Uncle Bucks Fishbowl & Grill
1 / 28#28. Uncle Bucks Fishbowl & Grill
- Rating: 2.7/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 Bass Pro Drive Northwest Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood, American, Bowling
- Read more on Yelp

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 20 reviews were considered. In an effort to highlight independent restaurants and local chains, those with more than 10 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included. Data is as of July 29, 2025.
Keep reading to discover your highest-rated local seafood restaurants for your next special meal out!
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Uncle Bucks Fishbowl & Grill
1 / 28- Rating: 2.7/5 (79 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 Bass Pro Drive Northwest Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood, American, Bowling
- Read more on Yelp
Viva Mexican Restaurant
2 / 28- Rating: 3.3/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4531 86th St. Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
District 36 Wine Bar and Grille
3 / 28- Rating: 3.4/5 (178 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1375 Southwest Vintage Pkwy Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Wine Bars, Seafood, American
- Read more on Yelp
Laughing Crab
4 / 28- Rating: 3.4/5 (123 reviews)
- Address: 4508 University Ave. West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Johnny's Italian Steakhouse
5 / 28- Rating: 3.5/5 (219 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 6800 Fleur Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
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Waterfront Seafood Restaurant
6 / 28- Rating: 3.5/5 (211 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2414 Southeast Tones Drive Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Splash Seafood Bar & Grill
7 / 28- Rating: 3.6/5 (197 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 303 Locust St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
Old West Mexican Restaurant
8 / 28- Rating: 3.6/5 (84 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4138 Fleur Drive Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
Noah's Ark Ristorante
9 / 28- Rating: 3.6/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2400 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
El Mariachi
10 / 28- Rating: 3.7/5 (104 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 5825 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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New China Buffet & Grill
11 / 28- Rating: 3.7/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 East Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Buffets, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Trostel's Greenbriar
12 / 28- Rating: 3.7/5 (123 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5810 Merle Hay Road Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Steakhouses, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Nuevo México
13 / 28- Rating: 3.9/5 (28 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6110 Northwest 86th St. Ste A 106 Johnston, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Magee's Irish Pub & Eatery
14 / 28- Rating: 3.9/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1610 Southwest Main St. Ste 107 Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Irish Pub, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Louie's Wine Dive
15 / 28- Rating: 3.9/5 (274 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4040 University Ave. Ste A Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
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Buzzard Billy's
16 / 28- Rating: 3.9/5 (397 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 615 3rd St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
Gilberto's Mexican Taco Shop
17 / 28- Rating: 3.9/5 (58 reviews)
- Address: 400 34th Ave. Southwest Ste 104 Altoona, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
Hidalgo Mexican Bar & Grill
18 / 28- Rating: 4.0/5 (35 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1631 Southwest Main St. St 100 Ankeny, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Salad, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Waterfront Seafood Market
19 / 28- Rating: 4.1/5 (308 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2900 University Ave. Ste 130 West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood, Seafood Markets, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
Primos Tex Mex Bar And Grill
20 / 28- Rating: 4.1/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 1140 East Army Post Road Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Tex-Mex, Seafood, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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Fresko
21 / 28- Rating: 4.2/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 909 Locust St. Ste 103 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
Jesse's Embers
22 / 28- Rating: 4.2/5 (143 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3301 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
801 Chophouse
23 / 28- Rating: 4.2/5 (261 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 801 Grand Ave. Ste 200 Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Steakhouses, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
Cosi Cucina Italian Grill
24 / 28- Rating: 4.3/5 (232 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1975 Northwest 86th St. Clive, Iowa
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
El Barco
25 / 28- Rating: 4.4/5 (146 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8801 Hickman Road Ste B Urbandale, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
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Proudfoot & Bird
26 / 28- Rating: 4.5/5 (77 reviews)
- Address: 1000 Walnut St. Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
El Toreado Mexican Bar & Grill
27 / 28- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 3751 Ep True Pkwy West Des Moines, Iowa
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood, Bars
- Read more on Yelp
Kathmandu Restaurant
28 / 28- Rating: 4.6/5 (132 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 7225-7229 Apple Valley Drive Windsor Heights, Iowa
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 303 metros.