Great atmosphere, drinks, and service. We will be back next Junior Olympics and will bring the entire coaching staff. read more

Whiskey River Ankeny - American Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

The restaurant was not busy when we arrived and we were greeted as soon as we walked in being told welcome in and pic a seat that works for us. We found our seat and were immediately greeted by a new server Rylie she was super sweet and gave us time to go over the menu. She did let us know she was new which was good because if we had questions that she didn't know she was willing to find out. Our drinks came quickly and were cold. Our food was good and fresh. The waitress came back multiple times to check on us. I have read some rather mean reviews on this restaurant and I do have to say people should understand how long these servers and cooks have to work. Some of them are pulling 12 hour shifts. Be patient, it seems they are trying to fix some of the previous issues. Again I will reiterate our service was great. The ambiance was like a pub with clean tables and the restrooms were clean as well. We will be back. read more

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I haven't been here in a while, but had a great experience at lunch this weekend. My family ordered several appetizers: BBQ pork egg rolls, cheese curds, and spinach artichoke dip. We enjoyed all of them and ate it all. For my entree I got the chicken Caesar wrap which was decent and I like the seasoning on their fries. Our server was attentive and everything came out at appropriate times, the place was almost empty of customers though. Plenty of booths, tables, bar seats, and patio seating with a country feel. read more

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Met another couple for dinner on a Friday night. We got there around 5:30 and they were about 1/4 full, so we easily got a table. The music was cranked up, and us old folks asked if they could turn it down a little so we could talk. They obliged, and then a bit later turned it back up, but then they turned it down and kept it there until 8:30. Anyway...our food and service was very good again! Our server Madisen was excellent, checking in with us every 10-15 minutes. I got the Chicken Philly, and it was shredded chicken, which worked really well. It was very tasty. My wife got the Pulled Pork, and it was also good. The interior of the establishment is well worn and in need of some refurbishment. Tables are worn, and the cushions on the booths are raggedy. All that said, it was comfortable enough, just at the end of it's life cycle. read more

Where do I begin... My family and I wanted to try something new for dinner and landed on Whiskey River. We got to choose our tables and saw the sign right away that we may have more than one server. First waitress ordered our drinks and took 15 MINUTES to get and one drink was a canned beverage! She seemed ditzy and confused on what drinks were even being ordered. Once we did get the drinks they were warm! Who wants to drink a warm draft or canned beer?? We get our warm drinks and she walked away without asking if we were ready to order. So now we are sitting there for 15 more minutes waiting to order our dinner and appetizers. Meanwhile, our waitress is making eye contact and doing miscellaneous things and isn't taking our order AND THEN SHE GOES HOME FOR THE NIGHT! Couldn't even be bothered to take our orders or ask how our drinks are before she leaves. A big table has been sitting beside us for a little bit, and I notice her point to their table and she told another server to take care of them so now they are getting their drinks fast and food ordered before us and we were there for 30 minutes already waiting for us to order. By this point, our drinks are empty and no one has noticed or talked to us. We are clearly wanting to order and other servers and people behind the bar are noticing us and looking at us. FINALLY a server for a booth talked to us and we decided to leave. Now she only stopped because we kept looking at her otherwise we would still be sitting there waiting till this day. A lot of young girl waitresses who only care about talking to each other instead of doing their jobs properly. So much for you will experience different waiters because we could've even have half of one... read more

Pis poor,dont even bother. Paid 7$ and told the bar man its a bad beer,he chuged it out and told me to leave.... read more

First time visit on a late Sunday afternoon. Food was just OK - Macaroni & Cheese came out nice and hot ....a little heavy on garlic seasoning but overall good. The salad dressing (italian) had an "off" flavor so didn't eat more than a bite. Service was OK also - server couldn't answer a question if their Chili was made with added beer & just said "he didn't watch them make it" and didn't seem interested in finding the answer. Would probably go back if someone else wanted to go, but wouldn't make it my first choice. read more

Blonde worker pushes kicked and cusses at people. I seen a blonde worker kick someone to get behind the bar when Called out by a rondo person she then screamed and cussed at them when another worker tried to step in she said she'd handle it, then again the blonde worker came from the back cussing at someone and pushed another lady, nothing was done. Tipical. read more

I had heard so-so reviews of this place, and on an impulse I thought I'd try it out. I experienced mediocre food, and equally mediocre service. When there are so many other good restaurants in the area, do yourself a favor and spend your dining $$$$ elsewhere. read more

