Railroad Bill's Dining Car — Restaurant in Des Moines

We visited for breakfast with the family, and while our expectations were undefined, we found the establishment's concept commendable. It was our first visit, and we were pleased to try it.

Pros: The atmosphere was relaxed and informal, with flexible seating arrangements. Beverages, including juices and sodas, were self-serve with complimentary refills. Menus were provided upon seating, but ordering was conducted at the counter without pressure. The staff were friendly and approachable; the table busser and menu distributor exhibited a relaxed demeanor, and the cashier was polite. However, during periods of low customer traffic, the cashier's use of speakerphone for personal calls was disruptive. While the kitchen staff demonstrated dedication, additional support may enhance operational efficiency.

Cons: The order included a request for hard-fried eggs, but over-easy eggs were received instead. My daughter's order specified over-easy eggs, yet sunny-side up eggs were delivered. My wife's biscuits and gravy order was unsatisfactory. The biscuits had a processed texture, suggesting they were commercially produced. The sausage was dry and flavorless, also appearing to be pre-packaged. If these items were prepared from scratch, significant errors occurred in the preparation process. The gravy lacked flavor, and even the addition of Sriracha did not improve it to our family's liking. The sausage served was unsatisfactory to most of the family, suggesting a lack of familiarity with appropriate seasoning techniques, such as the use of fennel. Given that the sausage and gravy appear to be prepared in-house, the culinary skills demonstrated were significantly subpar. The overall dining experience evoked the impression of a restaurant staffed by individuals with limited culinary training.

The dining experience was satisfactory; the staff provided commendable service, and the ambiance was exceptional. The décor was visually appealing, and the adjacent antique shop offered interesting browsing, though the inventory appeared...

Disclaimer: We are late breakfast people so that changes the experience. We tried to visit on a Sunday at 1pm and they quite honest and told us that it would be a wait.

We asked when would be a better time? They said during the week. We went today at 1 pm. Where there was a hostess on the weekend. A sign had replaced her with seat yourself.

We had never been here so we walked up and saw that you ordered at the counter. One of the cooks picked up on us being newbies and gave us menus and tild us ro come up once we decided what we wanted. There were only two other tables occupied as we saw that it is a very small restaurant.

We decided what we wanted and ordered. Most breakfasts come with home fries but we are usually disappointed with those but saw hashbrowns on the menu.

We ordered pretty simple breakfast. I got steak and eggs and she got the basic breakfast with sausage. We ordered coffee with our meal and I went back to our table. After a couple of minutes I went up and inquired about our coffee and learnes it was serve yourself. A sign would of helped here.

They brought out our food and the hashbrowns were how we liked them. Crispy on the outside. We got our eggs over easy and they were perfect. My steak was a very thin 6oz steak. I ordered medium rare which the thickest part was but not all of it. However it had a nice crusting and was very enjoyable.

The toast was exceptional. It was thick and hearty and was a joy to mop up egg yolk.

Now why you have to go here. The teain memorabilia is awesome. I spent my whole time staring and commenting on the decor. It led to interesting conversations.

After our meal we went to the outside of the restaurant which is a antique store and we loved going on a journey in the past.

Sadly enough as we are in our late 50s. It was amusing the things we saw that we remembered.

Loved the experience. This place is more than just a good breakfast. It is a trip back in time and we will share this journey with other...

Cute spot. Pretty good vegan food. Great prices.

However I give 2 stars for how poor the service was and how unwelcome we felt.

We did arrive 20 minutes to closing, so I understand that can be a pain.

However we told them we were fine if putting it in to-go boxes would be easier.

The cashier genuinely seemed annoyed by our presence. We had already driven 6 hours this day on our way back from a road trip and were hoping to grab a quicky bite before another 7 hours.

I overheard the cook tell the cashier that he had no problem letting us stay to eat and that he would take care of things for the cashier to go home.

We were happy to hear this and thanked him as we were just a few feet away when this was discussed.

The cashier then handed us our food and passive aggressively said "Sure, its 1:58. Take all your time."

This was especially uncomfortable as the antique shop this diner is in was still open for 2 more hours, so it was hard to understand why she was so cold about us sitting at a table for a total of 7 minutes. We did not create a mess, and had all our stuff in to go containers to avoid any dishes or anything.

This is the most unwelcome I have felt in a restaurant and I regret giving a tip before having this experience. I would absolutely take it back if I could, given it only to the cook.

This was our first time in Des Moine and this restaurant. We probably won't come again next time we are in town despite the extensive vegan options and great atmosphere.

The cashier ruined the...