Best Steak Restaurant in the Ames Area
- Thread starter zumbro clones
- Start date
Glad to see some people posting Cafe Northwest on here. Happy to hear that it's still open. I've always loved that place, even when it was around the corner in that tiny little house when it was called Northwest Steakhouse.
I love me some fried dills and Greek spaghetti from Cafe Northwest, but I will say that their service took a pretty big nosedive when they moved behind Tip Top. We haven't been there to actually dine-in for about two years because of that, so it definitely could have swung back the other way, but I'm not sure.
I haven't been to Café Northwest in 4-5 years because of bad experiences the last couple times I went. Which is a real shame, because I had really loved that place previously. I'd go in a heartbeat the next time I was in Ames if somebody came out and said the service/food had seen a big turnaround recently.
OK, how do you get bad service and wrong orders when all you have to do is walk to the refridgerator, pull out a steak and put it on the grill? I wouldn't think that there would be much service involved other than getting drinks. Open Flame is about the only place I'd order a steak at around Ames. Most places screw it up.
Same here. It's really a unique menu, we've just gotten terrible service the last several times.
Yea, I have a sentimental attachment because my wife and I went there on a few dates in college. I just can't bear to have my memories of that place tarnished more than they already are.
Cafe Northwest
They deliver. You can avoid the bad service.
Chicken, seafood, steak, salads, pasta, and Greek. Just no Chinese.
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Not really. I've gotten their delivery, and the driver is usually surly and the food packaged so poorly that it has gotten all over the inside of the bag.
H
HGPuck
Guest
Had a good friend that worked at Cafe NW a couple years ago. He doesn't really have any ill will towards them, but as is usually the case there are significant internal reasons the service is not good. I heard enough stories that is makes me avoid it all together now. As others have said, its a shame because I really enjoyed it when I used to go 10 to 15 years ago.
I have heard of some issues higher up, if that's what you're meaning.
Yep - it's a Greek place. Used to be where Okoboji Grill is now (Loco Joe's or something was a stopgap between the two), and now it's in the building north of Tip Top that used to be a hotel or something.
before boji grill it was indigo joes. they had great chili cheese fries and giant mugs of beer for 3 bucks, I miss that place.I have heard of some issues higher up, if that's what you're meaning.
Yep - it's a Greek place. Used to be where Okoboji Grill is now (Loco Joe's or something was a stopgap between the two), and now it's in the building north of Tip Top that used to be a hotel or something.
If you want a good steak other than Texas Roadhouse you might as well just drive to Des Moines because there really isn't a "local" place in Ames that makes a fantastic steak IMO. If I had to guess Olde Main may have a decent steak but I have never tried it there but if they do steak as well as they do all their other entrees it's probably good.
No the Steak Center has changed hands a couple times with name changes. Right now it is Saint Andrew's Grill and Bar. It is VERY good.
Cafe Northwest is good, so is Aunt Maude's, if you want to cook your own and are not too concerned about ambiance, then go to The Open Flame in Gilbert. About a ten minute trip from campus.
Anybody remember Northwest Steakhouse on Greek night when they'd have the belly dancers? I've seen a lot of "dancers" in my life but that was the first place I'd EVER seen a pregnant one! She was prbly a month or two from calving, but I've never been able to look at a belly dancer since.
