The Food and Drink Guy

Tag: American

  • Tupelo Honey (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Tupelo Honey (Des Moines, IA) Review

    4.4* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $28

    10/03/2026 Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen +1 (515) 513-5922

    While this has been one of our favorite stops downtown and tonight was an extra value with my Birthday coupon, the experience was not quite as good as we’ve come to expect. Before we tasted our food, a number of other little things were noticeable: it was quite loud (admittedly it was at least 2/3rds full when we arrived), the service was slow (took almost 15 minutes to get our drinks) and Shrinkflation seems to have hit the portion size (especially noticeable on the Shrimp & Grits).

    With that said, let’s move on to the important part – the food itself. We started by sampling the $3 Mimosas (all 3 flavors shown in the picture below). Since my wife had already started eating her Shrimp & Grits and we had several previous pictures of it, I’ll focus only on my meal for this review.

    I ordered the Grilled Harvest Chicken (see picture) with my chosen sides of Green Beans w/ Bacon (see picture) and Creamy Kale Slaw (see picture). The beans, kale slaw and sauce on the chicken were all quite delicious…but I was quite disappointed with the chicken breasts themselves. They were thin, dry and tough with not much flavor (really needed the sauce for some moisture). While I didn’t notice it myself, my wife thought the chicken tasted like fish (did notice an appetizer menu mention that it shared a fryer with shellfish, so guess it is possible the chicken did also).

    The good news is that the experience definitely ended on a high note – as the Cinnamon Bun Pecan Cheesecake (see picture) was absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend a piece of it before you leave on your next visit!

    01/22/2026

    We returned to one of our favorite places downtown due to receiving a special offer through email. We started with a delicious Tupelo Margarita and a dark lager beer, from their good selection of tap beers.

    For our dinner, my wife ordered the Tupelo Shrimp & Grits (see picture) and I opted for the Smothered Chicken with cream corn and green beans (see picture) for sides. As we’ve come to expect from our visits to Tupelo Honey, both main dishes as well as the sides were delicious – chicken was crispy and juicy and both the Shrimp & Grits and cream corn were buttery and creamy. When they say Southern Comfort Food…they mean it!

    09/15/2023

    We had friends visiting from France who were headed to New Orleans for their next stop, were looking for a brunch stop downtown and had a Birthday discount from Tupelo Honey, so decided that this was our destination. Once again, we enjoyed delicious food – opting to share the Shrimp Po’ Boy (see picture). We have not had a bad meal here yet.

    If you are looking for some great southern dishes with good service in a very modern atmosphere, you will enjoy a stop at Tupelo Honey!

    12/4/2022

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    We stopped here with my parents and 2 of our sons as we enjoyed a previous visit and thought we had a coupon (turns out the coupon was only good for take out…so we did that also!). All 3 generations enjoyed the great food and atmosphere.

    Since we were hungry when we arrived, we started with a couple of appetizers, including Crispy Fried Brussels (see picture), Spicy Cauliflower Bites (see picture) and Biscuits for a Cause (see picture). We’ve had each of these before and just love them every time we order them – you would be happy with each and every one of them.

    For our main meal, my wife ordered Tupelo Shrimp and Grits (see picture; we’ve had them before) and they tasted great! As has been our previous experiences at Tupelo Honey, all of the dishes were delicious and I would highly recommend all of them.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Grilled Harvest Chicken w/ Cream Kale Slaw
    Green Beans w/ Bacon
    Parmesan Potatoes
    Cinnamon Bun Pecan Cheesecake
    $3 Mimosas (all 3 flavors)
    Tupelo Shrimp & Grits
    Smothered Chicken
    Shrimp Po’ Boy
    Tupelo Shrimp & Grits
    Spicy Cauliflower Bites
    Biscuits for a Cause

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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

    Barn Town Brewing (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    4.2* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 3*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $25

    10/02/2026 Barn Town Brewing +1 (515) 978-6767

    Stopped last night for the sole purpose of checking out their newly announced Happy Hour, as the information on my sister site HappyHourDesMoines.com was getting a bit dated. Since it was Happy Hour pricing (app. 1/3 off the items we checked), the Value bumps to a 5* for this trip. All things considered, I like Barn Town Brewing and really like a few of their beers – not to mention, they are close to home.

    Because we were here for a Happy Hour review, we ordered only from their Happy Hour menu (all of which have pictures included below). My wife started with an amber Core beer, while I chose the Featured Flight – since it included several of their beers that I hadn’t yet sampled.

    For our meal, we ordered the Bavarian Pretzels (see picture), Crab Rangoon Flatbread (see picture) and Wings, split between Buffalo & Honey Hot (see picture). The Pretzels are just what you would expect and the combination of mustard and cheese dipping sauces were a great complement. The wings were also tasty, although several admittedly appeared to come from a pretty deformed chicken.

    The flatbread would be the only thing I wouldn’t order again. I expect very thin to cracker type crusts for flatbread and this was more of a thick / deep dish pizza type of crust (the picture shows it, about 1/2″ thick). Further, the sauces / topping were a bit sparce – so it was quite bready and dry.

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    06/25/2025

    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!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Featured Flight
    Bavarian Pretzels
    Wings (Buffalo & Honey Hot)
    Crab Rangoon Flatbread
    Chicken Tenders & Chips
    Chicken Tenders & Chips
    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

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  • Cooper’s Hawk (Clive, IA) Review

    Cooper’s Hawk (Clive, IA) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $36

    08/15/2026 Cooper’s Hawk +1 (515) 513-3330

    Tonight’s stop included our first ever dinner on their outside patio and while it did start raining during our meal, we were protected and enjoyed the experience.

