Wallaby’s Bar and Grille Named One of the Best Sports Bars in the U.S.

Friday, April 13, 2012

CNNGo.com recently recognized Wallaby’s Bar and Grille in Ames, Iowa among the 101 Best Sports Bars in the United States. Wallaby’s can also claim bragging rights around the state, as the only Iowa location to make the elite list.

Wallaby’s Bar and Grille, located at 3720 Lincoln Way, was the first of its kind in the Ames area when it opened in 1988. The locally-owned restaurant has since been the place to go on game day, often mixing local clientele with some slightly more recognizable ones, including sports legends Johnny Majors, Bobby Knight and Johnny Orr, just to name a few.

What’s the secret to a great sports bar? According to owner Rick Carmer, Wallaby’s success is based on a combination of having the best local sports fans, a great staff and a fun atmosphere throughout the restaurant. Oh, and don’t forget the food. Their current menu includes more than 70 mouth-watering, homemade items.

Wallaby’s also has an amazing collection of sports memorabilia, including a jersey autographed by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. The walls are also adorned with famous athletes a little closer to home, including NBA jerseys (Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, and the Minnesota Timberwolves) autographed by Ames’ own, Fred Hoiberg and a Rolls-Royce hubcap autographed by Royce White, former basketball forward with the Iowa State Cyclones.

While locals have known all along that Wallaby’s is a winner, which is one of the reasons that they have been named the “Best sports bar in Story County” for the past nine years, you might be wondering what helped them make the “best of the best”, nationally. According to CNNGo.com, their top list of sport bars was determined by reviewing local media “best of” winners, considering recommendations from local sports fans and by visiting hundreds of sports bars across the United States. They also made sure that the list was geographically relevant, by including at least one sports bar from every state.

We hope you won’t just take our word for it. Check it out for yourselves!

For more information, visit www.wallabysbarandgrille.com.

To see CNN's complete list, visit www.cnngo.com.

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