Bartenders are some of the best in town. The food is awesome, vibes are immaculate. Have been here…read moremultiple times and it keeps me coming back!

I think the owners forgot that they are advertising this as an upscale location. Saturday night and…read moreinstead of the "comforting blue glow" and "top notch cocktail bar" prominently mentioned throughout the website, it was just another sports bar. A cage fight on one of the tv's was on full volume pumping through the bars sound system, the sophisticated cocktail menu was just some soggy paper menus. Bartender seemed annoyed we even showed up which was interesting given the nearly empty place. Ankeny desperately needs a cocktail lounge but this isn't it.

Good local spot Cold drinks friendly service…read more Chicken on nachos was only knock on the place

Taco Tuesday is ok, not good. Service sub par at best,…read more STOP assuming everyone that walks in the door is a lifer and knows that just because the locals know it's Taco Tuesday that it means no point in the menu, except it doesn't. I had no idea if there was meat choices (there isn't) or toppings or sides (there are sides like fries) I'm glad I asked for the menu, as I almost thought about the nachos. Which I would have not known about if I hadn't seen a menu. We did not appreciate the rudeness when she asked if we were ready to order and I replied how would we know we haven't seen a menu. Just for her to roll her eyes and come back and toss them on the table. That attitude made me not want to spend my money there and my tip absolutely reflected her poor behavior. She could have earned 20 from me alone out of our group, instead of what was left over from the change. I work in the service industry and I appreciate both good food and service and it also would have been nice if our checks were correct but I have learned to pick and chose my battles but that also helped contribute to her not super tip. To the taco loved the shell it's like fry bread and one taco is the entire basket you have been warned. Sadly it wasn't really warm my fries were not even close to warm and definitely floppy. Really the stinker of the show was the server, so don't expect much.

Food was great! I had Chophouse Ribeye. It was served on a bed of puree sweet potato with a blue…read moreberry sauce circling it all. Very good! Kris had a chicken bacon ranch melt. It had a homemade ranch dressing on their homemade sourdough bread. It was fantastic! In her words. Service was great, very friendly, helpful and cheerful! Ambiance was simple and open. Very nice atmospher

Came here for lunch and was excited to see they make their own homemade sourdough. I ordered the…read moregrilled cheese, one of my moms got the French dip, and my other mom got another sandwich. The sourdough was perfectly crispy, and there was plenty of gooey melted cheese--I even got an awesome cheese pull! The only thing I would change is that I thought my sandwich could have used a little more salt, but that might just be because I'm a salt addict. The fries were perfectly crispy and paired so well with their homemade ranch. I even confirmed with our waitress that it was homemade, and she was super friendly and helpful. We were seated quickly, and since we came around 2:00 p.m. on a Monday, we had the place to ourselves. The restaurant has a casual atmosphere with a bar, and the bathrooms were very clean and nice. The portion sizes were just right--enough to leave me comfortably full without feeling stuffed. Overall, I really enjoyed my meal and would definitely consider coming back!

My wife and I stopped for dinner on a Tuesday night. We got right in and got in our drink orders…read more Full bar, with good selections. The food menu has sandwiches, Flatbreads, salads, appetizers, and entrees. I had trouble pinning down a selection, as a lot of things looked good. All food and drink is VERY reasonably priced. I got a Philly Cheesesteak and my wife got the Buffalo Burger. Both were fabulous! Fresh tasting, nicely cooked, and flavorful. The Sweet Potato fries were piping hot and delicious, and the shoestring fries were hot, fresh, and wonderful as well. There are about a dozen bar seats, outdoor patio tables, indoor booths and tables. There are 6 TVs that have a variety of shows on as well. Wish this was closer to our place, but if you're anywhere close, swing by and give it a try!

Anchors Away is in the old Wheelhouse Pizza space in Ankeny at the corner of SW State Street and W…read more1st Street alongside Ambrosia Donuts. Being a Navy veteran the branding caught my attention when I heard about Anchors Away when it first opened back in April. We were greeted right away when we walked in and told to take a seat anywhere. We had a party of four. Two of our party had been here before and could probably be considered regulars. Not much has changed as far as the physical layout from when it was Wheelhouse. I think a wall or two had been painted, new exterior signage, and some nautical decor items have been added. Same L shaped bar and bar stools. Low top tables and chairs and a couple booths are available for indoor seating. Lot of TVs if you want to sit back and catch a game. There is a nice little patio along the East side of the building and they have a large adjacent parking lot. Caitlyn (might be misspelled) was our server. She came over and introduced herself right away. Took our drink orders and presented us with our menus. Standard table service. Now the menu... That has completely changed! A large selection of appetizers (including fried chicken gizzards), burger and sandwich baskets, and other entrees including pasta, steak, pork chops, salmon, and shrimp. They also offer salads, flatbreads, chili and other soups, and a kids menu. Everything was reasonably priced. We ordered the following: 1x First catch fried shrimp with a side salad with ranch 1x Maritime mushroom and Swiss burger and a side salad with blue cheese 1x 1st mates choice flatbread. Added onions and peppers. 1x An order of tater tots 1x tall white Russian 1x tall cranberry and vodka on the rocks 4x Green tea shots 2x fountain drinks (Pepsi products) The drinks were all good. The food I had was on point too. I normally lean to a medium burger..., but I understand there are health code limitations and most of the time a burger out is served done. I really enjoyed my salad alongside the burger! Their side salads are definitely elevated over what you get at other places with an order. I'd probably explore some of the other different menu items next time... I wish I'd grabbed a a piece of the flatbread... Lol It looked really good! I heard really good things about their wings, the breaded tenderloin, and Philly too. Caitlyn did an amazing job! A couple of the other staff members came over to check on us during our meal, introduced themselve, and visited for a bit. Everyone was very friendly and personable! Overall... An enjoyable first vist to Anchors Away! I'd definitely return for the drinks and the service alone! https://anchorsenterprise3.com/

