The service was quick and extremely friendly…read more I went during lunch hour on a weekday and it was very busy, but totally worth it. The tomato soup was not too acidic with a hint of sweet, and the bleu grilled cheese paired with it perfectly. I was suggested their house salad, something lemon almond - I wasn't a huge fan just because everything seemed way too tart, and there wasn't a lot of balance. Because of the variety, and the quality of food, I'm still giving this place five solid stars and would definitely take someone else back here !

Truly abysmal service. I've been to this restaurant a number of times and have enjoyed it, but…read moretonight was severely unpleasant, due entirely to the wait staff. They're pushy and looking to turn tables quickly. If you want to sit down and enjoy yourself, don't dine here. Eatery A across the street is a far better atmosphere with far more pleasant people. The cheese is fine, but after sitting and enjoying a few glasses of wine, the waiter asked us to leave. Directly. I do not recommend you come to this restaurant. If you're on Ingersoll, you can do far better.

This was the most memorable meal of my life. Better than The French Laundry, The Restaurant at…read moreMeadowood, Auberge du Soleil in Napa, Daniel in NYC, Restaurant Le Taillevent or Alain Ducasse in Paris. Every bit of every dish was an explosion of flavor - making me wonder how could they come up with that combination. The Crispy Halibut was crunchy on the outside, moist in the center and accented with ramp gribiche and salmon roe. The chicken breast poached in stock with a morel, ramps sauce was rich with every bite inviting another. The Lamb Wellington made me feel like a king, only to be outdone by the A5 wagyu strip with a porcini mushroom bordelaise. Wine pairings were the best match of my culinary life - ranging from vintage champagne, white bordeaux, german riesling, rhone, red bordeaux and California cabernet. Every wine perfectly matched to the dish is ways beyond the imagination. As a foodie from Napa and Master of Wine student, I was blown away with the creativity and excellence. The service was attentive and engaging, proper without pretension, precise without being overly fussy. No attitude here, just wanting to share something extremely special with guests. Whether you are looking for the bucket list dining experience or wanting to create unforgettable memories with a loved one - look no further than Oak Park. The owner, Kathy Fehrman, is making a mark that shouldn't be ignored.

Fantastic spot for finer dining in Des Moines. My least favorite part of my experience was the…read moreparking. Heated coat check? Obviously. Our server was amazing, as was her timing of the courses. We ordered drinks and got a tour of the menu. Once we received our drinks and ordered we were brought a gift from the kitchen. A potato croquet I believe. I ordered the pork chops and it was pure Heaven. I did not partake in dessert but everyone had high remarks. The dining room was simple and elegant. The bathrooms were clean and inviting as well. I would absolutely return!

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.

Definitely a slow, cold night downtown, but that meant a…read morenice night for us at The Continental. Bartender was attentive and fun. Our drinks were full of flavor and we shared the double smash burger. It was decent, had flavor, but the fries sealed the deal. They were crispy and had great flavor and I was always not a fry fan. On the weekend they have live jazz so we will probably be back for that.

The bartenders were super friendly and knowledgeable about the cocktails on the menu. It was a…read morequiet Thursday afternoon so we had a great opportunity to chat with the service staff and owner. The whiskey smash ($12) was a lot like a whiskey mojito and refreshing. The beer taps ($6) are limited but the few on tap are solid beers for the season. Oh the truffle mushrooms!! Yum. Pleasantly surprised with both the flavor and portion size! Flatbread is pretty standard, all ingredients were definitely fresh. I would have like the beer to be a little colder, especially for a standard lager. They don't offer a Happy Hour at this time so that was a negative for us being that we could get some great drink specials walking distance from here.

I absolutely love this place. I live in Chicago and my fiancé is in DSM so we split time between…read moreboth places until he moves. Being in a transitional phase his kitchen is useless so if we want to eat it's got to be in a restaurant. We've been everywhere so no clue how this gem snuck past us. I would put them next to any of the high end places downtown without a second thought. The ambiance is clean, casual and cozy - think Colorado log cabin. It's not a big place so I imagine you'll find long waits on weekends. If so, wait. Trust me. It wasn't crowded because we typically don't venture out until late but 3/4 of the tables were occupied and several people were at the bar. Even so, it was easy to carry on a conversation without needing to raise our voices. It's difficult to choose what to order because everything sounds great. We ordered chicken fried oyster mushrooms for an app and they set the tone for everything else. Perfectly breaded and seasoned with actual flavor being the stale oil taste of a lot of fried apps. I had the Lobster Mac and it was absolutely decadent. There was a generous amount of lobster and the pieces themselves were substantial. The blend of cheeses was perfect. For the side (which wasn't even necessary because the size of the Mac was more than big enough) I got the Boursin Mushroom Au Gratin. I can't think of a word that describes how delicious it was. Perfect creaminess, rich with a slight tang...it could have stood on its own. My fiancé ordered the Iowa Chop and we were both shocked at the size of it. Again (yawn) cooked just right, not even a hint of the dryness you see a lot with chops. The Creamed Brussels Sprouts were great but I had eaten myself sick at this point so I had to admit defeat. Portions were big enough that I had plenty in the take home container for a whole meal the next day. I wanted to try the amazing looking pie but needed to be able to fit through the door to go home. Next time for sure. Service was really good. The server was laid back and quick with recommendations that she could back up instead of the standard "I like it" you get. I was shocked at the reasonable prices. These days $20 for a mediocre burger is standard so I couldn't believe the quality of food for the price. Our running joke is that once a restaurant starts laminating their menus, the quality is about to tank so I'm keeping my fingers crossed theirs steer clear. It's independently owned by the same people that own Barntown Brewing a few doors down. We will definitely try that out based on our experience here. My only critique is that they serve Pepsi instead of Coke. Seems like DSM leans that way which breaks my heart. My southern roots and common sense keep me loyal to Coca Cola. Where I grew up when you order a Coke the server asks what kind of Coke because it's just what you call every soft drink. Go. Go tonight. You won't regret it.

