Food, service, ambience are all fantastic. Great for large gatherings or small groups. It's a local icon restaurant and a must for visitors!

Never fails to disappoint! They were extremely busy because of a concert and our food still came out hot and fresh. They forgot to put a burger in and the manager came over and apologized and said that the burger was on them! Very good customer service read more

Came here once with coworkers at their behest early on a weeknight. Place is huge, obviously caters to large parties, bus loads of ppl, etc. As such the atmosphere is quite sterile feeling, as much as they try to fill it up with old timey tchotchkes and relics from their history and other locations. Menu is huge, lots of options. Only thing that dwarfs their food offerings is the ice cream / shake/malt menu. I'll be honest I didn't care for the food. Got the turkey dinner with chili and sauerkraut. Turkey was drenched with gravy, on a pc of dull toast. Chili was good, sauerkraut was disappoint as it was a weird grilled and chopped way too fine. Got the pb nation ice cream which was the best thing I had there that night. One coworker got a mushroom Swiss burger and honestly that looked better than anything else. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - Small pb nation - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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Went here for dinner after the Iowa State graduation ceremony and this place was packed! We had a large group and they were able to accommodate us. It seems like many large groups flocked here after graduation. They have a waitlist which helps to get a table ahead of time. Our waitress was attentive and very accommodating for our large group. We were placed at a few tables next to each other so we were together but slightly spread apart. The menu is fairly large but offers the same things just made in different forms. Do you want a platter or a sandwich? Food was mediocre but was filling. The pork sandwich was fatty and thick and barbecue sauce helped enhance the flavor. I wouldn't race back to this place but it's a fine option for a large group. read more

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Party of 2, 7:30 PM. Beautiful entrance and foyer, great lighting and the decor was just fantastic! Our server was Zoey and she was phenomenal, bringing refills without request, lots of ranch to our Iowa liking! Food is always great here! The cheese curds were a bit overcooked, but no place is perfect. I just love this establishment and we always go here to eat when we're in town! Such a staple to Ames! Thank you! read more

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Your grandpa's BBQ... Old, outdated but reliable. The food is very average... It lacks flavor. Seriously nothing special. It reminds me of what they would serve at a retirement facility to bring back the nostalgia. I've been here twice now, once with my partner and a second time for a work lunch. It is ab absolute massive place. They can serve busses of people at one time. The whole place reminded us of a feed lot corralling cattle in to get fattened up for winter... A huge entry and outdoor area with benches and corral lines. Individual booths that gives the feeling of feed troughs and slop. The food came out moderately quickly... but none of it was hot and it all lacked flavor. On a positive note, the servers are all kind and friendly, and you can tell they do their best. If you want great BBQ... don't come here... Go to Cornbred down the street. Or a list of other great restaurants in town. If you have a bus of people that need to be fed or want to give your grandpa a lukewarm meal that brings back nostalgia... this is your place. read more

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Good food, good price, friendly staff, and knowledgeable about food allergies. Very busy but able to keep people moving without being rushed. read more

A barbecue joint that has been around since 1970! We dined in for lunch on a Friday at noon and we did not have have to wait for a table. The restaurant is vast with plenty of booth seating and old school décor. For instance, there is a candy section at the front of the restaurant with candy selling for 5 to 25 cents a piece. Our family ordered and shared the following: 1) Breaded cauliflower 2) Cheese and jalapeno hickory vegetarian burger with potato salad 3) Saucy Southerner sandwich 4) Dinner sampler with chicken, pork ribs, and smoked sausage; fries Portions are large so that was plenty of food for us to share. The vegetarian burger was a bit too salty. The saucy southerner tasted like any other pulled pork sandwich. The sauciness could have potentially masked the smoky flavors. The dinner sampler was the redeeming factor. The chicken and ribs were tender and juicy. The smoked sausage was smooth and had a good amount of spice. The service was attentive, efficient, and friendly. read more

