Quick service with tasty iced tea, reasonable prices and a MOUNTAIN of food. Unbelievably fresh ingredients and the place was packed. I'm here for the third time in as many days for breakfast and it's beyond dynamite AGAIN. I'm definitely going to grab one of the HEAD SIZE cinnamon rolls for hubby back home in Illinois so he can eat if for breakfast tomorrow and my wonderfully accommodating server is getting me the freshest one possible to take with me. Hubby loves cinnamon rolls and yesterday the three other folks I had breakfast with shared ONE cinnamon roll and could barely finish it. They also ordered the carrot cake pancakes and went nuts over them. They have wireless Internet access which is allowing me to finish my review via iPad without leaving the building. I sure wish they'd open one of these in St. Louis!! Of course if they did, I'd lose my religion and have to buy a lot of bigger clothes! Such a dilemma!
(5)
Clarke J.
Terrific prices for Comfort Food Done Right. Smoked Turkey Sandwiches, a clean salad bar, and all for under ten bucks. The crew wears bib overalls and red and white checked shirts; and unlike the hand clapping and pesky singing and dancing disrupting your meals at most chain restaurants, the "Down Home" environment works. Nary a sprig of this or a drizzle of that in sight. Genuine John Deere's and Case and International Harvester Farmall's outside, too. Like the sister shop in Des Moines, you won't go home hungry or feeling ripped off. Guaranteed.
(5)
Chris E.
OMG...do not eat here! Stopped in while driving from Chicago to my home in Nebraska. Crowded, dirty, noisy, and inept staff members. The food? well, it can best be described as: GAWD-AWFUL!!!!!! Smooshy...full of salt and fat .... and tasting like s**t. the only plus was the pleasant attitude of my waitress. again ... don't go there.
(1)
Tim L.
I was quite disappointed by the experience and meal purchased here, the decor is the understandable completely tacky looking, the waitress that served was a bit on the rude side then the bread was very dry and flavorless, then the chicken fried steaks were dry and sparse on the gravy and had a tough crust and the side of carrots were oddly seasoned and had the texture of something very much over-boiled. I had expectations that this would be like the Cracker Barrel but better in all ways and an Iowa institution for good reasons and am now wondering if I was wrong to think of this as being better than mediocre especially for being a bit pricey.
(2)
Pam H.
I've eaten here several times throughout the years. The menu is standard, midwestern food. The last breakfast I ordered was pot roast with a couple of eggs, biscuit/gravy. It was very good.
(5)
Josh M.
If you're thinking about breakfast, wait no longer! This place rocks!
(5)
Brandon B.
Despite some reluctance, I tried Machine Shed today. Let it be known, I am very surprised i would give Machine Shed such a high mark; i am not normally a fan of uber-kitchy americana, or anything gimmicky. But today, the Machine Shed surprised me. why? the food. Once you get past the fact it is a restaurant with a GIFT SHOP and get beyond the intense farm decor, you are left at a table, in a restaurant, like all others.... WITH A MENU... you are here to eat. Now, I've heard all about the amazing breakfast, and sadly, due to too many adult beverages and a day off work, we slept in and missed breakfast. In fact, we thought the amazing breakfast was served all day. Such is not the case. breakfast till 11. So we had lunch. We ordered their special onion rings as an appetizer... and while greasy (even for onion rings), they were awesome. (and served in a metal wagon - ok, i know, i said i don't like gimmicky, but they tasted so good and were so light and unique, the presentation was a plus.) note: one order is enough for a party of 4. I had the daily special pork-herb soup... super good lots of flavor, giant chunks of pork. The other member at my table ordered the cole slaw... also very good, nothing to write home about. I had an Iowa-style Philly Cheese Steak... replace the steak with thinly sliced pork. Incredible. Our server was really amazing. She brought me a side of creamy horseradish to put on the extra soft and crispy hoagie because "that's how she likes it"... and oh, yeah, it was on point. We also ordered a chicken club. It was GIANT... and really good. no skimping on the meat. it was a little dry, seeing that it's three giant pieces of toasted bread, but a big side of mayo helped that situation. The low point: the fries were very bland, generic, frozen fries... but hey, it's just fries. I lament not getting the sweet potato fries. And the salad bar, which we didn't go to, looked like it needed some serious attention. The pie on the other hand, was absolutely amazing... i had the lemon meringue. we also order the blue berry pie with ice cream. big portions, very delicious. i've been told, when at a midwest diner, order the pie... this held true today. All in all, it's like a Cracker Barrel or Denny's or Village Inn (but on Farm Decor Crack) but the food is much much better. Based on their less-spoken about lunch, I will certainly be back to try their breakfast. side notes: very clean place - bathrooms included. i'd give our server a B+/A-. You don't pay the server, you pay at a register (in the gift shop)... this can slow you down if you are trying to leave in a hurry.
(4)
Jeff M.
The portions are good and price is decent. Be prepared for the ambiance. Country, Iowa style at it's finest. Good local place to go with tons of nick nack stuff. This place has a reputation and most of the locals seem to love it. I heard the breakfast is amazing. Great customer service.
(3)
David V.
If you eat here be prepared to walk out Belly First and a little lighter in the wallet area. But it's soooo worth it. Only the freshest and best ingredients are involved in this Mmm Mmm Goodness.
(5)
Faith H.
I have eaten here SEVERAL times, and have NEVER had a bad experience. Growing up on a farm, I am taken back in time to my childhood everytime we come. When you walk in, you are automatically greeted by the host/hostess. My son (who pronounces the Machine Shed "Sheen Shed") loves the fact that he is given a toy tractor to play with along with a coloring menu and crayons while we are there. The menu has quite a bit of variety and you definitely get your money's worth. They take the old saying we don't want you to leave hungry to a whole other level. :) There is always a pitcher of iced water and water glasses (mason jars just like we used on the farm) on the table. The staff is very friendly and accomodating. We are always being checked on throughout our meal to make sure that we are taken care of and that we are satisfied with our meal. We even got to ride on their green tractor in front of the restaurant around the parking lot one time! Boy my son sure did love that! I would recommend this place to ANYONE!
(5)
Deb E.
We hit the Machine Shed for brunch on a drippy Saturday morning. When we arrived, the dining room was packed, but our waitress showed us to a booth and got us situated. This place is very Cracker Barrel-ish with its gift shop and decor, but we loved it! Perfect for families with its big booths and tables. Prices were very reasonable and my travelling companion couldn't believe how big the cinnamon rolls were. As my better half would say "They were as big as your head!" I had the "Hired Hand": a couple of eggs with smoked sausage, their "Sheddar Style" hash brown potatoes, all accompanied with a biscuit and sausage gravy. Coffee was the perfect accompaniment. My friend got the "Cakes and Everything". Her combination included two eggs, ham, and two slices of French Toast., all rounded out with coffee. As busy as the restaurant was, our waitress was on her game and attentive. 'Course, we just had to check out the gift shop on our way out for some souvenirs!
(4)
Chris R.
Huge portions. Home cooked tasting. I've never had a bad experience.
(4)
Ethan S.
I had dinner here over the summer, and I have to say - I didn't know what to expect! I was pretty hungry, but all I could finish there was an appetizer of jalapeno shrimp (which was pretty good!). Everything there is HUGE, and that's why I love it! We ordered four cinnamon rolls, and what we got was bigger than most cakes. LOVED THIS PLACE.
(5)
Brian C.
Recco'd by a co-worker who travels around the country. This is definitely a meat and potatoes place. My impressions: good food. VERY WELL staffed. VERY healthy portions. Prices match what you get. But why- WHY- did they have to adopt a group birthday singing reminiscent of one the umpteen chain eateries? Too corny (pun most definitely intented = ) ) Not enough to WOW me, but far, far from being a risk. A definite safe bet.
(3)
Jim R.
This was a horrible dining experience! The lettuce in the salad was brown with age. The dresssing touted as Maytag Dairy blue cheese was missing the blue cheese. The half of the dinner roll I was served was hard as a rock. The Double Pork chop was good until I got into the middle and it wasn't completely cooked. I asked for double veggies instead of a potato and got barely enough veggis for a single serving. The crowing blow was that I was never asked how my meal was even when the manager walked past my booth several times and say my whole salad and roll sitting there as I at my pork chop. When I went to pay my bill he was at the register talking to the girl running the cash register about carpel tunnel syndrome. When I walked up he left and never said a word. I would not recommend this place and definately will not go back. There is a Cracker Barrel one exit past this place that has much better food and service!
(1)
Bernard F.
I gave them three chances . Once by myself, once with another and the third time there were four of us. All three times were large disappointments. All were within a three week period. Once I waited 20 minutes for someone to bring water and a menu , So I just walked out, The second time we actually got to order but then the owner came back after 45 minutes and told us that they were running way behind and that it would be another half hour, so once again we left w/o eating. And the third time they just plane came out and told us prior to seating us, that the kitchen was really slow today, and that it might be a 40 minute wait, so once again we left , hungry. This is a place that our family used to visit all the time ( in the 70's) it was our first choice. Evidently the huge corperate Machine Shed has lost touch . I will not go back , nor will I reccoimend it to others. Added later: The I -80 truck stop, just down the road , a bit is 100% better when it comes to service , of any kind.
(1)
Justin H.
Large portion family style food. Very good. priced ($6-25). The atmosphere is antique farmish. Staff always friendly, but not the speediest. Recommendations: Meat loaf dinner; Stuffed Iowa Chop, Smoked rib platter, Anything from the breakfast menu. Any Negatives: A couple of times the sides that come before the meal were not very fresh.
(5)
Sejin H.
Just plain ol' fashion good, hearty eating! At very reasonable prices ($6-$10 a plate) A genuinely delicious country-style meal fit for a real farmer. Everything made from scratch with local ingredients from the farm. Awesome farm-house feel. A real American dining experience. Had a golden-fried pork tenderloin sandwich with sweet potato fries and topped with desert. Plenty of home-made pies and deserts to choose from.
(5)
Jessica D.
A wonderful farm-themed family restaurant that offers family style meals (warm rolls and sides of cottage cheese, cole slaw plates are placed in front of you as you wait for your order to arrive) of homey, home-made tasting goodies, ranging from chicken fried steak to amazing pork chops (must be Amana). Plus don't miss checking out the store while you wait a short while to be seated. This restaurant (and the Rockford one) are a must try for a fun, delicious, and satistying meal.
(5)
Jeremy M.
I stopped here for lunch while passing through. The ambiance struck me as similar to a Cracker Barrel, with a bit more stress on the farming side of country. I ordered a pork chop sandwich. It was good, even if it didn't blow me away. The server was friendly and did a decent job. The checkout line was long because the credit card machine was down, but the hostess was apologetic. This seems very much the "home cooking" type of place that many people crave. Most of the patrons seemed to be retirees. I was somewhere between 2 and 3 stars based on the food, though from reading other reviews I might've been persuaded to go higher if I'd had breakfast here or a dessert. But because the staff was friendly and the food came quickly (though they were quite busy), I'll go with 3 stars.
(3)
Jack G.
This place is great for kids they get a tractor to play with on entry and there is free wifi for us. Menu is very American country kitchen - but wholesome and good.
(4)
Anne R.
just bad. so maybe i'm a food snob because i like vegetables that haven't been canned and i like meat that doesn't make your jaw tired when working through a piece. maybe. and i'm sorry that maybe the wait staff isn't happy, but they could pretend like most other wait staff does. and if you're vegetarian, forget about it. there is absolutely nothing on the menu for you, unless you're satisfied with an iceberg lettuce salad. however, if you're looking for a cracker barrel experience that's keeping it a little more real, this is the place for you. it's kitchy, it's rustic, and HEY there's a gift shop! in closing, as a person who avoids chains and is always looking for that unique local experience, after eating there, i shamefully longed to find an applebees where i could make up some of the nutritional neglect. to be fair, this is an account from a meal with my family (of about 15 people who were also underwhelmed) that happened about 2 years ago. it is possible that things have improved since then. i hope so. i really hope so.
(1)
Adam W.
Went here for brunch on mothers day. Was not very impressed with the food, it was average at best. The service was very attentive. I think food here is a little overpriced.
(3)
ALFREDO M.
Just imagine the nicest Cracker Barrel ever but with clean restrooms and good food and where they serve beer. This is like that. Maybe that sounds bad but it's actually really good. If my wife had been travelling with us I'm sure we wouldnt have gotten out of there without $50 worth of country soaps and John Deere merchandise.
(4)
Samantha F.
5 stars? you can't be serious! If I had to grade on originality I would give it a 4. However, the food is OK if you are willing to poor the entire bottle of stale salt on it, before you eat it. Also, hope you don't mind your "25 family meal plates" building up on your table while the waitress allows it to happen. Ranch rating? None here! they don't even have ranch, can you believe that? Its a good place to stop and take pics though. Would not go back again.
(1)
Ashley W.
