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.

We stopped in during a bicycle ride today and enjoyed some great beers anda friendly bartender…read more She was awesome and friendly. I think she and my wife my be besties after that visit! We had some seasonal beers and relaxed before heading back home in the wind. The "talking shit about a pretty sunset." Was a delicious wheat beer. They should add it to their normal offerings. This brewery has always offered some of the best brew in Des Moines. The location is really awesome and historical. They claim that is it haunted. So maybe you could get some boos and brews! Lol! Go check it out!

I never felt welcome the entire time I was here. Maybe I put off my anti-bicyclist vibe…read more Anyhow, I sat myself at the bar. The female bartender tried to serve someone else first; the customer told them I was there before them. The male bartender never said a word to me. They never checked back in, never asked if I'd been there before, but seemed to embrace their regulars. I left after one and probably will not return...unfortunate, as the blood orange wheat I had was delicious. Crisp, full flavor with a clean finish.

Founders Irish Pub in Bondurant is one of our regular midpoint stops on bicycle adventures, and…read moreoverall it is still a place we enjoy coming back to. The patio is nice, the location is great, and the weekly specials and prices are still fair. On this visit, I believe we got some complimentary chips and salsa, and I ordered the Southwest Eggrolls for $9.99. The eggrolls were awesome. Most of the time we are here more for drinks, sunshine, and a patio break than a full meal, but the food we have had has been good. That said, Founders can be a little hit or miss. Service really depends on who is working, and the patio and patio games are starting to feel a little tired. I get it -- good help is hard to find, and it is probably tough to predict how busy any given night will be. We forgive you, and we will likely be back again and again. My honest note to ownership would be this: take a close look at the place and do not let it slip much further toward the "dive bar" category. The location is a gold mine, especially for cyclists and patio people. A little freshening up outside and some staff training on drink making and beer selection would go a long way. Still a good stop, still fair prices, and still a place we will keep coming back to -- just hoping it gets a little love before it slides too far.

This place has gone steadily downhill over the last few years. Was one of our favorite stops on the…read moretrails, no more. Today was the last time. We sat down and waited 10 minutes to get anyone to stop by our table. All the while we watched the servers stop and drop shots off for a big table, watch them consume their shots, cleared their table, then walk away from us again. We left. Never had a server acknowledge us. And it wasn't busy. A similar experience happened last season and we gave them yet another shot. Really sad to see a great location like this turn away previous happy clients.

We stopped in around 3pm for a late lunch/early dinner and we were seated right away by a someone…read morewho seemed like it may have been their first day. Very polite and attentive! After a few minutes, our waitress came over and we placed our order. I have been here multiple times before and their house made cheeseburger soup is AWESOME. A must get if you stop in. My partner and I just wanted to split a few things so we ordered the Grazianos Italian Nachos as a started and split a bowl of cheeseburger soup and a Pork Tenderloin Sandwich. Our waitress caught on to us splitting and without requesting, split the "bowl" of soup into 2 cups without charging us extra and even split the sandwich and fries between 2 plates and gave us each the fixings and an extra bun ALL FOR NO EXTRA COST. It was such a nice gesture, we were so surprised and hadn't even thought to ask. We made sure to leave a generous tip for the hospitality. Food was hot, fresh, and tasty! Sandwich was huge (a must for a tenderloin sandwich) and the cheeseburger soup was delicious as always. The inside of the restaurant has a fun townie bar vibe to it, which I find quite charming. All in all, a great experience and I'll always come back for that soup!

Bad service and really bad food.... Again. I went there for lunch yesterday. Only 2 tables…read moreof people and I ordered hot wings a half our later and got chicken nuggets that were cold. Casey's is better.... Then the waiter paid someone else's check with my credit card. I'll never go back

I've been hearing the ads for BS on some of my podcasts. So I gave them a try. The restaurant is…read moremuch larger than I expected but well layed out and nice bar (where I ate). Bartender was attentive and prompt. The fried cheese pickle egg rolls were delicious! Sweet potato fries were as good as any I've had. Water and ice tea as expected. Unfortunately, the mushroom Swiss burger didn't live up to my expectations for a place with "burger" in the name. Mushrooms and cheese were good. The burger patties were overdone and not much flavor. It's still a good enough place that I will be back to give them another shot.