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Not the best chicken dinner I've ever had, but you come here for the friendly service and nostalgia. Price point is decent, and make sure to get some candy on your way out. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - Chicken Dinner - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Great BBQ restaurant in Ames! LARGE menu to choose from, if you are GF they have a separate GF menu as well. Our server was very attentive and everything came out correctly! She checked in a lot, but not too much. read more

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Ended up ordering a pick up because I was in town for my birthday. My sister and I have a gluten and dairy allergy and my mother is lactose intolerant. The online system seems to be off. We all ordered a barbecue dinner. No rolls. The gluten free menu seems to be a little outdated because it says the barbecue dinner has Texas toast and you need to say no to that, but the system will not allow you too. They actually serve the barbecue dinner with rolls not texas toast. Nor will it let you put in special instructions for a gluten or dairy allergy. I ended up calling the restaurant just to make sure they were made aware of the allergy. The system also would not allow for ice cream unless it was a sundae or shake for some reason when they have over 30 flavors. Which I thought was strange. The person I talked to was very understanding and said they would make sure the food was made safely. When we got there to pick up the food is when staff realized the lemon sorbet was out. They apologized because they were who I talked to on the phone and did not realize they were out when they talked to me. Unfortunately this is the only Dairy and Gluten free ice cream they have. Everything was packaged great! Sides were together with the salad in a separate bag so it did not get warm. Entrees in another bag. Food was delicious! Love stopping when I am in town. read more

Excellent affordable barbecue and ice cream desert Grayden and Beckett first time always fast friendly service for your wait with kids cartoons read more

We stopped on a Sunday evening while traveling home. We were immediately greeted at the door & quickly seated. Katie was friendly & got our drinks right away. She then took our orders and brought me my salad. I only had a couple of bites before our food came. My smoked turkey was tender & tasty & I took a couple of pieces home for lunch tomorrow. Hubby's 1/4 dark meat chicken was delicious. His mashed potatoes & Mac & cheese both disappeared. He finished with a hot fudge sundae & I had a turtle sundae. Yummy ending. Go there--be prepared to wait if you don't pick the right time!! read more

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Have been back a few times in 12 years, both with friends and as a solo diner and have not had any issues like in my previous review. Is it the best BBQ ever? No. Is it serviceable compared to the Jethros' across the street? Yes. They've added a couple of additional BBQ sauce options, but there's no guidance as to what they are. However, some of the non-BBQ offerings, such as the appetizers, burgers, and sandwiches are stars too. I highly recommend the Wisconsin Cheese soup, fried cauliflower, and any of the many ice cream sundaes. On my most recent visit, I was told they no longer have worcestershire sauce. That makes me a sad panda--it was a good compliment to the ground beef steak. Prices also seem to have increased by about 30-40% in the last two-three years. I get it takes a lot of people to run a restaurant of this caliber, but it certainly isn't a "value" any longer. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - Salted nut roll sundae - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

An Ames staple restaurant for us! Long wait to get in and a long wait for our food, but it was a busy weekend night. I've never seen every booth full before, but tonight it was! Our server was great and got us everything we needed. We had our regular cheese curds, bacon cheese hickory burger, and then tried a new ice cream: chocolate chip cookie dough sundae! All very good, I loved the marshmallow on the sundae. read more

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Told it was a 30/35 minute wait but was only 20 minutes. Food came quickly also and we enjoyed it. Turkey was the best, then the pork, not crazy about the chicken. read more

Amazing food!! Great customer service!! Super cool old time feel! Perfect place to celebrate any occasion read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

We had dinner here on Saturday April 11th, the Food was cold and clearly microwaved. The milkshake was ok tho. Lots of better options in Ames read more

A family member's birthday dinner was the occasion, and my meal was its usual terrific, but the Banana Split #2 option elevated the whole experience another notch, as it was amazing. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Excellent customer service, food and ambience. A Midwest gem. A must for large parties and small groups. Fun for all ages! Did I mention the food?! Amazing! read more

