OT: Favorite Ames Restaurants

[jdoggivjc]

And they have the BEST taco pizza. It is funny when we order pizza at work, and all the NY folks are like, what the h*ll is on your pizza? There is lettuce on there. Then they try it and fall in love.

If you've ever had the pleasure of trying a NY pizza (and not the cheap rip-offs from Domino's or Pizza Hut), then you'll understand why they're hesitant to try just about ANYTHING from Happy Joe's...

And yes, as a former NYer, I'll take a NY pizza over a Happy Joe's pizza 7 out of 10 days (it's probably just an access thing - I can have a HJ taco pizza almost whenever I want - I can get a real NY pizza once or twice a year - if I'm lucky).

I wouldn't even consider Happy Joe's the best pizza in Davenport - I'd much rather order from Harris, Wise Guys, or Bad Boyz (the last two's owners are former employees of the original Harris in Moline or Rock Island - can't remember where the original's at). Better crust, better sauce, better toppings.

 

[acs4isu]

FYI, there is a place in Des Moines (name escapes me) that has the best Angry Chicken. And they mean it. It burns you on both ends, but it tastes great.

The best Angry Chicken I have found in Des Moines is at Nut Pob on SE 14th and Indianola Ave. As Johnny would say, "WHOOO-EEEEEE! That's a dinger Coach!" Their crab rangoon are awesome as well!

 

[MtDewaholic]

O'Malley & McGee's sucks. They don't even advertise themselves as Mexican - they claim to be "southwestern". If you want the best Mexican in Ames go to La Fuente. I recommend the Monterrey Chicken.

 

[Clone9]

West St Deli
Battle's
Great Plains
Chinese Homestyle Cooking (CHC)

Man, I miss these places.....

 

[A-town Cy]

This thread pops up at least once every 6 months!

HICKORY PARK

 

[CYdTracked]

So many places I can't even pick a top 5 I bet.

Hickory Park
Wallaby's
LaFuente
Pizza Pit - I will elaborate here, I love the whole menu. Easily the best wings in town, hot sandwiches are great and we used to always order the $5 late night special pizzas.
Gumby's - all the sudden I have a craving for Pokey Stixs
Main Street Brewery - only ate there once but it was fantastic
Whiskey River
Great Plains
Battles BBQ

I'm sure I'm missing a couple other places but I could probably stay in Ames a week and not get enough of my old college favorites.

 

[CYdTracked]

The best Angry Chicken I have found in Des Moines is at Nut Pob on SE 14th and Indianola Ave. As Johnny would say, "WHOOO-EEEEEE! That's a dinger Coach!" Their crab rangoon are awesome as well!

The Hy-Vee on Jordan Creek Parkway (formerly 74th St.) and University in West Des Moines makes some great Angry Chicken. I think that store probably has the best Hy-Vee chinese dept. I have been to.

 

[Cybone]

Favs in central Iowa

Hickory Park
Battles BBQ (sad to hear it is closed)
DaVinci's Pizza (sad to hear it is closed)
Panchero's 2 lb burrito after closing the bar
Gyros from the Gyro guy on the corner of Welch
Ohana Streakhouse, WDM (biased, I was the bar manager for a time)
Taylor's Maid Rite, Marshalltown
Home Team Pizza...mmm cheap pizza

 

[bos]

Mmmmm...HyVee fried chicken.....I love it. My wife and I had Fried Chicken Tuesdays when I lived in Ames. Dont know why, just did and Hy-Vee pleased that appetite.

 

[CYdTracked]

Mmmmm...HyVee fried chicken.....I love it. My wife and I had Fried Chicken Tuesdays when I lived in Ames. Dont know why, just did and Hy-Vee pleased that appetite.

Depending on the store, some of them have more variety and some make the common things better than another store for some reason. King Buffet is where I usually went in Ames to satisfy my chinese food cravings. Yummy!

 

[jdolson]

I agree the West Street Deli!!!!! Some of the best sandwiches in the city. The family and I always try to stop in when we're in Ames.:yes:

 

[ISU4ME]

The newest restaurant to open up is The Pizza Ranch. They have a great buffet and the chicken is pretty darn hard to beat. It is nice to have another pizza option in town.

 

[CYdTracked]

The newest restaurant to open up is The Pizza Ranch. They have a great buffet and the chicken is pretty darn hard to beat. It is nice to have another pizza option in town.

I love how a lot of the things I wanted when I was in Ames all opened up just a few years after I graduated. Best Buy, Old Chicago, now Pizza Ranch, they even put in another Jimmy John's on Duff about a mile away from where I used to live!

 

[bos]

Ames is changing fast. Its finally evolving which it needed to desparately. I think the town figure out they need to start easing up and let things come in if it wanted to survive.

 

[Stumpy]

I am not sure if it is still there but DeSalvo's made the best Philly Cheese Stakes I have ever had. And I really like the Bali Stay House too.

DiSalvo's was only about there for a year and a half, maybe two but you are dead on. Amazing philly cheesesteaks; that's one of the few times I've been genuinely upset when I heard a restaurant had closed.

West Street Deli is probably my top choice in Ames now.

 

[theshadow]

DiSalvo's was only about there for a year and a half, maybe two but you are dead on. Amazing philly cheesesteaks; that's one of the few times I've been genuinely upset when I heard a restaurant had closed.

I may have single-handedly kept that place open for about 2-3 months. That was the downside to living within walking distance of a great place like that.

 

[copenhagen]

Hickory Park!!!!!!

full beef rib, mashed potatoes n gravy,macaroni salad, and pumpernickel bread. The Hy-Vee on Lincoln has the best hot pork stir fry and still have the huge tenderloins where most Hy-Vees have cut their loins in half..The Happy Joes in Ames was horrible when i went there a few yrs ago. Ames also has the best and freshest KFC buffet in the country, the one on Lincoln.

 

[rte4st8]

Tip Top Chili is bad but having Chili and a beer for breakfast on gameday is awesome!

 

[redrocker]

Ames is changing fast. Its finally evolving which it needed to desparately. I think the town figure out they need to start easing up and let things come in if it wanted to survive.

Then where is the exotic dancer bar?:yes:

 

[bos]

OOOOOOhhhh. Well they used to have some. Maybe it will come back in style.