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    Aunt Maude's

    4.3 (186 reviews)
    ModerateNew American
    Closed 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM

    Aunt Maude's Photos

    Business Info

    AUNT MAUDE'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Aunt Maude's

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    Tequila chicken
    Susan S.

    Atmosphere is cozy and warm. A great date place. Service excellent. Food was just ok. For $37 the pistachio salmon should have been amazing, and it wasn't. The salmon itself was good, but the pile of potatoes (not fingerlings as stated in menu) and squash/vegetable mixture with goat cheese was average. It was disappointing not to get fingerlings and the goat cheese was more like blue cheese and pungent, not mild. It did not go with the potatoes and squash. Also the potatoes weren't tender. The French dip was good. The tequila chicken also good.

    Peanut butter pie
    Kristina L.

    Great food. Amazing service. We came here with a large group while in town and they accommodated our party easily. We also didn't realize we were there past close and they still gave us good service. From the bread to the entrees to desserts, we all left stuffed and happy.

    Cajun Steak Sandwich with Red Beans and Rice
    John S.

    All I can say is wow. I was traveling for work and just got in town before lunch so I thought I'd give it a try. I ordered the Cajun steak sandwich with red beans and rice and they were both amazing; best I've ever had. My only critique is the roll was a little too small for what they give you so it gets a little messy towards the end. I should have stopped there but I noticed they had crème brûlée which is a favorite so I ordered some. As you can see in the picture it was a generous portion and equally delicious. Service was great, attentive but not intrusive. A definite winner.

    The bar!
    Leslie V.

    I was in need of some food and it was my break after the knitting store and school pickup, so I saw Aunt Maude's and the name made me enter! It's beautiful inside with dark wood and small intimate areas to dine. Me? I picked the closest barstool! ;-D The bartended was kind and immediately offered me a drink and menu, but then left me alone to choose. When I set it down she walked over - the best kind of server! I had what has to be the best burger I've had on my travels in Iowa. Grilled onions and cheddar - XX rare. It came with a grilled bun and skinny fries. Now, I'm not known for loving fries but these were salted perfectly and it was like opening a full bag of chips - I couldn't stop! I think I had eaten half of my fries before I even took a bite of my cheeseburger! I couldn't stop eating even though I was full, but they have a bread pudding dessert that the server said was her favorite - and there were alot of yummies to choose from! It was epic! Caramel sauce, a small bit of whipped cream on the side. Amazing! If you find yourself in Ames, don't pass up Aunt Maude's!

    Tequila Chicken Fettuccine
    Melody T.

    Great service. Everyone loved their meal. I particularly loved the pasta dish. We sat outside on a nice day. I'd skip dessert next time. Unfortunately it was dry and tasted freezer burnt and the berries were clearly not fresh.

    Daniel E.

    In the midst of a tough day when we said our goodbyes to a loved one, Aunt Maude's could not have been a better selection to have a good family dinner. I will always be grateful to the staff and our server Ali and staffer Savannah for such a positive dining experience. Great atmosphere, clean, normal noise, plenty of on-site parking, and a solid menu that was full of surprises. I was not in an exploratory mode, so I relied on a great pasta dish that nailed it. Next time I will nab some of the many cool offerings they have. It's a fun part of town also.

    Smoked pork loin with mashed red potatoes and Iowa sweet corn. Delicious!

    Had a fantastic experience at Aunt Maude's! My wife and I came for an anniversary dinner. I had the smoked pork tenderloin which was amazing. My wife had the tri-tip, which she absolutely loved as well. Everything was perfectly seasoned, and cooked just to our preferences. Great drink menu--cocktails were excellent. Yummy desserts too! Ambiance and service were right on the money. We'll be back for sure next time we're in Ames!

    Cajun Chicken Pasta and Cheeseburger

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    3 months ago

    Had dinner at the bar. Staff was personable, food was delish and drinks were great. Will be back soon.

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food. Great atmosphere and service. One of my favorite spots to eat at in all of Iowa.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    A bit expensive for common folks but delicious and upscale dining is fun for special evenings.

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    2 years ago

    The service is excellent, the atmosphere is cozy. Not a great selection for lunch, but good enough.

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    2 years ago

    Great food, questionable service. I don't think they should tip share. I've never been disappointed by them or their French dip!

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Aunt Maude's

    How many people can share one entree?

    Don't share, it's really good and you'll want to have it all to yourself. Never any leftovers, which is good! The appetizers are amazing too, so get a few of those.

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    Provisions Lot F - Provisions burger

    Provisions Lot F

    (346 reviews)

    $$

    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!

    Flame & Skewer - Fish Sandwich

    Flame & Skewer

    (38 reviews)

    $$

    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 :)

    Great food and reasonable prices. I would especially reccomend the Gyros Plater. These sole…read moreproprietership restaurants are becomming rare. This place deserves your support. The food, the service, always excellent and consistent. My favorite restaurant in Ames.

