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Alba Restaurant, Des Moines, IA
Alba Restaurant, Des Moines, IA
Alba Restaurant, Des Moines, IA
Alba Restaurant, Des Moines, IA
Alba Restaurant, Des Moines, IA

Alba Restaurant

4.7
4.7
343 Reviews
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
Top Tags:
Alba offers a creative culinary twist on traditional American cuisine. Dishes are prepared using fresh seasonal ingredients, the finest cuts of meat, and the freshest fruits, vegetables and herbs. Our menu changes often, we invited you to join us to discover a new favorite.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 23 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Farm-to-table, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (515) 244-0261
  • Website
    http://albadsm.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Jason Simon
  • Location
    524 East Sixth Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
  • Neighborhood
    Des Moines
  • Cross street
    Des Moines St
  • Parking details
    Parking Recommendations -Along the east and west sides of E. 6th St. (parking meters are free after 6 p.m. and all-day Saturday/Sunday) -Along the street on Des Moines St. east and west of the restaurant -Free Parking at the Capitol parking garage on Des Moines St., one block east of the Restaurant -Free Parking on E. 5th, north of Des Moines St.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • New Years Eve

    Dec 31, 2023 only
    Thank you for booking with us to ring in the New Year. This year we will be featuring a three course pre-fixed menu ranging in price from $80-$100. This includes a hot & cold selection a large plate and a dessert. There will be a $25 split plate charge for anyone wanting that. We will have some for the table starters to select from if desired. If you have any questions please call us at 515-244-0261

What 343 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Iowa

    Best Food

  • Iowa

    Good for business meals

  • Iowa

    Innovative

  • Iowa

    Healthy

  • Iowa

    Neighborhood gem

  • Iowa

    Romantic

  • Iowa

    Good for special occasions

  • Des Moines

    Best Overall

  • Des Moines

    Best Food

  • Des Moines

    Best Service

  • Des Moines

    Best Value

  • Des Moines

    Good for business meals

  • Des Moines

    Innovative

  • Des Moines

    Healthy

  • Des Moines

    Hot spot

  • Des Moines

    Neighborhood gem

  • Des Moines

    Great for fine wines

  • Des Moines

    Romantic

  • Des Moines

    Good for special occasions

  • Des Moines

    Lively

343 Reviews

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Des Moines

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The food lacked seasoning. It was good, but a little bland.

    Is this helpful?

  2. FabianaM

    Anchorage

    30 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    30 reviews

    Dined on November 27, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    I came here during happy hour (4-6pm) during the week. Their menu had so many things that I wanted to try so I took advantage of its happy hour prices and ordered 3 appetizers. Their appetizers were the perfect size and made the perfect meal, plus 2 of them were off the happy hour menu and were $6 each. I ordered deviled eggs with beet tartar, brioche crumble, and onion cracker first. Then their Roasted Brussels sprouts with ricotta, turmeric aioli, and calabrian chili vinaigrette. I ended with a Roasted Delicata squash & burrata with spinach, arugula, pickled beets, toasted pepitas, blistered grapes. I ordered and aperol spritz and a Lambrusco to go with the meal. Service was delightful, they were cordial and waited for me to finish each plate prior to bringing me the best. My only critique was the ambiance. It was very dark in there, but these are just minor details compared to how amazing the food tasted.

    Is this helpful?

  3. ProfPD

    Tallahassee

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everyone in our party ordered steaks. We shared a side of roasted vegetables and truffle fries. Truffle fries are a family favorite and they did not disappoint this evening. Wine and service were excellent!

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  4. ScottS

    Hawaii

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Had a drink and appetizer in the bar before dinner. The ambiance was nice and the sprouts were very good. Moved to the dining room for dinner and the atmosphere was calm and classy. We are vegetarians so ordered truffle fries, salads and soups. The butternut squash soup was very good, the garlic soup although served in a cast iron pan was cold and bland. The salads were average and the delecata squash was under cooked if cooked at all.

