Dos Rios

Great drinks and guacamole, which is generally made to order at your table! The patio is a highlight here, too. I’ve had a few large group events here, and the team is wonderful to work with. Like a couple other places in town, Dos Rios offers a great two taco lunch special.

I went in not for sure what to expect. I would have to say, it’s not you everyday Mexican restaurant. If you like trying something a little different once in a while this is fantastic. I spent a lot of time trying to read the menu as everything was just a little bit different from the norm. Then Nathan my server recommended the Molcajete. It is chicken, vegetables with cilantro rice served with mole sauce. Warm flour or corn tortilla served with the entrée. I also ordered the guacamole that everyone recommended. You get to choose how smooth or chunky you would like it, and how spicy you desire. Both the meal and appetizer were wonderful, couldn’t have asked for anything better.
Nathan was a great server as well and made sure everything went as it should. I will be back when in town.

Worst service!!! Never go for their happy hour!!! I was upset!!! Super hyped!!!

Definitely get the guacamole as an app, it is fantastic! Got the two taco lunch special with shrimp and carnitas were also really good. Also finished with the tamales that were pretty good.

I really like Dos Rios. The office where I work is a block away, so we find ourselves there at least once a week for lunch, if not drinks at night. Really good food, the El Mayor margarita is excellent, and the location is perfect.

A little overpriced for what you get. The guacamole is really good, as is the atmosphere if you’re looking for a «nicer» Mexican place to eat, but I’m usually disappointed in the food.

I had guests visiting Des Moines this past weekend and we were looking for a place to eat dinner downtown. We decided on Dos Rios because of the location (they were staying downtown) and the menu. I was worried about eating there on a Friday night but was able to make reservations online. I hadn’t been in a couple of years but was really excited to go back. The drinks were great, the guacamole was good and our dinners were great! Our waiter was very knowledgeable and it was amazing to be able to sit outside during dinner. I’ll be back!

I have been looking forward to trying this spot downtown for awhile; I always walk by and think it’s pretty swanky. Finally my husband and I decided to go.
The service is excellent. Our waiter was helpful and gave lots of good info and jokes. The drinks were on point. My kiwi concoction and then strawberry basil margarita were delish; my husband’s mojito was heavenly.
The food wasn’t my favorite. We tried the restaurant week menu. The corn chowder was spicy but pretty good. The tortilla soup was really oily and lacked flavor. The pork belly taquitos were missing meat I’m pretty sure… that was odd. The tres leches cake was different. Very squishy. It looked like ground beef. So.
The atmosphere and service were great, but with a couple drinks and dinner totaling over $ 100, it’s a little pricey for the quality.

This is the best patio experience in Des Moines. It’s got great views, nice drinks, and is really comfortable. The service is slow and average, but it gets the job done.
You should come here with a group, friends from out of town or a date. You should skip this place if you are impatient or have kids.
The food is somewhat unique, but not remarkable and it’s pretty expensive for what it is. Try the guacamole for sure, it adds to the meal and gives you something to eat while you wait.

Management was excellent at accommodating our party of 5, which eventually increased to 16. Waitress was friendly and efficient. Table side guac was excellent, bit pricy for the portion. Excellent seasoning in the various entrees we ordered. Rice and beans should always be included in meals… Not a la carte!
Huge negative… The temperature in the dining room was UNBEARABLE! I know it’s a warm evening… But something was definitely malfunctioning! We actually couldn’t wait to get out of there!!! Hated to rush thru our meal…

Staying downtown and had the hotel and friends recommend Dos Rios, but my wife and I were very disappointed all around. Starting from the drinks, our Margaritas were watered down and not flavorful. Looking at the menu, my wife tried to order a different type of Enchilada plate other than the offered chicken, but our server said the food was pre-​wrapped, so it’s not made to order in the kitchen. Very overpriced, and service was also poor.

Presentation… That’s all I can say about their bloody mary. It had a strong hint of celery and the slice of green pepper didn’t really help. I like to have a good strong tomato base in my mix and it be a little thicker that what they had to offer. I would say that their wide range of drinks on their menu do intrigue me enough to revisit. A-​OK, but looking forward to trying them out again the next time in Des Moines to give them another chance.

A favorite and must stop every time I’m in town on business. Good quality Mexican food with plenty of seating indoors at the tables and the bar. My favorite is sitting out in the front patio.
You have to make sure to try the table side guacamole…
Service is always good!
Highly recommend a visit.
Cheers!
John

Shrimp tacos and salsa platter with seasoned tortilla chips are so tasty.
Great bar area and the drinks are not too shabby! Which looks as though it could be great for a date night or guys/​girls night out. Very trendy décor and good vibe for groups and out of town guests, which is why I came back!
Stop on in when your in the area.

