This would definitely be a place I would frequent if I lived in this area…read more Good burgers, fast service, and a really cool atmosphere. Very popular local hangout. 11:30 AM on Saturday morning and already filling up with patrons. The local is know where to go.

Looking for a place for a burger. Review said doesn't look like much on the outside but you'll love…read morethe inside. Spot on. Loved the inside so Out of morbid curiosity I ordered the recommended Studabaker burger. It was awesome! Wife had the pork tenderloin, and in spite of growing up Iowa, she said it was one of the best she ever had. Only needed Bougies mustard from the quad cities. All in all, a great place to stop, and don't be afraid to try something different. Great people too!

Spirit Lake, Iowa…read more The outside of this restaurant is adorable. Picnic tables, and a few four top tables sit randomly underneath a tree with outdoor lights. The inside is cold and modern. Plastic chairs, low back high top chairs and concrete floor. Photos line the wall, mostly of kids and scribble crayon on the back wall It is a walk up where you order your food and then they bring it to the table. The guy taking my order was curt. Asked him if they fry their items in beef tallow. He said no. Then I told him I had a question about the turkey burger. He was gruff and said what do you wanna know. Then I asked him if he had to pick between two sandwiches, which would he pick? He shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps he should not be working the front of the house with his lack of personality. My husband's burger was plain but good. My turkey burger was very dry. The onion jam was absolutely delicious and so was the bun that it was served on. We ordered a side of tater tots. They have a bit of kick and spice to them. However, they were soft. I prefer my tater tots to be cooked to a crunch. Not wet and limp. You can order soda, but it is sold by the can. There are no fountain drinks. There is no table service. In fact, I have not seen one employee walk since we have been here. I would give thus place a 3.8 for food. I would give them one star for service. No, I would never come back

Came in with 2 friends. I ordered the BC Burger & fries. I have supported your business since they…read moreopened & usually love the food. My burger was just barely warm & came out within 5 minutes of us ordering. It seems like they are pre-cooked & then warmed up. The bun didn't seem fresh & my fries were hard. My other 2 friends had specialty burgers & fries. There fries were hot, fresh & delicious. I am very disappointed.

In town for some personal business and had time to kill so we decided to find a local place for…read morelunch. Per my usual when it comes to deciding factors, the name drew us in to The Flying Elbow. Super cute place - simple. Very clean. Straightforward. The menu is on the wall, above the same counter where you order. Staff was helpful and friendly. My husband got a burger - The Patterson. The gentleman taking his order was kind enough to switch out the bread since my hubs isn't a fan of jalapeño. He recommended Texas toast, which the hubs was grateful for and he LOVED it. It was just the right amount of messy, juicy, and YUM. I got the all-beef hotdog with chili, cheese, and green onions. It was delicious. My only recommendation would be putting the cheese under the chili so that it melts (or run it under the broiler for a sec) and gets super gooey. Otherwise, the chili was awesome and tasted great with the dog. I'd definitely get it again. BUT, the kicker of the whole meal, the absolute "must go back" item was the tots. HO. LY. COW. We got one order to share and just figured we were getting regular old tator tots. But NO. The order was six tots that were each about the size of a ping pong ball and they were the MOST epic little flavor bombs. I know they had potato, cheese, and bacon in them ... not sure what else they add to create that little ball-o-flavor but MAN. If you're in the area, this place should be on your list of "must try." If you're not, those tots are worth the trip.

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/

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!

Pickles Pub is central Iowa gem. Hidden on blue Highway D 41 in Kamrar. The building is lovely with…read morea great hometown bar & grill vibe. Always bustling on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Fun Day, Pickles has a great staff of friendly, small-town folks. They hustle! Food comes out timely, and is good quality. We had a combo plate with fried mushrooms, pickles, and corn nuggets. It's all frozen stuff, but good quality. My wife had the French Dip sandwich and loved it (although she never dips her sandwich... wtf). I had the Patty Melt. It was cooked well on marble rye and was delicious. This is the ultimate roadside joint for a beer and bite. Nothing but positive energy for Pickles Pub!

I'd like to start out by saying; the experience exceeded any expectation I had!…read more My boyfriend and I visited on a Saturday evening. We had an app, 2 steak dinners & 2 drinks each for around $75. Great prices, good food, friendly staff. They weren't packed but as we sat there the place filled up very quickly! Classic American pub. I was not expecting my sirloin to be so well cooked & seasoned. It was the most perfectly cooked Medium steak. WORLDS better than the crap Texas Roadhouse puts out. I did ask for steak sauce or "A1" and one of the server's (not our server) looked at me like I had 5 heads & shook her head no. This dumbfounded me that she had no clue what steak sauce was. Our server grabbed the steak sauce so no harm no foul! We will be back to try the pizza which seemed quite popular there. This is also a great establishment if you have a larger party for dinner, they get the food cranked out pretty quickly.

