Such a terrific restaurant experience, start to finish! Saddened that they will be closing in mid-March. Great interior, excellent customer service throughout, and elite attention to detail. Loved their artwork, their lighting, and overall French decor. Some cool banners and photos included. Thankful for Erick, our server, who was spot on throughout. Enjoyed poutine with my fellow table members, a tasty food item that isn't available in many Midwestern areas. LOVED my Steak Frites and Fillet, cooked perfectly. One of my fellow diners loved her Tuna Nicoise Salad. Parking is a bit of a challenge, but it is doable because Django is not located in a cramped part of downtown Des Moines. read more

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Went to Django for happy hour. It's from 4-close. No place does that. They have select items and drinks discounted and it's well worth it. The place was busy when we arrived around 5 and got a spot at the bar. Our bartender was also our waiter but did a great job doing both. Oysters were great. Our dirty martini was extra dirty like I wanted. The Brussel sprouts are crispy and flavorful with awesome dipping sauce. The charcuterie board had meats and cheeses, olives and jam. Very good. There are many more items to choose from during happy hour, but this was all my date and I could consume that night. Plus one more martini. Highly recommend going during the happy hour special. read more

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Happy hour is our favorite! The poutine and charcuterie is our go to! I love that you can order single shrimps and oysters. Love the no corkage fee. This is one of my top 2 restaurants! read more

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Visiting my friend in Des Moines for just 36 hours and this is the spot she selected for dinner. We had the best time. The interior design set the mood for a night of good drinks and good gossip. We were sat upstairs. The waitor was a little odd, like he didn't really trust us young girls, but KIND. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of poutine, salads with a glass of wine. It was just what we needed. I would definetly like to go back. read more

Stopped in for happy hour and was blown away. Got poutine, fried Brussels sprouts, and shrimp cocktail first with a glass of wine. Partner ordered an extra dirty martini. Poutine and sprouts came out super hot, perfectly seasoned, and a generous portion for happy hour pricing -- we ended up getting another round we loved it so much. Shrimp cocktail was big, juicy, succulent. Best I've had. Drinks were excellent. Service was phenomenal. Our waitress checked on us regularly, kept water above half, and was super knowledgeable on the menu. Overall a great experience. Can't wait to go back. read more

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We stopped for an early dinner before attending a concert at the amphitheater. Our waitress understood our time restraint and was prompt with everything. I was so impressed by how often she came to check on us. The food was amazing and so was the house wine! Can I nit pick for one minute? Change the music. The ambiance was perfect except for not hearing gitan music (remember the name?). I'm happy to offer suggestions. read more

Django - Bief Beef Bourguignon was done perfectly! - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Django is a cute unassuming French Brasserie spot in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The menu features a range of classic French dishes. I got their fresh seared tuna Niçoise salad. This dish had perfectly seared tuna, accompanied by the traditional components of a Niçoise salad--fresh greens, olives, tomatoes, and a hard-boiled egg, all drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette. The tuna was tender and flavorful. Loved it! The ambiance at Django is cozy with elegant French décor like that for a traditional Brasserie. read more

Django - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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What a treat to find a French restaurant in Des Moines! It was so hot the day we came in for dinner, that my sights quickly settled on the refreshing salads they had to offer. I added seared tuna to it, and not only was it delicious, but very filling. Cool, tip, you can bring in your own bottle of wine, and they just charge you the corkage fee. We saw many people doing this. My work colleague ordered the beef burgundy dish, and I sampled a little bit of it, and oh.. wow.. REALLY well done. Service was quick, friendly, and efficient. read more

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What a wonderful experience we had at Django! We came in on a scorching summer day, and left refreshed and happy! We arrived a little early for our reservation, and planned to sit at the bar, but the sweet hostess sat us promptly. Our waitress arrived and took our drink orders. I tried an Old Fashioned and it was perfect! A little sweet, nice bite. We looked at the Cheese Flight. You can order as many cheeses as you want from a list. They send out one once each, along with lavish, nuts, jam, and some fruit. The waitress selected a few. Geese's and we picked three. We probably could have gone with two cheeses, as we sort of filled up, but they were extremely good. The waitress' suggestions were excellent. We especially enjoyed the Humboldt. We wanted to try the Duck Frites, but didn't want to stuff up on appetizers. So we split the scallops. Again, the waitress suggested we add shrimp, and we did. Perfect! The scallops come with a bed of potatoes and asparagus. With the shrimp, it was the perfect amount and we were extremely happy! Wonderful service, great food, and frankly, a fair price! We'll be back next time we are in town! read more

