The Diner's decor is 1950s-as-re-envisioned-in-the-1980s: curved chrome details, neon, counter seating for those inclined, handmade shadows... In keeping with the theme, some of their best items are nostalgic. One of my favorites is a blue plate special - their meatloaf club sandwich. Where the Dinner really shines, for me, is their breakfast menu which is available all day. I love breakfast for dinner... I have yet to have any breakfast items be less than perfect. And I think I can say that about the meatloaf (dinner or sandwich) as well. Things to know: * Drake Diner is on the Southside of Drake campus and can be especially busy if there is an event on campus. There is street and lot parking available. * Their "seasonal vegetables" are often lackluster, and probably best to be avoided. read more

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Acknowledge guests and clean tables! We did not have the opportunity to order. We were seated, outside at our request because it was very cold inside. The table had not been wiped off and was sticky with syrup. We waited 20 minutes. No waters. No acknowledgment that we were even there. A waitress took an order from a table seated after we were. We got up and left. We walked past 3 staff. No one said thank you, good evening, good bye or anything. Probably will not be back! read more

Went here for dinner service and had a great time. They do have all day breakfast which was tempting but I went for the BLT so I could try their onion rings. The shoestring onion rings are super crunchy and delicious! BLT sandwich is stacked high. They definitely provide heavy portions regardless of what you order. I also highly recommend getting a milkshake! read more

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After David's glass class at JJ Gaffers, the 3 of us proceeded over to the Drake Diner to meet my Sister, her husband, and the middle Son and his Wife. The place was busy with Holiday cheer (and business), so as to avoid a long wait, we all squeezed into a large booth (3 to a side), plus a chair in the aisle. For the active conversation alone, it was a great seating arrangement. And when the food came, we were all able to eat comfortably. The Drake Diner is maybe a spiffed up version of what I remember when I lived in the Philadelphia area. The menu was vast and the portions were generous and tasty, so at least that much matches historically. Kevin our server was also prompt, efficient, and professional. Dad went ahead and ordered Liver and Onions, which almost got him exiled from the table. My sister is a vegetarian, so her "burger" featured a lot of mushrooms. I went for the Maytag burger as beef and blue cheese are meant to go together. The rest of the table included one Turkey club, other variety of burgers, some fried, and a lot of onion ring strings. It was all good and more that I could or should have eaten. That meant giving away some of the onion rings, which was well received by my still hungry (the exception) son. read more

Drake Diner - Night Lights - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Talk about a home run! This place is so awesome, very retro feels, with classic diner foods! The chicken fried steak breakfast was an absolute champion, and the peach pie was the perfect exclamation point to the meal ! Would 100% recommend if in Des Moines ! read more

If you are looking for a kid friendly place to eat, head on over to Drake Diner. We took our Granddaughter (7) out to eat here last night. She's been here before since her parents live close by (and both went to Drake) so she knew ahead of time that she would order a grilled cheese with fries. We were greeted with a friendly smile by Austin, the manager at 5:30 on a Friday and we're given a choice of a booth or table (it wasn't very crowded when we arrived but filled up). Hubby and I ordered breakfast for dinner. He had Corned Beef Hash and I ordered the cinnamon roll French toast. Hubby's hash was good but he thought it was missing peppers and onions for flavor. My French toast was good and I appreciated that I could order two slices instead of four (although pricing encourages you to order four!) The kids menu has some great activities to keep young ones occupied, including word search, diner bingo, and more (this was how we learned Austin's name). Our server Kristi was efficient and checked back several times to check on us. The decor is classic 50s style and fun. I'm generally not a fan of diner food so this was for our Granddaughter but we left satisfied. read more

Drake Diner - Two slices of cinnamon roll French toast - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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We were there on Saturday morning and only had about a 15 minute wait for a table for three. We all three had eggs, pancakes, and a side of meat. My crispy bacon was tasty and hubby enjoyed his sausages. The iced tea was very good. The help was pretty efficient and food came quickly. It's a diner and serves diner food quickly and good to eat. read more

Drake Diner continues to bring that classic nostalgia. We had lunch and were seated right away but I think we lucked out. Our waitress had great timing with refills and food came out relatively quick. If you want American comfort food, you are in the right place. Lots of burgers, sandwiches, salads and soups to pick from. I am trying to eat healthy and was happy there were several options that seemed like they would work for me. I settled on the grilled chicken plate which was a marinated chicken breast with the rest of the plate filled with a variety of steamed vegetables. My friends got fries and burgers which looked really great as well. read more

Drake Diner - Grilled chicken plate - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I decided to treat myself to breakfast yesterday at the Drake Diner. What a great idea on my part. Service was excellent from the time I sat down/to ordering/and of course the food(#3 breakfast). read more

