Very good. Best restaurant on earth arcade is fun, cactus bread yummmy, ice cream yummy, cheese sticks are the best. Very nice workers. Wellness is mild but clean I love this restaurant. read more

Very good food and service. I am so stuffed. Would definitely stop here again on our way through. read more

Absolutely phenomenal all the food was fresh everything was full very very clean the best piece of ranch I've ever been to

I was just there. And found feathers on the chicken wing. I couldn't eat after seeing that they were serving feathers cooked on the chicken. read more

Pizza Ranch - Right in the center is two feathers that were cooked on the wing. There was other pieces on the buffet also - Pizza Near Me - Ames, Iowa

I walk into the place. I see this. I think this sets a long lasting impression for the kids... (1 star per bear) read more

Pizza Ranch - Build a bear - Pizza Near Me - Ames, Iowa

My boyfriend ordered chicken wings from here and there was a marker in the to go container??? How does this even happen??? Chicken taste like sharpie . read more

Pizza Ranch - sharpie chicken wing - Pizza Near Me - Ames, Iowa

They over charged me the wrong thing and ended up costing me double and when I called to get it fixed they refused to refund me. Absolutely disgusting service! read more

Dis food very goodie in me tummie. Da wangs and chick very delousois. The server very noice to me. I would recamenda for da people in da pizza ranch clan! read more

Thanks to Covid, my wife and I are not wild about eating indoors in restaurants these days, so we are making an effort to find places that deliver. This led us to try Pizza Ranch, which, being about as far from our house as is possible for a restaurant to be in the city of Ames, is not a place we generally get to. The delivery fee was steep: between the regular fee and a tip for the driver, it cost ten dollars. (This may be because we are so far from the restaurant.) In any event, given the steep fee, we decided to order a lot of food, with an eye towards having a lot of leftovers. We ordered eight wings, the two-breast chicken dinner, and a medium plain-cheese pizza. The food arrived promptly and the order was completely accurate. The pizza was adequate but nothing to rave about. The chicken, though, was the hit of the meal. The wings were excellent, though they were a bit small. The parmesan-garlic sauce that we ordered on the side was also quite good. My chicken dinner was also tasty, though again the breasts were not huge. They were, however, nice and flavorful. The dinner came with a choice of potato (I had the wedge fries, which were good), a biscuit (mediocre), and cole slaw (again, nothing to rave about, but I'm not a huge fan of cole slaw). Bottom line: we both considered this experiment a success, and will order delivery from here again. read more

My wife and I used to eat here many times, especially around finals. Sit, study, and pig out. Staff were incredibly kind and the food was decent for the price. The only reason we stopped going is because so many Conservatives are always holding campaign stops at Pizza Ranch. But I haven't seen or heard of any discrimination or anti human rights organization funding like at Chick Fil A, so we'll stop by again. And we actually find the hiring of ex convicts to be a positive. We should support people trying to earn a honest living and get their lives back on track. It's decent pizza, pasta, salad, and fried chicken at a good price. We also see Amish groups heading down to Missouri from time to time and learn about their culture. read more

Chicken is very good, pizza is average, most of the staff is wonderful, but the guy who served me today had a hissy fit over my two piece chicken meal that I doused with gravy. He repeatedly admonished me in front of other guests. That is unacceptable. He told me the lid has to seal on the container. See pic. The lid sealed. He didn't apologize, just continued to admonish me. Once that lid sealed that he was having a fit over, he could have at least apologized. AT LEAST. My money can easily go elsewhere. After a previous visit, where the broccoli cheese soup was BROWN(see pics), I'm getting more and more dissatisfied with this Pizza Ranch. The thing that has kept me coming have been 1)the chicken and 2) the great staff. All of the other staff I've talked to here have been great, this one needs to be working in the back where he doesn't have to interact with patrons. The people who he was admonishing me in front of, talked to me, not him. Clean. Mostly great staff, this one was horrible(I've been coming here since it opened, 20 years?) Family friendly. Lot parking. Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- read more

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I found several hairs sticking out of the cheesy sticks on the buffet one time and asked for the manager immediately. They took them off and apologized profusely but I was so grossed out that I had to leave. Other than this occurrence, we've only gone here one other time and that's because we had a hankering for it and didn't feel like driving all the way to Boone. The food was great but a small child kept coughing all over the salad bar while his mom just stood and watched. read more

Amazing place with great food, great service, fun games and very admirable staff. would highly recommend if near or passing through Ames

