Daisy’s Garage opens second restaurant in Marion

MARION — Daisy’s Garage, a staple for seafood boils and bar fare in Cedar Rapids for several years, has opened a second location in Marion.

With more garage doors, more seating and a slightly revamped menu matching the one at Cedar Rapids’ Fountains Plaza on Edgewood Rd. NE, owner Jade Luter says the Marion location could test the waters before pursuing potential franchise locations in the future.

“Marion’s growing. It’s expanding all the way around,” Luter said. “In the beginning, we looked at the overflow from Marion into Cedar Rapids, and it was crazy. It’s to give the city of Marion something to do — they don’t have to go searching far.”

The opening of Luter’s fourth restaurant has been in the works since she opened her third in 2021 — Cruz’s Cafe in northeast Cedar Rapids. The new Daisy’s spot in Marion is the first independent, locally-based restaurant to join the strip at Carlson Way, just off the intersection of U.S. Highway 151 and Iowa Highway 13. The plaza also has Pizza Ranch, Jersey Mike’s and Panchero’s.

Despite some sparkles in the bar top and an all-new build out, the motto at the second Daisy’s remains the same as the first: “Come as you are — comfortable.”

Luter, who purchased Daisy’s Garage in 2017 before moving it from First Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids to Edgewood Rd. NE in 2019, said the familiar vibe has proved popular with the loyal following amassed over the years.

“It’s such a great concept,” she said.

The food

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With a variety of tried and true bar food classics, the “Filling Station” has resisted the trend of elevating bar food with fancier ingredients or spinoffs of the ingredients everyone is familiar with — like the switch from mayonnaise to aioli common in dishes today.

Appetizers like the Oil Spill and Speed Bumps give the menu a course theme with food that nobody is unfamiliar with — fried favorites, nachos, Po’boys, sandwiches and burgers.

Before seafood boils became trendy, Daisy’s was serving its seafood Steam Pot with melted butter, crab legs, sausage, potatoes, corn coblets and optional seafood add-ons.

“That was our staple because it was something Cedar Rapids had never seen when we rolled it out,” Luter said. “Now it’s becoming more of a trend.”

Since setting that trend locally, they have added a few things to the menu to keep with other trends. She describes their current menu as “Joe’s Crab Shack meets Hooters.”

All of them can be washed down with a full line of beer and specialty cocktails.

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A small vegan section adds plant-based quesadillas, burgers and tacos. On the opposite side of the menu, fried gizzards were added by popular demand alongside familiar comforts like the buffalo chicken wrap and the fried chicken sandwich.

“We’ve stayed pretty close to the original,” Luter said. “Why change something that works?”

The space

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Keeping with its laid back vibes, the Marion location maintains a masculine, sporty atmosphere with 22 75-inch TVs throughout the building and patio.

With 500 more square feet than its Edgewood location, the larger patio seats about 80 people alongside an interior with seating for about 180 people. But with three garage doors that define their namesake’s brand, even those dining indoors can feel like they’re getting a breeze of fresh air.

New with the second location, air curtains will envelop the large garage doors that open up to the patio, keeping bugs out.

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Franchising

With serious interest from entrepreneurs in Waterloo, North Liberty and East Moline, Illinois, this could be Daisy’s last local stop before being picked up as a franchise.

“I definitely see potential growth,” Luter said. “This has got to be under my belt before we can do anything.”

Though Luter has no interest in personally owning more locations further from home, she remains open to the concept for other franchise owners. Luter says she visits each of her local restaurants daily.

“I like to be on the floor and hands on,” the restaurateur said. “I want to be here with the customers.”

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