We had heard of Fiesta Jalapeno’s before, but actually ended up here a little by accident today, as we planned lunch at the Best Burger in Iowa restaurant next door, but it was inexplicably closed for the day. The weather was great and the patio looked inviting so we optioned for Mexican instead.
The menu options were good and our group ended up sampling quite a few of them as the pictures will show. You will see pictures for each of the following below: Carnitas Tacos, Lobster Relleno, Spicy Grilled Burrito, Burrito Bowl Grilled Chicken & Steak, Chimichangas Supremas, Lobster Chimichanga and Chips & Salsa.
We found all of the food to be solid and above average with the exception of the chips, which weren’t my favorite. While not having any alcoholic drinks contributed, the value is quite good…as we only spent $16 per person before the tip. I loved the lively, open atmosphere and would likely return if in the area again in the future.
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I stopped back with a friend to update my information on HappyHourDesMoines.com and in addition to the Happy Hour Drinks (see pictures), we also shared an order of Carnitas Nachos (see picture). The menu includes Tapas, Nachos and Tacos…which complement the drinks nicely.
The nachos were delicious – with quality, taste and presentation well above average bar nachos. While I loved the 1/2 priced Margaritas for Happy Hour, I strongly dislike restaurants adding a 3% Service Fee, so knocked the Value down to 4* as a result.
You’ll love the atmosphere, food and drinks – and the Margaritas are 1/2 price during Happy Hour!
03/15/2023
We stopped here on one previous occasion with a wedding celebration party and really enjoyed the lively atmosphere and food. Today we stopped as a result of finding their Happy Hour at happyhourdesmoines.com and wanting to give it a try while downtown.
We ordered a round of drinks from the happy hour menu, including beers and a Coa Margarita (see picture). The presentation of the margarita was excellent per the picture, but we found it a bit sweet to our taste and the quantity was a little light due to the glass being completely filled with ice.
The atmosphere and service are fantastic, making this a great stop while in the area – whether for a drink or some great Mexican food.
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Decided late in the afternoon to go out for Mexican on Cinco de Mayo, so chose the place closest to our home as we have enjoyed previous visits. They were absolutely slammed with business…several delivery drivers waiting at the door said they had been waiting for well over an hour. Once we got past the delivery drivers, we were seated relatively quickly but the service was slow due to how busy they were.
The Jalapeno Cucumber and Mango margaritas (see pictures) were served in plastic glasses – again, likely due to how busy they were. While they tasted great, the presentation wasn’t quite as nice as the heavy glass goblets they usually serve. We always enjoy the chips and salsa (see picture) here – the chips are fresh and the salsa is thick and hearty.
Lastly, for our meals tonight we again ordered the Ceviche Mixto (see picture) that we enjoyed previously and while it again tasted great, it wasn’t served with any crackers (we used our table chips) and the price seemed a bit high at $24. Both my wife and I agreed that the highlight of the meal though was the Orden Shrimp Tacos (see picture) – with both of us commenting that they just might have been the best shrimp tacos we have ever eaten!
02/17/2023
This is fairly close to our home, so we stopped here last night on the way home from checking out a Happy Hour for HappyHourDesMoines.com. It was a Friday night around 6:30 and the place was packed. They took our name and we went to the bar to wait for our table (which took about 15-20 minutes). The servers were hustling around the restaurant the entire time – so it wasn’t for a lack of effort, but we did have to make an effort to catch someone when we needed something.
We started with a Mango Jalapeno Margarita (see picture) which was delicious – just be forewarned that it does have a fairly strong bite of jalapeno pepper if you don’t like if being spicy. It was a large serving and had plenty of additional Tajin seasoning (which we love).
For our dinner, we ordered the Ceviche Mixto (see picture) which is not on the menu, but we’ve had it before and enjoyed it. At our server’s urging, we added the octopus to it and not sure if that was the reason…but we were charged $25.99 for the plate, so be aware if you want to try it. Like other times, it tasted great – I just probably wouldn’t order the octopus again (pretty firm and not much taste).
The other item we ordered for dinner was the Orden Tacos De Charolita (see picture), again on our server’s recommendation. Be aware of 2 things with this dish: 1.) it is very greasy / messy (you will need a few napkins) and 2.) it was extremely salty – to the point that it seemed that all you could taste was salt.
While we have always enjoyed our drinks here as well as the ceviche, we were disappointed with how salty the taco plate was. I would definitely recommend a stop to try their drinks!
