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  4. Des Moines
  5. Des Moines

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

4.7
4.7
239 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 booking

2 people

19:00


Booked 7 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

Popular dishes

What 239 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Iowa

    Best Overall

  • Iowa

    Best Food

  • Iowa

    Best Value

  • Iowa

    Healthy

  • Iowa

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Iowa

    American

  • Des Moines

    Best Overall

  • Des Moines

    Best Food

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Value

  • Des Moines

    Good for business meals

  • Des Moines

    Good for groups

  • Des Moines

    Healthy

  • Des Moines

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Good for special occasions

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Filters

  1. ZaneF

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

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

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 14 March 2023

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

    Omaha

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 12 March 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.
  4. ToddR

    Atlanta Metro

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 February 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Best restaurant in Iowa!
  5. 12345

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 15 February 2023

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

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 11 February 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.
  7. jerryw

    Charleston

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on 11 February 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server was outstanding
  8. Grinnellians

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 5 February 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.
  9. casey

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on 4 February 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.
  10. OpenTable Diner

    Pittsburgh

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on 3 February 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.
  11. LarryH

    Orlando

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 31 January 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!
  12. MikeG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 26 January 2023

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

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 21 January 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food with reasonable prices
  14. DanielM

    Columbus

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 January 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Daughter's new job
  15. DenaP

    Denver

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on 15 January 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience2
    Still my favorite restaurant in Grinnell! My only feedback is that the lighting is much too harsh. Perhaps warmer light bulbs or the ability to dim the lights would help create a more intimate atmosphere.
  16. LaurenG

    Omaha

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 14 January 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our favorite place. Kids and adults all love it!!
  17. Rjajd

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 6 January 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    alway fresh/good service/good muzak with Amy Winehouse and Nora Jones
  18. JayneS

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 5 January 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We traveled from out of town. We had an amazing lunch. We tried a variety of dishes (apple salad, French onion soup, pear/gouda sandwich, the blackened prime rib sandwich, burger and chicken sandwich, along with fries) All was outstanding! Everything at the correct temperature and fresh! We will definitely return!!!
  19. JuliettaG

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 31 December 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    All I can say is AWESOME. we had absolutely the best waitress. She is still a student but with her customer service she will go far. The food was magnificent. Highly recommend.
  20. ChristineD

    Salt Lake City

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 22 December 2022

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Always love going here. Food was great. Try Wednesday night hamburger night.
  21. OpenTable Diner

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 11 December 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and service.
  22. CyndiOD

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 5 November 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food and great service! I wanted to try everything on the menu. I guess I will have to come back.
  23. CherylC

    Tampa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 3 November 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place is a must when visiting this quaint town!
  24. DenaP

    Denver

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 28 October 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great local food and atmosphere! Big-city quality in a small town. I always recommend it when I have friends and family in town.
  25. Annie

    Las Vegas

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 22 October 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We loved our dinner at Prairie Canary! Our food was delicious, the drinks were so good and our waitress was attentive, funny and gave great recommendations! I would highly recommend the Iowa Chop and the Boozy Canary. We all enjoyed our dinner so much that we came back the next day for lunch. Would highly recommend Prairie Canary if you are visiting Grinnell!
  26. Wombat2

    Austin

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 13 October 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Drove in from Iowa City and others from DesMoines to reconnect and share a delicious lunch and - truly a lovely choice for a destination meet-up and meal.
  27. TimC

    Des Moines

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 5 October 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This spot has a lot of expectations and it meets and beats every one. Perfect service, amazing food, great selection... and killer truffle fries. We highly recommend it.
  28. SusanA

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 2 October 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food at Prairie Canary is always yummy, the staff is always friendly, and eating there is always one of the highlights of our visit.
  29. LisaS

    Minneapolis

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 24 September 2022

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Repeat customer at Prairie Canary which never disappoints. The salmon, pasta, grilled cheese, truffle fries and tomato feta soup are favorites. Looking forward to our next time in this Grinnell eatery.
  30. JoanneL

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 24 September 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The server Shannon was very knowledgeable about the menu items. Since members of our party have celiac this is an important consideration when dining. There were lots of satisfying options for all of us! I would highly recommend the prairie canary.
  31. Iromom

    Des Moines

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 10 September 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was delicious and the service was great! Our server was attentive. She gave us recommendations and kept our beverage glasses full!
  32. PaulS

    Des Moines

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 10 September 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We had a wonderful dinner on the patio. It was hard to choose which craft cocktail to start with (no generic cocktails here). The cocktails were just the right size and no cheap alcohol or mixers. We ordered the spring rolls for appetizer and they did not disappoint. The parchment salmon was the best I have had since moving to Iowa City 5 years ago. The chicken was perfectly cooked a top the tasty dish of mashed potatoes with the Dijon sauce. The staff was friendly and attentive. Our waitress did say it was a bit more energetic inside vs. outside.
  33. AbbyR

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 28 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our experience at Prairie Canary was outstanding! The brunch was fantastic with a wide array of options. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful - especially our server, Shannon!
  34. SVOFarmer

    Des Moines

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 28 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What a gem! Great food, knowledgeable staff (kudos to Taylor; she was very helpful and energetic), and a good value. We will definitely be back!
  35. Mona

    Des Moines

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 20 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great meal, service and atmosphere with friends. Loved our night out!
  36. Charlie

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 19 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Lovely pre-college drop off dinner! Warm and friendly staff and delicious food!!
  37. SusanA

    New York Area

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 19 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Enjoyed the staff, food, the drinks - great ambiance!
  38. ShannonW

    Des Moines

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on 6 August 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Always enjoy eating here. Food and service are consistently good, and your food comes out quickly.
  39. DenaP

    Denver

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 17 July 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server was so attentive yet gave us space for conversation. Food and atmosphere was amazing! One of us had special dietary needs and that was not a problem at all. Great to have a “big city” quality restaurant in a small town!
  40. StacyH

    Jacksonville

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 July 2022

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent selection of unique appetizers! Main course was delicious and served quickly.

FAQs

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is rated 4.7 stars by 239 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people

19:00


Booked 7 times today
Google Map for Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

924 Main Street, Grinnell, IA 50112

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Area

    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

    Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining

  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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