The Food and Drink Guy

Tag: American

  • Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 3*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    09/12/2023 Smitty’s Tenderloin Shop (515) 287-4742

    My wife and I had stopped here several years ago after moving to the area given its history as the original king tenderloin. This time I had just picked up friends from France at the airport, they were hungry and they wanted to eat something unique to Iowa.

    I ordered the Breaded Tenderloin (see picture) and we shared some Onion Rings (see picture). The food and atmosphere were each average with the tenderloin served on a common high volume commercial bakery bun and the building showing its age. The flavor of the tenderloins was good and I liked that it was not greasy. The breading seemed quite dry, almost as if it wasn’t even fried at all…or was re-breaded after frying. There wasn’t much substance to the onion rings as is shown in the picture – they were very thin and had minimal breading.

    The food and ambiance reminded me of many of the small town ice cream shops I frequented as a teenager. If you are looking for value and a small-town diner experience, you will enjoy a stop at Smitty’s.

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  • RoCA (Des Moines, IA) Review

    RoCA (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    08/31/2023 RoCA

    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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    Grilled Broccolini
    Grilled Ribeye Skewers
    Chicken Pesto Flatbread
    Seared Scallops
    De Burgo Toast
    Ribeye Nachos
    Smoked Margarita Kit
    El Chapo
    Smoked Margarita Pouring
    Smoking Gun Pouring

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  • District 36 Wine Bar & Grille (Ankeny, IA) Review

    District 36 Wine Bar & Grille (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    08/30/2023 District 36

    We hadn’t heard much about this place, but met some great new friends from Brazil here when they recommended it. The building was quite impressive as we walked up and the inside lived up to the promises on the building’s exterior – this was truly a memorable dinner!

    We started with drinks and some wine – see the attached menu pictures and you’ll understand how difficult of decision that in itself proved to be in the end! We then ordered appetizers to share – the Soppresatta Pizza (see picture) and Spinach & Artichoke Dip (see picture). The pizza was excellent and similar in taste to pepperoni and the spinach and artichoke dip was also very good.

    For our dinners, my wife ordered the Lemon Garlic Shrimp (see picture) and I ordered the Salmon BLT (see picture). Our friends ordered the Italian Stuffed Tenderloin (see picture) and the Frutti Di Mare (see picture). We shared tastes of the dishes and all of us really liked all of these dishes – I’d highly recommend them all. My wife also ordered the Seafood Bisque (see picture) as she had heard some great things about it from her coworkers – and it also lived up to the hype.

    This is a top-notch wine bar and restaurant in our area and although you might find it a bit pricey, our experience tells me that you will leave happy customers. If you go – say ‘Hi’ to Jacob S. from The Food and Drink Guy – he was a fantastic server, so consider yourself lucky if he is your server also!

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    Salmon BLT
    Lemon Garlic Shrimp
    Italian Stuffed Tenderloin
    Frutti Di Mare
    Seafood Bisque
    Spinach & Artichoke Dip
    Soppresatta Pizza

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  • Smokey D’s BBQ (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Smokey D’s BBQ (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    08/24/2023 Smokey D’s BBQ

    This place has been on my Want to Go since sampling their catering in a factory near their north Des Moines location. The BBQ is top-notch and in my opinion in the top tier in the Des Moines area. The atmosphere, value and service are all above average and worthy of a stop to try for yourself.

    We had a beer at the bar before dinner and ended up staying there to eat our dinner. I really like their snowy/ice rail to set your tap beer on – as it does do a great job of helping to keep your beer colder! A friend and myself shared the BBQ Sampler Platter (see picture) with brisket, burnt ends and chicken – and really enjoyed all 3 of them along with the ribs.

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    BBQ Sampler Platter

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  • The Black Pelican (Wyndmere, ND) Review

    The Black Pelican (Wyndmere, ND) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    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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    Peanut Buddy
    Chicken Bacon Ranch (Gluten Free)

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  • E 25th Pub & Grub (Des Moines, IA) Review

    E 25th Pub & Grub (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    08/06/2023 E 25th Pub & Grub

    This place’s Italian Beef was highly recommended by a reviewer on another site and finally got the chance to try it today. This is definitely a neighborhood bar – as several other patrons / regulars asked us how we liked our drinks and dinners. Granted, the area looks a little on the rough side as you pull up but the service and food were both great – all handled by one lady behind the bar.

