While at Alba, my partner and I had New York strips with sides of potato pave and their diced potato option. The steaks initially had to be sent back after ordering them rare, which were received as medium/well done. We waited quite a while for the waiter to check on us to send them back. We did receive rare steaks the next round but they were nothing extra ordinary. Despite being rare, the steaks were still brownish in the middle indicating that they were not the freshest cuts. Though the steaks were underwhelming, especially for the price, the potato pave was very good. The sides did have to be ordered separately at the cost of some entrees at other restaurants though, which was off putting. I've only ever seen that at very high end steak houses, which Alba unfortunately is not. They used what seemed to be carpet samples for coasters and poured their wine under the the widest part of my glass (which may just be a nitpick as I do enjoy my alcohol, but gave me the impression of being a bit stingy). In all, the place had a nice vibe to it, but was well overpriced for what you get. I may come back to try other entrees sometime in the future, but it will not be high on my list.
Opentable Diner
I typically encounter only a handful of truly exceptional dishes each year—those I'd rate a perfect 10 out of 10. During my recent visit to Alba, I experienced two of them in a single evening. The potato pavé and the gnocchi were absolutely outstanding. The hanger steak was cooked to perfection, complemented beautifully by a rich mushroom brandy sauce that elevated the dish even further. Given the exceptional quality of the food, I was genuinely surprised by how reasonably priced everything was. While Alba isn't a budget restaurant, I've paid significantly more for meals that were nowhere near as memorable. Alba has firmly secured a spot in my top 10 restaurants of all time. If you're in town, I highly recommend making a visit—you won't be disappointed.
Denise
We actually ate in the bar - happy hour is 4-6, and they had 1/2 price glasses of wine and some pretty good 1/2 price appetizers and a $8 burger/fries special.
Jean
Loved the dinner menu, but unfortunately the chicken was barely warm. Also, the noise level is one of the worst I have ever experienced. We were yelling to try & communicate.
Geoff
Great food. Great service. The menu was somewhat limited but what we ordered was really good. Definitely a great spot for a night out as a couple or with friends. A little pricier that it probably should be but that seems to be how everything is now.
Logan
Came for the Valentines Day experience. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was very nice. Our waitress was incredible and very considerate. At the start of the meal, she made sure we understood what all the menu items were what they came with and was just all in all very friendly. I definitely would recommend and will be visiting again.
Angela Hall
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.
Mark
The food, atmosphere, and service are consistently excellent. The creativity of the chef is to be commended. We appreciate the seasonal changes as well. Having two different portions size options is great. It lets us try more things.
Paul Desmond
The restaurant was nice, as an Architect, I’m maybe a bit too critical of the space. However, the overall experience was amazing. I went solo as I was on a work trip, and the staff made me feel extremely welcomed and provided great recommendations. My old fashioned was made well, the salad was fresh and crispy, just the right amount of dressing, and the stroganoff and Brussels were so dang good. You HAVE to save room for dessert as the bread pudding was some of the best I have ever had.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you get yourself to Alba while in Des Moines.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: NY Strip Stroganoff, Brussels Sprouts
Rich
We shared an early dinner at Alba, 5:00 reservations, and we had a delightful experience with great service, ambience, food, and wine. Both our main dishes, a pork chop and scallops were perfectly seasoned and cook. We'll continue going to this restaurant!
Recommended dishes: NY Strip Stroganoff, Gnocchi with Chicken Confit, Truffle Fries
Justice
The restaurant interior is beautiful and the views out their large windows are lovely. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. It was the perfect choice for our anniversary celebration.
JL Warren
We had a grand time with the restaurant week three course menu and choosing wine. Our service was timed perfectly between courses so we could savor every taste bite and wine. Every food item was delivered hot from the kitchen, presented beautifully. we were given time to enjoy this restaurant has a wonderful list of wine selections both by Glass and by bottle. Consistently good food fresh and seasoned appropriately. minimalist deco. Attentive but not hovering service .
Great restaurant if you care about food and want to have a nice experience. Outstanding value, cheap given the high quality
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
iowagirlbornraised
What can we say about a perfect restaurant experience? Our reservation was honored, we had a great table, we ordered from the restaurant week menu, we had plenty of time to save her each course and order some delicious wine to accompany it. Photos below we will be back as we have over the years.
