Heading to West Des Moines in early March for a girls weekend getaway/bridal shower weekend. Looking for the best chips/salsa/queso in town. Suggestions?? Please don%26#39;t mention Carlos O%26#39;Kelly%26#39;s, Chi Chi%26#39;s or On the Border...we are looking for some local place. Thanks!
West Des Moines - Mexican Restaurants
a good local place is El Rodeo, their WDM location is on University, just west of I-35/I-80, head towards the Cracker Barrel and you will run into it.
West Des Moines - Mexican Restaurants
I%26#39;ve been to the El Rodeo on Hickman, and I do not like it. It is so, so bland to me. I LOVE authentic mexican food, and the food there just seems like americanized fake mexican (although ALL the employees are hispanic...it%26#39;s quite strange). Maybe the other one is better. It%26#39;s the only non-chain mexican place I could think of in DSM and that%26#39;s why I didn%26#39;t respond to this earlier...I just don%26#39;t like it.
i think Des Moines has some good american restaurants, but I%26#39;ve felt it lacks on specialized, foreign, and local type of restaurants like you%26#39;re asking for. They have all the good chains, but little else from what I%26#39;ve found over the years. I think maybe there just isn%26#39;t a large non-white population in DSM so therefore there just aren%26#39;t many chinese, japanese, mexican, greek, etc restaurants???
Try Monterrey on University %26amp; 88th st. It is tucked away in a strip mall just west of ToysRUs. More authentic than chains. My wife%26#39;s spanish language professor took the class there at the end of a semester. The professor was Cuban and said she thought this was the most authentic restaurant.
I have also heard good things about Garcia%26#39;s on 8th St in West Des Moines about two block south of I235., but I have not gotten there yet so I cannot vouch for the food.
Actually Des Moines has quite a few ethnic restaurants now- Thai, Japanese, Salvadoran, African- you can eat very well and reasonably without going to a chain.
Another great place is Aguila Real- there are a couple in town. One is in the Beaverdale neighborhood, but we like the one on Grand Avenue in West Des Moines the best...much friendlier service. Try the Mole%26#39; Ranchero chicken- just awesome.
Best Mexican in town? Hands down, Los Lorealis on East Grand (right off the freeway from West Des Moines). Every other restaurant mentioned previously are completely non-Mexican. You might be challanged with a language problem with the server, although the salsa makes up for it. Nothing fancy, although I%26#39;ve impressed people from all over the country.
No singles scene. Whatsoever.
I second the recommendation of Los Laureles on East Grand. The food is amazing - AND authentic. I%26#39;ve always felt welcome and the staff is very happy to explain the menu. It has always been a wonderful experience. I haven%26#39;t been in there since the remodeling began, so I can%26#39;t say what the decor is now. It was a ';grocery store'; feel before. But that can be overlooked by the outstanding food!
Enjoy!
How is it that Los Loreales is on East Grand just off West Des Moines? My map doesn%26#39;t jibe with that. Do you have a more exact location for it???
Los Laureles isn%26#39;t anywhere near West Des Moines- it%26#39;s on the east side of town, a good 10-15 minutes on the freeway... I believe the poster meant it%26#39;s not far from the exit on I-235, which runs thru town and you can get on it easily from WDM.... It is great food, but if you%26#39;re looking to be near your hotel, (esp. after a couple margaritas), it%26#39;s not your best bet.
kstravelmom
I personally like Los Tres Amigos, it%26#39;s very good, inexpensive and the margaritas are killers! It is out in Waukee down hickman road. I would give that place a try, it is easy to get too also.
A conveniently located,reasonably priced, tasty place with a loyal following is Mi Mexico. Take the University Ave. exit east from I 80/I 35 in West Des Moines. Turn left at the McDonald%26#39;s/KFC and make another left at Baker%26#39;s Square. Mi Mexico will be right next to it.
While it%26#39;s nestled in among a lot of so-so chain and fast food restaurants, don%26#39;t be scared off. Mi Mexico is a family owned, local place. The owners and wait staff are very personable, hard working and accommodating. The chips are nothing extraordinary, but the salsa, bean dip and margaritas are quite good. Besides the usual Tex Mex, Americanized favorites (e.g. tacos, fajitas, etc.) you will always find authentic specialities (e.g. pollo en pipian).
Enjoy your trip and have safe travels!
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