Great friendly welcome. Waitress was so kind and smiley. Service was quick, complete, and on great display. The interior of this place is beautiful. The food was exceptional. Presentation was loved. Love that I can get biscuit and gravy instead of toast! That was the cherry on top! I will be back. Great experience with no complaints! read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

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Located across from the largest truck stop in the world. Menu is full of comfort food items. We had fried chicken and split it between me and my husband and still could not eat it all! Service was good and ambiance is country casual. read more

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Popped in for a take out order and was happy to get food that tasted like it was from grandma's kitchen. The BLT was packed with fresh, thick cut bacon. The bread was toasted and the veggies were crisp. The loaded potato skins were good... the (maybe bbq) sauce was a bit of a surprise which wasn't terrible, just different. Inside is very 80/90s ish....comfy and cozy. read more

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Crappy food, management refuses responsibility for bad food! The restaurant is worn and kinda dirty!

When you claim to have the "Best Breaded Tenderloin in Iowa" there is no question I am going to have to confirm and confirm I did. The damn sandwich is about as perfect as you can hope for. That said, based on my wife's salad, I would suggest only ordering the tourist-focused items, with "As featured on the travel network" listed alongside its on the menu, as I get the sense Gramma serves up a few misses along with the hits. We enjoyed the service, and the friendly break from the madness that is the Iowa 80 truckstop across the street, which has, arguably, one of the worst restaurants in the state. Long story short, get the breaded tenderloin sandwich and enjoy your life. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - A sea of honey mustard dressing accompanied the salad. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

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Delicious everything is good and the dinner comes with salad bar included the fry chicken and meatloaf is a must the breaded pork chop sandwich is amazing too read more

Gramma's Kitchen is a fan favorite whenever we travel through town. The service (shout out to Becky for her warm welcome and exceptional service) is wonderful. The biscuits and gravy are delicious but the star of today's show was the biscuit sandwich! All was going well until we were checking out today and Garrett convinced my hat addicted husband to purchase another John Deer Hat! The delicious breakfast soon turned sour ..... just kidding! Garret you were great and my husband loves his new hat. Thank you Gramma's Kitchen for warm Iowa hospitality and delicious food. See you on the next trip through town! read more

Got the Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. It was absolutely incredible. Very crispy texture. Service was good, and the waitress checked on us very frequently. The ambiance is nice too with farm style equipment on the walls and a very home style feel to the setting. The only thing is that they serve drinks in mason jars which is fine, but having an option for a standard drinking glass would be nice. read more

Lots of indoor seating! The right side of the restaurant was a former bar area and has tvs. The left side uses the same menu, just no tvs. They have a full bar and cocktail list which is a nice addition to a diner. Their menu has lots of options and everyone should be able to find something to interest them. I had the brisket sandwich with sweet potato fries and hubby tried the pork tenderloin sandwich with coleslaw. He was impressed with both! They also offer desserts and a salad bar. They have a small gift shop and the staff is very friendly! read more

While traveling through Iowa we wanted to try a state specialty - the fried tenderloin pork sandwich. We checked Yelp, and lo and behold - Gramma's was right beside our fuel stop. Reviews for the tenderloin sandwich told us we were in the right place. We ordered two to go. The service was friendly and the sandwiches were delicious. Can't comment on the rest of the menu, but this stop was perfect for what we were looking for! This is a nice, big, tasty, fresh sandwich. Photos cannot do it justice. read more

Just randomly pulled off the highway to switch drivers and happened to be right at Gramma's Kitchen! All we can say is WOW WOW WOW! We were the only car in the lot. Then one other person walked in too. We didn't look this place up and it wasn't looking like a good choice but we were so lucky to have walked in the door. What a wonderful breakfast! Perfect eggs, potatoes, sausage, biscuits, and gravy. Super quick and friendly service Everything was great! read more

