If you live in Goshen and feel a craving for some drinks or a steak as late as 9 o’clock in the evening, you can head straight to the Corndance Tavern in Mishawaka. You’ll arrive by 9:45 p.m and order by 10:00 p.m.

Corndance Tavern was established in 2010 in Mishawaka, Indiana as an upscale American restaurant. They are known for their elegant dining experience and fresh local food presented in a dynamic fashion. The waiter had a deep knowledge of the menu and how the food was prepared and also explained how important the culture of the restaurant was. 

The restaurant’s menu is based on local fresh produce, midwestern bread, meat and seafood from the Great Lakes. The inspiration for this comes from the local Potawatomi tribe who has lived in the region for nearly 200 years. 

The tribe’s belief in the beauty of human balance with nature and their ability to live off the land has been why the tavern felt the responsibility to have fresh ingredients from local suppliers, trying to respect the place we live through the recipes they serve.

The food menu is filled with many American classics such as burgers and salmon, but what they are known for is their char-grilled steaks. The steaks are dry aged, cut in an in-house butchery, and fed on grains and grasses with no hormones or extra steroids. The dry aging process is an old-world method of creating exceptionally tender beef, using the meat’s natural enzymes to slowly tenderize the meat and enhance the flavor over 30 to 75 days. 

The size and length of aging determines the cost, with prices ranging from a 6 oz. filet mignon for $43 to an $80 Tomahawk steak. 

On my visit I decided to order one of their best cut steaks, a 12 oz. New York strip. In my experience, I’ve never had a better New York strip. It was served with a daily special of cheesy broccoli and smashed potatoes covered in their homemade Worcestershire ranch. The meat in my dish was dry-aged for 30 days to enhance the beef flavor, and compared to other steaks that I’ve had at high rated restaurants, it was cooked to medium-rare perfection.

The inside was very pink but still cooked and the outside was grilled to perfection without being undercooked or burnt. Included was a side of their own steak sauce sourced from local berries and other ingredients to give it a sweeter and richer flavor than a regular steak sauce. 

The sides were rich in flavor as well, with broccoli being cooked tender and smothered with cheese. I was initially skeptical about the smashed potatoes with Worcestershire ranch on them, but that quickly changed as the ranch gave great flavor to the potatoes and added a sweeter flavor.

The other dish I was able to try was a menu special: grilled lamb chops served with vegetables and mashed potatoes. As my first experience with lamb chops, I was surprised at how they fell off the bone and had lots of flavors. Once again, the vegetables complimented the main dish quite well.

The fine dining experience overall was great as well as its atmosphere. The staff was welcoming with an environment that was one of a modern, upscale American restaurant.