RoCA

My husband and I visited after looonng days at work, we came in late for dinner, and sat at the bar. Luke was our bartender. We couldn’t have chosen a better place to wind down, he was delightful!! Our service drink and food wise was great but the actual best thing was feeling wholly welcomed and served with fresh energy and care at 10something pm. Luke, we will be back to see you! -Cephus and Karina

We have enjoyed our visits to RoCA. It’s a casual upscale bar feel, and the focus is on shared plates. They also have flatbreads and an “entree” section. We have enjoyed the flatbreads and shared plates, haven’t tried any of the larger entrees. The steak de burgo shared plate is really unique, it’s hearty and tasty but fun to try! Cocktails are also good, and service has been good when we have visited.

Not an inexpensive restaurant by any means but I do have to say the quality of the food was very good. Our group ordered mostly appetizers to pass around. The apps were between 15-20.00 each. My only negative would be the serving portions were very small on the appetizers considering the price. For example one appetizers was stuffed peppers, the peppers were very small almost the size of a grape tomato and there were only 7-8 small peppers. They had a large drink selection and the drinks were great.

Went for the first time with my boyfriend. Food was delicious! We shared three of the shared plates. All of them were good. We had the Deconstructed Ribeye Nachos, Smashed Fried Potatoes, and the Spicy Fried Chicken Slideres. All were incredibly delicious, the nachos being my favorite. My boyfriend said he would have a hard time choosing a favorite. Staff were very friendly and the restaurant and ambience were very pretty. Price was reasonable for what we got. I don't mind paying a bit more for yummy food. Can't comment on the drinks as we don't drink alcohol. Overall very good and would definitely go again!

RoCA offers a delightful dining experience with standout tapas. Their Gotham Sour whiskey cocktail is expertly crafted, while the yellowfin tuna is fresh and flavorful. The ambiance and service complement the exceptional food. A must-visit for tapas lovers!

This place was a nice surprise after a long day of meetings and travel. The food and beverage was top notch. The servers were knowledgeable and attentive. It is well worth stopping in for nice, sharable plates or a full meal.

I wasn't sure what to expect from a restaurant on Court Avenue, but RoCA exceeded all expectations. The service was spectacular and the food was well portioned and delicious. We will definitely be back.

$18 for a beet salad with about 1/2 a beet and a handful of arugula. They also omitted the avocado and garlic bread that was listed on the menu stating that “the menu has recently changed and not yet been reflected online” while refusing to provide a refund or the item ordered. Save your money and go to a restaurant that won’t bait and switch you.

AMAZING food. Great staff. I forgot to get photos because my coworkers and I ate all out food so quickly lol. The brussel sprouts and smashed potatoes were our favorites.

Dinned with a group of friends before a show and got a little bit of everything to try. The drinks were okay for the level of restaurant but the food was amazing. We ended up with entirely too much food but it was great to sample the variety of dishes. I think the peppadew peppers with goat cheese was the group favorite by far, we got two dishes. Like most restaurants there were some plates that were better than others, but overall we would come back the next time we visit. The service was amazing, 10/10 on recommendations, attentiveness, and accommodations!

Husband and I ate here on Valentines Night. Our meal was amazing, food was fresh, very tasty and filling. We had a lovely Pinot Noir- Oko. Service was spectacular, ambience even better. We love frequenting this establishment both for drinks before a city outing and for a meal. A top choice for us in the DSM.