A Cici's wanna-be. Buffet style pizza with fried chicken and salad bar. The salad bar was decent, but nothing exciting. The fried chicken was also just ok, with the other items on that part of the buffet being blah (mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, etc.). The pizza sits out under heat lamps and is completely dried out. Only 1 selection, the BBQ chicken pizza, was even remotely tasty. Everything else was just gross. They say that even bad pizza is still pizza, but this place tests that theory. They have soft serve ice cream, but no toppings. Not even chocolate sauce. Who does that? Only reason it gets 2 stars is because it was clean, and the BBQ chicken pizza. read more

Making their employees into liars. OK, I call in an order for delivery. The poor employee has been instructed to say 45 minutes to one hour. They don't know that's just what they are told to say. I have waited 1 hour 20 minutes and like today had it come in 25 minutes. OK, so the corporate line is to tell them 45 to 60 minutes, and we poor believing customers will be happy when its early. NOT!!! We have kids to feed. Showers to take. Get home in time. We just want a realistic 15 minute window. Not the same line very time. Delivery services have algorithms that predict outcomes. How many orders do we have, how long does it take given the kitchen staffing, how far is the delivery, ETC. and presto, this order will take 30 minutes. Oh but, just in case we will make our employees into liars and tell them the corporate line "45 to 60 minutes." If its late automate a text. If its early send an automated text so I can adjust and I wont have to eat cold food. Now they will tell you that they make each delivery order fresh upon the order coming in. Based upon my multiple experiences, my best guess is they are once again lying. Dry chicken was not made when I ordered and then delivered early. I believe it was pulled off a premade batch and maybe off the buffet line. Just deliver my mediocre fried chicken, with its factory made gravy, and rehydrated mashed potatoes, and give me an accurate estimate when it will be here. That's not to much to ask but, you don't even try. You just tell them to lie to us and we will be happy if you are early. Do the math, don't make your employees into liars. Its 2018 use technology! read more

Pizza ranch in Ames Iowa Very disappointed ! We arrived at 5:00 pm Saturday evening. We were unable to find an area for 6 to eat . Tables weren't cleaned off , food, drinks, napkins scattered here and there. We had to move Plates to eat. Went to the salad bar and very little lettuce and several dressings were empty. So to the pizza. Three rather old pizzas , two bread trays , and several empty pans. We asked when then were bringing more, the employee said something under her breathe. Others were complaining also. So to the chicken. It was over 20 minutes before they brought out 1 more pizzas . Unbelievable... people were waiting for pizzas and very few came. I paid for one piece of chicken and one piece of dried out pizza. read more

I'm not sure why there are so many people that have bad things to say about Pizza Ranch and specifically, the one in Ames (1404 Boston Ave). I'm not from here, but do eat here when back in town. It's a good place to meet old friends. We've eaten there a few times and thought the food was nice and hot, the service was good and the prices are decent for an all-you-care-to-eat buffet. Is this the best pizza on the planet? No, not even close... but it's hot and it's good. They will ask you what kind of pizza you'd like to see on the buffet and will make a fresh pizza and will even bring some to your table if you desire. They do good service here. Their pizza might not be the best ever, but you could argue that their fried chicken (or "ranch" chicken as they call it) is close. The décor is Western and is cheesy, but what do you expect from a place with "Ranch" in the title? It works. Pizza Ranch is a great franchise and has satisfied my belly on many adventures across Iowa. They have them in many mid-sized communities and it's nice to see the same service, same menu and same quality wherever I travel. Not sure about all of the hostility in the other reviews (especially those that claimed that they had to "wait" for a table... it's busy at certain times in Ames... get over it already!) but they certainly aren't warranted. Pizza Ranch in Ames (as like their other locations) is inexpensive, has good service, provides a quality buffet product and is clean. I guess some people are expecting Chicago or New York-quality pizza here. There may be better pizza buffets around, but I certainly defy someone to find a better place in Story County, Iowa. Pizza Ranch is A-Okay. read more

Seriously the WORST Pizza Ranch I have ever been to or ordered from. I used to order from them about once a month because I loved Pizza Ranch back home and I was used to it. I haven't ordered from them for about 4 months now because I was sick and tired of dealing with it. The breaking point: We ordered two small pizzas for delivery, one of which was a BLT pizza. We waited about an hour for our food (we expected this). When it showed up, we took it inside. Upon opening the BLT, it was missing the T and the L. They had sent us a bacon pizza with no toppings. I called them, and they gave me two options. I could have a $3 credit put on my account (HA! That didn't even cover what the pizza COST me) or they could make us a new one. So long story short, we waited over 2 hours to get a small BLT pizza. Worst of all, it's like their management doesn't even care that they have crappy service. Oh, and did I mention that we had to give the original pizza back? It was a fricking joke. read more

