Great cheeseburgers!! A fantastic place to go before a Hawkeyes game. Service is stellar. Love the "wash your hands, wash'em real good" signage. read more

Still great. Divy, fun regular type of bar. $2 bur oak beers are the best deal. The cheeseburger has doubled in price over the years. It's a damn good burger but almost $8 now !! read more

George's Buffet - $7 cheeseburger / $1.50 pints of 63 until 5 pm. - Dive Bars Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

After a busy day at the College of Engineering and followed by the Pentacrest Celebration for the Women's Basketball team, I happily wandered around various "Town and Gown" areas in Iowa City and took it all in as a proud graduate of the University of Iowa. Around dinner time, I passed up some nice sit down options (all of which weren't her when I lived here) and A & A Pagliai's Pizza (a favorite classic), in favor of hanging out at George's Buffet. My sit down dinner (at a front booth) consisted of one of George's infamous burgers, a bag of chips, and a Shiner Bock. For the time and place I was in, it didn't get any better than that, including some hard working service. Half the fun is then listening to all the conversations within this tight space of a bar/lounge. One conversation in particular was a bit to the right of what I expected in Iowa City, and I probably could have joined in within this dark corner of Hawkeye Country. It's easy to do that (or not) at George's. read more

Great dive bar! We went for the burgers which were super tasty. They don't have fries so be prepared to enjoy your burger with chips instead which is fine. They have wooden booths which are great to tuning out the rest of the bar and focusing on your friends. Staff were super helpful and friendly. Will definitely be returning. read more

They only have hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They are ok but if you are going for food not the place for you. More of just a bar. Which is a nice quaint bar. Service was good. read more

Pitchers of ice cold beer and a no frills cheeseburger is the epitome of a George's experience. First things first don't expect a food buffet here because George's doesn't have one despite their name. What they do have is hamburgers made with locally sourced beef and your standard condiments. Their claim to fame is how that these burgers are cooked in a self contain electric broiler which they boast gives them a one of a kind flavor. We decided to come to George's for a dive bar date night after hearing they poured the best Big Grove Arms Race in town. I can't ever turn down an Arms Race so I excited to try it for myself. We order the standard cheese burger with all the accompaniments and each ordered an Arms Race. The owner immediately shared that a pitcher was a better deal if we planned on order more than one beer that night. We took his suggestion and made the upgrade. I will say that first pour was a super crisp beer that did not disappoint. The burgers came out fast and were rather small but also did not disappoint for the $6 price. I can't wait to come back as George's has earned a spot on our dive bar date night list! read more

This place won't be for everybody. It is a dive bar in every sense of the word. This is not a trendy dive bar. This is not a dive bar you would find in New York City that is trying to be a dive bar, this is a real dive bar. It is dark, a bit cramped, has a very limited food menu, and just feels like a great place to grab a beer with some friends in a completely non-pretentious atmosphere. I took off one star because they don't except credit cards and the ATM machine is broken. it seems as if this has been an ongoing issue, which has just not been fixed yet. read more

Neat vintage, low-light, dark wood trimmed bar. However, after years of listening to my inlaws rave about 'Jorge's,' and their one and only menu item (cheeseburgers), I had to put on my, "Geeee this is reeeeeally great' face on. What a freekin' letdown. It was a dang burger. And a pretty darned below average sized one at that. Hardly any beefy flavor, as well. The biggest surprise is that it's served to you in a fast-food wrapper. Apropos, I suppose. You do have the exotic option of it coming with a bag of chips, and with/without garlic pepper seasoning. Yours truly was not impressed. Regardless, we were bar hoppin', and that aspect of this place was fine. I considered it a wasted opportunity while on vacation, because I put more of a premium on a memorable meal, rather than getting hammered... read more

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Had a hamburger, chips and a beer. Everything was good including the service. I'll go back the next time I'm in Iowa City.

