50 Best American Restaurants near Des Moines

“I was skeptical at first...For some place that is open 24h.But this is legit really good. I ordered the chicken shawarma, the garlic sauce and the french fries that came with.It was phenomenal. The presentation of the food and the little extras with the olives and peppercinnis was awesome.I enjoy every bit of it.. highly recommend.“

“Headed here for a last minute Seattle dawg, and stumbled into this place, honestly best place I’ve been too! Mariners on tv and chill atmosphere .. will be coming back! ❤️“

“great dinner!! disappointed there was no ice tea but polka dot strawberry lemonade was good. great service and the onion rings were to die for!!!“

“I had such a great experience at JOEY Southcenter due to our lovely server McKenna. She was patient although I am extremely indecisive and she helped me make some great choices!“

“Recommended by our shuttle driver who said we could easily share a meal. Very quick friendly service. Great food. Very large portions. Would highly recommend.“

“We eat at Little Chicken Burger at least once a week. The food and shakes are fabulous. The Angus beef burgers are flavorful and juicy. The people that run it are so nice! My family totally recommends this place!“

“Excellent food and service“

“My daughter and her wife treated me to lunch here on Galentines Day. I highly recommend! The menu is a great mix of Mexican food, American food (I had a Denver omelette which was excellent), sandwiches and burgers and a great selection of sides. I highly recommend the baked brussels sprouts with bacon and a tasty glaze which we all shared. They serve beer and wine and a wide variety of non-alcoholic beverages. Compliments to the chef! Wendy our server was super sweet and attentive. It's a small, clean place with a chill vibe. Give it a try....you won't be disappointed!“

“This is one of the best places I have eaten period. I have never had 5 star cooking from a fancy chef like Bobby Flay or iron Chef Cat Cora. But I feel like if I did this should be the level of cooking I should get. The buttermilk biscuit and creole chicken with that honey and cream sauce was absolutely AMAZING.. Thank you for suck good food.“

“Delicious food, came out hot and fresh in 7 minutes. Didn't once think I needed ketchup/hot sauce on the taters; they were full of flavor. Super friendly and welcoming staff.“

“siempre atentos a los negocios hispanos en el área de burien wa.“

“Great food, service and vibe! Will definitely be back“

“Creative menu, always well prepared.“

“las quesadillas con tortillas echas a mano estan muy buenas“

“This is a great little restaurant / pub. They have a large selection of beer on tap along with a well stocked bar. The beer and cider changes with new selections rotating in. The food menu covers a broad selection of dishes while still being relatively short compared to many of the chain restaurants around. The food we got was fresh and well prepared and the service was friendly and available without being pushy or intrusive. There is inside and outside seating (weather permitting). We sat inside, atmosphere is pleasant but can get a little noisy as it's a smaller dinning area. All and all we had a lovely dinner. I will be returning.“

“stopped in after getting off the airplane bc my dog is named Huckleberry. DELICIOUS food, and so many Huckleberry desserts! Will definitely rewritten next time I'm in town!“

“stopped by on a whim as I drove down west valley highway and I was very pleased with the service and food! ordered lumpia, crispy pork belly combo and a brown sugar boba and I was blown away! the crispy pork was beyond good! came with a Mac salad some diced veggies and a wonderfully flavored rice with green onion. the lumpia was freshly made and the boba complimented everything. 10/10 would recommend“

“Always great service and good food. This simple dinner has been around for decades, although I'm new to the area. As a single guy, I enjoy the friendly servers that lighten the day and get to know you. The food is consistently good. It's no high class place or special atmosphere, but it's a reasonable, friendly place to get food.“

“Want a great brunch with a neighborhood feel? Maggies have it all- we love our weekend brunches there! The food is great and the owner, Ramen takes the time to visit with all the customers and make you feel special!“

“We were at Red Robin today for lunch with 2 birthday's in our party and we had an amazing experience. We were very happy with our waiter Zachary. He was very accommodating even if things were running a little slow. Thank you for a fantastic lunch experience Red Robin 😊 very satisfied“

“Came in for dinner and food and service were GREAT! Staff were very hospitable and friendly especially Tanisha! Can't wait to come back! Thanks Black Bear!“

