49 Best Seafood Restaurants near Johnston

“We booked the private room in advance for a team dinner , what an incredible experience from the reservation to the pre call for expectations to the service and the food was absolutely amazing. The GM stopped by to make sure we were 100 satisfied We will most definitely be back Thanks Robin for your hospitality“

“Food is always delicious! I went in after work on Mother’s Day to take home 3 orders of shrimp fajitas and the patio and tables inside were packed. Despite staff being very busy, I still got my order in 15 min and one of the teens working at the register checked on me while I waited to see if I needed anything. I’ve always had excellent service. The margaritas are delicious as well!“

“Amazing atmosphere with fantastic food and service“

“Always a wonderful experience!“

“Food and service were excellent! Mia our waitress was absolutely wonderful!!“

“We often eat there when we're in Ankeny, and did so last Sunday. The fish and chips was, as it always is, outstanding. Our waitress, Jordan, was equally outstanding. She took care of our lunch time needs, often anticipating what we were wanting next. She even sent my wife home with a cup of the pop she was drinking. Simply outstanding and is our favorite restaurant when we're in Des Moines area.“

“It was wonderful seafood as always and friendly and attentive service. The only concern is that our food (seafood, broccolini, potatoes) was barely warm - like it had been sitting for awhile before it was served. It was still delicious, just would like to have had it served hot.“

“Cosi Cucina is an absolute family favorite. We enjoy the attention to detail that goes along with our dining experience. We love the atmosphere, delicious food, amazing drinks, very attentive wait staff and we always feel like family. Peter and his staff go above and beyond to make sure everyone’s experience is top notch. The menu has everything from appetizers, salads, pastas dishes, protein packed entrees, pizzas, calzones and a fantastic dessert menu! Thank you Cosi for allowing us to make the very best memories with our family and friends❤️“

“As a Peruvian living in Ames away from my family out on the East coast, this felt like a taste of home. Service was incredible, food was falling off the bone, and you can even get a 2L of Inca Cola to take home! Will absolutely be visiting again!“

“Definitely our go to resturant. The drinks. The food. The atmposphere. All of it!“

“A group of 6 of us were here celebrating 2 of our closest friends’ birthdays on Saturday, November 22, 2025. We all had a phenomenal experience. Top notch food, and main reason I am writing this review is due to the person serving us (JOSH). Our evening was made extra special thanks to JOSH. He greeted us with a genuine smile, anticipated our needs without being intrusive, and offered thoughtful recommendations that turned out to be spot-on. His friendly demeanor and attention to detail made us feel truly cared for. We left not only full but also grateful for such exceptional service.“

“support local businesses!“

“Fleming’s is our go to for special occasions! Best service ever!“

“My husband and I have eaten at Aura at least 5 times. We've also hosted group dinners there. The food is FANTASTIC, and the mussels are absolutely delicious. And I'm from the NW, I know delicious mussels! The ONLY thing keeping me from giving it a 5 STAR review is that the music is too loud, and it's monotonous. Please, serve quiet, enjoyable music to go along with your wonderful food.“

“Delicious food and drinks!!“

“Food was great and service was top notch!! A lot of places need training from these people!! Will definitely come 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.“

“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.“

“We had a gift card to have delivery - picked chicken tikka masala, chicken korma, rice, naan, samosas. All was delicious, warm, and nourishing. All ages loved it. Enough for leftovers, too!!“

“We have dined here so many times, I've lost count. Our favorites are the Chipotle fettuccine pasta, guacamole, salsa, flautas, the Las Alegres special, quesadillas, and of course, the margaritas 🍹. Small group or large, they can take care of your table without missing a beat. We will be back again and again!“

“Great food and friendly staff!“

“I came there on a Saturday and had the prime rib special. My steak was cooked to perfection. For dessert I had the smore. 😋👍👍“

“Best service in DesMoines“

“Spectacular service, ambiance & absolutely amazing food. We had the chicken fettuccini the burger & Ember’ ribs. Not only excellent taste but enough for another meal! Well worth our trip! Try it🤗“

