Love. Their. Food! This is my go to spot for any spontaneous bite with friends and acquaintances because I know we will have a great meal! The service here is very laid back as well as the atmosphere, but you don't need much more than what they give you. I'm always satisfied with their food, and their prices won't break the bank, especially for a college crowd. read more

I'm confident in saying that the West Street Deli is home to Cyclone Country's best sandwiches. I've heard good things about the built-to-order and specialty dagwoods, but I've never been able to stray from their daily specials that are prominently featured as you walk in to order. Their daily concoctions are always very odd at first glance, but are works of gastronomical art. They fuse right brain sensibility with left brain whimsy to create one of a kind sandwiches. If I was to make a request to the warden for my final meal, their Sweet Potato Curry soup would be included. Sandwiches are hefty and pressed on a panini grill. I don't have a single complaint other than the long lines and wait times every time I go. People around here know a good thing. read more

West Street Deli is a tasty place to grab a quick bite to eat. The sandwich selections are great---guests can choose one of the specialty sandwiches that are already designed w/ layers of flavor and meat/veggie combos. Also vegetarian options like the portabella alfredo on the specialty side. For the more independent/creative/stingy folks--there's the basic sandwich option. You get to choose your meat or veggie base, bread, veggies, spreads etc. There's also a chalkboard special available that is made out of the creative genius of the ppl that work there. I tried the steak and blue cheese special today--it was great! The portions are large (I got the regular size). The combo option lets you choose either a cup of soup or a side (chips, coleslaw etc). I had the chili--very hearty! Their chili has a bit of a sweet hint to it that I wasn't sure about at first sampling, but ended up really enjoying. read more

I traveled to Ames from Virginia and made sure I ate here - THAT'S how good it is. The white bread is baked to perfection. The ranch sauce is unlike anything that has ever graced my lips. This place makes dynamite sandwiches for dynamite people. Are you a dynamite person? WELL THEN COME AND TRY IT! read more

I stopped by tonight to pick up a sandwich to go. They were featuring a sandwich with marinated beef, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, spinach, tomato jam,and a bechamel sauce. It was one if the best sandwiches I've ever had. Super messy, but worth it. I also had a cup of the potato corn chowder. So yum! I brought home peach crisp for my daughter and I to share. It was difficult not to inhale the entire thing, but I saved at least half for her. I've been going to this deli since it opened. I've never been disappointed. read more

Lots of options, good quality ingredients. You can build your own sandwich or choose one of their "specialty" sandwiches. The line moves pretty quickly, the staff is friendly and helpful, and there's a good amount of seating. In warm weather, the patio out back is a great lunch spot. Prices are reasonable, they don't skimp when they build the sandwiches, and there are decent vegetarian choices on the menu. read more

Wow, my wife and I are simply stunned by the number of 5-star reviews for the West Street Deli (2810 West St, Ames) as we were not at all impressed with our recent return. Back when we were both college students we frequented this place, sometimes on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. We loved the food and the "third place" feel that we got being here. The staff was friendly, the subs were fabulous and we really liked going there out on a date or just with other friends or roommates. That was 2002, this is now. Since we hadn't been back to Ames in a few years (and not back to West Street Deli since we graduated from ISU in 2002) we wanted to get back and re-experience it. The place used to be clean, comfortable, no frills and a friendly staff. It's still clean (at least the dining area and I'll cover that later), but that's about the only thing remaining from what we remember. First off, the portion sizes were smaller... WAY smaller than they used to be. Back in the days you could get a sub, chips and drink for $7. Now, you can't even get a sandwich for that. Plus, the sandwich that you got had more meat and ingredients on it. This was a lot of semi-stale bread and they skimped on the meats. Plus, the person making our sandwich was sarcastic and rude to us just for asking a simple question about the quality of the bread. The atmosphere used to be laid back and friendly, but now it was just annoying. There was a group of students there making an unbelievable amount of noise, being rude, and treating their server very poorly. Not directly the fault of the restaurant, but it seems to be the type of clientele that frequent this place. God, I seriously hope that I wasn't like that as a student... The bathroom was disgusting. I just went in to wash my hands and came out happy that I was only a few blocks away from the IUS student health center where I could get a tetanus shot. Horrible. I won't go into details, but let's just say that the last person (people) to use this really made a mess. Again, not directly the fault of the restaurant. What is the fault of the restaurant was the poor quality of the sandwich, the high prices, the rude staff member. Our return trip left a bad taste in our mouths. West Street Deli was a great location once upon a time but apparently the management there is slack compared to what it once was. Krystyn and I often bragged to our friends back home (Minneapolis now) about how great this place was... now we wouldn't recommend it to anyone. If you are management of WSD and reading this, please look into these issues so more people aren't as turned away as we were. A great part of our past - won't be part of our future. Not coming back. read more

