Even though it's the biggest patio in Ames, its still not worth the hassle. Not by a long shot. You're better off going somewhere else. Anywhere else.
(1)
Dan L.
Great place . Try the games and great food specials. Must try the tenderloins, and hot beef.
(5)
S B.
Don't have their schedule together - we showed up for trivia one night to discover they had replaced it with a different event - but the staff didn't know when I called earlier. Our server was rude to my friend as well, and the wings we had were okay at best. The patio is nice in the summertime, but I recommend heading elsewhere if you're bit a college kid.
(1)
Scott P.
Great place to get a quick bite to eat and a brew. I've had a few of their wraps and sandwiches and they've all been well made. They feature a large and diverse menu with a lot of interesting items. The staff has always been fun and friendly. Definitely dig the feel of this place, a good mix of casual and vibrant. generally try to hit this place up when I'm in Ames
(4)
Alex D.
Solid burgers, staff was very helpful and social. I know there were bad reviews dinging one of the servers, but I have nothing but good things to say about the staff, Kelly who works the bar during the day does an exceptional job. Highly recommend for a decent burger and fries. Try the Skippy burger, I was skeptical when they explained that it has peanut butter on it, but it's quite good. For those who were concerned by the previous reviews, it is also important to point out that I did indeed use the ketchup and there was no catastrophic consequence to opening the bottle.
(4)
Megan H.
I had an experience last Thursday that effectively ensures I will never be back again. A group of coworkers and I headed out here for lunch. After we'd gotten our food, one of my coworkers began opening the ketchup bottle only to have it explode all over her shirt, her skirt, the floor, and my dress. (Later we googled this phenomenon and discovered that it happens frequently when the contents of two old ketchup bottles are combined - the ensuing fermentation can cause a ketchup explosion). Now, naturally, this is not the server's fault. However, our server clearly thought the whole incident was my coworker's fault and didn't even offer to bring napkins until we asked. After the napkins failed to sop up even a small amount of the ketchup that was coating our clothes, I asked if she had a rag or a towel that she could bring us. The scrap of fabric she brought us was coated in food stains and falling apart, so I decided I would be better off going to the ladies' room. Once I retrieved towels and brought them back to the table, we were finally able to start cleaning ourselves off and eating our food (by the way - the fries were great but my pulled pork sandwich was terrible. Where do you even FIND bad pork in Iowa??? There is no excuse.) After the ketchup explosion, our server barely bothered to check on us and acted as though we were really getting on her nerves every time we would ask her for something. Unbelievably, she left the still-dripping fermented ketchup bottle at our table (continuing to drip its contents through the openings in the metal picnic table and onto our feet) until we finally requested that she remove it twenty minutes later. The crowning disappointment? Not only was she completely non-apologetic; nothing was comped. She didn't offer to take anything off our bills to make up for the fact that we were coated in fermented ketchup. My coworker got fed up and went in to speak with her manager. The manager refused to take anything off our bills, but said that we could bring in our dry-cleaning bills instead. That's a nice offer, but I don't believe for a minute that when we bring in dry-cleaning receipts, he will actually reimburse us. We would have much preferred that he simply comp our $6 sandwiches, which would inevitably be less than dry cleaning bills for the two of us. They had so many opportunities to make this right. If our server would have appeared the least bit shocked or apologetic, if she would have removed the ketchup bottle and brought us towels right away, if she would have offered us free dessert or drinks, if the manager would have corrected the situation. Unfortunately, service has been a problem every single time we have visited West Towne Pub, and this was the last straw. We will not be back.
(1)
Ryan W.
This is one of the better places to get a burger and fries if you are in Ames, and if you live on the west side of Ames this is one of the few restaurants available (as of right now, of course). I always gravitate to the bacon cheesburger which is generally cooked to perfection (I go for medium so that it is a little pink in the middle), and the steak fries can be addicting.
(5)
Ashley W.
Come here for the burgers and fries, and you should leave feeling pretty satisfied. The bacon cheeseburger is my fave, and the fries are pretty tasty, especially if you ask for a side of ranch! :) For as many people that live in West Ames, I'm surprised this place isn't busier at peak times.
(4)
Andy Z.
I really wanted to like this place. Honestly. I've tried a number of times starting when it first opened to my most recent visit a couple weeks ago. But every time I go, I wonder why I came back. The food is okay. I've never personally ordered anything downright awful (though I've been with people who have) and yet I've never really had anything too memorably good either. The Rocking Rib Rolls when they first opened were pretty good, but that's probably not enough to build a business on. The service always seems to be poor - whether its been a night out with the guys or with the wife and kids. No need to beat any one server up over it because my experience is consistently bad. Which is odd, because it never seems to be busy. I can see why College students from the west side of town might like it. It's close, has a decent bar and ok food. But, for my money, there are too many better options around town to allow myself to be let down again.
