Jimmy's Gourmet Dogs is located in the Merle Hay Mall food court…read more I took advantage of the grand opening sale today. $2 dogs from 1100 AM - 100 PM. Ordered the Colin (pretty close to a classic Chicago dog), the Ruby, a Dallas and a Coke... $7.00 before tip. I'm a Merle Hay Mall food court fan (Vietnam Cafe, Lazize, Tamale's Industry, etc.). So with that and a great sale (along with Bath and Body Works semi-annual sale)... I had to check Jimmy's out. The girlfriend ordered a Dallas dog, a Casey dog (without BBQ sauce) and a bottle of water. The hot dogs come as advertised. Big all beef hot dogs, nice soft buns, and topped as described on the menu. My favorite was probably the Dallas. A classic chili cheese dog with onions. Though I could of used a knife along with the plastic fork. Lifting it as is was almost an impossibility. A bit of a good problem in a way... I only ended up wearing some of it. Thankfully the dogs came with a pretty good sized handful of napkins. The dogs were cooked perfectly. Not over and not under. A nice pop when you bit into them. The toppings didn't overpower the dogs and you could taste everything. It was a nice balance. We parked by the ramp on the East side of the food court. Had a short wait to order and a short wait for our food. Service was good. Typical for what you would experience at a food court. The product itself is a good product. They also offer fries and cheese fries as well non-fountain drinks. I'd be more likely to return if the individual regular price was a little bit lower, or if there was a combo/basket price. This is a new business and my guess is they will find out what works best for them, the market area they are in, and adjust accordingly. I'll be watching them because the food was good and I'm a sucker for a good hot dog... While we were eating the mall experienced a little bit of a water related incident flooding part of the floor and blocking our path back to the car. We exited to the West and had a nice romantic walk around Kohl's back to the ramp. https://www.facebook.com/jimmysdogsdsm

My brother brought me a Chicago dog. Having grown up there, I am always excited to try something…read morefrom my childhood. The toppings were mostly relish with a few raw onions. While the relish was good and very bright green like I expected, a true Chicago dog has a lot more onions. It also had mustard, a pickle, tomatoes and hot chilies all on a poppy seed bun. Maybe because it sat in the car for the ride from the mall to my house, the bread wasn't steamed and it was huge. I didn't mind that too much because the hot dog itself was really big. But, unfortunately, it was also completely flavorless. I expected a Vienna dog but that was something else because Vienna dogs add a nice touch of saltiness and have a distinct bite to them. This one had none of those. When taking a bite large enough to get the bread, meat and toppings, all I could taste was the toppings and the bread. The meat seemed like an afterthought when it should have been the star. Because of its size it was filling but I doubt I will get one again because the flavor was lacking.

It's a hot and muggy day -- why not add to it by ordering a saucy "Diablo Burger" from Ted's on…read moreIngersoll in Des Moines. The burger is laddered with sriracha sauce, and pure beef which is very tantalizing. The line at noon was a quick serve with less than five minutes on drive thru to a very efficient wait staffer. As you wait you got a chance to look at the planted greenery surrounding the building which added to the peaceful landscape.

The food was really good and the fries a super crunchy I love crunchy fries the servers were nice…read moreand it was a roadtrip and we stopped here it was really good

Lachele's is a classic DSM spot you have you to try. Atmosphere is a small diner, burgers are…read moregreat. I went vegan 2 years ago and haven't eaten there since then, until I found out they had a vegan burger. Normally would give a 5 star for their menu, but had to notch it down a bit for the vegan burger. When I go to a burger place I want the full greasy experience. They have a vegetable forward burger that just doesn't mimic the real experience. So while I appreciated it, and it was solid and left me wanting more. Truly I just wanted a smash impossible burger with their seasoning. They also serve it on Texas toast, which I wish they'd have an actual bun too. Tots are vegan naturally, and they make great tots. Overall I love Lachele's, but with a few tweaks they could really nail it.

If you are looking for a good and tasty smash burger drive over to Lachele's on Ingersoll in DSM…read more The chef team serves up hot, fresh, well seasoned made to order burgers that check all the boxes for a meaty smash burger in an atmosphere that is neighborhood friendly with a very casual vibe, limited street and back parking, small dine in area at a very reasonable burger rate for the area.

The food was wonderful. Fresh, hot, and fair prices found here! The organization could be a bit…read morebetter. The truck and owner might be present at 11am, but that doesn't mean they're ready to take orders. If you have quite a bit of time, stop on by. I've never been to Chicago, and during a pandemic travel is not a safe option. I was impressed either way with most items. I only tried the items on the Chicago side.

