Flatted Fifth Blues & BBQ

Great food and service! The restaurant serves scratch made southern food in a really unique historic building/mill. We were visiting from out of town and wanted to try a bit of everything. We started with gumbo and it was amazing! We got the bowl to share and it’s huge, but our waitress did warn us! For our meals we ordered the burnt ends over fries and the blacked eyes peas and collard greens with added chicken. After ordering, I noticed the mac and cheese awards on the wall so of course we had to add a side of that as well! It was good and it was especially good with the burnt ends. Everything we tried was good and a waitress was great - very friendly and attentive. Neat place with good southern style food. Glad we stopped in.

We were riding to see the Freedom Rock in town and we started talking to a local Veteran about it. My wife and I asked him where is a good place to eat and he highly recommend this place and we agree with him. Craft beer choice was pretty good and the brisket sandwich was very good. The atmosphere was relaxing. We told some of our friends about it and we are planning a group ride there.

What a neat place, the building and decor are incredible! We were there mid-day, and at first, we were the only customers in the room (I think), and our food was prompt and service amazing. Each one of us loved the food we ordered, and I would definitely visit again.

Where do I start? I heard about this place then found out a keyboard player for one of my favorite artists was playing that night (Bruce Katz of Allman Brothers, Delbert & others). The atmosphere is amazing, the sound is amazing, and the food was INCREDIBLE. I had the Combo Platter with Corn Maque Choux and Southern Greens. I was blown away with the Southern Greens. So rich, smoky, so different I can't even describe it, simply out of this world. Now I have to try to duplicate that somehow! The barbecue was just as amazing, smoky and juicy, and the sauces were excellent. The show was up-close and personal. Service was great. We will be back to Bellevue for this experience again!

Best restaurant for dinner in Bellevue, no contest. The best food and ambiance! Cute old mill transformed into a great restaurant with made from scratch cooking. It has a lot of character and charm! Definitely don’t miss this one. If you haven’t checked out Flatted Fifth Blues & BBQ for their All You Can Eat BBQ Brisket Spaghetti, you MUST (only on Thursdays)! You might have to ask for it, it’s not on the menu or always announced by the server. I will admit, I had never thought of the combo of BBQ and spaghetti therefore I was skeptical but I figured why not give it a try. IT WAS PHENOMENAL. I was blown away. If you like their brown BBQ sauce, you will love it. It is a little spicy (not at all “hot” though), had a nice subtle vinegar flavor to the BBQ sauce and the brisket is melt in your mouth, like normal! The spaghetti noodles are perfectly Al-dente. The smaller portion is the “all you can eat” additional plate, should you order one. The meal includes a salad (I had the chipotle ranch dressing - amazing!) or you can get soup for a small upcharge. The salad is a spring mix which is always preferred vs iceberg, for me. It also comes with two garlic Parmesan breadsticks that are soft on the inside with a little outside crunch and perfect amount of flavor. Otherwise my favorites are the combo platter with corn maque choux and smashed potatoes (weekends only) if not there on a weekend the baked beans, burnt ends, fried green tomatoes and the flourless chocolate cake! They also have a great rotation of local beers and the bartender can whip up an upscale cocktail as well!

It was okay. There were two girls working. One girl didn't even acknowledge us and she looked like she had an attitude. The other waitress came over and was very friendly and helped us with our ordering. We will definitely come back to listen to the music playing. It is a nice little drive from Dubuque.

Wonderfully preserved building + superior cuisine + excellent entertainment = 5 stars in my book. I would suggest calling ahead for a table, unless you don't mind waiting, and when the waitress says "thanks for your patience" you know the food took a while. Even so our meals were top notch for the price. Try the Chicken Tchoupitoulas for a change. Brisket was oh so good! The prime rib looked awesome too. Enjoy!

Excellent establishment. Cajun food ,amazing. Live blues band. Owner Mark took the time to have conversation with us and tell us the history off the building and share stories. When we came back that evening for dinner he remembered our names and treated us like old friends. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS RESTAURANT!!!!!!

