Have been back a couple of times for Happy Hour, but finally getting it posted after our latest trip. This is a great stop for Happy Hours, especially if you like Flatbread Pizzas.
We started our Happy Hour experience with drinks – with both of us ordering Lemon Basil Martinis (see picture) and we both really enjoyed them. Next, my wife opted for the Raspberry Limoncello (see picture) and I ordered the Raspberry Royal (see picture).
For our flatbreads, we started with the Sausage & Mushroom (see picture) then followed that up with a Cheeseburger (see picture). Both of them were very good and we would highly recommend them…especially for the Happy Hour pricing!
01/02/2023
We stopped here after searching for a Monday Happy Hour on HappyHourDesMoines.com and although we have been here before, were impressed with our experience. It is hard to beat $5 Martinis (even if they were a little small) and $6 Flat Breads – all of which were delicious in a great atmosphere with fantastic service from Cassidy P. (she is fantastic)!
I started with the Screwball Espresso Martini (see picture) and my wife had the Tirimisu Martini (see picture) – both were delicious and would have been even better as dessert after our appetizer / meal. We then ordered the Happy Hour flatbread specials – BBQ Chicken (see picture) and Sausage & Mushroom (see picture). They were Cassidy’s top recommendations and were both delicious!
Along with our meal, I ordered the house pinot noir and my wife ordered a Lemon Basil Martini (see picture). The Martini was excellent and the pinot noir was also good.
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While we admittedly aren’t Chicago Bears fans (yes, we cheer for the Super Bowl winless Vikings…), we have taken a bit of a liking to this place and have stopped several times since they opened. Tonight we stopped to see the NDSU / SDSU football game on one of their many TVs over the bar. While it took them a bit to find the game, we enjoyed most of the game
I started this visit with a Windy City Caramel (see picture) and my wife opted for the Spicy Pineapple Margarita (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each drinks and would highly recommend both of them. We followed those up with Cadillac Margaritas (see picture) and again, would recommend them as a good balance between tart and sweet.
For our meals, my wife ordered the Italian Beef with extra Au Jus on the side (see picture). Ordering the Au Jus on the side seemed like a good idea, as you had plenty to soak your sandwich in as you ate it – but it wasn’t soaked and falling apart as you tried to eat it. I went with the Buffalo Chicken Wrap (see picture) and we both enjoyed our meals.
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My wife found this place when it was her turn to pick a restaurant for dinner after Mass. We parked in the back and the first impression was great – the smell of actively smoking meat on the way in is always a positive for me! Inside, we found the decor to be clean and modern as was the storefront when I stepped out to take a picture for this review.
As is almost always the case when we are out for dinner, we started with drinks – my wife opting for the Coconut Mojito (see picture) while I ordered the Caribbean Sea Margarita (see picture). Both were very good and are highly recommended, although they were a bit pricy…especially for their size (although that seems to becoming the norm everywhere).
The menu was a bit limited, but did have some very unique dishes (see picture) – one of the main reasons that we love restaurants like this! For dinner, my wife ordered the Suya Pepper Shrimp (see picture) and I went for the Jerk Chicken with Coconut Candied Yams and Jollof Rice (see picture). The chicken was extremely tender and delicious…just be aware that it was served in what is likely a very traditional African / Caribbean style – chopped into small pieces with numerous bone fragments. We both thought the flavors of both dishes were wonderful – so would recommend them and would definitely order again.
If you are looking for a unique African / Caribbean food and drink experience in downtown Des Moines…you will definitely enjoy a stop here!
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While this place has an admittedly non-descript brick exterior and clean but average interior, I appreciated it most for what it was: solid Vietnamese food at a great value, served with a family-owned feel. Biggest disappointment was that while alcohol options showed on the menu, they were unable to serve any alcohol – claiming that their liquor license had not yet been renewed.
I was craving a spring roll with peanut sauce, so to start things off, we ordered #90 Bo Bia steamed spring rolls with shredded shrimp, carrots and sausage served with plum sauce (see picture). While the wrap was thicker than the ‘paper’ wraps that I’m used to, they were very good – and I really liked the plum sauce.
My wife was undecided and our very helpful waiter Archie, suggested #69 Com Ga Chien Xa Ot (chicken breast fried with spicy lemon grass – see picture). It was good, but both of us would have preferred a bit more spice, as we ended up adding Siracha at the table.
