Hamburg Inn No. 2, Part I

It’s only proper to start a blog reviewing Iowa City’s restaurants with a review of the Hamburg Inn. Ask any Iowa Citian where you should eat when visiting the city, and they’ll likely suggest the Hamburg Inn, an old-fashioned greasy spoon. Are Iowans really such rubes to think that fare such as omelets and chicken-fried steak constitute fine dining? Doubtful, considering that Iowa City is home to one of the nation’s finest public universities.

No, it’s simply that Iowa City residents are proud of this little diner that has been around for some 70 years. Longevity, in and of itself, though, isn’t the only reason Iowans take pride in the Hamburg Inn. The Hamburg Inn has become an essential campaign stop for both local and national politicians.The ‘Burg’s walls are bedecked with photos of politicians at the ‘Burg -Congressmen, Senators, and yes, presidential candidates. Every major presidential candidate since Reagan has visited the ‘Burg, and the restaurant has the proof. Grab the right booth, and you might even find yourself sitting where Al Gore or John McCain sat in 1999. The restaurant has become such a campaign institution that it was even featured in an episode of the great TV series, “The West Wing.”

So…how is the food?

On my first visit, the tenderloin sandwich  (“a Burg Inn favorite for over 50 years”) grabbed my eye. The bun the meat came on was fine, but the tenderloin itself was rubbery and cold, and rather bland. The fries that it came with – crinkle fries – were warm and crisp. This was hardly enough to make up for the disappointment of the sandwich itself, though.

On a later visit, I decided to try some of their breakfast fare. The Denver Omelet was fantastic. The vegetables were still crisp, the eggs were fluffy, and the cheese was flavorful but not too sharp. The pancakes that came on the side were also delicious and perfectly cooked. This second visit more than made up for that first experience. As we finished, one of my dining companions wanted to try one of the Hamburg Inn’s “world-famous pie shakes.” We asked our server what, exactly, a pie shake was. He told us that it is just what it sounds like – they throw a piece of pie and a scoop or two of ice cream in a blender and pour it in a cup. My friend ordered a peach pie shake, and asked for spoons for all of us. The shake was very good  – but how could pie and ice cream not be good? The chunks of pie crust were just small enough that you could not easily see them and were pleasantly surprised when you got one. Delicious, and worth indulging in if you feel the urge, but definitely not a must-have.

Next time: one of the burgers.

The Hamburg Inn is a must if you are visiting Iowa City. The breakfast foods are delicious and worth ordering no matter the time of day. And it’s just a cool place to eat.

Food: 7/10

Ambience: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Wig and Pen, Coralville

Much like its sister Eastside restaurant, the Wig and Pen features the best pizza in Iowa City. But the original location also has other menu items that are well worth sampling. The lasagna is quite good. The Guinea Grinder sandwich is also delicious. It perfectly balances the spiciness of Italian Sausage with mild cheese and sweet marinara sauce. The fries, however, are average or worse.

Unlike the carry-out site, the Coralville pub has fantastic service. The serving staff seems to consist solely of very attractive young women. It’s probably best to make a visit to the original Wig and Pen site a guy’s night activity, or mentally prepare yourself for some bruised shins.

Food: 10/10

Ambience: 6/10

Service: 9/10

Wig and Pen East

The British aren’t particularly known for their cuisine. Thus it’s somewhat surprising that the best pizza in Iowa City comes from a joint that began life as a British-style pub in Coralville. The Wig and Pen East, unlike its Coralville counterpart, is solely a carry-out and delivery pizza joint.

The Wig and Pen offers several different crust options – thin, Chicago-style, and Flying Tomato. The latter is a deep-dish crust, with cheese and tomatoes spread over the toppings. It is definitely a winner. And so is the W&PE, overall. My personal pizza standards might not be terribly high, but fortunately I’m not the only one who thinks the Wig and Pen pizza is tops. It has been runner-up in the Iowa City Press-Citizen‘s Best of Iowa City for a couple of years running now, and in my opinion, rightfully should be the winner in that category.

Though the pizza is excellent, there is one huge downside to the Wig and Pen East. Staffed mainly by college-aged teens and adults, there’s kind of a “Ah, what the hell?” attitude one senses when calling in an order, and is even more manifest when they deliver. Every time I’ve ordered from there, something has gone wrong – either they’ve messed up my order, the pizza has been delivered 20 minutes late, or they gave me someone else’s pizza. I recommend calling your order in and picking it up, to avoid the latter two problems.

Fortunately for the Wig and Pen, the shoddy service doesn’t overshadow the great pizza.

Food: 10/10

Ambience: n/a

Service: 3/10