Great food and service! The restaurant serves scratch made southern food in a really unique historic building/mill. We were visiting from out of town and wanted to try a bit of everything. We started with gumbo and it was amazing! We got the bowl to share and it's huge, but our waitress did warn us! For our meals we ordered the burnt ends over fries and the blacked eyes peas and collard greens with added chicken. After ordering, I noticed the mac and cheese awards on the wall so of course we had to add a side of that as well! It was good and it was especially good with the burnt ends. Everything we tried was good and a waitress was great - very friendly and attentive. Neat place with good southern style food. Glad we stopped in.

Our 14th 'cue stop in Iowa turned out to be one of the very best. The setting is an architectural treasure-- a mill dating to 1843 that is on the National Registry. The interior, especially in the bar area, is to be savored. Service was outstanding (thanks, Luann), and the food top-notch. $50.34 plus tip purchased a round of wings with a side of southern greens, and a mac 'n cheese dinner topped with burnt ends and accompanied with corn bread. A German dark amber on tap washed it down. Both the wings and greens are extraordinarily good ... easily top ten items nationwide. Indeed, we would rank the wings the best that we have had in a BBQ restaurant to date! The mac and burnt ends also had great flavor, but this was far and away the creamiest mac that we have ever encountered, a spoon being more useful than a fork. We are looking forward to a return visit, when we plan to sample the cajun side of the menu.

What a great find. This old mill is now a restaurant and bar. Try the burnt tips with fries. The serving is quite large and the tips very tasty. Get there early if you don't have reservations. Also enjoyed one of the handcrafted margarita's. The prices are reasonable and very quaint. There is music and the staff very Iowa friendly. A must visit when in Bellevue.

I went to this place on a busy Memorial Day weekend Saturday night. The hostess got us in within a few minutes of our reservation. The bartender was an expert and helped me pick a high end whiskey for the evening. The waitress, Stephanie, is related to a prior owner and many family recipes are still used. She is a true restaurant professional. The burnt ends and fries app was to die for. I could not be talked out of ordering the smoked prime rib by my family. It was THE best prime rib I ever had. I also had smashed potatoes and baked beans - both perfect compliments. We ate at a leisurely pace and they did not rush us even though we were the last table. As I left I couldn't help but know I would be back even though I live 200 miles away. It was a perfect experience.

It hurts to write this review because we love everything Bellevue. Unfortunately, the experience at Flatted Fifth was not very good. The food was so-so and and the service was subpar. The food was not bad overall as the mashed potatoes and burnt ends were good, but the gumbo, Mac and cheese and corn bread all lacked flavor. Flatted Fifth has a great atmosphere and the experience however they apparently think Covid doesn't exist. The safety protocols were zero. No masks, no social distancing and when we asked for some extra bbq sauce, the server grabbed the bottle from the still dirty just vacated table next to us and placed it in the middle of our table. No wiping it off or cleaning of any sort. That alone was enough to make us question our meal choice. Sad to write a less than positive review but it is reflective of the evening's experience.

Love this place! It's our go to restaurant in Bellevue. The food is amazing-try the Mac and cheese with burnt ends (OMG! It's amazing). Another personal fav is the seafood pasta dish. Short staffed so you may have to wait a bit for your meal-but it is worth it. Great historic building in a nice little town. Enjoy

My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch. We had the brisket and smoked chicken sandwiches. They were great. But the star of the meal were our sides. My wife had the Mac and cheese and I had the southern greens. I've eaten greens many places and those are easily the best I've ever eaten from a restaurant. Definitely would recommend if you are anywhere near Bellevue

Excellent barbeque I'm a old Mill house in scenic Bellvue IA. Thaemu has a little bit of everything to appeal to all tastes. We started with the boudoin balls appetizer, breaded and deep fried combination of rice and sausage. Just a bit of spice. Next came the entrees.i had the brisket which was flavorful and tender. All the dinners came with cornbread and two sides. Highly recommend

We have come here several times and have always had an excellent meal. My go to is the combo platter with mac and cheese and southern greens- it's fabulous!

