Every time we come here we are more and more impressed with their food. There's no better spot in…read moretown to get Mofongo or any of the Puerto Rican favorites that we all have. There is not a better Cuban sandwich in the city., nothing's even close

If you want to "Bomba" after tasting the good traditional spices of Puerto Rico cuisine then…read moreventure into Bienvenidos in Windsor Heights tucked in a strip mall down the street from Hy Vee. The Pleasant and knowledgeable owner described some of the fan favorites which intrigued me in ordering an appetizer-- a deep fried ball stuffed with mash potatoes and ground beef with a garlic sauce on the side -- surprisingly not oily but deliciously flavored -- this is one I would order again. My entree was another dish I have never had -- Mofongo -- mashed plantains served in a dome shape -- richly spiced with garlic, olive oil, oregano and a plethora of other spices which brought this dish to above and beyond other Caribbean entrees that I have tried. The spices all complimented each other to make your sit down meal full of surprising goodness that put you in a Zen mood that made the peaceful environment feel down--home. Now go and " bomba."

A friend suggested this place, and he was on target, as now I have eaten there twice!…read more Located in a West Des Moines strip mall, the storefront is without fanfare with a large parking lot. I wasn't wowed until I sat down, and then now...POW, some of the best food I have enjoyed here in DSM. First, great customer service throughout, as our server was impeccably good. My first visit was for lunch, and I thoroughly enjoyed empanadas, Papa Serrana, and other items. It was delicious, unique, and superb. That prompted a second visit, this time for dinner. I loved the Homado Con Mote, spectacular flavor with pork, white corn, rice, and potato. It was sensational. So much taste, such great options. The interior is not flashy, but it doesn't have to be, as the food quality, unique menu, and excellent customer service pushed the bar extremely high and maintained it.

I enjoyed getting to try a new to me place. My husband and I shared an order of the empanadas to…read morestart with. The cheese ones with a sprinkle of sugar, as recommended, was definitely my favorite! I enjoyed the beef one and did not care as much for the chicken one. I asked the waiter what I should get as I was torn. Of course I don't recall what it was, but I enjoyed it. I'm not usually a plantains person, but I really enjoyed them with this dish. It was very filling and flavorful. My husband ordered a spicy dish and enjoyed it as well. Our waiter did a great job with our large group. He was friendly and provided a ton of recommendations we were all happy with. The bathrooms were clean, as was the rest of the restaurant. I will go back, especially for the cheese empanadas.

a restaurant run by one guy who is the chef/server/cashier etc. The food is Very Good and the…read moreportion sizes are solid. When I walked in he said the soup they had today was lentil soup. Very flavorful with a good variety of vegetables in there. Guava juice was in a large cup, and this wasn't one of those situations where the cup is 80% ice. Chicken arepas are great. Keep in mind that all this is made by One Guy and food may take a bit to come out depending on how many people are in your group.

It is, for sure, just one dude holding down this whole joint all by himself: cook, waiter,…read morebartender, all. Very basic dining room for sure, but it's really all about the food. The food is good and authentic. Took a friend who knows Colombian food well and this guy is doing it just like they do down there. I've never had arepas so good. We had the reinas pepiadas: really really tasty. I could see how some people are a little alienated by him, but also remember that he's there alone. You can go a little off the rails at places that have more people on staff to manage those kinds of patrons. When you walk in, you know that you can't push beyond what's offered and make special requests. This place is one of the more interesting places to eat around here; let's appreciate his/its strengths and not dwell on what this place isn't.

I was sleeping on this place and finally went with a friend. I wanted to try it all, but alas we'll…read morehave to go back. Ambiance was amazing. Service was good. Food was a flavor-bomb. I'll be back and highly recommend this place!

