Django

I believe the manager that helped us with our reservation was named Jess. She. Was. PHENOMENAL! She had organized a proposal after our dinner. Out server, the cooks, the manager….everyone did such an amazing job at making it a beautiful night! The drinks were outstanding, the food was cooked perfectly, and I will definitely be back when I go to Des Moines again!

These photos are from 2 different dinners in the month of January 2025. Django has always and will always be my wife’s favorite French-American restaurant. The food, service and atmosphere is impeccable, and the high level of detail to menu requests is something to be proud of. I’ve always had a great meal here, and the wine selection and knowledge of the wine selections by the waiting staff is nothing short of beautiful.

Took my wife for dinner NYE. Food is amazing (duck frites, escargot, and scallops) Would be nice to have the option to sit at the bar and order a cocktail while waiting for a table, but great experience overall!

We are here for Senior Games and seven of us had a delicious dinner on the patio. Our waitress, Debbie was great. We were too full for dessert. We are thrilled we stopped here for one of our dinners in Des Moines.

Desserts 10/10. Atmosphere 10/10. We were kind of ignored a couple of times. I personally didn’t like the pork chops but this looks like a place that you can have a nice date or celebration depending on the personnel that assist you.

For high end dining it's tough to beat Django. The elegant ambiance and excellent service set it apart. Maryann was attentive and friendly. Save room for tasty deserts, especially the cherry sundae; the tartness and sweet explode your tastebuds.

We had such a nice dinner here. Food and service was very good. I loved Django.Some dishes are quite rich. Ask your server if you have questions. They are quite knowledgeable.

Celebrated my birthday with family and friends. Excellent food and service. I loved the low dim lighting and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu and specific ingredients. Highly recommend!

Django is a cute unassuming French Brasserie spot in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. The menu features a range of classic French dishes. I got their fresh seared tuna Niçoise salad. This dish had perfectly seared tuna, accompanied by the traditional components of a Niçoise salad--fresh greens, olives, tomatoes, and a hard-boiled egg, all drizzled with a tangy vinaigrette. The tuna was tender and flavorful. Loved it! The ambiance at Django is cozy with elegant French décor like that for a traditional Brasserie.

Maybe my favorite in the downtown area, we were staying nearby for a sociology conference. I think the biggest challenge for servers is a mixed group that only knows each other from work, and that's the group I came here with. The wait staff got our overly complicated order correct and split the bill accurately without complaint. The food is French, more or less, and pretty tasty. I'd say prices are fair for the quality and that it's French. The name does come from the famous guitarist and the music they played went well with the food and general ambiance. If you're in from out of town and staying in a nearby hotel, make this your first choice.

We went to Django for a late Valentine's Day dinner. We had a reservation for Saturday night. We walked in and were seated right away. Our waiter was very attentive. We had great service. I ordered the Djano old fashioned, and my dining companion ordered the Beginner's Luck. Both drinks were great. For dinner, I ordered the Coco Vin. My dining companion got the duck. My dinner was ok. The sauce was thick, and the onions were a little overdone, so they were sticky and stuck to my teeth as I chewed them. My dining co.panion said the duck was only ok. He was super excited to try Django and left a little disappointed.

First time ever visiting & just sat at the bar as I was meeting a friend for happy hour. Great service, was provided a glass of water right away. Took a look at the happy hour menu & wish there was more variety for drinks, but the Rose wine was delicious. We grabbed a few apps & was NOT disappointed. It was so neat to watch the chef prepare our cheese board right in front of us! It's a nice laid back place for any meet up. Next time I'll definitely look more at the did menu to enjoy!

Still solid, with good food and service. Love the city vibe with big windows and lots to see both inside and out. I got a filet this time around; solid, but unremarkable. The blue cheese sauce was ok, but didn't have much punch. Fries were great! My wife got the Beet Salad with Shrimp. 4 large shrimp with a TON of beets and a bit of lettuce. Asparagus was a bit disappointing-not bad, but nothing remarkable. Service was solid and food came out fast and was hot and fresh. It's a good option; just not my top 10 for DSM.