Visited Bellevue for a wknd getaway and picked up bbq takeout from here our first night just by chance. Service was quick, food was hot, portions were huge and everything was delicious! Went again the next night not knowing we needed reservations and Rachel found us a table anyways. Again food was amazing! Service was great despite them being short staffed. On our way out we decided to make brunch reservations for the next day. Again, they did not disappoint! We just loved everything about this place. We will be back next time we're in town!

Soooo good that all you get is a photo of our take home containers! The menu has a great selection of smoked meats, prime rib and seafood dishes be we opted for cajun! The Chicken Tchoupitoulas (a signature dish) was amazing... it featured blackened chicken with just the right spice. The Jambalaya was spicy and nice, just the cajun comfort fiod the doctor ordered. Oh...dessert. Bacon Praline Sunday. Yes... I said bacon. A great beer list and cocktails make this a must for dinner if you are within 50 miles if Bellevue!

Absolutely great meal. We had burnt tips, a Ribeye, pickle chips, brisket, pulled pork and mac & cheese. The atmosphere is great and the owners were gracious hosts

Service is impeccable, food is amazing, beer selection is on point. The owner is doing a great job at hiring the right staff and has created a thoughtful menu that will surely warm your belly and make you come back for more. Had lunch here on 7/16/18 - I didn't catch the guys name that waited on us but he was great! Just wanted to let management know.

This place was not bad. Parking was a bit of a challenge. We visited Saturday evening for dinner. It looks bigger from the outside than what is actually the size inside. They do have live music; unfortunately this evening there was none. We sat at the bar and waited for out table which took about 20 min and the bartender was very nice. Overall the service was very good. If there was a band I see it being difficult to have a conversation due to the tables are right next to the stage. They are good for groups there were two good size groups there. The food was not bad I had the special prime rib. It was okay, I thought it was over spiced and served lukewarm. My guest seemed to enjoy their meals. Overall I would recommend and would visit again when they are playing music. I would also just sit at the bar and eat small bites because they looked pretty good.

This place was a recommendation from a friend that lived in this town for years. We were not disappointed. Ordered the burnt ends for an appetizer and they are like sweet candy. The French fries underneath soaked in the juices and are a nice compliment to the tender morsels I had the chicken dinner, chicken a little over cooked, but easy to overlook with the grilled pineapple coke slaw. Wife had fried green tomatoes and they were different than anything we've eaten, topped with crab meat. Tried a craft beer, Dorothy. Nicely done. Barkeep was good.

The blackened salmon was delicious! My husband had the combo platter and loved it. Very unique wine and beer menu- which I appreciate. Love trying new things. The Plunger head old vine Zinfandel was perfect paired with my salmon. A little slow service, but completely worth the wait! Friendly service. Excited to come again when they have live music.

Awesome meal. Fried catfish, smashed potatoes, and corn maque choux. Wonderful pineapple upside down cake martini. would definitely go back again if I'm in the area!

Second time here. Excellent BBQ and local brews. LouAnn our waitress was fantastic!

Excellent food and service. The menu is a mixture of Cajun and BBQ and the atmosphere is laid back country antique. It really is an old mill with many of the features still there. We had catfish, shrimp and grits, and bbq, and all of it was well-prepared and tasted great. The beer selections are also great, local microbrews, mostly. Hope we get another chance to go there soon.

$15 each for Italian Beef Sandwiches that were over salted to the point of being inedible, 8 bites was all I could muster. They served my Daughter burnt corn dog bites without blinking an eye. Worst of all, the counter cat was equal parts curt, condescending and rude. Worst dinning experience I've had in years by a mile. I'll be spending my hard earned dough elsewhere.

Let's start with the positives. The atmosphere of this place is an old mill, and it has a great ambiance. There was a band playing, which was really fun and added to the southern atmosphere. The waitstaff was friendly. Now for the negative. First, it was COLD! We wore our jackets through our whole meal. Second it took FOREVER. We waited 15 minutes to be noticed by our waitress and had to flag down the hostess (who was the owner) to get our drink orders taken. Once ordered, we waited almost an hour for our food. Maybe it was a slow night, but that's a bit excessive. The food was fine. Not bad, but not great. I had the smoked chicken and my husband had the smoked sausage. Our plates both came without the sides, but our waitress did get that taken care of quickly. Neither of our kids liked the mac and cheese (one kid version, one adult). Overall, it was Ok at best and extremely slow.

