Last weekend Caleb ate a restaurant in Davenport for a bachelor party that was so good that he insisted on taking me before we made our merry way back to Chicago. So he ate at this restaurant twice in three days...so it must be good right? It's called the Machine Shed and it is down right amazing! It might be our new stop on our way out of Iowa every single time now.
Food + Drink
This place gave us so much food that you could barely see the table top when all our food was on the table. And it was just Caleb and I. And we were in a huge booth. I started myself off with a lemonade and it was seriously some of the most delicious lemonade I've ever had. I'm pretty sure it's homemade. For an app we got the beer cheese fondue, and we also got a bowl of the baked potato soup. Both were so delicious! The soup was nice and hearty and perfect for the rainy day that it was. The pretzel sticks were nice and soft and perfect for dipping in to the beer cheese sauce. On top of that, the Shed also brings you your choice of sides to have before your actual meal. Caleb and I opted for the cole slaw and apples. Both super yummy. They also bring you bread. So, after all this Caleb and I were full. BUT we still had our actual meals to come! I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich, and Caleb got the burnt ends. Their BBQ sauce is out of this world. I forced myself to have a few bites of my sandwich before I called it quits. Both our dishes also came with garlic mashed potatoes, and we got beef gravy to go on top of them. It was like heaven in my mouth. Even though I couldn't finish it all at the restaurant, I did polish that bad boy off for dinner that night!
Ambience + Atmosphere
It's a big restaurant with a shop attached to it. It's perfect for family dinners or like Caleb and I are planning on doing...our spot to grab a delicious bite on our way back to Chicago. It's not too loud but it's also not intimate and quiet. It's your typical BBQ family joint. Nice and casual and perfect for any meal of the day.
Location + Transportation
The Shed that we went to is located in Davenport, IA and is almost right off of I-80. They have a giant parking lot to accommodate their popularity.
This place gave us so much food that you could barely see the table top when all our food was on the table. And it was just Caleb and I. And we were in a huge booth. I started myself off with a lemonade and it was seriously some of the most delicious lemonade I've ever had. I'm pretty sure it's homemade. For an app we got the beer cheese fondue, and we also got a bowl of the baked potato soup. Both were so delicious! The soup was nice and hearty and perfect for the rainy day that it was. The pretzel sticks were nice and soft and perfect for dipping in to the beer cheese sauce. On top of that, the Shed also brings you your choice of sides to have before your actual meal. Caleb and I opted for the cole slaw and apples. Both super yummy. They also bring you bread. So, after all this Caleb and I were full. BUT we still had our actual meals to come! I ordered the BBQ beef brisket sandwich, and Caleb got the burnt ends. Their BBQ sauce is out of this world. I forced myself to have a few bites of my sandwich before I called it quits. Both our dishes also came with garlic mashed potatoes, and we got beef gravy to go on top of them. It was like heaven in my mouth. Even though I couldn't finish it all at the restaurant, I did polish that bad boy off for dinner that night!
Ambience + Atmosphere
It's a big restaurant with a shop attached to it. It's perfect for family dinners or like Caleb and I are planning on doing...our spot to grab a delicious bite on our way back to Chicago. It's not too loud but it's also not intimate and quiet. It's your typical BBQ family joint. Nice and casual and perfect for any meal of the day.
Location + Transportation
The Shed that we went to is located in Davenport, IA and is almost right off of I-80. They have a giant parking lot to accommodate their popularity.
Extras + Details
I'm not completely sure if the Shed accepts reservations. Yelp says they do but there's nothing on their website to make one. I guess you can call and find out...but I don't think you really need one. The restaurant is so big and they get people in and out fast. We only had to wait 15 minutes and that was at lunch time on a Sunday (after church). They also have "gift shop." You can buy a whole bunch of stuff...kitchen gadgets, dinnerware, cookbooks, jam, honey, syrup, candy, just everything! And trust me I wanted everything!
Overall Impression
We had a great lunch at the Shed. Our waitress was wonderful. So nice and attentive. The only little thing I noticed was we had to wait awhile for our actual meals to come out. We were on our way out of town and wanted to get going, so I think that made us notice this more than we usually would. I do give this place a major thumbs up though. If I ever make a Quad Cities City Guide, this will probably be the first place on it. It was a perfect lunch, and we intend to go back over and over again! I highly suggest you give it a try if you live in the area that one of these restaurants are in (they have multiple locations throughout the Midwest), or if you're passing through the area. You won't be disappointed!
I'm not completely sure if the Shed accepts reservations. Yelp says they do but there's nothing on their website to make one. I guess you can call and find out...but I don't think you really need one. The restaurant is so big and they get people in and out fast. We only had to wait 15 minutes and that was at lunch time on a Sunday (after church). They also have "gift shop." You can buy a whole bunch of stuff...kitchen gadgets, dinnerware, cookbooks, jam, honey, syrup, candy, just everything! And trust me I wanted everything!
Overall Impression
We had a great lunch at the Shed. Our waitress was wonderful. So nice and attentive. The only little thing I noticed was we had to wait awhile for our actual meals to come out. We were on our way out of town and wanted to get going, so I think that made us notice this more than we usually would. I do give this place a major thumbs up though. If I ever make a Quad Cities City Guide, this will probably be the first place on it. It was a perfect lunch, and we intend to go back over and over again! I highly suggest you give it a try if you live in the area that one of these restaurants are in (they have multiple locations throughout the Midwest), or if you're passing through the area. You won't be disappointed!
What is your favorite stop along I-80?
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