801 Chophouse

Steak house · Des Moines

801 Chophouse

Steak house · Des Moines

4

801 Grand Ave STE 200, Des Moines, IA 50309

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801 Chophouse by null
801 Chophouse by null
801 Chophouse by null
801 Chophouse by null
801 Chophouse by null
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801 Chophouse by null
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Highlights

801 Chophouse is an upscale steakhouse in downtown Des Moines, boasting prime beef, fresh seafood, and an extensive wine list, all in a swanky, vintage setting perfect for special occasions.  

Featured on Michelin
Featured in Eater

801 Grand Ave STE 200, Des Moines, IA 50309 Get directions

801chophouse.com

$100+ · Menu

Reserve

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801 Grand Ave STE 200, Des Moines, IA 50309 Get directions

+1 515 288 6000
801chophouse.com
801ChopDSM

$100+ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Mar 9, 2025

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@eater

"If you want to eavesdrop on big network anchors and deep-pocketed power players, look no further than this steakhouse located in the tallest building in Des Moines, where a New York strip starts at $47." - Gary He

Des Moines’s Best Restaurants, According to 2020 Campaign Operatives - Eater
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@eater

"801 Steakhouse opened over the weekend on Nicollet Mall. The company began in 1993 in Des Moines. Aiming to be a new destination for power lunching, the menu sports a $19 shrimp cocktail and a $79 Delmonico steak." - Joy Summers

North Minneapolis Gets Another Tiny, but Mighty Drinking Destination - Eater Twin Cities
View Postcard for 801 Chophouse
@michelinguide

"If your crowd eats beef, she highly recommends two steakhouses: The Original Jesse’s Embers, “where everyone knows your name,” and the “upscale steakhouse” 801 Chophouse." - Marguerite Imbert

Where Chefs Go: Des Moines, Iowa
View Postcard for 801 Chophouse
@michelinguide

"An 'upscale steakhouse' favorite of national press celebrities during caucus time." - Marguerite Imbert

Where Chefs Go: Des Moines, Iowa
View Postcard for 801 Chophouse

BryAnna Thomasferry

Google
Absolutely, amazing staff. We were there for our anniversary and didn't tell them, and they made it special anyways. Our waitress was honestly the best waitress I've had in a really long time. She made us laugh. And she made us feel like we were her best friend. The food was to die for. We had tons of leftovers, and they were still amazing the next day!

Gabe Link

Google
I was treated here on a trip, and I must have tasted some of the best, most perfectly cooked steaks ever. We started with a shrimp cocktail and raw oysters, which were both amazing. Our entrees were accompanied by brussel sprouts and the hash browns. This establishment is on the higher end as far as pricing, but also food and service. Highly recommend.

Elizabeth Dorwart

Google
Solid steakhouse atmosphere with good food. The prime rib was solid but not that best I’ve had. The potato side dish was delicious and so were the onion rings.

S Watson

Google
My son took me for my birthday and it was an amazing experience from the atmosphere yo the service level from every person we were in contact with. The food was outstanding! They gave me a personalized birthday menu, the table was set for my birthday and a complimentary full dessert of my choosing. We left full, happy and with lots of left overs!!

Miriam Brown

Google
I had a lovely mini trip to Des Moines! A full day of self care. Unfortunately I had the best steak of my life, which is just awful because any future steak will never be the same. 😁 🥩 I had a Ribeye topped with lions mane mushrooms and asparagus, with a cup of lobster chowder. Omg on top they started with fresh warm homemade bread. The server was Top notch and incredible at his job. If I could give this restaurant a 10 ⭐️ I would!

Lorien Spilkin

Google
We celebrated my husbands birthday at 801 Chophouse, and had a really lovely meal. Started off with beef carpaccio which was delicious. I had the salmon which had beautiful accompanying flavours that popped in my mouth. I did not realise it came with sides so we did order creamed spinach as well, which landed up coming home with us. For dessert he had the coffee cake and I went for the chocolate soufflé… I need to go back just for that. Super delicious and the best meal I’ve eaten so far in Des Moines 🩷

Diana AKAKPO

Google
Went there for my birthday. The restaurant is very nice and fancy. The food was delicious and the crème brûlée was the best I’ve ever had. The staff were friendly and they made me feel very comfortable and special. I’ll definitely go back during my next trip to Des Moines.

