Our friends took us here several years ago and we really enjoyed the experience…finally getting the chance to return and found it just as impressive.
We started with drinks, including a Bloody Mary with Mezcal (see picture) and an After Midnight – both quite tasty. We then ordered Collective Wings (see picture) as an appetizer and found them so delicious that we were tempted to order more of them for our meal.
For our dinner, my wife ordered the Cubano (see picture) and I opted for the Squash Risotto (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each both of us thought that both meals were good enough to order again and recommend.
A great place to eat towards the north end of the Valley Junction ‘Strip’ with an amazing atmosphere, excellent presentations and fantastic service.
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We have had discounts from kid’s athletics fundraising cards to try this place for several years and finally got over to try it this summer. While the exterior on the East side didn’t look like much, the front (North) side looked much more inviting and lively – with tables and a modern look. Unfortunately, we arrived from the South and didn’t see the front side until leaving (see pictures of each side below). I did like the corrugated metal and rustic wood decor – giving it a bit of a old farm building feel inside.
We started with a Salty Chick and an Orilla Sunset (see picture) drink – and really enjoyed both of them. For our meal we ordered a Nashville Hot Dinner (see picture) and a Chicken Strip Meal (see picture). The chicken was good and we really liked the fries – hearty, crispy on the outside & soft and hot on the inside. Best of all was the Carolina Mustard and Bang Bang sauces on the side – we loved both of them!
While this is a bit out of the way for us since we live up in Urbandale and don’t get this far south very often, we did enjoy our stop for dinner and would recommend it if you are in the area.
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My wife found this place online and wanted to stop for a meal, so we ate brunch here on the way out of town after our weekend stay in Amana. It is inside an older traditional brick building and has a lot of character, actually reminding me of walking into a centuries-old restaurant in Europe. The basic colonial decor fits the character of the 19th century Colonies theme with a penchant for the color burgundy throughout the restaurant. I gave the atmosphere an average rating – clean and historic, yet also a bit aged.
The service, quality and value of the food though is what stood out to me from our visit. Max W. was our server and he was very attentive, full of suggestions and made the experience quite enjoyable. My wife ordered the Ronneburg Melt with Fried Potatoes and I ordered the Schnitzel Sandwich with Pickled Beets (see picture below). I don’t have pictures of the meals and while I can’t seem to get it posted on the website, here is the link for the Reel on Instagram, showing food and the interior of the restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2X3ldoOvdA/ .
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We have been wanting to visit the Amana Colonies for some time and finally got the chance when Yelp hosted an event there. We paid our own way for the room and reviewed meal and really enjoyed our stay at the Hotel Millwright. The Indigo Room is just past the front desk in the hotel and offers a bar as well as an eating area.
The decor was great – a modern look in a converted factory building. It is honestly a very slow time of the year in Amana, so there is a scaled service crew and we had to go to the front desk to ask for a server when we arrived for a late breakfast. I was a little disappointed with the service, as she did everything we asked but wasn’t able to provide much insight on the menu items nor seemed willing to take the effort to answer a question about one of the desserts.
Beyond that, we loved our brunch! The food was delicious and we found the coffee to be well above average for a restaurant. Although the pricing was maybe adjusted for the slow season, the menu pricing was a good value (see picture). Rather than write a separate review for the Buffalo Wings (see picture) and Caesar Salad (see picture) we had in the bar area the night before after our arrival, I included them in this review also. They were both very good and towards the upper end of my expectations for bar food.
For our brunch, my wife ordered the Farmer’s Bowl (see picture – was recommended by the bartender the night before) and I ordered the Garden Omelete (see picture). As we always do, we both shared samples of each other’s food and really enjoyed both plates. The potatoes in particular were very good – a great crispy and delicious crust on the outside while warm, soft and moist inside.
For those of you who follow my posts, you are already aware of my voracious sweet tooth. I had eyed a Persian Love Cake slice in the display case the night before and was intrigued. Since our waitress didn’t know what it was and didn’t offer to check into it, I looked it up on Google and found that it was a rose cake with pistachios – so had to give it a try (see picture). While the pistachios weren’t super fresh (were a little soft from setting in the icing in the case), the cake was still very good. If you like the flavor of rose or want to give it a try, you will like this light dessert.
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It had been a while since our last visit, but we got the chance when our son and daughter-in-law asked if we’d like to join them for Brunch Sunday morning. We ended up waiting about 30 minutes past our projected seating time, so beware if you have a tight time crunch. Once we were seated though, the experience was great and in line with our previous visits.