PSA: Yuengling and Yuengling Flight on tap!!! Bonus surprise…read moreof the night. I was in the mood for a burger so we decided to try Burger Shed. We have been there before with friends for drinks and enjoyed the restaurant and good service so decided to check out their burgers. We were in around 5:15 on a Saturday night and immediately seated in a large booth. Our server was friendly and attentive and efficient (checked in briefly 3 times and let us say if we needed anything) all throughout the meal. The burger menu isn't super extensive but satisfying to all palettes- a classic/simple/just the basics, to specialty (see picture). I did sample the means for other offerings and there were many diverse offerings. Apps and dessert tempting but all I was craving was a good burger. I wasn't sure about Mac and cheese on my burger but it was a nice addition. I took some off the burger and enjoyed as an extra side/ it was creamy and mildly flavor so as to add more texture than actual flavor to the burgers. I should mention I had not eaten all day as normally I could never eat two burgers, however they were more thin than thick and tasted perfect on what tasted almost like a steamed (and soft) bun. I enjoyed the signature pickles on the side and added a little signature bacon jam to the burger which was a nice flair of flavor. My husband's burger was the perfect mix of cheese and mushrooms and flavor. Nothing special about the Tots or fries except a generous amount of both and their presentation in a mini fry basket. We waited about 10-15 minutes for our food but between water and drinks served it was a quick wait, especially for a Saturday night. This is a pleasant restaurant whether eating in a quiet booth or for watching bets while eating. Lots of options for couples or larger groups. There isn't much parking close to the restaurant but we found spaces at the hotel right next to it. Worth the drive. Craving satisfied.

We were just passing through and decided to pop into this cute little place for a quick bite. It…read morewas a little late for dinner, so we had no trouble finding a parking spot and getting seated right away, which was a nice surprise. They serve Pepsi products, which isn't my favorite, but it wasn't a big deal. We were given a complimentary basket of warm, fresh chips with salsa. The chips were great, but the salsa was just okay. It wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. I added some of the hot sauce we asked for, which definitely had a good kick, and that improved it quite a bit. I ordered the burrito special with beef and beans, and added cheese sauce and tomato. It came out quickly, which I appreciated. I was a little surprised to see sliced tomatoes on top instead of chopped ones like you usually get with tacos. Maybe that was just my assumption, so I'll take the blame on that. The burrito had nice flavor, but the inside was just a bit too cool for me. Not cold, but definitely not hot either. If it had been steaming warm, I think I would have really enjoyed it. All in all, it was a decent little stop in a charming town. The service was friendly, the food came out fast, and it worked well for a quick meal while traveling.

I saw that there was a new Mexican restaurant at the old Helen and Pat's location and decided to…read moretake my wife there to try it out Parking was difficult as almost all the available spots were taken. We had to go around the corner and park in one of the few spots left across the street. They asked us if we wanted a table by the door, but we asked for booth instead because it was cold out and there were a lot of people coming and going. They gave us the old booth they had ready, which was a huge one that seats 8 people in the back. They gave us menus, chips and salsa, and took our drink orders. We were both amazed at how extensive the menu was. I took photos of it. We both identified a couple of things we would be interested in trying. There is even a whole section for steaks, and the menu has American food, too. When the waitress came back, she asked if we would mind moving to a smaller booth because they had another large group come in. We were happy to oblige. At first, it seemed like this was a mistake because we were now in a corner and it seemed like the new waitress was too busy to notice us. Once she came and took our order, everything was fine from there. The food came out quicker than we were expecting given how crowded they were. I had the Texas fajita, with steak, chicken, and shrimp. My wife had the Ceviche, which she said could use a little more lime, but my food was fantastic. We agreed that there were a lot of other dishes that we'd like to come back and try. We also ran into a relative who said she's already a regular there. I expect we'll be back soon.

Great food and service. Music is a louder than other roadhouse I've been too. This is my family's…read morefavorite spot for a steak and roll.

The service we received from Austin tonight was excellence all the way. His interactive…read morepersonality was refreshing, his attention to details appreciated (my drink glass was never empty), his attitude was great and you could tell, he loved his job. One of the best servers we've ever had at TR. We'll ask for him every time. Steve S.

We had a great waitress! She was attentive & pleasant…read more It's a sports bar-- lots of tvs & occasional cheers. We were watching an ISU FB game. Drinks came quickly. Hubby's walleye bites were tender & tasty. Mac & cheese was basic. My flat bread pizza was good. It had a cream cheese base so you can only eat a few slices of that decadent pie! Friend's brisket sandwich & fries were good. Her hub's prime rib grilled cheese was tasty. The coleslaw he had with it was flavorless. It was a bit chilly in the booth with north side windows! Want to watch a game? Great place!!

SBG is one of my all time favorites. I've never had a bad experience. Service is great, bartenders…read moreare friendly, food is fantastic and worth every penny. TV's everywhere, you won't miss a game! I hate the tall bar tables, but there are plenty of booths. Brisket quesadillas is one of my favorites as are the burgers and parm fries. You just can't go wrong here!

My favorite place to eat in Altoona! The food is always chef's kiss perfect, and the staff and…read moreservice... it just doesn't get any better. The portions are generous and tasty, I can't recommend their top shelf margaritas enough. One of the wait staff convinced to try it with Don Julio instead of our usual Patron, and it was a game changer! So smooth. It the warmer weather they open the walls for an indoor/outdoor experience. Atmosphere is great as well. High Recommend this restaurant!

FYI- they close at 10 even though it says 10:30. They just make up their own time even though the…read moredoor AND online says 10:30. Doors locked, don't let us in even for chips and salsa.