Had this for the first time recently and loved it! The old school diner vibe was so fun, the…read morewaitress was very friendly and the pancakes were bigger than the plate. We will be back!

Brought the family to eat here for breakfast after a local graduation. Three out of the four of us…read moreate breakfast. My husband had biscuits and gravy. My kids had a blt and fries, the other a chicken fried steak with very little gravy. The food was decent, not as good as it used to be. The waitress acted almost angry that we were there. The restaurant was a bit busy for a Sunday, but quiet enough to hold a conversation. Was shocked by the bill, was not expecting to drop $80 for 3 meals. We will probably not do breakfast again.

4.4* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 5*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $28 10/03/2026 While this has been one of our favorite stops downtown and tonight was an extra value with my Birthday coupon, the experience was not quite as good as we've come to expect. Before we tasted our food, a number of other little things were noticeable: it was quite loud (admittedly it was at least 2/3rds full when we arrived), the service was slow (took almost 15 minutes to get our drinks) and Shrinkflation seems to have hit the portion size (especially noticeable on the Shrimp & Grits). With that said, let's move on to the important part - the food itself. We started by sampling the $3 Mimosas (all 3 flavors shown in the picture below). Since my wife had already started eating her Shrimp & Grits and we had several previous pictures of it, I'll focus only on my meal for this review. I ordered the Grilled Harvest Chicken (see picture) with my chosen sides of Green Beans w/ Bacon (see picture) and Creamy Kale Slaw (see picture). The beans, kale slaw and sauce on the chicken were all quite delicious...but I was quite disappointed with the chicken breasts themselves. They were thin, dry and tough with not much flavor (really needed the sauce for some moisture). While I didn't notice it myself, my wife thought the chicken tasted like fish (did notice an appetizer menu mention that it shared a fryer with shellfish, so guess it is possible the chicken did also). The good news is that the experience definitely ended on a high note - as the Cinnamon Bun Pecan Cheesecake (see picture) was absolutely delicious! I would definitely recommend a piece of it before you leave on your next visit!

We arrived with a group of three for lunch on a Wednesday. It was not busy, maybe 1/8 of the table…read moreoccupied. Tables and restaurant was clean. Service was friendly and fine overall. Everything just seemed to take longer than necessary. We stood at the front maybe 10 minutes before anyone came to seat us and food took even longer, around 25 minutes (figuring out our order maybe took ten). I parked the meter for an hour and had to go refill. I ordered the Grilled Harvest Chicken. There is a creamy tomato pasta used to coat the chicken breasts. The cuts were good overall. This dish also includes two sides. I got the fried okra and goat cheese grits. Fried okra was good, around thirty percent breading that makes a nice savory balance. The grits were creamy and smooth. I think I would come again if I was looking for heavy southern. There were a lot of classic options to choose from that I could not try this time around. Though I would still be concerned with the wait involved.

First time trying out Bubba's. We ordered:…read more Southern bread basket comes with butter and jam Coffee with cream and sugar Smoke chicken salad Crab cake Benedict with hash browns. Server and host were friendly and wonderful. Atmosphere was beautiful with natural lighting allowed in. Food came out fast and was hot. I liked the intense flavor for the crab cake Benedict. It was super filling and the egg was just cooked perfectly. We would come again!

A Southern-style restaurant with Southern-inspired food…read more We started with the fried green tomatoes and my only recommendation would be to use cornmeal to make it a true Southern taste. All I could taste was the breading which seemed like a very bland option to showcase the tomatoes. I had the red beans and rice and my Husband had mac & cheese, Brussels sprouts, and an open-faced sandwich. He wished the sauce they used on the sandwich had been a little less so he could've enjoyed what was underneath all of it. For dessert, we had a Coca-Cola cake. It was moist and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

I'm from North Carolina and I'm wondering why the rating is not higher. The service was very quick…read more The waitress was super nice and helpful. I got the half rack of ribs baked beans, cherry rice, coleslaw, apples and it also came with bread and a piece of apple cake. The tea was served in a glass Ball jar. Everything was absolutely delicious! You definitely need to bring a good appetite! Lots of food!