We started today with an order of Cinny Bobs (see picture) to share and if you like cinnamon rolls…you will love these! They are served with both white icing (traditional cinnamon rolls) as well as caramel sauce (traditional caramel rolls) – so you can choose your favorite…or go with both if you can’t decide. I am a sucker for caramel and liked the caramel sauce so well that I enjoyed what was left over after the rolls as my dessert at the end of the meal!
For our meals, my son ordered the Monkey Business (see picture) as he has the last few times he’s been here and once again, enjoyed both the sight of it as well as the taste. My wife ordered the Breakfast Nachos (see picture) and since she wasn’t able to finish it in the restaurant, was able to enjoy a 2nd meal of it for breakfast the next day. Lastly, I went with the Chicken & Waffle (see picture) and while it was more than I really wanted to eat, I cleaned off the plate and loved every bite!
12/01/2022
We have stopped at the Early Bird Brunch several times and always enjoy the experience – casual atmosphere, great food and unique alcoholic drinks combine to make a memorable experience.
This stop found us at the front door at opening time on Sunday morning (6:30am) due to our son needing to catch a mid-morning flight at the airport. For future reference, this is a great time to go…as we had the place to ourselves initially and only a couple of other tables were occupied when we left. If you’ve tried to get a table mid to late morning on a weekend, you know how crowded it can be and how long the waits are…
We started with an order of Hash Holes – always a favorite of ours and a strong recommendation to try. They are delicious potato croquettes with cheddar, smoked gouda & bacon (see picture). We ordered Huevos Ranchero, Pancakes & Eggs, Meat Head Benny and The Bird Cage for the main course (see pictures) and all were delicious – I would recommend them all.
If you haven’t tried this place for brunch yet…you don’t have any idea what you are missing!
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We saw this place while stopping for gas at a nearby gas station and thought it looked good enough to give it a try. While it is an order-at-the-counter type of fast food place, the decor and atmosphere overall is quite lively and energetic. Once you get past the plastic plates and bowls, the food was very good.
My wife ordered the Texas Rice Bowl (see picture) and found it delicious. I ordered the Carne Asada & Carnitas Tacos (see picture) and was impressed with the double corn tortilla delivery and generous portions fillings, including the guacamole.
If you are ok with the fast food type of delivery and plastic bowls, plates and silverware, you will find the food to be very good! We will definitely stop again the next time we stop here for gas.
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Stopped again after attempting Happy Hour at a nearby restaurant that was already full. This place always seems to be packed and tonight was no different – around 5:30 on a Friday. We were able to get a table right away, but there were a number of people standing and waiting when we left. I always enjoy places with free popcorn and G. Migs had that – although it so salty, we couldn’t each much.
Once again, our meals were fantastic – each of us ordering one of the specials for the night as they were both highly recommended. My wife ordered the Shrimp Risotto (see picture & video) and I ordered the Prime Rib (see picture & video). The shrimp, prime rib and shrimp were all cooked to perfection, as was the asparagus. The dishes are a little pricey and you’ll likely find yourself bumping elbows with the other patrons and staff, but the food is very good.
02/03/2023
This was on my ‘Want to Go’ list and we had the opportunity last night when we joined our son and daughter-in-law and they suggested it based on a friend’s recommendation. Although it is a bit of a ‘dive’ (that isn’t a negative for me) and was quite packed when we walked in around 6:30pm on a Friday night, we were quickly seated and our server (Carolyn C.) was very helpful and attentive.
We started with a round of drinks…they had a reasonable selection of various tap beers to satisfy most with a thirst for taps – all reasonably priced. For our dinner, I ordered The Pride of Iowa Wrap (see picture) with the pasta salad and my wife ordered the nightly special – Prime Rib (see picture) with asparagus and mashed potatoes.
I enjoyed both the pasta salad as well as the wrap (2016 State Fair Award Winning). The pasta was a nice balance of sweetness, pasta & veggie crunch – and the wrap had a great tasting filling along with a unique wrap shell that was thin, soft, crunchy and tasty all at the same time.
My wife’s Roasted Prime Rib was also delicious – from its preparation (did a good job delivering it as ordered – medium rare) to the sides. Although out of season, the asparagus was cooked to perfection – retaining a little crunch along with a soft interior. The mashed potatoes were also great (although a little strong on the garlic…if you don’t like that) – as they retained some of the peelings and had a few lumpy bits.
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Admittedly, we were in town to try the Flight Bar and Grille’s award-winning burgers…but I couldn’t help but notice this beautiful ice cream shoppe on the other end of the building – and I DO like ice cream! This was such a cool place – I just loved the decor (see pictures) and really wish I lived closer to stop back some morning for coffee!