    We started with a Spiced Watermelon Paloma (see picture) and Summer Berry Spritzy Sangria (see picture) – both of which were very tasty and quite refreshing. For our meals, my wife ordered the Cooper’s Hawk Chicken Giardiniera (see picture) and I opted for the Blackened Mahi Sandwich (see picture). We both enjoyed our meals as well as the samples that we shared with each other – so would definitely order them again and recommend them. While I was disappointed with our first visit and find the lighting quite poor inside the restaurant in the evenings, the food, drink and atmosphere are consistently very good.

    06/27/2025

    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.

    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.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Table Bread
    Blackened Mahi Sandwich
    Cooper’s Hawk Chicken Giardiniera
    Spiced Watermelon Paloma
    Summer Berry Spritzy Sangria Glass
    Trio Medallions
    Chicken Giardiniera
    Pretzel Bread
    Asian Ahi Tuna Sashimi

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • The Station on Ingersoll (Des Moines, IA) Review

    The Station on Ingersoll (Des Moines, IA) Review

    4.4* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $40

    07/11/2026 The Station on Ingersoll +1 (515) 381-0052

    This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and since it was my turn to pick the restaurant tonight, we were on our way. The street-level negative when we got there and again when we were leaving was the significant construction on Ingersoll…leaving entry a little tricky and exit a bit dangerous due to low visibility caused by equipment.

    Once we got inside, Margot was quick to come to our table, took good care of us throughout the evening and made some great suggestions for our meals. I had read about the Crab Rangoon Nachos and since Margot also recommended them, we started with an order (see picture) along with a Backpocket Lemon Shandy (see picture). WOW – these were every bit as good as the positive reviews and while the other food was also good, the nachos were the highlight of our meal!

    For our meals, my wife ordered the 10 Wing Double Snack split between Honey Garlic & 10 Spice (dry) – both on Margot’s recommendation (see picture). I opted for the Sourdough Smash on Margot’s recommendation (see picture) with krinkle fries. As we usually do, we shared tastes of each others dishes and really enjoyed everything. While I’m not a huge garlic fan, I did really like the Honey Garlic wings and found myself dipping the smash burger in the extra sauce.

    Numerous Cityview awards were on display on their trophy shelf (see picture). I believe one of these awards is what caused me to add The Station on Ingersoll to my Want to Go list but regardless of the source, I was not disappointed.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Crab Rangoon Nachos
    10 Spice (dry) & Honey Garlic Wings
    Sourdough Smash w/ crinkle fries
    Cold Pocket Summer Shandy

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • The Black Pelican (Wyndmere, ND) Review

    The Black Pelican (Wyndmere, ND) Review

    4.4* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $19

    07/01/2026 The Black Pelican +1 (701) 439-2703

    Another stay at the lake and another enjoyable trip to the Black Pelican. My parents treated us to the meal and since it was Wing Wednesday, we primarily enjoyed several orders of wings (see pictures). We did order a small Brisket Smack pizza (see picture) – how could we not at least share and each have a piece! Once again…all of it was great and I enjoyed the popcorn with a beer while we waited for our food.

    07/09/2025

    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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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Dry Rub
    Mango Habanero & Bourbon Honey Mustard
    Buffalo & Mango Habanero
    Brisket Smack
    Bourbon Honey Mustard & Mango Habanero
    Bourbon Honey Mustard & Buffalo
    Bourbon Honey Mustard & Garlic Parmesan
    Chicken Bacon Ranch (Gluten Free)
    Peanut Buddy

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers (Des Moines, IA) Review

    4.2* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $21

    06/24/2026 Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers +1 (515) 381-9088

    Finally had a chance to stop again after several years while on our way home from downtown and looking for something to eat. It was a beautiful evening, so we decided to sit outside on their patio. Shouldn’t admit it…but we had to ask our waitress what the lettering was on the side of the building (see picture) – but hay, we are near Drake.

    Following a Lucky Casa Margarita (see picture), we ordered our meals. My wife ordered the Dogtown Burger w/ Onion Rings (see picture) and I went with the Boneless Wings w/ Blueberry BBQ sauce (see picture). As is our modus operandi, we shared tastes of each and both thoroughly enjoyed both plates. While me wife isn’t usually a big berry sauce person, she agreed that the wings were very good.

    Unfortunately, I was too full to sample one of the awesome looking desserts on the menu…so that will be the reason for another stop!

    03/15/2023 Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers

    Since finding this place in the Pub Pass last year and hearing a good recommendation on their burgers from our neighbor, I’ve been anxious to give it a try. We had the chance this week while my brother and sister-in-law were visiting, so stopped by to try out their Happy Hour.

    While admittedly it doesn’t look like much from the exterior (see pictures), the decor of the interior was unique (see pictures). They have a very good selection of tap beers (see picture) and their most unique drink was their Old Fashioned Slushy (see picture), which I ordered at the suggestion of our server and thoroughly enjoyed.

