Far from the crowded bar scene of Campustown — nestled in downtown Ames — there is a vivaciously decorated bar waiting for Iowa State students and Ames residents.

Whiskey River invites the young and the old to the home of the $1.25 draw and infamous steak sandwich. And those who visit Whiskey River will have the feeling that they too are a part of a unique environment.

Unlike several Ames’ bars, the Whiskey River has a long Ames history. Formally known as the Safari and then as Mondo’s, the bar has seen many changes.

In 1980, former owner Michael McGonicle changed the name of the bar to the Whiskey River. The name and physical appearance of the bar withstood the change in ownership when Dirk Rozeboom bought the bar six months ago. The biggest improvement was the food menu.

“The food is a lot better and [Dirk] brings a lot of new energy for being a first-time bar owner,” Ken Moon, manager of the Whiskey River, said.

Loyal customer and regular to the bar, Craig Tradway agreed with Moon. “The workers are really nice, there is no fighting and the food is excellent,” he said. “[Whiskey River is the] best place to come for lunch, with a quiet homey environment to be part of.”

And he does come for lunch — everyday.

“I just work across the way at Harris TV and Appliance,” he continued. “[The Whiskey River] steak sandwich is excellent and you can’t beat the prices.”

Ranging from appetizers to sandwiches, Mexican to side dishes and soups, the Whiskey River can satisfy almost anyone’s hunger. The prices are also very reasonable. The famous steak sandwich costs $4.95, while the ham and cheese is only $3.95.

Giving the steak sandwich a little competition, Moon said the Whiskey River is also famous for Rozeboom’s hamburger sensation — the Hoss burger.

“This is a monster burger Dirk concocted with ingredients galore,” Moon said. “It has ham, bacon and all that jazz and costs either four or five dollars depending on the size of the hamburger you order.”

In addition to food, the Whiskey River serves a variety of alcoholic beverages. The bar has four beers on tap including Budweiser, Bud Light, Miller Lite and Pabst Blue Ribbon, plus a variety of domestic and imported bottled beer.

“We have eight import beers such as Heineken, Rolling Rock and Samuel Adams,” Matthew Kiser, bartender and senior in fine arts, said.

The bar is also heavily stocked with favorite liquors such as Amaretto, Vodka and, of course, Whiskey.

“[Bartenders] never stiff you on your drinks here either,” Tradway said. “You definitely get your money’s worth.”

What sets the Whiskey River apart from local competitors are the decorations that adorn the bar. The mounted deer, buffalo and turkey create a different, yet interesting decor.

Perhaps, however, the most interesting decoration in Whiskey River is the woman mannequin in a bath tub displayed in one of the top corners of the bar.

Despite the interesting variety of decorations, Moon said there really is no theme to the environment of the bar.

“It’s not really a sports bar; we don’t have a big screen TV, just some games on ESPN,” he said. “We are just a laid-back hangout, and not so crazy like other bars.”

Besides food, alcohol and an interesting decor, the Whiskey River also offers one pool table, a few video games, a modern juke box and one foos ball table to its customers. But if you don’t feel like playing a game, there are also many tables and booths for relaxing.

The Whiskey River, located at 132 Main St., is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. The kitchen is open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Happy hour at the Whiskey River is Monday through Friday from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m.

“We have 90 cent draws, $1.75 domestic bottles, and $2.25 mixed drinks and import bottles,” Kiser said.

If someone needs assurance, they need to look no further than Tradway. Although he has tried other bars in the Ames area, he finds he is most satisfied at the Whiskey River.

“If I were to rate this bar on a scale from one to ten, I would rate it over ten,” he said.