We walked in and were seated at 7:55. After we'd filled up our plates, we were informed that the…read morebuffet closed a 8 pm, but they'd leave the food out until 8:15. This would've been good to know before we were seated and served ourself. The food was lukewarm, dry, and disappointing. The staff is AMAZING. That was the only positive aspect of our experience. Nico, the manager, apologized for our subpar experience, which was appreciated. For $35 per person, don't waste your money. The food is mediocre at best, and if you show up at a normal dinner time, you won't be informed that you have 20 minutes before they close down for the evening.

Have visited AJ's many time and it appears their standards are falling. Service is very good and…read morethe attention to customer is superior. However, the food has shown a decline in the last several visits. I ordered a ribeye steak with baked potato and salad. Salad was fine and quite good. The steak was ordered medium and was well done. It resembled more of round steak rather than a ribeye. The baked potato was warm at best. This is more than a "One Off." for the prices that are being charged in today's market, you'd expect much better. The ambiance was below average. They placed us at a table in the bar area which doesn't encourage any privacy. I truly hope AJ's steps up their game. I want them to succeed and this most recent visit was in the wrong direction.

Party of 2, 10am Memorial Day. Clean and fast. We, locals, should really talk about Hy-Vee…read morebreakfast more. It's the best breakfast option in Altoona. Biscuits & gravy, slam dunk! Thick cut bacon, rye toast heavily buttered to toasted perfection. You place your order at the counter and pay, they'll give you a numbered table tent and bring your food to your table. Did I mention fresh squeezed orange juice? I'm not sure about the tipping situation, so I did leave a tip. Bartender/server, did coke on over to check on us a couple times and they do clear the tables. However, you retrieve your own refills.

Breakfast has always been my favorite meal and by breakfast I mean eggs, hash browns, bacon or…read moresausage. Sometimes both and when it's cooked by someone else other then Nova or myself. Make no mistake Nova can cook her ass off and when it comes to spoiling me she is undoubtedly the queen. "Are we gonna have breakfast or are you just gonna walk around the house all day in your panties wearing your crown" "Baby Im still hurting from last night. I'm not hungry either. You just go out for breakfast? Ive got a ton to do around here anyway. You go." Its not often she turns me loose in the world on my own but when she does I try to take full advantage of it. Nova actually worked at Hy-Vee a long, long time ago. It was one of her many jobs right after we relocated to Altoona from Kansas City. My buddy Scott met me there a few minutes after I arrived. He sat down and said... "Thinking about God or the concept there of. A being, an energy , a vibration, a collective of all of the above which is beyond the supernatural and the natural simply cannot be defined by either supernatural or natural means, or at all." "Dude, its way to early for your psychedelic third eye bullshit. Just order breakfast" We both ordered the Good N Early, Scott went scrambled, I went over easy. Scott got a Michelada, I went with a bloody Mary. I've said it many times before. Cooking over easy eggs is an art that few can master. They did ok. A little over cooked but actually acceptable. It's a good breakfast in a pleasing setting

My favorite place to eat in Altoona! The food is always chef's kiss perfect, and the staff and…read moreservice... it just doesn't get any better. The portions are generous and tasty, I can't recommend their top shelf margaritas enough. One of the wait staff convinced to try it with Don Julio instead of our usual Patron, and it was a game changer! So smooth. It the warmer weather they open the walls for an indoor/outdoor experience. Atmosphere is great as well. High Recommend this restaurant!

FYI- they close at 10 even though it says 10:30. They just make up their own time even though the…read moredoor AND online says 10:30. Doors locked, don't let us in even for chips and salsa.

We were just passing through and decided to pop into this cute little place for a quick bite. It…read morewas a little late for dinner, so we had no trouble finding a parking spot and getting seated right away, which was a nice surprise. They serve Pepsi products, which isn't my favorite, but it wasn't a big deal. We were given a complimentary basket of warm, fresh chips with salsa. The chips were great, but the salsa was just okay. It wasn't bad, but nothing to write home about. I added some of the hot sauce we asked for, which definitely had a good kick, and that improved it quite a bit. I ordered the burrito special with beef and beans, and added cheese sauce and tomato. It came out quickly, which I appreciated. I was a little surprised to see sliced tomatoes on top instead of chopped ones like you usually get with tacos. Maybe that was just my assumption, so I'll take the blame on that. The burrito had nice flavor, but the inside was just a bit too cool for me. Not cold, but definitely not hot either. If it had been steaming warm, I think I would have really enjoyed it. All in all, it was a decent little stop in a charming town. The service was friendly, the food came out fast, and it worked well for a quick meal while traveling.

