A great little ‘dive bar’ just southwest of the Des Moines metro. We rode here with friends who have eaten here before and were impressed with the food. They specialize in breakfast, advertise 1/2 pound hamburgers and have adjoined cafe and bar areas so you can enjoy a burger in the bar or a drink in the cafe.
We were there for dinner and decided to go with their 1/2 pound burgers. Our neighbors said that was the only way to go, as they had ordered the smaller one once and were disappointed. Specifically, I ordered the big Hot Pepper Cheeseburger (see picture) and my wife ordered the big Wavelands Breakfast Burger (see picture). We shared and both enjoyed both burgers…so would highly recommend both of them based on your tastes. The buns were lightly toasted on the grill, the fries were crispy and there was plenty to eat.
If you’d like to get out of the hustle of the big city and enjoy a tasty burger in a relaxed environment, give this place a try.
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Hot Pepper CheeseburgerWavelands Breakfast BurgerMenu
We stopped back later in the week for the end of Happy Hour and dinner with our son and daughter-in-law. This was a whole different perspective! While the first stop on a Monday night was quiet, with only about 5 other patrons, Friday night was packed and quite loud. After not getting served for about 10 minutes, I went up to the bar and ordered our drinks as well as a Tito’s Flatbread.
The Drinks and Tito’s Flatbread were delivered in a timely manner and then the owner (who we spoke with at the bar earlier in the week) served us the rest of the night. The flatbread was very good (sorry, forgot to take a picture), but the crust was much thicker than a typical flatbread – closer to a pizza crust. The large group that was there for happy hour started to clear out, but the place was still fairly loud (just FYI – very modern decor, but also loud and hard to carry on a conversation).
For our dinner, I ordered Cevapi (see picture) on the owner’s recommendation when I asked for a Bosnian dish. My wife ordered the Beef Skewers (see picture), also on a recommendation. Both dishes tasted great – the steak and sausages were moist and flavorful, the pita bread was fresh and the served sauces paired well.
The Tiramisu we ordered for dessert (see picture) was the weakest of the food we had. It tasted good, it just wasn’t anything like any other Tiramisu that we’ve had – it was wrapped in a paper band and the base was more of a white angel food cake than the lady fingers we have come to know and love. All in all, a solid place for a meal, assuming you are ok with a loud environment…or choose a time that has fewer people.
01/02/2023
We stopped here after enjoying another stop we found on www.happyhourdesmoines.com and were quite impressed with what we saw. The owner served us and when asked, said that they had only recently opened. The decor was top notch and in line with what you would expect in downtown Des Moines and the service was good (the owner was the only server, but there weren’t many people there).
While we had already eaten at the previous stop, the Happy Hour specials looked quite attractive (see pictures) as did the Bosnian dinner plate options on the menu (see pictures) – so we will definitely be back to try the food!
The owner suggested the Ella Bosnian pear brandy (he described it as a cross between vodka and tequila, which seemed a good description – see picture) and the sample he provided was tasty enough that he talked me into the Balkanita (see picture). We also sampled the Mango Mule (see picture) and found both of them to be delicious.
Both my wife and I were quite impressed with the decor, menu options (we saw some of the food that was served), value and service. This seems to be a hidden gem that provides the ambiance of a downtown trip without the drive – we will definitely be back and highly recommend it.
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We stopped here after searching for a Monday Happy Hour on HappyHourDesMoines.com and although we have been here before, were impressed with our experience. It is hard to beat $5 Martinis (even if they were a little small) and $6 Flat Breads – all of which were delicious in a great atmosphere with fantastic service from Cassidy P. (she is fantastic)!
I started with the Screwball Espresso Martini (see picture) and my wife had the Tirimisu Martini (see picture) – both were delicious and would have been even better as dessert after our appetizer / meal. We then ordered the Happy Hour flatbread specials – BBQ Chicken (see picture) and Sausage & Mushroom (see picture). They were Cassidy’s top recommendations and were both delicious!
Along with our meal, I ordered the house pinot noir and my wife ordered a Lemon Basil Martini (see picture). The Martini was excellent and the pinot noir was also good.