What a treat to find a French restaurant in Des Moines! It was so hot the day we came in for dinner, that my sights quickly settled on the refreshing salads they had to offer. I added seared tuna to it, and not only was it delicious, but very filling. Cool, tip, you can bring in your own bottle of wine, and they just charge you the corkage fee. We saw many people doing this. My work colleague ordered the beef burgundy dish, and I sampled a little bit of it, and oh.. wow.. REALLY well done. Service was quick, friendly, and efficient.

What a wonderful experience we had at Django! We came in on a scorching summer day, and left refreshed and happy! We arrived a little early for our reservation, and planned to sit at the bar, but the sweet hostess sat us promptly. Our waitress arrived and took our drink orders. I tried an Old Fashioned and it was perfect! A little sweet, nice bite. We looked at the Cheese Flight. You can order as many cheeses as you want from a list. They send out one once each, along with lavish, nuts, jam, and some fruit. The waitress selected a few. Geese's and we picked three. We probably could have gone with two cheeses, as we sort of filled up, but they were extremely good. The waitress' suggestions were excellent. We especially enjoyed the Humboldt. We wanted to try the Duck Frites, but didn't want to stuff up on appetizers. So we split the scallops. Again, the waitress suggested we add shrimp, and we did. Perfect! The scallops come with a bed of potatoes and asparagus. With the shrimp, it was the perfect amount and we were extremely happy! Wonderful service, great food, and frankly, a fair price! We'll be back next time we are in town!

4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 09/15/2023 A classy, modern, French-themed restaurant that you are sure to enjoy for your next special outing! I have been looking for the opportunity to stop by Django ever since adding their great Happy Hour to my HappyHourDesMoines.com site and finally got the chance. We had friends visiting from Brittany, near the west coast of France and thought this would be a stop that they would enjoy. Callout to Lindsey A. (our server) who was great and had spent some time in France, so chatted with our friends about her experience there. Say 'Hi' to Lindsey from The Food and Drink Guy when you get a chance to visit. There was still an hour left of Happy Hour and we had a smoked pork dinner planned for them at home, so were only able to sample some wine (see picture) along with the cocktail shrimp and oysters (see picture). We opted for the Happy Hour wine, while our French friends chose finer wines from the menu - and all were quite good. The presentation, freshness and taste of the oysters and shrimp were excellent - we look forward to a return trip for dinner! If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

4 yrs later and still one of my favorite places to go. The awesome happy hour just seals the deal. Expect great service, delicious food and an upscale ambiance. Tues is all night happy hour!

Django is a great spot for an upscale date night. We started with a bottle of pinot noir called Les Vignobles Foncalieu 'Les Versant' and the bread service. We had the Django Moules Frites which had great flavor and the cavatelli. Our waitress, Loretta, was awesome and very kind. Would highly recommend to anyone in the Des Moines area looking for a more upscale dining experience!

It had been a while since I was at Django. Always great service and food and this time was no different. Started with the Scotch and Oyster flight and that was an awesome decision. Three totally different scotches to sample and oysters were amazing. For the main dish I decided to go with the Bouillabaisse. Best seafood dish I have had in Des Moines in quite some time. I could throw this down everyday of the week and twice on Sunday it's so good. Just ask my wife. I licked the cast iron pan at the end. I will definitely be back soon and will be licking that pan again! So good!

Frankly, we ate there as part of a group function which means we were not at the actual restaurant but next door in the catering/special events room. The original three choices were expanded to include a fourth, duck - which I was told was being added to the menu because it was a restaurant special that evening. The duck was basically a leg that was dry (not to be confused with crispy) which led me to believe it was either cooked too long or someone didn't really know how to prepare it. Maybe, just maybe, they had a batch they couldn't move and that is why it was offered as a fourth option ... I don't know. I would definitely try this place again but I would stick to items on their regular menu or at least something that isn't as difficult to prepare.

