Iowa

Discover the 6 best burger restaurants in Iowa City, from gourmet to classic delights

Published

2 years ago

May 24, 2024

Discover the 6 best burger restaurants in Iowa City, from gourmet to classic delights

The classic hamburger is an American icon. However, not all burgers are made equal. Luckily, Iowa City has an array of creative to classic burgers for everyone’s taste, from unsuspected quality to unexpected flavors.

Here are the six best burgers in Iowa City.

George’s Buffet

Arguably, one of the most iconic burgers in Iowa City is the classic bar George’s Buffett. Though buffet is in the name, George’s has a limited menu consisting of a cheese sandwich, hot nuts, chips, and cheeseburgers. While George’s might be best known for cheap beers, the bar also has one of the best burgers in Iowa City. The burger is a no-frills cheeseburger with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, and pickles on a sesame bun. George’s is the perfect burger to end a night or even begin; with every bite, there is a taste of nostalgia.

Location: 312 E. Market St., Iowa City

Contact: 319-351-9614

Pullman Bar & Diner

The Pullman is a part of the Gold Cap Hospitality group, and The Mo Burger at Pullman stands out as one of the best burgers in Iowa City because of its combination of flavors and textures. The base is a brioche bun topped with two four-ounce beef patties with a robust taste, and melted cheddar cheese enhances the savory flavor, while the bacon jam adds a sweet and smoky contrast to the subtle heat from the chipotle aioli, which gives a zesty boost.

Location: 17 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City

Contact: 319-338-1808 or pullmandiner.com

More: From the Bread Garden to NoDo and the Chef’s Board, these Johnson County locales hit the spot

Red’s Alehouse

Red’s Alehouse might be best known for its expansive beer and cocktail menu, but a strong lineup of burgers anchors the food menu. The Alehouse burger is an elevated rendition of the classic burger with sweet chili aioli, crispy onion tangles, and provolone. The burger has subtle smoky undertones with a gooey, crispy texture. It’s generously sized, and every bite is perfectly balanced.

Location: 405 N. Dubuque St., North Liberty

Contact: 319-626-2100 or redsalehouse.com

Shakespeare’s Pub & Grill

Located on the east side, Shakespeare’s might be best known for having the best-breaded pork tenderloin in Iowa City, but the pub’s burgers rival the tenderloin, specifically, the bison burger. This burger has subtle sweet flavors with a mild gamey note and is lean and rich. It is an unexpected burger on the menu and a must-try.

Location: 819 S. First Ave., Iowa City

Contact: 319-337-7275 or shakespearespubandgrill.com

Short’s Burger & Shine

Short’s Burger & Shine specializes in burgers. The menu features more than a dozen burger varieties with something for everyone. The Dundee burger is a fan favorite with a brioche bun, mushrooms, bacon, garlic aioli, fried egg, and American cheese. It is a textural journey with a surprisingly added earthy pop of flavor from the mushrooms. Additionally, any of Short’s burgers can be made with a black bean patty as a substitute, making Short’s a must-stop for meat lovers and vegetarians alike.

Location: 18 S Clinton St., Iowa City

Contact: 319-259-7154 or shortsburger.com

More: From yoga to rec leagues and fossils, here’s how you can spend the summer in Iowa City

The Wilder

Recently, The Wilder in the Graduate Hotel in Downtown Iowa City joined the ranks of being one of the top burgers in Iowa. The Iowa Gold Burger is the star of the menu. Made with nine ounces of Jiyū wagyu beef, the burger is not overstated and is rich in flavor. The wagyu beef is complemented by gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, and grain mustard aioli. Its richness and tenderness often captivate diners, and many have declared it the best they’ve ever had.

Location: 210 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City

Contact: 319-327-8258 or graduatehotels.com

More: Behind the story of The Wilder’s Iowa Gold burger, one of the best in the state

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_

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Iowa

Arrests made in SD in Iowa courthouse incident

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Arrests made in SD in Iowa courthouse incident

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Two suspects in the incident at the Lyon County, Iowa, courthouse were arrested in Spearfish, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office said in a social media post earlier Saturday.

The sheriff’s office identified two suspects as Brandon Lyle High Pipe, 39, and Luciano Eliseo Sanchez, 18, in a social media post on Thursday. Nationwide warrants were issued for the two suspects.

The sheriff’s office said on Tuesday the courthouse had burglarized overnight. The damage inside includes writing on walls, broken glass, tipped-over Christmas trees and other items tossed around.

The incident caused the courthouse to be closed for at least one day.

The sheriff’s office said on Saturday morning that more information should be released later.

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Iowa

Iowa City West sweeps City High in a pair of close contests

Published

22 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Iowa City West sweeps City High in a pair of close contests

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Grace Fincham led the West High girls to a second-half comeback in a 60-51 win over City High, giving the Trojans a win on their rival’s home floor.

The Trojans improve to 6-2 with the win. The Little Hawks drop to 6-2.

In the boys’ nightcap, the Little Hawks’ comeback attempt fell short, as the Trojans held on for a 53-51 win.

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Iowa

Iowa football dissects LeVar Woods succession plan

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

Iowa football dissects LeVar Woods succession plan

The loss of LeVar Woods, the Iowa Hawkeyes’ long-time, elite special teams coordinator, cannot be dismissed. The Hawkeyes have consistently been among the nation’s best special teams units, from punting to kicking to owning the return and field position battle.

With LeVar Woods departing Iowa for Big Ten foe, the Michigan State Spartans, the Hawkeyes have a big hole to fill, and head coach Kirk Ferentz spoke to the media this week on what that succession plan may look like.

“Yeah, it’s not a light decision. The trick will be to find the next LeVar Woods. He’s done a fantastic job. He didn’t have the profile necessarily maybe at that point to predict what he was going to do, but he’s done all the work. It’s like a good player; players do the work. LeVar has done a great job immersing himself and learning every aspect and then growing with each and every turn. So I guess I’m describing what we’re looking for, a guy who’s a good coach, who’s eager to take a challenge on, and immerse themselves in that world.

“Special teams is a unique niche, if you will. I’m sure we’ll have good candidates. It’s not pressing right now in my mind. What is pressing is the next two weeks getting ready for the game, and then after that we’ll have eight plus weeks or eight plus months actually to get it right. I don’t plan on waiting until August to fill it, but we’ll figure that out when we get in the new year,” Ferentz said about LeVar Woods.

The past few seasons, Iowa has been elite on special teams with kicker Drew Stevens being incredibly consistent, the punting game flipping fields, and the run of returners consisting of Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Charlie Jones, Cooper DeJean, and Kaden Wetjen.

The Hawkeyes have won more than their fair share of games relying on this unit, and to continue that success, Ferentz needs to hit on this hire.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7

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