Skip's

Just walking in the door, takes you to another world. The atmosphere is just wonderful. Our waitress was just exceptional! She added to the fun of two old friends reconnecting. The chicken marsala was more than I expected! I knew with the first bite that I had made the right choice. The flavor was out of this world, mouth watering, and hot with every bite. Don't forget to have the cod, there are no words to describe how delicious this was! Hoot & Holler'!

Delicious food! Waitress wasn't so attentive, and it took a while to get drinks and refills. Overall, it's great food, though. We will be back. Marsla is good, but sweet. Alfredo is good, would get again, but chicken was a tad dry. (Not as good as my Mama's) Chicken Bordeaux was AMAZING! Tilapia just okay.

I was lucky enough to kick off my trip on the first day with their happy hour—what a great start! The beer was refreshing, and the soup was delicious (and even better with the discount). I happened to order the same thing as a sweet older lady sitting nearby, and we both agreed: it was so good and gave me the energy I needed. If I ever visit Des Moines again, I’ll definitely come back. I actually planned to go once more before leaving, but sadly they’re closed on Mondays. Still, it was one of the most memorable meals of my trip.

Amazing! We have come in on a Wednesday and Friday and received the same server both times. She was amazing tending to our every needs even offering to top up my soup. I had a cup of minestrone which I can't stop raving about. It was incredible. A great way to start a meal on a cold evening. I followed up with the Chinese Chicken Salad and my husband indulged in a filet which he thoroughly enjoyed. Each time, the restrooms have been clean and fully stocked. Parking is private in the front or right side but not behind - reserved for staff. On Friday, we had a 20 minute wait but sat and chatted with other locals. This is a must try.

Couldn't have asked for better service! Our waitress was so sweet and understanding and helpful. We had a wonderful lunch there the food is fantastic. Highly recommended!

Cozy atmosphere friendly service. The spinach artichoke dip almost has a spice to it but still good. Loved the walleye. The Caesar dressing is a little more vinegary to me but not bad. Chicken noodle soup was delicious. The espresso martini was more of a creamy drink not a coffee drink but still good. Love the dragon fruit martini. The steak sandwich was more of a sirloin steak on top of a piece of garlic toasted topped with a stack of onions but the flavor was amazing. Can’t wait to go back and try more of the menu.

Absolutely wonderful food and service! Best meal have had in a long time! The bourbon beverage was great, the spinach artichoke was the best we’ve had, and the prime rib was delicious and perfectly seasoned and cooked!!! Wish I lived close to come back here on the regular! If you’re near Des Moines, GO HERE! Was worth every penny!

I would give this place 10 stars if it was an option. In Des Moines from out of town so we did a search for a steak dinner....wow! So glad we found Skip's!!! The ribeye melted in your mouth, it was sooo delicious. The baked potato was done to perfection as well. Then there was Tiffany, our server. She knocked the visit out of the park, to say she was excellent at her job, would be an understatement! Such a pleasant person and made our dinner that much more enjoyable. Why go anywhere else? Tremendous!! - Ed from Pittsburgh.

We celebrated our friend's 60th Birthday and the evening was perfect! The bartenders and staff were efficient and fun. The appetizers and food were delicious. A night to remember, for sure! Birthday girl on the left

It's been quite a while since I've reviewed Skips. Always great service and consistent food. Onion rings are fantastic! Didn't get them this time around, as we were trying to behave, but they're a great sharing appetizer. On this trip I got the Walleye. It was great! Nicely pan fried, thick, and delicious. I got the Au Gratin potatoes for my side-very good as well. My wife got the Cod-superb! Meaty and nicely cooked with lemon butter. She got the asparagus for a side; not the best on a cold, winter night, but that's veggies in Iowa. They did offer to replace it and that's all you can ask for. Very good Bleu Cheese Dressing and fabulous Creamy Parmesan-a DSM staple. Bread is hot and delicious as well. Solid wine list and great drinks. Reasonable prices and cozy atmosphere. A Des Moines classic!!

