Fishback & Stephenson Cider House, LLC - Fairfield, Iowa

Ricki P.

This is more a review of the location, as I do not drink and therefore can not really speak to the quality of the cider.
It is a beautiful building in a fantastic location. The setting is well-chosen, just outside of the town of Fairfield, Iowa. Far enough out that it feels like the countryside, but within minutes of the center of town.
The cider house is comprised of two main areas, the actual production floor and a gorgeous, wood beamed and glass public room, with a spacious deck out in front.
The bar is well-stocked and well tended. Despite the place being quite busy, the bar never got overcrowded. Every patron seemed to have room to approach and order the beverage of their choice without undue jostling.
Likewise, the public room always seemed comfortable, with seating available for all. I thought it quite a nice touch that there were long tables well-suited to families as well as hi-top cocktail style tables.
Should the main floor become crowded in any way, there is a mezzanine area for additional seating (this was not open whilst I was there).
The deck is lovely. It is not overly large but seems to hold quite a large number of patrons during peak hours. During one of the nights I was in attendance, there was a live band playing from a flat bed trailer just to the side of the deck. The atmosphere was wonderful, a beautiful evening out.
Food was provided by the food truck of Iowa Brëd, for which I have written a separate review.
This venue comes with the highest recommendation. Whether one is traveling through the area or at an event in the area or looking for a road trip destination, the Fishback and Stephenson Cider House will not disappoint.
@RickiGoesOut

D T.

Beautiful, picturesque, and delicious, all in one! To order the meal is a little funky: you can walk in the door to your left, and order at the little window, or you can go find a table and then go back and order at the little window. Very, inside and out! Our burgers were amazing! Sorry, forgot to take pictures of the food lol

Mark M.

Went there for dinner. Got the bacon and cheddar burger with Cesar salad. Very tasty burger! My only complaint is the salad had actual anchovies on it. Any time I've had a Cesar salad they were mixed into the dressing. Besides that very friendly staff. Fun place to go.

Jeremy S.

We started with loaded bloody Marys which were excellent. The bacon, shrimp, mini pickle, pickled jalapenos and garlic were nice. They were a bit pricey but good. On Sunday, they only do a limited brunch menu which we didn't realize and wasn't posted til after we said something. We got the lox bagel and breakfast burrito. Both were very good portions and excellent. The food pricing was a bit more reasonable. We also got a flight of cider. It came with 4 ciders all of which were good. There are no waitresses so you had to go up to the counter to place any orders, food or drinks. The food came pretty quickly and the people working were nice though it was not very busy at the time we were there. The building and surroundings are beautiful and we sat out on the patio. It was a nice scenic motorcycle ride and worth the ride down. Would recommend for a nice Saturday or Sunday trip to just sit out and relax.

Erin F.

I was driving from Des Moines to St Louis and stumbled across Fishback & Stephenson Cider House. Clint is amazing, there was live music, delicious cider, and an out of this world sunset. If you find yourself near Fairfield, IA....do yourself a favor and say hello! You won't regret it!

Kenya S.

Went to Fairfield last week for the first time and got to check this place out. The burger was awesome, and the cider was refreshing. The place also has a gorgeous view of the countryside when you go outside. I look forward to coming back when I visit Fairfield again.

Tree N.

EDIT: Absolutely NOT.

I have gone to this place and taken friends here for years. What I just experienced on Saturday 5/20 was ridiculous and I’ve waited to see how it would be handled. I was served a completely raw burger. See photos. Not only has that NEVER happened before - but because this is a local place and I’m familiar with the staff, I immediately let an employee know. I then posted on my private social media, to which another employee asked if they could forward my video to their manager. I agreed. I’ve waited a few days to hear some kind of explanation or follow up as to why they are serving food that poses a health risk. Today I reached out to an employee and asked if they had talked to the kitchen and gotten to the bottom of the issue. I was told that the manager said there was “nothing they could do” - and if I had contacted her that same night (even though I got my food at close) maybe they could have done something for me. Done something for me? I never once asked for a refund or asked for anything. I wanted to know they would address such a huge liability but considering how this was dismissed - I figured a review to warn others is in order. My burger was CLEARLY rare/raw - as it was visibly pink from the outside.

I’m disgusted by the quality of my burger and by the response (or lack thereof) of management.

Be careful with meat here.
Be safe.

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Absolutely love this place. It’s beautiful outside... literally, like a painting... and the inside is so nice, open, bright, and comfortable. They have amazing ciders and I recently found out about the food - so I tried it today for brunch. VERY HAPPY. Best burger I’ve had in Fairfield! Hands down. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with grilled pineapple and... wow, that made the rest of my day. I also ordered the waffles with bacon. Perfect. Everyone is so professional and welcoming. Thank you so much for a great brunch! I’m so proud of everyone involved. Highly recommended. 100 stars 🙂

Laura M.

Beautiful building and amazing view on the top floor. Food was simple (I mean look at the white bread toast) and a bit higher priced than I believed it should have been, but it surprised me. Delicious slap in the face.