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Good eats, lively tunes; two birds, one stone. From oysters and jazz, to blues and beer, there’s something for everyone at these live music venues.
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Feelin’ Jazzy:
Clinton Street Social Club
18 1/2 S. Clinton St., Iowa City
Every Thursday night the Clinton Street Social Club features live jazz, including (but not limited to) their house band, The Clinton Street Four. The gastropub reflects the extravagant elegance of the golden age of jazz, with era-appropriate libations and meticulously crafted meals to match. The speakeasy theme runs throughout the two-story venue, complete with intricately tiled floors, Edison-style fixtures, exposed brick highlighting a quaint history of Iowa City and nearly 100 variations of brown liquor ranging from Bulleit Bourbon to The Macallan 25 year. If booze doesn’t light your fuse, the Poutine is nothing short of splurge-worthy and the perfect start to a mostly locally-sourced meal.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css_animation=””]
Perfectly Cheesy:
Iowa City Yacht Club
13 S. Linn St., Iowa City
If you’re looking for the locals, the Iowa City Yacht Club regularly plays host to the musically inclined, ranging from their weekly free jam session to regionally touring artists. Also on offer: an array of musician-themed savory grilled cheese sandwiches that pair perfectly with that PBR in your hand. The cheesy sandwiches range from the basic, such as The Jim Morrison (nothin’ but American on Texas Toast) to the robust; The Lynyrd Skynyrd is a cheddar grilled cheese stuffed with smoked beef brisket and BBQ sauce.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text el_class=”bb-image”]
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Cedar Rapids Casual:
Cedar River Landing
301 F Ave. NW, Cedar Rapids
Nestled along the Cedar River, this sports-bar-with-live-music is the place to go with a group of friends looking for an ultra casual hang. Their beer taps regularly rotate between local and national craft beers, and their menu features everything from chicken dinners to French Dip pizza. Every Friday and Saturday the stage will be occupied by local bands looking to make it big, and during the summer months the live music will move to the outdoor stage, where comfortable seating is limited, but lawn chairs are welcome.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”” parallax=”” parallax_image=”” el_id=””][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text css_animation=”” el_class=”bb-image”]
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Destination Delicious:
Lincoln Wine Bar
125 1st St. W., Mt. Vernon
Wanting to impress a first date? Head out to the Lincoln Wine Bar in Mount Vernon where there is live music Thursday through Saturday and an open mic hosted every other Wednesday. You can expect to hear anything from jazz to folk in this bustling pizzeria. Their menu is limited but the specials are always on point and their Neapolitan style pizza is perfect for sharing. The warm decor and dim lighting perfectly accentuate the Italian built wood-fire oven, and create an ideal environment for a romantic date. Don’t let the name fool you, in addition to their highly curated wine list, the Lincoln Wine Bar carries a wide variety of specialty craft beers.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Kickin’ it Old School:
The Mill
120 E. Burlington St., Iowa City
Stop through Iowa City’s longest standing venue on any night of the week and you’re likely to hear music floating from the stage. The Mill was built on bluegrass, folk and blues, but nothing is off the table nowadays. The space has seen the likes of punk kings and rap queens alike. If you’re lucky, it’ll be early enough to take advantage of their awesome happy hour specials. The kitchen is also open late night seven days a week, so you can’t go wrong. Grab some friends, an Iowa Waltz pizza and a pitcher of beer and settle into a built-in booth.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
For the Vegan Folk:
Trumpet Blossom Café
310 E. Prentiss St., Iowa City
If you’re vegan and looking for a delicious meal with live music to match, look no further. Trumpet Blossom hosts everything from electro-pop dance parties to acoustic folk shows, left-of-center outsider sounds in all genres, all the while featuring a fully vegan (also mostly local, organic and often gluten-free) menu and a plethora of inventive booze-infused concoctions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Moovin’ on up to the Northside:
Motley Cow Cafe
160 N. Linn St., Iowa City
Looking for a weeknight-date place? Check out ‘the Cow’ on Tuesday evenings, when they offer oysters on the half shell, along with half-price bottles of champagne and sparkling wine to accompany the evolving cast of local jazz musicians. The clean-line, upscale environment offers a sophisticated but casual experience and an ideal setting for date-night. If oysters and bubbly don’t tickle your fancy, their seasonal offerings are generally farm-to-table and their new age take on classic cocktails will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Lookin’ for the Blues:
Parlor City Pub & Eatery
1125 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids
Located in the New Bohemia district, this pub and eatery features free live music most evenings, boasts 56 beers on tap and an extensive casual-dining menu that ranges from fish tacos to ‘Juicy Lucy’ style burgers. Stop by on a Tuesday for their weekly Blues Jam or catch soulful, funk-infused blues guitarist Daddy-O every Thursday.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
Uptown Folk:
Uptown Bill’s Coffee House
730 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City
This coffee house and performance space often goes overlooked, but if you’re looking for community, Uptown Bill’s is the place to go. The abilities-awareness nonprofit serves organic coffee from Café del Sol, and has a variety of home-baked goods, sandwiches and soups to satiate. Their regular events include weekly spoken word and open mic sets, as well as monthly ukulele, Irish and classical music based gatherings. On any given Saturday you can usually catch a local blues legend or two hanging around, as they feature an eclectic mix of local and touring musicians.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Return to Bread & Butter” style=”flat” shape=”rounded” color=”chino” size=”sm” align=”left” i_align=”left” i_type=”fontawesome” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-reply” i_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-dial” i_icon_typicons=”typcn typcn-adjust-brightness” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-note” i_icon_linecons=”vc_li vc_li-heart” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littlevillagemag.com%2Fdining||” button_block=”true” add_icon=”true” i_icon_pixelicons=”vc_pixel_icon vc_pixel_icon-alert” el_class=”.bb-return-button”][vc_btn title=”View Bread & Butter PDF Edition” style=”flat” shape=”rounded” color=”chino” size=”sm” align=”left” i_align=”left” i_type=”fontawesome” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-reply” i_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-dial” i_icon_typicons=”typcn typcn-adjust-brightness” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-note” i_icon_linecons=”vc_li vc_li-heart” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fissuu.com%2Flittlevillage%2Fdocs%2Fbread-and-butter-2016||target:%20_blank” button_block=”true” add_icon=”true” i_icon_pixelicons=”vc_pixel_icon vc_pixel_icon-alert” el_class=”.bb-return-button”][vc_btn title=”View A-Z Restaurant Index” style=”flat” shape=”rounded” color=”chino” size=”sm” align=”left” i_align=”left” i_type=”fontawesome” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-reply” i_icon_openiconic=”vc-oi vc-oi-dial” i_icon_typicons=”typcn typcn-adjust-brightness” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-note” i_icon_linecons=”vc_li vc_li-heart” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.littlevillagemag.com%2Frestaurants||” button_block=”true” add_icon=”true” i_icon_pixelicons=”vc_pixel_icon vc_pixel_icon-alert” el_class=”.bb-return-button”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
