We have been to Irina's a few times and it has always been a delicious experience…read more Irina's has one of the best steak offerings in the metro. Their sides are always delicious as well. We tried the bang bang shrimp for the first time and is now an all time favorite. The service is always a bit slow but it's a restaurant that creates that kind of culture, so not a big deal. The ambiance is dark and moody, but the vibe is great. The servers are always kind and attentive. Definitely a must visit steakhouse.

Both kids had stuff going on and I had the chance to slide off to a last minute invite for dinner…read morewith a few friends on Friday evening. Although I really miss the old location off of Hickman I still get over to Irina's now and then... I was the first to arrive and soon after the hostess had seated me Dmitri came over to say hello. It's always great to see him. Irina was under the weather and wasn't on site. I've gotten to know both well over the years and I really enjoy catching up with them both. He knows how I felt about the old location and I'm in my 50s now and don't always deal with change well. The current location is beautiful, and I'll get used to it, but I still miss that old wooden horseshoe bar and the more intimate feel. This visit was to see a friend who has since moved out of state (Tena). Our reservation was for eight at 800 PM on Friday evening. We went over our planned eight and Dmitri quickly helped expand our table to meet our needs. The first time I met Tena was actually in Irina's (the Hickman location) back in early March of 2021. I was in Irina's trying the poutine that had been added to the menu not long before that and Tena was there planning a birthday party. I recognized her from Facebook...along with a very big pink unicorn pinata she had recently purchased, I introduced myself, and I've been friends with her and her husband since then. As everyone arrived over the first few minutes our server was quick to take drink orders and we moved on to food once everyone had arrived. I started with an espresso martini. I don't think there was an introvert at the table so conversations flowed like efficient drink refills and if service was slow I'm not sure I would have noticed it. We ordered quite a few appetizers that were shared around the table. Bang bang shrimp, tuna tartare, calamari, philly cheese steak eggroll, and stacks of onion rings. I can't honestly say I can remember what everyone ordered for entrees. I had the almost famous lobster macaroni with a side of grilled asparagus and I know Tena had the Iowa farm pork chop that came with a glaze, garlic whipped potatoes, and brussel sprouts. I will say that I was expecting the normal lobster mac n cheese with chunks of lobster meat and I was pleasantly surprised when my bed of macaroni came out with a very nicely sized lobster tail perched on top. The lobster was cooked perfectly. The meat had already been separated from the tail so it was no muss no fuss. Her pork chop was a HUGE chunk of meat balanced on an end making it a can't miss focal point. Presentation at Irina's has always been something that is going to be really hard to beat anywhere else... Say what you want but they put out some picture perfect plates. We wrapped up after a couple of hours and said our "see you laters..." Goodbyes don't really seem to happen with this group. More like... Until next time! I think we all enjoyed the food, I know I did mine, but sometimes dinner is really more about the company you keep at your table. In a lot of ways Irina's can be as divisive. Mannnn... I've heard good and bad. But I can only judge on my personal experience. Yes...I know Irina and Dmitri, however when I go in they are not always on site and their staff doesn't know me from Adam. Maybe Daniel would recognize me... I've been a customer for well over ten years, I don't consider myself a regular though, and I've never been treated rudely or had a bad meal. In fact it's a business I take visitors to from out of town and one I recommend. Are there going to be off days? I'm sure there are. Like any other business in 2024 they sometimes face both staffing and distribution chain issues. Have I experienced slower than normal service there every now and then? Sure have. And I've had that at many other places too that I continue to go back to also... I've always found that easy to forgive for good food. I've written a couple reviews over the years and I've tried highly recommended places and I've went to places intentionally that received pretty bad write ups. The one thing I would always stress with anywhere... Reviews are subjective. Even mine. Don't let a couple of bad reviews, or something you hear, dissuade you from trying someplace new. No one else is writing your book. If someone is going to be the one putting your pen to your paper to tell your story... Let it be you! If you've been putting off a visit to Irina's go ahead and give it a chance... You might just really like it... I know I do! https://www.irinassteakandseafood.com/

