This place has been a staple for the past three years I've been in law school @ Drake. The student…read moreburger deal is a godsend, happy hour is perfect, and the servers are always great. I've take family who've visited DSM for the first time and they love it. I've had rough days where the chicken bacon ranch flatbread is all I want and it satisfies every time. I've done schoolwork here (including group flash card study sessions) while sipping on a cute cocktail. I've shared so many drinks and laughs with my classmates here, I hope they stay open forever. HIGHLY recommended!!

I've been here a handful of times. Never a complaint…read more Food is is always tasty and delivered in a reasonable time. And I've never sent anything back, it's always been good. Waitresses are always attentive and friendly. They know the menu & drinks as well and are doing a fantastic job. Decent prices. Close and also private parking. Decent restrooms.

Sabina was my sever, she did an amazing job! The beer was really good as well. I'll definitely be…read moreback

Big Grove Brewery was one of our favorite places to grab a bite and unwind while exploring Des…read moreMoines! The atmosphere is upbeat and welcoming, making it a great place to meet up with friends, enjoy a date night, or simply take a break after a day of exploring. We tried the mac & cheese stacked with BBQ and a couple of their fresh brews....everything hit the spot! (PS - Kansas City now also has a Big Grove Brewery!) If you're looking for a local brewery to add to your Des Moines itinerary, this one is definitely worth checking out!

This is my favorite restaurant by far. Atmosphere is bright, small and easy to talk, though it does…read moreget a little loud when busy. The food is always so good. This is a small thing but I love the eclectic dishes they use. Food is always fresh and delicious. I love the steak stroganoff but I tried the osso bucco this time and it was yummy.

Always an amazing place to eat. My favorite is their gnocchi, it's like a fluffy pillow packed with…read moreflavor. Overall their service is always wonderful!

Amazing creativity, highest quality. And thoroughly knowledgeable service. Small plates with the…read morefreshest local ingredients, often done with an Asian twist. We've gone to happy hour, dinner, and restaurant week. All are amazing. Happy hour and restaurant week are excellent value. Last night we had sweet corn tartlets with a savory cream and white truffle. I wanted them for dessert as well as the amuse bouche. Corn ricotta pasta and an Asian glazed beef tenderloin were standouts. Always order yuzu anything for dessert. The dining room is fairly small but with tables arranged so you're not listening to your neighbor's conversation. Natural decor (moss, branches, grasses, etc.) soften the space. Cocktails are inventive and the wine selection really interesting (in a good way). A biodynamic Spanish selection was one of the most pleasantly versatile bottles I've experienced, and the wine pairings for restaurant week were well conceived. If you're not sure what to select, staff will knowledgeably do it for you. Portland, Oregon is the city where we dine most often, and is one of America's best food cities. We did not expect this quality in Des Moines--were blown away by it--and return every time we're in town.

We had a great meal at Harbinger! The atmosphere was truly exceptional - inviting, trendy, and…read morerelaxing. The drinks were on point. We did not do the tasting menu, but ordered a lot of items. One thing they could work on was the timing, the dinner took over two hours and we felt like it was very slow due to other tables getting the pre fix. The food was really unique and inventive. We really appreciated them trying out new flavor combinations! There were a lot of really unique dishes. The parsnips we got were very undercooked, but most of the dishes were truly excellent.

Great vibe. Perfect place to get drinks with friends or for a date night. Huge cocktail menu and…read moreall great drinks ranging from your classics to super unique flavor combos.

Stopped in on a hot Sunday for a frozen drink. I saw they have a patio online; however, with the…read moreheat of the day, I ended up taking a seat inside. The server was efficient and quickly served me a mug of water. I started with the flamingo, which is a frozen daiquiri. I loved the glass straw and my drink stayed frozen to the last sip. Then I switched it up and got a mocktail. The Karate kid was carrot forward with a hint of ginger and spice. It was all around refreshing. I couldn't leave without taking a picture of the art above the table where I sat. I especially liked, "Be a Good Loser."

The classic hotel rooftop bar. Their menu is small, but the views and vibe are great. I've had…read morealmost everything on the menu and never had a bad meal. Republic is great for meeting friends, having an appetizer or eating a dinner when staying at the hotel. It's a fun place and would be good for a date as well. They have a full bar, TVs and a variety of seating options. Flatbread pizza and the Gnocchi are my favorites. The waitstaff is always friendly, but there is usually only the bartender and one other person. If you are in a hurry sit at the bar.

We went here for their Rudolph on the Rooftop holiday pop up. We loved the Christmas deco, and the…read morevibe was merry. The food was good. I really enjoyed the pesto and tuna and charcuterie board. Our waitress checked in on us often. We would come back here.

University Library Cafe may be a bar, but showing up late morning before noon felt like discovering…read morethe quiet study section before the crowds arrived. The funny part? Once the food hit the table, everyone suddenly got focused and very quiet. Shhh like we are in a library! Apparently we were all majoring in comfort food with a concentration in burgers, fries, and bar food done right. Nothing fancy here, just great service, generous portions, and food that earns an A+ in comfort. You definitely will not leave hungry!