    On the recommendation of another patron, we started out with Bloody Marys with pickle vodka and I highly recommend them – not too salty or thick. For our meals, my wife ordered the Italian Beef (see picture) and I went with the Chicago Dog (see picture). As always, we each shared tastes and found both dishes to be very good. Our neighbors ordered the Italian Beef with Cheese (see picture) and Chili Dog (see picture) – and both of them thought they tasted great, commenting especially about how good the chili was.

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    Italian Beef with Cheese
    Chicago Dog
    Chili Dog
    Italian Beef

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  • Sopra Bistro (Lake Geneva, WI) Review

    Sopra Bistro (Lake Geneva, WI) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    07/29/2023 Sopra Bistro

    Our friends made reservations to enjoy this place during our annual trek to visit them near Lake Geneva. Boy, do they know how to pick restaurants to impress us during our visits (we never want to go home…)! From the moment that we were seated until we left (and introducing us to the owner in between), Scot took fantastic care of us! The portions are on the small side and the prices above average…but that worked for us, as it left room for an Ice Cream stop after dinner!

    We started with a round of drinks – my wife going for the Cassandra (see picture) and myself going with the Smoke Break (see picture – a Kentucky beer and a shot of Mezcal). We both tasted each others drinks and both found the Cassandra to be delicious. I ordered the Smoke Break because it came with Mezcal and if you follow my posts or see the recipe on my site – I LOVE Mezcal Palomas in the summertime. I’m not a huge fan of sipping straight alcohol though (like it mixed so I can drink instead) and didn’t find anything special about the beer…so wouldn’t order it again, especially given the price.

    The Table Bread (see picture) was delicious along with the spread. For starters, our friends ordered the Brussels (see picture) and my wife and I shared the Beets Me (see picture). Both of these salads were unique, fresh and delicious – so I’d highly recommend them.

    For our dinners, our friends ordered the Sausage & Peppers (see picture), my wife ordered the Greatest Of All Time (see picture) and I ordered the NOLA (see picture). We all shared tastes of each others dishes and I assure you that there was a lot of “that’s delicious” after each bite! You absolutely won’t go wrong with any of these dishes!

    We had our hearts set on Ice Cream up the street for dessert and Scot even had a good recommendation for a new gelato store just 2 blocks away (the next review…). You will love a stop here for dinner – just make sure that you make reservations…and say ‘Hi’ to Scot!

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    Sausage & Peppers
    NOLA
    Greatest Of All Time
    Beets Me
    Brussels
    Table Bread
    Smoke Break
    Cassandra

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  • Ruby Tuesday (Urbandale) Review

    Ruby Tuesday (Urbandale) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    07/24/2023 Ruby Tuesday

    A co-worker visiting Des Moines was hungry for a salad bar and asked about Ruby Tuesday. He got me thinking about the salad bar, so I enjoyed that (way too much actually…left stuffed) along with a $3 Margarita (see picture). I absolutely love the dark bread buttery toasted croutons – especially when they have just been brought out and are warm! There aren’t as many salad bars around anymore, but this place has one of the best.

    My friend had the Jalapeno Bacon Queso Burger (see picture) along with the salad bar. He loved the salad bar, but preferred his bacon more crispy and found the bun to be a little on the soggy side (possibly due to the queso).

    It is tough to beat this place for value and it has a decent selection at the salad bar – all of which I found to be fresh. This is a solid stop for your budget, especially if you go with the Daily Specials.

    12/2021

    Met a friend for lunch just as they opened for the day and ordered the grilled chicken sandwich with grilled zucchini.  The food was fresh, hot and tasted great, but was a little disappointed in how long it took to get it for after we ordered (about 15 minutes).

    Overall, is very convenient to my work location and I will likely return – so don’t hesitate to recommend it.

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    Jalapeno Bacon Queso Burger
    $3 Margarita

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  • Mickey’s Irish Pub (Waukee, IA) Review

    Mickey’s Irish Pub (Waukee, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    07/22/2023 Mickey’s Irish Pub

    Finally got the chance to stop by again after some new friends suggested it as the place to meet after Mass last night. They suggested that we go outside and the patio experience was fantastic – perfect weather for the evening and a little quieter than inside, so a great place to enjoy some conversation.

    We started with a couple of beers…because why else would you go to an Irish Pub, right? The banter started with our server, Erika – which added to the great experience. If you follow my reviews, you know that I appreciate servers with menu opinions that they aren’t afraid to share…and just a little bit of a sassy attitude (and she had just the right amount of both).