From the moment I walked in, I thought Cracker Barrel! We had a large group, about 9 and they were pretty busy but it took about an hour for our food to come out. I asked for a chocolate milk to drink (kid at heart) and that took her about 20 minutes to bring out to me after everyone else had their drinks. The food, however, was delicious! I had the soup special: chicken corn chowder. Makes me hungry thinking about how good it was. I also had a half portion of the turkey sandwich which was fabulous as well. All in all, if you don't mind waiting a while, don't hesitate to come here and have a great meal!
(4)
Olive S.
I hope the American farmers appreciate all the calories I put on at this place eating the food they raise and grow. Normally, at a sit-down restaurant, you get a great entree but measly fries and meager sides. I mean, if that's what you're into, be my guest, but don't expect that here! I got the sirloin tips meal and it comes with a feast: two refillable sides you can share with the table. (We never figured out what the bowl of carrots came with) We gorged on bread, the burnt ends app, and cottage cheese and 'slaw - and we hadn't even gotten our meals yet. (The only downside was the bread could have been better, but it was still soft and the butter was good.) Also, they didn't just rely on their entrees to carry the meal. The fries were crispy and delicious! I totes judge eating places by their French fries. After the meal, the server - helpful, efficient, friendly throughout the meal - asked if we wanted to look at the dessert menu. Haha haha ha. Yeah, right. We almost had to be rolled out. Man, my one regret was that I didn't try the chicken rice soup. Sigh. If you are in the Quad Cities and looking for a filling meal, go here!
(5)
David K.
The place is right off the interstate. It has a great decor and is decorated with farm tools that goes with the concept. Fried chicken is the house specialty. It was over done. Adequate at best. My wife had the beef brisket. It was so tough that she took the meat off the sandwich and had to cut into small pieces. The only good thing was the rolls and the service.
(2)
Shirley H.
After missing the exit for Cracker Barrel, we decided to try the Shed or whatever the real full name of this restaurant is, out. This restaurant definitely has a country feel to it, from the shop they have right when you walk in, just like CB, and the way the waitresses dress and decor of the place. We arrived for a late dinner and had to wait about 20 min. When we were seated, our waitress took our drink order and eventually our dinner orders. I decided to be adventurous and ordered the Shepard's pie, was tasted okay. The first few bites were the best, but the more and more I ate, I realized how mushy the pot roast was, which probably means it's over cooked. My hubs ordered the beef tips that came with a side of green beans with bacon bits and a choice of a choice. He got mashed potatoes with beef gravy. His brother ordered the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with country gravy. Our dishes came with "fixin's" and we ordered a side of "slaw"-coleslaw and applesauce, that looked like apple pie filling and tasted like potpourri. The beef tips were okay but probably would've been better if all of our dishes came out at the same time. My hubs and his brothers dishes came out first and finally my dish arrived 20 min after, so needless to say, their food was bordering between cold and lukewarm. The waitress apologized, which I appreciated but I would've thought they would comp our drinks (sweet tea and a lemonade). When I went to pay, the cashier asked how everything was and my response was 'okay.' Guess they really don't care to find out why it was just okay. Usually I would say good or great in a higher pitch tone, meaning I'm being nice and it really wasn't, but figured, hey I'll be honest. We definitely won't be going back. Not only because we won't ever be back in the area, but I would much rather go to CB, where service is prompt and the food is much better!
(1)
Rod C.
Well we went there for our 25 the anniversary.They weren't busy at all the waitress was rude as can be and the food wasn't too bad .
(2)
Shengte Y.
Came here based on a recommendation while visiting Quad Cities and I loved their breakfast. I usually stay away from steak and egg breakfast items but decided to give it a try here and was blow away by the quality of the steak. Everything was made perfectly. We also shared one of their famous cinnamon bun which was awesome as well. We had to wait 20 mins to be seated but enjoyed looking around the little gift shop inside the restaurant. Will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Quad Cities!!
(5)
Justin R.
Called ahead and was told there was a 20 minute wait. Told the lady I had a group of 5. Showed up 20 minutes later and the hostess rudely informed us they weren't taking walk in's. I explained that I just called and was told to come and expect a 20 minute wait, and again she said "Well, sorry. No walk ins." I've been a regular here for a long time, but I'll find somewhere else from now on.
(1)
Mimi J.
The Machine Shed was the last stop on our two day long cross country odyssey; we found it using my trusty Yelp phone app and dropped in for dinner before heading over into Illinois and my home for the next week and a half. We were greeted and led through a little country themed gift shop and seated in the large back dining room by a waitress dressed in a pair of blue denim overalls, a red shirt, and a red and blue cap - A cute way to keep the country theme going. She brought us a beat up looking metal pitcher full of ice water, which we poured into jelly jar glasses, and a basket of fresh baked bread with real butter. There were two types of home made bread, white and an apple brown sugar bread. Both were soft and warm and the apple bread was slightly sweet. Tyoni and I each ordered the special of the day, the baby back ribs "all you care to eat" which came with baked beans' a choice of side (applesauce, coleslaw, or cottage cheese) and a choice of rice or potato (baked, sweet, mashed, garlic mashed, or French fried). I settled on a sweet potato and Tyoni ordered a baked, and we were told that since we both ordered the same entree we had to choose a side together to share. Can somebody PLEASE explain to me why the choice of sides had to be a group decision? We chose the coleslaw - it was okay. The ribs were fall apart in your fingers tender and covered in a spice rub. The ribs tasted like they'd been cooked in a smoker but the rub was a little bland. Tyoni asked for barbecue sauce on the side trying to dress it up a bit. The baked sweet potato came with brown sugar butter and was the HIGHLIGHT of the meal - truly excellent, best sweet potato I have ever had. The food was good, the ribs (usually $19) were on special for $12.99, and the atmosphere was fun. The waitress was pleasant and kept everything refilled. I'd come back, but would probably order something other than the ribs. There wasn't anything wrong with them and they were cooked perfectly, the rub was just a little bland. PS - I bought a bacon ring in the shop on my way out - those who know me will understand.
(4)
Sarah H.
We stopped here for breakfast when we were passing through. I got the breakfast wrap which comes with a side of fruit which was decent. The other two of us got a stack of pancakes with bacon and the hired hand. They were more than satisfied. We got a cinnamon roll to go to munch on in the pickup. Wow! It was huge and tasty! I really enjoyed what they had in their store. We had a great server and an overall good experience. I would like to try their lunch or dinner sometime!
(4)
Karlye P.
Excellent food, friendly service, amazing prices! I don't understand why the reviews are bad? Ordered the pan fried chicken. They give you two free appetizers! We got the cottage cheese and spiced apples, super delicious. The chicken came out piping hot and crispy! Boyfriend got the steak tips with mushrooms and cheese. Stole some and it was also a tasty dish! Very good home cookin'.
(5)
Anthony S.
Food is great, service is good, portion sizes are large and delicious. Bread basket came and included banana bread! BBQ fan or not they'll have something you like. Full rack of ribs is large. I got the pork combo and only got through half after the family shared bowls of coleslaw, glazed carrots and cottage cheese (you get to pick), the bread and sharing some of my wife's baked beans. Definitely will stop again and look for the other locations!
(5)
Ed F.
Been here a few times, and each time we leave suggesting we should try someplace else. It's not bad, but there's so much better. Recent afternoon visit, my son ordered a slab of ribs - man were they dry. Other son ordered a burger - nothing special Wife and I had a steak-tip special on a bed of mushrooms and onions, smothered in white gravy. Not much in the way of meat, and with the onions, everything was soaking in grease. Service was decent, atmosphere is quaint, and prices aren't too bad, but the food could be so much better.
(2)
Scott S.
I thought the shed was just... Mheh. Had really high hopes for this spot for breakfast. As other reviewers have said this place is similar to Cracker Barrel. The food was plentiful, service was good, just not the best breakfast in the country as Travel Channel states.
(3)
Dan M.
I was driving from Chicago to Des Moines and stopped here for dinner. I can't imagine there being a better deal on I-80. The portions are huge and inexpensive. If your looking for a vegetarian lo cal option, this is not it. So sit , eat, and loosen your belt buckle. This place has every American Classic dish you can think of. I had the Chicken Fried Steak which may have weighed 2 lbs. It's was solid if not great. Enjoy the cheesy Americana decor and corny uniforms the waitress wear. Yes, it's corny. Yes, it's a little over the top. But who cares. The kids will love it and you ll leave full for the same price you ll spend at a chain restaurant.
(4)
Clark M.
Hearty meals in the Heartland! My girlfriend and I stopped here while we driving cross country and staying at a hotel next door, and we very happy that we did! They started our meal with some small, family style sides to share that come complimentary, then we had steaks that were cooked perfectly. The entire staff was super friendly and helpful, even though it was late and we were the only ones in there. Decided to get a dessert as well, which we never do, and we couldn't finish the Sundae between the 2 of us! Also, the whole front of the restaurant is one of the coolest gift shops I've every seen in a restaurant. This is a great establishment and you can eat here with confidence!
(4)
Leslie H.
Absolutely love this place! This is such a great destination and place to have brunch and even dinner. Pros: Huge servings. Friendly atmosphere. Quick service. Great farm memorabilias. Bacon as thick as you can get. Just say "I love eggs" and they will give you an extra egg on your order for free. Delicious and huge cinnamon roll. Kids menu is so fun. The store has lots of interesting stuff such as cooking supplies, candles etc. Cons: NONE... That's how good this place is!
(5)
Pamela R.
Excellent food . Great service. Nice casual atmosphere. Very good quality food. No complaints at all. I'd return often if I lived nearby. We will make it our stop when on road trips. Beef veg soup top notch. Chicken fried steak and potatoes are as good as it gets. Stuffed sirloin was so tender and delicious. Try this place. It's fabulous!
(5)
Bob B.
The food was good. Place had a cracker barrel type theme but Iowa related. Our waitress ignored us. Guess she was trained at Cracker Barrel.
(3)
Jui H.
Perfect home cooking with fresh, natural ingredients and great prices. Server was super friendly and topped our coffees off at least six times.
(5)
Gavin S.
Driving from Philly to Denver I was looking for a place with some local Iowa flavor. While this is a chain, I think it fit the bill pretty nicely. You first walk into their large gift shop, which is great if you're looking for a uniquely midwest gift, or maybe a tongue-in-cheek t-shirt. In the dining area there is plenty of kitsch to set the mood. Fast forward to the entrees - I must say I was a little disappointed to learn that creamed chicken and biscuits is really just a poor man's chicken pot pie - next time I'll know. While it was good, I'm sure that crust would've been better. They were out of the larger pork chops so my guest had the Parmesan crusted chop, and had no complaints. The kicker of the meal was the Raspberry Pie a la mode. I didn't know exactly what to expect, but it was soooooo good. A must try. Our waitress was a real doll and I was struck when I first sat down how happy everyone in the room seemed. Must be an Iowa thing. I'm used to Philly where no one ever really lets their guard down.
(4)
Jon P.
When you have a hankerin' for GOOD food, GOOD service, and fair prices, the Machine Shed is the place for you. There's nothing fancy--your cold drinks are served in pint jars. For breakfast, don't miss the big cinnamon rolls--and don't snack before you go for breakfast, they are HUGE! For lunch or dinner, order anything pork. It's the specialty of the house and they do it right. If you don't like pot roast over-cooked, avoid the Shepherd's Pie since it's made with leftover roast and cooked again--duh! They desserts are big enough to share, if you leave half of your dinner for take-home! I'd give the Shed 10 stars if the scale went that high.
(5)
Alisha M.
Def stop here! We went with 14 ppl after a crossfit competition and everyone got something they loved. I personally got the burnt ends which were delicious and came with 1 side; I got the sweet potato fries which really weren't that good but the apple sauce, slaw and breads that were served before dinner totally compensated for that :)
(4)
Suzanne A.
Great food, you won't leave hungry.each table gets two complimentary side items, we love the apples. To start, try the White "sheddar" Melts.... Sooo tasty. I had the 'famous' country fried chicken, definitely recommend it (country fried steak is good as well). Kids meals had a ton of food. Sooo glad we stopped here on our road trip!
(5)
Bo R.
Best food in Davenport Iowa ! Always eat there at least twice when visiting family.
(5)
Conor T.
Holy kitsch, batman! This place has examined "country" and gone for it whole-heartedly! The plank wood walls are plastered in flour bags, farming equipment, pages from seed catalogs, posters for agricultural equipment, etc. The dining room is lit by the sort of lighting you'd find in a barn. The all-female wait staff is dressed in blue-jeans and checkered shirts. I'd be willing to bet they wear daisy dukes in the summer, but I was here in the winter. Drinks come in tin pitchers. The service is fast, the food is hearty, and WAY better than Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, or the like. There's a large dessert selection of pies and cakes. This would be a great place to take kids.
(5)
Nancy M.
Sorry, but it is hard to get excited about your food...when no one waits on you. Other couples came in and got menus and drinks...but we had to flag down a waitress. When we did get food, it was ok. As the manager made his rounds, I mentioned that we had been forgotten, and he said, 'Well, sorry.' And that was it. So...it is just off the interstate food and 'too bad, but I know you aren't local' service.