Really cramped inside so not super plus size friendly, but I was thankful to get the big booth on…read morethe corner. Amazing food, worth the price. Waitress was really busy and wasn't super attentive but she was polite and accurate with our orders so it all worked out :)) Really want to try this place out at breakfast time soon. Great Moscow mules with a ton of flavor options, one of my favorites in DSM so far (other than copper cup, of course!!).

I went there hungry for some unhealthy food and thirsty for some Iowa beer. AG did its thang!…read more Loved the Poutine. Loved the PB&J Burger. Liked the beer. Liked our bartender/server and her friendliness . Loved the divey-but-not-too-divey atmosphere. Shout out to their kitchen being open on the later side during the week. It was very hard to find a good meal in this area at 10:00pm on a Monday, but AG came up clutch.

It's a nice kool spot to hang with family and friends. Tuesday they have a whole meal and a pint of…read morebeer

My wife and I have been making a point to try at least one new-to-us place each month this year…read more April's pick was Baratta's, a Des Moines staple that has been part of the local dining scene for years. We went on a Thursday night and walked into a packed house. Baratta's is one of those sprawling, multi-room venues that feels like it grew one dining room at a time, and there is a lot of charm in that. The menu is equally sprawling, and we started with the Focaccia bread, which was excellent. We split the Ravioli al Forno and still had enough to bring home, which is always a good sign. A couple of things caught us off guard. The room we landed in ran loud enough to make conversation a little work, and the wine list was shorter than we expected for a place this size. Neither was a dealbreaker. Baratta's is the kind of place that has earned its reputation, and we would go back to explore more of the menu. Worth a visit if you have not been.

A Des Moines classic. Last night took me to revisit Baratta's down on South Union...a South side…read moretradition with history dating back to the 1920s. I think they've been under the current ownership since 1993. Spacious parking and I've always loved the atmosphere at Baratta's... Kind of an old school vibe, but up to date too. From the outside you can still see the evolution that happened over the years. A combination of store and home that evenutally merged together, but it's not as obvious from the inside. We were greeted right away when we walked in and were seated at a high backed booth in the bar area. If I recall the seating in the main restaurant is mostly low top tables and chairs. I didn't catch our server's name, but she was BUSY. It seemed like she working as a host, bartender, and server from what I could see. All rolled into one. And she did a fanstatic job! Drink orders were taken first and food a few minutes later after we'd had time to look over the menu. Most entrees come with bread and a side of either soup or a salad. I love their salads. All their dressing are made in house if I recall correctly. We ordered the Amaggio with chicken, the Manicotti al Formaggio with white sauce, both with side salads (blue cheese and creamy garlic), an unsweetened ice tea, and a soda (Coke products). $56ish before tip. Amaggio: "A house favorite with your choice of chicken, shrimp, or both rolled in a mixture of fresh bread crumbs and then grilled to perfection. Served over linguini with roasted red peppers and mushrooms. Topped with our Amaggio sauce made with olive oil, white wine, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, garlic and basil." Manicotti al Formaggio: "A unique blend of five cheeses including mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and ricotta wrapped with fresh pasta and baked with your choice of red, white, or marinara." In full transparency I've never had a bad experience at Baratta's. Food or service... But that being said I can say the same about A LOT of restaurants in the metro! Some that others complain about regularly. I'm been trying to figure that out... 1. Either I'm not picky... 2. Maybe I'm very forgiving. 3. Or maybe I just choose to approach each dining experience with a positive attitude right out of the gate and it's infectious. Maybe a combination of all of the above...? It's just easier to be nice sometimes. It is what it is I guess... The food hit our table after a short wait. Bread and salads first and then the main dishes. Everything was cooked perfectly. The linguini in my Amaggio was still al dente. The chicken was delicious. Perfectly seasoned and not the least bit dry. I'm glad I left my bread to help clean my plate with. Our server checked on us regularly, we never had to ask for a refill...it was just taken care of...and Joe stopped by to check on us a couple of times too. I love seeing owners on site and interacting with their guests. That alone can bring a restaurant to a different level in my eyes. It shows accountablity that can sometimes seem absent these days. As always a great meal and an overall fantastic visit to Baratta's!

The person who checked us in seemed a little rude, but our waitress was very friendly! We placed a…read morereservation, which I would highly recommend because otherwise, there's a 1 hour and 30 minute wait. We learned that from the day before, when the front lady completely seemed to ignore us. Anyway, our food was very good, and the restaurant has a very classy, rich vibe. I got the gnocchi, but I feel like the grated cheese on top didn't really go with the pasta. Other than that, it was good, but it's just not really my type. I'd probably skip this one. Since I didn't eat much of it, I got the kids' Alfredo pasta. WOW. Chef's kiss! That was the best Alfredo I've ever had. So cheesy and saucy--definitely a MUST. The complimentary bread was also very good, but the texture made it seem like it definitely wasn't fresh. It tasted a little old, but I still ate it . My family loved their food, and the chicken was absolutely delicious. Overall, definitely a spot you should try!

PASTA. PASTA. PASTA. went here for early solo dinner. Didn't regret coming here after traveling…read more Housemade pasta was so delicious! Waitress was super nice. It was packed by the time I left. If I ever go back to Iowa. I will be back at Centro.