Mi Patria Ecuadorian Restaurant

The food is good. I tried tortilla de yuca as an appetizer and it was delicious. As main dish I tried arroz con carne, and it was not bad. The chicken is good but nothing special about that. The portions are big so I had the half of it to go. And also I tried their blackberry juice (don’t remember the name) the waiter recommended me and it was great - not too sweet and flavorful.

Really glad I tried this place when traveling to DSM for work. The agua fresca was amazing… not too sweet and not too tart. Perfect. The ceviche and lomo saltado were delicious. Portions are a little crazy large, but I’m sure that appeals to most people. Reminded me of my visit to Peru and Ecuador. Highly recommend!

My husband and I always get the meal for two. And get patacones ( Tostones or plátano Frito) on the side. It is very filling and delicious. I always come here at least once a month. their skirt Steak is very good too.

I appreciate the excellent service and enjoyable conversations plus the very fresh food and large portions for myself. Ruby is a wonderful young lady and pays close attention to all details.

Loved this spot! Will definitely be back here to try as much as possible. The food was amazing. We started off with the plantains to start, which was amazing and I would highly recommend it. We enjoyed our main courses but wish I had something a little more flavorful instead of plain rice in my dish. The ribs were great and extremely flavorful. What really blew me away was the dessert we had! Would highly recommend having dessert here, and I might just stop back here just for the starters and dessert. The Service was great even though they were extremely busy.

Excellent, the service is great, prices are fair, good portion of food. Empanadas was great, Churrasco Plate DELICIOUS...

Hidden Gem in Des Moines - Mi Patria I can’t believe it took me this long to discover Mi Patria, a true hidden gem in Des Moines. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with warm smiles and an inviting atmosphere that immediately makes you feel at home. The service here is absolutely top-notch—attentive, friendly, and genuinely caring. Now let’s talk about the food. Incredible doesn’t even begin to describe it. The portions are huge, and every bite is packed with authentic Ecuadorian flavors. The arroz con pollo was hands down the best I’ve ever had—perfectly seasoned, tender, and bursting with freshness. And don’t even get me started on their house drink, Cóndor. It’s refreshing, smooth, and has this unique twist that pairs perfectly with any meal. If you’re looking for a spot that offers not only delicious food but also an unforgettable experience, Mi Patria is the place to go. Whether you’re new to Ecuadorian cuisine or already a fan, this restaurant will blow you away. I’m already planning my next visit!

We tried the empanada trio, and they were perfectly flaky! The cheese one was my favorite. If you sprinkle a little sugar on it, it tastes just like a funnel cake. The entree portions are HUGE. One dish could easily feed two people (we ended up with leftovers). My arroz con pollo could’ve used a little more protein and a bit of spice, but I’d still recommend it. The lomo saltado though? Absolute perfection. The steak was cooked just right, and the sauce was 🤌🏼 Never expected to find such amazing Ecuadorian food in Iowa, but this spot definitely delivered!

We'd never had Ecuadorian food before, but Mi Patria won us over in moments and probably has another set of loyal customers for years to come. What a splendid retreat in the middle of errands on a HOT day. We were greeted with the best smile by Reynaldo (I hope I got his name right) and he let us pick our seat. We ordered some Ecuadorian sodas right off the bat. They were cool and refreshing. One was an Inca Kola (actually Peruvian) I think and the other was a Tropical strawberry flavor. Drinking the strawberry one with the meal brought out a floral note that was really nice. The empanadas were to die for. We were able to order a variety and I can really settle on a favorite. The pastries were perfect and the fillings were certainly not one-note. The grease from the beef one kind of exploded on my wife, but it was kind of a badge of honor considering how good they were. We ordered the Mi Patria dinner for two and were absolutely impressed. All the meats were tender and cooked perfectly. The seasoning was present, pleasant and not overstated. Loved every bite and ate way too much. I think it's obvious we'll come back and we highly recommend the place for the service and the food.