Madison Freeman

Google
This place is phenomenal. I was brought here on the final evening of my trip and it did not disappoint. We sat in a booth near the bar and it was decorated in an old fashioned, cushy way. They had a jazz rendition of my heart will go on in the bathroom. Great ambiance. The food was absolutely delicious. We had a bit of everything: a fried lobster tail, oysters, a wonderfully flavored strawberry salad, some lobster macaroni, brussels, some delicious waygu, and perfectly seasoned carrots. One of my party had the lamb which was said to be perfect. They also had me try the soufflé which was so tender and tasty. Honorable mention to the delicious bread! Our server was very helpful with suggestions for flavors and was friendly and competent. If you’re in the Des Moines area and in the market for a good steakhouse, you will be in the right place at 801 Chophouse.

Don L.

Yelp
The Food is beyond reproach, the drinks are better than I make for myself, and the Souffle was over the top. Our service was perfect because of Liz, I told her I was going to adopt her. The interior design is done with the details making your eye wander from one beautiful area to the next. The only detail that I found dangerous was the way everyone was gliding, as if on skates. I have Parkinson's Disease, I use a walking stick to help me keep my balance. As soon as I entered the door, I almost fell to my left side, there was a coat of wax on the floor that had not been buffed out. You could see areas that were moist, all over the dining area. Hopefully no one got hurt during the evening.

Hunter S.

Yelp
This place is amazing Prolly one of the few restaurants that I remember eating from years ago when I was in Des Moines

. ..

Yelp
Pretty good spot. Picked this place since it was one of the nicer restaurants opened later at night. The Prime Rib was one of the best that I've ever had. Lamb was pretty good, as was the fish. The aged blue cheese potatoes were interesting and tasty. We brought along a Roy Piper 2013 cab. Corkage was fair. Service was attentive and the ambiance was chill.

Christine E.

Yelp
Fabulous experience from start to end. My husband and I started with the oysters, which were amazing. We then both had the New York Strip. The server went through the menu and thoroughly described each cut of meat and how it was prepared. We finished it off with New York Cheesecake and Death By Chocolate Cake. This is our favorite place to eat in Des Moines!

Brett T.

Yelp
When in Des Moines my wife and I love to have Dinner at 801 Chophouse. The Prime Rib is the best I have ever had... anywhere!! I have tried for year to find other places closer to Cedar Rapids and nothing even comes close! The service is outstanding and overall fair price for the quality of food you get. We love this place and is our go to for special occasions.

Steve A.

Yelp
Excellent traditional steakhouse with an extensive menu and wine list. I highly recommend the wet aged rib eye and the oven baked cream spinach. Excellent professional service. Reasonable pricing for what it is. Note that the nearest entry is on High Street, not Grand.

Rob K.

Yelp
Best steak in town and the espresso martini is unmatched. The service was spot on and we will definitely go back.

Paul S.

Yelp
Another fabulous visit to the top steakhouse in town. Tonight was daddy daughter date night for another 4.0 semester. The evening started with oysters and escargot. Both were awesome. Steaks were as expected and the lions head mushrooms were awesome. No trip here would be complete with out a soufflé. Every trip here is memorable and you can't put a price on a fabulous celebratory meal with your daughter.

Chris Z.

Yelp
An exceptional "old school" steakhouse with modern sensibilities. Wonderful bar with great and creative cocktails (grapefruitini and cosmos. A perfect booth for four and an incredible meal. service was informed and impeccable. They scattered celebratory confetti on our table for a birthday for twins. All the food was near perfection: oysters Rockfeller and calamari, bone-in filet mignon, rib eye with a foie gras topping (!), crab cake was gorgeous, petite filet. All cooked exactly as ordered (medium rare, Pittburgh, rare, and a moist, rich crab cake. A very reasonable corkage fee if you bring a treasure from your cellar. A wonderful surprise of cheesecake desserts topped us off. Our server Mike was very informative and manager Ben was attentive and helpful. A fabulous experience.

