If you're driving through West Des Moines, make a stop at Waterfront Seafood Market!…read moreWhat makes this place so unique is that it's both a seafood market and a restaurant, so you're getting some of the freshest seafood you'll find in the Midwest! We ordered sushi, clam chowder, boiled shrimp, and one of their daily specials. Everything tasted fresh, and there were so many options on the menu that we'd happily come back to try more! It's just outside of downtown Des Moines, making it a great stop on your way into or out of the city. If you're craving seafood while you're in Iowa, I'd definitely recommend adding this one to your list!

The food was outstanding. We had a little bit of everything. The one problem was not enough room…read moreto enjoy it all. Sadly, we will have to return again to try the things we didn't get to try? Staff did an excellent job. Danielle took care of our group of five. She was on top of our service needs. Great with sharing recommendations.

Mimi was fantastic and very attentive , keep up the good work…read more Orders were timely and communications was spot on- good was delicious

Decent seafood for Iowa but the boiled seafood always tastes so fishy to me. I know that's crazy…read morebut being from Louisiana and having boiled blue crab and crawfish often, I have never felt like I got a mouth full of pond water until I came here.

We had a great experience here with family! My parents had dined here a few times and recommended…read moreit for a nice lunch before we left town. The space itself is stunning: live-edge wood tables, moody decor, and a clear attention to ambiance. The service is impeccable: our server was so kind, attentive, and welcoming. It really made an impact on our visit! My brother was obsessed with his pork belly quesadilla, and I loved my chicken picatta. Highly recommend!

We joined up with another couple to try out Aura as none of us had been there before. It's kind of…read morea long dining area with a bar on the left and booths on the right and tables down the middle. We opted for a booth and settled in and got in our drink orders. They have a nice wine list and plenty of other options for drinks. We decided on the Korean fried cauliflower as an appetizer and that was an excellent choice!. It had a great flavor and was nicely prepared and came out incredibly quick. I highly recommend it. For dinner, two in our group got the glazed salmon. They both said it was pretty good, but not a lot of heft in the flavor. Another in our party got the pesto pasta. He also said it was good and had a very strong pesto flavor. I got the red trout, which is blackened, but the blackening was on top of the skin, which is something I usually leave behind. I know many people love the skin on fish, but I prefer to not have that as part of my experience. The salsa it came with was good but the trout was very bland without the blackening. Our server was very good and the ambience is nice. It's reasonably quiet and on the night we went they were about 1/2 to 3/4 full Overall, it was OK. Prices are maybe on the slightly higher side of average, but were reasonable for what we got.

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!

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.

Came out to the West Des Moines location on University for dinner and was glad we made reservations…read moreahead of time, as the front lobby gets packed quickly. To kick things off, they brought out the complimentary bread basket and signature dipping oil. The oil blend is always a great start to the meal and ours was freshly stocked. For an appetizer, we tried the Calamari Fritti. The presentation was beautiful--lightly golden and piled nicely--definitely a strong start visually and texture-wise. For the main event, I ordered the Fettuccini with Lobster. The execution on the kitchen's part was a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand, the pasta itself was cooked perfectly al dente, holding its structure exactly how you want a thick noodle to. On the other hand, the sauce fell a bit flat for me--it just felt a little mid-tier and lacked that rich, memorable flavor pop you look for in a luxury pasta dish. The atmosphere walks a nice line between a casual weeknight spot and a slightly more upscale evening out. It's got a warm, energetic vibe that works well for a date night or a family get-together without feeling overly stuffy or pretentious. I would go 4 1/2 star if I could but it leans more towards 5.

Thank you, Jeff and staff, for providing a wonderful meal for the residents and staff of The…read moreBeacon. It was delicious! Our team enjoyed the time around the table with the staff and residents. Your generosity is very much appreciated! Bob

I've been curious about this place for a long time so I finally tried it for dinner tonight with my…read morehusband. Like probably most Americans, I haven't tried a lot of South American cuisine so I didn't know what to expect. I guess I was expecting something like Mexican food. Well, it's definitely a lot different than Mexican food. Peruvian food isn't very spicy and the seasonings are different, yet still tasty. There a big Chinese influence on Peruvian food, too. I got the Lomo Saltado, a popular Peruvian dish with stir-fried beef, onions and tomatoes served with rice and French fries. My husband got the Chaufa al Wok, an oriental Peruvian fried rice with chicken. The fries kind of threw me at first. I wasn't expecting that. The dish was very good and had a nice flavor. My husband loved his dish and thought it was delicious. With both of our dishes it was interesting to see how much of a Chinese influence there is. What my husband absolutely loved the most is their homemade horchata. It tasted different than Mexican horchata so he asked what was in it. Our server said it was made was cacao beans instead of just rice and cinnamon. It had a pale brown color to it, too. I also liked the seasoned corn nuts that came with two different sauces--a sweet one and savory one. We both thought the prices were a little high but not so much that we wouldn't come back. The service was very good. Our server was friendly and helped us decide what to order. She was very knowledgeable about the menu items. At the end of our meal both she and the owner (I think) asked us how we liked everything and if there was anything they could have done to make things more enjoyable. I mentioned that my food came out much earlier than my husband's so I was almost done by the time his came out. The owner apologized for the wait and we really appreciated that. They also serve empanadas, pupusas and tamales. We're going to try these the next time we come back. Someone at the table next to us ordered the pupusas and they looked yummy. We were pleasantly pleased with how tasty the food was despite being a lot different than what we were expecting.

