A good dive bar has cheap drinks, low rate aesthetics, packaged liquor, a jukebox, usually Keno, and a bartender that has past her prime. Iowa Buffet meets on all accounts. The bartender was nice. We were there too late for food, but we drank for about an hour. They do have an outdoor patio which is kind of nice… except the kids from the apartment next door crawl up the fence to look at the drunks.
Jeff C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Tiffany, Saint Louis, MO
Just finished up my first experience at The Iowa Buffet. Food was amazing! We had the pork steak and baby back ribs with some great home made sides– Watermelon salad, garlic scalloped potatoes, chopped vegetable salad and dessert was home made lemon berry pie. Their home made BBQ sauce was outstanding as well. The dry rub ribs were perfectly smoked. To top it all off the customer service was like we were family. The owner came over and introduced herself and even served some the food. We will be back for more soon! If you have found this place then you need to give it a try. I honestly don’t do many reviews but this business needs to be bragged about.
Andrea J.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Saint Louis, MO
Best dive bar in So City. If you eat meat, try their burgers! They are made from local beef on this 1950’s broiler right next to the bar. You can judge, but once you get a bite, you’ll thank your server. Hush yo mouth! Beer and food close enough to Cherokee. They also have BBQ on Cherokee nights– second Tuesday of the month, check it out!
Erin G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Saint Louis, MO
I really love this place. Well actually I just love Alice the bartender and follow her wherever she goes, shes there on Mondays and she is wonderful, she knows my drinking habits so well she cuts the big straws in half for me because I dont want lines on my face from sucking through those tiny cocktail straws, awww! Anyways, the burgers here are so good, I mean really, really good. Old school. The fries, while I hate the portions of those fries aren’t that big, I understand that they are handcut and thats probably a bitch to do. It is very small and they do allow smoking, but its never been bad. Love this place!
Kelly B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Saint Louis, MO
Iowa Buffet is an old school neighborhood bar located in South City a few blocks west of the Jefferson Bistro on the corner of Iowa and Winnebago in the middle of a residential neighborhood, They have cheap drinks($ 4 Kettle One/$ 4 Glenlivit) and cheap food, including $ 1.50 burgers on Tuesdays. They sling burgers from behind the bar. The crowd is a mixture of old timers, hipsters, and neighborhood folk. They have a great juke box and an awesome patio. It’s relatively small inside, paneled walls TV’s and lots of beer lights. You may be approached by a neighborhood panhandler on the way in, but you will be in another world once you are inside. Good times can be had at the Iowa Buffet. Incidentally, you will not find a food buffet here. It’ a bar that offers pub grub, No live entertainment of any kind.
Erica T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Saint Louis, MO
Yep, one of the best neighborhood bars in St. Louis. It blows all other ~dives~ away. They sell packaged liquor for chrissakes! They joke that the reason their cheeseburgers are so rad is because they’ve never cleaned the grill in the 27 years they’ve been open. You can get tanked for 10 bucks. THEYACTUALLYACCEPTCREDITCARDS! They are some of the nicest, friendliest bar owners in St. Louis. They make an effort to get to know their customers and they are super sweet to their EXTREMELY diverse clientele. Give ‘em a try and thank me later ok! (WARNING: They allow smoking but when I went it wasn’t nearly as bad as most smoking bars. Maybe they don’t have a lot of clients who smoke)
Deployed R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Saint Louis, MO
If you don’t mind smoke its an awesome little hideaway. In fact, the smokiness is the only reason I have to take away on star.(Its a small place so the smoke can get a little thick) The bartender was exceptionally welcoming to what a first looks like a «locals only» kind of place. You are gonna laugh when you see the way they cook burgers, but do not doubt me when I tell you to order one or two! Shockingly good burgers. Go in to grab a beer and a burger and play some Keno. I don’t think you will be disappointed unless you are too fancy for a good time.
Chris L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Saint Louis, MO
This place is a hidden gem that is for the true dive bar seeker. They source their meat from neighborhood butchers, their fries are hand cut and it’s all really cheap. A friend and I had a combined 3 budweisers, 2 rum and cokes, large order of onion rings, large order of fries, and 2 burgers for a whopping $ 21. Definitely worth the visit for those not afraid to wander off the beaten path.
