the food is amazingly good! definitely a stop and go diner if you're out on a roadtrip. i'd definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting some food. i got the mushroom and swiss burger with some fries and it was really good. the workers are super nice and very on top of customer service. very old diner it looks like, the only thing that i'd wanna see next time i come back is were able to use cards because its only cash and local checks only. other than that id recommend! read more

Amazing little diner with delicious food and a cozy, old-school small-town vibe. Friendly service and a place you'll want to come back to again! read more

See all

Good Food, Good Service, eat in or take out. Your Coffee cup is always full. The price is right.!

Great breakfast! Try the pork tenderloin sandwich for lunch. One of the best anywhere. read more

If we didn't come by train, we'd hitch this amazing historical gem to the truck and take it home with us!!! What a wonderful experience! And I say experience because it was more than just home cooked delicious food. It's small, quaint, welcoming and nostalgic. After 5 minutes we felt like locals. The staff were amazing but the food "made it"!!! We absolutely will, and cannot wait , to return!!! read more

See all

A large menu with large print! If you can't find something to eat here, you are in the wrong place! read more

Delicious! This is a tiny good ole fashioned diner. There are just a few seats inside at the counter. I had the Big Easy and it was the best gravy I've ever had, there might be bacon grease in there. The pancakes were also sooooo flavorful and supposed to be silver dollars size but if silver dollars were 4" across they wouldn't fit in my pocket. The only thing that wasn't great were the scrambled eggs, they were more like an unadorned omelet. They weren't fluffy. I gave them to my husband and he ate them as well as his. We ordered to go because of COVID and they gave us everything we needed. They even included real butter for my pancakes. My husband ordered the Jake's Steak, sort of. His was actually the special of the day and instead of the ribeye he got this big sirloin steak instead. It was cooked perfectly at medium rare. He likes his hash browns crispy and these were perfect. We are staying in the area on vacation so we will be back! read more

See all

Had the Wally Jr and pork tenderloin. Just outstanding diner food. Recommended.Breaded Pork Tenderloin read more

My husband and I ate lunch at the Fort Diner on 10/10/ 2024. He enjoyed the liver and onions that was cooked to perfection with a special sauce that they use. I tried a taste of it and it was delicious. The best liver and onions I've ever had. I chose the Iowa pork chop. It was about two inches thick and served with corn and mashed potatoes and gravy. it was probably one of the best pork chops I've ever had. Don't let the looks of the diner fool you the food is amazing and the price is very reasonable. The cook and waitress were very nice and helpful. We will definitely go back. It's a gem that you can't find anywhere else. No fast food restaurant can touch it for quality and service. read more

We sort of stumbled on this place by chance while running the great river road looking for eagles. It was such a perfect find for my husband and I. My first job was at a drive up diner, Deb's Drive-in in Milan, Illinois, and this place had that same kind of charming atmosphere. We love old-school diners, small businesses with great diner food! Friendly staff, too. Be prepared because it's small, but during nicer weather there's places to sit outside. Also a tiny little bathroom, if needed. But completely worth it for a great diner experience. read more

Just had a great breakfast here, Sunday morning! I had "The Mess", which is basically hash brown with onions and peppers mixed in, topped w two eggs any style (I like mine over easy). It was delicious and very satisfying! Fun going to a diner, too, I always love the nostalgia. Highly recommended! Note: they do not take credit cards, they take cash only, so make sure you have enough cash before you go! read more

Good classic breakfast!! Definitely would go here again. Nice service. Great little diner by the Mississippi River! read more

Fort Diner - Pancake,bacon,hash browns, eggs really good classic breakfast!! - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

Outstanding breakfast. Fresh and hot off the griddle. Be sure to try the homemade salsa. Highly recommended if you're in Fort Madison. Lunch looks good too, but we just got breakfast on this trip. read more

We really enjoyed the food here and came back for breakfast. The fried chicken was excellent! Sunday breakfast was busy but good food! Nothing fancy and good prices too! read more

The staff is hilarious! A good time, delicious menu, it doesn't look like much on the outside but it's a genuinely good place to eat. Very affordable, only accepts cash and local check, so be prepared for that. The decor is fun and playful and screams classic diner. Overall, very good experience and would recommend! read more

