For starters, the food is phenomenal! When we got our sandwiches, we were definitely not…read moreunderwhelmed. They were huge! We did get the large version, but we weren't expecting them to be so big lol. All of the ingredients were really fresh and full of flavor. The bread was perfect, too! Even the sandwich we got for our daughter was delicious; it was simple, but sue "inhaled" it lol. We also got the BbQ chicken chili which had great flavor, but it was more like a chili flavored soup. I dipped my leftover bread in it, so it worked out lol. When we ordered, we tried to do so online, but that was a pain. So, we called in and the customer service was excellent! The guy that took our order was very nice, patient, and informative, which was very appreciated since we had just had issues with the website lol. We ordered for pickup and our food was placed nicely in the bags and nothing was spilling or overflowing onto anything else. Overall, the inside of the restaurant was great, even though we didn't dine in. It looked quite clean and was pretty relaxing. Staff were really nice in person as well. 3*17*25

It was a dark and stormy afternoon…read more... I was wandering around Ames mid-day last week with a lot of time on my hands. At Lunch time, I didn't feel like a sit down waiter restaurant, nor did I want to go into HyVee and choose a pre-wrapped Sammy. So after a little Yelp searching, the West Street Deli came up. West Street Deli is just down the street from my Ames Barber (Troy) and just as close to Mother's Pub. The street is its own little business District, and feels far away from Lincoln Way. I ordered a Cajun Tuna Melt which was unlike any sandwich of this type that I had experienced. It was well prepared and was flavorful in many ways, including a little kick at the end. A beer would have gone well with this, but I stayed with water, while comfortably seated by a window within their dining room. A very pleasant experience and a for sure future visit.

TLDR: classic sandwich shop…read more Fresh cut meats and cheeses make for excellent sandwiches at a wonderful value. I've been going here for decades and it's like putting on your favorite sweatshirt. If I worked in the area this would definitely be a lunch time staple!

The only time I don't like this place is when it's busy. I visit almost every time I am in Ames…read more Sandwiches are hand made to order, one by one, by the owner a guy who obviously appreciates the art of a good sandwich. Getting stuck in line behind a guy placing an order for the office is going to put a dent in your day. That said, my roasted turkey sandwich on rye was delish! Sweet and juicy turkey breast, sliced and piled high with my choice of cheese and fixings. Paired with a bag of chips and a "pop" from the soda fountain, it was a perfect lunch. Show up after 1:00 and you might find a shorter line. Just don't get stuck behind "that guy".

Good service and food. Reasonable prices and serving size…read more Very nice restaurant and attentive staff.

To start out... I'm not a local, I come to Ames once a month for work and love to try new bars and…read morerestaurants.. Figured I'd give this place a try! The feel and ambiance... mixed with a touch of nostalgic. Upon entering you are greeted with tables and chairs inches from the door. We thought that we entered from the side door. There was no host stand or sign stating that you should order in the back at the kitchen. We were confused. During our meal the radio was playing, and not nice music but a crude talk show that happened to be talking about someone getting a Brazilian wax... You'd think the place could pay for Spotify or music without ads... The booths were a tad old and crusty - But I suppose that's where the nostalgia comes in. The food... much to be desired. It was all cheap just okay. Everything lacked flavor. Nothing to write home about. The salads were massive and a great bargain. The cheese bread was disappointing, it was just melted cheese on a sub bun with store bought sauce. For a location called sauce and dough company. This was expected to be a highlight, but ended up being something that could easily be made at home. The pizza was decent, but confusing at best. For someone's first time, I'd expect there to be signs or mentions that the honey should go on the crust... I only found that out after once I read reviews. The crust was dry and lacked flavor without the honey or other seasoning... Am I the only one that thinks that you should not need honey to make pizza palatable. Also, if you add honey you add 70 cals each tablespoon. I know I didn't come to eat healthy but also... Everyone is right, so many toppings and cheese. But again, lacks flavor. The prices... very reasonable. We got two large salads, two beers, an app and a large pizza for $50. Very reasonable. Overall, I won't be back but am glad I at least tried an Ames staple.

4/6/26 6:15 p.m…read more Online Order for Pick-up Food: Each time we order, our food is delicious! I know the pictures that I took may not do them justice, but I can assure you, the sandwiches are always amazing. The quality and quantity of the ingredients on the sandwiches is great each time. All of the produce is fresh and has a nice crunch to it, and the meat has never seemed off in any way. Also, the bread that they use is really good in terms of being soft, but not mushy, and it doesn't overpower the inside of the sandwich ingredients. We got a side salad from them as well, and it was quite delicious. Service: Each time we go in, we are greeted politely, and we are able to get our order pretty quickly. There's never really a wait time, and the staff is always working really hard to ensure that everybody is served in a timely fashion. Ambiance: Inside is always kept very clean, and it is decently large. It's definitely good for medium-sized groups or a one-on-one dine-in experience. It also always smells amazing! The theme inside is very fitting, and it's quite nice to look at while you eat.

Huge difference! Get the app-they have some good deals. This place is usually just a bit more…read moreexpensive than other sub places. I had a coupon, so today got a sandwich, the loaded potato soup and some garlic bread to dunk into the soup. The steak with carmelized onions was ok. This is the first time I've gotten potato soup that was anything but loaded. There are potato chunks, some bacon and the taste of cheese in it and it's thick. After getting this soup maybe 5+ times over the years, this is the first time I've actually gotten the "loaded" part and it's really good. I think it depends on the workers. Mix it up and scoop from the bottom. My previous entries about this soup essentially said "where's the loaded part?" Staff was very friendly. Place was clean. And today, I'm glad I got the soup.

