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First trip to Ames - bars, restaurants, etc?

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RebelT

Member
Oct 9, 2008
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Hey guys, a buddy and I are driving up from KC on Saturday and this will be our first trip to Ames. We plan to get in sometime in the early afternoon, and we'll probably be hungry and thirsty.

Any recommendations for a pregame bite or brews? Is there a certain area we should head towards that will have some options or what?

Appreciate any and all help. I've heard great things about JTS so I'm excited to see a game there, especially at night.
 
Bring a small grill and a cooler of beer, and enjoy the tailgate. Weather is going to be great.
 
RebelT said:
Any recommendations for a pregame bite or brews?
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Go to the Tip Top before the game for chili and beer. Turn right from Duff Ave. onto Lincoln Way and you can't miss it to the left. Duff Ave. is one of the main exits off Highway 30.

I would also recommend Hickory Park for barbecue, but you will have to wait an hour for a table on gameday. Hickory Park is located two blocks north of the Duff Ave. exit to the right.
 
DesMoinesCy said:
Go to the Tip Top before the game for chili and beer. Turn right from Duff Ave. onto Lincoln Way and you can't miss it to the left. Duff Ave. is one of the main exits off Highway 30.

I would also recommend Hickory Park for barbecue, but you will have to wait an hour for a table on gameday. Hickory Park is located two blocks north of the Duff Ave. exit to the right.
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We are actually going to hit up some legendary BBQ in KC before we make the trip up, so BBQ won't be on our list. Plus, no offense, but I live in Austin, which is arguably the epicenter for BBQ in the entire world right now....most other BBQ just doesn't measure up....but I'd still be willing to try it if we weren't getting BBQ right before we come.

That said, Tip Top sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the reco.
 
There are chain bar n grills on Duff ave, townie bars on Main st and campus town bars on Welch ave. my fav would be Welch Avenue Station, old school bar in campus town where you can order great pizza n wings from upstairs. All meat pizza and just drummies are the ****!

Otherwise take a grill and cooler and there are several public lots for tailgating. We are a very friendly bunch(cyclone fans)if you come say hi.
 
RebelT said:
We are actually going to hit up some legendary BBQ in KC before we make the trip up, so BBQ won't be on our list. Plus, no offense, but I live in Austin, which is arguably the epicenter for BBQ in the entire world right now....most other BBQ just doesn't measure up....but I'd still be willing to try it if we weren't getting BBQ right before we come.

That said, Tip Top sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the reco.
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Hickory Park isnt like competition BBQ. Imo its everything but the bbq that makes it special. Was soo mch better before the old man raised the prices so much.
 
RebelT said:
We are actually going to hit up some legendary BBQ in KC before we make the trip up, so BBQ won't be on our list. Plus, no offense, but I live in Austin, which is arguably the epicenter for BBQ in the entire world right now....most other BBQ just doesn't measure up....but I'd still be willing to try it if we weren't getting BBQ right before we come.

That said, Tip Top sounds pretty cool. Thanks for the reco.
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Meh. I live in DFW and have family in Austin. I have tried tons of BBQ in Texas (including Franklin BBQ in Austin) and still would not say TX barbeque is better. It is just different. As far as BBQ goes, Texas style barbeque has great meat, but the sauce is pretty weak (not thick, slightly acidic/vinegar-like aftertaste). I've always preferred the BBQ in Iowa, which is more like Kansas City/St. Louis style. Thick sauce and a lot sweeter with a slight kick (more tangyness and molasses).

Regional BBQ styles all depend on your taste. Kansas City/St. Louis, Memphis, Texas, and West Virginia all have very different styles.
 
ripvdub said:
It used to be much cheaper. I worked there in college and it was super affordable. Now i would say its about average
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I don't know when you were in college, but the price of most things rises over time. Hickory Park is still a dirt cheap meal out for the amount of food they give you.
 
Jeff's pizza on Lincoln way has some good pizza, EsTas on Stanton (both campustown area) is a sports bar and has some great tacos, although I don't believe they have their all-you-can-eat taco bar on game days. Still I think it's like $5 for 3 tacos.
 
