The Spice

A little pricier, but totally worth it. Last time I went there, my boyfriend ordered one of the chef‘s specials, and it was awesome - interesting flavor, unlike anything we‘d had at a Thai place before (and we eat at a lot of Thai places). A lot of thought, effort, and careful preparation goes into their dishes, and it shows! The restaurant is tastefully decorated, classy, and pretty quiet, although laid out a bit funny. The main entrance is actually on the side of the building - if you come in the front door, you have to walk through the dining room to get to the lounge and bar area, but there‘s not much that can really be done about that. Staff is friendly and attentive. Definitely the best Thai/Asian place in town!

If you want great thai cuisine and a wonderful, quiet/jazzy atmosphere, this is your place. The quality of the food is amazing. It does take a bit, so don‘t expect to get out in a half an hour (every dish is always cooked perfectly - I recommend the Panang Scallops). You go to this place to enjoy food and enjoy the company of people you‘re with.

Very good food, very nice atmosphere. Ames needs more retaurants like this and less of the chains that are so overcrowded on Friday nights. Altho prices are higher, the presentation and service make up for it.

If you want the same quality of food with a less upscale feeling, try Thai Kitchen - another fantastic Thai resturant, less expensive and a very plain, cafeteria dinning room. (But like I said, nearly the same quality food)

The Spice is an excellent, upscale Thai restaurant for lunch or dinner. The dishes are nothing less than scrumptious, with very nice presentation. The staff is very friendly and helpful. If your pocket book is tight but you still want to treat yourself, I recommend doing lunch, since it‘s a bit more affordable.

I think this is the tastiest food in all of Ames. It is powerful and new, and keeps me coming back for more as often as possible. It feels up-scale and casual all at the same time. The servers are very friendly and knowledgeable, which helps when you don‘t recognize the Thai names of items on the menu (although the menu is very good at describing what is in each dish). If you want something new and spicy, go to the SPICE - right now!!

I love this place. I go there for lunch at least every two weeks and dinner when it is time to feel special.

The Thai food was very good. The inside was elegant. A good place for a date.

What happened to the Spice? They close for a month to do renovations [it takes over a month to put booths in the middle of the room??], and suddenly their cooks can‘t remember how to make the food? Rumor on the street is that the owners had issues with the kitchen staff, so maybe they got fired. They need to be brought back! I went to lunch with friends this week and we were all remarkably disappointed. Not only did we wait an extremely long time to be served, but our appetizers were COLD, and the food was bland and incorrect! My pasta had incorrect ingredients and was missing several others. My friend‘s and husband‘s dishes were also missing ingredients [cilantro, basil] and they said they quite bland as well. If I were you, I‘d wait a month or two before going back to the Spice so their cooks can get it together and learn how to make the food properly. If it‘s the same after our next visit, I guarantee we won‘t be back. And that‘s really sad, since the Spice is our favorite restaurant in Ames.

the best restaurant in ames, hands down. very consistent in quality, great service, and fabulous food. will miss it when we move!!

I love this place. The prices are pretty good but the food is amazing. I love the pasta!!!!

The Spice was the one restaurant I wanted to visit before leaving Ames, and after visiting last night, I‘m glad I did. I had the Panang with beef and was amazed at how good it was--just the right amount of spice and creaminess. My fiancee had the drunken pasta, which she enjoyed. We didn‘t get huge portions, but they were just enough to be satisfying.

Great Place to eat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best dinning and meal i have had for a very long time. The atmosphere is second to none. The servers have a really good knowledge of the dishes, even if it is a brand new special. Food is carefully made just for you. Please if you are looking for a nice dinning experience for a group of friends or a loved one check this place out. It will amaze your taste buds.

The Spice is one of my favorite place in town. Food is excellent, they could work more on service, but overall the place is great!

I ate there for the first time a couple of weeks ago, and will go back! The prices were very reasonable for the quality of food they serve. Our server did a wonderful job.

I love the spice!! GREAT food, wonderfull service! Its the whole package!

Wonderful food and beautiful inside! The desserts are also amazing!

I hadn‘t tried The Spice in the 6 years I‘ve been in Ames. I regret not trying this place sooner, it‘s my new favorite restaruant in Ames.

There is only one word to describe The Spice - delicious!!!

My husband and I went here for the first time on Valentine‘s Day and we will be returning. It‘s a bit expensive but worth it. Great food and great service.

Wonderful food and fantastic service! Way better than The Cafe, which, in our opinion, has declined greatly over the past few years. Everyone should try The Spice!

This place is awesome. I‘ve never had food this delicious before. will go back again. Atmosphere is great. Love it!!!