John H.

Yelp
We returned and tried out the Sunday Supper. On Sunday evenings you can order off the regular menu, or off the supper selection. It offers a choice of salad, a few different entrees, and the 'package' includes the salad, dessert, and sides served with your entrees. We brought in our own bottle of wine; their corkage fee is $25. They have a huge selection of wine, so bringing your own is certainly not necessary, but we had one we really like with steak that they don't carry, and the $25 is reasonable in this tier of establishment. Our food was all prepared wonderfully, matching the experience we've had here in the past. We also got a 'bonus' dessert since it was our anniversary. We got the chocolate cake (aka Death by Chocolate) and it was decedant and delicious. Our server Paul, and the whole team were fantastic!

Nav S.

Yelp
This restaurant has been on my top list for a few months. I had decided to host a graduation dinner here for all our friends. Needless to say it was a HIT. I feel horrible I did not get out servers name but he was phenomenal and attentive. We had the Sunday dinner and it comes with two options of salad and three options from the main course which include filet mignon, prime rib and salmon, they offer an option of two desserts and you can pick one. It was a totally of 7 of us. The Sunday dinner special is $47 per person. Everything was flavorful and delicious. We will definitely be back. Once again I went to thank 801 Chophouse for helping us out with dinner reservations and being so helpful with allowing us to go in earlier to set up our table. Thank you PS they are very busy so please make reservations before hand!

Tyler M.

Yelp
I've eaten some great steak from Chicago to Las Vegas, and paid for it too. 801 in Des Moines prepared me the best damn steak I've had in recent memory, surpassing everywhere in between. The steak was cooked perfectly which is usually my biggest complaint. The quality of the cut was top notch.

Steve M.

Yelp
Great place for a great meal and unbelievable service. Everything I had was cooked to perfection.

Nathan B.

Yelp
Dined at 801 this week with another couple. I have to say we all left disappointed particularly with parts of our dinners. The GOOD I ordered the 8oz Filet and it was perfect. Cool center, great flavor and nice exterior crust. My wife decided on the lobster tail($87). The presentation was underwhelming. Giant tail on a plate with nothing to off load the shell. Unfortunately the lobster was dramatically overcooked. It was rubbery and difficult to cut. You expect soft sweet meat that melts in your mouth. Everyone tried it and ALL agreed it was not good. Not what you expect. It is called Chophouse not Seafood house. For dessert, the table split the crème brûlée and the peach and blueberry crumble. The brûlée was really tasty. Tough to mess that up. The Peach crumble was a miss. The peaches wee not ripe. They came out hard. You would expect the peaches and blueberries to begin to breakdown during cooking and marry with the sauce. Order the steaks and HARD PASS on seafood. Skip dessert, we don't really want to waste calories on poor execution. That dessert and lobster should have NEVER left the kitchen.

Llew S.

Yelp
Dined here with a work colleague. WOW! One of the best prepared steaks I have ever had. The chocolate soufflé and scalloped potatoes were also amazing. Pricey place but worth it.

D N.

Yelp
Great food, great service and given the special Sunday menus, great price super. Lived the blue cheeses on the chop wedge. So good

Isabella L.

Yelp
I can not RAVE about this place enough! For the quality of your meal and the service you get, it's totally worth the price tag. My husband and I came here the night we eloped to celebrate getting married. This place holds a special place in our heart and our stomachs. The atmosphere is lightly lit, spaced out enough that your conversation won't overlap with those next to you, and it's a clean environment. Our water glasses never reached the bottom of the cup, and our food came out fresh and hot. I will say, the sides are family style, so one side to split would be more than enough. We ended up getting two sides with our two meals, and we had to take it home! I highly highly HIGHLY recommend getting the steak with the lobster Oscar. I dream of this meal to this day. The cheesecake didn't last long between the two of us. I highly recommend getting a serving of that as well.

Ken S.

