15 years ago, I found a place to replace my bagel joint that met my needs and far exceeded my expectations! Let me just start with Jenny the best bartender in the world!... I have never felt more at home and never been more pleased with an establishment as I have been with Louie's'. I could go on and on, but my only true compliment is towards Jenny who made my life a better place in the last 15 years thank you so much. I don't know how I'm gonna do it without you! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Zach - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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*CELIAC / GLUTEN FREE REVIEW SO many GF or GF-modified options available! They have a safe fryer, with most fried things being naturally GF or made with rice flour. Servers are also very knowledgeable and can mark the order as an allergy. we got the happy hour cheese curds and the carnitas tacos (they weren't marked GF but our waiter said it was a typo and they actually are!) both were SO good and definitely worth the stop. During this time of year they have live music on Wednesdays and Sundays, and it's a nice venue :) I did not get sick! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Menu - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

If you want a fantastic burger try the "Louie Burger." The caramelized onions, cheese, sliced pickles and their special sauce is beyond delicious. As a non drinker -- my fantastic and customer friendly Ginny prepared for me this delicious mock-tail that had a sensational fruity taste of lemonade--Simply delicious. The enormous Louie Burger recommended by Ginny- the top notch "bar master" was unbelievably good. Every space was exacting in terms of color decor, accessible table spacing with a neighborhood vibe of casual openness where you can sit, and chat or enjoy the sports screens while ordering from their reasonably priced menu. So venture out - talk trivia about Louie's with Ginny- or listen to John's ( Co-Manager) fun-filled travel adventures, and support this business that has marked this spot with twelve years of good customer service. read more

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Fun brunch place . It can get very busy. I mean they have beignets ! If you get this you will need some help. I would skip the fruit as a side we Got bartender fruits... and we saw them assemble it from the bar. Maybe it was a bad day. We haven't been back because of the location but other than that we would try it again read more

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Very good - highly recommend! Awesome service and great food. Recommend for a night out.

5 stars on my delivery order! I ordered the Wagyu cheeseburger with truffle fries, and the carrot cake for dessert. Absolutely delicious!!! I will be ordering from here again. read more

Could we have given our server 10 stars? Absolutely loved this little spot. Indoor and outdoor seating. Nummy food. And live Jazz every Sunday and Wednesday night. Going to have to visit again. We did Sunday jazz... and tried different foods... YUM We also had lunch Tuesday with more lovely food and great service with Chuck #theserverguy #OwlsTweet #BirdLife #worldtraveler #traveler #Owlcoholic @MeetMrOwl read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Chuck #theserverguy - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Louie's was a fantastic experience. Great ambiance and service and the food was fantastic. My wife has GF intolerances and so to be able to have fried fish was amazing. While I'm not GF I ordered the honey butter chicken sandwich and asked it to be GF so that she could share. Everything was delicious, had a nice crunch but wasn't too greasy. We will be back for sure! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Fried Champagne Fish and Chips Dinner and Honey Butter Chicken Sandwich and fried Squeaky Cheese - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Went to Louie's last night and likely won't be back. Walked in and the manager was being rude to her hosting staff. Order the squeaky cheese for an app. Good, not great and the marinara was watery. Sangria was good, not great. Best food was my husband's burger. I ordered the mushroom risotto which was bland and not worth $28. The portions are good for kids meals at $5 but the mac n cheese tasted like straight Parmesan and chicken tenders were really a large fried chicken breast cut into strips. It then took us approximately 20 more minutes to get out of there after finishing our meal because the server didn't come back to our table to give us our check. read more

Great environment, and great drinks! The food for Sunday brunch pretty good. The sandwich was much different than i expected but still good. read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Arch frenemy M - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Great experience celebrating a friend's birthday! My first time here but the birthday girl's 100th visit. She loves it here. Loved the guacamole and chips. My friend had her favorite burger, cheese curds, and Brussel sprouts. Service was very nice and very accommodating. Menu had lots of amazing choices. Many things from gluten free options to seafood, and salads. Although lots of items with cheese/dairy. It would be challenging for a plant based patron to enjoy anythjng more than a side or salad. Would love to see a delicious crafted full plant based dish. Drink menu was large! My friends found their drinks very pleasing. Environment was loud and busy. I can see why everyone loves it here. Amazing patio setting and indoor seating. Comfy and inviting. Everything on the menu looked amazing. I look forward to come back to try a seafood dish. read more

