Every college town needs an classic gameday restaurant where friends and family can come together before or after a fall day filled with football. Quinton’s Bar & Deli, located at 215 E Washington St, is just that restaurant for the people in Iowa City, Iowa. With their masterly-crafted food and sincere waiting staff, Quinton’s is a stop that Hawkeyes shouldn’t pass up.

Walking into the narrow restaurant in the heart of the downtown area, I was greeted with a smiling face that seated us at our table on the second floor. The first floor of the restaurant had a clear atmosphere: a very free spirited aroma illustrated by the various singers hung up high on the wall.

Unfortunately, the first level was packed to the max with Hawkeye fans, so we had to be seated on the second level where the decor was underwhelming. The green walls and an unfitting mirror left me with nothing exciting to look at besides the TV playing college football.

We ordered our drinks and a buffalo cheese dip for an appetizer. Many minutes later we were presented with a platter of greasy looking tortillas chips accompanied by the cheesey, pale-colored dip with a layer of grease on top.

Based on looks this dish didn’t seem up to par, but what’s bar food without a little grease?

I was conservative with the amount of dip I put on my chip with my initial bite, but my oh my, I had to load up the chip with the deliciousness after that because I couldn’t get enough of it. It was a perfect balance of spicy and creamy that kept me wanting more. I definitely would have licked the bowl clean if my sister hadn’t gotten to scrapping the sides out before me.

Next up on my menu was the South Paw sandwich which had capicola, salami, banana peppers, tomato, sprouts, Thousand Island dressing, and smoked gouda. The dish itself appeared quite unexciting with cardboard-colored fries sprawled out next to a meaty stack of the capicola and salami atop of bland looking ciabatta bread.

Upon the first bite, the thick layers of meat were a bit overpowering and the capicola had a bit too much fat in it. I decided to take the capicola off and that was when the flavors of the other ingredients really shined though. I’ve always been bananas for banana peppers and they surely didn’t disappoint in this sandwich.

It was bursting with the complementary crunch of the peppers paired with the smooth, creamy dressing and the freshness coming through with the small, yet delightful, use of sprouts.

If I were to change anything I would suggest to make the sandwich a panini because melted gouda would add a contrasting texture that would pair well with the toasted salami and bread.

The fries were nothing exceptional. They definitely were in need of more salt and ketchup.

My mom and my sister both ordered a meal that could be considered one of Quinton’s signature dishes– the “Spuds”. This dish consisted of open faced baked potatoes loaded to the max. Imagine anything you could ever possibly want to be put onto a potato and Quinton’s already thought of it.

Their dishes came out resembling the Holy Grail of all potatoes. They were stacked a mile high with cheese, bacon, ham, turkey, chili, queso, black olives, peppers, butter, onions, sour cream and more.

Biting into a sample, my taste buds felt like they were attending a symphony orchestra performance from the way all of the flavors blended together so smoothly. A true melody in my mouth that instantly brings a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.

The only critique my mom had was that she wished the potato was slightly warmer and the cheese was more melted.

All of the meals were reasonably priced at about $10. Overall, my experience gave me a sense of comfort and satisfaction on a freezing-cold football Saturday. I’d give this restaurant a 4.3 out of 5 considering the odd decor on the second floor, the music that only started halfway through eating my meal and the few tweaks I’d make to enhance the food.

I’d strongly recommend this restaurant to any Hawkeye fan looking for overachieving bar food.