Popoli Ristorante & Sullivan’s Bar
101 3rd Ave, Cedar Rapids, IA, 52404
Popoli Ristorante & Sullivan’s Bar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Cedar Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Cedar Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Cedar Rapids for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
101 3rd Ave
Cedar Rapids, IA, 52404 - Phone (319) 363-1248
- Website https://popolicr.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 12
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Dressy
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Mrs. A.
My husband and I have been coming here regularly since it opened. Why do we keep coming back? It's easy. Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. Great owner. Last night was no exception. We knew this was a safe place to bring our friends on a double date. They had never been before. And I know for sure that after last night, they will be back. First of all, the food is always excellent. We like the fact that the menu sometimes changes. Brandon, the owner, also offers specials regularly. Yesterday he posted a special on Facebook that grabbed my husband's attention. You have to know that my husband usually never sways from his standby favorite, the buccatini & meatballs. However, the picture of the California seabass with sweet corn succotash and chive oil truly captured his interest. One bite of that and he was in heaven. He could not compliment the chef enough for the magic on his plate. As for me, I appreciate the fact that the chefs are not afraid to cook up something unique and different on request. They have done it for me in the past, and once again last night when I told our amazing server, Megan, that I wanted something with the mushroom risotto & veggies. I told her the chef could add chicken, if he wanted. The dish came to me beautifully presented with long asparagus stalks decorating the top. And it was fantastic! Every single morsel. Our friends, too, enjoyed everything about their meal, which included two appetizers and a soup. With our before dinner side salads and complementary bread for the table, you can understand why we opted not to partake in dessert. There is always next time.
(5)Jaquel S.
My fiance took me to Popoli for Mother's Day. I had been looking forward to trying Popoli out for over year. Upon entering, the hostess looked stressed as we did not have reservations. We assured her we would take a vacant high top table next to the bar. We were seated immediately, but had to wait quite some time for service. When we finally did order drinks, I was given a glass with not one but TWO red lipstick stains. As both my fiance and I have worked in the restaurant industry, we understand mistakes can happen, and brushed it off. Even though our waiter was busy, he was very friendly with us. Unfortunately, we sat for long periods of time with our glasses empty. We watched as other patrons started leaving and other tables grew with frustration when their food was brought out (one man received crab macaroni and cheese with NO crab). We had guests coming to our house and thought we could get a bite to eat and be back in time. Our ticket time painfully turned into an hour...an hour and a half..two hours, and I finally had to call for a ride to leave. My fiance stayed to get our food, where instead of giving us the three items we ordered, we were only given two. Three hours later he came home, where I was starving and was quickly let down with the food. Maybe this was a very random occurrence for Popoli's. Unfortunately, I do not care to return to find out.
(1)Rebekah H.
3 words: SALTED CARAMEL CREME BRULEE Ok, that was 4 words but you get the picture. It was AMAZING! I know, I know it is just glorified pudding and while that is true, it is amazing pudding. Salty, sweet, creamy goodness! Perfectly balanced and just the right size. We came here for drinks and dessert after dinner at a Sushi place not too far away and it was well worth the trip! Service was awesome, Mickey was friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. The decor is also gorgeous, loved every moment of our experience here! Definitely will be back for more of the Creme Brulee and maybe try some other food next time! :-)
(4)Barney F.
Service was slow - 2 minutes after ordering appetizers we switched one of them. Got the appetizers 1/2 hour later with no switch. Concert was in town and they were not prepared - bar staff didn't seem to care
(1)Kari W.
Came across Popoli because we parked nearby for George Thorogood at McGrath. The service was excellent, our waitress made sure what mom ordered had no ingredients that she is allergic to. I don't see my choice on the menu now, it was a fresh pasta with artichoke hearts, asparagus and something else in a butter parm sauce. Mom had a salmon dish that she ate all of!
(4)Lonnie Z.
