On Sunday, Feb. 15, a van with tinted windows sat in the median of an expressway 10 minutes outside Minneapolis. It idled in a Michigan left usually reserved for law enforcement personnel, one that allows for quick pull-outs and pull-overs. But unlike police cars, this van didn’t have any lights or sirens — it was […]
George’s Buffet
Posted inCommunity/News
Long before a Final Four, George’s has been the go-to spot to watch Iowa women’s basketball
Three blocks from the bar colony of downtown Iowa City sits the Northside Market, a neighborhood some of the quieter and more niche businesses call home. There’s Dirty John’s Grocery, the endless kitsch of Artifacts and the town’s only falafel joint, Oasis. There is also a little place called George’s Buffet. A slender two-story frame […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
Five CRANDIC taverns that feel like a home away from home
They’ve outlasted recessions, floods and indoor smoking bans. Every other customer through the doors is a regular. Longtime employees dispense beer, life advice and local legends in equal measure. Some are nestled into neighborhoods, aging alongside generations of residents who find it hard to imagine their hometown without “the bar.” Every nicked table, specific smell […]
Posted inBread & Butter Dining Guide
LV Recommends: Restaurants that feel like home
Foodies who spent the last two years dining only al fresco — or simply a casa — are itching for a change of scenery. While these local spots offer a range of fare, what they all have in common is a comfy, casual atmosphere that will help ease you back into the dine-in experience. Sanctuary […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Your Village: Why is George’s Buffet called ‘George’s Buffet’ when it doesn’t have a buffet?
“Why is George’s called ‘George’s Buffet’ when there’s no buffet?” – Elizabeth, Iowa City. At this point, the most accurate answer is probably “tradition.” Apparently, when George Kanak opened the bar in February 1939, he meant to make it stand out from other bars that served food by offering a full buffet. But if George’s ever had
Posted inCommunity/News
George’s Buffet is celebrating its 80th anniversary on Saturday
It wasn’t a surprise that George’s Buffet won “Best Home Away from Home” in the inaugural Best of the CRANDIC Awards last year. The Northside bar with its old-fashioned wooden booths, Skyscraper-Moderne style back bar, 60s-era flocked wallpaper and welcoming atmosphere seems like it’s always been a part of Iowa City.
Posted inCommunity/News
Best of the CRANDIC 2018: Health & Recreation
The results are in! Here are the winners of Little Village’s 2018 Best of the CRANDIC competition in the Health & Recreation category, representing voters’ favorite outdoor destinations, care providers and businesses in the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City area.
Posted inCommunity/News
Grab a Hamm’s at George’s to help Iowa City’s Emily Maxwell fund her Iditarod race
Iowa City’s Emily Maxwell never expected to find herself racing sled dogs in the Iditarod. But this year she completed a 200-mile and two 300-mile qualifying races, and if she can raise the $50,000 it takes to get to the starting line, Maxwell will race nearly 1,000 miles next March.
Posted inCommunity/News
Fireball recall raises health concerns for Iowa City
Finland, Sweden and Norway recently announced a recall on all bottles of Fireball Whiskey after learning that the American version of the popular liquor contains antifreeze. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), an allergic reaction can appear if propylene glycol, the type of antifreeze in question, is consumed in large […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City’s most iconic bars: A look at George’s past and present
One never knows who they’re going to run into or what they’ll see when they visit a bar. I like old bars, especially ones with the right kind of atmosphere; the…