Every time we pass through Des Moines we have to stop here…read more A small family run restaurant that is excellent. Great food and great service. Don't miss it! The Arroz Con Mariscos is excellent and has a lot of seafood in it. Awesome flavor. My husband loves the Chaufa Al Wok too. The Strawberry pop is a don't miss.

Food was decent- especially the sweet potato waffle fries…read moreLots of TVs A bit on the pricey side

Great service from Josie, and loved the steak salad and tenderloin sandwich. If we are the area we…read morewill be back.

sadly, i have no pictures of our delicious repast. even more vexing, no pictures of my lovely pinor…read morenoir. i entered the establishment. had i died and no one told me? the area is beautiful and spacious, it does not smell like fried foods. at a long bar, people were delicately sipping various wines, while other people perused the open air shop. everything was so clean and airy. we had made reservations for four people, and were promptly seated. of course, i immediately forgot our server's name, i'm quite daft that way. but she was lovely and so very attentive. of course, i started with a full bodied pinot noir, while two of my seatmates looked at me in askance, as it was only noon. however my grape loving friend ordered a white wine, to keep my wine glass company. we were brought warm bread and butter, our orders were quickly taken. one person had gnocchi carbonara; the presentation was beautiful, and she said it was amazing, but man, i just can't get down with gnocchi. however, that thought was strictly between me and my wine, which sadly, was looking suspiciously close to empty. but i digress... i had the classic cheeseburger, without the cheese. i didn't want the seasoned mayonnaise either, but just asked for it on the side, since i didn't want to be a diva and refuse both cheese and mayonnaise. the hamburger and onion strings were gloriously yummy. i ordered another glass of wine to celebrate this delicious food - served HOT. i know a barbeque ranch chicken salad was ordered. i do not recall the fourth dish, as i was involved with cutting my hamburger in half. they offer a brunch and bubbles and wine o'clock! what in the delicious sorcery?? there is also a wine club - it's not even disguised as a tasteful book club - it's a blatantly open wine club. i almost amazoned a flapper dress to my table. atmosphere - tasteful/airy service - amazing food - delicious wine - always appreciated

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: $36 08/15/2026 Tonight's stop included our first ever dinner on their outside patio and while it did start raining during our meal, we were protected and enjoyed the experience. We started with a Spiced Watermelon Paloma (see picture) and Summer Berry Spritzy Sangria (see picture) - both of which were very tasty and quite refreshing. For our meals, my wife ordered the Cooper's Hawk Chicken Giardiniera (see picture) and I opted for the Blackened Mahi Sandwich (see picture). We both enjoyed our meals as well as the samples that we shared with each other - so would definitely order them again and recommend them. While I was disappointed with our first visit and find the lighting quite poor inside the restaurant in the evenings, the food, drink and atmosphere are consistently very good.

Oh you better run to Prime and Providence if you know what's good for you! (And if you like steak…read morehouses and have a couple hundred dollars to spend). We loved our first visit to this joint, let me tell you this is the best steak house I've been to across many states and with my steak house loving family who make it a point to visit all major chains and local spots. That this place is a solo, homegrown Des Moines steak house is incredible, and they are going toe to toe with the giants like Ruth Chris and Capital Grill. Our server was a cut above, pun intended, so knowledgeable and so accommodating. We ordered oysters, delicious bread, filet, t-bone, rainbow carrots and bacon creamed corn and we loved it all. No complaints, no notes. And don't think "why would anyone order carrots?" Because they transformed those colorful babies into a sweet, creamy delicacy you won't soon forget. We brought our own wine for a chunky corkage fee but my parents love wine so it was worth it to them (not me!) My dad accidentally ordered a $40 old fashioned because he picked the most expensive bourbon on the menu, so maybe ask the price before you order some of their more fancy concoctions. But like I said, bring a heavy wallet, an empty stomach and get ready to be blessed by the steakhouse gods in this gorgeous, classy environment.

We celebrated our anniversary at prime and Providence on Sunday evening. While we have had dinner…read morehere a couple times in the past this was our first experience on a Sunday night. Apparently Sunday night is the best night to go enjoy this restaurant as they do a fantastic $100 split plate special. The special included a starter (wedge salad), entree (which for us was a filet mignon) as well as two sides and a dessert. We added the seafood tower, which is also a Sunday special for $40. The seafood tower was amazing. It included two scallop Rockefellers, a lobster tail, a ton of muscles and a few jumbo shrimp. The one we opted for was roasted, but they also have a chilled version. The service was absolutely fantastic and the meal was amazing. My only complaint was the drinks in the lounge were a bit expensive before our meal. I had an old-fashioned for $30 and my wife had an Aperol spritz around the same price. The cocktails were very good just about double what were used to paying at nice restaurants in the area. We will absolutely be back to enjoy this dining establishment again in the future, and it will absolutely be on a Sunday as you get the best bang for your buck!