My favorite restaurant in Des Moines. I go here every time I come to town. Every time is a 5 star - this was the first 4 star experience. Love this place. Love the charcuterie boards, love the wine, love the suggestions. Felt our waiter wasn't as helpful as I've experienced in the past; kind of made one person at the table feel dumb (long story). It was still great. I think next time I'll ask for someone else to help us. All of my 5 star experiences has been charcuterie and wine. The steaks are fantastic too.

I came with my boss & coworker, who both raved about this restaurant. We had reservations and were seated at a table in the main room. We had wonderful service. I had a glass of wine, and we shared the amazing Fried Brussels Sprouts appetizer. I had the Salmon Salad, minus the feta. It was very good and the salmon cooked well (not dry). I liked the addition of dates, which I don't see often. They have beautiful floor to ceiling windows facing the street. Lovely space. FYI they do not have a corkage fee.

We went here for happy hour and had the most amazing food. If you like oysters, this is probably the best place in Des Moines to get them. Our appetizers were served with warm bread and butter with flaked salt. I was extremely impressed by the size and quality of the charcuterie board. Trés French. We also got some wine and I started with an extra dirty martini. I've definitely had a better martini at other places (I wouldn't pay extra for their blue cheese olives again) but it was still good. Parking is fairly easy if you get here at an off time. The interior is very classic and many people are wearing business casual or nicer.

"Pour bien cuisiner il faut de bons ingrédients, un palais, du coeur et des amis." "To cook well you need good ingredients, a palace, a heart, and some friends." Love this place--it is such a treat. Delicious, rich French food in a modern, bright restaurant with a great bar and friendly and knowledgeable service. Definitely a good date restaurant or place to take clients with discerning tastes! The escargot was delicious and beautifully served. The cheese selection and charcuterie board was spot on. Our meals, a chicken with lardon dish and a seafood stew were delightful.

Our food was delicious! The oyster appetizer was good. We had the seared scallops and a duck dish. Best seared scallops I've had. My husband loved the cherry sundae. The server was friendly. We did not have to wait long for our food. Ambiance was relaxing.

Always will be a 5+ star experience. I have been a continuous customer of Django for years because of the unparalleled service. The food is wonderfully contrasting. My group enjoyed a Lobster Roll Escoffier with black truffle, Coq Au Vin, Oysters, Escargot, Duck Frites and plenty of wine. General atmosphere would be said best as a modern speakeasy with dim lighting, vintage furnishings, and cozy intimate ambiance. The waitress ensured we were comfortable during our entire experience. Django is amazing.

Was here a couple weekends ago. Second time coming here. We came with an appetite and ended up ordering a lot of appetizers. The calamari , ratatouille and the duck frites. Which were all delicious and very savory. My brother in law had the bouillabaise which was cooked to perfection. I had the Coq au Vin which is one of my favorite dishes there. I've ordered it several times to take out and it's just so tasty. My husband had the Django bar steak and we all left happy with the food despite the bad service. We were all looking forward to it after I had talked it up to my brother in law who had just passed his medical boards. We were there to celebrate so we were going to make the best of it despite the uncomfortable encounters with the hostess and several servers. Upon our arrival the hostess was somewhat rude and made it seem like they were super busy meanwhile there was several open tables. She told us there was a 20 min wait. Asked if we were going to wait inside or outside. We said inside but there was only one place to sit to wait which is right at the entrance and exit. So it was hard to wait there while people are leaving and entering especially when you have a toddler that wants to walk around. While we waited inside we had several servers come by and rudely push us away and just stare at us with a rude demeanor. I get it we were in their way but you don't need to give negative feedback. If you are going to have people waiting at least have space away from the servers or tell us where you want us to wait. When we sat down to order our waitress was okay but she acted super busy and overwhelmed. I sincerely felt for her because I've been there myself as a waitress before but I was never one to express my overwhelmed feelings to my tables. She was very attentive despite that and brought out our food quickly. We ended up taking food to go which we knew was going to happen despite being told we ordered a lot of food. I hope that our next time here is more respectful and pleasant. I don't know that I'll be recommending this place or that it will be our first choice next time we dine out.

