We hit this burger place on our way out of town during a recent music festival. Using the 'ol trusty Yelp! machine search for "best burger - Des Moines", this place was a top five search result. The name + concept set it apart from the field, so we set our wagon east and headed there. For originality, they get an A+. With menu items like "Undead Elvis", "Juan of the Dead", "The Negan", or "They're Coming to Get You, Barbara" (the burger I got), they definitely had the creativity juices flowing in their opening planning meetings. My burger ("Barbara") came on two full grilled cheese sandwiches as the buns (2!!), with caramelized onions, American cheese and "Zombie Sauce". I found the burger filling (obviously) and tasty. To complete my meal, I added fries (solid) and a shake (decent). I appreciated the fact that you can get any of their sandwiches as either a burger, veggie, or chicken ensemble. One of my travel companions also got the "Barbara" with chicken and found satisfaction deep into the loins of his appetite pants. I understand they have multiple locations, so I'd recommend going to one of those rather than the food court/mall location we did. I'd be interested to see if they took their creativity to higher levels in their own space. All in all, I was satisfied with the stop, impressed with the originality + creativity in the menu items, and would recommend checking them out for your own assessment (preferably, prior to the zombie apocalypse). read more

They FINALLY got their food and service on-point compared to the downtown location (East Village). For a little while after they opened the food was not quite as good or just super greasy but after eating at both locations quite frequently I can say that I can hardly tell the difference (besides the lack of spiked shakes and difference in eating in vs. carry out). I almost always get the Dawn of the Dead burger, the cheese fries, and a zombie unicorn. Their cheese fries are some of the best, loaded or unloaded! Know that you can order a half-size of just about any side item including the cheese fries. Great location for a Zombie Burger. I hope they continue to thrive! read more

First Zombie Burger experience was at the Grand location in the Downtown area and food there was superb. Second time was here, in the mall. Unfortunately the food was all wrong and was not the same quality as the Downtown location. Food was cold, and missing ingredients, for example instead of onions we asked for caramelized onions. No onions were in our cheeseburgers as well as no cheese, (one cheeseburgers). I'm giving them 5 stars because the manager called me back, was very apologetic and made things right for us. Next time we are in town we will give them another chance, I understand that they were understaffed that day and things happen. read more

It's a copy of the downtown restaurant, that carries less menu items. They still offer the shakes and fries still must be purchased separately. With that said I'm impressed with the food. It has the same great taste and freshness that it's always had. The store is bright and sticks out like it should. The service floored me! They are incredibly busy, yet somehow have it done packed. The staff is efficient and even more amazing was they had lots of staff but everyone put the effort forth to get it out. I've seen many restaurants add second locations and fail. This will not be the case. It's worth a stop! read more

These burgers are very different and unique. I got the walking ched which is a burger with cheese and onion, with macaroni and cheese on top. The bun of this burger considered of two fried macaroni and cheese patties. Do not come here expecting a light meal! All of the burgers are unique and filling and are worth the wait! read more

Zombie Burger + Shake Lab - This zombie burger is located in the food court of the Jordan Creek Mall. - Burgers Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Fun place to go with friends and some great food. I ordered the Walking Ched, burger with fried Mac and cheese buns and topped with Mac and cheese and bacon. It was pretty delicious. Their fries are great too. We had the blue cheese and bacon, sweet potato, and another one that I think was like a Mexican Fry. All were great. Our server was fun, knowledgeable, and quick. I took off a star because it's a small place. Didn't like that a group of 6 had to wait for twenty minutes on a Tuesday evening to get the only table that could fit us. Also the heavy metal music was a bit loud and annoying. read more