Because of Road Food l was aware of The Fort and since I was in the vicinity, I made an effort to get there for a try at some real road food. It was only 18 miles out of my way one way and it turned out to be worth it. This is a classic, little diner. I want to go back. To start with The Fort is "Home of the Wally Burger". I had to ask what this is and learned it is a 1 lb burger with grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms and two slices of cheese. That seemed a little excessive, so after the waitress brought me my drink, she said I could get a Mini-Wally Burger, which is only a half pound. I could not pass this up and since Road Food recommended the breaded pork tenderloin, I ordered that as well. When you walk in you are greeted by the smell of grilling burgers on the flat top. It is not a greasy smell, just the wonderful smell of grilling beef. My burger Mini-Wally burger did not disappoint. I recommend you get whatever you want on yours; the main thing is the patty is juicy, loose and tender with a nice grill crust. I added a little yellow mustard. Outstanding. I also enjoyed the breaded tenderloin. It is real meat, reasonably thick and very tender, but not obviously machine tenderized. The coating is very crispy and it was fried just right. The only issue is that the pork had very little if any pork flavor. That is not The Fort's fault, it is just the way today's other tasteless white meat is. The Fort is worth a drive from the 18 mile distance that I faced and more. I highly recommend it to those who are driving the Great River Road and love old diners. This is the real deal. It is a solid four star place. Maybe even five.......for being what it is. read more

Fort Diner - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

A unique throwback dining experience that was excellent for lunch. Quality food with reasonable prices. The cheeseburger was cooked perfectly and the fried mushrooms hit the spot. Our son had a hotdog which he gobbled up. 5 stars! read more

Fort Diner - Hotdog - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

Food was pretty good and it was prepared right in front of you! I would give 4 stars for the food but a 3 star for cleanliness. I ordered the Philly cheesesteak and my wife ordered the bacon burger. Everything tasted pretty good. It was a cool little place near the actually Fort Madison. We also ordered the corn nuggets which were $4.75. We figured we would ordered them since we had never heard of them. We thought they would be better but they came right from the freezer and into the fyer. $4.75 was a little much for them. read more

Fort Diner - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

We recently stopped in on our way out of town. Monday and several places not open. We were glad after we ate here. Not fancy but food was great. I ordered chicken breast* I got 2 huge moist, tender breasts and took 1 home. My husband got meatloaf. Took none home. Baked potatoes were cooked well, nice & soft. Prices are more than fair. Waitress was very attentive. Could use a little extra cleaning inside but that's my only thing I pick on. We'd go back next time we are in town read more

To dam expensive and poor service and sucky food won't go back rather have a peanut butter sandwich

Cute moms n pops place near the Mississippi River. We had the ribeye and BLT, both were well made and yummy. The cooks were friendly and engaging. There's a large vegetable garden behind the diner where I assume they get their tomatoes, peppers etc. Fresh and local, so thumbs up! read more

I know this place is an Iowa staple, especially when visiting Ft. Madison but I was completely unimpressed. The bleu cheeseburger came without melted cheese... just bleu cheese crumbles put on the patty. I think they probably specialize in diner bacon cheeseburgers and nothing more. If you flow off that path, you'll be disappointed. I also ordered poppers and onion rings which were cooked in burnt oil. Lastly, we got the pulled pork which was pretty decent but I think they should have smothered it in sauce rather than having it premixed. All in all, I was disappointed. I wanted greasy diner food so badly. But I can say I came and that's what matters the most, I suppose read more

Fort Diner - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

This place has very good prices and very good food and staff members this place is also the oldest still running dinner. I love there food and I would recommend it to anyone that likes burgers and breakfast. They also have very good homemade pies. They also in the winter start to have homemade soups. I love this place and I plan back to come again and you guys should to. read more

See all

When it comes to eating at a small local diner, this place knocks it out of the park. It ain't fancy and the menu is basic but the quality is superb. I had the veal cutlet sandwich which was very good but the thing to try, if you like burgers, is the Wally burger. It is a pound of ground beef cooked the way you request with cheese and a bun. One of our small group had it and raved all day. They also have the Wally burger challenge but be warned, only 2 people have succeeded in 20 years. The challenge is to eat 4 Wally burgers in 1 hour. This is a small place so you could have trouble getting seating. We were lucky because on person at the counter moved over a spot so our group of 3 could sit together. We had a perfect view of an expert managing his grill. I never would have guessed that so much food could be produced in the limited space. We will definitely return. read more

The biscuits and gravy were not good at all and our waitress wouldn't smile for anything. Maybe she was annoyed by the kids in the restaurant but she didn't have to be rude. read more

Stopped in for breakfast. Very good! I had Walt's Mess and my husband had the Big Easy. Both were delicious!

