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2022 Iowa’s Best Burger 2022 Iowa’s Best Burger Winner announced

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May 2nd, 2022 by Ric Hanson

(Ames, Iowa) – Iowa has a new, number one burger. Officials with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association said today (Monday), The Flying Elbow earned the title of “Iowa’s Best Burger, 2022.” The establishment is tucked in among other businesses on North 13th Street, in Marshalltown. Local business owners support one another by encouraging their customers to stop by a neighboring boutique, restaurant, and/or shop. And it’s clear – Iowa’s Best Burger Contest has not only increased foot traffic at The Flying Elbow, but the adjacent, small businesses. The Flying Elbow, an alternative sports bar, was six years in the making. It did not happen by chance; it is the result of pitfalls and perseverance. Now it’s been named Iowa’s Best Burger.

Garrett Goodman, a Marshalltown native, considers himself a foodie, or “a person with a particular interest in food,” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Goodman’s passion for preparing food took off early in life, as he spent the weekends cooking alongside his step-dad, a chef. Similarly, his great-grandfather worked in the restaurant business. With no formal culinary training, Goodman can affirm, “You can learn a lot in the field just by doing.”

“In high school, both of my parents were working all of the time. So I was cooking for the family, helping out with my brother and sister,” Goodman said. “Then I got out of the house, and it turns out none of my roommates could cook. So I was cooking for three dudes all of the time.” Goodman spent the next decade in corporate information technology (IT) then one day decided it was time for a change. While he enjoyed the steady work, he no longer found it fulfilling. Goodman thought, “This isn’t my passion; this isn’t my dream.” His dream was to make people happy. “And the best way to do that is through their stomachs,” he thought. Goodman then entered the restaurant business. Not wanting to get in over his head, he started with a food truck.

“I found a food truck, and spring was coming,” Goodman recalls. “And then we ran into roadblocks.” Goodman’s dad passed away unexpectedly, pushing his opening date back to the fall of 2017. But, it ended up being worth the wait. Goodman’s business, featuring pro-wrestling themed hot dogs, picked up 1,000 Facebook likes and 100 five-star reviews in a matter of months. Business was booming. Goodman thought, “Maybe I have something here.” So he began his search for a brick and mortar, which he would find in December 2017.

The building, located at the corner of State and Center, formerly housed the Corner Tap. After months of renovations, Goodman once again opened for business. Eager customers waited in lines, stretching out the door. Then suddenly, business came to a screeching halt. In July 2018, a tornado swept through Marshalltown, destroying the restaurant. Goodman intended to rebuild. He wrote a business plan, purchased a building site, and worked on financing, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Two years later, Goodman stumbled upon the building The Flying Elbow is now located in, at 229 North 13th Street. The owner of the building, John Hermanson, had purchased the building with the intent of a restaurant with a deck/patio space and a partnership was born. Renovations kicked off in January of 2021 and in September 2021, The Flying Elbow opened its door to the public, serving hot dogs and other food items. The restaurant presents a flair of wrestling memorabilia, including classic merchandise, action figures and vintage wrestling matches. It offers “a little bit of something for everyone.”

“I didn’t want to be a niche establishment for adventurous foodies. I wanted to create a place that everybody could eat at. I’ve always had a little bit of something for everyone,” Goodman said. “(We’re) still doing hot dogs. We’ve added corn dogs and a few different things to the menu: loaded fries and grilled sandwiches.” In late January, Goodman felt compelled to do something “different, new and fun.” He offered the smashburger, a thin beef patty packed with flavor.  “I’ve always wanted to do smashburgers, so I came up with a plan to release a small menu. Within three days, I was smashing burgers,” Goodman said. “In that week, we did the same amount of sales that we did in all of January. We sold out in three days and the buzz started happening.”

Smashburgers found a spot on the regular menu, and have been flying off the grill. Goodman says, “We served 350 pounds of beef in that first week.” The restaurant has continued to serve large quantities of beef, averaging 350 pounds of beef a week. In February, the restaurant’s loyal customers, also referred to as Elbowmaniacs, helped The Flying Elbow secure a spot among the Top 10 restaurants in Iowa’s Best Burger Contest – less than six months after adding smashburgers to its menu.

The rest of the top 10 burgers can be found at: Lachele’s Fine Foods in Des Moines; Pally’s Bar and Grill in Clive; The Handlebar in Dallas Center; West Towne Pub in Ames; Arty’s Ice Cream & Grill in Wilton; Cattleman’s Steakhouse in Sac City; Flaming Office Bar and Grill in Toledo; Foodie Garage Eatery in Dubuque, and Victoria Station in Harlan.