Smokey Row Coffee

I had a bacon cheeseburger in honor of bacon fest in Des Moines Iowa on Saturday. It was tasty and very nicely done

We waited 45 minutes for a cinnamon roll to be heated in a microwave for 15 seconds and brought out to us. We had to ask the people at the counter three times for it. Horrible costumer service.

I always forget about this place for some reason even though they have really good food and desserts. I don’t go here for the coffee. I think I have gotten coffee here once, but they have really good sandwiches, milkshakes, and pastries! The inside of the building is very cozy and is a great place to study or see friends. There is also a drive thru which takes a little longer then your average drive thru but still quicker than having to go inside if you are in a hurry!

Love the Chi Tea. Great place to do business. Happy to refer you. Great location with easy access to the Metro. Have not tried the food yet. Always warm and welcoming staff. Happy to meet you there. What more can you say.

This is a huge coffee shop with more than just coffee. They have extensive menu, too. I had a medium roast coffee and a chocolate mint muffin. They warmed the muffin for me and it was fantastic. Moist, with a lot of flavor.
There were a lot of patrons working and studying but it was still easy to get a table. Even with snow on the ground there was ample parking in the lot behind the building (use the back entrance).
This is definitely a place from where I’ll b be working on nice days when I need to get out of the office!

I love this place, always buzzing! I’ve had meetings here or just catching up with a friend. Staff is helpful and knowledgeable. Food selection is unique but not tooo crazy. Enjoying the fall apple cider.

Not to be overly dramatic, but I received only half of my order here! Needed a caffeine boost for my drive to Cedar Falls. Ordered a regular coffee with milk. The friendly young man at the drive-​through got it half right… a plain olé cup of coffee (kinda wimpy at that) served black. Stopped at a gas station about a hour down the road to pick up some creamer to whiten it. The cool kid there comped me the Coffeemate (mostly cuz he said he didn’t know how to ring it up, but I was grateful nonetheless!). Thanks for saving this lukewarm cup, gas station!

Neat place but we went through drive through and while there was a car in front of us we kept smelling smoke. We thought someone was smoking a cigarette but when we got to the window and she opened it up the smell was coming from inside. It just stunk. The coffee, a small mocha, tasted sweet and more like hot chocolate. No coffee taste at all. I’ll try it again next time I’m there but right now I’m only giving it a two star

Coffee is ok. Not great. It might be due to the staff. I’m pretty sure no one who works there is over 20 and definitely don’t know anything about coffee besides how to use the espresso machine. But staff has always been nice and helpful the few times I’ve been there.
Food selection is not that great. No good vegetarian options.
Ice cream is consistently good.
It is a big place, so it’s good for large groups and/​or study sessions.

If you’ve never been to a coffee shop and you’re ready to step into the local scene then I’d suggest Smokey Row to get your feet wet. They have the most seating of all the local joints I’ve been to, from two– person high top tables to booths for a group, with outside seating to boot. And while they have all the offerings you’d expect from a coffee shop – coffee, tea, specialty drinks and pastries – they also skew a bit in the direction of a diner as they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Additionally there’s a soda fountain and ice cream counter.
Business people having meetings over coffee, parents and grandparents buying ice cream for the kids, young adults playing board games, all find a place at Smokey Row, so don’t think you aren’t «hipster» enough to check it out; it’s not one of those kind of places!
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the vegan food options are rather sparse.

I’m fine with Smokey Row Coffee. The place is big and it has ample parking. It’s good for a group meet up or an early casual date. The drinks are fine.
Unfortunately, Smokey Row is essentially useless if you’re planning on going there to work or have reliable internet service. The power outlets are looser than a discount Las Vegas call girl who’s on her last day on the job and lives with many regrets. If you are planning on charging a laptop here, you should probably go elsewhere. The wifi connectivity and speed varies wildly. Sometimes, it’s awesome. Other times, I have to find a sweet spot in the room where it works. I don’t know why this is.
The place is fine. I don’t want this review to make it seem like I hate the place. I just can’t really see myself going back unless they get their wifi/​outlet situation together.

Smokey Row Coffee is a HUGE coffee shop! There are tons of places to sit and hang out. I think you can reserve one of their back rooms for meetings, too. Definitely good atmosphere; there are all types of people here from college students on their laptops to business people conducting interviews.
The coffee here isn’t that great. I would say it tastes pretty similar to Starbucks. I’ve gone here a few times, and I’m okay with the Sweet Georgia Brown drink they sell. They do have a decent amount of teas to try, so that’s good. The one rave I have is that Smokey Row’s bran muffins are the best; try one warmed up with your caffenated beverage.

