In Memoriam: Ames Business/Restaurants

[Frak]

Cy's Roost still there?

Not really. At least not the good Cy's with L&F upstairs. That was a great bar back in the 90's.

I'll say:
Peoples - FAC with acoustic music, mugs, good bar food too. That place was awesome.
O'Malley McGees - Really good food. Too bad it was under flood level.
Fox Lounge - You could buy a whole mixer cup that could pour about 8 shots for $12. The characters that came in to sing karaoke were total entertainment.
Home Team - Huger huge!
Keg Shop - Summer fire sales were too much fun.

If I ever found out that Great Plains had closed, I'd be devastated.

 

[LindenCy]

There used to be a Dairy Queen on Welch that was closed during the winter, right?

I forgot about that. It was kind of an older style and was there when I was in school. Isn't it where the Subway went in (if that's still there)? Subway moved from the basement on the east side to that location on the west I think.

I think most of the places I would mention have already been mentioned (Home Team, DaVinci's, Hardees at the mall), but did anyone mention the Varsity or the Ames theaters? It would be nice to still have theaters near campus.

 

[LindenCy]

I definitely remember this. They were $1 a bag and you could just walk up to the drive thru window to order them after the bars closed. They were so salty that it would almost burn when you ate them. They sure hit the spot after a bunch of dollar pitchers of stale beer at Tazzles though.

When I was in school I think they were $1.99 (90's). A few years ago I asked about them at the Duff McDonald's and they said they would do them. It was basically 2 large fries, though I think originally it was like 2.5 of those big scoops. Great deal.

 

[aauummm]

Minksy's Pizza. Still get some when go to KC now.
The Green Pepper
Pizza House
Dugan's Deli
IHOP on Welch
Boyd's Ice cream
Mr Steak on the west side of town. Went there about every time my folks visited.
Torks Pub
Cave Inn

Ahh..Tork's Pub
The Red Ram
The Beach House
The Red Barn Supper Club (Way out west)
The Old Holiday Inn at S. Duff & 3rd St.

 

[cdfree]

Thought I heard that Lucullan's closed. I worked there for a spell doing prep--the free food was worth almost as much as the near-minimum wage.

 

[ISpyCy]

Peoples - Because I probably spent as much time there as I did in class per week.
Elwood Drive - What Farnsy said.
Chick-Fil-A inside the MU - I could not have been more devastated.

 

[DFWClone]

Peoples - Because I probably spent as much time there as I did in class per week.
Elwood Drive - What Farnsy said.
Chick-Fil-A inside the MU - I could not have been more devastated.

There used to be a chick fil a inside the MU?!?!?!? Wtf????

Reading everything in this thread makes me sad lol

 

[theshadow]

There used to be a chick fil a inside the MU?!?!?!? Wtf????

The whole food court was filled with franchises before Dining Services took it all over. CFA, McD's, Subway, a taco place, etc. Subway was the last one left, and I think they're on the way out (if not gone already).

Before that setup, it was more cafeteria-style, similar to this:

 

[baller21]

West Cyde Wings - big tasty wings and beer

Cafe Northwest- they made a good steak and long islands

Indigo Joes- big beers and chili fries

 

[Rabbuk]

The whole food court was filled with franchises before Dining Services took it all over. CFA, McD's, Subway, a taco place, etc. Subway was the last one left, and I think they're on the way out (if not gone already).

Before that setup, it was more cafeteria-style, similar to this:

subway is gone yep

 

[DFWClone]

The whole food court was filled with franchises before Dining Services took it all over. CFA, McD's, Subway, a taco place, etc. Subway was the last one left, and I think they're on the way out (if not gone already).

Before that setup, it was more cafeteria-style, similar to this:

Wow. That sucks. Isu dining is awful. I can't think of one good decision they made while I was enrolled.

 

[HFCS]

New Dragon Chinese- It was about 2 doors down welch, from peoples. Circa 1998- it was something like $3.25 ($3.43 with tax) for a big chinese meal. AND it was GOOD. Hands down my favorite place to eat in college. I would drive to Ames, right now, if it was still open.

Battles- That old guy would put today's BBQ'ers to shame, using 1940s era smoker. Love the smell of that place when you walked in.

Cazador- I grew up in smalltown iowa, no idea what Mexican food was. Pretty good food, when it used to be in the West HyVee Parking lot......and they give you chips and salsa when you walked in....AND you don't even have to order it (oh to be young).
We always got the Fajitas....We also had the random guy in our group, that would always order a Cheeseburger and Frys.........wait what?