Though I have yet to experience dinner or late-night happy hour at this upscale restaurant in a historic former bank building, three lunch visits and today's brunch with the wife have earned my five star rating. I'm a huge bleu cheese burger fan, and the Bleu Bison is second to none in the county. I've also had chicken lasagna prepared by the proprietor himself and was tempted to lick my empty plate. The highlight came today at brunch. The Bloody Mary could have sufficed as a meal, but I wanted to try the Crab Mac & Cheese. Talk about food-gasm! I have a hard time believing some of the reviews posted here were even from the same place. Maybe they just had a bad day. Even after a food-coma nap, I can't stop thinking about how good it was. And I haven't even mentioned the lovely ambiance. I can't wait for my next visit to this new star on the Cedar Rapids restaurant scene.
(5)Karl K.
I came here for lunch during the week and ordered the Roasted Turkey sandwich with fries. The meal was very filling and reasonably priced. The turkey breast in the sandwich was cut directly off an in-house roasted turkey so it was of high quality. My only complaint is that the bread was too big for the sandwich. Also, it was a dense bread so it took forever to eat the sandwich. I am likely to come back again. They have happy hour specials that I'd like to try out.
(4)Jeff W.
Packed thursday night 5ish. Seat at the bar after a chat with hostess. Top-notch remodel of this amazing building is unbelievable. The original stained glass vaulted center room with fully restored original murals and very clean updates and bar make for a classy feel. Definitely a 5 star capable place. A great reason to play dress-up with some friends but also okay with casual groups. Probably leave the kids at home. Extensive beer selection on draft and bottle and sophisticated menu is online too.
(4)Amy W.
We have been to Popoli numerous times before, but I was especially impressed when we brought some friends there last Saturday night. We were looking to impress them because they were from surrounding big cities, and the night could not have gone any better! We reserved the Vault Room (seats up to 8 people) and it was the perfect atmosphere. They were thoroughly impressed with the decor! The noise level inside the vault is perfect for visiting with your whole table, not just the person next to you. We had great service from the wait staff, even though it was a busy Saturday night with a couple other large parties. Our waiter made sure to communicate to us if the bartender was running behind, and the staff was very accommodating when they happened to be out of a bottle of wine on the menu. We felt well taken care of :) The food was delicious as well! The appetizer special was Tuna Crudo and we ordered 2 plates for the table. The many bruschettas on the menu are also great. Our meals came with salad and their homemade bread. My favorite meals from Popoli contain their house made bucatini noodles because they have the perfect bite. Several people ordered the Carbonara (my favorite) and the Bucatini & Meatballs. Others ordered the fish & steak and everyone left happy with their meals. Thanks Popoli for a great experience!
(5)Cheryl R.
As a former resident of Naples, Italy, it is difficult not to judge American Italia cuisine harshly. That said, please hear me when I say that Popoli is, by far, one of the best restaurants Cedar Rapids has to offer... Maybe all of Iowa for that matter. Located in a re-urbanized downtown area, it is attractively built into a former bank, with vaults intact as private dining rooms. The modern decor is stunning with stain glass windows and murals on the vaulted ceilings.., certainly unexpected based on the simple exterior. Our server, Casey, was extremely attentive and knowledgeable, offering recommendations on both food and wine. Now the food. We started our meal with traditional bruschetta. There were combinations offered on the menu to include a chef's special that changed on a daily basis. The traditional was simple, marinated tomatoes with garlic on toasted bread ..however it had parsley instead of basil and also had and cubes of mozzarella.. Different but delicious . It could, however have benefited from a simple drizzle of balsamic. There were many interesting items on the menu. Each entree comes with a mixed green salad with your choice of dressing, or soup (French Onion was offered), we both choice salad. I had balsamic vinaigrette, my husband had blue cheese (Which was creamy and not overwhelming) ..both good choices. For dinner we had pasta. My husband enjoyed his, orrichetti in a spicy Bolognese, but it was a bit too spicy for me. I had pasta carbonara, with bucatini, crispy pancetta and an over-easy egg...dubline. (I shall FOREVER, from this day forward, call this dish Glorious, Rich, Hallelujah Pasta!!!) All in all, this was an incredible dining experience. I look forward to returning and sharing this jewel with friends and co-workers.
(5)Amanda B.