Been to the downtown location and while i was a fan of the food i didn't enjoy the wait or the below average service at the downtown location. This made me hesitate from trying this location, my kids wanted cheeseburgers so i decided to try the mall location. I am so happy we tried this location! The zombie burger concept makes much more sense as a high end fast food eatery than a sit down restaurant. Burgers came out quick (less than five minutes). Obviously there is a lot more seating since we are in a mall. The kids meal if a great deal! For 3.99 you get a nice sized burger (same size as a regular burger!) And a side of fries. This is great for those with large families! The fry basket is a great deal as well and can feed about 4 people! Since i have been jabbering about the fries... They are great! Would come here just for them! Burgers of course are great and the bread is buttery and crisp on the inside but soft and chewy on the outside. I will come here instead of the downtown location, better service, equal to better food quality and more seating. read more

In a word: overhyped. I had high expectations based on reviews but was pretty disappointed by my meal. In fact, I couldn't finish it. I tried the 28 Days Later burger and found it to be very bland. The party was under-seasoned and greasy. The fries were shriveled up clump of grease. You could literally squeeze the grease, which was obviously too cold at cooking time, from each fry. My husband had the Raygun burger and got a big piece of grizzle on his first bite. There are better options for fast burgers and better options in the mall. read more

Definitely worth the 12-hour drive! The busiest place in the mall, but they will get your food out quick. read more

Zombie Burger + Shake Lab - #8 "The Walking Ched" breaded + deep fried macaroni + cheese bun, bacon, Cheddar cheese, caramelized + raw onion, macaroni + cheese, mayo - Burgers Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Got a to-go order yesterday from the Jordan Creek location and burgers were 'fine'. Nothing special- just a standard burger. Maybe you need to order a unique burger for it to be special or flavorful. Fries were decent but slightly soggy- most likely just cause it was a Togo and ate 10 mins later. Cheese curds were good and the amount is huge (wish they did half orders) but omg the amount of grease on them was gross. You could see it pooling in the corners as well as our Togo bag was soaked on the bottom. read more

Had the "WALKING CHED" an amazing bacon cheeseburger with caramelized onions, between two fried mac n' cheese 'buns'! Oh man! It was amazing!! My friend had the "THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU BARBARA": 'two grilled-cheese-sandwich' bun, American cheese, caramelized onion, bacon, Zombie sauce! Pretty large portion of fries and they were deliciously season and nice and crispy! Will be back for more! read more

First time here from NY and I have to say this place is needed back home. The appetizers were so imaginative especially the chili fries, deep fried brussel sprouts and nacho platter. But the thing that got my attention was the "Going to get you Barbara" triple burger. I mean who came up with the idea of 2 grilled cheese sandwiches, 3 burgers, bacon, onions, and Zombie sauce all together? All I can say is it's outrageous! We know burgers in NY, but this place is my favorite ever! The prices are outrageously inexpensive. Five people under $75.00 complete with apps, drinks,burgers and dessert. Can't wait to come back. Definitely worth the trip. read more

Zombie Burger + Shake Lab - Burgers Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

I love this place! It's my go to restaurant whenever I'm at the mall. They are one of the few places that offer the beyond burger as an option. The people that work here are awesome too and changed their gloves to make my vegan burger without me even having to ask! I highly recommend ordering the Lucille burger.... Yum! read more

I went there yesterday and ordered a classic zombie burger and honestly, it was pretty good. They have a very good & diverse menu and their food tastes pretty good. Good customer service and very cool decorations. Definitely recommend that you stop by next time you're in Des Moine, Iowa read more

I really really wish we could give this a higher review. The theme of the restaurant was awesome, the names of the food was fun, and everything looked tasty and yummy. Everything tasted yummy as we ate it. It wasn't until about 1/2 hr later when we all (5) started feeling sick. We all ate different types of burgers/chicken. And for the rest of the day, all our stomachs were uneasy, queasy, and restroom stops were frequent, unfortunately. The price was more too, you're paying for the fun theme of Zombies. I will say that the garlic fries are outstanding. If you like garlic, salt, and blue cheese, this is a dish from heaven! I would go back ONLY for these fries. read more