My best friend told me that whenever I’m in Des Moines, I must stop at Dos Rios. She did not lead me astray. This place is wonderful. It’s definitely not a divey hole in the wall joint like a lot of taco places are. This is a fairly upscale, beautifully decorated, modern Tex-​Mex restaurant.
Our (tall, red-​headed) waiter (I didn’t get his name, unfortunately) was very nice, chatty, and knowledgeable. He made up for the sullen hostess who seated us and never cracked a smile or said anything beyond ‘How many?’ The food was across the board delicious. We ordered their famous make-​it-​at-​your-​table guacamole, although they didn’t make it at our table, which I thought was odd. But we got to choose our spice level and chunkiness level and it was delivered to us exactly as we’d ordered it– so fresh and delicious. The chips served along with it were almost like pita chips– such a nice surprise.
We each ordered a taco for our entrée. My daughter loves shrimp and she devoured her shrimp taco quickly, my mom liked her shredded pork taco, but it was hard to eat since it wasn’t shredded completely, it was just a lump of partially pulled apart pork, and I absolutely adored my chorizo taco. It came with this incredible sauce (I think it was some kind of white cheese maybe? Whatever it was, it was divine.) 2 of us ordered beans and rice on the side, but at $ 5 each, it wasn’t worth it. There was nothing special about the beans or rice– not even any flavoring or garnish on top.
We got 3 desserts to share– fried ice cream, banana flan, and churro bites. They were all great, but the churro bites were the star. They were served with 3 sauces– chocolate espresso, a very unique slightly spicy raspberry chipotle, and goat’s milk caramel, which was the best.
Dos Rios would fit in well in KC– it seems like a very Plaza or Power & Light type of restaurant. I look forward to visiting it again.

This one is a tough one because I really pull for places like these. I have been to Dos Rios several times over the years. The past 3 times I have experienced a downward trend.
For example, the most recent visit I noticed they replaced the authentic guacamole bowls with cheap plastics bowls? If this is an upscale restaurant why go with cheap bowls on the dish that supposedly makes you famous? Second, I ordered a michelada (a common drink at restaurants with this cuisine). My server states, «for sure we make them all of the time». I was brought back a beer with a side glass of tomatoe juice and a bunch jalepeno’s floating around? Huh? So I poured the small glass into the big glass made a mess. The only other disappointing item took place on a hot summer day and the air conditioning was out (which is not their fault) though not a single apology or warning prior to sitting down. Only after drinks were brought we were told about the official situation.
This could be such a great place in downtown Des Moines and with a similar place opening up down the road located in the social club, I hope Dos Rios steps up their game.

I was going to start this review with «Holy Guacamole!» but that would be lame. Instead I’ll start with this advice: Guys, this is a fantastic place to take a date and I’ll explain why below.
WENT: On a cold Thursday fall evening. We parked in nearby parking garage and «skywalked» (new verb I just invented) almost within a block away of Dos Rios.
FIRST IMPRESSION: Very chic modern décor, dim lighting (everyone looks better in dim lighting), nice background music. The possibly Frank Lloyd Wright SC Johnson Wax headquarters «lily pad“inspired columns in the main dining area are very cool. I like the open windows to the kitchen. Half expected to see Rick Bayless back there.
ORDERED: Graphic designer in me noticed the clear plastic menu covering makes the menu appear foggy. In dim light it’s a bit hard to read. We ordered the table side guacamole (half) $ 5, Gorditas $ 8.50, Enchiladas $ 12, Bacon Old Fashioned $ 11
TASTED: The table side guacamole is a cool experience. An associate rolls out a cart and ask you spice and chunkiness preferences. It’s then made on the spot. The chips are perfectly fried — very light, not oily and well seasoned. A half order for only five dollars makes this a must order. My dining companion’s Gorditas were amazing, in which she shared a few bites thankfully. THREE masa pockets filled with savory roasted pork and a great cabbage slaw. This could be split between two people and it’s only $ 8.50. My enchiladas were just okay and had me jealous of her gorditas. Plain white rice (no seasoning), black beans and three rather bland enchiladas.
I ordered the Ohhhh Bacon! Old-​Fashioned. I just moved to Des Moines from the Old-​Fashioned capital of the world, Wisconsin. They use brandy in the Dairyland. I’m a Templeton Rye fan, marketing half-​truths not withstanding, and was intrigued by this. It tasted okay but let me say this: The round ice cube is trendy right now. See Bistro Montage also. It doesn’t however excuse a giant ball of ice and not much cocktail. I’m sure it’s measured properly but it seemed like a got a giant glass of hail John McLaughlin would be freaking out about.
SERVICE: Acceptable
CHANCE OF RETURN: ¹⁰⁄₁₀ — affordable date night location that has Chicago ambiance but small town prices.

