Had dinner here on a Tuesday evening while in town for a conference. I partnered up with another…read moreconference attendee and we came here for dinner. The menu had a diversity of options with both bistro and full size options. We both settled on the Main St. chicken dish on recommendation from the waitress along with swapping the rice for mashed potatoes. Great suggestion. My conference mate asked to have her mushrooms removed and I asked to have the tomatoes removed. Although we both ordered the same meal, the presentation looked different for each of us and hit the spot for our tastebuds. Mine seemed more like a chicken marsala while hers was a tomato sauce. Either way we both enjoyed our meals. We both also had dessert - I had the delicious chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. Honestly there was too much sauce but the cake was still delicious! My conference mate had the peanut pie and it was divine - imagine a Reese cup with an Oreo crust. If I'm ever back in Ames this will definitely be on my return list!!

Came here on company dinner and we had a great time. Food was decent and I enjoyed my carbonara,…read morehuge portion. The French onion soup was just ok but everyone enjoyed the peanut butter pie. Very good ambiance for group dining and the service was great.

3/9/26 6:15 p.m…read more Dine-in Food: Our order was - Mushroom appetizer, Cheeseballs appetizer, Garlic Citrus Shrimp, Fish Sandwich w/fries & mayo, BBQ Swiss Burger, and a kids menu Mac & Cheese. Everything was delicious! Yes, the fries may be the frozen kind, but I feel like a lot of places use premade fries like that; it didn't take away from how good everything was. The Mushroom appetizer is SO good! Savory, crunchy, and cooked to perfection. Their ranch is also really yummy; it's the good ranch ;) The size of the mushrooms was surprising as well. Most places use small, white mushroom caps for their deep-fried mushrooms, but these were slices of large portobellos (I think lol). We also really enjoyed the cheeseballs. They were crispy with the perfect melted cheesy inside. The shrimp was plump, full of flavor, they were much bigger than I was expecting, and there were a lot more of them as well. Not to mention the vegetables that came with it (there is a lot more under the toast in the photo) were really good! My husband really enjoyed the BBQ Swiss burger. Our daughter tried a bite as well and said she should've ordered that instead of Mac & Cheese lol. The burger was juicy and had great flavor. My daughter loves Mac & Cheese, so of course she devoured her serving lol. The Fish Sandwich was big, cooked perfectly, not overly greasy, and very filling. Service: As we arrived, there was a sign out front that said "Please seat yourselves", so we did. We were greeted with smiles as we walked in and were brought menus pretty quickly. We were served in a timely manner and everyone we interacted with was pleasant and easy to talk to. They were really welcoming and made us feel comfortable while we were dining, even engaging in small conversations instead of the normal quick dash by that other places tend to do. I had asked about the seasoning on the veggies (because it's absolutely delicious) and they gave me a whole bottle of it to take home! I was shocked and incredibly thankful for their generosity! As we were checking out, they even offered my daughter a ring pop, since we had forgotten to order dessert :) They're incredibly nice and seem to really care about their customers. Ambiance: As you walk in, it smells fantastic! It's quite casual and welcoming. You feel comfortable, which is always a great feeling while you're out enjoying a meal. There is a TV, but it was off, which, in my opinion, was kind of refreshing lol. Overall, the noise level wasn't very high. It was just low, casual conversational chatter throughout the restaurant with the occasional kitchen sounds. The decor isn't overdone; it's homey feeling, which adds to the relaxed nature of the place. All in all, we will definitely be dining here again! We really enjoyed our experience and can't wait to try more menu items :)

The food was ok. The mushrooms are fantastic. The service is rude. She walked away several times…read moretook a long time to bring water did not ask about coffee or soda . She walked away from several customers mid sentence. Won't probably be back. There are to many to choose from with great food and great service. And better prices . I saw one family get up and leave after she went to their table .

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.

Since Dad's now a bit more mobility challenged (at 97), I've taken him to Provisions Lot F for…read moredinner during my last 3 visits to Ames. The booths are large, the aisles are wide, and the bathroom is very accessible. He "complains" about the prices, but we both agree how much we like the menu, the service, and atmosphere. Actually, I came by myself the other night and sat at the bar as the restaurant seating was pretty much full. And despite a solid menu, I'm a creature of habit and chose what I "always do (with a glass of white wine). SOUP + SALAD + BREAD cup of soup (my choice: Salmon Chowder), house salad, warm multigrain roll, whipped cottage cheese dip Delicious, relatively healthy, and just the right amount of food. And I don't forget to pick up one of their wonderful baked goods on the way out.

Always a fan favorite. Service with a smile makes a restaurant. It's always part of 209 Main. The…read morefood is good. Their burgers rock. Tenderloins too. I really miss the salmon Ruben but the pasta salad is like what my mom used to make so that compensates some. Definitely worth the drive to Paton.

