Is this absolutely MY best (aka favorite) burger...? Is it the best burger I've personally had in…read moreIowa...? Probably not. BUT it is the best burger I've ever had out of a gas station in Iowa...! Actually... I'm not exactly sure which way this place actually goes... Is this a gas station that sells food... Or a restaurant that sells gas? Potato...potatoe! Lol And it IS a very good burger overall too...! But not only do they serve burgers... They have other menu selections... Mostly all deep fried and grill options... And ice cream! I've seen signs for Iowa's Best Burger Cafe for years while running back and forth on I-80 from the Des Moines metro... Kellogg is about halfway between Newton and Grinnell. We've never stopped here until this past weekend when we were on our way home from the What Cheer IA flea market... Iowa's Best Burger Cafe is just off the highway... The first thing I noticed as the GPS said our route was about to end... It looked like it ended at an Amoco gas station... Huh? And then I noticed the signage for the Iowa's Best Burger Cafe on the building... Oh... So we're here...? Not exactly what I expected..., but I eat at food trucks too so it wasn't going to stop me. I did glance at my girlfriend to see if I could tell whether she was feeling it or not... I think she was just really hungry at that point and didn't really care. Lol There's ample parking. As you enter the building it kind of looks like a standard gas station convenience store...until you turn and look to your Right. Red plastic booth seating. There are two counters and a case that sit adjacent to one another. The counter you order at also displays the ice cream. There's a case displaying some ready to eat options. The register is on a shorter counter closest to the entrance. It's an open kitchen. There is also another small room of seating further to the left as you face the counters. The tables are kind of faux marble. Napkins, salt, pepper, ketchup, and mustard are available in each booth. We were greeted as we walked and I let them know it was our first time there and we didn't know the drill. They let us know you order standing there at the counter. Take a seat. They bring the food out to you when it's ready. You pay at the register when you are done. Cash or card...and there is an ATM on site. They bus your table. There are a couple of menu placards on the counter where you place your order... The 16 flavors of ice cream selection are plainly labeled. The two ladies behind the counter were very helpful and were both personable! We ordered: 2x half pound burger combos (one with cheese, bacon, onions and pickles and one with cheese, onions, pickles, mayo, and lettuce) 1x upgraded side to garlic mushrooms 1x upgraded side to onion rings 2x fountain drinks (Coke products...comes with combo) 1x mozarella sticks 1x two scoop bowl of ice cream 1x single cone of ice cream The wait for food wasn't long. Everything was served hot and fresh! They'd asked us if we wanted ranch... My girlfriend always wants ranch! Not only did they bring us ranch... They brought us a HUGE squeeze bottle of ranch! This is how every restaurant should bring you ranch! While we dined in (as did a couple of other customers) most of the business appeared to be take out. One pro tip... The standard half pound burger comes with two patties. I heard a customer ask a guy, at the booth next to her, how many patties he had on his burger... Huh? He had four patties on his burger... A full pounder! So there has to be a way to add an additonal patty (or patties) too... If you want a bigger burger... Ask...! The bathrooms...not horrible. The food was all great. Good service. No complaints. I wouldn't hesitate to stop in here again! And I know what to expect next time...!

"I do not disagree with their name," says my friend visiting from out of state after enjoying his…read moreburger and fried mushrooms. I had the delicious BBQ pork burger with cheese and enjoyed its glorious Smokey flavor. I can't say I've been to that many burger cafe's but this was definitely a great experience. The staff/cook crew were extremely friendly. I was nervous by the long line, but they grilled the food up pretty quick and it was all fab. Enjoyed drinks came with meal. Definitely recommend!

Coming to visit family in Fairfield, I had heard of a newer cider brewery and restaurant that…read moreserved great food and cool cider flavors. That was underselling it - this cider house is awesome! I love that there are so many different fruit flavors in their ciders. My personal favorites were the watermelon and apricot. There is also a great selection of burgers all the way from your classic cheeseburger down to a no-meat burger, each with its own unique toppings. I got the 'Merica Burger and didn't even have time to take a picture because I just scarfed it down. They have a great selection of sides too - chips, slaw, potato salad, or a glass of your favorite cider! We will definitely be coming back to the Cider House every time we are back in town. Great food and great drinks!