I see this place almost everyday while driving through downtown and I honestly did not know what type of food they served or even what they were called. When I was with couple of friends from out of town looking for a place to eat on Easter Sunday, we saw their were many people eating on the outdoor seating area so we decided to walk closer to see what they were about. My fiancé mentioned to me it was Dos Rios, a Mexican restaurant; there were hardly any other restaurants open so we decided to try it out. I was really craving a Mexican restaurant at the time, that is why I was reluctant to try.
We opted for the indoor seating because I thought it was too hot outside (haha). There was NO ONE else seating inside so it was like having the whole restaurant to ourselves. Our server was very friendly and interacted with us like any good restaurant downtown should. After about 2 minutes in here and looking at the menu I realized this is a very nice place. It is not a typical Mexican restaurant with your huge plates of food topped with tons of cheese, it was more classy/​unique items that appear to be a well-​designed menu by a top chef.
Everyone ordered and I wanted a recommendation from the server on what to get (I only do this at nicer restaurants). The server explained if I wanted seafood or non-​seafood, I opted for the non-​seafood, but she also explained the seafood items which sounded good. She recommend I get the Carne Asada, which was their popular steak dish, so that’s what I did. She also recommended their table-​side guacamole, so we got that as well.
Just a fast rundown of what we got around the table excluding the items mentioned above. Grilled fajitas with flour tortilla (you had an option), steak quesadilla, Verde Pork sandwich, and Crispy Calamari.
They started out first by making the guacamole at the side of table, from the avocado to the bowl. It was cool watching, you also get options of how chunky and how spicy. The chips that came with the guacamole was SUPERB, well-​seasoned and thick, not your go-​to-​the-​store-​and-​buy-​it chips. We also got a pitcher of the Sangria Blanco, it was enough for 5 people to have a full glass each. It was very tasty and refreshing.
Now for the main course, MY STEAK WAS AMAZING. I was very surprised when taking the first bite, it was well-​cooked and extremely juicy. This was steakhouse quality steak, not a Mexican restaurant you go to. This also came with mushrooms which were cooked to perfection to go along with some rice. I took a few bites of the Verde Pork sandwich and it was very flavorful as well, there were many parts to it. It was juicy and complex due to various content. The steak quesadilla was good, nothing exciting worth mentioning. The calamari was very good! It was lightly battered which brought more taste out. I did not eat the fajita, but it looked very good.
Again, our server was friendly and fun, she did an A+ job. I would definitely return again, but I would like to return to this type of setting again when it is slow, I’m sure they get pretty busy here and not sure how the atmosphere would be when that happens.

I had low expectations of Des Moines — and that was crappy because it’s not like my Kansas City home has a national reputation of being a cultural hotspot (we’re getting a lot closer though).
We stayed at The Renaissance Hotel — that was the first clue that Des Moines is a lot cooler than it’s probably known for. We only spent 15 minutes checking in before meeting in the lobby to go find dinner. We landed at Dos Rios. I expected a cheesy, placticy Ameri-​Mexican chain but I was way, way off. I should have looked closer. It’s an upscale restaurant with modern décor that has a underworld Spanish flair. Dark surfaces, dim lighting, comfortable seats — it could be romantic as long as you’re not with three other co-​workers.
The cocktail menu is unique and definitely well thought out. The food menu isn’t a typical American Mexican menu. It’s much more authentic (less cheese). Lot’s of pork, chorizo, lamb, chicken and some beef too.
They had some great options for me — the vegan too. Service was great, food was good and plentiful. Dos Rios would be a great addition to any town.

My favorite thing about Dos Rios is the guacamole made to order at your table. It’s probably my favorite it town, cause I like my guacamole pretty chunky! I also think they make some of the best margarita’s in town as well. They always have a good vegan option on meals too. The one thing about Dos Rios that every seems to comment on his how pricey the meals and drinks are! This is very true, but the location is perfect, the atmosphere is really good and everything I have had here has been pretty darn tasty.
Sometime just go and order a pitcher of margarita’s and guac and chips and you can get out of there spending under 25 bucks with a tip. Dos Rios also usually has a booth at the Des Moines Farmers Market so if you want to try the food but not make a 50 – 100 commitment try something at the Farmers market first!