Comedy Club At Spaghetti Works

My brother treated us to a meal here & we were not disappointed. The service was good & prompt & I had the combination meal with fettuccine & 3 sauces — alfredo, white & beer cheese. It was good enough I opted for the free seconds. Salad bar on the back of the antique Republic truck was good too.

Excellent pasta (I recommend the Chicken Parmesan), and even better service (Thanks Jake!). After the Court Ave Restaurant across the street turned me away not eating to give up a four-​seat table to a person eating alone, I walked over to Spaghetti Works and will defiantly be back next time I am in Des Moines.

Dated, worn, smelly. Salad bar was a mess. Pasta was fair at best.

I wasn’t aware that there was a comedy club at the Spaghetti Works. Maybe we’ll see that next time!
When I was a kid growing up in Ottumwa, we used to make the 2.5 hour trek to Des Moines to visit friends and family. My sister and I would usually attempt to be really good kids because that meant we got to eat somewhere like Spaghetti works. That was 20-​years ago. I honestly don’t remember anything about it from then except it was the treat dinner.
When we visited a few weeks ago, it was still a treat to get simple but delicious pasta. The salad bar was a great start, though I am not surprised to see traditional «salads» made with lots of mayo and other stuff. There was one pasta salad made with what tasted like Italian dressing and it was delicious.
I ordered a plate of hot naked angel hair pasta with chicken. Hot naked as they describe it: «An orgy of delight with sweet basil, olive oil, butter and garlic.» It was super tasty! The plate was just the right size for price and my belly. I am going to assume this is what I remember about going here as a kid, but I of course I can’t recall a thing!
My only complaint is that they seemed to be understaffed a bit. Our server was responsible for all the tables near us and just seemed to be almost overwhelmed. She was speedy and did a good job. It wouldn’t have seemed so weird if there weren’t over servers weren’t just standing around.
We will definitely be back.

[SInce everyone else is reviewing the restaurant (rather than the comedy club) here, I’ll do so as well.]
Spent 6 whole days in Iowa (mainly Des Moines) and had lunch and dinner at 12 different places. This was #4 (of 12), the only 5-​star lunch place we encountered.
Expectations were low. «All you can eat spaghetti with an unlimited salad bar»… I’m thinking the pasta version of «Old Country Buffet.» Boy, was I in for a surprise!
First, the salad bar salad was about one of the freshest & yummiest I’ve ever had. Even the bread tasted freshly baked rather than the 2 day old rolls you get at some of those Chicagoland buffets.
For the main course, we chose the create-​your-​own pasta. You pick a pasta, a sauce, and a side item. I chose angel-​hair with pesto sauce, and italian sausage. Sounded a little bland, but good, and despite the great salad (most likely the first one I finished all year — I am not a salad person), my expectations were again low (it was just too cheap to be awesome). Surprise #2… It was really great!

It’s cheap, it’s OK. I don’t recommend this place, but I have no problem going when someone else wants to take me. It’s not a place a tell people to run away from. If you love good pesto, don’t offend your taste buds by getting the pesto.
The salad bar is decent. Plenty of drink options.
I can see why some people like this place. It’s filling, not to pricey, and might remind people of their mom’s cooking (assuming their mom’s food warrants only 2 stars).

Are you kidding?!
One of the best restauranters, businessmen, and all around great guys Rich Murillo helped jumpstart some of the best comedians of our generation at The Comedy Shop at The Spaghetti Works! Comedians like Tom Arnold (with too many movie credits to list!), Roseann Barr, and many HBO personalities thrilled SRO crowds at the Comedy Shop in the mid 1980s.
And, don’t forget the tastiest pasta in town. Oh, and it’s all you can eat!
I call for a reunion event at the Comedy Shop with Tom Arnold and the mid-​1980s Spaghetti Works crew!

Good place to fill up on carbs before a long run!!!

No experience with the Comedy Club, but I’ve eaten at Spaghetti Works numerous times.
Spaghetti Works can be a great place to stop with family for reasonably priced Italian food. It’s very kid-​friendly and has lots of space for larger groups. I’ve always had good service and had a nice time there, though I will say that the place tends to get rather loud.
I usually go with the create-​your-​own pasta dish and have always been pleased. It’s not tremendous but it’s good, decent food. Most everyone I’ve been there with has been satisfied with their meals. My mother recently had a chicken/​pasta dish that she raved about, while my stepfather chose a small pepperoni pizza that he said tasted microwaved (and it looked that way, too).
The salad bar is a great feature and comes with most menu items. Also, in my experience, they tend to make their mixed drinks strong. Bonus!

Cant comment on the Comedy Club part of the title but I can surely comment on the spaghetti. Make sure you bring your appetite to this place. They have a plethora of pasta dishes customized to your hearts content. They have a nice salad bar to balance the pasta… Desserts to die for! Carrot Cake. nuf said. Bring your A –Game to this place when you are hungry as they provide more than enough food.