Anyone try it yet? Looks like a regional chain. I randomly found out it existed the other day. I am not sure how a bar/restaurant appeared without my notice at that location.
Tanners Bar and Grill in Ankeny
- Thread starter Tenacious E
- Start date
Which direction do you live from it? I am pretty much straight west. I noticed it for the first time last evening and if I hadn't stopped at Fareway for some frozen items, I would have gone in to check it out.
The fam and I are going to try it out tonight. Will post my thoughts although I will be very forgiving. I have been bitching about there being nothing in NE Ankeny for years and I was tremendously disappointed when that Georgetown plaza opened up with no restaurant and just had some weird craft stores. Really hoping it is decent as I could walk there in less than 10 minutes.
Honestly, I can't think of a single chain labeled "bar and grill" that's ever been good. Best of luck to Ankeny though! I'm sure the frozen pre-made burger patties and bags of frozen fries will be a hit.
It's always amusing when Iowa residents get excited about a chain opening up in their neck of the woods. Although this isn't as amusing as when Whole Foods opened in DSM.
I used to go to a Tanners way out west Omaha. I'm not sure, everybody thinks Sports Bars in Ankeny are a no brainer, but they never seem to work. The first mistake they make is underestimating how annoying couples with kids are in Ankeny (no offense T). I was really hoping it would be just a bar. That is what we need. When old Tonic left and was replaced by Cabaret, it was downgrade for sure.
The food on the NE side has improved. Not withstanding SP's pending putdowns in 3,2,1..., there are a few more places now. Also, something is coming into, or near the old Dahl's, but I was drunk when the guy told me what it was. Oh, the OP I think.
Hah no offense taken. I am trying to think of restaurants in the NE quadrant that I'm missing. I guess there is Sports Page which we're not huge fans of. I love Thai Flavors but we just to takeout for that. Seems like everything new is either in the Delaware strip of hell, or else Prairie Trail, which feels like it is in a different city compared to where we live. If this place is any good at all I'd like to support it, even if it is a chain.
My wife is from Ankeny and her family is still there. It's amazing to me how dead Sports Page is on game days. We can walk in at kickoff and get any spot we want (which is nice for us). Tonic used to be fun as you said, but since the change to Cabaret, not so much. Really not a good bar on the north side of town, or on Ankeny all together. Where is Tanners at? I tried looking it up and couldn't find an address. We will have to check it out next week. We will be in A-Town for 4 days. My BIL and SIL live north of the Methodist church on 45th CT or something. It's amazing how much Ankeny changes every time we visit. Jade is a go to when in town and the Bro and Sis in law order Noodle Zoo religiously.
We had one about a mile from home in KC and went there once.... We watched the Iowa NW game that ended our undefeated season there and never returned
It wasn't bad there was just a pub down the street that had plenty of TVs with better food and beer towers (suggest you Google beer tower if you've never heard of them - this was my first exposure but have since found a couple other places)
Standard bar/grill food with nothing special. Their bingo and trivia nights seemed to be really popular. It was some bingo game where you had to figure out what song they were playing of something.... Otherwise I never hear anything about it
It wasn't bad there was just a pub down the street that had plenty of TVs with better food and beer towers (suggest you Google beer tower if you've never heard of them - this was my first exposure but have since found a couple other places)
Standard bar/grill food with nothing special. Their bingo and trivia nights seemed to be really popular. It was some bingo game where you had to figure out what song they were playing of something.... Otherwise I never hear anything about it
I've been to a few Mexican restraints that have those with margaritas in them, never seen one with beer. Bought one for my home a couple months ago, they're only like $25. Mix a big batch of Margs in it when people come over. I can see how they would be fun in a bar, but not really useful for beer in home, without a kegerator anyways.
His fists are the thing of legends. He will also school you in BBall while grabbing the rim. Tread carefully.
