Step inside Stomping Grounds and you are immediately embraced by the warm sounds, modern décor, and polished staff and customers. The vibe you hear inside is an ensemble of drinks steaming, coffee being ground, people moving, interesting music and of course vibrant conversations. Starting out as a small custom coffee shop in 2003, Stomping Grounds has expanded greatly, adding a kitchen, and significantly raising prices and quality since they opened. Stomping Grounds is a shining star on the southern end of the otherwise dismal looking Welch Ave business district. Beside the regular student population, you will often find the who's who is Ames stopping by, from ISU profs, to local writers and businesspeople. A rotating local art collection clads the walls that are not windows. A shaded outdoor patio area looks over mostly students coming back from class or going to the bars. Stomping Grounds boasts, freshly ground coffee from around the world, excellent lattes, a wine menu, beer list, plus a small lunch and dinner menu. Snakes such as chocolate chip muffins (my fav), cookies, croissants, and even cheesecake are available all day by their particularly attractive, mostly female staff. You may order yourself, or be waited on. Reservations can be made for the large eight person table. Prices are a bit on the high side and service can be disappointing at times (but is improving), but the incredible atmosphere makes up for it. Open 7 to midnight on weekdays, and 8 to midnight on weekends, this is my favorite café in Ames. This big little gem is a great place to study, excellent place to meet people for conversation, or begin the night. read more

Stomping Grounds - Right on the first floor, the front patio is visible here (it looks much better in real life) - Bars Near Me - Ames, Iowa

LOVE this place! It offers sandwiches, soups, salads and so much more! They make a crazy good latte and have even better desserts :) My favorite thing is their greek salad (I order that pretty much every time I'm there) but I always go for dessert and have had many of their selections! Chocolate cake being my favorite, of course. This place is a go-to for me and everyone should try it! Catch up with your friends over coffee at stomping grounds, the atmosphere is perfect for it! read more

Stopped by on a whim while on a business trip to find some wi-fi and food. For a cafe, this place fails to deliver on the basics. There are no power outlets, and on my visit the wi-fi was dial-up speed (download speed tested at 0.82 mbps on my laptop and 0.86 mbps on my phone - that's slow!). It's a nice enough atmosphere, but the food (I got a caprese sandwich) is bland and left me feeling as hungry as I was when I arrived. I can't speak for the coffee, as I had to drive down the street to Starbucks to get some decent wi-fi. read more

Very poor experience. Was working on homework and waitress spilt 3 glasses of water all over my laptop. My laptop which has a lot of sentimental value is completely ruined. I am a college student here in Ames and have now lost everything I have worked very hard on for the past 2 years in school and they will not take responsibility for replacing what was lost. Owner tried to say it was my fault for putting my lap top at risk, when in fact if they didn't allow students to work on their laptop here they would not have much business at all. Will never go back or send anyone I know. read more

My best friend is very gluten free. We were excited to eat here given that so many people talk about how good it is. As we sit down she asked the waitress if they had a gluten free menu; they didn't. Looking for something other than salad, she asked the waitress if they could make anything gluten free; they couldn't. She ended up settling for soup and asked if instead of getting the baguette for a side if she could get a small side salad given that she can't have the baguette. The waitress obliged but informed us that it was going to cost extra. I find it very disappointing in the lack of accommodations from this restaurant. The food was sub par but we won't be going back. read more

One of those places you go to for the vibe and have conversation with friends. The foods here are nothing special. The coffee here isnt bad. It is worth trying once for cup of coffee. read more

Great food, horrible service. Customers shouldn't have to find their server every time they want to pay out because their server hasn't been to their table in an hour. Today I waited an hour for food that was never put in, and my server avoided my table. I work in food service, I understand people get busy and forget, but it wasn't super busy by any means, and this was ridiculous. Train your servers to be more attentive. read more

High quality food, wonderful tea selection and awesome wait staff. The tomato basil soup is always a winner, as is the Greek salad. Patio is great to sit on and people watch during the summer. Reasonable prices and parking is never an issue. Really a hidden gem! read more

