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    Cosi Cucina Italian Grill

    4.4 (263 reviews)
    ModerateItalian, Pizza, Seafood
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Cosi Cucina Italian Grill Photos

    Business Info

    COSI CUCINA ITALIAN GRILL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Romantic
    Good for kids

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    Reviews With Photos

    Onion RIngs
    Clem M.

    Celebrating my Wife's Birthday with Family at Cosi Cucina because it's her new favorite place and I absolutely agree. We started with the Onion Rings with Diana Sauce. They were good, large yellow onion rings with thick breading with Parmesan Cheese and Parsley. They were just not my jam, and different from other places. I wouldn't get again, just not for us. The 12 oz Filet is really two 6 oz Filets which is Ok. Came with Garlic mashed potatoes and green beans. I ordered it medium well and it came out medium which is perfect. It's not fork tender to cut through, but very tender and melts in your mouth. The house red wine Demi Glaze added nice decadence of flavor to the excellent beef tenderloin. Cooked perfectly with a nice pink center and not raw. Just excellence and you can taste the love in the food. The garlic mashed is a thick mash with plenty of garlic flavor and it will overpower the steak flavor if combined. The mash had some skin and chunks, as well as smooth consistency which I don't mind. Very tasty. The green beans were excellent, crisp and soft. Went very well. There were a few stem pieces that I don't care for on my beans, but that's just being picky. This was a fantastic meal and the Demi Glaze was exceptional. My wife choose the Lasagna and loved it. Only comment was it's a small portion for the price point, but the flavor and quality is fantastic. The strawberry salmon salad was just a beautiful plate and I heard the salmon was delicious. The Lobster Farfalle with Dinner Shrimp was also a huge hit. Lots of shrimp and lobster. We also got the old fashioned with Woodford Reserve and it was excellent. Decided to get the Cosi Connoli and it was absolutely beautiful and I loved it. Just so many flavors that it was a delicious symphony of a dessert. I wouldn't get this again. Also got the Crème Brûlée and it's just heaven. Such a beautiful end to a wonderful meal. The cheesecake was also a hit. I am not sure there is much left on the dessert menu to try, but that's ok because there is so many amazing food options to try. Looking forward to the next visit. The service was fantastic by Kaitlyn. The only other issue we encountered was dirty dishes. We got a drink served and half way through noticed the outside and inside had stuff stuck to the whiskey glass and very dirty. I got a spoon with food stuck to it and we also got a dirty plate. We did mention it so they were aware, but didn't make a big deal. I only mention because we found multiple dishes. With the flu going around it made some uneasy with the cleanliness aspect.

    Pizza was excellent
    Heather P.

    We were in town for a celebration of life and came by for a late dinner after the event. It had been a long and emotional day and our experience at Cosi Cucina couldn't have been better. The food was fantastic and the service was excellent. We were so thankful to find this place and have it on our list of restaurants to return to next time we are in town. Thank you again!!!

    Spaghetti and Meatballs
    Johannes P.

    While Christmas shopping in Des Moines this weekend we stopped by an Italian grocery store and asked the workers if they were in town for the night and wanted the best Italian food where would they go? There was no hesitation when they pointed us to the Cosi Cucina. Sure we had to wait about an hour( I would have waited hours longer), and let me tell you it was worth it! The service was phenomenal, the atmosphere was warm and romantic. The food was amazing , a culinary experience for sure. If you have a hankering for probably the best Italian food in Iowa then you need to stop in.

    Lobster Farfelle
    MaryAnn S.

    If you have a craving for Italian Flavors Cosi Cucina has one of my fan favorite dishes served up as Lobster Farfelle served in a tasty buttery sauces that is off the chart. My wait staff-- LaKurra--served my dish in an efficient manner while checking back to make sure my meal met my standard. The atmosphere was upbeat, full of happy chatter as diners enjoyed their dish of choice.

    Ziti Cucina plus two meatballs and Diana.  Aka Pasta Special.
    Dan T.

