THE HISTORY
The Story Of This Bar
Not in Iowa. Not a buffet. Iowa Buffet is a corner neighborhood tavern on Winnebago Street in St. Louis, with history that is still visible in the room, the people and the equipment behind the bar.
A history that does not fit one neat date
Research shared with SMDB traces commercial activity at the property back to 1887. A historical photograph displayed inside the tavern documents the name Iowa Buffet by 1945, while another piece inside reads “Iowa Buffet Est. 1952.” Rather than force those artifacts into false certainty, this archive preserves both while the story continues to be researched.
The old burger oven
The small vintage gas-fired cooking equipment behind the bar has its own mythology. Local accounts say the cast-iron oven/grill was installed on January 20, 1953 — the day Dwight Eisenhower was inaugurated — and stories connect it to a World’s Fair-era design. A second matching unit has reportedly been kept for spare parts. The claim that only three are known and this is the only one still used daily remains tavern lore being documented.
Carol and continuity
Carol McKinney has been associated with Iowa Buffet for more than 35 years. Her framed “DON’T TURN OFF CAROL” portrait has become an artifact of its own, while the family story continues across generations behind the bar.
Three generations
Iowa Buffet continues as a third-generation family tavern — three generations connected to the same neighborhood bar and carrying its traditions forward.
Saturday smoke and neighborhood traditions
The food tradition extends beyond the burger. Saturday outdoor barbecue has included pork steaks, ribs, stuffed chicken, brisket, brats, sides and dessert while supplies last. Karaoke, open-mic style entertainment and other weekly events have also been part of the tavern’s recent rhythm; schedules are a snapshot of the period SMDB documented.
THE REGULARS
Doug comes with the building.
Doug shows up every day to watch Jeopardy!. He is such a fixture that Iowa Buffet’s POS system has a button called the “Doug Beer”: two Bud Lights. On nice days, his cherry-red 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible is parked outside. Doug told SMDB the simplest version himself: “I come with the building.”
Why Iowa Buffet matters
Iowa Buffet matters because its history is still visible in layers: old photographs, conflicting dates, working equipment, family continuity and regulars whose routines have become part of the place itself. The contradictions are not a flaw in the archive. They are part of the story still being uncovered.