Keg Shop- spring 2000, we saved all our cash, to sneak a Keg into Willow on the last weekend of class. Walked into Kegshop with $100.00. Firesale was Cases of BudLight for 4.99........um, scratch the Keg. 20 Cases of Budlight later......

Hometeam- Fall 98- about once a month they ran the 3 mediums for $6.99. Seriously..what?... Every other Night about 8-10PM, we could just Yell down the dorm floor. Who's in for Home team. $2.50 for a Medium. Cash would just come flying into the Hallway. Our Hallway usually ordered about 12 pizza at a time.

I still think Battle's is the best brisket I've ever had.

Home team's regular pizza was very forgettable but the thicker stuff they'd serve by the slice inside the restaurant was actually pretty good and my late night go-to food. Same late 90s as you.

 

[dahliaclone]

The Pokey Stix thread got me thinking about all the places I miss in Ames that have closed. What are yours?

Off the top of my head:

Gumby's: Pokey Stix and Pepperoni rolls
HomeTeam Pizza: Dirt cheap drunk food, 3 mediums for $10. Plus they had a cheesy commercial shot at Sterling.
Angies: Didn't seem to last long but that was a great after bar spot, always packed, good breakfast.
La Fuente: Margarita Challenge! Solid mexican food, although El Azteca topped it when they came to town.
The Truck Stop: Great food just a little out of the way. Cyclone Slam ftw
Battles: The original location, went downhill a bit once they moved to Welch and owner died.

Elwood Drive: Screw University Boulevard.

Davinci's. End of thread.

If I'm ever driving thru Lincoln I will stop at Davinci's and eat way too much. It's still amazing.

 

[JP4CY]

West Cyde Wings - big tasty wings and beer

Cafe Northwest- they made a good steak and long islands

Indigo Joes- big beers and chili fries

Cafe Northwest when it was where Boulder Tap House is now, was a good spot for a date.

 

[fatkid1974]

Can't believe there haven't been more mentions of Hunky Dory's. Some of the best bands of the 90's rolled through there. Ponchero's on Welch was my 1st, I was drunk from watching ISU/KU bball and absolutely amazed that I could buy a burrito that big. If i remember correctly, I made way too big of a deal about it at the time. Big Earls on Duff was a dump, but always left with a funny story. Oh, ya and can't forget the truck stop. (Across hwy 30 from the Kum&Go for whoever 8 pages back didn't know location)

 

[Al_4_State]

West Cyde Wings - big tasty wings and beer

Cafe Northwest- they made a good steak and long islands

Indigo Joes- big beers and chili fries

It seemed like a lot of people didn't like that place, but I'm with you. I loved those wings. We went up there to watch road basketball games a lot.

 

[Angie]

3. And...from the WAY BACK time machine, a place that used to be in North Grand Mall: Hardees with the train you could sit in and eat. That was so cool as a kid.

What was the name of the waffle fries place that was in between that and the Christian book store for a while? Spuds 'N More or similar? I was really young when it was there, but I do love a good waffle fry.

When Hardees left, I didn't absolutely detest Diamond Dave's. I mean, it was close to the worst Mexican food in town, but it was always fast and empty. There has been nothing in that spot since they closed, like, 17 years ago or so.

 

[Bobber]

I really didn't eat out much back in College since I didn't have a lot of spare money... The old Hickory Park was pretty cool. Can still remember the creaky wooden floors.

The Other Place and Top of the Town was always a neat place. Linked bars with totally different vibes and crowds. Remember playing foosball with some local Ames people at the Other Place and they were absolute sharks.

 

[Farnsworth]

I forgot about that. It was kind of an older style and was there when I was in school. Isn't it where the Subway went in (if that's still there)? Subway moved from the basement on the east side to that location on the west I think.

I think most of the places I would mention have already been mentioned (Home Team, DaVinci's, Hardees at the mall), but did anyone mention the Varsity or the Ames theaters? It would be nice to still have theaters near campus.

Ya I was trying to think of more non-restaurant type places, and Varsity is def up there (screw Kingland). I remember seeing an advanced test screening on Knocked Up there, much more graphic than what it ended up being.

 

[Farnsworth]

Wow. That sucks. Isu dining is awful. I can't think of one good decision they made while I was enrolled.

Ya they are awful, but they had a few bright spots. The UDCC opened my Sophomore year which was a good option. They also never fixed the system where you could go get "lunch to go" in Dungeons in Friley and it wouldn't count as a meal so you could stock up on sandwiches, chips, and a drink and still eat lunch.

And let's not forget their greatest accomplishment, providing free snow sleds to students for years!

I did also once win a little Tykes basketball hoop during March Madness one year from a free throw shooting contest. A lot of hallway basketball/dunk contests were had.