I was considering #99 Banh Xeo Vietnamese style crispy pancake stuffed with shrimp, pork & veggies based on the menu picture, but Archie talked me into #97 Banh Tam Bi Xiu Mai udon noodles with shredded pork, steamed pork meatballs and veggies instead (see picture). I was impressed with the coconut milk and lemon sauce that he poured over it when served with the instructions to stir it all together – very tasty combination of savory, sweet and tart, with a very slight spiciness.
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#90 Bo Bia steamed spring rolls#69 Com Ga Chien Xa Ot chicken breast w/ spicy lemon grass#97 Banh Tam Bi Xiu Mai udon noodles with shredded pork, steamed meatballs & veggies
We have stopped here at least one other time but for some reason, I don’t have a review documented…so getting it done this time. While a bit of a hidden gem off of 86th Street, the building is modern, chic and inviting – with a large covered patio area connected to the north side of the building. The one negative is that the temperature is kept very cold inside, so consider bringing a sweater or light jacket to stay comfortable. Unfortunately, tonight was a bit cold outside, so it was a coinflip on which was better – we opted for the patio seating and the wind settled down during our visit to get quite comfortable.
We started with a Cuban Martini and Sojito (see picture) along with an order of Bang Bang Shrimp (see picture) for an appetizer. We enjoyed the drinks and the Bang Bang Shrimp with the drizzled Yum Yum-type sauce was delicious!
For our main courses, my wife ordered the Thai Pasta (see picture) and I opted for the Fig, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad (see picture). As is our custom, we both shared bites from each of our plates and liked both of them very much – although the Thai Pasta definitely had a bit more ‘kick’.
We ordered the Tres Leches for dessert (remembering it from our last visit), but unfortunately found that they were sold out, so had to leave without dessert. If you are looking for a modern, unique, Asian fusion type restaurant in the Johnston area, Roots 95 won’t disappoint.
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We stopped here just after moving to Urbandale over 4 years ago with our son and daughter in law along with our parish Priest (who is an Indian native) and just took the opportunity to return. We enjoyed it during both stops and would definitely go back.
Tonight my wife opted for the Chili Garlic Chicken (see picture) and I chose the Chicken Lababdar (see picture) along with an order of Garlic Naan. As usual, we shared tastes of each dish and while both were very good, the Chili Garlic Chicken definitely had a more flavor and a bit of a spicy ‘kick’.
This is a solid Indian restaurant near old town Waukee with very friendly service.
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I’ve heard great things about this place and always wanted to give it a try…but knew enough about them to realize it would take a very special occasion to justify a dinner here with my budget. That special occasion presented itself this week with our 38th Wedding Anniversary – so I made the decision to splurge for the night!
While the rumors I had heard led me to believe that the restaurant was on the top floor of the building, it didn’t take long to find the elevator access blocked. We then followed the signs to the location on the 2nd floor at the top of the stairs and on the East side. While the entrance from the building was a bit hidden (see pictures), once we stepped inside we immediately transitioned into a what would be expected of a high-end restaurant (see pictures).
We started with a Troon (grapefruit vodka & grapefruit juice – see picture) and an 801 Special Martini (vodka, gin & blue cheese olives – see picture). The Troon was especially tasty and the martini was a bit strong for me, so I asked for some brine to ‘dirty it up a bit’ – which I liked.
Following the delicious Table Bread (see picture), we ordered the Prime Beef Carpaccio (see picture) and Wedge Salad (see picture) – shared them both and would highly recommend both of them. While I kind of wanted to try all of the seafood on the menu, since this was a reknowned steakhouse, we decided to share the 30oz Porterhouse (see picture). While we ordinarily order medium rare, our server (Laura) advised us that their medium rare is cool in the middle, so we adjusted to medium along with the suggestion to precut it and were extremely pleased with the results (see plated picture). It was cooked to perfection, with the butter and mushrooms only enhancing each bite!
Of course we couldn’t leave without the capstone of the meal and neither of us had ever had a souffle, so we went with the Chocolate Souffle (see picture) – and OH, was it delicious!! As if it wasn’t good enough by itself, it was also served with 3 different sauces to add (Chocolate, Vanilla & Berry Compote) – you will want to try it!
Our experience was a great as it gets, with various staff members wishing us “Happy Anniversary” throughout the evening, a personalized Happy Anniversary menu and a complimentary dessert. The only thing I struggled with on a review like this is how to rate “Value” when the cost is more than double the high side of what we usually spend when we go out for dinner. For us and our budget…we just have to reserve our return trip for another very special occasion!
