For Iowa’s best burger, follow the trail to the Twisted Tail, says the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. ICA’s annual contest to find the best hamburger in the state ended in late September in the small town of Beebeetown, where the Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon was declared the 2020 winner.

The western Iowa restaurant, owned by Ed and Ruth Spencer since 2011, is managed by two of their three children, Luke and Hannah. In addition to the restaurant, the family also farms, raises beef cattle and runs a real estate and auction business.

“Made of 80% lean ground chuck, the winning burger is simply seasoned, allowing the true flavor of the meat to shine,” Hannah (Spencer) Johnson says. The Certified Angus Beef served at the restaurant is all locally sourced. Eleven different burgers are featured on the menu, all using the same 8-ounce patty. In addition to the burgers, the restaurant’s Steak Philly, Prime Rib French Dip and Filet are all fan favorites.

Contest promotes Iowa-raised beef

This is the 11th year for the annual Best Burger contest sponsored by the Iowa Beef Industry Council, through the Iowa State Beef Checkoff Program, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

The designation as Iowa’s Best Burger comes after a two-phase competition. The first phase takes place entirely based on votes from the public. For a month starting in February, burger lovers went online and voted for their favorite Iowa burger, submitting nearly 7,000 votes representing 630 restaurants. At the end of March, the 10 restaurants with the most votes were declared the “Top 10.” Next, three anonymous judges visited each of the restaurants, focusing on the burger patties and scoring them based on taste, doneness and presentation. Final judging was in August and September, and on Sept. 21, the winner was revealed.

The Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon joins the group of past best burger winners from around the state. Along with last year’s winner, Wood Iron Grille of Oskaloosa, previous winners include:

How to get to Twisted Tail

The address is 2849 335th St. in Beebeetown, which has a population of 980 people. The restaurant has a Logan, Iowa, ZIP code of 51546 and mailing address. Beebeetown is 9 miles from Missouri Valley, 9 miles from Logan, 10 miles from Neola and 16 miles from Council Bluffs. Use exit number 8 on I-880. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Reservations are encouraged for evening dining. Antiques, memorabilia and reminders of the history of Beebeetown are displayed throughout the restaurant.

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