The Food and Drink Guy

Author: Webmaster

  • Barn Town Brewing (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Barn Town Brewing (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    2/29/2024

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Another great stop with our son and daughter-in-law to celebrate her Leap Year Birthday. We again started with an order of Dips & Chips – have always enjoyed the thick-cut homemade chips and the dipping sauces…tonight was no different.

    For dinner, I ordered the Nashville Hot Ramen (at the server’s suggestion – see picture) and really liked it. I will warn you though – I like spicy food and typically order Thai above average on the spicy scale…and this was the upper edge of my preferred spiciness, causing my lips to burn and eyebrows / nose to water. My wife ordered the Brewer’s Burger (see picture) and really enjoyed (and of course I stole a couple of bites and will recommend it).

    3/14/2023

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Another great stop with my brother and sister-in-law while they were visiting. Used HappyHourDesMoines.com to find the happy hour timing, then stopped in to enjoy a couple of specials before our meals. We ordered the Fried Pickles (see picture) and Bavarian Pretzels from the happy hour menu based on our server’s suggestion and both were great.

    For dinner, I ordered the Cajun Tuna Sando (again at the server’s suggestion – see picture) and found it to be one of the best tuna sandwiches I’ve ever had. My wife ordered the Buffalo Chicken (see picture) and really enjoyed it also. I recommend all of the food pictured in this review (and probably the others also…I just haven’t tried them yet). Definitely a great place to stop for food and beer.

    2/23/2023

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Have found this to be a solid stop on previous visits – enjoying the beer and food selections and the casual environment. This time was a first stop for our friend from Brazil who joined us along with our son and daughter-in-law and everyone enjoyed the evening.

    For Happy Hour, our son got us started on the PB&J (yes, Peanut Butter & Jelly) Grape sour, so we enjoyed a glass of it. Ordinarily, we aren’t big sour fans, but this one was self-described by our server as more sweet than sour and that is a great description. You taste definite peanut butter and grape jelly flavors and it is fairly sweet.

    For Happy Hour food, we ordered Dips & Chips (see picture) and Wisconsin Cheese Curds (see picture). The chips were nice and thick and crunchy (as expected) and both the cheese and sour cream dips tasted great. The Cheese Curds were also great – a light breading filled with nice soft cheese and the provided dip was also very tasty.

    For our dinner, I ordered the Pollo Diabllo Wrap with sweet potato fries (see picture) and my wife ordered the Braised Brisket with Fries (see picture). Both were fantastic, with great flavor and fries cooked and seasoned perfectly – crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and delicious!

    May, 2022

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    This is a unique place with a lively and friendly atmosphere and good food.

    We started with fried pickles and Wisconsin cheese curds based on the waitresses recommendation.  Both were very good – the pickles were crispy slices with good flavor and the cheese curds were tasty.  Both had minimal breading and neither seemed greasy.

    I then enjoyed the Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich with Roasted Brussels Sprouts and my wife had the Brewer’s Burger – all were delicious!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. To receive Tweets of the latest Reviews, follow on Twitter: @TheFaDGuy

    Nashville Hot Ramen
    Brewer’s Burger
    Braised Brisket & fries
    Pollo Diablo Wrap w/ sweet potato fries
    Wisconsin Cheese Curds
    Dips & Chips
    Korean Chicken
    Buffalo Chicken
    Cajun Tuna
    Fried Pickles

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • The Brickyard Downtown (Chandler, AZ) Review

    The Brickyard Downtown (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    02/24/2024 The Brickyard Downtown (480) 963-1373

    When we got out of Saturday evening Mass, my wife found this gem while searching restaurants near our hotel. Downtown Chandler comes alive in the evenings and this place was right in the middle of the activity – open, modern and full of energy.

    We started with a Kentucky Maid (see picture – great bourbon drink) and a Gates of Oblivion (see picture – we love smokey mezcal with some spice and this one delivers both) drink. Both of them were delicious…just a bit on the small side. Maybe intentionally so, to be consistent with the smaller Tapas plates served for dinner.

    For our main course, I went with the Coconut Shrimp (see picture) and my wife ordered the Pork Fried Rice (see picture). Both of them were amazingly delicious and due to the smaller Tapas plate sizes, we opted to order the Pork Tacos (see picture) to share. They were some of the best street tacos that we’ve had – warm, fresh, moist and seasoned to perfection!

