The Food and Drink Guy

Tag: Pizza

  • Eatery A (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Eatery A (Des Moines, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    5.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 5*

    Service: 5*

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

    Total check/person: $47

    09/28/2024 Eatery A (515) 282-8085

    It had been a few years since we have been at Eatery A, mostly due to being new in the area and exploring new venues rather than repeating at a known location. Once again, we were extremely pleased with this stop as in the end, I gave it one of the few full 5* ratings that I have ever given. This place truly has it all – unique and tasty food, a great atmosphere, friendly service and value that is above average for the downtown! If you have the treat of being served by Vee – tell her ‘Hi’ from The Food and Drink Guy, as she is a gem!

    Tonight, we celebrated my wife’s Birthday – exploring the menu beyond the pizza’s we had on previous visits to the other Mediterranean delights as recommended by our server, Vee. Tonight we truly shared everything – starting with the Two for Delicacies: Bacon Wrapped Dates & Meatballs (see pictures). We followed that up with a Three for $35 Skewer: Swordfish, Chicken Shawarma & Sirloin Tip (see picture). All of them were delicious and highly recommended, but our favorite was the Bacon Wrapped Dates!

    Lastly, if you follow my posts, you know how hard it is for me to leave a restaurant without having some type of sweets. Tonight was no different, although it was free for my wife’s Birthday. We opted for the Salted Caramel Budino (see picture) and while we have had it before – we truly relished every spoonful. It was sweet, rich and awesome – especially given the smaller portion size that didn’t leave us feeling too guilty!

    You will love a stop here for your next meal out…and if you want to sample a few things at a bargain price, they have one of the best true 1/2 price Happy Hours in the area!

    July 2021

    We stopped here for dinner on our anniversary based on an online rating and really liked it.  It is very clean, modern and ‘chic’.

    I highly recommend stopping between 3 and 6 to take advantage of the Happy Hour (we did).  We sampled several beers and a delicious wood fire pizza – all at 1/2 price!

    On the waitress’ recommendation we ordered the #10 pizza (…meat & hot honey).  As the name implied it was a perfect combination of pepperoni and spicy Italian sausage along with just a tinge of sweetness from the honey.  It was just perfect for the 2 of us to share.  On a subsequent visit with our son, we tried the Gyro (#5).  Their beer tap wasn’t working on that trip, so we had to ‘settle’ for wine with our pizzas instead.

    Lastly don’t leave without trying one of the desserts.  Again based on the waitress’ recommendation we went with the Salted Caramel Budino.  It wasn’t quite what we expected but oh, it was so good!  It was a delicious pudding/tapioca (chantilly cream) with some sprinkles of dark chocolate on the top and a dollop of salted caramel.  Dessert Bliss!!

    This is definitely a place you’ll want to try!

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    Salted Caramel Budino
    3 for $35 Skewer (Swordfish, Chicken & Sirloin Tip)
    Bacon Wrapped Dates
    Meatballs

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  • Cappy’s Pizza (Riverview, FL) Review

    Cappy’s Pizza (Riverview, FL) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    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: $20

    05/20/2024 Cappy’s Pizza (813) 662-4811

    My Dad was up for pizza for dinner, so we looked around the Riverview area and chose Cappy’s Pizza. The exterior of the building was a clean, modern brick facade with decking on the upper levels giving it a bit of a European / New Orleans feel. The interior was full of classic agricultural and automotive signs from yesteryear and was well-lit.

    To start our meal, we ordered a large Greek Salad (see picture) to share and we were not disappointed – it was delicious! We ordered 3 pizzas to share (see pictures) – 2 NY Customs and a NY Cappy. We enjoy thinner crusts and found all of these options to be very good – wood-fired edges with plenty of sauce and toppings.

    A rock-solid pizza shop that I would recommend and look forward to a return.

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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  • Cosi Cucina Italian Grill (Clive, IA) Review

    Cosi Cucina Italian Grill (Clive, IA) Review

    Rating: 5 out of 5.

