Restaurants in Des Moines

“The fried rice is ridiculous. It comes with two different house made sauces that are top notch incredible. I don't live in Des Moines anymore but anytime I'm back this is the first place I go. Also yummy drinks and super friendly staff. Overall a great place!!!”

“First I feel like I have to say there is no where to park and the wait is long even on a Wednesday night. Inside is dark and loud and cramped. My ham and bean soup was very good! Stuffed mushroom appetizer was ok but not worth the $10.50 price. My steak was ok-I’ve had way better. Waitress said I should ask for it well done since the cook usually undercooked the steak and it turned out more done than I would have liked it but the waitress never came over to ask… The asparagus had that woody flavor. Potatoes were good. My bf let me try his onion rings and meatball sandwich and both were very good! Cake tasted old… the staff is very nice but looked a little overwhelmed.”

“What can I say that hasn't been already said. Amazing across the board. Service from Jules was outstanding. Each course was exceptionally well thought out presented in an artistic way. Yes, it's pricey but considering this is not the type of place most people dine at all of the time, it is more than well worth the amount.”

“Food is beautiful and delicious! Staff is wonderful and makes great recommendations!”

“I had been eyeing this place for a while & was so excited to try it out. We were met with a nice atmosphere, quick service & delicious food + beer! The food was delivered ridiculously fast & we enjoyed the 5oz beer option as we were able to try more of what Lua has to offer.”

“Such a cool vibe! Amazing food and service— will definitely go back again! 😊”

“Best service in DesMoines”

“Beautiful space, delicious and delightful dishes! Plus the staff provide an excellent experience. I love the Ingersoll Corridor and Panka Peruvian is a do not miss. I loved the Papa Rellena from the appetizers menu and the Arroz Norteno from the Peruvian dishes menu.”

“We had our wedding dinner tonight at Harbinger. Low-key, just the two of us. We were treated with such kindness and respect from everyone, including the chef who made concessions to his tasting menu for my wife’s sugar issues. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. We visit Harbinger we are blown away by the quality of our dining experience.”

“Everything was phenomenal from beginning to end! The waitstaff was attentive but not overbearing, and our waiter in particular was so friendly and recommended the crab stuffed walleye, which was to die for! The environment was classy and intimate, yet casual enough that it felt comfortable and warm. The best part of the meal was the appetizer- the seared ahi tuna is too good for words, just trust me on this and order it! This was a great place to visit for my birthday dinner, and we definitely plan on being back.”

“highly recommend!!! fantastic sushi and amazing people. we love going there!”

“We had Sam and Billy for our servers at the bar, they were extremely friendly, attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. Our drinks stayed full with plenty of conversation. This is the reason we continue to come back to this hotel.”

“Great food and service. Delicious barbeque, and best catfish and Southern cuisine in town.”

“The online menu is not the same as the actual menu. I had Iowa Surf and Turf. It was very good. The vibe was weird. Sushi bar and Bob Marley. The bartender was also trying to play host. Lots of yelling “I’ll be with you”. Saturday afternoon. 3ish. Let anyone sit where they want. Food was very good. But odd atmosphere. Not on my go to list.”

“Absolutely incredible experience! We walked in with our own champagne, and the bartenders were amazing and super welcoming. They opened it for us and put it on ice without hesitation. We did the Omakase sushi dinner, and every single bite was amazing. Fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The service was top-notch from start to finish. Can’t recommend enough—10/10! 🍣🍷✨”

“Excellent food and service! Prime rib was absolutely delicious!”

“The gnocchi is a very memorable dish. Soft, fluffy pillows of heaven. I don’t regret eating the entire dish AND ordering the lava cake. Easily ranks in my top 5 favorite DSM dishes.”

“It had been a few years since we’d been to Lucca and I can’t for the life of me understand why. We had an absolutely fantastic experience there last Friday and are already planning our return.

