Perfect place for farm-to-table lover. Have you ever felt dissatisfied after eating? HoQ is not one of those places. The food fills your belly and refreshes your soul. I came here on a Monday evening at around 5:15pm. The place was pretty much empty. By the time I was done eating, which is around 6:30pm, they still have quite a few empty tables. Perfect for people who do not like to wait to get seated. Must eat: Shrimp stew and spring rolls. Shrimp stew, think about lobster bisque without the thick consistency. Flavorful, yet light. Spring rolls, refreshing and the texture is surprising. The only complain is I wish they were wrapped better. I also ordered the chicken entree. It was good but not as surprisingly good as the shrimp stew and spring rolls. read more

See all

David gave us the best service we have had in a long time. We had the dinner for two. The asparagus soup was tasty. We had pork tenderloin rolled around lamb sausage. It came with collard greens and a creamy risotto. We also ordered an appetizer of burnt carrots that was very tasty. The presentation was very nice and everything was delicious. HoQ uses the farm to table concept. Thank you HoQ for a great night out. read more

Great fresh food. Excellent wine selection . Service was amazing. Definitely a must do if you are in the area

Top marks! When I want to impress this is my go to. Farm to table, small menu and incredible quality. From lunch to Happy Hour to dinner you will not be disappointed. I've taken business associates here who requested to go back for lunch the next day. I've taken my daughter for a quick lunch only to have her ask to go on her next visit. The food is amazing! Local, fresh, unique and all served with excellent service. Love love love this place! read more

We felt incredibly lucky tonight, stumbling on HoQ via Yelp, when we arrived in Des Moines tired and hungry. We're not ready for dining in--yet!--so HoQ was kind enough to make us a lovely take-out dinner. My husband had the steak--a perfect medium rare--topped by a red wine sauce, with grilled carrots, delicious little potatoes, kale and zucchini spirals. I had the Salmon en Papillote on a bed of black lentils with kale and potatoes. Our hosts were beyond-the-call-of-duty thoughtful, giving my husband a steak knife (which they said he didn't need to return!) and opening a most-excellent bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir for us, in case there was no cork screw at our hotel (there wasn't). We will definitely come to HoQ again the next time we're in Des Moines. read more

I think the concept of a farm to table restaurant is awesome. And I wish I could do half stars cause I'd rate it a 3.5, but there were a few issues with the food which makes it a 3 star review instead of a 4 star review. I'll start off with service - our server was very attentive and kind. He did take away our bread before we were done, which was a tad weird, but he was nice so we just chuckled that off. Our food took close to an hour to get to us, which our server apologized for, and for which he later comped us a glass of wine. For our appetizer, we ordered the rabbit and dumplings ($9). The dumplings were light and airy (cooked to perfection), but the rabbit and jus were lacking seasoning - i don't even like salty foods and I thought it needed more salt. The rabbit was a tad difficult to eat neatly as well . There was no salt or pepper on the table to remedy this. My dining partner ordered the grass fed steak, medium rare ($28). The steak was cooked perfectly and had a nice sear on the outside. It was served with spinach and root veggies in a sauce which tasted very good and was a really large sized portion. I ordered the duck which was served over thinly sliced potatoes and spinach. The spinach was over salted (so much that I needed to constantly drink water to even try to eat it). The duck was cooked well and the potatoes tasted like potatoes. For $28, my portion seemed like half of my dining partners and wasn't as good. If I were too come again, I'd order the steak or I would try their happy hour. Service was good, food came out slow for our table even though the restaurant wasn't even packed, steak was amazing, but the other dishes had some slight seasoning issues which is why I have to give a 3 star rating. If I was going off the steak and service alone, it would be 4 stars for sure though. read more

See all

Easily one of the two best meals I've had in Iowa. Waiter and sommelier are very knowledgeable, with lots of great information about where the food comes from and how everything is prepared. Everything is as local as possible and super fresh. You can tell everyone here loves food, which is always the sign of a good restaurant. The grass-fed steak was excellent, full of flavor and with the rare quLity of getting better with time. There was like a thick peppery sauce on top and a beef demi-glace underneath. As those worked their way in to the meat, the steak got progressively better. It was great from the start but the best bite was the last. This came with bacon-wrapped asparagus (fresh) and small potatoes which also soaked up the demi-glace. Both sides matched the entree in depth of flavor and the meal was balanced and not heavy. The bread was slightly garlicky and so so soft. Everything was delicious, and portions were generous. Cost for the entree was $28, but comparable meals on the coasts would have been $40. I think it was well worth the price. The chef also sent out a shot of cucumber juice, which was insanely delicious. Good reminder of how delicious cucumbers are when they are fresh picked! For dessert, I ordered a strawberry shortcake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It was rich without being heavy and the strawberries just melted in my mouth. Really good dessert - nice texture and flavor without being too sweet. I wish I had come here earlier and I will definitely be back! read more

