The Iowa Eatery Famed For 'Inventive Flavor Combos' Offers A Post-Apocalyptic Dining Experience

Iowa is home to an award-winning trestle bridge, some of the best roadside stops in America, and quaint towns with their famous covered bridges that evoke the region's sleepy ambiance. This Midwestern state is not all about easy, rural living, though. If you venture down to 300 E Grand Ave in downtown Des Moines, you will find Zombie Burger + Drink Lab, a playfully macabre restaurant chain offering GOREmet bashed burgers.

Zombie Burger + Drink Lab, and its peer Zombie Burger + Shake Lab in Jordan Creek Mall, both take inspiration from roadside burger stands of the 1970s. Zombie Burger's patties consist of a unique three-cut beef blend that's bashed, seared, and wedged between artisanal buns and served with a lengthy collection of drinks, from long and short cocktails to craft beer and hand-mixed spiked milkshakes. The atmosphere is as fun as the food, offering a kind of Planet Hollywood-style experience for horror movie enthusiasts.  

Burgers and Zombies has something quirky for everyone. Craft beer enthusiasts can expect some classics like 3 Floyds' Zombie Dust, a pale ale with a remarkable "World-Class" score on BeerAdvocate.com. There are also various lagers, ciders, ales, and sours to test your palate. The cocktail list is similarly extensive, with themed drinks like The Zombie — their signature, rum-based cocktail — and the Witch's Hat, made with mulberry gin. Expect all the usual stalwarts like margaritas, old fashioneds, and bloody marys too. 

The shake list is another draw and the horror references are all over it. The Human Centipeach throws vanilla ice cream with peach purée, white cake batter, and graham cracker crumbs, and you can get it spiked with Dr. McGillicuddy's Raw Vanilla Liqueur. The spiked feature is applicable to all shakes including the Zombie Unicorn — which mixes vanilla ice cream, marshmallow cream, fruity pebbles, and a dash of Tequila Rose Strawberry Cream for extra kick. 

The main event brings another wave of customizable indulgence. The GOREmet Bashed Burgers come with Special Grind beef, grilled chicken breast, or fried chicken breast, and you can choose one, two, or three patties. Fried eggs, bacon, and vegan American cheese are also options to add. These juicy proteins are offered in over 20 different burgers with names such as The Cremator, Juan of the Dead, and Army of Darkness.