Yelp
Exceptional experience from the moment we walked in until we left. Staff was very pleasant. Server was top notch! Our food was very high quality and prepared perfectly.

Mary Beth B.

Yelp
We travel to Des Moines once a year to visit the wonderful staff at Meredith. And every year we eat here. It's a Des Moines institution. It's a very expensive steak house and the steak is good. The sides are great and the wine list impressive. But like most steak houses, everything is a la cart and it adds up quickly! The staff are true professionals and they have been there for years, which in the restaurant industry now is truly a testament to how they treat them! We started with the calamari, the meatballs and tuna tartare. All good, but the tuna was the standout. I had the tomato and onion salad and it was fresh and beautiful presentation. The best part is the Maytag blue cheese. I mean everyone should have Maytag cheese in Iowa!! I didn't have a steak but had the lamb chops. It was cooked perfectly so was everyone's steaks (the rest of the table had a petit filet). Our sides were the CREAMED CORN ( do not walk out of 801 without tasting it -like Maytag when in Iowa, have the corn), scallops potatoes and Brussels sprouts. They were all delicious . The Brussels were a tad over done so a bit mushy. When you walk in, you feel like you walked into a rat pack song- beautiful wood, white table clothes, dim lighting and a few of the Soprano's in the corner (kidding).

Scott C.

Yelp
We held a private event here and the food and service was tremendous. I had the 16ounce ribeye with bone marrow butter and it just melted in my mouth - so good!

Michel S.

Yelp
I came to meet a coworker and I was excited as I have heard a lot great things about the establishment in question. Here is my story. I was running 15 minutes late so I called to let the staff know and it went to voicemail 3 times. Even when they were 10 minutes away from opening, they did not answer their phone. Finally at 5pm they answered and I verified that my party was seated and entertained while I arrived. When I got to the restaurant, it was a fiasco to find parking. Oh. My. Gosh. !. If you are not from Des Moines, make sure you add at least 15 minutes to your travel for parking. Finally, I was able to make it into the restaurant but first, I had to ask the security personnel where was the restaurant as the door looks like just like a business. Once in, I was greeted warmly and very welcoming. My waitress (Laura) was amazing and she did a great job explaining everything including the specials. I ordered a wedge salad, prime rib, broccolini and a carrot cake to share. The wedge salad was great! The prime rib was extremely dry and I could have used it as a shoe. It was that leathery and dry. Maybe I could have made pulled beef sandwich. I was suggested that I add the rub so I do. For the sale of the animal! Don't. Do. It. !. The broccolini was so spicy that I could not taste anything other the the cayenne pepper. There was no salt, no acidity, nothin but just the spiciness from the cayenne pepper. It was served with the hollandaise sauce and that balanced the flavor a little bit but it was still spicy. I only ate one piece. The best part was the carrot cake and I am not sure if it was made in house. I think the service was outstanding and it should be recognized. The food, I was less then satisfied. If I could do it again, I would go to another restaurant that has better steak or at least I have never received a leathery steak.

Sheesha O.

Yelp
Ambiance was great! Service was amazing! The food not so much. My boyfriend and I went there for anniversary and the oysters were bad we never finished it. My boyfriend ordered old aged steak and it was my first time eating it so it had a specific taste. The broccolini was delicious! We hate the strawberry shortcake and it was okay, the basil inside the creme was a bit overpowering in my opinion.

Carol M.

Yelp
We went to 801 Chophouse for Mother's Day. It was fabulous! For appetizers we had the scallops wrapped in prosciutto and oysters on the half shell. Both were superb! I had the wet aged ribeye medium rare. Always my favorite. What blew us away were the sides. The mushrooms with boudin cheese (I think that's the name) were so good! Along with the Mac and cheese plus creamed spinach. The best in town. For dessert we shared the Devine chocolate mousse, crème brulee, and chocolate maple cheesecake. The atmosphere is always great, as was the service. Our waiter's name was Billy. We will ask for him in the future. I encourage everyone to try 801, it doesn't matter if it's a special occasion or just want a great meal. So worth it!

Dee W.