If you've ever driven across Iowa on Interstate 80 (Mainstreet USA), you've either stopped at this exit or at least noticed the signage for "The World's Largest Truck Stop."  Yep, it's at this exit.  But that's not where I stopped this trip, I stopped across the road at Gramma's Kitchen because two years it ago, it made the list of the best tenderloins in the state, according to the Iowa Pork Producers. So what exactly is a tenderloin?  It's a boneless pork chop, smashed with a hammer or other blunt instrument until it's enlarged and very thin, the drenched in a coating or batter, deep-fried, plopped onto a bun entirely too small for the piece of meat, and dressed up with pickles, onions, and occasionally mayo. I opted for tots on the side, pickle was included, a damn fine one, too, crispy half-sour. The sandwich was perfect, crispy coating, but the meat was still juicy inside. Bakery-style bun, soft yet substantial enough to hold the ample cut of meat. The tots were piping hot, right from the fryer, and lightly seasoned.  I hated "baked" tots, not crispy enough.  If your tot hasn't got crunch, why get them? The restaurant has an attached bar with an abbreviated menu, and throughout the building are Iowa souvenirs as well as some preserves and the like. As is my habit, I grabbed a colorful souvenir magnet, even tho I have no place to put them anymore, my frig is stainless steel. Start planning your next road trip.  Oh, almost forgot, you don't have to get the tenderloin battered and fried, most places will happily grill one for you instead read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Gramma's tenderloin. A work of art. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Service is sad... stood at the front to be seated for 5 minutes and never seen anyone. When someone did show their face the waitress was on her phone looked right at me and went towards the kitchen. Did not even act like they wanted any business. This is the first time I have seen this place this dead and now I know why. read more

Greeted immediately upon walking in. Server was friendly and checked in regularly. Salad bar is currently operational with appropriate sanitation measures--gloves and sanitizer. One suggestion: Use the spoons that identify dressings. Couldn't tell if one was blue cheese or ranch...and wasn't going to run the risk. Nice, thick slices of turkey. Homemade mashed potatoes. Definitely worth stopping off. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Turkey dinner w/mashed potatoes. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Worst food ever. We had nachos and my son had a pizza. Both were so disgusting that we barely ate any of our food.

The right breaded pork tenderloin sandwich can be a religious experience. I have been to the promised land (Iowa) and have eaten many breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches and Gramma's Kitchen serves the gold standard. The batter they use - I wouldn't call it breading - is more like thick beer batter on the fish and chips in the finest bistro in London. It is subtle and crunchy - but it doesn't overpower the taste of the pork. It is served on a bun with a slice of tomato and some rings of fresh onion and a slice of lettuce. (Marilyn got hers with Swiss cheese. I eventually got over it.) A thin spread of mayo and you are on your way to midwestern nirvana. The heat from the meat and the cool from the veggies and your tastebuds are jumping for joy. The seasoned fries (well done) are crisp on the outside and flaky on the inside. Just the way you try to make them at home. The service was quick and accurate and pleasant. As we ate - the place began to fill up - she never missed a beat. She never dropped her professionalism. My gramma couldn't cook to save her life. She had many talents - cooking was not one of them. Thank the culinary gods that this gramma can cook and her kitchen is open to everyone. read more

Fair prices , good food. Service was okay. Clean restaraunt. Make sure dishes come out clean for salad and soup bar .

The Food was good both times 1st time was the Taco Tuesday special This morning was the Chicken fried steak breakfast. Service is top notch. The environment is a mixture of locals, travelers, and truckers. The ambiance is laid back and inviting. You can slide in and get a quick bite to eat, or sit and chat for a while. read more

Unfortunately Grandma wasn't home and with several staff running around our server never. even checked on our table after she served our meal, never came by to fill our coffee plus my husbands order was wrong and cold after a unusual long wait for breakfast and my eggs were overcooked. The food wasn't bad but the service was lacking. read more