(1)
Alisha B.
Far and away the best meal and service I can ever remember having. We were in town from Chicago for a wedding and ate here because Google said it was nearby. We had no idea it was going to be so amazing! Our family of four (two adults and two young children) ate soo much food. Soo much. An appetizer, two kid meals, two adult sized meals - AND they give you bread and apple sauce and cottage cheese and corn for the whole table too on top of what you order...it was like we were being drowned in food. The portions were huge too, we ended up taking half of all our meals home and eating them the next day for lunch. When the bill came, we actually had to check the bill with our waitress because we assumed they left something off the tab. $54 to feed a family of four, with enough leftovers for another full meal the next day!?? Unheard of! The food was great tasting too! I've gone to meals in downtown Chicago, fancy Italian joints and such, where a meal for two is easily $150, and their food flavor couldn't compare with what we got at this place. I had a country fried chicken meal, and hubby had a stuffed steak meal. Both kids got massive sized hot dogs that were served on top of little John Deer flatbed truck type things. They loved it! Service was just right. They weren't annoying and constantly in your face, yet they were always there to help when you wanted something. I just can't say enough good things. We were blown away.
(5)
Ruby Q.
It does not get much more comfortable than this! I have been here a several times and walk away each time with that satisfied feeling. The fried chicken and mashed potatoes are so good the Colonel might want to watch his back. We always go with the applesauce and the cole slaw for starters. The slaw tastes fresh made and the apple sauce is more like the best pie filling you ever tasted. I took a gander around the restaurant, and these are some of the most ample waistlines in the Midwest, so we limit our visits to one every 6 months or so. The servers are great - and please remember its OK to tip more than 20% when your meal cost is only $10 -they work their tail off!
(5)
Lisa D.
If you like Cracker Barrel, you will love this place. We had country fried chicken and country fried steak both are very good. Their carrots were awesome
(4)
Lianne N.
I'm reluctant to write a review just yet, because I understand that the meal that makes this place the rave of the country is its breakfast... However, since dinner is when I was there, I'll rate that for now, while assuring myself that I WILL get to try this place for breakfast soon. The comparison of this restaurant to a Cracker Barrel is not far off when it comes to ambiance. I'd say it was an "upscale" Cracker Barrel... similar decorations, similar style. That said, I'd say that's where the comparison ended for me. Never would I have ordered a steak at Cracker Barrel, but I had to try one here... the meat selections on the menu are really quite impressive, as is the design of each recipe. Saturday nights, they have prime rib. Alas, it was Sunday... but no worries, because there was a lot to choose from either way. My main dish was very good... I got the stuffed sirloin, which is thoroughly filled with a hearty filling, with some gravy for good measure. As my husband commented, it's one of those meals that really "sticks to your ribs". To that aspect, I felt like I'd just killed a month's worth of dieting. The gravy was great, but I'm sure it was the same type they make from bacon grease... (which of course is why it ends up tasting good!). It came with a choice of potato. Hubby had the meatloaf... OMG... I have never seen such a meatloaf... it was probably stacked about eight inches tall, with mashed potatoes, crispy onions, and gravy. The loaf itself had a really interesting mix, with onions, peppers, etc, in it. I took a pic, which I've added into the photos here. All the meals came with family-style side dishes (choice of two): cottage cheese, coleslaw, or homemade cinnamon apples. There was also corn (quite possibly canned, maybe frozen... meh.. it was corn) and a really nice assortment of fresh breads. Considering the fare, the meals were very reasonably priced. The service staff was very nice and helpful. There was one really grumpy man in the corner making a scene about something he had experienced during his meal, and despite being really rude to his waitress, I watched her react very graciously, fulfilling his needs even as he bellowed, "Gimme some mayo!!" across three tables to her. So, on that note, this place is NOT a five-star restaurant, in the more traditional sense of the word... no tablecloths, and plenty of folks who have a different attitude than they might in one of the Zaggat restaurants... ...BUT my family and I enjoyed our meals. I really look forward to returning for breakfast.
(4)
Luke B.
Breakfast was incredible!! Everything they served was tasty! Loved the service and atmosphere and the 1 lbs cinnamon roll was awesome! Usually the big cinnamon rolls tend to be dry but not this one! It was great
(4)
Dennis H.
My wife and I were running errands and thought to eat at the Machine Shed Restaurant. We hadn't eaten there in a while and we had always had tasty meals when we've been there. I had the chicken fried steak... Nice and tasty. My wife ordered the two-piece chicken dinner. She received a wing and what looked to be a thigh. After eating the wing, she moved onto the second piece. We could not determine WHAT it was. It was like part of a thigh and mostly the back. Anyway, they gave her another piece to take home. The funny thing was is that this piece looked like the opposite site of the part thigh and back from before. I guess it's true what they say... The worst cooks work on Sundays because the best worked the Friday and Saturday before. Serves us right for expecting better.
(1)
Douglas P.
I grew up in the area and never ate at this place before. Stopped in with a friend two days prior to the Bix 7 which we had flown into the area for. It is a great place to introduce someone to Iowa since it was our first stop after flying in. The pork tenderloin sandwich though is not as good as many places in the area. The service was also a bit clumsy, but what I would expect for a country style place in the Midwest. If I was not so full, I'd have loved to try the desserts which looked amazing, but SO BIG! NOTE: The owner should take down the political articles above the urinals. Some of them seem to be pro-Republican and are not appropriate for a business that is open to the general public. Save the politics for your home and keep them out of your business or you will alienate your customers. Thankfully many of us do not believe the way that you seem to.
(3)
Sarah G.
If you like hometown down-to-earth cooking then this is your place. Very country style. I was in the area for a visit and we all stopped in for our 'last meal' before we all departed ways. To me, the food wasn't all that special. I wanted a regular ground chuck burger but the only thing they offered was Angus. Kind of surprised that for a country restaurant they would have "fancy" Angus instead of ground chuck. When my food arrived, the burger was over cooked and tough and the fries were bland. The other members of my party had fish and steak and theirs turned out alright. The decor was all vintage farm equipment which was neat to see. Overall the place was ok...for sure not my favorite.
(2)
Cait W.
It was very very busy and a bit confusing when you walk in, but the salad bar was great! The salad was fresh and the area was clean. While it is loud, there is a good family setting. The rustic farm setting is great! The service is friendly is just as good as the homecookin'. The special was great. It was a nice place to stop after a long day traveling!
(3)
Kenneth B.
Down home country cookin' at its finest! Walking past an antique John Deere tractor, you enter the Machine Shed and are greeted with relics of an age long past. The front of the Machine Shed Restaurant is an "Olde Country Store" with products reminiscent of Grandma's farm. To say that the Shed is a themed restaurant would be an understatement. The coverall-sporting waitstaff is very attentive and look at home down on the farm. Bags of livestock feed hang from the ceiling and farm implements decorate the walls of the dining room, but you know that you are in a good place when you smell the fresh backed bread. Some other reviewers compare the Shed to a Cracker Barrel, and I suppose that might give you a general idea, but that analogy truly does not begin to describe this restaurant's magnificent aura! I found the Shed's menu to be reasonably priced, and the menu is very large for a country/comfort food venue. From sandwiches to meatloaf, to country fired steak and chicken and biscuits to premium pork chops and top notch steaks, the Shed has what you're looking for! All the meals come with additional sides of cole slaw, cottage cheese, and fresh baked bread which are served family style at the table. There are a wide variety of appetizers, (the fondue was excellent!) but you might take advantage of the sides brought out early, skip the app and save room for the huge helping of desert that are offered. (pie a la mode, anybody?) The Shed is Kid friendly, and the perfect place to bring your whole family for a fun, relaxing meal. Whether you are a local, or passing by on I-80, the Machine Shed is an opportunity that you should not pass up! If you found this review helpful, please take a second to compliment it, rate it as helpful and become a fan!
(5)
David N.
Definitely lived up to the reviews... A Cracker Barrel on crack (that's a good thing). Service was friendly and prompt. Nothing took too long to make it to our table. Everything we ordered was solid. The salad bar was decent for the price, and their cole slaw and cottage cheese sides are some of the best. We tried the Pork Loin, Shed Burger, and Reuben Sandwich. All were very good, made to order. Shed Burger seemed to get the ravest reviews. It's massive. A cholesterol coma for sure. After everyone was stuffed, we grabbed dessert...the Bourbon Bread Pudding. Pretty good, came out a little burnt on some parts. Plenty of food to share about the table. There's a kitschy store inside which has all of your potato salad recipe needs too. Good food, good prices, worth a visit if you're from out of town and/or visiting.
(4)
Aaron L.
One of the best places to eat for your money. I think you get too much food sometimes, lol. It can get busy, but I never have to wait long for anything. Plus you family style portions which is awesome.
(5)
Bella R.
Driving from Chicago to Omaha, I checked the network to find restaurants near I-80 that worth a visit. The reviews were very nice for this one. First impression was not great, though. My GPS showed the directions but I found difficult to be sure I was in the right place for only half of the name was on the display over the restaurant ("SHED"). In front of it the enfasis was more to the machines than to the food. No windows or food displays, so you don't see much of the restaurant from the outside. I drove around, and I saw the windows and tables at the back. Very cute inside, they have a front store with many cooking utensils and travel gifts. Bought some as memoir. Very clean space, perfumed bathrooms, tasty american food, good size dishes, attentive waitresses, smiley store attendant and cashier. If I ever drive back to Chicago, I will make sure to stop there.
(4)
Matt U.
Some of the best breakfast we've ever had. We go here every time we're in town. Great options, extra eggs when you ask and cinnamon rolls bigger than your head! Lunch and dinner are good as well, but breakfast is the true gem here! The gift shop selection of John Deere clothing and accessories is great and they have a section dedicated to bacon! Overall, it's an absolute must try spot!
(5)
Chrystal M.
My husband being a farmer, I added this to our agenda on our trip to Iowa. It's a little like Cracker Barrel, but more geared towards farmers. My husband had ordered a steak but wasn't too impressed with it. I on the other hand tried the country fried chicken which was excellent. I'm not a steak lover, but country fried steak always looked good to me, so I was so excited to have a choice of the chicken. I wish other restaurants would offer this. A very relaxing, family restaurant.
(4)
Seth P.
While on a bus tour in Iowa we stopped at the Machine Shed. From the moment I stepped out of the bus I was sold. They have a red International harvester tractor out front and a tall wood sculpture of a corn cob. The restaurant looks like a barn. There is all kinds of farm signs, feed bags, tools, and basically everything besides animals in the restaurant theme wise. I like how all of the servers wear flannel and jeans. It makes you feel like your in the middle of a barn. The food there was amazing. I had the potato soup and it was comparable to what my mom makes which is saying something. The other people in our group loved their food as well. There was not one bad thing said about this restaurant. I wish they had something like this where I live.
(4)
John D.
Get a cinnamon roll
(5)
Joanne E.
In the words of my hubby - it's not Dixie Kitchen. That said, it's very good. I ordered a cinnamon roll WITH my breakfast order based on the Yelp reviews about how good it was. I guess I didn't realize it would be the size of my head!!! It was delicious, but I think the leftover I took with me could feed a family of five. As for the comments regarding service. We had great service. Quick, efficient, right on top of the drink refills. My hubby drinks a lot of ice tea - on his third refill he asked if she could leave the pitcher. No problem, so he was thrilled. Would we go back if we were driving through Davenport? Absolutely.
(4)
Olivia S.
We happened on the restaurant during our move cross=country from California to Michigan. We weren't sure about it because of the name. Three of our party didn't even know it was a restaurant at first. But it looked popular so we tried it. The appetizers and shared sides were good. I had a boneless America's cut pork chop with parmesan crust that was amazing, and the other four in my party were also pleased and impressed with their entrees. The only reason I am not rating five stars is an incident we had with our server. When she brought our appetizers, she brought the plate across the back of one of my party's head. When he said something to her about it, instead of apologizing she tried to deny that it happened at all and argued about it in a very unprofessional way. It's a pity her actions put a dent in what was otherwise a great dinner and welcome stop on a long journey.
(4)
Shayra A.
Yeah!!! Cracker Barrel on Steroids!! I shouldn't even compare to it. The reality is that this place is unique and the real thing. I was first surprised by the tractor ride just right outside. I wanted to go for a ride, but soon realized it was more for kids; however, I regret it, I should have gone. Such a Midwest experience. The food was unbelievable, make sure you say "I love eggs" and you get an extra egg on your platter. If you are on diet, make sure you come prepare to break it, there are so many yummy things to eat in here. I loved the store, so many original and cute stuff. I bought my souvenirs in here and I am sure my friends will enjoy them. I am definitely coming back next time I travel to a location that has a Machine Shed.
(5)
Jimmy C.
