MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa — Want Iowa's top burger for 2022? It's just a short drive from the metro.
The Iowa Beef Council announced Monday the winner of this year's Best Burger Contest: The Flying Elbow in Marshalltown.
“I didn’t want to be a niche establishment for adventurous foodies. I wanted to create a place that everybody could eat at. I’ve always had a little bit of something for everyone,” said owner Garrett Goodman.
The restaurant's previous building, located at State and Center streets, was destroyed in the 2018 tornado.
But he rebuilt, and now has the top honor for an Iowa burger.
“I’ve always wanted to do smashburgers, so I came up with a plan to release a small menu. Within three days, I was smashing burgers,” Goodman said. “In that week, we did the same amount of sales that we did in all of January. We sold out in three days and the buzz started happening.”
The restaurant's signature smashburger is "a blend of chuck, brisket and short rib" with some Wagyu beef added as well, according to the Iowa Cattlemen's Association.
The restaurant also features the "Real American," named after Hulk Hogan's theme song. It is a cheeseburger with ketchup, mustard, picked and grilled, minced onion.
Some of the other finalists included West Towne Pub in Ames, Lachele's Fine Foods in Des Moines, The Handlebar in Dallas Center and Pally's Bar & Grille in Clive.
The Flying Elbow
- 229 N 13th St, Marshalltown, 50158
- 641-758-3235
- https://flyingelbowfood.com/
- Hours: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
