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Whistle Stop Cafe

4.3 (51 reviews)
InexpensiveBreakfast & Brunch
Closed • 6:00 am - 1:30 pm, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM

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WHISTLE STOP CAFE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Whistle Stop Cafe

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Outside
Eric B.

The Whistle Stop Cafe is located not far from the Union Pacific mainline, and certainly fits with Boone's cred as a railroad-infused town. It's also where Mamie Eisenhower was born. The restaurant is a modest establishment, with tight and welcoming seating, and a bathroom that requires a trip through the kitchen and prep areas. My Dad and I came here from breakfast last Monday. Service was down home friendly, and half the fun was observing the various locals and their small town interactions (which is how I grew up here in Iowa). Dad chose corn beef hash and eggs, while I opted for a more common over easy, toast, and potatoes combination. My choice was delicious, while Dad was not as impressed, especially concerning the coffee. And we had a nice time together and very much enjoyed the experience.

Kids meal #6 I think  Hot dog and smiley fries
Aja L.

This is a tiny little diner that serves a fair amount of food for a fair price, but by no means is serving high-quality. The Whistle Stop Cafe is a Boone tradition serving standard Midwestern American favorites. I believe they get most of their ingredients from Walmart using the generic brand and they don't add much flavor or seasoning other than a pat of butter to some of the sweet items. If you like your food plain and standard, as most Iowans do, then you'll love it here.

#7 2 sausage, 2 eggs, 2 pancakes

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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9 years ago

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9 years ago

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

Great food and friendly staff. Just wish the booths were bigger but the place is tiny

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10 years ago

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11 years ago

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11 years ago

Great Saturday morning breakfasts!!! Friendly and busy which is a good sign for an eatery. I will definitely visit again.

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Review Highlights - Whistle Stop Cafe

“My wife ordered the cinnamon roll french toast on the first visit but was disappointed that they had run out of cinnamon rolls.”

Mentioned in 3 reviews

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Mullets

Mullets

2.6(59 reviews)
11.0 mi

Mullets opened up awhile back at the site of the old West Towne Pub. Reviews have invited…read morecomparison with the Des Moines Mullets and perhaps some rough early service and concerns. If my Dad were writing reviews, he might have agreed with those comments as I had to talk him into coming here for breakfast this morning, after he'd already been here couple times previously. I thought our breakfast was a decent 4 star experience in that it was better than OK, but with no real "Oh Wow" moments. Observations: - I didn't see much difference in the interior layout of Mullets compared to the old West Towne Pub. Maybe the walls had different things, but everything else seemed to be in a familiar place, including the multiple screens for sports. - The menu is certainly more expansive than the old place and at least for breakfast a little hard to navigate around all the specialty offerings. Hashbrowns seem to be one of their things, and finding a straight order of bacon and eggs required a little digging. - Service was just fine: friendly and prompt in both order taking, food delivery, and the check. - Prices seemed Ames reasonable. But it is an Iowa thing to complain about prices. - My breakfast sliders (on with bacon the other sausage) were very good and just the right amount of food, considering how many times Dad, David, and I have been out to eat over the last couple days. - My 96 year-old Dad still has quite an appetite as he went "whole hog" with eggs, ham, and a full stack of pancakes. He must have liked it as he almost cleaned his plate. - David only ordered hash browns and orange juice, of which he enjoyed. When we finished, I asked Dad if he'd come back, with the answer being yes. I guess things had improved here in his eyes. The place as also busy enough including some folks that he hadn't seen for awhile. I look forward to this Mullet's being around when I'm back in Ames around late March.

Went on a non-game-day Saturday in mid-October around 9am. Not very crowded, staff were friendly…read moreand available, very pleasant and low-key atmosphere. The menu was a game-day limited menu but the breakfast food choices available were more than enough. Would highly recommend The Morning Mullet and their standard Breakfast Tacos. Portions were exactly perfect, not too little and no need to take-away. The gravy they use on their biscuits and gravy is the authentic sawmill type, which I haven't had much outside of the South, and it was fantastic. The Loaded Bloody Mary is also recommended, though their standard coffee was also plentiful and good. Overall great choice and an asset among breakfast-out options in Ames, we will definitely go back soon for a similar repeat visit.

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Mullets
Mullets
Mullets

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The Dot Cafe

The Dot Cafe

4.6(10 reviews)
11.1 mi

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!

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The Dot Cafe
The Dot Cafe
The Dot Cafe - Wonderful experience! Love the vibe!

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Wonderful experience! Love the vibe!

Whistle Stop Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated October 2026

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