Worst experience ever at the Machine Shed. They are definitely slipping. First we get there on a Sunday morning which you expect to be busy. We give them our name on arrival. They say it will be 15-20 minutes and give us the little pager thing. They repeat this with quite a few other guests as they come in. Then we all notice that many of us are not being seated after 40 minutes. They come out and say they are going to quit serving breakfast and start serving lunch. We all say we didn't come here in the morning to get lunch. The manager says they will continue to serve breakfast, but all new names will be getting lunch. We all start asking what we are waiting on and they find out they weren't turning on most of the pagers, so we all waited an extra 20 minutes for nothing. After we are seated the waitress takes our order quickly. We order breakfast and a cinnamon roll. The roll comes out quickly. And then we wait while our waitress chit chats with a table for 10 minutes in a fully packed restaurant.... 25 minutes later I went back out to the manager to ask why it takes a half hour to make eggs and bacon. He tells me it is because they had 40 orders come in at once. REALLY. That is the best you can do. But he goes to check and returns to say that our order was just being plated as he checked. The manager then brought out the order... and forgot one thing that the waitress brought out later. All of this and the manager and staff say nothing or do nothing to make up for their incompetence. Go somewhere else where service actually matters.
(1)
E L.
Machine Shed provides a good dining choice if you are en route on I-80 as there aren't many other convenient choices around. My first impression was Cracker Barrel but definitely a few notches above it. We ordered the batter fried mushroom as appetizer and meatloaf, pork tenderloin sandwich (PTS) and house burger for entree. The mushroom appetizer arrived lukewarm and appeared pre-fried. However the batter fried PTS is worth trying especially if you are in Iowa. The sweet potato fries was a good combination but they not as crisp as others I have had elsewhere. The prices were reasonable and service was friendly and prompt. They offer limited choices of local beers...I believe there were only two -- Iowa brown ale and a golden ale. Could definitely benefit from offering a broader local beer selection.
(3)
Dana H.
Stopped by here recently because I have heard a lot about their breakfast and how good it is...was extremely disappointed. Nothing had any type of seasoning on it...I ordered scrambled eggs with hash browns, bacon and toast...the hash browns were cold as well. I was extremely disappointed and will not be returning for breakfast. I do have to say as well, though, that the times when I have gone for dinner the food has been incredibly good...
(1)
Heather L.
I like country cooking. There is something about it, something comforting, reminds me of family. The Machine Shed gets pretty close to that. Just good ol' midwestern style food. I have been on two separate occasions. The service was a bit on the slow side, but our server was very friendly and hospitable, which kind of made up for the fact that she was a bit slow. That being said, I think the service was a bit slow because maybe they could use a few more servers as ours seemed to be covering a very large area of customers. On my first time to the Machine Shed, I had the pork chops. I love pork chops, so I was pretty excited about these. However, that being said, pork chops can be very easy to mess up... and well... they kind of messed them up. They were tough, unusually tough, which was highly disappointing. It means that I spent most of dinner trying to cut through the pork, on the upside, I may have worked off most of the calories from the pork trying to cut it... On my second time I had the pot roast. Now that... was delicious! The meat was so tender, juicy, and just all around lovely. And there was quite a bit of meat, not a lot of fatty pieces as you can sometimes get with a pot roast. The portions are quite generous, so bring a healthy appetite. I think the prices are just a little bit pricey, but nothing extortionate. Overall, not bad.
(3)
Emma E.
What a cute restaurant! It's so Iowa. In a good way! Breakfast is awesome here. Skip Crack barrel and come here instead. The gift shop has tons of cute stuff as well. Very home-y!
(4)
Rex C.
I don't know how I would feel about this place if I were from Iowa, where food apparently is amazing, but being from the east coast I was blown away. I had a pulled pork sandwich that could have been the best thing I ever ate. Everything tasted like the pig had just been killed that morning. Then our receipt had a coupon for a free onion ring within 30 days, so we stopped on the way back. Here I am thinking "free onion rings" would be some tiny little side plate, and out comes this monster plate piled with a mountain of onion rings. I wouldn't have gotten another side if I'd realized that. Place was jam packed and service was good. Waitress was friendly. Somebody complained it was overpriced? Wut? For 20 bucks our table was overflowing with food. Shouldn't even have come to that much since there was no way we could finish it all. Judging by the average size of the clientele I wouldn't want to eat here very often, but gottdamn I wish we had one of these nearer to home.
(5)
Brian C.
Lot of food! Huge portions of home cooked style meals are the draw here. If you've ever been to a Cracker Barrel, this is very similar except way more food! They serve shared sides before and during the dinner which is pretty cool. So basically you'll have a big helping of cole slaw, beans, etc. and you pass it around like you would at home. The nice thing is they just keep bringing out refills of the sides, lot of food! The main course was pretty good, the brisket was my favorite! Go here if you're really hungry!!
(4)
Palazzo Z.
My girlfriend and I for the first few times would get the fried chicken meal the open face sandwich. Both and are pretty good entrees, the sides (cole slaw, apple sauce, etc...) are lacking any "real" flavor, but I'm not going to be too picky if the entree makes up for the meal. Let's talk about the real problem with this restaurant and why I'm writing this review. My problem is when we decided to try something different, the true identity of this restaurant appeared. We are HUGE fans of Prime Rib and we decided to give Machine Shed's Prime Rib a try. Of course we ordered the Prime Rib medium rare (the way it is supposed to be) but the steak came back as medium and a little cold. Ok, mistakes can happen,so we informed the waitress, she took it back and we received another Prime Rib which was also a little cold and medium on the inside!!! Now this is getting ridiculous! So we decided to talk to the manager; now we are not blaming the waitress at all! She was friendly and understood our problem. Once the manager finally decided to approach our table, we explained what was going on and we had to return the prime rib twice already. After explaining our side of the story, the manager pretty much gave it to us straight and informed us that the prime rib which was served to us was from YESTERDAY'S cooking and they were not able to cook the prime rib any longer than necessary because the steak was already cooked to medium rare! So when we ordered the most expensive steak on the menu, Machine Shed was ok with serving us something which came from yesterdays kitchen! So Machine Shed is a proud part of the corporate structure which ultimately does not care about you, only concerned with the bottom dollar and more importantly, that the share holders are making a profit. I have had prime rib all over the US and I have never heard such a pathetic attempt to make money, hoping that we would be the dumb customer that wouldn't notice the difference. Please avoid any and all Heart of America restaurants.
(2)
Tim P.
Typically the food here is wonderful. This time our chicken was undercooked. The waitress handled it much better than the manager whereas she told the cook to redo the order, he was going to have them heat it up more.
(3)
Peg T.
Another great find thanks to YELP! comfort food at its best. Go there hungry cuz the portions are huge, a cinnamon roll the size of my head.
(5)
Lily T.
I can count the number of times I visited the Midwest in one hand, but I have never been disappointed by the fried chicken I get there. Crispy on the outside. Succulent on the inside. Holy crap was it good. Move over, KFC.
(4)
Christine M.
Solid 4! Had chicken & biscuits, my boyfriend had roasted turkey platter. Both so delicious & moist! Perfect country cooking! I didnt give it 5 stars because i asked for my salad to come before my meal twice...it came out in hand with my dinner. Someone mentioned earlier its like a classier cracker barrel. Thats right on the money..a few dollars more. But better, fresher flavors. I also wouldnt eat any meal after brunch at cracker barrel..but i would eat breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner here!
(4)
Team Asphalt W.
After reading the reviews we were looking forward to a great meal. I had the pork loin which was just ok. My husband had the chicken pot pie and he thought it was great. The applesauce needed more cinnamon and the cole slaw had a strange taste. Service was excellent and the meals are of decent value. We would try it again. For me, chicken pot pie next time! The huge cinammon rolls are only $1.00 in the afternoon as they are baked that morning. Cracker Barrel or Machine Shed? Cracker Barrel hands down.
(3)
Laura W.
To say I was disappointed with Machine Shed would be an understatement. My boyfriend and I went after hearing multiple rave reviews from people. To start we had the Sheddar melts and Burnt ends. Both were fine, not terrible but not great. I had the Creamed Chicken and Biscuits. It should be called "biscuit" because there was only one biscuit, and it was not what my vision of "creamed chicken" would be. It was more on the soupy side rather than being thick and creamy. My boyfriend had the Double-Cut Iowa porkchop and while it was a good size for the price, it was nothing fantastic. I am not sure if I would go back there - maybe just for the cute giftshop area. The service was very good and the people friendly but the food was subpar.
(3)
Rhonda D.
Bring a buddy to help you eat the amount of food you will be served here! I recommend the double cut pork chops were a little dry without gravy but good. We also had the stuffed pork chop didn't care for it found it to be fatty and bitter, the homemade applesauce was good till I found a chunk cinnamon that looked like a blood clot, then I was repulsed, the corn was mushy and over cooked , not what I remember of Iowa corn, the fried cheese and mushrooms were very good but I really could have stopped there and never had an entree. Our waitress was nice but the manager just kept was walking around and never talked to anyone, at least 6 times during our meal. Anyway it a cool place to stop eat a your at your own discretion.
(2)
Michael M.
Really good good and gigantic portions. Come hungry and leave extra satisfied. I love to eat and this place fills me up every time.
(4)
Susan H.
Every time I come back come back home to visit my mom we always go here. I love the tenderloin sandwiches. Everything is always good and the staff is always friendly. This place is great!
(5)
Hannah M.
This place was a glorified cracker barrel. I don't even know if the quality was as good as that. We didn't feel welcome, no one was friendly and the food was not good. We shared the combo platter and it was hardly enough food for one let alone to share although the menu made it sound huge, the waitress could have mentioned this. It was one tiny pork medallion very dry despite bacon wrapped, one slice of beef brisket(literally a slice), and another piece of pork stuffed with mediocre dressing so there really wasn't much meat. The sides were generic nothing special at all. Overall pretty poor quality on all fronts.
(1)
Izzy F.
One of my favorites- EVER! First time I ate there I got some sort of sampler with stuffed pork chop (perfect) Bacon rapped sirloin (amazing) and beef brisket (fantastic!!) This time I had to order off the lunch menu, and got the beef tips. Everything was fantastic. Service can be slow but its WELL worth the wait. The Coleslaw is one of my favorites. As stated below there is a ton of food and its a great value. Go!!
(5)
Holly L.
One of my favorite restaurants... but what can I say - I'm a midwestern meat and potatoes kind of gal. There is a kitchy gift shop where you can buy stuffed animals and stuffed smiling corn cobs. Cookbooks, aprons, bacon cologne (yes, I said bacon cologne) and lots of other farm-themed stuff. The entire place is very farm-themed. Go figure, it's the "Iowa Machine Shed". I mean, what do you expect?! The food is amazing. I always get the parmesan crusted pork. YUM!!! The bread basket is delish. You're served your choice of cottage cheese, coleslaw, or applesauce (you pick 2 out of the 3) family style before the meal. They'll refill these if you ask. The applesauce is absolutely NOT store-style applesauce. It's more like applechunks. The vegetable of the day is also served family-style with the meal. The desserts look amazing as you walk by them to sit at your table, but with portion sizes this huge, don't expect to have room for dessert. I'm not sure how a vegetarian would fare here, but everyone else who likes good comfort food, this is your place. Bonus: tractor hayrides for the kiddies out front. My 2-year-old had the time of her life cruising around the parking lot behind a tractor.
(5)
Chad D.
I'd like to give the Machine Shed a 5 star review but I can't. They have amazing Cinnamon Rolls that are as big as a cake and some of their items are quite tasty. But, and that's a big but, their service is consistently slow and spotty. Ask for an additional drink during your meal and you'll see it 10-15 minutes later. Are you expecting water to be placed in the glasses they provide on the table? Too bad. Now you can ask for it to be filled but once again start the timer because it's going to be a few minutes. Some of you are thinking that they are extremely busy and sometimes they are but I've been in there just after they open at 7 and still had lousy service. About the food... What to eat there? The Country Breakfast is amazing. Go for the Country Fried Pork Chop and enjoy. It's a world class breakfast. The cheesy potatoes are a signature item but I'm not really a big fan. They are mealy. Stick with the traditional hash browns. The Cinnamon Rolls are a must have if you a with a group. The Carrot Cake pancakes are also very very good. What not to eat there? The Sausage, Ham, and Bacon are all unremarkable and while naturally salty these are uncomfortably salty. The Pancakes are ok but nothing better than what you'd get at IHOP. In Summary, food is selectively a 5 star experience but service is consistently a 2 star experience. One Tip: Make sure you say "I LOVE EGGS" and get yourself an extra egg added to your order.
(3)
Jeff C.
Actually Negative Stars if I could! Went with friends for breakfast, at 10:38 no longer serving breakfast, so ok we decide to do lunch, many tables open, we waited for 15 minutes, patiently, asked if any tables were open and got a rude NO, so we wait a bit longer and finally decide to go to Thunder Bay Grille instead. Completely different atmosphere, friendly service from everyone and got seated right away!
(1)
Raina B.
Over board on the 'country' decor. Food was mediocre and just tasted low-quality. I had the country-fried steak, which usually you can't go wrong, but it was just so bland. The sides were just as bland. Will not eat here again. Sweet staff however.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Teri D.