Come on Tuesday and enjoy happy hour from 4PM to close. Ordered 2 dozen oysters, charcuterie board, duck frites and a glass of wine. There are other select appetizers on the happy hour menu too. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Service is awesome too.

Dined at Django on Saturday. It seemed busy which is both good and bad. We were seated right away even though we were a little early for our reservation. The ambience is just not the same since the move from Hotel Ft Des Moines. Over all good experience, but a few things put a damper on things. Server not super friendly or informative. It would have been nice for her to spend a little time explaining the dishes. Started with the Ratatouille. The flavor was delicious, but unexpected. When I think of Ratatouille, I envision a very ordered rows of sliced egg plant, squash, zucchini and tomatoes etc. This came out a chunky roasted veggies in red sauce. Good with the toast points, but much different then expecting. Also, ordered raw oysters, but they were out of two of the varieties we ordered. The ones we received were good and nice mix of sweet and brine. Ordered the Steak Au Poive per our servers recommendation. The steak came out well over. I ordered Med Rare, but it came out Med Well to Well. It was very dry. There was only one small drip of the Au Poive sauce. The Django potatoes were a gloppy flavorless mess. All 4 tried the potatoes and agreed they were a Fail. Did not look appetizing at all. A small thing, but speaks to consistency. We did not receive a bread basket with dinner. Not sure why as other tables around us all did. We didn't inquire because by the time we noticed we well into our meal. Order the Chef's Choice Charcuterie board. It was brought out with no explanation of what the chef chose and why. It would been fun to know what we were trying. We could guess, but would have preferred to know where it was from, cow's or goat's milk etc. The good news the Filet was cooked a perfect rare and nice flavor, but the onion rings were not good; Chaulky with bread to onion ratio off. We probably should have stuck with the frites. The tomato bisque was awesome. The onion gratinee was good but not outstanding. The scallops were really enjoyed as was the beef bourguignon. Nice deep flavor from the bourguignon. Finished the evening with the Pot de Creme. We all liked the darker chocolate and the sea salt finish, but it was too dense for a Pot de Creme. We will be back but we will be more specific and direct.

We unintentionally hit happy hour which turned out to be a huge win for us. The charcuterie selections are wonderful so chose two of those and a dozen oysters. Worth it! Will definitely come back.

I can only attest to the poutine and the escargot, but both were simply delicious! Happy Hour was amazing! Martinis with bleu cheese stuffed olives and a en was a delight of a bartended. Add this to your Des Moines rotation. I am from San Diego and we have GOOD food; this place was top notch!

Best place to dine in Des Moines. Right next to Noce Jazz Club. Excellent food excellent Service Great staff elegant surroundings . Great outdoor dining options . Food cooked to taste .

Wow. Boy has this place fallen. The service was marginal at best. It took five minutes for anyone to come to our table. Our appetizer was served with our meal. Dirty plates were left on the table. Worst of all, however, was the feeling that you were just in a run of the mill place, not someplace that's supposed to be one of the city's best. Plenty of other places to try.

The atmosphere and the staff were great. We had cocktails made with coconut washed Campari, amazing! We shared the calamari appetizer - so good! My colleague had the steak and it was excellent. I had the salmon and it was pan-seared, I believe, but to me it tasted as though it was pan fried. It wasn't good. It was much too oily from the pan frying process. I'm used to a light searing and this dish had a hard crust all the way around the fish. Great location and ambiance was perfect.