    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: $40

    04/24/2024 Cosi Cucina (515) 278-8148

    Stopped back with a friend for a drink and dinner – and enjoyed another great experience! It honestly doesn’t look like much from the street (see picture with sign), but once you get around the back of the building to the entrance door (see picture) – it starts to feel more modern and inviting.

    We started with an Italian Margarita (see picture) and a Diana’s Martini (see picture) that we enjoyed with the complimentary Table Bread & Oil (see picture). All of them were very good and although I knew I shouldn’t…I couldn’t resist ordering an extra portion of Table Bread – it was so warm, moist and delicious!

    My friend ordered the Lasagna (see picture) and while I was tempted with the Butternut Squash Risotto, I ended up once again going for the Ziti Cucina with 2 meatballs – the “Pasta Special” (see picture). Luckily my friend, like my wife, likes to share tastes of our food – so we both sampled each other’s and would highly recommend both dishes. While $29 is definitely at the high end of what I prefer to spend for pasta – the taste of the Ziti Cucina was definitely as good as the presentation, and there was plenty to take home for another meal later.

    04/27/2022

    Stopped here based on a strong recommendation from a friend and it lived up to the recommendation in all ways! We had to wait a while for a table, so grabbed a seat at the bar and enjoyed a lemon drop martini and a white wine.

    Our dining table was available within the time promised and we were immediately treated with dinner rolls and olive oil.  My wife started with a side salad (see picture) and we both really enjoyed it…large, light and fresh.

    For dinner, I ordered the Ziti Cocina and my wife ordered the Chicken Picatta.  We shared both orders and both of us really liked both of them – excellent flavors to match the beautiful presentation. The Picatta sauce was plenty salty, but the green beans were fantastic!

    We will definitely be back again and would highly recommend it for a great meal!

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    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Pasta Special – Ziti Cocina w/ 2 Meatballs
    Lasagna
    Table Bread & Oil
    Italian Margarita
    Diana’s Martini
    Bar
    Waiting Area
    Waiting Area
    Entrance Door
    Street View

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  • The Beerhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    The Beerhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    04/04/2024 The Beerhouse (515) 278-1821

    Had the opportunity for a return trip after work with a friend since this place is close to my office and the food didn’t disappoint. Our server suggested the Patty Melt (see picture), so I went with that and we ordered Truffle Fries (see picture) to share. I was impressed with both items and would rate them well above average pub food.

    A solid, modern bar with above average pub food and a good selection of tap beers.

    03/2022
    We stopped for dinner after seeing that they finally had reopened after a major remodel.  Unbeknownst to us, it was their Grand Opening celebration a few hours earlier and it was still a little busy.

    We chose to sit at the bar.  I ordered the lamb gyro (see picture) and my wife ordered the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich with tater tots (see picture).  I really liked the lamb gyro and while we both really like hot foods and generally order food at the hotter side of the range when offered, the Nashville Chicken sandwich was way too hot.  My wife couldn’t eat it (pepper burn with not much flavor), so we opened it up to see the seasoning thickly pasted on the chicken.  Once we scraped off as much of the pepper seasoning, the flavor was good, we liked the bun and the tater tots were also tasty and cooked well.

    Unfortunately, we weren’t asked how the food was due to how busy it was, so we weren’t able to let them know before leaving.

    January 2021
    Stopped on our way home from dinner last night too have a beer.  If you are still concerned about masks and close quarters, this might not be the place for you as most of the wait staff and customers did not wear them and the place was pretty full.

    We enjoyed our stop though and the service was great.  If you like darker beers and coffee…here is one for you to try that we created last night.  I found the Boulevard Steep Drop coffee stout too bland, while the Left Hand Peanut Butter Milk Stout was too sweet, with a strong peanut butter flavor.  My wife suggested mixing the 2 together, so I ordered a pint of the 2 mixed and found it delicious!  If you like peanut butter and coffee, you will want to give this a try!

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    Patty Melt
    Truffle Fries

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  • The Other Place (Clive, IA) Review

    The Other Place (Clive, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    03/25/2024 The Other Place (515) 225-9494

    After vowing to never return to this restaurant following a terrible experience in early 2021 during COVID (see original review below), we decided to give it another try and sample their Monday Burgers & Brews special. They also had a Happy Hour from 3-6 that I found on HappyHourDesMoines.com, so thought this would be a great Monday stop for dinner with family visiting from out of town.

