Your Picks

Cosi Cucina offers better than excellent service and outstanding quality. The food is totally original and the people are soooo nice!!! The staff really went the "extra mile" for me and my picky appetite, which was well appreciated. Going to Cosi Cucina for my fiance and I's anniversary was the best decision I could have made! It has an incredibly romantic atmosphere and the wine list was amazing!!!!! I would recommend Cosi Cucina to anyone looking for a superior, top of the line meal and a great time...

s.m.s- Des Moines

Now or Later Restaurant & Lounge
3750 East University Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50317

Restaurant was opened in 1995 by a born and raised east side young man. In
the 5 years that he has been open he has went from Pizzas to now offering
Lobster. He took an old abandoned gas station and turned it into an east
side favorite. The portions are large and his Chicken Noodle Soup on
Tuesdays is fabulous.

Urbandale Cafe
8673 Douglas Avenue
Urbandale, IA 50322

This cafe has to be the best find for the lunch time crowd. It has low
prices, huge portions and great service. The hot roast beef is the best.
You need to make it before 1:45 because the grill will be closed! If you
want breakfast at lunch time forget about Perkins or Bakers Square this is
the place to be.

Monterrey Restaurant Mexicano
8801 University Avenue
Clive, IA 50325

THE BEST CHIPS AND SALSA IN TOWN BAR NONE! The prices here are so low you
can feed your entire family for under 20 bucks. The taco meat is a little
greasy but they use the freshest cheese around. The wait staff is on the
money in ever aspect. Your chips come before you even get your coat off and
drinks are soon to follow. If you only have a 30 minute lunch you will be
able to eat at Monterrey's. Expect a wait to be seated if you arrive
between 11:50 and 12:30pm.

Jacob and Hunters
1509 South Ankeny Blvd
Ankeny, IA 50021

The out of the way restaurant in Ankeny if very surprising. They have cloth
table cloths and excellent help. The prime rib melts in your mouth. NO
NEED FOR A KNIFE HERE. They tend to over cook the steaks but the prime rib
is made perfect. If you order anything Cajun make sure that your are
prepared. I would recommend that you order it with light Cajun if at all.
One thing I found great was each salad is made to order. You pick the
toppings so you no longer are placing items you don't like on the side of
your dish.

AK O'Connor's
3530 Westown Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50265

If you like Variety of food you need to come here. Normally I don't like
Mexican from any kind of restaurant but a Mexican restaurant but this is
good. You need to catch the right cook on the right day though. The salsa
one day can be hot enough to set your mouth on fire and the next day can be
a bunch of chopped up tomatoes. The meat they do use in the salad is what
makes it hot so make sure to try the salad before you put the salsa on it.
My cousin loves the meal called the Rapper. It is similar to a taco salad
in a fried tortilla wrap. The restaurant can be very smoky if you are not a
smoking fan.

Noodles Pasta & Sandwich Shop
2924 SW 9th Street
283-1218

Great place for Italian. The sauce tastes so much like a former south-side italian restaurant--Papa Joes. But then, I suppose it might. The owners are related--cousins, I think. Anyway the sauce is one of the two best in town. Old-fashioned pasta sauce. Order various pastas with meat sauce, sausage or meatballs. You can order it straight to the plate (as I call it) or baked (with melted mozzerella on it).

The serving size and price are just right. Served with garlic bread and salad. These aren't anything to write home about but the pasta and sauce sure are worth it! The atmosphere isn't romantic, but it is clean. And the food sure is good.

Other family members like the italian sausage sandwich (one, two or three patties served on vienna bread) and the french dip.

Noodles also serves, cheesburgers, tenderloin, fries, onion rings, and great pizza.

The best thing (besides the pasta sauce) is that I can call in to order a carry-out order and I am usually told it will be ready in 15 minutes. (excluding weekends--even still, a half hour at the most.) They are quick, good and affordable. It's even easy to get there, have lunch and get back to work (dwntown) in an hour.