I had not dined at Django since they moved from the Hotel Fort Des Moines location, but I was happy to see the excellence does not need a structure. While I loved the historic vibe of the previous site, Django now feels more open. It was terrific sitting in the front of the restaurant, overlooking the sculpture park. We started with some "smack your mama" fried brussels sprouts as an appetizer. Our very smart server suggested a half order. If we had gotten the full order, we'd have stuffed ourselves with them and not had room for the entree. The bread that arrived early on was fresh, warm, and served with rich, creamy butter. Again, we had to monitor our bread eating so we could enjoy the main course. I had the coq au vin and was purely delighted with the rich flavors. The pearl onions in it were cooked to perfection with a remaining crunch, instead of soft and overdone. The mushrooms were delicious and the chicken was moist. Along with this I order a side of the decadent scalloped potatoes. I don't even want to know how many calories were in those bad boys!! My partner had the Beef Bourguigon and again, it was perfect!! The veggies still had some crisp to them, which is our preference. Along with the beef he ordered a side of asparagus and while we are not normally Hollanadise Sauce lovers, Django's version is light and not overwhelming like so many. We decided that we could visit again and just enjoy every variety of veggies they have because they do them so beautifully. While dessert looked tempting, we had not a bit of space for them after such a wonderful meal and we had to be at the hockey game to see the first puck drop.

Had dinner with a group in the room near the kitchen. The atmosphere in the room was fine. Art on the walls, but the door was open to the hustle and bustle of the kitchen area so it was kinda loud. The food was very good. Ratatouille was excellent. Service by Austin was on the mark.

I went late on a Saturday night. It wasn't very crowded and I was by myself. I had a pork chop that was about two inches thick with some nice sides. I also had Creme Brulee. No booze. Everything was pretty good. Even the bread. I would take a date here, if I ever had one. Waiter was on top of the game. Bathrooms clean. Nice atmosphere. Booze looked good since everyone but me was tipping martinis and wine.

Django for double date night is a nice choice. Saturday night dinner table for four. Updating my review from last year and I'm pleased to say this was a pleasant dinner. We made reservations earlier in the week and spots were picked over. We got the 7:45pm slot. Reserved online. PRO TIP: reserve a table sooner than a week for the time you really want. We dined in the party room that I was in last year. What a coincidence... While waiting we had wine and bread. Ordered the sweet potato gnocchi. My husband ordered the Hanger steak with fries. My husband had a bottle of wine as a gift and we drank it there. NO CORK FEE! Nice. My table shared a large order of poutine. Came out hot and fresh. I couldn't have any but it was my husband's first experience and he said it was great. Sister in law said it's the best poutine in DSM. My husband liked his steak very much. Especially with the sauce he asked for. My sweet potato gnocchi was good. Abundant in gnocchi; good veggie ratio. The vegan brown butter was too oily for me. Total tab was $60.xx Restaurant was packed for Saturday night. The wait to order, food wait, and receive was expected: 30 min. Waiter was nice and provided good service. He hardly bugged us while we were all having a nice time talking at our table. Menu is diverse and easy to read. SO MANY traditional selections: seafood, salads, duck, sandwiches... A handful of vegetarian options are nice. Only one vegan dish labeled. Everything sounded amazing. Nice fancy restaurant to experience. Recommend for a nice night

I had high hopes for this place but was sadly disappointed. I often travel for work and dine alone and such was the case for this evening. I made a reservation and showed up on time. The service from there was lackluster. I'd tell you my servers name but she never told me. And she never smiled once - she seemed annoyed she was stuck with a one top - how dare I wasted her time on a Friday night. After a long week of work I wanted to sit and enjoy my meal and time to myself but it felt constantly hurried along. I started with oysters and when they arrived I was asked to order dinner - I said I wanted to but wasn't ready yet. My menus were then taken from my hand. I then needed to ask for them back when I wanted to order finally which apparently seemed to also be an inconvenience. She must have been new too because she did not know any of the glass wines available. I had the Rossini which was good but messy. Halfway through I was asked if I wanted a box. Um nope! Still eating - at that point I should have just gotten one and finished the rest in my hotel where I wouldn't be a bother. Anyways - maybe if you have a group or buying a bottle and your bill will be so much that the server thinks it's worth their time you would have a better experience. If you want oysters they have a great selection but go during happy hour when they are more reasonably priced. Otherwise as far as the rest of the place goes - the decor has lovely texture but it's been a while since anyones paid attention to the detail of things - for example some of the black wooden chairs have paint pealing in the seat that sticks to your clothes. And the tables were wobbly. Also - the bathroom is in a weird location where you have to walk through the service station in the kitchen to get to.