A well run establishment serving delicious food! I was passing through for a road trip and stopped in for lunch. I wouldn't have expected to find awesome Ecuadorian food in Des Moines, of all places, but I was very impressed! The food was pricey, but the quality made it well worth the price. Service was fast, friendly, and efficient, and the restaurant was very clean and comfortable--even the restrooms! Would be happy to be back traveling through again!

We have enjoyed a few meals at this location and the portions are huge, the foods are tasty and the service is always the best. It tends to be loud in the evenings we have been here but the food and service make you forget the loud talking. Easy to park out front and they are really accommodating to my food allergies.

Placed a pickup order and ate at home. The food was good and different which was exactly what I was looking for. I can only imagine what it taste like when it's fresh from the kitchen.

Hidden gem. Arroz con pollo is the absolute best! Easily can feed two adults and share it. It's definitely authentic and worth the trip.

I have not seen an Ecuador restaurant as a travel United States. I was so excited to find this one. I had the typical beer, and the appetizer of potato and cheese. Plus the pork. Food was exceptional on a highly recommend

We stopped here on a road trip from Chicago to Colorado. It was on a whim since we had originally planned to go to a BBQ place in the same plaza. We are so glad we did! The food was delicious, the staff were amazing, and prices were great for the portion sizes. It's definitely one of the best places we've ever stumbled upon while out of town. If we're ever back in the area, we will be stopping again for sure!

Do yourself a favor and just go here. Outstanding all around experience. Busy night but waiter was still very helpful and the ambiance was lively. All the food I tried was so good! I got the churrasco for my main dish and it was one of the most tender cuts I've had in town. You can't go wrong with any of the food though, everything I've tried was top notch

This is my favorite restaurant in the Des Moines area! The food is always fresh and delicious and the service is prompt and friendly. My only complaint is that I wish more people knew about this hidden gem! My sister and I are in love with the 'Hornado con Mote' with its slow roasted pork, hominy, rice, and pickled ensalada.

We had the bandeja vegetariana and the flan, everything was very good! Our server was friendly answering our questions and our food came out quickly. The restaurant seems to have been updated recently, it was clean and comfortable. Will definitely be returning!

Amazing, flavorful meal. Every item on my plate was incredible. The staff and atmosphere are welcoming.

Fantastic food and ambience! Locally owned and operated that makes everything from scratch. Highly recommend

Wonderful meal of ceviche and vegetarian options. This place never fails to delight! Friendly staff and great food!

10/10 I truly enjoyed this restaurant. Very clean and it was nice and quiet when I went. The waitress was kind and available. I love the PassionFruit Juice but I also LOVE Inca Kola (definitely try it if you haven't). The carne asada and the churrasco are very good! I prefer the lentil Menestra (if you haven't tried it, try it if you can). The onion salad was great. The patacones (fried plantains) were sooo good. I love that they had this hidden gem in Iowa. It's very hard to find Ecuadorian restaurant and Al glad I came across this one. Definitely check it out!

Ordered the platter with BBQ pork, grilled beef, grilled chicken, vegetables and potato patty...EXCELLENT!!!

My family really likes this place but it just didnt suit my palate. I thought the flavors were a little bland but my family raves about it. Give it a try.

Very good food! The service was friendly and when I told my waitress that the Sprite had no flavor (an easy fix, I've dealt with it myself) she was very understanding and unbothered even though I felt bad lol. I can't even remember what the food I got it was called, but it was amazing. And the Rice! I know it's good when the rice has enough flavor to be eaten by itself. Will definitely be going again.

Not sure what happened to this place but my wife and friends went last night and I got the chaufalan and it was awful!! I absolutely love this place but I'm seriously questioning it now. The chaufalan had chunks of hotdog as their "pork medley" and the beef, chicken, rice and whatever was so dry and bland I literally wanted to pour flavored water on my plate. On top of that my friend said her chicken was more dry than mine. The empanadas used to be perfect now they're enormous with more space and fried bread than actual beef, cheese or pork in them. I left hungry because I only took two bites of my meal. I did not say anything to the server because that's not my style and leaving a review isn't either (this is my first) but it was so bad I felt compelled.