We had a group of 30 for dinner, we were here for a softball tournament. They were so accommodating, had great service and the food was great. Landon was our server and did so well managing our tables. Thank you so much for a great night and dinner! read more

Suns out looked fir an afternoon patio. Finally tried our Whiskey River. Bottled beer $3.75 Nice! Had special 20 wings for $15. Dry Rub extra crispy came to us Perfect! Added Bonus, the patio is pet friendly. Keep it up, we will be back! read more

Dozens of beer options but nearly all tutti friuity. I had a Guinness, only thing I felt drinkable. Wife passed on all the beers because nothing worth drinking. I've been in dive bars with a better selection of real beer. Nachos were fragments of beef hidden beneath stale chips. Fajitas overcooked. Waitress apathetic to rude. Not sure why I even gave them two stars. read more

some of the best food in Iowa. And a great service. they also have some really good music.

Stopped into this little fun place, and I loved the atmosphere as it was a Sunday game day. We were able to view many screens to see football happening. I didn't ask but saw a few fur pets inside, and they were so well-behaved and just loved it. No pet friendly places are not for everyone, so if you are that person, don't go here seriously. Just don't ruin a cute place like this. I'm a pet owner and love finding places for my whole family to go to to eat and bring my pups with. Also, no, I didn't find pet hair in any of our food again. Stay away if this is something you just can't handle. Ok, so my only part I didn't like was the booths seats were torn up and if wearing shorts or a skirt is not comfortable. Otherwise, let's talk meals. The pricing here seemed overly reasonable, a cute 1st date kind of place. Asked our server what she would recommend (of course I did, hello, it's a test to see if they eat the food). She pointed out many of her favorites. In which we took and started to order. She did a great job of trying to upsell items as well and made additional suggestions if she thought we were not on the right path of picking our sides. Well, if you read my photo comments, one of my guests didn't listen to the suggestion, but she still accommodated the order. Get the Cheeseballs as an appetizer vs. upcharged with the meal, she tried. Overall, everything was fantastic, hot, and enjoyable to eat. I do recommend giving this place a try. Oh, and I didn't read the other reviews as I like to have my own opinion of places. 2 stars is sad, so it's going to get 4 from me, but only because of the seats. Oh, and my son said no privacy in bathrooms, unsure what that means, but wanted to share his statement read more

One great bartender who helped us at our table. Wait staff was horrible. Our table was never attended by the wait staff. We had to go up to bat to order. read more

I've been here twice. My burger was good and the bourbon selection can't be beat but....the wait staff is hard to get service from.

Delivery experience so I cannot speak to restaurant atmosphere. Saturday night order and they were out of the popular Chicken and Waffles- not sure how this happens when preparing for the weekend. As far as service, The restaurant did not call to tell me and there was no receipt in the bag. The Grubhub driver told about the missing item. The pork tenderloin is a thick cut of meat and not thin like most in the area. The flavor was average and very greasy. I dabbed it with a napkin before eating- it was that greasy. The fries were soggy. read more

Good food. Huge crispy chicken salad. Above average classic burger, fries were meh, but the burger made up for them. The popper Mac n cheese and Nachos were great. Only gave 4 stars because it was to loud to talk, but that is just the lively vibe of the place. read more

Disappointing, that's my description of this visit. $12 for 8 fried mushrooms. Meh. Jalapeño Popper burger nothing special, fries were soggy. My buddy got a Mushroom and Swiss, he said it was ok. Ordered takeout for my family- Mac N Cheese was gloppy and not tasty. Reuben was nothing special, coleslaw from a can. Atmosphere in the restaurant was nothing special. I was expecting more from a place at Prairie Trail. Server was friendly. There are other places that I will try before going back to this place, not a great experience for $15 per plate. read more

Every once in a while I forget how bad this place is and decide to come here since Ankeny is short on sports bars and decent restaurants in general. They insist on not having servers own tables and just split tables. The problem is that every time then they just sit around and no one comes to actually serve. The tables are dirty, the bathroom was dirty, the southwest egg rolls were just cream cheese mush, we got charged for each cup of coffee (not a big deal but the food and wait was so long it seemed ridiculous to pay $6 for a black coffee and a refill). Mostly we just had an extremely slow, poor experience. I worked at restaurants and helped manage and bartend a sports bar in a busy Chicago neighborhood for quite a few years. If the owner/manager reads this, please just have one or two servers on duty with actual sections. Do not let the bartender take tables unless they are actually going to take ownership of that table. Clean the place up. Ditch the paper plates - I saw two servers drop one and just let them blow away. Also, please use actual orange juice in mimosas and not the crap from the gun - it's just gross. Also - you need new menus printed. The ones we had looked like they've been through hell and back. Please make some changes. You have a great location and could be soooo much better. read more

