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Ambro's Roadhouse

4.4 (49 reviews)
InexpensiveBars, Salad, New American
Open 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Ambro's Roadhouse Photos

Business Info

AMBRO'S ROADHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Live music
Casual
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Ambro's Roadhouse

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Reviews With Photos

Bbq burger
Broderick E.

Located in Desoto, Iowa. From the time I came in it was great customer service that made me feel like I was welcomed. It was a bar feel for sure and they had two rooms. The food was pretty amazing and I got the burger and wings. I started going in there everyday on my breaks. It always costs me no more than $25. Highly recommend for a good eat.

buffalo wings and fries
Jo W.

It was our first time in today. We shared a basket of fries and an order of buffalo wings. Both 10/10. Not only was the food spectacular, but our server, Morgan, was phenomenal. We loved her! Will definitely be back soon.

Part of the menu on 8/22/22
Cody M.

What a nice surprise we had stopping in here. Its small dont get me wrong but that was part of the fun. Its sits in a great spot and was easy to get to. We had great food and the atmosphere was fun. Because of the size you must expect/predict that it can and will get busy especially with this kind of food. I did see some people getting togo orders which would be a good idea if its during some busy hours. Plan ahead and give it a shot. Everything that we ordered was great.

Pickle chips.   Yummy.

This place was really a nice surprise. Great service. Great prices. The food was fresh to order and very tasty. A great value for what we got. Had a great time.

a view of the bar
Luke M.

Stopped in here on the way back to the city. We had heard good reviews and decided we needed to try for ourselves. We showed up on a weeknight around 7:30. The place was mostly full with very few tables that fit 4 people. If the weather was nicer we did see a patio option. 1 bartender running around trying to help everyone. She was obviously overwhelmed which was understandable. Food was ok. Only worth stopping if you are in town.

Chili burger with plenty o cheese
Steve K.

This small town has a gem of a restaurant that appeals to all with unique menu items that will blow you away yet have you wanting to return to try out more of their inventive menu. I'm a massive fan of how they treat everyone like family here. Their chili burger is made with such attention to every detail that it makes it out to be a sandwich standout. Typically any chili sandwich could be made into a pile but here they toast the bun, give you burger that seems smoked and well cooked to perfection.. alongside some optional onion and cheese they then stack it with such precision topping off the burger tower with the perfect chili topping above. If you can keep it looking nice and elegant - you have a gift. After a bite you won't care who's watching.. you'll be turned into a forever fan of this restaurant... just don't forget to order the fried corn nugget appetizer and tip the wait staff well. They bust a bump just for you!!

Tenderloin with tots(-6 or so)

Stopped for a to go order of the tenderloin and tots. Person who took order was talking to someone else while to be taking my order. I arrived bartender continued conversation while I stood waited after I was acknowledged of picking up to go. Seemed to struggle with the bill. Generous portion of tots. Tenderloin was medium/large, lightly breaded and taste was rather blah. Bun was buttered and griddled. I'd suggest another menu item of stop.

Bar/grill

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

One of my favorite local places! Food and services are always amazing and the Ambros Special is the best!

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

Great food, yummy burger and tots! Friendly and cozy with great tunes coming through the speakers Good service as well.

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Best pork tenderloin sandwich I've ever had! They locally source the pork. The burger was excellent, and staff were super friendly.

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Awesome food great people. Definitely worth the drive. This little gem is a fabulous stop especially with the patio.

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4 years ago

So good! The salads were amazing and the wait time was nothing! I love it and it's a very nice and easy place to go to when you're hungry!

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8 years ago

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Amber B.

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Table 128 - Lynn's burger-
pickled pear, brie, crispy onion, Dijon aioli, brioche bun, choice of side. Des Moines IA Lunch or Dinner

Table 128

4.3(293 reviews)
20.1 mi
$$

My how I have missed my favorite restaurant in the Midwest! This was my first time at their new…read morelocation and it did not disappoint. Chef Lynn greeted me when I walked in and took time to chat with me. Everyone and everything here is fabulous and I will be back as often as possible. The food, service and ambiance are fabulous!

