I love to eat breakfast here. They have different specials every week. Always good food and excellent coffee and fast service. It is small and friendly atmosphere.
Had a good mushroom Swiss burger and fries yesterday, on 9/23/21. Was on a river trip. Love the lunch counter!
Great food great service will definitely go back
Every time Im close I stop here to eat and always try to bring some one new. Delicious and reasonably priced. A unique experience
This is the perfect place to eat in this town. Local, regional, friendly staff, open kitchen, straight forward unpretentious food. Our visit to Ft Madison is all the better for eating here. We had the Walts Mess and the 1/2 Wally Burger [a whole one is 1 pound of beef - we SHOULD have ordered that, it looked better than the 1/2 when presented], and onion rings. The customers were great, we spoke with several at the counter while we eat.
Wallyburger was delicious and the place did not disappoint. Besides the food our server Kennedy was very sweet. She really took care of us. We came all the way from St. Louis for the best burger in Iowa according to a food magazine and they were right. It was that good. The bbq that they were bringing off the smoker also looked fantastic.
Very good breakfast!! Highly recommend the biscuits and gravy!
Dont underestimate this place. Great little diner. Friendly staff. I was very pleased with my burger and fries. Only downfall is they are cash only. No cards.
I normally have had a great experience here but last week when my family and I came in to eat we were disrespected, the lady rolled her eyes at us, huffed at us but her whole demeanor would change to happy and cheerful when other customers came in. I absolutely love their chilli but after the way my family and I was treated there, we will not be going back anytime soon, off ever.
Great food and service. The construction is really making it hard to get to restaurants like this one but its worth it.
I hear the liver and onions is a definite must have here
Great food great people 👍
HORRIBLE! THEY CHARGED $70 FOR HORRIBLE FOOD. I FOUND A HAIR IN MY SOUP, WATERED DOWN RANCH AND SMALL FRIES! NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN! 0 STARS
Friendly staff and good food
Ordered ham & cheese, grilled, bread was soggy & ham was fatty. Very dissatisfied!!!
Small but I think they have the best food around. Love it!!!
Great Breakfast and service
A step back in time, a real diner with good quality food and a great small town feel. A must try kind of place.
Pulled in not knowing anything about the place. Def have to go back! Recommend to anyone who likes food!
Thanx Jake and Barb sorry if I got it wrong the potato salad was the bomb as always the food was great
Steak n eggs was awesome
Once you walk in you know exactly what you are getting. Good old comfort diner food. Staff is friendly, conversation is good, food is good. No reason not to come back. Great view of the river as well.
This place has excellent breakfast items and great hamburgers! It is worth your time to stop in for a bite. However, beware that some items seem a little expensive.
The location is fabulous and well within walking distance to the heart of Fort Madison, and also to the Mississippi River! The food is delicious. We loved the Wallyburger. It is huge and very delicious. We met the nice lady who hand makes all the pies. We were full but we came back later for a piece of a pie. The cherry and apricot pies were delectable!
I have always adored this little hole in the wall place. When I say little, I mean little! It can fit approximately 10-15 people, but because of that your food is guaranteed fresh and hot. My favorite thing to get is their fried biscuits! The staff are quiet but they have that Midwestern flow about them. Always good for quick eats. A solid 4/5.
Very cozy. Food preparation and dining closely packed in an aged diner. - seats about 18. Food was good but not unique. Go for the atmosphere and support local business.
Went for lunch burgers looked good, guys and I were Hungary, it was 12:26 in the afternoon lady inside saw 4 of us coming and shut the signs off and locked the doors, wow never again
Went on 11/4 @ 7:45, horrible experience.Everything looked dirty. Waitress wasnt very friendly. She talked about having diarrhea standing 3 feet away from us. Almost completely ignored us aside from taking our order and bringing the food. Was very short when asked for a coffee refill and the check.Super insanitary kitchen. Watched the cook form a raw beef patty with his bare hands and never washed his hands the whole time we were there.Food was below average. The only place I know that still uses Kraft cheese slices.Disappointing because my boyfriend had gone several times before and had raved about the food and service. Gone downhill for sure.
