good food, nice workers, clean with chill, classy vibe. extensive dessert menu with reasonable…read moreprices and they also have baguettes which is awesome

My wife and I went out for dinner last night and had THE Cafe's special entre. It was a fish dish…read morefeaturing many varieties including red snapper, and shrimp. It was an Italian soup style with incredible flavor. I hope they offer it many times again, as we loved it!

One of my favorite stops in ames. Staff is kind and the vibe is very cool and relaxed…read more I've tried about every crepe on the menu and they are all great and range from classic flavors to unique combinations id never think to get in a crepe. First time getting the matcha here I usually get the lemonade it's very good but the matcha was surprisingly really good! I'm very picky about my matchas and struggle to find coffee shops that make good ones but this is probably one of the better options in Ames.

Love this café! Great ambiance and such a cozy vibe. I especially loved the dog pictures on the…read morewall and all the political posters. The coffee was delicious--not too sweet or overly milky. I got the cardamom latte and loved that they make their syrups in-house; it really makes the coffee feel worth the price. We got the Shrute crepe and added an egg, and it was delicious and super fresh. For the sweet crepe, we tried the apple & brie. It wasn't my favorite--the brie wasn't as melty as I'd hoped--but I'll definitely try a different flavor next time!

If you love yourself, this is what you're going to do: you're going to go to The Dot on a…read moreWednesday, Thursday, or Friday. The menu changes depending on weekend/weekday status. You're going to order the broccoli reuben (not available on weekends). You're going to leave a changed person. The Dot is cozy! When my parents visited me up here, they requested multiple Dot trips. It's really that good. For some historical context for the curious, The Dot moved into the building formerly occupied by Daytime Diner. Daytime was one of my favorite places in Ames, but their pipes burst during the intense blizzard we had back in January of 2024. You can still see one of their stickers in the doorframe of the leopard bathroom. They reopened much later with weird hours and a flipped ordering system, and they were unable to stay afloat. I was devastated. But, The Dot has moved in to surpass what Daytime was able to achieve. Ames continues to have innovative and exciting food options!

Cute brunch spot in Ames! Food was delicious and drinks were nice too! Decor is adorable here love…read morethe different salt and pepper shakers at each table. Service is very fast. However one complaint was that dine in was a bit awkward when I went, you order your food at the register, and if you see a spot open you just have to grab it. One more thing is you have to wait for a staff to clear it off before you can sit down. And theres a crowd of people awkwardly standing around by the register during their peak hours since it's not that big of a building. Feels like they should just encourage people to put away their dishes at a certain spot if customers can sit anywhere. Overall a really nice brunch spot and I will be back to try their other items. George says chomp chomp cho out of 3 chomps!

A quaint coffee shop over in West Ames. This place is my absolute favorite study spot. There are…read moreplenty of tables. My favorite spot is the high top tables that face the windows. They are a great spot to wire in and get work down and they have outlets. Their drinks have a large variety. They have smoothies for when you dont need the caffeine late at night. They also have a decent variety of pastries. The part that makes Milo unique is the community. I realize it sounds cheesy so let me explain myself. All the baristas are really friendly and nice. They welcome you and do all the standard stuff, however if they recognize you the visit is even better. I guess that what I'm trying to say is. Come to Milo to try it. Then come back again and again cause it only gets better.

Spacious & welcoming environment, clean bathrooms, welcoming staff. Drinks were almost as much as…read morethe food with my bill $13ish before tip for a smoothie that claims to be made from fresh fruit and is made from processed smoothie concentrate that is made with real fruit + a salty maple latte. The latte was too salty and too sweet and the espresso shots were weak while the milk wasn't frothed properly to be a real latte. I can't accept that just because I'm in a small town or a state like Iowa, quality needs to be compromised. There was not a design in my latte either and it definitely wasn't possible with the milk that was frothed.

This was the first place i stopped to in town to get my coffee fix, it was excellent. The counter…read morestaff were extremely friendly and were pumped to recommend stuff for me to do in Ames. They didn't have drip coffee so i opted for an americano and it was delicious. Awesome place.

Morning Bell Coffee Roasters claims to pour a brew that is "moderately acceptable ". I'd say it…read moregreatly exceeds expectations. I really like is a coffee shop with a cool, informal vibe that opens early. Throw in a nice window and some big ass plants and I am in! Filled with plenty of seating, a couple of outdoor tables for the nice days and some larger tables for those with actual work to do, it's easy to spend a chunk of time here. I am sure if I lived nearby, I'd be here all the time. In fact, if I was looking for a home in Ames, I'd probably just draw a circle within walking distance and start my search there. Looking to start your day in Ames with a morning pour over or simple espresso? Morning Bell is your place.