Dang, George. Your buffetless buffet is the best. Yep. You read right. This place is like damn near 85 years old. It is an Iowa City mainstay that oozes character while also giving tons of dive-y vibes. And fun fact, as I said earlier -- there's actually no buffet at George's. Never has been. Plus, the owner isn't even named George. (In fact, there hasn't been an owner named George since the late 1940s.) But like check it. This is the most un-pretentious bar in town and it serves up the best darn cheeseburgers. The meat has come from Ruzicka's Meat Processing in Solon for decades, apparently. And is cooked up on an electric broiler from the 1950s. (About ten years ago, the burgers were in Esquire magazine-- "one of the nation's 24 best late-night food establishments." Heck yes.) I came in late on a Friday night. Grabbed a Guinness out back on their dog-friendly patio and ordered a cheeseburger. Perfection. Parking is eh, because it lives in the Northside. Staff is friendly. Pricing is reasonable. No complaints here. George's Buffet delivers a five-star dive bar experience in Iowa City You leave satisfied... especially if you snag a cheese burger. Stop in for a late night snack! read more

If you're not a regular, then you won't be served or cared for. You would probably have a better time getting served downtown Iowa City than in this bar. Not a great atmosphere to be in with the bartender not wanting unknown business. read more

You know, it's a dive bar. Really low-key. Thought my beer was a little over priced, so that's why it didn't get 4 stars. Easy place to hang out and chill with friends. Wait staff was really nice and there is easy to find (metered) parking on the side. Go there if you aren't looking for much. :) read more

George's Buffet - Dive bar, good times. - Dive Bars Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

This townie dive bar is always packed on a weekday night and for good reason. On a cold winter night walking into this tiny spot warms my heart. They are no frills and straight home town charm. Their friendly service is amazing and their cheeseburger is the only food item sold here. They don't serve fries, but they allow you to bring your own. Grabbing a PBR with your cheeseburger is a great way to round out a night here. I've also had a hot toddy and red wine. If you are interested in watching your favorite teams they have the screens to do it. read more

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Pretty standard dive bar located near downtown iowa city. It's good if you want to get away from all the noisy crowded bars downtown, though this one still gets a good amount of people on weekends. They have some good craft beers too. Usually more for older students or alumni/adults read more

Excellent, Excellent, Excellent bar. If you are a cool person with ideas and interests and go to one bar in Iowa City, go to this bar! If you are a transplanted Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Berlin, or London native go to this bar! If you are wearing Ugg boots, tights, and fleece or are a Jocko who likes to yell and bump people, please go somewhere else. A friend who lived here about 10 years ago told me to come here and I am happy I did. Within 5 minutes I met people and had some great conversations about politics, cheating on boyfriends and girlfriends, marriage, and DH Lawrence. Great job! I was a solo traveler in town for a few nights, and by the end of the night I bought a few rounds of shots for people, chatted with the bartenders, and went out back for a smoke with people. It felt like I fell from the sky into the perfect dive bar. the bar, and the booths are old school, and the cheeseburgers everyone talks about were good. They cook them in pizza ovens I think, and then wrap them old school style like a midwestern In-Out. They are worth the 4 bucks for sure. It is called George's Buffet, but there is no buffet, but there seems to have been one back in the day - when I was a kid I remember the bars had happy hour buffets to bring in the drinkers. I am sure that is where it came from. They take credit cards by the way - in case you want to buy some new friends a shot or two. Parking out back. Smoking out back. read more