    You will definitely enjoy a stop here for dinner – while the plates and drinks are a little on the small side (Tapas), the lower prices serve as an offset…and you will be less likely to feel stuffed when you leave!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Coconut Shrimp
    Pork Fried Rice
    Pork Taco
    Kentucky Maid
    Gates of Oblivion

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Hop Social Grill (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Hop Social Grill (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    5.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    02/23/2024 Hop Social Grill (480) 485-4677

    This started out as a stop to sample some local craft beers while waiting for our reservation time at another restaurant. However, we liked it so much and the food on the menu looked so good – that we decided to just stay and have dinner here instead!

    We had heard good things about the Fried Brussels (see picture), so ordered them as an appetizer and were NOT disappointed – they were delicious! For our main courses, I ordered the Harvest Bowl (see picture), my wife ordered the Prawn Bowl and my friend ordered the Chicken Pot Pie (see picture). All of them tasted just as good as they look in the pictures and we would recommend all of them.

    Along with our drinks during the meal, we topped things off with an order of Creme Brulee (see picture) at the end of the meal and also found it to be quite tasty. Not only was the food, service and atmosphere outstanding here, but given that all of our dishes were under $20 – I’m giving 5* for Value also.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Harvest Bowl w/Salmon
    Chicken Pot Pie
    Fried Brussels
    Creme Brulee

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • The Sicilian Butcher (Chandler, AZ) Review

    The Sicilian Butcher (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    02/19/2024 Sicilian Butcher (480) 573-8550

    My wife found this place online – looked good, had great ratings and was near our hotel. We were impressed as we walked up to the exterior of the restaurant (see pictures) and that positive feeling only grew as we stepped inside. Everything was so well-lit, modern, open and full of energy – even on a Monday night.

    We didn’t have reservations and had to wait a bit for our table, so took advantage of the opportunity to sit at the bar (see pictures) and have a drink. The craft beers were very good and the prices were reasonable. Shortly after our drinks were served, a table opened up for us to be seated so we transferred to it.

    We soon learned that the restaurant is known for its meatballs – you choose your meatball, sauce and pasta (see menu pictures). Our bartender was great, so we went with his recommendations on the pairings. I went with the Sausage, Arrabiata with Creamy Polenta (see picture) and my wife ordered the Sicilian, Truffle Mushroom with Creste de Gallo (see picture). As we always do, we each tried some of each other’s dish and we both really liked both plates. The meatballs were great, but the polenta was so rich and creamy, yet also light – quite delicious!

    For dessert, my wife and I both love Tiramisu, so we were looking forward to giving it a try. However, since our waiter’s dinner suggestions were so good, we asked him for a dessert recommendation and he suggested the Lobster Roll (see picture). Obviously, it isn’t a savory lobster roll, but rather is given name due to it looking like a lobster tail – and is best described as a close cousin of cannoli (delicious creamy custard inside a light, flaky shell). It was SO good and I highly recommend that you try it!

    And maybe the best part of all (given my strong sweet tooth) was the bakery with gelato and other delicious cookies and desserts that was in another part of the building as we exited. Make sure you stop here and pick up some treats to bring along home or to the office – you’ll make instant friends when you share!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Patent 139 Brewing Co. (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Patent 139 Brewing Co. (Chandler, AZ) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    5.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    02/18/2024 Patent 139 Brewing Co. (480) 597-7138

    We just got into town the night before and were looking for some place to go on Sunday afternoon when we saw this place near where we went to an afternoon Mass. While there wasn’t anything that really stood out on the exterior, once we stepped inside we were impressed with the modern decor and welcoming environment (see pictures). Then, after stepping outside on the patio with our beers and seeing the beautiful pond, we were even more impressed.

    We were looking for samples of some local craft beers and something light to eat to cover us until dinner time. Patent 139 covered us very well in both areas, and the Smoked Avocado Feta Dip appetizer that we ordered (see picture) left us very impressed! We both absolutely loved it so much that we were tempted to place a 2nd order. It was so fresh, flavorful and delicious…not to mention how great it looked when it was served. Oh, and lest I forget, the beer samples were quite good also!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Guesthouse Tavern & Oyster (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Guesthouse Tavern & Oyster (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 3*

    02/13/2024 Guesthouse (515) 994-8378

    After reading an article in the Des Moines Register, I was looking forward to giving this place a try for dinner. My wife and I decided to do our night out for Valentine’s Day a day early to beat the crowds and decided on the Guesthouse.

    You will be impressed as you walk up to the building and step inside – beautiful, well-lit brick storefront and an excellent modern rendition of a northern Minnesota hunting lodge on the inside (see pictures). The food was also top-end (more on that to come), so top marks in both of those areas.

