Have You Visited Iowa’s Best ‘Hidden Gem’ Restaurant?

The state of Iowa is filled with small towns and awesome small-town restaurants, and one of them has been recognized by Love Food as the best "hidden gem" in the state!

Back in 2018, we held a bracket-style contest on our website to determine the Eastern Iowa restaurant that Iowans love the most. The winner was a place that none of us had ever visited at the time: Hale Tap!

According to Love Food, Hale Tap is the "best hidden gem restaurant" in the entire state of Iowa. Located at 5522 County Road E4 in Hale (near Wyoming), the eatery is a favorite among folks in Jones County. The article reads:

"This old-style Midwestern supper club isn’t trying to be anything fancy, but its down-to-earth vibe is the perfect setting for good, honest food at good, honest prices. Out in the middle of nowhere, Hale Tap offers a long list of beers and a different special each day: hot beef sandwiches on a Tuesday, barbecue ribs on a Wednesday, and so on, all served with homemade salads. Regulars will drive from all over just to get their fix of proper food in a cozy atmosphere."

After Hale Tap was recognized by our listeners as 2018's favorite Eastern Iowa restaurant, a friend and I made the 45-minute drive out there to try it. We didn't even know the building was a restaurant before we walked in! From what I remember, the food was AWESOME. We ordered white cheese balls, jalapeno poppers, and mini tacos as our appetizer, and then for my meal I had the Jungletown Stacker: a cheeseburger with ham served on Texas toast.

Hale Tap is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Sunday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Let us know your favorite hidden gem restaurant here in Iowa in the comments!