Ok, here's the deal. If you want to drink, especially martinis, come here. If you want a nice dinner, this is not the place to come. The steak was chewy, mushrooms without seasoning, salmon tacos in a cold flour tortilla with leaves of wilted lettuce. read more

The Stuffed Olive - Inside - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I love the stuffed olive in cedar falls. So I was really disappointed with this location. We had appetizers, the pecan crusted chicken and the mini chimis. They were both dry and bland. We asked for salsa and they didn't have any so we had to use ranch to help with the dryness. My friend had the grilled chicken and it was really good. This location didn't have sushi so I was bummed about that also. The atmosphere is nice and drinks were good. read more

The Stuffed Olive - Mini chimis have dry chicken inside - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Happened on this place while walking down the street headed to another restaurant. Very glad I did. Great service from Katie and an excellent meal followed with a scrumptious creme brule'. Definitely coming back here again and again. And just a hop from the Civic Center makes it ideal to pair with a performance outing. read more

Fun hang out kind of place. This can be a nice spot to go before a play or concert as it is close to the civic center. They didn't allow corkage when we called to check about it. Food is fine. Nothing stood out but a fun place to go with friends for tapas read more

Atmosphere and ambiance was great however the food took very long to get to our table and the completely messed up 2 of our orders.

Been here once before and really enjoyed the atmosphere and food. Took the wife here for our anniversary this time around. The tapas is awesome...nothing bad on the menu. The stuffed mushrooms, sliders and lobster bruschetta are killer. For drinks, you have to branch out and try a martini if you don't normally like them. She had a Mango Salsa Martini and absolutely loved it. Sweet and hot. I went with the more traditional dirty vodka martini with blue cheese olives. Made to perfection! Service is top notch. Great staff. read more

Best martini I've ever had. Delicious, well mixed, and fun! Salmon tacos were incredible and worth a trip all on their own.

This place has awesome food. I settled for the steak bruschetta and the beef brisket and fries. Sooo good, prices were great. The ambiance was awesome and the bartender took care of everyone with a smile. Every drink that was made looked like it was ready for a magazine photo. I would try this place if you're thinking about it! read more

The Stuffed Olive - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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There is a HUGE selection of martinis here. I love martinis, but I basically ordered an autumnal old fashioned on their featured menu to start. The martinis I think are all a little frilly and not very strong, but it's kind of fun to go for dessert. We ended up ordering food, I ordered the butternut squash ravioli, which was good but RICH. The cream sauce tasted almost cinnamon-like. It was a bit much, but I ate it all so... it wasn't bad! Our server was great, but a little too speedy as she'd start calling to us to see if we were ready to order or whatever while she was still ten feet away from the table or even while spraying down another table. That was a little odd. Overall, it's good for a drink! read more

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Christina was great. She gave us legitimate recommendations then asked at the end what our favorite was. Then she said she asked every customer that question to get feedback. That's awesome. We had the steak skewers, chicken skewers, and the pork. They were all great for our pseudo paleo diet. And they sat is extremely quick even tho we showed up early for our reservation. Top notch place. read more

Oh my gosh guys, this could be one of my new favs. SO many drink options and I fell in love with the classic dirty vodka martini that I enjoyed with different stuffed olive choices. Also had the crab dip (yum) and bruschetta. The vibe here is after work drink with friends or fun date night. Will definitely be frequenting here. read more

This place was great We went for a friend's birthday and the service was excellent. Katy was our server and she was on top of everything. The food was great; the drinks were great. The Tuna Tartare was my favorite; the wasabi creme was so good. The Crab Rangoon was so full of Crab; yum. The other food was great as well. The martinis were really well made and the mules were very tasty. read more

This was the last place my friends and I went to on Saturday night and it was a perfect way to end the night. The place was clean, modern, and we got served right away. They have a ton of martini drinks, so if you're a fan of martinis this is your place! I ordered a Moscow Mule which was very good. I've had some overly sweet Moscow Mules so this one was just right. They also have specials like buy 2 martinis and get 1 free. I definitely recommend checking this place out! Plus it wasn't too loud so you can have conversations without saying "what?!" over and over :) read more

Very nice place for a drink or dinner. The staff is professional and friendly. They do take reservations and while they tried to set me at the bar as I was a single tonight they quickly found me a table that I requested. Full bar with the focus on martini. Lots of fun starter food. Nice selection of seafood and a little of everything else. I will be back when I can. read more

The food here was not tasty - and it felt expensive for the quality. If you're looking for only a martini bar, this might be the place for you! read more

Best food I've found in downtown Des Moines during my summer here. I highly recommend this for a night out, a late night bite, or just happy hour. Unique dishes and endless martini flavors. read more

The Stuffed Olive - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Holy cow is this place amazing. Phenomenal salmon , even better Martinis . Not to mention buy 2 get the 3rd free on Thursdays. I'll definitely be back next time in Des Moines read more