Laos Restaurant
418 E. 5th Street
near the Capitol Complex
284-7049

Very good food. You can eat a filling lunch for under $5. Generous entree, egg roll, soup and rice. My office-mates and I eat here a lot. The dining room is relatively small but they do carry-out, too. The service has always been attentive.

The Drake Diner
It is a very nice restaurant if you like the quiet and if you prefer young service.
Go here if you have some extra time because sometimes it takes them a little
longer to get your food.

Baker's Square
Busy during lunch and dinner time, but very fast service.
The menu is good and the pies are great.

TGI Friday's
Very energetic and fast. Service and food is the best I had in Des Moines.
Don't go here if you want to have a romantic dinner. It just won't happen.

Outback
The best steaks and also good cheese fries. Sometimes there is a long
wait before you get your table but it is worth it! They also have a bar.

Ryan's
My favorite. You can try a little (or a lot) of everything for the price
of one and the famous cinnamon rolls are complimentary. Friday night is all
you can eat stake night and go before 7 so you don't have to wait in line.

Dijana K.
Des Moines

Bistro 43: a little pricey, but by far the most
EXQUISITE place to dine in Des Moines. First class
service and food!

Big Daddy's: First class BBQ and when Big Daddy is
hangin' out, you've got a comedy routine to boot!
Watch out for the Code Blue Sauce-it will knock you
out!

Olympic Torch-if you love Greek food, this IS the place to go!
Set in a setting with a lot of character, you quickly realize
you partaking in AUTHENTIC greek food!

Chicago Speak Easy-a great variety of food, cozy
atmosphere, and a salad bar for days! The lunch menu
is especially attractive at great prices!

Palmers Deli-great deli style sandwiches, EXCELLENT
salads, two convenient locations, a bit more than you
would expect to pay for a deli style meal, but well
worth the treat!

Thanks for this opportunity. Great website!
Aaron and Jane M.

Fratello's on Eighth:
This restaurant just seems like it
doesn't know what atmosphere it wants to be. When you first
enter you get a glimpse of the bar and when I was there it
was a pretty hoping bar. Then, once you are seated in the
restaurant area there seems to be a clash between quiet and
romantic atmosphere and a "hip and happening" atmosphere.
The food portions are very limited to what you receive,
while the food is alright, the price of it was way too tasty for me.

Christopher's:
This restaurant is one of my favorites.
The atmosphere is inviting when you first walk in. However,
once you are seated you can have a small and quiet and
romantic meal with your significant other, or you and your
friends can enjoy some chatter and laughter. The service is
good and the food is incredible. While the prices are a bit
high, you get what you pay for in quality and portions.

Buzzard Billy's:
This restaurant is quite unique with the
different wall hangings inside and the type of food that
they offer, alligator, yum......However, if you are
somewhat of a conservative type, there is still something
for you on the menu. While the atmosphere of crappy beer
night is quite fun, the huge mozzarella sticks are to die for.

Ryan's Steak house:
I have had many different experiences
at this restaurant. The first time I went, the service was
traditional, the food was very good, and the fact that it is
a buffet allows you to get whatever you so desire. However,
on other occasions it has been difficult to find a waitress
to fill your glass or get some new plates. The only other
problem with this restaurant is that it seems to be a
favorite place of dinners after church on Sundays,
therefore, the line will be all the way back to the door,
and once you get seated, you may not be hungry anymore.

Felix and Oscar's:
Pizza to die for. There incredible Chicago style pizza is the best in
town, in my opinion. While the wait is quite substantial and the
crowded restaurant area can be quite annoying when the place is
full, the quality of the food makes up for it.

Tumea & Sons
E. 1st Street, Des Moines (near Sec Taylor)

The BEST pasta in town! Personally, I like the Cavateli with meat sauce. The homemade rolls are wonderful. They have the very best creamy caesar salad dressing. I love to order extra dressing to dip my rolls in.

The lunch specials are a great deal for the price. Actually, lunch and dinner menu prices are very decent.

The owners are wonderful people. Especially, Joe. He caters to my grand-daughter whenever we dine there. He's great with kids.