I tried Skip's for the first time and was very pleased with the experience. The service was 10/10 as we were warmly greeted at the door and seated immediately. I started with the mussels which were served in a delicious butter and cream sauce with garlic toast. I ate every bite it was so good. Our server was fantastic and recognized right away when my steak wasn't cooked to order and brought me a new one. I didn't have to say anything. The new steak was delicious, tender and juicy. I also had a side salad with Caesar dressing which must be made from scratch it was so good. They made me a dirty gin martini with blue cheese olives which tasted just right. The overall feel of the restaurant is classy and cozy. I will be a repeat customer and recommend to friends and family.

Stopped in early on a Friday night because we know they get busy. With food this good and our waitress Jody's terrific service, I can understand why. Quieter, older crowd and cozy lighting make this a good spot for date night.

I visited Skip's once, before Yelp was a thing. According to the Google, Skip's has been in business since 1981. That is 43 years. I personally don't make it to that side of town often. This restaurant is in an excellent location. Just close enough to the airport and on one of the busiest roads in town. The outside of the building appears to be a house. With a long ramp up to the door and an awning over that ramp. If you're not sure you're in the right place, you probably are. We came to Skip's for a company lunch. Unlocking the doors right at 11 they let us in and we were quickly given a table. Being mid December it was chilly in the restaurant, but they had turned on the fireplace. The staff was courteous and professional. The menu is American style foods We had our orders in pretty quickly. I looked around to the mostly wood interior. Happily, it was not full of TVs like a lot of places are now a days. We had walked by a nice bar to our table but not much more. Seating is limited and the area we were in only could hold about 24 people tightly. Our 7 top put in an half order of the onion rings. Thin and crunchy. They came out hot and tasted good. A sweet undertone. Big helping! Also an order of the chicken nachos appetizer was ordered. Black beans, chicken, red chile aioli, melted cheddar & pepper jack cheese, side of sour cream & pico de gallo. This was a huge helping for us on top of the meals we were getting. One person at our table had almost all of us talked into getting the same thing. The pecan encrusted chicken salad. I got mine with the house creamy parmesan with the honey mustard on the side to dip the strips in. The salad was huge. Avocado, egg, onion, tomato, green pepper, pecan chicken strips. There was a lot and I did my best to make it though it all. All the food tasted good. Although the lunch was on the boss, the prices seemed on the higher side. But no outrageous from any other higher class restaurant. With all the staff in matching outfits. The autmosphere with a dimmer light and nice place. It not a question how this place is still in business after all this time. They are doing it right. I would recommend.

Generous portions and a varied menu. We dined there two nights in a row. Service was better on the first night. Seafood chicken, chicken piccata, and ribs all excellent. Colleague found the blackened cod entree a little too spicy. Very good experience overall.

First time here the bartender recommended the cavatelli and it was fantastic. It came with a salad and again the bartender recommended the creamy Parmesan dressing which was spectacular. Give it a try I wasn't disappointed.

i recommend ordering the onion rings and prime rib. their bread is soft and my new fave. i will be coming back since this is my new favorite italian joint. big thank you to the cooks. you're doing great if nobody's told you lately.

A coworker recommended Skip's as a great place for dinner and she was exactly correct! Skip's was hopping on a Wednesday night with a fair wait for a table. We opted to sit at the cozy, dark paneled bar. Service was a little slow, but that's to be forgiven because the bartender was covering the bar, all the drink orders, and taking phone orders! I ordered the fantastic pork shank with a mushroom demiglaze. My coworker ordered the walleye, which she said was delicious. If you're in Des Moines, definitely stop here!

My sister and I came to Des Moines and met up with family for dinner at Skip's. This place is a gem! Such a cute environment and love the history! We were a party of 8. I called the day before to see about making reservations and was told by Scott that they unfortunately do not take reservations but they would love to have us so he was making a note and call on my way into town and confirm that we are still coming and they would do their best to get us seated asap. 2 people got there about 5:30 and were seated right away and allowed to wait for the rest of us to show up. We ordered onion rings for the table and they were absolute fire!!!! So delicious. I ate way too many. My sister and I shared the blackened chicken pasta and it was so great. We added an extra side salad so we could have our own. It is basic but quality ingredients served on a chilled plate which I love. The homemade dressings were soooo good. They split our pasta in the back which I appreciate and it was delicious. Oh we also had cocktails and they were perfect and served in ice cold glasses. I had the dragon fruit cosmo and it was delightful. Our waitress was Maggie R and she was so great. Kept up with all our requests and water glasses filled and had just a great personality!