It's not meant to be. Plus I don't know how my lone black friend would feel about me cheating on him
Steven is an insecure asshat and likely a low end used car salesman, but he has a bit of a point on Ankeny food options.
For its size and location, the town really disappoints. IF Ankeny is going to insist on chains, there are much nicer options than what seems to show up there.
Used to go to Tanner's pretty regularly for lunch / happy hour when I worked in downtown KC in the 90's. Decent enough place. They're all over KC and people love their "chicken lips" which is nothing more than a bigger than normal chicken strip. I saw they made it to Omaha and have adopted the charbuff wings on many of their menus. Anyway, it's a sports bar. Nothing special, but not a terrible place either.
We had an order of "charred" wings, a bacon cheese burger, a chicken quesadilla, chicken lips, and a pork tenderloin sandwich. Burger was mediocre. Tendreoin was really good. Lips were great. They really get an incredible crunch on them. Lots of space and clean. For just opening the service was surprisingly swift and attentive. Either we got the owner's family or they have a crack crew they bring in to open. Nothing amazing overall with the food but solid for a family night out with big televisions everywhere. We will be back.
Edited to add that I would not char your wings. It is an interesting concept of grilling wings after they are cooked to get them crispier but it dries them out and some of the wings were more like a marshmallow that caught on fire. As someone who's grilled chicken with the skin on over direct heat, I should have known that was going to hard to execute... The flavors were good and the wings were meaty though so I would order regular wings there again.
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It is in the strip next to the Kum and go across from where dahls used to be. By blimpies.
Agreed, it's unbelievable how few good local options there are here. Luckily I live in the Prairie Trail area which is a very short trip down to Smokey D's. For a bar food type of place we usually go to Thunderhead, but it's pretty typical.
What are some of everyone's favorites in Ankeny?
For Mexican Los charros, for Thai Thai Flavors, have not found any good Chinese, pizza is always wig and pen. That is about it unfortunately. There are about 15 places in Des Moines I iove. Probably alba the most and then cafe di scala
Haha that's funny, if someone asked me I would answer the exact same as you. Exactly. I was hoping there would be something I was missing.
I lived there for 2 years and kept hoping there would be more too. As you mentioned earlier, I loved (and still love) Smokey D's.
Obviously it wasn't a "dining experience", but the food was good every time.
It's at the north end of the strip mall where triple A is located. The northwest corner of 18th and Ankeny boulevard. Kind of behind the Kum and Go.
A sure sign of little d!ck syndrome is when someone constantly berates and bashes his former place of living. It shows to me that you have resentment towards Iowa because you weren't very popular.
I've lived in more places abroad than you, and you don't see me going around acting like this towards people. It's just not proper etiquette.
I would agree with this. We lived in the Boston metro for years, Iowa City for years, and Ankeny for years along with a few other cities. Each has its pros and cons. Will Des Moines let alone Ankeny ever match Boston for dining and entertainment options? Obviously not. However, shopping options have become irrelevant with the advent of Amazon and online retailing. And, I would much rather live in and bring kids up through public schools in Ankeny. There is something to be said for cheap real estate, lots of parks, and an overall existence in the absence of human and traffic congestion. That is why I don't the growth West in the metro and all of the headaches it brings for many commuting to work. The traffic is objectively horrible whenever there is an accident or the slightest of hiccup with regard to construction. To me it is giving up the one of the great selling points of living here with little in return. On other hand, it is not unusual to kite to and from Ankeny without hitting the brakes.
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I was always a big fan of Olive Garden but the first few times at the one in Ankeny made me think they made a poor choice of management. So unless I'm in West Des Moines, I don't go to Olive Garden.
Ranallo's on 3rd might be the best Italian place in Polk county.
I really like Yanni's as well, and although some brag about their Sunday Brunch, I will not.
Leaning Tower of Pizza is my favorite pizza place although it's usually packed on weekends.
I occasionally enjoy Noodle Zoo, although since they raised the price of the Thursday night steak special, I don't go on Thursday's anymore!
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