Average steakhouse, to me the steak was unseasoned or something. I was ready to be wowed by flavor, it lacked that. Place is very crowded, not a place for comfort. I haven't been back, can't say I want to pay that price for something I could cook myself read more

Jesse's Embers is a really homey feeling local place in Des Moines. Most people would drive right by and not even notice it. The place is really tiny, but really packs people in. It reminds me of an older steakhouse, almost like a little hideout. The staff is extremely attentive and friendly. The food is pretty good overall. The onion rings are definitely homemade and the house dressing is quite good. The burgers are huge as are most of the steaks. They do not seem to season as other reviewers have commented though. Everything is reasonably priced considering you get a salad, side, bread, and meat. For good quality food with really friendly service in a unique atmosphere, I would say Jesse's Embers is a good bet. read more

Had a great 'old school' dining experience here a few weeks back. The onion rings and house salad dressing are a must have. Everyone at my table had steak and they were all cooked perfectly. They don't heavily season their steaks, but in my opinion they don't need to because the quality of the meat speaks for itself. Service was fantastic as well. You can tell the waitresses here have been doing what they do for years. The owner/manager(?) makes sure to visit every table to make sure everything is up to par and he even held the door for us as we left and thanked us for coming and shook our hands. Where do you see that kind of service anymore? If I could find one negative, its the space itself. It is TINY and cramped and if you have to wait to be seated, you'll be doing the awkward shuffle along the wall thing to fit more people in. The tables in the center of the room are huddled very closely together. If you're claustrophobic, don't come at peak hours. read more

Excellent attentive service without being annoying: and they notice if there is a problem without you having to point it out. I disliked the sweet creamy garlic house dressing on my salad so I pushed it aside. Waitress noticed immediately and came right up and offered to replace it. Sweet! My steak, their house special, we cooked perfectly for how I liked it: I even got cottage cheese with peach slices (old school side to go with the old school restaurant) was my dessert. I like this place. read more

Could Be The Best Steak in Des Moines What is a perfect steak? Thick? Check, Jesse's Embers Has Super Thick Steaks Juicy? Check, The Plate Is Filled with Red Juice Sparsely Seasoned? Check. Jessee's Embers Leaves That To You Tender? Check. The Meat is Prime. So if you want a great steak, this place is for you. The London Broil (a Sirloin) is fabulous as is the New York and the bacon wrapped fillet. Atmosphere is interesting, a throwback to great steak houses of 20 years ago, with no obnocious music or blasting TV. There is a short bar with 6-7 stools for wait for your steak. The downsides are that the place is quite small maybe 10-12 tables, so it can be a wait on weekends. Although it has a bar, it has very limited selection, so I would not necessarily call it a full service bar. But all and all, this is a great classic steak restaurant, which could have the best Steak in Des Moines. read more

The cook the best steaks in town. I got a ribeye it was so choice. Delicious, meaty, the all the juice was in the steak, not on my plate. There may be places with more expensive cuts of meat, but they cook it better. Highly, Highly recommend Jesses Embers. One of the negatives, the ingersoll location is very cramped, but you can sit right next to open grill area, and watch them cook the steaks. read more

Growing up, I"ve always wanted to dine at Jesse's Embers. My dad would share stories how it was THE place back in the day to have a fancy steak and lobster dinner. It's only taken me a couple of years (decades) to FINALLy try this DSM legend. I'm not sure what made me shout out "Jesse's Embers" when the friends and I were trying to plan our birthday dinner. All I remember was that I wanted steak, I wanted to try something out of ordinary for girl's night, and I didn't want to go downtown. Ember's was perfect for what we were trying to accomplish. We came on a busy Saturday night and were greeted by most of the staff members, including the line cooks grilling the steaks. Much appreciated to be welcomed by everybody. I ordered the prime sirloin that came with side salad and one side dish. Everything was delicious and my steak was perfectly cooked. Service was warm and friendly, wine and water glasses always full. I have to say, this was a great dining experience and I promise not to wait another decade or two to be back. read more

I was in town on business and wanted to try something different. The place is small but reminded me of the small steakhouses my parents took me to as a kid. The service was great and friendly and the steak was AWESOME, lightly seasoned but let all the flavor through and a great baked potato. Wanna know what is was like to go to a great steakhouse in 1968 go here. The atmosphere is fun but the food is incredibly good! read more

Love this place. Kind of like a well worn classic local steakhouse. Just a great vibe. Good food too.