Quick service with tasty iced tea, reasonable prices and a MOUNTAIN of food. Unbelievably fresh ingredients and the place was packed. I'm here for the third time in as many days for breakfast and it's beyond dynamite AGAIN. I'm definitely going to grab one of the HEAD SIZE cinnamon rolls for hubby back home in Illinois so he can eat if for breakfast tomorrow and my wonderfully accommodating server is getting me the freshest one possible to take with me. Hubby loves cinnamon rolls and yesterday the three other folks I had breakfast with shared ONE cinnamon roll and could barely finish it. They also ordered the carrot cake pancakes and went nuts over them. They have wireless Internet access which is allowing me to finish my review via iPad without leaving the building. I sure wish they'd open one of these in St. Louis!! Of course if they did, I'd lose my religion and have to buy a lot of bigger clothes! Such a dilemma!
(5)Clarke J.
Terrific prices for Comfort Food Done Right. Smoked Turkey Sandwiches, a clean salad bar, and all for under ten bucks. The crew wears bib overalls and red and white checked shirts; and unlike the hand clapping and pesky singing and dancing disrupting your meals at most chain restaurants, the "Down Home" environment works. Nary a sprig of this or a drizzle of that in sight. Genuine John Deere's and Case and International Harvester Farmall's outside, too. Like the sister shop in Des Moines, you won't go home hungry or feeling ripped off. Guaranteed.
(5)Chris E.
OMG...do not eat here! Stopped in while driving from Chicago to my home in Nebraska. Crowded, dirty, noisy, and inept staff members. The food? well, it can best be described as: GAWD-AWFUL!!!!!! Smooshy...full of salt and fat .... and tasting like s**t. the only plus was the pleasant attitude of my waitress. again ... don't go there.
(1)Tim L.
I was quite disappointed by the experience and meal purchased here, the decor is the understandable completely tacky looking, the waitress that served was a bit on the rude side then the bread was very dry and flavorless, then the chicken fried steaks were dry and sparse on the gravy and had a tough crust and the side of carrots were oddly seasoned and had the texture of something very much over-boiled. I had expectations that this would be like the Cracker Barrel but better in all ways and an Iowa institution for good reasons and am now wondering if I was wrong to think of this as being better than mediocre especially for being a bit pricey.
(2)Pam H.
I've eaten here several times throughout the years. The menu is standard, midwestern food. The last breakfast I ordered was pot roast with a couple of eggs, biscuit/gravy. It was very good.
(5)Josh M.
If you're thinking about breakfast, wait no longer! This place rocks!
(5)Brandon B.
Despite some reluctance, I tried Machine Shed today. Let it be known, I am very surprised i would give Machine Shed such a high mark; i am not normally a fan of uber-kitchy americana, or anything gimmicky. But today, the Machine Shed surprised me. why? the food. Once you get past the fact it is a restaurant with a GIFT SHOP and get beyond the intense farm decor, you are left at a table, in a restaurant, like all others.... WITH A MENU... you are here to eat. Now, I've heard all about the amazing breakfast, and sadly, due to too many adult beverages and a day off work, we slept in and missed breakfast. In fact, we thought the amazing breakfast was served all day. Such is not the case. breakfast till 11. So we had lunch. We ordered their special onion rings as an appetizer... and while greasy (even for onion rings), they were awesome. (and served in a metal wagon - ok, i know, i said i don't like gimmicky, but they tasted so good and were so light and unique, the presentation was a plus.) note: one order is enough for a party of 4. I had the daily special pork-herb soup... super good lots of flavor, giant chunks of pork. The other member at my table ordered the cole slaw... also very good, nothing to write home about. I had an Iowa-style Philly Cheese Steak... replace the steak with thinly sliced pork. Incredible. Our server was really amazing. She brought me a side of creamy horseradish to put on the extra soft and crispy hoagie because "that's how she likes it"... and oh, yeah, it was on point. We also ordered a chicken club. It was GIANT... and really good. no skimping on the meat. it was a little dry, seeing that it's three giant pieces of toasted bread, but a big side of mayo helped that situation. The low point: the fries were very bland, generic, frozen fries... but hey, it's just fries. I lament not getting the sweet potato fries. And the salad bar, which we didn't go to, looked like it needed some serious attention. The pie on the other hand, was absolutely amazing... i had the lemon meringue. we also order the blue berry pie with ice cream. big portions, very delicious. i've been told, when at a midwest diner, order the pie... this held true today. All in all, it's like a Cracker Barrel or Denny's or Village Inn (but on Farm Decor Crack) but the food is much much better. Based on their less-spoken about lunch, I will certainly be back to try their breakfast. side notes: very clean place - bathrooms included. i'd give our server a B+/A-. You don't pay the server, you pay at a register (in the gift shop)... this can slow you down if you are trying to leave in a hurry.
(4)Jeff M.
The portions are good and price is decent. Be prepared for the ambiance. Country, Iowa style at it's finest. Good local place to go with tons of nick nack stuff. This place has a reputation and most of the locals seem to love it. I heard the breakfast is amazing. Great customer service.
(3)David V.
If you eat here be prepared to walk out Belly First and a little lighter in the wallet area. But it's soooo worth it. Only the freshest and best ingredients are involved in this Mmm Mmm Goodness.
(5)Faith H.
I have eaten here SEVERAL times, and have NEVER had a bad experience. Growing up on a farm, I am taken back in time to my childhood everytime we come. When you walk in, you are automatically greeted by the host/hostess. My son (who pronounces the Machine Shed "Sheen Shed") loves the fact that he is given a toy tractor to play with along with a coloring menu and crayons while we are there. The menu has quite a bit of variety and you definitely get your money's worth. They take the old saying we don't want you to leave hungry to a whole other level. :) There is always a pitcher of iced water and water glasses (mason jars just like we used on the farm) on the table. The staff is very friendly and accomodating. We are always being checked on throughout our meal to make sure that we are taken care of and that we are satisfied with our meal. We even got to ride on their green tractor in front of the restaurant around the parking lot one time! Boy my son sure did love that! I would recommend this place to ANYONE!
(5)Deb E.
We hit the Machine Shed for brunch on a drippy Saturday morning. When we arrived, the dining room was packed, but our waitress showed us to a booth and got us situated. This place is very Cracker Barrel-ish with its gift shop and decor, but we loved it! Perfect for families with its big booths and tables. Prices were very reasonable and my travelling companion couldn't believe how big the cinnamon rolls were. As my better half would say "They were as big as your head!" I had the "Hired Hand": a couple of eggs with smoked sausage, their "Sheddar Style" hash brown potatoes, all accompanied with a biscuit and sausage gravy. Coffee was the perfect accompaniment. My friend got the "Cakes and Everything". Her combination included two eggs, ham, and two slices of French Toast., all rounded out with coffee. As busy as the restaurant was, our waitress was on her game and attentive. 'Course, we just had to check out the gift shop on our way out for some souvenirs!
(4)Chris R.
Huge portions. Home cooked tasting. I've never had a bad experience.
(4)Ethan S.
I had dinner here over the summer, and I have to say - I didn't know what to expect! I was pretty hungry, but all I could finish there was an appetizer of jalapeno shrimp (which was pretty good!). Everything there is HUGE, and that's why I love it! We ordered four cinnamon rolls, and what we got was bigger than most cakes. LOVED THIS PLACE.
(5)Brian C.
Recco'd by a co-worker who travels around the country. This is definitely a meat and potatoes place. My impressions: good food. VERY WELL staffed. VERY healthy portions. Prices match what you get. But why- WHY- did they have to adopt a group birthday singing reminiscent of one the umpteen chain eateries? Too corny (pun most definitely intented = ) ) Not enough to WOW me, but far, far from being a risk. A definite safe bet.
(3)Jim R.
This was a horrible dining experience! The lettuce in the salad was brown with age. The dresssing touted as Maytag Dairy blue cheese was missing the blue cheese. The half of the dinner roll I was served was hard as a rock. The Double Pork chop was good until I got into the middle and it wasn't completely cooked. I asked for double veggies instead of a potato and got barely enough veggis for a single serving. The crowing blow was that I was never asked how my meal was even when the manager walked past my booth several times and say my whole salad and roll sitting there as I at my pork chop. When I went to pay my bill he was at the register talking to the girl running the cash register about carpel tunnel syndrome. When I walked up he left and never said a word. I would not recommend this place and definately will not go back. There is a Cracker Barrel one exit past this place that has much better food and service!
(1)Bernard F.
I gave them three chances . Once by myself, once with another and the third time there were four of us. All three times were large disappointments. All were within a three week period. Once I waited 20 minutes for someone to bring water and a menu , So I just walked out, The second time we actually got to order but then the owner came back after 45 minutes and told us that they were running way behind and that it would be another half hour, so once again we left w/o eating. And the third time they just plane came out and told us prior to seating us, that the kitchen was really slow today, and that it might be a 40 minute wait, so once again we left , hungry. This is a place that our family used to visit all the time ( in the 70's) it was our first choice. Evidently the huge corperate Machine Shed has lost touch . I will not go back , nor will I reccoimend it to others. Added later: The I -80 truck stop, just down the road , a bit is 100% better when it comes to service , of any kind.
(1)Justin H.
Large portion family style food. Very good. priced ($6-25). The atmosphere is antique farmish. Staff always friendly, but not the speediest. Recommendations: Meat loaf dinner; Stuffed Iowa Chop, Smoked rib platter, Anything from the breakfast menu. Any Negatives: A couple of times the sides that come before the meal were not very fresh.
(5)Sejin H.
Just plain ol' fashion good, hearty eating! At very reasonable prices ($6-$10 a plate) A genuinely delicious country-style meal fit for a real farmer. Everything made from scratch with local ingredients from the farm. Awesome farm-house feel. A real American dining experience. Had a golden-fried pork tenderloin sandwich with sweet potato fries and topped with desert. Plenty of home-made pies and deserts to choose from.
(5)Jessica D.
A wonderful farm-themed family restaurant that offers family style meals (warm rolls and sides of cottage cheese, cole slaw plates are placed in front of you as you wait for your order to arrive) of homey, home-made tasting goodies, ranging from chicken fried steak to amazing pork chops (must be Amana). Plus don't miss checking out the store while you wait a short while to be seated. This restaurant (and the Rockford one) are a must try for a fun, delicious, and satistying meal.
(5)Jeremy M.
I stopped here for lunch while passing through. The ambiance struck me as similar to a Cracker Barrel, with a bit more stress on the farming side of country. I ordered a pork chop sandwich. It was good, even if it didn't blow me away. The server was friendly and did a decent job. The checkout line was long because the credit card machine was down, but the hostess was apologetic. This seems very much the "home cooking" type of place that many people crave. Most of the patrons seemed to be retirees. I was somewhere between 2 and 3 stars based on the food, though from reading other reviews I might've been persuaded to go higher if I'd had breakfast here or a dessert. But because the staff was friendly and the food came quickly (though they were quite busy), I'll go with 3 stars.
(3)Jack G.
This place is great for kids they get a tractor to play with on entry and there is free wifi for us. Menu is very American country kitchen - but wholesome and good.
(4)Anne R.
just bad. so maybe i'm a food snob because i like vegetables that haven't been canned and i like meat that doesn't make your jaw tired when working through a piece. maybe. and i'm sorry that maybe the wait staff isn't happy, but they could pretend like most other wait staff does. and if you're vegetarian, forget about it. there is absolutely nothing on the menu for you, unless you're satisfied with an iceberg lettuce salad. however, if you're looking for a cracker barrel experience that's keeping it a little more real, this is the place for you. it's kitchy, it's rustic, and HEY there's a gift shop! in closing, as a person who avoids chains and is always looking for that unique local experience, after eating there, i shamefully longed to find an applebees where i could make up some of the nutritional neglect. to be fair, this is an account from a meal with my family (of about 15 people who were also underwhelmed) that happened about 2 years ago. it is possible that things have improved since then. i hope so. i really hope so.
(1)Adam W.
Went here for brunch on mothers day. Was not very impressed with the food, it was average at best. The service was very attentive. I think food here is a little overpriced.
(3)ALFREDO M.
Just imagine the nicest Cracker Barrel ever but with clean restrooms and good food and where they serve beer. This is like that. Maybe that sounds bad but it's actually really good. If my wife had been travelling with us I'm sure we wouldnt have gotten out of there without $50 worth of country soaps and John Deere merchandise.
(4)Samantha F.
5 stars? you can't be serious! If I had to grade on originality I would give it a 4. However, the food is OK if you are willing to poor the entire bottle of stale salt on it, before you eat it. Also, hope you don't mind your "25 family meal plates" building up on your table while the waitress allows it to happen. Ranch rating? None here! they don't even have ranch, can you believe that? Its a good place to stop and take pics though. Would not go back again.
(1)Ashley W.