Mediocre at best. We eat out often and decided to splurge on their very expensive menu. We stayed of with a fig, precutto and flatbed appetizer that was..okay. We were tempted to not eat the bread because it didn't add anything to the taste. The figs were good. Then 15 minutes later came our salads which were the highlight of the meal. Husband got the grouper which was overcooked and I got the seafood pasta in white wine sauce which was bitter and just not good. I was tempted to send it back. Service was very very slow..but the decor was amazing. We paid over $75 for such a disappointing meal. We will not be going back.
(1)J M.
Thought we would give this place a second chance and see if it has improved. Nope! It has not. The food and the service are still mediocre. We were seated by someone who basically threw a bunch of menus on the table then rushed off, saying she was very busy. Meal was lukewarm. It took 25 minutes to get our waiter's attention after we finished the meal. What a shame. It is such a beautiful building.
(2)Tanya K.
I was in town for business so I stopped here for dinner. A recently remodeled bank serves for some interesting architecture and atmosphere. The service was a tad slow but the tables were mainly full. I had a nice glass of Malbec and the carbonara. Both were good. I caught a glance of the lunch menu and that had some great options and I wished the crab Mac and cheese would of been on the dinner menu. It was good and I'd recommend.
(4)Ed F.
Just had lunch here once so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt somewhat. The facility gets an A+, for beautifully restored bank. The windows on the east side of the building offer a spectacular view of downtown. Our server was cheerful and efficient. Too bad the food didn't live up to higher expectations. My burger was overcooked and a little dry. The toppings were uninspired. My brother and sister in law had salads. They didn't comment so that's probably not a good thing. I'll need to try them for dinner to get a better feel for the chef's skills.
(3)Mary D.
Can't say enough good things about this place. Fantastic food, great menu, excellent staff with great customer service. Great date place. We have gone several times for both romantic dinners and business meetings and it's well suited for both. Great place to go after work for drinks too! Love it!
(5)Nick B.
Decided to stop in for lunch per the recommendation of a stranger. This was a great recommendation, first impression is that it's absolutely beautiful. The restaurant is located in an old bank and has been beautifully restored and converted. It's a beautiful mix of new and old. The menu is small, which I like. I would rather see a few things done correctly than lots of options cooked mediocre. My counterpart ordered mediterranean pasta and subbed the white pasta for gluten free. Her comment was that it tasted so good she couldn't believe that it was gluten free. My buffalo burger was cooked correctly and quite tasty. I will definitely return.
(5)Starlyn I.
My first time to Cedar Rapids and my first time at Popoli's. It was absolutely amazing! The service was outstanding, the food was beyond delicious. Not a place you'd think you would find in Iowa! I will definitely visit again. And be sure to eat in the bank vault :)
(5)Cary B.
Tuesday May 13, 2014. First time diner. Rarely do decor AND cuisine rise to equal heights. Popoli achieves excellence in both measurements. Good wine. Service prompt and attentive. Will go back soon
(5)Alicia A.
I am struggling with giving this Resaurant a star except for the atmosphere which is delightful overall. Not one dish really worked. The flatbread was too salty and the prosciutto rubbery. The polenta was tasteless and the presentation of the salad with the two ingredients was a huge disappointment. The fettucini arrived overcooked and overly salty. It contained 4 large shrimp that were overcooked. We drank a ton of water. I really wanted to love this place but it was a huge waste of money.
(1)AJ A.
Welcome back 'Peoples Bank Building' as Popoli. We were at Popoli tonight. Wonderful atmosphere, tasty aps and entrees were delicious. Try the pork chop it was seasoned perfectly. Nice selection if wine by the glass and domestic and craft beers. The staff was helpful if not just a little harried due to just opening this past Wednesday. Very nice addition to down town. We'll definitely go back.
(5)Martin D.
The renovation of the historic Peoples Bank lobby is amazing and well worth a visit to see - once. As for the food, service, and dining environment, not so good. The food took over an hour from the time we ordered. By the time we got our (5) hot entrées, they ranged in temp from cold (2) to lukewarm (2) to piping hot (1). Our waitress apparently had too many tables to serve as she was seen only rarely and always while in the run to another table. If you want ambiance conducive to conversation, forget this place. It is so loud, the acoustics so bad, you can barely hear the person across the table from you. Overall, poor food, poor service, and a bar type environment for up scale prices.
