Sneakers Eatery & Pub in Fort Dodge, Iowa

I've been driving around Fort Dodge and surroundings for a long time now. I went to local legend Community Tap & Pizza and found an okay tenderloin, but I've kept looking. Now it seems like plenty of places have come and go over the years in the downtown area and the commercial strip. I hadn't heard of Sneakers Pub until a few months ago, and it looks like the building used to be a different restaurant. I still don't understand the appeal of naming a bar after a pair of shoes, or having shoes in the sign.

Location: 1317 Central Ave in Fort Dodge, North Central Iowa.

Directions: Central Ave is just East of downtown Ft Dodge and can be reached by taking the Business 20 turn off and turning north on 12th St or 15th St.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This was a large cut of pork loin, at least eight ounces. The breading formed big crunchy flakes on all parts of the meat. The pork loin was dry on the edges and soft and juicy in one part, but the fat hadn't been trimmed well. Served on a giant toasted bun. Overall 7.4 out of ten.

Price: $9.25 with a side

Also on the menu: The menu is huge with burgers, wings, a "world famous rueben", fish, tacos and everything you've seen at sports bars before.

Service: There was one server working the bar and dining areas who was a little overworked when I was in.

Ambiance: This is a sports bar with a huge bar area and televisions and sports stuff tacked onto the walls.

Final thoughts: Sneakers was a nice sports bar with an alright breaded tenderloin. I haven't found a real good one in the city of Ft Dodge yet. Just a short drive from Ft Dodge I have found good tenderloins in Clare or in Paton or Ogden.

Belmond Drive-In in Belmond Iowa

The Belmond Drive-In has a tenderloin on the sign, and its 2016 IPPA Best Tenderloin in Iowa Contest plaque on the wall. Then they have a sign reading Best Tenderloin in a window, and then the shirts they wear say "Hand Breaded Tenderloins" and "Full of Awesome".

Location: 215 River Ave S in Belmond, Wright County, Northern Iowa.

Directions: you take Highway 69 North from Des Moines past Webster City and this place is on the south side of town.

The Tenderloin: This felt like one of the smaller sized loins, maybe less than seven ounces. The breading had a good golden brown color with hints of seasoning but nothing that tasted strong. It formed a very thin and slightly crunchy layer over the white loin meat. What made this tiny tenderloin good was the consistent tenderness and juiciness in the meat. Served on a higher quality toasted bun with the usual fixings. Overall 8.9 very good

Price: $5.88 after tax

Also on the menu: The menu has the basics of burgers, a melt sandwich, and hot beef with ice cream shop items for dessert.

Service: There was one person working tables and one person cooking when I was in.

Ambiance: The interior is covered with Belmond-Klemme Mustang gear, seating was available at a small counter or tables.

Final Thoughts: This tenderloin is a case of good things sometimes coming in small packages. This is my first stop in Wright County, and I hope to get back in this area when the weather warms up and more places are open.

Midtown Cafe in Newton Iowa

 A lot of places have come and gone over the years in Newton but this little place with the words CAFE visible on the square has been around for as long as I can recall. This is an older diner that specializes in burgers and breakfasts that had a bunch of families eating here when I visited.

Location: 120 1st St North in Newton, Jasper County in Central Iowa.

Directions: this is on the East side of the square across the street from the County Courthouse.

Online at: facebook page is HERE.

The Tenderloin: The description simply states that this sandwich is big enough for two. This came with two buns and a side along with the fixings. The first thing is that this is big and well bigger than the usual eight ounces that most places describe as "jumbo". The problem was that this seemed to lack moisture inside and the edges were especially dry. The middle had some good white pork loin meat that was soft enough to chew through easily. The breading was crunchy but not tasty and the whole thing felt like too much time in the freezer had sucked the moisture out. Overall 7.0 out of ten.

Price: $8.99 with a side

Also on the menu: Diner food classics like burgers or sandwiches. There is a full breakfast selection with an dish named The Annihilator, and more than one food challenge.

Service: its seat yourself table service with tables and booths and a counter in the back.

Ambiance: This is an old space with old fixtures and furniture in an old building known as The Midtown Building.