Camping outside of Webster City, we always look for a local spot to try when we travel. Tonight,…read morelucky us, it was the Grid Iron. Be prepared to show a little grace, there were a lot of cars turning in there as we came up to it- from the food, I'm guessing they're always busy! My wife chose their mainline burger (no cheese) and house fries. Honestly, I think we could tell how good it was going to be when got out of the car and that awesome charbroil smell overwhelmed us. She loved it. I had the Chipotle Bacon cheeseburger on Texas toast, well done for me (they will prepare to your liking), which is charbroiled, then dunked in their home made bourbon sauce and served with Swiss cheese and jalapeños. The fries have some type of coating that makes them a little crispier and a little tastier. Even if you're cruising up I35, it's worth the detour into WC for a great meal. Plenty of tv's but even with a crowd, you can still have enjoyable conversation at your table. It's no wonder one whole wall is covered with "best of" awards. They deserve them. Bon Appetite!

We drove 45 miles to try the Sunday breakfast buffet and it did not disappoint. We enjoyed every…read moresingle bite and the customer service was fantastic. Our server was friendly and helpful, making sure we had everything we needed the entire time. The biscuits and gravy were a favorite! It's hard to find a good gravy but they nailed it. The options to choose from were great! You had everything from fruit to French toast to mashed potatoes and fried chicken. I can't say enough about the friend chicken! The skin was battered perfectly and it was incredibly crispy while the meat inside was still juicy and delicious. This is some of the best friend chicken we've ever had - hands down!! The only suggestions I would make is #1 get there early because it is a popular place and #2 A 'cook to order' option for the eggs in the buffet would push it over the top. We can't wait to go back!

Checks ALL the boxes - friendly staff…read more- outstanding food - best hamburger in Des Moines Love this place

Great service! Great food options! Cool atmosphere and clean…read more Will return when back in town!

Nestled in a set of businesses halfway between Ames and Ankeny, Flight nailed my first visit with a…read moreterrific meal and great customer service. Plenty of parking and a comfortable interior, they enable diners to have a positive visit without being cramped or rushed. Noise isn't an issue. Opened with a sensational Onion Haystack, a unique dish that was aided by a pair of sauces, Chipotle ranch and buttermilk ranch. My burger was outstanding, The Classic, perfectly cooked and served on a delicious bun. I snagged some tasty sweet potato fries from my Way Better Half too! Coke products a plus too! Server Brooklyn was excellent, providing great guidance with a kind nature.

We went to Flight Bar + Grill in Huxley, Iowa to celebrate a family birthday. It was a great…read moreexperience. First, it was Fall graduation weekend at Iowa State University 8 miles up the road, so the place was packed. They told us we would have about an hour wait, but you could see the tickets were flying out of the kitchen, and that things were moving along nicely. We stopped in the bar for a drink, and I ordered a Manhattan up. It was very well made, and reasonably priced. In less than 45 minutes, we got our table. Flight has a variety of specialty smash burgers, and I chose the Crown Wagyu Burger. It's a double Wagyu patty smash burger with smoked gouda, hot pepper bacon jam, arugula, caramelized onion aioli + onion haystack. It was a fantastic burger, and the fries I had as a side were very nice too. The service was swift and friendly, and it was an overall great experience. The building itself is very clean With just the right lighting. It's got kind of an industrial look to it, and it is a nice space. It looked like there was a little banquet room off to the side for pre-scheduled gatherings. All in all, definitely two thumbs up for Flight!

A friend and I tried this place while in the area hunting and had a fantastic lunch. Service was…read moregreat and the restaurant itself is iconic. Try the pork tenderloin sandwich, you'll be happy you did!

This is really an interesting place with delicious food. Order at the counter and choose a seat…read more They bring the food to you. The menu board announces multiple specials like all-American burger, turkey melt and fish dinner. I had the turkey melt which was a large sandwich with turkey, bacon, tomato, and all the fixings. It came with a side of fries and a drink for 8.99! He had a chilli dog. As we were leaving the lady behind the counter asked if we wanted to take an ice cream cone with us. When we tried to pay for it, she said cones were free if you ate a meal. What a fun stop!