(2)Amanda M.
Great atmosphere , Very courteous staff , very prompt service ,and the building is amazing. Food was good... Not great.
(4)John L.
Hot and cold experience. Good food, but if you avoid salt, you will have to be selective and work with the kitchen. I would have given it 4 stars except that the food was way too salty for people who avoid or don't like salt. The chef obviously is one who has gotten so used to salt as to not really taste it any more. This is a common restaurant problem. It would seem better to simply not add so much salt in the kitchen and offer or place salt shakers at the tables (a fancy grinder with kosher or sea salt would keep the atmosphere up at fine dining spots.).
(3)Nan K.
Atmosphere is awesome, you can sit in the vault of the bank that was once in the building! Water glasses in the table were dirty clearly see stuck on food, gross this is a easy fix for wait staff che k them before putting on the table. Food...sigh, meatballs were ok, the sauce was very 'chef boy ar dee' and I'm not a picky eater this dish was a 1 star. No flavoreat balls were boring it needed some kind of a kick. We also had the carbonara and that was goodone a 3 star rating.
(3)Kelly C.
Great service and ambiance, but the food is quite bland and leaves much to be desired.
(3)Lynn J.
The renovation of this historic building is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately the aesthetics were the only positive part of our dining experience. We had reservations for a party of 5 mid week and were seated in a small room off the main dining area. The room was so cold that no one removed their costs. Bar service was very slow, it took over 20 minutes to get a round of cocktails. Our server was excellent, however as she kept us informed and checked on our table frequently. Prior to ordering we were informed that they were out of halibut and veal. This wouldn't really be a big deal, but the menu isn't that extensive to begin with so substitutions were offered. When our meals arrived 3 of the dishes were cold and all lacked flavor. We were still cold so we ordered coffee at the end of the meal and it was also cold. We did speak to the manager about our experience and expressed our love for the atmosphere but shared our concerns about the poor quality of food, slow bar service and temperature of the room. He listened intently, but I don't think he's making changes quickly enough as several friends who have dined since our experience expressed similar complaints. I really would like to see this establishment succeed, but it may not be under the current management.
(2)Kari W.
Came across Popoli because we parked nearby for George Thorogood at McGrath. The service was excellent, our waitress made sure what mom ordered had no ingredients that she is allergic to. I don't see my choice on the menu now, it was a fresh pasta with artichoke hearts, asparagus and something else in a butter parm sauce. Mom had a salmon dish that she ate all of!
(4)Lonnie Z.
Though I have yet to experience dinner or late-night happy hour at this upscale restaurant in a historic former bank building, three lunch visits and today's brunch with the wife have earned my five star rating. I'm a huge bleu cheese burger fan, and the Bleu Bison is second to none in the county. I've also had chicken lasagna prepared by the proprietor himself and was tempted to lick my empty plate. The highlight came today at brunch. The Bloody Mary could have sufficed as a meal, but I wanted to try the Crab Mac & Cheese. Talk about food-gasm! I have a hard time believing some of the reviews posted here were even from the same place. Maybe they just had a bad day. Even after a food-coma nap, I can't stop thinking about how good it was. And I haven't even mentioned the lovely ambiance. I can't wait for my next visit to this new star on the Cedar Rapids restaurant scene.
(5)Karl K.
I came here for lunch during the week and ordered the Roasted Turkey sandwich with fries. The meal was very filling and reasonably priced. The turkey breast in the sandwich was cut directly off an in-house roasted turkey so it was of high quality. My only complaint is that the bread was too big for the sandwich. Also, it was a dense bread so it took forever to eat the sandwich. I am likely to come back again. They have happy hour specials that I'd like to try out.
(4)Jeff W.
Packed thursday night 5ish. Seat at the bar after a chat with hostess. Top-notch remodel of this amazing building is unbelievable. The original stained glass vaulted center room with fully restored original murals and very clean updates and bar make for a classy feel. Definitely a 5 star capable place. A great reason to play dress-up with some friends but also okay with casual groups. Probably leave the kids at home. Extensive beer selection on draft and bottle and sophisticated menu is online too.
