I'm so glad Waterfront is here. The food is always good, the staff is attentive without being intrusive and the prices are fair for seafood in the Midwest. read more

Thankful for a friend's recommendation, as a recent lunch visit was solid good. Plenty of parking, spacious interior, and good customer service. Loved my Jerk Tilapia and veggies. Delicious meal, well priced. They have daily specials also. I'll be back. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

My husband and i went there for our anniversary. We had Walleye and Halibut and the fish was excellent. The sides were terrible. The potato was huge and raw. It was like it was baked for 20 minutes. I cut it in half to show the wait staff how hard it was, I asked them to microwave it. He took it back and then brought it back in about 4 minutes, it was still hard, but he said, look, it's steaming. I told him it was still raw. At the end of the dinner he did give us $5 off for the potatos. Our drinks were never refilled. Our booth was a nice with scenery of the lake. read more

3.5 We had a reservation for a larger party and were quickly seated and got drinks. They have a huge menu that includes all types of seafood. We had several appetizers at our table: shrimp, calamari, and garlic bread. I ordered the California rolls and the Hawaiian rolls. Overall, the food was good, but nothing too special. The restaurant was quiet enough to hear everyone and coastal decor. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Hawaiian Roll (8 Pieces) California Roll (8 Pieces) - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

See all

Honestly lack luster. If I could recommend a time to come - I suggest lunch, as it's not busy & your service will be attentive & food will be delivered promptly. We were a walk in of 8 & 2 high chairs - we spoke so highly of this place from previous years, as this use to be my sisters & my favorite place to go for good quality sushi and service. But honestly, the place has gone down hill. We were a walk in, understandably during a dinner rush it would be a bit much - but, they don't truly have rushes at waterfront. There was another large group also waiting on their food to be delivered, I'm not sure how long they were waiting - but, we were served around the same time & our food took 50 minutes to be delivered. We arrived at 6:20 & were signing our tickets at 8:14. A lot of items were forgotten when ordering, which I understand again, having such a large table - but, my husband's drink from the bar came before my sister who ordered 15 minutes before him. We felt rushed in ordering & like we were annoying our server when stating we needed a little more time to decide on apps or not. Items were delivered to our table we didn't order. Honestly, again, I understand a large group being intimidating - my families great at restaurants, as a server for 11 years with 3 others who are in the industry, we know to collect ourselves, the kids stay in their seats & we prep before ordering as a larger party. I left feeling a little defeated. The food is good, be prepared to spend a little more. The interior is a little dated, but the taste was okay! read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Godzilla (12 Pieces) - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

The restaurant is nicely set up. Service was a little slow. The rock shrimp in the baskets were overcooked. So they were tough & chewy. The French fries and coleslaw were good. Our friend had the seafood salad and gumbo. She said hers was very good. read more

The food was reasonably priced and the portions were huge for me and my family. I ordered the shrimp Po Boy and I'm still thinking about it. Tasted great! It had a great balance of savory and sweet. The shrimp had a light fried batter and crispy. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Shrimp Po Boy - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

This place is awesome! There's a huge variety of food from sushi to American seafood to beef/chicken. I got the clam chowder and fish & chips basket. It was a ton of food! Service was good and quick, and the atmosphere was nice. Definitely worth coming here! read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Fish & Chips Basket - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

See all

In a word, underwhelmed. Nothing here was awful, but nothing here was outstanding. The gumbo was Iowa spicy, perhaps but certainly not spicy to my tastebuds. The portion of seafood and sausage in the gumbo was about two steps below parsimonious. The fried shrimp wasn't much better than the stuff you can by in bulk at Sam's Club...and the fries were nothing special either. The sushi roll I had was similar--the sauces added nothing. It was plated nicely however. The young man behind the sushi bar who was my server was very attentive and friendly, as was the remainder of the service staff I interacted with. Can't say I'll never go back, but for a place who has won multiple awards for "best seafood restaurant", it was certainly disenchanting. read more

See all

Good food and good service. We also enjoy ordering sushi as an appetizer. I especially like their coconut shrimp.