Yelp
Chilean sea bass! Wonderful! I didn't really didn't love the stuff it came with but the bass was amazing. Mushrooms were fantatic!

S W.

Yelp
801 is in the bottom floor (or second floor depending on which side you enter) of a tall downtown office tower. The service is capable, friendly and knowledgable. Their wine list is extensive. The food is excellent. The only downside is the ambiance. They are trying for the nice white-tablecloth ambiance, but have TV's scattered around like your at a Buffalo Wild Wings. Why?!?

Susan S.

Yelp
Second time here and love it still. Service was friendly and efficient and our waiter got everything I wanted exactly. Asked for a dirty martini, slightly dirty, no olives and came out perfect. Every bar or restaurant that I have been to, they always forget that I don't want olives. My husband and I ordered prime rib, a petite fillet mignon and two sides. My prime rib was a single cut, but they ended up giving me nearly double that, Our server mentioned it was likely because it was the end of the night. The food was cooked perfectly and we really enjoyed our evening here.

Zachery M.

Yelp
Everything from the starters to desert were fabulous. I was visiting business with some Celebrity clients. The restaurant was very accommodating and gave us a private room. I cannot wait to visit Des Moines again so I can go back.

Jo L.

Yelp
i'll give it a four stars for general ambience, service, quality of the food, and some of the side dishes. but if i'm honest my particular steak was 3 stars, maybe even 2, which is not great for a steakhouse. however, i feel like my steak was a fluke compared to others so i'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. service was on point all night, they were friendly, efficient, and provided great recommendations when you asked. i really enjoyed the service. we got the calamari and the shrimp cocktail appetizers. the calamari was actually cooked pretty well, not overly rubbery like some places. it's interesting because all the calamari was sliced up into strips, no rings, which is uncommon. the calamari also came with thin julienned zucchini also deep fried. overall solid. the shrimp cocktails were huge! also good, not overcooked, juicy plump shrimps. i also got their chopped salad, which had gruyere and sopressata, i thought it was tasty. but my dining companion got zero sopressata and i got too much; maybe they doubled up on mine by accident. ordered the porterhouse for 2 to share, and this is where i was disappointed in my steak. everyone else's single order steak had a nice char on it but ours came out looking sooo undercooked. granted we ordered medium rare, and to their credit, it was cooked medium rare, but the color on the outside was so pale and unappealing. i could have cooked that steak at home myself. the quality was fine. and everyone else super enjoyed their steaks, which is why i felt like ours was a fluke. the sides were all pretty good, mash, gratin, hash brown with cheddar all good. asparagus was grilled well and broccolini was nice. i enjoyed the mushrooms as well. the desserts were whatever, but i'm not much of a sweets person. but i think everyone had the same consensus on dessert being fine, not amazing. place is pricey, so i'd probably save it for a special occasion or a business dinner. better than flemings in WDM though.

Gabrielle S.

Yelp
We had our Valentine's meal tonight and before our main meals had even come out we were talking about how much we wanted to come back. The service was impeccable, everything was clean and it ran like a well-oiled machine. Our server recommended a perfect fruit-forward red wine that I absolutely loved, and both of our ribeyes were cooked to perfection. Tender, flavorful, and crispy on the edges. We had the souffle and some sorbet for dessert, and I definitely recommend the former if you are a fan of things like bread pudding. The sorbet was creamy and a great way to end the meal. It's a nice steakhouse, so expect to pay for the quality. We are so happy we went and can't WAIT to return!

Brenden K.

Yelp
Make sure to make a reservation here. It fills up pretty quickly. We started off the evening at the bar for a cocktail. Their warm bread is very good. I got a Manhattan, which was also very good. After a drink, we went to our table where we were greeted by the server. They had a few specials for dinner as well as a dessert special. We didn't do any appetizers, but I ordered the ribeye and we had asparagus and cheesy hash browns for our sides. The steak was cooked to the right temperature, but it was still a pretty average steak. The sides were good, especially the bernaise sauce that came with the asparagus. The highlight was probably the dessert. We ordered the special which was a chocolate and grand mariner souffle. It was accompanied by a raspberry sauce, a vanilla crème anglaise, and a chocolate sauce. I would definitely recommend this dessert. I would come back if I was back in Des Moines, but would like to also try out other steakhouses here.

