Noah’s Ark Ristorante & Fireside Lounge

Des Moines, United States

3.6

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 515-288-2246
Website:
www.noahsarkdesmoines.com
Address:
2400 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA, 50312
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.2 mi9th & Crocker NB
1.2 mi9th & Crocker SB
1.5 miDes Moines passenger depot
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Des Moines) 13:51 Wednesday, 16 July 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Noah’s Ark serves great home-​style Italian food and delicious Neapolitan style pizza in Des Moines, IA.

At Noah’s Ark, we have an inspired menu chock full of exquisite Italian dishes, prime steaks, fresh seafood, chicken, and great desserts. And of course — our fantastic Neapolitan pizza, with its thin crispy crust, delicious melted cheese and savory toppings. Our desserts and coffee drinks are a true treat as well.

We began with a goal to serve tasty Neapolitan pizza in Des Moines — and we’ve stuck to that goal ever since.

We provide you with a great atmosphere perfect for starting your day with a lunch with co-​workers or friends or night out on the town. So stop in today and try our legendary pizza, iconic homemade bread or high quality imported Italian semolina pasta and see why we’ve been in business for over 65 years!

History

Established in 1946.

Coming from humble beginnings, Noah’s Ark opened on New Year’s Eve 1946 as a very small lunch counter with limited seating. Noah’s Ark began with a simple vision: to serve great, traditional Italian food and Neapolitan pizza.

Our only goal was to serve great home-​style food and introduce Neapolitan style pizza to Des Moines and Central Iowa.

In 1953, we expanded our building to fit more people, and we slowly became the premier destination for residents who wanted a special night out on the town. We continued our expansion by adding a bakery, putting Noah’s Ark’s homemade bread in very high demand. Noah’s Ark will always be there for the residents of Des Moines, providing the area’s richest history, most comfortable atmosphere, and favorite pizza!

Meet the Business Owner

James L.

Business Owner

James Lacona is the owner of Noah’s Ark. His father opened the restaurant in 1946, and it’s been family owned and operated ever since. He’s an old school restaurateur, and understands the value of consistently good food and excellent customer service. James has stayed true to the traditions of Noah’s Ark that have made it a landmark restaurant in Des Moines for over 60 years. His charming demeanor, friendly nature and dedication to the customer experience help him keep Noah’s Ark as a top dining establishment in town. The entire team is the same way, focused on making sure every customer enjoys a fantastic meal and superior service. On behalf of James and the whole staff at Noah’s Ark, we thank you for your service and can’t wait to see you soon!

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20 reviews of Noah’s Ark Ristorante & Fireside Lounge