Train wreck-in every way. We flew into Des Moines from AZ and a friend suggested this restaurant…read more We arrived at 8pm for our 8:15pm reservation. There were two other tables in the whole restaurant so needless to say it was quiet. Our server was sweet but obviously not trained on efficient and fast service but was probably encouraged to run like a bunny when things go sideways. We ordered two glasses of wine and an old fashioned. Figured I just got off of a plane so why not get the evening going with some bourbon and have a Plan B with the glass of wine when I am ready. Two glasses of wine were delivered but no old fashioned. Who does this? Anyhow, old fashioned came out next. We ordered a cup of soup and a small salad to start with and then ordered a burger, medium, with fries and the pasta bolognese. The soup and salad came out but there was a long stretch of time before entrees came out. When they finally arrived the burger was very rare inside so my wife let the server know and she apologized and scurried off. I tried to wait but it was getting cold so I slowly nibbled. After 20 minutes, I flagged down our server and asked if the burger was coming out and she said "oh, do you want another one"? It was now 9pm and they were closing but we were not leaving until we enjoyed a medium burger. When the new burger came out, she said the "owner made it himself. We cut it in half to check the temperature it was still pink. How can an owner of a restaurant not know how to make a medium-medium well burger? And why didn't he walk out and deliver it himself and apologize? Not a word! My dish was finished and plate was gone while my wife finally had her burger. We had planned to eat together that was not going to happen tonite. She ate half and we took the rest of it to go. With wine, an old fashioned and the worst dinner experience, we spent $174 with tip. Huge mistake. Here is my tip: train your servers on how to take care of customers. To the cooks, invest in a thermometer if you can't tell when a burger is medium. To the owner, step out and make sure your customers are happy and enjoying your food.

Photos
Table 128 - The dining room at Table 128, downtown Des Moines. Perfect for Business Lunches, Happy Hour, Date Nights, or Celebrations.

The dining room at Table 128, downtown Des Moines. Perfect for Business Lunches, Happy Hour, Date Nights, or Celebrations.

Table 128 - Bacon cheeseburger-
grilled beef, provolone, applewood-smoked bacon, chipotle aioli, brioche bun, choice of side

Bacon cheeseburger- grilled beef, provolone, applewood-smoked bacon, chipotle aioli, brioche bun, choice of side

Table 128 - Chicken salad tartine | 
yellow curry, roasted chicken, celery, cranberries, argula, marcona almonds, toasted focaccia, choice of side

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Chicken salad tartine | yellow curry, roasted chicken, celery, cranberries, argula, marcona almonds, toasted focaccia, choice of side

Provisions Lot F - Provisions burger

Provisions Lot F

4.5(348 reviews)
37.6 mi
$$

Awesome place that really surprised. Clearly a farm to table concept with a varied but overwhelming…read moremenu. Came in on a weeknight with coworkers and received good service and fantastic food. Nice drink menu (I enjoyed their take on the old fashioned) with cocktails and a nice craft beer selection. Everyone loved their food, from the barley soup to the ravioli, burger, Brussels salad, and the salmon I got. Hidden gem perhaps was their incredible dessert selection. The cherry tart was a pleasant surprise and the salted caramel chocolate cake will def fix a choc craving. Would gladly come back.

Provisions Lot F in Ames…read more If you like fresh baked breads and bomb desserts, along with amazing food, head to Provisions if you're in the area. Pork Belly app: thick cut pork belly in lettuce cups, topped with sweet thai glaze, pickled carrots, onions, celery, mint, thai basil, cilantro, scallions and crushed peanuts. A tad sweet for me but overall this was a great app. Slice of Sourdough: delish. Chicken Japchae: since my mom has celiac disease, we were very excited to see this on their menu - dining out with her can be a challenge. Especially at a place specializing in breads! The only unfortunate part about this dish is (I think) they forgot they already salted the chicken and salted it again...and then again. I'm not one to say something is too salty, I love my sodium but this was mouth-puckering salty. Inedible, actually, but the noodle dish itself was SO GOOD that she set the chicken aside and ate the entree. NY Strip Steak: perfectly med-rare, served with a garlic-rosemary potato pavé (like a potato casserole of sorts), roasted broccolini and a house steak sauce that was similar to a demi glaze. Not a bite left - no leftovers with this one. I ate the whole dang thing. Myself. And I have zero regrets. Crème Brûlée: I also couldn't leave without ordering a crème brûlée because there are some really bad ones out there. This did not disappoint. I also took home a Dubai Chocolate tort, Raspberry Crumble and a Flourless Chocolate cake. ZERO regrets but if you love Dubai chocolate then you know there are some discusting renditions of this in the market. However, the Dubai chocolate tort at Provisions Lot F is . I can't even describe how delicious this was and is worth the drive to Ames just for this dessert. If you're north of DSM for a game or whatever, I highly recommend Provisions! I'm already scheming a way to get back there...soon!

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Provisions Lot F
Provisions Lot F - Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad

Provisions Lot F - Flourless chocolate torte

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Flourless chocolate torte

The Tin Pig Tavern - Half order of Texas fries.