Wonderful meal and great service! So lucky to have the historic Potters Mill in Bellevue! Don't forget to start out with the burnt ends appetizer!

Well, FFB & BBQ just became my favorite authentic Cajun eatery. If you're tired of "same old same old" supper clubs that dot the Tri-state area, this is the place to try. Neat old grist mill building that's taller than it is wide(r), and a visually pleasing multi-level interior with an authenticity all its own. Server LuAnn was awesome and very attentive. Mark (owner) was cordial and informative. Bloody Mary's were just the right amount of spicy. Nice selection of craft beer. We honestly could not decide what to order. Everything on the menu sounded great. Started with a savory dark gumbo right outa Naw'lins. The brisket and pulled pork were smoked to perfection and were presented on homemade bread buns. Three nice homemade sauces to choose from. The vinegar was my favorite. The greens were truly "down home" good as were the baked beans. We left room for the homemade bread pudding. Our next trip will be for a later dinner where we can take in the one of the blues or jazz groups that play often. Hey, it's reasonably priced as well!

Excellent food, staff, atmosphere and pre covid blues and jazz! Great place to meet friends and family for a good time! The owners are fabulous!

This place is complete trash. DON'T COME HERE ! I think I got five years older by the time my food came

(Potter's Mill B&B and Restaurant) Great place to eat and hang out with friends! Live music! Amazing food! Great Staff!! While on a Harley road trip on our way back up North along the Great River Road National Scenic Byway (Iowa side) as we came into the town of Bellevue, we crossed over a bridge right on the boarder of town, and with a quick glance noticed a few bikes parked in front of a beautiful historic building! As soon as you round the amazing rock formation on your left and get to the bridge you need to make a quick left turn once over the bridge. We had the Burnt ends (juicy steak tips over fries with amazing sauce!) and something else called Cajun...?? They were like hush puppies but filled with a variety of yummy delectable's!! A must try!! The ambiance of the place takes you back to the old days with hardwood floors and wood walls. All the decor is from back when the old mill was still in service! Our next visit is to stay the weekend!! Can't wait!

This was an amazing place in the heart of the Midwest. The food is good I did the half sandwich and soup and it was plenty. The decor was amazing. We where the only people eating a late lunch. I am not for sure if people think they are closed because of the flooding, but they are not. The signs where a little difficult to figure out but we got to the place. Keep up the good work.

I read the reviews for this place & was super excited to eat here. The wait for the food irritated me the most. The chicken was pink. The greens had no taste. The only decent thing was the corn bread.

Nice people-- the owner is very friendly and nice. Servers are kind. They did good job decorating and.. The food is excellent!! Check out their scheduled for the live music :)

We happened to be in this area one weekday afternoon and stopped by here, since I had seen an ad for it elsewhere. The place was totally empty but we tried some different dishes, just to see what it was like. The building is gorgeous and I'm really happy that it has been renovated so beautifully instead of being torn down. Someone (I think the previous owners) put a LOT of money and love into doing that. And a blues club in this area - especially out in the country - is really welcome. I would like to come back when they have music. The food was pretty mediocre though. It wasn't too poorly prepared, but I really think that if people are going to be doing barbecue, they should be using good-quality local meat rather than industrial meat. And if I skip the meat, then pretty much everything else is fried, and the oils they are using are not very good quality. Which means that there really is nothing here that I feel okay about eating. Probably the best thing to do would be to eat beforehand and then just have something light at the restaurant while enjoying the music. Which is unfortunate since I do really like good barbecue, when it is made with quality (and more ethically produced) meat.

This establishment was unprepared for my party. We had a reservation at 6:00 and we had to wait 2 hours for food which is absurd. The reservations was set 3 weeks ago. The food is shit! I felt like I was eating dog food. The bathroom is so trash. The chicken was raw.

