Cafe Shi

I am compelled to write a review because it is clear that the last five or so reviews were written by hired shills from competing restaurants in Ames [that in my humble estimation lag "far behind" Cafe Shi]. Chefs are French-trained and the corresponding diversity of the menu items and further the quality of the food, its preparation, and presentation are apparent. Great atmosphere, good/friendly service, and great French/Asian fusion fare. And if you are not full by the end of the meal, do try the coconut pie ... The best I have ever eaten.

Wasn‘t overly thrilled with the food and the service was nothing special either.

The interior of the restaurant is surprisingly nice for being in a strip mall. The food is ok but overpriced since you are paying for the ambiance.

If you get seated in the back dining room you can hear the kitchen staff scream all night.... Really this isn‘t hells kitchen. Get over yourself

Went to go eat, never got seated. We left, all 11 of us. They really lost out on some $$$ due to a hostess that was lost.

This is the best restaurant in Ames hands down and the chef‘s coconut pie is to die for ....

Great food,nice jazz music .best desserts in Ames.

Cafe Shi is a wonderful restaurant, with many different types of cuisine. My favorite is their curry. They have a great wine selection, as well as many delicious desserts.

This place was listed as a bar so I went thinking there would be a drinking crowd, but nothing buy stuffy posers.

First went here a year ago and have been hooked ever since. Hong is a genuinely interested owner and has great staff. Food has been wonderful and we enjoy trying new dishes. We are so hooked on the Seafood Bisque from here that we make a special trip at times just to satisfy that craving!

Cafe Shi is an amazing addition to Ames, unlike most places you will find in the area. Appreciate the diversity of the menu, as it will not be found in most of your other dining experiences.

One of the top places to eat in Ames, Cafe Shi is less casual and more spendy, however you get an experience closer to fine dining. I wish the tables were a little more private as you get a feeling like everyone is looking at you, but at least they have a waiting area, unlike the incredibly poorly designed Cafe in Somerset. I had the Chicken Vesuvio, fantastic. My husband had the fish tacos, and there was so many things going on that while it wasn‘t bad, it wasn‘t anything special. desert cannot be missed!

I have eaten here twice and won‘t bother to try again. Mediocre food and high prices, need I say more, alright then, attitude!

Cafe Shi is the best food in Ames! If you‘ve never been there you are missing out on a delightful culinary experience and should try it at once! Their Asian swet pork ribs melt in your mouth and delectable homemade desserts tantalize the taste buds :)

I would like to like this place. I live in Somerset and it would be a nice addition to the Cafe. Problem is...the food is awful. Seems like they are trying to be hip and do the fusion thing but, in the end, the menu is a mish-mashed mess. The flavors are off and/or the food is bland. I‘ve given them a couple of tries but now I‘m done. Cafe Shi is simply a gross waste of money.

We had a very fine dinner at Cafe Shi last night. The service, ambience, and food were all outstanding. We have eaten at Cafe Shi on special occasions several times over the years, and have always been well satisfied. I had the Vietnamese curry with beef, tomato basil soup, and carrot cake. All were up to their very high standards.

This new menu is probably the worst I‘ve seen at the Cafe in 4 years. No vegetarian dishes again (rice doesn‘t count). Very disappointing.

The food sucked and the service was terrible!

Awesome brunch!! The chef‘s specials are especially delicious. If they have it again, I would recommend the Crab Cakes Benedict. I‘ve always experienced great service and I have never been disappointed in anything that I‘ve ordered. The meals are a bit more pricey but, especially for brunch, you‘re definitely getting a high quantity AND quality of food.

Cafe Shi serves the best food in town. The atmosphere is quiet and soothing, and the service is fabulous. I wish we could go here for dinner more often. :)

My spouse and I eat here at least once a month ... due to it having a diverse and regularly changing menu. The food is excellent and well-seasoned, the service is always average or better, the owners/chefs are friendly, and although the food is a little pricy for Ames (it is well-worth the modest premium).

Best Sunday brunch in Ames!! Great service, great atmosphere and great food. My wife and I can‘t wait to go back and try some of their other dishes. The only problem was that the drinks were a little expensive for what we got, our mamousa was like a shot of oj for $5. Next time we just won‘t order drinks. Every other thing was Supurb!