Django - Scallops and shrimp. (Add the shrimp!) - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Still solid, with good food and service. Love the city vibe with big windows and lots to see both inside and out. I got a filet this time around; solid, but unremarkable. The blue cheese sauce was ok, but didn't have much punch. Fries were great! My wife got the Beet Salad with Shrimp. 4 large shrimp with a TON of beets and a bit of lettuce. Asparagus was a bit disappointing-not bad, but nothing remarkable. Service was solid and food came out fast and was hot and fresh. It's a good option; just not my top 10 for DSM. read more

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The recent menu changes have created a serious lack on options for those with celiac disease. The server was also poorly versed on items that may have been able to be modified. For example, how can a steak not be modified to be gluten free? The pricing on the menu should reflect what the restaurant needs to charge and include the credit card fees. It was a surprise to get charged an additional 2.75% after receiving the check. Of the fee was listed on the menu, it was in print so small it couldn't be read in the dimly lit dining room. read more

My favorite restaurant in Des Moines. I go here every time I come to town. Every time is a 5 star - this was the first 4 star experience. Love this place. Love the charcuterie boards, love the wine, love the suggestions. Felt our waiter wasn't as helpful as I've experienced in the past; kind of made one person at the table feel dumb (long story). It was still great. I think next time I'll ask for someone else to help us. All of my 5 star experiences has been charcuterie and wine. The steaks are fantastic too. read more

Django - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 09/15/2023 A classy, modern, French-themed restaurant that you are sure to enjoy for your next special outing! I have been looking for the opportunity to stop by Django ever since adding their great Happy Hour to my HappyHourDesMoines.com site and finally got the chance. We had friends visiting from Brittany, near the west coast of France and thought this would be a stop that they would enjoy. Callout to Lindsey A. (our server) who was great and had spent some time in France, so chatted with our friends about her experience there. Say 'Hi' to Lindsey from The Food and Drink Guy when you get a chance to visit. There was still an hour left of Happy Hour and we had a smoked pork dinner planned for them at home, so were only able to sample some wine (see picture) along with the cocktail shrimp and oysters (see picture). We opted for the Happy Hour wine, while our French friends chose finer wines from the menu - and all were quite good. The presentation, freshness and taste of the oysters and shrimp were excellent - we look forward to a return trip for dinner! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com read more

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Maybe my favorite in the downtown area, we were staying nearby for a sociology conference. I think the biggest challenge for servers is a mixed group that only knows each other from work, and that's the group I came here with. The wait staff got our overly complicated order correct and split the bill accurately without complaint. The food is French, more or less, and pretty tasty. I'd say prices are fair for the quality and that it's French. The name does come from the famous guitarist and the music they played went well with the food and general ambiance. If you're in from out of town and staying in a nearby hotel, make this your first choice. read more

Django - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This is a favorite place for us to have cocktails and appetizers or a great dinner with a bottle of wine. The service is friendly, personal and efficient. The atmosphere matches the reason for our visit, whether upscale casual or dining for a special occasion. I'm so sad that Django is closing next month. It has been a mainstay on our restaurant rotation for years. Go now while you can! read more

Django is a great spot for an upscale date night. We started with a bottle of pinot noir called Les Vignobles Foncalieu 'Les Versant' and the bread service. We had the Django Moules Frites which had great flavor and the cavatelli. Our waitress, Loretta, was awesome and very kind. Would highly recommend to anyone in the Des Moines area looking for a more upscale dining experience! read more

Django - Django Moules Frites - Django and Cavatelli - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

4 yrs later and still one of my favorite places to go. The awesome happy hour just seals the deal. Expect great service, delicious food and an upscale ambiance. Tues is all night happy hour! read more