4.75* (out of 5) Food: 5* Atmosphere: 5* Value: 4* Service: 5* 08/31/2023 This place was recommended by a co-worker who knew about my love for good food and my food review website, so we took the opportunity to go there with our neighbors. Admittedly, the front door looked a little rough on the outside (see pictures) - but once inside, the decor was beautiful and the service was better. We started with drinks - which were unique and very tasty! My wife went with the El Chapo (see picture) - which had a nice bite of jalapeno. Our neighbor opted for the Smoking Gun (see the pouring video from the smoke-filled bottle below) and I chose the Smoked Margarita (see the "kit' picture and pouring video below). I really enjoy smoked drinks and smoking my own at home and these were not only very good, but the presentation in a smoke-filled bottle was impressive to see! For our dinner, each of us couples ordered 3 small plates and we shared them all. We went with the Grilled Broccolini, Grilled Ribeye Skewers, Chicken Pesto Flatbread, Seared Scallops, De Burgo Toast and Ribeye Nachos (see all pictures below). While there were varying opinions of the 'Best' rankings, the Grilled Ribeye Skewers, Seared Scallops and Ribeye Nachos were my personal favorites. With that said, I'd highly recommend all of them, as we found all of them to be very good! I love the small plates concept to sample several dishes - and the food and service were fantastic! Say 'Hi' to Ricardo R. when you go - his service was great and we really appreciated his recommendations. If you found this review helpful, please show your appreciation with a Like or a Follow. Photos copyright: happyhourdesmoines.com & thefoodanddrinkguy.com

A nice cozy dark place. This was on our list to check. Our visit to Iowa was short so we were maximizing our dinning experience by sharing small dish. We ordered the yellowtail tuna and scallops. We're pleasantly surprised that a good portion of the risotto came with the scallops. Good experience, we'll be back next year.

WOW. This place is now one of my top places to eat as far as the quality of food. I absolutely loved the flatbread pizza I ordered, the service was prompt and attentive, and the ambiance was quiet and cozy. I only wish the price of the food was a little more affordable, so I could eat there more often!

Excellent food. Good service. Ambiance...a bit too loud. Also, it's on Court Ave...that area is not our favorite neighborhood in the downtown space.

Great ambiance. Very thoughtful decor. Excellent, well-balanced drinks. Tiki vibe on point. However, we were there around 8 on a Saturday night. Wasn't busy but we had leave our cozy nook to order at the bar & then they called out our drinks when they were ready like we ordered fast food tacos or something. We had to leave our nook again to go retrieve our seemingly abandoned drinks. There were 3 people behind the bar & no one could come take our order or deliver our drinks... for a 2-person $30 round?!

Delish food time and time again. Ricky is an incredible server and will make your evening special!

Driving through the beautiful cornfields of Iowa and stopped off in DesMoines for the night on my way home to cheesehead country. Stayed downtown and this place was walking distance from my hotel. Looks like an upscale bar inside. Sat at a high top and ordered an old fashioned that came with an empty glass with a big square cube and orange peel as it should and the drink was served inside a whiskey bottle with a bunch of smoke that you let sit for a minute and then pour into your glass. Nice presentation and it was an excellent old fashioned. I also ordered a house salad with garlic parmesan dressing and the fillet medium temperature. I ended up having three or four of the old fashions and don't remember too much about the food. I did make it back to my room.

Our company booked this restaurant for our Christmas party. 1. The venue has a great, industrial, yet warm and classy atmosphere. 2. The staff was incredibly friendly, helpful, and accommodating. 3. The food was outstanding! (and I am a tough critic, as I went to cooking school and am quite the foodie) We had a WONDERFUL time and everyone was very impressed with how perfect this place is! I am so glad I found Roca and would recommend to anyone that is looking for great food in the downtown Des Moines area. THANK YOU CONNOR! And I'm sorry, I can't remember our waitress' name, but she was flawless also!!

A great quaint place for shared plates. We shared a board, a bottle of wine and some dessert. The staff was attentive, friendly and responsive. There were a variety of food options, a smaller wine selection and good desserts. A good place for date night!

This restaurant is a hidden gem. Our server was awesome. He was attentive, helpful, friendly and gave us good recommendations. Everything from the drinks to the dessert were awesome! The inside is very nice too. We will definitely be back! The coconut cake is delicious.

I have eaten at RoCA a number of times and it is always great. I typically go with friends or for work and do shared plates so this was my first entree and it was great. They also have fantastic cocktails and service. The ambience is definitely facilitating for a conversation.

