Sydney Henricks is the executive chef at TrailSide Tap, where she recently collaborated with sous chef Alex Vockings to launch a new menu tailored for the bike season.
TrailSide Tap is a premier American bar and restaurant conveniently located at the beginning of the High Trestle Trail in Ankeny's Uptown neighborhood. It's a popular spot for trail users, offering a vibrant atmosphere and a diverse menu. The restaurant is actively planning a significant expansion to nearly quadruple its size.
Customers consistently praise TrailSide Tap for its friendly and fantastic service, delicious food, and tasty drinks. Many describe the environment as fun, with a great vibe, making it a perfect spot for a date night or a family meal. It's considered a 'hidden gem' in Ankeny, with particular acclaim for its breakfast and brunch offerings.
Additional Details
TrailSide Tap boasts 18 draft beers, a selection of cocktails and wine, and a welcoming patio. The establishment often features music, contributing to its lively and enjoyable atmosphere.
The restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 11 AM to 9 PM for lunch and dinner, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 AM to 9 PM, catering to breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner crowds. Weekend mornings are popular for breakfast/brunch, and Saturday nights are recommended for dates.
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We’ve been to trailside multiple times before and have always had great experiences with the food and service! This time around service was great but the food seemed different. The cheese curds (our usual favorite item) were not even warm by the time we ate them and when we asked about it they said that the menu has changed and that the chef said that’s how they usually are. We ended up packing them to bring back home so could heat them up since they weren’t cheap.
My salad was good but my husband’s chicken sandwich did not taste good at all (I took a bite too to check). The meat was very very dry (picture added) and it tasted more like pork than chicken. When we asked about what type of meat it was, the person we spoke to who seemed like a manager (not our waitress) asked what we got and when we said we got the chicken caprese, he looked at it from above and then said “it looks like chicken to me”. I’d probably be cautious in case someone with allergies or religious restrictions got the wrong meat.
Just seemed like strange responses and not positive. They never really offered to get us a new batch of anything and we just left feeling bad after spending $100 for the two of us (we were with our 3 year old who didn’t get any food).
Just sad because we were out on our day off with our daughter and were looking for a positive experience and just left feeling we wasted time and money. We won’t go back there but I doubt they would care much since they probably would have tried to make it right when we gave them the two chances and asked about our food nicely.
Only positive was that my salad was good and our waitress was super sweet!
Was looking for a nice spot for our Saturday night date. This was perfect, our waitress helpful and very friendly. The cauliflower wings looked so good when they came out we dug in before I could even get the picture. It’s a little hidden gem in uptown and we are so happy we found it. Highly recommend!!
I had the caprese chicken and forgot to ask for grilled. Harper was amazing to change it out and make sure it was right for me. Food was great once I got the grilled chicken and the Brussel sprouts were delicious as wells.
My family came here on Father’s Day and had an incredible experience! The environment of the place was SO FUN. Our table enjoyed jamming along to the music and our server was fantastic!!! Delicious food, tasty drinks, and even better service. Can’t wait to come back! :)