(1)
Gregg G.
Good service from waitress, but the kitchen screwed up my One Eyed Burger TWICE. They asked how I wanted it cooked, I said medium. I came out well done with hard yoke on the fried egg. I complained and the Mgr apologized for over cooking the burger, but said they always completely cook the fried egg, although they would make it over easy for me with a runny yoke... the same way he likes it. Well, the 2nd burger was cooked exactly like the 1st. I gave up and ate it as is. BUT, I WON'T BE DOING ANYTHING BUT DRINKING HERE GOING FORWARD.
(1)
Wayne S.
There are few times that I'm critical about an establishment but my entire experience from the waitress to the food was poor. At least the beer was cold. Poor service, sub par food, I won't ever be back.
(1)
Trevor F.
Skippy burger yum! Yes peanut butter on a cheeseburger! Good service food is good and great atmosphere.
(4)
Aaron H.
West Towne Pub is conveniently located off of Highway 30 on Mortensen Road. The food is very good, and very comparable to Wallaby's and Okoboji Grill. I'm sure most college students visit the facility "after hours" as it's the closest bar to the apartment complexes out on Mortensen.
(4)
Mark H.
Decent burgers, a little over seasoned, but all in all a good experience.
(3)
Jeff H.
I only visit Ames twice a year. One of my friends took me here and I loved it. Unique burgers and great service. Extremely fast and friendly. Food was excellent and our servers were on top of everything. We arrived during an evening rush recently and it was handled extremely well. I intend to return here whenever I visit Ames.
(4)
Stacy S.
Two reasons to go here. 1. It is is walking distance to most apartments on the west side of town. 2. They serve beer.....and fries....good fries. The sandwiches are good, but not anything to rave about. You can go and eat and stay where you want to drink with friends. One-stop shopping is the nice thing about WTP. Their commercials are terrible though.
(3)
W C.
We visited last night with intentions of meeting friends and having a few drinks and appetizers. We got there at about 9:15, went to the bar and grabbed a drink, and found a booth next to the waitress stand. While waiting for our friends to get there, we asked for a couple menus from the nearest waitress after being ignored for 10 minutes. We found a couple appetizers we wanted to try and set the menu's at the edge of the table, indicating we were ready to order. We got ignored by every waitress in the place for the next 10 minutes as they scurried around gathering up ketchup bottles and giving tabs to other customers. At this point, its 9:45 and they have been ignoring us for 30 minutes. We caught several of the waitresses looking at us as we tried to get their attention and each time we got ignored. I'm sure they were all in a hurry to get their tables closed out so they could leave and didnt want to bother with us. By this time we were completely fed of with being ignored so we got up and left. There was no excuse for the piss poor service we received and that will be the last time we visit that establishment. We've been there before and the food and service has always been lackluster, but this put the icing on the cake. Its not like they were trying to close, it was a Saturday night and the place was packed.
(1)
Kerry J.
I asked for a bottled beer listed on their menu and the waitress had to go ask the bartender. The bartender acted like it was a huge inconvenience for her to get involved (even when I walked to the bar to speak to her.). Said beer was apparently not available so I ordered a very generic alternative. It still took 10 minutes to get it even though the place was practically empty. I'm not ordering any food--getting out of here after this beer.
(1)
Mindi A.
The food was good but nothing special and our server was good but nothing extraordinary. I came in for lunch but judging by their signs, they have active evenings with karaoke and trivia nights happening weekly. I ordered the California avocado blt burger. Honestly, it just seemed that they were trying too had on the burger and no 1 thing really shone through. The burger was a little on the dry side. I think it would be better with more avocado and thicker cut bacon. It comes with a heap of delicious fries. I think this would be big enough for 2 people to share.
(3)
Justin M.
I've tried to like West Towne. I've given it about 7 or 8 chances and they just have disappointed me every time. Bartenders? Slow. Service? Collectively the worst in Ames. Food? Below average. Prices? Way higher than they should be. I've had cold wings, burnt burgers, no service, and screwed up bills. My last straw was when my roommates and i went for a beer and an appetizer and there was 3 people at the bar, so with my roommates and I, 6 total people. Two bartenders. 4 o'clock, Friday afternoon. My buddies got appetizers and a beer and I just never got waited on the 20 minutes we were there. Like, nobody ever waited on me when my two friends got served right next me in an empty bar. It's an overpriced sports bar that is only still in business because of its location. I'd recommend every other restaurant and bar in Ames before this one.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Rachel Y.