Bob K.

Yelp
We found this chophouse much better than similar high-end chophouses. Just be aware that this restaurant is not cheap, but definitely worth it. The flavor was amazing as I only had a 4 Oz petite steak. You'll have to try it!

Twee W.

Yelp
Always a great experience. The prices are high so that is to be expected. Careful of the specials those can run closer to $100. The steaks are cook very well, and the temperature are on point. 801 definitely have their cooking down along with the sauces. They do take special care for parties and single diners I have noticed. The drinks were stronger than I thought. Dessert could be better but that's why I usually go somewhere else if I wanted great dessert . This place is more steaks driven.

Darien G.

Yelp
I hadn't been here to eat dinner for a long time. The right occasion came along so I figured it would be fun to splurge a bit. I did not realize the place doesn't even open until 5:00 but lucky for me that's when I arrived. Drinks at the bar are usually interesting because there are a few dominant type characters huddled around utilizing their corporate cards... not really this time but maybe it was because the place just opened? Anyway, drinks were worth 4 stars with the value for money simply not allowing for anything more. Bartenders are always on point though, and I appreciate that consistency. Onto the table for dining - no real issues here, but it is usually pretty loud and this time was no different. If you fancy a quieter venue, don't go here. Knowing the steaks and sides are PLENTY of food, we skipped appetizers, but would give high ratings to the sourdough bread provided. My drink order was accidentally forgotten but it arrived after a reminder to our server (I don't take myself seriously enough to get angry about honest mistakes like this, so no problem). Two steaks, two sides. Three out of four were great, but the garlic mashed potatoes were a sorry excuse of what they could be - these were clumpy / dry and "heavy" as opposed to lighter and creamier potatoes I'd have actually liked. All in all, it was a four star meal, but again, value for money is just tough with these types of places. I would go 3.5 stars if I could, and the disappointment of the mashed potatoes pushed me to only 3. I'm not craving another visit any time soon.

Mark K.

Yelp
Excellent food, exceptional service. Employees go above and beyond to make sure everything is good with your meal.

Jennifer H.

Yelp
I have gone here twice in the past 3 months. Both times were with reservations. One time I had the filet and the other time I had the ribeye, my date had the ribeye both times. For sides, we enjoyed the 801 wedge salad, creamed spinach and the hashbrown with aged cheddar. We had the same server both times and she was great. I will say that I was not thrilled with where we were sat - one time in the bar and the other time by the gold bull and someone kept interrupting our dinner while they got tablecloths out of the cabinet below the bull. I expected a more special feeling to the experience, but it mainly upgraded Applebees. The food was VERY good though. We left stuff and carrying leftovers to enjoy for a few more days!

Andrew S.

Yelp
Top notch Chop House in downtown Des Moines, Iowa located on the 200 level of the tallest building in town. Close to many hotels downtown, one can easily maneuver through the Skywalk and follow the signs to the Morgan Stanley building, 801 Grand. Old school tables/booths from the 1940's in my opinion that offer privacy is awesome. The bar is a picturesque example of what you see from classic black and white movies. The service was A+ along with the 8 oz filet. Sides can be ordered at smaller servings and the speed of delivery is even better. The music is from the 1940s and 1950s. Very classy place to eat a well prepared meal with privacy. I will be back soon when I roll into Des Moines again.

Bill W.

Yelp
I live in the northwest, but I've entertained guests a number of times at 801 Chophouse in Des Moines. Recently I entertained there with me buying the wine. For our group I ordered 3 bottles of Silver Oak, Alexander Valley. The waiter returned and said all they had was Napa Valley Silver Oak. The waiter never mentioned the price and unfortunately, I never asked. On the west coast, at fine-dining restaurants who serve this wine, it will run from $180 per bottle to $220 per bottle. ARE YOU READY? AT 801 CHOPHOUSE, WE WERE GOUGED WITH A UNGODLY PRICE. $501.25 PER BOTTLE. Yes. $25 of that was taxes. But, I don't care what anyone says, that's GOUGING! We won't be back. I called the manager the next day and he showed little interest in my complaint.