We stopped at skips a few months ago before heading to the airport, and the food we got then was just amazing. I had another flight today, so we left early so we could grab lunch here again. We ordered the chicken quesadilla, blackened Cajun chicken pasta, and the chicken de burgo. The quesadilla was very good, we would get that again. The pasta was shockingly too spicy and we love the spice, as well as way too thick. It had so much Parmesan that the cream sauce was more of a thick gravy. If you like butter, like a TON of butter then order the chicken de burgo. We had to separate the food into another dish and pat it dry with a napkin. It was in a pool of butter and it soaked into the chicken+ mushrooms so it was an explosion of butter when you take a bite. Wouldn't recommend.

Food was great. The calamari was delicious would highly recommend. I had heard a ton about the pecan crusted chicken so I had to try--amazing! Great atmosphere and service.

Omg! So delicious! Bf and I wanted to try something different and close and this hit the spot!! The outside entrance has a ramp for handicap accessibility and the restaurant is surrounded by a huge amount of parking. Right as you walk in there is a beautiful old fashion bar and there is an elegant dining area that has soft lighting. We sat at a table with a little lamp coming from the wall and then there were tables with candles. There was also a real fireplace that I'm sure will be a great benefit as the weather turns colder. The waiter was very attentive and punctual- before our glasses were half empty he was prompt and provided refills. When it came time to order we had our minds made up to order the pork shank and he was going to get the carbonara pasta. The waiter advised of us the special for that night though and we both changed our minds. We ordered shoestring onion rings for the appetizer, I don't know about you but I absolutely love shoestring onion rings!! The onion rings were so good, so light and fluffy. I will advise the Italian dressing had an overwhelming taste of vinegar as well. The garlic mashed potatoes also had an overwhelming amount of black pepper. The special was Steak De Burgo with 3 grilled shrimp, mushrooms and an amazing de burgo sauce! I would highly recommend having the special if you get a chance. This so definitely is going to be added to our date night routine for restaurants!

I finally got to the restaurant early enough to get a seat. Ambiance was friendly and warm but the noise level was unbearable. People were literally yelling at the top of their lungs to speak to each other and the server had to do the same. Menu and beer selection was very limited so I moved on. Francie's, a block away, has always been great...

Jalapeño Shrimp app: I've heard it compared to Jesses before, I would say Jesse's is better in comparison. HOWEVER, this one was good and we enjoyed it very much. Definitely would reorder next time. Mussels apps: lemon butter sauce, not my favorite mussels in town but they were good. I love a brothy, more garlicky base myself, but they were very lemony but still good. House salads: ranch was awesome, creamy parm was good. Jalapeño shrimp pasta: blackened shrimp with jalapeño cream linguini. It was tasty; pasta was cooked al dente and it's a plentiful portion. The blackened shrimp was awesome, the pasta was indeed jalapeño-flavored but lacked heat. Some crushed red peppers helped heat this dish up a little. Prime Rib: I'm a sucker for ordering prime rib anywhere it's a "special". This one was a little disappointing...honestly I feel like they boiled a piece of meat, and served it with over-salted au jus and a side of creamy horseradish. The lady at the table adjacent to me had a similar experience. It wasn't "bad" per se, but it definitely wasn't the best. Overall, we plan to return soon and try other things on the menu. The pork shank and ribeye are calling my name. Service was wonderful. What do you all enjoy at Skips? -- at SKIPS.

Early dinner at Skips. We ordered a half order of onion rings, thin sliced, flavorful breading. I ordered the Cajun pasta with blackened chicken. Chicken was tender with a creamy cajun sauce, not too spicy. Side salad was good and served with plenty of creamy parm dressing. Only thing to improve it would be to add a few tomatoes. Bread was fresh, but could've been served warm. My husband ordered the rarebit and said it was very good. He also got a side bowl of clam chowder, which was excellent. Overall a great experience and wonderful service. We will be back.

I always order the same thing, Jalapeño Shrimp w/toast. 24 years and I'm glad it's a staple on the menu. One thing that has always bothered me, it's always so dark in there. I rarely dine in.