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Orden Shrimp TacosCeviche MixtoJalapeno Cucumber MargaritaMango Jalapeno MargaritaChips & SalsaBarMango Jalapeno MargaritaChips & SalsaCevicheOrden Tacos De Charolita
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 here again with our son and daughter-in-law and this time sat on the West side of the restaurant near the garage doors that open to the outside when it is warm. The food was once again very good, but the music was WAY too loud – we felt like we were shouting just to try and converse at the table, so I dropped the Atmosphere rating to a 2*. Also, due primarily to how busy they were, the service wasn’t nearly as good / prompt as in previous visits, so dropped to a 4*.
For dinner, I ordered the Spicy Tortilla Soup (see picture) and thought it tasted very good, with a nice kick. My wife ordered the Fajitas Shrimp (see picture) and also liked it a lot – be aware that it is a very large portion, with almost enough food for 2 people on this plate. While the food was still very good, I hesitate to return given the uncomfortable volume of the music in the dining area.
Food: 5*
Atmosphere: 5*
Value: 3*
Service: 5*
1/07/2023
My wife and I stopped here for dinner last night after I enjoyed a Mezcal Paloma with a friend during an earlier visit. As was my experience during the earlier stop, everything about this place is great and it now is a contender for our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area. My only concern is the value, as they carry downtown pricing, especially on the drinks (my Mezcal Paloma was $15).
Drinks: I ordered a Mezcal Paloma (see picture) and my wife ordered a Pineapple Habanero Margarita (see picture). Both of them were absolutely delicious and were large enough that we each only needed 1.
Food: The chips and salsa (see picture) were also delicious (we always overeat on chips and this was definitely no exception…). She asked if I would like Guacamole (see picture), so I ordered and it was great…but was charged $6, so be forewarned that it isn’t complementary. I ordered the Tinga Tacos (street tacos – see picture) and my wife ordered a Chicken Bowl (see picture). Both of them were delicious and I would recommend both – the shredded chicken in the Tinga Tacos was a little dry / tough, but I almost expect that with shredded chicken.
Overall, this place has possibly the best Atmosphere of any Mexican Restaurant in the Des Moines area and the food is very good, so I don’t hesitate to recommend it for anyone to try. My only concern as I mentioned earlier is that the pricing is a little steep, especially on their cocktails. If you are ok with high priced cocktails or are coming only for the food…this is a 5* in my opinion.
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On a recommendation of a friend who recently moved here from Mexico as the most authentic Mexican food in town, this has become our new favorite!
We have been wanting to try Fiesta since a friend we met at a pool party who recently moved to Iowa from Mexico suggested it as the most authentic Mexican food in the Des Moines area. We decide to go there last night after Mass and this place is legit…very good food and atmosphere drives it to our new favorite Mexican restaurant in the area.
We started with a Classic Margarita (see picture) and Mezcal Paloma (see picture) with the delicious Chips & Salsa (see picture). The chips and salsa were very good, with the salsa being of the ‘blended’ variety with small pieces and not runny – and just a hint of sweetness to go with the spice. The margarita was also good – a little on the sweet side, but a generous pour, with several refills from the decanter. The Mezcal Paloma wasn’t my favorite, but I’m a bit of a snob in this area – preferring certain Mezcals and having a personal favorite Mezcal Paloma Recipe.
The food was definitely the highlight of our stop though – in every way living up to the recommendation of our new friend. We ordered a Burrito Bowl (see picture) and a new dish called the Birria Quesatacos (see picture). Both of them were absolutely delicious – fresh, great flavor and wonderful presentation! The Quesatacos were very unique, with the queso (cheese) fried onto the inside of the tortillas and great topping sauces. In addition, we really enjoyed the consome (chicken soup) broth – it was very tasty and reminded us a bit of the secret sauce in Skyline Chile.
If you enjoy Mexican food, you owe it to yourself to stop at Fiesta Mexican Restaurant – you won’t be sorry when you do!
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We stopped here for dinner after reading positive reviews and enjoyed our meal. The chips and salsa were good and plentiful (an expectation at Mexican restaurants) and the Margarita was very good.
I ordered the white fish Ceviche and found it to be some of my favorite in the area. I really like a strong lime flavor and this definitely had that. The white fish was firm and tasted great.
The only negative was the service. We wanted to order a 2nd margarita, but couldn’t get the waiter’s attention – and an attempt to ask another server to have him stop by was also unsuccessful.