Django - A martini makes every day better - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I came with my boss & coworker, who both raved about this restaurant. We had reservations and were seated at a table in the main room. We had wonderful service. I had a glass of wine, and we shared the amazing Fried Brussels Sprouts appetizer. I had the Salmon Salad, minus the feta. It was very good and the salmon cooked well (not dry). I liked the addition of dates, which I don't see often. They have beautiful floor to ceiling windows facing the street. Lovely space. FYI they do not have a corkage fee. read more

Django - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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4.2 A great Sunday supper that was well done and well served. My Pet-Nat wine was flat and stale but I was actually shocked they had one on the menu so, I'll overlook it in my score. We still very much miss the old bar, but hail Django regardless! read more

We went to Django for a late Valentine's Day dinner. We had a reservation for Saturday night. We walked in and were seated right away. Our waiter was very attentive. We had great service. I ordered the Djano old fashioned, and my dining companion ordered the Beginner's Luck. Both drinks were great. For dinner, I ordered the Coco Vin. My dining companion got the duck. My dinner was ok. The sauce was thick, and the onions were a little overdone, so they were sticky and stuck to my teeth as I chewed them. My dining co.panion said the duck was only ok. He was super excited to try Django and left a little disappointed. read more

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Great restaurant. Checks all my boxes. Quality, quantity and vibe. Table had ribeyes and chicken piccata. Keep up the fine work.

Great Service, Great Food, Great Atmosphere and no corkage, what is not to like? Django hit on all cylinders last Friday night while we enjoyed a celebration with friends. Every time we visit Des Moines we make sure to include Django in our visit. From the hostess to the waiter the service was exceptional; do not be afraid to ask for their recommendations, they were spot on! We started with the Brussel Sprouts, absolutely fabulous - Tip order the large portion we will be wishing you had if you didn't. They are a must order. I love oysters so we ordered the baked oyster flight, even the members of our party that do not normally eat oysters loved them! The consensus was the Stirling Oysters Rockefeller were the best, but I personally liked the Bienville the best! The steaks were out of this world as steaks should be in Iowa! Reasonably priced and so tender and mouth watering delicious. The Bavette steak (ordered as Steak Frites, so you can enjoy their famous Duck Fries), is a hidden gem and if you have not enjoyed this cut before I highly recommend it, especially if you are looking for a lighter portion of steak and a steak that is tender with flavor that jumps off the chart. I loved it with the Bearnaise sauce (only the French can do Bearnaise this good). The special was filet and shrimp over garlic spinach. Needless to say there was not a speck of food left on our friend's plate. Our wives split an entree of Lobster spaghetti (staff recommendation), and it did not disappoint...So Good! I cannot wait to go back and try so many other dishes on the menu. Simply said, Django is the best restaurant in Des Moines! read more

First time ever visiting & just sat at the bar as I was meeting a friend for happy hour. Great service, was provided a glass of water right away. Took a look at the happy hour menu & wish there was more variety for drinks, but the Rose wine was delicious. We grabbed a few apps & was NOT disappointed. It was so neat to watch the chef prepare our cheese board right in front of us! It's a nice laid back place for any meet up. Next time I'll definitely look more at the did menu to enjoy! read more

Django - Delicious Wine & Apps - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Frankly, we ate there as part of a group function which means we were not at the actual restaurant but next door in the catering/special events room. The original three choices were expanded to include a fourth, duck - which I was told was being added to the menu because it was a restaurant special that evening. The duck was basically a leg that was dry (not to be confused with crispy) which led me to believe it was either cooked too long or someone didn't really know how to prepare it. Maybe, just maybe, they had a batch they couldn't move and that is why it was offered as a fourth option ... I don't know. I would definitely try this place again but I would stick to items on their regular menu or at least something that isn't as difficult to prepare. read more

Cocktails and food were SOOOO good! Servers were great. Didn't come around too often but came just enough to see that we were good to go! Perfect for a date night with the hubs. Romantic lighting, neat bar area read more

