Ankeny Diner

I chose the grilled blackened chicken, which included a chicken breast patty, a small roll, and steamed vegetables. It was topped with cheese and served with a... read more I chose the grilled blackened chicken, which included a chicken breast patty, a small roll, and steamed vegetables. It was topped with cheese and served with a side of fries, which I opted for. The chicken was cooked to perfection—moist and well-seasoned. Overall, it was delicious! My family also enjoyed their meals. My oldest ordered the grilled cheeseburger, made with two grilled cheese sandwiches enclosing a meat patty, accompanied by Thousand Island dressing on the side. It was honestly one of the best burger-sandwiches I've ever tasted! The bread was wonderfully buttery, and the meat was cooked to a perfect medium—truly exceptional. The waitstaff were fantastic, especially considering they seemed a bit understaffed. Everyone was patient and friendly, which made for an outstanding dining experience!

Excellent service. They were having issues with one of their grills the day we were there, so several normal breakfast items were unavailable. The food was very... read more Excellent service. They were having issues with one of their grills the day we were there, so several normal breakfast items were unavailable. The food was very good and prices were very reasonable. Would recommend.

The menu can be a little daunting, and it takes some time to decide what to order. I had heard wonderful things about the onion rings, and they did not let me d... read more The menu can be a little daunting, and it takes some time to decide what to order. I had heard wonderful things about the onion rings, and they did not let me down—slightly greasy but bursting with flavor. I tried the Western Melt, which comes with ham, cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce, and it was absolutely fantastic. This isn't your usual deli ham sandwich. If I'm in the area again and have the opportunity to eat here, I will definitely come back! Just a heads up: the house salad is pretty standard—it's a bagged salad with a few added touches.

A hidden gem. We visit the Des Moines area often and, although I have heard about this restaurant before, we have never had the opportunity to stop. We stopped... read more A hidden gem. We visit the Des Moines area often and, although I have heard about this restaurant before, we have never had the opportunity to stop. We stopped last night and are glad we did. The atmosphere was pretty cool and cozy. The prices were veryreasonable and the food was very good. It was also neat to see how much they make from scratch. The spaghetti sauce was madefrom scratch. This place is not gourmet by any means, but it is good, solid food that should please the whole family at a veryaffordable price. We will be back.

For my first meal, I ordered the grilled tenderloin accompanied by a potato cake—both were fantastic and representative of Midwest cuisine. There were three of... read more For my first meal, I ordered the grilled tenderloin accompanied by a potato cake—both were fantastic and representative of Midwest cuisine. There were three of us, and we opted for lighter fare. On my second visit, I brought along four picky eaters, which turned out to be a fun experience! I chose the country fried steak with eggs, and I was truly impressed by the waitstaff's flexibility. They happily swapped my hash browns for a potato cake without any fuss. The rest of my family indulged in breakfast items, available all day. The sausage gravy was undeniably the best I've ever tasted. I highly recommend it. Typically, I've found that restaurant scrambled eggs can go cold quickly and lack flavor, but the Ankeny Restaurant managed to serve eggs that were delicious from the first bite to the last, and they maintained their warmth; I commend the cook for that. Our waitress was incredibly patient, especially with three energetic kids, and everything was executed perfectly on the first try. Even with various changes and substitutions, the bill was accurate. I look forward to dining here each time I visit Des Moines in the future. Thank you for two wonderful meals and impeccable service!