Was our first time here, we're from out of town. Love going to classic local restaurants And this place did not disappoint. Small and crowded but it didn't seem to bother us. We had table that faced the steak grill. Lanny the cook was extremely busy as we watched him cook dozens of items on the grill and with only a tiny space to plate the dishes, he was fun to watch. The owner walked around the small dining room and checked on everyone dinning, nice touch. My only recommendation would be to season the steaks a bit more. read more

See all

Hands down one of Des Moines finest and best kept secrets. Business deals are made here; seriously. The menu is limited because why would you ever need multiple options when you can have the freshest salad, prefect steak or to die for French Dip. The place is small and space is limited but if you wait till after the baby boomer rush from 5 to 7 then you're golden. I've been going there since I was in high school with my parents and the food hasn't changed one bit. It's consistent every time, the type of place you know you can take a out of town visitor and it WILL be delicious. My personal favorite is the filet or the chicken salad with the house dressing. You won't be disappointed. read more

I have wanted so long to try their steaks. We arrived and it was very busy and tight. The hostess got us a seat right away but there was hardly any room between tables/chairs. We had the best waitress who always checked on our needs and came to the table often to meet our needs. Several of our group were disappointed with the steak being flavorless, hard, dry, and/or over cooked. The salmon was cooked perfectly, but had no flavor. The house dressing is delicious. So a little disappointed with the steak quality, but overall very satisfied. Will try again. read more

I was very pleased with my dinner at Jesse's. This place is definitely a throwback to another time. I really like the feel of this small restaurant that serves your steaks cooked to perfection. Garlic salad dressing and fresh bread are memorable. I will go to Jesse's again - just to watch the kitchen prepare my food. Very relaxing. recommend getting there before 6pm or after 8pm on a Friday night. read more

Very reasonable prices and portions. The place feels like a classic neighborhood restaurant. The service is good. I can't really find anything to complain about, but it's not deserving of a fifth star. A solid choice for dinner. read more

Love this local neighborhood steak and burger joint. A classic cheers restaurant. Stakes are excellent and fairly priced. The service or what also makes the place. read more

Haven't been here for a while and stopped on a whim for lunch. In the words of my dining companion: "Oh, my God! This food is incredible!" (She'd never been before.) It's a great little place for lunch or dinner. It's definitely it's different, and it's not too expensive. I will be back. read more

We have been to Jesse Embers several times in he past few months and food has been good. However, this last time 3 out of 4 of us ordered steaks. All were terribly burned and they of course put the burned side down. We had to cut off the charred part to even eat. We don't send food back for obvious reasons. Our waitress was sorry our steaks weren't "perfect". We didn't expect perfection. We did expect edible. She wasn't the least bit concerned. Couldn't have cared less. She blamed it on the chef being "new". Classic answer. We won't be going back. They are not cheap either. Very disappointed at the lack of care that our meal was bad. read more

The small restaurant opened at 5 and we arrived around 5:30. We ordered drinks at the bar and sat chatting with the bartenders until our table was ready. Very friendly people all around. Our waitress was very helpful and shared with us that she had been with the Embers for over 30+ years. The bartender has also been with Embers that long as well. The food was excellent, service fantastic and atmosphere was that of a small local steakhouse. I will return next flight to Iowa. read more

While in Des Moines to visit our son at Drake University the Iowa state high school wrestling tournament was going on and most places were crowded. It was my 60 th birthday and we needed a place to have a nice meal. Jesse's Embers was suggested as a nice neighborhood restaurant that might not be quite as crowded with wrestlers. It was fun and cozy. We loved the atmosphere. The staff was accommodating and the bartenders made us great drinks. The food, overall, was very good and we would recommend this restaurant and will put it on our list of restaurants to revisit. Thanks to all for making my birthday celebration so special. read more

Great place for steak and some wine. We came here by chance, but will be going back as often as possible. Just wish they had deserts!

