Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Des Moines

OpenTable

Updated October 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Des Moines? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar

4.9

4.9 (315)

$30 and under

American

Des Moines

About the restaurant

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar serves comfort food with local flair in a historic building on Main Street in Grinnell, Iowa. Prairie Canary was opened in September 2012 and is currently owned by Chef, Paul Durr. Located in the city of Grinnell, also known as “The Jewel of the Prairie” and home to Grinnell College, Prairie Canary provides a gathering place where guests can enjoy Midwestern flavors in an inviting, understated atmosphere that speaks to the colors and textures of the Iowa prairie.
Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar is all about being local. From the name of the restaurant to the dishes on which the food is served, effort was taken to showcase local talent and area producers. Enjoy your meal on hand-thrown plates and bowls. Sit at hand-made hickory tables. Savor farm-fresh produce grown just miles away. Sip on an Iowa wine or pint of beer. We look forward to seeing you!

Top review

Vicki

Dined 1 day ago

Always a great dining experience. Molly waited our table and she never made us feel like she was in a hurry, but also checked on us as needed.

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Popular dish

Iowa Chop

Alba Restaurant

4.8

4.8 (400)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

Des Moines

About the restaurant

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.

Top review

Samvip

Dined 2 days ago

Great to place to go to. Everything was very good!

Aura Restaurant & Lounge

4.8

4.8 (203)

$31 to $50

American

Urbandale

About the restaurant

Lively & flavorful tapas along with vibrant cocktails offer a unique shared experience that challenges the traditional. At Aura, it's good vibes only! Our invigorating environment is the perfect place to gather friends & family.

Top review

Davevip

Dined on Sep 30, 2024

Excellent service and excellent food and presentation! Keep up the great work!

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Experience

Adobe Road Mobile Winery

4.7

4.7 (527)

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Des Moines

About the restaurant

Eatery A is Des Moines's destination for Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. Perfecting simple dishes that focus on local, quality ingredients, we strive to offer our guests exotic flavor profiles that let the ingredients take center stage.

Top review

Steve

Dined 3 days ago

Good food, great value, good service. Will def come back when I return to Des Moines.

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4.7

4.7 (124)

$30 and under

American

West Des Moines

About the restaurant

Cooper’s on 5th is a great place for Lunch & Dinner. We have had the pleasure of being West Des Moines’ first Craft Cocktail Bar. Join us for our amazing food menu & award-winning cocktail program. Classic & Reimagined Americana comfort food paired with one of Des Moines’ original & highly awarded craft cocktail programs. Great beer, wine, and martinis.

Top review

Ericvip

Dined 3 days ago

The best place ever. The team is amazing! My wife and I go at least once a week!

HoQ

4.7

4.7 (345)

$31 to $50

Farm-to-table

Downtown Des Moines

About the restaurant

Welcome to Hoq Restaurant! Experience delicious, sustainable farm-to-table dining in the historic East Village of Des Moines.

Top review

Betsy

Dined on Sep 27, 2024

We have been wanting to try HOQ and we are so glad we did! It was a wonderful dining experience overall with great service and amazing food! We will be going back!

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Experience

HoQ 12-Year Anniversary

Bravo Italian Kitchen - Jordan Creek

4.6

4.6 (841)

$30 and under

Italian

West Des Moines

About the restaurant

Bravo Jordan Creek is an upscale-casual Italian restaurant in West Des Moines, perfect for those seeking authentic pasta, wood-fired pizza, and signature entrées. Enjoy handcrafted cocktails and wine in our inviting, family-friendly atmosphere, surrounded by stunning Roman-ruin décor. Planning a holiday party or Thanksgiving celebration? We offer catering services and easy reservations to make your event special. Whether dining in or ordering online, Bravo Jordan Creek is the place to eat in West Des Moines, IA for great Italian cuisine. Visit us today-reserve your table or order online!

Top review

William

Dined 7 days ago

The food and service was excellent. Their AC was broken so hot inside.

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Popular dish

Lasagne

The Latin King

4.5

4.5 (197)

$30 and under

Italian

Des Moines

About the restaurant

The Latin King restaurant was founded in 1947 by Rose and Jim Pigneri, who immigrated from Terravecchia, Italy to Des Moines. Rose and Jim wanted to bring authentic Italian fare to Des Moines and began this undertaking in earnest upon selling their home to finance the Latin King restaurant lease, which had previously operated as the Cinderella Sandwich Shop (circa 1930) and the Chanticleer Restaurant (circa 1937). Pigneri named the Latin King after New York City’s Latin Quarter and operated the Latin King for 35 years, notably taking only 10 days of vacation time during his tenure. Pigneri sold the Latin King to his third cousin Bob Tursi in 1983.

Top review

Dwight

Dined 2 days ago

Couldn't eat it all, portions great. Okay, with me, lunch tomorrow. Yummm!!!

Roots95

4.5

4.5 (25)

$30 and under

American

Johnston

About the restaurant

Welcome to ROOTS 95 Craft Kitchen and bar! Mora is taking the "Craft" part of the name very seriously. As it suggests, craft food emphasizes handcrafted, chef-driven food (versus cookie-cutter menus you see everywhere), made from fresh, thoughtfully sourced ingredients, often with globally inspired flavors.

In addition to the entrees, you will find globally inspired pastas, handhelds, small plates & flatbreads.

Top review

Neil

Dined on Sep 14, 2024

Food was very good. Service was good as well. Would highly recommend.

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Experience

Happy Hour

Experience

Ladies' Night every Thursday

Experience

Wine Down Wednesday

Louie's Wine Dive - Des Moines

4.3

4.3 (848)

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Des Moines

About the restaurant

Louie’s Wine Dive serves lunch, happy hour and dinner daily and brunch on weekends. Award-winning food is created from local ingredients under the eye of formally trained chefs. Louie’s wine list and featured wineboard offer hard to find, quality focused selections. Louie’s offers a craft cocktail and local beer menu. Louie’s Wine Dive features a warm, casually elegant atmosphere. It's the place for food and wine lovers to be social!

Top review

Andrea

Dined on Sep 27, 2024

Our waitress was very attentive and pleasant, I ordered the 4 pork gnocchi it was decent the guacamole was excellent a few more chips could be added loved the nice amount of the guacamole. My friend ordered the shrimp tacos she didn't care for the sauce but she said the spicy chicken sandwich with fries was delicious. I would like to see a few more assorted non alcoholic beverages. It's a nice place to go.

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