The Food and Drink Guy

Category: Iowa_DSM W (West Des Moines)

West side

  • 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.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Bevy’s Tavern (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Bevy’s Tavern (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    11/09/2023 Bevy’s Tavern (515) 223-1046

    Wanted to give this place a try after seeing an ad following their opening in the old Grumpy Goat location. We had our opportunity when we invited our son and daughter-in-law to join us for dinner – and enjoyed our experience. An above average pub experience with reasonable value and great service.

    A special call-out to our server Kathryn (Katie), who was fantastic! She had opinions on everything we asked about the menu, with solid details to share about each of them. One of her best suggestions was to upgrade to the Parmesan Fries – you will see them in each of the pictures and while they were a significant additional cost, they were delicious! If you are lucky enough to get her on your visit – be sure to say Hi to her from The Food and Drink Guy!

    For our meals, I ordered the Fish & Chips (see picture), my wife ordered the Classic Cheeseburger (see picture) and my son ordered the French Dip (see picture). We found all of them to be very good – definitely above average for pub food…topped by the Parmesan Fries!

    Possibly my favorite part of the stop though came after our meal and was a bit unexpected. If you follow my posts, you know how much I love good desserts. Tonight, I chose to take my dessert in liquid form and ordered a Chocolate Martini (see picture). Not only was it one of the better martinis I’ve consumed, the pricing put it in the upper echelon of value for martinis in the area. You will definitely want to give one of the martinis a try when you stop for a visit.

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    Classic Cheeseburger
    Fish & Chips
    French Dip
    Chocolate Martini

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Blue Agave Street Tacos & Margaritas (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Blue Agave Street Tacos & Margaritas (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 2*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    3/10/2023 Blue Agave Street Tacos & Margaritas

    Stopped here again with our son and daughter-in-law and this time sat on the West side of the restaurant near the garage doors that open to the outside when it is warm. The food was once again very good, but the music was WAY too loud – we felt like we were shouting just to try and converse at the table, so I dropped the Atmosphere rating to a 2*. Also, due primarily to how busy they were, the service wasn’t nearly as good / prompt as in previous visits, so dropped to a 4*.

    For dinner, I ordered the Spicy Tortilla Soup (see picture) and thought it tasted very good, with a nice kick. My wife ordered the Fajitas Shrimp (see picture) and also liked it a lot – be aware that it is a very large portion, with almost enough food for 2 people on this plate. While the food was still very good, I hesitate to return given the uncomfortable volume of the music in the dining area.

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 5*

    1/07/2023

    My wife and I stopped here for dinner last night after I enjoyed a Mezcal Paloma with a friend during an earlier visit. As was my experience during the earlier stop, everything about this place is great and it now is a contender for our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. My only concern is the value, as they carry downtown pricing, especially on the drinks (my Mezcal Paloma was $15).

    Drinks: I ordered a Mezcal Paloma (see picture) and my wife ordered a Pineapple Habanero Margarita (see picture). Both of them were absolutely delicious and were large enough that we each only needed 1.

    Food: The chips and salsa (see picture) were also delicious (we always overeat on chips and this was definitely no exception…). She asked if I would like Guacamole (see picture), so I ordered and it was great…but was charged $6, so be forewarned that it isn’t complementary. I ordered the Tinga Tacos (street tacos – see picture) and my wife ordered a Chicken Bowl (see picture). Both of them were delicious and I would recommend both – the shredded chicken in the Tinga Tacos was a little dry / tough, but I almost expect that with shredded chicken.

    Overall, this place has possibly the best Atmosphere of any Mexican Restaurant in the Des Moines area and the food is very good, so I don’t hesitate to recommend it for anyone to try. My only concern as I mentioned earlier is that the pricing is a little steep, especially on their cocktails. If you are ok with high priced cocktails or are coming only for the food…this is a 5* in my opinion.

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    Grilled Chicken Bowl
    Tinga Tacos
    Pineapple Habanero Margarita
    Mezcal Palomo
    Chips, Salsa & Guacamole (extra $)
    Spicy Tortilla Soup
    Fajitas Shrimp
    Chips & Salsa

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Fire Creek (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Fire Creek (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*

    For great food and service rivaling the ‘big name’ restaurants in the area, you won’t be disappointed with a stop at Fire Creek.