Smoky Row is my go-​to coffee place in Des Moines! Their coffee is cheaper than most other places plus they have a drive-​thru for days I’m in a rush. The space inside is awesome and a great place to work, study or hold a meeting. I haven’t gotten any food yet, but they serve cheeseburger chowder which is intriguing but also sort of gross. Updates to come soon!

Smokey Row is a charming atmosphere. The coffee is decent. I would say come for the unique coffee and stay for the food and ice cream. I had the «Join the Club.» I would recommend splitting it with a friend if you aren’t very hungry. It is very filling and heavy on meat but I enjoyed it and would have it again. The food was made fast and the coffee was served quickly. I will be returning.

I just rediscovered Smokey Row this weekend when my husband, son and I needed to grab a quick lunch… They were very fast, have a kids menu, and the food was actually quite nice! I had a great sandwich with a delicious pesto/​aoli on it.
I also really liked the mocha, and went back again this morning. It’s not as sweet as some, and I really appreciate the drive through! Great service — they even offered to warm my muffin! Yes, please. :)

Smokey row café is always packed! This is a popular place for Drake University students. The feel of it is like a coffee shop combined with an old school diner. It is a large coffee shop that also has a kitchen that serves burgers, paninis, wraps, and other delicious items. My favorite eats are the turkey bacon panini (amazing!) and the cheeseburger chowder soup. I haven’t had anything bad to eat from here before.
For drinks, they have a good variety of hot drinks (coffee, tea) to dessert type ones like milkshakes and root beer floats. I like their tea zing smoothies. I haven’t been too impressed with their tea and sometimes the brewed coffee isn’t the best and tastes watered down. I actually go here more for the food than drinks.
The place can be kind of loud which is a con for studying and working, but what kind of makes up for it is the large amount of space and seating available. It’s a great location close to downtown and has its own free parking lots so no need to worry about the meters.

Ventured here for lunch on a snowy day to meet a friend. Having never been here, I had no idea what to expect. I had been by the place a couple times but never really paid much attention to it.
The parking lot is small, especially when snow covered. I’d say maybe 8 cars could park in it. There is some street parking and also a parking lot behind the building. Again, due to the snow, there were fewer spots available than normal. It was difficult to find a parking spot.
There are two entry locations. One in the back and one in the front. I wish I had known about the back one as it was a bit more of a walk to get to the front. The building itself is of good size. Inside, it is bright and airy and I didn’t find it too loud.
To order, you go up to the counter. They will then bring you the food. I opted to get the Chicken Salad Croissant which came with chips. It was ok, but nothing to «write home about.» It took away my hunger but really, not much more. I will say the price of $ 6.50 is reasonable for lunch.
Overall: This is a nice place to meet up and enjoy some socialization but not my favorite spot to eat. They do have children’s highchairs and also a changing table which is nice.

Cool little place with plenty of options for food and beverages. The foot was really good but nothing out of this word. They have sandwiches, wraps and the like, so you can only go be so awesome with these. They make their own soda, which is nice. My only complaint is the cups are a bit small if you’re a big drinker.
Cool atmosphere that fills up quickly.

Interior décor cuter than a box of kittens? Check.
Double latte ordered to stay served in a paper cup? Check.
Nice outdoor seating? Check.
Free wireless, plenty of work space? Check.
OK, so this may be my only stop here… ever, and truthfully, I’m always annoyed when I order to stay and my latte comes in a paper cup when others have a porcelain mug. Normally I wouldn’t review a place on one stop.
Oh, but what’s this? I grab a dark roast, black, to go and a cream cheese muffin that gets perfectly heated.
Brilliance.
One of those magical moments that happens only once every several months. I take a sip. Stop. Another sip. This… this is a world class cup of joe to go. Why in the *hell* can’t I make a cup this good at home, or for that matter, why can’t anyone else? The muffin, tender, melt-​in-​the-​mouth deliciousness with just the right amount of sweetness, but not too much. Whoever baked those, you’re a genius. Ask for a raise.
The cup tooled down I-​235, then headed south on I-​35 sitting in my drink holder, each sip savored as I prepared to see a whole hell of a lot of cows, plowed fields and orange construction cones. 3 ½ hours later I pull into my garage in Lawrence, KS, toss the paper cup from my Smokey Row to go in my trash and think, this day started very, very well. Smokey Row lattes? Good, yes. That cup of black joe… world class.

–noisy — super packed
–options upon options when it comes to sweets to pair up with your beverages (biscotti, giant cookies, biscotti, muffins, etc.)
–Soup and light eat options
–outdoor and indoor seating (larger tables, booths, counters along the windows)
–Soda fountain offerings with malts and milkshakes
–tea (meh) –for those loving on frilly tea offerings — it appears that their chai is popular with additions like caramel, chocolate, etc.
–the redheaded woman at the counter was exceptionally friendly (maybe that’s because I have a soft spot for fellow redheads? ;)