American restaurants in Des Moines
16 american places in Des Moines we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Des Moines · American across every city.
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Aposto
- ★ 4.5
- Modern American
- $$$
- Downtown
Award-winning restaurateur Tony Lemmo's Aposto occupies a historic 1880 Victorian mansion on 18th Street, with herbs grown on site feeding the kitchen.
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Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company
- ★ 3.9
- $$
- Downtown
The original Des Moines craft brewery since 1996, serving reliable American food and a small-batch experimental programme alongside the house ales.
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Smitty's Tenderloin Shop
- ★ 4.5
- $
- South Side
The Godfather of Des Moines tenderloin joints.
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Drake Diner
- ★ 3.9
- $
- Drake Neighbourhood
An all-day diner with genuine character: eggs, burgers and daily specials at prices that undercut every nearby restaurant by a meaningful margin.
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Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company
- ★ 3.9
- $$
- Downtown
Des Moines' first microbrewery, anchoring the Court Avenue bar district since 1996.
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El Bait Shop
- ★ 4.0
- $
- Downtown
A downtown Des Moines institution with a claim to over 260 American craft beers on tap and more than 75 in bottles, billed as the largest craft beer
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Aposto
- ★ 4.5
- Modern American
- $$$
- Downtown
Award-winning restaurateur Tony Lemmo's restaurant occupies a meticulously restored 1880 Victorian mansion with herbs grown in an on-site garden feeding
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Smitty's Tenderloin Shop
- ★ 4.5
- $
- South Side
Order Hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich
The most famous tenderloin shop in Iowa.
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Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe
- ★ 4.2
- $
Order Loose-meat sandwich (loose ground beef in a soft bun)
The original Des Moines-adjacent Maid-Rite, best visited via day trip to Ames, serves the loose-meat sandwich that is a uniquely Iowa street food
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Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
- ★ 4.2
- $$
- East Village
The horror-themed East Village burger bar operates until 23:00 on weekends, making it the best full burger stop at the later end of the evening.
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Smitty's Tenderloin Shop
- ★ 4.5
- $
- South Side
The most famous cheap eat in Iowa: a hand-breaded, flat-griddled Iowa pork tenderloin that dwarfs the bun.
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Drake Diner
- ★ 4.0
- $
- Drake Neighbourhood
An all-day diner feeding Drake University students on generous plates of eggs, burgers and daily specials at prices that undercut every nearby restaurant.
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Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
- ★ 4.2
- $$
- East Village
Horror-themed East Village burger bar with creatively named combinations, thick Angus patties and a milkshake programme worth the visit in its own right.
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Mullets
- ★ 4.4
- $$
- Beaverdale
One of Des Moines' most-loved brunch destinations, known for its Bloody Mary bar with more than a dozen house-made builds, generously plated Eggs Benedict
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The Breakfast Club
- ★ 4.1
- $
- East Village
Open seven days a week from 06:00, The Breakfast Club in the East Village is the most reliable all-morning option in the city's densest dining
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Drake Diner
- ★ 4.0
- $
- Drake Neighbourhood
The Drake Diner opens at 07:00 and serves breakfast all day, making it the most accessible brunch option in the Drake University neighbourhood.