Food was great! Staff were friendly and polite, I enjoyed the local diner vibes. I would eat here again

1) The place wasn't clean. Tables were unbussed. And they weren't very busy. 2) I was charged an exorbitant amount for 2 extra eggs with my order of scrambled eggs - more than double the cost of an order of eggs. When I asked the cook/mgr about it, he told me snappily, "Because that's a NON-STANDARD menu item!" 3) The reputedly wonderful pancakes, aside from being big, weren't anything but ordinary. I make better at home. 4) There were rats in the pile of trash by their back door where we parked. read more

Small town diner kinda place. Good food. Service was friendly but a little disorganized (not a big deal). Had to go down in the scary basement to find a restroom so not good for folks e mobility issues. But given the food was good and people friendly, I would return. read more

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Everything A Small Town Cafe Should Be We ordered pretty standard fare, but it was delish and exactly what we expected. The prices were great and the service was delightful. We've been before and we'll be back again. Love the Grove Cafe read more

This was easily one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. We were sat at a dirty table to start -- not a good sign -- and things only went downhill from there. Our waitress barely came by, and I didn't get a refill until the very end of the meal, but she didn't fill up anyone else's water at the table???? The restaurant itself was dirty -- not just a little messy, but truly unclean. As for the food? It looked and tasted like someone with no real cooking experience decided to open a restaurant out of their college apartment. The eggs weren't cooked how I ordered, the presentation was sloppy, and nothing had any redeeming quality. When the food finally came out, I'm fairly certain it was the owner who brought it -- and his attitude was shockingly rude and condescending. My mom and I were sharing a meal (a perfectly normal thing to do), and instead of just handing us our food, he made a big deal out of it in a demeaning way. Then, when my friend got her plate, he turned back to us and smugly said, "That's how you're supposed to do it." I can look past slow service, a dirty table, or even food not cooked perfectly -- but the way the owner treated us was absolutely unacceptable. Overall, between the unclean environment, dismissive service, and the owner's condescending behavior, this place is a hard pass. Save your money and go literally anywhere else. read more

Bring cash!! Cash only! We stopped in for a Sundays hankering of biscuits and gravy. Did not know it was cash only. Save yourself the extra atm fees and bring cash. Don't let that distract you from the tasty food this plays cooks up. Pancakes of the win. Def on my rotation of great breakfast spots. read more

Grove Cafe - Menu - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

This "Cash Only" Cafe is open for early breakfast and lunch on Main Street Ames. I read about years ago on Jane and Michael Stern's "Road Food" Book and only last Friday was able to come in for a mid-morning breakfast with my almost 93 year-old Dad. We managed to snag the last open booth and were quickly provided with coffee and menus. Dad had their big pancake (see picture), while I chose the French Toast special (also pictured). We enjoyed (but were not overwhelmed) by our food and the down home atmosphere and the local conversations. Note 1 The Grove Cafe is small and operates in pretty close quarters. Besides the front dining room and bar arrangement, take a trip downstairs to the bathroom. What I noticed was a tight back kitchen area, steep stairs, and limited pantry/supplies storage behind the rest room and under the stairs. Dad also told me that you can park behind the Cafe and come in through the back door. Note 2 I realize that "Cash Only" (or Check) can shock some, especially in this mostly cashless society. That's why I always keep a check in my wallet and check ahead if I think cash may be required. Note 3 Coffee. I grew up on Folgers, so I never expect freshly ground individual drip coffee in local "down home" Midwest joints. read more

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Best pancakes I have ever had! Inside could use some updating, but I think that's secondary. Service is friendly and I liked hearing the owner mentor his teen employees. If you love pancakes like me, I highly recommend this little mom and pop in downtown Ames. read more

Very kind staff, and good French toast! Cute atmosphere and overall very nice! Excited to come back! read more

Our family stopped while we were in town for a tournament. it was a very cute and welcoming establishment. Everyone we interacted with was very kind. The food was delicious. Kids had pancakes that were fluffy, and they said the best they ever had. The omletes were so good, perfect amount of food to leave you satisfied. They make their own maple syrup that is def worth checking out. We were very pleased with our experience And will keep it in our notes in case we are ever in the area again! read more

