Restaurants in Ames

“My daughter's graduation was here and the facility was very nice! Modern, secure, clean, plenty of seating. Convenient bathrooms and vending machines and food stand.”

“5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ To start, the food is amazing! Each dish was incredible! Everything had so much flavor and was put together very well. Portion sizes are great for the price as well. The chicken was super tender and juicy with just the right amount of teriyaki sauce, in my opinion. Each sushi roll was put together very well with equal proportions. Not too much of one ingredient to overpower the rest. The dumplings were delicious and perfectly crispy on the outside. Not to mention the sauce that came with them was to die for! The service was great! Our waitress was very patient and helped us figure out what appetizers to get, since it was our first time in. She explained everything in detail and her recommendations were perfect! She even made our drinks (I forgot to get a picture of the strawberry lemonade) and they were awesome! Inside wasn’t too loud or crowded and it’s laid out quite nicely. There’s even outdoor seating, which isn’t neglected by the wait staff. Some places tend to “forget” about the customers outside but they didn’t do that here. All of the staff were attentive and polite. Even with the bar being next to the table we were sitting at, it didn’t feel crowded inside and the tvs weren’t too loud. • Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen • Happy Hour Golden Salmon • Pork Dumpling with Dumpling Sauce • Philadelphia Roll • Edamame • Rock N Roll • Honey Rainbow • Ultimate Chocolate Cake • Turtle Cheesecake • Dragon Berry Mojito • Chicken Teriyaki w/Rice Pics in comments👇🏻”

“Always excellent service, food, and drinks. Great atmosphere. Aunt Maudes is our favorite restaurant in Ames.”

“5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ To start, the food is amazing! Each dish was incredible! Everything had so much flavor and was put together very well. Portion sizes are great for the price as well. The chicken was super tender and juicy with just the right amount of teriyaki sauce, in my opinion. Each sushi roll was put together very well with equal proportions. Not too much of one ingredient to overpower the rest. The dumplings were delicious and perfectly crispy on the outside. Not to mention the sauce that came with them was to die for! The service was great! Our waitress was very patient and helped us figure out what appetizers to get, since it was our first time in. She explained everything in detail and her recommendations were perfect! She even made our drinks (I forgot to get a picture of the strawberry lemonade) and they were awesome! Inside wasn’t too loud or crowded and it’s laid out quite nicely. There’s even outdoor seating, which isn’t neglected by the wait staff. Some places tend to “forget” about the customers outside but they didn’t do that here. All of the staff were attentive and polite. Even with the bar being next to the table we were sitting at, it didn’t feel crowded inside and the tvs weren’t too loud. • Black Garlic Tonkotsu Ramen • Happy Hour Golden Salmon • Pork Dumpling with Dumpling Sauce • Philadelphia Roll • Edamame • Rock N Roll • Honey Rainbow • Ultimate Chocolate Cake • Turtle Cheesecake • Dragon Berry Mojito • Chicken Teriyaki w/Rice Pics in comments👇🏻”

“Great customer service, amazing cocktails. This is a little hidden gem perfect for a fancy girls night or a romantic date.”

“The Sunday afternoon music and outdoor setting is a great way to spend time with friends and family! Beautiful setting and delicious wine! Thank you for a fun afternoon!”

“Our overall visit was ok. Our food came and with all the extra dishes that we had stacked up ready to be picked up sat at the end of the table where the person on the end had to turn their plate end for end just to sit it on the table. The food runner left with an empty tray saying that she would send somebody back to pick up the dishes. The food got cold real fast. They never came back so we stacked the dishes on the neighboring table when those people left. Prolly won't get another 155.00 from me.”

“Great supper, server was super nice.”

“Relocated from Hawaii so finding Poke bowl here in Iowa and is realky good.”

“Stopped by for lunch during road trip (weekday). We both got bento boxes; really liked rolls and fried rice. I liked my husband's teriyaki chicken more than my teriyaki steak. Great service and price.
Would definitely stop by again if happen to be in the area.”

“I took my daughter and her friends to the Barbie brunch and it was so much fun. Very generous staff, fun environment and delicious food and drink options. Highly recommend!”

“Honey garlic wings. Traditional. Period.”

“I am a salsa snob, their salsa is perfect. The taco salad, delicious. 10/10 reccomend.”

“The BLT Panini is hands down the BEST sandwich I’ve ever had! All ingredients were so fresh and delicious! The peanut butter smoothie is always one of my favorites! Thanks for another wonderful meal 👍🏼”

“We used to love this restaurant but every time we order there is something missing and they have a different excuse every time.”