Hoq Restaurant - Steak with peppery sauce and beef demi-glace, asparagus, and potatoes. Really balanced and very tasty. - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

The salmon was incredible, perfectly prepared and topped. Portion was slightly small for big fat me, but should be plenty for a non-fatty. The apple crisp for desert was high and low. The filling was wonderful, the homemade ice cream was perfect, but there was something a bit funky in the crisp topping that left a strange aftertaste. The staff chalked it up to their fresh churned butter, which is probably accurate. It was nothing a slightly bigger dollop of ice cream wouldn't have masked. Will return. read more

Don't walk. Run! Run as fast as you can to HoQ. The service, food, and experience was breathtaking. My husband and I came here for my 30th birthday and HoQ made it memorable! We choose the Chef's special dinner for two. It started off with duck egg rolls and the Bibb salad with their homemade Naan bread. The flavors oozed through every bite. We then had dinner which was their salmon and goat meatball and pasta. The words cannot describe how phenomenal these meals were. The dessert was a bread pudding with ice cream. We didn't take a single picture as we were too excited to dive into each plate but trust me, you won't want to miss this place! read more

Amazing! Great service (thank you David!) and wonderful food. We did it all, apps, drinks, mains, dessert and everything was incredible. My new go to for delightful nights out... read more

I came here very recently for my anniversary, and both my husband and I were treated extremely well from start to finish. Between the two of us, we ordered a couple of cocktails (sazerac & Apple of my Iowa), two appetizers (melted cheese and goat sausage & smoked fish on toast) and entrees. I'm not usually a fish type of guy, but the smoked fish on toast was one of the most delicious appetizers I've had in Des Moines. As luck would have it, it was the first day of their new menu (which I was told changes seasonally), so there were plenty of wonderful choices to choose from. Noticeably absent (in a good way) was pork - Des Moines rightfully prides itself on their pork, but it was refreshing to see a menu in this city that featured an array of other unique items. With that in mind, both my husband and I chose the braised lamb shank with beet risotto. I wish I had the words to describe how wonderful this dish was - flavorful, unique, and filling are the first words that come to mind. We had intentions to order dessert, but by the time we were finished with our meal, we literally couldn't eat another bite. We will absolutely be back for cocktails and dessert in the future though because their desserts sounded delicious and are all made in house (including the ice creams and sorbets). I can't recommend this restaurant enough, and can't thank the staff more, for making my anniversary dinner so special. I can't wait to return soon! read more

HoQ was a wonderful place for a superb dinner. The service was fantastic. Even though the menu is limited there is a variety of dishes available. My wife had the Mediterranean bowl and thought it delicious. I had the chicken burrito which was quite tasty. The apple crisp and bread pudding were good finishes to our dinners. We highly recommend HoQ! read more

If I could give HoQ six stars I would! As one of the first indoor dining experiences I've had since the start of the pandemic, I was reminded of the joys of fine dining and the importance of restaurants when dining at HoQ. Our waiter, David, was attentive, friendly, and made us feel right at home. He was knowledgeable of the dinner menu, wine list, and local ingredients used in our dishes. I got the salmon, which was to die for. And my partner got the lamb shank which fell right off the bone. The atmosphere of the restaurant is pleasant and calming, and you feel like you are truly at a Michelin star restaurant right here in Des Moines. I will be going back to HoQ very soon! read more

One of our party remembered HoQ from the vegan festival in Des Moines so we gave it a try for our lunch. We were very satisfied with everything: food, service, and ambiance. It's spacious and quiet to have relaxing conversation over the meal. From the short rotating lunch menu, there were a few vegetarian/vegan options. We ordered Chef Soup (asparagus bisque), Wild Rice Burger, Vegan Bowl. Our server was kind enough to point out that the burger bun is made with butter and was able to ask the chef to replace it with vegan baguette. Three of us shared the dishes and all of them were delicious. The portion was perfect, too. read more

I went out to dinner at Hoq last week with a group of friends. We had reservations and were seated as soon as we arrived. I was delighted to see "Tom Collins in a pink tuxedo" on the drink menu. It's a bubbly, watermelon version of the original and it was fun and amazingly refreshing! There were a limited amount of vegan food options but I did find a delightful "pear and quinoa salad " listed in the starters section of the menu. I was skeptical since I'm not a big fan of pears, but I'm so happy that I tried it! The microgreens and the white balsamic vinaigrette gave the entire salad a great balance. I was very pleased overall with my meal. My friends ordered steaks and had no complaints! The only aspect of my visit that I didn't like was the restaurant atmosphere. I don't mind minimalist decor, but hoq kind of gives off a rigid vibe that made it a tad hard to completely relax. Other than that it was great! I'll definitely be back. read more