Group of 5 and we tried quite a bit! Fondue, steak de Burgos toast, grilled ribeye skewers, pan seared scallops, Graziano sausage and pepperoni flatbread, red sauce pasta. We were blown away by everything 3/5 of us had never been before and love everything. The other 2 of us had been there multiple times. Definitely will be repeat customers. HIGHLY recommend the Smoking Gun cocktail!!

I travel to DSM occasionally and have always been impressed with the food scene. Thankfully, the streak continues with RoCA. My colleagues and I found RoCA through yelp and had an amazing dinner. We started with the fondue and brussel sprouts which were tasty. Two of us had the cajun pasta and another had the salmon. They were out of salmon and he instead got the mahi and loved it. Service was attentive, not stuffy.

So my only complaint is it's popular and therefore consequently loud. Hubby and I were joined by one of my college besties so we had to strain a few times to hear each other. Otherwise, the food is delicious! We three went shareable with the deconstructed nachos, market salad with chicken protein, fish tacos, and the goat cheese and mushroom pizza. The food was just the right amount for the three of us to eat all and not have leftovers or waste which is important since we were all from out of town. The only thing I would recommend is that as tapas, they perhaps spread out the food a little more...by the time we got to to the fish tacos, they were cold. The deconstructed nachos had plenty to them...definitely consider getting that if you come here. Hubby ordered a local beer but I don't remember what kind. Our server was nice, friendly, and professional. Restaurant and bathrooms were clean. Would definitely come back and opt for a post dinner cocktail.

Went for dinner before a show at the Civic Center and had an amazing experience!! The food and drinks were phenomenal as well as the service. The seared yellowfin tuna was our favorite, but we also had the beef skewers, the mussels, the steak de burgo toast, and the mousse cake. The vibe was upscale but not too froofy. Would absolutely go back, and have already started recommending it to friends and family!

The food was delicious and service was excellent. We made a reservation in advance, therefore we had no wait time. Food was out to us quickly. We chose four shared plates but our group agreed that there's more on the menu we want to come back at try.

The restaurant was dirty the hostess was rude. The food was OK however, they only give you an hour and a half to eat. There was no one waiting in the lobby. There were seven open tables and it was unacceptable. I've lived in Chicago and New York and I've never ever been told that you have an hour and a half to eat and you have to leave because there's another table. They literally told us that they have to flip the tables- not gonna make it- very rude- anti - customer service. Pass- not worth it.

Our group of 20 was seated in the basement with a great server named Jen. She quickly got our drinks and went to cover her group of 30. She also had two other basement tables. She was able to cover us all & we didn't feel neglected. (Not sure this was fair to her.) it was a little slow but we weren't in a hurry. We shared 3 tapas: yummy Asian wraps--with a spicy sauce, Graziano flatbread--very tasty and decomposed tacos--chips with yummy guacamole, cheese, jalapeños & steak bites. Friend had scallops & grilled romaine & loved thI had a blackberry cocktail (Horney something ) & hubby had a couple of craft beers. Nice meal; great atmosphere!

Was in Des Moines for a night and looking for a decent but fun restaurant near our hotel. RoCA fit the bill. We had the root beer brisket sliders and the fig and goat cheese flatbread. Let me tell you, BOTH were delicious! The sliders had the pleasant tang, the bun was soft, the crispy onions.... Yum. Although I, shock for those who know me, would have liked more crispy onions. The fig and goat cheese flatbread....OMG! So delicious, the bread was crispy with a nice little drizzle of honey. The fig spread was amazing and the goat cheese was creamy dreamy. We washed everything down with a couple of nice adult beverages. Hubby had the pig fat washed bourbon old fashioned. He loved it. Said it was so smooth. I tried it and it was good but I could t get the pig fat imagery out of my head. I had a pear martini and it was divine. All in all, if we're back in Des Moines, we'll be stay at Des Lux hotel- so neat- and definitely heading back to RoCA for dinner.

wow! This place was amazing! I'm from Chicago and have dined at many fine restaurants in our city. This place has them beat! First off the ambiance - really cool background music. Anyone from Chicago will enjoy the 1930-40 retro blues from some of the most iconic guitarists...but infused with modern female rock.... Several video screens played silent movies from classic vaudeville to Charlie Chaplin. Very creative! (Something you could watch without having to hear dialogue. A novel idea for a restaurant). But their shining star was the food. Amazing. Every dish we had was over and above impeccable. Kudos to the chef! My husband and I stumbled upon RoCa's while traveling. But we found a real gem that deserves a recognized Michelin Star!! M Drumm R.N. MHA.