Been to Waterfront several times, always appreciate their consistency. Whether fish & chips, pasta or high end seafood...they all are done expertly. Very enjoyable atmosphere as well. Comfortable. read more

I came to have oysters. Oysters were good but no idea where the oysters came from. The restaurant is facing to the pond and it was nice atmosphere. I wanna come back for sushi next time. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Oysters Rockefeller - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

When you first walk in, there's a display of different fish, which is kinda cool, and a ton of photos of fish and crabs, which is also cool. The chocolate milk is more like a chocolate milkSHAKE. YUM! I recommend the crab legs. 10/10. Service was pretty good, and it's nice that they give out sugar cookies over the holidays. read more

The food was as close to perfect as one can vote. Deliciious only begins to describe it. We had the oysters and sushi. I ate oysters in my twenties and HATED IT! LOLBut these conveyed me instantly. Yum yum Outstanding service and the dining area had a peaceful but upbeat feel. Our waitress was very nice, quite capable, with outstandingCalifornia Roll5Oysters on the Half ShellOysters on the Half Shell service. I'd never been to this location, but it totally hit all the high points! read more

See all

We had the Friday lunch trout slider special. They were prepared well and tasty. The lobster bisque was delicious and the sweet potato fries exceptional. Great service, great value. We were out the door for $23 plus tip. read more

We ordered take out Sushi- The Ankeny Roll. It was such a disappointment. The sushi looked thrown in the container. Each roll was over $15.00. We really think a $15.00 meal should look decent. The rolls themselves were thrown together. We have been to Waterfront for years. Not sure what happened but we won't be paying a premium price for their rolls again. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - The Ankeny Roll - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Pro's: Friendly service, clean, food is what you'd expect (for a landlocked state with a seafood restaurant) Cons: Appetizers we ordered were rock shrimp (tough & chewy), and crab cakes (mainly crab/lacked any flavor). Our appetizers came out with all the food despite them being appetizers? The blackened salmon was good enough. Baked potato had no salt & as as flavorless as if I had just pulled it out of the dirt myself. My significant other ordered Walleye Basket with sweet potato fries. Again, lacked seasoning- very plain. More fries then there was seafood. The lobster bisque- was just lobster stock cream soup- no lobster whatsoever inside the soup. By observing the clientele that was dining here, I can see why the seasoning was lacking. It was very plain Jane seafood with no a lot of flavor in any of the dishes we tried.! read more

I have to say, a party of 8 first thing on a Saturday morning could have many pros and cons. On this day however we had friendly and attentive service! Our server came to the table every time with a smile and was very genuine. We were not on the same page at any point and someone was always asking for something. The oysters are good sized right now and the peel and eat shrimp is plentiful. I can't go without Sam Miller's crab soup and one ordered gumbo- both steaming hot and delicious. Grilled halibut sandwich was also tasty- market price $19 today. Only negative- the Bloody Mary mix is full of spices that lay in the bottom of the glass like compost! Pretty gross. We ordered 2 at the table and neither of us got past the half way mark. But we did finish the beer back. read more

Upon entering, I was met with the full atmosphere of a seafood restaurant that could have easily been located on a coast, yet here I was on January 11th in Ankeny Iowa! Service was relaxed (because I was relaxed and obviously not hurried, and the waiter could tell because he was paying attention to the little details!) I chose the shrimp and capon scampi! It was very well done and tasty!! Definitely worth stopping here for a bit of the "sea" in the middle of winter! read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Shrimp & Scallops scampi, Cole Slaw, Sweet Potato Fries - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

