Ames, Iowa is the home of the Iowa State University Cyclones. This article is part of a series that reviews restaurants in central Iowa. Enjoy!
Hickory Park Restaurant Co. in Ames, Iowa has been an Iowa State staple for nearly 40 years. Established in 1970, Hickory Park is legendary to ISU alums and central Iowans for tasty barbecue and unique ice cream sundaes.
Decor/Ambiance
Stepping into Hickory Park feels like walking into an old fashioned train depot. The interior walls are lined with dark, stained wood and black and white photos, antique wagon wheels, and other artifacts line the walls giving patrons the feeling of dining during an earlier era. Old wooden church pews line the walls of the entry way, providing seating while hungry diners wait for a table. During the noon and evening rush a hostess greets customers from a raised, wooden booth–taking names and directing traffic.
Don’t be deterred by the size of the crowds that are often found at Hickory Park–the restaurant seats several hundred and is used to turning over a high volume of customers. Wait times are usually shorter than the time they quote you.
Service
The majority of servers at Hickory Park are Iowa State Universities students, although there is a good mix of seasoned locals. Service is typically above average with most servers being able to differentiate between parties that need a bit of help with the massive menu and patrons who are seasoned veterans.
Food & Beverage
The menu at Hickory Park is expansive, and can be rather daunting to those that are unfamiliar. Visitors can start off their meal with a beverage from the old fashioned soda fountain. Hickory Park serves up flavored phosphate sodas and hand scooped shakes and malts.
The restaurant is best known for its ribs–diners can choose from either pork or beef. Patrons are also offered a variety of old fashioned dinners to choose from including the normal BBQ fare of ribs, chicken, brisket, turkey, pork, and lots of sides. The old fashioned open faced sandwich is always a great choice, but make sure you try it with the sliced meats or breaded pork loin.
Hickory Park also serves up the best burgers in Ames. The burgers, or hickorys as they are called, are made of fresh ground beef and pattied to the perfect thickness. Customers can choose from a variety of toppings ranging from the sour cream and raw red onion hickory to the pepperoni and mozzarella. For those feeling a little less adventurous the bacon and cheese hickory with thickly sliced bacon and your choice of cheese never disappoints.
Complaints about the menu are few, but purists would be advised to stay away from the french onion soup. On two occasions the presentation has been lacking with only a slice of unmelted cheese hastily thrown on top. Diners should also consider asking to substitute a side in place of the fries that are standard fare with all burgers and sandwiches. The fries aren’t just forgettable–they are so lack-luster they actually detract from the main entree.
After sorting through the dinner menu, diners can begin to peruse what looks good for dessert. With over 50 different ice cream based selections on the dessert menu, which is conveniently used as the place mat, patrons will be left with their mouths watering. Hickory Park Restaurant Co. proudly serves only Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream from LeMars, Iowa. Choices range from old fashioned banana splits to candy bar sundaes.
Value
Prices are reasonable at Hickory Park and most portions are hearty. The best value on the menu is the saucy southerner. For under $5 dollars customers get a sandwich heaped with a combination of pork, turkey, ham, and brisket trimmings slathered in rich, homemade barbecue sauce with your choice of side dish. Compared to other dining establishments in Ames and around the Iowa State Community, Hickory Park is one of the best choices for your buck.
Prices range from $5-$8 for most burgers and sandwiches while full dinners range from $8 for a quarter of a chicken to $18 for a full rack of ribs. Shakes and desserts run between $2-$5.
Final Opinions
Hickory Park receives a lot of hype–all of it which is deserved. Restaurant patrons are often impressed after their first visit, but the real beauty and prestige of Hickory Park only comes through after sampling several of their items. The menu at Hickory Park is huge, and nearly all of it is done consistently well. When visiting Ames or central Iowa, Hickory Park is always a good choice when deciding on a restaurant to dine.
For more information and detailed menus and hours visit Hickory Park Restaurant Co. on the web.