We’d decided to do a fancy night on the town with friends (the kind where you dress up for no good reason) and liked the look of Lucca’s prix fixe menu. We arrived at 8pm sharp but our table wasn’t quite ready so the wonderful hostess got us drinks and made us comfortable in the seats near the door. She checked on us several times and we’d honestly have been fine waiting there all night. But they soon seated us and we had an amazing dinner. Four courses, including dessert, for $57 per person. The NY strip alone might cost that at another restaurant. All dishes were delicious and we were impressed at just how wide the selection was.

Once again, the service took dinner to another level and we loved the ambience. Plus, you step out into the East Village and have a million options for the rest of the night.

Exceptional job, Steve Logsdon and crew; it’s no wonder you’re still making national lists after so many years in business. We will absolutely return soon. Highly recommended.”

“delicious friendly staff most definitely reccomend. I didn't know you had to reserve a spot here. the host and hostess and managers were great getting my family a table. we most definitely will be going back.”

“A party of five of us visited on 1/8/25. We asked for a table in back as there was live music by the bar and we wanted to be able to talk together Our server was excellent - wish I had gotten her name Food was amazing - we got brussel sprouts, sliders, French fries w Parmesan, stuffed mushrooms, and spinach artichoke dip All came out timely and very good! We had martinis and all were very delicious and also came out quick I’ve been here about six times before and it’s always great Good patio area too Definitely a great place!”

“Cheese Bar is my favorite restaurant. I like it for the friendly staff, excellent service, knowledgeable chef, and of course delicious food. They clearly train their people well and are all very kind and relaxed. Their food and beverages have been consistently well prepared and tasty for over 6 years. I love it!”

“We have been to visit The Republic several times and have had a phenomenal time each visit! The staff are second to none! Ask for Nicole Ripperger for great service!”

“The waiters are very accommodating. Good food and services.”

“this is a fantastic place!!! food is incredible, atmosphere is awsome, and the owner is top notch. if it is a large group of a date this is the place to go”

“Delicious authentic Mexican food. You definitely get your money's worth. Along with it tasting bomb af the amount they give you is definitely on the generous side. Love this place. One of my latest favorites.”

“Perfectly cooked Medium-Rare ribeye. Great salad bar. Super sweet waitress!! Great experience all around”

“I wish I would have taken more photos but the food was so good our family couldn’t think to take photos. My mom wanted to eat at HoQ Resturant for her 40th wedding anniversary and wanted the whole family with them to celebrate. Little back story my mom sells vegetables to the owner that he uses in his dishes. 90% or more of the ingredients are locally sourced in Iowa. Farm to table concept. We started withh naan bread the brought out and a little bit of I think pasta with beets. What ever it was it was goos. Then we ordered several different appetizers. Burnt carrots, Hummus and some kind of bread, chicken skewers, and pierogies. For meal we got different things. Several had the bison burger and fries, 2 had the 5 oz steak with risotto. Mom and I had the Mediterranean bowl with falafel add tandoori chicken. That is the only thing I got a photo of of course after I started to eat. The accommodated our little girls with grilled cheese and fries and a side of chicken. Finished off our meal with. Cake my sister made ( our grandma’s recipe) Minnesota chocolate cake with fudge icing. And the restaurant brought out several scoops of vanilla ice cream with shortbread cookies. All the food was so good everyone at the table was quiet including my dad. If you know my dad you know that is not a common thing for him not to be taking and eating. I have posted a photo of my food and a photo of my parents with their cake. And yes my mom is wearing her original wedding dress she wore 40 years ago when she married my dad. Thank you again HoQ for the amazing dining experience and for letting us have a private room to celebrate our parents!”

“Excellent food and service, incredible Ribeye and London broil. Worth every penny spent, we will be back”

“Django is a solid go-to. On this occasion, our server was inattentive and slow. That's the first time we've experienced this issue. Normally, everything clicks. Not this time.”