Better than I expected! They have senior lunch and kid free night! What is more the waitress was very nice, and you can make your own pizza! Very good place to dine in read more

Pizza Ranch - Pizza Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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My girlfriend won't even check in here because she doesn't want people to know that we have been there. It's a Pizza Ranch. Honestly, their fried chicken is better than their pizza. The homemade chips on the buffet are excellent. The cactus bread desert pizza is really good, even better the next morning. But just you wait, about an hour later, you'll wish you had eaten somewhere else. Every time I go here I end up wanting to punch myself in the face. It all tastes good, but I'm miserable later, either from eating too much, or just the Ranchero's Revenge, or (usually) both. We generally avoid this place, and others like it, but sometimes the chicken is too hard to resist. read more

The fact that anyone eats here is astounding! The price of $12-$13 is way too expensive for such cheap quality. Food was cold, old, and I couldn't find one item I truly enjoyed. Overall, I left hungry and I satisfied. Not recommended one bit. read more

Ok here's my view on pizza ranch: The Ames location on Boston Ave. I get there and the door is locked, I walk around to see if there is another entrance, as the sign on the door reads "whoa partner use other door " I pulled but its locked, there are people there, so I go to the drivethru and asked where the entrance, she points to the locked door, I tell her its locked, she says I'll send someone to let you in. I order my 4 piece and tell them I will eat it here...he says its going to be a wait of 15 minutes, ok well when it comes the biscuit is pretty much burnt, the only piece of chicken that was hot was the leg, the breast was dry as heck, the slaw was ok if you like nasty slaw. The mashed and gravy...well for canned gravy and instant mashed potatoes it was ok. The soda was good. Btw, this is after he asked if I want fresh cooked chicken or chicken from the buffet read more

$2.00 for your bug! That's what the Pizza Ranch manager told me. I took my family , my wife and I, 2 boys and a 2 month baby girl to dine in last night. 10 minutes after I picked up my food, eating from the salad dish, then I saw a bug running inside my dish. It was an unpleasant experience to say the least, but I was calm. I walked into the reception desk quietly, in order not to disturb the party room which was full of people. I thought to myself, things happen, and I should not make a big deal out of it, yet I wanted to let the staff know there was a bug in my food. Staff were shocked, and apologized repeatedly to me. I considered the problem was over, and I was not gong to make a big deal out of it or take any action. Then the manager " ----- " came by, apologized and asked if there was anything he could do for me? I said: no, I don't need anything. Things happen, so no problem". He thanked me for understanding and insisted to make it up for me. He dragged me all the way from my table, with my 2 boys to the reception desk asking me about my information and phone number, I realized then he wanted to issue some kind of refund, then I asked him why? You don't need to do anything. He said, I am going to give you $2.00 discount on your next visit to make it up for the bug you found in the food. Now, that made me mad. It seemed like it was not enough to find a bug in your food, and let go. It was not enough to keep it quite and be understanding. It wasn't enough to stop eating and ruin the night for you and your family after you just paid about $35.00 for some pizza. No that was not enough, they wouldn't let you leave in peace, but they have to humiliate you by offering you $2.00 for your bug!!!! I was furious, and then told him, the tip I normally leave on table is $5.00 for you guys each time I come here. The $2.00 you are offering me is just to humiliate me and my family. I will not take your $2.00, I said. Bad night .. bad experience. read more

I think this is the perfect place if you are starving and craving for a high-calorie junk food kind of thing. Although, this place might get a bad rep, I would admit that I have been going here many times. For $12-$13 something, this place offer a buffet for salad, soup, pizza, chicken, and desserts. Their salad bar is just salad with different kinds of dressing probably from any bottled salad dressing you can find in grocery store. They have different variety of pizza in which there is always new flavor combinations since they allow you to request a pizza with your own flavor combination. They will make it for you and put it in the pizza bar. The crust is okay. Now, fried chicken. It is probably my most favorite part from the buffet. They have 2 variety of fried chicken: the original one that looks like KFC but more crispy and savory (in my opinion), and a fried chicken covered with BBQ sauce (which is my favorite). The fried chicken is not greasy. For dessert, they have fruit dessert pizza, basically pizza crust topped with peach/ apple/ blueberry/ whatever flavor they feel like to, and crumbled-sugar and like a vanilla fudge sauce or something. Oh, they also have potato chips, beans, corn, more potato dishes in the buffet. The place itself looks outdated and a little bit dark. They have this outdated ranch decoration. There are plenty of tables, and they have another room for bigger party too. The waiter seems a little bit inexperience sometimes, but since you serve your own food, I mean their jobs in front of you is only to take out the dirty plates. Overall, food is okay, fried chicken is great. It is the place to pig-out with junk food (and feel guilty afterwards) read more

