The paella is great and the service is very good. Â My wife and tried the tapas recently and were undwerwhelmed. Â The prices are a bit high given the overall quality and the menu is fairly small. Â We used to really like this place but lately it's been missing that special something.
Review Source:Stopped in Iowa City for lunch on the way to Des Moines from Chicago. Â I had found this place on Yelp and thought it would be a great option instead of fast food and also a location in the Iowa University area. Â It is not far off 80 at all, so good option close to the highway.
The restaurant itself was cute and the staff was pretty friendly. Â The menu was a little difficult to understand (not because it was in Spanish) because they used words like ragu and caviar, but totally different than the dictionary description. Â I believe something on the menu referenced olive caviar...but this dish did not have caviar. Â I wasn't crazy about this naming practice and had to ask the waiter several questions to make sure what we would be getting.
In the end, we ordered a few small plates as they were somewhat expensive for the amount of food that you received. Â It seems that the restaurant skimps on bread, which doesn't make sense. Â We ordered the market cheese and bread plate and it came with just a few tiny slices of pita bread, but a lot of cheese! Â
We also ordered the pintxo with grilled beef, olive and blue cheese. Â This was delicious and worth the price. Â It had a nice sauce with it that rounded out the flavor well. Â We also ordered the mushroom ragu on bread. Â This was nice but a little too small for the price.
Overall, everything tasted great and was very original...different sauces came on each plate that matched well with the food and the sauces became topics of conversation as we were trying to figure them out.
A good place to go and try for a light meal.
I live in the Bay Area and do my fair share of dining out, but, to me, Devotay is right up there in quality of food and is perhaps my favorite restaurant ever, in terms of ambience. I love Devotay and always insist that we have a meal here whenever I am in town. Â The atmosphere is perfect, especially if you can snag a window seat. I love the huge windows, the candlelight and the artistic aesthetic...If you need everything to match and look shiny and modern, this ambience probably isn't for you. It may seem a bit "disorderly" Â or "mismatchy" to some, but to call it "filthy" seems totally inaccurate to me. The restaurant is clean and, in my experience, the service has always ranged from acceptable to really great. If you, like me, enjoy a more rustic, unique atmosphere, you will probably love Devotay as much as I do and will find that it has a ton of character.
I also appreciate the emphasis on local foods in the middle of the mono-crop agriculture heartland. Devotay uses seasonal produce and has great local beers on tap and delicious local cheeses (plus some imported ones). After our meal, we usually end up searching for one of the same cheeses down the street at John's Grocery or the co-op.
Full disclosure: I've never tried the entrees because I'm always too drawn in by tapas. I love sharing food and tasting a variety of dishes, and I have my favorites at Devotay. The datiles are always tasty, and so are the albondigas. I've also enjoyed trying some of the rotating veggie dishes over the years, and I miss the empanadas that used to appear on the menu. I loved the zucchini ravioli on my most recent visit, but thought the scallops in a nutmeg cream sauce left something to be desired. The desserts are always excellent -- we usually go for a creme brulee of some kind and some sort of bread pudding, but the toffee cake that we tried most recently was seriously amAzing. I also typically LOVE the sangria, but it seemed slightly less tasty than I remembered on my last visit. Maybe they changed the recipe? All in all, Devotay is one of my favorite restaurants, anywhere ever.
Underwhelmed. BIG TIME.
We came here to try a new place. Tapas style meals are right up my alley.
We ordered the zucchini ravioli, the oven fired flat bread, mussels, patatas bravas and sherry glazed chorizo. I can say without reservation this one of the worst meals I've ever had.
The ravioli could have been good but it was basically just two long strips of zucchini wrapped around some cheese and dolloped with cream and a tomato sauce. It didn't have anything special about it.
Next came the flat bread. When I think of flat bread, I think of something along the lines of pita, naan...you know...FLAT bread. This bread was not that. It was like a hole-y brick of a bread-like substance. I've made homemade bread that I threw away because it wasn't good enough to serve and this, friends, should not have been served. The best part of this "course" was the roasted garlic at the bottom of the dipping oil. So I ate those and hoped that the following courses would make up for the wimpy, tasteless zucchini and the brick-bread.
