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Tursi's Latin King
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Pizza Latin American, Pizza [Edit]
2200 Hubbell AveDes Moines, IA 50317
(515) 266-4466
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Tue-Thu 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
21 reviews for Tursi's Latin King
21 reviews in English
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Review from Michael F.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/7/2012
Amazing! The food, the service, the everything. My angel hair pasta was out of this world. If you come here and the weather is nice out, eating outside is a must. You will probably have trouble finding a parking spot considering how popular this joint is. What can I say, I guess it's a Des Moines tradition to dine here. Hope to return the next time I'm in Iowa.
5 stars -
Review from Abbie T.
Des Moines, IA
3/31/2012
Growing up, Latin King was my favorite place to eat. With plentiful portions of Italian food, it's was the type of place to gather with family and enjoy an evening. I remember Bobby buzzing around the restaurant and service that made the place feel like home.
My last two visits have been sub par and it pains me to write this review. Unfortunately, it seems that turning tables is now the only priority, a feeling compounded by subpar service and food.
After sitting down, almost immediately, we were asked what we wanted to eat. Our inquiries into dinner specials received barked and unhelpful responses. And our indecision was met with little time to decide.
As the meal went on I felt pressured to shut up and eat instead of catch up with friends. Before I finished my salad, and with fork still in hand, bus boys cleared plates so entrees could be delivered.
The food was fresh from the kitchen, but in general - flavor fell short. The Chicken Spiedini was decent, per usual (probably the only dish worth ordering) but the side of pasta that came with it was dreadful. The red sauce smelled and tasted spoiled, with a bitter dark red hue instead of a vibrant red.
More than half of the table was still twirling pasta when we were asked if we'd want dessert. And our request to think it over for a few minutes was met with a grumble. More upsetting, the Tiramisu was old and dry. Coffees were poured but never refilled. And the ONE check for our 5 top, came with a 15% gratuity added.
I can understand trying to turn tables on a busy night, but when wandering to the bathroom mid-meal - I noted both the bar and the lobby were empty. We were being rushed out for no reason.
Aside from the red sauce leaving a bad taste in my mouth, the service ruined me of a childhood favorite. I will not ever be returning. -
Review from Janet E.
3/4/2012
When I first heard the name of this restaurant, I thought it was for Mexican cuisine! To my surprise though, its all about authentic Italian cuisine! This place knows how to do Italian right!
I had the mostaccioli which was in a really good pasta sauce (that had a little bit of spiciness to it but not too much) and the pasta was perfect, not overcooked and not undercooked. The mozzarella cheese that topped it was very good as well. The dish included two freshly made sausage links from the local meat shop Graziano. I'm glad to see that they use local business products here. A great way to support the local economy! The sausages were good and were not filled with fat at all (as some sausages can be). You can definitely tell the sausages were hand made with good quality meat and not mass produced by large companies.
My meal came with freshly made pre-sliced bread. The bread was SUPER soft with a nice crunchy crust on the outside. The bread also came with a side of butter.
In addition, my meal also included a side salad with parmesan dressing.
Unfortunately I cannot rate the service because I ordered my food as carry out. However, I was told that there was a little bit of a wait for dine in patrons, so I would suggest calling ahead of time for reservations or to order your food to go.
The restaurant was featured in the New York Times as a small business making a come back through the tough economy.
http://www.nytimes.com...
I'm so glad that Tursi's Latin King has survived the economy. It would be a shame if this restaurant closed. The food here is so good! -
Review from Andrew B.
Cambridge, IA
5/23/2012
I had heard pretty-much nothing but good things about this place for the 10+ years that we have lived in the area, but boy oh boy, Latin King leaves a lot to be desired. Why are so many people here? It tries to bridge the gap between a decent Italian restaurant and an old-style midwest steakhouse.
The entry is very nice. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly. The tables have no tablecloths and instead each setting got a white paper placemat. Sure, this is fine for a diner, but Tursi's sells itself as fine dining, and charges accordingly. There was bread and butter on the table, but the bread was fluffy white stuff and pretty tasteless.
We ordered wine and calamari. The calamari was fine, but not great. It came with some version of marinara (there seem to be many versions at Tursi's)
We ordered and were soon brought salads. We had all chosen the house dressing, a creamy parmesan, I think? I'm sure many love it, but the person sitting next to me asked "Is this all just mayonnaise?" No, it's not, but it kind of has that consistency, and it's just plopped on top of a very weak iceberg lettuce salad. The dressing/salad ratio is very high.