    For our meals, my wife ordered the Southwest Salad (see picture) per Erika’s suggestion and I ordered the Naked Chicken Wings (see picture) with Mango Habanero sauce. As is our norm, we shared samples of each other’s order and we found both of them to be very good – so would recommend them.

    If you are looking for a fun Irish Pub experience, you will enjoy a stop at Mickey’s. If you stop and are up for a little friendly banter, ask for Erika and be sure to tell her ‘Hi’ from The Food and Drink Guy!

    06/05/2021 update:

    Stopped for a free pour of beer from a coupon in the mail and enjoyed a pint of Guinness (see picture) followed by an order of portabella mushroom fries (see picture) per the server’s recommendation. The mushroom fries along with the Ranch and special horseradish sauce that was served with them were delicious and I would highly recommend them – light, crisp breading and a tasty mushroom inside.

    02/2021

    Stopped for brunch and ordered from their breakfast menu. The food and drinks were all good, but my favorite was the Top of the Morning Irish Coffee (see picture) – I definitely recommend it.

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    Southwest Salad
    Mango Habanero Chicken Wings
    Top of the Morning Irish Coffee
    Mushroom Fries
    Menu
    Guinness Pint

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  • Truman’s KC Pizza Tavern (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Truman’s KC Pizza Tavern (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    07/21/2023 Truman’s KC Pizza Tavern

    Several people have recommended Truman’s for lunch and we finally got a chance to stop by as a part of the Summer Stir in Des Moines. The first thing you see is that it is an old house that has been remodeled into a restaurant. You have to look closer at the sign to see the next item of significance – “KC” in the name of the restaurant. If you are a Kansas City Chiefs fan, you will love this place – especially, I’m told, during football season.

    For our meal, we ended up sharing a Korean BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich (see picture) on the suggestion of the bartender as we weren’t that hungry and had eaten some at one of the other stops on the Summer Stir. As the bartender suggested, the Korean BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich was very good – moist, quality bun surrounding juicy flavorful pulled pork. The french fries were undercooked to my taste – barely crispy on the outside and mushy inside, but I kept the food at a 4* due to the sandwich.

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    Korean BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

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  • Tap 22 Grill & Bar (Silvis, IL) Review

    Tap 22 Grill & Bar (Silvis, IL) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    07/08/2023 Tap 22 Grill & Bar

    Our son and daughter-in-law invited us to eat with them after the days events at the John Deere Classic and we ended up picking the Tap 22 Grill & Bar. It doesn’t look like much from the outside (a refurbished industrial / farm building – see picture), but the inside is quite another story (see pictures).

    They appeared to be short-staffed in the kitchen – possibly overwhelmed by the extra customers coming from the John Deere Classic. Tanya, did a great job keeping us informed on the order status and keeping our drinks full.

    I ordered the Tin Can Nachos (see picture) for my meal and to share with the table and another guest at our table ordered the Arizona Chicken Sandwich (see picture). The sandwich and fries were very good and the Nachos were likely the most unique delivery that I’ve ever seen. As the name implies, they come with all the ingredients layered in a tin can and then the server lifts off the top at the table (see picture) to leave a delicious stack of chips and toppings!

    I would definitely stop by on another trip when it isn’t so busy – and I highly recommend that you try the Tin Can Nachos when you go. Also, be sure to say ‘Hi’ to Tanya – she is a wonderful server!

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  • Copper Kettle (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Copper Kettle (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/26/2023 Copper Kettle

    Returned again on our next business trip to Dubuque and this time was able to enjoy a full meal and not just appetizers with a group from work.

    On our server’s recommendation, I ordered the Gyro (see picture) and others at the table ordered Fish Tacos (see picture) and the Black & Blue Burger (see picture). All of the meals were delicious and the portions were large, so you won’t go away hungry.

    Even with as full as I was…there is always room for at least a few tastes of dessert! Like the last visit, I suggested that we order cheesecake to share (Salted Caramel & Chocolate) – and again everyone at the table found them delicious. I even got one of the locals hooked enough to vow he would order it again every time that he came back! Like I said in the earlier review…do NOT go home without trying it!

    06/06/2023

    This place was highly recommended by a local (especially their White Truffle Parmesan Fries and Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds), so our group stopped by to try them out before heading downtown. In addition to these, we also ordered the Steak Bites and unfortunately due to the group setting I wasn’t able to capture any photos of the food on this stop.