I have not been to Waterfront in several years, and this past weekend, I was reminded as to why. We dined here for a special event, chosen by the guest. First off, the wine selection is laughable. I know all restaurants raise the price, but at least get some decent ones worth raising the price on. I will say they did have some Iowa craft beers, kudos to that. The crab cake appetizer was basic at best. Others had the mushrooms and raved about those. I got the potato crusted halibut, which was priced at market price, which I think was around $35 when I dined there. It was soooo dry (overcooked) I couldn't eat it. The server did not check on us to see how our meals were, so I nibbled off other plates. The sauteed tilapia was flavorless and the sushi rolls were fine, nothing to make me come back for. The service was fine, they were definitely busy and I know the service industry is suffering, so I give a bit more grace there these days. I was comped my meal when they came back to clear the dishes and noticed I had not eaten much of mine. If you want seafood of this quality, save yourself money and go to Red Lobster or really anywhere else. I was astonished at the prices given the quality of the cook and lack of flavors. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Super dry potato encrusted halibut with rice pilaf - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Awesome food. Great service. Enjoyable surroundings. Will recommend. We will go back. read more

Good food, good service, friendly weight staff. The salmon was a little overcooked, but wonderful flavor.

I had the walleye basket and it was good. Not crowded with a nice atmosphere. My service was also very nice.

We love seafood but living in the Midwest makes that a challenge, especially when the locals think delicious seafood equals Red Lobster. Yeah...no. So finding ourselves in Ankeny, IA for the night we checked what was close to our hotel and found Waterfront. Can't say no to what could be good seafood, so we gave it a shot. It is ways a gamble eating seafood in a landlocked state but reviews looked promising. Upon entering, you can smell fresh fish. Good sign. They also have a place to buy fresh fish to take home, another good sign. We were seated fairly quickly and our waitress was pleasant and spot on. My wife ordered two specials off the menu - Bahama Sushi Roll and Bacon Scallop Alfredo. I ordered the Clam Strip Basket. Food was fresh and tasty. Our sushi was great. I was very impressed, it was probably my favorite dish of the night. The Bahama roll included coconut shrimp, crab, and cucumber topped with avocado, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and fried onions. It was a good size roll and super tasty. My wife's scallops were cooked "melt in your mouth" perfectly and were big. Scallops were the star of the dish but the rest of the alfredo did not dissapoint. Good amount of scallops in the dish as well. My clam strip basket was simple but done right. The bread that came with our meal had a great sourdough taste and was very soft. Prices were very affordable for a seafood restaurant and portion sizes were pretty big. Between the sushi roll and dinner, we had some leftovers for lunch. Some of the best seafood I have enjoyed in the Midwest. If I were a local, I would come here often. Open one up in Minnesota :) read more

Disappointing. A bit pricey for quantity and quality. Had halibut, salmon and scallop. All were dry...taste like we had yesterday's food. Service was ok. Would not come back. read more

Used to frequent this restaurant about 5 years ago and they served of the best sushi and seafood I've had at a reasonable price. It's unfortunate to see this place go so downhill in quality for both food and service. I hope they will improve for future patrons, but I've had my last meal here. read more

Two of us visited 2/23 for lunch specifically for halibut. Though I've never done this before, we asked to return grilled halibut as it was so overcooked and dry you had to drink water to swallow. The second serving was exactly the same. Our server's only comment was that she was stretched thin and maybe it sat under heat lamp too long. This was definitely not the case. It is simply a case of a seafood restaurant that does not know how to cook fish. There are not a lot of seafood restaurant choices in Des Moines, and Waterfront used to be a favorite place for me to go. I will not be back. read more

Good food and excellent service at this restaurant. I got the fish and chips and my wife got sushi! We had friendly service from McKenna, who knew the menu and made several recommendations for us. We are grateful for that! We'll be back again soon. I also got the key lime pie to go, which I enjoyed the next day. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Fish & Chips Basket - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

See all

One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Love their fried oysters. Lots of seafood on the menu.