Bland, boring and over priced. Service is a gamble just like the food. There are a lot of things that seem either the result of laziness or for the lack of a better term just flat out dumb. For example I tried to modify an order for and sandwich and was told no they're premaid (kind of explains why they never taste fresh), no seasoning on eggs or vegetables, the fruit i got was warm and dry, they have paper straws that get soggy in minutes, i assume to look like they care about the environment, but they only use plastic cups for condiments.. figure it out guys! And also last time my friends dragged me there i settled on the eggs and toast because nothing else looked appealing by the time it was brought out the table next me had received the weekend special which looked way better than my unseasoned eggs on cold toast with warm fruit... would have been nice to know that was available.. I will say the patio is nice and relaxing to eat on during a nice afternoon, but I'd reccomend just about anywhere else in ames over stomping grounds for brekfast, lunch, dinner and coffee. If i were to describe stomping grounds to someone who hasn't ever eaten there I'd say it's cafe diem meets village inn. read more

Pretty awesome to have a place to eat a REALLY good Caesar salad while enjoying a beer and studying. Downsides are there are no outlets, and the waitress really pushed us out the door before we were even done with our meal, despite the open tables around us and how bored she seemed. I can see why this place has such appeal, as it has all the ingredients to make a really cool, hip, bar/coffee shop, except that the coffee is mediocre and service sub-par. Disappointed. May give it another chance though one day when I'm not studying. read more

Could someone explain how a college coffee stop can block all their power outlets? Charge as buck or limit me to 20 minutes, but their current method is bunk. read more

As others have said, this definitely feels like a cafe in a major metropolitan city -- a pretty mediocre cafe in a major metropolitan city. The food is far from the best in the area, but the aloof service will definitely make you feel like you're in a city. Whether or not that's a positive is a matter of personal taste, I guess. Growing up in Ames, I pretty much avoided this place like the plague because my parents didn't think much of the food or atmosphere, but today my boyfriend and I were looking for some quick, light food, and decided to come here to grab some sandwiches. The menu looked pretty good at first. There was a big selection of sandwiches, both hot and cold, and crepes, both sweet and savory, as well as some appetizers and a large selection of traditional coffeehouse beverages & wine. My caprese sandwich (hot) was pretty good and had roasted red peppers and a light vinagrette in addition to the traditional ingredients. My bf was less than pleased with his roast beef sandwich (cold) and said it was bland and unexciting. Sandwiches come with a choice of greens or pasta salad, and are pretty pricey for Ames ($8-$9) and not that large (I wasn't that hungry and had no problem finishing mine). The service was sloooooow and not terribly friendly, but that was pretty much expected. The patio out front was very nice on a warm summer night, I'll give them that, although we had to move inside when we got attacked by a swarm of bees. If you want to pretend you're a super cool European, come here. If you want really good food, there are many other better places in Ames for less money. I can't attest to the coffee, since I dont' drink it. read more

I finally came here for lunch one day after hearing so much about this place and discovered a few things: 1. What an indescript location and incredibly weird building to house a cafe. If I didn't have the exact address and walk in to what looked to be an office building purely to prove myself wrong, I would never have found this place. The atmosphere inside of it is extremely weird, too. No formal "order here" place, or "yes, have a seat and we'll take your order" vibe, either. I guess the same people just keep coming back who know what to do. 2. I had no idea there was such a legit coffee and tea house in town that serves independently sourced beans and teas from around the world. I didn't get any, but I was impressed by their selection (and their fair prices.) 3. I won't be returning for lunch. I waffled for a good 10 minutes on what to order, and finally went with the chicken pesto panini. Although it was fine, it was not worth $10. And I didn't even have the standard "man, I wish I got [insert second choice here] instead" thought, either. None of the other sandwiches were well balanced, in my opinion. The sandwich menu is just weird! There was no sandwich that offered a good combination of protein and veggies on whole grain bread, and they don't allow bread substitutions. My side salad was blah as well. Service was slow and kind of awkward too. So, I might come back some morning when I really want a good coffee or tea, as their muffins looked pretty good too, but lunch? Forget about it. read more

I went to this restaurant to enjoy a smoothie with a friend and I accidentally spilled the smoothie I ordered ALL OVER MY LEGS. The staff did not assist in helping me clean up the mess or provide napkins, my friend had to go and get napkins from the bar leaving me with smooothie all over my pants and in my hair :( at the end the waitress did not check in on me and provided a check for me to pay for a smoothie I barely got to drink without offering a replacement or even bothering to help me clean up the spill. Very disappointed with the service and sad that I had to walk home with smoothie on my pants and in my hair. Would not recommend this restaurant as far as service goes. read more

