Great food options, excellent service. Meals were delicious and dessert was great. Our server…read moreFabian was awesome.

Came out to the West Des Moines location on University for dinner and was glad we made reservations…read moreahead of time, as the front lobby gets packed quickly. To kick things off, they brought out the complimentary bread basket and signature dipping oil. The oil blend is always a great start to the meal and ours was freshly stocked. For an appetizer, we tried the Calamari Fritti. The presentation was beautiful--lightly golden and piled nicely--definitely a strong start visually and texture-wise. For the main event, I ordered the Fettuccini with Lobster. The execution on the kitchen's part was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the pasta itself was cooked perfectly al dente, holding its structure exactly how you want a thick noodle to. On the other hand, the sauce fell a bit flat for me--it just felt a little mid-tier and lacked that rich, memorable flavor pop you look for in a luxury pasta dish. The atmosphere walks a nice line between a casual weeknight spot and a slightly more upscale evening out. It's got a warm, energetic vibe that works well for a date night or a family get-together without feeling overly stuffy or pretentious. I would go 4 1/2 star if I could but it leans more towards 5.

Hands down one of the BEST sandwiches I've ever had! I've had the pleasure of eating at A Taste of…read moreItaly three times now, and they've been packed every single time, which tells you something! The Gandolfini is one of my favorites. The bread is incredibly fresh, the meats and cheese are delicious, and they definitely don't skimp. Everything just tastes fresh and made with care. And don't skip the pasta salad...it's delicious too! Beyond the food, I love the genuine Italian hospitality. You feel welcomed when you walk in, and that kind of experience does not go unnoticed. A Taste of Italy is one of those places I look forward to every time I'm back in Iowa. If you haven't been, GO. You won't be disappointed!

Love it! Lemoncello cake is amazing!! Prompt, friendly!…read moreHow much more will you read?

A small but very tasty Italian restaurant! We had to wait a few minutes for a booth--there are…read moreonly 10 of them! We started with mozzarella sticks and the best tasting red sauce! Our salads came shortly and they are simple iceberg ones with a couple of cucumbers and a cherry tomato. The house Italian dressing is excellent! A warm basket of breadsticks accompanied our pasta. The guys had spaghetti and meatballs, Friend had lasagna, and I had baked cavatelli. Friend and I took some of ours home because the serving was so large! We all loved the red sauce & our dishes. It appears there are only two workers there. The waitress is also in charge of the front desk and there was just one Cook in the kitchen. She was very pleasant and very entertaining! We'll be back because we want to sample more things! The pizza sounds delicious ! You go for the great food - - it's just a pretty simple interior.

I've driven by here on a near-daily basis on my commute. I've been to the taqueria next door…read moreseveral times--thought I would finally give Marino's a try. The lady who answered the phone was very polite. She quoted me a time of 30-35 minutes for the food. I thought that was quite awhile, but decided to proceed with the order anyhow. When I walked in, the restaurant was nearly empty. One room off to the side was dark; it looks like this was a party room in a former life. I saw a solo diner in the main dining room. It was eerily quiet in there. An older lady (whom I believe also answered the phone) was very polite and seemed like she appreciated the business. I wish I could speak more highly of the food. The portions were all very generous, but most all seemed to be lacking in flavor. The breadsticks appear to have been brushed on top with some kind of butter, but no garlic flavor was present and the bottoms had gone untouched. Just bland. The salads I saw online appeared to have had croutons on them but mine did not. The dressing itself had good flavor--likely homemade. The salad was a basic side salad otherwise. The cavatelli was off in several different ways. The pasta appeared to be actual cavatelli, but lacked the firmness I'm used to. The sauce all seemed to have been on one side of the dish. The sausage was Italian sausage. Will probably try again at some point--other reviews seem to indicate better experiences.

If you want great food and a really great experience in Des Moines, this is the place. We were a…read morelarge group from Austin Texas visiting our counterparts in Urbandake and they brought us here

