Overall the food was really good. The menu is intricate in details on the ingredient choices. Our serve was attentive, a little on the quirky side but entertaining . We had the buffalo tots which was good, shake was delicious I would try them all ! The four stars is because of the price . $14 for tots are steep, so almost perfect. read more

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I had heard good things about their burgers and the rumors are true. This is definitely a delicious place to sink your teeth into. Come hungry as they also serve these amazing shake creations. I was not aware of this and was stuffed from dinner. I loved how they served the French fries on little fryer looking baskets. The fries were crisped to perfection. As I write this I am trying to think of when I can be out this way next. They had something for everyone on their menu and I would like to go back and try some more. Their beer menu was great as well. I decided on a flight and discovered a couple I liked that I hadn't had before. Next visit I am saving room for one of those yummy shakes! read more

Central Standard - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

I have been to this place numerous amounts of times now. The first time I went was a few years ago and that was the only time that I've actually sat in the restaurant and ate but it's a very nice establishment and looks really cool inside. The rest of the times that I've been here, I've just gotten takeout. They have a lot of menu options to try. Are used to get a chicken sandwich that I would just take the toppings off of but a month back they change their menu and switched it to a spicy chicken sandwich. The first time that I tried it I really liked it but the second time that I got it it was very over spiced. Almost like half of the sandwich was just pure spice and it just wasn't edible. They have really good cheese curds and a really good pretzel as well as really good onion rings. I also really like the mac & cheese that they offer. I've only ever gotten just the regular white cheddar mac & cheese but it is really good and is definitely worth the price. I do wish they just had more of a basic chicken sandwich like they used to but they have many other options that I think are worth trying. Overall, it's a great dinner place and a great place to get takeout if you're not interested in dining in. read more

Ive only been here once but want to go back. Had the brisket mac n cheese and it was fire. The thai tacos were also good but that brisket mac was just too comfy. My mouth is gettin all juiced up just thinkin about it. read more

We were here for lunch and to get our pub pass stamped. The patio was pretty full when we were there, but there was plenty of room to dine in. The host and service were prompt. I had the Crushin' On Amber and my wife had the Bulldog Blonde for drinks. We both enjoyed the beers. I had the Spicy Chicky Sammy which I enjoyed. I like some heat and spice, but it was almost a bit too much for me. The Oh No! was the other sandwich that we had. The fries were good especially with the homemade ranch for dipping. We both came away full and would go back. read more

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I really like this space. It's the high open architecture that we're seeing more and more in restaurants, but it's tastefully done with a mix of bar seating, high tops, low tables, and booths. We were greeted immediately as we walked in at a hosting station just inside of the front door. Asked if we had a type of seating we preferred... Music was playing overhead and there were quite a few TVs...most of them tuned to sports of course. The volume of the music wasn't overwhelming and we were able to carry on a normal conversation with no issues. Once we were seated our server, Donnie, came over, introduced himself, and took our drink orders. When he delivered our drinks I asked him if there was a "most popular" burger since there are a WIDE variety of eclectic burgers listed. He really knew the menu and had some great suggestions. I ordered the following. Belly Burger (monterey jack, caramelized onions, smoked pork belly & smoked gouda fondue). - $15 5ive Cities Beer Battered Cheese Curds (with chipotle ranch). - $11 Unsweetened iced tea - $3ish The strawberry shake and onion rings pictured are items ordered by my co-workers. One of them had the "Oh no" burger and the other had the portabello mushroom and Swiss. The burgers come with the hand cut fries, but there are a wide variety of other options too. Some up-charges apply. The first thing that hit the table was the cheese curds. These were excellent and were the most popular item to hit the table... A unanimous decision between the three of us. The fries were good. The outside was crispy...the inside was soft and hot. At first I thought they were a little limp, but I had to re-evaluate as they set a couple of minutes. I'm not a big hand cut fry person... I prefer crinkle cuts... But these were actually pretty good once I manned up. The burgers were good too. They were all cooked well done (two thin beef patties), but they weren't dried out. The combinations offered cater to a wide variety of tastes. The pork belly on mine was slightly charred and it was a really good pairing of meats. Tasted excellent. I could take or leave the fondue. The onion rings are big and thick and have a similar light airy batter on them to what is used on the cheese curds. While this works great on the cheese curds I thought it left the onions a little under-cooked...however I think if they had been cooked longer it may have compromised the batter. Kind of a catch 22. I didn't get to try the shake (since it wasn't mine). But it sure looked good... Everyone was VERY happy with their food and service. Donnie was spectacular and on the ball during our entire visit. Great service. I really like the atmosphere in Central Standard, the service, and the food. Prices were a little steep for lunch (in my opinion). It was more in-line for what I would consider a dinner budget. That's just me though... The burger combos ranged from $11 to $15 (with fries). I didn't pay attention to the price of the cheese curds when I ordered them and about went into sticker shock when I got my $30 (and change) lunch tab...before tip. Completely my fault there though... I'd sure like to try a few more of their menu items. The item descriptions across the board all sounded really good. I forgot to take a picture of the menu in the restaurant. They have a menu posted online. Unfortunately the online menu doesn't include prices. read more