The Stuffed Olive - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This place has a good atmosphere and a long list of drinks to choose from. I was a little less impressed with the food selection and small plate size. Coming here for drinks and appetizers would be best. read more

I have been to this place quite a few times but, last night before the civic center show we had the worst food experience. The spinach artichoke dip was good but, the garlic bread they served it with it was so salty that it was almost impossible to eat. However, the biggest disappointment were these glazed meatballs. They were extremely over cooked and the meatball itself had 0 flavor. They were so dry we couldn't even eat them. The worst part of the whole experience is when asked about them I told the waitress how bad they were; she didn't even apologize. She was like okay. Probably will not be going back there ever again. read more

Friday night, 5pm, 1 waitress working probably 7 tables. My calculus comes up with a way too long a wait to get a drink. Then I get this place is trying to be hip and swanky but their beers selection is lacking as much as their managers ability to run an establishment. Lastly, they finally bring my pint of beer missing about 20% of content. It'd be easier if they met me at the door and just said "We're not really interested in being open tonight". read more

We made reservations for before the show at the civic center and LOVED this place. First, obviously the location can't be beat. We were able to walk from our hotel to dinner and then from dinner to theater even on a 100 degree day. The special was buy 2 get 1 free martinis and tapas. Every thing we had was amazing. I had 3 martinis (yes 3!!!) and they were all delicious. I think I had the flirtini, hpnotic blue martini, and peach and coconut martini. I obviously like tropical/sweet martinis. They were all delicious. For tapas we had 6 - crab dip, steak stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, risotto croquettes, chicken skewers and crab rangoon. Everything was delicious but the steak stuffed mushrooms and risotto croquettes were probably the faves. Highly recommend this place! read more

Love The Stuffed Olive! Drinks are always great, and staff is always on point! Love the happy hour specials! Definitely recommend the almond crusted chicken skewers! read more

The Stuffed Olive - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I went here with a group of friends recently. We had a great time. Our waitress, Kennedy, was very knowledgeable about which martinis were the best & she was right! I loved the Lemon martini! We also thought the mini chimi appetizer was tasty, along with the stuffed mushrooms. read more

The Stuffed Olive - Martinis - Tapas Bars Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

What a fun place to stop in after or before going to the Civic Center. If you do go afterwards, make sure you make a reservation. Even we stopped in after Phantom of the Symphony, the place was mostly empty but we were told there were no tables available but we could sit at the bar or at the couches and order food. I have a puzzled look and was told that they were all reserved. We sat at the couch and ordered food. Spent about 45 minutes there enjoying ourselves and the whole time, only 4 or 5 more tables were seated. They had plenty of wait staff so that still puzzles me. As for the food, it was really good. The Tapas selections like the bacon wrapped dates were perfectly made. The scallops dish was perfect. Too bad I could not order just the scallops because my daughter would have eaten just that. I really loved the TVs at the bar. The volumes were off so it did not distract from the ambiance but still allowed sports fans to keep an eye on the games. read more

We had just arrived, checked in to our hotel, and were exploring downtown. We decided to try this place because we like small plates and trying different things. We were seated quickly and the staff was very friendly. We got three plates: chicken skewers, fried rissoto balls, and steak stuffed crimini mushrooms. All were delicious and reasonably priced. read more

We absolutely love this place! It has become our new go to place and it's a great place to take out of town guests. The drinks are so unique and the tapas are outstanding! The amazing staff makes this place. They are so personable and attentive and make this place home! Don't miss this amazing gem!!! read more

Came here one night after a hockey game, food was OK drinks were amazing. Had a hard time not requesting one of everything.

Good service even though we arrived near closing. Food was outstanding. The steak bruschetta was amazing.

After reading the five star ratings I had much higher hopes. This was solidly average food and decor. Nothing inspiring in the tapas menu. We had Chicken skewers, steak bruschetta, mushrooms stuffed with crab (couldn't detect any crab flavour) and tuna tartare which was the best of the lot. The rest was bland and under seasoned. Martini's were fine. Decor was unremarkable. Not cool or modern but brown and dark and not in a good way. Service was good. read more

If your looking for real good martinis this is the place! Every single one I tried was delicious. I would have gave them 5 stairs if I was just judging the drinks. The food was horrible. We ordered chicken skewers and the chicken was really dry and over cooked. We got Calamari and it was over cooked and the portions was nothing. It looked more like a Calamari salad with all the lettuce underneath it. Also ordered the steak Bruschetta was nothing special but I guess at least it didn't taste horrible. read more

Monday night after a long day on the road, walking into find that Tapas were buy two get one, it felt like I hit the jackpot. The tuna tar-tar was very fresh and the wasabi mayo was a nice touch. The mini chimi's were tasty, nice chipotle mayo, but eventually turned soggy. Regardless, the flavor was there. I also ordered stuff mushrooms which were good, although the amount of melted cheese on top stole my taste bud's attention from the star: the mushroom stuffing. Besides the nitpicks, it was hearty and delicious. read more