Next came the mussels. This was the best part of the meal for me...and I don't even like mussels that much. The broth the mussels were served in was very good. I will give them that.
Next came a little bowl of chorizo. I am willing to bet that this was not even one full link of sausage. And BF and I both agreed that this wasn't the best chorizo we've ever had....not even close. And it should have at least been close for the pretty penny it cost.
Our meal ended with the patatas bravas. BF liked these the most. I, however, was once again not impressed. These potatoes had the texture of breakfast potatoes that had been sitting in a steam-table all day. Just....MUSH. The sauce the mush was in was fine. Edible.
The service wasn't that great, but it wasn't bad either. I thought the courses were poorly executed, the staff was generally clueless about any questions I asked (what's on the cheese tray tonight?.....*crickets*....), the atmosphere overall was really nice. I love dark restaurants though. However the actual decor was sort of weird. The table clothes felt old/dirty, the fabric draped on the ceiling wasn't very appealing either.
Very doubtful we'll return.
I celebrated my 30th birthday dinner here. Food was ok but service was awful. When we arrived, we waited for about 5-10 minutes before being acknowledged by any staff member.
We were a group of 10 but when we arrived they had us down for a group of 8. Unsure where the mix up occurred and it's possible it was on my end, but the waiter seemed really irritated with us. With each interaction, whether asking about drinks, prices for specials, or about how to best split the bill, it seemed as though we were greatly inconveniencing him. The person I spoke with on the phone informed us that having separate checks was no problem as long as we told the waiter at the beginning of the meal, so we were unclear as to why he was so angry.
My steak arrived and I'd ordered medium rare. There were two cuts, one was thicker and so raw the center was slightly transparent (rare) and the other piece was completely cooked through (medium well). Since the waiter was so unpleasant, I just let it go and did not finish the rare piece. When we asked to pay, a friend wanted to pay for my portion as well. This got the waiter flustered and he said he'd have to recalculate the entire bill since he'd created individual checks for us. My friend suggested running her card twice and he seemed satisfied with that solution. My friends all exchanged glances -indicating that I was not the only one surprised by the waiter's behavior. Afterwards, they whispered in hushed voices that the 20% gratuity more than covered anything we should give him.
The best part of my meal was the delicious glass of cab sv so hats off to the sommelier.
Had a really good experience here! Â The crowd was older, but my boyfriend and I were there with my parents (who were paying, so I have no comments on the price). Â They were out of the salmon, which my mom ordered, but otherwise we ordered ALLLMOST everything on the menu and the majority of it was wonderful. Â Everything was fresh and in season. Â The sangria left a little something to be desired (it was basically just red wine with some fruit in it) but we left full and happy. Â My mom, the master of creme brulee, was happy with her selection and I was happy with my flourless chocolate cake, as well as my father with his cranberry/walnut bread pudding. Â His might have been my favorite. Â Overall, I have to say Devotay stood out with its fresh/local salad options that were portioned well enough for 4 people to share.
Review Source:So I've eaten here a handful of times over the last three years. My initial opinion was always that the food compensated for the somewhat trashy decor. They've improved the latter-some-though the last two times I've eaten there, the food has been a disappointment. I'm all about supporting local vendors, and I'm all about the point of view of their new cocktail list. That said, everything was flavorless, under portioned, greasy. Mixed greens that hadn't been looked through and were wilted. There was a trout country pate that was straight-up gross. We ended up with that with-I-weren't-paying-this-much feeling.
Review Source:I really enjoyed my dinner at Devotay. Â It's tapas, so plates are fairly small, but we had a peppered steak that was beautiful, great potatoes, a delicious egg frittata dish, and pretty decent cocktails. Â It's a little on the pricey side, and the ambience is only okay, but I would definitely go back. Â The food is way better than other nice restaurants in the area.
Review Source:Perfect date place for the older crowds..on a Sat evening- all oldie couples.
Kinda jelly since I was with all females.
The food was decent, not a lot of options.
My vegetarian/picky friend couldnt find anything. but then again, thats kinda her bad.
I wouldnt come here just to eat, prices high, plates small.
Id save this place to come back with my bf and make him pay.
Paella is huge, so worth the elevated cost..
