50 Best American Restaurants in Des Moines

“We were in Des Moines for a soccer tournament and ran across you guys. I was diagnosed with celiac 3 years ago and you guys made hands down the best GF burger and tots I have had in 3 years. That includes better than in n out burger since you guys actually have a bun and they don’t. It’s also the best gf bread I have found in 3 years. I hope to someday make it back again!“

“I have been coming here for many many years! Simon, the owner is absolutely incredible and done such a great job with this restaurant. The customer service is out of this world. But everything from the drinks, the food and dessert you cannot go wrong here. They only take reservations for parties of six or more. It is a very small intimate place. And it is 100% busy! 😁 well most of the time. This is a great local restaurant and whenever someone suggest anything around the area, I say go here!“

“This restaurant notified us, after we ordered online for delivery, that they believed our driver took our order. They called to tell us that before we even had a chance to believe there was a problem, and fully communicated what the issue was. They remade our order and it was delivered less than a half hour after they discovered the issue. Superior customer service. Highly recommend.“

“BBQ Meatloaf was delicious and the service was good. Very cool decor.“

“Thanks Cheese Bar for the great food and accommodating our little one. she loved the kids cheese plate!“

“We were in Des Moines for a soccer tournament and ran across you guys. I was diagnosed with celiac 3 years ago and you guys made hands down the best GF burger and tots I have had in 3 years. That includes better than in n out burger since you guys actually have a bun and they don’t. It’s also the best gf bread I have found in 3 years. I hope to someday make it back again!“

“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.“

“Amazing food and at a reasonable price and not a bad wait time.“

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

“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.“

“Best food ever“

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

“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“

“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.“

“the foods always great and very tasty..... old school iowa here and damb good“

“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!“

“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.“

“We had lunch here yesterday, absolutely delicious burgers. Ate every bite, nice atmosphere. Yummy ice cream sundae to finish off. 10/10“

“This is a good place to go to have drinks and food for sporting events for sure! It's a very cool place inside with TONS of TVs. This should be a go-to for March Madness! The food was average, the service was pretty good, but it seemed like the servers were pretty new. The manager did make a point to speak to every table, which we appreciated! Overall, it is definitely somewhere we would go again for a sporting event, just maybe not an all-the-time thing.“

“Love Truman’s! They hosted us last night for my birthday celebration and they did not disappoint. They never do! The food alone is delicious, their menu has something for everyone, plus some unique pizzas that I have tried to replicate. (Theirs was better 😉) Their service is always great too. Friendly staff, always helpful, and the dude who hosted our party of 26 last night was awesome and made sure we all had a great experience and had what we needed throughout our time there. Thanks for helping make my celebration so special Truman’s! I’ll be back soon!“

“Grabbed a grinder after Chili on the Hill and it's sooooo good. Also, good people. I'm gonna become a stalker, hope that's ok“

“We took the whole family here for thanksgiving dinner. Amazing friendly courteous staff and authentic food!“

“I was visiting from Mississippi and learned that tenderloin was a big deal in this area.I was on a mission to find the best and I really believe I found it.Love the old diner vibe and the friendly staff at this place.I will definitely come back every time I visit family in the area.That King tenderloin sandwich is definitely hitting!!!“

“We had an amazing time at Francies. The food was amazing. I had the steak and peppers sandwich and fries. The fries were so good.“

“We had our Holiday party there on Saturday January 20th. The food was good, and the staff was excellent.“

“We went here probably 4 weeks ago and I have made this my baseline of what is good in Des Moines. For the quality and food, this restaurant has remained the top value and experience we have had in Des Moines recently.

Would Reccomend to a friend (and have)!“

“There is nothing better than The Library! They have a great selection of drinks and beers, incredibly fresh and tasty food, and amazing service! The small, cozy atmosphere just makes me happy!“

“What a great atmosphere and the food was amazing. Will be back many more times.“

“from cincinnati ohio. work trip here in des moines. was looking for a laid-back place to just chill at and was so impressed with the staff and patrons. thank you for a great chill night out“

“That pizza is crack. The service is friendly and amazing.“

“Loved the friendly service and the food was great...we will be back!!“

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

“Awesome service and awesome food 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋“

“Very good. We will return. Clean place also.“

“We experienced discrimination at this diner by two rude door greeting hostesses. When we brought it to this Diners attention it was ignored. They also deleted our comment on their greasy fish post so nobody could see. Avoid this haunted greasy spoon at all costs!“

“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!“

“Staff was great in helping the family celebrate my moms 50th! I have never had a poor experience in the times I have been there.“

“I had about an hour to kill, so I decided to grab a bite. I ordered Chicken Tenders w/ Fries from somewhat a limited menu. The food was decent, and the price was reasonable for the portion size (which was surprisingly large). And, the service was superb. My server, according to my receipt, was Rachel.When I arrived, she was already servicing 4 customers (3 tables and 1 counter) by herself. While I was there, a few customers left but new ones showed up. At any given point, she was servicing 4 other parties but didn't forget to stop by my table several times to make sure I was doing okay. She was even courteous to a group of college kids who didn't necessarily have the best manners.Bottom line: I'd eat here, again next time I'm at the Des Moines airport.“

“I had amazing service this past Sunday. My server G was such a warm and welcoming person. Made sure my family was satisfied and had all that we needed. Interacted with my kids like they were best friends. Food was fresh, fast, and delicious. Will definitely be returning for a great dinning experience.“

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

“A little stinky but fun place to let your pooch run around“

“So so good and friendly service. Glad to get my Maid Rite fix. Now that sandwich was made right!“

“❤️ New China has a variety of dishes all very delicious. Have never had a bad meal.“

“My go to for comfort food which is mostly this sausage sandwich, I’m 100% Italian and have consumed almost every sausage sandwich in Des Moines, this one is the best to me… because it’s different! Will love you always and forever!“

“First timer! Food was amazing 🤩 definitely try the onion rings with Kelly’s Mayo! Will be back“

“Applebees is an occasional guilty pleasure and this one was no different. The fries were great, the dragon fruit n/a margarita was very sweet, and the service was perfect. Lily, our server, did a great job, was conversational, and took my allergies very seriously.“

“Wow, just wow. The chicken wings were absolutely amazing. Crispy with a creamy, smoky wing sauce that gives a nice heat to your lips but won't send you running for the milk. The corn poppers were also delicious and 3 kinds of exile on tap means you'll have a decent selection of beers. Our waitress was really great despite it being very crowded. Definitely a gem of a find with dive vibes but good for gatherings. If you're looking for good wings in des moines, these are some of the best I've had.“

“We came from out of town. Now every time we come to Des Moines, we know where we're eating!!“

“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!“