I saw that there was a new Mexican restaurant at the old Helen and Pat's location and decided to…read moretake my wife there to try it out Parking was difficult as almost all the available spots were taken. We had to go around the corner and park in one of the few spots left across the street. They asked us if we wanted a table by the door, but we asked for booth instead because it was cold out and there were a lot of people coming and going. They gave us the old booth they had ready, which was a huge one that seats 8 people in the back. They gave us menus, chips and salsa, and took our drink orders. We were both amazed at how extensive the menu was. I took photos of it. We both identified a couple of things we would be interested in trying. There is even a whole section for steaks, and the menu has American food, too. When the waitress came back, she asked if we would mind moving to a smaller booth because they had another large group come in. We were happy to oblige. At first, it seemed like this was a mistake because we were now in a corner and it seemed like the new waitress was too busy to notice us. Once she came and took our order, everything was fine from there. The food came out quicker than we were expecting given how crowded they were. I had the Texas fajita, with steak, chicken, and shrimp. My wife had the Ceviche, which she said could use a little more lime, but my food was fantastic. We agreed that there were a lot of other dishes that we'd like to come back and try. We also ran into a relative who said she's already a regular there. I expect we'll be back soon.

So delicious and such a great spot! I wish they had a Rube's where I'm from. The concept here is…read morevery unique - you grill the steak yourself on this massive grill with other restaurant patrons. I felt like I was at a campfire, really cool. You choose your steak from a case and then take it to the grill and get cooking! Salad, Texas toast, and potatoes (skillet and/or baked potatoes) are unlimited! I got the classic cut ribeye - amazing. We also ordered the jalapeño creamed corn skillet - amazing!! Would recommend this place to anyone if you ever find yourself in Iowa or are from the area! Waitress was so kind and wonderful.

Very good steaks but not worth $50-80. It is so expensive for cooking your own and dated…read moresurroundings. Out of reach for most families to enjoy.

GO HERE! Look no further just GO HERE! Everything we had…read morefrom the salad dressing to our dinners was delicious. Friendly service Excellent prices EXCELLENT FOOD! Comfortable atmosphere Oh and did I mention EXCELLENT FOOD!! Honestly if we lived nearby this would be our #1 restaurant.

As of 6/30/2026, this restaurant is closed permanently. It's really too bad as Newton can hardly…read moreafford to lose a restaurant.

casa agave is very underrated. the salsa is perfect and the…read morebirria ramen was massive plus is came with a birria taco as well. the staff was so kind and provided fast and polite service. the restaurant is very spacious and the music was at a perfect volume. no complaints!

We've been looking for a New Mexican place. I feel many just opened in our area so have Casa Agave…read morea try. This place is usually busy, but quick and attentive. There's a bar you can sit it or tables. Mexican music is on the radio and TVs. They bring chips and salsa and we ordered the queso dip. Always delicious and huge. My son got the seafood and rice. It's a lot but he can eat it. I think I'll get the pineapple fajitas every time. Made two more meals for me as leftovers. So good and delicious. I'll be back and you should too!!!

Very friendly staff that greet you, Quality food at very affordable prices, same delicious classic…read moreIowa loose meat sandwich they've been serving since the 30's. Quiet small family dinner setting.

Good food. Good service. Fun diner on a Saturday for lunch. We stopped there on our way through…read moreGrinnell. Guys had the loose meat sandwiches & said though tasty, not as good as Maid Rites. My tenderloin was good. Friend had small order of nachos & said they were fine. The loose meat is just like the sandwich meat. You add your own salsa. Fries were hot & crispy & onion rings were good as well. Good place for a quick lunch--reasonable prices.