T-R FILE PHOTO — Garrett Goodman, the owner/operator of The Flying Elbow in Marshalltown, points to a sign above the counter designating his restaurant as serving the best burger in Iowa for 2022. In honor of the contest’s 15th anniversary, past winners including the Elbow will be allowed to re-enter in 2024.

The Flying Elbow is getting back in the ring to defend its title as Iowa’s best burger.

The Marshalltown restaurant at 229 N. 13th St. went out on top as 2022’s top hamburger, and per the Iowa’s Best Burger Contest rules, at the time at least, it would not be able to re-enter going forward.

But in honor of the 15th round of the Best Burger Contest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association are inviting all former champions to lace up the boots and fire up the grills for a burger battle royal against each other as well as any other newcomers that want to claim the beefy brass ring.

Nominations will be taken for the contest beginning today, Monday, Feb. 12, through Tuesday, March 12. The top 10 burgers from that voting process will then undergo a secret judging process before the winner is announced in May.

“The competition is going to be fierce, much more than last time,” Elbow owner Garrett Goodman said. “There are some really great burger places that will be in the competition and just to be considered in that echelon, I’m very proud of that.”

Two years back, The Flying Elbow’s smashburger patty pinned the competition as part of the burger joint’s featured Tombstone burger, topped with havarti cheese, guacamole, bacon, sour cream, tomato, shredded lettuce and Death Valley Hot Sauce, named for the billed home of legendary WWE champion The Undertaker.

While judges are most concerned with the patty and not so much whether it comes with the hot sauce, 3:16 Chili or the People’s BBQ Sauce, Goodman has considered featuring a different burger in the competition and has said he will likely solicit feedback from customers of which one will get the main event shine.

The 2022 award created a burger mania in the establishment that oozes professional wrestling, from the menu to the memorabilia.

“Once we were in the top 10 [for 2022], business doubled overnight and we never looked back,” Goodman said. “And when we won, it doubled and tripled business again. It’d be a Friday and 20-30 people would be waiting to come inside and get a burger.”

That had a knock-on effect to surrounding businesses and Marshalltown as a whole, as people from all over the state chowed down on a Nacho Man burger or enjoyed a Jake the Steak sandwich and then shopped around the other businesses on 13th Street.

“It’s a great thing for Marshalltown,” Goodman said. “People come for the burger and stay to see what else they can do in Marshalltown, make a weekend or a day trip out of it. We all really have so much pride in what we do here.”

The restaurant has also added seating with a deck addition to help manage the increased popularity, with Goodman noting that he saw local regulars come in less often when the Elbow often quickly reached capacity.

Being at the head of the table in Iowa would be a great way to finish the story of what’s been a tough 2024 for Goodman, who took over Calvin Rockett Bar & Grill last summer only for the restaurant to be devastated by the recent cold snap, which froze and burst pipes that flooded the dual-level restaurant with water.

Goodman’s been through this before — the Flying Elbow’s Main Street location was closed after damages from the 2018 EF-3 tornado before reopening in the 13th Street District.

Still, he wouldn’t mind getting a win for The Flying Elbow, with the help from the Elbowmaniacs eating their burgers and casting their votes.

“Any positive news right now would be good for me and the business,” Goodman said. “Getting in [the contest] again two years after winning, I can’t even imagine if we won again.”

Votes can be cast at https://www.iabeef.org/events/best-burger-contest/best-burger-contest-voting; a voting link and updates will also be on The Flying Elbow’s Facebook page.

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Contact Jake Ryder at (641) 753-6611 ext. 227 or jryder@timesrepublican.com.