    We already had plans to eat dinner elsewhere, so we just ordered Buffalo Cauliflower (see picture). The initial smell made us think that it was going to be extremely spicy but after tasting it, we found it to be a good balance and quite tasty. I look forward to the opportunity to stop by another time for a burger.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Boneless Wings
    Dogtown Burger w/ Onion Rings
    Buffalo Cauliflower
    Lucky Casa Margarita
    Old Fashioned Slushy

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Destination Grille (Grimes, IA) Review

    Destination Grille (Grimes, IA) Review

    4.8* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $16

    06/21/2026 Destination Grille (515) 355-1153

    Quick stop tonight to check out their latest Happy Hour for HappyHourDesMoines.com – since they offer an all-day Sunday Happy Hour.

    I was the most impressed with both the quantity and quality of the House-Made Chips (see picture)…and while the Chicken Strips have shrunk to 2 from 3 due to shrinkflation, I loved the crunchy coating and they were very juicy (see picture). Both were a great value at $5/each.

    04/05/2025

    As one of my wife’s favorite restaurants, we have actually been back here a number of times since my last review but finally taking the time to post some more pictures about our latest visit.

    We started with drinks – an Absolute Peach for my wife and a Dulce Rosa (see picture) for myself based on a recommendation from the waitress when I mentioned liking tequila. The Dulce Rosa was quite good, but like all martini drinks was a bit pricey and wasn’t that large.

    For our dinner, my wife ordered Prime Rib (see picture) and I opted for the Braised Beef Bao Buns (see picture). As is our custom, we each sampled each others dishes and found both to be delicious. I’ve become a bit of a fan of Bao Buns the last few years and both the buns themselves as well as the tender and flavorful beef inside of them were fantastic!

    Lastly, since we had a table of 6, we couldn’t help ourselves but to share a dessert after our great meal! We opted for the Molten Chocolate Lava cake and ice cream (see picture) and it definitely did not disappoint. Fortunately a couple of the people at the table opted out of tasting it…which meant more for me!

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    10/07/2023

    Another stop for our Birthday dinners with our son and daughter-in-law and another great experience. This time we started with a Mango Margarita (see picture) and a Manhattan (see picture) – both delicious.

    For our meal, my wife ordered the Prime Rib (see picture) and I opted for the Poke Bowl (see picture). As is our standard, we each shared bites and both enjoyed each others dishes. The prime rib was flavorful and prepared perfectly and the Poke Bowl was fresh and delicious.

    02/13/2023

    Yet another great stop at Destination Grille tonight, with a call out to our great server, Lauren! I have a meeting tomorrow for Valentine’s so my wife and I decided to go out tonight instead. Just before leaving the house at 7, we were able to call ahead for a 7:15 reservation and were seated immediately upon arrival.

    My wife ordered a Cinn-Sation drink (see picture) and loved the cinnamon spiciness along with the other flavors. I ordered the Confluence Camp Fire Black Lager and also enjoyed its smokey flavor (as did my wife, who ordered one after her drink).

    We started by sharing a Poke Bowl (sorry, no picture) and we both loved it – we highly recommend trying this fresh, delicious entree. Following that, my wife ordered the Mushroom Swiss Burger (see picture) and I ordered the Pastrami Rueben (see picture) with Brussel Sprouts as a side. As always, we shared our meals and would put them both on the ‘definitely order again’ list.

    I’m bumping up my Value rating to a 4 this time given the pricing seems to be in line with other comparable restaurants, bringing the overall rating to a 4.5*. This is definitely one of our top choices in the area that we both highly recommend for dinner and / or drinks.

    07/08/2022

    My wife stopped here after golf one day and liked it enough that we went back for dinner.  It is a very large, modern and open venue with numerous seating options inside and out.

    The food and drinks seemed a little pricy, so we ordered the Prime Rib special (see picture) and Salmon BLT (see picture).  Both were very good and I would recommend them both. The Prime Rib special was cooked as ordered, very juicy and flavorful – and the same can be said for the Salmon in the BLT (cooked perfectly and flavorful). Maybe best of all were the Brussel Sprouts on the side – make sure you try those!

    Lastly, don’t leave without trying one of the dessert options – we ordered the Tres Leches (see pictures) to share and found it to be one of the best we’ve ever had.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Happy Hour House-Made Chips
    Happy Hour Chicken Strips
    20250405_2029554142087862773681623
    Braised Beef Bao Buns
    Prime Rib
    Molten Chocolate Cake
    Dulce Rosa
    Prime Rib Special
    Salmon BLT
    Tres Leches (2022)
    Tres Leches (June 2023)
    Cheesy Potato Soup
    Prime Rib
    Poke Bowl
    Manhattan
    Mango Margarita

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  • Bob Wallace Orchards (Hankinson, ND) Review

    Bob Wallace Orchards (Hankinson, ND) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $20

    05/22/2026 Bob Wallace Orchards +1 (701) 242-7030

    I had the opportunity to stop here and talk with the owner a bit almost 2 years ago and finally had the opportunity to return with my wife and parents along with an Aunt that lives nearby last night. I was impressed with the decor and the appetizers that they offered, so we stopped late in the afternoon to sample their wines, cocktails and appetizers.

    My Dad has enjoyed metal work over the years (sometimes being called Square Tubing Dave for frequently using square tubing in his projects), so you’ll see several facility pictures highlighting the metal work on the shelving and tables.

    My wife ordered a Wine Flight (see picture) and I started with the Bloody Mary (see picture), which included some of their Jalapeno wine – and was quite tasty. For an appetizer, we decided to try the Charcuterie Plate (Large – see picture) – and found it quite tasty, with the dark chocolate with almonds and chocolate covered raisins making a nice complement to the savory items.