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While we’ve stopped here a few times since living here, I hadn’t yet taken the time to post a review to my website, so fixing that now. This most recent stop was to meet a friend from Church after work and it turned out to be a great meeting spot.
I started with the Hot Skinny B*/ch (see picture) and as the name implies, the jalapeno tequila and additional sliced jalapenos gave it a good spicy kick! I loved it…but if you aren’t into the stronger jalapeno burn, you might not enjoy it as much as I did.
For our dinner, we started with an order of Southwest Egg Rolls (see picture) and then each of us ordered some Wings (see picture). While ideally I would have preferred that both orders not be fried as much as they were, both were still quite tasty and above average pub food.
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We were looking for a place to stop for brunch after Mass in Webster on our way back home to Des Moines and my in-laws suggested Bitter Lake Lodge’s buffet. The building has a modern steel exterior and a modern hunting cabin like interior with a concrete floor (see pictures).
Service was prompt and there was a reasonable selection on the buffet line (scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs with veggies and cheese, bacon, sausages, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, pancakes and french toast sticks). The scrambled eggs were very good and the potatoes were good, but they were out after we went through and were not replenished. The sausages were plentiful and the bacon was thick, hearty and smokey.
Overall, this was a solid, above average buffet with good service at a good value ($12.99 + coffee / beverage). Other than a desire that they be a bit more attentive to the quantity of food in the pans and replenishing as required, my main disappointment was that black plastic forks were the only eating utensils available. Given the available foods, metal knives wouldn’t be necessary – but having metal forks would be appreciated.
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Another enjoyable stop with my parents, son and his girlfriend during a stay at the lake. I always find it hard to avoid popcorn if I see it in a restaurant, so we started with several servings of popcorn from the machine. While it admittedly tasted like it was left over from the previous night…it was ok to go along with our pre-dinner beverages.
For our meal, we ordered a Brisket Smack pizza (see picture) to share – and once again, it was delicious! If the brisket isn’t enough to catch your attention, there was also macaroni and cheese as well as a smokey-sweet bbq sauce. You can’t go wrong with this!
Turns out that it was also Wing Wednesday, with bone-in wings for $0.90 each, so we ordered a variety of wings (see pictures) with Bourbon Honey Mustard (my favorite), Mango Habanero (next favorite…not very spicy), Garlic Parmesan & Buffalo sauces. We found the wings to be larger than typical and moist almost to a fault (the skin was also soft, while we prefer a crispy crust). We enjoyed them all though…and you can’t go wrong with the value at $0.90/each.
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08/10/2023 The Black Pelican
We have stopped here a few times during visits to the family lake cabin on Lake Elsie near Hankinson, ND. Each time we have thoroughly enjoyed our stop, with great food, reasonable prices and good service. They seem to continue to grow year after year, as each time we visit it seems the place is more busy – even on weeknights.
For this visit, we started with beers (there is a good selection of tap beers – both craft and standard domestics). For our meal my wife and I ordered the Peanut Buddy (Peanut Butter Zing, Pepperoni, Bacon, Jalapenos – topped with Peanut Butter Zing – see picture). While it might sound odd, we absolutely loved the flavor – a great combination of spicy (but not much) tempered by the sweetness of the Peanut Butter Zing.
Our friends (she is gluten sensitive) ordered the Chicken Bacon Ranch with a gluten-free crust (see picture). My wife and I each tried a piece to see what the gluten-free crust tasted like and while we don’t prefer it as much as their regular crust, we really appreciated that they offered this option so our friends could enjoy some great pizza also.
This is an exceptional place for a small town in North Dakota – with food quality and selection rivaling options in much bigger cities. Great food, good value and friendly service come together at this increasingly popular local favorite.
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Enjoyed our latest visit to RoCA with friends after Mass Saturday evening. My wife started with a Smoked Margarita (see picture) and I opted for the El Chapo (see picture) – both were delicious.
The great thing about a small plates restaurant, especially with 4 people, is that you can try a bunch of different things…and that we did! We each chose one small plate and I’ll say up front that all of them were wonderful and I wouldn’t hesitate to order any of them again.
We started with a BBQ, Pork & Apple Flatbread (see picture), followed by the Deconstructed Ribeye Nachos (see picture), Fondue (see picture) and Graziano Sausage & Pepperoni Flatbread (see picture). Of all of these, our favorite was the Fondue and Deconstructed Ribeye Nachos…but both Flatbreads were also very good.
