Came in for brunch on Saturday morning. It's a neat building with seating upstairs or on the main floor. We ordered a 4 piece chicken dinner with mashed potatoes and crawfish mac and cheese, my son loved the chicken said better than Grandma's. I ordered chicken fried steak with eggs and hash browns with white cheddar corn grits. The grits were the best thing I had. Hash browns were cold and soggy greasy, the chicken fried steak was just not seasoned at all the gravy was bland and a flour taste came through the fry on the chicken fried steak was great but the gravy made it soggy so next time I would ask for the gravy on the side. My Daughter in law had the Bubbas breakfast and it was pretty unremarkable except for the apple pancakes which were very good. read more

Overall a good experience. I ordered the catfish skillet, and asked for fried catfish. I also ordered the pimento Mac and cheese. Service was phenomenal. We were taken care of immediately after being seated. The great service continued throughout the meal. The food was good. Not the best catfish I have had, but it was good. A little too bready. Next time I will order it grilled. Mac and cheese, per usual, was amazing. read more

Bubba - Southern Catfish Skillet - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We were in town for the day and were craving some southern food! We stuck to appetizers because we were so indecisive and hungry but everything we ordered was delicious! We had the bread basket which came with a soft biscuit like bread and cornbread muffins. The crab cakes were delicious as well except the only thing we requested was extra sauce on the side because it didn't seem to me enough. I would definitely come back and order an entree next time! read more

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When it's been good it's been really good, but there has been more than 1 occasion where the food has just been ok.

This place is absolutely incredible! We had reservations at 6:45 pm. They seated us within 5 minutes and waited until everyone was seated to order drinks which I think was amazing! We had a party of 7, so they seated us upstairs in the corner which they have a huge window that overlooks downtown. Truly remarkable. My first drink was the Nola-Tini and let me tell you, I don't love super sweet espresso martinis and this was perfect! My now fiancé ordered an old fashioned and he said it was perfect. Now for appetizers we ordered the frog legs and warm corn dip, absolutely amazing! The waitress we had was incredible! She suggested that I order the Cajun pasta and I did! Absolutely incredible! My now fiance (as he proposed last night at Bubbas) ordered the chicken fried steak and he was super impressed. My best friend ordered the Dr Pepper glazed ham, and her husband ordered the jambalaya. My soon to be father in law and sister in law ordered the fried chicken. They said it was incredible! I will also tell you the portions are very generous so we had a lot of food to bring home. For desert we had the bananas foster and it was to die for!!! This is absolutely a special place and you are guaranteed to have an amazing time! read more

Stopped in here early on a Saturday with a reservation. We sat at the bar while we waited for our table and grabbed a few drinks with the bartender. The bartender was nice but not very attentive- she forgot one of our drinks and seemed in a bad mood. Our server was very nice and on top of our food and drink orders. I got one of the valentines week specials which was a filet mignon with Gorgonzola cream sauce and sweet potatoes. It was delicious! My husband got the chicken fried steak which came with mashed potatoes and bacon green beans. Very tasty as well. We got the pimento Mac and cheese to go with blackened chicken. It was very rich but tasty and will be great as a leftover! read more

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We found this place online and decided to stop by. The place is very beautiful inside. As soon as you walk in the hostess greats you. The bar is along the wall. The decor of the entire place is beautiful. The service was fast. I wish the meal came with bread but if you want a basket of bread it is $10. We ordered chicken and waffles and a shrimp pasta. My husband got a soda and I got water. The service was fast and everything flowed smoothly. The price was $45 definitely reasonable since it was a nice restaurant. Overall great experience and the food was delicious. read more

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Really good food. Very much enjoyed everything that was brought to the table. Beautiful atmosphere and building as well. Service was not quite on par with the food and atmosphere. Still would go back. read more

Bubba is in a beautiful space. I love the look of the bar and the upstairs dining area. The staff was a little pushy, and our food was fine. I had the Pimento Mac and Cheese. It had a small blob of pimento on top. I inhaled the whole dish, but it was light on pimento flavor. read more

Bubba - Pimento Mac & Cheese - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Fabulous meal. We had a nice dinner out before going to the rodeo. Few weeks ago. The cocktails were unique and top notch. I ordered the Clausmopolitan a my husband ordered a specialty old fashion. The fried crispy juicy chicken was yummy and the crispy salmon was perfectly cooked. The fresh banana cream pie was delicious with caramelized bananas and a lightly sweetened real cream fluff and graham cracker crust. The server was knowledgeable of the menu and on top of everything. We will be returning. The cost and menu are worth every penny. read more