“My husband and I decided to do an impromptu date night and showed up here. Everyone was exceptional, from our greeting by Elvira, our server Joanie, and we even chatted with the GM Tyler who happened to be in tonight. Joanie let Tyler know it was our first time in and he was kind enough to surprise us with the most flavorful, mouth watering brussel sprouts we have ever had. Everyone was so attentive and the vibe was awesome. I am not a sushi fan, but know my hubbie loves sushi so I wasn't expecting much. The vegan options are great! I had the Eden roll and was so impressed that I can't wait to go back and try more vegan rolls! We had the chocolate egg rolls for dessert and o.m.g. Save room you guys. You won't regret it!! We will totally be back, I have to try more!”

“Had a very disappointing experience at DZO Korean BBQ yesterday. There were 5 of us (3 adults, 2 kids), was charged an 18% gratuity on our bill of over $200+. Upon checking online reviews later, it appears this charge only meant for parties of 6 or more. This policy was never disclose to us by the staff and we weren't even given a copy of the receipt (thank to my daughter for taking a video of me holding the receipt was able to see charges). To make matters worse, my daughter also left an additional tip, unaware of the hidden charge. Their website also fails to mention this 18% gratuity. I feel this lack of transparency regarding the gratuity and incredibly misleading like they are taking advantage of their customers. Diners should be very cautious and double-check for unexpected charges.”

“Chicago Speakeasy is a Des Moines mainstay. Noted for their great salad bar and prime rib. I don't eat prime rib so I can't attest to that. The only thing I can say is the last two times I have gone, what i ordered has been disappointing. I think it is hit or miss on some items.”

“We just stayed for one beer but this place has a great vibe, great beer and friendly staff. Looking forward to coming back.”

“Simple stated, Incredible”

“First time in Des Moines and first time here. Place came highly recommended and it didn't miss. Large portion, hot and fresh. Wait staff is also friendly as well!”

“We got our food delivered to our hotel. The pasta was out of this world! Best focaccia bread in the universe! Thank you for your friendly fast delivery humans. They are lovely!”

“Just a great bar, we meet our son there when we’re in town.”

“This is our go to sushi restaurant in the metro! Highly recommend!”

“I ate lunch here on St. Paddy's Day, 2025. I had never been here before but I will definitely be back. First of all, they have Coke products, which is great for Diet Coke addicts like me, and I got a huge soda with FREE REFILLS. They even came to my table and got it for me. I ordered the "Choose 2" and got a club sandwich and loaded potato. Both were so delicious. Great meal. Delicious salted caramel chocolate cookie. Everyone was so friendly. Highly recommend!!

Parking: There is a side door and we got a spot right by it. Super easy access for my friend who uses a walker.”

“Ordered the falafel plate (without feta) and an extra pita (because I like carbs) via Uber Eats to my hotel room. The grilled pita was soft, warm, and delicious. The falafel was decent, not the best I've ever had. I wish it had a little more hummus on it. The salad it came with was tasty; I liked the dressing. Overall, it hit the spot and I wanted another one as soon as I was done. Updated from previous review on 2024-10-31”

“Great place very good Belgian selection A Must stop if your in Des Moines. 20 beers on tap”

“I have had great service and food. One time I didn’t get my bread sticks with garlic butter on them. The staff was very friendly and asked if I wanted them to make another order of bread sticks or give me credit for the next time I ordered from them.

Vegetarian options: Not sure how much there’s for vegetarian food.

Dietary restrictions: They do have gluten free items on the menu.

Parking: Northern Lights Pizza is located in a strip mall. There is plenty of parking, some farther away from the door than others.

Kid-friendliness: This particular Northern Lights has a small lobby to order and pick up carry out.

Wheelchair accessibility: They have handicapped access in a couple places by this store.”

“Classic Ingeroll dive bar.”

