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    AJ's Steakhouse

    3.6 (56 reviews)
    PriceySteakhouses
    Closed 4:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated over 3 months ago

    AJ's Steakhouse Photos

    AJ'S STEAKHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Romantic
    Classy
    Casual

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    Lobster & Seafood Roll
    Trixie T.

    Made reservations for 2 for Mother's Day at AJ's Steakhouse. We arrived 5 minutes early, seated right away. It was beautiful. The server refilled before we were even empty. Stuffed mushrooms were devine, smothered in mozzarella. Dinner rolls, I love rye and there was one in the basket. Lucky me. Side salads were fantastic, not just iceberg. The real green leaves. I had the Lobster & seafood Roll with roasted potatoes. Everything was absolutely perfect, I could not have asked for better ambience, service or food. From start to finish, I was impressed. When the sever dropped off the check, she left 2 little boxes with an extra treat in them. After I reached my car, I opened the little box to find 2 chocolate covered strawberries. Such a nice touch! Highly recommend AJ's!

    Prime Rib Special
    J M.

    Absolutely love this place. I have only been here a handful of times but the food and service are always on point. Love their Prime Rib special but also try their lobster bisque. It is fantastic! Love the ambiance, this place is delightful.

    Filet de Burgo* **
    Tim B.

    Went to the bar Friday around 7, it was mostly full but the restaurant seating was mostly empty. Ordered an old fashioned and filet de burgo. We asked for bread a few times but it took about 20 minutes to arrive. Then we got bread brought again, which seems to really confuse the table runner. Found out later they can smoke the old fashioned but I didn't know. Next time. Steak was cooked to my liking but the pile of raw carrots was not needed as filler. Try asparagus instead to round out the meal, I mean it's already $45 so make it worth it. Had a small Ceaser with it and the dressing was great. Also came in a mini Parmesan crust bowl.

    Raw steak.
    Dave W.

    Wow. What a horrible experience for a steakhouse. I get it that there are mistakes in the kitchen, but twice? The first was ordered medium rare. It came almost well done. The second, upon receipt seemed to be ok on the first cut but after a bite or two, it was raw. The seasoning on the 1st was non-existent. The 2nd one was heavy salt. As well, my wife ordered a wedge. She got a full head of lettuce cut in quarters and a pile of old bacon on top of it. She asked for medallions of beef and they came out looking like they were days old. On the service, she seemed annoyed when we arrived and then offered mediocre service at best. When I sent the steak back, she never apologized. The manager brought the new one back and the mashed potatoes were microwaved and scalding hot from the inside. For the price,, this place should just close vs waiting on a slow death by poor service and product. It's a shame. I won't get the time nor money back, however, I know never to go back. I hope they change their ways for the sake of the casino.

    I forgot to take a picture of the salad, but this was the prime rib, vegetable baked potato oh, and it came with a basket of bread.
    Sandy K.

    i'm amazed that this restaurant wasn't busier. We went on a Wednesday night and well there were tables occupied. There were plenty of tables available. Let's just start with the cocktails. We had a old fashion, and then our second order at the suggestion of the waitress we had a smoky old fashion $12 that's not bad in a restaurant that you would consider to be high end if you asked me. That smoky old fashion was probably one of the best I've had in a very long. The special of the evening was prime rib, and we were all tempted to order it. The price of the rib included a salad, which was delicious, and with the prime rib, came a baked potato, and a perfect Lee El Dente vegetable. We splurged and shared the crème brûlée for dessert. It was very reasonably priced if you ask me after eating in quite a few restaurants in the area, this one was reasonably priced. I would highly recommend eating here.

    Mozzarella sticks
    Ana D.

    Food was in general underwhelming. Didn't think it was any different than a chain restaurant. Bread was okay. The mozzarella sticks were a little bland. Filet mignon was okay. I asked for medium and it came pretty much well done. Nothing special. Not tempted to come back even if I happen to be in the area. Service was superb.

    Lobster, garlic potatoes and asparagus ...
    Mary N.

    Love love love this steakhouse. Every time we visit, the experience is absolutely terrific. Great food, service and location.

    Sounds good?
    Susan K.