Devotay- Safe to say one of the best Tapas restaurants in the area! Set in a great location in Iowa, this cozy little restaurant has much to offer! The prices were not bad either! The menu has some great selections, with some specials that I wanted to try, but ended up going for the usual menu. While not the biggest menu around, it's kind of what I expected from a tapas restaurant. Definitely try the Paella and the lamb meatballs! There was a variety of very interesting seafood choices- always a good sign in my book, and a good drinks menu. No complaints about the service either! Calling ahead is encouraged- it can get packed (for good reasons!). Cannot wait for Round 2!
Review Source:This is a place I want to like, but just can't. The menu looks great. The wine list is decent, but high priced for low cost wines. But the food just isn't good. The beef and the mushroom pintxos were acceptable. The cheese, almond, olive and bread plate was fine save for the stale bread that was "toasted". But the tortilla was awful. It might have been flavorful once, before it was frozen. Â It was freezing when they brought it to the table, and had so much cold aioli on it that it was Inedible. A mushroom and poached egg dish sounded wonderful, but was completely blah. This was my second visit, and I won't be going back. Â Sad, because it's slow food philosophy appeals to me.
Review Source:They get a Meh ONLY b/c the wine they serve is pretty good but the food is crap, has always been crap and may very well continue to be crap. Which is so disappointing considering how delisc the menu looks.
Let me start with I LOVe the idea of a good tapas bar in IC. but I HATE HATE hate how they do it. The place is So dingy and dirty looking.
Next the food I LOVE the menu but hate the food.. everytime I'v e been ther it's been gahhhh.
I gave them another try recently (they've let me down before) and still crap.. patatas bravas the sauce is good, could go a little more spicy  for me but what the sh*t is going on with the potatoes? Seriously its like  they cooked them a week or two ago and stored them in the fridge. They get that grainy old french fry texture... gahhhh! the albondigas( lamb meat balls /sounded great! unfortunately they tasted like they had been boiled to death and tasted water logged  a little sear goes a LONG LONG way with lamb and the hummus,  guys, do yourself a favor and walk the half a block down the street and get it from oaisis. terrible!  The beef pinxto was great but to be honest that is probably the only great thing I have ever had at Devotay.  The food makes me think of what might be served in the cafeteria if the old folks home had a Spanish tapas night.
I So soSOOOOo wish they could get the food right I could get over the filthy looking dingy ambiance if the food was great.
I had a dinner with a few friends of mine, two of whom swore by this restaurant as their date spot. By the end of the meal, I really had to ask a lot of questions of their taste. While the tapas are acceptable, the restaurant has a couple of major problems. While I can deal with the coziness of the restaurant, I wicked can't deal with the darkness. Devotay is a ridiculously dark restaurant. I know that this is the thing to "get people in the mood," but I make money with my eyes. I don't want to put a menu right next to my face to read it.
I could deal with a dark, cramped restaurant if the food was good. I mean, I swear by el paso and that place is a sketchy mercado that happens to serve food. That's where this restaurant slips up. We got the paella. Expecting a dish that was far more refined for what I was paying, it was a soupy mess without a lot of real flavor to it. It was, honestly, a disaster to me, especially considering how much it costs. I'm sure other people like it, but I would have been ashamed to serve that dish to my guests.
While I support the effort to get local farmers into the mix, it was an unsatisfying experience eating there. The vision that the chefs have in their head doesn't match the product. The chef fully believes in his restaurant and how he operates, which just isn't as good as he thinks it is. As a result, I can't support this place on any level. I don't think about taking anyone there and refuse to return.
Went back for round two and the experience was even better this time. Tried the Paella and while different from many of the other tapas restaurant's we've been to, it was really good. Service was very good. Good recommendations on a delicious dark beer for me and a wine for my better half! The scallops with sage butter tapas were delightful and the small bites did not disappoint. We ordered three and they were just right for splitting along with the other portions. Â The grilled beef, olive and blue cheese was incredible and something I'd eat a plate of if given the option. I may go in sometime and just order a dozen to make a full meal out of it. Additionally, the grilled calamari and salso mojo Pintxo is just plain good. Really fresh calamari w/ a really good sauce over top - a must try.