We were in town to visit our daughter. On Sunday, we went out to breakfast and wanted to find somewhere we had not been. In searching on Yelp, Grove Cafe came up as highly rated. Listed as one of the top 20 breakfasts in the US. We waited about 15 minutes to get seated. The interior is quaint, evidence of the long standing business. Swivel stools line a long counter and booths are located on the walls. We were a table of 4. Service was quick and efficient. Our orders included the house special pancake, the veggie omelette, the muffin special and the 2 egg breakfast. All orders were correct and prepared as requested. The bacon was crispy as asked but it was so thin, it almost seemed like microwave bacon. The hash browns were dry and underwhelming. So though there were no glaring mistakes there were also no high points. Just meh. We wouldn't go out of our way to wait for this one again. read more

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Great food and service. The food is consistent, fair priced, and fresh cooked. We go for breakfast every time we visit Ames.

What a great find! 4 of us all really enjoyed our breakfast at the Grove Cafe last Saturday. I have to say I think I "won" with the pancake of the day raspberry and rhubarb. So delicious!!! Service was friendly and efficient. Will 100% return when I come back to town! I look forward to it. read more

Grove Cafe - Pancake of the day, raspberry and rhubarb with crunchy bacon. Delicious!!!!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

They only accept cash, but that's no problem. Their prices are very reasonable. 2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, hashbrowns, 2 sausage patties, and coffee for $12 and some change. Staff is super friendly. read more

Great hometown old school Cafe with excellent food and atmosphere. The people are friendly the staff are professionals and the food is top notch. read more

As a college student, Grove Cafe was my favorite breakfast spot in town. I love sitting at the counter and watching everyone's breakfast be made. You truly get a classic diner experience here! Service is fast and the girls working are always so friendly. My only complaint is that the owner has been harsh to his young employees numerous times when I've visited. It's unnecessary and awkward for them and your customers. I would really like to see this change because they deserve better. If you can get past that, the Raspberry Rhubarb pancake is the star of the show. I love getting one and splitting it along with getting one of the omelettes. They food is always fresh and tastes just like home cooking. read more

Grove Cafe - Raspberry Rhubarb Pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Service was great- food was okay- however I made the mistake of going to the bathroom. It was in the basement. It needed a deep cleaning as does most of the restaurant. read more

This is by far the best place to get breakfast in Ames! I cannot express this enough! I'm sad that it took me so long to stop here, but man I am glad I did! What this place lacks in size and space, they make up for with great customer service and exquisite food! They have THE BEST pancakes I have had, which is saying a lot! You get a pretty big portion of food for a pretty low cost, which is the perfect recipe for a college student. The staff helps right away and frequently checks in to make sure your coffee cup is never sitting on empty. P.S. They only take cash, so don't go expecting to use a debit card or a check. If you forget, they have an ATM next to the building and across the street! Shamefully, I know this from experience..... read more

Grove Cafe - Egg breakfast with hash browns, toast, bacon, and their famous pancakes! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Tried out The Grove Cafe for breakfast. It's an old school, traditional Iowa diner. It's total"hole-in-the-wall" place but the food was awesome! Our picky daughter said the famous pancakes were very good. The omelettes were the perfect size and quite tasty. Total bill was $36 for 4 people. If you're looking for a breakfast, like what your mom made, this is your place! read more

Overall, I'm not sure why this place has some great reviews, but it's nice that some people like it. The service was curt, bordering on rude but we didn't have to wait too long for our orders and they were correct. The coffee was bad but I wasn't expecting it to be good. I ordered the French toast meal and it was ok but my dining companions were highly unimpressed with how their food tasted. So afterwards we went across the street to Morning Star and got friendly service and excellent coffee read more

Metiocre lousy food cooked by careless teenagers. I ordered the biscuits and gravy and couldn't finish it because honestly I would rather ingest cold air then eat something chewy and blah. I don't need a cafe to feed me unhealthy greasy garbage, I can go to a gas station and it would be more satisfying. Dear Grove Cafe, stop wasting ingredients on selling garbage. Ames deserves better. read more

