I wanted to give Table 128 a rave review, but unfortunately I was left disappointed with our (wife & my) special dinner/date night. We arrived 5 minutes early for our 6pm reservation and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us, and after a quick review of the menu we put in our drink orders and an appetizer order. The charcuterie plate came out as expected and was ok - and our server promised our drinks were coming. My wife’s martini didn’t arrive until we were done with the app (~35 minutes in) and our server said my cocktail was still in the works. The next time she stopped by I asked to cancel the cocktail and just have a glass of wine. In the meantime my kale salad arrived and was fine. After being in the restaurant for about 50 minutes I finally got a drink - the wine I had changed my order to 10 minutes prior.
Our entrees arrived - and were ok. My wife had the chicken and I had the steak. Ordered Steak medium-rare and it came out a bit past medium. We both had an additional glass of wine which our server had to go behind the bar to pour herself.
Punchline - was really disappointed with the bar/cocktail service - which in turn made everything else feel off for the night. The food was ok, our server was doing the best with what she had to work with, but waiting 50 minutes for a cocktail is unacceptable to me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Anna Mason
We had high hopes for Table 128 — the menu looked great, and we chose it to celebrate my husband’s new job. Unfortunately, the evening was a complete disappointment from start to finish.
We arrived early for our reservation, excited to celebrate and ready to enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and a full meal. Our server took our drink order promptly, but then… nothing. We waited 50 minutes for our drinks. Mine arrived first; my husband’s never came. After another ten minutes, we cancelled his cocktail and switched to wine hoping that would be an easy drink to pour.
Our server was sweet but clearly overwhelmed — she admitted she didn’t know why the drinks were taking so long. From my seat, I could see the bar. The bartenders appeared in no hurry, casually chatting and polishing glasses instead of making drinks. It was astonishingly unprofessional.
When the food finally came, it was just okay — not bad, but certainly not memorable. For a $180 dinner (before tip), the experience fell flat in every possible way.
Our server apologized and assured us “it’s normally not like this.” Maybe so, but we won’t be giving it another chance. A restaurant at this price point should deliver a much higher standard of service and execution — especially when guests come to celebrate something special.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
Ben Pritchard
The level of service and quality that Lynn and his staff provide is a cut above any dining experience I have ever had.
From the moment you walk through the doors, you are greeted with the highest level of professionalism. The cocktails are crafted to perfection and the servers don't miss a single detail.
I can't properly put into words how incredible the food is. From presentation to taste, every dish surpasses my expectations and becomes one of my new favorite meals.
I will stop in every single time I am in Des Moines and you should too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amy Cutler
I recently had the pleasure of hosting a business dinner at Table 128. Everyone was impressed with the overall experience. The menu was diverse and accommodating to all dietary preferences and absolutely delicious. Table 128 delivered exactly what we needed, a high quality dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Linda Semon
LOVE this restaurant! Great food, really nice atmosphere, and AWESOME people!! AND they have a beautiful patio, which I hope to be able to use a lot more before the weather turns too cool. If you haven’t been here, I encourage you to give it a try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pat Bruner
Had a fantastic dinner at Table 128 in Des Moines. The Brussels sprout salad was outstanding, bright, layered, and surprisingly craveable. The bruschetta with strawberries was a clever twist that bordered on dessert in the best way, unexpected, interesting, and delicious. The salmon was perfectly cooked with great texture and flavor, and the heirloom chicken was incredibly juicy and full of depth. Service was excellent, attentive without being intrusive. And the warm, bite-sized chocolate chip cookies at the end sealed the deal, soft, melty, and memorable. I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jay
The flavors this place offers are some of the best in Des Moines. My wife and I had a great experience. We will definitely come back again. It’s a must try. Oh, and get the cookies!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rachelle Hall
Went searching for a spot with a nice happy hour, ambience, and food selection. Google led me to table 128. Elegant spot with a nice patio and great HH prices and selection. Perfect. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay and calamari with romesco off of the happy hour menu and moved on to the warm Brussels salad with manchego and added salmon for dinner. The Chardonnay was lovely albeit a bit cold. Calamari was underdone and not crispy enough (you can tell from the photo) and they forgot my chiles. The romesco was divine! Could have licked the plate! Or scraped it up with calamari if it was crispier and had a touch of sea salt. A dish with potential. The Brussels and salmon were excellent. Flavorful, perfectly cooked and well balanced. Service was a bit scattered- she gave me a lunch menu and didn’t circle back for awhile after I was seated. It was a slow night and she was a sweet gal. I would love to return the next time I’m in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
Drew Mogler
I had their pork delmonico which was prepared perfectly and tasted amazing! Great service and atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Debra Doerr
We had been to Table 128 once before for happy hour, sat at the bar, and were genuinely impressed—so we returned on August 30th with high expectations for the Chef’s Tasting menu. Unfortunately, the evening fell short in nearly every way.