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Urbandale, IA
Every time at Noah’s we enjoy every bite and a very nice atmosphere. You can taste the great care in the food. Plus, great pizza and onion rings. It’s a comprehensive menu that has something for everyone. Probably my favorite restaurant overall
Place rating: 1
Ankeny, IA
If it were possible to give a negative five stars … I would so do it! I came with a large party, we had reservations for this party. They were beyond not prepared weren’t provided seats for the amount of people the reservation was for, our servers were slow, getting anything we wanted was a nightmare. I ordered a medium ribeye, easy. Was given a sirloin of some kind. She even said ribeye when she set it down. Sirloin and ribeye look nothing alike and sirloin is a lot tougher. Because I had to beg our obviously annoyed waitress to even listen to me my replacement steak didnt come until everyone else in the party was completely done and was drowning in an au jus I never asked for, plus got charged for a refill on club soda! As someone who waited tables for ten years I’m usually very forgiving but wow! Everyone in our party thought food and service was horrendous. For all the hype there was no follow through.
Place rating: 5
Urbandale, IA
We stopped by with some friends before heading to see a show at Hoyt Sherman Place. Great atmosphere and the food was amazing. I had the steak tips and my wife had the ribeye. Both were fantastic. Salad dressings seems limited to creamy italian (waiter actually seemed offended when we asked for ranch) but it is a top notch taste. Well priced for quality of food and serving sizes are plentiful. Would highly recommend stopping by.
Place rating: 5
Des Moines, IA
A long time family favorite. Love the onion ring/​fried green pepper mix for an appetizer. Some of the best THIN crust pizza in town, if you are a thin crust lover, this place is a must. Also love the top sirloin and the chicken parm. The house made dressing is also great, be prepared to have garlic breath… but I love to dip my leftover pizza crust in it, it’s THAT good. The garlic knots you get when you sit down are the best in town. Always have great service, from the time I walk in and am greeted, to the wait staff, to when I leave and am told can’t wait to see you next time by the host staff. They have a great set up for parties in the upstairs as well. If you are looking for anything up to date or modern, this is not your place. If you are looking for an old school Italian vibe with consistently good food and service, this is your place!
Place rating: 3
Ankeny, IA
A long time local establishment that many love to frequent. Onion rings are great. Tap beer prices are good. Mixologist does a fine job with not over pouring on the drinks. Food was fresh and hot. The locals will tell you to get the fried chicken. We probably won’t return unless we dine with a certain friend who loves this place. We would however order here rather than a chain especially if we wanted friend chicken.
Place rating: 2
Pleasant Hill, IA
Ordered the aged New York strip. Mediocre at best. Service was very poor. Twenty minute wait for food order. My wife’s calzone was good. House salad lettuce was beginning to brown. Overall not impressed
James we are at Noah’s last Friday night (8⁄7) I was disappointed because we had heard such great things about Noah’s. We made a list of places to try in Des Moines a while back and Noah’s was at the very top.
Place rating: 5
Johnston, IA
Had the prime rib and it was awesome! The bread was served up warm and tasted great too. Our hostess was very friendly and attentive. I couldn’t have asked for more.
Place rating: 3
Des Moines, IA
I’ve been going here since I was a kid in a car seat — so I feel like I know this place fairly well. — Unfortunately time has not aged this place nicely. For one — they have the same menu they had when I was a kid with no changes, even on their specials. The food is just sorta ok — and fairly inconsistent with portion and quality. The décor hasn’t changed at all since the place opened and the help has gotten more tired and bored with their work, even the management. In its heyday (when the namesake, Noah, was still around and running the place) it’d be my favorite place to go — however now all I’ll do is their pizza when I’m real desperate.
Place rating: 5
Des Moines, IA
This is a pillar of my community. Great food. The staff knows me and takes great care of my take out orders. Dining in with friends or family is nice too. I’m shocked at the cumulative 3.5 rating. The building has great architectural value and a ton of character. The lighting is probably more authentic to how an Italian restaurant would’ve been lit 50+ years ago. And I love it, personally. Been coming here all 30 years of my life and always will.
*The Pizza is great. And they will cook it how you want it. Well done, etc.
*The love knot (rolls) with garlic butter you’re served at the tables are worth the trip alone. I commonly get a few, complete with a cup of garlic butter to take home.
*There’s just something about their house salad that sets it apart. Good enough I will order one to go. Sometimes extra peppers. The best.
*Recently tried a calzone. It was crazy. May have to get another my next trip (this week). I was surprised the sauce (very good) came on the side. Can we order the calzone with sauce inside? Or some of it inside and the rest on the side (for dipping purposes)?
One commenter suggested Noah’s may have too much on their menu to do a few things really well. They do multiple things well. I’ve also tired; chicken wings, stuffed peppers; both pretty good. Had a steak or two there and it was decent. Cooked differently than on your grill at home.
Classic Mid-​Century institution. Great location. Great flood… of cheese and bread.
Place rating: 4
Kansas City, MO
Great family atmosphere & Italian food. Fried chicken is delightful also. In my experiences, staff has been friendly & attentive. However, I’ve noticed they’re understaffed at times, so prepare for slightly slower service on busy weekend evenings. Reservations are appropriate for those occasions.
Place rating: 4
Des Moines, IA
Free parking
Great salad dressings they are also home made.