Good for an overpriced and extremely mediocre brunch. I ordered their biscuits and gravy which costs about $12 (you have to pay extra to add an egg) and it was half of a rock hard biscuit - they literally do not even give you one full biscuit. Boyfriend had an equally expensive and equally subpar breakfast sandwich. read more

Okay, so... The Stomping Grounds is hands down the best place to congregate, or for that matter individuate, on virtually any night of the week. I am a bit of a 'preacher' when I get "going" (i.e. drinking), and never once have I detected even the slightest hint of disapproval from the staff. Sure, the patrons have OFTEN given me looks which say: "Shut the hell up jerk, you don't know everything!", etc... But I have not experienced anything like this from the staff. They are always kind and agreeable. Not only do they not admonish the loudmouth jerk in the group, but they also are very kind towards the awkward loner. I have always been treated in a 'humane' way when I've visited the place alone and gotten a bit too "going". In closing, I suggest the Stomping Grounds to anyone looking for a safe place to be either Loud/Wierd, or Quiet/Wierd, they discriminate against neither and for that they get FOUR-STARS! no, for real, i need guidance.. read more

Horrible management and service. I don't know know what kind of circus they are running here, but I just spoke with the manager ( who must be a college drop out) in regards to services I received yesterday and she hung up on me as if we're in high school again. This just reflects the poor service they provide at this restaurant and how poor the the management is. read more

The food is good, the coffee is good, and the atmosphere is warm. So I would give this place five stars except: THE MENU NEVER CHANGES. Ever. I have lived in Ames for 4 years now and the menu is exactly the same as it was when I got here. Tomato Basil Bisque AGAIN? This place gets boring fast, which is a real shame. read more

I've been here plenty of times. I would say that maybe only 10% of the time I had really bad service. It's just so memorable when you have to constantly flag down your waiter with giant arm movements and signals when he is chilling with the other waitresses... If you are looking for a place to study - as in - hunker down and study all day, you are better off going to Cafe Milo which is more built for that atmosphere- they won't bother you and add in extension cords. Stomping Grounds is more of a go-to for a chat and coffee kind of place. You won't find outlets here! Overall, I really like the vibe and the flavor of this cafe. Different seating to choose from and the front porch option in the summer.The portions are on the smaller side, but I think they are a unique cafe to Ames. Their tea selection is also very nice. read more

Great outdoor seating area and pleasant ambiance just to sit and enjoy an afternoon. Portion sizes are smaller. Slight French flare to the menu. A little pricey for food quality, but you pay for the environment. Great teas. Staff quality varies. read more

best mocha of all time and the food is delicious too! atmosphere is amazing and service is great. 10/10 overall

Covering wall outlets with blank plates in a college town should be the kiss of death. Fair to good coffee, good latte-drinks, great food, albeit expensive. read more

This is easily the best coffee shop in Ames (and it just happens to double as one of the best restaurants, too.) The menu is great and features plenty of vegetarian options. Make sure you try their tomato basil bisque, but save room for dessert: their seasonal fruit crepes are phenomenal! read more

I traveled all over Europe eating at various cafes in France, Italy, Germany... but nothing tops Stomping Grounds. Everything on the menu is wonderful. I especially recommend the tomato basil bisque, quiche, and seasonal fruit crepes. Great selection of coffees, teas, wines, and beers. Perfect for group lunch meetings, getting some "studying" done with friends, or a light dinner and drinks on the weekend. The outdoor patio is awesome in the summer; such a great atmosphere. read more

This is definitely a fun and unique place to take people who don't want to eat at a franchise. My mom pretty much refuses to eat at Perkins or similar places when traveling as she always wants to try something different. My mom had a 1/2 sandwich and cup of soup combo and I had a croissant sandwich with the mixed greens. VERY TASTY. We each also had an iced coffee and ate outside on a beautiful day. Service was fast but not rushed. read more