    Clearly, this visit was MUCH better than the last one and I found it to be an overall solid pub experience. Nothing stood out as extremely good (other than possibly the onion rings), but everything was well above-average.

    My wife ordered the Kansas Rancher burger with Onion Rings (see picture), my Dad ordered the House Special pizza (see picture) and I ordered the South Philly burger (see picture). As mentioned earlier, we all agreed that the Onion Rings were the highlight of our meals – crispy and full of flavor. The pizza was also very good and while the toasted brioche bun and toppings were great on the South Philly, I was disappointed with the hamburger patty. The appearance was poor (looked like it was literally cut off the end of a hamburger tube and thrown on the grill), there was little flavor and it was over-cooked (our server asked how I wanted it prepared and I ordered medium-rare, but it came medium to medium-well).

    A solid local pub with above average food and service.

    01/2021

    Believe this is the first 2* rating that I’ve given and unfortunately the lady serving at the bar deserved it. Stopped here for dinner with my wife and adult son tonight.

    We were told that the wait would be about 20 minutes, so I asked if I could buy a beer at the bar and drink it by the door while waiting – to which she said yes. We walked to the other side of the bar area and found a small table without a COVID / social distancing sign, so thought we would just stand there and drink.

    The male bartender immediately stopped to tell us that there were only 2 stools, so he couldn’t server us as a group of 3. Therefore I told my wife and son to sit there and I would go back to the front door area and drink a beer there while waiting. I walked around to the front door side of the bar again to order my beer…but not before the male bartender ‘tattled’ to the female that she shouldn’t serve me because we were a group of 3. I explained that I was going to drink my beer on my own, so she served me.

    Then, my wife and son were told that they couldn’t sit at that small bar table after all, as they wanted to seat restaurant patrons there – so they came over to join me by the front door. When my wife went up to order the same beer I was drinking, the female bartender was very rude, wouldn’t serve her and said I wasn’t allowed to drink by the front door.

    I have no idea what the actual rule was, after being told two different things…but after the way she treated my wife, we removed our names from the waiting list and immediately left the restaurant. The waiting list at Jethro’s up the street was similar, we were able to have a beer in peace while waiting and the food was great.

    I was looking forward to trying their food, but unfortunately after this experience we probably won’t return and wouldn’t recommend this restaurant until they figure out what their COVID rules are and begin to treat their customers with respect.

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    House Special Pizza
    Kansas Rancher w/ Onion Rings
    South Philly Burger

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  • Red Rabbit (Minneapolis, MN) Review

    Red Rabbit (Minneapolis, MN) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    10/28/2023 Red Rabbit Minneapolis (612) 767-8855

    We were in town to visit our son and celebrate his girlfriend passing her bar exam and looking for a place to eat when my wife suggested this place. Unfortunately, they didn’t take reservations, so we drove down and got our place on the seating list. They were quite busy as it was a Saturday night. We were told that it would be almost an hour and we wouldn’t all be able to sit together (there were 7 in our party). However, we ended up getting to sit a little earlier than promised and were all seated at the same table.

    We spent the time waiting for our table at the beautiful bar (see picture). Once we were seated, the Roasted Carrots (see picture) were highly recommended by friends, so we tried them and were not disappointed.

    For our meals, we ordered a number of different options and shared tastes of each other’s dishes so we all got to sample a variety of menu items. There are pictures for each of these mentioned dishes below and believe me, each and every one of them was delicious. The dishes we ordered were: Shrimp Garganelli, Mostacciolli, Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan and Butternut Squash Ravioli. Believe me, you won’t go wrong with any of these dishes.

    If you follow my posts, you know that the favorite part of my dining experience is the desserts. I don’t like a lot, but love at least a few bites to top off a meal. With so many people at our table, it was a great opportunity to order several desserts to share…and that is exactly what we did. We ordered the Beignets (see picture) which were delicious on their own, but even better with the raspberry dipping sauce. The highlight though was the Sticky Toffee Cake (see picture). It was recommended to our son’s girlfriend by another patron who was also waiting to be seated…and it was absolutely fantastic! We ordered it with truffel salt per her recommendation and the salted caramel and candied orange zest was a great complement.