    It's been a few years since I've visited Cosi Cucina Italian Grill...which really doesn't make sense since I literally live two block away. In fact I don't know if I've been inside since Peter Renzo took over the business in 2017... It had been so long that I almost forgot the business' main entrance is in the rear of the building... The parking lot is HUGE with spaces to the West and East of the restaurant as well as more along the South side. We were a party of 12 with a 4:45 PM reservation on a Sunday evening. Our meal was flawless (in my humble opinion) from being seated to when we walked back to our vehicles at the end of the night... Everything was great! Our meal consisted of shared appetizers, our entrees, a shared pizza, and shared desserts...a few fountain and bar drinks and A LOT of $4 glasses of house wine (one of the happy hour specials). We have a great little group! Almost extended family at this point so we tend to share a lot across the table... Appetizers I tried: Onion rings, calamari strips, and the artisan stuffed mushrooms My entree: Ziti Cucina made into the "Pasta Special" with two meatballs and additional Diana sauce Shared pizza: Zesty honey garlic chicken alfredo Shared desserts: Cheesecake and the hot apple cake I could try to describe the food, but you're really better off to use the menu links, read the item descriptions, and then let your imagination do the rest of the work. That being said your imagination will probably fall short of reality. I couldn't have believed the food would taste as good as it did... Definitely not what I remember from my last visit, but the company might have had something to do with that too. The atmosphere is classic. Subtle lighting. Lots of wood. A balance that makes you think casual and upscale all at the same time. A perfect spot to grab lunch or dinner and an excellent choice for a date night. Seating is a combination of booths and tables and chairs. Our service (Ethan) was top shelf from the minute we sat down, to when our bills were finalized, and the "see you again soon"s were said as we headed to the door. I'm not a big dessert guy. Usually I could take it or leave it... But if I could make one suggestion for Cosi Cucina and have it stick with you... Save some room in your budget and appetite to try at least one of the desserts. If I left here again without trying something off the dessert menu I think I'd be kicking myself shortly after leaving... The items on the dessert menu are well constructed, aesthetically pleasing, and truly decadent! If you haven't been to Cosi Cucina yet you really need to check this place off your list. Or... If, like me, you haven't been to Cosi Cucina in a while... It's time to remedy that mistake and get back there... Life is too short. https://www.cosicucina.com/menu/ https://www.cosicucina.com/dessert-menu/

    Ziti Cucina
    Kristyn M.

    Quiet early weekday lunch. My manager wanted to bring us out for a holiday meal. We had a group of 6 of us. We have one individual who had a walker. Parking in the back of the building was perfect. Nice big lot. Our party of 6 had a reservation. They started to move us to the back of the restaurant. There is 1 step from the main entrance area to the rest of the dining area in the back. There is not a ramp, so they were quick to clear a spot for us to be able to get us seated. The restaurant was quiet at 11am so the adjustment was easy, and the waitress was right there to help us get started on drinks. She gave us time to review the menu. There is even a separate menu for appetizers which she brought but we didn't utilize. Everything moving forward was smooth as silk. Loved our waitress. There was warm bread brought out and everyone already had little finger bowls of oil for dipping. I did my normal trick to ask what the waitress ate last because the entire menu here at Cosi Cucina looks amazing. Everything sounds delicious and I just wanted to try them all. Citi Cucina- This is the restaurants signature top selling dish. A spicy blend of Graziano's Italian sausage and sundried tomatoes in a zesty tomatoes cream sauce tossed with penne pasta. The outside rim of the dish has red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese sprinkled around it for the esthetic pretty look. The heat of the meat was perfect. The sauce wasn't too thick and everything tasted perfect. I can concur that this is a great dish. I can understand why its a top selling dish. Even though the price seemed a little high for a lunch menu the portion sized matched. I can tell you it was enough food for 4 meals for me. The descriptions on the rest of the menu have to be close, because they did not fib on my Citi Cucina. The atmosphere today fit the holiday season. It has the dimmed lighting with the windows open and the midday sun shining in. The fireplace near out table was very pretty and putting off a little heat, and just above that was a TV. It was pleasant that the TV was not just a random show, but a mood setter. It was a view of a room that looked like was a view of a mountain with snow falling. It even had its own fireplace. It really just brought the holiday feel all the way around. Although we did not partake in the desert, it was offered. We were all stuffed. As we finished up and headed towards the door, there were multiple people who called out to "see you soon", "have a great day" "happy holidays". I am ready to go home and grab my hubby and bring him back, after we finish my leftovers of course. I'm stealing an idea from a fellow yelper and including links. Go check out this place. it's been around as long as it has for a reason. https://www.cosicucina.com/menu/ https://www.cosicucina.com/dessert-menu/

    Sign
    Aleena L.

    Cosi really impressed us. The pasta dishes were excellent--we ordered the Rosa Grazi and the Lobster Farfalle, both were flavorful and beautifully prepared. But the standout was the Ziti Cucina. It was absolutely delicious and definitely a must-try. The service was wonderful--attentive, kind, and made us feel right at home. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with local art on the walls and no TVs, which made for a quiet, relaxed evening. It's a great place for date night or any time you want a cozy, quality meal. We'll definitely be back.

    Ziti Cucina
    Dianna W.

    This is an Italian restaurant and we went there for dinner for the first time. It has extensive menu from pizza to seafood pasta and the traditional Italian dishes, salads and appetizers. Service is good and we had a good time . Below are photos and dishes we tried . Like to come back to try other items on the menu .

    Classic Lasagna
    Angie M.

