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    Jesse's Embers

    4.1 (151 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Steakhouses
    Closed • Closed
    Updated 3 months ago

    Jesse's Embers Photos

    Business Info

    JESSE'S EMBERS ATMOSPHERE

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

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    Recommended Reviews - Jesse's Embers

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    Reviews With Photos

    Smoked Loin Back Ribs*
    Lily W.

    We love everything we eat. I came back to Des Moines once a year. Other than water front, I like this restaurant the second. Highly recommended! Delicious!

    16-ounce New York Strrip with baked potato. I ordered the steak medium rare.
    Jon K.

    My wife, stepson, and I tried this place for the first time tonight. My wife said she wanted steak and was considering the Big Steer in Altoona. I suggested here instead, mainly because none of us had been here before. I'm glad I did. We went on a Friday night. There was snow on the ground and several parking spaces available. We walked in from the lot behind the building and immediately realized how cozy this restaurant actually is. There had to be fewer than 20 tables, and a few spaces at the bar. We were told there would be a 20 minute wait. One of the bartenders struck up a conversation with us while we were waiting for our table. We could tell there were a lot of regulars here because the bartenders greeted most of the folks by name. And most of the folks were also greeting other guests by name. When we weren't talking to the bartender we were watching him pour the drinks. They were clearly not stingy with the alcohol here. In fact, all 3 of us decided to order drinks with our food That's something we don't normally do. For our meals, I ordered the 16-oz New York strip and my wife and stepson both ordered ribeyes. We each got a dinner salad and baked potato to go with the steaks. The salads were a classic, minimal dinner salad with lettuce, cheese, croutons, and a small cup of dressing. The thing is, the dressing was more than adequate to cover my salad. While we waited for our steaks we were mesmerized by how efficiently the wait staff worked the room. Tables are fairly close here, and the waitresses were constantly moving back and forth. The service was great. The atmosphere was great. And we kept noticing all the people coming in were greeted by name by the staff and other guests. Soon after finishing our salads, the steaks arrived. They were cooked perfectly. There was even a sprig of parsley on each plate. I haven't seen garnish on a plate like that in decades. I managed to get a photo of my New York strip, but not either of the ribeyes. We all dug in quickly. My wife soon commented on how good the baked potato was. I wondered how good it could be. There were packages of butter on the table and the potatoes came with sour cream. There had been no mandatory list of questions about add-ons to the potatoes. After eating half my steak I decided it was time to find out. This was one of the best baked potatoes I can remember eating. It wasn't over-done or under-done. It was cooked perfectly. Even after 15 or so minutes of sitting on my pate while I ate steak it was still hot. Everything was cooked perfectly. The drinks were good. You could tell all the guests were enjoying themselves. In the end, I was the only one at my table who didn't take home leftovers. Our waitress promptly arrived with to-go boxes. I'm pretty sure all 3 of us are looking forward to going back. And it's a good thing I didn't drive. I was feeling my one little drink on the way home.

    Chairs with red seats
    Monty D.

    This restaurant has a history that 's over 60 years old with a rich history (think traditional "supper club" style which provides fond memories for many). Yet, it has new owners as of this year but I'll bet nothing much has changed since "the good ol' days". As you can see from my outdoor pics, and my pic of the chairs (red vinyl), it's a throwback to yesteryear. Not to say this is bad, just to get an understanding of what you're walking into. At lunchtime on this week day, there was plenty of parking in the rear (and the restaurant was almost full). The tables were a bit close and it was a bit noisy, but everyone was polite and in good spirits. As you can see from my pic, we started lunch with Onion Rings. These are relatively thinly sliced and breaded with batter that ends up being quite crunchy. There was plenty, and then some. We shared a Garbage Salad (see my pic). This truly has a bit of everything in it. It starts off Greek style with deli meats, artichoke hearts, olives and ends with shrimp: all topped on a bed of lettuce and veggies. It's served with Italian dressing, which had usual, traditional flavors. We finished with Jess's Slow Cooked Ribs (see my pic): this is a staple of theirs highlighting their signature BBQ sauce. There was plenty of meat on the ribs, which fell off the bone with the slightest of tugs. The BBQ smoke was earthy and paired well with the sauce. Their sauce was quite sweet, ample and tasted like it was applied after the ribs were cooked

    Menu
    Todd B.