Great food and service. Drink and food came out promptly despite several large parties.

Tasty and creamy Cajun pasta. Added some pepper prior to the photo. Not spicy at all.

Phenomenal food and service experience... Cost of quality, spot on! Shared experience... Portobello mushroom sliders - Really good Crispy shrimp - Great Brussel sprouts- Great Ribeye nachos - Awesome Cheeseburger sliders- The Bomb

Great menu, fun staff. It was nice to see this place busy on a random Tuesday night. Would definitely go again. Get the fondue!

Food is too good! More shareable/app style meals for table. Good for night out! The fig and goat cheese flat bread is delicious

The restaraunt itself has a super cool floorplan. Its not a very big place and feels pretty intimate, but not cramped at all. The ahi tuna tartare was pretty good and i loved the shrimp tacos. Service was excellent.

Great service. Great food. Great ambiance! Ribeye nachos are the bees knees. Flat breads are all delish.

Delicious food! Fun atmosphere and good service. Our group ordered individual appetizers /tapas meals for dinner and had them as a main dish before a Civic Center event. Roça is close to a parking garage and walkable to the Civic Center. Will definitely be back.

Delicious food, great service, and a great value-all in a place with a joyous atmosphere.

Randomly stopped here while driving around downtown and we're looking for a place for dinner. Love the small vibe of this place with the exposed brick! Wait staff was awesome. Drinks and specialty cocktails were also great. Tried the "Spontaneously Horny" cocktail, great if you like sweet and not to strong. Also tried several of the small plate foods- so good. Recommend everything pictured. Bring quarters for the meters or they take cards. Masks required upon entering. Definitely would come back here again!

This is my favorite spot to eat and have a drink in DSM. They have amazing food and awesome cocktails. They staff is adventurous and will make cocktails off the menu if you know what you want. I would not consider going back to this city without having dinner here.

The drinks, food and service was fabulous. Our server was very nice and checked on us regularly. We have the fig and cheese pizza. So yummy.

Live the food and drinks!!! It is a bit pricey but for tapas you get a great variety. Definitely recommend for dates or groups.

Fun place to meet up for a light dinner with friends. My only complaint would be the noise level. I hate feeling like I am shouting.

Blackened Mahi-Mahi. Great presentation and ambiance here. Bartender was alert and attentive.

Very cute. Intimate. Great place for a date. Good music. Good lighting. Good vibes. Great food. Exceptional staff. Water was never low. Best food was ribeye nachos. Tuna was incredible. Chicken sliders were plain but fresh. Needed more cheese. Love the place. But one star cuz we found two hairs in two separate dishes. Gross. Shit happens but... gross.

Food, ambiance, and service is always fantastic. I've gone over a dozen times and am never disappointed. It's our date night go-to.

Excellent food, interesting menu, great service!there were four of us and we enjoyed appetizers, entrees and dessert. We didn't sample the whole menu, but there were no duplicates.

RoCA is one of my absolute favorite places to grab food in Des Moines. The servers are always wonderful. They'll recommend amazing options, and explain all of the foods to you if you're unsure. The vibe is very relaxing, with dim-lighting and candles on the tables. I have gone here on a best friend date, and with my boyfriend's family as a celebration for getting promoted. I also love that most things are shared plates. I've tried nearly everything on their menu by now, and it truly is an amazing menu through and through. Everything is fresh and delicious. All of the cocktails are also amazing. I will say, it can get pricey depending on how much you order, but in my opinion it is WELL worth it.