I walked in and I was instantly greeted and seated. This was a Sunday afternoon. The music and decor are beautiful mix. I especially loved the artwork hanging up. It was brunch time I started with the deviled eggs that were topped with bacon. These came in an order of 6 and were absolutely delicious. The filling was creamy and well seasoned. While the bacon added that crunch and sweetness to make this an outstanding dish. Next I had the street corn dip. This was very tasty and reminded me of street corn so it hit the mark there. Then I decided not to listen to my stomach say it was full and went ahead and ordered their buttermilk fried chicken with hot honey with came with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and two other sides. And to top it off I ordered the whisky pecan pie as well. Absolutely yummy I enjoyed everything. Oh wait I almost forgot my Vitamin C... this is one of their brunch cocktails. It is vodka based with Prosecco hints of orange and even a Jell-O shot to get you started. Overall I can't wait to come back and check yall out for dinner! PS Josh is an amazing server! read more

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Mercedes was a fantastic waitress. She was very pleasant and attentive to everything we needed. Our meal was yummy. We will definitely come again to try other items from the menu. We sat on the second floor and had a nice view of most of the restaurant. read more

This place is dope. Very cool concept. Nice vibe. Unique and flavorful food. Vegan options!!! It's amazing when a place actually has dedicated vegan entrees that are labeled as such, and aren't basic af. We were very impressed and enjoyed everything. read more

Bubba - CRISPY Succotash-Stuffed Chile Relleno - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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This is our second bad experience in a row here. I am done with this place. It used to be so good. Service has gone way down hill. As a party of 6 it should be pretty easy to bring items to the right people. Maybe not. 6 people ordered coffee, 5 people received it. 2 mixed drinks, 1 delivered to the correct person. 1 jump car ordered not delivered until the server was reminded. No coffee refills until we asked another server to help. Every dish except for one was delivered cold. We were so frustrated by that point that we just ate it and moved on. Our server failed us in every way imaginable. If all you have are warm bodies filling slots, you would be better off closing sections down to ensure that customers are properly served. I am so disappointed in the direction a place that has such good food has gone. This is the second time in a row, come on people. read more

Bubba - Brunch with my bride. - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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We decided to try Bubba for Easter and it was a nice experience. The hostess was especially nice in seating us because I had reservations for the next Sunday. The interior is lovely and I love how the tables are spaced for privacy. The brunch cocktails were very popular in our party, particularly the Bloody Mary. Everyone seemed happy with their menu selections including crab cakes, salmon, and others. I was a little disappointed in the fried chicken. The breading was anything but delicate. It was too much! The cheesy grits redeemed my entire meal. They were just exactly like this girl loves them! read more

I travel all over and am constantly looking for new places to try. I was told to go to Bubbas and the food did not disappoint. The gumbo and mahi mahi were fantastic. My only complaint was the service. I always sit at the bar and I believe I made the wrong decision tonight. The bartender was unfriendly, unattentive and It took me roughly 10-15 minutes to even get a glass of ice tea. I was the only one at the bar when I originally showed up so I cant say it was due to the bartender being overly busy. I would come back and I would recommend this spot anyday. read more

This place is my favorite restaurant to go to for breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner. My favorite thing to get here is the chicken and waffles it is phenomenal. The service here is also incredible, there is always someone to get you water or anything you need whenever you need it. Bubba has a rustic feel to it and a calm, professional vibe to it and it really makes it seem nice. read more

Nice place and great food. Also very good service. Loved the crab cakes! Menu excellent overall. Highly recommended

Visited twice during a road trip and it was absolutely a highlight! I'm from the south and the food here was delicious and tasted like home- I recommend the pimento mac and cheese and the Dr. Pepper ham. Super cute atmosphere, fast service, 100% recommend. read more

Bubba - Chef's features and desserts - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I love this place, I come here a lot. I have never had a bad experience here. Everything on the menu is high quality and well executed every time. It may be a bit pricey, but it's worth it. I can tell from the quality alone that: 1) The chef loves to cook. 2) They don't cut corners. 3) They do everything fresh and the way it should be done. The interior is clean and inviting with a unique decor as well. No complaints with the service either. There's really nothing bad I can say about this place. read more

There was six of us and everyone was very pleased with the food. Our waiter was great and very helpful. We got dessert to go.

Fried chicken tasted burnt. I would not recommend. The service was good. The restaurant looked great. Also got the waffle, they were great.