It had been a while since I was at Django. Always great service and food and this time was no different. Started with the Scotch and Oyster flight and that was an awesome decision. Three totally different scotches to sample and oysters were amazing. For the main dish I decided to go with the Bouillabaisse. Best seafood dish I have had in Des Moines in quite some time. I could throw this down everyday of the week and twice on Sunday it's so good. Just ask my wife. I licked the cast iron pan at the end. I will definitely be back soon and will be licking that pan again! So good! read more

Django - Bouillabaisse - shrimp, scallops, crab, fish, potatoes. - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

"Pour bien cuisiner il faut de bons ingrédients, un palais, du coeur et des amis." "To cook well you need good ingredients, a palace, a heart, and some friends." Love this place--it is such a treat. Delicious, rich French food in a modern, bright restaurant with a great bar and friendly and knowledgeable service. Definitely a good date restaurant or place to take clients with discerning tastes! The escargot was delicious and beautifully served. The cheese selection and charcuterie board was spot on. Our meals, a chicken with lardon dish and a seafood stew were delightful. read more

Django - Date Night! - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

We went here for happy hour and had the most amazing food. If you like oysters, this is probably the best place in Des Moines to get them. Our appetizers were served with warm bread and butter with flaked salt. I was extremely impressed by the size and quality of the charcuterie board. Trés French. We also got some wine and I started with an extra dirty martini. I've definitely had a better martini at other places (I wouldn't pay extra for their blue cheese olives again) but it was still good. Parking is fairly easy if you get here at an off time. The interior is very classic and many people are wearing business casual or nicer. read more

Django - Oysters - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I had high hopes for this place but was sadly disappointed. I often travel for work and dine alone and such was the case for this evening. I made a reservation and showed up on time. The service from there was lackluster. I'd tell you my servers name but she never told me. And she never smiled once - she seemed annoyed she was stuck with a one top - how dare I wasted her time on a Friday night. After a long week of work I wanted to sit and enjoy my meal and time to myself but it felt constantly hurried along. I started with oysters and when they arrived I was asked to order dinner - I said I wanted to but wasn't ready yet. My menus were then taken from my hand. I then needed to ask for them back when I wanted to order finally which apparently seemed to also be an inconvenience. She must have been new too because she did not know any of the glass wines available. I had the Rossini which was good but messy. Halfway through I was asked if I wanted a box. Um nope! Still eating - at that point I should have just gotten one and finished the rest in my hotel where I wouldn't be a bother. Anyways - maybe if you have a group or buying a bottle and your bill will be so much that the server thinks it's worth their time you would have a better experience. If you want oysters they have a great selection but go during happy hour when they are more reasonably priced. Otherwise as far as the rest of the place goes - the decor has lovely texture but it's been a while since anyones paid attention to the detail of things - for example some of the black wooden chairs have paint pealing in the seat that sticks to your clothes. And the tables were wobbly. Also - the bathroom is in a weird location where you have to walk through the service station in the kitchen to get to. read more

Was here a couple weekends ago. Second time coming here. We came with an appetite and ended up ordering a lot of appetizers. The calamari , ratatouille and the duck frites. Which were all delicious and very savory. My brother in law had the bouillabaise which was cooked to perfection. I had the Coq au Vin which is one of my favorite dishes there. I've ordered it several times to take out and it's just so tasty. My husband had the Django bar steak and we all left happy with the food despite the bad service. We were all looking forward to it after I had talked it up to my brother in law who had just passed his medical boards. We were there to celebrate so we were going to make the best of it despite the uncomfortable encounters with the hostess and several servers. Upon our arrival the hostess was somewhat rude and made it seem like they were super busy meanwhile there was several open tables. She told us there was a 20 min wait. Asked if we were going to wait inside or outside. We said inside but there was only one place to sit to wait which is right at the entrance and exit. So it was hard to wait there while people are leaving and entering especially when you have a toddler that wants to walk around. While we waited inside we had several servers come by and rudely push us away and just stare at us with a rude demeanor. I get it we were in their way but you don't need to give negative feedback. If you are going to have people waiting at least have space away from the servers or tell us where you want us to wait. When we sat down to order our waitress was okay but she acted super busy and overwhelmed. I sincerely felt for her because I've been there myself as a waitress before but I was never one to express my overwhelmed feelings to my tables. She was very attentive despite that and brought out our food quickly. We ended up taking food to go which we knew was going to happen despite being told we ordered a lot of food. I hope that our next time here is more respectful and pleasant. I don't know that I'll be recommending this place or that it will be our first choice next time we dine out. read more