    First time here and we were very impressed. I loved the lasagna and my husband said the pesto pasta was fabulous. The apple cake for dessert was warm and a perfect finish to the night. Sunday was happy hour prices on wine also. The bartenders and wait staff were all very helpful and a pleasure.

    Rigatoni
    Grace F.

    Service was excellent, but the food was not. My daughter actually ordered the Ziti Cucina pizza but the server took down that she ordered the Ziti Cucina pasta instead, I had the Rigatoni with meatballs. Unfortunately, neither of us enjoyed our dish. In hindsight, we should probably have told the server my daughter wanted the pizza when she brought the pasta to our table, but my daughter didn't want to make a fuss.

    Fusilli Alfredo with meatballs
    Megan O.

    My husband and I had Valentine's Day reservations for 5:45 & got there a bit early, they got us seated right away in a cute little table that didn't feel crowded or uncomfortable. A real rose & real candle (!!!) (lol but I feel like so many restaurants use the plastic faux candles that come off as kinda tacky to me) at each table. Nice touch. I didn't catch the servers name but she was very friendly & QUICK. We ordered everything right away as we had a show at 7:30 and knew what we wanted. I ordered the Cosi cheesy chicken soup & he ordered the Caesar salad. Both were delicious & the soup had so much flavor -- incredible. The chicken in the soup was shredded & fresh & didn't taste (or look) like chicken usually does in soup & the croutons were crunchy. For our mains -- I got the fusilli Alfredo with meatballs. The noodles were a fun shape and cooked well & the Alfredo was sweet yet savory. The meatballs were HUGE and full of flavor. He got the lasagna and it was very flavorful, easy to cut with a butter knife yet held its structure & had lots of Graziano sausage. Right after we got our main courses the owner (I think) came over & brought us a little bowl of their signature special, the ziti Cucina, on the house! because it was our first time. It was SO good and had me questioning my choice of my main course. Not TOO spicy, for those who don't like spice. Just full of flavor. Our server offered desert, which we declined (this time ) They boxed up our leftovers for us and we were out of there to be on time for our 7:30 show, with plans to visit again in the near future. The owner thanked us & was happy we loved it when we were on the way out. I have no idea why we hadn't visited here in the past but are looking forward to coming back. So good, highly recommend!

    Cosi cannoli
    Marcus V.

    Amazing food and excellent portions!! Well worth value with those two things in mind but on top of that the wait staff is fast and friendly! The manager on duty heard it was me and my fiancés first time visiting on her birthday and they gave us a free little plate of there best selling signature dish.. those things people don't forget will definitely be back and I HIGHLY recommend.

    Olivia R.

    It was my first time visiting Cosi Cucina while visiting family. Our food was very good. I loved their fusilli alfredo with meatballs. I liked how the red sauce from the meatballs mixed in a little with the alfredo sauce. Very delicious!!! Im not big on just red sauce alone, this was a nice mixture. Cute little romantic restaurant.

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    2 years ago

    Food was so good! Got spicy seafood pasta and the calamari, scallops and shrimp were huge

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    2 years ago

    Great food, try the mushroom risotto. We usually enjoy a cocktail at the bar woke waiting on our table.

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    2 years ago

    Very very good. Went with a large group. Get a reservation this place is busy! Food was very good and service was great.

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    2 years ago

    The food is very good and I love the bread with olive oil, cheese and pepper. The wait staff are so nice.

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    2 years ago

    We had the best dinner at Cosi Cucina tonight. The service was phenomenal and food was amazing! You won't be disappointed!

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    2 years ago

    Definitely my favorite Italian restaurant!! Great service, amazing food and relaxing atmosphere! Love that it is locally owned as well!!

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    3 years ago

    Some of the best pizza in Des Moines! Their Diana sauce on them is amazing. Highly recommend!

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    2 years ago

    Amazing food, great waitstaff, the ambience is good. Sit towards back of restaurant if possible. Just so plan to wait.

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    2 years ago

    Went for my Fiancé birthday dinner. It was sooooo good. Everyone there was super nice and friendly. I would highly recommend!!

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    2 years ago

    Wonderful food !! The Ziti is fantastic! Went there for a birthday celebration. Peter went above and beyond. Great atmosphere!

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    2 years ago

    The absolute best Ziti and cheesecake. We have been going for over 20 years and have never been disappointed.

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    3 years ago

    Great Ziti ,good service,pleasant atmosphere, I'm northern Italian love their sauces. I had a very nice dinner.

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    Page 3 of 7

    Ask the Community - Cosi Cucina Italian Grill

    Do they have a corkage fee or better yet is in an appropriate place like Django's to take an outside bottle of wine?

    Bringing your own bottle is absolutely acceptable. There is a $10 corkage fee per bottle.

