The Big Steer has long been a staple in Altoona's eatery options. I've been eating here since I was…read morea kid in the '70s. The quality of food is excellent! The prices since Covid have been a bit high, IMHO, but still acceptable. I do miss their take out dinner specials from the Covid era. They were an excellent value. If you enjoy a cocktail on occasion, they have one of the best bartenders in the Des Moines area!

Over-priced low quality steak. Service was excellent, with…read morea friendly attentive waitress, despite the restaurant being packed. Environment was noisy, with only a few inches between tables. Bacon-wrapped scallops were grilled to perfection, but could have used some seasoning. My wife said her French onion soup was too salty. The hashbrowns were a joke -- unseasoned mashed potatoes in a mold that was browned on top. No hashbrown texture at all. My wife's sirloin steak was quite good. However, my $56 dry-aged 12-oz ribeye was a disappointment. I expected a melt-in-your-mouth experience. What I got was a somewhat dry piece of meat with very little marbling, but with a chunk of fat in the middle. Both steaks were poorly seasoned. Steaks should be prepared with a ample amount of salt and pepper. Adding it after the fact isn't the same.

We stopped in during a bicycle ride today and enjoyed some great beers anda friendly bartender…read more She was awesome and friendly. I think she and my wife my be besties after that visit! We had some seasonal beers and relaxed before heading back home in the wind. The "talking shit about a pretty sunset." Was a delicious wheat beer. They should add it to their normal offerings. This brewery has always offered some of the best brew in Des Moines. The location is really awesome and historical. They claim that is it haunted. So maybe you could get some boos and brews! Lol! Go check it out!

I never felt welcome the entire time I was here. Maybe I put off my anti-bicyclist vibe…read more Anyhow, I sat myself at the bar. The female bartender tried to serve someone else first; the customer told them I was there before them. The male bartender never said a word to me. They never checked back in, never asked if I'd been there before, but seemed to embrace their regulars. I left after one and probably will not return...unfortunate, as the blood orange wheat I had was delicious. Crisp, full flavor with a clean finish.

Stopped for lunch during a bike ride & sat outside. It was nice with the umbrella…read more We shared a grinder--some places will cut it in half but we had to use a plastic knife. The grinder was good & had plenty of meat. I thought it was a bit salty but friend didn't notice. Fries were tasty. The waitress was the only worker & did a good job of keeping up. The table could've used a good scrub. Menus could use a refresh. We had plastic silverware--perhaps a change post Covid? A nice stop off the bike path.

This place has gone steadily downhill over the last few years. Was one of our favorite stops on the…read moretrails, no more. Today was the last time. We sat down and waited 10 minutes to get anyone to stop by our table. All the while we watched the servers stop and drop shots off for a big table, watch them consume their shots, cleared their table, then walk away from us again. We left. Never had a server acknowledge us. And it wasn't busy. A similar experience happened last season and we gave them yet another shot. Really sad to see a great location like this turn away previous happy clients.

The food here is terrible.The bartender Matt is really rude.The whole place smells really bad.I…read morewould not recommend this place to anyone.

Food was amazing! Great and friendly staff. They had music bingo on Thursday night. Will definitely…read morebe adding to my favorites list

PSA: Yuengling and Yuengling Flight on tap!!! Bonus surprise…read moreof the night. I was in the mood for a burger so we decided to try Burger Shed. We have been there before with friends for drinks and enjoyed the restaurant and good service so decided to check out their burgers. We were in around 5:15 on a Saturday night and immediately seated in a large booth. Our server was friendly and attentive and efficient (checked in briefly 3 times and let us say if we needed anything) all throughout the meal. The burger menu isn't super extensive but satisfying to all palettes- a classic/simple/just the basics, to specialty (see picture). I did sample the means for other offerings and there were many diverse offerings. Apps and dessert tempting but all I was craving was a good burger. I wasn't sure about Mac and cheese on my burger but it was a nice addition. I took some off the burger and enjoyed as an extra side/ it was creamy and mildly flavor so as to add more texture than actual flavor to the burgers. I should mention I had not eaten all day as normally I could never eat two burgers, however they were more thin than thick and tasted perfect on what tasted almost like a steamed (and soft) bun. I enjoyed the signature pickles on the side and added a little signature bacon jam to the burger which was a nice flair of flavor. My husband's burger was the perfect mix of cheese and mushrooms and flavor. Nothing special about the Tots or fries except a generous amount of both and their presentation in a mini fry basket. We waited about 10-15 minutes for our food but between water and drinks served it was a quick wait, especially for a Saturday night. This is a pleasant restaurant whether eating in a quiet booth or for watching bets while eating. Lots of options for couples or larger groups. There isn't much parking close to the restaurant but we found spaces at the hotel right next to it. Worth the drive. Craving satisfied.