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  5. KatieW

    Des Moines

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent as always, our server Nick was very attentive

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  6. ChrisM

    Dallas

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Absolute must stop if you are close to Des Moines. Food was fantastic. Ashley provided friendly and spot on service. Bar drinks were perfectly balanced. Could not ask for a better dinner out

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  7. Traveler

    Greater Boston

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on November 17, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Alba is consistently excellent. It is one of Des Moines’ best.

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food and service! Definitely one of the best restaurants in Des Moines!

    Is this helpful?

  9. DarylS

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 13, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was amazing. We loved the appetizers, the main courses, and the desserts. Our service also was outstanding. We were a party of five on a work outing, and it was difficult to hear each other at times. Also, we switched our reservation from four people to five people several days in advance. But the restaurant put us at a table for four and no table for five was available, so we had to squeeze in. This is a hard call as to whether we will be back--the food was oh-so-delicious and the service was excellent. But the noise level and problem with our reservation both make this a hit-or-miss place for a work dinner.

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  10. LynJudd

    Des Moines

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 28, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A group of five bookclub friends share four birthdays in the same month. We treated ourselves to ALBA and were not disappointed. Amazing food and service. We had the Sweater Weather seasonal cocktail, beet salad, butternut squash soup, ALBA greens, roasted chicken, pan seared scallops, and the NY Strip stroganoff, with apple crisp and Cherry Clafoutis for dessert. They also have cappuccino! Again, the service was perfect as well. We could not rave enough!

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  11. Mcb1978

    Coastal Georgia

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 22, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Friendly service, good food. Just what we were looking for!

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  12. rays58

    Denver

    71 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    71 reviews

    Dined on October 18, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We’re from CO visiting our son and gave Alba a try. We really, really, really liked it. We had fritters, Brussel sprouts, Gnocci, scallops and duck lasagna. We all loved our dinner; we were all happy. Drinks were nice, too. When we return to Des Moines, we’ll be back.

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    Phoenix

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was excellent! Our server was wonderful and helpful with suggestions about menu options. There was a nice variety of entrees and all four of us tried something different, and all tasted fantastic. Great wine selection also.

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  14. ThomasM

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another beautiful evening with amazing food at Alba

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  15. EateryQueen

    New York Area

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on September 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food, service and ambiance. Great burgers, as well as lots of healthy choices. The mojito mocktail was also delicious!

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  16. AllysonM

    Des Moines

    58 reviews

    5.0

    58 reviews

    Dined on September 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The evening at Alba was fabulous! We ate at the Chef's Counter facing the open air kitchen. Chefs even asked how we were doing and how we liked our meals. The deviled egg appetizer is unique & tasty w/a beautiful presentation. I love the Stroganoff; thrilled it's still on the menu. Ben was attentive & charming. I'd easily request him again. THX for a wonderful evening;D

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  17. dalebenfield

    New York Area

    25 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on September 22, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Mixed review: drinks were top notch. The steak wasn’t allowed to rest so for some it cools have been off putting, and the flavor was probably a 7/10… the big downside was the duck fat potato dish because it clearly was not cooked in duck fat as described. As one of my favorite flavors, it was quite noticeably absent, so I was disappointed. Also, the inner potatoes were cooked through nicely, but along the outside of the dish they were quite underdone. If you’ve ever had an undercooked potato, you know what i mean.

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  18. Kirby

    New York Area

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 15, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was fabulous! Stroganoff, potato dish, and tomato salad!

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  19. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The food at Alba was delicious! The small plates are good size to share, and the main courses are not big enough that you can’t have room for dessert. The desserts are great! Good options and taste. I loved it.

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  20. MaryJ

    Minneapolis

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service food is so delicious ,love the Gnocchi.I have been coming to this restaurant for many years always wonderful.

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  21. OpenTable Diner

    Des Moines

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our Server was great and the food was excellent!

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  22. MaureenM

    Orlando

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on September 5, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service, excellent food, excellent ambiance, creative cocktails. Our server steered us in the right direction with excellent food and wine recommendations! We don’t live in DSM but we are in town once a year and always come to Alba!

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  23. DaWino

    Des Moines

    10 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on September 2, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Great food and exceptional service. Only complaint is that the tables are quite close together. Felt like I was closer to a stranger sitting next to me than my wife sitting across from me.