5 stars for service - very friendly and attentive. Everyone dining there was dressed up, I was in my shorts, and there was only one table for 6 available. They still seated me in that table. :) 5 stars for the bread. 5 stars for the greek salad. Very creative take on it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4 stars for the braised bison special. I enjoyed it, but wouldn't order it again. A glass of Malbec and the whole dinner was perfect. Perfect price point for the whole experience. read more

Incredible dinner! From the amazing service to the impeccable details on the food, I truly enjoyed my meal. Starting from a free first bite of corn and potatoes... I decided to go with the warm corn bisque soup which was not too sweet and little spicy, all in all perfect. The cucumber salad is a work of art to the eye and to the palate. The quark cheese that it came with was amazing. The gulf shrimp over veggies was so wonderful as well. The perfect end to the meal was the baked to order crisp with raspberries and peaches and homemade vanilla ice cream! Wow! All ingredients were delicate and fresh and really honored. Beautiful place. read more

Hoq Restaurant - Cucumber salad with quark cheese and micro greens. - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Tonight we tried the scallops with prosciutto and parsnip noodles as recommended by Kinsey our server. OMG the best appetizer ever!!! We contemplated ordering it again for dessert! The lamb and the rib-eye was delightful. The butternut squash soup was wonderful but the pumpkin seeds on top could eliminated imo. Great food! Worth the short walk from the hotel! read more

The food is excellent! I ordered the steak with au gratin potatoes and veggies. Everything was cooked perfectly. My boyfriend ordered the meatloaf. Our waitress happily substituted a different side for him. We both loved our dishes. Service was excellent. Side note, I wish the restaurant went for a more casual vibe--not a huge fan of white tableclothes...and the space is sort of strange. I feel like it could be arranged differently. BUT just a side note because the food was some of the best I've had in DM! We'll be back! read more

Great lunch today with fresh, locally sourced food. Quick service and nicely priced. Great side salad that was nicely balanced, falafel and fries were not greasy or heavy. My husband had the grilled cheese sandwich and butternut squash soup, we also tried the bison chili which was fantastic! We will be back! read more

Hoq Restaurant - Chocolate cake - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

See all

This is one of my favorite DSM fancy restaurants. Love it SO much. Mostly because it's the kind of place that doesn't have to try too hard---bc their food shines on its own. Local ingredients and talented kitchen staff bring it all together to create an upscale dining experience. It's culinary magic :) The wine/cocktails are superb. I enjoyed the seasonal ingredients used to elevate the beverages to another level. The food is ridiculously delicious! From appetizers to dessert (and everything in between). read more

If you are looking for upscale, trendy and farm to table, this is the place in DM. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of this restaurant. The service was attentive and pleasant, the food was fresh, well prepared, and very flavorful, and the abidance was simple and probably on the understated side. We went on a Wednesday night and made reservations. Turns out the reservations were not needed. It was a little slow. We ordered the Scallops as an appetizer, they were simple, cooked perfectly and an excellent way to start off. For an entree my wife had the chicken and I had the sausage. My sausage dish was the winner of the night. Pork sausage, French lentils ragu, bacon and tomatoes sauce. Rich and delicious. The waitress assured my wife that she had never had chicken cooked as perfectly as theirs is. I am sort of a chicken connoisseur and they weren't wrong. The free range, natural chicken had a gamey taste to it. Not what you are accustomed to with chicken, great flavor and it was cooked perfectly. To top off the meal we decided to have the "No Flour Chocolate Cake". It was almost like a pound cake, very unique and extremely delicious. Cannot wait to come back! read more

Stopped in for lunch on a weekend. Pretty empty around 1130. Service was polite. Limited lunch menu. The ingredients seem fresh as their emphasis is on locally sourced foods. Had the salmon burger which was good but little overwhelmed by the bun. Dessert was some kind of scone-like cake (can't remember the name) with some cream on top. Average at best- would've passed had I known it would be 9$. If I go again, it'd probably be to try out dinner fare. read more

Hoq Restaurant - salmon burger hiding under the bun with salad - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