Great Place To Eat. Service was slow, at the time, but was well worth it.

We love The Spice! Lately my girlfriend and I have been addicted to the red and green curries respectively, but the other items on the menu that we have tried have been awesome as well. We dine there often... and both highly recommend The Spice.

The food is authentic, the atmosphere is inviting, but the prices are too high.

Very nice. Good choices too. Have varieties for lunch and dinner.

One of the best restaurants in Ames, if not the greater Des Moines area. The pad thai, curry, panang and baked fish dishes are savory and well-prepared. It‘s a real treat to find quality Thai food in your own backyard (downtown).

amazing food... for everyone out there that is hating on The Spice.. you either work at another establishment and just want to hurt their reputation or you just dont appreciate a good thing. I have been a regular for over a year at the spice and i will never eat at another thai restaraunt. Every other asian establishment in ames and for the most part in the heartland is GARBAGE compared to this place. Rememberyou pay for what you get... garbage is a lot easier to make and cheaper to sell than quality fresh food...

stop hating on a good thing people...

You get what you pay for, this place will prove that statement over and over. Compared with the other Thai offering(s) in Ames, The Spice simply blows them out of the water in taste and quality. It‘s significantly more expensive, but it‘s significantly better and thus completely worth the trouble. Don‘t bother with other places--The Spice is where it‘s at.

The Spice definitely gets my vote as best restaurant in Ames! The quality of food is excellent, and offers a variety of tastes otherwise missing from Ames. The atmosphere is very nice - sophisticated but nothing real formal. The staff has always been extremely nice and helpful; they are all very knowledgeable about the menu and willing to offer suggestions. Eat Here!!

First of all, don‘t go out to eat if you DON‘T have time - go hit up McDonalds. The food here is wonderful and yes the prices might be a little higher than your average place in Ames, but this place is above average and the quality of food is well worth what you pay. So if you don‘t want to pay a little extra or don‘t have the money to go out to eat - pack your lunch, everyone wins. And by saying this place is "okay" you must think everywhere else in Ames is awful then... this place is amazing and I definately miss it beings I‘ve moved out of town!

The food is good but the prices are outrageous.

I went here for lunch. It took for an eternity for the waitress to take the order and for the food to arrive. Do not go here if you are limited on time for lunch. I mean c‘mon! The food was decent but the prices are incredibly high for Ames and for what you are getting. An okay Thai restaurant!

I love this place! The food and the people are great!

very good panang.. .love to eat there every day if possible

Wow! Best place to eat in Ames by far. The food, service, and atmosphere are all just fantastic. I will be eating here a lot.

The rating does not reflect the amazing food, service, and experience The Spice delivers!!! For those who have had negative comments I would suggest giving it another chance. I have eaten there many, many times and have always have a fabulous time. If you did not enjoy your meal I would suggest asking your server for recommendations. They all are very knowledgable about the food and can help you find something that fits your tastes. I would like to say thank you to everyone who works at The Spice. Your handwork is greatly appreciated! You are a great addition to Ames!

If you like Thai food, you‘ll love this place! It is my favorite restaurant in Ames!

This is an excellent Thai restaurant. Ames is really impressing me!

what more could you ask for in a serving establishment. they always have friendly servers... delivers one of a kind meals that are prepared JUST FOR YOU every single time. If you are a busy business man on the go maybe not the place... this is a place to relax and get to know Thai food the right way. If you have questions ask the servers they always are helpful. The other night we even had the help of two gentlemen servers helping us get aquainted with different dishes. So in short thanks to the spice for understanding what a real sit down meal should be like...
You guys keep me coming back for more...

...Gail

I had lunch here with a colleague the other day and my noodles were slightly undercooked(Chicken Pad Thai). The server finally came(5-10 minutes) and asked us how our food was and when I told him about the problem, it seemed like he was turning it around to be my fault. He finally had the dish remade(or at least cooked more), but never checked back with me to see if it was any better. The server also seemed obsessed with the word gentlemen, as he used it at least 15 times when addressing us. It was less impressive than other times that I have been to The Spice. I will be back, but with slightly lowered expectations.

In fact, I didn‘t go further the waiting area since the restaurant doesn‘t serve non-GMO tofu, and is not willing to since most of the people here are not aware of what is grown in Iowa fields. A meal based on GMO corn and soybean, no thanks!

we absolutely love the spice! we‘ve been here several times, and the food has been fabulous every time! i love the drunken chicken pasta, and my husband really likes the cashew chicken. we‘ll definitely be back!!!