    We started with beer and an order of the Guesthouse Ceviche (see picture). Not quite my favorite in Des Moines, but very good – a little zing along with a few pieces of shrimp included. My wife went with the Guesthouse Steak (see picture) for her main course and really liked it. For myself, I went with the Beef Short Rib (see picture) and found it very flavorful, moist and tender. Pictures of each after they were cut into are included.

    The pricing was at the high end of our experiences in the Des Moines area and that, combined with the very small portions caused my Value rating to drop to average. The presentation was great possibly even in line with expectations at a high-end restaurant downtown, but now what I’d expect in a ‘lodge’ environment.

    The average Service rating was not a result of our server – Lluvia did a great job of taking care of us. Rather, I was disappointed to see a 3% “Service Charge” at the bottom of our bill with no explanation. When I asked about it I was told that it was thought to be a credit card service fee and if you paid in cash, it would be deducted. Not only is this the highest fee I’ve seen for that and well above any known fees from the credit card issuers, but it is also something that I despise as a customer. It’s not as if handling cash is free (handling, counting, securing, transporting, shrinkage, etc.). Ok…rant done.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Guesthouse Ceviche
    Guesthouse Steak
    Guesthouse Steak
    Beef Short Rib
    Beef Short Rib

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Basic Bird (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Basic Bird (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    02/10/2024 Basic Bird

    I read about the Basic Bird opening in the Des Moines Register and immediately added it to my Want to Go list. We first stopped by on a Saturday night around dinner time and decided we didn’t want to wait in line because it was very busy. We got our chance a few weeks later by making plans to stop by before the rush…getting there before 4pm.

    I liked the fun paintings on the building as we walked up (see pictures) and the interior was quite bright, lively and inviting (see pictures). If you didn’t know, the pictures will make it obvious that this is a fast-food restaurant…albeit one with high quality food and a selection of tap beer as well as other canned alcoholic beverages. Because of the fast-food format where you order at the counter and very basic (yet highly lacquered) interior, tables and chairs, I did deduct a point each for Atmosphere and Service.

    As for the food, both myself and my wife really enjoyed our choices. My wife opted for the Sandwich Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Korean Potato Salad & Shishitos peppers (see picture). I opted for the 5 Piece Boneless Meal with Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage Kimchi & Korean Potato Salad (see picture). As we always do, we shared bites of each others plates and both of us really liked most all of the offerings. We both preferred the Double Dunk sauce (on her sandwich) over the Spicy Gochujang sauce (on my wings), as we didn’t think the Spicy Gochujang had much spice or flavor. The same could be said for the Shishitos, as they didn’t have a lot of flavor.

    If you love juicy, crispy chicken and don’t mind a fast-food format, you will want to try Basic Bird.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Rusty Duck (Dexter, IA) Review

    Rusty Duck (Dexter, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    02/03/2024 Rusty Duck (515) 789-4142

    Our neighbors surprised us with a trip to the Rusty Duck on our last trip out for dinner. It was admittedly a bit of a drive to get there, but all things considered, not much longer in the car than a trip downtown and there wasn’t much traffic!

    I can’t say enough about the quality of the food here – if I could give it more than 5* for the delicious steaks, I would. The service and value were also well above average, justifying the 5* ratings in each area. The only thing that was average was the atmosphere / venue, as the tables were somewhat packed into the room, not leaving much room to get around and making it a bit challenging to navigate your way through to the rest rooms or the bar. With that said, that is exactly where I want a restaurant to excel – food 1st, then service and value…with atmosphere last on my priority list.

    A couple sitting beside me at the bar ordered the Artichoke Dip with Toasted Bread (see picture) and it looked so good, I asked to take a picture – and they confirmed that it tasted as good as it looked! Our neighbors opted for the Blackened Top Sirloin (see pictures – one showing the beautiful medium rare cook) and Open Face Ribeye (see picture). As the pictures imply, both of them were delicious – and at 16oz & 12oz respectively, there was plenty to bring home for breakfast the next day.

    My wife ordered the Ribeye Steak Deburgo with cream sauce (see picture) and I went with the Blackened Blue Ribeye (see pictures). As with our neighbors cuts – both of them were delicious and grilled to perfection…and at 16oz each, we had plenty to bring home with us also. The creamy parmesan dip was recommended to us for dipping the fries and I concur – you definitely want to order it with the fries. We found both the Homie (large, wedge cut) and French Fries to be very good, so it depends on your preference.