“Very surprised by the atmosphere of this location. No one greeted me at all and it was my first time here. I had to greet them and ask them if i just wait here (pick up preorder) and i got a weird look with a yes. Only came for an order because my nieces and sil love this place. didn’t enjoy the vibe of it all.”

“Excellent food and fast service”

“This restaurant is my guilty pleasure food to eat. Pancakes are something I would never go to a restaurant for but OHH!!! These pancakes taste like dessert! Everything I’ve tried has been great. Prices are fabulous. Staff are friendly. Service is quick. Haven’t tried the non-breakfast items but why would you when there’s PANCAKES! Only negative is they aren’t open for dinner during the week. Oh and the coffee drinks are great.”

“Today I enjoyed the onion-ricotta-Gruyère Galette. Five stars, will be back Also recommend any and all savory pastries. I have tried carrot, green onion, tomato, potato and cabbage pastries. All are delicious. Thanks for this great addition to downtown Ames.”

“Good food and atmosphere even at 3 am”

“I live near Marshalltown but saw a TikTok from Rob Sand raving about the birra tacos. Of course I had to try them out (with no onions) when I was in town today. Soo good and lots of meat in them. I was able to make two meals out of one order. Only $13ish. Will definitely be back to try more options. Had a decent size menu.”

“1+1 has the best bubble tea and food in town! We love stopping by and the staff is so friendly! 10/10 recommend!!!”

“the food was amazing, very friendly staff”

“The fruit parfait crepes are to die for!”

“Tasty pho and boba tea. The place was busy and Jimmy provided excellent service. Very impressive work. Thank you for making it a great experience! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️”

“I have never had anything in this genre better in Ames. I am from over an hour away and Le’s is a must for us. I recommend the steamed dumplings, spring rolls, Le’s fried rice, pig ears, and actually everything I have ever had is great! The owners, help, and cooks are really kind and polite.”

“Great food in an unassuming space. Tuna and salmon were really fresh. Lots of choices for toppings. Flavors were some of the best I’ve had anywhere around here. Will definitely be returning.”

“food is always good and they have the best frozen margaritas”

“So appreciative for the fantastic mocktails available. The staff is amazing and the atmosphere is stellar. Love visiting!”

“Best food in Ames! Has been our goto spot for over 20 years.”

“food is always good and they have the best frozen margaritas”

“One of my favorite places! The staff is always so friendly and welcoming. The sandwiches are top notch, and the restaurant is so clean! Can’t say enough great things about this place!”

“The shepherds pie was so good that I was sad when it ended. 10/10.”

“I've been to many boba shops and this one is by far one of my favorites! Very welcoming environment and delicious drinks, a regular spot for my friends and I!”

“the best Dutch letters around! cookies...doughnuts...its all tasty!”

“My favorite food is grapefruit. I’m kind of a snob when it comes to grapefruit flavored things. Marmalade Moon’s grapefruit ice cream is delicious. 10/10 That flavor and this place are perfect. Don’t change a thing!”

“The only place to get Tennents lager in The Midwest! Cool bar, great atmosphere, and on the day we went it was insanely hot out, and their air conditioning was running like a boss and it felt great inside. Great time!”

“food was great. the bar tender was great too fun to talk too”

“Best pizza in town and that includes their yummy crust. A top three place to dine if visiting Ames.”

“Tasty Beer. Chill Atmosphere. Top notch customer service. Their To-go options were ample which was a nice surprise. I plan on stopping by every time I take the long road trip up north. Unfortunately they have had some shitty dog owners show up so they are strict with their rules on dogs, but it’s completely understandable as some people take advantage of places.”

“Best ambience, service and food in Ames!!!”

“Food was excellent! Waitress needed to be more attentive. We ordered appetizers and she brought 4 plates—there were 5 of us. Asked twice for another plate. Two in our group ordered burgers. Asked for ketchup when food came. She brought it after the burgers were eaten. Guess she wasn’t focused on serving!”

“In my opinion, Great Harvest has the best cinnamon rolls in the world.
Their breakfast sandwiches with the cheese biscuits are delicious too, and the staff is always super friendly. I love coming here for a quick casual breakfast or lunch.”

“Fantastic cook thanking his staff. Exceptional service by all! Ames, Iowa.”

“Great coffee and environment. Odd entrance in the back.”

“Memories of my past college days”

“Really delicious geeky cocktails, amazing atmosphere and lots of classic arcade games!”

“great place! Been years since I've been here!”