    10/13/2023 Fire Creek

    Another great dinner at Fire Creek topped off with another great conversation with the owner, who was working the floor. Tonight, my wife started with a Grapefruit Paloma (see picture) and I opted for the Smoked Club (see picture). For dinner, my wife chose the Cajun Ribeye (see picture) and I went with the Shrimp Diablo with Scallops (see picture). As we’ve come to expect, both the food and the service were excellent – we were quite happy with our stop and the full experience.

    05/01/2023

    My wife and I have enjoyed dinner here several times and have really enjoyed it (see the previous reviews below). Tonight, I was on a quest to try out their Happy Hour as a part of research for HappyHourDesMoines.com – and the Happy Hour prices bring the Value rating to a 5*.

    I ordered the Dirty Martini (see picture) and the Coconut Shrimp (see picture) and thoroughly enjoyed both of them. The Dirty Martini included 2 blue cheese-stuffed olives and both the drink and olives were delicious. The Coconut Shrimp was also top-notch, with a nice firm, crispy and stable coating surrounding firm yet juicy shrimp inside. The only thing that kept me from a 5* rating on the food was that the accompanying lettuce was a little wilted and past its prime.

    Per the owner’s response to our earlier experience outlined in my 2022 review below, my wife and I really enjoy this place and will definitely be back for dinner again. I highly recommend this place for food and drinks – you are bound to enjoy a stop here!

    02/2022

    We stopped here with a group of 7 for dinner with some guests who were in town for the weekend. I started with a Guiness Nitro draft (very good) followed by a side salad with balsamic dressing (also good).

    I decided to order the rotisserie chicken and that ended up being a mistake. Not only was the temperature cool when it was delivered, it also was not fully cooked. I debated whether to say anything but decided it probably wouldn’t hurt me if I ate it (it didn’t), so didn’t make a scene. I generally don’t ever send food back for fear of what might be done to it…and it usually doesn’t come out much better, and is delivered after everyone else has finished eating.

    Everyone else’s food was good, so I will likely return as we loved sitting by the fireplace and the service was good. I just can’t recommend the rotisserie chicken.

    Update: The owner reached out to us based on our review and after our return to the restaurant last night, I’m updating my rating to a well-deserved 5*. Bad things happen in life, so it isn’t the fact that something bad happens as much as it is about what those who are responsible do about it. After our return last night and a short discussion with Meg (after we had finished eating), we left thoroughly impressed. What a classy lady running this great restaurant!

    Tonight we started with beers (my only imperfection for the whole night…each beer that we had was barely cool to my taste…I prefer them colder). We then ordered Seared Ahi as an appetizer and while the soy sauce was a little salty, both the Ahi and greens served with it were delicious.

    Following our dinner salad, I had the seafood trio special Salmon, Shrimp and Scallops – and oh, were they each delicious! I especially enjoyed the cream sauce served on the scallops (so enjoyed the extra with the asparagus) and the melted butter in the cup, which I enjoyed on the shrimp as well as the salmon. My wife ordered the Chicken Picata and really enjoyed it also – both of us commented on the delicious lemon flavor!

    Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Service: 4*

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    Cajun Ribeye
    Shrimp Diablo w/ Scallops
    Coconut Shrimp
    Smoked Club
    Grapefruit Paloma
    Dirty Martini

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    09/25/2023 Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews (515) 223-0859

    We’ve lived in town several years now and have enjoyed Red Robins in the past, but with so many non-chain places to explore in the area I finally took the time to stop when offered with a free Birthday Burger.

    I’m not a fan of carry-out / take-home food due to the quality degradation during the trip and tonight was no different. The food was probably a 5* if eaten in the restaurant when fresh, but I can only gauge based on what it was when I got home. The burger was still very good but the fries were soggy and limp, so we put them in the air fryer for a few minutes before eating.

