Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Francies

    4.5 (188 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Francies Photos

    FRANCIES ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Francies

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    The Philly Chicken Sandwich is a cheesy pleaser
    Tom C.

    If you roll in at lunchtime, be prepared--it's packed with locals. Get there early, come late, or embrace the wait. The servers are hustling but still manage to give you smiles and attention. I went with the chicken Philly on a local's recommendation, and it delivered. Quality ingredients and more cheese than a Hallmark movie set in a fondue restaurant. Next time, I might try the buffalo version--just enough kick to push it over the top. And the crinkle fries? Who knew they could be this good? Crispy AND fluffy--like a sunburned puppy. Absolutely get them. (The fries, not the puppy.) Judging by the steady crowd and glowing reviews, I'd bet the whole menu's worth a try. Bonus: it's right by the airport, so you've got no excuse not to stop in.

    Grinder with fries
    Chris R.

    Got there early on a Friday. Plenty of seating but word to the wise....it fills up fast!!!! By the time we left (12:45) there was at least 15-20 people waiting for a table. Our waitress was extremely quick and attentive. Took our order right away and always made sure our drinks were full. I ordered the grinder for my lunch and the other 2 guys I was with ordered tenderloins. We all raved about our food. This isn't my first time being here, so I expected nothing less. Can't wait to go back! Btw, our Iowa National Guard frequents this place quite often, so be sure to thank them for their service!

    Swiss & 'Shrooms Burger
    Gretchen G.

    I was introduced to Francie's a week ago and I have already been back! I was new to the area last year, so a local showed me the southside staple. Vibes are immaculate, and the crinkle fries are an absolute must try. Very kind staff too.

    Jay W.

    My girlfriend and I love Francies! Our favorite cozy little place in Des Moines... Great food and service.... Bread, sandwiches, soups all good. Highly recommend.

    Patty melt & fries.
    Mary P.

    It was pretty busy for a Monday lunch--tells you how good the food is! We started with ice tea & a Ruthie & both were good. Hubby appreciates having a board with beer on tap listed. I had the buffalo chicken salad with yummy creamy parm dressing & a piece of tasty bread. Hubby's grinder was huge-- he took home 1/2. His crinkle fries were tasty! Waitress was very good. I love having experienced folks! A fun spot with an intimate atmosphere. You'll love it!!

    Keith F.

    Food was very good. Selections were somewhat small but a good variety. The food itself was excellent and my server (Gina) did not balk at my request to send a side of guacamole with my burger. I would have given Francies five stars but one of the bartenders was the loudest person in the place. I'm not sure if she was inebriated, on something, or needs a mood stabilizer but she was out of control...

    New York Steak & Peppers
    Todd B.

    4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 06/03/2023 Have had on my Want to Go list since Cityview listed it for best local bar food in 2022 and finally had the opportunity after the Craft Beer Festival. While we were a little leary of what it might be like near the airport, we were pleasantly surprised by the exterior (see pictures) as we pulled up...and remained positively impressed with the interior decor (see pictures). Cityview called out their New York Steak & Peppers sandwich (see picture) and it looked great, so my wife went with that for her choice. For our second entree, I went with the Philly Chicken with Fries (see picture). As we always do, we shared tastes of each of our meals and both of us enjoyed both offerings - finding the food quality definitely worthy of the title of Best Bar Food. If you are in the area or have a little time waiting on a flight, you won't be disappointed with a stop at Francies. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

    Menu
    Garold T.

    Welcome to the best wings in town, the Southside of Des Moines! Great place to eat, food is amazing everytime you come here so you will not leave disappointed. If you have never been here this place is a must! Great kind of hole in the wall feel while still maintaining great food.

    Swiss and bacon burger
    Jack L.

    I've been going to Francie's for years and it is hands down my favorite burger and fries in Iowa. I always have to make a stop there when I'm back! Usually not a fan of crinkle fries, but theirs are amazing

    Mushroom and Swiss burger with crinkle cut fries.

    See all

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ann B.
    0
    10
    3

    4 years ago

    Great friendly staff. Excellent food and fun atmosphere. A true Go To place. Great to go as a group or even alone.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Food came out fast & was decent. Nothing to special about it. The wait staff isn't super friendly or personable but they get the job done.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Angela D.
    3
    18
    216

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Friendly staff and good food this bar is a bit small, because it gets super busy but has outdoor eating I usually get the sausage sandwich.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alli W.
    16
    31
    10

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Small and cute neighborhood bar with a small but mighty menu to match. I recommend the French dip!!!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Patrick T.
    2260
    1732
    8702

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Francies has some of the best food. Been coming here for over 20 years and have never had a complaint with the food. Great service also.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Excellent nachos, always stacked high and with lots of toppings. They have great burgers too and delicious fries.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    6 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan R.
    3
    14
    28

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of V S.
    8
    68
    62

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe C.
    43
    1
    0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Valerie A.
    664
    35
    40

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 3 of 5

    Ask the Community - Francies

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for American 1,032 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Station on Ingersoll

    The Station on Ingersoll

    4.4
    (122 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Traveling from Phoenix, AZ to Madison, Wi and wanted to stop at a sports bar for lunch to watch the…read moreWI Men's BB team in Big 10 Tournament. Friendly place with great service. We both had their famous 1/3 pound burger and sweet potato fries. Excellent choice. Came to the table perfect. Place was packed with Badger fans so we felt at home. Both of us graduated from the clean plate club as the Badgers lost to Michigan by 2. Highly recommend without any reservations. Plenty of TVs and sports memorabilia.