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After the Louie's in Coralville closed, I was hoping to have a pleasant experience at the Des Moines location and it didn't disappoint. The atmosphere is laid back and nice (you know, as a wine dive bar should be) and clean. Our waiter was very friendly and happy to chit chat. I had the lunch special and I was surprised at how much I loved the salad! I would drive back to Des Moines just for that salad. There are specials, great drinks to enjoy in the future. I believe this will be a go-to place to eat next time I'm in the area. read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Harvest salad. - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

As a first visit I had to go with their delicious and highly recommended fish and chips. Our waitress was great and so helpful. The Sunday night we went in there was a jazz trio playing. So fun! read more

Fish and chips are off the hook. Pun intended. Burger was fabulous. Fries were cold but served then brought out a bowl of hot tasty fries. Salmon was under cooked. The beignets were delicious but should come with your own private cardiologist. Service was superb. Despite the hiccups looking forward to going back. read more

I've been to Louie's years ago but it's been awhile and my partner and I were looking for a brunch spot. We arrived around 11:30 and was seated right away. There was maybe 8 other tables filled that we could see and the main seating room is comfortable and provides a lively dining experience. Our server was very personable but we didn't see him much after taking our order. Maybe they were short staffed, I'm not sure! I ordered the classic eggs Benedict and my partner ordered the salmon Benedict. Mine was just okay, not as favorable and my poached eggs were overcooked unfortunately. The serving of potatoes was also quite dry and bland. I also think from a visual perspective, it would have been better served on a smaller plate. When it costs 15+ per plate, blank space can be discouraging. My partner really enjoyed the Salmon Benedict with mixed greens as her side. She said the salmon was cooked perfectly and seemed to have great things to say about her order. One downside she experienced is ordering hot tea and not having many options to choose from. Pumpkin spice tea in March is not the vibe. I'm sure tea isn't ordered much though at an establishment with wine in the name so it's hard to fault them for that. Overall, it was an okay dining experience. I won't be rushing back but I would certainly give it more chances! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Classic Benedict and Salmon Benedict - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Kudos to the chef for the amazing salmon. Salads were fresh and flavorful! Our mixed drinks were quite good, too. However, the service was painfully slow, my husband's steak was medium rare we he ordered medium well, and no one told us it would take 20 minutes for beignets. (We had to leave before the came.) I saw a warning about slow service but we are fairly patient diners so I thought it would be fine. I underestimated how slow things would be. I'd say it's worth it if you have 2+ hours to spend. read more

Wanting to preface in saying we came on a NYE night and willing to give them another shot on a more typical night. Overall for the price, the experience was mediocre at best. SCB burger description had us drooling only to be served a microwave patty with cream cheese on it. The fries were also incredibly soggy. They don't serve ranch or bbq sauce, no big deal, as they offered a green goddess sauce substitute which was the saving grace of the meal. Filet was cooked well but under seasoned, and the smothering in sauce was a bit much for my taste. Server was kind and attentive for how busy the night was. Like I said, will be back to give them another shot as their HH deals were enticing. read more

Louie's Wine Dive - SCB Burger Dinner - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Dreadful $100+ brunch. I don't like to write bad reviews and I usually love Louie's for dinner and cocktails but I will never ever return for brunch. I'll focus on one thing as an example- the eggs benedict was DRY, the eggs were hard and overcooked, and it had the *tiniest drizzle* of hollandaise sauce. When I asked for more sauce our server said sure then clearly forgot, along with all the other things we asked for like drinks. When she came back instead of owning up to forgetting she lied and said they were out of sauce ....as I'm watching more eggs benedict come out of the kitchen. When I asked about them she said "well we can't just be giving out extra sauce to everyone" (WUT). No, I just need a normal amount so I can eat this dry, overcooked $15 breakfast. She said "well sorry" and walked away. Absurd and rude. So I had to take my breakfast home and make my own sauce to make it edible. We will never return for brunch. read more