A little outside of my normal home base of the Des Moines metro, but Marshalltown is an easy…read moredrive... The short. The food is really good...! And it was worth the trip. See the pictures. Now to the long part. If you want to skip that feel free and just go on what is above this line. I grew up a wrestling fan back in the 70s and 80s... When the NWA used to do house shows and setup in high school gymnasiums. I remember the Attitude Era well (1997-2002) and watched it a lot at the time. I took my son to RAW and Smackdown shows at the Well when he was younger... Today I'm not an avid fan, but if I told you I didn't follow things at all...I'd be lying. I mean AJ Lee's epic return alongside her husband CM Punk...! C'mon! The Flying Elbow has been on my list a long time... As "a fan" I wanted to check it out soooo bad. And even though they were awarded Iowa's best burger in 2022... I wondered it was just another gimmick to draw people in to mid food... I don't put a lot of stock in contests. As you walk in the front door there is a small bar directly to your Left. Classic wrestling was playing on one of the TVs above the bar. Football on the other. You'll see a combination of low top tables and chairs and a few booths in front of you and to your Right. There's an Order Here sign at the end of the long counter. The fountain drink station is at the end of the room (Coke products). From the fountain drink station the entrance to the patio is to the Right. Restrooms to the Left. It's order and pay at the counter. Cash or card. It's seat yourself and they bring your food to you when it's done being prepared. Bus your own table when you're done. Staff was quick to clean up as people left to prepare for their next guest. I ordered the following: 24 oz fountain drink (free refills) 3:16 chili dog (all beef) with cheddar cheese and white onion -- Choose up to three toppings: Cheddar, pepper jack, and nacho cheese. Sour cream, nacho Doritos, and chili cheese Fritos. White, red, or green onions... Fried cheesecurds An order of six smoked bone-in chicken wings with buffalo sauce -- Sauce choices. Plain BBQ, buffalo, Korean BBQ, raspberry chipotle BBQ, People's BBQ. and Asian peanut A Bang! Bang! burger as advertised (no modifications) off the Attitude menu -- Pepper Jack, caramelized onion, cactus steak sauce, 4 Horsey sauce, fried jalapeño chips The burgers are smash style and have great flavor. I got the single burger and was wishing I'd gotten the double. Same with the 3:16 chili dog... They offer an Andre sized dog (+$2). But I'd ordered a lot of food...! The buns here! So good. The hamburger bun was a classic sesame seed bun that met the size of the burger. The meat peeked out the edges. The bun for the dog was a potato style...not a cheap flimsy bun. The bun seemed a little big for the regular dog, but I bet it would be perfect for something Andre sized. It held the chili well without falling apart. The smoked wings have a light smoke to them...not too heavy. They are big and meaty. The ranch that came with the cheesecurds was fire. I ordered some blue cheese with the wings. In hindsight I would say that one of the BBQ sauces would probably pair better with the smoked wings v. the buffalo. That's on me. I hit them right in a Saturday lunch rush and fortunately was able to grab a seat as someone else was getting up to leave. Staff was friendly and patient. If you're not patient...I'd probably not hit them right at peak lunch hour on a Saturday. Seating in the main dining area and on the patio was full. Service was great! The food was great! Is the wrestling thing kind of a gimmick? Yes. Yes it probably is. But it's a fun gimmick that hits home for a lot of us! I liked seeing the references that remind me of entertainment I grew up with and enjoyed. It's no different from a 50s diner theme, railroad, or zombies. And they back it up with good food! For me it's kind of like going to Prairie City for Goldie's or going up to Whatcha Smokin' in Luther... I spend a lot of money locally right here in the Des Moines metro, but sometimes it's a good thing to just hit the road and explore our neighbors a little. The Flying Elbow is the worth the drive to check out! And if you're a wrestling fan... It's a destination...enjoy the experience! https://www.facebook.com/theflyingelbow https://flyingelbowfood.com/

Love everything about Flying Elbow! Their portions are huge! I usually end up taking some home…read more We live outside of Marshalltown but gladly drive the extra miles to go there

Walked in and we were immediately greeted. Had some peanuts while we waited. It was completely…read moreempty on a Saturday around noon, but 4th of July. Three other sets of customers came in while we waited. But was nice and peaceful. Food was fast. Order was two bacon cheeseburgers and one small fry. No drinks. Burgers were great, as always. Fries were fine, I prefer a fry that is crispy and these always are a little undercooked in my opinion. Also this was not a big deal to us but they did not toss extra fries in the bottom of the bag like they have in the past. Just the fries in the fry box. Again not an issue for us, we had just enough but don't expect extras. We will definitely be back. Love that you get to customize your burger. One of the best burgers IMO.

Ordered a Single burger with all the trimmings. The service was quick, but the preparation was…read moresomewhat slow. Yet, the environment was upbeat with the staff being in a cheerful mood.

Came in. I was the only one here at 11:40am on a Saturday. Ordered a chicken gyro and cheese…read moresticks Got the cheese sticks and they were not hot to the touch. But into one and the middle was frozen. Took them to the counter and asked to have the redone. They microwaved them. I know this because then they handed them back to me the cheese melted out of all of them and I specifically asked "were they microwaved???" And they said yes. So I said I don't want them. The lady at the counter said they could remake them I think they just remade the one I had taken a bite of l. Couldn't pick them up. They were too soft and falling apart, and they were stuck to the bottom of the paper boat by all the cheese that had melted out Pretty sure it was still the microwaved ones. If it were busy I would be more understanding of the lazy shortcut. But I was the only person here! The cooks are that lazy? Zero care for quality? You literally need a fork to eat these cheese blobs that can't be picked up and the breading just falls off. The kitchen staff is incredibly disappointing and it's sad that this type of quality is allowed.

Awesome food, hamburger coney style is great as well as their gyros. I live in Polk City and drive…read moreto Ted's whenever I can.

Wow!!! What a perfect stop!! Simple sandwich done…read moreperfectly!! A staff that makes you feel like family the minute you walk in the door! Couldn't have made a better stop on our road trip back home!!

Smitty's is a time machine with chrome, vinyl, and counter stools that make you feel like you…read moreshould be ordering coffee from a waitress named Flo. Old-school in the best way -- you can watch them make your food, and you'll be treated right. The pork tenderloin sandwich? A beast. And I mean that lovingly. I ordered the queen size, which made me feel slightly less macho, but even that was massive. Perfectly cooked, crispy without being greasy -- it tastes like Iowa, and that's a compliment. And the onion rings? Don't even think about skipping them. They're part soft, part crunchy, kind of tempura-ish, and completely addictive. I still don't know exactly what they are, but I do know I couldn't stop eating them. Highly recommend making Smitty's a stop. Your future self will thank you.