I don't have 85 characters to post but gumbo was good as were sweet potato fries, corn dip was wonderful. Tacos okay but could have used salsa or cheese to jazz it up. read more

Very balanced old fashioned with a hint of sweetness that isn't overpowering at all. read more

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I struggled with this review, I really want to give it 3.5 stars but it was not 4. We started with the Mac and cheese bites and they were amazing!!!! So so good. However, the rest of the meal can be described with one word "soggy." We got the fried chicken and the breading was just soggy it was not crispy or crunchy like you want from fried chicken. It was almost like it had been sitting there for a while because it really wasn't hot either. The salad was overdressed. I want dressing but I don't want my salad to swim and this one definitely was in a pool of dressing and the croutons were soggy and had no crunch at all. The roasted garlic mashed potatoes though were the highlight. I mean they were fantastic! This place was ok I had higher hopes though. read more

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Food was excellent. Service was engaging. All way above the rest. Thanks for a great experience. read more

Bubba - Fun - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Well I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. The skillet I had was literally the best skillet I've ever had. If I was going to be executed and could order any breakfast item? It would be the breakfast skillet from here. Everything was cooked perfectly, a great portion size, and constant water refills to keep my chugging @$$ hydrated, I will definitely be going back. Server was super friendly (name will be kept secret) and chimed in on some of our conversations. It's important to remember these are people too. Be nice to your servers. Felt like a nice professional little spot to grab a bite to eat. I felt it was clean and well kept. This place definitely listened to SpongeBob's wise words. "Fine dining, & breathing " read more

I was very very unimpressed. When my food finally came, it was all. Cold I had the pimento Mac n cheese and I'm not there was actually pimento in there because there where no specs of red; greens that were way too salty and slightly bitter; red beans and rice too cold to eat and also salty; lotus blossoms, there were absolutely delicious. Plus I ordered a drink that never came. I doubt I'll go back. read more

If you're looking for some great food, this is the place. The ambiance was amazing!!!! The charcuterie board was one of the best I've had, and trust me I've had a lot. Everyone loved everything they got. My only complaint was the burger. I ordered mine medium rare, it came out like charcoal. It was 3 in the afternoon on a Sunday and they weren't busy at all. So I sent it back. The waitress was lovely and completely understood. However, it took over 20 minutes for me to get my new burger after that. Now, if they were busy I would have understood, but we were one of 3 tables in the whole place. Overall I'd say just stay away from the burgers! You MUST try the macaroni and cheese though, it is phenomenal, especially when you add crawfish!!!! read more

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Another nice downtown DM restaurant! Service was great, they got us seated right away at a cocktail table at about 6 o'clock with no reservations. A fun vibe- everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. They have a descent beer, wine, and drink list. I got the Kentucky hot brown open faced sandwich- it's one of the more popular entrees. I recommend it. I also picked Brussels as my side and those were pretty good as well. My wife got the pan seared salmon-it was topped with crawfish and a really good sauce. We were too full for desserts but next time we go we will hopefully save some room! read more

Bubba - Kentucky hot brown and pan seared salmon - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Ate here twice over the course of a weekend. Damn fine gumbo, the best I've had. The ahi tuna salad was good, but not as good as the gumbo. Also the crab cakes were standout and delicious. Will dine here again if I'm ever in Des Moines... nice spot! The deviled eggs were also really tasty. read more

Dined at Bubba Southern Comforts in downtown Des Moines for the first time on Saturday, June 25th. This was on the weekend of the Des Moines Art Festival, which was being held just a few blocks away, I mention this, because we had heard Bubba can be busy (especially during lunch and dinner time, so plan accordingly. We wanted to eat early and enjoy the festivities downtown, so we arrived about 11:00am and were seated immediately (2 of us.) I don't know what the seating capacity is here, but this place is pretty big, yet with an intimate feel, as there are two levels. We were seated on the 2nd level, and as busy as they were, neither wife of I thought the place was overly noisy. As usual, we had scanned the menu online prior to our arrival, and I'd suggest you do the same. Look at the menu carefully, and study reviews, because why else would you suspect that a simple skillet lunch could be so delicious and satisfying! My skillet was off the Brunch menu, and it was the SMOTHERED SKILLET. I'll take this directly from the online menu ... hash browns topped with two eggs, sausage crumbles, country gravy and Cheddar cheese with Texas toast. We've lived in the Des Moines area for just over 3 years, and I can tell ya that this was the most delicious meal I've had since moving here. (Picture included.) My wife had the meatloaf sandwich (also served open-face) and I'd guess the meatloaf was at least an inch thick, and she said cooked to perfection. (Also picture included.) Our waiter (Daniel) was prompt, always within eyesight if needed, but not overbearing. And yeah, we visited the restrooms, and on this very busy Saturday morning of a HUGE art festival, I'd say Bubba Southern Comforts knocked it out of the park with the clean restrooms. 5 stars all around. Ambiance, dining selections, the food itself, waiters / waitresses and staff, and yeah, the restrooms. read more