The Filling Station is a gas station, an extra stocked convenience store, a breakfast/lunch food…read morecounter, and a tables inside and out to enjoy your refreshments and the view. Gayle and I stopped in today after reading about it within some "48 hours in Ames" article. I ordered a brisket grilled cheese sandwich, while Gayle chose a similar one with blackberry flavoring. We split a can of Guinness off the convenience store fridge, and then sat outside for our street and car wash view. We had nice shade on a not too hot day and took the opportunity to hang out bit after we finished our meal. This was a tasty and pleasant experience of good value overall.

Was nearby for an early meeting and had a gap before my next one. Decided to grab breakfast and…read morerolled the dice and just went here for a quick bite. Wow, it is a lot more than a quick breakfast at a gas station! The kitchen was complete and had a full menu offered up. It was also a commercial bakery... multiple bakers working on cinnamon rolls that looked divine! I had a breakfast quesadilla. It had real flavor in it with candied jalapeños. It was a lot but judging from all the plates I saw come out of the kitchen everything there was solid in serving size. The chai latte was good too. And the folks were nice. They definitely have loyal fans locally, folks were ordering for tailgates!

One of our favorite restaurants for a yummy, quick and warm sun sandwich. My wife and I love this…read moreplace and don't mind braving the campus traffic to eat it.

Decent food, was a calm day when I went in and the service was fast and quality. Ordered Oreo shake…read moreand broccoli cheddar soup. Both were great! No complaints.

We always try to eat here when we are in town to visit family. The menu is quite good but the…read morespecials are usually even better. We had the Baja Shrimp Taco special last Wed and restaurant week started so we had the entire Thai tasting menu on Friday. It was fabulous - please check it out. It is Midwest hot, not Thai hot. Staff is always great. We almost always end with carrot cake - I had ZoeBakes carrot cake in the Twin Cities and it was not anywhere close to as tasty as The Cafe's version. I would agree with some other posts that the lighting in some areas makes it very hard to read the menus or see your food. Updated lighting would be helpful. We try to come early and get a spot near the windows so that we can see better.

Disappointed... I came here for restaurant week to try their Thai Menu. It looked good online and…read morethought I'd give them a try. The Cafe has been on my list for a while now. Disappointed to say the least, I came in the back door not realized there was a correct door and was rudely cut off by other patrons at the front desk. I had to wait several minutes to be waited on and the place had plenty of spots. Maybe because I was a party of 1... they didn't seem to care. After I shared what drink I wanted, I learned they were out... fine no problem. I asked about the Thai specials, the waitress was clueless. I had to ask for the restaurant week menu and ask about the specials. She said they looked good but couldn't describe them and hasn't tasted them. I got the salad on special, but get this... they were out of the main restaurant week special... such a let down. The ambiance was mixed, one corner was a cute date night the other corner was crying children. All dimly lit and outdated decor. The whole experience was off, I ended up leaving after my one drink and salad. I hope to give this place a second chance sometime but hope they aren't out of dishes and I can get a trained server. Maybe another night for sure!

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!

I had to stay in Ames for an extended period due to a family member's medical issues, and knowing…read morethis epicenter of everything was walking distance from me for the ten days comforted me and proved incredibly helpful when situations consistently arose during my stay. From really good food options to snacks and drinks to toiletry needs, Kwik Star delivers, even on a holiday like Christmas. I'm grateful for their elite customer service and cleanliness.

I want to give a special shoutout to Amanda who works at Quick Star. She is always friendly and…read moresmiling every time I come in. On Monday at midnight, I had an issue at the station and Amanda went above and beyond to help me. This is not the first time I've seen her go out of her way to assist customers. She is truly an example of an outstanding employee. Thank you, Amanda!

Went here for lunch with the family, this place has a lovely charm - and was at one point a train…read moredepot. Our server was attentive, and it was quiet enough to have a pleasant conversation over lunch. Three of our table had the daily special - a ribeye sandwich with caramelized onions, lettuce, tomato, their version of sweet and saucy steak sauce. Everyone enjoyed it - and I stole a few fries which were golden crisp and perfectly seasoned. I was assured their fries are consistently delicious. I had pork shoulder with two sides, i went with hallelujah potatoes (cheesy potato casserole) and cornbread pudding. The pork was melt in your mouth tender, perfect with the sweet and sassy bbq sauce. Each plate comes with some pickle slices and pickled onions, the onions were nice - i gave my pickles away as i am not a savory pickle girl. The hallelujah potatoes were cheesy, creamy and crunchy (topping) and the cornbread pudding tasty. The lemonade was recommended to me and it was well done - tart and sweet. Overall if I had more time in town I would definitely come back.

Just some suggestions for future guests. Please ask first if guests want to be seated on patio. We…read morewere taken outside on patio, granted the plastic sheets were down, but it was a cool, rainy day. We were told the heaters would be turned on. They weren't. We asked to be moved inside and a they moved us to the loudest part, next to bathrooms and opening to patio, so still cool. Waitress had no time for us, maybe because we were asked to be moved. Idk. Food was good. If the name of your restaurant is "cornbred" you would think your meat dish would come with a piece of cornbread. Instead you have to order it as an appetizer which are muffins. How about one little muffin person placed on the table. I would also maybe include a side with your meal (maybe less meat) to accommodate for the side. Just suggestions. It is a cute place though.