(4)John L.
Hot and cold experience. Good food, but if you avoid salt, you will have to be selective and work with the kitchen. I would have given it 4 stars except that the food was way too salty for people who avoid or don't like salt. The chef obviously is one who has gotten so used to salt as to not really taste it any more. This is a common restaurant problem. It would seem better to simply not add so much salt in the kitchen and offer or place salt shakers at the tables (a fancy grinder with kosher or sea salt would keep the atmosphere up at fine dining spots.).
(3)Nick B.
Decided to stop in for lunch per the recommendation of a stranger. This was a great recommendation, first impression is that it's absolutely beautiful. The restaurant is located in an old bank and has been beautifully restored and converted. It's a beautiful mix of new and old. The menu is small, which I like. I would rather see a few things done correctly than lots of options cooked mediocre. My counterpart ordered mediterranean pasta and subbed the white pasta for gluten free. Her comment was that it tasted so good she couldn't believe that it was gluten free. My buffalo burger was cooked correctly and quite tasty. I will definitely return.
(5)Cheryl R.
As a former resident of Naples, Italy, it is difficult not to judge American Italia cuisine harshly. That said, please hear me when I say that Popoli is, by far, one of the best restaurants Cedar Rapids has to offer... Maybe all of Iowa for that matter. Located in a re-urbanized downtown area, it is attractively built into a former bank, with vaults intact as private dining rooms. The modern decor is stunning with stain glass windows and murals on the vaulted ceilings.., certainly unexpected based on the simple exterior. Our server, Casey, was extremely attentive and knowledgeable, offering recommendations on both food and wine. Now the food. We started our meal with traditional bruschetta. There were combinations offered on the menu to include a chef's special that changed on a daily basis. The traditional was simple, marinated tomatoes with garlic on toasted bread ..however it had parsley instead of basil and also had and cubes of mozzarella.. Different but delicious . It could, however have benefited from a simple drizzle of balsamic. There were many interesting items on the menu. Each entree comes with a mixed green salad with your choice of dressing, or soup (French Onion was offered), we both choice salad. I had balsamic vinaigrette, my husband had blue cheese (Which was creamy and not overwhelming) ..both good choices. For dinner we had pasta. My husband enjoyed his, orrichetti in a spicy Bolognese, but it was a bit too spicy for me. I had pasta carbonara, with bucatini, crispy pancetta and an over-easy egg...dubline. (I shall FOREVER, from this day forward, call this dish Glorious, Rich, Hallelujah Pasta!!!) All in all, this was an incredible dining experience. I look forward to returning and sharing this jewel with friends and co-workers.
(5)Amanda B.
Mediocre at best. We eat out often and decided to splurge on their very expensive menu. We stayed of with a fig, precutto and flatbed appetizer that was..okay. We were tempted to not eat the bread because it didn't add anything to the taste. The figs were good. Then 15 minutes later came our salads which were the highlight of the meal. Husband got the grouper which was overcooked and I got the seafood pasta in white wine sauce which was bitter and just not good. I was tempted to send it back. Service was very very slow..but the decor was amazing. We paid over $75 for such a disappointing meal. We will not be going back.
(1)Rebekah H.
3 words: SALTED CARAMEL CREME BRULEE Ok, that was 4 words but you get the picture. It was AMAZING! I know, I know it is just glorified pudding and while that is true, it is amazing pudding. Salty, sweet, creamy goodness! Perfectly balanced and just the right size. We came here for drinks and dessert after dinner at a Sushi place not too far away and it was well worth the trip! Service was awesome, Mickey was friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. The decor is also gorgeous, loved every moment of our experience here! Definitely will be back for more of the Creme Brulee and maybe try some other food next time! :-)
(4)Barney F.
Service was slow - 2 minutes after ordering appetizers we switched one of them. Got the appetizers 1/2 hour later with no switch. Concert was in town and they were not prepared - bar staff didn't seem to care
(1)Mrs. A.
