The London Underground

Drinks were disgusting. The bartender was rude. And they gave themselves a tip. My bill was for $16 and my bank record says $20. Meaning that after I signed the receipt they gave themselves a tip even though I scratched that part out. Horrible drinks, horrible service and if you pay with card they will give themselves a tip

Just a great local watering hole.
Free popcorn.
Good selection of beers.
Good bartenders.
Interesting clientel.

Not a bad beer selection but the service is close to the worst. Every night feels like dollar beer night at Old Main; lots of people and no one getting service. Don’t get me wrong, I like the place, but I wish the bartenders knew that money came in from outside their close group of friends/customers.

I love this place! I love that its not loud and obnoxious. The music is great but the selection of drinks and quality is above any other bar I‘ve been to in Ames. It seems like the staff are regulars too- thats always a sign of a happy environment. I can‘t get out too much lately but when I do I‘m pretty much pulled into the LU.

Very low (almost zero) staff turnover means that you can really get to know the people who work at London, thereby becoming a ‘local‘. If you think that the staff are unfriendly then it is because you have not invested the time to get to know them; that is done by going there on a Tuesday night in the middle of winter not just on a busy Saturday. No TV, that‘s great. Wonderful after work atmosphere. Gets a bit busy and noisy for me at weekends but I‘m getting old so I choose Sunday nights. This is the best bar in Ames and the more you put in, the more you‘ll get out! Great Bloody Marys on Sunday night!

The staff is the best part! Without televisions, it is the bartender‘s job to make sure you enjoy your drinks and have a good time. The high esteem and popularity of this bar reflect the good job everyone working there is doing. Keep it up!

Not the friendliest bartenders, but their ability to mix great martinis makes up for that. A good alternative for those who want to avoid college bars.

Used to be great, but has dropped a couple notches due to crowds, music volume too loud for conversations and bartenders who forget that the customer is always right. I used to be a regular and now avoid weekends and any "bar holiday"

Becoming less of a secret, this place is a gem.

All of the staff are superb in service, friendliness, and knowledge of drinks. This place has never let me down!

Good vibe, great prices!
The best place to drink in Ames

This bar is a great place to get away from the obnoxious college kids! I can drink in peace without having to worry about getting a beer spilled on me or some jerk trying to hit on me. Best martinis in town!

BEST BAR IN TOWN!! One cool place in an otherwise sleepy downtown. You guys rock--keep it up.

Great place for music, drinks, Foosball, Pinball and just plain old conversation! Pretty good staff. Stop by and check the place out. You will not regret it.

I love this bar! I have gotten to know the staff and they are a fantastic group of people. Most of the patrons are loyal, down to earth people. I love that it isn‘t full of loud obnoxious drunks or a screaming television all night long. This is my favorite bar because I can actually enjoy the company I came with!

Kyle has done a good job keeping the momentum Brian started. Diverse crowd, great specials, awesome selection.

Drinks are a little expensive, but I love the $1 Gin and Tonics on Thursdays. Great atmosphere and good bartenders.

With the demise of the River, my new fav place. Cheapest place to drink in town. Best bartenders. Great selection of beers, outstanding atmosphere. Very interesting clientele. Open mindeed people who are not afraid to have a convo--even if the views differ from theirs. The way a tavern should be.

Fantastic Long Island Iced Teas!!! Thanks to the bartender that night. He was great and mixed it up just to my liking.

After reading the reviews, I had to check it out. I‘ve been in Ames for a few months now and I‘m looking for my "regular" place. This might be it.

I love the variety of beers. And it‘s kind of funny to watch folks come in and order a Michelob Golden Ultra. There are over 50 beers here. Why would you drink that swill?

To amend the comment from Aug 28, I think only one of the bartenders is gay. Just because they‘re not hitting on you, it doesn‘t mean they‘re gay. Just a friendly word of advice....

Great imported beer selection and a nice break from campustown barhopping! The bathrooms are clean, the seating is pretty spacious, and I can have conversations with friends over drinks (Wednesday martini nights are good). I don‘t see how most of the bar staff could be lesbians (or why that‘d be a problem) seeing as how many are guys, or girls in relationships with guys, but they do definitely have a "hipster" feel and a welcoming environment for LGBT people, which is a large part of why I go there--that and the lack of tvs.

I love this bar! The staff are friendly and know their stuff! I also love their music, its new and fresh but not obnoxious. The atmosphere is fantastic and helps bridge the gap between the run of the mill college bars and townie bars to bring in something new. Its my favorite bar in the state.