The Fort Diner is the perfect example of a traditional greasy spoon diner of America’s past. It’s long and narrow with stools at the counter. The food is great. They serve an excellent tenderloin and have daily specials. For a bit of nostalgia and some good food, its a fun place to eat.
Chewy chicken burned bacon and took forever
Food is amazing and prices are great! Small diner but I always order to go and enjoy at the river!
This place has some really great food. I always enjoy coming to this restaurant steaks are cheap & tasty. Philly cheese steak is some of the best Ive had. The staff are always fun & put great dedication into their work, long term and know their stuff. Thank you all that keep this awesome place going.
The fort diner has amazing food and portions for the cost. However everything there is very affordable. This place is still in its original building from when it was built. Highly recommend and everyone should go there.
The burgers and fries were amazing. Cooks are friendly.
Their fish sandwiches are delicious, no sodium, (salt) added!!! We loved th the sweet pepper Cole slaw too! We will order to go again & again! Very healthy menu items to choose from, which is great in a townwhere all there is, basically, is 2or3 fast food places & just a couple home cooked recipe restaurants!
When travelling from Denver to Peoria I always stop here for breakfast.The food is great and the folks very friendly. When I worked for the railroad back in the 70s and 80s I used to eat here every day. Glad to see longevity in a great place to eat.
Ive eaten here twice recently when I was in town. Both were good experiences. The prices are reasonable, service good and the food was good. The fish sandwich is very good and filling. There is a nice view of the river and the passing trains. Ample free parking available via a public lot across the street. Be aware that this place does not accept credit cards.
I still dream of my last visit. The man who made my hamburger told me that it was the best hamburger in the county, but I would argue the area of consideration should be far greater. It was a very good hamburger and fries, and I particularly enjoyed that I was able to watch it made in front of me in that tiny restaurant.
Classic small town dive... So friendly and tasty.
Great food in this little dive. Not much room inside so we ate outside. If you need to use the restroom I suggest you go elsewhere.
Passing through to home on an unsuccessful vacation 1st time in my 51 yrs. Seems like a nice polite quiet town without knowing many people like a polite, quiet little town.
Great place. Great portion for the price. When I come back and visit will definitely be a go to place
I love this place! Good ole home cookin.. It dont get any better than that!
The Fort feeds you alot for the price. I like that they cook in front of you. When the server saw that we liked hot sauce she asked if we wanted some homemade salsa and gave us a container of very fresh salsa for the breakfast. We could not eat all the food and the meals were under $8. I will go again.
Amazing Burgers! Great homemade specials! There sure isn’t any thing better than there famous mess with scrambled eggs wheat toast and some of the best salsa I have ever tasted! So could you will be dipping your toast in it! (Guilty!)
Nice owners and family who work there. Mini Wally burger, not just the wally burger is amazing. Sauteed mushrooms and onions on top of the burger covered with white and yellow American cheese
I ordered the special pepper steak over rice. Thought it would be something that was already made and kept warm, but not the case was made right in front of me. Very tasty and great service.
Great food at really good prices. Love coming here but I always feel like I should have brought a blanket. So cold inside in the winter.
The Holy Grail of biscuits and gravy. The food is amazing, the price is right, If I lived in Ft. Madison I would go every day. We’ve made the trip from MN the last two years (spring morel hunting and my dad grew up here) we will be back again and we will be eating at The Fort!
Step back into time with a visit to this 1940s lunch counter eatery. We had the special, a huge bbq sandwich and creamy cole slaw, which was delicious. Priced less than you’d pay for lunch at a chain fast food. Friendly service, a great, unique experience from days gone by.
Amazing food wally burger was huge and omg the Philly was I so good. Friendly people. Will deff come back.
It’s like traveling back in time eating at this iconic diner!
