Highest-rated seafood restaurants in Des Moines by diners
Whether you've waited in line for soft-shell crabs in the Chesapeake Bay or savored sushi in New York City, you know there's something special about finding the right spot to enjoy seafood. From ceviche to grilled salmon and towers of shellfish, the top-rated seafood restaurants in the United States serve up mouthwatering dishes across diverse cuisines like Japanese, Latin American, and Mediterranean to suit every palate.
Of course, certain areas of the country are known for particular delicacies. California's proximity to the Pacific Ocean, for example, makes it one of the best states for seafood. The Los Angeles area serves up everything from caviar to Santa Barbara spot prawns while San Francisco is a mecca for fish tacos, ceviche, and sushi. Further north, Seattle is legendary for its shellfish, showcased at the famed fish counter at Pike Place Market.
While Chicago may be best known as a pizza capital, many flock to the city for its king crab dishes; a bit further south and east, you have Miami and its sought-after stone crab season. Southern locales like New Orleans boast fresh crawfish from the Gulf of Mexico and the two noncontiguous states have their own signature offerings, too: Alaska is known for its pollock and salmon, while Hawai'i is known for its poke.
Dining at a seafood restaurant can be one of the most memorable parts of your trip to a new city or offer comfort food in your own hometown. To celebrate the best options near you, Stacker used insights from Yelp to compile a list of the highest-rated seafood restaurants in Des Moines.
Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself. Only restaurants with at least 10 reviews were considered. In an effort to highlight independent restaurants and local chains, those with more than five locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included. Data is as of June 14, 2024.
Keep reading to discover your highest-rated local seafood restaurants for your next special meal out!
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily depict the specific restaurants listed or the dishes they serve.
#17. The Cheesecake Factory
- Rating: 3.4/5 (262 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 101 Jordan Creek Pkwy Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: desserts, american, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Charlee's Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 3.4/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 1130 East 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: salvadoran, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Johnny's Italian Steakhouse
- Rating: 3.4/5 (207 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6800 Fleur Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: italian, steakhouses, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Old West Mexican Restaurant
- Rating: 3.5/5 (72 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4138 Fleur Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: mexican, seafood, steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Noah's Ark Ristorante
- Rating: 3.6/5 (155 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2400 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: italian, pizza, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#12. New China Buffet & Grill
- Rating: 3.7/5 (53 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 East Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: buffets, new american, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Splash Seafood Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.7/5 (181 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 303 Locust St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: seafood, cocktail bars
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Louie's Wine Dive
- Rating: 3.9/5 (256 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4040 University Ave. Ste A Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: new american, wine bars, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Islas del Pacifico Mex Rest and Seafood
- Rating: 3.9/5 (15 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1434 Des Moines St. Ste 8 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: seafood, mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Buzzard Billy's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (339 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 615 3rd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: cajun/creole, seafood, burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#7. 801 Chophouse
- Rating: 4.1/5 (236 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 801 Grand Ave. Ste 200 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: steakhouses, wine bars, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#6. El Patron Authentic Mexican Cuisine
- Rating: 4.2/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 4351 Merle Hay Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: mexican, seafood, cocktail bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Jesse's Embers
- Rating: 4.2/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3301 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: seafood, steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Fresko
- Rating: 4.3/5 (147 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 909 Locust St. Ste 103 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: new american, seafood, sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Uchu Restaurant And Catering
- Rating: 4.4/5 (14 reviews)
- Address: 1704 East Grand Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: peruvian, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Primos Tex Mex Bar And Grill
- Rating: 4.5/5 (21 reviews)
- Address: 1140 East Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: tex-mex, seafood, mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Proudfoot & Bird
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 1000 Walnut St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: steakhouses, seafood
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Zeynep Guler Tuck, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 282 metros.
