Lachele's Fine Foods — Restaurant in Des Moines

4.25* (out of 5)

Food: 5* Atmosphere: 4* Value: 4* Service: 4*

02/16/2023

Saw that this place won best Burger in town (specifically recommending the Smashburger) in Cityview, so asked our neighbors to join us and ventured downtown for dinner after the big snowstorm. Given the name, I was expecting a fairly high-end and expensive place - so was a little surprised when we walked in to see a colorful retro-diner decor.

While one of the servers shared that a previous reviewer had made disparaging remarks about the workers appearance, I've shared in my online profiles that I enjoy servers with some character, opinions on the food and a story to tell. I found the atmosphere to be quite inviting with friendly and professional workers looking for ways to be of service to their customers.

Given the award and recommendation for smashburgers, I ordered the Uncle Denny (see picture). I loved the soft, moist bun and found the Duke's mayo & pepper jelly to be the perfect level of spice to complement the smashburger and bun. The included fries were also very good - great combination of crispiness on the outside, yet soft inside.

My wife ordered The Big Gym with Tots (see picture) and also enjoyed it - commenting especially on how good the tots were. She liked the fact that the tots were nice and crispy on the outside and not soft / soggy. Our neighbor ordered the The Chili Charles (see picture) open-faced chili burger on Texas Toast and also enjoyed it. Admittedly, it looked so good that I think that is what I will try on our next visit.

The pricing, including $5 tap beers, seemed reasonable and the burgers were top-notch. A great retro-diner experience that you will want to try!

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I have had this gem on my bucket list of restaurants to try since the photos started being posted. I’ve silently been watch, waiting until I could make it out. I came all the way to Des Moines, IA from Kansas City just to visit Lachele’s and I promise it was more than worth it. Before you even walk in the door for indoor dining you see a gaggle of people outside waiting for their to-go orders. (There is a super convenient to-go window right to the left of the front door to help alleviate crowing indoors) The moment you walk in the door you are greeted by what seems like everyone inside with a cheerful, “hey! Welcome in”. Immediately you feel welcomed. I ordered the Lachele burger with spiced tots 🤤🤤 and my friend ordered the yogi burger with fries (not pictured because we were too excited to eat). From the quickness of the service to the cleanliness of the restaurant, you can tell they take pride in every detail. The vibe from the music, to the bar seats and the 50s modernized look, I was so excited to be there. Every customer in the place was a return customers and fans (they couldn’t stop asking for the lachele stickers). The food was mouthwatering delicious. Perfectly juicy, flavored and heat. And last but certainly not least, the service was amazing. Everyone was so kind and always (but not overly) checking in to make sure your visit was everything you needed it to be. This is a place I will be traveling back to. The details make the...

Some of the best burgers in Des Moines, don't be afraid to try the specials! I have never had anything bad from Lachele's. I've dined in, ordered to go, and picked up from the food truck on many occasions. Absolutely love their staple cheeseburger as well as one of their more "zhuzhed up" burgers The Jake, and their fries. I love that they keep malt vinegar on hand and on each table for those who want a chip shop taste. The service is always great and friendly, and love that they have a cooler stocked with all the best craft sodas and classics like glass-bottle coke (hecho en Mexico of course).

The vibe is retro diner meets walk up counter with an open kitchen (a la Waffle House); it's fun to watch the cooks doing their thing while you wait for your order! If a counter seat isn't your vibe, you might be able to snag a table, but there aren't many and it's usually decently busy! Absolutely 1000000% worth any wait, however. I've definitely stood in line outside in the the middle of winter for nearly an hour waiting for one of their extremely popular pop-up collab events (the one in question was with Egg King) and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Honestly, can't say enough great things about this place, it's always in our dining out and carry...