Added to this review below 08/21/25…read more My wife and I found the hangout Diner in the last part of July. We went there for breakfast and lunch. And chosen a variety of various Foods. Now rather than make a whole bunch of reviews I'm going to try to put a lot of the things that we got into one review so here goes. Biscuits and gravy the best around. You can get a half order or a full order. You can add an egg if you like which I did. I had chicken and waffles one time. It's not always on the menu but you have to call and ask first. But it was very very good. My wife has had a full breakfast by choosing eggs bacon hash browns and all the components separately. Christy and her mother Sharon are there most of the time. They cook and also waitress. They have pancake waffles French toast all the normal breakfast items. And the mix for the pancakes and waffles is homemade not from a bag. This time for breakfast I had a breakfast burrito and had them put everything inside but no green peppers. It was large and delicious. My wife has eaten a chicken Caesar salad which she said was a delicious. They do have daily specials and you might want to call before you go in and find out what their special is for the day. Not everything is on the menu but if you ask she possibly might be able to make it for you. Now for the sweet end of it they have sticky pecan rolls cinnamon rolls that have a glaze on them sometimes they have a variety of Danish rolls. They also have ice cream by the scoop or in a bowl. It's not soft serve with scooped ice cream. They have various types of of hamburgers. All in all it's worth going in and trying it and see what you think for yourself. I highly recommend it as you see I gave five stars to the food and the atmosphere . Oh yeah coffees only $2 a cup. 08/21/25 my wife and I went in for the special of the day today. I had homemade meatloaf, garden fresh green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. Everything was delicious. My wife had the homemade stew and a chicken Caesar salad. I tasted the chicken off of the Caesar salad and it was seasoned beautifully.

The Filling Station is a gas station, an extra stocked convenience store, a breakfast/lunch food…read morecounter, and a tables inside and out to enjoy your refreshments and the view. Gayle and I stopped in today after reading about it within some "48 hours in Ames" article. I ordered a brisket grilled cheese sandwich, while Gayle chose a similar one with blackberry flavoring. We split a can of Guinness off the convenience store fridge, and then sat outside for our street and car wash view. We had nice shade on a not too hot day and took the opportunity to hang out bit after we finished our meal. This was a tasty and pleasant experience of good value overall.

Was nearby for an early meeting and had a gap before my next one. Decided to grab breakfast and…read morerolled the dice and just went here for a quick bite. Wow, it is a lot more than a quick breakfast at a gas station! The kitchen was complete and had a full menu offered up. It was also a commercial bakery... multiple bakers working on cinnamon rolls that looked divine! I had a breakfast quesadilla. It had real flavor in it with candied jalapeños. It was a lot but judging from all the plates I saw come out of the kitchen everything there was solid in serving size. The chai latte was good too. And the folks were nice. They definitely have loyal fans locally, folks were ordering for tailgates!

Excellent food, great atmosphere but a little pricey. All around good place. I recommend it.read more

Great service, our waitress was attentive and adaptive to our needs. Food was tasty and well…read moreprepared.

My wife and I went out for dinner last night and had THE Cafe's special entre. It was a fish dish…read morefeaturing many varieties including red snapper, and shrimp. It was an Italian soup style with incredible flavor. I hope they offer it many times again, as we loved it!

Disappointed... I came here for restaurant week to try their Thai Menu. It looked good online and…read morethought I'd give them a try. The Cafe has been on my list for a while now. Disappointed to say the least, I came in the back door not realized there was a correct door and was rudely cut off by other patrons at the front desk. I had to wait several minutes to be waited on and the place had plenty of spots. Maybe because I was a party of 1... they didn't seem to care. After I shared what drink I wanted, I learned they were out... fine no problem. I asked about the Thai specials, the waitress was clueless. I had to ask for the restaurant week menu and ask about the specials. She said they looked good but couldn't describe them and hasn't tasted them. I got the salad on special, but get this... they were out of the main restaurant week special... such a let down. The ambiance was mixed, one corner was a cute date night the other corner was crying children. All dimly lit and outdated decor. The whole experience was off, I ended up leaving after my one drink and salad. I hope to give this place a second chance sometime but hope they aren't out of dishes and I can get a trained server. Maybe another night for sure!

They have very a delicious coffee & lunch. You can order almost any latte, espresso, or coffee…read moredrink made fresh to order! In my opinion, the bakery sweets are so overly sweet they almost take your breath away. They run some great deals on soup & sandwich lunch specials so that's worth checking out!

After dress shopping our group stopped here to grab a quick lunch. I ordered the make your own and…read moremade a vegetarian sandwich. It was as expected, not bad but nothing that makes it unique. I ordered the basket expecting the classic "coffee store" chips to sadly see they were just original ruffles. As for the pickle, I expected it to be a spear and I was let down to find out it was two slices. The cookie was alright as well but nothing special. I ordered the pastries and donuts and those were pretty good. I enjoyed the mocha Bismarck donut. The lemon cream cheese pinwheel was pretty good as well but on the drier side. Overall, good for a quick bite. Staff are super nice and friendly.