Drake Diner - My delicious and very filling breakfast - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I am actually really impressed by Drake Diner. I've been twice before and the food is usually pretty good, the classic diner vibes are really cozy. I came this AM with my friend and they were able to provide a braille menu for her which really impressed her. They were great with her guide dog as well, very accommodating overall. I ordered the potato pancakes which were a little undercooked but we'll seasoned and a large portion. Their cinnamon Roll was really good too I ordered one as a side. I would probably not get their coffee again but drip coffee is always hit or miss at a diner. read more

Stopping in to the famous Drake Diner for some awesome food! Just what you would expect of diners from my youth : bright neon, caffeine, and lots and lots of comfort food! The menu covers pretty much anything and everything you could possibly desire. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a wide variety of desserts could cheer anybody up. Parking can be a little tight but once you get into the diner, the staff moves at lightning speed. The people that we watched taking food trays out are clearly in training for some Olympic weightlifting event. Booth, table, and counter seating is available. Our server was exceptionally friendly, efficient, and made sure we got everything we needed in record time. The food was cooked perfectly and coffee refills were nonstop! Everything was reasonably priced, and we had a chance to relax over lunch without doing a drive-thru. This is a great spot to stop in the Des Moines area if you're looking for a little break when driving around or through this area. read more

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We were in Des Moines for a few days and the Drake Diner was on the "go to" list and it did not let us down. It is a fun looking building with a lot of space and has outside seating. The server was very helpful and exchanged friendly banter. The food portions were large and tasty. I am glad we got to go there. I would go back the next time I am in Des Moines. read more

Had lunch with a friend on a weekday. We were seated right away and the server was friendly and attentive. We got our drinks ahead of the meal and she did a good job refreshing refills. I ordered a full stack of pancakes and they were a hit! My friend had the tenderloin and said that was good as well. Restaurant was busy but not so noisy that you couldn't have a conversation. This was my first visit to Drake Dinner and I would return again. read more

When the word diner was coined they had Drake Diner in mind. Good, stocky and ample servings are the basis for their dishes. I can't believe anyone would leave there hungry. Also they have the service down pat. Also take a look at my pic of the new fall 2021 and winter 2021/2022 hours BTW say hi to Spike on the way in. Take a look at my pic of a cup of chili. Ordinarily this isn't too exciting, but you can see the richness, the cheese and roughly chopped onion letting you know that you'll be tasting the real deal. Beware, this chili has a bite, just enough to let you know it stands up on its own. Even though it's a salad, the Fried Chicken Salad is no less real. See the fried chicken chunks - real food for a salad. It comes with Creamy Parmesan dressing that adds some heft to the dish. This Patty Melt is the super real deal! Check out the burger - cooked to order. It's not the typically pressed disc you might expect, but a true burger. It's served in the usual style but with grilled marble rye bread - yet another flavor enhancer. You can also see I had the homemade onion rings - flavorful and a ton of crunch. I didn't leave hungry. BTW if you're trying to shave off a few calories or carbs, they'll take off $1.50 if you order your burger a la carte - a nice accommodation. Drake's is the quintessential diner. read more

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Came to Drakes dinner with a friend and enjoyed the layout and atmosphere. The staff were very friendly. I had the French dip sandwich which was kinda bland but the Italian cheese breadsticks were really good! My friend ate pancakes and said they were okay. They also have cute vintage coke bottles you can order to drink! read more

Drake Diner - French dip - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Food was great and loved the place..Friendly waitress. I would eat there again. Big booths so you can laugh with friends and family. read more

Drake Diner - My Daughter with the Bulldog in front of the Diner - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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I had the chance to eat here recently and overall my meal was pretty good. I ordered the number 4 which included two scrambled eggs as well as I chose sausage and it came with pancakes. The pancakes were very good as was the sausage and eggs. No big complaints to be honest other than all the waitresses seemed to be very, very busy and a little scattery but they were busy so it's a little bit understandable. Maybe more help is needed?? I think so. read more

Our party of four walked to the Drake Diner this morning after attending church at Hope Elim. We were quoted a 15-20 minute wait, but didn't seem nearly that long. The staff was busy but kept our drinks refilled and our food came out quickly. Everyone had something different for brunch from Cinnamon Roll French toast, a Whole Hog Omelet, Eggs Benedict and my personal fav...... The Sante Fe Grits. Oh my.......they were delicious. Do yourself a favor and visit this Des Moines icon. read more