The crowd in the bar is not very friendly and they play terrible music. The bartenders are very slow and not friendly either. The bar is too tiny and there is only one bathroom. The import selection of beer is very limited.

over priced, bartenders have no knowledge of drinks, and very exclusive crowd of emplyees and their friends. u will stick out and not be welcomed

well.. unless you are a lesbian like 90% of the people that work there

Very comfortable and relaxed environment. Good variety of beers. Good prices and specials. Generous use of whiskey in mixed drinks. Free popcorn. It‘s easy to sit down and have a conversation, or you can have a lot of fun. Always a good crowd, but never too busy.

One thing they could improve on is the music. The bartenders could me more bold with their music choices. No need to please the people with popular music all the time.

I love this bar! You can always find good beers and wonderful people! They have good atmosphere, music, and extras (pinball, darts, etc.) Its my favorite bar in Iowa!!

Really nice bar. It had a relaxed "hipster" kind of atmosphere, and the music was just the right volume that one can actually have a conversation. The bartender was knowledgeable on English drinks like Gin and Tonic and Tom Collins, and she made me one MEAN Henessey and Coke. Will be visiting again for sure!

Cool bar, only problem was that the bartender didn‘t know what a Tom Collins was...how could a bartender in a "British" bar not know that drink?

Great place to hang out and drink some good beer.

Awesome bar, kind of a hippy/trendy vibe but i dig it. Music selection could be changed up a bit. Instead of playing mainstream singles why not play tunes from local acts like Radio Moscow

great atmosphere, friendly bartenders, never have to wait for a drink. good to get away from campustown, although there are students here it‘s a completely different crowd.

Last time I was in there, I had a blast! The bartenders were clearly having fun too, which really helps the tone of the place. But where did the Blue Moon go? Boddingtons is nice but it‘s just as good out of a can and Blue Moon out of a bottle is horrible. Can there be one decent domestic on tap?

Small thing to complain about, all things considered. Highly recommend the bar if you want to spend the evening with cool and smart folks. Not to mention good looking. I was surprised that there seemed to be a pretty strong contingency of good looking people in the bar. Never hurts!

Man, there are a lot of great bars downtown now. This is another. Great selection of beers, and good atmosphere.

How on earth does a bar have a "liberal" flavor?

I agree with last reviewer that the bar has a ‘liberal‘ falvor, but still is a great place. No TV sets make in unique IMO. Good beer seelction in bottles--needs more taps.

This place has the hottest bartenders in Ames. Great beers and the variety, forget about it. Love to go in and have 15 or so. Great place for hunters and peace lovers. Rupublicans are more than welcome just don‘t talk. Music is sweeeet, best in town.

No TV‘s make for actually a nice place. Quirky, local crowd that lends itself to some great conversations. Outstanding beer selection. Great watering hole.

This is my favorite bar in Ames. I like that it‘s not in campus town and it has a very easy going feeling to it. The bathrooms are usually fairly clean, which is very important. I enjoy the music selection immensely. The only problem I have with the bar is the staff can be a little standoffish at first. But I still go there most of the time for the atmosphere.

One of three bars in Ames I will go to still. Friendly bartenders who are responsible. Free Popcorn for happy hour! Music that is unique (not the same bar music you‘re used to hearing) and at a level that lets you have a conversation!!!

This is a great place to get together with friends. My husbands loves the Engllish beers on tap and there martini list is awesome, the pomagranite martini is my favorite! The bartenders are knowledgable and kind and are great about kicking out the riff raff.

Great choice of imported beers. Cozy English pub atmosphere, except no smoke!

great place to meet friends and have a drink. very rowdy drunk there on Sat night and the bartender was very responsible and would not serve him a drink and asked him to leave. Very friendly place great beer selection will go back.

I absolutely love London Underground. The atmosphere is great, it‘s not crowded like campustown, and the bartenders are friendly and plenty knowledgable. It‘s definitely my choice for an Ames bar.

This is my favorite bar in Ames. They have foosball tables, electronic darts, and cozy little nooks to drink hard liquor in. Did I mention free baskets of popcorn? Oh, and a juke box. You really can‘t go wrong at this joint, the wait staff may be unfamiliar with your ordered mixed drink, but they still taste delicious - just a bit longer to make. In the Top Five Places I‘ll Miss when I graduate.

Blue Moon on tap i dont think anything else needs to be said!

Very friendly neighborhood tavern feel. Terrific selection of beers. Very attentive, cordial bartenders. A little smokey, but otherwise this place is a nice change from most of drink until you puke Ames bars. Kind of like Brewers with smoke and without the attitude & aloofness. Expect to be engaged in a conversation when at LU.