My wife and I split a scoop of Ripe Raspberry Chocolate Chunk and Pirate’s Treasure (see picture) – both were delicious, but I really liked the Ripe Raspberry! If you like ice cream, you won’t go wrong with a stop here. The hand-dipped ice cream is delicious and the store is just beautiful!
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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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Several friends had great things to say about HomeGrown, so we took the opportunity to go there this weekend with our son and daughter-in-law. The decor is modern and yet country-like (see pictures) and the restaurant had great lighting with glass on 2 sides.
We started with drinks and an appetizer to share – I ordered the Vietnamese Coffee (see picture) and we shared 2 homemade Pop Tarts (see picture). I really liked the Vietnamese Coffee (how can you go wrong adding sweetened condensed milk to cold press coffee?) and the Pop Tarts were great also.
For our meals, I ordered the Salsa Verde Pork & Eggs (see picture), my wife ordered the BLTA&E (see picture) and my son ordered the Biscuits & Gravy (see picture). We each tasted each others dishes and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. The pulled pork in the Salsa Verde Pork & Eggs was moist, the eggs were done perfectly as ordered (over-easy) and the potatoes were done just right with some great seasoning. The BLTA&E was tasty and we all commented that the Biscuits in the Biscuits & Gravy were very light and crumbly.
You won’t go wrong with a stop here for Breakfast or Lunch – but I would recommend that you make a reservation, as they are very busy.
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Homemade Pop TartsSalsa Verde Pork & EggsBLTA&EBiscuits & GravyVietnamese Coffee
This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and got the chance this week while my brother and sister-in-law were visiting. While it was admittedly a little difficult to find buried in the middle of a strip mall – overall, it is a solid stop with a good selection of what you’d expect to find in a bakery (see pictures). We entered through the back and while the large deck was empty in March, the posted summer pictures look like it would be a great place to have breakfast and a coffee.
For my meal, I ordered the Southwest Omelet (see picture) and my wife ordered the Sausage & Mushroom Omelet (see picture). My Sister-in-law ordered the Quinoa Black Bean Salad (see picture) and my brother ordered the Ham and Swiss Sandwich (see picture). We all enjoyed our orders, with the only negative being that the toast included with the omelets was toasted too long and ended up very hard. The bread itself was good though, as my brother commented that he really liked the bread on his Ham and Swiss Sandwich.
The interior atmosphere was clean and modern and the presentation of the prepared foods was great. The things that held me back on a 5* were the strip mall exterior, plastic eating utensils and the venting / duct work on the ceiling above the kitchen area. From our table in the dining area, the kitchen ceiling showed an accumulation you might expect in a kitchen area that would look much better with a good cleaning.
Lastly on the service, I marked it down a bit due to the time it took for someone to help us at the front counter (several workers there, but seemed pre-occupied with other tasks and didn’t initially even acknowledge we were there or ask if we would like help). Similarly, after our order at the counter, the food was dropped off at our table with very little interaction of any kind and no follow up during or after our meal.
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We enjoyed an earlier stop at The Breakfast Club in downtown Des Moines, so looked forward to the opportunity to try out this new location closer to our home. We got the chance this weekend when friends were in town visiting and all of us were very glad that we stopped here.
We started the meal with a round of Bloody Mary’s – all of us agreed that they tasted great, were not overly salty and were ‘light’ in that they weren’t thick and pulpy. I pulled the atmosphere down a little due to the music being too loud for our tastes, making it more difficult to visit at the table.
For our meals, I ordered the Farm Boy with over easy eggs (see picture), my wife ordered the Deburgo Benny (see picture) and our guests ordered the Pad Thai Quinoa (see picture) and Basic B (see picture). We all exchanged tastes of each dish and everyone was very happy with their dish. I would highly recommend all of them with my only slight negative being that the Deburgo Benny gravy seemed a little salty.
The Breakfast Club finds a good balance between keeping portion sizes reasonable – leading to prices that are a competitive value. This value does not come at the expense of food quality or flavor either – as the dishes were all very tasty and presented very well, as the pictures show. This is a great stop for breakfast / brunch / lunch without the need to travel downtown for those of us who live on the northwest side of Des Moines.
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Pad Thai QuinoaBasic BFarm Boy with over-easy eggsDeburgo Benny
Stopped here mostly to warm up while on a chilly morning walk, but found the place definitely worth a return trip for breakfast / lunch. Everything was made fresh and the Breakfast Scone that we sampled was delicious!