Upon arrival, we were seated promptly and placed our drink orders. The restaurant wasn’t busy, yet it took 25 minutes to receive our cocktails. My husband’s Old Fashioned arrived with a cherry that looked like it had been stomped on, and my drink, The Golden Age, was so sweet it was undrinkable.
The first course took 30 minutes to arrive, and the second course took nearly 40 minutes. When I asked about the delay, the staff blamed a “party in the back.” I peeked into the room and saw a larger table in the private dining area, but it didn’t appear to be a large or rowdy party—just a group dining together. It felt like a weak excuse for the slow service.
My husband’s salmon was overcooked and dry, so we sent it back and he ordered a burger instead. That took another 15 minutes, and by the time it arrived—undercooked and rare instead of medium—I had already finished my dish. My BBQ chicken was just okay, nothing memorable.
The final course of my tasting menu, the peach pie, was the biggest letdown. I had high hopes for this dish, but the peaches were drowned in a thick, sugary syrup that completely masked their flavor. It was topped with something that looked like vanilla ice cream, but it was creamy and tasteless—adding nothing to the dish.
Throughout the evening, we noticed other diners experiencing similar delays. For a restaurant offering a planned tasting menu, one would expect better preparation and pacing. Sadly, Table 128 missed the mark with poor service, disappointing cocktails, and underwhelming food. A huge fail from start to finish.
Celebrated our anniversary at this cute place. Great service and food. We will definitely be returning.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michael Davis
The food was really good but we did have to request they make my wife another salmon since the first one was raw. Portion sizes are small and I'm not one that likes to overeat either. Overall the experience was slightly underwhelming.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Lori Slings
Excellent happy hour selections. Me had a couple dirty martinis and the cabernet. Our first time here. I had the Pork Delmonico. My friend had the heirloom chicken. Both were delicious. Then we enjoyed the Chocolate Tart and each took home a pack of cookies to go. Warm gooey delicious cookies. Amazing way to end the meal a day drive home. Excellent service and dining experience. Wonderful atmosphere and this will be on our repeat restaurant downtown locations. Loved it very much!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
tim teegarden
Food was just okay. Service was super slow and they weren't that busy
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
kaylynn munoz
I have been really excited to try this place and finally had the opportunity tonight. We showed up at 5:40pm with a reservation, although the dining room was fairly empty when we arrived. Things started off strong, our server took our drink order and our cocktails were served promptly. We then placed our order for an appetizer and entrees. Our appetizer (shishito peppers - delicious!) came out pretty quickly, but then…..nothing. For over an hour we sat, drinks and waters did not get refilled, and we watched tables seated after us receive their entrees in a timely manner. Thinking our table had been fully forgotten, we got our server’s attention and asked if she knew when our food would be served. She went to the kitchen to check on our food and came back to our table shortly after. She approached our table, and in a tone that I can only describe as confrontational, states “Is there like, a sense of urgency here, or….?” Needless to say we were appalled by this comment, pointing out that we had been ignored for over an hour while the rest of the patrons (many seated after us) got their food. There were many, many empty tables at this time. Our food was served to us after 7pm, and while everything was absolutely delicious, there was a palpable shift in the server’s attitude toward us. We felt like we were more of an annoyance/burden than anything, which really spoiled the whole experience. There was no explanation offered to us for the delay, which we would have gladly accepted if we were told our ticket was misplaced/the kitchen is backed up, etc. We are easy people who really don’t like to complain. Service is important to me when dining at places like this, and I just can’t justify spending $150 on a meal for 2 people when you are treated like a burden for existing.