I found dinner during my short stay in Des Moines at Drake's Diner. It was an actual restaurant that seems to be popular in the community. I was lazy and didn't want to Uber around just to find the best spot in town. I looked for something nearby and walkable, so I'm not doing anything remotely close to exciting. I found Drake's Diner nearby my hotel and nearby to Drake University, hence the restaurant's namesake. With that in mind, I arrived around 6:30pm on a Thursday evening after picking up a pint of ice cream from the Black Cat ice cream store, which was about a block away. The ambiance was busy and loud. The lighting was dark and moody. The staff was running around crazy and I wanted to order take out for my dinner. I guess I came in when it was the busy time and nobody took my order for 10 minutes. Once I got my order in, they told me it would be 15-20 minutes, which was okay. Within that 15-20 minute wait, people were arriving and going. It was beginning to be a mad house, even on a Thursday evening in downtown Des Moines. The bright side of things is that they had chairs to sit down but all of them were occupied, so I had to stand and wait. For the most part though, it was unfortunately bad timing for me. The prices were pretty good but still above normal for what breakfast is usually is under $10. I had the corned beef hash breakfast and a side order of onion rings to go. Not bad for a dinner in Des Moines, I think. The overall experience here at the Drake's Diner was decent and a matter of unfortunate bad timing. While I could have come earlier or later since i was staying relatively nearby, I decided to come at the busy times to grab dinner. My fault, I suppose, but the staff was visibly working and I was just there making a take out order. Kudos to them for making time for my order though, but again, it was just bad timing when the wait could have been shortened all the way around if I came earlier or later. The service was adequate, although it was just a take out order. Nothing gained or loss because of it. Although the experience was short and could have been more pleasant, I did enjoy the mood lighting ambiance. That was pretty cool. If you had a strobe light, it could have been a club for all I know. My order of corned beef hash with toast and the side order of onion rings was good and delicious, since I enjoy breakfast food items way more than I should. If I return to Des Moines, i think I'll try this place again but not at a busy time and I could enjoy the dine in experience too. If you are in the area and like a popular joint, consider Drake's Diner in downtown Des Moines. While it was take out, the experience was still positive. Gotta give that one. Drake's Diner is located at 1111 25th Avenue, Des Moines, IA. It's about a block away from the Drake University and the Home2Suites by Hilton hotel. They accept major credit cards, which is awesome for the regular tourist traveler as well as cash. The food itself is good and American traditional, which is awesome because it's familiar and I do enjoy corned beef hash and its many various forms when served throughout the USA. As far as parking goes, best bet would be street parking wherever you can find it. They do have a private parking lot with a generous amount of spaces, but they seem to be very popular, so best thing to do is to arrive early to snag a spot and not be waiting in line like I did. If you are comfortable with DART, consider the routes to get here from anywhere in Des Moines. There is always Uber and Lyft to meet your needs too. While it is Des Moines' favorite place to eat and hang out, it was a positive time for me, even though the wait seemed like a drag and I know I should have came earlier, its a good place to come if you are in the area. 4.0 stars for the overall experience, even though the wait. 3.0 stars for the prices and service. 4.5 stars for the ambiance. 4.0 stars for the food. Support local! B read more

Bn eating there since I was 15 . With my first pregnancy I craved this place and ate there weekly. Then it was closed for a while when that tragedy struck but once it opened back up I returned and have always bn a loyal customer. Definitely in my top 5 for fav places n dsm read more

Drake Diner is suuuuch a good, classic place we love. Haven't been in many years, but they haven't missed a beat. Chicken fried steak was perfect...if this was my dish I would've gotten runny eggs but...‍ however, the chicken fried steak w/ gravy was delish. Gravy was peppery and not all "flour tasting" (like many places). Everything skillet with RUNNY eggs was fanTASTIC! I wish they had other hot sauces but Tabasco, but whatever. It was still amazing. I'm bringing my purse Sriracha next time Pancakes and bacon were a hit with my mini. He said "mmnnn crispy bacon" so I assume that meant he liked it, since he devoured it all!! Service was great, hot coffee always filled, we just love this place! It'll be back in our more regular rotation. read more

Drake Diner - Everything skillet - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

I stopped for lunch at 11:45 am on a Tuesday. This place is a classic diner from the outside, and very well maintained. There were a lot of tables, and I was seated right away. After 5 min's my waiter finally came over and took my order. I ordered the French dip along with a cup of soup. Everything was delivered at the same time. I wished they would ask if you wanted your soup with or before your meal. If you eat the soup first, the meal gets cold. The soup was loaded potato soup and was meh... Just OK, nothing special. It looked better than it tasted. The sandwich was small. There was not a lot of meat on it. The au jus was not very flavorful. Overall, I was expecting so much more based upon how the outside of the restaurant looked. I was disappointed. I won't be back. read more

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Went at 10am so it was pretty empty. It has a great 1950s diner look with the classic chrome and neon. Ordered the #3. Lots of food. The wheat toast had no butter and no butter was provided. The eggs, hashbrowns and bacon was okay but nothing special. The service was poor especially since it was so empty. After bringing the food my waitress never stopped by again until I had finished eating. A drink refill would sure have been nice. Nice atmosphere. Okay food. Poor service. read more

Drake Diner - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

Their chili is fantastic. Kristin was also a most gracious Server. Great service and great menu. Maybe I will another entrée next time.