Not sure what people are thinking with the 4 & 5 star reviews? Honestly I'm stretching at a 2 star rating. If you've never made your own bbq chicken or ribs?? The chicken was obviously sitting around under a heat lamp for hours , the ribs they were not great... could get precooked ribs cold from a grocery store and heat up at home in the microwave and they would surpass ribs here. I'd say if you have kids this would be a hit. But if you are a foodie and enjoy good bbq , then I'd pass for the prices and quality here. First impression when the iceberg side salad come out was "Hmm this isn't a good indicator" . Sides that we had were open a can/bag and pour it out style. A hard pass here next time we are in the area. read more

The atmosphere is great but the food is tasteless and horrible. I had the pork tenderloin sandwich and it tasted like it came from Cysco frozen and not made in house. read more

Service was great, the young guy helping us was super attentive and very easygoing. Our food came out quick and everything was made correctly. All their food is delicious, but the ribs are insane. They just fall right off the bone. I didn't get pics of our dessert but we all tried some ice cream, they have an incredibly large amount of options for you to try. The place is huge, clean, there is a self service candy counter when you walk in which I love. My only complaint is that the booths are wooden and flat. It's like sitting on a rock. So if you have back pain, or struggle sitting on hard surfaces the booths will not be comfy at all. Not sure they have other options for seating unfortunately. read more

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Our large party was served by three fabulous wait staff. Food was excellent, dessert was delicious!

Service and billing were issues. Check your bill, had 50.00 of charges that were not our order. Food was ok, but two orders messed up as well. read more

Amazing food service and ambience. The dessert menu is not to be missed! Do not forget to eat here while in Ames.

Great place to eat if your Celiac! Their Gluten Free offerings were wonderful! The was variety and carful handling of their food. read more

Big place and lots of space in their booths. We had a big group of 10 or 15 and they accommodated us well and were friendly splitting the bill up for us. I had the French Dip and it was pretty good. The meat was like smoked beef brisket. My side was green beans and they were delicious. Husband had ribs and sausage and liked it and he's a bit of a critic! Sides weren't great salad was cheap as you could get, mashed potatoes and gravy are instant. Huge menu for ice cream and all enjoyed, it was nice and refreshing. read more

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I've always loved Hickory Park since my college days. We had no wait, a great waitress, and delicious food! read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - Chef's Salad - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

Fast, friendly service. It was a rainy, windy day. They had hot tea and 3 kinds of soup! My kids loved the movie in the waiting area and all of the ice cream options (they have a huge menu of sundaes, shakes and ice cream desserts.). Pretty big menu of burgers, BBQ, sandwiches and sides. We stopped for lunch. It's a large, casual restaurant. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - Wisconsin Cheese Soup - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

We stopped at Hickory Park for a late lunch/early dinner. We were surprised at how large it is! Even better, they have extensive western decoration across the entire restaurant, giving you plenty to look at while you decide on dinner. So, the menu is also huge. While they carry the basic bbq meats (beef, pork, chicken, sausage), they offer them in n all manners of amount and combinations. As such, the menu can be a bit overwhelming. My wife sticks to the basics, so a 1/4 chicken with sides was fine for her. I had a combination of beef, chicken, and sausage. The portions were fine. The sausage is actually very large, so no complaints there. However, while the food was hot and ready very quickly, it was a little underwhelming. It's mostly tender, but it lacks seasoning. It was better than some bbq, but it won't rank in a top ten list. Service was very good. The young lady was prompt, professional, and a hoot. She sold us on their ice cream sundaes, which were great. Locals seem to like the place and I see why. Great place for a large group of family. read more

I'm an Iowa State alum (Class of '91 and '92) and Hickory Park is just like I remember! We got on the Yelp waitlist and beat the crowds after the Cyclone/South Dakota football game. The food was hearty comfort food, the sundaes were old-fashioned and fun, and the prices can't be beat--3 adults ate (with dessert and tip!) for $60. A true Ames classic! read more

The food is amazing and love the atmosphere also the waiters and waitresses are so nice

One of if not the best French dip I have ever had. My complaint is it doesn't come either cheese so that was an upscale. A French dip should be served with cheese! The au jus had flavor it didn't taste like warm beef broth only. Love that they use smoked beef for this dish. I love the variety of sides as well. Others in the party liked their meals as well. My biggest complaint would be the taco salad was it's just a salad with chili atop a few a few tortilla chips. There is a certain expectation to say taco salad on a menu that it will have more of a taco vibe in the traditional taco salad tortilla shell than nachos with tons of lettuce. read more

We have eaten here a couple of times before. The food and desserts were great and the service was quick and nice.