    It’s hard to beat the quality and quantity of the steaks – at a reasonable price. You’ll find it worth your while to take the short drive West from Des Moines on I-80 and give this place a try. Make sure to call ahead for reservations though, especially on the weekends. They have an early and a late seating…and the place fills up for both!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Blackened Blue Ribeye
    Blackened Blue Ribeye
    Ribeye Steak Deburgo
    Open Face Ribeye
    Blackened Top Sirloin
    Blackened Top Sirloin
    Onion Rings
    Dinner Salad
    Artichoke Dip with Toasted Bread

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Pally’s Bar & Grille (Clive, IA) Review

    Pally’s Bar & Grille (Clive, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    02/01/2024 Pally’s Bar & Grille (515) 252-9805

    I stopped in here doing some research for my Happy Hour site (www.happyhourdesmoines.com) several months ago and have been wanting to get back to try their food ever since. The opportunity presented itself when a friend and I met after work – deciding to give Pally’s a try.

    We started with a round of drinks while deciding on food – ordering the daily special Margarita (see picture) and White Russian (see picture). Both were very tasty and a great value given their size and price (albeit the daily specials).

    For our meals, my friend ordered the Frisco Burger (see picture) and I opted for the Torpedo Burger (see picture), given a strong positive recommendation from our server (who was also great – excellent service and covering the whole, packed bar by herself). We both really liked our burgers! The pictures don’t do them enough justice – they were both prepared perfectly, as per our requested level and both very flavorful. Definitely a place I’ll want to bring my wife and neighbors back to sometime in the future.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Torpedo Burger
    Frisco Burger
    White Russian
    Margarita

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Samurai Sushi & Hibachi (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Samurai Sushi & Hibachi (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 3*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    01/31/2024 Samurai Sushi & Hibachi (515) 223-4888

    We missed our reservation at a nearby restaurant so decided to give Samurai a try for dinner. The restaurant was clean and seemed to have an energy about it when we entered. Overall a nice atmosphere and good value, while the service and food are average.

    We have both enjoyed Poke bowls before, so my wife decided to try the Poke Bowl (see picture) while I opted for the Roll B combination of rolls (see picture). Neither my wife nor myself were fond of this type of Poke Bowl. There was a creamy sauce of which we didn’t like the flavor (we like the lighter, lime-like version), there was no rice included and the portion was quite small. Both of us enjoyed the Roll B options, although ideally we would have preferred a little more spiciness.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Roll B
    Poke Bowl
    Samurai

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Flying Mango (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Flying Mango (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/27/2024 The Flying Mango

    Almost a year since our last visit and yet another delightful experience. Tonight we started with a Mango Margarita drink while waiting up front (see picture). For our main course, my wife ordered Shrimp & Grits (see picture) with Chicken Creole (see picture) and loved them, while I opted for the Chicken Dinner (see picture). The Shrimp & Grits were quite rich and the Chicken Dinner was just plain a LOT of food, so we both enjoyed leftovers the following day. We have come to expect great food at The Flying Mango and tonight was no different!

    04/06/2023

    We returned with our neighbors last night, as we have both enjoyed our experiences here, so thought it would be a great place for a return visit. The atmosphere was definitely lively…to the point it was a little too loud, but we were able to visit at the table. The service was fantastic – Sara took great care of us, took the time to explain some menu options and kept our drinks full.

    The food on this trip was a little disappointing compared to our last trip. I ordered the Lime & Garlic Chicken (see picture) and found the chicken and pasta to both be quite dry and lacking in flavor. My wife ordered the Half Rib Dinner (see picture) and while the corn bread was very good, the ribs were a bit too well done (although the flavor was good and they were still fairly tender) and the rice was good – with a nice spicy ‘kick’ to it.

    When I go back, I will definitely stick to what they are known for (smoked meat) and order brisket, pulled pork or ribs. We still enjoy this place and did last night, I just won’t order the Lime & Garlic Chicken again.

    06/2022

    We heard about Guy’s visit and have been wanting to go here for a while.  We finally did it last weekend with our son and daughter-in-law and really enjoyed the experience.  Of course we watched the relevant Diners Drive-ins and Dives (DDD) episodes that weekend and loved the context.

    Our whole party wasn’t all there initially, so we were asked to take a table in the entry area and ordered a drink.  Given how busy they were, I understand this rule and she took good care of us, getting our order quickly and accurately.

    We started in the dining area by ordering the chicken dip appetizer served with blue corn chips.  All 4 of us really enjoyed it and I’d recommend it – a great balance of protein and flavor without too much grease, fat or salt.

