Our never-ending quest to seek new and unique dining experiences took us to Tom Archer's for a…read morefamily dinner, and it was a superb experience. Great parking situation led to a positive greeting at the downstairs club, and began a memorable visit. Our server, Brooklyn, was amazing, adding a personal element to her role that made us all more comfortable and informed about our menu decisions. Her personality and awareness rocked. This isn't your usual dining visit or venue. Brilliant decorating, highlighted by old-school wood paneling that might remind you of your grandmother's home, sets the tone. Softer lighting still allows for reading. Loved the historic photos that rim the interior, celebrating the Big Band Era, which Tom Archer was a part of. Piano player throughout our meal, yet at a volume that added rather than interrupted. The menu is creative, varied, and flexible. Began with a bread dish that included a unique, delicious carrot butter. My salad appetizer was full of fresh taste. Absolutely loved my Chicken Pot Pie, a yummy, flaky crust and tasty insides. Oh my, the bar on pot pies was elevated! Enjoyed the Chocolate Mousse dessert! A fun and relaxing meal that exceeded our expectations, thanks for getting it right!

PoorMan's Supper in Valley Junction WDM off Ashworth offered a good entree of Seafood Pasta. The…read moremenu listed additional seafood offerings but all I got was shrimp. The taste was seasoned well -- the portion size was enough to have left overs for a late night snack and the complimentary chocolate cake was richly layered. What made my day was the serve-- Stephanie B. -- my former English student from Hoover High ( 25 years ago) who recognized my voice & smile--- Stephanie was courteous and very customer oriented ensuring my meal was to perfection. The atmosphere was nostalgic noting that the restaurant will take a summer break until September. We'll see you in the Fall!

The atmosphere and the food were modern and tasty. We had sushi and bolognese so our tastes were…read morevaried. Our guest took his party the next day.

I went twice in one day lol I only have pictures from brunch…read more For brunch, I had the eggs your way with scrambled eggs, chicken sausage, and a gluten free pancake. The food was plentiful and very good. The gluten free pancake was made out of rice flour. It was dense but still good. I personally like my sausage on the very well done side so they switched out my sausage from the one pictured. Went back for dinner and got the Half Roasted Chicken with Lemon Pan Sauce with the mini lavey mocktail. The dish was great. The greens had a bit of crunch to them. If I could change anything, I would get the sauce on the side. It was a bit overpowering but did not ruin the dish. I felt that the dish was seasoned well on its own. The mini lavey was *fine*. I wouldn't get it again. It was overpriced for the size and the taste was just fine. Service was 10/10. Bathrooms clean. Well decorated.

We got tired of the regular places in our town, so we drove to the next town and found this place…read more Very unassuming on the exterior, but warm and inviting inside. It has kind of a Wisconsin bar feel. Country music playing on one tv, hunting shows on another. The walls are covered with fun signs and memorabilia. Everyone who works here is extremely friendly and pleasant to chat with. And they have fun! Every Friday they have a Features menu. I'm told it always has prime rib and some kind of fish special, and some kind of chicken special. I saw someone with the prime rib...it looked amazing. We had the jalapeño moz sticks. They were really good. A touch of heat with great jalapeño flavor. The pork tenderloin sandwich was good, not greasy at all. The last thing we had was the Chislic...deep fried cubes of meat. Again, not greasy at all. A bit salty tho. But good, and more importantly, something different. The bar setup and offerings are pretty good. Prices are good. I'm super excited we found this place and will be back to try the prime rib.

Random stop in a small town. Pleasantly surprised on the cleanliness and decor (old history) on the…read moreinside. Went around 6pm, and wasn't busy. Seated ourselves. Was served right away and got our drink orders and food. Onion rings were recommended. Very good and thin and crispy. Had to try the bison quesadillas because it's different. It was ground bison. I loved the fresh bell peppers. Not too much different from ground beef. They weren't burnt, although the pic looks way brown. Decent overall. Staff was busy, but attentive. Kept our drinks full and checked on us throughout. Fun little stop if you're in the area. Very decently priced!!! Especially drinks. Love the small town prices.

