As a noobie to Ames, Iowa, I wasn't sure what to expect of the nightlife here. Iowa State is a big college campus, and on any given night, you can find youngsters like myself roaming the streets to find a good bar. Well folks, I think we found a keeper. My boyfriend insisted that Welch's makes the best White Russians (my absolute favorite drink of all time) , so we stopped into Welch's on a Saturday night around 11:30pm. For any other noobies like myself, you enter Welch Ave Station by going through the door and DOWN the stairs. The stairs that go up lead to a pizza place. When I entered, I saw that it wasn't too busy and on a Saturday night, that surprised me. I wasn't complaining though because that meant A) no nasty sweaty bodies everywhere and B) more breathing room for me! We immediately made our way to the bar. They have a variety of lit up signs that let you know what the drink specials are, and the different kinds of shots/drinks they make which was helpful! I saw names of drinks I'd never heard of before! We started with the infamous White Russians and went from there. The White Russians (we got the double) were delicious...creamy with just the right amount of vodka. I swear it tasted like a milkshake. We also got a round of Scooby Snack shots. I've never had them before, but I'm a big Scooby-Doo fan, and they were mega-tasty! If you're looking for a "shake-your-booty-to-booty-bumpin'-music" kind of energy, Welch's isn't the place for you. Welch's has a very laid back atmosphere. If you want to munch on some 50 cent popcorn, have conversations with your peers or play some pool, Welch's can do all of that for you. I enjoyed having a casual and relaxed night with some friends...nothing too crazy, but still a great time. Oh, and get the White Russians. Every. Time. P.S.- I heard they only used to accept cash, but they do accept both cash and card now! read more

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Looking forward to another trip to Welch Ave on Saturday afternoon before students come back. Always good drinks and food from Pizza Pit. Only 2 people in the place sitting at bar eating and having drinks. Sat in normal "dining" area of the bar. Bartender watched us walk in and didn't even say "hello". Found a table easily but no waitress ever came. Finally went up to the bar to see what's up. "I'm the only one here". Oooookay? So the 2 people at the bar were going to ransack the place while you came over to our area to say "hey, sorry but I'm solo today. Would you mind coming to the bar to order?" Not too hard, but too difficult kind of multi-tasking for this guy. Decided to leave and walked down the street to have a sandwich and a drink. Lame! One of my favorite places to go but good help must be hard to come by on a slow Saturday. Maybe he didn't need the $10 tip he would have gotten for our drinks and meal??? You'd think on a slow day anything extra you could make would be a bonus. I know it's a college bar but it needs a cleaning. With it empty... the odor in the place was weird. So probably should have left for that reason. They need to get that addressed -HVAC or clean/replace carpets? Both? read more

Spotless, good selection of beers, nice personalized ambiance--not your tired, formulaic theme or sports bar. Mixed crowd of locals, ISU students and profs. Bonus: you can order food from Pizza Pit upstairs. And spotless! Super clean!! Same can be said for Pizza Pit. read more

Very much a local bar setting. It's gets really busy here on the weekend. Their daiquiri was quite good. Not overtly sweet.

Stopped by this bar before a show at Stephens. Kind of brings back memories of being at a bar on a college campus. There are daily specials for drinks and Pizza Pit located on top of their establishments. Lots of TVs and pool tables. Ample seating. I came on a Friday and got $4 long island. I sure do miss the college bars drink prices! Friendly staff and good service. read more

Welch Ave Station - Long Island - $4 on Friday - Bars Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Bethany was awesome!! As well as the rest of the staff! Great environment to watch a game and order the barnyard slaughter pizza!!

Has to be the worst place in ames ! So unhelpful & selfish never attended ! Gross, crusty & worst service ever heard of! Do not attend , you will regret it! read more

The bartenders last night were very rude to me. Wouldn't take my order then when I did get service the beer was thrown my way with no acknowledgement. Super rude. read more

Fuuuunnn! Coming to Welch ave you are bound to have a good time! You can come to Welch with either a big group or a small group, I however came here with just one of my friends. It was a Thursday night so it was not too busy there. There is not too much seating for big groups, but there is plenty of space to stand around and talk for big group. I decided on getting the special drink of the season and it ended up being a very sour beer. I still appreciated that they did do discounted special seasonal drinks. I believe the best parts of Welch ave are the pool tables and that you can order pizza from pizza pit and they'll bring it down for you. The staff was friendly and did frequently check in with us if we needed anything. My friend and I overall had a great time playing pool and drinking beer! I definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a non rowdy casual bar in Ames. read more