Our food was delicious! The oyster appetizer was good. We had the seared scallops and a duck dish. Best seared scallops I've had. My husband loved the cherry sundae. The server was friendly. We did not have to wait long for our food. Ambiance was relaxing. read more

Django - Seared Sea Scallops - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Come on Tuesday and enjoy happy hour from 4PM to close. Ordered 2 dozen oysters, charcuterie board, duck frites and a glass of wine. There are other select appetizers on the happy hour menu too. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Service is awesome too. read more

I had not dined at Django since they moved from the Hotel Fort Des Moines location, but I was happy to see the excellence does not need a structure. While I loved the historic vibe of the previous site, Django now feels more open. It was terrific sitting in the front of the restaurant, overlooking the sculpture park. We started with some "smack your mama" fried brussels sprouts as an appetizer. Our very smart server suggested a half order. If we had gotten the full order, we'd have stuffed ourselves with them and not had room for the entree. The bread that arrived early on was fresh, warm, and served with rich, creamy butter. Again, we had to monitor our bread eating so we could enjoy the main course. I had the coq au vin and was purely delighted with the rich flavors. The pearl onions in it were cooked to perfection with a remaining crunch, instead of soft and overdone. The mushrooms were delicious and the chicken was moist. Along with this I order a side of the decadent scalloped potatoes. I don't even want to know how many calories were in those bad boys!! My partner had the Beef Bourguigon and again, it was perfect!! The veggies still had some crisp to them, which is our preference. Along with the beef he ordered a side of asparagus and while we are not normally Hollanadise Sauce lovers, Django's version is light and not overwhelming like so many. We decided that we could visit again and just enjoy every variety of veggies they have because they do them so beautifully. While dessert looked tempting, we had not a bit of space for them after such a wonderful meal and we had to be at the hockey game to see the first puck drop. read more

Django - Everything was amazing, but the Brussel Sprouts took the prize of the night for me. YUM!!! - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Django for double date night is a nice choice. Saturday night dinner table for four. Updating my review from last year and I'm pleased to say this was a pleasant dinner. We made reservations earlier in the week and spots were picked over. We got the 7:45pm slot. Reserved online. PRO TIP: reserve a table sooner than a week for the time you really want. We dined in the party room that I was in last year. What a coincidence... While waiting we had wine and bread. Ordered the sweet potato gnocchi. My husband ordered the Hanger steak with fries. My husband had a bottle of wine as a gift and we drank it there. NO CORK FEE! Nice. My table shared a large order of poutine. Came out hot and fresh. I couldn't have any but it was my husband's first experience and he said it was great. Sister in law said it's the best poutine in DSM. My husband liked his steak very much. Especially with the sauce he asked for. My sweet potato gnocchi was good. Abundant in gnocchi; good veggie ratio. The vegan brown butter was too oily for me. Total tab was $60.xx Restaurant was packed for Saturday night. The wait to order, food wait, and receive was expected: 30 min. Waiter was nice and provided good service. He hardly bugged us while we were all having a nice time talking at our table. Menu is diverse and easy to read. SO MANY traditional selections: seafood, salads, duck, sandwiches... A handful of vegetarian options are nice. Only one vegan dish labeled. Everything sounded amazing. Nice fancy restaurant to experience. Recommend for a nice night read more

