For starters, the food is phenomenal! When we got our sandwiches, we were definitely not…read moreunderwhelmed. They were huge! We did get the large version, but we weren't expecting them to be so big lol. All of the ingredients were really fresh and full of flavor. The bread was perfect, too! Even the sandwich we got for our daughter was delicious; it was simple, but sue "inhaled" it lol. We also got the BbQ chicken chili which had great flavor, but it was more like a chili flavored soup. I dipped my leftover bread in it, so it worked out lol. When we ordered, we tried to do so online, but that was a pain. So, we called in and the customer service was excellent! The guy that took our order was very nice, patient, and informative, which was very appreciated since we had just had issues with the website lol. We ordered for pickup and our food was placed nicely in the bags and nothing was spilling or overflowing onto anything else. Overall, the inside of the restaurant was great, even though we didn't dine in. It looked quite clean and was pretty relaxing. Staff were really nice in person as well. 3*17*25

It was a dark and stormy afternoon…read more... I was wandering around Ames mid-day last week with a lot of time on my hands. At Lunch time, I didn't feel like a sit down waiter restaurant, nor did I want to go into HyVee and choose a pre-wrapped Sammy. So after a little Yelp searching, the West Street Deli came up. West Street Deli is just down the street from my Ames Barber (Troy) and just as close to Mother's Pub. The street is its own little business District, and feels far away from Lincoln Way. I ordered a Cajun Tuna Melt which was unlike any sandwich of this type that I had experienced. It was well prepared and was flavorful in many ways, including a little kick at the end. A beer would have gone well with this, but I stayed with water, while comfortably seated by a window within their dining room. A very pleasant experience and a for sure future visit.

This is my "go to" Chinese Restaurant in Ames. They do many things well such as hot pot,…read moredry-braised, noodle soups and cold and hot appetizers. My all-time favorite is a sour fish noodle soup with pickled mustard cabbage. Try the cold, ox organ appetizer! The service is friendly, but not great. Sel-help is required when ordering and boxing up leftover food. The ambiance is acceptable, but not outstanding. I go there for a quick lunch so my expectations for service are nominal. I go there because I like the food so much.

Tom is my favorite Iowan waiter. He says the right things and brings out the right food. He's won't…read morelet you down because his spirits are up!

10/28/25 1:00 p.m…read more Walk-in/Take Out Food: Our food was delicious! Everything was so full of flavor, and the portion sizes were great for the price. It all tasted so fresh, and the baklava was absolutely to die for! My husband was unsure as to which one he should get, so the gentleman working recommended the selection of baklava that we got. I am so glad that he did because all of it was phenomenal. Service: The service was great. I definitely feel as if they went above what would be considered basic service and were all incredibly friendly and pleasant to interact with. They were quick and efficient and definitely knew what they were talking about. Ambiance: Being a smaller international-type grocery store, it was really pleasant and comfortable to be in. The selection can be overwhelming, but not in a bad way. There is just so much to choose from, and I feel like every time you go in, you will find something new that you didn't see before. The selection of items they have is incredible. It's not overly noisy either, and it smells amazing as soon as you walk in.

I wanted to guve this place 5 stars but it falls short on communication. The store staff is amazing…read moreand very helpful but I was never told that they kitchen closes at 3 and when I came back for the food I was told the kitchen is closed and I couldn't get my food. I drove 1 hour 15 mins just to come to this place. Other than that items are well stocked and there are alot of options. The prices are fine, some are a little high and some are less than other places.

Burnt ends were delicious! Also service staff were all friendly and knowledgeable, would highly…read morerecommend!

The food was some of the best we've had in the Midwest! The pulled pork was sinful, the smoked…read moregarlic gravy was unbelievable... the list goes on and on. Ever dish is thoughtful and executed with perfection. Our server, Tom, went above and beyond at every turn and made the experience a memorable one. He is an incredible asset to establishment. We will be back!

Awesome place that really surprised. Clearly a farm to table concept with a varied but overwhelming…read moremenu. Came in on a weeknight with coworkers and received good service and fantastic food. Nice drink menu (I enjoyed their take on the old fashioned) with cocktails and a nice craft beer selection. Everyone loved their food, from the barley soup to the ravioli, burger, Brussels salad, and the salmon I got. Hidden gem perhaps was their incredible dessert selection. The cherry tart was a pleasant surprise and the salted caramel chocolate cake will def fix a choc craving. Would gladly come back.