Burgers to die for...Literally. Got around to Zombie Burger at the Mall after waiting a week for the lines to get shorter. The second weekend after the grand epen8bg the wait looked a lot better. Now the burgers they serve are pretty close if not the same as the ones at the East Village. Not as many burgers on the menu as the orininal location but they are the most popular ones. All the cake shakes and cereal shakes are there and people are eating them up like crazy! There are one or two people dedicated to just making the shakes. They are very fast and pumping out burgers in a very timely manner. So if the line looks long don't be discouraged as it moves quickly. Like I mentioned in the beginning the burgers are pretty much like the ones at the original Zombie Burger. The menu is similar but condensed and free of alcoholic beverages. If you like the East Village Zombie Burger you will be satisfied with this smaller version. If you've never had Zombie Burger I can give you a bit of advice as follows. The menu is very creative and fun. The food is good but not exceptional. The price is a bit steep but worth it if you like the crazy burgers they make. There are vegetarian options but I have not tried them. You can also get a burger any way you want just ask. read more

I have been to Zombie Burger+ Shake Lab two times in the past week, while traveling through Des Moines. It is worth a trip to the mall! I did see that there's a downtown location, and I will put that on my list for next time. On my first visit, I enjoyed the "28 Days Later" burger with a vegan nut loaf patty. The vegan patty was a good (though slightly chewy) consistency and had a nice flavor. The patty was topped with a light blue cheese spread & caramelized onions. Delicious! On my second visit I ordered the "Mushroom "Apocalypse " with roasted brussels sprouts as an appetizer. My daughter had mac & cheese with a rainbow unicorn milk shake! The mushroom apocalypse is a breaded mushroom croquette filled with cheese, topped with fresh veggies... I absolutely recommend ordering this! It was unique and delicious. My daughter reported that the mac & cheese was simply OK but the milkshake was one of the best that she's ever had! The zombie decor was super fun and I hope to see the zombies moving toward Nebraska soon. It would be great to have a zombie burger in my area! read more

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It is at the food court in the Mall. Nice and new. No wait and lots of seating. Sweet potato fries were crinkle fries and excellent. My husband had Mac and cheese burger... there is no bun(the field patties of Mac and cheese are the bun) messy but tasty-- would try a burger without as many elements. I had the Rayburn (fried jalapeños and gauc) it was good. Daughter had centipede shake and thought it was great. read more

Thank you, yelp! Found this joint on yelp after flying in on an early morning flight from nyc. We ordered burgers and fries - simple and amazing. The veggies were fresh , buns were yummy and not overwhelming and the fries were delicious. The burger meat though- wow! read more

I am beyond disappointed. Took one bite of the $8 dollar cheesecurds and it tasted like rancid fish. Didn't know cheesecurds could taste like fish but they did . My vegan burger tasted old and gross. Threw it all away. read more

This place is in the mall food court. It is not a stand alone restaurant. I just think it's important to point this out. Same quality burgers as the regular location. 4 stars minus 1: Staff really really tried to get me to tip them for taking my order (punching buttons on the touch screen), which is why I subtract a star. Sorry! Staff counts. read more

EAT HERE. My fiancé ordered the Walking Ched & LOVED it. He was upset that he didn't have room to finish it. I got the Undead Elvis (one patty was plenty)... sooo good. Maybe the best burger I have ever had. I could've gone without the cheese & mayo, but it didn't take away from the taste of the burger. We ordered a basket of fries to share but could've ordered a side of fries instead. I got the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shake to go... it tasted just like a bowl of cereal. Our waitress, Ashley was so friendly & gave us great service. Overall, such a great experience. We are from out of town, otherwise we'd eat here a ton! read more

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Burgers are good! Had the Ray Gun burger it was good. But I'm not a fan of their fries... read more

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Had the walking chez burger, sweet potato fries and coconut cream shake. Burger was interesting but wouldn't go out of my way for it. The shake on the other hand was very good! read more

Go here with an empty stomach, the portions are huge. But oh so delicious. The location may be a little off putting, after all it's in the food court in the mall, but don't let that deceive you. The burgers are great, as are the fries. read more

Lots of hype but the food is mediocre and the shakes are over priced. Atmosphere is loud and chaotic I think you can find better for the price read more