Wow! Drove 40 minutes to get here and it was worth it. Brisket was outstanding and didn't need sauce. It was the best I've had outside of KC or Texas. My wife had the fried green tomatoes and the brisket hash and came to the same conclusion. The beer selection was perfect. Kyle was a great server. I will be back.

It has been awhile since I've been here, but I was in the area and thought I would stop.... I must say this time I was disappointed.... Started with the fried green tomatoes.... They came out and were overcooked.... Almost to the point of being burnt.... There were 6....i hadn't even got the second one in my mouth... And out comes my entree!?.... Not to mention I had not even received my salad yet!? They asked if I wanted my salad.... What's the point?... My entree is sitting here already getting cold and I'm still not halfway thru the appetizer!.... Entree was Shimp and cheesy grits.... The shrimp was badly overcooked to the point of being hard.... The grits were nothing to brag about.... The sauce was the only thing that was good about the dish....had the bread pudding and it was great.... So they basically batted 25%......the price is also a bit high for what was delivered.... Probably won't be back....

Service was amazing, the food was sooo good!!! Definitely will be back!!! The fried chicken was super juicy and tasty, the shrimp and grits-OMG....just go you won't be disappointed!!!

My boyfriend got the jambalaya and the Tank 7. I got the grilled pineapple salad. Jambalaya was mediocre. Side of red beans and rice looked like black beans and was not meeti f expectation. He wished he had gotten the cornbread. Salad was ok. Good homemade ranch. More pineapple was expected. Music was a blues band and they were great.

I've dined here and stayed here several times. The rooms are spacious, clean, and comfortable. There are three unique rooms available on the upper floors of the old flour mill. The stay comes with a breakfast in the common room and appetizer in the restaurant. There is a large common area that is perfect for relaxing with a group to play a game or to enjoy a book in a big comfy chair. The restaurant downstairs has some excellent New Orleans style food. The red beans and rice, ribs, jambalaya, gumbo, chicken tchoupitoulas - all excellent. The burnt ends - a nod to KC bbq - are a great treat, served atop a pile of very good fries. I look forward to exploring more of the menu on future visits. Great craft beer selection and plenty of mixed drinks available. Something for everyone. The owners and staff are extremely friendly and welcoming. Live music on the weekends is always fun to listen and dance to. The refurbished mill is a great setting in which to enjoy a memorable dinner and evening. I highly recommend stopping in for a meal on your way through town, or better yet, make it a destination for a great weekend away along the banks of the Mississippi.

Just stopped for lunch on a little road trip. Husband's lean pulled pork and my decadent fried green tomatoes with crab salad good, though I added quite a bit of hot sauce to jazz them up some. Cute place. inside tables well spaced. One or two outside if desired. Nice choice of beers. Very competent and friendly server. Really nice stop for us.

Loved this place! Tasty food, awesome space and live music - whats not to love!? Also the staff was great too! So glad we decided to check it out. Well worth a (beautiful) drive if you are coming from out of town.

We stopped in here while visiting in-laws in Dubuque. The restoration/preservation of the barn wood in this place is awesome. We started out with the burnt ends for an appetizer which everyone enjoyed. The beef brisket had a nice smoke ring, was tender, juicy, and had great barbecue flavor. 2 in our party had the fried chicken, reported it was good. The coleslaw topped with grilled pineapple sounded interesting and it was different, but a good combination of flavors. The waiter (Jason?) did a fine job of taking care of us. We'll definitely be back to try other menu items.....

Blackened catfish salad was to die for. Great smoked foods not overdone smokey. Great beer selection. Nice selection of sides. Good service

We stopped in without a reservation on Saturday night when a band was going to be playing. The hostess was very nice and ended up finding a place to seat the 4 of us. Their baked Mac n cheese was amazing!! We also loved the burnt ends appetizer! The brisket sandwich and prime rib were delicious as well! A beautiful setting, welcoming staff and delicious food!!

