Reviews - Bubba
Reviews summary
This restaurant offers a mix of positive and negative reviews. The food is generally well-received with standout dishes like the tea leaf salad, onion fritters, and Kentucky Hot Brown. However, there are some inconsistencies in dishes such as the Burmese style beef and goat stew and the Moh Hin Ga. The service is also a mixed bag, with some customers receiving perfect service while others felt rushed and unwelcome. Despite some issues, the southern menu is praised for its authenticity and high quality. Overall, this restaurant seems to have potential but may need to work on improving consistency and service quality to attract repeat customers.
Was Cindy Green at Bubba a mag?
The southern menu at this restaurant is outstanding. We were truly impressed by the quality of every dish we sampled. Although we've dined at many southern restaurants before, we’ve struggled to find authentic southern cuisine in Iowa. However, we believe we’ve finally found it at this establishment. View all feedback.
What Marks dislikes about Bubba:
Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our recent dining experience. The appetizer was delicious, but the expensive bread basket was only okay. The corn muffins were burnt and the biscuits were dry. The mac and cheese was overly oily, causing stomach discomfort for my daughter. The Jambalaya was also overwhelmed by chili oil, affecting the flavor. Thankfully, the fried chicken was excellent and saved the meal. We h... View all feedback.
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Reviews from various users
Last update : 08.08.2017
Lovely food and fairly fast. Service is adequate but you're there for the food. Tea leaf salad was a hit as were the onion fritters. Fish curry was very light on curry but still worth ordering
My colleagues and I had reservations at 12 noon and was seated promptly. Since Burmese restaurant are rear in the area, we were really looking forward to this experience. While we weren't in a hurry, the restaurant was. Drinks were ordered and they pushed to have a food order at the same time. We choose to wait to order the food until the drinks were brought to us. We ordered the Burmese style beef and goat stew as well as the Moh Hin Ga (Fish Noodle Soup). While the sauces of the meat stews were nice, it wasn't spectacular! The stew meats were definitely not tender. If you enjoy tough meat, then these dishes are for you. Additionally, the Moh Hin Ga was lacking in flavor and in my colleagues words: "would not order it again". Also, soft drinks and iced tea and refilled complimentary. Given the rush and the below average experience, will not be going back. Given there their great Yelp ratings, there seems to be a lot of patrons that like it. Maybe we just attended them on a bad day or the normal Chef was not present that day...
We enjoyed our meal here very much. We had a variety of dishes, and everything was delicious. Even though we all requested different spiciness levels, everything came out exactly as requested. The service was exceptional. We were able to have a conversation without being interrupted, but we never had to wait for service and our water glasses were never empty. We will be going back, and recommending this restaurant to our friends.
Last update : 31.07.2024
What an amazing restaurant! It’s a beautiful place for a date night but also accommodates larger groups, making Bubba a great choice for everyone. I sat at the bar and appreciated the attentive service from the two bartenders who, even when busy later in the evening, made sure to attend to everyone’s needs. The crab cake salad was delicious and generously portioned, and the apple pie was bursting with cinnamon flavor. I definitely plan to return to Bubba the next time I’m in Des Moines.
I called on Mother’s Day and they were able to accommodate a last-minute reservation for 12 people. I've been here before, and their food and drinks are consistently excellent! The service is always on point, which really saved us a lot of stress with our last-minute schedule change today.
The chicken was so tender it practically melted in my mouth, and it reminded me of my mom's cooking. The vegetarian beans and rice were absolutely delicious too.
Everything was great. It was the weekend and prom night. So it was a little busy and service was a little slow. Otherwise everything was great. We're definitely coming back.
We went there tonight not knowing anything about the place other than it was southern food I have to tell you the chicken fried steak was the best I've had since I've lived in Des Moines The fried chicken was absolutely on point and our server Amber the best beautiful young lady amazing service phenomenal margaritas quite possibly the best in Des Moines do yourself a favor and go check this place out you will not be disappointed!
Last update : 10.05.2024
My new must go to restaurant in Des Moines. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to return.