Our food was tasty. Even the au jus was good, which can often get missed. Portions were more than plenty. My drink was great. We also saw the manager who gave a simple 'hi, how are you guys", but it's still nice. The music was not overly wild for being in a bar, and everyone seemed happy. read more

Whiskey River Ankeny - Got the French dip with fries. It was delicious - American Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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Awesome service and as always great food. I just have a hard time sharing. Thanks so much Dylan for a great lunch break

I hate to be a downer. I ordered a burger and cheese curds. When staff brought out my plate they said something like they usually give you a lot more cheese curds... a man at my table in reply said please bring us more. As did I. No reply. No extra curds. My burger was good and the curds were good but it was unusual to be told basically I got a skimpy order of goodness and I won't make it right for you read more

I live next door and the music is so loud I can't hear myself think. My friend worked there and they made her work with a migraine

Typical bar. Nothing special about it from an environmental standpoint. The variety of drinks they have are the same with almost any bar I have been to. They do have a lot of local iowa beers! Drinks are also decently priced. The music option is left to customers, but its not really clear enough to hear. Our server wasn't the most courteous. He was very tense and upset, which made no sense to my group of friends and I because we just walked in. There are a decent amount of fun card games and arcade games to play if you're wanting entertainment! Overall, you could find a better bar to go to. Its a good one to start at if your expectations are low. read more

Whiskey River Ankeny - Boone Valley Roxi. Great Iowa craft - American Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

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Dropped in for a couple drinks (no food). They have a good selection of bourbons, but the folks working there have limited knowledge of them. They have the Glencairn glasses but don't use them. When I asked for one, the waiter actually said he has worked there a couple years and never had anyone ask for one! The ambience is more like a college bar than a whisky bar with typical shenanigans from the younger crowd. If looking for a high end whiskey bar, this ain't it. If looking for a good selection of whiskey though, this may be the place for you! read more

I had the French dip and it was so tough I couldn't even finish the first bite however the service was great not sure what to try next if we go back read more

It took about an hour to get my food. When I got my food it was the wrong thing. I ordered a classic burger and got a chicken sandwich. To add to that the sandwich was burnt. Fries were good. read more

Sports bar with fun atmosphere, great service. Also great location that you can walk to other bars and restaurants.

I'm not usually the one to come on here and write a review right away but tonight's experience was not a good one. My friend and I arrived around 5:15, it said to seat yourself so we sat outside downstairs and no one came to even greet us, everyone was behind the bar chatting or near the registers areas doing nothing Our friends finally arrived around 5:40. We decided to move to the inside area because it was getting chilly. Someone finally came by and took our drink orders and apps. We got our drinks fairly quick but the wind got a lot stronger so we moved into the booth area. We got our apps after 15 mins but no one came to take our entree order.... 20 mins past. I have to ask if we can place our order and we finally placed our order. We got most of the stuff except for the boneless wings, which took another 20 mins and they weren't even boneless.... So after all our other food was cold. Our 1 friend finally for their food. After spending some time eating. It took almost another 30 mins to flag someone down to get the check. Checks weren't correct and our waiter was no where to be found so I walked up to the register people and asked for it to be fixed and it was not fixed the first time, so after the 2nd attempt, someone else whom wasn't our waiter got it correctly but didn't reprint the bill so I ended up ripping them to separate them so we can pay. & don't get me wrong I don't typically write a poor review but the service was downright terrible. Someone a little older did end up coming over to apologize for the wait but come on, our 1-1.5 hour dinner turned into a 2-2.5 hour dinner. TLDR, took wait to long to be helped and they were not understaffed & the establishment was also very full. The food didn't have a problem coming out on time, the food waiters just seem clueless. read more

My husband and I went to Whiskey River in Ankeny for a few drinks on Thanksgiving. They wanted an extra 10% to use our credit card so we paid in cash. They charged the card we opened the tab with anyway, so we ended up paying $160 for 4 drinks. I'd heard this place was shady AF, but this is beyond. AVOID! This is apparently not the first time they have done this!! read more

Dog friendly, good drinks and service! Staff was attentive. Jezzen was the bomb. Everyone working was super friendly. Clean bathrooms!