Even though it's the biggest patio in Ames, its still not worth the hassle. Not by a long shot. You're better off going somewhere else. Anywhere else.
(1)Dan L.
Great place . Try the games and great food specials. Must try the tenderloins, and hot beef.
(5)S B.
Don't have their schedule together - we showed up for trivia one night to discover they had replaced it with a different event - but the staff didn't know when I called earlier. Our server was rude to my friend as well, and the wings we had were okay at best. The patio is nice in the summertime, but I recommend heading elsewhere if you're bit a college kid.
(1)Scott P.
Great place to get a quick bite to eat and a brew. I've had a few of their wraps and sandwiches and they've all been well made. They feature a large and diverse menu with a lot of interesting items. The staff has always been fun and friendly. Definitely dig the feel of this place, a good mix of casual and vibrant. generally try to hit this place up when I'm in Ames
(4)Alex D.
Solid burgers, staff was very helpful and social. I know there were bad reviews dinging one of the servers, but I have nothing but good things to say about the staff, Kelly who works the bar during the day does an exceptional job. Highly recommend for a decent burger and fries. Try the Skippy burger, I was skeptical when they explained that it has peanut butter on it, but it's quite good. For those who were concerned by the previous reviews, it is also important to point out that I did indeed use the ketchup and there was no catastrophic consequence to opening the bottle.
(4)Megan H.
I had an experience last Thursday that effectively ensures I will never be back again. A group of coworkers and I headed out here for lunch. After we'd gotten our food, one of my coworkers began opening the ketchup bottle only to have it explode all over her shirt, her skirt, the floor, and my dress. (Later we googled this phenomenon and discovered that it happens frequently when the contents of two old ketchup bottles are combined - the ensuing fermentation can cause a ketchup explosion). Now, naturally, this is not the server's fault. However, our server clearly thought the whole incident was my coworker's fault and didn't even offer to bring napkins until we asked. After the napkins failed to sop up even a small amount of the ketchup that was coating our clothes, I asked if she had a rag or a towel that she could bring us. The scrap of fabric she brought us was coated in food stains and falling apart, so I decided I would be better off going to the ladies' room. Once I retrieved towels and brought them back to the table, we were finally able to start cleaning ourselves off and eating our food (by the way - the fries were great but my pulled pork sandwich was terrible. Where do you even FIND bad pork in Iowa??? There is no excuse.) After the ketchup explosion, our server barely bothered to check on us and acted as though we were really getting on her nerves every time we would ask her for something. Unbelievably, she left the still-dripping fermented ketchup bottle at our table (continuing to drip its contents through the openings in the metal picnic table and onto our feet) until we finally requested that she remove it twenty minutes later. The crowning disappointment? Not only was she completely non-apologetic; nothing was comped. She didn't offer to take anything off our bills to make up for the fact that we were coated in fermented ketchup. My coworker got fed up and went in to speak with her manager. The manager refused to take anything off our bills, but said that we could bring in our dry-cleaning bills instead. That's a nice offer, but I don't believe for a minute that when we bring in dry-cleaning receipts, he will actually reimburse us. We would have much preferred that he simply comp our $6 sandwiches, which would inevitably be less than dry cleaning bills for the two of us. They had so many opportunities to make this right. If our server would have appeared the least bit shocked or apologetic, if she would have removed the ketchup bottle and brought us towels right away, if she would have offered us free dessert or drinks, if the manager would have corrected the situation. Unfortunately, service has been a problem every single time we have visited West Towne Pub, and this was the last straw. We will not be back.
(1)Ryan W.
This is one of the better places to get a burger and fries if you are in Ames, and if you live on the west side of Ames this is one of the few restaurants available (as of right now, of course). I always gravitate to the bacon cheesburger which is generally cooked to perfection (I go for medium so that it is a little pink in the middle), and the steak fries can be addicting.
(5)Ashley W.
Come here for the burgers and fries, and you should leave feeling pretty satisfied. The bacon cheeseburger is my fave, and the fries are pretty tasty, especially if you ask for a side of ranch! :) For as many people that live in West Ames, I'm surprised this place isn't busier at peak times.
(4)Andy Z.
I really wanted to like this place. Honestly. I've tried a number of times starting when it first opened to my most recent visit a couple weeks ago. But every time I go, I wonder why I came back. The food is okay. I've never personally ordered anything downright awful (though I've been with people who have) and yet I've never really had anything too memorably good either. The Rocking Rib Rolls when they first opened were pretty good, but that's probably not enough to build a business on. The service always seems to be poor - whether its been a night out with the guys or with the wife and kids. No need to beat any one server up over it because my experience is consistently bad. Which is odd, because it never seems to be busy. I can see why College students from the west side of town might like it. It's close, has a decent bar and ok food. But, for my money, there are too many better options around town to allow myself to be let down again.