We made reservations for fourteen people. When we got there everything was ready for us. Nikki was our waitress. She was absolutely phenomenal! She took all of our orders, brought us our beverages and checked on us very frequently. Our orders were correct and the food was delicious. Great old diner atmosphere. read more

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Haven't been here for awhile. They were swamped! mask was required. Didn't hear any complaints about that since there was little spacing between seating. We had about 30min wait for 4 of us. Luckily got to sit outside and ordered a nice breakfast. I ordered the eggs Benedict easy but it came out a bit more down, but the overall meal was great! The food came out pretty quick considering how busy they were. Everyone's meals were correct and the service was really good. Nice to see they are keeping busy. read more

Drake Diner - EGGS BENEDICT w/ham. HOLINDAY sauce on side - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

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Was too busy so we left. Went there before and it was good food. Best of all was a mandarin salad no longer on the menu

My dad and I used to go there when I was young. Took my son there the other day who had never been to a Diner. He loved it. Food and service were excellent. Breakfast all day. Got to try the eggs Benedict. read more

My Assisted Living facility visited Drake Diner recently. Most of the group ordered a breakfast choice and were very happy with their meals. 3 of us had a burger selection and were unhappy with the burgers. The diners website says they grind their own hamburger but when I asked the waitress she said they no longer do this. I still decided to have a burger and it was very dry and burned in one side. It was perfectly round and did not taste like fresh beef. I was so disappointed. The other 2 in my group that had burgers had the same result and said they would not order a burger again and opt for a breakfast dish. Years ago I used to frequent the diner and never was disappointed. I hope they upgrade their burgers! I did have a vanilla malt and it was delicious! Good service. No wait time and it was busy! read more

I had the Reuben, and a delicious strawberry malt. My husband and brother were both satisfied with their sandwiches and malts. The server was friendly and the food arrived at a reasonable time. read more

This used to be THE diner to go to. It still brings in the diners, but the quality of food has declined and is hit or miss. So is the service. My most recent visit, my burger was overcooked and unseasoned. My child, whose last experience, raved about their blueberry pancakes and wanted seconds, didn't even finish his plate. It's too bad as I had mentioned, it used to be great and now it's just meh. read more

Good food and friendly service. Kids enjoyed it. It was very busy but the wait wasn't too bad.

A Des Moines staple, the Drake Diner never disappoints. I went there for probably the 12th time in my 7 years of living in central iowa over the weekend and was pleased as usual. Excellent, quick service. A menu that has several diner classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And the iconic diner vibe. I'll continue to go to Drake Diner at least once a year for as long as I live nearby. read more

Drake Diner - a coke bottle on a table - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

This restraunt is one of the most overhyped "staples" in town the food is mid at best and the service tends to be trashy and rushed. For years i was told the place was a great expierence but when i was there it was nothing short of horrendous. Sure the mid century modern atmosphere is cool, but there's no interior design that's gonna make the so so service and meal any better. Management is rude and tends to be passive about any discrepancies. Skip this beloved must for now. read more

Very tidy and friendly place. Great menu selection and food is tasty. Close to a drake campus and good parking. read more

Drake Diner - Dining area next to counter - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

not the best French Dip at all.... Weird meat. Weird bun. Weird Au Jus... Bland burnt on the outside undercooked in the inside hashbrowns. Un attentive waitress... hard to find a spot to park.. read more

My boyfriend and I went here ONCE and we will never be returning. Not only was our food room temperature, under cooked, and missing things; but while we were eating, I saw that our waitress (an old lady) was eating her food as well. While she was running food. Didn't see her wash her hands once. My SALAD was room temperature, and my boyfriend's CHICKEN was room temperature as well. I didn't want to think about how long it had been just sitting in the window waiting to get to our table before we actually got it. Way overpriced for what we got. Absolutely disgusting! read more

I come here every year and the food is usually cooked right, but today when I came and ate every thing I ordered, but when I got home my stomach started to hurt really badly and two hours later I puked and I'm pretty sure the chicken was under cooked read more

I loved my first visit to this local classic spot. They have a really fun atmosphere from the 60s and I love it. I have had a great experience food was hot and fresh and price was on par. I will return read more

Drake Diner - Just a little part of the menu - Diners Near Me - Des Moines, Iowa

old school shake had me in love. i can't wait to go back. the atmosphere was awesome.