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We stopped here for breakfast / brunch before the Vikings / Colts game (an epic in its own right…) and really enjoyed the stop. Our waiter had some personality (always appreciated) – giving our son (the lone member in our party wearing a Colts jersey) grief that everyone was welcome but the Colts fan.
While the atmosphere was average (somewhat aged, but clean), the value and service were above average and the food was great. I ordered the #2 (Two eggs, hash browns, w/ toast – see picture) and found it a very good value for $8. My wife ordered the Elsie’s Supreme Omelet (see picture) and while it was a bit pricey for breakfast at $15 – there was a lot of food and it was Delicious! Lest I forget…the Bloody Mary with beer chaser (see picture) tasted fantastic and was the best value of all!
Overall, we loved the food and would definitely go back if we are in the area again – I would highly recommend it. Shout out to Michael D. (our waiter) – great job on the service side!
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We were in town to treat our son for his birthday. Since he likes Italian and Johny Carino’s (one of his favorites) is now closed, I did a search and found this was a relatively new place in the former Tru Blu building (which we really enjoyed). It was lunch time on a weekday, so there was no problem getting a table as the restaurant was not that busy.
The interior was nice and welcoming, with the bar area and some of the dining area being pretty similar to what it looked like in the former Tru Blu business. We ordered from the lunch menu (see pictures), so the value seemed reasonable.
We were disappointed with the service. After dropping off our menus, our waitress didn’t show up for quite some time (actually, just after I had commented to the others that I was surprised they hadn’t come to take our orders yet). We would have liked some parmesan cheese after our food was delivered, but she was nowhere to be seen until our meals were consumed. Lastly, another lady that joined us for lunch asked that she pay separately for her meal, but the check was brought with everything on one anyway.
Relative to the food, we had mixed reviews from our group. I ordered the Sandwich Combo Lunch Special with Hot Italian sandwich & Italian Ham & Bean soup (see picture). It was very good and I would order it again. However, the others around the table were not as fortunate. The Angel Hair pasta was highly recommended by our waitress, so my wife ordered the lunch special (see picture) and was quite disappointed – finding it quite bland / lacking flavor. One of our sons ordered the Spaghetti and Meatballs and while he is usually a big eater, he didn’t eat much of it because he didn’t like it and my wife agreed after tasting it – so unless there was something wrong with it that day, I wouldn’t recommend ordering this. Another son ordered the Shrimp Fettuccine Alfredo (see picture) and thought it was ok (my wife thought it had much more flavor than her Angel Hair Pasta).
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Hot Italian & SoupAngel Hair Pasta with SaladShrimp Fettuccine AlfredoLasagna
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This place has been on my want to go list for over a year, but I was never downtown in the morning or afternoon and stopping on the way home in the evening seemed too late for coffee. I was finally downtown helping with a Habitat for Humanity home build, so took the opportunity to stop here for lunch.
Wow, am I glad that I stopped to see what all they had to offer (a lot more than just coffee) and experience a couple of great items! I was taken aback with the large selection of breakfast and lunch sandwich offerings and felt that they were fairly priced.
I started with a Pumpkin Pie Latte and was thoroughly impressed – flavorful, yet wasn’t overly sweet and heavy. For my lunch I ordered a Rise and Shine (smoked turkey, egg, crisp bacon, provolone cheese and fresh guacamole on toasted ciabatta). It was fantastic…I highly recommend it.
Next visit with my son, ordered the Peppermint Mocha (see picture) and it was every bit as good as it sounds. My son ordered the Strawberry Banana Smoothie and really enjoyed it also. For our meal, I ordered the Double Decker Club (see picture) and my son ordered the Smokehouse Wrap (see picture) – both were delicious, but proved too much to eat at one sitting, so we took the extra home to enjoy later.
You will definitely enjoy your stop here, no matter what time of the day or night it is.
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We were excited to try out this place after watching it being built and reading the announcement in the newspaper.