Ashley C.

Yelp
I have been to 801 Chophouse several times for apps and drinks on the bar side, but this instance was the first time I have sat and dined in the restaurant. I attended with my husband and family from out of town. I was completely surprised at how busy they were for a Sunday evening, the restaurant was nearly full. I am sure they do take walk-ins, but I would advise making a reservation. If you haven't been before, 801 is located in the 801 office building downtown - if you are entering the building from the south, continue to the north side of the building where you will see a heavy door with "801" carved. (I have gotten lost coming from this direction) - FYI parking is primarily street/meter parking, you will have to download the Des Moines meter parking app. I started my meal with wine and the bread provided at the table. Their wine selection is extensive and I really enjoyed the Resling I chose. It is my understanding that 801 prepares many of their meats in-house, offers local meat, and flies in seafood fresh. They did have a Sunday meal special; which offered several meat options, a choice of salad, two pre-chosen sides, and a dessert. My husband ordered this, which I seemed like a great special. Otherwise, the main menu offers your choice of meat, sauce, the sides - all "sold separately". The sides feed multiple people and are for the table. I tried several of the side dishes and all were delicious, but I would say the cream corn was exceptional. I am not a steak person, so I ordered salmon. I will admit I have never had to determine the cooking of my salmon before but I thought medium would be ideal (I don't like it undercooked but also would prefer it to be moist, not dry). Unfortunately it was undercooked for my liking and I didn't realize until I felt like it was too late to say anything. That was a bummer, but I ate what I could and now I know. I would advise to be weary of ordering how you like your salmon here. Overall, we truly had a lovely dinner and evening at 801.

Terry L.

Yelp
Food and service are nice. The table setting and environment is nice. Good for a special occasion. Some of the prices are high however in the current climate it is likely caused by the crazy inflation. Perhaps it will settle.

Charity H.

Yelp
Have eaten at the Omaha location and did not hesitate making a reservation here. Our server, Paul, was AMAZING. (If you are Paul's boss, he deserves a raise!) Very knowledgeable about the menu, personable, and gave wonderful recommendations. We ordered steaks (delish) and the Boursin whipped potatoes. The showstopper was the bananas foster cheesecake. This will be a must have meal every time we are in DSM.

Clif C.

Yelp
801 has always been my go to steak house in Des Moines. Service is always spot on, but the steak on my last visit was subpar. I ordered a dry aged ribeye medium rare but when it arrived at my table it was charred and cooked to well done, except for the very middle of the steak. The server says that is to be expected since they seat at such a high heat. This is BS but I didn't want to ruin my wife's birthday celebration.

John S.

Yelp
Haven't been here in a few years & won't be going back anytime soon. At this price point, I expect both great service & great food. While the food was very good(recommend the NY strip w/ bone marrow butter; wedge salad just ok), the service was very average. Granted it was a very busy night, but I didn't pay this much to be rushed thru my meal. I hate to say it, but for the overall experience you're better off going to high-end chains Fleming's & soon-to-open Ruth's Chris. Both have food as good or better......and way better service (assuming RC similar to other locations).

Charles B.

Yelp
There was a group of guys sitting at the bar in their late 30's early 40's who were completely obnoxious. They kept making references along the lines of "f@ggots" "queers" and a few other things that I'm not allowed to post here. All of which was heard by the bartender and nothing was done. When the bartender asked if he could get the anything else, their response was, "yea a blonde bitc@ with big titties." Completely uncalled for and extremely disappointed that the staff didn't do anything about it. I will say the food was amazing as were the cocktails and wine.

Jesstine G.