The only negatives to the atmosphere were having to go downstairs for the restroom and a bachelorette party next to us that got a little loud.
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This place was recommended by a co-worker who knew about my love for good food and my food review website, so we took the opportunity to go there with our neighbors. Admittedly, the front door looked a little rough on the outside (see pictures) – but once inside, the decor was beautiful and the service was better.
We started with drinks – which were unique and very tasty! My wife went with the El Chapo (see picture) – which had a nice bite of jalapeno. Our neighbor opted for the Smoking Gun (see the pouring video from the smoke-filled bottle below) and I chose the Smoked Margarita (see the “kit’ picture and pouring video below). I really enjoy smoked drinks and smoking my own at home and these were not only very good, but the presentation in a smoke-filled bottle was impressive to see!
For our dinner, each of us couples ordered 3 small plates and we shared them all. We went with the Grilled Broccolini, Grilled Ribeye Skewers, Chicken Pesto Flatbread, Seared Scallops, De Burgo Toast and Ribeye Nachos (see all pictures below). While there were varying opinions of the ‘Best’ rankings, the Grilled Ribeye Skewers, Seared Scallops and Ribeye Nachos were my personal favorites. With that said, I’d highly recommend all of them, as we found all of them to be very good!
I love the small plates concept to sample several dishes – and the food and service were fantastic! Say ‘Hi’ to Ricardo R. when you go – his service was great and we really appreciated his recommendations.
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My wife made the reservation so I agreed to go back, even though my last experience left we doubting I would return and I admittedly walked in with a bit of a chip on my shoulder. Overall, I’m glad we went back to give them a second chance as this experience was much better than the last. This is a very nice restaurant that is a part of over 55 in the growing chain that started in Overland Park, IL in 2005.
Our friends in Wisconsin recently mentioned Cooper’s Hawk and how good their Ahi tuna was – and given how much we enjoy Ahi tuna, that likely played a significant role in my wife’s decision to make a reservation. Beyond the wine flight that my wife ordered (see picture), we started with Asian Ahi Tuna Sashimi (see picture). As you might expect (sashimi), the portions were quite small…but it was quite delicious. Food and Drink Guy Tip: The soy dipping liquid was also great and the leftover mix was quite tasty on the pretzel bread loaf.
For our main courses, my wife ordered the Trio Medallions (see picture) and I opted for the Chicken Giardiniera (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each other’s dishes and the Trio Medallions were fantastic – tender, juicy, flavorful and perfectly cooked (medium rare). While our waitress Jennifer (who was great by the way) described the Chicken Giardiniera as spicy – neither of us found it very spicy, but we both found it delicious – tasty breaded chicken breasts soaking in that wonderful giardiniera juice!
Food and Drink Guy Tip: Given my love of good bread soaked in tasty juices and sauces, I asked for another loaf of the pretzel bread and used it to soak up all that remaining delicious juice on my plate and sauce on my wife’s plate. I highly recommend this, as it was so good that I treated it as my dessert! The plates were so clean after this that a member of the wait staff commented that we mustn’t have liked our meal very well…
While this clearly isn’t the cheapest place in the area for dinner, they do serve high quality food in a clean, modern atmosphere with above average service, so deserves to be on your short list for your next special occasion.
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December 2022
We were excited to try out this place after watching it being built and reading the announcement in the newspaper.
Atmosphere: While the exterior looks and atmosphere inside the new building were impressive, there is room for improvement on the food and service, which to me means the value isn’t that great. The lighting was also a lesson in contrasts…while it was rather dark at our table to read the menu – there were also lights above some adjacent booths near the window that were very bright, to the point where it seemed that headlights from cars in the parking lot were shining in our eyes. You will see this in the posted pictures…rather dark for the photo, yet also harsh shadows from the adjacent booth lighting.
We started with a round of drinks. I had read about the 4 wine samples for $10 offer in the paper, so told the waiter I saw the 4 for $10 wine and wanted it. While I gave him an out in case it wasn’t available at the table, asking “unless it is only available in the front” – he quickly responded that they offer wine flights and they are available in the front or at the table. The flight seemed to be a great value, so my wife and one of our friends also ordered one. Buyer Beware: we were with another couple, so I didn’t review our receipt until returning home and was surprised to see that we were charged $20-$22 for each flight.