This place is just below average. The food was salty but bland. Sauces seemed no much better than canned sauces you can buy at the grocery store. I went there with a group of friends and nobody was impressed. The atmosphere and service is great not doubt but for what it is, it was too expensive.

Bravo to Cafe Shi. It really suprised me, and in the best way. Food and waitstaff was very good - granted this was a couple of years ago - but if the restaurant has stuck to it‘s roots I would definitely recommend it.

Cafe Shi is a great place to go. Ames needs more restaraunts like Cafe Shi that feature some unique or ethnic and fusion foods. If you are looking for a place to get away from sports bar food then consider Shi your best option.

That was my first date with my boyfriend! it was awesome! i like the atmosphere and the servant....gooooooooooooooood!

Had the pleasure of dining at Cafe Shi in a group of 11. It was fantastic!! Each and every one of our entrees arrived just as they should have. With a large group, not an easy feat, but it was handled seamlessly by the staff. All courses came in a timely manner. The staff made us feel very welcome from the very moment we walked in. The desserts proved to be just as good as the entrees. While a bit pricier than most of Ames, it was definitely worth it to us.

Cafe Shi is my favorite place to eat in Ames! It‘s a great date place too - a little pricy for a college student, but food is great and menu offers many different choices, service is good too and new locations offers more space! LOVE IT!

Went to brunch for the first time this afternoon and it was awesome!!! I had the crab cakes, which were spectacular and served with a smile! Cafe Shi is definately my new sunday brunch spot!

This is the best food, the best service, and the best facility for dining in Ames. You‘ll want to book a reservation on Friday or Saturday evenings or a holiday (such as Valentine‘s Day), but the expanded capacity at this new location means that you can often "walk-in." And, yes, if you arrive before the rest of your party, you will be able to sit down--either in the waiting area or at your table.

The menu is not restricted to a particular cuisine, so there are options for everyone, including numerous vegetarian selections. Don‘t miss two of Hong‘s signature soups: tomato basil bisque and seafood bisque. And if you thought quinoa was a good idea gone blah, you owe it to yourself to try the quinoa warm salad or the baked salmon rolls--you‘ll quickly learn that quinoa can be divine!

Ames owes a large thanks to Hong Willer for both the art of her cuisine and for the huge effort she has exerted to build an excellent staff and create this beautiful atmosphere.

food was nice, Staff and seating was unacceptable for what you are paying.

We dine here at least once a week. Great food and excellent service. Best place in Ames !

Love, Love, Love this restaurant and its staff! Whenever I have friends and family to Ames this is where we go, by the demand of my guests! They are usually from larger cities and say that Cafe Shi makes them think they are in the city, not a small town in Iowa. Keep up the great work!!! I‘m also VERY excited they‘re open for lunch again!

Great food, great ambiance, reasonably priced for the type of atmosphere and meals they present. One of, if not the best place in Ames.

I dine out a lot and I really like Cafe Shi for having a different menu with all kinds of tasty food! Especially the appetizers are AWESOME!

I have been to Cafe Shi 3 times in the last month or so. Chef Hong has great taste in the recipe & food selections, presentation, the atmosphere in the restaurant and the service. Cafe Shi is a restaurant not to be missed in Ames especially when you‘re looking for a nice place for a special occasion.

We eat at Cafe Shi at least twice a week. We love the tomato basil soup. The wine list is very good and reasonalbly priced.To the last person who wrote the comment about Cafe Shi, you don‘t know what you are talking about.

I did NOT like this place. The food was mediocre if not poor. I had the lasagna jardiniere and tomato basil soup. The soup tasted sweet, which isn‘t what soup should taste like. The bread was a plain white grocery-store type bun, leaving lots to be desired. The lasagna was not impressive, and was very greasy and tasted almost like the tomato basil soup was used to sauce it. The wine list reminded me of the grocery store too. There were a lot of wines on there you can find at the store for 1/5 the price. The service at this place was good, but the rest was cheap quality and overall not impressive at all.