Terrible experience!! We have eaten at this establishment many times for brunch, etc. we came in tonight expecting the same level of service. Didn't happen. From the get go, we didn't have a server approach our table for 10 + minutes. Then the waiter approached after we spoke to the hostess & told her we haven't even been greeted. Then, we finally got our order & appetizer, the waiter explained they had 4 servers out & was backed up. He came in on day off? That was off putting right there. We ate the charcuterie board which was appetizing but this is where it went haywire. We waited forever to order our entree, Rez at 7:30, finally ordered at 8:40. When we ordered it was two sandwiches & a salad. We saw the sandwiches sitting there for 10-15 min under the heat lamps. Salad wilted. Fries cold, and told by another waiter they would bring fresh, hot fries. Never came. We were served 1/2 a order in one & another had maybe a 1/4. Again food sat in window. Cold sandwiches which looked good at another table when we arrived. Ugh so disappointed. ( we overheard the general manager stating the service was unacceptable). We should of known this is how it would of went. Sadly we will NEVER return to one of our local favorites. You lost 3 customers. All you could of done was comped or said sorry? Or offered something? Instead we paid & tipped. ( because we are those people). Just know you can't continue a successful business with this kind of service & expect return customers. Regretfully, 3 lost customers. read more

I absolutely love this place. It is my go restaurant whenever I am in town. Their drinks are absolutely wonderful and almost everything is made in house. The staff is really friendly and helpful. I am highly allergic to gluten and dairy so being able to ask questions and knowing that the staff know what their talking about makes me relax easier and if they do not then they know to ask the chef. Almost everything is gluten free or able to be made gluten free. I love seeing what their seasonal drinks are but my go to in the lavender lemonade vodka. The burgers are delicious. The pasta can be made gluten free and has a lovely kick. And the salmon is to die for. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for a while since it's not too far from where I live. When a friend suggested meeting here for lunch, I was excited to try it. When we walked in we were met by a young kid. He didn't give us a friendly greeting or welcome us. He didn't smile. In fact, he seemed totally miserable, like he would rather have been anywhere else but there. He asked us if we had a reservation, which we didn't. The place wasn't even half full so we didn't think there would be a problem. He sat us outside because we requested it. My friend commented to me about his utter lack of enthusiasm. He kind of made us feel unwelcome. My friend got the avocado toast and some beignets because she said they were really good and wanted me to try them. I got the apple harvest salad. I thought my salad was just ok, but nothing special. The chicken strips were much too big. They should have been cut into smaller pieces. The beignets were good and the sauce that came with them was great. When the waiter took our orders I told him we wanted separate checks so that my friend and I could each pay for what we ordered. He said ok. When it came time to pay the bill, he asked us if we wanted to split the bill. We said ok because we thought he was going to give us separate checks like we had originally requested. But when I got my bill it had half the cost of my friend's beignets on it and not just what I ordered. I wasn't expecting that. I should have said something but I didn't want to raise a stink about it. The outdoor patio was nice and it was great with the beautiful weather but I wasn't impressed by the food or the service, so I don't know if I'd come back again. Also, their online menu isn't the same as the menu they had at the restaurant. I looked at the online menu before I went there and was going to order the two course lunch special but I didn't see it when I got there. I hate when restaurants do that. read more

This is one of my go to for a nice dinner with a friend or a date. The wait staff is always incredibly helpful and friendly. And I enjoyed everything I've ever ordered off of the menu. I especially like the charcuterie board before dinner. I don't drink alcohol and they do a great job, but providing me nonalcoholic options that are special. read more

This place really never disappointed, but I do feel like the meun gets smaller and smaller each visit. If this is still in season by the time you read this, you use try the Maple pecan old fashioned, the rim is everything, slap it on every drink please! Shrimp tacos for appetizer, the salmon salad is one of the best, and the spicy shrimp diablo is good, but could use a little more kick. read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Shrimp tacos - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I been here once before. I honestly can't remember much of the food or experience so it must not have been that impactful otherwise I would have ranted BUT this time I went specifically for something. BEIGNETS. I had been craving them and after watching the movie "Chef" on Netflix I went to look for some so I ordered takeout. They did not look like your traditional beignets but I was determined to have some. They had a crunchy outer layer and a soft middle. The middle was very eggy. And they were out of the regular dipping sauce it comes with so I was given strawberry sauce which was alright. I think I might be back for some in the future. We shall see. For now, until next time! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Beingets - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I'm going to have to split the baby on this one. Food and ambiance I would rate as 5 star. Service, 2. Upon being seated we ordered a round of coffee and beignets to start. John, our waiter informed us that the beignets are made fresh and would take some time to prepare. No problem. After he checked in on us again we ordered breakfast. After what seemed like more than enough time for our breakfast to come out John let us know that he was waiting for the beignets to come out before he put in our breakfast order. We can chalk this up to a misunderstanding but I can tell you our table understood our breakfast would come when ready and the beignets would come out when they were ready even if that was after our breakfast had arrived. Fail number two would be when John spilling a bit of coffee on me through the grated table. Again, mistakes happen but his response should not have been at least you're wearing black pants. Apparently, stains trump burned skin. Another party ordered French Toast with fruit as her side choice, and we all heard clearly that was her side choice. John only heard that was her only choice so she never got her meal, just fruit. Add to that once our food did arrive I guess it was assumed water or additional coffee was no longer needed. Had to waive down a waiter, not John, to even get our bill. I will say I enjoyed my Crabcake Benedict. Presentation, the taste, generous portion, all that was spot on. read more

