A little outside of my normal home base of the Des Moines metro, but Marshalltown is an easy…read moredrive... The short. The food is really good...! And it was worth the trip. See the pictures. Now to the long part. If you want to skip that feel free and just go on what is above this line. I grew up a wrestling fan back in the 70s and 80s... When the NWA used to do house shows and setup in high school gymnasiums. I remember the Attitude Era well (1997-2002) and watched it a lot at the time. I took my son to RAW and Smackdown shows at the Well when he was younger... Today I'm not an avid fan, but if I told you I didn't follow things at all...I'd be lying. I mean AJ Lee's epic return alongside her husband CM Punk...! C'mon! The Flying Elbow has been on my list a long time... As "a fan" I wanted to check it out soooo bad. And even though they were awarded Iowa's best burger in 2022... I wondered it was just another gimmick to draw people in to mid food... I don't put a lot of stock in contests. As you walk in the front door there is a small bar directly to your Left. Classic wrestling was playing on one of the TVs above the bar. Football on the other. You'll see a combination of low top tables and chairs and a few booths in front of you and to your Right. There's an Order Here sign at the end of the long counter. The fountain drink station is at the end of the room (Coke products). From the fountain drink station the entrance to the patio is to the Right. Restrooms to the Left. It's order and pay at the counter. Cash or card. It's seat yourself and they bring your food to you when it's done being prepared. Bus your own table when you're done. Staff was quick to clean up as people left to prepare for their next guest. I ordered the following: 24 oz fountain drink (free refills) 3:16 chili dog (all beef) with cheddar cheese and white onion -- Choose up to three toppings: Cheddar, pepper jack, and nacho cheese. Sour cream, nacho Doritos, and chili cheese Fritos. White, red, or green onions... Fried cheesecurds An order of six smoked bone-in chicken wings with buffalo sauce -- Sauce choices. Plain BBQ, buffalo, Korean BBQ, raspberry chipotle BBQ, People's BBQ. and Asian peanut A Bang! Bang! burger as advertised (no modifications) off the Attitude menu -- Pepper Jack, caramelized onion, cactus steak sauce, 4 Horsey sauce, fried jalapeño chips The burgers are smash style and have great flavor. I got the single burger and was wishing I'd gotten the double. Same with the 3:16 chili dog... They offer an Andre sized dog (+$2). But I'd ordered a lot of food...! The buns here! So good. The hamburger bun was a classic sesame seed bun that met the size of the burger. The meat peeked out the edges. The bun for the dog was a potato style...not a cheap flimsy bun. The bun seemed a little big for the regular dog, but I bet it would be perfect for something Andre sized. It held the chili well without falling apart. The smoked wings have a light smoke to them...not too heavy. They are big and meaty. The ranch that came with the cheesecurds was fire. I ordered some blue cheese with the wings. In hindsight I would say that one of the BBQ sauces would probably pair better with the smoked wings v. the buffalo. That's on me. I hit them right in a Saturday lunch rush and fortunately was able to grab a seat as someone else was getting up to leave. Staff was friendly and patient. If you're not patient...I'd probably not hit them right at peak lunch hour on a Saturday. Seating in the main dining area and on the patio was full. Service was great! The food was great! Is the wrestling thing kind of a gimmick? Yes. Yes it probably is. But it's a fun gimmick that hits home for a lot of us! I liked seeing the references that remind me of entertainment I grew up with and enjoyed. It's no different from a 50s diner theme, railroad, or zombies. And they back it up with good food! For me it's kind of like going to Prairie City for Goldie's or going up to Whatcha Smokin' in Luther... I spend a lot of money locally right here in the Des Moines metro, but sometimes it's a good thing to just hit the road and explore our neighbors a little. The Flying Elbow is the worth the drive to check out! And if you're a wrestling fan... It's a destination...enjoy the experience! https://www.facebook.com/theflyingelbow https://flyingelbowfood.com/

Love everything about Flying Elbow! Their portions are huge! I usually end up taking some home…read more We live outside of Marshalltown but gladly drive the extra miles to go there

In town for a softball tournament and we stopped here today. The staff went out of their way to…read moreensure everyone had their correct order. They were quick & efficient and everything was delicious. I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area

have gone twice. terrible service both times, took over 45 minutes just to get 2 shakes and an ice…read morecream, rude employees, food made me throw up from how greasy everything was. never would recommend to anybody, stick to mcdonald's down the street or starve instead- trust me it's better than dealing with this place.

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...!

Super cute pit stop when passing through. Highly recommend. Friendly staff, good food and hefty…read moresnack selections!

Absolutely LOVE Big Heads! Everything in there is delicious!! You can get a bangin' smash burger or…read morea juicy better than Chick Fil A chicken sandwich!! Their fries are generously seasoned and the onion rings are HUGE! The cherry on top is super friendly staff! They get to know their repeat customers and treat them like family!