The Tomato Basil Bisque is AMAZING... I always enjoy their coffee drinks and it's just a nice spot to hang out if it's a nice day. :)

my heart longs for my love.. the stomping grounds. this is the best cafe i've ever been to. my friends and i would tally up how much we spent there in a month and we might as well have rented an apartment and bought expensive beers and coffees and food on our own and used it only for a stomping grounds replacement... but we could never! the outdoor seating is amazing and john is so nice and never kicked us out if we were having drunken political/economic arguments. and the food is tasty. so it's in iowa. i know. but you would all love it if it was here: wine, foreign beers, coffees and teas, and food: oh my. and it was about half the price read more

Decent place to grab a coffee or tea if you don't feel like going to that over-hyped place with the mutant double-fonned mermaid on the logo. Can't comment much on the food, we had some appetizer that was forgettable (because I forgot lol) but their cafe's and teas are really good. read more

Food and drinks are good yet a bit expensive. The service, however, is amiss. Most of the wait staff is young and it shows. Taking a seat and waiting 10-15 mins for a waitress in not uncommon. Drinks and orders being mixed up is not uncommon either. Nor is waiting for your bill while waitresses are nowhere to be found. read more

Try some teas. Different from other cafes, it has many options on tea selections.

This place has a nice outdoor patio to sit at during warmer weather days. They have really good tasting sandwiches, crepes, and coffee, but I am not impressed with their service. The waitstaff is not very attentive to needs of customers. read more

The large selection of different types of coffees and hot teas was nice. Unfortunately my ham and cheese crepe was tough and dry. I'd come here for a caffeinated cup of something and conversation with a friend and skip the food. The large outdoor patio had plenty of seating but no umbrellas so we started baking in the sun before our meal was finished. The server cheerfully handled food order changes made by our group. read more

A great cup of coffee and a fun place to hang out.

Not bad at all. Just visiting from Madison, WI. Had a really great cup of coffee followed by a totally respectable sandwich. Kinda pricey for the sammich but the olive tapenade was delicious. read more

I want to give Stomping Grounds a perfect 5 star review, but I just can't. I think they have a bit of an identity crisis and the service is lacking, at least terribly inconsistent. I'm the first person to enjoy a more bohemian and European style of restaurant service, but on numerous occasions even when you ask for a menu, utensils, water etc it's forgotten or takes so long I end up helping myself. Most recently, I went into the coffee shop when business was very slow and I saw about 5 staff people around. I stood at the counter and cleared my throat to get someone's attention, 2 staff ambled over and I asked if i should order at the counter for food. They suggested that I sit down and a server would be over with a menu. I literally waited for 20 minutes for a menu when I finally gave up and got up to ask for a menu. I was never offered a water. I ordered my food and it came out in a reasonable time. It was tasty, but I was annoyed to find that they didn't remember to bring me silverware. I ended up, again getting up to ask for it myself. Gosh, it's lucky I wasn't in a rush, but even so it rubs me the wrong way. Anyhow, the food here is good, tasty, creative, seemingly healthy and appealing. They also have decent coffee drinks and I love that they serve alcohol and so many teas including chai made from scratch, if that's what you're in the mood for. Make sure to request your bill ahead of time because this could easily add another 30 minutes to your stay. Just never come here if you are in a rush. read more

Ate here during the All-State Music festival. Pearson was an absolutely wonderful server and helped me out so much, especially as this was my first time eating here. I will definitely keep this place in mind when attending future All-State music festivals. read more

I really enjoyed this place. I was worried because of it's proximity to the bars of Campustown, but was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. The staff was friendly, which is nice since most are ISU students holding down part-time jobs. The food was tasty, semi-upscale (for Ames) and the wine/beer selection was impressive (for Ames). They have some nice loveseats to sit in if you opt to not have a table. Oh, and free wifi!!!!! read more

Good place for tea, coffee, or a light lunch. portions a smaller than other restaurants in Ames. Good vegetarian options. Very good hot chocolate and cider. read more

Had a wonderful breakfast the other morning here. My coffee was great and the service was timely. I will be back to the ole Stomping Grounds very soon. read more

The tea is good. The vegetarian sandwiches are good. But the most important thing about this place is the ice cream cappuccino (and mocha). It's pretty awesome, and I haven't seen any other coffee shop make them. In nice weather, they sometimes have live music on the patio. Heard some sweet jams while walking past one day. read more