My rating reflects the news I've heard that ownership is doing away with less expensive wine options. It appears he wants to bring in his own Vinzant wines from his vineyard which are very expensive by the glass and bottle. Very disappointing for a restaurant that is not fine dining. read more

Food and service were excellent. Portions seem a bit small for the price. Nice ambiance, especially on the patio in warm months. Cocktails are always delicious. read more

Really love this place! Wine and spirits selection is really good. Love to dine outside in the summer. Nicely tucked away out of the heavy restaurant traffic. Great staff too. read more

Louie's is awesome for a cute atmosphere and gluten-friendly options--a perfect happy hour or date night spot! In the Drake University area, this little spot is on the corner near a HyVee. They have a super cute patio for drinking and dining outside in summer! However, my favorite time to come to Louie's is in the winter: the energy inside is so cozy and welcoming. The servers and staff always treat us so well here--they're so welcoming and fun. Louie's has a great wine selection--wine glass prices start around $8. They offer beer and cocktails as well. If you're looking for some live music, head to Louie's on Wednesdays or Sundays from 5-8 for an awesome experience. We went this past Sunday and listened to some soft jazz. They have a limited specialty menu for the Sunday jazz crowd, and each item sounded so good! Unique menu items like Hawaiian tuna nachos. There are multiple gluten free options, which made me so happy! I have never had gluten free fish and chips, but one of the Sunday menu items was a champagne fish and chips--totally gluten free. The dish was spectacular! They make a killer burger, and some awesome gnocchi as well. We were celebrating a birthday and got to pick between all their dessert offerings--but went with the gluten free apple cobbler and it was soooo good! Definitely check this place out for a romantic night, their live music night, and some delicious GF food. read more

Louie's Wine Dive - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We come here just so we can see John! The food is great, too, but John is a wonderful server with witty banter!

Our waiter, John, is always amazing Makes the experience fun and easy going. Always on top of topping off the coffee and keeping us sugar addicts supplied with plenty of sugar packets. :-) Food top tier! Love our visits to Louie's! read more

John was absolutely outstanding . Food was amazing, service and ambiance excellent. Will always come back for the most delicious food

Such a great happy hour! Love the Shrimp Tacos, wine, and cocktails here! The outdoor patio is enjoyable and does a good job feeling relaxing despite being on a busy road. Love the deals and the wine selection. Happy hour is 3-6pm daily! read more

Louie's Wine Dive - Shrimp Tacos - New American Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We were in tonight and ordered drinks and dinner Everything was fine until our server let out a guttural scream from the back room where she was turning the chairs up on the tables. She then came into the main dining area and apologized to all sitting there for screaming Then while we had full glasses of wine they started putting up chairs on all the tables around us Super rude This was my first time there and I will not return read more

John was very socialable and helpful. He made our experience even better on top of the food being excellent. Will definitely be making this place a regular hang out. read more

You know those perfect meals, where something on the menu jumps out at you and it gets served exactly as you expected? Yeah, that's what Louie's delivered a few weeks ago. Surprisingly, it had nothing to do with wine. Say what? Me in a wine bar without a glass in-hand? Shocking, I know. Half soup, half salad combo with a cold glass of Sprite. I can't explain beyond the fact it's just what I wanted. I scarfed it down in like, five minutes and went on my way. 'Nuff said. read more

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Everything I've ever had there was so good and different would recommend if you want something different but good comfort food

Dinner was fantastic and our server Jessica was amazing! Her service and attentiveness took the experience over the top!!

Only good things. Been 3 times now, got the same server twice and she is awesome. Ordered the chicken sandwich on two different occasions as it is one of the best I've ever had. Appetizers great. Drinks great. Will be coming here for another 3 times for sure! read more

We were warmly welcomed at lunch on a weekday by John. We sought out the restaurant because of its gluten free choices. John checked in with us several times during our meal and answered questions and made helpful suggestions. As a celiac,I loved the squeaky cheese curds, and my husband gave me a bite of his delicious fish and chips. Our server Erica was efficient and personable. read more