    For the main course, my daughter-in-law ordered the Shrimp Pontchartrain (see picture), my wife ordered the Duck Breast and I ordered What Guy Had.  All of us really enjoyed all of the dishes.  While I thought my ribs were a little over-done (and dryer than I’d like as a result), the catfish cake and collard greens were both absolutely amazing!

    In my opinion, these are some of these best plates of southern food in Des Moines.  The atmosphere was above average for a barbeque joint, but not a 5* restaurant.  The prices were on the high side but you could argue that they are worth it.  Lastly, as my profile states, I like a server with opinions and a bit of an attitude and she had neither…but the service was still great.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Shrimp & Grits
    Chicken Creole
    Chicken Dinner
    Mango Margarita
    Lime & Garlic Chicken
    Half Rib Dinner

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Nick’s Bar & Grill (Clive, IA) Review

    Nick’s Bar & Grill (Clive, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/26/2024 Nick’s Bar & Grill (515) 221-1338

    Based on a recommendation from my wife’s coworker, we decided to give Nick’s Bar & Grill a try with our son and daughter-in-law. We weren’t quite sure as we pulled up to what appeared to be a strip-mall, but the storefront for Nick’s (see picture) was reassuring.

    We started with a round of drinks (see pictures) and while the Tequila Old Fashioned (see picture) was unique, I wouldn’t order it again – struck me as a straight shot of inexpensive tequila.

    We both really enjoyed our main course meals. My wife started with the Shrimp Bisque soup (see picture) based on her coworker’s recommendation followed by the Ribeye (see picture). I went with the Blackened Salmon (see picture) and really liked it – done just right with the perfect amount of ‘kick’ in the blackening seasoning.

    Last but certainly not least (for my sweet-tooth), we shared a piece of Key Lime Pie (see picture). While our waitress was apologizing for the appearance (falling apart) due to it being fresh out of the oven – we especially enjoyed it and the warm temperature only made it taste that much better.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Blackened Salmon
    Ribeye
    Shrimp Bisque
    Key Lime Pie
    Tequila Old Fashioned

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Ronneburg Restaurant (Amana, IA) Review

    Ronneburg Restaurant (Amana, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    01/21/2024 Ronneburg Restaurant (319) 622-3641

    My wife found this place online and wanted to stop for a meal, so we ate brunch here on the way out of town after our weekend stay in Amana. It is inside an older traditional brick building and has a lot of character, actually reminding me of walking into a centuries-old restaurant in Europe. The basic colonial decor fits the character of the 19th century Colonies theme with a penchant for the color burgundy throughout the restaurant. I gave the atmosphere an average rating – clean and historic, yet also a bit aged.

    The service, quality and value of the food though is what stood out to me from our visit. Max W. was our server and he was very attentive, full of suggestions and made the experience quite enjoyable. My wife ordered the Ronneburg Melt with Fried Potatoes and I ordered the Schnitzel Sandwich with Pickled Beets (see picture below). I don’t have pictures of the meals and while I can’t seem to get it posted on the website, here is the link for the Reel on Instagram, showing food and the interior of the restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2X3ldoOvdA/ .

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • The Indigo Room in the Hotel Millwright (Amana, IA) Review

    The Indigo Room in the Hotel Millwright (Amana, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 3*

    01/20/2024 The Indigo Room (319) 838-5015

    We have been wanting to visit the Amana Colonies for some time and finally got the chance when Yelp hosted an event there. We paid our own way for the room and reviewed meal and really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Millwright. The Indigo Room is just past the front desk in the hotel and offers a bar as well as an eating area.

    The decor was great – a modern look in a converted factory building. It is honestly a very slow time of the year in Amana, so there is a scaled service crew and we had to go to the front desk to ask for a server when we arrived for a late breakfast. I was a little disappointed with the service, as she did everything we asked but wasn’t able to provide much insight on the menu items nor seemed willing to take the effort to answer a question about one of the desserts.

    Beyond that, we loved our brunch! The food was delicious and we found the coffee to be well above average for a restaurant. Although the pricing was maybe adjusted for the slow season, the menu pricing was a good value (see picture). Rather than write a separate review for the Buffalo Wings (see picture) and Caesar Salad (see picture) we had in the bar area the night before after our arrival, I included them in this review also. They were both very good and towards the upper end of my expectations for bar food.