I went here because it was close to the I-80 truck stop and supposedly had a good pork tenderloin sandwich. It was pretty good. The next day, the sandwich had lost all of its poignancy (see: archaic use of poignant). read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Pork tenderloin sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

This place was fantastic the service was very friendly and quick and the food was delicious! They also have great looking desserts I got a huge cookie to take home. We will stop here again when we are traveling. read more

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This is possibly the best burger I've ever had. Brisket bacon barbecue burger & shredded cheese. Side of fries were tasty as well. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Brisket bacon barbecue cheddar burger - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Great service even though it was close to closing time and still had plenty of food left. awesome service great food and in front of the worlds biggest truck stop nice place to stretch your legs . read more

Great stop for quick appetizer & drinks at the end of the work day or to start off a great night. Love the all-you-can-eat salad bar. Hubby's favorite is the club sandwich. Great pizza specials. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Birthday drinks & nachos - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Decided to eat here as I 80 was basically fast food in a truck stop. Ordered famous pork tenderloin sandwich as the sign outside said it was featured on the Food Network. I ordered it grilled. There was no sauce on it, but was perfectly marinated and juicy. No sauce was needed. I removed the bun and wrapped in lettuce leaves and ate with tomato. My side was cole slaw. Thinking I could duplicate this on my Traeger. read more

Sometimes truck drivers know where to eat, sometimes they are just starving and desperate . Grammas Kitchen, fortunately, is actually a really great place truck drivers happen to know about. Conveniently located across the street from the world's largest truck stop, Iowa 80, it features a full menu, a full bar, and is spotlessly clean. All the workers, in fact, can be seen sanitizing and scrubbing every square inch of the place. Really fresh salad bar, amazing food, friendly staff, make the trek and check this gem out! read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

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I ordered chicken fried chicken and got chicken fried steak , if it wasn't burnt it probably would of been alright read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Katie is so awesome and amazing, and so attentive to her customers, she's friendly classy and full of positive vibes, I am a OTR truck driver and stop here often, I am appalled at how your managers have treated her Savanah Tracy Kimber,and they deserve the highest ratings. They are all amazing., but Katie is even more amazing as she goes above and beyond. Sincerely Torrey Jerome Riley Sr. read more

Cute and cozy for sure! The service is really quick if you're in a rush and there's SO many good options to choose from. Although we were confused as to why we were given a breakfast menu when the table next to us was ordering burgers. It was 11:15am. I'm sure we could have asked for the lunch menu, but the breakfast meals we got were fantastic. I would highly recommend the french toast and anything with eggs in it! Everything was super fresh and well made. read more

The classic Midwest restaurant with text book menu. All the hearty classics are here and fresh off the farm. Iowa pork chops, liver and onions, fried chicken, prime rib, sugar cured Iowa ham, and much more.... 2 pork chops meal comes with 4 sides and a roll. Big chops off the grill and corn cooked in a delicious butter base. Very comfortable atmosphere at the bar. Locals rub elbows with truck drivers from all over the country. Game on TV. Great service. A true godsend. This is where the farmers eat! read more

5 star for having trucking 5 star with how nice it is inside. 3 stars for customer service, it wasn't good but it wasn't all that bad. 2 stars for food wasnt all that good. 2 stars the price was to high compared other restaurants read more

Really homemade. Brewed iced tea. Thick bacon. Generous helpings. English muffin was toasted perfectly. I had liver and onions for dinner. Vegetables were just like grandma's ... almost soft. Very good service for an exceptionally busy restaurant. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Beef liver, veggies and sweet potato fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

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Although not sure but this place is outstanding,had the fried chicken it was wonderful.service was great. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Very nice and clean. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

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Stopped in for a late lunch at the recommendation of the hubby. When you enter it reminds you of a cracker barrel with rocking stairs on the front porch and novelty items for sale. The greeter asked us if we wanted to eat at Checker Flag (sports bar type) or Gramma's Kitchen. We went with Gramma's. The menu had a wide variety of items...salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizza and home style meals. I selected the philly cheesesteak burger and fries. Serving size was large! The burger was cooked exactly how I ordered (medium) perfect amount of steak, peppers & onions. The fries were crisp and full of flavor! Highly recommend the unsweetened ice tea. Cold and amazing flavor! read more