The young man who served us also did the cooking. He did a fabulous job! The food was good and the service both prompt and friendly. This place is not posh at all - just your basic fare but it felt traditional and very American. We enjoyed it. read more

Dear Mr and Mrs Grove Ames is home. This place is homier Hank: Good country people running this establishment. Father and his boy seemed to be keeping things under control. Family values run deep in this place Nate: My mind wanted to savor the flavor of my Raspberry Rhubarb cakes... my body wouldn't let me. Taylor: The French toast brought me back to the stories of my grandfather when he travelled from marseilles to Paris Ethan: Wanted to order something else but the waitress ripped the menu from my hands read more

Grove Cafe - Brothers - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

It's a small, sticky diner - emphasis on small. It's a local favorite that serves standard American fare. I wasn't impressed. The pancakes are good, though. read more

Very dirty. The food is precooked and reheated. There were flys everywhere. Andcthey only take cash.

A fun, old-school tiny diner. Food was average but service was quick and it's a great diner experience.

Classic Diner, been here for years... very popular with the locals. Dairy free versions available. read more

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Great little place to go eat breakfast. Their hash browns are amazing. Not many places to sit but definitely worth the wait.

Owner was horrible to the young ladies working there. Belittled and berated them in front of customers. I felt so bad for them. Food was mediocre and the place was filthy, gross. I certainly wouldn't my daughter or anyone I cared about working there. How he is still in business is a mystery read more

Food was great. One of the best breakfast s in town. Hash browns where a little cold. Service was fast and friendly. The only big down fall is the place needs a fresh coat of paint and new carpet. read more

Short Version: Fantastic place to eat, and the prices are literally perfect. You'll pay less to eat breakfast here than most any other place you can think of - and you'll still feel really full. I would recommend coming on weekday mornings to try and avoid the rush of people on the weekends, though. Long Version: Despite living in Ames for a pretty long time, I haven't eaten at most of the Main Street establishments. Today I decided to change that. The biggest thing to know is they either close at noon or 2 PM depending on the day. Definitely a morning establishment. They ONLY take cash, so make sure you have cash handy in order to go. As they're along Main, you may need to pay for parking as well. They don't have a dedicated parking lot. The inside is cramped when you're walking around, but they've arranged the tables and seating that it doesn't feel cramped while sitting. You know how some restaurants you can sit at a table and feel "everyone" around you. That doesn't happen here. They don't have a ton of seating, but they haven't gone and stuffed it so full of tables that it's a pain to get around. There are booths, a couple tables, and a bar area with stools. The entire kitchen is visible to the public, so you can watch them make the food. They aren't particularly putting on a "show", but it's neat to watch someone work and see how your food is made. The interior definitely looks dated, but it doesn't look dirty. Just not modern. The prices are insanely reasonable here. I was really surprised. Their "Famous" pancake (which SERIOUSLY is enough for most people and may even be too much!) is $4. Other food ranges in the $4 to $8 range. Entirely reasonable. A check for two people came out to less than $15. Great pricing. Employees were friendly, but the service was a bit lacking. We came on a Sunday morning, though, and all of the tables were full, so they definitely seemed busy. Water wasn't refilled, though, and we had to inquire about other various things instead of them being offered (boxes, etc.) They were very prompt about the various parts of required service (taking order, bringing check, etc) though - just not a lot on the checking in or taking further care. I had a single "famous pancake", and my friend, who said he was really hungry, had their "short stack" - which is two of the pancakes. The pancakes are probably 10" across, and not only are they really the size of the entire plate, but they're also super, duper fluffy. Like, about 3/4 of an inch in height. I ate my entire pancake, but I'll admit that it was a challenge. About 3/4 through, I felt full on a single pancake. Unless you tend to eat a lot of food, I'd say that their single "Famous" pancake is probably enough for most people. I'd definitely come back here to eat. It's fun to support a smaller establishment, and the food was definitely good. Maybe I'll try coming back at a time that's a little less busy for a bit more personalized service next time. read more

