Hickory Park: User Reviews

I have heard for years about Hickory Park in Ames. So I thought I should try it for lunch... after waiting for close to an hour to be seated... after being paraded by a open kitchen where everyone those working looked like they were all teenagers... we were seated in what felt like a huge indoor picnic shelter. I thought "this is different" but I am always open minded. I tried the half chicken with corn and coleslaw. I was disappointed in how greasy the chicken was and the sides reminded me of college cafeteria food. If I have a bad experience I always give it another try... just in case it was an off day - maybe because of the huge number of people that were clamoring to try this place. On my second trip (dinner) I again had to wait for nearly an hour I was seated in a different yet but similar booth (felt like we were at a picnic table). I tried the ribs this time and with beans and coleslaw. The ribs were very fatty and the beans were relatively dry. I love BBQ and with the "reputation" that Hickory Park holds in the Ames area I have to say I was disappointed. I am sorry to say I will not be returning... I don't mind waiting a bit for wonderful food - but I won't be waiting here again.

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I went to college in Ames and Hickory Park is sort of like a rite of passage. Its a perfect place for college students because you can get a huge meal for very little money. Dont get my wrong its not food you settle on for the price-they have some delicious meals. I love their smoked meat, and you feel like you are eating at an old school Iowa farm with heaping portions of meat and mashed potatoes. The burgers are quite good as well. Dont stuff yourself too much though, their dessert is famous.

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Hickory park is only the best BBQ you'll ever eat if you never eat BBQ. Their ribs are tough and none of their food tastes truely smoked. Its kind of a soft background to an overpowering sauce.

The do have great deserts and fries though.

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Its a simple, meat and potatoes place, kind of the equivilent to "comfort food" in the South. The menu is massive and its incredible what you can get for the money. In my opinion, the best are the BBQ dinners that include your desired portion of meat,a roll and two sides. You can actually get 1/4 a chicken dinner for $4.50! While the dinners are the shining star on the menu, the burgers are also very good an I have a hard time choosing between the two when I go. Its almost impossible to get out without eating dessert! Your place mat lists the amazing selection of ice cream treats, so is literally staring you in the face during your meal!

The lines are often very long, but their service is generally very good and they get people in and out quickly, so the wait usually isn't too long. My biggest complaint is about the BBQ sauce. Their original sauce is good, but I am always disappointed by the spicy sauce. Its incredible mild and I would love to see it have some more kick!

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Hickory Park is just an incredible place with the best mouthwatering BBQ you'll ever eat. The place is huge, and the lines are always long, and that should tell you something. This place is something special!

The menu at Hickory Park is huge, and can be a little overwhelming, but everything is good and everything is huge. Which is hard, because you want to save room for dessert. But the ribs and pork are my favorite BBQ items, and the burgers are a two day meal by themselves. Their original sauce is by far my favorite, but they also have a nice and spicy one that isn't too hot.

The servers are always really friendly, and the food comes out pretty quick. The prices are fair, especially for the ribs. The ambiance is a little over the top, but I feel like it's authentic.

Definitely get there early if you don't want to wait in a long line, and enjoy the best BBQ in Iowa.

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Hickory Park is an institution. It's the closest thing to an "experience" restaurant that I can think of in the greater Des Moines market. The BBQ is very good, the service is very friendly, the waits can be painfully long (although they do keep them moving as well as possible), the prices are fair, and the ice cream and desserts are awesome. With the explosion of good BBQ places in Des Moines, however, I just cannot justify the 45 minutes of travel time and the $20 worth of gas it takes to get there. When I'm in Ames, I'll stop by, but there's too much else in Des Moines to make the drive in my opinion.

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My family and I have been going up to Hickory park for years. We love it. It is loud...just don't plan on having a heart to heart talk with anyone cause I'm sure you will be stop by the singing of HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Just a great place to go

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