Three C Bistro

Wow!!! I was a little worried because it’s the caucus tonight and wasn’t sure I’d be able to find any place open. Pulled into the parking lot after an 11 hour drive and there was only one truck in the lot. But I did see a couple of people sitting at the bar, so I gave it a shot. A man in his 30s unlock the door for me and greeted me. I asked if they were closing up for the night and he said he was thinking about it, he would stay open for me. He asked what I was in the mood for and I said «Stake». Boy did I come to the right place. I was served of beautiful ribeye steak cooked medium rare smothered in the delicious mushrooms and homemade teriyaki sauce. You have to understand I order a ribeye at almost every restaurant that I go to. This steak is quite possibly one of the best steaks I have ever had. My job takes me all over the country and the last-​place I thought I would be able to find a good steak was here in Charles City Iowa. I devoured the entire work of art. Just when I thought pride in one’s job is dead in America I found three C’s bistro. The Restaurant is beautiful the bar is lined with top shelf products and the staff is courteous. I don’t Believe I’ve ever requested to speak with the Chef before but I did today tell him what a brilliant job he did. The best compliment I can give this restaurant is I will be back tomorrow and every time I’m back in town. If you find yourself anywhere in Iowa do yourself a favor and come to three C’s bistro you will not be disappointed.

Always exceptional food. This place is a true gem. A frequent spot for corporate dinners because of the quality of food and service.
Ask for their weekly featured entrees.

Crossing the great food desert and in the distance there is a shimmering… Is that real? I run as fast as I can, stumbling from my lack of good food for a day or two… Ahhhhh, that’s the ticket.
Try the Italian nachos, you won’t be disappointed, barring any wierd beliefs you are actually indulging in nachos. The burger I had was good clean beef and satisfied my burger craving. She who must be obeyed had the mushroom stuffed pork chop, I stole a bite, or two, or three. Check this place out for sure.

The place was empty but I went in anyways and good thing I did the food was great and so was the service

Great place. Stopped here from out of town (Chicago area) along the way to Mount Rushmore on a family road trip. We all (wife and 4 girls) loved it. I got the chicken parm, my wife got the Italian nachos, and my kids all shared various kids meal everyone ate everything! Highly recommend this place especially if you’re out of town. Bette then going to a chain place or fast food.

service, food, all great! Very clean. A bit dated but food makes up for it. More cars in lot than in town. Must be where the locals go.

Traveling and stopped for lunch. Great BLT and black bean burger. Good local place, friendly service, pleasant and clean. Definitely a cut above average. Reasonable prices. Sandwiches came with excellent fries.

Food was good but what made this experience special was the older, retired band teacher who was playing jazz saxophone in the lobby. What a special man!

Very fast and courteous service. Nice place with a standard menu. Had a burger and fries and it was excellent. A great stop for our drive from far NE Iowa back to Des Moines. Gave it a 4 rating because the venue could use some upgrades and the menu more options. Will be back.

Delicious food and excellent service tucked away in this little gem of a restaurant!
What a pleasant surprise to find in Iowa on our RAGBRAI travels. We liked this place is much we went two consecutive nights!
Both nights we experienced great attention and service and everyone loved their food.
Favorites at our table included:
The bruschetta appetizer… mmmm! Nice toasts with bit of melted cheese below the diced tomato blend and drizzled with a slightly sweet balsamic glaze.
Meatballs with spaghetti
Tortellini Gorgonzola —
.yum.
Tip: If you’d like a spicy salad dressing the chef will happily craft a sriracha vinegrette ;).
Also, wine list is not extensive, but decent… you can carry in your own bottles with a corkage fee.

Italian food like it should be. Three words: GET.THE.MEATBALLS.
service wasn’t perfect, but the food made up for it. I was kinda said that a place this good; with the right ambience, menu, and really good parking, was in the middle of nowhere Iowa. But then when I realized that was all they had, I was glad it was there! Yeah, its wrong… I know.

The best kept secret in Charles City-​food was AMAZING, service efficient & atmosphere comfortable. A «must do» if you’re in Charles City. As an added bonus-​the «pretty people» all work at 3C’s !

We have been to this restaurant several times. We have left happy on most visits. I have had the lemon herb chicken and really enjoyed it, and my husband has had the filet and thought it was delicious. I have been disappointed by the sirloin that seems to be seasoned with only salt and was over cooked both times I tried it. Despite the bland décor, it is a great establishment in Charles City!

The Chipotle burger is awesome.

My wife and I couldn’t think of anywhere we wanted to eat in Mason City, so we made the drive to 3 C’s based on a recommendation from a friend. It was well worth the drive.
We started with the bruschetta, which was amazing. Balsamic marinated tomatoes, fresh cheeses, on fresh french bread toasts.
My wife had the walleye almondine and the tomato basil soup. The soup was fresh and wonderful. The fish was perfectly cooked and served with a generous side of wild rice and fresh steamed vegetables. The almondine sauce was delicious and pulled the entire entre together.
I had the pan fried pork chop and french onion soup. The french onion soup was one of the best I have had. It did not have half the cup filled with onions like in most restaurants, it was a very smooth onion base with fresh croutons and a slice of swiss melted over the top. The pork chop was cooked to perfection, served over mashed potatoes and with caramelized onions and apples. The dish was great. The caramelized onions and apples were not over powering and the pork was well seasoned.
We finished our meal by sharing a crème brule, which was again spot on. My wife is not usually a big fan of this dessert, but she definitely got more than her half.
Overall, this restaurant was something we did not expect to find in Charles City and were a little skeptical when we first walked in. It appears to be a converted denny’s or perkins. Don’t be fooled by the bland décor, this restaurant is worth a visit and is creating fantastic meals. We will be back soon.