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 came in from out of town to celebrate my cousin's graduation. A total of three tables were…read moreoccupied. My aunt called on two separate occasions to make reservations for our larger group. We walked in on the night of my cousin's graduation to celebrate a huge milestone. We walked in and the hostess stated she didn't have our reservation, another lady who was either the owner or manager came up hot and bothered and was EXTREMELY rude. On a hospitality level I give her a -50. She very rudely stated she didn't have our reservation and continued to be awful as we tried to clarify that we had made a reservation. Even if she could have been nice and apologetic about the reservation misunderstanding, I wouldn't have stayed to eat here and support this business. People need to learn how to treat other humans nicely. This lady was NOT nice, one of the rudest restaurant encounters I've ever had.

If someone were to ask me to invent a restaurant I would want in North Missouri, the answer is…read morebasically Sebree's. It is a daydream come true (wistful, but more grounded in reality). And Sebree's manages to be better than I could have imagined. Sebree's is the embodiment of what I hope restaurants in this part of the world can be. We have so much to offer, it's a matter of bringing it all together. And they do that so well. They have admirably prioritized relationships with area farmers, showcasing local producers. Where they do go outside the immediate region (seafood), they make a point of keeping the same sort of relationships with small-scale, sustainable producers in those communities. In our visit, the menu was very local - both in content and design. Consisted solely of recognizable dishes folks grew up with here - surf and turf, pasta, bread pudding, there were few surprises. And that's where the surprise was: the execution is on an astounding level. I have seen variations on that menu in so many other places throughout Missouri and beyond. The dish names are the same, but none of them produce like this. So think homestyle food, except in your house you have someone from Greentop who went out and cooked under French and German chefs, then came back for family. Normal stuff. Even something as basic as the bread was excellent, and the honey butter they whipped up for it was ideal. The steak was the best we'd ever had in the area. And the bread pudding was outstanding - I'm still thinking about that caramel. They are passionate about food here and it shows - curious and inventive, evolving the menu throughout the seasons based on what's available. An example of this is their blackberry sorbet. It's lovely. Cindy, the front-of-house side of the wonderful duo who own and operate this place, explained "We ended up with a fantastic crop of blackberries in our garden this year, so I've been figuring out what to do with them ever since. We froze a bunch and I decided to try making a sorbet. So I learned." Fantastic. I love that attitude, and they have the standards and abilities to make special things happen. They pay attention to the quality of details, and it shows. Even the music - the played vintage Uncle Tupelo all through our time there, it was the perfect choice. Maybe that's the metaphor: That combination of heritage and modern craft. Is it perfect? No, of course not. It's very human and honest, and I love that about it. It's making things and tinkering and innovating, and that's much more interesting than the same polished menu with little variation. The citrus slaw was good, but for us it would have worked better as a component in a larger dish - which I think is how it started. The wine list fit in with what's generally available in the region, but it's also an opportunity to raise the level a notch above what you can get at Hy-Vee. Maybe the traffic through the restaurant isn't enough for it, which would totally make sense. Generally speaking, the drink program is fine but doesn't match the level of the food. There is a decent enough looking bar, but they may have been short staffed and this all could be remedied by the time you're reading this. The atmosphere was one of transition, while still good. It and the menu graphic design are sneaky - they don't fully communicate the excellence coming from the kitchen. All of it is completely understandable, and I also would love to see this place playing to its heights. None of these are big deals. We felt comfortable and welcome, and the night was a great time. This place is a conversation with the local community. It makes so much sense. I would love to see that culinary conversation expand to include some of the additional flavors and traditions we have here - Salvadorean pupusas would be a perfect combination with that citrus slaw. It would be fun to see one dish on the menu that steps into more inventive and educational territory - but we've only been once, so they may already be doing that and we just missed it this time. If possible, make reservations - they have a small team, so it's wise to give them a heads up that you're heading their way, right after we got there a table of 12 showed up and I gained an appreciation for Cindy's role as host/air traffic controller. Let's wrap this up: Kirksville is a place that is 3 hours away from the nearest airport, and even though it's just 17,000 people, it's the largest town for a wide radius. It is also a place where you can go from preschool to doctor without leaving the city limits. That's what I love about this area - when people only focus on the limitations, they don't see *us*. And this is what they miss. Sebree's gave me a great meal, but it also feeds a sense of pride and possibility in where we are and who we can be. Maybe that's lofty to say about a surf and turf platter with a house salad, but I defy anyone to come here and walk away with anything but respect.

Tucked away in Albia is a restaurant that is President Barrack Obama approved as they are famous…read morefor their Iowa pork tenderloin sandwiches. What's that you say? Picture a buttered hamburger bun sandwiched by a giant plate sized fried pork tenderloin. The fried tenderloin is soo juicy and crunchy, unlike anything you've had before, and a nice tang from the mustard. President Obama came here in 2018 and the photo is proudly featured on their wall, but the real reason they're famous and have been for decades is their authentic Iowan classics like the pork tenderloin sandwiches and loose meat sandwiches. Also, don't forget their tots and fries with cheese, as they are always fried to perfection. Just like Iowa.

The pork tenderloin sandwich and onion rings were amazing and Sherry was awesome, highly recommend…read morethis place‼

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!

Wissota Chophouse is a little fancier than I usually go for, but it might be just right for you…read more The staff was great, super friendly, and even the manager came over to chat for a bit. The place has a really nice upscale vibe. The outdoor seating has fire pits and heaters, and inside there's a gorgeous bar setup. We had drinks, fried alligator bites, and truffle fries. The drinks were amazing, and the food was good, though it could use a little fine-tuning. Overall, a nice spot if you're looking for something a bit more upscale.

In town for business or just driving through, you must stop! The service was impeccable, the food…read morewas off the chart amazingly flavorful. We had a hard time deciding what to get. We had scallops, truffle mac and cheese, steak flatbread, Caesar salad. Will definitely be back when we are in town.

The people who work at Buddy's and fun, and the food is fabulous!…read more Everything was fresh and well prepared. It was kid friendly. I will be back.

Food in the restaurant is good. We took desserts home. Was told they were store bought which is…read morefine. Gor home to find that the apple pie was molded. Wait staff had cut the pie put it into the to go container, charged us and sent us home with a completely molded piece of pie. Mold was obvious. When the container was opened it was furry and green on the sides.

We experienced Great food & friendly, quick service! No waiting to get seated. Great hours!read more

Tonight was the best meal I have had here. The food was exceptional which is pretty normal for…read morehere. The diffrence tonight was Hannah our waitress. She was exceptional. I highly recommend that she train the other waitstaff. My sister and I had the Ribs and Prime rib Special. Highly Recommend.

We were in town for sports, got into the shop on a random week night 15 min. before close. The…read morestaff were cleaning up, but happy to let us use the restroom while they cooked us some great breadsticks! We tried a classic, bread sticks and marinara. We've heard about this place from a lot of people, and we're so glad we popped in! Will definitely be coming back! About the shop, I'd say it's business in front and they have a party room in back with an open concept kitchen. Clean and nice bathrooms, great small town hang out!

Waited almost an hour for order gave me half then realized pizza was wrong so had to wait more…read more Manager said sorry we're busy another customer had waited hour also and was still waiting when I left. They called owner who said what do you want me to do. Will never go back