Service consistently poor unless you are a regular... we've been here multiple times and the staff…read moregoes MIA after they leave the food... we've had to snag other areas just to get our meal ticket... and were treated rudely by staff for a birthday party for a friend there was a reservation for the group and once person got delayed and we let the waitress know that the rest of us would order but he should be there about 5 minutes later... she said if he didn't arrive within 5 minutes she wouldn't take his order! There were 20 other people at the party and it was totally unacceptable for her to get an attitude ... That was the 4th and final time we have gone there... there's too many other great steakhouses within 2 miles to be rude to customers

Call ahead when you're on your way to put your name down if possible because there is always a wait…read more(but it's worth it!) the restaurant is gorgeous. It's dark enough where it's cozy but lit up at the tables really well. The servers have always been so amazing with our groups we've gone with including when we haul the kiddos! Salad bar is a must and I have to encourage getting as much Oreo fluff as your plate will hold ha! The steak de Burgo, Bonnie, or Bugsy are all solid choices (any of their steaks are an amazing pick) don't forget to order the garlic mashed on the side, the loaf of bread they bring to the table is always a nice touch as well. It's not most family friendly in price but there are price ranges for all budgets!

Back in Des Moines after over two years (and in warmer weather!) so it was time to find some grub…read more RoCA was a gamble and I decided to chance it. When I walked in I loved how quiet and cozy the spot was so that set the dining expectation. I was attended to by Travis who is awesome and embodies hospitality and service (thank you Travis!) and decided to dive in for the Cajun Alfredo entree. I have been to New Orleans so many times and tried different variants of Cajun Alfredo pasta and I will say that this is one of the BEST I have had outside New Orleans. The pasta was perfectly cooked, flavored and balanced plus the portion was great. Travis was also very kind to knock out the sausage as I don't eat pork and substituted it with some chicken. I look forward to returning now that I have a spot to come back to!

I love this place! The portion sizes are huge, the taste is amazing, and the service is so…read morefriendly. I love a good reason to go downtown and visit RoCA!

I'm an out of person so this is new to me. Honestly really good food. Thought the steak would be…read morelonger than thick however that's what I'm used to so no biggie. The steak and fries are great more loving the fries than the steak, the steak was good bit charred but still good regardless. Didn't taste much of the garlic butter which is sad but no biggie. The service was great like really great my group got their drinks refilled often and didn't have to wait long for the food

5.0* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 5*…read more Service: 5* Would I go back / Recommend?: 5* (Definitely) Total check/person: $22 05/13/2026 Quick lunch visit today following Firebirds offer to buy lunch for a veteran with an accompanying diner. This was an awesome gesture on their part and a great excuse for me to join a military veteran for lunch and thank him for his service. Given the free meal for him...that drove my Value rating to 5*, which enabled a very rare 5* rating overall! As with every meal at Firebirds, we were also treated to the fresh out of the oven loaf of dinner bread that is oh, so good with butter melted into it! Today I enjoyed Fish Tacos (see picture) and boy, were they delicious! Based on the weigh-in the following morning, the salt content might have been part of the reason for the great flavor...but it was worth it.

As a seafood lover, I was so excited to try the Lobster Roll at Splash before they take it off the…read moremenu. However, it was disappointing! The Lobster Roll had very little lobster and minimal flavor. For $46, I expected the roll to be packed with lobster. The generous portion of fries made it seem like they were meant to fill me up instead. Although I've been to Splash many times before, the music seemed louder than normal. After this experience, I don't think I'll be back any time soon.