Went back for business dinner...still not sure why people go here. Loud, super crowded, open kitchen not well vented, dark, dark, dark. Only decent meal I've had there is their cheeseburger. But it's not great..have had much better at Americana and Gilroy's. A lot of my friends parents go there so it's a long time hang out and the steaks were really good "in those days". read more

I am still stunned by the rude and deliberately insulting treatment by the owner of this restaurant -- a person I never have met! I was in the mood for a real treat -- I wanted a steak sandwich. I looked on the menu and there, under the heading 'Sandwiches' are listings for two different steak sandwiches. I ordered the smaller 'Ladies Steak Sandwich' for pick-up. My husband ordered another dish. We picked up our food and took it home, to find that the steak "sandwich" was not a sandwich at all -- there was just one lone piece of meat and a potato in a large styrofoam box. Thinking there had been a mistake, I called the restaurant. I was informed that 'regular' customers knew that the sandwich had no bread or sandwich fixings, and that this item was, in fact, not a sandwich. I explained that I had really wanted a sandwich and asked if they had an actual meat sandwich, I'd be glad to return the first one and pick up a real sandwich. The woman I was speaking with said they could make me a London Broil which is a sandwich. I asked, to be clear, if this was going to be an exchange because I did not want to pay for another meal. The woman I was speaking with then explained the situation to the owner of the restaurant and his snide response was that he would send someone to my house to bring me a piece of toast! In this time of covid-19, trying to support restaurants and people, Jesse Embers failed to reciprocate patience and kindness, and I will NEVER take my business to such a place. read more

Great old school steakhouse/restaurant. Steak was flawless and try the house creamy Italian dressing. Great people and service.

After driving past this hole-in-the-wall sort of place for a few years, a group of us decided to finally try this restaurant. They don't take reservations, so we just walked in the day before Valentine's day. The host asked how many, I said 12, to which he replied "Are you serious??". He fit us in though, after only a 40min wait. Unfortunately the place is very small, there is nowhere to wait, and the bar was packed. We decided to get some drinks at Zimms before returning for our table. Our group mainly tried various cuts of steak with one common theme. If you ordered it medium (as I did), it came out hard as rock. There was no pink center, and it was like eating tire tread. Even if it had been cooked correctly, it was still severely under-seasoned. One of our group members ordered a baked potato and wanted the fixin's. Don't make the same mistake. He had to pay extra for a square of Kraft singles American cheese to be partially melted over the potato. Ew. The service was, as other Yelpers pointed out, very good. The waitress was very nice and our large group was accommodated in a timely fashion the day before Valentine's day. The food, however, was sub par so none of us would return. read more

Oh yeah. Best little hole-in-the-wall steakhouse ever. Friendly, efficient service. Good food. No pretense. Great steaks! If you want a good steak but don't want to fuss with a fancy steakhouse or a crappy chain, this is the place you need to try. They treat you like family. read more

We're from California, just passing thru. Found it on Yelp and took a chance. Best filet I've ever had! Not a place for slow dining, but a great place for good food.! Would recommend it to anyone. read more

Great atmosphere for connecting with locals. I was in travel. The folks in Jesse's treated me like I was no stranger at all. The food was pretty good as well. Made for a great night. I recommend stopping in. By the way, it was a packed house. Demand seems pretty high. read more

Always amazing is the best and only way to describe Jesse's. The staff is fantastic as always. Great drinks, Onion rings to die for. Steaks wow is the word. Highly recommend anyone visiting DSM to come check out Jesse's Embers. read more

