After reading the reviews and getting a raving recommendation I would have loved to give this place 5 stars however… We arrived almost 30 minutes before opening because we had heard that there is usually a line at the door when they open and if you don’t get there before they open then your wait could be an hour or two. The website states they do not accept reservations for parties of less than 6. We saw the line starting for form 10 minutes before opening. We were there first but ended up 3rd in line. Upon opening they just let people in. There was no hostess. So we seated ourselves promptly. There was already a bread basket on the table which we thought was nice, however, it was cold, like it had just come out of the fridge instead of the oven. My menu and bread plate were dirty. It took a few minutes before we were greeted by a server. She was polite. Took our drink order and swapped out the dirty plate. It looked like once the tables were full the remaining guests had to wait until someone finished and left so they could be seated but there was no “waiting list”. We weren’t there long enough to figure out how that worked out. Our food was good. Maybe I am a bit of a food snob as my brother is a chef and I am a pretty good cook myself. It just wasn’t anything exceptional. We ordered the beef stroganoff with mixed green salad, beef tenderloin with portobello mushroom cream sauce came that came with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus and I opted for the seafood bisque and a grinder sandwich with fries. The only complaint I have about the food is the beef stroganoff looked bland and needed some parsley for a pop of color and a breadstick or garlic toast would have been nice. We were also a bit confused by the “pasta blend”. The beef tenderloin was cooked perfectly. We enjoyed our food and would probably go back. This restaurant has great reviews but I just feel it falls a bit short of 5 stars. The owner was friendly and did stop by our table and ask if we enjoyed our meal, which we did. The red velvet cake offered at the end was a nice touch. It was one slice to share between the 3 of us. Overall I would recommend this restaurant.
Absolutely amazing, amazing food!! The presentation is wonderful and the taste of out of this world. The owner, Simon, is so kind and generous. He makes me want to go back not only because the food and serve is excellent but because he makes me feel like we are best buds every time i go in. Even the first time! He is always giving us a free piece of Red Velvet Cake( the best I’ve ever had by the way) The atmosphere is great and not to mention but they have amazing drinks as well. I highly recommend this place!!
Simon opens the doors right at 5 to greet his dinner guests who stand in line to get a seat. The music is playing and the atmosphere tells you that you are sharing in something special with the other guests around you. The dishes are excellent and the red velvet cake is the cherry on top. Simon makes a point to stop by the table to check in and is alsi ntentional at saying goodbye as well. A rare and wonderful experience to get.
We visited Simon's a few years ago and it was wonderful. Were in the area again and stopped by once more. It was every bit as good as we remembered. Both of us had the tenderloin and it was done just right in both cases. Salads were excellent and the sides (mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus) were perfect. There was a comped piece of delicious red velvet cake. The service was great despite them being VERY busy. They don't take reservations for anything less than 6 people, so get there 15 to 30 minutes early. The wait is well worth it. Prices are cheap considering how good this place is-we spent around $90 including drinks , so consider it slightly upscale, but worth LOTS more. The staff is first rate- this takes a friendly neighborhood tradition to a whole 'nother level. We will be back any time we are within 100 miles of Des Moines- we went somewhat out of our way to get there this time. Can't wait to travel this direction again, just to be able to eat here.
Simons never fails! If you’re looking for a spot to celebrate any occasion, with food that checks every box, this is it! (We always come here for a romantic date/anniversary) artichoke dip was bomb! The owner goes above & beyond to ensure your experience is great! He even ran out the door to catch us as we were leaving to tell us “happy anniversary!!” Amazing place!
Incredible steak and impeccable service.The owner is friendly and has a single barrel whisky that only that restaurant has.They don't accept reservations for smaller parties, so plan to wait, but it is SO Worth It!Tara was our server and Simon, the owner is very active helping behind the bar, in the kitchen, and everywhere!
Wow!! I would say I’m a bit of a foodie, I travel all over and love to eat out!! This place is amazingly small with so much flavor!! The owner was so sweet and genuine. I had the best beef stroganoff I’ve ever had. The red velvet cake was fantastic. Well worth the wait in line and five hour drive to come visit this hidden gem in Iowa!!
Been wanting to go to Simon's for a long time. Decided Marianne birthday was a good time. Had great experience! Fun drinks to choose from. We had stuffed chicken and NY strip. Great flavor and serving size. I had salad she had soup. Salad good and she loved soup. Nice piece of red velvet cake to finish the night. Staff were awesome too. Owner? checked on us several times. Simon's lived up to our high expectations!
This is the place to eat near Des Moines Iowa. Was able to get in with no wait near closing time. The Bread and butter could be upgraded, but everything else was exceptional.Simon himself cleared a table for us and sat us. After ordering the baked pasta and beef stroganoff, I was delighted to hear the pastas come with a salad or soup. I had the salad with house dressing and it was simple but very good. The seafood bisque soup was good, but could have been hotter.The beef stroganoff was the best I’ve ever had. Three different types of noodles, perfectly cooked beef, and delicious sauce. I wanted to lick the plate, no kidding.The baked pasta is great and fully customizable.Simon introduced himself to us, shook our hands, and was very pleasant. At the end of our meal, he thanked us for coming and spoke with us without being overbearing.Unfortunately due to the restaurant being nearly closed, we were unable to experience the free slice of red velvet cake.But there is more. We returned the following day to discover a line out the door with an hour wait. Unfortunately we could not wait an hour but Simon remembered us from the night prior, seemed genuinely delighted to see us, struck up a conversation and suggested other options to eat since we decided we couldn’t wait.SIMON THEN DID AN INCREDIBLE ACT, he brought us out a piece of red velvet cake after discovering we were unable to get any the last visit.Unreal service and respect by the owner and staff. Unreal food.Rating: 5.0 out of 5.
If you're looking for delicious and amazing food this is the place! Everything was so good it'll leave you speechless. Great atmosphere and the most excellent service you'll receive.