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

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

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $46

    05/20/2026 Guesthouse Tavern & Oyster +1 (515) 994-8378

    The neighbors suggested the Guesthouse for our dinner tonight and given our experiences, we heartily agreed. We started our meals with a glass of beer, then ordered our dinners.

    Tonight, my wife opted for the Sweet Potato Gnocchi with grilled shrimp (see picture) – at our server Chelsea’s suggestion (Chelsea was great). While I usually prefer trying different dishes vs. ordering what I’ve had before, it was Wednesday and I’m a sucker for specials…so again opted for Walleye Wednesday (see picture).

    While we both enjoyed both dishes after sharing tastes of each, the highlight of the meal was the Campfire Pie (that Chelsea recommended) along with a scoop of ice cream (at our neighbor’s suggestion). Check it out in the picture and be sure to give it a try!

    03/04/2026

    This was the choice of our son and daughter-in-law for our treat for their Birthdays. The food has been great on each of our visits and tonight we had the extra treat – enjoying a shared Smores dessert (see picture)!

    Tonight, we decided to take advantage of the Happy Hour specials and enjoy a few shared appetizers at the table, so started with 6 Shrimp Cocktail (see picture) and Cheese Curds (see picture). Both of them were very good, so we decided to also try their Raw Oysters (see picture) – which were also very good.

    For our dinner, my wife ordered the Lobster Roll (see picture) and while we weren’t quite sure what form it would take, we were both pleased what was brought to the table, as it tasted great! I decided to go with the Walleye Wednesday special (see picture) and found it to not only taste great – but was a very generous portion of walleye!

    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.

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    Sweet Potato Gnocchi
    Walleye Wednesday
    Campfire Pie w/ Ice Cream
    Guesthouse Ceviche
    Guesthouse Steak
    Guesthouse Steak
    Beef Short Rib
    Beef Short Rib

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  • Central Standard (Waukee, IA) Review

    Central Standard (Waukee, IA) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $29

    May 2026 Visit
    April 2024 Visit

    05/09/2026 Central Standard +1 (515) 987-0095

    Yet another return trip to Central Standard, this time with our son and daughter-in-law as an early Mother’s Day celebration.

    Tonight we started by sharing a Pretzel & Beer Cheese appetizer (see picture). While I don’t often order pretzels, this was a great combination of texture (soft / tearable) and flavor (buttery with tasty seasonings) that I really enjoyed!

    For dinner, my wife ordered Traditional Wings (see picture) while I opted for the Oh No! burger (see picture). While we both enjoyed the wings, sweet potato fries and a side order of tots, we both found the burger to be well done and a bit on the dry side to our tastes.

    04/16/2026

    Tonight’s stop was to meet a couple of friends for appetizers and a few beverages while talking some business, but the experience was equally impressive with previous visits.

    Beyond the beverages, we ordered Spinach & Artichoke Dip (see picture) and Wings with Lemon Pepper dry rub (see picture). We all enjoyed both of them and would highly recommend them.

    Part of the reason for choosing Central Standard tonight was because my post on HappyHourDesMoines.com was getting dated, so was looking for updated information. I was impressed that the new General Manager came over to chat with us briefly and shared that they were in the process of finalizing and printing the new Happy Hour specials, but wouldn’t have them yet for about another week. Dang…guess that means I need to go back again…

    01/24/2026

    My wife and I stopped here for dinner after Mass tonight and has been typical on our visits, enjoyed it very much. What made it especially good tonight was that after years of talking about ordering one of their Shakes, we finally had one for dessert tonight (see picture). But I’m getting ahead of myself…

    We started with an order of Wings as an appetizer (see picture). My wife then ordered the Bourbon Blue burger (see picture) and I opted for the Jalapeno Jack burger (see picture). As we’ve come to expect with all of our visits – we really enjoyed all 3 and would highly recommend all of them.

    04/11/2024

    I suggested Central Standard as a meeting place with a friend to update my post on HappyHourDesMoines.com and wondered after the visit why it had been over a year since my last visit. The Happy Hour specials are some of the best I’ve seen in the city (half off all bar drinks) and the food for dinner was fantastic!

    After a Flight of beers (see picture) from their extensive list and Sparkling Paloma (see picture), we were ready to order our dinner. My friend opted for the Brisket Sammy (see picture), so I went with the Fire Burger (see picture – love the added Jalapeno Popper). Both of us ordered sweet potato fries and both commented that they were some of the best sweet potato fries that we’ve ever had! The sea salt sprinkled on the crispy golden brown outside, yet so soft and flavorful on the inside. While I would definitely recommend both sandwiches – you won’t be disappointed with these sweet potato fries!

    Possibly the BEST Happy Hour in the area and a great meal afterwards – definitely order the sweet potato fries!

    01/27/2023

    We have always enjoyed our stops at Central Standard and last night was no exception. While the wait for a table was rather lengthy (near an hour), we took the opportunity to enjoy a couple of great tap beers from their extensive selection to help pass the time.

    For our dinner, my wife ordered the Guacamole Burger with sweet potato fries (see picture) and I ordered the Chicken Tacos (see picture) at the suggestion of our great server Kiersten. My wife enjoyed the burger and both of us agreed that the best part was those delicious sweet potato fries – tasty and crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. The Chicken Tacos were also very good as well as the chips and salsa on the side – although the presentation missed it a bit with the ‘fast food take out’ plastic container for the salsa (see picture).