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One of the best shakes Ever!!!! Great burger and spin dip was great would recommend One of the best shakes Ever!!!! Great burger and spin dip was great would recommend read more

Amazing shakes and amazing food! This is the Birthday Cake Shake. I also ate the Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese, and it was just as delicious! read more

Central Standard - Birthday Cake Shake - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Got out for some lunch with the family after awhile of only doing take-out! Very cool/hip spot but seemed pretty dead (probably due to COVID). The 3 Cheese Macaroni was incredibly rich, filling & delicious! I got some pulled pork on the side but it was a bit bland so I ended up not eating much of it. I would love to come back to watch some sort of sporting event and enjoy a drink with friends to really get a feel for the atmosphere. read more

Central Standard - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

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I love a good craft burger, and was delighted to find Central Standard shortly after moving to the greater Des Moines area. The restaurant is a short 12 minute drive from home and close to those in West Des Moines, Waukee, and "new" Urbandale, and will be a fixture in my takeout dinners for a long time. 1. Ordering over the phone was a breeze -- the staff who answered could not have been any nicer or more helpful for this newbie. 2. The selection of burgers is delightful -- 14 different burgers, plus an array of sandwiches, wraps, apps, and mac & cheese. I opted for the Whiskey Bleu burger and my companions all selected BBQ bacon cheddar. 3. My burger was perfectly cooked and the toppings packed a flavorful punch. The fries on the side were *chef's kiss*! Crispy, salty, crunchy. Yum. I can't wait to come back and dine in person -- looked like a ton of TVs and the beer selection rivaled what I am used to from my former residence (Milwaukee). Central Standard has a fan for life! read more

Sadly, I've had to update my review to three stars. I used to frequent this restaurant but it has been going downhill. The last three times I have been there, it is like they don't want to turn the air conditioning on. Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to be cold but I also don't want to be sweating while I'm there. Also I have noticed that they are frequently out of beers and the temp of the beers could be colder. I would never recommend getting one of their shakes for the full price of $9 because it is mostly just whipped cream. If you insist, go on Mondays when they have half price shakes. Also there is a service charge added to the bill plus a credit card fee which I don't remember seeing in the past. It is sad because I used to go at least once a month and I can't tell you the next time I'll probably go again. read more

Central Standard - Service charge plus a credit card fee - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Ordered multiple burgers, with fries, onion rings, or Mac and cheese. Also Ordered Parmesan pretzel. All burgers were great along with fries. Onion rings (picture) were mostly without breading, and over fried til dry. Pretzel was great. Honey mustard was thin like a vinaigrette but tasty. Mac and cheese is curled noodles, was thin cheese sauce and was on the bottom and didn't stick even after mixing. Kid didn't eat much and other spit out. Needs improvement. I'd recommend their namesake burgers, fries and pretzel. Shakes are heard to be great too and at $9, need to be. read more

Central Standard - Onion rings - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Oooh this place is cute, but no one really cares about that lol. Services, Inwas really let down for the first 13 mins, because that's how long it took for someone to come to my table and greet me. I was seated right away, it wasn't that busy it was around 3:00 and less than 10 customers and tons of employees. On the verge of getting up and leaving I stop what I think was a manager who helped me right away and made sure I was taking care of. I order a cocktail which was okay, fire and smoke burger, soooo good full of flavor and HOT, french fries were really good and a s'more omg.....it is a must, I would drive 35 mins just to seat at the bar and eat that again. I would try this place again they have a very interesting menu with other items I would love to try. This place is new and got super busy after 4pm so if your super hungry and have thin patience go earlier in the day. read more

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Good servers and delicious food. The salad with grilled or smoked chicken was always a go to!

Made our way out to Waukee for our first visit at Central Standard, (had heard a ton of great things about it but just not in the area often). Wow. Lots to cover..... We stopped there mid afternoon on a Sunday thinking about an app and a beer. Went with the Barbacoa Nachoes and the Cheese curds. The nachoes were HUGE and the barbacoa was flavored very nicely, more of a dryer version as opposed to a saucey barbacoa which worked fine and prevented chip sog). I repeat they were HUGE and really good. But the cheese curds.......oh....my..... We were told they hand bread them, and it showed - they were legit maybe the best I've had at a restaurant. The cheese stayed soft even after they sat for a bit and the sauces there were great and home made as well. The kids got hot dogs which looked like high quality, and the fries were awesome. Cooked perfectly, crispy outside and perfect texture inside. We sealed the deal with some shakes at the end. The bday cake shakes for the kids came out with lit sparklers which was quite a show for them. And I normally think bday cakes can be too sweet for myself but I managed to sneak a bite of theirs and it was actually perfect. As were the monthly special - Apple Pie (hurry this one won't last long) and the double Chocolate Brownie. I wanted to mention, it took a bit for us to get served, and I think this was more of a byproduct of the staffing challenges in the industry right now. Luckily we were not in a rush and waited it out.....the service ended up being really exceptional as well. Food came out quickly, the beer was cold, the staff was incredibly pleasant. I only bring this up to encourage a bit of extra patience potentially if you run into the same thing. It was incredibly worth it! I could keep raving but I must stop myself as it might already be too long. I wish we lived closer because this place had everything, including of tvs inside and outside. Highly recommend- will definitely be back! read more

