Checkers Tavern & Eatery

This was a lucky find!

Im going to start with what was stellar and work my way down to the really good.

I had the Swiss cheese with mushrooms burger and let me tell you… literally the best burger I’ve ever had. I’ve been to countless burger joints, some even dedicated to only burgers, and Checkers blows them all out of the water.

The patty was cooked to perfection and you can just tell it was fresh. Whatever spices they use make it to where a patty and buns would’ve been great as is. The buns were lightly toasted so they held all the flavor, gave you that little bit of crispy bite, then fell into that soft bready heaven. The Swiss cheese melted everywhere and every mushroom just tied that umami flavor together. I don’t know how else to explain it other than it is absolutely a superior burger.

It came with a great helping of tater tots and agony they nailed it. Hot. Crispy outside. Pillowy inside. Perfectly seasoned. You could add some condiments to the burger and tots but you really don’t even need to. Absolutely perfect.

Next best thing we’re the mozzarella sticks and cheddar bites. They also came out hot and fresh. I enjoyed them to the end but my companion said while they were awesome at first, they kinda got monotonous. The breading was crispy and the cheese was sharp. The mozzarella sticks weren’t gooey and stretchy but they had they had great flavor and a good bite to them.

The chicken wings were good but that’s why they’re here at the bottom of the list. The portion size was immense and the BBQ sauce they were tossed in was perfection. A little tangy and a little sweet. I think they may have been slightly over cooked as they were the tiniest bit on the dry side, but the ample sauce they were covered in made that moot.

The atmosphere was dark and warm. It’s a tavern. It felt like a tavern. There’s darts and what looked like a few gambling games. It was a nice atmosphere even with kids in tow. There was a stage for live music and if I ever get the chance to come back for that, I will.

To save the best for last, the bartender served us at our very comfortable booth and she was absolutely charming, friendly, and welcoming. There weren’t too many people at the time but enough to be busy and yet we never felt like we were forgotten or unattended to.

I’ve given everything here 5 stars because if we ever find ourselves in this neck of the woods again we will go out of our way to stop by.

Our sever darren was absolutely amazing. The food was fresh and hot. We definitely will b back.

Chanda was amazing! It's so busy and she made me feel like I was the olney customer! I will be back because of the service from this bar! Food was great service was the best!

Pam and PJ are fantastic people. KInd, generous, and lovely people. 5 stars. Pam kicked out a stripper one time when she was harrasing me. Love to All. 🙏

Good beer selection! Good food!! Friendly staff!! Great live music!!!

This place is without question my absolute favorite Bar / Restaurant! I've been to hundreds of Bar / Restaurants across the country and Checkers has made me the happiest. It is truly the perfect neighborhood bar.
The owners are two of the friendliest and most honest and good people I have ever met!
If you are someone who prefers franchise establishments like Buffalo wild wings or Hooters or other places who couldn't care less if you have a good experience, I would seriously recommend you give Checkers a chance..
They will make you feel like you have lived in their neighborhood all your life and treat you like a real friend! That's the reason I have been going there for years and have no interest in going anywhere else when I am in Cedar Rapids!
And the live music is usually always very good on Friday nights.
Like their motto goes: "Whether you're from near or far, we're your neighborhood bar!" And they really do appreciate you!

Just popped in out of curiosity, glad I did! The bar tender was really friendly and told me the burgers were the best in town. Well she did not lie! Best burger I've had in Iowa period. Burger was big and juicy! Everything was so well made. It was less than $20 bucks but knowing the quality of the burger I would of gladly paid $60. I will return and am gunna recommend this joint to everyone! Keep up the good work checkers!

Totally awesome. Had a jam session tonight and zip actually got to sit in on drums!!

Had an awesome time as always at Checkers. The bartenders are super friendly and the food is always great. We were there for the live music. Be sure to stop in and check it out!!

Went for dinner and played Name That Tune. Had a great time with friends.

Love for live music and some of the best burgers I've ever had!

We visited for the first time to try something new! We both had burgers and were extremely satisfied, and full! Hung around for a couple drinks! We were extremely happy with our bartender Alicia! She is attentive and funny! We will definitely be back to try the pizza! Perfect old CR bar!

We stopped in after dinner Saturday night ( date night) for a drink. The bartender was awesome. Karaoke night
We had so much fun. They also have an outdoor “ beer garden “ area, a covered porch ( was raining) so you can wander inside and outside. Fun environment.

I have eaten here a few times and the food is absolutely amazing! The very first thing I tried were The notches to go which ended up feeding me the teenager and made four other meals out of the leftovers. Every time it's been well worth my money spent!!

I also deliver here for my job and everybody seems to always have a smile on their face and greets me as I walk in the door

Met friend there after work. Hadn't been there for over 20 years. Great background blues music. Last time there Billy Lee Janey played. Good options for happy hour. I got the tater tots with cheese and bacon. Oh my... swimming in cheesy bacony goodness. Mmmm. Quiet enough to have easy conversation. Good crew of what appeared to be regulars. Will return.

While visiting C.R. I stopped at this place for a drink and saw you had a kitchen, after a couple of ice cold craft beers I ordered the daily special "country steak with veggies". And WOW The meal was awesome and the pretty thing behind the bar(Heidi) kept pouring that beer. The sound system in this place is great and Heidi did not mind turning up the sound when I asked her to. Before I knew it I had a pretty good buzz and was really enjoying this place. During the next few hours I played the jukebox and even made a couple of new friends. I'm definitely coming back to this place when I return to Cedar Rapids, and I would recommend it to anyone for the craft beer and the food. Cheers

I have been coming to Checkers weekly for Thursday night trivia for about the last year or so. The owners are so nice and helpful and Pam learned my order the first time I came in and now she has my drink on my table almost before I sit down!

I haven't really tried very many of their foods because the first time I tried it I loved it and I am a creature of habit.. their Kenny burger, chicken wings and their chicken fried steak and to die for though!

10/10 I would definitely recommend Checkers!

Went last night while staying at hotel across the street. Had a delicious pineapple and ham pizza! The cheese....yum.... Good selection of adult beverages. Staff was very friendly and attentive; nice camaraderie between them made it more fun. Clean bathrooms (very important). We know where to go next time we make our way through Cedar Rapids! Cheers!

Started coming to Checkers to play some bingo and have been back every week since! (Even switched to our trivia night there). Pam is quick to get our drinks to us (she knows our order by heart!) and there is always a large selection of great food to choose from. The Bad Andy is our current favorite but the chicken sandwich and the club are also amazing. Huge portions with the basket option....you won’t go home hungry! Great local place that takes care of its customers the right way. Not many places like that around anymore. We appreciate you Pam and crew!

I go to checkers with my family almost weekly when I am home from college and it is always wonderful! The pizza is my favorite, but I haven't found a bad item on the menu yet (though my parents may eventually make me stop mooching off their plates- everything is just so good!). Trivia nights can get REALLY busy but Pam is always around to check on us and is easy to get hold of if we have questions or haven't been helped yet. Overall, great service and even better food