Goood foood! I loved it and am planning to return

The recently relocated Café Shi deserves the 5 star. It offers a great variety of different foods from many cultures. Offering the customer an all ages dinning experience, it brings to the table a great tasting assortment of food. With its new location it made many changes for the better. The move gave it more space everywhere, the atmosphere seems more appealing than before and the food also might of stepped up a notch. I feel the price is correct for this unique, quality, and well presented food. The food in the past has not always been up to par, but of late Café Shi has only been complimented on their food, which is all I have to give, my compliments. Café Shi can make a nice place to take the children or later in the night provide a good casual dinner date

The new location is much better than in campustown, cause there‘s more room everywhere. The food‘s still great, and brunch is unique and highly recommended, me and my girlfriend come here at least once a month.

Absolutely one of the best restaurants in the Ames-Des Moines area. The atmosphere is unbeatable with soft jazz gently playing in the background. But, more importantly, the food is so fantastic! I really hate tomato soup in general, but the tomato bisque soup here is so delicious, I ordered it by mistake one time. Their wine selection is definitely a grade above most restaurants, and the warm quinoa salad has a huge mix of incredible flavors that I‘ve never experienced in a mere "salad." The prices are very reasonable, considering the high quality of fusion food, all of which has always tasted completely fresh to me. If I could, I‘d eat here several times a week. Highly recommended.

This is one of Ames‘ best and one of the few "Big City" caliber restaurants. I love the variety and multi-regional menu items. You never know what you are going to get. The move north really did this place a lot of good, and they‘ve done a good job stepping up the panache here.

This restaurant is amazing! The best in Ames, by far. The baked brie appetizer is perfectly served with fruit and French bread, and the Normandy chicken is to die for. I can‘t wait to go back!

The fusion in flavors and excellent service makes this restaurant one of Ames‘ finest. The variation in the menu and great mixed drinks always provide something appetizing and fulfilling. I have never received anything but the finest service and will continue to visit frequently.

Delicious food ! Excellent service . I‘d highly recommend.

Cafe Shi-t. Overpriced drivel masquerading as yuppie, high-class food. I mean, come on, people let‘s get a grip on reality that has come undone. FYI, I think the food is microwaved.

Good price for the quality of food, though a little higher than average for Ames. Very pleasant atmosphere and service. Wonderful selection.

One of the best places to eat in town!! The menu is ever changing as the owner insists on using only fresh food....the costs are cheap for the entree you recieve. This is one of the best dining experiences Ames has to offer.

The food is just awesome! Sunday brunch is not to be missed.

Great food at reasonable prices. Presentation, quality, menu and wait staff superb ! Our favorite Ames restaurant. NOT a fast food place so you have to allow for preparation time, Relax and enjoy !

The food is well prepared with a great presentation. The new location is well done. The service was slightly slow, but they did a great job on everything. If you like nice food in a nice restaurant, try this place. Hmmm, lets see, the cafe, cafe shi, the spice, and a few other nice places - what is this - is ames developing a restaurant scene? Ames will surprise you if you have the guts to remove all true or untrue perceptions of this city. Ames is a great place.

I‘m always amazed when I eat here. The food is so gourmet, I can‘t believe how inexpensive it is for what you get. The atmosphere is very subdued. Highly recommended!

They move to 823 Wheeler Street ,suite # 5 , same phone # 292-2066( northern Lights area) They also open for Sunday Brunch.

Cafe Shi is a great addition to Ames. The Campustown location makes it a bit of a hassle for parking--sometimes it takes frequently trips to the parking meter during lunch if you are with a group. Otherwise, the food is great and the presentation is very nice. The atmosphere is relaxed and the price is affordable for the kind of good food you get.

A nice place with great food. However, even when they are not busy, it takes a REALLY long time to receive your food (i.e., around 45 minutes for something like soup and a sandwich).

Gourmet food at very reasonable prices. The place isn‘t big, but the decor is very cozy and the food is really fantastic.

Better food and better value than many top-end restaurants in town. We had the artichoke dip and Steak Diane (wife had Southwestern chicken pasta) that were top-notch. It‘s a cozy place for a romantic dinner yet it isn‘t too overdone so that it‘s uncomfortable for men. I‘ve gone there with my wife and with my parents several times, and the food and service are excellent.

Sooo good! My husband and I went here recently and loved everything from the spring roll appetizer to the chicken and spinach mascarpone pasta to the beef medallions. Everything was every bit as good as Aunt Maude‘s, only hella cheaper. I highly recommend it.