I wanted to give Table 128 a rave review, but unfortunately I was left disappointed with our (wife & my) special dinner/date night. We arrived 5 minutes early for our 6pm reservation and were seated immediately. Our server greeted us, and after a quick review of the menu we put in our drink orders and an appetizer order. The charcuterie plate came out as expected and was ok - and our server promised our drinks were coming. My wife’s martini didn’t arrive until we were done with the app (~35 minutes in) and our server said my cocktail was still in the works. The next time she stopped by I asked to cancel the cocktail and just have a glass of wine. In the meantime my kale salad arrived and was fine. After being in the restaurant for about 50 minutes I finally got a drink - the wine I had changed my order to 10 minutes prior.
Our entrees arrived - and were ok. My wife had the chicken and I had the steak. Ordered Steak medium-rare and it came out a bit past medium. We both had an additional glass of wine which our server had to go behind the bar to pour herself.
Punchline - was really disappointed with the bar/cocktail service - which in turn made everything else feel off for the night. The food was ok, our server was doing the best with what she had to work with, but waiting 50 minutes for a cocktail is unacceptable to me.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
We had high hopes for Table 128 — the menu looked great, and we chose it to celebrate my husband’s new job. Unfortunately, the evening was a complete disappointment from start to finish.
We arrived early for our reservation, excited to celebrate and ready to enjoy cocktails, appetizers, and a full meal. Our server took our drink order promptly, but then… nothing. We waited 50 minutes for our drinks. Mine arrived first; my husband’s never came. After another ten minutes, we cancelled his cocktail and switched to wine hoping that would be an easy drink to pour.
Our server was sweet but clearly overwhelmed — she admitted she didn’t know why the drinks were taking so long. From my seat, I could see the bar. The bartenders appeared in no hurry, casually chatting and polishing glasses instead of making drinks. It was astonishingly unprofessional.
When the food finally came, it was just okay — not bad, but certainly not memorable. For a $180 dinner (before tip), the experience fell flat in every possible way.
Our server apologized and assured us “it’s normally not like this.” Maybe so, but we won’t be giving it another chance. A restaurant at this price point should deliver a much higher standard of service and execution — especially when guests come to celebrate something special.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 2
The level of service and quality that Lynn and his staff provide is a cut above any dining experience I have ever had.
From the moment you walk through the doors, you are greeted with the highest level of professionalism. The cocktails are crafted to perfection and the servers don't miss a single detail.
I can't properly put into words how incredible the food is. From presentation to taste, every dish surpasses my expectations and becomes one of my new favorite meals.
I will stop in every single time I am in Des Moines and you should too.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I recently had the pleasure of hosting a business dinner at Table 128. Everyone was impressed with the overall experience. The menu was diverse and accommodating to all dietary preferences and absolutely delicious. Table 128 delivered exactly what we needed, a high quality dining experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
LOVE this restaurant! Great food, really nice atmosphere, and AWESOME people!! AND they have a beautiful patio, which I hope to be able to use a lot more before the weather turns too cool. If you haven’t been here, I encourage you to give it a try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Had a fantastic dinner at Table 128 in Des Moines. The Brussels sprout salad was outstanding, bright, layered, and surprisingly craveable. The bruschetta with strawberries was a clever twist that bordered on dessert in the best way, unexpected, interesting, and delicious. The salmon was perfectly cooked with great texture and flavor, and the heirloom chicken was incredibly juicy and full of depth. Service was excellent, attentive without being intrusive. And the warm, bite-sized chocolate chip cookies at the end sealed the deal, soft, melty, and memorable. I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The flavors this place offers are some of the best in Des Moines. My wife and I had a great experience. We will definitely come back again. It’s a must try. Oh, and get the cookies!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went searching for a spot with a nice happy hour, ambience, and food selection. Google led me to table 128. Elegant spot with a nice patio and great HH prices and selection. Perfect. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay and calamari with romesco off of the happy hour menu and moved on to the warm Brussels salad with manchego and added salmon for dinner. The Chardonnay was lovely albeit a bit cold. Calamari was underdone and not crispy enough (you can tell from the photo) and they forgot my chiles. The romesco was divine! Could have licked the plate! Or scraped it up with calamari if it was crispier and had a touch of sea salt. A dish with potential. The Brussels and salmon were excellent. Flavorful, perfectly cooked and well balanced. Service was a bit scattered- she gave me a lunch menu and didn’t circle back for awhile after I was seated. It was a slow night and she was a sweet gal. I would love to return the next time I’m in the area.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
I had their pork delmonico which was prepared perfectly and tasted amazing! Great service and atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had been to Table 128 once before for happy hour, sat at the bar, and were genuinely impressed—so we returned on August 30th with high expectations for the Chef’s Tasting menu. Unfortunately, the evening fell short in nearly every way.