    For my Birthday Burger, I ordered the Cheesy Bacon Fondue Burger & Fries (see picture) and since I had to spend at least $5 for the free burger, I accompanied it with the Mountain High Mudd Pie (see picture). The burger and mudd pie were both delicioius…and would have been so much better in the restaurant. Take my advice and when you go…stay there and eat it fresh.

    If you are looking for a gourmet hamburger on the upper end of chain restaurant quality, you will enjoy a stop at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews.

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    Mountain High Mudd Pie
    Cheesy Bacon Fondue Burger

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Fiesta Mexican Restaurant (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Fiesta Mexican Restaurant (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*

    09/16/2023 Fiesta Mexican Restaurant (515) 223-0145

    On a recommendation of a friend who recently moved here from Mexico as the most authentic Mexican food in town, this has become our new favorite!

    We have been wanting to try Fiesta since a friend we met at a pool party who recently moved to Iowa from Mexico suggested it as the most authentic Mexican food in the Des Moines area. We decide to go there last night after Mass and this place is legit…very good food and atmosphere drives it to our new favorite Mexican restaurant in the area.

    We started with a Classic Margarita (see picture) and Mezcal Paloma (see picture) with the delicious Chips & Salsa (see picture). The chips and salsa were very good, with the salsa being of the ‘blended’ variety with small pieces and not runny – and just a hint of sweetness to go with the spice. The margarita was also good – a little on the sweet side, but a generous pour, with several refills from the decanter. The Mezcal Paloma wasn’t my favorite, but I’m a bit of a snob in this area – preferring certain Mezcals and having a personal favorite Mezcal Paloma Recipe.

    The food was definitely the highlight of our stop though – in every way living up to the recommendation of our new friend. We ordered a Burrito Bowl (see picture) and a new dish called the Birria Quesatacos (see picture). Both of them were absolutely delicious – fresh, great flavor and wonderful presentation! The Quesatacos were very unique, with the queso (cheese) fried onto the inside of the tortillas and great topping sauces. In addition, we really enjoyed the consome (chicken soup) broth – it was very tasty and reminded us a bit of the secret sauce in Skyline Chile.

    If you enjoy Mexican food, you owe it to yourself to stop at Fiesta Mexican Restaurant – you won’t be sorry when you do!

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    Birria Quesatacos
    Burrito Bowl
    Classic Margarita
    Paloma

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Waterfront Seafood Market (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Waterfront Seafood Market (West 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*

    09/13/2023 Waterfront Seafood Market (515) 223-5106

    We had friends visiting from France and when asked what type of food they wanted for dinner, they suggested seafood – so we thought a return trip to Waterfront would be just the ticket!

    For an appetizer, my wife ordered the Mini Chuck Roll and Mini Godzilla Roll (see picture) on the waiter’s recommendation – and really liked both of them. My wife ordered the Seafood Scallops (see picture) with New England Clam Chowder (see picture). I sampled both and we each thought they were both delicious. I ordered the Rock Shrimp Basket Dinner to save a few dollars for our friends who were paying and although it was a more typical mass market-type fried food dish, I found the rock shrimp to be quite tender and tasty and also thought the sweet potato fries were very good.

    Our friends ordered the Halibut Basket Dinner (see picture) and the Coconut Shrimp Dinner (see picture) – and they enjoyed both of them (although it was way more food quantity-wise than they are used to eating in France).

    If you are looking for a solid seafood restaurant with a lengthy ‘fresh-catch’ Market Entrees list in the Des Moines area, you will enjoy a stop at Waterfront Seafood Market.

    2/26/2022

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Our neighbors suggested this place and took us there last night…and oh what a treat it was!  If you enjoy good, fresh seafood – you’ll love this place, with your biggest challenge being figuring out which dish to order.  As a bonus, you can also buy fresh seafood to take home at the adjoining market – or watch your sushi being made in another area.

    Our dinner started with the complimentary sourdough bread and butter – served warm with whipped butter, smelled and tasted great.  Next, on the recommendation of our waiter, we shared an order of Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops.  As you might expect with these two great food items combined – they were delicious and I highly recommend them.

