Gramma's Kitchen & Checkered Flag — Restaurant in Iowa

A buddy and I recently went to Grammas Kitchen for lunch at 11AM on a Friday in early June 2021. Our purpose was to try the Tenderloins because Grammas had been on the Iowa Tenderloin Trail for several years, and the menu lists it as having been seen on the Travel Channel.

At the time we went they were not busy, however by 12:30 they were busy (still plenty of seating available). Like so many restaurants currently, they were working a little short staffed, but our server Linda was great - - friendly, efficient, and she checked on us frequently.

Grammas has a large menu, and many items sounded delicious and homestyle. They also had a salad bar, and some meals included it. I thought about trying the meatloaf, as it sounded good and was listed on the menu (like the tenderloin) as having been seen on the Travel Channel. Unfortunately they had a run on the meatloaf the previous day and it was sold out.

I ordered the breaded tenderloin and found it very tasty : lightly battered with a slightly sweet batter, reasonably thick, and juicy. It is just bun size though. Some on the Tenderloin Trail, such as the excellent, double - sized one at Stouts Irish Pub in (relatively nearby) Clinton, Iowa are much larger. It comes with fries (very tasty).

My buddy got the grilled tenderloin and was not as fortunate as I. It also was just bun-sized, but had dark char marks on it (as you would find from a grill) and it was overcooked - - dry and flavorless according to my friend. He really should have sent it back (I could tell when he got it that it just looked dry and overcooked). He chose the homemade potato chips as his side, and he said they were very good. One additional note: they serve Pepsi fountain products, and although they come with free refills, they are pretty pricy at about $3.30.

I deducted a single star for the overcooked grilled tenderloin, because I felt the cook should never have sent it out looking like it did. I'm sure they would have given my friend a new one if he had only asked for it. Other than that, Grammas Kitchen seemed like a nice place to eat : with plenty of seating at booths and tables, a gift store area with Iowa related items, a friendly and efficient waitstaff and cashier, clean restroom, my food was good, and the food I saw being delivered to other customers looked good. It appears to be a popular place, and overall they must be doing the majority of things right, because they have been in operation for years. I live about 25 minutes away, and I will eat there again.

FYI, the Iowa 80 Truck Stop (supposedly the world's largest, and it's absolutely huge-- they even have a resident dentist! ) is located across the street, along with a very large, nice museum of antique trucks. Both places are...

1.) Farm style restaurant, with a diner twist. They set the family-style tone nicely by starting with a pitcher of water for the table. Intended to keep your mason jar glasses full. Friendly waitstaff, with very hospitable treatment. We were not very hungry, so my wife and I just ordered some cheese curds. They were delicious, hit the spot, and made us excited to come back for breakfast. While we were paying for our meal, my wife inquired about an interesting beverage she saw in the fridge. The waitress popped it open and gave it to us to try; on the house. We exchanged pleasant conversation with the down-to-earth staff. I’ve heard great things about this place, and it’s no wonder why. This is a place we will certainly frequent.

2.) My wife and I returned for breakfast. This time for the full experience. Seasoned waitress whose experience reflects itself. Top notch service from A-Z. We both had the Country Fried Breakfast. We chose the steak (they do offer chicken), their hash brown casserole, 2 eggs, with a biscuit and gravy. The steak was mouthwatering. Prepared from scratch, breaded by hand. The hash brown casserole was delicious and cheesy. The gravy actually contained meat, and had good flavor. The eggs were cooked properly; as ordered (unlike most places whose chefs don’t understand what over-medium means). 2 visits in, and many more to come. Highly impressed, and would rate this in my personal Top 10 highway restaurants in...

I’ve only been here once and that will never happen again. I went last night (about 5:30pm) with my husband, two children and my best friend and her husband. We had an absolutely wonderful server. When my grilled tenderloin came out, there was a piece of metal in it (presumably from a grill brush) and I brought it to the server’s attention, who took it to get it remade. Things happen, it wasn’t that serious. After 10 minutes and me having no food, my daughter pulled a hair out of her mouth that was in/on her chicken tenders. We brought it to management’s attention and they said “I’m so sorry, I JUST had a talk with the kitchen about their hair”. Excuse me, what?! So, this is clearly a known issue and nothing was done to prevent it. Another 5 minutes later, I get my food again and they gave me this thin, oblong piece of pork tenderloin. I was annoyed but okay, whatever, I’m hungry. I ate a fry and they were cold. They didn’t even have the courtesy to give me fresh fries when they remade my sandwich. At that point, I went back to the manager and told them my new issue and that I didn’t even want the food anymore. Server was so polite and awesome but food (and management) need a lot of work.

EDIT: I spoke with Nichole (gm) and she was so awesome, completely addressed my concerns with the situation and I will consider trying again after some...