From the moment I walked in, I thought Cracker Barrel! We had a large group, about 9 and they were pretty busy but it took about an hour for our food to come out. I asked for a chocolate milk to drink (kid at heart) and that took her about 20 minutes to bring out to me after everyone else had their drinks. The food, however, was delicious! I had the soup special: chicken corn chowder. Makes me hungry thinking about how good it was. I also had a half portion of the turkey sandwich which was fabulous as well. All in all, if you don't mind waiting a while, don't hesitate to come here and have a great meal!
(4)Olive S.
I hope the American farmers appreciate all the calories I put on at this place eating the food they raise and grow. Normally, at a sit-down restaurant, you get a great entree but measly fries and meager sides. I mean, if that's what you're into, be my guest, but don't expect that here! I got the sirloin tips meal and it comes with a feast: two refillable sides you can share with the table. (We never figured out what the bowl of carrots came with) We gorged on bread, the burnt ends app, and cottage cheese and 'slaw - and we hadn't even gotten our meals yet. (The only downside was the bread could have been better, but it was still soft and the butter was good.) Also, they didn't just rely on their entrees to carry the meal. The fries were crispy and delicious! I totes judge eating places by their French fries. After the meal, the server - helpful, efficient, friendly throughout the meal - asked if we wanted to look at the dessert menu. Haha haha ha. Yeah, right. We almost had to be rolled out. Man, my one regret was that I didn't try the chicken rice soup. Sigh. If you are in the Quad Cities and looking for a filling meal, go here!
(5)David K.
The place is right off the interstate. It has a great decor and is decorated with farm tools that goes with the concept. Fried chicken is the house specialty. It was over done. Adequate at best. My wife had the beef brisket. It was so tough that she took the meat off the sandwich and had to cut into small pieces. The only good thing was the rolls and the service.
(2)Shirley H.
After missing the exit for Cracker Barrel, we decided to try the Shed or whatever the real full name of this restaurant is, out. This restaurant definitely has a country feel to it, from the shop they have right when you walk in, just like CB, and the way the waitresses dress and decor of the place. We arrived for a late dinner and had to wait about 20 min. When we were seated, our waitress took our drink order and eventually our dinner orders. I decided to be adventurous and ordered the Shepard's pie, was tasted okay. The first few bites were the best, but the more and more I ate, I realized how mushy the pot roast was, which probably means it's over cooked. My hubs ordered the beef tips that came with a side of green beans with bacon bits and a choice of a choice. He got mashed potatoes with beef gravy. His brother ordered the chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with country gravy. Our dishes came with "fixin's" and we ordered a side of "slaw"-coleslaw and applesauce, that looked like apple pie filling and tasted like potpourri. The beef tips were okay but probably would've been better if all of our dishes came out at the same time. My hubs and his brothers dishes came out first and finally my dish arrived 20 min after, so needless to say, their food was bordering between cold and lukewarm. The waitress apologized, which I appreciated but I would've thought they would comp our drinks (sweet tea and a lemonade). When I went to pay, the cashier asked how everything was and my response was 'okay.' Guess they really don't care to find out why it was just okay. Usually I would say good or great in a higher pitch tone, meaning I'm being nice and it really wasn't, but figured, hey I'll be honest. We definitely won't be going back. Not only because we won't ever be back in the area, but I would much rather go to CB, where service is prompt and the food is much better!
(1)Rod C.
Well we went there for our 25 the anniversary.They weren't busy at all the waitress was rude as can be and the food wasn't too bad .
(2)Shengte Y.
Came here based on a recommendation while visiting Quad Cities and I loved their breakfast. I usually stay away from steak and egg breakfast items but decided to give it a try here and was blow away by the quality of the steak. Everything was made perfectly. We also shared one of their famous cinnamon bun which was awesome as well. We had to wait 20 mins to be seated but enjoyed looking around the little gift shop inside the restaurant. Will definitely visit again the next time I'm in Quad Cities!!
(5)Justin R.
Called ahead and was told there was a 20 minute wait. Told the lady I had a group of 5. Showed up 20 minutes later and the hostess rudely informed us they weren't taking walk in's. I explained that I just called and was told to come and expect a 20 minute wait, and again she said "Well, sorry. No walk ins." I've been a regular here for a long time, but I'll find somewhere else from now on.
(1)Mimi J.
The Machine Shed was the last stop on our two day long cross country odyssey; we found it using my trusty Yelp phone app and dropped in for dinner before heading over into Illinois and my home for the next week and a half. We were greeted and led through a little country themed gift shop and seated in the large back dining room by a waitress dressed in a pair of blue denim overalls, a red shirt, and a red and blue cap - A cute way to keep the country theme going. She brought us a beat up looking metal pitcher full of ice water, which we poured into jelly jar glasses, and a basket of fresh baked bread with real butter. There were two types of home made bread, white and an apple brown sugar bread. Both were soft and warm and the apple bread was slightly sweet. Tyoni and I each ordered the special of the day, the baby back ribs "all you care to eat" which came with baked beans' a choice of side (applesauce, coleslaw, or cottage cheese) and a choice of rice or potato (baked, sweet, mashed, garlic mashed, or French fried). I settled on a sweet potato and Tyoni ordered a baked, and we were told that since we both ordered the same entree we had to choose a side together to share. Can somebody PLEASE explain to me why the choice of sides had to be a group decision? We chose the coleslaw - it was okay. The ribs were fall apart in your fingers tender and covered in a spice rub. The ribs tasted like they'd been cooked in a smoker but the rub was a little bland. Tyoni asked for barbecue sauce on the side trying to dress it up a bit. The baked sweet potato came with brown sugar butter and was the HIGHLIGHT of the meal - truly excellent, best sweet potato I have ever had. The food was good, the ribs (usually $19) were on special for $12.99, and the atmosphere was fun. The waitress was pleasant and kept everything refilled. I'd come back, but would probably order something other than the ribs. There wasn't anything wrong with them and they were cooked perfectly, the rub was just a little bland. PS - I bought a bacon ring in the shop on my way out - those who know me will understand.
(4)Sarah H.
We stopped here for breakfast when we were passing through. I got the breakfast wrap which comes with a side of fruit which was decent. The other two of us got a stack of pancakes with bacon and the hired hand. They were more than satisfied. We got a cinnamon roll to go to munch on in the pickup. Wow! It was huge and tasty! I really enjoyed what they had in their store. We had a great server and an overall good experience. I would like to try their lunch or dinner sometime!
(4)Karlye P.
Excellent food, friendly service, amazing prices! I don't understand why the reviews are bad? Ordered the pan fried chicken. They give you two free appetizers! We got the cottage cheese and spiced apples, super delicious. The chicken came out piping hot and crispy! Boyfriend got the steak tips with mushrooms and cheese. Stole some and it was also a tasty dish! Very good home cookin'.
(5)Anthony S.
Food is great, service is good, portion sizes are large and delicious. Bread basket came and included banana bread! BBQ fan or not they'll have something you like. Full rack of ribs is large. I got the pork combo and only got through half after the family shared bowls of coleslaw, glazed carrots and cottage cheese (you get to pick), the bread and sharing some of my wife's baked beans. Definitely will stop again and look for the other locations!
(5)Ed F.
Been here a few times, and each time we leave suggesting we should try someplace else. It's not bad, but there's so much better. Recent afternoon visit, my son ordered a slab of ribs - man were they dry. Other son ordered a burger - nothing special Wife and I had a steak-tip special on a bed of mushrooms and onions, smothered in white gravy. Not much in the way of meat, and with the onions, everything was soaking in grease. Service was decent, atmosphere is quaint, and prices aren't too bad, but the food could be so much better.
(2)Scott S.
I thought the shed was just... Mheh. Had really high hopes for this spot for breakfast. As other reviewers have said this place is similar to Cracker Barrel. The food was plentiful, service was good, just not the best breakfast in the country as Travel Channel states.
(3)Dan M.
I was driving from Chicago to Des Moines and stopped here for dinner. I can't imagine there being a better deal on I-80. The portions are huge and inexpensive. If your looking for a vegetarian lo cal option, this is not it. So sit , eat, and loosen your belt buckle. This place has every American Classic dish you can think of. I had the Chicken Fried Steak which may have weighed 2 lbs. It's was solid if not great. Enjoy the cheesy Americana decor and corny uniforms the waitress wear. Yes, it's corny. Yes, it's a little over the top. But who cares. The kids will love it and you ll leave full for the same price you ll spend at a chain restaurant.
(4)Clark M.
Hearty meals in the Heartland! My girlfriend and I stopped here while we driving cross country and staying at a hotel next door, and we very happy that we did! They started our meal with some small, family style sides to share that come complimentary, then we had steaks that were cooked perfectly. The entire staff was super friendly and helpful, even though it was late and we were the only ones in there. Decided to get a dessert as well, which we never do, and we couldn't finish the Sundae between the 2 of us! Also, the whole front of the restaurant is one of the coolest gift shops I've every seen in a restaurant. This is a great establishment and you can eat here with confidence!
(4)Leslie H.
Absolutely love this place! This is such a great destination and place to have brunch and even dinner. Pros: Huge servings. Friendly atmosphere. Quick service. Great farm memorabilias. Bacon as thick as you can get. Just say "I love eggs" and they will give you an extra egg on your order for free. Delicious and huge cinnamon roll. Kids menu is so fun. The store has lots of interesting stuff such as cooking supplies, candles etc. Cons: NONE... That's how good this place is!
(5)Pamela R.
Excellent food . Great service. Nice casual atmosphere. Very good quality food. No complaints at all. I'd return often if I lived nearby. We will make it our stop when on road trips. Beef veg soup top notch. Chicken fried steak and potatoes are as good as it gets. Stuffed sirloin was so tender and delicious. Try this place. It's fabulous!
(5)Bob B.
The food was good. Place had a cracker barrel type theme but Iowa related. Our waitress ignored us. Guess she was trained at Cracker Barrel.
(3)Jui H.
Perfect home cooking with fresh, natural ingredients and great prices. Server was super friendly and topped our coffees off at least six times.
(5)Gavin S.
Driving from Philly to Denver I was looking for a place with some local Iowa flavor. While this is a chain, I think it fit the bill pretty nicely. You first walk into their large gift shop, which is great if you're looking for a uniquely midwest gift, or maybe a tongue-in-cheek t-shirt. In the dining area there is plenty of kitsch to set the mood. Fast forward to the entrees - I must say I was a little disappointed to learn that creamed chicken and biscuits is really just a poor man's chicken pot pie - next time I'll know. While it was good, I'm sure that crust would've been better. They were out of the larger pork chops so my guest had the Parmesan crusted chop, and had no complaints. The kicker of the meal was the Raspberry Pie a la mode. I didn't know exactly what to expect, but it was soooooo good. A must try. Our waitress was a real doll and I was struck when I first sat down how happy everyone in the room seemed. Must be an Iowa thing. I'm used to Philly where no one ever really lets their guard down.
(4)Jon P.
When you have a hankerin' for GOOD food, GOOD service, and fair prices, the Machine Shed is the place for you. There's nothing fancy--your cold drinks are served in pint jars. For breakfast, don't miss the big cinnamon rolls--and don't snack before you go for breakfast, they are HUGE! For lunch or dinner, order anything pork. It's the specialty of the house and they do it right. If you don't like pot roast over-cooked, avoid the Shepherd's Pie since it's made with leftover roast and cooked again--duh! They desserts are big enough to share, if you leave half of your dinner for take-home! I'd give the Shed 10 stars if the scale went that high.
(5)Alisha M.
Def stop here! We went with 14 ppl after a crossfit competition and everyone got something they loved. I personally got the burnt ends which were delicious and came with 1 side; I got the sweet potato fries which really weren't that good but the apple sauce, slaw and breads that were served before dinner totally compensated for that :)
(4)Suzanne A.
Great food, you won't leave hungry.each table gets two complimentary side items, we love the apples. To start, try the White "sheddar" Melts.... Sooo tasty. I had the 'famous' country fried chicken, definitely recommend it (country fried steak is good as well). Kids meals had a ton of food. Sooo glad we stopped here on our road trip!
(5)Bo R.
Best food in Davenport Iowa ! Always eat there at least twice when visiting family.
(5)Conor T.
Holy kitsch, batman! This place has examined "country" and gone for it whole-heartedly! The plank wood walls are plastered in flour bags, farming equipment, pages from seed catalogs, posters for agricultural equipment, etc. The dining room is lit by the sort of lighting you'd find in a barn. The all-female wait staff is dressed in blue-jeans and checkered shirts. I'd be willing to bet they wear daisy dukes in the summer, but I was here in the winter. Drinks come in tin pitchers. The service is fast, the food is hearty, and WAY better than Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, or the like. There's a large dessert selection of pies and cakes. This would be a great place to take kids.
(5)Nancy M.
Sorry, but it is hard to get excited about your food...when no one waits on you. Other couples came in and got menus and drinks...but we had to flag down a waitress. When we did get food, it was ok. As the manager made his rounds, I mentioned that we had been forgotten, and he said, 'Well, sorry.' And that was it. So...it is just off the interstate food and 'too bad, but I know you aren't local' service.
