Simon’s

After reading so many great comments about Simons we decided to check it out last night– and are glad we did! Arrived around 6:00, had about 15 minutes to wait at the bar before we could be seated in a cozy booth. Within a few minutes the place was completely packed and a small line was out the door! This place is small, dark, cozy and equipped with a fabulous, friendly waitstaff. The menu has a nice assortment of entrees from pizza (it looked really good) and sandwiches to steak and shrimp. We each ordered steak. I had the DeBurgo and my hubby had the New York strip– both came with a nice crisp salad with housemade salad dressing, a basket if good Italian bread, Yummy mashed potatoes and asparagus. The steaks were perfection. The strip had a wonderful sauce on it and the DeBurgo was fork-​tender and luscious. And at the end we were gifted with a slice of red velvet cake to «share”(I ate most of it-​and ur was heaven!!)
Simons is only a few blocks from our house and I don’t know why it took us this long to eat here but we will be back very soon and very often!

NYE dinner included apple cider martinis, templeton Moscow mule for drinks. Appetizer was the mushroom crostini and seafood bisque. All which set the bar for, hands down, the best steak in Des Moines. Steak Du Borgia. The husband had the beef tenderloin. Excellent job. This is how dining out should be. Cozy warm booth, pleasant and not pushy service. Followed by an escort to the door by the one and only Simon. Well done just perfect night.

Our new fav neighborhood restaurant. Great service and food! Simons is super intimate with an awesome atmosphere.

Amazing food, great atmosphere, wonderful service.
Went with a co-​worker and we ordered the Mushroom Crostini, both had fettucini alfredo with chicken and a bottle of wine.
The whole dining experience was awesome and the waitress did a great job of making sure we were taken care of, without interrupting our conversation– it’s an art! We also got a pretty tasty piece of red velvet cake to finish off the meal. I love this place!

This is a cozy gem that I have wanted to try for a long time and kept forgetting about — well that won’t be happening anymore! I love Simon’s! We went on Friday night and got there about 6:30. We got the last open booth. Every seat was filled. Our server was very good and very attentive. Very helpful answering basic newcomer menu questions! We each got a 10″ pizza and split a half order of onion rings. WOW! Everything was so good. The onion rings were crunchy without being greasy. Not too thick and not too thin. I had the Spin Art pizza and my friend had the Buffalo Chicken pizza with side of ranch dressing. Very good. A jazz guitarist started playing about 30 minutes or so before we left and I was afraid it would be annoying — nope, it was very nice background music. And then we got a piece of chocolate cake for dessert and that was a great surprise and very tasty! Will definitely be going back again soon!

So glad we finally stopped in here! This place is close by and we gave it a shot this weekend, very pleased we did, we will likely become regulars. I had the shrimp scampi and house Pinot Grigio, my husband had the lasagna and a Moscow mule. One of the better ones he’s had on both counts he said. My food was delicious, just a touch too lemony on the sauce but that’s the only complaint. The service was fantastic, the owner came out and spoke with all the tables. There is amazing artwork at every booth. Priced decently at $ 15 – 25 for most entrees, sandwiches for $ 10ish. They also played some of our favorite music all evening. We will be back!

LOVE this place. Comfort food and awesome cocktails. Perfect date night spot or bring your friends and share. Because everything on the menu is great.

Phenomenal! Pasta was amazing. Get the stuffed chicken. Service was fantastic. Just go here already.

This was our first visit to Simons and I can definitely say that we will be back! The service was on point, the food was delicious and the complimentary chocolate cake was the perfect finish to our dinner.
We had the stuffed mushroom appetizer which was amazing. I ordered the stuffed chicken pasta and it was cooked perfectly. My boyfriend ordered the steak with garlic mash. Buttery, rich and oh so good!
I really can’t say enough good things about the owner, Simon, and his staff. Attentive, friendly and certainly happy that you’re there!

We used to go several times a week, then we somehow got off track and it was six years before we returned. A week ago we had the hamburgers and they were delicious. Last night we each had the spaghetti and meatballs. OMG it was simply delicious as well. i could taste each component, the meat balls, the sauce, the tender pasta. It was something that we would definitely order again. price wise, very reasonable. Service was quick and outstanding.
I am not waiting another 6 years anymore.

This place is amazing. We had the most lovely dinner here and I can’t wait to return. This place is dark and lit by low lights and candles. Its bigger on the inside then what I expected with tables, booths, and a bar. As soon as we got in we were approached and got to choose where we sat. Their menu size is average but the options range from duck to pasta to pizzas. I have never had duck before so I ordered that while my husband ordered meatballs and spaghetti. While we waited we ordered stuffed mushrooms and I had a Cinnamon Roll Martini. Best martini I have had in a long time and the stuffed mushrooms were delicious.
When our food arrived I was so impressed by how neat everything look and even more impressed but how amazing the duck tasted. If I ever want duck again, I will be coming back here because it was just out of this world delicious.
Overall my experience with this place was very good, service was wonderful, the food just right and I loved over all ambiance of the place. I can’t wait to go back to try what else they have!