    As for my thoughts on the food, while the White Truffle Parmesan Fries and Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds were both solid appetizers, I actually liked the Steak Bites best of all – and most of the group agreed.

    What really stole the show though was when I saw a sign for the fresh-made Salted Caramel Cheesecake (again, sorry – we dug into it so quickly that I don’t have a photo). We ordered a piece of it and a piece of the Chocolate Cheesecake (each delivered with a spray of whipped cream) so the group could sample some of each and compare. As good as the Chocolate Cheesecake was…it just couldn’t quite reach the exquisite taste and mouth-feel experience of the Salted Caramel. DO NOT leave without at least sharing a piece of the Salted Caramel Cheesecake – most at the table agreed that it was the best cheesecake they have ever had – so light and yet so good!!

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    Gyro
    Bacon Blue Cheese
    Fish Taco

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  • Smoking GOAT Pub (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Smoking GOAT Pub (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    06/23/2023 Smoking GOAT Pub

    We stopped at the previous business (WISCO) and found that they were remodeling with new owners…so waited for the new restaurant to open and tried it out for Happy Hour (from HappyHourDesMoines.com). The bar area is beautifully lighted (see pictures) and there is a professional painting of numerous GOAT sports figures on one wall. It was just a few days after they officially opened and unfortunately, their tap beer wasn’t working that night – so we made due with mixed drinks instead.

    My wife started with a Margarita 1800 (see picture) on our server, Steph’s recommendation – and it was very good. I stuck with the well drinks to take advantage of the Happy Hour specials…and we soon found ourselves ordering food and making a night of it.

    We started with Cheese Curds (see picture) which were very good…and the dipping sauce was delicious! I then ordered chicken wings (see pictures) and my wife ordered Cod (see picture) – again on Steph’s suggestion. Both entree orders were delicious – crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside and oh, so tasty. I would definitely recommend all of the above items when you stop.

    This is definitely a great stop for a drink and/or food – and when you stop by, make sure to say ‘Hi’ to Steph – she is fantastic!

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    Margarita 1800
    Cheese Curds

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  • Fleetwood at Saylorville (Polk City, IA) Review

    Fleetwood at Saylorville (Polk City, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/11/2023 Fleetwood at Saylorville

    Had coupons since hearing about someone going to a live band here and following on Facebook – and were in the area after Mass one evening, so gave it a try.

    The first challenge was finding the place. While our phone map took us to the entrance…it isn’t super clear how to get to the restaurant and we had a couple of false starts. First at the marina office near the road and then we turned around on the winding path before getting to the restaurant thinking it was leading nowhere. Just keep driving – you will eventually get there…

    Once we finally found the restaurant, the view was great and probably the largest draw – hard to top relaxing at a table with food and drink while watching the lake and boaters. The facilities are what you might expect for a seasonal dock business with public access…functional, simplistic and a little crude – not what you would find in even an average place on land.

    With that said, we found the drink selection and the food to be above average. We each ordered burgers (see pictures) to use our coupon. We both shared samples with each other and found them both to be solid – soft, moist buns, fresh toppings, crispy fries and good flavor.

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  • Tom’s Town Distilling Co. (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Tom’s Town Distilling Co. (Kansas City, MO) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/10/2023 Tom’s Town Distilling

    We stopped here because it was on our walk to dinner from our hotel…and a friend that joined us for the weekend was named Tom. We ended up liking the place enough that we stopped back for brunch the following morning before heading out to the concert.

    For our brunch, I started with a Brunch Messenger (see picture) and my wife went with the Bloody Maria (see picture). We shared tastes with each other and really liked both drinks – and while the pricing seemed reasonable ($10/$12), the drinks were quite small.

    For our brunch meal, I ordered the Frittata (see picture) and my wife ordered the Croque Monsieur (see picture). Again, we shared tastes of each other’s plates and both of us enjoyed and would recommend both. The hash browns were cooked well, tasted great and weren’t too greasy – and the same could be said for the Croque Monsieur, which we were able to eat without dripping grease all over.

    The drinks during evening hours were unique and tasty…but again on the small side and quite pricey (what you might expect in the downtown area). The brunch was reasonably priced though and tasted quite good, so I’d highly recommend this place as a brunch stop during a downtown weekend visit.