Final Thoughts: I had driven through Newton so many times over the years that I couldn't count. but finding a good tenderloin has eluded me. I had tried an old diner beside the Maid Rite, and I wanted to stop at a racing themed bar on the East side of town. But that place was closed on a Sunday when I was driving through, like how many racing themed bars are closed on Sunday? I remember when there was an Argentine steakhouse called Gauchos just a block of the square and I never made it in and now its been gone for ten years now.

Westside Family Restaurant in Grinnell Iowa

I haven't had the best of luck searching for tenderloins in Grinnell. I had a lousy tenderloin at the Dari Barn years ago, and lots of places have come and gone since then. Westside Restaurant seems to have persevered as a family dining option on this part of Grinnell for a long time now.

Location: 229 6th Ave West in Grinnell Iowa about an hour east of Des Moines.

Directions: This is on old Highway 6 on the western side of Grinnell.

Online at: Website is HERE.

The tenderloin: The cut was a little on the thin side but the meat was moist throughout. The breading had a light crunchiness and not much taste but had a good golden brown color. Served on a soft bun with your choice of fixings overall 7.5 out of ten.

Price: $6.95 a la carte

Also on the menu: full breakfast in the morning, homemade pies and a huge lunch and dinner selection like steaks or burgers or seafood.

Service: Its table service by some long serving waitresses.

Ambiance: The website says this location was a A&W Drive-In a long time ago, and it looks lika a dated eighties or older renovation. There are booths or tables in the dining area.

Final Thoughts: My attempts at finding a good tenderloin in Grinnell had been mostly frustration, I think I had one at a pizza place a long time ago, and I had tried Montgomery's Sandwich Shop but they didn't have a homemade loin. I may have to try the racing themed bar down the road in Newton on Highway 6 for my next stop.

Wobbly Boots Roadhouse in Clive, Iowa

Any time I visit a place with "Roadhouse" in the name I almost expect to see a wild bar scene with Patrick Swayze drop kicking a bunch of bad guys. My experiences have never really met those expectations. But Wobbly Boots is a chain of BBQ restaurants from the Lake of the Ozarks area which is kind of close to where Roadhouse was set. I've never heard anything good about this place, but they have a homemade tenderloin on the menu so I had to give it a try.

Location: 1301 NW 114th St in Clive, Suburban Des Moines Iowa. I usually have bad luck in side of the highway high traffic areas between chain restaurants like this place in Clive.

Directions: This is in between some other chain restaurants a block north of the intersection of 50th St and University in West Des Moines.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This was a large piece of pork loin cut and pounded into a consistent if slightly thin tenderloin sandwich. The crunchiness was good and consistent throughout although I couldn't taste anything in the breading. The meat inside was warm and bright white and good softness. This is better than the tenderloin I ate at another chain The Other Place. Served with LTOP on a large soft toasted bun. Overall 7.7 out of ten.

Price: $9.99 with a side of fries but I paid extra for

Also on the menu: The smoked meats are most of the menu but there are also burgers and salads and flatbreads.

Service: There is table service or bar service and it was like any other chain restaurant.

Ambiance: This space has been a different chain restaurant and was newly renovated a year ago when Wobbly Boots opened. There are televisions and exposed woodwork with old barn wood.

Final Thoughts: I have to warn people that I've never heard anything good about this place other than the tenderloin or the onion rings. Some people tell me that they don't reheat the meat from their smoker properly when they serve it so it all tastes a little off. The wings I had once tasted like they had too much smoke, and a lot of the side dishes were forgettable or worse like they were just bad.

Shakespeare's Pub & Grill in Iowa City Iowa

I had known about Shakespeare's for a long time, its been serving locals and townies on the East Side of Iowa City forever. Isn't it crazy how the dive bar on the east side with the busy parking lot seems to have the best tenderloin I've found in Iowa City. I have a couple more places over here to check out since I never made to to Iron Hawk before they closed last year.


