Cedar River Landing

This place is love it or hate it depending on your attitude, so I will be purely objective.  This place is hopping.  Always seems like there is a huge crowd, everyone is having a good time, and it is hard to find a reasonably close parking spot.  If I owned a bar, this is exactly what I would want my bar to be like.  Relaxed, hole in the wall feel, but with everything new, clean, and pretty thanks to the flood.  The problem is, when I go to a bar, a lot of times I want to sit and have conversation, and that is where if you are like me, you may want to avoid this place on a weekend.  They have live music, and when that is going on, it is VERY loud.  The place isn't huge considering the amount of people they have, and then when you throw a stage and a band playing it can feel a little cramped.  Again, GREAT for business, and noting wrong with live music, but that effectively cuts off conversation between you and your friends while the music is playing.  That being said, the last visit here was great.  We went early to eat and enjoy friends before the music started.  Our food was amazing considering their prices are pretty good for the amount of food you get.  Lots of unique things on the menu as well, like alligator.  Our server was very friendly and attentive, something we have experienced previous times here as well even when not eating food.  Hard to believe sometimes considering they get so busy, so props to the servers for being on the ball.  Drink prices are mediocre, they have specials but it always seems like its on things I don't drink, or on days I'm not there, but admittedly I didn't pay that close of attention.

Lastly, and totally unrelated to the review on the bar itself, the last time we were there we finished eating, listened to about 5 songs from the band when they came on while paying our check and whatnot, and as we got up to leave the band actually called us out for leaving during their set.  It was funny at first, but then they kept commenting about how they thought it was rude of us to leave...I think they were kind of offended...but we had other plans.  In no way is that a reflection on the bar, but it was kind of awkward and uncomfortable as we were leaving to have the whole bar looking at us.

The Grades:
Atmosphere: 9
Very well designed, well laid out, excellent flood restoration.  Everything is also new because of the flood.
Service: 9
Attentive bartender both when busy and slow. 
Food: 7
Lots of food for your money.  Two people can eat dinner here with a few beers for under $30.