This lovely restaurant has beaten Aunt Maude‘s hands down as the top in Ames. Those who want faster service and elephant-sized portions need to frequent greasy steak houses instead. I hate to be rushed during a meal and have always walked away from Cafe Shi feeling very comfortably full but never grostesquely full as is easy to do in most restaurants. I‘ve eaten at Cafe Shi over a dozen times, and I live over an hour from Ames. The food is expertly prepared with delicate spices that are never too overpowering and bring out the flavor of the entree in unique and intruguing taste. I‘m vegetarian, so I‘ve never eaten the meat dishes, but it‘s a fantastic place to relax with a top-notch meal. The quinoa warm salad, veggie wrap, and mushroom sandwich are my favorites. The vegetarian special has always been top notch. Except for the occasional loud voices by patrons, Cafe Shi reminds me of several restaurants at which I‘ve eaten in Paris and London. I rarely rave about restaurants, but Cafe Shi is a definite "not to be missed" restaurant. Review by Jennifer Metcalf.

Delicious food and one of the best restaurants in Ames!

One of the best restaurants I‘ve ever
eaten at.

We went there for a graduation celebration. It was one of the best
dinners I ever had. We had chicken with apples and potatoes,barbecued pork and salmon.

finally a place in town with sushi!!!! i loved the whole experience and the food was wonderful. definately worth checking out!!!

I too have had the pork with apples & leeks and it was very, very good. I‘ve had several other dishes, and they were all beautifully prepared with fresh ingredients. Each time I have recieved great service, and enjoy that the owner is often there and makes time to speak to each of her customers

I have been twice and had the same thing both times, the pork with leeks and apples. both times were excellent but the second time was better with bigger portions and faster service. if memory serves me, the bottled beer prices were reduced a little too from the first time to the second. they had live music the second time and sometimes it was too loud, but kind of fun none the less.

Got Beef Samba which was billed as a cross between fajitas and and a gyro. The entree tasted as if it had been boiled. Bland and over-cooked. Not impressive.

The food is great, and the presentation looks very nice. The atmosphere is relaxed and the price is affordable for the kind of good food you get. Keep it up!

Too expensive for the quality of the food (overcooked pasta). The service was very slow.

We found the atmosphere very pleasant and the food great. It was our first visit and we will definitely return.

The ribs = holy crap with the goodness. Just thought i would pass that along.

My spring rolls were still frozen when I got them, and the Pho soup was only so so. It‘s trying to be a little more fancy than it is. It‘s just too expensive to really warrant going there though.

This is my new favorite place to eat. I have never been served a bad meal here. I usually order the vegetarian special blindly because I have had such good luck with it. I can‘t always pronounce what I am eating, but it always tastes good!

The service is exceptional. I hope the owner knows how lucky he/she is to have such a proficient, friendly, and professional staff.

Astonisising. No competition at this level in Ames: Knowledgeable and accomodating wait staff, nicely presented food prepared with superior ingredients. Short but well-suited wine list

The food is fantastic. The wine list is mediocre.

I can‘t believe I hadn‘t been to Cafe Shi until last night! The food is as good as the cafe, and it‘s right in campustown!
Sure, the prices are a bit more expensive than the other campustown competitors, but the food is far superior.

We tried the california roll, spring rolls, egg rolls, and avocado dip (all appitizers). And the shrimp pad thai. I also had a glass of the house white zinfandel. mmm.

I‘d highly recommend everything! And the service was quick and with a smile.

Lovingly prepared food from the chef/owner. I‘ve been there twice and she has visited my table both times. The quality is great for this neighborhood.

Excellent food! The night I was there Bill Martin and Dave Swenson were playing light jazz, and it was a great atmosphere.

A tranquil atmosphere with plenty of candlefire in the evenings. Food presentation here is an art. For appetizers we tried the California Roll (sushi), Vietnamese spring roll (rice paper) and deep fried egg roll. Lovely arrangement. The food is flavorful. Both entrees came with house salad and a homemade roll. We ordered Chicken in a Lemon-Caper sauce over Penne Pasta and the Shrimp Pad Thai. Both seemed lovingly prepared and were delicious.