“We drive about an hour away from home (on Sundays, because our church is right between here and our home) to eat here. This is easily the best and most authentic Chinese food I've ever had in Iowa. There's nothing like it in the Des Moines metro area. They also are great about making custom dishes and modifying things to various tastes, as well as recommending good new things to try!

My favorite is the dry-braised beef in spicy sauce hot pot! I can't get enough of it!”

“Besides great coffee, there is a plant shop in the back.”

“I got 4 beef tacos (which was plenty), but wished I had gotten 10! 😂 They were fantastic! Hubby got quesadilla. He said it was great! Nice job! We will be back!”

“Great smoothie! Great place to meet with people!”

“AMAZING PLACE TO GO GET PROTIEN AND A REFRESHING TEA!!! Wish I still lived around so I could see LIZ💛‼️”

“Ordered in while visiting my daughter in Ames. She was raving about the food. It was fantastic, really nice flavor for an Asian takeout. Would certainly recommend!”

“What can I say about Cafe Beaudelaire? I love it! It's been my favorite spot in Ames since 2006. My favorite dishes are the Feijoada, the Original Bauru, and the Yuca Fries. It's a great place to have a Guinness and celebrate life with friends.”

“Best breakfast burrito in Ames 🤩 & always great customer service!”

“So many options and so yummy!”

“My fave go to Burger 🍔 place!”

“Best Mexican in Story County!!”

“I'm having some bad health flares today. I brought my service dog in with me, but didn't have her marked because I just didn't have it in me to put her vest back on. Legally, she doesn't have to be marked, but not having her vested often causes problems with untrained businesses. No problem at all here. The man greeted me very cheerfully, and I couldn't help but smile despite feeling like crap. The pizzas are great. Lots of toppings. I also ordered one pizza without cheese, which seems to throw some places off. He just did it without question or trying to up sell me on their vegan cheese. Much appreciated!”

“Torrent is a very nice, clean, and fun neighborhood brewery. They menu is great for being a smaller establishment, beer is delicious, and events are fun and entertaining.”

“I worked here while in high school in the '70s and enjoyed making the ice cream sundaes and running the cash register back when it was on Lincolnway. Hickory Park has maintained its quality of bbq & ice cream over all these years and is a must-eat place for anyone living in or visiting Ames!”

“We go for birthdays and we always have great service and the food is really good. Love the lasagna and pizzas.”

“Dave Slade Trio were great!”

“Authentic Thai. I only get one dish. Pad nam prik pau chicken. Basically bell peppers and chicken srir fry with white jasmine rice. I've been eating here for over twenty years. Always consistently good.”

“Awesome staff and food! Our daughter spilled her smoothie and they were all so kind and understanding that they helped clean it up and gave her a new kids smoothie. Awesome consumer experience and great staff!! Thank you for making our night! You all rock. 10 out of 10 recommend.”

“Checks all the boxes. Best place in town.”

“Only 4 stars because some of the food was a little less fresh than I would like but still pretty tasty. They had great fruit options and very good baked salmon in a garlic lemon sauce.”

“Food was amazing. I had the Beef Liver and it was cooked to perfection, which is hard to find. The one person working here did everything and it was worth the stop. Highly suggest!!”

“An excellent place for a few high end drinks. Excellent liquor selection with a few beers, so something for everyone. Bartenders are very knowledgeable and are will to be creative should you see a spirit you like on the shelf that isn't on the menu.”

“My niece already said that we HAD to eat here... and indeed... the Chick-Fill-A was delicious... juicy chicken and tasty waffle fries with delicious sauce (what we would call ham sauce in the Netherlands.)
Favorite among fast food chains.”

“Mel was so accommodating of my dietary needs and had such a quick turnaround on our gender reveal cupcakes! 💙 Not only we’re they delicious but they also made for a sweet, private reveal for my husband, daughter, and I! Thanks so much Mel!”

“fabulous. food was great and the restaurant was clean. staff was very kind too. highly recommend 👌 👍”

“Jeff’s Pizza is so yummy! I’m a vegetarian and there are so many vegetarian options. Thank you Jeff’s Pizza for so many choices!”

“Best burrito in Ames! My Arizona burrito was perfect, please never change.”

“There are a lot of places to get pizza in Ames, but blaze is by far the best of the best. Their staff is always quick and helpful. The team is down to earth and very accountable, Atmosphere is very laid-back, even when it’s busy it never takes very long! I drive 45 minutes at least a couple times a week just to have the pizza from blaze!

on another note, I’ve gone to other plays franchises in other states and the customer service and food are nowhere near the level the one in Ames!”

