I've passed Cole's many times and just kind of shrugged it off. It looks like a state fair food…read morestand that sits along the road. We rolled by it on our way home from a little day trip North today and decided to give it a try. There is no inside dining room. Just a walk up window and a pseudo-patio with a few picnic tables. Parking is tight, but there are a few adjacent spaces that can catch overflow if needed. I didn't know a lot about Cole's. A few pieces of Star Wars memorabilia, loud colored signs, a veterans mural and large battle cross on the storefront caught my eye. Being a veteran myself I decided to dig in a little bit and try to figure out what was going on with this place. The first thing I found... We were first timers, but people LOVE this place. There was a line. We were rubbernecking and watching food come out the window while waiting to order. The locals were friendly. More than once we heard "We've never had anything bad here. It's ALL good." Second. Cole's basically burned to the ground last year. The owner with support of the community of Slater rebuilt it. The third thing... Even more humbling for me than the story surrounding the rebuild. And the one that gave me the answer I was looking for about the veteran related pieces... The owner of Cole's (David Sturdy) named his restaurant after his son Brandon Cole Sturdy. Brandon joined the Marines and was lost to hostile fire in the Afghanistan War at the age of 19 on May 4, 2004. From this former sailor... Semper Fortis Marine. The food. We ordered a Cole's Super Tenderloin. Hand pounded and perfectly cooked. Topped with brisket, onion rings, dill pickles, and BBQ sauce. The Super Tenderloin was comboed out with some of the best onion rings I've ever had. Large. Whole onion rings...not minced. And again perfectly fried. The mound of shredded cheese is covering a boat of chili and hand cut fries hot out of the fryer. That and one scoop of hard chocolate ice cream in a bowl came to $27.50... Service at the window went well. The portions are HUGE. We split everything and were both more than full. If a little bit of a wait pisses you off... If you're not okay eating at a picnic table, in your car, or at a nearby park... This might not be the place for you. If you like good fair style food and ice cream... Grinders, various types of hot dogs, burgers, tenderloins, chicken strips, etc. Cyclones, hard pack ice cream, soft serve, banana splits and more.... See their Facebook page for a full menu. If you enjoy something new. Enjoy a short day trip. Enjoy time outside with your family on a beautiful day. This is a great spot. About seven weeks ago the owner made a post on Facebook that almost sounded like the restaurant's days might be numbered. Under it was a comment that added more detail. Like it may only be open on weekends for now... I know it was open today. And I know it would be a damn shame to lose another small town Iowa treasure like this with everything going on right now...

Cole's American Tenderloin and Ice Cream Bar is one of those little places you drive by and think,…read more"bet the food is good there." Famous for its American Tenderloin, Cole's also offers old-fashioned shakes made with real ice cream, and huge tacos with a pound of meat. The tenderloin $12/tax) is the star, a hand-pounded piece of meat so juicy and tender it almost melts in your mouth. The French fries are fried in a special fat and covered with herbs. The flavor of Cole's fried food tastes outstanding and the portion sizes are easily enough for two people. This is traditional Americana roadside fried food at its finest. Inside dining is limited to just a few tables, most people probably pick up their ice cream treats outside "to go" in the summer. Not really much here for people with specific dietary needs. It's just not that kind of place but they often try new items for the menu. Today's new item was tater tots with beef, onions, sprinkled with cheese. Sometimes you're just really hungry for this kind of food.

The ice cream is delicious. I first found out about Wiggy's at a special event where they were…read moreserving ice cream. I had their Butterfinger which is excellent. Since then I have had their chocolate (very chocolaty) and coffee (made with real coffee) and both rich and creamy. My favorite is still the Butterfinger, but there are more flavors to try. Their truck is located in the Stonebrook Community Church parking lot Monday through Saturday 5-9 PM, but be sure to check their Facebook page, or call, as they may be away at a special event.

Great ice cream cart. Ice cream is prepackaged with 3 small scoops in a container. It is fresh and…read moreyummy. They have mint Oreo flavor which is out of this world.

We drove through this little spot for ice cream. We ordered the Oreo freezer and the Brownie Bits…read morefreezer...all delicious. Went through the drive through for five freezers and they were done so quickly. Person at the window was nice and accommodating! If you love harder soft serve ice cream mixed with yummy goodness this is the place to go! Our niece lives here and recommended it--will definitely go again!

I absolutely love the ice cream from this place. It is my treat for a cone after my Cardio…read morePulmonary Therapy at the Grundy Hospital on Fridays. The fact that they have a Drive-Thru window is a big benefit to those with physical and health issues that limit their mobility like myself. The staff is very welcoming, pleasant and helpful.

Love the small town treasures! Support local!…read moreWe stopped on a week night . There are options in the window and some really unique flavors. Just a few blocks off the main road its the cutest little stop. Greeted friendly at the window. They took our orders and let us know that we would step around and get the ice cream at the other window. I got the Whiskey flavored ice cream and it was rather good. Hubby went for a small shake and it came out huge! You get your moneys worth. You don't go inside, you get to enjoy the tables out in the lot. Its open air dining. People walk up from all around. Everyone is cheerful and kind. Perfect little place on a hot summer day to enjoy a sweet treat. Enjoy the stop and have some ice cream.

A wonderful place to stop in for your ice cream fix! Conveniently located in downtown Madrid and…read morejust off the famous high trestle bike path. Voted one of the top ice cream parlors in the state of Iowa. You simply have to make time to stop. Open daily in the summer from one to 9 PM but check hours. Shop offers and abundance of outdoor seating and great service. Ice cream is just awesome! What more could you ask for in the heart of Iowa?

Great variety of popcorn and I absolutely love the Puppy Chow I picked up today. Also grabbed a…read morecouple of ice cream sandwiches. The two young ladies at the front were very friendly and helpful.

Try the Malt Amore pint in the secret freezer. Bbbbbbest ice cream ever! Almost made me change…read moreto FoodyH. Also the high school girls serving were so nice.

Nestled in a set of businesses halfway between Ames and Ankeny, Flight nailed my first visit with a…read moreterrific meal and great customer service. Plenty of parking and a comfortable interior, they enable diners to have a positive visit without being cramped or rushed. Noise isn't an issue. Opened with a sensational Onion Haystack, a unique dish that was aided by a pair of sauces, Chipotle ranch and buttermilk ranch. My burger was outstanding, The Classic, perfectly cooked and served on a delicious bun. I snagged some tasty sweet potato fries from my Way Better Half too! Coke products a plus too! Server Brooklyn was excellent, providing great guidance with a kind nature.

We went to Flight Bar + Grill in Huxley, Iowa to celebrate a family birthday. It was a great…read moreexperience. First, it was Fall graduation weekend at Iowa State University 8 miles up the road, so the place was packed. They told us we would have about an hour wait, but you could see the tickets were flying out of the kitchen, and that things were moving along nicely. We stopped in the bar for a drink, and I ordered a Manhattan up. It was very well made, and reasonably priced. In less than 45 minutes, we got our table. Flight has a variety of specialty smash burgers, and I chose the Crown Wagyu Burger. It's a double Wagyu patty smash burger with smoked gouda, hot pepper bacon jam, arugula, caramelized onion aioli + onion haystack. It was a fantastic burger, and the fries I had as a side were very nice too. The service was swift and friendly, and it was an overall great experience. The building itself is very clean With just the right lighting. It's got kind of an industrial look to it, and it is a nice space. It looked like there was a little banquet room off to the side for pre-scheduled gatherings. All in all, definitely two thumbs up for Flight!

The Uptown Dairy is quite the treat. Right in the heart of Uptown Ankeny this shop is bright and…read morefresh and inviting. The place is immaculate and they have both indoor and outdoor seating options. For all my friends of the High Trestle Trail it literally is footsteps from their front door, you can eat their ice cream and ride your bike! WIN- WIN!!! The ice cream selections are amazing, and so many its is hard to choose, but i did! We got massive scoops of yummy, creamy deliciousness on a fresh and crispy waffle cone, of which they have several types to choose from. The workers on this particular day were fantastic, attentive and fast, They even hooked us up with some pup cups to go! (The dogs thank you!) If you are feeling like rewarding yourself or just have a hankering for something delicious and Ice Cream fits the bill, pop on in to the Uptown Dairy and try their treats! You will not be disappointed!

Pretty pricey, but pretty worth it! What to know: servings are generous and there is richness and…read moresmoothness in every bite: there are LOTS of choices for flavors- some simple like strawberry but most with multiple ingredients. Free samples. Outside and inside seating. Pay extra for cones. Off the bike trail. We went on a Sunday afternoon and got ahead of a rush of bikers and walkers and the service was just as friendly for our group of 4 as when there was a line. Ice cream is delicious.

Enjoyed some time at this small business on Main Street today. We ended up getting some coffee and…read morethe forest berry sorbet which was all very yummy. They also have a lot of different and unique merchandise for sale outside of the ice cream and beverages like jewelry, games, puzzles, decorations, snacks, small gifts etc. I would definitely recommend checking it out!

The lemon ice cream was amazing! Nice owners and gift shop too…read more My husband loved their signature Marmalade Moon ice cream . All ice cream made from scratch

Cherry Goat Cheese ice cream???? Who would have thought????? It's delicious!!!! Also tried the…read moreScotcheroo...yummy!!! Can't wait to go back to try the Apple Pie and Oreo Espresso!!!!

Disclaimer: I had their ice cream from their company van at Spring Revelry music festival, not at…read morebrick and mortar business. They were so generous with samples. I tried Dutch letters, goat cheese cherry, and toffee. Again, it was cold outside, but I bought ice cream anyway. Because they were so nice, I bought a 2 scoop size for $11.00. The goat cheese cherry was so good. The toffee one was also really good. Support local business!

Always friendly and good quality. When it's busy line can take a bit to get through since there are…read moreusually only 1 to 2 people working.

The person who gave it to me was drunk I think and he spilled it all over my clothes and I asked…read morefor a refund and they said no horrible