We really enjoyed our visit here! We started off with the fritters, which were really good--kind of…read morelike a cheesy, elevated cheese curd. I got the burger special with two smashed patties, queso on top, pickled onions, and tomato. The quality of the burger was excellent, and the flavor was even better. My wife got the regular burger and really enjoyed hers as well. The happy hour deals are hard to beat--BOGO beers, $7 cocktails, and $10 burgers and fries. Our server, Ricky, was very attentive and friendly, which made the experience even better. Definitely a spot we'll be coming back to, especially for another happy hour!

I'd probably give the food itself closer to three stars, but the excellent service bumps my overall…read moreexperience up to four. Our server was fantastic. He was animated, fun, and had a great personality without ever being overbearing. He was attentive throughout the meal, knew the menu well, and added a lot to the experience. The food was more hit or miss. I ordered the filet mignon, and for the price, I was disappointed. I asked for medium rare, and while the very center was somewhere between medium rare and medium, much of the outer portion was closer to medium well or even well done. It was a thick cut, but the temperature just wasn't consistent throughout the steak, and at this price point I expected the cookery to be much more precise. There were some definite highlights. The butternut squash soup was delicious, filling, and a really nice addition to the fall menu. I also enjoyed the Brussels sprouts. They were nicely roasted and had good flavor. With Calabrian chili listed in the description, I expected at least a little heat, but I didn't find them spicy at all. The interior was fine but didn't particularly stand out to me, with the exception of the doors hanging from the ceiling, which was certainly an interesting and memorable design choice.

My wife and I have been making a point to try at least one new-to-us place each month this year…read more April's pick was Baratta's, a Des Moines staple that has been part of the local dining scene for years. We went on a Thursday night and walked into a packed house. Baratta's is one of those sprawling, multi-room venues that feels like it grew one dining room at a time, and there is a lot of charm in that. The menu is equally sprawling, and we started with the Focaccia bread, which was excellent. We split the Ravioli al Forno and still had enough to bring home, which is always a good sign. A couple of things caught us off guard. The room we landed in ran loud enough to make conversation a little work, and the wine list was shorter than we expected for a place this size. Neither was a dealbreaker. Baratta's is the kind of place that has earned its reputation, and we would go back to explore more of the menu. Worth a visit if you have not been.

A Des Moines classic. Last night took me to revisit Baratta's down on South Union...a South side…read moretradition with history dating back to the 1920s. I think they've been under the current ownership since 1993. Spacious parking and I've always loved the atmosphere at Baratta's... Kind of an old school vibe, but up to date too. From the outside you can still see the evolution that happened over the years. A combination of store and home that evenutally merged together, but it's not as obvious from the inside. We were greeted right away when we walked in and were seated at a high backed booth in the bar area. If I recall the seating in the main restaurant is mostly low top tables and chairs. I didn't catch our server's name, but she was BUSY. It seemed like she working as a host, bartender, and server from what I could see. All rolled into one. And she did a fanstatic job! Drink orders were taken first and food a few minutes later after we'd had time to look over the menu. Most entrees come with bread and a side of either soup or a salad. I love their salads. All their dressing are made in house if I recall correctly. We ordered the Amaggio with chicken, the Manicotti al Formaggio with white sauce, both with side salads (blue cheese and creamy garlic), an unsweetened ice tea, and a soda (Coke products). $56ish before tip. Amaggio: "A house favorite with your choice of chicken, shrimp, or both rolled in a mixture of fresh bread crumbs and then grilled to perfection. Served over linguini with roasted red peppers and mushrooms. Topped with our Amaggio sauce made with olive oil, white wine, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, garlic and basil." Manicotti al Formaggio: "A unique blend of five cheeses including mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, asiago, and ricotta wrapped with fresh pasta and baked with your choice of red, white, or marinara." In full transparency I've never had a bad experience at Baratta's. Food or service... But that being said I can say the same about A LOT of restaurants in the metro! Some that others complain about regularly. I'm been trying to figure that out... 1. Either I'm not picky... 2. Maybe I'm very forgiving. 3. Or maybe I just choose to approach each dining experience with a positive attitude right out of the gate and it's infectious. Maybe a combination of all of the above...? It's just easier to be nice sometimes. It is what it is I guess... The food hit our table after a short wait. Bread and salads first and then the main dishes. Everything was cooked perfectly. The linguini in my Amaggio was still al dente. The chicken was delicious. Perfectly seasoned and not the least bit dry. I'm glad I left my bread to help clean my plate with. Our server checked on us regularly, we never had to ask for a refill...it was just taken care of...and Joe stopped by to check on us a couple of times too. I love seeing owners on site and interacting with their guests. That alone can bring a restaurant to a different level in my eyes. It shows accountablity that can sometimes seem absent these days. As always a great meal and an overall fantastic visit to Baratta's!