Machine Shed was a bit of a mixed bag for us. The overall vibe reminded me a little of an older,…read moremore worn-down Cracker Barrel. There's carpet throughout the dining area, which unfortunately makes the whole place feel a little dingy and dated. One of the coolest things about the restaurant is actually outside. It's located near what used to be a farm, and there's a chicken coop along with a nice herb and vegetable garden that you can walk through. It was a fun and unexpected thing to explore while waiting for our food, especially with a kid. The food itself was very hit or miss, and nothing really wowed our group. I ordered the sirloin medium rare, but it came out closer to medium, and I didn't think the quality of the steak was particularly good for the price. The presentation was also a little odd, with the steak served on a very well-used tin-style plate that had definitely seen better days. Other dishes were mixed as well. The onion strings were a hit, and one person really enjoyed the Reuben. The corn was excellent, and most of us liked the coleslaw and rolls. There was also pieces of spice cake or pumpkin bread tucked underneath the rolls, which was an unusual but surprisingly nice addition. On the other hand, the liver was dry, the prime rib was fattier than expected with quite a bit that wasn't really edible, and the mashed potatoes were very dry and bland. They also bring several family-style sides to the table whether you order them or not, including things like cottage cheese. It felt a little strange and somewhat wasteful since we didn't want or touch some of it, and overall it creates a LOT of food on the table. The meal wasn't particularly inexpensive either. Before tip, we spent about $70 for two adults and a child, which felt pretty steep considering the overall quality of the food. I will give them credit for the country store area. These types of restaurant gift shops can sometimes be filled with a lot of random junk, but this one actually had some interesting Iowa and farm-themed items that were fun to browse. Service was perfectly good, but overall this was more of an interesting one-time experience for us than somewhere I'd be eager to return to. We were invited here rather than choosing it ourselves, and I'm glad we tried it, but there are too many better dining options in the Des Moines area for me to be clamoring to come back.

It's surprisingly hard to find a decent, affordable diner with quality food in Des Moines. I was…read morepleasantly surprised by this place, and thought the Durango omelette with green salsa was well done. Very friendly staff too. Could use bigger portions, though. My only major complaint (not the fault of the restaurant at all) was the very old clientele (at multiple tables) who were quite rude, demanding, entitled and loudly sharing videos on their phones. One lady had a full conversation on speakerphone - wth? Anyway, will be back soon.

Hubby had steak & eggs on a Friday morning. He said it was good. It came with toast & hash browns…read more He enjoyed his eggs over easy & wished for jelly for his toast. Service was okay. He was the only one there & only got asked if he needed coffee once. The place was clean & sunny!

Coming from out of town, we were looking for a diner experience. And this is the kind of diner I…read morecan really get behind. They have a stellar drink menu. I had the soup of the day--a chili verde that was delightfully flavorful, with soft pieces of pork in a savory green chili broth. Delicious . Basically, picture chili verde m--the Tex mex version--in soup form. I also couldn't resist the breakfast shot. Amazing.. Friendly service, nice atmosphere, good prices and delicious food and drinks. Wish I could bring it back to California with me.

Our family just wrapped up a late breakfast (okay, brunch) at Little Brother on our way through…read moretown, and we owe a big high-five to the Yelpers in Des Moines! This place was FANTASTIC! We grabbed a booth, replete with glittery uphostery and in a dining room decorated with a combination of old-school (I'm assuming original) charm and bright, colorful pieces on the walls! Our waitress was prompt, attentive, and extremely helpful! She keyed in pretty quick to the fact that we were from out of town, and first timers, and she made some awesome recommendations for appetizers and entrees! I couldn't get my mind off the deviled eggs, but knew I needed a little more; so, I opted for the oatmeal alongside! The two made a wonderful pairing! My son had the french toast (amazing), my daughter had the chicken and waffles (amazing), and my wife had the short rib skillet (uh, also amazing)!! I would rate the prices as fair, if a tad above moderate. But, when everything is as good as this was from a food, service and ambiance stance, it's hard not to feel like you're getting a pretty good value! I think we've found a mainstay breakfast // brunch // lunch spot in Des Moines! Food = 5/5 Facility = 4/5 Service = 5/5 Ambiance = 4/5 Value = 4/5

One of my favs in DSM never disappoints !!! A must visit !!! Staff is very good along with the food…read more!!!

