J's Homestyle Cooking in Cedar Falls

This longstanding comfort food diner is wedged in between student apartment buildings and the UNI Campus in Cedar Falls. For a college town, this place felt like a meeting place for the older townies.


Location: 1724 W 31st St in Cedar Falls, just south of the UNI campus and the UNI Dome.

Directions: Its about four miles north of Highway 20 just off Hudson Road in Cedar Falls. Look for the tall sign.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: Described on the menu as 14 oz. and lean cut pork meat. The point of distinction here is that the large cut of pork loins is trimmed of fat completely. This makes a big difference when you are eating a super jumbo tenderloin. The breading is just a thin golden brown layer that gets moistened by the steam in the meat. Served with your choice of fixings on a huge fresh baked bun. Overall 8.0 out of ten.

Price: $9.99, half size available for $7.99
Also on the menu: The menu is huge with breakfast, baked goods, broasted chicken and daily specials. They have a loosemeat burger named "J's MADEWRONG", a cheese stuffed "JUICY J's BURGER", along with classics like hot ham or Rueben sandwiches.

Service: there is a small counter but most people get table service and eat in booths.
Ambiance: This place shows its age. Its not old enough to have a nostalgic appeal like an older diner would, and its kept clean. But it still has tons of wood paneling and a baked goods display.

Final Thoughts: The dictionary definition of homestyle food from Google reads "Such as would be made or provided at home; simple and unpretentious". One of the online coupons for this place claims "We put the HOME in HOMESTYLE". J's Homestyle is like eating at a grandmothers house, from the decorations to the cookies.