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    Croque Monsieur
    Fritatta
    Bloody Maria
    Brunch Messenger

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  • Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA) Review

    Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 4*

    06/09/2023 Maid-Rite (Lamoni, IA)

    Believe it or not, we’ve lived in Iowa for a year and a half now and this was our first stop at a Maid-Rite! We were traveling with friends to the Luke Combs concert in Kansas City and looking for a place to stop along the interstate. They recommended it based on their experiences with one in Illinois many years ago and we are so glad that we stopped.

    Although it is a technically a fast food restaurant where you order at the counter and they deliver your food to the table, the food was very good and the service was above average.

    Our group ordered a Tenderloin sandwich (see picture), several MEGA sandwiches (see picture), Sweet Potato Fries (see picture) and Fried Okra (see picture). Of course you have to have a MEGA when you stop, as it is what built the restaurant, but the Tenderloin and sweet potato fries as well as the okra were all very good. If you follow my posts, my sweet tooth is well documented…so I couldn’t leave this place without sampling a caramel shake – it was delicious and I highly recommend you finish your meal with one on your way out to the car.

    Yes, it is fast food, but this place is quite unique, is an Iowa institution and has a very nice attached Amish country store. Definitely worth a stop for lunch, dinner or one of their multiple sweets options!

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    MEGA
    Tenderloin
    Sweet Potato Fries
    Fried Okra

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  • Brazen Open Kitchen Bar (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Brazen Open Kitchen Bar (Dubuque, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    06/06/2023 Brazen Open Kitchen Bar

    We were determined to have a steak tonight while in town on business travel and several other places that we checked weren’t open on a Tuesday night. This place is quite an impressive venue – wide open atmosphere that highlights the chefs in the kitchen and their work. The only thing holding this place back from a full 5* in my book is the value…as the pricing was quite high – but when you come here, it is probably for a special occasion!

    Due to the fact that we had already stopped at another venue for appetizers, I ended up going light and splitting the Ribeye (see picture) with a fellow employee. As you might expect in a restaurant of this quality, it was fantastic and one of the better ribeyes that I’ve had.

    As long as you come prepared for your meal being quite expensive, you definitely will be happy with the food, atmosphere and service. I would highly recommend a stop here for your next special occasion – just don’t forget to make reservations, as they are VERY busy.

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  • 7 Hills Brewing Company Review (Dubuque, IA)

    7 Hills Brewing Company Review (Dubuque, IA)

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 3*

    06/05/2023 7 Hills Brewing Company

    I’ve been here a few times on business trips but just finally posting some pictures along with my review. I’ve enjoyed sampling different beers on each visit and have also had food on at least one other occasion.

    Our table started with Hangry Sprouts, Curb Your Enthusiasm cheese curds and Zeit Bites (pretzel bread bites) – all of which were above average bar food (sorry, no pictures of them). For my meal, I ordered the Carolina Burger (see picture) with Sweet Potato Fries. While it was above average overall (especially the fries), I found the pulled pork on the burger to be quite dry. Another person at the table ordered the Lobster Mac & Cheese (see picture) and thought it tasted good – had just hoped there would be more lobster in it.

    If you are stopping by to try their beers, this is definitely a great stop and if you decide to add food to your stop, you can expect better than average appetizers and entrees.

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    Carolina Burger w/ Sweet Potato Fries
    Lobster Mac & Cheese

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  • Francies (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Francies (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    4.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

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    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    06/03/2023 Francies

    Have had on my Want to Go list since Cityview listed it for best local bar food in 2022 and finally had the opportunity after the Craft Beer Festival. While we were a little leery of what it might be like near the airport, we were pleasantly surprised by the exterior (see pictures) as we pulled up…and remained positively impressed with the interior decor (see pictures).

    Cityview called out their New York Steak & Peppers sandwich (see picture) and it looked great, so my wife went with that for her choice. For our second entree, I went with the Philly Chicken with Fries (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our meals and both of us enjoyed both offerings – finding the food quality definitely worthy of the title of Best Bar Food.

    If you are in the area or have a little time waiting on a flight, you won’t be disappointed with a stop at Francies.

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  • Bar Louie (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Bar Louie (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    06/02/2023 Bar Louie

    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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    S’Mores Martini
    The Dirty Martini
    Effen Good Martini
    Wings
    Trio Dips & Chips
    The OG Mule
    Havana Classic Mojito

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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