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    Roasted Carrots
    Shrimp Garganelli
    Mostaccioli
    Lasagna
    Chicken Parmesan
    Butternut Squash Ravioli
    Sticky Toffee Cake
    Beignets

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  • Destination Grille (Grimes, IA) Review

    Destination Grille (Grimes, 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*

    10/07/2023 Destination Grille

    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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    Prime Rib Special
    Salmon BLT
    Happy Hour Chicken Strips
    Tres Leches (2022)
    Tres Leches (June 2023)
    Cheesy Potato Soup
    Prime Rib
    Poke Bowl
    Manhattan
    Mango Margarita

    Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

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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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  • 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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  • 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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  • Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, IA) Review

    Urban Cellar (West Des Moines, 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*

    03/28/2023 Urban Cellar

    Stopped by again last night with my wife to try out the Happy Hour again and had a good time. We shared orders of Mama’s Meatballs (see picture) and a Margherita Pizza (see picture). We really enjoyed the meatballs – good flavor, not too greasy and with just the right amount of sauce and cheese. The crust on the margherita pizza was very soft if you like that and the flavor was good…we just prefer having some protein so will probably stick with the Meatballs or Salmon Cakes. The Tommy’s Margarita (see picture) was not one of my favorites…coming across a bit tart and a bit of an artificially sweetened mouthfeel.

    3/13/2023

    Have seen it numerous times and finally took the time to stop in and check it out after an appointment at Vero Chiropractic nearby. Looking for content for HappyHourDesMoines.com, my first question was whether they had a Happy Hour – and BOY did they ever! Not only did they have a GREAT Happy Hour (see pictures), but they also had a Monday Dinner Special ($60 for a bottle of wine, 2 entrees and a dessert – see picture) that I will definitely be returning to try with my wife on a later date.

    The place so impressed me, that I couldn’t leave without trying at least one drink from their Happy Hour menu. I had a seat at the bar and the bartender talked me into trying the Old Fashioned (see picture) – which was a great recommendation.

    It was so good, I decided to also try one of the 1/2 off Starters and, again based on the recommendation from the bartender, went with the Salmon Cakes (see picture). They looked fantastic when served (see picture) and tasted every bit as good! Tasty, moist yet crumbly salmon inside a crunchy crust wrapped in an awesome cream cheese tube that complemented the salmon so well.

    Not only was the food, atmosphere and service fantastic – given the Happy Hour pricing, they definitely earned a 5* rating on Value also! While chatting with a delightful lady sitting next to me (who let me try a piece of her Margherita Pizza – see picture, which was also delicious), I learned that this place has a common owner with the Urban Grill in Urbandale – another great stop. You definitely won’t be disappointed with a stop here…one of my few full 5* reviews!

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    Salmon Cakes
    Margherita Pizza
    Mama’s Meatballs
    Old Fashioned
    Tommy’s Margarita
    Happy Hour, Desserts & Specials

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  • Wig and Pen Pizza Pub (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Wig and Pen Pizza Pub (Ankeny, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    02/05/2023

    My wife was hungry for chicken wings and found an article stating that Wig and Pen had some of the best, so we came back to try their wings while in the area. We started with a Bloody Mary (see picture) since it was on special for the day and really enjoyed it – good flavor and not to spicy or salty.

    For an appetizer, we ordered Breaded Mushrooms (see picture) – a solid offering if you like them but nothing super special. For the meal, we ordered Wing Zings (see picture) with Big Ben sauce. The Big Ben sauce was good, but we found the wings to be awfully salty with a very thick, crunchy breading / crust. For us, they were again solid, but not what we would put in the upper echelon of wings that we’ve eaten.

    If you are hungry for wings I wouldn’t pick this place first, but if you are looking for deep-dish, really cheesy pizza, this is still one of my favorites!