Welch Ave Station - A sour beer with some Pizza Pit pizza! - Bars Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Went to this place last night. Tuesday's is free pool days. We were able to play 4 games of pool before it started to get busy (we went around 7pm). Pool tables are a bit close to each other so be careful not to disrupt anyone's game. -1 Star because I didn't know Mai Tais come with whipped cream. The Mai Tai that we got tasted more like a Pina Colada. Very pineapple-y and blended topped with whipped cream. (I thought Mai Tais are on the rocks with no whip not stirred) Although I could be wrong because I'm not a local. read more

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We just moved to the area and was told to come here to find a more "older" crowd. We had terrible service and the bartender was extremely rude. We will not be back. read more

A good bar for a few casuals and a game of pool. They are a good spot to to if you want to watch some games. Bartenders are normally pretty friendly. read more

Horrible service, and a horrible bartender, if you get the middle age short haired guy expect horrible service. I go in there Friday and Saturday and he acts like I don't donate $100 a week to the establishment. You have to show your id for a pizza and then wait 40 min as you stand at the bar. Won't be back, I'd rather go upstairs to pizza pit and drink beer else where. read more

My friends and I used to go in every Friday night, but stopped because the service is awful. The bartender will leave you standing at the bar for 20 minutes before even acknowledging you. You basically have to beg for them to let you spend your money. It's sad to see them losing loyal customers due to poor service. read more

It's a neat little bar, and out of all of the bars going in and out of the Ames Welch area, this is one that's stuck around. It's downstairs from a pizza place, so I've known friends that get pizza ordered while they're at their table. This bar, every time I've been to it, is LOUD. As I've been told by friends, this is one of those types of bars where you come to hang out with friends - not really one where you expect to pick up other people. It's definitely a very loud and crowded bar, and it's obvious that 98% of the people are already here with a group of friends. They have pool tables on the inside and tons of seating. Staff is regularly cleaning up dirty dishes, but it can be hard to find a place to sit (again, it's busy). There's a foosball table as well as televisions. The music isn't so loud that you can't hear one another talking, but you definitely can't hear anyone talking at the table next to you. I've been told that their Daiquiris are pretty much to DIE for, so if you go, that's what I'd recommend. I really love the fact that it has "survived" when so many other Welch bars come and go. It's kinda a testament to how much people really love this place. If the social bar scene is your thing, it's pretty much the embodiment of a place to go hang out with friends. read more

Is it just me, or is the staff here unbelievably nice? Cheap prices, tasty late night pizza. Was in town for a wedding in May and had a fantastic experience here. For a college bar especially, this seemed like a great establishment. read more

When I went to college here this was my favorite bar. My friends and I always had a blast here and to this day when I visit Ames I stop by this joint. It's an amazing little bar. They have pool tables, slot machines, buck hunter, foosball, darts, and a ton of TVs. The atmosphere is like a dive, but a nice dive. They kind of have everything. They have plenty of seating and it's always busy. Wish they had one in Des Moines. I would recommend this place to anyone. They have plenty of college kids of course but enough older crowd to make me comfortable. Plus they are connected to Pizza Pit so you can order awesome food here too. A+. read more

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As an alumni of Iowa State it's where my wife and I always stop in for a drink when in town. read more

Welch Ave Station - a bar filled with liquor bottles - Bars Near Me - Ames, Iowa

All right, Ames. Here we go... This review marks a couple of firsts for me. It's my first time reviewing an establishment in Iowa, and it's my first time reviewing a bar. Up until about four months ago I'd only been in a bar once and I very rarely drank. Well, alcohol. I was drinking plenty of water, I guess. In any case, I managed to make it here twice when in town, and I can barely remember one of those visits so... it must have been a good time. What I can remember are two impressions the place made on me: It reminded me of a bar you'd see on TV where all the college students hang out between or after classes, and also they made what was most certainly the best mixed drink I've ever tasted. As for that first impression, I'm pretty sure it is more or less the case. As for the second? I can't quite recall the name of the drink, but I believe it had the words "traveling" and "berry" in it. I was drunk by the time it was ordered for me, so I could actually be completely mistaken. I do know that I was able to hear people when they were talking to me and there were plenty of places to sit. I'm told that this is a big deal. Anyhow, from what I understand, the prices are not bad and the beer they brew is usually pretty good. My boyfriend didn't particularly like the batch on his first night back in town, but I will say this about his loyalty... He drank the whole thing with a smile on his face. He said it was his "town's beer" and he liked it even when he didn't. Cheers and 4 stars! read more