There are no televisions in this bar so it is a requirement to socialize. Good conversations and good people abound! The wait staff is very friendly even if they don‘t know all the mixed drinks. But, they are always willing to try something new or offer a drink they know is good. I definitely recommend this for an Ames person looking for a 20-30 somethings crowd that isn‘t congested by college students.

The London Underground is a GREAT place to go with friends. The beer choose is wonderful. If you are looking for a new place to go to have fun this is it! The owner always there and friendly (and cute).

Small little hole in the wall with bartenders that barely knows how to poor a beer let alone a Guinness. Is it that hard? Guinness was old and the service was unknowledgable even with his bartending book. I guess this is pretty typical in small town Iowa

Nice Bar. A little Smokey but they can‘t really help that. Hopefully the law will pass to ban smoking everywhere so that people can socialize and drink without getting cancer and smelling like a pile of waste.

Great selection of beers, great staff, great music, great crowd. If you‘ve graduated from Bud Light and are finally ready to try a GOOD beer, stop by Lundy Undy. You won‘t be disappointed!

I really like this place. It has a neighborhood feel--a little more engaged crowd where all sorts of conversations can happen.
Great selection of beers, very knowledgeable and friendly staff. A little smokey but thankfully Chester the Jester is going to look out for us and change that law.
I hope they follow through with the 30 tap system that is rumored.

The music selection on the TouchTunes still sucks. If they want to be an English bar, they should get some British music. I would also suggest leaving the shitty pop music for the college bars to play.

I agree that this is a beer bar and that Bud Light is next to piss, although they do carry it in bottles for those of you who want it. I also once loved this bar but they don‘t rotate or add to the selection like they once did. They have also been out of dart tips the last 5 times I have been in. I am also no fan of how lazy the staff has become. The tables are rarely bused and they don‘t know the beer they offer. I hope things start to improve.

Atmosphere is great, very laid back and casual with good music. In defense of the bartenders, it is a beer bar, so if all you want is cinnamon toast crunch shots, grasshoppers, and other off the wall shots, go to Es Tas.

They have a great selection, but none of the bartenders know what to do with it. I was there a lot this summer and it was great. I‘ve been in a few times this fall and it has really fallen off. I‘m looking for a new place to call home in Ames.

I don‘t know what happened this fall but this place has really went downhill. I used to love it but the staff isn‘t what it used to be.

If you want Bud light crap(which tastes worse than sewer water), you shouldn‘t even come.
Very nice atmosphere and great selection of drink.
Definitely place to get quality drink in Ames.

It would be a really great bar if the bartender didn‘t have to look up every shot or drink that I wanted. The bar also doesn‘t have Bud Light in Iowa? Guess they want to survive.

Wonderful import beers. I can‘t imagine being happy in ames without having this bar to relax in on the weekends.

One of the few bars worth visiting in Ames. The beer selection is excellent, and the bartenders actually can make a drink if you happen to find your way past the amazingly priced draws. It means a cab ride for me ( with these amazing taps I can‘t walk in without indulging), but it is well worth every trip I take.

On holiday from England and impressed.It really do look like a bar from my hometown (Reading,Berkshire)and Henry the barman was well up on English beers.We got rid of the red Telephone boxes years ago though!

This is my favorite bar in Ames! I go to ISU, but hate the crowded bars of Welch. This is the place to go with some friends to enjoy a drink, listen to great music, and sit back for a great time. I would recommend this bar to anyone who likes a relaxed bar.

One of the only Bars in Ames where you can actually relax. No crazy drunken college students, not smelly or dirty, only smoke-y on a very busy night, and just about everyone has their teeth! Great music and great bartenders. Definitely a beer drinker‘s place with some surprising cocktail entries as well. The only bar a group of people in their mid twenties and above feels comfortable at!

New air conditioning makes my favorite bar even better. They have great beers, great drinks, a great staff in a great place. No complaints. A must when you are in Ames. Rumor is they are adding several new beers this fall including Fat Tire and Spaten Oktoberfest

Bartenders have been very nice when we‘ve visited. And their $4 Martini Wednesdays are a must! Free popcorn too - yum!

Great place to hang out with friends in a very relaxed atmophere. The staff is great too, always attentive and the martini‘s are awesome!

A great place. Quiet and laid back most of the week, busy and exciting Thursday through Saturday nights. They also have a great happy hour ‘til 8 everyday.

Awesome place to kick back with friends and drink some great imports on tap. Almost never smoky and usually not very crowded either. The music isn‘t so loud you have to shout to be heard either, which is great. Plus the owner is a great guy.

A great place to relax with friends after a long week of work!