4.2* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $38 10/11/2025 My wife found this place when it was her turn to pick a restaurant for dinner after Mass. We parked in the back and the first impression was great - the smell of actively smoking meat on the way in is always a positive for me! Inside, we found the decor to be clean and modern as was the storefront when I stepped out to take a picture for this review. As is almost always the case when we are out for dinner, we started with drinks - my wife opting for the Coconut Mojito (see picture) while I ordered the Caribbean Sea Margarita (see picture). Both were very good and are highly recommended, although they were a bit pricy...especially for their size (although that seems to becoming the norm everywhere). The menu was a bit limited, but did have some very unique dishes (see picture) - one of the main reasons that we love restaurants like this! For dinner, my wife ordered the Suya Pepper Shrimp (see picture) and I went for the Jerk Chicken with Coconut Candied Yams and Jollof Rice (see picture). The chicken was extremely tender and delicious...just be aware that it was served in what is likely a very traditional African / Caribbean style - chopped into small pieces with numerous bone fragments. We both thought the flavors of both dishes were wonderful - so would recommend them and would definitely order again. If you are looking for a unique African / Caribbean food and drink experience in downtown Des Moines...you will definitely enjoy a stop here! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

Food was excellent . The service was wonderful and Scott, the manager, along with Michelle and…read moreRiley, were very polite. The other thing I didn't know is that I would be selling my children's book there.

Great food and drinks...came here for the brisket! We've…read morevisited before and received great food and service. Got the brisket AND the Memphis style ribs. Great flavor. Memphis flavor is medium level spicy. Cowboy beans, cornbread, and coleslaw were our sides. All were flavored very well and Smokey. Ordered the Mango margarita and the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Beer. Margarita was a nice light flavor. Service was excellent and very accommodating to dairy intolerance. Our server did everything she could to keep us happy. We would def go back

several years ago my high schools after prom had the big red food truck come and it was amazing,…read moretalking to the guy running it was a great experience

They set up in Norwalk IOWA at one of our local churches. Fun to have another option for the…read moreevening. The church passed out mother day flowers and cheese sticks as we waited in line in our cars. Menus were provided as we pulled in to give us time to pick what we wanted. Service was great. The staff was happy to serve us and do so quickly. Also gave away free dessert for mother's. Great experience

Seated right away. Drinks were generous. Salmon was amazing. Pan Con Lechon sandwich was delicious…read more Music was great. Servers and bartenders were spot on. Attentive, helpful. I will return.

came here on a Saturday when the breakfast place next door had a 30-minute wait. We had the entire…read morerestaurant to ourselves. It felt like an authentic Cuban eatery with the music and the wall art. Be sure to ask for the vegan menu if that is your thing. It took a while for our food to arrive, but once it did, we enjoyed the authentic Cuban fare. I had the vegan cuan sandwich, which was very filling.

Still the best shrimp I've ever had in Iowa. They are at 980 73rd Windsor Heights, just north of…read morethe Freeway 235, on west side of 73rd. They also have mahi-mahi and corvina fish filets. The shrimp is sold head on so you peel and devein them. There's plenty of videos on YouTube that show you how to do this quickly and easily. I enjoy getting a feel for the product I have and this is the best way. I'm going to learn how to use the shrimp heads for soup flavoring--I've seen cooks do this from Mexico to Central America to the Caribbean and I want to try!

From the owner: We are a Food Truck, specializing in wild-caught Gulf/Atlantic Shrimp!…read more Individually quick frozen on the boat, heads on with no chemicals, antibiotics or processing of any kind. We bring to you seasonal Jumbo shrimp (16-19 shrimp per pound), Colossal shrimp (9-12 shrimp per pound) and as is available, the "King of Shrimp", Royal Reds (counts vary). All from the net to your table. We are at 600 East Court Ave in Des Moines, IA every Friday and Saturday from 10:00-6:00. We are also at the Norwalk, IA Farmers Market every Friday from 4:00-7:00. You can also find us at the indoor Freight House Farmers Market in Davenport, IA Saturday from 8:00-1:00, Sunday from 10:00-2:00 and Wednesday from 4:00-7:00

We had the Birria tacos and southwest steak bowl. Amazing. The meat in the tacos was incredible…read moreand the bowl was sooooo good. The steak was cut in fine strips and was incredible. The amount of meat in both dishes was incredible. Get your protein fill here!!! Will probably eat here every week now. This isn't a Mexican restaurant. . This is elevated Mexican cuisine.

Friendly staff; very good fresh salsa; had tacos al Astor--Yummy! Birra tacos, juicy and…read moreflavorful. Great meal!