Perfect place for a girls night out! I've been here with both a smaller and a larger group. Both times the service was great. One evening they had a singer there, which was fun to listen to but not so loud that we couldn't enjoy conversation. Lots of small plate options, great wine specials and large selection of martinis. I recommend the risotto croquettes, bruschetta and spinach dip. read more

Cedar Falls transplants who long for a drinking experience to remind them of their college years will feel an assault of déjà vu at this formerly Cedar Falls exclusive bar. Although the food selection is limited to a basic menu of tapas items I am not affectionate for, the martini drink creations shaken and stirred I this establishment are powerful enough to rescue any dying date night. The atmosphere feels social and sophisticated, a rare combination that leads patrons to relax and sip their Martini with their pinky finger stuck out like rich Victorian socialites. If you need an extremely strong drink that tastes like grape kool-aid, welcome to your solution. read more

My friend and I stopped at The Stuffed Olive Saturday night before going to a performance at the Civic Center. First of all- the convenience ! Parked at the parking ramp just south of the Civic Center, walked across the street to the Stuffed Olive- after dinner walked back across the street to the Civic Center and afterward the sky walk back to the car. The atmosphere at the Olive is classy and warm. It was a cold night but it was cozy and after a drink we were all warmed up. This place specializes in Martinis and Tapas, with a few entrees on the menu too. I tried the Sidecar Martini-Hennessy, Grand Marnier, lemon juice and an orange twist- it was Delicious!!!! My friend had a glass of Moscato and she enjoyed it. We decided to each get a house salad- romaine with cheese, bacon, avocado and a spicy ranch dressing- it was good but there was NO avocado to be seen. We shared 3 tapas. We really wanted to try the bacon wrapped dates but they were out if dates( st 6pm on a weekend? Poor planning) and we were told that another tapa offering wouldn't be available for at least a half hour. We settled on the calamari ( crispy and Delicious) the lobster bruschetta ( good but needed more lobster) and the spicy French fries( good taste but limp and not the lest but crispy- we left most of them on the plate. I ended with a " Not you grandmother's peach cobbler " Martini and it was a perfect dessert. We'd go again but try some different tapas. But the drinks were outstanding! read more

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We stopped in here last night due to the 4.5 stars. We had a couple of martinis which were good and I'm assuming that's what is driving the good reviews. We got a little worried about the food when we saw what was delivered to the tables around us. It looked like generic bar food (not homemade). We ordered an appetizer of the Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders and that was definitely the case. They came out on buns that were easily 1/3-1/2 too large for the chicken. The chicken was over cooked so that it was very hard to bite through, there was very little sauce on it, a couple pieces of small lettuce leaves, and one small pickle slice on top of the bun. Definitely not much flavor or interest in each bite and often nothing but bun. We cut our losses and took the check. Service was good though. read more

Great selection of martini's, and good customer service. It was a week night and they just opened up, so there wasn't many people, but overall enjoyed the atmosphere. The music playing wasn't great but can't complain too much. read more

The food was really good. I ordered the mini chimis and thought they were tasty but rather small compared to the giant bed of lettuce they were placed on. I wish they had a little more heat/seasoning but not bad overall. The spicy ahi tuna was my entree and was fantastic. A really great dish. The service was fine-although my bartender was more interested in telling a server a story than taking my drink order. The service improved after she got my drink order. read more

I was introduced to this place by some friends and I was very impressed. When I first walked in, I noticed that the atmosphere was pleasantly quiet with just the right amount of buzz from everyone who was there. The menu is quite extensive and I was a bit overwhelmed because I wanted to try all of the creative drinks! I eventually decided to try the following martinis: Fruit Loops, Girl Scout Cookie, and a French Kiss martini. All of these drinks were about $9 each which I did not mind paying because of the amount of creativity and care that the bartenders put into making each specialty martini. I prefer fruity drinks so these martinis were definitely a risk for me. I personally found these martinis too sweet for me but if I had to choose, I'd order the Fruit Loops martini again. The bartenders were super friendly and made an effort to maintain conversations with everyone around the bar. Also, I appreciated how the bartenders kept the bar space clean. If you're not a person who likes the crazy bar/club scene in Des Moines, make a stop here for quality drinks and warm conversations. read more

Just tried thos place for the first time. Excellent martini's, the server was on top of everything, even being proactive about asking about any dietary restrictions. We really enjoyed the poutine, the chicken skewers, although the stuffed mushrooms were my favorite. We will definatwly return when we are in the area. read more

This place is great if you want drinks, food or both. We tried several martinis and they did not disappoint. We also tried several tapas and all of them were good but the crab dip was great! The server answered questions but also gave us time to through the menu. She also brought us more bread for our dip. Definitely recommend this place if you're looking for a martini and appetizer. read more