    Next, my wife enjoyed the Creole Seafood Gumbo, while I opted for the New England Clam Chowder so that we could try both.  The menu says the Clam Chowder was voted the Best Soup in Des Moines and while I haven’t tried enough soup to confirm that – I can tell you that it was some of the best Clam Chowder that I’ve ever had.

    For the main course, my wife ordered the Shrimp and Scallops, while I opted for the cajun Halibut and Salmon.  We thoroughly enjoyed everything, with my lone exception to the 5* rating being the preparation of the salmon – as it was overcooked to my liking and was rather dry as opposed to soft and moist when it is cooked less.  It was definitely a great experience for my wife and I and I highly recommend it for the lively atmosphere, fresh seafood and great service.

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    Rock Shrimp Basket Dinner

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Sully’s Irish Pub (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Sully’s Irish Pub (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    08/21/2023 Sully’s Irish Pub

    I picked up my wife here after a post-work party and have since wanted to stop back to try some of their food. I got the chance while doing some ‘R&D’ for HappyHourDesMoines.com recently and found it to be a solid stop for Happy Hour.

    Since they advertised $3 Guinness pints and I enjoy Guinness, I started with a pint while perusing their food menu. Since it was Monday and their Daily Special was $12 Appetizers, I settled on an order of wings (see picture). I opted for half Jalapeno Honey Lime Sriracha and half Mango Habanero and would recommend both of them – moist, juicy wings with just the right amount of ‘kick’.

    While nothing stood out as outstanding enough to warrant a 5* rating in any of my categories, all aspects of my visit were well above average and deserving of 4*s across the board. As far as my experiences with Irish Pubs, this is in the upper tier and worthy of a stop when you are in the mood for a Pint and some solid bar food.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Fleming’s at Jordan Creek (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Fleming’s at Jordan Creek (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*

    07/18/2023 Fleming’s at Jordan Creek

    I’ve always known Fleming’s to be a top-notch restaurant, have visited at least one other location and justified the cost by celebrating our wedding anniversary. Thinking we could save some money while gathering information for HappyHourDesMoines.com, we decided to go early and take in their Social Hour.

    For Social Hour cocktails, we enjoyed the Olive A Martini (Dirty – see picture), Time is Honey (see picture) and Tequila me Softly (see picture). All of them were very good, but the Olive A Martini (Dirty) is what we went back to for our final selections. In addition to the cocktails, we also ordered the Tuna Wontons (see picture) and REALLY liked them – delicious light guacamole topped with some raw tuna!

    For our dinner, we took advantage of the Taste for Tuesday 3-Course Menu for Two special with the Tomahawk option. The flavored butters that come with the table bread (see picture) are very tasty. We went with the Lobster Bisque (see picture) and Wedge Salad (see picture) for our salads, shared them and found both to be excellent. For our sides, we went with the Sauteed Mushrooms (see picture) and Fleming’s Potatoes (see picture) and both were quite the treat.

    Lastly (and most importantly for my sweet tooth), my wife ordered the Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake (see picture) and I ordered the Olive Oil Cake (see picture). I don’t believe I’ve ever had an Olive Oil Cake before, but it was light, spongy and delicious. Of course we shared and it probably goes without saying given the name, but my wife really loved the Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake and I agreed.

    Given the cost of dining here, this place will remain on our Special Occasions-Only list, but if you are looking to make an impression with an important person or group…this is the place to go!

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    Chocolate Gooey Butter Cake
    Olive Oil Cake
    Sauteed Mushrooms
    Fleming’s Potatoes
    Prime Tomahawk
    Wedge Salad
    Lobster Bisque
    Table Bread & Butter
    Olive A Martini (Dirty)
    Tuna Wontons
    Time is Honey
    Tequila me Softly

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • El Fogon (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    El Fogon (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    05/19/2023 El Fogon

    This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and had a great opportunity to go following an after-work party of my wife’s. Along with the free chips and salsa (see picture), we each ordered our favorite drink: a Mezcal Palomo (see picture) – both the chips and Palomas were very good.

    For our dinner, we ordered Ceviche Shrimp (see picture) to share, then ordered Texas Fajitas (see picture) to share for the main course. We both enjoyed both meals and would recommend them…as the 4* implies, we found them better than average, but not the absolute best we’ve ever had.