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

“The best lamb stew I’ve ever had. The herb palate was amazing!“

“The food is licking lips, 😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋😋“

“An absolute must for authentic and delicious Peruvian food in Iowa! We were blown away by the ceviche and pollo a la brasa and the excellent customer service. Cannot recommend this place enough and it will be a regular spot on our trips to Des Moines.“

“This was a huge life saver coming into the HS state wrestling tournament. Great meals, great prices and top notch service to keep our wrestlers fueled and fed. Thank you Aaron!!“

“Foods always good, quick, and by far my favorite selection of music“

“Excellent service and food!“

“My family and I enjoy coming to the restaurant. We’ve tried their seafood, and also their tacos. Everything has always been flavorful, service has also been great every time. This made me decide to have my birthday celebration here with a few friends. I can say even with a big party our waitress was great, she was very attentive and made sure we all had what we needed. We had a cake and she offered to put it in the fridge and brought it out when we were ready for it. We got plates and silverware for the cake. I would definitely celebrate any occasion here again.“

“We stopped here at the last minute and they did not disappoint! Their food is amazing! Highly recommend stopping if you’re hungry.“

“Absolutely amazing experience!

We barely had time to sit down at the bar before they already brought us fresh chips — that alone set the tone for the whole visit. The service was incredibly fast, friendly, and welcoming.

The beer was served in ice-cold frosted glasses, which was an instant win for us. The staff took their time to explain the menu, recommended what to try, and every suggestion was spot on.

And the margarita… WOW. One of the best margaritas we’ve ever had — perfectly balanced, fresh, and absolutely delicious.

Great food, outstanding service, and an awesome atmosphere. You can really feel that they care about their guests.
We will 100% be back and recommend this place to everyone!“

“wonderful restaurant, great food, Angel was our server. prompt and courteous. prices are good“

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

“We love this place, and the food. We’ve Been here multiple times. But today 7-11-2025, we showed up at 9:10pm and were excused out the door because the front greeter stated to us that they stopped dinning at 9pm. The waitress in-front of him looked like she felt bad and was wanting to sit us down, but the male greeter gave her a grin. The Hours for this place is 11am-10pm. What a way to loose business right at your door! Very disappointed with this !“

“GIVE FRANCIS A RAISE!!!!!“

“The food is excellent, and they bring complimentary ceviche to the table with the chips and salsa. Stiff margaritas, excellent service. Would absolutely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for Mexican seafood. Also, their entree quesadillas are not to be skipped, their fajita quesadilla is incredible.“

“Food and drinks are fabulous, thank you for a tasty and positive experience!“

“Amazing food and margaritas as well as fun staff!“

“Restaurant.100% Salvadoreño. Familiar. Y muy acogedor. Le ofrece. Auténticas Recetas tradicionales. De nuestro querido El Salvador 🇸🇻. Venga y disfrute. Las Ricas y deliciosas. Pup usas. Y sus deliciosas. Bebidas. Como el tropical y delicioso fresco de ensalada. Tropical. Si usted ya visitó el bien sabor latino. Muchas gracias. 🤗🇸🇻“

“Great food and service! Great place to watch a game. Better than average food and TV’s everywhere“

“We had a work dinner & it was amazing! Food, drinks, staff - everything!!! 10/10!!“

“1st time there, food was incredible and the service was spot on, will definitely be coming back.“

“The fish & chips, and orange chicken was great! But the cheese cake was awesome! Great service and good food!“

“We had a great experience today Paul our server was excellent oh, you did a great job from start to finish really appreciate it is great customer service. My brother was very impressed with the Durango Burger said it was the best burger he is ever had in his life. My cheeseburger with bacon was very good as well took the way I like it. Appreciate the great service and hospitality and food that we enjoy.“

“They changed their coleslaw which is very disappointing, it used to be my favorite.

This place does hold lots of memories for me though. I have been going here since I was little, I'm nearly 50. I still go here off and on when I make it to Des Moines around lunch time.

Story has it it was a restaurant back in the 50s. It would be interesting to know for sure.“