Location: 819 S 1st Ave in Iowa City

Directions:I always get lost on this side of Iowa City, Shakespeare's is just a few blocks north of the old mall.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: The meat inside was a thick cut of soft white pork loin. The batter formed a thick and crispy layer that included many pieces that stuck out for extra crunchiness. There was one little dark spot in the meat that I hope doesn't appear on other sandwiches they serve. This reminded me of battered loins from The Elms Club in Creston or Gramma's Kitchen in Walcott. Served on a very soft toasted bun with your choice of fixings. This was a nicely battered loin Overall 8.2 out of ten.

Price: $9.50 with fries.

Also on the menu: There are daily specials and the menu is bar food like burgers, sandwiches, and fried appetizers.

Service: There is bar service with wait staff slowly working through the crowded room.

Ambiance: the pub describes itself as an "East side watering hole", and the interior is dark with beer signs and a pool table and the bucket seats at the bar felt like they were decades old. I appreciate the font on their sign.

Final Thoughts: Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind, As man's ingratitude.

Victory Lane Cafe in Des Moines, Iowa

Victory Lane has a sign with a car tire, and some window lettering that reads "pizza to go", its hard to tell whats inside this place while driving past.  The full name of this place is Victory Lane Motorsports Cafe and it is in a simple building on the East side of Des Moines.

Location: 3801 Easton Blvd. in Des Moines

Directions: You get to Easton by taking University east past the fairgrounds and turning north on East 29th or Williams St.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This felt like at least a half pound of pork in the sandwich. The breading was a thick layer that had little seasoning and badly needed some mustard. The pork inside was cut with the grain and not tender, and there wasn't much moisture inside. The bun was not toasted and the fixings were piled underneath. Overall this was an okay homemade bar food tenderloin. 7.2 out of ten.

Price: $7.29 with fries and a little extra for onion rings

Also on the menu: typical bar food burgers and fried stuff but with pizza and cavatelli.
I got some onion rings:

Service: This was bar service with a couple waitresses running the cafe on a busy Friday crowd when I was in.

Ambiance: The cafe is themed for watching racing and there are flatscreen televisions and racing gear everywhere. Seats are at table and at the bar, and they have a pool table.

Final Thoughts: Its been a while since I last visited a "neighborhood bar" and even longer since I've visited one on the East side of Des Moines. Most of the people here were getting the pizza or the cavatelli, and I might go with those on another visit.

Uptown Cafe in Jefferson Iowa

It feels like I've been driving back and forth to Jefferson and back forever. I remember eating a tenderloin at a place by the railroad tracks a long time ago, but its closed up now. My next spot is the Uptown Cafe between the state highway and the courthouse. This is actually the second Uptown Cafe since I started this blog, after another in Western Iowa.

Location: 108 W State St in Jefferson, Greene County in Central Iowa.

Directions: The Uptown Cafe is on State St between the courthouse and Highway 4 running north and south through town.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This was a big sandwich that was served on a big bun on a big plate. The breading had some crunch but not much of any seasoning. The pork loin was bright white on the inside and steamy moist inside. Served with all the fixins on a toasted ciabatta bun that I just do not understand. Overall 7.8 out of ten.

Price: $7.50 with a side.

Also on the menu: they serve full breakfasts, sandwiches with confusing names that reference things in the town of Jefferson, and a list of pies is written on the pie board.

Service: the service was slow when I came in but the waitress apologized for the delay without being asked about it.

Ambiance: this place was slightly renovated in the past couple years with some antiques on the wall and exposed wood. There are booths and tables and a separate dining room for seating.

Final Thoughts: I had visited this place more than once before without my camera and not much has changed over the years. There is still a pie board, the clientele is still local folks. I might have to step into Ferg's Restaurant in Grand Junction on my next trip through Greene County.

Olson's Bread & Breakfast in Norwalk, Iowa

I had seen Olson's Bread & Breakfast featured on KCCI's Cruising for Comfort Food, and had driven past without realizing it served lunch. A recent facebook post on their seldom updated timeline had the message "Our landlord wants his building back, soon our last day at the restaurant will be Oct. 18." So I figured I should make it in before then.

Location: 1400 Sunset Dr in Norwalk just south of Des Moines

Directions: Taking 63rd South from West Des Moines eventually turns into Sunset Drive in Norwalk, and Olson's Bread & Breakfast is on the east side of the main drag through town.