George's is a fine establishment, and in no way, shape or form resembles a "buffet." Once I looked in a 1930's or 40's city directory at the University Library and saw "George's Buffet" listed at the same location. So it's been there a while, and probably actually was a buffet at some point. But now, it's basically a bar, and a damn good one at that. From the red patterned wallpaper to the miniscule cocktail tables to the animated Hamm's beer signs (only one of which works) to the jar of pickled eggs, this place is what a bar is supposed to be. It's very small and the whole place is cooled in the summer by a barely functioning window AC unit. Table service can be very slow on busy nights (most weekends), but that won't keep you from getting drunk. Tap beer options tend to be limited, if not downright odd. In the cheap category they currently favor LaCrosse, which is a brand I've only encountered at George's. Maybe they picked up 50 kegs on special, circa 1999. Did I mention the burgers? They are made in a toaster oven and come to you wrapped in wax paper with condiments pre-applied. And it's a damn fine burger-rumor indicates that they grind their own meat. Given the overall tenor of the place, I highly doubt that, but you should order one anyway. I think preparing burgers drives the waitstaff a little crazy and it does slow things down in the front of the house. They have other things on the sign board menu, but I don't think it's been changed in years. For instance, I have never seen anyone order chili or a tenderloin or anything other than a hamburger really. The jukebox, while lacking in overall quality, does feature tons of local music which a lot of the regulars (and musicians themselves) appreciate. It is one of the last bars in town to avoid the dreaded "internet jukebox." So check out George's and when you are really good and drunk, pick up and walk down to the foxhead which is a more appropriate venue for acting like a fool. Not that this is a bad thing. read more

Cheeseburgers. Hot nuts. PBR on tap. Do all of the things and you won't regret it. Great townie bar with live music on the weekends. It's an Iowa City must! read more

I wish I could give less than a one star review. The staff were incredibly rude. We were immediately attacked for not having a mask despite the place being packed like sardines drinking beer with guess what, no masks. Don't waste your time on this distasful dive bar. read more

The best cheeseburger in town, and conceivably a much larger area. (I challenge you to find a better burger!) C.B.E. is "cheeseburger with everything" which includes ketchup, mustard, pickle, onion. You can also request garlic pepper. Another reviewer here is wrong: the burgers are not made in a toaster oven, it is a kind of contained gas grill. Also, don't forget the warm nuts from the "Little Nut Hut". The jukebox could warrant dropping a star but I am leaving it high based on the quality of the burger - too much Greg Brown and Dave Matthews. Occasional live acts. Right around the corner from Hamburg Inn and Oasis Falafel, and a block away from Pagliai's. George's is happy if you bring outside food in, and Pagliai's will deliver on foot! read more

This is as iconic a bar as still exists in Iowa City, adorned with Hamms Beer motion signs and cozy booths, this place breaths 1962. They have been churning out the tastiest of cheesburgers for decades and the coldest PBR longnecks in town. Intimate and working class, this is the place to join a few buds and talk a little treason..... read more

First off - this is the greatest bar on the planet. My wife and I had our first date here and most of our anniversaries. The atmosphere is second to none and their greasy burgers and mouth watering... come in a waxed paper wrap like they always have. While not as good as when Seaton's Grocery supplied the meat... i'd down 2-3 of those, a bag of Cheetos and some ale anytime. Their moving Hamm's lights and fuzzy wallpaper make this place as good as it gets. Comments on other reviews - it's not a Buffet and no one calls it so. That's the official name but it's a remnant from days of yore. It's not a student bar and students don't go there except grad students... it's a townie bar. Their burgers aren't good in the way that a big, thick, juicy burger is good - they are good in the way a greasy, short order cook, yummy hot right off the grill burger is good. My advice, listen to the people that live in IC and frequent this place... not the out of towners who stopped in once. read more

Ok, you people have got to be kidding. I was warned about the burger. "It's drunk food," my cautionary girlfriend said, "it's not that good." So I didn't go in with high expectations. But I went in for lunch. Sober. To try the burger. (And, evidently, to listen to some bizarrely vibrating thing inside the wall, and some guy swilling beer and rambling on at top volume about his grandson's academic accomplishments.) It's horrible. The soggy, floppy, obviously reconstituted meat that closely resembles what McDonalds puts in their "food" came in a bun closely resembling what Burger King wraps their "food" in. So, congratulations, Iowa City. Your legendary burger is midway between McDonalds quality and Burger King quality. This isn't drunk food. It's starving to death in the desert food. And even then, I'd rather try to carve off the flesh from a cactus. What horrible standards do you people have that this thing makes it onto the Esquire late night eats list? (Are we assuming that there is literally no other food available at night? Because I'd rather eat a microwave burger from 7-11, and those are usually open 24 hours, so I really don't know what you're talking about.) Perhaps it's the writers workshop. Either the owner of the joint bribed them to wax lyrical about the alleged burgers, or they all love it because it makes them miserable enough to make art. Come to think of it, the existentialist novelists would have liked this place. I can see the scene in The Stranger now, eating these burgers out of pure nihilism. You want late-night drunk food? There are guys on the ped mall downtown who sell gyros, grilled cheese, and the like out of carts at night. That food is much better than the burger here. And George's has a whole building. read more

