The Encounter Cafe, Iowa City IA

A bit of a wait on a Saturday morning, but worth it! Atmosphere has a cool vibe, good menu options, and wait staff was pleasant. We enjoyed the breakfast menu and specialty drinks. We all thought our own selection was the best, but definitely try the pumpkin pie chai!

I hadn't been to The Encounter in years (mostly because I'm just rarely in the area), but it is even better than I remembered it. Everyone was very friendly, everything tasted delicious, and the place is very spacious and inviting.

I had the seasonal Maple Brown Sugar latte and the Ultimate Encounter Skillet. The latte was perfect, and the skillet was a nice, big hearty breakfast. It felt like a home-cooked meal made by a family member whose top priority is making sure you've had enough to eat. I'm so full that I think I'm pretty much set for the day.

My one tiny critique is that I wish the hash browns were a little more browned (just a personal preference). Everything else was great, especially that nice smoky bacon. Typically for me, toast is kind of an afterthought when I order a big breakfast, but that ended up being one of my favorite parts. Based on that and the other reviews I've seen, I'm excited to go back and try the rest of their baked goods.

The Encounter Cafe will now be my go-to place when I want to feel cozy on a cold morning.

The cinnamon roll was pretty good. Everything else was bland and flavorless. Eggs and hashbrowns were very meh. Don't know why they're getting such high ratings.

I was very impressed with food portions and the presentation. We really enjoyed this place.

Super popular place for coffee, pastries, breakfast, and brunch. Good coffees. Amazing pastries (pecan roll, maple and pumpkin scones). We didn’t have cooked/full breakfast but everything looked great.

Absolutely amazing. Excellent customer service. The food is fresh, delicious, and reasonably priced. Do not let the long line scare you, it moves quickly and it is SO worth the wait. I highly recommend the cinnamon roll and a hot tea!

Five star reviews every time I come here! The food, service, and atmosphere are superior to any other café I’ve been to!

Had the pancakes which were an unexpected surprise! It’s a large single pancake that’s fluffy on the inside with baked in blueberries, and just a hint of crisp on the edges. Delicious.
My decaf espresso was a perfect complement.

Service was friendly. Will definitely return.

Love this place. Everyone is friendly. The food is delicious! It's a great food experience! Thank You

Amazing food! Salad tasted like it was picked that day! Service was slow, but the place was packed, so it could have been that. Would definitely eat there again!

Always LOVE coming to this place! We live in NY & don’t get here as often as we’d like…. But, when we do, it never disappoints! Keep up the GREAT work!

The food here is beyond delicious. The service is top notch, everyone is so warm and friendly. Some favorites are the pancakes (best ever by far), baked oatmeal with yogurt and berries, and the breakfast sandwiches. Outstanding coffee drinks. This place is fantastic.

Its a cute cafe but i think its overpriced. I ordered baked oatmeal with pecans which was not hot and the milk which was served with it was cold too. Also, it was just brown sugar. Overall it was just OK.

I waited until 7 am for them to open because I wanted something fresh baked that I knew I couldn't get at Starbucks.

Ordered a blueberry muffin.

Walked back to my room and it was frozen. Not "cooled off": frozen in the middle.

It looked home made but I'd rather not have a blueberry muffin than have a defrosted blueberry muffin.

And they also use that hateful POS system that guilts you into tipping someone for handing you a muffin. PAY YOUR EMPLOYEES.

Went here for breakfast and they had great food, were well located, and had friendly staff/service. This is a location that's worth a visit when you're in the area, even if you're just passing through.

Enjoyed hanging out with friends here! The food… I tried the Avocado Toast which came with a bunch of awesome toppings and my friend had the French toast with strawberries and Cool Whip! Delicious! Lovely atmosphere, and operated by friendly people.

Not a place to go if you’re in a hurry, but if you love breakfast Encounter is tough to beat. Had the breakfast burrito this morning - delicious. Sautéed vegetables… Daughter had 1/2 order of French toast and loved it - it’s a full serving. All-American breakfast is plenty with eggs cooked to perfection. We love this an go every time when we visit Iowa City.

I've visited Encounter Cafe many times. It's expanded in recent years. There is plenty of seating. Fast and friendly service. Close to downtown. Delicious pastries. Many food options.

Love this place! Such a cool atmosphere with plenty of space and seating. The food was excellent with large portions. I had the veggie omelet which was stuffed with fresh vegetables. Delicious! We will definitely be back to try other items on the menu.