The Brown Bottle Menu

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  • Scott Z.

    This place serves overcooked pasta, reheated sauce (tasted sour), and the chicken did not taste fresh. I went to this place on the recommendation of local individuals. I noticed many local people rave about this place, but others who pass through Waterloo do not always share the sentiments. I must agree with some of the less positive reviews. I did not see cockroaches, but the place was not as clean as I would expect for an "upscale" restaurant. Not a horrible place, but poor in quality (at least my meal)...and for an "Italian" restaurant, you would imagine the pasta to not be so overcooked. I would also expect the freshness of the meat sauce and chicken to be a bit better.

    (1)
  • Garrett D.

    Visiting from out of town, nice cozy place with excellent service and food selections. Several homemade salad dressings as well.

    (5)
  • Kelly B.

    For the hype it gets, the food was super salty and average. The bread that comes with the meal was great though! And the service was great as well.

    (3)
  • Linda R.

    Hard to find and definitely expected more from the decor. They seemed to be trying to put their own twist on classics (ham on top of the chicken parmesan, heavy cinnamon in the tiramisu, etc). The marinara was more the consistency of pizza sauce. Wouldn't recommend over Olive Garden.

    (3)
  • Estee M.

    The place was a lot cleaner since I was last there, but honestly the food quality hasn't improved. A little disappointing considering their prices. Don't think I will be going back.

    (2)
  • Kelsie G.

    The food was excellent - get the lasagna! And the staff was bomb! Super nice and personal. Passing through and was happy I decided on Brown Bottle - Reviews didn't do it justice!

    (5)
  • Matt M.

    My wife and I chose to treat ourselves about once every month or two, considering it one of the best places to eat in the area. My favorite is prosciutto and mushrooms. This time I chose garlic pasta, which is lighter choice. The food has been consistently good over the years. I have enjoyed everything I have tried, including pizza, sub sandwiches, prime rib, lasagna, fusili, and orange roughy. The homemade dressing are all excellent. I think I have tried them all. If you like leftovers, then consider that most of the pasta choices, except perhaps lasagna, are practically 2 good size meals. This certainly helps justify the prices. I would say there is a decent wine selection. They have been increasing their beer selections. They have the typical sam adams, leine, and blue moon choices on tap. I like that there are some millstream choices on tap. I was impressed that they offer boulevard tank 7, but only in a bottle. Plan to spend about an hour dining even if it is slow. It has been well worth the wait. Notice the details in this historic location, especially in the lobby. If you are lucky, there will be a booth open in a center portion of the restaurant, nestled between stacks of old books.

    (5)
  • Maggie W.

    Their food is craveable and the service is impeccable. Great for an intimate date nite or a place to take the family. Their house-made salad dressings are the best I've had and the food is spectacular. Start out with the sauteed mushrooms for your appetizer, or the warm Paseano bread with olive oil for dipping. For entrees, the Vegetarian Lasagna is delicious, as is the Fusilli with Mushrooms, the Fettucini Alfredo with homemade sauce, the Chicken Marsala, and the Orange Roughy melts in your mouth! Even the hot Ham and Cheese sammie is worth every penny! This is a treasure in downtown Waterloo that should not go overlooked. They take care to use quality ingredients bought locally and the service is top notch. The Waterloo Brown Bottle takes your dining experience seriously and always strives to give you a wonderful evening out!

    (5)
  • Tim W.

    I found the food and service to be very good and I had no trouble fitting into a rather spacious booth. Very good value and fresh pasta sauces and breads. A much better choice than the Olive Garden. I enjoyed the comfortable atmosphere.

    (4)
  • Julie C.

    I was visiting from out of town but grew up in Waterloo so it was a "must" to go to Brown Bottle where almost every prom date started. The interior has been redone and the lasagna is as fantastic as it was 35 years ago! It is almost enough for two to share and comes with a salad. I've never ever had better lasagna than the many times I've had it here! The locals I was with raved about other things on the menu. Sadly I'll probably never have them because I'll always have the lasagna!!

    (5)
  • Lindsay M.

    Contrary to what I've read from other Yelpers I was impressed with the Brown Bottle! I heard great things and was set up for a great dinner and they delivered. We ate a full four course dinner and was pleasantly surprised with each course! They tasted rich and nothing had the same flavor! Highly recommened: personal Lasagna! Their homemade individual lasagna was a hit for both my husband and me. We went to a different Brown Bottle a short time after our Waterloo visit and still enjoyed the lasagna there. Grab your honey and visit the crew at the Brown Bottle - try to lasagna or grab a dessert. You'll be happy! The great feel of the old building transport you back in time to when food was a high commodity!

    (4)
  • Danielle W.

    Food was great, service was great... the only thing that got me was the huge crack in the window where we were sitting (guess thats why I was cold) and the tacky wall hangings: one of ducks flying and another one of a snowy house (it wasn't winter) lol reminded me that I was in Iowa. Did verymuch enjoy the old-school jazz, think I even heard some Billie Holiday ... nice

    (4)
  • Anna M.

    I was staying in downtown Waterloo and decided to give the Brown Bottle a try after reading the reviews. It was a little confusing to find since the address is W 5th street but the sign is on Commercial St. We settle into a table in the bar area so that we could watch the game while we ate. After seeing the large portions carried out of the kitchen we decided to split a entree. The plate splitting fee was reasonable considering they included extra garlic bread and salad. But this is the first time I've seen an entree not be split between to plates when you are paying an extra splitting fee. The service was friendly, the food was fine and the atmosphere was pleasant.

    (3)
  • Stacy B.

    I'm VERY surprised that the Brown Bottle in Waterloo has a low rating. I had heard from multiple people that this was THE place to eat when given the opportunity to visit the un-bustling city of Waterloo. We ate there on a Friday night, anticipating a night of carbo loading and red wine. The decor was outdated and a little lounge-y (and random, really). The service was friendly and efficient, although I did have to ask for more water at one point. The signature salad dressing was excellent - one of the best I've had in a long time. I shared a standard spaghetti and meatball entree (it's HUGE) with my mother. We were both impressed by the sauce. YUM-TASTIC does not even describe the red heavenly sauce - it was seriously delish. Again, I don't understand why this place has a low rating. I'm going to return when I grace Waterloo with my presence. And I'm gonna get the same thing. The Brown Bottle almost makes me want to visit Waterloo more often...

    (4)
  • Kirun M.

    I didn't see roaches, but I sure didn't see any other people when I went either. The food was nothing to write home about. I went on the recommendation of a client. Too bad it didn't live up to my expectations.

    (2)
  • Lewis C.

    Was traveling to Waterloo had suggested the Brown Bottle, as well as, the hotel front desk clerk. The decor is a bit dated and could use sprucing up. However, the food was very good and service was excellent. It was also a good value. The chili pasta was very good and the bruschetta was fantastic. Overall, a nice meal for the price.

    (4)
  • Rose T.

    I've eaten at other Brown Bottle locations - and enjoyed the food much more there. After those experiences -- I thought this location would be just as good.... but my meal was actually very bland, and slow service that rarely checked back. I've certainly had worse meals -- but I wouldn't go back to this location (unless someone else is buying!).

    (2)
  • D B.

    After reading the Yelp reviews, I had higher expectations than my experience. Not going to trash the place, but the food was average at best and the atmosphere is easily 15 year past due. It's clean, the service was good and the menu diversity was good. Go a few doors down to Galleria De Paco for a much better dining experience in a unique atmosphere.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :4:00 pm - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Garage, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Dressy
    Ambience : Touristy
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes

Categories

Pizza

Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.

Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.

Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.

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.

The Brown Bottle

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