It's been over 20 years since I first set foot in George's, and still nothing has really changed except the songs on the jukebox. Whenever I return to visit the old homestead, we stop in to George's, mostly to make sure it's still there. And it is. Which is a very good thing. Cheap (in every meaning of the word) grub. Note: there is NO buffet. Cold beer. Straight-talkin' bartenders. No glam, no flash, no games. It's your local neighborhood dive bar, in spades. You want to spew your latest load of existential angst? There'll be someone there drunk enough to humor you. You want to just hang out & chitchat with old friends over drinks? Your booth awaits. You want to nurse your beer in silence? That's cool too, just don't get surly. Morose is fine, but surly stinks. Now, name your poison, pal. P.S. I can't talk about George's without mentioning the Foxhead, a place that functions as the dive bar's red-headed stepchild, yet remains my other favorite watering hole. The Foxhead is a much-maligned, yet poorly-kept secret in this town (its real name isn't even the Foxhead), but its ethos is such that I feel like I'm blaspheming by Yelping about it, even obliquely. 'Nuff said. read more

We were on the road picking for our business in Iowa City. We went to Yelp as usual to help us locate a local dive bar.... what we found was not only the BEST DIVE BAR in Iowa City, but the coolest family owned business. As small business owners you appreciate the customer service and realize every single drink goes directly to their dreams. No corporate crap - right back into the community. Thank You for the BEST accidental Stop where you may enter a virgin stranger but you leave as friends and family. Can't wait to come back!!! Best cheeseburgers and happy hour specials. If you wanna drink with your peeps get your arse to George's! Tell them Modville sent ya! read more

George's Buffet - a bar with many bottles of alcohol - Dive Bars Near Me - Iowa City, Iowa

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Cheeseburgers=Awfulness. At $3.75 a pop, save your money and get a buck double at Burger King. I'm serious. Or, if you don't want to make the drive to George's, go to your nearest Burger King, buy a Buck Double, throw $2.75 out the window on the way home. Next when you get home throw one of the patties away,now put the remaining patty in the microwave for about five minutes on high. Take the patty out of the microwave, put the burger back together and presto changeo! A George's burger! If you like dives, then this place is certainly a dive, but that alone isn't reason enough to visit. I must say again how awful the food was. The patty in my cheeseburger more closely resembled a burned rubber disc as opposed to anything that might reasonably pass as food. Mine was not alone. Of the four cheeseburgers that were brought to our table, everybody got the same awfulness. I wonder if the reason so many people rate this place highly is because they're thoroughly soused by the time the burger finally gets to the table. We went on a Thursday night, it was nowhere full, and they took forever. I think it may have been that they were running the patty through a pizza oven an extra dozen or so times. The only redemption this place has is cheap LaCrosse Lager. But nobody ever accused LaCrosse Lager of being good. In closing: Awful, Awful, Awful. read more

Drinking+cheeseburgers=deadly combination. That's what I think of when I think of George's, they have great burgers that they serve until 1 in the morning, and they're cheap. If you want to go out for a drink and not deal with all the crap of going to a noisy, crowded bar, go to George's. One of Iowa City's finest drink establishments (the challenge is order the Goddammet Emmett shot, its the only place in town where they know how to make it). read more

One star is given due to our service... Her name was Kelsey. She was rude, claimed a member of our party for underage drinking though he had water clearly in front of him, threatened us to leave the restaurant while we had a party of 20 and gave us dirty looks all night. She was pushy and on top of it all had slow service. Very disappointed never coming back due spefically to this woman. I specifically downloaded this app due to the poor service! read more

Small dive bar. Decent beer selection. No wine glasses so my wife was drinking wine from a small water cup. ‍

This place gets packed! Reasonably priced drinks! Burgers are ok! Great customer service!