Best bruschetta I've ever had in my life. The pasta with pecan crusted chicken was also very delicious

Attitudes. Felt off. Unfriendly. I think the food is okay, maybe even good, but it's just an uncomfortable vibe.

The food is BAD. What happened to Skip's ? Too much salt! Food preparation is abysmal. The staff attempts to provide service but....

We were so excited to eat here as we've been on the road for 9 hours traveling. Come to find out they close and lock the doors well before listed closing time of 10:00pm- needless to say that within itself is incredibly disappointing

This place is absolutely amazing. I spent so much time looking for a place to go to dinner that had a cute atmosphere but still a big menu that is somewhat affordable and this place hit all three. The pasta entrees are served with a side salad and an order of bread that came out before the meal. The martinis are also amazing (and pretty strong) which was nice.

The food was good & ambiance was fun/nice. Classier joint than I was expecting. Our waitress was really nice, especially considering I had 2 little kids with me.

This is long, my apologies. Super excited to try Skips! Lots of friends and coworkers like this place. My parents were down from Maine, and even my dad's doctor in Maine suggested this place. So, needless to say we wanted to take my parents there AND it was our son's 20th birthday. Arrived at 6pm, was told it was a 45 minute wait on a Saturday. That's not a problem for us it gave us more time to hang out. We were sat by 630pm. We get seated, server was prompt to get our drink order. She went over the specials and told us they were out of calamari. She delivered the drinks and got our appetizer order, bruschetta and spinach artichoke dip. They boys (My husband, my son and my dad) also ordered clam chowder. The server advised them that was an option as a side for their meals. She put in the appetizer order which gave us enough time to peruse the menu, everything looked very good. At this point my husband and I wondered why we've never been here. I ordered the new york strip medium rare with loaded baked potato, salad with parmesan dressing. Mom ordered the special; prime rib medium rare with loaded baked potato, parmesan dressing on the side. Son ordered seafood chicken 86 shrimp, sub extra crab with au gratin potatoes. Husband ordered blacked salmon pasta and a salad with parmesan dressing. Dad ordered (what his doctor orders) the blackened salmon with asparagus. The appetizers come out and the spinach artichoke dip was warm and creamy. The bruschetta was different then what we expected, but their spin on it was a good one, plus it was served with a dipping oil that we used on all the bread! The boys clam chowder came out and my son said it was the best he's had in a while. Our salads came out, my mom's dressing was mixed in and not on the side. No big deal they are busy, we get it. The dressing was really tasty. The server brought out my dad and husband's food, about 3 minutes later my mom and sons food. My mom's prime rib was rare, so she asked the server to have the cooks, cook it to temp. About 10 minutes later the server brought my mom's re-cooked prime rib and finally my steak. Maybe she forgot to put my order in, or just didn't want to waste a trip to the table to bring me my food. But they're busy, we get it. Mom's prime rib was just more cooked on one side and not the other, so no more cooked than it was. She ended up just eating her potato and taking the prime rib home. My dad's salmon looked like the best thing there. It was a little medium on the fatter end of the filet, but for salmon that's okay. My husbands tasted okay, looked okay too. My steak was cooked a little more rare than medium rare, but I don't mind that as much as if it were over cooked. The steak wasn't seasoned really well. The loaded baked potato was the best thing on my plate. My son liked his seafood chicken, but his au gratin potatoes looked like they were just sliced potatoes sitting in milk, and tasted like it too. His food is pictured. Asked for 4 boxes, got 2. Had to ask for 2 more, got 1, had to ask again. Check came, bill was $173.34. Not bad for 5 people. I tipped $35.00 and totaled it out at $208.00 My son who is a server told me my total wasn't right. It wasn't, I forgot to carry down the .34 We just shrugged and said, well I guess she's getting EXACTLY 20% At this point we were underwhelmed, lots of mistakes but whatever, they were busy. Maybe we will come back, the menu was interesting. But wait, there's more. Sunday afternoon my son is vomiting with diarrhea. The poor guy is laying on the bathroom floor with his pillow in such distress. Plus his bathroom is the guest bathroom too, so I was in there every half hour cleaning. At this point we think he got salmonella poisoning from undercooked chicken, since it seemed like every one else's food was undercooked, except my husbands 4oz. salmon. We were going to call Skips to tell them, but they were closed until Tuesday. Then I get sick at 3am Tuesday morning. From caring for my son. That makes it not salmonella but norovirus. Somebody (a cook) was touching food with their bare hands and serving it and NOT washing their hands or changing gloves. Makes me wonder why? Oh, and I noticed that the total that was taken out of my checking account was $208.34, not the $208.00 that I wrote on the receipt. Hmmm. Anyways, mom calls Skips on Tuesday, was told that "Shannon" is busy right now, he'll call you later. Wednesday rolls around and he calls her. She gives him the whole story and he basically said that no one else complained about being sick, and as far as the food temperature goes we accepted the food so that was on us. Also, he can't guarantee he can find our receipt to verify our concern so he'll get back to her. It's now Friday with no call back from Shannon. No compassion. Us 5 were together for 3 days before eating at Skips and we all had the same things to eat. Skips was the only place where we all got something different.