    Overall, we found this place to be a solid stop for Mexican food as well as the Paloma mixed drinks. In my opinion, it is in the upper third of Mexican restaurants in Des Moines and as such, would recommend it for both food and drink.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    03/28/2023 Urban Cellar

    Stopped by again last night with my wife to try out the Happy Hour again and had a good time. We shared orders of Mama’s Meatballs (see picture) and a Margherita Pizza (see picture). We really enjoyed the meatballs – good flavor, not too greasy and with just the right amount of sauce and cheese. The crust on the margherita pizza was very soft if you like that and the flavor was good…we just prefer having some protein so will probably stick with the Meatballs or Salmon Cakes. The Tommy’s Margarita (see picture) was not one of my favorites…coming across a bit tart and a bit of an artificially sweetened mouthfeel.

    3/13/2023

    Have seen it numerous times and finally took the time to stop in and check it out after an appointment at Vero Chiropractic nearby. Looking for content for HappyHourDesMoines.com, my first question was whether they had a Happy Hour – and BOY did they ever! Not only did they have a GREAT Happy Hour (see pictures), but they also had a Monday Dinner Special ($60 for a bottle of wine, 2 entrees and a dessert – see picture) that I will definitely be returning to try with my wife on a later date.

    The place so impressed me, that I couldn’t leave without trying at least one drink from their Happy Hour menu. I had a seat at the bar and the bartender talked me into trying the Old Fashioned (see picture) – which was a great recommendation.

    It was so good, I decided to also try one of the 1/2 off Starters and, again based on the recommendation from the bartender, went with the Salmon Cakes (see picture). They looked fantastic when served (see picture) and tasted every bit as good! Tasty, moist yet crumbly salmon inside a crunchy crust wrapped in an awesome cream cheese tube that complemented the salmon so well.

    Not only was the food, atmosphere and service fantastic – given the Happy Hour pricing, they definitely earned a 5* rating on Value also! While chatting with a delightful lady sitting next to me (who let me try a piece of her Margherita Pizza – see picture, which was also delicious), I learned that this place has a common owner with the Urban Grill in Urbandale – another great stop. You definitely won’t be disappointed with a stop here…one of my few full 5* reviews!

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    Salmon Cakes
    Margherita Pizza
    Mama’s Meatballs
    Old Fashioned
    Tommy’s Margarita
    Happy Hour, Desserts & Specials

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • El Guapo’s Tequila & Tacos (West Des Moines, IA) Review – CLOSED

    El Guapo’s Tequila & Tacos (West Des Moines, IA) Review – CLOSED

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    03/25/2023

    Yet another stop for a drink after dinner tonight. The new drink that we tried tonight was the Naked Numero Dos (see picture) and while it was very good, we both still preferred our standby Mezcal drink here – the Street Snack (see picture). Tonight we had the opportunity to try the Ceviche (see picture) and both of us thought it was very good – solid lime tang with shrimp and other spices. Unlike our last stop, the chips tasted much better tonight, so bumping the Food rating back up to a 5*.

    03/17/2023

    We stopped here for a drink on the way home from dinner last night and once again enjoyed our experience at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The selection of unique cocktails is extensive here and we really enjoy them. Last night we once again enjoyed the Street Snack (see picture) and Mezcal Paloma (see picture) along with Chips & Guacamole (see picture). We were a little disappointed in the taste of the chips (bitter) and texture of the guacamole (pasty) but continued to enjoy the atmosphere and service.

    I highly recommend this place for their great service, food and drinks.

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/27/2023

    We stopped here for a drink on the way home from dinner last night and once again enjoyed our experience at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The selection of unique cocktails is extensive here and we really enjoy them. Last night we once again enjoyed the Street Snack (see picture) and were happy to see that their Take Home Mixers (see picture) were once again available.

    I highly recommend this place for their great service, food and drinks.

    Previous Stop:

    Stopped here last night after hearing they had the unthinkable – Happy Hour on the weekends…and boy was it good!  We sampled several of the half price cocktails (Guapo’s House and Tamarind El Mulo, my favorite – see pictures) and really liked them…great value and great taste.