Delicious food. Lovely atmosphere. Have been there several times and never had any complaints. All my kids enjoy it

Visited for lunch and chose the lunch combo. The Caesar Chicken Wrap was a little dry, but the white cheddar mac is awesome!

Went for my third visit to this place last night. Clean vibrant atmosphere and usually busy. Went for a sandwich with a friend and figured this time I would feel the mojo that would frequently draw me to this place since it's close. Ordered blue cheese burger and a cup of coffee. Friend ordered tenderloin sandwich and tomato soup with coffee to drink. Coffee arrives and is warm at best. Explained to waitress that coffee is cold and her reply was well maybe it was left over from lunch and she would take it to the kitchen and warm it up. Ok. Sandwich arrives and burger is cooked but cool. Warmest item in the sandwich was the sautéed onions. Bun was cold and ultra dry with something brushed over the top which made it a delight to hold. Friend commented that the tenderloin was good but the soup was cold. Nice place, gave it a try, won't be back anytime soon. read more

Food is good and the beer selection is good as well. They don't have the biggest food or drink menu but from what they do have there's lots of good options! The service is slow but if you're not in a rush it's worth it read more

One of my new favorite Des Moines area restaurants! Great atmosphere and service. The pretzel was to die for. The Mac and cheese was just okay, kind of bland, but everything else was amazing and would definitely order it again. Can't wait to go back! read more

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My delivery order was already 5 minutes past the scheduled pickup time. The hostess said that she was "not sure" how long it would take. 42 minutes later the Buffalo Chicken Wrap and BBQ brussel sprouts came out of the kitchen. Very poor service times. read more

Central Standard - the entrance to the restaurant - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

If you want an over-the-top (in the best way) shake, come to Central Standard! Their shakes are amazing - especially on Monday's when they're half-off! The food is good as well. I have never been disappointed with the food, but it is pretty heavy food (burgers, mac & cheese, etc.). The prices are slightly higher than your average American food grill, but quality is higher making up for that price differential. read more

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Our hotel clerk recommended this place - she said great shakes and craft beer and burgers. We arrived around 4:30 - no wait. Friendly staff - new area of town - new strip mall. Alex was a great waiter - he came up with the ingredients for my special chocolate raspberry martini. Not every bar can make it, so it's a special treat when I get to have it and he made it perfectly! The birthday cake shakes were a party! They came with sprinkles and sparklers!!!! Our food came super fast. The presentation was spot on. The bacon chicken grilled cheese was a hit and could serve 2 people. My husband and granddaughter both ordered it and each could only eat half. One had onion rings - delicious very thinly coated and sweet. The other had cheesy tater tots - came in it's own little iron skillet - yummy! We also had the cheese curds and they were good. My fish and chips came with 2 pieces of fish, slaw and fries. The fish was ok - not real thick. The tarter sauce was a bit spicy - but pepper is spicy for me . The slaw was purple - I'm not a slaw person so can't rate it. Overall, very clean place with good menu choices. If we lived here we would make this a regular spot. read more

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This establishment takes a high end sports bar approach. With craft beers, flights, wine bottles, plenty of TVs and friendly staff. Large portions and delicious sounding menu. We had the giant Parmesan pretzel. It was flakey on the outside and soft as fresh bread in the middle. Absolutely the best soft pretzel I've ever had. Gouda cheese fondue was top notch! Honey grain mustard that was cold was flavorful but not my fav. Marinara sauce is std with a spicy kick at the end. Homemade shakes with alcohol options look so delicious, I must return to try one. By 6:15 the line was out the door waiting for a table. Never mind, couldn't resist and got a strawberry cheesecake shake. OMG, now words will accurately describe this delicious treat. read more

Central Standard - Giant Parmesan Pretzel - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Enjoyed the burger and tots. The milkshakes are a big hit. A few g-free options and good service.