It's fun every now and then to go classy or go home! I suggest checking out the HoQ. The place is beautiful and wonderfully lit. They play amazing music in the back ground, I heard Joni Mitchell, Wilco, and the Jayhawks all while eating. The menu is all prepared with local and organic ingredients.. AKA Grass Fed Steaks and Salmon flown in. I'm vegan so i chose the Veggie Stew. Kinda pricey at 18 bucks a pop but it was also delicious and served with fresh bread that was perfect for dipping! We did not order an appetizer but they brought us out some sort of beet thing, and a tortilla chip with avocado dressing that was to die for.. I wish they brought out about ten of them. The dessert menu looked great but lacked any vegan option for me, but my stew actually filled me up really well. Great local brews on tap as well and wine by both the bottle and glass. This is a super classy joint, that I have now been to twice and can't wait to go back again! Perfect for Valentines day date, that is classy but not stuffy! read more

We have been here twice and really enjoyed our experience each time. The waitresses have really made us feel special which we appreciated. The potions are relatively small which I believe is normal for farm to table establishments but for the most part we've enjoyed the food. I'm not a huge fan of the bison entree but have enjoyed the tenderloin steak and salmon entrees. The mushroom bisque soup, which they only offer on special occasions, is the best soup we've ever had in our lives. The prices seem to be a little higher than you might expect but all things considering we definitely recommend giving HoQ a try! read more

Enjoyed a great meal here last night with my wife and another couple. All of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals, from the amuse bouche to dessert. We shared some mussels in a tomato sauce and the beef and pork terrine. The mussels were large and flavorful, but the terrine was excellent ...great texture, very flavorful. I would order it again in a minute. Main courses spanned the menu. My wife enjoyed her steak, one friend rated his braised beef shank very highly and the other liked her salmon (the seafood being the only items that weren't locally sourced). I had the vegetable crepes and think I got the best deal. Couldn't tell you everything in it but the seasoning was fantastic. This was a vegetable dish not to be missed by non-vegetarians. Split it as a side dish if you feel the need for protein. We split the homemade chocolate, caramel and vanilla ice cream and the bread pudding for dessert. All were excellent. The wine list was nicely eclectic. Our only complaint was that more people weren't there! Don't let the "locally sourced" rhetoric get in the way of the fact that this is a very good chef turning out great food in a very nice location. read more

So much potential in this place; it could easily become one of those "absolutely have to go to there" restaurants -- except! The way to go from a three star restaurant to a five star restaurant is one simple formula: Outstanding food coupled with outstanding service. HoQ got half of it right (the food). I loved the concept of this place, so much so that I took a client there to impress them on their first trip to Iowa. My expectations were met on the decor, location and food. I enjoyed my steak with scalloped potatoes and asparagus. The Pinot Noir was also amazing. The sad part is it took nearly an hour to be served after ordering. This was a Tuesday night and barely anyone else in the place. Very disappointing and I blame it all on a lazy kitchen. There are way too much quality choices in DSM to put up with this. Work on it guys, then get back to me! read more

This location has had lots of turnover so I hope HoQ will make it because they should! It is located on the south side of the East Village next to shops, bars, and other restaurant. The food was delish, perfect portion size with a local twist. Everyone is trying to use more local these days but I like that they actually provided a list on the back of the menu. I had the veggie burger and it was crispy and full of spices! Scott had the burger duo that could use a little more love (too much bread, a little dry, and lacked flavor) but it was satisfying for lunch. The service was very good, very attentive. I will definitely go back for dinner. read more

Well, I love the look and feel and the ingredients always seem fresh and very interesting and different. The service is very well done also. That said the food is never quite right either in flavor or preparation for us. It's a strong like at best for me. read more

Eating here is always a wonderful experience!! The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable but quick to check with the chef about ingredients if they don't know. The menu is not extensive which is nice, knowing everything on it will be delicious! We've been here many times and it never disappoints. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants. Delicious lunches, perfect for business meetings. One of the only restaurants with grass-fed beef on the menu and they really support local farms. Great Iowa beers on tap and great happy hour specials. To top it all off, the owners are incredibly kind and community oriented. A really lovely spot - you won't regret stopping in for lunch, dinner, brunch or a happy hour! Cheers! read more