I had a horrible experience at Pizza Ranch in Ames (it was totally the opposite with the franchise in Eldora): the staff was rude, the pizzas cold, the chicken overcooked with skin the color of near black (burned) and tough, the potatoes were cold and the green beans stale. When I went to leave there was no one at the cash register. If I want a Pizza Ranch I will drive to Eldora. read more

I used to absolutely LOVE their buffalo chicken pizza, but now frankly it was a bit lackluster. The buffet is normally pretty good, but tonight there were 3 pans of cheese sticks and not much variety. I did like the Mac n cheese pizza, the California chicken pizza and the BLT with mayo pizza. Between my hubby and I we tried all 3 kinds of chicken (buffalo, bbq & broasted) and found the buffalo to be really hot (spicy) and too salty, the broasted too salty and the bbq pretty tasty. The dessert pizzas were Yummy as always. read more

My family went once and that was enough. This place makes you forget that pizza is Italian. Like a Chinese restaurant that uses frozen box cut vegestables, this place is just not good and not tasty either. Service when we were there was also terrible but I know that can change on an hourly basis. read more

Tables open all over the place. Line at the door a mile long and slower than a snail. I left after waiting too long.

I love their chicken. The kids are big fans of the pizza. They also have a good size salad bar with soup.

SO GOOD and one bad. Biscuits and mac and cheese and tatey thingamajigs are SO GOOD! I wish I could get these biscuits every day. But the "thin crust pizza" tho fun to chew on cold the day after, is sad it's so bad the day of. Flatbread perforated crust is not thin crust for a pizza. If you came to NYC and learned a real thin crust this could make you a restaurant superpower! Spend the $ send a chef to the East Village, go to Gnocco http://gnocco.com and learn the art from them then come back to Ames and take over the pizza world! You rock all the other stuff, you could so easily conquer PIZZA. (NYC'r in Ames!) read more

attend a lot of meeting in their private room. Very nice, clean and can be arrange many different ways. Russ the manager is very accommodating to your needs. If you want one of their pizzas... you can make a request and they will BRING TO YOU!! And serve you a slice before putting on buffet. EVEN if your in a meeting. YUMMY read more

I really like Pizza Ranch for their Chicken Broccoli Alfrado Pizza. I like it (and eat here all the time) because I work right across the street from it!! read more

So disappointed. We ordered at 11am on a Thursday morning for lunch and it took 90 minutes for delivery. When I called to check-in at noon they told me that they had a lot of orders before ours. How is that possible? Was there a flood of orders at 10:45? If that were true, I should have been told about the delay when I ordered. The pizza was dried-out and cold by the time it got here. Hardly any cheese on it. We ordered here because we were trying every pizza in town this summer. Congratulations. With eight pizza places to go, Pizza Ranch has last place all locked up. read more

Food isn't too horrid, but the service definitely is. I was charged for condiments that I never received. No silverware delivered either, and if I asked for some I probably would have been charged extra for that too. This is the second time I've regretted ordering from Pizza Ranch, hopefully I'll remember and stop myself before I do it again. read more

"Steer" clear (bad pun intended) of the pizza, and you may get a satisfying meal. Although the salad bar is also uninspired, their fried chicken is pretty good. They should dump the awful pizza and change their name to the Chicken Farm or the Poultry Park or something... read more

The first thing I got was a soda from the soda fountain. Under the grate that you set your cup on was this foamy black and red mixture of what looked like mold and overall uncleanliness. I asked the manager to look at it and he thought it might be chicken breading, and that he would clean it right away. How chicken breading may have got there, who knows. Then my son got the dessert pizza and found a long blond hair in it. The manager apologized, and offered to make us a new pizza, when we declined he gave the kids blow pops... At 5 o' clock there was one pizza on the buffet, a few minutes later a customer request taco pizza came out, I wasn't thrilled about the selection. This is the place the kids like to go, but I think we won't be back, not worth it to wonder if the kitchen is as dirty as the grate under the soda machine. read more

Waited a very long time for chicken dinner to go. Got home and the biscuits were not even cooked, they were still dough in the middle. Very disappointed. read more

Great food, terrible TERRIBLE delivery services. The last two times I have called they didn't answer (5 min. Before closing off standard iPhone time) and the other they were closing an hour and a half before their scheduled time. I've been in the industry so I understand how some very slow nights you get the okay to shut doors ahead of time. But to call and get an obnoxious response and no assistance...I'm done ordering Pizza Ranch in Ames. It's too bad too...their pizza and chicken is among the best in the area. This the reason for the 2 stars. read more