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A great little ‘dive bar’ just southwest of the Des Moines metro. We rode here with friends who have eaten here before and were impressed with the food. They specialize in breakfast, advertise 1/2 pound hamburgers and have adjoined cafe and bar areas so you can enjoy a burger in the bar or a drink in the cafe.
We were there for dinner and decided to go with their 1/2 pound burgers. Our neighbors said that was the only way to go, as they had ordered the smaller one once and were disappointed. Specifically, I ordered the big Hot Pepper Cheeseburger (see picture) and my wife ordered the big Wavelands Breakfast Burger (see picture). We shared and both enjoyed both burgers…so would highly recommend both of them based on your tastes. The buns were lightly toasted on the grill, the fries were crispy and there was plenty to eat.
If you’d like to get out of the hustle of the big city and enjoy a tasty burger in a relaxed environment, give this place a try.
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Hot Pepper CheeseburgerWavelands Breakfast BurgerMenu
We stopped here for breakfast / brunch before the Vikings / Colts game (an epic in its own right…) and really enjoyed the stop. Our waiter had some personality (always appreciated) – giving our son (the lone member in our party wearing a Colts jersey) grief that everyone was welcome but the Colts fan.
While the atmosphere was average (somewhat aged, but clean), the value and service were above average and the food was great. I ordered the #2 (Two eggs, hash browns, w/ toast – see picture) and found it a very good value for $8. My wife ordered the Elsie’s Supreme Omelet (see picture) and while it was a bit pricey for breakfast at $15 – there was a lot of food and it was Delicious! Lest I forget…the Bloody Mary with beer chaser (see picture) tasted fantastic and was the best value of all!
Overall, we loved the food and would definitely go back if we are in the area again – I would highly recommend it. Shout out to Michael D. (our waiter) – great job on the service side!
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This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and got the chance to go after kayaking nearby with our son and daughter-in-law. There was nothing fancy about the exterior (see picture), but once we stepped inside (see picture) I was impressed with the modern, clean and ‘edgy’ atmosphere.
We started with drinks (Supa Dupa Fly, Car on Cruise & Natural Aphrodisiac) – and they were all fantastic! They come up with some interesting names for their drinks and they all seem to be great combinations – hats off to the cocktail mixologist!
For our meal, I ordered the Fight! For your Right to Pudding (see picture), my wife ordered the Sean Combs (see picture) and my son ordered the Mimosa Chicken and Waffles (see picture). We enjoyed all of them and I especially enjoyed the Fight! For your Right to Pudding (just be prepared though…it is a LOT of heavy food, so you will likely be taking some home with you).
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Finally had the opportunity to stop here while in the area for another appointment. Even though it was getting late in the morning, the place was still busy and the smells were fantastic!
The good news is that your donuts are made to order and very fresh (or you can get some that were previously made), the bad news is that you need to wait about 20 minutes to get your freshly-made order.
Very unique donuts with a wide variety of toppings to satisfy almost any taste buds. This place will definitely put a smile on your face when these tasty bite-sized donuts are combined with a delicious cup of coffee. You can’t go wrong with a stop here.
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For the best Happy Hour and Food Specials in Des Moines, visit: happyhourdesmoines.com Latest Happy Hour & Specials Updates – follow on Twitter:@HHDesMoines
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We stopped here after Mass on Sunday expecting to sit down for a relaxing coffee and a couple of kolaches. It was immediately obvious that I should have done some more research, as the place is great for take out but simple and uncomfortable for sitting and trying to dine-in.
There are only a few high stools and a couple of short bar-height counters along the wall (not comfortable for my wife in her dress). We ordered coffee, but it was cold and all that they have is powder creamer. After asking, found out that the warmer switch on the coffee machine was turned off. The lady at the counter put it in the microwave for us, but it just wasn’t that good of coffee.
I ordered the jalapeno cheese sausage kolache and really liked it, but unless you want to stand by a high counter to eat and drink canned soda / pop, it just isn’t that comfortable to dine-in here.
Long story short, if you like kolaches and want to pick some up to bring home and eat, this would be a good place. I would not recommend this place for dining-in though.
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Loved their breakfast bagels with choice of cheese, sauce and vegetables. I had the 9-grain, which included flax seed and chia seed – delicious. Just as good as the big names in Minneapolis, but right here in Sioux Falls! Busy place Saturday morning, but if you like bagels and a great cup of coffee, you’ll want to stop here!
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Busy night of takeout, so we waited about 30 minutes for our pizzas, but they were great. Had a pepperoni and made our own chicken-bacon-ranch.
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