My husband and I have been coming here regularly since it opened. Why do we keep coming back? It's easy. Great food. Great service. Great atmosphere. Great owner. Last night was no exception. We knew this was a safe place to bring our friends on a double date. They had never been before. And I know for sure that after last night, they will be back. First of all, the food is always excellent. We like the fact that the menu sometimes changes. Brandon, the owner, also offers specials regularly. Yesterday he posted a special on Facebook that grabbed my husband's attention. You have to know that my husband usually never sways from his standby favorite, the buccatini & meatballs. However, the picture of the California seabass with sweet corn succotash and chive oil truly captured his interest. One bite of that and he was in heaven. He could not compliment the chef enough for the magic on his plate. As for me, I appreciate the fact that the chefs are not afraid to cook up something unique and different on request. They have done it for me in the past, and once again last night when I told our amazing server, Megan, that I wanted something with the mushroom risotto & veggies. I told her the chef could add chicken, if he wanted. The dish came to me beautifully presented with long asparagus stalks decorating the top. And it was fantastic! Every single morsel. Our friends, too, enjoyed everything about their meal, which included two appetizers and a soup. With our before dinner side salads and complementary bread for the table, you can understand why we opted not to partake in dessert. There is always next time.
(5)Jaquel S.
My fiance took me to Popoli for Mother's Day. I had been looking forward to trying Popoli out for over year. Upon entering, the hostess looked stressed as we did not have reservations. We assured her we would take a vacant high top table next to the bar. We were seated immediately, but had to wait quite some time for service. When we finally did order drinks, I was given a glass with not one but TWO red lipstick stains. As both my fiance and I have worked in the restaurant industry, we understand mistakes can happen, and brushed it off. Even though our waiter was busy, he was very friendly with us. Unfortunately, we sat for long periods of time with our glasses empty. We watched as other patrons started leaving and other tables grew with frustration when their food was brought out (one man received crab macaroni and cheese with NO crab). We had guests coming to our house and thought we could get a bite to eat and be back in time. Our ticket time painfully turned into an hour...an hour and a half..two hours, and I finally had to call for a ride to leave. My fiance stayed to get our food, where instead of giving us the three items we ordered, we were only given two. Three hours later he came home, where I was starving and was quickly let down with the food. Maybe this was a very random occurrence for Popoli's. Unfortunately, I do not care to return to find out.
(1)Amy W.
We have been to Popoli numerous times before, but I was especially impressed when we brought some friends there last Saturday night. We were looking to impress them because they were from surrounding big cities, and the night could not have gone any better! We reserved the Vault Room (seats up to 8 people) and it was the perfect atmosphere. They were thoroughly impressed with the decor! The noise level inside the vault is perfect for visiting with your whole table, not just the person next to you. We had great service from the wait staff, even though it was a busy Saturday night with a couple other large parties. Our waiter made sure to communicate to us if the bartender was running behind, and the staff was very accommodating when they happened to be out of a bottle of wine on the menu. We felt well taken care of :) The food was delicious as well! The appetizer special was Tuna Crudo and we ordered 2 plates for the table. The many bruschettas on the menu are also great. Our meals came with salad and their homemade bread. My favorite meals from Popoli contain their house made bucatini noodles because they have the perfect bite. Several people ordered the Carbonara (my favorite) and the Bucatini & Meatballs. Others ordered the fish & steak and everyone left happy with their meals. Thanks Popoli for a great experience!
(5)J M.
Thought we would give this place a second chance and see if it has improved. Nope! It has not. The food and the service are still mediocre. We were seated by someone who basically threw a bunch of menus on the table then rushed off, saying she was very busy. Meal was lukewarm. It took 25 minutes to get our waiter's attention after we finished the meal. What a shame. It is such a beautiful building.
(2)Tanya K.
I was in town for business so I stopped here for dinner. A recently remodeled bank serves for some interesting architecture and atmosphere. The service was a tad slow but the tables were mainly full. I had a nice glass of Malbec and the carbonara. Both were good. I caught a glance of the lunch menu and that had some great options and I wished the crab Mac and cheese would of been on the dinner menu. It was good and I'd recommend.
(4)Ed F.