Yay!!! Thanks to DSM Restaurant Week, we have added a few new restaurants to our dining experience. Last year I went here for lunch, I recall loving the soup, but not the hamburger, I must be too used to processed meat, blech. Anywho - came here for dinner this past week and my husband and I quickly fell in love. The music, the art work, the bare essential dining experience, mixed with pleasant service and amazing food. I am not a hard liquor drinker, but their cocktail menu looked intriguing, creative and well thought out, especially their pairings with their menu. We were given an amuse-bouche to start off our experience - all pickled bites and what fun that was! We each had our own favorites, but all in all, well done. My husband ordered the steak, cooked and seasoned to perfection with the right amount of seasoning and accompaniments. He started off with the pasta carbonara which he wasn't in total love with as he was with his main course, the last few bites of the pasta were the best as all the flavor/sauce seemed to hang out at the bottom of that dish. I started off with the soup which I believe was a beautifully served creamed corn, followed by the vegetable welington. I love that everything is made fresh because I am not a fan of mushrooms and they were able to make mine without. It was a very heart warming dish. We finised our meal with homemade blueberry ice cream and chocolate chip cookie, the perfect touch! We both chose the wine pairings and enjoyed the carefully selected options. All in all, a wonderful night! I love their approach to food at this restaurant. Keep up the great work! read more

Very nice atmosphere. good food. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was excellent. read more

Hoq Restaurant - Pork - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Best restaurant in Iowa! There is no competition. The burger with hash was soooo good. And the appetizers were unbelievable.

In reality, I came here because it was close to the bar I was drinking at and I was hungry. We were one of two people in the restaurant, and they welcomed us in. The hostess didn't seem irritated at ALL, like hostesses/waitresses tend to do when one comes in late in the evening. Not that I blame them. The waitress was exceptionally knowledgeable about the menu, wine, and cocktail lists. She was fantastic! The chef sent us out some special plates of housemade bread (warm and fresh) and asparagus with a delicious tzatziki sauce. All of the food was delicious. Much of it is local, which I appreciate. Everything was well cooked and delightful. It's clearly a rotating menu, so I can't recommend anything particular. But if there's asparagus on the menu- order it. It's delicious and perfectly cooked. 5 stars, would recommend to anyone looking for friendly, not stuffy, high-end dining downtown. read more

Wonderful service and good. The atmosphere is very clean and beautiful. Our waitress was fast and was very attentive to our needs. She offered free champagne to us as they were celebrating an event. I will be going back there. The grass fed burger is the best! read more

Hoq Restaurant - Grass Fed Burger - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

What a fantastic brunch! I had the summer veggie quiche with a melon citrus dressing on the side salad. Locally sourced and all organic, this quiche was delicious and quite a big serving for $9, I'd say worth the price! The staff are very friendly and go out of their way to make sure you are happy. I even got a free tasting of a white wine that paired well with my quiche. All in all very happy and highly recommend this restaurant for brunch. read more

Hoq Restaurant - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Hip farm-to-table "new American" restaurant in the fashionable East Village neighborhood of Des Moines. We dined there on an early Monday evening; it was not crowded at all. The service was great & flexible in accommodating our requests; entrees were delicious & well portioned. Cocktails and local beers selections were good. read more

I hate to be hard on this place because we thought the Farm to Table concept and supporting so many Iowa business was super cool. Space and atmosphere also great! My husband and I have recently moved back to Des Moines from living in Chicago for 8 years, so we may be a bit spoiled in what we consider a tremendous dining experience, so we are potentially being a bit harsh for Des Moines. Drinks: glass of Malbec for me, Old Fashioned for him - fantastic. Appetizers: Cheese board with prosciutto - very good. would loved to have had one more block of cheese (it came with just one, though served warm which was unique and good!, prosciutto, baby pickles, mustard, onion) Also had the soup - Leek & Clam Chowder - Excellent! Main: Tenderloin and Lamb Shank to share. Spices on Tenderloin = phenomenal. We have bought and cooked better tenderloin steak at home ourselves. It was not that soft, smooth piece of meat we were expecting. Lamb Shank - good, but expecting it to really fall off the bone in a way you can barely get it with your fork because it's so tender from being slow-cooked all day. It wasn't quite there, but still very good. Dessert: La Bete Noire Cake - like a chocolate torte with whipped cream made in house - to die for. AMAZING. Service was great. We would go back again sometime, and I'd rate this a 3.5 out of 5 stars if that makes a difference. read more

Rather than having an entrée, I decided to try a salad and a couple of apps so I could get a taste of several things. The Summer Salad was nice, especially the cherries, as were the scallops. But the Pork Love was excellent! Fantastic cauliflower au gratin with a perfectly tender bit of pork confit on top. I would have licked the bowl if I could. I also liked the minimalist décor in the restaurant. And I had probably the nicest server I have ever had anywhere. The only thing that kept this from being 5 stars was that it was very slow. The server was aware and embarrassed at the kitchen's tardiness, which was appreciated. I had driven all day and didn't really mind the delay much at first because I could just sit and relax. But at a certain point, it was just a bit silly. Hoping to try them again and see that wait time improved because they really can't improve on the Pork Love! read more