Best sandwich in town, by a long shot. First time I went I got the Cajun Tuna Melt. I then proceeded to get the Cajun Tuna Melt every time I went for the next 2 years. It's that good. I've finally branched out a bit and have a custom combo that I've been getting that is also good enough to eat weekly for 2 more years. You will probably find a line at lunchtime, but they move it through fairly quickly. Come during off hours, or for dinner, and get right through. read more

Their sandwiches are HUGE and taste amazing. Well worth the trip to campus if you're a big sandwich eater!

West Street Deli, more like.....Okay nothing witty to say, just that you should see what's going on here. Home to some of the most delicious sandwiches you can shake a stick at, it's a must try! read more

West Street Deli has been one of my favorite lunch spots for years, and luckily it's still just as good as it was when I was in college. West Street has an amazing selection. You can order one of several specialty sandwiches (including a large vegetarian selection) or build your own; plus there's always an interesting special or two if you want to try something new. Sometimes the specials are terrific and sometimes they're a little off the mark, but they're definitely never boring. If you stick to the build-your-own menu, there are choices galore - at least six meats, lots of different types of bread, cheese, toppings, etc - I'm pretty sure anyone and everyone could find something they like here. Though the sandwiches are wonderful, what I really love at West Street is the soup. You never know exactly what they're going to have - sometimes they've got your standard broccoli cheese; sometimes you walk in and it's Thai peanut - but it's usually wonderful. My only complaint is that I wish they would offer a couple of choices - generally it's one soup per day, that's it, take it or leave it. The sandwiches are well priced for what you get, and you can order either a half or a full - generally the half is enough for me, especially if I get a combo with soup. The deli itself has nice wooden booths, Frank Lloyd Wright prints on the walls, and a relaxed atmosphere - it's not the type of place where you feel rushed out the door as soon as you order. There's even a patio in the back when the weather is nice. Good, solid food and reasonable prices - this is a great lunch spot. read more

I heard about this sandwich deli from a friend, he kept nagging me and nagging me to go with him and finally I gave in. Upon arrival I was delighted by the dive-y atmosphere. I ordered the Rueben, a classic. After a short wait i was delighted by a cluster of pastrami, sauerkraut and homemade Russian dressing being hugged by a spherical slice of rye bread. Honestly this was the best Rueben I have ever had. The homemade dressing was my favorite part about this sandwhich. The only negative aspect of this sandwhich was the surplus of sauerkraut. I will be back shorty. read more

West Street Deli - The Rueben - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Since I work at Iowa State, I had seen this restaurant a lot but never had occasion to eat here. The other day, however, I missed an evening bus because of construction detours, and since I had to wait 15 minutes for another one, since the bus stop was right near the restaurant, and since my wife was out of town, I decided I'd grab a quick dinner here before going home. I was sufficiently pleased that I stopped by a few days later and got a sandwich to go. The menu (which is on the blackboard) offers a choice of "specialty" or "basic" sandwiches. On both visits I had the basic variety (with tax, $5.50 for a regular size). In a basic sandwich you get to choose one bread, one meat, one cheese, any number of spreads and any number of vegetables. (There are also vegetarian options available.) My sandwiches were placed briefly on some kind of panini press and came out slightly toasted, but were not terribly hot; the cheese on them was not melted, for example. On my first visit I had a roast beef and swiss on an onion bun with Russian dressing, lettuce, tomato and onion; it was excellent, particularly the bun, which was quite large and very flavorful. On my second visit I varied things slightly: smoked pork loin instead of roast beef, honey mustard instead of Russian dressing, but otherwise the same. It was also excellent. The sandwich was so large that I wound up only eating half of it for dinner, and saved the rest for the next day. You can, of course, get a roast beef sandwich at any sub shop in town (I'm not sure about smoked pork loin, however); however, the sandwiches I had here were far better than comparable versions at, say, a Subway. Bottom line: I'm glad I discovered this place, and will likely make it a standard stop for lunches in the future. read more