Remain very excited to try out one the wine and cheese pairing classes!
i used to eat at devotay alot and blow a ton of money on dinner and wine, and then decided the food just wasn't worth it for the money; i've been spoiled by really amazing tapas in the chicago suburbs.
I revisited devotay today because my friend ryan really wanted to eat lunch here. Â the waiter/chef was very attentive, i was offered water right away and he was on top of the refills.
we had the paella for two people, cost $44 included a salad or soup. Â i am glad we got the paella and it was excellent, the seafood was very fresh and i absolutely love the taste of it. Â this single dish made me want to come back to devotay again despite my "meh" experience in the past.
if you have never tried the paella here i would highly recommend it, i don't think there is anything in town that offers a paella as good as here.
This ristorante is kind of like the orphan who bought a suit from the salvation army and pretended to be rich. You know what I mean? Like, no dude, we're not fooled just because you put grey poupon on your ham and cheese sandwich, that's still some gubment cheese and bodega ham amigo. Tu no eres rico!
Somebody needs to tell devotay that pears on a plate doesn't make it gourmet. and wrapping a piece of bacon around a date is not cutting edge, it's just some fat people shiz. And in my house if you throw ketchup and mayonnaise on fried potatoes, we call it "some shiz we threw together because it's the end of the month and we're broke," not "patatas bravas." Dios mio. Â Basura.
I took a new lady here (3rd date in the last month, ON A ROLL yes I am) and she was not impressed. She had the paella and told me it wasn't any more flavorlicious than the pork fried rice she had for lunch at china wok or whatever it's called down the street. The difference is the chinese spot charges $21 less for their plate 'o rice goodness. Special recipes of the orient make-a-me happy. Recipes of devotay make-a-me-frowny.
This woman had on the raddest purple heels ever. Black skirt so short I could've torn it off with my fork and taken her right there on the table. Hot diggidy damn. Trust me, that fantasy was the best part of the meal. The food was such a let down that she didn't even want drinks afterward. Went home and left me with some heartburn to go along with my indigestion.
To the depths of the ocean with your potatoes and bacon, devotay. I'll never forgive you.
The ambiance was very cozy and romantic, and I definitely appreciate the restaurant's commitment to local ingredients. The food was pretty good. My boyfriend and I shared the bacon wrapped dates (YUM), chicken pear salad, bison meatballs, and roasted potatoes. All good, but not the best I've ever had.
I suppose since I live in Chicago I'm a little spoiled as far as dining out goes, but for Iowa City, it's a nice little place and I'd be willing to go again.
One of my least favorite IC joints. Â The tapas isn't bad but the concept drives me crazy. Â Just bring me all my GD food at once, sitting around waiting for that next tiny plate is almost as bad as Stations of the Cross from my Catholic grade school. Â I had the meat paella another time, and I could be confused about what makes a good paella since I haven't had another one, I found it to be bland and overpriced. Â That all being said, it wouldn't be a bad place to bring a date as it has a romantic atmosphere and your date won't eat enough to be too full for business time later.
Review Source:Devotay is a cozy little tapas restaurant. It is surprisingly only a small room full of tables and chairs. Some may find it cramped, but it didn't bother me in the slightest. The food was delicious and the portions for their small plates were very decent for tapas. The best part of their menu was on the back that explained that unattended children will be given a five hour energy drink and a spider monkey and returned to their parents. Genius! I would love to come here again the next time I am in Iowa.
Review Source:We like Devotay. Â The atmosphere is cool and cozy and service has always been great. Â We've gone to get tapas and also had entrees and both were good. Â There's nothing really to die for here that we've had, but it's good food. (Though Andrew does seem to remember a really good steak.) Â It's a good place for a date and it's a great place to be adventurous. Â You could order almost every tapas without spending a lot of money if you can't or don't want to decide on one thing. Â Great wine selection too.
Review Source:The Good: I love the atmosphere and attitude of Devotay. Cozy, organic place with loads of personality and charm. There is an emphasis on using locally grown goods which is always a huge plus. Tapas servings are perfect for two. There's also a pretty good wine selection.
The Ehhh: Down to the imprortant part - the food. I wiish I could say it was great, because I really really love the place itself. BUT the food was just decent. The dishes we ate all seemed a touch on the bland side. I would love to see them take some more risks with bolder flavors.