Food was amazing! Service exceptional! Stopped in for a quick stay while passing through and decided to come by! Great little hidden gym! Ambiance was fantastic !! Love it and highly recommend!

Best service and amazing food! Cheers environment. Everyone is treated like friends and family!

Amazing food! Amazing service! The walleye is a family favorite ! Always a unique dining experience !

I was in Des Moines and staying near the airport. I wanted to find a local restaurant that wasn't a chain. The hotel clerk suggested Skip's and it was a great suggestion. I went there for lunch on a Saturday. Skip's looks like a house from the outside. When our GPS said we'd arrived we looked and just saw a house. We went back and saw the sign that's placed away from the building. Just believe your GPS when it says you've arrived. Skip's is there! Look for a big white house. It a really cool place and it seemed to be a place where locals hang out. The clientele seemed a little bit upscale but not at all in a snooty way, nor is it expensive. The prices are very reasonable. I'd say anyone would feel welcome at Skip's. The service is midwest friendly and personable. Our server, Jody was awesome. She made dining there a wonderful experience. Personable, friendly, and funny. Hooray for Jody! Apparently pork tenderloin is a very well known sandwich in Iowa. I had to try it. I had no idea what to expect. Turns out it's a flattened, breaded, and deep-fried piece of pork. The oil tasted a bit stale, and the bun was just a cold, grocery store variety of white bun. I had to try it. One and done on the pork tenderloin for me, no offense to the wonderful people of Iowa. The coleslaw was meh. A bunch of mayo. I'd say skip it and try something else as your side dish. My friend had the seafood chicken. Yes, I said seafood chicken. Weird, huh? Anyway, it turns out that it's actually tasty. It's chicken and seafood covered with hollandaise sauce. My friend loved it. If you're in Des Moines, near the airport and want a nice place to dine or have a nice drink, Skip's is a great choice.

Visited NYE. Delicious dinner. Perfect ambiance. Service is excellent. I had the chicken de burgo and it was perfect. Pleasant salad to start, rich chicken breast with lovely mushrooms and a delicious baked potato to finish. This is such a great place for a casual yet romantic meal.

I read the other reviews and feel so bad for the ppl who had bad experiences. The food was delicious! I hope we don't get sick from anything. Especially me, we have to fly tomorrow. We sat down where the stairs are located. The waitress was very nice.

Perfect, for a night out with your significant other, friends or just to grab a drink! Service, wonderful. Food, delicious. Atmosphere is GREAT, love the "home" style feel.

A Des Moines favorite among well-to-do locals, Skip's is located in a house on private acreage near the airport. It has a clubby atmosphere, with the regulars at the bar and the wood paneling and fireplace in the dining room. The food is unremarkable and there's not much privacy for conversation, but the food is reliable and Skips provides a reliable experience with friendly and attentive service.

Good place. Cozy. Can be a bit noisy but the food, adult beverages and service are wonderful.

Service is slow .. food is excellent, ate there a lot couple years ago, plus parking sux

Unseasoned hamburger, dry leather hard chicken, and cavatelli so bland my 85-year-old mother didn't take her leftovers. We hadn't been to Skips in years and read online they had the best burger in Des Moines. The place was packed, as usual. We have no idea why. To say we were all disappointed in our meals was an understatement. Now we remember why we hadn't been there in years. If you're looking for a good burger check out Gateway Market or Lachelles.

