Smitty's Tenderloin Shop (Des Moines, IA) Review

3.5* (out of 5)

Food: 3*

Atmosphere: 3*

Value: 4*

Service: 4*

09/12/2023 Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop (515) 287-4742

My wife and I had stopped here several years ago after moving to the area given its history as the original king tenderloin. This time I had just picked up friends from France at the airport, they were hungry and they wanted to eat something unique to Iowa.

I ordered the Breaded Tenderloin (see picture) and we shared some Onion Rings (see picture). The food and atmosphere were each average with the tenderloin served on a common high volume commercial bakery bun and the building showing its age. The flavor of the tenderloins was good and I liked that it was not greasy. The breading seemed quite dry, almost as if it wasn’t even fried at all…or was re-breaded after frying. There wasn’t much substance to the onion rings as is shown in the picture – they were very thin and had minimal breading.

The food and ambiance reminded me of many of the small town ice cream shops I frequented as a teenager. If you are looking for value and a small-town diner experience, you will enjoy a stop at Smitty’s.

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