“Aposto has a lovely atmosphere and some delicious dishes. The polenta cakes were a fan favorite as they were both light and crispy, and the sauce added a wonderful depth of flavor. For entrees, we liked the gnocchi’s lightness as each pesto lemon bite was really nice. However, the way it’s portioned makes the meal seem quite small, and there is very little crab in the dish itself. We ordered the duck special over risotto as well. The confit duck leg was cooked and spiced to perfection, but it’s accompanying risotto lacked a flavor punch.

For dessert, neither of us were wowed. They were decent and flavored as advertised, but they also didn’t quite hit the mark. We did adore our wines (especially the orange wine).”

“My husband and I are from out of town and went to Christopher’s tonight for dinner. What a pleasant surprise! Our food was amazing and the service was great! We will definitely be back when we visit DesMoines again.”

“Very impressive buffet. Quite a selection and most items are labeled. There were corn and flour tortillas, rices, enchiladas, tamales, flautas, taquitos, chicken, beef, pork, and veggie options as well as a bar full of sauces and toppings for the tortillas Wed and thurs are 2.99 margaritas all day. Resonably priced for lunch and dinner. Kid friendly dessert and and they are cut in small pieces so you can sample a lot but there’s also fresh fruit. Will be back”

“Amazing spot to watch sports and enjoy drinks with friends!”

“Calzones are the best! Super friendly staff, I love their Pizzas too.”

“love this place! first time trying will be back again,owner was super nice even when my daughter broke her Jarritos before even opening it! told her to grab another and made sure everyone was ok!”

“I was in town visiting some friends when we decided to stop in here. Food was AMAZING, drinks were FANTASTIC although I think a lot of that had to do with our amazing bar tender Adrina. She was super quick with the drinks and made the best expresso martini I've ever had! Thanks Adrina/Civeche ”

“Great place to go if you're looking for strong drinks and new friends. The drag shows are incredibly fun and make for a great space to dance and sing with strangers. The drinks definitely require a bit of warming up to and a strong stomach but you definitely get your bang for your buck. Bartenders are super friendly and make drinks insanely fast so don't worry about waiting in line for long. Definitely a must if you're in the area”

“My favorite ❤️ the costumer service was excellent.Everything is perfect for me.”

“it's a great neighborhood bar. Bingo on Wednesday nights is awesome. i have came several times.”

“Just had dinner at Hugo’s. The Arugala salad with pear was delicious. Our pork, apple butter, white sauce pizza was really good too. We had a bottle of Barbazola wine from Mt Edna, thoroughly enjoyed everything! Service was great, nice weather, what more can you ask for???!!”

“GIVE FRANCIS A RAISE!!!!!”

“I was there with my young child today and had an amazing experience with one of the cashiers. Her name is Rebekah. She was an absolute pleasure to chat with while she checked us out. She was kind, warm and radiated kindness. She didn't know, this but I have been going through some very difficult things lately and interacting with her helped me feel hopeful again. She deserves all the good things (and a raise!) Thank you so much, Rebekah... I will carry your kindness in my heart forever”

“There are few places on Earth where a dive bar and fine dining coexist. Shorty’s is one of those places. It’s kinda like quilt made of denim and white tablecloth. You’ll understand when you go, as you should, and see the highly rated restaurant that sits atop Shorty’s, allowing the shared menu. Like a delicious hat on a drunk man’s head. The 3 times I was there the only thing that outshone the food and drink was the bartender. What a gem.”

“We went to Americana for a birthday this morning and had the breakfast buffet. The food was pretty standard for a buffet. The salted caramel pancakes and filled donut holes were good. The biscuits were over cooked. We also had Bloody Marys and Mimosas which were good”

“Ken’s is a very nice speakeasy and it’s no secret. Food was good and drinks were also really good. Being from Texas it was nice to taste some of the local beer. Sorry no pics I can’t believe it myself. Well I guess your gonna have to come see for yourself. Thank you to all the staff. We were on a company sponsored event and Ken’s knocked it out of the park. Overall a great experience.”