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  24. JennyV

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful experience - the deviled eggs were a highlight and the roasted chicken melted in your mouth it was so tender. My only dislike was the leek risotto with my roasted chicken - I did not like the risotto texture and it was watery - I think polenta would have been better or even grits. The desserts we had were divine!!

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  25. AdrianW

    Des Moines

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful atmosphere, delicious food. Drinks amazing.

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  26. DaveS

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 28, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Excellent food. Duck is outstanding. Great salad. Cocktails are tasty as is the wine

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  27. OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 28, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was a fun experience. Nice dark atmosphere for a date. The food wasn't as memorable as the venue, but not at all bad.

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    Minneapolis

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 25, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Went there for our five year anniversary dinner. Didn’t realize it was restaurant week so they only had the pre-fix dinner options. But we did it and absolutely were blown out of the water! I had the gnocchi and would recommend it to anyone it was life changing! And they even gave us each a free glass of champagne for it being our anniversary. Very sweet touch!

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  29. RachelleL

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 23, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Until this visit Alba was in my top 3 for DM’s fine dining experiences. Last night was my daughters 23rd bday! Her golden bday & her first time there so we expected service like we had in the past. I was told upon reservations her grandma could bring her her traditional cake she looks forward to but then we were told we couldn’t. So we had to tailgate and have cake after dinner. The waitress over all was abrasive, not friendly & honestly it left such a bad taste in our mouth we won’t be back. I had just recommended Alba to our pastor for a wedding anniversary but it will no longer be a place I suggest because especially for special occasions you want to be treated exceptional.

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  30. EatWell

    Des Moines

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Restaurant Week menu - food and service were outstanding!

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  31. CarolV

    Las Vegas

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on August 11, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Fresh food and attentive service. Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the dishes on the menu. The food was made fresh on site, so adaptations were able to be made. We really enjoyed our dinner.

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  32. TimH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 10, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    everything was excellent! will be going back. all the staff was friendly.

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  33. OpenTable Diner

    Yorkshire

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 4, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Food is fantastic, innovative, fresh with perfect portions. Service was incredible, but noise level distracting if you are trying to have conversation or relax after a long day

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  34. ValerieS

    Dallas

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on August 3, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Alba was absolutely fantastic! The food was tasty, fresh, and served in great time. Everything we tried was delicious and we loved the creativity of the dishes, use of flavors, and the seasonal menu is perfect! The service was amazing and everyone was incredibly kind. We will definitely return!

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  35. Julie

    Sacramento

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on July 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We got there at 9:30pm after a show and were the only people in the restaurant. We had outstanding service and fantastic food/drinks and did not feel rushed. The beef stroganoff was excellent!

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  36. JeremyS

    Denver

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 17, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff were very friendly and punctual. It was an excellent time experience and we will be back for sure! Every item we had was fantastic as well!!

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  37. JMKL

    Des Moines

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 14, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Highly recommend!!! Food is fantastic and Jake, our server, is very knowledgeable!!!

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  38. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was outstanding! Because of my hearing disability, I was glad our reservation was early in the evening. As the restaurant began to fill up, it became increasingly difficult to hear our conversation. We will definitely return! Thanks for a wonderful experience!

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  39. Gratefuldiner

    Minneapolis

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on March 2, 2018

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was extraordinary. Excellent service. We‘ve dined there several times and will go again and again!

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  40. TaehH

    Milwaukee

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 18, 2018

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Absolutely delightful! Best meal I've ever had and wonderful price!

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FAQs

Alba Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (515) 244-0261.

Alba Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 343 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 23 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Alba Restaurant

524 East Sixth Street, Des Moines, IA 50309

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Des Moines St
  • Neighborhood
    Des Moines
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Farm-to-table, Steak
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Parking Recommendations -Along the east and west sides of E. 6th St. (parking meters are free after 6 p.m. and all-day Saturday/Sunday) -Along the street on Des Moines St. east and west of the restaurant -Free Parking at the Capitol parking garage on Des Moines St., one block east of the Restaurant -Free Parking on E. 5th, north of Des Moines St.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Jason Simon
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Farm to Table, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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