I still give Devotay a thumbs up, and I will definately come from time to time. With that being said - it is so close to being great that I cant help but wonder about what it could be....
I really enjoyed my dinner at Devotay. Â My bf and I did the thing where we ordered a bunch of tapas. Â He's a chef, and he thought a lot of it could have been better executed (and despite their emphasis on local food, he was convinced they were using canned tomatoes, canned artichokes, etc) but I am not so snobby and found the whole dinner lots of fun. Â We had the Spanish tortilla, the meatballs, the baked chevre, the chorizo, the patatas bravas and the artichoke salad (which, I have to admit, WAS a little overdressed--and by overdressed I mean swimming in mayo--you might want to avoid this if that is not your thing). Â My favorite dish was, of course, the meatballs, which were spicy but nothing crazy, and the patatas bravas, which I relished every bite of. Â All of it went perfectly with wine. Â I'll definitely go back, but maybe with a less picky eating partner. Â :-) Â Good for vegetarians and light eaters, too.
UPDATE:
Now that I have been to Devotay a few more times, I've decided I'm NOT into it. Â Everything is slathered in mayonnaise (aka "aioli") and the greens are decidedly not as fresh or nicely plated as they could be. Â I mean, I go to the co op, too. Â If I wanted a salad that looks like someone took a fistful of lettuce and tossed it haphazardly on a plate with NOTHING else, I'd do it myself.
One of if not the best choice for locally sourced food in Iowa City. Â The chef brings in local meat year round and other ingredients as they are available. Â The menu changes roughly seasionally. Â At lunch we're always torn between the tapas and the sandwiches. Â We usually chose the tapas since we've got many favorites.
The global wine list provides a range of choices, many of which are available by the glass at a reasonable price. Â They also have a few beers including a couple on tap.
The service is usually good, but is a bit variable.
Verdict: Our favorite place for lunch when shopping in Iowa City.
I'm a big fan. Â Before coming here I really liked this place because it emphasized local and organic food. Â The Chef recently finished writing a book called Slow Food in the Midwest, which I've yet to read. Â
The food was very good. Â A group of us came and we all ordered a tapas dish plus a kalamata olive fougasse (really good bread). Â All the food was delicious and it was easy to pass around the dishes. Â I especially liked the grilled zucchini with aioli and the bread. Â The bacon wrapped dates were also spectacular, as they generally are. Â
Sangria was good, I'd order the red instead of the white. Â The white way too sweet for me, but that was expected. Â
Don't forget to order coffee at the end. Â They use Cafe del sol (local Iowa City roaster) and free refills apparently, that really pleased me. Â
Overall I thought this was a great place to dine without spending a ton of money.
Devotay is my favorite restaurant in Iowa City.
The ambiance is completely lovely: candles at the table, twinkle lights along the waist-to-ceiling paned windows, mismatched chairs. Really sets a romantic tone.
My boyfriend and I have been several times and always pick a new bunch of tapas to sample. We've loved almost all of them. Particular stand outs include the grilled zucchini (succulent and served with the lightest aioli -- my favorite zucchini preparation from anywhere), mozz/asiago/chevre quesadilla, oozing plate of baked chevre and caramelized onions, and their wee shrimp in wine. But do skip the calamari -- doesn't bring anything new to the table.
The paella is not quite as good as their tapas, but still delicious. A couple months ago the flavors were a little under-developed, but they've been happily kicked up during our last couple visits. The serving for one is enough to split between two after a healthy round of tapas.
(Can't comment on their other entree dishes, but I can't imagine why I'd get a sandwich, or basically not-paella, at a Spanish restaurant like this.)
And get their red sangria -- smooth, fruity, and very generously apportioned!
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While I am not sure i will be visiting again, i actually like Devotay. I ate there first wehn interviewing with my current boss. She really likes Devotay so I let here order a bunch of tapas for us. That first time I ate at devotay it was really great. Maybe it was just all the nerves and adrenaline running through me at the time given that i was eating with my potential future boss, but Since moving up here I have not been that impressed with Devotay. With the exception of there sautéed green beans. still some of the best i have ever had.
