Come on in!

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Our next stop takes us to a culinary landmark that has been serving up smiles and filling up stomachs for over 50 years, Hickory Park.

[Tracy Drury] We've always been described as generous portions with modest prices.

I have a pork sandwich on a wheat bun with coleslaw.

[Rebecca Williams] Good food.

Great service.

Good atmosphere.

[Greg Jensen] Lots of food.

Lots of atmosphere and friendly people.

Just a good, good place to be.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Hickory Park serves anywhere from 15,000 to 17,000 people a week and that doesn't even include the catering.

And the menu?

It's loaded.

[Tracy Drury] We have all the items that come from the smokehouse.

You've got your tri-tip beef, your pork, ham, turkey is amazing.

We've got the chicken, our baked beans, we've got of course our ribs.

We've got a huge menu section for just burgers.

Just something for everybody.

♪♪ [Rebecca Williams] I love their homemade sausage.

I've had it that way and I've had it in their sandwich where they dice it up and put cheese on it.

It's really good.

[Kohlsdorf] And, don't forget dessert.

Hickory Park's ice cream creations are legendary.

[Tracy Drury] Every kid gets a scoop of ice cream included with their meal and that kind of helps the adults say, well I can't just watch you eat ice cream, I'm going to have some too.

♪♪ [Kohlsdorf] Hickory Park isn't just a restaurant.

It's an Ames institution.

The warm, family friendly atmosphere keeps patrons returning making it a cherished gathering spot in the community.

[Tracy Drury] I do believe a lot of the community feels it's their own, knowing so much about it, so much about the history.

We include a lot of Ames history within the building.

[Rebecca Williams] I remember when the first one opened like back in '70, something like that, when I was just graduating from high school.

[Tracy Drury] We see a lot of the same faces, a lot of the same regulars, which is great and we see a lot of new faces.

[Greg Jensen] This is about the third time we've been here.

We try to make a stop here when we come through.

[Kohlsdorf] Whether you're a local or a traveler on the Lincoln Highway, a visit to Hickory Park is a must for everyone.

[Tracy Drury] It's a unique experience.

It's great food.

It's just a must stop.

Enjoy dinner, guys!

♪♪