Great food as usual for a late dinner stop. Exceptional service tonight from Emily…read more Looking for great burger options, the Shed is a place to stop. Great cheese curds, too!

We were just passing through and decided to pop into this cute little place for a quick bite. It…read morewas a little late for dinner, so we had no trouble finding a parking spot and getting seated right away, which was a nice surprise. They serve Pepsi products, which isn't my favorite, but it wasn't a big deal. We were given a complimentary basket of warm, fresh chips with salsa. The chips were great, but the salsa was just okay. It wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. I added some of the hot sauce we asked for, which definitely had a good kick, and that improved it quite a bit. I ordered the burrito special with beef and beans, and added cheese sauce and tomato. It came out quickly, which I appreciated. I was a little surprised to see sliced tomatoes on top instead of chopped ones like you usually get with tacos. Maybe that was just my assumption, so I'll take the blame on that. The burrito had nice flavor, but the inside was just a bit too cool for me. Not cold, but definitely not hot either. If it had been steaming warm, I think I would have really enjoyed it. All in all, it was a decent little stop in a charming town. The service was friendly, the food came out fast, and it worked well for a quick meal while traveling.

I saw that there was a new Mexican restaurant at the old Helen and Pat's location and decided to…read moretake my wife there to try it out Parking was difficult as almost all the available spots were taken. We had to go around the corner and park in one of the few spots left across the street. They asked us if we wanted a table by the door, but we asked for booth instead because it was cold out and there were a lot of people coming and going. They gave us the old booth they had ready, which was a huge one that seats 8 people in the back. They gave us menus, chips and salsa, and took our drink orders. We were both amazed at how extensive the menu was. I took photos of it. We both identified a couple of things we would be interested in trying. There is even a whole section for steaks, and the menu has American food, too. When the waitress came back, she asked if we would mind moving to a smaller booth because they had another large group come in. We were happy to oblige. At first, it seemed like this was a mistake because we were now in a corner and it seemed like the new waitress was too busy to notice us. Once she came and took our order, everything was fine from there. The food came out quicker than we were expecting given how crowded they were. I had the Texas fajita, with steak, chicken, and shrimp. My wife had the Ceviche, which she said could use a little more lime, but my food was fantastic. We agreed that there were a lot of other dishes that we'd like to come back and try. We also ran into a relative who said she's already a regular there. I expect we'll be back soon.

We went to eat right around 5 o'clock. We got right in no wait at all. We were seated in kat's…read moresection. She was very nice and did not rush us to order, she even when to find out what beers were on special. Our food came out quickly. My salmon was cooked great and not too salty. My husband's steak was cooked to medium rare the way he wanted it. Rattle snake bites were good and not overly greasy. The restaurant is pretty loud but that's the way all Texas roadhouses are. We will definitely be back.

food is great. Service was great. Music was obsessively loud. Could not have a conversation. If I…read morewanted to eat and run to save my hearing I will go somewhere else next time

We had a great waitress! She was attentive & pleasant…read more It's a sports bar-- lots of tvs & occasional cheers. We were watching an ISU FB game. Drinks came quickly. Hubby's walleye bites were tender & tasty. Mac & cheese was basic. My flat bread pizza was good. It had a cream cheese base so you can only eat a few slices of that decadent pie! Friend's brisket sandwich & fries were good. Her hub's prime rib grilled cheese was tasty. The coleslaw he had with it was flavorless. It was a bit chilly in the booth with north side windows! Want to watch a game? Great place!!

SBG is one of my all time favorites. I've never had a bad experience. Service is great, bartenders…read moreare friendly, food is fantastic and worth every penny. TV's everywhere, you won't miss a game! I hate the tall bar tables, but there are plenty of booths. Brisket quesadillas is one of my favorites as are the burgers and parm fries. You just can't go wrong here!

My favorite place to eat in Altoona! The food is always chef's kiss perfect, and the staff and…read moreservice... it just doesn't get any better. The portions are generous and tasty, I can't recommend their top shelf margaritas enough. One of the wait staff convinced to try it with Don Julio instead of our usual Patron, and it was a game changer! So smooth. It the warmer weather they open the walls for an indoor/outdoor experience. Atmosphere is great as well. High Recommend this restaurant!

Top notch margaritas Seriously, they have the best…read moremargaritas on the planet. Probably even off planet as well! Food is always amazing, on a higher level than any other Mexican restaurant. Staff is friendly and courteous, they always remember us. Even the owner, manager, boss, El Jefe is a treasure. They do things right, according to their own standards, clearly. The new place is nice and modern, but truthfully I liked the old place better. It just had more character. Nevertheless, el mejor!