Unfortunately, we were disappointed with our recent dining experience. The appetizer was delicious, but the expensive bread basket was only okay. The corn muffins were burnt and the biscuits were dry. The mac and cheese was overly oily, causing stomach discomfort for my daughter. The Jambalaya was also overwhelmed by chili oil, affecting the flavor. Thankfully, the fried chicken was excellent and saved the meal. We have always enjoyed dining at Bubba in the past, so we hope this was just an off night. However, we will likely wait before returning, as Des Moines offers many other great dining options without such excessive use of oil.
We went for the wine and dine week menu, but they changed it from what was originally posted online, and it seemed very expensive for the meal. The other food we ordered was just OK. Chicken fried steak had a rock hard crust, hard to eat.
Last update : 23.08.2023
4 of us were visiting from San Francisco, Chicago, Portland and LA and wanted to find a cool, fun spot in DT Des Moines. Bubba sounded fun so we checked it out. So many great things about this spot. The interior decor is amazing. Great bar. It definitely felt more East/West coast than midwest. Great waitress and killer fried chicken. Also, don't miss out on the deviled eggs with bacon.
You have no idea what you are missing! This place may look fancy on outside and inside but food is more down home cooking southern meal comfort food. You get a lot for your money and flavors out of bounds. If I were you get chicken and waffles with shrimp grits on the side you feel like you are in Nashville, Tennessee or in bayou New Orleans, Louisiana listening to some blues. Yes, must have fine whiskey and don’t have to break a bank to ask for one. There are they have plenty the bang for your buck. I love southern comfort food yes not the healthiest but I enjoy it once a month for treat.
Just had my first meal at Bubba and I loved it! I am very pleased that there are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu. I especially like the Cajun asparagus! The atmosphere was nice, cozy, roomy, and our server was excellent. I’m glad I tried it—and will be back very soon.
Last night was my first time there, we had a reservation for 10. They seated us upstairs and the service was amazing! They have a wide variety of drinks and the appetizers were delicious. The food was very good and the desserts were even better. I highly recommend Bubba and I will visit again soon!
Everything here was tasty. My husband and I both had the white meat fried chicken. I would have preferred a little more heat to the chicken, but it was still tender and moist with a crispy crust. The Mac and cheese was salty, creamy, and sharp--everything a good cheesy pasta should be. My husband had the collard greens and cheese grits, which were both very good. The side of vegetables consisted mostly of brussel sprouts, which is a huge turnoff for me. My 4th grade daughter, the one who is extremely adventerous with food and is never full, ordered the meatloaf. Even with a slightly spicy barbeque sauce, she enjoyed it and devoured the mashed potatoes. Service was awesome. We can't wait to go back!
Last update : 15.06.2025
We had a fantastic dinner last night at Bubba's, marking our first visit to the restaurant. The cocktails were expertly crafted, and every dish was prepared to perfection. The fried chicken stood out as particularly delightful, especially when complemented by the hot honey sauce, creating a wonderful sweet and spicy blend. The shrimp and grits were also excellent, along with the side dishes of collard greens and mac and cheese. For appetizers, we sampled the fried green tomatoes and deviled eggs, both of which we thoroughly enjoyed. We highly recommend this restaurant and definitely plan to return in the future!
I've visited this restaurant several times and have consistently been impressed with both the food and the service. The decor is lovely, and the staff is friendly and attentive. I've tried various dishes, and I've never been let down. I especially enjoy the Bubba Breakfast during weekend brunch; the silver dollar pancakes are delightful. My husband always appreciates the fried chicken or chicken fried steak. If you're seeking a relaxed yet upscale dining experience, this is the perfect spot for you.
This restaurant is an excellent choice with a wonderful ambiance. The food and drink selection is outstanding. The fried green tomatoes, bread basket, and meatloaf were all amazing. The drinks were both tasty and fulfilling. Although there was a minor delay in service, we were seated promptly due to our reservation. We will surely come back to explore more items from their wide-ranging menu.
Overall a good experience. Most favorite part of the meal was the mashed potato and brussel sprouts! The fries were good but a little salty so I couldn’t finish. The seafood grits dish is very tasty, just wished it came out hotter
This was an outstanding experience! I ordered the blackened catfish skillet, and my girlfriend had the fried chicken. Both dishes were cooked perfectly and tasted incredible. The portion sizes were just right—neither of us were able to finish our plates. I also tried their chocolate mint julep, which was excellent.