    I looked forward to a great meal on Christmas Day. I got anything but! The lobster bisque was served cold, before I could even eat half they dropped my filet mignon on the table. And then they tried to take my soup on another pass through and I wasn't done. I ordered my filet medium and it was brought out raw. The outside was grey but the rest was red/blue. They server said she couldn't tell "she couldn't put her finger in it" (WTH) and she didn't have a thermometer. What good would a thermometer be? It had already set on the table while I was eating my soup. I was showing her with my knife how spongy and raw the steak was. She offered to take it back, which I have never done in my life but I agreed. I also paid extra for crab and Bernese sauce which the first time it wasn't served. They brought back out the same steak, a different cold potato with a teaspoon of crab and Bernese sauce but no onion this time. They must of scraped it off and threw it away. This time the steak came out crusty black burnt and still bright red in the middle. I thought maybe I was being a little difficult so I had my adult daughter try it. She spit it out in the napkin. The server had no care if I was made happy for the amount I was paying. How can a steakhouse ruin a steak so badly! "But how is the baked potato?" Was her response. So cold that the butter wouldn't melt. I asked for the desert to go, I was nauseated from what I had already tried. She dropped off the check and never came back. I had urgent business to take care of across the hallway so I went up to the front desk to pay so I could leave. They said they couldn't help me and had to get me server. I had my credit card in my hand and she came flying up there "where is your card?" What I stopped at the front desk with the bill and credit card in my hand so I could dine and dash??? Maybe care for your tables, we waited for a while for her to come back before we went to the front. I know why their prices are so high too, we were sat by the kitchen even though there was only 3 tables being used. They were constantly dropping dishes and them shattering. And I also got to listen a conversation right behind me of a server arguing with her supervisor that she wasn't going to take that table that was just seated in her section. So tacky. So finally we got things settled and I tipped way to high for the crappy service. Remember they served me steak that was inedible twice. I only had a small bite the rest went to the garbage, I wouldn't even take it home to my dogs. There was no care on how I enjoyed my meal I couldn't eat. Bill settled and I went across the hallway to the restroom with urgent matters trying not to throw up. I am not exaggerating. I was physically ill with cold sweats. I had my daughter go to the gift shop to buy me a bottle of water. I was sick the rest of the night and our reservation was at 2:30. You could never get me to go back there. The smell of cigarette smoke added so much to the meal too. $160 for inedible food. My daughter had the salmon and it was cool but edible. Her egg nog cheese cake was was plain cheese cake with butterscotch poured on it.

    Cowboy Ribeye (Pre Menu Change)
    Sarah N.

    I decided to give AJ's a 2 star review however previous to my last two visits I would have given in it a 4. This is because of their recent menu changes. I'm at prairie meadows quite a bit and because I don't care for the buffet I tend to eat at AJ's. It used to always be a place I knew I could get several different things I liked at a fairly reasonable price. Unfortunately their new menu leaves much to be desired and the experiences I've had with the food preparation has not been good. First I'll address the steak- as they are supposed to be a steak house. Later I'll talk about the rest of the meal and the menu. AJ's recently changed their menu to offer all usda prime beef, which sounds like a great thing. Their prices went up by quite a bit because of this but I figured it'd be worth it with the better tasting beef. I'll be honest, I don't think I'm going to order steak here again. Since the menu change I ordered the same thing, the handcut ribeye. The first time I ordered it I ordered it exactly as I normally do "on the rare side of medium rare. I want it a warm red." This is actually how medium rare is supposed to be but I know in the past if I just say medium rare I get medium to medium well. The manager came out and made a big deal that I didn't need to do that so last night I ordered it medium rare - it came out VERY medium. I sent back the steak and a different manager came out and apologized. They remade it and once again it was over cooked. They were going to remake it but the manager came out and asked me to relook because she thought it was actually right just the "grizzle" and lighting made it look over. I looked at the part and it really looked like a medium steak to me but at this point I needed to leave and I ate it. Previous to that the manager said she wasn't going to charge regardless if I ate it or not but when the bill came I was still charged. It is worth noting I told her it wasn't what I was after & I just hated the waste, but when someone says you won't be charged and then you are it's a bit alarming. She was very nice and talked to us quite a bit about the changes on the menu and what we thought, which I appreciated. This manager always takes very good care of us. Overall I won't be ordering steak there again. The time before last my steak was perfect but the other in my party had a steak that was not evenly cut and therefore unevenly cooked. Last night I had 2 overcooked steaks and even if the one was right I don't feel like it should be so grizzly that it makes the steak was white. Yes prime meat has grizzle and fat but it should not be the majority of the steak. They have also changed their sides and again I don't feel for the better. The first time I had the balsamic asparagus & the second time the garlic green beans. Both were a $2 up charge because they now only offer potato sides with the meal. They used to always have a vegetable and rice option without the charge. The asparagus were not good. They weren't cut well and the woody ends were left on on some of them. They were too small to be grilled and the balsamic didn't add anything. The green beans were fine - better portion size but not worth the cost. The small candied carrot that they give as a garnish is actually really tasty and I want them to add it on the menu as a side. The wedge salad is much smaller and they no longer chop the walnuts which makes it hard to eat. The crab cake appetizer , which my dining partner ordered as their main meal were much changed. They are apparently now fried in meatball type balls and come with different sauces. Their opinion and mine is that they were extremely dry and lacked flavor. A fail on all levels. The menu has also removed their chicken piccata as well as their chicken wellington . They no longer have their prime rib every day - only on Friday's and Saturday's which I try to avoid due to the crowds. Will I be back? Probably. I'm hoping maybe I can find something else to eat that will live up to their former glory. I can tell you it won't be a steak.