Ok so sorry but this bar sucks! But I guess it depends on your age. Actually no, no it doesn't, at any age it sucks. I say this because, the people tend to be really boring, there is absolutely not even a "beep" of music playing in the background from a radio or something, and the crowd is - sorry to say it - but quite ugly. So I guess if you want to go to the Walmart version of a bar, and the Tip Top is too far for you (ok sorry, I guess Welch Ave St. is at least cleaner than the Tip Top) then go to Welch Ave St. I guess it's a good place if you wanna be driven to take a nap while having a beer. Having a more adult crowd does not have to equal boring, just look at Whiskey river. That place has an older crowd, but does so in a way that makes it a lot more fun. Also, charging for popcorn? Really? They should probably take a hint from Mickey's here. Oh well. Oh yea one more thing, its 2012! How about you invest in a credit card machine, and accept credit cards! read more

This is a landmark bar in campus town Ames, because it knows how to stay alive! The way it does it, is simple! Great beer prices, killer staff, and it pleases the sports fans, the hippie types, and the townie types! It casual and it's not a meat market! Its hard to find a seat on game day, but any other time you can usually snag a booth or play some darts if you wish! The music is mostly classic rocking and it's pretty loud but everyone digs loud rock n roll when your sharing a pitcher of brew! They have great bear specials and you can order pizza from the pizza pit upstairs and they will deliver it down to you! SOLD SOLD AND SOLD! read more

This was the bar my friends and I would go to while in college over 10 years ago......................I apologize for not finishing the sentence, I just regained consciousness from fainting due to realizing how long ago that was! The bar has a simple setup, which is probably why my friends and I enjoyed coming here. There is a bar with alcohol, plenty of TVs, tables with chairs, pool tables, dart boards, foosball, and Buck Hunter. What more can you ask for? I believe the same people that were bartending while I was in college are still working here, so it is probably a family owned business. The place is usually busy, so the atmosphere is great. I did feel really old in here, but no one noticed...could be due to my good Chinese genes :) Another plus is that you can order food from Pizza Pit, which is upstairs so you don't have to rush finishing your drink or anything. Another good thing is that there is a poster of Brooke Burke in the men's bathroom that has been up since I was in college, so you get to stare in the eyes of a beautiful woman...though she is not real, but it's still nice :) A negative is that there is no door for privacy if you need to go #2, so maybe skip on the chili before coming here! It's been a while since I've been here, but I'm glad I came with my friends to enjoy a few beers. Speaking of beers, there are plenty of options available and there are usually weekly specials on drinks, so I would recommend anyone that wants to have a good time to stop by Welch Ave Station! read more

About the only bar I frequented after I finally got to age 21 while in college. Great little bar. Good mix of young and old. Bunch of pool tables, foosball, arcade games. Good number of TV's, great place to watch an ISU game, though it could get packed. Yes, order some food from Pizza Pit upstairs, it's pretty good. I'm always shocked at how cheap the beer is when I go back. Love $5 for a pitcher. Best bar in Ames. A classic. read more

If you're a 22-year-old girl who thinks "fun" is drinking until you throw up or Daddy loves you (ya know, whichever comes first), this probably isn't your spot. If you're a well-adjusted adult who likes alcohol and being able to carry on a conversation with your bar mates, then W.A.S. is the best place in Campustown to sit down, have a drink, and watch an ISU basketball game. Since I'm not a fan of girls with low self-esteem and the potential date-rapists that pursue them, most of the other bars in the area are outside my fun zone. W.A.S. Is consistently good. Good service, good drinks (try a yum-yum bomb or a pissed off Japanese minnow farmer), and food from Pizza Pit upstairs. Bring cash, they don't mess with plastic. read more

Great Strawberry Daiquiris and Long Island Iced Teas! This was a great place to go in college and is a great place to go for drinks with old college friends. It's a bit smoky but they have good drink specials (or at least they did when I lived in Ames). If you get hungry you can order Pizza Pit and they will bring it down for you. Good place to watch a game. read more