“Seriously one of the best hot dogs ever!”

“Food is great, but two orders in a row, we have been shorted on sauce and pitas that we paid extra for. Strongly recommend to avoid using the online order because it will be filled incorrectly and there is a steep surcharges”

“Other than it being loud (over 40, hard to have a convo) such great service, great (strong) drinks, fast food and good quality! Will definitely be back! Was super impressed with how friendly and attentive the staff were!!!”

“I drove 220 miles to have potato cakes. The dummies in Minnesota decided to not serve potato cakes any more and replace them with crinkle fries. I've see stupid moves before but this takes the cake. Literally”

“My first time eating here and I’ll definitely be back!! The best cashew chicken I’ve had in a really long time- so flavorful!”

“I brought my son in today for his Birthday and they gave us a free meal and he also got a free shake! We could not thank them enough! My son loved his shake and we loved the food! (It was a first visit for both of us)!”

“5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3•17•25 For starters, the food is phenomenal! When we got our sandwiches, we were definitely not underwhelmed. They were huge! We did get the large version, but we weren’t expecting them to be so big lol. All of the ingredients were really fresh and full of flavor. The bread was perfect, too! Even the sandwich we got for our daughter was delicious; it was simple, but sue “inhaled” it lol. We also got the BbQ chicken chili which had great flavor, but it was more like a chili flavored soup. I dipped my leftover bread in it, so it worked out lol. When we ordered, we tried to do so online, but that was a pain. So, we called in and the customer service was excellent! The guy that took our order was very nice, patient, and informative, which was very appreciated since we had just had issues with the website lol. We ordered for pickup and our food was placed nicely in the bags and nothing was spilling or overflowing onto anything else. Overall, the inside of the restaurant was great, even though we didn’t dine in. It looked quite clean and was pretty relaxing. Staff were really nice in person as well. • The Greek Sandwich - added turkey • Reuben Sandwich - added red onion - added pickles • Create Your Own Basic Sandwich - turkey - provolone cheese - lettuce - black olives - mayo - mustard - white bread • Cup of BBQ Chicken Chili Pics in comments👇🏻”

“Huge potential restaurant for the Ames Iowa scene. Our server was a bit inexperienced with dinner service but everything was delivered perfectly. (Might need more practice opening wine bottles lol).
We had several appetizers and different entrées. Cheese plate and meatballs were tops on appetizers, and meatballs were fantastic. Use those for pastas ❤️. Risotto was top, and any pasta add a protein as they can be on the small portion entrée.
The ambiance is great, with good location and easy parking. The chef can increase the seasoning and salt on pasta water. Pastas are homemade, so expectation is set high.
Overall, it has a huge potential, keep improving and dare to make changes. Great cocktails. Desserts were excellent too. Tops were pannacota and olive oil w mascarpone cake.
We will be back when in Ames!”

“I stop by this coffee shop pretty often, and Kim is always such a bright light! She’s consistently friendly, always smiling, and truly makes my day every time. It’s rare to find someone so genuinely kind.”

“Nice Starbucks right next to campus! Suprised to see one so close to a campus that clean and swinging! Keep up the good work staff! And keep in rocking the great tunes!”

“Authentic Mexican food like carnitas y tamales! A little taste of home!”

“Great experience this time! Clear communication delivery and mutual understanding, warm food and even an eye for details! I got prompt service and and heartly smile, nice eye contact and was even told to wait briefly well preping order! Great job to you and your team!!

I will be back to add additional 5 stars as to see if changes stand tall and this isn't just a lucky day.

Thank you! No stress, no mess, and prompt service as you place your request!
(As of May 20th 2025)

(Outdated experience, prior: Got a bangle, and butter. Was a bad experience before May 2025.)”

“over 60 years my mom and dad took me to the Tip Top when it was a resturant Great burgers”

“I ordered catering this weekend for a bridal party as they got ready for their big day. The sandwiches were delicious, but the service was even better! The staff went out of their way to make the process as easy as possible, allowed me to pick up before they opened, and they even provided 2 sets of condiments. The best part…..they did that without me asking. When I ordered the staff explained the boxes and I said two would be great, so I have one for the bride suite and one for the groom suite. They went out of their way to make sure it was perfect and it was!!”

“Clean location. New menu is good. I had the Cajun Shrimp Fetticini, it was spicy and tasty. My wife had the Pulled Pork BBQ Mac & Cheese. The BBQ sauce was a little sweet for both of us. I suggest asking them to cut the BBQ sauce in half.”