I've been a few times. The ambiance is great, it's delightful to sit outside in warm weather, and I…read morelove that they support live music. My only complaint is that food service is kinda slow and the way you order food and drinks is kinda clumsy. It's almost like the food is an afterthought to what was originally intended to be a bar. I recently made the mistake of going on a Friday night at 7pm. They were busy and there were about 10 people ahead of us in the line. It took 30+ minutes to reach the order window, at which time we were informed it was an hour and a half wait to get our food. Why couldn't a manager or a staff member inform the people standing patiently (as the line was steadily growing) of the wait time before we got to the window? Completely unacceptable lack of customer service. Once you actually get your food, it's great, and the bar service is pretty efficient. Great selection of drinks.

Great food! Very nice people! Smash burgers were excellent! Also food was ready very quick. Highly…read morerecommend stop in and trying everything they have on the menu!

We got Da Bomb⁣ Burger and Burger in a Haystack⁣. Great,…read moreattentive service on a Friday night. Wasn't too much crowded at all during dinner so wondering if it starts coming alive at night We love loaded burgers in general and these fries were reeeeally good, with ranch of course! ⁣

This place is as approachable and down to earth as it comes. As if the top-tier loose meat…read moresandwiches and pies weren't enough to bring you back, the joy and local insight gained from speaking with the long-time employees will make it hard to leave in the first place! Getting there around opening was a good call, because business started to pick up very quickly, and the counter seating that surrounds the exposed kitchen was limited. It was fascinating to listen to the locals use shorthand terms to place their sandwich orders with unique specifications. It was like a different language to this visitor, but hey... it's part of the charm.

Whenever I return home to Iowa, I always stop in to get one of the best loose meats sandwiches ever…read moremade.

We enjoy coming here and brought several of our guests from out of town and they enjoyed it too!…read moreThe last time we were here, I got the Chicken Shawarma and a side of Hinterland Cheese Curds (must order!). Our friends got the fish & chips and they loved it. The batter looked very crispy and our fries were on point. Megan served us and she was very friendly and attentive. They've made upgrades to their menu and I think that their food options are getting better each time we return. We've also tried their Som Burger which is tasty and their Birria Tacos -- good but could use a little more seasoning. Overall, we love The Som and highly recommend them!

I would have given The Som one star, but since we dined here on Valentine's Day and the restaurant…read morewas fairly packed, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that the food and service are usually better. The positives are the décor and atmosphere. Lamps softly light the tables, and there's comfortable seating suitable for parties of any size. Service was a little slow, which I attribute to how busy it was, but the staff was friendly. Unfortunately, the drinks were awful. The Long Island tasted like a premix, and the rum and Coke was watered down with too much ice. I ordered the butter chicken--it was filling but very bland. My lady ordered the birria tacos, which were extremely dry and unsatisfactory. Overall, this wasn't a good experience, and I'll be skipping this establishment the next time I'm in Burlington.

Between Iowa City and Des Moines leave I80 and drive into Grinell and dine at the Prarie Canary…read more Worth the 5 minutes. Vietnamese spring rolls made by Matayas (the owner? and our waiter) mother were delicious. Our simple fare was perfect after a long drive but there were more complete meals on the menu. Sunday with a homemade blondie and a flourish wrapped things up!

What a wonderful experience. We stumbled upon this gem while traveling through the area. We were…read moreearly for our reservation and invited to visit the Speakeasy in the basement. That was a treat. The service and food were wonderful. The restaurant's simple decor is clean and crisp. Thanks for a great nite.

This was really good, the place is way bigger than I thought and they get busy but keep things…read moremoving. Great service, always kept the coffee and water full. The plate o got was huge! Biscuit, gravy, hash browns, eggs, sooo good.

Our trip to pick up a truck brought us to Grinnell Iowa. After the pickup we were on the hunt for…read moregood food. Yelp reviews pointed us to Frontier Cafe where we found the sweetest server and delicious food. Hubby had the Texas Omelette and I had the Spring Chicken dinner with extra avacado. Such a pleasant experience. Food was fresh, seasoned perfectly and plentiful.

Quaint with good food. Nice experience! A great place for meeting family or friends.read more

Williamson Tavern is a terrific rural restaurant and bar where servings are large and prices are…read morelow. Service was a great given the small venue was completely full and a singular waitress was the only person servicing tables. Nothing like a tenderloin or burger and a cold drink on a hot summer evening. Highly recommend!

Got the loose beef sandwich, it was really salty & very greasy and hardly enough beef for the $7…read moreprice

I stopped by The Raider and got the western burger--easily one of the best I've had, super…read moreflavorful and cooked perfect. The fries were great, and the ranch was honestly the best I've ever had. Service was amazing too, super friendly and on point. Definitely a 5-star spot, I'll be back.