Online at: facebook page is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This one come from the darker end of the pork loin and the meat was hot and juicy. It had been pounded out and the bits on the edges had overlapped, while some parts were thin and others thicker. The breading was a good crunchy layer with no seasoning. The homemade bun was soft and toasted warm and the butter melted into the bun gave it a rich flavor. Overall 7.8 out of ten.

Price: $7.29 with fries

Also on the menu: lunch has burgers and sandwiches but the full breakfast menu is the most popular fare here.

Service: There was one waitress and another person cooking when I was in. The limited hours last from six in the morning to two in the afternoon from Tuesday to Saturday.

Ambiance: There are few seats at a handful of tables inside, the walls are covered with decorations that remind you of breakfast.

Final thoughts: I usually don't go crazy for breakfast only places but in the past couple months I found some okay tenderloins at Julie's Homestyle Cafe in Oskaloosa and now in Olson's Bread & Breakfast. I don't know if this place is really closing or if it will find a new place soon.

The Barnyard Family Restaurant in Chillicothe Iowa

The online encyclopedia Wikipedia tells me that the city of Chillicothe is pronounced Chill-uh-CAW-thee, and that 97 people live here. Well those people are lucky because they live in a town with a place named The Barnyard open four days a week. The Barnyard also operates a Tenderloin Experss Trailer in nearby Ottumwa on certain days when the restaurant is closed.

Location: 215 Market St in Chillicothe, about ten miles north and east of Ottumwa, Iowa

Directions:from Highway 63 between Ottumwa and Oskaloosa, take the T-67 road from the Chillicothe exit, then turn on Count Road H21 that turns into Market St in Chillicothe.

Online at: facebook page is HERE.

The tenderloin: This tenderloin started with a giant hunk of pork loin pounded into a triangle shape. The thickness was good and the white meat kept a good amount of juice in parts. The breading wasn't strongly seasoned but had a great flaky crunchy texture. Served on an untoasted bun Overall 8.4 out of ten.

Price: $5.75

Also on the menu: they have tenderloin with toppings and the usual fried stuff, burgers, and specials for dinner like steak.

Service: It was table service and it took a while even thought I was the only person there for lunch.

Ambiance: There were tables and a bar for seating, and the walls had old pictures of Chillicothe.

Final Thoughts: I don't get to towns as small as this that often anymore, and Im always looking for new places. I would definitely recommend stopping in the Barnyard if you are in Chillicothe from Wednesday to Saturday or tracking down their trailer. I can't think of a better one in the Ottumwa area.

Smokin' G's BBQ Restaurant in Marshalltown, Iowa

I've had some mixed luck when it comes to finding a good tenderloin in Marshalltown. Cecil's Cafe had left me unimpressed a long time ago, then I tried a sports bar inside a hotel by the highway that didn't impress me either. The latest contender is Smokin' G's BBQ Restaurant, open since last year in the main street area a block from the courthouse.

Location: 25 W Main St in Marshalltown, about 45 minutes northeast of Des Moines.

Directions: Taking Highway 330 from Des Moines to Highway 30 into Marshalltown, turn north and drive to the courthouse and turn left to find Smokin' G's.

Online at: website is HERE.

The Tenderloin: This had a decent half pound size pork loin in a roughly triangular shape. The inside was darker loin meat with a good amount of juiciness. I picked up a hint of pepper and seasonings in the breading, but there wasn't any real crunch on this one. Served with all the fixins pinned down with a toothpick. Overall 7.3 out of ten.

Price: $9.95 with a side, but its a special on Tuesday with a drink and side for $9.50

Also on the menu: The huge menu starts with bbq meats, sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and fried appetizers. They even have a couple eating challenges.

Service: Its full service with a hostess and seating at tables and booths. The lunch rush crowd meant the food and check took some time when I visited.

Ambiance: This is a main st building with a recent renovation into a BBQ spot with western themed decorations.

Final Thoughts: I think my next stop in Marshalltown should be the 13th St Inn if its still open, it had a "for sale" sign on its facebook page so I don't know whats going on there. Maybe I need to go to the Haverhill Social Club just south of Marshalltown too.