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Upon a revist, the food was once again good, but the waitress wasn't paying attention. I stepped away from the table to use the bathroom quickly, had not collected a check or finished my meal, but when I came back the entire table had already been cleared. The manager's solution was half off my meal. read more

The grilled pork chops and fried chicken are excellent. Salad bar was decent but the chicken noodle soup overshadowed it. Prices are a little on the upper side. The place has a split personality. One side is Cracker Barrel while the other a bar and grill. Different menus too but you can order off either. It's much better than the truck stop which by the way is similarly priced. I'll eat here again. Oh. Our waitress Lynn was the best. Love love her. read more

Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Walcott, Iowa

Pie was great, food good, service friendly. Very nice considering the terrible weather outside.

Well here I am at Grammas Kitchen I've come to see if it lives up to its reviews. It was only a short walk across the street although I'm thinking it's gonna be a lot longer going back walk with a full gut. A fellow driver that I've just met and I are greeted at the door immediately and asked which side we would like to be seated in, the Grammas side is quiet with no televisions whereas the Checkered Flag side has the sports bar feel. I chose the Grammas side because I'm here for the food. Audi is our server a young lady with blue hair. Having read the reviews I really don't need a menu, I'm here for the Liver and Onions. The order is in with a specific request that my onions are grilled well, the soup and salad bar is offered. I grab a cup of the Au Gratin Potato soup and a bit of the Pea Salad. Both are excellent could this be a sign of things to come. Although we are somewhat baffled Its 8:30 Friday night and this place is empty My new friend orders the Country Fried Steak it comes with mashed potato and a vegetable medley. Its garbage on a plate the steak patty is over cooked the potatoes are dry and the gravy is just bad. My plate comes with a very generous portion of liver potatoes and of course the vegetable medley. The liver is cooked very well probably some of the best liver that I've had anywhere. I questioned the onions not being grilled well and immediately an attitude from blue haired Audi. She does not return to the table after this at all. I am brought a bowl of what is supposed to be grilled onions to replace the nearly raw onions that come out with my meal. They are delivered by the snooty woman who greeted us at the door. At this point she advises the next time I'm in a restaurant and want my onions cooked I should request them caramelized. I can't understand why the onions are not grilled the same time the liver is grilled. Once again really great liver. The dining room is still empty there are no other guests coming in I am beginning to understand why. My friends plate is setting untouched and they are eating part on my liver. While I am visiting the restroom Audi comes by and asks about the uneaten plate it is explained as previously stated above and once again the piss poor attitude comes out. However the plate is returned to the kitchen. The Snooty woman again comes to the table to advise that the plate has been taken from the bill and preach about their homemade gravy that supposedly not from a bag, heck their kitchen staff even makes the sausage right there in the kitchen according to her! I'm not interested in arguing I know good food when it's provided and we both know gravy. We are both from the Deep South and have been brought up on real sausage gravy but certainly not the caliber of the gravy before us this evening. In closing I would like to say that this place just did not have a good feel to almost as if we were being looked down upon because we came from the truck stop. It was very clean and the staff other than Audi all appeared busy making certain that it stayed that way. J. Paul Getty once said, "Make a man happy and he will tell a hundred others. Make a man mad and he will tell a thousand!" May this review reach a thousand! read more

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Pork Tenderloin sandwich was pretty damn good , not the best I've had but damn close..... Has a small bar area.... Service was good better than expected in 2024 read more

Oh my the Great American Breakfast is here. Stopped in on way to Chicago from California. Pleasant , clean and great selection of everything. Best gravy I've ever had in years. Delightful staff and quick service and price. Will stop on way back on 80. Hope to get the lunch buffet. read more