Courtlin Explores the Cedar Valley 2026– Part 5 [PHOTOS]

In honor of International Burger Day last week, my friends and I ventured out to a Cedar Valley restaurant that's known for its delicious burgers!

If you didn't know, I'm on a mission to visit the Cedar Valley once per month this year to try out a new (to me) restaurant. Since my best friend lives in Cedar Falls, it's also an excellent excuse for us to hang out and eat some delicious food!

Our initial plan for May was to go outside of Waterloo and Cedar Falls to try a restaurant, but because my friend was in the process of moving, she wanted to stay close to (her) home. We threw around a few different places we could visit on Saturday, but we ended up at a place that was recommended for its burgers: Zsavooz Sports Lounge & Grill at 206 Brandilynn Blvd in Cedar Falls.

What We Ate

When we arrived at Zsavooz Sports Lounge & Grill on Saturday night around 5:30 p.m., we were surprised to see the outdoor patio was completely empty. That was great news for us, since we wanted to sit outside and we were starving! We started with a round of drinks and an order of the nachos (minus the meat). The four of us completely finished the tray, and honestly, we could've easily finished a second one!

The main reason we chose Zsavooz is because of their burgers, which the menu says are "fresh, never frozen," and ground in-house. I ended up choosing the Popper Burger, which is topped with pepper jack cheese, spicy ranch, and jalapeno poppers, and is served on grilled Texas toast. It was REALLY good!

One of my friends ended up getting a burger, too, but his choice was the Rise & Shine. It was also served on Texas toast, but was topped with a fried egg, bacon, and cheddar cheese. He mentioned during the meal that it was a really solid burger, and he ended up finishing the whole thing, which is a good sign!

My BFF isn't a fan of beef, so she opted for something different. Her pick was the Spicy Grilled Cheese, which is essentially the burger I ordered, just minus the patty. She's a bit of a grilled cheese enthusiast, and she absolutely loved it. We were especially impressed by the initial cheese pull!

Overall, we all really enjoyed our food, as well as Zsavooz's outdoor patio. It was just a solid, no frills kind of place. My Cedar Falls friends said that they may add it to their regular restaurant rotation! I can't really blame her after looking at that grilled cheese...

Restaurants I've Visited (So Far)

Here are all the restaurants I've been to in 2026 for my 'Courtlin Explores the Cedar Valley' series:

• January: Bigfoot Betty's, Cedar Falls
• February: George's Local, Cedar Falls
• March: The Brown Bottle, Waterloo
• April: 1850 Patio & Grill, Waterloo
• May: Zsavooz Sports Lounge & Grill, Cedar Falls

In June, we're looking to visit Waverly, Denver, or La Porte City. We will have to wait and see how things work out!

If you have a Cedar Valley restaurant recommendation for me, I would love to hear it! You can shoot me a message on our station app, or just leave a comment on Facebook.

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READ MORE: A Giant List of June 2026 Events in Eastern Iowa & Beyond