Most Iconic Restaurant in Every State
- Thread starter capitalcityguy
- Start date
I see peoples' point about something needing to be well-known and/or popular to be iconic (Thrillist's own criteria states that the place needs to be "a crowd favorite"). On that topic, consider the number of Yelp reviews:
Northwestern Steakhouse - 28
Compare that to some more well-known places in Iowa:
Hickory Park - 147
The Machine Shed - 107
Hamburg Inn - 133
Pagliai's Pizza - 84
Great Plains - 59
Northwestern Steakhouse - 28
Compare that to some more well-known places in Iowa:
Hickory Park - 147
The Machine Shed - 107
Hamburg Inn - 133
Pagliai's Pizza - 84
Great Plains - 59
hummm...given the sheer size of states and number of restaurants to choose from, this task would seem to be fraught with problems trying to nail down which one restaurant would be the "most iconic". Regardless, these lists can be interesting fodder for discussion and I was curious which restaurant was picked for Iowa as well as if I'd been to, or heard of any of the ones picked for other states.
Here's an overview of what it took to get picked:
Northwestern Steakhouse in Mason City (which is a far superior version, and run by different family member, than Cafe Northwest in Ames) was selected for Iowa. This is a great pick. Honestly best steaks...anywhere. Hands down. Throw in side of Greek salad and Greek spaghetti...flippin awesome! If I could only get one steak from anywhere, I'd take theirs over even the likes of 801 Steak and Chop. Adding to its iconic status, is the fact it is in an old turn-of the century building (see picture in article) pretty much all by itself on north end of Mason City with big Cement plant in the background. Highly recommend if you're ever in north central Iowa.
The only other two I've been to on the list: the original Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City and Wall Drug, South Dakota. Actually hit the original Arthur Bryant's last time we were in KC. Food was good but you're definitely on the fringe, if not sticking your toe in, the hood there. Appreciated the big security dude parked out front in the Cadillac Escalade. Very iconic!
I was young when we stopped at Wall Drug during family trip, so can't recall much about this place (other than the multiple billboards along the highway that drew us there).
Here's the article:
http://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation...c-restaurants-in-every-state?ref=facebook-869
You can do better than the original Arthur Bryant's as an icon I hope......you just can.
Wall Drug is more of an icon for the upper Midwest
When driving to Memphis to the Liberty Bowl, I saw literally a 1000 billboards for Lambert's Cafe "Home of the Throwed Rolls." I was a little unimpressed. I was wondering if it would have been the Missouri choice.
How? The place represents one of the four major barbecue styles in the US (which is named after the city it's located in), has been there forever while hardly changing a thing, and is routinely visited by Presidents when they're in town. Pretty tough to get more iconic than that...
Agree, I would have said "The Machine Shed," but having grown up in Davenport, it's hard not to know about that place. I don't know half the stuff that's over in the western half of the state.
Machine Shed seems like a logical choice.
Breitbach's in Balltown is great. First restaurant in Iowa, great setting, neat story, great food.
I hadn't ever heard of the place in Mason City and I live less than an hour from there.
Breitbach's in Balltown is great. First restaurant in Iowa, great setting, neat story, great food.
I hadn't ever heard of the place in Mason City and I live less than an hour from there.
I was just going to ask if it is worth checking out. I have been to L.C.'s, Oklahoma Joe's, and Jack Stack so far in KC.
I think the problem with the Machine Shed on a list like this is that they have expanded to multiple locations in several states. They are currently in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. I also know that at one point they had a Kansas location.
Doe's Eat Place in Greenville, MS. Best steak ever!! Still in the original building since 1941. Historic and iconic all in one.
I'm not saying I agree or disagree with it on the list, but I'm from Mason city, and if you were with people that were and Northwestern Cafe Steakhouse wasn't the first, last and only recommendation, then they're the type of people that only eat at McDonalds and Applebee's. Outside of NCS, the only place I'd tell people about there is Pete's Kitchen.
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This. The fact they didn't recommend NW Steakhouse says more about the chances your co-workers from Mason City actually may have lived in caves vs whether NW steakhouse is or isn't an iconic restaurant.
Red Pepper in North Dakota is some great drunk food. Surprised it made the list but it is, as the article said, a UND student staple.
Never been to the others. No reason to. I was brought up into bryants and will not go elsewhere. During our trip to a chiefs game, 2 series games, and the OK game we are dinner there and then went back for breakfast, they have ribs ready at 10 am. Nuf said.
L.C.'s was decent. OK Joe's is very good. Personally I liked Jack Stack the best although it has a bit classier feel to it than a typical BBQ place. I will have to check out Arthur Bryant's the next time I make it to KC.
hummm...given the sheer size of states and number of restaurants to choose from, this task would seem to be fraught with problems trying to nail down which one restaurant would be the "most iconic". Regardless, these lists can be interesting fodder for discussion and I was curious which restaurant was picked for Iowa as well as if I'd been to, or heard of any of the ones picked for other states.
Here's an overview of what it took to get picked:
Northwestern Steakhouse in Mason City (which is a far superior version, and run by different family member, than Cafe Northwest in Ames) was selected for Iowa. This is a great pick. Honestly best steaks...anywhere. Hands down. Throw in side of Greek salad and Greek spaghetti...flippin awesome! If I could only get one steak from anywhere, I'd take theirs over even the likes of 801 Steak and Chop. Adding to its iconic status, is the fact it is in an old turn-of the century building (see picture in article) pretty much all by itself on north end of Mason City with big Cement plant in the background. Highly recommend if you're ever in north central Iowa.
The only other two I've been to on the list: the original Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City and Wall Drug, South Dakota. Actually hit the original Arthur Bryant's last time we were in KC. Food was good but you're definitely on the fringe, if not sticking your toe in, the hood there. Appreciated the big security dude parked out front in the Cadillac Escalade. Very iconic!
I was young when we stopped at Wall Drug during family trip, so can't recall much about this place (other than the multiple billboards along the highway that drew us there).
Here's the article:
http://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation...c-restaurants-in-every-state?ref=facebook-869
Most Iconic? I would go with Taylor Maidrite in Mtown. I hate maidrites but it is the original and my grandpa used to drive me an hour just to eat there which scarred me. Milwaukee wiener shop in Sioux City would be another. King towe cafe in Tama, Nilands in Colo all deserve mentions too.
Edit....Hamburg #2 and great plains also deserve to be on the list. NWS would not be iconic imo, maybe most iconic in mason city but by no means an Iowa staple.....and machine shed is a cliche not an icon.
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