Food was excellent Service was excellent. When tasted my water I almost spit it out, it tasted like it came from a dirty river. I complained to the waitress and she said I'm no the first to complain. I asked for a bottled water or bottled diet coke, to find out they do not carry them. she then said maybe better luck with water from the bar tap. It was fine and tasted like water. Halfway through my meal the owner came to my table and asked how everything was. I told your water taste like shit, but everything else was worth 5 stars My ribs with onion rings were very good. I am from NY and we never get ring without a batter dip, but these were great. I ended up talking to the owner for about 10 minutes. A GREAT GUY read more

Great Des Moines favorite and reasonably priced. Delicious steaks, sides and wine. The staff is super friendly and appreciative of your business and very local. While 801 Chophouse has a "classier" feeling to it, you are paying a huge price difference. In the end, quality steaks and great wine should be what you are interested in and Jesse's Embers delivers big time. read more

I love this place. I've only been twice, but I as soon as I walked in the second time, I felt like a regular. Very clubby atmosphere, great fried onion ring appetizers. I had fall off the bone spare ribs and fresh-made cottage fries. Great meat and potatoe place at great prices. The owner stopped by twice to see how things were going, and by the end of the meal we felt like our waitress Gina was our new best friend. I wouldn't go to Des Moines without stopping by here at least once for a great dinner at a great value. read more

Another Roadfood find, and a great one at that. If you're familiar with my reviews, you'd notice that I give allot of weight to that "sweet spot" where Quality meets Price Point, and that's why this place gets five stars- a thoroughly satisfying meal, served by a friendly staff, in an atmosphere that's comfortable and unpretentious. The perfect amount of char on the outside of my steak, and a flavorful hunk of meat inside. If you think it's too crowded at times you should consider that a plus: after all, would you want to eat in a restaurant that was half empty? read more

Feels similar to sitting in your friends basement. They make a point of making you feel welcome. Steak was far better than Chicago Speakeasy and no where has as good of ribs. The outside and decor is off putting, but this is our new favorite restaurant! read more

Though our meals didn't meet expectations, staff & management went out of their way to appease us. Their concern was genuine & appreciated. Would I return? Yes. Everyone deserves a second chance. read more

A Thursday night. They were almost packed. Good for them. The manager was lively and great. Carol, our server, not so much. She seemed grumpy. Food was subpar. We had two sirloins. Fiance's steak was overcooked. I believe they're aged. Which gave some flavor. But collectively they were "bland", we like our steaks to have some spice / flavor. Whether spices or smoky flavor, SOMETHING. These don't. Prices are high for the quality/ flavor / portions. You got to have at least two of those three to be able to charge above average prices for a steak and this place doesn't. Small place, because it was near full, and it's small, it was loud. My fiancé and I had a hard time talking. Food, service, and atmosphere were all sub par. Not terrible. Just sub par. read more

Amazing food the people make u feel like family and the steak is amazing plus u have to order the Cajun shrimp app and save the bowl of the juices to dunk ur steak in its to die for!!! Well worth the wait no matter how long it is!! read more

Terrible service, manager and waitress were aggressive toward me whenever I asked for basic items including a straw, water, and a refill. Food was adequate, but was ultimately ruined by my experie read more

Quality of a high-end NY or Chicago steakhouse at half the price. You won't get the extensive wine list but if quality and comfort are what you are looking for this is the place. Great meat, great homemade creamy garlic dressing and the Cajun BBQ shrimp make for a memorable meal. The only thing that exceeds it is the graciousness and attentiveness of the owners. read more

So when we entered the building I did not like the fact that you had to walk beside the kitchen to get in. We had a 15 minute wait and unsure if we heard our name called earlier than we did get a seat. We also had to stand around a crowded bar area to wait to get a seat. When we sat and looked at the menu the prices were pretty pricey. Salad that came with meal was good but the steak had no seasoning on it. When I asked a staff member she said they don't use seasoning incase of people's allergies. So I paid for an over priced hamburger. Very disappointed as there were a lot of people there to eat. I don't see what people see in this place. Maybe the wine and alcohol they have there covering everyone's taste buds! read more

Meat was exceptional. Bread was dry. They seated 3 other parties of same and similar size in front us. Then lied about it. We will not be back. read more