Large portions of pasta
Pizza was inexpensive but a little bland
I had the same server two days in a row and she was great! Anyone that can keep up with my coca cola in take deserves a giant tip.
Hello, we ordered a large pepperoni, cappacola and mushroom pizza.
Place rating: 4
West Des Moines, IA
We had a great evening tonight! My wife and one daughter had the sirloin and fettuccine special. Both thought was good but surprised when it didn’t come out as steak, but sliced beef instead. Dad had eggplant Parmesan, other daughters split Noah’s Fettuccine, and I had the spaghetti pomodoro. Very filling & we will be having some delicious leftovers for lunch tomorrow! The dinner rolls were tasty (and almost biscuit like –consider serving with jelly!). Good ambiance, Eric was a prompt and helpful waiter, and seeing Marge before she left for the night topped everything off.
Thanks for the night!
Place rating: 4
Altoona, IA
1st time customer, have to say it feels like a step back in time. Attentive, professional wait staff. Food was very good, felt like home cooking.
Place rating: 3
Des Moines, IA
Noah’s Ark has some good and some bad. The service was not as friendly as I thought it would be and it is quite dark inside, but besides that Noah’s is a solid place. It is neat to see them making the pizzas right in front of you when you walk in and you can even interact with the person making the pizzas. The garlic bread they bring out is great. We had the pizza, which was decent (coming from Chicago, I guess it is hard to compare), but I was hoping for a little more. All in all, a solid non-​chain place in Des Moines.
Place rating: 5
West Des Moines, IA
My absolute favorite restaurant in Des Moines. Been coming here since plastic animals were placed on the rims of my soft drinks as child (A nice touch I’ll always cherish).
From the food to the service to the atmosphere, you can’t go wrong.
The dining room and bar are truly one of a kind and the restaurant as a whole is one of the most well designed I’ve ever come across. As strange as it may seem to some people, one of the main reasons I keep coming back!
For the memories I have and the memories to come, thanks, Noah’s!
Place rating: 2
Des Moines, IA
Ok — so I appreciate and try to support those establishments that stand the test of time. I live in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Des Moines, I love shopping local and eating non-​chain restaurants. So every time I would drive by this place on Ingersoll, I would think «I should try this place». Well — last night I did, and I really wish I didn’t.
On the surface, this place is a traditional family-​style Italian restaurant. But, my wife and I were not interested in pizza again; on their menu they highlighted an Iowa-​grown, center-​cut pork chop dinner for two. We ordered it and then waited… and waited. Nearly 20 minutes in, the waitress comes to tell us that they are out of pork chops! Did they offer a free appetizer or drink as we wait another 20 minutes to order something else? Nooooo! We decided to go with the 12 oz. Ribeye and sides as a replacement. It was terrible! I would not even feed my dog this cut.
In short, unimpressive service and lousy food. The only upside was their pizza, which my son ordered. It was good enough to earn two stars, but not enough to make me want to come back.
If the great flood comes again, I suspect that this Noah’s Ark will not survive, and that will be good for all of humanity or at least the rebuilt city of Des Moines!
Place rating: 3
Newton, IA
Have never been here before, but was on our list to try for a monthly lunch gathering as we like to check out a different place each month. Whether it’s new or just plain new to us. We knew this was a DSM staple, but neither of us had been there before and we wondered if it still had what it takes to compete with the new contemporary restaurants.
In general, I say emphatically yes. It all depends on what your needs are. We personally liked the old school décor. For the most part, it was still in good shape, not warn out and tarnished like some tend to be. The dark ambiance with the leather seating was actually quite charming to us. I could only imagine what this place was like back in the 50s-​70s when it was hopping all the time. Or businessmen after work with their scotch and cigars and a big plate of pasta.
For a mid-​week lunch, they still had a nice gathering. This place is huge though. I would say a little more than half was filled up.
All of us ordered the same thing — calzones as one person had a recommendation to try them. We all had our own, but could have easily shared asa regular can feed two people. The sauce is homemade and you can tell. GREAT flavors. The dough was light and the cheese inside was proportionate to everything else. Having lived out in NY/​NJ for 10 years, I was impressed. I had not had a calzone since moving to Iowa and definitely missed the experience. Noah’s calzone did not let me down.
Our server was friendly, but not attentive enough for us. We were thirsty people and she was neglectful (even after asking) to have our waters and sodas refilled. Also, how do I put this kindly? She needed to use deodorant or perfume. That was a bit distracting for a restaurant employee. So, the service is the reason for 3 stars instead of 4.
Overall, we enjoyed our visit and were pleasantly surprised. We weren’t sure what to expect as not many of our staples can stand up to newer restaurants. If you are looking for quality food without pretense, I would suggest giving this restaurant a try. We will definitely be back.
Place rating: 4
Seattle, WA
A Des Moines staple, Noah’s has affordable and delicious food. However, it’s tough to order anything but the pizza — so tasty!
Place rating: 4
West Des Moines, IA
Great Italian food. Old time atmosphere. Italian Special at noon is really special. Pizza is outstanding. I eat lunch here monthly.
Place rating: 1
West Des Moines, IA
Best pizza in town
Worst atmosphere in town. I want to nominate them for Gordon Ramsey’s kitchen takeovers. At some point it’s time for a change! I avoid this place just because of the inside seating area, Gusto Pizza is such a more upbeat fun place to eat in almost the exact same location.