“This was some of the best food I’ve had in months. The chicken tenders are so moist and flavorful. The batter mixture and the softness of the waffle is as good as it gets. I’ve had the classic chicken and waffles pairing before but never done so well. Arguably the best cornbread I’ve had in my life also. I cannot ~wait~ to come back and to put everyone onto this place.”

“The bison dinner was a work of art! This was my first time having bison and I would definitely come back for the dinner again! And their specialty drinks have great names with amazing flavor…. Staff was phenomenal and I really can’t say enough great things… Definitely a must to eat here!”

“This is your standard downtown hotel bar / lounge, However, the service here is polite, fast, and attentive - while the food is honestly amazing. Get the burger and fries, hands down the best burger I've had in years and the fries were even better. I believe they cook the fries in animal fat which adds a crispiness like no other. Decent selection of beers, wines and a full bar with a clean and spacious interior round this place out. In my 20 years of business travel I have never experienced a Hotel Lounge like this”

“Final touches to a beautiful project. Wonderful transformation.”

“The venue, the staff, the performers… what’s not to love!? 🥰”

“My mashed potatoes had aluminium foil in them. They replaced but the meatloaf portion was 1/2 the size of the original. My husband's baked potato and meat on the top were cold. Server dropped the silverware and said he would return with clean. Never happened. Wouldn't recommend.”

“Great little place if not on patio.”

“The food was amazing!!! Great price and even better service! I will definitely be going back!”

“Splash was amazing. Server was always on time with anything needed. I had brought in 2 people who have never been to Splash, and both now will 100% be back. Food and Staff always amazing.”

“Love Bomb bar, great atmosphere. Perfect place to hang on any given night. The owner is kind and the employees really help you to feel welcomed.”

“We had pizza and chinese food, everything was fresh and the pizza toppings were cut right in front of us. The only disappointment is market grille has been replaced by wahlburgers, which was pricey for us at the time b(and I really wanted a burger initially).”

“Amazing atmosphere & the bartender, Kim was PHENOMENAL! The best bartender I've ever had in Des Moines. She made awesome drinks & made us feel so welcome. Can't wait to come back & bring a crowd!”

“What a fun place! Next time we will try a escape room. Need more bathrooms. Had a great time!”

“I sat near this area for over an hour and Jo engaged with every customer.it was a JOY to listen to her and reminded me there’s good people in the world.
My coffee was delightful but nothing compares to how wonderful Jo was!”

“If you’re craving fresh and flavorful seafood, this place is a must-visit! The seafood cocktail was packed with shrimp, a rich tomato-based sauce, and topped with fresh avocado and cucumber—perfectly balanced and refreshing. The seafood ceviche was another highlight, with a mix of shrimp and octopus marinated in lime juice, mixed with crisp red onions, tomatoes, and cilantro—bursting with freshness. And to top it all off, the guacamole was creamy, well-seasoned, and full of delicious chunks of avocado and tomato.

Everything was well-prepared, and the flavors were spot on! Definitely recommend for anyone looking for great seafood.”

“Go here almost daily. Friendly workers, foods always good. Stock iced coffee over by the fountains is NEVER filled eWhich sucks because I always go in for that, yet it's always empty. Grilled peach lemonade is amazing try it!”

“Great shareables, margaritas, and attentive, engaging staff, with great game day VIBE and screens!”

“Located inside the Embassy Suites Hotel. Friendly service. The Mac n Cheese with Grilled Chicken and Bacon is Delicious! (sorry no pic dug in to eat too soon.lol)”

“?? Saw a mouth-watering FB post about this place and had to give it a try — and it exceeded all expectations! From the seamless ordering process to the scrumptious tacos, everything hit the spot! ? Planning to mix it up next time for a new taste adventure! ??? #FoodieFinds #TacoHeaven #ExploringNewFlavors #”

“The Punching Pandas ROCK! From the energy, to the song selection - to the horn section- these guys bring it! They are guaranteed make every show they play one big party. Once again- THEY ROCK! 🤘😎”

“The food and service was very good. The person that was assigned to clean the dining area did a wonderful job, everything was perfectly clean. The reason why I didn't give it 5 stars was because the AC didn't seem up to par but it was comfortable enough to have an enjoyable meeting.