Then without a word, our server plopped down a small bowl of penne with some other marinara in front of my wife, who had ordered a filet. Was this part of what was ordered? Was it a special appetizer? Why is it here before the meal? We had no idea. Presentation left something to be desired on this, too. We did receive wine at this time, and kudos to the sommelier, who did a nice job.
On to the main courses. My daughter ordered the pasta trio. One would think that with the pasta trio, pasta might be at the center of it all. Not so much. Everything was meat, meat and more meat, which might be good if you really want meat. But it was a pasta trio. And how can you overcook the pasta for such a thing? In lasagna? Another ordered carbonara, which was not what anyone should call carbonara. It was more like alfredo with some bacon in it. And again, the pasta was overcooked. My wife's filet was good, but not exceptional. We also ordered a penne dish, which was nondescript. I had a steak and chicken feature (not a special). The chicken was very good, and the sauces on both the chicken and steak also stood out. The steak wasn't flavorful, however, and it wasn't medium rare as ordered.
We skipped desert and grabbed some frozen yogurt on the way home, so we can't comment on that.
With a bottle of average wine, this ended up being about $145 for five of us. None of us were impressed. -
Review from Jerry N.
West Des Moines, IA
5/25/2012
This was my first visit to this fine restaurant. My girlfriend has been there often. She told me the food was always good, and she was correct. The service was also quite good.
We arrived at a busy time, but did not have to wait for seating. Our waitress was friendly and helpful. However, she did not offer us a free wine sample as they normally do, thus the 4 stars instead of 5. -
Review from Debbie B.
Clive, IA
4/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great family-owned place to eat lunch or dinner. I've never had bad food there. Try the desserts. Homemade and luscious! Parmesan dressing on the salad, great bread, and pasta selections are sure to please. Yum.
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Review from Jeremy C.
Des Moines, IA
3/27/2012
Great place for lunch or dinner. Service is outstanding and food is so good. Definitely a gem on the east side of Des Moines. You will be hard pressed to find a better meal in town.
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Review from Brian H.
Waterloo, IA
3/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best Italian food around!
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Review from Reed N.
Updated - 11/11/2010
Still solid... a lean hot Italian sausage sandwich [patty style] and fries were executed well. I do not know what they fry in, but it tastes good with the spuds.
The owner and his wife are there and are gracious and friendly... and to be honest that means a lot. There have been some negative reviews of this place on things like prices. That is ridiculous. Mortons and the steak house ilk would all have horrible reviews if price and value were judged. Judge the food first. Service second. And save that fifth star for something different or special.
If I ever have a bad meal, I have a reasonable discussion with the owner/mgr and see how it is addressed. They fix your complaint or invite you back on their dime. But then, you just can't teach negative Yelpers how to get along! : )1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/16/2010
I like this place.
I had Chicken Spedini Caesar Salad and it was terrific. I am sorry I did not try… Read more »
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Review from Monica S.
10/31/2011
The best Italian food in town I think. They're fried ravioli with meatballs is wonderful! A family restaurant, and has been in Des Moines for some time.
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Review from Diane A.
Tustin, CA
Updated - 2/15/2010
Okay....after coming back again for a second time...I am just not impressed.
Dishes are over-priced, service really isn't that great....I love supporting the local businesses, but honestly, you can find a greater deal / better quality @ other restaurants.
No dining in for me, the only time I'll be stopping in is to have dessert in their bar area...that is, after I have dined elsewhere...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/7/2009
The Company decided to host the Xmas Dinner party @ Latin King...
...I definitely wasn't… Read more »
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Review from Ray W.
Woodridge, IL
7/14/2010
Spent 6 whole days in Iowa (mainly Des Moines) and had lunch and dinner at 12 different places. This was #1 (of 12), the last "dinner" of our trip. What an excellent place at which to spend our last evening.
We arrived on a Wednesday night -- no reservations -- so had to wait about 15-20 minutes. No problem. The owner stopped to chat with us for a few moments (no big-city snobbiness) making us feel quite comfortable (all this despite having an over-energetic 6-year-old son who couldn't sit still and was all over the lobby; we felt as welcomed as at "Grandma's").
That wonderfulness continued throughout the entire meal. Service & food were top-notch (I had a stuffed veal chop, my wife had Chicken Spiedini, and our son had spaghetti & meatballs from the kid's menu. We had soup & salad, my wife and I both had a glass of wine, I had a Cappuccino. Dessert seemed tempting, but we ate too much. Their bread was just too good to resist and we ordered an extra loaf.