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We came to Django for a nice evening and left severely disappointed. From the start the service was slow. The bartenders were not attentive. Took over 10 minutes to get our first drink. We went early to get a drink before our reservation and that was a mistake. Despite closing out at the bar prior to the reservation time, we were left waiting for 15 minutes. the restaurant wasn't even busy. It took about 10 minutes for our waitress Macy to come over. Throughout the night she was super rude and short and was not attentive at all. We ordered an appetizer that took 45+ minutes to come out. The appetizer was made incorrectly the first time due to a gluten allergy at the table. The appetizer came out at the same time as our salads as part of the Django trio. While we were eating our salads, Macy came over and told me husband "I know you are shoving your face right now with food but I wanted to let you know that the roasted chicken takes longer to cook so it'll be a few more minutes". That would have been nice to know when ordering. Refills were never given, she never filled up our glasses when our wine got low despite buying a bottle. My frites were cold but I couldn't even let her know because she never came to check on us. After the meal she came over offering a free dessert since our appetizer took so long which was a waste because we got desserts with our trio. We had to remind her that we got the trio. She then proceeded to give us the check while we still were working on our meal. It was very awkward. Honestly the worst service we have ever had. read more

I went late on a Saturday night. It wasn't very crowded and I was by myself. I had a pork chop that was about two inches thick with some nice sides. I also had Creme Brulee. No booze. Everything was pretty good. Even the bread. I would take a date here, if I ever had one. Waiter was on top of the game. Bathrooms clean. Nice atmosphere. Booze looked good since everyone but me was tipping martinis and wine. read more

Django - Creme Brulee - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Dined at Django on Saturday. It seemed busy which is both good and bad. We were seated right away even though we were a little early for our reservation. The ambience is just not the same since the move from Hotel Ft Des Moines. Over all good experience, but a few things put a damper on things. Server not super friendly or informative. It would have been nice for her to spend a little time explaining the dishes. Started with the Ratatouille. The flavor was delicious, but unexpected. When I think of Ratatouille, I envision a very ordered rows of sliced egg plant, squash, zucchini and tomatoes etc. This came out a chunky roasted veggies in red sauce. Good with the toast points, but much different then expecting. Also, ordered raw oysters, but they were out of two of the varieties we ordered. The ones we received were good and nice mix of sweet and brine. Ordered the Steak Au Poive per our servers recommendation. The steak came out well over. I ordered Med Rare, but it came out Med Well to Well. It was very dry. There was only one small drip of the Au Poive sauce. The Django potatoes were a gloppy flavorless mess. All 4 tried the potatoes and agreed they were a Fail. Did not look appetizing at all. A small thing, but speaks to consistency. We did not receive a bread basket with dinner. Not sure why as other tables around us all did. We didn't inquire because by the time we noticed we well into our meal. Order the Chef's Choice Charcuterie board. It was brought out with no explanation of what the chef chose and why. It would been fun to know what we were trying. We could guess, but would have preferred to know where it was from, cow's or goat's milk etc. The good news the Filet was cooked a perfect rare and nice flavor, but the onion rings were not good; Chaulky with bread to onion ratio off. We probably should have stuck with the frites. The tomato bisque was awesome. The onion gratinee was good but not outstanding. The scallops were really enjoyed as was the beef bourguignon. Nice deep flavor from the bourguignon. Finished the evening with the Pot de Creme. We all liked the darker chocolate and the sea salt finish, but it was too dense for a Pot de Creme. We will be back but we will be more specific and direct. read more

Enjoyed every single bite. We started off with the baked ratatouille, which is amazing. Then I had Coq Au Vin, which is delicious chicken with potatoes and mushrooms and big pieces of bacon in a wine sauce. So delicious! And service was great. I love that they have mockails, which I ended up having a Django tiger, it is a spirit-free old fashion. Will be back soon! read more

Django - Coq Au Vin - French Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I've been coming to Django since 2015, both now near the sculpture park and when they were at the old Hotel Fort Des Moines location. After dozens of meals here, I'm convinced it is the best all-around dining experience in Des Moines. Terrific bar and fresh seafood, along with impeccable service and a loud but vibrant atmosphere. The beef bourguinon (trust me and add a lobster tail) is the most incredible dinner in Des Moines. read more

The atmosphere and the staff were great. We had cocktails made with coconut washed Campari, amazing! We shared the calamari appetizer - so good! My colleague had the steak and it was excellent. I had the salmon and it was pan-seared, I believe, but to me it tasted as though it was pan fried. It wasn't good. It was much too oily from the pan frying process. I'm used to a light searing and this dish had a hard crust all the way around the fish. Great location and ambiance was perfect. read more