Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant

The Machine Shed Restaurant opened its first location in 1978 on the outskirts of Davenport, Iowa, founded by Mike Whalen. Starting with just 100 seats, one dining room, and about 40 employees, Whalen built the concept around a five-word constitution: "Dedicated to the American Farmer." This meant creating a restaurant that farmers could be proud of, honoring their legacy with quality products and homecooked, made-from-scratch meals.

Machine Shed serves chef-driven, farm-fresh fare inspired by the seasons, with a focus on classic Midwestern comfort food and hearty portions. Popular dishes include pork chops, chicken pot pie, and the Shed Burger. All dinners are served with fresh-baked breads, real butter, cottage cheese, coleslaw, seasonal vegetables, wild rice or potato. The famous cinnamon roll is a must-try.

The Urbandale location is one of five Machine Shed restaurants operated by Heart of America Group. Mike Whalen has received the Humanitarian of the Year award from the National Restaurant Association and the Entrepreneur of the Year award from Inc. Magazine.

Last enriched on April 1, 2026

Sources: public web data + Iowa public records. This listing is not an endorsement. If you see an error, let us know.