We ventured out on a cold night for a taste of the warm ocean waters. Splash is always a spot to…read moregrab the freshest and most fantastic seafood in town and this visit did not disappoint. As I start each trip here I went for the highest level of pussers painkiller. That is always a good start. No trip here is complete without a nice bottle of wine with the meal and the chard we have was a great pairing with the shellfish platter. Service is always on point here. This is a great spot for a casual dinner at the bar or a full formal celebration downstairs. Thanks as always Splash Team

Amazing creativity, highest quality. And thoroughly knowledgeable service. Small plates with the…read morefreshest local ingredients, often done with an Asian twist. We've gone to happy hour, dinner, and restaurant week. All are amazing. Happy hour and restaurant week are excellent value. Last night we had sweet corn tartlets with a savory cream and white truffle. I wanted them for dessert as well as the amuse bouche. Corn ricotta pasta and an Asian glazed beef tenderloin were standouts. Always order yuzu anything for dessert. The dining room is fairly small but with tables arranged so you're not listening to your neighbor's conversation. Natural decor (moss, branches, grasses, etc.) soften the space. Cocktails are inventive and the wine selection really interesting (in a good way). A biodynamic Spanish selection was one of the most pleasantly versatile bottles I've experienced, and the wine pairings for restaurant week were well conceived. If you're not sure what to select, staff will knowledgeably do it for you. Portland, Oregon is the city where we dine most often, and is one of America's best food cities. We did not expect this quality in Des Moines--were blown away by it--and return every time we're in town.

A must-visit Des Moines restaurant that pulls off a unique menu in a cozy interior with elite…read morecustomer service. Grace, our server, was amazing, adding so much to the entire visit. Thankful! They serve tapas style, and we grazed all night! We literally tried as much as we could, and loved the entire experience. Among my favorites were the Black Pepper Pork Noodles, Halibut Cheeks, Pea Pasta, and the Beef Fat Potstoes. But I also loved the Farm Carrots and HH Onigari. Seriously, amazing growth food, bolstered by an incredible level of customer service. Finished a great meal with terrific Dark Chocolate Gateau and Strawberry Shortcake. This is a superb place...GO!

This place is always packed!!! Big open space inside. A projector screen and large TVs are there…read more Cute Valentine's decor all over. Seating outside is available when the weather is good. We were greeted and sat right. You could tell they were busy and /or short staffed. It took a min to get our drink orders and we had our food selection picked so we put that order in. My husband and I shared a Bloody Mary- it was good and it had a candied bacon on it that was yummy. I got a chicken Cesar wrap with sweet potato fries - both were delicious. My husband got wings with jalapeño creamed corn and buffalo sauce. There are daily specials, valentines specials for food and drinks and tons of things to choose from on the menu. The vibe was definitely fun and it seemed like everyone knew everyone. We will definitely be coming back to try other foods!

Standard bar fare. We sat outside. It was pleasant. The wing deal was really good…read more Our server was attentive and great. The flat fries are pretty good. I wish I would have gotten those over the sweet potato fries (just a little soft for my liking) Good ambiance!

It's definitely more a chill, relax bar vibe. Nice servers who are always hustling…read more They have a patio and when you walk in, beer coolers to purchase drinks to go. We have eaten in and gotten takeout. Food is delicious either way. Best Broasted Chicken and Crispy Breaded Chicken Wings. Kids love the Chicken BLT, fries, waffle fries, sweet potato fries and curds. Their honey mustard and bbq sauces to dip are delicious as well. Broasted Chicken - 5/5 Crispy Wings - 5/5 Chicken BLT - 5/5 Fries, Waffle Fries, Sweet Potato Fries - 5/5 Curds - 4/5 It's our must stop for any fried or Broasted chicken cravings.

Went to lunch with a friend on a Monday. not overly busy. we took our time deciding on menu…read moreoptions. I was torn betweenbthe salad and the wrap. I comprimised and got the wrap and got a salad for my side. the parm dressing is yummy, plain old iceberg lettuce just the way I like it. Marlys got the chef salad and it looked amazing. the wrap was very god. I had ranch in mine, but next time would go with the parm dressing. our server was great. bathrooms were clean. they have a food section you can buy goodies to take home.