    As per the standard (no pun intended), we once again enjoyed our stop at Central Standard for a beer and dinner. It is a solid choice that I would recommend for lunch or dinner.

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    Pretzel & Beer Cheese
    Cookie Dough Shake
    Jalapeno Jack Burger
    Bourbon Blue Burger
    Wings
    Lemon Pepper Dry Rub Wings
    Spinach & Artichoke Dip
    Brisket Sammy
    Fire Burger
    Flight of Beer
    Sparkling Paloma

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  • Aura Restaurant & Lounge (Clive, IA) Review

    Aura Restaurant & Lounge (Clive, IA) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $47

    05/02/2026 Aura Restaurant & Lounge +1 (515) 225-6005

    Tonight was our chance to get back…excuse being to update my food reviews…as well as www.happyhourdesmoines.com. We have really enjoyed all of our visits here – given the modern decor, lively atmosphere, delicous food and unique drinks. Yes, the prices are a bit on the high side, but for an occasional splurge it is always a great time.

    Tonight we started with The Oaxacan (mezcal & tequila drink that is smoked in a bottle – see video and picture) and a Raspberry Lemon Drop (see picture). We both love mezcal (and it was even Vida…a favorite), so really like the Oaxacan – and the delivery from a smoked bottle is always fun to watch.

    For our meal, we first shared the Korean Fried Cauliflower (see picture), a recommendation from our great server, Jordan. It was delicious (yes, I was close to licking the bowl for the extra bbq sauce…). We then asked Jordan for her 2nd favorite recommendation, the Mini Wellington (see picture) and also tried it. It too was awesome – very tender beef encased in a light, crispy wrap – and again, a great dipping sauce as a complement!

    03/25/2023

    Tonight’s stop only included drinks on our way home from dinner. Given my love of smokey drinks, I went with the Smokey B (see picture of pouring) – I’ve had it before and really enjoy it. I don’t think you will find another drink with more smokiness imparted into it – a nose full of smoke with every lift of the glass for a sip. My wife ordered the Aperol Paloma (see picture) and while it was advertised as very spicy (Ghost Tequila), neither of us found it spicy to the taste – yet it had great flavor.

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    04/09/2022

    We stopped here for dinner a second time and really enjoyed the food again. The prices are high, but the food is great.

    We ordered the Korean Fried Cauliflower and Honey Garlic Chicken Lavosh.  Both dishes tasted great and I’d recommend both.

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    Mini Wellington
    Korean Fried Cauliflower
    Aperol Paloma
    Infused Kiwi
    Smokey B

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  • Cooper’s on 5th (West Des Moines) Review

    Cooper’s on 5th (West Des Moines) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $40

    April 28th, 2026:

    April 5th, 2024:

    04/05/2024 Coopers on 5th +1 (515) 255-9895

    After really enjoying our first stop here over 2 years ago, we’ve been unsuccessful in getting in on several other occasions (didn’t have the forethought to make a reservation and they were full several times when we stopped in to check). Tonight we took the time to experience their Happy Hour while waiting to join our son and daughter-in-law at another restaurant for dinner.

    This time we arrived early (around 5pm) and were able to find seats at the bar to enjoy a glass of wine and a beer. For an appetizer, we were intrigued by the Fried Zucchini (see picture) and it was recommended by the bartender. We were impressed when it arrived and found both the zucchini and dip to be delicious – tempting us to place a 2nd order when we knew we needed to save space for dinner.

    A great stop in Valley Junction for lunch or dinner…just make sure that you make reservations, as you might not get in otherwise.

    11/19/2021

    We stopped here for dinner based on a recommendation that my wife read and really enjoyed the service and atmosphere.

    I don’t usually order meatloaf, but asked about it here since it was marked as one of the spicier dishes.  Our server highly recommended it – Cooper’s way (open-faced, topped with cole slaw), with the loaded baked potato salad side.  Boy am I glad I followed his recommendation…they were all delicious and I would highly recommend them.

    The meat loaf was very moist, tender and tasty, with just the right amount of peppery glaze to give it a kick.  White cheddar and American cheese slices were melted over the top – all of which was topped with a very tasty cole slaw.  And then there was that loaded baked potato salad that was unique, tasty and just the right portion size.  Think of a loaded baked potato squished into a small bowl with some relatively raw onions mixed in for taste and crunch – loved it!  My wife also liked it much better than her burger and helped me eat it.  Her burger was average, cooked beyond the medium rare that was ordered and a little dry…I would take the meat loaf before it any day.

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  • Tito’s Lounge (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Tito’s Lounge (Urbandale, IA) Review

    4.8* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $20

    04/27/2026 Tito’s Lounge +1 (515) 214-1066

    Tonight’s opportunity to enjoy another stop at Tito’s came at the end of my journey updating several locations for happyhourdesmoiones.com. It was getting to be dinner time, so asked my wife to meet me here for my last stop. Every time we’ve stopped here, we have been impressed with the quality of the food and tonight was no different.

    I had already enjoyed some Happy Hour specials at another venue, but my wife hadn’t yet eaten dinner. She ordered the Gyro & Fries (see picture) and as you might guess, I did try a couple of bites. We both thought it was a very good gyro and were delighted to see that it is the daily special each day from 11-2, so we will definitely be coming back for lunch some day.