    For our brunch, my wife ordered the Farmer’s Bowl (see picture – was recommended by the bartender the night before) and I ordered the Garden Omelete (see picture). As we always do, we both shared samples of each other’s food and really enjoyed both plates. The potatoes in particular were very good – a great crispy and delicious crust on the outside while warm, soft and moist inside.

    For those of you who follow my posts, you are already aware of my voracious sweet tooth. I had eyed a Persian Love Cake slice in the display case the night before and was intrigued. Since our waitress didn’t know what it was and didn’t offer to check into it, I looked it up on Google and found that it was a rose cake with pistachios – so had to give it a try (see picture). While the pistachios weren’t super fresh (were a little soft from setting in the icing in the case), the cake was still very good. If you like the flavor of rose or want to give it a try, you will like this light dessert.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Farmer’s Bowl
    Garden Omelete
    Persian Love Cake
    Caesar Salad
    Buffalo Wings

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Early Bird Brunch (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Early Bird Brunch (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/14/2024 Early Bird Brunch (515) 501-5188

    It had been a while since our last visit, but we got the chance when our son and daughter-in-law asked if we’d like to join them for Brunch Sunday morning. We ended up waiting about 30 minutes past our projected seating time, so beware if you have a tight time crunch. Once we were seated though, the experience was great and in line with our previous visits.

    We started today with an order of Cinny Bobs (see picture) to share and if you like cinnamon rolls…you will love these! They are served with both white icing (traditional cinnamon rolls) as well as caramel sauce (traditional caramel rolls) – so you can choose your favorite…or go with both if you can’t decide. I am a sucker for caramel and liked the caramel sauce so well that I enjoyed what was left over after the rolls as my dessert at the end of the meal!

    For our meals, my son ordered the Monkey Business (see picture) as he has the last few times he’s been here and once again, enjoyed both the sight of it as well as the taste. My wife ordered the Breakfast Nachos (see picture) and since she wasn’t able to finish it in the restaurant, was able to enjoy a 2nd meal of it for breakfast the next day. Lastly, I went with the Chicken & Waffle (see picture) and while it was more than I really wanted to eat, I cleaned off the plate and loved every bite!

    12/01/2022

    We have stopped at the Early Bird Brunch several times and always enjoy the experience – casual atmosphere, great food and unique alcoholic drinks combine to make a memorable experience.

    This stop found us at the front door at opening time on Sunday morning (6:30am) due to our son needing to catch a mid-morning flight at the airport. For future reference, this is a great time to go…as we had the place to ourselves initially and only a couple of other tables were occupied when we left. If you’ve tried to get a table mid to late morning on a weekend, you know how crowded it can be and how long the waits are…

    We started with an order of Hash Holes – always a favorite of ours and a strong recommendation to try. They are delicious potato croquettes with cheddar, smoked gouda & bacon (see picture). We ordered Huevos Ranchero, Pancakes & Eggs, Meat Head Benny and The Bird Cage for the main course (see pictures) and all were delicious – I would recommend them all.

    If you haven’t tried this place for brunch yet…you don’t have any idea what you are missing!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Cinny Bobs
    Chicken & Waffle
    Monkey Business
    Breakfast Nachos
    Huevos Ranchero
    Pancakes & Eggs
    Meat Head Benny
    The Bird Cage
    Hash Holes

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Gazali’s (Clive, IA) Review

    Gazali’s (Clive, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    01/06/2024 Gazali’s (515) 309-9167

    We returned for dinner after Mass tonight and had a good experience. While it was a bit chilly in the restaurant and you shouldn’t expect a wait staff hovering over your table, the food is quite good, the service is friendly and the value is great. The menu (see picture) is very basic and reflects a value approach. You’ll need to ask about details to determine what is included in many of the dishes, but the servers are more than happy to answer any questions that you might have.

    For drinks, I ordered a tall Jim Beam Fire and Diet Coke (see picture) while my wife opted for a Modelo (see picture). We started our meal with Papa’s Fries (see picture) – fried sliced potatoes served ‘wet’, with olive oil and some great seasoning, along with a side dipper of Tzatziki – which we both really enjoyed.

    For our main course, my wife ordered the Gyro Wrap (see picture) and I opted for the Vegan Mediterranean Mix (see picture). The Vegan Mediterranean Mix included: Pita, Baba Ghanoush (eggplant, with a nice smoky flavor), Hummus (owner’s recipe with turmeric…quite tasty), Falafel (breaded and fried chickpea mix) and Dolma (rice stuffed grape leaves). We liked both dishes and would recommend them – and I especially liked the Mix, which allowed me to try several things on the menu.