Yep this is a 5-star dining experience. And their happy hour is insane! We devoured a charcuterie board, the warm bread before the meal is awesome, and the meals we had were SO good. I got a salad with a salmon filet added (cooked to perfection) and we had the Beef Bourguignon which was tender and exceptional. The crème brûlée was yummy as well but may have had too thick of a sugar layer which tasted a little over torched. But overall amazing experience, great food, and best French spot in DSM! Their French cuisine is better than that of some larger metropolitan areas I have been to!

Just tomato soup was super tasty! Fries were like 2 weeks old...I ordered a veggie burger(I know not a France dish)but still...wasn't good! Didn't try a lot of things,my husband said the duck was ok,not the best though! We came in town for work,not really impressed with the restaurant!I have been in France a lot of time,this restaurant was nothing like France. The server was really nice,not her fault!

Enjoyed every single bite. We started off with the baked ratatouille, which is amazing. Then I had Coq Au Vin, which is delicious chicken with potatoes and mushrooms and big pieces of bacon in a wine sauce. So delicious! And service was great. I love that they have mockails, which I ended up having a Django tiger, it is a spirit-free old fashion. Will be back soon!

The hamburgers were burnt and they charge for rolls. We ordered two salads, two hamburgers and an entree to pickup. When I got home we realized the hamburgers were burnt. I called the restaurant and they would not do anything. I was told that because I ordered from Grub Hub there was nothing they could do, even though they made the food! They also charged $4.00 for 4 small rolls. I use to frequent this restaurant but not anymore.

Recommended by a friend! Delicious! Some of the best food that I have had! Ahi Tuna was my favorite dish: 5 stars! The Central Waters Bourban Ale was a great finish... and the warm bread rounded the experience better than "Bread & Jam for France"! I'll be here again on my next visit to Des Moines!

Consistently great food & the servers are top tier. Their happy hour is always solid & worth the money!

It's ai'ght... Some of the food was great, some was not. If you pick the right things, it could be fantastic...wrong entrees, you could be disappointed

Great spot with a great happy hour! The service was amazing and atmosphere was beautiful. I would recommend the calamari and Brussels sprouts. The wine selection was wonderful and a gem for a nice dinner in Iowa.

All attitude, unlike their website marketing, and severely lacking friendliness in the front of the house. We tried to look past the rudeness twice and left after their third strike before ordering. Insulting a guest's partner will NEVER work! Glad I took my money elsewhere after reading other horror stories on here about their poor service.

We came here for dinner before a jazz show nearby. I ordered from the happy hour specials, which run late: a half dozen house oysters (PEI from Nova Scotia), shrimp cocktail, and small plate of duck frites. My spouse ordered the Django mussels. The oysters were better than ones I had at a place in Boston. They tasted great, with the right kick of brine, and the accompaniments were spot-on: vinegar, and then horseradish that I mixed with the cocktail sauce. I ate them with a glass of the higher-end champagne because hey, with the happy hour prices on the food, I could indulge in something splurge-worthy. Also, oysters and champagne are a thing I like to do end of year. The rest of the meal was great. Get those duck frites, people. This is an evening in Paris, right in Des Moines. And yeah, the setting across from the sculpture park is a touch of class. Just make sure you sit in the downstairs area or bar for the best ambiance.

Overpriced. Ordered burger and poutine and was not impressed. Burger overcooked, poutine - did not have enough cheese..

