Iowa Buffet — Restaurant in St. Louis

I love Iowa Buffet so much and its local small business corner neighborhood bar vibe that I didn't want to review it for the longest time, so that I'd always have a spot to sit.

Those days are over, because I finally realized (with the help of Ruby, a bartender there,) that like all the other businesses around, especially the small ones, success relies largely on word of mouth. So here goes:

And sorry to all my other burger makers out there (save the private chefs at home)

BEST DAMN BURGERS IN TOWN**

Don't call in an order, just wait and watch the bartender slay your burger on the 1920's grill and making some grilled onions and toasting the buns on top. Only machine like it I've ever seen and it has to be so seasoned by now that nothing but goodness can ever come out of it.

They're trying to reinvigorate the evening programming and now there's

+Karaoke (led by Ruby who can really belt out the saddest or happiest song and make you feel it too)

+Outdoor movie nights on the patio, as well as music shows

+Indoor acts and open mike nights

+SATURDAY BBQ: Ribs that are longer than the plate, pork chops just the same, chicken, brats, and a plate special which includes sides like slaw or potato salad or some other type of home style treat, AND  a dessert, which if you are lucky, Carol the matriarch of the business, made. Pies, cakes, and more pies.

Oops I almost forgot to mention that they have their own french fry press for the potatoes so the fries are extra good too.

Lastly, as a woman I'm gonna mention that now this is a 3 generation bar run by 3 women: a mother, daughter, and her daughter, and I have the utmost respect for them staying in business over 35 years. I'm sure it hasn't been easy and I am so thankful they are there to bring together all the disparate people in the neighborhood and beyond.

This bar may be a sleeper on your radar, and I do hope to be able to find a seat when I go in, but if it's so busy I have to stand, I might even be happier about that. Give them a try. Call ahead for veggie options, but you pretty much want to get the burger, and have a beverage while you wait. They are also expanding their NA options. K, thanks for reading. Hope to...

Iowa Buffet has been on my Yelp Bookmarks, for many years and I've finally visited. Let me begin by telling you it is definitely not in Iowa. It's not even on Iowa Avenue, it's at the corner of Iowa and Winnebago. Also, it's not a buffet. Its name is all a lie.

What it truly is, is a diehard dive bar. If Bette Davis walked in she'd say, "What a dump." The decor is totally tacky and that is part of its charm. Another part of its charm is the welcoming atmosphere. When we entered not only did the bartender say, but so did a couple of the guest already seated at the bar.

When reading the menu for your first time, you'll be shocked at low-low prices. Our plan was to have cheeseburgers and fries, but once we saw the pricing, we added wings as an appetizer. We had our wings, plain with Bleu Cheese for dipping. We received 6 pieces, 3 flats and 3 drums. I like it when the chicken pieces are the same quantity. They were super crispy and seasoned with only pepper and salt.

I built my own cheeseburger. As my cheese, I chose Pepper Jack and added raw onion and jalapeños as garnishes. To make it perfect, all I had to add was ketchup and mustard. My dining partner enjoyed a Hank Burger, but changed the cheese from American to Pepper Jack. We both gave our burgers a thumbs up.

Our adult beverage was Vodka and Club Soda. When the bartender brought us our drinks, at first we thought they were glasses of water. Yep, the cocktails were made in huge water glasses and they were strong. It's exactly what I'd expect from a dive bar.

If you're on a tight budget and want to out, head over to Iowa Buffet for a budget friendly fun time. Good food and strong cocktails...

I went with two co-workers. Had heard about the burgers and also that they were cooked on a broiler that our company had built about 60 years ago. We also knew to take cash. Had a great time for lunch. Would have loved to enjoy a couple beers while the burgers cooked. The old broiler is a bit slow, but I think that makes for a great burger. Hot throughout without getting dried out. Soft plain bun with pickles and your choice of cheese. The sauteed onions (my coworker knew to ask ahead of time) added a nice flavor. I had asked for "without" but a few strays made it onto my burgers and I'm glad. Fries were heavy, fresh cut, and the second batch had a little shared onion ring flavor from our order of rings. Since the first order didn't have anything but potato flavor you could tell the fry oil was fresh. The broiler had been making burgers for the 27 years Carol and her husband have owned the place and it was well known before that in this...