Love this little neighborhood restaurant. We’ve been there numerous times and never a bad meal. Most times we struggle deciding what to order. The only time we don’t is when they have their steak de burgo, garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. A meal to die for. Add a bottle of red and you’re in heaven. I can’t even think of a negative as we’ve never had a bad meal, service, etc. The owner will check in with you and it’s not just for show. He’ll sit and have a conversation if you want. He truly cares about your evening and wants to make sure everything runs smoothly, your expectations are met and you are fully sated.

A true hidden gem, this neighborhood bistro is a real find. Everything is fresh and well prepared.

My cousin took us here when were recently on a trip to Des Moines. From the outside, you really wouldn’t think it was much, but we were really impressed with the food and the service. I had the seafood chowder, followed by lasagna that I shared with my partner. Both were excellent and we’d definitely be regulars here if we lived in Des Moines.
Note to Unilocalers from out of town: apparently Simon’s and J. Benjamin’s are the same place, so don’t be confused. I never did get the story as to why it seems to go by both names. If someone knows, please post an explanation.

Driving by you wouldn’t think to stop in for a great bite to eat but I’m so glad I did! Great service and atmosphere, margaritas were delicious and the chicken I ordered was the best I’ve ever had! Would definitely recommend this place to anyone! Don’t let the outer appearance scare you it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

The best hidden gem in the area! Great pasta, red sauce or Alfredo, great pizza etc. I or my family have never had a bad meal,. And Simon the owner, most personable man in the biz! And he will toss u a few dessert to share, wish he would open a place in Waukee. Grey job Simon… Todd.

Absolutely fantastic. The atmosphere is quaint and personal, the food is very good, and the service is fantastic. Where else can you go that gives you complimentary dessert and has the owner ensure your meal was ok?
My fiancée and I went for the first time tonight and had no idea what to expect. We will surely be going back in the future. Great neighborhood restaurant with delicious pizza.

My husband and I swung by Simons/​J Benjamins/​whatever this place is called last night to use up a gift card that had been given to us a few months back. I have to admit, the few pictures of this restaurant’s exterior that exist online are a bit off-​putting so we hesitated going at all. Like many others, I was pleasantly surprised with the food and service. We went at around 6:30 on a Thursday night and got a table right away.
Yeah, the place is a bit dark and it’s about as unpretentious as you can get… but after dinning at my fair share of all-​style, no-​substance places in bigger cities, its occasionally refreshing to eat at a place where people don’t take themselves too seriously (and know how to make a good pizza).
I had the bianca pizza which was pretty tasty and my husband had a make-​your-​own mac and cheese dish (which he loved). Drinks were decently priced and we got a free piece of chocolate cake at the end of it all (which appears to be their schtick). But hey, if some one wants to give me free dessert, I’m on board.
It’s safe to say we’ll be back. Too bad this place doesn’t have a patio for summertime drinks… that could turn it into a real neighborhood gem.

A pleasant surprise. I went here for a biweekly dinner with my dad. It was recommended to him by his coworker. Atmosphere is cozy, classy, and comfortable. One can actually have a conversation. Great service. For «classic American» cuisine everything tasted extremely fresh and well balanced. Nothing came across as heavy. I ordered the lasagna and it was delicious. I could even taste the basil and the ricotta was not overpowered by the marinara.
The coffee was decent as well. I don’t know when but I will definitely be back.

An absolutely wonderful restaurant! Don’t let the «rough» exterior deter you. J. Benjamin’s has a rough exterior, but the interior is warm and welcoming and the food is delicious! We decided to try J. Benjamin’s because we were in the mood for pizza and our friends have always raved about the pizza here. The pizza was wonderful! I must admit, however, that our appetizer left something to be desired, but the pizza more than made up for that shortcoming.
We ordered the Pepper Cheese Bread for our appetizer. This is toasted french bread topped with assorted peppers (red, green, jalapeño and banana peppers) and a sprinkle, literally, of cheese. I was not impressed. But, the mariana sauce that accompanied the Pepper Cheese Bread was chunky and delicious! Now, on to the pizza!
First, I should note that J. Benjamin’s prepares their pizza’s exclusively with thin crust. I had a small Chicken Santa Fe which comes with white sauce, chicken, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes and green chiles. WOW! It was SO good. Honestly, the pizza seemed to get better with each bite. I certainly recommend it. My girlfriend had the Veggie, which was also very tasty.
J. Benjamin’s always has a wonderful wine list. OH! Draft beers are $ 3.50. You can’t beat that — Blue Moon, Boulevard Wheat, New Castle, and others, all $ 3.50. Not bad!
We had a wonderful meal at J. Benjamin’s and certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a wonderful dinner in a warm and cozy restaurant with friendly staff!