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    01/06/2023

    We stopped back later in the week for the end of Happy Hour and dinner with our son and daughter-in-law. This was a whole different perspective! While the first stop on a Monday night was quiet, with only about 5 other patrons, Friday night was packed and quite loud. After not getting served for about 10 minutes, I went up to the bar and ordered our drinks as well as a Tito’s Flatbread.

    The Drinks and Tito’s Flatbread were delivered in a timely manner and then the owner (who we spoke with at the bar earlier in the week) served us the rest of the night. The flatbread was very good (sorry, forgot to take a picture), but the crust was much thicker than a typical flatbread – closer to a pizza crust. The large group that was there for happy hour started to clear out, but the place was still fairly loud (just FYI – very modern decor, but also loud and hard to carry on a conversation).

    For our dinner, I ordered Cevapi (see picture) on the owner’s recommendation when I asked for a Bosnian dish. My wife ordered the Beef Skewers (see picture), also on a recommendation. Both dishes tasted great – the steak and sausages were moist and flavorful, the pita bread was fresh and the served sauces paired well.

    The Tiramisu we ordered for dessert (see picture) was the weakest of the food we had. It tasted good, it just wasn’t anything like any other Tiramisu that we’ve had – it was wrapped in a paper band and the base was more of a white angel food cake than the lady fingers we have come to know and love. All in all, a solid place for a meal, assuming you are ok with a loud environment…or choose a time that has fewer people.

    01/02/2023

    We stopped here after enjoying another stop we found on www.happyhourdesmoines.com and were quite impressed with what we saw. The owner served us and when asked, said that they had only recently opened. The decor was top notch and in line with what you would expect in downtown Des Moines and the service was good (the owner was the only server, but there weren’t many people there).

    While we had already eaten at the previous stop, the Happy Hour specials looked quite attractive (see pictures) as did the Bosnian dinner plate options on the menu (see pictures) – so we will definitely be back to try the food!

    The owner suggested the Ella Bosnian pear brandy (he described it as a cross between vodka and tequila, which seemed a good description – see picture) and the sample he provided was tasty enough that he talked me into the Balkanita (see picture). We also sampled the Mango Mule (see picture) and found both of them to be delicious.

    Both my wife and I were quite impressed with the decor, menu options (we saw some of the food that was served), value and service. This seems to be a hidden gem that provides the ambiance of a downtown trip without the drive – we will definitely be back and highly recommend it.

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    Gyro & Fries
    Beef Skewers
    Cevapi
    Tiramisu
    Double Espresso
    Balkanita

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  • Blue Shark Ale House (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Blue Shark Ale House (Urbandale, IA) Review

    4.4* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $15

    04/27/2026 Blue Shark Ale House +1 (515) 630-0010

    My Happy Hour information at happyhourdesmoines.com was getting a little dated, so decided to head over to the Blue Shark again and check things out. While last time was for dinner with my wife, this trip was to enjoy the Happy Hour specials with a helpful server at the bar.

    Today I ordered a tap beer that I hadn’t yet had from their good selection as well as their daily special of Chips, Queso & Salsa (see picture). This was an extremely good value, as the portion of chips was generous as were the queso and salsa – enabling a good salsa/queso to chips ratio! I thought the chips, queso and salsa all tasted above average, so I left pleased (and full).

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    02/22/2023 Blue Shark Ale House

    We have stopped here several times before…especially during Lent for their Friday night fish fries. Since it was Ash Wednesday and we were in the area for Mass…it seemed like a good idea to stop here to have some seafood on the way home. Suffice it to say that we were a little disappointed in their seafood options given the restaurant name – fewer than a handful and to substitute shrimp for chicken in a salad was an additional $5. Based on their current menu, it seems that Blue Chicken might be a more fitting name for the restaurant. But I digress…

    The food presentation was great and the flavor was average – but the service was definitely above average, as Courtney took good care of us. Following a Jalapeno Margarita (we enjoyed it, just be forewarned that it does have a pretty good spicy bite to it), we ordered our meals.

    I ordered the Grilled Salmon (see picture) and my wife ordered the Blue Shark Chopped Salad (see picture). I thought the brocolli was cooked well – I like a little crunchiness left in my veggies and that is what was delivered. The salmon was slightly overcooked, but not to the point that it was overly dry and the mashed potatoes seemed a little bland (didn’t taste much butter or seasoning). The blue cheese on the chopped salad was delicious as was the shrimp (other than having to pay $5 more for the shrimp vs. chicken and only having 8 on the salad).

    Lastly, I knocked the Value down to below average not only due to the shrimp add-on mentioned above, but also because we found a 3% CSC (assume customer service charge as a result of using a credit card). I almost never carry cash anymore – doing everything with credit and am disappointed with any restaurant that charges extra for the use of a credit card. That is a business decision on their part, but they need to keep in mind that rather than get cash to go back next time, I likely will select another place instead…so I’m not sure they come out ahead in the end.

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  • The Chicken Coop (Urbandale, IA) Review

    The Chicken Coop (Urbandale, IA) Review

    4.2* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $23

    04/11/2026 The Chicken Coop +1 (515) 334-2667

    We stopped with our son, daughter-in-law and grandson for dinner last night and enjoyed another solid experience. My wife ordered The Philly (see picture) and I went for the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (see picture). As is our custom, we shared samples of each others orders and we both agreed that we would order either of them again.