Food: For our main meal, I ordered the Gnocchi Bolo (see picture), my wife ordered the Surf & Turf with pork & shrimp (see picture) and our friends ordered the Trio Medallions (see picture) and Blackened Ahi Tuna (see picture). The manager later came by to apologize that the Gnocchi Bolo was only supposed to be a lunch menu item (we were there for dinner), but since the waiter didn’t tell me they were preparing it as ordered, but it was causing a delay for our order.
The Gnocchi Bolo tasted delicious and was probably the favorite of the dishes we enjoyed. The pork was a little dry / overcooked in the Surf & Turf. The asparagus was a little stalky at the ends and while the steaks were good with the Trio Medallions, they weren’t in the top category of steaks we’ve enjoyed.
Service: While our waiter was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable about the restaurant and menu, we were left disappointed. One of the wine flights for our table that was ordered at the same time as another was not delivered at the same time. After at least 10 minutes had passed, we finally asked about it and it still took another 10 minutes for delivery. Empty glasses and dirty plates were piling up on our table prior to the food delivery. After moving them to the front edge of the table for them to be taken away and that not working…I finally asked the waiter to take them away on a later stop. Lastly, one of our friends ordered soup and when it had still not been delivered after we were half done with our meal, we finally asked about it and it was then delivered.
Bottom Line:The food and service clearly did not meet my expectations nor reflect a good value for your money – possibly a result of it being their first week. I will have to see whether we return at a later date to see if things have improved. Given our experience with the wine flights described above, a follow up call to the manager on duty that night and receiving absolutely no offer to make things right (“sorry that you mis-understood that…”), I’m not sure that we will return.
Quick update following another great stop for dinner with my wife, son and Grandson. This time, we took advantage of the Tendies & Pitchers Wednesdays – and what a great value!
My wife and I both ordered the Pound of Chicken Tenders & Chips, but with different dipping sauces (see picture). As we’ve come to expect at Barn Town, they were delicious – crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Of the dipping sauces we tried, my favorite was the Hot Honey…but they were all pretty good.
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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!
Following our annual trek to Lake Geneva to stay with friends for the weekend, this was our stop for brunch on the way out of town. It was impressive as we walked up from the outside and the interior was equally modern, well-lit and inviting – with plenty of brick and stained woodwork (see pictures).
Per the sign on the wall, this is one of two locations – the other being in Flagstaff, AZ. A menu note said that it changes frequently, so I didn’t include pictures (reference through the web site link below for the latest) – but there was an impressive variety of unique and intriguing plates!
My wife started with an unsweetened Matcha Latte (see picture) and all 4 of us sampled different dishes. Our friends ordered the Madrez Chorizo Gorditas (see picture) and Birria Tacos. My wife loves chorizo, so opted for the Chorizo Chilaquiles (see picture) and I was equally intrigued by the chilaquiles (corn chips), so went with the Brisket Chilaquiles (see picture).
As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our dishes and really enjoyed them all – so would highly recommend each of them. Both of the chilaquiles dishes were listed as spicy and they were each just the right level of ‘bite’ to make them delicious. The corn chips appeared freshly made and were soaking in the juices and crema – coming across as very similar to birria dishes we’ve had elsewhere.
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Still one of my favorite places to go for breakfast or lunch, so took the opportunity today when I got to pick our venue for Father’s Day brunch with our son, daughter-in-law and grandson.
Today started simply with a coffee and cream for me…although I did talk my wife into getting a large version of the Strawberry Booziest (see picture)so that I could share some of it. For our meals, my wife ordered the Quesbirria Omelette (see picture) and I opted for the Chilaquiles (see picture). As we have become accustomed…we loved both of them and would highly recommend them. Lastly, our son ordered the Churro Waffle and wasn’t able to finish it, so we each got to enjoy a few bites of it – so sweet, so cinnamony and SO delicious!
01/14/2024
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!
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Updated menu and Happy Hour pictures after stopping for cocktails and martinis last night following dinner. Sat on the patio and service was quite slow.
06/02/2023
Update after stopping back for their Happy Hour when we found that it ran until 7pm on HappyHourDesMoines.com. We splurged on Signature drinks and made our meals from the appetizers just to try them. We enjoyed several Signature Martinis (see pictures), the OG Mule (see picture), the Havana Classic Mojito (see picture) along with chicken wings (see picture) and the Trio Dips & Chips (see picture). All of them were very good and highly recommended (especially at Happy Hour prices).