Good morning! Good afternoon! Good evening! Whenever you are reading this...!…read more Owned by and operated by Simon Goheen. I've eaten at Simon's before, but not in quite a while. The last time may have even been before I started writing reviews... And I don't know why. If I had to pick a metro restaurant to label as magical.... Akin to how a child sees Disney... Simon's would be that spot for me. Let's start with the basics. When you arrive at Simon's you will find a small parking lot to the West of the property. There is also some street parking available on adjacent streets and in front of the restaurant. At open there will often be a line waiting outside to get into Simon's as they unlock the doors. Reservations are available for groups of 6+. Seating inside the main restaurant is booths, low top tables, and chairs, and seats at the bar. There is a waiting area one door to the West of the main restaurant... If you like photo ops the furniture and art in the waiting area are going to be right up your alley...! I love the vibe in both the restaurant and the waiting area! Dimly lit and a very relaxed feel to both spaces. It's one of those spots where you feel comfortable in shorts and polo or in a three piece suit. This time at Simon's was with a party of nine with 530 PM reservations on a Thursday evening. I was greeted right away as I walked in and two of us were already seated. I took my seat and our server introduced herself and took drink orders as we waited for the rest of our group. Two of my friends were greeted with hugs and handshakes from Simon and our server. Say you're a regualr without saying you're a regular...! I'm not going to remember everything ordered, but here's what I can remember seeing at the table... 1x Old fashioned (mine) 1x Baked artichoke dip 2x Spicy three cheese stuffed mushrooms (I'd ordered one of these) 2x Mushroom crostini 1x Garlic cheese bread 1x Vodka pasta w/ Grazianos sausage (seafood bisque on the side) 1x Chicken parmesan 1x Pork DeBurgo 1x Cordon Bleu 1x Seafood Cioppino and side salad with the house dressing (mine) 1x Shrimp & scallops 3x I have no idea... Lol Complimentary Red Velvet Cake The appetizers hit the table. It didn't seem like much time had passed after ordering, but that's how it is when you're in great company. We'd all worked together for over a decade or more and still keep in touch. Everything was spot on! I was particularly impressed with the mushroom crostini. So savory and then the contrast of the textures between the mushroom spread itself and the toast points... So good! I enjoyed my salad with the house parmesan ranch too. Soon it was on to the main show. I can only speak to my meal and a couple of shared bites. Service throughout the meal was perfect. We couldn't have asked for better. Both our server and Simon checked on us regularly and other staff was dropping by with refills and whatever else may have been needed during the course of our meal. I hadn't had a good Seafood Cioppino since Irina's took it off their menu and I was hesitant to order it knowing how good some of the other available items are at Simon's... It didn't dissapoint. Not in the slightest... The noodles were cooked perfectly and so was the shrimp and scallops. The spicy white wine and red cream sauce had a little kick, my forehead may have glistened a little, but it wasn't overwhelming. I really enjoyed this dish. My friend seated next to me offered me a bit of his Pork DeBurgo. Served in three medallions. I could have sworn it was filet mignon... Melt in your mouth tender. I would have never expected that from a pork dish! And of course I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the red velvet cake. Offered as a complimentary end to our meal. I grew up with a great red velvet cake. My mom used to make it for every birthday in our house. Hers was moist (and yes I know some people hate that word...) and the frosting was sweet. She used more of a whipped marshmallow creme frosting instead of a traditional cream cheese base, but the idea is the same. So many people dry out red velvet cake... One bite of this dessert done well brings back SO many memories. Simply said Simon's does it right. After as close to a perfect meal as I've ever had... Some of us said our goodbyes and a few of us reconvened in the waiting area to visit a little more before taking off. Simon stopped in and chatted with us. We talked about the meal, the art on the walls, the recent changes to the waiting area itself... He was the perfect host and is everything you want to see in a business owner! Personable, attentive, and someone who realizes that the key to a successful business is doing things the right way...consistently.

Great service and cool wine bar vibe here! Definitely the type of place you want to come with a…read moregroup and do some wine tasting and share some nice apps. Overall the food was good, but nothing blew me away. The chicken picatta was not overly flavorful and neither was the Asian salmon. We enjoyed the crème brûlée dessert but it was a little more pudding on the inside than I usually like. Even though food is fine, the wine tasting aspect is fun and the servers are great about helping you pair wine and food and making recommendations!

What is great - they have a gluten free menu and lots of options for those of us with allergies…read more What is less great is overall service and taste. They 1st prepared the burger not gluten free and I give them credit for catching it b4 bringing to the table. However, having other diner served their food and almost finishing b4 I got the gf burger was not great. The burger itself wasn't tasty and didn't finish it. The s'more dessert was fine. The flatbread salad combo was not good bc the flatbread was soggy from the salad dressing and overall tasted weird. Also not sure why other tables were offered a tasting of the special barrel wine and we were not. We will not be going back.

