Lachele's Fine Foods + The Fitz — Restaurant in Des Moines

Edit: I have, once again, edited this review. I did not review this location, this review is for their other restaurant. They must've done something to consolidate the reviews. The food is good. But this kind of game with the message I provided is not. Restore the original Google maps page and put my review on the correct restaurant. I'm a huge Lachele's fan. You have BOTCHED the execution of the new restaurant.

I have been a long-time fan of the original location for this restaurant. I find that they wield flavor elegantly and often with a delicious simplicity. I particularly enjoy sitting up at the bar and watching the orders roll through. The Lachele's team operates like clockwork to pass items through to you. The food has flavor woven through it and always fulfills the degenerate food demon within me.

I've visited this location multiple times now, and it fits my expectations. I particularly enjoyed The Big Food, which is in the new steamed burgers category. This isn't the regular smashburger I've come to expect, but rather, it is thicker and seasoned and packed full of soft cooked onions.

I originally had a more negative review posted. I am including the contents of it below for transparency. I truly believe that it has been addressed, and I absolutely trust the restaurant when they say so. I know this place has a high standard of quality and the review was a reflection of that.

I was a little too direct in my original message. I want to express an apology for calling the specific person out; I believe in a blameless culture and team focus and this was not the way to handle this. I should've gone directly to the restaurant about this but I am not very confrontational sometimes.

The following text is the remaining portion of the original review:

I'm alarmed by what I just witnessed

The cook in charge of the final assembly station was asked to set a 15-minute timer for some meat that had gone into the oven. They used their gloved hand to interact with their phone and went back to work immediately. Not two minutes later, they had the phone back out of their pocket again. I can't imagine a worse item to touch when handling food. They did not change gloves at all during this time.

I like the new menu additions, but I can't help but wonder if there's a lack of care being given here. I am hesitant to return now after...

I can't overstate how much I adore this restaurant! I've been a long-time fan of the original Lachele's on Ingersoll and as a resident of the North Side I've been eagerly awaiting the Highland Park opening! In the couple weeks they've been open, I've gone in I think 6 times already? Hosting several out of town/state visitors this month and obviously had to bring them all here!

I LOVE the Uncle Denny (god-tier sauce situation) and it's my go-to, but I've been trying as many items as I can and let me just say the brined chicken is absolutely the best chicken sandwich I've ever tasted – Chick-fil-a could LITERALLY NEVER. The root beer floats are to die for as well because they carry the best cane sugar root beer, cream soda, etc.

I cannot wait to try the rest of the new menu and the Fitz is such a wonderful addition/expansion to their already great vibe! With a great dad beer happy hour and cocktail menu full of classics (with NA options!), all with fun Lachele's takes, you truly can't go wrong. Cheers to Cory and his team for bringing this amazing restaurant/bar to the North Side, Lachele's is EXACTLY what our neighborhood needed and we look forward to being your regulars!!!!

If YOU haven't been to the neighborhood yet to check this spot out, come thru for a day of shopping and hit DSM Mercantile, Art Terrarium, Zhoosh, The Collective, Highland Park Bakery, The Slow Down, Ichi Bike, The Little Book and more!! Lachele's is the best place to land after a little...

So I was strolling down on Euclid today and remembered that Lachelles opened up a new location! Looked on Apple Maps and it said it was open. Google map hours were incorrect so I updated them. :) okay now let’s start with service. It’s a Wednesday afternoon around 3:30pm I walk in and not so busy. Just how I like it, I like dining at places when it’s quiet, I get a chance to get to meet the team and bask in the ambiance. My server / bartender was Regina! Love her glasses and her vibe it is inviting and she’s a sweetheart and I just met her! Okay now let’s dive into the food. I had the ingersol chicken sandwich with a salad. The salad could use other greens it was just shredded lettuce, some onions and couple tomatoes. The Parmesan dressing saved it though. The chicken sandwich was perfection! Crispy on the outside and juicy / succulent on the inside. Reminds me of Dudley’s in NYC. (BOMB BTW) any whoooo I will be back! The music, ambiance, energy, employees here was all a 5 star FOR ME! I don’t know about you but I had a blast here! THANK YOU...