The service was absolutely terrible we went to sit down and eat and it took 23 minutes just to get our drinks out (3 waters) then when we ordered the food another group walked in about 35 minutes after we already were seated and yet they got their food very fast and the lady kept saying our food was almost ready as we told her to please hurry nicely because we had to catch a plane to go home and she just wasted our time we were sitting down for a little over an hour and still no food.

Phenomenal food! Great service! And cozy atmosphere Phenomenal food! Great service! And cozy atmosphere

The best food in Des Moines. I cannot say enough. I get excited when I have to travel to Des Moines just because I get to eat at Mi Patria.

There is nothing but great things to say about MI Patria. From the greeting at the door, the server, the food and over-all experience it was great. The Mi Patria platter is the way to go to try the different options. It says for two and we had enough left over for dinner later. The stand out for me was the pork. Brilliant. The chicken empanadas were huge and very tasty. In sorry we waited so long to try it. We will be back!

I saw this restaurant on an old episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and since we were going through Des Moines on a road trip I had to try it . It did not disappoint! No frills atmosphere, attentive service and expertly cooked delicious food. I got the Churrasco and the steak was not chewy at all, which is hard to do with a skirt steak, and cooked to medium /medium- rare perfection , with delicious accompaniments including rice and beans, avocado and fried sweet plantains. I didn't take a picture because I ate it too fast which is a sign you should go!

Awesome food, great service and huge portions!!! I will definitely be back and recommend it

Amazing food and friendly service. Highly recommend for couple, group or family. We had a group of 6 and had great experience

I love this place, so many great options and the wait staff are so friedly. I have never left this place hungry as the portions are huge for what you pay. I will definitely be going back! This time I tried the pork, delicious as all their food has been.

Had a friend who spent time studying abroad in Ecuador and we love the authenticity of the food. The portions are great for the price and the food is always perfect. The meat is juice and tender and the sides are plentiful and a good selection. The service is quick and efficient, it's a good place for a quick lunch as well as dinner.

I'm so disappointed in my food experience at this restaurant, that I feel sorry for the people of Ecuador that they have to eat such bland and boring food. Mi Patri charges $1.50 to "make it spicy", but there was nothing spicy about it. Boring Arroz con (dried out chicken) pollo, the potato and cheese appetizer was also bland. I had looked forward to trying this place and it's just another victim of Americanizing food for the Iowa Granny. Oh how I wish Bishops Buffet and Bakers cafeteria were still in business so we could keep the Granny's at bay and enjoy some authentic food!

You wouldn't think that some of the best food in town could be found in a strip mall. We had been here several years ago with some friends and really liked it then, but hadn't had a chance to come back. I'm glad we did. It's fairly small with a lot of tables. There are TVs running, but their sound is turned down. Instead there is a lot of really good Spanish language pop music playing. The staff is nice, very helpful, and very efficient. And the food. We went pretty simple. We started with the Llapingachos. Looking at it, you don't expect the texture you get. It's really soft, fluffy, filled with cheese and covered with a wonderfully rich sauce. Add a bit of their hot sauce, and it is even more rich. A quick note on the hot sauce. If you want a lot of heat, this isn't the place for you. Their hot sauce has a light, even a little sweet heat to it. It's lovely. My wife had the Pollo Al Horno. It's a quarter chicken spiced wonderfully, and then thrown on the grill. The skin has a lovely char to it that adds to the flavor immensely. Some of the tastiest chicken I have tried in ages. I had the Lomo Saltado. I suppose you could say this is the Ecuadorian version of fajitas. Beef strips, thinly sliced cooked veggies. Add some plantains and a wonderfully tasty rice and it's exquisite. This has been our best meal out this year. I know, it's the 2nd of January, but it will be hard to beat. This has our highest recommendation.