The service and food were amazing. A little bit of a wait but it was totally worth it. Will be returning.

Restaurants that used to be old houses add a certain coziness to the meal but with its nice booths and table nooks and central bar, this restaurant was a standout--we enjoyed our dinner with our two little ones. The restaurant was full and loud enough that the occasional baby noise was drowned out. The blackened cod was delicious and perfectly seasoned and cooked. The spinach side was buttery and also excellently prepared. Local beer on tap and mature and friendly service. I'd recommend adding blue cheese crumbles to the blue cheese dressing, but it was homemade and tasty. A great option for keto friendly meals: Meat and low carb vegetable side dishes.

It's always packed! Really tells ya how much a business is liked! The food is delicious! The pecan crusted chicken strip on a salad DELICIOUS! Dinner for two with an adult beverage was around 60. Definitely a date night spot, but get their early!

Stopped into SKIPS on my way to take my mom to the airport but realizing we had some extra time and hadn't ate lunch. It was a great choice! Our service was great and fast - exactly what we needed to fit into her flight time schedule. Our waitress was kind and also timely. The food was great for lunch and pretty tasty! - Weird side note but I thought they had great cottage cheese which is sometimes hard to come by. My mom ordered the fish & chips, the lunch special for that day, and I had the teriyaki chicken. No complaints! What I think we both enjoyed most was the vibe of the restaurant. Skips is located in what looks to to be a house. It's slightly dark but still well lit. You can tell it's one of those oldie but goodie Des Moines restaurants. Just one of those places you should give a try - And a great option coming from or going to the airport!

The food and atmosphere is wonderful. It's a great place to eat in DesMoines. I had the chicken de burgo and it was delicious!

I've been going to Skips for 20 years, and I still think it's the best food I've ever eaten. The food is always perfect and delicious. I highly recommend the raspberry vinaigrette. If they poured me a glass of that, I would just sit and drink it. It's SO good.

Food here phenomenal! My favorite go to dish is the Bowtie Creole and I always need a to go box because their dessert selection is yummy! The staff are great! One of the best southside of Des Moines dining. Chill atmosphere

We were pleasantly surprised! This restaurant is Des Moine, Iowa is a diamond in the rough!

Had a wonderful brunch before my friend's wedding rehearsal!! We all ordered various sandwiches and soups and the portions were so big! Everything was so filling and tasty and we were really happy to stop by!

Wife and I had a great pre valentines dinner here. The atmosphere is dark and nostalgic. Nothing fancy but reminds me of an old country club restaurant from the 80's. Food was great, service was on point! Will return!

Even though I have to suffer the inadequate dining choices of the area adjacent to the airport, I haven't been to Skips before. The person I work with was on a keto diet so he can't go anywhere. I'll use that as my excuse. Skips has a decent selection of dishes rooted in Italy, America, and a couple odd ball choices like Quesadilla and Chinese Chicken. The decor is wood. Wood panels, wood molding, wood trim, wood tables. Brass at the bar. It's a timeless classic look. I had some pasta for lunch, it was good. Waitress was excellent. I'll come back and try a few more dishes. Where else am I gonna eat?

My husband and I recently went to Skips hoping for a nice evening. We were seated quickly on the" porch". There were already a few tables there. It was very Noisy. I might as well have gone to Francis's up the street. Which is a bar/ restaurant. I expect that with T.V's etc. I ordered the beef filet, my husband ordered the ribeye.. My side was sautéed spinach and garlic mashed as they were out of baked. My husband requested asparagus & another veggie. I was quite surprised to see my filet, it was very thin, not what I expected. The Ribeye was considerably fatty. Both were over cooked. My potatoes were cold. The spinach was fairly good. As for service, I didn't hold my Breathe. It was clear our waiter knew the other clientele and catered to them.We ran out of water. No one checked to see if we enjoyed our meal. So .. super not impressed. I wish the Southside could get a decent steakhouse. Maybe we will try lunch? That used to be good?

Super nice staff. Ordered take out and was on time. The food has a lot of options I got the ahi salad and was not disappointed. The vibe is 70's dance club and was very comforting.

Know your crowd. If you are a baby boomer southsider this is your place. Expect good meals and good drinks. Don't expect small plates chef inspired dinners. Go enjoy happy hour and a appetizer!