Great food
Everything Ive tried there is good, especially the burgers. You can watch them make everything and are very nice. Just a little cramped for space though.
Never a bad experience great food and good people. Remember to tell the cook the food is terrible and you will see them next trip. Its a compliment.
Great prices for the amount of fod you get
Awesome hash browns for breakfast. Small diner with friendly folks. Highly Recommend
Simple diner food, always stop here when Im in town
Vary good food and vary friendly staff. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Nice old time setting n cheap food
Ordered five tenderloins to go and when I got home one of them was completely raw in the middle. Glad I cut them in half so that was discovered. The ones that were not raw tasted pretty good though. 2/5 stars because its Iowa and they screwed up a tenderloin.
Excellent food, very wide selection, much more than you would expect. Great nostalgic place. Definitely a hidden gem
Cash/local check only. Cute, reasonably priced, good food & service.
Best food in town, huge selection for such a small place. The cook and servers are very nice. Cant beat the price of there food, huge portions.
Amazing food and people
I was raised in Ft. Madison and come back to the Fort often when back in town. The service is always quick and very friendly. The breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is in my opinion the best in town. The giant Wallyburger is always fresh and well prepared. They also have freshly made pies. This is a small old time diner, but one that I am sure you will enjoy. Give the Fort a chance and I am sure you will be very pleased. It is very small but worth a stop.
Food was excellent as usual and service was really fast
Great breakfasts. Little throw back to the 50s, love it!!!
A little pricey but good food.
Never disappointed in anything I’ve ever ordered here been going here for years!
I dont know what it is, maybe the atmosphere and great burgers, but I really like coming to this diner. Im trying to go through the list of burgers one by one untl Ive tried them all. The Cajun is the most recent, and man...it still sounds great even after dinner tonight.
This its the crown jewel of fort Madison dining! Best experience youll find anywhere close to here. Ive lived here for 24 years n theres nowhere Id rather eat. Suggestions: The mess, Walt burger, mushroom n Swiss, and oh the pancakes!
Burger tasted burnt, prices were top high for small food, the cook wasnt wearing gloves and in between touching and handling raw food he was playing on his phone, touching his face and nose, and multiple items in his area that didnt involve cooking. Dirty place . Will not return.
Great food!! My favorite place for breakfast!!
The Cook is really rude, the food is not as good as they said it is my burger was cold last time I went in there also, their help is very rude and not helpful at all
Absolutely delicious. First time here &I got the Mess for breakfast. Will definitely be back to try something else on the menu.
Very good and fast service thank you
There arent many places like this left. Food was great!
Food is awesome, service is as incredible as the pie... Try them both 😉
The staff was extremely rude, they acted like they had something much more important to be doing. The diner was filthy but thats the way little diners like that are supposed to be. The burger was great.
The food is always great
Excellent food good price and friendly people. Just a little old fashioned diner.
Good place to eat good views love the cheese burger & french fries also cheese sticks yummy. Recommended got to try this place out.
Kids enjoyed the pizza. Decent salad bar. My grilled chicken was a bit messy but good.
Cute and quaint, a little too cold on winter but hey Ill be back in the summer
Great old time style diner
Absolutely amazing food!! Im the type of person of being very picky, also never give second chances. But I walked in this diner and was taken back to the days of mellow music you can relate to. Also the server and cook was very personal and sevice was out of this world!! Oh and the food Omgoodness fantastic!! Everything we ordered had actual flavor!! Also being cooked infront of us was a huge plus!! Fresh and hot!!! I cant wait to try the breakfast!!! Love love this place!!! Bring your children. Parents or just you and your better half I garentee your going to have a full belly and oldie songs in your head!!!
Food is great and service is friendly
Excellent history oldest running dinner in the state of Iowa
The 1/2 Walburger was very small esp for the price. My granddaughters double cheeseburger was bigger. I wont be going back. Way over priced!! Service was excellent though thats the 2 stars.
Friendly people and amazing food
Food was excellent and service was great!