Atmosphere: While the exterior looks and atmosphere inside the new building were impressive, there is room for improvement on the food and service, which to me means the value isn’t that great. The lighting was also a lesson in contrasts…while it was rather dark at our table to read the menu – there were also lights above some adjacent booths near the window that were very bright, to the point where it seemed that headlights from cars in the parking lot were shining in our eyes. You will see this in the posted pictures…rather dark for the photo, yet also harsh shadows from the adjacent booth lighting.
We started with a round of drinks. I had read about the 4 wine samples for $10 offer in the paper, so told the waiter I saw the 4 for $10 wine and wanted it. While I gave him an out in case it wasn’t available at the table, asking “unless it is only available in the front” – he quickly responded that they offer wine flights and they are available in the front or at the table. The flight seemed to be a great value, so my wife and one of our friends also ordered one. Buyer Beware: we were with another couple, so I didn’t review our receipt until returning home and was surprised to see that we were charged $20-$22 for each flight.
Food: For our main meal, I ordered the Gnocchi Bolo (see picture), my wife ordered the Surf & Turf with pork & shrimp (see picture) and our friends ordered the Trio Medallions (see picture) and Blackened Ahi Tuna (see picture). The manager later came by to apologize that the Gnocchi Bolo was only supposed to be a lunch menu item (we were there for dinner), but since the waiter didn’t tell me they were preparing it as ordered, but it was causing a delay for our order.
The Gnocchi Bolo tasted delicious and was probably the favorite of the dishes we enjoyed. The pork was a little dry / overcooked in the Surf & Turf. The asparagus was a little stalky at the ends and while the steaks were good with the Trio Medallions, they weren’t in the top category of steaks we’ve enjoyed.
Service: While our waiter was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable about the restaurant and menu, we were left disappointed. One of the wine flights for our table that was ordered at the same time as another was not delivered at the same time. After at least 10 minutes had passed, we finally asked about it and it still took another 10 minutes for delivery. Empty glasses and dirty plates were piling up on our table prior to the food delivery. After moving them to the front edge of the table for them to be taken away and that not working…I finally asked the waiter to take them away on a later stop. Lastly, one of our friends ordered soup and when it had still not been delivered after we were half done with our meal, we finally asked about it and it was then delivered.
Bottom Line:The food and service clearly did not meet my expectations nor reflect a good value for your money – possibly a result of it being their first week. I will have to see whether we return at a later date to see if things have improved. Given our experience with the wine flights described above, a follow up call to the manager on duty that night and receiving absolutely no offer to make things right (“sorry that you mis-understood that…”), I’m not sure that we will return.
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We stopped here with my parents and 2 of our sons as we enjoyed a previous visit and thought my parents would like the pizza (they did). The group also enjoyed the humorous / edgy decor and signage around the restaurant (pizza signage for the restrooms for example – see pictures).
Since we were hungry when we arrived, we started with a couple of orders of Garlic Cheese Bread with marinara (see picture) and a beer. The cheese bread was good and just as we finished it up, the pizza arrived. We ordered a large Supper Pappa (thin – see picture) and a large Pepperoni (pan – see picture) and thought both of them were excellent.
Lastly, I have a hard time leaving this place without having at least one of the Thelma’s ice cream / cookie sandwiches from the cooler. Everyone was already very full, so I talked the kitchen into cutting it into quarters for us so that we could each have a bite for dessert. They have a great selection of flavors, so make sure you try one before you leave.
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We stopped here to try out their Happy Hour and left wanting to come back for a meal. While it had a bit of the ‘strip mall’ feel on the outside (see picture), the inside was very modern and had the feel of a higher-end restaurant.
Was slightly disappointed by the greeting – partially a result of Reserved placards at all but one table that forced us to sit right next to (and very close to) a couple of loud and talkative ladies…making it difficult to have a conversation ourselves. On the positive side though, that indicates the food is good enough that people are making reservations at a rate almost equal to capacity.
I ordered the Gin-Berry Mule (see picture) and my wife ordered a Vodka Martini. Both were very good and well worth the $5 Happy Hour price. Definitely worth a try for Happy Hour…and we plan to stop for a meal another time.
