I know at Hickory Park it’s had a hard time hiring people and/or keeping employees….. For us with a younger family it’s easy in and out usually and decent food …. Not amazing like it use to be but still a nice place to go for supper if a big event isn’t going on in Ames . And really after my top 5 I’d say the rest of the rankings are pretty fluid on how I would place them.
Restaurants in Ames.
- Thread starter dafarmer
- Start date
I did West Town Pub twice during BB season once was between a Men's Women's double header service was a little slow but tolerable, food was ok fries were way above average. the 2nd time women's game only all was well both time-wise and food quality wise.
Haven't been to cornbred or Wallaby's for a long time. Brick City service and food were both pretty good I thought the times I went there this yr.
I've been to Cornbred a couple of times in the last few months. Love the mustard sauce they make!! I had like the half rack dinner for like $15. I just can't get into being a big Wallaby's fan for some reason. Seems like their food is hit or miss every time we go. Had wings from Flame and Skewer for the first time the other night. We eat there but always I always forget about there wings. I know where I'm going for a wing fix next time. Nice living about 4 blocks from there to.
Had Corn Bred Saturday night. Their prices have not gone up much, but they used to be on the high side so now their prices have just become more the median. I paid $27 for a slab of ribs, which I'm pretty sure is about where they've been since they've opened. I used to go to Whatcha Smokin' because their ribs were cheaper and I liked them better.
Thanks for the heads up about Flame and Skewer didn't know they served wings. Wingstop has been my go to lately just because I'm usually at that end of town.
Hickory Park for some reason I just never got onboard with even when I was a young fella. Wallaby's has been really hit or miss for the wife and I lately. We have yet to try El Azteca but want to after our friends went there instead of wallaby's the one day.
West Town Pub food is just food to me. Nothing terrible fries are more than decent. Never have had any issues with service.
Also I know this isn't a restaurant like how we are all talking but the other weekend we ran down to Ames and this was during some sort of 5th Grade big brain competition going on. We were just walking around campus and decided to try a quick sandwhich from Potbelly. Again there was a boat load of kids in front of us so it took a bit of time but I actually enjoyed their sandwiches.
What's tough for a place like Watcha Smokin is that they are far enough off the beaten path that they probably see pretty big swings in daily sales. Also, it's as much of a watering hole as it is a restaurant.
I’ve been struggling to decide if Hickory Park has gotten worse or if everything else has gotten better. Even 10 years ago, it’s not like there was a bunch of competition.
Hickory Park and El Azteca are definitely great for the quick in and out with kids for reasonably priced pile of food.
What ever happened with them? They opened up an Ankeny location for a hot second and poof it was closed.
I'm shocked how tough of a time Ames dine in establishments are struggling to stay staffed. When I was at Iowa State those were primo jobs and near impossible to get. Insert "old man yells at cloud" but do college kids not pick up part time jobs anymore?
I used to pick layover airports by if they had restaurants I liked. Potbelly was always on that list. Haven't had it outside an airport yet.
Kinda like Jersey Mike's. I got it everything I was a place that had them but rarely visit the one in dsm.
They tried to expand before they actually got it figured out and ran out of money. The Ames location was also terrible. $25-$35 for pizza in an area with tons of college students and young families and almost no indoor seating.
The number of people who left the industry when everything shut down and won't go back is huge. A bunch took pay cuts BUT they like the regular schedule and consistent pay check and won't go back.
Black Market was good pizza, the location killed them. I know they were going to do a food truck but that never happened.
I appreciate that but the solution isn't to indefinitely extend wait times. Seat fewer people, or find ways to increase efficiency.
My wife and I liked the original location out by the interstate. My wife says the new one seems a little too corporate and commercial. But, it's always good food and in and out quickly. It's like our favorite BBQ place in KC is in an old gas station. We had BBQ at a place in Country Club Plaza and it just wasn't the same.