Oh boy! Was this a great dining experience! The ambiance was relaxing with brick and post industrial decor and Friday night chic. My wife and I enjoyed the"horseshoe and crab"(?) cocktail, and I opted for the traditional tangueray martini. We shared the sweet corn, rice and scallops, which was cause for discussion. She had the avocado toast salad with tuna, and I had the crispy shrimp with a delicious soy reduction (although the chef subbed calamari). We thoroughly enjoyed our conversations with waiter Devon, who was witty and informed. He even sparred with us when we commented that the water tasted like Raccoon River water (our only suggestion: please serve spring water or filtered water). Five stars!! Go there!

Food is generally very good. Have gone three times recently for dinner. However, food is overpriced for quality for a tapas restaurant. A lot of carb heavy cheap items like toast appear on several different menu items. Also, did not enjoy the last few times I ordered a fig and pig cocktail - I don't know what it is that you do with your bacon fat, but it tastes REALLY off.

Was in town for a few days and this place was one of my favs. Shareable plates were all very good and so were the cocktails. Entrees were a bit underwhelming and beer on tap could have been colder but I'd still def go back! The place reminds me of something I'd see in Williamsburg!

RoCA was definitely a miss for me. I was very excited to try this place for my friends bachelorette party because of the shared plate options, but was very disappointed. My friend and I split the charred brussel sprouts and the spinach artichoke flatbread. The only thing that I would say about those two options is that the brussel sprouts were char and the flatbread wasn't anything special enough to comment on. My friends who had gotten other dishes were not impressed either, so I don't believe it was just our choices from the menu that disappointed. Although the food wasn't great, the cocktails and wine seemed to be a hit among my friends. The service was exceptional from our waitress and the reservation ran smoothly. The atmosphere was intimate and the lighting dim. Overall, the food just lacked and therefore I would have to be convinced to go back and try it again.

Even though my husband HATES tapas, we had an excellent meal. Wide selection and variety, and everything tasted amazing. Mac and cheese and pork sliders are a must, Brussels were cooked to perfect crispness, tacos were spicy but not overwhelming. Great bar scene too. Good service.

I visited on a weekend with my sister. RoCA was her suggestion. She had such a good experience, she said it was a MUST when I visited. RoCA is located right on Court Ave downtown. There is a parking ramp close by in this area, most places are within walking distance. The atmosphere and vibe is pleasant - dim lighting, but lively. I hear the downstairs has been transformed into a bar in the evenings. Not sure this is the case during the pandemic. We didn't make a reservation, but we were still seated right away. I still recommend making a reservation. We were seated downstairs, but would have preferred the vibe of the upstairs. Our waitress was very friendly and she was able to answer all of the our questions about the menu as well as offer suggestions. She really helped me narrow down my choices. The style of the menu is called tapas - or large appetizers - meant to be shared. We ordered the fondue to start, so delicious. I particularly liked the brussel sprouts. I do think for the amount of dipping items for the fondue there should have been more fondue in the bowl. The fondue was served "extra" with a nice flame keeping the fondue warm. I ended up ordering the Asian Lettuce Wraps....so good! Not spicy at all. There were 8 lettuce wraps with the dish, and I liked that I could construct each wrap myself. I shared with the table. Other dishes we ordered: Chicken Parmesan Sliders & Truffle Fries and the "Pasta of the Moment." Make sure to ask for the truffle fries, they aren't on the menu, but according to my sister they are a staple. The drink menu is also very fun. I saw a recommendation for a drink called "Spontaneously Horny," and it was delicious. Don't be afraid to ask about their specialty drinks and try something new. I really like the tapas style of this restaurant. It was nice to order several dishes to share with the table. It really made it possible to try multiple options with variety.

Holy cow this place was good. The server had good recommendations and the bartenders and chefs delivered. I had a blackberry bramble that was very yummy and a chicken pesto flatbread that had some of the most tender chicken I've had and cherry tomatoes that popped in your mouth. The white sauce was also delicious. My family had the tenderloin with brussel sprouts (loved the sweetness and charred character of the brussel sprouts). 5/5 delicious