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We stopped here because my wife read that they had the best margaritas in the area…and I’d have to agree after having one. The flavor was great…the sweetness was not overpowering and it didn’t leave that ‘fuzzy / SweetTart’ taste in your mouth.
My wife ordered a Michelada and it was also very good – spicy yet ‘light’ (see picture). The last strong point was the queso and salsa – both tasted great, although I prefer a less-watery mix of salsa.
As to the food, I was less impressed. The chips (although complimentary…) tasted powdery / floury to me (see picture). Not sure if this had to do with being undercooked or something else.
I ordered the ceviche appetizer with shrimp and fish. Although the quality and quantity were good, I thought it tasted bland (I like a distinct taste of lime and cilantro, but struggled to taste anything for seasoning). My wife ordered a taco with shredded beef (see picture) and while the flavor was ok, the beef was dry and tough…took a lot to chew it up.
UPDATE: We have stopped here before after hearing they had the best margaritas in the area and have never been disappointed. Last night was no different – we stopped after dinner to have 1 margarita (which turned into 2 and both were delicious).
Ozzie was our bartender and was fantastic, first recommending the Shaker Margarita with salt rim, then making the Laurie Special (my wife’s favorite) – a Mango Margarita with Jalapenos and a salt rim. You won’t find it on the menu (because my wife named it), but if you like a good spicy / sweet combination, you will love this!
Update 2 (new location): This is one of our favorites for Jalapeno Margaritas and Mezcal Palomas (ask Jorge at the bar, it isn’t on the menu)…which we had again on this visit. This time we had dinner – the chips tasted better and I would recommend the Enchiladas Bander. The only negative…the boxy industrial atmosphere made it very loud inside and hard to carry on a conversation with someone beside you.
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We hadn’t been over to this part of town, but were looking for Italian and this was one of the very few that was open on a Monday evening so gave it a try.
Finding the front door was the first challenge from the large parking lot on the north side. There were several signs about surveillance cameras on the building, but nothing directing you to the front door – and a Pilates studio on the front of the building to further confuse you. Both outside and inside, there was nothing exceptional that really stood out about the building. If you’ve read my reviews though, that isn’t my main concern…I’ll take food quality and service over atmosphere any day.
Craig was our waiter and did a good job of taking care of us. Once he mentioned Garlic Chicken Linguini as both recommended and spicy, I was sold and ordered it. It was indeed spicy and had a very unique flavor – maybe best described as olive oil with a pepper burn. My wife ordered the Pasta Prima Donna (see picture) and both of us really enjoyed it also.
Lastly, we finished the meal with a shared piece of Tiramisu, as we find it hard to leave any Italian restaurant without trying a piece. It was very light relative to others we’ve had and tasted good, although it seemed to have come out of the fridge or freezer and still had several cold spots within it.
Update: Stopped again for dinner last night and enjoyed everything except the non-cash fee to use a credit card (as you can tell, I’m not a fan of restaurants that do this).
Started with the bread and salad (see picture) and both were fresh and delicious. For my entree, I ordered Penne Diavolo (see picture) and my wife ordered Pasta Fresca with Shrimp (see picture). The Penne Diavolo was advertised as spicy and was just perfect to my taste (I highly recommend it – a nice ‘kick’ without too much burn). Compared to it, the Pasta Fresca was bland, but still very tasty.
Unfortunately, they were out of Tiramisu…so no dessert for us…
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We stopped here for dinner on a business trip while killing time to try and avoid the worst of rush hour. While the restaurant had good ratings, we weren’t expecting a lot based on the outside of the building and the crowded area next to the kitchen and cash register just inside the front door.
However, things started to look up quickly as we were walked through a doorway and into a larger seating area with plenty of space. The complimentary fresh-fried tortilla chips along with red and fresh salsas were excellent – all 4 at the table commented how good they tasted, with just the right amount of spicy kick.