Bubba - Smothered Skillet - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I came in with family to celebrate an anniversary and we had a lovely meal and experience! We ordered shrimp and grits, the fried catfish skillet, and fried chicken with grits and brussel sprouts. Everything was delicious! My picky grandparents loved their meals which is a big compliment. While the fried chicken was good, the sides were the stars of the show for me. I'm not a mashed potato girl, but I could eat those garlic mashed potatoes every day. The crispy brussel sprouts were perfectly cooked and the cheesy grits were so creamy and rich. We finished out the meal with pumpkin bread pudding and bananas foster, and they were divine. We were too full to finish them, but brought what little we had left home because we couldn't imagine leaving it behind. Dessert was all I got photos of, but it deserves the screen time. read more

Bubba - INCREDIBLE bananas foster - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Went here on a Saturday evening for their 3 course meal special from restaurant week. I made my reservations through the OpenTable app the night before, and got notified for a table right away. The reservation process was super easy. This place looks so nice, fine dining decor with casual attire. It sits on the corner in downtown Dsm. They have seating on the ground floor and upstairs. Beautiful large windows and comfy seating. I felt a lil fancy walking in. They also have a huge bar next to the entrance. Food reviews: Spicy deviled eggs: not super spicy, but has enough flavoring to harmonize with the deviled eggs. The eggs were cooked perfectly. The crispy jalapeño pairs so well on top too. Crispy Zucchini cakes: delicious blend, my boyfriend doesn't even like zucchini and enjoyed this appetizer. They're soft w a light crisp and a nice cheesy blend. Cauliflower Veracruz : vegan and vegetarian.. literally the best veggie meal I've ever had in my liiiife. The toppings of herbs, capers, onion, tomato, seep so much flavor into the cauliflower. It changed my life. I almost couldn't finish it. But I did. So much volume. And so flavorful. This dish will get you your veggie servings for the day, for sure. Coffee & Chile rubbed steak: my boyfriend got this. He loved it and licked his plate clean. The steak rested on top of the potatoes, so all the juices from the steak seeps into the crushed potatoes. And the pepper relish slightly cooks on top of the steak, making them more flavorful yet yet just enough to retain their fresh crisp. Both dessert dishes: phenomenal. If you're a chocolate lover, the chocolate w melted marshmallow fluff will melt your heart. The pound cake, taste so light. And paired w the cream and peach, creates the most harmonized texture. I felt like I was drunk from all the flavor by the end of this. I enjoyed this 3 course meal so much I wanted to relive the experience all over again. I want to tell you more about the meals but I have no more words to describe Bubbas. I tried my best. I forgot to check-in on Yelp and take some pictures of the food, because I was too immersed in this experience. Which is a good indicator of why you should visit this place. Our server was also amazing!! Super friendly and helped our experience go by smoothly with no complications! read more

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Very nice atmosphere, waitress was very attentive. Drinks were always refilled and checked in on us a lot. We did make a reservation for 5pm. The only thing was that the lights kept dimming so I really couldn't see, other than that it was really good! Also the veggies were just a little on the salty side so I had to keep drinking water. The steak was seared to perfection, I loved the mashed potatoes. The salmon was very moist and tender, didn't smell fishy at all. Would definitely come here again and try the drink bar. read more

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Service was great and food was even better. I went with waitresses suggestion and had the Cajun pasta(excellent), read more

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This is a cool place with great food! I stopped in for lunch and ordered deviled eggs and gumbo. Fabulous! read more

Bubba - Deviled Eggs! - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I finally got to try this spot & I have to say it was well worth the wait. Holy, YUM. The drink list was superb, we had so many options to choose between & the husband loved their whiskey selection. Our bartender was incredibly kind & spent time going through the listing with me. The Mac & cheese bites could not be recommended more - they're delicious & perfectly breaded. You WILL be wishing you ordered two. The mister received meatloaf & I think I fell in love with a staple. It was delicious & the sauce on top was PERFECT. My friend chicken didn't last but seconds on my plate and I can attest it is 100% something I will be returning for. The mashed potato's were the star of the show & I could've eaten my body weight in it. I highly recommend this place, it's beautiful on the interior, and quiet enough for an evening of catch up & great atmosphere to compliment. read more

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Nice venue, awesome food and drinks!! Southern food is nice. I tried the Cajun Pasta, which was excellent!!

Bubba is my #1 treat yourself spot in Des Moines. For an upscale dining experience with the absolute best southern comfort food, Bubba is the place to be. Also the managing partner of Bubba is so kind - another reason I love supporting this DSM restaurant. Let's start with the drinks: Mint Juleps (yes please) and the Leather & Tobacco drink (phenomenal). You whiskey drinkers can enjoy exploring their extensive selection and if whiskey isn't your thing no worries there are many other 10/10 drinks to try. Onto the food: For starters you have to get the southern bread basket with biscuits and cornbread. The southern protein bowl is a perfect option if you want something light and healthier. The southern comfort dishes are so indulgent and I recommend the shrimp & grits, the chicken fried steak, and the salmon. The desserts are so dang good too - the bread pudding! read more

Bubba - Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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