On the final night of our six-week road trip, before heading home to Chicago, we stayed at the…read moreDrury Inn in Iowa. Although the hotel offers an evening meal, we decided we wanted something different and ordered takeout from Dolce, conveniently located right across the parking lot. The location could not have been easier. After thousands of miles on the road, the ability to walk across the lot and pick up dinner was definitely appreciated. The restaurant itself looked very inviting. From what I could see while picking up the order, the décor was modern, comfortable, and pleasant. It seemed like a nice place to sit down and enjoy a meal. The bartender who helped me with the pickup was also exceptionally friendly and welcoming, which made a very positive first impression. As for the food, it was unfortunately a bit underwhelming. We ordered polenta with meatballs and a salad. The polenta was okay, and the meatballs were a good size, but overall the dish felt somewhat bland and lacking flavor. Nothing was bad, but nothing really stood out either. The portions were also surprisingly small. The takeout containers were only partially filled, making the meal feel a little light for the price. The salad was probably the biggest disappointment. It felt like very little attention had gone into it: mostly greens with a few toppings and some mozzarella. It wasn't terrible, just uninspired and forgettable. One detail that may seem minor but was actually appreciated was the quality of the takeout packaging and utensils. Everything was packed neatly, and the utensils were sturdy and well chosen, which made eating back at the hotel easier. Overall, Dolce left us with mixed feelings. The people were kind, the location was incredibly convenient, and the restaurant itself appeared attractive and comfortable. Unfortunately, the food simply did not live up to the same standard. It served its purpose on the last night of a long road trip, but it was not a meal we are likely to remember long after the journey itself. Oh, I ended grabbing a bite at the hotel, I was still hungry

4.2* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) 05/08/2026 Honestly stopped here while updating Happy Hour information in the area for happyhourdesmoines.com. We enjoyed the food and the atmosphere on previous stops and did again tonight. We had already eaten at another Happy Hour and it was too late now for Happy Hour anyway, so we opted for 'dessert' options. My wife ordered the Espresso Martini (see picture) and I went for the Tiramisu (see picture). The Espresso was very good and while the Tiramisu tasted very good, the presentation wasn't nearly as good as last time (think you'll see what I mean in the picture). We do like this place though and look forward to another stop for dinner some evening. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow.

Went in on a Saturday night around 8pm expecting some sort of energy... and it was completely…read moreempty. Not "slow." Empty. Zero tables seated and maybe two people at the bar. I was seated immediately at the bar, which was fine, but from there the experience just unraveled. The bartender seemed scattered and overwhelmed despite the lack of guests. He mentioned he'd "check on Parmesan and bread" multiple times, but neither ever arrived. I ordered a spaghetti bolognese, an Old Fashioned, and a water. The food itself was fine -- nothing spectacular, but not bad either. The bigger issue was the service and overall atmosphere. There was no presence, no attentiveness, and no sense that anyone was managing the room. At one point I was just sitting there waiting for the check with no sign of the bartender. For a Saturday night, it felt strangely lifeless. It's disappointing because the space has potential. But service and vibe matter just as much as the food -- and right now, both are missing. I hope ownership takes a closer look at what's happening here.

Somehow they managed to turn salmon into amazing, fulfilling meal loaded with rainbow of veggies!…read more Highly recommend. Lovely atmosphere and excellent service. I'd recommend salmon and their pastas!

The service was fine the server was attentive. At lunch, they have a buffet.\nThere was a lot of…read moredifferent choices.We'll say italian. The food itself was meh. Meat dish was overcooked. It reminded me of going to a buffet in the seventies. Having said that, I'll have to give it up another chance.Going at night , but I wouldn't go to the buffet again.

Opa! Italian & Greek How I wanted you to be the best dinner night, but you came up short…read more We needed a place to grab dinner and they didn't have a wait on Saturday night. We were running a tight schedule which is our fault. I ordered the Creamy Steak de Burgo with Rosemary Potatoes. I ordered it medium and chose the beef tenderloin. Well it didn't come out medium or rare, but raw. I mean raw. The server agreed and took it back. It took a while to come back and by that time we needed to go to catch the show. We also barely made it to the show. I had to take it to go. The server didn't say anything to the manager or apologize or anything. Again I know I was in a tight schedule, but it is your responsibility to ensure the food is correct and cooked to order. I am not giving up on Opa! because the food is solid, The service could be better. The beef tenderloin was very good with the creamy garlic, wine, & basil sauce. Tossed and topped with mushrooms. The rosemary potatoes were fire, especially with the creamy sauce from the tenderloin. I would ask for more sauce next time. I did the upgrade and it's definitely worth it. They need to work on getting the rare, medium, medium well, and that's not good correct. What I got back was a very well done tenderloin. This is a solid meal and I will be back to give it a shot. We never said we were in a hurry or anything. Just want it cooked correctly. The salad and bread were good. I would get the salad dressing on the side. My gorgeous wife got the lasagna and I got a bite. It was amazing as well. She loved it and would get it again. We hadn't planned on going to Opa! but we did and I absolutely love the atmosphere and feel this is a solid place, just wasn't a great experience. I was so damned hungry through the entire show at the Civic Center and may have been hangry.

Great Deep Dish and super friendly staff! Patience is key when ordering Deep Dish the crust was…read morebuttery and delicious!

Solid pizza- I was confused by the (and don't laugh) option for thin crust or double crust- I…read morealways knew arosati's to have a