(1)Alisha B.
Far and away the best meal and service I can ever remember having. We were in town from Chicago for a wedding and ate here because Google said it was nearby. We had no idea it was going to be so amazing! Our family of four (two adults and two young children) ate soo much food. Soo much. An appetizer, two kid meals, two adult sized meals - AND they give you bread and apple sauce and cottage cheese and corn for the whole table too on top of what you order...it was like we were being drowned in food. The portions were huge too, we ended up taking half of all our meals home and eating them the next day for lunch. When the bill came, we actually had to check the bill with our waitress because we assumed they left something off the tab. $54 to feed a family of four, with enough leftovers for another full meal the next day!?? Unheard of! The food was great tasting too! I've gone to meals in downtown Chicago, fancy Italian joints and such, where a meal for two is easily $150, and their food flavor couldn't compare with what we got at this place. I had a country fried chicken meal, and hubby had a stuffed steak meal. Both kids got massive sized hot dogs that were served on top of little John Deer flatbed truck type things. They loved it! Service was just right. They weren't annoying and constantly in your face, yet they were always there to help when you wanted something. I just can't say enough good things. We were blown away.
(5)Ruby Q.
It does not get much more comfortable than this! I have been here a several times and walk away each time with that satisfied feeling. The fried chicken and mashed potatoes are so good the Colonel might want to watch his back. We always go with the applesauce and the cole slaw for starters. The slaw tastes fresh made and the apple sauce is more like the best pie filling you ever tasted. I took a gander around the restaurant, and these are some of the most ample waistlines in the Midwest, so we limit our visits to one every 6 months or so. The servers are great - and please remember its OK to tip more than 20% when your meal cost is only $10 -they work their tail off!
(5)Lisa D.
If you like Cracker Barrel, you will love this place. We had country fried chicken and country fried steak both are very good. Their carrots were awesome
(4)Lianne N.
I'm reluctant to write a review just yet, because I understand that the meal that makes this place the rave of the country is its breakfast... However, since dinner is when I was there, I'll rate that for now, while assuring myself that I WILL get to try this place for breakfast soon. The comparison of this restaurant to a Cracker Barrel is not far off when it comes to ambiance. I'd say it was an "upscale" Cracker Barrel... similar decorations, similar style. That said, I'd say that's where the comparison ended for me. Never would I have ordered a steak at Cracker Barrel, but I had to try one here... the meat selections on the menu are really quite impressive, as is the design of each recipe. Saturday nights, they have prime rib. Alas, it was Sunday... but no worries, because there was a lot to choose from either way. My main dish was very good... I got the stuffed sirloin, which is thoroughly filled with a hearty filling, with some gravy for good measure. As my husband commented, it's one of those meals that really "sticks to your ribs". To that aspect, I felt like I'd just killed a month's worth of dieting. The gravy was great, but I'm sure it was the same type they make from bacon grease... (which of course is why it ends up tasting good!). It came with a choice of potato. Hubby had the meatloaf... OMG... I have never seen such a meatloaf... it was probably stacked about eight inches tall, with mashed potatoes, crispy onions, and gravy. The loaf itself had a really interesting mix, with onions, peppers, etc, in it. I took a pic, which I've added into the photos here. All the meals came with family-style side dishes (choice of two): cottage cheese, coleslaw, or homemade cinnamon apples. There was also corn (quite possibly canned, maybe frozen... meh.. it was corn) and a really nice assortment of fresh breads. Considering the fare, the meals were very reasonably priced. The service staff was very nice and helpful. There was one really grumpy man in the corner making a scene about something he had experienced during his meal, and despite being really rude to his waitress, I watched her react very graciously, fulfilling his needs even as he bellowed, "Gimme some mayo!!" across three tables to her. So, on that note, this place is NOT a five-star restaurant, in the more traditional sense of the word... no tablecloths, and plenty of folks who have a different attitude than they might in one of the Zaggat restaurants... ...BUT my family and I enjoyed our meals. I really look forward to returning for breakfast.
(4)Luke B.
Breakfast was incredible!! Everything they served was tasty! Loved the service and atmosphere and the 1 lbs cinnamon roll was awesome! Usually the big cinnamon rolls tend to be dry but not this one! It was great
(4)Dennis H.
My wife and I were running errands and thought to eat at the Machine Shed Restaurant. We hadn't eaten there in a while and we had always had tasty meals when we've been there. I had the chicken fried steak... Nice and tasty. My wife ordered the two-piece chicken dinner. She received a wing and what looked to be a thigh. After eating the wing, she moved onto the second piece. We could not determine WHAT it was. It was like part of a thigh and mostly the back. Anyway, they gave her another piece to take home. The funny thing was is that this piece looked like the opposite site of the part thigh and back from before. I guess it's true what they say... The worst cooks work on Sundays because the best worked the Friday and Saturday before. Serves us right for expecting better.
(1)Douglas P.
I grew up in the area and never ate at this place before. Stopped in with a friend two days prior to the Bix 7 which we had flown into the area for. It is a great place to introduce someone to Iowa since it was our first stop after flying in. The pork tenderloin sandwich though is not as good as many places in the area. The service was also a bit clumsy, but what I would expect for a country style place in the Midwest. If I was not so full, I'd have loved to try the desserts which looked amazing, but SO BIG! NOTE: The owner should take down the political articles above the urinals. Some of them seem to be pro-Republican and are not appropriate for a business that is open to the general public. Save the politics for your home and keep them out of your business or you will alienate your customers. Thankfully many of us do not believe the way that you seem to.
(3)Sarah G.
If you like hometown down-to-earth cooking then this is your place. Very country style. I was in the area for a visit and we all stopped in for our 'last meal' before we all departed ways. To me, the food wasn't all that special. I wanted a regular ground chuck burger but the only thing they offered was Angus. Kind of surprised that for a country restaurant they would have "fancy" Angus instead of ground chuck. When my food arrived, the burger was over cooked and tough and the fries were bland. The other members of my party had fish and steak and theirs turned out alright. The decor was all vintage farm equipment which was neat to see. Overall the place was ok...for sure not my favorite.
(2)Cait W.
It was very very busy and a bit confusing when you walk in, but the salad bar was great! The salad was fresh and the area was clean. While it is loud, there is a good family setting. The rustic farm setting is great! The service is friendly is just as good as the homecookin'. The special was great. It was a nice place to stop after a long day traveling!
(3)Kenneth B.
Down home country cookin' at its finest! Walking past an antique John Deere tractor, you enter the Machine Shed and are greeted with relics of an age long past. The front of the Machine Shed Restaurant is an "Olde Country Store" with products reminiscent of Grandma's farm. To say that the Shed is a themed restaurant would be an understatement. The coverall-sporting waitstaff is very attentive and look at home down on the farm. Bags of livestock feed hang from the ceiling and farm implements decorate the walls of the dining room, but you know that you are in a good place when you smell the fresh backed bread. Some other reviewers compare the Shed to a Cracker Barrel, and I suppose that might give you a general idea, but that analogy truly does not begin to describe this restaurant's magnificent aura! I found the Shed's menu to be reasonably priced, and the menu is very large for a country/comfort food venue. From sandwiches to meatloaf, to country fired steak and chicken and biscuits to premium pork chops and top notch steaks, the Shed has what you're looking for! All the meals come with additional sides of cole slaw, cottage cheese, and fresh baked bread which are served family style at the table. There are a wide variety of appetizers, (the fondue was excellent!) but you might take advantage of the sides brought out early, skip the app and save room for the huge helping of desert that are offered. (pie a la mode, anybody?) The Shed is Kid friendly, and the perfect place to bring your whole family for a fun, relaxing meal. Whether you are a local, or passing by on I-80, the Machine Shed is an opportunity that you should not pass up! If you found this review helpful, please take a second to compliment it, rate it as helpful and become a fan!
(5)David N.
Definitely lived up to the reviews... A Cracker Barrel on crack (that's a good thing). Service was friendly and prompt. Nothing took too long to make it to our table. Everything we ordered was solid. The salad bar was decent for the price, and their cole slaw and cottage cheese sides are some of the best. We tried the Pork Loin, Shed Burger, and Reuben Sandwich. All were very good, made to order. Shed Burger seemed to get the ravest reviews. It's massive. A cholesterol coma for sure. After everyone was stuffed, we grabbed dessert...the Bourbon Bread Pudding. Pretty good, came out a little burnt on some parts. Plenty of food to share about the table. There's a kitschy store inside which has all of your potato salad recipe needs too. Good food, good prices, worth a visit if you're from out of town and/or visiting.
(4)Aaron L.
One of the best places to eat for your money. I think you get too much food sometimes, lol. It can get busy, but I never have to wait long for anything. Plus you family style portions which is awesome.
(5)Bella R.
Driving from Chicago to Omaha, I checked the network to find restaurants near I-80 that worth a visit. The reviews were very nice for this one. First impression was not great, though. My GPS showed the directions but I found difficult to be sure I was in the right place for only half of the name was on the display over the restaurant ("SHED"). In front of it the enfasis was more to the machines than to the food. No windows or food displays, so you don't see much of the restaurant from the outside. I drove around, and I saw the windows and tables at the back. Very cute inside, they have a front store with many cooking utensils and travel gifts. Bought some as memoir. Very clean space, perfumed bathrooms, tasty american food, good size dishes, attentive waitresses, smiley store attendant and cashier. If I ever drive back to Chicago, I will make sure to stop there.
(4)Matt U.
Some of the best breakfast we've ever had. We go here every time we're in town. Great options, extra eggs when you ask and cinnamon rolls bigger than your head! Lunch and dinner are good as well, but breakfast is the true gem here! The gift shop selection of John Deere clothing and accessories is great and they have a section dedicated to bacon! Overall, it's an absolute must try spot!
(5)Chrystal M.
My husband being a farmer, I added this to our agenda on our trip to Iowa. It's a little like Cracker Barrel, but more geared towards farmers. My husband had ordered a steak but wasn't too impressed with it. I on the other hand tried the country fried chicken which was excellent. I'm not a steak lover, but country fried steak always looked good to me, so I was so excited to have a choice of the chicken. I wish other restaurants would offer this. A very relaxing, family restaurant.
(4)Seth P.
While on a bus tour in Iowa we stopped at the Machine Shed. From the moment I stepped out of the bus I was sold. They have a red International harvester tractor out front and a tall wood sculpture of a corn cob. The restaurant looks like a barn. There is all kinds of farm signs, feed bags, tools, and basically everything besides animals in the restaurant theme wise. I like how all of the servers wear flannel and jeans. It makes you feel like your in the middle of a barn. The food there was amazing. I had the potato soup and it was comparable to what my mom makes which is saying something. The other people in our group loved their food as well. There was not one bad thing said about this restaurant. I wish they had something like this where I live.
(4)John D.
Get a cinnamon roll
(5)Joanne E.
In the words of my hubby - it's not Dixie Kitchen. That said, it's very good. I ordered a cinnamon roll WITH my breakfast order based on the Yelp reviews about how good it was. I guess I didn't realize it would be the size of my head!!! It was delicious, but I think the leftover I took with me could feed a family of five. As for the comments regarding service. We had great service. Quick, efficient, right on top of the drink refills. My hubby drinks a lot of ice tea - on his third refill he asked if she could leave the pitcher. No problem, so he was thrilled. Would we go back if we were driving through Davenport? Absolutely.
(4)Olivia S.
We happened on the restaurant during our move cross=country from California to Michigan. We weren't sure about it because of the name. Three of our party didn't even know it was a restaurant at first. But it looked popular so we tried it. The appetizers and shared sides were good. I had a boneless America's cut pork chop with parmesan crust that was amazing, and the other four in my party were also pleased and impressed with their entrees. The only reason I am not rating five stars is an incident we had with our server. When she brought our appetizers, she brought the plate across the back of one of my party's head. When he said something to her about it, instead of apologizing she tried to deny that it happened at all and argued about it in a very unprofessional way. It's a pity her actions put a dent in what was otherwise a great dinner and welcome stop on a long journey.
(4)Shayra A.
Yeah!!! Cracker Barrel on Steroids!! I shouldn't even compare to it. The reality is that this place is unique and the real thing. I was first surprised by the tractor ride just right outside. I wanted to go for a ride, but soon realized it was more for kids; however, I regret it, I should have gone. Such a Midwest experience. The food was unbelievable, make sure you say "I love eggs" and you get an extra egg on your platter. If you are on diet, make sure you come prepare to break it, there are so many yummy things to eat in here. I loved the store, so many original and cute stuff. I bought my souvenirs in here and I am sure my friends will enjoy them. I am definitely coming back next time I travel to a location that has a Machine Shed.
(5)Jimmy C.