    12/04/2022

    We stopped here with our son and daughter-in-law after watching the Christmas Tree Lighting at the District. This place had been recommended to us, so we were anxious to give it a try. While we were seated within about 15 minutes, we were warned that the wait for the deep dish pizzas would be at least 30 minutes and the menu also pointed out that the wait would be 30-50+ minutes.

    We first stopped at the bar (see picture) and ordered a beer (see tap selection picture). We were called to be seated before finishing our drinks and given the wait for the pizzas, we ordered Cheese Balls (see picture) and Garlic Cheese Bread (see picture). If you don’t like cheese…this isn’t your place – as both the cheese bread and pizzas (described later) had LOTS of cheese. In my book, that made them Oh So Delicious!

    Last came the pizzas (see pictures) and yes, they tasted as good as they look. Based on our waitress’ recommendation, we went with their specialty Flying Tomato style for both. As the pictures show, for this style you have no idea what kind of pizza it is since there is SO much cheese on the top…and both were covered with slices of tomatoes. The pizza was SO good – while I’m often not a huge crust fan…I found this crust to be delicious and didn’t hesitate to eat all of it.

    The only negative that I can come up with is that both my son and I like to use our forks to cut the pizza. The provided forks were very thin (cheap?), and both of us commented how much they hurt our fingers to use. Other than that, if you love pizza – you will definitely enjoy a stop here!

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    Bar
    Tapped Beer Selection
    Specials
    Breaded Mushrooms
    Cheese Balls
    Garlic Cheese Bread Marinara
    Lg Flying Tomato Pepperoni
    Med Flying Tomato Union Jack
    Menu
    Menu
    Menu
    Menu
    Menu
    Menu

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  • Pagliai’s Pizza (Johnston, IA) Review

    Pagliai’s Pizza (Johnston, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 3*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    01/28/2023 Pagliai’s Pizza

    We had heard about this place, driven by it several times and wanted to try it, so were looking forward to it when asked by friends to meet them there. We started with a Margarita (see picture) based on a recommendation and it turned out to be the highlight of the evening. It was not only a generous serving (separate shaker as shown in picture to refill your glass), but it tasted great – not too tart and not too sweet.

    For our meal, we started with a Greek Salad (another highlight) – the salad and the dressing were great! For our meal, we ordered a 10″ double crust Pepperoni (see picture), a 10″ double crust Bacon Cheeseburger (see picture) and a 14″ House Special (see picture). I ended up disappointed in the pizza (heavy, dense crust with little flavor that wasn’t my favorite) as well as the value ($19 for the Cheeseburger and $26 for the House Special – and both were relatively small).

    If you are looking for a great Margarita (who would have thought in an Italian restaurant…), I think that you will love your stop here. However, as to the pizza (their namesake specialty), I really can’t recommend it based on the value as well as the crust. In my opinion, it is in the lower tier of pizzas that we’ve had in the area.

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    House Special
    Cheeseburger
    Pepperoni
    Margarita

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  • Backpocket Pin & Pixel (Johnston, IA) Review

    Backpocket Pin & Pixel (Johnston, IA) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.67* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 5*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 5*

    01/24/2023 Backpocket Pin & Pixel

    Stopped here to meet a friend after work this week and was impressed with the beers and the atmosphere. If that isn’t enough to capture your attention, they also have an attached arcade area with lots of fun entertainment.

    The beer selection is good, it is served cold – and if you like sampling different beers, their beer Flight is a pretty good value (5 samples for $9). This place is definitely worth a stop after work or for a casual stop out before or after dinner. The have a pretty good selection of ‘Bytes’…so will have to try the food during a future stop.

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  • Flix Brewhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Flix Brewhouse (Urbandale, IA) Review

    Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

    3.5* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    01/22/2023 Flix Brewhouse

    We stopped here primarily to use our Pub Pass for a free beer, then ended up utilizing their $2 Off Iowa beer special instead and ordered some food. The beer selection is good and the Pork Quesadilla (see picture) that we ordered was better than we expected – it was very good.

    While it is a very casual, open and loud atmosphere adjacent to the movie theater in the mall, the beer and food are better than average and I’d recommend it for a stop after work or a casual night out.