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    Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge

    Big Steer Restaurant & Lounge

    4.2
    (236 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    The Big Steer has long been a staple in Altoona's eatery options. I've been eating here since I was…read morea kid in the '70s. The quality of food is excellent! The prices since Covid have been a bit high, IMHO, but still acceptable. I do miss their take out dinner specials from the Covid era. They were an excellent value. If you enjoy a cocktail on occasion, they have one of the best bartenders in the Des Moines area!

    Over-priced low quality steak. Service was excellent, with…read morea friendly attentive waitress, despite the restaurant being packed. Environment was noisy, with only a few inches between tables. Bacon-wrapped scallops were grilled to perfection, but could have used some seasoning. My wife said her French onion soup was too salty. The hashbrowns were a joke -- unseasoned mashed potatoes in a mold that was browned on top. No hashbrown texture at all. My wife's sirloin steak was quite good. However, my $56 dry-aged 12-oz ribeye was a disappointment. I expected a melt-in-your-mouth experience. What I got was a somewhat dry piece of meat with very little marbling, but with a chunk of fat in the middle. Both steaks were poorly seasoned. Steaks should be prepared with a ample amount of salt and pepper. Adding it after the fact isn't the same.

    Photos
    From the far left seat at the entrance of the bar. I ended up moving all the way to the right
    From the far left seat at the entrance of the bar. I ended up moving all the way to the right
    Clam chowder
    Clam chowder
    Table centerpiece - very cute and I think it is a real lil boot.

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    Table centerpiece - very cute and I think it is a real lil boot.
    Iowa Beef Steak House

    Iowa Beef Steak House

    3.7
    (145 reviews)
    6.2 mi
    $$

    Came out of town and decided to get a steak this place was great. The staff was extremely friendly…read moreand the food was good. Some of the items had a little too onion flavor but the steak and Texas toast was the best! They have a sadad bar that you can get with your meals. It wasn't bad. There is a whole bar session if you're just looking to drink. The restaurant has a old timey solan feel to it. All very family friendly and if you sit in the right spot you can see them chopping and cooking the meats. My kid loved seeing that.

    Lately when going to steakhouses I have been ordering the pork chops and this was no exception this…read moretime. My pork chop came and was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. It was a nice sized chop. Also, when you order an entree, you get to go to the salad bar. The salad bar had lots of options and was a great start while waiting for my pork chop. Others in my party ordered the teriyaki steak and they each enjoyed theirs. It was a pretty large cut of steak for 10 ounces. I had a side with my chop and it was the bbq beans. These were excellent. I give this place 5 stars. It is an older steakhouse with an aged ambiance but their prices are decent and the service was great despite being quite busy. It looked like there were only 2 waitresses working this evening but they were working really hard and did a great job. We really enjoyed this place and our food.

    Photos
    The salad bar looks great!
    The salad bar looks great!
    Best burger kit to go.
    Best burger kit to go.
    Slipknot rules this house. The Nine would be impressed

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    Slipknot rules this house. The Nine would be impressed
    Jethro n' Jake's Smokehouse Steaks

    Jethro n' Jake's Smokehouse Steaks

    3.7
    (290 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Very lively BBQ spot!! They have a decent sized parking lot, which is good because this place is…read morealways busy. It can get pretty full and loud, probably because they're great for large groups and families. The atmosphere is very fun. I like that they have meat challenges and their news articles all over the walls. They also have a big bar and plenty of TVs to watch games. The BBQ was pretty good! I got the Two BBQ Dinner 2 Meat: Pulled pork, pulled chicken, Campfire baked beans, and jalapeño cream corn. The BBQs sauces on the table really helped it. The classic is rich and sweet, and the hot had a bit of kick to it. The meat was tender. The baked beans were pretty good- I liked that it was a variety of beans. The jalapeño creamed corn wasn't spicy in the least but it was still my favorite. It was creamy and warm!! Service was nice and it didn't take too long, even with how crowded it was.

    We stumbled upon this BBQ spot right across from the Adventureland campgrounds, and honestly it was…read morethe perfect find after a long day. The vibe is exactly what you want from a casual BBQ joint laid back, a little loud, TVs on, and that classic neighborhood bar feel. Super easy, no pressure, just good food and a place to hang out. We ordered a mix of things to try and everything came out hot and packed with flavor. The wings were crispy and saucy (definitely a highlight), and the waffle fries were seasoned perfectly and so good dipped in their ranch. The BBQ plate was super solid too tender, smoky meat with classic sides like green beans, mac and cheese, and cornbread that felt comforting and homemade. Also have to mention the chips and queso moment, simple but hit the spot. Service was friendly and quick, which made it even better after a long day of traveling and being outside. Overall, if you're staying at Adventureland or passing through, this is such an easy, satisfying stop. Nothing fancy, just good, hearty BBQ and a fun atmosphere. Would definitely come back.

    Photos
    Steaks at the bar
    Steaks at the bar
    Jethro n' Jake's Smokehouse Steaks
    Dirty martini

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    Dirty martini

    AJ's Steakhouse - steak - Updated August 2026

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