Yelp
801 offers patrons a beautiful fine dine venue with good ambiance, strong drinks, friendly attentive service and excellent food. The prices here reflect the high quality of the cuisine; it's decidedly not a place for a casual meal (at least, not until I get that new job as Chief Investment Officer for Berkshire Hathaway). That said, we highly enjoyed it as a place to celebrate a special occasion. Many other people obviously find it enjoyable too, so dinner reservations are highly recommended. We were seated promptly when we arrived, and enjoyed a pair of excellent cocktails while we contemplated the menu. The chargrilled oysters ordered as an appetizer came out quickly, and it was completely delicious. We were both quite hungry, so we ordered two entrées to share as well as two bowls of lobster corn chowder. As we're both total Carnivores, the entrées were two different cuts of steak - the NY Strip and the Ribeye. The chowder totally hit the spot, as did our baked potato sides - I always enjoy baked spuds in places like this :-) We also got a side of onion rings to share; these were nicely battered and fried to the perfect golden brown. As for the steaks, they were beautifully marbled, wonderfully seasoned, and very tasty; both cuts were cooked to degree we had requested (medium rare). For dessert, we shared a slice of caramel cheesecake (completely yummy!) and a fruit sorbet (totally delicious!). Service throughout the meal was attentive without being overly obtrusive, and they timed the arrival of our check perfectly with our consumption of the last few bites of dessert. The overall dining experience was exceptional, and I look forward to a return visit when next my wallet can handle the freight ;-)

Macy M.

Yelp
The food was definitely delicious, the setting not so much. However, the waitress we had was amazing and made the experience likable and worthy. For the price we paid, I think it was worth it.

Renee W.

Yelp
My partner took me to dinner here last night for my birthday. We were a little late for our reservation but were greeted with a smile and fast service to the table. It was cute to see a birthday card and confetti all over our table! All staff were masked up, which is good to see. We ordered a medium rare ribeye, a rare filet, the escargot, and the bleu cheese potatoes. I knew I wanted to feel the splurge so I asked for a side of butter to slather my steak. Places that are destination steakhouses demand that you order steak, in my opinion. They have other options for main entreés, but doesn't that feel wrong? I was so happy with what we ordered. The bread they serve immediately is a hot, crusty sourdough, with whipped, warm butter on the side. The escargot was a hot, baked, umami bomb served with crostini and lemon. I'm in love with item-specific tableware, and these escargot came in a dish that had individual indents to hold each piece. It would have looked divinely dainty but for the hot gooey mess covering the entire top. I mean that in a good way, though! Both steaks had a perfect crust, the meat tasted like clean, perfect beef with real flavor that highlighted what it was. Nonetheless, I went to town with the butter. Let me talk about these bleu cheese potatoes... This dish was something else. It was like a savory explosion of perfect texture. It was a side dish that also felt decadent, like a dessert. The potatoes, although enveloped in a cheese sauce, each had a perfect crispy char on them, and the inside were hot, soft, and exquisitely executed. We were going to pass on dessert after all this food, but our server brought out a surprise birthday treat... This dessert was such a beautiful little sculpture. I immediately turned into a kid again as each taste felt surprising and fun. I haven't felt such novelty over a good item in...I honestly can't even remember how long it's been. There was a tempered chocolate swathe sitting on top of a perfect ball of cherry ice cream. Below this was a lattice laced toffee glass. Below that were layers of key lime curd, cream, tart cherry gelee. Each bite was exciting and superb. Someone put a lot of thought into that dessert. I can't wait to take the kids here just for that dessert. I want to keep talking about it, but you probably get the idea. Don't skip this.

Craig R.

Yelp
Super tasty Filet and NY Strip we're on point. Would definitely visit again to explore more of the menu.

Cary B.

Yelp
We were looking for a special dinner out and 801 was exceptional. Crisp white tablecloths and crisp friendly staff. The steaks are massive and perfectly cooked to your taste. The sides are enough for a group of 4 so order cautiously. But the headline was the chocolate soufflé for dessert with 3 perfect sauces to enhance the soufflé. Just nothing in Iowa compares with this enterprise. Expensive but worth it.

Dustin W.

Yelp
Stopped in while on business. Is located on the 2nd floor of an office building. Had the filet, green beans, cheesecake. Meal was ok service was great.