The food was good -the waitress was helpful & considerate. The dessert of course was great as well. The only downfall was our wait time to get in-there were a lot of people there - which is normal for Hickory P read more

Used the join waitlist with a party of 2 said it'd be 30 minutes so waited & went to greeter at time said we were in however, took a whole nother hour as people that just came in went before read more

The mostly empty parking lot at Hickory Park at 11:45 am should have been a clue. We hadn't visited in a few years and had always experienced a full restaurant with a wait. The server was pleasant enough. But... the lettuce on my chef's salad was soggy and apparently had been frozen. You know what freezing does to iceberg lettuce? All the cells swell and burst. Horrible blah taste. The server didn't come back after a one minute check back so I ate around it. There was maybe 1 teaspoon of cheese but the meats were generous. When The server returned after we were done (I ate about 20 percent) I mentioned that she might want to tell the kitchen workers that the lettuce had been frozen and was inedible. She gave me the check. No apology or manager visit or reduction. As a matter of fact I never saw a member of management the whole time. The restrooms were well worn and the whole place just looks tired. I'm sorry that it's declined so much. We used to go at least 6-8 times a year while "traveling through" Iowa. Is frozen lettuce a dealbreaker? Why, yes it is, when everyone on staff missed an opportunity to take care of my needs. So my review is done as I am still hungry and need to go get dinner. read more

The food and service here is always excellent. Minimal wait for our group and we find something new in the decorations each time.

I've been a long-time fan but as the years have gone by I've become much less so. On my most recent road trip I decided to eat here, as I was in the area in the middle of a weekday afternoon....I was fairly certain I could get a quiet table and sure enough it was not at all busy (no line). At first the host was all smiles but when I asked for a quiet table she seemed flustered...then tried to place me at a table near a family (who all turned to stare at me of course)...there was an entire empty section which was more private and I asked to sit there but she was extremely reluctant and would have said no if the server nearby hadn't pretty much indicated "of course it's ok!" So any stars earned here are for this server (he really deserves ten) who had some common sense and appropriate customer service skills. (Apparently the host thought I shouldn't have a largish table to myself which was also not my preference--I just wanted somewhere more private, such as (ideally) a 2-person booth. But if the server was fine with my sitting at one of his tables and it was not busy should there have been such an unpleasant fuss?) I remembered the last time I was there (many years ago) a friend and I were seated at a fairly private booth so not sure what was going on today.... I started to order a nice meal as I hadn't been there in years and wanted to enjoy the experience and then perhaps check in at a local hotel. After ordering my drinks and main meal (and looking forward to getting dessert later from their amazing dessert menu) I went to the restroom and came back...to discover another family had been placed right in front of my table. All around us were empty tables and they had been seated right in probably the most questionable spot, uncomfortable for both parties. After my food arrived I didn't feel like eating much and took most of it to go. The server continued to be cheerful and attentive but I did not get dessert (which has never happened here before, lol...their dessert menu is that good). When I settled in a my hotel much later (I decided not to stay in town after all) I was not excited about reheating my partially eaten dinner--because of what I had sampled already at the table....sure enough, the pork was still dry, the chicken was also dry, and the mashed potatoes and corn were ok. I ate about half of everything. I do love the variety of shakes, floats and sodas as well as the ice cream desserts...I can recommend from past (much better) experiences the Pound Cake Delight (I think it's called) which I was glad to still see on the menu. Again my server was great and pretty much the saving grace of this surprisingly disastrous experience. I do recommend trying the dessert menu. read more

Hickory Park Restaurant Co. - American Near Me - Ames, Iowa

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