    We stopped here for dinner when we were in the area based on a friend's recommendation. First impression from the outside (see picture) and confirmed once inside was of a 70s-era steakhouse (dark, no windows & dark decor). That is not a knock / negative comment, just an observation. Once inside, it was quite crowded but we were quickly welcomed by Joe the bartender who asked our names and then repeated them several times before we left. I started off by ordering a Brandy Alexander ice cream drink (see picture) and loved it. We enjoyed the table bread, which included plenty of available butter (see picture). My wife overheard some other patrons talking about how good the onion rings were. Since the large is only $1 more than the small we ordered a large (see picture) and both thought they were good. The best part of the meal was the salad with the house creamy garlic dressing (see picture) - both the dressing and the croutons were delicious. For our main course we went with the London Broil (see picture) - which unfortunately was the weakest part of the meal. The slice laying on top was medium rare as ordered (see picture), but the other slices bordered on medium-well to well done. As you might expect, those other pieces were dry, tough and lacking flavor. When the owner stopped by our table (before we got our main course), he did mention that there was a substitute chef that night - so this dish might be better on another night. Food: 4 Atmosphere: 3 Value: 3 Service: 5 If you found this review helpful, please click to show your support.

    Salad
    Jessica R.

    STILL MY FAVORITE SHRIMP IN DSM! And probably my favorite steak place, there are several good ones but Jesses is a classic. Cajun shrimp appetizer: what in the magic potion do they put in this sauce? I just want to pour it over everything! Ribeye: perfectly medium rare, side of au jus, large baked potato (though I didn't eat it) came with. Love their house dressing so much. Grateful they were so kind about letting us bring in our service dog in-training. He did great, wasn't distracted by the delicious smells either. I, on the other hand, was completely distracted by all of the food smells

    Juicy medium rare with a perfect char. This ribeye was as good as it gets.
    D B.

    Perfect medium rare ribeye. They must have a hot grill because the outside was crispy charred and oh man it was so perfect. I don't know how you beat this place if you want a steak. We started with onion rings which were very good. And then the salad which was excellent. House creamy parm dressing and buttery croutons. Even with a bottle of wine, our anniversary dinner was still affordable compared to anything else in the city. I highly highly recommend this place. Top notch service to boot. And open kitchen where you can see the master at work. This is a Des Moines treasure.

    Large onion ring.  DELICIOUS!!!
    Jarrod P.

    We found this place while driving down Ingersoll. The place looked like a dive from the outside. Once we got inside the place was clean and they had shields up for covid on the booths. The joint was small but they did a nice job of table arrangements. The staff was friendly and prompt. We had the rib, French dip, and Ember Burger and they were all amazing. We had onions rings for an app. They were old school deliciousness!!! Definitely recommending this joint and will return if I'm in the area.

    Heidi H.

    This place never disappoints. The staff makes you feel at home. I have been coming here for many many years. They always remember me. I have never had a meal I didn't like. Their house salad dressing and the homemade croutons are my favorite.

    Malbec Wine!

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    Great steaks, awesome house salad dressing, cold beer. What else could you ask for?

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    Great dinner best steak anf bottle of wine in a long time. Perfect service and great company. Highly recomend!

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    16 years ago

    Wonderful. Nice old school Des Moines. As good as 801 at half the price.

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

    We've been here 2 times now, and can't wait to make it many more. Delicious food and a fun atmosphere. Great service.

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    Page 4 of 4

    Ask the Community - Jesse's Embers

    Isn't Jesse Embers closed in Des Moines? If so need updating on Google?

    It is not closed and you won't be disappointed!

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    Tullpa Restaurant - Beef stir fried