Sandwiches, soups, desserts. What more do you need to know? There are so many options that it can be confusing at first. But the employees know what they're doing so if you're up for trying something new, trust them to make you the best sandwich you've never thought of before. read more

First visit to this little sandwich shop on the ISU campus was not a disappointment. Had the Denver on sourdough and it was excellent. Friendly staff made for a great experience. read more

West Street Deli - Denver on sourdough. - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

This is not a 4 1/2 star deli. Mediocre at best. College students rave on it but it must be campus proximity driving the review

Edit: While good, this is not a typical deli. Head downtown to Main Street Deli for deli type stuff...yum. There really isn't anything to write except, GO THERE! This is the typical college-town killer sandwich grub. The food is so reasonable and the sandwiches are way better than average. Try the special of the day....wow. Yeah, screw service or speed. These things are the best. I can always wait for a really good sandwich. read more

God bless this place. It's clean, comfortable, and has absolutely great sandwiches. I want to stand tall and let everyone know that I want this deli in my neighborhood, but it's not so I have to go to Ames to enjoy it. Fair prices, fresh food, quality breads and meats, lots of topping choices - it's all there. I'll be back! read more

West Street Deli - Pastrami and turkey on sourdough - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Cute little sandwich shop. A very wide variety of sandwiches. We had the portobello mushroom alfredo sandwich and the special of the day which was some salmon sandwich. The portobello mushroom was great, didn't like the salmon one too much. There were also a selection of vegetarian options and you could build your own sandwich. Staff was rather friendly and the atmosphere was great. read more

West Street Deli is in a prime location, basically on campus, so it most likely gets a lot of business and is a staple for many students. Personally, their sandwiches are OK. It's too much bread for me and I feel like I fill up fast, on mostly bread. I haven't eaten a whole lot here to have tried the different breads so maybe they're not always that way. They do have vegetarian options, so that is definitely a plus. No kosher and no halal meats are offered, unfortunately. My personal favorites are Greek and Cajun Fu, with some customizations to them. Definitely worth a try! read more

Back in town today during lunch. Tofu Reuben Sandwich is excellent and ordered side of mac n cheese. Weather good enough to eat in back patio. Very relaxing read more

Among the top lunch places in Ames, if not the best. Great, HUGE, sandwiches with fresh and creative ingredients. His specials are always delicious. Best Reubens ever (and I'm a Reuben fanatic). Great service, too. Reasonable prices for the amount of food you get. read more

West Street Deli - Cajun tuna melt - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Cajun tuna melt was delicious. This is a cute little place and I love that they have gluten free bread and it is only 50 cents extra! Chicken avocado gnocchi soup was good too read more

West Street Deli - Cajun tuna melt on gluten free bread - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Grab a quick wrap for lunch. Had the Pesto Chicken. Flavor was good, but the logistics of putting it on the wrap may have been a poor choice and made it a little messy. I'd go again. Large selection of sandwiches and it seems like a cool, low-key place. read more

I'm a vegetarian and I crave their Cajun tofu sandwich all the time! And the hygiene standards are high. I once took a bite out of my sandwich and then asked to have it cut in half, but they didn't do it because of health code and I appreciate that. I trust this place. I do wish they had ciabatta option but it's A+ for a fast and satisfying good quality lunch! read more