Vegetarian options: A very wide selection

Wheelchair accessibility: Plenty of seating”

“Great place to celebrate with bottle service. Variety of music to keep everyone dancing. 2 for one drink on Friday and $100/bottle service. Posh place”

“The food was amazing, and the flavors mixed together with the food textures were incredible. It was everything you'd want from a traditional Japanese restaurant. My husband and I went there for our anniversary, and we were pleased by everything and everyone. The server was friendly and really helpful, and we appreciated her attention to our table. We loved the quiet atmosphere and how relaxing the place was too. Thank you for a wonderful anniversary celebration meal that was top-notch!

Parking: It’s downtown Des Moined, and all of the nearby parking around the block was paid. The parking was inexpensive.”

“Great spot to eat for amazing good! A Des Moines institution. Check out their amazing new patio bar also!”

“A very nice and clean place to go grocery shopping and if you need help all you have to do is turn around and there's somebody there working that would be more than glad to help you”

“We hired Nightingale to bartend our wedding reception. Can not recommend highly enough! My husband and I had a pretty specific vision for what we wanted for the bar, and from the first meeting Heather and Tovka clearly committed to learning and achieving that vision. Great communication throughout the months leading up to the day, and heard a ton of compliments from guests about the service and drinks. The bar they set up exceeded our expectations! Hire these folks right now.”

“My family and I love the brunch they offer on the weekends! So delicious, wide variety of food and drinks, and very reasonably priced! We go with our 3 young kids usually when we take a trip to Des Moines, so very kid friendly! Amazing seating as well, just love the overall vibe! Highly recommend!”

“We stopped here for drinks and live jazz. Both were fantastic. We didn't try the food, but will the next time we are in town.

The best part was the bartender. She was so fun, attentive and despite working a very long day, made our evening memorable in the best way possible. We're glad we crossed the river to come here.

We'll be back the next time we're in Des Moines for sure!”

“VERY nice place. Menu is interesting and preparation is PERFECT. Best pizza west of the Mississippi”

“This is one of the best happy hours that I’ve been to - I highly recommend it!”

“Service, food. Ambiance is great.”

“I ordered my pizza through Instacart, and the experience was seamless with regular updates on my order’s progress. The pizza was ready on time, freshly prepared, well-packed, and handed over with a friendly greeting. Excellent service from Pizza Hut!

Vegetarian options: As a vegetarian and Halal eater, I loved the “Create Your Own Pizza” option at Pizza Hut. It allowed me to customize the ingredients to fit my dietary preferences perfectly. Choosing what to include and exclude made it a great experience, and the result was delicious and satisfying! Highly recommend this option for anyone with specific dietary needs.”

“The family stopped for lunch because they have jambalaya in the name on some of their locations and my wife is a huge gumbo fan. The food was very good. I like the jalapeno creamed corn. My wife enjoyed the gumbo. The corn muffins were very sweet and we both wished it'd been a corn bread, instead of muffin. The pulled pork was very good but they have Alabama white sauce so of course it's going to be good with that. The staff was nice. There is a tiny free lot behind the building that may fill up quickly, depending on the day's events.”

“Come on Monday evenings…we sat at the Bar…not crazy in here…The bar tender was Awesome…Pretzel Bites & Street Tacos are Amazing…got our order within 10 minutes…the General Manager was very nice!!! Recommend trying them!!!”

“The food was good ,sauce was kinda vinegary for my taste,but I'll definitely try a different sauce next time. Service was ok.....

Parking: If ya go at peak meal times, parking looks a little hectic, but other than that.......”