Can't say enough about the place! Great ambiance blues music and bbq! A must stop if in the area. Try to burnt end you won't be let down!

We make it a point to eat here whenever the kids have a sporting event in Bellevue. As a kid who grew up in the rural south, I'll vouch for the authenticity of their southern fare. Especially the greens! It was like I was back in grandmas kitchen! The cracklins were up there too, but we haven't caught them on the menu since our first visit. The entrees have been hit and slight misses. Most of the time they'll curl your toes, but sometimes they're just good. The staff is great and the setting is rustic in a very cool way. The families who've begun to come with us after events enjoy touring the old mill. Make sure to ask for the history on the old spillway! Kids will love it!

We were in the mood for a fall road trip and saw Potters Mill recommended on a Facebook group. I was looking forward to some good southern style cooking, since you don't find a lot of it around Iowa. I didn't find it here either. I order the Shrimp and Cheesy Grits with Southern Greens. Not many Shrimp over lumpy Grits with cheap greasy cheese on top and threw in the broiler.. The Greens had been around awhile and they must have been running out.. The small serving bowl was half full. My husbands brisket sandwich was okay but again very skimpy with the meat.. The bun was big though.. The waitress was nice and told us about the nice park next door. But I sometimes wonder if they ask if your from out of town so they can be skimpy with the portions.. I love the beauty and serenity of Bellevue and the surrounding Mississippi River Towns but won't recommend or stop here again.

Our party of 6 was seated at 6:30 and received our meals at 8:15. Sat. nights are always busy we were told. I asked twice if this was usual; if I returned should I expect this kind of wait and the hostess did not say, "sorry, this is unusual," but pretty much avoided admitting this kind of wait was anything we should be complaining about. Maybe they were short a waiter or some other good excuse, but we did not really get an apology from hostess; our waiter did comp. the drinks, thank you very much. Food was ok, music was great, lower room corner was chilly. Good place for locals who don't mind soupy coleslaw, mushy greens, a hunk of prime rib and smashed potatoes with a lot of cream and butter. It's like they opened a tub of prebought coleslaw, grilled a few pieces of canned pineapple and threw it on top. Fried chicken was ok...Brazens in Dubuque is so much better, just for comparison.

My wife and I stopped in for a late lunch this afternoon and had a great meal at Potters Mill. We've tried almost everything on the lunch menu, but we keep coming back because the food is consistently awesome and packed full of flavor. My wife had the Brisket sandwich with a cup of Gumbo. The gumbo is addictive because it is super rich and packed full of flavor. The brisket is perfectly smoked and juicy. I ordered the Philly Prime Rib Cheesesteak with fries. The pairing of Gouda cheese on the sandwich with just the right blend of meat and smoky flavored peppers goes perfectly with the soft ciabatta bun. I always take my sandwich and add dashes of the three homemade sauces (vinegar, smoky bbq, and mustard sauce), so each bite is an adventure. If you're not feeling adventurous, their smoky BBQ sauce is the best. I'm not usually a big fan of French fries, but these were perfectly crispy and had great flavor. And if you are into the drinks, I can personally attest to sipping a great Old fashioned or Sazerac at the end of the meal. (I must also mention that their BBQ Bloody Mary is crazy good too!). Our server Lou Ann was awesome and was sure to check in multiple times to make sure we had everything we needed. Overall, we've been here numerous times and always leave with a full stomach and a big smile!

This place has personality, history, quirks, and most importantly GREAT food! They also have tons of gluten free options and the owners were both working and checked on us regularly. I had some delicious ribs and my mom loved all the craft beer options. This place has something for everyone! I thoroughly enjoyed the entire atmosphere at this place, and can't wait to go back again soon!

The staff was very friendly and accommodating to our group when we came in for dinner. The food was great, the portions were well sized and quite tasty. They have a great beverage selection and there's often live music there.

Not our first trip or our last--we drive up from Cedar Rapids just for dinner! Amazing atmosphere, food never disappoints. It is an old mill so it can be cool inside. Pulled pork, po' boys, fried chicken, fried pickles, soups, salads...all good! A little cajun in Iowa!