an old tyme griddle - you can taste the flavor of how many burgers this thing has kicked out. Place allowed kids til 9 pm which was nice. Liked Pauls alot.



Pauls Tavern
176 Locust
Dubuque, IL.

Foodwise not much else accomplished in Dubuque - I didnt have alot of free time - but I do have a few spots I didnt hit this time.

We did go to the Fenelon Elevator which I thought was pretty fun:







Fenelon Elevator
512 Fenelon PL.
Dubuque, IA.

Last spot we hit on the way out of town was the old Dubuque Star Brewery.





Dubuque Star Brewery
600 Star Brewery Drive
Dubuque, IA.