Upon arrival, we were seated promptly and placed our drink orders. The restaurant wasn’t busy, yet it took 25 minutes to receive our cocktails. My husband’s Old Fashioned arrived with a cherry that looked like it had been stomped on, and my drink, The Golden Age, was so sweet it was undrinkable.
The first course took 30 minutes to arrive, and the second course took nearly 40 minutes. When I asked about the delay, the staff blamed a “party in the back.” I peeked into the room and saw a larger table in the private dining area, but it didn’t appear to be a large or rowdy party—just a group dining together. It felt like a weak excuse for the slow service.
My husband’s salmon was overcooked and dry, so we sent it back and he ordered a burger instead. That took another 15 minutes, and by the time it arrived—undercooked and rare instead of medium—I had already finished my dish. My BBQ chicken was just okay, nothing memorable.
The final course of my tasting menu, the peach pie, was the biggest letdown. I had high hopes for this dish, but the peaches were drowned in a thick, sugary syrup that completely masked their flavor. It was topped with something that looked like vanilla ice cream, but it was creamy and tasteless—adding nothing to the dish.
Throughout the evening, we noticed other diners experiencing similar delays. For a restaurant offering a planned tasting menu, one would expect better preparation and pacing. Sadly, Table 128 missed the mark with poor service, disappointing cocktails, and underwhelming food. A huge fail from start to finish.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Restaurantji Recommends
Celebrated our anniversary at this cute place. Great service and food. We will definitely be returning.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food was really good but we did have to request they make my wife another salmon since the first one was raw. Portion sizes are small and I'm not one that likes to overeat either. Overall the experience was slightly underwhelming.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 3
Excellent happy hour selections. Me had a couple dirty martinis and the cabernet. Our first time here. I had the Pork Delmonico. My friend had the heirloom chicken. Both were delicious. Then we enjoyed the Chocolate Tart and each took home a pack of cookies to go. Warm gooey delicious cookies. Amazing way to end the meal a day drive home. Excellent service and dining experience. Wonderful atmosphere and this will be on our repeat restaurant downtown locations. Loved it very much!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Food was just okay. Service was super slow and they weren't that busy
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 1
I have been really excited to try this place and finally had the opportunity tonight. We showed up at 5:40pm with a reservation, although the dining room was fairly empty when we arrived. Things started off strong, our server took our drink order and our cocktails were served promptly. We then placed our order for an appetizer and entrees. Our appetizer (shishito peppers - delicious!) came out pretty quickly, but then…..nothing. For over an hour we sat, drinks and waters did not get refilled, and we watched tables seated after us receive their entrees in a timely manner. Thinking our table had been fully forgotten, we got our server’s attention and asked if she knew when our food would be served. She went to the kitchen to check on our food and came back to our table shortly after. She approached our table, and in a tone that I can only describe as confrontational, states “Is there like, a sense of urgency here, or….?” Needless to say we were appalled by this comment, pointing out that we had been ignored for over an hour while the rest of the patrons (many seated after us) got their food. There were many, many empty tables at this time. Our food was served to us after 7pm, and while everything was absolutely delicious, there was a palpable shift in the server’s attitude toward us. We felt like we were more of an annoyance/burden than anything, which really spoiled the whole experience. There was no explanation offered to us for the delay, which we would have gladly accepted if we were told our ticket was misplaced/the kitchen is backed up, etc. We are easy people who really don’t like to complain. Service is important to me when dining at places like this, and I just can’t justify spending $150 on a meal for 2 people when you are treated like a burden for existing.
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