For my meal, I ordered the 4 Mini Tacos (see picture) and HIGHLY recommend them…they were definitely some of the best ‘street-like’ tacos I’ve ever had and I can’t imagine anyone not thoroughly enjoying them. Definitely a good stop for authentic Mexican food!
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Had lunch here while visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Bismarck and enjoyed the stop…good food and a good beer selection. While we found the atmosphere a little dark to our liking (low light levels made reading the menu difficult) the quality and taste of the food was great!
The complimentary table bread and butter (see picture) was basic but good. For my lunch, I kept it simple and light…going for the Turkey Sandwich with Pepper Jack cheese (see picture). While the bread was basic bakery loaf style, the sandwich was fresh and tasted great!
Other than bringing your own light to read the menu (if you are over the age of 50 like us), you will enjoy a stop here – great food and service.
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We enjoyed dinner here with a business group on a recent visit. It was near our hotel, had a good selection of tap beer and everyone at the table enjoyed the food.
For dinner, I kept it light and ordered the Beet and Goat Cheese salad (see picture) and would highly recommend it! For dessert, several of us shared a creme brulee…and it is also highly recommended!
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We stopped here while visiting my sister and brother-in-law and really enjoyed the food. The first thing we enjoyed were the chips and salsa – the chips were fresh and crispy and the salsa was thick and tasty. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend from the evening was the mezcal drink in the new menu (can’t remember the name). I love mezcal, but this drink was not good.
For the meal, my wife had the Parrillada and we both enjoyed it. I ordered the Chicken Street Tacos and thought they were delicious – small (easy to eat) & tasty.
Definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants I’ve been to – you won’t regret a stop here. The only knock on the menu…no desserts other than the homemade churros (which were quite expensive).
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We stopped here for Sunday brunch while visiting my sister and brother-in-law and really enjoyed the stop.
We started with coffees and found them every bit as good as the big names stores. My wife ordered the Chicken and Waffles and it was delicious. I ordered the Rookie and loved the infused ham, potatoes and cheese.
It was getting busy by the time we left, so if you go…get there early or plan to wait.
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We stopped here for lunch while driving through on a business trip and really enjoyed the food.
I ordered Brisket, Pork Burnt Ends and Broccoli (see picture) and thought all were delicious! The brisket had good smoke flavor and was moist (although ideally I like it sliced thicker), the pork burnt ends were lean, juicy and flavorful – and the broccoli with butter was also delicious!
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Stopped here for lunch while driving through on a business trip. Would best describe it as an average bbq restaurant. The brisket was a little dry to my liking, requiring more than average amounts of sauce and the bun was a low end grocery variety. A single small, round pickle slice complemented what I thought was the highlight of the meal – the Horseradish Cole Slaw.
I thought the pricing was higher than justified for the food quantity and quality. It was $11.50 for the relatively small sandwich and small portion of cole slaw – with styrofoam drink glasses and cole slaw container, and plastic eating utensils.
The pie and ice cream desserts looked great, but I ended up deciding against the extra calories so can’t comment on any of them.
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We stopped here for dinner while on a business trip and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner. The atmosphere was dated…but intentionally so, as we were in the Frank Sinatra room and we’re surrounded by numerous memorabilia from that era.
After appetizers, I ordered the Chicken Riggies since it was suggested as a unique dish for the area and found it delicious. I ordered extra spiciness and thought the spice level was perfect. Somehow, it is a perfect balance of flavor and creaminess without being heavy and overpowering.
For dessert, we shared several plates at the table, but the Tiramisu and Pumpkin Cannoli were my favorites. You won’t be disappointed with a stop here…I highly recommend it!
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We have been wanting to go here for some time and finally had the chance to go for my wife’s Birthday this week. The atmosphere and service were above average and the complimentary Birthday cake was clearly the highlight – fantastic presentation and great taste!
My wife ordered the Hanger Steak and while my taste of it left me feeling that it was a little tough / chewy, the flavor was very good. I ordered the Lava Roll and thought it was very good.
My wife also ordered a Lavender Butterfly and Paloma and liked both of them. Clearly an above average restaurant that we would return to on another date.
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