Very good place I like and food is amazing I wanna back tomorrow but weekends is perfect

Their choice of music is not good. One tune they played was wrap with vulgar language, not something for little ones to hear. Change your music to something everyone can enjoy while dinning with their family. Cut the wrap shit, no one enjoys it! read more

I would give it 2.5, but rounded up. I should have read the Yelp reviews before choosing this place. But, we were also curious and wanted to give it a try. The good: * The beer cheese soup was super yummy * The onion rings were super thin * French fries also tasty The blah: * Slow service, especially for a weekday lunch. It was not busy and there was a lot of standing around happening * Flat beer tap soda The what the what?! * a bay leaf was left in grinder meat sandwich * they charge for soda refills?! Who does this? Soda was flat as well and it wasn't disclosed that we would be charged for refills. read more

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Awesome cheese curds! Patty melt was not a traditional patty melt but the flavor was good. Fries were crisp and flavorful. I did Grubhub so I don't know about ambiance or service but would order again for the food. read more

Walked into the place at 815, sat for a bit, walked to the bar to order drinks. Bartender was super helpful with the whiskey list/drinks. Walked back to the table to wait for server. 830 rolls around, server takes our order. (15 top, probably $3-400 tab easy) 910 rolls around, server proceeds to tell us that due to the time the full menu is no longer available... TF Not sure who owns this establishment but coming from someone who works in the service industry in a highly populated area(LA) and has been in the industry for over a decade, I would suggest another place to spend your money. The 9 out of 10 dirty tables with or without closed tickets were very key indicators we ignored while walking into the place. read more

Ok, let me start by saying the out saying this place looked like my kind of watering hole. It was a perfect evening in Ankeny and the temps were still warm, ( Yes I'm a bit late on my review, my visit was in Sept 2018). We sat on the upper deck outside, and it looked to be a perfect outing on the deck. We ordered our drinks and were greeted with a very friendly person. Our drinks came out quickly and were very good. We ordered our food and really enjoyed out meals. The only negative to this location was how loud the music was. We could not hold a conversation over the table because of this sound level. when we asked about it, they told us, ohh sorry, we can't do anything about this. We did ask to be moved away from the speakers, and there was space, however out server said they could not move us as that was not their zone. I'm all about great customer service, and making sure the customer is happy. I will come back and try this again, however I think they really could do a better job listening to their customers needs. Give it a shot, and voice your needs to them!! Based on the food and drink, this would have been a higher stars, but due to the lack of focus on customer service I drooped the star count by two. read more

Family went there without me, then took me a week later. 6pm on a Friday night, the Sir Mix a lot thumping loudly on arrival, made this restaurant feel more like a club. -1 Staff was extremely friendly, COVID compliant, ensured we were welcomed immediately. +2 Apps arrived fast, the BBQ egg rolls were awesome , the onion rings lacked seasoning. In the end +3 Daughter got the Mac and cheese burger (lacked seasoning) she didn't finish it, didn't want to take home. -2 Wife got the Massive tenderloin, she loved it, said it needed seasoning, she took home leftovers, -for my wife that is something. +3 I got the fish and chips, again seasoning, and took home, +2 +7 in the end, portions are HUGE for the dollar amount. I'll try again. read more

This place has a nice local stance, having some struggles keeping ratings. I came to this establishment for a private party on the upper open air patio area which was a nice space to get some air, food, and cocktails; catered food was good including pulled pork nachos, variety of boneless wings, fresh chips...pita chips and spinach artichoke dip served in a funky retro sitting area. I'm alwaYs early to such events soo I hunkered up to the bar and decided to have a few beers...Checked on thier taps and found an impressive tapper variety pinned to an oversized cast iron pipe...pretty cool, beer was poured with precision but could be a little colder for my taste...It was still beer soo all Good! Staff was attentive in first presence and continued refills. Found the Overpriced juke box to bring some of my rocking presence, always good for an afternoon pre~party beer mini fest. The space is well decorated to keep my attention and plenty of Tv's for Sports Off~Course and even a friendly Bowwinkle too Boot. Current Staff is Doing a good job to promote productivity and hospitality, a must for this New Ankeny Retail Complexity. There is a lot to see and lots of eateries, I think this establishment is worth a try... read more

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