Review Source:I have been here twice. The first time I thought it was delicious (back in June) especially the sandwiches and couscous dish. But, went back just recently a few weeks ago and was sorely disappointed. The mussels were not tasteful at all, the beef was decent, and to top it off, the paella (the #1 dish supposedly) tasted more like a boullabaisse. I've made better paella than that! And, the food was salty as well.
Review Source:I just relocated to Iowa City from Chicago (Windy city resident for 8+ years) and am in desperate search of decent dining. Â There was a little comfort that there are at least a handful of reviews for Devotay.
On my first dining adventure, I decided on Devotay. Â I was pleased to find out that the night I went (Tuesday) was half price wine night. The wine selection was decent and our waitress was friendly and very helpful with our selection.
We ordered the cheese tray, scallops, mussels and paella (seafood fan). While the cheese tray left much to be desired, the seasoned almonds on the side were the best thing on the cheese plate. When it came to the tapas- OVER SALTED, OVER SEASONED. After our first bite of mussels, we were overwhelmed by salt and cumin. Every other bite had to be with bread to cut the salt. The scallops where not bad, though I would not go back for just those. The paella is tomato based, not a saffron bed. I liked this rendition if it wasn't for the mass SALT poured into the dish. By our FIFTH glass of water, we were done. (As my boyfriend put it, "I'll eat it...because we paid for it and I'm starving.") We told the waitress of our struggle, and she kindly thanked us for our input and was very apologetic. She mentioned that they have a new cook, and we were not the first to say this to her.
While my boyfriend swore this place off, I think I would come back to give it another shot. The atmosphere is adorable and cozy. The dining crowd is electic and warm, and the staff very friendly and kind. I just hope that customer feedback gets to the new chef for the sake of future diner's kidneys.
P.S. The night of the dinner, we woke up in the middle of night, parched, and downed ANOTHER glass of water.
Always love "the Dev." The service is sometimes weird but I don't care and I am not giving them one less star for it. Sherry-glazed chorizo, bacon-wrapped dates, salmon mouse - these are "gotta have's." This remains my most frequented "special" restaurant in the area. (When I am in for a treat and have a few extra bucks). And it's not really as expensive as you'd think. There are certainly pricier options.
Review Source:We returned with a veteran and a newbie in tow to this spectacular and cozy nosh palace. The décor is still as eclectic and wonderful as one could hope, allowing you to dine in a room of paneled windows and white Christmas lights.
Our server was quite helpful, astute and as nice as could be. Everyone of her suggestions panned out. Our Budini Argentinean Malbec was heaven paired with to die for tapas. We look forward to hosting a party here next week.
I went here for lunch in early September with three friends. Â We all ordered a selection of the Tapas plates. Â I wouldn't consider myself a connoisseur of Spanish cuisine, but I know that what we got was delicious (particularly in this part of the country).
Apparently, this summer was cold in Iowa, so the local tomatoes were just coming to fruition. Â We had a plate of fresh local tomatoes (heirloom?) drizzled with olive oil and basil, that were exactly as mind-blowing as such a dish can be. Â The bison meatballs were perfectly tender and full of flavor. Â I'd never had anything like the bacon-wrapped dates, but they were sublime - sweet and smoky.
The tables are indeed small, but having lived in New York for a while, I tend to assume the best food is served lovingly in tiny, cramped spaces. Â Such was definitely the case here.
This place deserves 5 stars because there is nothing else like it in Iowa City. Â In a larger city, it might get 3.5 - 4 stars.
I have always had excellent service here and love the innovative tapas. Â I'm poor and have never felt pressured to order more food... I was sorry to see that another poster felt otherwise. Â We like to go here with another couple and share tapas and order a carafe of the house sangria, which is excellent. Â I also appreciate the owner's commitment to buying local foods.
I actually like the quaint interior atmosphere, but I can understand the complaints that it might feel to cramped. Â However, I love the candles and the dim lighting and hope they don't change that.