    As per my typical protocol…I couldn’t leave without trying some dessert. We opted for the Baklava (see picture), which we both found to be quite tasty – fresh, moist, crunchy and flaky all in one. We enjoyed the good food and solid value and will likely be back for more at some point in the future.

    06/27/2022

    I’ll preface this review by saying that we were hesitant to go in after receiving a negative review from friends who had been there for a special event that was very pricey and the food wasn’t that good.  We were greeted and seated promptly, but then became impatient after the underage waitress was unable to serve alcohol and no one else came over to take our order.

    After a predetermined time limit without drinks service we decided to leave the restaurant.  As we were walking across the parking lot to our car the owner came out and asked if everything was okay.  We said we just decided we didn’t want to wait any longer and he begged us to come in and give them another try, explaining that he was short on help.

    We decided to go back in and ended up very happy that we did.  We started with a couple of unique local beers suggested by the owner, then moved on to Falafel and Dolma (see picture) – all of which were delicious.

    For dinner, I ordered the Jalapeno Artichoke Chicken Swarma Wrap and my wife ordered the Gyro Rice.  As always, we shared our dishes and both of us really enjoyed both dishes.

    Lastly, if you follow my posts you know that I have a real sweet tooth.  Therefore we ordered the Baklava and Turkish coffee for dessert.  The Baklava was fantastic – chewy in the middle with a light, flaky and crispy top crust.  Make sure you order this to finish off your meal!

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Papa’s Fries
    Jim Beam & Diet Coke
    Modelo
    Vegan Mediterranean Mix
    Pita
    Gyro Wrap
    Gyro Wrap (as served)
    Baklava

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Abelardo’s Mexican Fresh (Missouri Valley, IA) Review

    Abelardo’s Mexican Fresh (Missouri Valley, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    12/30/2023 Abelardo’s Mexican Fresh (712) 642-9041

    We saw this place while stopping for gas at a nearby gas station and thought it looked good enough to give it a try. While it is an order-at-the-counter type of fast food place, the decor and atmosphere overall is quite lively and energetic. Once you get past the plastic plates and bowls, the food was very good.

    My wife ordered the Texas Rice Bowl (see picture) and found it delicious. I ordered the Carne Asada & Carnitas Tacos (see picture) and was impressed with the double corn tortilla delivery and generous portions fillings, including the guacamole.

    If you are ok with the fast food type of delivery and plastic bowls, plates and silverware, you will find the food to be very good! We will definitely stop again the next time we stop here for gas.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Carne Asada & Carnitas Tacos
    Texas Rice Bowl

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • The Pelican Post Bar & Grille (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    The Pelican Post Bar & Grille (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    12/18/2023 The Pelican Post Bar & Grille (515) 214-1873

    I’ve been wanting to stop and try the food here after a visit for my other web site (HappyHourDesMoines.com) shortly after they opened. Tonight I met my wife here after an appointment and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was $12.99 Steak Night (Mondays starting at 6:00 until they are gone). This is a lively, fun place, with 80s / 90s music playing tonight and a good selection of tap and bottle beers (see pictures), including our current favorite – Barntown Brewing’s Peanut Butter and Jelly sour on tap.

    By catching the end of Happy Hour and catching a couple of $3 Wells then following that up with a $12.99 Sirloin & baked potato dinner, this place deserves a 5* rating for Value. Meghan is a fantastic and attentive server, providing great insight on the menu items – also deserving of a 5* rating (be sure to tell her ‘Hi’ from The Food and Drink Guy when you stop in).

    The Food and Atmosphere ratings are where things get tougher for me as a reviewer. While the Sirloin steak (see picture) was very tender and flavorful (with my wife claiming it was possibly the best she’s ever had), as the pictures show, they are served on disposable plates. While I have no issues with this and actually enjoyed the homey / family feel of the whole experience – it is hard to give this the same rating as a high end steakhouse experience with linen napkins and high quality serving plates.

    With all of that said, I personally liked the build-your-own salad and foil-wrapped baked potatoes and agree that the Sirloin steak was one of the best I’ve eaten – even if it was all served on disposable plates and bowls. Therefore, I’m going with 4* ratings for Food and Atmosphere. Given the choice, I’m fine with a top-quality steak served on paper if it saves me a few dollars. And its hard to beat a hands-on owner that stopped by our table several times to assure that everything was ok with our experience.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Build-your-own Salad
    Build-your-own Baked Potato & Toppings
    6oz Sirloin

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • Zombie Burger & Drink Lab (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Zombie Burger & Drink Lab (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    12/16/2023 Zombie Burger & Drink Lab

    My wife and I stopped here for a quick dinner before another event downtown last night and the food was again very good. This time, I ordered the Undead Elvis burger (see picture) and my wife ordered the Raygun burger (see picture), which we complemented with a side order of fries (see picture).