“We eat here frequently and love everything about it.“

“We went to Copperleaf to celebrate my husband's birthday. Everything was perfect. He enjoyed the duck and I loved the sablefish. The sauce was amazing and the fish melted in my mouth. Our waitress was very attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back. A neighborhood gem.“

“Came in and ordered a monster burger and a Korean BBQ burger. They were made from scratch and waited about 15 minutes And they came out hot. The food was amazing and everything turned out to be way better than I expected. I’ll definitely come back. Not to mention a huge portion and burger!“

“Love having a local place to enjoy some good food and fun atmosphere. I've been coming here for years. Can still get food that was on menu years ago. Love Mom's mess for breakfast. Looking forward to spending many more days here and enjoying good food.“

“I've come to this place since I was 11 years old, the food is the same the place is the same. If you are looking for good food good price with little to no fuss this is the place for you. I especially liked that I went in and ordered my food separate. The guy taking my order changed my option to the meal making the whole thing $8.00 less. He did not have to do that, I would have paid for the food separately but he went out of his way to make it more affordable for me.
it makes me feel appreciated so I appreciate them.“

“I’ve eaten in this location previously. The current experience is a huge improvement over the prior experiences. The food is nothing short of excellent - all of it. I don’t remember the last time I went to a restaurant anywhere and liked every single thing we ordered at the table. Great quality, nice proportions and solid presentation. Easily the best restaurant on Vashon right now. Highly recommend.“

“We stayed nearby and needed a place to dine late. We didn’t have a reservation but were quickly seated. Staff were friendly and helpful. There was a wide selection for entrees to choose from. I had the chicken Marsala—delicious and filling. The waiter even gave me a souvenir sticker of the restaurant for my travel journal.“

“Always a favorite, parking is easy, shade when eating a great meal, a heater when it’s chilly. Stopping since mid 1990.“

“Live music, good food, funky atmosphere, great staff, cocktails, and walking distance. What’s not to love. Check this place out.“

“They couldn't get us in at the renton Applebee's. We waited a half hour. Then the told us it would be another hour. So called up the kent Applebee's and spoke to Adrian. She got us in right away. There were 13 of us. The food was great. The service was great. Adrian stopped by and checked on us. I really want to give her a huge shout out. She saved the day. Our server Shanyah was 10 out 10. Thank you to both of them.“

“Had a tri-tip sandwich with chili at Bruneau Cowboy Christmas and loved it! Hope to be at a event together again to get another sandwich :)“

“On the water. Fantastic food“

“Loved having delicious sandwiches on the patio upstairs and then walking to Lincoln Park! It was a great way to entertain my north end friend, and show off the best of WS! Everyone was so nice too 💜“

“Food was HUGE and very tasty!
Mondays discounts are awesome!

Get the smash burger! It's not smashed thin. And there's TWO patties! The fries are crispy.
And the wings were perfectly crisp!

And the jokes! We had a blast.
Don't forget to play the pull tabs.
Won $54 that paid for the food“

“This is not a typical Courtyard Bistro, they have a full restaurant. Staff was amazing, Savannah and Patrick. I ate here 3 times during my stay, everything was great. Calamari, Burger, Steak, Quesadilla. Great selection of local beers and spirits, overall a very nice bar selection for a Courtyard. Was not expecting that.
I also spoke with the manager to compliment him on the staff and food. I am hoping my job sends me back here in the future.
Oh and breakfast was also a good value and good food.“

“Pleasant and friendly greeters, accommodating servers, overall interior cleanliness, and tasty and well prepared and thoughtfully presented meals.“

“Mandy provided exceptional service! She was friendly, attentive, and made sure our entire dining experience was enjoyable from start to finish. She checked on us regularly, kept our drinks filled, and made us feel genuinely welcome. Her positive attitude and professionalism really stood out. It's clear she cares about her customers and takes pride in her work. Thank you, Mandy, for making our visit such a great experience—we will definitely be back!“

“Everything I’ve had here is so good! Feature items are always thoughtful and delicious. A regular menu go to is the twice baked potato, which is always so good. This weekend she featured a crab roll, which is one of the best I’ve ever had service is friendly and personal, and the environment is very cozy and welcoming.“