I love Waterfront! Fresh seafood, amazing service, sushi, poke bowl, sour dough bread. Need I say more? Yes, I need to say more! Have you ever had their French fries! Oh my potato! Golden crispy salty perfection. I know, weird to go for amazing seafood then order fries with it? Got to get my crave on!! Thank you Waterfront for giving me everything I want at one stop! read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - French fries - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Stopped in for late lunch after long day What a refreshing environment I've been a "Waterfont" fan for many years They NEVER EVER disappoint The two bar tenders are excellent Always enjoy talking with them and of course the food Well I had 1/2 order "Garlic Cheese Bread/Oysters Rockefeller(OMG they are Soooooo GOOD),cup of Gumbo(YUMMY)&4 Oysters on 1/2 Shell to go SO SO Satisfying HIGHLY recommend EVERYTHING!!! read more

In the culinary wasteland that is Ankeny, this place is pretty good. I wouldn't typically even eat seafood in Iowa, but this place flies it in. I had the sautéed scallops 3/5 and gumbo 3.5/5. Service was very good. Atmosphere good. read more

Love this place! Many moons ago, (over 35 years) I worked at clock tower square. I remember when this place opened there. It became my go to daily lunch place. Not just because it was so convenient, but because the food was fresh and good! I moved away to Kentucky, but now when I come back I always try to eat here. Love the view and space at this Ankeny location. Service is top notch. We had scallops, fish, and I had tuna fish sandwich! Service is so friendly and they go above and beyond! Thank you for a fabulous experience! Scallops were perfectly cooked and tuna was delicious. Had a few beers too!! Wonderful place! read more

Always amazing food! The staff is wonderful and the service is quick! Great place for a quick lunch or a nice seafood dinner!

Not so great tonight. My waitress is either new or simply does not care. Either way I am not happy. First, she brought the wrong wine, second she has no idea how to pour or serve wine. Third she failed to bring small plates out for the bread or apps. Then my fish was cold because they had to hold the order over because she failed to order the sides for my daughters entree. I am extremely disappointed tonight. This place has been so good in the past. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

Had lunch here and was okay with it. I had a poboy and my husband had bisque and sandwich however he ended up with a gumbo/stew not a bisque. Also had 2 oysters on the half shell. Oysters we're good but came with cocktail sauce, horseradish and lemon, not a fan of cocktail sauce on oyster needs hot sauce instead. My poboy was on a hot dog bun... I'll just leave that here.... Our server was so over worked, I felt bad for her. Probably won't be returning read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - First time here, beer is cold so good start - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

This was my first visit to Waterfront Seafood and unfortunately, it will be my last. The ONLY pro I have about this place is the service. Our waitress was very attentive and supplied us with multiple Andes mints when paying our bill. Probably because she knew the food she served us wasn't going to land her a good tip. My partner and I ordered a fried shrimp basket with fries and the Shrimp and Scallops with rice pilaf and steamed asparagus. The fries were frozen and thin like McDonalds fries but without the salt. The shrimp was tough and the scallops were rubber. The asparagus was very tough and the rice was dry. For a seafood restaurant (even being in a landlocked state) you would expect the cook of the seafood to still be adequate. They are lacking seasoning and everything we had was overcooked. The most astonishing thing was the price we ended up paying for frozen overcooked food. If you are craving seafood, you are better off going to Red Lobster. read more

Stopped in looking for some Sushi closer than going into DSM. I liked the food at this location better than the other Waterfront, but service was AWFUL. The scallops were the best of everything we ordered and the sushi seemed fresh and well made. read more

Waterfront Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ankeny, Iowa

See all

Awesome place to eat!!! Sushi rocks, clam chowder soup rocks! they have a little bit of everything on the menu and seem to do it all well- which is rare. Definitely a must stop. We sat in the bar area and enjoyed the atmosphere watching sushi prepared across the room by the experienced personnel. read more

This use to be one of my favorite places to go. The quality of the sushi has went down over the past 2 years. Rolls are not tight and most of the "crab" rolls are actually imitation crab. Unfortunately I would no longer recommend this restaurant if you are looking for high quality sushi. On the other hand to be fair the regular menu items are still very good and the clam chowder is still the best in the city. I would just stay away from the sushi now. There are many better options in Des Moines. read more