Just had lunch here once so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt somewhat. The facility gets an A+, for beautifully restored bank. The windows on the east side of the building offer a spectacular view of downtown. Our server was cheerful and efficient. Too bad the food didn't live up to higher expectations. My burger was overcooked and a little dry. The toppings were uninspired. My brother and sister in law had salads. They didn't comment so that's probably not a good thing. I'll need to try them for dinner to get a better feel for the chef's skills.
(3)Mary D.
Can't say enough good things about this place. Fantastic food, great menu, excellent staff with great customer service. Great date place. We have gone several times for both romantic dinners and business meetings and it's well suited for both. Great place to go after work for drinks too! Love it!
(5)Starlyn I.
My first time to Cedar Rapids and my first time at Popoli's. It was absolutely amazing! The service was outstanding, the food was beyond delicious. Not a place you'd think you would find in Iowa! I will definitely visit again. And be sure to eat in the bank vault :)
(5)Cary B.
Tuesday May 13, 2014. First time diner. Rarely do decor AND cuisine rise to equal heights. Popoli achieves excellence in both measurements. Good wine. Service prompt and attentive. Will go back soon
(5)Alicia A.
I am struggling with giving this Resaurant a star except for the atmosphere which is delightful overall. Not one dish really worked. The flatbread was too salty and the prosciutto rubbery. The polenta was tasteless and the presentation of the salad with the two ingredients was a huge disappointment. The fettucini arrived overcooked and overly salty. It contained 4 large shrimp that were overcooked. We drank a ton of water. I really wanted to love this place but it was a huge waste of money.
(1)AJ A.
Welcome back 'Peoples Bank Building' as Popoli. We were at Popoli tonight. Wonderful atmosphere, tasty aps and entrees were delicious. Try the pork chop it was seasoned perfectly. Nice selection if wine by the glass and domestic and craft beers. The staff was helpful if not just a little harried due to just opening this past Wednesday. Very nice addition to down town. We'll definitely go back.
(5)Martin D.
The renovation of the historic Peoples Bank lobby is amazing and well worth a visit to see - once. As for the food, service, and dining environment, not so good. The food took over an hour from the time we ordered. By the time we got our (5) hot entrées, they ranged in temp from cold (2) to lukewarm (2) to piping hot (1). Our waitress apparently had too many tables to serve as she was seen only rarely and always while in the run to another table. If you want ambiance conducive to conversation, forget this place. It is so loud, the acoustics so bad, you can barely hear the person across the table from you. Overall, poor food, poor service, and a bar type environment for up scale prices.
(2)Amanda M.
Great atmosphere , Very courteous staff , very prompt service ,and the building is amazing. Food was good... Not great.
(4)Nan K.
Atmosphere is awesome, you can sit in the vault of the bank that was once in the building! Water glasses in the table were dirty clearly see stuck on food, gross this is a easy fix for wait staff che k them before putting on the table. Food...sigh, meatballs were ok, the sauce was very 'chef boy ar dee' and I'm not a picky eater this dish was a 1 star. No flavoreat balls were boring it needed some kind of a kick. We also had the carbonara and that was goodone a 3 star rating.
(3)Kelly C.
Great service and ambiance, but the food is quite bland and leaves much to be desired.
(3)Lynn J.
The renovation of this historic building is absolutely beautiful. Unfortunately the aesthetics were the only positive part of our dining experience. We had reservations for a party of 5 mid week and were seated in a small room off the main dining area. The room was so cold that no one removed their costs. Bar service was very slow, it took over 20 minutes to get a round of cocktails. Our server was excellent, however as she kept us informed and checked on our table frequently. Prior to ordering we were informed that they were out of halibut and veal. This wouldn't really be a big deal, but the menu isn't that extensive to begin with so substitutions were offered. When our meals arrived 3 of the dishes were cold and all lacked flavor. We were still cold so we ordered coffee at the end of the meal and it was also cold. We did speak to the manager about our experience and expressed our love for the atmosphere but shared our concerns about the poor quality of food, slow bar service and temperature of the room. He listened intently, but I don't think he's making changes quickly enough as several friends who have dined since our experience expressed similar complaints. I really would like to see this establishment succeed, but it may not be under the current management.
(2)