Grove Cafe - Storefront - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

We were up in Ames one Sat morning which never happens. This is the place for breakfast! We lucked out that we got snuck in to a booth. The décor is run down. The booth was beat up like it has been used a million times, which mean this place is none stop busy. One little warning, if you have to use the bathroom, try and go before you get here. It is through the kitchen, down a tiny stairwell and only has the 1 stall. It does not hinder my rating on the restaurant, but we had to use it and I thought I was going to a secret hideaway. The booth we were in was in straight eye line down the kitchen lane. The waitresses were busy coming and going around the one corner and kept our coffee fresh and friendly. I ordered the special pancake- OH YUM! The pancake looks like they used yellow cake mix in it and I had it smothered in the rhubarb raspberry sauce. HOLY MOLY the sauce on top made it all worth while. The treat to myself was so delicious I didn't even nee to use the huge bottle of syrup on the table. The pancake was huge and I needed help eating it which there was no complaints from my breakfast friends as they loved it as well. This locally owned and run, I would be here and hang out if I lived up here. Be aware that this place is PACKED and once its full up there is little to no waiting right inside the door. The line to eat was outside the door when we headed out. I recommend anyone to give it a try. Everyone enjoyed their meals and coffee. read more

Grove Cafe - You can watch your food being made - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Always good. I got the pancake with warm rhubarb sauce on top with a side of bacon. The pancakes and people are always the best. They don't disappoint. Nice server and good food. read more

Grove Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

First time here BEWARE ONLY CASH IR CHECKS! I was not told this so it cost me $4.75 to get money from an ATM. ( $1.75 plus $3 from my bank). Since the waitress failed to tell me snd told me well it's always been like that (remember my first time) that $4.75 was her tip. I ordered French toast combo that comes with two eggs and bacon. I'm alone. Only two other small party tables. The cook is visible and it was obvious can only cook one order at a time. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The back was very thin but tasty and crispy. The French toast was on this bread and it tasted as though instead of just putting cinnamon in the egg mixture he sprinkled the cinnamon and sugar on top. It's an ok place. In expensive. read more

Grove Cafe - French toast and eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Perfect over easy eggs perfect crispy bacon and excellent service. The coffee is something a sailor would not drink. The crispy hashbrowns were not crispy. And the French toast was ok. We did get an excellent coffee at Scooters, just around the corner read more

Was waiting with our friends visiting in town and they checked entering in the back and was yelled at to go wait in line at the front door, where we were waiting out in the cold. Then when we did enter, and we're going to use the phone they had up, and was rudely told to stop touching when we were going to call a loved one. We recommended coming here, but not anymore. We are so disappointed with the new staff. The way you treat your customers reflects how you treat the community - I am disappointed. read more

Lovely little treasure hidden on Main Street in Ames. I used to go here with my dad as a child and I have loved getting to take my kids here when we are in Ames! read more

Classic breakfast diner. Has an old school vibe to it which is unmatched in the Ames area. I visit every few months for breakfast and it's always a great place to go. They serve your classic breakfast options along with the standard big pot of coffee. You're not coming here for a gourmet dish, but you are when it's a slice of comfort and tasty food you crave! read more

Sweet little diner right on main street! The owner was rude when I first walked in thinking I was a salesman. What??? You've never seen someone with a computer and a notebook before?? If it wasnt for the quick service and the sweet lady behind the register, I would have busted you down with the three star, likely a 2* (insert grumpy, rude voice) "What do you need?" Umm... breakfast!?! read more

Grove Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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We always look for a mom and pop Thai place so while we were in Ames we went downtown. At first glance it doesn't look like much but we went ahead and ordered breakfast. Kim had French toast and scrambled eggs and I had the scrambled eggs sausage and hashbrowns. This was probably the best breakfast I have ever had! The waitress was sweet and the owner was manning the flat top. It was the cheapest food we bought on vacation and probably the best. I enjoyed conversation with the owner also. read more