While at Alba, my partner and I had New York strips with sides of potato pave and their diced potato option. The steaks initially had to be sent back after ordering them rare, which were received as medium/well done. We waited quite a while for the waiter to check on us to send them back. We did receive rare steaks the next round but they were nothing extra ordinary. Despite being rare, the steaks were still brownish in the middle indicating that they were not the freshest cuts. Though the steaks were underwhelming, especially for the price, the potato pave was very good. The sides did have to be ordered separately at the cost of some entrees at other restaurants though, which was off putting. I've only ever seen that at very high end steak houses, which Alba unfortunately is not. They used what seemed to be carpet samples for coasters and poured their wine under the the widest part of my glass (which may just be a nitpick as I do enjoy my alcohol, but gave me the impression of being a bit stingy). In all, the place had a nice vibe to it, but was well overpriced for what you get. I may come back to try other entrees sometime in the future, but it will not be high on my list.
I typically encounter only a handful of truly exceptional dishes each year—those I'd rate a perfect 10 out of 10. During my recent visit to Alba, I experienced two of them in a single evening. The potato pavé and the gnocchi were absolutely outstanding. The hanger steak was cooked to perfection, complemented beautifully by a rich mushroom brandy sauce that elevated the dish even further. Given the exceptional quality of the food, I was genuinely surprised by how reasonably priced everything was. While Alba isn't a budget restaurant, I've paid significantly more for meals that were nowhere near as memorable. Alba has firmly secured a spot in my top 10 restaurants of all time. If you're in town, I highly recommend making a visit—you won't be disappointed.
We actually ate in the bar - happy hour is 4-6, and they had 1/2 price glasses of wine and some pretty good 1/2 price appetizers and a $8 burger/fries special.
Loved the dinner menu, but unfortunately the chicken was barely warm. Also, the noise level is one of the worst I have ever experienced. We were yelling to try & communicate.
Great food. Great service. The menu was somewhat limited but what we ordered was really good. Definitely a great spot for a night out as a couple or with friends. A little pricier that it probably should be but that seems to be how everything is now.
Came for the Valentines Day experience. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was very nice. Our waitress was incredible and very considerate. At the start of the meal, she made sure we understood what all the menu items were what they came with and was just all in all very friendly. I definitely would recommend and will be visiting again.
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.
The food, atmosphere, and service are consistently excellent. The creativity of the chef is to be commended. We appreciate the seasonal changes as well. Having two different portions size options is great. It lets us try more things.
The restaurant was nice, as an Architect, I’m maybe a bit too critical of the space. However, the overall experience was amazing. I went solo as I was on a work trip, and the staff made me feel extremely welcomed and provided great recommendations. My old fashioned was made well, the salad was fresh and crispy, just the right amount of dressing, and the stroganoff and Brussels were so dang good. You HAVE to save room for dessert as the bread pudding was some of the best I have ever had.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you get yourself to Alba while in Des Moines.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: NY Strip Stroganoff, Brussels Sprouts
We shared an early dinner at Alba, 5:00 reservations, and we had a delightful experience with great service, ambience, food, and wine. Both our main dishes, a pork chop and scallops were perfectly seasoned and cook. We'll continue going to this restaurant!
Restaurantji Recommends
Delicious food and excellent service
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: NY Strip Stroganoff, Gnocchi with Chicken Confit, Truffle Fries
The restaurant interior is beautiful and the views out their large windows are lovely. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. It was the perfect choice for our anniversary celebration.
We had a grand time with the restaurant week three course menu and choosing wine. Our service was timed perfectly between courses so we could savor every taste bite and wine. Every food item was delivered hot from the kitchen, presented beautifully. we were given time to enjoy this restaurant has a wonderful list of wine selections both by Glass and by bottle. Consistently good food fresh and seasoned appropriately. minimalist deco. Attentive but not hovering service .
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Deviled Eggs, Snickerdoodle Crème Brûleé
Great restaurant if you care about food and want to have a nice experience. Outstanding value, cheap given the high quality
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
What can we say about a perfect restaurant experience? Our reservation was honored, we had a great table, we ordered from the restaurant week menu, we had plenty of time to save her each course and order some delicious wine to accompany it. Photos below we will be back as we have over the years.
Loading...