“Youngs place was great,- the food was amazing the staff was as if I was invited to there home.. I'd like to thank the girl for the invitation and look forward to having dinner there at least once a week..😎 (Yes it was really that good)“

“We ate here recently and had mixed feelings after reading the reviews and it being a motel restaurant. My wife and I were greeted by our server and seated quickly. We had an entree, cocktail and dessert each. The service was outstanding and the food was excellent! I’m not sure about the reviews I read being accurate, but my experience was great. Thanks to the restaurant for starting our vacation out properly. I would absolutely recommend this place.“

“Food is okay but would probably be better if the overwhelming smell of industrial cleaner and pine sol wasn’t permeating off the floor and booths. The cook was cool the guy at the counter was also cool and attentive but the smell made literally physically ill to where I threw up all of my food as soon as I walked outside.“

“This restaurant inside Hotel 1000 was such a great experience from start to finish. The location is perfect, especially if you’re downtown, and the atmosphere feels upscale without being stuffy. Everything felt thoughtfully done, from the ambiance to the food and drinks.

I had the super dirty martini and it was perfect. The tuna crudo appetizer was absolutely delicious, and the steak for dinner was just as good. The portions were perfect, everything tasted incredibly fresh and well prepared, and it honestly felt like a great value for the quality of the experience.

What really made the night stand out though was Aisha. I was dining by myself, and she made the entire experience feel warm, comfortable, and welcoming. She was incredibly personable, so sweet, attentive, and genuinely kind. She checked in at all the right times without ever hovering and made me feel completely taken care of. Dining alone can sometimes feel awkward, but Aisha made it feel effortless and enjoyable. She truly leaves a lasting impression and is a huge part of why I would absolutely come back.“

“Trevor was an amazing server. It was about 25 of us and he did an amazing job getting everyone what we needed and in a timely manner. He missed extra napkins but it didn't overshadow all the other request we had as large group. Thank you Trevor!!“

“I LOVE the Chia Oat Berry Cup! I was bummed that they were out of it on my latest trip to Seattle. :( It’s the only thing I ever feel like eating at Sea-Tac. Wish I could buy them elsewhere too! :) My homemade one didn’t taste as good as Dish D’Lish’s. 😄“

“Nice and convenient place for breakfast. The service was kind, prompt and efficient. The breakfast was just regular, eggs etc., but the breakfast potatoes were outstanding! Perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside, soft and hot inside. Clearly fresh, none of that frozen nonsense. Somebody in that kitchen really knows their potatoes, I was very impressed!“

“This is the best new spot in town. Highly recommend. Their dishes are served as you asked, hot, fresh, and incredibly unique. Their reception is out of this world. I will definitely come back for an amazing time. No doubt. Try this new spot out and you will never regret the experience.“

“I’m from Dallas, TX and have had a hard time finding true southern BBQ in this entire state! Except Pete’s! Now, I’ve had great smoked brisket and other great smoked culinary experiences, but this one is the most Southern. What I mean is that the coleslaw is excellent with a medium shred, not too large or chopped too small, and an even amount of dressing. The sweet cornbread muffins with honey-butter straight from cast-iron are amazing. The pickle slices are even a culinary delight, sitting next to raw onions and a plethora of BBQ sauces to choose from. Oh, and free ice-cream cones if you even have room left to fill (we did not, lol). I could go on about the sweet tea, baked beans, slow-smoked ribs, shredded smoked pork, sausage, chicken, and desserts but…Just bring your appetite and try it for y’all’s selves! ;)“

“Cool vibe, friendly servers & tasty food!“

“We Love Ruby Brink! Burger night—say no more…! The beef dip sandwich on the lunch menu is another favorite. We love eating here for so many reasons though. This isn’t a “high staff turnover” type restaurant where you’ll be greeted by stressed out workers plastered with fake smiles fighting over tables like you might be used you. This is a grown-up establishment with grown-up food and grown-up and experienced, competent and empowered staff and I appreciate how this dynamic expressed itself in terms of guest experience. When I say that the food is grown-up I mean that it is carefully selected and prepared from scratch and this means it does not taste like what other restaurants are doing, which often is buying bags of frozen soup and sauces from the chef supply store to keep costs down and to keep everything tasting exactly the same, every time. You will taste different things here and that might surprise you. Ready yourself for that and enjoy!“