First, the food is amazing, service was fantastic. That said, there's the odd; the restaurant is…read moreat the end of a building that hosts a hardware store, the odd part? Three restaurants share a lobby/hostess. I honestly wasn't sure I was walking into the right place, but it's a minor thing (if you know about it). Now for the bad: like I said the food is excellent, no complaints there. But I was more than a bit surprised to see on my bill that I was being charged for mixers!! A double Captain & Coke: $8 for the rum, $0.50 for the coke?!?! Really? The $8 for 2 oz of rum doesn't cover the couple of cents worth of soda? On the menu you can order a side salad as one of your sides, but if you want extra dressing? That's $0.75. This is too nice of a restaurant to be nickel and diming your customers.

I live right down the street If I could give this 0 stars I would. Took my brother for his…read morebirthday. Our waitress an older lady was probably the rudest waitress I've ever had in my life. Gets angry and assumes we aren't going to be eating, leaves us sitting for 20+ minutes not taking our order. I then order wine and steaks and her demeanor changes, the steaks are heavily over priced compared to competitors. Spent over $200 for probably the worst dinner I've ever had in my life. The entire staff just stood around staring and ignoring us.

Amazing creativity, highest quality. And thoroughly knowledgeable service. Small plates with the…read morefreshest local ingredients, often done with an Asian twist. We've gone to happy hour, dinner, and restaurant week. All are amazing. Happy hour and restaurant week are excellent value. Last night we had sweet corn tartlets with a savory cream and white truffle. I wanted them for dessert as well as the amuse bouche. Corn ricotta pasta and an Asian glazed beef tenderloin were standouts. Always order yuzu anything for dessert. The dining room is fairly small but with tables arranged so you're not listening to your neighbor's conversation. Natural decor (moss, branches, grasses, etc.) soften the space. Cocktails are inventive and the wine selection really interesting (in a good way). A biodynamic Spanish selection was one of the most pleasantly versatile bottles I've experienced, and the wine pairings for restaurant week were well conceived. If you're not sure what to select, staff will knowledgeably do it for you. Portland, Oregon is the city where we dine most often, and is one of America's best food cities. We did not expect this quality in Des Moines--were blown away by it--and return every time we're in town.

Everything here is worth trying - truly. What bold, bright and wonderfully composed plates. The…read moreteam took such good care of me! Recommend to anyone, especially those who fancy tapas and savory, beautiful flavors!!!

Verdict is out - loved Judges Des Moines! Such a great ambience and friendly staff. It's the…read moreperfect blend of casual and upscale. We went at 6:30 on a Wednesday night and decided to sit at the bar. The bar stools were so comfortable! The energy was great. Can't recommend enough for a date night or night out with friends!

Such a fun concept with the legal theme. Friendly and helpful staff and great food. Lots of gluten…read morefree options including a dedicated fryer. We enjoyed the gf burger and fries and gf hangar steak. Truffle fries are a hit light on truffle flavor but otherwise well prepared. I