“Excellent food and great service!”

“It is seriously still the best, fresh food in Ames!!! A quick delicious place to go.”

“The food is enjoyable, offering a wide range of options. I appreciate the cleanliness and peaceful atmosphere. However, today, a few dishes seemed overly salty, but that could be an isolated occurrence.”

“Got the emmenecker burger really good 2 pieces of hot chicken but overall good 5 pounds of meat and waffle fries, waitress was really pretty just left a couple minutes ago and can still taste the burger it was that good”

“We got the steak bento with Cali roll and steak Ramen. So good, perfectly seasoned.”

“Got to love Arby’s.. It’s a 50/50 risk your order may be screwed up, but if they have cherry turnovers it makes the order screw up bearable”

“I'm a foreigner, visited my son who is studying in ISU. Was there from 3Feb 2022 till 18Feb 2022. Went to the place almost every other place. Love the place, its small, cosy and people are friendly. Will make a point to visit it again, when i return. Love the pancake and their cheese omelette.”

“Good food from a college student perspective and a nice change up from your typical dining hall experience. Only downside is usually long wait times and high prices on certain menu items.”

“Best bartenders in town, awesome service and a fun upbeat environment to spend your nights at!!”

“The food is good (in both places)
And the service is quick and an excellent place to study the atmosphere I'd odd since you essentially have a cafe and a Greek restaurant smashed together but both atmospheres are nice just an odd combination
Good place to people watch as well but beware of protesters as it's right by the library and people like to protest there
(Thankfully they arnt protesting the cafe)”

“I went to BNC for first time today and was very impressed with the service. Every employee I encountered was polite and eager to assist.”

“The staff was friendly and knew their business. I liked the way they were able to "up the sale". Promote that team.”

“Perfect service...perfect new building...perfect coffee ! Thanks a bunch !!!

Parking: It's okay, a bit cramped.
But, coffee is worth it!!!”

“5 stars for the staff. -1.100 stars for the guests. love the bread. my favorite in the area even over hyvee fresh stuff. slim 5. wont regret. my carrier always cuts it in half with a bike tire. quirky folks in campus town!”

“The food was really good. I’m actually from New Orleans and I know exactly what crawfish supposed to taste like this Lady season the hell out of that crawfish even though I’m pretty sure it was frozen but that’s only because I’m a professional big back lol definitely check this place out. I recommended hands-down 10 out of 10.”

“A favorite spot we like to go to on our drive down to NE. Food is always great and coffee is fantastic!! Owner and staff are warm and welcoming. Location is prime with gas station for an all in one road trip stop.”

“Needs more variety of Jameson.”

“Excellent food and great service!”

“Best Sports Bar and Grill in Ames!”

“I accidentally ordered a pizza for the wrong day, and they remade it for me at no charge. I was able to pick up my pizza today without payment ng anymore, and it was so so delicious! Thank you Papa John's for your graciousness and amazing service.Also, there's a really good deal right now for a free medium Pizza when you buy one large.”

“May House is back!! Food was so good especially the Da Lu soup. Get over there and show Mai some love.”

“I purchased your hot pub mustard when I went to the Erie street market. It is excellent! I will be a steady customer”

“This place is great! Delicious coffee and pastry, friendly staff and service, and a design that is second to none. I’ll be sure to come back whenever I’m in Ames.”

“We had our Christmas party there today and everything was perfect! The staff did an exceptional job of making sure our needs were met. And the breakfast entrees were Delicious!! Thank you to all of you!”

“Absolutely the best scooters I’ve been too, the drinks are always delicious, the service is always fast! All of the people who work at this location are always the nicest as well! 10/10!! 😁☕️”

“The food is always hot, and the front end keeps tables cleaned and available. Pizza requests are cooked relatively fast and there's almost always the piece of fried chicken you'd like (yes, even a plethora wings!).”

“The food is wonderful. Best Indian food we've had here in the US. Portions are generous. Take away, eaten the next day, is still delicious.”

“I love Mr. Burrito! Hands-down the best burrito in Ames. They are the loveliest family and always so kind to all of their customers. Great food and amazing small business owners. A true staple of the Ames community!”

“Café Milo THANK YOU! Welcome to the South side!! 😊”

“Very filling but so good👍🏼”

“Love Love Love this place! The food is awesome and always hot and yummy! Best place for sandwiches that we’ve found!”

“We had to stand for our wait even while there were a lot of empty seats available. There were also a lot of other people standing waiting to be seated and the entrance is very small for that many people. But beyond that, it was a good experience.”