The burger was delicious . The fries were good too with a little seasoning on them. Service was…read moregood and fast. Would probably get to go in future but the tables were clean. We will be back because the food was fabulous.

When traveling, I always visit local, independent restaurants. The Map Room is a gem!…read more A wide variety of burgers, with house made vegan options. Indoor and outdoor seating. Great decor and comfortable booths. Fantastic service! Attentive without hovering. 10/10

Went here for lunch and it's a nice little cozy local restaurant. Lots of booths and a dim lit bar…read more Their variety of burgers is what makes this place special. There's flavor combinations I wouldn't have thought of trying. The actual burger was good but not great. For a burger joint that charges a premium price, I expect a juicy burger. The meat quality had a few bits of gristle and it wasn't super juicy. It was a bit dry and cooked well done. The fries you could tell were just frozen fries. There's really only street parking or a public parking lot on the same street. However, the restaurant validate parking for the first hour, which is nice. Overall, this place was good but not great. However, the service was great! Friendly staff and it took maybe less than 10 minutes for the food to be ready

I have given these guys three times to improve and they just can't do it. Today I ordered a Rachel…read morewith baked potato. Who makes a Rachel without Thousand Island dressing? These guys. The turkey lacked flavor, so was way overpowered by the kraut. The baked potato clearly had been baked days before, then a weak attempt to reheat was made. It didn't even start to melt the butter. Mealy and gross.

We came for the Mother's Day brunch buffet and had a very disappointing experience. The brunch was…read moreadvertised as running until 1:00 PM, and reservations were still being accepted up until that time. However, when our party arrived for our 12:30 reservation, almost all of the food was gone and nothing was being refilled, despite there still being 30 minutes left in service. The little food that was available wasn't even very good, and everyone in our group left hungry. The service was also extremely poor. After ordering drinks, we waited about 15 minutes to receive them, and by then we had already finished the minimal food we were able to get. Throughout the rest of the meal, we were largely ignored and had no idea how to even check out. While the manager did comp 50% off the buffet cost, we still paid full price for drinks. For a group of six, we spent around $80 and left disappointed, hungry, and frustrated. This event was clearly not planned well, and both the food quality and service need major improvement.

We were just passing thru and stoped on a whim and the food was delicious. I love falafel and they…read morehave the best I've ever had! The pistachio baklava is also fantastic. My husband and I will definitely be back.

I chose this restaurant based on its great reviews, but unfortunately, my experience was very…read moredisappointing. When I walked in to pick up my order, the employee assembling my food wiped her gloved hands on her pants before continuing to prepare my meal. She also used those same gloves, which were covered in food and sauce, to bag my order. The outside of the takeout containers and bag was greasy, and after seeing how my food was handled, I couldn't get past it. I only ate a few bites before losing my appetite. I also got the pita chips, but they were extremely dark and tasted like old oil, as if they had been overcooked or fried more than once. We had been driving all day and were passing through, so I was really looking forward to a good meal. Instead, I left feeling disappointed and honestly grossed out. I hope the restaurant takes food handling and quality control more seriously because the reviews led me to expect a much better experience.

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! ⁣

Went to this place on a whim and was not disappointed. The service was fast even though there was…read moreonly one server when we got in there, he was kind and very helpful when we had questions. The area and ambiance of the restaurant is very unique and lovely! The food was the star of the show and made us question ever second guessing this place. We will be back for sure! If you're looking for quick and easy but tasty sliders and sides, this is the place for you!

Food was excellent. Service was great. Attentive and pleasant. Great sliders…read more Good location

THICK, perfectly medium pink (you specify your desired doneness), juicy burgers were the craving of…read morethe day. And such inventive topping combos to choose from! Note: For anything in the 'Burger' section of the menu, you can sub the beef for chicken or black bean burger. The beef patties were HUGE - probably 1/2 pound . And no skimping on the toppings here so go there really hungry or split with a friend. They were messy, drippy, and once you pick the sucker up, you hang on for dear life so the bun or toppings don't slide off. To me, this is the way a truly great burger needs to be! So, prepare yourself - lots of napkins are your friends... Burgers come w/hand cut fries that are beautifully browned. Unfortunately, I opted for carryout so I knew the fries would not be very crispy due to steaming a bit during transit. I'd recommend eating fries there on-site as they will be MUCH better. So why 4 stars vs. 5?? The burger was begging for a better sear and was barely browned.

I don't live in Iowa City anymore but whenever I'm back for work, Shorts is a place I make sure to…read morestop by. They usually have one of my favorite beers on draft--Blonde Fatale. Their menu has a variety of burgers which can all be subbed out for grilled chicken or a veggie patty. Their fries are some of my favorite I've had, and I love to have a good dipping sauce with my fries so I usually ask for the garlic aioli. They also have shorts sauce on the table which is mildly spicy with good flavor. The restaurant is small and dark, so if you come during busy hours you may have to wait a bit for your table.