I love The Spice! If you want something a more upscale than Thai Kitchen (which is delicious in its own way) then this is the place to go. I am obsessed with the Massuman (sp?) Curry.... so damn good. Service is always pretty good, alnd there is a waiter there who is one of the best waiters I‘ve ever had, I think we tipped him like 30%. Definately try it out!

The best place to eat in Ames, hands down!! The food is incredible. No Thai place in Ames comes close.

Food is delicious! I loved the deserts.
It is a clean place, really good to bring friends. Service is nice and helpful.
It is a little price though!

Was pretty dissappointed with the food.

Medicore food, much hype and overpriced. Thai kitchen is a better choice in terms of food quality.

Wonderful little restaurant! A unique experience in Ames. The food is fantastic. These are dishes you cannot get elsewhere in Ames. The desserts are an elegant and delicious treat to finish off your Thai meal. This is a great "date night" restaurant!

Wonderful place!!






What else can I say?

We were greeted very kindly and seated immediatley in a very comfortable atmosphere. The host and waitress were very friendly and happy to suggest some great entrees. The food was amazing as well! Very generous portions and reasonably priced for what you get (i think) Our food came quickly, but we were not rushed through our meal. A perfect night and money well spent, A+ for the spice! A definite place to try and make one of your favorites!

I LOVE IT! The best restaurant in town. Enjoyable admosphere. Friendly people. Of course, superb, authentic food. You can never find a great place like this elsewhere!

A friend of mine and I recently dinned at the spice for lunch and was quite suprised at our findings. Upon arrival we realized we were very late for lunch and thought we would be turned away for sure. Instead they greated us and multiple times told us to take our time and let them know if they could help with ordering selections since this was a first time for both of us. the young man went over almost every inch of the menu helping us get better aquainted with our selections at hand. after ordering they had our food out as fast as i have ever seen food made in my life. hot soups and appetizers flowed out of the kitchen withing moments of ordering. Then minutes later our amazing massaman and drunken pasta came steaming out as well. Our waitor brought several different sauces for us to try with the dishes so it would be the perfect dinning experience... and that is exactly what it was!

FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART>>> THANK YOU TO THE SPICE FOR GETTING HOW TO PROPERLY RUN A ESTABLISHMENT. GREAT FOOD, GREAT STAFF, GREAT ENVIRONMENT

i would have to agree about the valentine‘s day comment. my girlfriend and i ate their with another couple on valentines day and that place was packed from open til close. Upon our very first arrival we could tell this would not be our last trip to the spice. awesome desserts as well... WE LOVE THE SPICE

Great atmosphere for Valentines day! Added many special touches including candles, darker light, heart shaped rice, and heart shaped carrots in the curry. I‘m making my reservations for next year already! Very delicious food and great service too! Unlike other restaurants in Ames, The Spice‘s empolyees don‘t get distressed when tables don‘t order bottles of wine or appetizers. Very courteous, polite, and poised. Best restaurant in town without a doubt!

I ate here and really enjoyed my meal! I would recommend it very strongly.

Fantastic food! The baked fish and chicken lemongrass dishes are outstanding. There are many loyal and repeat customers which are a testimony to the quality food and experience. Along with The Cafe and India Cook House, this is one of the top 3 restaurants in Ames.

there needs to be one thing to say for this restaurant. sure your lunch might have been 20 dollars if you had a lunch special which comes with a soup and appetizer ( which is only 10 dollars) and then you would have had to have had a dessert multiple drinks and probablly another appetizer on top of it. All i can say in regards to the last comment is if you want to be a glutton for under 10 dollars go to mcdonalds where everything is preped the day prior.
I love your food and service and pricing.. you couldnt ask for a better restaurant.

Good tasting food. Slow service, took 20 minutes to get dessert after ordering. Also, expensive for a college town. Lunch cost $20 for one person! Also, left with quite the stomach ache.

The food is AMAZING! I am addicted.. Rhea is the best!

the food is amazing. the green curry is out of this world.

The Spice is amazing! Even though a bit pricey for lunch, the food is amazing, the wait staff is friendly, and overall it is a great place to dine. Everything I have eaten was tantalizing and beautifully presented. The Spice is by far one of my favorite places in Ames and Ames is so very lucky to have a restaurant like this.

Unique! Sensational! Enough said!!!!
Try just one sampling of the Saim Shrimp and you will never want any other shrimp again.

Gotta have it! Every trip leaves us wanting more. To bad our stomachs are only made so big...lol.
We have become such frequents at The Spice that all the employees now know all of us by name.. instead of just "The Hunziker crew"

The spice is a daily temptation for me. While working in capus town Ames and comuting once a week to the Spice I have never been late getting back to work on time. Try them at lunch you are easily in and out in under 30 minutes, and I‘m even a slow eater.