Four stars for being the real deal, a tiny friendly, family-run diner. Cash only. The half serving of homemade biscuits and gravy was nearly more than I could eat. And don't get me started on the hamburger choices that start at 5 ounces and go up from there to the Walleyburger, a full one pound of meat. Vegetarians beware! read more

Fort Diner - Half order biscuits and gravy with one egg, The Fort Diner, Fort Madison, Iowa, USA, August 2017 - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

If you are hungry for good homemade food then this is the place to be. Monster hamburgers and homemade breaded tenderloins with fresh veggies in season are a favorite. This is a historic building started in 1941. May not look like much but it is clean and food is fresh. read more

Everyone here is friendly, the food is great. Great experience. . Look stupid Yelp I don't want to keep writing. I highly recommend this place. read more

This place is definitely a hole in the wall place. BUT, the burger I had was great! Sit inside if you can -it's small. The dynamics of the people who work there are so hilarious. They're very down to earth & say what's on their mind. Bring cash-they don't accept cards. One review complained about the cleanliness but i don't think anyone expects much from a greasy spoon diner except grease! It's not bad & I really think they try to comply. I'll definitely be back. read more

Uhm, okay... This place... hmm.... where do I begin? Well, the food was really good actually. We came through, on a mini-road trip/vacation, from Chicago. This place looked... quaint. I wore my super cute, slim, blue-green pants and a nice top (about a year ago). Let's say that the locals had a lot to look at. I felt like they jacked up the prices for us, since we were city boys. It was very dirty and a little unsettling, but overall I really enjoyed the experience. The waitress was real nice. I just wish they would upkeep it a bit more. I'd visit this place again, if I ever had the balls to go out to Fort Madison (which I don't). read more

We love this place. They are always friendly and have the very best food in the city. And it's always a home family atmosphere. We tell everyone about this place. And it's a must eat at restaurant... Thanks , Chris & Roberta read more

What a quaint historical place to eat. It is an original dinner from the settler days (see photo). Tiny two seat booths, rustic original bar stools at the counter keeps it's original look. The food was all home made. My friend and I had the meatloaf and mashed potatoes with gravy. Fantastic! I love small town diners and this one was great. read more

Fort Diner - Original Fort Diner - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

See all

Ran across this little joint while in town on business. I have to say it's the little hidden places that are usually the best. With an awesome view of the mighty Mississippi River, old fort Madison, old Santa Fe 2913 steam engine tucked away on a corner in downtown Fort Madison. They have the best and Biggest hand patted burgers in town and the area as far as I know. The home of the Wally burger, they have a Challenge. If you can eat 4 of these 1lb bad boys you get not only do you get them free but you win a 200$ gift card. I of course have not and will not try this challenge. I couldn't finish one 1lb burger. You can definitely get better quality food at a much cheaper price than any fast food joint. Glad I found this little diner. I will miss it when I'm gone. read more

Fort Diner - Burgers lined up for days!!! - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

Cool little diner, sitting at the counter watching the trains go by. Excellent bacon cheeseburger and peanut butter pie!

The cleanliness of the place and bad hygiene practices, not so good. This place is tiny, very cramped. The cook (with pants sagging) did not wear gloves, went outside to get something, came back in and grabbed hashbrowns with bare hands to arrange on flattop...no hand washing or gloves. The other worker who had been handling cash then assembled the tenderloins, reaching her bare hands into lettuce bag...no hand washing or gloves. Prices did not match the menu and they do charge a carryout fee of $1 per meal. The food was ok. Lived here in Fort Madison over 25 years, this was the first and last time eating The Fort. read more

Had pork tenderloin sandwich which was huge. Ate it all and enjoyed every bite. Yummy and they put all my favorite toppings on as well. We came again for breakfast and had the mess which was hash browns peppers onions and cheese topped with two eggs and toast. Outstanding service and diner is a throw back from the sixties. Stop here fro a quick meal for breakfast or dinner you won't be disappointed. read more

Stick with the specials or a burger and you can't go wrong. We went with our kids for dinner during out trip to nauvoo. We got the burgers and a Ruben sandwich. All were delicious. As I sat and watched the cook much of what they cook is frozen. But the burgers were cooked fresh- and they were yummy. read more

What more can be said of this place? Literally BEST bacon burger in the world, prepared before our very eyes which only made our mouths water. Friendliest staff and fellow local customers. Felt like going back in time in the best way! Great food--so glad we made the stop through town. Highly recommend. Now...how to get Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-ins and Dives to showcase this gem?! read more

Fort Diner - Most friendly staff and fellow customers. And literally best bacon burger in the world. So glad we made the stop through town. - Diners Near Me - Fort Madison, Iowa

They have a big breakfast menu that is awesome great friendly service food is always good a large selection of on desert Go back and eat again read more