Let me be honest. This is a local spot where Iowa Falls citizens meet for breakfast or coffee, with…read morean opportunity to catch up with friends. I stopped in very early one morning. My motel's breakfast left a lot to be desired so I was looking for alternatives. The Red Rooster was the only place, except for McDonald's that was open. When I entered, there was a table of locals enjoying their regular morning gathering. I was greeted by the hostess who was also the waitress, cook, and clean up staff. I need to say that I was well attended and the breakfast meal was good. It is a very comfortable place if you are acquainted with small town pleasantries. Cash is the only way to pay. But it is very affordable.

Friendly staff, good food, homey vibe, quick service. Cash is king, don't bring your stupid tap to…read morepay.

I stopped for lunch at 502 Grillhouse! It was fairly busy but staff was doing a great job tending…read moreto everyone! Kelly was my waitress & was on top of the whole place including food & drink. Not often u see gizzards on the menu many places anymore, so I had to try along with potato, corn, ham chowder! Both were awesome choices. I will definitely be back for other options including Unvke chucks chicken basket! Vibe was fun & relaxed, good music playing background & everyone seemed happy!

I had a double cheeseburger and my husband had the fish basket. Both were very good!! Service was…read moreexcellent and prices are reasonable.

I understand Ragbrai was coming through. What doesnt make sense is they locked their doors, which I…read morebelieve is a fire code violation. Unsure if guy running door was owner or employee but he was not doing a very good job. Menu was limited to just pizzas. Saw some come by and was not impressed- they reminded me of totinos frozen pizzas. We got the one round of drinks and continued to look for dinner. Ended up at Pizza Ranch which was very good.

Really a cute option for non chain dining. When we stopped the service was slow, but at this point…read morehiring staff is hard and all restaurants are struggling to keep up. The waitress was friendly and trying to keep up. There's a great beer list with variety of options. The Philly cheesesteak and BBQ beef sandwiches were real good. The Rangoon calzone not so much. Next to the building is an overlook to a bluff that can cause stress response to the acrophobic but still a cool view from ground level.

Decided to stop in some place we hadn't been before. Husband got the chicken gizzard and…read morecheesesteak, and I got the pretzel bites and hot beef. My husband said his meal and appetizer were excellent! My food was very good too. Prices are very reasonable and the staff is very welcoming and friendly. It's definitely a place we would come eat again.

Great night staff. Good food. Just need to have kitchen open past 10pm. Or have chips or popcorn or…read morejust appetizers.

What a find! Bottom line: excellent. Staff is welcoming, cheery, helpful and professional. Their…read morerecommendations were honest and spot-on. Cocktails were expertly prepared and served. And the food...simply the best we've enjoyed in Mason City. Dry-rub wings appetizer (lemon pepper and mesquite) were generously sized and entirely delectable. NY strip with mashed potato, asparagus and mushroom demi was first-rate, top-drawer and perfectly prepared mid-rare. Legacy burger with sumptuous Gouda Mac and cheese was expertly grilled mid-rare and deliciously bacon-forward. And the crème brûlée was, to be honest, one of the best we've ever tasted. We visited on a slow Saturday so enjoyed the very pleasant quiet ambiance. Had such a great experience that we're headed back tomorrow morning for brunch knowing it will deliver another 10/10 dining adventure. Bistro Nineteen is a winner.

Great experience. Looks can be deceiving. Didn't know what to expect walking in. Very large open…read morearea. Wait staff was very welcoming and warm. Started with a cocktail that was very good. Was not impressed with the appetizer menu at all. Only 3 items. Ordered the Filet Migon. No bread, soup or salad served with your meal. You can order that for extra price. The steak came with asparagus and mashed potatoes. I ordered mine rare and it was excellent. Flavor was great. 8 oz was a great size. Then on to dessert. They were out of the item we ordered, but the waitress brought a piece of cheesecake on the house since they were out. The only complaint was really the no bread or soup/salad served with the steak. Over all wonderful time and we will go back again.

I got the ribs special. They were extremely tender fall off the bone delicious. The sauce was…read moreawesome. Mashed potatoes were ok. The rotini and cheese was good. The staff were really nice. Lots of locals. Seems like a favorite among the local residents. Nice and cozy.

Just like down home! Sometimes you have to wait for abit for your food but it's worth the wait.read more

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.

Stopped here for lunch during our drive home. It is a good, clean and modern restaurant with a…read moresmall town cafe feel. The food was good as well as the value. My wife ordered the Mushroom Burger (see picture) while I had the Chicken Noodle Soup (see picture). We thought that both tasted very good - the soup was not watered down and actually was fairly thick. Food: 3 Atmosphere: 3 Value: 5 Service: 3 If you found this review helpful, please click to show your support.

When traveling we like to eat at local family run restaurants. We had breakfast and it was very…read moregood. I had the meat platter breakfast with a pancake and my significant other had the biscuits n gravy I highly recommend them