The Easter Sunday brunch was phenomena! A much needed change from the serve yourself buffets…read more Having the food delivered to the table with an explanation from the server, was a hit with our seven guests. Food was excellent. We were impressed that there was not a limit to the amount of food a person wanted and it was brought to the table immediately. The only thing we would ask, is to have salt and pepper on the table. We will be back!

Super fun cafe with a European vibe. Came here with a private party and we had a blast. I…read moredefinitely would recommend a pomegranate lemonade. The meal started with greek salad and was delicious. Our main course was a chicken parm risotto. I loved it but others found it very heavy. Our servers were attentive but not overbearing. Would definitely recommend!

Best coffee & coffee drinks in town. Funky, friendly atmosphere. Friendly, funny employees. Nice…read moreselection of gently used albums & unique art.

I had an Americano at Vinyl Cafe and really enjoyed the experience. The coffee was bold and well…read morebalanced without tasting bitter. What made the visit especially memorable was the vinyl collection and the great music, which gave the place the feeling of a relaxed neighborhood hangout. The service was warm and friendly, and I never felt rushed. I would definitely stop by again.

Everyone working there is so nice and the drinks are made perfect each time! Highly recommendread more

Stopped by seven brew and somehow managed to get a flat tire in the parking lot. Before I could…read moreeven start panicking, Emma had the tire changed and me back on the road in no time. Great coffee and staff Highly recommend!

First time here and I was pleasantly surprised! I'm very picky with my coffee and this was really…read moregood! I also had a turkey club and that was really good as well! The homemade bun it was on was so yummy! My only recommendation would be that they clean better. We sat by a window and there was cob webs, bugs and dirt in the window right by our table along with a dead plant.

Really good coffee place. I took my son and he liked the cold coffee. Their scones are as good as a…read moredonut! The people working there were really nice and smiling

As always, had a great family dining experience @ BTG. Great food, great atmosphere and most…read moreimportantly great service by server Kilder and manager Jefferson. Definitely recommend this unique Des Moines restaurant. It's definitely an excellent experience.

We came here to try something new for our anniversary. I'd read through reviews, which were very…read moremixed, and decided to see for ourselves. We've been to Fogo du Chao, which is definitely a very upscale version of this style of restaurant. With the understanding that you get what you pay for, we did not expect something that fancy. Still, this was an expensive indulgence for us - we did not order alcohol or dessert, having only fountain pop and the full churrasco experience. For two people, this was over $100. We live a ways north of Ames, so we had over an hour drive to come. Unfortunately, we were disappointed over all. First, the good: plenty of parking, very clean, cute, spacious - it was not busy, so not noisy. The service was quick and efficient but impersonal. We never had to wait for a drink refill, but never had a, "my name is, and I'll be your server today" kind of person. Everything was very clean. Second, the negatives: We prefer to follow a keto/carnivore-ish eating pattern, so I was very excited to go to a place that seemed to emphasize meats. We did visit the salad bar at first, just to see what was there. We sampled a few of the offerings - the cucumber salad had literally no discernible dressing of any kind. A tomato salad was mushy and mealy. My husband tried the cheesy mashed potatoes and said they were dry and lacking in flavor. There was a pasta alfredo, but the alfredo sauce was ridiculously watery.  The meats, when they came, were merely okay. I don't prefer chicken, but the chicken was good, well seasoned and well cooked, and not too dry. The pork selections were gristly and tough. The beef selections - when they got to our table - were also tough and unseasoned. I like beef in almost any style, and this was okay, but nothing unique or delicious. I could have cooked it better at home. Nothing caramelized or crispy on the outside. Often, we would see the beef come out, and by the time they made a small loop in the restaurant, it was gone before they got to our table. We only got steak once, though we were offered chicken, pork and sausage several times. We had the barbeque beef, and this also was a nice flavor, but this beef was overcooked and very tough. Overall, this was not worth the money to us. I am sad, because I like this style of restaurant, and it is the only one in Des Moines, and I really want it to succeed. However, I've had better salad bar selections in variety and freshness at Chinese buffets, and I could get a huge, delicious steak and grilled shrimp at Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, etc., for a fraction of the price. I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this to anyone.