The Rasberry Mont Blanc is out of this world... Tip for anyone interested in this place..... You better save room for desert...
The Spice, in my books, is becoming an admirable rival for The Cafe‘s deserts.

AMAZING!!!
My family and I recently visited ames for a family funeral and to our suprise we found Ames‘ best kept secret. With the resauraunt having a line basically out the door on a Friday night and only four servers they did a great job. Well lets just leave it at this.. The Spices‘ owners have a well run ship and has their service down to a science. Thank you Carrie and Matt for amazing service... We will be back!!!!!!!!!

very good food. i visit the spice weekly. i have never once come away from the spice with a feeling of loosing money while dinning. yes the lunchis more pricy than some other higher dinning in ames however... do you receive soup and an appetizer and a very large plate of food at those other fine dinnig areas. the answer is no. You definitly pay for what you get. The expertise of the chefs is amazing.
THANK YOU to the spice for making each weekly visit there a memorable one. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK

Very good food, nice environment.
Worth all the money.
Must go!!!

After living in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Chicago, it‘s easy to miss the variety of restaurant options. The Spice is definitely a great addition to Ames, and I‘m sure it will become a regular choice for me. The dinner prices were reasonable for a nice night out, but the lunch menu was overpriced -- several dishes only a dollar less than the dinner price.

Soups as good as in California, Seattle...or Thailand. Peanut spinach like Indonesian Gado-gado (and that‘s a good thing). Pad Thai more smokey/greasy than fish-sauce/peanuty, but still good, like a Thai street vendor. All in all, yum.

Very good--something different for Ames.

Incredible - always a treat!

Excellent Food very Nice Staff! Ames needed a nice restaurant like this!

Excellent, excellent, excellent. This is real Thai. From seating to presentation to serving, you feel like everything is done just for you. Pad Thai highly recommended.

I love this place! The food is amazing, the wait staff is friendly, and overall a great place to dine. Everything I have ate was super yummy. I The Spice is by far one of my favorite places in Ames.

I‘ve been there twice and it was amazing both times. The servers are very knowledgable and friendly. The food comes quick and delicious!!!! The environment is great, too. Very classy. The food dressing is beautiful.

Exquisite! Wonderful restaurant, orally orgasmic food. I frequent the spice at least once a week and haven‘t been let down yet. It‘s about time Ames was home to a GREAT restaurant.

This is by far the BEST place to eat in Ames! It is becoming a weekly visit~and the wait staff is nothing less than perfect!

There are not words to describe this restaurant. The food was exquisit.The waitering was remarkable and friendly. The atmosphere of the spice was elegant, prodigious and impressive. It was a very benevolent place to be.

I would say The Spice is by far one of the best restaurants in Ames, if not the best. I make it a regular stop at least once a week, and have never had anything less than excellent food and top-notch service! With every visit there is always a surprise like a new and wonderful appetizer or an amazing desert to try!!

This is a great place. Ames needs more places like this. I took my girlfriend here recently and she loved it. I will return, many times. Whether people like it or not, Ames is growing and getting better and better selections. Hopefully, places like The Spice will become the norm rather than the unusual. Only time will tell. Ames cannot just appear from thin air, it must be built by people like the owners of The Spice, and those of us who patron there. The question is, what will you do to build Ames into something you like? And there is no doubt, Ames is being built, right now. I know what I will do, do you?

Amazing place...It might be pricey if you are used to spending $5 to stuff your face in a cattle run like Hickory Park. This is a different deal; this is dining. $10-$15 is not much for the quality of food, atmosphere, service and experience. I‘ve been to thailand and the spice is just as good or better.

I loved their food. The service was very good, very good atmosphere. It‘s a little bit pricey but worth a visit. I will definitely dine there again and again!

I loved the food here.Great presentation. Great taste. Definitely pricey for a town the size of LAMES:) I wouldn‘t eat here everyday but definitely save it for special occasions.

Well I think I can say the service has improved. I have eaten there twice and the second time the server remembered me. My food was hot, delicious, and had great presentation. There is a nice atmosphere but it is a bit pricey. I‘ll save this restaurant for special occassions.

Went there on opening day, and I sincerely hope the service has improved since then. The food would have been great if it arrived hot, but serving snafus caused everything to come out cold. Also, we had a table of 8 or so, and they brought out our drinks 2 or 3 at a time, with 15-20 minutes in between. We were there for 3 hours to eat lunch. Awful awful service. If the service has improved, I‘m sure I‘ll give it another shot, because the food has lots of promise.

The Spice is a wonderful addition to Thai cuisine in Ames. The food was very flavorful with great presentation, the atmosphere is soothing, and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable about each dish.