4.4* (out of 5) Food: 4* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 5*…read more Service: 4* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $28 02/06/2026 We were running out of time for Happy Hour availability on Friday night, so picked something closer to home and decided to give The Club Car a try since we enjoyed previous visits. For drinks, we started with a Pineapple Jalapeno Mule and a Coconut Mule while waiting for our food. For our Happy Hour food options, we chose the Boursin Mushrooms (see picture), Nachos with Beef (see picture) and BBQ Shrimp Kabob (see picture). While the Mushrooms and BBQ Shrimp Kabob were worthy of 5* ratings (both were fantastic and highly recommended), the Nachos were average at best - as the chips tasted like a cheap no-label variety and the beef had little taste. We finished our meal with a couple of sweeter martinis (see picture) at the bar. We have been impressed with the drinks and bartenders during each of our visits and tonight was no different - both martinis were delicious!

Iowa is noted for large, crunchy and tasty "Pork Tenderloin" which you can get at Gilroy's on 8th…read morein West Des Moines. The Pork Tenderloin is bigger than the bun which fills you up just eating the crunch around the edges and still having enough left over to cut in half and save for take home. The upscale decor is good for small meetups or large groups with a private dining area that allows you to come as you are. My server- Pearl- was very efficient in monitoring my table with the General Manager who is always upbeat. The total vibe allows you to relax and enjoy your meal whether it's a creative Mocktail from a full bar, or just a delicious Dr Pepper with a slice of yummy peach cheesecake. This is a very customer friendly place to dine in or on the patio with good creative food.

A friend wanted to meet here for lunch, and I figured it had been a while, so it was worth trying…read moreagain. The food was OK, service was great, and I do like the atmosphere. I do wish I was a bigger fan of the food, but it just isn't that memorable for me. On this visit, my friend had the Spinach Artichoke Dip. She said it was good. I had the Hot Honey Chicken Wrap. I chose grilled chicken, which was tender. The wrap overall was a bit sloppy as the honey kind of oozes out all over. It was just ok, and was advertised as having jalapeños, but I didn't notice any. I got coleslaw for my side and it was very bland. Great patio seating with shaded areas and sunnier spots, and a variety of indoor options. Lots of TVs.

Lunch on a Monday! It was busy as usual. We started out with soup. My chicken tortilla was…read moredelicious and the mushroom soup that my sister had was just OK. Her pasta was tasty and she wasn't able to finish it. My chicken crunch salad was the same salad I had before. It could've used a little more chicken. The pieces were small. The dressing is yummy. Our waiter was attentive. Everybody is very friendly.

Y'all. We need to have a serious conversation about this salad…read more I ordered the ahi tuna salad expecting something that might actually qualify as a tasty meal. What arrived was essentially lettuce wearing a little tuna hat. Lettuce, shredded carrots, quartered tomatoes, tuna and dressing. That's the entire cast. No interesting textures, no creative ingredients, no little something that makes you think, "Oh, THAT'S why I ordered this." Nothing. This salad had side salad energy so aggressively that I half expected someone to bring me an entree afterward. In fact, I'm giving Urban Grill the gold medal for one of the least interesting restaurant salads I can remember eating. And that's saying something, because I have eaten a lot of salads. At least give me some nuts. Some cheese. Fruit. Avocado. Something crunchy. Something unexpected. Hell, throw a few croutons on there and let's pretend we're having fun. The restaurant itself is actually pretty nice, although it's apparently designed for groups of four or fewer. We had five people and had to wait for a table because there are only two tables in the entire restaurant that can accommodate more than four people. In a restaurant that size, that seems odd. The saving grace was our waiter, who was excellent. I didn't get his name, but he was attentive, charming and genuinely pleasant, and he deserves credit for making the experience better than the food did. The people I was dining with didn't have anything particularly bad to say about their meals, but nobody seemed to be having a religious experience either. Mostly sandwiches and salads, and nothing that made me think that I need to come back here and try that. And that's the problem with Urban Grill: nothing is really wrong with it. Nothing is particularly right with it, either. It's pleasant. It's serviceable. It exists. But in a city with plenty of restaurants competing for your attention, "perfectly adequate" isn't exactly a compelling reason to return. So, Urban Grill, I'm afraid I'm going to have to channel Randy Jackson from American Idol: It's gonna be a no from me, dog.

What a great cozy place. Great menu. Drink menu is fun as well. Great options on appetizers. Had…read moresome ham/brie eggrolls!

My experience here has been mixed. The food is pub style and solid. Service is mixed. And in some…read morecases the food just falls flat. Expect a "fine" experience.