After reading some of the other reviews I have to agree about the tables/lighting (though they did get a bit more room in front recently and moved a few tables around). Â Service has been adequate for us in the past, never great but never poor either. Â
We usually split a couple tapas plates and an entree and have always enjoyed the food.  They also have a great wine list, sometimes I've wished they had more variety in a red by the glass.  Love the Patatas Bravas and the Tortilla española. Baked Northern Prairie chevre is always awesome too.  Can be hard to find a veggie entree here, we've visited often enough that we've run out of options here.
i went to devotay with three girl friends of mine. Â we are all college students and expected this to be a hip, delicious eatery where we could feel comfortable and have fun. Â while the food was very good, our waiter was much worse than expected--he seemed put off when we did not order any alcohol, he never filled our water glasses, he asked us if we had ordered anything else when we were waiting for our fourth tapas, and was all and all quite disappointing. Â i hope that this was an aberration because we were very happy with our meals.
Review Source:So I was debating between 4 and 5 stars...but seriously it does deserve the 5 (only b/c it's Iowa City..in another city w/ more dining variety it'd be a 4).
Here's why.
The food is fantastic. As a veggie I've never been disappointed, and there's always plenty of choice for me. I don't know so much about the meat, but my dining partners have spoken highly of the seafood.
The Cheese Plate! --I know it's silly, but one of my favorite dishes here..which brings me to the wine. This is another great thing about Devotay--sometimes I just go for the wine and cheese. The wine selection is interesting, reasonably priced, and with the dark atmosphere you MUST drink a bottle.
So the downside: the tables---are well, too darn small. And there are a couple very poorly located tables that are seriously an insult to a dining experience. When these have been offered to my friend and me, we just laughed at them and walked over to Takanami instead.
Other downside: you need reservations! Or be prepared to eat late (like 10pm). And actually I like eating late, however it doesn't vibe with the MidWest--b/c then you're the only people in the restaurant (I don't like feeling a pressure to eat quickly and leave for the staff to clean up. Whether the pressure is there or not.) Either way, take my advice: Reservations--even if you're just calling 2hrs beforehand.
Lastly, the service. Is not fantastic. I haven't had it quite as bad as other reviewers--but it does leave something to be desired!
Overall, one of my top 3 favorite restaurants in Iowa City. Brilliant food, funky atmosphere, great wine--what more can you ask for?
My boyfriend and I had our "first date" at Devotay, and we recently returned to celebrate our two year anniversary. Â
Devotay is mysteriously dark and charming. Â The lighting is very ambient and the splash of color on the ceiling is a nice touch. Â
We started with a bottle of champagne, a nice moscato d'asti. Â We split 4 of the small plate tapas - the portobello mushroom cap (YUM!), the cheese plate (YUM!), the grilled calamari (good), and the asiago quesadillas (good). Â
For our main courses, the boyfriend had steak with a cherry glaze that came with horseradish mashed potatoes. Â I had the paella. Â The paella had a nice flavor, but it wasn't a true paella - it was missing the traditional crusty bottom. Â The boyfriend quite enjoyed his steak, but it was by no means the best he's ever had. Â
For dessert, I had a nice espresso and then an apple tart with cream. Â It was probably my favorite part of the meal. Â
Overall, Devotay does a nice job. Â I think it's a bit pricey for what it is - but I'm sure I will definitely be returning.
Though Devotay bills itself as a tapas restaurant, the small plates menu takes up a mere column; further, as far as quality is concerned, the entrees are far superior to the droll and uninteresting list of smaller tastes. To answer the previous poster, the pork osso bucco is a major 'meh'; I'd stick to the paella--which is pretty tasty--or a seafood dish.
A couple of things about this place that need mentioning. To its credit, it is far superior to small plates themed Verde, which you should avoid at all cost, and to Graze, which may have the most boring menu I've ever seen; in addition, the food is perfectly acceptable and always consistent.
Perhaps, then, my qualms are more philosophical. The owner of the place is a regular on various food message boards--e.g., egullet, chowhound, etc.--and while he displays an earnest love of food, he also has a very high opinion of his restaurant seemingly at odds with what's cookin' in the kitchen. Furthermore, the dining experience is not designed to this imagined level either: there's almost no lighting in the place at night, which makes the phrase "dining by candlelight" a literal reality; and the service, the service, the service....it's a college town, I know, but get my order right and serve things in an order that has, well, some semblance of order, PLEASE.
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