Long-standing family-owned eatery serving up house-smoked barbecue in a spacious setting.
York Bleyer
Great staff and quick service! The staff made all the difference for subpar food served cold out of the kitchen. Mixed messages due to the decor, ice cream palace meets a BBQ restaurant, hm? It just seems as though the restaurant lacks an eye for detail and is on it last breath or past its prime. Owners please show an interest in this facility as it could be AWESOME. Saint Valentine’s night we called five restaurants in the area, with a 1.5- 2.0 hour wait. Hickory Park had a 10-15 minute wait. Should have known better. Attention to detail. Say it again, attention to the details would make this place a much better facility.
… moreHolly H2
We’ve been coming to Hickory Park every year, even though we don’t live in Iowa — that’s how much we love it! They’ve done such a great job making it safe for those of us with celiac — the dedicated gluten-free menu, clear options, and careful staff make dining here completely stress-free every time.
The food is always delicious (you can’t go wrong with the smoked meats and sides), and it’s such a welcoming, family-friendly spot. The manager always checks in about gluten-free needs, which really shows how much they care.
Consistently great food, amazing service, and peace of mind — that’s why we keep coming back year after year!
… moreJared Morris
Wow! The pork tenderloin was massive and delicious. The brisket, turkey, and pork were also excellent. My favorite side was the beans, but the corn and mashed potatoes were amazing, too! No weak links in this meal! Our server, Chloe, was awesome – very kind and helpful! This was our first time in Ames, and we loved everything about it.
… moreAdelisa Avdic
Very disappointed with our visit to Hickory Park. The restaurant was busy, but the food quality has gone downhill. My party of five didn’t enjoy any of our meals. I ordered the frank with chili, which came out cold, and even the fries were underwhelming. Sadly, I can’t recommend this place anymore, there are much better options in Ames.
… moreZachary Moye
The dessert here is the best part of the meal!
Food: 8/10. I ordered ribs and sausage with fries and coleslaw, icecream as dessert. Ribs were a bit dry but tasted good. Fries were some of the best I’ve eaten. Perfect crunch. Coleslaw was bad. Not enough sugar or pepper or mayo. Tasted like eating raw cabbage. Sausage was good. Icecream was amazing. Perfect mix of creamy and flavorful with lots of options to pick from!
Service: service was definitely 10/10. We were seated under five minutes, waiter was attentive to our needs, food, drinks and desserts arrived in prompt fashion, under 15 minutes.
Atmosphere: 8.5/10. Nice scenery inside, almost steam punk. Rooms were dark, booth had no cushion but sat ok. Noise level was a low rolling drull. Overall, easy to visit in.
I enjoyed this place and will be back to try some new foods.
… moreNetNobody
Ate here a few days ago and the food was good as usual an I ordered a shake to go home, little did I know there was a piece of metal in my shake. I can only imagine if this happened to a kid.
… moreKJ McGraw
Ames—FANTASTIC experience, they were very busy but the service and meals were great. They brought out the littles meals early, were quick with refills. Bacon cheese burger and fries were PERFECT, no complaints everyone left happy.
The building itself is pretty cool interior. Wish they’d bring the concept to Marion. We’re definitely going back when near Ames
… moreEmmalynn Hanson
I normally am never “amazed” or impressed by restaurants anymore but everything at this restaurant is amazing. The atmosphere has the comfort of your grandmas house. Our service by Will was never below impressive. He was incredibly nice and understanding of our family! The food was also very fresh and they went out of their way to make sure my gluten free grandma was taken care of with her own menu that still has lots of options and with a separate lady come by that made sure everything was understood correctly and that she didn’t have any other food allergy’s.
… moreChris Belcher
Wish I could give it a 10 star review. Always terrific food. Even better ice cream. Very quick service. This place is one of my favorites. Has been for years. Wish I didn’t have to drive for a half hour to eat there but worth it every time.
… moreMC C
There were many people present at noon on the holiday, and I waited for about half an hour before getting a seat. For lunch, I ordered a pork chop, a beef plate, and a burger. The pork chop was the best of the three. Our server, Lucy, was excellent, but she seemed quite busy.
… more