What can you say about George's? Best hamburgers in the world? Yes. Friendly collegial atmosphere? Of course. Barkeeps with wonderful personalities? Yes. I'm quite sure the average IQ of a George's customer is a few points higher than other bars (myself excluded, naturally). Saga IPA on tap. read more

This is one of the best dive bars in Iowa City. I recommend the burgers and beer for lunch, if you're not afraid of going back to work with Budweiser breath. Don't miss the hot nuts, either! The bartenders are also more than happy to make you home-flavored Cherry Pepsi, so try it if you're not in the mood for booze. read more

Great burgers, beer, and setting.

This place is the very best town bar around. Dark, homey, familiar, cozy, friendly staff and great owners. Where else can you get a delicious (truly, the best in Iowa City) cheeseburger and a cold can of Hamm's? Reminiscent of 1971, definitely a feel good bar with a great variety of clientele. Truly a gem in the rough. read more

This is somewhere I would never go again. Very limited food cheeseburger or hamburger for $5.50 and then if you want chips you pay $1.50more. Ridiculous!!! I was extremely disappointed!!! read more

A note to those coming here for hamburgers - they are not the end-all-be-all that other reviewers make them out to be. What they are is more like a homemade version of a McDonald's cheeseburger. This is all fine and dandy, but I think the reason that the burgers get such high accolades is because people really like McDonald's cheeseburgers but don't want to admit to it. Nice enough place overall, 2 beers and a burger for lunch for under $8 has to count for something (even if the beers were LaCrosse). read more

The George's burger is the stuff of legends. Individually, its constituents are humble -- coursely chopped onions, thick-sliced pickle, American cheese, porta-grilled beef -- by some divine mischief, they come together into the perfect bar burger: not quite slider small, substantial enough to pack a wallop. If you're feeling bold, order two or three. Do note that these burgers are built by the bar staff of George's in a tiny little cubby hole that is a kitchen. -- Thus, on a busy night, you might be waiting for a bit. It's worth every minute. You might even find yourself enjoying the ridiculous dive-people. read more

This bar is fantastic if you're looking for something comfortable, divey, and private. They've got a few tables and booths, but more importantly great prices, a custom cheeseburger to die for (the only food offered outside of chips but trust me, you want it.), and two televisions with an up to date jukebox. Located over on Market street, it's just barely separated from downtown and worth the walk. read more

Thise place is one of my two favorite bars in Iowa City. (The other is The Foxhead.) I enjoy the intimate setting. It's nice and dark (not TOO dark) and you can have a good conversation. It's not over-run by annoying college kids barfing and screeching. The beer is cheap and tasty and the atmosphere is cozy. But the best part about this bar is the cheeseburgers. Go get yourself a beer and a cheeseburger and put them in your belly. read more

Don't let the name fool you! I walked in and it definitely wasn't a buffet, your choices were hamburger/cheeseburger and chips.....period. That's what makes this place so cool. These days, it's hard to tell a bar from a full service restaurant, with a bar. This place keeps it's simple and have become masters of the few things they do. A good drink, delicious burger, good company and a small TV in the corner of the bar, this is your spot. read more

"Cheeseburger, no fries, only chips" This classic midwestern tavern has cheap adult beverages and tasty cheeseburgers. It's filled with locals, grad students and artists and is a certified frat-boy-free-zone. When it's cold outside, ask the bartender to let you take the underground beer tunnel to the Foxhead. read more