    You can order individual tacos, which we did after the chips and guacamole.  Definitely a great place to stop to enjoy some great food and drinks in a lively atmosphere!

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

    Street Snack
    Mezcal Paloma
    Ceviche
    Naked Numero Dos
    Happy Hour
    Mixers

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  • Nan’s Nummies (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Nan’s Nummies (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    03/15/2023 Nan’s Nummies

    Since my brother and Sister-in-law who were visiting hadn’t yet tried a Dutch Letter, we had yet another chance to visit Nan’s while driving through the Valley Junction area during their visit.

    In addition to the Dutch Letter (which we’ve always found to be delicious), we also ordered their specialty – the Almond Creme cookies for each of us to try. They are so light, crumbly and delicious – don’t leave without sampling at least one! Lastly, my brother ordered some Peanut Butter Crispy treats and as you might expect – we all found them to be delicious also.

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  • Chocolate Storybook (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Chocolate Storybook (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    03/15/2023 Chocolate Storybook

    If you follow my posts, you know that I’m a sucker for sweets – so it was hard not to like this place. We were in the area and heard about it from friends, so stopped in while my brother and Sister-in-law were visiting. As you might expect in a place like this, there was a great selection of chocolates and pretty much all things sweet. While the prices were a little on the high end, they weren’t out of line with other similar places in higher traffic / rent areas.

    They are known in some reviews for their chocolate covered bacon (what can’t be good if it includes bacon and chocolate, right?). While I found the bacon / salt with the chocolate to be a good combination, my wife and I both commented that it would have been even better if the bacon inside was more crispy. I love dark chocolate and sea salt caramel though – and their Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels were absolutely delicious!

    Assuming you like sweets since you read this far into the review, you will definitely enjoy a stop here to pick up some local, great tasting and unique sweets!

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  • Laughing Crab (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Laughing Crab (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 3*

    03/06/2023 Laughing Crab

    We stopped here shortly after moving into the area 2 years ago and had the opportunity to go back tonight while celebrating Birthdays of our son and daughter-in-law. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the smell when you walk in and thought the food was above average, the value and service only rate average to me.

    We started with a round of drinks – and since the Tequila Sunrise (see picture) was the special for the night, we each ordered one. We decided to order Crab Rangoon (see picture) as an appetizer and thought they tasted quite good. For our main meal, we ordered the Family Platter (see picture) and added 1/2 pound of sausage. While the butter and seasoning flavors were great, I felt that the seafood and sweetcorn were over-cooked and a little tough / rubbery as a result.

    While it can be tough to rate the quality of the food for a place like this, I landed on a 4 based on the taste being good but the cooking time being a bit too long. Given how messy it is to eat, this likely isn’t a place where you take a first date nor wear your Sunday best clothes. Relative to this type of food, this is a reasonable place to enjoy some good Cajun seafood and seasoning.

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    Family Platter w/ 1/2 lb Sausage
    Crab Rangoon
    Tequila Sunrise
    Birthday Shot

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  • Funny Bone Comedy Club (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Funny Bone Comedy Club (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    02/25/2023 Funny Bone Comedy Club

    I’ve heard about this place and driven by it multiple times thinking that we needed to go sometime and last night finally presented its opportunity. Friends were in town and we were enjoying some Happy Hour specials from happyhourdesmoines.com at a nearby pub when the owner asked if we were going to the comedy club.

    We decided to give it a try ordering tickets on our phones while at another nearby restaurant. Tickets weren’t too bad ($17/person) but there was a 2 item per person minimum order, so I was bracing for some really expensive food and/or food.

    While finalizing our evening plans, we checked out the menu and were pleasantly surprised by both the food selection as well as the pricing. After reviewing the menu, we decided that we would plan to eat at the Funny Bone before the show, so we arrived a little early, ordered drinks (see Lemon Drop Martini picture) and then ordered our meals.

    I went with a basket of sweet potato fries while my wife ordered the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (see picture) and our friend ordered the Chicken Strips (see picture). The sweet potato fry basked arrived early, so we all enjoyed them with the sauce that was provided. I shared the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with my wife and was pleasantly surprised with how good it was.