The Tin Pig Tavern

4.6(30 reviews)
21.6 mi

Had the mini beer shot, just like the the ones in Cancun. Crab Rangoon with chicken is a great…read morepizza to try.

Went here on the recommendation of three locals after working a basketball game. I misheard them…read moreat first; I thought they said "Tempe" and we were looking for a Mexican restaurant. Anyhow, we arrived and elected to sit at the bar versus a booth. Took a couple minutes to get noticed and we were asked to sit at the other end of the bar due to some clutter... Prices are very reasonable at this establishment. A flight was $7.50...if you were in WDM or Waukee, you would probably be looking at double that. They also brew their own beer and cider here; I'm not sure why that's not advertised heavier. Its called the "Gamble Block Brewery". I had Fear the Beard, the Baja Lager, the Maple Pumpkin Ale, and a cinnamon apple cider. The Maple pumpkin ale was delicious--the maple definitely hit on the back end. I was not a fan of the cider--they used a rather tart apple. The Fear the Beard (comparable to Blue Moon) and the Baja lager were OK. For food, I had the chicken tender basket with a 1/2 order of Texas Fries. I actually thought the ranch seasoning detracted from this dish--the queso was quite good and the bacon was plentiful. The downside to getting "sampler" versions of items was none of the accompaniments were included. My friend who got a full order of the Texas Fries was given sour cream with his food--mine did not. Also, on the beer sampler fruit wedges are served with the full size versions but not on the flight. The chicken tenders were very good and had the right breading/chicken ratio. The buffalo sauce packed a punch but was not obnoxiously spicy. The ranch that came with it was very good and was clearly made in-house. More of a 3.5 star review.

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The Tin Pig Tavern - Interior.  Low and high tables and chairs. Booths.  And a bar.

Interior. Low and high tables and chairs. Booths. And a bar.

The Tin Pig Tavern - Crab Rangoon flatbread

Crab Rangoon flatbread

The Tin Pig Tavern - Front entrance signage.

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Front entrance signage.

Chuckwagon Restaurant - Tenderloin.

Chuckwagon Restaurant

4.5(124 reviews)
32.8 mi
$

Love this place. Stopped by between Des Moines and Sioux City and had a deliciously disgusting…read moremeal. Everything was yummy and so unhealthy. Garlic cheese ball and tater tot poutine? Amazing. The tenderloin was massive. And the broccoli cheese soup was a star. Tried the peach pie as well which I thoroughly enjoyed. The wait staff was super friendly and the ambiance was exactly what I was hoping for, a quality local establishment. Throughly enjoyed it.

The gf wanted to check out I-80 MetalArt and we found the Chuckwagon Restaurant right across the…read morestreet. We arrived pretty much at straight up noon on a Saturday. I fully expected the place to be packed as it appears to be pretty much the only show in town as far as a sit down restaurant. There was a please wait to be seated sign there as we walked in. We were greeted right away and seated in minutes. It's old school wood tables and chairs and I think there was a counter available. Ordering is done at the tables as well as settline your bill up with your server. Surprisingly the speed of service continued throughout the visit. After drinks we ordered the rodeo burger and fries, a tenderloin with chili cheese fries, and the garlic cheeseballs. The cheeseballs came with marinara and ranch. Fresh, hot, and fantastic! I've eaten a lot of tenderloins. Many that have been highlighted as Iowa Tenderloin Trail winners or participants... This is one of the better tenderloins I've had in the state! Obviously hand made, breaded, and fried. Not too thick and not too thin. Drained properly. Served with the essential condiments including the holy trinity (onions, dill pickles, and mustard). The gf liked her burger. It could have used more of the featured ranch and bbq sauce. The fries... Neither of us cared for them. Obviously hand made, but almost too thin and too greasy. We'd both opt for a different side next time. To each our own though. Almost every small town along this stretch of I-80 has a pub & grill. The menus vary a little, but are very similar in a lot of aspects. The quality of service and the cooks make the biggest differences. The Chuckwagon hit five stars in some aspects of both. Work on those fries and the flavor of the chili (horribly bland) and this review would have been five stars. I'm going to emphasize this again. Truly one of the best tenderloins I've had in the state! Keep doing what you are doing!

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Chuckwagon Restaurant - Tenderloin and chili fries.

Tenderloin and chili fries.

Chuckwagon Restaurant
Chuckwagon Restaurant - The urinal

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The urinal

Ambro's Roadhouse - bars - Updated June 2026

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