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We have driven past this place many times and thought about stopping, but had usually already eaten and were driving home. This afternoon we had the chance and decided we’d give it a try over our old standby Hacienda Vieja just up the road a block. The thing that stood out the most was the lengthy food and bar menus (see pictures) – making it hard to make a decision on what to order.
We started with drinks and that ended up being a little frustrating, possibly attributable to a language / communications challenge. We asked several times if they served Mezcal, since we love it and finally the server said he would go ask at the bar. He returned and said that they didn’t serve Mezcal, so I ordered a Michelada instead. While walking to the bathroom I walked by the bar and checked out the liquor behind the bar and saw a bottle of Mezcal, so pointed it out to our server who happened to be standing there (later seeing that they show at least 5 different kinds in their bar menu – see pictures). With that information, I asked our server to change my order to a Mezcal Paloma (see picture) and my wife got a Watermelon Basil Shaker (see picture). The Watermelon Basil Shaker was very good and there was a generous quantity served, although we didn’t taste or see any basil in the drink.
The complimentary chips and salsa (see picture) were average – they tasted good but were very typical / standard for what you get at many Mexican restaurants. For our meals, we ordered the Pollo Mango Street Tacos (see picture) and Ceviche Al Gusto Mixed (see picture). The Ceviche was very good and while we received standard chips instead of the plantain chips mentioned in the menu, we really enjoyed it. The Pollo Mango Tacos were a little bland to both of our tastes, as we each commented about it and looked for hot sauce to give it some kick, but otherwise were hot, moist and tender.
Even though we were both very full from all of this food, I couldn’t help myself once I saw Tres Leches and Limoncello Cakes on the menu. We asked the server for a recommendation between the two and he suggested the Tres Leches Cake, so we ordered it and asked him to put it in a container to go (see picture). Of course we did have to open it in the restaurant and have a couple of bites – it was delicious. A little on the sweet side, but very spongy, moist and flavorful – definitely a great addition to finish your meal!
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Watermelon Basil ShakerMezcal PalomaChips & SalsaTres Leches Cake (asked for it in to-go container)
Stopped here while driving through Sioux Falls at dinner time and boy did it turn out to be a great stop. New, lively, open and fun atmosphere with reasonable prices and good food. We were a little disappointed with the service, but we were in a bit of a rush to get back on the road and they were busy – so we probably should have stayed at the bar and ordered there rather than being seated.
We started by ordering a Cucumber Jalapeno Grand Margarita (see picture) to go along with the free chips & salsa (see picture) – which tasted great. My wife ordered the Flauta (see picture) and I ordered a soft taco (see picture). As per our usual, we shared both dishes and both of us really enjoyed both of them.
Based on our stop, I would highly recommend this place for both food and drinks – close to the interstate, reasonably priced and an open, fun atmosphere.
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FlautaSoft TacoCucumber Jalapeno Grand MargaritaChips & Salsa
This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and had a great opportunity to go following an after-work party of my wife’s. Along with the free chips and salsa (see picture), we each ordered our favorite drink: a Mezcal Palomo (see picture) – both the chips and Palomas were very good.
For our dinner, we ordered Ceviche Shrimp (see picture) to share, then ordered Texas Fajitas (see picture) to share for the main course. We both enjoyed both meals and would recommend them…as the 4* implies, we found them better than average, but not the absolute best we’ve ever had.
Overall, we found this place to be a solid stop for Mexican food as well as the Paloma mixed drinks. In my opinion, it is in the upper third of Mexican restaurants in Des Moines and as such, would recommend it for both food and drink.
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Didn’t even know this was a restaurant until a co-worker scheduled a going away party here that happened to fall on Cinco de Mayo. Seeing it from the North side, it struck me as more of an industrial building or health store than a restaurant. As the attached pictures show though, it is indeed a Mexican restaurant – and I found the experience to be worth the stop.
Because it was Cinco de Mayo, the place was packed and we had a tough time getting a couple of tables for the group to sit together. Ultimately we were able to get most of the party (other than some late arrivals) seated together at a couple of tables that they pulled together for us.
Service was average at best…again likely due to the packed restaurant with multiple parties waiting at the front door to be seated. The 16oz Lime Margarita that was the special for the day was quite tasty once it was delivered and came with a pitcher to refill it a couple of times. For our meal, we ordered the Fajitas Viva La Bamba (see pictures) – which tasted great and proved to be plenty of food for my wife and I to share (especially after eating plenty of chips and salsa).
