What went well? EVERYTHING. I was a lonely dude just trying to start over. Saw a suggestion for…read moretraveling to Iowa and starting over. I got a steal on a big ass house, it was old, and a ton of work to modernize. I was determined to make the house ready for my future family. The folks at THE STANK ( what we locals call it) were very welcoming and kept me from quitting on my dreams many times. They also suggest maybe asking Jesus, and God. I did. I worshipped, I prayed. I danced. The snake thing was weird. met this cool woman that already had 6 kids, but my dream was 7. She's like, no problem. Life is good. Probably getting married. Job at the Post Office didn't work out. I'm a pet groomer now. Her kids are violent and rob stores across Iowa.

I was single in Aplington for a while. There just aren't many people here to choose from. I took a…read moreleap of faith and decided to go on a date with a guy from church. He had just moved to IA to take a job at the post office for $25/hr. That's more than most people make here! I wasn't sure about him but he took me to Stinky's bar and grill and I had a great time. Now we go once a year with our 7 kids on our anniversary. What a life!

Always a fantastic ploace to go to! The specials are somthing you alwasy should try, but you cant…read morego bad with one of their elli poppie burgers!!!

The service was good, we were greeted as we came in, clean interesting decor, but that was the…read moregood. The food was subpar to couldn't eat. We ordered the grilled tenderloin ( supposedly award winning) and the French Dip. The tenderloin was seasoned with a spice that took away the flavor of the meat. It was pounded so much the meat crumbled on the plate. It was tender however. The French Dip was another story. The meat was tough, gristly, and had an odd flavor. The dipping broth was inedible. It was obviously old and both the sandwich and the broth were barely warm. The French fries were also just warm, but on a good note the coleslaw was good. When the waitress came to our table I explained about the French Dip and she asked me if I wanted the cook to make me ia new one. No! I couldn't eat the first one . No $ was taken off our bill. This is not be a place I will go back to very soon.

My husband and I had dinner at Three Days Grille last night on June 5, 2026. This was our first…read moretime visiting this establishment. The food (chicken wings, bacon cheese burgers, and fries) was delicious and the service was amazing. The young lady working the bar and the dining room did a fantastic job! She was very busy, had a lot of customers, and she still gave excellent service. We are definitely going back while we are in town. Our meal was better than anything we have had in the area over the past few months.

The town is 31 people. Figure it out. Super clean, friendly owners, bar food plus. Owner stops by…read morefor conversation, had wings and tenderloins, plus cheese curds. Wow. This is real Iowa.

If you are reading this, I would guess that you are traveling across Iowa on Hwy 20, or even up…read moreI-35, and you're searching the Internet for fresh food, and this stretch of highway looks pretty bare for hometown restaurants...but, you are in luck! Just detour into Steamboat Rock (five minutes off Hwy 20), and find yourself in another world, possibly another century. Mama's Family Diner is in the downstairs lunchroom of the local schoolhouse (formerly called the Schoolhouse Diner). You'll find yourself feeling like a very lucky grade school student, where the lunch ladies serve fresh made tortillas for your Mexican fare, and Iowa favorites for the nostalgic. The day we visited, the lunch specials were either burrito, enchilada, meatloaf and mashed potatoes with dessert, or goulash with dessert. There is also a Mexican menu of soft tacos (ground beef, chicken or steak) and quesadillas, etc. There are none of the tired old bar food menu items, the American fare is limited to the specials, and the Mexican food is geared toward Iowa palates, but this may change as the restaurant gains popularity. Your food (plenty of it) is served on real restaurant china, by Mama herself. And the burrito was muy grande, as you can see from our picture. Do yourself a favor, drop off the beaten path, and, when you step out of your car onto the quiet, peaceful street, bordered by old growth trees, and walk down the sidewalk into this renovated schoolhouse, you'll remember the good times when school lunch was the best part do the school day! Three stars because the menu is very limited, but five for home town atmosphere...this is what Iowa small towns are really like, hence the four star average.

Best home cooked Mexican food ever! Every time we visit Steamboat Rock, we have to come here…read more Everything on the menu is delicious. Went here with a vegetarian friend and Mama made the best vegetarian burrito she's ever had! Definitely worth the short drive off the interstate for some authentic home cooked food.