    While we haven’t had a chance to try either of the other 2 locations in the Des Moines metro area, this has been a solid stop for lunch or dinner on each of our stops. If you order wings (which are very good), be sure to order them ‘crispy’ – a 2nd frying that adds to their already great taste.

    2023
    I was here a few years ago for a business lunch and brought my wife back tonight since it is one of the closest restaurants to our new home.

    Overall, we were pleasantly surprised, as the menu selection was greater than we expected and offered some higher-end steak, shrimp and salmon options. The tap beer selection was much better than many places and we really enjoyed the Peanut Butter Porter.

    We started with an order of Jalapeno Poppers. They seemed to be the frozen variety, but tasted ok and were delivered very quickly. I ordered chicken wings and true to my growing preference for the flats vs the drummies, I found the flats fall-off-the-bone tender while the drummies tended to be a little dry and tough. As to flavors, I split between Jamaican Jerk (liked it and would recommend it) and Tropical Heat (wasn’t impressed – syrupy and sweet but not much flavor or spice, I wouldn’t recommend it).

    11 Mar 2021
    Stopped back again tonight and had a much improved experience with the chicken wings. The waiter tonight suggested the Buck Nasty sauce and offered a ‘crispy’ option where they throw them in the fryer for a few minutes. Both were excellent suggestions that I highly recommend. I like spice and the Buck Nasty was about perfect for my tastes, while the crispy outer crust was a perfect complement to the very moist, fall-off-the-bone tender inside that tasted like they were smoked. Excellent wings tonight! The only negative – the menu from 6 days ago (see picture) showed the wings at $10.99 for 10 and tonight’s new menu increased the price by almost 20% to $12.99…

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    Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
    Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
    The Philly

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  • Arcadia (Polk City, IA) Review

    Arcadia (Polk City, IA) Review

    4.8* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $32

    03/28/2026 Arcadia +1 (515) 207-0011

    We saw that Arcadia was a Top 10 Finalist for Iowa Burger of the Year, so knew that we needed to give it a try – and last night was our opportunity. Arcadia is a short drive north of Grimes in a newly developed area of Polk City just after you cross over the long bridge over Saylorville Lake.

    We were impressed with the new building as we drove up (told that it opened about 1.5 years ago) along with the lively, open atmosphere & modern decor as we entered the building. We started our meal with a couple of local craft tap beers – a nice selection was available.

    Since we came for the Burger of the Year contender, the Smashburger was one of our orders (see picture) and we opted for the Fish Tacos as our second meal (see picture). Both were delicious and highly recommended. While I offer my Kudos for offering Marshmallow Creme for a dipping sauce with the sweet potato fries (we haven’t found many places that do this…and we LOVE it), my only knock is that it was way too watered down and runny – with most of it running off the dipped fries rather than sticking to them.

    We finished with a Salted Carmel Old Fashion…and yes, it too was delicious and highly recommended! More information on the drinks and Happy Hour specials can be found at: HappyHourDesMoines .

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  • Church and Union Nashville (Nashville, TN) Review

    Church and Union Nashville (Nashville, TN) Review

    4.6* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $45

    03/22/2026 Church and Union Nashville +1 (615) 864-0977

    It was a beautiful, warm day in Nashville, we just got out of Mass and we were looking for someplace to stop for brunch when this caught my wife’s eye during a search. Since it was so nice outside, we requested an outside table to enjoy the sunshine.

    What caught my eye was the $3 Mimosas, so we definitely sampled a few of them (see picture) – but Cranberry was without a doubt my favorite. What I loved the most though was the Croissant Du Jour (see picture). It was recommended by our wonderful server, so we started our dining experience with it. The chocolate / salted caramel cream inside was oh so decadent…and how can you go wrong with a delicious croissant as the carrier!

    That’s not to take anything away from the main courses though. The Fried Chicken Sandwich with Spiced Honey Glaze (see picture) and Steak & Eggs (see picture) were delicious in their own rites. The chicken sandwich was a great balance of sweetness with a little kick, the potatoes had great seasoning and were baked to perfection – and the steak was a perfect medium rare (as ordered).

    While admittedly it was a bit on the pricey side, all of the food was oh, so good and I would highly recommend this place for brunch!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Croissant Du Jour (chocolate salted caramel)
    Fried Chicken Sandwich with Spiced Honey Glaze
    Steak & Eggs
    Mimosas

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Gannons Nashville (Nashville, TN) Review

    Gannons Nashville (Nashville, TN) Review

    4.8* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $75

    03/20/2026 Gannons Nashville +1 (615) 920-6792

    This place caught my wife’s eye during her reviews of places to eat while staying in downtown Nashville and was an easy walk from our hotel, so it was our first dinner destination after arriving. The small signage made it a little difficult to find inside the Courtyard Marriott (see pictures), but from the moment we walked in, heard the live piano player and saw the dining area – we knew this would be a great experience.

    We started off by sharing orders of Lobster Bisque (see picture) and Burrata with Toast (see pictures). We really enjoyed both of them – the Lobster Bisque was so creamy and smooth and the Burrata was cool, fresh and clean. They were a great combination to start our dinner experience and I would recommend both of them.