Welch Ave was by far my favorite Campustown bar. As others have said it's not overrun by rowdy's, and enjoys a bit more of a 'mature' crowd. They used to have south park nights from what I remember. And, in addition to the minnow farmer, the best part is that you can order food from Pizza Pit upstairs! Many good times sipping minnow farmers while playing pinball and pool here... read more

If you dare step foot in campus town and are older than 23, this bar is the only place to go. The prices are decent on Thursday night and the crowds don't get crazy. Everyone leaves you alone and you can actually hang out with your group. Oh the creature comforts of a bar with a lot of tables and chairs. Enough said. read more

My friend got denied at the door because the manager said her ID was fake. Wouldn't even let her challenge it or call the cops to check it. Then, I lost money In the machines because it was broken and wouldn't print the ticket. They couldn't refund me the money I won. Absolutely terrible service. Do not recommend. read more

Stopped by the Welch Ave Station on a whim while in Ames on a business trip. Not a bad decision! A lot of street parking in the area, too, which is nice. From the outside, the bar almost resembles a cross between a frat house and a ski lodge, not exactly appealing, but the inside is all dive bar. I was attended to promptly by a couple of very kind bartenders. It's been about a week since I went there, but the $1.25 pints and great beer and drinks selection still floor me. The clientele are mostly twentysomethings and older men, but everyone seems to keep to themselves and are very kind. A couple of TVs show sports or whatever else is on, and a few pool tables are free until about 7 or 8, I think. Definitely will be coming back if I'm ever in Ames again. read more

Great cocktails. You can order pizza from Pizza Pit upstairs and they bring it right down to you. Trent the bartender is solid. Might as well put a statue of him in front of this joint because he is an icon. If you are in Ames, visit this place and enjoy. read more

Favorite bar of all time. Super chill and relaxed, tons of delicious drinks and the staff are great. The atmosphere seems to ward off the "woo-girls" and people looking to get piss-ass drunk and do stupid shit because "college". Less of a party bar, more of a sit down and socialize, play darts or pool-type bar. I suggest trying the wings from upstairs and having them ordered down. They are more like fried chicken than what you would think as traditional sauces wings but still very good! Make sure you bring cash only but if you forget, there's an ATM in the back. read more

As an Iowa State alum, I have been in most of the bars in Campustown. As I've grown older I refuse to go to any taverns in this area except for W.A.S. Good service, and low drama. It's the best place to go to watch a game and have a few beers with very relaxed unpretentious crowd. You can get Pizza Pit delivery and never have to get up to get a fresh brew. Only draw back is that it smells; kinda a cross between an ash tray and Grandma's basement. read more

terrible service, rude servers, unfriendly, gross, and not comfortable. don't waste your time here

I waited for my train outside of welch ave station for 6 hours and it never arrived. Very disappointing.

See 'Will Y's' review below. My family and I went there to eat and the female bartender who checked our ID's was quite rude. Not a bone in her body was welcoming. The only reason I'm giving two stars is because the male bartender here is very nice! read more

A little grungy on the inside, but good enough for college students who want to grab a cheap beer and watch the game. You can even order a pizza upstairs and have it sent down while you enjoy aforementioned beer. Smells like stale cigarettes. read more

Super chill bar with lots of games, pool table, and other fun arcade type games. Great pizza (from the pizza place upstairs) and drinks. Bring cash!! read more

Great bar to get away from the ames standard. Most bars are all about expensive drinks, loud obnoxious music. I love that they play south park and have a DJ instead of jukebox playing the classics. Very laid back atmosphere. Have about 6 well-kept pool tables and old main pints ($1) on wednesdays. Me gusta read more

On a recent visit from a 4 year absence from the campus of Iowa State University, I find Welch Ave Station the only bar on Welch Ave. in a similar state from when I left. It has always been the older crowd bar. I really appreciate this now because I really don't feel like yelling at my company over "The Gaga". Wait is that a waitress? You mean I get service! One complaint: cash only. Really a 3.5, but thats not posible. read more

Welch Ave Station isn't like it's counterparts to the north on Welch. It's got a much more laid back feeling and really is more akin to a sports bar than a campus bar. They have quite a few TVs scattered around the place and is a good place to catch a game. NFL Sundays tend to be a good time as most of the college kids there are sitting back sipping bloody mary's to make the pain of the night before go away. Also, you can order Pizza Pit food here and they will bring it down to you. Great place to catch a game, drink some beers, and cram down some inferno wings. They also have some pool tables in back. read more