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    Robust wine selection.
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    (63 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    Both kids had stuff going on and I had the chance to slide off to a last minute invite for dinner…read morewith a few friends on Friday evening. Although I really miss the old location off of Hickman I still get over to Irina's now and then... I was the first to arrive and soon after the hostess had seated me Dmitri came over to say hello. It's always great to see him. Irina was under the weather and wasn't on site. I've gotten to know both well over the years and I really enjoy catching up with them both. He knows how I felt about the old location and I'm in my 50s now and don't always deal with change well. The current location is beautiful, and I'll get used to it, but I still miss that old wooden horseshoe bar and the more intimate feel. This visit was to see a friend who has since moved out of state (Tena). Our reservation was for eight at 800 PM on Friday evening. We went over our planned eight and Dmitri quickly helped expand our table to meet our needs. The first time I met Tena was actually in Irina's (the Hickman location) back in early March of 2021. I was in Irina's trying the poutine that had been added to the menu not long before that and Tena was there planning a birthday party. I recognized her from Facebook...along with a very big pink unicorn pinata she had recently purchased, I introduced myself, and I've been friends with her and her husband since then. As everyone arrived over the first few minutes our server was quick to take drink orders and we moved on to food once everyone had arrived. I started with an espresso martini. I don't think there was an introvert at the table so conversations flowed like efficient drink refills and if service was slow I'm not sure I would have noticed it. We ordered quite a few appetizers that were shared around the table. Bang bang shrimp, tuna tartare, calamari, philly cheese steak eggroll, and stacks of onion rings. I can't honestly say I can remember what everyone ordered for entrees. I had the almost famous lobster macaroni with a side of grilled asparagus and I know Tena had the Iowa farm pork chop that came with a glaze, garlic whipped potatoes, and brussel sprouts. I will say that I was expecting the normal lobster mac n cheese with chunks of lobster meat and I was pleasantly surprised when my bed of macaroni came out with a very nicely sized lobster tail perched on top. The lobster was cooked perfectly. The meat had already been separated from the tail so it was no muss no fuss. Her pork chop was a HUGE chunk of meat balanced on an end making it a can't miss focal point. Presentation at Irina's has always been something that is going to be really hard to beat anywhere else... Say what you want but they put out some picture perfect plates. We wrapped up after a couple of hours and said our "see you laters..." Goodbyes don't really seem to happen with this group. More like... Until next time! I think we all enjoyed the food, I know I did mine, but sometimes dinner is really more about the company you keep at your table. In a lot of ways Irina's can be as divisive. Mannnn... I've heard good and bad. But I can only judge on my personal experience. Yes...I know Irina and Dmitri, however when I go in they are not always on site and their staff doesn't know me from Adam. Maybe Daniel would recognize me... I've been a customer for well over ten years, I don't consider myself a regular though, and I've never been treated rudely or had a bad meal. In fact it's a business I take visitors to from out of town and one I recommend. Are there going to be off days? I'm sure there are. Like any other business in 2024 they sometimes face both staffing and distribution chain issues. Have I experienced slower than normal service there every now and then? Sure have. And I've had that at many other places too that I continue to go back to also... I've always found that easy to forgive for good food. I've written a couple reviews over the years and I've tried highly recommended places and I've went to places intentionally that received pretty bad write ups. The one thing I would always stress with anywhere... Reviews are subjective. Even mine. Don't let a couple of bad reviews, or something you hear, dissuade you from trying someplace new. No one else is writing your book. If someone is going to be the one putting your pen to your paper to tell your story... Let it be you! If you've been putting off a visit to Irina's go ahead and give it a chance... You might just really like it... I know I do! https://www.irinassteakandseafood.com/

    We (my partner and I) each ordered the lobster bisque as a starter; lobster-stuffed prawns and…read morebacon -wrapped scallop were our entrees. The lobster bisque was average, over-salted for my taste but my partner thought it was perfect. My entree-the lobster-stuffed prawns- were disappointing. There was more stuffing than lobster, and both the lobster and prawns were overcooked, making them rubbery and tough to chew. My partner's scallops were adequately cooked, but the bacon 'wrap' was undercooked (bacon fat was not rendered enough) so that it was not able to be cut or consumed along with the scallop. Our server did a fine job and the ambience was nice. It's too bad the seafood was disappointing...maybe the steak menu items are prepared with more care? Unfortunately we will probably not be returning to try more of their menu.

    Photos
    Irina's Steak & Seafood Dinning Room
    Irina's Steak & Seafood Dinning Room
    Indulge in a culinary journey with Chef Gabe's exquisite Caribbean Chicken at Irina's Steak & Seafood.
    Indulge in a culinary journey with Chef Gabe's exquisite Caribbean Chicken at Irina's Steak & Seafood.
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