The "icing on the cake" was when the bill arrived. We always "guess" how much it will be. I guessed $93, my wife guessed $96. But it was only $79! I even double-checked to see if something was left off by mistake (by Chicago standards, this was easilly a $90+ meal).
What a great find!! -
Review from Chantalle v.
Los Angeles, CA
11/9/2008
Um...I felt like I was in an Olive Garden.
Why do people come to an Italian restaurant to eat fried chicken and mashed potatoes?
I guess it is good Italian food for those in the Midwest... -
Review from JoAnna S.
Des Moines, IA
3/30/2010
Best Italian in Des Moines!
Always get the house dressing on the salad, it rocks.
Try the Moscow Mule- their bartenders and the only ones in town that really know how to make one!
I am so very much in love with their Cappellini alla Sassi. I dream about getting this recipe. Their gnocchi is great too, as is the penne regine.
Their menu is pretty big so it can be hard to decide. Their specialty is the chicken spiedini but personally I'm not a super huge fan- it's not bad, I just think there are better things on the menu. -
Review from Justin B.
Des Moines, IA
7/23/2008
This restaurant is very successful, but in reality it is not that great. The food is very blah but their service will blow you away. (Bobbi Tursi runs a tight ship)
There restaurant is packed every night, and has a devoted following. I think this is the reason for the sub par food. "Don't fix it if it ain't broken"
The second better restaurants go in on the East side, the Latin King will start to feel the squeeze. -
Review from Emily T.
Chicago, IL
12/26/2006
My mama is Italian. Not by upbringing mind you, (adopted) though you would never know it to see her cook. In mass quantities. The woman makes homemade pasta and stuffed rigatoni to die for, and The Latin King is her favorite Italian restaurant in Des Moines. To make this statement about a city which has a large Italian population is saying something.
For those of you poor souls who have not yet darkened the door of this fine establishment, let me paint you a picture: This quaint little restaurant is on the east side of DM, cradled by used auto lots and a dairy, tucked almost underneath the freeway. Yet, when you walk in the door, the dimmed lighting, friendly waitstaff and the lively conversation instantly transports you to Italy. Well, that might be a stretch, but at the very least, you aren't on the east side of Des Moines.
The food here is excellent. I highly recommend the antipasto plate and bruschetta appetizers- the former my father sometimes eats as a meal on its own. Our other reviewer didn't like the toasted ravioli- but toasted ravioli is extremely hard to pull off, for any restaurant. I am always disappointed by that dish. Regardless, pick anything else on the menu and you can't go wrong.
Add to all of this an extensive yet extremely reasonable wine list, attentive yet unobtrusive waitstaff, and the feeling as though you've walked into your Italian grandma's dining room for dinner, and you've got the reason this place has been open as long as it has.
I live in Chicago and have for a while, so I get my fair share of Italian food, but when we get the chance, its always nice to make the trek to the Latin King. It never disappoints. -
Review from J D.
Des Moines, IA
2/2/2010
We were quoted a time of "not more than 25 minutes". After 45 minutes, and not seeing anyone in the waiting area that was there when we came in, we talked to the staff; they had forgotten us.
The food was way too rich (everything was drenched in over-flavored sauces) and overpriced for what you got. I much prefer Olive Garden or Mezzodi's. -
Review from Drew H.
Peachtree City, GA
11/4/2006
Other people love this place. It's an Italian restaurant that has a confusing name and the food was blah. I really would like to give this place 2.5 stars but that isn't an option. I think their marinara sauce was very pasty and the toasted ravioli was nothing to be proud of.
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Review from David F.
Eden Prairie, MN
8/4/2009
Great service, good food, ample portions at resonable prices and a euopean ambiance. What else could a diner ask for? Try it ... you'll like it. The Tursi family runs a wonderful restaurant.
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Review from Jeremiah E.
Des Moines, IA
9/23/2008
Sometimes it can take awhile to be seated but it is worth it.
Slightly surpases Centro in my heart. -
Review from I l.
Des Moines, IA
10/17/2008
Tursi's a classy Italian joint. Don't let the surroundings fool you, it's what's on the inside that counts. The Latin King is known for their chicken spendini. The other Italian places give may try their hand, but Tursi's is the original. They serve it either with an buttery sauce or in an Alfredo sauce over pasta. If you plan on going on a weekend, it can get very busy.