If you are looking for a good burger, this isn't the place. It's average at best. Fries are also nothing special. Best feature is its location. Want a great burger? Go to Fudruckers. read more

I find this place to be overblown every time I go their if they changed things up I might enjoy it more but visually it is drab and could be more exciting given it's theme. It's service leaves something to be desired. And last the food is sub par. It's not bad it's just not good, if you are going to prude yourselves on burgers than I should be inspired not left wanting. And with a theme like zombies to play with and the location they are in it just seems more could have been done. read more

Hamburger was ok. Mac and cheese was pretty tasty! Customer service was the worst!! I have never eaten here before, so I had to ask a few questions- like do the meals come w/ drinks and fries? Holy cow- what a mistake to ask such a question. It totally ticked off the person taking orders. Then I asked for a milk for my 1 year old. When he handed it to me, I noticed the date on it and asked for a milk that wasn't expired. Nail in the customer service coffin. He rolled his eyes, threw the milk, then slammed everything else he handed me to the point I was just stunned. Bad timing too- right before he handed me a receipt to sign that had a place for a tip. We came from out of town and wanted to try something different that had been seen on Food Network. Would never visit here again. Some retraining may be in order! read more

The #11 is the BEST burger I have ever had!! It was full of flavour and was literally falling out of the bun into my hands full of goodness! We also had their shakes, which come with a sweet tooth because they are over the top yummy and super good! We came when it was a bit busy, so it was tough to find seats but other then that the staff was great and the food was A-mazing!! read more

Pros: Great atmosphere with zombie statues and pictures on the wall; Many different options on types of burgers and and even different types of patties; Very friendly and helpful staff. Cons: Messy and VERY greasy. I ordered a double Juan of the dead burger with a regular patty and a veggie patty. Great burger! Great experience! read more

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This has been a very long hype i have been haveing for here and it did not disappoint it had some of the best fries ever and the cheeseburger was so good read more

My boyfriend and I have been here twice, but never to their original location, so we can't really compare the two. For a food court dining option, we really like it. There are plenty of different burgers on the menu. We have tried the Dawn of the Dead, the Raygun as well as their loaded fries. All great!! The first time we went, the line was around the corner so we thought it'd take a while to get to the counter. As long as you know what you want, ordering is fast and the food comes out quick. The fact that it's in a food court was great for us on our first stop here. We needed to kill time, and since Jordan Creek Town Center is so huge we ended up spending more time there than we originally planned. read more

The burgers were fantastic. I had the Undead Elvis and my husband had The Walking Ched. We got the single patties and they were still huge portions. We ordered a side of sweet potato fries to share, but left most of them behind. We didn't try the shakes, but they looked good. Maybe next time! read more

After waiting in line for 40 minutes to get my kid a plain cheeseburger, he ended up getting the wrong thing. Some nasty burger with mushrooms and fries something or other on it. He was not happy. And I was not about to go and wait another 40 minutes for a correction. read more

Had a veggie burger, honestly you couldn't even tell that it wasn't meat, it was great. Now the down side, it took a while for my burger and the fries were dry and cold. I was disappointed to say the least because the fries at their restaurant are soo good read more

They understand nothing about customer service, nothing. I suppose I didn't look hip enough to matter, money spends the same though

Ok, I get the ambiance of this restaurant and the whole Zombie theme but the food is overhyped. It's a smashburger, which is a tiny burger patty comparable to a McDonald's burger patty. The food is ridiculously greasy and the fries are shoe string (not a personal fan of thin fries). Way overrated. read more

Given they hype I was expecting great things. It was adequate, and tasty, but I wouldn't wait the 2+ hours some do in the East Village. Stick with the mall and you wait 10 minutes. Would try again, but again not as good as the hype. read more

The burgers are kind of just thrown together not a lot of love in them or care for the person who is gonna attempt to eat the slop burgers they make. I'd rather go to Big City Burger's or 5 Guy's heck even Smash burger is better. read more