4.6* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $40 05/20/2026 The neighbors suggested the Guesthouse for our dinner tonight and given our experiences, we heartily agreed. We started our meals with a glass of beer, then ordered our dinners. Tonight, my wife opted for the Sweet Potato Gnocchi with grilled shrimp (see picture) - at our server Chelsea's suggestion (Chelsea was great). While I usually prefer trying different dishes vs. ordering what I've had before, it was Wednesday and I'm a sucker for specials...so again opted for Walleye Wednesday (see picture). While we both enjoyed both dishes after sharing tastes of each, the highlight of the meal was the Campfire Pie (that Chelsea recommended) along with a scoop of ice cream (at our neighbor's suggestion). Check it out in the picture and be sure to give it a try!

Dave C. Appreciate the conversation and scotch…read morerecommendations, we'll be back The fish and chips are incredible

I stopped by here early on a Saturday afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner. There was a decent…read morecrowd, but plenty of seating. I found myself a spot across from a tv so that I could watch some Olympic hockey. Very attentive but not intrusive staff. When I finished one drink or my food, my glass/plate were swiftly whisked away. The tiny Guinness shot was adorable, and honestly worth the money for the selfie opportunity alone. I also had their lamb burger with fries, which was quite good as well. They had plenty of pub favorites on the menu, but if I stopped by again, I would probably still get the lamb. It's such an underrated option.

Man do I feel like my hometown bar when I stepped in here. Signage on the front door was missing…read morejust the way I like it. There was room at the bar for us to sit and get a nice cold draw from the tap. I noticed by reading other reviews that the tenderloin and sausage sandwiches were top favorites here. Once I had a couple of drinks and heard/ seen about 15 tenderloins and sausage sandwiches be ordered and served I knew what I wanted. It didn't disappoint as I split my meal with my guest. Everything that I want and nothing I didn't need is here. I am excited as I found my new regular stop that makes me feel like the small town I'm from.

Hidden Gem, shhhhhh…read more Was on social media and someone sent out a link of locations of good tenderloins around. It so happened it was on the direct route for us on the way home that evening. We parked, got out and exchanged that "look" when your not sure about the outside of a place. However, don't judge this book by the cover, or the name for that matter. There was some seating outside, but we walked in, did a quick scan of the room and bellied up to the bar. It was a week day evening and it was not too busy. Newer waitress being trained behind the bar, but no worries we all gotta learn sometime. The place is a bar with all the normal "bar" things. Pool table, TVs, music, etc. Dimly lit, smell of fried food and beer. Seat yourself and vocal friendly staff. From the seats we snagged you could see the grill in the kitchen. The cook was working up a storm. I knew I was there for the tenderloin. I did a quick yelp search and found some great reviews on the Hot Sausage Sandwich after watching the cook work on 2 of them on the grill as we sat there. They were Giant! Convinced hubby he should try and just from the SIZE that I could see from my seat. We didn't get any sides just the two sandwiches. The orders were spot on. My breaded tenderloin was good! It was pounded flat, and they happily brought me extra pickles. The Hot Sausage Sandwich was a hit! Hubby was really impressed. He rates the Sandwich alone as 4 out 5 stars! it was a lot of food just the sandwich alone and he said he would happily come back. While we sat there enjoying our meals we watched pick up order after pick up order getting started and called in. That says a lot. We absolutely loved this hole in the wall. We loved the atmosphere and the vibe from the regulars as they sat an enjoyed their drinks. Hubby also mentioned how he got small town vibes from here and keeps talking it up even a week later. I know well be back. -quick PS I am trying to get the Sausage Sandwich pics to post and well post separately.

Aposto is literally the best meal I've had this year. I cannot express how f*cking delicious our…read moremeal was. The bone marrow starter was pretty good. But the PASTA I had... my GOODNESS there isn't anything else in Des Moines that even holds a candle to it. 147483919374/10 ambiance for this freakin good pasta. Also! My cocktail, the Pear Butter, was EXQUISITE. So unique and delicious :) Also our server was funny. Definitely would recommend him.

Finally got to try Aposto and at the best time too! Restaurant week at Aposto blew me away. The…read moreentire ambiance is so unique and elegant. The service and staff were friendly and welcoming. The food was also so good. Restaurant week proved they're worth visiting again.