I look forward to stopping back some time when they aren’t so packed and rushed, but regardless found even this stop to be worthwhile – so would recommend stopping, especially if you see one of the daily drink specials that are of interest (see pictures).
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Our friends took us here during our visit to the San Jose area and it just might be my favorite Mexican restaurant. Other than it being a little pricey – everything was some of the best we’ve experienced at a Mexican restaurant. It was so good, that we ended up shutting the place down – we were the last patrons to leave and they had already started the cleaning process.
We love mezcal palomas (see picture), so that is what we started with. Given that I’m a bit of a mezcal paloma snob, I asked the waiter if the bartender knew what he was doing with making them. Boy did he ever know what he was doing, as these were probably the best mezcal palomas that we’ve had – and the presentation was great also!
For appetizers, we all really like ceviche, so ordered the Crab Ceviche Tostada (sorry, no picture) and Guacamole. The chips (see picture) were so fresh, light and delicious. My belief is that chips are only the delivery system for dips and toppings – and they tasted great together with the guacamole and ceviche.
For our main courses, I ordered the Chile Relano (see picture), my wife ordered the Enchilada de Camaron (see picture), our friends ordered the Pesca del Dia (see picture) and Ensalada de Cesar with Shrimp (see picture). Our friend recommended each of these dishes and all of them were delicious – I’d highly recommend each of them.
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Take a bite of the Pesca del DiaEnsalada de Cesar with ShrimpPesca del DiaChile RelanoEnchilada de CamaronMezcal PalomaChips
We were in the mood for Mexican while visiting our son so met him here based on a recommendation from one of his coworkers. While the communication with our server was a little challenging (I view that as a positive by the way…more authentic experience and potential indicator of more authentic food), the food, value and atmosphere were all above average.
We started with a couple of Large Margaritas (see picture) – which are highly recommended, as they tasted great and were well worth $10. We also ordered a small Guacamole Dip to complement the complimentary chips and salsa (see picture). The chips were light, tasty and crispy and the complimentary salsa was also very good, with a good taste of cilantro.
For our main course, my wife and I shared Street Tacos (see picture) – Asada, Carnitas, Grilled Chicken and Pasto. We love street tacos and really liked the taste of all of them, so would highly recommend them for your next visit. My son ordered the Large Chimichanga (see picture) – we all tasted it and enjoyed it, so would also recommend it.
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Large MargaritaChips & SalsaStreet TacosStreet TacoLarge ChimichangaTres Leches
Yet another stop for a drink after dinner tonight. The new drink that we tried tonight was the Naked Numero Dos (see picture) and while it was very good, we both still preferred our standby Mezcal drink here – the Street Snack (see picture). Tonight we had the opportunity to try the Ceviche (see picture) and both of us thought it was very good – solid lime tang with shrimp and other spices. Unlike our last stop, the chips tasted much better tonight, so bumping the Food rating back up to a 5*.
03/17/2023
We stopped here for a drink on the way home from dinner last night and once again enjoyed our experience at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The selection of unique cocktails is extensive here and we really enjoy them. Last night we once again enjoyed the Street Snack (see picture) and Mezcal Paloma (see picture) along with Chips & Guacamole (see picture). We were a little disappointed in the taste of the chips (bitter) and texture of the guacamole (pasty) but continued to enjoy the atmosphere and service.
I highly recommend this place for their great service, food and drinks.
Food: 5*
Atmosphere: 5*
Value: 4*
Service: 5*
01/27/2023
We stopped here for a drink on the way home from dinner last night and once again enjoyed our experience at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. The selection of unique cocktails is extensive here and we really enjoy them. Last night we once again enjoyed the Street Snack (see picture) and were happy to see that their Take Home Mixers (see picture) were once again available.
I highly recommend this place for their great service, food and drinks.
Previous Stop:
Stopped here last night after hearing they had the unthinkable – Happy Hour on the weekends…and boy was it good! We sampled several of the half price cocktails (Guapo’s House and Tamarind El Mulo, my favorite – see pictures) and really liked them…great value and great taste.
You can order individual tacos, which we did after the chips and guacamole. Definitely a great place to stop to enjoy some great food and drinks in a lively atmosphere!
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We stopped here because my wife read that they had the best margaritas in the area…and I’d have to agree after having one. The flavor was great…the sweetness was not overpowering and it didn’t leave that ‘fuzzy / SweetTart’ taste in your mouth.
My wife ordered a Michelada and it was also very good – spicy yet ‘light’ (see picture). The last strong point was the queso and salsa – both tasted great, although I prefer a less-watery mix of salsa.