Worst experience ever at the Machine Shed. They are definitely slipping. First we get there on a Sunday morning which you expect to be busy. We give them our name on arrival. They say it will be 15-20 minutes and give us the little pager thing. They repeat this with quite a few other guests as they come in. Then we all notice that many of us are not being seated after 40 minutes. They come out and say they are going to quit serving breakfast and start serving lunch. We all say we didn't come here in the morning to get lunch. The manager says they will continue to serve breakfast, but all new names will be getting lunch. We all start asking what we are waiting on and they find out they weren't turning on most of the pagers, so we all waited an extra 20 minutes for nothing. After we are seated the waitress takes our order quickly. We order breakfast and a cinnamon roll. The roll comes out quickly. And then we wait while our waitress chit chats with a table for 10 minutes in a fully packed restaurant.... 25 minutes later I went back out to the manager to ask why it takes a half hour to make eggs and bacon. He tells me it is because they had 40 orders come in at once. REALLY. That is the best you can do. But he goes to check and returns to say that our order was just being plated as he checked. The manager then brought out the order... and forgot one thing that the waitress brought out later. All of this and the manager and staff say nothing or do nothing to make up for their incompetence. Go somewhere else where service actually matters.
(1)E L.
Machine Shed provides a good dining choice if you are en route on I-80 as there aren't many other convenient choices around. My first impression was Cracker Barrel but definitely a few notches above it. We ordered the batter fried mushroom as appetizer and meatloaf, pork tenderloin sandwich (PTS) and house burger for entree. The mushroom appetizer arrived lukewarm and appeared pre-fried. However the batter fried PTS is worth trying especially if you are in Iowa. The sweet potato fries was a good combination but they not as crisp as others I have had elsewhere. The prices were reasonable and service was friendly and prompt. They offer limited choices of local beers...I believe there were only two -- Iowa brown ale and a golden ale. Could definitely benefit from offering a broader local beer selection.
(3)Dana H.
Stopped by here recently because I have heard a lot about their breakfast and how good it is...was extremely disappointed. Nothing had any type of seasoning on it...I ordered scrambled eggs with hash browns, bacon and toast...the hash browns were cold as well. I was extremely disappointed and will not be returning for breakfast. I do have to say as well, though, that the times when I have gone for dinner the food has been incredibly good...
(1)Heather L.
I like country cooking. There is something about it, something comforting, reminds me of family. The Machine Shed gets pretty close to that. Just good ol' midwestern style food. I have been on two separate occasions. The service was a bit on the slow side, but our server was very friendly and hospitable, which kind of made up for the fact that she was a bit slow. That being said, I think the service was a bit slow because maybe they could use a few more servers as ours seemed to be covering a very large area of customers. On my first time to the Machine Shed, I had the pork chops. I love pork chops, so I was pretty excited about these. However, that being said, pork chops can be very easy to mess up... and well... they kind of messed them up. They were tough, unusually tough, which was highly disappointing. It means that I spent most of dinner trying to cut through the pork, on the upside, I may have worked off most of the calories from the pork trying to cut it... On my second time I had the pot roast. Now that... was delicious! The meat was so tender, juicy, and just all around lovely. And there was quite a bit of meat, not a lot of fatty pieces as you can sometimes get with a pot roast. The portions are quite generous, so bring a healthy appetite. I think the prices are just a little bit pricey, but nothing extortionate. Overall, not bad.
(3)Emma E.
What a cute restaurant! It's so Iowa. In a good way! Breakfast is awesome here. Skip Crack barrel and come here instead. The gift shop has tons of cute stuff as well. Very home-y!
(4)Rex C.
I don't know how I would feel about this place if I were from Iowa, where food apparently is amazing, but being from the east coast I was blown away. I had a pulled pork sandwich that could have been the best thing I ever ate. Everything tasted like the pig had just been killed that morning. Then our receipt had a coupon for a free onion ring within 30 days, so we stopped on the way back. Here I am thinking "free onion rings" would be some tiny little side plate, and out comes this monster plate piled with a mountain of onion rings. I wouldn't have gotten another side if I'd realized that. Place was jam packed and service was good. Waitress was friendly. Somebody complained it was overpriced? Wut? For 20 bucks our table was overflowing with food. Shouldn't even have come to that much since there was no way we could finish it all. Judging by the average size of the clientele I wouldn't want to eat here very often, but gottdamn I wish we had one of these nearer to home.
(5)Brian C.
Lot of food! Huge portions of home cooked style meals are the draw here. If you've ever been to a Cracker Barrel, this is very similar except way more food! They serve shared sides before and during the dinner which is pretty cool. So basically you'll have a big helping of cole slaw, beans, etc. and you pass it around like you would at home. The nice thing is they just keep bringing out refills of the sides, lot of food! The main course was pretty good, the brisket was my favorite! Go here if you're really hungry!!
(4)Palazzo Z.
My girlfriend and I for the first few times would get the fried chicken meal the open face sandwich. Both and are pretty good entrees, the sides (cole slaw, apple sauce, etc...) are lacking any "real" flavor, but I'm not going to be too picky if the entree makes up for the meal. Let's talk about the real problem with this restaurant and why I'm writing this review. My problem is when we decided to try something different, the true identity of this restaurant appeared. We are HUGE fans of Prime Rib and we decided to give Machine Shed's Prime Rib a try. Of course we ordered the Prime Rib medium rare (the way it is supposed to be) but the steak came back as medium and a little cold. Ok, mistakes can happen,so we informed the waitress, she took it back and we received another Prime Rib which was also a little cold and medium on the inside!!! Now this is getting ridiculous! So we decided to talk to the manager; now we are not blaming the waitress at all! She was friendly and understood our problem. Once the manager finally decided to approach our table, we explained what was going on and we had to return the prime rib twice already. After explaining our side of the story, the manager pretty much gave it to us straight and informed us that the prime rib which was served to us was from YESTERDAY'S cooking and they were not able to cook the prime rib any longer than necessary because the steak was already cooked to medium rare! So when we ordered the most expensive steak on the menu, Machine Shed was ok with serving us something which came from yesterdays kitchen! So Machine Shed is a proud part of the corporate structure which ultimately does not care about you, only concerned with the bottom dollar and more importantly, that the share holders are making a profit. I have had prime rib all over the US and I have never heard such a pathetic attempt to make money, hoping that we would be the dumb customer that wouldn't notice the difference. Please avoid any and all Heart of America restaurants.
(2)Tim P.
Typically the food here is wonderful. This time our chicken was undercooked. The waitress handled it much better than the manager whereas she told the cook to redo the order, he was going to have them heat it up more.
(3)Peg T.
Another great find thanks to YELP! comfort food at its best. Go there hungry cuz the portions are huge, a cinnamon roll the size of my head.
(5)Lily T.
I can count the number of times I visited the Midwest in one hand, but I have never been disappointed by the fried chicken I get there. Crispy on the outside. Succulent on the inside. Holy crap was it good. Move over, KFC.
(4)Christine M.
Solid 4! Had chicken & biscuits, my boyfriend had roasted turkey platter. Both so delicious & moist! Perfect country cooking! I didnt give it 5 stars because i asked for my salad to come before my meal twice...it came out in hand with my dinner. Someone mentioned earlier its like a classier cracker barrel. Thats right on the money..a few dollars more. But better, fresher flavors. I also wouldnt eat any meal after brunch at cracker barrel..but i would eat breakfast, brunch, lunch or even dinner here!
(4)Team Asphalt W.
After reading the reviews we were looking forward to a great meal. I had the pork loin which was just ok. My husband had the chicken pot pie and he thought it was great. The applesauce needed more cinnamon and the cole slaw had a strange taste. Service was excellent and the meals are of decent value. We would try it again. For me, chicken pot pie next time! The huge cinammon rolls are only $1.00 in the afternoon as they are baked that morning. Cracker Barrel or Machine Shed? Cracker Barrel hands down.
(3)Laura W.
To say I was disappointed with Machine Shed would be an understatement. My boyfriend and I went after hearing multiple rave reviews from people. To start we had the Sheddar melts and Burnt ends. Both were fine, not terrible but not great. I had the Creamed Chicken and Biscuits. It should be called "biscuit" because there was only one biscuit, and it was not what my vision of "creamed chicken" would be. It was more on the soupy side rather than being thick and creamy. My boyfriend had the Double-Cut Iowa porkchop and while it was a good size for the price, it was nothing fantastic. I am not sure if I would go back there - maybe just for the cute giftshop area. The service was very good and the people friendly but the food was subpar.
(3)Rhonda D.
Bring a buddy to help you eat the amount of food you will be served here! I recommend the double cut pork chops were a little dry without gravy but good. We also had the stuffed pork chop didn't care for it found it to be fatty and bitter, the homemade applesauce was good till I found a chunk cinnamon that looked like a blood clot, then I was repulsed, the corn was mushy and over cooked , not what I remember of Iowa corn, the fried cheese and mushrooms were very good but I really could have stopped there and never had an entree. Our waitress was nice but the manager just kept was walking around and never talked to anyone, at least 6 times during our meal. Anyway it a cool place to stop eat a your at your own discretion.
(2)Michael M.
Really good good and gigantic portions. Come hungry and leave extra satisfied. I love to eat and this place fills me up every time.
(4)Susan H.
Every time I come back come back home to visit my mom we always go here. I love the tenderloin sandwiches. Everything is always good and the staff is always friendly. This place is great!
(5)Hannah M.
This place was a glorified cracker barrel. I don't even know if the quality was as good as that. We didn't feel welcome, no one was friendly and the food was not good. We shared the combo platter and it was hardly enough food for one let alone to share although the menu made it sound huge, the waitress could have mentioned this. It was one tiny pork medallion very dry despite bacon wrapped, one slice of beef brisket(literally a slice), and another piece of pork stuffed with mediocre dressing so there really wasn't much meat. The sides were generic nothing special at all. Overall pretty poor quality on all fronts.
(1)Izzy F.
One of my favorites- EVER! First time I ate there I got some sort of sampler with stuffed pork chop (perfect) Bacon rapped sirloin (amazing) and beef brisket (fantastic!!) This time I had to order off the lunch menu, and got the beef tips. Everything was fantastic. Service can be slow but its WELL worth the wait. The Coleslaw is one of my favorites. As stated below there is a ton of food and its a great value. Go!!
(5)Holly L.
One of my favorite restaurants... but what can I say - I'm a midwestern meat and potatoes kind of gal. There is a kitchy gift shop where you can buy stuffed animals and stuffed smiling corn cobs. Cookbooks, aprons, bacon cologne (yes, I said bacon cologne) and lots of other farm-themed stuff. The entire place is very farm-themed. Go figure, it's the "Iowa Machine Shed". I mean, what do you expect?! The food is amazing. I always get the parmesan crusted pork. YUM!!! The bread basket is delish. You're served your choice of cottage cheese, coleslaw, or applesauce (you pick 2 out of the 3) family style before the meal. They'll refill these if you ask. The applesauce is absolutely NOT store-style applesauce. It's more like applechunks. The vegetable of the day is also served family-style with the meal. The desserts look amazing as you walk by them to sit at your table, but with portion sizes this huge, don't expect to have room for dessert. I'm not sure how a vegetarian would fare here, but everyone else who likes good comfort food, this is your place. Bonus: tractor hayrides for the kiddies out front. My 2-year-old had the time of her life cruising around the parking lot behind a tractor.
(5)Chad D.
I'd like to give the Machine Shed a 5 star review but I can't. They have amazing Cinnamon Rolls that are as big as a cake and some of their items are quite tasty. But, and that's a big but, their service is consistently slow and spotty. Ask for an additional drink during your meal and you'll see it 10-15 minutes later. Are you expecting water to be placed in the glasses they provide on the table? Too bad. Now you can ask for it to be filled but once again start the timer because it's going to be a few minutes. Some of you are thinking that they are extremely busy and sometimes they are but I've been in there just after they open at 7 and still had lousy service. About the food... What to eat there? The Country Breakfast is amazing. Go for the Country Fried Pork Chop and enjoy. It's a world class breakfast. The cheesy potatoes are a signature item but I'm not really a big fan. They are mealy. Stick with the traditional hash browns. The Cinnamon Rolls are a must have if you a with a group. The Carrot Cake pancakes are also very very good. What not to eat there? The Sausage, Ham, and Bacon are all unremarkable and while naturally salty these are uncomfortably salty. The Pancakes are ok but nothing better than what you'd get at IHOP. In Summary, food is selectively a 5 star experience but service is consistently a 2 star experience. One Tip: Make sure you say "I LOVE EGGS" and get yourself an extra egg added to your order.
(3)Jeff C.
Actually Negative Stars if I could! Went with friends for breakfast, at 10:38 no longer serving breakfast, so ok we decide to do lunch, many tables open, we waited for 15 minutes, patiently, asked if any tables were open and got a rude NO, so we wait a bit longer and finally decide to go to Thunder Bay Grille instead. Completely different atmosphere, friendly service from everyone and got seated right away!
(1)Raina B.
Over board on the 'country' decor. Food was mediocre and just tasted low-quality. I had the country-fried steak, which usually you can't go wrong, but it was just so bland. The sides were just as bland. Will not eat here again. Sweet staff however.
(2)