    Since it was a Friday during lent, my wife opted for the BBQ Shrimp Pasta (see picture) and I went with the Daily Fish Special on Blue Corn Grits (see picture). As we always do when we go out, we shared our plates and really enjoyed both of them. The BBQ Shrimp Pasta was rich, buttery and smooth and the Fish Special was a tasty white, flaky and blackened fish served on a bed of rich, creamy blue corn grits. Here again, both are highly recommended.

    While it is one of your more expensive area stops for dinner, you will appreciate the food quality and presentation at Gannons Nashville for your next special occasion.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    BBQ Shrimp Pasta
    Daily Fish Special on Blue Corn Grits
    Lobster Bisque
    Burrata
    Toast

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Gilroy’s Kitchen, Pub & Patio (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Gilroy’s Kitchen, Pub & Patio (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    4.2* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $19 (no drinks)

    03/08/2026 Gilroy’s Kitchen, Pub & Patio +1 (515) 809-1727

    Slept in after a late night so found ourselves going to a noon Mass downtown and looking for a brunch stop on the way home. We’ve driven by this place and talked about stopping for food before and my wife had been there with co-workers after work one day, but this was our first stop for food.

    A clean, modern storefront greets you (see picture) and with plenty of televisions and a nice patio, it looks to be a hopping place once the temperatures warm up a little. While our server was a little hard to find at times, we both found our food to be quite good.

    My wife ordered the Nacho Burrito Meal (see picture) and I opted for the Honey Citrus salad (see picture). As is our custom, we shared samples of each of our meals and both of us found both choices to be worthy of ordering again. I really liked the clean, crisp and fresh salad with a delicious tangy dressing and the Burrito was tasty inside and out (loved the creamy, cheesy sauce).

    If you are looking for a great stop for Sunday morning brunch (possibly after some shopping at Sam’s Club just across the interstate to the North), you won’t go wrong here!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • The Club Car (Clive, IA) Review

    The Club Car (Clive, IA) Review

    4.4* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely)

    Total check/person: $28

    02/06/2026 The Club Car Restaurant & Lounge +1 (515) 226-1729

    We were running out of time for Happy Hour availability on Friday night, so picked something closer to home and decided to give The Club Car a try since we enjoyed previous visits.

    For drinks, we started with a Pineapple Jalapeno Mule and a Coconut Mule while waiting for our food. For our Happy Hour food options, we chose the Boursin Mushrooms (see picture), Nachos with Beef (see picture) and BBQ Shrimp Kabob (see picture). While the Mushrooms and BBQ Shrimp Kabob were worthy of 5* ratings (both were fantastic and highly recommended), the Nachos were average at best – as the chips tasted like a cheap no-label variety and the beef had little taste.

    We finished our meal with a couple of sweeter martinis (see picture) at the bar. We have been impressed with the drinks and bartenders during each of our visits and tonight was no different – both martinis were delicious!

    4/23/2024 The Club Car (515) 226-1729

    Back again just a few months later and again enjoyed great food…with the service off just a bit – as we had to ask for a couple of things but then had a prompt response. This time my son ordered the Southwest Chicken Club (see picture), my wife ordered the Cajun Seafood (see picture) and I opted for the Salmon Sandwich (see picture). All of them were very good and I would highly recommend them – and this time we had the pleasure of topping it off with a piece of Lemon Leches Cake (see picture). Wow, was that cake delicious – rich, moist and light at the same time!

    1/5/2024

    We hadn’t been to The Club Car in almost 3 years, so decided to give it a try again last night. My wife and I both remembered it as a bit of a dark, ’70s style supper club – but either our memories are failing us or they have made some big improvements over the last few years (or both…). We found the place to be busy, well-lit, lively and welcoming – with great food and service.

    We had to wait a few minutes for a table, so started out at the bar, with my wife enjoying a Pineapple Jalapeno Mule and myself a Raspberry Jalapeno Margaria (see picture). Both of them were delicious, each with a nice burn from the included freshly-sliced jalapeno.

    Before we finished out drinks, our table was available in the bar area and we were blessed to be served by Melissa. She was a fantastic server – with recommendations in each area of the menu (two of which we chose and were delighted with) and a friendly, outgoing personality. Say ‘Hi’ to Melissa from The Food and Drink Guy if you are lucky enough to have her as your server when you go!

    For our dinner, my wife ordered the Ribeye (see picture) and I ordered the Georgia Pork Sandwich (see picture). Melissa recommended both of them and we loved them. The Ribeye was grilled to perfection, with what some might consider an excess of blackening…but was just the way my wife loves it! I would have probably not ordered the Pork Sandwich, but did so based on Melissa’s recommendation and was very glad that I did. For some reason, I expected pulled-pork, but it turned out to be a moist breaded piece of pork with some delicious mustard sauce and cole slaw. We highly recommend both dishes.

    Finally, for those who follow my posts, you know I struggle to leave a restaurant without trying their desserts. We were struggling to make a decision on which to order, so again asked Melissa for some insight, saying that we wanted something that wasn’t too heavy. Melissa recommended the Salted Caramel Martini (see picture) and while it wasn’t technically on the dessert menu it was perfect…sweet, salty and so delicious!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Salted Caramel Martini
    Nachos with Beef
    Boursin Mushrooms
    BBQ Shrimp Kabob
    Lemon Leches Cake
    Southwest Chicken Club
    Cajun Seafood
    Salmon Sandwich
    Ribeye
    Georgia Pork Sandwich
    Raspberry Jalapeno Margarita
    Salted Caramel Martini

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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