As to the food, I was less impressed. The chips (although complimentary…) tasted powdery / floury to me (see picture). Not sure if this had to do with being undercooked or something else.
I ordered the ceviche appetizer with shrimp and fish. Although the quality and quantity were good, I thought it tasted bland (I like a distinct taste of lime and cilantro, but struggled to taste anything for seasoning). My wife ordered a taco with shredded beef (see picture) and while the flavor was ok, the beef was dry and tough…took a lot to chew it up.
UPDATE: We have stopped here before after hearing they had the best margaritas in the area and have never been disappointed. Last night was no different – we stopped after dinner to have 1 margarita (which turned into 2 and both were delicious).
Ozzie was our bartender and was fantastic, first recommending the Shaker Margarita with salt rim, then making the Laurie Special (my wife’s favorite) – a Mango Margarita with Jalapenos and a salt rim. You won’t find it on the menu (because my wife named it), but if you like a good spicy / sweet combination, you will love this!
Update 2 (new location): This is one of our favorites for Jalapeno Margaritas and Mezcal Palomas (ask Jorge at the bar, it isn’t on the menu)…which we had again on this visit. This time we had dinner – the chips tasted better and I would recommend the Enchiladas Bander. The only negative…the boxy industrial atmosphere made it very loud inside and hard to carry on a conversation with someone beside you.
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We stopped here for dinner on a business trip while killing time to try and avoid the worst of rush hour. While the restaurant had good ratings, we weren’t expecting a lot based on the outside of the building and the crowded area next to the kitchen and cash register just inside the front door.
However, things started to look up quickly as we were walked through a doorway and into a larger seating area with plenty of space. The complimentary fresh-fried tortilla chips along with red and fresh salsas were excellent – all 4 at the table commented how good they tasted, with just the right amount of spicy kick.
For my meal, I ordered the 4 Mini Tacos (see picture) and HIGHLY recommend them…they were definitely some of the best ‘street-like’ tacos I’ve ever had and I can’t imagine anyone not thoroughly enjoying them. Definitely a good stop for authentic Mexican food!
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We stopped here while visiting my sister and brother-in-law and really enjoyed the food. The first thing we enjoyed were the chips and salsa – the chips were fresh and crispy and the salsa was thick and tasty. The only thing I wouldn’t recommend from the evening was the mezcal drink in the new menu (can’t remember the name). I love mezcal, but this drink was not good.
For the meal, my wife had the Parrillada and we both enjoyed it. I ordered the Chicken Street Tacos and thought they were delicious – small (easy to eat) & tasty.
Definitely one of the better Mexican restaurants I’ve been to – you won’t regret a stop here. The only knock on the menu…no desserts other than the homemade churros (which were quite expensive).
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Stopped for dinner while staying in Galena this weekend and really enjoyed the stop. The chips and fresh salsa were very good. My wife and I shared a Family Margarita Flight, which was a great value compared to the much smaller version for 2/3rds the cost. All flavors were delicious (Jalapeno, Pineapple, Watermelon & Mango) – and the Taijin on the rim made them even better!
For our meal, we shared an order of Fajitas and not only was it very good, but it was plenty of food for both of us. It was a bit pricey, but if you are selective in your choices it is manageable – and it all tastes great! If you like Mexican food, you’ll want to stop here during your stay.
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Stopped for dinner while staying in Galena this weekend and really enjoyed the stop. The chips and fresh salsa were very good. My wife and I shared a Family Margarita Flight, which was a great value compared to the much smaller version for 2/3rds the cost. All flavors were delicious (Jalapeno, Pineapple, Watermelon & Mango) – and the Taijin on the rim made them even better!
For our meal, we shared an order of Fajitas and not only was it very good, but it was plenty of food for both of us. It was a bit pricey, but if you are selective in your choices it is manageable – and it all tastes great! If you like Mexican food, you’ll want to stop here during your stay.
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Although it wasn’t high on my wife’s list based on the exterior appearance, I talked her into trying it since it was relatively close to where we live. We started with a 28oz Margarita and Paloma. Although they didn’t have Mezcal for the Paloma – both drinks were still very good, but a bit on the pricy side.
For our meal, I ordered the Ceviche Shrimp (see picture) and my wife ordered the Carnitas (see picture). Both were very good and we would order either again. Although it seemed a bit on the pricey side for the area, we wouldn’t hesitate to return and would recommend that you give it a try.
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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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