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  • Palace Pizza (Lakeland, Florida) Review

    Palace Pizza (Lakeland, Florida) Review

    Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/13/2023 Palace Pizza

    Excellent pizza and Italian food that we enjoyed courtesy of our son’s recommendation while visiting his worksite in the Lakeland area.

    You order from the counter while looking at the previously prepared menu items, then your selected items are warmed up and delivered to your table (see pictures). It is definitely an area favorite, as the place was buzzing when we stopped by for dinner. Tables were at a premium since it was quite chilly outside, so the outside dining area was not being utilized.

    The Garlic Knots (see picture) are unbelievably good – soft, warm, buttery and with just a slight outer layer crunch. In almost the same category was the Bruschetta (see picture) – crunchy bread, fresh ingredients and tasty seasoning! All of the pizzas that we tried (see pictures) were fantastic – not sure that you can go wrong with any of them.

    Most importantly, make sure you save some room for dessert (see cooler picture) and sample one or two before you leave. We had the Tiramisu and Chocolate Cheesecake – and both were oh, so delicious!

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    Garlic Knot
    Bruschetta

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  • Fat Charlie’s Tavern (Urbandale) Review

    Fat Charlie’s Tavern (Urbandale) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.0* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: n/a

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/06/2023 Fat Charlie’s Tavern

    Stopped here on our way home from dinner for a drink as we had not yet been here since their opening. We seated ourselves at the bar and were impressed with the decor and Signature Drinks (see picture) – as well as the fact that they had a Happy Hour to add to HappyHourDesMoines.com.

    I ordered the Smoked Maple Old Fashioned (see picture) and my wife ordered the Chile Lime Mango Margarita (see picture). Both drinks tasted very good and based on a quick look at their food menu on the way out, we will be stopping back to try their food at a later date.

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    Chile Lime Mango Margarita
    Smoked Maple Old Fashioned

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  • Waveland Cafe West Booneville Bar (Booneville, IA) Review

    Waveland Cafe West Booneville Bar (Booneville, IA) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 3*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    01/04/2023 Waveland Cafe West Booneville Bar

    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 Cheeseburger
    Wavelands Breakfast Burger
    Menu

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  • Papa’s Pizzeria (Polk City) Review

    Papa’s Pizzeria (Polk City) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    4.25* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

    Google Review

    Food: 5*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 4*

    Service: 4*

    We stopped here with my parents and 2 of our sons as we enjoyed a previous visit and thought my parents would like the pizza (they did). The group also enjoyed the humorous / edgy decor and signage around the restaurant (pizza signage for the restrooms for example – see pictures).

    Since we were hungry when we arrived, we started with a couple of orders of Garlic Cheese Bread with marinara (see picture) and a beer. The cheese bread was good and just as we finished it up, the pizza arrived. We ordered a large Supper Pappa (thin – see picture) and a large Pepperoni (pan – see picture) and thought both of them were excellent.

    Lastly, I have a hard time leaving this place without having at least one of the Thelma’s ice cream / cookie sandwiches from the cooler. Everyone was already very full, so I talked the kitchen into cutting it into quarters for us so that we could each have a bite for dessert. They have a great selection of flavors, so make sure you try one before you leave.

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  • The Walrus Restaurant (Bismarck, ND) Review

    Rating: 4 out of 5.

    3.75* (out of 5)

    Yelp Review

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    Food: 4*

    Atmosphere: 4*

    Value: 3*

    Service: 4*

    Had lunch here while visiting my sister and brother-in-law in Bismarck and enjoyed the stop…good food and a good beer selection.  While we found the atmosphere a little dark to our liking (low light levels made reading the menu difficult) the quality and taste of the food was great!

    The complimentary table bread and butter (see picture) was basic but good.  For my lunch, I kept it simple and light…going for the Turkey Sandwich with Pepper Jack cheese (see picture).  While the bread was basic bakery loaf style, the sandwich was fresh and tasted great!

    Other than bringing your own light to read the menu (if you are over the age of 50 like us), you will enjoy a stop here – great food and service.

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