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    Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar

    3.8 (330 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated a few days ago

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    TUPELO HONEY SOUTHERN KITCHEN & BAR ATMOSPHERE

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    Front Entrance
    Maury R.

    It's been a bit since our last trip to Tupelo Honey, but it did not disappoint. It's hard to beat the price for delicious southern comfort food. Tonight I had the sweet and spicy chicken waffles with honey Sriracha syrup. Absolutely delicious! Between that and my smoky collards with bacon and some heat, I couldn't have been happier. My wife got the Smother Lovin' Biscuit Sandwich and really liked it. Country fried potatoes on the side were just enough for her. My son got a basic cheese burger and fries and crushed every last crumb! The waitress was attentive and kind and the food was on the table inside of 12 minutes. This is a great little place in downtown Des Moines, and you should give it a go if southern cookin' is your thing!

    Bar Menu
    MaryAnn S.

    As a true southerner I crave good down home comfort food that specializes in comfort dishes such as "Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen,' in downtown Des Moines with their heaping helping of shrimp and grits. Grits with goat cheese is an acquired taste. The shrimp was delicious and the slice of Mississippi Mud Pie as well as the cheese cake was divine. If you like honey fried chicken with a soft crunch -- that is topped off with crispy deliciously flavored French fries-- this is the place. Pete -- the bar manager -- as well as Jennifer, wait staffer, recommended the people's favorite dishes. The total atmosphere was large enough with good acoustics that allowed you to savor the moment of exquisite comfort food showcasing a lovely presentation.

    Salmon with Caesar salad and Mac and cheese
    Krystle K.

    We did make reservations and were seated on time. Everything I tried had good flavor and everything looked yummy. Food was cold for a few of us when served. We had a party of 11 and food took a while to be served. We should have asked for kids to get their food first. The Mac and cheese is little spicy for the adults. They make the kids version not spicy. Service was good considering we had 11 of us. Ambiance was nice.

    Fried chicken
    JemuelnleAnne M.

    Good food in the heart of the city. It was hot and fresh and the staff was attentive and ready to assist. For a chain it is a great place for some southern food

    Famous Fried Green Tomatoes* Brown Butter Pecan Pie*half sweet and spicy quarter chicken* Mac and cheese*
    M O.

    First time ordering and the flavors are bland. No type of "soul food" in there. I had the quater chicken, collard greens, fried green tomatoes, Mac and cheese and pecan pie. The chicken is not spicy at all, cold and lacks seasoning. Pretty much all the food lack seasoning and flavor and is cold. The tomatoes are absolutely the worst. I would rather order Walmart pecan pie than theirs. It had an odd after flavor. Pretty disappointed in wasting $50+ after reading so many wonderful reviews. The portion for the Mac and cheese and collard is a joke.

    White Meat - Fried Chicken
    Amber W.

    We're in town for the weekend and while riding around downtown this place caught my eye while searching restaurants. There was about a 30 minute wait but it was Fathers Day and we didn't make reservations. I tried the peach lemonade. It was good but i didn't taste the peach too much. I also got the glazed fried chicken with Brussels sprouts. I didn't understand the pickles that come with it but they complimented the meal. Very cute inside. Service was good as well.

    Southern Chicken BLT with fried okra and hot tea with honey.
    Debra T.

    Great service. Friendly staff. Food was delicious and was authentic southern food. Will definitely return when in town!

    Shrimp and grits!

    OMG! The fried chicken with honey dust was deeeelish! Fried green tomatoes were firm and crunchy and were in the top three I've ever had. Wasn't a huge fan of the mash potatoes honestly. The biscuits were hearty and went well with the tasty blueberry jam and butter. Grits! On point. Ambience- A+ with fun, clean decore.

    Erin M.

    This place has been on my radar (yes I know it's a chain but I don't have one near). We walked in to being greeted promptly and shown our table. The waitress was not too far behind. Tried the biscuits for an appetizer. They were ok. A little bit too salty but soft and flaky. Hubs liked the jam. We then proceeded with the sweet and spicy chicken and waffles and the honey dusted chicken. The entrees came kind of fast so I suggested it may be precooked and the dryness of my chicken proved that. Hubs liked his entree but his entree was dripped in sauce. Overall I may not be back but it wasn't a bad experience.

    Pimento Cheese
    Reese S.

    The restaurant is easy to get to If you're staying in the city which is nice. Alex our server was wonderful and honest about wait times due to a large party. The pimento cheese was bland but the tortillas that came with the appetizer were yummy. The fried chicken was a little dry but the dry rub on the chicken was delicious. This was my favorite dish here and the fires A+. Overall this was a nice place to have dinner. The interior is clean and beautifully decorated. The staff was kind and helpful which is wonderful.

    Chicken tenders and a mixed green salad
    Mary P.