03/17/2022
We stopped here on St. Patrick’s Day after finding several Irish bars full with loud bands. As it turned out, there was a live band here that was just as loud (hard to even order), but the food was very good.
I ordered the Chipotle Chicken Street tacos (see picture) and absolutely loved them…moist and very flavorfull. My wife ordered the Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich and we both really enjoyed it also.
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WingsTrio Dips & ChipsS’Mores MartiniThe Dirty MartiniEffen Good MartiniThe OG MuleHavana Classic Mojito
We stopped here for drinks last weekend with our son who lives nearby, so when it was my turn to choose a place to eat after Mass tonight I thought we’d give it a try. We enjoyed the music from the 70s and 80s last time and in addition to that, they had a live band tonight and the place was pretty full, so we sat at the bar.
They try hard to say they aren’t a sports bar (on the back of the shirts on all the wait staff), so I asked a bartender what they were then if they weren’t a sports bar. After discussing the 70s / 80s theme, we ended up getting a history lesson. We were told that Shirley was the original name of the town of Waukee, but it was changed after lobbying from the Milwaukee Railroad that came through town to name it after them. The Waukee website gives a slightly different take…saying Gen. Reid of the Des Moines Valley Railroad stated that the ‘powers that be’ in the railroad office in Keokuk insisted that it should have an Indian appellation, and hence Waukee it had to be.
For dinner, my wife ordered the French Dip with tots (see picture) and I opted for The Rachel with cottage cheese (see picture). While I really enjoyed the Rachel – great taste with the smoked turkey and nicely toasted bread, my wife and I agreed that the French Dip and tots were average bar food at best. I didn’t like the bread, the size of the tots were smaller than average…leaving mostly breading and she asked for Ranch to dip them in and instead received some type of sweet homemade sauce.
Overall, I liked this place – especially the drinks, service and 70s/80s music and theme.
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Planned to stop at the Handle Bar on the way home, but they were already closed at 8:30 on a Thursday, so we went downtown…and then we were distracted by ice cream!
I love the unique triangular-shaped corner the business is situated on, the wide selection of ice cream treats – and the reasonable prices!
My wife and I ended up sharing an Extreme Reese’s Sundae (see picture) and our neighbors went with the Peanut Parfait. Both of them were delicious, just the right size and only $5 each. If you find yourself northwest of the Des Moines metro or biking through Dallas Center on the bike path (right next to the building), you will definitely want to stop for a treat!
Several of my wife’s co-workers have recommended this place for a while and we got the chance to try it out tonight with our neighbors. We loved the look and feel as we walked up to the building and felt that the overall experience was well above average.
Our only ‘beef’ was that most of the unique beers listed on their table menus were not available – tap options were limited to a few domestic beers, which was disappointing for restaurant with “Tap” in its name. The perfect evening on the patio and quality of the food offset this disappointment though.
For our dinners, I ordered the Smachos (see picture) and asked to have them delivered as an appetizer – as I wasn’t that hungry. My wife and one of our neighbors each ordered Tenderloins (see pictures). All of the food was delicious and highly recommended. We especially enjoyed the Smachos, which had pieces of their smash burger included in the toppings and were fantastic for sharing.
While it is a bit off the beaten path for those of you living in Des Moines, it is only about 10 minutes to the West on a divided highway. We found the peaceful charm of the shaded patio next to the brick street out front contributed to a nice dinner with our friends and enjoyed the stop.
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Stopped back with friends to have Armadillo Eggs (see picture) and Pretzel Crusted Sauerkraut Balls (see picture) and while they were still good, both were over-cooked and fried to a crispy dark brown color. As such, I reduced the food rating to 4*. This time we also enjoyed the Rouladen Rolls (see picture) and found them to also be very good. A solid stop for appetizers and a great selection of German beers.
06/16/2023
We have stopped here for biers and appetizers several times while downtown and this most recent stop added another item to the ‘must try’ appetizer list. They have an extensive tap and bottled bier selection – many of which are from Germany, so are pretty unique for the area.
We have had the Armadillo Eggs (see picture) appetizer several times and have really enjoyed it every time. How can you go wrong with jalapeno poppers inside a chicken breast – and wrapped in bacon! On this visit, we also tried the Pretzel Crusted Sauerkraut Balls (see picture) and also found them to be excellent – and the dipping sauce is a great complement.
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