Allows any and all food to be brought in... sea food boil bring it in, sauerkraut and cabbage is…read morewelcome! Drinks and cheap and cold. Local favorite watering hole.

The owner was rude and said to my husband, I've told you three times however he has a hearing aid…read morewhich was rude of him and I made a comment about. Maybe he's not very social and he snapped at me and said I'm very social completely turned off our bill and walked out with wondering and I will never go back

The Firetrucker was created and raised on the shoulders of a great man, and the legend continues…read more This has become a local standout as far as breweries go! They have embraced the locals as well as the biking crowd. Being right off the high trestle trail they are perfectly located to serve the 2-wheel crowds! With occasional live music and always having a food truck roll in it is a great place to drink fantastic beers and handmade cocktails while enjoying a snack or meal from the revolving food offerings. The staff are always friendly and quick to fill your drink orders. In addition to that they have a massive selection of board and card games to help pass the time with your friends and family! Go check it out!

Great place for live music! Smaller patio but still good size. Picnic tables. Looks like you could…read moremaybe bring your own chairs. A few snacks sold inside. Huge beer menu. We had Jell-O shots on the 4th! Very friendly staff! Would definitely go back & recommend . Check it out!

Top 3 Saturday evening spot in town. Grab a cold brew and a bite off the food truck. Kick back…read morerelax and enjoy the band. Life is good at Uptown Garage.

We've came here many times for a drink, to participate in puzzle league, or play bingo. They have…read morelots of large tables, some outdoor seating, and bar seating available. I usually drink a cider or the root beer on tap. I've enjoyed all the ciders I've had. Some days the staff come to your table and take your order/wait on you, other times you're in a line ordering from the bar. Overall, we enjoy some of the activities they offer and food trucks that come in for food options.

We were in Ankeny this past weekend celebrating my daughter's graduation from Iowa State and…read moredecided to try Tribute Eatery & Bar and I'm so glad we did! Our group ordered a mix of pasta dishes and steak frites, and everything was excellent. The steak was cooked perfectly, the pasta was fresh and flavorful, and the prickly pear spicy margarita was absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is really cool too, stylish without feeling overdone, and the location is great. We also had wonderful service, especially considering we came in around 8 PM on a Sunday evening with a group. Definitely recommend if you're in the Ankeny area. We'd absolutely come back!

I feel bad only giving three stars because I like raving on places but I was just underwhelmed by…read moreTribute. At the price point it's at, it just felt like the quality of the food was not worth the money. The service was alright, the ambiance is fine for a date, dinner with friends, family celebration, etc. I'd give it another go with friends if they chose this spot, but I don't know we'd go back as a couple at this point.

Mullets in Uptown Ankeny - Brunch Review…read more Well, we finally made it here for a meal! Brunch it was, and I am glad we did! Mullets in Uptown Ankeny is a relatively new business in the uptown area. They are right off of the High Trestle Trail and provide plenty of parking for cars and bikes. They have a very nice main bar on the first floor and ample comfortable seating at the bar and at tables. But they also have a full bar and expansive rooftop dining area. And on a day like the one we had, it was picture perfect! You can get to the roof by stairs or elevator! Big bonus. The rooftop has nice views of the downtown area, and plenty of seating in or out of the sun. We were seated quickly upon arrival and greeted by our waitress within minutes with ice waters. We quickly ordered Bloody Marys, which are a house recipe ($9). They are plain but flavorful. I like mine spicy, so I asked for Tabasco - the waitress had to go on an excursion but didn't give up until she got it for me! (Thank you!) We finally found the breakfast menu (not pictured), which is a ridiculously difficult thing to navigate, because my desire and my inclination was to just order one of everything! (I guess we will have to keep coming back). We finally narrowed it down to the Cinnamon Swirl Pancakes and the Eggs Benedict Flight. We were not disappointed. The Pancakes are among the best I have ever had! While the Eggs Benedict were delicious, they are almost impossible to eat without a sharp knife and an extra plate. Pro tip - if you get the Eggs Benedict Flight, ask for an extra plate - the delivery presentation is fun to look at but horrible to eat from.

Enjoyed brunch. Good cocktails and food was good, not great. The balcony was really the best part…read moreof the meal