What a great find close to campus! Fresh ingredients, and wide menu selection. Friendly and fast service. We enjoyed eating on the outdoor patio! Would highly recommend. read more

Love this place. Great sandwiches and great service. Came here two days in a row when visiting Ames. Got the large Greek the first day (It's gigantic) and the chicken bacon ranch (with Turkey instead) the second. That ranch sauce is so good. Everything is really fresh and the prices are great. Definitely want to come again and try out all their other sandwiches. read more

West Street Deli - Turkey bacon ranch on onion bread and potato salad $9 total - Vegetarian Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Denver is my always go-to. Tried everything else and always come back to this one. Prices are cheap compared to other places $7-9. Defly have to check this place out if uve never been read more

Went there over break and the guy who made our food was clearly super high and messed up my order twice even though it was in the middle of the afternoon. The place smelled like pot also. I don't care if someone smokes weed but when you cant function at your job you probably shouldn't smoke. read more

The West Street Deli has a lot of options for vegetarians and it's at a very convenient location if you're a Iowa State student. The cost quickly adds up though once you start adding chips and a drink. You should still give the West Street Deli a try though just be aware that they don't open until 11 AM. read more

I have been here a few times since this place gets such good reviews but it has been a less than enjoyable experience each time. I got the large chicken bacon ranch. First mistake, getting the large. The bread is too much on the large sized sandwich. There's sooooo much bread on a large bread roll. Also the proportions of all the ingredients on the sandwich were not correct with the large. Too much of this, not enough of that. Secondly, the chicken was extremely dry and there was way too much of it. It was pulled/shredded chicken which I'm not sure goes so well on a sandwich like this. I ended up pulling off about half the chicken. My girlfriend got the chicken pesto (she got a regular sized sandwich which had better proportions to it compared to the large) which used the same chicken, so her chicken was dry as well. The chicken bacon ranch was also extremely dry even with considering how dry the chicken was. I added Cajun mayo to it and it still came out dry. Not good and not tasty. The employees also could have been a little more friendly. It seemed like the gentleman who made the sandwich would have rather been anywhere else on earth than making than sandwich (which he probably was thinking). It seemed like he just threw our sandwiches together as fast as he could (even though it was 2 in the afternoon with no other customers). The best part was the Minute Maid lemonade out of their soda machine. I probably will not be returning. PS: I will say that the cookies looked good but I didn't try one. read more

First time there, didn't know it was there. Best sandwich I have ever had. Trying to make excuses on how to get back to Ames again. Will be new best place to bring my customers for lunch. read more

My favorite sandwich shop in Ames. A bounty of options for vegetarians and some for vegans. All kinds of tofu. Staff is friendly. Bread is good. The large sandwiches are huge and difficult to eat gracefully. That's not a bad thing though. read more

Good place for Sandwiches and Loads of veg options to choose from! It's so close to ISU that me and friends go there at least once a week to grab a sandwich read more

Tons of options, I'm not a vegetarian, but I've had their vegetarian offerings and they are spectacular. The best thing are their specialty sandwiches they come up with periodically. Great combinations of ingredients and always amazingly delicious. You can build your own and they have tons of options and bread choices. Great sides and desserts too! You've got to try West Street Deli! read more

Absolutely incredible. Menu is laid out so it's easy to understand. The sandwiches come with generous amounts of meat and veggies and the perfect amount of cheese. All ingredients are look and taste fresh. Gluten free and vegetarian option are plus for sure. Definitely worth checking out of you're craving a deli sandwich. read more

MMMMM, I love West Street Deli! This was a favorite place of mine when I was college, and always try to grab a sandwich when I am in town! A sandwich, a cup of chili, and if only they would serve beer, I would be in heaven! read more

I was able to get over the curt conversation with the counter girl once I took a bite of the chicken bacon ranch sandwich. Their sandwiches are spectacular and filling. The have a great selection and the deli meat is fresh and piled on high. read more

Love this place. Best sandwich shop in ames!

All of the sandwiches to choose from are great, and you can modify them an way you want. The staff are always nice and I've never had to wait. It's a great place to walk to from campus on my lunch break. read more