Salad Bar alone would take me back here. While it's not as big as other salad bars (like Nicks in…read moreClive, IA) it's still a great salad bar. Cheese Curds: we like these because they were battered, not breaded. Piping hot, very good. Plain Burger: my son says it was good ‍ but wasn't interested in sharing so I didn't actually try it. Prime Rib: I ordered a medium rare but, unfortunately, it was super dry even with the au jus side. Lately, I've been disappointed more than not by prime ribs that are bland and dry. Sirloin: alternatively, this was very juicy and delicious. Great grill flavor and lovely side of mushrooms. Broasted Chicken: in true "me" fashion, I ordered two entrees. While my salad bar trip was great and my prime rib was so-so, this more than made up for it! Soooooo juicy and flavorful, highly recommend their broasted chicken. Chopped Steak: my husband loves a chopped steak. Don't ask me why, it's not at the top of my list but to each their own. He didn't love the demi glaze on this dish, and thought their beef gravy would be been much better. The demi was "too much wine" flavor. I can't say "too much red wine" is anywhere in my dictionary but whatever. We really enjoyed this dinner, even with the dry prime rib, and plan to go back for that salad bar and broasted chicken.

I've passed Cole's many times and just kind of shrugged it off. It looks like a state fair food…read morestand that sits along the road. We rolled by it on our way home from a little day trip North today and decided to give it a try. There is no inside dining room. Just a walk up window and a pseudo-patio with a few picnic tables. Parking is tight, but there are a few adjacent spaces that can catch overflow if needed. I didn't know a lot about Cole's. A few pieces of Star Wars memorabilia, loud colored signs, a veterans mural and large battle cross on the storefront caught my eye. Being a veteran myself I decided to dig in a little bit and try to figure out what was going on with this place. The first thing I found... We were first timers, but people LOVE this place. There was a line. We were rubbernecking and watching food come out the window while waiting to order. The locals were friendly. More than once we heard "We've never had anything bad here. It's ALL good." Second. Cole's basically burned to the ground last year. The owner with support of the community of Slater rebuilt it. The third thing... Even more humbling for me than the story surrounding the rebuild. And the one that gave me the answer I was looking for about the veteran related pieces... The owner of Cole's (David Sturdy) named his restaurant after his son Brandon Cole Sturdy. Brandon joined the Marines and was lost to hostile fire in the Afghanistan War at the age of 19 on May 4, 2004. From this former sailor... Semper Fortis Marine. The food. We ordered a Cole's Super Tenderloin. Hand pounded and perfectly cooked. Topped with brisket, onion rings, dill pickles, and BBQ sauce. The Super Tenderloin was comboed out with some of the best onion rings I've ever had. Large. Whole onion rings...not minced. And again perfectly fried. The mound of shredded cheese is covering a boat of chili and hand cut fries hot out of the fryer. That and one scoop of hard chocolate ice cream in a bowl came to $27.50... Service at the window went well. The portions are HUGE. We split everything and were both more than full. If a little bit of a wait pisses you off... If you're not okay eating at a picnic table, in your car, or at a nearby park... This might not be the place for you. If you like good fair style food and ice cream... Grinders, various types of hot dogs, burgers, tenderloins, chicken strips, etc. Cyclones, hard pack ice cream, soft serve, banana splits and more.... See their Facebook page for a full menu. If you enjoy something new. Enjoy a short day trip. Enjoy time outside with your family on a beautiful day. This is a great spot. About seven weeks ago the owner made a post on Facebook that almost sounded like the restaurant's days might be numbered. Under it was a comment that added more detail. Like it may only be open on weekends for now... I know it was open today. And I know it would be a damn shame to lose another small town Iowa treasure like this with everything going on right now...

Cole's American Tenderloin and Ice Cream Bar is one of those little places you drive by and think,…read more"bet the food is good there." Famous for its American Tenderloin, Cole's also offers old-fashioned shakes made with real ice cream, and huge tacos with a pound of meat. The tenderloin $12/tax) is the star, a hand-pounded piece of meat so juicy and tender it almost melts in your mouth. The French fries are fried in a special fat and covered with herbs. The flavor of Cole's fried food tastes outstanding and the portion sizes are easily enough for two people. This is traditional Americana roadside fried food at its finest. Inside dining is limited to just a few tables, most people probably pick up their ice cream treats outside "to go" in the summer. Not really much here for people with specific dietary needs. It's just not that kind of place but they often try new items for the menu. Today's new item was tater tots with beef, onions, sprinkled with cheese. Sometimes you're just really hungry for this kind of food.

This meal was life changing. Get the $2 bacon as a side and you…read morewill not regret a thing. The service was incredible and the food is some of the best I've had in my whole life. 10/10 will return again!!!

Great menu, food was outstanding, portions were dare I say too big but so tasty!! Service was…read moreattentive even on a busy Saturday afternoon.

I brought 25 people to Hickory Park. The service was great, and the food was delicious. I highly…read morerecommend.

Busy concert night. The "Add yourself to the Waitlist" is a great addition!! In and out quickly and…read morevery nice server.

Double bacon cheeseburger with spicy mayo? Hmmmm...absolute gasseroni and cheese. Service was…read moregreat, the kids at the counter were very nice. Very clean establishment, and a little birdie told me the chocolate shake was more than acceptable. Short wait times too. Definitely better than In-N-Out, fight me.

We go often. Photos are from our most recent visit on 1/14/26…read more Food: The food is great every time we have been to this location. They always get our orders correct, and it's always hot. They also have really great portion sizes for the price point. Service: Every time we've been to this location, the employees are all incredibly nice, helpful, quick, and efficient. Whether it's simply picking up from inside the lobby or going through the drive-thru, we are always greeted with a smile and an upbeat attitude. Ambiance: The lobby has always been kept very clean, as well as the outside seating area. There's never any debris in the drive-through either. Definitely the better of the locations here, in my opinion.