    Dublin Bay Irish Pub & Grill - Lamb burger & Brussels sprout

    Dublin Bay Irish Pub & Grill

    (232 reviews)

    $$

    Dublin Bay is an Ames long time favorite. Locally owned and operated Dublin Bay has a great bar…read morearea and quieter restaurant section. I love their food including Ruben, fish and chips, shepherds pie and Club Sandwich. I highly recommend Dublin Bay.

    We stopped in for dinner before an event at Stevens auditorium. We were seated right away and got…read moreour orders in. It's a very relaxing Irish pub vibe with a variety of seating options and lots of TVs. Our drinks came out quickly and the food followed shortly thereafter. I got a martini and it was very well prepared. My wife got a glass of wine from their decent wine list. For dinner, I had the lamb burger, which was quite tasty. It was a good combination of flavors and the fries were hot and crisp. My wife got a naked burger with a side salad. The creamy Parmesan was very tasty and it was a nice bed of greens. A table next to us had some sort of a problem with one of the dinners and the server tried many many times to get the customer to order a replacement, but he said he was OK with what he got. When she brought the check to them she made sure to take that off since he did not eat it and would not accept a replacement. They seem shocked at this, but I wondered why they just didn't get a replacement! Great service by that server. She was also our server and did a fantastic job with us. We had very tasty food and great drinks , so I would definitely recommend it and would go back if I was in the area.

    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

    Whatcha Smokin' BBQ & Brew

    (229 reviews)

    $$

    About an hour and a half drive but well worth the trip!…read moreSaturday early afternoon and it was packed...about a half hour wait for seating was the only downside. Service was outstanding and the staff seemed to be handling multiple aspects of the jobs and helping each other out...no one just did one thing and I think that really sped up the service. Katie was our primary server and was outstanding! We ordered up a two and a three meat deal and had Campground Beans, Creamy Coleslaw, Cheesy Potatoes,, and Mac & Cheese as sides as well as a slice of Texas Toast and Cornbread as sides....oh, and Golden Corn Nuggets as an appetizer. The Corn Nuggets were good and sweet and served up with honey and a ranch sauce for dipping. The meat choices were 3) Ribs, Pork Loin, and Turkey Breast....and 2) Pork Loin and Turkey Breast. The smoke on everything was amazing and just the right amount for excellent flavors..the ribs were very meaty. Some places ribs leave you wanting but not at Watcha Smoking! The Pork Loin and the Turkey Breast were both very good as well...still tender and not dried out. I liked the Neck of the Woods sauce the best (mild tomato based) as well as the Carolina Gold sauce...it had nice kick to it. The sides were all good but the only issue was the Cheesy Potatoes were a bit dry.....I'm thinking that it must've been towards the end of the batch and had been sitting around for a bit. Cornbread was excellent, Texas Toast tops, Coleslaw was a good shredded, wet slaw, the Mac and Cheese very good, and the Campground Beans were the preferred side as they had some good chunks of smoked meats mixed in. Fantastic place, great for small groups and large groups as well...great food and great service...Definitely worth the trip!

    Whatcha Smokin' continues to be our go to BBQ within reach of the Des Moines IA metro!…read more We tend to slide in early on Saturdays for lunch right after open (1100 AM) to avoid a line or a crowd. The main entrance is along Hwy 17; that's where you'll find the host/hostess station. They built a HUGE parking lot just to the North a couple years back to accommodate capacity. The restaurant now has three sections. The main building. The clubhouse (an extension of the main restaurant). And the grain bin (offers walk up ordering for outdoor seating)... You're greeted at the host/hostess station and someone takes you to your table. Both low and high top tables and chairs inside. Picnic tables outside. We prefer the main building... The clubhouse is okay, but the acoustics kind of suck in there. It's got very high ceilings (think machine shed)... One loud party in there can ruin your dining experience if you're not in the mood for a ruckus. They can be across the room and it still sounds like they are sitting at your table. Standard table service. Your server takes care of your drink and food order. They bus your table, present you with your bill, and take your payment at the end of the meal. Cash or card. The food all comes out of the main building. They have runners to take the covered trays wherever the party is sitting. There are fountain drink stations (Coke products) and bars in both the buildings. My girlfried absolutely loves the sliced smoked turkey and the cheesy potatoes. I go for the two meat plate (up charge both meats to the quarter rack of ribs) with a salad and cottage cheese. Choice of cornbread or Texas toast. Some of the best pork ribs you will ever have! The meat doesn't really need sauced, but they have it if you want it. Mix a little of the Sticky & Sweet and the Wildfire together... You can thank me later! There's something on their menu for everyone (standard BBQ items, wings, nachos, sandwiches, burgers, salads, family platters, etc.). Make sure you check out their daily specials! And they cater too! Service is always attentive and personable! There's a reason we are still going back on a regular basis (at least monthly) years after our first visit here...! If you're browsing Yelp for a place to eat and haven't been to Whatcha Smokin'... Stop right here! Stop scrolling! You really don't have to look any further... Plan your visit out if needed. BUT if you're in the area, they're open, and you are hungry... Just hit Go on your GPS and head over to Luther...! You won't be disappointed! https://www.whatchasmokinbbq.com/

    Aunt Maude's - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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