    Stopped for lunch on a Tuesday and sat right down. Waitress was friendly. It's a bright, sun filled place. Hubby had two pieces of fried chicken with a pepper sauce & he loved it! He was disappointed they didn't offer mashed potatoes so he had a Caesar salad instead. I had a mixed green salad and chicken tenders. The tenders were kind of dry - - the sauce was tasty with them so that helped. Son had a chicken sandwich with french fries. The fries were really good. The chicken wasn't very big so I gave him one of my four nuggets. It's nice and bright and cherry and hubby loved his chicken. Son and I thought it was fine but not as good as we had hoped. Will probably try it again.

    Gifts and souvenirs for purchase.
    Maya S.

    Good times with good people! Everything was lovely, mid day lunch. Nice natural lighting, sound was perfect. Good conversations going on around us. Loved my chicken and waffles forgot to take a pic. Mac & cheese was ok but nice presentation. Mimosa flight was perfect.

    Sweet & Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich

    Original wait time was supposed to be 20 minutes. Ended up being around 35 minutes which was fine. We got seated. Took about 20 minutes just for us to get our drink and then food was at least another 30 to 40 minutes after ordering. The food is great, but it seemed shortstaffed and staff did not seem very inviting. The inside is very beautiful and lovely atmosphere.

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    3 months ago

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    Tupelo Honey

    Love the pictures! Thanks for sharing Mary <3

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    3 months ago

    Great options for Gluten-free, staff was friendly and knowledgeable, food was excellent.

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    3 months ago

    Horrible service and very unfriendly staff. Sitting at the bar you'd think you'd get some attention ... nope. I won't come back

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    4 months ago

    Their chicken is out of this world ! Wow. I will definitely come back and try more of their menu items

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    2 years ago

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    Tupelo Honey

    We are so glad you enjoyed your experience, thanks for the review!

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    4 months ago

    The shrimp and grits were amazing. My wife had chicken and waffles, which was also very good in the bloody. Mary was outstanding.

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    We hope to see you all again the next time you are in town!

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    Page 1 of 9

    Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar Reviews in Other Languages

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    Buzzard Billy's

    Buzzard Billy's

    3.9
    (427 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free parking

    Just had a great experience at Buzzard Billy's. The food was genuinely impressive. Everything came…read moreout hot, fresh, and full of flavor. I had the Crescent City Chicken, and it was enough food for two. The kitchen was clearly putting in the effort. But the standout was our server, Allianna. From the moment we sat down, she made us feel genuinely welcome. She checked in at the right times without hovering and had a way of making everyone at the table feel taken care of. I highly recommend Buzzard Billy's for its great food and excellent staff.

    May 4, 2026. Monday. Dinner…read more I hadn't eaten all day. Had an almost seven hour delay in DFW due to a broken monorail and false gate information on the American Airlines phone application. I'd missed my connection and got bumped by a last minute female runner even though I was first on the standby list. I stepped off the hotel shuttle, checked into my room, dropped off my baggage and walked here for dinner. Needless to say, I walked in the door quite hungry. I sat at the bar for the quickest service. I ordered a local lager, Des Moines Exile's Maria lager ($6.75/5% ABV). To eat, I seldom go wrong with fried catfish. This time I got the fried catfish strips, with tartar sauce, 2 large hush puppies, and a bunch of fries ($16.99). The smooth lager hit the spot and the fried dinner really filled me up. Catfish average, hush puppies had great texture and taste, and fries were hot. The bartender/waitress really wasn't too attentive. Spent most of the time talking to other customers and staff. I ordered another lager from Exile. This one was an award winning Ruthie Gold lager ($7/4.9% ABV). I preferred this lager to the first one. It had a more rounded taste and mouthfeel. The huge meal didn't wow me, but it did feel me up. Thumbs up to the two local lagers I tried. They were good. Come here if you need a large meal and mediocre service.

    Photos
    Buzzard Billy's
    Buzzard Billy's
    Buzzard Billy's

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    Chicago Speakeasy

    Chicago Speakeasy

    3.6
    (200 reviews)
    2.8 mi
    $$

    Service consistently poor unless you are a regular... we've been here multiple times and the staff…read moregoes MIA after they leave the food... we've had to snag other areas just to get our meal ticket... and were treated rudely by staff for a birthday party for a friend there was a reservation for the group and once person got delayed and we let the waitress know that the rest of us would order but he should be there about 5 minutes later... she said if he didn't arrive within 5 minutes she wouldn't take his order! There were 20 other people at the party and it was totally unacceptable for her to get an attitude ... That was the 4th and final time we have gone there... there's too many other great steakhouses within 2 miles to be rude to customers

    Call ahead when you're on your way to put your name down if possible because there is always a wait…read more(but it's worth it!) the restaurant is gorgeous. It's dark enough where it's cozy but lit up at the tables really well. The servers have always been so amazing with our groups we've gone with including when we haul the kiddos! Salad bar is a must and I have to encourage getting as much Oreo fluff as your plate will hold ha! The steak de Burgo, Bonnie, or Bugsy are all solid choices (any of their steaks are an amazing pick) don't forget to order the garlic mashed on the side, the loaf of bread they bring to the table is always a nice touch as well. It's not most family friendly in price but there are price ranges for all budgets!