Great menu with bold flavor. Great service. Excellent for groups or families. Enjoy the steak sandwich

This place is decent. The Caesar salad wrap is one of the best ones I have ever had and the shakes are truly phenomenal. Other than those 2 things, I have never enjoyed any other food items here. It would be a nice place to watch sports.Service is decent but don't order to go items as they tend to forget things. read more

So with any new place you try you expect alot out of the location. I would say Central was on point. We were greater like family, had a server in training who held her head up high like she knew what she was doing. The check backs were timed perfectly to make sure we had everything to make our experience great. My only bad part is when taking anything off a table ask to make sure all done. A water glass was empty and we were asked if ok to take and said yes. However we assumed that the water would be replaced. We informed the server and she rushed a new water out and apologized.We will be back and can't wait to try other menu items. By the way the fish was delicious as was the burger. read more

Central Standard - Fish n Chips lower dish and upper is Whiskey blue burger with cheese curds. - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

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Huge burgers with great variety. Quality server...lots of types of beer! I would recommend this for burgers n beer!

Good service. Clean open modern space. Had the Pub Burger and the Belly Burger. My Pub burger was excellent and I'm picky as hell with burgers. The tots and sweet potato fries were fresh and crisp. Finished off with a couple shakes. If your out in the middle of nowhere Waukee, check it out, it's worth it. read more

Central Standard - Shakes - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

I had the fish and chips and it came with no tartar sauce and no coleslaw . The fish was fried to its inch of moisture and tasted like cardboard with salt. Texted to the manager Andy and he said he will let me know since Feb 7 and not heard back even after a reminder. pretty poor service and poor after sales service read more

Central Standard - Menu - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

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Indulge in a shake! I usually get mine to go because I'm so stuffed from my meal. Portions are generous and I've never had a bad meal. I'm sad that the Pub Burger is no longer on the menu, as it was my all-time favorite, but there are plenty of other options! read more

Good drinks and appetizer (cheese curds). Burger was unimpressive. A few tables loaded with dirty dishes but the place was not busy. 5/10. read more

3/10 Went in for a burger, and before I could even speak a word the worker lady came up and kicked my 2 year old across the room!!! terrible service will not be coming back. read more

Came here a few time and really like the place. Drinks are great, and the burgers and fries are awesome. This place has a bar but classy feel. Cozy I guess or comfortable for me at least. I feel like it's a place you can go to just to get drinks at the bar, for lunch with coworkers, or a nice dinner that isn't fancy but enjoyable. I would recommend getting their awesome burgers and fries when you are here. Food is good. Happy hour isn't all that great but regular stuff is always good. And try some of their beer as they got tons of options. read more

Central Standard - Yum! Burgers and fries are awesome! - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Came here to try something new out of the way where I normally go. Nice,new, clean open layout. The staff was really great and accommodating for my mom who has a walker and is on oxygen. While they had QR code menus they provided a paper one on request. The cheese curds were a little burnt but good, and the entrees were good portioned and good value (tenderloin and melt). I really appreciated the waitress giving us a little insight on the French dip which was prepared differently than the traditional sliced meat. Beer sample was also appreciated since many places stopped this because of covid. Will definitely recommend for others out this way! read more

Central Standard - Pumpkin stout sample - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

Great service! Wait staff was amazing! We had a retired group of about 30 folks & couldn't use the tall table. Staff allowed us to be seated outside & it was great Gotta order a shake!! read more

We really enjoy Central Standard and it was a great night to sit out on the patio. Our waiter was INCREDIBLE! We ordered the fried pickles and they came out burnt, so our waiter quickly brought us a fresh batch. I ordered a steak sandwich on focaccia and it was huge and delicious! Of course I got the sweet potato fries with ranch...trust me, get the sweet potato fries. The kale salad is incredible!! I've also had their whisky bleu burger and it is delicious. And, definitely get one of their milkshakes, but plan on sharing it because it is huge! read more

Took my mom to Central Standard yesterday. She wanted to try something new. We were seated right away and our service was great. Our waitress, Morgan was very helpful and attentive. My mom and I were both were craving a cheeseburger and decided to split the C.S. Burger since it comes with two beef patties. The burger was excellent and the fries were alright. My mom ordered a side of coleslaw and she loved it. They had a new milkshake of the month - the Monster Cookie. Delightful mixture of peanut butter and chocolate ice cream. It was delicious! Our waitress even offered to split the shake for us into two glasses. Overall, I recommend this place! read more

Central Standard - Monster Cookie Milkshake - Tacos Near Me - Waukee, Iowa

The food here is wonderful, reminds me of a bountiful thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, but made by excellent chefs. The shakes are also truly a gift from god. I highly recommend them. My only slight complaint would be the toe ish quality of the carrots served with the kids meal. As in they kinda looked like toes. They reminded me of my garish middle school lunch days. But if you aren't going to eat the baby carrot sticks, then I wouldn't worry about it. I was very surprised by how empty the restaurant was,although it was early in the day when we went. I think it should be full of people 24/7 because of how great the food was! read more