Simon's — Restaurant in Des Moines

First visit to Simon's this past weekend. Made sure to get reservations in advance for our group of 6 (the minimum they accept reservations for). Took a little doing because they only answered the phone during their open hours, and even then it took multiple attempts.

We were greeted promptly when we arrived, but found out the table reserved for us was going to be an additional wait. We were offered a different table with immediate seating. Was surprised at how small the dining area is. I had heard the environment described as "intimate", but it felt more Our table was tight for our group of six, and it was really warm in the building, so that made it more uncomfortable. We had to wait a bit for a server to stop by to get our drink water, but they did a good job keeping waters full.

Our server was friendly and helpfully answered all of our questions. It seemed like there were only a couple of servers for the dining area, so she was buzzing around trying to get to everyone. When we ordered, we let her know there were two tickets for the table and who was on each ticket. She took orders based on who was on which ticket. When the tickets arrived, my husband didn't look closely at the itemization and after we left we discovered our bill was about double what it should have been because we had items from our friends' orders on our ticket. So, make sure to double-check if you have more than one ticket at your table.

The food was absolutely delicious! One member of our group ordered the steak de burgo they are known for, and the rest of us ordered various pasta dishes. Apps were good, but probably didn't need them because the main entre portions were ample. We weren't offered a dessert menu, so not sure if/what options there are.

They definitely like to keep tables turning over. Five minutes after our checks were settled, we were asked to leave and go next door to their waiting area bar if we wanted to visit. They were nice about it, but we were surprised by the abruptness and didn't know there was another lounge area. The waiting area was an unmarked space next door to Simon's. It was air conditioned and had lots of comfy seating, but it was packed as well, so we left.

Overall, service was really good, minus the check issues and being rushed along. I would give them another try and maybe pick a different...

So, our experience was a mixed bag. My rating should be more like a 3.5, but that’s not an option. We had been wanting to try this place out forever, and tried another time, but the wait was too long. Last night we got there right when they opened, and were the last table seated in the first wave. Success! We were a party of two, and ended up at the table right by the door which ended up being a not fun place to sit because the people who are waiting are literally 10-12 inches from your table watching you eat and making you feel guilty for not rushing through your meal. This is not the restaurant’s fault; but because there isn’t anywhere else for people to wait that’s the reality of what ends up happening.

It was chaotic when our server came to take our order, as they were trying to take names of people waiting for tables, etc. I could tell she wasn’t really paying attention, as she was actually looking back over her shoulder when she asked how I wanted my steak cooked. The meals came out and my steak was nowhere near the way I requested it. I have never sent food back, but this was not edible for me. Took a while to flag her down and when I explained the situation she almost acted like it was my fault. She took it back and when it came out the second time, it was perfect.

On the plus side, the seafood bisque was reportedly delicious. My de burgo sauce was flavorful and tasty. My husband’s beef stroganoff was really good.

On the negative, we were never asked if we wanted a second round of drinks, we never saw our server again after the second steak delivery until she put a check down on the table. And on a side note, both my salad plate and the dessert plate had huge, obvious chips in them (see photos).

I expected so much more than what we experienced; it was my husband’s birthday and we were hoping for a nice meal (especially after not going out to eat for over a year...

If you live or are in the DSM area and haven't been to Simon's you are truly missing out. This was an incredibly eclectic yet fun experience for date night. First off, the place is tiny, it's in a very old strip mall, but that is what gives it true character! When you walk in there's no hostess stand. But there is a dude roughly my age that greets you with the biggest smile and proceeds to make you his best friend in a matter of minutes. Come to find out later he is Simon himself.

Because the place is quite, erm, "cozy" they have a separate store front a few doors down that they open up. In here, the owner will drop off drinks, they have board games, music and just a fun little area to chat while you are waiting for your table to open up.

Drinks... Strong but not burnt.

Appetizer... Mushroom crostini was absolutely out of this world.

Dinner salad with house dressing... Awesomely fresh and light, yet so flavorful for "rabbit food" as my husband calls it.

Main course... fabulous and delicious. Cannot say any more.

Dessert? What dessert you say? Well that would be a COMPLIMENTARY slice of red velvet cake that was dare I say some of the best I've ever had. And I should know since I'm a professional cake connoisseur.

Simon, the owner, was not only professional and fun but clearly enjoys just hanging out with his patrons and building a relationship with all who encounter him. He stopped by a couple of times to chat, shake hands and as we were leaving he basically chased us out the door thanking us and to say good bye. If I could seriously give this place 100 stars I would.

End of the day, it has made my top 5 favorites due to all of the combined components and we will be...