    Tullpa Restaurant

    4.8(40 reviews)
    3.5 mi

    I've been curious about this place for a long time so I finally tried it for dinner tonight with my…read morehusband. Like probably most Americans, I haven't tried a lot of South American cuisine so I didn't know what to expect. I guess I was expecting something like Mexican food. Well, it's definitely a lot different than Mexican food. Peruvian food isn't very spicy and the seasonings are different, yet still tasty. There a big Chinese influence on Peruvian food, too. I got the Lomo Saltado, a popular Peruvian dish with stir-fried beef, onions and tomatoes served with rice and French fries. My husband got the Chaufa al Wok, an oriental Peruvian fried rice with chicken. The fries kind of threw me at first. I wasn't expecting that. The dish was very good and had a nice flavor. My husband loved his dish and thought it was delicious. With both of our dishes it was interesting to see how much of a Chinese influence there is. What my husband absolutely loved the most is their homemade horchata. It tasted different than Mexican horchata so he asked what was in it. Our server said it was made was cacao beans instead of just rice and cinnamon. It had a pale brown color to it, too. I also liked the seasoned corn nuts that came with two different sauces--a sweet one and savory one. We both thought the prices were a little high but not so much that we wouldn't come back. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and helped us decide what to order. She was very knowledgeable about the menu items. At the end of our meal both she and the owner (I think) asked us how we liked everything and if there was anything they could have done to make things more enjoyable. I mentioned that my food came out much earlier than my husband's so I was almost done by the time his came out. The owner apologized for the wait and we really appreciated that. They also serve empanadas, pupusas and tamales. We're going to try these the next time we come back. Someone at the table next to us ordered the pupusas and they looked yummy. We were pleasantly pleased with how tasty the food was despite being a lot different than what we were expecting.

    Every time we pass through Des Moines we have to stop here…read more A small family run restaurant that is excellent. Great food and great service. Don't miss it! The Arroz Con Mariscos is excellent and has a lot of seafood in it. Awesome flavor. My husband loves the Chaufa Al Wok too. The Strawberry pop is a don't miss.

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    Tullpa Restaurant - Fried Calamari w yucca

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    Django

    Django

    4.0(490 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    •$$

    Such a terrific restaurant experience, start to finish! Saddened that they will be closing in…read moremid-March. Great interior, excellent customer service throughout, and elite attention to detail. Loved their artwork, their lighting, and overall French decor. Some cool banners and photos included. Thankful for Erick, our server, who was spot on throughout. Enjoyed poutine with my fellow table members, a tasty food item that isn't available in many Midwestern areas. LOVED my Steak Frites and Fillet, cooked perfectly. One of my fellow diners loved her Tuna Nicoise Salad. Parking is a bit of a challenge, but it is doable because Django is not located in a cramped part of downtown Des Moines.

    Went to Django for happy hour. It's from 4-close. No place does that. They have select items and…read moredrinks discounted and it's well worth it. The place was busy when we arrived around 5 and got a spot at the bar. Our bartender was also our waiter but did a great job doing both. Oysters were great. Our dirty martini was extra dirty like I wanted. The Brussel sprouts are crispy and flavorful with awesome dipping sauce. The charcuterie board had meats and cheeses, olives and jam. Very good. There are many more items to choose from during happy hour, but this was all my date and I could consume that night. Plus one more martini. Highly recommend going during the happy hour special.

    Photos
    Django
    Django - Oysters rockefeller: spinach, bacon, cream & pernod, with bread crumbs and manchego cheese

    Oysters rockefeller: spinach, bacon, cream & pernod, with bread crumbs and manchego cheese

    Django - Short rib poutine: braised beef short ribs with onion mushroom hash, cheese curds and demi glace over fries

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    Short rib poutine: braised beef short ribs with onion mushroom hash, cheese curds and demi glace over fries

    Fresko - Charcuterie Board

    Fresko

    4.2(224 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    •$$

    I went twice in one day lol I only have pictures from brunch…read more For brunch, I had the eggs your way with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and a gluten free pancake. The food was plentiful and very good. The gluten free pancake was made out of rice flour. It was dense but still good. I personally like my sausage on the very well done side so they switched out my sausage from the one pictured. Went back for dinner and got the Half Roasted Chicken with Lemon Pan Sauce with the mini lavey mocktail. The dish was great. The greens had a bit of crunch to them. If I could change anything, I would get the sauce on the side. It was a bit overpowering but did not ruin the dish. I felt that the dish was seasoned well on its own. The mini lavey was *fine*. I wouldn't get it again. It was overpriced for the size and the taste was just fine. Service was 10/10. Bathrooms clean. Well decorated.

    I've been to Fresko several times. They are pretty consistent with their food, but have never been…read moresuper impressed by a dish. We got the steak stroganoff, spinach artichoke, and salmon. The spinach artichoke was a bit sour and the cheese was hard. The stroganoff was good but was a bit bland, as well as the salmon dish. The salmon itself was great, but the hummus, pesto and peppers blend did not match the dish. The service was a bit inconsistent but our server was still kind. Overall, Fresko has a great atmosphere and good enough food to enjoy your time there.

    Photos
    Fresko - Dining area

    Dining area

    Fresko - Golden Dragon Street Noodles

    Golden Dragon Street Noodles

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    Jesse's Embers - seafood - Updated September 2026

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