Great spot in downtown Des Moines with great patio seating (Even during Covid-times)... great French dining and an amazing menu! First of all this place has great service and delicious cocktails so that's always a plus for me! Tonight I tried the Bouillabaisse which is a seafood stew in a saffron broth. Yummm! My spouse had the Beef Bourguignon which was full of flavor and really tender meat! For desert we opted to try something we wouldn't normally order so we tried the cherry Sunday! It is a Cherry Sunday with pistachio, Ameretti cookie, dulce de leche, cherry gelato and toasted marshmallow. Wow!!! I wanted another one! I love this place!

We went to Django on Monday night and thought it would be a nice quiet evening. We were seated next to a table that had started happy hour hours before. I couldn't even hear my wife who was sitting next to me. Not only were they extremely loud but they kept FaceTiming other people and passing their phones around. My wife and I both order a drink - I ordered a Manhattan with Knob Creek and my wife order an Old Fashion. After 21 minutes we finally received those drinks but the server didn't know which one was who's and they actually both tasted like a Manhattan. I ordered the full size chicken Caesar salad, this was probably the best Caesar dressing I have had. My wife order the beet salad and half order of onion rings. Our total bill was around $110. The food was amazing but the service and the people around us made me only give this place 3 stars. I love that they make people wear mask when not at their table.

All of the food was honestly incredible ranging from the appetizers: bread and cheese plate and crispy onion rings to the entree: salmon to the dessert: amaretto mouse and the variety of cocktails we tried. But what truly made our experience was the service of our server Lauretta. From the moment we were seated, she served us with such a high level of warmth, friendliness, and attentiveness that truly made our 1 year anniversary extra special! She was so lovely to talk with, gave us the best recommendations for every single course and brought all of our food promptly and professionally. We are out of state but we would honestly come back again just for the pleasure of seeing her again and highly recommend that you visit should you be in the area so she can make your night as well. Thanks again Lauretta!!

I've been coming to Django since 2015, both now near the sculpture park and when they were at the old Hotel Fort Des Moines location. After dozens of meals here, I'm convinced it is the best all-around dining experience in Des Moines. Terrific bar and fresh seafood, along with impeccable service and a loud but vibrant atmosphere. The beef bourguinon (trust me and add a lobster tail) is the most incredible dinner in Des Moines.

So the service was extremely disappointing, first we waited (seriously) almost 10 min after the host showed us our table for someone to show up, finally someone did and we got water. Then finally our server (Alex) showed up who, I have to say, was more focused about entertaining people that actually getting our orders, drinks and food. I literally stood up, went to her and told her that I did not want the wine anymore because first she was just talking and had clearly forgot the order (based on her face when I told her) and second it was taking a ridiculous amount of time. I saw her multiple times just basically talking too much with other tables, I mean I get it she works for the tips but her job is not to amuse the customers. It was a totally unacceptable service for a restaurant where I paid $45 for an entree. Now the food, my plate was the bolognese which was really good and another one I tried was the scallops which again, good. But the vegan gnocchi and crepe were not as tasty as those first 2, which I will admit were really good!. So I guess if you do not care about way below average service in exchange of (pricey) good food, this is your place. And I have to say after all this, our server never apologized or acknowledge, the delay with the food, wine, water or anything. I gave them 2 instead of 3 starts because in a place like this I think the service is really important.

Was made aware that this restaurant had reopened. New space is bright and modern. Food delicious. Nice to have back. Tonight I had oysters Rockefeller and was craving a good burger. I used to love the steak frites, boulliabase, mussles and the " croque"sanwhiches. I will be back to evaluate my old favorites

Exquisite food, outstanding service, and -- according to a retired wine salesman in our party -- a marvelous selection of wines. Outdoor seating is available if the weather is good, for those who prefer that situation during the pandemic -- or during flu season, for that matter. We shut the place down, due to the great conversation at our table, and never felt any suggestion that the staff were tapping their toes, waiting for us to depart. Fine dining worth every penny.