La Rana Bistro

I’ve found my new favorite at La Rana. The mushroom bruschetta is something I crave every night. The aioli, mushrooms and balsamic have the perfect balance. It’s enough that I forgive taking the mac and cheese off the menu.

What a surprise this little bistro was to us! We were in Decorah for a multi-​day class at Vesterheim, and not looking forward to yet another meal at the hotel, we literally asked a woman on the street where to go for a good meal. She raved about La Rana. That was all it took. The first night (yes, we returned), our burgers were grilled to perfection (medium rare, upon request), topped with bleu cheese and other accompaniments, and included a nice batch of crispy fries. Dessert? Why not? Our server, who we believe is the owner, said she makes all the desserts, and recommended a sublime caramel apple tart. Of course we returned the second night, when I thoroughly enjoyed chicken marsala pasta (and I am not a huge pasta fan), and my friend loved the filet mignon tower. Dessert again — a piquant slice of key lime pie. We would have returned a third night, but the restaurant closes on Sundays. Decorah is a gem of a little town, but La Rana is the culinary jewel in its crown. We look forward to a return visit.

The hubs and I stopped in to La Rana for a late lunch/​early dinner. It’s a cute little place and I like the way it’s set up. A long bench to the right when you walk in with tables set up down its length. To the left, some tall tables and the bar, and a bit further back, the ‘kitchen’ where you can watch the chef do his thing! And of course I love all the frogs :)
Lots of good beer on tap, but of course we had to get the local Toppling Goliath. We ordered the small tapas plate to start which was just simple bread with olive oil/​balsamic to dip, some (really good) salami, and couple wedges of cheese.
They had some really nice looking stuff on the menu but I was in a burger mood. Hubs ventured outside his comfort zone and ordered a creamy shrimp pasta.
Both dishes were excellent! My burger was served on a ciabatta bun and was cooked perfectly. The side salad was light and fresh. The only complaint I have about my dish is that there was too much of the garlic aoili sauce and it kind of overpowered the rest of the burger. I think half as much sauce and it would have been perfect.
The pasta dish was very good, but for the price ($ 20) I thought the plate was kind of small.
Decorah won’t be a frequent stop for us but I highly recommend La Rana to anyone thinking of visiting!

Great service. I have been waited on by at least 4 different individuals. Each one was top notch attentive and pleasant. Very good selection of beer and wines. Food off the menu is off course very good. And the appetizers are out of this world. Only thing I would change is the opening time of 5:00 pm. Would be nice to open a little sooner on Fridays!

Make reservations! On a Tuesday night they were full by 7pm.
Food was very good and acceptably priced. Wine about $ 8 a glass and beer between $ 4 and $ 5.
Some reviews complained about the service but we had great service.
The physical establishment is oldish looking.

Had the grilled chicken salad and it was fresh and delicious. Kids had mac and cheese, which was homemade with penne pasta. Cute atmosphere and polite staff.

Food was delicious. Service was not. We sat at the bar. It was full the night we ate there and once we had our drinks and placed our order, we waited and waited and waited. The bartender finally came and asked if we wanted some more bread. I am pretty sure that a burger, an order of shrimp bruschetta, and a salad should not take as long as we waited. Deborah is a very friendly place, but we did not find the staff to be very welcoming either.

Bright, cozy, clean. Wonderful food (try the hummus). Super staff. Top-​of-​the-​line selection of beer and wine. Desserts to die for. It’s not just good for Decorah. This place would stand out in any town or city.

When traveling through or visiting Decorah you must stop at La Rana Bistro! The staff is friendly and efficient and the interior of this bistro is unique. My wife and I ordered the chicken salad sandwich. It would have to fall into our top five category for chicken salad. The key lime pie was nice and tangy, but slightly over priced for the size of the slice. The veggie chips were something quite nicely different, better choice than French fries, at least for me. Bön Appetite.

Intimate, romantic ambiance makes La Rana stand out in Decorah. Excellent food — steak, duck, and quail entrees have all been perfectly executed. Great place for a date night!

A lovely early lunch with attentive and kind server. The chicken salad was big chucks of white meat, tender and delicious with craisins. And the tomato basil soup was most flavorful and learned that they simmer it a long to time to get the rich flavor. My dining companion enjoyed the Hummus wrap with fresh avocados and the bean and ham soup. Excellent meal with good music softly in the background.

A great restaurant in a charming, Midwest town. Excellent service and delicious food. The menu was small but offered something for everyone in our group. Somewhat pricey considering the location ($ 15 for a burger in a town of 8,000?) but overall, a cute restaurant and a good experience.

I had the side salad… Never seen such fluffy lettuce… Really a strange feeling. Also had there special. A pasta dish. Not bad… Tasted good. A tad overpriced.
The owners also operate a local B&B too… so they guessed who I was when I walked in… As I was a d customer there too.

Great food, adorable French place full of frogs.
We made a special trip to Decorah to eat lunch here on our way through Iowa.
So glad we did!
My son absolutely loved his burger! Done perfectly with great topping combos.
The quiche specials– one veggie, the other with bacon were good. Made with local organic eggs.
The side salads that came with were perfectly dressed in a delicious herb vinaigrette.
My daughter had the crab cakes but asked for the avocado salsa on the side.
The crab cakes were crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.
Only thing we would change would be to have the aioli on the side.
The crab cakes were on a thick bed of it that was too much. If you weren’t careful making your bite it overpowered the delicate lovely crab.
Would love to someday come back!

Ditto all of the positive reviews … this was a terrific experience start to finish. Casual room where any attire goes. Wines and beer varied and well chosen. Appetizers and entrees are creative but not overly showy, and my lake trout was delicious. Crème brûlée was perfect. Service was professional and helpful. Just an unexpected treat in a very charming small town.

I shared the crème brulee with two friends and we each had a nightcap. Dessert, delicious. Cocktails, light, yet worth the price. The environment was fun. I am a little disappointed I didn’t stop in for dinner while I was in town. The lump blue crab pasta special looked delicious on the menu board. I will definitely be stopping by next time I am in town.

Loved the trout! My house salad was also excellent, as was the dessert. It’s a small menu, but definitely looks to be high quality over quantity of options, which I always prefer.
Only downer? People on their cellphones in the restaurant. But that’s not the fault of management. That’s the fault of rude people :-/

La Rana Bistro, Decorah, IA
A memorable dining experience. We started with Sweet & Sour Eggplant Bruschetta — something like caponata, but silkier in texture and more interesting in flavor. Marvelous! I had the beef tenderloin, and Jude, my better half, had the locally caught trout. I was well pleased with my beef, but she swooned over the trout, and she’s no habitual swooner. For dessert we shared a Strawberry-​Peach Crisp, and it was a perfect closer — not too sweet, really crispy and light.
Service: prompt and efficient, not intrusive. Ambience: Felt like a friendly neighborhood restaurant, very casual dress, and a lot of laughter.
Summary: worth every penny! Five stars from both of us.

La Rana Bistro is a terrific find! Delicious, artfully prepared food, great café atmosphere and friendly, efficient service.

Frogs may abound at La Rana, but all the food turns into princes and princesses!
Great use of seasonal fresh produce, outstanding local meats and palette-​pleasing flavors make even standards like BLT and pulled pork stand out.
The key lime sublime was pie! Even the limeade was perfect.