What a special spot. Breakfast was amazing . Service by Sherri was outstanding. She clearly loves…read morewhat she is doing. I was at home here. Now the food. I had the breakfast sandwich which did not disappoint.. melted cheese, eggs and bacon on sourdough bun. Yummmmm. Husband had egg breakfast with toast and sausage and all was hot and delicious.

Sometimes the best breakfast spots aren't in the middle of downtown--they're tucked away waiting to…read morebe discovered. The Whistle Stop Café on the north side of Boone is one of those places. There's plenty of parking, and from the moment I walked in, I felt genuinely welcome. My waitress, who I suspect may have been the owner, greeted me with a smile, took my coffee order right away, and made sure I never needed to ask for a refill. Bonus points for serving it in a pretty cool coffee mug that added a little personality to the experience. The service was fast without feeling rushed, and the food was fresh, flavorful, and exactly what I was hoping for. More than anything, though, it was the hospitality that stood out. It's the kind of place where you're treated like a regular, even if it's your first visit. If you're looking for a welcoming local café with great food, friendly people, and a memorable small-town dining experience, the Whistle Stop Café is well worth making a stop.

I've had this food catered while attending multiple events although have never used them before…read more They are good people with great customer service and always wear a smile on their face when serving. The food is amazing as well! So tasty. Will definitely use them for any future events needing catered!

Best breakfast ever, good food great value and good people running this wonderful local business…read more They also do catering. The patio is also a great place to enjoy your meal if you aren't in a rush and the recent renovation really looks fantastic.

If you love yourself, this is what you're going to do: you're going to go to The Dot on a…read moreWednesday, Thursday, or Friday. The menu changes depending on weekend/weekday status. You're going to order the broccoli reuben (not available on weekends). You're going to leave a changed person. The Dot is cozy! When my parents visited me up here, they requested multiple Dot trips. It's really that good. For some historical context for the curious, The Dot moved into the building formerly occupied by Daytime Diner. Daytime was one of my favorite places in Ames, but their pipes burst during the intense blizzard we had back in January of 2024. You can still see one of their stickers in the doorframe of the leopard bathroom. They reopened much later with weird hours and a flipped ordering system, and they were unable to stay afloat. I was devastated. But, The Dot has moved in to surpass what Daytime was able to achieve. Ames continues to have innovative and exciting food options!

Cute brunch spot in Ames! Food was delicious and drinks were nice too! Decor is adorable here love…read morethe different salt and pepper shakers at each table. Service is very fast. However one complaint was that dine in was a bit awkward when I went, you order your food at the register, and if you see a spot open you just have to grab it. One more thing is you have to wait for a staff to clear it off before you can sit down. And theres a crowd of people awkwardly standing around by the register during their peak hours since it's not that big of a building. Feels like they should just encourage people to put away their dishes at a certain spot if customers can sit anywhere. Overall a really nice brunch spot and I will be back to try their other items. George says chomp chomp cho out of 3 chomps!

Sisters In Cheese - Madrid, IA…read more We stopped in at Sisters In Cheese and were so glad we did! I had the Breakfast Quesadilla, and my wife enjoyed the Benny Sammie with added Canadian bacon - both were absolutely delicious. The flavors were fresh, well-balanced, and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere here is quaint and charming, making it a perfect little spot to relax and enjoy a great meal. The staff was friendly and welcoming, which made the experience even better. If you're passing through Madrid, IA, or anywhere nearby, I highly recommend making a stop here. Great food, great people, and a great experience all around!

Local products from pasta to tea, the best breakfast sandwiches within 100 miles, delicious baked…read moregoods, and great to-go packs, Sisters in Cheese is unique and awesome. Very nice folk run it and the space is charming and cool. Will visit whenever we roll through town.

Fresh food, beautiful salads artfully prepared. I've been eating here for about 4 years now and I…read morehave never been disappointed! The chef is a great chef and he makes the most delicious meals. I never get the sense that the food is pre- manufactured. They prepare a new entree ( chef's design) almost nightly. Some really good selections! The soups are original and change frequently. This is a great place for adults to enjoy a quiet dinner. Lovely relaxing bar adjoining the dining room. The historic hotel is wonderfully decorated and maintained!! Amazing artwork and surroundings wherever you go in this restaurant and hotel You will never be disappointed by the grand design, architecture, the staff and the food. I highly recommend. Food is reasonably priced Lunch and breakfast available too Dining room closes after brunch on Sunday.

Always a great place for traditional American fare. Don't expect escargot, but good comfort food…read moreis plentiful. Their holiday buffets are very well done and well attended. Come for the hotel rooms . . . stay for the drinks in the bar !! Bowl . . . downstairs , . . but only after the cocktails so as offset the curves of the lanes.