I really wanted to love this place but it was a big let down…read more First, we were there on a Friday, just before what is likely a very busy time. We sat at the bar. The servers were there, obviously waiting for customers to start arriving, and they were all congregating at the end of the bar, chatting it up. It was super unprofessional and pretty annoying. We were glad when the food came out quickly so we could just eat and leave. To be honest, I don't recall what my husband ordered. I got the pork tenderloin. The tenderloin was very tough and had zero flavor. Like, I don't think they even put salt in the coating, let alone any other seasonings. This is Iowa, if you can't make anything else at all, you should at least have a decent pork tenderloin. This was our second time trying the place. Both instances were equally underwhelming. I wanted this to be our "go to" place but sadly we won't return.

Called ahead of time to watch the Iowa State game. They said they'd have it on with volume. We…read moreasked politely to have the music turned down to hear the game. They refused. I went to the bathroom and heard the dish boy/cook using foul language stating he wasn't going to accommodate the request. He was super rude and sarcastically clapping at the game to make a point. We planned to all have dinner but left to a more accommodating restaurant. Any restaurant in town would be more accommodating and respectful than this place. We'll never return or spend a dime here again.

Best tenderloin in Iowa. Shares tenderloins with partner Big Foot Betty in Cedar Falls, Iowa…read more(where we live). Better than at Iowa State Fair. Great selection of draft beers.

We stopped in for a quick lunch and a couple drinks and were not disappointed. The waiter was…read morefriendly and they had a nice selection of beers from Iowa to choose from. The entire restaurant was very clean and the food came out hot and tasty.

Variety of food and easy parking. Staff is friendly and helpful. Wings are delicious highly…read morerecommend

Only have 1 out of 10 tvs working currently. Quesadillas are over $18 which is crazy . Bartenders…read moreare rude and don't pay attention to their customers . Food is avg at best

Always the same folks serving and preparing your food. Friendly , spotless and delicious. It's more…read moreFamily than crew. 5 Star!

A greasy spoon with classic diner items and comfort food…read more Breakfast was good. Portions are huge at this diner. The service took longer than expected after we ordered. They certainly have their regular customers.

Disappointed... I came here for restaurant week to try their Thai Menu. It looked good online and…read morethought I'd give them a try. The Cafe has been on my list for a while now. Disappointed to say the least, I came in the back door not realized there was a correct door and was rudely cut off by other patrons at the front desk. I had to wait several minutes to be waited on and the place had plenty of spots. Maybe because I was a party of 1... they didn't seem to care. After I shared what drink I wanted, I learned they were out... fine no problem. I asked about the Thai specials, the waitress was clueless. I had to ask for the restaurant week menu and ask about the specials. She said they looked good but couldn't describe them and hasn't tasted them. I got the salad on special, but get this... they were out of the main restaurant week special... such a let down. The ambiance was mixed, one corner was a cute date night the other corner was crying children. All dimly lit and outdated decor. The whole experience was off, I ended up leaving after my one drink and salad. I hope to give this place a second chance sometime but hope they aren't out of dishes and I can get a trained server. Maybe another night for sure!

Visited on 11/07/25. The Cafe is an absolute gem! Every…read morevisit feels like a new culinary adventure thanks to their ever-changing menu. The chefs clearly love experimenting, offering a creative fusion of flavors that blend different cuisines beautifully. Whether it's a twist on a classic dish or something completely unexpected, everything is prepared with care and a true sense of innovation. Me and my significant other both ordered the Feta Cheese w/ Honey, Herbs, and Pistachios + Bread as our appetizer and for main dish we ordered Korean Steak & Egg that consist of soy/ginger marinated hanger steak with kimchi fried rice, and arugula with sweet chili aioli, and sunny side egg on top. The only thing I was a bit disappointed was that the kimchi didn't have the actual kick and true kimchi flavor but it was still good! Beyond the food, what really sets The Cafe apart is the warm and attentive customer service. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and always happy to make recommendations or accommodate special requests. You can tell they genuinely care about creating a great dining experience for every guest. If you're looking for a place that combines delicious, inventive food with top-notch hospitality, The Cafe is a must-visit. It's one of those rare spots where you'll leave satisfied, and already planning your next visit to see what's new on the menu!

We stopped in looking for a new, local place to try and were very pleased with the experience. The…read morefood was delicious - hubby especially liked the wings! The service was fast and they took good care of our table. The only thing missing was a smile or friendliness from our server. It could have been an off day. We'll definitely go back!

The food is literally all good here. Haven't tried a single thing that I didn't love!…read more (The menu in the photos is the updated one as of August 2024)