Fast and friendly service! Absolutely love everything we ordered. The meal for two has such a large portion! The grilled chicken is so tender and juicy, and the pulled pork has lots of flavors! Very happy with my meal!

Great service and generous portions of home cooked food! The space is modest but clean!

I have been told about this restaurant by many people but never got around to trying it until last Thursday. We were fortunate enough to go during none busy hours and it was amazing! If you would drive by you would miss it. First time trying Ecuadorian food and I will be back ! Pros: Food reasonably priced Good portions Quick and friendly service Quiet atmosphere Cons: None Only con is I didn't go sooner

What an outstanding place. From the excellent service to the generous portions on delicious meal and very reasonable

Love Mi Patria. My husband always gets the Lomo Saltado which is excellent. I usually get the beef empanadas and llapingachos and share these with the hubby. Sometimes I will get the fried shrimp or fried rice. You cannot go wrong with any of the menu items. Always get side orders of the fried ripe plantains, extra hot sauce and avocado. We highly recommend Mi Patria.

The food was excellent and the service was good. Some incredible flavors in their dishes.

Best best best!! Fantastic portions, delicious Ecuadorian (check menu online before you go...gives you idea how this Latin cuisine will differ from your ordinary Americanized 'Mexican' food places) staff is super friendly, family run/owned

We had great food but restaurant was very loud and hard to have group conversation. This is a simple restaurant with great and varied dishes and good sized portions. Drinks were very weak on the alcohol. We had the Mi Patria meal for two and it was delicious and the perfect amount for two with extra to take home. The empanadas were also good. Service was a bit slow because it was so busy but food came out quickly. Recommend. We will be back.

This place was amazing! Service and portions were very generous. The chicken and rice reminded me of a Venezuelan dish I used to eat back in the day; only minus garlic sauce. We ended our road trip here and so I got dessert to-go, and it was fresh to order! Came out great, and lasted till we made it home in the evening.

This place is disgusting and not a real representation of Ecuadorian flavors. 3 years ago I really enjoyed the food but now it's cooked to the palettes of white people. Absolutely no seasoning is used. I ordered a plate that said it came with menestra and they put CANNED pinto beans. Can't be doing that to your own people who know what menestra LOOKS like. Disappointing and I really hope a better Ecuadorian restaurant comes out. There's never many people here every time I've come and I get why. Not even our own people come here. Sad.

Stopped in for a repeat visit, can't believe it took me so long to get back. The food and service are outstanding! Found Mi Patria via Diners Drive-Ins and Dives a few years back and had no idea what we were in for.....all I can say is it is fantastic! The Empanadas have such a flakey crust and the beef was very tender with a little kick of heat. I added some of their signature hot sauce and that put it over the top! The Chaulafan is Stir-fried rice with pork, beef, chicken, shrimp, egg, and vegies...and you get an awesome portion as well!! The service was outstanding...very attentive and friendly...I promise to be back sooner next time!

Wow! What a great find. Stopped here on a whim on my way back from Nebraska to Illinois. I've never had Ecuadorian food but I do enjoy other types of Spanish and South American cuisine. This place did not disappoint! I ordered the Hornado Con Mote and every single feature of the dish was delicious by itself or combined. The pork was flavorful and tender, the rice perfectly cooked. My waitress was also very sweet, helped me decide which dish to order (I was stuck between this and the Arroz Con Pollo), and was very attentive. So whether you're just passing through or you're a local who hasn't been yet, all I can say is GO GO GO!

If you are a fellow plantain-lover look no further. This place has some amazing Ecuadorian food. Been here once for dine-in pre-COVID days. The service was excellent, the decor was good and the food was the best. We now do take out once in 2-3 months from here. We always get empanada's, fried sweet plantain, llapingachos, patacones and bandeja vegetariano. If you are into hot sauces/hot salsa do not miss theirs. The green spicy sauce is made in-house and it's to die for. The food comes hot and fresh even for takeout! The empanadas have never been soggy. I love the peanut sauce that comes with the llapingachos and the ginormous Ecuadorian corn (I think it's Hominy). Great flavors and the fresh salad on the side always balances out the meal.