Provisions Lot F in Ames…read more If you like fresh baked breads and bomb desserts, along with amazing food, head to Provisions if you're in the area. Pork Belly app: thick cut pork belly in lettuce cups, topped with sweet thai glaze, pickled carrots, onions, celery, mint, thai basil, cilantro, scallions and crushed peanuts. A tad sweet for me but overall this was a great app. Slice of Sourdough: delish. Chicken Japchae: since my mom has celiac disease, we were very excited to see this on their menu - dining out with her can be a challenge. Especially at a place specializing in breads! The only unfortunate part about this dish is (I think) they forgot they already salted the chicken and salted it again...and then again. I'm not one to say something is too salty, I love my sodium but this was mouth-puckering salty. Inedible, actually, but the noodle dish itself was SO GOOD that she set the chicken aside and ate the entree. NY Strip Steak: perfectly med-rare, served with a garlic-rosemary potato pavé (like a potato casserole of sorts), roasted broccolini and a house steak sauce that was similar to a demi glaze. Not a bite left - no leftovers with this one. I ate the whole dang thing. Myself. And I have zero regrets. Crème Brûlée: I also couldn't leave without ordering a crème brûlée because there are some really bad ones out there. This did not disappoint. I also took home a Dubai Chocolate tort, Raspberry Crumble and a Flourless Chocolate cake. ZERO regrets but if you love Dubai chocolate then you know there are some discusting renditions of this in the market. However, the Dubai chocolate tort at Provisions Lot F is . I can't even describe how delicious this was and is worth the drive to Ames just for this dessert. If you're north of DSM for a game or whatever, I highly recommend Provisions! I'm already scheming a way to get back there...soon!

We always try to eat here when we are in town to visit family. The menu is quite good but the…read morespecials are usually even better. We had the Baja Shrimp Taco special last Wed and restaurant week started so we had the entire Thai tasting menu on Friday. It was fabulous - please check it out. It is Midwest hot, not Thai hot. Staff is always great. We almost always end with carrot cake - I had ZoeBakes carrot cake in the Twin Cities and it was not anywhere close to as tasty as The Cafe's version. I would agree with some other posts that the lighting in some areas makes it very hard to read the menus or see your food. Updated lighting would be helpful. We try to come early and get a spot near the windows so that we can see better.

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!

Small place, had the volcano bowl as a take out meal. It was so fresh and delicious. You can…read moreask for brown or white rice and whatever topping you like. The bowl is rather large, so choose the medium bowlif you aren't famished. I didn't realize till I was heading out that they offer bobba tea as well. I will make sure to go back another time to try the bobba.

We were looking for something quick to eat at the playground while our toddler played before…read moredriving back to Des Moines. This came up on Yelp and our family loves poke so we went for it. First of all, just the 3 protein bowl is definitely big enough to split between two or maybe even three people. I selected shrimp, salmon, and spicy salmon with almost all the free veggie toppings, mixed rice, and spicy Mayo and eel. I do think they made a mistake and accidentally put the soy ginger sauce on it instead (?) as there was no eel sauce. However it was a small mistake and the food was still really delicious. I also ordered a jasmine mango tea. It was alright and the toppings were generous (lots of popping boba and mango slices) but the tea was super bitter like it had been oversteeped. Either way the poke was really delicious better than anything else we have tried in Des Moines. We will definitely try to order again if we come to the area in the future.

One of my favorite stops in ames. Staff is kind and the vibe is very cool and relaxed…read more I've tried about every crepe on the menu and they are all great and range from classic flavors to unique combinations id never think to get in a crepe. First time getting the matcha here I usually get the lemonade it's very good but the matcha was surprisingly really good! I'm very picky about my matchas and struggle to find coffee shops that make good ones but this is probably one of the better options in Ames.

Lockwood Café in Ames, Iowa is refreshing little secret nestled in a corner neighborhood off of…read moreOntario Street. The building is a reclaimed grain and feed store originally built about 1870. It's kind of a self-serve place where you order at the counter, go pick up your own food, and bus your own table. With that said, the prices are extremely reasonable, and the food is excellent quality. The menu is a crêperie with a number of vegan offerings and no meat proteins on the menu, with the exception of eggs. I had the Fruit Parfait Sweet crêpe, my wife had the Apple Crisp crêpe, and my son had the Banana and Nutella crêpe. All three were fantastic, and the coffee was delicious! This is a super affordable little breakfast option that I would recommend to anybody who enjoys a good crêpe and a great cup of coffee.