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    One of the booths.
    One of the booths.
    Trip to the Salad Bar
    Trip to the Salad Bar
    Chicago Speakeasy

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    Clyde's Fine Diner

    Clyde's Fine Diner

    4.4
    (132 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    The thing you care about most in a restaurant, the food, was disappointing on 3 counts. Portions…read morewere small, prices were expensive given said portions, and it wasn't tasty. The only thing bolstering the ranking is the cookies at the end, but skip the ice cream. Service was just ok. The biggest standout was it taking forever to get the check when clearly finished. Vibe is reasonable and decor is fine but I wasn't wowed. Music including AC/DC and similar was cool. Wouldn't go again or really recommend. Might work to pop in for a drink and cookies but that's as positive as I can do.

    Decided to try Clyde's Fine Dining before a show. We arrived just before 5 and they had one table…read moreavailable without a reservation. Happy Hour from 4 to 6. I had the Old Fashioned with brown sugar, orange bitters, angostura bitters, and bourbon. It's pretty sweet and smooth Old Fashioned. Very nice start and enjoyable. Decided on the CFD Burger, a double smash with American Cheese, Shaved Onion, Pickles, and Clyde's Burger Sauce. I really like the shaved onion and it gave the beef a really nice flavor. First bites were very good, but the bun became too much and the sauce in the middle too heavy. Became hard to finish. I had to ditch some bun and would get the sauce on the side. Not terrible, just not my jam. I would get the sauce on the side or try ketchup/ mustard instead. The bun is just really thick and heavy. Just not a good ratio. The fries were just ok for me and not exciting. This restaurant also has the 3% fee if you use a credit card. I checked the receipt and gave a hundred dollars and asked for change. I included a picture of the receipt. I got thirty in cash back, 5 singles, a 5, and 2 tens. I am ok with not giving the change of coins, but rounding it up and keeping the 3% fee made me feel like integrity has went down hill. Yes it's less than 5 dollars and I know the haters will say what's the big deal. Well it's a neat way to make extra cash at the customers expense. They don't remove the fee and they keep a few dollars. That's not an accident and it feels like theft. I had left $12 for the tip, but after a review I left 10% due to dishonest customer service. What's the point of paying cash on these if you still get charged? Some have said it's leftover from the Covid Days. How many restaurants are doing a 3% fee? Yes, I know it's supposed to cover the CC fee, but it is obviously not if you are paying cash. This just feels really crooked and wrong. Yes it is a very small amount, just over $4, but if you do that how many times, how many days, over a year it definitely adds up. Not sure I would go back. No I didn't talk to a manager or anyone. I had a show to catch and wasn't going to ruin a night over a fee and be late. Just be aware of the fees when paying cash. Really feel the 3% fee just makes restaurants look bad and provides more problems than it solves. Why not add a 6% fee for lights and gas next?

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    Clyde's Fine Diner
    Clyde's Fine Diner
    Clyde's Fine Diner

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    The Dam Pub

    The Dam Pub

    4.2
    (72 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    I love the Dam Pub. This is an 80's themed restaurant/pub that has amazing food. They have some…read morevery unique dishes here that are a must try. I ordered the Monte Cristo which is a deep fried ham and Swiss sandwich that comes with a spicy strawberry jam. Omg, this was amazing and was like eating a fresh fried donut sandwich! Be cautioned though, the strawberry jam is no joke. It was very spicy but good. My wife ordered the grilled chicken with a honey and goat cheese topping that she thought was incredible as well. Her side was a spicy cream corn that is much like a Mexican street corn and was excellent. I had the Italian pasta salad and it was just as good. Other members of our party tried the French dip and an asiago cheese chicken sandwich. They raved about their sandwiches as well. Lastly, our server was a young blonde girl that kept the drinks flowing and provided amazing service. We were here on a Thursday for dinner and they had $2 cans of beer of some of the 80's greats like Hamms, Little Kings and even Montucky. If you are ever in the Des Moines Iowa area, definitely stop here to eat!

    Fun vibe! Stopped in on a Saturday evening & found seats right away. There were people on the…read morerooftop but not outside. We started with tasty fried mushrooms with parm dipping sauce, which I saved for my tater tots. The portion is small. Beers were cold & reasonably priced. I had a Cuban with my tots. It was good--heavy on the ham. I took 1/2 home. Hubby had the hot honey chicken sandwich. He liked it. His mashed potatoes were dry so he didn't eat them. Friend thought the hot honey chicken was too spicy--hotter than the description. She said she would not order it again. She thought the pasta salad was homemade and it was fine. Her hubby had the French dip sandwich and said it was delicious! It ranks right up there as other French dip sandwiches he has loved. The waiter checked in on us several times. It's a fun place with a good vibe. Pay attention to the specials each day of the week and stop in if you're in the neighborhood.

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    The Dam Pub
    French Dip
    French Dip
    Half pepperoni half hot sausage pizza

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    Half pepperoni half hot sausage pizza

    Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar - southern - Updated July 2026

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