    4.4* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 3* Value: 4*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $40 07/11/2026 This place has been on my Want to Go list for a while and since it was my turn to pick the restaurant tonight, we were on our way. The street-level negative when we got there and again when we were leaving was the significant construction on Ingersoll...leaving entry a little tricky and exit a bit dangerous due to low visibility caused by equipment. Once we got inside, Margot was quick to come to our table, took good care of us throughout the evening and made some great suggestions for our meals. I had read about the Crab Rangoon Nachos and since Margot also recommended them, we started with an order (see picture) along with a Backpocket Lemon Shandy (see picture). WOW - these were every bit as good as the positive reviews and while the other food was also good, the nachos were the highlight of our meal! For our meals, my wife ordered the 10 Wing Double Snack split between Honey Garlic & 10 Spice (dry) - both on Margot's recommendation (see picture). I opted for the Sourdough Smash on Margot's recommendation (see picture) with krinkle fries. As we usually do, we shared tastes of each others dishes and really enjoyed everything. While I'm not a huge garlic fan, I did really like the Honey Garlic wings and found myself dipping the smash burger in the extra sauce. Numerous Cityview awards were on display on their trophy shelf (see picture). I believe one of these awards is what caused me to add The Station on Ingersoll to my Want to Go list but regardless of the source, I was not disappointed. If you found this review helpful, please Share, Follow & Like.

    Photos
    Lots and lots of TVs. Large bar.
    Lots and lots of TVs. Large bar.
    Station Burger
    Station Burger
    The Station on Ingersoll

    See all

    Thirsty Sportsman

    Thirsty Sportsman

    3.1
    (7 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    Okay, this one's got me scratching my head. ‍ In my entire…read morelife, I've never caused trouble in a bar. I'm well-behaved, I don't make a scene, and I always tip my bartenders well--because respect goes both ways. Last Sunday I was at Thirsty's: had two beers, paid as I went, played a little pool, and left when the bartender said he was closing early. No drama, no issues. But tonight? I walked in, and the same bartender took one look at me and said, "I'm not serving you." No explanation. No reason. Just... refused. Now, I get it--Iowa is a right-to-refuse state. Legally, he can do that. But I've never disrespected him, never caused a problem, never even raised my voice. Honestly? I'm just shocked. I didn't deserve that. So to my fellow polite bar-goers: I guess you can do everything right and still get shut down. Cheers to taking your good vibes (and your tipping money) elsewhere.

    Went in to hang out with a buddy, as soon as he left I went to the bathroom and came out for…read moreanother beer (3rd beer). Bar tender with a pony tail accused me of telling everyone at the place that I was drunk and cut me off after 3 beers. Never said anything to anyone as I have never been there and even had a game of bags lined up with an awesome couple but the bar tender's ego ruined everything. This was my first time at this bar and the last. I even left that sensitive bitch a tip after I left from his false accusation. He didn't even have the balls to prove what he was accusing me of. Multiple witnesses around me agreed I did nothing wrong. Good thing this place is in the ghetto. Never stepping foot in this poor ass place again

    Photos
    Thirsty Sportsman
    Thirsty Sportsman
    Thirsty Sportsman

    See all

    Mullets

    Mullets

    4.1
    (368 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    We always like to try a unique place to eat if we can find one as we are traveling. Since we were…read morealready planning an evening meal in Omaha at the end of the day it made sense to start out with a breakfast in Des Moines. based on reviews in Yelp we chose Mullets. Mostly because it sounded really cool to see the pictures of mullets that decorate the restaurant. I didn't think of the fish called a mullet, but they have creatively used both the Fish and the hairstyle to create a fun logo. I loved the poster of all of the presidents of the United States wearing mullets that was in the entry vestibule. My husband had the Burt Ends Benedict. It was delicious, with generous sized chunks of meat in BBQ sauce under the poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. I had the Country Fried Steak breakfast with hash browns and hard scrambled eggs. Everything on my plate was perfect and delicious. The gravy was outstanding! Probably the best restaurant gravy I've ever had. On my next visit I'm planning to order the same thing, but I'll request gravy on the eggs and potatoes as well. We shared an order of cinnamon roll pancakes. They were delicious, and super sweet. Overall, the staff was friendly and efficient and we will definitely be back.

    I recently became pescatarian and finding things I can eat when out with friends can be difficult…read more I was excited to see that they had a veggie burrito on the menu. I was less excited when the burrito came and the waitress said "I have a... sad burrito.. sorry" It was small, had no seasoning, and didn't come with a side because the burrito that comes with meat is big enough to not need one but the veggie one is super small, barley making it a meal. I was so hungry that I ate it and didn't want to make a big deal about it to the waitress that was doing her best. My friends got fun waffles and scrambles but I was looking for something with no meat and protein. Overall, it could have been a better made burrito, either with ingredients or with a side.

    Photos
    Mullets
    Breakfast Nachos, Bloody Mary Flight, Avocado Toast Flight
    Breakfast Nachos, Bloody Mary Flight, Avocado Toast Flight
    Exterior

    See all

    Exterior

    Francies - tradamerican - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...