    The burgers were both great…greasy and messy, but oh, so delicious. The fries were also very crispy on the outside, yet tender on the inside…just the way I like them. I found the requested side of ranch for dipping to have an excessive amount of garlic…so beware if you aren’t a garlic fan. We sat at the bar this time and while the service was good after we were served, it took 5-10 minutes before someone showed up behind the bar to take our order.

    07/20/2023

    A group of business visitors were in town for the day and wanted to try Zombie Burger. Rather than have it delivered, we opted to delay our lunch until just before they left town so that we could enjoy a fresh, hot meal as well as the well-known ambiance of Zombie Burger in person.

    For starters, we ordered Fried Cheese Curds (see picture) and 3 Pigs Nachos (see picture) to share. The Fried Cheese Curds were above average and I found the 3 Pigs Nachos to be some of the best nachos I’ve had – fresh, crispy chips with excellent smoked pork, cheese and other toppings make this a solid appetizer.

    For my meal, I ordered a Poultrygeist with a side of Sweet Potatoe Fries (see picture). Yeah, I know, my wife made fun of me also for ordering a chicken sandwich in a place known for its burgers…but my strategy was to eat a little lighter so that I could sample one of their shakes. The Poultrygeist was delicious – crispy on the outside, very juicy on the inside and quite tasty! The same can also be said for the Sweet Potato Fries – they were cooked to perfection and quite tasty.

    The only disappointment was the service, as it was average at best. It seemed that we were waiting to order and looking to catch someone’s attention when we wanted something. Myself and a co-worker had empty water glasses for 5-10 minutes and finally had to catch a server walking by to ask for more water to finish our meals.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Undead Elvis burger
    Side of Fries
    Raygun burger
    3 Pig Nachos
    Poultrygeis w/ Sweet Potato Fries
    Fried Cheese Curds

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy:

  • G. Migs 5th Street Pub (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    G. Migs 5th Street Pub (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    12/15/2023 G. Migs 5th Street Pub

    Stopped again after attempting Happy Hour at a nearby restaurant that was already full. This place always seems to be packed and tonight was no different – around 5:30 on a Friday. We were able to get a table right away, but there were a number of people standing and waiting when we left. I always enjoy places with free popcorn and G. Migs had that – although it so salty, we couldn’t each much.

    Once again, our meals were fantastic – each of us ordering one of the specials for the night as they were both highly recommended. My wife ordered the Shrimp Risotto (see picture & video) and I ordered the Prime Rib (see picture & video). The shrimp, prime rib and shrimp were all cooked to perfection, as was the asparagus. The dishes are a little pricey and you’ll likely find yourself bumping elbows with the other patrons and staff, but the food is very good.

    02/03/2023

    This was on my ‘Want to Go’ list and we had the opportunity last night when we joined our son and daughter-in-law and they suggested it based on a friend’s recommendation. Although it is a bit of a ‘dive’ (that isn’t a negative for me) and was quite packed when we walked in around 6:30pm on a Friday night, we were quickly seated and our server (Carolyn C.) was very helpful and attentive.

    We started with a round of drinks…they had a reasonable selection of various tap beers to satisfy most with a thirst for taps – all reasonably priced. For our dinner, I ordered The Pride of Iowa Wrap (see picture) with the pasta salad and my wife ordered the nightly special – Prime Rib (see picture) with asparagus and mashed potatoes.

    I enjoyed both the pasta salad as well as the wrap (2016 State Fair Award Winning). The pasta was a nice balance of sweetness, pasta & veggie crunch – and the wrap had a great tasting filling along with a unique wrap shell that was thin, soft, crunchy and tasty all at the same time.

    My wife’s Roasted Prime Rib was also delicious – from its preparation (did a good job delivering it as ordered – medium rare) to the sides. Although out of season, the asparagus was cooked to perfection – retaining a little crunch along with a soft interior. The mashed potatoes were also great (although a little strong on the garlic…if you don’t like that) – as they retained some of the peelings and had a few lumpy bits.

    If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

    Shrimp Risotto
    Prime Rib

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com

    Follow Happy Hour Des Moines:

    Great Food & Drink Reviews by the Food and Drink Guy, visit: thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Follow The Food and Drink Guy: