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Flame Cantina

4.0 (53 reviews)
Closed 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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Tony H.

I forgot how good this place was. I haven't been there since they first opened up, but my wife wanted to take me back there because she was recently there. we were greeted by friendly staff and seated us at a booth. We started with the trio-chips, guac, queso, And salsa. The chips were really good- thick and crunchy. You have to pay for them though. for our entrées, we split the Al past Doerr tacos and Birria tacos . Both were awesome. The real tacos were crunchy slightly soggy on the side. They were sitting on, but they came with an AU to dip in the Al. Pastor tacos were really good. They came with a mango salsa. For the sides, we got the corn which was awesome in the beans they both came with cheese. They have a really good drink selection. You can't go wrong with any of them. This place is really good. I would recommend it one of the best Mexican places in Ankeny. The only downfall is you have to pay for the chips, but they're totally worth it.

Hibiscus Margarita.... So good.
Andrea W.

We consistently enjoy this place since it opened! This is not your typical Mexican American restaurant; they really have done an amazing job with their craft cocktails, and artisan food! Street tacos are my fave here, and their salsa trio is what I always order. The Quesa Barilla tacos are my husband's fave! As I mentioned all the cocktails are so well thought out and delicious and not your average cocktail with fun flavors. It's such a treat to have this type of restaurant here in Ankeny, the staff and management are wonderful and friendly each time we've been in. Thursdays they have half off apps, and $4 margs and $3 beer from 4-close. A great time to go.

Fried Taquitos
Mark O.

I live in Johnston but now work in Ankeny. Seeing another Flame-owned nearby has helped the transition. They have a slightly expanded menu from the Johnston spot. I tried the taquitos and they were very good--fried to perfection. Service was cheery as always--I think some staff works at both restaurants. The vibe/decor screams suburban--not the warm, cozy atmosphere the taqueria has. Add horchata! But this spot is definitely worth checking out.

Desert plate at soft opening.
Dan T.

A while back I was invited to the soft opening for Flame Cantina in Ankeny. It was great to see some old friends and make a couple new ones. The space was reserved for private parties during the soft opening, and I was lucky enough to be invited to share an eight top with a group of great people. I was the first of our party to arrive and the staff was friendly and inviting. I was greeted immediately with welcoming smiles and seated within a minute or two. I went with a citrus jalapeño margarita. Very good. Fresh flavors, a touch of salt, and a faint nice gentle burn... A great start. We were served an appetizer of chips, queso, and salsa. The chips tasted made in house, the queso was thick and delicious, and the salsa was The menu is varied and spans from appetizers and street food, a selection of sandwiches (including burgers) to the more up scale entrees. Something for everyone and at multiple price points. It's hard to make a choice. I was looking at shrimp and pork at the higher price point and birria tacos that were a $14 plate (I think). And I honestly don't think I could have made a wrong choice. Everything I sampled was cooked perfectly and was very good. It's the old Pie Five space. Open and spacious. They did a great job with their remodel of the location. Having been to Pie Five multiple times it has a completely different feel while still feeling familiar. The entree I chose was the diablo shrimp and I added a side of asparagus. If you are expecting Iowa hot...this ain't your game! I asked our wonderful server if she could please bring me a refill of ice water...or a pitcher. Straight from the depths of hell that sauce showed no mercy... And yet it tasted fantastic! The grilled asparagus was up to par with everything else. A great side for $4. As things were wrapping up we were brought a desert plate. The tall shot glass looking glasses had tres leche cake topped with a raspberry. And I can't remember what the churro themed cake item was...other than it being to die for. It was so good and I wish I'd paid more attention to the details. I don't think I could do it justice anyway. The owner and staff were wonderful from start to finish...and I know that they're still not fully staffed with having some positions left to fill. A really great experience, but I was among friends who I dearly enjoy their company. We were blessed with a great meal and preview of Flame Cantina... But I'd have been happy being with that group at a Village Inn. Food is subjective and to be enjoyed, but I'm most grateful for the community, the fellowship, and those I now consider friends.

Family-Chips & salsa
Tim H.

My partner and I went to dinner on a Wednesday evening and the seating area was about half full and we were seated right away at a high top table. The server was very friendly and seemed to be servicing every table himself so it was a little while between check ins but totally understandable and not their fault. He made sure we had everything we needed and we had no complaints with the service. The food...was amazing. The chips are homemade and came out warm. For salsa we chose the Verde and the mild. Both salsas seemed homemade and were so flavorful. I even asked if they sold them! The Verde (green) had the perfect level of heat for me and was my favorite. My partner ordered the Birria tacos and they were soooo decadent and the flavor was incredible. Delicious! I ordered the honey lime shrimp bowl and WOW this was sooo good and the size and amount of shrimp was well worth the price. We can't wait to go back!

Chipotle Honey-Lime Shrimp Bowl
Katlyn M.

Everything was so fresh and flavorful. Food came out quick and hot. Wonderful service, too. Will definitely be back.

Enchiladas Suiza
Elizabeth M.

Best enchiladas I've had outside of Southern California, they were absolutely delicious, as were the fresh chips, queso, salsa, guacamole, and the Mexican corn. The service was excellent as well. We will definitely be back soon.

Menu
Hannah V.

Came here after receiving a gift card for Christmas and are we glad! We had been to the previous restaurant at this location and also enjoyed it, but Mexican is our favorite. They had a ton of staff working and got us seated, drinks, and food right away. We got chips and queso to start and then I got the mango shrimp tacos (substituted shrimp for chicken! Yay) and my husband got Lola's burrito. I thought the chips were air-ey with good seasoning. My tacos were great and full of flavor and spice. Lola's burrito was kinda spicy, but good. They have a great atmosphere, a bar, several TV's, and I overall liked the modern Mexican feel. Hope to come back soon!

Quesa Birria Tacos
Dallas S.

We went after my daughters birthday party. Staff was very welcoming and we were sat fast. Ordered the chips and salsa with a side of queso for an appetizer. The chips are fresh homemade with a really tasty seasoning on them. The salsa and queso was very good. Ordered the Quesa Birria Tacos. The food came out very fast and was very tasty. It was my first time having birria tacos so I don't have much to compare it to. It was more like a crock pot beef flavor than a Mexican flavor but was very good dipped in the adobo aus jus. The restaurant was very clean and tidy with a few televisions and a small bar.

El pastor tacos, chips and queso, adobo chicken burrito bowl

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Best Mexican in Ankeny, and we've tried a lot. Take our word (and order the street corn)!!!

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

Mine blown. So good. Worth checking out for yourself. The burritos and tacos are so good. Chips and salsa. You won't be disappointed.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

Best Mexican in town and very friendly staff! Their street tacos are the best! It is worth the higher prices. Highly recommend!

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3 years ago

Not the place for authentic Mexican. Food overpriced, especially chips and salsa. And a bug fell on my head while I was eating.

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

Birria tacos are amazing. Super impressed with everything that I have tried from this place.

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3 years ago

the bria tacos are probably my favorite tacos i've ever had. the tortilla chips are awesome as well.

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Have always wanted to try this place and on a Saturday night…read moreafter a Costco run my husband and I decided to stop here. There was a small but steady crowd throughout the night and we had top- notch service from our server- knowledgeable about the menu, attentive in the 'just right way' - carefully observing drinks and not interrupting date night more than necessary. A variety of local And other craft beers were featured although surprisingly not any from Firetrucker next door! The holiday decor was still up but even without it has a warm feel- love the various table sizes and heights and the long bar with a pretty decent offering for cocktails. While there, the bartender was experimenting with drinks and having fun. After recommendations I ordered the French dip which was phenomenal! Homemade bread, warm, generous meat and peppers and grilled onions, flavorful dip . I will say if I ordered again I would ask to have the sauce left off as I am not a fan of horseradish sauce. Still, it was tasty! Side salad as option was super fresh with mixed greens and the house creamy Italian was bursting with herby flavor. my husband had the tenderloin and while delicious- it was 'bougie' and not the traditional Midwest. It was generous and interesting as a dinner option. Would certainly return as the patio is inviting (just not in January)!'

It's been awhile since I've been able to Iowa and the Ankeny main Street has significantly grown!…read more Stopped into TT for lunch and it didn't disappoint! Great casual spot to grab. Drink or some great bites! Grilled cheese and a side of tomato bisque was just perfect. Great drinks, great service!

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I went to an appreciation dinner with colleagues on Monday night. This was my first visit to…read moreDistrict 36. We were hosted in the private room on the west side. There were about 30 people in our group . They had already ordered the table appetizers before I arrived consisting of The Deviled Eggs with bacon, Artichoke Spinach dip and Crab Rangoon dip. All were delicious even though a bit cold from sitting for a while before they got passed around. We had 2 servers that I didn't get names but both were very attentive and managed the group very well . Everyone's orders were taken efficiently, I got the Frutti Di Mare in a white sauce with the seafood bisque soup. The entire dish was delicious with the exception of the bread, it was rock hard, but I didn't need it anyway . The bisque soup came out too cool for my liking but the waitress had a new bowl served at the right temp and it was perfect. I would eat a whole vat of that. The meal was great, shrimp perfectly prepared and fresh and snappy, plenty of mussels and a large portion providing a take home amount that served as dinner the next night too. I also indulged in a key lime pie because if rave reviews. I was not disappointed. Overall the place is elegant and classy enough for a suit and tie but still casual enough for shorts and flip flops. It will make for a nice date spot for an anniversary dinner. By the way this review was not written or touched by AI.

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4.0(76 reviews)
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My friend and I came here on a Saturday night, and although it was quite busy, we were seated right…read moreaway. The service was excellent--our waiter was kind, attentive, and made us feel well taken care of. I ordered the yakisoba bowl without any meat add-ins, and I'm so glad I did. It was easily the best yakisoba I've ever had. The sauce leans more sweet than salty, which made it really unique and flavorful. I absolutely loved it. I would definitely recommend stopping by if you're in the area. I definitely think it would be a great spot to watch any sporting event. It is winter time, but looks like it would be a nice spot in the summer. I can't wait to come back and try more items on the menu!

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3.9(152 reviews)
0.8 mi
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I want to start off this review with an absolute SOB of not living in the area and probably never…read moregetting to eat here again. Atmosphere: Located at the end of strip mall. Huge bar, but not a ton of seating. Large parking lot. There is no area to wait and there will be a wait if you don't have a reservation. We waited about 25 minutes for a table without a reservation. Clean bathrooms. Service: Super friendly staff that were rolling with the punches as it was absolutely packed. Food: OH MY GOD. So good, so so soooooo good. The food here honestly reminded me of my time in Ireland, this is the closet I've got to that level of amazingness without actually being there. Even the brown bread reminded me of many meals in County Clare. I forgot to take a photo of the corned beef and cabbage and potatoes but I will never forget them. Perfectly tender, and seasoned. I will dream about this place and hope that some day I end up back in Iowa.

Cute dinner or drinks spot in Ankeny! It is an Irish themed pub/restaurant but the food quality is…read moreamazing!! We got the fish and chips and it was great! I will say for the area, the portion did seem a bit small for the price, but that is the only downside I have! They have an option of seating types from booths, tables, and a bar area. They had sports on multiple tvs so you could watch that as well! The server was super kind and hopeful with recommending various things on the menu. They have a large selection of draft beers as well as unique cocktails. Even some fall themed ones! If you go certainly try the fish and chips!

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Hernandez Mexican Bar and Grill - Fajitas

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4.8(24 reviews)
1.9 mi

¡Buen provecho!…read more Every time we come back to Hernandez Mexican Bar and Grill we enjoy it even more. This trip was no exception the owner, Jose , greeted us like old friends and really made the experience unforgettable. I'm not sure if it's my charm or my wife's beauty but we seem to get the best service over and over. Between our server and the Jose we had top notch service, again. We usually sit at the bar here, but opted for a booth today, the different perspective gives a great view of the entire restaurant and the decor and surroundings definitely make you feel festive. The place is always spotless and well kept. All the other guests were receiving the same quality of service and we love watching all the other amazing dishes leave the kitchen. (The food parade) We we ready for some drinks so we orders a couple of the shaker margaritas - totally worth the little extra! The bring them in shakers and pour the first serving for you. There always seems to be enough in the shaker to fill the glass a couple of times, plus some, and the mix is way better than t he typical house margs. We were treated to a complimentary order of guacamole which is a big winner. The guac is fresh made and server perfectly with all the right vegies included. I like mine with a little more heat and lime so I just make some minor adjustments at the table, but it is really delicious and SO fresh! We are trying to be a little calorie conscious so we opted to share a Chimichanga. The plate is huge a full of a delicious fresh salad, steaming refired beans with excellent flavor and the jumbo sized chimichanga smothered in warm queso sauce and filled with perfectly seasoned shredded chicken. My mouth is watering just writing the review! ALL-IN-ALL ANOTHER VERY HAPPY VISIT! ¡Mil gracias!

Amazing service and even better food!! Elvio (Elvis) and…read moreJose specifically are always a pleasure to see! I have never had a bad experience here and we have made this our weekly date night spot for the past year and a few months. Amazing people!! The best food in Ankeny and the best margaritas in Iowa this is a MUST try place! There are so many Mexican food options here in Ankeny and this one is TOP of the list, we don't go anywhere else anymore! I can't say enough good things about this place , they consistently have the best service- always a warm welcome as if you were part of the family. It should be packed nightly it's that good!! Amazing food , always fresh and hot! Salsa so good I take home the extras! Highly recommend trying Hernandez! I don't do reviews often as most places are pretty generic or "okay" but this place is worth the try (or the weekly stop!) I also got this beautiful hand made Vase on my last trip and it needs credit too!!

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Hernandez Mexican Bar and Grill - Steak and chicken over rice smothered in queso

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Flame Cantina - mexican - Updated May 2026

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