RebelT said:
Plus, no offense, but I live in Austin, which is arguably the epicenter for BBQ in the entire world right now....most other BBQ just doesn't measure up....
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haha, as soon as i saw a bbq recommendation, I knew there was going to be a response like this. hickory park isn't great bbq by any means, but i just figured we would get a 'everything is better in Texas' type response. not sure why you are even planning on leaving the borders of texas.
 
GTO said:
Meh. I live in DFW and have family in Austin. I have tried tons of BBQ in Texas (including Franklin BBQ in Austin) and still would not say TX barbeque is better. It is just different. As far as BBQ goes, Texas style barbeque has great meat, but the sauce is pretty weak (not thick, slightly acidic/vinegar-like aftertaste). I've always preferred the BBQ in Iowa, which is more like Kansas City/St. Louis style. Thick sauce and a lot sweeter with a slight kick (more tangyness and molasses).

Regional BBQ styles all depend on your taste. Kansas City/St. Louis, Memphis, Texas, and West Virginia all have very different styles.
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Well, the first key to your post is that the best barbecue doesn't need sauce. Sauce is a nice addition to bbq, but it shouldn't really have anything to do with the meat itself. People who don't have the best meat worry about sauce. :)

Second, you've obviously not tried enough Texas BBQ if you think some of those things. Unfortunately, DFW is a wasteland for BBQ, so I can't say that I blame you. I've heard the new Pecan Lodge is pretty good, but beyond that, there isn't a really great BBQ place in DFW. The best near that area is Clark's in Tioga. But, the key is -- there are some great, thick, sweet sauces. Heck, Franklin actually has a pretty good sweet sauce as one of their three offerings. The sauce at Stiles Switch in Austin is fantastic -- sweet like you say.

If you're ever down in Austin, hit me up -- there are quite a few places we can go that I bet would change your mind. :)


AWOL2000 said:
If you have time in KC go to Jack's Stack. Cheesy Corn is soooo dang good.
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Jack Stack is fantastic. I've been there twice, most recently about a month ago. Their brisket sucks, but the ribs are fantastic. Their sides though...man. I normally say that anytime you have to talk about the sides that means the BBQ isn't good, but JS is the exception. Jeez they are good.


ISUCyclones2015 said:
How old are you guys? That is definitely a deciding factor, especially for bars to recommend.
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Early- to mid-30's.

bigB said:
haha, as soon as i saw a bbq recommendation, I knew there was going to be a response like this. hickory park isn't great bbq by any means, but i just figured we would get a 'everything is better in Texas' type response. not sure why you are even planning on leaving the borders of texas.
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There is a lot of great stuff outside of Texas. BBQ just isn't one of them.
 
RebelT said:
Well, the first key to your post is that the best barbecue doesn't need sauce. Sauce is a nice addition to bbq, but it shouldn't really have anything to do with the meat itself. People who don't have the best meat worry about sauce. :)

Second, you've obviously not tried enough Texas BBQ if you think some of those things. Unfortunately, DFW is a wasteland for BBQ, so I can't say that I blame you. I've heard the new Pecan Lodge is pretty good, but beyond that, there isn't a really great BBQ place in DFW. The best near that area is Clark's in Tioga. But, the key is -- there are some great, thick, sweet sauces. Heck, Franklin actually has a pretty good sweet sauce as one of their three offerings. The sauce at Stiles Switch in Austin is fantastic -- sweet like you say.

If you're ever down in Austin, hit me up -- there are quite a few places we can go that I bet would change your mind. :)





Jack Stack is fantastic. I've been there twice, most recently about a month ago. Their brisket sucks, but the ribs are fantastic. Their sides though...man. I normally say that anytime you have to talk about the sides that means the BBQ isn't good, but JS is the exception. Jeez they are good.




Early- to mid-30's.



There is a lot of great stuff outside of Texas. BBQ just isn't one of them.
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You're just kind of an all-around ******* huh? And you don't know **** about BBQ.
 
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