Jesse's Embers, Des Moines IA

Expensive and dated. Food is mediocre and it meets your needs but not a dining experience at all, service, food or drinks, while the prices are in that ($$$$) category. Went there 25 years ago and it's never changed in that experience for me.

This place is a nostalgic reminder of some of the GREAT and affordable places to dine out in Des Moines. My wife and I eat at Jesse's Embers frequently. The food and service are excellent!

We had a party of 4 & none of us cared for the food. There’s not a full bar - no Malibu or any rum, no strawberry for margaritas. It was loud & tables are close together. Wouldn’t recommend!

We live in California but make it a point to visit Jesse’s whenever we are in town. If you simply come for the outstanding onion rings and martinis, the visit will be worth it. But there are many other good things on the menu, and we highly recommend the creamy garlic house dressing on your salad. The atmosphere of the restaurant is something special…intimate, vintage, cozy, comfortable. Love the bar tucked over on the side. They really don’t make them like this anymore! Definitely a memorable place.

Skip the small one and order the Ember's Special prime sirloin, which is outstanding. Always have great service and food!

We ordered carry out, burger was perfect, fries were separated from the burger with a piece of foil, and were crispy and delicious.

STILL MY FAVORITE SHRIMP IN DSM! And probably my favorite steak place, there are several good ones but Jesses is a classic.

Cajun shrimp appetizer: what in the magic potion do they put in this sauce? I just want to pour it over everything!

Ribeye: perfectly medium rare, side of au jus, large baked potato (though I didn’t eat it) came with.

Love their house dressing so much.

Grateful they were so kind about letting us bring in our service dog in-training. He did great, wasn’t distracted by the delicious smells either. I, on the other hand, was completely distracted by all of the food smells

Wanted to turn back as soon as we walked inside but decided to stick it out, maybe that smell was coming from a nearby bathroom? We were quickly seated and tried to laugh it off when our waitress walked away MID-order to greet regulars. I get that serving might not be the most fun job, but I appreciate the simple courtesy of not glaring or snapping at me and my partner. We ordered the small sirloin and a french dip sandwich. I physically gagged from the sandwich, made my partner take a bite and watched his face turn sour as he fought the urge to spit it out. I have never turned back food in my entire life but I knew today was the day. I politely told the waitress I did not like the sandwich and she was nice enough to take it off the bill without me having to fight.my partner was able to eat 4 bites of his steak.the waitress asked if he wanted a box and he politely declined and asked for the check.we paid cash and ran out the door despite not having our copy of the receipt.after reading a few reviews, I'm glad we were able to get out of there quick enough to evade manager Marty and homeless people begging.

Best steak in Des Moines! The Owner is a wonderful operator that knows his customers and touches every table. Steaks are cooked perfectly every single time. The Cajun shrimp appetizer is outstanding!

Unfortunately the food was not all that great. There was no seasoning at all on the steaks and they were a bit tough. The onion rings were outstanding. The service was also outstanding. The steak fries also had no seasoning. I was expecting way better but was disappointed.

The absolute BEST! I’ve been going to Jesse’s regularly for years and there is just nothing better. The food is always amazing, the staff are the greatest, and the atmosphere is so perfectly Old-School-Des Moines. Can’t be beat. Jesse’s Embers Forever!

The food was Fantastic, the service was too notch. Had some difficulty seating our large group (9 people).

First time being back at Jesse’s Embers in probably 20 years, and I loved the experience. Grateful that we arrived right after they opened for the evening because the line was long for a table once we left.

Food was sensational, as was the service. I had the special - 12oz sirloin with salad and side. Can’t wait to try it again - definitely won’t wait another 20 years.

French Dip was the best I've ever had. It was exactly what I was looking for. Meat had so much flavor. Fries were awesome. Side salad was fresh with tasty dressing. Place has a great vibe. Staff seems like they really care about the restaurant. 10/10