A true gem in Des Moines with Ecuadorian dishes that are hard to find anywhere else. Take it from someone that's based in DC and have traveled across the country. This family owned restaurant is just down the street from my boyfriend's previous law firm and he finally got around to taking me here. I knew I kept him around for a reason. The food, carne asada, criolla salad, pea salsa, lentils, tostones (thats right, all in one dish) were all PHENOMENAL. Steak was well seasoned and juicy, the salad is just incredible. Razor thin onions and peppers tossed w/ lime and cilantro. I could eat a whole plate of that alone. The menestra or lentil bean stew was soo flavorful, I'm dying to have more of it! The portion is huge! Service is excellent and prices are extremely reasonable! Don't walk, RUN, over! They are doing takeout and dine in at this moment. Please take the time to try this cuisine and support this family-owned business!

Love this restaurant. The camarones al ajillo are my all time favorite. It is a shrimp garlic spicy soup alongside white rice that I always add into the soup. Let me not forget the fried plantains (tostones) that come with it. Making for a delicious comforting meal all year round. Recently I tried the churrasco also because my husband got it and that was so tasty. I loved the combination of everything together. The egg, the plantain, the beans the chimichuri sauce, and the rice all cooked to perfection. Definitely recommend to anyone wanting to try Ecuadorian food.

I was very wary my first visit, thinking "just another Mexican restaurant". WOW, was I mistaken! The food was amazing, fresh and seasoned well! The se

this place is delicious, not even going to qualify "for des moines" or whatever. it's good, full stop. honestly not loving the food scene in the area, but this is definitely a bright spot. it's sort of hole in the wall in a strip mall, with no big flashy signage, but man do they crank out some tasty food. a few years back, i had discovered this place and thoroughly enjoyed it. coming back this year, i was a little worried my memory was flawed or might fail me, but it was exactly as i had remembered. sat down and our order was quickly taken. there's a lot to try on the menu, and we tried our best to try as much as we could. we got the empanadas, one chicken one beef - these are deceptively big because they are super loaded with filling, but delicious nonetheless. also tried the yucca and potato patties filled with cheese, both are good but v similar so i don't think you need to try one of each. got the potatoes serrano, which were like roasted potatoes with maybe chorizo or some kind of sauce and cheese, also good. for mains, we all got the hornado con mote. it's roasted/pulled pork with rice, hominy, and a tomato/onion salad. the portion is HUGE! love the hominy, i so rarely get a chance to order it, so i had to make sure to order again here. the pork is juicy and flavorful. also tried the plantains in pretty much every fashion they serve it, sweet, tostones, and chips. all good. the service is quick and v friendly. felt bad we couldn't eat all our food because we ordered so much and the portions were huge. adding this as a definite go-to whenever i'm in town.

This little restaurant along I-80 filled out hearts with so much joy. After visiting Ecuador earlier this year, our entire family was missing Hornado, fried plantains, and salchipapas. When we found this gem of a restaurant on our road trip across this Midwest, we counted the hours until we arrived for lunch. Our waitress was fantastic and the food was just what we needed. The Hornado plates are hearty and I was glad I ordered the smaller version as picadillo de Hornado. The mote was tasty and the potato pancake made my day. The salchipapas were crispy and delicious, along with the fried plantains. The kids plates were plenty of food for our hungry boys. Next time we drive through Iowa, we will be sure to stop here again!

The FOOD was just amazing 10/10 taste exactly like Ecuadorian food coming from an Ecuadorian , the service was also 10/10 I was greeted n seated quickly and the ambiance was nice there was light music in the back ground not to loud to disturb you but enough for you to listen and able to have a conversation

We went to this place once and we loved it. I had heard good things about their food so had to try it. Can't wait to go again.