(1)Gregg G.
Good service from waitress, but the kitchen screwed up my One Eyed Burger TWICE. They asked how I wanted it cooked, I said medium. I came out well done with hard yoke on the fried egg. I complained and the Mgr apologized for over cooking the burger, but said they always completely cook the fried egg, although they would make it over easy for me with a runny yoke... the same way he likes it. Well, the 2nd burger was cooked exactly like the 1st. I gave up and ate it as is. BUT, I WON'T BE DOING ANYTHING BUT DRINKING HERE GOING FORWARD.
(1)Wayne S.
There are few times that I'm critical about an establishment but my entire experience from the waitress to the food was poor. At least the beer was cold. Poor service, sub par food, I won't ever be back.
(1)Trevor F.
Skippy burger yum! Yes peanut butter on a cheeseburger! Good service food is good and great atmosphere.
(4)Aaron H.
West Towne Pub is conveniently located off of Highway 30 on Mortensen Road. The food is very good, and very comparable to Wallaby's and Okoboji Grill. I'm sure most college students visit the facility "after hours" as it's the closest bar to the apartment complexes out on Mortensen.
(4)Mark H.
Decent burgers, a little over seasoned, but all in all a good experience.
(3)Jeff H.
I only visit Ames twice a year. One of my friends took me here and I loved it. Unique burgers and great service. Extremely fast and friendly. Food was excellent and our servers were on top of everything. We arrived during an evening rush recently and it was handled extremely well. I intend to return here whenever I visit Ames.
(4)Stacy S.
Two reasons to go here. 1. It is is walking distance to most apartments on the west side of town. 2. They serve beer.....and fries....good fries. The sandwiches are good, but not anything to rave about. You can go and eat and stay where you want to drink with friends. One-stop shopping is the nice thing about WTP. Their commercials are terrible though.
(3)W C.
We visited last night with intentions of meeting friends and having a few drinks and appetizers. We got there at about 9:15, went to the bar and grabbed a drink, and found a booth next to the waitress stand. While waiting for our friends to get there, we asked for a couple menus from the nearest waitress after being ignored for 10 minutes. We found a couple appetizers we wanted to try and set the menu's at the edge of the table, indicating we were ready to order. We got ignored by every waitress in the place for the next 10 minutes as they scurried around gathering up ketchup bottles and giving tabs to other customers. At this point, its 9:45 and they have been ignoring us for 30 minutes. We caught several of the waitresses looking at us as we tried to get their attention and each time we got ignored. I'm sure they were all in a hurry to get their tables closed out so they could leave and didnt want to bother with us. By this time we were completely fed of with being ignored so we got up and left. There was no excuse for the piss poor service we received and that will be the last time we visit that establishment. We've been there before and the food and service has always been lackluster, but this put the icing on the cake. Its not like they were trying to close, it was a Saturday night and the place was packed.
(1)Kerry J.
I asked for a bottled beer listed on their menu and the waitress had to go ask the bartender. The bartender acted like it was a huge inconvenience for her to get involved (even when I walked to the bar to speak to her.). Said beer was apparently not available so I ordered a very generic alternative. It still took 10 minutes to get it even though the place was practically empty. I'm not ordering any food--getting out of here after this beer.
(1)Mindi A.
The food was good but nothing special and our server was good but nothing extraordinary. I came in for lunch but judging by their signs, they have active evenings with karaoke and trivia nights happening weekly. I ordered the California avocado blt burger. Honestly, it just seemed that they were trying too had on the burger and no 1 thing really shone through. The burger was a little on the dry side. I think it would be better with more avocado and thicker cut bacon. It comes with a heap of delicious fries. I think this would be big enough for 2 people to share.
(3)Justin M.
I've tried to like West Towne. I've given it about 7 or 8 chances and they just have disappointed me every time. Bartenders? Slow. Service? Collectively the worst in Ames. Food? Below average. Prices? Way higher than they should be. I've had cold wings, burnt burgers, no service, and screwed up bills. My last straw was when my roommates and i went for a beer and an appetizer and there was 3 people at the bar, so with my roommates and I, 6 total people. Two bartenders. 4 o'clock, Friday afternoon. My buddies got appetizers and a beer and I just never got waited on the 20 minutes we were there. Like, nobody ever waited on me when my two friends got served right next me in an empty bar. It's an overpriced sports bar that is only still in business because of its location. I'd recommend every other restaurant and bar in Ames before this one.
(1)