    I found both the sweet potato fries as well as the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich to be at least in line with other nearby pubs and restaurants. The fries were flavorful, crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside. The Buffalo Chicken Sandwich was loaded with hot sauce (very juicy) and the bun tasted great. Our friend also thought that the Chicken Strips and fries were very good – so we would recommend both of them.

    I was a little hesitant and not sure what to expect here, but found the atmosphere (it was packed for the early show on Saturday night), food, comedy and value to all be good enough that I look forward to a return trip in the near future.

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  • Hurts Donut Company (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Hurts Donut Company (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    02/25/2023 Hurts Donut Company

    This is a donut lovers paradise without a doubt – with almost any size, shape and flavor of donut that you can imaging…and a catchy business name to top it off. I have stopped here on several occasions and enjoyed a variety of different donuts, so am convinced that it would be very hard for anyone to not thoroughly enjoy a visit.

    I can say with confidence that if you like donuts, you will definitely find it worth your while to stop and sample a few (or a dozen…).

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  • The Breakfast Club (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    The Breakfast Club (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

    02/25/2023 The Breakfast Club (West Des Moines, IA)

    We enjoyed an earlier stop at The Breakfast Club in downtown Des Moines, so looked forward to the opportunity to try out this new location closer to our home. We got the chance this weekend when friends were in town visiting and all of us were very glad that we stopped here.

    We started the meal with a round of Bloody Mary’s – all of us agreed that they tasted great, were not overly salty and were ‘light’ in that they weren’t thick and pulpy. I pulled the atmosphere down a little due to the music being too loud for our tastes, making it more difficult to visit at the table.

    For our meals, I ordered the Farm Boy with over easy eggs (see picture), my wife ordered the Deburgo Benny (see picture) and our guests ordered the Pad Thai Quinoa (see picture) and Basic B (see picture). We all exchanged tastes of each dish and everyone was very happy with their dish. I would highly recommend all of them with my only slight negative being that the Deburgo Benny gravy seemed a little salty.

    The Breakfast Club finds a good balance between keeping portion sizes reasonable – leading to prices that are a competitive value. This value does not come at the expense of food quality or flavor either – as the dishes were all very tasty and presented very well, as the pictures show. This is a great stop for breakfast / brunch / lunch without the need to travel downtown for those of us who live on the northwest side of Des Moines.

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    Pad Thai Quinoa
    Basic B
    Farm Boy with over-easy eggs
    Deburgo Benny

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  • Pots and Shots (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Pots and Shots (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

    2.33* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 2*

    Service: 1*

    02/04/2023 Pots and Shots

    We have recommended this place and brought other couples for their first experience here on numerous occasions (several of whom brought other friends later after enjoying the stop). We had always enjoyed the unique cocktails and atmosphere – and even though they were pricey, justified it since we only were having one.

    Last night started the same, in that we were heading home from my wife’s work holiday party (appetizers and 2 drink tickets), so suggested to 2 other ladies to join us at Pots and Shots. My wife was disappointed with the new drink menu – as she had a favorite that contained cilantro from our earlier visits that was no longer available, so she ordered something else. I was driving, so ordered one tap beer and passed on a refill.

    That is when things got weird. Another lady at our table was at the bar and was told that they would not serve her any more alcohol. That is their choice and responsibility as a business serving alcohol, so I understand. However, what happened next was what was the most confusing.

    Another lady at our table ordered a glass of wine and when my wife was going to order another drink, we were told that no one at the table would be served any more alcohol. This other lady went to talk with the manager one-on-one to explain that I was driving and understand why others at the table couldn’t have any more drinks. She never really received a clear answer beyond fear that someone might trip and fall on the way out of the business, even if I was driving.

    Clearly a disappointing close to our evening and unfortunate first visit for our new friend from downtown (who didn’t even want to finish her wine). I still left a 15% tip, as it wasn’t the server’s fault – but clearly left disappointed after this most recent visit.

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  • Dino’s Bar & Grill (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Dino’s Bar & Grill (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.66* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    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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    Gin-Berry Mule